《Warning My Mommy is A Savage》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 Warning: My Mommy is A Savage! By: Seeking A Peaceful Life Hilton Hotel Nine-month pregnant Charmine Jordan struggled to walk along the aisle while looking at her surroundings, as though she was searching for someone. Today was her big day, her engagement day with Julian Cabell. It was almost time, but he was nowhere to be seen. As she waddled, however, she then heard a soft yet familiar voice. ¡°Julian, darling, are you sure you want to get engaged with that adopted daughter? She¡¯s not even carrying your child!¡± Charmine stopped dead in her tracks and turned to the source of the voice. She saw her older sister, Tiffany Jordan and Julian¡ªher fianc¨¦¡ªby the staircase. ¡°Of course I knew,¡± Julian replied in his low and throaty voice. ¡°I was in the room next to hers when she was assaulted. If she found out that you nned everything, she wouldn¡¯t have given you her 15% shares,¡± Julian added, with one arm wrapped around Tiffany¡¯s small waist. Tiffany, in her frustration, growled. ¡°I don¡¯t get it. She was adopted into our family, but why would Grandpa give her fifteen percent of thepany shares?!¡± Tiffany whined, her face as delicate and deceivingly beautiful as ever. Leaning on Julian¡¯s chest, she continued, ¡°Julian, darling, do you dislike me for doing that? You must be thinking I¡¯m cruel, don¡¯t you? Knowing that I¡¯m not actually rted to N?velDrama.Org content rights. the Jordan family, you want Charmine over me now, do you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be silly, my love. The second your mom swapped you into the family Jordan, you¡¯ve already be a member of the Jordan family. Also, Charmine¡¯s tacky and ugly. So what if she¡¯s a genuine Jordan family member? I wouldn¡¯t even love her even if she was royalty! Don¡¯t you worry¡­ Once I get ahold of all her shares, I¡¯ll leave her for you and give you a huge engagement party that you deserve. For now, let me make it up to you.¡± Charmine could not believe what she had just heard; shock shot up her body as though she was struck by lightning. She never knew the child in her body was not Julian¡¯s. Julian was not the one who deflowered her, but it was by aplete stranger ordered by her sister instead? That she was¡ªin fact¡ªthe Jordan family¡¯s actual heiress, but her identity was swapped by Tiffany¡¯s mother? Charmine would never forget the abuse she had undergone just for being ¡®the adopted child¡¯. Back then, Tiffany was her only source offort; the big protective sister who told her it was okay to not study and just have fun. All this time, Charmine thought Tiffany was the closest thing to a family, that she would give Tiffany all her best gifts and opportunities given by their grandpa, including the opportunity to study abroad in America. Never did she expect that Tiffany was the one ruining her life for 18 years! Worse still, her fianc¨¦ knew everything all this while, yet he allowed these things to happen. Julian even conspired with her sister! ¡°Swash¡­¡± The unexpected turn of events sent Charmine reeling back in shock, staggering backward, that she knocked down a nearby vase. This rmed both Tiffany and Julian, both still in bliss in each other¡¯s embrace. They looked over with dted pupils. ¡°Charmine¡­ What are you doing here?!¡± Julian called out, a vexed frown on his face as he did. Tiffany hastily pushed Julian away and put on her clothes. ¡°Charmine, dear, it¡¯s not what it seems. This is just a joke; Julian only loves you¡ª¡± Charmine scoffed at Tiffany¡¯s feeble choice of words. ¡°In love with me? In love with my shares, in love with all my properties, you mean! Julian Cabell, Tiffany Jordan, I want everyone to know the truth today!¡± Charmine scrambled to run downstairs. Everyone was downstairs: guests of the highest ss in Burlington City, family friends of both Jorda and Cabell families. Charmine wanted everyone to know Tiffany was the adopted child, that Tiffany was nothing but a cruel and evil woman. ¡°Charmine, don¡¯t you dare make a scene!¡± Julian held her wrist, stopping her from running. ¡°Need I remind you that you¡¯re pregnant? If it wasn¡¯t for your shares, we wouldn¡¯t be having this engagement at all. You¡¯ve no right to be arrogant. Besides me, nobody else would want a pregnant eighteen-year-old!¡± Julian was right; she was only 18 years old. She was meant to go to a university, but Tiffany changed everything when she arranged for Charmine¡¯s tragedy. Unable to further her studies, her only option was to get engaged with Julian and be a full-time wife that everyone despised. She used to look at the prospects of this future with such fondness, but today¡¯s events made her sick to the core. ¡°I¡¯d rather die alone than to be with a bastard like you!¡± Charmine swung his hand away and continued running downstairs. It was then the unsettling realization hit Tiffany: If word got out, she would be done for. ¡°Charmine!¡± She reached out, and it seemed as though she wanted to hold onto Charmine. Instead, however, she gave Charmine a harsh push. ¡°Ahh!¡± Charmine was caught off-guard, and her heavy body fell off the stairs. Her body¡ªround with a child¡ªrammed against the wall. Warm blood began to ooze between her thighs. ¡°Julian, darling, what now¡­ What now¡­?! I didn¡¯t mean it¡­ I wanted to hold her¡­¡± Tiffany whimpered, though her action did not match her tone. ¡°I¡¯m scared¡­!¡± Tiffany cried as her face turned pale with fear. ¡°Calm down. She knows our n, so she deserves this. She asked for this herself!¡± With a barbaric look, he sprinted down the stairs toward the fallen girl. He then gave Charmine¡¯s belly a vigorous kick. One! Two! Three! ¡°Aahh!¡± An excruciating pain pierced through Charmine¡¯s belly. This was the man she grew up with; the person who put up with her as an adopted child; the man who promised Charmine her future. How can he be so cruel to her?! She hated this! She loathed this! More and more blood stained her white gown as the floor gradually turned red¡­ It was not long before Charmine, in her infinite pain, sumbed to darkness. Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Five yearster, at the Jordan family mansion¡¯s gates¡­ A dazzling ck motorbike raced into thepound and, with a 360-degree drift, stopped by the entrance. Built with high-end tech, the vehicle was easily a beauty with a matte finish. An elegant-looking leg came into view from the clouds of dust. A woman got down from the bike and, taking off her helmet, her long hair fluttered with the wind. Charmine Jordan stared at the words ¡®Jordan Family Mansion¡¯ as her red lips curled into a faint smirk. She had atst returned after five long years. A whirlwind of tragedies fell upon her thest time she was here; she almost lost her life to the kicks on her belly, had suffered a miscarriage, and was framed to be cheating on Julian when she was¡ªin fact¡ªset up by Julian and Tiffany. With her dignity and reputation torn into shreds, the Jordan family took away herpany shares and forced her to reside in Africa overnight. As though it was not cruel enough, they gave her bare minimum living expenses to survive with. In the past five years, she endured inhuman torture and suffering. Now, she was ready to take back all that belonged to her! She took her first long step, then another, as she made her way toward the mansion. In the garden, waiters were serving guests with expensive canap¨¦ and wine while renowned guests exchanged greetings. Today was the 70th birthday of Senior Jordan; every renowned celebrity and upper-ss families in Burlington City gathered at the mansion. A group of people surrounded Senior Jordan enthusiastically, greeting him with gifts and regards. ¡°Dad, this is your favorite tea. I brought you this ssic hundred-year-old Pu-erh tea, worth five hundred thousand.¡± ¡°Grandpa, this is Qi Baishi¡¯s renowned ¡®High In The Sky¡¯, and the asking price is nearly five hundred million. Wishing Grandpa longevity like the character in the painting.¡± ¡°Grandpa, here¡¯s a jade Buddha I specially requested to be made for you, worth five billion. I hope you like it!¡± A soft and beautiful voice was heard from across the room. The voice sounded serene like the heavens¡¯ glow. Tiffany Jordan then walked forward in elegance, her features beautiful and delicate as ever. Her beauty attracted everyone¡¯s attention. Four assistants followed behind her as they carried a board Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. clothed with red silk, and an ingeniously and beautifully carved jade Buddha sat on the board. Under the bright sunlight, it exuded a luster like the secrets of ancient forests. The texture was thicker, colder, and deeper than jade itself. The crowd fell into an uproar at that moment. ¡°My god! What type of jade is this? The color is so dense; I¡¯ve never seen it before!¡± ¡°That¡¯s Czech No.1 ck Green Meteorite Stone! Asking price is five billion!¡± ¡°What? Czech No.1? The one and only ck Green Meteorite Stone in the world?¡± ¡°Correct! ording to reports, Czech No. 1 has a very special material that¡¯s even harder than the hexagonal diamond. It belongs to a type of iron meteorite, and no hydraulic press could crush it!¡± ¡°God! Out of jades and pearls, Tiffany chose to give such a unique and one-of-a-kind meteorite stone!¡± ¡°How kind of her! Tiffany is indeed the most celebrated supermodel in the world. I can¡¯t believe she¡¯d purchase the meteorite stone and have it carved into a Buddha statue!¡± Words of praise filled the air, referring to Tiffany with nothing but admiration and respect. Tiffany, on the other hand, was secretly reveling in the praises. She strongly believed that, sooner orter, Grandpa would be charmed by her and eventually give her the 15% of shares. With that, she would be the Jordan Group¡¯s biggest shareholder. Outwardly, she maintained her humble fa?ade, her head hung low. ¡°Please, everyone, don¡¯t over-praise me. I just want to make Grandpa happy with my five-year savings. I¡¯m just happy Grandpa likes it.¡± ¡°I like it. Of course I like it!¡± James Jordan nodded repeatedly, a pleased expression adorning his face. Out of the blue, someone spoke out, ¡° Who¡¯s that? She seems familiar!¡± Everyone stopped dead in their tracks the moment they shifted their gazes. From the garden¡¯s entrance by the far end of the aisle, Charmine walked along the red carpet with her ck leather jacket and pants. With hair long yet slim, Charmine¡¯s dark hair fluttered as she walked. She bore a clean and neat outlook, and though she exuded arrogance and boldness, she appeared serene, much like calm water. Tiffany¡¯s beaming disposition plummeted in an instant. It was Charmine! Had she not stayed in Africa for five whole years? As she checked, was she not meant to have be burnt and ugly? How did she turn out so beautiful? Her parents were stunned, too. Why did shee back? Such a disgraceful adopted daughter¡­ This was not the right time to return! Joey Yu, Charmine¡¯s mother, hastily stepped forward and pointed at Charmine. ¡°What are you wearing? Do you know where you¡¯re at? Go to the backyard, don¡¯t shame us!¡± ¡°Charmine might¡¯vee to celebrate Grandpa¡¯s birthday,¡± Tiffany spoke up, despite her inward displeasure. ¡°Why don¡¯t we let her stay?¡± she added, the pretense of a supposed loving sister never slipping. All the attention fell onto Charmine. ¡°Celebrate? She came here empty-handed. How¡¯s that ¡®celebrating¡¯?¡± ¡°An adopted kid, taking the family¡¯s money for nothing, how could she afford anything? She is as good as not asking for more money!¡± ¡°Senior Jordan saved 15% of the shares for her, yet she showed up empty-handed!¡± ¡°What are you still doing here, adopted kid? Get lost! What are you looking at? You can¡¯t even afford to set your eyes on this stone. Do you know how much this is? Five billion!¡± Cousin Amelia Jordan said as she pushed Charmine, being the bully she had always been. ¡°I bet you haven¡¯t seen this much money after spending years in Africa. Didn¡¯t even show up with a fifty-dor gift. How dare you show up?¡± Unfazed, Charmine¡¯s red lips curled into a faint smile. ¡°Who said I came empty-handed? What a coincidence that I prepared a Czech No.1, too.¡± As she spoke, she pped her hands, and four assistants came forward with a Buddha statue. The statue was the exact same as the one Tiffany gifted to Senior Jordan! It was¡­identical! What happened? Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Everyone was in shock. ¡°Isn¡¯t there only one of Czech No.1?¡± ¡°How is Charmine gifting the Czech No. 1 as well? How are there two of them?¡± Amelia was the first to react, a mocking cackle escaped her lips. ¡°Haha! What else could it be? She must¡¯ve wanted to save her face and bought a fake one. Little did she know that Tiffany gifted the same thing. Shame that the cat¡¯s out of the bag, no? Hahaha!¡± ¡°Charmine, are you not ashamed of yourself? Can¡¯t you bring something else if you¡¯re that penniless? Why would you bring a fake item? I must¡¯ve been blinded back then when I brought you home out of pity,¡± scowled Joey Young. Joey loathed Charmine since day one, but little did she know that the woman before her was her actual daughter. The Tiffany she adored was the adopted kid sneaked into the Jordan family, carefully nned by Tiffany¡¯s biological mother, Lara Zabel. Before Charmine could even reply, Tiffany walked up to her. ¡°Charmine, how could you do this? Don¡¯t you know that stones have Reiki?¡± she swiftly reprimanded her, ying the role of a genuinely concerned sister. ¡°Fake stones can inflict harm to the body. How could you do such a thing to Grandpa? Please apologize to Grandpa; I believe he and everyone else here would forgive you if you do.¡± ¡°Apologize? You¡¯re the one who should be apologizing!¡± Charmine retaliated. ¡°The Czech No.1 ck green meteorite was found in the southern part of Czech. ording to experts, its Mohs hardness scale reaches 11, with the ability to crush even diamonds. Needless to say, things that are made with this meteorite stone can¡¯t be damaged by a knife or hammer.¡± Confident, Charmine then added, ¡°Want to know if this statue is real? Allow me!¡± Without giving time for anyone to react, Charmine picked up a hammer and smashed Tiffany¡¯s Buddha statue. Dong! The moment the hammer crashed onto the Buddha statue, the supposed ¡®Czech No.1¡¯ shattered into pieces all over the grass. Swiftly, Charmine turned to her Buddha statue and swung the hammer. Dong! Dong! Dong! With a stronger hit each time, the Buddha statue remained undamaged, yet the color turned darker. Everyone was stunned, unable toprehend what was happening before them. Unbelievable! ¡°What! How¡¯s this possible? Does that mean Tiffany¡¯s gift was fake all along?¡± ¡°These broken pieces are obviously some advanced artificial sses! We were almost fooled!¡± ¡°My thoughts exactly. How can a supermodel like Tiffany earn up to five billion in just five years? Now it makes sense; she¡¯s a fraud!¡± What was once a resounding choir for Tiffany¡¯s generosity and prosperity quickly darkened into an atmosphere of condemnation. ¡°If you knew that fake stones cause harm to the body, how could you do such a thing to Grandpa?¡± Charmine scorned, a permanent frown on her face as she did. ¡°I didn¡¯t know¡­ I really didn¡¯t!¡± Tiffany shook her head vigorously. She turned to Senior Jordan and hastily sputtered, ¡°Grandpa, I went to Czech just for this¡­!¡± Grandpa wanted to believe his granddaughter, but the truth that unraveled right before him made it impossible for him to do so. He merely waved it off. ¡°Alright, I understand. You might¡¯ve been deceived in a foreignnd,¡± hemented. ¡°Step back. Someone pleasee and clear the rubbish.¡± In an instant, a few staff came forward to clear the broken bits. Tiffany¡¯s face ashened as she looked at the pieces of shattered ss being cleared. The ¡®rubbish¡¯ they were clearing was not just her five billion dors¡­ They were also taking away her reputation, her dignity! Humiliation had never hit her this hard before. How did Charmine have so much money? She could not even make five billion as a supermodel in five years, so how was it possible that Charmine made five billion in Africa? Impossible! Where did her moneye from? James Jordan could care less about what had happened; what mattered was the young girl before her. Five years ago, he had no choice but to send Charmine abroad to recover, but his longing for his precious granddaughter had never diminished. Now that Charmine returned with such maturity, James rose from his seat and walked toward Charmine. As Senior Jordan stood before her, he held Charmine¡¯s hand fondly. ¡°Oh, my child,¡± he spoke, ¡°it must¡¯ve been difficult for you in the past five years. From now on, no one can change your status as my granddaughter, and nobody can send you away from me,¡± Senior Jordan consoled her. ¡°Grandpa will transfer you the promised fifteen-percent share.¡± Instantly, the crowd fell into chaos. Senior Jordan was so loving to this adopted child, and he was even willing to give her the 15% share of the family¡¯s business! The adopted kid who suddenly disappeared for five years was suddenly showered with the biggest blessing anyone in the Jordan family could ever ask for. She was indeed an attractive woman with a generous heart; her future seemed rather bright as of this moment. The guests surrounded Charmine to congratte her, and words of adoration and praise were sent in her way. Tiffany, on the other hand, was left alone like a moon among glowing stars. She was Eventually, someone did see her, but their onlyment was, ¡°Tsk, what a fraud!¡± The moment this person walked away, Tiffany balled her fists. How did Charmine steal her spotlight away so easily? No. That was it. Charmine did it on purpose. She came back to take revenge on what happened five years ago. Tiffany would not let this slide. With malice darkening her eyes, Tiffany took out her phone. [I want her dead.] Meanwhile, a tall and well-built man stood at the mansion¡¯s attic with one hand in his pocket, emitting an aura of indisputable ss and elegance. He saw everything that had transpired at the garden below, and his eyes were strongly glued onto Charmine. She was no ordinary woman. He snapped out of it the moment his phone rang. Answering the phone, he instantly spoke, ¡°Did you find anything on the girl from five years ago?¡± ¡°Sorry, Bro. I tried my best, but I don¡¯t have any leads on the girl¡¯s identity. We do have a situation, All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. though: Momo¡¯s missing!¡± ¡°What?¡± The man swiftly turned and walked away. Chapter 4 Chapter 4 The celebration gradually receded, and the only ones left in the garden were members of the Jordan Family. Worn out by today¡¯s celebration, Senior Jordan decided to retire to his room and rest. The moment Senior Jordan left, however, Joey Young turned her hate-filled eyes at Charmine. ¡°You¡¯re an evil and cruel adopted kid,¡± she growled. ¡°Tiffany had been protecting you ever since you were a kid and loved you dearly. How could you do this to her?!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything. Did I make her buy the fake meteorite stone?¡± came Charmine¡¯s nonchnt reply, undismayed. This only fueled Joey¡¯s anger. ¡°She was scammed, and you didn¡¯t even bother to warn her? You even humiliated her in front of everyone! Is this how you treat your sister?!¡± ¡°Someone please drag her out. The Jordan family cannot ept this kind of person!¡± Adam Jordan, the patriarch, barked to his men. Several securities came forward, ready to drag her out. Charmine merely shrugged them away and coldly fixed her jacket. ¡°No need. I can walk.¡± She did not intend to stay at the mansion anyway. ¡°Charmine, where else can you stay? Mom and Dad won¡¯t be angry for long, so just apologize to them, will you? I¡¯ll be heartbroken if you stay on the streets¡­¡± Tiffany frowned. Of course, she was not genuinely ¡®heartbroken¡¯; quite the contrary even. ¡°No need. I actually bought a vi group, some twenty blocks of houses. I¡¯m actually quite busy collecting rents.¡± With a faint smile, Charmine pulled out a few hundred sets of keys and swiftly turned away. The sound of keys jingling apanied her every step. Everyone stared with eyes wide like saucers. She bought so many properties! Where did she get her money from? How did an adopted kid get so much money? Charmine then approached Tiffany and stood next to her, shoulder to shoulder. ¡°Hey fraud, you better get ready,¡± she spoke in a hushed tone, though the warning was more than palpable in her tone. ¡°Now that I¡¯m back, I¡¯ll be taking what¡¯s mine. Oh, and those who hurt me before? They better pick a god and pray.¡± Though she had a non-threatening smile on her face, Charmine¡¯s ¡®smile¡¯ was akin to a monstrous piranha in the dark; deadly. Tiffany turned paper-white as her legs went weak. She was terrified. The Charmine who used to be quiet and shy had turned into this woman with such a powerful aura. Charmine continued to walk to the exit, proud of herself. [She¡¯s left the mansion!]All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Charmine put on her helmet and left on her motorbike. Now was not the right time to make her officialeback. Even if she stayed, everyone would have tortured her for being ¡®the adopted kid¡¯ except Grandpa. After all, Charmine came back for revenge; not for them to treat her badly. The day she would make her official return would be a mass celebration, weed by everyone. The sleek motorbike sped from Burlington City to the vi. Not long after, her phone rang. Stopping at the side of the road, she answered the phone. She heard panting from the other side before the person spoke, ¡°Miss Jordan, why didn¡¯t you let us know you¡¯ve returned? We could¡¯ve arranged your transportation. My boss has prepared for you a five-star vi¡ª¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine,¡± Charmine interrupted. ¡°I¡¯m only back for some personal business, so I won¡¯t be staying over.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ll contact you when everything is resolved. But, if you¡¯re too bored, do help me check the identities of all the guests at Phoenix Hotel on Valentines¡¯ Day five years ago, especially all the men who were on the top floor.¡± Charmine lost her chastity in Phoenix Hotel five years ago in 2015, and her life was ruined from that night onward. She wanted nothing more than to find the man who destroyed her life; she would make him pay when she did. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll be on it right away,¡± Kay, the person on the other end, replied. Once she ended the call, Charmine started her motorcycle once more and sped off. She was so focused on making ns that she waspletely unaware of the van closely following not far behind. Situated outside of Burlington City, the vi was only 800 meters away, but no outsider woulde as it was very quiet and secluded. Everything happened too fast. The sound of a vehicle was heard, loudly so, and it came from behind her. Bam! The van powerfully rammed against Charmine¡¯s motorbike, and the impact threw her high up in the air before she fell onto the side of a road near a steep slope. Weakened, Charmine squeezed her eyes shut and gripped onto whatever she could to keep herself from falling. However, this did little to no help, as she rolled down the hill, with nothing to break her fall. The motorbike crashed and broke apart, with ck smokeing from the remnants. Once he got down from the van, the driver immediately looked at the dangerously high and slippery hills. As his eyes searched the area where Charmine had fallen into, his fingers fumbled on his phone. ¡°Miss Jordan, Charmine jumped from her motorbike and rolled off the hill.¡± ¡°Look for her immediately! I want her body; dead or alive!¡± * With serious injuries all over her body, Charmine rested at the bottom of the hill. Unfortunately, Charmine would not have her time to recuperate as she heard noises that came from the road above her. They wereing for her! She would have given them a piece of her mind had she not sustained this much pain. Once she collected her thoughts, Charmine scrutinized her surroundings carefully and, not long after, saw a cave covered by bushes. Without wasting any time, she went inside. In the silent cave, Charmine rested against the walls of the cave and sighed. However, the silence was broken when a child-like boyish voice called out, ¡°Mommy! Mommy!¡± Before Charmine could react, a soft and warm body coated with mud ran into her arms. When she looked down at this small figure, her eyes were met with a small yet round face, paired with watery doe eyes. The boy looked up at her and blinked. Chapter 5 Chapter 5 The moment their eyes met, Charmine felt as though a warm feeling was spreading throughout her being. It felt as though she was reunited with a person so dear to her. Chris Bailey¡ªthe little boy¡ªheld onto Charmine and clung tightly to her. ¡°I was chasing a kitten before I came across you, Mom, but now I can¡¯t find it,¡± the boy muttered. ¡°But I¡¯m happy now, since I found you again!¡± While this took Charmine by surprise, she soon recovered from the shock. Gently grabbing the boy by his cor, she pushed him away. ¡°I¡¯m not your mother. Where are your parents? I¡¯ll bring you to them.¡± The boy¡¯s initial cheery expression then morphed into one of pain. Suddenly, the boy began to sob. ¡°Waa¡­ My chest hurts¡­¡± Charmine released his cor out of guilt, but before she could get a word out, the boy went right back into her arms. ¡°My chest hurts¡­ Hug¡­ Mommy, hug¡­¡± The boy nestled further into the embrace. Charmine was bbergasted. Why would the parents leave such a cute boy behind? Just when she was about to speak, a snake as thick as her wrist slithered into view, and it seemed to aim for the boy¡¯s ankle. With scales dark as ink, the snake¡¯s sharp fangs were noticeable. No doubt, it was a king cobra; one that could inflict fatality! ¡°Watch out!¡± Charmine grabbed the boy with one hand and grabbed the snake with the other. Triggered by the sudden movement, it turned toward Charmine and bit her instead. The snakebite gave her a sharp Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. pain, but she fought against it. Once she covered the boy¡¯s eyes with one hand, Charmine swung the snake at hand and smacked it against the cave. Smack! Smack! Smack! Sounds of the snake mmed against the walls of the cave echoed, and before long, the snake went limp as it died. Just as Charmine threw the cobra far away, her body started reacting to the toxin. She went soft and slumped against the back of the cave once more. As her hand dropped from covering the boy¡¯s eyes, the boy cried, ¡°Mommy, Mommy! Don¡¯t scare Momo¡­! Please don¡¯t scare Momo! Wait here; Momo will go get Daddy!¡± Panicked, the boy ran out of the cave as fast as he could. Once he got out of the cave, he took out his phone and clicked on a chatroom. Once he sent his location, he swiftly hit the ¡®record¡¯ button and whimpered, ¡°Daddy, I¡¯m here! I found Mommy, but a snake had bitten her! She needs help!¡± Anthony Bailey was searching the Jordan family¡¯s mansion with his hundred or so bodyguards. Suddenly, his phone lit up. He read the message and frowned. ¡®The kid went as far as ten miles away! He needs a lesson! And who¡¯s this ¡®Mommy¡¯ he¡¯s talking about?¡¯ he thought to himself. He got into a car and speedily called a contact of his. ¡°Niall, bring the cobra serum to the location I sent you, right now.¡± The moment Anthony reached the cave, he saw Chris weeping next to an unconscious woman. ¡°Mommy¡­ Mommy! Wake up! Don¡¯t scare Momo¡­!¡± Chris wailed as tears streamed down his face like waterfalls. ¡®Who¡¯s this? Chris seems too attached, considering she¡¯s a stranger¡­¡¯ Anthony studied the knocked-out Charmine. Pale and unconscious, her facial features were so stunning that it was hard to look away from her. ¡®That¡¯s her: The adopted daughter, Charmine Jordan.¡¯ Chris saw his dad and ran toward him. ¡°Daddy, please help Mommy!¡± he wailed. ¡°Mommy is dying! I don¡¯t want Mommy dying¡­!¡± ¡°Calm down. I¡¯ve asked Uncle Nial to bring over the serum,¡± Anthony assured the little boy the best he could. It did nothing to cease the boy¡¯s tears. ¡°It¡¯s toote¡­ It¡¯s toote! Mommy was bitten for almost an hour, and she¡¯ll die soon if we don¡¯t clear her blood!¡± Chris sobbed as he shook his head vigorously. As he scrutinized Charmine¡¯s body, he noted that the snake had bitten her thigh. If one were to suck out the blood, the pants would have to be removed¡­ ¡°Listen, Momo. There¡¯s a difference between a boy and a girl. Uncle Nial will be here shortly.¡± Chris refused to listen, and it was as though his mind was overridden in utter fear. ¡°Help mommy! Daddy help Mommy! Momo had just found Mommy; Momo doesn¡¯t want Mommy dead. Momo doesn¡¯t want to have no mommy¡­ I don¡¯t want to beughed at! Daddy, help her! Please help her!¡± The boy was spurting word after word as he pulled Anthony to Charmine. ¡°Momo, stop making a scene,¡± Anthony warned him with a stern look. ¡°Ah!¡± Suddenly, the boy¡¯s eyes rolled to the back of his head. He then fell onto the ground with white foam Anthony¡¯s look instantly changed. The boy had been weak since he adopted him. Whenever something terrible happened, his body would cramp up. Nial Bailey¡ªwho happened to be a medical doctor¡ªhad constantly warned him that cramps and strokes would affect the development of Chris¡¯s brains and intelligence. That was why they had always been cautious throughout the years and allowed Chris to have his way all the time. It had been over a year since this had happened¡­ ¡°Alright,¡± came the reply of defeat, ¡°I¡¯ll help her.¡± Anthony had to kneel at Charmine¡¯s heel and reached out to remove her pants. Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Anthony had no intention to do what he was about to, but this woman had undeniably piqued his interest. His family had been trying to get him married throughout the years, but now¡­ ¡°Daddy¡­ Daddy¡­¡± Chris¡¯s bright voice brought him back to reality. Anthony noticed that the two darkening spots were quite terrible to the eye. It might be toote to save this woman by the time the serum arrived. Pushing all thoughts aside, he bent down and started sucking the blood out of the wound. Chris, who wasying on the ground, saw this and chirped with joy, ¡°Daddy touched Mommy, and Daddy kissed Mommy. Now Daddy needs to take care of Mommy!¡± The boy never ceased to surprise him. ¡­ When Charmine regained her consciousness, she found herself in a monochrome-colored room, and nicely furnished at that. ¡®Where am I? Wasn¡¯t I attacked by a cobra? I need to clear the wound now!¡¯ When she looked down, however, she realized her clothes had been changed. Moreover, her clothes were swapped with an oversized white shirt that reached her knees. ¡®My wounds are cleaned and bandaged¡­? Who did this?¡¯ ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± a deep velvety voice was heard from across the room. Charmine looked up and saw a tall muscr figure walking in from the door. The man was dressed in his tailored suit, his facial features looked as though carved with the finest detail. His aura felt exorbitant,thered with ss and refinement. It was Anthony Bailey. The man who was at the top of the pyramid; the Bailey family¡¯s thirteenth heir, a family of extreme wealth for 500 years. This was Anthony Bailey. ¡°Was it you who saved me? Were you the one who changed my clothes?¡± ¡°Mhm,¡± he softly replied. As he approached her, he then knelt before her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take responsibility over you.¡± He took out a small cotton box and gave it to Charmine. The box automatically opened; sitting in the box was a heart-shaped diamond ring. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Charmine frowned. ¡°Proposing to you,¡± Anthony answered. ¡°¡­¡± Rumor had it that Anthony paid no interest in women, and even his son had a surrogate mother. Why would he propose to her? Of course¡­ The son! The boy¡¯s features were simr to Anthony¡¯s, too. So the boy she had saved turned out to be this wealthy man¡¯s son? Why did he allow his son to wander in such a dangerous ce and, out of the blue, was proposing to her now? What an irresponsible man! ¡°Are you insane? You helped me change and now want to marry me?¡± she scoffed. ¡°I¡¯m a man of principles,¡± Anthony deadpanned. ¡°ording to your principles, doesn¡¯t it also imply that the men who go to beaches would have to bring home a bunch of wives? More than thousands of men saw me when I went to the beach, so do I N?velDrama.Org owns all content. have to marry every one of them, too?¡± Thousands of men? Anthony did not like what he heard. Once she got down from the bed, Charmine gently patted him on his shoulder. ¡°Mr Bailey, we¡¯re all adults. I don¡¯t need you to take care of me; just take good care of your son. Don¡¯t spend all your time making money. Your son doesn¡¯t have a mom, and if you don¡¯t do something about it, it could affect his character development.¡± Charmine left the room after telling him off for good. Her, dressed in an oversized shirt that showed off her long and slim legs, gave off strong masculinityced with elegant femininity. Anthony¡¯s face went stiff in awe. Was his proposal rejected? Any other woman in the world would die to marry him, yet this woman rejected him without a second thought? He turned suddenly and asked in a slightly raised tone, ¡°Is there someone else?¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Charmine was confused. Anthony looked right into her eyes, and pronounced each syble as he said, ¡°I sucked out your toxin.¡± Wait a minute. Was the snakebite not at her thigh? Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Chasing after her, Anthony went to stand in front of her path, and it effectively blocked her. He took out the small box once more. ¡°Miss Jordan, please consider,¡± he asserted,nguid yet evident with determination. Charmine was speechless. Must she ept his proposal? Who ced such a ridiculous mandate? She gently plucked out the ring from its box. Needless to say, it was a beautiful heart-shaped diamond ring perfectly cut, and the exquisite workmanship was evident with the ring itself. It was one of the best cuts in the world. Yet¡­ With a faint smile on her red lips, she tossed the ring away. Just like that, a perfectly cut diamond ring was thrown away like it was rubbish. Anthony and his assistant were stunned. The assistant felt like everything was a blur. Charmine literally rejected his boss and threw the diamond ring into the bin! Unperturbed, Charmine nonchntly spoke, ¡°I am thankful that Mr Bailey had saved me and nursed me back to health, but I won¡¯t marry you. Marriage isn¡¯t a game, and a victim doesn¡¯t have to marry the rapist. You¡¯re too naive.¡± With that, Charmine left. The corners of Anthony¡¯s lips quivered in displeasure. Was she implying he was a rapist? Was she genuinelyparing him to one? What deplorable attitude! This woman was being ludicrous. Anthony scoffed. Would she still reject him if he sucked her all over? He was quite intrigued to find out. Nheless, the most important thing was that she survived the fall from the hill. ¡°Luke, send her the evidence we¡¯ve found.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Luke, the man addressed by Anthony, was confused. What was going on? Charmine was so rude to him, but not only was he not angry, he even wanted to send those evidence to her? What happened to his calctive and remorseless boss? ¡°Forget it, I¡¯ll do it myself.¡± Since Luke did not react, Anthony walked to his office and turned on his ¡­ By this time, Charmine had reached her vi. Once she got changed into her own clothes, she threw the white shirt into the bin. It was not long, however, until the ringing of her phone broke the silence. Picking up the phone, she noted the person on the other line panting. ¡°Oh mydy, are you alright?¡± spoke the person at the other end, voice evidently worried and panicked. ¡°Why did you return home? Wasn¡¯t it nice back here? Also, why didn¡¯t you let Kay and his team protect you? Do you know that my heart nearlybusted when I heard about your ident?! That evil woman actually paid for the murderers¡­ I¡¯ll make her pay for it now!¡± Nobody knew this, but Charmine had a fair share of aplishments she had gotten on her own in the past five years. These, in turn, made everyone look up to her, paying attention to her every move. She never sought aid of any kind, yet many people wanted to help her out. Charmine cradled her phone between her shoulder and neck. ¡°Don¡¯t bother. Pass this message on: I¡¯m taking care of some personal stuff back here at home, so leave me alone.¡± ¡°W¡ªWhat? Are you sure?¡± the man asked worriedly. Charmine scoffed. ¡°If I didn¡¯t believe I could settle this myself, I wouldn¡¯t have returned.¡± She ended the call. Simon Gray¡ªwho was on the other end of the call¡ªsighed. Without much to go around, he could only ry Charmine¡¯s message. As Charmine logged into her mailbox, an unread email was brought to her attention. Once she clicked on the unread email, she was met with screenshots of Tiffany¡¯s conversation with the driver, with details of Tiffany¡¯s n and order for Charmine¡¯s murder. There was also a record of the transaction from Tiffany¡¯s ount to the driver¡¯s as well as video footage of the ident. Everything she was seeing would be enough to convict Tiffany. Who did this? Who could have gathered all these in such a short time and, what more, sent them to her for free? Charmine had the impression that this could be the work of a party looking forward to working with her, trying to earn a favor from her. When she searched for the sender¡¯s name, however¡­ Anthony Bailey? Why on earth would this man go through such lengths to help her, even after she rejected him in a rather ridiculous manner? Indeed, he did deserve to be in such fame and wealth with such generous heart and capability. No matter; Charmine found no reason to reject help offered without strings attached. As she saved the screenshots, a sliver of mischief glimmered in her cunning dark eyes. ¡­ At the same time, inside avishly decorated bedroom in the Jordan family¡¯s mansion¡­ Tiffany was sitting in front of her piano as she toyed with a doll, a smug smile on her face as she did. N?velDrama.Org content rights. There was no way Charmine could have survived that high drop. At the very least, she would be incapacitated or disfigured. Once admitted to the hospital, she would have ways to kill Charmine and take the 15% share from her. With her silky pale hand, Tiffany sharply ripped off the doll¡¯s head. Ding! A notification showed on her phone. Who would message her private phone at this hour? She clicked open the anonymous email. Her face rapidly morphed into one ofplete, unadulterated horror. The email contained her conversations with the driver. How¡­? How could this have happened? She contacted the driver with an anonymous sim and, for extra precautions, even paid with her overseas ount. How could this n have fallen apart so terribly? Though her face was tantly horror-stricken, she fumbled to text as though unfazed. [Who are you? What do you want? How much? Give me a number.] [I don¡¯t want your money. You have two options. The first is to host a press conference and apologize to your sister in public. Option two: Send me a nude. If you can¡¯t make up your mind in ten minutes, these screenshots will go public.] Nude? Nude? Was this person out of their mind?! Tiffany pictured it with an angered and distorted face. Who could this be? She quickly replied, [Absolutely not. Give me a number, I¡¯ll pay you any amount you desire. Just so you know, I¡¯m the heiress of the Jordan family, so you can¡¯t afford to mess with me. If you choose to cooperate with me, however, I¡¯ll reward you generously.] Undaunted, the person merely replied, [You have nine more minutes to decide.] Tiffany gritted her teeth; she had no choice. Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Fists clenched tight, Tiffany called her manager, Veronica Ramos right away. ¡°Find out who sent me the anonymous email in the next five minutes. I want his information,¡± ordered Tiffany. Tiffany believed she could ckmail this person into conceding defeat once she obtained their information. Nobody could ever walk over her. s¡­ Five minutester, Veronica called her again, but she came without good news. ¡°Tiffany, I¡¯m sorry. I found the best hacker in town and used up all my connections and resources, but we still couldn¡¯t break in the sender¡¯s IP address.¡± ¡°How is this possible? I thought we had the best team?!¡± Tiffany¡¯s fear had gotten the best of her as her voice raised a few octaves. ¡°Now we can¡¯t even break into an anonymous IP?!¡± She was the most celebrated supermodel in the world, armed with the finest of resources and best connections. There was no way such a thing could happen to her. ¡°The hacker has skills we can¡¯tpete against. We don¡¯t know their identity, and even the best hacker in our team couldn¡¯t break his IP. Tiffany, perhaps you coulde up with other ns to keep him silenced. If this goes public, your reputation will bepletely ruined,¡± Veronica tried to reason with her, and a sigh escaped her lips soon after. Tiffany fell onto her bed in disbelief. Veronica was her manager and assistant. If she¡ªa person who possessed the best resources in town¡ªsaid she could not help, anyone else would be useless. What could she do? Host a press conference and confess her wrongdoings? What difference would this make from the screenshots going public? Should she send this person her nude then? Her reputation would be just as ruined as the first option. She received another email. [You have three more minutes.] In the email, a screenshot of a typed-out post on Weibo was attached. The screenshot read: [The most famous supermodel Tiffany Jordan paid for her sister¡¯s murder!] Tiffany turned pale as her hands quaked without restraint. If this was to be revealed, it would make headlines around the world, and she would likely end up in prison! [Don¡¯t send this. Wait. I¡¯ll send you nude right now.] She had no choice but to run into her bathroom, she even picked up the cucumber she prepared for her eye mask. However much she did not want to do such a shameless thing, she had no other choice. The perpetrator was most likely some crazy fanboy who wanted to entertain himself with her nude photo. Also, even if her nude got circted, she could insist they were photoshopped by others and easily think of ways to dissolve this chaos. She could even gain more male fans with her nude. The oue of this choice was more bearablepared to the other. Holding onto these thoughts, Tiffany bit her lips and took a nude in the bathroom. ¡­ At Violet Vi¡­ Cross-legged in front of herputer screen on the desk, Charmine muttered quietly as she sipped her wine, ¡°Three, two, one.¡± An email showed up in her inbox at that instant. The email had Tiffany¡¯s photo attached to it. Under the shower head was Tiffany in her bikini, thoroughly soaked. She looked into the camera holding a cucumber, imitating that of a seductive gaze. Charmine smirked. The fish took the bait. Oh, well. Nobody could me Tiffany for choosing this option, however ugly it was. It was then when a man dressed in casual wear suddenly entered through the door of the study room. With a deadpan look, the man stared at Charmine coldly and spoke, ¡°Charmine, you might have the budget, but don¡¯t forget the real reason why you¡¯re back.¡± ¡°Of course I remember. Things are going as nned.¡± Charmine took a sip of the wine as she saved the photo. The man nced at herputer screen and added, ¡°This alone won¡¯t do you good to fight Tiffany Jordan. It¡¯s only when you get more fame that you can take away Tiffany¡¯s every belonging. Go to the audition tomorrow.¡± With that, the man threw a file on her desk and turned to walk away. Charmine picked up the file and studied the content; it was the document for Chanel¡¯s audition. Chanel was an international luxury brand known for its beautifully designed clothes, bags, and amazing perfumes. Many people took pride in buying an item from Chanel. Chanel just so happened to announce that they would host their 10th Annual Jewelry Show on the top floor of Ocean Pearl, Mount ire in two days. Therefore, in the audition tomorrow, they would hire a supermodel to make the final appearance during the show. This would make a huge difference to theAll content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. fame and reputation of a supermodel. Charmine scanned the list of names. Besides Tiffany, the supposed ¡®most famous supermodel¡¯, the other 49 candidates were world-renowned supermodels, guests of Mn Fashion Week, Victoria Secret¡¯s Show, and the likes. Charmine was still new in this field, considering she had just returned from abroad, yet this man already had such a difficult task arranged for her. The man knew what he was doing. Charmine rearranged the folder and her attention went back to the photo on her screen. A sly smile went on her lips. Tomorrow would be interesting. Tiffany¡¯s reputation was at stake. Chapter 9 Chapter 9 The following day hade, and Veronica came over to pick up Tiffany. Tiffany was dressed in her best gown, face meticulously decorated with makeup. Her mother, Joey Young, walked her to the door. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Tiffany, but I can¡¯t go to the audition with you today. Your dad and I have a project to discuss after all. We wish you the best for this audition and getting into the final appearance. Mommy knows you¡¯re the best!¡± ¡°Thanks, Mommy.¡± The mother-and-daughter duo shared a hug before Tiffany got in the car. Once the door closed, the sweet and innocent smile on her face was reced by an entirely different look. It was darker. Tiffany had been gued with anxiety and concern since Charmine¡¯s return. Tiffany knew the truth: Her poor biological mother was sentenced to death three days after giving birth to her. To ensure that her child would have a better future, she swapped Tiffany with Joey¡¯s actual daughter, and poor Charmine was left on the street instead. Would Joey love her the same once she found out the truth? When she saw Tiffany¡¯s difficult expression, Veronica assumed Tiffany was still concerned about what happenedst night. ¡°Don¡¯t be too concerned about it, it¡¯s just a photo,¡± she assured her. ¡°Even if it got out, it wouldn¡¯t be such a big deal. You should focus more on getting the opportunity to make the final appearance. Everyone will be attending the show tomorrow, and I even heard that someone from the Bailey family would being. Scoring this role would definitely double your value, and nobody would remember what happened during Senior Jordan¡¯s birthday.¡± ¡°I know what to do.¡± Tiffany nodded. Last night¡¯s event no longer bothered her; the hacker must have been a pervert like many of her crazy fans. Since the perpetrator did nothing to release her photosst night, there was no way the hacker would publish in the future. They probably just wanted to keep these things to themselves. ¡°By the way, I gathered that Charmine Jordan signed up for the audition when I looked through the list in the morning,¡± Veronica added. ¡°The girl had just returned to the country and had no previous experience at modeling. It¡¯s hrious that she even signed up!¡± Instead of joining in with Veronica¡¯s mocking, Tiffany¡¯s brows furrowed at the mention of Charmine¡¯s name. Right, she did threaten to take everything away from Tiffany. It was no surprise she would be at ces like this, though there was no way Charmine couldpete with a supermodel like Tiffany. She sneered with utter disdain. Tiffany aimed to capture the audience with her brilliance today, and they would adore her. That would show Charmine how far away she was from her league. Inside the Grand Ballroom of Hotel Vienna, a long T-stage stood elegantly, surrounded by luxurious chairs seated by the hosts, designers, and sponsors. One by one, models made their appearances on the stage. They were all dressed in a simple gown and makeup, though expressionless as they were. Chanel was to present a ne named ¡®The Glowing Forest¡¯ with the final appearance. The ne was made with tinum, carved in the shape of a leaf, along with a green fluorite stone hidden in the leaf. The stone consisted of tinum, white gold, silver and light green, and it exuded an air of perpetuity and elegance. Therefore, the chosen model to make the final appearance would have to exude an aura that matched the ne or, more preferably, more than that. Nial Bailey looked down as he sat on a hidden seat on the second floor. ¡°Bro, didn¡¯t you say the specialdy would appear today? The audition is almost over. Where is she?¡± ¡°Exactly! Where¡¯s Mommy? These women are so ugly and nd-looking, thinking they¡¯re cool and Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. refined. My eyes are drooping already¡­¡± Chris muttered. Anthony rubbed the boy¡¯s hair and spoke, ¡°She¡¯ll be here anytime.¡± He then averted his gaze to the entrance. ¡°Uh¡­You¡¯ve only seen her once and you¡¯re so sure?¡± Nial asked, toneced with disbelief and mockery. ¡°No one believes in love at first sight until that special persones along and steals your heart,¡± Anthony replied with an unintentional smirk on his face. ¡°Lord, save me from this burn!¡± Nial howled dramatically. He acted as though he was attacked and struggled to stop his imaginary wound from worsening. ¡°Bro, are you my actual brother? Seems like I was wrong from the beginning. I shouldn¡¯t have been born, and then I needless to have a brother like you. Without a brother like you, I don¡¯t have to listen to what you just said! Your existence is a pain to a single man such as myself!¡± Chris then chimed in, ¡°Uncle Nial, you¡¯ll still have me even if Daddy¡¯s not here! I¡¯m almost old enough to go to school, too. Where¡¯s your child, Uncle? Oh wait, you¡¯re not married and you don¡¯t have a wife. How can you make a baby then?¡± Chris continued to chatter without restraint. ¡°Poor you, Uncle. Even if you¡¯re married, you can¡¯t get a baby as adorable as me.¡± Chris looked at Nial sympathetically. Nial was met with more ps to his face. What had he done to deserve this? All of a sudden, the crowd below them grew aroused as noises of appreciation were heard. ¡°Oh my goodness¡­ What a stunner!¡± The three stopped bickering and immediately turned to look at the stage. Chapter 10 Chapter 10 Tiffany finally made her appearance in a white linen gown, simple and elegant, as though she came from a ssic novel. Her hair cascaded down her shoulders, a floral band rested on her head. The gown fluttered with every step she took, and it was the autumn leaves that danced mid-air in a picturesque scene of a fairytale. Her exquisite face stood out from the other dull and tasteless models, though she still carried a fey-like poise. Her appearance was the personification of heaven on earth as she emted the beauty of a goddess from a painting. The copy of the ne was brought to life on her elegant neck. The designer of the ne, Aida, was awestruck by what she saw. ¡°OH MY GOD! That¡¯s it! She¡¯s the one!¡± she beamed. ¡°This is exactly what I had in mind. It¡¯s her! We¡¯ll sign her!¡± ¡°Amazing! Why is there such a pure and refined woman on earth? So honorable and spotless, like a nk white cloth!¡± ¡°Definitely worthy of her immeasurable fame and reputation for being the best supermodel in the world. Her innate temperament isn¡¯t something ordinary people canpete with.¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± ¡°So pretentious,¡± Chris muttered. ¡°Mhm.¡± Anthony passed him a chocte bar, agreeing to the boy¡¯s opinion. Nial, on the other hand, looked at them in confusion. Tiffany Jordan seemed nice. Why was she called ¡®pretentious¡¯? These two were hopeless! Meanwhile, Tiffany enjoyed the words of adoration from the audience. A smile broke out on her face, and it was akin to sunshine in summer. She knew it in her heart now; she would be the chosen one to make the final appearance. As expected, when she walked to the panel, the host and designers called on her. ¡°Models who have yet toe out, don¡¯t bothering. Tiffany Jordan, it¡¯s you. You¡¯ll be the Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ambassador of the ne and will make the final appearance at tomorrow¡¯s show!¡± ¡°I agree! It should be Tiffany. We¡¯re all convinced by her win!¡± Amelia spoke up as she happily agreed. The otherpetitors nodded with conviction. They were out of Tiffany¡¯s league and they epted it. After all, it was Tiffany Jordan that they were losing to, the most famous supermodel in the world! Tiffany humbly¡ªas much as she could be¡ªlowered her head. ¡°Everyone is being too kind. I¡¯ll have no other choice than to ept this offer. I won¡¯t disappoint everyone.¡± Her soft voice was sweet like heaven on earth. The producer confidently brought the contract up to her on the stage. Tiffany¡¯s lips curled into a beautiful smile, and this time, the grin was sincere. She knew Charmine would not be able to do anything to her once she got this role. It was foolish of her to even think of As Tiffany reached forward to ept the contract, a strange sound was heard. Beep! Suddenly, the big screen in the hall lit up. A photo then appeared on the screen. It was the photo of Tiffany under the showerhead. Her body was covered, or uncovered, by a thin and almost transparentyer of bikini, as seducing as imagination could go. Above all, she had a fetching expression; red lips slightly parted, pink cheeks flushed, and her eyes charming like silk. To put it simply, she was rather tantalizing to the eye. In an instant, the crowd was plunged into chaos. ¡°My goodness¡­ Is this the Tiffany Jordan? She¡¯s much different from what she pretends to be!¡± ¡°She has such a pure and innocent outlook. Who would¡¯ve thought she could be this coquettish!¡± Tiffany was frozen in shock. This caught her off-guard entirely. She had gone through many scenarios of the photo leaking onlinest night, but not in a million years would she have thought the photo would be exposed in an event such as today. Veronica was the first to recover from the shock. ¡°Someone please turn it off!¡± she yelled. It was foolish of her to think anyone would want to take down a private photo of Tiffany Jordan. Everyone in the audience was either admiring with their eyes glued to the screen or taking photos for their ¡®collection¡¯. The panel, on the other hand, were re-evaluating if Tiffany was still suitable to be their brand ambassador. As noises of displeasure and mockery upied the room, Tiffany finally regained her senses. ¡°Turn this off, please! Turn this off! This¡­ This wasn¡¯t me!¡± Not her? Why would she panic if this was not her? There were no true friends in the entertainment industry. Who would help her? The photo was still ring through the screen. Finally, Tiffany could not take it anymore. She took a stool nearby and threw it right against the big screen. Bam! The screen finally went ck. Broken. The photo was gone atst, but¡­ The judging eyes remained. She was no longer the supermodel in the past; no longer the pure and charming Tiffany Jordan she pretended to be. ¡°It¡¯s not me, I swear. Someone set me up! Someone did!¡± Tiffany shrieked, her face pale and anxious. ¡°Miss Jordan, we¡¯re deeply sorry that such a thing happened. We hope you could go back and resolve this,¡± the manager spoke and delivered the ultimatum. Just like that, her opportunities were taken away from her. Chapter 12 Chapter 12 Chris Bailey pulled on Anthony Bailey¡¯s sleeves. ¡°Daddy, Daddy, help Mommy! Someone is bullying Mommy!¡± he whined. With a passive expression, Anthony reached for his phone, searched for a contact, and dialed it. Once the person answered, he spoke, ¡°Charmine is mine, people.¡± In the hall, the person-in-charge looked at his phone dubiously before he looked at Charmine who was currently held back by the security. He was scared to death with what he had just heard. Goodness¡­ This woman was Anthony Bailey¡¯s people? ¡°Stop it. Stop! Don¡¯t hurt thisdy here!¡± he shrieked as though downright fearing for his life. What just happened? The securities were befuddled while the crowd went quiet in disbelief. Was she not unwanted? What changed his mind? The person-in-charge walked up to Charmine in an instant and bowed to her. ¡°You must be Miss Jordan. You said you needed one minute, right? Please, take all the time you need,¡± he sputtered, and rather respectfully at that. ¡°Here at Chanel, we¡¯ve always strived to be fair and just. If you¡¯re willing to give it a try, we wee you wholeheartedly.¡± Charmine frowned; his attitude changed at the speed of a reader flipping her book. Who was on the line of his call? It was then when she felt a peculiar gaze glued on her. Following her instinct and looking up, she saw a man looking right into her from a ss door on the second floor. It was Anthony Bailey. What was he doing here? Anthony¡¯s lips curled into a grin¡ªthat he himself was unaware of¡ªwhen he caught her looking up at him. Chris, on the other hand, waved enthusiastically at Charmine. Charmine was startled. Why would Anthony help her? The kid was acting weird enough, but his father was even stranger! She already told him off yesterday, so what was he doing here? Had he genuinely fallen for her? Anthony¡¯s grin slowly receded, reced with a frown. Women would usually throw themselves at him at any given chance, but why was Charmine acting all weird and resistant? Noticing Anthony¡¯s powerful gaze, the man trembled in fear as he quickly added, ¡°Miss Jordan, is there anything you¡¯d want us to help you prepare?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m fine.¡± She marched toward the stage, confident in herself. What Charmine needed, as of this second, was to take away everything from Tiffany; her opportunities and fame. Of course, the crowd had no clue what was going on. They merely persisted in mocking Charmine¡¯s choice of dress and her ignorance topete for this role. She was perceived as the toad wanting to eat the meat of a swan. A chance already seemed way too generous for people like her. Who was she kidding? Even the designer did not understand what the person-in-charge was doing. How could he give this chance to a person like her? It would be a disgrace if this woman were to touch the designer¡¯s product. ¡°Not anyone can put on with my design. If the panel decides to let a no-body stay, I¡¯ll quit designing for Chanel,¡± the designer protested. With that said, all the lights in the ballroom suddenly went off. After a few seconds of darkness, a light green spotlight appeared as it flitted to the T-stage. A wooden stump mysteriously appeared on the stage. Charmine sat on the stage as she leaned against the stump with one hand supporting her chin. The delicateness of her facial features was disyed in all its glory. She leaned backnguidly, as though she was resting on a summer¡¯s afternoon. Her dark green dress syed out into a retro-like beauty. Her ming red lips did not impede her elegance from being emitted. On the contrary, it made her seem more of a mystifying fey with an aura of coldness and perfection. In the darkness, fireflies began to appear as they flew to her. Somended on her curled upshes while somended on her palm. It was picturesque, just like the painting of phantasmagorical heaven. The jewelry ced on her neck was a mere copy of the actual ne, but even the copy seemed to havee alive when paired with her exquisite face. Everyone was awestruck by what happened as they were left breathless with the scene. Things became apparent: One did not have to dress in a simple gown nor wear a pretentiously innocent smile to portray exquisiteness. A truly beautiful woman could disy it even with ming red lips. The crowd went pin-drop silent. Everyone was stunned by her beauty. The silence remained until the end of her performance, when everyone finally recovered from the spell of her beauty and apuded thunderously. ¡°Brilliant!¡± ¡°That¡¯s what the true ¡®Glowing Forest¡¯ embodies!¡± Recovering from her own state of shock, shepletely disregarded what she had said before. ¡°Who is she? I¡¯ll have to take back what I said. Sign her!¡± she beamed. ¡°We have to sign her!¡± On the second floor, Chris was jumping for joy. ¡°Mommy is so pretty! Mommy is so pretty! Daddy, go on! She¡¯s too pretty; you have to chase her now before someone else does!¡± ¡°Speed isn¡¯t always the key to sess,¡± Anthony said tly as he ruffled the boy¡¯s hair. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°Hmph. You¡¯re too slow! I¡¯ll help you!¡± Chris pushed him away and ran downstairs. Anthony frowned, ¡°Stop him!¡± Nial followed suit, running after Chris. Chapter 13 Chapter 13 In the ballroom, Chanel¡¯s executive manager was about to sign Charmine. ¡°Mr. James, are you sure you want to sign a nobody? She has absolutely zero stage experience!¡± Amelia Jordan protested. ¡°Exactly. She¡¯s just witty! I can bring fireflies to cheat like her, too. Matter of fact, anyone could, but these are cheap tricks that won¡¯t hold up on such a big asion like tomorrow¡¯s.¡± ¡°Alright, why don¡¯t youdies show us some tricks? You¡¯re all pretentious, thinking yourselves as supermodels as you put on dead-like expressions,¡± the manager refuted. He then turned to Charmine and, seemingly changing expressions in a 360-degree manner, spoke with confidence, ¡°Miss Jordan, please sign here. Just do what you did up there and it¡¯ll do fine. We believe in you.¡± Charmine sealed the contract with her signature. Pleased, Charmine then turned to Amelia Jordan and spoke, ¡°Miss Jordan, you gotta try harder tomorrow. Please don¡¯t end up foolish like today, losing to some inexperienced person like me with your three-year modeling experience.¡± The corners of her lips curled into a sneer as she turned and left. Amelia¡¯s face turned red in anger. While she was not as famous as Tiffany, everyone knew her name. She was also an actress, and because of her arrogant and straightforward manner, she was marketed as the ¡®wild and blunt¡¯ one that her fans were crazy about. She always had her way wherever she went, respected by everyone, and yet¡­ An adopted daughter like Charmine spoke to her in such a rude tone and¡ªto rub salt into the wound¡ªeven secured the opportunity! This drove Amelia crazy! ¡­ Charmine left the hotel and walked straight to the parking lot. Luxurious cars lined up one after another in this park while Charmine¡¯s dinged-up motorbike sat quietly by the corner. As she was about to put on her helmet, a kid came running out from nowhere. ¡°Mommy! Mommy!¡± With his sweet voice, Chris ran into Charmine. He clung tightly to her thigh, his small figure much like an essory on her leg. Charmine wanted to push him away, but who could resist such an adorable doe-eyed plump boy? Unable to fight back, she bent down and ruffled his hair. ¡°Darling, why are you here alone? Did your dad neglect you again?¡± ¡°No, I ran away from him. I miss Mommy¡­ Will Mommye home with me?¡± Chris nestled further into her embrace. ¡°Oh darling, I¡¯m not your mother. I have my own house, so I can¡¯t go home with you.¡± Charmine frowned. ¡°No, you¡¯re my Mommy. My dad promised to make you my mommy! Daddy loves you, and he¡¯s been thinking about you every day since he met you. Last night, he even went to sleep with a photo of you!¡± the boy rambled on and on. ¡°Today, he parted with his project worth at least a few billions just to watch you, to protect you.¡± Charmine was speechless. Was Chris telling the truth? Also, did Anthony genuinely go to sleep with her photo? She ruffled his head affectionately and said, ¡°Momo, you¡¯re still young. Don¡¯t be like your dad. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Love is sacred; there¡¯s no such thing as love at first sight,¡± she exined. ¡°Love at first sight isn¡¯t love, it¡¯s just ¡®sight¡¯. In other words, it¡¯s a simple attraction based on physical appearances. It¡¯s like a hobo hitting on a pretty girl, and this is illegal. It¡¯s bad!¡± Anthony overheard herst sentence as he got there. His handsome face turned dark instantly, like the sky before a heavy rain. Hobo? She thought of him as a hobo? Chapter 14 Chapter 14 Chris did not expect Charmine to be so dull; he thought he would have impressed her with what he said about Anthony. He wanted to say more, but Charmine merely carried him and put him aside. ¡°Momo, go back to your father. I have some important things to attend to,¡± she spoke. ¡°Go home, will you?¡± ¡°Mommy¡­¡± Chris looked up at her with his puppy eyes, in an attempt to change her mind with his pitiable look. Charmine would be lying if she imed this had no effect on her, but she was reminded of the reason why she made her return. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. With her focus returned, Charmine hopped onto her motorbike. Poor Chris was pouting so much that his lips might reach the sky; his n had failed. He had to think of another way. He swung his meaty hands carefreely as the engine ignited. Click! The tire at the back was deted, nting the front. ¡°Mommy, your tire was shot by a dart!¡± Chris yelled as though stricken with fear. ¡°Someone tried to attack you!¡± Charmine quickly got down from the bike and, sure enough, saw a silver dart embedded in the tire. Who would y with darts these days? With a dart, no less. This seemed strange to her. When he noticed she was growing suspicious, Chris hastily went up to her and held her hand. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mommy. I¡¯ll ask Daddy to send you home!¡± With that, he yelled into his phone, ¡°Attention, Daddy! Attention!¡± Her suspicion grew even more, but it still did not add up. Chris was just a five-year-old, and he could not have thrown that dart¡­ Or so she thought. His convincing ¡®terrified¡¯ expression made it less likely that he was even involved. A ck, low profile-looking van pulled over. Rolling the window down, Nial quickly spoke, ¡°Miss Jordan, Momo, get in the van!¡± Chris opened the door to the passenger¡¯s seat and got in quickly. ¡°Mommy, get in! We¡¯ll give you a ride, nothing else. I promise!¡± Charmine noted that only Nial was in the van and, if that was not enough reason, her bike needed repair anyway. Without thinking too much of it, she went into the van. She regretted her decision the second the door closed. Anthony was in the van, too. ¡®What can I do now? Can I still get out?¡¯ she thought. Seeing her expression changing by the rear-view mirror, he hastily stepped on the elerator before she could change her mind. ¡®Alright, it¡¯s now toote,¡¯ she sighed internally, staying as far away from Anthony as possible. Luckily, Anthony was reading his newspaper and did not seem to pay any notice to her. As usual, he exuded aristocracyced with indifference and coldness, an aura so umon yet so unperturbed by its surroundings. Everything seemed fine. Perhaps she overthought things. Suddenly, the van made a sharp turn. Caught off-guard, Charmine fell against Anthony. Rip! The newspaper Anthony was holding onto got ripped apart as Charmine fell against him. ¡°¡­¡± Awkward silence nketed them. It was as if the entire world went quiet. Damn the angle. Anthony had such handsome side features, so much so that her heart started beating loudly against her ribcage. Thump. Thump. Thump. This was not right. Why was her heart beating so quickly? She hastily held onto the front seat as she tried to get up. Just as she was about to get up, the van made another sharp turn, and Charmine fell right back onto Anthony. This time, she fell right into Anthony, face-to-face with his clothed rock-hard abs. Chapter 15 Chapter 15 The unmistakable masculine scent from Anthony entered her nostrils and upied her senses. With her heart picking up the pace, Charmine was angry and embarrassed altogether. ¡®Ugh! Nial must¡¯ve done it on purpose!¡¯ she fumed internally. Just as she was about tosh out, she heard Chris from the passenger seat, his voice pleading as he spoke, ¡°Sorry, Mommy, please bear with us. Uncle Nial likes drifting, you see. He was an F1 racerst year.¡± ¡°Nial, please drive carefully. This is a highway, not a racing track,¡± Anthony huffed in a low and authoritative tone. Charmine¡¯s voice was lodged in her throat when she heard him. Anthony then held Charmine by her arms and¡ªwith a much gentler and concerned voice¡ªsaid, ¡°Are you hurt?¡± He had a genuinely concerned face, and Charmine thought she was overthinking things again. She pulled herself up and distanced herself in an instant. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she replied as she held tightly onto a N?velDrama.Org content rights. handler in the van, securing herself. With such a strong grip, no more turns could make her fall¡­ At least that was what she thought before the van made another sharp left turn out of the blue. Skrreeek! Proud Charmine sessfully prevented her fall this time, but it was not the case for Anthony. He fell onto her this time, and he intentionally grabbed onto her dress for stability. Rip! The cloth at her waist was torn out, and that side of her waist was exposed. ¡°Anthony Bailey!¡± Charmine yelled his name through her gritted teeth. She could not take it anymore! The van then came to a stop. ¡°Miss Jordan, you¡¯ve reached your destination,¡± Nial announced as he turned to look back, guilty of the situation he caused. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I¡¯m really sorry! Once I get my hands on the steering wheel, I just can¡¯t help but drift.¡± ¡°Uncle Nial, I¡¯ve told you so many times to get rid of this habit! This isn¡¯t the first time you tossed Daddy in the air!¡± Chris told Nial off, crawling to the backseat to help Anthony. ¡°Daddy, are you alright?¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Anthony regained his bnce and fixed his crumpled suit before he looked at Charmine with genuine concern. ¡°Miss Jordan, I¡¯m sorry for the inconvenience caused. I¡¯ll buy you the exact same dress to show my sincere apology. For now, cover yourself with this.¡± He put on a spare white shirt on Charmine. His voice, though masculine in itself, was gentle and caring as he addressed her. Charmine swung her fist as though she wanted to hit him, but she pulled it back before it could even graze Anthony. Chris seemed innocent, Nial appeared guilty, and the handsome Anthony had his serious face on. They seemed as clueless as she was. Certainly, a man like Anthony was unlikely to pull on such tricks¡­ ¡°No need. Thanks for the lift, but don¡¯t bother about my dress. Treat it as my pay for petrol.¡± Charmine went off the van swiftly. Anthony, however, had a different thought in mind. ¡°I don¡¯t owe people, especially if it¡¯s a woman,¡± he abruptly spoke up. ¡°It¡¯s better if we keep things clear. I¡¯ll bring you a new dress myself.¡± Charmine almost tripped over as she got out of the van. She did not want him to buy her a new dress, nor did she want to ever see him again. However, if she rejected his offer, it would seem as if she wanted him to owe her something. Not worth the trouble, it was better if she ran away. It was only after she was far out of sight when Anthony finally looked at Chris and Nial, his eyebrows raised with a knowing smile. ¡°Alright, what do you want?¡± Nial demanded enthusiastically, ¡°I need you to help me get out of all the pre-arranged blind dates set up by our family for one year!¡± Chris, on the other hand, pped joyously as he chirped, ¡°I want you to marry Mommy and make me a sister!¡± ¡°Consider them done.¡± Chapter 16 Chapter 16 Charmine walked into Violet Vi with the man¡¯s shirt still on her. She could not fight back the incident that kept looping in her mind nor calm her burning cheeks. Anthony was not the ideal man in mind, but she could not deny that his muscr physique was rather beguiling, especially those abs, so firm All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. and hard¡­ All caught up in her thoughts, she never noticed a figure approaching her. p! Charmine did not see iting. She was pped harshly at her cheek and it began to burn. At that moment, a few guards hidden around the perimeter wanted to step out from the shadow they were hiding in. Kay, their leader, stopped them. ¡°Wait. The boss asked us to stay out of it, and it¡¯s best we respect that.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t just stand here looking at Boss getting attacked? She¡¯s so precious, and everyone in our organization treats her with utter respect. The person can¡¯t just hit her and not face us. I¡¯m going out,¡± one of the guards spoke, angrily as he did. ¡°Calm down,¡± Kay assured him. ¡°I¡¯m not too worried. She¡¯ll get back at him¡­ Just watch.¡± Recovering from the shock, she looked up to see a high school boy standing in front of her. With hair dyed bright silver, he was dressed in ripped jeans with an oversized shirt, and it gave him an edgy yet cool air. It was Robert Jordan, her eighteen-year-old brother by birth. Sadly, he was used by Tiffany and, indirectly, was corrupted by her influence. He disdainfully remembered Charmine as the adopted daughter, that all she wanted was to steal the Jordan family¡¯s money. Robert red at her as though she was a viin. ¡°How dare you do such a thing to Tiffany? She doesn¡¯t even hurt a fly! Why would you make up such nonsense to hurt her? Do you know that she cried herself to sleep, and yet wouldn¡¯t even let me speak to you about it?! She has such a kind heart. You? What have you done? If it weren¡¯t for our family bringing you home, you would¡¯ve died a long time ago! You¡¯re a bastard without a soul!¡± Wordlessly, Charmine wiped the blood on the corner of her lips, an ominous glint in her eyes as she did so. Robert had his fair share in fighting people from a young age, but he had nevere across such a daunting look. His surprisested for a moment before he regained hisposure. ¡°Listen, you¡¯re just an adopted kid, and you¡¯ve no right to stare at me with that look of yours!¡± he barked. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you something: The surveince cameras here are all broken. Even if I kill you right here tonight, nobody would ever find out or even mourn at your death.¡± Momentarily stunned, Charmine said, ¡°What? The surveince cameras are all broken?¡± ¡°Of course! Why else am I attacking you?¡± Robert sneered at her. ¡°Hah! Are you scared now? If I were you, I¡¯d return Tiffany¡¯s rightful final appearance and ambassador role to her before it¡¯s toote.¡± Her lips then curled into a sadistic smirk. ¡°No, but thank you for telling me that.¡± Then, she swung her leg up and powerfully kicked Robert right at his chest with her high heel. Thump! The solid kick sent him flying to the end of the room, where Robert quaked in pain. At least a few bones were broken. The guards watched in disbelief. She was a real tough boss, alright. How could a kick send a 1.7 meter tall boy like Robert zipping through the air? Her clothes fluttered as she inched closer to him. It was as though she was a victorious warrior returning from war. Utterly startled, his eyes squinted at her as he attempted to shield his abdomen with his arm. ¡°Wh¡­ What are you trying to do?! Go away!¡± Charmine had such astounding, seemingly polished skills that she broke his ribs with just a mere kick. There was no way he could match her in strength. As she stood before the cowering Robert, she eyed him balefully, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say the cameras are all destroyed? How could I let such an opportunity pass?¡± With that said, she raised her leg again and pressed the tip of her shoe onto Robert¡¯s head and exerted force into it. Chapter 17 Chapter 17 Ssh! Robert¡¯s head was pushed into a sink filled with dirty water. Charmine shoved his head further in with her heel. ¡°Wash your head off those false and filthy thoughts!¡± she jeered. ¡°Think about this: If Tiffany wanted the best for you, why didn¡¯t she encourage you to study harder? Why did everyone in the family end up avoiding and despising you?¡± Robert struggled to breathe under the water, unable to get up as Charmine¡¯s incredible strength kept him down. Suffocating, the dirty water shot up into his mouth and nostrils the moment he opened his mouth in his struggle. It was only when he nearly passed out that Charmine removed her leg. Harshly pulling him by his hair, Charmine growled, ¡°Robert Jordan, don¡¯t be such an idiot; that¡¯s all I¡¯m leaving you with. If you do this to me again, I won¡¯t let you off so easily. Not even if we¡¯re rted.¡± She let him off and left. Robert sat beside the sink as he struggled to catch his breath. Unbelievable! What changed the shy and quiet adopted kid into such a skilled woman? Who managed to break his ribs with just one kick without even trying? ¡®What an evil woman! She even tried to strain my rtionship with Tiffany. Had she not hurt TiffanyN?velDrama.Org owns all content. enough already? I¡¯ll get her one day!¡¯ he scowled to himself. Meanwhile, Charmine went into her bathroom on the other side of the vi. She instantly removed her makeup and rinsed the taste of blood off of her mouth when a man walked through the door, handing her a pack of ice. ¡°Why not just get a DNA test?¡± the man spoke first. ¡°Eric, do you think Tiffany doesn¡¯t know what she¡¯s doing? She probably pays off every hospital and clinic in Burlington. It¡¯s likely she would change the test result even before the DNA is tested.¡± Noting her swollen lips in the mirror, Charmine continued, ¡°So what if they find out I¡¯m the actual child? They don¡¯t like me anyway.¡± Eric frowned. ¡°Though, I¡¯m actually looking forward to the part when the truth is revealed and that Tiffany had torn them apart.¡± Her lips curled into a mirthless smile as she cooled her swollen lips with the ice pack. Eric¡¯s frown deepened. Who would have thought that someone else would hold as much grudge as him, or perhaps even more? ¡°Anyway, there¡¯s something more important to attend to.¡± He handed Charmine a phone. Charmine was met with a Twitter news feed with the following headlines: [Who is Charmine Jordan¡¯s sugar daddy?] read the first; [Tiffany Jordan Photoshopped in nude] stated the second; [Tiffany Jordan¡¯s resources stolen!] was the third. The hottest discussion topic in the search bar was, [Tiffany Jordan was auditioning for Chanel¡¯s show, but a Photoshopped nude of her was put on the big screen, and she ended up losing the role.] Looking at thement section, she read the following: [What a coquettish woman! Our Tiff is so adorable and pure, she¡¯s unreal! She¡¯d never do such a thing!] [Why now of all times? She¡¯s obviously ying dirty just to get the role.] [What an evil woman.] [Exactly! I wonder what men she¡¯s sleeping with. How could a neer take up such an important role?] [I¡¯m disappointed at Chanel for having her as their ambassador. Boycott Chanel!] [Boycott Chanel! Boycott Charmine Jordan!] [Leave, Charmine Jordan. You¡¯re not weed.] The entire forum was filled with unpleasantments toward Charmine. Charmine merely rolled her eyes as she scoffed, ¡°This is nothing to me.¡± Nothing? Everyone was bashing her in the forum. How could she act so calm? ¡°This is your first fight, Charmine,¡± he warned. ¡°You ought to win this.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t making the headline something worth celebrating for?¡± Charmine walked to the wine cer and poured herself a ss of red wine. She poured one for Eric, though he turned it down. His look darkened; it was no wonder why no one could help her. The things that happened within the past five years had turned her cynical. ¡°Can¡¯t you be more serious?¡± he asserted. ¡°This isn¡¯t a joke.¡± Meanwhile, the executives at Chanel were having an emergency meeting regarding this very situation. They could not let Charmine have the role if everyone was criticizing her online. Charmine merely reclined herself on the sofanguidly as she took a sip of her wine. ¡°Don¡¯t you worry. Why would I set this up if I don¡¯t have a n B?¡± With that, she started typing on her phone. Chapter 18 Chapter 18 Her private ount on Weibo was bombarded with messages. [You¡¯re so evil! How could you do such things to Tiffany Jordan? Why didn¡¯t you Photoshop your own photos as well?] [What a b*tch. You should be dead by now. I hope you and your family could die in peace!] [A nobody like you thinks you can audition for Chanel? How many men are you sleeping with to get that money? Beware of HIV!] Charmine scrolled through the messages and scoffed as she typed: All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. [Sleep around for money? More like sleeping in money!] She then attached three photos: a high stack of house deeds, a pile of luxury car keys, and a street view of High Street in Burlington. These photos quickly became the staple topic in the entire Weibo. High Street Burlington was a famousmercial street known for housing hundreds of international luxury brands along the street as long as 2000 meters. The high stack of deeds was of High Street Burlington. Furthermore, the luxury car keys were of supercars worth millions of dors! [God, she¡¯s a billionaire!] [Impossible! These must be fake! She¡¯s just an adopted kid, there¡¯s no way she could afford any of these.] [I checked these, and they¡¯re for real! A quarter of the properties in High Street Burlington belong to Charmine Jordan! Even the wealthiest family Bailey only own half of the properties.] [Huh? So it¡¯s possible that she¡¯s only sleeping with people from the Bailey family. Still, wealthy families like the Baileys won¡¯t take in an adopted kid like her for sure! But who else is she sleeping with?] [Even if everything is of her own, she had to have bought off the final appearance and ambassador role! She¡¯s burning cash for her fame!] [Totally! She has nothing but money.] [She¡¯s buying for her fame, and Chanel is willing to y along with her? Money can work wonders, eh?] Suddenly, the topic shifted entirely. [Charmine Jordan bought fame with money, bullying Tiffany Jordan!] Nheless, Charmine was not fazed; she had expected as much. She then replied: [Buying fame with money or not, we shall all find out tomorrow night!] ¡®Find out tomorrow night¡¯? How could a fraud like her be so confident? ¡­ At the Bailey family¡¯s mansion¡­ Chris Bailey was initially scrolling through hisptop in silence when he suddenly jumped up in agitation. ¡°Mommy is so cool. I¡¯ve never met a woman so cool! I¡¯m fangirling over Mommy!¡± ¡°You¡¯re a boy,¡± Anthony deadpanned. He ced Chris to the side as he powered up hisptop. Chris frowned in confusion. ¡°So many people are bullying your wife, Daddy. How can you still focus on your work? You¡¯re so mean!¡± ¡°Keep quiet. I¡¯m sorting out Mommy¡¯s stuff,¡± Anthony muttered, enigmatic yet charmingly so. Although Charmine had it under control, Tiffany was still cunning enough to have pushed all the lies onto Charmine. The discussions on the forum should have been [Tiffany Jordan¡¯s nude], but Tiffany sessfully turned the tables. That could be changed. With his slender fingers doing wonders on his keyboard, the headline instantly changed to: [Professor Zero analyzing Tiffany Jordan¡¯s nude] The video clip started with Professor Zero, in his mid-sixties with greyish hair, as he addressed the audience: ¡°Hello, everyone. I¡¯m the National Photo Analyst, Professor Zero. As you may have known, I work for the government, and my job scope consists of analyzing the validity of all kinds of photos and images, assisting our departments to validate the proof from crime scenes. ¡°As I came across a heated discussion recently, I was interested to clear some mysteries with the resources I have. To be honest with you all, I myself am a big fan of Tiffany Jordan. She¡¯s such a pure and hardworking youngdy, and I even inspired my granddaughter to look up to her great achievements at such a young age! ¡°Therefore, when I saw that photo of hers, I was agitated by the false usations of her. Thus, I took out some spare time to analyze this photo so I can find out if it was Photoshopped or merged by AI tools.¡± Professor Zero then turned the camera to hisputer screen as he powered up aplicated software. As the program was running, he continued to exin, ¡°This is a powerful photo analyzing software, essible only to professionals. It can analyze the validity of any kind of photos, whether they¡¯ve been Photoshopped or artificially merged. ¡°Usually, this program is used for important government-assigned projects. However, I¡¯ve requested special permission to use it for this asion, helping everyone to dissolve the mystery.¡± He uploaded Tiffany¡¯s image onto the program, a message disyed on the screen: [In progress 9%] A few secondster, some codes popped up filling the screen withplexputernguage. The professor turned to the camera and, seemingly excited, added, ¡°This is what the program has analyzed. Right here, it¡¯s processing all the data of this photo.¡± He continued to speak as he scrolled down. Suddenly, his pale old hand halted with a shake. [The image is 100% original] The words were clear as day. In an instant, hundreds and thousands ofments appeared below the video. [This is impossible! Tiffany Jordan would never take photos like this! Is this mistaken?] [That¡¯s very unlikely! Professor Zero is a professor; he wouldn¡¯t make up things like this. Also, only government officials have ess to this program, so the result is legit.] [Does that mean Tiffany Jordan actually sent out the photo? I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s so wild.] [Well, if we look at it properly, how could there be a woman pure and beautiful like her? She¡¯s nothing but a great deceiver.] Comments from her haters¡¯ filled the forum, and the topics that stirred hate for Charmine shifted into: #Tiffany-nude #The-photo-is-legit #Professor Zero The photo had been validated by Professor Zero, so there was nothing her fans could help her with. With that, Tiffany¡¯s reputation was forever tainted with this. Chapter 19 Chapter 19 At the Jordan family¡¯s mansion¡­ Tiffany staggered onto the sofa, terrified. ¡®How could this be? It was going so well¡­ How did it all turn so wrong? Why would Professor Zero make such a clip ruining my reputation if he imed to be a fan, and going so far as publishing the clip?!¡¯ she exploded, ranting deliriously to herself. It was then when Julian Cabell walked into the room, wearing an exquisitely tailored suit. ¡°Tiffany, what¡¯s the photo abo¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s bullsh*t! Bullsh*t! ¡± Tiffany snapped before he could finish his sentence. Julian stopped short. He had never seen Tiffany like this before. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Once she realized it was Julian, Tiffany hastily recollected herself and rushed to him as she whimpered, ¡°Julian, Darling, I didn¡¯t mean to yell at you. I was just very disappointed at Charmine.¡± She then continued as she simmered in resentment, ¡°I¡¯ve never done her wrong all these years, except for the one time five years ago. I can¡¯t believe she can be so evil. I wonder what she has done for the past five years in Africa, making so much money, buying properties, and even made acquaintance with Professor Zero. For all we know, she must¡¯ve bribed him to make a false im since we know nothing of photo analyzing. He could get away with any lie!¡± Her entire being shook as she cried, as though Charmine had been the one doing her wrong. ¡°Julian, Darling, we grew up together. Do you really think I¡¯m that kind of person? Why would I ruin my own reputation?¡± Her act was utterly wless that it was hard to not fall for her facade. ¡°Please, don¡¯t cry. Of course I trust you.¡± Julian hugged her as he rubbed her back. ¡°I can¡¯t believe Charmine Jordan has be so cruel in just five years.¡± Tiffany pushed him away gently, looking as though terrified. ¡°Yes, and she¡¯lle at us for revenge. After all, I did push her down the stairs by ident, and you even kicked her. With what she is now, there¡¯s no doubt she¡¯lle at us at all costs, destroying us.¡± ¡°Hah! She won¡¯t be able to,¡± Julian scoffed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about this. She has wronged you twice, I won¡¯t let it pass,¡± came Julian¡¯s assurance. Once he sat her downfortably, he picked up his phone and logged onto his Weibo ount with millions of followers. In the past five years, Julian¡¯s parents have retired and handed him the family business, and this made him the CEO of Mile-End Group. Originally rated as ¡®Top Ten Highest Achieving Company¡¯ in the country, Mile-End Group owned malls, theatres, hotels, travel agencies, and more. Under Julian¡¯s management, coupled with his callousness and charm, his excellent marketing skills on Weibo sessfully pushed the group into the top five. Even Senior Jordan thought of his abilities highly, approving Julian and Tiffany¡¯s marriage. However, they were not allowed to get engaged before Charmine returned the engagement token, so they had not been able to be official in the past five years. For this, they held a grudge against Charmine. Julian made a post on Weibo and tagged Charmine. [Hah. ¡°We shall all find out tomorrow night¡±? Only a fraud like you can tell such lies! If you can really make it to the show tomorrow night, I, Julian Cabell, owe you 100 million! @CharmineJordan] As the youngest CEO, wealthy and handsome, he had the nickname of ¡®National Husband¡¯ worshipped by over 40 million fans on Weibo. Within seconds, his post received at least 200,000 replies. [Ahhh! My husband finally posted on Weibo. So hot and dominating!] [Even our National Husband cannot stand that b*tch Charmine Jordan!] [Rumours have it that Julian Cabell is seeing Tiffany Jordan. Is he standing up for Tiffany?] [These are all unimportant! Didn¡¯t Charmine ask us to wait till tomorrow night? If she¡¯s got what she imed, why is she hiding?] [Haha! Isn¡¯t it ironic that the b*tch got told off by our national husband? She must be crying in the corner right now.] Little did they know, Charmine had long logged off her ount and was working out in her gym at the vi. As her agent, Eric was tasked to keep things under his watch. With Professor Zero¡¯s clip going viral, he expected the haters to give Charmine a break, but it did not take long before their attacks came right back at Charmine. Moreover, Julian Cabell was involved. He had no choice but to get off the sofa to show this to Charmine. In the gym, Charmine was dressed in her tight workout outfit, throwing punches at the punching bag. Beads of sweat rolled down her fit and toned body as she was practically damp with sweat, yet her unruly wild beauty was still evident. Eric¡ªlike any man would¡ªgot lost in the moment looking at her, though he quickly snapped out of it. ¡°Charmine, that ex-boyfriend of yours dered war on Weibo,¡± he spoke. ¡°Do you have a moment to spare?¡± Chapter 20 Chapter 20 Ex-boyfriend? ¡°Julian Cabell, the douchebag?¡± Charmine scowled. ¡°Yeah. He posed a challenge that if you can win the audience with your charm, he¡¯ll owe you a hundred million dors,¡± Eric replied calmly. ¡°Huh? Do I look like I¡¯d need an extra hundred million?¡± Charmine turned back to her punching bag and delivered a sharp punch right to it. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Thump! The hundred-pound punching bag was sent flying away. Eric was utterly stunned, though it was nothing new. This was true to Charmine¡¯s nature. That was not the end of it, however. Removing her gloves, Charmine picked up her phone and replied Julian, [Gross! @JulianCabell] Attached to that post was a photo of her middle finger. Preposterous! The national husband rejected as ¡®gross¡¯ by Charmine Jordan? A man with a worth of 30 billion was tagged with a photo of Charmine¡¯s middle finger? [OMG! What¡¯s wrong with this crazy woman? Julian is so hot, and she called him gross?] [No wonder she¡¯s adopted. Such a b*tch!] [Too scared to ept the challenge? Don¡¯t you dare tag on my husband¡¯s fame to be famous!] [I just wanna punch her so badly!] The haters all came at Charmine with viciously typed out replies. Charmine was unfazed, undaunted by theirments, but it was then when her phone rang. She picked up the call and heard Simon Gray wheezing on the other end of the call. ¡°Boss, are those people on Weibo attacking you?¡± he spoke in between pants. ¡°Mhmm,¡± came Charmine¡¯s simple reply, uninterested to exin. Simon was shocked. Who would daree for Charmine? In the past five years, nobody had the nerves to go against Charmine! Well, all except for Eric who could be rather direct sometimes. ¡°Boss, should I fly over now? I can help!¡± ¡°No need. You just have to take good care of thepany. If I don¡¯t see a ten percent increase in the quarterly review, you might as well forget about the end of year bonus.¡± With that, she ended the call. On the other end of the call, Simon was left hanging with mixed feelings. He was concerned about his boss, yet that same boss responded with a threat in return. He was starting to regret making this call. Seeing as Charmine had hung up, Eric took the chance to warn her, ¡°The fans here do prefer low-profile celebrities, so it¡¯s in your best interest to keep your profile low. They won¡¯t like it if they find out who you truly are, and those who work for you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you worry, I know what I¡¯m doing,¡± Charmine reassured him as she continued scrolling through her phone. She had a moment and decided to log back onto Weibo. She posted: [I ept your challenge. If I lose, I¡¯ll pay you 10 billion dors. But, if I win, I don¡¯t need your money, but I want a live stream of you eating sh*t. Do you ept the challenge?] With that, she attached two more photos of her middle finger. Eric was dumbfounded. ¡®Didn¡¯t she just tell me she knew what she¡¯s doing? When will she ever learn to keep her profile low? Ah, forget about it. She can never do that,¡¯ Eric thought, annoyed yet amused altogether. On the other end, Julian¡¯s face darkened when he saw the post. How dare Charmine spoke to him with such arrogance, when she used to be that woman who tailed after him wherever he went! Fuming, he was just about to type in the reply when Tiffany stopped him. ¡°Julian, Darling, don¡¯t act too rashly. If she speaks with such confidence, perhaps she knows for sure she¡¯ll win this challenge, and if she does¡ª¡± ¡°Huh? Her, winning? I know her better than anyone else. For the past eighteen years, she had been this vulgar and tasteless woman, and now she¡¯s nothing but a paper tiger. There¡¯s no way she would¡¯ve changed so much in five years,¡± he scoffed. ¡°Also, walking on the T-stage takes more than just some tricks. One needs so much confidence and experience. With this bet going on, everyone would be critical of her performance, and there¡¯s no way she¡¯d be able to charm every single audience.¡± With that, he posted: [Bring it on. I hope you have 10 billion dors ready!] He was confident Charmine would lose. Chapter 21 Chapter 21 Charmine scoffed at Julian¡¯s reply and typed out her own. [Someone might as well make up his mind on whether to eat human sh*t or cow sh*t. Maybe pick up some dog sh*t by the road?] No one was making it easier for the other side as a century worth of gamble was announced. The fans on Weibo went crazy at this as the bets were huge. A live stream of eating actual sh*t versus 10 billion worth of cash; what else could be wilder than this? Everyone could hardly wait for Chanel¡¯s show tomorrow. Charmine never lost herposure as she merely threw her phone aside. Turning to Eric, she then All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. spoke, ¡°Be prepared for tomorrow.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t let you down.¡± With that, Eric turned and left. He was just Charmine¡¯s agent, thus he would not be staying at her vi. Charmine locked the door the moment he exited and went to bed early. The same did not go for Tiffany. She tossed and turned in bed, unable to fall asleep. She did not know why, but she had a strange feeling that Charmine came back as an entirely different person. It was rather impressive that she could buy the ck-green meteorite stone. As Julian¡¯s lover, it would embarrass her to no end if Julian was to lose the challenge. As though a light bulb went off in her head, she walked out of her room and knocked on Amelia¡¯s bedroom door. The door opened, and Tiffany was met with Amelia¡¯s puzzled look. ¡°Tiffany, you¡¯re still awake?¡± ¡°Mhm¡­ I thought of Charmine, and I just can¡¯t sleep. I¡¯m worried about you.¡± Tiffany sighed. Amelia frowned. ¡°Worried about me? What is there to be worried about?¡± ¡°Oh, Amelia¡­ I¡¯m sure you saw what Charmine wrote online. She¡¯s marketing her image as ¡®straightforward and arrogant¡¯ just like you, and she¡¯s behaving way more ostentatious than you.¡± Tiffany then added, ¡°If she charms everyone with her final appearance at the show tomorrow night, I¡¯m afraid that she might rece you.¡± ¡°Rece me? What? Does she have what it takes?¡± Amelia refuted mockingly, as she eyed Tiffany. ¡°Tiffany, are you out of your mind? I¡¯ve been in this industry for five years. I¡¯m not as popr as you, but I¡¯m one of the top ten supermodels in the country. She¡¯s nothing but a newbie. How is she going to rece me?¡± Tiffany clung to her hand as she convinced her, ¡°Amelia, the fact that she was signed by Chanel today is already a sign that she does have some skills. Didn¡¯t you notice that she¡¯spletely different from before? Don¡¯t take it too lightheartedly.¡± Hearing all these, Amelia then recalled the look on Charmine¡¯s face when she was on the stage. Her face was attractive, so attractive that any woman would envy her, with beautiful legs so long and perfectly shaped. A strange sense of danger raised from within, Amelia then firmly replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll try my best. I¡¯ll practice my steps right away.¡± ¡°One more thing, Amelia: Please take good care of yourself. Charmine has harmed me twice since her return, and I¡¯m worried she might harm you too. Be careful,¡± Tiffany reminded her with a soft tone. ¡°Still, these are just my suspicions, and Charmine is still family. Be nice to her, and don¡¯t make the rtionship worse.¡± As Tiffany walked out of her sight, Amelia¡¯s face darkened. Harm her and rece her? No way! She took out her phone and made a phone call. ¡­ At 8 o¡¯clock the next day, everyone on the Inte was anticipating the live stream of Chanel¡¯s show. Charmine woke up early to get ready, but as she was ready to leave the house, she realized the door was stuck. She pushed and pulled the doorknob but it did not help. The door was locked from the outside. She was almost impressed that someone could pull such a childish and low-level trick under her nose. She thought she might as well y along. Her lips curled into a sneer. Instead of banging on the door, she walked back into her house. Chapter 22 Chapter 22 A woman stood close to the door as she watched closely. When she saw that the doorknob stopped jiggling after a while, she smiled proudly and made a phone call to report on the matter. ¡°Miss Amelia, everything is going as nned. Charmine can¡¯t get out.¡± All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°Good work. Keep watching, and make sure she doesn¡¯te out,¡± came Amelia¡¯s sly reply. Once the call ended, the woman sat on her chair, cross-legged. ¡®So Charmine thinks she would build her reputation through Chanel¡¯s show and steal Tiffany¡¯s fame? Well, she¡¯s locked in her house now,¡¯ Amelia mused to herself, self-assured that Charmine would never gain the fame she craved. Charmine was so bold to ce such a bet against Julian. If she failed to even get out of her house, Charmine would lose terribly. Ameliaughed boisterously, though only to herself. The thought of Charmine being mocked and Her internal celebration was cut short when someone added Amelia on WhatsApp from the Jordan family group chat. The person had a ck image as the profile picture, nicknamed ¡®Boss Jordan¡¯. Who could it be? Which rtive? Amelia epted the request warily and before she could ask who they were, she received a voice message from this mysterious sender. [Miss Amelia, everything is going as nned. Charmine can¡¯t get out.] [Good work. Keep watching, and make sure she doesn¡¯te out.] This was the recording of her call with her secretary! Her phone then vibrated. It was a text from ¡®Boss Jordan¡¯. [Amelia Jordan, ask your secretary to unlock my door right away. If not, I¡¯ll post this online, and you¡¯ll end up like Tiffany Jordan.] Amelia¡¯s face darkened. So this ¡®Boss Jordan¡¯ was Charmine Jordan, was it? She typed furiously. [Charmine, how did you get the recording of my call? Are you spying on me? Do you know that this is illegal?] A reply came not long after. [So is detaining someone in her house. In serious circumstances, this can be charged with the crime of illegal detention. ording to the provisions of paragraphs 1 and 2 of Article 238 in Criminal Law, ¡®Anyone whomits the crime of illegal detention shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than 3 years, criminal detention, surveince or deprivation of political rights¡¯!] Amelia¡¯s face turned pale from reading the text. Unbelievable! Charmine was threatening her with the would be a surefire way to end her. Her fans would not like her anymore, and Grandpa hated to see the siblings falling out. Whenever something happened, he would deal with them using the familyw, ranging from getting beaten by a whip filled with thorns kneeling at the ancestral hall to deductions ofpany shares. Another message came through: [Amelia Jordan, you have exactly one minute. If you don¡¯t open the door by then, and even if you do I¡¯ll publish this recording. What do you say?] ¡®What do you say?¡¯ Of course everyone would think that Amelia trapped Charmine inside her vi for a day! Amelia fumed with gritted teeth. She wanted to kill Charmine so badly, but she only had one minute to decide, and she had no choice. Unwillingly, she called her secretary. ¡°Zoey, unlock the door right away! Now! One minute!¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± ¡°Just do as you¡¯re told. Don¡¯t give me bullsh*t. I¡¯ll chop off your hands if you take an extra second,¡± Amelia threatened. Terrified, Zoey hung up hastily and smashed the metal chain that locked the door with a hammer. The metal chain was securely fastened on the top of the door, thus it was impossible to open the door from the inside. Zoey put in so much effort to fasten the chain, and she had to destroy it in merely one minute. Zoey swung with all her strength, and by the time it was unlocked, she was covered in sweat. Charmine strode out from the room in a red gown. With eyes that could mesmerize, she stared into Zoey¡¯s eyes. ¡°Remember to fix my door. Oh, and tell Amelia that she wasted thirty-five minutes of my time, so remind her to transfer me three hundred and fifty thousand bucks.¡± Three hundred and fifty thousand? She might as well steal it. Was she delirious? Chapter 23 Chapter 23 Zoey wanted to fight back but Charmine had made her exit, her silver heels clicking against the corridor floor. Even the shadow of her back was straight, proud as it was. Click, ck, click! Zoey froze as she watched Charmine leave, and it was only after she was out of sight did she make a phone call. ¡°Amelia, we nearly got her! Why did we let her go? Do you know how arrogant she is? She ordered me to fix her door saying that we wasted thirty-five minutes of her life, so we owe her three hundred and fifty thousand!¡± What? 350 thousand? Amelia was seething, but once she remembered that Charmine had a hold of their call, she began to pile up the me on Zoey. ¡°It¡¯s all your fault! Why did you call back to report to me? Do you know that she got a recording of our voice call?¡± she yapped. ¡°You can¡¯t even do a thing right. I¡¯ll take the three hundred and fifty thousand out of your sry, ten thousand per month!¡± Her monthly sry was only twenty thousand, so with ten thousand taken away, she would be left with ten thousand per month! Amelia hung up on her before she could even get a word out, but knowing her bad temper, she could only suffer in silence. With what just happened, Amelia texted Tiffany to warn her, [Tiffany, Charmine is too much to handle. She somehow managed to get a hold of my phone recording. Please warn Julian before she pulls on any trick on him.] Tiffany read the message with a sullen face. Indeed, she intentionally talked to Ameliast night to instill hate and use her to stop Charmine, but she did not expect Amelia to be defeated so easily! If Charmine could attend the show, and with what she had, what if she won? Would Julian have to live-stream himself eating crap after all? Never! She had to think of other ways¡­ Secondster, her eyes twinkled as though a thought came to mind. She turned and left right away. ¡­ By then, Charmine already left her vi, waiting to be picked up by the road. The car she had booked was canceled since she was all caught up with Zoey, and since it was rush hour, there were fewer cars avable. She might bete if this went on. She had no choice but to keep on walking and pray for some cars to pass by, in hopes of hitchhiking. Not long after, a few luxury sports cars pulled up around her, surrounding her in the middle. The leading car was a ck Porsche, its highly finished body shining in style. The car lights, wheels, and handles were painted pink. The stark difference between ck and pink made the car seem ssy and fashionable, suitable fordies. Tiffany sat on the passenger¡¯s seat, face beaten with makeup that emphasized her exquisite facial features. She was in a white cotton dress, and she looked graceful just like a princess, exuding an air of elegance. The other luxurious cars were just as expensive with attractivedies in them, likely to be Tiffany¡¯s friends. They started sneering when they saw Charmine. ¡°Tiffany, isn¡¯t this your adopted sister? Didn¡¯t she im to own hundreds of luxurious cars and betted All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. with ten billion? Why does she not have a car now?¡± ¡°Oh, who can¡¯t brag? I can brag that I have thousands of those cars, too!¡± ¡°Look at what she¡¯s wearing, I¡¯ve never seen this brand before. Living so far away from the city and imed to own hundreds of cars? Even bet with ten billion? Jokes on her! At least think before you brag!¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t say that about her, as she¡¯s still my sister. I believe there are reasons why she had to make up such lies.¡± Tiffany pretended to side with Charmine in her soft and delicate voice. She looked at Charmine with the friendliest face she could muster. ¡°Charmine, you can tell me if you don¡¯t have a car, and I can give you one. My parents bought me one for my birthday every year, and I ran out of space in my garage. All you have to do is ask. Why would you walk?¡± She then continued with her supposed ¡®understanding¡¯ look, ¡°Are you heading to the show? You¡¯ll be boy.¡± As she spoke, she got out of the car and opened the back door for Charmine. A big pug was sitting behind, dirty as it was, and seemed to have taken most of the space. Once Charmine would get into the car, Tiffany would make Popa bite her, one way or another. It would be much better if he could scratch and injure her face. No way could she attend the show if that happened. Charmine scoffed. Did Tiffany just try to pull on such ame trick on her? Did she think of Charmine as a Hello Kitty? ¡°With your cheap and stupid car, you want to give me a ride?¡± she scorned. ¡°Really?¡± Cheap? Stupid? Everyone held onto their breath. Charmine spoke with such arrogance. What was she made of? Even Tiffany was taken aback when she heard Charmine. Chapter 24 Chapter 24 It was not long before Tiffany¡¯s friends reacted to Charmine¡¯s obnoxious words. ¡°Charmine Jordan, you¡¯re like a dog fighting its owner. Can¡¯t tell what¡¯s good and bad, or a chalk from cheese? Tiffany was kind enough to give you a ride. How could you say such things to her?¡± ¡°What are you barking on about, you adopted kid? This is a limited edition Lamborghini Sesto Elemento, priced over forty million with only twenty avable worldwide. It¡¯s a blessing for you to even see it!¡± ¡°Exactly! Why don¡¯t you bring a better car than Tiffany¡¯s if you have it? All you do is brag. Disgusting!¡± Thements were ugly to the ears. Charmine frowned contempt, unable to formte a proper Thedies cackled at Charmine, under the impression that the frown on Charmine¡¯s face was because her whistle was blown. ¡°Look at her face! She can¡¯t bring out any! What a bragger!¡± ¡°Hah! Seems like her whistle is blown! She deserves this!¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t say such cruel things to my sister. Maybe she just doesn¡¯t like Popa, not the car. Perhaps she doesn¡¯t want to sit with Popa.¡± Tiffany then turned to Charmine. ¡°I¡¯ll let you sit on the passenger¡¯sAll content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. seat if you want to. Come on up, or you¡¯ll bete.¡± As she spoke, she opened the front door for Charmine. Even on the passenger¡¯s seat, she would have ways to make Popa bite her. Best if he could bite off her head from the back! Tiffany¡¯s friends had no idea how evil her thoughts were, they were more impressed by her generosity, scowling at Charmine : ¡°Tiffany is so kind and generous! Charmine Jordan, what are you waiting for? You ungrateful b*tch!¡± ¡°Yeah, what are you waiting for? Haven¡¯t been on such an expensive car before? Shocked?¡± ¡°Haha! Must be a first-timer!¡± As the ridicule persisted, the shadow of a car zipped right past them before it was parked by the side. The dazzling ck body was made of carbon fiber and titanium alloy. The ck finish had a shallow matte texture, and it embodied the definition of high-end technology. The two headlights were One of them recognized the car right off the bat as they screamed, ¡°It¡¯s a Hypersport¡­! There are only seven in the world!¡± Suddenly, everyone was excited. ¡°Hypersport is worth at least a billion. It¡¯s the rarest sports car in the world!¡± ¡°I heard the seats in this car are sewn with golden strings, and that the lights are iid with diamonds. Even the lights are worth a Rolls-Royce.¡± ¡°This is the red sports car that leaped over the skyscraper in the seventh Fast and Furious movie¡­ The same model!¡± Who was the owner of this rare masterpiece? Everyone stared at the door in anticipation, their breaths halted as they waited. At this moment, the door was opened. A man in his personalized suit got out of the car. Although he was just a driver, he exuded an air of handsomeness that could dethrone top male supermodels within seconds. However, what happened next was just as shocking. He stood beside the car as he curtly announced, ¡°Miss Jordan, I¡¯m picking you up on my boss¡¯ behalf. Please get on.¡± Miss Jordan? He came for Tiffany Jordan? ¡°Aahh! Tiffany! When did you make acquaintance with this boss! Why didn¡¯t you tell us?¡± ¡°I¡¯m so jealous! Oh my goodness! Tiffany, can I touch the car?¡± Everyone worshipped Tiffany with looks of admiration! On the other hand, puzzled Tiffany had no recollection of anyone who owned this car. Perhaps some wealthy billionaire was attracted to her after her viral nude, and thus sent a man to pick her up? A bashful expression emerged as she sheepishly spoke, ¡°I honestly never knew ¡®til today. Can¡¯t believe he came to pick me up!¡± She turned to Charmine and spoke. ¡°Oh right, Charmine. I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t send you to the show myself, so my driver will send you off. As you can see, I¡¯ve got ns.¡± With that said, she strode confidently toward the Hypersport, her face proud like a swan soaring proudly in the high skies. Tiffany¡¯s friends looked at her with immense adoration and jealousy. How could she be so lucky? Born in the second wealthiest family in Burlington, having a perfect boyfriend like Julian Cabell, and now, a billionaire suitor? There was no way anyone could everpete with Tiffany Jordan! However, the man standing beside the car frowned. ¡°Please excuse me, I¡¯m here for Miss Charmine Jordan.¡± What? Charmine Jordan? Not Tiffany Jordan? Chapter 25 Chapter 25 Tiffany was shocked with disbelief. Her face stiffened as she could barely contain her emotions, but she managed to hold herself together and forced a smile, asking, ¡°Sir, I think you¡¯ve made a mistake.¡± Charmine just returned to the country, and hardly anyone knew her. How would such a wealthy boss know her and send someone to pick her up? ¡°No, I¡¯ve not,¡± the chauffeur deadpanned. ¡°I¡¯m here to pick up Miss Jordan. Charmine Jordan,¡± he added, emphasizing ¡®Charmine¡¯ when he spoke. Disbelief, their gazes turned to Charmine as though in slow-motion. This car came for Charmine? She knew the car¡¯s owner? Impossible! Tiffany¡¯s face twisted into a shade beyond abhorrence. How could it be? As everyone was still frozen in shock, the man walked toward Charmine and bowed. ¡°Miss Jordan, please.¡± Charmine walked over nonchntly, her eyes judging the car. ¡°Hmm¡­ It¡¯s not too bad, I¡¯d give you that. However, there are only seven cars in the world, and that number is ominous. Also, ck absorbs heat, and it¡¯s not suitable to be driven in summer. It seems the seats are real leather, too,¡± she spoke, going into detail. ¡°Is your boss not aware that real leather traps heat in summer?¡± Everyone was dumbfounded. A Hypersport came to pick her up, and she was still unsatisfied? What more, criticizing the number for being supposedly ¡®ominous¡¯? The seats trap heat? What an ungrateful b*tch! Luke Reed¡¯s lips twitched. Indeed, this was true to Charmine Jordan¡¯s nature. She disgusted Mr. Bailey¡¯s diamond ring days ago, and now she hated his Hypersport? What was she made of? With a frown, he sighed. ¡° Miss Jordan, please don¡¯t make it hard for me. My master said I must pick you up no matter what. Also, the young master prepared you a gift.¡± Luke then handed Charmine an exquisite-looking wooden box. Charmine frowned. Young master? Who could it be that they even prepared a gift? She epted the box dubiously. Inside the box was a hand-prepared breakfast, with rice shaped into an adorable cartoon figure, its ck eyes made of ck pearl. On the bottom right corner, a few words were written with ck sauce: [Wishing Mommy all the best! My Mommy will stun the world!] It had to be Chris Bailey. A grin unnoticeably made its way on Charmine¡¯s face as she recalled the boy¡¯s round face, and her heart softened. ¡®Fine. For Momo¡¯s sake, I¡¯ll get in,¡¯ she reasoned. Instantly relieved, Luke hastily opened the door for her and got in the driver¡¯s seat himself. Vroom! The Hypersport raced away as it left dust particles and leaves fluttering. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Tiffany was sshed by the leaves, messing up her hair, while dust stained her white dress. Her so-called ¡®friends¡¯ mocked her as badly as they praised her, although they only did it behind her back due to her reputation and power. Still, Tiffany felt their mocking nces. She could not restrain her emotions anymore as she was left awestruck in embarrassment. The Hypersport came for Charmine, not her¡­ How embarrassing! She had never been more embarrassed in her entire life. Her n was to stop Charmine and slow her down from appearing on the show. s, not only were her ns ruined, but she was utterly humiliated as well! No way. She could not sit idly; Tiffany wanted Charmine to fail. She wanted her dead! She picked up her phone and replied Amelia, her eyes filled with pure malice. ¡®Just you wait, Charmine. You¡¯ll be embarrassed through and through. I want to get back at you for what you did, but ten times worse!¡¯ Chapter 26 Chapter 26 At Ocean Pearl. It was only 9.30am, but guests had upied the hall. With the bet between Charmine and Julian going on, everyone was keen to find out who Charmine was and how she would win. The ticket price went from a few thousand to twenty thousand per ticket due to the increasing demand. Even executives like Julian who was never seen in Burlington reserved front row seats. They were all supporters of Julian, wanting to find out what drove Charmine to ce such a grand and risky bet against Julian. A dazzling back Hypersport pulled over at Ocean Pearl¡¯s back door. Luke turned to Charmine and said, ¡°Miss Jordan, I¡¯m rying a message from Mr. Bailey. He said that if you need anything, just say the word and he¡¯d get it done.¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t need it,¡± came her firm reply. ¡°This is a small matter, and help is not needed.¡± Charmine got out of the car, but as she was about to shut the door, she added, ¡°Right, help me to pass on to your Mr. Bailey. Ask him to spend more time with Momo, and stop wasting time on me. I don¡¯tck anything, especially men. Just give up.¡± With that said, she turned and left, majestic and proud like a peacock. Luke was left with a pale face. What did she mean she did notck men? Also, ¡®just give up¡¯? How was he supposed to tell his master this message? Would he be beaten to death? It did not bother Charmine; she just wanted to make things clear with Anthony Bailey. Looking at the time, Charmine noted it was already 9.30, and the show would start in 30 minutes. She marched to the makeup room hastily. At the backstage, makeup artists rushed toplete the models¡¯ makeup while the manager paced back and forth anxiously. ¡°Why isn¡¯t Charmine here yet? And nobody is picking up!¡± ¡°That¡¯s so rude. She¡¯s always been arrogant, pretending to be famous when she¡¯s not. Mr. James, you shouldn¡¯t have hired her for the final appearance,¡± Amelia mocked. ¡°¡®Shouldn¡¯t have hired her¡¯? Who else could it be? You?¡± A cold and arrogant voice was hearding from the corridor. Charmine marched in and scoffed at the sight of Amelia. ¡°A model ranked third in Burlington¡­ Why are you talking again?¡± ¡°You¡­ I¡¯m ranked third! What about you? You¡¯ve no ranking at all! How dare you speak to me with such a tone!¡± Amelia barked as she stood up in anger. Charmine scoffed, ¡°Exactly, a nobody like myself was chosen to make the final appearance. Does this not prove that you¡¯re worse than a newbie? Are you sure you didn¡¯t buy your ranking with money?¡± ¡°You¡ª!¡± Amelia pushed away her assistant and makeup artist, about to jump at Charmine. ¡°Stop! Stop!¡± Mr. James yelled angrily. ¡°The show is starting in thirty minutes, so everyone better get ready. Whoever ruined my show will pay ten times the damage!¡± With that, the room went pin-drop silent, and Amelia sat back on her seat. A makeup artist walked up to Charmine swiftly as she helped her get dressed. Mr. James walked to Charmine. With mixed feelings, he spoke, ¡°Miss Jordan, I have to say that I¡¯m impressed by your boldness. Because of you, our show ispletely sold out. What do you feel about this? Do you think you can win?¡± If she lost, this would more or less affect Chanel¡¯s reputation and thepany would be criticized for hiring her. He knew better than anyone else that a jewelry show was nothing like a Victoria¡¯s Secret or a fashion show where the models could show off their body shapes and costumes. In a jewelry show, the costumes were simpler as the main focus was on the jewelry. The supermodels would wear the jewelry and disy them on the stage. How interesting could it be? How would Charmine stand out from the rest? Nevertheless, Charmine appeared calm and rxed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve never lost to anyone in the past five years,¡± she spoke, her tone as arrogant as always. The supermodels looked at her from head to toe. There was no doubt that she was an attractive woman, but she was way too arrogant. She was just a human with a pair of hands, eyes, and nose. How different could she be? Just walking around the stage trying to stun the world? How so? With what? A handful of fireflies? How much courage could one possibly have to fight against the son of the second wealthiest man in the country, Julian Cabell? Amelia snorted at her arrogant figure, yet there was nothing she could do. Out of the blue, her phone lit up with an iing message: [Amelia, this is your first appearance on such a grand asion. Do make sure you¡¯ve checked everything, especially your heels since they break easily. Tripping on the stage is the biggest humiliation any model can get, especially at a show like this. This will ruin the reputationpletely, so do be careful!] Mischief glimmered in Amelia¡¯s eyes once she finished reading the message. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡®Hmph. Mock me? I want Charmine to get out of the modeling industry entirely. Want to fight against Julian? Not a chance!¡¯ Chapter 27 Chapter 27 Time fleeted unnoticeably, and it was almost ten o¡¯clock. ¡°Get ready, everyone,¡± an assistant called out to the supermodels backstage. ¡°Stand by the stage. It¡¯s almost showtime!¡± The supermodels stood up to get in line ording to their given number. Charmine was thest to appear on stage, thus it was not her turn for at least the next thirty minutes. Sheid backnguidly on her seat as she settled her mind. Outside, amid the huge space of Ocean Pearl, a tall T-stage was built in half-translucent colourful ss, surrounded by chairs across its perimeters. The guests in the hall were the richest in the country, able to afford a ticket at a starting price of 200,000 dors. Outside the hall, the standing tickets were as high as a thousand dors. Most of the audience was looking forward to the show; some for the models while some for the jewelry. Of course, the one thing everyone was really looking forward to was Charmine Jordan and how she would ¡®stun the world¡¯ as she imed to. On the right side of the T-stage, inside a private space isted by green bamboos, three figures sat inside: two adults and one young boy. Luke slowly entered the space and, with anxiousness, muttered, ¡°Mr. Bailey, Miss Charmine had rejected your offer to help. She also said¡ª¡± Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. ¡°Said what?¡± Anthony quipped. Luke took a while to gather his courage before he spoke, ¡°She asked you to spend more time with Momo, that she doesn¡¯tck men, and that you should give up.¡± With that said, Luke actively took a few steps back, avoiding unnecessary injuries. As expected, Anthony¡¯s face darkened just like the sky before a heavy downpour. Did Charmine just reject his help? Did she say she did notck men? How many men did she have? Unable to hold it in, Nial guffawed at the situation. ¡°Hah! Who would¡¯ve thought my brother can be rejected by a woman? My sister-inw is very impressive.¡± Anthony stared at him with his frosty re. ¡°You should be thankful for the three words you said that saved your life.¡± What? ¡®Three words that saved his life¡¯? Nial was confused. ¡°Daddy, what now?¡± Chris began to whimper. ¡°Mommy ced a heavy wager against that douche. Can she still win without your help?¡± said the boy before he began to sob. ¡°What if Mommy loses? I don¡¯t want to see Mommy lose!¡± he whimpered in-between sentences. Anthony ruffled the boy¡¯s hair. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mommy won¡¯t lose,¡± he affirmed, voice as enigmatic as ever, thoughced with firmly nted belief. Nial, by his side, saw the fire in his brother¡¯s eyes when he spoke of Charmine, and this was for the second time. Unable to hold in his curiosity, he spoke, ¡°Bro, if you treat Charmine so seriously, do you still want to search about the girl from five years ago? Once we find out who it was, would you still want Charmine or the woman from five years ago?¡± Anthony¡¯s face turned sullen in an instant, and after a while, he glumly answered, ¡°Just search for her.¡± At this moment, music danced in the air as the lights went off, and the hall turned pitch ck. This was Ocean Pearl¡¯s special function designed for hosting important asions like this as external light could be blocked with a huge ck backdrop. It was as though day turned into night. The hall went into silence as the lights went off, and all eyes shifted to the stage. The technicians focused the camera on the stage, live-streaming the show online. The show was live-streamed on a few tforms, and they reached ten million views even before the show was started. Now that the show was starting, the views had gone up to a hundred million! Thement section was bombarded by hundreds and thousands ofments every second, with fans cheering the names of their idols. Of course, more people werementing as such: [I¡¯m here to see Charmine lose ten billion.] [+1] [+10086] By then, a soft spotlight red on the long T-stage, reflecting colorful lights off the modern ss stage. With the music ring soundly, the models appeared one after another. Chapter 28 Chapter 28 The first to appear on the stage was a tall and slim Causasion supermodel. She was dressed in a tight-fitting ck short skirt,plementing her alluring body shape. Blue-eyed with wavy blond hair cascading down her shoulders morously, it was the most famous supermodel from France, Michelle Kerry! Around her neck hung a red ruby ne, and it came along with earrings and bracelets of the same series. This was Chanel¡¯stest collection named Passion.plemented by Michelle¡¯s fiery temperament, it was seamlessly perfect! The audience was left awestruck by her beauty and they, along with the paparazzi, started taking photos of her. Thus began the hushedments between attendees. ¡°If a top supermodel like Michelle can only be the opening act, how great could Charmine be to make the final appearance?¡± ¡°Who knows? Maybe she slept with the owner of Chanel!¡± ¡°Even if she did sleep with the owner and made the final appearance with her body, can¡¯t she be a littley-low about it? She made such a huge scene out of it while she¡¯s nothing but a neer thinking she¡¯s untouchable!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s sit back and watch how ¡®stunning¡¯ she¡¯ll beter. She might end up crying halfway.¡± Thements followed one after another as the audience anticipated Charmine¡¯s appearance. Among the audience, a few men in caps sat together. One of them grew impatient and wanted to get up. ¡°I can¡¯t stand it anymore! How dare these ignorant people say such harsh things about our big boss. I¡¯ll teach them a lesson!¡± ¡°Sit back down. Boss said nobody can involve themselves in the things she does in this country. Otherwise, all coborations will be put on hold, and your tongue might be cut off!¡± Kay stopped him. The person vehemently protested in reply, ¡°And we just sit here and watch them humiliate our boss? Our boss isn¡¯t someone they can poke fun of.¡± ¡°Why the hurry? They¡¯ll take back their words shortly, just wait,¡± Kay reassured. The show was at full swing with some models majestic, some fashionable, some arrogant, and some modest. Everyone had the designated jewelry that suited them, walking down the T-stage with nothing but perfection. Naturally, this went for Amelia Jordan as well when she walked out to the very front. Dressed in a bright-red super short dress that disyed her hot figure, she blew a kiss that instantly tuned up the temperature of the atmosphere. However, the atmosphere in the private space remained cold and dull. Anthony was resting with his eyes closed, with Momo sleeping on hisp. On the other hand, Nial seemed rather interested. He had a magnifying ss at hand as he watched the models. ¡°Bro, look at this chick. Her waist is so on point!¡± he chirped. ¡°Wow! Oh, and look at this one! Her legs are so long! So fair!¡± Anthony did not seem to care. He remained unbothered with his eyes closed throughout the entire show, and so was Chris, sleeping with his cute pouty mouth with a bit of drool on his lips. Suddenly, someone half-yelled, ¡°Charmine Jordan ising! It¡¯s finally the finale!¡± Anthony shot up in an instant as his eyes opened wide. The boy who was sleeping beside him sat up right away, too. Both of them glued their eyes onto the stage. Everyone else in the hall turned their attention to the stage. They all wanted to see the woman who told them to wait and watch¡ªdespite not having experience yet was signed to make the finale¡ªhow All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. she would impress them. What did she have in her to stun the world? Amelia stared at the big screen from backstage with a small smirk on her. It was a smirk of malice waiting for the damage to happen. ¡®Charmine, get ready to humiliate yourself in front of everyone!¡¯ Today was the day she would see Charmine humiliate herself and watch her get kicked out of the modeling industry. At this instant, everyone stared at the T-stage unblinking, waiting for Charmine to make her appearance. The atmosphere was unusually tense and pin-drop silent. Finally, with ethereal music in the background, a figure walked out from backstage. Suddenly, all eyes were awestruck, astounded. Chapter 29 Chapter 29 A figure so ethereal slowly emerged to the stage. She appeared to be naked under the light, the shade and shape of her body all too noticeable: Long neck, paper-thin waist, and those elegant, long and straight legs! There was not a trace of excess fat on her body. It was as though she was a sculpture made in heaven. This was a figure of a natural supermodel. Still, was she genuinely naked? Did she choose to go on stage naked just to win? Anthony¡¯s face darkened instantly as his hands instantly shot up to cover the boy¡¯s and Nial¡¯s eyes. A strange and unfamiliar feeling of anger arose in his chest, and his ears rang with the words Charmine had said to him, ¡®Walking around the beach in a bikini.¡¯ Had she always been such an open-minded person? All the audience stared at her in bewilderment. Some even had the word ¡®god¡¯ically appeared in their mouths. On the streaming tform, somemented, [OMG! We can report Chanel for streaming pornography, right?] However, it was only after Charmine took a few more steps forward that they realized she was not naked. She wore a skin-colored long dress wrapped around her chest. The dress was made of an exceptionally soft and exquisitely delicate type of silky material. Weightless like mist and seamless like her skin, it perfectly veiled the body and outlined her curve, thus making it seem as though she wore nothing. There were small and irregr-shaped diamonds scattered across the dress, and this replicated a 360-degree view of glimmering stars in the dimly lit hall. Her body became the night sky, and she was basically wearing a starry night on her! Between her arms hung a long silky cape of the same shade. The pale and almost transparent cape fluttered with her dress with every step she took, and it was like a whirl of smoke unfolding into a weightless mist, dream-like. The sexy and see-through skin-colored dress did not make her appear any less sophisticated. On the contrary, she was like a fairy that walked down from heaven: courtly, immacte, and refined. In an instant, the already dimmed lights darkened, turning the hall cave-like. Suddenly, a soft twinkle fell onto Charmine and another onto the jade of the ne. The faint green ne became enchanting under her corbone. Although her dress was dazzling, it did not steal the ne¡¯s thunder due to its color. Suddenly, a firefly flew out from her ne, followed by another, and another, and they danced around Charmine. What started with a few quickly grew in number, and it did not stop growing until there were hundreds and thousands of them. These fireflies fluttered around as they haunted the pitch-ck venue. One only needed to look up to see a universe of fireflies slow-dancing in the air. The hall was transformed into an unrealistically magical space like the world of Avatar. It was breath-taking! Not a single soul could escape from the awe. ¡°Oh my god¡­ Beautiful! So beautiful!¡± ¡°So many fireflies! Why are there so many fireflies?¡± ¡°Are we in the making of a fantasy movie? Why are there so many fireflies flying out of her?¡± ¡°This is mind-blowing! So unreal!¡± Every Chanel staff was just as awestruck. Where did the dresse from? They had nothing to do with them. What about the fireflies? There were so many of them, and they had no idea how they came to be. How did Charmine ce so many fireflies into the ne? Impossible! Only Anthony was not that mind-boggled. He knew the fireflies were not real; they were projected by the 3D holographic imaging technology. This was thetest disy technology that could project three-dimensional images in a three-dimensional space, perfectly capable of bringing the unrealistically real images to life. Nheless, only a fewpanies had mastered this technology at present. How did an adopted kid like Charmine master such high-end technology and presented it so wlessly? Julian and his friends stared in disbelief. They had been searching for this 3D holographic technology in N?velDrama.Org content rights. hopes of signing the patent from biggerpanies, yet Charmine was using it for her show? Moreover, she used it so appropriately in an utterly captivating way. Julian¡¯s face darkened. He never thought that the ugly and unattractive Charmine he knew could turn into this attractive, charming, and stunning woman. Was this the same Charmine Jordan? Charmine remained calm and aloof as she made her way to the end of the T-stage. She knew for sure Julian was about to lose. Click! Suddenly, the heel broke off from her shoe! She began to wobble as she tilted to the right. Gasps and noises disrupted the ethereal atmosphere, and everyone unconsciously held their breaths. Would she fall? Amelia, initially angry and jealous, was instantly amused. ¡®Finally! She¡¯s finally tripping over!¡¯ she sneered to herself. ¡®Hah! Who¡¯s humiliated now?¡¯ Charmine¡¯s fall would mark the end of her infant career as all eyes watched her humiliating fall! Eric, who was in charge of the holographic projection behind the scenes, tensed the moment Charmine began losing her bnce. It was as though his heart would jump to his throat. Inside the private space, Anthony instinctively pushed Chris away from him, ready to take action. However, with the distance between him and the stage, it was impossible to get there on time. Everyone had their heart in their mouth, watching Charmine¡¯s body tilting downward. Yet, just when she was about to touch the ground¡­ Chapter 30 Chapter 30 Chapter 3o Charmine elegantly twisted to the opposite side and simultaneously tossed the silk cape upward. The long and flowy cape floated in the air¡ªas though in slow ¨C motion¡ªbefore it wound around the metal frame above the stage into a knot. I n a swift movement, Charmine pulled on the cape as her body swayed freely in the air. 2 Like a choreographed dance, she flew above everyone elsenguidly and carefreely with the silk. Her skin-colored tulle dress fluttered as she floated in the air, while the cape whirled like tidal waves. The innumerable fireflies became her backdrop as she flew like a fey from a dreamy fairnd; stunningly beautiful, stunningly bewitching. Everyone watched as she glided above them, their breath taken away. 5 Ineffable. Her dress swirled like the smoke of an enchanting dream. She was like a goddess that came from heaven that held captive the souls below her with a faint smile. With a smooth transition, she hooked her legs mid-air as she reached over to remove her shoes. ¡°Anyone fancy these?¡± Anyone fancy these¡­? N?velDrama.Org content rights. These three words echoed throughout the air like a bewitching poppy flower: seductive, mind-boggling¡­ 3 In an instant, half of the audience raised from their seats. ¡°Me! Me! Give them to me!¡± Chris jumped up enthusiastically as he yelled at the top of his lungs, ¡°Mommy! Give them to Daddy! Give Daddy!¡± Sadly, his voice was too small and was Her lips curled into a knowing smile, Charmine wrapped the shoes around one end of the cape and tossed it into the air. All of a sudden, everyone in that direction jumped and reached out. ¡°Mine! It¡¯s mine!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t take them from me. They¡¯re mine!¡± 3 A bunch of people formed a circle around the shoes as they reached out for dear life. Kay and his men had no excuse with their agility as they leaped without hesitation. Those were their boss¡¯ shoes. How could they end up in the hands of a nobody? That was it. A pair of broken shoes ignited the atmosphere to the highest form. Charmine looked at the chaos below like a witch who cast a spell before hand. As if nothing had happened, she turned around to return backstage. Though bare-feet, her aura remained the same. With her 1.7 meter tall figure, her long legs beautifully carried her body on the stage. Her dress flitted like cicada wings. Charmine was akin to a fairy from a timeless script of ancient times. All eyes were glued on her back and at her long enchanting legs, stunned and breathless. Once Charmine¡¯s figure retreated backstage, the fireflies gradually disappeared and dissolved into thin air. The hall subsided into the darkness as before. A few secondster, an uproar filled the air. Some even surrounded Mr. James as they yelled, ¡°Charmine Jordan! Charmine Jordan! Encore! Encore!¡± Anthony saw Mr. James overwhelmed by the people, and his eyebrows twitched at Nial. ¡°You know what to do?¡± Still awestruck by the performance, Nial was only pulled back to reality by Anthony¡¯s voice. He stood up instantly. ¡± Nobody can steal my sister-inw!¡± With that, he went into action. 1 A proud smirk on Anthony¡¯s lips, he held onto the boy¡¯s hand and walked with him backstage. ¡°Daddy, where are we going?¡± Chris asked dubiously. ¡°Find Mommy.¡± Backstage, all the supermodels surrounded Charmine with awe and adoration. Her dress was way too beautiful, it seemed to be a part of a luxurious brand¡¯s permanent collection. Moreover, the fact that she perfectly saved herself from tripping on the stage and continued her performance with so much charm was utterly astounding! Charmine would only grow famous from today onward! Worldwide famous! Amelia was burning with hatred and envy, her hands balled into fists. How could it be? Was she not supposed to fall and humiliate herself? 2 She walked forward and grabbed onto Charmine¡¯s arm. ¡°Charmine, what did you do?¡± she interrogated. ¡°Where did the firefliese from? Where did your dresse from?¡± 2 Before Amelia got on the stage, she remembered Charmine donning a dress provided by the organizer. Without the clothing she had on, and coupled with the cape, she would not have been able to save herself from the fall. Charmine scoffed at her with a deadly cold look. ¡°Who are you to speak to me? Why should I tell you?¡± `Who are you to speak to me¡¯? Charmine spoke to her in such a rude tone. The adopted kid who used to address her with utmost respect had spoken to her with such arrogance! ¡°Charmine Jordan, are you out of your mind? You¡¯re nothing but an adopted kid! Without our family adopting you, you would¡¯ve died a long time ago! What rights do you have to speak to me with such a tone? You might think I¡¯m ying, but I¡¯d hit you now!¡± 3 ¡°Then do so if you dare! Take your pick: Hit my face, my legs, or my hands?¡± Charmine jeered while feeling her fair and slim hands. ¡°My hands are insured with five million. This face that you¡¯re looking at is worth ten million. These legs? One billion! Do touch the tip of my finger if you dare.¡± Chapter 31 Chapter 31 Charmine¡¯sment, though aloof, hid a A m eba was shocked as though an earthquake hadjust hit. A billion worth of insurance? How was that even possible? Whatwas she made of: gold tdl,ff Charmine was telling the with, the Issuancepany mighte after Amelia If anything happened roller. .5o,Co on, hit rue1Why,are you scared? I f you¡¯re nat gonna hit me, well, it¡¯s my turn, sneered Charmine as she cracked her .mckles. Crack, Crack! The cracking other knuckles sounded loud and crisp, and Amelia felt fear creeping onto her.¡±What?. What are you trying to do, There¡¯re so many people here?.!You can¡¯t hit me, .So what III you, O c e s It look like I care?¡± Charmine then svning her list atAmelia¡¯s right upper arm followed hya strong kick directed ether heel. Suddenly, a sound of fracture was heard a s the gem bracelet on Amelia¡¯s arra was crushed while her long and pointy heels broke into two! Charmine crushed her bracelet with her mere fist and broke her heelswithjust kick! Amelia instantly lost her bnce as her heels broke and she staggered inelegantly. Furious and in pain, she red at Charmine. ¡°Charmine, what did you do,1 Do you know this bracelet costs rne five hundred thousand?I¡¯veordy wo m it one,¡± = ¡°So what,Vou broloe my heels, and brokeyourbracelet and heels. This is called ¡®returning double,. If you ever pull tricks on me again, return theta ten- fold.¡± With her final words, Charmme shoved her away and walked right past her. AogrY and Mocked altogether,Ame eat on herchair with eyes wide like saucers_ Howdid she Imow?Amelia swore she did i with such caution that nobody sawher! By then, charmine walked Into her Mess Eric had brought over right before the show started; a countermeasure against people like Amelia that would scheme against her. person, so she hid a thin steel wirewithin the cape beforehand. It was the steel wire that allowed her to fly in the air. While she did wear a gauMlet ince, that did not spare her from the severewound. .Ah,let¡¯s hope theheadline t011ight worth bleeding for,¡¯ She mused as she put on her clothes and left through the backdoor. Just as she stepped outside, however, a groUP.PeoPle surrounded her. ¡°Charmine Jordan, really like you! payyou to walkagain,please!¡± ¡°Charmine Jordan, I¡¯ve reserved a table br us at a Michelin restaurant.Would youe with me?¡± ¡°I bought you a diamond ne! VII buy you whatever you 1 1¡å .Charmmerdan, I¡¯m a headhne reporter,day have a momentwith you,¡± ¡°Charminelordan, look at Me camera!¡± Hundreds of people surrounded her enthustIcally, some men pulled at her arms some were rePOrtere intervielx her. Completely surrounded, Charmine could not take even one step. Within a few seconds, some perverted fans squeezed her waist and started pulling her clothes, and she even saw a hand pulling her sleeve. If thls were to contlnue, her cloth. would tear. Her eyes squinted as she Was about to take action. Suddenly, around ten arso bodyguards. ckmade their way ¡°keway!Make way!¡± With that heard, the bodyguards made their way to Charrnine¡¯s side, surrounding her. One of them¡ª N?velDrama.Org owns all content. seemingly the chief of these bodyguards ¡ªcurtly spok , ¡®Miss Jordan, we are seM here by Master Momo to help escort you aut.¡± MasterMomo,Chriailey, However much She did not want to awe Mem any more favor, she had no choice but to leave with them she puton her being escorted by tn, warg a made her seem more Pike a queen. The crazy fans were left hanging as they helplessly watched Charm leaving. The paparazzi were taking shots at any angle of Charmine, not wanting to miss [¡®Ma single second. As she walked up to the doar,Amelia boiled injealousy at the sight of Charmine surrounded by fans and paparazzi. This was only her first show, yet it was so well-received. Her poprity hadpletely submerged The bodyguards did not seem like run-off hodYguaMs, either. The guards that Amelia spent fifty thousand bucks just to hire could not evenpare to those men..The bodyguards surrounding Charmine required at least a hundred thousand per month, yet she so W hat had she done in the past f ive years i Africa? W hy did she return as a Amelia had to find out. She took out her phone and called Zoey, ¡°With all our resources, want you to find out everything that happened to tnarmine in Africa for the past live. Chapter 32 Chapter 32 With the bodyguards¡¯ escort, Charmine got on a limousine partied by the side. Once she got in, however, she saw Anthony sitting in the backseat What was more terrifying was that Nial was the driver again. Would the horrific experience repeat? Her first instinct was to push the door open and get down the car, but she could not leave due to the crazy fans and paparazzi outside. In her hesitation, Nial hastily stepped on the gas pedal. The car moved at such a speed that Charmine had no time to evenment. It was then when Charmine¡¯s eyes squinted as a thought urred to her. She leaned toward Anthony. When Anthony saw her leaning closer, his eyes darkened with excitement as he gulped. It felt so fast; Charmine was already right next to him and she reached her hand toward his waist. Chris¡ªsitting in the front row¡ª instantly covered his eyes while Nial f l icked down the rear mirror as he did not want to be distracted. Charmine¡¯s hand was groping Anthony¡¯s waist as if searching for something. As he felt her soft hands, he suggested with a smirk, ¡°Miss Jordan, if you insist, I think my abs and chest would feel better.¡± Charmine rolled her eyes. ¡°Touch you, m y foot?¡± She pulled out the seatbelt from behind him and helped him fasten it. ¡± Who wants to touch you? I just want to keep you up from falling against me. I don¡¯t have that many dresses for you to destroy.¡± Charmine then fastened her seatbelt as tight as she could and sat upright, straight like a nk So she was feeling for his seatbelt! Nial flicked back the rear mirror with a hopeless face while Chris uncovered his eyes with disappointment ¡®Sigh¡­ Is Mommy¡¯s heart made of steel? I f this goes on, how¡¯ re they supposed to improve on their rtionship?¡¯ The boy¡¯s doe eyes flickered as he thought of ways t o help his dad. At the back, both Anthony and Charmine were sitting still and apart as though separated by a wide river. Chris panicked. How could there be no interaction between Mommy and Daddy? He could not stand the thought of sending Mommy home just that; an opportunity so good would be wasted. Noting that the limousine was about to leave the city, his eyes flickered. He started moaning in pain with his hands on his belly. Nial pulled over by the side and asked worriedly, ¡°Mown, what happened?¡± ¡°Stomach¡­stomach pain¡­¡± Chris groaned as though in pain. ¡°I think it¡¯s because I haven¡¯t had breakfast.¡± Nial frowned. ¡°This is bad! This is a sign o f gastric. You must eat!¡± ¡°Oh¡­ R¡ªReally?¡± Chris asked in shock and guiltily turned to look at Charmine who sat at the back ¡°Mommy, can you bring we to eat?¡± Chris began to whimper ¡°Waa¡­ My stomach hurts¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t look well. Let your dad and uncle bring you to eat something quick I¡¯ll take a taxi home,¡± said Charmine as she unfastened her seatbelt. ¡°No!¡± Chris yelled before he realized it was too loud, out of character for a ¡®sick boy¡¯. He lowered his voice and continued i n a breathless voice, ¡°Waa¡­ Mommy¡­ I don¡¯t want to eat with Daddy and Uncle Nial. They always order spicy food! The All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. tastes are awful! I¡¯m just a kid and I wanna eat something light, but they wouldn¡¯t let me! ¡°They said I must eat spicy food to grow faster,¡± Chris mumbled as he cried with his head down, with tears rolling down her cheeks. ¡°I¡¯d always agree with them and eat whatever they tell we to because I don¡¯t have a Mommy, and nobody loves m e. I have to be a good boy, be a good Moron ¡­ But now¡­¡± Chris amped up his whimpers. ¡°My stomach hurts! I¡¯ll die if I eat spicy food again¡­ Waaa¡­ I don¡¯t wand die.. ! Waaa¡­!¡± Understandably, both Anthony and Nial were downright stupefied. Since when did they start eating spicy chili? They could not even recall such a thing. Nheless, this worked on Charmine, and her heart waspletely softened by his cry. She hastily opened her door and walked over to carry him in her arms. ¡° Chapter 33 Chapter 33 Anthony and Nial followed right behind Charmine and Chris. They entered the congee shop, and Charmine ordered a pot of congee with some light dishes. Once the waitress took the order and left, Charmine eyed both men sitting opposite her and scolded,¡± Can¡¯t you two men behave appropriately? The boy is still so young. How can you feed him spicy food? Growing tall by eating spicy food is aplete bullsh.t. How can men like you two believe in such nonsense!?¡± ¡°We¡ª. NMI refuted instinctively in an attempt to exin. Anthony kicked him under the table, and with a solemn and undersMnding expression, he spoke, ¡°Miss Jordan is right. I¡¯ll take note of that. Is there anything else tattooed take note of?¡± ¡°Mommy, Daddy always signed me up for tuition sses,¡± Chris chimed in. ¡°I have sses till twelve o¡¯clock every night!¡± He continued, ¡°Oh, and Daddy always leaves me alone at home, only sharing one meal with me every week. Also, he brings me out to y only once a month!. hemented. ¡°All my friends have parents to y with them, but I¡¯m always alone..¡± What a poor kid. Charmine listened as her heart melted with sympathy before she scowled at Anthony, ¡°Mr. Bailey, you¡¯ve got it all wrong. Even though he was born with a surrogate mother, he bleeds your bloodlYou.re his father, and you have to b e responsible. He¡¯s still a young boy!Why sign him up for so many dasses? You can¡¯t just treat him like a robot; he needs a happy childhood.Also From then on, Charmine rambled on and on, and there was no space for interjection. Still, Anthony was not offended stall! he silently listened as he refilled her water every now and then. Once she finally said her piece and settled down, he took out his phone and curtly asked, ¡°Miss Jordan, could you please leave me your number? This is so that you could impart your knowledge on educating children with me in the future.¡± ¡°Yeah, Mommy. You¡¯ll have to remind Daddy every day of what you just said, or he¡¯ll forget everything.¡± Chris nodded his tiny head approvingly. Without even hesitating, Charmine took out her phone and added him on Whatsapp. Nial, on the other end, was confused. How did that happen? Did they just get along so well that they added each other on Whatsapp? Out of the blue, Charmine¡¯s phone lit up with an iing call, and the caller ID was ¡®Eric¡¯. Although Eric was his agent and friend, he usually would not ring her unless there were urgent things. charmine hastily walked away and answered the call. Anthony¡¯s chest tightened with jealousy. Eric? That was a man¡¯s name! Nial muttered under his breath, ¡°Gut it, I¡¯ll find out who it is.¡± Charmine stood outside the door as she listened to Eric¡¯s exnation. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. ¡°There are two things: Fleshy, Kay found the list of names of those that visited Phoenix Hotel five years ago¡­¡± Charmine¡¯s body instantly quaked the moment she heard that name: Phoenix. She unconsciously turned to look back Maids the restaurant. Anthony was picking food for Chris. He caught her looldng at them and nodded at her. Charmine could not exin this feeling, odd as it was. She felt like she should not speak of this matter¡ªthe fiveyears- ago incident¡ªto Anthony. ¡°We¡¯ll talk more when I get back,¡± came Charmine¡¯s swift reply. With that, she hung up. When he noted her strange behavior, Anthony asked in a concerned tone, ¡°Is everything okay?. ¡°It¡¯s nothing Charmine frowned. What just happened? Whywas she worried Anthony would find out what happened in the hotel? now peculiar. She recollected herself and curtly replied, ¡°Something happened, and I have to go back The repairpany finished repairing my motorbike and they¡¯re sending it over. Take good care of Mom, and don¡¯t make him eat spicy food.¡± ¡°Mammy!¡± Chris got up quickly and hung on to her thigh; he did not want her to leave. Charmine ruffled his hair. ¡°Be good, Moron I¡¯ve added your. father on Whatsapp, and I¡¯ll be keepMg a close eye him. Make sure hes not mistreating ¡°Alright then! Mommy must remember o video-call me,¡± beamed Chris with his doe-eyes. He looked much like a kitten this way. Charmine nodded, lust as she was about t o leave, Anthony stood up and followed behind her. ¡°I¡¯ll walk you out.¡± Chapter 34 Chapter 34 Charmine wanted to stop him, but they were already making their way outside. Nevermind. Luckily, the motorbike was already parked outside the restaurant and the technician handed the key to her. Charmine instantly got onto her bike. ¡°Wait.¡± Anthony walked in front of her N?velDrama.Org content rights. and grabbed her arm. She wanted to pullback her arm on instinct, but Anthony already took out a bottle of ointment and applied it to her wound. Was he¡­ taking care of her wound? Anthony grabbed her arm with one hand and applied the ointment with his index finger on her wound. He seemed careful and meticulous as though appraising a timeless piece of artwork. He then took out a small roll of bandage and wrapped i t around her wound. ¡°Try to avoid contact with water in the next three days for this hand. Try using less of your right hand,¡± he reminded her, his voice deep and gentle. Charmine¡¯s heart began to beat faster than usual; no one gave her this much care over the past five years. However, she was quickly reminded of what happened five years ago. She pulled herself away from him and tly replied, ¡°Thanks. Take good care of Momo.¡± She ignited the engine, and the motorbike raced out of sight. Her hair was unruly in the wind as her red dress fluttered. It was a sight of charming heroism. It was as if nothing in the world mild stop her or move her. Though, Anthony¡¯s look darkened. Charmine soon arrived at her vi, and she saw Eric waiting for her on the sofa with a folder at hand. ¡°The list?¡± she asked. ¡°I¡¯ve asked bay to make a background check on every some on the list, and I believe the results will be out soon. On the other hand, the second thing is more urgent.¡± Erk ced the folder on the table, and with a grave tone, he continued, ¡°Someone¡¯s making a background on what you did for the past five years in Africa. Due to my carelessness, someone found this photo.¡± With that said, Eric handed her a photo. In the photo, Charmine was in a red bandeau dress as she stood beside a handsome and royalty looking man. The man was dressed in royalty, with every finger essorized with glittering diamond rings. This man was handing a egg to Charmine. She frowned. ¡°Why wasn¡¯t this destroyed? It they find out¡­¡± ¡°Everything else was destroyed, but it turns out Simon kept one to himself. Also, Amelia had gained ess to this photo,¡± Eric replied as he closed the folder. ¡°We could silence her or bribe all the media to stop this from spreading.¡± ¡°Hall. It¡¯s not so simple.¡± Charmine walked to the table and poured herself a ss of water. She swirled the ss for a while before she nonchntly replied, ¡± Since she found it, then let it be. I do hope she can bear the cost of this discovery, however.¡± Her remark held a downyed sense of arrogance and malice. 6 Eric frowned. ¡°Do you mean that we¡¯ll expose her?¡± ¡°It¡¯s no big deal.¡± On the some day, Twitter was raging with numerous posts. iiCharmine.fireflies l l Charmine-wless-fall tiCharmine-shoes l l Chanel-unh-anniversary l l 3D-holographic-imaging illulian-eat-shit Out of the ten hottest discussions, six of them were about Charmine. Charmine¡¯s performance was made into animations and short clips as these clips went viral o n tforms like Youtube, with coumless likes andments. Chapter 35 Chapter 35 Thement section was filled with awe and praise. [CMG! So gorgeous! so enchanting! lier fare, her legs, her aura._ So bewitchWg1n tu. supermodell [Every model has one stunning Wture, but en charmine, every part of her is a feature! [ter face, her legs, her temperament, everything about her screams bold a. powerfl, I love her¡¯) [ I see now why she made that ¡®it back and watch¡¯ment. zio wonder she took away the final appearance from Tif fany Jordan. Thh, 1 personally think that Tiffany would¡¯ve tripped on stage if she made the f inal appearancM1 [el of what the above said dpude W more confident and take the personally think awaY.1 [Mg.! nasn¡¯t Mffanylordan tripped Ud pitiful?chrmine¡¯s more of my type.] Everylzen hailed Charmine as though she was a hero. Even those who attacked her oMine came forth and apologized to her. On Julian Cahell¡¯s feed, on the other hand,ments kke these appeared: (Mn! National Hushand is actually livestreaming himself eating sh¡±t?That¡¯d he toe horrible to watch.) Bohan Cabell actually has a chance to perWrm too, right? Man up and own up your punishment Stream MI [No way!. absolute way¡¯ Charmine was average in my hOokI [The person above, please be civilized, we N?velDrama.Org content rights. gotta own up to our mistakes and be honest. Charmine was indeed stunning. Try thinkof ways to negotiate with her on the deal I guess.] [Exactly. eat-Most-1M is impomilde. Don¡¯t anything else? She won¡¯t really insist on i t, I gueSsd In an upscale restaurant with a nice mbient Julian was scrolling through his feed with a gloomy mpremion. fie Mem thought Charmine would looks¡ã gorgeous, stunning everyone.. Meg¡¯ projection. He was the one to dere the challenge publicly. What next? As the chairman of his Mile-Endpany, he could not deny the challenge as it would break his trust with other coborators. Stin¡­Would he have to eat actual crap if he conceded? How was that sensible? Tiffany sat by his side, dying from jealousy as read the discussion Wrum. 11 would have been her walking on that Tstage, captivating all eyes, had Charmine not harmed her reputation publicly. Now, she had toy-Ww everywhere she went due to her viral nude.Worse still, she saw the entranced eyes& J Lilian as he studied Charmlne¡¯s photo. Tit fany could not let Charmlne steal away her spotlight and the heart of her man! Pa a thought urred to her, she lowered her hmd and started sobbing. ¡°Julian darling, Im sorry¡­ It¡¯s all my fault. The thee-dimenional projection was my Idea. I thought of It firm and she must¡¯ve overheard it when was discussing It with Alice. overhearing is fine, hut to use it against you¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯re you talking about?¡± kilian looked at her in shrek ¡°The tWeedimensional projection was your idea?¡± It was.1 was brainstorming for something creative to mein my finale, so I spent lots of time and effort corning up with this.Ask Alice If you don¡¯t believe m e.¡±Tiffany then made a look at Alice, who stood by the corner, and signal. for her t oe. Alice hastily came forward. ¡°Yeah, Owes Tiffany¡¯s idea!¡± she gushed. ¡°She made a lot of research on this, spending nights staYing un-¡± ¡°Alice, don¡¯t say that It¡¯s all my Wok_ If I didn¡¯t do the research, I wouldn¡¯t have discussed it with you, and Charmine wouldn¡¯t have overheard us. Her Wctory today was because of that technique, and it¡¯s all my fault.¡± Tiffany sobbed silently a s though it Ill really her ideo Julian noir kly enveloped her M an embrace. ¡°Don¡¯t cry,¡± he coaxed her, ¡°I don¡¯t me you. it¡¯s all charmine¡¯s fault! 1 was wonderinghow she can be so smart, when she actually stole Me idm from you! What a shameless woman!¡± ¡°Julian darling, 1 don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything we can CAAAIIUIbIgAIIIIU charmine. She¡¯s my sister, and shell surely]. it pass if 1 beg her.¡± Tiffany acted as though she was about lo leave. Julian quickly stopped her from leaving.¡± you don¡¯t have toga. You¡¯re heiress of the Jordan fimibri a prestigious tat, and my future Mfe. Howcould yoo beg a shameless woman? Mink of something. There must he another way!¡± MO course there is. t¡¯ve some inWrmation here that¡¯ll ruin Charmine,¡± came a voice, confident and irate. Tiffany and julian looked up to see Amelia walWng over. ¡°Amelia, what¡¯re you talking about?¡± Tiffany asked dubiously. ¡°I¡¯ve sent someone to search for what Charmlne was up to in the past five ymrs, and ItWtO something Mteresting. Look¡± Amelia sat dem opposite them and showed them her phone. Chapter 36 Chapter 36 Both Julian and Tiffany looked at Amelia¡¯s phone and saw a photo of Charmine standing next to a man dressed in what seemed to be royalty¡¯s attire. The man was seen handing a diamond to All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Charmine, a photo of a couple happily in love. Julian frowned. ¡°Isn¡¯t this Diamond Prince of South Africa, Prince Simon Gray?¡± ¡°That¡¯s him alright. He¡¯s why Charmine i so loaded! What do you say if I make this photo public? W ill she still be basking in her glory if this is out? Nobody would even remember Julian¡¯s bet!¡± Amelia¡¯s lips curved into a devilish grin as she spoke. While Tiffany was internally cheering for this discovery, she maintained a passive face outwardly. ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, Prince Simon is married, and his wedding -of-the-century with Princess Verna attracted worldwide attention. They were so happy in love and shipped by everyone! If this photo is exposed, Charmine will be deemed as the third person who¡¯s tearing them apart¡­ Everyone will hate her.¡± ¡°So what? She hurt you so much. Why do you still care for her?Also, she spends the prince¡¯s money as if it¡¯s hers. If this doesn¡¯t go on public, she won¡¯t feel guilty for spending the man¡¯s money and brealdng up a happy couple,¡± Amelia scowled. Julian¡¯s face turned colder. ¡°And here I a m wondering what changed her in five years¡­ Turns out she became a third ¨C wheeler. If she¡¯s got the guts to be one, she might as well be prepared to be exposed.¡± Tiffany nodded unwillingly as though she was forced to. ¡°Then send it out, I guess. Hope the media will change her and that she¡¯ll stop causing harm to their family.¡± At night, [Charmine Seduced South Africa¡¯s Diamond Prince] became the hottest headline with Amelia¡¯s post. [It brought our family great joy when Charmine Jordan returned home, but it shocked us when she brought with her the infamous ck-green meteorite stone, countless properties, and luxurious cars!] [In the past five years, the Jordan family gave her adequate allowance. Where did she get her money from?) [With much curiosity, I asked my friends i n South Africa to do some research, and I found out that Charmine became a thirdwheeler. Not just any third-wheeler, but the third-wheeler of Diamond Prince, Simon Gray! It¡¯s unbelievable that she chose to destroy their family because of money!] [I hate this kind of person. Who cares if she¡¯s popr? Who cares if she has many fans? I don¡¯t care if her fanse at me, but I just want to speak up for justice!) Amelia attached a few photos along with that post: A photo of Charmine with the meteorite stone, her on the Hypersport, and one with bodyguards around her. Every photo portrayed the luxurious life she lived, with her chin held high. Of course, thest photo was of her with Prince Simon Gray. The post raked Up to 300,000ments. [OMG! No wonder she¡¯s so rich. She¡¯s sleeping with Prince Simon!!] [She doesn¡¯t just sleep with any man. She slept with South Africa¡¯s Diamond Prince, so of course she¡¯s arrogant!) [Ali! Prince Simon and Princess Verna¡¯s wedding that was well-loved by the people, with 99 wedding cars! I still remember it vividly; they were meant for each other! How could she ruin such a happy marriage?) [Disgusting! She broke their family for money! It¡¯s just so morally wrong to seduce someone¡¯s husband!) No wonder she was throwing shoes in the show! She only knows how to seduce men. What a t! ) [Third-wheeler! Shameless! I support Amelia for standing up. We have to boycott this shameless t!] The fans had long forgotten Julian¡¯s promised live-stream as everyone was distracted by thetest discussion. Charmine¡¯s fans were all new from today¡¯s show, no they did not stay loyal to her. Charmine was rxing with her face mask on when her phone vibrated nonstop. She picked up the phone and heard Kay panting for dear life. Chapter 37 Chapter 37 ¡°Boss, something¡¯s happening! The photo of you and Diamond Price had been exposed, and now everyone¡¯s going ham a t you on the forum! Also, Amelia Jordan revealed your address to the public, and now paparazzi are heading your way,¡± Kay rambled. ¡°Do you want to find a ce to hide? They¡¯ll be surrounding you!¡± ¡°Ah, since when was I the type to cower?¡± Charmine refuted with a calm face as she held a fan-like device to her face. The device emitted blue light that functioned a s phototherapy on her face. ¡°So what do we do now, Boss?¡± Kay pressed on, anxious as he did. ¡°Shall I arrange for someone to reveal the truth?¡± ¡°Not needed. Now isn¡¯t the right time yet,¡± warned Charmine before she hung u p. At that moment, she heard a stampede outside her vi. Charmine walked over t o the window and saw a swarm of paparazzi rushing toward her vi. Her security team was trying to stop them, but the paparazzi were irrationally persistent that even her guards could not stop them. Just like that, arge gathering of paparazzi surrounded her vi like zombies as they yelled: ¡°Charmine Jordan, may I know if you¡¯re the third-wheel of Diamond Prince¡¯s rtionship? How did you hook up with him?¡± ¡°Why is Diamond Prince with you? Does Princess Verna know about this?¡± ¡°Charmine, could you please respond? Tell us the story between you two!¡± Every question was directed at Charmine¡¯s rtionship with the Diamond Prince. Despite being a stunner i n the recent Chanel show, Charmine was still new to the modeling industry, and this meant she was not the interest of every paparazzi right off the bat. Yet, with just the story about Prince Simon Gray, she became a target of every headline paparazzi in the country. Charmine was unfazed, even as these people started knocking on her door and her windows. Watching the vibrating door and windows, a knowing smirk made its way on her face as she went to the second floor. There was a central control room of 5o square meters on the second floor, filled with numerous high-powered machines. Charmine walked into the room and started pressing on all the red buttons present. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Suddenly, a loud noise was heard as rows of electric fencesnded from above. Like a scene from a sci-fi movie that came to life, the grids surrounded the entire vi securely afternding. A fly would definitely be fried to death if it flew past! Terrified, their faces turned pale as their eyes screamed ¡®horrified¡¯, and they stepped back in fear. Even Kay and his men¡ªhiding in the dark¡ªstared in disbelief. J ¡°I can¡¯t believe our boss managed to install this advanced protection device in her vi, especially since she had just returned! This is a defense patent that can only be used in dangerous areas!¡± eximed one of the men in awe. Kay, on the other hand, remained passive. ¡°This is merely first-level defense. If the house is genuinely under attack, who knows if it could fend off bomb attacks!¡± The men were impressed, no longer worried over Charmine. Charmine merely stood at the balcony on the second floor, wine-sipping and did whatever she pleased. Out of the blue, a thought urred to her as she turned and inspected the forgot something important! Chapter 38 Chapter 38 Despite having renovated her vi after her return from Africa, there were some daily necessities stillcking. Say would send fresh ingredients daily to her W, and since she did not like snacks, there was nothing edible in the house at this moment. If that was not bad enough, her stomach was starting to hut. She checked her pulse and Mew her menstmation would happen in five days, but she had no pads in the vi! On the other side, at the Bailey family¡¯s mansion¡­ Chris wobbled as he ran to Anthony with a phone at hand. ¡°We have a problem, Daddy! Mommy is surrounded by people!¡± he eximed, anxiety evident in his tone. ¡°She¡¯s pacing everywhere inside her home, and it¡¯s like she¡¯s looking for something!¡± With that said, he banded Anthony the phone. The phone was connected to a high-tech drone. Its body merely the size of a leaf, the drone had a four-million-pixel pinhole camera of thetest technology. Even a ss of water in the vi could be seen clearly from a few hundred meters way. Once the drone¡¯s mmera zoomed in, the image of Charmine wandering around the vi¡ªhands rubbing her belly as she did as disyed. As an adult, Anthony understood right away what she w as up t o. He kept the phone and hoisted Chris into his arms ¡°Daddy, are we finding Mummy?¡± Chris asked excitedly. ¡°Yes,¡± came Anthony¡¯s simple answer as he carried Chris out of the mansion and ced him inside a car. The car was driven at such a speed before i t stopped at a mall. Once he pulled up, Anthony turned to look at Chris who mt i n the backseat. ¡°Wait for me here. Take care of the paparazzi at Violet Vi before we get there.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry Daddy, you can count on m e.¡± Chris patted his own chest confid.tly and took out an Wad. Once he entered the mall, Anthony pulled a trolley and started searching for items. I n truth, this was his first time in a mall, but he adapted quickly. Still, the eyes of other shoppers bothered him. From vegetables and snacks to daily necessities, his trolly was filled fast. He eventually stopped at a row that disyed menstruation pads; Anthony was dumbfounded by the variety disyed in front of him. The passersby all looked at him in awe and adoration. ¡°This man is too handsome! He¡¯s a hundred times hotWr than the number one male model and first-ranked idol!¡± ¡°Argh! This godly-handsome-looking man is here to buy sanitary pad? So handsome and caring! I want a car full of men like him!¡± ¡°Who¡¯s his girlfriend? She¡¯s so lucky! I want to bean inch of his girlfriend¡¯s sldn, just m I can feel his touch everyday!¡± The women nearby muttered in awe as they took out their phones and took photos. Anthony saw the crowd starting t o gather around him an he grabbed every type of pad avable on the shelf and pushed the two overfilled trolleys to the cashier. The cashiers hastily went forward to help him. Even ncing at Mm made their hearts pound loudly. Eventually, his groceries were packed into a few bags. Right after, five bodyguards dressed in ck suddenly appeared and carded the bags to the car. A N?velDrama.Org owns all content. s Anthony reached the exit, he turned to Luke and said, ¡°You know what to do with those who took the photos.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Luke nodded and left, ready to delete everyone¡¯s album. meanwhile, Charmineid on her sofa as she debated whether or not she should ask her men to disperse the crowd gathering in front of her W. Then again, it seemed Miprac Deal to ask these men to do such an unimportant task Hams then when she heard Imocking on the door. The lmocking was steady:One, two, three kno, equally paced. Had she not turned OR the high-voltage grid? Whywas there Imocking on her door? Dubious, she walked over to the window and looked down, only to see two figures ¡ªone tall and one small¡ªstanding by the door. Anthony had a pair of highly insted gloves, and standing beside him was the little Momo, adorable as ever. Charmbie frowned. How did they get here? Where did the paparazzi go? As though befell her gaze, Chris looked u p and yelled, ¡°Mommy, open the door! W e brought you some groceries!¡± Chapter 39 Chapter 39 Noting that Anthony and Chris had a few grocery bags with them, Charmine had n o choice but to go to the control room and pressed on two red buttons. The grids outside the main entrance were retracmd. Anthony entered the vi holding Chris¡¯ hand with his free hand, and he ced the groceries on the table. Once she came down, Charmine saw her table filled with bags, including a few bags filled with pads. A grin made its way to her face unconsciously. ¡°Why so many?¡± There were at many pads that it could ¡°I didn¡¯t know which one you use, so I took one of every brand,¡± came Anthony¡¯s blunt reply with a passive expression on his face. ¡°Hoy¡¯ much are these? CH pay tailback.¡± ¡°Mommy, they¡¯re for you. Daddy bought them for you! But, if you insist, you can hug me and Idss me,¡± beamed Chris said a x he walked in front of her and reached out with his adorable bby hands. Charmine waMed to turn him down but once she saw that adorable face with a cute pout, she could not help but bend down and carry him. ¡°Momo, you can¡¯t b e so wasMfur These are hard-eamed money, and it needs to be returned.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re Mommy, and we¡¯re a family, so It¡¯s okay,¡± Chris chirped. Charmine caressed his face and sympathetically muttered, ¡°Momo, I knowyou like me, but I¡¯m not your Mommy. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Yes, Mommy,¡± Chris answered nonchntly. She let It go, thinking they would not be meeting much anyway. Charmine then turned to Anthony and said, ¡°It¡¯s getting growing, and he needs sleep.¡± Anthony frowned. He came here to care for her, and she asked him to leave so soon? His eyes gleamed as a lightbulb went off n his head. ¡°Momo,e here.¡± Anthony reached out to Chris. ¡°We¡¯re going home.¡± ¡°No! I only want my Mommy¡¯s hug! Momo wants to stay with Mommy tonight!¡± Chris clung onto Charmine¡¯s neck. Anthony frowned. ¡°Pont be naughty.¡± ¡°But I only want to be with Mommy!¡± Chris clung to Charmine much tighter this time. Anthony¡¯s elegant face darkened instantly. ¡°Come here.¡± He grabbed Chris ¡® hand with his own. ¡°What did you promise me before we left home today? Have you forgotten?¡± Anthony snapped, and he smacked the boy¡¯s rear rather sharply. Smack! Aloud smack was heard followed by Chris sobbing out of pain. ¡°Sniff¡­sniff¡­ It hurts¡­ Don¡¯t hit me¡­!¡± Anthony¡¯s handsome face fumed colder. ¡± Bonk you data cry. Grown men don¡¯t cry.¡± As he scowled, he gestured to smack Chris. ¡°Was¡­ Mommy! Help! Help me!¡± Chris cried out with a hoarse voice, hk face smashed with tears as he blinked. Charmine could not stand it anymore. She reached out and carried Chris away from Anthony, ring at Anthony with anger. ¡°ht. Bailey, I don¡¯t mean to itrude, but this isn¡¯t howyou mach your son! He¡¯s just a kid, and thk will traumatize him!¡± ¡°He was the one who disobeyed mein the first ce,¡± Anthony reasoned impassively. ¡°Was¡­ Momo didn¡¯t do anything wrong ¡­!¡± Chris whimpered again. ¡°Momo only N?velDrama.Org owns all content. wants to be with Mammy. Momo miss Mommy! Momo never had the chance to sleep with Mammy¡­ Momo doesn¡¯t want to sleep alone in the Mildren¡¯s had Momo wants hug f tom Mommy! Momo wants to he with Mommy¡­¡± He cried as his tears rolled doum his cheeks like waterfalls. Charmine¡¯s heart melted with sympathy. ¡°Momo, don¡¯t cry, don¡¯t cry.¡± she coaxed him gently. ¡°Stay over here tonight, I¡¯ll protect you.¡± ¡°nay!¡± Chris stopped crying instantly, and a big smile appeared on his face. ¡°Sorry for the trouble, and thank you for agreeing, Miss Jordan.¡± With that said, Anthony walked over to the door and closed it behind him. ??? What just happened? Chapter 40 Chapter 40 ¡°I only agreed to let Momo stay. I didn¡¯t say you can,¡± Charmine reminded Anthony. With a dignified look on his face, Anthony walked toward her. ¡°Apologies. Momo might have sudden convulsions anytime throughout the night, so he¡¯ll need my help. It worries me to leave him alone here.¡± ¡°Mommy, just let Daddy stay. He can cook, doundry, and housekeeping. He can be handy!¡± Chris pleaded, his voice charmingly adorable and cute. Charmine frowned, though surprised still. ¡°Your dad N?velDrama.Org owns all content. doesundry and housekeeping?¡± ¡°Yes! You can ask him if you don¡¯t believe me.¡± Chris blinked at Anthony. Anthony hesitated for a few seconds, and under Charmine¡¯s questioning gaze, he nodded. ¡°Yes, I do.¡± ¡°Alright then, you¡¯ll stay over and make u s supper. Nothing too fancy. Just three dishes and one soup should be fine, as long as it¡¯ s healthy,¡± Charmine ordered. Since no one was sending her supper tonight, having someone to make her food was not a bad idea. After all, he volunteered to stay. Charmine¡¯s detailed order stunned Anthony for a good few seconds. Nheless, he took off his suit and carried the bags of fresh vegetables to the kitchen. He had a rather attractive body with his biceps bulging under his white shirt¡ªutterly muscr and attractive. Charmine could not help herself as she stole nces of him from time to time, her heart beating faster than usual. How strange. She had seen all kinds of handsome men, but why would her heart beat so fast when Anthony was around? ¡°Mommy, I¡¯m sleepy. Can you read me a bedtime story?¡± Chris asked softly. Charmine quickly snapped out of it andposed herself. ¡°Of course. Close your eyes and I¡¯ll read you one.¡± With that said, she carried Chris in her arms, walked him to the bedroom, andid in bed with him. Chris closed his eyes as told, his tiny body curled in her arms as his head rested on her wrist. Gently as she could, Charmine then began, ¡°Once upon a time, there was a big grey wolf¡­¡± 1 She was unaware of how her usual bold and unruly voice became so gentle. Her face was filled with warmth and love, nothing like herself. She assumed that this storytelling session would take a while, but she was surprised that Chris fell asleep after two to three sentences. His breathing calmed and his hands stopped fidgeting. He fell asleep already? She gently caressed Chris¡¯ pouty face. Seeing as he did not respond to her touch, she slowly maneuvered and removed her arm from under his neck. She gently covered him with a nket and changed the room temperature to 26 degrees Celsius before she tip-toed out of the MOM. Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Anthony was frowning in front of the table filled with ingredients. ¡°Need help?¡± A teasing voice came from outside the kitchen. i Anthony looked over to see Charmine standing at the door with her hands on her hips. She leaned against the door and looked at him with a teasing grin. Anthony did not flinch and kept his cool. ¡± Hmph. I¡¯m just deciding whether to steam or fry the dish.¡± Charmineughed him off. She walked over and pulled on his wrist to move him aside. ¡°Fine, fine, go out and wait for me. Don¡¯t ruin my kitchen.¡± Her eyes matched the goading grin on her face. It did not shock her that he could not cook. Why would a high-ranking executive like him know how to make food? Charmine took out the vegetables and rinsed them with water before she started chopping the spices. A faint smile appeared on Anthony¡¯s lips a s he watched Charmine cook with full concentration. Preparing the ingredients, she pressed on the green chili with one hand and chopped them with the other, fluidly as she did. She wore casual long ck pants topped with a tight ck top, and they ttered her alluring body. It was like a hot martial artist practicing with her sword when, in reality, she was just preparing to fry a fish. Whatever she did, Charmine always seemed so bold and confident. Anthony stood by the side as he enjoyed the scene unfolding before him. Not long after, the prawns turned red in the wok¡ªa whole wok filled with bright red prawns. She scooped them into a bowl and brought it out of the kitchen. As she walked past Anthony, she stopped short. ¡°What are you standing here for? G o grab us a fork.¡± Anthony snapped out of it instantly. No one had ever spoken to him in such a tone, but since it was Charmine, he did not feel offended. He took out two pairs of cutleries from the cupboard and followed her out of the kitchen. Charmine took a seat in front of the matte -ck long rectangr dining table. She picked up one prawn and started to eat. Unlike other women who faked their elegance as they ate, the way Charmine ate was a little unruly but not rude in any sense. Even though Anthony was not used to having supper thiste, he decided to join in after watching her enjoying the food so much. The food was good. This woman never ceased to surprise him. After a while, he paused his meal. ¡°About the Prince Simon thing¡­ How are you handling it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a small matter. It¡¯ll resolve itself,¡± Charmine answered nonchntly as she took out her phone and photographed her prawns. 3 Assuming she was hiding her inner turmoil, he went about the matter in another way. ¡°I do have ways to help you out.¡± ¡°Oh? How so?¡± No longer beating around the bush, he blurted, ¡°Marry me.¡± What? Marry him? 1 ¡°I¡¯ve given you the answer before,¡± Charmine refuted, unperturbed. Anthony¡¯s eyebrows twitched, but he pushed on, ¡°Charmine, once the world knows you¡¯re my wife, who¡¯d believe that you¡¯re ruining Simon Gray¡¯s family?¡± Although Diamond Prince¡¯s family was super wealthy, it was still limited to the diamond industry in South Africa. Meanwhile, the Bailey family had investments in medical research and technology. The family background couldpletely submerge Simon Gray¡¯s. i If Charmine married him, all rumors would be silenced. Lips curled, she reached out her hand to touch Anthony¡¯s chin. Chapter 41 Chapter 41 As she raised his chin with her fair and elegant finger, she questioned, ¡± Anthony, do I look like someone who¡¯d sell their body to solve the problem?¡± Anthony frowned. What did she mean by ¡® sell their body to solve the problem¡¯? Marrying him was the ultimate dream of countless women. How was that selling her body? The finger on his chin was rather cold, though there was a faint and unique scent to it. His lips curled upward. ¡°If Miss Jordan insists on ¡®selling her body¡¯ first, I wouldn¡¯t mind.¡± Hisrge palm grabbed onto her small and delicate hand. At that moment, they felt a strange electric sensation that ran through their shock-frozen bodies. Charmine was the first to snap out of the trance and pulled her hand away. ¡°You wish! I¡¯m afraid you can¡¯t afford a body like mine!¡± She dusted her hand and left the dining table, her arrogant figure moved with an unrelenting spirit. Anthony frowned but did not press on the matter. She returned to Chris¡¯ room; the boy would be sleeping in her room tonight, after all. s, she could not fall asleep. At bed, she turned on the silent mode of her phone. Once she logged into Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. her Twitter ount, she read the numerous criticisms hurled a t her way. She then posted, [That¡¯s all you¡¯ve got? Not even enough for me to use in my dish.] With that, she attached the photo of the red bright prawns she made earlier. The fans had been waiting for her reply; everyone thought she was hiding and crying somewhere in a corner. Who would have known that she merely carried on with her life and even cooked herself some prawns. What a shameless thick-faced sl*t! When Kay and the men saw her pback, they [Boss Jordan is so bold!] [The ignorants should get their facts right before judging.] [Boss Jordan, I support you! Can I get the next batch first?] A bunch of weird replies appeared in thement area, but they were quickly submerged due to the hundreds and thousands ofmentsing in every minute. Amelia nearly threw her phone in anger when she saw Charmine¡¯s post. All this while, she thought she was embarrassed o f the usations, but she was still so bold! How was that temperament still sticking up? No way! She had to think of ways to diminish her Amelia¡¯s phone then rang at that moment ¡°Amelia, good news! Great news!¡± Zoey blurted excitedly on the other end. ¡°ording to a secret informant, Diamond Prince has arrived i n Burlington today and will stay at Walton Grand Hotel. We even found out his room number. It¡¯s 8801, Presidential Suite!¡± ¡°Really? Are you sure?¡± Amelia asked as she struggled to believe what she heard. ¡°Yes, the source is a hundred percent reliable,¡± Zoey quickly assured her. ¡°I¡¯ve double checked myself, and it¡¯s real.¡± ¡°Alright. Set it up for me, tonight!¡± If she could meet up with Diamond Prince tonight, persuade him to me everything onto Charmine, and im that it was Charmine who seduced him in the first ce, then Charmine would bepletely ruined. Completely ruined! With that in mind, she excitedly put on a new dress and rushed over to Walton Grand Hotel. At Walton Grand Hotel, Presidential Suite Room 8801¡­ A rather good-looking and prince-like man was watching the news. Suddenly, his doorbell rang. ¡°Good evening, Sir. I¡¯m here for your room service.¡± Chapter 42 Chapter 42 There Charmine was, still asleep on the bed in burgundy pajamas. Her skin was so fair and her facial features were utterly captivating; she was like a fairy in her deep sleep. Above all, some of her buttons popped open, and her elegant neck and inviting breasts were revealed. Anthony gulped in reflex and turned away to stop looking, but he identally stumbled against the door when he turned. Thump, thump! Eyes still closed, Charmine threw a shark pillow from the bed in his direction. ¡°Shut up!¡± Tsk! Still bossy even as she was asleep. Nheless, her unwillingness to get out of bed made her seem more humane. Anthony could not stop his lips curling upward in adoration. ¡°If you don¡¯t wake u p, I¡¯lle in.¡± Charmine did not hear him as she merely flipped to her side and continued sleeping. When she heard footsteps approaching her, however, she instantly opened her eyes and saw Anthony¡¯s muscr figure standing by her bed. Worse still, he was looming over her! ¡°What¡¯re you trying to do, you pervert?!¡± Charmine yelled, and Chris was awakened from his slumber. When he opened his eyes and saw what was happening, he instantly closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep still. Anthony was, in fact, bending over to carry Momo, but Charmine misunderstood the situation. Knowing she misunderstood the situation, he ced both hands beside Charmine and leaned toward her. ¡°What do you think I¡¯m trying to do?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got the worms up in your brain this early in the morning! A chairman like yourself turned out to be a stinky bear! You pervert! I¡¯ll teach you how to be a good man!¡± Charmine raised her leg and aimed at the gap between his thighs, ready to kick with all her strength without mercy. Frowning, Anthony lifted his leg and locked Charmine¡¯s knees. He red at her with his lips slightly parted. ¡± Charmine, are you sure you don¡¯t N?velDrama.Org content rights. want to start nning for your happiness?¡± ¡°Reconsider your head! Get off me now; m y punch has no eyes!¡± Charmine cracked her knuckles and stretched her arms. The sound of knuckles cracking seemed to convey a certain doom. Anthony never expected her to be so fierce. He never saw iting when he felt a sharp punch against his arm. The arm that held him up above the bed lost its bnce, and it sent him falling forward to the bed. 2 His masculine figure fell on top of Charmine¡¯s body, and their lips instantaneously met. At that moment, the two bodies froze. Charmine felt a strong current that shot through her body, and her brain halted all activities for a good few seconds. In the past few years, she had never fallen for any men, despite their figure or background. Everything changed once she met Anthony. Her heart would beat irregrly fast on more asions than one. Anthony was the first to snap out of it as h e held up his body and asked, ¡°If I say I didn¡¯t intend it, would you believe me?¡± ¡°Believe? Believe, my *ss!¡± Charmine pushed him away and wiped her lips with a tissue like a triggered cub. Once he saw her worsening expression, Anthony quickly took Chris into his arms. ¡°I¡¯ll visit you another time,¡± he spoke. ¡°D o take good care of yourself. Don¡¯t go out.¡± With that said, he adjusted Chris in his arms and walked out of the room. `What a shameless pervert! I won¡¯t let him in next time!¡¯ Charmine hissed internally. i Meanwhile, Anthony stopped right outside the door as though a thought urred to him. Chapter 43 Chapter 43 Chapter 44 ¡± Regarding Prince Simon Gray, I believe i n you. Just say the word and I¡¯ll marry you right away,¡± he spoke, voice powered with assurance and determination. Charmine felt her heart clenched as warmth began to spread across her chest. Believe in her? N?velDrama.Org content rights. Everyone wanted her dead, but this pervert said he ¡®believed in her? The thought of their few-minutesago kiss resurfaced in her mind, and her heart thrummed against her chest. `Useless heart, why are you beating so fast? He¡¯s just attracted to your appearance and wants to get in your pants! Man up and don¡¯t fall for this kind of irresponsible and wild guy!¡¯ Charmine gave herself a pep-talk as she pped her chest, right where her heart was nestled. Ding! Charmine¡¯s phone lit up. Once she picked up the phone, she heard Eric¡¯s voice as he spoke, ¡°Due to the uing press conference Amelia is hosting, Chanel had given out the notice t o postpone today¡¯s shooting and is considering whether to terminate your contract or not, ording to the situation after the press conference. Besides that, a new batch of diamonds has arrived at Ohly. These are incredibly rare and hard t o find; you have to check this batch personally.¡± ¡°Now? You sure?¡± Even an international brand like Chanel postponed the shooting because of Amelia¡¯s press; it was only natural that airhead keyboard warriors woulde for her. If she left the vi, it was likely that she woulde home horizontally instead of vertically. Though, Eric reassured, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The Bailey Corporation had passed on the order that no media can cover or disturb your private life; they¡¯ll be shut down if they did. It should be fine if youy-low when outside. This batch of diamonds is very important, so carefully inspect them to ensure no one tampered with them.¡± These were limited diamonds, after all. Even if only one was tampered with, a significant loss would still be incurred. 111 ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go,¡± Charmine answered. It could be troublesome at times to have lots of money. ¡°Be careful,¡± Eric warned before he hung up the call. Charmine walked into her room and started looking for in-looking clothes; clothes that she could wear to go incognito. She eventually settled on a ck sports top and pants before wearing a mask and cap. Only her eyes were visible at this point. When she made sure she was unrecognizable with her outlook, she left the vi and took a taxi to Ohly. Ohly was a jewelry store that only sold wedding rings. It did not matter who was purchasing; each person could only buy one ring with his or her identity card. Nobody could buy a second one, however much they were willing to pay for. Also, Ohly only had one shop in each of the 34 cities nationwide, which stayed true to its `one and only¡¯ image. Upon arriving at the shop, she saw four people inside. Of all the people in the world, they just had to be Joey Young, Tiffany Jordan, Amelia Jordan, and Julian Cabell in his suit. Julian was seen handing over a ring to Tiffany. ¡°Tiffany, do you like this design?¡± he spoke, voice gentle like a breeze. Charmine wanted to throw up out of disgust just by listening to his voice. She turned to leave, but Tiffany caught her at the corner of her eye. She knew it was her from just one look. ¡°Thedy by the door, please wait,¡± Tiffany called out. What? Wait up? Who was she to call someone to wait up? Charmine¡¯s lips curled into a smirk, her long legs continued marching away from the store. Tiffany initially thought the physique resembled Charmine, but as she studied the woman¡¯s walk, she was more sure of her guess. ¡°That seems like Charmine,¡± Tiffany spoke again. ¡°Why is she leaving after seeing us?¡± ¡°Charmine?¡± Amelia¡¯s ears perked up. She hastily walked toward Charmine and blocked her from leaving. ¡°Charmine Jordan! Didn¡¯t you hear someone asking you to stay? Are you deaf?! ¡° Chapter 44 Chapter 44 Charmine had to stop as Amelia interjected her. ¡°Did you forget to brush your teeth?¡± Charmine red at her. ¡± Why are your words so foul? Do you know that a good dog doesn¡¯t block the way?¡± Dog? Did she call Amelia a dog? Amelia was seething in anger. ¡± Charmine! You¡¯re now only a homeless rat on the street with everyone criticizing you. What makes you think you can act all pompous? If I were you, I would¡¯ve found myself a All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. hole to drill into! And you¡¯re out shopping? How can you be so shameless?¡± ¡°Shameless?¡± Unfazed, Charmine lifted her chin slightly as her eye contact did not break. ¡°What is shameless? Taking a photo with a cucumber in hand? Or is it trying to lock someone in their house but was forced to pay three hundred fifty thousand in return?¡± Charmine¡¯s eyes drifted from Tiffany to Amelia as she spoke, and onlookers instantly changed the way they looked at both Amelia and Tiffany. Of course. Tiffany¡¯s nude was revealed. On the other hand, Amelia locked Charmine inside her own house, but in return, she was threatened to pay up 350,000 bucks. How outrageous! Amelia felt the mocking nces aimed at her. Fuming with anger, she yelled through her gritted teeth, ¡°Charmine Jordan! You¡¯re a b*tch full of nonsense! You ¡¯11 get it from me today!¡± She lifted her hand up, ready to hit Charmine. Tiffany¡¯s face turned red with anger, too. She had to stay indoors for the past few days to let the rumors pass. Now that she coulde out to shift the focus from her nude to show off how lovely her rtionship with Julian was, Charmine just had to bring it up her nude again! Tiffany held so much grudge against Charmine that she wanted nothing more than to tear off her mouth. s, since Julian was here, her eyes wavered as she walked forward to Amelia. ¡°Calm down, Amelia. Have you forgotten why we¡¯re here? She¡¯s a younger sister; we have to b e more understanding.¡± Amelia instantly recalled the reason why they were there in the first ce. With a lightened expression, she held her chin high as she goaded, ¡°Right, today is a great day! I can¡¯t be bothered to waste my time on a third-wheeler like you! ¡°Do you know what we¡¯re doing here today? Do you know what shop is this? Ohly! It¡¯s Ohly! It signifies ¡®the one and only¡¯! This is a ce for engagement rings, and only one identity card can purchase one ring, signifying one true love! Who¡¯d want to sell it to a third-wheeler like you? Also, what¡¯re you doing in Ohly? Here to pollute the air?¡± ¡°Oh, ha-ha,¡± Charmineughed mockingly. She lost all interest to even entertain her. Tiffany had assumed Charmine would be sad that the sight of them together would hurt Charmine, which would be as satisfying as pping her. She never expected Charmine to have such an unbothered attitude. Frustrated as she might be, she wore a pitiful expression and looked at Charmine sympathetically. ¡°Charmine sister, I know it¡¯s all my fault. Please don¡¯t me Julian darling, but the love between us is real. Today, Julian darling brought me here to buy the Ohly ring, so please just let us be. You and Julian darling are in the past, and now that you¡¯re Diamond Prince¡¯s¡­third wheel, you and Julian darling aren¡¯t together anymore. Please let us be, why don¡¯t you?¡± Tiffany said with a pleading tone, soft and helpless. The crowd eventually had the same idea; that Charmine came here t o avoid them from buying a ring. How could a third-wheeler like her be unashamed to destroy a happy couple? Julian walked forward and hugged Tiffany. ¡°Tiffany, why are you begging her? This is Ohly, surrounded by lots of guards. If she does anything to you, we¡¯ll send her to the police station. Come, let¡¯s continue picking our rings. We can¡¯t let a shameless woman like her ruin our schedule.¡± ¡°Exactly, Tiffany. You have to pick the most beautiful diamond ring to show her what true love is. That¡¯s how shameless being a third-wheeler is!¡± Amelia said proudly as she vainly lifted her chin. Meanwhile, a ck vehicle stopped and pulled over at the entrance abruptly. The sales manager then eximed, ¡°Thetest limited-edition diamond rings are here! I heard that this batch has a three-carat pigeon blood ruby with diamonds all around it!¡± ¡°What? A pigeon blood ruby? Really? This is unbelievable! I heard that out of hundreds and thousands of white diamonds, it¡¯s very unlikely to get one colorful diamond, let alone the pigeon blood ruby!¡± Amelia said excitedly. Tiffany¡¯s eyes glimmered as she spoke, ¡± Red rubies are usually siding toward reddish-purple or dark purple. A pigeon blood ruby is the rarest of the rarest in the world!¡± ¡°If you desire it, Tiffany, we¡¯ll get it for you,¡± Julian said with an endearing voice, not forgetting to nce at Charmine to make sure she heard it. Amelia mockingly red at Charmine. ¡± Did you hear that? Brother-inw is buying the pigeon blood ruby for Tiffany! A red ruby from Ohly! The one and only red ruby ring of that kind in the world!¡± , Chapter 45 Chapter 45 ¡°What are you still doing here? Leave now!¡± Joey Young red at Charmine with hatred in her eyes. ¡°Get lost! The Jordan family doesn¡¯t have a shameless third-wheeling daughter like you!¡± 1 However much they yelled, Charmine did not move an inch nor did her expression shifted. It was as though they were just a bunch of clowns. 3 Once it registered with Amelia that Charmine was not budging, she turned to the sales manager and snapped, ¡°What are you all standing here for? Ask this shameless b*tch to leave! If she¡¯s here, w e won¡¯t buy anything from Ohly.¡± The store¡¯s general manager, Madam Gail heard that they were purchasing the pigeon-blood ruby ring, and her eyes glimmered at the prospect. She then stepped forward before Charmine and scowled, ¡°Madam, please leave now. Ohly is a prestigious shop, and not just everyone cane in.¡± ¡°Madam Gail, ording to the shop¡¯s rules, no matter who the customer is, we have to be¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up! She¡¯s just a third-wheeler that everyone hates. Why should anyone respect her? She doesn¡¯t even respect herself, and she even went as far as trying to ruin Miss Tiffany¡¯s day. I despise these kinds of people.¡± With that, she ordered, ¡°Security,e here and bring her away!¡± As the general manager, a few security guards came forward to obey her. It was only then when the driver from the vehicle outside came out. He was an American with a tall physique and was dressed in a ck agent-like suit. This man exuded apelling temperament. The crowd stared in awe. Even a guard tasked to escort products was so handsome! At the thought of a handsome man serving her, Tiffany straightened her back regally. ¡°Since the ring is here,e and show it to me,¡± she spoke in an elegant and noble voice, in a mannerism almost like a queen¡¯s. The man kept his gaze straight as he walked in with a white box in his hands. Tiffany grew excited with every step the man took. A rare gem was about to be hers, and it would be given to her in front of Charmine! Even if Charmine could fake her nonchnt mannerism, surely she would still feel bad. 1 Just as she thought the man would hand her the gem, however, the man suddenly continued to walk past her as his gaze did not once turn to her. Tiffany stared in disbelief as her eyes widened dumbfoundedly. What just happened? The man only stopped walking when he stood before Charmine. ¡°Boss Jordan, please check and sign this package.¡± 1 What? Everyone was petrified, frozen with disbelief. What did the man say? Who was Boss Jordan? Who was asked to sign for the package? Did they hear it right? 1 As onlookers remained frozen, Charmine calmly opened up the box. Inside the boxid nine diamond rings next to each other. The one in the middle was a heart-shaped pigeon blood ruby of 3 carat. It was N?velDrama.Org owns all content. indeed as red as blood, and it was the embodiment of genuine and passionate love. 1 ¡°Boss Jordan, please have a look. If you¡¯re happy with them, please sign here,¡± the man curtly spoke as he brought out an invoice for Charmine. Charmine nced at the rings, epted the invoice, and signed her name swiftly. ¡°Thank you for your time, Boss Jordan. It seems that someone is looking for trouble here. Is there anything I could help?¡± said the man as he red at the people around them. Charmine tossed him the pen. ¡°No need. G o back.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± The man left with the guards following him. No one recovered from the shock for a good amount of time. The man asked for Charmine¡¯s signature? With such a humble attitude, nheless? 1 Could it be¡­? Chapter 46 Chapter 46 Realization dawned on Julian as he asked i n disbelief, ¡°Charmine, are you the owner of Ohly?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± came her simple yet strong reply, the message conveyed loud and clear. Charmine removed her hat and her hair cascaded down her shoulders. She flipped her hair and eyed them uncaringly. ¡± What? Is there a problem?¡± i Everyone stared in disbelief, eyes and mouths wide open. Charmine was the owner of Ohly? The big boss of Ohly? No wonder she looked at them with such ridicule, even as they mocked her. No wonder she did not flinch even after they barked at her. They were mocking her for not being able to afford a diamond ring when this entire shop belonged to her! Everyone had a confused and dumbfounded look on their faces, especially the quartet. An adopted daughter they so despised and looked down on turned out to be the owner of Ohly? How could she be better off than them? 1 Tiffany clenched her fists as her heart thrummed with jealousy. Charmine stared at the myriad of expressions on N?velDrama.Org owns all content. their faces and indifferently asked, ¡°Do you still want this ring?¡± 2 Want it? Did that not mean they had to buy it from Charmine? Tiffany felt as though a fly was stuck in her throat; it felt so ufortable like she was dying. Amelia never would have thought the person she looked down on would be Ohly¡¯s owner. Not just any owner, too, but the owner of a brand she loved! 2 ¡°No! If we knew this is your shop, we wouldn¡¯t have proud of? You¡¯re just a third-wheeler, using Prince Simon¡¯s diamonds. Aren¡¯t you embarrassed in the slightest?¡± Joey¡¯s face was flushed red with anger. ¡± Charmine, I¡¯m ordering you now, right now, to return the shop to Prince Simon and Princess Verna. Don¡¯t hoard things that aren¡¯t yours!¡± i Charmine snorted at them with a mocking look. ¡°And who are you to me? What makes you think I¡¯ll listen to you? Also, what makes you so sure that these diamonds aren¡¯t mine?¡± ¡°Huh? Yours? You¡¯re just an adopted daughter. With what sorcery did you get these diamonds? Sleeping with Diamond Prince and ruining his family, wasn¡¯t it all for money?¡± scoffed Amelia. Face much angrier than before, Joey yelled in anger and hatred, ¡°Charmine, wake up! I¡¯m your foster mother! You must listen to me! Don¡¯t forget that it was me who picked you up and saved your life!¡± Charmine merely scoffed at them as she walked further inside the store, the box still at hand. She brought out the rings in the box and ced them on disy. The 3 -carat red ruby was too beautiful! It glowed brilliantly under the sunlight that peaked through the store¡¯s windows. At the thought of all these rings belonging to Charmine, Amelia almost burst with jealousy. She walked forward and pulled at Charmine. ¡°Charmine, can¡¯t you hear that Auntie is speaking to you? Don¡¯t you dare think for a second that these are yours! You got them from shamelessly sleeping around! If you still have dignity, you should return them to Prince Simon!¡± ¡°Are you a fly? Buzz, buzz, buzz! If you¡¯re not buying then leave!¡± Charmine scowled impatiently, her voice harsh yet clear. i Amelia¡¯s face contorted even more. ¡± You¡¯re asking for it! I¡¯ll teach you a lesson today!¡± She pulled on Charmine¡¯s hair with one hand and lifted the other hand i n an attempt to p Charmine. ¡°Teach me a lesson? I¡¯ll teach you how to hit someone.¡± Charmine¡¯s lips curled into an evil smirk and raised her own. 1 Charmine caught Amelia¡¯s hand wlessly and pulled it with force. 1 Crack! Charmine¡¯s powerful pull dislocated Amelia¡¯s arm. It hung there weakly, unable to exert any force! I Chapter 47 Chapter 47 ¡°Aah!¡± Amelia cried out in agony, her face pallid due to the pain. Joey then shifted Amelia behind her and scowled, ¡°Charmine, enough is enough! You ¡®re shameless enough to be a third ¨C wheeler. How dare you hit your cousin? Aren¡¯t you even ashamed at all?¡± i ¡°Ashamed? Ashamed as in standing here and listening to you?¡± Charmine pped back bitterly. ¡°She¡¯s your cousin!¡± Joey shrieked. ¡°So what if she criticizes you? You¡¯re just an adopted daughter, and your life was given by the Jordan family. From what you¡¯ve done so far, nothing would be in vain if you¡¯re bashed to death right now!¡± A sliver of irony gleamed in Charmine¡¯s re. Nothing would be in vain if she was based to death, was it? Everyone would see who would be first to go. Tiffany took this opportunity to y the good cop. ¡°Mom, Sister, please stop arguing,¡± she pleaded, ¡°we can talk things out. Sister imed she wasn¡¯t the third-wheeler and that this shop belonged to her. What if she speaks the truth? Maybe she had no choice but to be a third-wheeler?¡± 2 ¡°Huh? Who is forced to be a third ¨C wheeler? It¡¯s all her love for vanity! If I didn¡¯t pick her up and bring her home, she would¡¯ve died a long time ago! Not only is she ungrateful, but she¡¯s also done such an outrageous act!¡± Joey barked as the intensity of her re amplified to a greater degree. ¡°You bring shame to the Jordan family! If you still have a sliver of dignity left in you and care about your foster mother, I want you to go back to Senior Jordan and tell him you¡¯re voluntarily leaving the Jordan family! Don¡¯t you bring shame to all of u s!¡± ¡°Auntie is right! I¡¯ll be blowing the whistle on you, and your reputation will b e ruined! You better leave and hide now, and don¡¯t ruin the Jordans¡¯ reputation!¡± Amelia scowled. ¡°Huh?¡± Charmine scoffed. ¡°What¡¯s whistleblowing? Please help yourself.¡± There was no mistaking that hard-headed tone in her voice, powerfully so as well. Tiffany could never get used to this strong -willed and unruly Charmine. She was just a third-wheeler. What was there to b e arrogant about? It was then when Tiffany, from the corner of her eye, noted that paparazzi were secretly taking photos outside the store. A light bulb went off in her head as she walked toward Charmine and held her arm. ¡°Sister, Mom and Amelia were trying to help you. Just apologize when you did something wrong or just tell us your problems. We¡¯ll forgive you.¡± ¡°Forgive? You don¡¯t have a say in that matter. Get your dirty hand off of me!¡± Charmine forcibly pulled herself away from Tiffany¡¯s hold. ¡°Ah!¡± Tiffany stumbled a few steps backward and mmed against the disy counter. Crash! The disy counter fell over, and the ss shattered all over the floor. Tiffany fell onto the floor and, in the process, cut her palm with a broken ss piece. 1 ¡°Tiffany!¡± Two voices yelled her name at the same time¡ªJoey and Julian. Julian rushed forward and pulled her up. ¡± Tiffany, N?velDrama.Org owns all content. you¡¯re bleeding!¡± he gasped anxiously. ¡°I¡¯m fine, really. Charmine didn¡¯t push m e, it has nothing to do with Charmine. Please don¡¯t me her.¡± Tiffany begged, pulling on his sleeves. 1 Julian¡¯s handsome face instantly turned harsh, he red at Charmine coldly, ¡± Charmine! Your sister was trying to help you! How can you be so evil?! You¡¯re like a white-eyed wolf; a fair-weather child!¡± ¡°Charmine! Your sister was trying to help you! How can you be so evil?! You¡¯re like a white-eyed wolf; a fair-weather child!¡± 2 ¡°B*tch! How dare you harm my daughter? Don¡¯t you know she still needs t o y the piano? Who are you to touch Tiffany?!¡± Joey red at Charmine, hatefully and loathingly so. Chapter 48 Chapter 48 Charmine had gotten used to Joey¡¯s hate-filled eyes over the years. This Joey was utterly smitten with Tiffany, too. Even if she found out Tiffany was the adopted daughter, she would still side with her. It felt like a drag for Charmine to even talk to them, thus she coldly instructed, ¡± Someone,e and show them the way out.¡± The security guards who were supposed t o bring Charmine out went to Amelia and the group instead. With the white-hot pain still burning at Amelia¡¯s dislocated arm, she growled through gritted teeth, ¡°Don¡¯t act all high and mighty, Charmine! I don¡¯t want to spend any more time in this stupid store; it¡¯s too dirty for me! Just wait for it, Charmine. I¡¯ll let everyone see your ugly face this afternoon, and your reputation will be torn to shreds!¡± Amelia did not let the guards touch her as she struggled to walk out herself. Joey and Julian carried Tiffany, and they red at Charmine with unadulterated hate. Tiffany, on the other hand, held herself like a regal white swan, the cared-for princess, though she secretly gave Charmine a dirty look herself. So what if she had a diamond shop? Charmine still lost to her! Julian was hers, Joey was hers, and even the Jordan family was hers! Suddenly¡­ ¡°Wait,¡± came Charmine¡¯s crisp voice. Julian and the rest instinctively stopped t o look at her; they were evidently taken aback, too. ¡°Please settle the bill for the broken gold-ted disy ss. That¡¯s three hundred thousand bucks in total.¡± 4 Charmine took a card machine and shook it before them nonchntly. Amelia, Joey, Julian, and Tiffany were utterly bbergasted. Their eyes were red with hatred. Joey¡ªthe one with the most grudge¡ªsnapped. ¡°How shameless of you, Charmine, to ask for money after all these years of eating and using up the Jordan family¡¯s resources! And it¡¯s three hundred thousand, too? 1 ¡°Fine. Here¡¯s three hundred thousand! But tonight, you¡¯ll have toe back to the Jordan family and pay up all the money you¡¯ve used throughout the years!¡± Joey then took out a card and tossed it at Charmine. Charmine picked up the card and threw it right back All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. at Joey. ¡°Unfortunately, the disy ss was broken by Tiffany, so I¡¯ll only take her money.¡± 1 Tiffany¡¯s face turned red with anger. Her hand was already wounded, and she still had to pay Charmine 300,000? Charmine was not letting her breathe! She wanted nothing more than to kill Charmine on the spot, but she quickly pulled herself together at the thought of paparazzi outside and her ns. She swallowed her anger and adapted a soothing voice. ¡°Mom, Sister is right,¡± she muttered. ¡°I broke it, so I should be paying for it.¡± She pulled out a card, though her eyes burned with anger still. She wanted Charmine to pay for her arrogance and this ludicrous 300,000 ¡® damage¡¯. After swiping the card, Charmine tossed the card back to her. ¡°You may leave now.¡± The quartet walked out of the store with fumeing out of their heads. As they walked out, Amelia yelled, ¡°Just you wait, Charmine! Stay tuned for the press conference at three o¡¯clock today. I want to see you cry!¡± i Charmine¡¯s lips curled up. Cry? Oh, someone would be crying, alright. She then nced around the store. ¡°What are you all standing here? Clean up the shop.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± replied the staff in unison before they began cleaning up. Charmine was shameless but they were still employees of this store, they needed the job. The general manager feigned innocence a s she pretended to take part in cleaning u p. ¡°You¡¯re fired!¡± Charmine snapped. 1 In less than an hour, Twitter was deluged with hashtags like these: 1 #Ohly- owner- is-CharmineJordan #Charmine-hit- Tiffany #Charmine-push-Tiffany #Charmine- scoldedfoster- mother These were the hottest discussions. Although it was obvious that these were intentionally arranged to criticize Charmine, theizens merely joined in a s long as they were entertaining. [0MG! She was already exposed! How is she still so arrogant?! ] [If it wasn¡¯t for Joey Young, she would¡¯ve died a long time ago! How could she be so rude to her mother?] Chapter 49 Chapter 49 Charmine had gotten used to Joey¡¯s hate-filled eyes over the years. This Joey was utterly smitten with Tiffany, too. Even if she found out Tiffany was the adopted daughter, she would still side with her. It felt like a drag for Charmine to even talk to them, thus she coldly instructed, ¡± Someone,e and show them the way out.¡± The security guards who were supposed t o bring Charmine out went to Amelia and the group instead. With the white-hot pain still burning at Amelia¡¯s dislocated arm, she growled through gritted teeth, ¡°Don¡¯t act all high and mighty, Charmine! I don¡¯t want to spend any more time in this stupid store; it¡¯s too dirty for me! Just wait for it, Charmine. I¡¯ll let everyone see your ugly face this afternoon, and your reputation will be torn to shreds!¡± Amelia did not let the guards touch her as she struggled to walk out herself. Joey and Julian carried Tiffany, and they red at Charmine with unadulterated hate. Tiffany, on the other hand, held herself like a regal white swan, the cared-for princess, though she secretly gave Charmine a dirty look herself. So what if she had a diamond shop? Charmine still lost to her! Julian was hers, Joey was hers, and even the Jordan family was hers! Suddenly¡­ ¡°Wait,¡± came Charmine¡¯s crisp voice. Julian and the rest instinctively stopped t o look at her; they were evidently taken aback, too. ¡°Please settle the bill for the broken gold-ted disy ss. That¡¯s three hundred thousand bucks in total.¡± 4 Charmine took a card machine and shook it before them nonchntly. Amelia, Joey, Julian, and Tiffany were utterly Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. bbergasted. Their eyes were red with hatred. Joey¡ªthe one with the most grudge¡ªsnapped. ¡°How shameless of you, Charmine, to ask for money after all these years of eating and using up the Jordan family¡¯s resources! And it¡¯s three hundred thousand, too? 1 ¡°Fine. Here¡¯s three hundred thousand! But tonight, you¡¯ll have toe back to the Jordan family and pay up all the money you¡¯ve used throughout the years!¡± Joey then took out a card and tossed it at Charmine. Charmine picked up the card and threw it right back at Joey. ¡°Unfortunately, the disy ss was broken by Tiffany, so I¡¯ll only take her money.¡± 1 Tiffany¡¯s face turned red with anger. Her hand was already wounded, and she still had to pay Charmine 300,000? Charmine was not letting her breathe! She wanted nothing more than to kill Charmine on the spot, but she quickly pulled herself together at the thought of paparazzi outside and her ns. She swallowed her anger and adapted a soothing voice. ¡°Mom, Sister is right,¡± she muttered. ¡°I broke it, so I should be paying for it.¡± She pulled out a card, though her eyes burned with anger still. She wanted Charmine to pay for her arrogance and this ludicrous 300,000 ¡® damage¡¯. After swiping the card, Charmine tossed the card back to her. ¡°You may leave now.¡± The quartet walked out of the store with fumeing out of their heads. As they walked out, Amelia yelled, ¡°Just you wait, Charmine! Stay tuned for the press conference at three o¡¯clock today. I want to see you cry!¡± i Charmine¡¯s lips curled up. Cry? Oh, someone would be crying, alright. She then nced around the store. ¡°What are you all standing here? Clean up the shop.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± replied the staff in unison before they began cleaning up. Charmine was shameless but they were still employees of this store, they needed the job. The general manager feigned innocence a s she pretended to take part in cleaning u p. ¡°You¡¯re fired!¡± Charmine snapped. 1 In less than an hour, Twitter was deluged with hashtags like these: 1 #Ohly- owner- is-CharmineJordan #Charmine-hit- Tiffany #Charmine-push-Tiffany #Charmine- scoldedfoster- mother These were the hottest discussions. Although it was obvious that these were intentionally arranged to criticize Charmine, theizens merely joined in a s long as they were entertaining. [0MG! She was already exposed! How is she still so arrogant?! ] [If it wasn¡¯t for Joey Young, she would¡¯ve died a long time ago! How could she be so rude to her mother?] Chapter 50 Chapter 50 Chapter 5o [Oh no, my princess is hurt! It must¡¯ve hurt so much.] [Amelia looks so pale white! Charmine must¡¯ve wanted revenge against Amelia for trying to expose her lies! Shameless! [Can¡¯t wait till the press conference! We¡¯ll see how Charmine defends herself once the cat¡¯s out of the bag.] As Twitter was overrun withments like these, some reporters went to interview Tiffany and Amelia. i ¡°I¡¯ll still stand for justice, even if Charmine beats me to death,¡± Amelia said to the camera, ¡°and I¡¯ll make sure the press conference happens!¡± Tiffany, on the other hand, was nursing her wound as she muttered, ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to say. It¡¯s okay if she hits me, but I just want to help her return to the path of righteousness. Please, can everyone help me convince her?¡± As usual, her crocodile tears won the hearts o f many. Everyone was eagerly waiting for the press conference, a moment of truth to discern truth from lies. They waited for the moment when Charmine would be kicked out of the modeling industry. 1 Without realizing it, it was already three o¡¯clock in the evening. On the first floor of Hotel Kelsy. Apart from the hordes of paparazzi, numerous influencers were also present a s they live-streamed with their phones, theirizens at the edge of their seats in anticipation. Among the chatter and noise, Amelia walked up the stage with a noble and mboyant temperament, dressed in a bright red satin dress. ¡°Thank you everyone for taking your time to participate in this press conference,¡± Amelia began as she spoke with the microphone. ¡°I know everyone can no longer wait for this, so I¡¯ll get straight to the point. ¡°I believe that many people might feel that a photo is inadequate to determine that Charmine is the thirdwheeler. Therefore, I¡¯ve specially invited Diamond Prince himself to attend this press conference. Today, the prince himself will rify everything.¡± With that said, she turned to look at the backstage. i Surrounded by ten or so international bodyguards, Simon walked to the stage in his ck suit. With his fair skin and distinctive facial features, coupled with his dark blue eyes, he looked like an actual prince who walked out of a fairytale. The buttons on his suit were made of ck diamonds, and it gave him an air of nobleness andy-low luxury. An uproar began once he stepped to the stage. ¡°Ahhhh! It¡¯s him; Diamond Prince Simon! The number one chief executive officer in South Africa! The most charming man ever!¡± ¡°Amelia managed to invite him over! He hasn¡¯t made any statement since the rumors, and yet here he is!¡± ¡°Charmine will bepletely destroyed! Let¡¯s see how she defends herself!¡± ¡°Diamond Prince, please tell us what happened! Why did you cheat on Princess Verna? Didn¡¯t you promise to never cheat on her?¡± A bunch of paparazzi held up their microphones as they scrambled to ask their questions. The discussion room online, too, was bombarded withments and questions. [Simon Gray is too handsome!] [Why would someone so handsome cheat? Why?!] The world was reeling with questions and astonishment, as well as hating on Charmine for doing such a despicable act. Meanwhile, the mastermind satnguidly on her sofa as she painted her nails bright red. It was a unique warmth-sensory nail paint. Once applied, it would turn the nails bright red, and the tip of the nails would turn dark cow-blood red. 1 Eyes glued to the television, Eric asked, ¡± It¡¯s reaching the climax soon. Are you sure you¡¯re not watching?¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to watch? Is it as important as my new nail polish?¡± Charmine smirked as she continued to paint her nails. Nevermind; the one everyone was criticizing was not Charmine anyway. What was there for an agent like him to b e so anxious about? At the hotel, the press conference was at full swing. Amelia passed the microphone to Simon enthusiastically, ¡°Diamond Prince, please tell us the truth. We¡¯ll give you justice!¡± Simon epted the microphone and faced the crowd before he slowly began, ¡± I don¡¯t know where to start on this matter, but I¡¯d like to show you a clip.¡± With a wave of his hand, the big screen behind him lit up. Amelia felt giddy and pleased altogether. These were all part of their deal: Simon would show the receipts of Charmine¡¯s spendings to everyone, along with some photos of their rtionship, exposing to the world of Charmine¡¯s love of vanity and extravagance. Once this information came to light, Charmine¡¯s All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. reputation would be ruined forever! Chapter 51 Chapter 51 Meanwhile, at the Bailey Mansion¡­ Anthony, Chris, and Nial gathered before theirrge television, their eyes glued to the breaking news¡ªthe conference¡ªgoing on live. ¡°Get ready,¡±manded Anthony. Alert and ready, Chris had a dark-colored remote controller at hand. The remote was for his drone that was tied with the strongest signal disruptor, and he was ready to press on the button if anything against Charmine was revealed during the press conference. With a press of that button, the entire Hotel Kelsy¡ª including the people in the conference hall¡ªwould have their signals interrupted thus disabling any livestream of the conference. 2 (Hmph! So you all want to destroy Mommy¡¯s reputation by spreading fake news? Fat chance!¡¯ Nial, on the other hand, had a list of names in his hand. The names listed were all the conference¡¯s attendees, including the paparazzi, influencers, and passersby. If anything concerning was revealed during the press, the Bailey Corporation would step in and silence thepanies who employed them, all in order to prohibit any news from getting out of the hall. 1 (Hmph! Want to destroy my sister- inw? Tough luck!¡¯ All of them had their eyes glued to the screen, eyes wide open without blinking once. However¡­ What appeared on the screen were not the receipts of Charmine¡¯s spending. Instead, it was video footage from the Walton Grand Hotel¡¯s Presidential Suite. In that video, Prince Simon Gray stood by the door N?velDrama.Org content rights. with an obvious frown on his face. [You¡¯re not a waitress!] he eximed. [Please don¡¯t be rmed, Prince Simon. I¡¯m Charmine Jordan¡¯s cousin, and I¡¯m here to strike a deal with you.] Amelia stood in front of him, d in a sexy red tube dress. [I¡¯ll be hosting a press conference tomorrow, and I¡¯m hoping that Prince Simon could attend the conference. You could tell the press that Charmine had seduced you when you were drunk, and that she kept on using that to cling onto you.] [Why should I listen to you? Leave!] snapped Simon Gray, angered by her suggestion. Amelia merely looked at him with raised brows before she suggestively added, [If you could expose her, I¡¯ll do anything you want.] Amelia then pulled down her tube dress slightly, which pushed up her breasts alluringly. Simon¡¯s look changed. [Really?] he prodded. [Do you promise to do anything i f I help you out?] [Of course, I¡¯ll do anything you want.] Amelia sauntered toward him and ground herself against him¡ªhis arm¡ªas seductive as one could imagine. Every single attendee had their eyes widened like saucers. ¡°Oh my god! This is breaking news, alright! Amelia seduced the prince into spreading rumors about Charmine?!¡± ¡°Amelia called for justice and imed to d o the right thing?! So the supposed right thing she did was seducing the prince!¡± ¡°She¡¯s so shameless¡­! Charmine grew up with her! How could she do such a thing t o her?¡± ¡°What a b*tch, pretending to be a goody two shoes when she¡¯s the one being audacious!¡± 1 Everyone in the hall shot up from their seats as they pointed at Amelia in disdain. The paparazzi, meanwhile, busied themselves with snapping photos of the video on the screen and Amelia. Amelia¡¯s face turned pale in shock. This was the oue she never anticipated. 1 Amelia reeled back in disbelief and confusion. ¡®Isn¡¯t this supposed to be the part where Charmine¡¯s ridiculed and ndered? Why me!?¡¯ She turned her gaze toward Simon and gave him a death re. ¡°Prince Simon, why did you do this? Why did you set this up?!¡± ¡°Set this up? Set what up? Didn¡¯t youe and seduce me? And made me say what isn¡¯t true? I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t do such a thing.¡± With that, Simon turned to the audience and continued, ¡°I¡¯ve never cheated on my wife. Moreover, there¡¯s nothing in between Charmine and me; the rumors are all made up by Amelia Jordan. She wanted to use you all to destroy Charmine.¡± His words were clear and convincing, and every attendee grew even more restless. ¡°I can¡¯t believe this! Did Amelia use paparazzi like us as ammunition?!¡± ¡°She¡¯s far from the blunt and straightforward image she tried to fool us with! She¡¯s an evil being!¡± Chapter 52 Chapter 52 ¡°So did she photoshop that photo as well? Was this a Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. hoax?¡± Some paparazzi scowled at Amelia while some threw one question after another. Hearing that, Amelia snapped back from her shock and yelled, ¡°I didn¡¯t photoshop the photo. It¡¯s real! The reason I went to Prince Gray was to help him dissolve the situation! ¡°There has to be something going on between Prince Gray and Charmine. Otherwise, why would he help her? He even gave her such a huge diamond ring!¡± Since Amelia¡¯s reputation was ruined, she wanted to drag Charmine down with her. Just as she expected, the paparazzi directed their questions at Simon. ¡°Prince Gray, what¡¯s your rtionship with Charmine? Why did you give her a diamond ring?¡± ¡°How did you get to know Charmine? Are you here today to defend Charmine?¡± Simon never lost hisposure and remained coolheaded, even after being questioned incessantly. ¡°Yes,¡± he calmly spoke, ¡°I¡¯m here to defend Charmine, and I¡¯ll tell you why! Charmine is my boss!¡± What? Charmine?! She was his boss?! Was he kidding? Seeing that everyone stared at him in disbelief, he reiterated clearly, ¡± Charmine holds sixty percent of Gray Diamond Empire¡¯s shares. She¡¯s the director with the most power.¡± Wow! So Charmine was Prince Gray¡¯s boss all this while? She was Gray Diamond Empire¡¯s director?! How could it be? [Prince Gray, are you mistaken? Charmine is just an adopted daughter. How could she be so rich?] [Gray Diamond Empire belongs to your family for many generations. About a hundred years ago, isn¡¯t it? How could the director be someone outside the family?] [You¡¯re just making things up to cover for Charmine!] Simon was bombarded with innumerable questions on live-streaming tforms; n o one bought what he had just said. There were so manyments that most of the live- streaming influencers¡¯ phones had crashed. Even the Baileys were bbergasted. They were wellequipped to spring right into action, but the event unfolded in such a direction that they never saw First it was Amelia, publicly shamed due t o the video footage. Now, Simon spoke out and imed Charmine was his boss? Warily, Nial eyed Anthony. ¡°Brother, how much of a percentage do you think Simon is truthfully speaking right now?¡± Anthony stared at the screen, and he could not help recalling that proud and arrogant face Charmine¡¯s. Not long after, he replied firmly and surely, ¡°A hundred percent sure.¡± As expected, facing the questions and doubts, Simon dered in an affirmative tone, ¡°I, Prince Simon Gray, never lied m y entire life. As a matter of fact, I do have proof. Here¡¯s a photo taken five years ago, during the dinner to celebrate Charmine for buying Gray Diamond Empire¡¯s shares.¡± With a gesture from Simon, a number of photos showed up on the screen: Gray Diamond Empire¡¯s share distribution graph, a photo of Charmine in a meeting with the rest of the board, and a full image of Simon passing Charmine a diamond ring. This was the true, full image of what Amelia found earlier. In this photo, however, Simon was shown standing at the front, passing a pigeon egg-sized diamond ring to Charmine. Princess Verna stood behind him and held a certificate of the shares. In truth, they were standing in a line to pass the diamond and the certificate to Charmine, but the photo Amelia found only captured half of it. Shocked, everyone had long forgotten to take photos as they stared nkly at the screen. It was true. Charmine was Gray Diamond Empire¡¯s director. She was Diamond Prince Simon¡¯s boss! Prince Simon, a handsome and rich prince, was merely Charmine¡¯s staff! This was unbelievable! What shocking news! 1 There was only one influencer with her phone still streaming, but after thest photo was shown, her phones¡­ , Chapter 53 Chapter 53 Every single attendee was stunned at the turn of events, and ¡®that included Amelia who reeled back in shock. N?velDrama.Org content rights. How... How could this be? Was Charmine not an adopted daughter? How did she be Gray Diamond Empire¡®s director?! How?! Amelia nearly threw herself against Simon in fury as she made her way to him. She clutched at his sleeves and desperately yelled, ¡°I don¡®t believe you! How could she be the boss? How did she be your director? This is all so fishy! Even if she didn¡®t sleep with you, she must¡®ve slept with your father, right? Right, that must be it! Is she your step¨Cmother? Did your father give all of his shares to her?¡± ¡°That¡®s enough! You ndered me, and now you want to do that to my aging father, too?¡± Simon swatted her hands away i n disgust, and he stared her down with his cold blue eyes.¡± How did Charmine be my boss? Well, it¡®s all because of you! ¡°Five years ago, when Charmine was sent to Africa, you bribed her maid to bring her to a hill and push her down from the top. Somehow, she stumbled across a huge diamond mine at the bottom of the hill, and there were at least three billion tons of diamonds!¡±. . ¡°The owner of the mine was an alcoholic and had no idea of how precious the mine was. Charmine borrowed and collected five hundred thousand bucks, and she bought this mine from , the alcoholic. Do I still have to tell you the details of what happened next?¡± What happened next was that everyone had their eyes on the mine Charmine had bought. Many people made her handsome offers, but Charmine rejected them all. At the same time, Gray Diamond Empire was facing the crisis of their diamond mine running out of diamond after over a hundred years of mining. They were about to go bankrupt. Even if they wanted to bid for this mine, they had no resource to, and all they could do was t o watch their Empire go bankrupt. Charmine was like an angel sent from heaven. She was willing t o help Gray Diamond Empire get back on their feet on one condition: She wanted sixty percent of thepany shares. Choosing between bankruptcy or owning forty percent of their ownpany shares, Gray Diamond Empire chose thetter and signed the letter for transfer of shares. Amelia was uninterested in all these. All she could hear in her mind was Simon¡®s first few words: ¡®It¡®s all because of you...¡® Afl because of you...¡® ¡®All because of you...¡® This sounded like a curse that echoed in her mind. She could feel her head aching tremendously as she was overwhelmed with hatred, rage, and jealousy that could split her head into ,halves. She was the one who directed Charmine to the diamond mine, who led Charmine to the peak of her life! It was all because of her... Argh! Once she saw Amelia nearly losing consciousness on the stage, Amelia¡®s mother¨CLily Granger¨Crushed onto the stage with the security guards and carried Amelia away as fast as possible. With that, the press conference ended. At the Bailey mansion, Anthony¡®s eyes were still fixated on the screen. ¡°How much is Charmine¡®s worth?¡± he calmly asked Nial. Nial fired up a software program and began calcting dexterously. ¡°At least thirty billion dors,¡± came his reply soon after. Anthony¡®s lips curled up slightly; he was impressed. Thirty billion dors? She had to be on Forbes¡® Rich List! This woman was nothing short of surprises, that was for sure. Within an hour after the press conference, the headlines on Twitter were upied with the following: #Boss¨CCharmine #Amelia¨Cseduced¨CDiamondPrince #Amelia¨Ctried¨Cto¨Ckill¨CCharmine #Charmine¨Cowns¨Cthe¨CGrayDiamondEmpire #Youtube¨Ccrashed Charmine went from an unknown person to the most searched Diamond Boss; she who owned a mine with three billion tons of diamond! Chapter 54 Chapter 54 Many Twitter users tweeted as such: [I¡®m wrong to have misjudged you. Please ept my apology!] (Boss Jordan, are you looking for a sister? I wanna be your sister!) (I can be your stepmom.) [I don¡®t have to be your rtive. I¡®ll carry your shoes and follow you around. You don¡®t have to pay me either; just toss m e some unwanted diamonds.] Charminenguidly lied on her sofa, seemingly unperturbed a s she read the financial segment in the newspaper. A big bottle of Coke was ced on the coffee table in front of her, with a long straw extended to her mouth. ¡°Everyone is ttering you on Twitter, hoping you¡®d write a few words to them,¡± Eric began. ¡°Do you want to post anything?¡± ¡°Twitter? Oh, right.¡± Charmine took a long sip before she picked up her phone and posted a tweet. Out of curiosity, Eric clicked onto her page. In an instant, his face stiffened. A line of words sat quietly on Charmine¡®s page: ¨C (Julian Cabell, have you eaten sh*t yet?) ¡®Have you eaten sh*t yet...¡® Instead of taking this opportunity to befriend her supporters, she posted...this?! How badly did she want Julian to eat sh*t anyway? s, Charmine was just being Charmine; one should not count on her too much. Eric changed the subject and said, ¡°Jordan Senior called in earlier, asking you to go home. What do you think?¡± ¡°How could I say no to such an interesting drama?¡± Charmine smirked. At the Jordan Mansion, members of the family gathered in the living room. Senior Drake Jordan mmed his hands on the table and roared, ¡°Amelia Jordan, how could you do such a thing?!¡± ¡°As a part of the Jordan family, how shameless are you to seduce Diamond Prince Simon? You bring shame to me and the family. Do you know that everyone in Burlington isughing at us right now?¡±, ¡°Grandpa, it¡®s all Charmine¡®s fault. She tricked me! If she¡®s Gray Diamond Empire¡®s owner, why didn¡®t she tell me earlier and stopped me from hosting that press conference?!¡± Amelia stood her ground as she tried to reason with him. ¡°How dare you!¡± Drake was so furious that he grabbed the teacup from the table and threw it at her head. ¡°Did you ask for her permission before publishing the photo? You were the one who posted the photo while, all the while, you tried to seduce the Diamond Prince and med it all on her. You deserve everythinging your way, even if she wants to kill you!¡± ¡°Argh!¡± Amelia¡®s forehead bled from the wound caused by the impact of the smashed teacup against her forehead. She covered her wound with her hand and angrily barked,¡° Grandpa, are you insane? Charmine is just an adopted daughter, and I¡®m your actual granddaughter! Why do you keep siding with her?¡± ¡°Me? Siding with her? You¡¯re not sorry for what you did, are you?!¡± Drake seethed in rage as he called on the butler,¡° Hobson, please enforce the family punishment.¡± The Jordan family¡®s family punishment was thirty whippings. The whip had thorns on it, and upon contact, the skin would b e damaged and leave permanent scars. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Lily Granger¨C Amelia¡®s mother¨Cinstantly rushed toward Amelia and stood before her, shielding her as she begged,¡° Dad, please calm down! Though ignorant, Amelia is still young .....I¡®ll teach her a lesson. Tiffany, please help to speak for Amelia. Your Grandpa really likes you. Do you want to see Amelia getting whipped?¡± , Although Tiffany enjoyed her kind¨Chearted persona, she knew how serious this was and did not want to get involved. Yet, Lily called out her name... She had no choice but to step up. ¡°Amelia, hurry up and apologize to Grandpa. You did make a mistake this time.¡± ¡°I made a mistake? All of you think it¡®s all my fault, but do you realize how evil Charmine is? When we bumped into her earlier today and told her about the press conference, she didn¡®t even exin to us nor did she try to stop us. She¡®s just evil and wants to ruin my reputation! ¡°Also, after so many years of raising her, she didn¡®t even tell u s when she had the diamond mine. Instead of giving it to the Jordan family, she kept it all to herself without giving us a single penny! ¡°Why are you all defending a heartless and ungrateful woman like her? She¡®s just an adopted child, and she¡®s not worth your pity!¡± Amelia raged on and on. Though everyone else in the living room frowned a little, they cared more about the diamond mine profitspared to the rumors. Since Charmine was an adopted child of the Jordan family, the diamond mine should also belong to the Jordan family, right? Chapter 55 Chapter 55 Although Lily was more of a soft-spoken woman, she was very protective of Amelia. She continued to ask for mercy on her daughter¡¯s behalf as she said, ¡°Dad, I know Amelia made a huge mistake this time, but she wasn¡¯tpletely wrong. We¡¯ve raised Charmine for so many years, so don¡¯t we deserve something in return? She found such a huge diamond mine. Even if she doesn¡¯t want to give it back to us, she should at least tell us about it, right?¡±, ¡°Exactly. She¡¯s ungrateful. It¡¯s like the old saying: ¡®When one drinks water, one must remember the person who digs the well ?. Charmine not only forgot about the person who digs the well, but she even tried to kill the person!¡± eximed Amelia¡¯s father, Felix Jordan-the second master of the Jordan family. Just like that, the room was instantly filled with criticisms against Charmine. Tiffany, not missing an opportunity to bring out her kind hearted persona, went forward and said, ¡°This isn¡¯t true! We can¡¯t me Charmine for not telling us since she never liked u s, but she must¡¯ve told Grandpa. ¡°Grandpa had always treated her so well, and she had always respected Grandpa. It wouldn¡¯t make sense for her to hide this fram Grandpa.¡± As Tiffany spoke, she poured some tea for Drake and asked gently, ¡°Grandpa, am I right? Speak for Charmine and tell us that it¡¯s so.¡± Drake¡¯s face stiffened. Speak up for Charmine? Speak what? N?velDrama.Org owns all content. It was a great deal, and she had never told him anything. All these years, he was so concerned about her living alone in Africa that he had been asking Hobson to keep track of her. He was also worried that they would bully her when she got back, so no matter how everyone pestered him into distributing the fifteen percent shares, he saved it for Charmine. Yet, Charmine¡­ Tiffany observed the change of his expression and knew she hit the bullseye. A glint of satisfaction passed through her eyes, but she stamped it down and asked in a concerned tone,¡° Hmm? Grandpa¡­ Charmine didn¡¯t even tell you at all?¡± Before Drake could even reply, Joey snapped, ¡°How dare her! Although we had been quite strict on her all these years, all of us can see how well Dad treated her. How could she keep this from Dad? I can¡¯t believe this!¡± ¡°She¡¯s now a bird who can fly! Of course she¡¯d fly away as far a s possible; she wouldn¡¯t want to share her wealth or the diamond mine,¡± sneered Felix. Encouraged by her family criticizing Charmine, Amelia looked at Drake with a disappointed look. ¡°Grandpa, she doesn¡¯t even care for you. Why are you still protecting her?¡± ¡°Although I¡¯m immature, at least I¡¯m your actual granddaughter who has your genes and blood. All these years, I¡¯ve spent my savings buying you gifts. ¡°And Charmine? What has she done? Are you really going to punish me for someone who doesn¡¯t even treat you like ,family?¡± Drake started recalling his memories of Amelia. Although she was arrogant, she had always respected him. On the other hand, Charmine¡­ In his old age, he no longer cared for materialism and wealth a s he looked only for disy of filial affection from his grandchildren. In the past five years, he had heard nothing from Charmine. He had always treated her¡ªthe adopted daughter-as his actual granddaughter, but did she even see him as her grandfather? ¡°Who says I don¡¯t treat Grandpa like family?¡± A loud and clear voice was hearding from the door, and everyone turned to see Charmine walking in with her chin up. She was dressed in a high-waist red dress that showed off her elegant long legs and thin waist. She was stunning, just as she always had been. Tiffany began to wallow in jealousy. How could Charmine be s o beautiful? Tiffany would do anything to destroy that wless face and those long legs! s, she could only hold it in and slowly walked up to her.¡± Charmine, you came at the right time. Please exin to Grandpa. I believe you have your reasons to cut ties with Grandpa and why you didn¡¯t tell him about the diamond mine. Grandpa had always favored you, so if you¡¯re to exin everything, he¡¯d forgive you.¡± , Although she sounded like she was helping Charmine, everyone in the house looked much angrier. Even Drake looked at Charmine with a disappointed and heart-wrenching gaze. Charmine positioned herself at the center of the living room, facing the usations and questioning looks. She eyed everyone sharply before she red at both Tiffany and Amelia. ¡°Are you two sure that I haven¡¯t contacted Grandpa in the past five years?¡± sneered Charmine. Charmine¡¯s gaze was so sharp that it made Amelia feel uneasy. There was guilt in her eyes for a brief while before she shrugged it off and lifted her chin. ¡°Are we wrong to think so? Grandpa knows better than anyone whether you contacted him or not!¡± With that, Amelia ran to Drake and asked with an angry look,¡° Grandpa, please tell us: Did Charmine ever call you or buy you any gift in the past five years? All the while, you were so worried about her and never stopped sending her money. She¡¯s such an ungrateful being!¡± As expected, Drake¡¯s eyes darkened with disappointment after listening to Amelia. He was clearly disappointed at Charmine. Chapter 56 Chapter 56 Tiffany was pleased when she saw the darkened expression of her grandfather, but she remembered to keep her facade. ¡± Amelia, stop saying that. I believe Charmine didn¡¯t do it on purpose. She must¡¯ve been busy taking care of her diamond business and forgot to ring up Grandpa. Grandpa, please don¡¯t be mad.¡± With that, everyone¡¯s looks went a shade darker. Busy? She was just ungrateful! The disappointed look on Drake went a few shades darker too. Meanwhile, Charmine seemed to enjoy the act between Amelia and Tiffany. She watched them with an amused look as though she was a queen being entertained. ¡°Are you two done?¡± She nonchntly turned her gaze upward, and with a smirk on her face, she started, ¡°In the past five years, I¡¯ve tried t o contact Grandpa for a hundred and ten times, but the line was always busy. I¡¯ve sent ten gifts to Grandpa in total, but none of the gifts was ever delivered to him. I even tried sending him emails, but every email was blocked by a hacker. You have the guts to ask me why didn¡¯t I contact Grandpa?¡± Charmine spoke with drive and force in every word uttered. She then took out a stack of papers and tossed them to Amelia and Tiffany. The papers fluttered mid-air, and everyone looked up to see the evidence of Charmine¡¯s purchasing history, mail history, call history, and other things associated. There was also proof of her calls and emails intentionally disrupted. 0 n top of that, there were also photos of Amelia and her assistant Zoey collecting the presents and throwing them away. Everyone stood, transfixed with the proof mid-air, while Amelia¡¯s face lost all its color. How could this be? How did Charmine find out, and with all the proof to boot? Drake looked at the papers and instantly understood. His face turned red as his mustache trembled in fury. ¡°Good. Very well! Amelia Jordan, how dare you do these behind my back? Hobson, get the whip and whip her hard!¡± As he did not want to drag it any longer, Hobson took out a whip and walked toward Amelia. The long whip was filled with thorns, and under the light, one could clearly see dried out bloodstains still visible on the thorns. Utterly terrified, Amelia¡¯s legs turned into jelly as they quaked. ¡°Grandpa, it wasn¡¯t me,¡± she whimpered feebly, ¡°she made these up! These aren¡¯t real!¡± ¡°Whip her, and with all your strength!¡± Drake did not want to hear anything from Amelia as he turned away from her. i Watching her precious daughter on the verge of a gruesome punishment, Lily rushed forward and begged, ¡°Dad, please forgive her. Just once, please forgive Amelia for just this time. She didn¡¯t mean it!¡± 1 ¡°Whoever tries to beg me will be punished along with her,¡± Drake dered coldly. Lily instantly zipped up, but a thought then urred to her as she turned to Tiffany. ¡°Tiffany, my good N?velDrama.Org owns all content. niece, please help Amelia and say something in her stead. She had never been beaten in her life, and she likes her appearance so much. There will be scars!¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Tiffany looked around as if a thought urred to her. ¡°Auntie, I don¡¯t have a say here. Charmine is the victim, s o if she can forgive Amelia, Grandpa will let it go for sure.¡± Hearing that, Lily ran toward Charmine. ¡± Charmine, I¡¯m begging you! Amelia was wrong, and she didn¡¯t mean it¡­!¡± ¡°Mom, don¡¯t beg her. She¡¯s a b*tch! She made these all up, it wasn¡¯t me!¡± Amelia cried out. i Amelia¡¯s words only fueled Senior Jordan¡¯s anger. ¡°Whip her, now!¡± he snapped. ¡°Please excuse me.¡± Hobson lowered his head. Two bodyguards went forward and pressed Amelia onto the bench. Hobson raised the thorn-filled whip in the air, and swung it toward Amelia¡¯s back strongly. Then¡­ ¡°Argh!¡± A loud scream resonated i n the hall. Chapter 57 Chapter 57 It was only the first whip and Amelia¡¯s clothes were already ripped apart as fresh blood oozed out of her fair skin. Her face contorted in pain and anguish, but she never gave out. ¡°Not me! It really wasn¡¯t me! Charmine framed me!¡± Hobson shook his head helplessly. Amelia was too hard-headed; he had no choice but to continue the whipping. Fwoop! Fwoop! Fwoop! In the end, Amelia¡¯s flesh wascerated a s her back was all bloodied. She slowly sumbed to her wounds, yet she managed to utter onest sentence, ¡°It really¡­really wasn¡¯t me.¡± She passed out right after. Overwhelmed with rage, Drake sternly ordered, ¡°Come and get this liar out of m y sight. Without my permission, she has n o right to leave the mansion for the next three months!¡± Three months? Amelia was grounded for three months? ¡°Dad, she¡¯s a popr model! If she doesn¡¯t leave the house, her poprity will disappear¡­!¡± Lily called out as she carried Amelia. i ¡°After making such a fool out of herself i n the public, do you think she can stay in the modeling industry?¡± sneered Drake. ¡± Leave the modeling industry right away, and find an office job! If she doesn¡¯t listen to me, then she¡¯ll no longer be part of the Jordan family,¡± he spoke with such power and authority that was unheard of for a very long time. Unable to fight back or form any proper sentences, the agonized Lily carried Amelia away with a few other maids, ring at Charmine as she passed her. It was all Charmine¡¯s fault. It was because she did not want to beg for Amelia! What a n evil, heartless adopted daughter! She did not belong here at all! Even after Amelia was carried out of the hall, a strong smell of blood still lingered i n the air. Tiffany¡¯s face was the palest of all; she could almost feel the whippings. She had used Amelia to do these things, and if Grandpa found out, he would have punished her the same way¡­ i Tiffany dared not imagine what would happen if her identity was exposed. She had to get hold of all the shares as soon as possible! N?velDrama.Org content rights. With that in mind, she walked forward and poured tea for Drake in an effort to calm him down. ¡°Grandpa, please calm down. Amelia is still young, and she¡¯ll surely turn over a new leaf. More importantly, we¡¯ve cleared all the misunderstandings of Charmine, and she even brought us the diamond mine. Our Jordan family would be the second wealthiest family in Burlington after today.¡± i Tiffany¡¯s words instantly made everyone remember what was on the table. Felix then said, ¡°Right. Since you respect your Grandpa so much, why don¡¯t you give him the shares of the diamond mine, and he¡¯ll distribute the shares to the rest o f us?¡± Charmine was the reason his daughter, Amelia was punished. It was only fair she had to offerpensation for that. Joey instantly chimed in, ¡°We¡¯ve raised you for so many years and always provided you with food and shelter. Without the Jordan family, you won¡¯t even be here today. If you still have a heart, you know what to do.¡± Charmine bothered not with what these people had to say as she merely turned to look at Senior Jordan and said, ¡°What about Grandpa? Does Grandpa feel the same as well?¡± 2 ¡°Hmph! A bunch of dogs!¡± Drake furiously swept the cups from the table and jeered at them, ¡°In the past five years, none of you bothered to ask about Charmine. Now that she¡¯s back, all of you want to share her wealth? Why are you all so shameless?¡± ¡°And I¡¯m especially talking about you, Felix! Back then, you all insisted to adopt the child in order to have arger percentage of the shares. Was Amelia¡¯s n of pushing Charmine down the hill i n Africa yours as well? How shameless are you all to ask for her diamond mine! I f I were you, I wouldn¡¯t even dare to make a sound!¡± 1 Lily-livered Felix instantly went silent and could only mumble to himself, ¡°This isn¡¯t fair. If I had the courage to ask Amelia to kill, I wouldn¡¯t be a useless gambling addict as I am now.¡± 2 All these years, he had no say in the family. He always listened to his father and elder brother and had no significant shares of thepany. He always seemed like an extra. ¡°Hmph! It better not be you! Amelia almost murdered someone, and I¡¯ll never forgive her!¡± Drake growled. ¡°You¡¯re all dismissed. Get out! Don¡¯t you dare think o f getting a hold of Charmine¡¯s diamond mine. She earned it with her life, so this belongs to her!¡± Chapter 58 Chapter 58 ¡°Anyone who mentions the diamond mine will have their family shares confiscated!¡± barked Senior Jordan. + Tiffany clenched her fists tightly. A huge diamond mine, all for Charmine and only Charmine? What for?! What a dumb old fool! Of course, Tiffany would not say such a thing out loud, thus she could only bite back her anger. However, Drake continued, ¡°Oh, right. Charmine, since you¡¯re back, sign this paper and I¡¯ll transfer you the fifteen percent of the share that I should¡¯ve given to you a few years ago.¡± With that, Hobson passed him a prepared document. WW Charmine never expected Senior Jordan would still give her the family share, even when she had a whole diamond mine to herself. A glint of warmth swept past her usually cold and emotionless eyes. Before Charmine could sign, her foster father, Jeremy Jordan caterwauled, ¡°Dad, are you insane? She already owned a huge diamond mine! Why are you still transferring fifteen percent o f the family share to her? She doesn¡¯t even need this!¡±, Unable to hold back, Tiffany piped in, ¡°Yes, I think Charmine doesn¡¯t need this. After getting the share, she would have to b e part of the family, getting involved and attending meetings. Charmine is already busy taking care of Gray Diamond Empire, and now that she¡¯s a famous model, it¡¯d be too much on her te if she still has to take care of our family business, no?¡± 1 As of now, Drake had thirty percent of the share; Joey and Jeremy had twenty percent; Lily and Felix had ten percent; Robert had five percent; Amelia had five; Tiffany had fifteen perfect. Thus, there was an extra fifteen percent on hold. Since Robert voluntarily gave away his five percent to Tiffany, Tiffany had twenty percent of the share. She had been eyeing the extra fifteen percent, and once she got hold of it, she would have thirty-five percent of the share in total. That would make her a bigger shareholder than Drake, and she would be the family¡¯spany¡¯s director of the board. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. This was why Tiffany could not let this extra fifteen percent be transferred to Charmine. s, Drake then said, ¡°Charmine has always been part of the Jordan family, so she deserves the fifteen percent- share. As for the diamond mine, she earned it with her own life. You all could exchange one with your lives, too, and I won¡¯t ask you to share it with everyone else.¡±, With that, he looked at Charmine. ¡°Charmine, just sign here. Don¡¯t listen to them.¡± Charmine nodded, and she picked up the pen and signed. This share would fall into Tiffany¡¯s hands had she decided not to take it. How could she let this phony woman get hold of it? Everyone looked at her with their eyes reddened in anger, especially Tiffany. She nearly threw up blood in her fury! She had been eyeing this remaining fifteen percent-share for the past five years, but it still went to Charmine. What a b*tch! Why was she still alive? She already owned a diamond mine worth tens of billions; why did she have to steal the family share from her? ¡°Everyone, please leave Charmine and me alone,¡±manded Drake. Everyone left in rage as they looked at Charmine with malicious intent. Once everyone else had left, Drake waved over at Charmine and beckoned for her toe. ¡°Charmine,e here and side beside Grandpa.¡± Charmine walked toward him and sat by his side. ¡°Grandpa, I hope you can understand about the diamond mine situation.¡± Even though everyone in the Jordan family knew about her diamond mine, Charmine would never give the mine to the Jordan family even if Drake asked for it. Drake patted her hand gently. ¡°Charmine, you¡¯ve done the right thing. You were never a part of the family. I can still protect you while I¡¯m alive, but once I¡¯m gone, they won¡¯t treat you well. ¡°This is why you need to take good care of your own wealth. You don¡¯t have a family, thus wealth is the only thing you can depend on.¡± Charmine could not deny the warm tingling feeling, but she was still confused. ¡°Grandpa, why are you so kind to me?¡± she asked. Everyone hated her since day one, and only Drake treated her a s though she was his actual granddaughter. It made no sense. A glint of deep reasoning shed through Drake¡¯s eyes, but it disappeared in an instant. ¡°You¡¯ll understand in the future.¡± H e patted the back of her hand. ¡°For now, don¡¯t ask. It¡¯s not the right time yet.¡±, This further confused Charmine. What was it? Why was Drake treating an adopted child with such kindness? What was he hiding? Chapter 59 Chapter 59 At the Jordan family mansion¡¯s garden¡­ Tiffany sat under a jacaranda tree. The events that had transpired just moments ago still infuriated her. It would be understandable if Drake transferred just some of the share to Charmine, but did he have to transfer as much as fifteen percent? Charmine now owned as much as Tiffany, who was the ¡®actual heiress¡¯ of the Jordan family! Worse still,izens were ttering Charmine and idolizing her, while some became suspicious of the interview Tiffany and Amelia had earlier. There was spection that Tiffany yed a part in this, and they called her ¡®fake¡¯ and ¡®unreal. If this went on, her ¡®No.1 Supermodel¡¯ title would be ruined in no time. Her assistant, Veronica stood behind her in concern. ¡°Prior to this, Guci had finalized you as their magazine cover this season, but they had just called to say that they needed more time to choose between you and Charmine.¡±, ¡°What?¡± blurted Tiffany, dumbfounded. Guci was no humdrum brand. It was the luxury in the fashion world known for its luxurious, high-end, and fancy touch. It was the go-to of the upper-ss people and worshipped by the working-ss. A high-end international brand like Guci only invited supermodels and celebrities as their magazine cover, yet they were considering Charmine for this season? Charmine was only a newbie! Watching Charnine and Grandpa sitting side by side in the ¡°living room not far away, Tiffany gritted her teeth. ¡°Tiffany, the most important thing now is to get a hold of the Guci ambassador contract. It¡¯d be bad if Charmine took it,¡± reminded Veronica. Tiffany¡¯s face turned pale and green. Of course she wanted to get it, but how was she supposed to fight against this Diamond Boss? Putting aside the difference in their worth, the nude incident had cost her dearly that she spent a lot of money on deleting posts and screenshots of her nude, as well as bribing people with gifts. She had not been able to get rid of them all. 1 Also, Charmine was so popr that their poprity was almost on par with each other online. How was Tiffany supposed to fight against Charmine? Poprity¡­ On par¡­ A thought suddenly urred to Tiffany. Her eyes sparkled as she spoke to Veronica, ¡°Phone up the management of Guci and say that instead of one, why not hire two models instead?¡± ¡°Tiffany, you¡¯re saying that¡­¡± Veronica tried to follow her thpughts and eventually understood. ¡°You¡¯re so smart!¡± she gushed. ¡°No wonder you¡¯re at the top of the modeling industry! I¡¯ll do this right away.¡± Since Guci was choosing between Tiffany and Charmine for the magazine cover of their Summer collection, Tiffany¡¯s reputation could be ruined if they settled for Charmine. ¡°If the two of them coborated, Tiffany could avoid the risk of being dismissed. She could also use Charmine¡¯s fame to be more popr. Of course, Tiffany was a more experienced model; her shots would be more natural and refinedpared to a newbie like Charmine. With that, the whole world could see how much better Tiffany waspared to Charmine.¡± Charmine was only a wealthy nouveau riche. Tiffany would fight for the opportunity to get the two of them shooting together. It was then when Julian walked toward Tiffany. As he saw Veronica left in such a rush, he asked, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Nothing much, it¡¯s just¡­¡± She instantly thought of something, and a small smile slowly formed on her lips. ¡°I found out earlier that Charmine¡¯s manager was trying to get her the opportunity to shoot for Guci¡¯s Summer collection, but Guci had already decided to use me instead. I asked Veronica to phone them up and ask if I could let Charmine tag along.¡±, ¡°What? She treated you so badly, yet you still want to share this opportunity with her?¡± said Julian, obviously in disagreement. * Tiffany held onto his arm. ¡°Julian darling, she¡¯s still my sister. I did such a mean thing to her five years ago, and I just want to make up with her. Since her career is just getting started, I have the duty to help her out as her sister.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too kind. You¡¯re so much better than that horrible Charmine! Now that I recall how she chased after me in the past, I feel so disgusted.¡± While listening to Julian, a light bulb went off inside her head. She knew Charmine had always fancied Julian from as young a s three to eighteen years old; she had a crush on him for at least fifteen years! How could Charmine stop loving him all of a sudden? She even deliberately targeted Julian on Twitter and that most of her tweets were rted to Julian. She must have done it on purpose to get his attention! If Tiffany could use Julian to control Charmine and turn her into a stay-at-home wife¡­ With that thought, Tiffany¡¯s heart thumped with excitement, but she covered it up with a guilty front as she lowered her head. ¡°Oh¡­ That¡¯s right. Julian darling, Grandpa already transferred fifteen percent of the share to Charmine. I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t help you take the shares anymore.¡± Julian frowned. Already? So soon? This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Five years ago, the Cabell and Jordan families forced Julian to marry the ugly and inelegant Charmine. Though he hated Charmine for that, he had always wanted to get all the Jordan family shares and own their business. He thought that he could get hold of her share if he were to follow through with their marriage arrangement. Once Tiffany noticed the worried expression on his face, she gently warned, ¡°Julian darling, I think Charmine still loves you. Think about it: Why is she still single even though she¡¯s this Diamond Boss now? ¡°Also, all her tweets are about you, even though she has so many followers. Perhaps she might be trying to get your attention? ¡°If we resume the n we had five years ago, which was to make her fall all over for you, it¡¯s likely that she¡¯ll transfer you her family share and the diamond mine!¡± Julian¡¯s eyes darkened; Tiffany was right. If he could get Charmine to marry him, the shares and the diamond mine would belong to him. He could then coordinate with Tiffany to get hold of the rest of the family share, and both of them could take over the entire Jordan family business! He looked at Tiffany in awe. ¡°Tiffany, you¡¯re so smart! Are you sure you¡¯re okay with me getting married to her?¡± Julian and Tiffany already had permission from Grandpa, and once they got hold of the engagement token, they could get married. Tiffany answered with a soft, understanding voice, ¡°Julian darling, of course I¡¯ll miss you, but I also believe we¡¯ll have our happy-ever-after once we get past the pain of this. I trust that you won¡¯t fall for her.¡± Even if he did fall for Charmine, Tiffany would have ways to kill her. Tiffany would make sure everything went ording to her n. She continued, ¡°Once you marry Charmine, you¡¯ll get a hold of her diamond mine in addition to the family shares we get. You¡¯ll be the richest in Burlington by then. I¡¯d do anything for you, even if that means not being able to be with you for a while,¡± she muttered as she cuddled in his arms. U Julian felt a warm feeling spread throughout his entire being. H e felt so lucky to have found such an understanding fianc¨¦. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Tiffany. I won¡¯t disappoint you,¡± he promised with a sincere look. The sky was getting darker. Charmine had been chatting with her grandfather for quite a while now, but she still had not figured out what he was trying to hide from her. It was not until Drake had fallen asleep when she finally left the mansion. As she walked toward her motorbike, a shiny ck Rolls-Royce pulled over right next to her. The window rolled down, revealing Julian in the backseat. He was dressed in a white customized suit, his face handsome and elegant like a true gent. He looked at Charmine and said, ¡°Get in the car. I¡¯ll send you home.¡± His tone sounded like amand, as though he was doing her a favor. Charmine merely stared at him indifferently ¡°You, send me? You? You think too highly of yourself.¡± With that, she rolled her eyes and swung her long leg over her motorbike. Julian was stunned at this behavior. Why did this girl who used to tag after him wherever he went¡ª talked to him with such an arrogant tone? It sounded like she was looking down o n him, too. Though he was furious, he quickly reminded himself of the n. 1 He opened the door and went down. ¡°Charmine, perhaps we could talk?¡± ¡°Talk? Is it about when you¡¯re going to eat sh*t?¡± Charmine scoffed and started her motorbike. 1 When he noted that she was actually leaving, Julian ran in front of the bike to stop her. ¡°Charmine, can¡¯t you talk to me? I know you¡¯re still mad at me for what I did five years ago, but it¡¯d been so long. Why are you still mad? Can¡¯t we sit down and have a civil conversation? Why do you have to be so narrow -minded?¡± ¡°Me? Narrow-minded? Hah!¡± Charmineughed mockingly.¡° You¡¯re right, I¡¯m narrow-mind. Whoever hurt me, I¡¯ll run over him.¡± With that, she stepped on the elerator and drove right toward Julian. The motorbike was moving at the speed of a tiger, and it zipped in the direction where Julian was standing. Chapter 60 Chapter 60 ¡°Oh¡­ That¡¯s right. Julian darling, Grandpa already transferred fifteen percent of the share to Charmine. I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t help you take the shares anymore.¡± Julian frowned. Already? So soon? Five years ago, the Cabell and Jordan families forced Julian to marry the ugly and inelegant Charmine. Though he hated Charmine for that, he had always wanted to get all the Jordan family shares and own their business. He thought that he could get hold of her share if he were to follow through with their marriage arrangement. Once Tiffany noticed the worried expression on his face, she gently warned, ¡°Julian darling, I think Charmine still loves you. Think about it: Why is she still single even though she¡¯s this Diamond Boss now? ¡°Also, all her tweets are about you, even though she has so many followers. Perhaps she might be trying to get your attention? ¡°If we resume the n we had five years ago, which was to make her fall all over for you, it¡¯s likely that she¡¯ll transfer you her family share and the diamond mine!¡± Julian¡¯s eyes darkened; Tiffany was right. If he could get Charmine to marry him, the shares and the diamond mine would belong to him. He could then coordinate with Tiffany to get hold of the rest of the family share, and both of them could take over the entire Jordan family business! He looked at Tiffany in awe. ¡°Tiffany, you¡¯re so smart! Are you sure you¡¯re okay with me getting married to her?¡± Julian and Tiffany already had permission from Grandpa, and once they got hold of the engagement token, they could get married. Tiffany answered with a soft, understanding voice, ¡°Julian darling, of course I¡¯ll miss you, but I also believe we¡¯ll have our happy-ever-after once we get past the pain of this. I trust that you won¡¯t fall for her.¡± Even if he did fall for Charmine, Tiffany would have ways to kill her. Tiffany would make sure everything went ording to her n. She continued, ¡°Once you marry Charmine, you¡¯ll get a hold of her diamond mine in addition to the family shares we get. You¡¯ll be the richest in Burlington by then. I¡¯d do anything for you, even if that means not being able to be with you for a while,¡± she muttered as she cuddled in his arms. Julian felt a warm feeling spread throughout his entire being. H e felt so lucky to have found such an understanding fianc¨¦. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Tiffany. I won¡¯t disappoint you,¡± he promised with a sincere look. The sky was getting darker. Charmine had been chatting with her grandfather for quite a while now, but she still had not figured out what he was trying to hide from her. It was not until Drake had fallen asleep when she finally left the mansion. As she walked toward her motorbike, a shiny ck Rolls-Royce pulled over right next to her. The window rolled down, revealing Julian in the backseat. He was dressed in a white customized suit, his face handsome and elegant like a true gent. He looked at Charmine and said, ¡°Get in the car. I¡¯ll send you home.¡± His tone sounded like amand, as though he was doing her a favor. Charmine merely stared at him indifferently ¡°You, send me? You? You think too highly of yourself.¡± With that, she rolled her eyes and swung her long leg over her motorbike. Julian was stunned at this behavior. Why did this girl who used to tag after him wherever he went¡ª talked to him with such an arrogant tone? It sounded like she was looking down o n him, too. Though he was furious, he quickly reminded himself of the n. 1 N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. He opened the door and went down. ¡°Charmine, perhaps we could talk?¡± ¡°Talk? Is it about when you¡¯re going to eat sh*t?¡± Charmine scoffed and started her motorbike. 1 When he noted that she was actually leaving, Julian ran in front of the bike to stop her. ¡°Charmine, can¡¯t you talk to me? I know you¡¯re still mad at me for what I did five years ago, but it¡¯d been so long. Why are you still mad? Can¡¯t we sit down and have a civil conversation? Why do you have to be so narrow -minded?¡± ¡°Me? Narrow-minded? Hah!¡± Charmineughed mockingly.¡° You¡¯re right, I¡¯m narrow-mind. Whoever hurt me, I¡¯ll run over him.¡± With that, she stepped on the elerator and drove right toward Julian. The motorbike was moving at the speed of a tiger, and it zipped in the direction where Julian was standing. Chapter 61 Chapter 61 Kay and his men¡ªwho hid in the shadows¡ªstared at the scene with eyes wide like saucers. Damn, was their boss about to run over him? There were no traces of holding back in Charmine¡¯s actions. She twisted the handle of her motorbike as she raced toward him. Once Julian knew for sure Charmine was not letting up, that she was closing in from their half-a-meter distance, he instinctively jumped out of the way. Yet, the motorbike moved at such a speed that his sleeve was almost caught by the bike, and it sent him stumbling back a few steps. Charmine nced at him by the corner of her eyes. A mocking smirk appeared on her lips as she flipped the middle finger a t him. Her long and unruly hair fluttered in the night breeze. She sure was bold and daring. On the other side, Julian was left with his pale-green face, the veins on his forehead almost burst out from hatred and fear. The woman who was once all over him nearly ran over him and even gave him the middle finger! Why did she change? How could she stop loving him? No, it could not be! This was just one of her dirty tricks to get his attention! Julian stared as Charmine faded from his sight. ¡°Charmine, if you tried to get my attention, well, you¡¯ve got it!¡± He turned t o his assistant in the car and ordered, ¡± Prepare a bouquet of roses, and send to it where her shooting is tomorrow.¡± Julian knew better than anyone that in the past eighteen years, roses were her favorite. Back then, when Charmine still tailed after him everywhere he went, she had always wanted him to send her roses. Surely, he would win over her heart when she received his roses tomorrow. Ah, women. They loved to throw tantrums just to get N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. attention. Charmine went straight for the shower once she reached her vi. She only spent three minutes with the douchebag and she already felt like throwing up in disgust. As she got out of the shower, she saw Eric was still around. As she dried her hair, she asked, ¡°Why are you still here?¡± ¡°You¡¯re popr now, but you don¡¯t seem to care, so it¡¯s only natural I¡¯d have lots of things to deal with,¡± came Eric¡¯s reply, his eyes glued still to theputer screen. Within a day¡¯s time, dozens ofpanies and brands sent invitations to Charmine. Some were hoping to sign her as the brand ambassador, some hoped she could model for their shows, and some even hoped to coborate with herpany in hopes she would invest in them. Once he read every email with consideration, Eric concluded, ¡°Among all the invitations, Guci is the most well-known. It¡¯d be good for you, but it¡¯s quite Tiffany, and each of you will represent a different colored collection. The one who¡¯s collection makes better sales wins.¡± Charmine frowned. Why would Gucie up with this showdown tactic out of the blue? No doubt, this was definitely another dirty trick that phony b*tch pulled. So Tiffany wanted to use her fame to gain more poprity? To win against her in this showdown? ¡°I¡¯ll take that. Since Tiffany wants to y, I can¡¯t say to her. I can only hope she won¡¯t regret this.¡± Charmine flipped her half-dried hair and walked away. , She needed an early night today, all to make Tiffany regreting up with this proposal. 1 Watching her silhouette, Eric smiled a little. This woman was getting more arrogant every day, and he could only hope that things go as nned. Thinking of the n, he made a phone call when he left the vi. ¡°Send out the draft,¡± he spoke into the phone. Not long after, a catchy article paired with an attention-seizing headline became the center of discussion. Chapter 62 Chapter 62 [Charmine and Tiffany Jordan Making a Cover Shoot Together: A Showdown Between Two Sisters.] The article exined details of the showdown, along with some analysis of their pros and cons. Although the content was unbiased and professionally written, the two fanbases began fighting against each other not long after the article was published. [So what if Charmine is rich? She is still a newbie. How dare she have a showdown with Tiffany?! ] [What¡¯s so great about Tiffany? She didn¡¯t even make it to the final appearance of the Chanel show. Haven¡¯t you heard of how neers are always better off?] [It¡¯s just a matter of luck. Charmine¡¯s final appearance was quite stunning, but i f one looks closer, it¡¯s just her acting expensive and exquisite. How is she going to carry on a big fashion brand like Guci? Can she win?] [Yeah, and the showdown is about sales o f the collection they wear. Tiffany has eighty million followers while Charmine has less than eight million. How is she going to win?] At the Bailey Mansion¡­ Anthony stood by the bed inside the nursery. ¡°Chris Bailey, are you going to sleep or not?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to! I¡¯m fighting with theseizens. Mommy¡¯s fanbase is too small, s o I¡¯m using a hundred different ounts t o support her,¡± Chris answered as he switched between ounts in a quest to defend his dear Mommy. 2 Anthony frowned. ¡°So this is what you¡¯ve been doing for hours?¡± ¡°Yes! I won¡¯t let anyone bully Mommy!¡± Chris pouted as he continued typing on his phone. i Anthony leaned over and grabbed his phone from him. ¡°This isn¡¯t how you stand up for Mommy,¡± he spoke, sternly a s he did. ¡°Be a good boy and sleep early.h I¡¯ll bring you to see her tomorrow.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll get to see her tomorrow? Really?¡± beamed Chris as his doe eyes twinkled like the stars in the night sky. Anthony nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± The next morning, Charmine first went t o Chanel to shoot for a jewelry advertisement before rushing to Guci Tower. Guci Tower was situated at the most luxurious business district in Burlington. Due to the rumors of that day¡¯s shooting, fans flooded the tower¡¯s Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. and looked around anxiously. On the left side of the building stood a swarm of enthusiastic fans with board signs that supported Tiffany Jordan. On the right side of the building stood less than a hundred fans waiting quietly. Of course, Charmine had just gotten newfound fame, and her nickname ¡® Diamond Boss¡¯ did not sound too friendly. Although she had lots of fans, they were not crazily adoring her nor were they willing toe all the way here to support her. 2 Coincidently, just as Charmine¡¯s motorbike arrived at the entrance, a pink sports car pulled over from the opposite direction. Its door opened automatically and Tiffany walked out of the car in elegance. She was dressed in a long mesh dress embroidered with lisianthus flowers. She looked elegant and exquisite. Upon seeing her, the fansunched at her as they yelled: ¡°Tiffany, Tiffany, Tiffany!¡± ¡°The prettiest supermodel, I love you! Please, could you sign here for me?¡± ¡°Tiffany, babe, please take a photo with m e. A swarm of fans surrounded Tiffany in a blink of an eye, and she stood out like a white swan in the center of attention. On the other hand, Charmine silently parked her motorbike and got down from it. Her supporters were less than a hundred people, and they did not dare get too close to her. She did seem intimidating, after all. She stood by the entrance like an unpopr newbie in this industry. ¡°A nobody like her actually tries topete with our Tiffany? She¡¯s just trying to ride on Tiffany¡¯s fame.¡± ¡°I know, right? Did she even look in the mirror? How daring is she to shoot for Guci¡¯s fashion magazine? Is she unaware of her unpoprity?¡± The crowd mocked at her as they looked a t her standing alone. Chapter 63 Chapter 63 Tiffany¡¯s lips turned down into a frown. ¡± Please don¡¯t say such a cruel thing about my sister. She does have fans too. Look over there; they¡¯re her fans.¡± She pointed in the opposite direction, and her fans looked over to see ten or-so fans still standing there after most of them left. Since Tiffany had over a thousand fans here cheering, it made Charmine¡¯s side seem almost sorry. Moreover, since Charmine was new to the modeling industry, the fans did not know what to say, thus many of them left due to awkwardness. Tiffany¡¯s fans burst outughing. ¡°Hahaha! Are ten people considered ¡®fans ¡®? This is so shameful!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t she have eight million followers o n Twitter? Maybe she bought them with money!¡± ¡°Haha! That must be! She¡¯s the Diamond Boss, so surely she¡¯s got the money to buy fake followers!¡± ¡°So what if she¡¯s rich? She can¡¯t do anything great anyway!¡± They eyed Charmine in disdain and mockery, almost as though looking at a clown. Charmine was just about to speak as she removed her helmet, when suddenly¡­ ¡°Charmine! Charmine! Charmine!¡± Chants of her name were heard in the air. Everyone turned to see a swarm of people stampeding toward her. Some of them even ran and yelled: ¡°Charmine, I¡¯m your biggest fan! Can you tell me what you¡¯re wearing today? I want to wear whatever you¡¯re wearing!¡± ¡°Charmine! I¡¯m a reporter for S Royal Magazine! Can I please have an interview with you?¡± ¡°Charmine, look at me, look at me! I¡¯m the person in charge of Tina Jewelry! Could you please be our ambassador?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t bother you, Charmine, but I¡¯m just your biggest fan! Can you please sign here? It¡¯ll only take a few seconds!¡± A bunch of people gathered around her in enthusiasm as they handed their name cards and cards to sign on. Among the bunch were some celebrities, reporters, jewelry managers, singers, and even owners ofpanies. Every one of them was a well-known figure. 1 Were they all truly her fans? They cleared their schedules just to see her here? Tiffany¡¯s face turned green with anger. Although she had lots of fans, Charmine¡¯s fans were celebrities and important figures. Even when Tiffany was at her peak, she did not have these many important people or staff. 4 Tiffany¡¯s fans fell silent as they caught the sight of familiar faces, and they took out their phones to capture this historical moment. They felt rather lucky to have seen so many important people in just a day! The tables have turned all too quickly; Charmine was the one surrounded by people instead of Tiffany. `Why are there so many people? Did Kay ask them to off as she eyed her every supporter. She answered calmly to the fans, ¡°Please contact my manager if you¡¯d like to get in touch. As for signing¡­¡± She did not have a pen with her, but since these people kept shoving their cards toward her enthusiastically, it would seem hurtful to reject them. As if a thought urred to her, she epted all the cards and took out a lipstick from her bag to sign them. Between each of her dazzling gestures, her name was firmly signed on every card. The fans stared at her in disbelief. ¡°It¡¯s Guein Golden Diamond Lipstick! This costs three-hundred fifty-thousand bucks!¡± ¡°Goodness! I heard that the case of this lipstick is made of eighteen-karat pure gold that weighed a hundred ten grams, handmade with a hundred and ny-nine pieces of eighteen-karat diamond!¡± i ¡°Gosh! She¡¯s using such an expensive lipstick to sign on our cards?! She¡¯s indeed our Diamond Boss!¡± ¡°Charmine, sign for me here! Sign on my shirt!¡± Even some of Tiffany¡¯s fans ran toward Charmine as they begged for her three-hundred fifty-thousand This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. bucks worth of signature! Chapter 64 Chapter 64 Charmine did not reject any of the requests; she epted the cards with one hand and signed with the other. Her movement was bold yet efficient, her beautiful bright red signature exuded an air of unmatchable brilliance just like herself. Tiffany¡¯s nails prated deep into her flesh as she clenched her fists. She never expected Charmine could steal the limelight from her, and she became the clown as her fans left her for Charmine. Tiffany could not stand the feeling of being reced and forgotten; she was the center of attention moments ago. What happened? 1 She gritted her teeth but masked it with a gentle and caring smile as she walked toward her. ¡°Charmine, let¡¯s go. Guci staff members are waiting for us.¡± ¡°Please shut up!¡± An impatient fan waiting to be signed red at her for getting in the way. So what if she was the number one supermodel? They liked Charmine more! Though the crowd was hired by Anthony, they were genuine Charmine fans. These people did not like to be seen in public, but since they were already here, how could they waste such an opportunity to get her signature? i Tiffany¡¯s face had never been as stiff as it was right now. How dare these people yell at her? These were just some celebrities and singers, nowhere close to her level of fame. 1 Once she saw Tiffany was on the verge of snapping, Veronica ran toward her and grabbed her arm. ¡°Tiffany, why don¡¯t we go up first? Don¡¯t forget why we¡¯re here.¡± As she recalled her n, Tiffany slowly calmed down, though an evil glint could b e seen in her eyes. What was important during the shooting was to make Charmine lose badly; so badly that she could not stay in the modeling industry. As she went inside, Charmine nced at Tiffany¡¯s Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. silhouette and scoffed to herself. (Hah! Want to fight with me? Ignorant idiot!¡¯ 1 Charmine did not even have to n nor think of ways to win against Tiffany; there were always people helping her out. On the top floor of the opposite tower, Anthony and Chris watched them from the window with wide grins on their faces. Chris jumped in joy. ¡°Mommy is way too cool! These fans are working so hard too! Daddy, you have to reward them!¡± 2 Anthony nodded before he turned to Luke who stood behind him and said, ¡°Pay them double the agreed amount.¡± It was worth it, especially the person who red at Tiffany. Luke had on a puzzled expression as he frowned. These two were helpless. It was not only the young master who was crazy with this woman, even the chairman was tossing millions of bucks to support this woman. Was this a new trend of getting a wife? 2 Beauty could be so deceptive! Unable to hold back his thoughts, Nial went ahead and said, ¡°Bro, instead of spending so much money to support her, why don¡¯t you just buy her a gift?¡± ¡°Buy her a gift? Buy what? Does sheck anything?¡± Anthony refuted. Nial had his words stuck in his throat. After Charmine¡¯s identity was exposed yesterday, they had done advanced background checks on her and realized she had countless luxury cars, mansions, brands, and so on. There were even some unknown and mysterious fields on her identity that they could not get their hands on. ¡°It seems that my sister-inw isn¡¯t an easy chase after all. Bro, you got to be prepared for your failure.¡± Nial patted Anthony¡¯s shoulder. Anthony merely smirked at his gesture. ¡± The word ¡®failure¡¯ doesn¡¯t exist in my dictionary.¡± With that, he reached out his arms toward Chris. ¡°Momo,e here.¡± ¡°Yay!¡± Chris jumped into his arms. Anthony caught him, ced him on his shoulder, and marched out of his office. Nial frowned. What was his brother up to this time? Chapter 65 Chapter 65 It was only until she ran out of her lipstick that Charmine entered Guci Tower. All the staff members were waiting for her. The moment she walked in, Guci¡¯s manager approached her swiftly and greeted, ¡°Hello, Ms. Jordan. We¡¯re finally able to meet. Our makeup artists and photographers are all waiting for you.¡± ¡°Sorry for the wait.¡± Charmine had always treated the staff with a humble attitude. ¡°No, please, don¡¯t be. You¡¯re a person of importance with such poprity. We understand entirely. Someone will do your makeup while I brief you through today¡¯s schedule.¡± Guci¡¯s manager brought Charmine to the makeup room personally. Charmine sat down beside Tiffany and all the makeup artists, assistants, and hairstylists gathered around her. Tiffany clenched her fists as she saw them approaching. The manager did not even greet her personally; it was the assistant who brought her here. Yet, here they were, with the manager personally apanying her. Charmine was just a newbie! Why did she get better treatment than her, the number one supermodel? Veronica saw the change in her look and she quickly covered her up and retouched her makeup. ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it, Tiffany. Just do your bestter and get some pretty shots, alright?¡± Tiffany regained herposure. Of course, she was the number one supermodel; she had countless experiences of shooting for magazines. She knew the angles, poses, and the cameras better than anyone else. She would surely best Charmine and prove herself to be the prettiest. 2 The manager stood in-between them and announced, ¡°For this Summer collection, our Guci designers had two collections, and each of you would represent one collection. The shots will be published in the magazine, and the collection with the most sales would win this showdown.¡± Ili ¡°I¡¯m aware that both of you are the top models in the industry, and I¡¯m sure Guci¡¯s sales overall would reach a new and never-before-reached mark in history.¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll need you two to discuss who¡¯ll represent the Avocado Green collection and who¡¯ll represent the Ruby Red collection.¡± For this, Tiffany swiftly answered, ¡°Since Charmine¡¯s temperament is bright and bold, I think red suits her better, and red stands out more easily as well. I¡¯m sure red will be more eye-catching when published in the magazine, which would help the sales of this collection. I¡¯ll let you have this.¡± Tiffany¡¯s tone was so kind and gentle that the manager and staff members looked at her with awe and respect. They did not expect her to treat Charmine with such friendliness. Charmine merely scoffed. ¡®Does she think I¡¯m stupid?¡¯ she mused to herself. The Ruby Red collection was no doubt a queen-color collection; it would definitely stand out among the rest. Nheless, this was a summer collection shooting. In summer, everyone would prefer clothes in lighter shades, especially the light shade of avocado; cooling and refreshing. If one were to inspect the streets, it would be a rarity to even see a person in ruby red under the hot summer¡¯s sun! ording to the statistics about human personalities, most of the people belonged to the ¡®mediocre¡¯ group. Only a few out of a hundred people had the tendency to enjoy publicity and attention, and only these few people were likely to buy something from the Ruby Red Collection. Needless to say, sales of the Ruby Red collection were most likely to lose against the cooling Avocado Green collection. Once she saw Charmine silent for a good while, Veronica stepped in. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Ms. Jordan? Tiffany gave you such a good color collection, so why are you still unhappy?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s so great, why don¡¯t you take the Ruby Red collection? I don¡¯t need your charity,¡± CharmineThis belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. refuted instantly. Tiffany¡¯s face stiffened. Of course she would not take on the red collection. Who would want to buy red clothes in summer? ¡°I¡¯m the elder sister, so it¡¯s on me to let m y younger sister have all the good things,¡± she replied after she mustered her kind persona once more. ¡°I¡¯ve always let you have good things since we were both young, so let¡¯s just keep it this way. I believe you won¡¯t let me down.¡± Tiffany walked to the collection and picked a few avocado green clothes before she left for the changing room. Chapter 66 Chapter 66 Charmine was only able to offer a small yet bitter smile; this would not have happened had she came in much earlier. As a result, she was stuck with the Ruby Red collection, and she felt rather vexed as Tiffany snagged the Avocado Green collection. To be involved in a showdown with this kind of person was a drag, through and through. The manager and his assistants could almost taste the hostility in the air, but none of them dared to ask too many questions. Since this was a showdown, it was expected that these two would have some sort of All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. tension. As long as the magazine shoot turned out fine ¡ªthat the hype and poprity of both collections were high enough and the sales of the Guci products did well¡ªthey were not concerned. Charmine was done with her makeup when an assistant pushed out a rack of clothes toward her. ¡°Ms. Charmine, these will be your outfits for today. The n is to start with thirty-two sets of individual portrait shots before we move on to take a joint portrait with Ms. Tiffany for the cover photo.¡± Charmine¡¯s gaze swept over the rack. Every piece of clothing was a vibrant red, all in various styles. There were long skirts, short skirts, dress suits, and jumpsuits. While the designs looked rather decent, the color on these clothes would make anyone feel hot and ufortable on a hot summer¡¯s day. Charmine¡¯s face was passive and stoic as she carried a set of clothes into the changing room. At that moment, Tiffany had already changed into her outfit and walked out of the changing room. She was wearing an avocado green mini dress, the sleeves of the same color in a chiffon design. Tiffany looked extremely refreshing and matched with a top-knot bun, the dress made her look youthful and innocentlike. Even the designer praised her, saying, ¡°The number one top model is truly the number one top model. The soul of the dress is perfectly interpreted!¡± As soon as Charmine walked out of the changing room, however, the once cheerful atmosphere soured a little as they had a small frown on their faces. It was because of the outfit; a chiffon jacket with its longsleeved design paired with wide-legged trousers that were long enough to cover the heels. Even though the outfit was made out of a thin and light fabric, it looked hot and stuffy. With a frown, the head designer scoffed, ¡°I don¡¯t know who decided to design a red collection for the summer collection. It¡¯s a waste of Guci¡¯s resources.¡± His co-worker did not respond but sighed deeply instead. In her opinion, summer was not merely refreshing but also fiery and vibrant. It was a shame she had forgotten that the warmth of the red color would create a sense of heat and stuffiness. Tiffany nced at Charmine, and her eyes twinkled. The Ruby Red collection was more suitable for an autumn release. s, it was ted for summer¡¯s release; no one would buy i t even if Charmine looked good in the photoshoots. Tiffany sweetly said, ¡°Sister, I¡¯m going ahead with my shoot. All the best with yours!¡± All the best with looking ridiculous; that was what Tiffany meant. Charmine ignored her and walked toward the photographer. Designer Bmitey followed her and anxiously asked, ¡°This collection might cause trouble for you. Are you sure you don¡¯t mind it?¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t even started yet. Are you that certain we¡¯d lose? A designer that isn¡¯t confident in her designs can¡¯t be a good designer,¡± came Charmine¡¯s confident reply. ncing at herself in the mirror, Charmine thought her designs were rather excellent. The workmanship was excellent, and the material was of superb quality. When she walked in it, it looked very elegant and even gave a pleasantly resplendent feeling. Furthermore, the sleeves were edged with delicate see-throughce, and i t subtly revealed the person¡¯s arms. It looked refreshingly unique. Something was missing, though¡­ ¡°I can help you if you want to win, but I¡¯ll need you to make some alterations to these clothes.¡± Once she finished speaking, Charmine picked up the scissors beside her and started snipping away. The entire photoshoot team was wide-eyed with shock, especially designer Bmitey! She felt like her heart was breaking into pieces. Those were the clothes she ved over to create. Each piece was a result of her blood, sweat, and tears, yet here Charmine was¡ªcutting them! Chapter 67 Chapter 67 Designer Bmitey had hoped people would still see the beauty in her design, though it was not refreshing enough for the summer. It would have made Bmitey happy if just a few liked her pieces, yet Charmine was snipping off at her work! That piece of clothing was destroyed just like that! The manager looked a little ufortable as well. Charmine might be the boss with diamonds, but she¡ª at this moment¡ªwas the endorsement model for Guci. How could she destroy Guci¡¯s specially crafted clothes? At that moment, Charmine straightened her body and tossed the excess fabric aside with the scissors. In an instant, everyone stared in surprise as their jaws dropped. The outfit that was originally long and expansive became a high-waisted outfit after Charmine¡¯s alteration. The altered clothing showed off Charmine¡¯s slender and sexy waist. The long, wide pant legs of the outfit were slit up the side; her elegant long legs would be exposed with just a gentle breeze. It was like a tease. The original outfit was loose and baggy, yet it was transformed into a much more refreshing piece. It even gave off an unspoken sense of coquettish beauty. Designer Bmitey¡¯s momentary heartache turned into emotional happy tears. She had intended her collection to be ethereal, free-flowing red clothes, which was why she designed the long trouser legs and included the long sleeves. However, in her moment of inspiration, she had forgotten to include elegance and eye-pleasing beauty in her designs. Seeing Charmine¡¯s alterations, the clothes looked even more free-flowing and ethereal in such a short time that she was astounded. Overwhelmed with emotions, Bmitey gushed, ¡± It¡¯s perfect! Absolutely perfect! Charmine, you¡¯re truly a genius!¡± Charmine kept her calm and serious demeanor a s she walked to the center of the set and said, ¡± Let¡¯s begin.¡± The photographer snapped out of it and started his task. Most models always required him to prompt them so they could change poses, but Charmine skillfully shifted from pose to pose, holding them for the perfect amount of time. She held each pose for a couple of seconds, just enough time for the photographer to get his shot before she changed her stance. Charmine knew how to present the clothes betterThis belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. than the designer herself: She pretended t o walk, allowing the wide trouser legs to flutter freely in the wind; she lifted her hand to touch her hair, theceedged sleeves of her top showcased well; she sat at an angle with her legs slightly bent, her white and long shapely legs revealed in the process. 1 Each and every pose was exquisitely beautiful. Astoundingly beautiful! All 32 sets of outfits¡ªeach altered to Charmine¡¯s specifications under her masterful eye¡ªshowed amazing results on the camera. Designer Bmitey was so overwhelmed that she could cry. She had a good feeling her collection would sell well this time! The shoot went on untilte in the afternoon. ¡± Have a moment to rest,¡± said the assistant to Charmine. ¡°Once Miss Tiffany is done with her photoshoot, you guys can take your joint photoshoot. It¡¯s a wrap after that.¡± Charmine sat in the lounge, enjoying the drinks that they provided. Veronica swept a nce at her and could not stop herself fromughing. ¡°0 h, you¡¯re done with your shoot so quickly? The photographer must¡¯ve been dissatisfied with you. You need to learn from your sister; she did s o well. Her photographer can¡¯t bear to put his camera down, which is why their shoot is still ongoing.¡± 1 ¡°Why would I want to learn lousy modeling skills from her?¡± Charmine asked humorlessly. Veronica froze when she heard that; she felt her voice was lodged in her throat. ¡®This damned Charmine!¡¯ she rebuked internally. At that moment, Tiffany was done with her photoshoot, and Veronica rushed to her side and walked her to the lounge to have a seat. One of the junior assistants came to serve her an iced drink while another started to massage her shoulders. She was like a noble princess; her entire being reflected a sense of refinement and elegance. 1 On the other hand, there was no one by Charmine¡¯s side. Tiffany took this opportunity and said, ¡°Sister, why didn¡¯t you bring any assistants? Ronnie, go and help massage my sister¡¯s shoulders. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± ¡°Yes, Miss,¡± came Ronnie¡¯s dutiful reply as she walked towards Charmine. Chapter 68 Chapter 68 ¡°No need,¡± dismissed Charmine, ¡°it was only a few photographs anyway. Are you that tired from just that? I¡¯m not as pretentious as you.¡± With that, Charmine stood and went to the nearby water dispenser for a ss of water. Tiffany was initially rxed in her corner, but Charmine¡¯s answer soured her mood in a n instant. Her face went red with embarrassment, but as she remembered she was the top model, she instantly recollected her cool. She took this opportunity and said, ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve been useless as an older sister. All these years at home, Mom and Dad had never let m e lift a finger. They were worried that I¡¯d hurt myself, and that¡¯s why I¡¯m so spoilt now. ¡°I admire you, dear sister. You¡¯ve had the opportunity to work hard on your own. Unlike me, even when I walk down the road, someone will always hold the umbre for m e. Whatever I want to eat, Mom and Dad will have it prepared for me right away. I¡¯ve told them before that they should treat you better, that you could be their biological daughter! What do you think they¡¯d say to that?¡± At this point, Tiffany purposely left it unfinished like a riddle. Charminepletely ignored her and focused on drinking her water. Without relent, Tiffany added, ¡°Mom and Dad said you were never close to them ever since you were young, and they never liked your temper or personality. Even if you were their biological daughter, they¡¯d still like me the best.¡± Tiffany¡¯s sweet, soothing voice carried a clear warning. Even if Charmine unraveled the truth about everything, what could she do about it? Even if she told everyone, no one would like her. Charmine did not get the chance to speak before Aunt Cherrie suddenly arrived. ¡°Ms. Tiffany, it seems my guess was right about you being here. Mrs. Jordan heard that you¡¯ve been working hard on a magazine photoshoot for the whole afternoon. She was so worried about you, hence she specially prepared some ambrosia and asked me to deliver it to you.¡± ¡°Mrs. Jordan treats you really well Tiffany,¡± came Veronica¡¯s offhandedment as she meaningfully raised her brows at Charmine. Veronica received the gold-ted container t o hand it over to Tiffany. ¡°Give it to my sister,¡± said Tiffany. ¡°She has never had ambrosia made personally by our mom.¡± ¡°Well, you have a point. Our Tiffany has had i t more times than she can count, so we¡¯ll let you have it this time.¡± Veronica carried the container and walked toward Charmine; her every action made it clear she thought Charmine was a charity case. Charmine mockingly nced at them and retorted, ¡°There¡¯s no nutritional value in ambrosia. It¡¯s got too much refined sugar, and overconsuming it could lead to conditions such as diabetes and hypertension. If you wanted something refreshing and sweet but much better for your health, I¡¯d rmend eating more fruits. They¡¯re high in vitamins and are full o f natural sugars which are better for you.¡± Once she had finished speaking, she nced at the ambrosia and shook her hand dismissively and disgustedly. Tiffany and Veronica¡¯s faces were as ck as a kettle. This ambrosia was made to sound like a disgusting dish! They were angry enough to choke her to death, but they were surrounded by people. Veronica was so enraged that it was hard to speak. Still, she managed to force out, ¡± Charmine, don¡¯t call the grapes sour just because you can¡¯t have them. Tiffany was nice enough to give the ambrosia to you. How can you be so nderous?¡± ¡°Ms. Charmine isn¡¯t being nderous, she¡¯s speaking the truth.¡± The Guci manager who had been standing at the side this whole time walked up and said kindly, ¡°In our country, not many people would eat ambrosia. The preservatives in most of the ingredients can be harmful inrge amounts, and the dessert has an extremely high sugar content. You¡¯re a natural beauty, so you should eat less processed foods,This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. especially those with a lot of sugar like ambrosia.¡± Tiffany¡¯splexion became even darker as her fingernails dug into her palms. She had never been so humiliated before. Why was it that every time Charmine was present, something bad would happen to her? She wanted nothing more than to choke her and watch the life in her ebb away. At that moment, someone walked in and said, ¡°Ms. Jordan, our chairman prepared a bowl of m chowder for you. He hopes that you will enjoy it.¡± Charmine¡¯splexion started to improve a s she thought, ¡®m chowder?¡¯ ¡°ms are a type of shellfish which are high in protein but low in carbohydrates and fat. They offer exceptional nutrient density, and they¡¯re full of beneficial vitamins and minerals. This includes iron, Vitamin B-12, and omega-3. You don¡¯t have an issue with m chowder, do you, dear sister?¡± Tiffany arched her eyebrows and looked at Charmine, and there was a twinkle of mischief in her eyes. Chapter 69 Chapter 69 Charmine¡¯s eyes swept across the assistant standing at the door before responding to Tiffany, ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with m chowder, but¡­ This m chowder isn¡¯t for you.¡± Charmine eyed Tiffany condescendingly before she turned to the assistant and asked, ¡°Since you¡¯re here, why are you still standing there?¡± The assistant instantly hurried over to Charmine¡¯s side and ced the m chowder in front of her. ¡°Ms. Charmine, please enjoy this dish,¡± came his curt response. ¡°Our chairman stayed by the stove for three hours just to make this m chowder for you.¡± 1 Tiffany was dumbfounded; the m chowder was not for her but for Charmine instead! Charmine was just a newbie, yet she already had a chairman preparing m chowder for her personally? That was maddening. Extremely maddening! Everyone in the room began to point and sneer at Tiffany while they eyed Charmine with admiration. Charmine received the dish and sampled the m chowder rather elegantly. The moment she tasted it, her taste buds were greeted with the fresh, perfectly seasoned vor of the ms. It was not oily and was utterly delectable. She could not believe that Anthony¡ªthe big-shot ¡®macho¡¯ man¡ª could make such a great dish. 2 Tiffany watched as Charmine enjoyed the dish, and she wallowed in jealousy. The m chowder doubled as a p in the face for Tiffany, and she refrained from letting the anger and embarrassment show on her face. ¡°Charmine, my sister, did you just ept food from a stranger without first checking their identity?¡± she asked in an attempt to mask her emotions. ¡°You must know that all men have evil intentions. ¡°epting his food means that you ept his courtship. From now on, you won¡¯t be able to get rid of him. If you really wanted to eat something, you could have Veronica or Ronnie get it for you. No matter what you want to eat, they¡¯ll be able to buy it for you. Why did you have to ept food from a stranger?¡± Tiffany¡¯s words seem to carry the tone of an elder sister trying to look out for her younger sibling; it was filled with care and concern. 2 Charmine then bitterly smirked at Tiffany as she replied, ¡°Oh, really? Can they really get me anything that I want to eat? In that case, can you get them to buy me an ice cream from La Dolce?¡± The concern on Tiffany¡¯s face instantly disappeared. La Dolce was an inte sensation and a famous restaurant in Burlington city. The people queuing at the restaurant could be as much as a few hundred each day. People would have to queue at least a couple of hours to even buy a n ice cream. When Tiffany did not reply right away, Charmine cocked her brows and added, ¡± Why aren¡¯t you This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. speaking? You seemed really serious when you spoke before. Unless¡­ You only said all those things for the people around us to hear?¡± 1 Tiffany¡¯s face blushed into a deep shade of purple as she felt the questioning gazes from the onlookers. She focused on keeping her calm and smiled weakly. ¡°Of course not! Since that¡¯s what my sister wants to eat, I¡¯ll make sure you get it. Ronnie, what are you waiting for? Hurry up and get it.¡± ¡°Yes, Miss.¡± Little Ronnie, who was in the middle of massaging Tiffany¡¯s shoulders, pursed her lips and left swiftly. `It¡¯s a scorching hot day. They must¡¯ve wanted me dead by standing in a queue for several hours. This cunning Charmine is too good at ruining people¡¯s lives,¡¯ Ronnie fumed to herself. 1 ??? After Ronnie left, Tiffany thought about business and turned around to face Charmine again to say, ¡°Sister Charmine, since you¡¯ve eaten the m chowder, wouldn¡¯t it be better for you to ask about this chairman¡¯s background and credentials? You should express your gratitude, at the very least. It¡¯s only proper t o do so.¡± This mysterious chairman had already helped Charmine avoid humiliation twice now. She needed to figure out who this person was! Charmine¡¯s lips curled into an attractive smile. ¡°If it were you, you¡¯d definitely need t o thank him. For me, however, there¡¯s no such need¡­¡± Charmine¡¯s gaze voice, ¡± After all, he¡¯s the assistant of Prince Simon Gray. As Prince Simon Gray is my subordinate, I don¡¯t need to thank the subordinate of my subordinate.¡± Her tone was haughty and arrogant. Charmine was lying, but she did it for Anthony¡¯s sake. If Tiffany discovered it was him all along, she would definitelytch onto him and never let him go. Tiffany¡¯s gaze turned icy as she turned to look at the assistant with an incredulous expression. ¡°You¡¯re Prince Simon Gray¡¯s assistant?¡± Chapter 70 Chapter 70 Prince Simon Gray personally making m chowder for Charmine? That can¡¯t be true!¡¯ thought Luke Reed, Anthony¡¯s assistant. At that moment, he felt Charmine¡¯s frosty re, a clear warning, and remembered Anthony¡¯s words that went, ¡®Whatever her demands, go along with it.¡¯ Hence, he replied, ¡°Yes, my chairman is Prince Simon Gray.¡± Tiffany stiffened in shock. She had originally thought that she could try and provoke or even seduce this mystery chairman. She never thought of this oue instead, and Charmine had embarrassed her again. Tiffany¡¯s heart pounded frantically in her embarrassment as she blurted, ¡°Veronica, help me to the changing room. It¡¯s probably time for thest shot of the day.¡± ¡°Of course! You¡¯re so professional when ites to work, Tiffany. You¡¯re not like some people who are only focused on eating,¡± responded Veronica as she cast a displeased look at Charmine and helped Tiffany to the changing room. Charmine rolled her eyes and paid no attention to them. She returned the container to Luke and said, ¡°Please tell him that he doesn¡¯t need to send me anything from now on. ¡°Tell him to pay more attention to the person he should be looking after.¡± Charmine had received things from Anthony twice, but when she thought of how he was spending his time and energy on her but refused to spend time with Momo, she still did not have a good impression of him. Since returning to the country, her aim had always been on business. There was no ce for romance or falling in love. Luke decided i t was in his best interest to say nothing, so h e merely nodded and left. The onlookers could not help but question what they had just heard, and they wondered about the meaning behind Charmine¡¯s words. Why did her words sound odd? Was it because Prince Simon Gray had fallen for Charmine, and she wanted to remind him to devote himself to Princess Verna, his wife? That was admirable of her, that was for sure. Charmine merely shrugged off the questioning nces all around her and walked into the changing room for her outfit change. ??? N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. This was the final set of clothes to be photographed, and it was also going to be the cover photo of the magazine. Compared t o the personal portraits, a twoperson photoshoot was more challenging. They had two concerns: They had to present themselves as best as possible and outdo their rival to draw attention to themselves. Tiffany had thought about this point and did her best to improve her appearance, touching up her makeup. When it was time for their joint photoshoot, Tiffany saw Charmine in her red dress and could not help but Compared to her previous outfits, this was a deeper shade of red. The sleeves were balloon ¨C styled short sleeves while the dress had a square neckline that hugged the corbone snugly. As for the bottom half of her outfit, there wereyers uponyers ofrge mesh skirts. Even though her outfit was Frenchinspired and looked luxurious, it did not fit the summer theme well. 2 In contrast, Tiffany was wearing a light avocado green-colored one-piece short dress with a sleeveless design. There wereces on her shoulders which made it look very sweet and delicate. The V-neck design allowed a faint hint of cleavage to be seen though notpletely. More importantly, there was a triangr cut-out at the waist of the dress, which exposed her snow-white stomach and cute belly button. She looked charming and yful. As they stood side-by-side, it was obvious that Tiffany¡¯s dress was the one everyone would want to own. At that moment, the manager announced, ¡°The mingo is your prop, so you can pose any way you like, so long as you both keep your peace.¡± ¡°We will,¡± responded Tiffany as she walked up to the mingo and straddled it. She stretched both of her legs out, and as the skirt only came up mid-thigh, her long and straight legs were revealed in their full glory. As she sat at a slight angle to the camera, one could see the curve of her chest and the creative cutout at her belly button. Tiffany leaned against the mingo casually, and the pose made her look like a lovable fresh-faced young girl. At that moment, she received a round of apuse from the photoshoot team. 1 ¡°Perfect! Utter perfection! Absolute perfection! Ms. Tiffany, don¡¯t you dare move. Maintain your position, and don¡¯t move a muscle!¡± said the photographer excitedly. He looked at Charmine and instructed her, ¡°Ms. Charmine, try to match andplement Ms. Tiffany¡¯s pose. Just make sure to avoid bumping into her.¡± `Avoid bumping into her¡¯? That was music t o Tiffany¡¯s ears. At this rate, Charmine could only stand behind her and find a pose toplement her. What pose could Charminee up with? Charmine would definitely dim next to her, and she would surely lose! Chapter 71 Chapter 71 Bmitey looked at Charmine fretfully; she was overwhelmed with anxiety. What was Charmine¡¯s n? Could she turn water into wine? This was next to impossible. Meanwhile, Tiffany was seated on a mingo, a sweet smile adorning her face as she did. She looked like an ethereal fairy, protected and unaware of the ongoings around her. The avocado green and pink-colored mingos made a perfect match. Thebination looked so aesthetically pleasing that one could almost forget about the midsummer heat. 1 In contrast, Charmine¡¯srge red top paired with a loose-fitting skirt kept her covered up tightly. Both her chest and legs could not be seen. How could she best Tiffany at this rate? Everyone present was curious, but the nonchnt Charmine merely turned to ask Tiffany, ¡°Are you sure you want to sit there i n this manner? Won¡¯t you regret it?¡± 1 ¡°Yes. Why not? Can¡¯t you think of any poses to match mine?¡± Tiffany replied. Though it was not so obvious, Tiffany¡¯s reply was Hmph. Was this even a challenge? Charmine merely sighed and held her tongue. She swung her legs over the same mingo and sat right behind Tiffany. Although the mingo wasying horizontally, Charmine could not spread her legs as wide as Tiffany did. After all, her long skirt was clipped between her thighs and she gave off a stuffy image. It looked like Charmine would lose this time. The crowd sighed. 1 Unexpectedly, Charmine reached out and held Tiffany¡¯s shoulders. Face entirely stoic yet elegant, she shifted her weight toward that hand. Somehow, she managed to do this in a graceful and elegant manner. The crowd was astounded. Charmine¡¯s pose basically turned Tiffany into a mere coffee table! 1 What a move! Charmine looked at the crowd and said, ¡± Let¡¯s shoot.¡± The cameraman regained his senses and immediately adjusted his viewfinder. Once h e pointed his lens at the pair, he started the shoot. Veronica had thought of stepping in, but after she considered the facts at hand, she decided against it. No matter what pose Charmine would strike, the N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. dress she had on still lookedplicated and heavy. There wereyers andyers of mesh andting; who would buy this dress? Charmine¡¯s expressions were outstandingly captivating, but Tiffany was doing just as great and was ssically attractive. Furthermore, the contest was topare who would rake up more sales for their collection. How could Charmine even stand a chance? 1 It was because of this reasoning that Veronica decided to stand down. ¡°Let¡¯s start!¡± piped the photographer. ¡± Ladies, please give me your best poses.¡± 1 With that said, he prepared himself to click his shutter. In a split second, Charmine used her other hand to flip back the heavy fabric of her dress. As the shutter clicked, the moment was frozen in time! The photo showed Charmine¡¯s body leaning toward the ¡®coffee table¡¯, while her face leaned on her other fair-skinned hand as she looked into the camera boldly and haughtily. Her clothes were heavy, thick, shapeless, and ugly, but she made it look like a million dors. 1 The best part was that her skirt was blown backward, and it mimicked movement that only a giant gust of wind could create. The aura she emitted was grandiose; she looked stunning! The photographer looked at the shots and eximed, ¡°Perfect! Perfect! Perfect!¡± Nobody would have imagined that a model could turn such a situation to her favor and achieve a desirable oue! As she sat in front of Charmine, Tiffany could not see what Charmine had done. She assumed the photographer¡¯s praises were for her. After all, she had given it everything she got. ¡°Was that good?¡± she asked coyly. ¡°Do you need another shot?¡± Chapter 72 Chapter 72 It was only after Tiffany spoke that the photographer remembered she was there as well. He took a closer look at the photograph. While Tiffany did well, the background was colored pink just like the mingos on set. Tiffany¡¯s green clothes paled inparison, and the eye could only notice Charmine¡¯s ming-red outfit. Her pale colors automatically made her fade into the background, and it looked as if she was Charmine¡¯s supporting prop. It did not help Tiffany¡¯s case that Charmine was leaning onto her as Tiffany looked into the camera with a smile, clutching on to the mingo¡¯s neck. Somehow, she managed to look like a dutiful and diligent coffee table¡ªa mere prop. The other interpretation to the photograph was that she looked like Charmine¡¯s ve or servant girl as she made way for Charmine. Nevertheless, other than the fact that Tiffany somehow became a supporting cast, i t was a perfect photograph. ¡°No need for a second shot,¡± assured the photographer. ¡°it¡¯s great! You can pack up.¡± Hearing this, Charmine retreated to the changing Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. room. After all, the oue was already determined. There was no room left for guessing! Tiffany looked at Charmine¡¯s retreating back with a slight grin. She thought that Charmine must have known she was at the losing end. If only she could get the photos earlier and humiliate Charmine to death¡­ As she thought of this, she walked toward the photographer. ¡°Mr. Peter, you worked hard today. Can I see today¡¯s shots?¡± she spoke, her voice kind and elegant that matched the beauty on her face. ¡°Of course you can. But, I¡¯ll have you know that this camera is really expensive and it cost me millions,¡± he reminded. ¡°Just stand at the side and I¡¯ll give you a peek.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Tiffany moved aside and exchanged a silent nce with Veronica. Veronica calmly walked behind her and took out her phone, pretending to y with it. However, her n was to use her phone¡¯s camera to capture the photo. Veronica did notice that Charmine¡¯s hand moved during the shoot, and it was clearly unprofessional. She did not expect Charmine would turn out looking good in the photograph. Both of them expected to see Charmine¡¯s ugly photo, but the photo gave them the shock of their lives. The photograph reduced Tiffany to a mere background actor, almost as if she did not exist. Charmine, with her flowing red dress, stole the scene! Her loose, red dress seemed to billow in the wind. It looked like she was in the midst of midsummer¡¯s wind beautifully. The dress looked so good on her that people would want to put themselves in her shoes. Even Charmine¡¯s solo shots were shockingly stunning! Of course, Tiffany¡¯s solo shots were not bad; she was eye-pleasing, fresh. Still, as theypared the shots, she looked like amon maid. The avocado green color made her look like she was part of the set. Tiffany clutched her heart, her fingernails almost digging into her flesh. How could this be? How could it turn out this way?! Charmine¡¯s clothes were all heavy, stuffy, and ugly. How could she have made it look s o good? If these photos were to be circted, it would be the death of Tiffany¡¯s career! Charmine would crush her! She thought of this and tapped on Veronica¡¯s leg, and Veronica instantly caught on. She inhaled deeply before she walked toward Tiffany and said, ¡°Hey, you did a good job with Charmine. This magazine edition will surely¡ªaah!¡± Before she could finish her sentence, her leg was identally caught on a wire and it sent her falling toward Tiffany. Caught off-guard, Tiffany knocked down the photographer¡¯s camera. Plonk! A loud clunk was heard as the camera fell onto the floor and shattered into pieces. Even the camera¡¯s SD card fell out and snapped into two! Chapter 73 Chapter 73 Everyone in the room was shocked, especially Peter. His camera was worth millions, and it stored a whole day¡¯s worth of hard work! He kneeled on the floor and cradled his broken camera with trembling hands. Though there was a small cut on Tiffany¡¯s forehead, it did not matter to her. Immediately, she hung her head low and continuously blurted, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry! I didn¡¯t mean it¡­! I really didn¡¯t mean it! Let me know how much this camera cost, and I¡¯llpensate for it no matter the cost!¡± ¡°How can youpensate me?! The camera contains all the footage from everyone¡¯s hard work today!¡± It was the first time Peter got angry at a beautiful As her eyes turned glossy, Tiffany kept bowing at everyone around her, apologizing again and again. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry! My manager didn¡¯t see where she was going¡­ It¡¯s all our fault. I¡¯llpensate for your camera, your photos, and even your advertising fees. I¡¯ll evenpensate for your sries; three days¡¯ worth of sales. I¡¯ll guarantee that my second shoot will be better than today¡¯s. Please, can you forgive me? I¡¯m begging you Tiffany looked very much pitiable, coupled with her faltering voice. It evoked a strong sense of sympathy for her. The manager heard this and forced himself t o calm down. ¡°Just arrange for another shoot tomorrow,¡± he grumbled once he managed topose himself. Good art would require the right time, ce, and people; all the stars need to align. He knew that such a perfect photo today might not be sessfully replicated tomorrow. His decision came from a ce without much of a choice; he did not have any. Tiffany saw the impatient crowd and bowed again. ¡°Thank you! I¡¯m sorry for creating such trouble. I¡¯ll be even more hardworking tomorrow!¡± She sounded humble and gentle, but as she lowered her head, no one could see the determination and fire in her eyes. She resolved that Charmine would not have a smooth photoshoot tomorrow! Charmine could not stay here anymore! At this moment, Charmine emerged from the changing room. The manager walked to her and said, with sorrow in his voice, ¡°Ms. Charmine, I¡¯m terribly sorry. Our camera and SD card have been badly damaged¡­ Today¡¯s shoot has gone bust. I¡¯m so sorry, but you have to do it again tomorrow.¡± ¡°What?¡± Charmine frowned. Tiffany hurriedly approached her and whimpered, ¡°Charmine, please don¡¯t be angry. It¡¯s not their fault. It¡¯s all my fault; I broke the camera. I¡¯ll cover your sry tomorrow and even give you an extra million. Please agree toe for the shoot tomorrow, and please don¡¯t be angry.¡± She looked utterly pathetic as she pleaded. Charmine nced at Peter who was sitting o n the ground. She swept together some broken pieces and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t do it tomorrow.¡± What? The crowd looked at Charmine with anger in their eyes. It was indeed Tiffany¡¯s fault, but Tiffany had apologized and even groveled to this extent. I f Tiffany¡ªa top model¡ªcould agree to a reshoot, whatThis belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. on earth was Charmine¡ªa neer¡ªthinking by refusing to reshoot? The manager sternly chastised her, ¡°Ms. Charmine, this was entirely unexpected, and we don¡¯t want this to happen either. It¡¯s very unfortunate, but the SD card was destroyed. They can¡¯t be used, and we have no choice but to reshoot.¡± ¡°Who said it can¡¯t be used?¡± Charmine walked toward Peter and took the SD card from his hand. The crowd was hushed as Charmine walked toward theputer. The crowd nced at each other nervously. Chapter 74 Chapter 74 Was it repairable? How could an SD card snapped in two even work? Tiffany¡¯s brows were raised, and she instantly chased after Charmine. ¡± Charmine, don¡¯t fool around. How can this S D card be repaired? Even if God is real, God can¡¯t do anything about this. Just give it to m e; I¡¯ll buy a new one for Peter tomorrow.¡± ¡°Just because God can¡¯t do it doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t. Now, get out of my way!¡± 1 N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Charmine shoved Tiffany away from her and walked toward theputer. She took a seat in front of the it. At that moment, her fair and slender arms looked agile and beautiful. Peter had already noticed Charmine¡¯s beautiful arms during the shoot, and seeing her in action improved his mood. Even if the SD card could not be salvaged, he knew he would get a good shot of Charmine during the reshoot. Charmine remained focused as everyone stared at her with bated breath. No one dared to interrupt her as they waited expectantly. Only Tiffany¡¯s breath began to shorten as she became more nervous. She knew all would be for naught if Charmine repaired the SD card, and it did not help her case that she incurred arge sum topensate for the camera! How¡­? How? How could she stop Charmine from repairing the card? Charmine ced the repaired memory card into the card reader and inserted the device into the lines of code appeared. As she noticed the progress bar inching toward its her fists tightly as she nced at Veronica. If they could only destroy theputer now, Charmine would not be able to repair it. Veronica shook her head; it would arouse suspicion the same type of damage happened twice. Ding! That was the sound that came from the screen. The folder contained all the photos taken today! Peter instantly burst into tears of joy. He walked toward Charmine and sped her hands in gratitude. ¡°Charmine, thank you! I¡¯m so grateful!¡± As a photographer, he knew better than anyone that the aura and mood of the photograph were super important. He knew that everyone needed to be in the right frame of mind and be ready. If they had reshot the photos tomorrow with the same photos and design, he could not guarantee that everyone would be in the same frame of mind. He might not even get the best shot. Everyone looked at Charmine, full of admiration. ¡°That¡¯s amazing! The photos are safely recovered!¡± ¡°Charmine is so amazing! What an all- star; amazing MacGyver!¡± ¡°Charmine, you¡¯re my role model! I¡¯ll only b e worshipping you from now on!¡± Everyone in the room praised her kindly; they viewed Charmine in a new light. Tiffany¡¯s expression turned extremely ugly. She had painstakingly nned this; now she would have to evenpensate millions in cash. Above all, she managed to make Charmine appear as the hero! She wanted to kill Charmine with her bare hands. This was not okay. She could barely contain her rage, and she knew she had to think of something else. Seeing everyone crowd around Charmine, she halfheartedly bade her farewells and left. ??? Tiffany kicked the grass at the roadside outside the building. The horrible Charmine had ruined her ns. She knew that the photos would ruin her career if they saw the light of day. She needed to clip Charmine in the bud before she grew more sessful. It was then when she saw a man carrying roses at hand, walking toward her, and Tiffany¡¯s eyes twinkled at that moment. Of course! How could she have forgotten? Chapter 75 Chapter 75 The approaching man was actually Julian¡¯s assistant, Oliver. It appeared Julian had resolved to marry Charmine. `As long as Charmine married him¡­ Well, any married woman would find it difficult to be a model, what more if she¡¯s pregnant¡­¡¯ Tiffany mused to herself, and her mood improved right after. ¡°Are these roses for Charmine? Better be nice to her,¡± reminded Tiffany. ¡°Yes.¡± Oliver lowered his head, but it was clear he was riddled with questions. He thought that Chairman Julian was supposed t o be dating Tiffany. Why was he pursuing Charmine now? Why was Tiffany not jealous but seemed supportive instead? All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. He knew he was in no ce to ask these questions; he was only here to deliver flowers. Not far away, a ck luxury car was parked a t the side. Anthony was sitting in the backseat with 99 red angel¡¯s trumpets. There was a card on top of the bouquet, and i t read, [You are so beautiful.] Anxious, Anthony asked, ¡°You think Charmine will like these? Flowers will work for her, right?¡± Nial nodded and assured, ¡°Of course! Women love flowers. Furthermore, these angel¡¯s trumpets are a perfect fit for her poise and stature. If she ces these flowers at her home, she¡¯ll think of you each time. This will be better than making her some desserts that she¡¯ll gobble up, no?¡± Anthony thought of the dessert he made for Charmine, to which she merely replied, ¡± Stop sending me these.¡± His face sank; it was the first time a woman he was actively pursuing turned him down. Why not give flowers a try? 3 At this moment, Charmine left the building. Anthony then straightened his tie and prepared to exit the car with the bouquet. Chris held up his fist from the side and chirped, ¡°Good luck!¡± Anthony nodded, but as he was going to get down of the car, he noticed a man¡ªOliver¡ªapproaching her first, and he handed Charmine the flowers. ¡°Ms. Charmine, these flowers are from Chairman Julian. They¡¯re imported roses from France. He picked out every single flower.¡± Oliver intentionally emphasized the fact that Julian handpicked each flower on his own, and his tone was full of haughtiness. He knew Charmine used to desire Julian¡¯s attention and pursued him in the past. She had to be giddy that Julian was giving her flowers atst. So what if she was this infamous Diamond Boss? She just got lucky and struck gold. He was sure that deep inside, she was still an unssy, uncouth, and good-for-nothing woman that would only be dependent on men. He anticipated a favorable response from Charmine. Thest thing he expected was for Charmine to dismiss Julian¡¯s actions as she scoffed, ¡± Julian himself picked out thesemon flowers? Wow, what bad taste he has.¡± She finished her sentence and walked past Oliver, bumping against his shoulder. Oliver was shocked. Did she just say Julian had bad taste? Did she not pine for Julian¡¯s attention before? Did she not want him to send flowers? Tiffany witnessed the exchange and was just as dumbfounded. She was surprised that Charmine did not care for Julian anymore. Did she not love Julian for fifteen years and went after him hopelessly? Now, all of a sudden, she did not want him anymore? 2 Anthony stopped in his tracks and looked at the bouquet in his hands. `Fresh flowers weremon¡¯? ¡®Picking out flowers¡¯? ¡®What bad taste¡¯? He threw the flowers into a nearby rubbish bin and eyed Nial sharply. Nial offered him an awkward, sheepish smile. ¡°Err¡­ I didn¡¯t know my sister-inw has such a unique taste?¡± At this moment, Oliver remembered Chairman Julian¡¯s instructions and ran after Charmine thick- skinned. ¡°Ms. Charmine, please ept this as a demonstration of the chairman¡¯s affection for you. If you have anything to discuss with him, please look for him directly to discuss it. Please don¡¯t put m e in an awkward position¡­¡± Charmine stopped in her tracks and looked a t him with a ridiculous expression. ¡°Do I have to sign an acknowledgment of receipt too?¡± Chapter 76 Chapter 76 Oliver felt an uneasy feeling stirred at the pit of his belly; he could not understand why he felt this way. Suddenly, Charmine raised her long leg swiftly, and with a sweeping kick, the sound of something crumpling could be heard. Just like that, the once fresh and vibrant angel trumpets were crushed by her force. As theyid on the ground, only bare stalks devoid of flowers were left in the bouquet Oliver was still holding onto. ¡°If we¡¯re done here, you should scram!¡± Charmine snapped at the still-rooted Oliver. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Charmine used to be soft and docile. When did she be so wild and willful? She was too much of a savage! Chris, who was sitting in the car, gleefully pped as he chirped, ¡°Mommy is so beautiful! That¡¯s how you do it! Daddy, you should hurry up and pursue Mommy. You still have a chance! Hurry up and win her over! You can¡¯t let the other guy steal her!¡± Anthony appeared to ponder the boy¡¯s words. ¡®Pursue her? How do I do that? With Charmine¡¯s personality, it was very likely that she¡¯d ignore me too.¡¯ Anthony looked at Nial, still unhappy, and said, ¡°I¡¯m not the one who is a self-proimed expert at rtionships. Why aren¡¯t you saying anything now?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Nial replied hastily, ¡°I don¡¯t know anything! I¡¯m only a driver right now; a very responsible and hard-working driver Responsible? Hard-working? Anthony¡¯s lips curled into a faint, amused smile. ¡°I have an idea,¡± he spoke as he turned to Chris, ¡°so just do as I say.¡± Once everything was over, Charmine walked swiftly to the car park. She hopped onto her motorcycle and was prepared to leave when she heard a youthful, adorable voice yelling, ¡°Mommy! Mommy!¡± 1 Charmine turned around and saw Anthony carrying Chris as they walked toward her. Chris¡¯ little body sat astride Anthony¡¯s shoulders; he looked small and cute. In contrast, Anthony¡¯s body appeared muscr and strong. A handsome man and a cute child¡­ It was a sight for sore eyes. Charmine frowned. ¡°What are you both doing here?¡± she asked. Her tone of voice made it clear that she was not pleased to see them. Anthony was already used to her frosty treatment and responded calmly, ¡± Thest time we met, you taught me a lot about looking after a child, and I remember every word. Coincidentally, Momo¡¯s kindergarten is hosting a trip today, and I took the day off especially for it. We¡¯re preparing to bring Momo to an amusement park.¡± Charmine¡¯s expression looked a little less stern. She was pleasantly surprised to know Anthony was learning from his mistakes and making a change. Anthony continued by saying, ¡°However, this will be the first time that I¡¯m bringing Momo out like this. Furthermore, we¡¯re going to a crowded ce, and I¡¯m worried that I won¡¯t be able to look after him well. This is why I¡¯ve especiallye to seek your guidance, to learn the methods.¡± 1 ¡°Well¡­¡± Charmine looked at his serious and earnest demeanor and started to instruct him in all seriousness, ¡°Momo is still young, so don¡¯t y anything that is too extreme. For example, the rollercoaster or the pendulum ride are both unsuitable for him. Another thing to note is that the amusement park is full of people, so you¡¯ll have to watch him carefully. You might lose him in the crowd if you¡¯re not careful. Also¡ª¡± Suddenly, Chris began to sob audibly. ¡°I¡ªI want Mommy to protect me! Daddy is a man, and he¡¯s not careful¡­! He¡¯s already lost me ny-eight times!¡± ¡°N¡ªNy-eight times? That¡¯s too often!¡± gasped Charmine. Chris pitifully nodded and added, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if we¡¯re out shopping or when he¡¯s at work, or whether we¡¯re at a banquet or a party. Daddy will always forget about me and lose me. I don¡¯t feel safe with him! I don¡¯t want to go to the amusement park with Daddy! I¡¯m not going!¡± ¡°Momo, be good. I¡¯ll watch you carefully this time. Moreover, this is a trip organized b y your kindergarten. All of your friends will b e there, too. If you aren¡¯t there, they¡¯ll tease you,¡± came Anthony¡¯s patient persuasion. However, as soon as Chris heard his words, h e started to cry even louder. It was like he remembered something and was traumatized. ¡°No¡­ No! No, I¡¯m not going! I¡¯m not going! I don¡¯t want to go¡­! No!¡± Chris sniffed and wailed. As he cried and struggled against Anthony, his little limbs flung in all directions. In the confusion, he jumped out of Anthony¡¯s arms andnded into Charmine¡¯s embrace. Chapter 77 Chapter 77 Charmine frowned as she turned her gaze to Chris, who was in her arms. ¡°Momo, what¡¯s wrong? Your dad cleared his day so he can bring you to an amusement park. Why don¡¯t you want to go? As long as you don¡¯t run around madly, you won¡¯t be lost from your dad.¡± Chris pitifully sobbed before he muttered, ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ I don¡¯t want to go to the amusement park anymore.¡± The boy continued to cry again after that. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Charmine was usually apathetic and unconcerned about anyone or anything. However, for reasons unknown, her heart felt like it could break as soon as she saw Chris crying. She hugged Chris even tighter. ¡± Momo, what happened? You can tell me. I¡¯ll give your dad a stern warning, and I won¡¯t let him bully you.¡± The boy sniffled before he replied, ¡°It¡¯s not Daddy¡­ It has nothing to do with Daddy. The reason the teacher organized this family trip was to have a family, with both mom and dad there with us kids, at the amusement park. The other kids will have their moms and dads there. Early this morning, Timmy called me to boast. He said that his mommy got him a bubble machine¡­! ¡°Momo doesn¡¯t have a mom. Even if I go to the amusement park, I¡¯ll still get teased. That¡¯s why I don¡¯t want to go! Momo would rather stay at home alone and cry instead of getting teased by the other kids i¡± Chris said this while crying continuously, and his tears ran endlessly. In only a short time, Charmine¡¯s shoulders were drenched in tears. Charmine could feel the trembles of Chris¡¯ little body as he continued to cry. ¡®He must be so upset,¡¯ she thought. She turned to Anthony and said, ¡°There are s o many women out there who adore you. I¡¯m sure the great Mr. Bailey would find a womanpanion for the trip.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve thought about that,¡± replied Anthony, ¡°but after looking at all their background checks, these women are desperate to just be Mrs. Bailey. If this is their motive, they might use Chris to get to me and do despicable things to him. For Momo¡¯s safety, this isn¡¯t a risk that I¡¯m happy to take.¡± 1 `Well¡­ It¡¯s true. Apart from me, which woman wouldn¡¯t want to be married to Anthony Bailey? If it meant that they could b e married to Anthony, many women would b e willing to hurt Momo,¡¯ thought Charmine with a frown, and she sank deeper into her thoughts. At that moment, she noticed that both Anthony and Momo were staring at her, and their gaze made the hairs on the back of her neck crawl. She swiftly blurted, ¡°Err¡­ I have matters I need to attend to today. I can¡¯t apany you to the amusement park.¡± Chris instantly wilted once more. ¡°It¡¯s alright¡­ I know Mommy doesn¡¯t like Momo. Momo must¡¯ve done something wrong, and that¡¯s why you don¡¯t like me. You should head home and rest, Mommy. Momo will leave you alone. I won¡¯t be a burden to you ¡­!¡± wept Chris while he let go of Charmine¡¯s hand. He started to take small steps with his short legs; he looked like a lost puppy. As he walked, he bitterly wailed, ¡°What did Momo do wrong¡­? Why is Momo the only one in the world who doesn¡¯t have a mom? Why does my real mom not like Momo? Why does Mommy not like Momo?¡± Chris¡¯ broken voice felt like sharp needles that pierced Charmine¡¯s heart, one after another. It hurt so much that she felt like her airpipes were lodged. She wanted to rush ahead and hug him,fort him, and agree t o anything he wanted. However, she could not. It was not possible. Charmine was done with the Jordan family business and was nning on returning home. There were still many things that awaited her attention, and she could not afford to stay out too long. Furthermore, the events from five years ago had already determined she would have no happy ending with them. She could only strengthen her resolve. At that moment, Chris¡ªwho had been crying as he walked¡ªsuddenly fell onto the grass as his entire being shook in pain. The sound of his crying intensified and he let out a heart-wrenching whimper as his mouth started to froth. 1 ¡°Momo! Momo!¡± Charmine cried out. Her every logic and reason disappeared into thin air as she sprinted and pulled Chris into her embrace. She was utterly horrified as she snapped at Anthony, ¡°What¡¯s happening to him? Hurry up and call an ambnce! Ambnce!¡± ¡°It¡¯s no use. Every time he gets overly upset, he¡¯ll start twitching. Unless he gets what he wants, he¡¯d twitch for about thirty minutes, though sporadically, before returning to normal,¡± exined Anthony as he retrieved Chris from her arms to ce him on the ground. ¡°You can go ahead and sort out your work,¡± Anthony added, ¡°don¡¯t worry about him. He¡¯ll be here, and his twitching willst for at least thirty minutes before it eventually resolves on its own.¡± `Thirty minutes? That¡¯s such a long time,¡¯ thought Charmine. Charmine stared at the tiny body twitching non-stop on the grass field and could not take it any longer. She grasped Chris¡¯ little hand and said, ¡°Momo, get better soon. I¡¯ll step in to be your mommy. I¡¯lle with you to the amusement park! Wouldn¡¯t that be great?¡± Chapter 78 Chapter 78 All of a sudden, Chris¡ªwho writhed and twitched on the ground mere seconds ago¡ªsprung up in joy as he cheered, ¡°Hooray!¡± H e then jumped right back into Charmine¡¯s arms. Charmine was speechless. ¡®How did he recover so quickly? This¡­ This feels like another trap!¡¯ The moment Chris noticed the shift in Charmine¡¯s mood, he stretched his chubby hands to hug her neck. ¡°Mommy, Uncle Nial said that my twitching is psychological,¡± he quickly spoke, ¡°so if I take some medication, I¡¯ll get better bit by bit. You promised me, so you can¡¯t break your promise now. You¡¯re coming to the amusement park with Momo! Adults can¡¯t break their promises, and they can¡¯t teach little kids to lie.¡± What else could Charmine say? She could only lightly pinch Chris¡¯ chubby cheeks and responded, ¡°You cheeky little devil, you. Rx! I promised you, so I¡¯ll see through that promise and go with you. However, in the future, you need to work hard so that you¡¯ll be a tough kid. You¡¯re tough as nails! You¡¯re not going to be beaten by a psychological sickness.¡± ¡°Okay! I¡¯ll listen to Mommy!¡± Chris eximed while smiling at Charmine sweetly. A short distance away, Nial was in awe at the event that unfolded. He could not believe their n worked. They managed to trick Charmine into going to the amusement park with them! All this while, his older brother knew how to woo the opposite gender after all. For the past 28 years, he was merely holding back and waited for someone like Charmine before unleashing his true potential! All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Nial hurried back to the driver¡¯s seat like a good wingman. Anthony opened the door for Charmine like a gentleman, saying, ¡°Please, Ms. Jordan.¡± Charmine carried Chris into the car and sat i n the back seat. She was about to tell Anthony to sit at the front seat, but she instantly noticed the tall stack of papers. Her words were instantly lodged at her throat. Nevermind. At least Chris was between them. Charmine put on her seatbelt then moved on to do the same for Chris. As she did so, she reminded him, ¡°Momo needs to be a rule-abiding citizen who values life. Every time you¡¯re in the car, remember to put on your seatbelt. This is a rule that everyone needs to follow.¡± Her tone made it sound like she thought very little of people who did not wear their seatbelts. Anthony silently put on his seatbelt, and even Nial in the driver¡¯s seat buckled his seatbelt without making a noise. The car started to move slowly, heading toward the children¡¯s amusement park. At this moment, Charmine suddenly noticed the trashcan in the car that had a heap of red flowers. She asked curiously, ¡°Why are there so many flowers in here?¡± The atmosphere i n the car became filled with nervous energy i n an instance. 1 Charmine was met with simultaneous answers: ¡°Our working partners sent them.¡± ¡°One of my admirers sent them.¡± ¡°The school sent them.¡± All three Baileys¡ªAnthony, Nial, and Chris ¡ªresponded respectively, and Charmine was bewildered. Whose flowers were these? I t was just a simple question asked by Charmine, yet why did the air shift into awkwardness? Anthony instantly changed the topic as he said, ¡°That¡¯s not important. You should have a look at this; we bought it especially for you. See if you like it.¡± Anthony retrieved an item and handed it to Charmine. Charmine received it and saw that it was a mask. It was no ordinary mask, too¡­ It was a Peppa Pig character mask! ¡°You bought this for me?¡± she blurted in surprise. What was going on in Anthony¡¯s brain? Was this a new method to woo women? Chapter 79 Chapter 79 ¡°Hey, it¡¯s not safe for you to show your face at the amusement park,¡± came Anthony¡¯s reply. ¡°It¡¯ll be better for you to wear a mask.¡± Charmine was speechless. What did he mean it was not safe for her? Clearly, the people who would be in the most danger were Anthony and Chris. One of them was dubbed the king of Burlington while the other was titled as its prince. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we have masks too,¡± Anthony said, seeming to guess what Charmine was thinking about. He took out two more masks and handed one to Chris. Chris took it with a big smile and quickly put it on. Already adorable as he was, the mask made him look even more endearing. Still, something seemed off to Charmine¡­ Something was not quite right. These three masks ¡ª Mommy Pig, Daddy Pig, and Peppa Pig¡ªwere clearly a family set of masks. Moreover, it seemed like it was bought beforehand! Did Anthony prepare this before she even agreed? She felt like asking him, but the car had already stopped in front of the amusement park¡¯s main entrance. Nial announced, ¡°Head on in, you guys. I¡¯m going to pick up a friend, but I¡¯ll be back to pick you guys upter on.¡± ¡°Sounds good,¡± replied Anthony as he put o n his mask and carried Chris out of the car. H e stood by the door and considerately held the door open for Charmine. All the onlooking girls started to scream excitedly, ¡°Oh, oh, oh! He¡¯s so tall! He must b e at least a hundred and ny centimeters tall!¡± ¡°Not only is he tall, but he¡¯s also such a gentleman! That¡¯s so attractive for a man to treat his wife so well!¡± sighed another. ¡°I want a car like that, Hubby!¡± demanded a woman to her husband. Charmine, who was still in the car, frowned when she heard the girls. ¡®Anthony is too much. Even with a mask on, he can bewitch s o many people. A bunch of nymphos with no brains,¡¯ she thought inwardly. As Charmine liked to keep a low profile, she ced on her mask before stepping out of the car. The three of them stood together. Anthony, with his tall figure, looked extremely refined and attractive. Charmine was close to 170 centimeters herself and gave off an air of vibrant energy. Standing in the middle of them was the precious child Momo, soft and cute. One look at him would melt a person¡¯s heart. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. They attracted the eyes of many as they walked together, and some even took out their cellphone to take photos of them excitedly. Charmine turned a blind eye to the antics of the onlookers. Since she had promised Chris, she was going to ensure he had an enjoyable trip in the amusement park. She held the boy¡¯s hand and reminded him, ¡°There are a lot of people in the amusement park, so be good the whole time we¡¯re here. Hold onto m y hand or your dad¡¯s hand, and don¡¯t run off on your own.¡± ¡°Mommy, rx. With you here, I promise I won¡¯t go anywhere!¡± Momo patted his chest and stuck to Charmine obediently. Anthony walked behind them. As he watched Charmine¡¯s figure from behind, his eyes darkened. This was the first time he had been to the amusement park with a woman. He had heard that an amusement park was the best ce to woo a woman. He hoped that his efforts would be sessful today. At that moment, Chris pointed toward the big Ferris wheel and gushed, ¡°Wow! Mommy, can you see that Ferris wheel? It¡¯s s o cool! Momo wants to go on it!¡± ¡°The Ferris wheel? Are you sure you want to go on it? It¡¯s not very exciting,¡± Charmine tried to dissuade him. s, Chris stood his ground as he said, ¡°It¡¯s exciting! I want to go on it, and I heard it¡¯s fun! Also, Timmy just told me that he rode the carousel with his mom and dad. I want to ride the carousel with my mom and dad too!¡± Charmine could only relent as she said, ¡± Okay, okay, I heard you. Stay here, I¡¯ll go buy the tickets.¡± ¡°No, let me buy the tickets,¡± Anthony chimed in. ¡°You can stay here with Chris, right by this tree.¡± Having said that, he grabbed onto her shoulders and gently nudged her under the tree. Charmine could feel hisrge hands on her shoulders; strong and capable. Even on this hot summer¡¯s day, his palms felt cool. She was flustered by his touch. By the time she regained herposure and snapped out of her little trance, Anthony had already walked to the ticket counter to buy the tickets. A small smile crept its way to her face as she gazed at him. This man was pretty darn attractive. Chris snuck a look at Charmine, and the corners of his lips curled up. It looked like his Mommy was notpletely against his Daddy. He giggled gleefully and said, ¡°Mommy, my daddy is better-looking than most other men. He¡¯s very hardworking, responsible, and has never been close to another Auntie! Daddy said that a man¡¯s pride isn¡¯t having a sea of women surrounding him, but it¡¯s to b e able to love one personpletely. To spend a whole eternity, just the two of you, i s the thing he said he¡¯d be most proud of.¡± Chapter 80 Chapter 80 Unexpectedly, Charmine burst outughing after she heard Chris¡¯ rather mature point of view. ¡°Momo, your attempt to make me fall i n love with your dad is too obvious. Did he teach you to say that?¡± she joshed. ¡°No, he didn¡¯t! It¡¯s real!¡± Chris used his doe eyes to distract Charmine so it would seem more believable. Charmine, however, ruffled his hair and said, ¡°I know you too well. I even know how many worms are in your tummy right now. You¡¯re still so young! How could you say all that if your dad hadn¡¯t taught you that?¡± ¡°Oh, but everything I said was true¡­!¡± insisted Chris with a pout. ¡°Daddy really said that.¡± Charmine could not resist reaching under his mask to yfully pinch his little face. ¡± Tell me the truth: How many girls have you said this to? How many women have your dad chased after?¡± she jokingly interrogated him. ¡°What¡¯s this? Is someone interested in me now?¡± A deep, husky voice was hearding from right beside her. Charmine raised her gaze and saw Anthony standing all too close to her! Her tilting her head to look at him nearly imnted her face into his jaw. When she inhaled, all she could smell was his clean, pleasant scent. Charmine instantly stumbled back a few steps and, with a re, she blurted, ¡°Who¡¯d be interested in you? I¡¯m just teasing the kid.¡± Charmine then snatched the tickets from his hand and walked toward the Ferris wheel, all while she held onto Chris¡¯ hand. Anthony watched as she stomped away, his thin lips curled into a faint smile. He was in n o rush; the days ahead of them were long. The amusement park was a famous luxury yground in Burlington, built to cater to the upper-ss society. Only 500 families in the entire Burlington could enter this well-equipped park. Due to this reason, there were not many people queuing for the rides. Chris cheered and danced excitedly as they approached the Ferris wheel. He pped his chubby fists together while shouting, ¡± Daddy, Daddy, get here right now! We get to sit on the Ferris wheel! I¡¯m so happy!¡± Anthony quickly joined them at the counter for their tickets to be checked. The attendant respectfully opened the metal fence to let them enter the ride. Chris held onto Charmine in one hand and Anthony with the other as he bounced joyfully. Charmine¡¯s brows furrowed as she asked, ¡± Momo, why do you like Ferris wheels so much?¡± `Wasn¡¯t this something that only little girls .?. .,? _. liked?¡¯ Charmine wondered. ¡®It¡¯s not even remotely interesting; you get to sit and only sit. What¡¯s so exciting about it that Chris is this happy?¡¯ 1 Chris cheerfully replied, ¡°Of course I like the Ferris wheel. This is my first time at the amusement park and my first time on a Ferris wheel! Look at how pretty all the passenger cars are.¡± `Pretty?¡¯ thought Charmine as she assessed the Ferris wheel. It waspletely surrounded by transparent tempered ss without a single decoration at all. A long blue leather bench was fixed on both sides of the passenger car. Though the entire passenger car was pristine and high-end, ¡®pretty¡¯ was not a word suited for it. At that moment, the Ferris wheel began to slowly move upward, and Chris who had been cheering and jumping around suddenly let out a big yawn. He lethargically sat on the seat beside him. ¡°It¡¯s more fun to stand when you¡¯re on a Ferris wheel,¡± said Charmine. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll watch it sitting down and stand up when it¡¯s a little higher,¡± Chris replied. Charmine frowned. Chris was fine a moment ago, so why was he suddenly disinterested? She did not press him any further and sat next to him. Anthony sat on the other bench as he looked a little ufortable. He took off his mask, and his strikingly handsome face was revealed. Even though she had seen his features before, Charmine was still blown away as she sat merely a meter away from him. Furthermore, as the passenger car was slightly narrow in size, her nose was filled with his fresh earthy scent. Her heart started to beat faster like it was trying to escape her ribcage. As they sat in such close proximity, the air seemingly held the idea that something¡ªanything¡ªcould happen¡­ Chapter 81 Chapter 81 Charmine tried to steer Chris away with a conversation. However, he dozed off on the armrest almost immediately! The kid that had been whooping to go on the Ferris wheel had finally wound down and fallen asleep! Charmine felt deceived. She wanted to wake him up but was stopped by Anthony. ¡°Just let him be. Whenever he has a seizure, i t drains him.¡± Anthony had even thought of reasons to defend Chris. Charmine took a back seat and remained silent. The Ferris wheel rose gradually, giving a bird¡¯s eye view of Burlington City. Birds glided in pairs upon the windows, igniting the mind to imagine romantic scenarios. Charmine showed little to no interest in the view. She went on look at her cellphone, giving Anthony the cold shoulder. 1 Anthony leveled his gaze on her with a frown and said, ¡°Hey, Ms. Jordan! Are you sure you don¡¯t want to enjoy this stunning scenic view of Burlington? Staring at your cellphone for so long is harmful to your eyes!¡± 3 ¡°Isn¡¯t this just a normal panoramic view of a city? It¡¯s nothing special,¡± said Charmine a s she did not even bother to look at Anthony. Anthony was perplexed by the reply. Nothing special? I thought girls love Ferris wheels, so howe she¡¯s turning her back t o this?¡¯ ¡°So what are you interested in then?¡± he murmured. ¡°Umm¡­ Drifting or skydiving!¡± answered Charmine, crossing her legs while continuing to look at her cellphone. Anthony¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Those were all the activities that he had never tried before. The conversation was efficiently ended there Along with the rise of the Ferris wheel, the other couples on-board were either hugging or kissing each other, while he¡­ Chris, who was fake-sleeping, tried to silently mouth a few words to give a hint to Anthony, ¡°Daddy, you have only fifteen minutes left! Find a solution! Quickly!¡± 2 Anthony¡¯s countenance fell. He definitely did not want to waste the remaining time he had left. Looking at Charmine ignoring him for her cellphone, what was he to do? As he also looked toward Charmine¡¯s cellphone, a lightbulb lit up in his head! He took out his cellphone and immediately texted Nial right after winking to Chris. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°Make the arrangements at the Ferris wheel.¡± Charmine was looking at the Phoenix Hotel¡¯s investigation report that Kay sent. Crack! Suddenly, the carriage shook vigorously. ¡°Aaaah!¡± The all thedies in the Ferris wheel screamed in fear and buried themselves in the arms of their male companions. Anthony had ever readied himself to wee Charmine into his arms in such a panic-filled situation. To his surprise, however, she was still sitting calmly. In fact, she even quickly pocketed her cellphone and shielded Chris who was still sleeping on the chair. `Is she even a woman?¡¯ Anthony stood stunned for a moment. The carriage was now shaken vigorously again. Thedies screamed yet again. Their voices were edged with fear, but Charmine kept her cool. This made Anthony¡¯s face fall. ¡®Is she always cool in such situations? Are all my efforts now in vain?¡¯ Anthony had never failed. The carriage shook again. This round, he rose up to sit beside Charmine. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, you have me.¡± He reached out and put his arm around her waist, attempting to protect her. ¡°In what way have I told you that I¡¯m afraid?¡± she asked, nearly jumping out of her skin at his actions. Chapter 82 Chapter 82 ¡°I know you¡¯re struggling with your fear but don¡¯t fear. I promise not to make fun of you.¡± Anthony pressed his chest further up against her. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Their bodies were close. She was now in his embrace. She was wearing a bodycon red dress today. Now, she could even feel the warmth of his skin. Her heartbeat elevated when their bodies pressed together. Him breathing so closely against her jogged her memories back to five years ago. She was sleeping in aa but could still feel that man¡¯s body in her daze. It was like Anthony¡¯s¡ª strong and robust¡­ `Damn it! Stop thinking about that dumbass. He¡¯s not evenparable to Anthony! `I¡¯ll definitely find out what had happened five years ago!¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of this. Let me go or I¡¯ll kick your head in!¡± Chamine said sternly. ¡°Charmine, there¡¯s nothing to be embarrassed about if you¡¯re afraid. There have been deaths in amusement parks before. Come into my arms and I¡¯ll make you feel safe,¡± said Anthony in all earnestness while patting Charmine on her shoulder. Charmine was speechless. `This guy is truly a devil!¡¯ She felt like stabbing a knife straight into his arm but could not do such a thing. Damn it! The carriages were still shaking. Thedies¡¯ screams were at an ear-splitting level. Anthony brushed across Charmine¡¯s back and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid¡­ Oh yeah¡­¡± He grabbed a ne from his person. ¡°This jade ne is an heirloom of the Bailey family. It helps to ward off demons and protect the person.¡± He put the ne on Charmine whileforting her. The ne was paired with a tinum crescent pendant. It reflected an absolutely exquisite and detailed design. With a translucent jade set it in, it was engraved with the wordings¡ªI Love You. At the inner edge of the crescent, there was a willow leaf that looked like an undting tboat. Charmine did not show her joy, but her heart thumped loudly against her chest. This was thetest couple ne by ELVNX this year. The design for the man was in the shape of a sun that could be paired with the crescent to make aplete circle. The leaf at the edge made a love shape when paired together with the male¡¯s design. With the moon and the sun, the ne symbolized, ¡®You and me together through the days and nights¡¯. How dare Anthony say that the ne was a Bailey family heirloom when it was an international award-winning design, limited edition to the point that there were only nine for sale internationally! How could it even ward off demons? It was just a normal jade. She attempted to take it off but to no avail. ¡°You can¡¯t take it off. It¡¯s a deadlock.¡± Charmine was tongue- tied. The designer of ELVNX was a pig-headed person. Had she not known that? ¨CThe gship ne could not be untangled once worn. It must be removed by a cutter, though the same design could be bought multiple times. This was unlike OHLY, the brand exclusively owned by her. Symbolizing tacky rtionship and mutual rtionship destruction at the same time, people who got jewelry from ELVNX were considered loyal lovers. He had just gotten to know her for a short time but was presenting her with an ELVNX. Bang! The carriage plunged and shook violently unlike before. With the harsh vibrations, Anthony and Charmine copsed onto each other, panting. Charmine quickly shielded Chris who was still deep in sleep. However, that pushed her off bnce. Together with the kid, they fell t o the floor. Chapter 83 Chapter 83 Charmine scrunched her eyes up tightly before she fell to the floor. Instead, shended in someone¡¯s warm embrace. ¡°Ouch¡­¡± It was Anthony. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. She opened her eyes gradually and found Anthony lying on the floor right underneath them. She could see blood blossoming from his shoulder. ¡°Are you alright?¡± she asked while picking herself up with Chris in her arms. There was a tinge of concern in her voice that she did not realize was present. ¡°You¡¯re worried about me, aren¡¯t you?¡± He smirked at her. ¡°Stop cracking jokes during a time like this, Anthony!¡± Charmine rolled her eyes. ¡°I just got cut by the ss. It¡¯s nothing serious so don¡¯t worry about it,¡± he said, trying tofort her as he got back up on his feet. Charmine glimpsed at his back and saw a minor cut. Fortunately, the rest of him seemed unharmed. This Ferris wheel was far too dangerous! She had to get someone¡¯s help. All of a sudden, the Ferris wheel was back to normal as she was trying to reach out for help on her cellphone. `What a coincident!¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s okay. Don¡¯t be scared,¡± said Anthony. H e thought she was scared out of her wits since she seemed a bit zoned out. His voice was warm, gentle, andforting. He was now feeling a bit smug since Charmine was worried about him. Chris took a peek and gave a small smile Yay! Charmine likes Anthony by ten percent now!¡¯ The ride had finallye to an end. ¡°That¡¯s all for today. Go back and clean your wound,¡± said Charmine as she carried Chris out from the carriage. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. It¡¯s just a minor scrape that can be dealt with a bandage,¡± murmured Anthony. It would be foolish for him to let such a date t o slip by! This was a now-or-never chance. Grimacing, Charmine said, ¡°Anthony, are you serious¡­¡± ¡°For Momo¡¯s sake then. You know he likes t o be with you and so do I.¡± Charmine¡¯s heart felt like it was filled to the brim by his words. ¡°Momo needs mommy! Momo doesn¡¯t wanna leave mommy!¡± Chris¡¯s eyes began t o well up as he started to grumble. ¡°If Momo was to separate from mommy, mommy might be leaving Momo forever¡­¡± Chris looked as if he was about to burst into tears. Her heart clenched at the sight. It was too hard to part from this five-year-old kid. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sweetie. Auntie likes you very much and will definitely y with you when there¡¯s a chance, alright?¡± she tried her best to blurt out some words offort. ¡°Really? Let¡¯s make it a pinky promise then, mommy!¡± Chris was now smiling through his tears while locking his pinkies with Charmine. What did she just say? She thought this would be thest time. However, it seemed like there would always b e a next time as she had to honor her promise with Chris. Things were not ying out how she had wanted them to at all. Chapter 84 Chapter 84 Fine. Just this once. She would make sure that there were no more chances again after the next time. Anthony and Chris looked at each other and smiled. This was a sweet moment of victory! Apart from managing to give her his token o f love, he had even found a way to call her on a second date! Perfect! Charmine was then sent home with the ne that had been unwillingly worn on her neck. It had slipped from her mind. On the other side, Tiffany did not head home after leaving Guci Tower. However, she drove herself to HollyOak Entertainment. HollyOak Entertainment was thergest entertainmentpany in the world with its huge pool of celebrities, singers, and models. Any popr artists that one could think of was under HollyOak Entertainment or its smaller branches. Thepany had the best resources and the best people, including PR general manager, ire Eastly. ire was a top-notch scorer in both PR and crisis management. There was once an ill-mannered celebrity who was renowned for her discourtesy and always bragged about her money. While she was a household name for her arrogance within the circle, ire managed to spin up her celebrity image as The Savage Queen¡¯, garnering favor amongst the public. There was also another case of a clumsy model. She had no skills in strutting the runway, but she was gussied up as the ¡®Aces Holder¡¯ by ire. She was able to use her tears as emotional ckmail, making others resent her for it. They received bacsh, but the celebrity became prominent across the globe. ¡°Only ire can help us in a situation like this. Pass this to her,¡± said Veronica while handing over the present she had just bought to Tiffany. ¡°Okay.¡± Tiffany took the present and walked into the office. ¡°Hey, Tiffany! Why are you here? I thought you¡¯re a homebody if things aren¡¯t work-rted?¡± ire weed Tiffany with a slight smile andugh that seemed to teeter o n the edge of a loud cackle. She seemed amused by her presence there. Tiffany¡¯s leaked nude had caused a devastating impact on her career. She was pulled out from 90% of her partnership while the remaining bob were just some general brands. ire suggested for her to keep a low profile and fly under the radar for now. She advised Tiffany to pour her focus into work in order t o turn the tides. ¡°Of course I listened to you. I went to the photoshoot for Guci Magazine today but was put into the doghouse,¡± said Tiffany while cing the present on ire¡¯s desk. That was arge, red lipstick box that held around 999 stalks of lipstick. Numerous top brands were inside, and some could even be sold at a six-digit selling price. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ire took a glimpse at the box and asked. ¡°You know that Tiffany puts her all into her photoshoots and they actually go well. Who would have thought that Charmine was in cahoots with the thieves that got ahold of Tiffany¡¯s pictures,¡± Veronica exined. She continued, ¡°Once the Guci publication goes live this round, I¡¯m sure that Charmine will definitely run over Tiffany again on her way to the top.¡± If one was able to hold the Top Model down, she would not be considered an unknown in their world. ire stroked her furrowed brow. She could hardly believe that Charmine could be such a capable and unbearable woman. A thought ran through her mind. ¡°It¡¯s just a photo. It¡¯s not a big deal,¡± she went on calmly. ¡°Veronica, bring Tiffany to the photographers and get her a couple of red costumes. Pose her just like Charmine during the shoot.¡± This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°You mean¡­¡± Tiffany cocked her head and asked. ¡°What do you think will happen if your photos are released tonight, right before the Guci magazine publication?¡± said ire. Tiffany suddenly realized what she meant. They could only steal ire¡¯s spotlight if their photos were published beforehand. This meant that when ire¡¯s publication was put up, she would be used of infringement and giarism. 2 What an excellent game n! She thanked ire profusely. ¡°You¡¯re truly the greatest PR! Okay, I gotta go now. I¡¯ll make sure the photos are far better than ire¡¯ s! ¡± 1 ¡°Go.¡± ire saw them off. Her eyes were misty and cloudy. It seemed that the more stared more intently into them, the more one would notice that they seemed to hold every color imaginable. `She must be a smart cookie. Tiffany can¡¯t even handle her. Looks like I have toe to grips with this and get her into thepany. Through her own means, she found ire¡¯s number and gave her a call. Chapter 85 Chapter 85 ire lounged on her couch once she got home. She wanted to get some rest but Simon kept bugging her with his incessant questioning. ¡°Boss, when are youing back? I really can¡¯t handle the Diamond Company by myself.¡± ¡°Yeah, your management keeps calling me t o keep an eye on you whilst we¡¯re still not allowed to make our debut. Do you know that it almost ripped my heart out when I got to know about your incident earlier today on the Ferris wheel?¡± said Kay, the cool man with grey-bleached hair. Simon gave him an eye-roll and continued, ¡± Even if the boss wants to head back, she should have come with me first since I helped her to solve her scandal. Get in line!¡± ¡°Oh, c¡¯ mon! Know your ce. The scandal started because of you. You¡¯ve barely redeemed yourself!¡± snorted Kay. While they were about to get into a fight, Charmine uttered, ¡°She¡¯ll stay here for at least three months. You guys may as well just give up.¡± Three months. This made Simon throw his arms up in despair. It was very exhausting to handle Charmine¡¯s previous affairs while maintaining her target performance at the same time. Kay was in agony. For three months, he had t o be an undercover bodyguard. A bodyguard who could only watch his boss secretly without being able to even fight back for her during danger. He would rather get into a fight if he were given a chance. ¡°Boss Jordan, don¡¯t you just want to settle Tiffany? Just say the word and I¡¯ll settle her without leaving any evidence behind.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not as easy as you think it is,¡± Charmine said as she slowly opened her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t poke your nose into this. Just mind your own business.¡± Joey and others still liked Tiffany even though she had her nude scandal. Problems were always easy to be resolved but not perception. Suddenly, Charmine¡¯s cellphone rang. Kay and Simon looked at each other, curious who it was. There were not many people who knew Charmine number. Who could the caller be? ¡°Charmine, this is the PR general manager o f HollyOak Entertainment, ire Eastly. I think you¡¯re quite promising. Perhaps you cane over to my office some time so we can talk about signing you to mypany,¡±manded ire, full of pride over the phone. Everybody knew who ire Eastly was. People were always hoping that ire would make a star out of them. She had never signed any celebrity by herself before. This was her exception, and she believed Charmine would appreciate it. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. ¡°HollyOak Entertainment? ire Eastly? Who?¡± Charmine squinted her eyes, trying hard to recall the name while asking the rest of them who were present. Every word stung, fueling the fire that burned inside ire. Her face was red with suppressed rage. `How could she not even know about ire Eastly and HollyOak Entertainment?¡¯ ¡°We¡¯re the toppany in the entertainment industry. We have most of the popr celebrities, and ny percent of the best actress award are given to us,¡± exined ire. ¡°You¡¯re lucky that you caught my eye. I can make a star out of you,¡± said ire with her chin held up high. She was as proud as the devil. ¡°So I¡¯ll be the ten percent then,¡± said Charmine in a rather t tone. ire was annoyed. ¡°Charmine, stop getting over yourself! Money can¡¯t buy everything. It¡¯s not as easy as you think if you want to be in this industry. You¡¯ll need to have a professional team to climb to the top.¡± Chapter 86 Chapter 86 #¡±¡­ Look at Amelia. She started with little to nothing and was always clumsy at first. I was able to make a star out of her¡­¡± ¡°Ahh! I see you¡¯re the one who brought out Amelia. I¡¯m sorry to tell you that I don¡¯t keeppany with hypocrites.¡± Charmine hung up the phone. She had always known how audiences were deceived by the entertainment industry. However, she was always butting heads with people like ire. A goodpany should always promote goodness and capable people instead of characterizing incapable celebrities through falsification, equivocation, or concealment t o cheat the audiences. Ding! It was a text from ire. [Charmine, you¡¯d better take a moment to think about this. I¡¯ll let you know the real pleasure and happiness you¡¯d have by being i n HollyOak Entertainment! Charmine just ignored the text. ¡°Have you ever thought of establishing an entertainmentpany?¡± she asked Eric. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. For a moment Eric was too stunned to say anything. He knew that others would be in cloud nine at this suggestion but not him. ¡°Look, Charmine. I don¡¯t want to get into a long and dragged out fight with you over this. I already have enough problems handling one artiste¡ªyou. Therefore, let¡¯s just forget about it, okay?¡± `How dare Eric rejects Charmine. He¡¯s so stubborn!¡¯ Kay and Simon were speechless. ¡°C¡¯mon, Eric. I¡¯ve even thought of the name. The RisingHawk Entertainment!¡± she insisted. A hawk that stood above the oak tree. This symbolized that they are always on top of HollyOak Entertainment. What a perfect name! It felt like they would have to agree with Charmine on the idea or their lives would be at stake if they even tried to retaliate against her. ¡°Hello, you mentioned that you wanted to establish an entertainmentpany earlier, right? I¡¯m all in now!¡± Charmine said excitedly over the phone. ¡°Really?¡± The guy on the other end was astounded. He continued, ¡°It seems like someone finally knows how to appreciate the pretty girls and boys in the entertainment industry, huh!¡± ¡°Hey, I¡¯m serious about this. I¡¯ll mail you the details in a short while. Get it done once you¡¯ve received it.¡± Charmine immediately sent the mail after she hung up the call. She has gotten all the objectives, targets, capital investments, and other details she could think of before sending it. She also left a remark jotted at the end of the mail¡ªto poach the capable and distinctive celebrities from HollyOak Entertainment! Eric¡¯s reflective gaze searched her face, his brows furrowed with concern. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re gonna pass this to Rio to handle? Rio was Joey¡¯s nephew. He was also Charmine¡¯s cousin who was unambitious but always liked to chase after girls. The family had considered him as a shame to the family name. Taking a jog down memoryne when Charmine was at her rock bottom. Rio was the only one in the family who had faith in her. He believed that she would never cheat, and that was the reason why he was the only one that Charmine continued to keep contact with in the family within those five years. Although Rio could be like a d*ckhead, he was very faithful. He would never spill the beans of Charmine¡¯s business. Furthermore, he was bold. He could be a talent if he was nurtured earnestly. Charmine was always a visionary. She quickly jumped into business nning with Rio right after she sent off Kay and Simon. ¡°If thepany is suffering a loss, then you¡¯ll have to say goodbye to me forever. However, if the company is making money, you¡¯ll get a ny percent share of the profit!¡± Rio was dumbstruck after he heard of the lucrative pay. It was npm and he was pumped to wee the business to the stage! Just when Eric was about to leave after settling arrangements with Charmine¡¯s work schedules, he was startled by a news report. ¡°Charmine! We¡¯re in trouble! The Guci photoshoot is gone!¡± ¡°What?!¡± Her face washed nk with confusion. Chapter 87 Chapter 87 She was just about to hit the sack after the long day but was now bent out of shape by the news. Eric did not say anything. He merely handed his cellphone to her. It was Tiffany¡¯s Twitter. On her ount was a photoshoot of herself in red, posing simrly as Charmine. She even copied the iconic pose of Charmine¡¯s cover photo. In the photo, she was looking over her shoulder with her gaze drawn to her nose. Sitting confidently, she rotated her hand forward, lowering her shoulder slightly as she tilted her head. Everyone could see the attractive outline between her torso and arm. She was removing her shyness with that red, looking like an absolute killer. [You¡¯re so beautiful! [Love this p [Tiff! You really nailed this red dress! In just a blink of an eye, the photo was flooded with tons ofments. The media and potential sponsors were now all over her. ¡°So now she¡¯s even trying to make a ssh b y transforming her look.¡± Her eyes flickered with annoyance. She knew that people would no longer be impressed by the time she published her Guci photoshoot. They would even think that hers was giarism. If she was to y off against Tiffany, her fans might have her sacked from the industry. Eric was worried, ¡°This is messy. Guci is the second brand you took up aftering here. If everything goes smoothly, it¡¯ll secure your throne. Plus, we¡¯ll be having the morous Night Annual Dinner next month. If the Guci editorial wasn¡¯t in jeopardy right now, you may have won ¡®The Best Artiste¡¯. Looks like you¡¯ve dodged a bullet now that¡¯s been sent by Tiffany.¡± ¡°No worries. She won¡¯t have her way.¡± Charmine¡¯s eyes glinted with hope, her red lips curled up in such a sardonic way. ¡°Where are you going sote at night?¡± Eric frowned when he saw Charmine put on her heels. ¡°It has nothing to do with Tiffany so don¡¯t worry. Let¡¯s go!¡± she answered, leaving Eric hanging in suspense. A luxury car stopped by at the underground parking lot. Anthony sat at the passenger seat with an earring in his hand. It was probably the earring that Charmine identally dropped in the car earlier today. Anthony immediately got Nial to send him here after he put Chris to bed. Ding. ¡°Brother, look!¡± shouted Nial. It was Charmine and Eric, walking out from the lift side by side. He opened the passenger seat door for Charmine to enter. Anthony¡¯s heart cracked a little. Charmine did not show reluctance when she was with Eric. However, she always turned her back to him in the passenger seat. ¡°Who¡¯s he?¡± he asked, eyes glistening. ¡°I¡¯ve been researching this guy but to no avail. What I do know is that he¡¯s the one who came back with Charmine from Africa and currently handles all aspects of Charmine¡¯s career.¡± Nial furtherforted him by saying, ¡± However, I can assure you that they¡¯re not a couple.¡± N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. ¡°Ah! But that¡¯s only the present situation and not the future, right?¡± He could not help it when his heart turned green with envy at seeing Charmine get along with another guy so happily. Chapter 88 Chapter 88 Anthony would need to work harder. On the other side, Eric drove his car to Moon Studio. Moon Studio served as a studio that exclusively did photoshoots for celebrities or even the international blockbuster in Burlington. They were weed by Mingail, the person-in-charge of Moon Studio, upon their arrival. ¡°Hey, Eric. You¡¯re here,¡± said Mingail with a bright smile on her face. ¡°Yeah! We need your ce to take a photoshoot or two. Would that be troubling you?¡± Eric asked politely. 1 ¡°Not at all, no worries. We have all the props and costumes avable, so feel free to use them.¡± Mingail shook her head while scrutinizing Charmine from head to toe. Eric brought Charmine to the wardrobe. She picked an avocado green dress and tied her hair up in a ponytail. ¡°Let¡¯s start now,¡± said Charmine to Eric. ¡°You sure you don¡¯t need any makeup or styling?¡± he asked. 1 ¡°No. Make me look as mediocre as possible,¡± said Charmine sternly as she walked toward the backdrop. The backdrop was white, as dull as dishwater. Eric did not get why Charmine would prefer a mediocre shot when others would usually want to be at their best. 1 Tiffany¡¯s pictures were morous. Did Charmine not want to be on top of her? Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. ¡°Charmine, are you trying to smash the cracked pot?¡± ¡°Do I look like that¡¯s what I¡¯m trying to do?¡± Charmine rolled her eye. ¡°Just get the shot done. Put them up online after some rough edits. You¡¯ll know my intentions three dayster,¡± Charmine continued, stumping him. He knew that Charmine would not let the cat out of her bag, so he decided not to ask further and just do as he was requested to. During the shoot, Charmine posed herself either sitting on the floor, pretending to yawn nonchntly a few times, or casually holding onto her chin. With no makeup, she looked in. Not to mention, the avocado green dress made her seem like any other ordinary bystander. ¡°Look, Charmine. Are you sure you want to publish this?¡± asked Eric, who was unable to suppress his disagreement any longer. ¡°Yes, as soon as possible. Remember, only rough edits.¡± She tapped Eric on his shoulder to stress that this was what she wanted. It had been such a long time since she had burned the midnight¡¯s oil this way. She was drained after the shoot and could not help constantly yawning after she left the studio. Out of the blue, a ck sports car stopped right next to her. Behind in the passenger¡¯s seat was a muscr figure who was moving forward to open the door. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Charmine asked curiously when she saw him. Chapter 89 Chapter 89 Anthony stepped forward. ¡°I just happened t o be passing by. I can help drop you off if you need since it¡¯s along the way,¡± he said in a rich and jovial voice while holding the door open for her. Charmine immediately frowned and mentioned, ¡°If I remember correctly, you¡¯re staying at The Pce Heart, am I right? I¡¯m staying at the Violet Vi which is a few kilometers away from you. How exactly would my ce be along the way?¡± While hearing her question, Anthony teased, ¡°You know where I¡¯m staying. It seems like you are interested in me and did your research thoroughly.¡± ¡°Tsk! You¡¯re overthinking it.¡± While rolling her eyes at him, Charmine continued, ¡± You¡¯re Burlington¡¯s Prince. Everyone knows you live in thatnd of gold. People talk about you no matter where you go.¡± Anthony was dismayed. He would have to pay attention to his reputation so that she would not hear anything unsavory about him. ¡°I¡¯ll be passing by. Plus, you made a promise with Momo this afternoon, right? Therefore, we¡¯re still friends.¡± He then bowed slightly in a gentlemanly manner before ushering her into his car. She was reluctant to ept the ride but was aware that she came here with Shane¡¯s Ferrari. Shane was supposed to be on a date with Mingail now. Charmine was in a dilemma about what to do. Eventually, she got into the passenger seat. Anthony was over the moon as things were going his way. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. The deste streets of the city rested in silence as the starry ck sky wept over them. The car moved under the glow of the bright yellow streetmps. On their way to Violet Vi, Anthony could not help but gaze at Charmine. As the silvery -white moonlight rested upon them, the ne resting on her corbones could be seen so clearly. Her beauty almost took his breath away. He thought she would have taken it off but to his surprise, she still had it on her neck. He wanted to chat with her but noticed she had immediately dozed off. She must have been exhausted. Laying on her side, she curled up on the seat. Her sleeping posture showed how uneasy she felt. She might look remorseless during the day but deep inside, he knew she was quite the insecure person. Anthony¡¯s heart ached a little for her. He reclined the seat so that Charmine could rest well. He slowed down his car, hoping that the smooth drive would allow her to rest well. It would usually be a half an hour drive but it now took an hour. The car stopped by the Violet Vi¡¯s basement parking lot. After turning off the engine, he decided not t o wake her up. Instead, he covered her with a nket. Charmine was startled awake, a vignt look in her eyes. She immediately grabbed Anthony¡¯s wrist in an attempt to disarm him. Her hand was soft and slender. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s me,¡± said Anthony. Charmine¡¯s cold-eyed stare immediately faded after realizing it was Anthony. However, she remained apathetic toward him. ¡°Thanks for the ride.¡± Charmine lifted the nket and sat up. ¡°Do you want to invite me inside¡­¡± Bang! She mmed the door shut before he ended his sentence. Charmine got out from the car and left. Chapter 90 Chapter 90 Anthony was in no hurry. He still had his whole life ahead of him. Charmine was dead tired. As soon as she got home, she immediately hit the sack. She had spent most of the day shooting for a magazine, going to the amusement park in the afternoon, establishing RisingHawk Entertainment in the evening, before going for an impromptu photoshootter that night. No wonder she was so worn out. After switching her phone to airne mode, she was out like a light. As Charmaine slept soundly, Eric was pulling his hair out. He uploaded some slightly retouched pictures ording to Charmine¡¯s request but was criticized heavily in thements. Even her most loyal fans were not backing her up. [Boss Jordan, I¡¯d really love to sit at your feet and worship you forever. However, this set of photos are really mediocre. I can¡¯t even!] [Hey you up there, don¡¯t be so dramatic. I think the white background is sorta meant t o represent purity.] N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. This silenced all the othermenters. Eric felt as though his head was going to explode. He did not know what Charmine was up to. He wanted to help but he had no idea how to do so. He looked on helplessly as Charmaine got ripped to shreds. As her manager, he felt ipetent. Mingail poured him a ss of water and reminded him out of concern, ¡°Eric, it¡¯s already one o¡¯clock.¡± ¡°Yeah, sorry for troubling you.¡± Eric kept his phone and stood up before he turned to her and said, ¡°Thanks for today. I¡¯ll buy you dinner some time.¡± ¡°Okay. You¡¯re the one who said it. Now please go home and rest earlier.¡± Mingail smiled. Eric turned around and left. Mingail looked at him as he walked away, her hands balling up slightly. He was always so polite to her. If it was not for the photoshoot, he would not havee to her. After he was long gone, Mingail finally came back to her senses. She took out her phone and started flipping through her contacts. On her screen was Tiffany¡¯s number. She hesitated. After struggling for a while, she threw her phone toward the couch. She could not hurt his friend, even if she was her love rival. Even without her tip, Tiffany would still receive a call from Veronica. ¡°Tiffany, turn on yourptop! Look at Charmaine¡¯s Twitter and see if you can figure out what she¡¯s doing.¡± Tiffany frowned. Bewildered, she asked, ¡± What¡¯s going on?¡± She turned on herptop and logged into her Twitter. Veronica said, ¡°Well, to summarize, she took some photos but in such an unusual way¡­ I don¡¯t know how to exin it to you. Just take a look at them yourself!¡± Tiffany was even more puzzled now. Was it because Charmine¡¯s photos were more stunning than hers? She searched for Charmine¡¯s Twitter and she saw her very unimpressive photos. She frowned. The whole inte was ripping through Charmine¡¯s photos. They were not terrible, but it was just that they were unremarkable. She looked ordinary, just like an unmemorable passerby. As the saying went, ¡®There was no harm as long asparisons were not made¡¯. Seeing Charmine¡¯s unremarkable shots, theizens were loving Tiffany¡¯s red dress shoot and praising her to the skies. She was puzzled. ¡°What¡¯s Charmine up to?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Do you think she¡¯s lost her mind? She should be trying to take a better shoot or even put you down. Instead, she just came out with such ordinary pictures?¡± Veronica was very confused as well. Veronica¡¯s brows furrowed. She looked at the pictures again but still could not figure out what Charmine was up to. She had a bad feeling that something terrible was about to happen. Chapter 91 Chapter 91 Veronica was afraid that this might upset Tiffany further. She tried tofort her. ¡°Hey Tiffy, don¡¯t worry so much, okay? Think about it, Charmine doesn¡¯t have apany to represent her or a team of professionals to back her up, let alone a professional photoshop artist. With those set of photos, Charmine is digging her own grave. You¡¯ll conquer the Guci¡¯s editorial showdown without a doubt. You¡¯ll definitely have the world by your feet when you win your third consecutive Top Model!¡± ¡°I hope so¡­¡± Tiffany was still on the edge of her seat and said, ¡°Keep a lookout on Charmine. We still can¡¯t let our guards down. If you notice anything suspicious, report it to me immediately.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Tiffany hung up the call, her brows still furrowed. She looked worried. She knew Charmine too well. She would never make any move that was not beneficial to her. There must have been a reason why she posted those photos. Yet, she just could not figure out why. At this point, the safest bet was to get Charmine out of the entertainment business. Her eyes sparkled, and she quickly dialed Julian¡¯s number. On the other side, she heard Julian¡¯s deep and sexy voice, ¡°Tiffany, you¡¯re up early.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m worried about you. I had a dreamst night. You were back with my sister and didn¡¯t like me anymore.¡± Tiffany¡¯s voice was full of worry. Julian tried tofort her. ¡°Dummy, I won¡¯t ever fall for someone like her, all high and mighty. My heart belongs to you, little pumpkin.¡± ¡°Thanks, Julian darling, I really needed to hear that. I feel much better now.¡± Tiffany¡¯s voice turned soft as she asked, ¡± What do you n to do to my sister? Do you think she¡¯s testing you?¡± Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. ¡°Ha! A woman who has had an abortion wants to put on an innocent act? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll keep things together for the sake o f the diamond mine and herpany shares. Let¡¯s just get her to sign the papers first.¡± 2 Just the thought of that woman filled him with disgust. Tiffany sofly mumbled an ¡®okay¡¯ and said, ¡± You gotta go prepare yourself and make her marry you soon before someone sweeps her off her feet. There are other rich guys trying t o court her because of her money. At least we treat her as family. We won¡¯t hurt her unless we really have to.¡± ¡°Alright. I know what to do.¡± Julian hung up. His lips curled in disdain. That stuck up woman had suitors? Were they blind? Tiffany was right, he should get the diamond mine and 15% shares as soon as possible. Once Charmine was married to him, she would be rendered powerless and turned into a in old housewife, a sitting duck at their mercy. He dialled Oliver¡¯s number and ordered him, ¡°Get me one set of the Jade Pce¡¯s breakfast special and meet me at Violet Vi¡¯s basement parking lot.¡± At Violet Vi, Charmine was awakened by herndline ringing. She wanted to ignore it but the ringing was like a fly buzzing in her ear. She just could not fall back to sleep. She reluctantly got up and picked up the phone. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± She yawned as she spoke. On the other side, Kay sounded very concerned. ¡°Boss Jordan, did you really post those photos? Do you know that the whole world isughing at you now? They say you put on ny-nineyers of makeup on the runway and are a fraud and phony that has deceived everyone.¡± Chapter 92 Chapter 92 ¡°The Guci editorial showdown is in two days. Aren¡¯t you going to do anything? I¡¯m at your service for whatever you need at any moment. I¡¯m sure I can take your photos a hundred times better.¡± Charmine yawned again. ¡°Is this why you called me this early?¡± ¡°Of course! We feel you and are angry for you. You¡¯re drop-dead gorgeous, theizens have no right to criticize you! You¡¯re our one and only boss, so nobody can chew you out like that!¡± Kay was obviously outraged by the situation. Cool as a cucumber, Charmine slowly rubbed her eyes. ¡°I spoke to Ericst night. This was indeed my idea, I¡¯ve got this. You¡¯ll know why I did what I did during the showdown. Pass this down to everyone. Don¡¯t interfere i n this matter and stop worrying about me.¡± She hung up as soon as she finished that sentence. She had lost her desire to sleep, so she took out her phone to check her social media ounts. On Twitter, the situation has exploded beyond control. Whether or not Tiffany had instigated this, many still jumped on the bandwagon to tear Charmine apart. Some even shared Tiffany¡¯s photos andmented. [Diamond boss, look at our Tiff¡¯s beauty. She can obviously crush you with her charms.] [ Stop selling diamonds and take some time off to take care of yourself. You¡¯re a mess!] [Was Chanel the peak of your career? Or were you just catfishing? Did you hire someone else to be you?] [You should have some professional ethics! These photos are a disgrace to the industry! [I can¡¯t believe Guci is signing you as one of their brand¡¯s ambassadors. They must be blind! Every singlement she read was derogatory. `What happened to Charmine¡¯ is currently the number one trending topic on social media. Charmine flung herself onto the couch, her luscious red lips grinning. Everything was going as nned. Let us see if Tiffany and her fans will still be riding that high horse. The doorbell rang. `Who would that be?¡¯ she wondered. Charmine made her way to the door and peered through the peephole. Standing there was none other than a dashing, well-dressed Julian. She could not help but think about what happenedst night. Julian had a bit of a crisis. It was supposed to be a simple live show with him trying out Luwak coffee and grinding the beans live. He managed to turn things around with his wits, receiving praises from netizens and entrepreneurs. He was too good looking, like your typical handsome and charismatic CEO. Every move he made was straight out of a magazine photoshoot, swaying fans off their feet. In just 24 hours, Julian¡¯s screensavers and photos were all over the inte. Netizens were practically begging him to resign as CEO and be an actor instead. Charmine sneered. He had just resolved a crisisst night and was now here to show off? She had little to no interest in dealing with this prick, so she nonchntly walked toward her couch and lied down. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Julian was not going to give up without a fight. He kept ringing the doorbell. Failure was not an option. He intended to make Charmine obey his everymand, just like before. Chapter 93 Chapter 93 The doorbell chime kept repeating. Charmine was annoyed. Staring at the tub that she had just bathed in, she decided to do something. Crack. The door opened. Julian was initially impatient but his eyes sparkled when he saw her. She was in a pretty, white sundress that drew his gaze to her long, fair legs. The fine, white silk dress complimented the pink tinge of her glowing, lily-white skin. She had the ideal figure that all men longed for. ¡°Charmine, you¡­¡± He was amazed that it had taken her only five years to turn over a new leaf. He wanted to ask her why she had taken so long to open the door for him, but¡­ Ssh! A bucket of water was thrown at him. ¡°What the hell are you doing!¡± His face darkened. ¡°Are you blind? Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m just emptying my bucket?¡± said Charmine while throwing the pail aside, dusting off her hands. ¡°You did that on purpose! I¡¯m here to send you breakfast but this is how you treat me! D o you know how much time I¡¯ve spent queuing up for this?¡± ¡°So? Do you think I¡¯d even care? Yes, I did that on purpose. Hit me if you dare!¡± boasted Charmine while leaningzily against the door. Julian was mad. He felt like biting Charmine¡¯s head off but his rationale held him back. ¡°I know you still care about what happened five years ago. It was my fault. I want to make it up to you,¡± he said. ¡°You rejected the bouquet I sent the other day. That¡¯s why I¡¯m here to send you breakfast. Can¡¯t you feel my sincerity?¡± exined Julian whole-heartedly. Charmine gave a short, mirthlessugh and said, ¡°Sincerity? I thought you were always a heartless idiot for such a long time. I feel disgusted now seeing you here trying to get me to pity you. Look at you; your whole body reeked of sluttiness. Perhaps you¡¯ve spent too much time in your sl*thole? You should clean yourself up so that you don¡¯t spread your germs to others.¡± Sharper than any two-edged sword, her words shed sharply into Julian. ¡°Enough, Charmine! Don¡¯t be a shameless rat! Do you know how everyone¡¯s ranting about you online? You¡¯re not even one-tenthparable to Tiffany!¡± He grabbed her hand forcefully. He had never been ridiculed before and was now mad. ¡°You¡¯re a woman who has had an abortion. I n the entertainment industry, you¡¯re just a roastee. Aside from me, there¡¯s no one else who likes you!¡± Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Charmine was about to fight back but a guttural voice interrupted her. ¡°Who told you that no one likes her?¡± It was Anthony, walking toward them. The Sun¡¯s rays pervaded his brawny figure, weaving such a royal and charismatic aura over him. With four men in suits behind him, Anthony looked like a king on his throne. Looking in shock, Julian asked, ¡°Why are you here, Mr. Bailey?¡± Anthony was well-known in Burlington as h e owned half the business in the city. He was known as an unobtrusive man who was always an absentee for all possible events. `But why¡¯s he here?¡¯ Anthony threw a cold shoulder to Julian as his focus was drawn to Charmine. He was captivated by her. She dressed modestly but coquettishly in a fine, white silk sundress, leaning against the door with her xen hair. Chapter 94 Chapter 94 How dare she put on such a coquettish dress i n front of the other man? Feeling displeasure, Anthony strode forward while pushing Julian aside to cover Charmine¡¯s body with his. Charmine felt embarrassed that he was doing this in front of others. Just when Charmine was about to say something, Anthony pulled her into his arms and threatened Julian, ¡°She¡¯s my woman. If I find you trying to harass her again, your family will be cast out from Burlington!¡± Julian was shocked and found his threats unbelievable. His mind could not stop thinking about them. (Charmine is with Anthony? He¡¯s even willing to dash all on regardless of the perils just to protect her.¡¯ Meanwhile, Anthony shouted at the four men he brought with him, ¡°What the hell are you guys doing? Shouldn¡¯t you all be introducing yourselves?¡± Themand came like a bolt from the blue as the four men quickly bowed ordingly, followed by their introductions. ¡°Good day, Ms. Jordan, I¡¯m Tanya Cullen, the main chef from a three-star Michelin restaurant in France. Today, I¡¯ll be the head chef preparing your breakfast.¡± ¡°A pleasure to meet you Ms. Jordan, I am Dn Wood main chef from Ocean Blumenthal. I will be the sous chef, assisting Tanya Cullen.¡± ¡°Greetings, Ms. Jordan. I¡¯m¡­¡± Julian was shocked because they were all well -known chefs that could only be hired at a price of at least six figures. He could not believe that Anthony would spend such an amount on Charmine just to prepare breakfast for her. The words he said earlier toward Charmine¡ª¡¯no one will treat you good except me¡¯ ¡ªhad turned into nothing but a joke. Charmine was shocked by Anthony¡¯s action. `Did he bring all these people over just to defend me? Is he that rich to hire so many people?¡¯ While Charmine was confused with his actions, Anthony told Charmine softly, ¡°Just let them know if you have anything on your mind that you would like to eat and they¡¯ll prepare it for you.¡± On the other side, he stared at Julian and threatened him, ¡°Are you going to leave now or are you expecting me to send you home?¡± Terrified by his threats, Julian apologized because he knew that he could not take the risk. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know she was Mr. Bailey¡¯s woman. I¡¯m sorry for the inconvenience that has been caused. I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡± He left immediately with a long face. He could not believe such an arrogant and domineeringdy who had gone through an abortion could get Anthony to be so affectionate of her. 1 This was why she returned his offers with a bucket of bathwater¡ªshe was with Anthony! What made Charmine so attractive! While walking beside Julian, his personal assistant asked worriedly, ¡°What should we do? If they¡¯re together, we¡¯ll never be able to get our hands on the diamond mine and shares. Besides, Charmine and Tiffany are going to have apetition soon. If Anthony is going to help Charmine, I¡¯m afraid Tiffany will¡­¡± Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Julian felt uneasy as he left. `Tiffany must be outstanding enough to gain the Jordans¡¯ support. However, with Charmine¡¯s current state, she¡¯s clearly taking advantage of Anthony to defeat Tiffany and me. No way, I must find a way to stop Charmine from getting into a better position.¡¯ He looked to his assistant and coldly instructed, ¡°Send the photos in my e-drive t o the media!¡± Chapter 95 Chapter 95 The four chefs started to prepare breakfast i n the kitchen shortly after Julian left the mansion. As Anthony grabbed Charmine¡¯s waist and pulled her to him, he swiftly entered the house and closed the door behind them. At this moment, Charmine was confused. She thought Anthony would have most definitely heard their conversation identally. However, he was acting as if nothing had happened. `What if he actually didn¡¯t even hear it?¡¯ She convinced herself to overlook this. ¡°Thanks for helping me out during the event. You may ask the chefs to leave now.¡± She moved away from his embrace and thanked him coldly. ¡°Who says I¡¯m here to help you?¡± he said calmly. Charmine was shocked by his words and wondered if he was not here to help, then why would he be here in the first ce? ¡°I hired these chefs just to make you breakfast and just coincidentally came across an opportunity to help you to get rid o f that b*itch,¡± said Anthony as he smirked. ¡°If you¡¯re so touched by my actions, I wouldn¡¯t mind if you give yourself to me.¡± His words left Charmine speechless as she told him not to be so narcissistic. While she tried to undress to return the outfit to Anthony, Anthony teased her, ¡°Are you sure you want to undress in front of me? You¡¯re trying to seduce me, right?¡± She was totally outraged by his words. ¡°Just you wait,¡± she imed as she quickly went back into the mansion to get changed. In just a moment, she came out with a chiffon top and a pair of jeans. Anthony¡¯s face darkened when he saw her. He did not expect that such a casual, unrevealing outfit could be presented in such an enticing way on her. The jeans did not just make her legs look longer, but they also enhanced the curves of her booty. For the first time, he had evil thoughts of keeping Charmine all to himself. However, all of that was crushed when Charmine sent him away by passing his coat back to him. ¡°I don¡¯t need your kindness. Keep it to yourself. I don¡¯t like to owe anyone favors,¡± Charmine said with a cold and monotonous voice. Anthony felt disheartened because he really loved her but all she wanted was for him to leave. He looked into her eyes and said, ¡°I¡¯m willing to treat you nice so you don¡¯t have to feel like you owe me anything. If you feel sorry for me, you can just treat me like how I treat you.¡± Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°Anthony, how can you say that? You should have known since I¡¯ve rejected you since the first time we met,¡± Charmine shrieked. ¡°Yes, you have the right to reject me. However, I also have the right to chase after you too. I¡¯ve been enduring the sadness after your rejection. Can¡¯t you just bear with my pursuit toward you?¡± Anthony blurted out confidently as if he was actually the victim. Charmine was annoyed and decided to ignore him. As she sat down on the couch, she voiced up, ¡°It¡¯s up to you on what you want to do. I¡¯m not going to eat the breakfast that has been prepared.¡± Anthony was irritated and doubted just how strong her determination was. While the four chefs were presenting the dish ordingly, on the table were seagull egg fried sandwiches paired with Scond lobster and crab and served with expensive truffles. There was also fried spaghetti with sirloin steak paired with rare caviar sauce. It was an expensive and sumptuous meal. She could even smell the fresh aroma of the milk as they poured it out from the carton. Chapter 96 Chapter 96 After they had finished serving all the dishes, the four men began to leave one by one. Anthony spoke up, ¡°Ms. Jordan, your meal i s ready.¡± Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. ¡°I¡¯m not eating. No matter what you say, it won¡¯t make a difference. You better just give up now!¡± said Charmine firmly. She needed t o strengthen her resolve to force Anthony to retreat. At that moment, a soft and adorable voice could be heard, ¡°Mommy, mommy¡­¡± It was closely followed by the swaying body of little Chris Bailey running in from outside. With a leap, hended into Charmine¡¯s embrace. Charmine furrowed her brow. ¡± Momo, what are you doing here?¡± ¡°Oh, Momo woke up and daddy wasn¡¯t there. I heard daddy wasing to look for you so Momo came here too,¡± Chris said pitifully while his chubby little hand held onto her arm. 1 ¡°Woo, waa¡­ Momo is hungry. I haven¡¯t eaten anything for the whole day and my tummy is rumbling. It¡¯s making a grrrrr, grrrrr, grrrrr sound,¡± wailed Chris. ¡°Oh dear, why didn¡¯t you have anything to eat before leaving the house? Luckily, there¡¯s breakfast here,¡± Charmine said while lifting Chris and cing him in front of the dining table. Chris kept holding onto Charmine¡¯s hand while dering, ¡°I want mommy to eat with me!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my little Momo. Mommy isn¡¯t hungry right now so you¡¯ll have to eat by yourself,¡± Charmine replied whilst stroking his head. Chris started pulling on her hand firmly, dragging her so that she would sit next to him. He ced a breakfast set in front of Charmine and pleaded with a soft and endearing voice, ¡°Mummy, please eat with me. Momo is five this year but has never eaten breakfast with my mommy. Momo wants to experience what it¡¯s like to have a mom. Please, I¡¯m asking you just this once.¡± The whole time Momo spoke, he continued t o tug on Charmine¡¯s hand, entreating her with a pair of round, sparkling eyes. How could Charmine resist? She could only say, ¡°Of course.¡± With that, Charmine miraculously started to have breakfast with Chris. Watching the scene in front of him, the corner of Anthony¡¯s lips slowly curled up, reveling in his sess. ¡®This ultimate weapon worked. Now we can get down to working on the real order of business.¡¯ Anthony took out his cellphone and pretended to fiddle around with it. However, he had turned on the camera and took a photo of Charmine from afar. Seeing her seated at the table with her side profile facing him, he could see that her facial features were extremely pleasing while her figure was show- stopping. It was early in the morning, so her hair was undone and swayed freely. She gave off an aura that was both rxed and inviting. Any casual shot of her resulted in a masterpiece. Her beauty was captivating. Anthony found a few angles to snap from; sometimes zooming in for a close-up, sometimes a wide- angled view. Within a short amount of time, he ended up with close to a dozen shots. Flipping through his photos, his eyes were full of admiration and adoration. It was a moment before he sent the photos t o Luke. [Absolutely exquisite. I¡¯ve discovered a vision of perfection.] Luke responded. [Yes.] At that very instance, a hand suddenly appeared and fiercely snatched the cellphone out of his hand. Anthony scowled. ¡°Charmine¡­¡± `When did she get here, right by my side? How could I not have noticed¡­¡¯ Anthony wondered. Charmine replied to Luke using his phone. [There¡¯s no need to return.] At the same time, she deleted all the photos and erased all contents of the cellphone¡¯s photo gallery. Anthony frowned and tried to exin, ¡± Charmine, I¡¯m trying to help you. You have t o believe that with mypany¡¯s professional photo retoucher, I can help you turn the situation around.¡± ¡°Thank you for your kind intentions. However, I really don¡¯t need help turning the situation around. Besides, you¡¯re the dignified head of the Bailey family, do you really think I need assistance?¡± Charmine gently returned the cellphone to him. Anthony furrowed his brow deeply, thinking to himself, ¡®What is it about her tone of voice that makes it seem like she¡¯s implying I¡¯m a n idiot? Furthermore, with her current state of affairs, the entire inte is going crazy. Does she really not need aplete reversal? Chapter 97 Chapter 97 Charmine obviously did not want to speak any further and solemnly said ¡°Bring little Meghan home. I slept tootest night and need to catch up on sleep.¡± After she said that, she took a step toward her room. When she walked past Chris, she could not help but stop to persuade him. ¡°Momo, please be a good boy. Look here, can you see that auntie has dark eye circles now? I really need a nap. Can you be good for me and go home first?¡± ¡°Ok! I¡¯ll listen to mommy!¡± Surprisingly, Chris agreed with her. In fact, he carried the dishes toward the kitchen and said while walking, ¡± Mommy, sleep as much as you want. Daddy and I will wash the dishes then return home. I promise we won¡¯t bother you!¡± Charmine raised her eyebrows, wondering, ¡® When did Chris be such an obedient child?¡¯ Anthony was also a little perplexed but did not think too much of it. Turning to Charmine, he said, ¡°Get some rest, we¡¯ll tidy up then head out.¡± He walked toward the kitchen to help Chris wash the dishes. Charmine gazed at their silhouettes, one tall and the other short. She could not help but feel the long- lost feeling of homeing from the kitchen. It had been such a long time since she had felt like this, not since five years ago. She stepped into her room andy down in her bed. Looking up at the ceiling, a memory from five years ago appeared in her thoughts unbidden. Five years ago, Julian Cabell invited her to the Royal Banquet Bar saying that he wanted to give her a surprise. When she arrived, the first person she met there instead was Tiffany Jordan. After having a ss of wine with Tiffany, she fell unconscious. When she regained consciousness, she was already lying in a bed in Phoenix Hotel. Moreover, she had lost her virginity. Julianid right next to her. At the time, she really thought that she gave her first time to Julian. However, she found outter that she had fallen into a trap set by Tiffany! All these years, she worked really hard to make herself forget and stop herself from thinking too much about what had happened. However, these days she found herself feeling more resentful toward the man in bed with her. If it was not for him, she would never have been disgraced. Maybe, she would not be so resistant and wary of men¡¯s advances toward her. A man that could force himself onto another person was definitely not a good person! The sound of the gate gently closing could be heard from outside her room. Charmine started to collect her thoughts and took out her cellphone to send a text to Kay. ¡°Continue to investigate what happened five years ago. Make sure the investigation is conducted thoroughly!¡± ¡°Ok.¡± On the other side, Anthony really did not hear a word Julian said. After bringing Chris out of Garden Vi, Anthony turned to him and asked, ¡°Why were you so obedient today?¡± ¡°Daddy, couldn¡¯t you tell that mommy was very angry with you?¡± Chris responded. ¡°Besides, you couldn¡¯t evene up with a good response. Mommy must think you¡¯re stupid for sure. The more you speak, the more you might make a mistake. In this sort of situation, it¡¯s best you don¡¯t do anything.¡± Anthony coughed twice and thought, ¡®Even my son can tell that Charmine thinks I¡¯m stupid?¡¯ Chris also reminded his father by saying, ¡°I think Daddy needs to think carefully about why mommy wanted to release those photos and also why she didn¡¯t want your help. With everyone making fun of her now, if you can understand her motives and support her with encouraging words, you¡¯ll have a unique ce i n her heart!¡± Anthony carried Chris into the car and while driving, he pondered deeply. Charmine¡¯s Guci photo should have been enough to destroy Tiffany¡¯s. Moreover, the sales must have doubled. No one could have imagined that such a mess could have resulted from this¡­ Suddenly, he zoned in on the keyword ¡®sales¡¯ and his eyes swiftly zed over.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Chapter 98 Chapter 98 ¡°That¡¯s it! So this was Charmine¡¯s true motive. Charmine is really something special, for her to win with a seemingly bad strategy. That¡¯s impressive!¡¯ Anthony stopped the car by the side of the road and took out his cellphone to send Charmine a text. [I will be waiting to see your surprise victory as the underdog the day after tomorrow. When it happens, I¡¯ll have a special gift basket prepared to congratte you.) On her bed, Charmine was ying with her cellphone. Her group of close friends were texting her on WhatsApp, attempting to help her make a winningeback. There were still some amongst them who hoped that she would give up on this treacherous game. ire sent a barrage of text messages to Charmine. [Charmine, have you read what the public opinion about it is o n the inte? Can you see the influence HollyOak Entertainment has? Everybody is praising Tiffany and heaping abuse on your photos. Your hope of starting your own online business is never going to happen now.] (If you sign with HollyOak Entertainment, I guarantee that I¡¯ll make you a bigger star than Tiffany Jordan. Furthermore, the precarious situation you¡¯re currently in is something we can help you solve. Regarding profit sharing, we can discuss that matter with you at ater date. Apart from me, there¡¯s no one else who can save you!] Charmine curled her red lips in disgust. She could not be bothered to respond to ire. ¡°There is no point in responding to narcissistic people. The best way to deal with them is to beat them with pure ability!¡¯ she thought to herself. The day after tomorrow would be the realpetition and she would b e there to teach them all a lesson. She was going to show them what actual talent and skill looked like. However, her agent Eric also texted her. (Charmine, what on earth are you thinking? The day after tomorrow is D-day.) Charmine furrowed her brows, replying to Eric. [I truly want to let you in on my n but there¡¯s too much on the line. Until the matter is over, I have to keep it a secret. I¡¯m sorry but I can¡¯t risk telling you what¡¯s going on right now.] [However, there¡¯s one thing you need to remember. I, Charmine Jordan, would never do anything that could jeopardize myself. All you need to do is wait calmly and everything will be fine. If you really feel like you can¡¯t sit still and do nothing, head out and pay off some inte trolls. Get them to attack my photos more vigorously. The more venom they put into defacing my photos, the better.] Eric had no response to that. Had her reputation not suffered enough by now? Even though he believed in Charmine¡¯s ability, with the way the situation was now¡­ How else could h e turn it around? Oh well, Charmine is a willful gal. Even if she doesn¡¯t seed, she can retire from the industry and manage the diamond mines. It¡¯s three hundred million tons of raw diamond to be mined,¡¯ Eric thought to himself. He no longer cared. Once Charmine was done typing, she sighed deeply. She could not believe that no one could see through her ruse. ¡®What about the big boss?¡¯ she wondered. As she sighed, she received a WhatsApp notification. [I will be waiting to see your surprise victory as the underdog the day after tomorrow. When it happens, I¡¯ll have a special gift basket prepared to congratte you.] Charmine frowned. Anthony had actually figured out what her master n was. Could it be because of what she said earlier? Had that revealed her intentions? It turned out that he was not as dumb as she thought. 1 Charmine started to type in response, but she barely managed a few words before a memory from five years ago emerged in her mind. Five years ago, she lost her virginity, fell pregnant, and suffered a miscarriage¡­ Right now, the development of her rtionship with Anthony and Chris did not seem like a good sign. Charmine mulled over it for a moment and decided to erase everything she had just N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. written. She tossed her cellphone aside and slowly closed her eyes. She could see that Anthony was treating her well. What o n earth did she have to do for him to give up on her? Should she tell him about the events that happened five years a go? Chapter 99 Chapter 99 Chamine had been thinking about this for a full day. Five years ago, she had already developed a ¡®tough as nails¡¯ personality. However, she was actually quite hesitant and confused now. She put her phone on flight mode andid in bed, quietly pondering By contrast, after Julian left Violet Vi, he immediately ordered Oliver, his personal assistant, to leak a bunch of photos. All of them were ugly photos of Charmine from five years ago! In the photos, Charmine was most probably in junior high, so her dress sense was very far-out and non-mainstream. She had an edgy, spiky hairstyle and wore heavy eye makeup. In some of them, she appeared to be in high school during her gold-worshipper phase. She exclusively wore shimmery, sparkly, and shiny outfits. Everything she wore during that period looked terrible and unfashionable. Furthermore, the Charmine back then always hung her head down low. She always carried an aura of helplessness wherever she went, her features extremely in. Amongst the leaked photos, there was one that showed Charmine crawling on all fours like a dog after losing a bet to somedies. 1 In a sh, the headline ¡®Charmine Underwent stic Surgery¡¯ spread like wildfire. ¡®Charmine Crawling Like A Dog¡¯ was a close second. The entire webspace exploded with heated online discussions. [It¡¯s no surprise that the photos from her photoshoot were so mediocre. She¡¯s not very good-looking in reality!] [It¡¯s hard to imagine, but she was really ugly before. She definitely had surgery done for her current face.] [stic surgery! Even if she looks pretty, it¡¯s all fake! Liar! I regret ever supporting her!) [She acts like she¡¯s a bigshot when she used to crawl like a dog? There¡¯s no way she¡¯s cut out to be a supermodel.] (Her face is fake, her fashionista persona is fake. Is there anything about her that¡¯s even real?] (That¡¯s her real face in the leaked photos? She¡¯s so ugly! So ugly!) It only took a day for Charmine to be fully discredited byizens, who gged her by saying she was a fraud. Her reputation was quickly destroyed. Her fanbase which she built up with a lot of hard effort was halved in less than half a day¡¯s time. Even Chanel, the jewelry brand she endorsed, saw their sales drop drastically. Tiffany saw all this happening and was overjoyed! The showdown was tomorrow and with the damage dealt through these leaked photos, Charmine did not stand a chance of beating her at all. With all the negative rumors circting, how could Charminepete against her? How could Charmine continue to receive Anthony¡¯s affection? However, t o avoid anyplications from arising, Tiffany sent a text to her manager, Veronica. (Use all the cash you need to keep Charmine¡¯s leaked photos circting on the media space until the day after the showdown.] In the middle of the night, Charmine was woken up by a loud knocking sounding from her front door. She was thinking about her situation with Anthony earlier and had fallen asleep without realizing it. She groggily got out of bed and walked to open the door. Her agent, Eric, walked in and saw her sluggish demeanor. He frowned anxiously and said, ¡°While you were sleeping, another problem arose.¡± Finishing his sentence, he quickly shoved his cellphone into her hands. Charmine looked to see that the inte and social media were overwhelmed withizens shaming her. The leaked photos from her past had been posted everywhere. The image now presented to the netizens of her was that of an ugly and fake stic witch. Her eyelids fluttered slightly, a sneer creeping up onto her lips. Those photos were taken by Julian when she was still pursuing him. Julian told her then that the photos were precious memories of them but now, he was using them to destroy her¡­ Eric saw that Charmine was speechless and solemnly asked her, ¡°Are you finally feeling fearful? A sense of regret?¡± Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. ¡°Regret?¡± Charmineposed herself, her red lips curving up into a beautiful smile. Chapter 100 Chapter 100 ¡°It¡¯s only a bunch of people feeling sorry for that scumbag man so they went a little overboard. As for the photos, there¡¯s no need to worry about them for now.¡± This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°No need to worry?¡± Eric questioned herment with a scowl. Charmine nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right, allow the keyboard warriorst o continue ndering me. The more, the merrier. All this will help with the showdown in two days.¡± , Eric looked pained as he furrowed his brow and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry but I¡¯m your agent so you better tell me what your n i s. Otherwise, it¡¯ll be hard for me to carry out my duties if the current situation continues to get out of hand.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not as clever as you appear to be. Ponder on the principle, ¡®challenges precede sess¡¯. As Tiffany and Julian are the ones responsible for leaking these photos, I promise that I¡¯ll make them regret their actions deeply one day,¡± Charmine said carelessly with unshakable confidence. Eric was not reassured by that. Of course, he knew about the principle of challenges precede sess¡¯. However, Charmine¡¯s name had been smeared to the ground because of the scandal. How could she achieve sess after this? As for Charmine¡¯s Guci editorial, even though it was stunning, it would be used of giarizing Tiffany¡¯s once it was published. ¡®How could she achieve sess after this?¡¯ Eric once again thought to himself. Now with the ¡®ugly photo scandal, Charmine¡¯s career would go down in history as a sob story. 2 Charmine saw that Eric was still worried, so she gently patted his shoulder and said, ¡°Rx, I promise that on the day of the showdown, I¡¯ll definitely obtain victory. If I lose, I¡¯ll immediately go into the diamond-selling business and be a good diamond mine manager. I won¡¯t seek revenge in my lifetime if I lose. Does that sound alright to you?¡± , Eric had known her for a long time. He knew her priority had always been on getting revenge. Settling the score had always been her number one focus since the beginning. However, she was wagering her chance of getting revenge on this bet? It looked like she was extremely confident that winning the showdown was within her grasp. His curiosity was piqued. Under these conditions, how could Charmine still achieve victory? Meanwhile, somewhere in Bailey Corporation, Chris held onto Anthony¡¯s hand, swinging it around. ¡°Daddy, the way mommy is being scolded on the inte is really vicious. If this continues, she is going to lose the Guci editorial showdown. You have to think of a way to help mommy!¡± Chris¡¯s pleading sounded like he was close to tears, full of worry.¡± Anthony seemed unruffled by the situation and gently stroked his little head. He reassured him by saying, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, have you forgotten what mommy said before? All of this is a part of her n and we¡¯ll have a good show to watch in two days.¡± ¡°Woah! Really? Are you sure?¡± Chris struggled to believe his father and looked suspiciously at him. Napping in the corner was Nial who overheard the conversation and looked toward Anthony with shining eyes to ask, ¡°A good show? What kind of show is it?¡± Anthony replied mysteriously. ¡°It¡¯s a secret.¡± Chris and Nial were both rendered speechless. They were unbearably impatient to find out but they knew Anthony¡¯s personality well. If he was not willing to talk about something, nothing could make him budge. Hence, the boys could only stargaze into the night sky while waiting for the day of the showdown to arrive. Over the next two days, Charmine¡¯s ugly photos had spread across the entire inte and was still one of the most searched inte topics. ¡®Ugly like Charmine¡¯ had be one of the worst insults you could use on someone. Everyone was waiting to hear a statement from Charmine but it was as though she had disappeared into thin air. There was not even the slightest hint of her whereabouts. In the blink of an eye, the day of the Guci editorial showdown arrived. Even though the inte was abuzz with Charmine¡¯s scandal, the magazines had been printed and needed to be sold. In any case, if Charmine¡¯s Avocado Green collection sold well, that meant profits would be gained. Moreover, this would probably be able to quell some of the heat focused on Charmine. In the entertainment industry, there was no bad news as any news is good news. The worst thing that could happen would b e no news as it indicated ack of interest. Hence, with this in mind, Guci released Charmine and Tiffany¡¯s photo editorials a t the crack of dawn. Guci evenunched the sale of both collections in the marketce. The epic showdown between Charmine and Tiffany had officially begun! Chapter 101 Chapter 101 As soon as the editorial photos were released,izens who had long been anticipating theunch swarmed in to have a look. The very instant they saw the photos, they were amazed. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. (Oh my gosh! Is Charmine¡¯s attractiveness on the rebound? It¡¯s gorgeous, absolutely stunning!) (Please OP, have you forgotten that she¡¯s a stic surgery barbie? Everything you see is just makeup magic. It¡¯s all fake!) (Yessssssss, have a look at her previous photos. They¡¯re such basic, subpar, and substandard pieces of work! For her attractiveness to fluctuate so drastically, it must be fake.] (Have another look at our idol Tiffany. Even though her star presence isn¡¯t that great, she¡¯s still undeniably beautiful like a goddess!) (The Avocado Green collection is the main attraction. Support our Tiffy! I¡¯m going to ce an order for ten sets!] [Absolutely! Don¡¯t buy the Ruby Red collection. Don¡¯t support Charmine, that stic surgery hag!) (Kick the stic surgery barbie out of the endorsement world! Don¡¯t let her embarrass high fashion brands by association!] Netizens were once again hurling insults toward Charmine while the market sales of the Avocado Green collection steadily rose. As for the Ruby Red collection, barely anyone bought it. Even though they liked the Ruby Red collection, buying it now meant supporting that stic surgery barbie. How could they support that ugly hag? By one in the afternoon, the Ruby Red collection had only sold a few pieces. It was extremely pitiful! Eric and Kay, along with a couple of others who were tracking the inte traffic, were waiting to see how Charmine would make hereback and turn the situation around. 1 At the Bailey Corporation, Nial hugged Chris and kept his eyes locked onto his cellphone, his anxiety levels about to hit the roof. Finally, Charmine was making a move! A special announcement spread across the inte. Breaking news, Charmine Bailey has made a new Twitter ount! Everyone immediately took out their cellphones. Even Anthony, who was currently at work, switched on his phone to search this up. The first thing one would see on Charmine¡¯s Twitter profile was her caption, ¡®A wallflower in a previous life. Encounter the color red and discover your true sessful beauty. Metamorphosis begins with the color Red! You too can live your life like a star.¡¯ Her caption was apanied by a bunch of photos and a video. s In the video, you could see Charmine standing at her home gym. She was wearing a sports crop top and a pair of leggings. The full set of red sportswear against her snow-white skin made her look extraordinarily breathtaking. Wearing her red gym clothes, she started punching a sandbag. She threw punch after punch, working up a sweat. Looking at her bare, make-u p free face, she still looked stunning! As for her photos, they were allparison photoptions! In one, she was wearing Avocado Green versus one where she was decked in Ruby Red. One of her first pictures was one of her old ¡®ugly¡¯ photos set next to her styled i n Guci red. In another, you could see she had a picture of Tiffany dressed in Avocado Green and her in Ruby Red ced side by side forparison. In every comparison photo, the difference was like day and night! No matter which iteration you looked at, the ones where she was dressed in Ruby Red looked better than the other. After Charmine¡¯s new ount debuted on Twitter, she won over the support of several thousand people, both in real life andizens. Her new fans started to go up against Tiffany¡¯s fans, trying to change the direction of the online discussion. [Wow, you can see her sweaty work-out face looks so fresh and natural. It¡¯s obvious right away that there¡¯s no makeup or stic surgery!) (Charmine looks jaw-droppingly gorgeous in the Ruby Red collection photographs!) (Was the Avocado Green shade picked to make people look bad? Charmine is already such a beauty but wearing that shade of green makes her look kinda bad.] [You¡¯re right! You can see in Charmine photos that because she¡¯s wearing the Avocado Green collection, she loses her star presence. I almost didn¡¯t notice her in the photo!) (That¡¯s such a shame. The Avocado Green collection can actually make a supermodel and diamond boss look ordinary. Don¡¯t buy it, guys! I¡¯m going to avoid it like the gue.] [I really like Charmine¡¯s caption: Encounter the color red and discover your true sessful beauty!) (Ooooo, I love it! I love it! I want to buy the Ruby Red collection and live my life like a star! I don¡¯t want to just be a side character.) In the blink of an eye, this set of events managed to captivate and win everyone over. Moreover, by seeing Charmine¡¯sparison photoptions that had pictures side by side, the differences were too obvious. Whether it was Charmine or top model Tiffany, both of them looked better in Ruby Red. Chapter 102 Chapter 102 Ruby Red could elevate your style in an instant and even make you appear more eye-catching. On the other hand, wearing Avocado Green seemed refreshing but it was a color that best suited a wallflower. It was not captivating enough. Even in people¡¯s daily lives, there were not many who would splurge just to stand out. However, consumers of Guci were all high-end, branded goods fashionistas. These people were either movie stars or high-society wealthydies. Some were even tycoons! None of these people would be happy ying second fiddle to anyone! Hence, it only took a moment for the sales trajectory to flip. Avocado Green, with its initial leads in sales, was suddenly overtaken by the surge in Ruby Red sales. The overtake was no measly amount. In fact, more than ten times the volume was sold for Ruby red products! Eric and everyone else was astonished! This included ire who was waiting for Charmine¡¯s desperate plea for help. Nobody could have guessed that this was Charmine¡¯s n all along! Charmine allowed her ¡®ugly¡¯ photos to be leaked. Not only did she not try to stop it, she actually helped propagate the spread. Her aim was to create the stage for her big Ruby Red surprise photo reveal that would turn the tables around. Everyone seemed to have forgotten that the showdown between Charmine and Tiffany was not a beautypetition o r poprity contest, but apetition to see who could garner the most sales! Those ¡®ugly¡¯ photos of Charmine turned out to be her secret weapon to winning this showdown! Meanwhile, at the Bailey Corporation. Chris started jumping around in joy. ¡°Hurray! Mommy¡¯s amazing! She¡¯s so clever! Mommy¡¯s my idol!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not enough.¡¯ Anthony took out his cellphone and called Luke, his assistant. ¡°Take fifty million bucks and use it t o help Charmine in her contest! Use it to promote her Twitter profile,¡± he ordered. Anthony wanted Charmine¡¯s caption to b e seen worldwide. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. With the 50 million bucks investment, one would definitely see Charmine¡¯s photographs no matter which tform they were on. Under careful scrutiny, Charmine¡¯s features had not undergone any changes. Hence, the improvement in her star presence could be attributed to the red clothes she was dressed in. The Ruby Red collection worn inbination with makeup could really cultivate a miraculous fresh new look! Even people who do not use Twitter started to like the color red. This summer, the shade ruby red has be the hottest color of the season, all thanks to Charmine! Moreover, Charmine¡¯s caption ¡®Encounter the color red and discover your true sessful beauty. You too can live your life like a star!¡¯ had be a tagline phrase, so iconic that many businesses started to use it for publicity and advertising. It had also inspired many girls and young women. No one could have predicted Charmine¡¯s surprisingeback. 2 At SJAQ¡¯s private custom workshop, Tiffany was standing up and trying on a blue, shimmery gown that seemed to sparkle like a night sky full of stars. She was surrounded by a group of heiresses who were praising her non-stop. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s exquisite!¡± ¡°Tiffany, you definitely need to wear this when you receive your prize. It¡¯s going to be a showstopper! You are going to dominate the headlines in that gown!¡±, Tiffany smiled sweetly with extreme pleasure but put on a humble tone when she responded, ¡°Oh, you girls are being silly. There¡¯s no guarantee I¡¯ll be winning.¡± ¡°Apart from you, there¡¯s no one else who could possibly win. I n our circle, who is there who could steal your prize from you?¡± retorted one of the heiresses. ¡°Moreover, you¡¯ll definitely be winning this Guci showdown! You might even be in the running for the ¡®Most Valuable Commercial Model Award?!¡± said another. Even though the ¡®Most Valuable Commercial Model Award¡¯ was not as prestigious as the ¡®Top Supermodel¡¯ award, it held more value. The winner could be expected to receive multiple endorsement deals and see their earnings skyrocket. If apany was seeking a model to endorse their brand and had t o choose between either the ¡°Top Supermodel¡± or the ¡®Most Valuable Commercial Model Award¡¯, they would definitely select thetter. Last year, the award was won by Scarlet Hoffman. This year¡­ Tiffany¡¯s smile deepened as she thought about it. Although she said nothing, she carried herself with a sense of superiority as if she were a white swan. At this moment, her agent Veronica suddenly ran in and said i n a panic, ¡°Tiffany! This is bad, this is bad! Something has happened!¡± Chapter 103 Chapter 103 Tiffany was understandably upset but was out in public, so it would not be good for her image to lose her temper. She could only respond sweetly, ¡°What¡¯s going on, Veronica? Take your time to tell me.¡± , Feeling all eyes upon them, Veronica understood the reason for Tiffany¡¯s polite front. At that moment, she lost her tongue. One of the socialites must have guessed the news and probed,¡° It can¡¯t be, did Tiffany lose the showdown?¡± ¡°How can that be? There¡¯s no way. She practically had it in the bag so how could Tiffany lose?¡± another heiress wondered aloud. The crowd gathered around and started to pull out their cellphones to take a look. Without warning, theplexion of all the gathered socialites paled. Tiffany sensed something was wrong and snatched Veronica¡¯s cellphone out of her hand. She immediately read the headlines. It seemed that the entire inte was obsessed with Charmine¡¯s tagline and tform. Furthermore, the Avocado Green clothing line which was Charmine¡¯s fashion endorsement hadpletely sold out! . On the other hand, the sales of Tiffany¡¯s Ruby Red collection were tiny inparison. A hundred sets of clothing were bought entirely by her most faithful fans. She waspletely defeated. Everyone could tell from her expression that she was not pleased as she immediately.excused themselves. ¡°Tiffany, we have some things to attend to. We¡¯re going to leave now. See youter¡­¡± With that said, they all scurried away. ? At a distance away, a low voice could be heard saying, ¡°Hmph, she¡¯s trying on gowns far too early. Did she really think she would win this year¡¯s prize? Someone¡¯s beaten her atst!¡± Tiffany was furious, her palms curled into tight fists and her jaw clenched while she seethed. That band of disloyal snakes swiftly moved onto the next big thing. She would have to deal with them properly one day! At that moment, the boutique assistant stepped forward and meekly asked, ¡°Miss Tiffany, are you going to buy that gown? ording to the store¡¯s regtions, even if it¡¯s a VIP, no one can try on a gown for more than five minutes¡­¡±, Tiffany¡¯s face was ck as the kettle. Even the lowly boutique assistant dared to bully her! In the past, she used to try on gowns for over 10 minutes and no one dared to say a word! Tiffany was so enraged, Veronica was worried that she might faint. Turning to the boutique assistant, she said, ¡°We¡¯ll take i t! Of course she¡¯ll buy it! Take my card and leave us alone.¡± After handing her card to the boutique assistant, Veronica dragged Tiffany into a private room. By then, Tiffany could no longer control herself and started to fling everything she could get her hand on in the room. 2 ¡°Charmine, that b*tch! How could she be this evil! How could she be so despicable! How could she beat me!¡± Tiffany screeched. 2 Clearly, the winner should have been me. The one to receive everybody¡¯s adoration should also be me!¡¯ thought Tiffany. If everything went ording to n and the Guci fashionunch was a sess, the ¡®Most Valuable Commercial Model Award¡¯ would have been hers as well. Now everything was a complete mess! Veronica watched her enraged state and distressingly tried tofort Tiffany by saying, ¡°Tiffany, I didn¡¯t expect Charmine t o use such a trick either. I know you¡¯re upset. You can vent your frustration to your heart¡¯s content. Once you¡¯re done venting, we¡¯ll need toe up with a solution.¡± ¡°Solution? What solution can wee up with? Can you see what theizens¡¯ opinions of me are? There¡¯re so many of themughing and sneering at me. Can¡¯t you see the hype around CharmineThis belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. who¡¯s overshadowing me?¡± retorted Tiffany with an air of defeat as she roughly tossed Veronica¡¯s phone back to her. Veronica did not have the time to duck as the cellphonended with a thud against the back of her hand, causing her to wince i n pain. However, she felt no trace of anger. Instead, her heart was full of sorrow. The longer she watched Tiffany, the more sorrowful she felt. Picking up her cellphone, Veronica walked forward to hug Tiffany and said, ¡°Tiffy, if you feel like crying, g o ahead. There¡¯s no need to keep yourposure in front of m e. If you need to hit and scream at me, that¡¯s fine too. This time, it¡¯s really my fault as your manager for letting this happen.¡± Chapter 104 Chapter 104 ¡°I promised your mom that I would take good care of you, but I¡­¡± As she said this, Veronica¡¯s voice started to catch. Tiffany nced at the red bruise on the back of her hand before looking up at Veronica. She usually portrayed herself as such a strong woman but now, she seemed to be teary-eyed. Tiffany could not hold it in any longer as she copsed onto the floor in an embarrassing manner. ¡°Veronica, I didn¡¯t mean to hurt you. I was scared¡­ I¡¯m really scared! I know that the Bailey family will grow tired of me eventually, so I wanted to make a name for myself within the modeling industry before that happens. ? I want to earn as much as I can so that my future is secure. Why did Charmine have to target me like this? She¡¯s already the Director of Gray Diamond Empire and owns so much. She even has Anthony. Why can she let me be! Why does she have t o be against me! She must really want to see the end of me before she¡¯s satisfied!¡± Tiffany spat out, her tone full of malice and deep pain. ¨C Veronica sat beside her and sadly reassured Tiffany, ¡°Tiffany, not everyone in this world is as kind as you. Charmine clearly wanted to sabotage you from the start, so she hatched this n on purpose. In fact, we didn¡¯t lose to her. Rather, our only failure was that we underestimated our opponent. Promise me you¡¯ll pick yourself up and go home to get a good night¡¯s rest. I guarantee you that I¡¯lle up with another solution for you.¡± Tiffany could only nod her head while sobbing. Shey on the floor, leaning her entire body against the wall looking very dispirited. There was nothing else that she could do and things were looking reallyThis belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. bad for her this time. People would beughing at her for a long time after this¡­ Veronica watched her, full of sorrow as she said, ¡°Would you like me to get Julian so he can keep you company? Right now, you need a distraction.¡±. S The thought of seeing Julian caused Tiffany¡¯s eyes to light up. For the past two days, she had already heard the news about Charmine seducing Anthony from Julian. However, she could not believe that Charmine had sessfully married into the prominent Bailey family. Anthony Bailey would never marry a woman who previously fell pregnant and had a miscarriage. : f Excluding the Bailey family members, Julian was the best looking man she had everid her eyes on. He was also the nation¡¯s most eligible bachelor, so there was no one better than him. As long as she could keep Julian within her grasp, she would eventually obtain victory over Charmine! She nodded. ¡°Let hime over. I actually have things I need t o discuss with him.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Veronica made a call before walking over to help Tiffany clean her face and reapply her makeup. Tiffany caught another look at her swollen and bruised hand a s she said regretfully, ¡°Ronnie, I¡¯m sorry. I was too emotional earlier.¡± ¡°It¡¯s ok, there¡¯s no need to apologize. I promised your mom that I would take good care of you, so I¡¯m not going to break m y promise. I wouldn¡¯t be the person I am today if it wasn¡¯t for your mom,¡± replied Veronica as she looked at Tiffany with eyes full of affection. All those years ago, Veronica was only 20 years old, newly entering the job market as an agent. She was bullied. On one asion, she was dragged into an alley by some people and beaten close to death before being thrown down into a drain. It was Tiffany¡¯s birth mom, Lara Zabel, who pulled her out of the water and saved her from drowning. Even after that incident, Lara continued to help Veronica out on multiple asions. Before she passed away, thest text message she sent to Veronica was, (I have never asked you for anything in my lifetime but I¡¯m asking you this now. Please take good care of my daughter.] Hence, Veronica had always spared no effort in assisting and watching over Tiffany. Tiffany was not only like a daughter to her, but she was also her pride and joy. Tiffany¡¯s sesses and defeats were her sesses and defeats. She would never let anyone hurt Tiffany. ¡°Remember that your best quality is your lovely and captivating face. When Julian gets here, don¡¯t forget that you must never let him see you losing control over yourself. Keep your hold over Julian and you¡¯ll always have a lifeline. At the very least, you¡¯ll be the young Mrs. Cabell of the Cabell family,¡± Veronica urged Tiffany. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll do my best! Also Julian has another trick up his sleeve, one that can destroy Charmine beyond redemption.¡± Tiffany¡¯s face suddenly took on a solemn look as she turned to Veronica and said, ¡°Let me handle this matter with Julian. Go ahead and keep an eye on Charmine. Keep a close watch over her as we need to find an opportunity to get back at her. This time, we can¡¯t leave behind any evidence like before!¡± ¡°Will do!¡± The wind had picked up speed as the summer day suddenly became cloudy. It looked like storms and heavy rain would arrive at any moment. Chapter 105 Chapter 105 Veronica had not left for long before Julian arrived. As soon as Tiffany saw him, she ran with chagrin into his embrace.¡° Sniff, sniff. Julian darling, I¡¯m so upset. I lost and have let you down. I wasn¡¯t able to help you in beating my younger sister. Waah¡­¡± ¡°Tiffany my dear, don¡¯t cry. You should be worrying about yourself, not me,¡± Julian said sadly while drying her tears. Tiffany continued to weep. ¡°I amount to nothing, it¡¯s my sister that¡¯s truly capable. I lost fair and square. However, the higher she climbs, the more Anthony will be attracted to her. When I think about this fact, I feel terrible on your behalf. My sister used to really like you but I don¡¯t think she does anymore. After this win, Anthony will surely like her even more. I¡¯m worried she might even hand over her diamond mines to Anthony. Even though you¡¯ve known her for over fifteen years, you still can¡¯t bepared in her eyes to Anthony who¡¯s met her less than a month ago¡­¡± Julian¡¯s face turned stony as soon as he heard this. Against all odds, Charmine turned her precarious situation around, shocking everyone. Anthony must certainly be more enchanted with Charmine now. As a result, Charmine could now breathe easily as Julian did not amount to much in her eyes any longer. ? He thought of something and embraced Tiffany,forting her by saying, ¡°Don¡¯t think too much about it. Take the next few days off and get some rest. Don¡¯t go online or check the news. I¡¯ll try toe up with a way to deal with Charmine. Don¡¯t forget, I have something else in hand and I¡¯m ready to release it when the time¡¯s right.¡± ¡°What dirt do you have on Charmine? Is it enough topletely destroy my sister¡­¡± Tiffany asked as she frowned. ¡°Ah, this is a hole she dug herself into by targeting you over the past two days. Don¡¯t worry about her any longer,¡± Julian said as he drew her closer into his embrace. Tiffany waspletely dependent on Julian in this matter, just like a helpless bird. However, her eyes were full of spite. The dirt that he had on her had better be enough to totally annihte her. All she needed was Julian backing here. It was more than enough. Julian felt her tiny frame shake as he held her and his heart ached. How could he not be in love with a woman who would always look out for his best interest with her whole heart? He must find a way to swiftly get rid of the fortune that hade into Charmine¡¯s hand. Anything to give Tiffany an environment where she could feel secure and safe! From the window, a sh of lightning zapped past, followed b y a loud ¡®bang¡¯ as the sound of thunder roared. A heavy downpour of rain began falling from the sky. What was originally a scorching hot day turned into a storm in mere seconds. The bright moon could be seen through the mountains. The doorbell suddenly rang. Charmine walked to the door and looked through the peephole. She saw Anthony standing outside holding an umbre, and standing next to him was little Chris with his short stature. The rain was so heavy that even with the umbre, the rain was still pelting them. Charmine originally wanted to cease all contact with them but i n this situation, she could not help but open the door. ¡°What are you both doing here?¡± she asked. ¡°Mommy, we¡¯re here to see you and celebrate!¡± responded Chris. He ran in, swaying unsteadily while carrying arge bag filled with things. Anthony, having closed the umbre, walked in carrying two bottles of red wine along with him. ¡°What are we celebrating?¡± Charmine asked as she frowned. ¡°Your victory over Tiffany by sessfully turning the tables to score a surprise win. This is a huge event. Of course, we should celebrate it.¡± Anthony replied as he walked into the house and started to unpack the contents of therge bag with his elegant movements. 1 Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. She never imagined that they would actuallye around to hers to celebrate with her. ¡°Honestly, there¡¯s no need for a celebration. I¡¯ve won against so many people that I¡¯ve lost track of the number and I¡¯m going to continue winning in the future,¡± Charmine retorted dryly. . Anthony was speechless with her tone of voice and confidence. He responded in a deep tone, ¡°Rx. In that case, we can just casually have a simple barbeque together since there¡¯s nothing to celebrate.¡± As he said that, Anthony prepared the grill and moved on to take out the ingredients. There were premium quality cuts of pork belly, Angus steak cuts, T-bone steaks and ribs, Argentine lobster¡­ Everything was prepared perfectly, ced in exquisite containers, and ready to be cooked right away. Charmine¡¯s eyes widened as she saw the scene before her. ¡®Is this what he means by a simple barbeque?¡¯ she thought to herself. With all the quality ingredients in front of her, even a rough estimate of its value would be close to a million bucks. Even though she was wealthy herself, she was more frugal and would never spend money on such expensive delicacies. Chapter 106 Chapter 106 Living on her own, she did not need to do a lot. The most convenient go-to meal for her was instant noodles. Because of this, she had even discovered a new way to prepare a self heating box meal¡­ Chris noticed that she was motionless and walked up to her to tug on her hand and said, ¡°Mommy, mommy, hurry up and eat. It¡¯s so nice to eat barbequed meat when it¡¯s raining outside. Everything¡¯s extremely delicious.¡± As he spoke, he pulled her toward the table. Charmine saw the heavy rain outside from the corner of her eye and had to give up on her intention of kicking them out as she sat down at the table. Anthony sat across from her, cooking up some pork belly. His hand movements were extremely skillful as he wielded a pair of tongs and flipped the meat over. Anthony quickly brushed on a small amount of oil before sprinkling some salt, pepper, cumin, and other spices. Very quickly, the air was filled with the mouth-watering smell of barbequed meat. Charmine furrowed her brow and thought, ¡®How can this person who was so clueless about cooking not long ago now be able to handle a barbeque so well?¡¯ She suddenly noticed arge blister on the back of Anthony¡¯s arm, clearly caused by a burn. She frowned. ¡°Did you take lessons just so you could learn how to do this?¡± ¡°Yup.¡± Anthony selected a piece of pork belly that was done cooking and wrapped it in a piece of lettuce in a cool and elegant manner. He rolled it up before holding it up in front of Charmine. ¡°Taste it.¡± Charmine saw a look of affectionate care on his face, making her feel as if they were husband and wife. How could that be when they had only met a few times¡­ She blinked. ¡°I¡¯ll do it myself.¡± Having said that, she picked u p a piece of pork belly and started to cook it. Anthony¡¯s eyes seemed to show a glimpse of disappointment. However, he did not put his arm down. Instead, he fixed his gaze upon her and said in a low voice, ¡°Ms. Jordan, on the ount of the injury on my arm, won¡¯t you give this a taste?¡± His deep, rich voice had a maic quality that would make anyone unable to resist him. Curiously, Charmine agreed despite her previous resolve. Anthony¡¯s lips curved upward slightly. He stretched out his hand which was carrying the lettuce- wrapped meat closer to Charmine¡¯s lips. Charmine subconsciously opened her mouth, but her lower lip identally brushed against Anthony¡¯s fingertips. At that moment, both of them froze, stunned by the unique sensation that spread slowly across their bodies. Charmine frowned as if she had seen a ghost. She wondered if she had developed some kind of heart problem recently. It seemed like she needed to take time out of her schedule to book a full body examination! On the other hand, Anthony¡¯s smile deepened. He picked up another piece of barbequed meat and popped it into his mouth. He then sucked on his fingertips after he was done, stared at them, and dered, ¡°Mmm, it tastes pretty good.¡± Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Charmine¡¯s face turned bright red at that moment. His demeanor¡­ Was heplimenting the vor of the meat or¡­ While she pondered this, Anthony finished cooking arge Argentine lobster and carried a piece up before her lips again. H e had just sucked on his fingers a moment ago and now he was using that same hand to feed her? ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ Oh¡­¡± As soon as she opened her mouth, Anthony stuffed the lobster in. Charmine felt like her head was going to explode. This was like an indirect kiss! ¡°Anthony!¡± ¡°I¡¯m here, what¡¯s up?¡± Anthony gazed at her nonplussed. Charmine scowled. ¡®How can a man have such thick skin? It looks like I¡¯ll have to spell it out for him!¡¯ She turned to Chris and said, ¡°Momo, there¡¯s some orange juice in the fridge upstairs. Would you be able to help mommy get it, please?¡± ¡°Sure thing, Momo will get it!¡± Chris put down his utensils before skipping off to get it. Anthony furrowed his brow slightly. Charmine came up with a n excuse just to get Momo out of the room. What on earth could she want to talk to him about with just the two of them alone? At that moment, it did not seem like anything good. Chapter 107 Chapter 107 As he expected, as soon as Chris left the room, Charmine spun around and looked at him with a stern expression. ¡°Anthony. Don¡¯t act improperly with me in the future, especially in front of the child. He¡¯s still little and underaged!¡± ¡°Huh? Act improperly? When did that happen?¡± Anthony¡¯s expression was one of pure confusion. Charmine was speechless. ¡®Am I overthinking the situation? This man¡¯s acting skill are pretty impressive,¡¯ Charmine thought to herself. ¡°In that case, let¡¯s talk about the real issue. From today onward, don¡¯te looking for me with Chris,¡± Charmine told him. Anthony¡¯s hand that was holding the fork twitched slightly, the warm expression on his face gradually turning cold. Charmine continued despite the change in his mood, ¡°You¡¯re well aware that nothing can ever happen between us. Momo needs to get ustomed to life without me. Short-term pain is better than one that is long and drawn out. As his father, you should help him get over his attachment to me. Otherwise, he¡¯ll be crushed when the dayes.¡± Anthony scowled and put down his fork, gazing intently at her as he said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what gave you the wrong idea. Why d o you think we won¡¯t work out? What is it about me that you don¡¯t like? You can be honest.¡± His demeanor was extremely serious, his gaze piercing. Charmine¡¯s heart did a tiny somersault before she remembered what happened five years ago. She remembered her situation. Hiding from his gaze, she responded indifferently, ¡°I don¡¯t like guys who pursue women. It¡¯s unbing. I¡¯m attracted t o men who seem out of reach and don¡¯t like me. I get the sense of challenge. However, I also believe in love at first sight. To put it simply, the first time I met you, I didn¡¯t have a good impression of you. I also didn¡¯t develop any feelings for you. Love is something that can¡¯t be forced.¡± 13 Anthony suddenly stood up and leaned in, moving closer to her. Charmine saw his face edging closer to hers as her heart started to beat faster as if it had a mind of its own. She tried hard to maintain her composure and asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡± Anthony grabbed her wrist with one hand, the other cradling her chin. His lips kept drawing closer and closer. Being held by him, Charmine could not even retreat or lean back. In the blink of an eye, his face was right in front of her, hovering so closely that the tips of their noses were close enough to touch. Breathing in, she was surrounded by the potency of Anthony¡¯s refreshing musky scent. If she leaned forward just a tiny fraction, their lips would meet¡­ Her heart pounded swiftly, like a deer running from danger. It almost felt like her heart was going to leap out of her chest. Anthony gazed at her, his lips beginning to move closer. Charmine quickly turned her head, avoiding his kiss. However, his cool lips missed her cheek andnded near her earlobe. At that moment, Charmine felt her whole body turn numb. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Anthony¡¯s thin lips curved up as he whispered into her ear, ¡°A typical woman¡¯s pulse ranges between sixty to a hundred beats per minute. In thest 30 seconds, your heart beat fifty five times. Are you sure you don¡¯t have any feelings for me? Hmm?¡±, Whilst saying that, the hand wrapped around Charmine¡¯s wrist gripped tighter. Charmine¡¯s body stiffened. So this was the reason he had grabbed her wrist and edged closer to her? T o measure her heartbeat? He was such a meticulous guy. She snatched her hand away from his while trying to keep her cool. She retorted, ¡°Has no one told you before that it¡¯s normal for your heart rate to vary. For example, if the temperature is too hot or too cold. It can also increase in speed when your body is digesting food. I told you I don¡¯t have feelings for you, so that means I really don¡¯t have feelings for you. In the future, except for official business, please don¡¯t come looking for me anymore.¡± Her tone was full of indifference and apathy,pletely devoid of all emotion. Anthony felt the sensation of a sharp de slicing across his heart for the first time. It was a moment before he said with a quiet calmness, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll do as you wish.¡± With perfect timing, Chris returned with the juice and walked into the kitchen. Anthony took the juice and ced it on the counter before stretching his arms toward Chris. ¡°Come on, we¡¯re going home.¡± ¡°Oh, but Momo hasn¡¯t had any of the steaks yet¡­¡± Chris said, his face filled with disappointment. Anthonyforted him, stroking his head gently. ¡°Be a good boy, I¡¯ll make some more for you next time. We¡¯re not going t o bother mommy today, okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Chris pouted, turning toward Charmine as he waved.¡° Goodbye mommy, Make sure you eat until you¡¯re super full.¡± Somehow, Charmine got a sore feeling in her throat. It felt like her throat was catching and it took a while before she could squeeze out a word. Chapter 108 Chapter 108 ¡°Okay,¡± Charmine replied in response to Chris. Anthony carried Chris and walked out. It was still raining cats and dogs outside, with frequent lightning strikes apanied by peals of thunder. It was clearly still daytime but feltte somehow like it was around six or seven in the evening. Charmine watched helplessly as the door closed. Her world seemed to calm down, bing peaceful again. She should have been overjoyed but instead, she only felt a sense of loss. There was still meat on the table, sizzling away. However, the house did not have a feeling of warmth anymore. Charmine was a little tired so she rested on a chair. She did not have any appetite to eat. At that moment, she felt even more disgusted toward Tiffany and Julian. She was disgusted at the man from five years ago. It was the two of them who had destroyed her. If only she had met Anthony first, everything would have been different. Unfortunately, she was now adverse toward all men. She has also been telling herself constantly over the years that once she made hereback, her only goal was revenge! Closing her eyes slowly, she tried to limatize to the deathly silence. At this moment, the front door was suddenly pushed open trom outside. Anthony who was carrying Chris in his arms came running back in. Charmine widened her eyes in surprise. ¡°Why are you back?¡± she asked. ? ¡°Didn¡¯t you say before toe back only if there was official business to talk about? Right now, I¡¯m here as the head of the Bailey Corporation. I¡¯m here to discuss business with you,¡± Anthony said this as he ced Chris down before walking over to Charmine and handing her a contract. Charmine took it and had a look. It was a car modeling endorsement contract! Bailey Corporation and Mercedes were teaming up to host a grand national auto show. This auto show was going to be a tform for theunch of thirteen brand new car models, which included a gold sports car. All the participating female car models were among the best in the world, each of them top models with at least five years of modeling experience. She could not believe that Anthony would let a newbie like her participate in such a grand event! N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. ¡°Anthony, are you sure you want to abuse your power for personal gain?¡± ¡°Ms. Jordan, you¡¯re mistaken. As the head of the Bailey Corporation, I have a duty toward mypany to only hire the best models. Ms. Jordan, you¡¯re currently one of the rising stars within the modeling industry. If I were able to hire you to make an appearance, it would be my honor. Furthermore, the Charmine nced again at the models¡¯ name list and Tiffany¡¯s name was there! Nevertheless, Tiffany¡¯s endorsement was for the lowest grade car and her position at the auto show was at the furthest corner of the exhibition hall. Anthony really knew her well and could sense her concern. Her sole intention of returning to the country was to fully squash Tiffany in every way,pletely running her out of the modeling industry. Only when she was forced to the end of her rope would Tiffany finally show her true, hateful self and the Jordan family would finally see the truth. Moreover, as long as Tiffany was displeased, Charmine felt rxed in her heart. To allow Tiffany to y a supporting role and be second fiddle to her was currently the best way to tear Tiffany down. Charmine finally picked up a pen and signed her name with a flourish. Her signature was refined and elegant, a reflection of her personality. Anthony revealed a faint smile and kept the contract carefully. ¡°As your business partner, sharing a meal to celebrate shouldn¡¯t be an issue. Am I right?¡± he asked. ¡°Of course it isn¡¯t. There¡¯s still plenty of details to be discussed!¡± Chris swiftly responded without waiting for Charmine¡¯s reply. He then walked toward the table and sat next to Charmine, picking up his cutlery as he continued eating his meal from before. Anthony also took a seat across Charmine and started to pour some wine for them both. Raising his ss, he toasted, ¡°Ms. Jordan, cheers to a happy working rtionship.¡± Charmine narrowed her eyes. These two were like her abductors, she could not get away from them¡­ However, observing them both and seeing the piping hot food in front of her, the sense of loss she had originally felt was slowly reced by a sense of contentment. Oh well, she should just go along with it for now. Everything would be fine as long as the job went without a hitch. When she thought about Tiffany¡¯s role as an essory to herself, her face lit up. She could not wait to see Tiffany¡¯s expression when she found out. The day of the auto show would definitely be a bloodbath. Chapter 109 Chapter 109 After she had finished eating, Charmine was dragged by Christ o the sofa to rest. It was not long before Chris fell asleep lying o n herp. His little chubby body was like a tiny kitten. Charmine softly stroked his hair as she turned her eyes toward the kitchen. In the kitchen, Anthony had on a gray apron and was in the middle of doing the dishes. Dressed in a suit and tie, he lookedpletely out of ce in the kitchen, his movements unnatural. The heavy rain had stopped and a beam of sunlight shone through from behind the clouds. By coincidence, the , sunlightnded on Anthony, illuminating his tall and well built physique and making it look as though he was ted in gold. He looked extraordinarily handsome. Charmine was engrossed by the scene that her hand stroking Chris started to slow down. She could not pinpoint when it began, but her life had be more lively ever since these two had entered it. The days toe without them¡­ Sigh, what was she thinking? A future without them would be the same as right now. She was not ¡®with¡¯ them, they were only here to sign a contract with her. The rain had stopped so they should leave. Charmine turned away and slowly shut her eyes, trying to gather up her unwanted thoughts. At that moment, Anthony walked into the room. He had already removed the apron and now looked as he usually did with his coolposure. Without looking at him, Charmine said in a direct manner, ¡°Here, carry Chris. You can bring him home now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m afraid we can¡¯t leave today,¡± Anthony responded. He sat down next to her on the sofa and casually draped his arm over her shoulder. ¡°Why not?¡± Charmine asked with a scowl. What excuse had Anthonye up with now to stick to her? Anthony replied humorlessly, ¡°Did you read the terms of the agreement when you signed the contract?¡± , D ¡°Of course I did,¡± she retorted. Charmine, aware of her role, had a sharp eye and could read through contracts critically and with great detail. No one had ever been able to trap her because of that. Furthermore, the contract she signed was between her and the Bailey Corporation. How could there be a contract use that would allow Anthony to stay at her house? Anthony stared at her and asked calmly, ¡°Can you tell me what the secondst use in the contract states?¡± Charmine thought it through before responding, ¡°After signing the contract, Party B shall be obliged to confirm with the person-in-charge, known as Party A, all ns rted to the auto show¡­¡± As soon as she reached that part of the use, she stopped and frowned, ¡°You¡¯re the person-in charge?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He said that one word in all seriousness. Charmine felt like she had been trapped for the first time. She could have never imagined that Anthony Bailey, the lofty head of a big corporation, would personally manage a small fry like her. She copsed onto the sofa and said, ¡°Go ahead, what ns do we need to confirm?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Anthony looked deep in thought for a moment before saying, ¡°As the person-in-charge, I need to ensure that your catwalk is up to scratch. Imagine you¡¯re on the runway now and show me your catwalk.¡± ¡°Anthony! Do you have a death wish?¡± Charmine red at him.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Chris responded with a straight face, ¡°What¡¯s the problem? Practicing ahead of time is standard protocol.¡± , ¡°Huh, are you sure about that?¡± she said while narrowing her eyes at him, a sharp gleam shing through them. Even if that was standard protocol, Anthony¡¯s motives were definitely not! As calm as ever, Anthony replied, ¡°We can leave the catwalk for now. In that case, why don¡¯t you show us a pose?¡± ¡°Get! Out! Get out immediately! I want you gone within three minutes!¡± Charmine picked Chris up and stuffed him into Anthony¡¯s arms. She stood up and swiftly walked upstairs. This man was messing with her while wearing a straight face! She had no time for this nonsense! Chapter 110 Chapter 110 Anthony stared at Charmine¡¯s resolute frame and reminded her, ¡°Charmine, we¡¯ve signed a contract and you¡¯re breaking i Charmine finally stopped walking, turning back to look at him. ¡°Breaking the contract? In that case, you can terminate it. I can afford to pay tens of millions inpensation!¡± She was savage, extremely so! She knew for a fact that he would not terminate the contract. Anthony¡¯s gaze deepened. This feral cat was wild and very interesting Meanwhile, at the Jordan family Vi, Tiffany was suffering unbearably as she hid alone in the house. Even though Julian had agreed to help her get back at Charmine, the time was not yet right for the dirt he had on her to be released. At the moment, all she could do was sit and watch as Charmine roset o stardom. The entire inte was raving about Charmine, her poprity unbeatable as it was more than ten times the size of hers now. Manyizens were surprised at Charmine¡¯s ability to turn the tables around and score a victory. They were also enamored with her beauty, speech, and personality. Charmine appeared to be absolutely perfect in every way. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Tiffany clenched her fists tightly in jealousy and her chest emanated wave after wave of malicious hatred. ¡°This feeling is too much to bear, far too much! I wish I could kill Charmine right now and take back all the glory which is rightfully mine!¡¯ Tiffany thought to herself. In that instance, the door opened with a creak. Joey entered carrying a te with a piece of cake on it. She asked with concern, ¡°Tiffy, are you alright?¡± ¡°I ¨C I¡¯m fine,¡± Tiffany quickly recovered herposure and got down from her bed. Joey and Tiffany both sat at the small table beside her bed. Joey said sorrowfully, ¡°You can talk to me if you¡¯re feeling upset. Charmine has really crossed the line this time! She¡¯s an adopted daughter so how could she not make any allowances for you? Why is she so insistent on picking a fight with you? What an ungrateful child!¡±, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t me my younger sister. She¡¯s just¡­ She¡¯s just better than me. I¡¯m sure she had no intention of hurting me,¡± Tiffany said, trying to reassure her. ¡°No intention of hurting you? You are too pure and kind, always thinking about her. Didn¡¯t you know that she always had the intention of using your status of number one model to climb her way to the top while pushing you down? Even now, she¡¯s hoping to use you as a side piece!¡± Joeyined. As soon as she mentioned this, Joey¡¯s anger suddenly burst forward. Tiffany frowned as she questioned her, ¡°Use me as a side piece? Mom, did something happen?¡± Joey sighed deeply. ¡°Your agent, Veronica, stopped by a while ago. She wanted me to pass on a contract to you. The contract i s for the Mercedes Auto Show. Sven though Charmine¡¯s only a newbie, she¡¯s bagged the role of main model. She must have spent a lot of money, deliberately arranging things so that your endorsement is for the lowest-quality car model at the show. I¡¯ve already rejected the offer for you.¡± Tiffany furrowed her brows when she heard this. The annual Mercedes Auto Show actually hired Charmine? All this while, she thought they only hired foreign models. Mercedes specialized in luxury brand cars. The people who participated i n the auto show were all extremely rich and wealthy, you could call them the cream of the crop within society. The year before, Tiffany tried to win a spot in the Auto Show but was rejected by thepany. She could not believe that Charmine was actually hired by them? Charmine was a mere newbie. That was impossible. To add insult to injury, they wanted her to take a supporting role? Joey pulled Tiffany¡¯s hand toward herself andforted her b y saying, ¡°Tiffy, don¡¯t concern yourself with Charmine. Just do your best to stay away from her. Recently, she¡¯s received a lot o f publicity with all the articles writing about how a rookie model has managed to topple the number one model. She¡¯s clearly trying to use your clout. 1 ¡°Promise me, my daughter, that you don¡¯t consider her as your sister any longer. Apart from that, you must also never give her another opportunity to gain poprity off your hard work. I will find a way to persuade your grandfather to take back the fifteen percent shares given to her. I¡¯ll make sure that he sees through her evil intentions and ulterior motives.¡± , ¡°Mom, thank you for always looking out for me. However, I¡¯ve thought it through and want to be a part of this Auto Show,¡± Tiffany responded. ¡°What? Tiffy, have you gone mad? You want to y second fiddle to Charmine?¡± Joey was shocked beyond belief and found the news hard to swallow. Chapter 111 Chapter 111 Tiffany narrowed her eyes. All this while, she had not received any endorsements. As a result of her nude photo scandal and her loss in the Guci showdown, she had been getting the cold shoulder everywhere she went. Even now, it was no easy feat t o have arge corporation sign a contract with her. How could she turn it down? Even if it was only a supporting role, she was still the only local model hired to participate in the Mercedes Auto Show apart from Charmine. This stunt would allow her to crush many others in the industry and make those who doubted her regret their decisions! She had her own methods of dealing with Charmine and ying second fiddle to her. On the outside, Tiffany said sweetly, ¡°Mom, I know you¡¯ve heard that the organizer decided to use sister Charmine as their main model. However, as she¡¯s a rookie model, she doesn¡¯t have enough star power. Without sufficient poprity at the Auto Show, my younger sister is going to make a fool out of herself and beughed at. If I participate as well, even if i t doesn¡¯t do much, any extra poprity that I bring will be helpful for her.¡± ¡°Tiffy, I¡¯ve said it before but don¡¯t always concern yourself with what¡¯s best for her. She¡¯s the ck sheep of the Jordan family. She¡¯s not worth you treating her so well!¡± Joey said sadly. Tiffany held onto Joey¡¯s hand, speaking in a soft and gentle voice as sheforted her, ¡°Mom, my sister grew up with me. For better or for worse, I¡¯ll always care for her. I also believe that love can inspire change in a person. Sooner orter, she¡¯ll see how well I¡¯ve treated her and return to the Jordan family. We¡¯ll be a proper family then! If I remain stuck at home, it¡¯ll just let my thoughts run wild. Mom, please let me take part in the Auto Show!¡± Once she was done speaking, Tiffany acted coquettishly while still holding onto Joey¡¯s hand. Joey sighed exasperatedly and replied, ¡°Fine, I can¡¯t help but give in to you. However, you must remember that if she bullies you this time, I¡¯ll definitely act against her. I¡¯ll use all the influence and power that the Jordan family has against her. I¡¯ll even chase her out of Burlington!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll remember. Thank you, mom.¡± Tiffanyid in her embrace, her face one of absolute glee. All she needed were those words that Joey had just uttered. She needed topletely destroy Charmine before the Jordan family discovered her true identity! After Joey left, Tiffany immediately reached for her phone and saw the news sent by Veronica. [Tiffany, I deliberately passed the contract to Lady Jordan for the sole purpose of making her hate Charmine. You must use this opportunity wisely.] Tiffany swiftly typed out a response. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. [Don¡¯t worry, she absolutely despises Charmine now. She even threatened to use all of the Jordan family¡¯s power to chase Charmine out of Burlington. This time, we must take this opportunity and not allow Charmine to flip the situation around! I¡¯ve already thought of a detailed n but need you to handle it personally. We can¡¯t afford to leave it in the hands of others. This matter is of utmost importance. Apart from you and I, no one else can find out about this!] (Ok! I¡¯ll do my best!) Veronica typed back. Tiffany quickly sent over the detailed n to her. After she had read the n, Veronica frowned. If the n seeded, Charmine would bepletely destroyed or locked in prison for at least the next five years! However, if they failed¡­ She could see why Tiffany needed her to handle the situation. This time, it was absolutely vital for her to act personally. They could not afford to overlook a single detail. During the following days, Charmine and all the other top models were busy preparing and practicing. Since Anthony wanted to avoid any shes between her and the other models, he allowed her to practice on her own each time, away from everyone else. Throughout the training period, Charmine did not see a single person, not even Tiffany. Her days felt peaceful. When she was bored, she would help Rio manage RisingHawk Entertainment and investigate the events from five years ago. However, five years ago on that day at the Phoenix Hotel, she had already looked into everyone there that day. Even Tiffany¡¯s part that day had been uncovered but she could not find any more clues leading to that guy. It looked like the only person who knew the true events was Tiffany. Charmine put down the name list she was fiddling with as a dark expression shed across her eyes. Since she had reached a dead end with her investigations, the next step was to get the information from Tiffany herself! The Auto Show seemed like a good opportunity for that. In the blink of an eye, the day of the Mercedes Auto Show finally arrived. All the models- top international supermodels ¡ªwere gathered, blond-haired and blue-eyed. Tiffany had also arrived. Normally when she arrived at events, there would always be arge group of fans cheering for her. Unfortunately, since the nude photo scandal and the showdown defeat, everyone kept a low profile and handled things in a low-key manner. She felt like a newbie nobody had ever heard off as she walked backstage with Veronica. Chapter 112 Chapter 112 All the top models started to notice Tiffany and soon began talking amongst themselves, most probably about her. ¡°Who¡¯s that? Mercedes has never used local models in their shows before.¡± ¡°She looks a little familiar. She might be a B-list model.¡± ¡°Oh, she¡¯s pretty well-known. She¡¯s that model from the nude scandal that rocked the entertainment industry.¡± Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard? She lost disastrously at the Guci showdown and is considered the worst model for endorsement deals.¡± ¡°How could this type of person be hired for our prestigious Mercedes Auto Show?¡± Everyone was sneering as they talked about her. Tiffany¡¯s hands clenched tightly as these people were hitting a sore spot by talking about her, rubbing her loss into her face! However they were truly aplished and talented, each one of them having won many grand awards. Even though Tiffany had previously won the top model award twice, one of her victories was won through making use of her connections. The other win was¡­ 1 If they wereparing their true abilities, she could notpete against them. Tiffany furrowed her brow and startedt o speak to them in their own mother tongue which she had worked hard to learn. ¡°I was extremely shocked to have the opportunity to participate in this Auto Show. I never tried to fight for the ce, it was my sister who got the spot for me.¡± ¡°Your sister?¡± Shock and surprise could be seen on everyone¡¯s faces as they heard this. Tiffany replied, ¡°That¡¯s right, didn¡¯t you know? This year¡¯s main model ¡ª the model for the gold race car¡ª is her. Saying this, I truly admire and respect my sister since she¡¯s so young. She¡¯s also never won any grand awards but was given the chance to participate in this Auto Show. ¡°Many people were whispering amongst each other that she has a special rtionship with the organizer but I don¡¯t believe that. She¡¯s extremely talented. Just wait until you all meet her and you¡¯ll all see what I mean.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Tiffany turned toward Veronica and said, ¡° Veronica, let¡¯s go and get changed.¡± Veronica nodded and immediately brought her to the changing rooms. All 11 models stood there stunned, The organizer had not informed them who the main model was. They all assumed it was someone outstanding and famous and could not believe she was a mere rookie. ¡®A newbie bagging the role of main model; she definitely has a special rtionship with the organizer!¡¯ How dare this rookie steal this opportunity from us, the true big shots in the industry?¡® The current, most famous supermodel ¨C Kelly Mn-looked a t Tiffany and found her vaguely familiar. Last time, it was Charmine who stole Tiffany¡¯s spot, stealing the spotlight at the Chanel grand finale. This time, she once again stole the main model role at the Auto Show. She was always trying to go up against Tiffany! At that very moment by chance, the sound of high heels clicking could be heard from outside. Kelly Mn said, ¡°Let¡¯s get her!¡± All the other models nodded their heads in agreement, all united against a common enemy. Following the sound of the high heels, a tall and elegant figure walked in. Today, Charmine was wearing a pair of ck Hepburn-inspired bellbottom trousers with a matching red crop top. She gave off her usual radiant aura in public. Everyone there stared at her, their eyes full of enmity. Charmine did not seem to pay attention to that. Instead, she walked past them in a casual manner. Her eyes were fixed steadily ahead and she did not seem to notice the people around her as she walked toward her own dressing table. The makeup artist cautiously stepped forward and said, ¡°How do you do, Ms. Jordan. I¡¯m the makeup artist assigned to you today. This is your outfit and the essories that you¡¯ll need t o pair with it.¡± The makeup artist said this while she ced a pair of earrings, a watch, and a few other essories on her dressing table. ¡°You can leave now,¡± Kelly Mn said to the makeup artist while she brought a group of people behind her inside. Every single person there stood at a height of more than 1.7 meters, towering over Charmine. Their height, along with their blond hair and blue eyes, helped enhance the terrifying aura of their fiery anger. 1 The makeup artist was frightened, and she hurriedly scurried out to find a corner to hide in. From the changing room, Tiffany could see this scene unfurling and smiled with gleeful anticipation. It was not wise to incur the wrath of Kelly Mn. This time, Charmine would definitely be dead meat! Chapter 113 Chapter 113 As soon as the makeup artist left the room, the model standing behind Kelly Mn, Eunice, took arge step forward and swiped harshly at Charmine¡¯s dresser. With a loud crash, everything on the dresser fell to the ground. Even her outfit fell to the ground and was now covered in dust. It was surprising to see the great and lofty Kelly Mn actuallye t o deal with Charmine personally. ¡°I don¡¯t care what rtionship you have with the organizer. You¡¯re just a rookie. It¡¯s not right that all of us are ying supporting roles for you! If you know your ce, you¡¯ll be a everything that you own!¡± said Kelly. ¡°That¡¯s right. Get lost!¡± Everyone started chanting this at Charmine, their eyes threatening. Charmine leaned against the back of her chair and said unperturbed, ¡°You really think that tossing a couple of things t o the ground is enough to scare me?¡±, ¡°You!¡± They could not believe that even cornered like this, Charmine could be so savage! How was she unafraid even when she was up against so many of them? Eunice was so furious that she looked as red as a lobster. In one move, she angrily flipped Charmine¡¯s dressing table, causing everything to fall onto the ground with a loud bang! The dresserid on the ground amongst pieces of shattered ss. Everything that wasid on the dresser waspletely destroyed. Eunice did not stop there. Moving on, she walked toward Charmine¡¯s outfits and essories. She picked out a bracelet and stomped on it with all her strength until it broke with a crack. She red at Tiffany and said, ¡°If you¡¯re determined to stay, I¡¯ll crack your ribs just like this bracelet.¡± Her tone carried a strong sense of intimidation and arrogance. 2 Charmine rolled her eyes before responding with a bitterugh. ¡°Are you really that weak? If you¡¯re weak due to hunger, there¡¯s some food here. Have some then use a bit more force when you have another go.¡± While she spoke, Charmine took off her ck wristwatch, ck ring, and all other essories, throwing them onto the floor. She gave off a wild and unruly vibe while doing this. ¡® Eunice and the other supermodels were stunned. What on earth was Charmine doing? She did not try to stop them from destroying her stuff but instead, seemed to be encouraging them to carry on. Did she think they were afraid of her! From the changing room, Tiffany was also shocked by the scene. She frowned and thought that Charmine was being ridiculously savage. How could she be so fearless when pitted against so many top supermodels? Was she trying to court death? One of the other supermodels could not take anymore and Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. furiously raged at Charmine, ¡°You¡¯re bringing this upon yourself, Charmine!¡± With that, she lifted her heel and trod viciously onto the watch lying on the ground. The watch shattered with a crack at that moment. It was a luxury brand worth at least six figures! However, Charmine did not even spare a nce for the broken watch. She fiddled with her fingernails that had been painted ck like the night sky before saying with a sneer, ¡°Carry on, keep going until you¡¯re satisfied. After all, those are not my things. They belong to the organizer.¡± Her audience was speechless. One by one, their faces turned pale as they were stunned into silence. They could not believe that all the things she wore then actually belonged to the organizer! They were nning on teaching Charmine a lesson by destroying her stuff in a fit of rage. However, they missed out on a tiny detail; all the things they destroyed belonged to the organizer! Charmine¡¯s watch and ring were also part of the essories selected for the Auto Show! ¡°You¡¯re pure evil!¡± Eunice spat out as she quickly retreated from the mess. ¡°You did this on purpose!¡± she used angrily! ¡°Huh? Do you think I did this on purpose? Of course, it was me who made you destroy my dresser. I was the one who forced you to step over all my outfits. Let¡¯s not forget, I made your little supermodel teame over to threaten and bully me,¡± Charmine retorted sarcastically. Her clear voice was frigid like ice, her tone cold to the bone. The crowd was lost for words and before anyone could make a sound, Charmine continued by saying, ¡°What on earth are you all doing standing there? Why don¡¯t you go ahead and destroy more of my things? In exactly two minutes, the organizer will be arriving with the reporters.¡± Kelly¡¯s expression suddenly changed. ¡°What did you say? The organizer is about to arrive and he¡¯s bringing reporters with him?¡± Chapter 114 Chapter 114 Kelly had discovered through a secret informant that the organizer of the Auto Show this year was the head of the Bailey family. She had carried a torch for Anthony for a long time and even confessed her feelings to him multiple times. However, he had rejected her advances each and every time. She was excited to have the chance to see him today! Charmine¡¯s lovely red lips curved slightly as she said with a smile, ¡°Oh, I heard that all the organizers are famous leaders o f big corporations and will be arriving soon for a live stream along with ten well- known entertainment reporters. What do you think will happen once the bosses see the mess that all of you have made backstage? How will fans react when they see arge group of supermodels bullying a newbie? ¨C Charmine¡¯s voice was sweet-sounding and easy on the ears but at that moment to the offending supermodels, her voice sounded like a curse. Moreover as she spoke, Charmine stretched out her hand toward her hair and tousled it messily. This made it look like she had been in a catfight. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Eunice could no longer control herself and yelled at Charmine furiously, ¡°Charmine, you¡¯re the devil¡¯s spawn! I¡¯ll get you one day, just you wait!¡± After she said that, Eunice turned around hastily and started to make her exit. Kelly grabbed her and said, ¡°Where are you going? Aren¡¯t you going to hurry up and clean this mess up?¡± ¡°Me?¡± Eunice wondered aloud. Kelly responded, ¡°Of course! As for the rest of you, get your assistants involved and start picking up the things on the ground.¡± Eunice and the other supermodels gritted their teeth as they rebelled internally, ¡®How dare she order us around?¡¯ At that moment, the low buzz of conversation could be heard from outside. Kelly red coldly at the others while saying, ¡°D o you really want the fans to see you bullying a rookie?¡± The crowd of supermodels swallowed their pride and did not dare t o dy any longer. They hurried up to pick up and tidy Charmine¡¯s stuff. The items on the ground were scattered about in a mess, her makeup products strewn all over. The supermodels rushed to pick what they could and throw the rest, each of them harried and stressed. Eunice who had earlier stomped away to her heart¡¯s content was now full of hatred and anger. If the organizers discover that she was the one who destroyed all these expensive products, she would be forced topensate for the damage! She speedily collected all the destroyed items and threw them into the trash. Eunice turned to her assistant and ordered, ¡°Go to the warehouse and retrieve a brand new set. Use as much money as you need to!¡± ¡°Yes, Miss,¡± responded the assistant as he ran away in a hurry. The sound of footstepsing from outside started to draw closer and closer. Kelly saw that Charmine had not moved a muscle so she ordered angrily, ¡°Sort out your hair right away!¡± If the fans saw her appearance, they would immediately think that Charmine was being bullied. On the other hand, Charmine responded nonchntly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I was so frightened by everyone smashing my things that my entire body has gone numb. I can¡¯t move.¡± She can¡¯t move! Charmine has deliberately decided not to move and is now speaking such nonsense! She really does have a death wish!¡¯ Kelly thought to herself. She felt angry enough t o the point that she could choke Charmine to death! However, when Kelly thought about the live stream, she forced herself t o walk over to Charmine and personally brush her hair for her. Once Charmine¡¯s hair was back to being perfectly coiffed, Kelly looked at Charmine¡¯s reflection in the new dresser mirror and bitterly said, ¡°Charmine, you¡¯ve gotten away with i t this time. You savage! Just you wait, I¡¯ll have my revenge.¡± ¡°Oh, you can apany me to the end then.¡± The corners of Charmine¡¯s red lips curled up to smile sinisterly as she thenughed aloud, full of arrogance. The crowd around her looked on in sullen silence, each hoping that Charmine would die this instance. The door leading to the backstage opened and a few men dressed in elegant suits walked in. Kelly rushed to step away from Charmine, the other supermodels all returning to their own dressing tables. It was as if nothing had even happened. In the changing room, Tiffany was so angry that she felt like screaming! What a group of useless garbage. Even with their strength in numbers, they could not dispose of Charmine! How frustrating! However, when she thought about her true n for the day, Tiffany¡¯s furious expression was reced by one of cold calction. Maybe it was a good thing that the catfight between the supermodels had been settled. This would make it easier for her n to seed. Today, she wouldpletely decimate Charmine and make sure that she rotted away in prison! Chapter 115 Chapter 115 Anthony and the other bosses walked in and saw that the models were already sitting in their own positions. There were some who were applying makeup while others worked on their modeling poses. His gaze swept across the room until itnded on Charmine. Charmine satnguidly in her chair, allowing her makeup artist to apply makeup on her. Even though she was sitting still, Charmine still gave off a regal and proud aura. Anthony smiled faintly to himself, an expression of deep affection unseen by anyone disyed on his features. The reporters moved ahead, carrying their recording equipment as they entered the area and immediately started doing their job. Starting from the model inst ce, they introduced Tiffany then moved their way up to Eunice. Just as they were preparing to shoot Charmine¡¯s close up, Anthony red at the reporters menacingly. The reporters felt a shiver go down their backs as they hurriedly concluded their segment by saying, ¡°That¡¯s the end of today¡¯s live stream. Let¡¯s anticipate the grand opening of the Mercedes Auto Show happening in just a moment.¡± Once they were done, all the videographers and reporters swiftly left. At the backstage, apart from the models and their assistants, there was only Anthony left, along with all the managers from Mercedes and the event organizers. Once the reporters were gone, Eunice could not control herself, so she looked toward a Mercedes manager and asked, ¡°Mr. Dalmore, isn¡¯t it absolutely inappropriate for those two local models to be at the Auto Show?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! The main model is that rookie as well. Is this a joke?¡± another supermodel piped in. ¡°Charmine is not qualified to be the main model! It should be changed to Kelly!¡± said another. Each of the supermodels took turns saying their piece, all their arguments were against Charmine. Mr. Dalmore looked ufortably toward Anthony and said, ¡°Mr. Bailey, look at what¡¯s happening. I warned you that your decision would incite public outrage.¡± Everyone who heard that was astounded! Anthony Bailey was basically the King of Aldovia, owning at least 50% of the country¡¯snd, properties, shopping malls, hotels, and more. Even today¡¯s Auto Show was held in the exhibition hall owned by the Bailey Corporation. 2 Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. The powerful and mighty Anthony Bailey actually selected a newbie to y the role of main model? Kelly, who had been maintaining a look of gorgeous elegance ever since Anthony entered the room, could not help but look crestfallen. She found that hard to believe. ¡®Hasn¡¯t Anthony always been just and fair? Didn¡¯t people use to say that he would never give anyone special treatment for any reason at all? Making Charmine the main model was his decision?¡¯ she thought to herself. Dressed head to toe in ck leather, Kelly swayed seductively a s she walked toward Anthony and asked, ¡°Mr. Bailey, please give me a good reason for picking her as the main model instead of me. Is she prettier? Or has she won more awards than I have? Are her legs longer or more shapely than mine? O ris it because she¡¯s taller than me?¡± It did not matter what criteria you used topare the two models. Charmine was no match for Kelly! Kelly was globally recognized as the World¡¯s Sexiest Model. For men, she was an absolute stunner. There was no one else who coulde close to her beauty. Everyone looked at Anthony, anticipating his reasons with bated breath. Anthony instead looked coldly at Kelly and responded, ¡°The person that I¡¯ve selected has nothing to do with you.¡± His speech was regal and full of authority. No one could bear to look him in the eye. Chapter 116 Chapter 116 Kelly was so shocked that she became as still as a statue. She had never expected that answer. She was a globally renowned supermodel. Anthony did not show her the respect that she was due and instead went ahead to hire Charmine, the rookie model! How was she going to show her face in public after this debacle? Kelly lifted her head and said, ¡°Mr. Bailey, since you¡¯re not giving me any logical exnation, I quit!¡± She quit! The implication of this meant that the Auto Show was one model short! How could they find a recement in such a short period of time? Mr. Dalmore anxiously tried to repair the situation by saying, ¡°Mr. Bailey and Miss Mn, I¡¯m sure we can resolve this issue if we just sat down to discuss it calmly.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Charmine who was sat at her dresser frowned at the scene. How did the issue get so out of hand? She wanted to speak up but before she had the chance to, Anthony had already picked u p his cellphone and gave the order, ¡°You have twenty minutes to find a model to rece Kelly Mn!¡±, Everyone there could not believe their ears! Kelly was the most famous supermodel in the industry, idolized by legions of male fans! Kelly¡¯s face paled in an instant. How could she forget that she was speaking to Anthony Bailey of the Bailey Corporation? Anthony was an extremely powerful public figure and there was not a single person who could go up against him and win! She had just threatened Anthony Bailey¡­ Kelly¡¯s agent hurriedly rushed ahead to apologize uneasily, saying, ¡°Mr, Bailey, do forgive our Kelly for overstepping her boundaries. She¡¯s always been quick-tempered and very direct with her speech. However, she never has any ill intentions. She was overly excited when she joked with you before. I know that you¡¯re a generous man who doesn¡¯t hold petty grudges, s o could you forgive her for her mistake just this once?¡± As he said this, he discreetly tapped Kelly¡¯s arm. Kelly was extremely frustrated! She wanted to turn around and leave right away. However, the modeling jobmission was extremely lucrative and she had already received the booking fee. If she really left, she would be forced to return that huge sum of money! Furthermore, this was still an extremely prestigious luxury brand Auto Show, so numerous famous people would be in attendance. How could she be absent from this event? If she left now in such an embarrassing manner, she would be the joke of the century! Hence, she clenched her fists together and lowered her head as she said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Bailey. I made a mistake.¡±, Kelly thought to herself, ¡®l¡¯ll swallow my pride for now and perform well at the Auto Show. All my fans will support me and abuse Charmine on my behalf for stealing my rightful ce! However, Anthony responded by saying, ¡°I cannot sense any sincerity in your apology.¡± Sincerity? She had already bowed her head down and admitted her mistake. He was still demanding she appear more sincere i n her apology? Kelly was about to explode with anger. She had never been so humiliated in her life! Her agent could see that she was barely able to control her anger and rushed in to help her, saying to Anthony, ¡°Mr. Bailey, we¡®re truly sorry for our misstep. We know that we¡¯re a t fault here. As a token of our sincere regret, we¡¯ll only ept 9 0% of the modeling fee and ensure that you¡¯ll be satisfied with the rest of our performance here at the Auto Show!¡± ¡°Make sure there are no repeats of this nonsense,¡± Anthony said imposingly. He no longer had any interest in continuing t o deal with them. Anthony in Charmine¡¯s direction, drawing closer to her step by step. ¡® Charmine could not believe her eyes. ¡°This man! What on earth is he nning? He¡¯s just ced a target on my back and stirred up a lot of hate toward me. What¡¯s he doing by walking up to me?¡± Chapter 117 Chapter 117 Charmine¡¯s assistants had already helped her change into her outfit for the Auto Show. Sitting in her chair, she was as still as a statue. Anthony walked toward Charmine and suddenly leaned forward. With a stretch of his hand, he tugged at the zipper of her tight fitting, leather top, zipping it all the way up. By doing this, hepletely concealed her slender neck Anthony red at her and said, ¡°The Mercedes Auto Show is a high-ss event. There¡¯s no need to show that much skin.¡± The crowd gasped in surprise as they could not believe that Anthony had actually done up the zipper of Charmine¡¯s top! With what he had said, his words sounded like those of a jealous and possessive boyfriend toward his girlfriend. This was unbelievable news! This powerful man was in a rtionship with Charmine! That would exin the special favors he was showing Charmine! Charmine wriggled ufortably in her seat. All the other models were dressed in skimpy tube tops or tops with a deep V-line. Was Anthony trying to make life hard for her in front of all these people? 1 Mr. Dalmore was worried that if things continued in this manner, all the models would lose their minds in anger! Hence, he quickly joined them and said, ¡°Mr. Bailey, the Auto Show will begin in twenty minutes. We should make our way to the front stage where the others will be waiting for you.¡± Anthony nced over at Charmine and saw that even though her zipper was pulled right up t o the top of her neck, her sensuous curves were still clearly visible under the tight-fitting clothes. She looked like a seductress. ¡®Perhaps allowing her to participate in the Auto Show was a huge mistake,¡¯ he thought. Anthony straightened up and his eyes icily swept across the room before he cooly said,¡± Charmine is the person that I¡¯ve selected. Think carefully about the oue before decidingt o mess with her.¡± His words had a menacing edge to them. Having finished saying that, Anthony turned and walked off.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. The remaining staff quickly followed behind his heels, mopping the nervous sweat off their brows. Charmine watched Anthony¡¯s retreating back surrounded by an entourage of people i na trance. ¡®How could Anthony be so thick-skinned and constantly seek out a way to stick to me?¡¯ she wondered. ¡°The person is gone so what are you still looking at? Do you really think that Anthony likes you? I bet it¡¯s only a casual fling for him. He¡¯s toying with you!¡± Eunice sneered, unable to conceal her jealousy. Charmine pulled herself together and shot Eunice a death stare, ¡°Poor you, I guess Mr. Bailey has no interest in you whatsoever.¡± Once she had said that, Charmine dashed out of the room. She had no desire to continue arguing with them. The rest of the supermodels were all green with envy, each of them wanting to teach Charmine a harsh lesson in return. This was especially true for Kelly Mn whose greatest desire at that moment was to lash out at Charmine and scratch her face off. Unfortunately, the Auto Show was about to begin and Anthony had given them a clear warning. Now that Charmine had the backing of the powerful Mr. Bailey, no one dared to lift a finger against her. The atmosphere backstage felt unbearably frosty. When Tiffany thought about Anthony¡¯s special treatment of Charmine, she felt like her heart was about to explode from jealousy. She could not help but shoot daggers at Charmine with her gaze. Veronica sent her a look of sympathy before going out to buy 12 bottles of fruit juice. She turned to everyone and said, ¡°Let¡¯s not stay angry any longer. It¡¯s fate that brought us together in a working rtionship. Since it is such a hot day, please have some juice to cool down. There¡¯s only a short time left before you will all need to head to the stage.¡± With that, Veronica started to hand out the drinks to all the supermodels. The group of supermodels was all so furious with Charmine that Tiffany did not seem so hateful any longer byparison. Hence, they did not refuse and epted the juice from Veronica. After doing the rounds, Veronica approached Charmine holding a bottle of orange juice and said... Chapter 118 Chapter 118 ¡°Charmine, you should have some too,¡± Veronica said as she held out a juice bottle. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°Oh, ¡®beware of Greeks bearing gifts¡¯ is how the saying goes. Nothing good cane out of this ¡°responded Charmine with an air of indifference, not even bothering to reach out her hand Veronica smiled awkwardly in embarassment. ¡°That¡¯s not a problem, I¡¯ll leave it here for you. You can have itter when you¡¯re thirsty.¡± She ced the juice bottle on the dresser then left. Charmine scrunched her eyes in bewilderment. ¡®Veronica¡¯s not a good person, so why is she being so nice to me? It looks like Tiffany is up to no good once again. Since Tiffany seems up for a game, I¡¯ll give them a game to y,¡¯ she thought. Charmine rolled her eyes then reached for the juice bottle, only to toss it straight into the trash can next to her. 1 Tiffany kept a straight face but inside, she was bursting with glee. ¡®Watch out Charmine, prepare to rot in jail!¡¯ At this moment, Mr. Dalmore¡¯s assistant, Faye Ronan, walked in carrying arge assorted fruit tter. She said with a friendly tone, ¡°Good day everyone, this is an assorted fruit tter prepared by the organizers for all of you. There¡¯s enough for everyone to have a piece each for good luck.¡± Faye walked toward Charmine and said, ¡°We¡¯ll start with our main model having the first pick.¡± It was a concoction of strawberries, arranged into the shape of a champagne tower. There were multipleyers of the delicious red fruit, and it was exceptionally pretty to look at. The top strawberry even had a tiny red flower stuck in it for good luck. Someone in the crowd scoffed and said, ¡°I can¡¯t believe that Mr. Dalmore is so superstitious. He¡¯s insisting on performing this good luck ceremony for a grand event like this!¡± ¡°I think I remember that the fruit tterst year was arranged into the shape of the Empire State Tower. It looked fantastic and was an extremely creative idea,¡± a model reminisced. ¡°It¡¯s a shame this time that a rookie gets to have the first pick. It¡¯s enough to make me lose my appetite,¡± said another. Charmine ignored thements being said and easily reached out for the first piece of strawberry. She plucked the tiny red flower out of the strawberry and prepared to take a bite. However, she suddenly felt a strange sensation like she was being observed closely. Lifting her gaze, she saw Tiffany sitting in a corner, smiling like a cat that had gotten the cream as she watched Charmine with gleeful anticipation. Charmine frowned slightly. ¡®Did Tiffany mess with this strawberry?¡¯ she wondered. After careful consideration, she was sure that Tiffany would be willing to do almost anything to destroy her. To protect herself without getting on the bad side of Mr. Dalmore, as soon as Faye turned around to hand out the strawberries to the other models, she discreetly dropped the strawberry into the trash can next to her. Tiffany saw the scene in front of her and her glee be more apparent. Soon, there would b e an exciting show to watch. This time, Charmine would be going down for sure! Chapter 119 Chapter 119 After all the strawberries had been eaten, it was now time for the start of the grand Auto Show! As it was an annual event, there was no room for even the slightest misstep. The models stopped focusing on their backstage drama and started to prepare. The exhibition hall was huge, thousands of square meters wide. Even so, it was already filled with men dressed smartly in suits. Each one of them looked extremely wealthy. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Anthony carried Chris to take their seats in the front row, waiting quietly for the show to begin. When the musical apaniment started to y, the dance floor slowly rose to reveal a raised tform. On the tform were thetest luxury cars, each apanied by a supermodel standing next to them. Both the cars and the models were a sight to be admired. As soon as the tform stopped moving, the supermodels started to circle the luxury cars, stopping at intervals to pose attractively next to them. Their poses showcased how enticing both the cars and the beautiful models looked on stage. The appearance of each newly presented car model-along with their supermodel in tow caused the eyes of the watching crowd to sparkle in enjoyment. The reporters carried their cameras and started taking photos of every second at every angle. The models also started to present their best poses for the adoring cameras. It was now Tiffany¡¯s turn to appear on stage. The ever beautiful Tiffany wore a tight leather skirt and a sexy vest top. This was her first time wearing an outfit like this. Putting on a straight face, she was determined to look like the epitome of sophistication. Unfortunately by appearing after multiple gorgeous supermodels, Tiffany looked too ordinary in comparison. Furthermore, on the tforms beside her stood a couple of blonde haired, blue-eyed supermodels who were busy striking poses non-stop. Their glistening pure-white skin appeared sexy and refined,plimenting their daring poses well. Young and inexperienced Tiffany was quickly outmatched in that short period of time. The photographers who were waiting with their cameras on hand just to catch a shot of her took one or two photos before putting them down in disappointment. Some people could not resist sneering and criticizing her, saying, ¡°Tiffany¡¯s really an embarrassment to Aldovia. She¡¯s too outmatched here by everyone else.¡± Another person chimed in, ¡°She¡¯s lost her charm and star quality. She shouldn¡¯t have participated in the grand Auto Show. Now the whole world will think that all of Burlington¡¯s models are of such terrible quality.¡± ¡°Even Amelia Jordan might be better than her. The title of ¡®Number One Top Model¡¯ is bing more and more unsuitable for Tiffany,¡± said another. Even though Tiffany could not hear the crowd from the tform, she could see their disdainful and contemptuous expressions and started to feel extremely frustrated. If it was not for the fact that she did not have any current endorsement deals, she would have never agreed to participate in this Auto Show. The modeling style and requirements werepletely at odds with her own style! Furthermore, the sensation of the leather outfit rubbing against her skin made her whole body feel ufortable. However, the thought of seeing her n for Charminee to fruition and how she would make a fool out of herself spurred Tiffany on to endure the situation. Losing face in front of the crowd an outmatched in the modeling industry was nothing as long as it meant she could see Charmine¡¯s downfall. It would make it all worth it. Time passed swiftly and 11 splendid new cars have already been showcased. Acting ording to n, all the models stopped changing their poses and stood unmoving in one position. The music started to be more vibrant and energetic, continuing to swell until the hall¡¯s atmosphere reached a climax. At the centermost point of the stage, a runway began to rise slowly. The runway was at least 100 meters long and half a meter taller than its closestpetitor. It was an extremely impressive sight. At the end of the runway sat a shiny gold race car. Sitting within this space, it gave off an exceptionally eye-catching shine and luster. The audience was astounded by the sight in front of them. This gold race car was one of the coolest things that anyone there had ever seen! The hard body of the car¡¯s exterior utilized cutting-edge technology that they could all see. Every aspect of it appeared distinguished and extravagant. However, where was the car model? While they were discussing the topic of the missing model, the sound of an rm could be heard around the exhibition hall. Right after that, the gold car actually started to rev up and move up the runway. With a loud ¡®vroom!, the car elerated and started driving at a high speed. Everyone present was terrified, while the people sitting in the front row were so fearful, they were ready to bolt for their lives! There was only 100 meters of runway in total. No sane person would drive a race car on it! If the race car drove off the runway, there was no guessing how many people would be injured! No one seemed to come forward to stop the car as it raced breezily down the runway. Closer and closer in 10 meters, 5 meters! The audience in the three rows closest to the runway and in the race car¡¯s path looked like they were about to faint from fear. Those among them who were less brave stood up and started to make their way out of the area. However, the race car had already made its way to the front of the runway and miraculously stopped exactly at the edge! The race car¡¯s tires sato n the edge; a hair¡¯s breadth more and the car would have toppled onto the audience. This driver was clearly skillful. The technical ability seen here was outstanding! ¡°That¡¯s incredible! Who on earth is this driver who has such amazing driving skills?¡± said someone in the audience. ¡°These skills would definitely win first ce in a car racing event!¡± said another. ¡°They must have invited a car wizard, a genius driver! Hurry up ande out, let us see who you are!¡± They waited with great anticipation. Chapter 120 Chapter 120 Everyone was hanging off their seats with anticipation. They could not wait to find out who the amazing driver was. Nial Bailey originally did not want to attend the Auto Show just to watch Anthony chase after a girl. Moreover, each year there were always people who stooped to such shameless measures to achieve their own agendas, so it was too embarrassing to watch. Nial did not expect that by attending this year, he would have the opportunity to witness such a jaw- droppingly, exciting car demonstration! He was extremely interested in drag racing and at that moment, he felt re-energized and joined the rest of the crowd in looking toward the runway. On the runway under the intense, unblinking gaze of the audience, the door of the gleaming gold race car opened. A pair of ck Doc Martens boots stepped onto the runway, followed by a pair of long, slender legs. Those legs were beautiful to look at, shapely, long, and beautifully proportioned. Matched with a tight-fitting ck leather skirt, those legs looked even more stunning The rest of the body soon emerged from the car. It was Charmine! The spectacr driver was actually Charmine! She was dressed entirely in a tight ck leather racing suit that emphasized her curves and showed off her slender waist. Her long hair flowed freely behind her, a minimalistic but elegant look. Her aura was truly extraordinary. She wore a pair of dark sunsses, and her lips were a shade of seductive red. Everything about her was eye-catching. The crowd erupted in wonderment! ¡°Wow, wow, wow! She¡¯s absolutely stunning!¡± eximed someone. ¡°The car wizard is actually Charmine!¡± another shouted excitedly. ¡°Charmine has such amazing driving skills! When did she learn to drag race?¡± wondered another aloud. ¡°Ah, ah, ah! That¡¯s a body I could worship for an eternity! Legs for days!¡± ¡°This is too amazing and indescribably wonderful! It¡¯s so heart-stoppingly exciting! I love it!¡± The exmations swelled and rose like ocean waves. However, Charmine stood unwaveringly, appearing to pay no attention to the excited crowd. Her expression was one of haughty coldness. She got down from the car and reached out to take off her sunsses. She carelessly leaned against the gold race car, seemingly recreating the scene of a drag racer who had reached the mountaintop and was now enjoying the view. Her entire body appeared rxed, carefree, and uninhibited. The excitement among the crowd soared. The audience could not help but cheer unceasingly. ¡°Oh my gosh! How gorgeous! She¡¯s exquisite!¡± ¡°This is a top-ss Auto Show! She¡¯s truly a top-ss car model!¡± ¡°Her stage presence outshines all the other blonde-hair, blue-eyed models! She has made us proud!¡± All the reporters held onto their camera and were busy clicking away non-stop. All the other supermodels have been working hard using their various poses to draw the audience¡¯s attention. However, Charmine had barely done anything and yet, she had managed to capture the full attention of everyone present in merely 10 seconds. Even now, she had not changed her pose but remained draped against the car holding her sunsses. Still, the reporters were intently photographing her from all 360-degrees, changing their angles constantly. Oh, how they wished they could capture all her stunning glory in its entirety through their camera lens. Anthony was also gazing fixedly at Charmine. The normally unppable Anthony Bailey revealed a sh of surprise on his features. To be fair, he had watched Charmine practice her catwalk. It was not just once but each time he watched her, he would feel amazed and drawn t o her presence. It was no wonder she was the woman he adored. Chris was even more excited, raising both hands up in the air and shouting, ¡°Mommy is the best! She¡¯s amazing! Number one top model! The world¡¯s best model!¡± Spurred on by his cheers, the rest of the crowd followed suit and started to cheer, ¡°Number one top model! The world¡¯s best model!¡± The atmosphere erupted once again, rising to its climax! Charmine had once again astounded the whole crowd! Tiffany¡¯s face was dark as thunder. ¡®I¡¯m the true number one model! That title belongs to me!¡¯ she thought bitterly. However, her position was right at the back and almostpletely hidden behind the other supermodels. She stood in her dark corner and felt like she did not even exist! 2 Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Seeing how everyone¡¯s gaze was on Charmine and how the whole world seemed to be cheering for her, Tiffany felt unbearably envious. ¡®What right does she have! She¡¯s only a rookie model and had a pregnancy out of wedlock! She has no right to hog the spotlight! Tiffanyined internally. 1 All the other supermodels were nothing special if they could let a rookie outshine them. Nothing like this had happened before. Charminepletely did not give them the respect they deserved despite being her seniors in the industry. Instead, she outshone them mercilessly. However, as the supermodels all stood in front of the crowd and all the reporters with their cameras, no one dared to reveal even a hint of being displeased or disgruntled. The models maintained their poses, looking in inparison to Charmine¡¯s stunning presence. Suddenly, Eunice yelped pitifully and tumbled onto the ground in pain. She gripped her stomach, her features contorting in pain while she screamed non-stop. The audience frowned in that instant, all wondering what had happened. Had she been possessed by a ghost? All at once, the other models also fell simrly to the ground, one after another. All the modelsy helplessly beside the luxury cars, rolling around while holding onto their stomachs in pain, moaning pitifully. The hall turned into a sea of chaos, the sounds of crying and moaning filling the air. Charmine watched the fallen models around her and frowned as she thought, ¡®This is bad. It seems like there¡¯s trouble brewing!¡¯ Chapter 121 Chapter 121 In a matter of moments, everyone had fallen and was lying on the ground. This included Tiffany. She alsoid in suffering on the ground, hugging her stomach weakly while screaming, ¡°It hurts¡­ It hurts so much. Please help¡­¡± That pitiful voice and her forehead covered in sweat did not look like an act. The organizers reacted quickly. Mr. Dalmore loudly ordered,¡° Stop the music! Doctor! Call the doctors!¡± The background music stopped and the assistants reorganized the stage so that all the tforms originally set at different heights were now uniform. The first thing Charmine did was to walk toward the model lying closest to her and kneel down beside her. It was Eunice! Eunice was curled into a ball on the ground but when she saw Charmine walking toward her, all she wanted was for Charmine to get lost! However, Eunice was so crippled with pain that she could not speak. Charmine knelt down and reached out her hand to touch Eunice¡¯s forehead and feel her pulse. Eunice¡¯s assistant saw Charmine¡¯s actions and immediately moved up to push her away, sneering, ¡°Do you think you¡¯re a doctor? Stay away from my Eunice!¡± N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Charmine was pushed while kneeling. Because of this, she lost her bnce easily and fell to the ground. However, she did not seem to mind as she sat there, one leg bent and her hand strewn carelessly over her leg as she said, ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry, it¡¯s only a case of acute food poisoning caused by a type of halophilic bacteria. It¡¯ll resolve on its own after 2 days.¡± Aida could not understand a word that Charmine said. However seeing Charmine¡¯s casual countenance, she angrily spat out, ¡°Looking at you now, you¡¯re clearly not in pain. Can¡¯t you see how much they¡¯re suffering?¡± ¡°Exactly. If you don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, you should hold your tongue. Don¡¯t pretend to be all knowledgeable.¡± Kelly¡¯s assistant joined in to scold Charmine a s well. Everyone there did not have a good impression of Charmine. In a short amount of time, Anthony had sorted things out with the organizers, arranging for the audience to leave the area. H e gazed in Charmine¡¯s direction and said to Nial, ¡°Go check on them immediately.¡± (This Novel Daily Latest Chapters provide it .InfoBagh.Com) ¡°It¡¯s not my sister-inw who¡¯s sick. What are you worrying about? Don¡¯t you have other doctors for this?¡± Nial stood and teased. Even though he was a doctor, he rarely attended to patients personally. Anthony rebutted by saying, ¡°It¡¯s exactly because she¡¯s not sick which makes the matterplicated.¡± Nial was stunned. He appeared to understand Anthony¡¯s concern and immediately rushed forward to check on each supermodel. After he took a history of their symptoms, Nial said with a solemn face, ¡°It¡¯s a case of acute food poisoning caused by a type of halophilic bacteria.¡± As this was the second time Aida had heard that phrase, she asked curiously, ¡°What do you mean when you say ¡®halophilic bacteria¡¯?¡± ¡°Halophilic bacteria is also known as vibrio parahaemolyticus. It¡¯s a kind of bacteria that can cause severe pain in the upper abdomen and diarrhea. It is a gram-negative polymorphic bacillus. The best medium to support its growth is a medium containing three percent salt, and it can survive for more than forty-seven days in seawater. ¡°Because of this, it is used as a poison in some ck markets because it¡¯s tasteless and can be stored easily. It does not endanger human life but can cause extreme pain,¡± Nial said with an air of expertise. Everyone was surprised at his words. ¡°That means that the matter is not as simple as food poisoning from eating spoiled food, but that we were deliberately poisoned?¡± ¡°Who¡­ Who would poison so many of us?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve not eaten much today¡­¡± The models were allying in their assistants¡¯ arms as they discussed the issue weakly. At this moment, Kelly eximed,¡° We all ate straw¡­ Strawberries¡­¡± Strawberries! ¡°That¡¯s right, Faye brought us strawberries¡­¡± ¡°But all of us ate the strawberries, so why is Charmine alright?¡± Veronica Ramos asked in a faint voice. (This Novel Daily Latest Chapters provide it .InfoBagh.Com) All eyes in the roomnded upon Charmine. In that moment of chaos, all the models were in so much pain that their faces were contorted uglily, some even crying. However, Charmine alone looked untouched and unperturbed as she sat in a casual manner. Tiffany¡¯s face went white with fear as she swiftly turned toward Veronica to say, ¡°Veronica, don¡¯t spread nonsense! It can¡¯t be my sister. I know that we¡¯ve had our differences but she would never do something like this!¡± ¡°You¡¯re right¡­¡± responded Veronica meekly. Nevertheless, all the other models had already heard what was said by Veronica and their suspicions grew. Kelly red at Charmine and said, ¡°Charmine, it was you¡­ You¡¯re the one who did it! Am I right? It¡¯s because we bullied you as a group, that¡¯s why you hate us and want revenge!¡± Chapter 122 Chapter 122 ¡°It¡¯s definitely her! She must have wanted us to embarrass ourselves in public!¡± said Eunice with gritted teeth. Eunice was in so much pain that her expression looked absolutely ghastly. Charmine faced everyone¡¯s gaze head-on, a look of understanding crossing over her face. She began to understand why Tiffany had decided to participate in the Auto Show. Tiffany had a hidden agenda all along. The current situation where all of the models were poisoned and yet she was unharmed would mean that all suspicions wouldnd on her¡­ However, Charmine kept a straight face and responded to the crowd, saying, ¡°Before pointing the finger at me, I would ask that you provide some evidence. Otherwise, I have the right to sue you for defamation!¡± Her clear voicemanded a strong presence. The audience gasped in surprise. Tiffany frowned and said weakly, ¡°My sister is right, we can¡¯t use her without any proof. I know my sister, she¡¯s not the kind of person who would do such a thing.¡± After saying that, Tiffany turned to look at Anthony and Mr. Dalmore, ¡°Mr. Bailey, Mr. Dalmore, a t the moment, all the staff involved in this event are present. It would be best to investigate the matter now while everyone is still here. ¡°We ate the strawberries pretty recently so there might still be a chance that we can find evidence of the container used to carry the drug or perhaps even other clues that could lead to something. Please, would you start right away¡­ Cough¡­ Get the police to investigate so that we can prove my sister¡¯s innocence.¡± She was clearly in excruciating pain but still fought through the pain to plead on Charmine¡¯s behalf. Veronica hurried to her side and supported her while saying, ¡° Tiffany, you shouldn¡¯t try to speak. What¡¯s important right now is for you to conserve your strength!¡± Charmine almost rolled her eyes at the sight. Tiffany¡¯s pitiful acting was like a wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing. It made her feel disgusted. However, this time it looked like her trick might seed in killing two birds with one stone. She would be harming Charmine and gaining the other models¡¯ goodwill. (This Novel Daily Latest Chapters provide it .InfoBagh.Com) Kelly¡¯s agent chipped in by saying, ¡°That¡¯s right, get the police involved. We need to get to the bottom of this and find the person who poisoned my Kelly!¡± ¡°We must find the culprit who wronged us!¡± said another. ¡°The incident happened at the Auto Show. If you do not hire people to investigate the matter clearly, our fans will destroy you! Don¡¯t you dare attempt to protect the culprit!¡± Thisst sentence was said by Eunice toward Anthony. She could see that Anthony treated Charmine with special care. Anthony¡¯s expression turned cold and he said with a dark and serious face, ¡°I¡¯ll invite the police to conduct their investigations but not because of your threats. It¡¯s simply uncovered, we¡¯ll catch the true perpetrator.¡± His chilling gaze swept past Tiffany before he noticed Luke Reed, his assistant, standing beside him. Luke immediately picked up his phone to lodge a police report. Tiffany felt a shiver go down her back. She had always felt that Anthony¡¯s piercing eyes could see through her like an x-ray, revealing all her secrets and innermost thoughts. If Anthony discovered that it was her¡­ ¡®No, no! There¡¯s no way he could have figured it out!¡¯ she thought to herself. 2 She knew that her n this time was absolutely perfect,pletely wless. She had been meticulously preparing for several days, so there was no way that she would have left behind any shred of evidence! Even if the police arrived, they would not be able to find evidence incriminating her. Everything they found would point to Charmine.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡®Charmine, just you wait. Enjoy rotting in jail!¡¯ Tiffany smirked on the inside. On the outside, she used her pain as a mask to hide her panic as she lowered her head and pretended t o be ill. ¡¤ Once the police report was made, everyone sat around waiting. The hospital staff had sent over some pain medication and the supermodels had some each. Not much time had passed before the police arrived. They began their meticulous investigation both backstage and in the main hall. Everyone who had been i n contact with the strawberries was a prime suspect. Furthermore, they even used test strips on everyone¡¯s fingertips to discover if there were any traces of the poison left behind. Unfortunately, all their efforts were for nothing. At that moment, Veronica blurted, ¡°Charmine should be investigated as well! She was the first person to touch the strawberries. She had a great opportunity to poison them¡­¡± ¡°Veronica! Stop talking!¡± Tiffany frantically rushed to drag her back. Tiffany then turned to the crowd and said, ¡°Don¡¯t listen to her, she¡¯s speaking a bunch of nonsense and making wild assumptions. My sister is really not the kind of person who would do this. She isn¡¯t a suspect, hence she wouldn¡¯t need to be investigated¡­¡± (This Novel Daily Latest Chapters provide it .InfoBagh.Com) ¡°Since she was in contact with the strawberries, we should carry out the test,¡± Officer Ryan said while he walked toward Charmine with a test strip in his hand. Charmine had a bad feeling about this¡­ Chapter 123 Chapter 123 Charmine was made to sit on a chair as she stared widely at Officer Ryan walking toward her. Officer Ryan held out the test strip toward her and requested, ¡°Ms. Jordan, please use your fingers to pinch the test strip briefly.¡± The test strip was partially wet and contained severalplicatedponents. If there were any trace of halophilic bacteria on her fingers, the test strip would change color from white to purple. The crowd turned toward Charmine and started to taunt her,¡± Didn¡¯t you say that you were innocent? Hurry up and use the strip!¡± ¡°You sounded pretty arrogant back there so why aren¡¯t you taking the test now?¡± ¡°Are you scared? You better hurry up and do the test. We need t o see the results!¡± The mocking voices grew louder and louder. Charmine had some reservations about this but was now forced into a corner and had to reach her fingers out. As soon as she squeezed the test strip, the white strip actually turned purple! She was the perpetrator! There were still traces of halophilic bacteria on her fingertips! ¡°I told you it was Charmine! It¡¯s her! She¡¯s absolutely evil!¡± (This Novel Daily Latest Chapters provide it .InfoBagh.Com) ¡°All we did was argue because of some minor disagreements. Don¡¯t all models disagree? How could she be so evil that she could go to the extent of poisoning us?¡± ¡°She¡¯s as sly as a snake! I¡¯m warning you, you had betterpensate me for the damage to my health and the emotional distress I¡¯ve been put through! Don¡¯t forget the loss in work fees that have been incurred!¡± Everyone there started to rage at Charmine, heaping abuse on her. Anthony frowned at the scene. He could not help but feel a little surprised. Savagely crafty and devious Charmine had actually fallen into a trap? Despite all this, Charmine still maintaining a rxed air as she sat there, her red lips curled together to form a cold smile. Tiffany really outdid herself this time. Her abilities had indeed improved. If her deductions were correct, the juice bottle that Veronica handed her was covered in poison. Charmine¡¯s hand was covered in poison because she had reached out to throw the bottle into the trash. Since they started this game of cat and mouse, Charmine decided that she would continue to y along. In fact, she would make sure that it would be an interesting one! Officer Ryan took out a pair of handcuffs and looked at Charmine while saying, ¡°Ms. Jordan, at the moment you are suspected of the crime of intentionally poisoning your colleagues. Pleasee this way with us.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Charmine replied breezily. Once she said that, she stood up and with a swish of her long hair, walked toward the police car. Her steps were confident and she continued to give off a powerful aura. She did not seem like she was walking into a police car. Rather, her presence was reminiscent of a female chairperson on her way to host a meeting. The onlooking crowd could not believe their eyes, Charmine just left and got into the car like that? Where was her attempt t o exin the situation? Where were her vehement denial and protests of innocence? What on earth was going on? (This Novel Daily Latest Chapters provide it .InfoBagh.Com) ¡°The evidence is here, she must have been frightened,¡± someone guessed aloud. The copspletely ignored the crowd and got into the car as well. Tiffany weakly tried to stand and stop them, saying ¡°No ¡­ This must be a mistake. It can¡¯t be my sister¡­ She isn¡¯t this kind of person. I beg of you, please don¡¯t take her away.¡±, ¡°Tiffany, they¡¯ve already found evidence of her crime. Why on earth are you still trying to defend her? She¡¯s always been the adopted daughter with an unknown background. We can¡¯t be sure that her parents weren¡¯t some kind of big criminals!¡± Veronica tried to reason with Tiffany. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. However, Tiffany gripped onto Veronica¡¯s top and pleaded,¡° Veronica, I know my sister. She¡¯s not that kind of person. Please call mom and dad, get them to think of a solution to save her. Get them to hire the best detectives to investigate the truth!¡± Looking at Tiffany¡¯s worried and frantic expression, anyone would think that she was really concerned about Charmine. Veronica yed along beautifully as well. It was as though they were secretly being filmed for a reality tv show as both their acting performances were superb. At that moment, the police car started to drive off. Chapter 124 Chapter 124 As soon as Chris saw the closing car door, he immediately started to bawl and ran ahead, screaming ¡®mommy¡¯ non-stop. Anthony picked Chris up and cupped his mouth swiftly, carrying him away from the scene. Once they were out through the main doors, the police car had already disappeared from sight. Chris struggled forcefully, opening his mouth to bite Anthony¡¯s hand with all his might. Anthony frowned but did not loosen his grip on Chris. Instead, he swiftly carried Chris into the car and shut the car door. There were only both of them in the car and noticing this, Chris started to cry in earnest, ¡°Daddy! Why did you do that? Why did you stop me from trying to save mommy! Mommy was framed! She was definitely framed! Have you had a change of heart? Have you stopped loving mommy? You¡¯re a big jerk!¡±, (This Novel Daily Latest Chapters provide it .InfoBagh.Com) As he spoke, tears streamed down his face and Chris used his tiny fists to rain punches on Anthony¡¯s body. Anthony caught his little hands and responded sternly, ¡°Quiet down, there are people investigating the matter right now. How will you save her?¡± ¡°1¡­ I¡¯ll find a way. I just don¡¯t want to see mommy taken away!¡± Chirs continued to wail. ¡°But she wasn¡¯t taken away, she went willingly,¡± Anthony emphasized the distinction of her departure. ¡°Huh?¡± Chris blew his nose noisily and looked at Anthony, full of confusion. Anthony then responded, ¡°Do you remember all those times when your mommy managed to turn bad situations around?¡± ¡°Uh-huh!¡± Once he heard this, Chris wore a look of admiration as he remembered. ¡°Mommy was super cool when she did that!¡± However¡­ This time there was proof. It was also a criminal offense that she was being used of this time. How was his mommy going to get herself out of this tight spot? Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, when has your mommy ever let us down? Quiet down, I can bring you to see her,¡± Anthonyforted Chris. ¡°Okay!¡± Chris stopped crying and used his sleeve to mop up his teary face. Anthony furrowed his brow, thinking to himself, ¡®Looking after a child is truly hard work. Oh well, let¡¯s go check in on Charmine first.¡¯ In just a short period of time, the incident had be the major headline across all news channels. (12 International Supermodels Were Poisoned.] The caption read, [ording totest reports because of a disagreement between the models, Charmine Jordan poisoned 12 supermodels. This includes the world¡¯s sexiest top model Kelly Mn- the nation¡¯s favorite girl next door, Tiffany Jordan, and the fiery Eunice Kerr. The number of models affected is twelve in total. At the moment, all twelve models have received a full body check at the hospital. Apart from Tiffany Jordan, all the models are calling for Charmine to be sentenced to jail and have also demanded a public apology. Furthermore, they are also requesting fifty million bucks each as compensation.. Mercedes representative Mr. Dalmore has also made a statement to say that Charmine Jordan has ruined the annual Mercedes Auto Show. The situation is extremely serious and they will be demanding a minimum of 80 million bucks inpensation! Apart from the extremely high marypensation demanded, ording to thew, those who have caused harm to other people with malicious intent and whose actions have resulted in significant harm can face up to three years in prison!] (This Novel Daily Latest Chapters provide it .InfoBagh.Com) The discussion portal was full of angryments. (That is too savage! How could she poison so many people?] (How can she have such an evil heart? Because there was a tiny disagreement with the other models, she decided to poison them?] (It looks like Charmine¡¯s not a good person. It¡¯s possible that there are more people that she has harmed in secret.) (She has a beautiful face but an evil heart! Vicious! Savage! Sentence her to jail! If she¡¯s released, I feel angry enough to kill someone!) The entire inte was against Charmine. Furthermore, with thebined numbers of the 12 models¡¯ fans, Charmine¡¯s Twitter was overwhelmed with hatefulments. Charmine¡¯s reputation was now stuck in the mud as she was now the target of all the hatred online. ¨C 0 At the police station, Officer Ryan was about to lock Charmine up in a cell but she said, ¡°Locking me up in a cell? On the basis of finding traces of the poison on my hands? What if the poisonnded on my hand because I identally brushed against a contaminated surface? What if someone took the opportunity to shake my hand and brush the poison onto my hand while I wasn¡¯t paying any attention? ¡°Furthermore, if you n on convicting someone, you need to make sure that there are no loopholes. Have you discovered where the poison was procured from? Have you found where the container used to hold the poison has been disposed of? Have you heard me confess saying that I¡¯m the perpetrator?¡± The sound of a vacuum could be heard from a distance. Officer Ryan frowned and said, ¡°You were very cooperative just a moment ago so why are you denying your involvement now? What are you trying to do?¡± Chapter 125 Chapter 125 Charmine looked at Officer Ryan and said in all seriousness, ¡°T o summarize, I¡¯m currently only a suspect. I only need to be detained by myself, you cannot lock me into a cell.¡± Officer Ryan could not have guessed that she had such a good grasp of thew. However, everything she said was the truth. Hence, he ordered, ¡°Take her to a detention room.¡± , Charmine was brought into a detention room. Compared to prison, the environment here was much better and she would have space to herself. The pure white room had a bed with a metal frame, as well as a simple but cleanvatory. As soon as she entered the room, the door was locked shut from the outside. However. Charmine was not worried. She walked breezily around before lying down on the bed and gazing at her hands. A faint smile appeared on her lips. ¡®Oh Tiffany, give it your best shot while I¡¯m in here. Otherwise, the ending of this scene will not be exciting to watch,¡¯ Charmine thought to herself. At this moment, a knock could be heard, followed by a voice saying, ¡°Charmine, there¡¯s someone here to see you.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns this text. As soon as she heard that, Charmine nced at the door and saw Tiffany, Joey Young, and Adam Jordan standing there. She closed her eyes andpletely ignored their presence. The three of them walked in without waiting for an invitation. Joey looked at Charmine and started to scold her, ¡°Charmine! How could you do such an evil thing? You could have poisoned all the other models but leave your sister out of this mess! I was really a fool for bringing you into our home all those years ago! Do you know how much embarrassment we¡¯ve suffered because of you? Even now you¡¯re just lying in bed! You better get up this instance and apologize to Tiffany and the others!¡± Charmine still had her eyes shut as she continued ignoring her. Adam was so enraged that he reached for the ss of water beside him and threw it at Charmine. With a ssh, the ss o f cold waternded on Charmine¡¯s face before she had any time to dodge. Charmine opened her eyes swiftly and got up from the bed. Her icy cold expression gave one the impression of a wild animal that had just been roused. Her eyes gleamed with a ruthless light. Adam was so frightened by her gaze that he stood in shock. It was a moment before he recovered his senses and started to scold her with uncontrolled anger, ¡°Even now you¡¯re still so unrepentant! The Jordan family really has wasted twenty three years on raising you! If you persist to continue in this manner and not admit your wrongdoing, if you do not apologize to everyone affected, the Jordan family will publish a n announcement saying that we¡¯ll cut all ties with you. We¡¯ll kick you out of the Jordan family!¡±, Once Tiffany heard his words, her eyes shed with a burst of glee. If Charmine was kicked out of the family, her 15% shares i n the family would belong to Tiffany! On the surface, Tiffany went up to hold onto Charmine¡¯s hand and worriedly tried to speak sense to her by saying, ¡°Sister, hurry up and speak! Exin the situation to mom and dad! I believe that you did not nt the poison. You¡¯re innocent, right?¡± ¡°Get your lying, low-life b*itch face out of here and don¡¯t pretend to be Mother Teresa in front of me,¡± Charmine red sharply at Tiffany. Her cold eyes were like a sharp de. Tiffany was so frightened that she withdrew her hand subconsciously and her heart pounded in fear. Charmine unexpectedly still had such a powerful presence! A person who was locked up could still be so arrogant! However, this was the first time that Tiffany had seen hersh out in this manner. . Tiffany smiled coldly on the inside and moved to the furthest edge of the bed having let go of her hand. However, she wore a n extremely pitiful expression that anyone who saw her would have guessed that she was the one who had been locked up instead. Tiffany you scheming b*tch! Charmine thought angrily. Even the sight of her made her mad. Joey could not believe that even now, Charmaine had such a terrible attitude and immediately pulled Tiffany away. ¡°Tiffy, don¡¯t treat her.well or try to protect her any longer. You can see her unrepentant attitude. She¡¯spletely shameless! From now on, stay away from people like her. Don¡¯t ever treat her like your sister anymore. She doesn¡¯t deserve it!¡± 1 Adam also red furiously at Charmine and raged, ¡°Since you will not admit your wrongdoing, don¡¯t me us for being ruthless. I¡¯m returning to hold a shareholders¡¯ meeting and kick you out of the Jordan family! I¡¯ll chase you out of Burlington!¡± With those words, Adam and Joey quickly dragged Tiffany out of the detention room like they were worried that she would be ruined simply by being there. Without missing a beat, Charmine called out, ¡°Take care of yourself! I won¡¯t see you off.¡±, Their backs stiffened as soon as they heard this, and they picked up the pace to walk away angrier than before. The room then returned to a quiet and peaceful state. Charmine picked u pa piece of tissue and used it to wipe her face. Chapter 126 Chapter 126 As she looked at the soggy wet tissue in her hand, her gaze became extremely cold. Tiffany could always hoodwink Mr. and Mrs. Jordan since she had them wrapped around her little finger. Charmine lost in that aspect as she could not fake it as Tiffany could. She lost because she was not as evil as Tiffany! However, very soon she would be able to reveal Tiffany¡¯s true self to the world. After she wiped off all the water on her face, she looked at her clothes. Thankfully, she was dressed in leather and did not have to worry about it. Charmine was preparing to rest when she heard the sound of footsteps. She lifted her gaze to see a large figure and a smaller one standing at her door. It was Anthony and Chris. She said indifferently, ¡°You should leave, I want to rest.¡± After she had said that, sheid on her bed, ignoring the duo. Firstly, her current situation was extremely unfavorable. If they stayed with her, they might be dragged down with her. Secondly, she had already decided to keep a distance from them. It was only the Auto Show that kept them together. The Auto Show was over now, so they should also stop seeing each other. Despite all this, Anthony brought Chris in and casually shut the door. He said frankly, ¡°Charmine, as long as you agree, I can hire the world¡¯s best private investigator andwyers.¡± (This Novel Daily Latest Chapters provide it .InfoBagh.Com) ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to waste your time and energy. Don¡¯t meddle,¡± Charmine replied without even opening her eyes. Anthony could sense that her thoughts were far away and frowned in frustration. He looked at Chris and gave him a look. Chris nodded his head in understanding and leaped toward Charmine, immediately saying, ¡°Mommy, mommy, Momo really misses you. I¡¯m so worried about you. Sniff, sniff. When I saw them take you away, my eyes got all swollen from crying. Mommy, can you hug Momo, please? Momo really misses mommy¡­¡± Charmine did not have the chance to react before Chris hadpletely snuggled up into her arms. Her ear was filled with his adorable voice. She was forced to get up and push his arms away as she said ¡°Momo, go back with your dad. It¡¯s not appropriate for you toe and see me.¡± He was only a small kid and should not be brought to ces like this. Despite her words, Chris still clung to her. His little head kept nudging her chest as he repeated, ¡°No! I¡¯m not leaving! Mommy isn¡¯t a bad person. Momo wants to stay with mommy! Daddy and I believe in mommy. Mommy was definitely framed by someone else! Mommy isn¡¯t that kind of person!¡± His tone was confident and his eyes full of conviction. Charmine¡¯s heart started to melt. From the moment the incident happened up till now, no one believed her. All this while, everyone looked at her with an odd look in their eyes. Even her own parents thought she was the culprit and did not give her a chance to exin before starting to berate and scold her. Within that moment, little Chris was saying that he believed her? She did not have to guess that it was Anthony who taught him to say that. This meant that¡­ It meant that Anthony believed her. They only knew each other for a short amount of time and he was not rted to her in the slightest bit but still actually believed in her¡­ She felt a faint sense of irony but also another emotion she could not name. 2 Charmine squeezed Chris¡¯s little cheeks and said, ¡°Since you believe I¡¯m innocent, you can go home and wait for news of m e. I¡¯ll get out really soon.¡± ¡°Really? Mommy¡¯s preparing a special strategy to get out? Like when Superman beat the monsters, am I right!¡± Chris asked with sparkling eyes full of innocence and anticipation. Charmine nodded and said, ¡°That¡¯s right, exactly like that. That¡¯s why Momo can go home without worry. Don¡¯t interfere with my big n, okay!¡±, (This Novel Daily Latest Chapters provide it .InfoBagh.Com) ¡°But I want to stay with mommy. You¡¯ll be scared if you¡¯re here on your own, right? It¡¯s cold here¡­¡± Chris looked around the room and his face fell, his eyes filling with sorrowful tears. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. In that instance, Luke carried arge bag of items into the room. There were items to eat, to use, and to wash up with. There was also an extremelyrge white rabbit pillow. Anthony took the rabbit pillow which was at least 1.8 meters long and personally handed it to Charmine. ¡°Take it and I¡¯ll bring Chris home.¡± Charmine was stunned speechless. She thought to herself, ¡®He wants me to ept such a childish thing?¡¯ Chapter 127 Chapter 127 Charmine really did not want to ept the rabbit pillow but as she could see that Chris was about to stick to her again, she reached out her hands to receive it. ¡°Fine, you can leave now.¡± She sighed. Only after she received the rabbit pillow did Anthony leave with Chris, his movements refined and sophisticated. Charmine stared at the huge rabbit pillow in her arms and suddenly felt like this underground detention room was not as cold as before.¡± She hugged the pillow and returned to lying in bed, allowing herself to rx. However, her mind kept bringing forth images of Joey and Tiffany¡¯s indifferent, cold faces, as well as Chris¡¯s and Anthony¡¯s trusting expressions. The two images side by side like day and night. A crack had suddenly appeared in her stone-cold heart. The crack was spreading gradually, getting larger almost unnoticeably¡­ The detention room was cold beyond description, but the world outside had beenpletely flipped around. Not far from the police station stood Kay, Simon Gray, and a few others in a circle. There were also many other unfamiliar faces present, each of them taking turns to discuss the issue. ¡°Should we be thinking of a way to get the Big Boss out?¡± ¡°In my opinion, we should just bust her out of jail!¡± ¡°Should we just blow up the whole ce?¡±, ¡°I think we should get an expert to handle this.¡± ¡°I think the best solution is to get Kirk involved. He¡¯ll be able t o solve this and help Big Boss! He¡¯ll also be extremely happy t o help!¡± Once that was said, everyone took their cellphones out and prepared to take action. Eric came running over and said cooly, ¡°All off you should go home and calmly wait for the news.¡± ¡°Huh? Why should we do that? Eric, why are you so uncaring toward the Big Boss? You¡¯ve been working together for five years so you should be the person who¡¯s most worried about her!¡± Kay said with a face full of confusion. (This Novel Daily Latest Chapters provide it .InfoBagh.Com) Eric¡¯s expression turned solemn as he said, ¡°She went in willingly. Furthermore, she has her own strategy. No one¡¯s allowed to ruin her n!¡± ¡°n? It can¡¯t be! Is her n like what she did at the Auto Show? Or the other time at the Guci showdown? Does she have a n to flip the situation around?¡± someone asked. ¡°That¡¯s right. This time, she¡¯ll draw blood when her n seeds, just wait and see,¡± replied Eric. Everyone there started to feel ted and cheered. ¡°Hurray! Big Boss has a n! It¡¯s the best news!¡± ¡°Why did Big Boss tell you her ns but not us? Does she like you?¡± Eric froze, thinking to himself, ¡®Why would she like me?¡¯ Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. He nced at the luxury cars driving away in the distance and pushed away the feelings he should not have before responding indifferently, ¡°You sure have a lot to say. Do you want to lose your tongue? Everyone go home and don¡¯t even dare to ruin her n! I won¡¯t let any of you get away if you d o!¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes, Big Boss¡¯s husband!¡± those gathered said mockingly as they left. The scene went unnoticed by the world atrge. Meanwhile, the entire inte was still heaping abuse on Charmine, getting more aggressive as time went on. Veronica even hired someone to release a video. In the video, Charmine could be seen picking up the strawberry and when she was sure no one was paying attention, she sneakily tossed it into the trash can beside her. The inte erupted in fury! (This Novel Daily Latest Chapters provide it .InfoBagh.Com) Charmine must have nted the poison or why else would she not have eaten the strawberry? Why else would she choose to secretly throw the strawberry away? It was unbelievable that she could do that! Evil-hearted! Scheming b*itch! Within two days, the news of the 12 models getting poisoned had spread across the entire globe. It was only natural as the news involved so many famous models. Charmine was also a well-known, wealthy female boss. Her poprity was extremely high, even people who did not keep up with the gossip in the entertainment circles knew all about it. Charmine had be a vicious murderer in the eyes of the public. On the other hand, a video of Tiffany stepping in to defend Charmine also became a popr search on the inte. Since she was the only one out of the 12 models who believed in Charmine, she was hailed as the number one kind hearted angel. Chapter 128 Chapter 128 The past few days, Tiffany had not been able to sleep well. Since Charmine had not admitted any wrongdoing and without 100% concrete and irrefutable evidence, this case could not be closed, especially with all the loopholes. As long as Charmine did not admit being guilty, she could not stop worrying. She was constantly worried that Charmine would turn the situation around without warning. This would not work; she needed to quickly resolve the situation. ¨C Tiffany picked up her cellphone and sent Veronica a text. (Sort i tout immediately and urge the 11 supermodels to put pressure on the case.) The 11 supermodels were all thick-skinned and had extremely hot-headed personalities. They had never had a rookie steal their spotlight, so they must truly hate Charmine¡¯s guts. Furthermore, they had seen Charmine¡¯s ster performance at the Auto Show. If they did not take this opportunity to kick her while she was down, their future status would be in jeopardy. In the end, under Veronica¡¯s urging, all the models congregated at the police station. They demanded that Charmine should hurry up and admit her guilt, sign a contract saying that she would pay compensation, and also apologize t o them! Tiffany and Charmine were also driving to the police station. In the car, Veronica asked Tiffany concernedly, ¡°What did Jordan Senior say? Did he agree to kick Charmine out of the Jordan family?¡±. (This Novel Daily Latest Chapters provide it .InfoBagh.Com) ¡°That old b*stard is so stubborn. He insists on saying that he believes Charmine. He even said that unless Charmine is proven guilty, he would not speak of this matter at all!¡± As soon as Tiffany mentioned this, a fire stirred in her belly. + Veronicaforted her by saying, ¡°Don¡¯t be mad, the writing i s on the wall. It¡¯s only a matter of time.¡± While they spoke, the car arrived outside the police station. There were numerous fans and reporters waiting outside. The entire world was reporting on this. Tiffany¡¯s lips curled up with satisfaction as she thought inwardly, ¡®Veronica was right, it¡¯s only a matter of time. The incident has be a huge mess and based on the evidence at hand, it¡¯s near impossible for Charmine to turn the situation around! Tiffany got down from the car and dozens of reporters rushed u p to surround her, each fighting for the chance to interview and ask her questions. ¡°How much are you nning to ask for in terms ofpensation?¡± ¡°What is the Jordan family¡¯s opinion on Charmine¡¯s poisoning scandal?¡± Tiffany applied her makeup to appear exceptionally pale today, and she also made her eyes slightly red at the edges to appear as though she had not been sleeping well. She looked into the camera and said, ¡°I¡¯ve said it more than once but the poison was not nted by my sister. She¡¯s not that sort of person, so she must have been framed. Please, if you¡¯ll allow m e, I¡¯m going to see her. I¡¯ve even hired the bestwyer for her. Thewyer will be arriving in a short while.¡± After she had said that, she and Veronica pushed their way through the crowd together. The crowd let out a sigh of admiration. ¡°The other models are all enraged and incensed, but Tiffany alone still believes her. She¡¯s too kind-hearted.¡± ¡°She¡¯s truly the number one, pure-hearted goddess. After all these years, she¡¯s still a spotless, innocent maiden.¡± (This Novel Daily Latest Chapters provide it .InfoBagh.Com) ¡°I really cannot understand. They¡¯re both from the Jordan family. How did Tiffany end up so nice and lovely while Charmine turned into someone so evil?¡± When Tiffany heard the crowd¡¯s discussions around her, her heart was full of joy and smugness but outwardly, she maintained an expression of kind concern. After today, she would ensure that Charmine has no opportunity to escape her current predicament! Inside the detention room, all 11 supermodels and their assistants,wyers, and more were gathered. The atmosphere was extremely chaotic. To prevent anyone from getting hurt, some policeman stood in the center forming a human wall. However, this did not stop almost all 30 people there from pointing usingly at Charmine while shouting, ¡°Evil poison woman, apologize to us right away! Immediately compensate u s for all the losses we have suffered from not being able to work and the psychological trauma we have suffered! ¡°You better admit your wrongdoing! Stop pretending, we know you¡¯re guilty!¡± Charmine sat on the bed, leaning against the wall she meditated with her eyes closed. Her eyes had never opened this whole time. During that moment, a soft voice rang through the room, ¡°All of you, quiet down. I¡¯m Tiffany Jordan. I¡¯m Charmine¡¯s older sister. I believe that she¡¯s innocent. Let me say a few words¡­¡± Charmine finally opened her eyes and thought, ¡®So the fake b* itch has finally arrived? An exciting show¡¯s about to begin.¡¯This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Chapter 129 Chapter 129 As soon the crowd saw that Tiffany had arrived, they could not resist saying, ¡°All the evidence is here, so how can you still believe her? Is there something wrong with your brain?¡± ¡°No matter what you say today, we won¡¯t let her go. She must pay for our loss in ie. Each of us will need a minimum of ten million bucks inpensation!¡±, ¡°As her older sister, you should get her to quickly admit her guilt! Otherwise, we¡¯ll sue! She also has to be ced on the cklist!¡± All the models took turns venting their frustrations. Tiffany looked in the direction of Charmine and pursed her lips, looking awkward and embarrassed as she said, ¡°My sister is right. At the moment, there¡¯s still little evidence. She only had traces of poison on her fingers, so there¡¯s no telling where she might have identally brushed against to get it on her fingers.¡± (This Novel Daily Latest Chapters provide it .InfoBagh.Com) ¡°Hmph. Then why not let her exin why she did not eat the strawberry? What did she throw the strawberry away?¡± Eunice questioned aggressively. Everyone present turned to look at Charmine. ¡°Exactly! Please exin yourself! Why did you throw the strawberry away?¡± ¡°Why did no one else get poison on their fingers but not you?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the use of all this shouting? A diamond boss will never admit her guilt or pay thepensation owed. She¡¯spletely irresponsible. Let¡¯s join forces to sue her! Let¡¯s boycott all thepanies she owns!¡± As they were speaking, some were already turning to theirwyers beside them, beginning negotiations to order them to take action. Tiffany walked worriedly to Charmine and advised her by saying, ¡°Dear sister, hurry up and say something. Why don¡¯t youpensate them for their losses and put the people at ease before we decide the next step?¡± ¡°So you also agree that the culprit needs topensate each and every one of the victims ten million each?¡± Charmine , finally spoke, arching her eyebrows at Tiffany as she said this. There was an inexplicable chill in her words. 1 Tiffany froze as soon as she heard that. She had a bad premonition. Why would Charmine ask her about her opinion? However, the events had developed to this extent with so many eyes on them, so she could only reply, ¡°If you¡¯re the real culprit, you shouldpensate the victims. They¡¯re all famous supermodels, so a day¡¯s booking fees would be at least several million bucks. This incident has cost them three days worth of work, so ten million is not considered excessive.¡± ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for our decision to be magnanimous, you would be bankrupt trying topensate us!¡± Eunice said mockingly a s she red at Charmine. Charmine cast an eye over the entire room and asked, ¡°Does that mean you all agree that the culprit needs topensate each person ten million bucks? You¡¯re all sure about that?¡± This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°Of course! Stop speaking nonsense, hurry up and pay us ourpensation. Apologize!¡± everyone started to urge her impatiently. (This Novel Daily Latest Chapters provide it .InfoBagh.Com) Charmine nodded her head and said, ¡°Okay, I can pay thepensation due. However as I¡¯m currently detained, I have n o way of getting the money to all of you. The day after tomorrow is the day the court makes their decision about the case, and mywyer and agent will be there. I¡¯ll publicly hand the money over to all of you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re trying to dypensating us! Who would believe you, you¡­¡± Eunice spluttered angrily. Charmine cut in to say, ¡°I¡¯ll not let any of you make a trip in vain.¡± While saying that, she took out some paper that she found and swiftly wrote some stuff. It read, ¡®Everyone has requested and is in agreement with Charmine that the culprit will need to pay 10 million bucks inpensation. The culprit has also expressed their agreement of this. On the day of the court judgment, this agreement will be fulfilled!¡¯ Witnessed by everyone, Charmine took out her striking red lipstick and drew all over her thumb. With a firm press of her thumb, an obvious thumbprint appeared on that piece of paper.. After she did that, she passed the piece of paper around to the onlookers and said, ¡°Now it¡¯s your turn.¡± ¡°We have to sign with our thumbprints as well? Why do we need to do this?¡± Eunice asked with an air of discontent. Charmine smiled coldly. ¡°Today you might say ten million, but tomorrow you might change your mind and change it to twenty million or even thirty million? Be a good sport, you guys. Go ahead and press your fingerprints onto it!¡± 2 Charmine was clearly the detainee, so how was it that her aura was stronger than everyone else present? Chapter 130 Chapter 130 All the supermodels could only go along with her and ce their thumbprints on the piece of paper. The paper was passed to Tiffanyst. Tiffany stared at it with some reservations. While she nced at the line of words that Charmine had written, she felt something odd. However, since Charmine had already agreed to the terms, what else could go wrong? Furthermore, with this letter of guarantee, she could use it to convince her grandfather¡­ Tiffany focused her resolve and printed her thumbprint on the piece of paper. In the end, they made 12 copies of the letter of guarantee, one for each model. Once they had all taken their letter, the models left soon after. Tiffany was thest to leave. She nced at Charmine and said, ¡°Sister, it¡¯s only a hundred and ten million. It¡¯s not considered arge amount for you. Don¡¯t be too upset. Moreover, as long as you learn from your mistakes and bravely admit your wrongdoing, everyone will surely forgive you. Even if they don¡¯t, you¡¯re still so wealthy, so you¡¯ll be fine even if you don¡¯t continue working in the entertainment industry.¡± ¡°You sure like to speak a lot of nonsense. Leave right now regardless of if you¡¯re done or not,¡± Charmine snapped as she rolled her eyes at Tiffany. She walked to the bed andid on it. Her indifferent expression looked as cold as the frozen surface of ake in winter, devoid of any warmth. Tiffany clenched her fists tightly, her eyes full of scorn. She thought, ¡®Charmine¡¯s already detained and the entire hates her. How can she still be so arrogant! Oh, I can¡¯t wait to see how long she can keep up being this savage!¡¯ This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Outwardly, Tiffany could only put on a look of concern as there were policemen present. She urged her, ¡°Sister, get some good rest tonight. I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡± After she said that, Tiffany walked out and got into the car. (This Novel Daily Latest Chapters provide it .InfoBagh.Com) In the car, her beautiful and sweet expression instantly disappeared and was reced by an expression of evil smugness. Veronica drove as she asked, ¡°Now that you have this piece of paper in hand, will Jordan Senior really take back Charmine¡¯s shares?¡± ¡°He has always favored Charmine so naturally, he won¡¯t. Hence, I have something else I need you to do,¡± Tiffany said before continuing on with a long list of instructions for Veronica. Within the same day, the headline [Charmine confesses! Guilty as charged!] was trending internationally. This was because Eunice had released the letter of guarantee to the press with Charmine¡¯s thumbprint signature on it. Due to the fact that the letter stated Charmine was willing to compensate each supermodel 10 million bucks, the handful of fans who still believed in Charmine all disappeared. The entire inte space was filled with abuse and hatred toward Charmine. (That horrid person finally admits her guilt! She¡¯s finally agreed to paypensation!] [She really did poison the 12 models! That¡¯s extremely vicious! She¡¯s a wicked, horrid person! She¡¯s truly despicable!] (To be honest, do you know what caught my attention? It¡¯s how sweet Tiffany is! She¡¯s the only one that¡¯s not demanding anypensation. Looking at all the released video footage, she also treats Charmine really well.] [Tiffany¡¯s Charmine¡¯s older sister, so for her to refuse money i s only natural. However, I wonder if Charmine will actually be forking out all that money on the day of the court decision.] (You¡¯re right/ I keep getting the feeling that she has a n to escape from this situation. Why else would she not pay up today?] (This Novel Daily Latest Chapters provide it .InfoBagh.Com) (We¡¯ll just have to keep an eye on the court proceedings happening the day after tomorrow. We need to make sure this evil woman pays thepensation!] The inte scolding and abuse were relentless. Meanwhile, the Jordan family was also undergoing a huge crisis of their own since Charmine¡¯s 15% of the family shares belonged to the Jordan Group. Her confession had rocked the market value of the Jordan Group. In the blink of an eye, the value of the shares had dropped to their rock bottom! Within three days, the Jordan family shares had devalued by several billion bucks! The whole Jordan family congregated together and were in an uproar in the family hall. At that moment, Jordan Senior was kneeling in the prayer hall saying his prayers. Suddenly, Hobson ran into the chapel all flustered and blurted anxiously, ¡°Senior Jordan! Senior Jordan! We have a problem! All the shareholders are currently outside and demanding that you take back all the shares belonging to Ms. Charmine!¡± Chapter 131 Chapter 131 Even though Jordan Senior owned 100% of the shares and was the one who bequeathed the shares to his children and grandchildren, there were at least 10 other shareholders who did not belong in the Jordan family but had invested in the Jordan Group and managed various technical aspects of the company. As a result, they enjoyed a certain percentage of the dividends paid out by thepany each year. However, this also meant they had no interest in thepany shares and only money. All those years ago, the terms of their coboration were made clear between them and Jordan Senior. Each year, the Jordan Group would have to pay out a certain percentage of their profits to their investors. It was with this agreement that thepany was created. If they started making a ruckus, the entire Jordan Group would cease to function and that would be more devastating than having their share price drop. Jordan Senior frowned and asked, ¡°Are all of them here?¡± ¡°All of them! That¡¯s not all. All our close and distant rtives have also arrived,¡± replied Hobson. With that, a cacophony could be heard outside. Jordan Senior put his prayer book down and stood up. After massaging his knees, he started to make his way out. (This Novel daily new chapters provide it .InfoBagh.Com) Lily Granger saw himing out and swiftly walked up toward him to say, ¡°Father, that adopted daughter has already confessed. Why are you still protecting her? She called out Amelia, saying that she harbored evil intentions. However, Charmine isn¡¯t that much of a saint herself!¡± ¡°The Jordan family has suffered a huge loss because of her. We must kick her out of the Jordan Group¡¯s Board of Directors and make her return the fifteen percent ofpany shares she owns!¡± Felix shouted angrily. The rest of the shareholders all chimed in, ¡°That¡¯s right! Make her return her shares! Kick her out of the Board of Directors! Sever all ties with her!¡± Jordan Senior wore a solemn expression as he said, ¡°Has the matter been investigated and solved? Has the police department made a statement?¡± ¡°But Charmine has already signed a letter of guarantee stating that she wouldpensate everyone for their losses in two days!¡± responded one shareholder. Jordan Senior¡¯s face was deeply lined with wrinkles. It looked like he had aged in a mere few days. As Tiffany observed the scene, she rushed up to support her grandfather while saying, ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m sorry. I was also of the opinion that my sister was framed. I¡¯ve spent a lot of effort over the past two days thinking of ways to help her. I¡¯ve even tried speaking to the other eleven supermodels but they¡¯re not budging with their demands forpensation. They even forced my sister to create this letter of guarantee¡­¡± (This Novel daily new chapters provide it .InfoBagh.Com) Tiffany handed the document over to Jordan Senior. Jordan Senior could see that it was indeed Charmine¡¯s handwriting and staggered back in shock. Tiffany held onto Jordan Senior, supporting him as she consoled him, ¡°Grandpa, you can be assured that I will not let my sister be forced to pay this compensation. You can rx. Furthermore, you don¡¯t have to b e too worried about my sister. Charmine still has her diamond mines. In any case, she won¡¯t be short of cash. Even after she gets out of prison, she¡¯ll be able to clothe and feed herself. ¨C ¡°The matter of importance right now was to sever her ties with the Jordan family. We must ensure that the Jordan Group¡¯s shares do not continue to drop in value. Secondly, we must act so that my sister isn¡¯t the target of hate for so many people!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, dad. If you really care about Charmine, you would take away her shares. As so many people here detest her, we cannot predict how they¡¯ll react. Who knows if they might be driven by their anger to harm her¡­¡± Joey chipped in. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Jordan Senior¡¯s face grew even darker as he looked worried beyond reason. However, he was clearer than most about the capabilities of this brood of vipers. If this was allowed to continue, they would definitely not go easy on Charmine. Jordan Senior sighed deeply and said, ¡°We¡¯ll do as you have decided. In two days, we¡¯ll have Nate Colley, our familywyer, meet with Charmine to organize the share transfer.¡± A s soon as he said that, Jordan Senior turned around and walked back into the prayer hall. (This Novel daily new chapters provide it .InfoBagh.Com) Tiffany furrowed her brow and asked, ¡°Grandpa, who will you transfer Charmine¡¯s shares to?¡± Jordan Senior paused his steps momentarily before speaking,¡± Let¡¯s transfer the shares to Adam for now.¡± After he said that, he turned around and left. Tiffany¡¯s heart leaped with a sense of glee. Adam Jordan¡¯s two other children were disappointments to him, so he only adored Tiffany. If the sharesnded in Adam¡¯s hands, sooner o rter, they would belong to Tiffany! Tiffany consoled Jordan Senior with an extremely gentle and sweet tone, saying, ¡°That¡¯s great. Make sure you focus on getting some rest, Grandpa. Don¡¯t be too upset. My sister still has her diamond mines, so she won¡¯t be left destitute.¡± Jordan Senior paid no heed to anyone once he was through and shut the prayer hall¡¯s door. Only after he heard the noises outside quiet down did he walk to the wall and press a secret button. The gleaming wall suddenly opened up to reveal a groove. Inside the groovey a framed photo and the name on i t did not belong to a Jordan. Chapter 132 Chapter 132 Chapter 132 Jordan Senior gazed at the framed photo and sighed deeply.¡° Even though I believe Charmine but with the situation as it is right now, kicking her out of the Jordan family is for her own good. You can rest easy. As long as I¡¯m alive, even though she does not have any family shares, I¡¯ll always consider Charmine as my own granddaughter,¡± he said while looking at the person in the photo. Tiffany had never discovered the existence of the framed photo. After she had obtained Jordan Senior¡¯s approval to take Charmine¡¯s shares away, she felt like the cat that had gotten the cream. After she dismissed all the shareholders, she turned to Adam and said, ¡°Congrattions on bing thepany¡¯srgest shareholder. After today, you¡¯ll be able to take even better care of me, my younger sister, and my younger brother.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bring up either of them! Charmine is currently sitting i na detention room. That punk Robert has not even been home in over ten days. When I think of them, I feel like I¡¯m about to blow a fuse!¡± (This Novel daily new chapters provide it .InfoBagh.Com) While looking at Tiffany, Adam said, ¡°Tiffy, you must make m e proud. You¡¯re the only person I trust. From this moment on, you must assist me in bringing business back to thepany. Even if you have to drop a few endorsement deals, it¡¯ll be fine. After all, my shares will be yours one day.¡± ? ¡°Daddy, I don¡¯t want the shares. All I want to do is to share your worries and workload. I¡¯ll definitely make time to help you implement better policies for thepany. I¡¯ll strive to lessen your burden.¡± Adam nodded his head. ¡°You truly are my good daughter. You¡¯re a million times better than that adopted daughter, Charmine!¡± On that same day, the Jordan family issued an official statement to the public. (Charmine Jordan has spent thest 5 years in South Africa. She has never had anything to do with the day-to-day management of the Jordan Group. Our Director gave her This dissociation of the Jordan Group with Charmine won everyone¡¯s approval. All theizens were full of praise for their decision. Hot on the heels of Charmine being kicked out o f the Jordan family, things were beginning to bubble up. The Jordan Group was the country¡¯s number one real estatepany. Otherpanies were involved in different areas of expertise and industrial businesses. However, the Jordan Group solely focused on real estate and building developments. They managed real estate all over the country and their reach spread even into small towns. (This Novel daily new chapters provide it .InfoBagh.Com) As soon as the Jordan Group made their announcement, all their local branches¡¯ Twitter ounts synchronously shared the same announcement. It was not long before people in every vige, town, and city heard the news about Charmine poisoning her rival models and being kicked out of the Jordan family as a result. Charmine¡¯s name had been smeared into the mud. She fell out of public favor and was notorious for the wrong reasons. In the detention room, Charmine stillid in bed, sleeping without a worry in the world. Anthony brought Chris over and that was the scene that greeted them. He gave Chris a look and Chris obediently waited for him at a distance. Anthony walked into the detention room alone, carrying an exquisite lunch box. He asked, ¡°Tomorrow¡¯s the court day. Have you really sorted everything out?¡± Charmine did not open her eyes and responded indifferently,¡± Hmm, someone will sort it all out for me.¡± Anthony frowned worriedly. He suddenly felt a little ufortable and asked, ¡°Is it Simon Gray? Is he the one you¡¯re talking about?¡± Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°Him?¡± Charmine furrowed her brow and opened her eyes. Anthony walked to sit by her bedside and whispered, ¡°Eric.¡± (This Novel daily new chapters provide it .InfoBagh.Com) His low, gravelly voice carried a hint of unhappiness and discontent. Charmine frowned at his tone. Was he jealous? What was there to be jealous about? For thest few days, Eric had not stopped by to see Charmine at all¡­ Anthony saw that Charmine had remained silent and abruptly reached out to grab her shoulders, using force to pull her off the bed. Chapter 133 Chapter 133 Chapter 133 Anthony sat by Charmine¡¯s bedside, staring at her as he said, ¡° Whatever Eric can do, I can do as well. If there¡¯s a next time, you should consider me.¡± His low voice carried a sense of overbearingness. Charmine¡¯s shoulders were held by him and they sat quite close together. The only thing she could smell was his strong, musky scent. For some strange reason, her heart started to beat faster, jumping ufortably within her chest. (This Novel daily new chapters provide it .InfoBagh.Com) She shrugged his hands away and said, ¡°If I¡¯m ever in a TV series and need the human equivalent of a leech, I¡¯ll surely consider you then.¡± This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Anthony was speechless. It took a moment before he smiled faintly and said, ¡°If you were the female lead in the TV series, I don¡¯t need to get paid. Consider it a friends and family discount.¡± This silenced Charmine. She thought inwardly, ¡®When he decides to go for it, he¡¯s absolutely shameless. ¡°What are you here for? I was nning on calling it an early night,¡± Charmine told him. ¡°I¡¯m here to bring you dinner,¡± Anthony replied as he stood u p to uncover the food container. After that, he ced it in front of her. The container was filled with tasty delights and arranged into cartoon shapes. ¡®Did Chris make this for me?¡¯ Charmine wondered. Even though she had already eaten, Charmine received the meal and said, ¡°Please thank Chris for me.¡± ¡°This¡­ This might be a little hard,¡± Anthony said as he furrowed his brow. Charmine continued to eat while she looked at him confused. Anthony responded, ¡°Chris said that h e won¡¯t ept an indirect thank you. He wants to hear you say it in person so he¡¯ll be waiting at the Bailey family mansion for you.¡± Charmine almost spat out her mouthful of food. ¡°They nned for me to go to the Bailey family mansion? So this meal was also one of their traps!¡¯ Anthony smiled and consoled her by saying, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, there aren¡¯t any wolves or tigers in the Bailey mansion. Chris has also prepared a present for you to celebrate when you¡¯ve gotten out of jail. In the past two days, he¡¯s lost his appetite and has trouble sleeping. He misses you dearly.¡± With those words, Charmine had no way of refusing them. Charmine could only agree. ¡°Fine. Once I¡¯m out, I¡¯ll spare some time to drop by.¡± Chris who was standing outside leaped for joy as soon as he heard that. ¡°Yay! Mommy will being to our home as a NIJS guest! Daddy and mommy will be able to spend some quality time together! (This Novel daily new chapters provide it .InfoBagh.Com) Charmine heard a sound outside. She frowned and called out,¡± What was that sound? It sounds like there¡¯s someone outside ¡°No, it might be a¡­mouse,¡± Anthony quickly nced outside and tried to change the subject. ¡°Charmine, tomorrow¡¯s extremely important. Whatever help you need, feel free to ask away.¡± Tomorrow would be the case¡¯s hearing date, so the case would be settled one way or another. Everyone was waiting to see Charmine sentenced to prison. All the 11 models were also anticipating the moment when Charmine would publicly apologize to them and also pay them thepensation she had promised. There were also many reporters andizens who would also race to the court to livestream the happenings. If there was even the slightest misstep, it would have huge consequences. However, Charmine breezily continued to enjoy the meal that Chris had prepared for her and said, ¡°Rx, my person will definitely be able to handle this tiny matter.¡±, ¡®Tiny matter¡­¡¯ Anthony wondered bewilderedly. (This Novel daily new chapters provide it .InfoBagh.Com) Anthony saw how assured and confident she looked, so he decided to hold his tongue. ¡°Enjoy the food and sleep early tonight. I¡¯ll head back to help Momo prepare your gifts together,¡± Anthony said with a calm yet elegant tone, even if he was nagging her slightly. Charmine watched his retreating back and her heart felt the note of something strange. She could see that he truly cared about her and really wanted to see her again. Over the past few days while she had been locked in the detention room, he was the person she had seen the most. If only the event from five years ago did not happen, if that b*stard did not¡­ At that moment, she could almost hear a faint voice from outside her room, ¡°Daddy! You¡¯re amazing!¡± Chapter 134 Chapter 134 ¡°That voice¡­ Doesn¡¯t it sound like Chris¡¯s voice? But isn¡¯t Chris at home preparing my presents for when I¡¯m out of jail? Isn¡¯t he sleepless without an appetite for food? Maybe I¡¯m mistaken¡­¡¯ Charmine pondered. Charmine cleared up the area after she had finished eating. It waste at night so she could not believe she would get another visitor. Click, ck, click, ck. The sound of high heels could be heard from a distance. She could also tell from the sound of the footsteps that the owner o f the shoes had a strong temperament. The door was pushed open, and Charmine peered out to see a woman standing at the door, dressed in a burgundy dress suit. She had a full head of big curls and an extraordinary aura. She looked like an extremely capable bossdy. It was ire Eastly! Charmine gave her a once over before ignoring herpletely. ire walked in and closed the door. She assessed the room with a strong look of disgust before saying, ¡°I can¡¯t believe that the big shot diamond boss has actually ended up in this ce. Oh well, I¡¯ve told you before that the entertainment industry is not as easy as you think it is. ¡°You were able to make your fortune in the business sector. However, now that you¡¯re here in the entertainment industry without anyone to guide you, you can still be stepped on by others.¡± Charmine acted like she had not heard anything and began to wash the exquisite food container. Once she was done, she used a tissue to dry her hands. ire could not believe that Charmine was still so arrogant even now. She was about to blow her top but restrained herself and said, ¡°Charmine, to be honest, I admire you very much. All the past times you managed to reverse the situation left me astounded. If you were to sign with me, I can help you settle ¨C all the problems you¡¯re currently facing. I can also guarantee that you¡¯ll make it big in the industry. How does that sound?¡± D Charmine tossed the tissue and walked to the bed to rest. She sat back andzily leaned against the headboard. That indifferent, cool attitude¡­ She was arrogant, aloof, and did not bother to pay ire any attention. At this point, ire could not bear it any longer and started to yell, ¡°Charmine, I¡¯m talking to you right now! Are you ¡¤ listening to me? You¡¯re at the end of your rope and I came here to help you. How can you be so disrespectful! ¡°I¡¯m telling you that apart from me, there¡¯s no one else in this world who can save you. If you sign with me, you¡¯ll have hit the jackpot!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Charmine raised one eyebrow and looked at ire before asking, ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡®Who are you? What¡¯s this cutting remark? She¡¯s unbelievable, thought ire. ire had just spent all that time working her butt off trying to convince Charmine to sign with her and Charmine had no clue who she was! ire was fuming and felt like she was about to have a heart attack. She had previously spoken to Charmine over the phone. Charmine was disinterested and detached over the phone when she turned down her offer. She could not believe that Charmine was now acting this way right to her face! She was the Queen of PR. Everyone in the industry recognized her, so how could Charmine not even know her name! Charmine was doing this on purpose! ire gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Charmine, on what basis are you rejecting my offer? Don¡¯t you know you¡¯re about to be sentenced to jail tomorrow? You¡¯ll also need to pay out so much money inpensation. Have you given a thought to how you¡¯ll spend the rest of your life? ¡°If you sign with me, you¡¯ll be the number one start of Hollyoak Entertainment. Not only will you be free of suspicion, but you¡¯ll also be famous all across Burlington. If you insist on being stubborn and continue to persist in your ignorant state, the rest of your life will be spent in jail!¡± ¡°The air inside jail might be fresher than your Hollyoak Entertainment by several hundred times. Has no one ever told you that your breath stinks?¡± Charmine said as she tossed ire a look of disgust. She even moved closer toward the wall. ire was enraged and ballistic with anger! Her face twisted with rage, her hands clenched into tight fists as she red at Charmine and asked, ¡°Charmine, I¡¯m asking you onest time, are you going to be an idiot or sign with me? Don¡¯t forget that in everyone¡¯s eyes, you¡¯re done for!¡± ¡°It seems like your bad breath is really terrible and extreme. Here, you can have one of these!¡± Charmine picked up a strip o fchewing gum from beside her pillow and thrust it toward ire. Her movement was speedy and vicious, astonishing ire! ire tried to avoid her but did not move fast enough. In a sh, the chewing gum was shot straight into her mouth, causing her to gag. ¡°Oh!¡± She reached her hand in to pull out the gum and angrily curse Charmine. ¡°Charmine, just you wait. I¡¯ll be waiting full o f anticipation to see how pitiful you are tomorrow!¡±. After she finished saying that, she turned her heels and left. The entire detention room was filled with the loud sound of her high heels clicking N?velDrama.Org owns this text. After she had exited the police station, she made a call and ordered the person on the other side, ¡°Find me ten inte celebrities for tomorrow and make preparations for them to livestream the hearing! Also, get these things for me. I¡¯ll make sure Charmine never recovers from this setback!¡± Chapter 135 Chapter 135 Bright and early in the next morning outside the court, arge crowd had already gathered. The closest group to the court gates were the 11 supermodels who were there waiting for theirpensation money. They were also there because they wanted to watch Charmine be sentenced to jail with their own eyes. Tiffany was there, holding onto Veronica¡¯s hand with the Jordan family¡¯s attorney, Nate Colley, in tow. They were prepared to have Charmine sign the share transfer letter. Tiffany gleefully texted Julian in secret to let him know the good news. (Julian darling, you can rx. After today, the shares will be ours. You no longer need to suffer from the injustice of having t o woo my sister.) At that moment, Julian was sitting on his sofa with a ss of red wine in his hand while watching TV. The TV screen was currently showing the live broadcast of a certain inte celebrity. ¡®Is Charmine really going to be sentenced today? With Anthony¡¯s power and ability, would he really be able to watch Charmine go to jail?¡¯ Julian wondered. (This Novel daily new chapters provide it .InfoBagh.Com) ¡®But even if he wanted to save Charmine, how would he do that? There¡¯s all sorts of evidence pointing toward Charmine. She¡¯ll have no chance of saving herself. To imagine that Charmine could have done such a vicious and savage thing, N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. this was her digging her own grave. Once she got out of jail in a few years¡¯ time, who would want her? Oh, how I want to see if Charmine can stay arrogant and if she¡¯ll still be able to embarrass me! It¡¯s still Tiffany who¡¯s kind and considerate,¡¯ thought Julian to himself. He texted her back. [Little fairy, today will be thest day. We must make sure our n is foolproof. Tonight after our n is complete, I¡¯ll reward you well.) When Tiffany saw his message, her lips curled up in a sense of blissful happiness. At that moment, some reporters came up t o interview her. ¡°Ms. Tiffany, can we please ask you as Charmine¡¯s older sister how you¡¯re feeling right now? Do you have anything you want to say to everyone?¡± Tiffany rushed to put away her cellphone and said with a look o f sorrow, ¡°Up till today, I still do not believe my sister is a person who could do such a thing. I feel like this whole situation is just a big misunderstanding. Today, the court might be able to prove my sister¡¯s innocence! I¡¯ll continue to believe and hope until the very end.¡± Everyone was shocked at her words and gazed at her adoringly with eyes full of admiration. Tiffany was truly the nation¡¯s sweetheart as her heart was too pure and kind. At the same time, numerous inte celebrities and social media influencers had arrived and were adding to the hype since each of them was conducting their own livestream of the event. In a nearby alley, a ck luxury Maybach car was parked there. Anthony and Chris sat in the back with Nial in the driver¡¯s seat. Chris yed with the toy in his hands and said nervously, ¡°Daddy! All the inte celebrities here today are big shots. There are a total of thirty-nine of them doing a livestream right now. The audience watching the main livestream has reached forty-three million!¡± (This Novel daily new chapters provide it .InfoBagh.Com) ¡®43 million¡­ That¡¯s a lot of people. It¡¯s equal to how many people watch the live broadcasts during New Year¡¯s Eve for certain stations. If there was even the slightest misstep, they would never let her forget it,¡¯ thought Anthony inwardly. He frowned and asked Nial, ¡°Do you have any idea what Eric is ¨C up to? Will there be anything mishaps with his preparations?¡± ¡°Eric¡­¡± Nial sighed. ¡°Up till now, Eric has been busy working a ta newly set up entertainment agency, RisingHawk Entertainment. He¡¯s been dealing with the contracts for a few artists. It doesn¡¯t seem like he¡¯s nning oning here today.¡± Anthony continued to frown as he pondered, ¡®So the person helping Charmine isn¡¯t Eric? Might it be Simon Gray then? But Simon is busy with other matters.¡¯ He scowled even though Charmine had told him that everything was fine. He was still uneasy. (This Novel daily new chapters provide it .InfoBagh.Com) He ordered, ¡°Prepare all the items we need and be ready to adapt ording to the situation!¡± ¡°Will do!¡± responded Nial and Chris in unison. Nial nodded during his reply, while Chris¡¯s sweet, childish voice rang clear. As the hour drew near, there finally came the sound of footsteps at the end of the passage. ¡°She¡¯s here! She¡¯s here!¡± someone shouted loudly. All of a sudden, everyone¡¯s eyes focused toward the direction of the voice. Chapter 136 Chapter 136 Charmaine walked over with a group of cops. ? She was wearing a beige-white cotton dress. Although she was dressed inly, it made her seem as unapproachable as a schr in ancient times. (This Novel daily new chapters provide it .InfoBagh.Com) She was wearing a pair of ts but still stood out among the crowd at 1.7 meters tall. Her gaze was fixated ahead of her as she walked. There was an arrogant vibe to her; it was as if she was walking alone through a forest. She seemed so arbitrary and casual that she did not look like she was about to appear in court at all. Everyone was amazed at her appearance. Influencers pointed their phones at her, and reporters were taking photos of her as well. Some of them pointed their microphones at her and asked questions one after another. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. ¡°Charmaine, please tell us why you poisoned the twelve famous models? Was it just a tiny misunderstanding?¡± ¡°Do you know how your actions could affect international diplomacy? As a Diamond Boss and the richest woman, why are you setting such a bad example to the public?¡± ¡°Do you have anything to say for yourself? Don¡¯t you owe the world an apology?¡± Charmaine ignored them all and continued walking. It was as i f the people around her were dirt on the ground. Even the cops were apanying her into the court. She seemed more like a celebrity than anyone else at the moment. Tiffany clenched her fists. She was envious. She thought she would get to see Charmaine in a mess. However, she did not expect Charmaine could still look so arrogant at the moment. How could someone who was about t o be sentenced still look so haughty? However, business came first. She looked over at Nate and asked, ¡°Attorney Colley, do we really have to make Charmaine sign the equity transfer agreement today?¡± Nate who was standing beside Tiffany was reminded of the agreement. ¡°Yes.¡± He walked over and said to Charmaine, ¡°Ms. Jordan, the Director wants me to witness you signing the equity transfer agreement today. I¡¯m upiedter today so please sign it now.¡± He passed the document to her. The models also came over and spoke one after another. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll be busy after this so please return me my money.¡± (This Novel daily new chapters provide it .InfoBagh.Com) ¡°I¡¯m not interested in watching your court case since there¡¯s n o point in doing that! I just want you to apologize to us in front of everyone!¡± ¡°Yes, you signed the agreement. It says that we could get our money today so stop dying it!¡± ¡°Apologize and pay up now, stop wasting time. I want to leave this ce as soon as possible so that I can get away from an evil convict like you.¡± Everyone was breathing down her neck at that moment as if she was a fly in a stinking ditch. No one wanted to have anything to do with her. Charmaine remained silent. She looked at the road ahead of her before staring back at her watch. It was eight minutes to 10am. Could they not be a few minutes early? Seeing that Charmaine remained silent, the crowd became more aggressive toward her. Fans of the eleven models were preparing rotten vegetables. If Charmaine did not pay up, they would throw the vegetables a ther! One of the officers spoke up, ¡°Everyone, calm down. The court session is about to begin and there¡¯s no ruling yet so please be logical!¡± (This Novel daily new chapters provide it .InfoBagh.Com) Meanwhile, a distance away, ire was sitting in a car while frowning There had yet to be any ruling after days of court sessions because there was no explicit proof that Charmaine was the one who did it. Charmaine had hurt herst night, and her mouth still hurt at the moment. She wanted Charmaine to pay the price and never recover from this! She drew out her phone and sent an anonymous video to Veronica. The video was more than enough to convict Charmaine! She wanted to end Charmaine using Veronica¡¯s hands! Chapter 137 Chapter 137 Veronica was watching the drama unfold with Tiffany next to her when she received an email. She clicked open the email and found the video! She lightly tugged on Tiffany¡¯s sleeve. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Seeing that everyone was busy scolding Charmaine, Tiffany peeked at the email. She was shocked when saw it. How could someone send this video to her? Who was behind this? It seemed like she was not the only one who wanted to end Charmaine. However, as long as Charmaine could get convicted, she did not care who it was! She gave Veronica a signal with her eyes. Veronica walked up and said, ¡°Everyone, please be quiet. Someone sent me a video anonymously just now saying that this is an explicit piece of evidence!¡± She raised her phone and yed the video. Everyone¡¯s eyes were glued on the phone. The video showed Charmaine grabbing the first strawberry of the tower. It must have been a staff member who secretly filmed her. The video was shot close-up, so its quality was way better than the CCTV footage. When Charmaine reached for the strawberry, there was powder falling from her palm! They fell on the strawberries and indeed, it came from Charmaine¡¯s palm. This meant that it was definitely Charmaine who did it! The fans became agitated. ¡°Ah! This is the most obvious piece of evidence! Charmaine can finally be convicted!¡± ¡°Charmaine, what else do you have to say for yourself? There¡¯s proof now!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been saying there¡¯s no proof so now that there is, give it up! Apologize to everyone! Get convicted!¡± There were screams all around her. Tiffany knew the video was fake but pretended to be in disbelief. She looked over at Charmaine in shock, saying, ¡° Sister, it really was you¡­ You actually did something like this. I believed in you through it all! How could you do this, how could you be so evil¡­¡± Her voice was so hoarse, it was as if she had been deceived. Joey held andforted her. ¡°Tiffany, don¡¯t get too worked u p about this. Don¡¯t be angry with yourself. I¡¯ve said for a long time that she isn¡¯t a good person. You should cut off contact with her from now on. Don¡¯t get ruined by her!¡± Joey looked over at Charmaine and yelled, ¡°Taking you into the Jordan family was the biggest mistake of my life! Apologize to everyone immediately! Plead guilty now!¡± ¡°Yes, pay us thepensation right away! Plead guilty now!¡± ¡°Sign the equity transfer agreement, stop causing trouble for the Jordans!¡±, Everyone was breathing down Charmaine¡¯s neck. Their gazes were filled with disgust and disdain. Just as Charmaine wanted to speak, someone walked over quickly. ¡°I have evidence to be submitted!¡± It was Kay dragging another man over. The crowd looked over at them in confusion. Who were these people? When Veronica saw the man, her eyes twitched. However, Kay was already near the crowd when he pushed the other man forward. He said sternly, ¡°Tell everyone what¡¯s really going on!¡± Chapter 138 Chapter 138 Chapter 138 The man seemed terrifying, and there was a long scar on his face. Although he seemed fearless, he still fell victim to Kay. He was afraid of Kay after just one glimpse of him. Feeling helpless, he looked down and revealed, ¡°I... I¡®m Bob, a drug dealer. The person who bought Halophilic bacteria from me wasn¡®t Charmaine, it was Tiffany!¡°, Tiffany¡®s face went pale. Everyone at the scene looked over to her in shock. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. ¡°Tiffany Jordan? It can¡®t be! She¡®s always believed in Charmaine and is so kind...¡± ¡°I¡®ve never met anyone nicer than Tiffany. How could she have bought the drugs?¡± ¡°This man¡®s obviously a gang member. He could have been bought over, couldn¡®t he?¡± ¡°It¡®s possible! It¡®s probably Charmaine! She wants to clear her name so she¡®s framing Tiffany!¡± Being protective of Tiffany, Joey yelled at the man and said, ¡° Did someone pay you to frame Tiffany? My daughter would never do something like this!¡± Tiffany snapped out of it, put a pitiful face on, and said to the scar¨Cfaced man, ¡°Brother, are you mistaken? You should know that giving false testimony is a jable offense. Are you troubled? Are you facing hardships? Let us know how much money you need and I can give you more. I can help you solve everything but please, don¡®t frame me...¡± Her voice was soft and gentle but what she really meant was that she could give him more money to solve his problems but was begging him to not expose her. Bob wanted to protect the beautiful girl but the moment he thought about how Kay dragged him here, he trembled. He said, ¡°I¡®m not in trouble, I¡®m not facing hardships, and I¡®m not lying! I have proof!¡± He pulled out his phone and raised it while saying, ¡°This is my CCTV footage! Everyone, watch closely!¡± Everyone looked in his direction. It was clear CCTV footage! The footage clearly showed that in a basement, Veronica was d in ck while wearing a mask, handing money to the scar ¨Cfaced man. He also handed a small medicine bottle to Veronica! It was obviously Veronica because she was of the same height and her hair was also simply tied up. Plus, half of her face could still be clearly seen! (This Novel daily new chapters provide it .InfoBagh.Com) Soon after that, the second video showed Veronica walking toward the backstage of the Mercedes Auto show with a box of water bottles before handing them out one by one. 1 Everyone thanked her. She was also kind enough to help with cing the strawberries, but while everyone was not paying attention, she poured the liquid in the medicine bottle onto the strawberry tower! The footage was clear. The crowd became agitated. ¡°It was Veronica! It was done by Tiffany¡®s people!¡± ¡°My god! Unbelievable! Tiffany got someone to buy drugs and framed Charmaine for it!¡± ¡°She imed to have Charmaine¡®s back. She pretended to be genuine and nice but is actually someone this evil!¡± ¡°She¡®s way too good at her facade! She made a fool out of us all!¡± ¡°We should¡®ve known. This drug can only be kept as a liquid, s o it means the video shown by Veronica just now was fake! It was made up!¡± ¡°Not only did they frame Charmaine, but they were also vicious enough to fabricate evidence to convict her!¡± (This Novel daily new chapters provide it .InfoBagh.Com) Verbal abuse and usations were heard from the crowd. They gazed at Tiffany with disdain. Reporters took photos with their cameras, and influencers were also broadcasting live while aiming their phones at Tiffany. Even Joey, who had been protective of Tiffany, looked at her in disbelief and asked, ¡°Tiffany, what¡®s going on?¡± This was the daughter she trusted and cared about the most. Could she actually have done such a thing? Tiffany¡®s face turned pale, and her body froze. How could this be... How could this be... Veronica imed that it was all handled. How could there still be such damning evidence! Chapter 139 Chapter 139 Chapter 139 She was more anxious than ever, but she still maintained a pitiful face and exined, ¡°It¡¯s fake¡­ This video must be fake ¡­ Someone made this up to frame me¡­ I would never do this t o my sister¡­¡± ¡°Yes, if Veronica¡¯s video was made up then this one could be too!¡± said one of Tiffany¡¯s close friends. Joey snapped out of it, shielding Tiffany behind her as she stared right at Bob and interrogated him, ¡°Who paid you to make this up? Why are you framing Tiffany! I raised Tiffany myself, she would never do something like this!¡± Joey¡¯s words sounded incredibly protective of Tiffany. Charmaine, who had been silent, smiled sinisterly. If the same had happened to Charmaine, Joey would have pped her by now. However, when it came to Tiffany, she became protective¡­ Joey was about to learn the truth about her precious daughter! Charmaine stared at Bob and said, ¡°Someone¡¯s suspecting that your video is fake. Submitting fabricated evidence to the court couldnd you in jail for up to three years!¡± Three years! Bob felt weak in his legs. He was already a fugitive and only here with Kay for a chance to have his sentence shortened. He looked over to the officer in charge of the case and said, ¡°I swear this video is real! If it¡¯s even remotely fake, I¡¯ll be sentenced to death! If you don¡¯t believe me, go down to the ck market and retrieve the secret CCTV footage. You can definitely see Veronica in there!¡± He red at Tiffany and Veronica before continuing, ¡°Only people of the ck market would know about the secret CCTV camera, No one gets to destroy it! It¡¯s impossible to hide from i tas well!¡± Veronica¡¯s face was pale. She did avoid all cameras back then. However, she did not expect that there would be a secret CCTV camera in the ck market! She could be finished! The officer in charge got one of his men to investigate the im right away. Bob was forced to lead the way. If the im was proven true, she would be finished! Tiffany¡¯s eyes sparkled. All of a sudden, p! She pped Veronica¡¯s face hard before saying with an agonized voice, ¡°Veronica, how could you! Why did you frame my sister! I¡¯ve always been nice to you and treated you like my best friend. How could you do this to my sister¡­ How could you do such an evil thing!¡± Veronica fell onto the ground from being pped. There was blood oozing from the corner of her lips. She was stunned. It took her a while to realize what was going on. Tiffany wanted to pin the me on her¡­ Yes, Tiffany had to live on. She was a top model, she could not be ruined¡­ N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Veronica sat on the ground and sobbed. ¨C ¡°It¡¯s my fault, I was blinded by anger. I couldn¡¯t stand Charmaine stealing your spotlight time after time. You¡¯ve always been so nice to Charmaine but she¡¯s been working against you. I just wanted to take revenge on your behalf!¡± ¡°Unbelievable! Unbelievable!¡± Tiffany got down on the floor, grabbed Veronica by her cor, and shook her vigorously while saying in pain, ¡°I¡¯ve told you this before, Charmaine had nothing to do with the Guci editorial showdown. I¡¯m the one who wasn¡¯t good enough. I don¡¯t hate her so how could you do this! I¡¯ve always treated you like my own aunt, my own elder sister. I¡¯ve always been so good to you so how could you do such a vicious thing behind m y back. How could you¡­¡± Chapter 140 Chapter 140 Chapter 140 Tiffany¡¯s voice turned hoarse from crying. Tears were rapidly rolling down her face. ? Her frail body made her seem like she was about to pass out from crying The crowd continued watching the drama unfold. Some felt that the event was indescribable, some felt doubtful, while others were thoroughly convinced by Tiffany¡¯s speech. Their hearts were aching for her. Joey felt the same as well. She helped Tiffany up andforted her by saying, ¡°Tiffany, stop crying. It¡¯s Veronica¡¯s fault, not yours. You were wrong about her and treated her as a n A-list agent. She¡¯s inhumane! I¡¯ll find you the best agent tomorrow so stop crying.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s my fault. I didn¡¯t look after my agent so that¡¯s why she could do something like this. It¡¯s my fault¡­¡± Tiffany pushed Joey aside and apologized to the 11 models. ¡° Sorry, I¡¯m so sorry. It¡¯s my agent who poisoned you all. I¡¯m the one who caused you all pain¡­¡± She was bowing 90 degrees while apologizing. Her voice was remorseful and hoarse. Soon after that, she turned toward Charmaine, bowed, and said, ¡°Sister, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m really sorry about you being locked up for so long. I¡¯m heartbroken¡­ It¡¯s my fault that I didn¡¯t realize this earlier and let you suffer for so long¡­ I¡¯ll apologize to you and on Veronica¡¯s behalf as well. You can beat or kick me if you want to¡­¡± Tiffany cried even harder as she spoke. Tears were streaming down her face, and she was very humble about it. She even grabbed Charmaine¡¯s hand to hit herself with it. A hint of cynicism shed through Charmaine¡¯s eyes. This woman was ying the victim in front of Charmaine again. Did she not learn that Charmaine liked exposing victim ying women? Charmaine lifted her hand and pped Tiffany hard on her face. Tiffany was hit so hard that she fell onto the ground. 1 Joey went over to help Tiffany up immediately. She screamed a t Charmaine in anger, ¡°Charmaine, how could you be so vicious! Veronica¡¯s the one who framed you, Tiffany¡¯s your sister and has been defending you. She apologized to you as well so how could you hit her!¡± ¡°Mom¡­ It¡¯s fine¡­ It¡¯s really fine, I¡¯m not hurt¡­¡± Tiffany held her own face while crying. ¡°It¡¯s my fault, I didn¡¯t realize this earlier, I didn¡¯t look after Veronica. I¡¯m at fault as well. If she wants to hit me, she can. I want to feel less guilty about this¡­¡± Her distressed and guilty gesture immediately attracted the sympathy of many. People began talking. ¡°Poor Tiffany, she was implicated by her own agent.¡± ¡°Charmaine is too cruel. Look, Tiffany¡¯s mouth is bleeding. Look at the fingerprints on her face, tsk tsk¡­¡± This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°She was only locked up for a few days and did not suffer much, Tiffany has apologized to her as well. Why did she hit her so hard¡­¡± Hah. Charmaine¡¯s gaze was icy. Kids who cry would usually get the candy they want. However, Charmaine was not one to cry. Was she meant to just be the devil because of this? No! While she had no power tobat the evil, she could still handle the victim-ying women. She looked at Tiffany cynically and sneered, ¡°Okay, stop pretending. My friend still has a record of your chat with Veronica. If you keep up your act, you better believe that I¡¯ll put you in jail with her.¡± Tiffany¡¯s face froze immediately. The tears that were hanging from her eyes stopped falling down her face as well. Charmaine had a copy of her chat with Veronica! This! This was going to ruin her! Chapter 141 Chapter 141 Tiffany¡®s stiffness was followed by silence in the air¡­ People began whispering to each other. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Why did Tiffany stop crying? Was she not crying hard just now? Was she feeling guilty now? Seeing that things had now taken a turn, Veronica told the officers, ¡°It¡®s my fault. This has nothing to do with Tiffany. She¡®s been teaching me to be a better person and told me multiple times to not hurt Charmaine. However, you¡®ve all seen how vicious Charmaine is. She¡®s never treated Tiffany like her sister. She would either hit or scold her. I only did what I did out of momentary anger. There¡®s no point in exining myself anymore. Arrest and charge me. I know it¡®s my fault...¡± Veronica seemed genuine and honest. Nheless, everyone saw what had happened with Tiffany. Now that she was radio silent, did it not mean that she was guilty as well? Veronica was clearly taking the fall for her! One officer spoke up, ¡°Okay, Charmaine can leave. Tiffany and Veronica, you have to stay to have your statements taken.¡± Charmaine was then uncuffed while another officer approached Tiffany. Tiffany¡®s face was a little pale. It was obvious that people were suspecting her. However, she did not dare to y victim after hearing Charmaine¡®s words. She had no choice but to leave with the officers. ¡°Wait,¡± said a cold voice. Charmaine stared right at Tiffany and continued, ¡°There was a signed agreement that the culprit would have to pay each model ten million bucks. Tiffany, since you¡®ve admitted your fault, shouldn¡®t you be the one paying this sum on your agent¡®s behalf?¡± , Tiffany¡®s body froze. There were 11 models, so the sum would b e 110 million bucks in total! There was no way Veronica could afford this! Veronica was closest to Tiffany and took the fall for her too. Tiffany had no choice but to pay the models on Veronica¡®s behalf, regardless of it being for their friendship or to shut Veronica up... However, Tiffany did not have a diamond mine like Charmaine. The money she had been earning from being a model all these years was spent on maintaining herself and her ties with each and every person in the Jordan family. Although she had shares in the family, it was impossible to sell those off. Making here up with 110 million bucks meant that she would have to empty her savings! She would be nothing! The 11 affected models began speaking up as well. ¡°Yes, there were signatures. We have to be paid!¡± ¡°I can¡®t believe we were being yed for this long. It¡®s nauseating! It¡®s as disgusting as swallowing a fly!¡± ¡°Quick, pay up! If you¡®re not paying, Veronica is! The agreement states that we have to be paid today! I don¡®t want to have anything to do with you all anymore!¡± Everyone was urging Tiffany for the same thing. Influencers were broadcasting live on their respective channels while reporters snapped photos of Tiffany. Tiffany felt somewhat awkward. She wanted nothing more than ending this and leaving the ce. She had no choice but to pull out her phone andpensate every model in front of the crowd. Joey went over to stop her while saying, ¡°Tiffany, you¡®re too dumb! Although Veronica is your agent, it¡®s her fault. You can¡®t be the one paying for it! A hundred and ten million bucks is a huge sum of money, I can¡®t let you do this!¡± Tiffany wanted to strangle her. Was Joey stupid? Did she not realize what situation Tiffany Making here up with 110 million bucks meant that she would have to empty her savings! She would be nothing! The 11 affected models began speaking up as well. ¡°Yes, there were signatures. We have to be paid!¡± ¡°I can¡®t believe we were being yed for this long. It¡®s nauseating! It¡®s as disgusting as swallowing a fly!¡± ¡°Quick, pay up! If you¡®re not paying, Veronica is! The agreement states that we have to be paid today! I don¡®t want t o have anything to do with you all anymore!¡± Everyone was urging Tiffany for the same thing. Influencers were broadcasting live on their respective channels while reporters snapped photos of Tiffany. Tiffany felt somewhat awkward. She wanted nothing more than ending this and leaving the ce. ¡¤ She had no choice but to pull out her phone andpensate every model in front of the crowd. Joey went over to stop her while saying, ¡°Tiffany, you¡¯re too dumb! Although Veronica is your agent, it¡®s her fault. You can¡®t be the one paying for it! A hundred and ten million bucks is a huge sum of money, I can¡®t let you do this!¡± Tiffany wanted to strangle her. Was Joey stupid? Did she not realize what situation Tiffany Chapter 142 Chapter 142 ¡°You also wanted me to hand over my fifteen percent of shares because I harmed others, so shouldn¡®t you give me at least ten percent of yours for letting your own agent do this to others?¡± 10% of her shares! Tiffany nearly growled in anger. Not only did Charmaine want her to pay the models 110 million bucks, she was also eyeing her 10% shares! It was worth at least 20 billion bucks! How could Charmaine be this vicious! Joey could not stand what she was seeing anymore. She screamed at Charmaine, ¡°Charmaine, enough! Why are you pushing your own sister to the brink like everyone else is! It¡®s already sad enough for her to be implicated in this. Can you be human for once?¡± ¡°Huh, you want me to be human? When they framed me for harming the models, why weren¡®t they showing me a shred ofpassion? Why weren¡®t they being human when they forced me to apologize for things I didn¡®t do? Why didn¡®t they do so when they wanted me to hand over my fifteen percent of shares? You¡®ve been defending and believing Tiffany the entire time, but have you ever believed or defended me once since all this has happened?¡± Charmaine said coldly and fiercely while staring right at Joey. Joey was at a loss for words. She actually felt a little heartbroken while looking into Charmaine¡®s cold eyes. Just as she was about to say something, Charmaine looked away and continued, ¡°Forget it, I¡®ll ask grandpa about the equity transfer. Let¡®s see if a person who allows her own agent to poison and frame others is fitting to own twenty percent of the shares!¡± She immediately called Senior Jordan on her phone. James Jordan¡®s voice was heard saying, ¡°Charmaine, I saw the broadcast. I know you¡®re innocent so Tiffany has to bear the responsibility this time. Where¡¯s Nate? Tell him to transfer Tiffany¡®s ten percent to you!¡± Since Charmaine¡®s phone was on speaker, everyone heard James loud and clear. Nate was awyer himself; he understood that this case was filled with unexined urrences. It was possible that Tiffany had done this herself. Senior Jordan was being nice when he only made Tiffany hand over 10% of her shares! He walked toward Tiffany with the equity transfer agreement and said, ¡°Ms. Tiffany, please fill this line with what the Director asked for.¡± Tiffany was so angry, her body was trembling and her face was pale. 20 billion bucks! Her 20 billion bucks was gone just like that! Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. She was here to get Charmaine¡®s 15% but instead, she was losing 10% of her own right now! She was on the brink of breaking down and losing it. However, there were plenty of people pointing their cameras at her. Things had taken a turn for the worse, so what could she do... How else could she say no... ¡± She had no choice but to say through gritted teeth, ¡°Of course ... I should do this after causing so much pain to Charmaine... I¡®ll treat her better and make it up to her from now on!¡± Shivering, she signed her name on the agreement while speaking Nate walked toward Charmaine with the agreement to let her sign her part as well. 10% of shares worth 200 billion bucks in market value was now Charmaine¡®s. s Tiffany¡®s body trembled so much that she nearly lost her bnce. Joey held her up and said with concern, ¡°Tiffany, let¡®s go. We¡®ll get your statement done, go home and talk to grandpa about this! Charmaine, you went overboard today. You¡®ve disappointed me and broke my heart!¡± After saying that, Joey left the scene with Tiffany in tow. Charmaine¡®s gaze turned cold as she watched them leave. ¨C Disappointed? Brokenhearted? Charmaine felt the same too. She made her way through the crowd, got on the Kawasaki that Kay had brought over for her, and rode off. Chapter 143 Chapter 143 It took less than an hour for the incident to trend all over Twitter. #CharmaineIsInnocent, #VeronicaGets3Years, # TiffanyPays110Billion, and #TiffanyIsRottenInside were amongst some others that made it to the trending list. With ample witnesses and evidence, Veronica pleaded guilty. Charmaine had made the perfect comeback. Netizens were flocking to criticize Veronica and Tiffany. Although many believed that Tiffany was innocent, others analyzed the situation intelligently and pointed out plot holes. For example, how could Veronica have that much courage to d o what she did as an agent? How was it possible that Tiffany did not know anything since she was always spending time with Veronica? If Tiffany was innocent, why did she be silent the moment she was interrogated by Charmaine? Why did she pay 110 billion bucks just like that? That was no small sum of money. No matter how close one was to a friend, it would be impossible to go to that extent just for a friendship. ¡®. Tiffany was obviously the mastermind! This was all about sacrificing a pawn to save the queen! Tiffany¡®s previous attempts at defending Charmaine were also republished online. Netizens noted that she seemed disingenuous through it all. Charmaine had won this battle beautifully. However, she was speeding aimlessly on the road at the moment. All she could think about was what Joey had said to. her. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Although Charmaine was used to not having affection from her family, watching Joey believe and defend Tiffany through heightened tensions made her feel uncontrobly sour about the whole ordeal. 2 Charmaine had never been defended this way growing up. No matter how hard she worked, she would never be shielded unconditionally by others like Tiffany was¡­ Charmaine parked the bike near the sea and felt the sea breeze against her skin. Under the scorching sun, the sea breeze felt dry and cold on her face. All of a sudden, an umbre appeared over her head, blocking the blinding sunlight from her eyes. Charmaine turned around to find Anthony next to her. He was a lot taller than her, her head only up to his shoulders. He seemed astonishingly gorgeous from a low angle. He had a magnificent aura about him. He had the ability to steal hearts no matter how familiar his face was to the public. Charmaine retracted her gaze and looked back at the sea.¡° Why are you here?¡± Her voice was indifferent and emotionless. It was as if she was her ruthless self again. Her lonely appearance from moments ago was still on Anthony¡®s mind. He said solemnly, ¡°Ms. Jordan, didn¡¯t you say that you want toe to the Baileys¡® to see Momo? Are you trying to go back on your words?¡± Charmaine came to a realization. She had agreed to this at the time. However, she did not expect Anthony toe and pick her up in person. After all, she was free today... ¡°Don¡®t worry. Since I¡®ve promised you that, I¡®ll do it. Let¡®s go.¡± She tucked away her emotions, put on her helmet, and got on the Kawasaki. Anthony wanted to stop her but knowing her character, he decided to tail her with his car instead. Although Charmaine was wearing light¨Ccolored clothes, a woman racing on the road still attracted tons of attention. A group of street racers whistled at her while turning toward her. They wanted to ride side by side with her. Anthony turned his steering wheel, catching up with Charmaine in an instant as he blocked the street racers behind him. The man who was leading the racers yelled, ¡°F*ck! Who¡®s this bastard getting in my way? Hit him!¡± The man twisted the elerator to catch up with Anthony, but a subordinate reminded him by saying, ¡°Calm down! Look at the license te number and see whose car that is!¡± The man¡®s face turned pale the moment he read the license te number. It was Mr. Bailey! The same Mr. Bailey who could do anything he wanted in Shelburne! The racer switchednes right away and rode off. Chapter 144 Chapter 144 Charmaine witnessed it all through her rearview mirror. She felt a little something in her heart. This was how it felt like to be taken care of... The vehicles arrived at The Pce Heart about 30 minutester. The Pce Heart was a gated area of vis. Each vi had 19 floors in them, and these floors included pastures, swimming pools, golf courses, man¨Cmade gardens, and so on. The price o fone vi was about 10 digits. Only the richest could afford to stay here. Charmaine parked her Kawasaki outside vi No. 9 under Anthony¡®s lead. Two rows of servants stood at the door. They bowed and said respectfully, ¡°Hello, Mr. Bailey. Hello, Ms. Jordan.¡± They were so synchronized and respectful, it was as if they were facing an emperor from ancient times. This scene was not new to Charmaine. She did not think much of it and continued walking into the vi with Anthony. Servants pushed the heavy doors open for the duo. A magnificent and grand hall appeared before them. The hall was covered with pink roses. The entire vi seemed like it waspletely invaded by flowers. There were also balloons flying in the air. It was as if they were living in a dreamy fairy tale. Charmaine was shocked by the decorations. Anthony said respectfully, ¡°Please, Ms. Jordan.¡± He was leading the way, but he suddenly decided to walk behind her instead. Charmaine had no choice but to walk ahead. Just as they arrived at the center of the hall, a loud ¡®bang!¡® was heard. A huge balloon over their heads exploded as flower petals fell down from it. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Chris appeared from a bunch of flowers nearby and said happily, ¡°Mom! Happy Independence Day!¡± As his childish voice spoke, he tugged at the fireworks in his hands. Colored ribbons and gold kes suddenly fell on Charmaine. As she stood in the middle of it all, Charmaine felt like it was all as grand as a wedding ceremony. She had never been treated this well since she was a child... Chris stepped forward, grabbed Charmaine¡®s hand, and said, ¡° Mommy, I want to hug you. I missed you so much!¡± ¡°It was only a few days,¡± Charmaine smiled. She bent over and carried the chubby boy. For some reason, although it was not her own child, she felt maternal love and fulfillment while holding him in her arms. 2 Chris melted into her embrace, hugging her neck with his small hand as he said, ¡°I¡®ll miss you even if we¡¯re apart for just a second! I don¡®t want to be separated from you, ever!¡± Forever¡­ Charmaine¡®s gaze darkened the moment she thought about it. Could there be a ¡®forever¡® with Anthony and Chris? Probably never. They were already doomed after that incident five years ago... Seeing her mood change, Anthony changed the subject and asked, ¡°Momo, where¡®s the gift you prepared for mommy?¡± ¡°Oh! That¡®s right! Here!¡± Chris slipped through Charmaine¡®s arms to pull out a white gift box from the bunch of flowers nearby. He handed it to Charmaine. ¡°Mommy, here¡®s a gift I prepared for you. I spent three days and three nights designing it and made peoplee up with it just in time for this. Let¡®s see if you like it or not.¡± There was a gift for her? A customized one? Charmaine thought that the decorations were already the grandest gifts for her. Feeling moved, she took the box and opened it. Butterflies instantly flew out of the box. It looked extremely dreamy. Furthermore, the contents of the box turned out to be! Chapter 145 Chapter 145 Charmaine had assumed that Chris prepared something adorable for her and did not expect a dress... The dress looked unique. It was a tube dress with an A¨Cline hem, and the fabric was decorated with ink to form andscape painting. Meanwhile, the hem was painted with a dark red gradient. On the top, there was a small, ck 3D phoenix on it. The dress¡®s design made it seem like it was in mes with a heavy haze, the phoenix the cherry on top of it all. It was stunning! Charmaine had never seen such a dress in her life. No brand hadunched this dress either, so... ¡°Momo, did you really make this for me?¡± Chris hesitated for a moment before nodding. ¡°Yeah! It¡®s a gift from me to you. I wanted to wish you a good independence day and that you fly higher after this incident!¡± Charmaine could not help but rub his head. His acting skills were decent, but how could a child design such a dress? She already knew the answer to her doubts the moment Chris hesitated to respond. It was probably designed by Anthony and tailored for her. However, he assumed that Charmaine would not ept and wear it if she knew he sent it to her, so he decided to let Chris d o it instead. Charmaine could not describe what she was feeling at the moment. After some thought, she decided not to expose Anthony for it. She said, ¡°Since I just got out, I want to take a bath and change my clothes anyway. This is a good gift.¡± A hint of happiness shed through Anthony¡®s eyes. He was happy as long as she did not reject the gift. ¡°Come with me. I¡®ll show you to the bathroom,¡± Anthony said as he walked toward the corridor on the right. Charmaine had no choice but to follow him through the long and splendid corridor before reaching the bathroom. The giant bathtub in the bathroom was already filled with water, and there were rose petals floating in it. Did Anthony prepare her bath as well? ¡°Anthony, actually...¡± ¡°Take a shower. I¡®ll wait for you in the dining hall.¡± Anthony¡®s voice was as gentle and steady as ever. He turned to leave. Charmaine¡®s words did not find their way out of her mouth. She relented and entered the bathroom. After closing the door, she soaked herself in the bathtub. Her brows furrowed slightly. Anthony was obviously into her. She might have actually considered him if not for what happened back then. However... ¨C No man would ept a woman who was once raped, impregnated, and had been through an abortion, especially a. rich and powerful man like Anthony. * She was already ready to spend the rest of her life alone. It was probably a good idea to tell Anthony the truth after her bath and let him give up on her. He should not be wasting his time on her... There were towels, underwear, and other necessities prepared for her after her bath. Charmaine dried her hair, changed into her new dress, and walked out of the bathroom. A servant led the way and said, ¡°Ms. Jordan, please follow me.¡± The servant¡®s respectfulness made her feel as if she was the most powerful person in the house. Charmaine was led to the dining hall. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. She expected a violinist or a pianist, and a candlelit dinner with steaks. However, the dining hall was quiet. Although luxurious, the atmosphere was veryfortable, apanied by soft lights. On the table were ordinary home¨Ccooked dishes, including stewed chicken, braised duck, braised pork knuckles, seasonal vegetables, steamed eggs, and so on. The man and child were already seated at the table. Chris had changed into a t¨Cshirt and shorts. His t¨Cshirt had cute animated cats on it, making him look more adorable than ever. Meanwhile, Anthony was dressed in loungewear. His cks were paired with a light gray shirt. It made him look simple yet elegant. Chapter 146 Chapter 146 At first nce, the view seemed warm and friendly, giving Charmaine a sense of home. Chris saw hering and immediately got up to pull her over. ¡°Mommy,e and sit down. Sit down and let¡®s have dinner.¡±, Charmaine snapped out of it. She walked with Chris to the left side of the rectangr dinner table and took a seat. Anthony sat across them. He said, ¡°Here are a few simple dishes, hopefully they¡®re up to your taste.¡± Luke who had been standing outside could not help but feel frustrated. How were these dishes simple? Everyone in the vi was overworked to the core! Anthony had arranged the menu two days ago. It contained ingredients and was Western cuisine that was only avable in three¨Cstar Michelin restaurants. The list was ssy. For this purpose, the chef from a Michelin restaurant was flown in to prepare the meal. However, Anthony called home an hour ago and demanded the chef to prepare home-cooked dishes! All musicians were also dismissed... When Anthony saw Charmaine looking lonely, he knew that what she needed most was the feeling of home. That was why did what he did. However, this was his first and only time treating a woman to home¨Ccooked dishes. He was a little anxious about it. If Charmaine did not like it... Charmaine nced at the dishes on the table and said, ¡°I love i t, thank you for working all day for this. Come, Momo, have this drumstick!¡± She served Chris food as she spoke. The atmosphere was rxed. Chris was incredibly happy. ¡°Thank you, Mommy. Here, have some too. Pig trotters can replenish your cogen for you.¡± ¡°You lost weight in the past few days, so you have to make up for it,¡± Anthony said while serving a piece of stewed chicken to Charmaine. Chris seemed like he remembered something. He served Charmaine some vegetables and said, ¡°Mommy, you have to replenish your vitamins. You have to eat your vegetables and have bnced nutrition!¡± Charmaine¡®s bowl was filled to the brim within moments. She replied, ¡°Okay, that¡®s enough. Momo, eat.¡± ¡°Hehe, okay.¡± Chris began eating. The atmosphere was peaceful, and the air felt warm. Although they were people from twopletely different worlds, they seemed like a family at this moment.¡± While Charmaine enjoyed the delicious food as she stared at Chris¡® chubby little face, she felt like all her worries had disappeared. Who cared about Joey, Tiffany, or the rest of her own family? Nothing could beat Momo being by her side right now! Charmaine unconsciously finished two servings of food. She had been busy working and plotting her revenge for the past few years, so she barely had any expectations for her food. She had always been eating just to survive. It had been quite some time since she felt this way. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. After finishing his meal, Chris burped and said, ¡°Hm, I¡®m feeling sleepy after eating. I¡®ll go and take a nap.¡± Before Charmaine could reply to him, Chris ran off. It was obvious to Charmaine that Chris was intentionally letting her spend some alone time with Anthony. What a cheeky child The dining hall became quiet. Anthony said, ¡°There¡®s an open air garden on the top floor overlooking the city. Are you interested in checking it out?¡± Charmaine remembered that she wanted to speak to him anyway. She nodded and said, ¡°Let¡®s go.¡± She followed Anthony into the elevator, and they arrived on the 19th¨Cfloor momentster. The 500¨Csquare¨Cmeter open¨Cair tform was turned into a pond with lotuses nted in it. The lotus leaves were greener than ever, and the flowers were blooming beautifully in the midsummer season. Charmaine tucked her hair behind her ear and began organizing her speech in her heart. It was a simple thing to do. She was not someone who would drag this longer than she should. However, she did not know why she found it difficult to speak up at the moment... All of a sudden, Anthony reached out to her and grabbed her by her hand. Chapter 147 Chapter 147 Charmaine wanted to move away out of reflex but Anthony said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m bringing you to the veranda.¡± He walked ahead while holding her hand. Due to the pond¡¯s design, all stone piers ced between the lotuses were above water. Charmaine did not dare to struggle in fear of identally dragging Anthony into the water with her. She let him pull her toward the edge of the garden. The duo stood before the fence, the evening breeze blowing on them. They overlooked the lights from thousands of houses, and the sky was full of stars. Everything was astonishingly beautiful, and the air was also filled with afortable warmth coupled with romantic undertones. For some reason, Charmaine was more immersed in this than she imagined she would be. Unfortunately, the beauty of it all was about toe to its end¡­ She retracted her gaze and began making up her speech in her mind. During that very moment, Anthony turned around out of the blue, looked right at her, and said, ¡°Charmaine, I can give you a home.¡± His deep voice reached her ears through the night breeze. Charmaine¡¯s heart skipped a beat again. Give her a home¡­ Was he proposing to her? It was not the first time he was expressing his feelings to her throughout the time Charmaine knew him. To let this go on would be a bad idea. Charmaine pushed his hand off her and asked solemnly, ¡°Mr. Bailey, do you not investigate someone¡¯s past before falling for her?¡± Although her pregnancy was well concealed by the Jordans back then-her trip to Africa was announced as her recuperation from an illness-given Anthony¡¯s ability, he would definitely b e able to find out about it if he wanted to Anthony replied, ¡°I like you for who you are. That has nothing to do with your past.¡± ¡°What if I killed someone, was once pregnant, or had given birth to a child?¡± Charmaine asked. Anthony¡¯s brows were twisted for a moment. He seemed deep in thought. Charmaine noticed that his expression darkened. She knew that he would feel disdainful toward her. After all, he was a powerful man. However, to Charmaine¡¯s surprise, Anthony replied, ¡°If you killed someone, it means you were bullied. I can help you stab the person as well. If you did give birth to a child, wouldn¡¯t that mean I gained a child out of the blue? Momo would have a ymate too.¡± Charmaine was left speechless. Did this man think she was kidding? ¡°I¡¯m serious, Anthony.¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious too,¡± Anthony replied with a straight face. Charmaine was a little stunned looking at his face. Was he serious? Did he really mean that he did not mind even if she did kill someone or gave birth to a baby? Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. How was that possible¡­ Maybe he thought she was testing him.She took a deep breath, started thinking up her speech again, and finally said with a serious face, ¡°Anthony, I¡¯ve been wanting to tell you something. I think this is the right time. It¡¯s impossible for us to get together because five years ago¡­¡± ¡°Mr. Bailey! Mr. Bailey! Something¡¯s wrong!¡± Luke ran over and yelled nervously, ¡°Momo¡¯s in trouble!¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Anthony¡¯s brows became twisted. Luke replied, ¡°Momo¡¯s having convulsions! They¡¯re pretty bad!¡± ¡°Where¡¯s Nial?¡± Anthony asked while walking back with Charmaine¡¯s hand in his. Charmaine did not care what she wanted to talk about anymore. The moment she heard that Chris was in trouble, she felt like her brain had exploded. She wanted nothing more than to see Chris right then. Luke replied, ¡°He¡¯s been contacted. It¡¯ll take at least twenty minutes for him to get here.¡± Chapter 148 Chapter 148 ¡°Prepare hot water, a towel, and a biting stick.¡± Anthony ordered solemnly as he pulled Charmaine into the elevator to go downstairs. Charmaine was focused on how Momo was at the moment. She did not notice that her hand was still being held tightly by Anthony. As the duo arrived at the children¡¯s room on the second floor, they found Chris convulsing on his bed, and veins all over his body were popping out. This was several times worse than what Charmaine saw thest time! Anthony said, ¡°Wait outside.¡± Momo¡¯s condition was definitely going to scare her. Charmaine replied to his surprise, ¡°No, I¡¯ll stay with Momo.¡± As she spoke, she walked quickly to the bed and held Chris¡¯s hand, saying, ¡°Momo, I¡¯m Aunt Charmaine. I¡¯m right here and haven¡¯t left yet.¡± However, Chris could not hear her at all. His body was still cramping. His eyes rolled backward, and huge beads of sweat rolled off his forehead. Charmaine could tell that Chris was not messing around this time. It was really serious. She looked at Anthony and asked worriedly, ¡°Why¡¯s this happening? Why¡¯s he in this condition? Is there any way we can help him?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯ll be fine,¡± Anthonyforted her calmly. With the hot towel in his hand, he wiped Chris¡¯ face and body. After that, Anthony stuck the biting stick into Chris¡¯s mouth to prevent him from biting his own tongue. Charmaine had always been the calm and decisive one. However, at this moment, she was of no help at all. She could only watch Anthony do everything. At the same time, she held Chris¡¯s hand andforted him by saying, ¡°Momo, get well soon. Didn¡¯t you promise me that you¡¯d be brave? I¡¯m right here by your side, so don¡¯t feel sad.¡± Chris was still having convulsions. It was as if he had no consciousness whatsoever. Anthonyforted Charmaine and said, ¡°It¡¯ll happen a few times every year. When Niales over and gives him his shot, he¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°But there are still over ten minutes to go¡­¡± A tiny child had to endure over ten more minutes of convulsions¡­ Charmaine¡¯s heart was broken beyond words. She asked, ¡°Does he go through it like this every time it happens? Are there no other ways to cure him?¡± Anthony retracted his gaze and became silent. There were no other ways. Chris could only go through it like this every time it happened. The next 10 minutes felt undoubtedly long. The duo could only watch Chris going through his convulsions, they could not do anything other than preventing him from biting his own tongue. Thankfully, Nial arrived quickly. It took only 15 minutes for him to do so. He swiftly gave Chris his shot. Chris, who had been convulsing non-stop, gradually calmed down. However, his eyes were still not open. Nial said, ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here and let him rest.¡± As Charmaine looked at Chris¡¯s pale face, she was more worried than ever. Nheless, she still followed the men out of the room. After the door was closed, she asked Nial, ¡°What does Momo actually have? Is there no way to cure it?¡± Nial sighed and replied, ¡°It¡¯s affective psychosis. Momo never had a mother growing up and although the Baileys could provide him with the best quality of life, it would be hard topensate him in terms of affection. Momo really wants a mom as well. As long as this wish of his isn¡¯t fulfilled, it¡¯ll always be the cause of these convulsions.¡± ¡°But I¡¯ve been spending time with him today, so shouldn¡¯t he be happy? ording to your logic, it shouldn¡¯t have happened today.¡± Charmaine was confused. Nial exined, ¡°Before he met you, Momo would experience this four to six times a year. This should¡¯ve happened already, so it¡¯s pretty amazing that it took this long for Momo to go through this again. Maybe he was too happy and realized that this might notst forever.¡±Charmaine¡¯s brows became twisted. Her heart was broken. Four to six times? A five-year-old child had to go through that much pain every year¡­ Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Moreover, Chris seemed really happy today, he gave her presents and served her food. She assumed that he was feeling happy. She did not expect that he felt this might notst forever. Anthony looked at Charmaine all of a sudden and said, ¡°Ms. Jordan, I have a request.¡± Charmaine looked over at him in confusion. Chapter 149 Chapter 149 Anthony stared at her with a serious look and said, ¡°I hope you can be my girlfriend for six months.¡± Six months! Girlfriend! Charmaine¡¯s brows were twisted as she was displeased. ¡°Anthony, why are you thinking about such things during times like these!¡± ¡°Ms. Jordan, I¡¯m thinking about this for Momo. Momo¡¯s always wanted a mom, and the only person he really likes after all these years is you. If you consent to this, I believe he can be cured within the next six months. I¡¯ll let you go after that,¡± Anthony said Charmaine frowned. Half a year? She had to pretend to be Anthony¡¯s girlfriend for the next six months and spend time with Chris as his mommy? ¡°It¡¯s not nice to lie to kids. I¡¯ll leave one day anyway, and he¡¯ll be more hurt then.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a white lie. Can you actually bear to see Momo like this?¡± Anthony asked. Thinking about how Chris looked just now, Charmaine felt like her heart was being torn apart by a cat¡¯s jaw. Why did such a cute child have to go through such pain? She really hoped that it was thest time Chris had to go through that. She did not want to see him in excruciating pain ever again. Nial realized she was hesitating about it. He said, ¡°Ms. Jordan, Momo¡¯s case is a little unique. God would not me you for a white lie. Moreover, I realized that Momo¡¯s situation might take a turn for the worse after doing checks on him just now. If he¡¯s left like that, it might end up hurting his brain and causing retardation. Every time he has convulsions, he¡¯s on the brink of death. If his willpower or physical strength was a little weaker, he might never wake up again.¡± Never wake up again¡­ Charmaine knew that Nial was not overexaggerating Momo¡¯s situation after seeing how he was just now. Whenever Momo felt pissed or pretended to be sick, he would still be able to hear anything she said. However, he seemed like he could die today. She was moved¡­ She was moved because of Momo¡­ N?velDrama.Org content rights. However, was this enough reason for her to spend time with Anthony for the next six months? Did she really have to act as his girlfriend? Anthony said to her, ¡°Ms. Jordan, don¡¯t you worry. If you don¡¯t want me to, I won¡¯t announce my rtionship with you for the next six months. I¡¯ll not affect any ns you have as well. Moreover, I can pay you handsomely. You can tell me anything you want. I won¡¯t do anything you don¡¯t consent to as well.¡± His speech was serious yet respectful. Charmaine frowned and became deep in thought. Anthony was basically begging her, and Momo was in such a situation¡­ It seemed like she had no other choice. After a brief silence, she said, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll do it. However, I don¡¯t want to be paid. I want a contract.¡± ¡°No worries.¡± Anthony nced at Luke. Luke grabbed aptop and opened up a Word Document. He said respectfully, ¡°Ms. Jordan, you may begin.¡± Charmaine thought about it for a moment and said, ¡°First, you must try your best to find ways to cure Momo in the next six months. Try your very best! Secondly, our rtionship isn¡¯t real, so no one can butt into another¡¯s personal life. Thirdly, both parties must keep this private and confidential and tell no one! The fourth condition, there should be no overly flirtatious actions done to one another. Lastly, regardless of Momo being cured or not, I will leave after six months. Anthony cannot use any excuse to make me stay. Both parties are to agree to the terms above, and any party that vites them will be fined a hundred billion USD! 100 billion! Dors! Even a powerful family like the Bailey family was only worth 150 billion dors. They were at the top of Forbes¡¯ richest person list. Asking for 100 billion dors would mean giving out two-thirds of the Baileys¡¯ worth! Furthermore, other than the first term, everything else on the contract was filled with Charmaine¡¯s rejection of Anthony. Men were usually the ones signing contracts with women in fear of being entangled with them. However, Charmaine seemed to be the one being afraid of Anthony doing just that? Chapter 150 Chapter 150 Both a billionaire and a powerful man, Anthony was being despised so much by Charmaine? Nial looked over at Anthony with pity. However, Anthony kept a straight face. He seemed calmer than ever. ¡°I agree to all of it.¡± He reached his hand out to Luke, and Luke passed him the printed contract. Anthony signed his name without a second thought. He even added a thumbprint on it as well. Charmaine signed the contract too. Seeing the red thumbprints of hers and Anthony¡¯s, Charmaine felt a little dumbfounded. Was she now Anthony¡¯s contract girlfriend? Just like that? She had nned to tell Anthony about what happened five years ago, but this had happened instead. It would be meaningless to tell him now..Moreover, if Chris knew about her past, wouldn¡¯t that hurt his treatment? Charmaine thought about it and finally decided not to tell Anthony anything. 2 After all, she was just a contract girlfriend. They had to split up eventually. She looked over at Anthony and reminded him by saying, ¡°Mr. Bailey, you have to be mindfult o not fall for me in the next six months. I¡¯m leaving then no matter what.¡± Anthony¡¯s expression darkened for a moment before returning to normal. ¡°Sure.¡± They had plenty of time anyway. Nial secretly gave Anthony a thumbs up. This progress was amazing! Momo¡¯s condition was not good news, but Anthony had managed to turn it around. It looked like there would be a wedding six months from now! Nial did not believe that anyone would not fall in love with Anthony after spending six months with him. Charmaine was still worried about Chris that night. She decided to stay back and sleep with Chris. Anthony ordered the servants to change the sheets to new ones. They were dark blue and decorated with stars and the moon. It all looked heartwarming. Charmaine hugged Chris to sleep. She caressed his face. His cheeks were pale after the episode. He seemed as pale as a porcin doll. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. She could not help but whisper, ¡°Momo, you have to get well soon. Your aunt.¡± She thought about her contract at this moment. She said, ¡°Your mommy will be right here with you.¡± For some reason, she felt something unfamiliar the moment she uttered the word ¡®mommy¡¯. She did not despise it. Instead, she felt rather warm and sweet. Chris was still asleep, but his brows were more rxed. It seemed like he was sleeping better than ever in Charmaine¡¯s arms. Charmaine wanted to sleep earlier but the phone next to her pillow buzzed all of a sudden. She grabbed it and took a look. It was a text from Eric. ¡°Are you not staying at the Violet Vi tonight?¡± Charmaine replied, ¡°Nope, something happened to Momo. I¡¯ll stay here with him for the night.¡± She thought Eric would oppose the idea but to her surprise, he replied, ¡°Okay, Anthony is a decent guy.¡± A decent guy? Charmaine¡¯s brows became twisted. Did she read this text right? Since her return, Eric had always reminded her to not date anyone. All men were trash, including himself. However, at this moment, Eric actually said Anthony was a decent guy? How was he decent? Charmaine felt like she had yet to feel the same¡­ There were soft knocks on the room¡¯s door all of a sudden. ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± a deep, maic voice said. It was Anthony. Chapter 151 Chapter 151 Charmine frowned; confusion was written all over her face. What was he doing here at this hour? Since this was his property, she could only concede as she muttered a soft, ¡°Come in.¡± Anthony walked in soon after with maids in tow with nkets and a mattress in their hands. They swiftly went into action. In a blink of an eye, a grey mattress wasid prepared on the floor; simple yet elegant altogether. The maids then left and shut the door behind them. Charmine frowned. ¡°Mr. Bailey, what¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± ¡°Momo might get ill anytime tonight, and for that, I¡¯ll have to be here all night.¡± Anthony deadpanned as he sat down on the mattress, already dressed in pure ck silk pajamas. A meter away from the mattress, Charmine was left speechless. Did he have to? Of course, he was notpletely unreasonable; it would be best if he was here if anything happened to Momo. As she did not want toment any further, Charmine shut her eyes to get some rest. Anthony, on the other hand,id on the mattress and turned off the lights with his phone. The house fell dark in an instant, though the soft moonlight seeped through the window. The room then glowed with the faint silver-like light. Anthony turned to his side and faced Charmine¡¯s back, his lips curled up slightly as he watched her figure. Their distance was getting closer; the day was finallying. That night was the most peaceful night Charmine had in five years. She had no nightmares and even slept until ten o¡¯clock in the morning. Blurrily, she felt something soft yet cuddly pressed against her. She opened her eyes to see doe-eyed Chris looking at her and sweetly chirped, ¡°Good morning, Mommy!¡± The boy¡¯s voice was sugary sweet, and he had the sweetest grin cupped by his small puffy cheeks. Charmine¡¯s heart instantly turned soft by this sweetness as she sat up in surprise. ¡°Momo, are you feeling better now?¡± ¡°Yes! Thank you for asking, Mommy. I¡¯m much better now!¡± Chris¡¯ jelly-like arms wrapped around her neck, his eyes sparkling as he asked, ¡°Did Mommy hug Momo to sleep? Did Momo sleep in Mommy¡¯s arms?¡± ¡°Mm-hm. Mommy will be with you, so Momo has to be good and get better, alright?¡± said Charmine as she fixed his hair. Chris¡¯ eyes widened at Charmine¡¯s words. ¡°Does that mean Mommy will never leave Momo? Daddy was telling the truth when he said you¡¯ll be my Mommy forever, right? Is that true? Charmine was caught off-guard, but she nodded gently. All she could think of was to make sure Momo got better in the next few months. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Overwhelmed with joy, Chris jumped on the bed in circles as he cheerfully eximed, ¡°Momo has Mommy now! Mommy will never leave Momo again!¡± His adorable face had the most charming smile on. Charmine wanted to spend more time with him, but her phone rang not long after. It was from Grandpa.The moment she answered the phone, she heard Drake speaking, ¡°Charmine? Are you busy now? Could youe to the mansion now? They¡¯re all making a scene and pressuring me into changing the decision!¡± Charmine frowned. Pressuring? It had to do with the ten percent-share, and Tiffany must have been pulling the strings. If Tiffany wanted to y, Charmine was more than ready to do the same. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll come right away,¡± she answered. The moment she hung up, she saw Chris pouting and eyeing her with glossy eyes. ¡°Mommy i s leaving¡­ Mommy doesn¡¯t want Momo anymore.¡± ¡°Of course not! Please never think that.¡± Chapter 152 Chapter 152 Afraid that Chris would fall ill again, Charmine ruffled his hair as she exined, ¡°Mommy¡¯s going to sort out some family issues. After sorting them out, I¡¯lle right home to you, alright?¡± ¡°Pinky promise! You have to keep your word!¡± Chris pointed out his pinky finger and eyed her warily. Charmine locked her pinky with his and assured, ¡°Mommy will be home soon.¡± ¡°Yay! I¡¯ll walk you to the door!¡± Chris smiled and led her down the stairs. In the living room, Anthony was reclining on the sofa with a document at hand. He exuded an air of poise as though he was posing for the cover of a magazine. Charmine almost got lost in the view of him-a little too long before she snapped back to reality. ¡°I¡¯ll have to go to the family mansion for a while,¡± she spoke, ¡°so take care of Momo.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll send you there.¡± Anthony instantly put down the document and picked up the car key. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Before Charmine could turn down, Chris piped up, ¡°Me too!¡± Charmine had no choice but to get in the car with the soft and cuddly Momo in her arms. Once she got in the car, a maid handed her breakfast. ¡°This is what Mr. Bailey asked us to prepare for you. Please enjoy it.¡± ¡°Thank you¡­¡± Charmine epted the fresh milk and ham sandwich, and her ice-cold heart melted a little at the gesture. Nobody had prepared her breakfast for a very long time¡­ Anthony was quite a considerate man after all. She handed a sandwich to Chris. ¡°Let¡¯s have breakfast together.¡± ¡°Yay!¡± Chris chirped as he epted the sandwich in one hand and fresh milk with the other. Both Charmine and Chris chatted away happily. It did not take long before the Jordan family¡¯s mansion came into view. ¡°Just pull over here,¡± said Charmine, ¡°I¡¯ll walk over.¡± Anthony knew she did not want them to know about him, so he did not fight back and did as she told him to; he pulled over. Chris, who was very happy just a second ago, held onto Charmine tightly and prodded,¡° Mommy, you have toe back! Please don¡¯t forget about me!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Didn¡¯t we pinky-promise? Once everything is done, I¡¯lle and find you.¡± Charmine ruffled his hair before getting out of the car. As she walked past the front door of the car, Anthony rolled down the window and looked at her. ¡°Call me if you need anything,¡± he spoke, tone deep and reassuring. Somehow, Charmine¡¯s cold heart would thrum so heavily whenever she looked at Anthony these days. She snapped back from the thought and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. While I might not be able to solve bigger things, I¡¯m pretty good with the smaller problems¡±With that, she marched into the mansion confidently. As Anthony watched her walking away, he frowned a little. Sometimes, he wished Charmine was an ordinary woman¡­ At the living hall of the Jordans¡¯ mansion, all the family members were present. Joey caterwauled, ¡°Dad, this really wasn¡¯t Tiffany¡¯s fault! Veronica had been sentenced to jail! How could you give away ten percent of Tiffany¡¯s share to the adopted Charmine? She¡¯s an outsider!¡± ¡°I disagree, too! Now that Charmine holds twenty-five percent of the share, she has more share than my wife and me. This is unfair!¡± Jeremy protested. The rest of them fell into an uproar. They did not care if Tiffany did it or not; all they cared for was the sharesnding on an outsider¡¯s hands. Drake merely rested with eyes closed, but after listening to their protests for a while, he opened his eyes. ¡°Are you all done? Are you all trying to rebel against me now?¡± Even though he was getting older, his maturity gave him such authority that even his soft tone sounded powerful and demanding. Chapter 153 Chapter 153 Caught off-guard, Lily tried to double back. ¡°Dad, why would we fight you? We just want the best for the family. Having most of our family share given to an outsider doesn¡¯t seem right.¡± ¡°Exactly. Okay, let¡¯s say Tiffany ends up being involved¡­ It¡¯s alright to confiscate her shares, but you could give it to me instead. Why give it to the outsider Charmine?¡± Felix grumbled. Drake red at him. ¡°As I¡¯ve said many times, Charmine grew up with our family. She doesn¡¯t have her parents; we¡¯re her family. She¡¯s not an outsider! ¡°Also, has she brought shame to the family since her return from Africa? On the other hand, look at what Tiffany had done! Anyone with a brain can see clearly what¡¯s happening!¡± This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Tiffany¡¯s face turned pale; this old man obviously did not believe in her. She quickly put on her pitiful front and feebly walked toward him. ¡°Grandpa, I know you¡¯re suspecting me, but I¡¯m really innocent. There¡¯s no way I¡¯d harm my sister. Veronica did everything, I swear it to God. I¡¯d never-¡± ¡°Cut it out. You might fool a three-year-old with your act, but stop trying to trick an old man like me. I¡¯m not a fool, and I¡¯m no idiot!¡± Drake thumped his walking stick heavily against the floor, unbothered to listen to her exnation. Tiffany¡¯s face turned paler. She gathered so many people here today with the intention of getting back her ten percent share, but this old man was being so stubborn! Charmine was an adopted child. Why was he so kind to her? In the past five years, Tiffany contributed quite a lot to the family. She brought glory to the family and bought gifts for the family members. Ten percent of the share was a lot of money¡­ How could this end up with Charmine? Whatever it took, she would do anything to get them back. Her eyes burned with determination and calction, though she hid them with a pitiful look. ¡°Since Grandpa doesn¡¯t believe me, and everyone here doesn¡¯t either, then just assume I did it. Just assume I did all these things, and I¡¯ll give up my life topensate for this! Dad, Mom, thank you for raising me. I¡¯ll pay you all back in my next life.¡± With that, she smashed her head against the wall beside her. Everyone screamed in shock, especially Joey. She instinctively rushed for Tiffany and pulled her back. ¡°Tiffany, how could you be so dumb?! Stop it! I can¡¯t do without you!¡± ¡°Just let me smash into the wall and die, Mom! Now that everyone suspects me, my fans are scolding me, and even my family is treating me with such¡­ ¡°I¡¯m heartbroken. So, so heartbroken. It¡¯s my fault for not teaching Veronica well, and this is the price I should pay for. ! I deserve this. !¡± cried Tiffany with convincingly real tears, her voice became hoarse from all the screaming. Joey felt as if her heart was broken into pieces, but just as she was about to speak¡­ ¡°Let her ram against the wall all she wants. Let¡¯s see if she¡¯d do it,¡± came a cold and crisp voice that resonated in the hall. Everyone turned to see Charmine marching toward them. Her smoke-grey gradient tube top contrasted with her fiery burgundy flower patterns on her dress, while the flying phoenix embroidered on her chest emanated ss and regality. Tiffany¡¯s eyes narrowed instinctively at the sight. ¡®Why is this b*tch here?¡¯ she inwardly cursed. Why was Charmine dressed so boldly while Tiffany was at her lowest? It does not help that Charmine might make her genuinely smash her skull against the wall! Joey was livid. ¡°What are you saying, Charmine?! Tiffany is your sister! She treated you so kindly from a young age and has always protected you from harm, yet you treat her with such cruelty? Are you even a human?¡± Chapter 154 Chapter 154 ¡°Huh?¡± Care? Protect? Tiffany had told her toze around and not work hard since they were kids, so Charmine would turn out useless in the future. Tiffany had told her to dress uniquely, to stand up bravely from the rest and encouraged her to dress cheaply and inelegantly since they were kids. Tiffany gradually shaped her into a disturbing figure in the family since they were kids. Was this the care and protection Joey was talking about? Unbothered to even entertain, Charmine level-headedly spoke, ¡°Who¡¯s the inhuman one here? Who harmed so many people in order to harm me and acted innocent in front of everyone? Tiffany Jordan, why don¡¯t you be an actress instead of a model?¡± ¡°Your crying is so good. Why don¡¯t I film a video of you and post it on Twitter to get you more popr out there?¡± Tiffany¡¯s face stiffened. Charmine was obviously pushing her! How could she be so evil? Tiffany concealed her fury with a pathetic expression. ¡°Charmine, what do I say to make you believe me? If Mom hadn¡¯t stopped me, I would¡¯ve died from ramming against the wall, but Mom was right. What¡¯ll happen to her if I die? She had raised me for so many years; I don¡¯t want my mom to go through the pain of losing a daughter. ¡°I¡¯ll swear to God, alright? I swear to God: If I¡¯m involved in this incident in any way, my parents will leave me and despise me, turning me into an abandoned orphan and die alone!¡± swore Tiffany, as sincere as she could, all while she sobbed painfully. Everyone stared in shock; the vow was cruel. They pitied Tiffany for going through such pain, and even Drake¡¯s eyes softened a little. Had he misjudged Tiffany? Charmine scoffed to herself watching her imposing act. A cruel vow it was, but was she not already an orphan unwanted by her actual parents? Tiffany continued to hold her act as shemented her terrible fate of being misunderstood and unloved by her loved ones. ¡®Since she¡¯s so into her act, why not make it happen for her?¡¯ Charmine mused to herself as her lips curled into a smirk. ¡°I would¡¯ve fallen for your act, but sadly, I have evidence here.¡± With that, she tossed a stack of photos toward Tiffany. The photos were taken backstage of the Mercedes Auto Show: A photo captured the exchange of looks between Tiffany and Veronica, another photo captured the evil look on Tiffany¡¯s eyes watching Veronica, and one was showing Tiffany transferring the money to Veronica! The transaction amount was 19,500 bucks, and that was the exact price for the halophilic bacteria, the price admitted by Bob the dealer! The transaction date was also the date admitted by Veronica during the trial! Everyone stared at these photos with looks of disbelief. ¡°Dear me! How can Tiffany be so evil?¡± ¡°The evidence makes sense. It¡¯s obvious Tiffany was part of this.¡± ¡°What did Charmine do to her that made Tiffany hate her so much? She looked like she¡¯d kill her!¡± ¡°Heavens! And she acted so convincingly earlier, even going as far as smashing her head against the wall and making a cruel vow..! I can¡¯t believe she can be so evil!¡± ¡°This is terrifying! I always thought she was kind and gentle, but look at her in this photo¡­ She looks terrifying!¡± N?velDrama.Org content rights. Everyone was in turmoil about the photos, and even Joey-who was holding onto Tiffany slowly removed her hand. ¡°Tiffany¡­¡± Joey quavered. ¡°What are these?¡± Chapter 155 Chapter 155 Tiffany¡¯s face lost all color and life. She never thought that Charmine would get the backstage closed-circuit television footage and printed the photos. She knew it would be over for her once the family lost faith in her. Hastily, she rambled, ¡°Mom, you have to trust me¡­ Please trust me! ¡­. I was just practicing the pose and looks for the show! As you know, they needed cool poses for the exhibition, so I was just practicing and getting in the mood! ¡°As for the transaction record, Veronica told me she needed the money, so I paid her without knowing what she was using the money for!¡± Who would believe what she said? They sounded absurd! Even if Veronica wanted to borrow some money, she would have asked for a whole number something like 20,000 bucks-instead of the exact 19,500 bucks, which just so happened to be the price for the halophilic bacteria! 1 Joey¡¯s train of thoughts was all over the ce. This was the first time she doubted Tiffany; the first time she had doubts about her judgment. Could it be that the daughter she trusted the most had a personality she never knew of? Did she even know this woman standing in front of her? Drake red at the photos and barked, ¡°Someone,e and lock Tiffany into the prayer hall. She¡¯ll be kneeling there to self-reflect for three days and nights. Nobody is allowed to send her food!¡± ¡®Locked in the prayer hall for three days and nights¡¯, kneeling consecutively¡¯? ¡®No food and drinks¡¯? Tiffany¡¯s legs turned jelly instantly, and without Joey holding onto her, she copsed onto the floor. She had never been punished before! People would eventually find out if she got locked up in the prayer hall, and it would make her the laughingstock of the masses! How would she be looked at for the rest of her life? Terrified, she pulled on Joey¡¯s arm and begged, ¡°Mom, you have to help me! Please help me! ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth! This isn¡¯t who I am, and you know it! You raised me! You know I wouldn¡¯t do such a thing to my sister, right? ¡°It was Charmine! She must be jealous of me getting all of your attention, so she captured these photos at special angles and used them to destroy me!¡± Joey¡¯s frown never left her face. She took a closer look at the photos and felt a chill when she looked at Tiffany in the photos. How were these taken at a special angle? Even if it was the angle, the fact that Tiffany could make such an evil look was downright terrifying! Joey had always thought Tiffany was the sweetest and kindest girl ever since she was a child, yet she had such an evil side of her look¡­ Appalled, Joey sighed helplessly. ¡°Tiffany, perhaps it¡¯s best for you to have some alone time i n there,¡± she muttered. ¡°I need some, too.¡± Tiffany¡¯s grip on Joey¡¯s arm instantly loosened, and she copsed onto the ground once again in despair. It was over. Even Joey lost faith in her. Some maids came forward, ready to carry her away as no one intervened for her. Even Drake who had always been fond of her-had a serious face on as though in deep thought. Tiffany knew it was over. This time, nobody was on her side. ¡°I¡¯ll go if this is the case; I¡¯ll be fine kneeling for three days. Grandpa, Dad, Mom, please take care for the next three days. Don¡¯t be sad because of me, it¡¯s my fault for worrying you¡­¡± Tiffany knelt on the floor and mmed her head heavily against the floor, and the impact caused a dent to appear on her forehead. She did not seem to mind the pain as she sobbed quietly while being carried away by the maids. The silhouette of her weak and shaking body was painful to watch. It was the hardest for Joey, she wallowed in misery as tears rolled down her cheeks. Tiffany was her favorite daughter! She had never punished her before yet had be so cruel, though it was not too late to correct her. As a mother, she could not do anything. She had to fix this. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Drake let out a long sigh. ¡°Alright, you¡¯re all dismissed. Nobody is allowed to talk about what happened today.¡± The crowd was gathered today to get back the ten percent share, but now it seemed unlikelyt o get it back. They went away in disappointment. As Joey walked toward the door and passed Charmine, she could not help recalling what Charmine said to her yesterday: ¡®You¡¯re always defending Tiffany and supporting Tiffany, but have you ever asked or listened to a word that I said?¡¯ Chapter 156 Chapter 156 As Joey recalled Charmine¡¯s words from yesterday, she remembered how lonely and deste Charmine¡¯s gaze was. She stopped in her tracks and turned to Charmine. ¡°Why don¡¯t you stay for lunch today?¡± Stay for lunch today¡­ This was the first time Joey had spoken to her with such a gentle tone since her return from Africa. Thinking of her n, she answered, ¡°Sure.¡± Joey then turned and called out, ¡°Aunt Judy, please prepare lunch.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Aunt Judy left swiftly. All the staff and helpers sprang into action once they heard Charmine was having lunch at home for the first time in five years, though people like Jeremy seemed unperturbed. Although Tiffany made a mistake, it did not imply Charmine was innocent. To them, Charmine was the outsider who stole away twenty-five percent of the family share. They disbanded to mind their own business and ignored Charmine altogether. Charmine did not seem to mind either. She spent some time talking with Senior Jordan for a good while before he had to attend to other matters, so Charmine left for the prayer hall. How could she miss the sight of Tiffany being punished? As she walked along the hallway, a figure appeared in front of her. It was Julian.N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Like always, Julian was dressed in a ck suit, just like any sessful and handsome man. Charmine frowned. Why was he in the mansion? A glint of shock appeared in Julian¡¯s eyes. He thought Charmine¡¯s reputation was over, but little did he expect that she was not the murderer and had nothing to do with this. All theizens apologized and ttered her, and it further increased her fame and poprity. This woman waspletely different from the woman he knew five years ago. This woman was stunning and had been stealing his attention for quite some time. Charmine did not even bother looking at him; she merely turned away and left. Julian frowned and strode forward to block her way. ¡°Charmine, why don¡¯t you want to see m e now? You weren¡¯t like this five years ago!¡± Charmine scoffed, ¡°You weren¡¯t like this either, five years ago. Do you need me to remind you?¡± As she spoke, she kicked a pebble at her feet. Bam! The pebble flew in the sky and smashed against a nt vase, and it instantly broke into halves. Julian¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Charmine, I was doing what was best for you. The child belonged to the rapist anyway. Did you really want to give birth to him? Think about it: Now that nobody knew what happened, although you¡¯re not as chaste as Tiffany, having a child would ruin your reputation.¡± ¡°Wow. Does that mean I¡¯d have to thank you for that?¡± Charmineughed. Julian continued, ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me, but you could consider getting back with me again. Don¡¯t you fall for Anthony; someone like him is just ying with you.¡± ¡°You sound as if you really like me, but aren¡¯t you more interested in my assets?¡± sneered Charmine. ¡°Also, being yed by a man like Anthony is alright. What do you have in you topete with him?¡± With that, she flipped her hair and left. Livid, Julian grabbed her wrist. ¡°You¡¯re testing my patience, Charmine!¡± Chapter 157 Chapter 157 As Julian spoke, there was an obvious threat underlying in his words. Still, Charmine was unperturbed. ¡°Testing patience? So are you. I¡¯ve restrained myself from punching you for thest sixty seconds. Are you sure you want to keep talking to me?¡± With that, she swung his hand away and cracked her knuckles impatiently. She then warned, ¡°Instead of yapping nonsense here, why don¡¯t you go and visit your Tiffany? She¡¯s kneeling in the prayer hall now. Do you think a weak and useless body like hers can endure it?¡± Julian¡¯s eyes narrowed. The reason he came here was that Tiffany texted him. Tiffany wrote him words that depicted heartache and pain, so Julian came to speak up for her. At first, he thought the family liked her very much and would never punish her, but he did not expect them to deliver such harshness¡­ ¡°Of course I¡¯ll visit herter, but you have to reconsider being with Anthony. It won¡¯t end well.¡± With that, he turned and left. Charmine merely scoffed, but there was a twinkle in her eye as she watched his retreating form. Since she had already made Tiffany lose most of her patience, why not push it further and make her pay harder? As Julian walked away, he sent a text to Tiffany out of concern. [What happened? Why did they punish you to kneel at the prayer hall? Was it because of Veronica? You have to tell me everything so I can help you out. Tiffany replied instantly. [Yes. Charmine used some cleverly twisted photos to defame me. She sessfully convinced everyone! Julian darling, you have to help me! You know me well, and you know that other than the incident five years ago, I¡¯ve never hurt her before. All these times, I¡¯ve been helping you while trying to rebuild my rtionship with Charmine. I always looked forward to Charmine getting back with you, and we¡¯d then discuss what to do after you got hold of the share and diamond mine. Why would I do such a thing to ruin our n? Julian recalled how Tiffany invited Charmine to the Guci shooting with her and how she was willing to be a prop for her, so it was no surprise when Julian believed Tiffany¡¯s every word. N?velDrama.Org content rights. He tried tofort her as he replied, Don¡¯t overthink it. I¡¯ll speak to Grandpa, then I¡¯lle find you. Tiffany was kneeling on the floor in the prayer hall as she read Julian¡¯s text. Her lips curled u slightly. Under Julian¡¯s influence, the old man would give in soon enough since Julian was no run-off-the-mill man. She would be able to get out of this stupid prayer hall in no time. She did not feel well kneeling here. Although there was a cushion below her knees, they still murt! Whenever someone would pass, she could clearly hear them saying, ¡°Shush, be quiet! Tiffany is kneeling inside.¡± ¡®I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s so evil and cruel! This is so unbelievable!¡± ¡®You can¡¯t judge a book by its cover.¡± She clenched her fists tightly. What a bunch of useless maids! Why did they have to mock her? Once she was out, she would make sure they get taught respect. Unexpectedly, the door opened. As she thought it was Julian who finally came for her, she turned around excitedly¡­ Only to be met with disappointment when it was Charmine instead. Chapter 158 Chapter 158 ¡°Why are you here, Charmine? Do you think this is funny?¡± ¡°So what if I think this is funny? You¡¯ve done crueler things to me. Why can¡¯t Iugh at this?¡± sneered Charmine as she looked down on the kneeling Tiffany. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Tiffany gritted her teeth. ¡°Charmine, you¡¯re such an evil woman! You went to prison for three days to turn this into big news so you can ruin my reputation at the veryst moment, am I right? You even deliberately induced me to sign thepensation letter, right? This was your n all along!¡± roared Tiffany. ¡°Wow, you¡¯re not too dumb after all! Still, you missed out on one thing. I don¡¯t have the recording of you talking to Veronica; I made that up to scare you. Also, I¡¯ve got these photos way before yesterday. Do you know why I didn¡¯t show them yesterday? That¡¯s because if I did, you wouldn¡¯t be acting as good as you did in front of the family today. Would they find out your true colors then?¡± Charmine exined patiently with a bold and oppressing tone. Tiffany¡¯s face reddened in anger. ¡°Charmine, you evil b*tch! I want to kill you! I want to kill you!¡± she yelled as she tried to strangle Charmine. Charmine caught her wrists and matched Tiffany¡¯s re. ¡°If I¡¯m evil, then what are you? If I¡¯m not careful, I¡¯d have ended in jail now! You were the one who tried to defame me, and all I did was to return the favor! Have you not done enough harm to me five years ago? Now, you still want to ruin me. Do you think I¡¯m here for you to walk all over?¡± ¡°Get off me!¡± snapped Tiffany. ¡°Who are you to tell me off? You were the one who forced me to take the nude photo that went viral! You also calcted and tricked me into the Guci shooting! You always ruin my reputation! I hate you! I hate you so much that I wish I can eat your flesh and drink your blood! You evil b*tch¡­ I won¡¯t let this past!¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, I¡¯m evil,¡± sneered Charmine, ¡°but I didn¡¯t just do these. I did something worse. Look, who¡¯s standing by the door?¡± Tiffany turned to see Julian staring at her with a face of disbelief. Her face turned pale instantly, her lips shivered. ¡°Ju¡­ Julian darling.¡± Julian could not believe what he just heard and saw. He could not imagine the gentle and kind Tiffany that he knew could be so evil and cruel. Moments ago, she convinced him that she was defamed, and he met up with Drake to have a long discussion. Drake did not agree, and Julian was still trying so hard toe up with ways to save her. s, the truth unraveled before his eyes when he came here. He looked at Tiffany with doubt. ¡°What do you mean by Charmine forcing you to take the nude photo? Didn¡¯t you say you don¡¯t care about winning or losing the Guci showdown? Yet you caused harm to so many supermodels and defamed Charmine because of that?¡± Julian could not believe the truth. After hisst meeting with Tiffany, he gave her some time t o rest while he kept trying to get on with Charmine. If Charmine still did not let up, he would unravel more secrets about her¡­ All this while¡­ Tiffany had her own n behind his back? Tiffany jumped up hastily and grabbed his arm. ¡°Julian darling, I was just really pissed off just now. Charmine made me say that! As you heard, she was being so mean to me, and I made those things up to agitate her,¡± ¡°No, you answer me first. What¡¯s the deal about the nude photo? What do you mean by her forcing you to take it? Didn¡¯t you say she Photoshopped it?¡± If Tiffany was forced by Charmine to take the nude, this implied that the nude photo was real and not photoshopped. In other words, she had been lying to him since then! Tiffany¡¯s face turned pale while her brain raced at such a speed toe up with excuses, yet ¡­ What else was there to say? Chapter 159 Chapter 159 Charmine took Tiffany¡¯s silence as she coldly exined, ¡°Mr. Cabell, there¡¯s no need to be so furious. It¡¯s no big deal. She merely tried to kill me in a staged car ident, but I got the evidence and used it against her to send me a scandalous photo. Looking at that sexy look of hers, you must be a lucky man, eh?¡± ¡°Shut up! Shut up! Stop talking!¡± Tiffany was screaming by then. Charmine ran out of patience to wait for their fight; she had better things to do anyway. Her n was to expose Tiffany¡¯s true color to Julian, and since she had aplished that¡­¡°Take all the time you need, but don¡¯t fight.¡± Charmine smirked as she turned and sashayed in her heels. Before she left, she added, ¡°Oh, right. Mom asked me to stay for lunch today. She said she owed me an apology.¡± Tiffany clenched her fists tightly. That was her mother! Hers! Did Charmine have to steal everything from her? Still, she dared not say a word. Tiffany had lost everyone¡¯s trust; she could not afford to lose Julian¡¯s heart! Tiffanytched onto Julian¡¯s arm as she pleaded, ¡°Julian darling, please hear me out. I did all this for you¡­ I did these just to be with you! You know Charmine wanted me dead since the day she came back to Burlington. She was the one who swapped my Meteorite Jade Buddha, and she even told me she wants to steal everything from me, to get back at us for what we did to her five years ago. ¡°I was terrified, and that¡¯s why I wanted to end it for once and for all, but I didn¡¯t seed. She even threatened me with the evidence to make me send her a nude! She forced me to! She did all these to me! How can I not hate her? ¡°I¡¯ve done all these to ruin her reputation, that Anthony will be disgusted by her so that you can be with her! This is my n all along: to help you get her share and assets as soon as possible so that we can live happily ever after! You have to understand me!¡± her voice was hoarse and anxious as she begged. Julian stared at her doubtfully, his gaze not as warm as it once was. ¡°I understand what you¡¯re saying, but why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier? Why did you have to lie to me all along? I¡¯ve never lied to you before!¡± N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°I¡­ Julian darling, I was terrified. Terrified that you¡¯d hate me, will be disgusted by me¡­ I just want to support you from the sidelines, to please you with the best side of me¡­¡± Tiffany begged him as she pulled and shook on his arm. ¡°Julian darling, please don¡¯t hate me. Please don¡¯t hate me¡­¡± Julian let out a sigh and gently patted her shoulder. ¡°Tiffany, you need some rest. I¡¯ll visit you another day.¡± With that, he loosened his arm from her grip and strode away. Tiffany reeled in shock a few steps backward, a gasp escaping her lips. ¡®Did Julian fall out of love with me? Does he hate me now? How¡­ Why!? Everyone should be hating Charmine! Why do they hate me? It¡¯s Charmine¡­it¡¯s all her fault! I¡¯ll make her pay for this! As she knelt in the prayer hall, her mind raced with evil ns¡­ Chapter 160 Chapter 160 Julian could not shake off the memory of Tiffany¡¯s malicious look even after he left the prayer hall. Although Charmine was cruel, Julian knew that streak of hers from the beginning; she never hid it from him either. Tiffany, on the other hand, had always acted innocent and pitiful to cover up her true colors. Cruel and evil was she. 1 He could not believe Tiffany had attempted to kill Charmine in an ident and caused harmt o the other supermodels. She even let her favorite Veronica take on all the me¡­ His scalp was itching with disgust thinking of that. From today onward, his impression of the kind and sweet Tiffany was forever ruined. It was then when the Jordan family¡¯s butler approached him. ¡°Mr. Cabell,¡± he greeted, ¡°why don¡¯t you stay for lunch today?¡± Julian looked over to see a few people sitting in the dining hall. Somehow, the first person that caught his eyes was Charmine, who was sitting beside Drake. Her dress was not too eye catching today, yet the bold and stunning aura she exuded was hard to miss. This was the first time he looked at her with less disgust, that he almost found her attractive¡­ He buttoned his suit and approached them. The maid brought him the cutlery in an instant. Joey saw him and-in a concerned voice asked, ¡°You came, Julian? I assumed you¡¯ve heard of what happened?¡± Julian nodded as he sat down. The family members exchanged worried looks with one another. Julian was known as the ¡®National Husband¡¯ by almost everyone in Burlington, and h e was the most popr and desired man in town¡­after the Bailey family¡¯s men. He was iparable to the Baileys. This family had been a wealthy family for over a hundred years now. Even if they retired from real estate or trades, their assets could still crash all wealthy families in Burlington. When everyone else was struggling for resources, the Bailey family never had to break a sweat. After all, many sought to work together with them. Therefore, the Baileys were the wealthiest of the wealthiest; beyond the reach of a family like the Jordan family. Because of this, Julian was the best son-inw the Jordan family could ever ask for. The marriage between the two would bring profits and benefits to both families. Joey sighed and exined, ¡°Julian, please don¡¯t take it by heart. I know Tiffany made a mistake this time, but who hasn¡¯t? This is only the first mistake she has ever made since young. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll learn from her mistake.¡± ¡°Yeah. Tiffany is a good kid, and she¡¯s always been chaste and kind-hearted. Perhaps she just slipped up this time¡­ I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡± Lily sided with Joey. Now that her daughter, Amelia was confined in the mansion and that her husband was useless, she had to side with Joey. If Tiffany¡¯s marriage with Julian was canceled, their lives would be even tougher. Julian wanted to forget about everything, but once this matter was brought up, he could not help recalling the evil look on Tiffany¡¯s face. That look was way too different from the Tiffany he thought he knew. He took a sip of the soup and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I grew up with Tiffany, and I¡¯ve always seen her as my little sister. Why would I look down at her?¡± Everyone¡¯s face shifted a little. Even Drake frowned and asked, ¡°Sister? Julian, are you joking with us?¡± After what happened to Charmine, Julian had spent most of his time with Tiffany. He even proposed to her more than once, yet he called her his ¡®little sister¡¯?Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Charmine reclined onto her seatnguidly. ¡®This douche is about to spice things up again. Where¡¯s my popcorn?¡¯ Chapter 161 Chapter 161 As expected, Julian nced at Charmine before saying to everyone, ¡°I¡®m sure everyone is aware that the woman I was engaged to was Charmine, and I¡®ve liked her since ten years ago. If it wasn¡®t because of the incident, we would¡®ve gotten married already. ¡°I¡®ve suffered a lot after the incident, and Tiffany was there to apany me andfort me, which I misunderstood as love. Recently, after seeing Charmine again, I realized I¡®ve loved her all this while...¡°, With that, his gentle gazended on Charmine. ¡°Please don¡®t get confused. I didn¡®t say all these because of what happened today. Actually, I¡®ve even confessed to Tiffany about my real feelings for Charmine some time ago...¡± What Julian was saying was that Tiffany could prove he had always loved Charmine. ¡®Ha¨Cha!¡® Charmine almostughed out loud. This douchebag did not even flinch as he spewed lies. What a disgusting jerk! Before she could speak, Drake said, ¡°But you proposed to Tiffany before! You keep switching between the two sisters. This is disrespectful!¡±, ¡°Grandpa Jordan, you watched me growing up. You know me well enough to know that I didn¡®t mean that, right?¡± Julian continued exining with a solemn expression, ¡°I don¡®t mean to y with their feelings... It¡®s just that Charmine and I were once engaged, and we even exchanged the engagement token! We¡®ve loved each other for fifteen years, from when Charmine was three till she was eighteen, while Charmine and I had only been together for five years. How can these twopare to each other?¡± He spoke with such a convincing passion and pain that was hard to dismiss. Even Drake¨Cwho was furious at his suggestion¨Csoftened after hearing his speech. ¡°With what you just said, does that mean you don¡®t mind about what happened to Charmine five years ago?¡± he gently asked. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Like a noble gentleman, Julian answered, ¡°Not at all. Auntie Joey has said it herself: who hasn¡®t made a mistake before? Charmine was young back then. It was normal to make a mistake, and I was immature back then, too.¡± Drake let out a sigh and looked at Charmine. ¡°Charmine, what do you say?¡± Charmine had loved Julian for fifteen years. He had to consider her feelings, too. Joey had mixed feelings. Both of them were her daughters, and although she preferred Tiffany out of the two, she knew better than anyone that if Julian did not love her truly, there was no point to force them to be together. ¡°If Charmine could get over with what had happened, then it would be a good thing,¡± came Joey¡®s reply. ¡°After all, if the incident five years ago was exposed, others would look down on her anyway.¡± She then turned and looked at Charmine. ¡°Charmine, what do you think? You were engaged with Julian before. If you¡®re willing t o, the two of you could pick a date and prepare for the wedding right away.¡± ¡°Thank you for being so considerate, but...¡± Charmine¡¯s eyebrows twitched slightly, and she looked at Julian nkly.¡° Sorry, but a good horse will never turn round to graze on an old pasture. I¡®d never turn and pick up something I dropped on the floor.¡± Julian¡®s face stiffened. She was not making it easy for him in front of so many people! He did not degrade her in any way possible; how could she have had the heart to do that to him? Now that she was Anthony¡®s mistress, did she think she could do anything as she pleased? Everyone else¡®s faces stiffened. They did not expect Charmine t o be so rude and blunt. Was she not hopelessly in love with Julian a few years ago? Recalling that her daughter was still in confinement because o f Charmine, Lily mocked, ¡°That¡®s right. Our Charmine is now the Diamond Boss with so much assets. Why would she settle with anyone? She even has some attitude now!¡± ¡°Attitude? Tiffany did me so much wrong, and I could¡®ve handed the evidence to the police and media. Why did I have to spare her?¡± came Charmine¡®s fiery counter. She then rified, ¡°The reason I rejected Julian was all because of Tiffany. I have t o consider her feelings too. After all, she¡®s still my sister. If I¡®m to be with Julian, what would she think?¡± Chapter 162 Chapter 162 ¡°Tiffany had been by your side for a whole five years. She spent her precious youth on you! And just because of her poor choice of action, you want to get back with me. How would she feel?¡± Charmine spoke passionately, as though she meant every word. ¡®Hah! I can be just as fake as Tiffany,¡®Charmine mused to herself. With Tiffany¡®s reputation ruined, she was ready to take away everything from her. As expected, the looks on Drake, Jeremy and Joey changed in a n instant. They had always thought Charmine to be unreasonable and cold¨Chearted; they never imagined her to have a kind side. Julian was agitated by what she said. How could she suggest such things about him? He could not stand it! ¡°I¡®ve spoken to Tiffany about this before, and she said it herself that she¡¯d want us to be happy. After all, we were in a rtionship before, so she¡®s very understanding. I know you still keep our engagement ring, and you haven¡®t even given it back even after your return. You must¡®ve missed our past too, right?¡± ¡°Oh, the engagement ring? I would¡®ve forgotten about that had you not mentioned it. I tossed it into a rubbish bin somewhere in Africa, but if you really need it to get engaged again, I¡®ll send some people to go search for it,¡± came Charmine¡®s nonchnt reply. ¡°I¡®ll make sure you and Tiffany can be together.¡± Charmine¡¯s tone then changed, more into that of a warning as she spoke, ¡°Also, even if Tiffany tells you she can understand you, it doesn¡®t mean she¡®s not internally suffering. She had always been so kind and understanding, withstanding the pain all by herself. The fact that she¡®s willing to let you go makes m e even sure of the decision that I never want to be with you!¡± Julian was speechless. How could she turn the tables with such ease? Joey was touched by Charmine¡®s words; she never thought Charmine could be so understanding. Even Jeremy sided with Charmine for once as he turned to Julian and said, ¡°Yeah, Tiffany hasn¡®t been at her besttely. How would she feel about you leaving her for Charmine?¡± ¡± Julian, since you¡®ve already been with Tiffany for five years and that Charmine doesn¡®t like you, you better make up your mind and treat Tiffany nicer. If you ever hurt her, I won¡®t forgive you.¡±, Due to the shift of situation, Julian had no choice but to answer, ¡°Of course.¡± He still had time to work on his n anyway. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Charmine had other things to attend to after lunch, so she bade the family farewell and left the mansion. Julian was hot on her trails as he ran up to her and grabbed her arm. ¡°Charmine, there¡®s no one here. You can drop the act. Have you thought of what I¡®ve said to you earlier? Do you really think Anthony is in love with you?¡± ¡°Huh? Is there a dog barking? Why do I hear a dog yapping so much? It¡®s so annoying!¡± Charmine sneered as though she was talking to particr. She pulled her arm away from his grip and walked away. ¡® Julian¡®s face darkened as he red at her retreating form with tightly clenched fists. ¡®Charmine, don¡®t make me release the things...!¡® he stormed quietly. Charmine walked out of the gate and walked toward the main road. She was about to phone a taxi driver when she noticed a ck private car parked by the side. Isn¡®t this Anthony¡®s car? Why is he still here?¡¯ Charmine thought to herself as she walked over with a frown. Chapter 163 Chapter 163 As Charmine got closer to the car, she saw Chris napping on the backseat while Anthony sat on the driver¡®s seat with his eyes shut. The sunlight filtered by the tree leaves danced on his features, and it made him look more handsome and regal i n his white shirt. A strange feeling surged within her. Were they here all this while? Did they wait for her that long? She had been in the mansion for four hours, at least. ¡°Anthony¡­¡± Charmine called out gently. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Anthony slowly opened his eyes. Noticing it was Charmine, he shifted in his seat and asked, ¡°Ready to go?¡± Charmine nodded in reply, though the gaze in her eyes held her suspicion. ¡°Have you been waiting here? Have you not eaten?¡± ¡°Momo insisted that we wait for you. Since I have a free day today, I decided to go along,¡± came Anthony¡®s casual reply. He got down from the car, intending to open the door for her. The moment his feet touched the ground, however, his leg turned numb and he staggered toward Charmine. Instinctively, she reached over to catch him, but Anthony¡®s heavy figure fell still and pressed against hers. Just like that, | her head was pressed against his chest while his body faced hers. Her hands were holding onto his waist. An awkward silence hung in the air, and it was only after two seconds passed before Charmine snapped back to reality and bnced him. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Pins and needles.¡± Anthony forced himself to stand upright, his gaze cold and stern as he tried to remain his cool. Of course his legs would go numb after sitting for so long. ¡°Go and sit at the back with Momo. I¡®ll drive,¡± Charmine offered as she opened the backseat door for Anthony. Anthony looked at her startled, before he turned toward the opened door. What was this for? Since he did not move, Charmine repeated herself, ¡°Go on. I won¡®t let someone with numb legs drive. This is for my safety and Momo¡®s.¡± Anthony had no choice but to sit in the backseat as he let Chris sleep in hisp. This was his first time being driven by a woman, and luckily, her driving skill was good.Charmine was thoughtful of the sleeping Chris at the backseat, so she drove slowly and steadily. Anthony felt a serene peace sitting at the backseat as he looked at Charmine¡®s figure, a small smile on his face as he did. Instead of driving straight for the Bailey family¡®s mansion, she drove to a restaurant. Charmine got out of the car and opened the door for them both. ¡°Let¡®s go get some food.¡± Anthony never thought she could be so considerate. He got out of the car with Chris in his arms, and the boy eventually opened his bleary eyes. Upon seeing Charmine in front of him, however, his grogginess disappeared in his happiness.¡± Mommy! Mommy!¡± he chirped as he reached out his jiggly arms toward her. Charmine took him from Anthony¡®s and pinched the boy¡®s face gently. ¡°Momo¡®s awake now? Why did you wait for Mommy? Promise me you¡®d wait for me at home next time, alright?¡± ¡°Huh? I said I wanted to go home and wait, but Daddy was worried that Mommy would have no one to send you home, so ¡°Ahem!¡± Anthony coughed dryly and tried to change the subject. ¡°Momo, are you hungry?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Chris then realized what was going, and his eyes twinkled in delight. ¡°Oh, yeah. I was the one begging Daddy to wait for you! I was worried Mommy would forget about me afterward.¡± He grinned at Anthony. ¡°Yes, yes, I¡®m so hungry. Let¡®s go eat, Mommy!¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± Charmine smiled faintly, deciding she would keep it a secret that she knew their lie. They walked into the restaurant with Chris in Charmine¡¯s arms. Chapter 164 Chapter 164 Chris sighed in relief. ¡®Phew! Daddy made me promise to maintain his image in front of Mommy. If Mommy finds out Daddy was waiting for her outside like a fool, it won¡®t look good... This was a famous restaurant in Burlington known for its top notch privacy management with many private rooms. Their service was just as excellent, seeing as they had served all kinds of famous people, so they were not frantic when they saw Anthony and Charmine. The doorman greeted them calmly. ¡°Wee.¡± The manager recognized Anthony right away and quickly went toward them. ¡°Mr. Bailey, this way please.¡± Anthony had his own private room in this restaurant. Even if h e made no reservation, the space would remain empty. As the three of them settled in the private room, Anthony turned and looked at Charmine. ¡°What would you like? Your order,¡± Anthony asked, voice sweetlyced lovingly and gently. The manager was startled to hear such a tone from Anthony Anthony had never brought a woman here before. The manager could hardly believe his eyes that Anthony was with Charmine at this moment. Charmine ced Momo on the chair and said, ¡°Nah, I¡®ve eaten. Just order for yourself and Momo. Momo, what would you like?¡± she asked as she handed the menu to Chris. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Chris trailed off before he piped up, ¡°I want the pork chop, chicken wings, and the family set!¡± ¡°Of course.¡± The manager typed in the order onto his device. Anthony ordered another dish and flipped to the dessert section. ¡°Could we have the cake as well?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± The manager answered before leaving the private room with their order. Charmine eyed him suspiciously. ¡°You like to eat cake?¡± Was this not what girls would prefer to eat? Anthony looked at her andmented, ¡°I ordered it for you. You might be bored when we¡®re eating later.¡± Once again, Charmine¡®s heart began beating wildly against her ribcage. Why did he have to be so caring? ¡°I¡®m going to the restroom. Look after Momo.¡± Anthony nodded. ¡°Be careful,¡± he reminded. Charmine stood up and left the room, her mind stirred in confusion as she did. It had only been two days, but she somehow felt their rtionship had reached a more intimate level. If this went on, she feared she would fall for him. In the restroom, she gently pped her face as she eyed herself in the mirror. ¡®Charmine Jordan, you can¡®t fall in love with Anthony! You¡®re leaving in half a year, and you can¡®t be with Anthony...! It was at that moment that the door to the restroom opened, and a woman walked in. It was ire Eastly When ire saw that it was Charmine, her eyes sparkled.¡° Charmine?¡± she called out. After what happened the other day, she left the scene right away. She could not afford to let anyone know she was the one who sent the video to Veronica. She knew Charmine was way ahead, unbeatable. ire could not afford to be her enemy. In the past few days, ire had tried all kinds of ways to get in touch with Charmine with no luck. The last thing she expected was to meet her in the restroom! Charmine nced at her and clearly did not want to speak to her. She walked toward the door instead. ire ran up to her and said, ¡°Charmine, HollyOak Entertainment is serious about signing you. What¡®s holding you back? We have the best resources with handsome funding. Have you heard of the Mn family from America? The family i san oil tycoon, and their resources are way better than your N?velDrama.Org owns this text. 1 diamond mine. HollyOak has many resources. All you have to d o is to sign with us, and we can promise to bring the best out o fyou.¡± Charmine stopped in her tracks. The Mn family? Kelly Mn¡®s family? She never knew the Mn family invested in HollyOak Entertainment. ¡°Does Kelly Mn know about you trying to sign me? Did she even agree to this?¡±. ¡°Of course. When she heard about it, she even specifically made me promise her that I¡®ll sign you under any condition.¡± ire reassured.¡® Charmine¡®s eyes narrowed. What was her intention? Chapter 165 Chapter 165 Under the impression that Charmine was convinced, ire then added, ¡°You might be wealthy, Charmine, but you know that it¡®s all about connections and resources in this modeling industry. It involves proper nning such as organizing resources, fan management, marketing, photoshop, copyright, and so on. ¡°A top supermodel needs at least a team of twenty supporting her. How could you manage it all by yourself? Don¡®t you think it¡®ll be tiring? Once you sign with HollyOak Entertainment, we¡®ll sort them all out for you.¡± Of course, Charmine knew these things; she was merely wondering about Kelly Mn¡®s intentions. If memory served right, Kelly Mn was trying to sign her to freeze her fame. Why else would someone as bitter as Kelly want to be nice to her? ¡°I¡®m sorry, but someone¡®s managing them for me,¡± she deadpanned before marching out of the restroom. ire wanted to run after her, but Charmine was taking the VIP aisle which was only allowed for people of high status. ire yelled at Charmine¡®s retreating form, ¡°Charmine Jordan, a wise person knows when to ept a good offer! I¡®ve approached you so many times because I see potential in you. Don¡®t be so shameless!¡± Charmine scoffed. Disinterested in even entertaining a delusional woman, she continued to walk toward her table when she crossed paths with a rotund man. The man looked at her as if he struck gold. ¡°Charmine Jordan! You¡®re here? I¡®ve been trying to reach out to you. Nice to meet you.¡± He handed his name card to her, and Charmine merely eyed the item carefully. Stated on the card was his status: Chief Executive Officer of Fortune Entertainment, Hubert Zane. Was this another entertainmentpany? Instead of epting the card, Charmine merely asked,¡° What?¡± ¡°Here¡¯s the thing. Didn¡®t you enter the entertainment industry recently? We¡®d like to sign you. I think we met for a reason! You¡®re a diamond boss, right? I made my fortune with a mine too, but it was a coal mine.¡± Hubert then continued, rather proudly as he said, ¡°My worth is around fifty billion at the moment. I invested and established Fortune Entertainment, a leading entertainmentpany in the country. Do you know the famous singer fromst year, Xander... something? And the famous singer, Nevil something...? They¡¯re all signed by mypany!¡± The name of thepany seemed to ring a bell. She remembered Eric mentioning it to him, something along the lines of HollyOak Entertainment ranking the first and Fortune Entertainment ranking the second. HollyOak was good at packaging the image of the celebrity, while Fortune was good a t throwing money to make the celebrity famous.¡± Of course, by giving out money, they expected the celebrities t o bring back handsome profits. They would arrange many private activities for their celebrities, and rumor had it that some female actresses earned eight figures in a night. Lesser known rumors included Hubert¡®s main goal in establishing thispany was to pick up girls... Hubert took Charmine¡®s silence as a non¨Cverbal consideration. He patted her shoulder with smiling eyes. ¡°Charmine, if you sign with us, I¡®ll give you all of the best resources in thepany. You¡®ll be able to pick any resource that you fancy, and we can also negotiate the dividends. Just give me a number!¡± Charmine spared a disinterested nce at the hand on her shoulder. Unfazed, she said calmly, ¡°Mr. Zane is very convincing, but what can I do? I bumped into ire Eastly earlier, the manager of public rtions at HollyOak Entertainment. She wanted to sign me and said what you¡®ve said too. I¡®m now in a difficult situation.¡± This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. ¡°What? ire Eastly is here? Where¡®s she?¡± Hubert scowled instantly. Fortune and HollyOwk were enemies whopeted fiercely for resources and prizes. HollyOak signed someone Fortune wanted to have under them, and now it was Charmine? Charmine pointed toward the restroom. ¡°There. She even said herpany is the best in the industry, that Fortune was nowhere close to them, things like that.¡± ¡°Damn it! Wait for me here, I need to sort this out.¡± Hubert strode toward the direction she pointed at. ire was still standing at the same spot sending a message to Kelly Mn. Suddenly, she heard someone yelling, ¡°ire Eastly, what¡®s wrong with you?!¡± Chapter 166 Chapter 166 ire turned to look at the person yelling her name and saw Hubert walking up to her. She then sneered, ¡°Mr. Zane, as a chief executive officer, you certainly don¡¯t have a spark of decency in you. Are you one those nouveau riches?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that? Don¡¯t think you can, can you? Ha! A nobody like you dares to challenge me. You obviously have your head too far up your *ss. Let me tell you now: I¡¯ll be signing Charmine Jordan. You try anything funny and you¡¯re dead meat, you hear me?¡± sneered Hubert in an attempt to steer ire away from his n. She frowned. ¡°Charmine? She¡¯s not signing with mypany.¡± ¡°Stop your shenanigans! You¡¯ve been trying topete with u s since day one¡­ I think you need to be taught a lesson. Do you want me to expose the fact that your artists are nothing but a bunch of phonies?¡± Hubert threatened. Unexpectedly, ire began tough at this. ¡°Go ahead! Let¡¯s d o this little dance. You expose my phony talents, and I¡¯ll expose your pimped-out artists. Hmph! Earning filthy money through filthy deeds.¡± ¡°You¡­ You b*tch! How dare you? I¡¯ll p you!¡± Hubert held his hand up high in an attempt to scare ire once more. All of a sudden, something hit the back of his knee, and Hubert involuntarily lunged forward in pain. Smack! His palm harshly struck ire¡¯s cheek in the process. ire had never been hit since the day she got famous. Even her bosses had to let her have her way most of the time. She definitely did not expect Hubert would go so far as to hit her. Needless to say, ire saw red in an instant. ¡°You arrogant upstart! How dare you hit me? I¡¯m not letting this go so easily!¡± Without hesitating even for a second, she raised her hand up high and swung it with all the force she could muster. A stinging pain spread through her palm as Hubert¡¯s head snapped to the side. Every part of Hubert¡¯s body jiggled from that impact, and a bright red mark-in the shape of a palm- quickly formed on his face with faint scratch marks from ire¡¯s nails. Antagonized, Hubert lunged toward ire. All hell broke loose. A punch from Hubert was met with ire¡¯s scratching. A kick from Hubert earned him hits with ire¡¯s heels. It was pandemonium! On the side of the aisle, Charmine was all too pleased with how the events unfolded. A satisfactory grin spread across her face a s she turned around and walked away. ¡® These two had to pay for scheming against her. The two-Hubert and ire-fought like cats and dogs, and it was only after hotel staff intervened did they stop. Even the police had to help and separate them. ¡°Say what? Charmine didn¡¯t want to sign yourpany?¡± Hubert asked in astonishment. ¡°Yes! I told you, haven¡¯t I? I went to her several times, and she shut me down every single time. If she wanted to sign with us, she could¡¯ve done it a long time ago. You wouldn¡¯t stand a chance,¡± ire snapped back. Confused, Hubert mumbled, ¡°Why would she tell me¡ª¡±. At that moment, their eyes widened in realization; they had been fooled. ¡°That b*tch set us up!¡± growled Hubert. ¡°She pitted us against one another! Damn it¡­ I¡¯ll kill that wicked witch!¡± He stood up and mmed his fists on the table. ¡°No! Killing her would be too easy,¡± came ire¡¯s quick reply. ¡°Let¡¯s work together and ostracise her from the industry!¡± Hubert took in the idea, and his eyes twinkled. He liked it. Both Hollyoak and Fortune Entertainment were giants of the industry. They practically controlled the industry. ¡® N?velDrama.Org owns this text. If they worked together, they could surely crush a neer like Charmine. Charmine would definitely suffer the consequences for messing with them! Chapter 167 Chapter 167 Due to themotion and aftermath of Hubert and ire¡®s showdown, Anthony¡®s VIP room was flooded with mor the moment Charmine opened the door to enter. Chris¨Cwho feasted on fried chicken wings¨Cwas tantly startled at the noise. ¡°Mommy, what¡®s happening outside? Why so noisy?¡± ¡°Nothing, just two dogs fighting.¡± She closed the door and shut out the hubbub. Charmine then sat down beside Chris and gently wiped his mouth with a napkin. ¡°You should eat more,¡± she spoke, ¡° your body needs more energy.¡± ¡°Okay! Mommy should have some too. This cake is yummy!¡± Chris forked a piece from the cake and tried to feed her. Charmine obediently opened her mouth, and his chubby hand carefully fed it to her. The boy¡®s act warmed her heart. She never knew happiness could be so simple. Anthony dined gracefully as he watched the two interact with one another, and a smile slowly made its way to his face. It was a lovely dinner. Anthony finished his meal about twenty minutester. On the other hand, Chris was still chomping on fried chickens while Charmine would interact with Chris asionally. Anthony took out his phone to check for any important work matters. It was then when he saw Luke¡®s text message.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. (Boss! Bad news! HollyOak and Fortune are working together t o boycott Charmine! Nobody can sign her or even work with her, or they¡®ll get boycotted too!] HollyOak and Fortune Entertainment owned the best artists in the industry. Any other entertainment companies that wanted to go against them meant they would only work with small time artists from there onward. They could not afford such a loss. In less than an hour, word of Charmine¡®s ban spread like wildfire, and everyone chose to take the winning side. Even paparazzi deleted every online post rted to Charmine. Afterst night¡®s incident, Charmine should have been the biggest, hottest artist in town. Her news was all over the inte; she was even trending first on all social media! It was only after Hollyoak and Fortune Entertainment announced her ban did she disappear from the inte. As though that was not enough, her name was taken down from hot searches and trending issues. It was like she got wiped out of existence. Anthony¡®s eyes narrowed. ¡®Hmph. Trying to take down my woman, are they?¡® Anthony kept this news from Charmine and sent a text to Luke. (Get her photos on every single LED screen in the country!) Luke frowned when he received that text. (But most of the LED slots are sold out...] [Dy all of them. Pay all liquidated damages!) Anthony replied. [Yes boss.) Luke immediately made the arrangements as told. Mr. Bailey was going to give everything he had for the woman he loved. As his assistant, Luke decided he would fight for them as well. Still, Anthony was on edge even after all that. Bailey Corporation had financial investments in almost every industry except for the entertainment field. To them, any business venture that yielded the most profits would instantly receive their investment. While Bailey Corporation would not have to worry about a single thing, Charmine had no support from any agency due to not signing with any. That meant she was left with RisingHawk Entertainment on her own. Herpany¨CRisingHawk Entertainment¡ªhad just signed three artists, and other departments in the company were still in its infancy stages. He drew his gaze to Charmine and asked, ¡°How¡®s RisingHawk recently? Do you need any help?¡±. ¡°Everything is going pretty well. We did sign three artists in such a short time. Other departments are still under development at the moment,¡± Charmine replied nonchntly. ¡°Don¡®t sweat yourself over it.¡± Chapter 168 Chapter 168 Anthony¡®s brows furrowed. ¡°I can help yourpany grow faster.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± It was only then that Charmine felt something was amiss. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Why was he, oh¨Cso suddenly, talking about helping herpany grow faster? He never brought this up before. Anthony¡®s expression hardened, but just as he was about to speak, Charmine¡®s phone rang. She picked up her phone. ¡°Charmine,¡± came Eric¡®s stern voice from the other side, ¡°what the hell have you done? Why is the whole inte banning you?¡± Big brands had fought each other to work with Charmine afterst night, but they all put the brakes on their invites. Charmine frowned. ¡°Ban? Today? I didn¡®t do anything...¡± Charmine trailed off as she remembered the incident with Hubert and ire. ¡°In less than an hour? Man, they¡®re efficient,¡± she mumbled, somewhat surprised. ¡°Okay, so you did do something. How did you manage to get the whole inte to boycott you in one day?¡± Eric asked in confusion. Anthony had his piercing eyes fixated on Charmine with brows furrowed. He wanted to know, too. Charmine toyed with her hair and let out a dryugh. ¡°It was nothing,¡± she reasoned, ¡°though I kinda stirred up something between Hubert and ire and made them fight...¡± Eric was dumbfounded; those two people were famous for being difficult. Eric remembered warning Charmine about these two, but she defied his reminder and made them fight? Goodness. ¡°You gottay low for a few days. I¡®ll figure something out.¡± Eric then hung up right after. Charmine put away her phone and noticed Chris staring at her with an amused expression. She gently stroked his head. ¡°My sweet Momo, eat well and grow well. If anyone dares to bully you in the future, you can let them be for the first two times, but never the third. You gotta fight back like Mommy.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Chris nodded his head vigorously. He fantasized of growing up right then and there and show up to the bad guys like his Mommy. Charmine then turned her gaze to Anthony. ¡°You were saying? You wanted to help me so that RisingHawk can grow faster?¡± Anthony did not want to beat around the bush, so he nodded.¡± This is the best solution for now.¡± ¡°But Eric and Rio are still interviewing people. They want to assemble their own team with the best people: People whom we get along with, have good team spirit and are loyal. Only with the best team can we be unstoppable, and that takes time,¡± Charmine answered. It was like building a house; one needed to get the foundation down before the house could be built. They could not afford to have any bad seeds in thepany, as it would destroy them i n the blink of an eye. Anthony always thought that she was all about grandiosity. He was impressed that in critical moments like this, she showed a more mature side of herself. ¡°I agree with you. A goodpany requires a strong team. They can take their time in choosing their team, but leave the rest to me,¡± he assured. With just a notice issued by the Baileys, no one would dare boycott Charmine. Even without a notice, the masses would automatically change sides by just hanging her pictures on their buildings. ¡°No rush,¡± came Charmine¡¯s reply. ¡°There¡®s no need to kill a fly with an elephant gun. I¡®ve got this. You don¡®t have to intervene.¡± ¡°Enlighten me.¡± Anthony had his cold gaze fixed on her as though he was going to read her mind. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. ¡°Yeah, Mommy! Tell us, tell us! Daddy will worry over you non ¨Cstop if you don¡®t,¡± came Chris¡® enthusiastic support. He decided to speak up for Anthony as he added, ¡°When you were locked up, Daddy couldn¡®t sleep through the nights at all!¡±, For some inexplicable reason, the air in the room shifted for both Anthony and Charmine. Chapter 169 Chapter 169 Charmine remembered she had assured Anthony that the situation was under control, yet he was still worried about her t o the point he could not sleep! She instantly broke off their eye contact and changed the subject. ¡°Everybody is following these two entertainment giants because they¡®re using their A¨Clisters as bargaining chips,¡± Charmine exined. ¡°What if we recruit their artists instead? Make them lose their leverage.¡± ¡°Recruit them?¡± Anthony raised his eyebrows. ¡°Yes. I know RisingHawk isn¡®t mature yet, but we¡®re not short of money either. If you can fix a problem with money, it isn¡®t a problem at all.¡± It was only then when Charmine turned to look at him again.¡° Guess how many people would flock to us if I announced whoever signs with us will get a hundred percent of their endorsement fee.¡± ¡°A whole hundred percent?¡± Anthony ced his hand on her forehead and said, ¡°Charmine, you¡®d earn nothing.¡± ¡°I¡®ve earned enough over the past five years. I just want to have some fun now,¡± she spoke as¨Ca¨C matter¨Cof¨Cfactly, without even the intention to brag. After a moment of contemtion, Anthony eventually relented. ¡°Fine,¡± he murmured. ¡°If you lose everything, I can support you.¡± Charmine¡®s face flushed at his reply, and her heart thrummed heavily against her ribcage. She internally med her situation before she spoke, ¡°Ah, Momo finished his meal. Let¡®s go home. We¡®ll talk about other stuffter.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Chris went to wash his hand before he reached for Charmine¡®s hand. Once they exited the restaurant, Chris turned to look up at Charmine. ¡°Will youe home with us, Mommy?¡± he. pleaded. ¡°I want to sleep with you.¡± Charmine intended to turn him down, that she had to go back t o her own home, but Anthony then chimed in, ¡°Every time he has an episode, he might rpse within ten days.¡± They had to keep Chris happy to avoid worsening his condition. Charmine had no other choice but to stay with them. ¡°Okay, Mommy will sleep with you.¡± Charmine knew she would no longer have the time to be with him once her career took off. Besides, staying in the Baileys¡® residence and sleeping with Chris every night should be fine. Nothing else would happen, would it? She mentally prepared herself for the possibility of staying there longer than necessary. Kelly Mn sat quietly in HollyOak Entertainment¡®s chairman¡®s office. Pleased that Charmine was practically freeze¨Cout from the inte, the corners of her mouth quirked up in satisfaction. She nced over to ire and said, ¡°Keep a close eye on Charmine, and make sure she doesn¡®t stand a fighting chance. Let her suffer being a nobody for a while before giving her another offer.¡± ¡°What? Like, signing her? Miss Mn, she crossed the line. I refuse to take her as my client!¡± ire protested. Kelly smirked. ¡°Who said we need to get her jobs or make her popr again? We¡®ll sign her in and keep her under the radar. I guarantee you: everyone will forget her in less than six months.¡± Kelly had a point. Why had she not thought of that? ¡®Hmph! Charmine will pay for stealing Anthony and my best artists from me!¡® ire straightened her body, and her eyes gleamed with excitement. Charmine would beg them to sign her by then. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Blinded by the need for a contract, Charmine would never cause another trouble with her hands tied. Even if she was filthy rich, she would never be in front of the cameras again without any resources or opportunities. Just as they were feelingcent with their n, an assistant rushed into the office. Frantic, the assistant blurted, ¡°Miss Mn, bad news! Most of our artists are on their way to the office to terminate their contracts.¡± ¡°What? Why?!¡± Kelly¡®s blood ran cold. Chapter 170 Chapter 170 HollyOak Entertainment was the top dog in the industry. Where would their artists go if they terminated their contracts? The assistant quavered from head to toe before she inhaled deeply and added, ¡°Charmine just tweeted¡­ Miss Mn¡­ I think you should look at it yourself¡­¡± She was too terrified to break the news. Kelly immediately took out her phone and checked Twitter. There it was; Charmine¡¯s tweet that read, (Hollyoak and Fortune Entertainment have formed an alliance to crush me. Haha! You¡¯re foolish to think that you can destroy me. Within ten days, whoever signs with RisingHawk will get a whole hundred percent of their earnings, and you even get to decide the terms of your contract. For those who decided to work with mypany, you¡¯ll get a Dovegg diamond ring, limited to the first ny-nine people!) Though she was basically blown off from the inte and the tweet did not be one of the trending posts, Charmine still had her dedicated fans to viral her post. Of course, thement section quickly exploded. [Boss Jordan is da boss! Show ¡¯em whatcha got!) (Even being the lowest quality diamond, a DovEgg would cost a few hundred thousand. Ny -nine DovEggs???? That¡¯s just insane!!) (Boss Jordan, are you hiring? I could be a janitor. I don¡¯t need a whole diamond ring, just throw me some scraps!) What was even more infuriating was that Charmine followed up with another tweet. (Whoever retweets my tweet will stand a chance to win a house in the city of your choice.] This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. That was too good of a deal to pass up. The property value in the city was insanely high; a square foot could easily cost five figures. To get a new house basically meant getting rich quick! All too soon, everybody retweeted Charmine¡¯s post. Just like that, Charmine was trending online once more. 2 Kelly scowled; the blood in her veins ran likeva. Was Charmine crazy? She was burning through her fortune to start a war with them! Understandably, ire panicked. ¡°Miss Mn? What do we do now? If all our artists leave, we¡¯re doomed!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t say. Aren¡¯t you the crisis expert? Deal with this right now!¡± Kellymanded coldly. ire was bbergasted. What could they possibly do now? Right at that moment, many of HollyOak¡¯s artists barged into the room. They all said the same thing, ¡°I want to terminate my contract. Right now!¡± Under Hollyoak, these artists earned 40 percent from their work and yet still had to pay their managers and assistants. If the full payment was 50 million, they would only get 15 million. If they signed with RisingHawk, they would get a full 50 million! Even after deducting their team sries, they would still earn a lot more than staying at Hollyoak. In an attempt to resolve the situation, ire spoke up, ¡°Don¡¯t you remember the terms of your contract? Breaching the contract means you¡¯d have topensate thepany for one billion! Can you afford it?¡± ¡°Charmine said that she could pay that for us first!¡± one artist snapped back. That one reply instantly shut ire up. She looked over to Kelly helplessly. This was her first time dealing with such a mess. She was at a loss of words. ¡°Stop looking at me!¡± snapped Kelly. ¡°I merely threw money into thepany! Where is the chairman? Where is he? He needs to step out and deal with this sh*t!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that! We want to terminate our contracts no matter what! We even brought the money!¡± The artists threw their contracts on the table one after another. ¡°Sign it, and we¡¯ll pay you right now. You can instantly make a fortune with so many billions.¡± Kelly was livid. She could hardly believe what was happening. Charmine had even lent them money to pay for these artists¡¯ penalties! Kelly needed an escape n, and fast! Chapter 171 Chapter 171 Kelly¡¯s eyes burned with anger as a million thoughts raced in her mind; she struggled to find the best answer for her difficult predicament. It did not take long before she growled, ¡°I don¡¯t have the company¡¯s seal with me. The chairman took it. We¡¯ll talk about thister.¡± Kelly did not wait for a reply as she walked toward the door. The celebrities in the room immediately sprang into action as they blocked her way. ¡°You can¡¯t leave! You¡¯re thergest shareholder of thepany, and we¡¯ll only be needing your signature!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been taking advantage of us for a long time! We have money with us this time, so why won¡¯t you just sign the paper?¡± ¡°Sign the papers! You can¡¯t leave if you don¡¯t sign them!¡± They effectively barricaded her exit. Left with no other choice, Kelly yelped, ¡°Security! Security!¡± Just like that, securities barged in and ire stepped forward to protect Kelly from the mob. They eventually made it out, though not without a scuffle. Both of them were a mess after thatmotion. Their outfits and hair were messed up as though they had been in a warzone. ire straightened her outfit once they got into a car and sighed in relief. ¡°Thank god you were smart. Things could¡¯ve turned very ugly back there!¡± ¡°Hmph! Charmine would be naive if she thought her little stunt could put me down that easily. Call every high-level personnel. Nobody is going back to thepany, and nobody will sign those bloody termination papers!¡± ¡°Roger that.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns this text. With that, all the artists could do was to wait at thepany. They could only hope that some managers would somehow appear and sign their termination papers. Kelly needed to defuse thepany¡¯s crisis before she could deal with Charmine. Charmine received the news as she was watching Chris do his homework. She walked out to the balcony to answer Eric¡¯s call.¡°No biggie.¡± Charmine chuckled. ¡°Even if they couldn¡¯t terminate their contracts, we¡¯ve achieved our goal, no?¡± Eric frowned. ¡®What goal? Oh, of course. Their initial goal to ostracize Charmine.¡¯ After Charmine¡¯s tweet, bothpanies should be busy dealing with their internal crisis. They would not have the time to bother Charmine. Many parties were afraid that Charmine would monopolise the industry. If they were to boycott her at the moment, all their artists would flock to RisingHawk. Moreover, herpany was handing out Dovegg diamond rings! Every artist ced profits first in their priority list. Even if others were loaded with cash, they would be idiots to turn down a free diamond ring. All of a sudden, everyone started sending her offers in hopes they could work with her again. ¡°One stone, two birds. Not bad. I¡¯ve screened through all endorsement invites and made the first round of selection, so you can choose from there,mented Eric. ¡°Now that Tiffany is out, it¡¯s time for you to rise and conquer the market.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. When she¡¯s back, I¡¯ll make sure she has no ce in the industry.¡± Her luscious lips curled into an alluring grin as she hung up the call. In just a few seconds, Eric sent her a list of well-known brands from various industries like cosmetics, fashion, eyewear, and the likes. He then added in his notification to her that read, [ Amor Group¡¯s shooting location is at Greenwish Park, close to the Phoenix Hotel. You¡¯ll be staying there for a night.) Charmine could not help but trembled when she read the name of that hotel: Phoenix Hotel. It had been five years. Could she face the ghost of her past? Perhaps she could find leads of what actually went down at that time. She regained herposure and started to research about Amor Group. Amor Group was one of the most popr brands in the fashion industry. Their niche was on bridal gowns and their designers were very professional and dedicated. Tiffany used to be their ambassador. Tiffany had a sculpted figure and a graceful temperament, just like a princess out of a fairytale. Her regal bearings captivated the hearts of many fans. Charmine smirked. She must rece Tiffany, no matter what. She convinced herself that she was strong enough to handle one night in Phoenix Hotel. Chapter 172 Chapter 172 Charmine then sent an ultimatum to Eric: (It¡¯s a yes to the Amor Group.) Eric instantly made the arrangements after Charmine¡¯s answer. Charmine then walked back inside from the balcony after the matter was settled, and she saw Momo staring nkly at his book on the table. It seemed as though he was troubled. Charmine then walked toward the boy, When she got close enough, she gently asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Momo? Do you need help?¡± ¡°Mm¡­ Momo needs to write about ¡®family¡¯. Momo needs to write about Daddy, Mommy, Grandpa, and Grandma. Momo has Mommy, but Momo doesn¡¯t have a¡­grandpa and a grandma,¡± muttered Momo, a deep frown on his face as he spoke. Charmine was puzzled at the boy¡¯s answer. ¡°You sure Momo? That can¡¯t be. Mommy remembers my Momo having awesome Grandpa and Grandma.¡± She knew that Chris¡¯ grandfather was from a family of doctors. He was renowned for his medical skills and hade a long way with awards throughout the years. His wife, Chris¡¯ grandmother, was born into a family that specialized in perfume-making. They were highly knowledgeable in crafting fragrances, and they even had one of the signature perfumes sold at a nine-digit price tag. ¡°Still, they don¡¯t seem to love Momo¡­¡± Momo trailed off, his reply sounded rather weak and sad. Charmine¡¯s brows were raised; this was the first time that she heard Momo speaking in such a manner. ¡°Look, Momo. Everyone loves Momo because Momo is a lovely kid, do you hear me?¡± Any shred of happiness on Chris¡¯ face began to fade as he muttered, ¡°Grandpa and Grandma don¡¯t like Momo. They said my mommy was a bad woman, so they think Momo isn¡¯t a good kid too. They also said Momo is a jinx and won¡¯t live past the age of eight¡­¡± Charmine¡¯s heart wilted at the sight of a saddened Momo. She quickly carried Momo into her arms and said, ¡°My Momo is the cutest and most obedient baby in the world. If my Momo, it means they have problems with themselves. Of course, my Momo can surely recover. God loves Momo as Mommy does. He¡¯ll surely let you live for a hundred years. Let¡¯s not listen to what people say about us, okay?¡± With innocent eyes, he stared at Charmine and said, ¡°Really? Momo isn¡¯t a jinx?¡± Charmine stroked his hair and assured, ¡°Of course! Momo¡¯s always the best. Promise Mommy that Momo will never get upset because of what others told you, okay? Always remember that you¡¯re born to live for yourself, even if others don¡¯t recognize you for who you are. By the day that you¡¯re strong and powerful to get back on your feet, they¡¯ll regret everything they¡¯ve done to you.¡± N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°Yes, Mommy. I promise!¡± He joyfully bounced in her arms, and the usual cheerful disposition returned. Joy was once more reignited in his eyes as his lips spread into an adorable smile. ¡°Good boy. Now, quickly finish your homework. Momo can write about Daddy and Mommy. A s for the part about Grandpa and Grandma, well, just write about them in shorter sentences,¡± advised Charmine. ¡°Yes, Mom!¡± He left her arms and quickly went back to the table for his homework. Her heart felt like it was clenching when she looked at him. He was just a five-year-old boy, but he was already working hard on Grade 4¡®s homework during this summer holiday. She thought the children from the Bailey family were always born with a silver spoon in their mouth. 1 Who would have thought that Momo-a member of the Baileys-did not even have a mom, not to mention the unfair treatment from his grandparents. The more she dwelled on the thought, the more she felt sorry for Momo. ¡®It had to be because of his seizure. Looks like I¡¯ll have to talk with Anthony.¡¯ ¡°Mommy will go and have some fruits for Momo. You stay here with your homework, okay?¡± she spoke as she headed upstairs. In the room, Anthony was working at his desk with eyes narrowed in focus. She was awestruck by his look. This was the first time she saw him in such a solemn aura. He had all the beauty a man could possess though not for his features, yet for the light in his eyes and the gentle warmth of his soul. Anthony raised his head as she knocked on the door. ¡°Come in,¡± he invited. Chapter 173 Chapter 173 Chapter 173 Charmine walked into the study room and sat on the couch. ¡°I¡¯m here to ask about Momo¡¯s grandparents,¡± she began. ¡°Momo has said some things to me about them. Why did it sound like they dislike him? I thought his seizure is rted to this. If we were to get him healed, we need to first get rid of his troubles that affect the heart.¡± Logically, the child-Chris-would still be Anthony¡¯s even if it was through in vitro fertilization surrogacy. The child would still be the Baileys¡¯. His grandparents had no reason to hate on him. Anthony¡¯s face sunken while he thought of this. The world thought that the child was birthed through surrogacy, but he was not. Five years ago, Anthony-under the influence of drugs-slept with a girl in the Royal Banquet Hotel Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. The upper ss viewed it as ¡®shameless¡¯, and Anthony¡¯s grandparents and parents were utterly repulsed by the girl he slept with. Anthony could still make out the image of that girl: soft, sweet, and delicate like a little bunny. He could not help but fall for her. After the incident, he searched everywhere he could, high and low¡­ All to no avail. He managed to find Chris in that same year during one fateful winter, in a mortuary, and the poor infant was with weak breath. His heart clenched in sympathy and he decided to bring Chris home. Chris managed to survive as he was ced in an incubator. Anthonyter on found out that he was his son, flesh and blood, during a blood transfusion. Anthony was all too sure that the same girl was the mother; she was the only one who he had slept with. The incident then led to a cat-and-dog life among the Bailey family members. Everyone thought that the child would bring hardship to the family because he was ill; they believed the mother was a jinx. Some even held the belief that the girl wanted to take advantage of the Bailey family. The Baileys were always so smart, wealthy, and aristocratic. That was why having Chris in their family was a shame to the family name. The idea of Anthony having Chris by his side aroused strong opposition from the family. Their distaste for the boy made them pressure Anthony to send him overseas. Anthony fought against all odds to keep Chris by his side, and it was because of this that would not visit the family¡¯s residence. Charmine¡¯s question made Anthony tongue-tied. Should he tell her that Chris was his, no IVF involved? Should he tell her that Chris was the fruit of his and another girl¡¯s rtionship? Would she be able to ept his past affair? He feared the truth would only make her hate him. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. They¡¯re just old-minded, conservatives against the idea of an IVF surrogate child,¡± he replied as he sipped his coffee. ¡°Momo had been having seizures since he was born, and the elders thought he was a jinx because of that.¡± ¡®Is that really all?¡¯ Charmine frowned and continued, ¡°Mr. Bailey, you still have to sort this out. It¡¯s bad enough that Momo grew up without a mother figure, and it doesn¡¯t help that his grandparents dislike him. How can he even bear such a burden at this age? A child who grows u p with his father isn¡¯t enough¡­ He needs a proper family.¡± Anthony eventually nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right, Ms. Jordan. I¡¯ll have a talk with the elders, see if I can change their perspective on the matter.¡± Charmine knew Anthony was a man of his word. She then left at ease to get Chris a fruit tter. It was only after Charmine left did Anthony allow his worries to roam free. ¡®What if Charmine knew about my past? Will she still get along happily with me? 1 ¡®What if she finds out about the girl? What should I do?¡¯ 1 Overwhelmed with doubts and questions, he took up his cellphone and sent a text through WhatsApp. Chapter 174 Chapter 174 Anthony sent a text to Luke that read, (Find that girl, ASAP.) He had to at least know the girl¡¯s identity so he could offer herpensation, all so she would never again stumble into his life. His, and Charmine¡¯s. The girl might n to persuade members of his family to ept Momo as quickly as possible i fshe behaved well to their liking. She might even earn their trust and love. Not wanting to think twice, Anthony posted some of Chris¡¯ photos into his feed. ¡°Wow! What got into you, Bro? You never updated your feed since you registered your ount, and now you¡¯re updating it?¡± asked Nial in surprise. His feed was instantly flooded withments. (Momo is all grown up! So cute!)mented Aunt Mary. (He looks like a smaller version of Anthony. Sigh! How good would it be if his mother was McKenzie.) Mrs. Baileymented. [Stop being disgraceful to the family with these photos!)mented Mr. Bailey. Anthony eu §ã ed the notifications before he resumed his work. Morning came soon enough. Charmine got out of bed while Chris was still sleeping. Today¡¯s photoshoot was at Greenwish Park for the bridal endorsement. She nned to visit Phoenix Hotel right after the photoshoot to investigate the incident from five years ago. She kissed Chris on his little cheek and went out, followed by Anthony. ¡°Take good care of Momo. Tell him that I¡¯ll be back tomorrow afternoon,¡± said Charmine. ¡°I¡¯ll have Luke send you there.¡± Anthony took out his phone and was about to text Luke. ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s just a short photoshoot session. I¡¯ll just go with my trusty Kawasaki,¡± said Charmine as she walked through the door. Anthony apanied her to the car park and, before she left, advised, ¡°Drive safe.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns this text. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m good on the roads. Take good care of Momo.¡± Once she secured the helmet o n her head, she promptly left the residence. Eyeing him in her rearview mirror, Charmine¡¯s curled into a small smile. It felt rather good to have someone sending her off to work ¡°Get someone to protect her secretly. Today, I¡¯ll go to the Royal Banquet Bar for the investigation by myself,¡± instructed Anthony in his call with Luke after he sent Charmine out o f his sight. ¡°Yes Sir.¡± Situated in the middle of nowhere, the prehistoric-themed Greenwish Park was decorated with everything that was expected-pavilions and bridges along a river. Entry to the park would usuallye with a fee, but the entire park was booked by Amor Group for shooting today. Thepany even reserved a room at Phoenix Hotel for Charmine¡¯s team. Stopping by at the hotel¡¯s lobby, her mind wandered back to five years ago. Those years were a nightmare. Phoenix Hotel was the ce where she lost her virginity. Like a shy wallflower that busted out of its shell, the incident made a 180-degree change to her life. She was no hypocrite, but she was aware that the world had no tolerance for this. A woman who has been raped and went under an abortion¡­ Everyone would have spat on her. The incident would stay with her for the rest of her life and forever be her Achilles¡¯ heel. 3 Suddenly¡­ ¡°You¡¯re here, Charmine,¡± a gentle voice pulled her out of her thoughts. Chapter 175 Chapter 175 Charmine turned her head and saw it was Amor Group¡¯s founder and designer, McAmor Houston. An independent 25-year-old woman, McAmor Houston was from one of the prominent families in Shelburne, and she founded her bridal business when she was just 16. With only nine years¡¯ time, she was able to make Amor Group the top bridal brand. s, she was not the cream of the crop in the Houstons. That would be the eldest daughter, McKenzie. Ranging fromnguages to arts, finance investment to even stitching or pottery, McKenzie was a jack- of-all-trades. She was the golden girl. It was also said that McKenzie was the Baileys¡¯ approved daughter-inw, a match made in heaven with Anthony. Charmine¡¯s heart went susceptible to jealousy when she thought of this. ¡°The makeup artist is already in the make up room waiting for you,¡± said McAmor, humbly yet nobly at the same time. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. ¡°Okay.¡± Charmine followed the assistant to the room located on the first floor. There were various cosmetics products disyed on the dressing table while the wardrobe was filled with different kinds of bridal gowns. The room was slightly different from that one room five years ago, and this could mainly be the crux of the matter if Charmine was to get the clue for the incident. ¡°Could you please share with me the photoshoot theme for today?¡± asked Charmine. ¡°Today is mainly on outfit-testing and styling,¡±exined the assistant, ¡°and we¡¯ll go with aid-back themed photoshoot under the sunset setting. Tomorrow, we¡¯ll do it during sunrise and vo, it¡¯ll be a wrap!¡± ¡°Alright,¡± said Charmine, and the team began to prep her for the day. ¡°Steep more of yourself in Ms. Jordan¡¯s styling to fit in her strong charisma. She can definitely pull off our outfit,¡±manded McAmor to the stylist. Turning around to Charmine, McAmor continued, ¡°Today¡¯s theme is a little bit different. Guci is always loud and vibrant, but today¡¯s focuses on the fineness and beauty of the bridal gown. You¡¯ll get yourself prepared so that we won¡¯t waste others¡¯ time.¡± McAmor was condescending yet concerned altogether. Deep down, McAmor was not a fan of Charmine. To her, Charmine was an egomaniac who did not fit in with the gown theme at all. Nheless, she had no choice but to have Charmine due to Charmine¡¯s ranking as the hottest celebrity in town. Everyone thought that having an arrogant artist in the bridal gown would definitely create a buzz. That was why McAmor had to give in. 1 ¡°No worries. I don¡¯t usually take in projects I can¡¯t handle. I¡¯m more worried that i¡¯d damage my reputation by taking up your project,¡± mocked Charmine. McAmor¡¯s face was pulled down. She could not understand how an arrogant person like this could pull off the gown¡¯s elegance. However, Charmine was always into her stride when she was at work, and that impressed the rest. Throughout the time, Charmine would either be resting on the rocking chair or fanning herself. She had that incredibly delicate face, with long silky hair that hung above her waist like sh lightning. Her face was like a perfectbyrinth that momentarily led everyone away from their troubles. Strolling around the landscape, she was so beautiful that people would have made her into a national park if they got their hands on her. She was more reserved aspared to Tiffany. Charmine was honest, unlike other pretentious celebrities; a woman who was cold as ice yet remained soft and sweet like honey. She was an icon of maturity that transcended age. She looked so ethereal that everyone could hardly take their eyes off of her. It was meant to be a four-hour photoshoot, but it was done in two hours. Knowing that everything went on smoothly, McAmor left the set. Charmine was sitting sluggishly under a shade while waiting for the evening shoot. ¡°Ms. Jordan, wouldn¡¯t you want to bring along a personal assistant?¡± someone asked out of curiosity. Leaning on the rocking chair, she spoke, ¡°What for?¡± Chapter 176 Chapter 176 Chapter 176 ¡°I¡¯m here to massage and fan you. I don¡¯t mind running errands for you as well.¡± ¡°Is a photoshoot so tiring? I recalled there being many more jobs which are even more tiring than this. However, I don¡¯t see any one of them getting an assistant to massage them during work?¡± The crowd was dumbstruck but she continued, ¡°Hiring many assistants can make one look cool but I feel like it¡¯s just to show off. This bad culture within the entertainment industry should be fixed.¡± The rest were blindsided, somewhat full of admiration at her honesty. Within the circle, it had always been a norm for the artist to have a personal assistant by their side. They even liked to have a personal makeup artist even when the photoshoot team already had makeup artists avable. Now with her words, she had made the rest of them realize that there were still lots of upations out there that were potentially more tiring than being an artist-farmers who worked under the scorching sun, researchers who worked overnight, architects, and more. ¡°You¡¯re right, Boss Jordan. You¡¯re the best artist I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± ¡°Boss Jordan, let me get you a drink! Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not doing this to worship you, I just admire you so much!¡± 1 ¡°Let me know if you need help. I¡¯ll give it my best!¡± The crowd gathered around Charmine, praises flooding out from the bottom of their hearts. ¡°I was supposed to be the ambassador, but it was called off all thanks to Charmine. Now, she¡¯s even getting all of the crowd¡¯s affection!¡± Staring far from Greenwish Park, Tiffany ground her teeth and clenched her fist angrily. She could feel a rush of adrenaline flowing through her body. ¡®Why! She¡¯s not supposed to be here!¡¯ She smashed the cake in her hand, a look of hatred burning in her eyes. Ronnie froze in fear as her face turned as white as a sheet. ¡°Ms. Tiffany, have you forgotten that we¡¯re here for this?¡± she mumbled while handed over the cake to Tiffany. The cake reminded her about what had happened yesterday. Her legs were sore as she had been kneeling the whole night yesterday. Throughout the time it had happened, she had been pretending to cry and was begging for forgiveness. She even pretended to faint just to make sure her apology would be epted. She knew that this was herst resort to secure her fame and reputation. ¡°Go and get a new one!¡± she ordered coldly. ¡°But the nearest cake house is at least seven kilometers away...¡± Without even finishing her sentence, Tiffany just red coldly at her. Cold sweat glistened on her furrowed brow as she hurriedly opened the car door and got down. She was left with no choice but to go do as she said. ¡°Veronica, shut the door,¡± yelled Tiffany. 5 Her words hung enigmatically in the air. She then realized that Veronica was no longer with her anymore. Jogged back to the time when she was eight, Veronica startled her with the truth that she was not the Jordans¡¯ biological daughter. At first, she was down in the dumps as she hoped the truth could be buried forever. It waster that she realized Veronica had revealed this piece of information for her sake. If the truth was found out at ater time, it could shock the world. She would be cast out from the Jordans¡¯ without a cent. The truth would eventually erase all her efforts. 1 Since then, she induced Charmine little by little to stabilize her status in the Jordan family with Veronica¡¯s assistance. For Tiffany, Veronica resembled her mother who understood her well and was willing topromise with her bad temper. She was always at ease when she was with Veronica. She did not have to put on a mask and could just be herself. Now that Veronica was sentenced to jail, she could not even see her anymore. She was all alone now, with no one to rely on or talk to. ¡®Charmine! All of this has happened because of her!¡¯ She shifted her angry re to Charmine¡¯s direction as her eyes narrowed. The burning starested for as long as it took her to think of the most brutal method she could use to tear Charmine down.N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Chapter 177 Chapter 177 The afternoon rays were causing her to feel sleepy. She decided to take a nap after the crew left. When she had checked into the Phoenix Hotel at night, she was nning to look for clues on the incident. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Five years ago, her n was to trap Tiffany in jail for poisoning them and have the cops deal with her. She believed that Tiffany would choose to tell the truth rather than lose all her standings and reputation. However, things did not go as well as she had expected. Veronica knocked Charmine¡¯s socks off with her faithfulness toward Tiffany by taking responsibility for all her guilt. 3 ¡®It¡¯s impossible for her to tell the truth just to save Veronica now.¡¯ Charmine knew that the guy was the only one who could prove her innocence, but Tiffany must have hidden him somewhere. She needed to find the guy through her own methods! There must be someone who knew who the guy was in the hotel five years ago. ¡°Sister¡­¡± A soft-spoken voice echoed behind her while she was still trying to figure out what had happened five years ago. It was Tiffany in a white dress. Charmine gave her the cold shoulder, but Tiffany still walked in her direction, sounding guilty, ¡°It was my fault then. I must have either been mad or utterly depraved and wicked. I a m here to apologize to you. Look, I¡¯ve gotten you your childhood favorite-matcha cake.¡± 1 Tiffany¡¯s words struck a chord deep within her as a sudden chill shot down her spine. Charmine immediately went ballistic because her favorite cake had always been strawberry cake. When they were kids, they always had two types of cakes for their birthday and one would be matcha- vored. It was made with finely ground powder of specially grown and processed premium green tea leaves. The matcha cake would cost a few hundred thousand bucks. Being a wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing, Tiffany would always share the cake with Charmine so that everyone would praise her for her kindness. Since that was the case, if Charmine was to reject her offering of kindness, she would have been med for her ungratefulness. She knew she was the adopted daughter and did not have a say in anything. She could only make peace with i t, which was why everyone thought she loved matcha cake as a child. She had never been allowed to make her stance since young, and all of that had been caused by Tiffany! 1 ¡°You¡¯re making your amends with this matcha cake?¡± She stared at her coldly. ¡°This is from Yukkuri. They¡¯re well-known for their matcha cake. Please, have a taste¡­¡± said Tiffany pretentiously. Charmine cackled loudly as she mocked her sarcastically, ¡°Oh c¡¯mon, Tiffany. You¡¯re apologizing with just matcha cake? Does that mean you¡¯re only worth the price of a matcha cake?¡± Tiffany was startled. She had never expected Charmine to turn her kindness into garbage. She felt like biting Charmine¡¯s head off but for the sake of her scheme, she resigned herself and murmured in a voice that was full of grievance yet sounded sincere, subtly ncing at Ronnie who was hiding behind them. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my dear sister. I just want to sincerely apologize to you. It¡¯s not the price that matters. I hope that you can ept my sincere apologies. You should be worn out. Here, try it.¡± While handing the cake out, Tiffany tried to ssh the pollen in her hand onto Charmine. Chapter 178 Chapter 178 It was pollen from the tulip. Her memory drifted back to the incident five years ago. That was when she woke up and found out herself in a room full of tulips. The tulips looked wonderful that first springtime. She thought the sight of tulips was her life¡¯s pleasures that year. However, reality pped her in her face during winter on the day she was supposed to get engaged. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Since then, she was allergic to tulips. Tiffany must have known. ¡®She must be plotting this on purpose so that there will be issues during the photoshoot.¡¯ Charmine started putting the pieces together. Thump! The cake fell to the floor. Tiffany took a few steps back to duck and stumbled. She stared at Charmine, full of deviousness in her eyes. ¡°Ah!¡± She shrieked as her body fell right into the pond. ¡°Help! Help!¡± Tiffany was waving for help. Now, everyone¡¯s attention was diverted to the pond. ¡°Charmine, you¡¯re way too much this time!¡± It was Joey. 1 ¡°Help! Somebody, please save Tiffany!¡± Joey yelled for help. People were running around. Some were making calls, while others searched for tools to help. The situation was chaotic. The shimmer of sunlight rippling on the water¡¯s surface teased and mocked how vulnerable Tiffany looked. Rescued by a lifeguard, she was shivering in the cold. Her eyes were puffy and tinged red. The paleness of her face made her seem fragile. She gasped for air despite how much the coldness would freeze her from inside out and begged, ¡°Mom, please, don¡¯t put the me on Charmine. It¡¯s all my fault. I can understand even if Charmine won¡¯t ept my apology and hates me to the core. I won¡¯t me her.¡± Slow, deste tears streamed from her unblinking eyes and dripped steadily along her cheek,¡° I¡¯m sorry, Charmine. I¡¯m here to apologize to you sincerely. If that¡¯s not enough, please do whatever it takes to make yourself better. You may even push me down the pond again. I just hope that you¡¯ll ept my apology and forgive me.¡± Tiffany sounded remorseful for what she had done. Charmine was up in arms. Her grip on the railing tightened and she stopped, afraid that she would really push Tiffany into the pond this time as she tried to contain her emotions. She knew that Tiffany had purposely set this up-the pollen and the drowning. She knew that if she was to defend herself at this moment, no one would believe her. Charmine¡¯s silence made Joey blow her top. ¡°You promised me that you¡¯d be kind to Tiffany yesterday. Look what you¡¯ve done now! I know she¡¯s at fault, but she made up for the way she¡¯s treated you. She kneeled to you for a night until she fainted and the first thing she did when she came to her senses was to apologize to you again. How can you be so cruel to your sister!¡± she shouted angrily at Charmine. The bond she has just built with Joey yesterday seemed like a distant memory now. Chapter 179 Chapter 179 Charmine felt as if she had been cut loose, no longer deemed worthy of Joey¡¯s love. ¡°So vou¡¯re not gonna give me a chance to exin as usual and just assume that I¡¯m the one who pushed her? Again?¡± she whimpered helplessly, reminding Joey of the memory they had made yesterday where she had a good conversation with Charmine. ¡°Enlighten me? C¡¯mon, Charmine. I saw what happened with my own eyes. What else can you exin?¡± spluttered Joey. ¡°What do you expect when you¡¯ve already perceived that I¡¯m the one at fault? Do you think that I¡¯d just push her if I wanted payback? With the evidence I had yesterday, I can easily send her to jail. I pushed her out of revenge? Hah! What a joke!¡± huffed Charmine. She gazed coldly at Tiffany, somewhat furious. She then ripped her eyes away and walked back to the shade where she had been resting earlier. She was back to being left alone. 1 ¡°I don¡¯t think Charmine would do this. There must be some misunderstanding going on.¡± The crew was chatting amongst themselves about it. ¡°Shoving Tiffany into the pool would only make her choke a bit and Charmine herself would have to bear the consequences. It isn¡¯t worth it.¡± ¡°You know, we can¡¯t just judge a book by its cover. Some people appear to be kind but who knows? They might be a cunning fox deep down.¡± ¡°Looking at Tiffany right now makes me think of the time when she stood out for Charmine. Such a hypocrite!¡± People were now drawn into their own guessing game as they no longer believed that Tiffany was as pure as snow since the incident. They even felt disgusted with her fake kindness. 1 If that conversation did not happen yesterday, Joey would have believed what Tiffany had said. Charmine¡¯s decision to not hand over the evidence or snatch Julian away from Tiffany at such a difficult time had caught her off guard. It seemed that Charmine was not so bad after all. 1 The me left Charmine to mourn her way through the park alone, and there was an ufortable feeling that gripped at Joey¡¯s heart. She could have been able to swoop in and defend her, but she did not. She felt her gut clench a little when the situation sank in. She turned to Tiffany and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go home and get changed.¡± ¡°Mommy, do you still think I was the one who set this up? You know I don¡¯t know how to swim. I swear I didn¡¯t do it on purpose¡­¡± Tiffany tried to implore Joey to change her mind. She sounded so pitiful that people would have felt sorry for her. ¡°No, my dear Tiffy. You know that I love you. However, I believed that Charmine did not do it o n purpose. Look, if you were so unforgivable, she would have had you sacked from the industry much earlier.¡± ¡°You saw it, didn¡¯t you, mommy? I¡¯d never set her up. Maybe she¡¯s not in the good mood and that¡¯s why¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough, Tiffany. Anyhow, she didn¡¯t mean to push you down. Let¡¯s go home quickly. I f not, we¡¯ll have a hard time fighting off the paparazzi again,¡± said Joey while grabbing Tiffany¡¯s hand and darting away. Tiffany was aggrieved. She knew that Joey believed Charmine this time. With no effort at all, how could she win Joey¡¯s trust so easily? ¡®She doesn¡¯t trust me like before anymore.¡¯ She clenched her fist, trying hard to suppress her rage. 1 Once they got home, Ronnie took her to get changed. ¡°Where¡¯s the video! Show me the video!¡± Tiffany rudely demanded toward Ronnie after Joey left the room. ¡°Ms. Tiff¡­ Tiffany.¡± Ronnie¡¯s lips barely as she handed the cellphone over to Tiffany. In the video, it showed Charmine sweeping away the cake from Tiffany. The angle did not capture Tiffany being pushed by Charmine into the pond. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Her initial n was to upload the video of Charmine pushing her into the pond onto social media and with that, she could also show it to Joey. However, she had not managed to capture the particr moment. She was jinxed. 1 ¡°Are you dumb or something? Do think these f*cking photos and videos captured from such f* cking bad angles are going to be useful to me? Get out of here, you miserable wretch! Scram!¡± Burning rage flowed through her body like a deathly poison, screeching and demanding to be released from within her in the form of unwanted violence. She was like a volcano, erupted and exploding with anger. Without an ounce of control, she threw objects around the room, breaking them. 1 Ronnie crouched in her shadow as a primeval instinct took over. Chapter 180 Chapter 180 The shattered sses cut through her hands. Blood could be seen seeping out of her wounds. The pain shot up her arm like fire as she burst into tears. Tiffany was annoyed by her whimpering. She felt really upset as all her efforts had been in vain. If Veronica was here, this would not have happened. She knew she no longer could rely on Ronnie as she would put her in trouble. ¡®I¡¯ll do it myself!¡¯ She put on an evil grin as she thought about Charmine¡¯s weaknesses. [Go on with the thing-the Phoenix Hotel] She sent the text after she left Ronnie by herself and walked to her wardrobe. Meanwhile, Ronnie was trembling in pain. She covered up the wound so that no one could see i t. While wincing from across the room, she bumped into Charmine who had juste back home. ¡®Isn¡¯t she Tiffany¡¯s assistant? Why is she in tears?¡¯ Charmine was curious but without much questioning, she simply minded her own business. After Joey left Greenwish Park, Charmine took off the lonely mask she had been putting on. ¡®Hmph, you thought you were the only one who knows how to fake sympathy? Well, I might not be as gross as you but just a bit of acting is not an issue for me!¡¯ She grinned. Apparently, Charmine did walk away and kept her silence on purpose to evoke sympathy from Joey. It had worked. With this, Tiffany would not be able to trick her that easily anymore in the future. She went back to the hotel after she wrapped up her sunset photoshoot. ¡°Ms. Jordan, this is your room for tonight,¡± said the assistant as they handed over the room card for Room 909 over to Charmine. Her face darkened as she received the room card. It was the room she had stayed in five years ago. What a coincidence! The assistant noticed an abrupt change in Charmine¡¯s expression and asked, ¡°Is everything alright, Ms. Jordan?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Rest well, everyone.¡± She proceeded to her room after brushing everyone off. Getting closer to the room while walking along the corridor, her heart pumped vigorously against her chest even though the incident had already happened five years ago. Charmine thought she should be brave and mature enough to handle all sorts of issues including this, but she was wrong. She still felt insecure and anxious when it came to this. To ease her anxiousness, she convinced herself, ¡®Perhaps I can get a clue about the incident today.¡¯ She took a deep breath and slowly entered the room. The Presidential Suite was tidy and had an overwhelming and extravagant ambiance as soon a sone entered. There were bottles of wineid out in the living room, whilst the bedroom was decorated with European-style bedding. The room looked exactly the same as the one five years ago but did not feel the same. How nice would it be if she could travel back in time. She would take a good look at the man¡¯s face.N?velDrama.Org content rights. Creak! The door creaked open. A middle-aged woman entered the room with the food and beverage service cart. ¡°Hello! This is a meal provided for you from the production team.¡± Coming back to her senses, her eyes lit up hopefully when she saw the woman. Every part of her froze while the rest of her thoughts caught up with her. It was her! The one who delivered food to them five years ago. She might have known something about that night. Chapter 181 Chapter 181 Chapter 181 Charmine held back her anticipation upon seeing the woman as she walked to the table and sat down on a chair. ¡°Come in,¡± she beckoned. Aunt Cherrie pushed the dining cart forward and ced the dishes on the table one after another. ¡°Have you worked here for long?¡± Charmine cool-headedly started the conversation. ¡°You look very familiar.¡± ¡°Why, yes! I¡¯ve been here for at least ten years. Kindly don¡¯t judge me with my old age; l¡¯m more reliable than some of these girls who might spill dishes, however nice they are,¡± Aunt Cherrie beamed proudly. Charmine noticed Aunt Cherrie¡¯s honest and friendly disposition. She went along with Aunt Cherrie as she agreed to her statement and added, ¡°Oh yes, I prefer people who are reliable workers. Can you sit with me? I¡¯d like to ask you something.¡± ¡°Oh? Well, ask away,¡± she answered, pleasantly surprised and liking the ttery. Aunt Cherrie knew Charmine was the Diamond Boss and that she was also a superstar here to shoot advertisements. She dared not offend anyone from the entertainment industry. ¡°I¡¯d like to ask about something that happened five years ago,¡± Charmine got down to business. ¡°Please sit here and think about it carefully.¡± Five years ago? Aunt Cherrie¡¯s expression morphed into an expression of anxiety as she recalled an incident that happened five years ago. Charmine was in the same room five years ago, was she not? It never urred to Aunt Cherrie that the in-looking ugly duckling Charmine would be who she was. She sat next to her and asked, ¡°What does Ms. Charmine want to know?¡± ¡°Do you remember Valentine¡¯s Day five years ago? Who was in this room?¡± The room was a presidential suite, and people who entered the room were distinguished guests who made an impression on her. However, Aunt Cherrie merely chuckled and said, ¡°Oh you know I¡¯m old. How could I recall something that happened five years ago?¡± ¡°Valentine¡¯s Day is a special day, and anything that happened would definitely make an impression on you; I daresay ten percent more than usual,¡± came Charmine¡¯s reply.¡± Moreover, you were responsible for delivering breakfast to this room five years ago. You identally knocked over a vase outside and had to pay five thousand bucks aspensation. That would¡¯ve been arge sum to you, thus surely you¡¯d remember that day clearly.¡± 1 Charmine spoke methodically and took out a bank card from her bag. ¡°There¡¯s half a million here,¡± she added, ¡°and it¡¯ll be all yours so long as you give me some clues.¡± This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Aunt Cherrie¡¯s eyes widened. She had never seen such arge sum of money; she would have t o work for more than ten years to obtain such an amount! Charmine¡¯s gaze locked onto Aunt Cherrie and reiterated, ¡°Think about it, Cherrie. Five years ago, who came in and out of this room?¡± Her voice was deep as she prodded Aunt Cherrie, even pushing the card toward Aunt Cherrie as she spoke. Aunt Cherrie eventually caved in. She pursed her lips before she began, ¡°Ms. Tiffany Jordan and Mister Julian Cabell escorted you into the room. I was sending supper to the room next door and saw them carrying you in. At that time, I was quite puzzled because we¡¯d usually get one man and one woman coming in. I thought it was odd that it was a trio of two women and a man.¡± 1 Charmine¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. Tiffany and Julian? Five years ago, she heard Tiffany and Julian¡¯s conversation. Did Tiffany orchestrate the entire incident? Aunt Cherrie was obviously lying! She chuckled at Cherrie and said, ¡°I¡¯ll only give half a million to hear the truth. Don¡¯t fool me.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare do that,¡± blurted Cherrie. ¡°Even if you don¡¯t give me money, I wouldn¡¯t dare t o fool a prominent person like yourself. I remember them helping you into the room, and I remember the childish ck dress you were wearing¡­ Ahem. I¡¯m not judging you, but that dress was indeed unusual and funky-looking, so I do remember it.¡± Charmine¡¯s brows furrowed; it did not seem as though Aunt Cherrie was lying. It was true Charmine wore a strange-looking dress and was the joke of the town. Chapter 182 Chapter 182 How did Julian and Tiffany bring her to this hotel? Julian had to be in it together with Tiffany, but if he was present at that time, how could he have let Tiffany slip up? Aunt Cherrie noted that Charmine was unconvinced with her, thus she continued, ¡°Well, let m e get the presidential suite¡¯s manager here to see you. Manager Brown has been in charge of this floor for years, and he knows everyone who¡¯s been in and out of it. ¡°I only deliver food, but Manager Brown provides guests with extra services, so he must know the incident better than me. You can go ahead and ask him to see whether I¡¯m lying to you or not.¡± ¡°Alright. If the story checks out, I¡¯ll give you the money.¡± Charmine kept her card swiftly. ¡°Good, good. Still, you shouldn¡¯t disclose the incident to Manager Brown. He¡¯s very strict, and I fear that he¡¯d fire me if he finds out.¡± With that, Aunt Cherrie stood to leave the room. Charmine nodded. As Aunt Cherrie left, she told her, ¡°Remember: When hees, open the door for him.¡± The door closed shut and the room fell silent. Charmine stared at the dishes on the table but found herself without appetite. She did not know if Manager Brown would have any clue or if he would echo the same sentiment as Aunt Cherrie. While Aunt Cherrie did not appear to be lying, the story did not seem to align. What detail did she get wrong? Meanwhile, at Royal Banquet Hotel¡­ The building was a thousand meters away from Phoenix Hotel, and its presidential suite was o n the top floor. Anthony stood in front of the window and looked at the luxurious bed in his room. Five years ago-during Valentine¡¯s Day-he robbed a girl of her innocence on this very bed. Who was that girl? Why would she disappear without a trace and without leaving a single clue in her wake? 1 Nial was usually quite capable, so why could he not figure this out? At this moment, Nial brought in Chris. ¡°Brother, I¡¯ve found all the staff who were here five years ago.¡± As he spoke, about ten staff walked in and stood before him, their heads hung low in fear. Anthony turned around and stared at the group. He asked coolly, ¡°Five years ago during Valentine¡¯s Day, who was the girl in this room?¡± ¡°Mr. Bailey, we really don¡¯t know.¡± Everyone gave the same answer with their gaze downcast in fear. Anthony sighed and prodded, ¡°It¡¯d be best if you think before you answer. I have a hungry alligator back at home in my pond.¡± Everyone heard this and went pale, their beings shook in fright.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Rumor had it that Mr. Bailey was cold-hearted, and he even kept an alligator for a pet. Who would have thought the rumor was true? What if Anthony Bailey was unhappy with them and fed them to the alligator? A female staff member piped up, ¡°Mr. Bailey, I really don¡¯t know who that girl was, but he should know.¡± She pointed at a man standing next to her. Anthony¡¯s gaze darted to the man pointed at. Chapter 183 Chapter 183 The man that was pointed at donned a nice suit. He was the manager of the Royal Banquet Hotel, Michael When Michael saw that the waitress pointed at him, he went weak at the knees. ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense!¡± he blurted. ¡°I was just a lowly sweeper five years ago. How would I know who came in and out of the presidential suite?¡± ¡°That¡¯s precisely why you¡¯d know. Five years ago on Valentine¡¯s Day, I was supposed to be on duty till five in the morning when my boyfriend asked me out. I wanted to spend Valentine¡¯s Day with him, so I swapped shifts with you. 2 ¡°Not only were you on night watch that night, but you were also responsible for that floor. You would¡¯ve seen peopleing in and out of the floor!¡± she eximed. Michael was bbergasted at the waitress¡¯s impable memory, and he began turning pale as fear washed over him. Anthony¡¯s gaze darkened as his gaze swept over him. ¡°Looks like you want to meet my alligator. Nial, take him.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Nial reached out to pull him. Michael was so rmed that he scrambled onto the floor. He fell to his knees with a thud. ¡°Mr. Bailey, please spare my life!¡± he pleaded. ¡°I really don¡¯t know who the girl was. I didn¡¯t see her, I swear¡­!¡± ¡°Then why did you hide the fact that you were on the night shift? Why did you feel guilty?¡± Nial pressed on. Nial, a doctor, could guess how people felt based on their eyes. As he felt like he was cornered, Michael started sweating profusely. He eventually managed to reply, ¡°¡­ I was on shift. During the shift, I¡­fed some medicine to Mr. Bailey¡­¡± Michael shook violently in fear as he tried to exin the situation to Anthony. ¡°Ms. Tiffany wanted me to feed you the medicine. I had no guts to do it whatsoever, but she threatened and lured me. She said that if I didn¡¯t help, she¡¯d get me fired from my job and that I¡¯d be unemployable forever. Because of this, I snuck in the medicine to your drink. 1 ¡°Mr. Bailey, it was my fault! I¡¯ve lived in fear for so many years now, afraid that I¡¯d be discovered. I dare not ask for anything; only that you spare my life. My wife is pregnant, and she¡¯s almost due. She and our child can¡¯t live without me!¡± he pleaded fearfully. Anthony turned his gaze to Nial whilst Nial eyed Michael carefully. After a while, he said, ¡° Brother, he really is telling the truth.¡± That meant that five years ago, the medicine was fed to him by Tiffany instead of the girl¡­ Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Anthony looked at Michael coolly and said, ¡°If it was Tiffany, why was the one who entered m y room a different girl?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why. At that time, I was already so afraid after putting the medicine in your drink. I was afraid of getting into trouble! Ms. Tiffany told us not to disturb you guys, so I just left and hid at the stairs. I really don¡¯t know what happened next,¡± Michael exined solemnly. Anthony¡¯s expression sank. The only choice left was to investigate and interrogate Tiffany. 1 He got up and walked out, but he stopped right next to Michael. ¡°Your wife is going to give birth, and it¡¯s time to go back and take care of her,¡± he concluded before he left. Michael fell to the ground on his knees¡­ He was fired. Michael assessed the situation at hand and looked at it from a different perspective: He drugged Mr. Bailey but managed to keep his life. Getting fired was god¡¯s grace to him. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Bailey!¡± He knelt and bowed to him with gratitude. The three Bailey men went inside an elevator and headed for the ground floor. Chapter 184 Chapter 184 ¡°What a coincidence that the entire surveince system broke down that night and left us without clues. mented Nial. ¡°Only Tiffany can tell us what happened. Do you want to meet her, Brother?¡± ¡°No, just go by yourself and find out what happened,¡± came Anthony¡¯s reply. Nial¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. ¡°Where are you going then?¡± As they exited the elevator and entered Royal Banquet Bar, Anthony fixated his gaze on the distant Phoenix Hotel. ¡°I have other matters to care for. Take Momo with you.¡± ¡°No, no, I want to be with Daddy! Daddy said he¡¯d bring me to Mommy!¡± Chris immediately clung to Anthony¡¯s legs. Anthony looked at the kid stuck to his legs and patted his little head. ¡°Good boy, why do you want to come and disturb your mother and me? Are you going to be our third-wheeler?¡± ¡°Hm¡­¡± Chris pursed his lips and said indignantly, ¡°I promise to be quiet and sleep next door ¡°Go with Uncle Nial,¡± persuaded Anthony. ¡°I need to find out your birth mother¡¯s identity and compensate her so that we can be with your Mommy forever.¡± Chris¡¯ face lit up with joy at his father¡¯s n. If his birth mother returned, Mommy would have to leave. He did not want her to leave; he liked her too much! ¡°Okay! I¡¯ll go!¡± As he finished, he held Nial¡¯s hand and ran away at high speed. Anthony drove up to Phoenix Hotel. 1 While Phoenix Hotel was a five-star hotel, it was on a smaller scale of five-stars. A truly high end person would not stay there; he himself had never been there. For Charmine¡¯s sake, he visited the hotel for the first time. In Room 909, Phoenix Hotel¡­ Charmine had forced herself to take a small bite as she patiently waited inside the room. The doorbell rang not long after. Charmine went to look through the peephole and saw a man standing at the door in a suit and leather shoes. There was a badge on his chest that stated Manager¡¯. This was the manager Aunt Cherrie talked about. Charmine then opened the door and invited him in. Manager Brown entered and bowed his head in respect. ¡°Ms. Charmine, are you looking for m e?¡± ¡°Yes. Please, sit.¡± Once he entered, Charmine closed the door and sat on the other end of the sofa. Charmine did not beat around the bush as she got down to business. ¡°I heard that you¡¯re the manager of this floor, and that everyone whoes in and out will be registered.¡± ¡°Our hotel mandates that everyone should register first. We need to ensure our guests feelforted,¡± remarked Manager Brown. ¡°Every time a distinguished guest visits us, we¡¯ll provide a gift. For example, the gift of the day is a cup.¡± Manager Brown passed a beautifully packaged porcin cup to Charmine and continued, ¡°We applied such a rule so we could prepare gifts from our warehouse for you. With that, we¡¯ll record the name of the upant and even details like how many guests they¡¯re staying with. This is so that every customer is satisfied.¡± Charmine looked at the cup and vaguely remembered that she was given a small gift as she was leaving the room five years ago. However, Julian disliked the low-end gifts from the hotel. Instead of epting the gift, he sent her out to buy new ones. At the time, she thought Julian was being nice to her, but who knew if Julian just did not want to bring home anything rted to the hotel. After all, every single item could have been evidence against Tiffany. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. She collected her thoughts, looked at Manager Brown, and asked, ¡°Then do you remember how many people have been in and out of this room for the past five years?¡± 1 ¡°Well¡­¡± Manager Brown¡¯s expression sank. Chapter 185 Chapter 185 Charmine assumed that the manager in front of her needed a little financial push, thus she offered, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, i¡¯ll reward you for the relevant information.¡± Manager Brown remained stoic; his character did not emit the greedy aura that many would have. ¡°That¡¯s not necessary,¡± he dismissed her offer. ¡°I¡¯m just trying to recall the incident scene by scene.¡± After much thought, he looked at Charmine and asked, ¡°Ms. Charmine, don¡¯t you feel dizzy?¡± Charmine was confused. What was that question for? All too suddenly, Charmine felt dizzy as her body felt like it was heating up. She felt her logic slipping away. Drats! She had been drugged by Manager Brown! ¡°Do you have a death wish?!¡± With the strength she had left, Charmine picked up a vase next to her and tried to throw it powerfully at Manager Brown. Before she managed to do so, however, she felt powerless and went limp. She copsed on the ground like mud, and the vase fell on the ground with a loud crashing sound as it shattered into pieces. The drug was powerful! Manager Brown stood up and pulled at his bow tie. The warmth on his face disappeared instantly, and it was reced with an evil smirk. ¡°Ms. Charmine must be antsy to investigate what happened five years ago because that man made you feel good, no? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not bad myself. I¡¯ll make you feel good tonight.¡± As he said this, he unbuttoned his shirt and headed toward Charmine. He sat beside her. Charmine uttered weakly, ¡°You¡­ You have a death wish¡­! This is illegal¡­ I¡¯ll make you pay for this!¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡®illegal? Ms. Charmine, you checked into the hotel and inquired Aunt Cherrie about our special services. Once you heard about how talented I am, you asked for me. The surveince cameras will show that you opened the door for me and invited me in! ¡°You rich people love to prey on young men like me. It won¡¯t be difficult for people to connect the dots and believe my side of the story!¡± Manager Brown smiled evilly and started to pull at Charmine¡¯s clothes. Charmine¡¯s brows furrowed; it was all a ruse! Even Aunt Cherrie was part of the n! It was true that she asked for Manager Brown and opened the door for him to invite him in. Once realization dawned on her, she feared that ¨C At that moment, Manager Brown had torn her clothes apart. Charmine was wearing jeans and a buttoned top. As he tugged on her clothes, her buttons burst out with a loud snap, and it revealed her beautiful figure. Charmine clenched her fists tightly; she wanted to resist but could not even lift a finger. She was aware of her surroundings but could not stop it from happening, and it made her sick to the stomach. Manager Brown pressed himself on her body and admired her body with a greedy look. ¡°I¡¯ve bedded many women before, but I¡¯ve never slept with someone so rich and sexy. You¡¯re utterly attractive, Charmine.¡± As he finished his sentence, he lowered his head and kissed her neck. Downright disgusted, Charmine tried to resist him by pushing him away. With the little amount of strength left in her, however, her feeble attempt made it seem as if she was yfully resisting him. The drugs in her system held her back from expressing her true feelings. No, no, she had to snap out of it. She had to snap out of it¡­! The more she resisted it, the more blurry her consciousness became. Her mind was full of unwanted and messy thoughts. Would she once more endure the same incident five years ago? Manager Brown had unbuckled his belt. He only had one thought in mind as he stared at the irresistibly beautiful Charmine, and it was to take her for himself. As he was about to take off his pants, the door flung open with a loud bang, and there stood a tall figure by the door. Charmine¡¯s consciousness was slipping away in her dizziness. She could not identify who it was by the door; she only felt that the man was her hero who would save her. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. It surprised her as she had this feeling, but seeing that figure made her feel relieved. She felt hopeful. Anthony flung open the door and saw Charmine pinned to the floor by another man. She looked at him in a weak and dazed manner. His eyebrows twitched. How could someone harm a woman who could not even move?! Anthony instantly rushed in and swung his fist right at Manager Brown¡¯s face. Chapter 186 Chapter 186 ¡°Ah!¡± Anthony¡®s punch sent Manager Brown to the ground as his pants slipped off of his waist. Manager Brown got back on his feet and was ready to face his attacker, but what he saw made him freeze. It was Mr. Bailey. Burlington¡®s Mr. Bailey was in Phoenix Hotel! No, he had to stop panicking! He would be done for if he panicked! He instantly exined, ¡°Mr. Bailey, please be calm. Ms. Charmine was the one who wanted m e, and everyone can be my witness. Ms. Charmine had asked me toe to her room and invited me in to sleep with her¨Cahh!¡± He could barely finish his sentence when he received another punch to his face. ¡°She doesn¡®t even want me, so why would she want you? Are you using my woman? Haha!¡± He laughed bitterly and threw another punch at him. Manager Brown was beaten to a pulp. There were streaks of blood at the corner of his lips, and he even lost a tooth. At that moment, Charmine croaked. Anthony threw Manager Brown out of the door andmanded sternly, ¡°Luke, lock him up! Charmine will take care of this tomorrow.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Luke dragged Manager Brown away by his cor. The man dared to touch the chairman¡®s future wife. This manager had a death wish! Anthony shut the door and sped to the sofa. He instantly noticed Charmine¡®s reddened face. Her clothes had been torn apart, and she was somewhat aware it looked improper. Anthony was quick as he took off his jacket for her. The dizzy Charmine felt a cold body sitting next to her. As her body felt like it was on fire, she wanted nothing more than to be near the cold presence. Charmine then wrapped her arms around Anthony¡®s waist. Anthony stiffened and felt his heart stirred. He never had feelings for any woman all this while. Other than the girl from five years ago, Charmine was the only one. ¡°Just hang on,¡± he gently told her, ¡°Nial is bringing you medicine.¡± ¡°I feel... really bad...¡± Charmine was dizzy and felt terrible. She did not even know what she was doing as she had lost volition. The drug was so potent. The only thing that would make her feel better was to get on Anthony¡®s cold body. Anthony shuddered to think of what could happen, and his face sank. He turned to her and asked, ¡°Charmine, do you know who I am?¡± Charmine did not answer. She could barely open her eyes as she was pressed against him limply. She hooked his hand around his neck and muttered, ¡°I buy you... I don¡®t care who you are, I can pay...¡± She then touched his wide back and tried to pull away his clothes. Her scorching breath fell on his neck, and to Anthony, it felt like fire spreading throughout his body. Anthony realized she had totally lost her sensibilities. He should not behave in a calcting manner toward her. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. He grabbed her restless hands that roamed his body and, as calmly as he could, said, ¡° Charmine, you¡¯re testing my patience.¡± Charmine was already feeling ufortable, but when she heard his deep and maic voice, she wanted to pin him down. So she did. She pressed her body against Anthony and managed to overpower him as he fell t against the sofa. Chapter 187 Chapter 187 Chapter 187 Brows raised, Anthony went rigid as Charmine pressed herself against him. He would be lying if did want to pounce on Charmine that sat on him in a seductive manner, but he knew Charmine all too well. Charmine would never forgive him if he took advantage of her. 1 He fought back his urges as he shot up quickly. He then turned to carry her and walked to the bathroom. Charmine entangled herself onto him like an octopus would. She felt so heated and wanted to satisfy herself, so she stretched out her hand to pull at his clothes. Rip! Her grip on his chest area was strong enough to tear the white shirt at his chest area, and his taut chest was exposed. Anthony¡¯s face sank. If this were to continue, he was afraid he would not have enough willpower to hold himself back. He hastened his pace and quickly put her into the bathtub, adjusting the water into a cooler setting to fill the tub up. It was not long before Charmine eventually settled down and ceased t o move. Anthony had just heaved a sigh of relief when Charmine suddenly pulled at her clothes. With a sharp tug hug, she managed to rip off fabric from her clothes with a resounding ripping sound. Charmine looked rather beguiling as she sat there with her clothes partially undone. Anthony was stunned; this woman was torturing him. ¡°Charmine¡­ I can¡¯t hold myself back for much longer.¡± Out of the blue, the doorbell rang. It was Nial, and he was back with medicine. Anthony walked out of the bathroom to see him, but the moment Nial saw him, he had to bite back his laugh. He could onlyugh inwardly. After all, there was arge tear on Anthony¡¯s shirt, specifically his chest area. N?velDrama.Org content rights. What passionate and exciting things had happened when he was gone? Anthony¡¯s face sank. ¡°Medicine,¡± hemanded. ¡°Where is your wife?¡± asked Nial. ¡°After checking things, I ended up with many types of this medicine. I have to make sure which medicine it is so that I can treat her. Otherwise, it won¡¯t end well.¡± Still, how could Nial treat Charmine in her vulnerable state? ¡°Just give me medicine,¡± asserted Anthony. ¡°If a Bailey family doctor doesn¡¯t have the ability t o do his duty, he¡¯s not part of my family.¡± Nial was confused. How could he give out medicine without a diagnosis? Even if he was God, h e would not have that ability¡­ However, he had never seen Anthony look so displeased. He handed over his medicine kit with ten different types of medicine. ¡°You have to at least describe her state to me,¡± Nial tried to reason. ¡°Is she conscious? Does she have some remaining energy left? Is she dizzy or a little conscious? Can she speak?¡± Anthony thought about it and said, ¡°She seems to have quite the grip at times, but she goes limp in the next moment. While she can speak, I don¡¯t think she¡¯s genuinely conscious.¡± Nial thought deeply and made his best guess. He chose the best medicine he had and gave it to him. ¡°Brother, are you sure you won¡¯t let me in? If she eats the wrong medicine¡± Before Nial could even finish his sentence, Anthony took the medicine and mmed the door right at his face. Nial was bewildered at his actions. Wow, his brother had the heart to shrug him off when he finally had a woman! Anthony arrived at the bathroom, he froze. Charmine had already taken off her jeans and coat. She was only wearing a bikini and soaking in the bathtub. He entered the door and saw her fair skin and long legs¡­. Chapter 188 Chapter 188 Anthony grabbed the towel next to him and ced it on the edge of the bathtub. He then gently lifted her chin to ce the medicine into her mouth. Fortunately, the medicine dissolved in her mouth. After ingesting the medicine, the restless Charmine stopped iling around, and her body gradually settled in the water. Did she fall asleep? Once he pulled her out of the water, Anthony wrapped the towel around her before he carried her out of the room. Greeted by the morning light, Charmine slowly opened her eyes and saw the borately decorated ceiling. The room was not hers, but it was strangely familiar¡­ This room¡­ It was the same room as the room from five years ago! It hit her at that moment; she was drugged yesterday! Charmine turned sideways and saw a man lying next to her. It was Anthony! Still fast asleep, Anthony¡¯s face looked like a painting in the gentle morning light. Charmine had no intention of appreciating his beauty as she instantly lifted the quilt off her body. Her eyes narrowed at what she saw next; she only had her underwear on! Upon closer inspection, she also noted that Anthony was wearing a bathrobe. His taut chest was visible from the folds of the robe. What¡­ What happened? She red daggers at Anthony. ¡°What did you do to mest night?!¡± Anthony¡¯s eyes opened at this, and he was greeted with the sigh of Charmine looking at him anxiously. ¡°What do you think happened?¡± he teased. That¡­ That tone of his! Charmine felt like her brain was going to explode. Did she really sleep with Anthony? Did Anthony know about her dirtyundry? No, no. Why would she be thinking about that? What she was seeing was more important! ¡°Anthony, how dare you vite me!¡± N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°Me, viting you?¡± Anthony sat on the bed and threw his shirt at her. He pointed at the scar on his chest. ¡°Who do you think vited who? Huh?¡± Charmine stared at his shirt; it did look like it was torn apart. The scar on his body also looked Wait. Did she force herself on him after ingesting the drug? ¡°Well, err¡­ We¡¯re all adults. I was set up. Let¡¯s just pretend like nothing happened.¡± Charmine instantly shot up and ran for the bathroom. Anthony, on the other hand, froze on his spot on the bed. ¡°Pretend like nothing happened?¡±h e muttered, somewhat displeased. The thought made Charmine feel queasy. She had slept with Anthony, Burlington¡¯s Anthony¡­ ¡°If you want to bepensated for your losses, I¡¯ll give you one million, and no more than that!¡± Anthony¡¯s face nked at that moment. A million, she said? Fortunately, he didn¡¯t sleep with herst night. Otherwise, she would behave rather brutishly. He might end up seeing an undignified side of her. Anthony pressed on, ¡°Since you¡¯re an adult, can¡¯t you feel if something actually happenedst night?¡± It was at that moment realization dawned on her as her brows furrowed. Chapter 189 Chapter 189 Anthony had a point. Charmine felt not a sting of pain or hurt anywhere in her body. Better yet, she was not in any form of difort. The more she went over it, Charmine realized she did not feel anything remotely off about her body. That meant¡­ ¡°So nothing happened, then?¡± she asked in a daze. ¡°You really didn¡¯t do anything to me?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not desperate enough to take advantage of others,¡± came Anthony¡¯s reply i na slightly raised tone before he walked toward the bathroom. As he passed her, Charmine¡¯s eyes glued onto his back in disbelief. Was Anthony telling the truth that he did not do anything to herst night?a This man had expressed his desire to marry even when they first met. Did he genuinely not act on that desire with the given window of opportunity? 1 Charmine felt strangely touched. Anthony exited the washroom, already donned with a fresh pair of clothes. He handed her a bag in the locker next to her and said, ¡°These are your clothes.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Charmine took it and headed for the washroom. As she passed him, she stopped and asked, ¡°Did I do anything out of characterst night?¡± Anthony thought of what happenedst night and remarked, ¡°What do you think?¡± Charmine blushed at his insinuating tone. She ripped off his clothes! Was that not out of character? ¡°Ahem! J- Just forget about it then. No need to recall anything!¡± Anthony looked at her and said a simple, ¡°Why?¡±. What did he mean, ¡®why? Did he still need to ask? This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Charmine fumed. ¡°Anthony, what are you trying to do? Do you want me to terminate our agreement?¡± 1 Amazing. The woman still dared to threaten him. Anthony found her rather adorable with her frizzy hair sticking out. She was also more expressive than her usual cold self. Thinking that she had to go on with her dayter, he did not have the heart to tease her. He just said, ¡°Rest assured, I¡¯ve already forgotten what happenedst night.¡± He would only keep it in his heart as a nostalgic memory. Charmine huffed and went into the washroom. The washroom had been cleaned, and there was no trace of what had transpired the night before. Still, it did not erase the vague memory she still had with her¡­ When she saw the bathtub, the memory of her pulling off her clothes and Anthony holding her back reyed again in her mind. Her heart went into a thumping frenzy. Last night was unbelievable! It embarrassed her to no end, but she was just as angry at the thought that something terrible almost happened to her. She wanted nothing more than to kill Manager Brown! In the lobby, Luke got a message from his phone and arrested Manager Brown. 1 Manager Brown dropped on his knees. Though he was afraid of Luke, he persisted, ¡°I was wronged! Manager ire had investigated it, and the footage clearly shows that Ms. Charmine asked for me and wanted special services!¡± As he said this, Luke stepped forward and handed over the video to Anthony and said, ¡° Chairman, it was Ms. Charmine who invited him. Many people witnessed it.¡± Indeed, the video showed that Aunt Cherrie ryed the word for Manager Brown to pay Charmine a visit. The video also showed Charmine opening the door on her own free will for Manager Brown. Anthony left the video aside and swept his eyes coolly over Manager Brown. ¡°You have onest chance to tell the truth,¡± he needled, tone cold and threatening. Manager Brown¡¯s entire being trembled in fear, but he kept remembering the voice in his head. ¡®If everything goes ording to n, I¡¯ll give you three million. If it fails but the me isn¡¯t pinned to me, I¡¯ll give you ten million, but you better do it well¡­!¡¯ If he failed, Anthony would not let him off the hook. He might even face jail-time! Thus, Manager Brown¡¯s only option left was for him to persevere. Three million awaited him! He firmly insisted, ¡°Mr. Bailey, please believe me. I¡¯m telling the truth!¡± Chapter 190 Chapter 190 Chapter 190 ¡°Ah¡­¡± At this moment, Charmine exited the washroom. Her expression went rigid, however, the moment she saw Manager Brown kneeling on the floor. Anthony looked at her and merely said, ¡°What do you want me to do with him?¡± He did not ask her the reason or exnation; he instantly asked her what she wanted to do to Manager Brown. Charmine was touched by Anthony¡¯s consideration. She looked at Manager Brown and sneered, ¡°You perverted monster! Castrate him!¡± This kind of man would only hurt others! Anthony turned to look at Luke and simply said, ¡°You heard that?¡± ¡°Affirmative, I¡¯ll get to it.¡± Luke threw Manager Brown out. Manager Brown was scared to death at their interactions. ¡°Mr. Bailey please let me go! Please spare me!¡± he whimpered in fear. ¡°I admit it, I did it! I won¡¯t do it again¡­! S-Someone offered payment for me to do it!¡± Whatever he said, Charmine and Anthony no longer give two hoots. He missed his chance to right his wrongs. Charmine did not really need his answers; she could already guess what happened. The only people who knew what happened five years ago were herself, Julian, and Tiffany. Julian would not cross her at this point in time, thus the only person left was Tiffany. Tiffany utilized her trauma of five years ago to let her lower her guard and invite Manager Brown into the room. Tiffany must have arranged this carefully just to discredit her. A despicable and shameless move on her part. Anthony looked at Charmine and asked, ¡°Were you looking for him to investigate something?¡± Charmine froze on the spot. It was true; she was investigating something that happened five years ago. Could she tell this to Anthony? It puzzled her why she had this thought, but she did not want Anthony to find out what happened to her. After all, they had only been together for half a year. There was a remaining half year for the contract, and they needed to get along. Otherwise, Momo and Anthony would look at her differently. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Charmine narrowed her eyes and said, ¡°That¡¯d be for me to know and keep. You won¡¯t always intrude my privacy like this, would you, Anthony?¡± her eyes remained at as she uttered her reply with a rather threatening tone.. Anthony sensed that she wanted to keep this private, thus he backed off. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I respect your decision. Whenever you¡¯re ready, you can tell it to me any time.¡± Charmine breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that Anthony was a man of his word. If he promised not to press on further, he would see to it. ¡°Well, thank you forst night,¡± she concluded. ¡°I have an advertisement to shoot. I¡¯ll see youter.¡± Anthony watched as she left the room, his eyes darkening as he did. The entire time he has known Charmine, she was always calm and straightforward. The gaze she held moments ago, however, seemed too cloudy. She was definitely hiding something. What was it that made her all stressed out and unable to express herself? Luke returned and asked, ¡°Chairman, do you want me to look into this?¡± Anthony¡¯s expression darkened, but he merely dismissed him with a simple ¡®no¡¯ and a wave of his hand. He promised that he would respect her privacy; he would hold onto that promise. Instead, he asked, ¡°What happened to McKenzie Houston?¡± Luke sighed. ¡°Nial went to ask in-personst night. McKenzie admitted that she administered the medicine. She was going to go upstairs when a fire broke out in her house whilst her mother was still inside, so she was in a hurry. I went through the situation and found no evidence of it being a lie.¡± 4 In other words, even McKenzie did not know who entered Anthony¡¯s room that night. His eyes darkened. Downstairs, as Charmine arrived at the dressing room, she saw a well-dressed figure inside. Sav The woman wore a long silk halter neck dress, and the pearl-like silk and satin texture made her skin look fair and elegant. To top that off, she had long, slightly curled hair, and it gave her the mor and beauty straight out of a movie. Charmine¡¯s eyes twitched. Why was McKenzie here? Chapter 191 Chapter 191 McKenzie talked to McAmor in a low yet sweet voice. Charmine could not help but think of the rumors between McKenzie and Anthony, which made her feel slightly uneasy. However, she repressed this feeling quickly and walked toward them. As McKenzie happened to be standing at Charmine¡®s makeup desk, Charmine had to politely say, ¡°Excuse me,dies.¡± McAmor nced at her and said, ¡°Charmine is here, Sister. She¡®s our new ambassador for this collection.¡± Though McKenzie did not even nce at Charmine, she continued talking to McAmor, ¡°That¡®s settled, then. You muste to our technology award ceremony in two days.¡± With that, she marched out elegantly without even looking at Charmine or her surroundings, for that matter. Her heels clicked against the floor audibly, the sound resonated and clicked¡® against the hearts of everyone in the vicinity. Everyone looked at her with adoration. McKenzie¡®s temperament was too strong and perfect that, from head to toe, she disyed nothing but perfection. Her skin was fair like milk foam,parable to the delicate porcin made in heaven. This was the first time Charmine had seen someone with such nobleness and elegance; McKenzie¡®s prestige was different from the rest. If one was topare her to the all¨Ctime favorite Tiffany, McKenzie made Tiffany appear rather cheap and inelegant. If one was to liken Tiffany to the holy white lotus cultivated in the greenhouse, then Charmine would beparable to a piranha that endured heavy storms and scorching sun. In this sense, McKenzie would be the phoenix flying over the clouds untouched by dust; elegant and noble. Her kind of elegance and nobleness was cultivated from being pampered by a favorable environment for a long period, a blessing not many could afford to experience. Charmine sat in front of the makeup desk, her eyes narrowed as she did. Perhaps only a perfectly elegant woman like her would be able to match up with Anthony. A woman like Charmine would not appreciate the thing called ¡®love¡® anyway. ¡°Charmine, you have to do your best shooting for the main advertisement video today,¡± said McAmor to Charmine. ¡°My sister had never been so into my work, but when she heard the ambassador was you, she came to have a look.¡± N?velDrama.Org content rights. After what happened yesterday, McAmor had confidence in Charmine, and her tone of voice sounded more reassured and calm. Charmine made a small sound as a reply while her brain digested what she just heard. ¡®Her sister never showed interest but came because of me? McKenzie ignored me entirely, though. Something¡®s up here... After doing her makeup, Charmine and the staff went out early to take some shots at dawn. Meanwhile, Tiffany struggled to get shut¨Ceye. She had been waiting to hear back from Manager Brown. She had prepared the news draft and was ready to expose Charmine¡®s screwed up personal life sleeping with younger men to the world. Although not everyone would believe her, it would content Tiffany so long as it could ruin Charmine even in the slightest. s, after a night of waiting, the only news she heard from Ronnie was that Manager Brown had been dismissed! Anthony did it himself! It was over... All her hard work of nning and her 10 million bucks went down the drain! On the very same day, Charmine¡®s shots in gowns went viral. Charmine in the gown looked utterly attractive and charming in the morning light, and it did not take long before she became the center of discussion again. Argh! No way!¡® Tiffany could not stand it anymore. Now that everyone was paying so much attention to Charmine, her poprity kept on increasing. Tiffany had to pull Charmine down; she had to ruin her completely. Thinking of her n, Tiffany took out her phone and called Julian. Upon picking up the call, Julian monotonously answered, ¡°I¡®m in a meeting. What¡®s the matter?¡± Ever since that fateful day, the day she was punished, Julian continuously gave her the cold shoulder. Tiffany felt ufortable and heartbroken, but she covered her emotions with a sweet and gentle voice, ¡°Julian darling, the reason I called you is to bid you farewell. I¡®ve done so many things recently that I don¡®t even recognize myself anymore. I¡®ve decided to go to the rural area to reflect on myself.¡± ¡°To the rural area?¡± Julian frowned. ¡°You¡®ve never lived outside the city since young. What are you going to do at a ce like that?¡° Chapter 192 Chapter 192 ¡°Now that everyone hates me, I just want some time to myself and do some self¨Creflection. When I¡®m not here, Julian darling has to work hard to get Charmine, alright?¡± Tiffany paused slightly, and continued in an even sweeter voice, ¡°Although Sister had lost her chastity, gave birth, and recently became Anthony¡®s mistress, she¡®s still an amazing person. If you could be with her, even if it¡®s not for her assets, it¡®d be much better than being with me...¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Why would I fall for an unchaste and morally corrupt woman like her?¡± Julian thought of the things Charmine did and felt more disgusted. ¡°When are you leaving? I¡®ll send you off.¡± 1 ¡°You don¡®t have to, Julian darling. Just promise me to take care of yourself, and don¡®t wear yourself out. Even if you don¡®t like Charmine, you still have to fight for her. Her assets will help you greatly and to maintain your status in the Cabell family. Call me if there¡®s anything, I¡®ll support you as always.¡± Tiffany spoke with a very gentle and sweet voice before she hung up, and a proud and satisfied look appeared on her face soon after. ¡®Hah! No man can ever resist a sweet and flirtatious woman! Did Julian think he would fall out of love with me? No way!¡® Tiffany went to pack her bags right after the phone call. It was her new n to go to a rural area, but she would return in glory a month from now. Meanwhile, Julian was confused at what Tiffany had said. She was still trying so hard to help him and support him, yet he had been treating her so coldlytely. Although Tiffany had made many mistakes, she was just trying to help him. Charmine, on the other hand... His gaze fell on a document handed to him by Oliver: Last night, Charmine checked in at Phoenix Hotel while Anthony went before midnight. The two of them spent the night together. Hah! Such a disgraceful woman! She was technically still his fianc¨¦, yet she went to stay the night with another man! So what if she was attractive? She was nothing like Tiffany! Nheless... With his current situation, he needed Charmine¡®s share and diamond mind. After all, Charmine held twenty¨Cfive percent of the Jordan share! Restraining his resistance and disgust, he ordered Oliver, ¡°Prepare some stuff. I¡®m going to Phoenix Hotel.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± At Phoenix Hotel. Anthony had already left when Charmine returned from her morning shooting. Tired, Charmine went straight to the bed to take a nap. Within less than an hour, her doorbell rang, and it sounded urgent. She forced her tired body to the door and peeked through the pigeonhole. She saw Julian¡®s arrogant figure standing outside. This douche again? He actually came? Charmine had zero intentions of opening the door and entertaining him, she knew Julian would ring the bell non¨Cstop. That was Julian. She opened the door and hissed, ¡°What now?!¡±Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Hearing the tone of annoyance, Julian felt more disgusted. How was she everparable to Tiffany? He restrained himself from showing his disdain and said, ¡°I heard you¡®re here for advertisement shooting. I¡®ve brought you some lunch, it¡®s your favorite food.¡± Julian started walking into her room as he spoke, though Charmine blocked him by pressing her hand on the door. She said with an emotionless face, ¡°The room I¡®m staying in doesn¡®t allow stray animals to enter. If you¡®re here just to deliver food, please leave.¡± Her tone was cold and emotionless. Chapter 193 Chapter 193 Julian red at her. ¡°Charmine, you allowed other men toe into your room but rejected m e to come in? Don¡®t you forget that we¡®re still engaged!¡± ¡°Huh? Engaged?¡± Charmine asked as if she had heard the best joke, she looked at him with a mocking gaze. ¡°Did it ever ur to you that we were engaged while you were so close and lovey¨Cdovey with Tiffany? What rights do you have to stand here and interrogate me?¡± ¡°So you¡®re jealous?¡± Julian asked with a hint of proudness and arrogance. He knew Charmine was never over him; she merely pretended to push him away as an act of revenge. Charmine almost puked just by listening to his words. How could a man be so egoistic? Disgusting! Before she could even reply, Julian continued, ¡°Charmine, I¡®m here to reunite with you sincerely. I¡®ve already broken up with Tiffany, and she¡®s gone to a rural area to calm down so that she couldn¡®t stand between us. ¡°I can even get past what happened five years ago. This is the greatest generosity one would give. Do consider my offer, because other than me, nobody else would be willing to marry a woman like you.¡± 2 Charmine frowned. Tiffany had gone to a rural area? A proud person like Tiffany would never go to a rural area without an actual reason! Seeing that she did not respond, Julian thought she was considering his offer and added, ¡°You kept on saying that I¡®m here for your assets. Well, that was me five years ago. Now that five years have passed, with my current assets, why would I look up to your assets? ¡°And think about it: How would Anthony ept your past? He¡®s just ying you, and a woman will eventually want to have her own family. Only I can provide you with that.¡± His words sounded sincere and touching. 1 Charmine¡®s eyes turned darker as she looked at him. ¡°Are you sure you want to reunite with m e? Are you sure that you want to marry me?¡± ¡°I promise.¡± His two words sounded real and sincere. Julian was not lying. Once he married Charmine, he would be able to get hold of her assets. Besides, Charmine was a stunner herself, and although she was no virgin, he could still use her anyway. 1 Tiffany, on the other hand, was always so understanding so she would not mind about this. She would assist him in getting Charmine¡®s assets, too. Charmine knew exactly what was in his mind, but thinking of her own n, she said, ¡°I don¡®t see how sincere you are. If you can pursue me for a month, I¡®ll marry you.¡± ¡°Pursue?¡± Julian frowned as his face darkened. Charmine answered, ¡°Yeah. I hope you don¡®t need me to teach you how to pursue a woman, or did you think that I¡®d marry you right away after your sweet words, without any consideration?¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± replied Julian. How could he miss such an opportunity to make her agree to his proposal? It was only for a month, too. Once he got past it, she would belong to him, and she would be at his disposal! ¡°I¡®ll do as you please,¡± said Julian. ¡°Will you ept this lunch then?¡± Charmine epted the lunch and yawned. ¡°I¡®m still tired, will take a nap now. You go back and start nning, and don¡®t forget to post a tweet about you pursuing me on Twitter.¡± With that, she did not give Julian any chance to reject as she shut the door. Julian was stunned by the door, his brows tightened. Post a tweet on Twitter? This woman wanted the netizens to know! Having agreed to pursue her for a month was already his greatest tolerance, but since the thing had unfolded up at this point, he had no choice but to do as she pleased. He searched for Charmine¡®s profile and sent her a message: [Are you sure that you¡®ll marry me in a month?] (Yes.] One word. Simple and straightforward. With this screenshot, Julian held back his resentment and left the hotel. As he walked, he texted Oliver: [Make up a tweet about love and mention @Charmine.) Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Hmph. Of course he would not scratch his head to make up a tweet to please Charmine. Of course he would leave this to his staff. On the same day, Julian¡®s Twitter ount updated a new tweet: [After so many years, it¡®s still you. @Charmine.) Chapter 194 Chapter 194 Attached to the tweet was an old photo of Julian and Charmine holding hands. Although the photo only showed two hands linked, everyone could tell whose hands they were. (This is Charmine¡®s hand! I can tell with just one look! Only Charmine¡®s hand is this pretty!) (Didn¡®t Julian and Charmine have a century¡®s worth of bet just a while ago? How are they in a rtionship now?] (Huh? This doesn¡®t make sense. Isn¡®t Julian in a rtionship with Tiffany? Why¡®s he pursuing Charmine now?] (ording to sources, Julian and Charmine were together five years ago, and they even got engaged!) [Huh? Is this a long¨Cawaited reunion, then?] [Probably!! They seem to go official!) Asizens came up with many theories and spections, the names of both Julian and Charmine trended on Twitter. At The Pce Heart. The atmosphere in the living room was nothing but tense. Anthony sat on the European styled sofa, his face dark and stiff. Chris sat next to him with a pout, obviously unhappy. It was only after a while when he looked up to ask Anthony, ¡°Daddy, do you think Mommy is falling for that bad guy? She¡®d usually reply or make a clevereback.¡± If things like this were to happen before this, Charmine would have definitely posted a tweet that sounded along the lines of, (Reunite? Never!) Charmine made no response today, however. His software program even showed that Charmine logged onto Twitter one hour ago. Anthony said not a word as his expression darkened. ck! It was at that moment when the door was pushed open, and Charmine walked in. ¡°I¡®m back,¡± she said with a smile as if nothing happened. ¡°Mommy!¡± Chris jumped up, about to run over to her. However, Anthony said, ¡°Momo, go to the study room and do your homework.¡± ¡°Hmm..¡± Chris pouted as he walked away in his tiny legs, turning back every so often as he walked. Charmine sensed that the atmosphere was off, thus after Chris left, she asked, ¡°What¡®s the matter?¡± Anthony did not stand up as his gazended heavily on her. ¡°What¡®s going on between you and Julian?¡± His voice was deep and maic, hinted with displeasure and jealousy. N?velDrama.Org content rights. It was not until then when Charmine finally understood what was going on. He made such a big deal out of Julian? She changed into her indoor¨Cshoes and walked toward him. ¡°I let him pursue me for a month. How do you think Tiffany would feel watching her darling¡® pamper me?¡± So, she did this to agitate Tiffany? Anthony¡®s face lightened up slightly as he asked, ¡°And one monthter?¡± ¡°One monthter? It¡®ll be show¨Ctime a monthter! I¡®ll agree to marry him, and on our wedding day, they¡®ll have to return the thing they owed me for five years!¡± Charmine¡®s lips curled up into a small smirk, and though it was summer, chills could be felt when listening to her bold words. Anthony¡®s tightened brows rxed slightly, although all it took was for her to speak a few words... ¡°Have a good rest,¡± he said in a low and calm voice, ¡°I¡®ll knock on the door when the meal is ready.¡± ¡°No, I¡®m fine, I¡®ll apany Momo,¡± said Charmine as she walked toward the study room. She was scared that Chris would be upset by the news; she did not want him to get ill again. When she entered the study room, she saw Chris reading a report. It was about McKenzie Houston! The report included her biography, her hobbies, her hobbies, and the likes! Charmine frowned. Why was there such a detailed report on McKenzie in Anthony¡®s study room? Chapter 195 Chapter 195 Chris reeled back in shock when he saw Charmine standing beside him. He quickly tossed the report into the drawer and nervously blurted, ¡°Mommy, you... Did you see it?¡± Charmine made a sound of response but did not press on further. She sat beside him andforted him, ¡°Momo, you¡®ve found out about Mommy and the bad guy, right? Don¡®t believe anything that¡®s being said on the inte. It¡®s just part of my n.¡± ¡°Really? So Mommy will be with Daddy forever and ever, and Mommy will never leave Daddy?¡± Chris looked at her, his eyes widened in anticipation. Charmine¡®s being shivered slightly when she heard those words, ¡®forever and ever¡®. Forever? Was there such a thing as ¡®forever? She nned to stay for only three months, however... Of course, Charmine chose to nod and keep her thoughts to herself. ¡°Yeah, don¡®t think too much. Just study well and live happily. Momo will have to grow up healthily, alright?¡± ¡°Yes, yes! Momo will listen to Mommy!¡± Chris nodded enthusiastically, his small face seemingly relieved. Chris carefully eyed Charmine¡®s expression before he cautiously asked, ¡° Mommy, why didn¡®t you ask me what the report was for? It¡®s not Daddy¡®s; it was sent here by Grandpa and Grandpa. ¡°They said that in a month, when it¡®s Grandpa¡®s sixtieth birthday, Grandpa wants to announce the engagement between Daddy and McKenzie...¡± He exined to Charmine honestly, afraid that she might be angry. However, Charmine had expected this and she did not seem to mind. ¡°Don¡®t worry. I¡®m not a narrow¨C minded person. I don¡®t mind.¡± Since she was going to leave them anyway, it did not bother her who Anthony got engaged with. It was not her business to be involved anyway. Chris cuddled in her arms and said worriedly, ¡°But I only like Mommy. I don¡®t like anyone else, I don¡®t want anyone to be my mommy. Momo wants to be with Mommy forever and ever!¡± Chris nuzzled his head further into her arms as he whined. Charmine¡®s softened at this. Sigh¡­ She nned to stay with him for only three months, yet he had nned for a lifetime. Children were simpler than adults. Charmine began to worry about what would happen after three months. Meanwhile, Tiffany had left the Jordan mansion and arrived at a remote town out of the city. She looked at the unappetizing hut in disgust, but she reminded herself of her n. She had to live with it. (Tidy up the house!¡± she called out to Ronnie. ¡°I want to see a clean and tidy house before the sky turns dark!¡± ¡°Yes...¡± Ronnie lowered her head and cleaned swiftly. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Tiffany walked to the more spacious and clean spot, and she took out her phone to pass time a s she waited. She was going to read some news, but she stumbled across the news between Julian and Charmine. The tweet Julian posted was so touching and sincere. He seemed to be serious! She had only arrived at the remote town, yet Julian was so serious about pursuing Charmine? ¡®What if Julian actually falls for her along the way? No, it can¡®t be! Julian is an egoistic man. Why would he want to be with a once¨Craped woman? Also, Charmine is Anthony¡®s mistress!¡® Tiffanyforted herself as she was overwhelmed with insecurities. It seemed that her n had to proceed as soon as possible. At night, she made a new Instagram ount and posted videos of the rural scenery. It included the view of a mountain, water, farnd and people. She also spoke with her soft and gorgeous voice, ¡°Finding peace from within while finding myself. I¡®m here to learn about myself while starting afresh.¡± A well¨Cnned strategy to clean and restore her reputation. Chapter 196 Chapter 196 Tiffany¡®s video did not have that many viewers on Instagram. After all, it was on a new ount, and Instagram housed many more videos that overshadowed hers. At Mile¨CEnd Company... Oliver handed a proposal, a document, to Julian. ¡°Mr. Cabell, here is a proposal arranged by a professional rtionship adviser. He said that if we follow this proposal for a month, Miss Jordan will surely be smitten.¡± Julian went through the proposal, and the contents nauseated him: He had to send ¡®good morning¡® texts in the morning, and good night¡® at night. He had to send her a different bouquet of flowers every day, and fetch her to and from work... The proposal suggested that he made her meals, took care of a pet with her, took her on a vacation... Julian felt sick as he read it. He had done them all with Tiffany, but they happened naturally. Were these missions to him? Moreover, he had to do them to such a disgusting woman, too? With a frown on his face, Julian ticked on some of the suggestions and tossed it back at Oliver. ¡°Use my phone, you¡®ll be in charge of these tasks.¡± ¡°Huh? Mr. Cabell, this doesn¡®t seem right...¡± Oliver blurted. Although he knew Julian was pursuing Charmine for her assets, it still did not seem right to perfunctorily do these things. Furthermore, it was Charmine. How could he coddle up with a bigshot like Charmine? Julian red at him impatiently. ¡°What now? Is there a problem?¡±N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°No, I¡®ll work on it right away.¡± Oliver nodded and left. Julian¡®s gaze fell on the document again, and his brows remained furrowed. Although he had ordered Oliver to care for at least half of the list, there were still other things which were difficult for him to do. Whatever. He would see how Charmine reacted in the next few days before he nned anything else. He thought Charmine would take on this chance to be snarky about it or make it difficult for him. Both he and Oliver never thought that Charmine would be so gentle and cooperative! Although she did not reply to the messages he sent her on WhatsApp, she did ept all the gifts Julian sent to her. No matter if they were snacks, meals or clothes, she epted them all. Furthermore, she did not cause them any trouble in the first half of the month. As the first half of the month passed, Charmine posted on her private ount, (Sometimes, going back to the past isn¡®t a bad thing.) Along with her post, she attached the screenshots of Julian¡®s texts and all the gifts he sent her. It seemed Charmine was moved! Julian smirked arrogantly. Women were so easy to please! All he had to do was reason with the elders of both families and secure the wedding. Charmine¡®s private ount was followed by members of the Jordan family, and some of her¡® close friends¡® included Tiffany. Tiffany sat on a rocking chair and pampered herself with a yellow cucumber mask as she refreshed her Instagram feed, while Ronnie dug up the soil beside her to nt some vegetables. She did not want to go on Twitter so much as she did not want to see how glorious and sessful Charmine was. Thest thing she expected was for Charmine to appear on her Instagram feed, too! Julian had been sending ¡®good¨Cmorning and good¨Cnight¡® texts to Charmine daily, and he even bought her so many expensive gifts! Julian was hers! No¡­ No way! She had to restrain herself, she had to stay determined. One more month to go! She had to endure this painful period. 2 The entire inte was suspecting and doubting Tiffany, so she could not do anything but to remain low¨Ckey. Still, Charmine and Julian¡®s current status was also widely talked about; her parents must have felt sick on her behalf! She scrolled through her contact, about to call Joey when her screen disyed an iing call. It was from Julian. Julian was calling her? Although he did text her in the past few days, he had not called her for quite a while. Had he finally thought of her? Chapter 197 Chapter 197 ted by Julian¡®s call, Tiffany answered the call and said in a sharin¨Csweet voice, ¡°Julian darling...¡± ¡°Tiffany, how are you getting on there?¡± Julian asked, voice somewhat concerned. Tiffany eyed her surroundings, at the mosquitoes that flew around her, before she replied, ¡° I¡®m quite well, Julian darling. Don¡®t worry about me. How are you?¡± Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. ¡°The reason I called is to tell you something,¡± said Julian. ¡°Charmine promised me half a month ago, saying that if I pursue her for a month, she¡®ll marry me.¡± ¡°Marry you? Really?¡± Tiffany could not control her voice and nearly screamed out loud. Although she did not like the idea of Julian pursuing Chamine, she loved the idea of them getting married! Once they got married, with Charmine¡®s personality, she would quit the entertainment industry for Julian and would end up as an ugly house¨Cwife. She might even give all her assets to Julian willingly! By the time Tiffany married Julian, she would be the wife of the wealthiest man in the world! Julian thought that Tiffany was happy for him, so he continued, ¡°I have some screenshots with me, and judging by her Instagram, it seems that she¡®s touched. ¡°The reason I called you is that I hope you¡®d be able to convince your family to ept this marriage and make this happen quickly.¡± Tiffany¡®s heart sank a little. The reason Julian called was to ask her to help them get married? A s Tiffany thought more about it, she realized how forced and casual they¨Cher and Julian sounded. She repressed her sadness and continued in an understanding tone, ¡°Julian darling, don¡®t you worry. I promised to help you make this happen, and I¡®ll keep my promise. I¡®ll call Momter and convince them to agree to this marriage.¡± ¡°You¡®re the best, Tiffany. Don¡®t worry, once I got hold of her assets, I won¡®t let you down,¡± said Julian with a sweet and gentle tone. Tiffany¡®s lips curled up a little, and they exchanged a few more nausea¨Cinducing sweet words before the call ended. In an instant, the smile on her lips faded and was reced with a mocking smile. Julian used to say things like, ¡®Once I got hold of her assets, I¡®ll marry you and give you a fancy wedding, and a future with love. This call ended with a mere, ¡®I won¡®t let you down.¡¯ Had his promise to marry her be a duty of sorts? Had his love changed? It appeared that Tiffany had to make another n just in case. She took out a diary from her suitcase and started writing with a pen. Once she jotted down some things, she phoned Joey. Joey¡®s caring voice came out from her phone, ¡°Tiffany, how are you out there? Why didn¡®t you call me in the past few days? Do you know how worried your dad and I are?¡± ¡°Mom, I¡®m sorry to have worried you. I only wanted to reflect on my own and to clear my mind. Please don¡®t be worried about me, I¡®m doing fine, and I¡®ll take care of myself,¡± assured Tiffany with her sweet¨C girl voice. Joey sighed in worry. ¡°You¡®ve never left the house this long before. I¡¯m really worried about you, and I¡¯m worried that you might do silly things on your own.¡± ¡°Why don¡®t youe home? Everyone¡®s forgotten about what happened, and your Grandpa had also ordered that nobody could talk about it. No one will hold it against you.¡± ¡®Huh? No one will hold it against me? Why don¡®t they return the ten percent share back to me! Tiffany fumed to herself, though she kept herposure as she calmly replied, ¡°I can¡®t forgive myself, Mom, even if everyone forgives me. I¡®ll be sure to self¨Creflect thoroughly this month, don¡®t worry. ¡°I¡®m actually calling you in hopes that you¡®d be able to convince Charmine to rekindle her rtionship with Julian.¡± 1 ¡°What? Tiffany, are you out of your mind? Don¡®t you like Julian?¡± asked Joey in shock. Chapter 198 Chapter 198 ¡°It¡®s because I love him, Mom,¡± said Tiffany, ¡°and that¡®s why I wish only to make him happy. His heart is with Charmine¡®s, and forcing him to be with me will pain him and make him hate me. Also, their arrangement had been arranged since young. I¡®ve always been the third wheeler...¡± ¡°Don¡®t be silly. Don¡®t talk about yourself this way! Julian¡®s the inconsiderate one here for having eyes for Charmine while he¡®s supposed to be with you! Your dad even warned him about it, but he didn¡®t listen to it!¡± Joey said furiously. Even if it was okay for him to leave Charmine five years ago, he should not have ditched Tiffany regardless of how sessful or powerful he was! Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Tiffany hastily exined, ¡°Mom, you¡®ve mistaken about Julian darling. I was the one who broke up with him, and I¡®ve thought this through for some time. ¡°Imitted such an atrocity to Charmi?e. Nobody cared for her even back then, other than Julian. Even if I don¡®t have Julian darling, I still have Dad and Mom. ¡°That¡®s why I¡®m willing to let Charmine have Julian darling. It¡®s only by watching her happy will I feel less guilty. ¡°Furthermore, we all know about Charmine¡®s past. Other than Julian darling, nobody would want to marry her. Therefore, I¡®m willing to give up and let her have him.¡± Her words were so kind and understanding. Joey listened while feeling pleased and sorry for her. ¡°Tiffany, having a daughter like you is my blessing. I¡®ll find you a much better suitor.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mom.¡± On the same night, Joeymented on Charmine¡®s post, (If you really want to rekindle your rtionship, your sister has agreed. We can see that you and Julian had quite the history together.] On the other hand, Senior Jordan sent Charmine a message that read, (I think you and Julian should pick a date to host the wedding party.] Meanwhile, at The Pce Heart, Charmine was practicing yoga with Chris. Yoga would benefit Chris in handling his illness; yoga could soothe one¡®s body and calm one¡®s emotions after all. It was then when Anothy saw Charmine¡®s phone lit up. He nced at it and noted the messages from Joey and Senior Jordan. Even Julian sent her a message, and it read, (Charmine, your parents have already approved of our wedding. Are you satisfied with my behavior in the past half month? There¡®s only half a month more to go, so if you agree, I¡®ll start nning for our wedding.) Anthony knew Charmine was merelyying out traps to snag her prey, but he could not repress his jealousy as Julian texted her and sent her gifts. Even the Jordan family started pestering her to marry him. Was Julian wanting to n for their wedding? He threw a displeased gaze at Chris, and the boy Chris¡ªwho was sitting on the yoga mat while listening to music¨Ccaught onto his father¡®s look. Chris hastily palmed his tummy and whimpered, ¡°Waa... Mommy, my tummy is painful! I need to run to the toilet, I¡®ll be back in a while!¡± Chris shot up and instantly ran away in his short legs without waiting for Charmine¡®s reply. Charmine smiled helplessly, thinking that Chris was running away to ck off. Of course, Charmine had to continue her yoga. After all, something big was about to happen, not to mention the mid¨Cyear supermodels¡® Night of Glory. She aimed to win all major awards on that night, just to throw Tiffany off with anger and jealousy! As she stood on the yoga mat, Charmine raised one leg and made both legs 180 degrees apart. She pulled at her raised leg as she stood on the other, with one arm stretched out to bnce her body. This was to maintain her posture and temperament. However, as she had not practiced this yoga¡®s dancer¡®s pose for too long, her core was unstable and she started staggering to her right. Just when she thought she was about to fall onto her yoga mat, a strong pair of hands held ont o her waist! Chapter 199 Chapter 199 Charmine turned back and saw Anthony behind her. She did not know when Anthony had walked behind her. The man wore his home¨Cclothes, which made him seem less cold and more refined and elegant. She fell backward into his arms; her head arched back as his hands were still sped at her waist. She was wearing a yoga top and tight yoga pants... Charmine hastily rposed herself when she noted that Anthony¡®s grip was so tight, unwilling to let her go. She frowned. ¡°Mr.Bailey?¡± Anthony asked in a stern voice, ¡°Are you really going to marry Julian?¡± ¡°Yes. Didn¡®t I tell you before? It¡®s a fake wedding, and it won¡®t happen as nned,¡± said Charmine. Anthony¡®s frown never left his face. ¡°This is quite a serious matter in your hands. Do you want to gamble on such a risky thing?¡± His voice was deep with a hint of displeasure. Charmine was starting to feel sore from her backward arching pose, so she pushed his arms away with all her strength and exined, ¡°I don¡®t think it¡®s such a serious matter. It¡®s just a strategy.¡± She sounded casual, though Anthony looked serious. ¡®Using such a serious matter as a strategy?? ¡°Charmine, just say the word, and I¡®ll solve whatever it is you¡®re facing.¡± She did not have to use this as a strategy! Charmine eyed the man next to her. ¡°Mr. Bailey, you have to remember one thing: You can use your resources to settle everything in the world except for the hearts of people. Besides, don¡®t you forget that when we signed the contract, we did agree to not get involved with each other¡®s private life. I hope you can keep your end of the bargain.¡± With that, Charmine pushed him away and left. Anthony¡®s eyes darkened as he watched her retreating form. N?velDrama.Org content rights. When Charmine walked past the sofa, she saw her phone lit up. She picked it up and replied to Julian: [Yes. You may start arranging for the wedding, but I want it big and fancy. You have to announce this to the world.) The moment Julian read her text, he tried toe up with an excuse to convince her to keep it simple. What he had in mind was to get the certificate and call it done. He did not expect to receive a request like this! (Charmine, everyone¡®s more into keeping it simple these days. Also, aren¡®t you busy? Hosting a big ceremony would take up many days.) [Don¡®t worry, I¡®ll cope with it.] Charmine replied. Julian¡®s face darkened. She was still so arrogant and bold not long ago; it only took her half a month to be so impatient about marrying him! Hah! She was just as he predicted. Disgusting! When they received the certificate, he would make her pay dearly. Julian replied with a text that read, (Sure, I¡®ll start nning.) Once that was done, Charmine then texted Eric, (In the next half of the month, get me shootings or events that only take up half a day.] Eric: [You¡®re busy?] Charmine: (Yeah, wedding.) Eric: [With Anthony?] Charmine: [Of course not! Do you think Anthony would marry me? It¡®s with Julian, and you know why.] When Eric received her text, he frowned in confusion before realizing what it was about. (You¡®re stirring things again?] Charmine¡®s red lips curled up. (Yes! Stay tuned!) Charmine would make both Julian and Tiffany pay at the wedding ceremony! She put down her phone and saw Chris walking out. While she had told Chris beforehand of what was happening, things might turn moreplicated. Charmine thought it was best tofort Chris and reassure him. Chapter 200 Chapter 200 She beckoned Chris over with a wave of her hand. ¡°Momo,e here.¡± ¡°Mommy!¡± Chris jumped into her arms like a little pet as he looked up at her with his doe eyes. ¡°Mommy, are we done with practice today?¡± Although the moves were simple, he wanted to sleep and eat. Sleep, and eat... Charmine ruffled his tiny head. ¡°Look at you, you can¡®t always be sozy! You need to exercise for at least twenty minutes per day. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. ¡°Still, we¡®re done for the day. Mommy needs to tell you one thing: In the following half of the month, I¡®ll be going out with that bad guy, and we¡®ll even discuss our wedding. ¡°Momo has to remember that this is just Mommy¡®s n, it¡®s not real. On the wedding day, Mommy will let the bad guy and the bad woman embarrass themselves in public and make them pay for what they did to me. Therefore, Momo doesn¡®t have to be sad and worried. You can¡®t wear out your body, alright?¡± ¡°Okay! Okay! Momo likes to see Mommy fighting little monsters! Momo will support Mommy fully!¡± Days passed and Charmine had tried on wedding gowns and hairstyles. Thankfully, Julian was always busy and disliked her enough to excuse himself from being involved. It made things easier for Charmine. Nheless, paparazzi caught her trying wedding gowns and hairstyles, and the rumors of her wedding with Julian was viral on the inte that many fans directly messaged her to know the truth. Even people like Kay, Simon Gray, and other bigshots came forward to find out more. Charmine had a thought, and decided to post a tweet that read, (Giving up my career, all for you.] She attached the tweet with a photo of her trying on a wedding gown. This went viral! The Diamond Boss gave up on her shootings and advertising jobs all for Julian, for their wedding! The wealthiest woman in the country was marrying Julian Cabell! The couple was handsome and gorgeous respectively, andizens were looking forward to this with wishes and pleasant words. Everyone looked forward to the marriage of the wealthiest. At the Baileys¡® study room. Nial rushed into the office and anxiously blurted, ¡°Bro, are you not doing anything? Charmine is really getting engaged! And it¡®s with Julian Cabell! They¡®re official!¡± Anthony nced at her feed. If he did not know about her n, he would have been so furious. As he looked back at it, as he knew all her ns, his lips curled into a smirk. ¡°Not too bad.¡± ¡®Not too bad? ¡°Bro? Are you having a fever? Are you ill?¡± Nial reached out to feel Anthony¡®s forehead. Anthony threw a cold nce over at him and tossed him an invitation card. ¡°Remember to enjoy the show.¡± ¡®Enjoy the show? Nial frowned. What show was there to enjoy? This did not add up. Instead of rushing over to fight for Charmine, Anthony gave him an invitation card to their wedding? He was even asking him to enjoy the show¡®! Nial then noted Chris fiddling with his device, seemingly unperturbed. ¡°Momo, what¡®s up with your father? Has he gone crazy? Wait a minute... Why are you so calm as well?¡± ¡°Uncle Nial, don¡®t you worry. Daddy is right: There will be a good show, so just remember to attend,¡± Chris reassured him as if he was a little adult. Slowly yet gradually, Nial understood something. ¡°You¡®re all aware that this is part of Charmine¡®s n? Is she nning something again?¡± Anthony did not speak while Chris merely nodded. Nial instantly sat beside Chris and asked, ¡°She¡®s officially announced her wedding with Julian. What n could there be? You¡®ve got to tell me, Momo! I¡®ll treat you to ice¨Ccream!¡± ¡°I¡®m sorry, Uncle Nial. I¡®ve promised Mommy to not tell her n to anyone,¡± Chris said with a serious look. This made Nial even more curious. They did this to himst time, and they were doing it again? Why did they have to poke his curiosity every time? He threatened, ¡°Momo, if you don¡®t tell me, Uncle Nial won¡®t treat you as my nephew!¡± ¡°That¡®s okay, as long as I¡®ve Mommy!¡± replied Chris with a huge grin. ¡°!!!¡± It was okay that his very own brother kept this from him, but his own nephew was keeping it from him! Great! He really could not wait till the wedding day and see what trick Charmine had up her sleeve! Chapter 201 Chapter 201 Within the next half of the month, the media were caught up with digging up more information about the marriage between two famous persons from their wedding ring, to their wedding gowns, their ceremony hotel, venue, and everything else in between. One was the wealthiest woman in the country while the other was the verified ¡®National Husband¡¯ who was the handsomest young chairman. It was only natural their wedding ns attracted the public¡¯s attention! While everyizen anticipated their wedding of the year, Tiffany¡¯s private ount started to gain poprity. She posted around 20 videos on her new ount, and each video had its deep content and meanings. Some disyed her tidying the messy house on her own and transformed the dirty hub into an artistic space. Others consisted of her nting some vegetables, digging the soil, o reven visiting the remote neighborhood and harvesting the corn with the female farmers. The videos showed that she did everything on her own, all while she was dressed inly and simply. She even showed up without makeup, appearing like an innocent next-door-neighbor kind of girl. In a month¡¯s time, she gained 70 million followers! ¡®My Fairy Tiffany¡¯ became the most searched word on Instagram, and her ount went viral. (OMG! I couldn¡¯t tell this is Tiffany! Her outlook is so humble and down-to-earth!] (She¡¯s nothing like those celebrities who pose for likes! Tiffany actually does things with her own hands!) (Look at her outlook: she has sweat all over her face. This is so real, and it¡¯s apparent she didn¡¯t fake this!) (Her nude and evildoings went viral, and she couldn¡¯t take on any job! Of course she went to the rural area to pretend!] (The person above me, why don¡¯t you go and ¡®pretend¡¯ yourself if you can?] (Exactly! One day is easy to pretend, but can you pretend consecutively for a month?] (She regretted her mistake sincerely! Don¡¯t look at her with prejudice. Will ruining her make you happier?) Thements were all filled with praises and adorations. Whenever someone questioned her doings, otherizens defended her. Thus, Tiffany transformed from the evil and fake woman into the simple and realistic¡¯ fairy-like girl. Time flew by, and it was the night before the wedding ceremony. While Joey herself went to fetch Tiffany, they also invited Charmine home to discuss some arrangements. Julian had been fetching Charmine to and from work for the past few days. She always went back to Violet Vi and did not let anyone know about her living with Anthony. Julian eyed Charmine with the rearview mirror. Although they had spent more time together for the whole month, Charmine never once sat at the passenger¡¯s seat nor did she attempt to even hold his hand. At unease, Julian asked, ¡°Tomorrow is the wedding ceremony, and all well-known families areing. Are you really ready?¡± Charmine made a soft reply and continued sitting with her eyes closed at the backseat. Julian hated this cold and unruly look of hers. She was the one begging him to marry her and even requested him to make a big deal out of it. She should wipe off that arrogant self of hers before him! Nheless, he should probably repress his anger for one more day, for tomorrow night, she would be begging him below him. She would do his every bidding! The car pulled over at the Jordan family¡¯s mansion. When Julian got out of the car, he reached out his hand at Charmine. He figured he had to at least make an effort before them. Charmine hesitated for a moment before noticing a familiar figure in the living room. Her red lips curled up as she hooked her arms around his. The gesture was formal and was often seen a t formal events when a woman hooked her arm around the man¡¯s. It showed no particr affection. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Still¡­ Tiffany was in the living room, and she was surrounded by family members with concern. ¡°Tiffany, you promised me to take good care of yourself,¡± fretted Joey with a heartbroken voice. ¡°Look at your scar, and the blisters on your hand! You¡¯re the heiress of the Jordan family! How could you let this happen?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve treated you as my precious daughter since you were young, and even when I¡¯m holding you, I¡¯m afraid of causing any harm to you. You, however, went to a remote area and lived all b y yourself? Did you consider how that made me feel as your father?¡± said Adam as he was overridden with anguish. Chapter 202 Chapter 202 Tiffany hung her head low. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Dad, Mom, Grandpa, and all my loved ones. I¡¯m sorry to have worried you. All I wanted to do was to repent and repent.¡± ¡°Even if you want to repent, you don¡¯t have to go to such ces. Who hasn¡¯t made a mistake before? I¡¯ve long forgiven you,¡± muttered Joey as she applied the medicine on her scar. Everyone sighed. Everyone admired what Tiffany did, and that included Senior Jordan as he seemed pleased to see Tiffany back home. Out of everyone in their family, Tiffany was the only one who would live a humble life alone in a remote and rural area. Moreover, her action earned the respect and admiration of many that even resulted in the family shares going up. Tiffany enjoyed everyone¡¯s greetings and concerns; she was satisfied. It was then, however, when the maid announced, ¡°Ms. Jordan, Mr. Cabell.¡± Everyone looked over to see Julian and Charmine walking in side by side. Charmine¡¯s arm was hooked with Julians, and he had a gentle grip on her hand. The good-looking power couple that seemed to be made for one another. They exuded such brilliance that even the glimmering stars in the sky dulled in comparison. Tiffany¡¯s eyes twitched vigorously, her heart needled in pain as she was overwhelmed with jealousy and anger. Charmine and Julian were so close and sweet with one another! Julian was even touching her hand! Although Julian cheated with her, he had never been seen with another woman. Also, he was always so well-behaved for the past few years. Why was he so close with Charmine?! When the couple walked into the living room, Charmine secretly nced at Tiffany and gave her a smirk only she could see pained? Suffering? Hah. That was meant to be! Charmine then looked at Tiffany with a questioning gaze. ¡°Tiffany, when did youe back? Why didn¡¯t you tell us earlier so Jul and I could pick you up?¡± Jul? She called him Jul?! Julian¡¯s body jolted slightly as a weird feeling caught him off-guard. This drove Tiffany crazy. He was still her man. Hers! Charmine was obviously showing off in front of her. However painful it was, Tiffany could not show it. She had to repress herself. Luckily, Joey changed the topic. ¡°Charmine, Tiffany went to the rural area because of you. She didn¡¯t want toe back, and she only returned when I told her it¡¯s your wedding tomorrow. Please tell her that you forgive her, and ask her to never go back to such ces again.¡± Joey felt like her heart was repeatedly stabbed and bled profusely when she thought of poor Tiffany going to such a run-down area. Charmine gave Tiffany a once-over. Tiffany had indeed gotten prettier in just a month, and her skin was fair and wless like porcin. Did she look like she had a rough time at all? Only brainless people like Joey would believe her! Charmine chose to keep that a secret. Instead, she replied, ¡°I¡¯ve let it go a long time ago. Actually, I¡¯m even grateful that you returned Jul to me. To show my gratitude, I¡¯d like to ask you to be my bridesmaid.¡± Bridesmaid? Was Charmine genuinely asking Tiffany to be her bridesmaid? Tomorrow¡¯s ceremony would be filled with people of importance, and they heard that even the Bailey men might show up along with hundreds of paparazzi! If she could be the bridesmaid, she would gain so much attention and poprity! How would Charmine be so nice to her? N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Tiffany looked at her suspiciously. ¡°Charmine, are you sure? Are you not angry with me anymore? Are you really willing to let me be your bridesmaid?¡± ¡°Of course! I even got you a gown for being the bridesmaid!¡± chirped Charmine and made a gesture. Her assistant, April-who was arranged by Anthony-walked in with a box. She then handed it to Tiffany. Tiffany epted the box, and a small frown appeared as she saw what was inside the box. Chapter 203 Chapter 203 In the box sat a bridesmaid¡¯s gown, and it was specially made for her. It was a strapless gown made of silk, and the material was so light that it would flutter in the air. Still, it was in a light coffee-brown color, and that was Tiffany¡¯s least favorite color! Also, this shade of brown would make a person¡¯s skin tone appear yellowish. A person would surely look cheap and dull in it! Tiffany understood why Charmine was unusually nice; she wanted to make her as the bridesmaid to dress her up in an ugly gown. Nheless, how could Tiffany miss out on such a n opportunity to make it to the front cover page? She pretended to be grateful and touched. ¡°Thank you, Charmine! You¡¯re so considerate. I¡¯ll b e your bridesmaid tomorrow, and I¡¯ll bless you.¡± ¡°Hmph. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll see you tomorrow at Hilton Hotel, nine in the morning,¡± said Charmine. The reason why Joey asked Charmine to visit the Jordan family¡¯s mansion was for her to tell Tiffany she had forgiven her, so that Tiffany would never go to that kind of ce again. Joey, once she heard Charmine¡¯s words of approval, was pleased. Joey then spoke to Charmine, ¡°You sisters should continue to help each other like this so people won¡¯t make fun of you. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. Charmine, there¡¯ll be lots of people in the entertainment industry at your wedding, so remember to introduce them to your sister.¡± Tiffany did not fare well as ofte. Without Veronica to help her secure roles, many of the resources were taken by others. Even though Tiffany¡¯s Instagram ount was gaining poprity, she still could not return to her prime. Charmine¡¯s lips curled up. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll help Tiffany tomorrow.¡± Her words were iid with meanings yet nobody heard her. Even though Tiffany felt something was off, she did not seem to care. She just had to be on her toes during tomorrow¡¯s ceremony, and Charmine would not be able to do anything to her. Besides, even if Charmine did not help her, she could still secure many of the opportunities herself. The Bailey men were attracted by Charmine; they might as well be attracted to her¡­ Everyone had their thoughts and ns in mind. With the anticipation of everyone, the wedding day had arrived. Hilton Hotel was overfilled with guests even as early in the morning. Security guards were maintaining order whilst reporters shuttled among them, shooting and live-streaming the event. The hotel lobby was decorated and made into a dream-like, forest-themed wedding: There were flower arches, green nts that led the path, white jasmine flowers, et cetera. The scenery looked ethereal and pleasing to the eye. This was not the style Charmine liked, though it was Tiffany¡¯s favorite style! This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Tiffany had envisioned her wedding with Julian countless times, and it consisted of her favorite jasmine flowers, the most beautiful champagne tower, the prettiest wedding cake¡­ She never thought that this woulde true at Charmine and Julian¡¯s wedding. The moment she arrived with Joey and the rest at the hotel gate, she waspletely stunned: A red carpet covered the road with nine jasmine flower arches that extended all the way to the hotel¡¯s entrance. The setting was luxurious and beautiful. Her envy almost drove her crazy, but paparazzi were everywhere around her as they bombarded them with questions. ¡°Mr. Jordan, is Charmine and Julian¡¯s sh wedding due to a business agreement?¡± ¡°Ms. Tiffany Jordan, you¡¯ve been in a rtionship with Julian for five years. How do you feel now?¡± Although there these kinds of questions were asked, the reporters that Tiffany had arranged beforehand managed to change the focus of the questions. ¡°Ms. Tiffany, is it true that you went to Bicester Vige to help the vigers there?¡± ¡°ording to the captions of your posts, are you repenting for the things that Veronica had done?¡± ¡°Did you expect to gain seventy million followers within a month?¡± ¡°Recently your fans made you a nickname as the ¡®Little Vige Girl¡¯. What do you feel about that?¡± 1 All the questions were directed at Tiffany, as though she was the star of the show. Chapter 204 Chapter 204 Surrounded by paparazzi, Tiffany reveled in the spotlight she was once used to. She answered the questions elegantly, ¡°The video clips are all true. If you still don¡¯t believe me, kindly have a look at the cuts on my hands.¡± As she spoke, she showed the blisters in her palms to the cameras and continued, We¡¯ve all done things we¡¯re not proud of in the past, no matter if it was my manager or even myself. I went to the vige to experience the most authentic way of living in hopes of cleansing my soul, and I also hope that I can help more people in need. ¡°As for the followers of my new ount, it¡¯s not something I care too much of. All I care about is for my sister and all my supporters to forgive me. I¡¯ll work hard in the future and be the role model that everyone could look up to.¡± Tiffany¡¯s words were elegant and dignified. Some paparazzi were live-streaming her, andizens sent comments that praised her. One had to admit that Tiffany had an innocent and harmless face. Her eyes were clear like the spring water, without a trace of impurity. This kind of woman could easily gain the understanding and adoration of everyone; everyone had long forgotten all the bad things she had done. Joey was truly satisfied with Tiffany¡¯s attitude and thinking. She held onto her arm and walked into the hotel. It was then when a reporter rushed over and he enthusiastically said, ¡°Ms. Tiffany, nice to meet you. I¡¯m a reporter for Gxy News. Everyone¡¯s wondering the same thing right now: How do you feel about this wedding? You¡¯ve been with Julian for five years, but we¡¯re hearing that you¡¯re the bridesmaid today. How do you feel about this? Please, please answer this question. Ten million fans of yours are really intrigued!¡± he sounded utterly humble that it was very hard to reject his question. Joey was worried that Tiffany might be upset so she gently tugged at her daughter, ready to leave. Tiffany, however, halted her step and answered his question generously, ¡°Thank you for your concern, everyone. What you all didn¡¯t know was that my sister, Charmine and Julian had a marriage arrangement since young, and they only separated when Charmine went to Africa to heal her disease. In the past five years, all I did was help Charmine take care of Julian. They¡¯re the ones that are meant for one another, and they have my full blessing with sincerity.¡± 1 With that, Tiffany nodded politely before marching into the hotel in haste, and all eyes were filled with awe and respect for Tiffany. She could attend her ex-boyfriend¡¯s wedding and bless him sincerely. This was no easy feat! On the inte, whether it was pre-arranged or genuinely captivating, the most-searched topics were as followed: This is from N?velDrama.Org. #No.1-supermodel-was-just-a-recement #Tiffany-gave-her-all-for-five-years-and-left-sadly #Attending-ex¡¯s-wedding-smiling Many articles painted Tiffany as the harmless and wantless little girl who gave her best to Julian for five years, even though she knew she was a temporary recement. On his wedding day, all she could do was watch her beloved get married. All she could do was bless them with a smile. These stories did work on many teenagers, and they were all touched by her. [This is so painful to read. My angel went to the vige not only to repent but also to heal her broken heart.] (She gave her all for five years, and when the main woman came back, she had to give way. Sigh.) [If it was me and my ex is getting married, I¡¯d be nice if I don¡¯t go and ruin things. Tiffany actually attended with a smile. That takes guts!) Inside the makeup room, April handed the phone to Charmine and said in a straight voice,¡± These hot- picks are probably all bought by Tiffany. Do you want to get rid of them?¡± Charmine took a nce and said coldly, ¡°No.¡± This was exactly what she needed. The higher Tiffany climbed, the harder she would fallter. She wanted Tiffany to experience the fall from the sky to hell again. She would make sure Tiffany would never be able to get back on her feet! Chapter 205 Chapter 205 April was an assistant that Anthony arranged for Charmine: cautious, skilled, and a very good assistant. Nheless, even the cold and quiet April was confused about why Anthony would like Charmine. Since Charmine said ¡®no¡¯, April did not insist on the matter and left to get other things done. When Tiffany walked into the makeup room, she saw Charmine sitting in front of the makeup desk as hairstylists worked on her hair. Her gown had a long tail with a silky candlelight-like texture and had shortntern sleeves. She looked like the well-known fairytale princess, Snow White. This wedding gown was the ¡®Sun-Snow Anniversary Collection of a well-known designer brand, and it was Tiffany¡¯s favorite design! Tiffany had once said to Julian that on their wedding day, she had to wear this wedding gown, yet Charmine was ironically wearing this same dress. Furthermore, the entire wedding nning and ceremony cost Julian at least a billion bucks. He went through all the trouble for Charmine. Why did he not consider her feelings?! When Charmine saw Tiffanying in, she dismissed the stylists as she spoke, ¡°It¡¯s fine now, have some rest.¡± The stylists left, leaving the two of them in the room, Charmine looked at Tiffany and smiled faintly. ¡°Do you think Julian will like how I look like today?¡±. Tiffany clenched her fists. Of course he would! Charmine was too gorgeous: Her skin was fair, woman would hate her out of jealousy. Her kind of beauty would not only drive Julian crazy; all the men in the world would fall head over heels for her! In contrast, Tiffany¡¯s bridesmaid costume was mediocre to the extreme,pletely reducing tiffany bit back her anger with all her might, but as she was about to speak, Charmine continued, ¡°Are you jealous? You should be. I told you that I¡¯ll be taking back everything that belongs to me: the fifteen percent share, the love of my parents, and even Julian!¡± Charmine stood up and walked toward Tiffany, one step at a time. ¡°You and Julian are still eyeing my assets, right? Did you think Julian will destroy me and marry you? Ha-ha-ha! You¡¯re too na?ve! ¡°If Julian chooses to give up on you, he¡¯ll instantly be the Diamond Boss¡¯ husband, enjoying all the glory and luxury. However, if he chose to be with you, he¡¯d have to kill me to get my assets. ¡°Do you think Julian will risk his life for you? Do you think he¡¯d do such a thing for an adopted daughter who¡¯s worth a ten percent share like you?¡± Charmine insulted her with a soft and ice -cold tone. Tiffany jolted as she listened to Charmine¡¯s backhanded threat, her face turned pale. Tiffany was often so confident with Julian¡¯s every decision back then since Charmine in the past was ugly and useless, with nothing on her. However, the Charmine who stood before her was too amazing, with so much wealth and beauty¡­ Recently, Julian did not treat her with as much enthusiasm as before, and he was a rational man. How could he kill this Diamond Boss just for her? Charmine patted her shoulder. ¡°Dear, dear Tiffany, take a good look at how Julian looks at me. Look at how he¡¯spletely charmed by me. I¡¯ll make him fall for me wholeheartedly.¡± With that, she pulled open the heavy European-styled door and marched out of the room.This is from N?velDrama.Org. Coincidentally, Julian was walking toward her-looking for her to confirm some things-but did not expect her toe out of the makeup room. He stopped dead in his tracks as his usually dark and serious eyes twinkled in awe and respect. Charmine was way too beautiful. Her white pearly wedding dress made her grand and gentle, a sif Snow White came out of her ancient European-styled castle. Julian¡¯s heart raced all too quickly, and he could not help it. He had never seen any woman who was this stunningly beautiful. It was only after a while that he snapped out of his trance and walked toward her. ¡°Is everything ready? The ceremony starts in an hour,¡± Julian asked in such a gentle tone he never knew he had in him. 1 Charmine gave a soft answer but frowned. ¡°My shoes don¡¯t seem to fit, they need to be tightened. I almost fell just now.¡± As she spoke, she gently reached out her feet from under her long gown. They were a pair of whiteced shoes. Although Charmine was 1.7 meters tall, her feet were only sized 36; tiny yet adorable. Chapter 206 Chapter 206 Thece did seem loose; it might even dislodge from her feet if she walked. When Julian saw the loose lace, he instinctively bent down to help her tighten it. Charmine turned her face slightly as she looked at Tiffany with a smirk, mocking and provoking. Tiffany reeled back in shock, her eyes filled with pain and jealousy she could no longer repress. She saw the look on Julian¡¯s face when he saw Charmine, and she saw how gentle he was with Charmine. Furthermore, he even knelt on one knee to help Charmine tie her shoce! This was not the Julian she once knew, not the one who used to love her and only her! Julian did not even look at her in the bridesmaid gown today! Of course, Julian did not realize any of this. After fastening Charmine¡¯s shoce, he stood up.¡± Your gown is too long, it¡¯s dangerous to walk in it. Please be careful today. There are many guests present, and we can¡¯t let anything go wrong.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll go down and have a look,¡± said Charmine as she lifted the tail of her gown and elegantly made her way down the stairs. Even if it was only her silhouette, it was still mesmerizingly beautiful and stunning. Julian¡¯s mind was overwhelmed with so many thoughts. Was this wonderful woman his wife she did not seem as disgusting as before. Somehow, he started epting her¡­ If they could be a real husband and wife¡­ On the other hand, Charmine¡¯s lips curled into a smirk as she felt his lingering gaze on her. ¡°Julian, Tiffany, wait for your reputation to be ruined today! On the first floor of the hotel, the upper-ss guests were socializing with one another with champagne sses in their hands. It was an atmosphere saturated with grandiose and luxury. ¡°The Baileys are here!¡± someone suddenly called out among the crowd. N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°What? The Baileys? As in Mr. Nial Bailey?¡± Nial Bailey was more active at socializing; he would sometimes attend some functions and events. Someone then replied, ¡°Not Nial Bailey, no! Nial Bailey is here too, but there¡¯s another Baileying with him!¡± ¡°Another Bailey? Are you possibly talking about Anthony Bailey?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s him! They¡¯re at the entrance of the hotel. I saw them with my eyes!¡± ¡°Dear me! How could it be? Anthony Bailey never attended any event. He¡¯s barely seen in the events hosted by his own family!¡± ¡°I remember that he only attends some international events, and it¡¯s always with internationally acimed men like himself! He¡¯d never attend events like this!¡± ¡°Well, he¡¯s here anyway! Have a look yourself!¡± With that, everyone turned to look toward the hotel¡¯s entrance. On the red carpet under the arch, three figures strode forward as they exuded an innate coldness and nobleness, especially Anthony. Although he walked behind Nial and even held Chris in his hand, he still emitted the kind of regalness and prominence that dulled the grand hotel inparison. Nial, who was usually respected by everyone, seemed like a backdrop walking with Anthony. Everyone was awestruck, and even all the heiress of the wealthy families were breathlessly flushing red with their heart pumping rapidly. Anthony merely walked without sparing a nce at the people around him, as if his surroundings were dirt that was not worth his attention. Upon entering the lobby, his gaze fell on a staircase not far from him. A figure stood by the staircase. Chapter 207 Chapter 207 Charmine was walking down the stairs when she saw Anthony walking into the lobby. Although Anthony was only dressed in a suit, his suit was more formal than the ones he usually wore. It only took one short nce to send Charmine¡¯s heart into a pumping frenzy. Why was he attending the ceremony? If anyone found out about her rtionship with Anthony Anthony was looking at her, too. She seemed like a royal princess as she stood on the European cylindrical staircase; stunning and beautiful. Moreover, her slender waist wrapped i n her wedding gown made him want to hold her in his arms. However, it was Anthony after all. He looked away after a nce and continued walking elegantly. Members of the Jordan family and Cabell family all stood up instantly and approached him with pleasantries. ¡°Wee, Mr. Bailey, it¡¯s our pleasure to meet you.¡± ¡°Mr. Bailey should have told us earlier so we could arrange this somewhere more spacious.¡± ¡°This way, please. Mr. Bailey, here¡¯s the VIP lounge with fewer people.¡± Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. ¡°May I know if Mr. Bailey prefers tea or coffee?¡± Everyone was on their best behavior, afraid to offend him. Anthony, with his enigmatic voice, replied, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ve worked with Ms. Jordan before, and I¡¯m just attending her wedding as a guest.¡± With that said, Nial handed them a gift cased a box. ¡°This is a gift for the newlyweds on behalf of the Bailey family. We wish them to treat one another with sincerity and politeness.¡± Sincerity and politeness? Were these the correct words to wish newlyweds? The crowd was confused, but the person speaking was Nial who represented Anthony. Who had the courage to question him, at all? Madam Cabell epted the gift with delight and, in a ttered state, gushed, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Bailey. Thank you so much. Mr. Bailey! Please, this way.¡± There was a private area isted by a screen, and it was quieter. Anthony walked over holding onto Chris. When Chris saw Charmine on the staircase, the boy instinctively wanted to run over, but Anthony stopped him. He scooped him up and ced him on hisp. He red at Chris to remind him of the n, and Chris stayed on hisp obediently. As the two sat down, the guests in the lobby could not help but murmur softly to one another. Their focus was all on Anthony. The paparazzi wanted to take photos of him, but anyone in the industry knew that even if they had photos of Anthony, they were not allowed to publish them. Because of this, the paparazzi could only look on without being able to capture the moment. ¡°So beautiful!¡± someone eximed. Everyone turned to see Charmine walking down the stairs in her wedding gown. Her every movement was elegant as she wore a faint smile on her face. Her long gown trailed behind her, and it made her seem like a princess and a queen altogether! Everyone was awestruck by her beauty, and the first group of people to regain their senses were the paparazzi. They snapped photos incessantly as if they had unlimited storage. Furthermore, since they were not allowed to interview Anthony, at least they were able to interview the wealthiest woman! With that, a swarm of paparazzi surrounded her and bombarded her with questions. ¡°Ms. Jordan, why did you decide to marry Julian Cabell within two months after returning to the country?¡± 2 ¡°Right now you¡¯re at the peak of your career, and getting married will definitely affect your career. How do you feel about this?¡±. ¡°How will you bnce your work life and family life after marriage?¡± Charmine had her script prepared, but she could feel a pair of intense eyes staring at her, and the pressure made her rather flustered. Once she regained herposure, she answered, ¡°My love for Julian is true. I¡¯ll leave behind m y career in order to be a good wife and a good mother to our future children.¡± Wow! Leave behind her career, all to be a good wife and a good mother? The legendary Boss Jordan, the wild and arrogant Boss Jordan, would be a stay-at-home wife for Julian? Chapter 208 Chapter 208 Too capricious! This decision was way too¡­ This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Many of the producers, directors, and product sponsors surrounded Charmine with disbelief written all over their faces. ¡°Ms. Jordan, you must be kidding, right? You¡¯ll still have time after marriage! Why should you leave the industrypletely?¡± ¡°I was nning to invite you for a magazine photoshoot regarding next season¡¯s cover!¡± ¡°I¡¯m producing a historical drama, and I thought you were just right for the main cast! I really admire your ability and outlook, and it¡¯ll be a real shame if you leave the industry.¡± Everyone sighed when they heard her decision. Charmine, however, maintained her stance as she addressed them with a smile, ¡°A woman is silly if she can¡¯t make sacrifices for her husband.¡± She uttered her reply with calmness and gentleness. As she replied to them still d in her wedding gown, she exuded the vibe of a perfect housewife and an all-rounded mother. Everyone was envious of her love for Julian. Even the live streaming tform was bombarded with teared-up fans. (Argh!!!! I think I saw LOVE! I can finally believe that love exists!) [Boss Jordan has such a gentle side of her! This is unbelievable!) (She¡¯s willing to leave her astonishing career behind just for Julian! This is love, true love!] (Julian must treat Boss Jordan nicely. We¡¯ll hunt you down if you don¡¯t!) While everyone emotionally gave the couple their blessings, Anthony¡¯s expression darkened behind the scenes. He knew everything was not real, but watching her wear the wedding gown for another man and speaking so gently conjured a blistering cold blizzard in his heart. His expression caused Nial to feel the chills down his spine. ¡°Bro, calm down,¡± he reminded Anthony, ¡°you¡¯re being too obvious! If you¡¯re that troubled, go and do something! Fight for the bride! You keep saying something exciting will happen, but if all you do is wait, then your future-wife will be gone!¡± Anthony¡¯s gaze darkened. His wife-to-be, gone? He had to do something after all. Meanwhile, Madam Cabell and Joey made their way to stand beside Charmine. Madam Cabell really liked Charmine as Anthony came to their wedding ceremony because of her. Charmine brought along with her fame for the Cabell family that would make them glorious for at least 1 o years! Moreover, she owned a diamond mind that could earn so much money and make the Cabell family wealthier than they already were. She held Charmine¡¯s hand and said to the people around them, ¡°Please don¡¯t make it hard for my daughter-inw. It¡¯s not like my daughter-inw has no money with her; she doesn¡¯t have to work. I¡¯m still waiting to see my grandchildren!¡± ¡°Well, to all the producers and directors here, if you¡¯re looking for people to coborate with, do consider our Tiffany.¡± Joey used this opportunity to turn the spotlight to Tiffany. ¡°Our Tiffany is skilled at acting and modeling. Just so you know, Charmine also learned a lot from Tiffany.¡± Since Charmine had found love whilst Tiffany had nothing, Joey wanted to help Tiffany get back on her feet. Once Joey brought her up, everyone started to turn their attention to Tiffany as they praised her. ¡°That¡¯s right. Tiffany is great, too! Her modeling experience in the past five years is indeed a great example for the generations toe.¡±. ¡°I heard that she¡¯s been filming some clipstely. This is the new trend indeed; she¡¯s at the top of her league. She has a unique vision.¡±| 14 ¡°Most importantly, Tiffany¡¯s eyes are too pure. They seem very innocent and kind, giving people a sense of harmlessness. She¡¯d be a great fit for the youth idol drama series.¡± ¡°Speaking of Tiffany, where is she? Why haven¡¯t I seen her today? I have some projects that I¡¯d like to speak to her about.¡±. The praising crowd looked around for Tiffany. Joey scanned the surroundings but could not spot her daughter either. She turned to the people and said, ¡°She¡¯s the bridesmaid for Charmine today, so she¡¯s probably busy sorting out some stuff. This kid¡­ She¡¯s always so considerate, always treating Charmine like an actual sister and wants nothing but the best for her.¡± This reminded the crowd of the hot-picks online as they became more impressed by Tiffany. I t was not easy to willingly be the bridesmaid of their ex-boyfriend and rival in love. Tiffany was indeed a good kid. Click! Suddenly, the lobby¡¯s big screen lit up as noises of a person¡¯s moans reverberated from the speakers. The sound! Chapter 209 Chapter 209 Everyone looked at the big screen and live-streamed what was happening in the wedding room prepared by the hotel. The screen disyed two bodies on a bright red bed. Tiffany and Julian were doing an unspeakable act! An uproar filled the hall as everyone stared with their eyes wide open. Nobody could believe what they were seeing! ¡°Tiffany¡¯s sleeping with Julian!¡± ¡°Dear me! Tiffany is so coquettish in bed!¡± ¡°Wait, what did she say? She asked Julian to marry Charmine so they¡¯d get her assets?¡± ¡°This is shocking! Downright shocking! Tiffany is sleeping with her brother-inw!¡± ¡°She sends her blessing in front of everyone and sleeps with her brother-inw at the back!¡± ¡°Turns out she¡¯s this kind of woman! She gets more disturbing each time I see her!¡± ¡°Everyone,e and have a look at your ¡®Little Vige Girl¡¯: Look closely!¡± Everyonemented on what they saw. The live-action on the screen continued whilst both o f them had no idea they were live-streamed, lost in their throes of passion. Although Tiffany did not get a satisfying answer, she gave her best to cooperate with Julian. A smirk was still visible on her lips with her lustful eyes filled with proudness and insidiousness. ¡®Dear, dear Charmine. So what if you said Julian loves you? Your husband is now in bed with m e! 1 Her expression was too evil, and it haunted everyone who saw the act. The paparazzi pointed their cameras at the big screen to continue the live-streaming. It was then when Joey finally reacted to what she saw. ¡°Shut it down!¡± she yelled. ¡°Shut it down now! Stop them, stop them right now!¡± Members from the Jordan and Cabell families frantically sprang into action. Only Charmine¡ªstill in her wedding gown as she stood in the luxurious hall-was looking at the big screen with satisfaction. The guests should have seen this five years ago; they severely injured her and caused her a miscarriage that she had to flee to Africa. The wedding ceremony would be their doom! Tiffany and Julian¡¯s reputation would be ruined forever. They would never be able toe clean again! Although she was enjoying the show on the screen, she appeared as though she was in agony a s she stood transfixed with horror, her face pale with a deep frown. The Jordans and the Cabells were too caught up in trying to calm down the guests and sort out the paparazzi to prevent the news from going public. Joey went right upstairs, and nobody stood at Charmine¡¯s side. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Only a pair of eyes watched her from behind the private screen, and these eyes were fixated at her. Anthony knew it was part of her act, but watching her standing alone with people pointing at and talking about her made his brows tightened. He felt a stinging pain that jabbed at him. After a slight hesitation, he stood up and was ready to walk over, but Chris hastily held onto him before he could. ¡°Daddy, you can¡¯t go!¡± Chris blurted. ¡°Mommy even warned me again in the morning to make sure you don¡¯t step in today!¡± Anthony frowned. Charmine even predicted that he would step in? Nial who was beside him said, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the ¡®show¡¯would be this interesting! Haha! I¡¯m afraid this would provide the reporters enough material to write about for at least five years! Don¡¯t panic, Bro. I¡¯m guessing there¡¯s still a second parting,¡± Nialmented with an anticipating tone. As expected, Madam Cabell rushed toward Charmine tofort her. Chapter 210 Chapter 210 ¡°Charmine, please calm down. Mom will make this right for you. I¡¯ll severely punish that kid for you and make him apologize to you in public! ¡°This has to be Tiffany¡¯s fault. You really have to give our Julian a chance!¡± Charmine was about to be her daughter-inw, that her diamond mind was about to be owned by the Cabell family. How could she let it slip away so easily? Therefore, the person she had to properly soothe at this point was Charmine. Charmine was still stupefied, her gaze remained locked on the pitch-ck screen. ¡®Why is it turned off so soon? Argh! I forgot to make the Trojan Horse program so it can live stream for at least an hour!¡¯ Of course, Madam Cabell did not know what Charmine was thinking. She assumed that Charmine was deeply hurt at the turn of events. ¡°Charmine, you grew up with Julian; you know he loves you. You two have been getting on very well recently as well! Please don¡¯t be too sad; no cat in the world has never stolen a fish before. Mom will help you keep an eye on him from now on,¡± coaxed Madam Cabell as she gently pulled at Charmine¡¯s hand. ¡°Hmph!¡± Charmine scoffed coldly as she pulled her hand away from Madam Cabell¡¯s hold. Wordlessly, she ripped the veil from her head, followed by her ne, then thece gloves o n her hands, and everything in between. Every item Charmine ripped off from her was thrown to the floor. It was only until she removed every essory and was left with her wedding gown did she growled, ¡°I¡¯m willing to give up my career for him, and this is what he does for me in return? The word promise¡¯ doesn¡¯t exist in my, Charmine Jordan¡¯s dictionary! The. Wedding. Ceremony. Is. Canceled.¡± 1 Charmine¡¯s words were sharp and determined. She stuffed the engagement ring into Madam Cabell¡¯s hand and stomped away as she held up her dress. Her eyes were glossy with tears while her gait was determined. She perfectly mastered the rendition of an empowering woman who had been cheated. Her staff in the background, including people like Eric, Kay, and Simon-gave a thumbs up t o her masterful act! Simrly, guests in the lobby and viewers in the live-streaming tform were all praising her with respect: ¡°Nicely done!¡± ¡°Boss Jordan is cool! She did the right thing!¡± ¡°Julian is such a douche! One must stay away from a douche like him!¡± ¡°Tiffany is such a b*tch! And a disgusting sl*t!¡± N?velDrama.Org content rights. The elders of the Jordan and Cabell families almost fainted from anger and embarrassment. Just as Charmine was about to leave the scene, Ronnie rushed down the stairs and held onto her. ¡°Ms. Jordan, wait up! Pleasee with me!¡± As she spoke, she pulled on Charmine to go u p the stairs with her. Paparazzi that tried to follow them were stopped by bodyguards of both families. Behind the screen, Anthony stood up with Chris in his arms as they made their way upstairs with the VIP lift. On the second floor of Hilton Hotel¡­ Tiffany kneeled on the floor with tears running down her cheeks non-stop. Julian knelt right next to her as his father, Mitchell Cabellshed out at them with white-hot anger. Joey, Adam, and Robert Jordan were there as well. They could not believe their eyes as they stood withplicated and heartbroken looks. Tiffany was their beloved, most favorite person. They¡ªespecially Joey-never imagined Tiffany would do such an indecent act. During the interview earlier, Joey thought Tiffany was truly kind-hearted and generous, thus her heart was broken when the truth was outed. All Joey wanted to do was help Tiffany get back up finance-wise and job-wise, and she even hoped to introduce her to Nial Bailey! Joey never thought Tiffany would get entangled with Julian behind their backs and even went as far as sleeping with each other. Chapter 211 Chapter 211 With the thoughts of Tiffany¡¯s wrongdoings in mind, Joey gripped Tiffany¡¯s sleeves and with a wrenched heart-shook her vigorously. ¡°Why, Tiffany? Why did you do this? Since when have you turned into this kind of person? Do you know that you¡¯re ruining your life? How could you do such a thing?!¡± Tiffany was petrified in her shock. She was helpless and panicky, her mind utterly nked out. One moment she was in the throes of passion with Julian, and the next moment, a group of people came in out of the blue with Joey pping her right away. It was not until she heard them yelling at her that she realized what happened in the room had been live-streamed. Game over: Tiffany was done for. The entire world knew that she slept with Julian, and their conversations had been live-streamed as well! What could she do¡­? What could she do? How could she shift the tides to her favor? Meanwhile, Ronnie was heard¡¯sobbing, ¡°Charmine, I¡¯m begging you, please forgive Tiffany. She¡¯s going to get beaten by everyone! I beg you, please. You¡¯re the only person who could save her now!¡± Everyone turned their heads to see Charmine standing by the door. Charmine had removed all the essories on her. Her hair was untied and unruly, though she looked like a hot mess. Tiffany¡¯s eyelids twitched. Charmine¡­! Charmine came! There was no mistaking it; it had to be Charmine! This was her n all along! She had long nned to make her the bridesmaid, intentionally arranged the ceremony in her favorite theme and style, and purposely spoke words that triggered her in order to make her find Julian! Tiffany did not n to look for Julian, but after listening to Charmine¡¯s stinging words, she could not control herself. Tiffany stood up and snapped at her, ¡°Charmine! How could you do this to me?! You¡¯re so evil!¡± This is from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Huh? Me, evil? You¡¯re calling me evil after everything you¡¯ve done?¡± Charmine scoffed at her. ¡°Tiffany Jordan, you could¡¯ve just asked for my diamond mine had you wanted it so badly, and I would¡¯ve given it to you. Why did you have to do such a thing on my wedding day? Do you know that I¡¯ve spent half a month preparing for this very day?!¡± ¡°¡®I even canceled all my ns and ambassador shootings, and they cost me hundreds of millions. All I wanted to do was to marry Julian, a simple life! Why did you have to do this to me? Charmine¡¯s rhetorical questions were filled with pain and hatred. Tiffany vehemently shook her head. ¡°No, you¡¯ve nned everything all along! It¡¯s all lies! You don¡¯t love Julian! You intentionally nned and set these all up to destroy me! You set the cameras up! You must¡¯ve¡ª¡± Before she could finish, Joey swung her palm against her cheek once more. Tiffany reeled back a few steps. Her cheeks burned with pain as fresh blood oozed from her lips. She touched on her face and looked at Joey with a look of disbelief. ¡°Mom¡­ Did you hit me? Did you just hit me again?¡± Joey had never hit her since young, but she pped her twice on this day. ¡°After doing such a disgraceful thing, you¡¯re still not showing any remorse? You¡¯re still using Charmine! Since when have you turned into such a person?!¡± bawled Joey. She felt that the Tiffany standing in front of her was a total stranger she had never met before. ¡°All you guys did is me me,¡± said Tiffany as she spoke with a hoarse voice, ¡°but I didn¡¯t want this to happen either¡­! ¡°It was Charmine; she nned and set these all up! She secretly installed cameras in this room, and she never wanted to marry Julian anyway. The reason she had this wedding ceremony was to set us up for this! I¡¯m telling the truth!¡± 2 Charmine red daggers at Tiffany.¡±One will be able to check who set up the cameras easily! Also, even if the cameras were set up by me, did I make you sleep with Julian? Did I ask you both to attempt and steal my assets?¡±. ¡°Y¡ªYou¡­!¡± stuttered Tiffany, and she turned to Julian who was kneeling beside her. Chapter 212 Chapter 212 ¡°Julian, please say something! Think about it: In the past month, did Charmine love you at all? Is her intention of marrying you even genuine?¡± All eyesnded on Julian. Julian-still on his knees¨Cfelt utterly embarrassed and defeated. He had an absurd thought the moment when he saw Charmine in her wedding gown: He actually wanted to be with her for the rest of his life, that he wanted her to be his actual wife! It just so happened that Tiffany came looking for him right after, and he failed to hold back his urges. Everything went south when Tiffany hugged and kissed him when she saw him; she kept saying how much she loved him and how hurt she was. ¡°Justy with me once more. You¡¯ll be married for at least a month after this, and I won¡¯t disturb you until then,¡± was what she said to him. That was why Julian fell for it. He genuinely felt bad for Tiffany, and he wanted tofort her. Little did he know that this one minor mistake ruined his wedding and their reputations! What could he say? What else was there for him to say? Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Julian had never knelt from a young age, yet at that moment, he knelt on the floor and was punched by his father Mitchell. He was publicly embarrassed and shamed in front of everyone, including Charmine. When she noted that Julian remained passive and unmoving, Madam Cabell rushed forward and smacked Julian. ¡°What are you doing? Say something! Apologize to Charmine and ask for her forgiveness!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. Forgiveness doesn¡¯t exist, and it¡¯ll never exist in my life. From now on, I don¡¯t want to have anything to do with them!¡± Charmine articted her words before turning to leave. Her retreating form, though mesmerizing, was cold and arrogant. Once she realized that their ticket to getting rich was walking away, Madam Cabell nudged Julian hastily. Julian, too, instinctively stood up and grabbed onto Charmine¡¯s wrist.¡° Charmine, I can exin! What can I do to earn your forgiveness? Please tell me what I can do t o make this wedding go on. I¡¯ll do anything.¡± Julian spoke with such sincerity and wholeheartedly. Firstly, it was true that he really did not want to let her go. He had a feeling that if he let her go this time, he would never be able to get her back again. Secondly, he thought it would be best to pile the damage onto Tiffany since both their reputation had been tarnished in order to avoid future problems. As long as Charmine could forgive him, theizens and the public would be able to let this pass. If Charmine refused to forgive him, the public would be like Charmine; hating him, boycotting him. Because of this, he had to do whatever it took to gain her forgiveness, to continue the wedding ceremony. Kneeling beside him, Tiffany¡¯s heart bled in pain. The man she loved so dearly was trying so hard to win back Charmine in front of her. He did not care about her feelings at all! She was pped twice, but Julian did not step in to protect her nor did he want to confess with her. All h e wanted to do was to win back Charmine! This drove her crazy. She could no longer restrain her emotions as she wailed, ¡°Julian, why are you begging her? Do you not believe what I said as well? Why would there be random pinhole cameras here? Why would she agree to marry you out of nowhere? These were all ¡ª¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Julian cut her short furiously. Firstly, Charmine¡¯s temper became gentlertely, and she did give up many jobs and opportunities for him. So what if these were all nned by Charmine? If Tiffany did not look for him, if she did not seduce and throw herself at him, why would he have done such a thing o n his important day? Tiffany was not only useless to him, but she kept on disappointing him too. It was then when Julian came to a conclusion, a final decision. Chapter 213 Chapter 213 Julian turned to Tiffany.¡±Apologize. Apologize to Charmine.¡± ¡°Apologize? Julian? What are you talking about? Are you asking me to apologize to her?¡± blurted Tiffany as her face began losing all its color. She could put on a pitiful face and admit her faults had it been any other time, but not this time! She was trapped by Charmine. These were obviously her traps, and she still had to apologize to her? Julian used to despise Charmine just as she did, but suddenly, he wanted her to apologize t o Charmine? Julian looked into her eyes. ¡°Yes. A person must apologize after making a mistake. We shouldn¡¯t be together. Let¡¯s promise to never meet again in front of Charmine, right now.¡± This was the only way to make sure the wedding could go on, to minimize the impact of this situation. He turned to Charmine and said, ¡°It¡¯s true, Tiffany and I made a grave mistake, and I¡¯m so sorry for that. If you¡¯re still worried about me trying to get hold of your assets, we can do a prenup.¡± As soon as Madam Cabell heard this, she nudged him with her elbow. ¡°You foolish boy, what¡¯re you talking about? As long as you own up to your mistake, Charmine will forgive you. After all, we¡¯ll be a family after today, and a family doesn¡¯t have to be so calctive and exact t o each other. This will just furtherplicate things, don¡¯t you agree, Charmine?¡± said Madam Cabell as she smiled at Charmine. Charmine frowned. ¡°Have I not made myself clear? I said I¡¯ll never forgive you! I don¡¯t want anything to do with you, ever!¡± Tiffany was already gritting her teeth in hatred as she heard what Charmine just said. All she wanted to do was tounch toward Charmine and strangle her. Julian and Madam Cabell were already begging her! Why was she still so arrogant? Was she going to torture everyone around her? What else did she want? Flustered, Madam Cabell then turned to Joey and said, ¡°Joey, why don¡¯t you try talking things out with Charmine? We don¡¯t have toplicate our rtionships, right? This won¡¯t do any good for both families. What would the media and paparazzi write about us?¡± Joey and Adam Jordan were furious; they could not ept that their pure and innocent daughter turned out to be this filthy and evil woman! Nheless, they had to take into ount the overall situation. If the wedding was called off for real, their rtionships would b eplicated and the situation would get worse. Joey turned to Charmine and said, ¡°Charmine, it¡¯s true that your sister is to me for this situation. You can do anything to punish her, but there are too many paparazzi here today. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Why don¡¯t you take back your words?¡± ¡°You have to understand that you represent the entire Jordan family,¡± Adam chimed in. ¡°If the rtionship between Jordan and Cabell is ruined, the ending will be bad. Also¡­¡± He threw a nce at Tiffany and continued, ¡°Tiffany indeed made a huge mistake. We can punish her ourselves, and you can be in charge of it, but she¡¯s still a family member. ¡°If the world scorns her, they¡¯ll scorn us as a family, too. Only if you choose to forgive her can we minimize the impact of this situation.¡± Tiffany could not believe what she just heard; they were not concerned nor cared about her. They were worried that she would bring a negative impact onto the family as a whole. He even said that Charmine could punish her as she pleased. She had already set this up to ruin her reputationpletely. Was she rendered in the hands of Charmine? For her to punish and insult her as she pleased? Tiffany had no say in this. Joey was already pulling on Charmine¡¯s hand as she agonizingly insisted, ¡°Charmine, please, I beg you. Please consider that I¡¯m your mother and I saved your life back then. Please let this g o and continue the wedding ceremony, alright? Announce to the public that you could let this g0, will you?¡± Charmine was the only hope for the Jordans and Cabells to bond together. Tiffany was long out of the picture. If Charmine did not choose to forgive, the two families¡¯ rtionship would be ruined and would result in expensive aftermaths. Furthermore, if Charmine did not announce that she forgave Tiffany, Tiffany would be attacked and criticized by the fans, and her reputation would be over. 2 Joey had to use the fact that she saved Charmine¡¯s life as an exchange for this. Charmine frowned at the thought that Joey was willing to lower her pride for the overall situation. Correction: it was mostly for Tiffany. At the end of the day, even though Joey was heartbroken, it was due to the fact that Tiffany could very well be scorned by the entire world. On the other hand, when Charmine was misunderstood by the public five years ago, Joey said not a word for her. Chapter 214 Chapter 214 Before Charmine could speak, Senior Jordan came forward. ¡°Charmine, you have to let it go for everyone¡¯s sake. We can be here to witness the prenup so that Julian can never harm you again. ¡°Furthermore, you have to consider the consequences if the rtionship between us Jordans and the Cabells ends up destroyed. If you¡¯re to destroy Julian, the Cabell family will never supply the Jordan family with their first-grade materials.¡± The building materials that the Cabells produced were top-notch materials, and the Jordan family had been using building materials they supplied to build many high-quality buildings. The Magnificent Developer Co. owned by the Jordans was a world-known best buildingpany, and they built their reputation with the best materials supplied by the Cabells, making them the best quality assured developers of high-ss houses and buildings. If the Cabell family stopped supplying them with their materials, the result would be devastating. In order words, the Cabell family held the upper hand in this situation. Charmine¡¯s eyes narrowed, but just as she was about to speak¡­ ¡°So this is how the Jordans and Cabells resolve their problem: ckmailing today¡¯s victim.¡± A clear and exquisite voice rang from the hallway, and everyone turned to see Anthony walking toward them. His outlook was perfectly clean and wless whilst his customized suit had not one wrinkle. His leather shoes were clean and shiny, and it was as if he was a king-a royal. When the crowdid eyes on him, their hearts beat rapidly. A man like him came, and he heard everything that they said! Senior Jordan hastily came forward to exin, ¡°You¡¯ve got it all wrong, Mr. Bailey. We¡¯re just trying to not make a scene out of it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. As the elder generation of the family, we only want the younger generation to b e happy. Charmine and Julian grew up together, and it was a long journey that they¡¯ve gone through.¡± Madam Cabell tried to make it seem less absurd. A tiny figure peeked out from behind Anthony, and the doe-eyed boy chimed in, ¡°So if this happened to you all, that your fianc¨¦ is caught cheating with another person on your wedding day and ns to take your money and life, will you let it go? Can you let it go?¡± Chris asked with an innocent voice full of doubt. This startled everyone. Could they let it go? Could they? It went especially for thedies in the room as they subconsciously nced at their men and imagined the hypothesis. If this happened to them, of course they could not let it go! No way would they let it go! Not tearing a fake sl*t like Tiffany to pieces would be a courtesy to her! Anthony then said in his cold and deep voice, ¡°As a passer-by, I can¡¯t even ept this. If the Cabell family is to cut off the rtionship with the Jordan family because of this, I¡¯ll supply the Jordans with our Bailey materials any time.¡± His words were domineering and determined. Everyone was shocked to hear such an offer from him. The materials produced by thepanies owned by the Baileys were either for exports or to build world-ss buildings. They had never supplied the materials to localpanies, yet here he was, saying he would supply the materials for the Jordans? Was he siding with Charmine? Julian¡¯s face darkened. It was his and Charmine¡¯s wedding, yet Anthony just had to stick his nose into their family business. Senior Jordan thumped his walking stick heavily against the floor. ¡°Enough is enough,¡± he said to everyone in the room, ¡°that¡¯s it for this. The wedding will be canceled, and nobody should force Charmine anymore. The Cabells will take care of Julian, and as for Tiffany¡­¡± He paused and looked at Tiffany with a furious and angered look. ¡°Pack your stuff right away, because you¡¯re taking the flight to Africa today! Don¡¯t youe back until the rumors get better.¡± What? Africa?! N?velDrama.Org content rights. Tiffany was bbergasted as she turned pale. Was Grandpa actually sending her to such a far ce, with a harsh and cruel environment? Chapter 215 Chapter 215 ¡°What now?¡± scoffed Senior Jordan. ¡°You think this is unjust? Back then when Charmine made a mistake, she spent five years in Africa beforeing back. The mistake you made today is worse than hers!¡± This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Back then, Julian and Tiffany used Charmine of cheating on Julian and was impregnated with someone else¡¯s baby, and that Julian was furious when he found out and identally pushed Charmine down the stairs. In other words, all Charmine did wrong was that she cheated on Julian, but what Tiffany did was that he cheated with her almost brother-inw and nned to steal her sister¡¯s assets! This was uneptable! Senior Jordan recalled on the clip he saw, and he ordered with a stern voice, ¡°Pedro Dahmer, bring her down.¡± Pedro Dahmer was Senior Jordan¡¯s best and toughest bodyguard, a strapping well-built man. H e began approaching Tiffany upon themand. Tiffany panicked; she realized the severity of the situation. Not only was her reputation ruined, but she was also hated by the Jordan family! It would be over for her if she was sent to Africa. Anxiously, she grabbed onto Joey¡¯s arm. ¡°Mom, help me! I¡¯ve learned my mistake, and I won¡¯t do it again! I don¡¯t want to go to that kind of ce! I don¡¯t want to!¡± Joey felt her heart painfully stabbed as she watched Tiffany¡¯s tears rolling down her cheeks, but she was terrified of what Tiffany was and had done on this day. On the surface, she showed her blessing of Julian and Charmine, yet secretly, she went all the way to seduce Julian and nned to steal Charmine¡¯s assets! She could no longer protect a daughter like Tiffany. With tears in her eyes, she pulled her arm away from Tiffany. ¡°Tiffany, go to Africa. This is for your own good and for everyone else¡¯s.¡± Tiffany shivered vigorously. Even Joey agreed to send her to such a ce? Even though she made a huge mistake, she should not have to go! If she was gone for five years, what stance would she have in the Jordan family by the time she came back? Furthermore, Charmine would think of ways to kill her in Africa, or steal away all her things here at the Jordan family, turning her into an unloved orphan! She grabbed onto Joey¡¯s hand tightly as she wailed hysterically, ¡°Mom, Dad, Grandpa, I can apologize! I can stay away from Julian forever! I¡¯ve made a huge mistake this time, but I don¡¯t want to go to such a ce! I¡¯ll do whatever you ask me to! Please, I beg you, please don¡¯t send me to such a ce¡­! Waa¡­!¡± Her voice was hoarse, and she-at that moment-turned into a pitiable and innocent young woman. Veronica once told her that her tears were her biggest weapon. As long as she could stay in town, she would think of ways to get herself out of this! With that in mind, she dropped on the floor again with a loud stter. Her limps went soft as she sobbed painfully, ¡°I¡¯m just a weak girl, I¡¯ve never left you all before. I don¡¯t want to leave you all¡­ I¡¯ll miss you..!¡± Tiffany sobbed again before she added, ¡°I¡¯m still so young. How will I be able to survive all the way there all by myself¡­ Waa¡­!¡± 2 Her hoarse sob sessfully touched the hearts of many. However furious Joey and Adam were, Tiffany was still the daughter that they watched and nurtured since young. She was their favorite after! Unable to hold herself back, Joey turned to Senior Jordan and pleaded, ¡°Dad, why don¡¯t we let Tiffany stay? We¡¯ll punish her however we like at home. She¡¯s indeed still young and immature ¡°Huh? Did any of you speak for Charmine back when Charmine made her mistake? She was only eighteen at the time! Was she not young? If Charmine could survive alone in Africa back then, can a twenty-three-year-old Tiffany really not know how to live?¡± Senior Jordan sneered furiously. i Chris nodded in agreement. ¡°Exactly! My Dad said that noble families have to follow strict rules. This kind of person can¡¯t be forgiven!¡± Chapter 216 Chapter 216 Charmine came with the anticipation to watch the drama unfolding, but she did not expect Anthony would barge in with Momo to help her. With all the things they have said, what if her family found out about their rtionship? Charmine gave Chris a look that meant to convey assurance. Unfazed, Chris merely innocently continued, ¡°Huh? Did I say anything wrong? Why aren¡¯t you guys doing anything? Could it be that the Jordan family is willing to side with a woman like this?¡± He paused as though a thought urred to him, and he looked up at Anthony hastily. ¡°Daddy, you can never coborate with these people ever! They¡¯re siding with women like this! These kinds of families can¡¯t be trusted!¡± The moment they heard what Chris was implying, they-especially the Cabell family-felt sick to their stomach in anxiety. When the Bailey men showed up at the wedding ceremony moments ago, they thought it would be the start of something great between the two families, but little did they know that such a shameless thing would happen. Would they be cklisted after this? Madam Cabell quickly went toward them in haste. ¡°Little Bailey is so humorous! Why would w e protect a woman like her? Of course we support that decision! Joey, Senior Jordan, do send Tiffany to Africa as soon as possible. She shouldn¡¯t stay in this country any longer.¡± Senior Jordan understood the severity of the situation. He knew Tiffany¡¯s reputation was ruined, and they could not afford to offend the Baileys because of Tiffany. With a heavy heart, he gestured to his bodyguard. ¡°Pedro Dahmer, bring her home so she could start packing.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± Pedro Dahmer went forward to forcefully drag Tiffany out of the room. Pale-faced Tiffany was angry, hateful, and unwilling; nobody was believing her. These were all obviously set up by Charmine, yet everyone was using her instead! Not only were fingers pointed at her, but even Anthony Bailey had to stick his nose in and helped that Charmine b*tch spoiled her even more. An evil and filthy woman like Charmine did not deserve everyone¡¯s support. She should not be protected by Anthony Bailey! Unable to hold back her pent-up anger, Tiffany roared, ¡°Charmine Jordan, everyone will find out what you did today! You¡¯ll be hit by karma for the things you set me up for! I won¡¯t forgive you! I¡¯ll never forgive you!¡± Tiffany yelled out hysterically, her voice ringing with hatred. Nobody saw thising. They did not expect the gentle and soft-tempered Tiffany could be s o wild and furious. Still, some of the people in the room had a small frown on their faces. Could Charmine have wronged her after all? It did not bother Charmine; the clip she possessed now was adequate for her to ruin Tiffanypletely. What was most important after that would be to get out of this ce, and best far away from Anthony and Chris. It was not the time to let everyone know of their rtionship yet. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Charmine turned to Senior Jordan. ¡°Grandpa, l¡¯ll leave the rest to you. I want to be alone for now.¡± With that, she turned and left. Charmine leaving in her fluttering white gown was a painful sight to see, and everyone sighed at the sight of her silhouette. Senior Jordan nced at Hobson, signaling for him to walk forward. ¡°Mr. Bailey, thank you for standing up for the Jordans today. If your time permits, would you like to stay a little longer for tea?¡± ¡°Apologies, I¡¯m here to discuss a coboration with Charmine. Due to its urgent nature, I¡¯ll have to excuse myself.¡± With that, he went after Charmine as he held onto Chris¡¯ hand. Senior Jordan¡¯s eyes fell on their backs, and his gaze turned contemtive. Chapter 217 Chapter 217 Julian saw red at that instant. He was Charmine¡¯s man! Why was an outsider like Anthony chasing after her? Just as he stood up and prepared to run after her, Senior Jordan snapped, ¡°Stay there, Julian! I¡¯m telling you that you can never see my granddaughter ever again, or I¡¯ll never forgive you!¡± ¡°Senior Jordan, what are you saying? We¡¯ve already punished Julian for that, and we¡¯ve beaten and scolded him. Was that not enough for you?¡± said Madam Cabell said, and her statement sounded rather displeased. 2 Senior Jordan coldlymented, ¡°If I¡¯m to ask a Jordan man to get in bed with two of your granddaughters, will you be willing toply? Don¡¯t you take advantage of us and still call for justice! Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. ¡°We can still be business partners after this, but my granddaughters will not have anything to do with the Cabells!¡± Senior Jordan pronounced his words with determination before he marched away. Adam and Joey followed behind him as they left the hotel together. While they initially hoped t o minimize the impact of this scandal and hoped that Charmine could continue the ceremony and marry Julian, but after Anthony Bailey got involved, they feared nothing else. After all, Julian was the root of all this issue. Julian was first seen with Tiffany, then he changed his mind and wanted to marry Charmine. When the Jordan family finally agreed, Julian was caught sleeping with Tiffany on his wedding day with Charmine! He ruined two of the Jordan women¡¯s reputation at one goal. If it was not for the business rtionship between the two families, Drake Jordan would have beaten Julian with everything he got. After all the Jordan members had left, the Cabells had no choice but to stay back and deal with the aftermath. ¡°Dam it!¡± hissed Madam Cabell. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with them? They¡¯re merely two women with n o reputation anyway! Who cares!¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Julian snapped at her. Mitchell Cabell kicked on Julian harshly. ¡°What a shameless son! Now you¡¯re telling off your mother? If it wasn¡¯t because of what you did today, we would¡¯ve gotten so rich, and we won¡¯t b e left behind here dealing with this sh*t! If I had only known better, I would¡¯ve let your two elder brothers take over my business. I should¡¯ve never passed it on to you!¡± Julian¡¯s face darkened at his mother¡¯s statement. He was the most unloved son in the family from a young age, all because his mother gave birth to two sons in a row when they wanted a daughter instead. When they realized he was a baby boy instead of a girl, they were all disappointed by him. Their distaste for him only grew due to his unpleasant personality since he was a child. He was not as smart as both of his elder brothers, so he had been disregarded. Julian- among the sons of the Cabell family-was treated unfairly, a situation his brothers never had to face. All these years, he had to work ten times harder than the others to attain his reputation. Even when he learned of Tiffany¡¯s true identity, he still chose to coborate with her to get hold of Jordan¡¯s assets. He did all these to secure his position. s, Tiffany brought nothing but disappointment for him on this day. Charmine did not even bother looking at him, and the elders even gave him an earful! Madam Cabell seemed to have noticed the hatred building up in him, thus she quickly said, ¡° Alright, alright, it¡¯s not a big deal. Julian, just think of ways to talk her out of it and win her back. She¡¯s a girl, and girls like sweet talks and gifts. She¡¯s just a little heated right now. Also, don¡¯t you ever get caught with this Tiffany again. The shares with her are too little, and her wealth is nothing aspared to Charmine¡¯s.¡± ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing,¡± Julian snapped and marched out furiously. Did Charmine even like sweet talks? Could he ever win her back again? Thinking of Charmine¡¯s words just moments ago, he knew that the chances were slim. Still, he had her in his hands; how could he let her go so easily? The diamond mine should belong to him, and Charmine should be his as well! Did Anthony n to be with Charmine? Not a chance! Julian had in his hands the things that could ruin Charminepletely! Meanwhile, Charmine left the hotel through the VIP passageway and got in April¡¯s car. While April was not particrly impressed by Charmine initially, she did not expect to watch such an exciting show. Although she was not sure if Charmine truly nned it all, it was enough to change her view of Charmine for the better. When she pulled over at the mansion, she opened the door for Charmine. ¡°Mr. Bailey asked you to wait for him in the mansion and to not go anywhere.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Charmine was not nning to go anywhere either. Once she entered the mansion, she instantly went and changed out of her wedding gown. Chapter 218 Chapter 218 The gown¡¯s shortntern sleeves were way too childish for Charmine, and if it was not for the sake of triggering Tiffany, she would never have worn this style of wedding gown. Just as she walked to the bathroom with new clothes at hand, the main door of the room was pushed open. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Click! Anthony walked in and shut the door behind him. Charmine frowned. ¡°You¡¯re home. Where¡¯s Momo?¡± ¡°Doing his homework,¡± came Anthony¡¯s short reply as he walked toward her, his eyes locked o n her figure. Her wavy hair cascaded past her shoulders, and the formal wedding gown emphasized her fair skin, showing her unique temperament. ¡°Don¡¯t change out of it yet,¡± said Anthony with a faint smile, ¡°let me have a few more looks.¡± A few more looks? What? Was he serious? ¡°You look stunning in the wedding gown,¡±continued Anthony in his husky voice. His deep voice praised her with a maic and mesmerizing tone; his look was sincere and seemed genuine. Charmine blushed under his intense gaze, her heartbeat fastened as she became unusually nervous. Anthony eyed her fair skin and that teenage-blush on her cheeks as he walked toward her. He barely realized that he was leaning closer toward her, and closer. There was barely any distance between them by then. They eventually got so close that all Charmine could smell was his earthy, masculine scent. Her heart thrummed rapidly, and she felt as if her body was transfixed that she was unable to resist. In the blink of an eye, their lips were too close that they nearly met. Suddenly¡­ Click! The door was pushed open as Luke rushed in, saying, ¡°Something¡¯s happening-¡± Before he could finish his sentence, he was made aware of the scene unfolding in front of his eyes. His boss was about to kiss Ms. Jordan! Amazing; they got to this stage at quite an impressive speed! ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡­I didn¡¯t see anything!¡± Luke reeled back in shock and shut the door behind him. Charmine could not believe that she nearly kissed Anthony. Worse still, she was not resisting him either! This did not make sense! Charmine chose to pretend like nothing happened as she picked up her clothes and walked toward the bathroom. Just as she took two steps, however, she was held back by her wrist. Instantly, she was pulled into a cozy and warm hug. Anthony¡¯s strong arms wrapped around her waist as he held her tightly with such an assertion. ¡°Charmine, I want to kiss you.¡± Six words, uttered with his deep yet hoarse voice, mesmerizing and wild. Charmine¡¯s already blushing cheeks reddened even more as her already racing heartbeat turned rampant. This kind of voice and body was driving her out of control. Something would surely happen if this went on! She wanted to resist, but as soon as she moved, a deep voice came from right above her head,¡° Don¡¯t move. I can¡¯t guarantee that I won¡¯t go out of control.¡± His voice was full of arrogance and possession, with a strong hint of self-restraint. Charmine was frozen in his arms, unable to move. Chapter 219 Chapter 219 Anthony embraced her to his heart¡¯s content. With his arms around her waist, his embrace only tightened as he sorely wished to be one with her. Her body was too perfect, so perfect that he wanted her. He usually had excellent control over his desires, but the moment he saw her on this day, he wanted to marry her, to be one with her. Still, he did not want to scare her away. He had to hold back his desires, thus all he could do was hug her. Charmine was squeezed tightly in his arms as she could practically feel his warm breath. Had it been any other men, she would have punched whoever had the audacity to hug her. Strangely, she did not try to punch him at all. Everything seemed to have changed without them realizing it. It was only after some time when Anthony finally let go of her. He took a step back and cool headedly said, ¡°My apologies. You¡¯re too beautiful, and I almost lost my cool.¡± Cough, cough! ¡ª Did he have to flirt with her when he was apologizing? ¨C The strangely out-of-control feeling Charmine was feeling inside was quickly repressed. She patted his shoulder. ¡°Mr. Bailey, do work on your self-control. After all, we still have to live together for two more months.¡± 1 Thest thing she wanted was for him to hug her as he pleased. With that, he walked to the bathroom with the clothes. Anthony looked at her back with a darkened gaze. Two more months¡­ He was excited. When Charmine came out of the shower, Chris was already waiting for her in the room anxiously. Once he spotted her, he ran toward her and passed her the phone. ¡°Mommy, Mommy! That bad woman is ying dirty again!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Charmine took the phone warily and saw the headline: (Tiffany mmed against the wall out of shame, now in the ICU with her injured head.) Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Attached were a few photos of the scene, showing that Tiffany had indeed ran into a wall. There was fresh blood all over the floor with the unconscious Tiffany. Charmine¡¯s lips merely curled upward ever so slightly as she-seemingly unperturbed ¨Cmented, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. With what she¡¯s done, this bitter trick won¡¯t save her.¡± No one would be foolish enough to fall for her trick Who would forgive a sl*t just because the s 1*t mmed her head against the wall? As expected, the headlines were still filled with the criticisms of Tiffany, especially her haters Many people were retweeting the clip of her and Julian, and some even retweeted the scene when she was pped in the room and forced to kneel. Thement section was overridden with criticisms such as: (Haha! Her fa?ade is screwed! Who is she kidding? She poisoned the supermodels, and now she sleeps with her brother-inw. She even nned to steal her sister¡¯s assets away! What a n evil woman.) [Look at how she knelt on the floor. She seemed to hold onto so much grudge! She used to have that pretty and glorious outlook on her that¡¯s practically screaming, ¡®I¡¯m an angel.¡¯ She¡¯s just looking like some dog now!) (A sl*t like her will be boycotted for the rest of her life! She shouldn¡¯t be able to re-enter the entertainment industry and be a public figure at all!) (Let¡¯s all boycott the things she represents! All her advertisements and all her drama series!) Within a day, all the products represented by Tiffany had to be taken back. A dozenpanies asked for refunds from Tiffany, while some well-known producers even dered that they would never use someone like Tiffany in their productions. Tiffany Jordan waspletely boycotted by the entertainment industry. Meanwhile, Charmine continued to shine bright like the sun as she looked as stunning as ever in the clips, arrogant and independent. The scene of her dering to cancel the wedding became viral, and she earned praises and respect from the masses. Thement section was filled with the followingments: [Boss Jordan, I¡¯ll be your biggest fan forever! I love decisive people like you, and I hate douchebag who cheated and still expects to be forgiven!] [I think Boss Jordan took such a big risk. If this didn¡¯te to light today, what we might see o n the news not long from now would be her dying identally, her assets inherited by Julian! Terrifying!) [Am I the only one sympathizing with Boss Jordan? If this happened to other female celebrities, they would¡¯ve cried for pity, but Boss Jordan didn¡¯t even shed a tear. Whatever the asion is, Boss Jordan is always so tough!) Chapter 220 Chapter 220 SIKR! All Charmine did was remove her veil and essories. I couldn¡¯t stop myself from crying when I saw that scene. She must¡¯ve been so hurt!) [Many people knew she was an adopted daughter, and that she hadn¡¯t been appreciated even a ta tender age. Perhaps that¡¯s why she seldom cries? After all, nobody seemed to care.] (Sigh. I feel bad for Boss Jordan +10086] The conversations of #Ifeelbad4 Boss Jordan became the most discussed topic. Her poprity was as high as ever! Many brands invited her to cooperate while some drama series even extended their invitation for her to y the role of the main cast, even though she was never involved in the acting field before. Even the Night of Glory event manager sent out an invitation to her, hoping that she could take part in the Night of Glory that would happen in three days. Charmine was nominated for Most-loved Female Supermodel Award, Most Potential Supermodel Award, and Best New Supermodel Award. With three nominations, she would at least receive an award on that night even if she was not lucky! Night of Glory was the biggest annual award ceremony of one¡¯s supermodel career. It would b e live- streamed online globally, with viewers as much as hundreds of millions. A person would instantaneously be famous as they walked the stage to receive their award. Charmine found out about this news as she was walking with Chris in the garden. ¡°Charmine, remember to find a time to buy a dress for this event,¡± emphasized Eric on the importance of the event. ¡°You have to stun the world in order to help RisingHawk Entertainment gain its poprity.¡± Although thepany had signed many well-known celebrities, it stillcked big and global awards to dere its authority and status. Otherpanies, on the other hand, had many of these awards already. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± replied Charmine, ¡°because even if it¡¯s only to further trigger Tiffany, I¡¯ll go o n to stun the world.¡± Her lips curled up with pleasure just by the thought of Tiffany lying in the sickbed as she watched her overwhelm the masses. As he overheard their conversation, Chris then rolled his eyes and said, ¡°Mommy, I¡¯m too tired! I want to get a drink.¡± ¡°Alright,e back soon. I¡¯ll wait for you here,¡± Charmine replied, thinking that Chris¡¯ body was too weak and he needed more training. ¡°Okay!¡± This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Chris ran away happily, though he did not run to get himself water upon entering the mansion. Instead, he ran straight for Anthony¡¯s study room. He pulled the document away from Anthony¡¯s hand. ¡°Daddy, Daddy! Your chance to shine hase! Mommy needs a gown to attend Night of Glory, so hurry up and go get Mommy a gown!¡± Anthony frowned. A gown? A thought then urred to him as he picked up his phone and called Nial. ¡°Two days ago, you said D.K has a limited edition gown going on auction, right?¡± ¡°Yes! You have no idea how stunning the gown¡¯s design is! It¡¯s perfect and unprecedented. It¡¯s definitely a unique and one-of-its-kind gown! I¡¯m about to bid for it, nning to save it for m y future wife,¡± gushed Nial in his excitement. Anthony smirked faintly. ¡°Bid it for me, I¡¯ll transfer you the money.¡± ¡°B¡ªBut I want to¡ª¡± Beep, beep, beep! Before Nial could finish his sentence, Anthony hung up on him. ¡®Hmph! What kind of brother is he? What¡¯s so impressive about getting a girlfriend first? Also, they don¡¯t even have their wedding nned! Why is he dumping so much money to buy Charmine a gown? This gown will cost at least five billion! Nial sent him a text to confirm, (Are you sure? Five billion for Charmine?] [I¡¯ll buy it even if it takes ten billion!] Nial was speechless. His brother was indeed losing his mind just to get on with his future sister-inw. Charmine was oblivious to what was happening inside the mansion; she was merely waiting for Chris at the garden as she nned for the next strategy. The Tiffany she knew would not stay silent for too long, thus Charmine had to conduct some other arrangements¡­ Chapter 221 Chapter 221 Meanwhile, Tiffanyid on the ICU bed in a hospital, exhausted. Due to her torn scalp, her head was shaved in arge area only to have nine stitches on it. After the anesthetic wore out, she grimaced in so much pain that she could not even open her eyes. The nurses threw dirty res at Tiffany as they quipped: ¡°She deserves everything that happened to her!¡± N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°The wound is just on her scalp. She¡¯s obviously pulling this just to get away with being sent t o Africa.¡± ¡°Exactly! People usually end up with a wound on their forehead when they¡¯re mmed against the wall, but she just got her scalp torn. She doesn¡¯t want her face to get disfigured.¡± ¡°She¡¯s so evilly thoughtful! What a fake b*tch!¡± ¡°She snatched her brother-inw and nned to steal her sister¡¯s assets! She¡¯s incredibly shameless!¡± Tiffany was already suffering from the overwhelming pain, but when she heard thements directed at her, she tightly balled her fists tucked underneath the nket. What a bunch of poor service workers! What rights did they have to say such words about her? What rights have they got to judge her? However bad her current situation was, she was still the heiress of the Jordan family, the heiress of the Jordan Group! Who were they to judge her? It was at that moment that the door to her ICU room opened with an audible click ¡°Go out, I¡¯ll stay here with Tiffany,¡± said Joey. ¡°Okay.¡± With that, the nurses left. Joey and Adam walked into the room and went to the bedside, hoping to speak to Tiffany. They could only sigh at the sight of Tiffany stillying down, eyes still shut. ¡°Sigh! Tiffany has been acting so strangetely. You¡¯re her mother, but why are you so careless?¡± challenged Adam. ¡°Since when am I careless? I called her every day when she went up to the vige, and I even took good care of her when she came back. How would I know she¡¯d be such a good pretender? She even lied to her own mother!¡± Joey sighed. ¡°I never would¡¯ve thought that she¡¯s this kind of a person.¡± ¡°Whatever it takes, cancel all her appointments and events. For the sake of the Jordan family¡¯s reputation, don¡¯t let anyone visit her. Let her recover and cool down for some time,¡± Adam remarked. Joey frowned and asked, ¡°The Night of Glory tearn called to tell us that she¡¯s nominated for the Best Supermo¡± ¡°Hmph! Isn¡¯t it obvious? They¡¯re trying to use Tiffany to gain more viewers. Even if they¡¯re to actually give her an award, is she shameless enough to go and receive one?¡± Adam scowled ¡°n o matter what events they are, cancel them all. Also, pay more attention to Charmine, since the media are berating us for that whole wedding fiasco.¡± With Charmine¡¯s identity as the Jordan family¡¯s adopted child exposed to the public, everyone was using the Jordans for not taking good care of Charmine and how pitiful she was. A lot o f people also figured out that Charmine lived on her own and had traveled all on her own. They also found out contrasting photos of Joey sending soups to Tiffany whilepletely neglecting Charmine¡­ Thinking of the news she saw, Joey sighed. ¡°I won¡¯t pretend that I didn¡¯t neglect her all these years. Though it¡¯s true that she had been disobedient and rude since young, it¡¯s hurtful¡­¡± 1 ¡°It¡¯s all in the past now,¡± dismissed Adam as he added, ¡°and all we can do now is to get some positive comments from the public. It¡¯s now up to Charmine if our family can recover from the blow. You should probably spend more time with Charmine. Bring her to more events and dinner parties.¡± Joey agreed as she replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she¡¯s still my daughter even though I adopted her. I¡¯ll use our family¡¯s resources to help her in this Night of Glory event. As for Tiffany¡­¡± Joey sighed once more with a heavy heart as she added, ¡°Let her recover for a year and a half. We¡¯ll get her a therapist to see if it helps.¡± 2 Despite having her eyes closed the entire time, Tiffany was still conscious. Hearing the conversation of her parents conjured waves of hatred that consumed her. Her parents were criticizing her in front of her sickbed as they praised Charmine! Charmine became the well-loved child, but what about her? Did they even care about her? Charmine nned everything¡­ Charmine was the evil woman here! What rights had they got t o criticize her? To hate her? 4 No¡­ This should not be! If this went on, Charmine would steal everything from her. She could not bear to watch Charmine climb her way to the top! 2 The moment Joey and Adam left, Tiffany used all her willpower to open her eyes. Chapter 222 Chapter 222 None of the nurses wanted to attend to Tiffany, thus nobody was watching over her. This gave her the chance to fish out her phone and texted Ronnie the following: (Charmine can¡¯t get the awards, and she can¡¯t attend the Night of Glory at all! Talk it out with Kelly Mn, and tell her my n.) Tiffany sent the text with a unique software that would instantly destroy texts once it was sent and read. Even a very skilled hacker would not be able to recover the conversation history. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. All she had to do was to patiently wait for Charmine to be destroyed. She wanted Charmine to feel her pain! At the Bailey family¡¯s mansion¡­ Ever since the wedding ceremony, she had stated to the public that she would not take on any shootings and jobs. She even postponed all her engagements toter dates to show them how upset she was, all to avoid suspicions. In truth, she had been with Chris inside the mansion every day. She ate with him, did homework with him, and exercised with him. In the afternoon, Charmine was finally able to rx on the sofa after Chris had fallen asleep. She took out her phone to download a live-streaming app, an app well-known to host the selling of priceless items. Night of Glory was happening tomorrow night, and as it would be full of supermodels, she had to pick a stunning gown. Charmine even remembered that this day was the day that the D.K limited edition went on auction. Although she had never been a huge fan of luxury brands, she liked the design of that gown. In the past five years, she had gotten used to not having anyone taking care of her. Because of this, she had developed the habit of working hard to buy the things she liked for herself. ¡°I¡¯ll treat myself well when I¡¯m rich¡¯; that was her motto. She would do whatever it took to win the auction for that limited edition gown. Charmine opened the app and entered an old man¡¯s live-streaming chatroom, and there were around 30 to 40 viewers. The elderly man with white hair said to the camera, ¡°The gown I¡¯m auctioning today is a design that I¡¯ve worked hard for all my life. I named it, Phoenix.¡± With that, two of his assistants brought a gown to the camera, and it was a bright red gown with a tight and open-shoulder cutting. A detall worth noticing was that the top part of the sleeves was tight that could make a person¡¯s arms look slim, and from the wrist onward, the cut opened up three meters long. The elongated sleeves and its mermaid-tail dragged along behind the gown, and it gave the gown an extremely exquisite exterior. From the top of the gown, a golden phoenix was stitched from the breast to the thigh area, and the cloth dragging behind the gown was embroidered with a phoenix¡¯s wings. Nobody knew how he did it, but the phoenix seemed so alive that it seemed as if it could spread its wings and fly from the gown at any given time. 1 i Everyone in the live streaming tform went crazy once they saw the masterpiece. (This is too gorgeous! Too gorgeous! I want this for sure!) [He is indeed the D.K we know of! A master who produces a masterpiece once every ten years!) 1 [He sells a gown every ten years, and every gown has been collected at a high price for the museum! I thought it was all a myth until I saw it today!) D.K¡¯s ego was not inted due to thements. Rather, he remained well-spoken as he continued to speak before the camera, ¡°The phoenix on the gown took me ten years toplete, one stitch at a time, and I used a long-forgotten sewing technique known as the Serial and Curly Sewing Technique. I¡¯m thest person on earth who could sew with this technique. Furthermore, the eyes of the phoenix were made with the rare yellow diamond, while the gown¡¯s creativity and design consist of fifty years¡¯ worth of story. Therefore, the asking price of this gown is ten million!¡± As soon as he announced the asking price, the people on the tform began to offer their bids. (15 million!) (18 million!) Charmine looked at her screen quietly, as calm as ever. The reason she liked this gown was not only because of its unique design, but it was also because of an incident that happened 10 years ago. Her eyes turned cloudy as she recalled it¡­ Chapter 223 Chapter 223 It was back 10 years ago when Charmine was just a 13-year-old. Known as the Jordan family¡¯s adopted daughter, she was just in seventh grade when-under Tiffany¡¯s influence-she fell in love with gothic fashion. While everyone dressed elegantly, she wore weird-looking clothes. She even went to school in wild and afro-textured hair, and she became everyone¡¯s object of hatred despised especially the Jordans. At the time, Tiffany merely assured her, ¡°Charmine, you have to remember this: Everyone has the right to be unique and beautiful. Not everyone has to live like one another, and Julian likes you to be unique! Even if the entire family hates you, you still have us!¡± This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Charmine was yed for a fool under their wicked influence, and she even thought that her family did not understand her and did not support her hobbies and preference. During one of their fights, Charmine ran out of the house and bumped into D.K by chance. D.K was ¨C at that period -a mere local designer. His given name was Fumo Kingston, hailing from the Kingston family with over a hundred years of embroidery history. ording to the legend, their ancestors had worked and served the royal family for a few generations. It was a pity that machines had reced hand embroideries, and traditional clothes had been reced by more modern clothes and designs. Even though the Kingstons were gradually washed out of the trend, Fumo remainedmitted to the making of traditional wear. His girlfriend said he was too old-fashioned and stubborn, and she eventually broke up with him. It was their breakup that inspired him to merge modern designs with traditional ones, and it birthed elegant and exquisite gowns bridging traditions with the present. D.K was his ex-girlfriend¡¯s initials. Unfortunately, when he became less stubborn and old fashioned, his ex-girlfriend did note back to him. After all, his girlfriend had sadly passed away the day she left him, due to a car ident¡­ That happened 10 years ago, Fumo told Charmine everything when he was drunk by the roadside. He even said, ¡°She loved red gowns, saying that people can see her right away when she¡¯s in red. After her death, I made her a gown in her favorite shade of red and named it Phoenix, hoping she could come back to life, reborn again like a phoenix. ¡°Still, I know that¡¯s impossible. I¡¯ve ced this project aside ever since I was thirty, and now I¡¯m seventy. I don¡¯t have the courage toplete it. I¡¯m afraid that if Iplete it, she won¡¯t even return to the living world. I¡¯m afraid that the only belief I have will disappoint me in the end¡­ ¡°I¡¯ve lost in this year¡¯s fashion week. I had a gut feeling my Phoenix could win, but I just can¡¯t seem to continue and finish it¡­! ¡°If I ever finish it one day, it means that I¡¯m about to leave this world, and I can go and finally meet her¡­ ¡°Youngdy, Phoenix represents my lifelong devotion, my lifelong hard work. Do you think I can make it happen?¡± When the young Charmine was listening to the drunk old man mumbling, she had no idea what ¡®devotion¡¯ was, so she did not take it to heart. Yet, this memory was fresh in her mind all these years. Even when she recalled it at this current time, she could still remember the expression on Fumo¡¯s face, his face full of passion and nostalgia. After Julian cheated on her, Charmine somehow felt Fumo¡¯s story and understood it much more. Fumo¡¯s devotion with his ex-girlfriend was something Charmine could never have in her entire life. Charmine knew no one would moan over her death; no one would miss her that long. Therefore, she wanted to buy this gown not because it was unique, but Fumo¡¯s raw passion and love should not be ruined by some unknown people. Meanwhile, the price had gone up to eighty million. Everyone was throwing money left and right without understanding the gown¡¯s true value. In the end, someone with a ¡®KellyMin¡¯ usernamemented, (One billion!] Everyone in the live-stream was staggered in utter shock. [Kelly Min? The sexiest supermodel Kelly Min?] (One billion? Is she for real? This is just a gown after all! How¡¯s it worth a billion?!) (Kelly Mn, are you crazy?) [I¡¯m not crazy. I¡¯m rich! I¡¯m buying it anyway! Who else is asking? Bring it on!) Kelly typed in her response right away. Charmine had been taking the entire limelight in the modeling industry as ofte, and lots of artists in herpany were waiting to terminate their contracts. Kelly Mn was downright livid at the situation. All she wanted to do was to let out her anger through retail therapy. Furthermore, as the most-celebrated supermodel, she had to be stunning tomorrow night at the Night of Glory. She had to out-dress everyone, especially Charmine! When Charmine saw Kelly Mn¡¯sment, her lips curled up into a smirk as she typed on her keyboard. Chapter 224 Chapter 224 [I¡¯ll pay one extra buck for whatever Kelly Mn asks for.) This caught the interest of many of the people on the live-streaming tform. (One extra buck? Hahaha! Who¡¯s this? An interesting offer!) (It must be a Kelly Mn hater. They¡¯re doing this on purpose to provoke Kelly Mn!) Kelly Mn was seething in anger. She wanted to find out who it was, but the person¡¯s username was a series of numbers that offered not a single clue! Kelly Mn merely typed a reply, (Who are you? Are you doing this to me on purpose?) Charmine replied: [Going against you? Sorry, but I¡¯m not interested. I¡¯m just a genuine admirer of Mr. Kingston¡¯s design of the gown that I need to have it.] A viewer typed: (Another high-handed woman! I wonder who will end up getting this gown.) (Must be Kelly Mn, I guess Kelly Mn is one of the wealthiest in America, and she¡¯s not short of money at all!) [However rich this unknown user is, how could she possiblypete with Kelly Mn?) On the other hand, Fumo Kingston stared at the screen with a twinkle in his eyes. He had been using the name of D.K since 50 years ago and was known to the public as D.K. How did this person know his surname was Kingston? As everyone was bidding, he took out his phone and sent Charmine a direct message: [May I know who you are?] Charmine received his text just as she was preparing the avable bnce of her card. After some thought, she replied, (Mr. Kingston, you finally made it happen. Sometimes, devotion can turn into relief. After holding onto the devotion your entire life, it¡¯s time to live for yourself for a while.) 1 When Fumo Kingston read the message, his white brows furrowed. She was the little girl from ten years ago¡­ It was really her¡­ He never told anyone what happened after losing at the fashion week ten years ago, that he got himself drunk in a quiet street and came across this little girl by chance. Although the girl was dressed strangely, he had a soft spot for her right off the bat as if he had seen his granddaughter. Because of that, he said something that he should not have said to her. It was only when he got sober did he realize he did not know who she was nor what her name was. He never expected to see this girl again after ten years during his auction! Meanwhile, Kelly Mn sentments consequently. [I don¡¯t care if this person is paying one or two extra bucks, I¡¯ll pay a million more than her! M r. D.K, you can only sell this gown to me, whatever price it takes!) Her career andpany were not going as she wanted, and some stranger wanted to buy the gown she fancied? No way! This is from N?velDrama.Org. Everyone was prepared to see how the event would unfold; it was as if those two would fight. Even if one of them won the fight and won the bidding for the gown, it would cost either of them a few billions! Did this unidentified bidder truly have a few billions? All of a sudden, D.K suddenly said to the camera, ¡°My apologies to everyone. I¡¯ve decided to sell my gown to thedy I spoke to earlier, just one billion.¡± What? He chose to sell it to the unknown user? Chapter 225 Chapter 225 Everyone went wild on the tform. (Sell it to her? Why so?) (Mr. D.K, aren¡¯t your gowns always sold through auctions? Why do you insist on selling it to Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. her?] (And with just one billion? The final asking price of this gown would be way more than that!) Everyone was engaged in a heated discussion, and even Charmine was shocked by his decision. Did Mr. Kingston mean it when he said he would sell the gown to her? They had only met once ten years ago, and it was when she was still ugly¡­ ¡°That¡¯s right, you didn¡¯t hear it wrong,¡± said Mr. Kingston to the camera. ¡°I¡¯ve indeed made u p my mind, and nobody could change my decision.¡± Kelly Mn was dumbfounded. She had prepared at least ten billion for it, ready to best everyone who dared to bid against her. Little did she expect D.K to make up his mind right away! Was he looking down on her? Was he insulting her? She bitterly texted, (Why did you make this decision? She¡¯s paying you 1 billion, but I¡¯ll pay you 1.5 million! I already said that only I can own this gown!) 2 ¡°My apologies,¡± D.K merely replied, ¡°I prefer the otherdy.¡± What did he mean ¡®preferred the otherdy¡¯? Just because he preferred her, he decided to sell his gown to someone who had not even started bidding for it? Angered by his decision, Kelly Mn typed a reply in fury, (Mr. D.K, this is against the rules! This is an auction tform! As long as you¡¯re on this tform, you¡¯ll have to obey the auctioning rules! The highest bidder will be able to own the gown, so if you still insist on selling it to her, I can report you!) She was threatening to report him for this. Inside the presidential suite, Nial locked his eyes on the screen with a frown. How could a gown cause such a scene, and why did this make such an abrupt decision? He did not even have the chance to bid! What if his brother sent him to Africa if he failed to bid for the gown? 3 He picked up his phone to call Anthony. ¡°Bro, something¡¯s up,¡± said Nial. ¡°D.K decided to sell his gown to an anonymous user on the live-streaming tform, and he no longer epts further callings. Hurry up and find out who this user is.¡± He read out the numbers of the username, ¡°Give me a minute,¡± came Anthony¡¯s reply, his fingers already typing the numbers on his keyboard as he spoke. As different sequences of numbers appeared, his brows tightened. The final result showed Charmine¡¯s phone number! The woman was Charmine all along? A thought then urred to him as he said to Nial, ¡°Hand this over to me, I¡¯ll do it myself.¡± With that, he hung up on Nial and clicked open his contacts page. The live-streaming tform was getting out of control, but Mr. Kingston still stood firm on his decision. ¡°Many apologies, but I¡¯ve already made up my mind. There¡¯s no point trying to change my mind.¡± Kelly Mn was furious. ¡°If so, I will report you and expose your wrongdoing! You¡¯re the one who¡¯s going against the rule, and you disrespected all of the bidders here! Be prepared to be criticized by everyone online!¡± Listening to Kelly¡¯s rants, Charmine¡¯s brows furrowed by reflex. Kelly Mn was an unreasonable woman, though it was indeed Mr. Kingston¡¯s fault in the first ce. If this went public, Mr. Kingston would be attacked by many of Kelly Mn¡¯s fans. He might even find himself boycotted by many! Mr. Kingston was already in his eighties, and he should not get involved with such a scandal at that age! Chapter 226 Chapter 226 Just as Charmine was thinking of ways to resolve the crisis, Mr. Kingston received a text. Once he read the text, he said to the camera, ¡°My apologies, but I won¡¯t sell this gown anymore as someone¡¯s buying it for ten billion. Ten billion bucks.¡± Ten billion bucks?! ¡°How is that possible? Who¡¯d spend ten billion to buy this foolish gown?¡± whined Kelly Mn in her high-pitched voice, Mr. Kingston¡¯s brows furrowed in displeasure. ¡°And this is customer¡¯s privacy, which I¡¯ll never disclose. Ms. Mn, please mind your attitude. That¡¯s the end of today¡¯s auction. Goodbye.¡± With that, he left the tform, and the live-streaming auction ende?as he turned it off. Kelly Mn felt waves of white-hot anger within her. Was this old man actually asking her to mind her attitude? He merely made a foolish gown, so what rights did he have to tell her off? H e was the one going against the rules in the first ce! Still, what annoyed her most was the two people: One called against her on the tform, while the other one secretly bought the gown with ten billion! ¡°Go and find out who these two people are,¡± yelled Kelly Mn to her assistant, ¡°right away!¡± Meanwhile, Charmine tried to find out who could have spent ten billion on this gown. Since M r. Kingston was a man of his word, it did not add up that he suddenly changed his mind and sold it to someone else at a higher price after he promised the gown to Charmine. Was Mr. Kingston a man who treasured money more than his promises? That could not be; something must have happened behind the scenes. Still, she could not find out the buyer¡¯s identity even after using her resources. On the other hand, Kelly did find out about Charmine as she simply registered and logged onto the tform with her phone numbers. If a person could hack into the database of the tform, they could retrieve her identity easily. Thus, Kelly hired a top hacker to hack into the system¡¯s databank and found out it was Charmine¡¯s phone number. Charmine received a call from Kelly just as she was fumbling around with her phone. ¡°Hmph! And here I was, wondering who would¡¯ve attempted to take the gown from me. It was you all along, Charmine Jordan!¡± scoffed Kelly. ¡°Oh Charmine, are you not aware of your self worth? What have you got in you to snatch the gown from me? Are your assets even worth a tenth of mine?¡± This is from N?velDrama.Org. Before Charmine could speak, Kelly condescendingly continued, ¡°And look at you! Didn¡¯t you say you had to have it? Hah! Haven¡¯t you lost as well? You lost to the ten billion bucks, eh? Well, if you¡¯re as determined as you imed to be, why don¡¯t you bring out twenty billion to buy the gown right back? ¡°Oh, right, you wanted to buy the gown for tomorrow¡¯s Night of Glory, huh? Do you really think you can receive an award? Even if you do, the award would be some non-impressive award, while my award will be the Number One Supermodel for sure. You¡¯ll only get to y a minor part in this ceremony at best! Are you not ashamed to show up to this ceremony with such a grand gown while ying a minor role? ¡°Oh, my bad. You didn¡¯t even get it at all! A Boss Jordan who dered she could do anything had her gown taken right before her! Ha-ha-ha! You deserve this! Want to dress up in a D.K?N o way! ¡°There¡¯s a saying for this, you know: The b*tch will eventually meet her match!¡± Kelly yelled unpleasantly into her phone, mocking and insulting Charmine, yet Charmine remained unfazed and calm. Once Kelly stopped, Charmine-with a cold smirk on her face quipped, ¡°Yeah, you might not have met your match, but if you¡¯re not careful, yourpany will meet its match and get taken by me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare! Don¡¯t you dare take my artists from me!¡± Kelly¡¯s voice went several octaves higher at that instant as it oozed with hatred. 1 Charmine merely continued and egged her on in her light and mocking tone, ¡°Oh really? Kelly Mn, don¡¯t you forget that yourpany can face litigation for not allowing the artists to terminate the contracts. If you ever offend me again, well, two can y at that game.¡± Her lips curled up as she hung up, her calm voice filled with threat. Chapter 227 Chapter 227 Kelly could feel the threat in Charmine¡¯s tone even through the phone, and her expression turned stormy at that moment. Charmine was threatening her with litigation! If the artists did proceed with litigation, the court would call for a subpoena, and if this was not satisfied, it would be regarded as a voluntary waiver of rights. Charmine was so mean and evil! Was she really going to destroy HollyOak Entertainmentpletely? What mayhem! At that moment, Kelly¡¯s assistant approached her. ¡°Ms. Mn, a woman named Ronnie came for you. She said she¡¯s the assistant of Tiffany Jordan, and she wants me to pass on this letter t o you.¡± Tiffany Jordan? Kelly frowned. Although she was Hollyoak Entertainment¡¯s director, she never really cared about the company as she only invested money just for the sake of it. Even many of the staff in thepany did not know about her. In fact, many people did not even know she was Hollyoak Entertainment¡¯s director until a certain incident that happened not too long ago. As of Tiffany, Kelly had only seen her at modeling shows, and they never really knew each other. Nheless, the criticisms Tiffany was getting on the news did leave asting impression. ¡°Why is this kind of woman looking for me?¡± scoffed Kelly. ¡°Destroy her letter now!¡± ¡°But Ronnie said this letter can help you defeat Charmine,¡± her assistant articted. Kelly¡¯s eyes narrowed ever so slightly. Defeat Charmine? The b*tch Charmine was the first person she wanted to destroy. Charmine had snatched her spotlight and even threatened to destroy her Hollyoak Entertainment! She was going against her all the time, and it was about time to defeat her once and for all! With that in mind, she epted the letter from her assistant. Upon opening the letter, a wordid on the paper quietly: (Mastiff.] Kelly¡¯s expression changed as an evil smirk appeared on her lips; Tiffany did not disappoint after all. It was a brilliant, sweetly malicious n she came up with! She was looking forward t o how Charmine could attend the Night of Glory tomorrow night! Charmine was not bothered about her conversation with Kelly just moments ago. She altered her focus on what to wear for tomorrow night. The Night of Glory would be the first important ceremony she would attend in this modeling industry, and it would be the first time she gained recognition in this field. Moreover, since Kelly Mn wanted to destroy her, it only fueled Charmine¡¯s determination to show and prove herself to everyone! It was toote to customize a gown, and if she was to shop for one at a luxury store, it would not be unique. Suddenly, she heard two gentle knocks on the door. Charmine looked up to see Anthony standing by the door as though he had something to say t o her. Taking into ount that Chris was sleeping soundly in bed, she walked out of the room and asked softly, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Hmph. Follow me.¡± Anthony walked toward the study room.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Charmine could only follow behind him as they walked to the study room. With his back turned to her as they walked, she noted that his figure was tall and strong, and it would give a person a strange sense of security. Whenever Charmine looked up at him, her heart would always race as she forced herself to look away. Upon entering the study room, Anthony picked up a cube-sized box out of the blue and handed it to her. ¡°Open it.¡± His voice was deep and pleasing to the ears. As she eyed the gigantic matte ck present box in his hand, she frowned as she pondered what it could have been. Instinctively, she reached for the box. The moment she opened the cover, her pupils dted in shock. Whatid quietly in the box was the gown designed by Mr. Kingston! The red gown inside the ck box made it seem extremely exquisite. Even though the gown was folded and only the head of the phoenix was in sight, one could still feel its liveliness. The entire phoenix was embroidered with pure gold thread as it seemingly glowed, somewhat alive. After all, this was a product made with his lifelong dedication. Even one look at the gown could make a person feel the spirit and story that led up to the creation of this masterpiece. Charmine¡¯s brows furrowed in shock. Why was this gown with Anthony? Was the person who bought the gown Anthony all along? ¡°You¡¯re the one who bought this from Mr. Kingston with ten billion bucks?¡± Chapter 228 Chapter 228 ¡°Correct. Tell me right away if something catches your eye in the near future,¡± said Anthony with a deep and elegant voice. Charmine¡¯s heartbeat disappointingly skipped a beat. He spent ten billion just because she liked the gown? She looked at him and asked, ¡°Why are you so kind to me?¡± They never owed each other anything; they were only fulfilling the contract. She made it clear that she would leave in two months. Anthony looked at her with doubt, though he had a faint smirk on his face. ¡°Are you sure you want to hear the reason?¡± That voice¡­ That tone¡­ ¡°No need,¡± Charmine hastily replied. ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯ll go and apany Chris. Thank you.¡± With that, she hurriedly walked away with the gift box in her hands. 1 Anthony would have surely confessed his feelings once more had he truly replied; he would have told her that he fancied her. Rejecting him too many times could really hurt his ego, thus it was wiser to walk away. 1 Still, as she walked away with the exquisite box that kept the item she needed and liked in her arms, a sense of happiness and warmth surged within her that she never felt before. Her lips involuntarily curled up gradually. It did not ur to Charmine just how much she looked like a love-struck teenage girl at that moment. It was not until she walked into her room and walked past the full-body mirror, that she saw the look on her face which halted her steps. The girl inside the mirror was filled with happiness. Was it really her? Since when did she turn into such a person? Moreover, it was because of Anthony, the out-of-reach Anthony who changed her¡­ Who was Anthony? The ¡®king that everyone in Burlington regarded as the high-above Boss Bailey! Even with her current wealth, she only owned less than a tenth of what he possessed! What if Anthony found out about what happened to her five years ago? Would he still like her? Would he still treat her so kindly? Looking at the huge box in her hands, Charmine then thought about it for a good while, and it was only after that long while did she take out her phone and texted her personal banking assistant: (Transfer ten billion to Anthony Bailey¡¯s ount.) This is from N?velDrama.Org. (Ten billion bucks?) the assistant texted in shock. [Yes, hurry.) replied Charmine. She did not know what urred to her when she received the gift moments ago, but as she mulled it over, who was she to ept his gift? She was leaving him in two months anyway, thus it was better to not owe him anything. 1 Anthony, at that moment, felt rather pleased with himself until he received an unes intil ne received an unexpected text: (Your card ending with XXX received 1,000,000,000¡­) Anthony frowned. Ten billion bucks? Was this transfer from Charmine? She seemed fine as she walked downstairs, so why did she¡­? His eyes turned dark. Night came, and as Chris went back to the bedroom, he said to Charmjne, ¡°Mommy, I feel dizzy tonight.¡± ¡°Dizzy? I¡¯ll bring you to the hospital for a check-up.¡± Charmine grabbed onto his hand, ready t o leave. However, Chris dismissed that as he said, ¡°Mommy, no need. I always feel dizzy, especially a few hours before I get convulsions.¡± Charmine frowned. Did that mean he was likely to suffer another convulsion? Anthony walked over andforted Chris, ¡°Don¡¯t think too much, I¡¯ll stay by your side tonight.¡± ¡°Yay!¡± Chris chirped happily. As he pulled at Charmine¡¯s hand to the bedroom, he turned to his father. ¡°I¡¯ll sleep with Mommy tonight, so you can watch over us by that side of the bed.¡± By that side of the bed? Watch over? Charmine sensed something was brewing¡­ Chapter 229 Chapter 229 Anthony remained stoic. ¡°I¡¯ll sleep on the sofa.¡± Chris then slowly began to sob. ¡°Waa¡­ Waa¡­! No, no¡­! Momo wants Daddy to watch over. Momo is scared¡­!¡± Charmine hugged the boy in an attempt tofort him. ¡°Momo, don¡¯t be scared, Mommy will be with you. Your Daddy can still watch over you, even if he¡¯s sleeping on the sofa.¡± N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°Waa¡­! But other kids get to sleep with their Daddy and Mommy, and Timmy even called met o flex that he sleeps in between his parents! He said that one of them hugged him while the other held on his hand¡­!¡± ¡°Waa¡­! Momo never felt that before, and they allughed at Momo! They don¡¯t like me¡­¡± wailed Chris as streams of tears ran down his cheeks without restraint. 1 Charmine¡¯s arm was damped with his tears. She did not know why, but Charmine felt like giving the world to Chris whenever he cried. Still¡­ Did she have to sleep with Anthony? She still tried tofort him, ¡°Momo, please don¡¯t cry. Scientific research indicated that two sides of the child would be filled with carbon dioxide, in which the poor air quality isn¡¯t beneficial to the kid¡¯s growth.¡± ¡°Waa¡­ I don¡¯t care¡­! I don¡¯t care, I want both Daddy and Mommy with me! That¡¯s the only wish I asked for! It¡¯s been five years, and it never happened! Waa¡­!¡± Chris¡¯ sobs grew louder a s he blew his nose with his shoulder. His little being shook vigorously as though he could break into another convulsion any time. 1 Anthony frowned and walked forward. ¡°Chris Bailey, you¡¯re being a bad child. Do you want me to punish you?¡± As he spoke, he brought out a wooden stick from the drawer and smacked Chris¡¯ buttock. ¡°Go to sleep,¡± he sternly warned, ¡°now.¡± Smack! The wooden stick smacked Chris¡¯ little buttock, and Chris jolted due to the pain. He instantly looked up and continued crying, ¡°Waa¡­. Waa! What have I done wrong? I only want what other kids have! I only want to be apanied by Daddy and Mommy!¡± Chris continued to cry with snot, tears and all. ¡°Waa¡­waa¡­waa¡­.! I-¡°He started coughing vigorously, seemingly as though he was running out of breath. Charmine was terrified at the sight of the boy; she feared he might genuinely get another convulsion. She hastily pulled him into her arms and persuaded him, ¡°Momo, don¡¯t cry, don¡¯t cry. You didn¡¯t do anything wrong. Your Daddy is the guilty one. Mommy will make sure Daddy sleeps with you tonight.¡± With that, she looked up at Anthony and said, ¡°You¡¯ll sleep on the bed.¡± Anthony frowned. ¡°This doesn¡¯t seem right¡­¡± ¡°What doesn¡¯t seem right? Why is a man like you behaving so girly? Go and sleep!¡± Charmine¡¯s tone grew harsher as she gazed at the sympathetic Chris. Anthony stood on the same spot for a while before he reluctantly replied, ¡°Alright then.¡± With that, he got onto the bed and went to the inner side of the bed. Charmine, too,id down with Chris as she gently patted him by his shoulders. ¡°Momo, don¡¯t cry. Don¡¯t think too much, alright? From now onward, Daddy and Mommy will sleep with you, so you have to be happy. Be a brave little man and don¡¯t get ill, okay?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± beamed Chris as he broke into a grin, and he cuddled into Charmine¡¯s arms. The three of them suddenly got closer than before. Luckily, Chris was sleeping between them s o Charmine did not have any contact with Anthony. Furthermore, this was nothing aspared to Chris¡¯ illness; as long as he was healthy and happy. Charmine was not too much of a traditional woman; all she wanted was to make sure Chris could fall asleep. Charmine turned off all the lights, and the room was quiet with the moonlighting in through the window. It filled the room with a sense of softness. Chris fell asleep swiftly. He did not sob nor seem to be in pain as he slept soundly. Anthony nced at Charmine under the moonlight, and his lips curled up into a loving smile before he shut his eyes. Charmine, on the other hand, suddenly opened her eyes wide from sleep. This was not right. Why did she allow Anthony to sleep with them all of a sudden? The three of them slept on the same bed, and it was almost like they were a family of three. Chapter 230 Chapter 230 She had just decided to distance herself from Anthony this very afternoon, too¡­ Charmine began to have second thoughts. Was this all not too much of a coincidence? Momo said he was dizzy, but Anthony then entered the room and hit him with the wooden stick.. Amid her convoluted thoughts, Charmine seemed to understand something¡­ Anthony¡¯s acting skill was too good. He pulled such an act with his son just to share a bed with her? More surprisingly, that did not frustrate her. In fact, she could not even bear to be angry with him. I f this went on, something could very well happen between them. 1 Charmine¡¯s eyes narrowed as she made an important decision; she wanted to tell him the truth about herself. Anthony would find out eventually, and Charmine was not a person who liked to hide the truth. She thought carefully of the sentence she was about to say, and as she balled her fists tightly, Charmine confessed, ¡°Anthony, don¡¯t fall for me. Nothing will happen between you and I. I was impregnated five years ago, and I gave birth to a baby¡­¡± 1 It felt like a heavy boulder was lifted off of her shoulders once she let it all out, though her heart ached without relief. She was certain Anthony¡¯s feelings for her would be wiped clean after that confession. It was over between them; their rtionship ended before it even began. Charmine closed her eyes gradually as she waited for Anthony¡¯s response. She waited and waited, but she never expected the room to remain silent as ever, as though the drop of a pin could be heard. Charmine frowned and looked toward Anthony¡¯s direction. Under the moonlight, his eyes were shut, his brows rxed. His facial expression was calm and his breathing was steady. Had he fallen asleep? He fell asleep so quickly! Even after she built up enough courage to spill the beans, tell him the truth, he was asleep¡­ Charmine was furious! One should know how much courage and effort she needed in order for her to say this out loud, yet he¡­ 1 ¡®Whatever! Perhaps it¡¯s meant to be. We¡¯ll speak about it tomorrow. As she recalled the Night of Glory event tomorrow night, she had to force herself to fall asleep as soon as possible. Morning came, and Charmine opened her eyes to see a bare and muscr chest. The scent was refreshing and pleasing. Wait, what? What was this all about?! Why was sheying in Anthony¡¯s arm, and why was her head snuggled into his chest? Was Chris not sleeping between them? How could this happen? Also, where was Chris? Charmine shot up right away to see that Chris was nowhere to be seen¡­ It was just her and Anthony in the bedroom! Anthony wasying on his side, with his legs pressed against her body! ¡°Anthony Bailey! Can you give me an exnation?!¡± Charmine scowled. Anthony gradually opened his eyes. His just-woke-up face was less intimidating and cold, akin to a lethargic lion. It took him three seconds for him to make sense of things, and it was only then when he said, ¡°Exin what?¡± ¡°And you¡¯re still pretending! Exin, why are you hugging me? Where¡¯s Momo?¡± Charmine questioned him, wide-eyed. N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°Hugging you?¡± Anthony frowned and reminded, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t this be my question to you? Miss Jordan, please have a look at your current position. Shouldn¡¯t you be exining instead?¡± His voice was deep and maic. Charmine then eyed their situation, and it only urred to her then that it was more grave than what she thought! Chapter 231 Chapter 231 Charmine noticed that she was the one who had moved. Somehow, she was no longer sleeping on her far side of the bed, but she had moved inwardly to the center! In other words, it was not Anthony who came over to hug her, but she was the one to have snuggled into his arms? Charmine flushed with panic and embarrassment; this did not seem right. She usually slept without moving too much, and it was unlikely for her to roll around in bed. How did this happen? Once he sat up, Anthony fixed his clothes elegantly and smirkinglymented, ¡°It was understandable thest time when this happened, since Ms. Jordan was poisoned. This time is different, so shouldn¡¯t Ms. Jordan exin what happened to me?¡± Thest time¡­ To her dismay, Charmine recalled the night she was poisoned by Manager Brown. When she regained consciousness at that period, her brain had segments of scenes: Some were of herunching at Anthony, some were of her grinding on him, and some were of her going on top o f him¡­. Embarrassed at the flood of memories, Charmine instantly snapped out of it. ¡°What¡¯s a big man like you whining about? You¡¯re not the one who was taken advantage of. Don¡¯t be so shameless!¡± With that, she got off the bed and was ready to leave. Anthony, on the other hand, stared at her. ¡°This was my first hug! I¡¯ve always been chaste before! Shouldn¡¯t Ms. Jordan consider being responsible for this?¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t you lie! How¡¯s it possible that you¡¯ve never hugged a woman before? Don¡¯t throw false usations at me!¡± Charmine rolled her eyes as she put on her shoes. Anthony grabbed on her wrist and reiterated with a serious face, ¡°Charmine, I never lied.¡± His intense stare that locked onto her made Charmine¡¯s heart skip a beat. Was it true that he never lied? Was he speaking of the truth then? Was Anthony a chaste man after all? This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Anthony¡¯s lips curled up slightly. ¡°Marry me, you won¡¯t regret it.¡± His voice was deep and determined. Charmine was overwhelmed with disbelief. The open world they were living in saw many men and women screwed and messed up, especially the wealthy men who liked to y with women. Yet, here they were, with Anthony still a chaste man¡­! Of course no one would ever regret marrying Anthony as he was a one-in-a-million kind of man, but¡­ Charmine¡¯s eyes went a shade duller as she pulled her hand away. ¡°I don¡¯t like men who are too chaste. Childish.¡± She came up with an excuse and left the room. Anthony frowned. Childish? Did that woman just call him childish? Or did she call him childish for being chaste? It seemed like it was time to teach her a lesson. Charmine ran into another room as if running from disaster. She went into the washroom and sshed cold water on her face as Anthony¡¯s words rang in her ears still. She never thought that Anthony was a chaste man, but this fact made it even more impossible to be with him. She had to find the time to say what she said to himst night. ¡°You¡¯re awake, Mommy?¡± came Chris¡¯ sheepish voice. ¡°Take a look at my drawing.¡± Charmine turned to see Chris walking over with the drawing canvas in his hands. The drawing was of the three of them sleeping on the same bed. A man and a woman sandwiched the little boy in the middle. It was also an oil painting, so it was apparent that Chris was painting the three of them. Charmine asked in shock, ¡°Momo, you painted this?¡± ¡°Yes, yes! Do you like it, Mommy?¡± Chris asked with anticipation in his eyes. ¡°Of course I like it! You¡¯re so young yet you¡¯re able to paint this impressive painting! You¡¯re more talented than Mommy!¡± Charmine praised him as she ruffled his hair. Chris jumped in joy. ¡°As long as Mommy likes it! I got this inspiration very early in the morning today. I want to ask someone toe and hang this on the wall by the bed!¡± Charmine¡¯s grin faltered a little. Chris wanted to hang the painting by the bed? What if Chris¡¯ grandparents or rtivese over? They would surely see it. Chapter 232 Chapter 232 One could tell right away that it was her in the painting. Charmine then began, ¡°Momo, what if we don¡¯t-¡± Before she could finish her sentence, Chris chirped, ¡°I¡¯ll get this sorted right away, Mommy! See you later!¡± With that, he swiftly ran away with his two tiny legs. Charmine could only sigh. That little boy¡­ Nevermind. She never came across any visitor since the day she lived in this mansion, and Momo did say that his grandparents did not like him. Perhaps it was unlikely for them to visit. She regained herposure and started prepping for the night¡¯s Night of Glory. Although she had 10 hours till then, with her formal gown, she had toplement it with a nice hairstyle and pick matching essories and shoes to show her respect for Mr. Kingston¡¯s hard work. After the meal, April came toward her with a box at hand. ¡°Ms. Jordan, Mr. Bailey told me to take charge of your styling today.¡± Charmine did all she could to avoid Anthony after their morning incident, but it surprised her how considerate he was to her still. While April was the top assistant working for Anthony, she specialized in servicing the upper ss, including styling. Her styling would be presentable. Charmine sat before the mirror. ¡°Thanks.¡± April started working on her hairstyle. Not long after, Charmine¡¯s phone on the desk lit up, and the caller ID disyed, (Mom). It was Joey, and she was calling her. Although Joey never treated her as a daughter nor did Charmine treat her as her actual mother, she still had to set her contact name as ¡®Mom¡¯to prevent the family members from discovering her n. Charmine picked up the phone and monotonously began, ¡°Anything?¡± ¡°Charmine, where have you been stayingtely? I went to Violet Vi and I couldn¡¯t find you.¡± Joey¡¯s tone was unusually caring. Joey, after her conversation with her husband Adam the other day, went to look for Charmine. Try as she might, Joey could not find Charmine. Charmine¡¯s eyes seemingly gleamed at Joey¡¯s words, but she merely came up with a random excuse, ¡°Other property. You can contact me if it needs me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing urgent. I just want to ask if you¡¯d like toe and live with us? You¡¯re a Jordan after all, and it¡¯s not too appropriate if you¡¯re living alone,¡± stated Joey. Thest thing Charmine expected was to hear Joey inviting her to live with them. She still remembered how Joey and Adam asked the bodyguards to send her away on the first day she came back. There was a sh of contempt in Charmine¡¯s eyes as she calmly replied, ¡°My apologies, but I don¡¯t n to go back anytime soon. As my mother, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re aware of how everyone back there hates an adopted daughter like myself. To avoid any potential conflict, it¡¯s better for me to live alone.¡± N?velDrama.Org content rights. At a loss for words, Joey could only let out a sigh. Even if she and Adam had epted Charmine, the others might not have done so. After thinking for some time, she continued,¡± Hmm¡­ Charmine, can I please ask for a favor from you? The Jordan family had some connections with Night of Glory¡¯s organizers, and you¡¯ll for sure receive some awards tonight. I was hoping that you¡¯d be able to say some nice things about your sister when you¡¯re being interviewed and receiving the awards on stage. Please don¡¯t criticize her even more¡­¡± Charmine¡¯s eyes dulled at this. That was the real reason why Joey called, was it not? Tiffanymitted terrible deeds, yet Joey still tried to help her? Speaking of connections, Charmine could still win the awards even if the Jordans had no connections with them. Joey seemed to have sensed her displeasure, thus she sighed. ¡°I know Tiffany¡¯s made bad choices, and she¡¯s not to be forgiven. For that, I¡¯ve transferred her five-percent share to your Dad as punishment. Also, her head is considerably injured, and she¡¯s still in aa. She has paid enough¡­ I still hope you can forgive her a little.¡± Charmine frowned. So they did take back the five percent of her share? This would piss Tiffany off so badly! With only another five percent left under her name, she had almost no say in the Jordan family. What else could she do about this? Charmine¡¯s lips curled up faintly. ¡°I can speak a few words for her in front of the media, under one condition.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the condition?¡± Joey asked right away. Chapter 233 Chapter 233 After a good while, Charmine answered, ¡°When she wakes up, she must live-stream an apology in front of all her followers and media. She has to admit her wrongdoings and apologize to me.¡± Tiffany had been hiding away in the hospital as she pretended to be ill, lying on the hospital bed. She had no intention to get involved with the discussions. Did she truly think that after everything she had done, she could stay silent and let time wipe off the memory from everyone¡¯s minds? Hmph, not a chance! Joey hesitated at Charmine¡¯s condition; Tiffany had not been in her best state recently. What if Tiffany fainted again seeing negative online criticisms aimed at her, just as she was getting better? She had such a fragile attitude. How could she apologize in public knowing that she would be criticized for it? Furthermore, sleeping with a brother-inw was a very shameful act, and nobody would want to speak of it. Joey could not help asking, ¡°Is there no other option? This condition seems¡­¡± ¡°Mom, are you still protecting her? Has she ever apologized to anyone after making a mistake? How am I supposed to help her if she doesn¡¯t apologize? Would you hesitate if it was me who seduced her husband and nned to steal her assets?¡± Charmine refuted. Joey felt a pang of guilt at that moment. If it was Charmine, she would not be hesitant at all. Charmine was a mere adopted child. When she made the mistake five years ago, the entire family kicked her out right away. Joey was having second thoughts; Charmine did grow up under them despite being an adopted daughter¡­ Charmine continued, ¡°I¡¯m aware that I was adopted, and that¡¯s why I¡¯ve never asked for anything, but she ruined my wedding and nned to steal my assets. I ain¡¯t a saintess; all I need is an apology. Furthermore, she¡¯d only be able to learn her mistake if she admits her mistake, don¡¯t you think?¡± Joey eventually relented, caving in. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll talk to her and ask her to apologize. Do speak a good few words about her.¡± Charmine¡¯s lips curled up into a smirk as she hung up. She knew Tiffany better than anyone. Tiffany could fake her pitiable look and ask for pity, but it would be one of those fake and sympathetic kinds of sobbing and crying. Asking her to admit her mistake was equivalent to asking her to take on the responsibility for the mistake, and that would ruin her fa?ade. Tiffany would be in agony! Still, what was that agony whenpared to Charmine¡¯s pain of being raped and giving birth t o a dead baby five years ago, chased away to Africa only to slowly die? What agony was there in comparison? Also, if Charmine remained stupid like herself five years ago, they would have killed her and rob her assets. They deserved to be punished! Meanwhile, in the hospital¡­ Joey hung up before walking into Tiffany¡¯s ward. She gazed at the pale-faced Tiffany and assured her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, your sister has agreed to speak well of you tonight. As long as she forgives you, the netizens will let it go, since she¡¯s the victim.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Tiffany¡¯s eyes lit up. Joey hummed in reply as she made her way to sit by the side of the bed. ¡°However, she has a request. You have to live-stream an apology to her and the public.¡± ¡°What?¡± Tiffany¡¯s face stiffened instantly. Live-stream? Apologize? God knew how much she loathed to go outside after the incident. Whenever she recalled how everyone had seen her on the bed, all she wanted to do was to dig a hole and hide into it, yet Charmine was asking her to apologize in public? For what; to bring it up? Why would she force her to face this kind of shame again? Seeing the resistant look on Tiffany¡¯s face, Joey solemnly affirmed, ¡°Tiffany, you should face i t. You did owe everyone an apology. Also, Charmine is trying to help you; you climb back up wherever you fall. Only if you face your mistake can you change and get better, don¡¯t you agree?¡± This is from N?velDrama.Org. ¡®Ha-ha-ha! What a noble outlook in life. So noble and inspiring!¡¯ Tiffany mused to herself. Still, Charmine was helping her? A b*tch like Charmine would do anything to ruin herpletely through this incident, so why would she help her? Also, why ask her to face her mistake? If this happened to anyone else, who would want to bring it up again? They not only took her five percent share away, but they wanted to destroy her too? Did she have to die so they would be satisfied? Chapter 234 Chapter 234 Tiffany was overwhelmed with hatred. Still, the more furious she was inwardly, the calmer she appeared on the outside. ¡°Mom is right¡­ I¡¯ll apologize to my sister in front of everyone. I¡¯ll do it.¡± Joey felt something was strange about her daughter¡¯s pitiable look. Although she seemed sincere, Joey could feel that she had changed, as if something was different about her unknowingly. Joey chose not to dwell on it, however, as she just assumed that Tiffany was not i na good mood. Joey went on to cut Tiffany some fruits. 1 Tiffany watched the moving fruit knife as waves of hatred shed in her eyes. So, Charmine wanted to y? Well, she could barely wait to see who would be the one winning the game! Tiffany wanted nothing more than to see Charmine getting destroyed on the Night of Glory! Paparazzi were already in the venue for the Night of Glory, even as early as in the afternoon. The night would be the biggest event in the modeling industry, and every popr supermodel in the industry would be attending including some of Victoria¡¯s Secret supermodels that were not to be seen so often. Of course, the most important thing was that the night would be Charmine¡¯s first public appearance after her wedding incident! Charmine was the wealthiest woman in the country; Julian was a popr entrepreneur, outstanding CEO; and Tiffany was the world¡¯s No.1 supermodel! The scandal revolved around these three giant figures! 1 Every paparazzi wanted to have interviews and shocking insights! The area outside the venue was heavily crowded by five in the evening. Once she finished getting done and had her gown on, Charmine went into the car. April was driving while Anthony and Chris sat by her side. As the boy held Charmine¡¯s hand, the pitiable-looking Chris murmured, ¡°Mommy, when will I be seen with you in public? I want to be by Mommy¡¯s side, and I want everyone to know that I¡¯m your Momo!¡± The light in Charmine¡¯s eyes flickered. Impossible¡­ That might never happen, would it? Still, sheforted Chris, ¡°When Mommy¡¯s career is stable, I¡¯ll bring you along. Before that, Momo will have to be healthy, as many events will need you to have a strong and healthy heart!¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯ll work hard!¡± Chris promised. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Looking at his innocent face, Charmine¡¯s heart wrenched with a hint of worry. Would she be able to leave in two months? Would he be able to recoverpletely in two months? As she was caught up with her thoughts, the car pulled over one kilometer away from the venue as April suddenly spoke up, ¡°It seems that there¡¯s an ident in front. The road is blocked, so we can only walk through the alley.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Charmine eyed what was happening at the situation way ahead of them. The attendees of the night¡¯s event were rich kids. They might even have scuffles due to disagreements that could arise from the Night of Glory event, thus it was wiser to walk around the ident. There was an alley in front of them, not far from where the car pulled over. The car was unable to pass through the alley, thus April said, ¡°We can only get off here and walk through the alley.¡± Anthony, who was sorting some files, finally looked up. He kept the files and got out of the car to open the door for Charmine. ¡°I¡¯ll walk you over,¡± offered Anthony with his husky voice, gentlemanly as he always was. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Charmine got out of the car hastily and said to him, ¡°Since we¡¯re taking the alley, someone else must be taking the alley as well. If anyone finds out about us, it won¡¯t look good.¡± She said with a worried and unwilling tone. Anthony¡¯s brows tightened, and he looked at her with a hint of disappointment. ¡°Am I embarrassing you or something?¡± His tone was filled with displeasure and doubt. Charmine was caught off guard. Of course not, but.. Chapter 235 Chapter 235 There was nothing between Charmine and Anthony; they were not even in a rtionship. Why bother complicating things? Furthermore, they were going their separate ways in two months ¡® time, and they would not have anything to do with one another by then. It would only be a joke if anyone found out about their ¡®status¡¯, of sorts. Of course, she could not say such things in front of Chris, thus Charmine carefully articted her words, ¡°Well, you have to take care of Momo, and the alley is around five hundred meters. April will apany me. Let¡¯s talk about this when Momo gets better.¡± She emphasized herst sentence to remind him: Everything would be over when Chris got better. Anthony¡¯s eyes darkened and did not insist further. ¡°Take care of her,¡± he said to April. ¡°Yes, Sir,¡±came April¡¯s dutiful reply as she walked over to hold up Charmine¡¯s long tail of her gown. Charmine waved at Chris. ¡°Momo needs to be good, alright? Wait for Mommy at home.¡± With that, she threw a goodbye kiss at Chris. Chris hastily reached out his chubby small hand as though catching the kiss that floated to him. The boy¡¯s face seemingly brightened as though he truly caught the kiss. ¡°Alrighty! Be careful, Mommy!¡± Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Charmine nodded before marching ahead. Anthony felt a strange sense of jealousy looking at Chris¡¯ little fist that caught the flying kiss¡­ The alley was situated at the back of the venue, sandwiched between two tall hotels. The ground was even, so it was possible to walk the path even in high heels. Still, Charmine had to intentionally slow down her pace so April could catch up to her. If it were not because of her three-meter long gown, she would have walked alone. April could feel Charmine was waiting for her, and it impressed her. Apart from the times when she spoke to Chris, Charmine was usually quiet, and it emitted an aloof and cold aura. When it came to small details, Charmine seemed to be much more considerate than the other celebrities who appeared gentle on the surface. Even so, these were not enough for a woman like Charmine to be with Boss Bailey! The two of them walked toward the venue, with one in front and one in the back. As they turned the corner, however¡­ ¡°Arf!¡± Arge brown Tibetan Mastiff suddenly rushed out. The mastiff was a meter tall, coated with a generous, thickyer of fur. It seemed burly and strong, and it carried a strong semnce with a fierce lion! Before the pair could react, the mastiff suddenlyunched at Charmine¡¯s direction! ¡°Argh! Be careful!¡± April cried out instinctively as she grabbed on Charmine and sheltered her to the side. Charmine, too, jumped away instinctively the second the mastiff leapt to her. The mastiff became more furious as his targets got away. It gave out a heavy bark as itunched again at a high speed like a monster. ¡°Run!¡± April cried out with an almost cracked voice as she grabbed onto Charmine and started running. Anthony and Chris were still out there. Mr. Bailey could get rid of that mastiff if he was still around! Nheless, how could outrun a mastiff? The mastiff would catch up to them in less than five seconds. The most terrifying part was that when they turned back and ran, the entrance of the alley was blocked by a tall ceramic jar all of a sudden. There was no way out of this alley! Just as they reached the end of the blocked alley, they turned back to see the mastiffunching at them, only less than two meters away. Its jaws hung open, a bloody scent wafted from its mouth. The usually calm April broke into a cry out of panic. A huge mastiff like this-even with just one scratch- could rip their flesh and damage them physically. It would be no lie that half of their brain could be gone with just one bite of the mastiff, along with their lives! What to do? What to do?! Charmine had a serious expression on her face as she scrambled toe up with a n in a short time. Not far away from the alley, Kelly Mn watched as the mastiffunched at Charmine with an evil smirk on her lips. Hah! How dare Charmine snatched herpany¡¯s resources? This was the price she had to pay for! She even snatched her gown, huh? Well, she might as well die in that stolen gown! Kelly would attend the Night of Glory morously, and would walk the stage to receive her No.1 Supermodel Award! The mastiff was getting closer and closer to Charmine. It opened its bloody jaw, its pointy ws aimed at Charmine¡¯s body. Chapter 236 Chapter 236 With just one scratch and a bite, Charmine would be over! April shut her eyes tightly out of fear. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Just as the mastiff was mere centimeters away from her, Charmine swung her arm with immense power, and it sent the mastiff stumbling back and running away. It ran for the other end of the alley, and that was where Kelly Mn was! All colors were gone from Kelly¡¯s face at that instant. She instinctively turned and started running as she yelled, ¡°Argh! Someone! Help me! Help me!¡± Unfortunately, this was the back of the venue. Who would hear her? Moreover, her running away from the mastiff only made it speed up. It revealed its ws and scratched at Kelly¡¯s back with brute force. Rip! A loud tear of cloth was heard. Gown torn at the back, Kelly suffered a long bleeding wound that extended to her buttock! ¡°Argh!¡± She painfully cried out in a hoarse voice. Too bad for her, the mastiff picked up the scent of blood and aimed for Kelly again! Kelly ran for her life as she struggled to run with her grave wound, but she slipped and fell into a sewage tank originally covered for maintenance! ¡°Arf! Arf! Arf!¡± The mastiff stood by the sewage tank, barking at Kelly who had fallen inside. ¡°Argh! Help me! Help me!¡± Kelly cried out at the top of her lungs, terrified for her life as the mastiff could jump down anytime and bite off her head! Watching from afar, April was terrified by the scene unfolding in front of her with disbelief. What¡­ What was this about? Why was Kelly Mn here? Why did the mastiff that was attacking Charmine seconds ago suddenly went for Kelly Mn? She looked at Charmine. ¡°Did you do something?¡± Charmine¡¯s lips curled up. ¡°I merely returned a favor.¡± As she spoke, she marched forward and picked up a packet of powder. She then threw it in the direction outside the alley. The mastiff jumped to catch the packet and sped away to chase after the packet. Kelly had prepared this pocket of powder in the alley! Firstly, she staged the car ident that effectively blocked the road; this was to make sure Charmine and herpany had no choice but to walk through this alley. It was only then when Kelly ced the packet in the alley. The packet seemed to have Velcro tape all over, which easily stuck onto Charmine, and she noticed this packet right on time to save her own life. As she watched the mastiff sprint away, Charmine marched forward, pulled at the metal gate, and closed it behind her. The world became peaceful, and danger was resolved right away. Meanwhile¡­ Kelly was drowning in the sewage water, her head the only thing above it, and she held onto the metal bar that kept her from falling insidepletely. Seeing that Charmine was walking over, she barked, ¡°Charmine, pull me up! Pull me up!¡± Charmine merely stood by the side and gave a cold re. ¡°Who are you? Why should I pull you up?¡± ¡°Me! I¡¯m Kelly Min! The director of HollyOak Entertainment, World¡¯s Sexiest Supermodel! Pull me up, now!¡± Kelly ordered breathlessly as she red daggers at Charmine. Charmine fixed her clothes and asked unhurriedly, ¡°Oh? Kelly Mn? What is wonderful Kelly Mn doing in this kind of alley? How did you fall into the sewage tank? And look at you, covered in sh*t. I couldn¡¯t tell you¡¯re Kelly Mn!!! ¡°You¡­ You! Charmine Jordan, you¡¯re doing this on purpose! You made the mastiff attack me, didn¡¯t you? Why are you so evil?! If you pull me up now, I¡¯ll consider not holding you against i t. Otherwise, I¡¯ll use my Mn family¡¯s resources to kill you!¡± Kelly Mn red at her as she ordered through her gritted teeth, her words full of arrogance and threat. However, Charmine merely scoffed without saying a word. She dusted her hands and turned to leave. Kelly¡¯s face turned red. Why was Charmine that ridiculous?! Was she not afraid of the Mn family? Was she really walking away? Chapter 237 Chapter 237 She glowered at Charmine¡¯s retreating form. ¡°Charmine, you¡¯re ab*tch! Stand there! If you keep walking, I¡¯ll sue you! You made the mastiff attack me, made me fall into the sewage tank, and deliberately hurt me! I¡¯ll make sure you end up in jail!¡± Charmine then stopped dead in her tracks as she fished out her phone and started typing. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Kelly looked at her, her face less furious as she continued to threaten her, ¡°What, are you afraid now? Starting to call for help? I¡¯ll tell you what: Call someone for help right now, or I¡¯ll sue you!¡± ¡°By all means, go ahead! It can even make the headline! Still, such a great video clip won¡¯t have anywhere to be posted. It¡¯d be a pity, don¡¯t you think?¡± Charmine said calmly as she showed her screen to Kelly. Instantly, Kelly saw herself inside the sewage tank: The disgusting sewage up to her neck and chin; her hands gripped onto the metal bar tightly; her face and head tainted with sewage. Worse still, she was growling at Charmine with a hideous expression! Utterly livid, the red-faced Kelly roared, ¡°Delete that now! Delete that!¡± ¡°It¡¯d be a pity if I delete this, don¡¯t you think? Didn¡¯t you say you want to sue me? There¡¯s no camera in here, and this clip might as well be the only evidence of you falling into the sewage tank. What do you say? Would your fans sympathize with you or mock you after seeing this clip?¡± Charmine asked in a calm and unperturbed tone. Kelly nearly threw up blood out of anger. Charmine was threatening her back, and the clip was her ammo! She gritted her teeth and sneered, ¡°Charmine Jordan, how can you be so evil?! You¡¯re a wicked pervert! Pervert! Believe it or not-argh!¡± Before she could finish her sentence, her body jolted and sank deeper into the sewage, and a mouthful of sewage went into her mouth. She could no longer hold on as she grew tired. ¡°Kelly Mn, you have five seconds to decide,¡± Charmine ordered from above. ¡°If youe clean to me, I can save you. If you remain unreasonable¡­ Well!¡± With that, she opened the timer on her phone. The timer counted down: Five, four, three¡­ ¡°Charmine! You bastard! I¡¯ve never seen a woman as evil as you! You¡± The timer rang. It was the end of the countdown. Wordlessly, Charmine turned to leave. Her form looked determined, much like an arrogant queen as April carried the tail of her gown. Kelly¡¯s arms were running out of strength, and she would surely sink within a minute. She called out in fear, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you! I¡¯ll tell you everything! It was Tiffany! It was Tiffany who told me to use the mastiff against you! The mastiff is always seen near my office! ¡°Many departments have been trying to take it down, but it¡¯s too strong! After Tiffany wrote a letter to me about it, I went to get the medicine powder that would attract the mastiff. I only did this because you keep getting in my way!¡± It did not matter. Kelly could still kill Charmine in the future! Charmine frowned; it was Tiffany again! Still up to her malicious ways, even as sheid in the hospital. Kelly¡¯s body sank down deeper, and she identally swallowed another mouthful of sewage water. Charmine picked up an abandoned rope on the side and tossed it at her. ¡°Hold it yourself,¡± she scoffed. ¡°I¡¯ve no strength¡­¡± Kelly intended to ask Charmine for another way, but before she could finish her sentence, she picked up Charmine¡¯s cold stare. She knew how Charmine was like; Kelly would surely be abandoned if she keptining. Therefore, she had no choice but to use up all of her remaining strength to hold on tight to the rope. Charmine took a few steps backward, but just as April was about to go forward and give her a hand, Charmine used her own grip strength to pull Kelly up from the tank. April¡¯s eyes widened into saucers. How could a skinny woman like Charmine house such immense grip strength? A woman like her merely used one hand to pull Kelly up without breaking a sweat! It was a two -meter deep pit! Where did her strengthe from?! Chapter 238 Chapter 238 Pulled up atst, Kellyid on the ground, exhausted and overridden with a repugnant smell. Suddenly, Kelly got onto her feet and ran straight for Charmine. ¡°Charmine! I¡¯m going to destroy you! You¡¯ll pay for everything!¡± She had murderous intent, and it could be seen with her stance. The deep wound she suffered inflicted by the mastiff the gash that ran down her back-had to be treated in the hospital. This meant she would not b e able to attend the Night of Glory, but if she did not show up, they would give her awards to someone else! How could she just stand and watch Charmine attending in such a beautiful gown? No way! She wanted to attack Charmine and damage her face! Meanwhile, the unfazed Charmine had her phone at hand as she merely watched Kelly running for her. ¡°Bring it on. If you¡¯re to hurt a strand of my hair, I¡¯ll send this clip and recording right away! Everyone will see how you, Kelly Mn, tried to attack me with the mastiff but ended up falling into the sewage tank! Oh, yes, here¡¯s a friendly reminder: A serious attempt to injure others could send you to jail for a year!¡± articted Charmine, already logged into her Twitter. Kelly-who was running toward Charmine-stopped dead in her tracks. Her face morphed into an ugly expression as she stood there, frozen on the spot. Charmine actually recorded her! It would be over for Kelly if the recording and clip went public! That was the first time she had experienced so much hatred, and it was agonizing! ¡°Charmine! You¡¯re so evil! I won¡¯t forgive you! Never¡ª¡± ¡°Ack! Stay away from me, you filthy woman from the sewage tank! Disgusting!¡± Charmine rolled her eyes at Kelly before striding away arrogantly. Charmine then stopped after a few steps away and turned to Kelly onest time. ¡°Ah, yes. I can threaten you once, and I can threaten you twice. Cross me again, and I won¡¯t hesitate to post this clip and recording online!¡± Charmine¡¯s lips curled upward into a satisfied smirk as she turned once more and left. Kelly remained transfixed on the same spot. She was so furious that she could throw up blood! Not only did Charmine bully her, but she even threatened her once more before leaving! Was she trying to take her life? Left without much of a choice and things to do, Kelly balled her fists tightly and yelled, ¡°Argh!¡± She had to make Charmine pay for what she had done to her! She must! April followed behind Charmine with admiration. Under such pressure, Charmine was able to deal with the mastiff and turn the tides against Kelly, making her hideous in the process. April suddenly understood why Boss Bailey was so in love with Charmine¡­ called out in fear, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you! I¡¯ll tell you everything! It was Tiffany! It was Tiffany who told me to use the mastiff against you! The mastiff is always seen near my office! ¡°Many departments have been trying to take it down, but it¡¯s too strong! After Tiffany wrote a letter to me about it, I went to get the medicine powder that would attract the mastiff. I only did this because you keep getting in my way!¡± It did not matter. Kelly could still kill Charmine in the future! Charmine frowned; it was Tiffany again! Still up to her malicious ways, even as sheid in the hospital. Kelly¡¯s body sank down deeper, and she identally swallowed another mouthful of sewage water. Charmine picked up an abandoned rope on the side and tossed it at her. ¡°Hold it yourself,¡± she scoffed. ¡°I¡¯ve no strength¡­¡± Kelly intended to ask Charmine for another way, but before she could finish her sentence, she picked up Charmine¡¯s cold stare. She knew how Charmine was like; Kelly would surely be abandoned if she keptining. Therefore, she had no choice but to use up all of her remaining strength to hold on tight to the rope. Charmine took a few steps backward, but just as April was about to go forward and give her a hand, Charmine used her own grip strength to pull Kelly up from the tank. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. April¡¯s eyes widened into saucers. How could a skinny woman like Charmine house such immense grip strength? A woman like her merely used one hand to pull Kelly up without breaking a sweat! It was a two -meter deep pit! Where did her strengthe from?! Chapter 239 Chapter 239 Pulled up atst, Kellyid on the ground, exhausted and overridden with a repugnant smell. Suddenly, Kelly got onto her feet and ran straight for Charmine. ¡°Charmine! I¡¯m going to destroy you! You¡¯ll pay for everything!¡± She had murderous intent, and it could be seen with her stance. The deep wound she suffered inflicted by the mastiff the gash that ran down her back-had to be treated in the hospital. This meant she would not b e able to attend the Night of Glory, but if she did not show up, they would give her awards to someone else! How could she just stand and watch Charmine attending in such a beautiful gown? No way! She wanted to attack Charmine and damage her face! Meanwhile, the unfazed Charmine had her phone at hand as she merely watched Kelly running for her. ¡°Bring it on. If you¡¯re to hurt a strand of my hair, I¡¯ll send this clip and recording right away! Everyone will see how you, Kelly Mn, tried to attack me with the mastiff but ended up falling into the sewage tank! Oh, yes, here¡¯s a friendly reminder: A serious attempt to injure others could send you to jail for a year!¡± articted Charmine, already logged into her Twitter. Kelly¨Cwho was running toward Charmine-stopped dead in her tracks. Her face morphed into an ugly expression as she stood there, frozen on the spot. Charmine actually recorded her! It would be over for Kelly if the recording and clip went public! That was the first time she had experienced so much hatred, and it was agonizing! ¡°Charmine! You¡¯re so evil! I won¡¯t forgive you! Never¡ª¡± ¡°Ack! Stay away from me, you filthy woman from the sewage tank! Disgusting!¡± Charmine rolled her eyes at Kelly before striding away arrogantly. Charmine then stopped after a few steps away and turned to Kelly onest time. ¡°Ah, yes. I can threaten you once, and I can threaten you twice. Cross me again, and I won¡¯t hesitate to post this clip and recording online!¡± Charmine¡¯s lips curled upward into a satisfied smirk as she turned once more and left. Kelly remained transfixed on the same spot. She was so furious that she could throw up blood! Not only did Charmine bully her, but she even threatened her once more before leaving! Was she trying to take her life? Left without much of a choice and things to do, Kelly balled her fists tightly and yelled, ¡°Argh!¡± She had to make Charmine pay for what she had done to her! She must! April followed behind Charmine with admiration. Under such pressure, Charmine was able to deal with the mastiff and turn the tides against Kelly, making her hideous in the process. April suddenly understood why Boss Bailey was so in love with Charmine¡­ The Night of Glory¡¯s red carpet had been surrounded by hundreds of paparazzi. Supermodels started to arrive while renowned live-streaming tforms were live-streaming the event. Meanwhile, in the hospital, Joey switched on the television and watched closely. She wanted to see if Charmine did what she promised. Tiffany, on the other hand, had her eyes glued to the screen as she watched supermodels making their appearances one after another. There was a faint smile on her lips. It was already 6.50 in the evening. The red carpet was ending in 10 minutes yet Charmine was nowhere to be seen! Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Haha! Tiffany felt utterly satisfied at the thought of the mastiff biting away on Charmine. Joey noticed the change in her look, though she was under the impression that Tiffany was not feeling well. ¡°Tiffany, why don¡¯t you take a nap?¡± came Joey¡¯s gentle voice. ¡°Don¡¯t watch the television, their conversations might hurt you. I¡¯m shutting it off,¡± she said as she picked u p the controller, about to turn it off. Tiffany hastily stopped her. ¡°No, Mom, no need for that. Sister was right. I should face my mistake, and being able to watch my sister attending such a big event makes me happy for her. This would make me feel better, so let¡¯s continue watching.¡± She wanted to see Charmine¡¯s absence with her own eyes! She wanted to see someone telling the organizer that Charmine was sent to the emergency room! Joey had no idea about what Tiffany was thinking. She thought that Tiffany had let go of her grudge, thus Joey apanied her with pleasure. Suddenly, excited and awe-struck noises could be heard from the television. A member of the paparazzi yelled, ¡°Look! Who¡¯s that?¡± Chapter 241 Chapter 241 As Charmine was caught up with the obstacle at hand, her phone lit up with a text message. Anthony: (Just focus on receiving your awards. Let me take care of the rest.) Charmine¡¯s brows furrowed at the text. Had Anthony found out about her situation? Just as Charmine was mulling over her situation, three more text messages popped up. Anthony: (If I can¡¯t save your brother¡¯s life, you can take my life.] Anthony: (Trust me.) Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Chris: (Don¡¯t worry, Mommy! Let Daddy and I take care of the bad guys. We¡¯ll always support you from the back, solving all your problems! Remember to bring back the trophies, Momo wants to see!] 1 Charmine felt utterly touched like never before as she read the texts she received; such kindness had never been shown to her even when she was a kid. It would be a lie for her to say i t did not feel good to have such support; it felt so good. With Anthony¡¯s extended hand to help her out, what need was there for Charmine to fret? There was nothing in the world that Anthony could not solve. She replied to them both, (Alright.] With that, she remained seated on her seat, seemingly calm and unperturbed. Concurrently, in the hospital¡­ As Joey was upied with other tasks, Tiffany turned on the television to watch Night of Glory once more. Half an hour ago, Kelly¡¯s assistant contacted her and said that the n had failed. Moreover, Tiffany was told that unless something big was to happen during the ceremony, Charmine-in all her glory-would get up the stage to receive her awards. The stage belonged to Tiffany! She was the one supposed to go up there and shine under the spotlight, but instead, she was stuck in the hospital suffering in pain and ridicule. What rights did Charmine have to deserve the stage?! What she could not get, Charmine should not get it either! With such a thought in her mind, Tiffany bribed some men to kidnap Robert, and she waited for Charmine to leave the ceremony. She knew Charmine better than anyone: Although Charmine seemed rather aloof to her surroundings, she in fact cared a great deal for the Jordans. Otherwise, she would not havee back and picked on Tiffany. Tiffany eagerly anticipated for the moment Charmine would walk out of the ceremony. What could be better than to watch her being pushed down by the kidnappers off the cliff? With that in mind, Tiffany¡¯s eyes were filled with anticipation and hatred. She waited and waited, yet Charmine did not even stand up to leave. How could it be? Had the kidnapping n failed? She texted the kidnappers: (What¡¯s the problem? Why hasn¡¯t she left?] (How do I know? The b*tch didn¡¯t even reply. I don¡¯t care, I¡¯ve got the guy and sent the text. Remember to pay me!) Tiffany¡¯s forehead tightened at the text, and she ordered: (Keep sending! Don¡¯t stop!) Seated right where she was, Charmine¡¯s phone vibrated incessantly with iing emails. One email notification after another restlessly lit up her phone. (Charmine, if you¡¯re noting, I¡¯ll kill him for real!) (Don¡¯t you think I¡¯m joking with you? Not a single evidence will be found once I¡¯m done with him!) (Look at how deep the water is! Don¡¯t you think your brother would be afraid?] [You only have fifteen minutes! I¡¯m really going to do what I said!] Charmine nced at her phone, but she remained unperturbed. It puzzled her when this outburst of faith even bloomed, but she trusted Anthony 100 percent entirely. Furthermore, if even Anthony could not save Robert, what use was there for her to go? Anthony was the most resourceful man in the world! Meanwhile, the host on the stage announced: ¡°The award we¡¯re about to give out is 2020¡¯s Most Popr Supermodel Award. The nominated supermodels are Eunice, Sofia, Charmine¡­¡± The host called out ten names all at once, with their close-up photos on the big screen. Tiffany, still on the hospital bed, red at the television with clenched fists. Why? Why was Charmine still there? Why had she not left? Was she not worried about her brother? If she was to watch Charmine receiving an award on this grand stage, she might as well die of frustration! Meanwhile, the host announced, ¡°2020¡¯s Most Popr Supermodel Award goes to¡­Charmine Jordan!¡± With that, two words-Charmine Jordan ¨C appeared on the big screen along with a loud uproar and apuse that echoed in the venue. The spotlight and camera turned and focused o n Charmine. Chapter 242 Chapter 242 Still at her seat, Charmine¡¯s lips curled up elegantly and exquisitely at the camera. On the big screen, her photos showed up as the host introduced: ¡°Charmine Jordan, aged twenty-three, started her career by stunning the world at the Chanel¡¯s Jewelry Show, followed by her record-breaking sales from her Guci shoots which overwhelmedst year¡¯s Number One Supermodel, Tiffany Jordan. ¡°She made an appearance at the International Car Exhibition, earning fans up to tens of millions! Her shots in wedding gowns went otherworldly viral as well! Charmine Jordan is indeed the most popr supermodel of 2020! She deserves this! ¡°Let¡¯s have another round of apuse for Charmine Jordan!¡± The majestically loud apuse resonated in the venue, with different beautiful photos of Charmine in various styles and poses revealed on the big screen. The apuse became louder, and even other supermodels apuded sincerely as they felt out of her league. Perfect-faced, multi-styled, downright professional Charmine was at a level far beyond their reach. Under the worshipped and adoring eyes of many, Charmine stood up and walked toward the stage. Her long gown trailed with her seemingly with a golden glow, and she gave off a beautiful yet proud aura as she stood 1.7 meters tall. It was as if she was the queen of the ceremony. As she walked the stage, a well-respected senior of the modeling industry handed the trophy t o her. Madam Gazelle was in her seventies, but her appearance was so well-maintained that she seemed like a charming woman in her forties. Rightfully, she exuded an air of elegance, gentleness, and formality. As Charmine maintained eye contact with the woman, she epted her trophy as she lowered her head sincerely. ¡°Thank you,¡± said Charmine. N?velDrama.Org content. Madam Gazelle gave Charmine a once over and gushed, ¡°You¡¯re indeed an amazingdy, so gorgeous that I¡¯m getting a little jealous over here! Does Ms. Jordan have anything to share with everyone today?¡± Charmine nced at the heavy trophy at hand before she turned to look at the camera, and her red lips curled up. ¡°Next year, won¡¯t be just this.¡± Six words were uttered confidently, beautifully, and boldly. The venue thunderously cheered and apuded at Charmine. Perhaps Charmine was the only one in the world who would say such words. The Most Popr Supermodel Award was a very prestigious award. Was she implying that she wanted to get the No.1 Supermodel Award next year? A bold statement, indeed! Both Tiffany and Kelly who were healing at the hospital watched the ceremony through their televisions in rage. Two-month-old model newbie Charmine was dering war on these two! More importantly, Charmine was too gorgeous! She stood on the stage with such stunning and awe-striking perfection that could drive any woman in the world crazy with jealousy! How could a woman like this continue to live? How could it be?! Suddenly, all the lights in the venue turned off, and the venue was left in darkness. With furrowed brows, Charmine went alert as she looked around her vigntly. A spotlight shone on her, with another spotlight directed at the back of the stage. Standing there was a man with a huge bouquet of roses, dressed in an exquisite and formal suit. It was Julian! Wait¡­ Julian was here? What was happening? Before Charmine could react, Julian walked toward her one step at a time with the bouquet of roses at hand, and the spotlight followed him in every step of the way. Under the light, he seemed like an exquisite prince from a fairytale. An uproar overwhelmed the venue. ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°It¡¯s Julian Cabell! Did Julian arrange this with the organizer just to apologize to Charmine in front of everyone?¡± ¡°Goodness! This man is so sweet!¡± The venue was overridden with murmurs andments, with lots of women watching on with adoration in their eyes. While others looked on with adoration, Charmine¡¯s brows tightened as she stood still. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Was he here to apologize in front of everyone? No, that could not be. There had to be something else in y! Chapter 243 Chapter 243 As expected, Julian made his way to Charmine, his eyes seemingly filled with adoration. He had carefully weighed his situation for the past few days: The Cabell family shares had gone downhill, and the Jordan family members had been starting to boycott him as the patriarch. Thus, Charmine was the last option he had to redeem himself! It definitely yed a factor that Charmine was too charming, so mesmerizingly charming, and marrying her would do no harm to him. As for Tiffany, well¡­ Julian had other ns. ¡°Dear Charmine,¡± Julian began as he gazed at her, ¡°I¡¯ve wronged you in the past, and I¡¯m willing to make up for it my entire life. Please give me another chance!¡± He uttered every word with such sincerity, and as he finished, he knelt on one knee as he handed the bouquet of roses to Charmine. Among the rosesid a jewelry box with a proposal ring sitting in it. The crowd went into havoc at the scene. ¡°It¡¯s too romantic!¡± ¡°Argh! Julian Cabell is actually proposing to Charmine at such a formal event!¡± ¡°I guess he was seduced by Tiffany back then. What man could resist Tiffany¡¯s seductive position?¡± ¡°Also, who never cheated anyway? What¡¯s important is that he learned his mistake.¡± ¡°Charmine, ept him! You two are meant for each other!¡± ¡°Say yes! Say yes! Say yes!¡± Someone started chanting and the rest of the audience followed. The chants resonated and overwhelmed the entire venue. Charmine wanted to reject Julian¡¯s proposal, but as she blinked, she saw a peculiar photo embedded among the roses. It was a photo of herying on the operation table with her impregnated belly! Julian purposely brought that photo out with him! Julian¡¯s gaze never wavered, though his lips curled up. ¡°Charmine, please ept me.¡± His tone seemed to be sincere, though it was concealed with a threat that only the two of them understood. Charmine¡¯s face turned pale. Julian was threatening her with the photo, and no doubt would h e reveal the photo to everyone if she rejected him. She had long forgotten her pregnant self from five years ago, and she had forced herself to dump the memories for good, but never did she think the photo would appear again as a ransom! If this photo was exposed in an event like this, the entire world would know that she was once pregnant and gave birth before¡­ However tough she might seem, she could not tear her wound in front of so many people. Also, Chris was probably watching. What would he think of his Mommy if the truth was revealed? Would he get ill again? Moreover, Anthony¡­ All at once, her mind was overwhelmed with all kinds of emotions. Meanwhile, Tiffany was watching the television in the ward with her fists clenched tightly, so tightly that the IV needle had popped out of her skin with fresh blood oozing out. How could this be? How could Julian propose to Charmine?! Tiffany had loved Julian dearly since they were young. While Julian was not as sessful back then, she never once doubted him. Although she had been nning these for herself, half of it was all because of Julian! She wanted to be the Jordan family¡¯s actual heiress, wanted to get a portion of the Jordans¡¯ family shares, marry Julian and help him secure his status, and live a happily married life with him. N?velDrama.Org content. s, there he was, proposing to Charmine. Julianpletely brushed her aside, and he had never once visited her in the hospital. All of a sudden, he was proposing to Charmine! Back at the Night of Glory venue, Julian was still waiting for Charmine¡¯s answer on one knee. His handsome and elegant face was filled with a hint of certainty. There was a dull twinkle in Charmine¡¯s eyes. Did she have to ept him? Was epting him the only option she had? If she was to ept him in front of so many people, she would have no choice but to actually stay with him after that¡­ Chapter 244 Chapter 244 Charmine would never! Suddenly, a mysterious glint briefly appeared in Charmine¡¯s eyes. As she stood before him, she asked, ¡°Are you sure you want to marry me? Have you genuinely learned your mistake?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± One word, simple and unhesitant. Charmine¡¯s lips curled up. ¡°Alright, I have three conditions. If you can fulfill them, we can be officiated tonight,¡± came Charmine¡¯s clear and elegant voice. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Julian¡¯s brows furrowed, along with an unsettling feeling that welled in him. Three conditions? What three conditions did she want? Meanwhile, at Guillotine Cliff¡­ Mr. Dickson had long anticipated Charmine¡¯s speedy arrival, but little did he expect that a luxury car would harshly pull over at the side, the motion causing clouds of dust to float in the air. ¡°It must be her!¡± one of the men called out. ¡°Get ready!¡± Everyone stood up, and they eyed the car with cautious and fierce res. The moment the car door opened, a pair of shiny leather shoes were revealed as they stepped on the ground, followed by a pair of long and refined legs. Even if it was just the bottom half of his body, without a face revealed to them, everyone could already feel his authority and regality. The man eventually got out of the car and shut the door with a swift gesture. When everyone saw that dark and stern face of his, their limbs turned to jelly as a strong shiver shook their bodies. It was Boss Bailey! The Boss Bailey with all the power of Burlington in his hands! There were two legends in Burlington: One was that Boss Walker killed and burned at night, while Boss Bailey burned cash in the daylight. These two legends implied that Boss Walker was a fearless man, he was the king of the night doing any undepictable act one could think of. While Boss Jordan did not have to do anything, burning cash in the daylight for the sake of keeping warm, one could see how overwhelming his wealth was. Mr. Dickson was a staff of Boss Walker. They¨Cthe men¨Chad been evil and feared by many, yet they dared not intrude Boss Bailey¡¯s territory. Even if they were to cause troubles, they had to stay at least 500 meters away from Boss Bailey¡¯s territory. Someone once tried to challenge Boss Bailey¡¯s authority; this person handicapped a person from Boss Bailey¡¯s territory. The following day, that person-they who handicapped one of Boss Bailey¡¯s people-vanished from the face of the earth without a single trace¡­ Recalling this legend, Mr. Dickson and his men had chills that ran down their spines. He stuttered, ¡°Boss Bailey¡­! W¡ªWhat brings you here?¡± Anthony¡¯s gazended on the figure behind them; Robert was hung on a tree branch. ¡°Three seconds,¡± Anthonymanded, ¡°let him go.¡± Five words. Simple and full of authority. Mr. Dickson and his men exchanged nces. Of course they would let go of Robert when he asked, but they went through all the trouble and stuck their necks out there just to kidnap Robert. It did not help that the perpetrator had promised to pay them a rather handsome sum of five million, and they had not received such a high-paying task for a very long time. If they let him go, all would have been in vain. Mr. Dickson¡¯s eyes darted left and right as he hastily walked to the tree and said, ¡°Boss Bailey, please understand our predicament here. We promise to not cause him any harm. We¡¯re just using him to attract a particr woman, so once the woman gets here, we¡¯ll let him go right away! ¨C ¨C ¡°It¡¯s not easy for us. We have elders and kids to take care of, too. If Boss Bailey insists to make me do it, I¡¯ll have to take his life.¡± With that, he took out the dagger and ced it against the rope. The rope would surely be severed with one flick of the dagger, and Robert would surely fall into the bottomless lake. Effectively restrained by the rope, Robert could not move at all. He was even poisoned that his entire body was unable to exert any force. Meanwhile, he looked at Anthony with doubt and worry. What was this man doing here? Was he here to save him? He did not even know this man¡­ Furthermore, under such a circumstance, how could he save him? Chapter 245 Chapter 245 Mr. Dickson and his men surrounded Robert, where he was hung, as they eyed Anthony anxiously and warily. Mr. Dickson¡¯s dagger trembled with his hand, but he managed to muster all his courage to blurt out, ¡°Boss Bailey, I¡¯m sorry to have offended you, b-but please understand our difficulty¡­ We don¡¯t have any choice..!¡± ¡°Times¡¯ up.¡± Anthony¡¯s lips curled up slightly. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. As the men were confused at what Anthony meant, he had already taken out a dark-colored weapon from the inner pocket of his suit. He raised it and aimed right at Mr. Dickson¡¯s forehead. Mr. Dickson¡¯s eyes narrowed as he raised his dagger, ready to cut the rope. With that, Boss Bailey must be threatened and would hold back his shot Bang! Anthony pulled the trigger. Before Mr. Dickson¡¯s dagger could even cut the rope, the dark-colored weapon had already shot his forehead, and fresh blood spurted from his wound like a fountain. What speed¡­ It happened in the blink of an eye! Boss Bailey was able to stop him on the second his dagger was about to graze the rope! Mr. Dickson¡¯s body jolted vigorously. His dagger fell into the bottomlesske as he fell backward. ¡°Mr. Dickson!¡± The rest of the men rushed up to hold on to him. No one cared about their promised five million anymore as they fell on their knees and begged for their lives. ¡°Please forgive us, Boss Bailey! Please forgive us! We¡¯ve made a mistake, it¡¯s our fault¡­! This man is all yours, please¡­¡± With that, the men bowed down low as they dragged on Mr. Dickson to leave as fast as they could. Anthony had no heart to deal with them, and he kept the weapon in his pocket as he walked toward Robert. He untied the knot on the tree and, with a strong pull, Robert-who was hanging mid-airnded on the grass. Robert looked at the man before him, his eyes filled with shock. Every gesture of his was so elegant and exquisite. Why would such an important figuree and save him? ¡°Why did you save me?¡± Robert feebly asked. Anthony stared down at him as he stood still, his lips curled up slightly. ¡°I¡¯m your brother-inw.¡± Five words, uttered somewhat like an announcement with a hint of fervency. Robert was downright baffled at such an announcement. Brother-inw? Anthony Bailey was his brother-inw? Robert had three sisters: His eldest sister Tiffany¡¯s reputation waspletely ruined; his second eldest sister Charmine had lost her chaste five years ago; his third sister Amelia was still locked in the basement for ¡®reflection purposes¡¯ and had note out to the light. What ¡®inw¡¯ could this Anthony Bailey possibly be of his? At that moment, the door to Anthony¡¯s luxury car flung open. As he ran with his two short legs shakily, Chris called out, ¡°Daddy, Daddy, it¡¯s bad! The bad guy is proposing to Mommy!¡± Proposing? Anthony took the device from Chris and looked at the screen. At the morous Night of Glory, Julian was kneeling with a bouquet of roses in front of Charmine. Right on time, Charmine stated, ¡°Alright, I have three conditions. If you can fulfill them, we can be officiated tonight.¡± Officiated tonight! Was Charmine genuinely giving Julian another shot? A man like Julian would ept all of her conditions, even if there were 30 of them! Anthony clenched his fists so tightly that the knuckles turned white. As he was about to bring out his phone to make a call, Charmine began to state her conditions. ¡°Firstly, you need to tell everyone what Tiffany did to me, with you as the witness sending her off to jail!¡± Chapter 246 Chapter 246 ¡°Secondly, tell everyone about the truth about you and Tiffany for the past fifteen years. ¡°Thirdly, transfer ny-nine percent of your shares to me. ¡°If you could fulfill these three conditions, we can get our marriage certificate right away.¡± Her voice resonated in the venue calmly. Julian¡¯s face instantly stiffened. Did she just say 99 percent of his shares? She was asking for s o much! Was she trying to steal his Mile-End Company entirely? As for her first and second conditions, Julian knew she was trying to make him confess that Tiffany was the actual adopted daughter instead, that Tiffany bribed a man to rape Charmine. I f the truth got out, it would genuinely mark the end for Tiffany, once and for all. The Jordans would not like Tiffany anymore, and she would be sent straight to jail without a single percent of the family shares! Although Julian had not been looking for Tiffany and did not like her as much, they did grow u p together. Moreover, she was his first love and the woman he cared for the most. How could h e ruin Tiffanypletely? Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Watching his hesitation, a mocking curl appeared on Charmine¡¯s red lips. ¡°Julian, you imed to have learned your mistake, yet you can¡¯t even fulfill the most basic requirements. How am I supposed to marry you?¡± With that, the audience began to exchange their opinions. ¡°What else did Tiffany do to Charmine? Was it so bad that she could be put to jail?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the main point. The main point is that Julian is obviously protecting Tiffany. He still loves Tiffany!¡± ¡°Hmph. I wouldn¡¯t want a dirty husband like this. Charmine, weigh your options carefully!¡± The audience¡¯s perception had changed. Julian¡¯s expression turned darker as he warned, ¡°Charmine, let¡¯s not drive her to her limit now. I¡¯ll promise to cut off everything with her, but can¡¯t we just let go of the past? Shares wise, I can give you forty percent of it, so please do consider. I don¡¯t wish us to part ways with displeasure.¡± 1 ¡®Part ways in displeasure¡¯ was emphasized as he handed the roses to Charmine again. If Charmine remained stubborn, Julian would expose her photos! Charmine¡¯s lips formed into a mocking, condescending smirk. Did Julian really think she was someone he could manipte just like that? Charmine suddenly lowered to the ground on one knee, with one hand sped at her bent knee Charmine spoke in a volume that only the two of them could hear, ¡°If you¡¯re here iming that I should let go of the past, why did you use this past to threaten me? Do you really think I¡¯m afraid? When ites to it, what could be worse than exposing the photos and we all go down together? Also, I¡¯m making Tiffany do a DNA test with the Jordans today!¡± Charmine then stood up and reached out to grab the photo ced among the roses. Julian¡¯s face changed instantly; Charmine was going all out! She would rather go down with them all instead of marrying him! If Charmine was to self-expose then use Tiffany of framing her, Tiffany would receive the worst end of the stick even without any proof, and her as-ofte reputation did not help her case. Should the DNA test be carried out¡­ No, it was not time for all that. Tiffany had not gotten hold of most of the Jordan family shares; everything was not ready yet. Julian suddenly got up from his knee and pulled his bouquet before Charmine could take the photo. ¡°Charmine, if you¡¯re still not ready, I¡¯ll give you more time to reconsider. No matter if i t takes ten days or ten years, I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± With that, he insisted Charmine keep the roses while he took the engagement ring. Everyone looked with the brows furrowed with suspicion. What just happened? Why did Julian walk away suddenly? What did Charmine say? Everyone was left clueless, and Anthony was the one left with the most questions. Anthony could very well lip-read, thus he noted Charmine¡¯s every word to Julian. ¡®Expose the photos? What photos was Julian threatening Charmine with? Why did Charmine say they would all go down together? Did Julian have things in his hands that could bring Charmine down? Speaking of the conditions Charmine proposed, she spoke of this thing that happened five years ago. What actually happened five years ago? After a series of thoughts, his gazended on Robert. He asked in a deep voice, ¡°Five years ago, what happened to Charmine?¡± He had to find out. He had to help Charmine solve all of her problems! Chapter 247 Chapter 247 Julian had to pay the price of threatening his-Anthony¡¯s-woman! At the mention of the five-years-ago incident, Robert¡¯s face turned serious and solemn. Even though he did not like his sister Charmine that much, it was still a family issue. An outsider should never hear about the ugly truth, especially when that truth had things to do with Charmine¡¯s reputation¡­ Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Robert shifted his gaze away. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Anthony¡¯s eyes narrowed at his reply, his questioning gaze unusually dark. The long squinted eye-lines were long and narrowed, as if sharp rays of light wereing out of them. Momentarily intimidated by his re, Robert hesitated for a moment before he repeated,¡° Yes, and I was only thirteen at the time too. I don¡¯t know anything. If you¡¯re curious, go ask Charmine.¡± With that, he shut his eyes and avoided Anthony. Anthony¡¯s eyes became darker than before; it was in to see that Robert hid something from him. What went down five years ago? Why was he not telling the truth? Meanwhile, Chris¡¯ lips pursed into a pout in frustration. ¡°Daddy, this person is so rude! How could she call Mommy by her name?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think about it. Remember, you¡¯ll have to call him Uncle.¡± Anthony regained hisposure as he ruffled Chris¡¯ hair, and he then reached out to help Robert stand up from the ground. Chris¡¯ pout only lengthened as he scoffed, ¡°Uncle?¡± Robert had goosebumps all over him. ¡®Uncle¡¯? The well-known little figure feared by many in Burlington, called him ¡®Uncle¡¯? Was he messing with him? Moreover, this kid kept on calling Charmine ¡®Mommy¡¯. Was he her kid? That was impossible. The baby Charmine gave birth to five years ago was dead¡­ Between his thoughts, Chris was already carried and ced on the backseat. Chris opened the door and tried to climb toward the passenger¡¯s seat, though Anthony stopped him. ¡°Stay behind. This seat is for Mommy.¡± ¡°Oh, okay!¡± At the thought of his Mommy, Chris wiggled back to the backseat and sat next to Robert. Once he looked at Robert, however, Chris looked away arrogantly as he huffed, ¡°Hmph! I don¡¯t have a rude and weak Uncle like you.¡± Robert was speechless at his choice of words. He did not want a nephew like him either. Was he actually calling him weak? Robert could have fought all his kidnappers had they not outnumber him and drugged him. Though, upon a closer look, Chris did share minute resemnces with Charmine. From his brows to his lips, h e did look simr to when Charmine was a kid. Could it be that Chris was really Charmine¡¯s son? Nheless, he saw it with his own eyes that the baby was born dead back then. The baby was no longer breathing since birth, his face purplish-green like an eggnt. How could it have survived? Perhaps it was mere coincidence. The car pulled over in an alley a few meters away from the Night of Glory venue, and April was already waiting under the tree with Charmine. Chris¡¯ update text made Charmine feel at ease about the situation. The moment Charmine spotted their car pulled over, she waved at April.¡± You may go home now, get some early rest.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± April opened the car door for her, her adoration for Charmine only growing at that point. As she got in the car, Chris called out excitedly, ¡°Mommy! Mommy! You looked so gorgeous when you were on stage tonight! You stood out from everyone else! I¡¯m Mommy¡¯s number one!¡± ¡°Thank you, Momo. Do fasten your seatbelt, we¡¯ll talk more when we get home,¡± said Charmine. ¡°Alrighty!¡± Chris fastened his seatbelt diligently as he was told. Robert¡¯s brows furrowed as he studied Chris¡¯ behavior. The younger, arrogant Bailey was such a good kid in front of Charmine, and Anthony Bailey seemed to spoil Charmine¡­ Riddled with suspicion, Robert began, ¡°Charmine, what¡¯s your rtionship with them? Chapter 248 Chapter 248 ¡°You don¡¯t have to know about my personal stuff,¡± came Charmine¡¯s reply in a low voice,¡° just take care of your own.¡± As if she remembered something, Charmine looked at Anthony. ¡°G o to the Jordan family¡¯s mansion first, send him there.¡± This is from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Okay.¡± Anthony turned his steering wheel. All of a sudden, Robert called out hastily, ¡°I don¡¯t want to go back to the Jordan mansion!¡± ¡°Do you want a repeat of tonight or something? Are you able to fully ensure your own safety?¡± Charmine asked rhetorically. Robert was caught off-guard, his words stuck in his throat at her question. However, after a moment, he said, ¡°I won¡¯t go back there even if I¡¯d die outside!¡± ¡°This is exactly what that person would want you to be,¡± Charmine scoffed. Tiffany had, in some form, spoiled Robert since they were kids. She encouraged Robert to skip school, set him up to be addicted to gaming, and even pulled up a gaming group of people to game with him. As a result, Robert wasted 10 years all for gaming as he neglected his studies. To Robert, Tiffany was his one and only true friend who was willing to help him build up a team of gamers. He trusted Tiffany wholeheartedly, unaware of the ugly plot behind all the icing and sugar. Robert frowned when he heard Charmine¡¯s tone of speech. ¡°I won¡¯t deny that Sister Tiffany made a huge mistake, but it must be that she loves Julian too much. She¡¯s not a bad person inside, and nothing close to what you think! She had been treating me so well since I was a kid.¡± Charmine scoffed, unbothered to exin further. It was not the right time, and whatever she said would not convince him either. Moreover, Robert should not live outside; it was not ideal. Charmine had quite the list of enemies, and she did not even know if Tiffany or Kelly set up Robert¡¯s kidnapping. ¡°No matter what, stay in the Jordan mansion for now,¡± insisted Charmine. ¡°I can help you convince Grandpa so that he¡¯d allow you to y games at home.¡± ¡°Impossible! Don¡¯t you even think about that! Just send me off to the SA Club,¡± Robert said coldly. Robert had tried to convince his family about the rules of gaming countless times ever since h e was a kid. He wanted to be a professional gamer and get involved in the national gaming industry; he wanted to make a name for himself. s, no one supported him despite his efforts. How could Charmine convince them? Charmine merely spared him a nce before she took out her phone and texted Senior Jordan a message. Not long after, Robert received a call. ¡°Robert,¡± came Senior Jordan¡¯s voice from the other end of the line, ¡°by all means,e home and stay with us. Bring your machines. Grandpa will allow you to y at home and will n o longer force you to study.¡± Robert¡¯s eyes widened as he listened, shocked for a good few seconds. What did Grandpa just say? Did he hear it wrongly? Grandpa actually allowed him to game at home and no longer forced him to study? Grandpa was the most traditional man at home; he always thought that his only grandson should be studying and get into a business school to learn so he could take over the family business. Yet, all of a sudden, Grandpa supported him¡­ He looked at Charmine with disbelief. ¡°What did you say to Grandpa?¡± Charmine¡¯s red lips curled up. ¡°I said what I should be saying. You don¡¯t have to know. Just stay at home, alright?¡± As they spoke, the car had already arrived somewhere not far from the mansion¡¯s main entrance. ¡°Just pull over here,¡± said Charmine. Anthony pulled over right away, and the car made a turn. Charmine turned to look at Robert. ¡°Can you walk?¡± The drugs lost their effect on Robert¡¯s body by then. He opened the door and got out of the car. ¡°I¡¯ll walk him in,¡± said Charmine to Anthony, ¡°just wait for me here.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Anthony answered with his husky voice, and he said nothing else. As Charmine got out of the car and walked, Anthony¡¯s gaze lingered on her figure thoughtfully so. It was apparent that Charmine wanted to speak to Robert alone, and what they were speaking of must have had something to do with that five-years-ago incident. At Phoenix Hotel, Charmine told him not to intrude in her privacy. Robert, on the other hand, refused to divulge the details. What happened five years ago? Chris¡¯ little head suddenly poked from the backseat as he asked, ¡°Daddy, why don¡¯t I follow them?¡± Chapter 249 Chapter 249 ¡°No need,¡± answered Anthony in a low voice, ¡°we have to respect her.¡± Despite the fact that he oh-so badly wanted to know the truth, under no special circumstances would Anthony dive into the details unless Charmine herself told him about it. Chris merely made a small sound as a response before he sat in the car and waited diligently. Outside the Jordan mansion¡­ Charmine and Robert walked side-by-side by the tall fence. As they reached the gate, Charmine stopped and looked at Robert. ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone about Anthony saving you today and my rtionship with him.¡± Robert frowned. ¡°Why?¡± They were both people of importance. Anyone would want to tell the world about this kind of rtionship, but why did Charmine intentionally hide this from everyone? A thought then urred to Robert, and he anxiously asked, ¡°Charmine, be honest. Are you Anthony¡¯s mistress?¡± His mistress? Charmine red at him. ¡°Do I look like a person who¡¯d be someone¡¯s mistress?¡± ¡°Then why don¡¯t you want people to know about you two? And why did the kid call you Mommy?¡± asked Robert. As she nced at the luxury car parked not far away, Charmine replied in a lowered voice,¡° Don¡¯t stick your nose into my business; I have my arrangements and reasons. If you tell anyone about it, I wouldn¡¯t mind making Grandpa change his mind.¡± With that, she turned and was ready to leave. Robert quickly grabbed onto her arm and gravely warned, ¡°I don¡¯t care what rtionship you and Anthony Bailey have, but you have to know that you two are never meant to be! He asked me earlier about what happened five years ago, but I didn¡¯t tell him. If he finds out what happened, he¡¯d leave you for sure, so it¡¯s best if you leave him first.¡± Charmine¡¯s brows furrowed slightly. So Anthony asked about what happened five years ago? Still, it only seemed normal after what Julian did at the Night of Glory ceremony. She pulled her arm away from Robert¡¯s grip. ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing.¡± Robert looked at her silhouette with aplex expression. The Charmine that he remembered as the girl despised by everyone, the one who cheated on Julian five years ago, had be Anthony Bailey¡¯s mistress? She was so wealthy on her own, so why would she do this? Of course, Robert had no part in their matter. Why did he even care? Charmine was just an adopted kid; he was not even blood-rted to her¡­ Charmine returned to the car, and it was out of habit that she reached out to sit on the co driver¡¯s seat, but with Robert¡¯s words ringing in her ears, she went straight to the backseat. Anthony¡¯s eyes flickered at her change, though he remained silent and drove away. Inside the car, Chris was leaning against Charmine. As he sneakily gazed at Anthony who sat at the front seat and Charmine next to him, he decided to shut his eyes. Soon enough, little snores escaped his lips, like a little kitten that slept soundly. Charmine gently ruffled his hair out of fondness as she could not help feeling a little upset. If her baby did not die back then, the child would have been all grown up. How good would it be i f she could stay by his side? 1 Still, would Anthony ept her past? Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Cough, cough! What was she thinking? She, wanted Anthony to ept her past? What happened to her? The car stopped at the red light. Anthony looked up at Charmine with his rear mirror, and after a moment of silence, he asked, ¡°So, Julian threatened you today?¡± Charmine made a sound to reply as she did not particrly want to talk about it. Nheless, Anthony continued, ¡°However difficult the situation might be, you may tell me.¡± Chapter 250 Chapter 250 There was nothing in the world Anthony could not resolve; Charmine needed only ask. As the incident ran past her mind, Charmine leaned back at the seat in tiredness. ¡°It¡¯s just a small matter, I¡¯ll solve it myself.¡± Charmine closed her eyes right after; it was in to see she did not want to entertain the matter. Anthony¡¯s eyes turned darker, hinted with a faint worry. He had never seen her annoyed for quite some time. However, if she was unwilling to share, he had all the time to wait. Meanwhile¡­ Tiffany hid in the washroom as she half-whispered into her phone, ¡°What did you say? Everyone ran? And they said they don¡¯t want the money?¡±. ¡°Yes, they said that Boss Bailey went to save Robert,¡± Ronnie reported. A fist was instantly mmed onto the sink in the washroom. Damn it! While Julian gave a very public proposal to Charmine, Julian was helping her resolve her problems from the shadows. What did Charmine do to deserve such graces? What had she got in her to deserve those two amazing men?! 4 If this went on, Tiffany might as well die of rage! Worse still, Julian did not even pick up her calls. It was obvious that he tried to keep his distance from her. Tiffany could only ask, ¡°Did you manage to buy the perfume as I told you to?¡± This is from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Yes, but its price in the auction had gone up to ny million bucks. Are you sure you want to go on with the transaction?¡± Ronnie asked softly. A bottle of perfume for 90 million! That might as well be a bank job! Since Charmine had basically taken most of her assets, Tiffany basically did not have much left, and the perfume might be able to help her shift the tides¡­ ¡°Buy it by all means!¡± she ordered. ¡°I¡¯ll transfer you the moneyter, so just buy it!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± After Tiffany hung up, she had to soothe her bleeding heart to sell ten or-so of her limited edition bags, along with some jewelry sets, at half the price to some wealthy heiress, just to make up the 90 million! After she was sure that she would obtain the perfume, a malicious smirk appeared on her lips. Did it hurt? Since it hurt, it was only fair that she would earn more money with this perfume! She picked up her phone and started looking up for Anthony¡¯s private phone number. At night, the Night of Glory ceremony started a few heated discussions: Kelly Mn¡¯s absence, Scarlet Hoffman bing No.1 Supermodel and winning Most Commercial Value Award, as well as the rumors about Charmine and Julian. #JulianCabell- Proposed #Charmine¡¯s-3-conditions #Was ¨C Julian-Sincere #What-happened-5-years-ago Those few hashtags were all over the page. Of course, discussions like #Charmine¡¯s-gown, # Phoenix, #D.K also made it to the headlines. Even though Charmine only received an average award, her poprity overwhelmed many others. Kellyid on the sick bed as she read the discussions in rage. ¡°Damn it! I even let this cheap Scarlet take advantage of my absence! She wouldn¡¯t have gotten the No.1 Supermodel Award if I was there! ¡°Didn¡¯t someone else buy the gown for ten billion? Why was she wearing it? What did she do t o get her hands on it? ¡°The b*tch Charmine! How dare she ask for ny-nine percent of his shares? She just wants t o make the headlines!¡± Kelly scowled as she smashed on the pillow. ¡°Ms. Mn, the doctor said you have to take care of your body,¡± her assistant went up tofort her, ¡°so don¡¯t get angry. Compared to Charmine, the crisis of thepany is more challenging right now, and everyone is waiting to terminate their contracts. This goes especially for Scarlet; she became even more arrogant after getting the No.1 Supermodel Award tonight. She even said ourpany was fake and ruthless, forcing her to do things she didn¡¯t want to do.¡± ¡°Hmph! She wouldn¡¯t be where she is today without ourpany. Thinking of leaving mypany? She might as well die!¡± Kelly growled through gritted teeth. After a while, she looked up at her assistant. ¡°Oh, right. Wasn¡¯t there a rumor about Scarlet and Director Hue?¡± ¡°Yes, and it was true. I bumped into them once¡­¡± the assistant replied. There was a twinkle in Kelly¡¯s eyes as she remarked, ¡°Let her terminate her contract, and only let her leave when she paid up the terminatingpensation! Let her go to Charmine¡¯spany!¡± ¡°To Charmine¡¯spany? Ms. Mn, have you gone mad from the wound?¡± her assistant asked ¡°You¡¯re the crazy one here! Didn¡¯t Charmine want to attack a stone with her egg? Didn¡¯t she want to snatch my artists? Let her have them! This time, I want her RisingHawk to shut down!¡± There was pure malice in Kelly¡¯s eyes; malice and calcted evil. Chapter 251 Chapter 251 The next morning, Charmine received a call from Eric. ¡°HollyOak terminated their contracts with a few artists, including Scarlet. They all want to meet you, and they need your signature. Since their terminatingpensations are suchrge sums, and all of them are top supermodels in their own rights, the assistants couldn¡¯t even make them go away.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± answered Charmine, ¡°I¡¯lle over.¡± Charmine turned to look at the bed and gazed at both Anthony and Chris, fast asleep. Perhaps they fell asleep ratherte. Chris did not wake up early to paint; he slept soundly in the middle while Anthonyid t on the inside of the bed. Two figures-one big, the other small¡ªwith skin that glistened like jade carvings. A warm smile appeared on Charmine¡¯s lips unknowingly. Charmine got off the bed carefully as she did not want to wake them up. Not long after she left, the phone on the bedside vibrated. Anthony opened his eyes to see a message popped up on his phone. [Hello, Mr. Bailey. I¡¯m Tiffany Jordan. I¡¯d like to tell you about what happened five years ago. I¡¯m guessing Charmine wouldn¡¯t tell you? That¡¯s because she wanted to handle it herself. She¡¯s always been so independent, never wanting others to help her. However, Julian had been crossing the line lately. Not only did he leave me, but he even tried to threaten Charmine with what happened five years ago so she¡¯d marry him. The evidence consists of something that agonizes Charmine, and it could even make her do things she¡¯s unwilling to do. If Julian reaches his limit, he might want to take down Charmine with him,pletely destroying her. Only you can save her. I¡¯ll be waiting for you at Green Caf¨¦ at 2pm.] Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Anthony¡¯s gaze darkened. He did not want to get involved with Charmine¡¯s secret, but as he read Tiffany¡¯s text¡­ Was the incident happening five years ago so serious? It seemed that he had to figure it out. He pulled up Luke¡¯s contact and ordered, ¡°Clear up my schedule in the afternoon.¡± Meanwhile¡­ When Tiffany made sure that Anthony got her text, she prepared herself in delight. She was officially discharged from the hospital, and although her hair was shaved, it was only a patch a t the top of her head. Topped with a wig, the scar would be as good as gone. Moreover, with the perfume in Tiffany¡¯s possession, Anthony would surely sleep with her! Developed by an expert, the perfume-once spritzed-would erase a person¡¯s self-control and make them do things against their will. Since Julian ditched her, Tiffany had to find herself a new suitor. If a woman who had given birth could sleep with Anthony, so could she! Whatever Charmine could get, so could she! Once she bedded him, she could at least get hold of arge sum of silence fee with the evidence at hand, even if Anthony did not want her. If Drake Jordan would not give her the family shares, she could buy them with her money and take charge of the shares entirely. She had to b e in control of Jordan before Charmine exposed her. Also¡­ She reached out to touch her stomach; she happened to be in her fertile phase at that moment. If she could be impregnated with his child, so what if the Jordans despised her? She would not have to worry for the rest of her life! With that, Tiffany picked out her outfit with eagerness. Charmine arrived at RisingHawk, with only Scarlet in her office. A mild-natured woman, Scarlet was HollyOak¡¯s second most-treasured artist. She was soft-spoken as well, and it gave one the impression that she was akin to a moonlight¡¯s soft glow. s, Hollyoak promoted her as a foodie. No matter what events she participated in, Scarlet had to eat, eat, and eat some more to gain ¡®likes¡¯ from the audience and make them like her character. Although Scarlet hated that persona, she had no choice but to obey the authority of thepany. With this set- up character, she won Most-Likeable Supermodel Award, and thepany she represented won the support and likes of the customers. Last year, she received the ¡®Most Commercial ¨C Valued¡¯ award, and this year, she won the ¡®No.1 Supermodel¡¯ award. Charmine looked at her with suspicion. ¡°Why are you here? Have you managed to terminate your contract? Is HollyOak willing to let you go?¡± Chapter 252 Chapter 252 ¡°Mhm,¡± Scarlet answered with a hint of difort in her eyes, but she changed the topic swiftly. ¡°I heard that Mr. Eric and Mr. Young said yourpany would not pre-arrange the characteristics of your artists. Does that mean we get to be ourselves?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve gone through your profile; you can stick to your gentle and intellectual style. In a few days, you¡¯ll be attending the annual Horizon Night as the Head.¡± Charmine said with a professional tone. ¡°Really?¡± Scarlet called out in surprise. Horizon Night was an annual event. As organized by the organizer, thousands of people would walk around the heritage area in traditional attires, a globally-known event. The Head had always been Tiffany Jordan; thepany never gave it to anyone else. Even when Scarlet took part in the past, she was only at the Second or Third seat. They even made her sneak in some snacks to eat during the show, in which she was criticized by many of the traditional-wear enthusiasts. All of a sudden, she was to be the Head? Charmine then answered in a mature voice, ¡°Yes, don¡¯t worry. We won¡¯t make you binge-eat. Toss out the foodie character in the future. Do ask if you have any further questions.¡± A thought then urred to Scarlet as she asked, ¡°Does this go for other models as well?¡± ¡°Everyone is treated the same here.¡± Six simple words, well-versed and fluent. As she spoke, Charmine handed a few files to her. Scarlet epted the files and saw all the future ns for her and a few other supermodels. After getting rid of her pre-set foodie persona, the other supermodels had a personality that suited them. The ns not only got rid of their pre-set personas, but they even incorporated more opportunities. It looked much better than HollyOak¡¯s proposal! Scarlet stayed back on everyone¡¯s behalf to learn more about what RisingHawk had for them. I t seemed that everything was well thought-out for them. She stood up and reached out her hand. ¡°President Jordan, I look forward to working with you.¡± ¡°Likewise.¡± Charmine shook her hand and added, ¡°Remember to tell everyone: If the high price signing turns out to be a loss, I¡¯m the one losing the most.¡± With that, Charmine¡¯s lips curled upward as she left the office. It was not until then when Scarlet remembered. Yes, the terminatingpensation was almost 1 billion for each of them, and Charmine paid them all. If they did not work hard enough, Charmine would incur a huge loss. Furthermore, Charmine took them in with such high costs and gave the best customized proposals, all while only taking the least amount ofmission. What was she after? Looking at Charmine¡¯s retreating form, Scarlet thought that Charmine was different from other supermodels, and different from any other managers¡­ After the meeting, Charmine went to another room to meet Eric and Rio Young. While Eric was not in, Rio¡¯s eyes squinted into a long line the moment he spotted her. ¡°Charmine, you¡¯re finally free toe over,¡± he greeted her enthusiastically. ¡°It¡¯s been five years since thest time we met!¡± ¡°What now? Miss me? You want me here, checking up on you?¡± teased Charmine.N?velDrama.Org content. Rio hastily buttoned up the top button of his shirt. ¡°You don¡¯t have to. I¡¯ve been so upied with work everyday, and so are you, ever since Tiffany¡¯s exposed! You must¡¯ve been swarmed b y the paparazzi lately. How¡¯d you have time to check on others?¡±. Charmine¡¯s eyes dulled at the thought of Tiffany. It was true that the paparazzi did look up for her and asked for interviews, in which she rejected them all. Still, perhaps she could consider attending a show or two in the future, all to publicly shame the couple. Meanwhile, Rio added, ¡°Speaking of which, when I read the news about Tiffany, I remembered something important from five years ago that I should¡¯ve warned you. On the night of the incident, I saw Tiffany meeting up with a man and had a private conversation with him.¡± ¡°Aman?¡± Charmine¡¯s brows tightened as she grabbed onto his wrist. ¡°What did the man look like?¡± Chapter 253 Chapter 253 As he looked at her reaction, Rio could not help himself as he teased, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you this anxious before! So you do care about things, huh?¡± They had kept in touch for the past five years, though Charmine was no longer the Charmine h e knew five years ago. She turned into someonepletely different, as though nothing could trigger her feelings. Charmine had a small frown on her. The truth was that before she came back, she did not care about this; she only wanted to look for that man once and for all. After she had spent some time with Anthony, however, she realized she hated that man so much that she would cut this man into pieces. She regained herposure and let go of her grip on Rio¡¯s wrist. ¡°Of course I care. A man like that living in this world is only causing more harm to others. Of course I have to fix it as soon a s possible.¡± ¡°It¡¯s true that a boss has a better sense of responsibility than others. However¡­¡± Rio¡¯s face turned serious. ¡°Back in the club, we were quite far apart. I only managed to catch a glimpse of him, and I couldn¡¯t see his face clearly. The only thing I could make out was that he was one of Boss Walker¡¯s men.¡± ¡°Boss Walker?¡± Charmine frowned. Rio nodded. ¡°Yeah, and the man was wearing a half-moon ring. I liked the ring, so I took a closer look. It was the Walker gang¡¯s logo. If you want to investigate it, you could ask Kay and his men to screw the gang over. There might be some clues.¡± Charmine fell into deep thought. Screw the Walker gang over? That was a good idea. Just as Charmine was about to act on the thought, she received a frantic phone call from Kay as he blurted, ¡°Boss Jordan, the agarwood you developedst year was sold at a high price of ny million! You won¡¯t believe who bought it! Guess who?¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Oh, not interested,¡± Charmine said tly. It was something she developed out of boredomst year; she did not even care whether that thing was sold or not. Kay was stunned. Could his boss be more cooperative? s, with Charmine¡¯s attitude, Kay could only continue,¡± It was your sister Tiffany who bought it, and she even asked Boss Bailey out to meet her at Green Caf¨¦!¡± ¡°What?¡± Charmine grimaced. ¡°She¡¯s seeing Anthony?¡± ¡°Yes, Boss Bailey is about to go there, Room 999. You¡¯re wee,¡± added Kay. 2 Charmine¡¯s eyes darkened. Why would Anthony want to meet Tiffany? The agarwood perfume¡¯s medical effect can be very captivating; they could end up in bed anytime. ¡°Don¡¯t bother about Anthony,¡± she ordered. ¡°Following that, you¡¯re in charge of capturing everyone from the Walker gang. No one should be left behind.¡± ¡°All of the Walkers? No one left behind? Boss, you¡¯re kidding,¡± Beep, beep, beep! Before Kay could finish his sentence, Charmine had already hung up on him. She had no timet o catch up with Rio as she marched out of thepany and called Anthony as she walked. 1 Meanwhile, Anthony sat in the car as Luke-as the driver-drove into Green Caf¨¦¡¯s parking lot. He rested with eyes shut, though scenes of Charmine¡¯s words from Phoenix Hotel rang in his ears. It was apparent that Charmine did not want him to get involved, and as a man of his word, he should not. However¡­ Someone threatened her. How could he not get involved? As he was deep in his thoughts¡­ Ring, ring! His phone rang, and his phone disyed the caller ID: (Wife). Chapter 254 Chapter 254 Anthony frowned; it was the first time Charmine called him. ¡°What is it?¡± he spoke once he picked up Charmine was already on her motorbike, her phone wedged between her chin and shoulder.¡° Don¡¯t meet up with Tiffany. You can ask me whatever you want to know when we¡¯re home. I¡¯ll tell you what you want to know.¡± Anthony¡¯s expression soured. ¡°You found out?¡± } ¡°There¡¯s nothing in the world that I don¡¯t know of. Anthony, if you don¡¯t want to be my enemy, come home now. I¡¯ll wait for you at home. Tiffany is pulling a dirty trick, don¡¯t go.¡± With that, she hung up. She believed that Anthony woulde home. Once that was settled, Charmine used an anonymous phone number to send Julian a text: (Tiffany Jordan fainted at Green Caf¨¦¡¯s room 999, she only left your phone number.] Charmine¡¯s eyes dulled after the text was sent. Based on Julian¡¯s character, he would definitely go and look for Tiffany, and should they sleep together, they would be all over the headlines! The two wh*res should be glued together! It was only when Julian slept with Tiffany that he would not have time to annoy Charmine. Hah! So, Tiffany wanted to bed the man that even she did not dare sleep with? Fat chance! 2 Meanwhile, inside Green Caf¨¦¡­ Tiffany was dressed in a red dress with a v-shaped neckline. Coupled with her alluring body and innocent face, even Tiffany was blown away with herself. Her lips curled into a smirk as she eyed the agarwood perfume at the corner. The agarwood perfume was incredibly potent; Tiffany had already tried it on. As long as she put it on five minutes before he came, all self-restraint would be thrown out of the window-i na minute¡¯s time-as the scent dissipated in the air. However, Tiffany was impatient. ¡°What¡¯s going on now?¡± she phoned Ronnie. ¡°Is Anthony here yet?¡± ¡°Yes, he¡¯s arrived. His car drove into the parking lot just now,¡± Ronnie answered. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Tiffany hung up the phone right away and walked to the corner to spritz the perfume. She had also ced childhood photos of Charmine. Since Anthony cared about Charmine so much, he would flip through the photos once he got in, but before he could finish the photos, his mind would be seduced by Tiffany and the scent. Needless to say, it was a matter of mere moments before Tiffany would be Anthony¡¯s woman, impregnated with his baby! The least she could get was control over the Jordan family through Anthony, or at least attain arge sum of money! With that, she put the pinhole camera in ce, ingested the antidote that worked against the scent, and waited on the sofa patiently. Still, she had waited for more than 20 minutes for Anthony, and the antidote started to wear off. Unconsciously, her vision became blurry and messed up, and her body heated up gradually. Click! At that moment, a sound was heard as the door was pushed open. A strong and tall figure entered the room. Tiffany looked up to see Anthony¡¯s handsome face; the face that was oh-so captivating. She was already heated up as though her body was inside a furnace, though herst shred of rationality reminded her to wait a little longer. She had to wait for Anthony to be poisoned. She had to let him approach her first. His tall figure walked to her side. He did not realize her unusual expression nor did he speak. H e picked up the album on the table and started flipping. Mid-way as he flipped at the photos, his actions gradually stopped. Finally, his gazended on her body. Tiffany stood up. Her sweet and soothing voice called out, ¡°Boss Bailey¡­¡± Her seductive voice sent shivers down one¡¯s spine. His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed as he went on top of her. Finally! She seeded! She was Anthony¡¯s woman atst! She would never have to wait for Julian again! Chapter 255 Chapter 255 At the same time, Charmine arrived at the Baileys¡¯ mansion in her motorbike. She saw Chris seated in the living room, focused on hisptop. Warily, she asked, ¡°Momo, where¡¯s your Daddy?¡± ¡°Daddy went out and isn¡¯t back yet. Why are you back so early, Mommy?¡± Chris put down hisptop and ran toward Charmine. He stopped right before her and reached his arms, to which Charmine habitually responded by picking him up into her arms. ¡°Did your Daddy drive?¡± Charmine frowned. ¡°Or was Luke driving?¡± ¡°Uncle Luke drove,¡± Chris answered. Charmine made a quick mental calction. Luke¡¯s driving speed was at about 40 kilometers per hour. From the mansion to Green Caf¨¦, it only needed 25 minutes maximum. Charmine took up half an hour toe home, so why was Anthony home yet? Perhaps she was wrong all along? Perhaps Anthony did not care about her words and went on to meet Tiffany? A wave of uneasiness hit Charmine as she ced Chris on the sofa and took out her phone to call Anthony Beep, beep, beep! The waiting sound was heard instead, followed by aputerized voice that said, ¡°Sorry, the number you have called is unavable.¡± Charmine¡¯s brows furrowed; nobody picked up. Perhaps Anthony really was in trouble? She turned to Chris. ¡°Do you have Uncle Luke¡¯s phone number?¡± ¡°Sorry, Mommy, I don¡¯t,¡± Chris answered. He continued anxiously, ¡°Mommy, do you think Daddy is in trouble? When Daddy left this morning, he said he was off to a very important meeting, concerning Mommy¡¯s future happiness. He left so quickly and canceled all his meetings in the afternoon. I tried calling Daddy ten minutes ago, but he didn¡¯t pick up nor did he return my call until now.¡± Charmine frowned. Nobody picked up, even from 10 minutes ago? Anthony was a responsible man, and it was unlikely for him to not pick up twice! Something was wrong. She turned to Momo Chris right away. ¡°Momo, you stay home, alright? Mommy will go and look for Daddy.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Chris nodded. Charmine picked up her motorbike key and rushed to the door hastily. Her mind was overwhelmed with the thoughts of the agarwood perfume¡¯s effects. She was the one who developed, thus she knew it better than anyone else. A normal medication would make a person feel unwell and unstoppable, but if their willpower was strong enough, it could be resisted. However, this agarwood perfume could induce hallucinations and distort the image of whoever they were seeing into someone else, working from the mind. Thus, however strong the willpower was, they would not be able to resist it. If Anthony really slept with Tiffany because of her¡­ N?velDrama.Org content. Charmine felt white-hot anger just at the thought of it. Overwhelmed by her thoughts, she did not see a solid figure in her way and bumped into the hard wall of flesh. In pain, Charmine raised her head to see who it was, and her brows instantly tightened. It was Anthony! Aloof, handsome, and regal in his well-trimmed suit. He seemed as if nothing had happened. She asked with a frown, ¡°You¡¯re home? Why didn¡¯t you pick up?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Anthony noted her rather panicked look as he shifted his gaze to Chris. Anthony, 10 minutes ago, used Luke¡¯s phone to call and check in with Chris. He told him that his phone stopped working, and he even warned that if Charmine came home, he had tofort her. Looking at his father¡¯s concerned gaze, Chris made a face with a naughty grin. ¡°Daddy, I liedt o Mommy saying that you¡¯re in trouble. Mommy rushed out looking for you, so Mommy does care about you! Haha! Have fun!¡± With that, he scurried away, wobbling in his short legs. Charmine was dumbfounded. So, the little boy tricked him, huh? Anthony¡¯s face seemingly brightened in an instant. With his eyes still on her, he teased, ¡°You worried about me?¡± Chapter 256 Chapter 256 Four words, uttered huskily with a sense of softness in it. Flushed-face Charmine turned to walk toward the sofa and pretended to be calm. ¡°I was worried about you being bitten by a b*tch. After all, you¡¯re still my contract-partner.¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. How were they merely contract-partners? Anthony¡¯s lips curled into a small smile as he gazed at her. ¡°Charmine, actually fancying me and worrying about me isn¡¯t a shameful thing.¡± Cough, cough! What an interesting choice of words¡­ ¡°Fancy you, my foot!¡± Charmine denied him with all her heart and reiterated, ¡°I was worried that you¡¯d be bitten by ab*tch because of me. I didn¡¯t want to owe you anything.¡± Anthony smirked faintly and did not speak. After he removed his jacket and hung it on the clothes stand, he walked toward Charmine and sat down. ¡°If I truly was bitten by the b*tch, would you look down on me?¡± Look down on him? Charmine frowned and instinctively asked ¡°What about you?¡± She looked at him with a serious gaze, somewhat darker than usual. Anthony¡¯s lips fell into a small frown. ¡°Am I such a shallow being in your heart?¡± His soothingly deep voice needled her heart, his facialposure serious, not at all perfunctory. Charmine almost believed him when he answered her¡­ Still, what man in the world would not mind what happened to her? Her red lips curled up. ¡°Whether that¡¯s true or not, that¡¯s for you to know. However, why did you agree to meet Tiffany today? Is it because you want to know about what happened five years ago?¡± Mentioning that, Anthony¡¯s gaze turned a shade darker. He was ready to take out his phone to show her, but his phone somehow stopped working. Anthony fixated his questioning gaze at her. ¡°If I say I only wanted to solve your problems, would you believe me?¡± Solve her problems? Charmine was an intelligent person; she understood most of it in mere seconds. She said to Anthony, ¡°Tiffany is just a fake person, and you can¡¯t believe whatever she says. As for what happened five years ago, it¡¯s not a big deal, but if you want to know, I can tell you.¡± With that, she took a sip of water from the ss on the coffee table. Anthony¡¯s eyes flickered as he noted her every move. Drinking before she spoke, she was nervous. She was nervous because she was not ready. Seeing that Charmine ced down the ss about to speak, Anthony said instantly, ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me, though I just wish to know: Would you make decisions unwillingly because of that incident? Or do you feel pain because of it?¡± His questioning tone was filled with concern and seriousness. 1 Charmine¡¯s red lips curled up a little. ¡°If I would, why would I spend so much time with him o n the stagest night at the ceremony? As of pain¡­¡± Her eyes locked with Anthony¡¯s as she spoke with a deep tone, ¡°The more you ask, the more pain I¡¯d feel. Even after you know about it, even with your resources, you won¡¯t be able to help me solve it. ¡°Anthony, as I told you before, some things in the world can¡¯t be solved with money and ability. Material things are easy to solve, but the entanglement of one¡¯s heart is difficult to untangle.¡± It was rare for Charmine to speak to Anthony with such seriousness. Anthony¡¯s gaze sank a little; he had never seen Charmine speaking with such solemnity. After a moment, he said, ¡°I understand it now. From now onward, I won¡¯t involve myself in this. However, if you decide to tell me one day,e do so by all means.¡± Charmine¡¯s brows furrowed. He would no longer ask questions¡­? All of a sudden, Kay barged in and called out excitedly, ¡°Boss Jordan! Something¡¯s up! Something big is up! Breaking news!¡± Chapter 257 Chapter 257 ¡°What is it?¡± Charmine frowned. Why were her men overreacting these days? Kay blurted, ¡°You won¡¯t believe who Tiffany slept with! The person who walked into her room was Julian¡¯s personal assistant, Oliver!¡± 1 Charmine squinted. Oliver? An interesting piece of news, indeed. She sent the text to Julian, yet Julian sent Oliver over instead? Furthermore, Tiffany wanted to sleep with Anthony, but ended up sleeping with Oliver instead? Kay asked, ¡°Do you want me to expose this matter? Or do we let Julian go there himself?¡± If news about this broke out, Tiffany¡¯s reputation would be totally screwed! ¡°No need, we¡¯ll just sit back and watch. What¡¯s the fun of killing her so easily?¡± Her red lips curled up mockingly, the epitome of beautiful malice. A thought then urred to Charmine as she nced at Anthony and walked back to her room. After shutting the door, she asked, ¡°How¡¯s the task I gave you earlier?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I went to have a check on the Walker family right away. They¡¯ve raked up quite the underground image in Burlington for at least a hundred years. They made profits from assassinations, mercenaries, and the likes. They only have staff at the bottom level of the society collecting debts and fighting. Overall, they make profits from taking tasks. ording t o my findings, it¡¯s true that Tiffany had been in touch with the Walker five years ago,¡± Kay reported. Charmine¡¯s eyes darkened. Since she knew it was the Walkers, it would be much easier. Still, Kay was not done yet. ¡°Though ording to statistics, the Walkers have around ten thousand followers in Burlington. I¡¯ve no problem screwing with them, but I can¡¯t guarantee that I can capture every single one of them, since most of them are not at their base most of the time.¡± Charmine frowned. If he could not guarantee a 100 percent capture of the Walkers, then it would not be possible to run aplete investigation. They did not even know which department of the Walkers Tiffany had ¡®visited¡¯ back then. Kay added, ¡°If Boss Jordan wants to get hold of everyone, we¡¯ll have to take action during their annual dinner, which would be happening by the end of the year.¡± The Walkers would host an annual dinner by the end of every year, yet it was only June. Thinking of the annual dinner, a glint appeared in her eyes. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll arrange something. Don¡¯t do anything for now, and wait for my instructions.¡± After she hung up, she looked up at the sky, seemingly in a deep thought. She had a task that night. Since they found out it was the Walkers, she might as well drop by their base later! Meanwhile¡­ Tiffany woke up with anticipation, only to find out that the manying beside her was Oliver! ¡°Argh!¡± She let out an ear-piercing shriek as she shot up straight and covered herself with the nket. Oliver was woken up by her scream, and as he assessed the situation he was in, his pupils dted. What happened? He was sent by Julian to pick up Tiffany, so how did he end up sleeping with her? Tiffany was his boss¡¯ woman! How could he sleep with her? ¡°Why is it you?!¡± Tiffany growled through gritted teeth. ¡°When did youe in? What¡¯re you doing here?!¡± ¡°Ms. Jordan, I¡¯m sorry, I¡­ I don¡¯t know what happened either! Julian sent me here to pick you up, but when I entered the room, I¡­¡± he paused, too afraid to continue his sentence. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Tiffany clenched her fists tightly. Was it the perfume¡¯s effect? Was it that Oliver came in to look for her but was poisoned by the scent? She could have sworn it was Anthony! No, thebel on the perfume did state that the scent could cause hallucination, and that included mistaking a person for someone else. Had she been poisoned at that time and mistaken him for Anthony then? In other words, Anthony never came in. It was Oliver all along, and Oliver was the man she slept with! She slept with an assistant! As he noted the change in her look, Oliver copsed on the ground and begged on his knees. Chapter 258 Chapter 258 ¡°Hit me or yell at me as you please, Ms. Jordan. I¡¯ll call Mr. Cabell right away, I¡¯ll take responsibility.¡± With that, Oliver took out his phone. Tiffany went and smashed his phone before she aimed her reddened eyes at him. ¡°What are you telling him for? Have you not wronged me enough? Do you want me to be ditched by Julian?¡± ¡°¡­ I didn¡¯t mean that.¡± Oliver was caught off-guard. Tiffany was seething in rage as she red at Oliver¡¯s pitiable expression, though she forced herself to calm down. Since everything had already happened, she had to resolve it and bury it before anyone caught wind of it. Tiffany rolled her eyes and said, ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone about what happened today! You have to act as if nothing happened!¡± ¡°But-¡± ¡°But? But what? If I don¡¯t care about it, why should you? Do you want to marry me or something?¡± Tiffany growled as she picked up his clothes and threw them at him. Oliver shook his head hastily. ¡°No, I don¡¯t dare to. I¡¯ll leave right away!¡± He picked up his clothes as he spoke. Tiffany red at him and warned, ¡°If you tell anyone about today, I¡¯ll sue you for raping me! I won¡¯t let your family go either. Do you understand?¡±. ¡°Yes! Don¡¯t worry, Ms. Jordan. Nothing happened today!¡± Oliver promised. With that, Tiffany let him go as she red at his retreating form, all while she gritted her teeth. She slept with an assistant! What an insult! Luckily, this was a no-man¡¯s high-tech caf¨¦, and the coffees were delivered by robots. Nobody would know what went down as long as she fixed the pinhole camera she ced. Still, why did Anthony bail on her? When she picked up her phone to call Ronnie, she saw the voice messages her assistant had left for her: (Ms. Tiffany, something¡¯s wrong. Mr. Bailey suddenly left! He went into the parking lot but leftter on!] (Ms. Tiffany, I¡¯ve investigated the matter and found out Charmine had called Mr. Bailey. She asked him to go home.) (Ms. Tiffany, what now? Is there another n?] (Ms. Tiffany?] Tiffany clenched her fists tightly. Charmine¡­ It was Charmine again! Was this all a trap she set up? Tiffany¡¯s life would be as good as gone if Charmine found out what happened in this ce! Anxiously, Tiffany sent a message to a hacker that read, (Delete all the footage of me at Green Caf¨¦, and check if Charmine has anything regarding this matter.) Property ? N?velDrama.Org. (Noted.] Zed was a reputable hacker in the industry with excellent skills. Tiffany felt less anxious, though her eyes were filled with hatred. If she happened to know that it was indeed Charmine¡¯s trap, she would not let her go! Night-time, inside a room in the Bailey mansion¡­ Chris pulled on Charmine¡¯s hand. ¡°Mommy, let¡¯s wear matching pajamas to sleep tonight! Momo wants to wear matching pajamas with you two.¡± ¡°Well, alright, but I didn¡¯t buy them today. Mommy will buy one for you tomorrow, alright?¡± Charmine ruffled on his hair as she reassured him. Chris merely grinned. ¡°No need. Momo was bored today and bought one for us! Ta-dah! Look!¡± As he spoke, he pulled out three matching pajamas from his back as though it was part of a magic trick. A frown appeared on Charmine¡¯s face, and her forehead creased as she gazed at the clothes. The pajamas¡­ Chapter 259 Chapter 259 There were three sets of pajamas, and each had a simple illustration at the center, It was int o see and notice that the illustration was of them three! Two of the sets were white short sleeved t-shirts with shorts, while hers¨Cthe female version-was a V-shaped shirt without the short pants. The shirt was rather short that it only covered down to her thighs. Although the simple drawing made it seem rather cute, the V-shaped cutting was rather¡­ So she had to sleep with Anthony with this low-cut shirt on? Charmine instantly turned the idea down, ¡°Oh, Momo, you and Daddy can wear these. Is it okay if Mommy doesn¡¯t wear this?¡± ¡°Oh? But why? Momo bought this for Daddy and Mommy. Momo picked this design myself, and I even printed my drawing on it,¡± muttered Chris with a pout. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Charmine did not expect that he did everything on his own; his feelings would be hurt if she turned the idea down entirely. She could only carry him to the bed as she gushed, ¡°Momo is so clever! Mommy really likes the clothes you made. Still, Mommy doesn¡¯t feel quite well these days, so I might need to wear something longer.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mommy. I¡¯ll turn up the temperature right away!¡± As he spoke, he ran with his tiny feet to change the temperature. Charmine was dumbfounded. Why was the kid so persistent? Concurrently, Anthony came out of the shower wrapped in a bathrobe, and he felt rather cold. Chris went up to him hastily and passed him his pajamas. ¡°Daddy, wear this tonight. Mommy has agreed to wear the matching outfit with us tonight! We¡¯re waiting for you!¡± Anthony looked at Charmine doubtfully; the pajamas were rather childish. Would she wear them? Still, she had the pajamas by her side, thus he did not question further and went to the washroom. Chris ran back to Charmine excitedly. ¡°Mommy, Mommy! Daddy has agreed to wear our matching pajamas. We¡¯re waiting for you!¡± Charmine was at a loss for words yet again. She intended to teach the boy to not trick others, but she could not bear to do so when she looked into his joy-filled eyes. Without much of a choice, she could only pinch Chris¡¯ puffy cheeks lovingly. ¡°You tricky little kitten. Alright, Mommy will wear it with you.¡± ¡°Yay!¡± Chris jumped cheerfully. Charmine looked for a tube-top bralette and a pair of tight shorts from the wardrobe before she went to the changing room. After getting changed, Chris sat as he waited in anticipation. Since Daddy and Mommy were not making any progress recently, he decided to help them out! Eventually, the doors to the changing room and the washroom were pushed open at the same time. When Anthony came out, he saw Charmine right away. Charmine was dressed in an oversized shirt edged withce, and the simple drawing in the middle made her seem rather cute. Nheless, the shirt only covered her down to her thighs, and the pair of long and straight legs below the shirt were fair and alluring. Anthony could not help but steal a few good looks at Charmine. Charmine, too, looked at Anthony. Usually, he would wear dark-colored pajamas to sleep. Yet, just like her, he wore white pajamas with a simple cartoon drawing in the middle. It gave him a warm and gentle disposition. Moreover, a red patch of heart was sewn into the right side of their chests, and it shifted the atmosphere into a much more loving environment. At unease, Charmine walked to the bedside and said, ¡°It¡¯s eleven already. Momo sleeps early.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Chris got in the bed and rolled to the other end of the bed. Charmine frowned. ¡°Momo, you have to sleep in the middle.¡± ¡°Hm? But didn¡¯t Mommy say sleeping in the middle isn¡¯t good for the lungs due to theck of air cirction? Momo did feel like it was harder to breathe for the past two days, so that¡¯s why Momo has to sleep on the side and let Daddy sleep in the middle,¡± Chris reasoned. Charmine felt queasy. Anthony would sleep in the middle while she slept at the side? That was the equivalent of them sleeping together! Chapter 260 Chapter 260 ¡°How about Momo sleep with Daddy?¡± reasoned Charmine. ¡°Or just with Mommy? Having just two people on the bed will let the air circte better.¡± ¡°No! Three of us sleep together! I like sleeping with Daddy and Mommy.¡± Chris looked at Charmine with his puppy eyes. ¡°Other children¡¯s mommy and daddy are together¡­ Unless, Mommy lied to Momo? Does Mommy not want to be Momo¡¯s Mommy?¡± His voice turned soft and pitiable at the end. This is from N?velDrama.Org. Worried that the boy would find out about her contract with Anthony, Charmine exined, ¡°O fcourse not. Mommy¡¯s just not used to sleeping at the edge of the bed. Mommy will hug Momo to sleep!¡± With that, she went to the middle of the bed and faced Chris as she hugged him in her arms. With that, Chris could be used as a shield or could be woken up if Anthony was to do anything to her. Anthony looked at her and turned off the lights. The room fell pitch-ck dark, and Chris shut his eyes with content. It did not take long until he fell into dreand and began to snore like a little kitten. Charmine let out a silent sigh; a cutie like Chris was rather overwhelming to have. Although the bed was wide, the thought ofying beside Anthony still intimidated her. Also, her shirt was shorter than usual, thus Charmine was on guard to not let anything slip. After a second thought, she reached out to cover herself in the nket when her fingers suddenly made contact with something cold. What was that? She touched it again, its bone structure distinctive. One, two, three¡­ They¡­ They were Anthony¡¯s fingers! Charmine jolted slightly. She touched Anthony¡¯s hand! Worse still, she touched it for quite a while! ¡°I was just trying to pull up the nket. Don¡¯t take it the wrong way!¡± Charmine faced away from him as she wiggled away from him. Anthony could see the perfect outline of Charmine¡¯s body under the moonlight¡¯s soft glow. In the dark, Anthony softly yet huskily called out, ¡°You¡¯re breathtaking, Charmine.¡± His low voice was hoarse and maic. Charmine¡¯s heart seemingly stopped beating for a moment. She was breathtaking¡­ So breathtaking¡­ Why was his voice so seductive?! This man was a born flirt! Not only could that handsome face of his turn one crazy, but his voice was so sexy as well! She gave it her all to repress her racing heartbeat, and it was not until then when she remembered something important: She was not covered in a nket, which meant that her position allowed him to look at her¡­ As she leaned on her side away from him, he could obviously feast his eyes on her waist, thighs, and her overly short shirt! Terrified, she flipped over toy t on her back. With a serious tone, she warned, ¡°Sleep well, and don¡¯t speak.¡± Not those flirting words, at least. Furthermore, she had ns that she had to execute, but everyone must be asleep before she could carry them out. Wordlessly, Anthony flipped over and tried to sleep, yet he managed to steal a nce of her. Her side profile looked utterly stunning under the moonlight. Suddenly¡­ He raised his hand and reached down to her vicle. Charmine¡¯s eyelids instantly flipped open in alert. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Chapter 261 Chapter 261 without a word uttered, Anthony¡¯s handnded on her shoulder before he made a sharp tug. With one pull, a strand of hair was pulled out from the shirt. It waste at night, and Anthony busied himself with pulling out a strand of hair from her shirt? Also, how could he spot a strand of hair in the dark room? The strand of hair only got longer the more he pulled¡­ Realization dawned on Charmine as she half-whispered, ¡°Stop!¡± Toote. With a pull, the stitches on one pajama sleeve came off. Not knowing what material the shirt was made of, a small patch was already missing on her chest area as her bralette was revealed! This is from N?velDrama.Org. Anthony¡¯srge hand halted; he never expected such a thing to happen either. ¡°My apologies,¡± he muttered lowly, ¡°I¡¯ll get you another shirt to change into?¡± ¡°No need.¡± She would wake up anyway, and it would be too much of a hassle to change into another shirt. She pulled over the nket to cover herself as she added, ¡°Sleep facing away.¡± Anthony frowned, but he eventually relented, ¡°Okay.¡± He would never reject her request. With that, he flipped over and faced away from Charmine. Charmine thought she would sleep in peace, but the lone sight of his back made her heart skip a beat for the nth time! Under the moonlight, his back seemed wide as his broad shoulders arched into his fit waist. Anthony, undeniably, had the perfect male model¡¯s physique. His muscr figure could make a personunch at him automatically and tightly hug him in bliss. This man¡­ Even his silhouette could turn one¡¯s imagination as wild as it could get. Charmine shut her eyes hastily and forced her mind to divert from her fantasy. She repeatedly chanted in her mind, ¡®Beauty is deceiving, beauty is deceiving. It¡¯s all in your mind¡­ It¡¯s all in your mind¡­ The clock ticked on and, luckily, Anthony kept his promise and did not turn around. Gradually, his breathing became calmer. As she thought of her n and the Walker family, Charmine climbed out of bed after she was sure that Chris and Anthony were fast asleep. Her shirt fell off as she sat up, a result of being torn. Luckily, Anthony was asleep and did not see her. She paid no mind to it and walked into the changing room. She then picked out dark-colored clothes from her luggage and put them on before she stealthily left the room. The moment she left the room, Anthony-whoid still on the bed-opened his eyes. Charmine, however, did not notice that. She used the key Anthony gave her before, picked the quietest car from the garage, and left the mansion. The ckpact car drove away to a mountain located five miles out of the city. The mountain range stretched up to more than 10 kilometers. ording to rumors, wild animals were spotted in the area, thus nobody dared to approach this mountain. While others assumed this was a normal but dangerous mountain, Charmine knew that this was where the Walker gang operated. Tiffany hired the Walker gang to set her up five years ago, and since the Walker gang was a well - established organization with strict rules and disciplines, they would not disclose any information, which was why Charmine failed to find any information for the past five years. It was almost time for everything toe to light. Charmine had to find out who did it! Charmine got down from the car and swiftly walked toward the mountain. While it was pitch ck, she had excellent vision. She climbed over the tree trunks, swung over the huge green vines, and crossed the gullies. Dressed in dark clothing, she was akin to a wild cat of the night. In the darkness, Anthony followed behind her and watched her agile body with clouded eyes. Chapter 262 Chapter 262 This woman always managed to surprise him¡­ Still, what was she doing in the Walkers¡¯ base? Once the hurdles were crossed, Charmine eventually arrived at the main base that was guarded with high walls and hounds on patrol not far away. Her red lips curled into a faint smirk as a medicine pill flew across the air, and the hounds dropped to the floor ir Her agile figure crossed and turned over the high fence. Inside the wall was a spacious five thousand-square training field. The Walker gang was known to the public as a martial arts teaching organization. Only a handful of people knew that one could only join their training through connections and eventually be a part of the Walker group. Inside the manor were guards in every hundred meters, though Charmine managed to avoid them all as if she was in a no-man¡¯snd. As she passed by the courtyard, a loud ¡®crack¡¯ was heard due to the broken porcin. Luckily, she quickly jumped onto the trunk and effectively hid from sight. There was a man by the pond, dressed in burgundy silk pajamas. He had one knee bent and another bathed in the pond, seemingly rxed. His longce-up pajamas robe hung loosely, and it exposed his fair skin under the moonlight. He seemed almost like a vampire. Charmine frowned. ording to Kay¡¯s information, he was the Walker gang¡¯s patriarch, Alexander Walker. It was not as obvious in photos, but he was quite charming! Why was there a man in the world more enchanting than women? Based on his appearance, he did not look a day over 30 years old, yet he managed to be the Walker gang¡¯s patriarch¡­? Alexander Walker reclined on the stonenguidly as he drank his wine from the bottle. The wine in the bottle flowed into his mouth, though a sliver of it dripped down the line of his jaw, past his Adam¡¯s apple and to his chest. A sultry image, it was. Charmine let out a sigh. Luckily, he was merely drinking wine. She got off the tree trunk carefully and continued her exploration. Anthony was hiding on a tree trunk not far away, and he saw with his eyes Charmine¡¯s expression when she saw Alexander. A wave of displeasure arose from his heart. She looked at another man for more than five whole minutes! Was she into this type of man? Regardless, the most important thing was to protect her. What kind of people were the Walkers? There were at least 100 men in the base. How bold was she? Anthony followed swiftly behind her cautiously, and it was only then when he realized that Charmine already cracked the Walkers¡¯ storage room code and slipped inside! The code consisted of fingerprints, face, and pupils triple-recognition. Even with the best hacker in his company, it would take at least half an hour to crack them open! Even after that, i t was also likely to trigger the system¡¯s rm, yet this woman spent just a minute to crack open the code? Without attracting any attention as well? Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. As he was deep in his thoughts, Charmine emerged from the room with a thick ledger at hand. She looked at her surroundings and left swiftly after making sure no one was around. Anthony¡¯s eyes turned even darker. She came all the way-dead of night-just to steal their ledger? Why did she steal the Walker gang¡¯s ledger? It was all a mystery to him. He left swiftly as well and arrived at the mansion before Charmine did. Anthony swiftly went back toy in bed. Upon Charmine¡¯s return, she noted that both Baileys were still asleep in bed. Thankfully, she was not discovered. She took off her nightclothes and brought the ledger into the washroom to read. The ledger consisted of the Walker gang¡¯s order records from five years ago; all the orders back then were recorded into the ledger in her hands. As long as she could find the records around July five years ago, she could determine which man Tiffany had contacted back then! Once she found out the man who ruined her, she could make him pay! Charmine flipped through every page with seriousness. Chapter 263 Chapter 263 The ledger recorded the information from January to December five years ago. Some were of debt- collections, some were of revenge, some were ¡®teaching someone a lesson¡¯, while some were on information-spying. The Walkers seemed rather resourceful. As she turned the pages, she eventually reached their July records. Her movement slowed down as a strange uneasiness emerged from within. Anxiously, she saw a line of writing: (13th of February. Client: Veronica Ramos, Hired: Rex Walker, Target: Charmine Jordan, Commission: 50000.] Charmine¡¯s eyes squinted. Rex Walker? The man who ruined her was Rex Walker? Once Charmine turned on her phone and powered up a global-file storage engine, her fingers fluttered as she typed on the screen. Not long after, a man¡¯s profile came out. Rex Walker. Burlington. Primary school education. Illiterate. Multiple rape incidents. The photo showed a man of thick and roughplexion, with his skin dull and dark along with yellowish buck teeth. Charmine¡¯s stomach churned at the sight. Was this truly the man who ruined her? How much did Tiffany hate her that she paid 500,000 bucks for this kind of disgusting man to ruin her? She crunched the paper in her hand, her knuckles turned white as her nails dug deep into her flesh. Although she knew the man would be nowhere near ¡®nice¡¯, Charmine could not ept it when she saw the truth with her own eyes, that she was ruined by such a disgusting man! Her whole life was ruined because of this particr man? She trusted Tiffany, treated her like a true sister back then, and it never urred to her the intentions of hurting Tiffany. s, she had already nned such an evil act behind her back! Charmine wanted nothing more than to go up to Tiffany and punch the living daylights out of her, but it was not time yet. It was not the right time. Charmine had to hold back a little longer, for in a month¡¯s time, she would be able to ruin Tiffanypletely! 1 Once her rationality calmed her down, she closed the ledger and tossed it into her locked suitcase before she stormed out of the room. All the maids in the mansion had fallen asleep, the ce pin-drop quiet. Charmine took out a bottle of wine from the fridge and walked into theputer room. She powered up the gaming machine as she gulped a mouthful of wine. Since she could not punch anyone to vent, she could onlysh out in the game! She smacked the keyboard with her headphone on as her other hand moved the mouse rapidly, all while she wore a frosty, icy expression. Anthony stood by the door and studied the scene before him. She was controlling the mouse, smacking the keyboard, and gulping mouthfuls of wine. Even though he could not see her face, he could feel the rage that practically seeped out of her. What made her so furious? Anthony had never seen Charmine in such a bad state, even after he had known her for quite some time. He wanted to walk into the room, but he ended up standing by the door, merely watching over her in silence. Charmine gamed for a very long time as her rage continued to fester. In the game, she killed whatever came in sight, and it caused havoc in the gaming world. (OMG! Boss! Skill is on point!] (Please teach me!) (Never thought a sniper can be so impressive! This is perhaps the best gamer in the country!] (This tactic seems familiar. Reminds me of the gamer Kill who took the gaming world by storm five years ago.] [It can¡¯t be. This ount seems like a new ount! Can¡¯t be Kill, I guess¡­?] [Kill hasn¡¯t logged in for four and a half years! Back then when she was in, she rocked the world!) (This new gamer Boss is so impressive too! Wow! She killed another five!) The gamers practically gawked at Charmine¡¯s character. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Meanwhile¡­ Robert was also logged into the game and was ying concurrently, though he kept on seeing global announcements that showed the following notifications: [Congrattions to Boss for 5 kills!) [Congrattions to Boss for killing the Dragon solo!) Chapter 264 Chapter 264 (Congrattions to Boss for 10 wins in a row!] Robert frowned in disbelief as he quickly ended his game to enter observer mode. He saw a female sniper that roamed the map that would, from time to time, shift between killing soldiers and ughter monsters. The female sniper would even shoot at other yers for no reason. The shooter was usually the most vulnerable character that could be killed at any time, yet she was able to use the immunization boost to avoid all attacks. She managed to turn dangerous tides into victories and killed all of her enemies. Utterly fascinating! Who knew that a vulnerable shooter could be so dangerous? Moreover, records even showed that the gamer was a female! There was a female gamer with such refined skills?! Robert instantly dropped her a message that read, (Hello. Are you interested to sign with SA? Give us a price.) Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Robert wanted to sign her in his team so badly, but she did not reply at all. After the game ended, she went right into another one, almost as though she was in a killing spree. Many of the gamers did not enter the battlefield; they all sat back and became her audience. The Lord of Honors discussion page was plunged into mayhem with the gamer ID ¡®Boss¡¯ bing everyone¡¯s idol. Charmine yed the entire night away as she drank, but she did not realize that the wine had a high alcohol content of 80 percent! After finishing the bottle of wine, her eyes became heavy as she fell asleep on the desk. It was only then when Anthony-who had been watching her from the door-walked into the room. He turned theputer off and carried Charmine back to the room in his arms. 1 Utterly wasted and drunk, Charmine¡¯s body went soft like soil, as if she had no bones in her. Even though she had cked out, her brows were slightly furrowed, seemingly troubled. Anthony ced her on the bed and gently covered her with the nket. Anthony sat on the edge of the bed and watched Charmine with a concerned gaze. What could h e do about that little wild wolf? Charmine did not sleep well that night as she dreamt of the night five years ago. His body was heavily built like a tall mountain, pressed against her so tightly that she could not resist. She forced herself to open her eyes to see his face, but she had no energy left in her. ¡°No¡­! Don¡¯t..!¡± A scream of agony escaped her lips, akin to that of a kitten that fell into a well. Anthony frowned. What was it that caused her such pain? He could not help but connect the dots that he knew: Tiffany harmed Charmine five years ago; Tiffany could end up in jail because of it; all of them would be ruined if the incident came to light. Unless¡­ A terrifying thought urred to Anthony. Meanwhile, Charmine was moaning in agony, ¡°Don¡¯t¡­let go¡­!¡± Anthony¡¯s face sank a shade darker. Heid down beside her and wrapped his arms around her and gently caressed her back. Meanwhile, he took out his phone and texted Luke, (Find out what happened to Charmine five years ago.) Although he agreed to not get involved, seeing her suffering in such agony made it impossible for him to do nothing. Nheless, he hoped that the investigation¡¯s result was not what he thought. 1 As he ced Charmine¡¯s head on his chest, he gently coaxed her, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, Charmine, I¡¯m here.¡± His deep voice resonated in her ears, and she eventually calmed down and fell asleep. s, Anthony could not sleep the entire night as his mind raced with all the possibilities. With Luke¡¯s efficiency, the results would be out on the next day, and he would know about Charmine¡¯s past. 1 If it was as he spected¡­ Chapter 265 Chapter 265 Charmine slept soundly for a very long time. When she opened her eyes, she was greeted by a luxurious high ceiling. What was she leaning against? She looked back to see that Anthony wasying beside her, and what she was leaning against was his right arm! How did that happen? Was she not ying her gamest night? Why was she in Anthony¡¯s arms?! Once he noted that Charmine was awake, Anthony put down his working phone and asked with his deep voice, ¡°Do you feel unwell?¡± Charmine shook her head in reply when she spotted the time on his phone. It was already six i n the evening! She slept till six in the evening of the next day! She sat up and asked, ¡°You stayed here with me the entire day?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Anthony tried to get up, but when he tried to move his right arm, he realized that he could not move it. A sh of difort appeared in his eyes. Looking at his numbed right arm, Charmine instinctively went to massage it as shemented, ¡°Are you crazy? You could¡¯ve pushed me away.¡± ¡°I was reluctant to,¡± his words sounded simple, yet they were deep and soothing. Charmine¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Reluctant? Reluctant to wake her up, or reluctant to push her away? Charmine never experienced such warmth even at a young age, and even Julian did not pretend to be so loving back then. Back when Manager Brown had poisoned her, it was Anthony who stayed by her side for one whole night, and this time, he stayed by her for one whole day. He had every opportunity to do anything to her, but he did not¡­ She squinted a little as she continued to massage his arm to improve his blood flow. After a while, she asked, ¡°Is it better now?¡± N?velDrama.Org content. Anthony tried to move his right arm. ¡°Still numb.¡± Charmine had no choice but to continue her massage. She did not realize it, but she-at that very moment-seemed like a loving wife sitting beside Anthony in her pajamas. Anthony enjoyed the moment in silence; it was rare for him to see this gentle side of her. It was then when a text lit up his phone, and the notification showed: [Mr. Bailey, I¡¯ve done all I can, but someone else is working for Ms. Jordan. No clue.) Frowning, Anthony sat up to quickly turn off his phone. It was toote. ¡°I¡­¡± The usually fearless and decisive Anthony was suddenly overwhelmed with worry; worry that Charmine would hate him. After a moment of silence, he looked into her eyes and affirmed, ¡°Charmine, I only wanted to help you.¡± Wanted to help her? Invading her privacy was helping her, how? Charmine was livid; she wanted tosh out at him. She did not want anyone to know about what happened five years ago, and she did not like people exposing her scar. Despite all that, however, Charmine had no heart to be angry at Anthony as she gazed into his deep and sincere eyes. ¡°Do you really want to help me?¡± Charmine asked. Anthony nodded in a heartbeat. Charmine suddenly felt ironic. If Anthony knew about the incident five years ago, would he still like her as much? Since the situation had escted up to this, there was no more point in hiding the truth from Anthony. Instead of letting him find out on his own, she might as well b e honest with him. After a moment of silence, her lips parted, ¡°Since you want to know, I hope you can also ept the answer.¡± Chapter 266 Chapter 266 ¡°Five years ago, I was ¡ª¡± ¡°Mommy! Mommy!¡± Before Charmine could finish, a small figure barged into the room. With a bowl of green soup a t hand, Chris ran toward her and handed it to her. ¡°Mommy, this is a soup that Daddy asked them to make for you. It¡¯s a secret recipe, and you won¡¯t have any headache after drinking this.¡± ¡°Thank you, Little Momo.¡± Charmine went soft for Chris as she pinched his cheek. Once she epted the bowl, she slurped the soup without hesitation. Charmine then returned the bowl to Chris. ¡°Mommy and Daddy have things to talk about. Why don¡¯t you go y downstairs first? Mommy wille find youter.¡± Charmine made up her mind; Anthony would be told everything. Unexpectedly, Chris replied, ¡°Grandpa and Grandma called me earlier, saying that they¡¯re arriving here in half an hour.¡± Anthony had told Chris to stay downstairs, and if it was not because of the call, the boy would have stayed downstairs. Charmine¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°What did you say? Your Grandpa and Grandma areing?¡± ¡°Yeah, Grandpa and Grandma said they want to discuss the birthday dinner with Daddy. It seemed quite urgent,¡± Chris answered honestly. Charmine immediately got out of the bed and turned to Anthony. ¡°T¡¯ll go back to the Violet Vi¡± she affirmed, ¡°so we can talkter.¡± She could not let the Baileys know about her rtionship with Anthony. Since she would leave after two months, there was no need to add more troubles to her te. Anthony noted Charmine¡¯s worry, thus he did not insist. ¡°Drive safe,¡± he simply told her. ¡°Okay.¡± As Charmine was about to leave, she recalled Chris¡¯ confession days ago. She knelt before the boy and held his shoulders warmly. ¡°Momo can go to the gym and exercise when theye. You don¡¯t have to see Grandpa and Grandma.¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Huh? Why?¡± Chris frowned. His dad and teachers taught him to be polite and to never run away from problems. Charmine then replied, ¡°They don¡¯t seem to like you, and they¡¯ll scold you when they see you anyway. Why bother sticking your warm face at their cold butts? Also, you¡¯re not at fault, you¡¯re innocent. Why should you have to endure their insults and scoldings? ¡°You have to remember that you¡¯re Mommy¡¯s little prince. Mommy can¡¯t stand seeing you beingpromised, and you don¡¯t have to! Mommy will be hurt if you do, do you know that?¡± Chris nodded. ¡°Alright, I promise, Mommy! For Mommy, I won¡¯tpromise myself!¡± It was only after Chris made his promise was Charmine confident enough to make her leave. Before she left, she instructed the maids, ¡°Keep my things away.¡± After Charmine¡¯s departure, Anthony changed out of his pajamas and kept the three sets of pajamas in a box. Momentster, Darryl Bailey and Susan ydon stepped into the mansion with the eldest daughter of the Houstons, McKenzie Houston. McKenzie was dressed in a halterneck dress with diamonds. ttered with snowy fair skin, she had an elegant temperament as though she was an angel from heaven. With bowed heads, all the maids greeted them, ¡°Sir, Madam, Ms. Houston.¡± The three of them did not flinch as they walked into the hall; they exuded an air of grace as if nothing in the world could surprise them. Anthony remainedying on the sofa with a wine ss in his hand and made no effort to stand and greet them. ¡°Your parents are in front of you,¡± Darryl called out to him with a displeased tone. ¡°What attitude is this?¡± Anthony nced at them coldly. ¡°Oh? Then how about everyone walk out again so I can ask them to prepare the red-carpet for you to walk on?¡± ¡°You! You¡¯re an *sshole!¡± Darryl growled, the green veins on his neck protruding in the process. Susan hastily pulled on his arm tofort him. ¡°Darryl, Anthony has been like this since young, don¡¯t get too caught up with it. Don¡¯t forget why we¡¯re here today.¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Darryl made a sound of indignation before he snapped, ¡°You¡¯re getting engaged with McKenzie on my sixtieth birthday!¡± Get engaged with McKenzie! Chapter 267 Chapter 267 McKenzie merely stood by their sides, her elegant face reddened slightly as she lowered her head in embarrassment. Anthony remained emotionless as he quipped, ¡°Since when are you in charge of choosing my partner?¡± His cold tone was filled with displeasure. Darryl growled, ¡°How old are you now? You¡¯re almost thirty! What are you waiting for? Is it that you¡¯re still trying to find that woman from five years ago? ¡°Oh Anthony, I know you¡¯re holding a grudge against us, but no matter who it is, nobody could ept a nobody who gave birth to your boy.¡± Susan pulled on McKenzie and walked forward. ¡°McKenzie is a clean and healthy girl. She doesn¡¯t mind that you¡¯ve got a son and said she¡¯d treat Momo well. What else are you hesitating for? So what if you found the woman from five years ago? How could shepare t o McKenzie?¡± McKenzie looked at Anthony elegantly as her red lips parted, ¡°Anthony, your parents are getting old. Do you really want to see them worrying over you? Also, Momo will need a mother to provide him with a healthy childhood. I¡¯ve talked it out with your parents, and as long as we¡¯re engaged, I¡¯ll announce Momo as my child so he can be the Bailey family¡¯s heir.¡± That was already their greatest gesture. Anthony, on the other hand, merely sipped his wine. ¡°Are you done?¡± he sassed in a low voice. 1 His reply effectively caught them off-guard, and they did not know how to respond. Anthony continued with a cold tone, ¡°If that¡¯s all, please leave.¡± His cold tone had not even a hint of warmth. McKenzie stiffened. She was so beautiful and skilled, but why did Anthony spared not even a nce at her? Darryl smacked on his walking stick furiously. ¡°Anthony! Do you want me to choke to death? You;ve moved out for so many years, when will you ever stop fooling around? Do you know that you¡¯ve brought so much shame to the Bailey family? You should be grateful that McKenzie doesn¡¯t mind about your past! How¡¯re you so ungrateful?!¡± ¡°Well, why don¡¯t you marry her then?¡± Anthony nced at him as he put down the wine ss. He stood up and was ready to leave. Darryl pointed at him with his finger furiously. ¡°You¡­! You!¡± Agitated beyond relief, Darryl suddenly gasped for air. Susan soothed his chest hastily, and she red at Anthony. ¡°Anthony, your dad is trying to help. How could you say such things to him? Are you trying to kill him?¡± Anthony did not bother replying. He turned around, aloof and captivating, as he went straight to the staircase. He did not know why they came here, but since they were pressuring him into marriage, he did not have to waste anymore of his time. This is from N?velDrama.Org. The hall was left with the three of them, and McKenzie clenched her fists tightly. Her suitors could queue around the globe, yet Anthony was the only who did not seem to be impressed by her. Why so? Susan held on her hand andforted, ¡°McKenzie, don¡¯t take it personally. Anthony has been behaving like this since young, and since you¡¯re caught up with business, both of you haven¡¯t been spending time with one other, thus resulting in theck of feelings. From today onward,e here everyday to spend some time with the boy. Try to spend more time with both of them.¡± ¡°But¡­this doesn¡¯t seem right.¡± McKenzie lowered her head. Susanforted, ¡°What¡¯s not right about this? I do have a say here. You¡¯lle here for three to four hours daily.¡± Chapter 268 Chapter 268 ¡°I know you¡¯re busy with work, but getting married is just as important. You have to put in more effort.¡± McKenzie pursed her lips, and after a while, she nodded unwillingly. ¡°Alright then.¡± Susan then turned to the maids and remarked, ¡°Did you hear that? Miss Houston is your future mistress in this house, so do treat her with respect.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± Too afraid to even breathe aloud, all the maids lowered their heads. McKenzie nced at the direction Anthony disappeared into, and a sh of determination appeared in her eyes. Meanwhile¡­ After she left the Bailey mansion, Charmine rode her motorbike back to Violet Vi. Perhaps she had stayed at the Bailey mansion for a little too long as she was not used to her ice-cold and empty vi. Perhaps she would have to get used to that, however. There could be a chance that after she told Anthony the truth, he would not permit a woman like her to stay by Chris. Perhaps she truly would leave in two months when the contract ended¡­ Charmine massaged her brows and forced herself to regainposure so she could clean her vi she had not visited for so long. It was then when her phone rang loudly. Charmine nced at the caller ID and answered as she heard Kay speaking from the phone: C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org ¡°Boss Jordan, Anthony¡¯s men searched up for your background overnight, but we¡¯ve settled them. The people above us are aware of this, hoping that you can reco Anthony as soon as possible.¡± Charmine remained unperturbed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know what to do.¡± ¡°But the two senior men said that they have ns for your marriage. It¡¯s not about knowing what to do, but rather, it¡¯s about leaving Anthony as soon as possible,¡± reminded Kay. Charmine scoffed at the idea and snapped, ¡°Did they fail their research and development project again? Are they still wanting me to get engaged to that person from the States?¡± ¡°Well, Boss Jordan, you guessed it¡­¡± Kay let out a dryugh before he continued with a more serious tone, ¡°It¡¯s not entirely true; they only want the best for you. Also, William Peterson is a nice guy. Not only is he young and sessful, but he¡¯s gentle and sweet too. Most importantly, he knows about your past yet is a hundred percent okay with it and is willing to take care of you for the rest of your life.¡± Charmine made herself a cup of coffee and said calmly, ¡°Alright, ask them to cut it already. What year is it now? There¡¯s no such thing as pre-arranged marriage anymore. ¡°If they really can¡¯t develop anything, just wait for me to fix it when I¡¯m back. Don¡¯t have to sell me to the man. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯m hanging up.¡± Charmine was more than ready to hang up, all out of patience. Kay quickly intervened, ¡°Boss Jordan, wait! One more thing! So Tiffany made Oliver keep the secret for her, and she even went to see Julianst night. They slept together again!¡± Charmine frowned, though after a moment of thought, she understood Tiffany¡¯s n right away. ¡°Keep an eye on her,¡± ordered Charmine calmly, ¡°but don¡¯t do anything unless I give the green card.¡± ¡°Understood. Oh yes, Boss Jordan, I¡¯ve sent you William Peterson¡¯s photos to your Whatsapp, so remember to open them!¡± Kay spoke boldly before he quickly hung up in fear of being sacked from his job. Charmine saw the notifications of Whatsapp but she merely tossed her phone aside unbothered to even open the app. She stood by the window and looked out to the forest with a thoughtful gaze. She first met William three years ago. Back then, they were in charge of a research project, William was the prince in every woman¡¯s heart. He was extremely gentle; he took good care of her and worked well with her. Since then, William had been staying close with her higher-ups and tried to find out more about her. Charmine knew that William really liked her, so she asked the two seniors to tell him about the five- years-ago incident. She thought William would give up, yet he still waited for her even after three years¡­ Charmine had no idea why it was so, but she found herself unperturbed to tell William about her past, but it was too difficult to even start with Anthony. Would Anthony, once he found out about her past, ept her like William did? Chapter 269 Chapter 269 Ring, ring! Charmine¡¯s phone rang again. She thought it was Chris calling for her toe home, but it was Eric instead. Charmine picked up the phone and was greeted with Eric¡¯s voice,¡° Something¡¯s up. The newly signed Scarlet is exposed as a mistress, and she¡¯s now making a scene trying tomit suicide at the company.¡± ¡°Commit suicide?¡± Charmine frowned. Rio chimed in as he panted, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s serious! Boss Jordan, pleasee here! This is my newly bought building, and she¡¯s the first supermodel we¡¯ve ever signed!¡± ¡°We even spent one and a half billion for her contract termination. As for the Horizon Night annual event, the contract stated that if the artist can¡¯t make it, thepensation fee is five billion bucks,¡± Eric said with a serious tone. In other words, if Scarlet was in trouble, RisingHawk Entertainment would lose 6.5 billion bucks in total, along with other negative impacts. ¡°Got it, I¡¯ll be there right away.¡± Charmine hung up and marched out of her vi. As she walked, she scrolled on the news page and read the headlines. (No.1 Supermodel Scarlet Became A Mistress!) Other than a few photos of her in bed, the lengthy news read: (Scarlet signed with Hollyoak for seven years. She always had more resources than anyone else, and even her artist persona was more likeable. These were all because she had been sleeping with the CEO of Hollyoak, Johnson Spencer! The fact that she was able to terminate her contract with HollyOak was due to her rtionship with Johnson, a deal sealed in bed! (Johnson Spencer already has a wife, and his wife-Gigi Ritz-was famous back in the days! Seven years ago, Gigi Ritz was awarded the Golden Eagle Goddess Award due to her adorable appearance and skilled acting. She was only 23 years old back then when she became everyone¡¯s favorite! (With a bright future in sight, just as she was at the peak of her career, she announced to leave the entertainment industry and mysteriously disappeared. (Everyone was guessing that she married a billionaire, yet nobody would have thought that she married Johnson Spencer! [Back then, Gigi appeared in high-school dramas with a lively and energetic persona, the next door neighbor kind of girl, earning the likes of many. Even though she had left the industry for seven years, her Sweetest Goddess title was never taken up by anyone else.) Once the headline was released, the inte went into an uproar! This is from N?velDrama.Org. (Scarlet is such ab*tch! How dare she snatched Gigi¡¯s husband?] Argh! My little princess Gigi! All she wanted to do was to leave the entertainment industry to live a peaceful life! Why did this happen to her?!) (Scarlet is so disgusting! She seems so gentle on the surface, pretending to be a gentle and food- loving woman, when the truth is that she¡¯s a third-wheeler! How dare she stole Gigi¡¯s husband!) (Shameless b*tch! I hope you die!) Charmine kept her phone and prepared to ride on her motorbike to Rising Hawk. Something did not add up to Charmine. Charmine, when she first met Scarlet, noted her clear and twinkling eyes, and she gave off the vibe of a gentle and innocent girl. How could she be a third -wheeler? Of course, the photos on the news were not photoshopped either. She had to find out as soon as possible. Charmine raised her long leg and hopped on the motorbike, rushing to thepany in the speed of light. There were only 15 floors in the building, but it was five meters tall. Scarlet was sitting on the ninth floor balcony, shaking unstably. The crowd gathered below and threw grueling insults at her. ¡°You¡¯re such a b*tch! Why don¡¯t you jump down right now? Die, why don¡¯t you?!¡± ¡°You¡¯re ashamed to be scolded at but not ashamed to be the third-wheeler? Now that you¡¯re exposed, you want to jump down the building? Are you trying to ask for sympathy?¡± ¡°A real person who¡¯s trying tomit suicide wouldn¡¯t make such a huge scene! You¡¯re just acting!¡± ¡°Jump! Jump! Don¡¯t waste our time! Only with your death can you make it up with Gigi!¡± 1 The unrelenting jeers echoed in the air. Chapter 270 Chapter 270 Charmine arrived on her motorbike, swiftly like the wind. She removed her helmet and coldly nced at the security guards that stood by the sides. ¡°Why are you even hired? Did we feed you for free? Clear the crowd!¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± The security guards were terrified at the sight of Charmine, and they quickly started to disperse the crowd. The crowd yelled at Charmine, ¡°Charmine, why would you sign a third-wheeler like her? Why do you side with her?¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Weren¡¯t you just cheated by your sister? Why can¡¯t you understand Gigi¡¯s feelings? A third wheeler like her deserves to be dead!¡± ¡°Gigi¡¯s kid is already three years old! This woman ruined their family, and she deserves to die!¡± Charmine merely watched the mad fans calling for justice and walked away. Words were useless; solving the problem was key. The security guards had dispersed most of the crowd, waiting for help to be sent. As Charmine entered the office, Rio rushed up anxiously. ¡°Charmine, you¡¯re finally here. What now? The rescue team said their car broke down, and it might take them half an hour to arrive, but her body might¡¯ve hardened by then!¡±. He was Charmine¡¯s elder cousin, but at that moment, he sounded more like a younger brother. Unperturbed, Charmine walked to the lift and called out, ¡°Prepare some rope and gloves.¡± ¡°Huh? What do we need these for? Is it to bring her back? She¡¯s mentally unstable right now, and she won¡¯t let anyonee close to her!¡± The usually unperturbed Rio was very anxious. After all, it was the first time he hade across something so serious. Charmine went into the lift and pressed on the ninth floor button. ¡°Send them to me when they¡¯re ready,¡± finalized Charmine in a mature tone. Rio went to prepare them right away. At the lobby of the ninth floor, Eric asked everyone to leave as he did not want to trigger Scarlet. He was left behind tofort her, though Scarlet would not take in anything he said. She remained seated on the edge of the balcony; she appeared awfully lonely. Charmine walked closer, but Eric immediately grabbed her by the wrist. ¡°Don¡¯t go there. She¡¯s mentally unstable and won¡¯t listen to anything. She might identally fall.¡± Charmine could only stand by the door with a frown.: If Scarlet truly was the third-wheeler, then she should be shameless enough to not feel such pain that she would try tomit suicide. The truth was never as simple as it seemed. Momentster, Rio came up with some rope and a pair of thick gloves. ¡°What now?¡± he asked softly. ¡°You two, follow me.¡± After receiving the items, Charmine walked toward the staircase. Eric and Rio frowned. Follow her? No one would keep watch over Scarlet if they did¡­ ¡°What now? Will standing there do any help?¡± quipped Charmine as she walked up the stairs. The two had no choice but to follow her. The three of them arrived on the eleventh floor, two floors away from where Scarlet was. Eric and Rio frowned again. Why were they on the eleventh floor? How could this save Scarlet a t all? Chapter 271 Chapter 271 Chapter 271 Charmine walked straight to the balcony, tied the rope around her waist, and put on the gloves. ¡°You two will help me pull on the rope,¡± instructed Charmine, ¡°so hold on tight.¡± ¡°What?¡± blurted Rio in shock, his eyes wide open. ¡°Charmine ¡ªI mean, Boss! Boss, are you going down to save her yourself? This is the eleventh floor! If anything happens to you, how a m I supposed to face your grandpa?¡± Eric, too, frowned and walked forward. ¡°Let me do it, you hold on to the rope.¡± If anything happened to Charmine, he-out of everyone-would be killed by all sorts of people since he brought Charmine back to Burlington! ¡°Now¡¯s not the time to sit still and do nothing,¡± countered Charmine. ¡°Also, are any of you as skilled as I am?¡± 1 Charmine¡¯s remark stunned the two men silent, especially Eric. He knew that Charmine was skilled and resourceful; perhaps he was only a fraction of what she was even with his abilities.. Regardless¡­ Saving a person replying on a rope was too dangerous. If anything was to happen, he could not face his supervisor. 1 Still deep in his thoughts, Charmine pushed the rope and more gloves into their hands as she said, ¡°Be calm, and don¡¯t trigger her.¡± With that, she climbed the balcony 50 meters high up the sky. She stood on the fence of the balcony under the white clouds and blue sky, her figure lean and fit. 11 Rio watched with his heart in his mouth. ¡°Boss, pleasee back down? Let¡¯s think of another way! You¡¯re the only cousin I like, and if anything happened to you¡­¡± ¡°Shut your mouth! Hold on tight,¡± Charmine snapped at him before diving from the balcony and faced their way! Eric instinctively held onto the rope in his hands. Rio, too, held on tight as he shut his eyes tightly out of fear. This is from N?velDrama.Org. Charmine jumped down just like that? She jumped down! They were on the eleventh floor, at least 50 meters tall! Meanwhile, on the building opposite them, a number of news reporters had already found their spot and live-streamed Scarlet¡¯s suicide attempt. The live-streaming tform raked up hundreds and thousands of viewers, each armed with their share of insults: (Even Gigi didn¡¯t attempt suicide. How dare you try tomit suicide?] (Just jumped already! Why are you still pretending? Disgusting!) (I don¡¯t get how the third-wheeler has the stomach to try and jump off the building. She even tried to act as if she was the victim.) (Ew! Disgusting!) Scarlet, still on the balcony, wore an expression carved in pain, sadness, and destion. She suddenly stood up and stood on the tall balcony high up in the air. She slowly closed her eyes a s silent tears rolled down her cheeks, and she opened her arms-as if she was about to fly and leaned forward. She was just about to jump off when out of the blue, a ck figure shot down from above and gave her a kick. Scarlet¡ªwho was about to fall-was instantly kicked back in. She fell backward, followed by a loud crashing sound, while the ck figure shot down swiftly, akin to a typical spy. The reporters and viewers in the live-streaming tform gasped and shrieked in shock. Both Eric and Rio had firm grips on the rope, but the free-fall was so overwhelming that the rope in their hands slipped down uncontrobly. The friction between their gloves and rope gave off tiny sparks. 1 In the blink of an eye, Charmine shot down to the seventh floor. The two men hastily grabbed onto the rope and tightly gripped it to stop the free-fall. The rope stopped reeling after that, but Charmine was suspended in the air. Once they assessed the situation, Rio and Eric exchanged nces and pulled up the rope at the same time, using all their strength to pull Charmine up. Suddenly, a faint ¡®click¡¯ was heard. They both looked down to see that the rope was faltering, ready to snap, outside the balcony! Chapter 272 Chapter 272 Chapter 272 The originally wide-as-thumb rope was left as a pinky-width rope, ready to snap. Their pupils dted and instantly stopped whatever they were doing. Eric called out,¡° Charmine, watch out!¡± Charmine could make out the noise she had heard, and she looked up to see what happened above her. She knew right away what was happening. Charmine was aware she should not move; even the slightest tug might break the rope. With that, she looked around to evaluate her surroundings. Concurrently, the reporters opposite the building realized something was wrong. They focused their cameras on the worn-out rope against the balcony, andments flooded the live-streaming tform. 1 (The rope seems to be breaking! So scary!) (There¡¯re at least 30 meters from the seventh floor to the ground. The fall can kill her!) [Argh! Boss Jordan! Why did you risk your life saving a third-wheeler? It¡¯s not worth it!) (I wanna kill Scarlet and her family! She tried tomit suicide and almost caused someone else¡¯s death!) (Where¡¯s the rescue team? Hurry up and go save Boss Jordan! Boss Jordan can¡¯t die!) Charmine did not know she was live-streamed. After evaluating her surroundings, she realized that she was hung below the seventh floor¡¯s balcony, not too far from the sixth floor. Since the distance between the seventh and sixth floor was at least five meters, she was not high enough tond on the seventh floor while not low enough to step onto the sixth floor¡¯s balcony. She was suspended mid-air without any surface to disperse her weight. Another click¡¯ was heard, and the rope was about to break! The point of friction above her would sever the rope in mere moments! If this went on, she might fall to death! [Ahhh!) (Ahhh!) Viewers of the live-stream left terrified screams on the tform. 1 Charmine, on the other hand, wore a small frown as she took out a dagger from her pocket. With the dagger in her hand, she flicked it against the rope. With a loud and powerful cut, the rope was severed! Charmine was plummeting to the ground! Everyone watched with their heart in their mouths. What was she doing? What was she doing?! Before anyone could react, Charmine used her grip strength to hold on to the sixth floor¡¯s balcony. With a swift movement, she flipped mid-air and gracefullynded on the sixth¡¯s floor balcony! She moved skillfully and dexterously. Coupled with her ck tights and top, she embodied the typical female agent! The live-stream went viral right after. (Gosh! Am I watching a live-stream or an action movie?) (Boss Jordan is indeed Boss Jordan! Her skills are so refined! Wild! Handsome! Insane!) Property ? N?velDrama.Org. (I¡¯m her biggest fan! Ever!) Charmine gracefullynded on her feet, perfectly fine without any trace of injury. She removed her gloves and tossed them aside before marching inside. Eric and Rio shot down the stairs anxiously, and it was only when they saw her in one piece did they heave a sigh of relief. Rio patted his chest in relief. ¡°Boss, do you know how scared you made me feel? My lifespan will be at least three years shorter when I¡¯m with you.¡± ¡°No worries, just sleep less and train more,¡± Charmine warned before she made her way upstairs. ¡°How¡¯s Scarlet?¡± she asked as she continued to walk. ¡°Not doing too good.¡± Eric then solemnly exined, ¡°After being kicked inside, she had a scratch and she also cut her wrist. Fresh blood is squirting out of her, but she wouldn¡¯t let anyone get close to her.¡± She cut her wrist? She could die if that prolonged! Chapter 273 Chapter 273 Charmine¡¯s face darkened as he went up to the ninth floor. When she arrived, people were already on the ninth floor¡¯s lobby as they obstructed the balcony from Scarlet. Her manager and assistants, on the other hand, tried to calm her down, but Scarlet grabbed a vase as she feebly threatened, ¡°Don¡¯te near me! Stay away! If youe a step closer, I won¡¯t be able to control myself¡­ I¡¯ll do it¡­!¡± Her wrist bled profusely, and the blood pooled on the floor of the lobby. Her manager and assistants helplessly kept their distance from her, but when nobody dared toe close, Charmine marched toward her without hesitation. Scarlet staggered a few steps back and, with the vase raised, she yelled, ¡°Don¡¯t¡­don¡¯te close¡­!¡± ¡°Go on, throw it! Throw it right at me!¡± dared Charmine, no trace of hesitation in her steps that she took Scarlet staggered backward in panic, her hands trembled uncontrobly. ¡°I¡¯ll do it! I¡¯ll really d o it-argh!¡± 1 Scarlet was cut short as Charmine swiftly caught on her wrist and snatched the vase away from her in a swift move. At the same time, Charmine pressed her onto the sofa by their side. The assistants leaped into action and suppressed her while the medical team initiated first aid t o stop the bleeding. ¡°Let me go¡­ Let me go!¡± Scarlet cried out in agony. ¡°Why¡­why did you save me¡­? Why won¡¯t you let me die?!¡± ¡°And what would happen after you die? Let the douche go back to his family and be with his wife, happily ever after, while your reputation is ruined forever?¡± Charmine rebuked coldly as she stepped back and let the medical team do their work. 1 Scarlet¡¯s body jolted at that, though after a moment, she-with a bitter smile-feebly said,¡± What else is there? What else can I do? I deserve to be dead¡­ I really do¡­!¡± She closed her eyes and cried in agony as she spoke, and there was no end to her waterworks. Her manager, Amy Lucas, instantly refuted, ¡°No! The person who deserves to be dead isn¡¯t you. It¡¯s that douchebag Johnson Spencer! What a *sshole!¡± With that, she rushed toward Charmine and grabbed her arm desperately. ¡°Boss Jordan, please help us. Scarlet genuinely didn¡¯t know that Johnson was married/ She didn¡¯t even know he had married Gigi and had children! She was a clueless woman from the start! All she knew was that she was in love and gave all of her to that son-of-a-gun Johnson!¡± Scarlet, upon hearing that, wailed loudly as her body shook. That was true; she gave her everything to Johnson! She was only 18 back then, new to the industry. Johnsonvished her with kindness and gave her special treatment from the rest, and Scarlet believed she had met her Prince Charming atst. She went with whatever persona he set up for her, participated in whatever events he asked her to. Scarlet never thought of leaving, even when otherpanies vied for her and offered her deals. Her spare times were spent on sewing wool scarves for Johnson or making him a suit by hand. She had a cat with him, and she even gave him her chastity¡­ Scarlet believed that they would one day be wed; she even thought of the names of their future children. The boy would be Markus Spencer, and the girl would be Katie Spencer. They would b e theProperty ? N?velDrama.Org. product of their love, of their future. Before this, she even thought of the handsome profit she could make here at RisingHawk, that she could earn more money to buy Johnson a new car. She never expected their rtionship would get leaked, along with the photos of her with Johnson in the hotel! In other words, Johnson had set this all up. The man she loved dearly wanted to destroy her! Eight whole years of her youth, the best years of her life-or so she thought-turned out to be nothing but a lie¡­ Charmine frowned. ¡°After being with Johnson for so many years, do you really have nothing o n him?¡± ¡°Johnson Spencer is a dishonest fraud. He never told anyone in thepany that he was married. Nobody knew about that, and even when he was with Scarlet, he never used social media to chat with her.¡± Chapter 274 Chapter 274 ¡°In other words, if it wasn¡¯t for the news, Scarlet might¡¯ve never found out¡­¡± Charmine¡¯s eyes dulled at that; the douche had skillfully wiped his hands clean. Nheless¡­ Charmine turned her gaze and, with a low voice, dered, ¡°The person who deserves to be dead isn¡¯t you; it¡¯s Johnson Spencer. You have to live on. I¡¯ll prove your innocence before the Horizon Night. Should I fail to do so, I¡¯ll die with you.¡± Her cold tone lingered in the room as she turned to leave, her back seemingly regal and proud. Scarlet had a frown on her face, yet there was a small glimmer in her eyes. Before Horizon Night? Prove her innocence? Horizon Night was only five days away, so how could Charmine prove her innocence in five days¡¯ time? She went viral as ¡®the third-wheeler¡¯; the third-wheel who destroyed another family. She could not even forgive herself, so how could Charmine save her? Charmine sped off from thepany, her eyes cloudy and stormy. No wonder Kelly allowed Scarlet to walk free; she set this all up to make her lose money! Charmine would lose up to 6 billion with Scarlet¡¯s incident, not to mention all kinds of negative criticisms that would affect thepany¡¯s reputation! No matter it was for Scarlet or her ownpany, Charmine had to resolve the problem at hand¡­ Yet, since there was no evidence¡­ Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Hah! Charmine pulled to a stop at the underground garage when she saw Chris pacing around in the garage anxiously. She got off the motorbike hastily and questioned, ¡°Momo, what¡¯s up? Why are you here?¡± ¡°Mommy, Mommy, you¡¯re finally back! Waa¡­ Momo saw your clip, Momo is terrified¡­! Waa ¡­!¡± Chris ran into her arms with his short and chubby legs. Charmine frowned. ¡°What clip?¡± ¡°This, the one where you jumped off the building to save this woman¡­! Waa¡­ Momo is scared! Scared of Mommy getting hurt, scared of Mommy leaving Momo. After so many years, Momo finally found a Mommy that Momo likes¡­ Waa¡­!¡± Chris sobbed as he handed his phone to Charmine. 1 It was not until then when she realized that the clip of her saving Scarlet was live-streamed and even made it to the headline. Her agile figure earned herself a bunch of fans, though some berated her for saving a third-wheeler. Charmine had no time to care for that. She kept the phone and ruffled Chris¡¯ hair as sheforted, ¡°Momo, don¡¯t cry. I know what I¡¯m doing. I never do things that I¡¯m not confident in doing. No matter what happens in the future, Momo shouldn¡¯t get upset because of Mommy and needs to believe in Mommy. Alright?¡± ¡°Alright! But Momo still doesn¡¯t want Mommy to risk her life. Momo only wants Mommy to b e daddy¡¯s little princess and let Daddy handle these things. Even if it is to ask him to jump off the building!¡± Chris made a serious remark. Charmine was dumbfounded. Ask him to jump off the building? Did that mean she held a more important spot in Chris¡¯ heart than Anthony? Heart mellowed at the thought, she held onto his chubby little hand. ¡°Momo is the best. Let¡¯s go upstairs. Mommy will make you yummy dinner tonight, alright?¡± Chris pulled on her hand and said, ¡°No, Mommy, we can¡¯t go up. Auntie McKenzie is home.¡± Charmine frowned. ¡°Auntie McKenzie?¡± ¡°Yeah, an auntie named McKenzie Houston. She¡¯s with Daddy,¡± answered Chris. There it was, a strange pang in her heart. So McKenzie came by, and she was with Anthony? Anthony let Chris wait for her down here in the garage while he spent alone time with McKenzie at home? Chapter 275 Chapter 275 She was only away from home for half a day, and this man had gone to look for a mistress! As he picked up Charmine¡¯s misunderstanding, Chris hastily exined, ¡°Mommy, it¡¯s not Daddy¡¯s fault. Grandpa and Grandma sent Auntie McKenzie over, and they said that from today onward, Auntie McKenzie wille to the mansion and spend three hours with us.¡± 1 Three hours¡­ That basically meant that the seniors of the Bailey family wanted to cultivate feelings between McKenzie and Anthony. They were determined for Anthony to marry McKenzie. They were not wrong; McKenzie was indeed of the uppest ss in Burlington. Not only was her family impressive, but she was extremely skilled in medicine and business, and she easily overshadowed the rest. A woman like her was indeed good enough for Anthony. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Charmine¡¯s eyes narrowed, though not noticeably so, and looked at Chris. ¡°Alright, Mommy will go home first. I¡¯ll visit you another time.¡± ¡°No! No! I wanna be with Mommy, and she¡¯ll be leaving in half an hour anyway. Mommy doesn¡¯t have to make way for a person like her! Let¡¯s go, Momo will bring Mommy somewhere.¡± With that, Chris held her hand and led her to a secret passage. The passage was only half a meter wide; it was a spiral staircase that extended upward. Charmine frowned. Where did Chris bring her to? She feared no one, and she knew she could easily rival McKenzie should theypete. Nheless, she knew deep down that she would never be with Anthony anyway and did not want anything unnecessary to happen. If McKenzie found out about her, things would get messy. 1 As she was caught up in her thoughts, Chris had brought her to an attic and brought a fingert o his lips. It was not until then when Charmine realized that this was an attic on the ninth floor, and the space was small with only a window on the door. Through the window, they could see the lobby on the ninth floor. At the lobby, Anthony sat on the European-inspired sofa, having a meeting with a few golden haired men as if discussing something important. McKenzie, on the other hand, sat on a sofa not far away as she waited patiently. She checked on her wrist from time to time, her elegant face seemingly displeased. Charmine was surprised. Could it be that Anthony found people to have meetings with him for the three whole hours while McKenzie was here? ¡°Ha-ha! Twenty minutes more to go!¡± snicked Chris. ¡°No longer have to see her in twenty minutes!¡± ¡°Why so? Do you not like her?¡± Charmine asked in concern. McKenzie was likely to be his Mommy. He pouted. ¡°I don¡¯t like her. Momo only likes Mommy, and other than Mommy, everyone else i s fake! Also, nobody is as pretty as Mommy!¡± Charmine burst outughing at that. If they were topare, surely McKenzie was no less prettier than her. This kid was such a sweet-talker. Back in the lobby, McKenzie had atst reached her limit. She walked toward them and spoke t o the men in fluent French, ¡°Excuse me, I¡¯ve things to discuss with Mr. Bailey. It¡¯s an important matter regarding our future. Pleasee again some other day.¡± The men exchanged looks and left without a choice. The lobby was left with just the two of them. McKenzie sat down and said to Anthony elegantly, ¡°Anthony, I know you don¡¯t like this, but this is your parents¡¯ decision. I also sincerely wish to take care of Momo with you, providing him with aplete family.¡± Her voice was gentle and soothing. Anthony, s, remained emotionless as he stood up. ¡°Momo and I only want a quiet ce to live.¡± Anthony basically called her annoying. With that, he did not bother to give her a chance and was ready to leave. McKenzie went forward and grabbed his wrist. ¡°Anthony, we¡¯ve known each other for so many years, and I¡¯m the best option you have. Other than me, there¡¯s nobody else in the world who¡¯s in your league. What do you hate about me? I¡¯ll change.¡± Chapter 276 Chapter 276 Anthony halted in his step. ¡°Ms. McKenzie is indeed impressive, but I don¡¯t like women who stick themselves to me, chasing after me, giving one the impression of a loyal dog.¡± With that said, he freed his wrist from her grip and strode away. He also used his handkerchief to wipe his wrist before he tossed the cloth into a bin. It was arrogant, apathetic, without a trace of gentleness. McKenzie was left with a greenish pale face. Did Anthony just call her a loyal dog? She put down her ego before his to chase him, yet hepared her to a loyal dog? Would there even b e a spark of romance between them had she not initiated the chase? 1 Anthony was obviously making it hard for her, insulting her! It did not matter if his parents supported her nor if she came to their home three hours per day¡­ Anthony would still ignore her! Inside the attic¡­ Charmine was just as puzzled. Did she just see how Anthony behaved rather coldly toward another woman? Hiseback to reject McKenzie sounded oddly familiar, too, like the time she rejected him before¡­ Once sheposed herself, the dejected McKenzie walked into the lift. Once she was gone, Chris opened the door of the attic and half-whispered, ¡°Daddy, Daddy¡­! Come here! Mommy was touched by your attitude and she wants to marry you for that!¡± Charmine was riddled with question marks. Since when did she say that? Toote. Anthony turned to look at her, and she did not even have the time to rpose herself. The expression on her face seemed rather touched¡­ Anthony started making his way to her, one step at a time. Chris ran away and disappeared without a trace, like a puff of smoke. 1 Charmine was stunned. Did that boy just sell out his Mommy like that? She wanted to walk out of the attic, but Anthony already walked inside and shut the door behind him. The attic was only a few square meters wide, filled with many bookshelves, thus the space was narrow and limited. With his tall and big figure, he made the atmosphere in the room rather intimidating¡­ Charmine raised her brow. ¡°Please don¡¯t tell me you really believe the words of a five-year old.¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± answered Anthony, his voice mellow and mature. Charmine sighed in relief. ¡°Then let me leave, I¡¯m going out.¡± Anthony did not speak, and instead, he carried her in his arms and ced her on the small table by the side. With a thrumming heart, flushed-face Charmine blurted, ¡°What are you doing? Don¡¯t do what I think you¡¯re about to do, or I won¡¯t be nice to you!¡± She even purposely cracked her knuckles as it made a sound Unfazed, Anthony ordered, ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± His voice was low and deep and low, as if it was a serious warning. With that said, he ced his hands on Charmine¡¯s upper arms. He pressed his hands on them gently and slowly made his way down to her wrists, then her fingers¡­ Charmine felt like she was zapped by an electric shock that spread throughout her being. Since his palms wererge and icy, every inch of her skin he touched made her feel nervous. She had never been so close to a man in so many years nor did she let any man touch her, yet here they were: Anthony touching her arms, every finger of hers¡­ She should have punched him right away, but he was not trying to take advantage of her either. She had no choice but to remain still on the table. ¡°Anthony,¡± she yelped, ¡°what are you trying to do?!¡± Anthony¡¯s massive handsnded on her thighs!N?velDrama.Org content. Chapter 277 Chapter 277 Charmine raised her fist, ready to throw her punch, but Anthony caught her tiny fist as he growled, ¡°I¡¯m examining you, so don¡¯t move!¡± Examine? What? Charmine was confused, but Anthony remained focused as he gently applied pressure on her thighs, down to her knees, then her legs. After checking both her feet professionally, his tight brows slowly rxed. ¡°You¡¯re fine this time, but never do something like that again!¡± Charmine frowned in confusion, and it took her some time before she understood what happened. Anthony must have seen the clip of her jumping from the building. He must have been worried about her getting injured, hence why he examined her body¡­ At that moment, Charmine felt warmth that spread from her chest as an unfamiliar emotion bloomed in her heart. The seemingly cold-hearted Anthony was so gentle on her, yet he was s o cold toward McKenzie just moments ago. If this went on, things might get out of hand, and she might not be able to control herself anymore¡­ Charmine feebly looked up at him. ¡°Anthony, the person you should treasure is McKenzie, not me. Didn¡¯t you always want to know what happened to me five years ago? I should have told you in the afternoon, so listen.¡± She took a deep breath and looked him in the eyes. ¡°Five years ago, Tiffany bribed someone to ra_? Before she could finish, Anthony¡¯s body suddenlyunched toward her. He pressed his arms o n her sides as he sternlymanded, ¡°Stop!¡± Anthony knew, even when she had yet to finish that sentence. He knew what it was, and it was just like what he spectedst night. Charmine had been¡­ The woman that he dared not to touch, the woman he put on a high pedestal, was touched by another man! His being emitted a cold, ominous intent as though he was the king from hell. With just a breath away from him, Charmine could clearly feel his rage. rmed, she looked at him. ¡°You may let me go now and terminate our three-month contract as of now.¡± ¡°Who said I¡¯m letting you go?¡± Anthony red at her with an incredibly hardened expression. Charmine frowned. He knew of the truth, but why was he not letting her go? What else did he want? ¡°Does Mr. Bailey wants to be like the male lead of a romance film, pulling the childish act of not looking down on the female lead?¡± said Charmine, her wordsced with sarcasm. To her, men who did not look down on women like her, those who tried to pull out all the stops to be with women like herself, were asking for troubles themselves! If she was him, she would never choose a partner who could bring her so much trouble. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± came Anthony¡¯s simple reply. She was right¡­? Was he saying that he really did not look down on her? A man above her status-wise like him really did not judge her by her past? Seeing that she was confused, Anthony huskily spoke, ¡°It seems that I¡¯ll need to convince you for that.¡± Suddenly lowering his body, Anthony pressed her onto the table and kissed her square on the Property ? N?velDrama.Org. lips. Charmine¡¯s mind went nk, and her entire being was in shock. Anthony just kissed her¡­ He kissed her¡­ That was her first kiss when disregarding the incident from five years ago! She instinctively tried to fight back. She tried to push him away, but Anthony¡¯s muscr body was so heavy that he did not even budge. Initially, Anthony only wanted to prove to her with just an innocent kiss, but he never expected that this long-overdue kiss was like the fog in a drought that ignited his body. Also, a strange and familiar sensation overwhelmed his senses, just like that beautiful night five years ago, losing all of one¡¯s self-restraint. Chapter 278 Chapter 278 Anthony had a strange trait in him since he was a mere boy that made him immune to all women even when he was drugged, yet five years ago, a woman walked into his room and broke the rules he diligently kept all those years. He thought that she was the only person he would ever be interested in, since he did not meet anyone else over the following years that excited him. Understandably, it caught him by surprise that Charmine would make him lose all his bearings once more and wanted her fervently, Charmine was breathless from his kiss, and this feeling reminded her of the night five years ago. Five years ago, the man pressed against her like how Anthony did¡­ 1 The familiar and intimidating feeling overwhelmed her with fear and confusion. Panicked, she harshly bit on his lips. Hiss! Anthony moaned out in pain and let her go by reflex. Charmine sat up and used up her strength to push him away. She red at him defensively.¡± What was that, Mr. Bailey? Just because I¡¯m unchaste doesn¡¯t mean you can assault me.¡± With a frown on his face, Anthony wiped the blood on the corner of his lips and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that ¡ª¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care, I hope Mr. Bailey can behave. I don¡¯t like people touching me.¡± Charmine strode from him, devoid from even wanting to entertain him. His action reminded her of that night. Just as she passed by him, Anthony grabbed her by her wrist. ¡°My apologies, I lost control,¡± h e apologized, voice sincere and solemn as he spoke. Charmine¡¯s legs halted involuntarily, but before she could speak, Anthony added, ¡°I just want to let Ms. Jordan know that I don¡¯t mind about your past. Moreover, the offer I gave you on our first meeting still stands.¡± The offer still stands¡­ Did that mean he would still marry her and take an unchaste woman like her as his wife? W Charmine was momentarily stunned as a foreign, strange feeling blossomed in her heart. Anthony turned her around and gazed into her eyes. ¡°If that¡¯s the reason why you¡¯ve been rejecting me, then you should cast it away. The person who should suffer should be the person who harmed you, not you. You¡¯ve done nothing wrong. Why should you give up on the happiness that you deserve?¡± 1 His deep voice wasforting and thought-provoking. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Charmine¡¯s already softened heart was further mellowed with kindness. Even though they were in the 21st century, being raped was still a worldwide taboo that everyone would still look at her differently. Even Julian said to her five years ago that, as she was vited, she had no right to reject someone. Even throughout the past five years, her supervisors had tried to match her with William, and they would remark that having met a man like William was rare. I t was nothing but a blessing to her, they would say. What they implied was that no man would hold an ounce of respect for her. No matter how impressive she had be, having a man who was willing to marry her would be her blessing she should not deserve. As time passed, she no longer knew what she should chase after in life. She knew she did not deserve to be loved. Out of the blue, Anthony told her that she had done nothing wrong, that she should not give u p on her happiness¡­ Charmine was confused. Had she wasted her years in regret then? Even if Anthony was willing to ept her, did she really have the rights to be with him? ¡°Apologies, I need to be alone.¡± She pulled her wrist away from him and pushed open the door to leave. Although she really wanted to agree, she felt that they should both cool off first. Chapter 279 Chapter 279 Anthony¡¯s gaze hardened as he stared at the retreating Charmine. Once she was out of sight. h. e took out his phone to dial Luke. ¡°Destroy the entire Walker gang in ten days,¡± hemanded. 1 The Walker gang dared to touch his woman? He wanted them wiped out of the globe! Meanwhile¡­ 2 Once she walked out of the mansion, McKenzie turned to look back at the building. Hmph, did Anthony really think she did not know there were people in the attic? She was the leader in all fields, and her hearing was better than anyone else. McKenzie swore she heard faint footsteps back then, and she could make out the voice of a child and a woman. There was no mistaking it; there was a woman in Anthony¡¯s mansion! Anthony kept a woman in his mansion behind her back! Who was she? Who else could win over Anthony¡¯s heart other than herself? She turned to the maid holding the umbre for her and demanded, ¡°Who¡¯s the woman living in the mansion?¡± ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know what Ms. McKenzie is talking about.¡± The maid, Yumi, turned her head down anxiously. McKenzie scoffed at the reply. ¡°I¡¯m no fool. Don¡¯t forget that I¡¯m the woman that Old Master and Madam respects, and I¡¯m the future Missus of the mansion! You should know your stance before you speak again!¡± Yumi was put in a difficult position. She knew that McKenzie was liked by the Old Master and Madam, but she worked for Boss Bailey, and turning her back to him would bear no good ending ¡°It¡¯s okay if you want to remain silent,¡± said McKenzie. ¡°Do you think you can keep your job if you hurt me with the umbre? Huh?¡± Her cold voice was filled with an apparent threat. Yumi basically could lose her job in an instant if she did not tell the truth! 1 Yumi looked down anxiously. This was a job that her parents pulled up all of their connections for, and she could not lose it¡­ Left with no choice, she conceded, ¡°It¡¯s Charmine Jordan.¡± 2 Charmine Jordan? McKenzie¡¯s eyes turned a shade darker. So it was Charmine Jordan! She heard about it from Kelly Mn before, but she thought that Kelly made it all up to pit her against Charmine. McKenzie never thought it was the truth. Charmine was really with Anthony, and she even lived there! It all made sense; she knew why Anthony did not even look at her. That third-wheeler Charmine seduced him! Thinking of that mesmerizing and perfect face of Charmine¡¯s, evil spurred in McKenzie¡¯s eyes. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Once the two got in the car, her assistant Miranda said, ¡°This woman, Charmine is pretty skilled, so you have to be careful. Look at the news: She just entered the modeling industry not long ago, and she raked up fifty million followers!¡± with that, Miranda showed her phone to McKenzie. McKenzie took the phone and saw the two striking words that made the headlines which surpassed many of the current affairs: (Agent Charmine). Charmine, in the clip, moved skillfully and expertly. How could an adopted daughter of a small family have such skills? On another note, was this news not linked to Gigi? She was an old friend of McKenzie, and they had kept in touch throughout the years. Chapter 280 Chapter 280 A thought urred to McKenzie as she dialed Gigi. ¡°Hey Gigi, are you feeling better?? ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­ Don¡¯t bother about me, I just want to be alone for now¡­¡± came Gigi¡¯s voice, filled with apparent heartache and pain. McKenzie let out a sigh. ¡°I can understand how you feel, but it¡¯s not worth it. I saw Johnson visiting Scarlet just now, all because of how she yed the victim. It¡¯s a waste to be sad over a douche like him!¡± ¡°Oh really¡­? He went to see Scarlet¡­?¡± Gigi seemed to be at her lowest. With that, the line became busy. She hung up the phone. A glint of malice appeared in McKenzie¡¯s eyes. So, Charmine intended to gain poprity by saving Scarlet? Well, she would sink to the bottom for that! Destroying herpany would be just a minor warning to her! Within an hour, another headline was made, and it was Gigi cutting her wrist inside her bathtub. It was no act; it was a terrifying sight with the blood tainting the entire bathtub. Gigi could have lost her life had her maids not checked up on her! The photos of a fainted Gigi admitted to the hospital went viral on the inte. Gigi¡¯s three year-old daughter wailed for her mother, her waterworks unceasing as she cried. The photos went viral on the inte. [Argh! I want to kill somebody! Gigi is so unlucky! And her daughter deserves our sympathy!) [A happy family was ruined by a third-wheeler! Why didn¡¯t the third-wheeler explode and die? (Gigi is like an angel from heaven, who just wants to live a peaceful life away from this dog-eat -dog world. Why would Scarlet hurt her like this?!) (I think the person most at fault is Charmine Jordan, and she shouldn¡¯t have saved Scarlet today. Had Charmine not saved her, Scarlet would¡¯ve died and Gigi wouldn¡¯t have tried to cut herself.) (Stop that bullcrap. Our angel Gigi would never condone ending someone else¡¯s life, she¡¯s just hurt by the brutal world. If I was Gigi, I wouldn¡¯t understand why a third-wheeler could be saved.] (Charmine saved Scarlet and stood up for her. She¡¯s clearly rubbing salt on Gigi¡¯s wound! J (The clip of her jumping from the building to save Scarlet is everywhere online, but it¡¯s obvious that it¡¯s all staged to make the headlines!) (Disgusting! Charmine, Scarlet, I hope you two explode and die!) It was not long untilizens scored Charmine for saving Scarlet, and she became the object of netizens¡¯ anger. s, it did not stop there. McKenzie tweeted: (Some women sell their bodies for money. What do you gain from being a third- wheeler? Shameless!) McKenzie was dubbed the country¡¯s No.1 Lady, almost as though on par with princesses of other countries. She attended most of the highly regarded events, invented many patents, and even made a name for herself globally out of a genius show. On top of that, she raked up almost a billion followers! Moreover, she was highly regarded in society, having attended high-end conferences, high tech research without the help of her family background, making her everyone¡¯s idol. With just a tweet, many bosses of different industries reacted to her tweet andmented under her post. Kelly Mn also retweeted McKenzie¡¯s post and tweeted her own: Property ? N?velDrama.Org. (Scarlet owes Gigi an apology! A third-wheeler should be kicked out of this industry, and the person who helped her should get wrecked as well! We shouldn¡¯t support those in the wrong!) Both of these women were public figures with many followers, and since Scarlet was in the wrong, the tweets went viral instantly, attacking Scarlet and Charmine along with RisingHawk Company. Behind their screens, everyone reached a silent agreement and indicated to terminate their contracts with Charmine. They would rather pay for the diamonds than to work with her! 1 With that, RisingHawk and Charmine were pushed to the peak of the wave as the situation turned against Charmine¡¯s favor. Chapter 281 Chapter 281 Meanwhile, at the Bailey mansion, Charmine was on a call. ¡°You don¡¯t have to help me anymore, Charmine,¡± came Scarlet¡¯s feeble voiceced with guilt. ¡°Let me go out and confess. A person like me should be dead, so don¡¯t let me drag you and yourpany down.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll only drag thepany down if you die now! Do you know how much thepany has lost because of you? If you really want to die, at least return seven billion to me before you do,¡± refuted Charmine. Scarlet was caught off guard by Charmine¡¯s severe words. Seven billion¡­ How could she have that much money? Supermodels seemed like they were living the ideal life, but the truth was that they paid high costs to buy gowns and expensive essories for every event. Normal people could get away with wearing cheap clothes, but supermodels would surely get caught and receive terrible criticisms online for it. It did not help that Scarlet had donated arge sum and even gave Johnson quite the amount of money Scarlet did not even have seven billion on her! If she died just like that, Charmine would be at a great loss because of her¡­ Her dignity did not permit herself to do such a thing. Charmine took note of Scarlet¡¯s silence as she continued, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve people retrieving evidence as we speak, and this will be resolved before Horizon Night. If you feel bad, just stay alive while waiting.¡± With that, Scarlet made a small sound of reply before she hung, still miserable and depressed. All the netizens scrutinized her, Charmine, as well as RisingHawk. The situation was far tooplex at that point. Could Charmine change their fate? It seemed rather unlikely¡­ Charmine sat by the pond in the garden and absent-mindedly picked up a pebble and tossed it into the water. She was no longer worried about Scarlet; she was more confused by her rtionship with Anthony. Could Charmine tell him the entire truth? She still had not told him that she was impregnated back then¡­ Still, it did not seem to matter, given how determined and persistent Anthony was. Why was Anthony so sure of her, despite only having met her not too long ago? Everything happened too fast, and Charmine was not ready for it all¡­ 11 Out of the blue, a red rose suddenly appeared before her eyes, and Charmine turned to see that Anthony somehow managed to walk to her side without being noticed. He simply handed her a rose, his gesture elegant and posh. ¡°When you can¡¯t decide, let God decide for you.¡± Let God decide? Anthony plucked the petals of the rose one by one as he spoke, just like how it was in a romantic film. What would be left when he plucked out all of the petals? Charmine stood up and dusted herself. ¡°I¡¯m not childish, and one should decide for oneself. This is a serious matter, so give me two more months and I¡¯ll give you an answer before our contract ends.¡± Anthony frowned. Two months? It seemed rather long.Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Nheless¡­ ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be waiting for your answer.¡± Since she would be staying at the Bailey mansion in the following two months, he had plenty of time to impress her. It was at that moment, however, that Charmine was reminded of McKenzie. ¡°But why don¡¯t I move backt o Violet Vi in the following weeks?¡± Her eyes gazed into his. ¡°I don¡¯t want others to find out just yet.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, today was just a coincidence, and I wasn¡¯t prepared. When shees tomorrow, she¡¯d want to leave right away.¡± Anthony¡¯s dark eyes seemed to harbor a small twinkle in them. Charmine frowned. Did that mean he would do something to her tomorrow? McKenzie was one stubborn woman, so how would she back off so easily? Charmine was rather curious and could barely wait for the following day toe. 1 The following day hade, and Charmine sat in theputer room since dawn. She was nose-deep in her research, armed with her headphones. Chapter 282 Chapter 282 Chris sat by Charmine¡¯s side as he did his homework. While there was no interaction between them, they were in sync, Anthony¡¯s office was originally located somewhere else on the ninth floor, but since Charmine had been busy working in theputer room for the past two days, he decided to sort out his documents on the sofa of theputer room as well. At that moment, Luke walked in and reported, ¡°Mr. Bailey, Ms. Jordan, Ms. McKenzie is here at the entrance.¡± Charmine turned to Anthony and said, ¡°Hurry up!¡± If McKenzie found out about her, she might cause a scene that would go all the way up to the Bailey mansion. Anthony remained perfectly calm. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s all arranged.¡± Anthony then made a gesture at Chris, and the boy then put down the exercise book in his hands and said to Charmine, ¡°Mommy, I¡¯ll take care of it while you spend more time with Daddy. You may watch me kick this woman out from upstairs!¡± 1 With that, he scurried away with his small legs. Charmine frowned and turned her worried gaze toward Anthony. ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s a good idea to send him off to face her? He¡¯s only five.¡± A woman like McKenzie might do something to Chris! Anthony turned on all of theputers in the room and reassured, ¡°Ms. Jordan, please watch.¡± His maic voice was filled with confidence as if he had a winning hand. Theputer screens disyed all areas and corners of the lobby. Charmine¡¯s frown never left her face. What did he prepare? Why was he so confident? In the lobby¡­ Upon Mckenzie¡¯s arrival, all of the maids bowed at her with respect and greeted, ¡°Ms. McKenzie.¡± Chris ran out of the room and rushed toward her. ¡°Auntie McKenzie! You¡¯re finally here!¡± C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org McKenzie frowned with suspicion. Chris usually would not bother to talk to her, so why was he so unusually friendly all of a sudden? Still, Chris was Anthony¡¯s precious gem, and if she could win the boy¡¯s heart, her chance of marrying Anthony would be much higher. She walked toward him and asked with a gentle voice, ¡°Aw, Momo seems happy today! Where¡¯s your Daddy?¡± ¡°Daddy had to go back to hispany to sort out something at thest minute. Before he left, he asked m e to spend more time with Auntie McKenzie. He said that Auntie McKenzie might be my future Mommy,¡± said the seemingly good-mannered Chris. McKenzie¡¯s eyes glimmered. ¡°Your Daddy really said so?¡± ¡°Of course! Daddy also said that it depends on how well we get along together. He¡¯s not entirely picky with a woman, as long as she can be a good Mommy.¡± With that, Chris looked up at McKenzie with his doe-like eyes. ¡°Does Auntie McKenzie really want to be, m y Mommy? Will Auntie McKenzie treat me like your son? Will Auntie McKenzie y games with Momo?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± McKenzie bent down without hesitation, and she reached out to ruffle his hair. ¡°I was there when your Daddy brought you home, and I like children very much. So yes, of course I¡¯ll treat you nicely.¡± ¡°Then will Auntie Mckenzie y games with Momo? Daddy is always busy at hispany, and nobody ys with Momo.¡± Chris tugged McKenzie¡¯s hand gently and gave his best puppy eyes. McKenzie had never seen Chris like that. Although she did not like the bitch¡¯s son, she had to like Chris since Anthony cared a great deal for this boy. ¡°What does Momo want to y?¡± said McKenzie. ¡°Just tell me, and I¡¯ll y with you.¡± 2 ¡°Yay! That¡¯s awesome! Finally someone is willing to y with Momo! Auntie McKenzie,e on here!¡± Chris dragged McKenzie to the backyard happily. McKenzie initially thought of pleasing Anthony through this kid, but little did she expect Chris to bring her t o the backyard. In the backyard, there was a huge¡­ Chapter 283 Chapter 283 There was a huge metal cage, and insideid a dozen huge pythons. Even the smallest of them was at least as thick as a women¡¯s wrist, while the biggest one was as wide as the opening of a bowl. It was a horrendous sight to behold! Mckenzie gaped with her scalp itching, and there were goosebumps all over her body. Chris walked toward the cage happily as he chirped, ¡°Auntie McKenzie,e over here! These are all my pets. This is Mr. Green, this is Ms. Red, and this is Ms. Yellow.¡± As he spoke, his tiny hand reached into the cage and started petting the pythons. The pythons were all in different colors, a nauseating sight to behold especially the yellow one. Its color was overly bright that made it stand out from the rest. 1 Pale-faced McKenzie stood by the entrance and blurted, ¡°Momo, do you only y with them during the day? Why don¡¯t I bring you to y something else?¡± ¡°But they haven¡¯t eaten today, and I need to feed them and bathe them. Auntie McKenzie, didn¡¯t you say that you¡¯ll apany Momo no matter what? Can you help Momo to feed them?¡± asked Chris innocently. 1 McKenzie looked at the pythons-about ten or-so-entangled inside the cage, and the sight sent shivers down her spine. Nheless, it was rare for Chris to speak to her, and she would not let an opportunity like that slip away. Since the pythons were inside the cage, it should be safe¡­ No? She regained herposure and asked, ¡°What do they eat?¡± ¡°Right there, Auntie McKenzie. Can you help me to bring them over, please?¡± Chris pointed at the corner. Mckenzie turned to see another metal cage by the corner with a bunch of frogs inside! The frogs had bumps all over them, seemingly disgusting and terrifying. McKenzie grimaced. ¡°The pythons eat these?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll show you!¡± Chris walked over and grabbed a frog. He then returned to the python cage and put it next to one of the pythons, and it instantly opened its bloody jaw and ate the frog. Gwak! Gwak! Gwak! The frog loudly cried inside the python¡¯s mouth. McKenzie trembled at the sight, her limbs stiffened in fear and disgust. Was Chris not the least bit intimidated by this bloody scene? Why would he ask for her help? N?velDrama.Org content. Did she have to feed the frogs to the pythons? Fat chance! All out of courage toe closer, McKenzie called out to Chris, ¡°Momo, just let the maids handle these. Come on here, Auntie McKenzie will bring you to y other things.¡± Her tone already sounded like an order. ¡°No, no!¡± fought Chris. ¡°Momo had been feeding them since they hatched, and Momo has to take care of them every day! Daddy would help Momo feed them when he¡¯s free, and he also said that my future Mommy will help me feed them too! ¡°Auntie McKenzie, do you really want to be my Mommy? Or do you not like Momo at all?¡± His voice was pitiable as he looked at her with his puppy eyes. ¡°Of course not!¡± assured McKenzie. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ It¡¯s just that Auntie McKenzie had nevere across something like this, and I¡¯m quite afraid. Can we y with something else today? Is there something else that you like? I¡¯ll bring you there!¡± ¡°No, no! They¡¯re so adorable! Why are you scared of them? Look here, especially Mr. Green. Look at how cute he is!¡± With that, Chris took the green python out of the cage. He held onto its huge body and brought it closer to McKenzie. Chapter 285 Chapter 285 Once McKenzie left the mansion, Chris ran up the stairs happily back to theputer room. He launched himself right into Charmine¡¯s arms and chirped, ¡°Momo is done! Mommy and Daddy don¡¯t have to worry about her anymore; she won¡¯t be back for the next three days!¡± ¡°Thank you, Momo. Aren¡¯t you scared of those pythons?¡± asked Charmine, concerned for the boy. He was so young, only five years old. How could he face so many pythons without even flinching? Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Chris smiled and answered, ¡°Not at all! Momo had watched them grow since young. Also, Daddy used to b e out all the time and didn¡¯t have time to spend with Momo, so since Momo had nobody to y with, I¡¯d y with them. They¡¯re very nice and never harmed anyone! I like them!¡± His child-like, innocent voice tugged at Charmine¡¯s heart and it tightened. So, Chris truly did grow up alone? His grandparents did not like him, he had no mother, and his father did not spend much time with him. If she was to leave him in the future, would he have to go back to the way he lived back then? 1 Heart aching in pain, Charmine took a deep breath and praised, ¡°Momo is so clever! Mommy will cook good food for Momo, alright? I¡¯ll make you a lobster roll!¡± ¡°Wow! Really? A lobster roll? Momo wants a lobster roll!¡± Chris chirped as he jumped in joy. ¡°Of course.¡± Charmine held his hand and walked toward the kitchen. She did not even shut off the computer; her only focus was to spend more time with Chris. Meanwhile, Anthony¡¯s eyes felt on theputer screen. It was a management tform with thousands o frecordings. His eyes darkened. What else was this woman capable of? Charmine brought Chris to the kitchen where all the maids lowered their heads and greeted, ¡°Ms. Jordan.¡± ¡°Go and get some rest, I¡¯ll make the lunch myself.¡± Charmine saw the basket of lobsters in the corner and walked toward it. The lobsters were of high-quality aquaculture, and they looked big and clean. The maids were terrified as they all shook their heads. ¡°Ms. Jordan, that¡¯s not appropriate! Please just tell us what you¡¯d like to eat today..!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, go and get some rest. This is my order.¡± Charmine sat by the basket and motioned for Christ oe next to her. Chris also gave the maids a look, and the maids eventually left the kitchen. He walked toward Charmine and beamed, ¡°Mommy, are these lobsters? Can children eat these?¡± ¡°Of course! Mommy will make you a tomato lobster roll, full of calcium and magnesium. It can strengthen your immune system as well.¡± As she spoke, Charmine picked up a lobster and got to work on it skillfully. She first cut off its ws before she cut open the tail. After that, she cleaned the head and the stomach. Chris stared at her wide-eyed. ¡°Mommy knows how to handle lobsters?¡± The heiresses that chased after Anthony most of the time could not even cook. It astounded Chris that not only was Charmine pretty, but she even knew how to makeplex dishes as well! 1 ¡°Of course! Back when Mommy was in Africa, I always cooked for myself. During the training, I even-¡± Charmine stopped abruptly as she realized she said something she should not have. She looked at Chris and changed the subject, ¡°Anyway, Mommy is highly skilled, and I¡¯ll make you yummy lobster roll. Why don¡¯t Momo go help me cut some onions?¡± ¡°Of course, of course!¡± Chris stood up happily. However, most of the vegetables and seasonings were nted in the vegetable garden outside, and they only harvest them when needed. Thus, Chris went to the garden with the maids. She looked at his silhouette with a loving gaze. So long as Chris continued to expand his knowledge, he would be able to use up his time better while making his life more interesting. Also, Charmine had never made him a nice meal after knowing him for so long. Charmine continued to work on the lobster, fully concentrated, when she heard a hissing sound. That was strange. Charmine turned her gaze with suspicion and saw many pythons slithering toward her! Chapter 286 Chapter 286 One, two, three, four¡­! Some of the pythons came through the kitchen door while some came from the window behind the kitchen, and they slithered toward Charmine. These pythons were the ones she saw through the cameras: every one of them thick and long, a horrendous sight to see. In just mere seconds, tens of pythons were merely two meters away from her, and Yumi ¨Cwho hid away in the shadows-had a satisfied look on her face. Mckenzie promised her a generous reward if she could traumatize Charmine. Once Yumi thought of it more properly, a celebrity who gained poprity from making the headlines like Charmine-who also came from a small family-was no match to McKenzie! The beautiful McKenzie was the president of manypanies and knew how to appreciate people. Charmine, on the other hand, was just a nouveau riche who never rewarded Yumi before. So stingy! 2 Silently, Yumi held up her phone to record everything, waiting to capture the look of terror on Charmine¡¯s face and send them to McKenzie. N?velDrama.Org content. However¡­ Charmine did not even flinch when the pythons slithered toward her. She remained seated and scoffed,¡± All of you, sit!¡± Warning My Mommy is A Savage! by Seeking A Peaceful Chapter 286 Four words came out of her lips, themand sounded demanding and weighty. The pythons that were initially ready to strike suddenly stopped moving, and every one of them settled down without moving an inch! Yumi starred with bewilderment. How¡­ How could that be?! These pythons seemed to only listen to Chris, so how could they listen to Charmine? Yumi also noted that Chris would talk to those pythons with a gentle and soft tone, and the boy would get hurt if he identally raised his voice. Charmine spoke with such aggression and managed to scare the pythons! 1 Charmine¡¯s hand continued to brush the lobsters calmly, her petrifying re still fixated on the pythons.¡° I¡¯m preparing these for your little master. If you¡¯re looking for trouble, I¡¯ll add you to the broth!¡± 1 Perhaps her words were too insulting that one of the pythons whichid low suddenly raised its head and eyed Charmine sharply, as though it was ready to attack anytime. That python¡¯s width was as wide as the opening of a bowl, and it was hair-raising to look at! However, Charmine remained unperturbed and, instead, red right back at it. ¡°What are you staring at? How dare you little cretinse out to scare people? Go back to your cage! Go and find whoever let you out!¡± came Charmine¡¯s stern order. 2 The pythons did not move for a moment, but when Charmine raised her hand and flicked her wrist, the pythons suddenly changed their course and made their way to the opposite direction. The direction they were headed happened to be where Yumi was as she hid behind a pir! Yumi trembled in fear, and the phone in her hand fell to the ground with a loud crash. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­don¡¯te close!¡± shrieked Yumi. Why would the pythons listen to her? The pythons closed in on their distance, and in the blink of an eye, a huge python was just half a meter away from her. ¡°Argh!¡± The terrified Yumi sprinted for her life, yet the pythons did not let her go as they gave chase! The scene was nothing but a mess. Charmine wiped her hands and walked over to pick up Yumi¡¯s phone. She saw that it was a chatroom left open with McKenzie on Whatsapp. The chat history clearly disyed Mckenzie¡¯s order: (Send a clip of Charmine traumatized by the pythons to me.) Charmine¡¯s eyes darkened. So, McKenzie found out that she resided in the Bailey mansion, and she even bribed Yumi to harm her? Charmine did not want to brew conflict between them, but since McKenzie had chosen to act on it, Charmine would not sit and do nothing about it! So she wanted to see her traumatized look? She might as well dream about it! Charmine worked on her keyboard quickly and sent over a link with an evil smirk on her face. Chapter 287 Chapter 287 At the Houstons¡¯ mansion¡­ McKenzie was bathing in the bathtub. The image of the python that slithered up her thigh was stuck in her mind, and the thought sent shivers down her spine. Damn it! Charmine had to feel that fear as well! It was then when her phone lit up; it had to be Yumi. McKenzie eagerly took up her phone, ready to watch the clip of Charmine traumatized by the pythons like she was! Hah! Was she not always pretending to be cool and arrogant? ¡®Boss Jordan¡¯, my foot! Charmine would be just as traumatized when faced with pythons! Mckenzie clicked open the clip when the screen turned ck all of a sudden, and a massive giant python appeared on her screen. The python seemingly gazed right at her, and it struck as though aiming at her! ¡°Argh!¡± McKenzie shrieked with trembling hands as she tossed the phone away. Still, her waterproof phone was lit up even when dropped into the water, and the clip of the python slithering still yed. It was a 3 dimensional realistic python! N?velDrama.Org content. ¡°Argh! Someone, help me!¡± cried Mckenzie at the top of her lungs. That was no less terrifying than identallying across a horror clip on her feed! It did not help McKenzie that she feared pythons the most, and that python on her screen was too realistic. That was horrifying! Her assistant, Miranda swiftly rushed in. She immediately saw McKenzie curled up in one end of the bathtub while her phone yed the clip of a moving python in another corner. The sight scared Miranda too, but she managed topose herself and scooped up the phone to force shutdown. Strangely, the phone could not be shut down no matter how much she tried! The python on the screen continued to slither around. It would sometimes lift its head in a tilt, and it would also stick out its tongue at times. It was a sight straight from a nightmare! Even Miranda could not stand the sight anymore. She pulled a paper towel to wrap up the phone and said to McKenzie, ¡°Get some rest, Madam. I¡¯ll send the phone out for repair.¡± With that, she quickly rushed out of the bathroom The bathroom fell into silence once more, but McKenzie could not calm her terrified self. Traumatized by the pythons was bad enough, but they even sent her a clip of python to scare her! That darned Yumi! No¡­ It was not Yumi. Yumi was a mere insignificant maid, and she would not have the guts to do that. It was that b*tch! Not only did Charmine take her man from her, but she even instigated a fight with her! What did a cheap woman like Charmine have in her that she could pick a fight with her? McKenzie had to teach ner a lesson! 1 McKenzie got up to get changed and marched out of the bathroom. She powered up herptop and contacted an executive from Omega. Viral the headline concerning Scarlet and Charmine to all Omega users!) Omega was the best national phone brand founded by McKenzie, and it owned 50 percent of the market margin. Half of the users who bought a local phone were all Omega users. Once these notifications were sent, everyone would know about Charmine rescuing Scarlet! Without further ado, the person in-charge did just that. On the same day, all Omega users received a system text: (Shameless third-wheeler! Click the link below to watch how a third-wheeler and the Diamond Boss screwed up the justice system!) The intriguing phrase effectively garnered many views. McKenzie even asked Kelly Mn out to visit Gigi a t the hospital to record a clip. Chapter 288 Chapter 288 Pale-faced Gigiid on the sickbed, her closed eyes seemingly sunk in and dull. Her three-year-old daughter leaned against the bed with eyes swollen from crying. She tugged at her mother¡¯s hand as she wailed. ¡°Mommy, why did Daddy ditch us? Did I do something wrong? I can change, I¡¯ll change¡­! This is from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Mommy, please wake up! I don¡¯t want to be alone. Waa¡­ I miss Mommy and Mommy¡¯s hugs¡­¡± The little girl¡¯s feeble, innocent voice resonated in the sick ward. Gigi¡¯s pearl-sized tears rolled down as she embraced her daughter, her sobs shaking her body as she did. The sobbing mother and daughter was a heart-wrenching sight The clip went viral online, and they won sympathy fromizens as well. The mother-and-daughter duo even made it to the most heated discussions. (OMG, I wanna cry watching this! Gigi¡¯s little girl is so innocent and harmless! Why did this happen to her?!) (The third-wheeler deserves to be dead! She should be killed with the deadliest punishment in history! (What¡¯s wrong with Chamine? She shouldn¡¯t have saved Scarlet! A bedfellow like her should be dead too! [McKenzie is such a good friend, alerting all customers using her brand with the news. It¡¯s obvious that she¡¯s against Charmine and Scarlet! Commendable!) [They should apologize to Gigi by her bedside and die!) Netizens ridiculed and mocked both Charmine and Scarlet, as though they could kill Charmine and Scarlet with their sharp, poisonous words. Kelly, on the other hand, was praised for her action, and Mckenzie was given the title of The Most Honest Genius Entrepreneur and The Most Positive Entrepreneur At the Bailey mansion¡­ The pythons never gave up chasing Yumi, and it only ended after Anthony ordered the chaos to be sorted out and the pythons ced back into their cage. Then¡­ ¡°Kick her out of the mansion!¡± he ordered. Yumi jolted and almost fainted from shock. All of a sudden, Anthony was kicking her out? ¡°Why, Boss Bailey?¡± whimpered Yumi. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything! I¡¯m innocent!¡± Anthony merely scoffed and turned to leave, his being domineering and powerful. Luke dragged Yumi out of the lobby and chided, ¡°Boss Bailey ain¡¯t no fool, and you know what you¡¯ve done. From today onward, be ready to live in the streets!¡± With that, he tossed her out of the Bailey mansion¡¯s gate. Luke¡¯s final words implied that Yumi would no longer receive the Baileys¡¯ good graces, and she would never be employed again. Betraying Boss Bailey would never end pretty! Back in the Bailey mansion, inside the kitchen¡­ Charmine had thrown away Yumi¡¯s phone and resumed washing the lobsters. Chris stood by her side and, in confusion, asked, ¡°Mommy, when did the pythons get out? Why did they chase after Yumi?¡± Charmine¡¯s gaze dulled at that. The reason why the pythons tried to attack her was that Yumi somehow ced a packet of pills on her, and the pills would trigger the pythons. With a flick of her wrist, Charmine threw the pills right back into Yumi¡¯s pocket. 2 Nheless, Charmine did not want Chris to get involved with the calctive minds of adults. ¡°Maybe she agitated them,¡± replied Charmine, or maybe Yumi did something bad¡­? Not to worry. Momo. If you didn¡¯t do anything wrong, there¡¯s no reason to be scared of the pythons. ¡°Mommy is going to cook the lobster, so Momo will have to step back or the oil might burn you. Mommy will feel bad if you do.¡± ¡°Alrighty!¡± Once she told him that she would be cooking the lobsters, Chris backed away happily without any questions asked. Once Charmine turned up the me to the highest setting, she poured in oil. After the oil was heated, she put in the seasonings like garlic, onions, and peppers. The air was instantly filled with a mouth- watering scent! Following that, she poured in the lobsters to fry them. The lobsters turned red instantly, and they looked utterly delectable. At that moment, Charmine¡¯s phone suddenly rang. She answered the call and was instantly greeted with Eric¡¯s straight-to-the-point report, ¡°Something¡¯s up again: Horizon Night¡¯s organizer made a scene at thepany. You have toe.¡± Something happened, again? What was it? Chapter 289 Chapter 289 Charmine looked at the lobsters in the frying pan, then at the doe-eyed Chris beside her. ¡°Give me two hours,¡± she said to Eric, ¡°I¡¯ll be there in two hours.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Charmine hung up and continued to fry the lobsters. ¡°Get the tes ready, Momo,¡± said Charmine, ¡°dinner will be ready soon.¡± I ¡°Yay!¡± Chris made himself busy as her little helper. It was only after Chris left her side did Charmine fish out her phone and saw the headlines all over her feed. [Omega Founder Criticizes Charmine And Scarlet) (Genius McKenzie Houston And No. 1 Supermodel Kelly Mn Support Gigi] [Gigi And Daughter Sobbing] Every article had the same pattern; every single one was critical toward Charmine and Scarlet. Her Twitter was bombarded with direct messages asking her why would she save a ¡®b*tch¡¯ like Scarlet. Worse still, the douche Johnson Spencer finally came out to say his piece, but¡­ [I admit my mistake and I failed to resist the seduction. I¡¯ll promise to change into a better man, using the rest of my life to make up to my Gigi and my daughter.] He was obviously implying that Scarlet was the one to initiate seducing him, that Scarlet was the one who damaged their family! Once Johnson posted that tweet, the post instantly garnered retweets and went viral. It almost crashed the Twitter app, too. Someizens also exposed that Scarlet was staying in Rising Hawk, protected by Charmine. With that, a swarm ofizens posted on Charmine¡¯s feed. What an unscrupulouspany! Hand over the third-wheeler! Make her apologize! [Even if you paid arge sum to sign Scarlet, you should know which to choose between money and dignity! [I was once your fan, Boss Jordan, but what you¡¯re doing is disappointing! The third-wheeler is the most disgusting b*tch in the world! Why¡¯d you protect her?] (Boycott RisingHawk! Boycott Charmine! Boycott all of their products and representingpanies! (Close down Rising Hawk! Make Charmine go bankrupt and get kicked out of the entertainment industry!) As if someone led the wave, everyone directed their rage toward Charmine and Rising Hawk, and all companies Charmine had represented were boycotted and criticized by theizens. Meanwhile, brands like Chanel and Guci had to take down all of their photos and articles of Charmine. Producers even ended their contracts with the artists rted to Rising Hawk, and anything that had links with RisingHawk were boycotted as well. Rising Hawk faced impending doom. Charmine¡¯s brows furrowed. The situation got messier, but the information she needed was still in progress. If nothing stopped the mess, Scarlet and even RisingHawk would copse! They had to up their speed. She called Kay and instructed, ¡°Bring up all of your men, and investigate using the badge The lobsters were cooked by then, and Charmine scooped up meat and ced it in the rolls. While Charmine was upied with many things that needed her attention, Charmine still stayed back and had dinner with Chris and Anthony. It was the first for Chris to have tasted lobster rolls. Anthony never allowed him to eat these kinds of food, thus Chris happily munched the rolls with an obviously satisfied look on his little face. Anthony, on the other hand, was not into the meal as much. His mind was upied with the situation online, and he turned to look at Charmine. ¡°Do you need my help?¡± ¡°No need,¡± dismissed Charmine, ¡°I¡¯ll be able to sort these out soon.¡± C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org She could tell that McKenzie was involved with this mess. She knew Kelly wanted to destroy her RisingHawk while McKenzie wanted to ruin her reputation! If Charmine allowed Anthony to intervene in such a trivial matter, McKenzie might think that Charmine was taking advantage of Anthony! She had to prove to McKenzie that she was no lesspetent than her! After dinner, Charmine looked at the time; it was almost done. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take a nap, Momo?¡± said Charmine to Chris. ¡°Mommy needs to make a trip to thepany, but I¡¯lle backter.¡± ¡°Momo wants to go with Mommy!¡± Chris put down the lobster roll in his hands and wiped his mouth. Chapter 290 Chapter 290 Charmine then told Chris, ¡°Mommy rides a motorbike, so I can¡¯t bring a child along with me. If you leave now, all these lobster rolls would be thrown away.¡± There was a rule in the Bailey mansion; no leftovers were allowed. That meant that if the lobster rolls were not eaten, they would be thrown away. 1 Chris picked up one roll hastily and blurted, ¡°No, Momo loves Mommy! Momo¡¯s heart will go out with Mommy while my body stays here to take out all these lobster rolls!¡± ¡°Aww, look at you! Stay home and be good.¡± Charmine ruffled his hair and stood up to leave. Chris hastily gave Anthony a kick below the table. Anthony wiped his mouth with a handkerchief and stood up to walk her out. ¡°Let me drive you there,¡± offered Anthony. ¡°No need. There are too many people at Rising Hawk, and we¡¯d easily get exposed,¡± dismissed Charmine she put on her gloves. With a frown, Anthony solemnly replied, ¡°I don¡¯t mind if we¡¯re exposed.¡± Charmine was taken aback by his statement. What? He did not mind? He was Boss Bailey! Why was it that he would act like an impatient teenager all the time? They had not officiated their rtionship either, so how would Charmine exin it to everyone? She asserted, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about this when you¡¯ve finally won me over.¡± She put on the helmet and raced away. Anthony looked at her silhouette with a thoughtful gaze. Win her over? How could he win over that little wild wolf? Even an actual wild wolf would be easier to win over than her¡­ At that moment, Nial suddenly came and pulled over right before Anthony. ¡°Bro, we¡¯ve made some progress. They¡¯ve managed to get hold of skin cells from thirty women at the presidential suite¡¯s bedside They¡¯ll begin the investigation once they get hold of their DNA.¡± ¨C Property ? N?velDrama.Org. OIII Anthony, hearing that, remained passive without a trace of joy on his face. He might feel something had this happened back then, but he had Charmine. So what if he could find that woman? What could Anthony do if that woman wanted him to take responsibility? If Charmine found out about his past, how would she react? He could live with Charmine¡¯s past, but could she? 1 He frowned and tlymented, ¡°Keep investigating, and tell me when the result is out.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Nial felt something was off. Why was his brother seemingly unhappy? At RisingHawk¡­ Charmine parked her motorbike in the basement and walked straight to the lift to reach the meeting room on the top floor. At the sight of her, Rio walked forward. ¡°Charmine, the situation is getting out of hand. Horizon Night¡¯s organizer wouldn¡¯t even give us even a time of the day! I¡¯ve tried everything I could, and I even offered her a luxury cruise trip, but she rejected me. Eric is still negotiating with her, but she seems rather determined. We have three artists signing with Horizon Night, and the sum of the liquidated damage would be almost ten billion!¡± Ten billion! Even if she was the Diamond Boss, Charmine would still feel a pang if she had to pay that much. 1 ¡°I¡¯ll have a look,¡± remarked Charmine, and she walked toward the meeting room. Inside the meeting room, Eric¡¯s persuasion toward Horizon Night¡¯s organizer-Gloria Duncan-continued,¡± Charmine will be able to resolve this issue, and she¡¯ll give you a satisfactory answer in a day or two.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me a day or two days¡¯ time; I have to terminate our contracts with you today. It¡¯s clearly stated i in the contracts that the artists shouldn¡¯t have any negative news, and the entire management team and artists are at fault for this mess! ¡°So what if she can solve this mess? Can a person who was once a third-wheeler do any good? Horizon Night isn¡¯t just an ordinary show nor any ordinary brand. This is a government-funded project advertised globally with an international audience! ¡°Having a third-wheeler as the Lead would be a global joke, bringing shame to our country! Anyhow, I¡¯m terminating the contracts today, so pay me the liquidated damages!¡± Gloria Duncan was firm on that, and her tone showed that there was no room for negotiation. Chapter 291 Chapter 291 Charmine pushed open the door and calmly stated, ¡°Does Ms. Duncan want to terminate the contracts? o problem.¡± ¡°No problem¡±? Did Charmine just say ¡°no problem¡±? Rio gaped at Charmine before he quickly went right next to her and whispered, ¡°Have you lost your mind, Charmine?¡± Eric was just as upset, evident with the frown on his face. Terminating the contracts would cost them ten billion of loss, and their artists would not have any opportunity to attend this event! There was no way of salvaging the situation. Charmine walked up to the meeting table and sat on the president¡¯s chair. She looked at Gloria calmly.¡± Ten billion is no issue for me. I¡¯ll pay you now, but do note that I¡¯ll only lose out ten billion, while Ms. Duncan would lose a priceless opportunity in three days during Horizon Night.¡± With that, she gave the proposal a push. Skreet! A proposal document slid across the table toward Gloria. Gloria took the folder and opened it, and her eyes widened at the sight. The proposal was¡­brilliant! Charmine truly could shift the tides to her favor even under great fire; she managed toe out with such an ingenious n! Nheless, the premise of the proposal was based on Scarlet being innocent. Gloria then lifted her gaze to look at Charmine. ¡°Johnson Spencer has already published his side of the story. How is it that Scarlet was lied to? Do you have evidence?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be here in the next two days. Ms. Duncan should have a read of my aplishments; I¡¯ve never failed before,¡± said Charmine confidently. Charmine seemed regal, rather intimidating to the sight. However¡­ ¡°If this was any other show, I¡¯d take up your risky offer without a doubt,¡± said Gloria, ¡°but I can¡¯t do that with Horizon Night. ¡°The costumes on that event were all customized for every artist. Even if they were to work overnight, it¡¯d take at least three days to finish a product. This is why the liquidation damage fee is so high. ¡°Because of that, I¡¯ll have to terminate the contracts with your artists today and start looking for suitable artists before it¡¯s toote. For that, I can only offer my apologies,¡± ended Gloria as she ced down the proposal on the table. Charmine¡¯s eyes dulled at that; she never expected for Gloria to be that stubborn. Gloria doubted Charmine¡¯s skills, and she did not trust that Charmine could fully resolve the issue. Of course, Gloria¡¯s apprehension made sense. Just a single percentage of the situation being unresolved would damage Horizon Night badly. N?velDrama.Org content. Charmine¡¯s eyes narrowed at the fact that the only course of action left was to terminate the contracts, but just as she was about to do so¡­ ¡°Ms. Duncan, why the hurry? Surely we can talk things out?¡± A deep and maic voice rang in the air. Everyone turned to see well-suited Julian entering the room. Charmine frowned. What was Julian doing in herpany? Gloria, on the other hand, stood up from her seat and greeted, ¡°Oh my, Julian! What brings you here?¡± ¡°I heard that Ms. Duncan is here, so it¡¯s only natural that I have to drop by and say hi. Ms. Duncan is a busy woman, and you almost never have time to meet me.¡± Julian¡¯s tone was warm and humorous. Gloria giggled at that. ¡°Look at you, brat, even flirting with me! I wouldn¡¯t be where I am right now if it weren¡¯t for you back then. I¡¯m just busy with some small matterstely.¡± There was a time when Gloria went hiking in the wild. She ran out of oxygen and almost died at the peak o f the mountain. Julian was her savior who gave her an oxygen tank and saved her life till she got better. Chapter 292 Chapter 292 Gloria had been grateful to Julian ever since that day when he saved her. Even though his reputation was not at its best, Gloria¡¯s respect for him remained. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Julian took a look at the proposal on the table and said to Gloria, ¡°These things are trivial and won¡¯t cost you much. I believe Charmine is capable of sorting them out. If you¡¯re still not satisfied, i¡¯ll find you top artists to attend the show. Look, I even brought you a list of names.¡± With that, Julian took out a name list and handed it to Gloria. Gloria ran through the names on the list and found that the names were of well-known artists from Hollyoak. Their heights and sizes were simr to Scarlet and the rest, so there was no need for costume alterations. Gloria¡¯s expression changed for the better. ¡°This is excellent! It¡¯s always you who¡¯s so considerate! I¡¯ll wait for another two days then.¡± ¡°Thank you, Ms. Duncan,¡± said Julian elegantly. ¡°Keep up the good work, my boy. As the saying goes, ¡®It¡¯s never toote to treasure your loved ones.¡¯ Charmine is indeed the woman you should treasure.¡± Gloria patted Julian¡¯s shoulder before she left the room. Julian nodded politely before he shifted his gaze to Charmine. He assumed that Charmine would thank him for what he did, but he never expected Charmine to ignore him as she stood up, intending to walk out of the room. ¡°Charmine,¡± Julian reached out and tried to hold onto Charmine, but Rio stood in between them and eyed him impatiently. ¡°Mr. Cabell, please behave. Charmine has terminated the contract with you, thus both you have nothing to do with each other. Please don¡¯t touch her.¡± Unable to fight back, Julian retreated his awkward mid-air hand as he gazed at Charmine. ¡°Charmine, I just want to speak to you. Ms. Duncan was right: It¡¯s never toote to treasure your loved ones. One could only learn from mistakes, don¡¯t you think so? Won¡¯t you even give me a chance?¡± What was that? ¡®One could only learn from mistakes¡¯? Were what he did to her mere ¡®mistakes¡¯? ¡°What use is there to give a murderer a second chance?¡± scoffed Charmine. ¡°If one could learn from his mistakes, what¡¯s the point of having police officers?¡± Charmine¡¯s words were cold and arrogant, with every word well-articted. Julian had kicked her pregnant self that ended up killing the baby in her stomach. While the baby was not his, it did not change the fact that it was another life. How could he have the guts to ask for a second chance when he abused her to that extent? Also, did Julian really think Charmine could not tell what his intentions were? All he wanted to do was to marry her, tame her, and then get her assets! What an unrealistic thinker! ¡°Security!¡± Charmine called out. Instantly, about ten security guards came into the room and shielded Charmine from Julian. Shielded by the guards, Charmine marched out of the building as she exuded a frosty and unruly temperament. Julian stood by the side, forced to retreat to the corner under the guards¡¯ watchful gazes. He looked at the shielded Charmine with a hardened gaze, withplicated feelings aroused in him. The once timid Charmine who would always follow him turned into such an imminent woman that he could not even get to! Still, what made her think she could act so pompously? Was it all because of her diamondpany, or even her RisingHawkpany on the verge of failing? Charmine would have to pay ten billion had Julian not lent her a hand! How dare she treated him this way? She was raped and was an impregnated woman who gave birth to a dead fetus! What rights did she have to be so arrogant? Did she really think Anthony would marry her? 1 Hmph! It seemed that Charmine needed to learn her lesson the hard way! Upon leaving thepany and arriving at the parking lot, Charmine was greeted with an eye-opening, shocking sight. Her motorbike had scratches everywhere, with rotten eggs and fruits thrown on it. Even the handles of the motorbike were written with words one could not misread: (DIE, CHARMINE! Charmine frowned. Who could have done that? Chapter 293 Chapter 293 The underground parking lot had surveince cameras all over the ce. Who was that bold to do so much damage? Just as Charmine took out her phone, ready to investigate it, she realized that a few other cars in the vicinity were also damaged. The words written on every car were the following: (TRAITOR! GO BANKRUPT!] The tires of the cars were all punctured and were unusable, and Rising Hawk had to ask technicians to tow the cars away. It was apparent that the repair costs of each vehicle would be at least hundreds of thousands. Was the perpetrator that brainless, blind in their hatred for the ¡®third-wheeler¡¯-or even Rising Hawk-to have done these? The perpetrator and the attack seemed well thought out. With eyes narrowed, Charmine phoned Rio. ¡°Do you have another car in thepany¡¯s garage?¡± ¡°Huh? Why?¡± Rio was confused. ¡°If you do, bring me the keys,¡± Charmine said tly, ¡°I need it.¡± All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Rio came down not long after Charmine ended the call, and his eyes widened in rage as he eyed the damaged cars in the parking lot, especially his severely damaged red Ferrari. ¡°Damn it! Oh dear, my red Ferrari! What happened to her?!¡± Charmine looked at him. ¡°Do you want revenge?¡± ¡°Of course! I just got my hands on Miss Red not long ago, she¡¯s my precious! How dare they do this to her! I¡¯ll do anything to get back at whoever did this!¡± seethed Rio. 1 Charmine then reached out her hand. ¡°Lend me the car in the garage.¡± Rio quickly gripped the keys in his pocket. ¡°What do you need it for?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you want revenge for Red? If I can¡¯t drive, do I walk there to help you get revenge?¡± deadpanned Charmine. Rio nced at Miss Red and said uneasily, ¡°But you¡¯ll get attacked again if you drive now. My Miss Red is already damaged, and I don¡¯t want my ck to be injured too¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know what I¡¯m doing,¡± assured Charmine confidently. Rio had no choice but to hand Charmine the keys. ¡°You really have to take good care of my ck,¡± reminded Rio, ¡°even if it means not being able to get revenge for Red¡­¡± ¡°Hah! Men are such yers!¡± Charmine took the keys from him and said, ¡°Go and prepare me something. ce it on the second floor of thepany.¡± Rio listened as Charmine instructed him, frowning as he did. Why would she need those? Charmine opened the garage door and got on the dark ck supercar. With one foot pressed against the gas pedal, the supercar dashingly skidded out of the garage. Charmine left the garage yet did not drive far as she drove to the left side of thepany building. Guards stood on guard in the front entrance, none stood guard in the left side of the vicinity. Rio watched from upstairs, and his heart thrummed against his ribcage loudly. ¡°Damn it, what is she doing? Didn¡¯t she promise to take good care of my ck?! Eric merely nced sideways at him with a frown. ¡°She¡¯s your cousin, don¡¯t you know her?¡± ¡°How am I supposed to know her? The cousin I knew back then isn¡¯t like this, and now I have to call her Boss! No, I¡¯d call her anything if she could take care of my ck!¡± Rio turned to look down again, only to find Charmine had vanished! She left ck behind and disappeared herself! Parking ck at such a quiet location would surely attract the perpetrator to attack it! That should not happen! He had to save ck! He rushed down hastily, but when he arrived at the entrance, he saw Charmine walking in. ¡°Sit back and watch,¡± came Charmine¡¯sid-back assurance, ¡°I¡¯ve got it all nned out.¡± Chapter 294 Chapter 294 ¡°What n? Tell me! I¡¯m losing my mind already! Now that those people hate the Rising Hawk so badly, parking ck at such a ce can almost guarantee it¡¯ll be damaged!¡± Rio said worriedly. Charmine¡¯s lips curled into a smirk. ¡°They better do. I¡¯m more worried about them noting.¡± With that. Charmine walked toward the window. Rio tried to make sense of her words without a clue. Worried about them noting? If they came, his ck would be ruined! Downstairs, ten or-so people in ck masks and gloves appeared as they eyed their surroundings, left to right. Once they were certain no one was in sight, they made their way toward the ck supercar stealthily. Some of them had big swords in their hands, some had electric drills, and some had baskets of rotten eggs and fruits. They whispered as they walked, ¡°I saw Charmine driving this car. We gotta trash it and teach her a lesson!¡± N?velDrama.Org content. ¡°You¡¯re right! Who¡¯d protect a third-wheeler anyway? Who knows, maybe she¡¯s a third-wheel herself too!¡± ¡°Be cruel! Make it bad! Make her pay for the things she did!¡± The group whispered among themselves as they walked toward the supercar with their tools. Then¡­ On the second floor, Charmine took out the prepared fish and threw them down. Instantly, the unraveled and trapped every single one of them in the. Swiftly after, Charmine picked up a big basket and poured its content down. Just as the people trapped started to stand up, they saw a bunch of things falling from above! They were huge caterpirs, and these were weirdly mutated caterpirs that were at least as thick as a baby¡¯s arm! Some were red, some purple, and some green. It did not help that some had spikes on them, too. The caterpirs fell andnded on their heads and at the back of their clothes, and those thatnded on the floor crept up to them. It was a scene straight out of a nightmare. ¡°Aarghh!¡± The women in the group tearfully shrieked out of fear. Some of them tried to escape but failed due to the that epassed them. Upstairs¡­ Charmine¡¯s lips curled up into a heartless smirk, and she dusted her hands before she went down. Meanwhile, Rio-satisfied with the scene-followed Charmine from behind. ¡°Nicely done, Boss Jordan! Nicely done!¡± 2 Rising Hawk staff members watched in pleasure as the vandals suffered badly downstairs. The vandals¡¯ skin itched with big red pimples wherever the caterpirs crawled, and it was much worse that the was sorge that they could not escape from it. They all cried out in agony. Charmine walked out from the main entrance with her hands on her waist. ¡°So, how does it feel like to have scars all over you?¡± Her words were cold and mocking. Everyone turned to her and barked: ¡°Charmine Jordan! How can you be so evil?! Let us out!¡± ¡°We did that for justice! For Gigi! After protecting a third-wheeler, you want to harm us?¡± ¡°Let us out now, or we¡¯ll make sure everyone on the inte hates you! You heard right: Everyone!¡± A man spoke as he took out his phone and clicked on the live-streaming page. He live-streamed as he yelled, ¡°Look at this, everyone! Charmine is hitting people! Charmine is hurting people! Charmine somehow brought these weird insects out to trap us!¡± He yelled as he directed the camera at Charmine. Chapter 295 Chapter 295 Meanwhile, Tiffany watched as the event unfolded with an evil smirk on her face. She eventually found out that Charmine was the one who told Julian that she was in Green Caf¨¦ back then and had no intention to harm her. Still, if it were not for Charmine calling Anthony to return home, Tiffany would have slept with him instead of Julian¡¯s assistant, Oliver! Tiffany wanted Charmine to pay the price, and she took this opportunity to destroy Charmine! Tiffany was the mastermind who paid the vandals, and she even had backup ns to boot. One of those ns was that if Charmine tried anything against them, one of them would start to live-stream. That man was a popr influencer well-known for filming injustice things and speaking up for minorities. Because of that, the man garnered an impressive amount of followers. Charmine was done for if the man live-streamed everything! It did not take long for the live-stream to gain over ten thousand viewers, and since it was promoted by the tform, the numbers only grew! The man focused the camera on the huge caterpirs and Charmine as he barked, ¡°Yes, we came here to vandalize RisingHawk, but we did all this for justice, to warn Charmine! s, not only is she showing no remorse, but she allowed such harm on us! ¡°Look! Our skins are all filmed with red bumps caused by these caterpirs! So many caterpirs are crawling all around us, while Charmine looks at us without the intention to even help! ¡°Charmine Jordan, why don¡¯t you say something? You have the guts to protect the third-wheeler, and now you don¡¯t have the guts to speak?¡± Charmine merely red into his camera, her hands on her waist as she icily maintained, ¡°I¡¯ve nothing to say. You destroyed the vehicles here, so I want you all to feel how it¡¯s like to be hurt!¡± Wild. Unruly. Arrogant! Charmine showed not a trace of fear nor the intention to back down even when live-streamed. She was a s confident as ever. The man¡¯s face turned green with rage as he called out furiously, ¡°I¡¯m suing you for deliberately causing harm on others! I want you to pay for our medical expenses!¡± ¡°Oh? Really? I do have this intention. Let¡¯s have someone over here to take care of this and have a look at how much your medical expenses would cost. I¡¯ll pay them all! However¡­¡± 1 An evil smirk appeared on her lips as Charmine continued, ¡°Please do prepare payment for the damages you¡¯ve all caused to the vehicles. The total would be at least three hundred thousand bucks!¡± A whopping 300,000 bucks?! Stunned, the vandals gaped at Charmine, no longer bothered by the caterpirs. Even the man who live-streamed everything paused for a while before he snapped out of it and said,¡± Three hundred thousand bucks? Let it be! I believe that all the citizens with dignity would help us raise the funds! For you, who protected the third-wheeler, with a cheappany who signed that third- wheeler, being able to ruin your cars was our pleasure!¡± (Right! Agree!) (Pleasure to watch!] (What¡¯s the address? I¡¯lle as a backup!) (Give me your ount, I¡¯ll raise ten thousand bucks!) The fans in the live-streaming tformmented with rage. The man gained a surge of arrogance when he saw the support he was getting, and he red at Charmine. ¡°Did you see that? You protected the third-wheeler, so you deserve it all! You¡¯re just a rat running around the streets now, and you¡¯re no longer the Boss Jordan that everyone idolizes!¡± The people beside him fueled the me as they added, ¡°The aplice is worse than the perpetrator! You not only showed no concern about your artist bing a third-wheeler, but you even protected her! That¡¯s disgusting!¡± ¡°You even attacked us, the people calling for justice, with caterpirs! Have a taste of your own medicine!¡± One of them yelled before grabbing a handful of the caterpirs and threw them toward Charmine. The caterpirs flew toward Charmine, but she did not even cower or flinch. About ten bodyguards dressed in ck instantly shielded her in the form of a man-wall at that moment, and the caterpirs mmed against the bodyguards. The guards swatted the caterpirs away in unison, and they fell to the ground in an instant. It was an impressive sight to see. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Everyone stared in shock; they did not expect Charmine to have bodyguards around her at all times. Stalwart and soldier-like, every guard was utterly handsome as well. Chapter 296 Chapter 296 However, it did not take long for the vandals to snap out of their shock. The live-streaming man scowled a t the guards. ¡°Why are you all looking like dogs? Why help the traitor? Go away, get out of the way!¡± ¡°Charmine protected the third-wheeler, yet you¡¯re all still protecting her? Is RisingHawk¡¯s dignity gone entirely?¡± ¡°Seems like a case of a bad leader with bad workers! Charmine, you¡¯re bullying us and used your manpower to harass us even more! You¡¯re just crushing us with your resources!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s fight them! Fight them!¡± Someone called out andunched against them like a madman. The live-streaming man followed along. A woman inside the picked up a stone on the ground, ready to throw it at them. Though the vandals were trapped inside the, the force they exerted as they went toward Charmine caused the to drag along with them, and the caterpirs were dragged with them as well. The situation got out of hand. Charmine frowned. If her bodyguards fought back, the situation would worsen and they would surely get pelted with harsh criticisms. It did not help that there were women among them¡­ C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org The bodyguards readied themselves as the vandals approached them. They took out their electric batons, ready to attack like monsters going berserk. The distance was getting closer, the women had already aimed their stones at Charmine, while the bodyguards were ready to ¡°Stop!¡± yelled Charmine. She was no saint, but any rational being would not want to make the situation worse than it already was. There was no need for conflict; it was a resolvable matter! Just as she Charmine raced to find a solution, however¡­ ¡°Stop, stop! You have it all wrong!¡± A clear and loud voice resonated in the air, and everyone turned to see a pregnantdy who waddled toward them hurriedly. ¡°I¡¯m Charmine¡¯s special assistant,¡± the woman began, ¡°and you¡¯ve got it all wrong. The reason why Charmine saved Scarlet isn¡¯t because she¡¯s protecting a third-wheeler¡­ It¡¯s because Scarlet isn¡¯t even a third-wheeler.¡± Everyone was shocked. Scarlet was no third-wheeler? How was that possible? Nheless, the vandals dared not go further due to her pregnant self. Still, they did not relent. ¡°How is she not a third-wheeler? There are evidence and proof! Why are you forcing a lie?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be a mother soon. Can¡¯t you save some dignity for the child in your womb?¡± ¡°Even Johnson said Scarlet was a third-wheeler, and Scarlet is too afraid to make any statement. What else is there to lie about? If she isn¡¯t a third-wheeler, who is?¡± ¡°Is RisingHawk using a pregnant woman to twist the truth? What an appalling act! I hope you go bankrupt soon!¡± The pregnant woman did not back down as she continued, ¡°It¡¯s true that Scarlet had been with Johnson before, but she¡¯s not a third-wheeler! She was lied to! Before you blindly point your fingers, please listen to this recording!¡± With that, she raised a speaker and yed a recording out loud, (Johnson, let¡¯s get married, alright? We¡¯ve been together for six years. I can put my career on hold and marry you. [No, you¡¯re at the peak of your career. How could you get married at this time?) (Johnson, this is the thirty-ninth time that I proposed to you, and this is also the thirty-ninth time that you rejected me. Tell me honestly: Do you like someone else? Or are you married?) [How can that be? Impossible! Am I that kind of man who¡¯d lie to you? Listen, Scarlet, this is for your own good¡­) The voice recording that came through the speaker was loud enough that everyone could hear the conversation clearly. Scarlet¡¯s voice was significantly gentle, and one could tell her voice apart from others easily. There was no mistaking it: It was indeed Scarlet and Johnson. Yet¡­ Why was the conversation¡¯s contentpletely different from what they knew? Chapter 297 Chapter 297 While some of the vandals were stunned silent at the new piece of evidence, some did not buy it and questioned it even more. ¡°Where did you get this recording from? Did you find someone to make this up?¡± ¡°Exactly. If this is the truth, why didn¡¯t Scarlete forward and make a statement?¡± ¡°Did you use some program to forge this recording? Don¡¯t try to fake a false im to fool us!¡± Their usations grew louder and louder. The pregnantdy then answered, ¡®The reason why Scarlet didn¡¯t say anything is that she couldn¡¯t find proof! And this recording is gained from Charmine, asking the Unify Phone Service Company to work overnight just to get it. It¡¯s the truth! ¡°Hundreds of staff went through their phone conversations from over a couple of years ago. They checked every audio to finally get hold of this recording, just an hour ago. ¡°The Unify Phone Service Company could verify the validity of this recording. If this is forged and a lie, they¡¯re all willing to be punished by thews!¡± 1 Even though she was pregnant, she exuded an air of authority. Charmine could tell with just a look that that woman was Unify Phone Service Company¡¯s former vice president, Wendy Morrison, but she resigned due to her pregnancy. It was true that Charmine had asked the people from thatpany to search for the phone records, but she had no contact with Wendy. How, then, did she know about this? 1 Meanwhile, many of the viewers in the live-streaming tformmented: (The pregnantdy is indeed Unify¡¯s former vice president. She¡¯s an honest woman and wouldn¡¯t lie! [Hello, everyone. I¡¯m Unify Phone Service Company¡¯s current president, and I can verify the validity of this recording.) All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. [I¡¯m the investigator of this project, Jeremy Richard, and I can verify this.] A retired soldier, Jeremy Richard was Unify¡¯s chief security, a well-respected investigator in the field. All of their usernames came with the officially certified logo. Needless to say, these figures were real people, and they could verify the recording with their names and reputation! 1 The viewers were just as shocked as the people trapped under the. So, the truth was that Scarlet was cheated by Johnson and never knew he was married? The vandals stopped attacking and insulting, and they curiously asked among themselves. ¡°How could this be? So Johnson lied to everyone?¡± ¡°So Scarlet isn¡¯t the third-wheeler after all, and she was cheated on?¡± ¡°Charmine, you¡¯ve been protecting Scarlet because you knew the truth?¡± ¡°All this while, Scarlet didn¡¯t know she was innocent, and she was still used of being a third- wheeler¡­¡± Facing the questions, Charmine answered calmly, ¡°You guys thought it was all an act when Scarlet tried t o jump off the building? The truth is that after I kicked her back into the room, Scarlet cut her wrist, and she¡¯s still in a weak state as we speak! ¡°Think about it: If a woman is shameless enough to be a third-wheeler and ruin others¡¯ family, why would she try to end herself when she¡¯s exposed? Johnson had lied and cheated on her from the start. Johnson had cheated Scarlet off of her money all those years, and he even took advantage of her heart and body! ¡°It¡¯s tragic that this happened to Gigi, no doubt, but it¡¯s just as sad for Scarlet! The person who should be med is Johnson Spencer!¡± Chapter 298 Chapter 298 ¡°You¡¯ve all bashed Scarlet from the start, but did any of you me Johnson for what he did? When a woman and a married man has an affair, should the woman be the only one to shoulder all the me while the man can return to his family and be forgiven,pletely scot-free?¡± Charmine¡¯s powerful and well-articted words were like a p in the face for everyone. N?velDrama.Org content. Netizens on the live-streaming tform gushed with praises for her. [Boss Jordan is right, Johnson is the one at fault! The douche deserves to be dead! [Scarlet is too unlucky! Not only did the jerk lie to her for seven years, but he even took advantage of her. Now, she¡¯s ridiculed and called the third-wheeler! [Douchebag Johnson Spencer! Let¡¯s attack his Twitter! Bombard him!) Everyone went on a verbal rampage. Meanwhile, Scarlet¡¯s assistant helped her out of thepany. Scarlet had a thickyer of bandages on her wrist, her face pale and weak. As she gazed at the scene outside thepany building, tears rolled down her cheeks unceasingly. Scarlet never thought that the truth would reveal itself; she had long epted that no one would believe her even when she died. She was ready to die an unjust death, yet she never thought Charmine would sessfully prove her innocence¡­ 1 Scarlet had talked about marriage with Johnson on the phone only once in all those years. She could not believe that Charmine could find the recording! She bowed a ny-degree bow toward Charmine as she tearfully and hoarsely spoke, ¡°Thank you¡­ Thank you, Ms. Jordan. If it wasn¡¯t for you, I wouldn¡¯t be standing here, still alive. Thank you s o much! Also¡­¡± Scarlet straightened herself and turned toward the live-streaming man¡¯s phone. ¡°From the start of all this, I didn¡¯te out with any statement, but that¡¯s because I don¡¯t even know what to say. I¡¯ve never thought that the man that I loved so dearly would be a married man. ¡°Before this incident was exposed, I still wanted to give it another shot to propose to him. I reserved an engagement ring, and I even bought us a wedding house¡­¡± Her eyes turned redder as she spoke, and after pausing a moment to sob, Scarlet continued, ¡°I¡¯m not trying to gain sympathy here¡­ I just want to remind all the girls out there to not be like me. Remember: If a man is unwilling to officiate your rtionship with him, he¡¯s hiding something. ¡°Finally, I want to take this opportunity to show my sincere apologies to Gigi. Even though I was cheated o nas well, I did cause damage to your family. I feel guilty at the thought of you and your child. I don¡¯t even have the courage to say this to you upfront, so I can only say this through this live: No matter what you ask for, please get in touch with me. I¡¯ll do my best to make up to you.¡± 1 With that, Scarlet made another ny-degree bow at the camera, a disy of her genuine sincerity. Scarlet was a victim herself. She was the vulnerable one with her swollen and reddened eyes, but she did not mind nor care. All Scarlet wanted was to apologize sincerely. Her assistant, Amy gazed at Scarlet with her aching heart. ¡°I¡¯m Scarlet¡¯s manager and assistant,¡± said Amy to the live-streaming phone, ¡°and I¡¯ve been with her for six years! I can swear to God that Scarlet really had no idea of all these things! She didn¡¯t know that Johnson was married, and as a matter of fact, none of the people in and outside the industry knew he was married. ¡°I¡¯ll have you know that Johnson had taken a lot of Scarlet¡¯s money! He¡¯d always tell her that his companies weren¡¯t doing well before asking her for almost a hundred million bucks! 1 ¡°Thesepanies can¡¯t be tracked down, and his reasoning was that thesepanies of his were still in their infancy and were low-profile. Thinking back at it now, that¡¯s rather peculiar! ¡°I hope that with the immense manpower of the inte, everyone can help find out what these companies are and what they do!¡± The viewers stormed with fury. Almost a hundred million bucks? It was bad enough that Johnson lied and cheated on Scarlet, but he also took so much of her money! One hundred million was no small amount! Had that jerk Johnson really taken all that money? Chapter 299 Chapter 299 Scarlet, despite her reddened and swollen eyes, managed topose herself as she straightened her body. ¡°Amy, that¡¯s enough. Let¡¯s go.¡± Scarlet was more than content with how the situation has turned out for her, thus she did not want to linger on it any longer. Moreover, news reporters were hot on their heels as they rushed toward the scene, thus Amy had no choice but to help Scarlet leave the scene quickly. Despite not epting any interviews, however, articles about the situation quickly surfaced on the inte (Johnson Spencer lied to the world!) (Scarlet was cheated off of her money and body!) (Johnson¡¯s foreignpany is on sole proprietorship, involving the transfer of his marriage funds! [Scarlet cut her wrist and has yet to get treated in order to avoid usations!) The news went viral and made it to the headlines in no time. The discussion page was filled with the following: [Have Johnson Spencer fooled us? Have Scarlet truly been wrongly condemned?) [Ah! The gentle and happy little foodie had painfully endured all that burden for the past few days, without even deserving it!) [She¡¯s the person with the most heartache, she had to be. Not only was the man she had loved so much turned out to be a married man, but he even cheated on her for so long! She was even too afraid tomit suicide, afraid that people would mock her for faking it¡­] (Johnson is a real jerk! ording to sources, his foreignpanies were created behind Gigi¡¯s back. He must¡¯ve thought of divorcing her, and that¡¯s why he started transferring the funds!] (That¡¯s a fraud! This is against thew! He can be sued!) (With the fact that he stole a hundred million bucks from Scarlet, he should be put to jail!] (ording to one source, Boss Jordan had filed a report, and an investigation is conducted as we speak!] With that, the tides have shifted and the tables have turned. Meanwhile, in the ward¡­ Gigi, with eyes red and swollen, held her daughter tight in her embrace. Johnson rushed to the bedside as he frantically blurted, ¡°Gigi, dear, believe me. These are all fake! Everything¡¯s fake! They made up the recording,¡± p! Gigi pped Johnson squarely in the face before he could even finish his sentence. ¡°Why?¡± she growled.¡± Why did you do this? Why do you keep lying to me?!¡± ¡°Gigi, 1¨C¡± Johnson covered his face in pain as he tried to continue. Gigi picked up the pillow and threw it against him powerfully. ¡°What about your foreignpanies? How will you exin the abnormal activities in our joint ount? Guess you¡¯ve had it in your mind to leave me, huh? You lied to me just to steal my money, right?¡± ¡°Waa¡­ Bad Daddy! Bad Daddy!¡± Their daughter ran toward Johnson and hit him with her tiny fists. Instinctively, Johnson pushed his daughter away, and she fell to the floor. 1 Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Gigi¡¯s eyes turned red instantly. She tore away the IV on her and got off the bed to pick up her daughter. She red daggers at Johnson, her eyes still red. ¡°Johnson Spencer, are you even a human? Back then when I had my youth and career, I fell for your words and gave up on everything to marry you! ¡°Whenever you needed money, or anything at all, I¡¯d ask my parents and give them to you. I gave you my everything just to help you, but you? Is this how you treat our daughter and me!?¡± ¡°Enough! Shut up! Don¡¯t you mention your parents ever again! I¡¯m sick of it.¡± Johnson¡¯s eyes turned malicious. ¡°Do you really think that you¡¯re not responsible for how our marriage ended up? You¡¯re right, you were perfect back then, but I was already thepany¡¯s vice president when I married you. Just because my family isn¡¯t as established as yours doesn¡¯t mean you get to look down at me forever!¡± Chapter 300 Chapter 300 ¡°We had to join your family for every important asion and celebration, and whenever I ran out of money, you¡¯d get it from them. Whenever your parents see me, they¡¯d tell me to never let you down, all while they stared at me with concerned looks. I¡¯m a man, you know? I¡¯m the man in this rtionship!¡± Johnson growled as he smacked his chest in extreme agitation 2 Gigi was shocked and transfixed, her expression bewildered at his outburst. All these years, Johnson would visit her parents on every important asion. Gigi would always feel blessed and lucky for that, and she would give up everything for him. Little did she expect that this was how Johnson truly felt under that fa?ade of his! Their daughter had never seen her father so furious. Terrified, she curled up in Gigi¡¯s arms. At that moment, Johnson¡¯s phone rang. He answered the call and was instantly greeted with his assistant¡¯s report, ¡°Scarlet is suing a hundred million out of you for fraud. The police officers areing t o the hospital as we speak.¡± Johnson¡¯s face morphed in displeasure as he marched away. He had no intention to even talk to Gigi. Motionlessly, Gigi watched as Johnson left the ward, and silent tears rolled down her cheeks. Meanwhile, at RisingHawk¡­ After Charmine dispersed the crowd and asked for the cars to be repaired, she went back to her office. She stared at Wendy with suspicion as she began, ¡°May I know what brought Ms. Morrison here?¡± ¡°Mr. Bailey sent me here. He¡¯s very thoughtful about it. Whoever came to deal with this situation might be harmed, but since I¡¯m pregnant, l¡¯d get to say anything without provoking anyone,¡± exined Wendy. 1 Admittingly, Anthony¡¯s spection was correct. Although the vandals were paid to carry their deed, they upheld justice and detested third-wheelers. How, then, would they have the heart to attack a pregnantdy? Charmine frowned. Mr. Bailey? So, it was Anthony¡­ Wendy continued, ¡°Mr. Bailey made mee out, and he even sent out hundreds of his staff to help search for that specific recording among others much earlier than you did. He¡¯s very nice to you and respects you dearly. My friend, do treasure this man.¡± Wendy patted Charmine¡¯s shoulder and gave a suggestive wink before she left. Charmine¡¯s face turned pink as a strange feeling blossomed in her heart. Although Johnson and Scarlet met up often in thepany, they would still call each other for hours even when they went home. There were at least a thousand phone records over the years. Some of the calls were longer while some were shorter, and their topics were mostly unrted. In order to pick up useful evidence from the conversations, they had to listen repetitively up to three times, and that was why her people failed to find anything despite working overnight. Had Anthony not helped out, Charmine might only find the evidence the following day. She had told him t o not get involved in her business, yet Anthony still helped her out silently¡­ Charmine¡¯s eyes turned solemn and thought at the thought of all the help Anthon had given her. If it was not because of the incident five years ago, she would not hesitate to make him a bunch of kids! Unfortunately, Charmine needed to end the turmoil in her¡­ Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Charmine could only thank him. She turned to Rio and Eric. ¡°Take care of thepany, and take care of Scarlet. I might be busy in the next two days.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯ve solved the big problems, so let me handle the small cases! I¡¯ll be alright!¡± Rio patted his chest. Charmine left after that. As he watched Charmine leave, Eric thought of the retired Wendy and his gaze darkened. It seemed that Anthony Bailey had helped Charmine. Was Charmine ready to love once more? Chapter 301 Chapter 301 It was only after Charmine left thepany did she realize her vehicle was towed away for repair, and it would take at least a few days. Just as Charmine took out her phone to call for a taxi, a private car pulled over in front of her as the door slid open. N?velDrama.Org content. She was greeted with the sight of a giddy Chris in the car as he waved her over. ¡°Mommy! Come on in, come on in!¡± There they were, both Anthony and Chris, sitting at the backseats! Charmine¡¯s lips tightened. They came to pick her up¡­? Did they know her vehicle was towed away? Charmine cautiously monitored her surroundings and made sure no one was around before she got into the car, but she noted their positions right after. Chris sat by the window, thus that left Anthony who sat in the middle. In other words, Charmine would have to sit next to Anthony¡­ Chris picked up Charmine¡¯s suspicious and wary gaze before he quickly, yet sheepishly, exined, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mommy. I¡¯m having motion sickness right now, so I gotta take the seat next to the window.¡± His reply astounded Charmine. Cough! Cough! She had known Chris long enough to know that the boy would not get motion sickness from car rides. Furthermore, the luxury car had a panoramic window with good venttion. How was it possible to get motion sickness on this car? 1 Asposed as he usually was, Anthony asked with concern, ¡°Is everything sorted out?¡± ¡°Mhm. With your help, it¡¯s impossible for it to not be resolved,¡± praised Charmine, a rare urrence that hardly happened before. Chris pped with his little hands. ¡°Wow! Daddy is awesome! Daddy is so awesome! Mommy, did you prepare any gift for Daddy?¡± Charmine frowned. She had it in mind to find a suitable gift for him when they suddenly came and picked her up. Her eyes darted as she asked, ¡°What about five percent share of the Gray Diamond Empire as a gesture of gratitude? Would that be alright?¡± ¡°Apologies, I never liked material things. Also, you don¡¯t have to thank me. It¡¯s nothing,¡± replied Anthony ¡®Nothing¡¯? He asked hundreds of his staff to work overtime and even made a retired-pregnant vice-president do him a favor. How were those ¡®nothing¡¯? Charmine looked at him. ¡°Anthony, as you know, I¡¯ never liked to owe people. Since you¡¯ve helped me, I must thank you. Tell me what you want, anything!¡± a Her words were determined and straightforward. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Anthony asked. Charmine made a small sound of reply. The more favors she owed him, the more uneasy she would feel. Returning him some favors would do more good than harm. Still, never in a million years would Charmine expect Anthony¡¯s blunt, not-beating-around-the-bush reply.¡± I¡¯d like Ms. Jordan to marry me.¡± ¨C Cough! Cough¡­ Cough! Cough! Marry him?! *Anthony Bailey,¡± gasped Charmine, ¡°you¡¯re being unreasonable!¡± ¡°But didn¡¯t you say I can ask for anything?¡± countered Anthony, his deep voice sounded serious yet innocent altogether. ¡°Mommy, didn¡¯t you teach me not to lie?¡± Chris chimed in. ¡°You have to keep your word!¡± Charmine let out a dry cough before she scrambled to exin, ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t keep my words, it¡¯s just that¡­ It¡¯s just¡­ What I meant was for him to ask for anything within my power, excluding such an important matter!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Anthony frowned, but after a moment of deep thought, he asked, ¡°What about a kiss for three seconds? That¡¯s not something too much, I hope?¡± Cough! Cough! Kiss¡­? Charmine intended to call him out as a pervert, but Chrismented, ¡°That¡¯s too easy! Daddy and Mommy kissing is a normal thing! And it¡¯s only for three second! Mommy, you can¡¯t refuse this time!¡± Charmine was bbergasted. If she was to refuse again, it would create a negative impression on Chris¡­ Whatever! He only asked for three seconds anyway, and it was not like they had never kissed before. Charmine hooked her arms around Anthony¡¯s neck and leaned forward. She lowered her head and kissed on his lips. Chapter 302 Chapter 302 Charmine was too fast, too swift, and Anthony jolted at the softness he felt on his lips. His eves narrowed, but iust as he was about to taste the moment, Charmine had let him go and adjusted herself in her seat ¡°Time¡¯s up N?velDrama.Org content. she said. Was it the time already? How could three seconds flew by so quickly? Still, Anthony did not dwell on that aspect. He merely licked his lips before they curled up into a faint smile That was the first time Charmine took the initiative to kiss him. It was enough for the time being; there would be more where that came from¡­ 1 Charmine saw the smirk on his face, his expression seductive as always, and she could barely keep her rampaging heart in check. She was too brazen in her kiss, and when she thought about it, it seemed a little too much¡­ What was the status of their rtionship, anyway? Charmine sensed the strange shift in the atmosphere and fished out her phone to kill time. She intended t o read the news on Scarlet, but she was surprised to see her name in the heated discussion forum, with the title (Charmine the Godly Leader!] making it to the third most-discussed topic on Twitter A tap on the tweet revealed the post in its entirety. (Charmine saved Scarlet with her wit. She investigated the truth and found the evidence to defend Scarlet. Don¡¯t you want a Godly Leader like Charmine?] In the discussion section, thements read: [Boss Jordan is amazing! I want a leader like her!) (How can I be assigned to a leader like her? I want one, please! (Am I the only person who saw a problem here? Charmine made Unity Phone Company go through someone¡¯s call history! She¡¯s neither an investigator nor a Unity staff. What rights does she have to do that?] (Just because she¡¯s rich, huh? So she can do anything just because she¡¯s rich, is that it?] (Ah! Doesn¡¯t that mean she can go through our entire call-history as she pleases?] (Unity¡¯s security team is so useless! They¡¯d sell out their customers¡¯ privacy for money?) (To be fair, Charmine¡¯s pretty powerful and capable, but she has to give us an exnation for this! (Unify has to give us an exnation as well!) The discussion morphed from praises to usations, and many were concerned with their privacy. A horde ofizens mass-tweeted on Charmine¡¯s feed as they pestered for an exnation on her actions. Charmine frowned. It went so well for a good while, so how did it change into such a mess? The discussion should have remained on Scarlet¡¯s topic with the facts and everyone¡¯s logical reasoning. Not only did they turn to Charmine, but they also used her for her actions as well! 1 It was apparent that someone had tampered with the course of the discussion! Who was it? Meanwhile, at the Houston mansion¡­ McKenzieid in her private salon, pampered with the in-house chief-beautician who gave her a whole body treatment. Miranda walked into the room. ¡°McKenzie, I¡¯ve made up the discussion, and Omega users will receive the notification soon enough. Soon, they¡¯ll all know about how Charmine abused her wealth for ill- conduct!¡± A mocking smirk appeared on McKenzie¡¯s lips, her features arrogant and revengeful. 1 What had gotten into Charmine¡¯s head that made her think she could match her? Charmine would have to pay the price for terrifying her with the pythons! People these days hated the wealthy who used their fortune as they pleased. Since the matter at hand involved users¡¯ privacy, it was likely to turn into a criminal offence! All it would take was a few tricks up McKenzie¡¯s sleeve to put Charmine in jail! Hah! Charmine should have known she was no match for her! On the same day, Omega users received another system notification. The headlines were originally filled with the news of Scarlet and Johnson, yet by evening, the headline turned into, (Charmine does whatever she wants! Although Charmine had many supporters, the wind of the discussion was led by the raging keyboard warriors. The situation got messier as it spiraled into chaos. Chapter 303 Chapter 303 Charmine removed her heels upon her return to the Bailey mansion. Anthony turned to look at her. ¡°If you need any help, just say the word,¡± said Anthony, voice mesmerizingly husky. His loving tone was full of concern. Just as Charmine was about to speak, her phone rang. (Jeremy Richard) stated the caller ID. She epted the call and was greeted with Jeremy¡¯s voice as he reported, ¡®Vice President Jordan, duet o the increasing criticism, we¡¯ll have to announce your identity to the public. Is that okay with you?¡± Charmine smiled. ¡°What else is there to do if I said no?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a yes, Vice President Jordan. I¡¯ll sort it out right away.¡± Jeremy hung up right after that. Anthony¡¯s eyes narrowed. Vice President Jordan? So she was the Unify Phone Company¡¯s vice president? Anthony assumed that Charmine had links to thepany, but he never expected her to be their vice president! 1 What else was there to this woman he had yet found out? When she noticed Anthony and Chris¡¯ questioning gazes, Charmine exined nonchntly, ¡°Before Wendy Morrison¡¯s retirement, Unify searched for someone to take over her post. Coincidently, I helped them secure the patent for the fifth-generation wireless technology, allowing Unify to be the first company in the industry tounch the cellr technology package.¡± Charmine spoke with ackluster, uninterested tone as though the matter was not of importance. Chris¡¯ eyes twinkled as he gazed at Charmine adoringly. ¡°Mommy is awesome! Mommy is just as awesome as Daddy! Last year, Daddy led his research and development team to develop the first complete fifth-generation wireless smart home system!¡± ¡°Is it OBN?¡± asked Charmine. Chris nodded enthusiastically. ¡°Yes, yes! How did you know? Do you know how awesome that is? It¡¯s a smart home system! It can automatically detect uing wind and rain, shutting windows automatically! It can also make breakfast, close curtains, and clean up dust in the house! Most importantly, if a fire breaks out, the system could automatically extinguish the fire!¡± Chris beamed with pride. 2 Charmine nced at Anthony. That was her first time understanding his scope of work after living with him for so long, and it so happened that she was genuinely interested in the smart home system. ¡°I did give the Smart Home System a try before,¡± started Charmine, ¡°but many things needed to be done through the phone manually, which I found rather troublesome. There was a time when I was watching the television, and there was no remote control nor the on or off button, so I have to control it using the phone app. Coincidentally, I couldn¡¯t find my phone at that moment, which was annoying. Another major drawback is that since everything can be controlled through thework, hackers can easily control the house once they get a hold of the system, including opening the windows and doors. I wonder if OBN was able to solve these issues?¡± ¡°What do you think, Ms. Jordan?¡± Anthony asked with an unspeakable hint of maturity in his tone. Charmine frowned. With such a tone, could it be that he had already resolved these issues? Was the domestic smart home system developed so well already? Seeing that the both of them finally had amon topic to talk about, Chris grinned and silently excused himself from the room. Anthony walked to the sofa and poured Charmine a ss of water, inviting her to sit. After she was seated. Anthony continued, ¡°OBN had already taken into ount the problems you¡¯re concerned about. Last year, we spent the year evolving the system into the sixth-generation artificial intelligent system, no longer relying on controllers or the phone app. ¡°It relies mainly on the in-built artificial intelligence, turning lights on and off automatically. It could also b e controlled by a person¡¯s voice, recognizing almost a thousandnguages, covering various dialects. As for safety and security, well¡­ Even if OBN ispromised, no other system in the world would survive.¡±All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 304 Chapter 304 Anthony¡¯s words were articted with precise determination. He spoke, at ease, with a handsome and matured confidence that only a sessful gentleman could execute. Charmine looked at him as a strange sense of admiration aroused in her. Throughout the years. She had achieved so many things in various fields that no one she met impressed her. However¡­ She eyed her surroundings carefully. ¡°If it¡¯s as great as you imed it to be, why isn¡¯t the system installed i In this mansion?¡± 1 Anthony¡¯s face sank a little; it was as though he hid something. After a moment, he picked up the ss on the coffee table and beckoned the butler toe. The butler instantly brought the matte ck machine over and ced it on the coffee table. ¡°Hello, Kitty,¡± said the butler. The machine responded instantly, ¡°May I help you, Uncle?¡± Its voice was gentle and cute, downright lovable. The butler then turned his gaze to Charmine. ¡°Ms. Jordan, why don¡¯t you give it a go?¡± Charmine¡¯s gazended on the machine. ¡°Hello, Kitty.¡± C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org The machine answered, ¡°May I help you, Mommy?¡± Charmine frowned as realization dawned on her. With a look from Anthony, the butler took Kitty away as both Anthony Charmine were left alone once more. Anthony said to Charmine, ¡°OBN¡¯s Smart Home System is known as Kitty, and we aim to provide an experience of having a pet at home. In order to further lessen the distance between the system and its users, Kitty is able to recognize the users¡¯ voices, calling the oldest man in the house ¡°Grandpa¡¯, and the . As for the hosts of the house, it could call them ¡®Daddy¡¯ and ¡®Mommy¡¯ ¡°I brought Chris to the experiment housest year, and he saw how other children came with their parents while his Kitty only called out ¡®Daddy¡¯. He got too upset and had a seizure afterward¡­ We stopped using it after that.¡± Charmine felt a sharp pain to her heart as she listened to Anthony¡¯s exnation. She could imagine many children inside the big experiment house, all of them apanied by their parents except for Momo¡­ The other children¡¯s Kitty could call out ¡®Mommy¡¯ while Chris¡¯ Kitty never uttered that title. He must have been very sad. 1 Charmine¡¯s eyes narrowed as she asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you get in touch with the surrogate mother? She gave birth to the boy, and the Bailes had so much to offer anyway. It¡¯s highly likely that she¡¯de back and take care of Momo.¡± Furthermore, Chris¡¯ actual mother would be able to get along well with him. Anthony¡¯s own eyes narrowed at the thought. If only Chris was given birth to by a surrogate mother¡­ He felt strangely worried when he recalled the night from five years ago. Would Charmine ept him if she found out that he had once taken advantage of a woman? Charmine held a strong detest toward rapists, after all. O After a moment of silence, he said, ¡°It was all done in secrecy back then, thus there¡¯s no way to trace her. Also, those who¡¯re willing to be surrogate mothers are of lower status, and the Baileys won¡¯t ept them.¡± Charmine¡¯s lips formed into a tight line; Anthony had a solid point. With how Senior Bailey behaved, it was likely for him and his wife to make it hard for that woman, if not kill her. It would have been much more devastating if Chris was to lose his actual Mommy right after reconciling with her. Yet¡­ Was this the entire truth? Why did she feel like Anthony seemed rather odd whenever they talked about this matter? All of a sudden, Luke barged in hastily. ¡°Boss, the Walker gang escaped!¡± What? Escaped? Anthony¡¯s face darkened. His Bailey Ace team had performed exceptionally well without a fault even once. How could someone even outsmart his team? Chapter 305 Chapter 305 Charmine frowned as she looked at Anthony suspiciously. ¡°You attacked the Walker gang?¡± Anthony nodded. ¡°I can¡¯t just sit still when you¡¯re troubled.¡± All she wanted to do was find the man¡¯s identity, yet Anthony decided to destroy the entire Walker gang? Worse still, the Walker gang evaded Anthony¡¯s team! ¡®We¡¯ve been gearing ourselves for the past few days,¡± began Luke, ¡°but somehow, word about it broke out. When we rushed to their base, everyone had left and moved every evidence and document.¡± Charmine frowned. So, the Walker gang found out about their ambush n? On a second thought, the Baileys were in sight, and Anthony even defended her publicly. It did not matter i f it was Mckenzie, Julian, or even Tiffany; it was possible they have found out about their rtionship. With the escape of the Walker gang, things got moreplicated. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± assured Anthony, ¡°I¡¯ll fix this for you.¡± With that, he ordered Luke, ¡°I don¡¯t care what it takes. Find all of the Walkers!¡± Anthony¡¯s voice was thick with authority and power. ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± Luke turned to leave. ¡°Wait!¡± Charmine quickly called out. ¡°Don¡¯t make a scene this time, do it in the dark. Just get hold of Rex Walker.¡±C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± With that, Luke finally left. Anthony¡¯s gaze hardened at the name. Rex Walker? Was that the name of the man who took advantage of Charmine? Argh! A new threat appeared on his already chilly face. On the same day, the Bailey Corporation gave out a warning notice to all their business partners and manufacturers: Whoever had links or business rtions with the man named Rex Walker would be fired instantly with three times the penalty! Anthony had always been decisive; it did not matter if the man had offended him personally or not. It was only then when Luke recalled one additional information he had forgotten to tell Anthony, thus he texted: Mr. Bailey, our investigation states that the source of the criticisms to shut down Rising Hawk was started by Kelly Mn.) Anthony replied: (Two days. Make Hollyoak disappear.) Charmine waspletely oblivious to those exchanges; she busied herself with dealing with her issues. Unity Phone Company¡¯s presidentter on announced a disclosure: (Charmine Jordan, as Unify Phone Company¡¯s vice president, had followed the strict protocol through and through. Since a fraud case was involved, Unify had the rights to cooperate with the court and police, including going through call recordings.] In other words, Charmine did everything ording to protocol and regtions. Wait¡­ Charmine was Unify Phone Company¡¯s vice presldent?! The inte turned into a mass of chaos. (OMG! What¡¯s going on now?! The Diamond Boss is also Unify Phone Company¡¯s vice president?] (Why does this feel more like a movie than reality!?) [What else do we not know about Boss Jordan?) (She¡¯s in charge of the Diamond Company, Ohly diamond shop, her modeling career, and also the VP of the Unify?! She¡¯s an all-rounded genius!) [Am I the only one who noticed something off here? The so-called genius McKenzie was the one who abused her power to send out system texts to all Omega users!] Chapter 306 Chapter 306 With thatst question, everyone¡¯s attention shifted. (That¡¯s right! Just because we purchased Ome phones doesn¡¯t mean they can simply send us system texts! Also, the texts were ones that could not be crossed out or ignored. They were forcing us to read the texts!) [Didn¡¯t McKenzie say something like Scarlet and Charmine being shameless, and imed to speak up for her best friend Gigi? But abusing her power is still wrong, isn¡¯t it?) (Actually, I don¡¯t think McKenzie was simply speaking up for her best friend. It seems that she was intentionally criticizing Charmine and RisingHawk.) (Exactly! Just as we were all praising Boss Jordan, the discussion page was suddenly flooded with keyboard warriors attacking Boss Jordan. If someone didn¡¯t set that all up, I¡¯ll live stream myself eating sh [Both of them are ster entrepreneurs. Perhaps McKenzie couldn¡¯t stand another woman as great as herself?] As the saying goes, ¡®One mountain cannot have two tigers residing in it.¡¯ Based on my observation, I¡¯m certain that McKenzie and Charmine had a history!] [Hahaha! McKenzie must¡¯ve thought that Charmine was a nouveau riche, a useless leader with money. She never expected Charmine to be a real, genuine boss, huh? Haha!) Theizens typed away as they were entertained by the fight between the two women. In just one day, thements had gone up to a few hundreds and thousands! Charmine¡¯s lips quirked into a half-smile. They could pay for the keyboard warriors, but so could she! Did McKenzie not call for a fight? Well, she should have seen thating! The fun did not stop there. On the next morning when the stock market opened, Omega¡¯s stocks plummeted as they lost tens of billions! Many influencers were furious by McKenzie¡¯s actions, and they conducted live-streams as they voiced their anger toward Omega. Many people also turned against Mckenzie as they questioned her integrity and morality. She was no longer the well-worshipped, exquisite and wless ¡®princess¡¯ she once was. Meanwhile, anotherpany that suffered greatly was Hollyoak. Johnson-as HollyOak¡¯s president-had done such a despicable act, yet Kelly Mn still went out on her way and attacked RisingHawk. Once the truth was revealed, the entirepany received bacsh left and right. The artists who had tried to terminate their contract with Hollyoak could not stand it anymore; they genuinely liked Charmine and wanted to sign with RisingHawk instead. Therefore, they gathered outside the Entertainment Industry Association, asking the chairman for arbitration. 1 Kelly sought out for the chairman of the Association in advance, since she had a good rtionship with the chairman. However, the chairman not only ignored her and refused to help, but the association even assisted the artists to terminate their contracts sessfully. 2 With that, Hollyoak became a dested entertainmentpany, its glory taken away and eventually forced to close down. Kelly lost all bearings and sanity. She crashed and destroyed many things in thepany in rage, which earned her threats from the people, and she had no choice but to return to her country. Charmine learned everything when she had breakfast with Chris and Anthony. She was eating as she read the text message from Eric: (Hollyoak has closed down. All of its artists have signed with Rising Hawk.) Charmine frowned. Hollyoak shut down so soon, in just one day? Suspiciously, she turned her gaze and eyed Anthony. ¡°Mr. Bailey, is this one of your doings again?¡± ¡°Just a small matter,¡± said Anthony nonchntly as he picked up a portion of the salmon and put it on Charmine¡¯s te. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Charmine¡¯s heart raced involuntarily. This man knew exactly how to fasten her heart, every time! Also, with him helping her every time, it made her seem rather incapable¡­ Her eyes flickered as she asked, ¡°Is McKenzieing over today?¡± ¡°Yes! I even heard that she asked for a prescribed medicine or something that would repel pythons. She¡¯s trying to get closer to Daddy!¡± said a pouting Chris, his frustrations evident on his face. 1 Why did that Auntie want to ruin the rtionship between his Daddy and Mommy? Bad Auntie! Charmine merely ruffled his hair. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve a way to make her back off from your Daddy.¡± 1 ¡°Really?¡± chirped Chris, his eyes sparkling like the stars in the sky. Charmine¡¯s lips curled into a perfect smirk. ¡°Really. Let me handle her when shees.¡± Chapter 307 Chapter 307 Charmine spoke with so much confidence. With that, sheid out her n and added, ¡°Momo will have to wait in the study room. You can¡¯t peek at us, alright? The n will fail if you do, and Mommy doesn¡¯t want you to see something you shouldn¡¯t be seeing? Okay?¡± ¡°Alrighty! Momo promise toplete the mission!¡± Chris saluted. As long as the bad Auntie could leave him alone, he would do anything including staying inside the study room for half of the day! Chris went to his study room after the meal, looked after by the butler. Charmine said to Anthony, ¡°I¡¯ll have to sacrifice myself for the n to work today. You have to keep in mind that this is all an act, alright?¡± Sacrifice herself? Just an act? Anthony frowned. What was the n? Charmine exined, ¡°McKenzie likes you due to your good reputation of being chaste. Among all of the wealthy men in the world, you¡¯re still considered pure unlike those who have countless mistresses. A genius entrepreneur like McKenzie is born arrogant, and it¡¯s only natural she won¡¯t be able to ept her man having many mistresses around, flirting with different women. Therefore, I¡¯ll ask a fewdies to come overter. As long as you pretend to be flirtatious, she¡¯ll think more lowly of you.¡± 2. Pretend to be flirtatious? Anthony frowned. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t do that.¡± Whenever he saw inappropriate women, he would get so ufortable and avoided them with every fiber of his being. How could he even flirt with them? ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Since you¡¯ve helped me so much, I¡¯ll take the lead. The others will only massage your shoulders and legs,¡± added Charmine. Anthony¡¯s gaze narrowed. Charmine would take the lead? So the person he should flirt with was¡­her? ¡°Okay.¡± One word. Straightforward and unhesitant. This man¡­ Did he have to act so oddly? She took out her phone and made a phone call. She reminded him, ¡°Right, don¡¯t expect too much from this. This is just the first step, and it won¡¯t be enough to ruin her impression of youpletely. We¡¯ll think of the next step based on her reaction today.¡± C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org ¡°Okay.¡± Anthony had no qualms to that. 1 Charmine felt like he was looking forward to it, but after careful inspection, his face was calm and elegant as always, and she could not tell what he was feeling. Whatever! She would just help him this once! Although McKenzie¡¯s family background was good enough for Anthony, her attitude was bad. Charmine could not stand a woman like her as Chris¡¯ mother, so she would help them get rid of her. Like usual, McKenzie arrived at the Bailey mansion in her luxury car. She looked up to the tall mansion, her eyes filled with grandeur and malice. How dare Charmine attacked her on the inte? McKenzie became the object of everyone¡¯s criticisms as Omega suffered huge losses in their shares. She had to make this woman pay! As long as she could get hold of Anthony and Chris¡¯ hearts, they could get engaged by the end of the month during Senior Bailey¡¯s birthday celebration. She would then be Anthony¡¯s wife, the First Lady of the wealthiest man in Burlington! By then, she could easily strangle a loser like Charmine effortlessly. So, Charmine wanted to snatch her man from her? Well, dream on! She fixed herposure, took out a scented sachet, and walked into the mansion. She expected Chris to bring her to the pythons again, but¡­ The mansion was strangely empty, and nobody was around. 1 Some maids rushed to the backyard as if running away from something, but McKenzie quickly pulled on one of them by their arm. ¡°Where¡¯s Anthony? Where¡¯s Momo?¡± ¡°Oh! Momo is having a lesson, and Mr. Bailey¡­ He¡­ He¡­¡± The maid stuttered with an embarrassed look o n her face. It was then when theughter of women resonated from upstairs. Chapter 308 Chapter 308 She rushed up the stairs as the maid tried to stop her. ¡°Ms. Houston, Mr. Bailey said nobody should disturb him-¡± N?velDrama.Org content. ¡°Get off of me!¡± Mckenzie swung her hand away and marched upstairs. Theughter became clearer and louder. The door was left ajar when she arrived right outside the room, and inside.. Anthony reclinednguidly on the grey sofa as he was surrounded by a group of women that pampered him altogether. Some massaged his shoulder, some were on his feet, while some served him tea. Charmine, on the other hand, was dressed in a ckce dress as she sat on hisp. She had a string of grapes at hand as she fed Anthony one grape after another. 1 Anthony ate the grapes she fed him, his hands on her waist as their bodies were practically glued to one another! The scene was as erotic as one could imagine! McKenzie staggered a few steps back as she felt a ming rage and jealousy in her. How¡­ How could it be? She had always thought that Anthony was a chaste and good man who kept his distance from other women, perfect like a prince! Yet¡­ He had so many women surrounding him! Meanwhile, Charmine fell into Anthony¡¯s arms and seductively spoke, ¡°Anthony, do you like grapes?¡± Her body was soft, her heat and breath caressing his face. Anthony was not used to having surrounded by so many women, so he naturally exuded a distant, icy aura. After he heard her voice, however, Anthony could not help but react to Charmine. All he could see was Charmine; it was as though everything and everyone vanished. He stared into her eyes and said, ¡°I like you more.¡± His voice was hoarse and sexy. Whether he intended or not, his tongue brushed on her finger when he ate the grapes she fed him. Charmine felt a strange electricity that jolted her fingertips as her heart skipped a beat or two. This man! He was hesitant just moments ago, but he suddenly overpowered her! She instinctively wanted to push him away, but she knew that McKenzie was watching, so she could only stick to the script and asked, ¡°Will you marry me then? Will you take the responsibility? I want to be your wife, I want to be known as Mrs. Bailey, and¡­¡± Her voice was extremely gentle. Anthony looked at her with a tender and loving gaze. ¡°As you wish. Anytime.¡± His tone was serious and did not seem like a joke at all. With that, he raised her chin and whispered, ¡°But, I¡¯ll have to examine you first.¡± With that, he lowered his head and kissed her on the lips, deeply and passionately. 1 Charmine¡¯s mind went nk instantly, and her body stiffened. She asked Anthony to pretend and be flirtatious, but Charmine did not ask him to kiss her! The kiss¡­ It was too passionate! She could only push him away jokingly and smiled. ¡°Aw, this is boring! Anthony baby, let¡¯s do it all together!¡± Charmine then gestured to thedies, and they all stood up and started removing their clothes. Charmine, too, started removing her own. McKenzie was mortified at the sight. She never imagined Charmine would stoop so low! Not just that, but even Anthony liked that! At the thought of what would entail, McKenzie felt nauseous and disgusted. She marched out of the hallway. No¡­ She needed air! She could not ept what she saw! Charmine¡¯s lips curled into a satisfied smirk when she heard McKenzie¡¯s hurried steps away from the door, and she stopped removing her clothes. However, out of the blue, a strong set of arms pulled her as she instantly fell into Anthony¡¯s arms. Chapter 309 Chapter 309 ¡°Out,¡± snapped Anthony to the other women around him. ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± The women stood up in an instant and left from the back door of the room to hide, all to evade McKenzie. With that, only Charmine and Anthony were left in the room. Charmine sensed the strange shift in the atmosphere and got up to leave, but Anthony quickly wound his arms around her waist and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to be my wife earlier?¡± His low and suggestive timber could curse a heart to throb wildly without relief. He then tightened his grip and pulled her closer in his arms. Charmine, a stranger to such feelings, attempted to desperately push him away, but it only hardened his gaze with desire the moment her palms spread at his chest. Her touch on his chest ignited him like an inferno as his temperature skyrocketed. As Charmine struggled to free herself from his grasp, an authoritative and demanding voice snapped, ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± Anthony growled, his tone thick with wanton and painfully held-back desire. Hismand petrified Charmine instantly as she ceased to move. He would always lose his calm whenever she was this close to him, and this was not the first to happen! Was it that had to resist her? 1 ¡°Damn it¡­! Wait here.¡± Anthony stood up and ced her on the sofa before he walked to the bathroom. He would lose thest bit of restraint and calmness he had if he did not let her go. Before Charmine could react, she heard a loud m as the bathroom door closed, followed by the sound of water inside. So quick? Anthony might have yet removed his clothes. Charmine¡¯s mind wandered at the thought of Anthony in the shower, his half-transparent damp white shirt that clung to his flesh, his chest and abs visible¡­ Cough, cough! What was she thinking? When had she turned to a star-struck admirer of his? She was free from his grasp, and she should be out on her way! With that, Charmine left the room right away. The room was empty by the time Anthony came out of the shower, and his eyes dulled at the sight. He asked her to wait, yet she ran away? She decided to leave once McKenzie had left? Was it all nothing but an act? Anthony grew displeased and distraught with the thought. Everything was just an act. Why was it that no other woman but Charmine would make him lose his mind? Why was it that he easily lost the self-control he was once proud of, just with a single touch from her? 1 He experienced this only once before, and that was five years ago. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. What was the reason? Meanwhile¡­ Mckenzie got into her car, still unable topose herself after the fiasco she saw. She came from a long line of educated background and was brought up in upper-ss society. She had never seen anything like that in her life! She always thought Anthony was a man of ss just like herself, but she never thought¡­ This feeling was equivalent to having a well-loved idol turning into a drug-addict¡­ It should not have happened! Miranda sat by her side and, with a soft voice, asked, ¡°McKenzie, are you still getting engaged with Boss Bailey?¡± Chapter 310 Chapter 310 McKenzie¡¯s nails dug deep into her palms. She was a perfectly chastedy with a good reputation, and she had it in mind that her future husband would share such a character. Still¡­ While it seemed like a trap both Anthony and Charmine hadid out, their rtionship did not seem humdrum either. With the way Anthony held Charmine in his arms and even kissed her, they must have slept together! McKenzie had an obsession with cleanliness. How could she ept a man who had slept with another woman? 2 She massaged her temple and muttered, ¡°I need some time, so wait for my instruction in the next few days. Also, do something about Charmine.¡± Did that idiot Charmine want to marry into the Bailey family? Hah! Once the Bailey family found out, McKenzie would not even need to lift a finger to get rid of her! ¡°Okay.¡± Miranda nodded and typed away on her phone. The midsummer sky turned gloomy after a gust of wind, as though downpour wasing. Someone lurked around the Bailey mansion as they waited for the opportunity to take photos. Concurrently.. Charmine received a call from Kay. ¡°Boss Jordan, someone is trying to take photos of you and Boss Bailey together.¡± Charmine frowned. That fast? It seemed McKenzie was trying to use Senior Bailey to attack her. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Still, did McKenzie think that a photo of her was so easy to get? Hah! ¡°Keep an eye on them,¡± ordered Charmine, ¡°and keep me updated.¡± Charmine hung up the call, her gaze hardened right after. She did not need to leave the mansion anyway as she had nothing nned for two days. That person could lurk and wait all they wanted! The hot weather only made the task harder to aplish. The spy Miranda hired was exposed to the burning sun during the day and exposed to the pesky mosquitoes at night without any picture of Charmine! In the blink of an eye, Horizon Night was just one day away. The Horizon organizing team had funded the project with a huge sum as they aimed to promote the traditional culture. 1 Charmine, as she wanted to spend time with Chris, gave every opportunity to the artists signed with her and retreated from the spotlight. However, the evening before the big day, Rio suddenly called her, ¡°It¡¯s bad! We can¡¯t find Scarlet!¡± ¡°Can¡¯t find Scarlet?¡± Charmine¡¯s eyes narrowed as she asked calmly, ¡°Have you checked everywhere?¡± ¡°Yeah! We lost touch with her in the afternoon. Her manager and assistants had looked for her everywhere with no luck. Also, her phone was turned off. It¡¯s strange,¡± exined Rio. Charmine frowned. Of all days, Scarlet went missing on this day? Scarlet seemed to be in a good mood as ofte. Charmine had also provided the best proposal to her, which would be able to let her shine during the show tomorrow. She had been through the worst; it was strange for Scarlet to go missing at this moment. Eventually, a thought urred to Charmine as she quickly ordered, ¡°Look for Johnson Spencer. Go to ces where you could find him! Also, notify Eric and Kay about this.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Rio picked up the oddity in this case and worked on it right away. Charmine looked at the sky; it was only in the evening but the sky was filled with dark clouds. It would surely rain heavily. If they failed to find Scarlet quickly, things would get much rougher when it rained. 1 It was not just about the high liquidated damage fee to pay Horizon. With Johnson¡¯s stance, who knew what he would do to Scarlet! If anything was to happen¡­ Chapter 311 Chapter 311 Chapter 311 ¡°I have to go out. Sleep early, and don¡¯t wait for me,¡± said Charmine to Chris and Anthony who were on the sofa. ¡°I want to go with Mommy!¡± Chris stood up instantly. Anthony, too, looked at her. ¡°Where are you headed to? I¡¯ll drive you there.¡± Both of them showed their concern, and it was apparent that they cared for her. Charmine felt warmth that blossomed at her chest. ¡°No need. I¡¯m just looking for someone, and someone¡¯s outside waiting to take photos of us.¡± If it was just Charmine that was taken photos of, she could still im that she visited the Baileys for a meeting. Things would only get messier if both her and Anthony were seen together. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± assured Anthony, ¡°I have my ways.¡± Anthony then turned to Chris. ¡°Go to bed and wait for us toe home. It¡¯s raining tonight, so you can¡¯t g o out.¡± ¡®It¡¯s raining tonight¡¯ was emphasized strongly. Chris¡¯ eyes darted as he suddenly understood what his father meant It was the perfect time for both of them to improve their rtionship as it rained. Daddy and Mommy would be able to get along well if he stayed behind! Chris nodded hastily. ¡°Alrighty! Momo can stay home. Daddy has to protect Mommy, help Mommy find her friend, and then bring Mommy home.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± Anthony ruffled his hair before he turned to Charmine. ¡°Follow me,¡± he spoke. Anthony walked away from the main entrance and Charmine, left without a choice, could only follow him. They walked through a hallway and stopped in front of a lift, seemingly muchrger than the rest. Anthony pressed on the call button and the door gradually opened. The space in the lift was at least 30 square meters wide. Furthermore, a matte ck luxury car rested inside the lift, and the icy walls of the lift made the luxury car look polished and perfectly developed. 1. Anthony opened the door to the passenger seat for Charmine, just like the gentleman he always was, but Charmine walked into the car without noticing much. She did not realize how her rtionship with Anthony had changedpletely. She used to always keep her distance with him inside the car, yet somehow, they seemed much like husband-and-wife for the past few days. Anthony looked at her lovingly before taking his driver¡¯s seat. As the car doors shut, the lift¡¯s door closed automatically. The lift sank lower to the basement. Chapter 312 Chapter 312 Chapter 312 Anthony took a nce at the garage, he warned in a low voice, ¡°For safety¡¯s purpose, it¡¯s best if youy down.¡± ¡°Lay down?¡± Charmine frowned at hisment, but before she could get a word in the matter¡­ As Anthony pulled at her arm, Charmine instantly fell into his thighs and was greeted by Anthony¡¯s clean, masculine scent. 1 Still, her position was too abnormal! Charmine struggled to get up, but Anthony warned, ¡°Someone¡¯s there.¡± Two words, uttered curtly yet gravely, and Charmine stopped struggling after that. The tinted windows of Anthony¡¯s car were no match for the paparazzi¡¯s more recent, new cameras as their shots could bypass windows. If the paparazzo managed to get a shot of Charmine sitting next to Anthony, McKenzie would show it to Senior Bailey. Charmine had no choice but toy on Anthony¡¯s thigh. He pressed on the gas pedal and raced out of the garage. The person lurking outside the mansion frowned. The car came out of another garage? What was that about? All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Someone else had to be in that car! The man focused the camera on the car, ready to take a shot, but it startled him to see only Anthony in the car. How strange. Why was Charmine not there? Why else would Anthonye out from a different garage? By then, the car went full speed ahead as it zipped on the main road. The golden dim light glinted on the car. With no one trailing after them, Charmine started to get up¡­only to find her hair was stuck! She yelped in pain and tried to tug at Anthony¡¯s zipper, and he had no choice but to pull over by a tree. 1 ¡°Don¡¯t move, let me do it.¡± Utterly embarrassed, Charmine let go of her hand, Anthony carefully moved her hair to one side, only to realize that a strand of hair was stuck at the zipper o f his pants. He slowly removed the stuck strand, but not knowing what he was doing, more strands of hair got entangled and were all stuck inside. Charmine felt her neck turning sore as she held her head up to keep the distance, thus she moved her head slightly to rx the muscle. ¡°How is it?¡± Anthony made a soft sound of reply. ¡°Bear with me.¡± Chapter 313 Chapter 313 Chapter 313 It was only when Charmine eased up that she saw the awkward look on Anthony¡¯s face. ¡°It¡¯s just hair anyway,¡± blurted Charmine. ¡°Nevermind!¡± Anthony fell silent. She was right; it was only her hair that was stuck. He asked, ¡°Where do we go now?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­¡± Charmine took out her phone to read the information kay sent to her. The map indicated the few locations Johnson Spencer would go to as he had a few properties in the area. She texted Kay, [I¡¯ll search around in this area, so you can go to another area. Be careful.) Kay: [Noted] Charmine kept her phone and said to Anthony, ¡°Let¡¯s go to Jubilee District.¡± Jubilee District was an older, worn-out district. If Johnson was to do anything, this ce was the likeliest ce to do it to Scarlet. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Anthony drove in the direction given and pulled over by a house. Charmine noted theck of light in the house-it was pitch dark-though she would not rule out the chance of them upstairs. ¡°Wait for me here,¡± she said to Anthony, ¡°I¡¯ll have a look.¡± ¡°No, stay here.¡± Anthony took out a small spying drone and, after assembling the parts, controlled the drone and flew it into the housepound. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Charmine frowned. ¡°A spying drone that could detect body heat. It could sense if anyone¡¯s around,¡± exined Anthony as he focused on the drone entirely. The drone made way for things that were in its way and flew directly into Johnson¡¯s house. After that, it automatically searched the house. Charmine was impressed as she watched the data loaded into the screen. She thought that the products she invented all those years were advanced, but little did she expect Anthony to possess electronics way more advanced than hers! That was the indisputable Bailey Corporation, after all. It was only after a while did the drone returned, and the data it collected showed that no one was in the house. The pair went to search the next house down the street and used the same method, yet they emerged empty-handed after clearing all the houses in the area. Kay led his men to search in all alleys and warehouses, and he eventually texted Charmine with a simples Nothing.) The situation seemed like it hit a dead end. Charmine¡¯s face became duller. Johnson and Scarlet seemed to have vanished just like that, untraceable. Would they ever find them at that rate? A sudden sh of lightning struck the skies as a loud thunder followed. Rain wasing¡­ It would be much worse if it started raining! If Johnson did anything to Scarlet, the rain would wash away most of the evidence. Charmine grew uneasy at the thought. Watching her frown, Anthony took out his phone and was ready to contact his Ace Team when a pink compact car drove by and pulled up beside them. The window rolled down, and the woman at the driver¡¯s seat poked out her head. It was Giai. Charmine lowered her window. ¡°Why are you here?¡± she asked. ¡°Follow me if you want to find them.¡± Chapter 314 Chapter 314 With that. Gigi pressed on the gas pedal and raced away while Anthony reignited his engine and followed her. The cars went toward the city, but before they entered the city gates, the cars stopped in front of a few buildings. Gigi got down from her car and walked toward the alley. Charmine and Anthony followed swiftly behind her. The thunderstorms rumbled through the skies with asional bolts of lightning spearing the heavens. It was only with those bolts could Charmine see a ruined area with a riverid behind the buildings through the alley It was hard to believe that there was such a run-down area in Burlington, left underdeveloped. The buildings looked well-maintained upfront, yet hidden behind those buildings was an abandoned area with untrimmed, overgrown grass. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Johnson was in this area, Charmine could feel it. As expected, there was an abandoned bridge by the river that led to a hub with a metal door. Walking closer, they could hear voicesing from inside. Charmine frowned. No wonder Kay and his men could not find this even after they had searched the entire perimeter. Who would have thought there was such a ce behind all these buildings. She said to Gigi, ¡°Wait for me here. I¡¯ll go and have a look.¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m involved in this, and I want to solve this myself as closure. Onlye to help me when you see! can¡¯t fight back.¡± With that, Gigi walked toward the bridge. Lightning and thunderstorms filled the air, but Gigi¡¯s small and frail figure remained determined. Charmine could feel a change in her; Gigi was no longer the innocent, next-door-neighbor kind of girl as rumored. She turned into a warrior, ready to seize back hernd. Charmine stayed back and stood behind a tree as she looked on. Anthony stood next to her, ready for action. The hub was a dozen squares wide, rectangrly shaped. It used to be a shelter for the homeless, but as more people started living in it, they added a door to shield them from the rain. The narrow space was dimly lit by a candle. Kneeling on the floor, both of Scarlet¡¯s hands and legs were tied up. She shot Johnson a pitiable gaze with reddened eyes. ¡°Johnson Spencer, please don¡¯t repeat this! This is illegal, and you¡¯ll be put to jail-¡± ¡°Shut your mouth!¡± Johnson strangled her by her neck as he growled, ¡°Even if they don¡¯t, you¡¯d have Charmine hiring you attorneys, and I¡¯d still be in jail anyway! What do I have left of when Ie out of jail? What would I be left with?! Have I not been nice to you all these years? Why are you so heartless and evil?!¡± ¡°Me? Heartless? Evil?¡± Scarlet choked as her face flushed from his grip. ¡°I gave you all of my youth, and I¡¯d borrow money for you whenever you needed money, even if I don¡¯t have them! ¡°Not only did you make me out to be a third-wheeler, but you piled all the me unto me! Have you considered my feelings at all? Who¡¯s the heartless one¡­¡± Her voice was hoarse and hurt, filled with despair. With fury overwhelming him, Johnson roared, ¡®That¡¯s because you¡¯re an idiot! You¡¯re the one who was willing to be with me! You did this to yourself! ¡°I don¡¯t have time to waste with you here. If you don¡¯t withdraw the charge, I¡¯ll destroy you!¡± With that, he pushed Scarlet away violently and picked up the burnt iron by the side. The iron was burnt red with coal, and hot air was emitted from it. Scarlet¡¯s eyes were filled with betrayal and hurt. He called her stupid and said that she did it all to herself¡­ Johnson had the heart to do what she thought he would do? Was this the ending she deserved after all those years of loving him? Johnson got closer to her one step at a time, and the burnt iron in his hand was close enough to touch her face. Chapter 315 Chapter 315 Scarlet shut her eyes tightly out of fear, already prepared for the sharp burn. All of a sudden¡­ Bam! The metal door was kicked open. It was Gigi, along with the calling of the storm, as she rushed into the hub. Johnson was shocked. ¡°Gigi, why¡­ Why are you here?¡± Scarlet was equally astounded. How was Gigi able to find them in such a run-down area? Gigi scoffed mockingly, ¡°Johnson Spencer, do you remember the first time we met?¡± Johnson¡¯s hand halted. That was seven years ago, and the crew came to this very area for backdrop. Gigi¡¯s pet dog ran into the hub and she had no choice but to follow it. Unluckily, she hurt her leg and fell into the river. Johnson happened to be on his phone in the same area and, upon hearing themotion, went and saved Gigi. The thunder and lightning in the sky was just the same as it was on that day. The sky turned dark as rain fell from the sky, yet Johnson shielded her and brought her into this hub¡­ 2 ¡°Of course I remember,¡± scoffed Johnson, ¡°and why wouldn¡¯t I? You could¡¯ve died if it wasn¡¯t for me, yet what have you done to me? What has your family done to me? ¡°All these years, every one of you looked down on me, pressuring me! Giving me money like you¡¯re getting rid of a beggar! How dare you treat me like this for saving your life back then? ¡°If I had a chance, I wouldn¡¯t have saved you! I¡¯d rather watch you die!¡± Disbelief ran through Gigi¡¯s body like an electric shock as she jolted. All those years, they had given him arge sum of money. Her parents had treated him well and asked him -kindly-to treat her better! Sadly, Johnson held onto the grudge. The Johnson in the past was a far cry from this: he hugged her, took care of her, and resuscitated her. In order to help her breathe, he unbuttoned her blouse. When Gigi eventually woke up as the rain poured outside the hub, Johnson promised, ¡°I¡¯ll take care of you for the rest of your life.¡± Johnson apparently forgot that, and he changedpletely¡­ Heart shattered into pieces, Gigi red at him. ¡°I never thought you¡¯d think of me that way. We¡¯ve never looked down on you, nor thought of you as a beggar. ¡°No matter what happened to you, we always tried to help you. How could you think of us that way? Now, calm down, and don¡¯t repeat your mistakes. Let her go,¡± coaxed Gigi. N?velDrama.Org content. ¡°Huh? Let her go? And what, I¡¯ll go to jail while you¡¯ll get all of my assets? Don¡¯t you dare! Get out of my sight! You don¡¯t have a say here!¡± Johnsonunched at Scarlet and grabbed her by the neck while his other hand pointed the burnt iron toward her eyes. ¡°Scarlet Hoffman! Call the court right now, and tell them you want to withdraw your charges! Otherwise, I¡¯ll destroy you now and you¡¯ll be blind for the rest of your life!¡± The red ming iron got too close to Scarlet¡¯s eyes, and she could feel the heat that radiated from the iron. The pale-faced, terrified Scarlet was scared stiff. Gigi, too, was terrified. Never did Gigi think she would see the day when her beloved would be deranged. She called out, ¡°No! Stop! I can promise that you¡¯ll still have your assets after you get out of jail. I won¡¯t use even a penny of it! We can even split our assets now! ¡°I never thought of taking your money. Even when you¡¯ve cheated, I never thought of suing you! promise!¡± Gigi yelled. ¡°I don¡¯t believe a word you¡¯re saying, and I won¡¯t go to jail! Get out of here! If you call the police, I¡¯ll have ways to kill you and your daughter. Like this!¡± Johnson growled as he inched the iron closer to Scarlet¡¯s eye, the burning red iron almost close to her eye. Suddenly¡­ In the darkness, a ck dart zipped through the air and stabbed Johnson¡¯s arm right on target. The dart went right into his flesh as fresh blood spurted from his arm. ¡°Argh!¡± Johnson cried out in pain, and the iron in his hand fell onto the ground with a loud ng. Scarlet and Gigi were stunned, not moving an inch. They had never seen such a bloody scene! Chapter 316 Chapter 316 ¡°What are you staring at? Get him!¡± Aloud and clear voice resonated in the air. Scarlet and Gigi turned to see Charmine watching them from not far away. Charmine¡¯s voice brought them out of their shock, and Gigi instantly rushed to sever the ropes that bound Scarlet with the dagger. Johnson, on the other hand, rolled on the floor in pain. He tried to stand up and fight thedies, but Gigi gave a harsh kick to his buttocks. ¡°This kick is for me! For being cheated by you after seven years of marriage!¡± ¡°Argh!¡± Johnson fell back to the ground once more. Gigi then swung her feet to his face with vigor. ¡°This kick is for my daughter. You made her lose her father at such a young age and hurt her feelings!¡± ¡°Argh! Stop! I¡¯m going to kill you! I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Johnson jumped up from the ground and pulled out the dart i n his arm, wanting to stab Gigi with it. Gigi had the normal reaction of a girl, slower than him. In the blink of an eye, Johnson¡¯s dart was just a millimeter away from her. Scarlet quickly jumped on him and held his hands. She lowered her head and bit into them, hard.. ¡°GO¡­!¡± said Scarlet, her teeth still sank into Johnson¡¯s hand. ¡°Run!¡± ¡°You got a death wish, that¡¯s for sure!¡± Johnson picked up the dart and was about to stab it on the back of Scarlet¡¯s head. Gigi did not know where the surge of strength came from, but she raised her leg and kicked Johnson where the sun did not shine! 1 At that moment¡­ ¡°Aargh!¡± A loud cry soared up to the sky. Johnson fell onto the ground, t. He curled up in pain as the veins on his forehead protruded. 1 Gigi and Scarlet held each other and, after sharing a meaningful look, kicked Johnson in unison without stopping as they scowled, ¡°Douchebag! Disgusting douchebag! Die!¡± Their strength was greater than usual as they released all the anger built up in them over the past few days. They kicked and mmed their feet against him as though they were letting out of all the sacrifices they had made for him over the past seven years. It was for closure. Johnson cried out in agony, and he writhed until he passed out from the pain. Charmine looked at the two women from behind, and her lips curled up. That was how women should be! Cheating men should be med and deserved to be punished! She called Kay and Amy Lucas toe and take care of the rest. Johnson was dragged out of the hub. Amy would send both Gigi and Scarlet home. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. By themplight in front of the building, Scarlet bade Charmine goodbye. ¡°Thank you, Ms. Jordan, for your help, but I¡¯m not nning to return to thepany tonight. I¡¯d like to spend some time with Gigi.¡± Both women had a lot to share with one another. Charmine agreed, ¡°Go on, but don¡¯t sleep toote. The event starts tomorrow at ten in the morning.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t disappoint you,¡± promised Scarlet. Just as she was about to leave, Scarlet realized something and asked, ¡°Ms. Jordan, what happened to your hair? Why is a patch missing?¡± On the other hand, Gigi stared at them wide-eyed, as though realization dawned on her. ¡°Boss Bailey¡­ your ¡­ Your pants¡­¡± A cluster of hair was stuck on his zipper. The only exnation for that would be¡­ Charmine¡¯s face flushed red instantly. Chapter 317 Chapter 317 Gigi and Scarlet could spot the strands of hair stuck to Anthony¡¯s zipper, even in the dark? How embarrassing! Gigi and Scarlet were shocked and surprised. Never did it ur to them that Charmin¨¦ had a thing with Anthony! Despite their bewilderment, both women had no time nor the courage to inquire about it, thus they remained silent on the matter. Charmine gave Anthony a¡­ Scarlet noticed the shamefaced Charmine, thus she quickly reassured her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ms. Jordan, Mr. Bailey. We won¡¯t tell anyone, and we¡¯ll keep our mouths shut.¡± ¡°Yes, sorry to have bothered you tonight. Please, carry on,¡± added Gigi as she pulled at Scarlet to leave. Charmine and Anthony had to be annoyed after their business¡¯ was cut short due to the whole fiasco with Johnson¡­ No wonder Anthony had a straight face the entire time as he said not a single word. ¡°Drive,¡± blurted Scarlet to Amy, ¡°hurry!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The car raced away, leaving Charmine and Anthony under themp post. Charmine was rendered speechless. N?velDrama.Org content. Damn it! Clearing out the misunderstanding would be difficult. The two women had their heads in the gutter, and their expressions said it all¡­ Charmine¡¯s reputation was ruined! She should have made Anthony remove the hair, and she should have helped him! She helplessly turned to Anthony. ¡°Well, now you have to fix this for me!¡± ¡°Fix what?¡± Anthony asked, his voice deep and maic. ¡°Fix the misunderstanding!¡± barked Charmine. This was never her forte, and since Anthony imed to be resourceful, he should know how to clear the situation¡­ Right? However, Anthony merely frowned. ¡°What misunderstanding?¡± V ¡°Damn you! You tricked me!¡± Anthony did not flinch as he let Charmine punch him. Her strength was nothing to him that he did not even wince at her punches. He merely looked at her.¡± Charmine, you don¡¯t have to be embarrassed. Anyone who¡¯d been in love would know that this is the most genuine and loving interaction between a couple.¡± His tone soothing and formal, as if he was making a philosophical statement. With a roll of her eyes, Charmine scoffed, ¡°Oh, and you know that very well?¡± Anthony¡¯s eyes darkened instantly, and Charmine felt like her heart was pricked at the shift of his expression, feeling uneasy. Still¡­ It made sense. Anthony was 28 years old. How could he be chaste? He must have had an ex girlfriend, and perhaps, more than one¡­ Charmine¡¯s emotions went rampant at the thought as her heart felt strangely uneasy, panicky. She changed the subject, ¡°It¡¯ll rain soon. Let¡¯s go home.¡± As she turned to walk to the car, Anthony grasped her arm as he raspily began, ¡°Charmine, wait-¡± ¡°Hmph. Why¡¯re you telling me this.¡± She swung his hand away nonchntly and simply said, ¡°I understand. We¡¯re all adults, after all, who hasn¡¯t done it before? Also, I¡¯dugh at you if you¡¯re still chaste. A man should act like a man.¡± Anthony¡¯s words hung heavily at his lips but he swallowed them back. Other than the incident five years ago, he was indeed still a chaste man. Would Charmine look down on him? Did she really not care about his past and had zero interest in him? That had to be it; she was not curious about his past because she had no interest in him.. Out of the blue, a loud rumble of the thunderstorm was heard. Chapter 318 Chapter 318 Rain swiftly followed the thunder that rumbled in the sky, The gates of the stratosphere opened and allowed the rain to fall. It turned into a downpour as water quickly pooled on the ground. The unexpected rainstorm drenched both Charmine and Anthony, and Anthony-cing the conversation he had with her aside-quickly opened the door to the car for Charmine and said, ¡°Get it!¡± 2 Charmine jumped into the car swiftly, though the rain was so heavy that she was drenched from head to toe. Anthony, who came into the car after her, was even more drenched as beads of water dripped from his head. Charmine took some tissue and wiped her face before she handed some to Anthony. Anthony epted them and cleaned himself quickly before he drove away, headed for the mansion. Charmine could have gotten sick with all that rainwater on her. The car drove in the dark and rainy night as bullets of rainwater sttered against the car windows. It was loud and deafening. Charmine looked out of the window as her brows tightened. The downpour reminded her of the night when she was sent to the airport five years ago. The rain was just as powerful, and she had just given birth to the dead baby, listless and powerless. Nobody cared for her, and everyone wanted her out of sight, sent to Africa as soon as possible. 1 Everything had changed since five years ago. Her mind then wandered. What rights did Charmine have to feel ufortable about Anthony? At least h e had done it with his ex-girlfriend, while she¡­ Not only was she forcibly deflowered, but she even gave birth¡­ Suddenly, a loud sound brought her back to reality. Hiss! The car stopped as a guttural hissing sound was heard, Anthony frowned. ¡°It¡¯s flooding. Stay here, and don¡¯t move.¡± Anthony opened the door to get out of the car but was met with water gushing into his car and effectively flooded the insides. Anthony made his way to her side, opened the door for Charmine, and carried her in his strong arms out o f the car before she could even react. Even with Anthony¡¯s height, the water level was up to his waist. His muscr arms raised her up as high as possible as he tried to keep her far above the water surface. Charmine could not even see his legs; it seemed as if they were both inside the river. Anthony¡¯s eyes spotted the Royal Banquet Bar not far away, thus Anthony then said, ¡°We¡¯ll get a room for tonight.¡± It was not a question; it was a statement. Charmine¡¯s heart skipped a beat when she heard that line, get a room¡¯. Getting a room with him at such ate hour at night? While they had slept on the same bed, it would not b e a hassle if they had two rooms¡­ However¡­ Charmine looked around and noted that no other hotels were around them except Royal Banquet Bar, and Charmine instantly recalled how Tiffany-in that incident from five years ago-asked her to go to Royal Banquet Bar. She remembered that there was no room in there. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°The hotel closest to here is the Phoenix Hotel,¡± said Charmine, ¡°but it¡¯ll take a while to get there.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, there¡¯s a room in there,¡± assured Anthony as he carried her in his arms and made his way to Royal Banquet Bar. The Royal Banquet Bar was the biggest karaoke and bar in Burlington, with 19 floors in total! As they entered, the receptionist instantly spotted them as her eyes nearly popped out of her socket in disbelief. Boss Bailey, at such ate hour of the night! It was Boss Bailey, in the flesh! Also, there was a woman in his arms! Charmine frowned. If they were to be found together, she would make the headlines again! Swiftly, she turned her face away and buried her face deep into Anthony¡¯s chest. Chapter 319 Chapter 319 The usually arrogant Charmine became a timid kitten in Anthony¡¯s arms. There was a faint smile on Anthony¡¯s face, but he quicklyposed himself as he ordered, ¡°Prepare two sets of clothes to the room right away.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± Staff members lowered their heads and dared not peek at the woman in Anthony¡¯s arms. They could lose their lives if they got too privy¡­ Anthony walked into the lift with Charmine in his arms, and the lift went to the top floor. All rooms in the building were private karaoke rooms except the one on the top floor. There was a presidential suite! It was specially reserved for Anthony, and only Anthony was allowed to stay in the suite. It would be kept empty even if he was not in, and it would be cleaned by professionals on a daily basis. Once he walked into the room, Anthony turned to look down at the woman with her face burrowed into his chest. ¡°How long are you going to stay like that?¡± 10 Charmine got flustered at Anthony¡¯s voice and quickly jumped out of his arms. She stood up right away, but as she inspected the room, a strange and familiar feeling aroused in her. She¡­ She had been in this room before! Every item in the room seemed familiar. How could this be? How¡­? Anthony noted Charmine¡¯s strange expression and assumed she was not feeling well. ¡°You may shower first.¡± Charmine said not a word as she walked around the room, and the room became much more familiar to her the more she inspected it, especially as she stood outside the bedroom. The sight of the big grey bed triggered shattered pieces of memories and shes of images in her mind. 1 Charmine struggled to grasp just one fragment of memory, but no matter how hard she tried, the images came and went at a speed she could barely catch up to. That was peculiar. She stood by the bedroom door and forced herself to think, to recall. It was then when the figure of a man emerged, followed by a sharp pain that needled at her skull. ¡°Argh!¡± Charmine cried out in pain. Anthony rushed to her instantly. ¡°What is it?¡± he asked, concerned. Charmine massaged her temple as she continued to eye the familiar yet unfamiliar room. ¡°Nothing¡­¡± She grimaced. She had never been here before. Had the downpour messed up her mind? Anthony saw how strangely she behaved, thus he hoisted her into his arms and walked toward the bathroom. ¡°P-Put me down!¡± spluttered Charmine. ¡°Judging by the way you¡¯re behaving, I can¡¯t let you be alone in the bathroom.¡± With that, Anthony ced her gently into the bathtub. Charmine frowned. What did he mean by that? Did that mean he would stay with her inside the bathroom?! Looking at Anthony standing in the corner with a concerned face, she exined, ¡°It¡¯s just a headache, but it¡¯s fine now. You may go out.¡± ¡°Go ahead and take a bath, I won¡¯t look back,¡± prompted Anthony as he turned his back to her. Charmine was dumbfounded. What would he just stand there? How was she supposed to bathe? Even though his back was toward her, i t did not change the fact that they were a man and a woman. If he turned¡­ When Anthony noticed that she made not a sound or movement, he frowned. ¡°What now? Do you need m y help?¡± His questioning tone carried a suggestive undertone. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Flustered, Charmine picked up the bathrobe by the side and threw it at him. ¡°Help? Help, my foot! Get out! Just stand by the door outside, and I¡¯ll call you if I need help. Don¡¯t be a pervert!¡± The towel mmed against Anthony before it fell to the floor. Anthony was far from angry as his lips curled up slightly and his gaze darkened. ¡°Alright, call me if you need anything.¡± Chapter 320 Chapter 320 Anthony walked out of the bathroom right after, and only then did Charmine get to heave a sigh of relief and started removing her clothes. Charmine felt more rxed as the luke-warm water touched her skin, but as she rinsed her face, the shback she experienced just moments ago hit her once more. Why did it all seem so familiar? Nheless, she felt much better inside the bathroom. Was it the rain that caused her difort, and only with a good bath would it be gone? Charmine intended to settle that thought as she got out of the tub. She wanted to put on her clothes and get out of the bathroom¡­when she realized that her towel was gone! Charmine remembered: She threw her bathrobe at Anthony, and it was soaked with rainwater from Anthony¡¯s soaked body. Moreover, he traversed the flood filled with soil and mud, and it soiled the robe even more! There was only a towel left in the bathroom¡­ She did not have underwear either! What could she do? It was then when Charmine realized what Anthony meant, that she could call him whenever she needed him, before he left the bathroom. Well, she needed plenty of help at that point! Left without much of a choice, Charmine walked toward the bathroom door with just a towel as she called out, ¡°Anthony, have they sent the clothes here?¡± ¡°Yeah, open the door.¡± Anthony sounded as though he expected that. Charmine opened the door slightly and left an incredibly narrow space of an opening, almost like a line. O f course, it was because the lone towel she had with her was too short, and she could not cover her thighs nor her breasts. Anthony did not press on the matter as he passed the clothes to her, one piece at a time, through the narrow opening. Lace pajamas, bra, underwear¡­. Charmine had no terrible impressions when she took the pajamas, but her eyelids twitched when he passed her the underwear. So he just handed her these personal items so casually? Cough, cough! She might as well open the door wide and let him hand the clothes to her with the underwear sandwiched inside. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. How embarrassing was this! Charmine had no choice but to reach out and grabbed them quickly, but due to her impatience, her bra and underwear fell on the floor, unrolled and opened! Charmine and Anthony both froze, speechless and unmoving. 2 Both of them were momentarily struck, and only after a moment did they both reach down to pick up the fallen particle of clothes. However, being caught off-guard, Charmine grabbed Anthony¡¯s hand rather tightly. Frowning, Anthony looked up at her, his pupils dted. Charmine followed his gaze and her face flushed. He was looking at her¡­! She stood up instantly and pushed him out. ¡°Pervert!¡± Charmine mmed the door shut, powerfully so. Anthony was dumbfounded. How dare someone call him a pervert! That was the second time she called him so, this night! Pervert? Why, he could do much worse than that Charmine put on her clothes hastily and walked out after. ¡°Go take your bath,¡± barked Charmine, ¡°and wash your eyes!¡± Anthony merely turned a calm gaze at her. Her washed hair was left damp on her back as her redce nightgownplimented her alluring body. While Anthony had a feasible grasp on his self-control, the thought of the underwear that fell to the floor reyed itself in his head. Chapter 321 Chapter 321 Charmine noticed the glint in Anthony¡¯s eyes, and it made her rather ufortable. She walked to a side and leaned on the wall to make way for him, ¡°Go on in! Why are you still standing there? You¡¯re dirty.¡± It only urred to Anthony that he was still soaked in rainwater. Right, he had to wash up so he could getfortable His shoulder brushed against hers as he walked into the bathroom. Charmine noted how the atmosphere got less tense once he left; that man always made the atmosphere heavy in a room. She sighed in relief and walked back into the room. However, the strangely familiar feeling came back to her again. The carpet, the bed, the bedsheet¡­ They all seemed so familiar to her, With a frown, Charmine walked to the bedside and traced her fingers on the bed. It was made of the finest material, seemingly new. The establishment must have changed it regrly, yet the feeling was familiar to her. Unable to hold back her curiosity, Charmine sat on the bed and leaned on one side, allowing the familiarity to overwhelm her little by little. Her mind was filled with different images and scenes, but they shed by so quickly that she could not look into any of them. Her brows furrowed and her eyes were shut as she tried to take in the feelings around her. N?velDrama.Org content. The entire room was filled with a strange familiarity; even the air was familiar. How peculiar. With the unresolved thoughts, she gradually fell asleep. Once he finished his shower, Anthony walked in to see Charmine on the bed, curled up on one side. He also noticed, however, that she was practically fretting as he brows furrowed. At that instance, he had no heart to admire her. Instead, he tip-toed to her side of the bed. After turning off all of the lights, he hesitated by the bed for a few seconds. Charmine would surely wake up if he moved her, what with her acute alertness. Anthony eventually decided against moving her, and instead, gentlyid beside her on his side as well. The moment heid down, the thought of the incident from five years ago urred to Anthony-perhaps i t was due to having a woman beside him. The room was dark back then as he tried his best to fight back the drugs in him when a woman walked in. He usually had no reaction for women, yet he spent a memorable night with that woman. The strange feeling was unforgettable to this day. Despite not seeing her face, Anthony made up his mind back then that, no matter who she was, he had to marry her! Never did he expect, however, that he would wake up to an empty bed the very next day when he woke¡­ Anthony instinctively turned to look at Charmine. How beautiful would it be if she was the woman from five years ago? Unfortunately, there was no ¡®if¡¯ in the world. Charmine had a restless sleep. As though strangled by strings, she felt a strong sense of oppression pressing on her. It had been so long since she had that dream, yet there it was, at this very moment. She sat up, only to realize that the sky had turned bright It was a dream. Only a dream. Luckily, she had been through the hardest part of it all The phone on the bedside lit up, and she picked it up to see it was Gloria Duncan calling her. Chapter 322 Chapter 322 Charmine epted the call and was instantly greeted with Gloria¡¯s frantic report, ¡°This is bad. Charminel We put our attention all to Scarlet when the co-lead of the event, Hayley Waltz was admitted to the hospital due to acute nephritis!¡± Charmine frowned at that. She signed Hayley from Hollyoak; a charming, sexy, and attractive woman. Of course, Hollyoak forced the innocent, gentle, and girly figure on Hayley and portrayed her as a demure idol with a perfectly alluring body. Hayley raked up an impressive fanbase because of that though she still received bacsh for being fake, much to her chagrin. After she was signed to RisingHawk, however, Hayley had the freedom to be and act how she truly wanted to, her true self, so long as it did not harm her reputation. Charmine let Hayley be the co-lead of Horizon Night. The Enchanting Concubine. s, Hayley was sent to the hospital, and no one in Rising Hawk could model such a style. Who could Charmine look for to rece her, then? ¡°You¡¯ll have to think of a way, Charmine,¡± rushed Gloria, ¡°because it¡¯s starting in three hours! Our annual Horizon Night can¡¯t be ruined!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m thinking of a way. I¡¯ll reply to you in five minutes.¡± Charmine hung up and instantly got to thinking of who could rece Hayley. Charmine eventually went to Google and searched for models and celebrities who had taken the role of a concubine in the past movies and dramas. Not long after, numerous photos and documents came up, and all of them seemed elegant and enchanting. Yet, one of the photos dazzled from the rest; it was a photo of Gigi Ritz for a movie¡¯s audition, Dressed in a white concubine dress, Gigi¡¯s makeup was stunning as it highlighted her cold and crystal clear eyes, an enchanting and captivating look. Since ancient times, the concubine was a woman more loved by the king than the queen, and Gigi had the look of an innocent yet seductive face! Perfect for the role! Charmine¡¯s eyes gleamed as she took her phone and dialed Gigi¡¯s number. At the same time, at Gigi¡¯s residence¡­ Just as she walked Scarlet to the gate, Gigi¡¯s phone rang. She took her phone and epted the call. ¡°Hello, Ms. Jordan?¡± ¡°Hayley Waltz can¡¯t make it to Horizon Night, and we need someone to take her ce. Are you interested?¡± asked Charmine, not beating around the bush. Gigi¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°Huh? I¡­ I¡¯ve left the entertainment industry for seven years. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m capable of¡± ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for Johnson back then, you would¡¯ve taken the role of the concubine for the movie, gaining more fame than you already had! You should have confidence in yourself, climb up from where you fell. A s long as you want and wish to, I can help you.¡± Charmine¡¯s words oozed with conviction and belief. Gigi looked at Scarlet and her daughter, and both of them gave her a firm, supportive nod. With that, she said to Charmine, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll give it a go.¡± After hanging up, Charmine sent a detailed proposal to Eric and let him take care of the rest. On the same day, the event went as nned. Horizon Night was live-streamed and garnered massive attention! C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org The so-called enemies Scarlet and Gigi-the third-wheeler and the wife-showed up together to Horizon Night. One donned a gold-colored costume while the other wore all red. Stunning and unique. They led the other artists to walk around the heritage area and arrived at the peak of the city wall. Due to the beauty of both women and the recent viral discussions about them, photographers scrambled to take photos of Scarlet and Gigi. By the end of the event, both women announced to the public, ¡°We¡¯re going to establish our Love Women Fund, with the aim of providing funding to women who had been cheated on or abandoned, helping them t o grow from the pain. Also, we¡¯ll host free sses every day, teaching women to be cautious and smart.¡± 1 Their announcement broke the inte. Scarlet and Gigi were women that pitted against each other but had be best friends at the end of it all, and they even established a charity project together! It was a once-in-a-blue-moon urrence to have a third-wheeler and a wife befriending each other. 1 Their appearance-along with their beautiful costumes-went viral and broke records for Horizon Night as it attracted three times more attention and discussions. Also, the retweets on Twitter went up to five billion! As the event ended, Gloria was swamped with calls that she hung up on many of them. When one particr caller ID popped up, however, Gloria was startled. This person called her? Chapter 323 Chapter 323 It was Master Potter. A master in the calligraphy world. A simple word from him could sell tens of millions while his words were documented in the national museum. A man of such importance¡­called her? Gloria eventually answered the call and genially greeted, ¡°Master Potter, how do you do?¡± All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Gloria, your event is such a sess. You managed to clear up Scarlet¡¯s reputation! You¡¯ve improved greatly!¡± Master Potter praised her, his voice clearly expressing his impression. Even though Scarlet was proven to have been the one cheated on, the third-wheeler term still stuck to her as it tarnished her reputation badly and cost her a lot of followers. However, with this genius n, Scarlet not only made a contribution to society, but she even partnered with Gigi so that even Gigi¡¯s fans would forgive herpletely. This, ultimately, would improve their poprity and likeability. That was an indisputably perfect tactic to save a person¡¯s reputation! ¡°This isn¡¯t my idea at all,¡± admitted Gloria. ¡°Another impressive woman came up with the n, truth be told, and I truly respect her for that.¡± :1, The other day when Gloria went to RisingHawk and intended to terminate the contracts, Charmine proposed to have Scarlet establish this charity. As nned, Gigi showed up with Scarlet, and the result was far more promising when they announced the charity project together. Master Potter gaped in shock. ¡°What? It wasn¡¯t your idea? There¡¯s another great mind in your industry other than ire Eastly? Who coulde up with such a brilliant idea? I¡¯ll be honest with you: My granddaughter had some issuestely. Her reputation isn¡¯t doing quite well, and I¡¯d like you to help her out.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Gloria thought of Charmine¡¯s status and busy schedule, thus she hesitated. ¡°She¡¯s a rather¡­ proud individual. I¡¯m not sure if she¡¯s willing to help, but I can ask.¡± Master Potter replied, ¡°Alright. Thank you, Gloria. Please convey my message to her and that she could name any price. Tomorrow at eight, I¡¯ll wait for her at Derby Caf¨¦.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± At the Royal Banquet Bar¡­ Charmine went back to sleep after she had sent the proposal to Eric. Due to her nightmares that gave her a restless sleep, she slept till noon to make up for herck of sleep. Deciding against waking her up, Anthony asked Luke to send his documents so he could work in the living room as he waited for Charmine. Luke nced at the time before he worriedly asked, ¡°Boss, the international conference is happening at two. Shall we wake up Ms. Jordan?¡± ¡°No need,¡± Anthony snapped. He nced at the bedroom and said with a low voice, ¡°Postpone the conference to four in the afternoon.¡± Postpone¡­ TE Luke was ced in a difficult position. The conference would be attended by people of great importance, and everyone took the time out of their busy schedule in addition to time differences. They had scheduled this conference for at least a month to find a time that worked for everyone. ¡°What? You can¡¯t do it?¡± Anthony frowned. ¡°Yes, I can. I¡¯ll work on it right away.¡± Luke turned and left. His boss had lost his mind in the pursuit to please his lover! How could Luke say no to him? Charmine was still asleep when the vibration of her phone woke her up. Half-awake, she answered the phone to hear Gloria speaking, ¡°Ms. Jordan, are you busy? I¡¯m d that I didn¡¯t terminate the contract with you the other day. The event was a sess, and I¡¯m extremely grateful for that.¡± Charmine merely made a small sound as a reply, her eyes still shut. Gloria continued, ¡°There¡¯s this thing¡­ An old man was truly impressed by your ability to n things. His granddaughter has had some issuestely, and he¡¯d be pleased if you could help out. As long as you¡¯re willing to help, he¡¯d pay for any price. Also, he¡¯s an artist that I truly respect, a man of importance, and that¡¯s why I really hope you could help him out.¡± Charmine frowned. Any price? Shecked no money, but it would be nice to earn some extra cash to buy toys for Chris. Furthermore, she had been nning things in the backgroundtely as she waited for Tiffany to take action in order for her to execute her n. Though it was no hurry, it would need at least another twenty days for that to happen. Knowing she had ample free-time, Charmine agreed, ¡°Alright.¡±. ¡°Thank you so much! Tonight at eight, he¡¯ll be waiting for you at Derby Caf¨¦.¡± Chapter 324 Chapter 324 Gloria was very grateful; she was quite rude to Charmine the other day after all. As she recalled that day i n RisingHawk. Gloria continued, ¡°Speaking of which, I should thank Julian. If it wasn¡¯t for him, we wouldn¡¯t have been able to work together. I can tell that he really likes you and is apologetic for what he did. You should reconsider him.¡± ¡°Gloria, am I a person who¡¯d wear broken shoes?¡± Charmine scoffed and hung up right away. Charmine sat up to stretch her limbs¡­when she noticed the time was already twelve at noon! Had she really slept that long? When she walked out of the room, Charmine saw Anthony sitting on the sofa, his legs crossed with a document on hisp. The afternoon sun that peeked through the window glinted against his being. Anthony looked elegant, expensive, regal, and powerful.¡± He looked up to meet her gaze, and his lips parted, ¡°You¡¯re awake? There¡¯s lunch on the table, help yourself.¡± ¡°Great.¡± Charmine¡¯s eyes narrowed as a sigh escaped her lips. How could that man be so attractive all the time? All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. She walked to sit before the table and started eating. As she ate, she suddenly thought of a question and looked at him. ¡°Right. Do you feel strange sleeping on that bed? For example, having a nightmare? Recall something from the past, maybe?¡± Anthony frowned. Recall what? All he could think of whenever he looked at the bed was that night from five years ago. Anthony would have nevere to this hotel if it was not for emergency purposes, like the flood fromst night. Of course, Anthony could not tell this to her, but his gaze maintained on her. ¡°No, why? Do you?¡± Charmine nodded. ¡°It¡¯s rather strange. I had nightmaresst night, dreaming of things I shouldn¡¯t have.¡± Anthony¡¯s eyes darkened; Charmine seemed to imply the incident with Rex Walker. Did she dream of that manst night? Despite his hardened gaze, Anthony reassured her, ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s due to the lighting and rain. Let it go, it¡¯s all in the past.¡± Charmine nodded and continued eating, though her brows remained tight. Was it truly the lightning and rain? She had trained herself for the past five years to not be affected by the external changes. ¡°Charmine,¡± Anthony called out. ¡°Huh?¡± Charmine looked up at him, confused. Anthony looked into her eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t have to mind about your past. As I said, I don¡¯t mind.¡± His tone was deep and serious, his expression genuine, Charmine¡¯s heart skipped a beat again. Did he say that tofort her? He seemed to not mind her past, judging from his tone, and his eyes were just as genuine. She lowered her head and quickly finished her food. She changed the subject, ¡°We should head back. Momo is still waiting for us at home.¡± Anthony looked at her. It was apparent that she did not want to face the problem, but he did not press on the matter. ¡°Alright.¡± After changing into the clothes sent here by Luke, Charmine was ready to leave the room. Once she walked out of the room, however, Charmine spotted a serving staff standing at the far end of the hallway. Eyes narrowed, Charmine hastily walked back into the room. There were so many people out there! If she was to go out, the entire world would know that she was in the same room as Anthony! Chapter 325 Chapter 325 It caught Charmine by surprise when-as she turned-she rammed against something hard like a wall. It was Anthony. Of course, it was because Anthony walked right behind her, thus resulting in Charmine bumping against Anthony¡¯s arm. Anthony lowered his head to look at Charmine in his arms and frowned. ¡°What now? What else do you want to do in the hotel room?¡± ¡°You wish! There are too many people out there, and they¡¯ll spot us right off the bat if we go like this. Do you have hats?¡± asked Charmine. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°No,¡± came his reply. Charmine grimaced. Damn it! Charmine got into the hotel by hiding in Anthony¡¯s arms¡­ How could she leave then? After a moment of thought, Anthony offered, ¡°I¡¯ll lend you my hug again.¡± Again? He would carry her again? Instinctively, she refused, ¡°No need.¡± There were other ways to go around it, Charmine thought. At that moment, they heard footsteps that paced toward them. It was not just one person; it sounded like a group of staff walking toward them. Without hesitation, Charmine jumped into Anthony¡¯s arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck as she snuggled into his arms. Anthony instinctively caught her, and his lips curled up. The group of staff walked toward him and greeted in unison, ¡°Mr. Bailey.¡± ¡°What?¡± asked Anthony, with Charmine still in his embrace. The man that stood in front of the rest lowered his head and reported, ¡°Mr. Bailey hasn¡¯t been checking the quarterly report for a while now. Since you¡¯re here, I¡¯ve brought you ourtest quarterly report.¡± The matter disinterested Anthony; he only invested in Royal Banquet Bar for his own convenience. His brother Nial liked to push him to join them in those clubs, but the clubs outside were dirty and messed up. Due to that, Anthony appointed his men to open Royal Banquet Bar, an establishment with rules that offered a better atmosphere and surroundings. For example, guests of the establishment must be of the top 30 entrepreneurs in Burlington and the top 300 families in the country. The minimum spending in the Bar would be a million per entry, and should anyone stir trouble in the bar, they would be beaten up and thrown out no matter what. Anthony had anticipated the business would dwindle in its course, thus it surprised him to see how many families used the Bar as a way to show off their wealth and assets. Throughout the years, Royal Banquet Bar earned 10 times more than the other bars did, making impressive figures with ease. Anthony had no interest in listening to the report, but as he gazed at the little kitten in his arms, he said,¡± Why not? Read them to me.¡± Read them to him? Charmine gaped. Was he not supposed to make them leave? To move away quickly? It would take up so much time listening to the report! s, Charmine could say not a word as she was surrounded. She had no choice but to wait silently in his arms. The chief executive officer read the report aloud, ¡°In the first quarter of 2020, the gross profit of Royal Banquet Bar is fifty-three billion, including thirty percent from the alcohol. The service fees take up five percent¡­¡± A bunch of numbers and data, professional but boring. Anthony listened quietly with Charmine in his arms, from the report of the first quarter to the second quarter, then to the third. Reports on various expenses, services, facilities and whatnot, it took about five minutes just to go through those! Charmine almost fell asleep, yet the man continued, ¡°In the following five years, our n is to expand our bars to other cities, aiming to expand globally by¡­¡± Cough, cough! The man was talking about the Bar¡¯s future ns already¡­! Charmine adjusted herself in Anthony¡¯s arm, her nostrils filled with his refreshing scent. She could clearly feel the outlines of his rock-hard muscles just by leaning her face against his chest. This position was too misleading! She had been in his arms for so long, and with so many eyes on them too! What could she do if anyone spotted anything on her that served to identify her? What if they found out that it was her all along? Unable to stomach the thought and wait any longer, she poked Anthony at his back. Meanwhile, Anthony felt Charmine¡¯s finger poking against him, but he merely gave a faint smile and did nothing on it. Chapter 326 Chapter 326 Charmine frowned. Was Anthony that immune to pain? She decided to poke him harder, and she moved down to his waist instead. Anthony noticed how there was more force in the way she stabbed him with her finger, thus his gaze hardened. ¡°Not bad,¡± he spoke, ¡°keep up the good work.¡± With that, he walked to the lift with Charmine in his arms. Everyone was shocked and surprised. Boss Bailey actually listened to all of the reports and even said ¡®not bad¡¯ and told them to ¡®keep up the good work?! Never before had they seen Boss Bailey in such a great mood. Was it because of the woman in his arms? Everyone gave him a respectful bow. ¡°Thank you, Boss Bailey,¡± they bade in unison as their eyes trailed to Charmine. Who was this woman that Anthony liked? Someone who changed him? They wanted to know who she was! Even though Charmine was already inside the lift, she still felt the gazes that pointed at her likesers, as though she could get zapped. It surprised her still why Anthony would agree to listen to the report. It took them eight minutes in total! There were so many people out there! Was it not better to leave as soon as possible? It was only when Anthony sat Charmine on her seat did she finally breathe the fresh air. ¡°You did it on purpose, right?¡± challenged Charmine, unable to hold back the question. ¡°Hmm? What?¡± Anthony looked at her, seemingly confused as he fastened the seatbelt. Charmine wanted to use him of doing all that on purpose. If they walked straight to the car, he would not have to carry her for more than a minute. No matter how she looked at it, she was convinced he purposely did that so she would stay in his arms for longer! Still, Anthony acted all innocent and confused, showing no hint to prove her point as if he was a righteous gentleman. Charmine had to swallow back her words as she dismissively said, ¡°Whatever. Forget it!¡± She would stomach that then, though she would remember to minimize their appearance in public from then on. The car steadily drove toward the Baileys¡¯ residence. Charmine was reminded of McKenzie setting up a spy on them, thus she instinctively prepared toy on Anthony¡¯sp again when she recalled the embarrassment fromst night. It would be so embarrassing if the same thing happened again! She then trailed her eyes to the steering wheel and the car¡¯s setup. This was thetest Rolls-Royce customized J11, and the seats could go as low as 180 degrees t. With that, Charmine pressed the button by her seat and the set started reclining gradually, allowing her toy down. Anthony noticed it all as his lips pursed slightly. Luke had just sent him this car this morning, and it was a customized model. Why was Charmine so familiar with the features? Unless¡­ What else did he not know about this woman? The person appointed by McKenzie was left empty-handed again. The car drove into the lift and was brought up to the mansion. Both Charmine and Anthony walked out of the lift and were instantly greeted with Chris running toward Charmine. The boy quickly hugged her by her legs. ¡°Mommy, Mommy! You¡¯re finally back! I¡¯ve asked them to make you soup! Drink it while it¡¯s warm!¡± As he spoke, a maid brought over a bowl of soup. It was a chicken liver soup! All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Charmine flushed. Why did Chris have them make her this soup? Chris took Charmine¡¯s hand, seemingly supporting her. ¡°Mommy, here, sit down. Do be careful when you walk, and be careful of the baby in your tummy.¡± 1 That took Charminepletely by surprise. Baby in her tummy? Her head snapped toward Anthony. What did he say to Chris? Why did Chris behave so strangely? Chapter 327 Chapter 327 Anthony looked at her, equally clueless. By then, Chris had already assisted her to the seat. He then scooped a spoonful of soup and aimed the spoon at Charmine. Charmine frowned and questioned, ¡°What¡¯s going on, Momo? Mommy has eaten, I¡¯m not hungry.¡± ¡°But Mommy needs to eat nutritious food! Even I know it! Mommy doesn¡¯t have to feel embarrassed.¡± Chris insisted Charmine eat the soup, his eyes practically gleaming at her belly. ¡°Mommy,¡± beamed Chris,¡± do you think I¡¯ll have a brother or a sister?¡± 2 Charmine was staggered. Brother? Sister? Did Chris assume that she and Anthony went to the hotel to do such a thing? Then again¡­ That was likely it! Why else would he make the liver soup and mention a baby? Charmine exined, ¡°Momo, Mommy didn¡¯t do anything like that. You naughty boy, you¡¯re imagining things! Also,¡± ¡°I get it, Mommy, I get it! You¡¯re superstitious and don¡¯t want to talk about it before you¡¯re three months into the pregnancy!¡± Chris made a cute gesture with a finger in front of his mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll keep this a secret!¡± Charmine was rendered speechless. What was wrong with this generation of kids? Before she thought of a way to exin to him, Chris suddenly thought of something and wobbled hastily into the room. Through the slightly opened door, Charmine saw that he was picking out toys! Charmine turned to Anthony. ¡°What now? What do we say?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have to. Nial said that we should make sure he remains happy, it¡¯s good for his health.¡± Anthony seemed calm and did not seem bothered. Charmine rolled her eyes. Of course he did not have to exin; he was not the ¡®pregnant¡¯ one. Speaking of which¡­ ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d focus on healing Momo within three months?¡± asked Charmine. ¡°Any progress?¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Nial had gone to America. He¡¯s learning thetest technology, and it¡¯s likely to make progress,¡± came Anthony¡¯s exnation. Charmine frowned. Likely? So it was not guaranteed? That was understandable. After all, mental illness was the most difficult illness to tackle globally, difficult to cure. Her gaze fell on Momo who was inside the room. He had an innocent grin on his face as he altered between ying with his toy cars and a doll, as if deciding if he was getting a brother or sister. He was so young and deserved a happy childhood. Why did he have such a painful illness? If only he had a mother who would be with him forever, someone who could give him a younger sister, so that he would be happy every day and probably healed from the illness. The thought tugged at her heartstrings. Ding! A message lit up her phone. It was from Gloria. [Tonight at 8pm, Master Potter will be waiting for you at Derby Caf¨¦. Don¡¯t forget. Thanks!) Charmine replied, [Ok.) Due to the incident between Scarlet and Gigi, the Horizon Night event went viral and was greatly discussed. A win-win for both parties, really. News of the event overshadowed many international headlines and news, thus the industry crowned Charmine as ¡®God¡¯s Hand¡¯ Some people even brought up Charmine¡¯s Guci counter-tactic. Everyone called her the ¡®No.1 God¡¯s Hand¡¯, surpassing ire Eastly who was once the greatest mind in the industry, though nobody heard from her after herpany went bankrupt. 2 Charmine had just returned to Burlington in less than two months, yet so many things happened. 1 It was past seven in the evening at Darby Caf¨¦. Senior Potter was sitting with a woman by his side. The woman was McKenzie! Chapter 328 Chapter 328 McKenzie was dressed in a beige-colored dress, elegant and exquisite. ¡°You made me dress up so formally, Grandpa. Who are we actually meeting?¡± asked the curious McKenzie. ¡°An incredibly prominent person who can shift the tides to her favor without fail. Didn¡¯t your reputation suffer for the past few days? This bigshot can help you change it for the better. Do put on your best behaviorter on,¡± advised Senior Potter. McKenzie¡¯s eyes narrowed at that. An incredibly prominent person? How could there be a bigshot she did not hear of? Also, what did he mean her reputation suffered for the past few days? Of course, she made no attempts to fix her reputation after sending those system texts to Omega users and got heavy bacsh for it. She merely left it at that. What could theizens do anyway? She eyed her grandfather, the arrogance in her rather palpable at that. ¡°Grandpa, why care about what keyboard warriors think? They¡¯re all poor and ss-less. Why should I care?¡± ¡°Look at you! How are you even a young person? Everyone cares about their reputation online nowadays. I saw how people are still posting on your Twitter feed asking for you to apologize to Scarlet! 1 ¡°You¡¯re my only heiress, and all of my assets will be passed on to you eventually. You¡¯ll have to look after your reputation, understand?¡± ¡°Fine.¡± McKenzie had no choice but to concede to her grandfather. Senior Potter took another look at the time. ¡°Three more minutes. Bigshots are usually right on time. I¡¯ll g o to the washroom, so you wait for her here and have a good chat.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± McKenzie had no choice but to agree. Her Grandpa cared too much of what others thought. McKenzie, on the other hand, was caught up with the whole Anthony and Charmine mess that she spared no time for small matters. all matters. Still¡­ If this would improve her reputation, why not? After all, Senior Potter was a man who cared about his reputation greatly, expecting his heiress to be untainted by rumors and criticisms in order to save troubles in the long run. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. McKenzie took out a mirror to touch up her make-up. At that moment, the sound of high heels clicking against the floor was heard. McKenzie lifted her head and saw a woman standing by the door. It was Charmine Jordan! Charmine was dressed in a white suit, seemingly professional and experienced. She spotted McKenzie in the room before inspecting the room number. ¡°Where¡¯s Senior Potter?¡± questioned Charmine. McKenzie recovered from her shock and scoffed, ¡°Where did you get that info from, Charmine? How do you know my Grandpa is here? Do you think anyone is allowed to meet him?¡± Charmine¡¯s eyes narrowed at that. So Senior Potter was McKenzie¡¯s grandfather? As Gloria was the intercessor, Charmine did not bother asking or investigating the matter as she assumed it was just someone else from the industry. Never did she expect Senior Potter to think so highly of McKenzie that he wanted to improve her reputation. McKenzie saw how Charmine remained where she stood, thus she reclined back to her seat and sneered, ¡°Why are you still here? Don¡¯t think you can buy my Grandpa¡¯s calligraphy with the few pennies that you own. My Grandpa¡¯s art isn¡¯t for anyone, especially for a disgusting b*tch like yourself! Even if you kneel and beg my Grandpa, he won¡¯t sell them to you. Get out!¡± Her words were full of anger and disgust. Mckenzie felt nauseous whenever she thought of Charmine sleeping with Anthony! Charmine did not even bother rolling her eyes, and she merely turned and left. Her pace was steady and confident, exuding a strong temperament from her gait. McKenzie scoffed. A cheap, nouveau riche tried to snatch her Anthony from her? She would pay dearly for that. When Senior Potter came back to the room, he looked at his watch suspiciously. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Didn¡¯t the bigshot say she¡¯d be on time? Where is she?¡± ¡°Grandpa, why don¡¯t you call to ask? Who on earth would let you wait?¡± McKenzie suggested. Senior Potter agreed, and he took out his phone to call Gloria. Who would have thought¡­ Chapter 329 Chapter 329 ¡°Hey Gloria,¡± Philip spoke into his phone, ¡°where¡¯s the person?¡± ¡°Master Potter! She had gone in, but she said that your granddaughter insulted her and made her leave!¡± replied a helpless Gloria. Master Potter frowned. What? The bigshot came, and his granddaughter made her leave? Furiously, he hung up on the call and mmed his hand on the table. ¡°Mckenzie, what¡¯s wrong with you?D o you know that I¡¯ve begged this person toe? How did you even make her leave? Do you even want your reputation back? I, Philip Potter, won¡¯t let anybody inherit my wealth!¡± 1 His face was flushed red as his mustache almost spiked up in rage. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org McKenzie had never seen her grandfather so angry, thus she exined, ¡°Grandpa, I didn¡¯t make the person you invited leave! I only chased away Charmine Jordan,¡± She halted mid-sentence, eyes narrowed as she looked up at him suspiciously. ¡°Grandpa, the person you invited isn¡¯t Charmine, is it?¡± ¡°How am I supposed to know the name of the bigshot? I only know that she nned for Horizon Night and helped Scarlet and Gigi gain poprity and positive impressions overnight. Scarlet was a third wheeler and Gigi was an out-dated actress, yet both of them were able to gain such fame! Your matter would be an easy one for her! why can¡¯t you control your bad temper just once?!¡± Philip Potter roared at her in white-hot anger. It took him all his willpower to not smack McKenzie. McKenzie knew it right away. Who else had helped Scarlet and Gigi apart from Charmine Jordan? She never thought that this so-called bigshot her Grandpa referred to was Charmine all along! She mmed up all to meet Charmine! Did her grandfather want to beg Charmine to help her? McKenzie called out furiously, ¡°Grandpa, all you care about is the surface! You¡¯ve no idea how disgusting this Charmine is¡­ She slept with Anthony!¡± . ¡°What?!¡± Philip¡¯s white brows tightened, caught off-guard. McKenzie looked at him seriously. ¡°The so-called bigshot you invited was Charmine Jordan! She just came back from Africa, the adopted daughter who screwed up the Jordan family! ¡°Grandpa, do you think she¡¯s that capable? She has Anthony supporting her! Who knows? Perhaps Anthony was the one who gave her the n!¡± ¡°McKenzie, you know I hate it when people lie. Do you have any evidence?¡± asked Philip with a straight face. ¡°Didn¡¯t Senior Bailey arrange for you and Anthony to get engaged by the end of the month?¡± McKenzie scoffed, ¡°That¡¯s what his parents said, but Anthony doesn¡¯t like me. Charmine got him-hook, line, and sinker. I saw it with my own eyes, both of them all over one another. They even live together!¡° Philip saw how serious she looked, thus his rage dwindled down. ¡°Is that true? That Anthony doesn¡¯t like you, but he likes the adopted daughter of the Jordans? An actress from the entertainment industry?¡± ¡°Grandpa, have ever lied to you?¡± McKenzie helped him to sit down and poured him some tea. ¡°When I first heard it from Kelly, I didn¡¯t believe it either. In my heart, I thought that a godly man like Anthony wouldn¡¯t like someone like her. However, I saw it with my own eyes when I went to the mansion. Charmine even convinced Chris to scare me away with pythons.¡± She told Philip everything. Philip mmed the table in rage, so loud that the m reverberated. ¡°Absurd! This is absurd! A woman of her background must¡¯ve been tainted by many unclean things! Why would Anthony like her?¡± Chapter 330 Chapter 330 To Philip, a man like Anthony should only be with someone like his granddaughter McKenzie. How could a n adopted daughter that just came from Africa take him away? He looked at McKenzie. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier? You¡¯re my granddaughter! How could they bully you? Fret not, I¡¯ll make this right.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, Grandpa. We don¡¯t have to do anything for now, since it¡¯ll only make it look like I¡¯m desperate to marry him,¡±mented McKenzie, her eyes filled with hatred. Philip nodded in agreement. ¡°Right, his parents would never ept a daughter-inw like that woman. However, you must keep a close eye on them. Just tell me if you ever need any help.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Mckenzie raised her coffee cup and sipped elegantly. To everyone else, she was still the exquisite and elegant heiress of Houston, but no one knew what her thoughts were at that moment. Since they could not get photos of Charmine with Anthony, then she would have to¡­ Argh! Meanwhile¡­ Just as Charmine walked out of Derby Caf¨¦, she walked into a couple she least expected. Julian and Tiffany As usual, Julian was dressed in a suit and exuded the vibe of a sessful businessman. Tiffany, on the other hand, was dressed in a pale green long dress. Her hair cascaded down her shoulders, softly and gently as if the wind would blow her away. Julian frowned and instinctively let go of Tiffany¡¯s hand at the sight of Charmine. ¡°Charmine, why are you here?¡± Since Charmine would not ept his confession, Tiffany said she could help him, and that was why they met up at the caf¨¦. Who would have thought they would walk into Charmine out of all people¡­ Tiffany noticed Julian¡¯s reaction, and her clear eyes shed with a wave of hatred. Nheless, she went forward, closer toward Charmine. ¡°Charmine, I finally get to see you. You haven¡¯te back to the Jordan mansion and no longer live in Violet Vi. I¡¯ve always wanted to apologize to you, but I didn¡¯t have the chance to. 1 ¡°It was all my fault, I didn¡¯t mean to ruin your wedding. Julian and I truly have broken up, and what happened the other day was just for closure¡­¡± Tiffany lowered her head to show her pain, and a faint blush even appeared on her face. Beneath that, however, Tiffany implied this: So what if Julian liked Charmine and wanted to marry her? He could not resist her body anyway. Charmine scoffed and fixed her ck sunsses. ¡°And here I thought who this woman was, looking like a prostitute. Turns out it¡¯s the fake Ms. Jordan in town, eh?¡± 4 Her tone was sluggish and mocking. Tiffany¡¯s face flushed a little. Did Charmine just call her a prostitute? She even called her ¡®fake¡¯! Tiffany had not been able to have a good night¡¯s sleep ever since Charmine returned. She was terrified that she would one day wake up where the Jordan family would realize her true identity and kick her out. Charmine even said it out loud just moments ago! Tiffany wanted nothing more than to tear her mouth, to kill her once and for all so she no longer had to live in fear. 1 Unfortunately, she could not do so. Julian was beside her; she had to hold back her anger. Tiffany¡¯s eyes flickered. She took Charmine¡¯s hand and, with tears in her eyes, sobbed, ¡°Charmine, I know you¡¯re mad at me. It was all my fault¡­! I¡¯m sorry to have ruined you and Julian¡¯s wedding¡­. If you want to yell at me or hit me, you may-¡± Charmine suddenly raised her hand and pped Tiffany squarely across her face, hard. INC¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Chapter 331 Chapter 331 Chapter 331 p! A loud and crisp p resonated in the air as Tiffany staggered at least two meters backward. She ungracefully fell into a nearby bush and got her skirt torn open. Startled, Julian quickly went to Tiffany¡¯s side and helped her up. ¡°What was that for, Charmine?!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t she ask me to hit her? I just did what she asked for,¡±mented Charmine nonchntly, her tone cold yet amused. Tiffany lightly grazed her fingers on her swollen face and grabbed Julian¡¯s arm. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Julian¡­ I only feel better after she hit me. I don¡¯t me her,¡± muttered Tiffany as she looked at Charmine. ¡°Sister, I¡¯ve made a really grave mistake this time, but I can assure you that it won¡¯t happen again. I¡¯ve also decided to leave the entertainment industry, and all of my resources and connections will be passed to you¡­¡± ¡°Huh? Do I need them?¡± Not in the mood to even entertain her, Charmine merely walked past her and brusquely bumped Tiffany¡¯s shoulder with hers. Charmine sashayed away from them as though Julian and Tiffany were strangers. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. The force sent Tiffany back into Julian¡¯s arms. He held onto Tiffany while his eyes lingered on Charmine¡¯s form. Dressed in a white suit, Charmine was drop-dead gorgeous with lips fiery red like it always was. Julian was not used to seeing that side of Charmine, but he came to the conclusionat that moment¡ª that only a capable woman like Charmine was good enough to stand with him. Only her resources could help him secure his status. Also¡­ The way she acted, the way she moved¡­ It all fueled Julian¡¯s desire to put her under him and make her, his. Tiffany felt like she couldbust in fury as she saw the desire in Julian¡¯s eyes. Not only did Charmine take her career, but she even stole Julian¡¯s heart! How could she be so evil? 1 s, there was nothing Tiffany could do with Julian right next to her. She could only put up her facade, the gentle and meek Tiffany, as she sobbed into his arms, ¡°It¡¯s all my fault, Julian. I¡¯m so sorry¡­! I ruined your wedding¡­!¡± Her sobs snapped Julian out of his trance on Charmine, and he felt annoyed as he looked at the useless woman in his arms. He was, needless to say, not the slightest bit interested in Tiffany. ¡°Alright, stop crying already. Just make up for your mistake. Let¡¯s go.¡± With that, Julian walked into the caf¨¦. Tiffany jolted at that. Not only did Julian leave her withoutforting her¡­but he even asked her to make it up to him? So even Julian thought it was all her fault!? Tiffany felt herself heated from anger. Tiffany quickly mustered everyst bit of sanity and calmness in her to repress her anger as she thought of what she could do. She followed behind him into a room in the cafe. ¡°Julian, I promised you to gain Charmine¡¯s approval, and I¡¯ll see through it. Look, this is what I prepared for you.¡± Tiffany then took out a folder and handed it to Julian. Julian epted it and saw the title. (Rex Walker. Walker gang.) Julian frowned. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Charmine has been following the Walker gang, and she wants to find Rex Walker to prove that I¡¯ve set her all up. This is the only evidence that could prove that I set this up.¡± 2 Tiffany looked at him and added, ¡°Won¡¯t she be touched if you help her find this man and deliver justice on her behalf?¡± Chapter 332 Chapter 332 Julian¡¯s gaze hardened as he stared at Rex Walker¡¯s photo. ¡°I¡¯ll admit that it¡¯s a good idea, but wasn¡¯t Rex Walker relocated by the patriarch that nobody could find him till now? Also, how am I supposed to take revenge on her behalf? You¡¯re the person she hates the most!¡± ¡°I know where Rex Walker is. Alexander Walker wanted to kill him at one point, as if he wanted him to hide something, and I saved him by chance. He¡¯s now living in Glendale, working as a butcher.¡± Truth be told, Tiffany wanted to kill Rex Walker when she found him by the river, but before she could, the man got down on his knees and thanked Tiffany, hailing her as his savior. As he swore his unfailing allegiance to Tiffany, she decided to let him live. A fine choice, as it turned out. Rex Walker did every dirty deed for Tiffany throughout the years, all as he remained loyal to her. ¡°If you set me up to sleep with Rex and let her see that I¡¯ve suffered the same fate as she did, she¡¯d surely forgive and fall for you,¡± offered Tiffany. ¡°What? Tiffany, are you crazy?¡± Julian frowned. Tiffany lowered her head pitifully. ¡°Julian, this is nothing¡­ My reputation was destroyed anyway, and as long as this could help you get Charmine¡­ As long as you trust me, my heart will always be for you, loving you. This is nothing¡­¡± whimpered Tiffany as her tears rolled down her cheeks unceasingly, as though she was terrified. Unable toprehend his emotions, Julian took Tiffany¡¯s hand and pulled her into his arms.¡± You¡¯re a fool. How can I sacrifice you? You can only be mine!¡± He said with a determined and arrogant tone. Tiffany smiled bitterly. Such a bold promation¡ª¡¯you¡¯re only mine¡¯-when he was out there looking for other women. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Of course, Tiffany masked that thought as she remained meek and gentle. ¡°I want to be with you forever too, but I¡­. I also want to see you happy, to help you get back what you deserve.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, this n can be set in stone, but I have another idea. I¡¯ll find someone to take up your ce on that day,¡±forted Julian, voice husky and firm. ¡°Julian¡­¡± Tiffany looked at him, touched, as if she could have cried again. Her eyes looked at him as if he was her everything and her world, which greatly satisfied his ego. He wound his arm around her neck and pressed his lips against hers. Julian wanted to do her again, but all he could think of was Charmine¡¯s face. Stunning Charmine, with legs that could go for days¡­ He closed his eyes and imagined the person sitting on his thighs was Charmine. Being observant as she was, Tiffany could feel Julian was not himself. She could tell what he was thinking. 11 Though they shared an embrace, a kiss, he still thought of Charmine. Was Julian treating her as Charmine¡¯s stand-in? Since when had she, Tiffany Jordan, fell to such a point? She wanted Charmine to die¡­quickly! Tiffany could once more get back to the old life she had, so long as Charmine got eliminated. Charmine sat in the car as Luke drove her to the Bailey mansion. Luke, as he heard Charmine¡¯s sneeze, asked, ¡°Is the temperature too low?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine,¡± she answered calmly. Charmine was sure that b*tch Tiffany was plotting behind her back. She needed to be cautious, on guard at all times. It was at that moment that Kay rang her and hastily reported, ¡°Boss Jordan, you can¡¯t go back to the Bailey mansion for now. McKenzie got hold of the Special Warfare 919 spying camera to spy on the Bailey mansion. We haven¡¯t been able to locate its exact location, but we know what area it¡¯s in.¡± Special warfare? How did McKenzie get hold of a Special Warfare item? Chapter 333 Chapter 333 The Special Warfare 919 Spy Camera was a mosquito wing-sized micro-camera with a built-in battery, able to hide in designated areas. Only international spies could possess a high-tech camera like this one, yet McKenzie was able to get hold of one! Such determination¡­ The size of the micro-camera made it a hassle to spot, thus it only solidified the fact that Charmine should not return to the Bailey mansion. Left without a choice, Charmine gave a detour to Luke, ¡°Go to the Violet Vi.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± Luke instantly turned the steering wheel. After she hung up on Kay, she called Chris right away. ¡°Mommy, Mommy! Are youing home?¡± beamed Chris in his adorable, cheerful voice. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Momo, but Mommy can¡¯te home for the next few days. I need to take care of some things. You have to be good and listen to Daddy, okay?¡± Charmineforted. ¡°Waa¡­! Mommy doesn¡¯t like Momo anymore? Mommy doesn¡¯t want Momo anymore? What did I do wrong¡­?¡± Chris started crying and sobbing. The image of the trembling Chris crossed Charmine¡¯s mine, thus she quickly assured, ¡°of course you did nothing wrong. Mommy needs to deal with that bad Auntie, and only then can I return. As you know, the bad Auntie has many tactics, so Mommy needs some time to prepare.¡± ¡°Oh, I see! Mommy should¡¯ve said so earlier!¡± Chris¡¯ reverted back to his cheerful self as though he had not even cried. He then said to Charmine in a much more mature tone, ¡°Then Mommy needs to take good care of yourself, alright? Remember to call Daddy right away if you need any help.¡± Charmine was startled at Chris¡¯ tone. It would be a total waste of talent to not let Momo be an actor! Charmine merely shrugged it off as she replied earnestly, ¡°Alright, Momo must take care as well. Mommy will video call you every day. You can¡¯t let Mommy worry about you, okay?¡± ¡°Alrighty! Momo wants to kiss Mommy goodbye! Mmwah!¡± It was obvious, judging from the sound, that Chris bade Charmine goodbye with a virtual kiss; Charmine could sense his seriousness and innocence. Charmine would not entertain such childish antics, and it was evident in her hesitation, but she eventually yed along. ¡°Mwah, mwah!¡± ¡°Yay! Thank you, Mommy!¡± Chris sounded as if he was jumping with happiness. He then suddenly said, ¡°Oh, Daddy is back! Daddy, here, take the phone! Mommy wants to speak to C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org you!¡± That sent Charmine reeling in shock. She did not ¡°Hmm?¡± came the voice of Anthony, as masculine and maic as ever. ¡°What is it?¡± Even through the phone, the charming, heart-seizing aura exuded by Anthony was almost palpable through the phone. Panicked, Charmine quickly addressed, ¡°McKenzie ced a Special Warfare 919 in your house. Do take note.¡± ¡°You already knew?¡± Anthony was surprised. He only found out about this 30 seconds ago, but it seemed as though Charmine found out about the matter way before he did. ¡°Ahem! McKenzie has been keeping a close eye on you, and it¡¯s close to your father¡¯s birthday celebration soon,¡± said Charmine, ¡°so I won¡¯te back for the next few days.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± One word, though a rather weighty reply at that. Charmine assumed he would continue to say anything, but he did not. Somehow, the situation got different. ¡°I¡¯ll hang up now then, since there¡¯s nothing else¡­?¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Anthony stopped her. After a moment of silence, he said, ¡°Did Ms. Jordan forget something?¡± ¡°Huh? What?¡± Charmine was confused. Anthony said, ¡°What was thest thing you said to Momo?¡± Chapter 334 Chapter 334 Chapter 334 ¡®Last thing? Charmine recalled what she had said to Chris and said to Anthony, ¡°I asked Momo to take good care of himself, to not let me worry about him. What is it? Is there a problem?¡± ¡°The sentence after that,¡± insisted Anthony. Charmine frowned. The sentence after that? What did she say after? All she did was kiss Chris through the phone¡­ What happened then? Unless¡­ Realization dawned on Charmine as her blush seared across her cheeks. ¡°Anthony! How old are you again? Take care of Momo!¡± she told him off and hung up. That man, that¡­pervert could still flirt with her through the phone! Giving an adult man like him a goodbye kiss on the phone, the thought of it¡­ Anthony heard the busy tone on his phone, and his gazended on Chris. Chris hurriedly covered his face. ¡°Mommy only gave me two kisses, and I can¡¯t give one to you! I¡¯m off to sleep now, goodnight!¡± With that, Chris pulled the nket over his face. Anthony was left speechless. Meanwhile, at Violet Vi¡­ Charmine walked out of the car once Luke pulled over and parked by a tree-a little further from her vi. As she walked toward her home, she noted how every other vi had its lights on except hers, pitch dark Chris would always wait for her with the lights on whenever she returned, yet¡­ The absence made Charmine feel off. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org At that very moment, four elderly men made their way toward her, and Charmine, upon spotting them, turned to leave. The men noticed her behavior and instantly called out, ¡°Charmine! Stay there!¡± They were men in their seventies or even eighties, yet they ran toward her like mere children would and blocked her way. Charmine¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°Oh, what a coincidence! What brought you all here?¡± ¡°And here you are, pretending! Charmine Jordan, did you think we wouldn¡¯t see you? You were trying to run away from us!¡± used one of the elderly men. Charmine let out a dry smile. ¡°Haha! You¡¯ve got it all wrong, really! I was only testing if your body is still as fit. It seems that it¡¯s not too bad at all!¡± ¡°Ha-ha!¡± The four elderly men let out a sarcasticugh before grabbing her by the arms and walked into the vi. ¡°We finally get to see you, so you have to apany us and tell us everything tonight. Don¡¯t you try to run away again!¡± Charmine, without a ce to run to, had no choice but to wee them into her vi. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I live here now. Where can I run to?¡± One of them sighed. ¡°Lucky us, cause we came here to try our luck tonight. Knowing you, would we even get to see you at least once in a year?¡± ¡°Since you came home, why didn¡¯t youe to meet us right away? Is the entertainment industry fun? Is it even as fun as our game?¡± muttered the other elderly man with a long beard. Charmine poured each of them water. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to. I¡¯d surelye look for you all after I¡¯ve dealt with my things.¡± ¡°Eh? You? Ah, that¡¯s not right. Charmine! Why did you pass on the water to Old Larry first? Am I not deserving of getting it first?¡± Old Pop said. ¡°You already got it the second, what else do you want? Why am I the third to get the water?¡± ¡°And I¡¯m the fourth! Charmine, do you not like Uncle Zul?¡± The four elderly men started fighting over the water, just like four children. Charmine sweat-dropped at the sight. At a nce, no one would even think that those four elderly men were the driving forces of various industries! Uncle Larry was the leader of the Esports industry; Uncle Zul was International Go Association¡¯s president; Uncle Pop was the bigshot in the scientific research industry; while Uncle Max was the leader of the construction industry. Years ago when Charmine was sent to Africa, running away from Tiffany¡¯s prying eyes, she entered the territory of these four moguls and discovered crucial secrets rted to them. 1 Just as they were about to kill her, Charmine managed to help them solve some head-splitting problems with her gifted talent, which-in turn-saved her life. From then onward, the four men nurtured her as though she was their apprentice. They pitied her for the ordeals she endured, trained her wholeheartedly, and¡­ Chapter 335 Chapter 335 For five whole years, these tycoons helped her to take care of Tiffany¡¯s doings, all while they made sure Charmine stayed under the radar. As she learned under their tutge, she managed to exceed the abilities of her own tutors. Shocked by her progress, they treated her as a rare pearl on the palm-adoring and pampering her. Charmine noted how the four elderly men looked like they wanted to fight one another, thus she quickly dispersed the tension by changing the subject. ¡°Alright, alright, I gave you water without any particr order. No point fighting over it! Why did youe looking for me again? I¡¯m going to sleep if you keep fighting.¡± With that, she turned and was ready to walk upstairs. The four men stopped fighting and quickly stopped her from leaving. ¡°Charmine, you can¡¯t sleep yet. Something¡¯s up, and you need to solve it!¡± Charmine sat on the sofa, her expression puzzled. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Since you started nning toe home, you haven¡¯t cared about us for a long time. My Esports team lost terribly in this international tournament. The team from Kansas was being arrogant, and they mocked us for losing the match! ¡°Charmine, I don¡¯t care how busy you are, cause you have to take some time out and help me fight a duel with their team leader! Make us proud!¡± said Uncle Larry excitedly. On the other hand, Uncle Max interrupted, ¡°The Esports industry is unimportant; you losing doesn¡¯t mean much of anything. The most important thing now is infrastructure ! Now that every country wants to build the tallest building to take over the Khalifa, we have to contend as well!¡± ¡°What are you all so anxious about? The international Go tournament is starting next month, and the Germans said their robots would win over our yers! It¡¯d be so embarrassing if we lose!¡± ¡°Those are nothing! The newly developed 7-series aircraft in Denmark is going autopilot! We¡¯re way behind!¡± Everything sounded like chaos in Charmine¡¯s ears. Did she not just return for around two months? Why had so many things happened already? Also, with so many things going on, she would need some time to solve them all together¡­ ¡°Calm down,¡± Charmine chimed in. ¡°We¡¯ll solve them one by one, alright?¡± ¡°Okay, okay! Solve mine first!¡± ¡°Mine first!¡± ¡°No! Solve mine first!¡± Charmine could barely form a word at the sight of them arguing. The four of them broke into a fight again, and Charmine might not sleep if it continued. She found four pieces of paper and wrote down numbers from 1 to 4 on them. Once she crumpled them into balls, she put them in her palm and said, ¡°Have your pick, your number will determine your order.¡± ¡°This is a smart idea! Our little Charmine is the smartest!¡± Uncle Larry praised. Charmine shook the papers and tossed them on the table. Quickly, the four elderly men broke into yet another fight over the papers: Uncle Larry of Esports got the first number, followed by Uncle Max and the infrastructure issue, then Uncle Zul of Go Association, followed by Uncle Pop of scientific research. Uncle Pop fell back on the sofa, deted. Charmineforted, ¡°The scientific research field is the most time-consuming of all, and it¡¯ll take more than ten years anyway! Once I¡¯m done with the rest, I¡¯ll have all my time to research with you, alright?¡± ¡°Alright. You promised!¡± Uncle Pop was instantly cheered up. Charmine¡¯s words, however, dismayed Uncle Larry. ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is that I was ced as the first one because mine is the least important?¡± ¡°Of course not! This is to make our country proud, it¡¯s not a small matter at all! Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make you proud tonight,¡± coaxed Charmine. Since she was less likely to sleep, Charmine could y a few games. Uncle Larry pulled at Charmine¡¯s arm and dragged her upstairs to theputer room. ¡°Hurry, hurry! Let¡¯s go! Let¡¯s start the game right away! I want Uji Quin to lose so badly! Let¡¯s show them that we¡¯re not some losers!¡± The other three old men liked to watch Charmine y as well. While Uncle Zul, Uncle Max, and Uncle Pop hated gaming, they found it rather entertaining when Charmine couldplete her kills. With that, the four elderly men stood by Charmine¡¯s side to watch her y. Charmine had forgotten about her previous username and password, so she used the new username she logged in with back at Bailey mansion: Boss. A youngdy who used such a name! ¡°Nice!¡± said Uncle Larry. ¡°I like the name!¡±Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 336 Chapter 336 The other three agreed to Uncle Larry¡¯s remark. Lord of Honors was a global game that required yers to form groups. The highest-ranking yer would earn the title ¡®Lord of Eternal¡¯. On the game page, one could see right away that the highest-ranking yer was Uji Quin from Kansas, but they were not online. Online gaming was their forte, and they did far better than yers from Burlington. There was only one yer from Burlington in Lord of Honors¡¯ global top ten, while five were from Kansas. Charmine clicked on Uji Quin¡¯s profile and clicked on one particr button: (Challenge) The ¡°challenge¡± was one of Lord of Honors¡¯ unique features, allowing its yers to challenge anyone as long as they deposited some cash. If the yer lost, however, the cash would not be refunded. Charmine deposited one hundred million. Just like that, Lord of Honors¡¯ world chat was overridden withments about the challenge. [OMG! Someone just deposited one hundred million to challenge Uji Quin!] [This is the second time in five years anyone had ever challenged Uji Quin!) [Thest time someone challenged them was kill, but the user has gone under the radar. They¡¯re probably a goner by now.] (This is a new yer! Why so daring? What makes him think he could challenge the Lord of Eternal!) (That¡¯s one hundred million. How gutsy!) C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org The four elderly men sitting behind Charmine merely smiled; they knew their little Charmine always had such boldness in her. Moreover, Uji Quin would never be able to win away the money. Charmine could end Uji Quin without breaking a sweat! Unfortunately, Uji Quin did note online that night. As it got ratherte, Charmine turned to them and said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you go and get some rest? I¡¯ll find you when I hear back from them.¡± ¡°No need, no need. I¡¯vee here to stay up the night anyway! I even brought along my supplements!¡± Uncle Pop took out a normal-looking pill and popped it into his mouth. ¡°Didn¡¯t we already discuss the rest?¡± sighed Charmine. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte.¡± ¡°Who said so? We have a more pressing matter at hand. Didn¡¯t I ask Kay to speak to you the other day? What do you say?¡± pestered Uncle Larry. Charmine was caught off-guard. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Look at you! You didn¡¯t even take note while William checks on you every three to five days!¡± Uncle Pop said angrily. That made Charmine rmed. They came to pester her to marry William Peterson! ¡°That¡­ Ah! I¡¯m quite tired, and I need some rest¡­¡± She stood up ready to leave, but the four elderly men blocked her way and ced her back on her seat. Uncle Max said with a serious tone, ¡°Charmine, we¡¯ve heard about you and Anthony Bailey¡¯s progress after you came back. Anthony is indeed a good man, and he¡¯s good enough for you as well, but his family is too much of a mess.¡± ¡°Exactly, just look at the situation about the kid. He¡¯s not epted by the rest of the Bailey family, and you¡¯d have to be his step-mother if you¡¯re to marry Anthony. Also, Anthony¡¯s parents won¡¯t make it easy for you either. It¡¯d be difficult.¡± ¡°By then, you¡¯ll get pulled into their messed-up dynamics. You won¡¯t even have time to truly make use of your full potential! That¡¯s a waste, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Also, there¡¯s a mysterious force keeping an eye on the Baileys, and even we haven¡¯t been able to find out who they are. If you¡¯re to be with Anthony, it won¡¯t be easy.¡± The four of them added one after the other. Charmine frowned. ¡°A mysterious force? How do you know about that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because we care about you, and we pulled at all the stops to do a checkup on the Baileys. There¡¯s no need to look at their business rivals and fights within the family; there was also a mysterious force involved five years ago with an anonymous purpose. And it¡¯s also this mysterious force that sent Momo to Anthony,¡± exined Uncle Pop. Charmine¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°Mysterious force? Didn¡¯t Momoe from a surrogate mother?¡± Anthony said it himself that Momo came from a surrogate mother. What had that to do with a mysterious force? Chapter 337 Chapter 337 Uncle Larry let out a sigh. ¡°How¡¯re you so clueless on this while you¡¯re so smart on other things? Do you really think the child came from a surrogate mother? If he came from a surrogate mother, why would his parents hate the child so much?¡± Charmine¡¯s heart raced at that. Was Momo not from a surrogate mother? Did Anthony keep something from her? All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Based on Uncle Larry¡¯sment, why did Momo¡¯s birth seem to harbor mysteries? ¡°That surrogate mother excuse was just a way for the Baileys to cover this up,¡± said Uncle Max. ¡°Five years ago, a mysterious force arranged for Anthony to sleep with a woman. In the same winter, Momo was sent to the hospital where Nial was admitted. It all seemed too much of a coincidence, but so what if the baby was sent to the Baileys? The child¡¯s mother could be anyone, and a family like the Baileys wouldn¡¯t ept her. ¡°Anthony¡¯s parents thought that Momo¡¯s mother was some random woman. She could¡¯ve been a prostitute, or perhaps a woman who wants to marry into the family. It¡¯s because of that that they hated this child and wouldn¡¯t let him be part of the family.¡± Everything clicked for Charmine once she listened to the elderly men. It made sense why Anthony would stutter or hesitate whenever they talked about Chris¡¯ mother, like he hid something from her. No wonder the Baileys hated Momo so much that they would not ept him. Was that the genuine reason why, then? ¡°A powerful man like Anthony was set up to sleep with another woman?¡± ¡°I know, right? This is why William is better than him! William is still a good boy, and he¡¯s been waiting for you!¡± gushed Uncle Max. Uncle Zul nodded to agree. and turned into the matchmaker he was. ¡°Right, right! It¡¯s so hard to find a clean man like William these days! You won¡¯t find it even if you look with a torch on! Charmine, you have to choose wisely!¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to choose? It¡¯s William, for sure! Anthony¡¯s family is tooplicated, and there¡¯s a mysterious force involved! Not good enough!¡± asserted Uncle Pop as he mmed his palm against the table. Among the men, Uncle Larry remained silent as he gazed at Charmine. He believed that a wise girl like Charmine would know who to choose. However¡­ Charmine¡¯s lips curled up into a beautiful smile. ¡°Exactly! William is too much of a good man, and I¡¯ll only end up harming him. A person like me should be left with other men like Anthony.¡± The smile on Charmine¡¯s lips grew wider as she mentioned his name-Anthony¡¯s. There was relief deep in her eyes. The four elderly men practically gaped at her. Did they hear her wrongly? Did she pick Anthony? ¡°Charmine, are you ill?¡± Uncle Larry could not help but reach out to feel her forehead. Based on her ruthless persona in the game, how would Charmine ept her man that had slept with another woman before? Also, they knew Charmine well enough to know that she was a carefree person by heart; she had been downright idle all these years. She wanted to live a carefree life after taking revenge, but choosing Anthony would spell never-ending dilemma for her! 1 TO ¡°I¡¯m not ill! My thinking is clear!¡± argued Charmine. ¡°I was hesitant before because I didn¡¯t want to harm Anthony, but now I know he had been set up and had slept with another woman while I was made to sleep with another man. We¡¯re a perfect match for one another, isn¡¯t it?¡± The four elderly men reeled in shock. ¡°Charmine! What kind of thinking is this?!¡± ¡°How could you call this a perfect match? This is like a blind cat identally catching a dead mouse!¡± ¡°If you choose Anthony, you¡¯ll be caught up with his family issues! Will you have time for all that mess?¡± ¡°And what about the mysterious force? Anthony had been searching for that for five years of with no result. Nobody knows what their purpose is to have done it, and you might get hurt!¡± Chapter 338 Chapter 338 ¡°The in-in-sight troubles can be easily solved, but the anonymous threats are the hardest to fight with. You can¡¯t take this risk! Don¡¯t be foolish!¡± The four elderly men tried to talk Charmine out of her decision. The adamant Charmine merely offered a small smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. However foolish I may be, I¡¯ll still be able to protect myself. Even if I can¡¯t, I still have you all, as well as Kay and his men!¡± It was apparent, with what she said, that she chose Anthony. ¡°Charmine Jordan!¡± Uncle Pop called out her full name with a serious tone. ¡°Alright, alright,¡± ushered Charmine, ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing. It¡¯s gettingte, though. I¡¯m only twenty- three, and I¡¯m not getting married till I¡¯m at least thirty! It¡¯s gettingte; go and get some rest. There are guest rooms upstairs.¡± ¡°Charmine, we need to talk to you¡ª¡±Uncle Larry wanted to continue. Charmine looked at the time and said, ¡°It¡¯s already one in the morning. How am I supposed to fight Uji Quinter on if this prolongs? If I don¡¯t get enough sleep, I¡¯ll lose the match and will hate myself for it. I won¡¯t have the heart to prepare for the Go match, and no heart for the research¡­¡± ¡°Hey, hey, hey! Alright, alright! We¡¯ll stop talking! Go and get your sleep. We¡¯re not in a hurry!¡± ¡°Do think about your rtionship wisely! Do consider! Carefully consider it!¡± ¡°Go, go, go. Goodnight!¡± The four elderly men stood up and ran out of theputer room as each of them found themselves a guest room. Charmine smiled helplessly at their retreating forms. She would have pulled that trick earlier had she known it would have worked wonders, instead of letting them go on and on¡­ She went back to her bedroom andid down on her bed when she felt a cold prick on her neck. Charmine brought her hand up, only to feel the ne on her neck given by Anthony. She remembered how she tried to get rid of it, but she gradually forgot about it and unconsciously wore it ever since¡­ She hesitated to continue with Anthony, but upon listening to what her Uncles had to say about him, it was like a wave of relief that washed over her. No wonder Anthony acted strangely when the topic of Chris¡¯ mother was brought up. Such a big man, bedded by another woman? Who would be able to say that out loud without feeling embarrassed? Since Anthony was bedded by another woman before, Charmine saw them as equal. Nothing made her fret anymore. She and Anthony-equal! The thought of it brought a smile to her face as her eyelids gradually closed. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Charmine had the best sleep she ever had for a very long time. Morning came, and Charmine¡¯s phone rang at the bedside. It was a video call from Chris. Charmine sat up and answered the call. Instantly, she could see Chris¡¯ adorable, round face as he waved at her happily. ¡°Mommy, Mommy, I saw the news! You¡¯re the person in the news, right?¡± ¡°Huh? What news?¡± Charmine was confused. Chris continued , ¡°Lord of Honors! Someone deposited a billion bucks to challenge Uji Quin, and everyone¡¯s making guesses on who it is. Daddy and I both agreed that this is something Mommy would do! It¡¯s Mommy, isn¡¯t it?¡± gushed Chris as he blinked with his adorable doe eyes, just like a curious Teletubby. Charmine frowned. How fast did that spiral to the news? Should she tell Chris? If she told him Chapter 339 Chapter 339 Chris was a young boy, and if she told him about her gaming, it might have a negative effect on him. She had considered Chris as her actual child to raise and teach. Meanwhile, a deep and maic voice came from the phone, ¡°Momo wasst year¡¯s Lord of Eternal.¡± Wait, what? ¡°Really?¡± blurted Charmine. Although she knew Chris was a smart kid, Lord of Honors was quite aplex game, and there were less than 200 yers who earned the ¡®Lord of Eternal¡¯ title. Chris nodded, and it strangely resembled that of a pecking chick. ¡°Yes, yes! I¡¯m rather impressive myself, huh Mommy? But I haven¡¯t met any challenge for some time and it got too boring for me, so that¡¯s why I quit for almost a year now.¡± Haven¡¯t met any challenge¡­ Any challenge¡­ Too boring¡­ Cough! Cough! This kid! ¡°That¡¯s incredible! No wonder you¡¯re Mommy¡¯s little gem!¡± Charmine praised Chris as she tried to pinch the screen, as if she could pinch his cheek. Charmine decided toe clean as she confessed, ¡°It¡¯s true, Mommy did challenge Uji Quin as I want to make Burlington proud. Don¡¯t tell anyone about this, though-we have to keep this a secret.¡± The people from Kansas were ruthless, especially Uji Quin. If they discover her identity, they might try to murder her! Since she was still caught up with the incident from five years ago, as well as Tiffany¡¯s revenge, she did not want to bring any more trouble to herself. ¡°Yes sir, Mommy! Momo and Daddy will keep this a secret!¡± Chris made a salute gesture to her. A smile involuntarily appeared as Charmine gazed at Chris through the screen. She did not realize how much she looked like a mother. Chris suddenly changed to the rear camera and said, ¡°Mommy, we¡¯re eating! What about you?¡± Chris pointed his camera at the dishes on the table, though most of what the camera captured was Anthony. Charmine could see Anthony sitting on the other end of the table as he ate his breakfast with a knife and fork at hand. He looked utterly elegant and handsome, as if he was in the making of a movie. Charmine¡¯s heart would race whenever she saw Anthony. He was too ethereal; Charmine might never tire from watching him. She no longer held herself back as she recalled the news ryed by her Uncles. ¡°Breakfast looks delicious,¡± said the smiling Charmine, ¡°and your Daddy is looking handsome.¡± As he ate his breakfast, Anthony¡¯s fingers jolted at Charmine¡¯sment through the loudspeaker. Did Charmine just say he was handsome? That was the first, after knowing her for so long, that she praised him. For a moment there, Anthony thought his ears yed tricks on him. Charmine failed to bite back a grin as she saw his reaction; he seemed quite fun to y with. After a few more exchanges, she heard footstepsing from upstairs. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org It sounded like the elderly men were alling down! ¡°Enjoy your breakfast, Momo, Daddy,¡± said Charmine through the phone. ¡°Mommy has some things to attend to, but I¡¯ll call youter.¡± ¡°Alrighty!¡± chirped Chris before he ended the call. At that moment, Charmine heard urgent knocks on her door, followed by the four elderly men¡¯s voices: ¡°Charmine! Wake up! It¡¯s happening! Wake up!¡± ¡°Uji Quin is online! He¡¯s waiting for you!¡± Chapter 340 Chapter 340 Charmine stood up to open the door. ¡°He¡¯s online? Waiting?¡± she spoke to the four elderly men at her door. ¡°Hmph! More than just that. They¡¯re being so pompous! Go to theputer room and look at it!¡± whined Uncle Larry as he pulled her by the arm and walked to theputer room. The entire Esportsmunity went wild overnight. Everyone caught wind of how someone challenged Uji Quin with a whole billion! Everyone waited behind their screens as they anticipated the duel. Charmine sat at theputer table and saw that Uji Quin was posting on his feed. Uji Quin: (Didn¡¯t you try to challenge me? Why did you run away once I came online?] Uji Quin: [If you had the guts to challenge someone, you shoulde online!] Theizens agreed as theymented: [Hahaha! Perhaps this person got too scared that they peed in their pants?] [Maybe he clicked on the challenge button by ident?] [Haha! Maybe he¡¯s just trying to make a name for himself, throwing cash to gain fame. Now, everyone knows about this person with the username Boss.] [It¡¯s already ten in the morning! He¡¯s gotta be scared!] [Another loser from Burlington! Losers! Losers!) Someone started bombarding the feed with degradingments, and people from Kansas swiftly followed and spammed. Gradually, the feed was filled with Uji Quin¡¯s supporters mocking Burlington, arrogantly and rudely so. There was a glimmer of malice in Charmine¡¯s eyes as she clicked onto the ¡®worldview¡¯ feature. This was a paid feature and cost 1,000 bucks per usage. Once the yer turned on the worldview feature, every yer ¨C including those who were in the game, forming a team, lobbying, or hunting-would be able to see the yer¡¯s post. With that, every online user received a notification on top of their screen. Boss: [You woke up early to greet the Boss. I like your attitude.) What an unruly, savageeback! The notification would stay visible for 30 seconds, thus it easily attracted the attention of those who were on their phones orputers. Below the post in thement section, everyonemented their amazement: [Damn! Boss is online! I like the line!) [Nice! Fight well, bro! You gotta bring pride to Burlington!) C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org [Go, Burlington! Go, Burlington!) Many yers showed their support for Charmine. On the other hand, Uji Quin and the people from Kansas were pissed off. They never thought that this challenger would have such an arrogant streak on them. Uji Quin also bought the worldview feature and replied: (A new user has the courage to challenge me? Are you not scared of your tooth falling out? Didn¡¯t you say you want a duel? Bring it on! I¡¯ll beat you till your mother can¡¯t recognize you!) What? Beat her until her mother could not recognize her? Charmine replied: [OK, duel starts now. If I can¡¯t win against you within one minute, you win.) With that, she sent an invitation to Uji Quin for a duel. yers from around the world stared at their screens with keen gazes. Even Robert Jordan stared at his screen, reading the notifications with excitement as he revered that yer-the yer called Boss. It did not matter as much if Boss won or not; their attitude won him over. With that, Robert entered the ¡®Spectator mode¡¯ to watch the duel. The way Lord of Honors worked was that every yer could choose a hero character to attack one another, and the yer with an empty healthy bar would lose. The game had a plethora of characters to choose from: Warrior, Mage, Knight, Healer, and many more. Uji Quin chose the Assassin ss once he got into the game, and spectators of the match frowned. The Assassin was capable of killing a yer for every 10 steps it took; no one could survive the lethality. With the character¡¯s agility and speed, one move would be able to empty his enemy¡¯s health bar. Perhaps it was over for Charmine. How could she win? Chapter 341 Chapter 341 Uncle Larry sat behind Charmine as he instructed, ¡°Choose the Warrior, Charmine. It¡¯s the strongest! You have to, or the Assassin will kill you in seconds!¡± The unperturbed Charmine merely offered a small smile in silence as she clicked on the Dancer instead. The Dancer was a beautiful sniper heroine that used a crossbow as her weapon. Her pick fueled everyone¡¯s bewilderment. [Is Boss making a joke? Did Boss just choose the Dancer against the Assassin?] (While the Dancer is deadly, she¡¯s too weak! The Assassin will kill her in a matter of seconds!) (The Dancer needs Warriors and Nurses to protect her in fights, yet Boss chose to use Dancer for the duel with that Assassin?] [Boss, please change into another character! For Burlington¡¯s sake and the sake of your one hundred million, please change into another character!) Even Uncle Larry grabbed Charmine¡¯s arm and shook her vigorously. ¡°Charmine, are you crazy? Change it right now! The Dancer is no match for the Assassin! Dancers are often in the back-end, shielded by everyone else in fights. There¡¯s no shield in the duel¡­ You¡¯ll be killed!¡± ¡°Hah! We¡¯ll see who¡¯s the one being killed.¡± Charmine smiled. The game was starting, and theputer screen disyed a vast field that resembled a martial arts field in the wild. yers could not change characters once the game started. Helpless Uncle Larry facepalmed before he sat behind Charmine, uneasily. The observers looked at their screens without blinking; they could not afford to miss out even a single second! Uji Quin: [Look, I¡¯ll give you a chance to change your mind before the duel. Call me boss and change your username to Uji¡¯s Dog, and I¡¯ll let you go.) Charmine: (Ha! Why don¡¯t you do that?] Uji Quin: (An arrogant brat, I see. I¡¯ll teach you what despair is by the end of the match!] With that, he controlled his character and started running toward Charmine¡¯s base to attack. Charmine merely typed on her keyboard, unperturbed : [Oh, did you forget something? I bet with one hundred million but you betted nothing. Are you scared?] Uji Quin was triggered. (Who¡¯s the scaredy cat here? I¡¯ll bet with one billion! one billion bucks! If you win against me today, the money is all yours!) Uji Quin was too caught up with killing this challenger that hepletely forgot to bet. The challenger had chosen a useless character¡­ He was sure to win their fight! With that, he typed on his keyboard and bet one billion. He also typed, [If you lose, we¡¯ll meet up for real and you¡¯ll lick my foot.) All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Lick his foot? Charmine had to lick his foot after losing one hundred million? What a preposterous gamble. Charmine liked the thrill of that. (Alright. If you lose, you change your name to Boss¡¯ Dog. Whoever doesn¡¯t keep the promise is a jack*ss!) Their tones were harsh and arrogant. People would surely notice it if Uji Quin, ranked as the No.1 yer, changed his username. He never thought he would see the day when a yer would speak to him so haughtily. Even the leader of Burlington¡¯s Esports, Old Larry had to watch his words when he met him. How could this person be so conceited? Of course, that did not matter. This challenger would lick his foot by the end of their match! With that, he answered: (Okay, deal. Whoever doesn¡¯t keep his words is a jack*ss! Everyone else, take note!] Spectators got riled up with their gamble as thement section was filled withments. [Okay! Screenshot!] [An interesting gamble is taking ce. We¡¯ll see who¡¯s the winner here!] [What¡¯s there to see? The Dancer is going to lose anyway! There¡¯s no chance!) [Really? I don¡¯t think so! Let¡¯s bet!) [Bring it one! I bet 500 that Uji Quin wins!) [I bet 1 buck for Boss!) Chapter 342 Chapter 342 Uji Quin: [Hahaha! This is hrious! Look, newbie, why don¡¯t you leave the game now, and I¡¯ll let you pick a different character? I don¡¯t want you to lose too badly.] Charmine: (Cut the bullsh*t. Bring it on!) Uji Quin: [!!!] With that, both of them entered Lord of Honors¡¯ dual-mode. The dual-tform was a set with a rectangr design and a crystal castle for both yers. A character would not be able to enter their opponent¡¯s castle; the castle would kill them should they attempt to. The game was designed in a way that there were two ways to win the round. The first method was to kill the enemy right as they leave the castle, or before they could make it back in their own castle. The second way was to destroy the enemy¡¯s castle from the outside. Uncle Larry saw how Uji Quin ran toward Charmine¡¯s castle to attack, thus he nervously blurted, ¡°Charmine, be careful. Be careful! We can¡¯t lose! We can¡¯t afford to lose!¡± The entire Burlington would be ashamed if she lost or refused to lick his foot. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± said the nonchnt Charmine as her Dancer made her way out from the castle. Still, the Dancer could be eliminated quickly once she left the castle. Everyone locked their gazes on their screens, unblinkingly. Uji Quin, on the other hand, red daggers at his own. He controlled his Assassin and ran toward the Dancer to attack first. The Assassin moved with such speed that mere shadow clones were left in his wake. In the blink of an eye, he appeared right before the Dancer. The sound of metal ringing was heard as the Assassin swung his longsword toward the Dancer. That was the Assassin¡¯s ultimate skill that could shred his enemies into pieces; his Final Move. A Warrior could shield himself if he was the one that went up against that lethality, but a mere Dancer¡ª and other physically weaker characters-stood no chance against an Assassin¡¯s Final Move. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Everyone spectating the match had their breathsbored; the Dancer would die with this ultimate attack! The Dancer was too weak, so much so that she had no way to defend herself. Staggeringly, Charmine¡¯s fingers fluttered across her keyboard at such a speed that right when the Assassin unsheathed his longsword, she activated her Dancer¡¯s Immunity. That was a special feature of the Dancer. While she was not offensively powerful, she had a special skill ¡ª Immunity¨Cthat wouldst for 1.5 seconds, activated right before the enemy¡¯s attack. In that span of time, Immunity would reduce the damage received by the Dancer by 50 percent. Of course, the Dancer would still receive 50 percent of the attack, and she could still die if she failed to withstand it. Spectators and gamers alike watched the live-stream through their devices without blinking. So what if she chose Immunity? Immunitysted only 1.5 seconds; the Dancer could still die! However, the moment Charmine went on Immunity mode, her fingers swiftly moved to press the keys on her keyboard. While the Dancer was on Immunity, it shot arrows at the Assassin relentlessly. At that moment, the Dancer was barely injured while the Assassin sustained heavy injuries from her attacks. The arrows stabbed the Assassin and cost him half of his health bar. Half! Uji Quin looked at his screen and frowned. This yer could use Immunity while attacking with such speed? No matter; it was just a cheap trick With that, Uji Quin moved his character to a space two meters away. He ran away! Chapter 343 Chapter 343 Chapter 343 What speed! That was the Assassin¡¯s best feature: He could move far away from his opponent after attacking them, giving them no chance to counter-attack. Had it been anyone else, the Assassin could have ended them swiftly, and all they could do was watch as the Assassin moved away without being able to fight back. However, it was Charmine that went up against him¡­and she merely lost 20 percent of her health bar. A weaker character was able to use Immunity to survive the Assassin¡¯s attack, and she had so many health points left to boot! Uncle Larry let out the breath he held onto as he watched the Assassin flee, but he then anxiously warned, ¡°Hurry, Charmine, go back to your castle and heal up. Best to keep it a hundred percent full, just to be safe!¡± 1 Charmine¡¯s lips curled. ¡°Oh, heck no! I said I¡¯d kill him in one minute.¡± Instead of returning to her castle, Charmine¡¯s Dancer ran toward the Assassin! Everyone cried out in shock. Was she crazy?! Despite his 40 percent health bar, the Assassin could keep moving so that Charmine¡¯s Dancer could never close their distance. With such capability, the Assassin could maintain distance, which would only do more harm than good for the Dancer. Charmine, however, seemed to not care about such a detail. Her Dancer merely continued to run toward the Assassin. Uji Quin frowned. So, the newbie had the guts toe after him? Never before had he seen a weak character with such courage to go up against him! Hah! So his opponent wanted to catch up to him, was it? Not a chance! His Assassin moved swiftly, so much so that the opposing Dancer was left miles behind. With such speed, the Dancer could not catch up. Charmine, as undisturbed as ever, merely worked on her keyboard with a small yet confident smile. One of the Dancer¡¯s boons was that she could shoot an arrow from miles away which allowed her to attack from a safe distance. Nheless, a yer would need a good eye and a good aim. The arrow¡¯s direction, once shot, could not be altered, and the chance of sniping her opponent was rather incredibly low. That did not deter Charmine, and her Dancer shot her arrow¡­ Thuck! The arrow prated the Assassin¡¯s abdomen. Instantly, the Assassin¡¯s health bar went down to 30 percent! Uji Quin gaped at that. The newbie was so skilled that she could shoot at him while his Assassin moved? That was downright embarrassing! He had to teach the newbie a lesson! Luckily, his Final Move was usable again. With that, he turned around to attack the Dancer once more! Just like before, he activated the killing mode again and had his character split into multiple avatars. So what if she had Immunity? So what if she could reduce the harm by 50 percent? The Dancer only had 40 percent of her health bar left. He could take her on, face-to-face, and end her swiftly! It took Uji Quin by surprise, however, when Charmine did not use her Immunity. Instead, the newbie¡¯s Dancer flickered out of the Assassin¡¯s trap. Just like that, the Assassin¡¯s ultimate move became useless as the Dancer stood two meters away from him. After flickering away from the trap, Charmine¡¯s finger flitted across the keyboard as she unleashed a rain of arrows, followed by one long arrow to the Assassin. The Assassin was ready to maneuver the attacks when Charmine, at that very moment, activated her Final Move! The Dancer¡¯s Final Move allowed her to jump in front of her enemy and shoot three arrows in one go, allowing her to then return to her original position. Just like that, it took the Dancer a mere second to strike down the Assassin, and she returned to her original position. It all happened in the blink of an eye. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Not long after, words were disyed on the screen. (ASSASSIN GAME OVER] ASSASSIN GAME OVER! The newbie defeated him! How? How could the Dancer kill the Assassin!? Everyone else was just as bewildered as they rubbed their eyes before staring at their screens. All they could see was the Assassin at the Dancer¡¯s feet, his long sword t on the ground. The game was over. Charmine won! Uji Quin lost! Everyone in Burlington went into an uproar! Chapter 344 Chapter 344 [OMG! This is crazy! We won!) [Boss actually won over Uji Quin! Boss won against the best yer in Kansas!] (Hahaha! The best in Kansas is a mere loser!) [It took exactly one minute! Haha! Boss¡¯ timing is impable!) (Ahhh, I¡¯m in love with Boss! What a time to be alive!] (Uji Quin lost! Change your username! Change it! Change it!) The gamers started bombarding thement section. It was, needless to say, a satisfying feeling to behold. Uji Quin smashed his keyboard and mouse with a loud smack. Never did he think he would live to see the day when an opponent could end him in one minute! He was already so quick. He was able to outrun his opponent, yet they were quicker! He was caught off-guard, and he still did not know what went wrong to have resulted in his defeat. As he red at thements pestering him to change his username, he directed his sharp gaze to his assistant. ¡°Go and check up on this douche out right now. Find out who he is! I want to kill him!¡± ¡°Yes, Sir!¡± His assistant left. Meanwhile, at Violet Vi, Uncle Larry giddily jumped. ¡°This is wonderful! Finally, you brought back pride to us! You finally taught Uji Quin a lesson! Tell me what you want, Charmine, and Uncle will buy you anything!¡± ¡°Really? Anything that I ask for?¡± articted Charmine. Uncle Larry patted his chest. ¡°Yes, anything!¡± ¡°I want to sleep in peace. Why don¡¯t you all go home?¡± The longer they stayed at her home, the likelier would they pester her to get married. Before that happened, it was best to ask them leave. Her request startled Uncle Larry. ¡°What? You¡¯re not going to celebrate such a victorious moment with us and choose to sleep instead?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to celebrate. When I¡¯ve time, I¡¯ll train a team for you so that they can help you win! By then, you¡¯d be able to see Uji Quin and the others losing every game. You have to get used to this feeling, treat it with a calm heart,¡± said Charmine. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Uncle Larry¡¯s eyes twinkled at her reply. ¡°Are you serious? You¡¯ll train a team for me?¡± ¡°Yes, I promise.¡± Her voice was clear and reassuring. The pleased Uncle Larry giddily spoke, ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll go now! We won¡¯t disturb you anymore.¡± ¡°Wake up, Old Larry! I get that you¡¯re pleased and all, but what about us?¡± ¡°Exactly! Have you forgotten why we came here?¡± Uncle Max red at Uncle Larry. It was then Uncle Larry remembered that the main reason they paid Charmine a visit was to convince her to marry William. That was the highlight of everything! He said, ¡°We¡¯ll take our leave, Charmine, but we¡¯d like to remind you to carefully consider everything. Please, do so-William is a good man. When he calledst night, he said he¡¯de find you in Burlington.¡± ¡°Also, William is ready to buy a house in Burlington so that he could apany you. He¡¯d live here for you! He¡¯s willing to move to Burlington for you!¡± gushed Uncle Zul, impressed at William. Charmine frowned. She saw thating¡­ Still, she did not expect that he would like her so much. A thought then urred to Charmine as she squinted. ¡°Why don¡¯t you send me his contact?¡± The four elderly men gaped at Charmine. Did they hear her wrongly? Did Charmine just ask for William¡¯s contact? Charmine never asked for anyone¡¯s contact number all these years, especially William¡¯s! In her words, she would say, ¡°If there¡¯s no chance, why bother talking? I don¡¯t want them to have any hope.¡± Yet, here they were-with Charmine asking for William¡¯s number. There was progress after all! Chapter 345 Chapter 345 Delighted, the four elderly scrambled to be the first to send William¡¯s contact number as they each gushed, ¡°Add him now! Talk to him!¡± ¡°Yeah, you youngsters need tomunicate more!¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay to not know him yet. Rtionships take time!¡± ¡°Both of you are geniuses! The baby you¡¯ll have will be a genius, too!¡± The four of them added onto one another as if they could not wait for them to get married. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Charmine massaged her temples and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know what to do. If you don¡¯t leave now, I¡¯ll have no heart to n what happens next.¡± ¡°Alright, alright! Remember to contact him.¡± ¡°Right, I brought you a chess manual. Do have a look when you have the time.¡± Uncle Zul ced a few books on her desk. Uncle Pop also handed in some research papers, while Uncle Max ced down a few building ns. Charmine looked at them as they left and sighed in relief. It was those men that trained her and provided her with so many resources all these years ¨C they were the ones who shaped her. If only they stopped pestering her to get married, it would be perfect! The departure of the elderly men made Charmine¡¯s vi silent once more. She reclined onto the sofa as she clicked open her Whatsapp. Since the four elderly men insisted so badly, she might as well talk to William. Once she added William to her contact, he texted her right away: (Charmine, how¡¯re you doing?] During the time at the research base, everyone called her on first-name basis-Charmine. She replied, (Yeah, I¡¯m alright. I added you to tell you something.) She wanted to get to the point right away, but William sent her a text before she did. 1 . (Charmine, please have a look at this project. We were working on this, but there¡¯s a problem here and the machine couldn¡¯t function properly. Do you know what¡¯s the problem?] [I¡¯ve been troubleshooting all this while. I didn¡¯t want to trouble you, but I haven¡¯t been able to locate the problem yet, so I¡¯ve no choice but to ask for your help.] Even through the texts, she could feel his warmth and gentleness. Charmine thought they were going to talk about their rtionship, but she frowned after [There¡¯s a problem? Let me have a look.] Once William sent her the documents, Charmine went and read the contents. Meanwhile, at the Bailey mansion¡­ Chris shook Anthony¡¯s arm with vigor. ¡°Daddy, Daddy, please bring me to Mommy! I want to see Mommy! I want to see how Mommy ys the game! Please take me there!¡± ¡°No, now let go of my hand,¡± ordered Anthony. It was only a day that he had not seen Charmine; how could he go and bother her? Moreover, the issue about McKenzie was not resolved, and he had to take care of that. Chris, however, did not relent as he shook his arm and cried as though he was wronged. ¡°Waa ¡­! I won¡¯t let go¡­ I want to find Mommy! I want to see Mommy!¡± His admiration for Charmine only grew after watching how she won over Uji Quin. Chris could not wait to see her, to be in her arms again. Anthony¡¯s face remained cold. He gave a firm ¡®no¡¯, but why did the kid still insist on the matter? Just as he was about to tell him off, Nial walked toward him. ¡°Bro, it¡¯s bad. Here¡¯s thetest update: My sister-inw is being pestered to marry a man named William Peterson. They¡¯re chatting on Whatsapp!¡± ¡°What?¡± Anthony frowned. He no longer cared about Chris beside him. Chris, too, stopped annoying him instantly as he stood up and looked at Nial. Nial continued, ¡°Yeah, you heard right. I have a mutual friend with William, and he happened to see some old folks texting William about Charmine, and he also saw William texting her. He told me about it right away.¡± An ominous gleam shed past Anthony¡¯s eyes. William Peterson? Charmine was texting William Peterson? She only left for a day, yet she was already meeting another man? He looked at Luke coldly and instructed, ¡°Get the car ready, we¡¯re going to the Violet Vi Chapter 346 Chapter 346 ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± Luke went out right away to prepare the car. Anthony held onto Chris¡¯ arm and walked to the door. Nial followed swiftly, not wanting to miss out on the exciting drama. The matte ck luxury car left the Bailey mansion and headed for Violet Vi. Meanwhile, at Violet Vi¡­ Charmine¡¯s phone rang incessantly; they were all news shared to her by Kay and his men. [Burlington won against Uji Quin for one billion!) Property ? N?velDrama.Org. (Uji Quin, defeated!) [Who is the Boss!?] Charmine ignored them all as she focused on the documents sent to her by William. She had to fix the problems so that she could ask William to leave her alone. After what happenedst night, Charmine made up her mind to be with Anthony. Of course, she had clear things up with William so that her four Uncles would leave her alone. At that moment¡­ Knock, knock, knock! The wary Charmine inched closer to the door. She looked through the peephole and saw Julian standing outside. Why did hee again? She opened the door and condescendinglymented, ¡°Are you here to be asked to leave again?¡± ¡°Charmine, I came here today with an important matter. Didn¡¯t you want to find Rex Walker? I can take you to him,¡± said Julian, not beating around the bush. Charmine frowned. Rex Walker? ¡°You know where he is?¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve also prepared a gift for you. Follow me,¡± said Julian before he turned away. While she hesitated for a moment, the mention of that name-Rex Walker-made Charmine follow after Julian. She could atst beat him up, so long as she knew where Rex Walker was. 1 With him as Charmine¡¯s witness, Tiffany would be over! Julian knew his n worked when he heard Charmine walking right behind him. Since the previous incident, his reputation had deteriorated while Mile-End¡¯s shares steadily dropped, resulting in him losing over hundred millions of bucks every day. Furthermore, his family members and even shareholders had not been pleased with him. If everything went on ording to n, Charmine would fall for him and everything would be fixed. He had to win Charmine¡¯s heart! They both got into a car that then drove out of Burlington and headed for a secluded vige. Charmine sat on the backseat as she rested with her eyes closed, but she was still very alert of the things happening around her. She would open her eyes from time to time to look outside the window, taking note of road signs and the direction. The journey took them eight hours, and it was only in the evening that the car pulled over before a mountain. Julian got out of the car and opened the door for Charmine like a gentleman. ¡°I¡¯m afraid we¡¯ll have to get there by foot,¡± said Julian. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the inconvenience.¡± However, Charmine merely opened the other door and got out of the car, swiftly and rather charismatically. She stood by the road and looked over. She could see a small vige at the heel of the mountain. The small roads were rugged and rocky with countless tiled roof huts. The scene looked like it was straight out of a poem, especially with the way how dark clouds of smoke came out of the tiled roof huts. Who would have thought Rex Walker would vanish for five years, all while he lived in a peaceful ce? Julian closed the car door and walked to her side. ¡°The road is rocky, so it¡¯s best if you hold onto my arm.¡± Tiffany almost tripped over when walking down the mountain, so Charmine would likely need his help as well. All it took was a little body contact, and she would eventually feel some type of way for him! Also¡­ How would Anthony feel if he saw a photo of them touching one another, and realized she was seeing another man while she was with him? Hah! Chapter 347 Chapter 347 Thest thing Julian expected was for Charmine to reply sharply, ¡°Hold on, do you think I¡¯m that fake girlfriend of yours? Walk quicker, and don¡¯t drag me down.¡± With that, Charmine walked in front of him. The path was narrow and rugged with steps made of stones, each steeper than the previous ones. Despite that, Charmine walked with grace and stability, and she got a few steps down swiftly. Julian looked at her back with narrowed eyes. How could Charmine walk with such grace on such a rugged path? Not to mention, she could easily slip and fall in just a misstep. It was a daunting path, yet she was not scared at all. Amazement welled in Julian¡¯s eyes. Tiffany, on the other hand, practically glued herself to him when they came to this cest night, and her actions served only to stroke Julian¡¯s ego as a man. Looking at Charmine¡¯s confident self, however, made him see that a woman could be just as handsome. A woman like her could only be his. Julian¡¯s gaze darkened at the thought of his n as he caught up to Charmine. Both of them walked for at least half an hour before reaching the heel of the mountain. The sky had darkened at that point, and vigers had started to make meals at their homes, evident by the smokeing out of their chimneys. Julian eventually cut Charmine off and walked in front of her instead. ¡°Follow me.¡± Charmine remained cautious as she followed him deeper into the vige. They walked past ridges and roads, and under the dark sky, there were no vigers in sight. As he walked, Julian slowly began, ¡°Charmine, I¡¯ve regretted my actions over the past five years. I shouldn¡¯t have supported Tiffany¡¯s mistakes back then.¡± Charmine merely scoffed and said nothing to that. If a douchebag could repent, the world might as well start rotating in the opposite direction. Still, Charmine was all up to find out what Julian was trying to pull. ¡°What I¡¯m saying is true, Charmine.¡± Julian stopped abruptly and turned to look at her. ¡°Back then during our wedding ceremony, I genuinely wanted to marry you, and I sincerely wanted to make it up to you for the rest of my life. What happened between me and Tiffany was an ident, and I brought you here to find Rex Walker today to prove my sincere intentions.¡± ¡°Cut the bullsh*t. Are you walking or not?¡± huffed the impatient Charmine. Julian¡¯s face darkened again. He put down his ego to say such things to her, yet Charmine showed him such an attitude? How could she be so rude? He stamped down his anger at the thought of his n and fought back the urge tosh out.¡° You¡¯ll believe me soon enough.¡± His cold tone was filled with confidence. As he walked, he made a phone call to instruct,¡° Charmine doesn¡¯t believe me. We¡¯ll have to do it now.¡± All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Huh? Mr. Cabell, are you truly sure you want Ms. Tiffany to be¡± ¡°This is an order. Do it now,¡± asserted Julian before he hung up. The keen Charmine overheard everything. . ¡®Do it now¡¯? To Tiffany? What trick was Julian trying to y? She followed behind Julian as they arrived at a remote, lone hut in the area built leaning toward the mountain. A faint, very dim light came from inside the hut. Instead of leading Charmine to the main door, Julian led her to the one side of the hut. There was a see-through window, and Charmine could peer inside with it. She saw arge, rough- looking man tossing a tied-up woman onto the bed. ¡°Forgive me, Ms. Tiffany,¡± said the man, ¡°but Mr. Julian wants to beg for Charmine¡¯s forgiveness. You crossed the line back then¡­ This is what you deserve.¡± The man¡¯s thick, rough hands tore Tiffany¡¯s clothes. Rip! The woman shrank into the bed as she screamed and cried all while her dress was torn, her two long, white legs exposed in the process. Chapter 348 Chapter 348 ¡°No¡­ No! Julian won¡¯t do this to me! Go away! You can¡¯t do this to me! I want to see Julian!¡± ¡°Forget about it! Your Julian has fallen for Charmine and doesn¡¯t like you anymore! You¡¯ll be in my care tonight!¡± With that, the man went on top of Tiffany and tore her dress violently. The clothing was ripped apart just like that, leaving Tiffany with only her underwear and bra. She wailed and trembled. Charmine frowned. Julian had the heart to go as far as putting Tiffany in bed with another man? Speaking of the man, Charmine could tell he had some surgeries done to his face even with only his side-profile. She could tell, with her sharpness, that it was Rex Walker. With fierce and violent eyes, Rex Walker¡¯s facial features were rough and thick as he had yellowish teeth. Who would have thought he was hidden in this mountain vige for five years, only to appear and assault Tiffany? ¡°I know you want revenge, Charmine,¡± murmured Julian ¡°so this is my most sincere apology.¡± As he spoke in the darkness, he held her hand. ¡°I can promise you that I won¡¯t let you down for the rest of our lives. I won¡¯t see Tiffany ever again. I¡¯ll make it all up to you, all of my mistakes, by a hundred-fold.¡± His eyes were sincere and his voice sounded genuine. The level of sincerity was so refined that even Julian could not tell if he meant it or not. Somehow, unknowingly, his feelings for Charmine had changed. s, Charmine merely scoffed as she pulled her hand away from his before walking to the hut¡¯s main door. Julian frowned. What was she doing? Bam! Instantly, Charmine kicked open the wooden door and walked to the bedroom. In the bedroom, she found Rex Walker on top of Tiffany as made out with her. Tiffany¡¯s clothes were all torn off. Rex Walker saw Charmine approaching them, thus he guiltily said, ¡°What¡­ What are you doing here? This woman made me hurt you five years ago. I¡¯ll hurt her now!¡± ¡°Pah!¡± Charmine scoffed and walked to the bedside and reached out to hold Tiffany¡¯s face. She felt for a spot and tore it with force. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Fwoop! Instantly, a skin-mask was torn away. The face of ¡®Tiffany¡¯ came off of the woman¡¯s face. She was not Tiffany at all! The air became tense and quiet. Rex was bbergasted, and Julian-who just walked in-was just as shocked. Julian spent arge sum of money to make this skin-mask. How could Charmine spot it in the dark? How did she know this was a skin-mask? Was she so observant? Charmine looked at the mask and tossed it aside, and itnded on Julian¡¯s feet. Her gaze hardened as she sharply red at Julian. ¡°What¡¯s the fun in pulling this stunt?¡± she sneered. ¡°Charmine, I¡­¡± Julian was caught off-guard, speechless at the turn of events. He looked forward to having Charmine fall for him, not for her to expose him¡­ Meanwhile, Charmine already turned over and held onto Rex¡¯s cor. She raised him up! Charmine managed to pull up a tall and big man like Rex, a heavily built man with a weight about 70 kilograms, from the bed! Charmine threw him with all her might, and a loud crash was heard as Rex was mmed against the wall. The hub shook at the impact. ¡°Argh!¡± Hended on the floor and let out a loud cry. He could feel his organs shaking! How could a woman have such strength in her body?! Was she a monster? Before he could speak, Charmine got closer to him, one step at a time, as an ominous aura was emitted from her being. Chapter 349 Chapter 349 Charmine stood before Rex Walker with ice-cold eyes. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. The man before her ruined her five years ago. He ruined her entire life! It did not matter how Tiffany bribed him; he was an adult man who did a despicable act against an innocent woman. A grown-up! A man like him should be dead. With fists clenched tightly, Charmine pounded Rex Walker¡¯s face. ¡°Argh!¡± Rex fell onto the ground again as a tooth fell out of his gums. Just as he was about to get back up on his feet, Charmine climbed on top of him as she unleashed kicks after punches. With a deadly gaze, Charmine¡¯s punches were driven with ferocity and savagery. It was as though she was pummeling a mere punching bag. ¡°Aaarghhh!¡± Rex cried out in agony as he shielded his head with his arms, cowering in a corner as he cried out, ¡°Mr. Cabell¡­ Mr. Cabell! Help¡­help me! Argh!¡± Each cry was more harrowing than thest as he wailed in agony. Julian wanted to step in, but the air Charmine was exuding was too murderous! Moreover¡­ Charmine should have her fill since she wanted to punch him! Only with that could Charmine forgive Julian ¡°This is what you deserve,¡± said Julian, ¡°so take it!¡± The helpless Rex could only resign to his fate as he took in her punches with his head shrank in. The sight only fueled Charmine¡¯s anger to a greater degree, and her fury boiled within her.¡° Damn it! I was ruined by a useless man like you?! You jerk!¡± She raised him up once more, ready to toss him out of the window! Rex was terrified. He would be heavily incapacitated if she tossed him out, if not dead! Was Charmine mental? Did she truly want to toss him out of the window? ¡°Wait, wait!¡± cried Rex. ¡°Wait! Let me go! It wasn¡¯t me! I wasn¡¯t the one who slept with you back then!¡± ¡°Pah!¡± Charmine scoffed. Did he think she would believe a bullsh*t like this? She raised her hands and tossed him out. Crash! Rex was thrown right out of the window as broken wood pieces scattered. The violence of the scene was as if they were filming an action movie! Julian was shocked. Since when did Charmine be so strong? Was she not weak and shy? How could she be so powerful? Rexnded on the floor as fresh blood spurted out from his mouth. He mumbled weakly, ¡°Not me¡­ really wasn¡¯t me¡­! Why don¡¯t you believe me¡­?!¡± Charmine¡¯s eyes narrowed at that. Why was it not him, he said? She made a thorough investigation and found out he was the one whom Tiffany had bribed! She jumped out from the window, held onto his arm, and dragged him away. ¡°Don¡¯t defend yourself, I¡¯m bringing you to the police!¡± Even though she was not pressing charge on Tiffany yet, she had to get hold of this piece of evidence! For all the pain she endured in five whole years, she would make them pay dearly! Tiffany ¨Cwho had watched in the dark-stomped her feet anxiously. What now? What could she do?! It would be over for Tiffany once Charmine brought Rex to the police station! Tiffany had carefully nned everything, all so Charmine would fall head over heels for Julian. Not only was that ruined, but Charmine took Rex with her! Tiffany was about to rush out when Rex-dragged across the ground, skin frayed and all burst in agony, unable to hold back the pain, ¡°Boss Jordan, please forgive me! I beg you! I wasn¡¯t the one who slept with you back then!¡± Chapter 350 Chapter 350 ¡°It¡¯s true that I followed Tiffany¡¯s instruction to walk into the karaoke room in Royal Banquet Bar, but the room was empty, and Tiffany locked the door from the outside because she didn¡¯t want either of us to run away. ¡°I thought the n had failed, that I wouldn¡¯t earn mymission, but the Gang Master actually carried you back to the room! The person who slept with you was the Walkers¡¯ Gang Master!¡± Rex Walker cried out in agony. He sounded sincere and honest, nothing like a lie would sound like. Charmine frowned. She stopped and looked at him sharply. ¡°The Walkers¡¯ Gang Master? Do you mean Alexander Walker?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes!¡± Rex noticed how she stopped to listen, thus he hastily continued, ¡°When he brought you back, he gave you to me and asked me to pretend that everything went as nned. The sky was already brighter then. You looked messed up and were sent back by the Gang Master. It¡¯s obvious that he slept with you! How would I dare touch the woman that the Gang Master slept with! ¡°Also, Tiffany and Mr. Cabell came to pick you up just a few minutes after that. I never touched you; not even the tip of your fingernails! I can swear to God! If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask Mr. Cabell or Tiffany. My clothes were well-put, and I didn¡¯t even take off my socks!¡± said Rex as he looked at Julian, silently begging for help. Charmine did not even turn to look at Julian; her eyes darkened at the new revtion. Julian said that she was raped in Royal Banquet Bar, not Phoenix Hotel! Charmine was sent to Phoenix Hotel to give the impression that she had slept with Julian. No wonder the staff in Phoenix Hotel said that she saw two people dragging her to the hotel. So that was the reason! Did that mean Charmine, by some chance, happened to walk out of the karaoke room before Rex got in, ran into Alexander Walker, and was raped after that? Julian caught up with them and said, ¡°Charmine, since it¡¯s in the past and you¡¯ve beaten him up, there¡¯s no need to bring this to the police. If you¡¯re still unsatisfied with the matter, I can help you find the Walkers¡¯ Master and make him apologize to you.¡± Charmine red at him coldly. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m after an apology? What I want is for Tiffany to be put into prison. She has to pay for what she did to me!¡± snapped Charmine before she continued to walk away. Tiffany¨Cwho observed everything from afar- was just as staggered as Julian. Was Charmine that cruel that she wanted to ruin Tiffanypletely? They had already apologized to her! Why was she still hooked onto vengeance?! 2 Julian red at her back as his lips curled into an evil smirk. He had long nned for Charmine to not leave this ce easily. He had to have her tonight. He signaled toward Rex and Tiffany before he went to chase after Charmine. Tiffany sighed-they thankfully had a n B. Whatever it took, that n had to seed! She walked up to Rex and said, ¡°You¡¯re not so bad at making up stories! She actually believed you! Come on up, I¡¯ll reward you after this.¡± ¡°o¡­kay¡­¡± Rex supported his wounded body and went back to his hut as quickly as he could.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. What he had said was no lie at all, and he wanted to tell that. He truly did not sleep with Charmine, but there was no point in talking about it. It was enough that he could get away from that evil woman and survive! Meanwhile¡­ Charmine tried to walk out of the vige based on her memory. She could hear Rex¡¯s words ringing in her ears. She got out from the room before Rex came in, and slept with another man. That man was Alexander Walker. She had seen Alexander before, when she went into the Walkers¡¯ base the other night. Alexander was a hauntingly beautiful man, devilishly handsome. Charmine, on the other hand, was ugly and terrible- looking five years ago. Why would a high-up gang master sleep with someone like her? Charmine felt something off about the whole story. Did she miss out on something? Chapter 351 Chapter 351 Charmine walked as she swam in her thoughts, but it became stranger the more she walked. She was sure she had passed this particr area¡­ Why was she back in the same area? She remembered that it took less than half an hour to get to Rex¡¯s hut from the entrance of the vige, yet she had walked for over an hour already. Why was she not out yet? She stopped dead in her tracks and eyed her surroundings. Her surroundings were dimly lit by the moonlight. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, just some huts sitting not far away from where she stood. Perhaps she was too caught up with her thoughts that she did not pay attention to her surroundings? She focused on the path in front of her and continued walking. Despite that, she found no way out even as she walked. She always returned at the same spot by the ridge. How peculiar. All of a sudden, rain fell from the sky. It was not too heavy, nothing like a downpour, but it was enough to drench anyone. ¡°Charmine!¡± called a gentle yet urgent voice. Julian ran up to her and removed his suit to cover her head. ¡°It¡¯s raining. Why don¡¯t we look for a shelter?¡± he offered as he reached out to hold her, seemingly worried. ¡°Cut the bullsh*t!¡± Charmine pulled off his suit and tossed it back at him. ¡°Tell me, what¡¯s up with the path?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a long story, and I just realized it as well. Let¡¯s find a shelter first, and I¡¯ll tell you ther.¡± With that, Julian covered Charmine with his suit again and walked in front of her. Charmine did not want to follow him, but everything seemed so strange. It did not help that the rain got heavier by the minute, thus she had no choice but to follow him. With Julian taking the lead, both of them eventually arrived at a pitch-dark cave, but Julian used his phone as a torch to light up the cave. Both Julian and Charmine were drenched, and that went especially for Julian as his white shirt was completely wet. Even his hair had beads of water dripping down from it. He looked at Charmine. ¡°Come on in to rest. The entrance is too chilly.¡± Charmine tossed him his suit and asked impatiently, ¡°What is it?¡± She did not want to spend any more time with him in the cave. Julian did not expect her to be so rude even after being drenched, but he eventually relented as he exined, ¡°When I came out to chase after you, Rex told me that there¡¯s a nickname for this vige, and they call it the Ghost Vige. No one can get out of here when night falls, and that even goes for the vigers who live here.¡± Ghost Vige? Charmine scoffed, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m still a three-year-old girl?¡± ¡°Of course, I wouldn¡¯t lie to you. You¡¯ve changed so much after all these years, so you should¡¯ve heard about this. With a special designing method, an architect could create the effect of a ghost town that keeps anyone from getting out. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°This vige and the huts were built ording to this principle. No one can leave this ce without adequate light when night falls,¡± added Julian. Charmine frowned. She knew about that principle. To exin it, any living thing would travel in circles should they have no clear intention. If the surroundings or the signs appeared simr, a passerby would keep traveling in a circle. That went especially at night. Even with the help of a torch, the visibility waspromised while the surroundings were made of simr-looking huts and fields. Charmine saw small houses from afar and tried to walk toward them, but the truth was that those houses were positioned at such an angle that it was in fact misleading her to walk in a circle. She had to wait for sunrise so she could get a better view of everything-ridges and all-and only then would she be able to get out. Julian saw the change in her eyes, and his voice became gentler than before. ¡°Sit down and have a rest. I¡¯ll make fire.¡± With that, he started looking for woods to pile up. Chapter 352 Chapter 352 Charmine saw Julian piling up wood but remained unperturbed as she fished out her phone and fiddled with it. Julian did not stop her. He knew that there was no signal reception in this vige, and no message of hers would be sent with that. Since both she and Julian were stuck in the cave, Charmine had to spend a night with him until morning came. Julian would start a fire that could warm her as he would dry her clothes, care for her, and look after her. Charmine was sure to be moved! Since her clothes were soaked, Charmine would have to remove them so he could dry them. Something would surely happen then. Charmine would be his by the night ended! Meanwhile, Charmine did not seem to care about him. She leaned on the wall while she continued working on her phone. On the other side, Julian kept up his caring persona as he ignited fire between them. He also picked up his suit and dried it out by the fire. After a while, he asked with a caring tone, ¡°Put this one when it¡¯s dried out, alright? Why don¡¯t you take a nap first?¡± ¡°Nap? Where?¡± quipped Charmine. Julian frowned; Charmine was picky. After all, there were stones everywhere without a ce toy down. Did it matter that she was picky, though? All that mattered was that she spoke to him; there was an improvement! Charmine stayed quietly as well, and it was apparent that she was willing to stay here with him! He put on his best act as he kindly replied, ¡°I¡¯ll make you a bed.¡± There was some hay that he had prepared, but he ced them further inside the cave to make it less noticeable. At the thought of Charmineying on the hay, Julian¡¯s eyes glimmered with anticipation and desire. There were only the two of them here. He had to bed her! Willingly, he went into the deep end of the cave to look for the hay. It took him almost an hour of effort to make the bed. ¡°It¡¯s ready for you now.¡± The cave was rather cold, and it was tiring to sit on the stone floor. Charmine would surely choose to lay down! However¡­ ¡°Youy down if you want. I don¡¯t need it,¡± sneered Charmine. What did she mean, she did not need it? Before he could process her words, a loud hum was heard in the skies followed by a bright searchlight. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. The sound¡­ Julian almost could not believe his eyes. He rushed to the entrance of the cave to see a helicopter landing from above. Just like he spected, it was the noise of a helicopter! He frowned at Charmine. ¡°Did you call for this?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not too dumb after all.¡± Charmine¡¯s red lips curled upward as she dusted her buttocks. ¡°I¡¯m leaving now. Enjoy your night in the cave.¡± With that, she walked out of the cave. Julian quickly grabbed her arm. ¡°How did you contact them? When did you contact them?¡± There was no signal in the vige. It was impossible to contact them! ¡°Do you really think my phone doesn¡¯t have a signal booster?¡± asked Charmine rhetorically with an amused tone. While it was true that the vige had no signal reception, Charmine had modified her phone in such a way that she would get a signal to contact the outside world, even if she went to an ancient forest! She swung his arm away and marched toward the helicopter. The helicopter was parked two meters up in the air. Charmine leaped forward and jumped up swiftly. She urately grabbed the lower part of the helicopter and used her lower body strength to jump inside the helicopter. Her movements were swift and refined. Julian looked at her arrogant back with clouded eyes. He clenched his fists tightly. That meant Charmine knew she could leave the vige from the start, but she watched him start a fire, dry the clothes, and make the bed? She acted so calmly not because she was willing to spend the night with him, but it was because she merely waited for her time to leave! ¡°Charmine! How can you be so cold-hearted?!¡± Chapter 353 Chapter 353 ¡°Cold-hearted?¡± Up in the helicopter, Charmine scoffed as she red at Julian. ¡°I guess I am cold- hearted, but nothing like you. So fake and yet you¡¯re nowhere close to that fake girlfriend of yours! You guys wanted to set me up to gain my trust and my assets, huh? Hah! Dream on!¡± Her clear and cold voice resonated in the night sky as the helicopter rose higher in the air. Julian¡¯s body jolted at Charmine¡¯s words. She knew of his n from the start? How was she so sharp? How did the woman who used to follow after him-the shy and dumb girl-became so smart and cautious? His fists tightened even as he stared at Charmine carried away by the helicopter. Why was Charmine so cruel? Could she not tell that his feelings for her became genuine as ofte? One day¡­ He would make her love him one day! Frustrated, he kicked at a stone in the cave. Julian disappointedly gazed at the hay bed he had made. He nearly seeded in his n, and they would have gotten closer to one another! s, it was futile¡­ Damn it. He wanted her so badly! Thoughts of the lean, haughty Charmine upied Julian¡¯s mind incessantly. Inside the helicopter¡­ Kay handed Charmine fresh clothes to change into. ¡°Boss Jordan, do wash up and get changed. Don¡¯t get ill.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Charmine epted the clothes and walked into the restroom inside the helicopter. The bathrobe caught Charmine¡¯s attention as she bathed, and her mind instantly wandered to the memory of when she stood in front of Anthony in just her bathrobe. Oh, right! Anthony! Chris! She promised Chris that she would call him after everything got sorted, and she had not contacted them. She wondered how they were doing. Charmine quickly finished her shower and walked out to ask, ¡°Any news from Anthony?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Kay¡¯s eyes darted as he spoke, ¡°Boss Jordan, are you sure you want to be with Anthony? Are you not going to reconsider the words the four men said to you?¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to reconsider? William is indeed a good man, but once cannot force a rtionship. I can only treat him as a colleague.¡± Charmine dried her hair and sat on the chair. Kay sat beside her and asserted, ¡°But Anthony slept with another woman five years ago! And he even had a son! You¡¯ll be a step-mom if you marry him!¡± 1 ¡°That¡¯s quite good. I don¡¯t have to get pregnant ¨C I get one for free! Anyone would dream to have that! You won¡¯t understand how painful it is for a woman to be pregnant for nine months and give birth.¡± Charmine reclined on the chairnguidly and fished out her phone. Kay was speechless. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. That was it! It was over! Boss Jordan could no longer think clearly! How could she mix up the facts and even spoke of the disadvantages as her advantages? Would William adopt a kid right away if he heard what Charmine had said? Charmine said nothing else as she turned on her phone to contact Anthony and Chris, only to find her Twitter and Whatsapp filled with countless messages and multiple missed calls. Her phone had somehow had its Do Not Disturb function turned on, and all notifications were silenced and were not disyed. She clicked on the chatroom to see her screen bombarded with the following: [Mommy! Mommy! Where have you been?] (Mommy! Daddy and I are looking for you! Reply me when you see this!] [Mommy, Mommy! Waaa! Do you hate Momo now? Do you not like Momo and Daddy anymore?] [Momo misses you! What did Momo do¡­? Did Momo piss Mommy off? Mommy, please don¡¯t disappear.) Charmine frowned. Did she identally turn on the Do Not Disturb mode? Chapter 354 Chapter 354 She had not contacted Anthony and Chris for the whole day. They must have been anxious! She called Anthony right away, but all she heard was the automated voice through the phone,¡± Sorry, the number you have dialed is unavable.¡± Unavable? She called Chris¡¯ phone and the same automated reply greeted her. It was not until then when she realized something was up, thus she turned her gaze toward Kay. ¡°What did you do?¡± ¡°N-Nothing,¡± blurted the anxious Kay, unable to meet Charmine¡¯s gaze. Charmine red at him unblinkingly. ¡°Nothing? I know how Anthony is, so why is it so hard to get in touch with him? And why is my phone on Do Not Disturb mode?¡± ¡°This¡­ Well¡­ Perhaps Anthony wasn¡¯t looking for you at all? Perhaps¡­he doesn¡¯t treat you as seriously as you thought? Err¡­ Also, maybe you¡¯re the one to turn on the Do Not Disturb mode without realizing it?¡± I All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Hah! Yeah, right! Go on, continue!¡± Charmine tossed her phone onto the table and red at him questionably with her hands on her waist. Her gaze was sharp like a knife, ready to cut him into pieces. Kay shivered under her gaze. He stood up quickly and quipped, ¡°I¡¯m going to the bathroom.¡± ¡°I think Africa suits you quite well. You¡¯ll go back tomorrow,¡± came Charmine¡¯s calmly masked threat. Terrified with thement, Key instantly sat down and confessed, ¡°Boss Jordan, don¡¯t me me! This was all Mr. Pop¡¯s idea! ¡°He wanted Anthony to think that you chose William over him. He even made us wipe clean the route you and Julian had taken, so that Anthony would think you and Julian did this on purpose to avoid him. ¡°Now that Anthony and Chris couldn¡¯t find you, it seems that they had given up¡­¡± ¡®Given up? That exined why no one picked up her calls! Anthony must have thought she wanted to be with William, and he might even assume that she wanted to get back with Julian! Knowing him and his jealousy, who knew what else he made up in his mind? She took out phone, trying to turn on her location. Kay said, ¡°No use. Mr. Zul made us keep a close eye on Anthony and Chris Bailey. When we checked an hour ago, we found out they had gone out of radar as well.¡± Gone out of radar¡­ This was the first time Charmine wanted to beat them up for what they did. How would she find them? What if Anthony hated her for this? All this happened just as she made up her mind to be with Anthony, too¡­ What if Chris had a seizure again? Overwhelmed with worry, Charmine barked, ¡°This is stupid. I want all of you to use everything you got to find where they are, right now! Otherwise, you¡¯ll be sent to Africa and mine for diamonds tomorrow onward!¡± ¡°Ahh, ahh! I¡¯ll check right away!¡± The terrified Kay shot up from his seat and got to work on hisptop. He did not want to go back to Africa. Charmine seemed genuinely angered. It seemed that her feelings for Anthony were genuine¡­ Did that mean all hope was lost for William? No, no! The person he should be most worried about was himself! He had to do the task she gave him, and fast! Charmine wanted to search for them as well, but the program on her phone was notplex enough to locate Anthony and Chris. She could only ask them to send her to Violet Vi; only there would she have some high-functioningputers that could amplify her power to search and locate. Once she got out of the helicopter, she warned Kay, ¡°You have one hour!¡± One hour! Kay wanted to cry. How could he find Anthony and Chris if they intentionally evaded Charmine? Although they were highly skilled, Anthony was even more skilled! What could he do? Where should he even start? Chapter 355 Chapter 355 Once Charmine entered her vi, Kay frantically called Mr. Zul¡¯s number. ¡°What do I do? Boss Jordan says that I¡¯ll be sent to Africa if I can¡¯t find Anthony and Chris in one hour!¡± ¡°Then go back to Africa. Sacrificing you is worth it for Charmine¡¯s sake. Oh, Kay, what a noble man!¡± comforted Mr. Zul. Kay¡¯s lips twitched at his words. ¡°But Boss Jordan also said that if she can¡¯t find them, she¡¯d have no heart to do the research, and she won¡¯t care for anything else!¡± Uncle Zul reeled back in shock Preposterous! ¡°Then look for them!¡± ordered Mr. Zul. ¡°Keep searching! Use everything you got to find them!¡± Surely they would be able to find Anthony Bailey, what with all the men they had! Inside the vi¡­ Charmine hastily went up to theputer room. She was worried for Chris. What if he had seizures again under the assumption she did not want him anymore? He was just a boy; he did not deserve such agony! Still, judging Anthony¡¯s character, it was likely that he would keep Chris away from her if he despised her and under the impression that she was frolicking with other men.. The Baileys had way too many properties, and Charmine could only try her luck in searching At that moment¡­ She was greeted with the sight of both Anthony and Chris on the sofa on the second floor. Anthony was dressed in his usual, customized suit-elegant, expensive, and handsome while Chris slept on hisp. His small, adorable face seemed at peace. Before them were snacks, pizzas, cakes, and a ss of milk ced on the coffee table. It seemed that they prepared everything for her! Charmine¡¯s eyes twitched. ¡°How¡­ Why are you both here?¡± ¡°What? Do you not want to see us?¡± Anthony said calmly. Charmine exined hastily, ¡°Of course not! I¡¯m just curious. Aren¡¯t you supposed to¡­leave, and never want to see me again?¡± ¡°If the woman I like really cheated behind my back, I¡¯ll only get rid of her lover instead of walking away. So, Ms. Jordan, I¡¯m afraid we¡¯ll have to disappoint those who set it up,¡± spoke Anthony, voice crisp and masculine, as a faint smile made its way to his face. Charmine was shocked. Anthony knew someone set this up? How smart was he? Also, did he just say that he would only kill the other person if she cheated on him? How officious! Charmine instinctively walked toward them and sat by Anthony¡¯s side. ¡°Your overzealousness is rather impressive! Still, what made you think I¡¯d show up here?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ve lived with you for quite some time now, and I¡¯d be a loser if I didn¡¯t know who you are,¡± commented Anthony as he gently ced Chris by his side and handed a slice of cake to her. His action was elegant and smooth, giving one a sense of sensibility and maturity. Charmine epted the cake as she failed at biting back her grin. ¡°It almost seems that you¡¯re certain about me not liking William and Julian.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Charmine did not even like him. Why would she have feelings for a nerd like William Peterson? As of Julian¡­ Hah! Anthony knew Charmine would not be blind. He had to admit that he was furious when he knew Charmine went out with Julian while he and Chris came to Violet Vi. However, after looking for them half a day, they realized every trace was wiped clean, and only Charmine¡¯s men were capable of doing such things. He then thought about William, and it all made sense. ¡°Have some bites,¡± offered Anthony, ¡°you must be hungry.¡± This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Charmine felt a strange surge of warmth that spread throughout her chest. She disappeared for a day, but not only did Anthony not hate her for it, but he even prepared a table with various dishes for her. Chapter 356 Chapter 356 Charmine grew more certain of the decision she made. ¡°Oh, how¡¯s it going with the Special Warfare 919 Spy Camera?¡± spoke Charmine as she ate. ¡°I want to go back soon and sleep with Momo.¡± . Anthony¡¯s eyes widened. Did Charmine just say she wanted to go back to his mansion? It seemed as though there was a change in Charmine¡¯s heart after what had happened! Charmine noted how Anthony remained silent at her question, thus she suspiciously asked,¡± What? Is it impossible?¡± ¡°Nothing¡¯s impossible, and I don¡¯t have to deal with it either. I¡¯ll let McKenzie watch all she wants. Momo and I will be staying here until my father¡¯s birthday celebration,¡± decided Anthony, all with a calm disposition. Charmine looked at him in shock. ¡°Live here?¡± Anthony nodded. ¡°The most dangerous ce is always the safest ce. I¡¯m sure Ms. Jordan understands this principle.¡± N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. It all clicked for Charmine at that very moment. Anthony had gone all over Burlington to look for her, but nobody thought he would go to Violet Vi. Charmine knew not how Anthony pulled it, but nobody found out he came back. Not even her own men knew! McKenzie would never know Anthony nned to stay in Violet Vi with her, what with her mere capabilities. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea,¡± agreed Charmine, ¡°let¡¯s do it!¡± McKenzie would surely hunt them down in the following days, but Charmine would make sure she would never find them. She would pull at all the stops for it. Once the birthday celebration was over, Senior Bailey would stop pestering Anthony to marry McKenzie. Still, not leaving the vi for a few days seemed rather impossible to aplish. It was as if Anthony could read her mind when he assured, ¡°Everything is settled; we¡¯ve brought with us all necessary items. Living here for one month isn¡¯t an issue.¡± Charmine nced around and noticed there were men-rted and child-rted items ced around. Had Anthony nned to live with her for some time?! As Charmine gazed at all the snacks and food on her table, however, she decided to keep them anyway. with that, Charmine picked up a fork and ate the cake as she sipped the milk prepared for her. Her movement was swift and unpretentious. Anthony sat by the side as he gazed at her, gentleness evident in his eyes. It was only after a few spoons in that Charmine remembered an important issue. The four Uncles said someone was plotting against Anthony, that he was plotted to sleep with a woman five years ago. They said that Anthony had no leads to what happened, and who did it. Charmine thought of asking Anthony for details so she could help him, but she hesitated at the thought that it might hurt his ego. It did not help that he intentionally kept it hidden from her, just as how she hid things from him, She understood how he felt. Furthermore, he was a man once raped¡­ Charmine eventually decided against asking him. Charmine only finished her meal when it was two in the morning. ¡°There are many rooms here,¡± said Charmine, ¡°and they¡¯re all brand new. Have your pick.¡± Have his pick? ¡°Alright.¡± Anthony carried Chris in his arms and walked straight into Charmine¡¯s bedroom. Charmine frowned and walked forward to remind him, ¡°This is my bedroom. You can sleep in the room next to mine.¡± Although she had decided to ept him, there were still many things unresolved. They could not sleep together all the time! Moreover, they only shared a bed together to improve Momo¡¯s illness, and the boy had shown improvement for some time. ¡°Momo had been crying a lot today,¡± reasoned Anthony, ¡°and he might have seizures tonight.¡± That basically meant they had to share a bed again! With that, he carried Chris in his arms and went right to her bed. Chapter 357 Chapter 357 Charmine was bbergasted at Anthony¡¯s remark Property ? N?velDrama.Org. That man always had so many excuses up his sleeve, and Momo is often the center of them all! Whatever! Since it was for Chris, she let it slide. She went to secure her spot on one side of the bed and let Chris sleep between them. Thankfully, Chris was not awake, soundly asleep. Anthony made no arguments as heid on the other side, beside Chris. He turned off the light as moonlight peeked from the window, and the room was filled with warmth and love. Meanwhile, Julian was livid. He even set up bats so he could be Charmine¡¯s knight in shining armor, protecting her from them. Drat, his n failed horribly! It did not help his case that Rex had exposed himself, and Charmine would surely act on it. Tiffany rushed to the cave and grabbed Julian¡¯s hands. ¡°Julian, what should we do now?¡± fretted Tiffany. ¡°I¡¯ve even given out Rex Walker! I really wanted you two to end up together. I can¡¯t believe she can be so heartless, and she¡¯s out there too! What if she reports Rex and then presses charges against me? I¡¯ll end up in jail¡­¡± ¡°Then why did you do the things you did five years ago if you¡¯d be this scared?¡± Julianshed out at her. Five years ago, he asked Charmine to meet him at Royal Banquet Bar, all so he could make her ask Senior Jordan to give her the 15 percent family share. Everything that happened after that was not what he had nned, but he had to change it ordingly. Because of all that mess, Charmine bore such hatred against him all these years! Julian had nevershed out at Tiffany before, but he changed ever since Charmine returned to Burlington. He had changed¡­ Even though she was furious, Tiffany had to lower her head and asked for sympathy, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Julian. This is all my fault, it really is¡­ Why don¡¯t you hand me and Rex out? Put us to jail-maybe then she¡¯ll forgive you¡­¡± ¡°I would¡¯ve done that long ago if I could! Go home and get some rest. Stay low in the following days, and don¡¯t look for me.¡± Julian took the umbre from her and walked into the rain. Tiffany watched Julian¡¯s retreating form as her fists balled tightly. Did Julian just ask her to not look for him? He was already distancing himself from her! Everyone from the Jordan family gave her the cold shoulder ever since the failed wedding ceremony between Julian and Charmine, and Julian had joined their boat! Hah! What a family! What a bunch of jerks! Tiffany was reduced to a mere football that everyone could kick around! Funny, seeing as they used to smother her with attention before that. This should not continue. She had to regain her ground; Charmine should not bully her! Tiffany¡¯s hand drifted to her stomach as she thought of her n. Soon¡­ It would all unravel! Her n would seed! Rex, who stood by her side, felt the cold aura Tiffany emitted and quivered at it. Only then did Tiffany realize someone was next to her, so she concealed the look on her face and asked, ¡°Any update from what I asked you to check?¡± Ever since Veronica went to jail, Rex was the only person she could trust. Rex replied, ¡°I¡¯ve checked on Madam Cabell. The thing she likes the most is a type of skincare called Jules. The products from this brand aren¡¯t avable to the public, and only the elite could get their hands on them. Ladies with wealth favored this skincare brand, but the producer only produces a hundred bottles per year, and they¡¯d go on sale on eBay at irregr times, often sold out quickly. Madam Cabell failed to get her hands on them this year, and she¡¯s upset about it.¡± Tiffany frowned. She had heard of this brand; it came out three years ago. Sources said that a genius came up with the skincare products in theb, and it just so happened that Joey favored that skincare brand as well. Tiffany had tried to bid one for Joey so she could please her, and she even attempted to buy off this brand for her. s, the seller only went online on eBay and never revealed his identity nor replied to any message. Chapter 358 Chapter 358 Who knew Madam Cabell was an avid fan of the skincare brand Jules as well? Tiffany¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°There¡¯s one more thing to do: Find out Jules¡¯ recipes, no matter what it costs.¡± Since someone bought the skincare, all Tiffany had to do was to get an original product of Jules to a lab and find out the ingredients, and she can then ask a chemist to replicate the product. Rex nodded. ¡°Yes, Madam!¡± Upon leaving the vige, Julian called for Julian, ¡°Send flowers and breakfast to Charmine every day from today onward. Also, you don¡¯t have to manage my Twitter and Whatsapp anymore.¡± Oliver had been the one texting Charmine; perhaps Charmine thought he was insincere with that. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Charmine was not the same woman from five years ago. She was no longer easily fooled, so Julian must put more effort into everything! Somehow, he had started to care more about Charmine. He had only one goal in his mind: he had to win her heart! The following morning, Charmine¡¯s doorbell rang. Anthony woke up alertly. Seeing that Charmine was still asleep, he walked out of the room gently. He walked down the stairs and opened the door to see no one outside, though there was a box with a purple card on top that read: [Repent. Regret. Remorse.) Inside the box was a set of breakfast. Anthony frowned. It was Julian. So, Julian started to pursue Charmine more seriously, was he? His eyes darkened. ¡°Send this to Tiffany,¡± he instructed the bodyguards who were on standby in the darkness. ¡°Huh?¡± said one of the bodyguards, confused. Julian sent them to Charmine, but Anthony wanted to send the gift to Tiffany? They could feel Anthony¡¯s burning gaze, however, thus they silently took the box and did as told. When Anthony closed the door, he saw Chris somehow had woken up and was standing on the staircase. He frowned and warned in a low voice, ¡°Secret.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Daddy, I won¡¯t tell Mommy! This is the right away to get rid of gifts from the douche!¡± remarked the cooperative Chris. Sending the gift meant for Charmine to Tiffany? A hrious act, it was! One could only imagine how furious Tiffany would be, or what she might do to the gift! Also, how would Julian react when he found out? With a thought in his mind, Chris hurriedly wobbled to Anthony, ¡°Daddy, look! We need to manage this phone as well!¡± Anthony lowered his head to see that it was Charmine¡¯s Whatsapp. Julian had sent her a couple of messages: (Charmine, believe it or not, I truly regret what I¡¯ve done.) [However deep I¡¯ve hurt you five years ago, I¡¯ll love you even harder five yearster.] [Be with me, and I¡¯ll spend the rest of my life making it up to you.] [I can help you to put Rex Walker to jail. But not Tiffany.) (I don¡¯t love her anymore, but she grew up with us. She¡¯s your sister, and that makes her my family as well. I won¡¯t hurt her, but I won¡¯t love her either.] (Charmine, give me onest chance. Nobody can love you as much as I will.] Anthony¡¯s gaze hardened as he read the texts. He clicked on the screen and deleted all of the unread messages. Swiftly after, he installed a program onto the phone. Every message from Julian would be deleted, unknowingly! Julian would not know, and Charmine would not find out! Chris gleefully jumped with admiration for him. ¡°Daddy is amazing! Nicely done!¡± Anthony¡¯s gaze remained cold and distant, however. It was not enough. Chapter 359 Chapter 359 Anthony took out his phone and called Luke. ¡°Mile-End Corporation has been too boredtely. Give them something to do.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± At Mile-End Corporation. Julian reclined on his presidential chairnguidly as he anticipated for a message to ring his phone. stered on his face was a determined expression. Charmine pined after him for so many years; how could she stop loving so abruptly? She woulde back to him so long as he put in some effort into what he did. All of a sudden, Oliver ran into his room, panting, ¡°This is bad, Mr. Cabell. Something happened! A couple of luxury brands terminated their contracts with us, and they even said they¡¯d never work with us again!¡± ¡°What?¡± Julian¡¯s brows furrowed at the report. Mile-End Corporation¡¯s main source of profit was derived from their shopping malls that housed all sorts of luxury shops. Basically, they were ces for the rich to spend their cash. If every luxury brand terminated their contracts, the corporation¡¯s shares would plummet and wouldnd them in a daunting position. Head lowered, Oliver meekly added, ¡°ording to what I found, this was Boss Bailey¡¯s doing.¡± Boss Bailey? Anthony Bailey? It was then Julian recalled what Anthony spoke to him at Violet Vi thest time they met, and his words resonated in his ears: ¡°She¡¯s mine. If you disturb her again, I¡¯ll make sure the Cabells¡¯ name disappears from Burlington!¡± So, Anthony did this to him? Was he not just fooling around with Charmine? Why would a man on such a high pedestal fall for Charmine? How could he attack the entire Cabell family for this woman? Abruptly, a few shareholders barged into his room as they voiced their displeasure. ¡°Mr. Cabell, what¡¯s going on here? Why did they terminate their contracts?¡± ¡°Ourpany shares have been dropping due to your personal issues not long ago. The loss was big, and we¡¯ve yet to recover. Who did you offend this time?¡± ¡°How are we supposed to trust you? Are you trying to destroy Mile-End Corporation?¡± This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I must¡¯ve been blinded to have chosen you as the president!¡± Each one of them spoke more aggressively than the other. Julian¡¯s gaze turned cold and malicious as he red daggers at them.¡±Get out!¡± Everyone jumped in shock. Julian had gotten toofortable with his position as thepany¡¯s president throughout the years. Even though the shareholders were scared of him, the scare of losing out too much gave them the courage to speak again. ¡°You should give us a usible answer!¡± ¡°This loss isn¡¯t that money can solve on its own. You must do something about it!¡± ¡°How am I supposed to solve this when you¡¯re all here making a scene? Why don¡¯t you be the president then?¡± Julian red at them with his authoritative look. The men jumped a little. Them, bing the president? How could they? Although they were the main shareholders, their job as shareholders was to collect the profits. The real power to make decisions and solve problems still belonged to Julian. One had to admit that Julian was indeed a capable man. Well¡­ That was before everything went downhill! One of the men said, ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll give you some time. You have half a month to turn Mile End Corporation¡¯s reputation for the better. We wait to see the results.¡± With that, he left with the rest of the shareholders. After they left, Julian¡¯s hands tightened with such force that the armrest of his chair showed some cracks. His aura was akin to a cold winter. Charmine¡­! Charmine Jordan! The once shy Charmine had all that confidence to make Anthony do this to him, just after sleeping with him? Did she truly think Anthony would like her? Did Charmine genuinely believe she would live happily ever after with Anthony? Chapter 360 Chapter 360 Hah! Not if he had to do anything about it! ¡°Keep sending gifts to Violet Vi,¡± Julian ordered Oliver, ¡°and get me tickets to Paris right away!¡± Julian had built connections with people over the years, and there were luxury brands that wanted to sign with Mile-End Corporation. All he had to do was talk to their representatives. Oliver hesitated for a while before he sincerely added, ¡°The things we sent over in the morning were sent away by Boss Bailey to Ms. Tiffany. She¡¯s upset.¡± Oliver¡¯s tone shifted to a more concerned, protective tone as he talked about Tiffany. Julian¡¯s face darkened. Anthony sent away the things he sent to Charmine and were sent to Tiffany instead? Damn¡­ Darn it! He never wanted to cut things offpletely with Tiffany; they had mutual feelings for each other after all. Also, Tiffany had some evidence of his doings with her¡­ Because of this, he had to gofort Tiffany! Why did Anthony have to meddle in his business? Julian rubbed his temples, and after hesitating for a moment, he instructed , ¡°Keep sending the gifts, and try to send them when Anthony isn¡¯t around!¡± He was determined to make sure Charmine received his gifts. As for Anthony¡­ It should be alright so long as there were no face-to-face conflicts. Never did he think, however, that the gifts did not even reach Charmine for days. No matter how he sent them, all of them ended up with Tiffany. He had not once received any reply from her end, even though he had sent her so many messages! What else could Julian do at that point? He only had half a month to gain Charmine¡¯s favor, all so she could help resolve the negative impacts dealt on Mile-End Corporation. At the Jordan mansion. Tiffany was overwhelmed with fury at the sight of so many gifts piling up inside the house. Her face was distorted in anger. A box with a purple envelope woulde every day, and the gifts would vary: nes, bags, and handmade art items! Julian never showered her that much before! Even when they were together when they were younger, they always had to be secretive about their rtionship, that she always had to hide it from everyone. They got together officially after Charmine was sent to Africa, but by then, they had already known each other too well. It was always her pleasing him and taking care of him, and he would only send her some gifts on important dates. Why was he so generous with Charmine?! Tiffany¡¯s heart was overwhelmed with nauseating insecurity, worry, and anger! She once thought she could control Julian¡¯s heart, yet it seemed that she had failed to do so. Julian¡¯s heart had changed. Completely. With hatred welling in her eyes, Tiffany stood up and walked out of the house. Ronnie asked, ¡°Tiffany, where are you going?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t seen Julian for some time now. He probably misses me.¡± Tiffany looked into the mirror by the door and fixed her hair. ¡°Get the car ready,¡± she ordered Ronnie, ¡°and take me to Mile-End Corporation.¡± At Mile-End Corporation¡­ Julian was still thinking of a way to get Charmine back when Oliver barged into his office. ¡°Mr. Cabell, Ms. McKenzie Houston is here, and she¡¯s looking for you.¡± McKenzie? Julian frowned. She was known as the reputable ¡®genius entrepreneur¡¯, though he only saw her once or twice from afar during one international conference. What brought her here to Mile-End Corporation? As he was caught up in his thoughts, McKenzie walked into his room. She was dressed in a beigece-dress, exuding an air of elegance and exquisiteness from within that could not be found in Tiffany or even Charmine! The kind of exquisiteness that could only be passed on through genes, the uppest form of dignity that could only be cultured in those who had grown up in the highest ss of society. Oliver knew his stance and quickly left the room, shutting the door behind him as he did. McKenzie walked up to his desk. Silently, she ced a small pill bottle on his desk and pushed it toward him. Julian eyed the bottle. ¡°This is¡­¡± This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°This is a pill that can help you win Charmine¡¯s heart. There¡¯s only one of it in the world.¡± 1McKenzie¡¯s voice was calm yet calctive. Chapter 361 Chapter 361 Julian¡¯s eyes narrowed at McKenzie¡¯s offer. Could she truly get Julian what he wanted? Was that substance¡­an aphrodisiac? As though she could tell what Julian had in his mind, McKenzie exined, ¡°This isn¡¯t just any ordinary aphrodisiac ¨C I worked on this pill for ten years. She doesn¡¯t have to ingest it, for as long as her skin touches the pill, you¡¯d be able to do all you want to her.¡± Julian looked at McKenzie, impressed and in awe. What a genius entrepreneur! She actually came up with this! Still¡­ All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Why would you help me?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to know. Anthony would go to the Bailey mansion in ten days, and that¡¯ll be your only chance.¡± McKenzie stood up and walked out of the office in her crystal heels sophisticatedly. Julian¡¯s eyes were fixed on the pill bottle, caught up in his thoughts. In ten days? Outside the office door, Tiffany hid behind a nt to stay hidden. When she made sure McKenzie did not spot her, she sighed in relief before signaling to Oliver right next to her.¡° You, go in and talk to Julian.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± Oliver understood her and walked into the office. He saw the pill bottle in Julian¡¯s hand and frowned. ¡°Mr. Cabell, what¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°Cancel all my schedule in ten days,¡± Julian instructed. Oliver seemed even more worried at that. ¡°So Mr. Cabell has decided to be with Ms. Charmine? What about Tiffany? If Ms. Tiffany finds out, she might be upset¡­¡± ¡°No, she¡¯s very understanding. She¡¯d know what¡¯s right,¡± said Julian calmly. Tiffany, still outside Julian¡¯s office, clenched her fists tightly. Would she have to be his secret lover forever and watched as he chased another woman, all because she was ¡®understanding¡¯? Even Oliver pitied Tiffany; an impressive woman like Tiffany did not deserve to be treated like that. Oliver built up his courage and asked, ¡°What¡­ What¡¯s next? Even if you eventually get a hold of Ms. Charmine, she may not fall for your n so easily seeing who she is right now, and it might be difficult to divorce herter on. Taking her assets won¡¯t be as easy¡­¡± Julian¡¯s eyes narrowed. Divorce? He did not know why, but that word just made him ufortable somehow. Charmine was so powerful and capable, with so much wealth and resources. Why divorce her? ¡°Oliver, you speak too much today.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Oliver lowered his head as he turned to leave, but just as he took a few steps, the question spilled from his lips before he could think, ¡°If Mr. Cabell is not divorcing Ms. Charmine, what would Ms. Tiffany do for the rest of her life?¡± The anxious Tiffany clenched her fists as she waited for his answer. They had been together for so many years. He would probably care for her, right? Which was why it came as a surprise that, after a moment of silence, Julian replied, ¡°I¡¯ll make sure she has enough money.¡± ¡®Enough money¡­ Ha-ha-ha! ¡®Enough money? That basically meant he would not marry her! Tiffany felt her heart shattered into pieces as tears rolled down her cheeks incessantly. She had nned things with Julian for so many years as she supported him wholeheartedly, helping him to be Mile-End Corporation¡¯s president, and what did she get in return? ¡®Enough money? 1 Julian used to tell her he would love her forever, and that changed to ¡®he won¡¯t disappoint her ¡®, and it then changed to ¡®enough money¡¯. Ha-ha-ha¡­! Oliver asked nothing else as he left the office and shut the door behind him. The gut-punched Tiffany¡¯s waterworks did not stop as she hid behind the nt. Heart tugged at the sight, Oliver instinctively reached out to help her wipe off her tears, but Tiffany took a step back and rposed herself. ¡°Oliver, please behave.¡± 2 Defensive like a hedgehog, she spoke pitilessly and unsparingly. Chapter 362 Chapter 362 Tiffany wiped the tears on her face and was back to her usual elegantposure. She walked to the office door and knocked on it. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Oliver looked at her back and awkwardly retrieved his hand. Right, he was merely an assistant. What rights did he have tofort her? Inside the office, Julian heard the knocking and instantly kept the pill. ¡°Come in.¡± Tiffany pushed open the door and went in, the sadness on her face was no longer seen as it was reced by a faint smile. ¡°Hello, Julian. Haven¡¯t seen you for a while. I brought you some cakes.¡± Tiffany then walked to his table and ced down a container filled with exquisite cakes made by a well- known chef with limited numbers daily. She went through all the trouble to get them. Julian looked at the cakes with a deadpan expression as hemented, ¡°Why did youe out? I think you shoulde out less these days-too many reporters.¡± ¡°I miss you, and I want to tell you that,¡± uttered Tiffany as she walked over to him and sat on hisp. She hooked her arms around his neck and continued, ¡°I feel so tired and sick. Why don¡¯t we stop plotting against Charmine? How about we get married, have a few kids, and live a simple life? I¡¯ll give you all of my assets and shares from the Jordan family. I¡¯ll always support you and be a good wife.¡± Tiffany¡¯s voice was soft and gentle. Despite that, Julian found it rather insulting. Tiffany wanted to give all of her assets and shares? What use was her pitiful portion of the Jordans¡¯ shares? Julian ces his hands on her waist. ¡°Tiffany, you don¡¯t understand. Why the hurry? We¡¯ll wait until you get at least fifty percent of the shares.¡± Did he just say 50 percent of the shares? She would have to get Charmine and her parents¡¯ shares! How could she do that with her reputation? Julian was just finding an excuse to dy things! Tiffany wore a pitiful look and gazed into his eyes longingly. ¡°Julian, I don¡¯t want anything¡­ I feel so tired. I only want to be with you now. Let¡¯s stop plotting against the Jordan family and Charmine, alright?¡± Noticing Tiffany was acting out of character, Julian pushed her away and ruffled her hair. ¡°Oh, Tiffany, I need to take care of some matters here. Why don¡¯t you go home first? We¡¯ll discuss it more when you feel better.¡± 1 Tiffany pursed her lips but eventually stood up after a moment of silence. She stopped before the door and asked, ¡°Julian, do you still love me?¡± Love her? Love? Julian¡¯s hand that held a document halted. It took him a while before he replied, ¡°Tiffany, don¡¯t you remember that I promised you to never let you down?¡± He would give her anything other than marriage: money, reputation, or even his body. With that, he would not let her down. Tiffany smiled. ¡°Alright, I understand now. Sorry for being childish. Enjoy your work, I¡¯ll visit you next time.¡± Her voice was gentle and the smile on her face was innocent and cheerful, but the moment she left Mile-End Corporation and got into the car, her eyes turned cold and dark. Julian wanted to marry Charmine! Julian wanted to stay married to Charmine forever! Was Julian getting rid of her since she was not useful anymore? It was bad enough that the Jordan family treated her coldly, but did Julian have to? What was all that for? Just because she was not born a Jordan? Just because she faked her identity? No¡­ No way! Tiffany held on tight to the recording device in her bag. It was shaped like a lipstick, seemingly mundane and nothing strange while it was a high-tech recording device. She had recorded her entire conversation with Julian at the office. ¡®You¡¯ll regret it, Julian. You¡¯ll regret it all!¡¯ Chapter 363 Chapter 363 At Violet Vi Charmine spent the summer with Chris, reading checker manuals and researching architectural designs. She had been on alert in case McKenzie and Julian tried anything, but nothing happened. Time passed, and the day of Senior Bailey¡¯s birthday celebration had arrived. Charmine woke up to an empty bedroom that morning. She frowned and walked downstairs. In the living room, she saw Anthony and Momo standing by the door talking to Luke, and Luke left with a purple box in his hands. She frowned and asked, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Nothing, nothing!¡± Chris turned to her and shook his head vigorously. In order to make it less suspicious, Chris ran to Charmine and pulled at her hand to divert her attention. ¡°Mommy, I¡¯ll attend Grandpa¡¯s birthday party with Daddy today! You have to take good care of yourself, alright?¡± Anthony walked over and said, ¡°There¡¯s breakfast inside the microwave. Remember to eat it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going with Momo?¡± blurted Charmine. Anthony nodded. Chris was part of the Bailey family anyway, and Anthony had never backed away from the rumors. He would go anywhere with Chris. Charmine pressed on, ¡°But your parents don¡¯t like Momo, and the rest of the family don¡¯t like him either. If he goes with you, they¡¯d just ridicule him.¡± Anthony looked at Chris and said, ¡°He¡¯s a man.¡± Three words, uttered clearly and convincingly. As his son, Chris should get used to all of that from a young age. Chris looked at Charmine and reassured her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, Mommy, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ll make myself stronger and protect you with Daddy!¡± N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. His soft voice was filled with determination, and it tugged at Charmine¡¯s heartstrings. How was it fair for a young and innocent kid like Chris to be judged and criticized by the Baileys? She carried Chris in her arms and spoke with fine maturity, ¡°Momo is only five, still a young boy at that. He doesn¡¯t have to go through all that. I¡¯m here now, and you¡¯re here. He never has to grow up!¡± Anthony frowned. Charmine would be here? Momo never had to grow up? That meant¡­ Anthony¡¯s eyes narrowed as a soft glimmer of love twinkled in his pupils. His gaze softened as he looked at Charmine. ¡°Oh, Charmine, look at you. You¡¯re being an overprotective parent.¡± Julian intentionally emphasized thest two words. 4 Charmine jolted at his suggestive words. Oh, right! Since when had she started caring so much about Chris? She was always a logical person with principles and would tell off kids that were spoiled. With Chris in her arms, however, Charmine had only one thought in mind: Even if Chris destroyed the world, she would protect him and help him out! With that, she tightened her arms around Chris. ¡°I don¡¯t mind. I like to spoil him! He¡¯s only a five-year- old, and a kid shouldn¡¯t shoulder an adult¡¯s heavy burden! You¡¯ll attend the celebration alone, and I¡¯ll take care of him today.¡± Charmine gave Anthony no room to refute as she walked away to the kitchen with Chris in her arms. Chris made a face at Anthony as he was in Charmine¡¯s arms-his puffy hands hooked around Charmine¡¯s neck-and chirped, ¡°Yay! Mommy loves me! Momo loves Mommy!¡± Realization struck Anthony when Chris uttered that one word-love. That naughty kid was getting in the way! Meanwhile, at Bayview Apartment¡­ Julian stood in front of a full-length body mirror, buttoning his cor button elegantly when Oliver came in to report, ¡°Mr. Cabell, Anthony had left the Bailey mansion. Ms. McKenzie¡¯s reminding you to seize this opportunity.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Julian picked up his suit jacket and hung it over his arm. He looked into the mirror with a sophisticated look as he fixed his tie. He only walked out after making sure there was no problem. Suddenly, Tiffany rushed in anxiously. Chapter 364 Chapter 364 ¡°Julian, I have to tell you something!¡± ¡°Look, I¡¯m busy now, tell meter.¡± Julian did not stop walking; he would not waste such a golden opportunity. Tiffany grabbed his arm in haste. ¡°Julian, I¡¯m pregnant.¡± Pregnant¡­ Julian stopped dead in his tracks as his body jolted at the news. He could have sworn he used protection all the time whenever he slept with Tiffany, with the exception of that one time, around a month ago¡­ Oliver¡¯s eyes darkened. Tiffany looked Julian in the eyes and begged, ¡°Julian, he¡¯s thirty-five days old. Let¡¯s get married, alright? I¡¯ll give birth to our child, and we¡¯ll live a happy life¡­ I¡¯ll help you to take care of the family, and with our abilities, we¡¯ll make the Cabell family bigger and stronger than ever!¡± Julian looked at her. Marriage? Baby? His heart mellowed for a good second¡­ That was until the image of Charmine¡¯s face appeared in his head. Today was his only opportunity! ! There was only one pill in the world! He had to sleep with Charmine to make Anthony hate her, and only then would shee back to him! Everything in Mile-End Corporation would be solved once Julian won back Charmine¡¯s heart, and the company would have more resources than ever. Julian strongly believed Anthony would never pursue a twice-vited woman! Also, as McKenzie said, the pill Julian had with him would put the woman under hallucination and make her take the initiative. Even if Charmine wanted to sue him, she would have no evidence. This pill was untraceable! Julian thought for a moment and patted Tiffany¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Tiffany, I¡¯d love to have a baby with you, but this didn¡¯te at the right time.¡± Did note at the right time¡­ Not the right time¡­? ¡°W¡ªWhat?¡± Tiffany¡¯s voice was trembling. ¡°Get an abortion,¡±mented Julian, ¡°and take care of your body. We can have er.¡± With that, he walked away from her and instructed Oliver, ¡°Send Tiffany to the hospital, and take care of her.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir,¡± answered Oliver, hiding the pain from his voice. Abortion? Mr. Cabell was so heartless¡­ Tiffany looked at Julian¡¯s figure as she meekly wept, ¡°Julian, are you not reconsidering? The baby¡­ Does he not deserve a chance?¡± Tears streamed down her cheeks like waterfalls, her voice filled with pain and sadness. Julian stopped walking. After a moment, he said, ¡°I¡¯ll make it up to you when everything¡¯s done, Tiffany.¡± With that, Julian turned to leave, more apathetic than usual. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Tiffany staggered backward and fell onto the floor. She lost¡­ She had lost! She thought that she could win Julian¡¯s heart once more with the baby, yet he chose to bed Charmine. All he thought of was Charmine! What was so good about her? What was it?! Was she better-looking than her? Richer than her? Better at flirting than her? She swung her hand furiously, and the vase on the side shattered into pieces. Crash! ¡°Ms. Tiffany!¡± Oliver bent down by her side and tried to help her up. However, Tiffany pushed him away and stood up by herself. Her eyes were filled with hatred and determination. ¡®So, Julian Cabell, you want to win over Charmine and get rid of me? Never! You¡¯re mine! You can only be mine!¡¯ Chapter 365 Chapter 365 Tiffany walked out of Bayview Apart, but Oliver still followed after her. ¡°Don¡¯t follow me. If you¡¯re trying to help me, just leave me alone.¡± With that, she got in her car and said to the driver, ¡°To Kaiser Hospital.¡± Kaiser Hospital was a private women¡¯s clinic in Burlington. Oliver watched as the car drove out of view, the pain evident in his eyes. The kid¡­ Was it his? Still, what could he do? He was merely an assistant, and there was nothing he could do¡­ Tiffany sat in the car as she eyed the recording device in her hand, an evil smirk on her lips as she did. She picked up the phone and sent Joey a text: [Mum, I¡¯m really sad and scared, but I¡¯ve no other choices. I¡¯ll try my best to live¡­] She then sent a text to Madam Cabell: [Auntie, I really wanted to be part of your family, I really wanted to keep the baby, but¡­ I¡¯m sorry.] Tiffany turned off her phone after those texts were sent. At the Jordan mansion¡­ Joey was reading some documents when she received the texts. She jumped up in shock and called Tiffany right away, but¡­ Beep! ¡°Sorry, the number you have dialed is currently unavable.¡± She cried out in panic, ¡°Adam¡­ Adam! Come over! Send someone to check out what¡¯s happening with Tiffany!¡± Meanwhile, Madam Cabell also received the text sent by Tiffany. While she was not fond of her, Madam Cabell did receive the Jules skincare product from Tiffany a few days ago. Madam Cabell could not get one for herself as it was quickly sold out, yet Tiffany managed to get one for her. As she was able to show off her product to her friends, Madam Cabell saw Tiffany in a different light-the good kind. It was because of that Madam Cabell sent someone to investigate the matter with Tiffany upon receiving her text. Within three minutes, both of them heard back about the matter. (Ms. Tiffany is pregnant with an infant boy, yet Julian didn¡¯t want it and asked her to abort it. Ms. Tiffany has coagulopathy, and she might die of too much blood loss¡­) The news struck like lightning on a good day. Joey felt herself unable to stand-she staggered and almost fell. Adam supported her and called out with urgency, ¡°Prepare a car to the hospital! We have to stop this! Call the Cabells and ask them to go to the hospital right away!¡± Senior Jordan was furious. ¡°What was Julian thinking? Bring him here! If he doesn¡¯t exin himself properly, we won¡¯t forgive them!¡± While the thought of Tiffany made Senior Jordan bitter, she was still a family member, his very own granddaughter. How could Julian hurt Tiffany like that? 1 The entire Jordan family was furious! This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. At the Cabell mansion¡­ Julian¡¯s parents were just as shocked when they heard the news. Tiffany was pregnant with a baby boy! He was a baby of the Cabell family-how could it get aborted? It did not help the Cabells that they had offended the Jordans. Tiffany had coagulopathy, and if she died, the entire Cabell family would be in deep trouble! With a gaze infused with fury, Mitchell Cabell looked at his assistant. ¡°Bring that disgraceful Julian back, now!¡± At that moment, Julian was making his way to Violet Vi determinedly. He had to bed Charmine¡­ She would be his! Julian had waited for this day for a painfully long time. Even though Charmine was used by Anthony, he still wanted to get her-body and wealth! Out of the blue, a few cars raced past him and blocked his car. Julian frowned and hurriedly pressed on the brake. The doors of the cars opened up with a few bodyguards walking down. The man leading them was the Cabell family¡¯s chief security, Bruce Hanes. Bruce walked to Julian¡¯s window. Chapter 366 Chapter 366 ¡°Mr. Cabell, Senior Cabell and Madam Cabell would like you to meet them at Kaiser Hospital.¡± ¡°Hospital? Why?¡± Julian frowned. Bruce replied, ¡°Tiffany had an operation and almost died from blood loss. The Jordan family is making a scene now, asking you to give them an exnation.¡± Julian¡¯s temple pulsed. What? Almost died from blood loss? The Jordans and the Cabells found out? How¡­? How could it be?! Today was his only opportunity! Once Anthony got back to Charmine, it would be over! It was a 20 minute drive to Violet Vi¡­ 20 minutes away! He said to Bruce, ¡°I¡¯ll be there in three hours. Let them calm down first-I¡¯ll exin everything to themter.¡± ¡°Sorry, Sir, but Senior Cabell insists that you go now. The Jordan family had started contacting reporters as well as attorneys!¡± If Julian chose to not go to the hospital, the Jordans would make the matter public and press charges against him! Damn it! Julian mmed on his steering wheel furiously. At Violet Vi¡­ Charmine was ying a game with Chris. Chris was ying a character where he jumped and hopped like a rabbit following Charmine around. If someone attacked her, he would jump in front of her to attack the person. Charmine had a warm smile on her face. While it was just a game, she felt protected. Mid-way in their game, Charmine¡¯s phone rang, but she quickly hung up and resumed ying with Chris. Her phone rang again, however, so Charmine epted the call and wedged the phone between her chin and shoulder as she continued to y with Chris. She was greeted with the voice of Senior Jordan. ¡°Charmine, do you have time? Come to the Kaiser Hospital now, Tiffany isn¡¯t well.¡± 1 ¡°Huh? What is it?¡± Charmine asked. Charmine had almost no contact with Tiffany ever since the wedding ceremony, and the Jordan family did not insist them to meet either. Senior Jordan sighed. ¡°She¡¯s pregnant with Julian¡¯s baby, but Julian wants her to get rid of it. We¡¯ll need you here.¡± Senior Jordan respected Charmine¡¯s decision, because they would make Julian exin everything no matter what. Since Charmine almost got married to Julian, she had the right to know about the matter, regardless of what the result would be. Charmine frowned¡ªthat was it. She had waited for this day toe. ¡°Alright,¡± replied Charmine, ¡°I¡¯ll be there in half an hour.¡± Chris¡¯ game happened to end right after Charmine hung up, so she walked toward him.¡° Momo, could you stay home for a while?¡± said Charmine. ¡°Mommy will ask a very good friend of mine toe and stay with you. I¡¯ll be back in two hours!¡± ¡°Momo wants to go with Mommy!¡± Chris jumped off the sofa, his tiny face filled with determination. Charmine ruffled his hair. ¡°Momo, listen, my friend can fly off the roof and walk on the wall. He can teach you!¡± All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Fly off the roof and walk on the wall? Really?¡± Chris¡¯ eyes sparkled. 1 Charmine nodded and called Kay. . It did not take long before Kay came into the house. ¡°y some rock climbing games with Momo,¡± stated Charmine, ¡°and take good care of him.¡± Rock climbing? That was a game for children! Why would a top-secret agent do such a thing? ¡°Make Momo happy, or you¡¯ll get sent to Africa to Africa,¡± asserted Charmine. ¡°Alright, fine!¡± Kay agreed instantly. Charmine handed Chris to Kay and left the mansion. Just as Charmine expected; Tiffany finally made her move. Splendid. The show was about to start! Chapter 367 Chapter 367 At Kaiser Hospital¡­ The pale Tiffanyid on the hospital bed, the sight of her a rather pitiable one. ¡°Just let me do the operation,¡± muttered Tiffany to everyone in the ward. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine, I¡¯ll stay alive. I don¡¯t want to burden Julian¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t be silly, Tiffany! What do you mean, ¡°burden¡¯? Julian should be responsible over you! Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll make sure he exins everything to you,¡± assured Joey as she sat by her bed, her heart shattered into pieces. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Meanwhile, Robert Jordan barked at Mitchell Cabell, ¡°Where¡¯s Julian? Is he a man? He¡¯s all grown up, yet he¡¯s still so irresponsible!¡± ¡°Mr. Jordan, please calm down. We¡¯ll make sure he apologizes to Tiffany,¡± Mitchell promised. They preferred Charmine over Tiffany, liking Charmine more than her, yet Tiffany carried a fetus-a boy, at that. How could they let Tiffany abort it? At that moment, Julian walked into the ward. Just as Julian walked past the door, however, Robert¡¯s fist collided against his face with such velocity. ¡°Julian! Are you even a man?! Why did you do this to my sister? Why?!¡± He growled and wanted to continue, but the Cabell family bodyguards stopped him before he could. The Jordans, on the other hand, did not try to stop him. Shielded by his bodyguards , Julian wiped the blood on the corner of his lips with his thumb, more furious than he already was. Tiffany knew him too well, knowing how furious Julian was, thus she cried out, ¡°Robert, please calm down! It¡¯s not his fault! No! It was my fault! It was all my fault¡­ Julian already broke up with me and already decided to marry Charmine, yet I came up to him during their wedding. I¡¯ve shamed myself so¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that, Tiffany! Julian yed with your feelings for five years! He did this to you, yet you¡¯re still protecting him?¡± Joey cried out in pain and anger. Tiffany¡¯s tears streamed endlessly. ¡°Please don¡¯t make it harder than it already is. Julian doesn¡¯t want to marry me, so just let me get rid of the baby and we¡¯ll stop getting in touch. I¡¯ll be fine, I¡¯ll be¡­¡± With that, she cried out even louder, ¡°Doctor..! Doctor! I¡¯m ready for the operation¡­! I don¡¯t want this baby anymore! I don¡¯t want him!¡± Tiffany¡¯s hoarse wailing broke the hearts of everyone in the room? Madam Cabell had to intervene as she spoke, ¡°Tiffany, you have coagulopathy, and you might die during the operation! Don¡¯t do anything rash¡­ We¡¯ll help you!¡± She then turned to Julian and ordered, ¡°Julian, what¡¯re you standing there for? Come here and apologize to Tiffany. Propose to her!¡± The bodyguard instantly handed Julian a box, and inside it was a diamond ring used during Julian and Charmine¡¯s engagement; an heirloom passed on for decades. There were so many instances when Julian wanted to get that ring so he could put it on Tiffany¡¯s finger himself. Yet, at that moment¡­ Julian would never get to marry Charmine again once he fitted that ring into Tiffany¡¯s finger. Knowing Charmine, she would never ept him! What other choice did he have? Julian¡¯s hesitation was visible to Tiffany, and it broke her heart. She was dying and practically everyone from both sides of the family hounded him to marry her, yet he still hesitated? When had she be so unimportant to him? Her eyes were glossed with tears of heartache. ¡°Julian, as I said before, I¡¯ll listen to you and be more mature. I won¡¯t force you, and I don¡¯t want to be your burden. I meant what I said!¡± With that, she clenched her fist and punched her stomach sharply. ¡°Tiffany!¡± Terrified, Joey quickly went to stop Tiffany. Tiffany continued crying, ¡°Mum, let go of me! I beg you to let go of me! I¡¯ll be fine-I don¡¯t want this baby either! I don¡¯t want him¡­! I don¡¯t!¡± Chapter 368 Chapter 368 Tiffany howled and wailed as she repeatedly punched her belly, her being haunted by sadness and despair. Julian eventually caved as he gazed at Tiffany. ¡°Tiffany, calm down!¡± said Julian in a firm, stern voice. ¡°Calm yourself first!¡± This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Even as he attempted to calm her down, however, Julian did not take the ring given to him. ¡°Enough!¡± Senior Jordan¡ªwho said not a word up to that moment-abruptly mmed his walking stick harshly against the floor. The sound resonated in the ward ominously, and everyone was startled. Even Tiffany¡¯s harsh blows to her stomach stopped. Senior Jordan said, ¡°Tiffany will give birth to the baby, and the Jordans will raise him. Today, the Jordans will terminate all contracts with the Cabells. This warning goes especially to you, Julian¡­ Your reputation will be ruined!¡± Senior Jordan basically meant that there was no room for negotiation nor engagement; they were severing their ties with the Cabells entirely! Mitchell was terrified, the two families had been partners for some time. Although their resources were equivalent, Senior Jordan¡¯s power was not to be underestimated! Especially during the wedding day, Boss Bailey even said he would get involved. Now that the Jordan family also had Charmine on their side, how could the Cabell afford to offend them? He walked forward to Senior Jordan, ¡°Senior Jordan, please calm down. This was originally a good thing, how could it turn into a bad thing now? Julian,e here, tell us what you think!¡± ¡°Speak no further, I ain¡¯t blind! My granddaughter hasn¡¯t fallen to the standard where you have to force your son to marry her!¡± Senior Jordan scoffed and said to Tiffany, ¡°Tiffany, regardless of the mistakes you¡¯ve made in the past, you have to remember that you¡¯re part of the Jordan family. You can¡¯t be a pushover! Julian doesn¡¯t love you, and you don¡¯t have to marry him! Even if you¡¯re pregnant, Grandpa will help you find a much better man!¡± Having Tiffany marry Julian right away would seem like they were forced to instead of marrying out of love. Nobody liked being a pushover. He could tell that Julian was difficult to coerce, and Tiffany was not his match However much he did not like Tiffany, she was still his granddaughter, and he could not stomach his granddaughter being reduced to such a shameful state! Tiffany felt hopeless. Who else could she marry other than Julian? Julian was the most sessful man in the entire Burlington¨Cbesides the men from the Bailey family, of course. s, the Bailey family was unreachable, and Charmine had already seduced Anthony. Tiffany had no confidence to win over him. Grandpa seemed as if he was protecting her, but he was actually being inconsiderate of his feelings. His decision would only worsen her ending! Still, Tiffany could only say, ¡°Grandpa, l¡¯ll listen to you, but can we not make enemies of one another? I was willing to do this, and we can¡¯t me it all on Julian, especially the Cabell family. We need to separate private affairs from business affairs.¡± Her words were so considerate; the Cabell family eyed her in a different light after listening to what she said. They did not expect Tiffany to be so kind to Julian even at this point. She was a good woman. Madam Cabell went forward and tugged at Julian¡¯s arm. ¡°Julian, did you hear that? Tiffany is still so considerate! What are you thinking? Why are you still hesitating?¡± Julian¡¯s eyes fell on Tiffany; she seemed so weak and pitiful. To be fair, she had never tried to hurt him. As a matter of fact, all she did was stay by his side and protect him. s, Julian¡¯s feelings for her had somehow started to change. He no longer wanted to marry her, to love her¡­ Perhaps¡­ Chapter 369 Chapter 369 Julian¡¯s eyes narrowed as he stepped toward him. ¡°Senior Jordan, you¡¯re mistaken. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t love Tiffany; I just didn¡¯t know what to think or say. I¡¯ve already made up my mind, however, and I¡¯ll get engaged with Tiffany in three days. I won¡¯t let her down,¡± answered Julian, his reply solemn yet refined altogether. Tiffany¡¯s eyes flickered at Julian¡¯s reply. Engaged, not married that was what he said. She was already pregnant for a month, and all he promised was an engagement? Tiffany knew Julian all too well that he promised such a thing to cool off the heat from everyone in the room. Once everyone let it slip past them, he would try to worm his way out of it. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Julian¡­ Oh, Julian! ¡°Do you think we¡¯re all fools here, Julian?¡± scoffed Senior Jordan. ¡°Tiffany¡¯s already pregnant, yet all you¡¯re promising here is an engagement? Do you want the world to know that she was forced to get married?¡± ¡°Our Tiffany isn¡¯t for you to take it as you like and leave when you don¡¯t! If you really love Tiffany, the wedding has to take ce soon!¡± pestered Joey. Julian frowned. He would have no chance with Charmine once he was married with Tiffany! All Julian could do was offer his words to buy some time, thus he level-headedly exined,¡° Of course, and it¡¯s because I love Tiffany that I want to carefully go through every detail, all so I can give her the best wedding. Tiffany, what do you say?¡± His gentle eyesnded on Tiffany. Tiffany smiled bitterly. Hah! Love? What a sound excuse! Despite her bitterness, Tiffany could not expose Julian, and she could not make Julian feel as if she was forcing him as well. That would not help her following n. ¡°Mum, Grandpa,¡± Tiffany muttered weakly, ¡°I¡¯m really tired, and I don¡¯t want to force Julian. It¡¯s okay if Julian doesn¡¯t want to get engaged with me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re silly! What are you talking about? Julian said he¡¯d get engaged with you, and he will! I¡¯ll take care of everything and invite the entire Burlington! I¡¯ll make sure it¡¯ll be big!¡± Madam Cabell promised. The entire Burlington? That would be a grand event, for sure. Julian¡¯s eyes flickered. He only wanted to keep it low, so if the entire Burlington was invited¡­ Senior Jordan¡¯s red daggers at Julian. ¡°Julian, your look has answered me. Do you want to get engaged and invite the entire Burlington?¡± He exuded an air of power and authority as he asked. Julian was smart enough to know, better than anyone, that he could not afford to act rashly. As for Charmine¡­ He would think of wayster. ¡°Yes,¡± came Julian¡¯s reply. Senior Jordan¡¯s face became less tense. ¡°Alright, let it be then! Make it as big as possible!¡± A smile appeared on Tiffany¡¯s face. While it was no marriage, it would be as good as one if the entire Burlington was invited. She would be able to tell everyone that she was Julian¡¯s official fianc¨¦e! ¡°No! They can¡¯t get engaged!¡± came a loud and sharp voice. Everyone turned to see Charmine walking into the ward. Tiffany clenched her fists. Why did Charminee? Was she trying to screw things up again?! Julian¡¯s eyes glimmered. Charmine came¡­ She came! Did she have feelings for him atst, to the point she disagreed with their engagement? Afraid that Charmine would stop Julian and Tiffany¡¯s engagement, Joey quickly said, ¡° Charmine, it¡¯s so good that you¡¯re here. Your sister¡¯s pregnant with Julian¡¯s baby. They have to get engaged and be together.¡± What Joey truly meant was that their engagement must be carried out, and Charmine should not screw things up. Robert red at her and barked, ¡°I don¡¯t care if you like Julian or not. Tiffany is pregnant, and they must be together. You have to let it go!¡± Chapter 370 Chapter 370 ¡°That¡¯s right, Charmine; you have no chance with Julian anymore. You didn¡¯t take the chance during the ceremony, and now it¡¯s toote to get him back,¡± Madam Cabell scorned. Charmine merely scoffed, ¡°Who said I came here to take him back?¡± ¡°Then why are you here?¡± asked the puzzled Madam Cabell. Silently, Charmine¡¯s gaze fleeted to Tiffany. Tiffany¡¯s heart sank. Charmine¡¯s gaze felt cold and sharp, like a scalpel ready to cut her skin open. Tiffany was guilty! What did Charmine know? Could she possibly know that this baby was not¡­ Would Charmine expose her? Just as anxiety and uneasiness bubbled at Tiffany¡¯s stomach, Charmine¡¯s gaze suddenly shifted toward Julian. Julian matched her gaze. Charmine was not the shy woman she was from five years ago; her gaze was piercing and powerful. That made Julian want to conquer her, to own her, but she knew Tiffany had his baby¡­ Just as Julian was about to speak, Charmine turned to look at Senior Jordan. ¡°Grandpa, Tiffany¡¯s pregnant. What¡¯s the point of nning a big engagement? Her belly would only grow in a few months, and others will think Julian was forced to marry her. An engagement ceremony is useless and wasteful. I think they should have a wedding right away!¡± What? A wedding, right away? Everyone gaped, wondering if they heard Charmine wrongly. Charmine , Julian¡¯s ex-girlfriend, asked for them to get married sooner instead of screwing things up? Tiffany was just as dumbfounded. What was Charmine trying to do? Charmine continued, ¡°Even if we want to make it big, we have to make the wedding ceremony happen as soon as possible! Julian could ask Tiffany to get rid of the baby today, and who knows if he¡¯d push Tiffany down the stairs tomorrow? Don¡¯t you forget that he did this to me five years ago. If he really loves this baby, he wouldn¡¯t have asked Tiffany to get an abortion.¡± Charmine spoke level-headedly, yet her words made the Jordans tense. Charmine had a point: If Julian really loved her, why would he do this? He even seemed unwilling to visit! At that moment, Senior Jordan gave the final decision, ¡°I don¡¯t care what it takes. The wedding ceremony will happen in three days, and that¡¯s final!¡± Julian¡¯s fists balled tightly. A wedding ceremony in three days? Did Charmine really want him to marry another woman? Was truly making sure he married another woman in just three days¡¯ time? ¡°Three days is too hurried,¡± Julian quickly intercepted, ¡°and I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to prepare the wedding¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my friend is skilled at this. You can have your wedding as early as tomorrow!¡± Charmine cut him short.Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Julian¡¯s face darkened. Charmine was forcing him to marry another woman! Out of the blue, Madam Cabell agreed as she said, ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll have the wedding in three days.¡± Since Tiffany already had Julian¡¯s baby, she would have to marry him eventually. Why make things worse? Madam Cabell instructed Julian, ¡°You¡¯ll start preparing right away. Pick a good time to bring Tiffany gown-shopping.¡± Julian hated it, but under such a circumstance, he had no choice but to agree. ¡°Okay.¡± He red at Charmine and turned to leave. Tiffany looked at Charmine and frowned. Why would she help her? Why would she be so kind to her? That could not be. Charmine was plotting something, she knew it! Chapter 371 Chapter 371 Upon Julian¡¯s departure, Madam Cabell broke the silence and said, ¡°Alright, shall we start nning for the wedding right away? I hope Tiffany can get some rest.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Joey rubbed Tiffany¡¯s hand comfortingly. ¡°You¡¯ll stay here, Tiffany. I¡¯ll make sure everything goes well, so don¡¯t think too much.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Tiffany nodded obediently. Everything worked out in the end. As long as Tiffany married Julian, she would be set for life! Most of the people in the ward went out to n the wedding. Uninterested, Charmine turned to Senior Jordan and said, ¡°I¡¯ll head home if there¡¯s nothing else here, Grandpa.¡± ¡°Thank you for your help, Charmine. Your sister owes you one. I¡¯ll let you be in charge of the real estate project next year,¡± stated Senior Jordan. He pitied Charmine. She had been with Julian for 18 years and had her wedding ruined, yet she had to watch her sister marry Julian. It must be so painful for her. How much would the projectpensate for that? Charmine, meanwhile, made no qualms as she merely replied, ¡°Okay.¡± The initially happy Tiffany turned bitter at that, her fists clenched tightly beneath the sheets. She owed Charmine? What did she owe her? Charmine shredded her reputation! All of a sudden, Grandpa was giving the project to Charmine? Tiffany was the one in charge of the project! If it seeded, she would make a bountiful profit and gain a good reputation. Why the sudden change? It was at that moment Senior Jordan turned to Tiffany.¡±Tiffany, you need to take good care of your body. You don¡¯t disagree with this, do you?¡± Of course she disagreed! Tiffany could eat their flesh and drink their blood right then and there, but since the wedding was coming up, she had to hold on and not offend the Jordan family. Left without a choice, Tiffany replied, ¡°Of course not! As long as Charmine isn¡¯t too tired, of course.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not pregnant and my body is well. You should take good care of your body and be a good mother and wife. I¡¯ll take care of everything else,mented Charmine, her lips curled upward. With that, she turned and left. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Tiffany gritted her teeth as she looked at Charmine¡¯s retreating form. She was gloating! Charmine was rubbing it on her face that she had the project, and that she was glowing and winning Had everything went ording to n, Charmine was the one to marry Julian and end up being a housewife. It was supposed to be Charmine! Charmine should have ended up as the useless housewife! The tables have turned, s, and Tiffany was forced into that role. Once she was married, Tiffany would have no stance in the modeling industry and would never make it back to the heights she once had. She would have to watch Charmine bing more and more popr! What other choice did she have, though? Tiffany had none! If she did not keep Julian, she would have no one else! She felt queasy, even though everyone was nning her wedding outside. Charmine¡¯sst words were eerie to her. It was impossible for Charmine to help her without something nned! Senior Jordan went out to discuss the wedding as well. Not long after, Madam Cabell walked in and said to her gently, ¡°Tiffany, Julian called earlier to say that it¡¯s toote to customize a wedding gown-We can only buy branded ones. Also, due to theck of time, Skyscraper on the Sea is fully booked. We can only host the wedding at another hotel. I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡± Branded wedding gowns, the same design that anyone could buy? Moreover, the Skyscraper on the Sea was the most unique tower in Burlington. Built in the sea, the entire city could see the spire from anywhere and at any angle! Anyone from prestigious families or public figures would have their wedding hosted at the Skyscraper on the Sea. All of a sudden, Tiffany had topromise on everything. Compromise! Tiffany was not pleased. Chapter 372 Chapter 372 Noticing how Tiffany remained silent, Madam Cabell went to her side andforted, ¡°Oh, Tiffany¡­ You¡¯re pregnant now, and your scandal with Julian made it to every headline everyone knows about it. The wedding is the best option for you and for him. If you can put up with everything before the wedding, you¡¯ll receive only the best treatment. That is, if you¡¯re well-behaved and be a good mother and wife.¡± While Madam Cabell¡¯s words seemed kind and reassuring, what she meant was entirely different: ¡®For a pregnant woman with a soiled reputation, you¡¯re lucky that we let you marry Julian. Since you ruined your reputation before the marriage, you have to ensure that you hold the Cabell family¡¯s good reputation after marriage, aside from being a good wife.¡¯ She was insulting Tiffany! Tiffany clenched her fists so tightly that her knuckles turned white as her nails dug deep into her palms. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Tiffany had to hold it! She had to! She tried her best to put on a gentle voice as she assured, ¡°Auntie, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve already left the modeling industry, and I have no other thoughts but to be a good wife to Julian. Also, I¡¯ll take good care and give birth to the baby. All of you can take care of the rest-I don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°Alright, good. If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯ll go back out to continue our negotiation on the bride price. Since our two families have known each other so well, we¡¯ll keep things simple.¡± Madam Cabell stood up happily and left, while Tiffany almost exploded in anger! Keep things simple? She had fantasized about her wedding for years. As the No.1 Supermodel in the world, and both the Jordans and Cabells were respectable families, her wedding would be grand and magnificent. 1 All of a sudden, they had to keep things simple? Hah! They looked down on her, thinking she was not good enough for Julian! She was once the No.1 Supermodel, the most respected heiress of the Jordan family¡­ ¡°Sister!¡± a voice called out. Tiffany snapped out of her thoughts and saw Robert by the door. She concealed the look on her face. ¡°Robert, what is it?¡± ¡°I know you feel bad right now, Sis. I¡¯ll go and tell them that you deserve the biggest wedding!¡± The irritated Robert was ready to leave the ward. Tiffany got off the bed and quickly caught his hand. ¡°Robert, don¡¯t do that. I deserve everything that¡¯s happening¡­ I deserve them. I ruined my sister¡¯s wedding, yet I¡¯m still alive, thankfully. What else can I ask for?¡± Robert instantly recalled the scandal and stopped moving, perplexed at the thought. Robert would not have let Julian go had he hurt Tiffany like this way back then, but¡­ It was revealed that Tiffany had plotted against Charmine with Julian, and she had a tarnished reputation because of that. Uneasy and anxious, Robert blurted, ¡°You haven¡¯t exined that to me.¡± Exnation¡­ The entire thing was live-streamed. What exnation could there be? Tiffany¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Let¡¯s not dwell on the past. You¡¯ll understand my difficulties one day, but now¡¯s not the time yet. Robert, don¡¯t listen to what they say. All you need to know is that I¡¯m your sister, and I¡¯ve treated you well since we were kids. I¡¯m the only person who¡¯d want the best for you.¡± She made it sound as if there were things she was keeping from him to protect him. Robert remembered how Tiffany had been nice to him since young, supporting him when everyone else did not when they were younger. She gave him money, helped him build a gaming team, and rooted for him all the way. His gaze softened at the memory. Seeing that he was convinced, Tiffany gently sped his hand. ¡°Robert, I¡¯ve never asked anything from you since you were a kid, but I¡¯ll have to ask a favor from you this time. Is that alright?¡± A favor? Robert looked at her. Chapter 373 Chapter 373 ¡°I don¡¯t mind that the Cabell family looks down on me,¡± began Tiffany, ¡°and I don¡¯t care if others look down on me. Nheless, I¡¯m scared-afraid that this wedding won¡¯t go as nned. Robert, you know I¡¯m no longer in the modeling industry, and I don¡¯t have anything else apart from Julian and the baby. However, Charmine seems to hate me, and she wouldn¡¯t let me go so easily. Of course, I¡¯m only specting¡­ I¡¯m worried that she still has feelings for Julian, and I¡¯m worried that she might harm me.¡± Robert squinted at that. ¡°It¡¯s unlikely.¡± Charmine was with Anthony, and it was apparent that she hated Julian¡­ ¡°Hopefully not!¡± Tiffany continued. ¡°I hope that she won¡¯t, but I don¡¯t feel safe. If she doesn¡¯t hate me, she wouldn¡¯t have mocked me before she left. ¡°As you know, Charmine hasn¡¯t forgiven me till this day, and she never epted my apology. Because of that, I¡¯d like for you to live with Charmine for a few days. You don¡¯t have to do anything to her; just follow her and watch her. It won¡¯t harm anyone. ¡°If she¡¯s nning to do anything, you can stop her as you¡¯re her brother. You can even tell me right away if she does.¡± Robert frowned. Tiffany wanted him to move out of the Jordan mansion and live with Charmine. It was enough that he did not like Charmine, so did he have to stay with her? 1 ¡°Robert, I know you¡¯re unwilling, but three days is all. Only three days! As thanks, I can help you to contact Uji Quin and ask him to tutor you,¡± coaxed Tiffany. 1 Robert¡¯s eye sparkled at her offer. ¡°Really?¡± Although Uji Quin had lost to that yer called Boss, he was still the best gamer of the game¡­ besides Boss. On the night after he lost to Boss, Uji Quin epted every challenger and won against them all, gaining back his reputation soon after. Everyone assumed that Boss either cheated, got lucky, or was a god. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. In other words, Uji Quin was still the undefeatable gamer who Robert looked up to. Tiffany nodded. ¡°Mhm. I was invited to a show in Kansas, and Uji Quin was a big fan of mine. He¡¯ll surely agree if I ask him for it. I¡¯m not bribing you, though¡­ It¡¯s just that I treat you as a brother, and I know you¡¯ll be bored in the next three days. Because of that, I want to make it up to you. Treat it as a present from me before I got married.¡± Robert almost felt bad for doubting her; Tiffany was so considerate and nice to him. All she wanted was for him to watch Charmine, yet he hesitated for so long¡­ He agreed, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll do just that. I¡¯ll find Charmine right away.¡± Tiffany watched him leave with a baleful expression that nobody saw. Ronnie closed the door as Robert left and walked toward Tiffany. Perplexed, Ronnie exined, ¡°Ms. Tiffany, we can pay for someone to watch over Charmine. Asking Robert to go and then paying for Uji Quin would cost a lot more!¡± She knew that Tiffany did not have much cash with her left. Her shares were taken away after what happened thest time, and Senior Jordan had asked her to stay home and rest, so nobody gave her money. As for Uji Quin¡­ Although he admired Tiffany, nobody would help one another without conditions, especially a woman with a ruined reputation. Tiffany scoffed, ¡°What do you know? I know what I¡¯m doing!¡± She picked up her phone and wrote a text to Uji Quin: [Mr. Uji, I¡¯d like you to teach my brother. He loves gaming and would like to improve his skill. He really looks up to you. If you¡¯re willing to help him out, I¡¯ll reward you handsomely. If you¡¯re willing to bring him to Kansas and train him there, I¡¯ll thank you even more! As long as you help him out and fulfill his dream!) Tiffany¡¯s eyes dulled a shade darker than usual after the text was sent. Hah! So everyone looked down on her, huh? Soon¡­ The Cabells would look up to her soon! Meanwhile, everyone was discussing the wedding ceremony that would take ce in three days, and even Senior Jordan was involved. Only Robert left quickly and ran down to chase after Charmine. Luckily, Charmine had not left and was still at the car park. Chapter 374 Chapter 374 Charmine was about to ignite the engine when she felt a presence behind her. She turned back to see Robert sitting right behind her, and she frowned. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°It¡¯s too noisy at home, so I¡¯ll stay with you for the next two days,¡± said Robert, not beating around the bush. That felt strange for Charmine. Even if the Jordan residence was noisy, he could have stayed with his friends. Why would he stay with her? It seemed that Tiffany had started her move, though Charmine was curious as to what she was nning. Once she secured the helmet on her head, she gave a spare one to Robert. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. That startled Robert; he expected for Charmine to refuse and not to agree so easily. That went rather well! Robert secured the helmet on his head. Charmine twisted the handle and sped on the motorbike, traveling at an incredibly fast speed. Robert instinctively held on the handle at the back, caught off-guard with it. He recalled how Charmine was once the pretentious, ugly, and useless girl that knew only to screw up as she followed after Julian all the time. Somehow, she had turned into such an amazing woman, and Robert had to admit, she looked pretty cool. Meanwhile, at the Bailey family mansion¡­ A grand and extravagant celebration was conducted, attended by prominent figures of all industries. Every guest in the room conversed with one another in such a refined and poised manner. Even so, McKenzie still stood out from the rest with a wine ss at hand, sitting by the flower bed. She wore a strapless dress with diamonds iid at the hem. The diamonds would glimmer and shine from all angles with just a slight movement. She exuded beauty, ss, elegance, and individuality. Manydies surrounded her while many men could not help looking at her. McKenzie¡¯s eyes, however, remained transfixed on a tall and strong figure. Anthony was dressed in his fine suit. Standing in front of the champagne tower, he was surrounded by some men as if in a discussion. He stood there quietly, yet even without speaking, he exuded an air of elegance and exquisiteness. McKenzie¡¯s lips curled upward. If everything went as nned, Julian would have bedded Charmine already. How would Anthony feel when he saw the photos? She anticipated that moment so greatly. Out of the blue, however, her assistant Miranda went up to her in a hurry, ¡°Madam, there¡¯s an urgent matter.¡± McKenzie nced at the people around her and uttered an excuse. They all dispersed as nobody dared to disturb her. Miranda walked up to her and whispered, ¡°Julian¡¯s n failed. Tiffany is pregnant, and she¡¯s getting engaged with Julian!¡± What? McKenzie¡¯s grip on the wine ss tightened. Chapter 375 Chapter 375 How could Julian miss out on such a perfect opportunity and get engaged with Tiffany instead? A useless pawn, he was! All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. right away, get back drive it to McKenzie ordered in a low voice, Hubert Zane.¡± Hubert was Fortune Entertainment¡¯s director who had joined forces with Hollyoak to attack Charmine, but after being embarrassed by Charmine, he kept himself low-profile. Since Charmine had evidence of him sleeping with others, hispany was repressed into seclusion, and he hated Charmine for that. He sought revenge, even. If he got hold of this pill, he would not let Charmine go! ¡°Probably not today,¡± said Miranda. ¡°Charmine¡¯s brother, Robert is going back to Violet Vi with her.¡± That meant Charmine had both a kid and a brother that would be living with her! Damn it! With such an intense force, the stem of the wine ss snapped under her grip with a loud crack. Anthony¡¯s mother, Susan ydon walked up to her right that instant. ¡°McKenzie, what happened? Why are you sitting here alone?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± McKenzie rposed her look and said with a worried face, ¡°I¡¯m just ashamed that I couldn¡¯tplete the task that you gave me.¡± McKenzie was supposed to spend more time with Anthony this month and build on their rtionship in order to announce their engagement today. s, she made no progress with Anthony! Susan sighed. ¡°What a pity. There are so many people here, and announcing the engagement would¡¯ve been ideal. Sadly¡­ Never mind, we still have time. Come with me, I¡¯ll bring you to talk to Anthony. You two need to have more contact!¡± With that, she offered her hand to McKenzie. McKenzie stood up elegantly and followed her toward Anthony. Hah! So what if Anthony liked Charmine? His parents like her, and only she could stand next to Anthony in her fancy dress! Just as they both neared Anthony, however, his phone rang. Anthony epted the call and was greeted with Luke saying, ¡°Boss, it¡¯s bad. Ms. Charmine is bringing a man back to the mansion, and the man is sitting behind Ms. Charmine on her motorbike!¡± Anthony¡¯s face turned cold instantly and hung up the call. He asked Charmine to stay home and take care of Chris, but she went out and brought home another man?! He kept his phone and walked up to his father. ¡°I have an urgent matter to attend to, excuse me.¡± Senior Bailey frowned. Excuse him? It was only a few hours and lunch was not served, yet he wanted to leave already? Although their rtionship had stiffened since the incident from five years ago, Anthony was still his most sessful son, and having him around on his birthday celebration would make him look good. How could he leave? Susan walked over with McKenzie at hand as she scolded, ¡°What could be more important than your father¡¯s birthday celebration? Can¡¯t you deal with it tomorrow? You haven¡¯t been back for a while now, and there are still some rtives who¡¯d like to meet you.¡± With that, she pulled on McKenzie toe closer. McKenzie stood there elegantly and calmly; gorgeous and dignified. She believed that she was the most beautiful woman in the room, and Anthony would surely gawk at her. 1 However¡­ ¡°Another time,¡± came Anthony¡¯s curt reply before walking away. His pace was stable and cold, showing no mercy, and he spared not a nce at McKenzie even as he walked past her. The other heiresses used to look up to McKenzie, thinking that she was the only woman who could talk to Anthony, but that seemed false at that point. Chapter 376 Chapter 376 Ha-ha! What a sight, that was! Fists clenched, McKenzie felt the mocking gazes directed at her. What was Anthony thinking? Why did he embarrass her like that? Luckily, Susan was quick to save her dignity. ¡°Oh, my¡­ Anthony has always been like this, always busy with work. All he cares about is work!¡± ¡°That¡¯s only fair! That¡¯s why the Bailey Corporation is so well established,¡± praised the crowd. The atmosphere became less tense with that, and McKenzie took the chance and signaled Miranda to act. They had to find out why Anthony left so urgently! At that moment, Charmine and Robert arrived at Violet Vi and entered the mansion. Robert initially assumed the ce would be empty as he walked in, but he was greeted with the sight of shoes-a pair of men¡¯s and children¡¯s shoes, at that. There was a children¡¯s drawing board on the sofa with some cute animals drawn on it. The mansion seemed warm and homely. He frowned. Was Charmine living with other people? At that moment, he heardughtering from somewhere above them. ¡°Fly! Momo is flying! Kay, let me fly!¡± Charmine¡¯s eyes gleamed with warmth when she heard that voice, and she made her way upstairs. Robert was baffled. ¡®Momo¡¯? Why did that sound familiar? He followed Charmine upstairs. Inside a room on the second floor, one could see that room was refurbished to connect with the third floor. The ceiling was eight meters tall. The wall was filled with rock-climbing stones. Chris had his safety harness on as he climbed down the wall dexterously. He stepped on one stone after another skillfully, just like how an experienced agent would. Charmine¡¯s eyes beamed as she saw him. Momo turned out to be so agile! The impressed Kay then walked toward Charmine and said, ¡°No wonder he¡¯s Mr. Bailey¡¯s son -his genes are so well-developed. I thought I had to help him one step at a time, but it surprised me at how he could skip three stones in a leap, and he learned that in just ten minutes. It¡¯s just like how you were trained at the base back then!¡± Charmine was a weak woman back then, and her Uncles trained her rigorously so she would get stronger. It took Charmine only 10 minutes to master rock-climbing. It was as though the beast in her was unleashed after leaving Julian and giving birth to a stillborn N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Charmine looked at Chris and smilingly beamed, ¡°Of course, just look at who his mother is!¡± Kay was speechless at Charmine¡¯s remark. Chris¡¯ mother was yet to be found, and she was just a step-mother! Chris spotted Charmine at that moment, and he instantly flew down to her with his harness.¡° Mommy, Mommy, you¡¯re back! Look, Momo knows how to rock-climb now! I can fly!¡± ¡°Mommy saw everything. I¡¯ll make chicken wings for Momo for lunch as a reward!¡± Charmine ruffled his tiny head. Chris gleefully jumped as he pped. ¡°Yay!¡± In his little dance for joy, he spotted Robert standing behind Charmine. ¡°Mommy, what is he doing here?¡± Chris frowned. That man was the reason his Mommy almost left the Night of Glory event, and he was the reason why his Daddy had to go to such a far ce to save him! He did not like him! 1 . Robert looked at Chris, perplexed. While Robert had thought Anthony was serious with Charmine, he did not expect that they were still together! She even had such a close bond with the young master as well! Chapter 377 Chapter 377 Charmine nced at Robert. ¡°He¡¯ll be living with us for three days. Momo is the young master here, so you have to be kind to your guest, alright?¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Young master? She called Chris Bailey ¡®young master¡¯? Robert¡¯s soul nearly left him. He was Charmine¡¯s brother-he was the only one blood-rted to her in this building! Also, with the way she spoke to him, was she treating Chris as though he was her child? Was she serious with Anthony as well? ¡°Charmine, have you forgotten what I said to you the other night?¡± blurted Robert before he could think of his words. ¡°You¡¯re being careless.¡± Anthony was toying her! How could she be so careless? ¡°I won¡¯t allow you to speak to my Mommy that way!¡± Chris stood up in front of Charmine as he yapped, ¡°You¡¯re the one careless one! Your entire family is careless! You¡¯re blinded!¡± Robert was baffled at his outburst. That was Robert¡¯s first time scolded by a child, yet it was Anthony Bailey¡¯s child, thus he could not offend him-especially his father! Dispirited, Robert muttered, ¡°Charmine, I hope you¡¯ll think things through. Be logical! Tiffany is already getting married, and you should start looking for a husband as well.¡± With that, he turned to get out of the room. He walked down the stairs and sat on the sofa. Somehow, he felt uneasy. The thought of Charmine being a third-wheeler and Anthony¡¯s mistress made him frustrated. Five years ago, Charmine shamelessly followed around Julian. She found someone better five years later, yet she chose to be her old self again? At that moment, the door was pushed open. Click! Anthony walked in. Just as he expected, a man was sitting on the sofa, and he could only see his back due to the angle. Judging from his back¡­he seemed young. So, Charmine liked younger boys? His face darkened as he parted his lips. ¡°Toss him out!¡± Those three words were uttered simply, yet it had more edge and venom. This man-whoever it was-had the guts to get close to Charmine and sat on the back of her motorbike! Damn it! Luke instantly walked over with two bodyguards to drag on Robert. Pulled up, Robert looked at them confused. Instantly, the air became tense. Anthony¡¯s eyes twitched. Robert? The man Charmine brought home was her brother, Robert? Luke was just as shocked. So the man who came back with Charmine was Robert after all? Mr. Bailey almost tossed out his brother-inw! Anthony red at him coldly. ¡°Get out! A hundred push-ups!¡±. Luke felt wronged. Robert had a helmet on, which obstructed his view from identifying the boy. How would he know that he was Anthony¡¯s brother-inw? Great! He had offended Robert and almost made his boss toss out his brother-inw. ¡°I¡¯ll do a hundred push-ups right away!¡± Panicked, he left with the two bodyguards. Robert frowned. What was Anthony doing? One moment he nearly got him tossed out, and the next moment he asked his bodyguards to leave? Anthony was the most powerful man in Burlington, however. Scared of offending him, Robert kept his mouth shut. Anthony resumed as if nothing had happened. Removing his suit and cing it on the cloth stand, he then walked to the sofa and sat down. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± There was no bite to his question. ¡°I¡¯m staying with my sister for three days.¡± Three days? Anthony frowned, and the air around him somewhat shifted. His dark eyes did not show any of his thoughts nor emotions. Robert felt pressured and felt as if the air had be denser, harder for him to breathe. Just as he thought Anthony was making him leave, Anthony suddenly spoke, ¡°Do you need any daily necessities?¡± Robert was dumbfounded. Were his ears ying tricks on him? What was that question all about? Chapter 378 Chapter 378 Anthony merely stared at Robert before fishing out his phone to call Luke. ¡°Prepare some daily necessities for Mr. Jordan.¡± Luke, on the verge of getting punished, epted his new task. ¡°Yes, Sir!¡± Robert snapped out of his trance. Was Anthony actually preparing daily necessities for him? The high-above Boss Bailey, cared for him? Anthony stood up. ¡°Don¡¯t be rmed. I¡¯m your brother-inw.¡± His deep, husky voice matched the gentlemanly aura he exuded. With that, he walked upstairs. Robert stared at Anthony¡¯s retreating form in disbelief. Brother¡­inw¡­?! Did Anthony just say that, and so openly at that?! Meanwhile, Charmine was with Chris on the second floor as she gently coaxed him. ¡°Momo, don¡¯t mind Robert ¨C he¡¯s just a stubborn and rigid man. Just exercise or even y with your toys.¡± As long as his immune system improved, Chris would make a speedy recovery. Chris nodded obediently. ¡°Alrighty! A bigger man won¡¯t hold a grudge against a smaller man. I¡¯m a mature five-year-old, after all!¡± Anthony walked in on them at that moment, and the first thing he saw was Kay who was standing beside Charmine. Kay had silver hair and was dressed in ck attire, much like an agent¡¯s. That man seemed familiar; Anthony felt like he had seen him in one of those international conferences before. Why was he standing beside Charmine? Kay almost squirmed under Anthony¡¯s intense gaze. Even though he had been to all kinds ofbats and big events, Anthony¡¯s authoritative re with a hint of jealousy was not something anyone could withstand. ¡°I¡¯vepleted my mission, Boss Jordan,¡± remarked Kay. ¡°Good day!¡± With that, he ran out of the mansion as quickly as possible. Charmine did not stop him as she warily eyed Anthony. ¡°Weren¡¯t you at the celebration party? Why did youe home so early?¡±.. ¡°The party is boring,¡± Anthony answered nonchntly. Seeing that Charmine had put on the safety harness, he said, ¡°You two have fun, I¡¯ll prepare lunch.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± In the past few days, Anthony was the one preparing meals most of the time. They were mostly ready- made meals that only needed to be heated up in the microwave, but Charmine was never picky. Every dish was prepared by world-ss chefs; even the exact time to heat up a dish was written on the label. They tasted just as good as fresh dishes did. With that, Charmine apanied Chris to rock-climb and hang onto the horizontal bar. Robert was rooted to his seat on the sofa, unable to make sense of what had happened. He then saw Anthony walking into the kitchen and put on a ck apron. He frowned. What was Anthony doing? Anthony removed the dishes¡¯ packages, put them into the microwave, and set up the time. He then took out tes from the disinfection cab. Anthony initially took out three tes at first, but as he spotted Robert who was in the living room, he added another. Robert stared in disbelief. Were his eyes ying tricks on him? Did he see a ghost? Property ? N?velDrama.Org. The Boss Bailey, known to be a decisive and merciless man, was making lunch in the kitchen? Anthony lived with Charmine¡­ Was she not the secret lover or the third-wheeler? Should she not be the one preparing meals? Why Anthony? Elegant as always, Anthony ced the tes and cutleries on the dining table and prepared the dishes. Every action of his was elegant and graceful, just like the male lead in a ssic romance movie. After half an hourter, four dishes were ced on the table. Anthony took off his apron and said to Robert, ¡°Go and get your sister and your nephew.¡± Robert tensed up. Nephew¡­ Burlington¡¯s young master¡ªhis nephew? Also, was he really sharing a table with Boss Bailey? Chapter 379 Chapter 379 The thought of that sent shivers down Robert¡¯s spine, but since Anthony already asked, Robert had no choice but to call for them upstairs. Charmine was training on the horizontal bar with Chris. The sight of them seemed rather professional and cool-an adult and a child effortlessly pulling up on the bar. Above that, the scene was so warm and homely, like a real family. Robert snapped out of his thoughts and called out dully, ¡°Lunch is ready.¡± Charminended on the floor before she carried Chris down from the bar. ¡°Remember to stretch after exercising,¡± advised Charmine, ¡°like what Mommy is doing.¡± She sped her hands above her head and bent left to right, stretching the muscles on her arms. Chris followed her movement, his tiny legs and hands looked cuter than ever. After finishing stretching their legs, Charmine held Chris¡¯ hand and walked downstairs hand-in-hand. There were four different dishes for each of them to share on the table, and each of them had an empty te ced in front of their seat. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Anthony sat in front of the table and ced the dining cloth on hisp, elegant as always, and Robert noticed everything as he walked down the stairs. It only urred to him then why Charmine was willing to be his secret lover: That man was too perfect, and any movement of his would take one¡¯s breath away. 1 The dining table was rectangrly shaped, perfect for four. Robert did not have the courage to sit beside Anthony, so he hurriedly took the seat furthest away from Anthony. Chris instantly called out, ¡°That¡¯s my spot! I want to sit with Mommy!¡± ¡°Momo, he¡¯s your uncle, so don¡¯t be rude. Come here,¡± Anthony scolded him warningly. Chris¡¯ small lips formed a pout as he walked to Anthony¡¯s side, his little face filled with unpleasantness. Charmine smiled helplessly as she took the seat opposite Anthony and gave Chris a chicken wing. ¡°Momo, be good, alright? You can still see your pretty Mommy sitting right in front of you.¡± ¡°Oh, yeah! I can¡¯t let others have such a good view! Hmph!¡± Chris pouted as he red at Robert, arrogantly yet ironically adorable. 1 Robert was at a loss for words. He felt like this young master treated him with hostility when he did nothing wrong! Well¡­ He lowered his head and started eating. Anthony put a slice of fish onto Charmine¡¯s te. ¡°You¡¯re too skinny-eat more.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Charmine did not reject his offer. That baffled Robert. There was a serving spoon on the table, but Anthony used his own fork to get Charmine the fish. Moreover, Charmine did not seem to mind! Robert was the only one using the serving spoon to get the dishes. He knew how much the upper ss cared about table etiquette as even when dining with the Jordan family, they used the serving spoon. What more the Baileys? . When did these two be so close? At that moment, there were knocks on the door. Charmine frowned. Who would visit at this hour? She got up to open the door and saw Luke with a few other men standing outside, each of them holding a box full of items. ¡°These are the daily necessities prepared for Mr. Jordan,¡± stated Luke. ¡°Please tell us if there¡¯s anything missing.¡± Robert looked at the boxes filled with things from toiletries to clothes. There were even a brand new four-piece suit and arge screenputer. He was only staying with Charmine for three days yet Anthony asked them to prepare all that for him? Even Charmine was shocked as she looked at Anthony. ¡°Robert is only staying here for three days! You don¡¯t have to be so wasteful.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, he¡¯s your brother.¡± Chapter 380 Chapter 380 Anthony spoke with such gentleness as his eyes softly gleamed with love. Robert frowned. So Anthony was nice to him just because he was Charmine¡¯s brother? Was Charmine merely his secret lover? Why did he feel that something was off? 1 Charmine felt a sense of warmth surging from within after hearing what he said. It was then she made a decision: She would help Anthony investigate his five-years-ago incident, once she found the time to do so in two days¡¯ time. She had to find out who Anthony had bedded. Meanwhile¡­ The Jordans and Cabells had finished negotiating and nning the wedding ceremony. Due to the time constraint and most of the hotels fully booked, they eventually settled with Hilton Hotel Hilton Hotel was where Julian and Charmine had their engagement ceremony. Although it was also a five-star hotel, it was not the bestpared to the others. s, when the two families announced the ceremony on Twitter, it spread like wildfire. One used to be the No.1 Supermodel while the other was the well-known ¡®National Husband¡¯. Of course, both of them even made the headlines after sleeping together not long ago! #Tiffany-getting-married-with-Julian became the hottest discussed topic. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. (OMG! Tiffany is marrying Julian for real!) (Didn¡¯t Julian propose to Charmine on Night of Glory not long ago?] (Tiffany¡¯s nude went viral, then she slept with Julian at Charmine¡¯s wedding with him, and now she¡¯s marrying Julian?] (That¡¯s all in the past! I think they¡¯re made for one another! They¡¯ve been together for five years already!) (Julian proposed to Charmine and failed, and now he¡¯s marrying Tiffany? Who does he love here? Both?] [Charmine hadn¡¯t taken any modeling job since the wedding ceremony, and she seems to have stepped out of the frontline. She¡¯s probably hurt by Julian¡¯s decision.] (She must be so sad watching her ex-boyfriend marrying her sister¡­] [A hug to Charmine.] [A hug to Charmine +10086] Even though Tiffany and Julian were getting married, Charmine¡¯s name somehow made it to the search bar, and there were more searches of her name than Tiffany or Julian. Netizens were instantly reminded of Tiffany¡¯s nude, her plot against the other supermodels, and the incident of her sleeping with her almost brother-inw at that time. Needless to say, that sparked a long line of discussions on their own. Tiffany had just returned home and was going through the schedule in her room when she read the comments. She clenched her fists tightly. Damn it. This had to be Charmine¡¯s work, it had to be! 1 Charmine pretended to be so generous in front of Grandpa and seemed supportive of Tiffany¡¯s wedding, while all the time, she was plotting nasty tricks and tried to stop the wedding. How evil! She thought for a while before calling Julian. It was not long until Julian picked up and answered monotonously, ¡°Yes?¡± His voice was no longer gentle like it once was nor was there any delight in them getting married soon. Tiffany¡¯s fists became tighter. ¡°Julian, did you see the news online? I¡¯m so sad¡­ Someone must¡¯ve set this up. You¡¯re friends with the media, right? Since the wedding is happening soon, wouldn¡¯t it be best for them to take these discussions down?¡± Julian was sitting in his office and toyed with the small pill bottle in his hands. It would have been Charmine he was marrying had everything went ording to n, yet it was Tiffany who he had to marry! Tiffany had such a pitiful shares percentage. How could she help him? Thinking of that, heforted her emotionlessly, ¡°Don¡¯t mind what they say-just clear up your thoughts and prepare to be a bride. Don¡¯t waste anymore time on them.¡± Tiffany¡¯s face darkened. Clear up her thoughts? Everyone was finding faults with her and Julian! How could she clear her thoughts? She would have to endure everyone¡¯s judgmental gazes if nothing was done to stop the mess. Was Julian looking down on her just because she had a small percentage of the Jordans¡¯ shares? Chapter 381 Chapter 381 Just as Tiffany opened her mouth to reply to Julian, Ronnie ran into her room happily. Was it delightful news? Tiffany had sent her to do something. Had she seeded? With that, Tiffany no longer bothered to waste more time with Julian as she said, ¡°Alright then, you must be tired. Do take care.¡± ¡°Okay, you too,¡± Julian¡¯s voice was just as toneless from the start. After hanging up, Tiffany asked Ronnie, ¡°How did it go?¡± Unsatisfied with just sending Robert to spy on Charmine, Tiffany asked Ronnie to find out where Charmine lived. It would be best if they would cut off the road outside her house so she could never leave! Ronnie answered, ¡°I was following Charmine, and I found out that she had gone back to Violet Vi. I was going to do what you told me to, but I found out two shocking things!¡± 13 All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Ronnie then closed the door, walked up to Tiffany, and whispered, ¡°Charmine is living with Anthony! They¡¯re all living at Violet Vi. Also, someone else is following after them and spying on them. ¡°I did some more digging and found out that the person following them was McKenzie¡¯s assistant, Miranda!¡± Tiffany frowned. Anthony was still with Charmine?! She thought Anthony was just ying Charmine, but why was he still fooling around with her? As for McKenzie? Anyone who knew Anthony knew about McKenzie as well. She came from generations of ss and education; an exceptionally skilled and extraordinary woman. Even though her reputation was tainted not long ago due to the Gigi scandal, she then issued some research and development patents in which theizens instantly shut up. Since the patents she issued benefitted the masses, who would want to insult a researcher? That new piece of information wasckluster, but for Tiffany, it would cost more good than harm! Her red lips curled up slowly. McKenzie was investigating Charmine¡­ That meant she was keeping an eye on Charmine too! However smart Charmine was, she would not be able to defeat McKenzie that had more resources. All Tiffany had to do was wait for McKenzie to defeat Charmine and then take advantage of her! Tiffany eyed Ronnie. ¡°Did you check what McKenzie is up to?¡± ¡°She attended Senior Bailey¡¯s birthday celebration today, but she was ignored by Anthony. I spent a large sum of money to find out that McKenzie was trying to get a photo of Charmine with Anthony, so that she could send it to his parents!¡± Ronnie continued the gossip, ¡°I heard that McKenzie spent arge sum of money to buy a Special Warfare spying camera when Boss Bailey suddenly moved out of his mansion, and she hasn¡¯t been able to get a photo of them.¡± Tiffany¡¯s eyes darkened. Was Anthony protecting Charmine? Still, Anthony must have not known that Charmine was once pregnant. He would surely dump her when he did! The best move was to team up with McKenzie. She picked up her phone and texted Robert: (Robert, are you alright staying there?] At Violet Vi. Robert was just settling in his new room when he received a text from Tiffany. He picked up the phone to reply: [Don¡¯t worry, Sis. Everything is fine.] All the daily necessities were brand new, and Anthony even had his men help him install the new curved screenputer in his room. He could y as he pleased. Tiffany texted: (How¡¯s Charmine¡¯s vi? Is she lonely living alone? Do ask her toe home and live with us¡ªit¡¯s better for everyone to live together.] Robert thought of how homely it was, thus he texted a reassuring reply. Chapter 382 Chapter 382 Robert: (Don¡¯t worry. She¡¯s fine, don¡¯t worry.] Tiffany: (Alright. I ordered you a pair of Bluetooth earphones, so remember to get them. They¡¯re good for listening to music or gaming.) Robert: (Thanks, Sis.] Robert received the Bluetooth earphones in the afternoon; it was thetest high-tech Bluetooth earphone of a technologypany. It was made of matte ck material of high quality, and the sound quality gave one the impression that it was a live concert! Robert liked it very much, so much so that he wore it even as he ate. Meanwhile, Tiffany received a few photos sent to her email, thanks to the pinhole cameras she had installed in the earphones! While it was impossible to spot due to its size, the cameras produced high- quality photos, and the photos were automatically sent to a pre-set email address. Tiffany clicked on the email to see photos of Charmine and Chris sitting on the sofa reading, and there was even a photo of Anthony sorting out the documents as he sneakily stole nces of Charmine. There was also a photo of them looking at each other, talking about something. Every photo seemed homely and warm. Jealousy sizzled within Tiffany. Why was she neglected by Julian while Charmine was adored by Anthony? Charmine was just a woman once raped and gave birth to a stillborn. What rights did she have to be happy?! It did not help that Anthony was the king of men, the man everyone looked up to! What kind of evil and wicked tricks did Charmine pull to win his heart? Tiffany¡¯s face was filled with jealousy as she forwarded the photos to McKenzie. Hah! Tiffany wondered how McKenzie would feel she saw these photos! Would Charmine still get a happy ending? No matter what, she would not make it easy for Charmine! After leaving Senior Bailey¡¯s birthday celebration, Mckenzie went back to her workb when Miranda came and reported, ¡°Boss Bailey lives at Violet Vi with Charmine. He went straight home to her after he left the party!¡± McKenzie¡¯s brows tightened at the news. He went out in such a rush just to go return to Charmine?! Charmine Jordan! What a dirty woman with dirty tricks! She was dering war! Meanwhile, her phone rang as an anonymous ount sent her some photos. She clicked open to see the notification, and she instantly smashed every reagent around her to the floor. Anthony, the man who spared her not even a nce, was so gentle and nice to Charmine! The three of them were like a family of three! What hurt her the most was the way Anthony looked at Charmine. His eyes were usually cold, but he looked at her with such gentleness! The man that took her heart away was loving to that b*tch! The reagents got mixed up in the mess, and the wooden desk started to rot. Miranda quickly went forward to help out. After cleaning it, she asked, ¡°Madam, shall I send these photos to Mr. and Mrs. Bailey?¡± A woman like Charmine was not up to their standards to be their daughter-inw. McKenzie merely said, ¡°Why the rush? Do another thing first. Make sure Charmine stays at the top of the search, and let out some drafts to promote her eighteen years of close rtionship with Julian.¡± N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. ¡°But¡­ Since Boss Bailey is already with Charmine, he must¡¯ve known about this. He might not care,¡± Miranda reminded her. ¡°Hmph. Who said I want him to care? What I want is for the world to know that Charmine loves Julian! And when these photos got out, what would the people think?¡± McKenzie picked up a scalpel and burned it with the alcohol burner. Her face seemed cruel and calctive under the dim light, seemingly like the devil. Chapter 383 Chapter 383 It was only then Miranda understood everything, and McKenzie was right. The entire world assumed Charmine was heartbroken over Julian¡¯s decision and withdrew herself from the modeling industry because of it. If the photos of her and Anthony were outed, they would think that Charmine had moved on to Boss Bailey in secrecy, and the public would think she was a calctive woman! Moreover, if they put up more information about Charmine¡¯s rtionship with Julian, Anthony¡¯s parents would assume that Charmine liked Julian, and that Charmine was seeing both Anthony and Julian at the same time. Mr. And Mrs. Bailey would never approve Charmine to be their daughter-inw! N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Perfect idea! McKenzie was indeed a genius! Instantly, Miranda went on to work on that n. In the next two days, lots of simr articles came up on the inte. (Charmine has been in love with Julian for over ten years.] (Charmine left the country to recover from illness. When she came back, her lover had be her brother-inw.] [Things Charmine had done for Julian.) (Charmine¡¯s heart shattered on her wedding.) Tons of articles made the #Hug-Charmine hashtag stayed as the hottest search for a long time. In turn, Tiffany and Julian¡¯s five-year rtionship became very insignificant. Not many people wished them well for their wedding. Everyone saw Julian as a douche while Tiffany was the third-wheeler who snatched her sister¡¯s husband. A woman who plotted against her sister¡¯s assets and the third-wheeler who snatched her sister¡¯s fianc¨¦! At that moment, Tiffany was trying her wedding gown in the fitting room, standing elegantly, allowing anyone to dress her and fix the gown. She was in a good mood. Although the gowns were all ready-made, they were of luxurious brands and the designs were eptable. As long as she could marry Julian and be Mrs. Cabell, that would be enough. Everything changed when Ronnie came in urgently and handed her the phone with a shaky hand. Tiffany felt uneasy when she epted the phone. Instantly, her face changed. Why was the entire Twitterforting Charmine and calling her the third-wheeler? Why were there people wishing that she would get cheated on and that Julian would leave her? The situation had escted to such a dire point! Why was Julian not doing anything about it? Ronnie instantlyforted, ¡°Madam, you have to hold on, you must! The wedding is in two days, and you¡¯ll be Mrs. Cabell after that. The reason I showed these articles to you was that I don¡¯t know what to do with them, we¡¯ll have to think of ways to solve them¡­¡± Tiffany¡¯s anger sizzled to a greater degree. Veronica would have resolved everything before showing them to her. s, Veronica was not here and Ronnie was incapable, always asking for her permission before doing anything. That triggered Tiffany¡¯s anxiety. If there were no other servants in the fitting room, she would have pped Ronnie right away! Tiffany tried her best to repress her anger and handed the phone back to Ronnie. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, these aren¡¯t true. They could say anything, but I¡¯ve done nothing wrong.¡± With that, she held up her dress and walked out of the room. Julian was already changed, sitting nkly on the sofa. He looked up as the curtain opened, and his expression changed. Tiffany had her hair braided in a loose it style as her wedding gown styled with bishop sleeves. She looked delicate and beautiful, like a princessing out of the pce. She did not look meek and weak; Tiffany seemed more elegant and exquisite. It definitely helped that she had a gorgeous face the size of a palm, watery eyes¡­ The sight of her would make one long to have her in his arms. Julian¡¯s silenced heart suddenly started to beat again. Chapter 384 Chapter 384 How could Julian forget? If he was topare their beauty, Tiffany was nowhere behind Charmine. Charmine was like a rose with thorns, while Tiffany was a gentle jasmine flower. All Julian cared about was the rose with thorns as ofte, that he had forgotten about Tiffany who stayed faithful by his side. Moreover, she carried his child, his very own baby¡­ Tiffany saw the look on Julian¡¯s face, so she smilingly asked, ¡°Julian darling, how do I look?¡± ¡°Beautiful.¡± Julian finally stood up and walked up to her to fix her hair. ¡°You look stunning today,¡± he praised her sincerely. The abashed Tiffany looked down as her little fist gently smacked his chest. ¡°Julian darling, you¡¯re making fun of me! I look just the same as always.¡± ¡°You¡¯re always stunning,¡± Julian remembered how he gave her the cold shoulder for quite some time, thus heplimented her more generously than ever. Tiffanyid on his chest embarrassingly, her hands around his waist. They both stood in front of the full-length mirror, perfectly reflecting their figures-a handsome man and a gorgeous woman stared right back at them. Julian¡¯s eyes were filled with love. Marrying Tiffany was not as bad after all. He used to love her anyway, and he had loved her ever since they were younger. As for Charmine¡­ He would deal with herter. At that moment, Tiffany looked up at him and lovingly and attentively-uttered, ¡°Julian darling, don¡¯t look at your phone in the next few days, and don¡¯t look at the news or Twitter. Let¡¯s just focus on our wedding.¡± Julian sensed that something was amiss. ¡°What happened?¡± he asked. ¡°No¡­ It¡¯s nothing, just don¡¯t mind them. As you told me; we should just be ourselves. I¡¯ll always stay by your side no matter what others say. I¡¯ll believe you,¡± said Tiffany with a soothing and gentle voice. Still, how could Julian not look at his phone after hearing what she said? He opened his Twitter to see the heated discussions. He had anticipated the scornful messages about Tiffany, but why were there people mocking him as well? They called him a heartless douche, a yer who liked two women! N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. The articles went on to state how Charmine had given so much for him yet suffered grievances instead. Hah! Hurt? Sad? Charmine did not even look at him! She wanted him to marry Tiffany so badly, yet she was ying the victim online? Tiffany snatched his phone away tofort him, ¡°Julian darling, don¡¯t be angry. I¡¯m sure my sister didn¡¯t n this. Let¡¯s just get married and ignore everything.¡± ¡°Who else could it be? She doesn¡¯t want us to be happy! We¡¯re getting married soon, yet she¡¯s still getting in the way!¡± growled Julian, the anger simmering in his eyes. He wondered why he felt so hurt and depressed these past few days for not being able to marry Charmine¡­ She was an evil woman! While they had wronged her five years ago, Charmine savagely ruined their lives right after her return! They had apologized to her multiple times, but not only did she brush that aside, she even became more hostile! Julian patted Tiffany¡¯s shoulder reassuringly. ¡°Tiffany, I¡¯ve neglected you in the past few days and made you heartbroken. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll deal with this.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think about it, Julian darling, you¡¯re tired. It¡¯s my pleasure to be able to marry you, and I don¡¯t want to take up your time again,¡± Tiffany tried to stop him, sounding depressed. That made Julian feel guiltier. Even though Tiffany¡¯s reputation was ruined, it was all because of him anyway. One woman saw him as her entire world while the other actively tried to harm him. She even got with another man in secrecy! He must have been blinded in the past few days to have loved a woman like Charmine! Julian would make sure he made it up for Tiffany and, of course, show Charmine he was not a man to be yed for a fool! Chapter 385 Chapter 385 Eyes darkened with hatred, Julian said to Tiffany, ¡°Go and pick some essories, I¡¯ll pay for them later.¡± ¡°Alright¡­ I¡¯ll make myself beautiful for you, and I won¡¯t let you down.¡± Tiffany walked away understandingly. Julian sat on the sofa and searched for Charmine¡¯s contact on Whatsapp. He wanted to text her through Whatsapp, but thinking of how none of his texts got through, he decided to text her with the regr messaging service. (Stop spreading rumors online, Charmine. Don¡¯t me me if I expose these photos!] He attached a photo of Charmine dressed in a nurse costume. Charmine blindly loved him five years ago, yet despite following him and wanting to give her all to him, he spared her not a nce. Desperate to get his attention, the Charmine back then dressed up in all sorts of suggestive costumes. If these photos got leaked, the damage would be just as severe as Tiffany¡¯s nude! At Violet Vi. Charmine yed checkers with Momo and was wrapping the game up. Too immersed in the game, she did not realize her phone on the sofa lit up. Anthony, who was working on the sofa, picked up the phone. [Stop spreading rumors online, Charmine. Don¡¯t me me if¡­] Anthony could not read the rest of the message since her phone was locked. He nced at Charmine, who focused solely on teaching Momo. Charmine would not know it if he tapped into her phone. Still¡­ He decided against it in the end, a sign of respect for Charmine, thus he stood up and handed Charmine her phone. She took it and saw the message on the lockscreen, sent by the ¡®Douche¡¯. Douche was what she set Julian¡¯s contact name as. Julian was getting married. Why was he texting her? Unlocking her phone, her hand clenched at the phone as her brows tightened. There it was: A photo of her kneeling on the bed dressed in a nurse costume, as seductive as one¡¯s imagination could go. That was from five years ago. After she had turned eighteen, shemented to Tiffany: ¡°Sister, do you think Julian likes me? He never lets me hug or kiss him.¡± Tiffany then replied, ¡°You¡¯re silly! Julian takes more time to warm up to, and you have to take the initiative and do some fun things. I¡¯ll buy you some clothes and props, you go and find him.¡± Back then, Charmine believed her. She dressed up in the costume like a fool to get Julian¡¯s attention, but that made Julian hate her even more. The Jordan familyter found out about this, and they called her a shameless embarrassment. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. It startled Charmine how Julian still had the photo with him, and he was using this to threaten her¡­ Anthony, who stood right next to her, saw the photo as well. His expression shifted as he glowered. He never knew Charmine had that side of her, and she even showed it to Julian. Charmine instantly felt as if the atmosphere became tense, so she looked up to meet his gaze.¡° What? Are you disappointed?¡± said Charmine, unable to hold back the words lodged at her throat. Disappointed that she was once that kind of woman; disappointed that she was so shameless. Knowing Anthony, he must have hated her! Thus it surprised Charmine when only one word left Anthony¡¯s lips: ¡°Furious.¡± He was not disappointed. He was just furious. Furious that she was such a fool, an idiot to have tried to please Julian wholeheartedly and even offered to give her all to Julian! Even with all that, Julian did not appreciate her and even used her moment of weakness to threaten her! He used her wholehearted love as a prop to ckmail her! With a scowl on his face, Anthony took out his phone to text Julian: [If this photo ever gets leaked, Mile- End Corporation will disappear.] He then showed the text to Charmine. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve solved it.¡± Charmine gaped as she stared at the text he sent to Julian. Even after seeing such a scandalous photo, Anthony stayed with her and fought back against Julian instead of leaving her? Chapter 386 Chapter 386 What was Anthony thinking? Chris saw how the atmosphere shifted peculiarly, so he got up hurriedly and ran out of the living room On the second floor, he bumped into Robert who was about to go down, thus he quickly caught his arm and asserted, ¡°Don¡¯t go down. My Daddy and Mommy need alone time.¡± With that, he pulled Robert back into the room. Robert was baffled at his words. Alone time? During the day?! How frisky were Charmine and Anthony anyway? Back at the living room, Charmine continued, ¡°There¡¯s more than one photo. I wore four costumes in total.¡± After Julian rejected her first rabbit costume back then, Tiffanymented, ¡°Eh? Julian doesn¡¯t like this? Try on more-I¡¯m sure one of them would please him. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make sure no one in the family finds out.¡± Charmine was too na?ve five years ago¡­ She believed everything Tiffany told her! Foolishly, she tried on different costumes, including the half see-through ones. True to Tiffany¡¯s word, the family did not know anything after that. On the other hand, Julian refused to see her for more than half a month; he liked an innocent and pure girl like Tiffany instead of a shameless woman who threw herself at him. If it was not for Charmine¡¯s 15 percent portion of the Jordans¡¯ family shares , Julian would have canceled their engagement instantly! Charmine snapped out of her thoughts and met Anthony¡¯s gaze. ¡°Four costumes, and one skimpier than the others. You¡¯ll regret loving me, it¡¯s still not toote to back out now.¡± Charmine preferred being honest instead of beating around the bush, and she would own up to everything she had done. So what if Anthony hated her for this? She was used to living alone anyway. However, when she saw Anthony¡¯s fiery eyes, a strange sense of fear welled within her. She was scared that he would say goodbye¡­ Scared that he would leave her. Strangely, she cared about what he thought of her¡­ Consumed by the thought that he would despise her, it came as a surprise to Charmine hearing Anthony¡¯s next words: ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡± Not her fault? Charmine gaped at that. Was that all in her head? Were her senses tricking her? Anthony¡¯s firm, mature voice was heard as he added, ¡°Loving a person and working hard to chase a person isn¡¯t wrong. The person at fault is him. However¡­¡± He looked deep into her eyes. ¡°Luckily, he made a mistake, and luckily, he didn¡¯t care about you.¡± His hoarse voice was maic and sincere, very pleasant to the ears. Charmine¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She knew what Anthony meant: He had a chance to be with her because Julian did not want her. Anyone who saw the photo would jeer her for it, yet Anthony said it was not her fault¡­ She looked at the man in front of her. ¡°Anthony, you¡¯re too kind to me. How can I ever repay you?¡± Anthony sat down in front of her as he packed the checkers on the table and said, ¡°Perhaps spend more time on me? Treat me half as nice as you treated Julian.¡± Half as nice? Anthony Bailey, wanting only half of her kindness? Charmine¡¯s red lips curled up. ¡°Sorry, but no.¡± No? Anthony¡¯s face stiffened ominously. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Was Julian so much more important to her, so much so that she would not even give him half of what she gave to Julian? ¡°Charmine, can you tell me the percentage of your attention you can give me?¡± If she could not give half of it, could she not at least spare him some? Charmine looked at him, and her lips slowly curled up. Chapter 387 Chapter 387 Meanwhile¡­ After sending the text, Julian expected Charmine begging him not to leak the scandalous photos of her, so it surprised him when he received a different kind of text: [If this photo ever gets leaked, Mile-End Corporation will disappear.) The most terrifying thing was that the number that sent him the text was made of the same eleven digits¡ª66666666666! That was a customized ount, the one that could not even be bought with money! An image of a man¡¯s stern, critical face appeared in Julian¡¯s mind. It was him¡­ It must be! Property ? N?velDrama.Org. He had not broken up with Charmine. They were both still together! Charmine was that confident and bold because she knew Anthony would back her up. She feared nothing because of Anthony! Julian¡¯s eyes darkened with hatred. She cried foul online while she was fooling around with Anthony. What a calctive woman! She was spoiled! She was too spoiled! He picked up his phone and called Oliver. ¡°Southern Cemetery, ire Hathaway¡¯s tomb. It¡¯s time to do something.¡± ire Hathaway was a caregiver hired by the Jordan family who took care of Charmine from a young age. When everyone was mocking Charmine as an adopted daughter, ire would protect Charmine. Charmine would drop everything and rush to ire Hathaway¡¯s tomb should it be disturbed. Knowing her rtionship with Anthony, they would surely go together. Hah! Julian wanted to see who else would still walk around calling him a douche when Charmine¡¯s rtionship with Anthony got exposed! Moreover, should Anthony¡¯s family find out that he was with Charmine, who would approve of her as their daughter-inw? Charmine would be detested by the Baileys, and Anthony would drop her for his family¡¯s sake. By then, Charmine would not be as wild and unruly anymore! Images of Anthony dumping Charmine crossed Julian¡¯s mind. Images of Charmine begging toe back to him. Oh, how he wanted for it to happen! Tiffany seemed to be choosing essories when she was actually observing Julian. After hearing his phone call, she was delighted! Perfect. Charmine¡¯s days would not be easy since Julian was scheming against her! Still¡­ She was aware that Julian and his family still looked down on her because she had too little shares with her, and Julian knew she was the actual adopted daughter instead. Those thoughts made Tiffany worry for her future. Once she married into the Cabell family, she would have less time to win over the Jordan family members¡¯ hearts, and her rtionship with Joey and Adam would drift apart. By then, what use was there for having so little portion of the shares? If she could only gain more shares before marrying Julian¡­ Once she had more shares, Julian and his parents would like her more! There was a spark of malice in her eyes as Tiffany excused herself to go to the washroom. She clicked open her chat with Uji Quin and texted: [Mr. Uji, I heard that you¡¯ve added my brother, but haven¡¯t you taught him? Please let me know if there¡¯s anything I can help you with.] Uji Quin replied almost instantly: [Tiffany, you know I¡¯ve always admired you. After our meeting in Kansas, I can¡¯t forget you.] Tiffany frowned. (Thank you for yourpliment, Mr. Uji. I¡¯m getting married, but we can still be good friends.] Chapter 388 Chapter 388 Uji Quin: (Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t ruin your wedding. I only want five photos of you, simr to the one that went viral.] Tiffany¡¯s expression changed drastically as she thought of the nude photo that went viral, and she panicked. She felt the burning gazes from the people around her wherever she walked. Some people still asked her for more nudes! That kind of photo would always stay with her and ruin her reputation for good! Uji Quin just had to ask one for himself, huh? She finally got to marry Julian ¨C her wedding was happening soon. Why was Uji Quin asking for her nudes that could destroy her life?! Cautious, Tiffany replied to him: [Mr. Uji, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m getting married, I can¡¯t make this happen. Kindly ask for something else. Uji Quin: [I don¡¯t have anything else to ask for. If you can¡¯t do this, then the deal¡¯s off.] ¡®Deal¡¯s off? How could he?! Tiffany¡¯s n was to use Uji Quin to control Robert and then get the rest of the family shares! That was a very crucial part of her n. As a matter of fact, it was the most crucial part! She replied instantly: (Mr. Uji, allow me to repay you some other way. Please reconsider. My brother is a huge fan of yours, and he¡¯d love to learn from you.] Uji Quin: (There¡¯s no free lunch in the world; that¡¯s just how life works. I¡¯m sure Ms. Tiffany understands this principle?] Tiffany: (I do. Give me a price, or anything else I can give you. Let¡¯s negotiate.) Uji Quin: (There¡¯s nothing I don¡¯t have ¨C I only admire Ms. Tiffany¡¯s beauty. Don¡¯t worry, I can swear to God that I¡¯d never leak the photos. If I do, I¡¯d get hit by lightning, have a ruined future, and no kids forever!) Tiffany¡¯s re lost its intensity as she read Uji Quin¡¯s deadly vow. She was rather persuaded. Thest time her nude was leaked, it was all because of Charmine. This time, however, Uji Quin merely wanted her photos for his collection, and he even made a deadly vow for that¡­ N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Uji Quin sent another text: [Ms. Tiffany, I¡¯ll be honest with you. I do have a collection of other female celebrities¡¯ nudes. If everything gets leaked, my reputation would be ruined as well.] [It¡¯s just a hobby of mine: I like to collect photos of beautiful women. As long as you send me yours, I¡¯ll talk to Robert and teach him the best skills. I¡¯ll let him learn with me in Kansas.] ¡®Learn with me in Kansas¡¯¡ªthat seized Tiffany¡¯s undivided attention. Once Robert left, her n would go on perfectly. Since she had won back a fraction of Julian¡¯s heart, it would be best if she could also get more shares! Also¡­ As her eyes lingered on the chat, her eyes darkened as she typed: [Alright, I¡¯ll send you now.] Around 10 minutester, Tiffany got out of the washroom. Julian had already made the payment by the time she got out. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± said Julian to Tiffany, ¡°I¡¯ll send you home.¡± ¡°Alright. Thank you, Julian darling,¡± Tiffany¡¯s voice was gentle as always. Julian gazed at the meek, loving Tiffany as heforted, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve made arrangements for the online scandal. All you have to do is be the pretty bride that you are.¡± Tiffany nodded shyly. With Julian¡¯s arrangement, the n would go on smoothly. Once the photo of Charmine and Anthony was exposed, McKenzie and Anthony¡¯s parents would give Charmine hell! At Violet Vi¡­ Charmine was drafting a design when her phone rang, a call that she epted. ¡°Hello, Ms. Jordan, I¡¯m calling from Southern Cemetery. Due to the recent changes in the cemetery, we would have to move Ms. ire Hathaway¡¯s tomb. May I know when you cane over?¡± Charmine frowned. Once she came back to Burlington, she took some time out to visit ire¡¯s tomb before going back to the Jordan family, but she had been immersed in work that she had yet to visit as ofte. ire was the only person who treated her with kindness back when she lived with the Jordans. Charmine had to go inspect the changes in the cemetery. ¡°Okay,¡± she answered, ¡°I¡¯lle right away.¡± The sun burned with intensity when a cloud drifted and temporarily shielded the sun. With that, the plot slowly unraveled. Chapter 389 Chapter 389 Upon Tiffany¡¯s return to the Jordan mansion¡­ Joey quickly went to greet her as she caringly asked, ¡°Tiffany, how did it go? Are you happy with the gown? Is everything okay?¡± ¡°Mm¡­yeah¡­¡± Tiffany¡¯s lips pursed, seemingly downcast but still forced a smile to say, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mum, I¡¯ll be fine¡­ Just a bit tired, so I¡¯ll get some rest.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Joey eyed Tiffany and felt something was off. After Tiffany went back to her room, she called on Ronnie, ¡°What happened? She doesn¡¯t seem happy.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s n-nothing, Madam! Really, it¡¯s nothing¡­¡± Ronnie shook her head vigorously, though her expression seemed as though she was not telling the truth. ¡°Tell me all at once,¡± demanded Joey, ¡°or I¡¯ll find Tiffany a much better assistant.¡± ¡°Madam, no! I want to work for Ms. Tiffany! I¡¯ll tell¡­! I¡¯ll tell you right away!¡± With a terrified expression, Ronnie lowered her head and stuttered, ¡°W-We went to pick the wedding gown today, and they were all ready-made without any special designs to them. Ms. Tiffany saw one that she liked, but it cost a million bucks. Mr. Cabell said she doesn¡¯t have to pick such an expensive gown and asked her to pick another¡­ ¡°Also, Madam Cabell had told Ms. Tiffany for a few times now, saying it¡¯s her blessing to be able to marry Julian. She asked her to not ask for too many things, and ask her topromise¡­!¡± ¡°Ronnie! Don¡¯t make things up!¡± came the abrupt yell from above them. Tiffany rushed down the stairs and sat beside Joey. ¡°Mum, please don¡¯t listen to Ronnie¡­ There¡¯s no such thing! The Cabells are treating me very well, and Julian is treating me well, too. Ronnie made that all up¡­ S-She made them up¡­¡± This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Despite her reassurance, Tiffany¡¯s voice got hoarse as her eyes were glossed with tears. Joey¡¯s heart ached at the sight of her daughter as she argued, ¡°What nonsense! How could they treat you that way? You¡¯re our precious daughter, and you¡¯re not for them to look down on! Stop defending them, Tiffany. We¡¯re going to have a little chat with them now!¡± Joey grabbed Tiffany¡¯s hand and was ready to leave. Tiffany resisted as she grabbed Joey¡¯s hand tightly. ¡°Mum, no, please don¡¯t! Now that my reputation is ruined, being able to marry Julian is indeed my greatest blessing. I¡¯m truly happy. Moreover, you know it yourself that business-minded people like the Cabells only care about the profit. Now that I¡¯ve left the modeling industry, I can¡¯t make any money, and I only have a meager percentage of the family shares. What else can a person like me ask for? ¡°Julian is willing to ept me, willing to marry me, and that¡¯s already my greatest blessing. I don¡¯t ask for anything else. Please, Mum, don¡¯t make it harder for them.¡± Her tone was soft and weak, understanding and humble. Joey pitied her and eventually calmed down. She noticed how the Cabells treated Tiffany with contempt during their wedding nning session, but she restrained herself and did not speak to them about it. She never expected that they still gave Tiffany hell! After all, Tiffany was her own daughter¨Cthe apple of her eye ever since she was a child. How could the Cabells harm her? It was at that moment Joey made her decision as she gently said,¡± Tiffany, I¡¯m pleased that you¡¯re so understanding. Go get some rest, I¡¯ve some things to attend to.¡± ¡°Alright, don¡¯t wear yourself out,¡± Tiffany said caringly and left with Ronnie. ¡°Don¡¯t speak behind my back in the future!¡± Tiffany sternly spoke to Ronnie. ¡°Okay¡­!¡± Chapter 390 Chapter 390 Once Joey saw both Tiffany and Ronnie walking up the stairs, Joey got up and walked toward the study room on the first floor, where Adam was sorting out some documents. Joey walked in. ¡°Adam, I need to discuss some things with you¡­ Let¡¯s give our twenty-five percent shares to Tiffany.¡± They used to have 20 percent, but after Tiffany ruined Charmine¡¯s wedding, they took another 5 percent from her. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. That left Tiffany with only 5 percent. Adam¡¯s expression morphed. ¡°Are you being silly? Give all of our shares to Tiffany? I would¡¯ve complied had you asked me way before this, but think of what she¡¯s been doingtely!¡± Her first scandal was on her nude, and it worsened after she plotted against the top ten supermodels. It only went downhill from there as she seduced the man who almost became her brother-inw, andst but not least, she was getting married because of her pregnancy! She brought so much shame to the Jordan familytely! ¡°Sigh! I know she¡¯s made many mistakes, but she always apologized and had her punishment. Now her only wish is to marry Julian and live a happy life. She¡¯s already pregnant, so she won¡¯t do any foolish things anymore.¡± 1 Joey sighed and continued, ¡°Do you know how the Cabell family is treating her? I¡¯m sure you¡¯re aware that they take the wedding lightly. After everything is said and done, she¡¯s still the daughter we¡¯ve raised regardless of her mistakes. She always helped you out at work, and she¡¯s the most understanding child out of the three. Now, the Cabells are bullying her just because of her mistakes and her five-percent share! They¡¯re treating her so badly even before the marriage, how¡¯d they treat her after that?¡± Joey¡¯s heart ached painfully as tears started rolling down her cheeks. As a woman herself, she could understand how hurtful it was for a woman to be taken lightly. She had her own fair share of bitter moments when she was married into the Jordan family, thus she did not want her daughter to be treated the same way. Adam¡¯s face darkened. ¡°You¡¯re notpletely wrong, and I¡¯ve thought of that before as well¡­ But every time I thought of her plotting against the supermodels and how she acted pitifully to lie to every one of us, I felt a chill down my spine! And you were there yourself, when she told us she¡¯s happy for Charmine. Look at what she did behind her back. She went all the way to sleep with Julian and even plotted to get her assets! Now I don¡¯t know which words of hers are real and which are fake.¡± Tiffany listened carefully to their conversation outside the door with clenched fists. Were they taking everything away from her just because she had made mistakes in the past? She had stayed under the radar obediently for the past few days as she did things ordingly. She even helped Adam to solve many of the problems from thepany. Were they not enough to compensate for her mistakes? Were her parents not helping her out when she was bullied around? Back in the study room.. Joey felt as if her heart was pricked by needles. After a moment of silence, she said, ¡°Let¡¯s see ¡­ She¡¯s now pregnant. I believe that even if it¡¯s for the baby, she¡¯d grow up and learn from her mistakes. Anyhow, I won¡¯t allow the Cabells to hurt her!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m her father. There are two days till her marriage, so we still have time to discuss things through,¡± he assured. Tiffany scowled at that. What did he mean, they still have time to discuss things through?! What was there to discuss? They just did not want to give their shares to her! They were so critical to her even when they did not know she was the adopted child. What would they do if they find out? Knowing Charmine, she would eventually expose her. Tiffany had to get the shares as soon as possible! By then, her eyes darkened forbiddingly. Chapter 391 Chapter 391 At that moment, Adam was sorting out documents in the study room when he stood up to pour himself a drink. Unexpectedly, his cigarette fell onto the carpet in the room and caused it to burn into the carpet. His attempt to put out the initially small flicker of me was in vain as it grew. The fire gradually licked and engulfed everything mmable in the room: wooden furniture, bookshelves, books that lined up, and the curtains of the study room. ¡°Someone, help!¡± Adam yelled frantically. ¡°Fire! Help!¡± At that moment, he recalled that an incredibly important document was stashed in the shelf, and the fire could incinerate it. It was his hard work of three months-it must be saved! He braved through the fire in an attempt to save it when his clothes caught fire, somewhat burning him in the process. ¡°Aargh!¡± Adam cried out in pain and staggered backward. Quickly, he hastily patted and smacked at his clothes to smother the me. Still, the document was mere seconds away from getting burned, and it would be gone if nothing was done to save it. Out of the blue, a thin figure rushed in. ¡°Dad, get out!¡± With that, Adam felt someone pushing him heavily out of the study room while that figure rushed into the study room. It was Tiffany! Tiffany actually ran into the study room! ¡°Tiffany! Come on out! Come out!¡± yelled the anxious Adam as he hastily extinguished the me on his sleeve. Tiffany ignored his calls and went straight into the room still. It was a sea of mes as the books on the shelves slowly copsed ¨Csome even right before her. Regardless, she braved through and went right for the deep end of the shelf. She grabbed the document on the shelf and also grabbed theptop on the working desk Suddenly, the midpoint of the tall shelf snapped as it fell right onto her. ¡°Tiffany!¡± Adam cried out. Instinctively, he wanted to run in to save her. s, it was all toote as the shelf fell on top of Tiffany with a loud m. ¡°Argh!¡± Tiffany was pressed onto the floor under the burning shelf. It was only then the maids finally arrived with fire extinguishers in their hands as they put out the mes. It took a good few minutes before thest lick of me was doused. Adam rushed in quickly and pushed the shelf up with the others. Tiffany¡¯s clothes were burnt, her face darkened due to the smoke, and her arms were wounded. Yet, sheid on the ground with the document andptop in her safe arms. Even though she was thoroughly wounded, the document in her arms was saved. Adam felt a sting in his eyes. ¡°Tiffany! How¡­how could you be so foolish?!¡± ¡°My Tiffany! Oh, my poor Tiffany! Someone, call for the family doctor!¡± Joey helped Tiffany up and carried her out of the study room. As though she identally pressed on her wound, Tiffany made a painful moan as she regained a small shred of consciousness. Sheid in Joey¡¯s arms weakly, looking around in confusion. Instantly, she anxiously forced out, ¡°Document¡­ Dad¡¯s document¡­¡± This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Her voice was extremely weak, as though she was on herst breath, yet all she was concerned about was the document. Joey¡¯s heart felt like it was needled as she heard Tiffany¡¯s sore voice. ¡°The document is fine, you saved it,¡±forted Joey. ¡°Don¡¯t speak for now¡­ The doctor¡¯sing.¡± Tiffany rxed after hearing that. Her eyes rolled as she sumbed into darkness. Chapter 392 Chapter 392 ¡°Tiffany¡­? Tiffany?! Doctor? Where¡¯s the doctor?!¡± Joey cried out desperately. It was not long until the doctor came, and after examining Tiffany, reported, ¡°She¡¯s incredibly lucky to have been saved right on time, or else, her skin would¡¯ve been burnt. She¡¯s suffering a minor fracture to her spine it seems, but it could¡¯ve been worse and fatal. She¡¯s lucky to have survived.¡± Joey and Adam let out a sigh of relief and sat down. At that moment, Robert rang them up and excitedly gushed, ¡°Dad, I¡¯m going to Kansas! Uji Quin has agreed to teach me, and he even said he¡¯s going to train me to be the next king of gaming! I¡¯ll leave after attending my sister¡¯s wedding, and I¡¯ll make you all proud when Ie home!¡± Adam grimaced. What was that? To Kansas, he said? This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Adam was drowned in his work, sorting out things and businesses for the family, yet Robert was going to Kansas? ¡°Are you trying to piss me off? Do you know what¡¯s happening right now? Your sister is keeping the company together, and yet an adult man like you is doing nothing but gaming! What is even in that thick skull of yours?!¡± ¡°What¡¯s so bad about gaming? I can still have a bright future from it! Do you think businesses are the only source of ie there is? As I said: I¡¯ll bring pride to Burlington, and I¡¯ll make a name for myself one day! One day! You¡¯ll all be sorry!¡± With that, Robert hung up on him. Beep, beep, beep! Adam¡¯s face turned darker than it already was. ¡°Useless! What a piece of trash!¡± he growled.¡± A sorry excuse of a son! What have I done wrong in my life to deserve such a useless son?!¡± ¡°Unbelievable! I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s getting worse day after day! Not only is he addicted to gaming, but he¡¯s even going to Kansas? We shouldn¡¯t have given birth to him! He¡¯s nothing like Tiffany-not even a fraction!¡± Joey scowled as she simmered in anger, pausing for a moment as she gazed at the unconscious Tiffany on the bed. ¡°Adam, we can¡¯t count on Robert anymore, and Charmine is adopted. Let¡¯s transfer our shares to Tiffany. She gave us her word that she¡¯ll still help you take of thepany even after marrying Julian, and we all know she¡¯s capable of it. If we transfer the shares now, it¡¯d count as her asset before marriage, so that the shares would belong to her instead of Julian¡¯s.¡± After a long moment of silence, and after ncing at the document burnt on the outside yet retained intact internally, Adam nodded. ¡°Alright.¡± Tiffanyid on the bed, internally partying at her sess. Atst¡­ She did it! Concurrently¡­ Charmine was in the same car as Anthony and Chris, driving up to Southern Cemetery. The father-and- son duo insisted that theye with her even when she wanted to go alone, thus she had no choice but to let theme with her. As the car drove closer to the cemetery, Charmine received a text from Kay: [Boss Jordan, there are many reporters waiting around Southern Cemetery, and they¡¯re all waiting to take photos of you and Anthony.] Charmine frowned. Was it a trap all along? Had someone nned this to get photos of her and Anthony together? Was it McKenzie again? Charmine¡¯s eyes narrowed at that as she spoke to Anthony, ¡°Wait for me in the car and pull down the curtains. I¡¯ll go down on my own.¡± Anthony saw the text on her phone and said, ¡°Since we¡¯re here already, and she¡¯s someone important to you, it¡¯s only right that we meet her.¡± ¡°Yes! I want to meet Mommy¡¯s Aunt! I like whoever is kind to Mommy! I brought flowers for her!¡± added Chris. Charmine frowned. ¡°But there are people expecting us¡­ I don¡¯t want the world to know about us just yet.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m on it,¡± assured Anthony, voice mature and firm as the car pulled over. Anthony opened the door and got down from the car. Charmine wanted to stop him, but it was already toote. ¡®What now¡¯ she thought to herself. There were so many people out there. Was Anthony about to officiate their rtionship? Chapter 393 Chapter 393 Amid Charmine¡¯s tumultuous thoughts, Anthony had walked to her side of the car and opened the door for her. Charmine stayed rooted to her seat as she eyed him warily ¡°Anthony, you know I don¡¯t want them to know yet¡­¡± she spoke, and there was warning in it. Anthony, however, met her gaze unmovingly. ¡°Trust me,¡± he insisted, firmly yet maturely. The hesitant Charmine eventually got out of the car as she took the plunge in trusting him, and his calm expression assured her. He asked for her trust, thus she gave it a chance. She was curious. How would Anthony handle it when there were reportedly so many paparazzi? The paparazzi hidden in the shades gaped in disbelief at the sight of Charmine. They were told that Charmine woulde to Southern Cemetery with Anthony Bailey, yet they were still apprehensive of the information, thinking it was all fake news. Which was why it surprised them to see the two. Anthony was in a rtionship with Charmine! Moreover, Anthony seemed to hold great feelings for Charmine as they judged their interactions. They instantly set up their cameras and snapped multiple shots of the two. Some took from the sides, some from the back, and some even took photos of their fronts! The heat did not bother them despite hiding in the bushes. Once she got out of the car, Charmine and Anthony walked next to each other toward the cemetery. Chris half-jogged behind them in his short legs, his big eyes inspecting his surroundings. After a moment, he softly remarked, ¡°Daddy, at eleven o¡¯clock, nine paparizzi are behind the bush. Most of them are there.¡± Anthony remained unperturbed and did not back down. Instead, he grabbed Charmine¡¯s hand and ced it on his arm. Charmine asked in a low voice, ¡°Anthony, what are you doing?¡± Waking in this posture, he was obviously trying to officiate their rtionship! Anthony did not reply as he continued to walk toward the eleven-o¡¯clock direction. The paparazzi beamed at the opportunity. Damn, what a golden chance to be able to take photos at such a close distance, with Charmine¡¯s hand tucked in his arm as well! That would definitely make the headlines! In fact, these photos were enough writing materials for at least a year! Just as the paparazzi were having a field day snapping shots after shots, Anthony suddenly stopped right in front of the bush. He stood coldly with Charmine beside and said, ¡°You have one minute to hand in your SD cards. Otherwise, I¡¯ll get it from you myself.¡± His low voice was authoritative and demanding, and the air felt heavy and tense. The paparazzi hiding behind the bushes were bbergasted as they trembled in fear. Boss Bailey found out-he knew they were here! Still¡­ Did they have to hand their SD cards to him? They went through all that trouble to hide for an entire day, just so they could get such headline -material photos! How could they just hand them to him like that? Anthony raised his hand and eyed his watch, his eyes cloudy and domineering. He said to Luke who was behind him, ¡°Clear them out.¡± Yes, Sir!¡± Luke took out his phone right away. The paparazzi behind the bushes trembled with fear; some even wet their pants. Clear them out¡¯? Clear them? Was he going to feed them to sharks? Wolves, maybe? N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. How could they forget that Anthony was the king of Burlington? No news station had ever published things about his private life, ever. How could they forget and even tried to publish the photos? That act alone was like dering war against Anthony! Dering war with Anthony only had one oue¡­ Instantly, someone ran out and handed in his SD card. Chapter 394 Chapter 394 ¡°Boss Bailey, it was a mistake¡­! I¡¯ll never do this again! All the photos are inside this SD card, and you can have them all! Please spare me!¡± ¡°Please forgive me, Boss Bailey! Here¡¯s the SD card-no, you can have my camera! All yours!¡± This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Me too! Me too! I promise I didn¡¯t capture anything nor see anything. I¡¯ll leave now!¡± The paparazzi apologized as they piled up their SD cards on the ground with trembling hands. They were all terrified of being ¡®cleared¡¯, so they left their cameras on the ground and staggered to leave the scene. Anthony looked at them slowly backing away as he mused, ¡°Did I give you all permission to keave?¡± He was not letting them go! They were all terrified, and some even copsed on their knees out of fear and begged for forgiveness. ¡°B¡ªBoss Bailey, I¡¯ve learned my mistake..! I have a family to feed! Please let me go!¡± ¡°I swear to God that I¡¯d never take any of your photos again. I can even quit my job as a reporter!¡± ¡°Me too! Me too! B-Boss Bailey, dig out my eyes or beat me up if you¡¯re still not satisfied ! Please, just let me live¡­ I don¡¯t want to die yet¡­!¡± Every one of them begged for their lives. Even Charmine was shocked. Anthony merely said a few words, yet they all knelt and begged for their lives? What had Anthony done in the past that made them all so scared? Even she had no such power! Passive and unfazed, Anthony eyed the paparazzi. ¡°Who sent you here?¡± The question took the paparazzi by surprise. Anthony stopped them merely to ask a question? Did that mean they would be spared if they answered? Someone answered immediately, ¡°It was Julian¡¯s assistant, Oliver! Julian set this all up!¡± : ¡°Yes, yes! Julian¡¯s already getting married to Tiffany, yet he¡¯s still trying to steal your wife! He¡¯s inhuman!¡± ¡°Not allowing his ex-girlfriend to be in a rtionship while he himself is getting married? That¡¯s obnoxious! We were so foolish to have helped him! Don¡¯t worry, Boss Bailey, we won¡¯t do this ever again.¡± ¡°You go and have a good time with your wife. We¡¯ll never take any photo of you two! Never!¡± Anthony¡¯s wintry expression lessened its intensity, and with that, the air became much more bearable and breathable. ¡°Report all of Julian¡¯s negative news until the day of his wedding,¡± said Anthony. Everyone was shocked, and it took them a moment to understand what he said. Was Boss Bailey sparing their lives and allowing them to atone for their mistakes? Everyone nodded. ¡°Yes, Sir! We¡¯ll arrange this right away!¡± With that, all of them turned to run away as if they would be killed in the next second. Charmine failed to bite back the grin on her face. Being with Anthony was not a bad idea after all! Even if they were to walk around in public, nobody would dare to take photos of them or take another look at them! Charmine felt grateful at the thought and was even more assured of her decision. Once she sorted out things with Tiffany, she would help him to find out who was the woman who slept with Anthony. She wanted Anthony to have his peace of mind. It was best to find Alexander Walker as well and hurt him like hell. She would never let the man who raped her get away-never! It barely registered to Charmine that they were already right before ire¡¯s grave as she was caught up in her thoughts. Charmine ced the flowers and fruits in front of the grave, and with a smile, she silently spoke to herself, ¡®Don¡¯t worry, Aunt ire. Although I¡¯ve suffered badly in the past five years, I¡¯ve found my happiness. I¡¯ll also destroy the man who ruined me, to make sure that he and Tiffany get what they deserve! If you hear me, I hope you can haunt Alexander Walker for me¡­¡¯ Thinking of that, she quickly changed her mind. ¡°Actually, no. Rest in peace, Aunt ire. You¡¯ve lost your life because of me, defending my childhood. I¡¯ll take good care of myself.¡± Anthony watched Charmine as she prayed. His eyes darkened slightly. Why was it that he felt cold, brutal angering from Charmine instead of sorrow? Chapter 395 Chapter 395 Charmine straightened herself after bowing respectfully at Aunt ire¡¯s grave, and at the thought of how the woman showed her kindness and shielded her constantly as a child, Charmine silently made a promise: She would solve everything and be with Anthony so that Aunt ire could rest in peace without fretting over her. Anthony and Momo solemnly ced flowers on the grave. ording to their findings, ire was very kind to Charmine and took care of her for eight years, but tragedy struck as Charmine identally fell into a river when she was just eight. While ire managed to save Charmine, she was swept away by the water current and drowned. Because of that, Charmine¡¯s life with the Jordan family became harsher as everyone hated her for bringing bad luck to the family. Anthony¡¯s eyes rested on the grave. ¡®Rest easy. I¡¯ll take care of Charmine.¡¯ Perhaps due to the changes made to the cemetery, a man in ck was sweeping the grave a few meters away from them. Seemingly in his fifties, the man was dressed in a ck suit with his hair tied back. He seemed to be rxed, unperturbed,nguid as he moved. Charmine, upon noticing him, paid him no mind. It was then Charmine received a call from Kay. ¡°Boss Jordan, Tiffany set up a fire outbreak to save Adam and arranged for Uji Quin to train Robert in Kansas. Adam and Joey already transferred their twenty-five percent shares to Tiffany, and Senior Jordan agreed to it!¡± Charmine squinted at the news. Well, that was quick on Tiffany¡¯s part-she finally started her n. That meant Tiffany had 30 percent of the Jordans¡¯ shares after gaining 25 percent from Adam and Joey, while Charmine only had 25 percent. Senior Jordan had 30 percent as well, and that put Tiffany equal to Senior Jordan, having the same authority in thepany! N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. If anything happened to Senior Jordan, the entirepany would belong to Tiffany¡­ Charmine¡¯s face darkened. Standing by her side, Chris tilted his head and asked, ¡°Mommy, the bad woman isn¡¯t even the Jordan family¡¯s blood-daughter. Why don¡¯t you just kick her out? These shares belong to Mommy!¡± That brought Charmine out of her maelstrom of thoughts as she bent to Chris¡¯ eye level.¡° You¡¯re still too young, Momo, and there are many things that you don¡¯t understand yet. Getting back the shares is easy, but winning back one¡¯s heart is difficult. Tiffany lived with the Jordans for twenty-three years, and even if they found out she¡¯s not the actual daughter, they might not even like me. Many things take time. However, it¡¯d be over soon. Now that she took the first step, I hope she¡¯s ready to pay the price!¡± Charmine¡¯s eyes dulled coldly as she spoke. The middle-aged man standing not far away overheard the conversation, and his face sank a little. The words kept ringing in his ears: ¡®Tiffany lived with the Jordans for twenty-three years, and even if they found out she¡¯s not the actual daughter¡­! She was not the actual daughter¡­ Not the actual daughter¡­ : Charmine had left with Anthony and Chris while the man still mulled over her words. He gazed at their retreating forms with a solemn gaze. A bodyguard walked up to him and asked, ¡°Sir, would you like to continue the investigation? If what they said was true, shall we bring Madam home right away?¡±. ¡°No hurry. If it¡¯s really her¡­she¡¯s getting married anyway. Let¡¯s investigate more before taking action,¡± commented the middle-aged man. ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± The bodyguard left. After sorting out some paperwork, Charmine and Anthony left the cemetery with Chris. Since Julian and McKenzie were probably plotting against them, it was best to go home as soon as possible. Anthony¡¯s phone rang as they got back into their car, and he was greeted with an urgent shareholder¡¯s voice, ¡°Mr. Bailey, bad news. There are some issues with our out-reach project. We need to fix it right away!¡± Anthony¡¯s cold expression morphed as he was overwhelmed with emotions. This project had been going on for three years. Why would there be problems out of the blue? ¡°Meeting in half an hour.¡± After that, he hung up and looked at Charmine. ¡°Go home with Momo first. I¡¯m making a trip to the company.¡± Chapter 396 Chapter 396 Chapter 396 ¡°Okay.¡± It was time for Anthony to drop by in thepany. After all, he had been spending his time with Charmine in Violet Vi for over half a month, only conducting meetings remotely. With that, Luke dropped Charmine and Chris back at Violet Vi before driving Anthony to the company. As Charmine walked with Chris into the vi, she saw Robert and Tiffany sitting on the sofa. Tiffany spoke to Robert in a gentle and soothing voice while Robert nodded diligently at her. With a frown on her face, Charmine spoke to Chris, ¡°Momo, why don¡¯t you go upstairs first?¡± ¡°I want to stay with you, Mommy! I¡¯m a big man now, and I can protect you,¡± insisted Chris as he stood in front of Charmine, ring at Tiffany. Tiffany¡¯s face stiffened. Had she be such a vile woman to this young master? Charmine must have brainwashed him, insulting her behind her back! She repressed her anger and smiled faintly at Chris. ¡°Oh, Chris is here as well. Auntie didn¡¯t know you¡¯re here, I didn¡¯t bring you any presents. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m your Mommy¡¯s sister, and I won¡¯t harm you.¡± ¡°Hah! Can you even believe what you just said? Also, your voice is so disturbing and pretentious! Can you shut up? And leave now!¡± yapped the impatient Chris. 1. Tiffany¡¯s face stiffened, her words lodged in her throat at his outburst. Did Chris just speak to her in such a tone? He called her¡­ Charmine did not want Chris involved in the matter of adults, thus she fondly ruffled his head and said, ¡°Momo, be a good boy. Go and prepare the rock-climbing equipment. Give me five minutes to ask her to leave, alright?¡± ¡°Alright, then,¡± muttered the pouting Chris, though he still scoffed at Tiffany¡¯s presence.¡± Listen up, you bad woman! I¡¯m warning you: Don¡¯t you hurt my Mommy, or my Daddy won¡¯t go easy on you!¡± With that, he ran upstairs. Tiffany¡¯s expressions shifted one to the other, shocked and embarrassed. She was once the No. 1 Supermodel and everyone used to respect and admire her, yet even a kid hated her at that moment! How could a kid say such mean things?! It must be Charmine. Charmine must have bad-mouthed her behind her back, ruining her reputation. She wanted nothing more than to rip off that pretty face of Charmine¡¯s, but since Robert was present, she could only re at Charmine with her reddened eyes. ¡°Charmine, I¡¯ve already apologized to you. Can¡¯t you forgive me? Why did you nder me before a mere child?¡± ¡°Hah! nder? Are you even worth my time to speak ill of?¡± Charmine rolled her eyes at her before turning her cold gaze to Robert. ¡°This is my home. Why did you let in a stray animal without my permission?¡± ¡°She¡¯s not a stray animal! She¡¯s our sister!¡± Robert reiterated. ¡°Don¡¯t you forget how she protected you since you were a kid,¡± he warned. ¡°Why did you two fight for a man?!¡± ¡°For a man? Robert, I think we need to set things straight here,¡± Charmine scoffed and yed ¨¤ clip on her phone. Immediately, the clip of Tiffany sleeping with Julian appeared in front of them. The Tiffany in the video moaned, ¡°Julian darling, am I prettier? Or is Charmine prettier? Do you like me or Charmine?¡± ¡°Julian darling, I¡¯m just worried that you¡¯ll fall for her. I¡¯m worried that you¡¯ll be attracted by her wealth and looks, and I fear you won¡¯t like me anymore¡­ ¡°Will you still take her assets for me? To marry me after divorcing her?¡± N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Every word, every phrase of her was so fake yet seducing, and the expression on her face was completely different from her face at that moment. Robert jolted. A person could easily forget how cruel Tiffany was in the clip, especially when the Tiffany standing before them looked so pure and innocent. Who could believe she had this side of her? That was until Charmine brought the video up again¡­ Chapter 397 Chapter 397 Tiffany¡¯s face flushed red with rage and embarrassment. This happened so long ago, yet Charmine just had to bring it up to Robert! How could she be so maniptive? Charmine scoffed coldly, ¡°Robert, look closely. She not only snatched Julian away, but she even conspired with him to steal my wealth! I would¡¯ve died a long time ago had this clip note to light, and she and Julian would¡¯ve taken my businesses right now. ¡°You¡¯re asking me to forgive her? Fine, let me ask you something: Have you ever thought of forgiving the way our parents and Grandpa treated you?¡± The question caught the unprepared Robert. She was right: He bore hatred at how his parents and Grandpa looked down on him. What Tiffany did to Charmine was much worse. How could she forgive her? Had it been Robert in Charmine¡¯s shoes and experienced all that crap, he would have ended their lives! Tiffany felt the shift in Robert¡¯s allegiance, and instantly, tears rolled down her cheeks as she sobbed, ¡°This isn¡¯t what you think¡­! There are other reasons, there are¡­ I can¡¯t tell you now, not yet¡­ Y-You¡¯ll understand someday, surely¡­¡± She sobbed as though she kept something from them. Tiffany then took out an invitation card and walked toward Charmine. ¡°Sister, I came today to hand you the invitation personally. I. sincerely hope that you cane to my wedding with Julian. I¡¯ve wronged you in the past, but I¡¯ll surely make it up to you after the wedding. Please¡­we¡¯re sisters. I beg you toe to my wedding. Do you know that I don¡¯t have any friends now, and nobody is willing to be my bridesmaid? ¡°Mum and Dad had agreed for you to be my bridesmaid. They hoped that you¡¯d forgive me, and that our rtionship could go back to how it used to be. Please¡­ I beg you to give me a chance to make it up to you.¡± Tiffany begged in a hoarse voice, her tears never ceasing to roll down her cheeks. It was as though she was in agony. Charmine merely scoffed, but as she was about to speak, Tiffany had ced the invitation into her hand firmly. ¨C ¡°Sister, I know you¡¯ll say yes. I¡¯m willing to believe that this is a beautiful world, just like you. I¡¯m looking forward to seeing you in two days-you have toe.¡± With that, she turned to Robert before she left. ¡°Be ready, Robert, and don¡¯t miss out on this opportunity. Call me if you need anything¡­¡± That shifted Robert¡¯s focus to Uji Quin. An arrogant man like Uji Quin would usually ignore anyone and refused to teach, but Tiffany was able to convince him to coach him¡­ She was a kind sister after all. Perhaps she did have her reasons to be with Julian, based on what she said¡­ Robert turned to look at Charmine. ¡°Charmine, who hasn¡¯t made a mistake before? She¡¯s learned hers, and I believe she won¡¯t be harming you anymore. You should forgive her; she¡¯s about to be a mother.¡± Charmine looked at the invitation in her hands, and her eyes narrowed. Tiffany should have been scared to even invite her to her wedding, just in case she ruined it. Why would she, then, invite her to be her bridesmaid? Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Tiffany was plotting something. It had to be that. Charmine did not intend to reason with Robert and wanted to leave when she saw the earphones on the sofa. On its side, there was a small dent. Her gaze sharpened, it was a dent caused by the pinhole camera! ¡°Who bought you the earphones?¡± questioned Charmine. ¡°Tiffany. She¡¯s very kind, and she¡¯s not a bad person. I believe she has her difficulties,¡± attested Robert. Charmine scoffed. No wonder Tiffany wanted her to attend the wedding so badly. So that was her n! It seemed that she should no longer show Tiffany any mercy! Tiffany left Violet Vi in a car, her initially pitiful look waspletely reced by a dark and evil look. On her palm, meanwhile, was a pinhole camera. Hah! She wanted to see how Charmine would worm her way out of that! Chapter 398 Chapter 398 It did not matter as much that McKenzie did nothing on the matter and that Julian¡¯s n failed. She would put photos of Charmine together with Anthony on a big screen to tell the world they were seeing each other! While everyone pitied Charmine and felt sorry for her, how wouldizens take it when they found out that Charmine was with Anthony all along? What would they say? Moreover, McKenzie and the Baileys would surely act on the news once it made the headlines! Tiffany pictured it then: photos of Charmine and Anthony disyed for all eyes to see during her wedding day. Netizens would no longer side with Charmine by then, and the Baileys would not let her go! Charmine would never feel happiness again when that day came! Time passed and it was the wedding day. Both the Jordan and Cabell families were busier than usual. This wedding was grander than the one Julian had with Charmine. They invited nearly everyone, and everyone came. Julian also invited many celebrities and supermodels, trying to make the wedding more impressive. So what ifizens bashed their wedding? In their circle, money and power spoke louder than words. The Cabells and Jordans were two of the top ten wealthiest families. Who could afford to offend these two families? It definitely helped that these two families have joined in a union. Even though everyone looked down on that heartless douche and the fake woman he was marrying, everyone showed up anyway. The atmosphere of the wedding was grand and fancy. Inside the dressing room¡­ Tiffany had done her makeup. Beside her stood eight bridesmaids, and they were cousins of hers. Some of them looked charming, some sexy, and some were elegant, but their dresses and hairdo were dull and uninteresting. That was so none of them could steal Tiffany¡¯s spotlight, and she effectively stood out like the Snow White she was. This was part of the Jordan family¡¯s arrangement. They were making a statement to the world, proving that even though Tiffany had made many mistakes, they were still willing to protect her and support her, showing the world how the family would always have her back. Tiffany looked at the lone dress hung on the side as her lips curled up. Charmine would only y a minor role at her wedding! The smoke-grey dress was very dull; whoever wore it would look ugly. Furthermore, each of the eight bridesmaids was attractive in their own ways. How would Charmine outshine the eight? The thought of Charmine being ignored made Tiffany feel incredibly pleased. Most importantly, Charmine¡¯s rtionship with Anthony would go public in no time, and she would face the wrath of the masses! Speaking of Charmine¡­ She arrived at the hotel at that very moment. She was reluctant toe since this was where she was pushed down the staircase, ruining her reputation back then. However, she came anyway. Since Tiffany had nned such an interesting drama, how could she miss it? Furthermore, it was only polite to return a gift to one another, and so she prepared a big gift for Tiffany in return! She opened the door, ready to get out of the car when Anthony asked, ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t need me to go with you?¡± ¡°Yeah, I can sort this out myself. Just take good care of Momo.¡± Charmine waved at Chris before walking away. Charmine knew how much Anthony cared for her. She had to wrap things up with Tiffany quickly so she could help him to investigate what happened five years ago. Also, Anthony¡¯s men had searched for the Walker gang with no news. There were many things that awaited her attention. With that, Charmine¡¯s sharp gaze was fixed on the grand and beautiful Hilton Hotel. Ironically, the tragedy five years ago was caused by Tiffany and the Walker gang. Five yearster, none of them should get away with it. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Tiffany ruined her happiness, and she even plotted to ruin her life at that very moment, even with her wedding going on! It was right, then, that Tiffany should ready herself to have her reputation shredded. Tiffany should be ready to taste everything she had inflicted on her! Chapter 399 Chapter 399 Charmine walked to the dressing room based on her memory. She saw a group of bridesmaids chatting with Tiffany, circling her like the princess she wanted to be. Seeing Charmine, her smile grew. ¡°Sister, you¡¯re finally here! I was going to make you my only bridesmaid, but Grandpa and our parents insisted on finding me more. It¡¯s best this way, I guess. This could prove to others how united we are as a family. I hope you don¡¯t mind?¡± Charmine nced around with an emotionless face. The Jordan family had always been that way, especially Grandpa. He cared so much about how others look at them and always wanted to prove to others how united the Jordan family was. So long as that did not affect her n. Thedies knew about Charmine¡¯s temper and power, thus they were all too intimidated to speak to her. The atmosphere gradually became tense. Tiffany picked up the lone dress and handed it to Charmine. ¡°Sister, go and get changed. We¡¯re all waiting for you. Grandpa wanted me to remind you that today¡¯s wedding is very important to the Jordan family, and we all must get along well.¡± What she meant was that if Charmine tried to ruin the wedding, Senior Jordan would not forgive her! Charmine nced at the smoke-grey dress and took it from Tiffany. So, Tiffany wanted to dress her up in this dull-colored dress and then ruin her reputation? Tiffany would learn her lesson and know what regret meant. It would be ingrained in her brain what plot twist meant! Once Charmine walked into the dressing room, the eight bridesmaids instantly chattered and gossiped: ¡°How is she this arrogant? She¡¯s got an extra penny or two, yet she thinks she¡¯s better off than everyone!¡± ¡°Yeah, Tiffany¡¯s so much better. She wasn¡¯t arrogant at all at the height of her career.¡± ¡°So what if she¡¯s arrogant? She¡¯s still Tiffany¡¯s bridesmaid, and Julian is still marrying Tiffany! She¡¯s got nobody!¡± Even though their voices were rather hushed and low, Tiffany still heard everything. The smirk on her face darkened with her eyes. How could Charmine ever fight her? Every Jordan likes her, not Charmine! Thinking of how ugly Charmine would look standing by her side, ying a minor role for her important day, filled her with anticipation. At that moment¡­ Click! The door was pushed open as Charmine walked out, and everyone gaped at the sight. Charmine was dressed in grey with a perfect V-neck design thatplimented her beautiful swan-like neck. The shoulder-dropce wrapped around her thin arms, elegantly and beautifully so. Most importantly, there were initiallyyers of yarn at the bottom that made it seem like a tutu. It looked cheap and childish, yet Charmine cut off all of the yarn. She cut them all off! Thus the tutu dress had been transformed into a simple long gown, covered with a thinyer ofce, simple and elegant. Furthermore, the smoke-grey gown made her cooler than she already was. Charmine, upon wearing the gown, had transformed the cheaply made gown into an elegant gown. Most of the time, the gowns determined how the person looked, but when it came to Charmine, she determined how the gown looked. Whatever was put on her turned stunning. Tiffany¡¯s face stiffened. How¡­ How could that be?! She picked the ugliest design for Charmine. She remembered how ugly the oversized sleeves looked just like bat wings, and the tutu was cheaply designed like a child¡¯s costume! How could Charmine modify the costume in such a short time? The other eight bridesmaids did not seem pleased either. They were all dressed in the same tutu dress, so how could Charmine change hers? She was obviously trying to stand out, to make sure everyone could see her! Unable to stand it anymore, Tiffany said to the rest, ¡°Why don¡¯t you all go out? I¡¯ll speak to my sister.¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. They did not question further and left the room all at once. They closed the door behind them, leaving both Charmine and Tiffany inside. Chapter 400 Chapter 400 Tiffany¡¯s eyes darkened as she red at Charmine. ¡°Charmine, you did this on purpose, didn¡¯t you? You¡¯re trying to seek attention!¡± ¡°So what?¡± Charmine scoffed coldly. Tiffany did not expect her to put it so inly.Her face stiffened as she clenched her fists. ¡°Do you think that¡¯d work? Mum and Dad have transferred their shares to me. I have thirty percent of the Jordans¡¯ shares now, way more than you! I¡¯m the daughter they like the most, and even if you tell everyone you¡¯re the actual daughter, nobody would like you!¡± ¡°So?¡± said Charmine, still unperturbed.. ¡®So? All she said was ¡®so¡¯? How could she be so arrogant? Tiffany shot up from her seat, loathing the look on Charmine¡¯s face. ¡°You¡¯ve lost to me! Julian is marrying me! Our parents like me! Besides Grandpa, I¡¯m the one with the most shares! Me! ¡°However beautiful or eye-catching you are, you can only y a minor role today! You-have lost-to- me!¡± Tiffany pronounced every word as clear and articted as possible. At the end of it, she exuded a strong sense of superiority. Charmine merely scoffed, ¡°Do you know you look just like an agitated rooster right now?¡± Tiffany felt steaming out of her ears. Argh! She wanted to strangle Charmine! She really wanted to kill her right then and there! Out of the blue, they heard knocks on the door followed by Joey¡¯s concerned voice, ¡°Tiffany, are you in there? Open the door, please-I brought you a diamond ne.¡± Tiffany¡¯s face shifted calmly as she said with a winning smirk, ¡°Did you hear that, Charmine? I¡¯m still Mum¡¯s favorite after all. I said I wanted a Cadisen diamond ne. Look at what she brought me! ¡°You said I look like a rooster, but what about you? You¡¯re just an orphan who tries so hard to look cool!¡± She mocked and turned away arrogantly on her diamond heels, walking to the door. Her posture was elegant, exuding an air of superiority. Outside the heavy door stood Joey and Adam. When Joey saw Tiffany, she put on the diamond ne around her neck. ¡°You¡¯re right. This wedding gowncks a diamond ne, but it looks much better now.¡± Cadisen was a well-known diamond luxury brand that sold only top-graded diamonds, and it was known for its extravagant price tags. If others sold the same diamonds for 100,000 bucks, Cadisen would sell for 10 million bucks! They were known for their status and overpriced products. This diamond ne was a memorial piece that cost 50 million bucks! Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Seeing how well the Jordan family was treating Tiffany and how she had arger percentage of the family shares, even Madam Cabell went forward. ¡°Tiffany looks great in this diamond ne! No wonder she¡¯s the most precious daughter in the Jordan family, and it¡¯s no surprise my son likes her so much!¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Joey said with a proud smile. ¡°Tiffany, tell me if there¡¯s anything else you need, and I¡¯ll get it for you.¡± ¡°Dad will always have your back, too,¡± Adam added on. Everyone surrounded Tiffany with praises and supports. She stood in their midst as she eyed Charmine with arrogance and vanity. So what if her reputation was destroyed? She was the daughter that the Jordans liked anyway. She was the one marrying Julian! She was her parents¡¯ favorite! Charmine-the pathetic woman that she was-was just a nobody! Chapter 401 Chapter 401 Charmine stood alone in the room, her existence entirely neglected by the Cabells and Jordans, During Charmine¡¯s engagement party, neither Joey nor Adam came to see her. They did not even bother to partake in the wedding nning either, sending mere staff to take care of everything. To them, their ¡®actual¡¯ daughter Tiffany was the most important child, no matter how many mistakes she had made. Tiffany was still their ¡®true¡¯ daughter while Charmine was just an adopted child, the disobedient child ever since she was a child. Still, Charmine remained calm; she was ustomed to such treatment for as long as she could remember. Charmine rolled her eyes and walked out calmly. When Adam and Joey saw Charmine, they both jolted slightly. Since when was Charmine in there? Why did they not realize her presence? Joey quickly reacted as she beamed, ¡°d you¡¯re here! You sisters should be kind to each other, especially now that Tiffany¡¯s pregnant. You should be even kinder to her.¡± ¡°The past is in the past, Charmine. Do behave well today,¡± Adam warned Charmine. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Charmine inwardly scoffed. Was Tiffany ever told such words? She did nothing and yet was told to behave? So they were being so protective of Tiffany, eh? Afraid of her getting harmed? Hah! One could only wonder how they would feel when Tiffany¡¯s true colors would be exposedter on. Charmine offered a small smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m aware she¡¯s pregnant. I¡¯ll be on my best behavior toward her.¡± Her words had deeper implications. Tiffany was terrified, but thinking of how the wedding was about to happen, what else could Charmine do? Though, the baby in her stomach was not¡­ Besides Oliver, nobody else knew about this, and Oliver would not dare to expose her. Tiffany wanted every ounce of happiness ripped right out of Charmine! At that moment, a mocking voice rang in the air, ¡°Hmph, I thought nobody would attend the wedding of a heartless douche and a fake b*tch, but it surprises me how there are many attending! Why do you all have to make such a big deal out of this? Can¡¯t you just get a certificate and call it a day? I¡¯m embarrassed to be rted to you!¡± Tiffany reeled back in shock. How dare anyone speak to her in such a manner?! Both the Jordan and Cabell families turned to see a man in ck pants and burgundy shirt, looking sloppy and scornful. It was Rio Young He was Senior Jordan¡¯s fifth daughter¡¯s son, the son of the Young family-Tiffany¡¯s cousin and the nephew of Adam and Joey. Joey instantly scowled. ¡°Rio! How could you be so rude? Tiffany is your cousin! You can¡¯t listen to the rumors online!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure one knows how to tell the truth from the lies. Charmine had been with Julian for eighteen years, so how is that fake news? And the mean things Tiffany had done, can they be fake?¡± Rio stated loudly as he scorned everyone in front of him. ¡°If I have a son and daughter like them, I would¡¯ve beaten them to death out of shame. How could you all make such a big deal out of the wedding? Are you unaware of how foolish this is?¡± Rio¡¯s words were sharp and insulting. The two families glowered in fury, especially Tiffany, whose face turned green. Chapter 402 Chapter 402 Tiffany was well aware that most of the wedding attendees looked down on her, but as long as they did not show it to her face, she could endure it. Once she and Julian would be officiated, she would be Mrs. Cabell, the Mile-End Corporation¡¯s president¡¯s wife! Rio just had to run his mouth with such scathing words that irked her so badly! Noticing that Tiffany was on the verge of tears, Joey quickly grasped her hand and hissed at Rio, ¡°What rights have you got to criticize her? Also, who hasn¡¯t made any mistakes before? Yes, she had made mistakes, but she has owned them up and promised to never do these again. Why are you still bringing that up?¡± ¡°Yes! You called my son a heartless douche, but do you know how hard he tried to chase Charmine and make it up to her? She was the one who rejected him and even posted these rumors online!¡± Though Madam Cabell was scolding Rio, her re was fixed on Charmine. Anyone would assume that Charmine was the one posting the rumors since she did not want them to be happy! That only made Charmine bitter. Why did they all think she had that much free time? Julian warned her through a text message, and Madam Cabell was mocking her. What made them think she was that carefree? Before she could speak up, Adam scolded Rio, ¡°Rio, stop messing around! Today is your cousin¡¯s wedding. You¡¯ve aplished nothing, so what rights have you got to criticize others? Before you judge others, judge yourself first!¡± Anyone in Burlington was aware that Rio was a useless rich kid. His parents were admitted to the hospital triggered by his arrogant attitude, and he was eventually kicked out of the Young family. Thinking of that, Tiffany¡¯s eyes twinkled with malice for a brief moment before she turned a pitiful face as she muttered, ¡°Dad, Mum, don¡¯t scold my cousin-he¡¯s got good intentions. Perhaps it was our fault to have made this wedding such a big deal. I don¡¯t have the rights to have such a grand wedding¡­¡± Tiffany brought her hand up to wipe her tears. Her act broke the hearts of those around her. Joey rubbed her hand andforted, ¡°Don¡¯t be silly! Even those who came out of jail could start over, so what does that mean for you? Don¡¯t think too much.¡± ¡°No, Mum, my cousin is right. We should make it less festive.¡± Tiffany then turned to Rio and said, ¡°Thank you for pointing this out for us, I totally agree with you, but¡­ As you can see, the guests are already here, and everything is already set. It can¡¯t be canceled. If you have anything, please tell me earlier, and I¡¯ll take note of it.¡± ¡®You¡¯re toote, so stop messing around,¡¯ was what Tiffany meant. Rio nearlybusted out of anger; Tiffany was the true definition of fraud. Meanwhile, Tiffany continued, ¡°No matter what, I¡¯m truly grateful for your concern. Please tell me if you¡¯re in need of help, be it about your life, career, or if you need a ce to live. I can help you.¡± Tiffany was basically mocking Rio for not having a job or house. Joey red at Tiffany. ¡°Tiffany, are you silly? He¡¯s kicked out from the Young family, being the useless man that he is! Why would you help him?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. He¡¯s already twenty-five years old and yet hangs out with his useless friends every day! However much money you give to this kind of man, he¡¯d spend it all! And he was criticizing you! Why would you be kind to him?¡± Adam was frustrated as well. Tiffany shook her head. ¡°No, please don¡¯t say that. I¡¯m sure Rio is gifted in his own way. What about this, Dad, Mum: Didn¡¯t you give me a factory for my birthdayst year? Let Rio manage it for us. Although he¡¯s incapable of doing so, we can help him out. We¡¯re a family, after all.¡± She sounded so considerate and thoughtful, yet no one knew about the factory¡¯s condition¡­N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Chapter 403 Chapter 403 The factory was the Jordans¡¯ lowest-valued factory, responsible for making various real estate models for the Monique Group. Back then, Adam gave this factory to Tiffany as a challenge. Tiffany spent half a year there learning, withstanding all the hardships. Since they only produced real estate models, the dividends were extremely low, being less than 200,000 per year. Tiffany no longer wanted it for a long time, and yet she pretended to be generous to give it away. Rio¡¯s eyes twitched. Did he seem poor to her? Did he need her charity? ¡°That was your gift!¡± Adam spoke before Rio could even get a word out. ¡°How could you give it away? Especially to this useless trash who never sides with his own cousin¡­ He even tried to ruin the wedding! He doesn¡¯t deserve your kindness!¡± ¡°Dad, I just want Rio to get back on his feet and have a career¡­¡± Tiffany begged. ¡°No! You¡¯re too kind! You can¡¯t give the factory away!¡± Joey objected. Finally, Rio ran out of patience and he scoffed, ¡°Hold right there; hold your tongue. Which eye of yours see that I need your charity? Which ear of yours heard that I want your factory? That factory¡¯s dividend is less than three hundred thousand per year. How¡¯re you not ashamed about it and even make such a big fuss out of it?¡± He scorned with a mocking tone. Tiffany lowered her head and said pitifully, ¡°Rio, I¡­ I¡¯m only trying to help. I only have this factory with me¡­¡± Julian, seeing everything unfolding, embraced Tiffanyfortingly. ¡°Tiffany, there are always ungrateful people in the world. You want to help them, and they¡¯d criticize you for not helping enough. Don¡¯t waste your time with this kind of person.¡± ¡°What an ungrateful person!¡± Madam Cabell agreed. Adam said directly, ¡°You¡¯re just a useless and unsessful man with no job. How dare you look down on a factory that generates at least two hundred thousand bucks per year?¡± Tiffany lowered her head as if she was hurt, but the truth was that she enjoyed the leverage she had. Hah! Trying to insult her, was he? The tables have turned in her favor! That was the cost of offending her! However¡­ Rio met the eyes of everyone and gave a cold smirk. ¡°Who said I¡¯m an unsessful man without a job? President of the RisingHawk Entertainment-nice to meet you.¡± N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. With that, he took out a few name cards from his pocket and tossed them in the air for them. Instantly, countless cards flew in the air, falling onto the ground with a clear print: (President of RisingHawk ¨C Rio Young] The name cards were in gold! Everyone gaped at the sight. The once-useless and jobless Rio Young had be RisingHawk¡¯s president? How¡­how could it be?! RisingHawk had signed with many artists with a market cap of at least one billion, and Rio was the president? So his worth would be at least¡­ Tiffany felt as if she was pped in the face. She tried to ¡®gift¡¯this highly-valued man her small factory worth only 200,000? How embarrassing! Everyone else looked funny as well, as if they had eaten the poop of a fly. Julian¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Doesn¡¯t RisingHawk belong to Charmine?¡± Charmine? Oh, right! Everyone snapped back to reality. Who would not know that RisingHawk belonged to Charmine? She kept such a high-profile about it, tossing out money as if they were free on Twitter for the whole world to know! Chapter 404 Chapter 404 Chapter 404 How could Rio oh¨Cso boldly im to be RisingHawk¡®s president? Joey scowled, ¡°Rio Young! How dare you show us your fake name cards? Don¡®t you know thispany belongs to Charmine?¡± ¡°Of course I know! Charmine invested her money, while I invested my skills. What¡®s the problem?¡± Rio refuted. That stunned everyone in the room. So Charmine spent so much money to establish apany for Rio to fool around? What nonsense was that?! Adam looked around to see that somehow, Charmine had already walked to the sofa by the side, sitting languidly on it. She had her legs crossed with her hands on her waist, reclining backward, exuding an air of arrogance and calmness. It was as if she was watching a show performed by a bunch of clowns. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Adam turned to Charmine and sternly asked, ¡°Charmine, is it true what Rio said? You appointed him as the president?¡± Everyone hoped that this was not true. They wanted Rio to be embarrassed, to be insulted in front of everyone. Charmine merely raised an eyebrow nonchntly. ¡°So what? Got a problem?¡± Her voice was cold, arrogant, and proud. Everyone was dumbfounded. So Rio was indeed RisingHawk¡®s president! While everyone mocked Rio just moments ago, trying to do a good deed¡® by giving him a small factory worth only 200,000 of dividend, he was already RisingHawk¡®s president who had no need of such meagerness. It turned them into the fools instead. Tiffany was trying to insult Rio in front of everyone and make him look bad, but it turned out that she was the fool. Today was her wedding day! How could things go against her? Even a small thing like this was getting out of hand! A once¨Cuseless cousin came to insult her! She felt white¨Chot anger coursing through her being as tears rolled down her cheeks. She gazed at Charmine in pain, ¡°Charmine, do you hate me that much? I begged for your forgiveness, yet you never epted my apology! You can tell me if you hate me, but why would you ask Rio to tell me off? You shouldn¡®t drag innocent people into this...!¡± It was only then that everyone realized that, as Rio worked for Charmine, he might have been told to say the things he said by Charmine. ¡°Argh...¡± Tiffany grasped at her stomach as though she was in agony. Madam Cabell¡®s face turned pale in shock. ¡°Tiffany! How are you feeling? Don¡®t harm the poor baby.¡± ¡°Tiffany, let¡®s go! Get some rest in the resting room. Don¡®t get dragged down to their level,¡± said Joey as she held Tiffany¡®s hand, walking her to the resting room. The furious Adam then scowled, ¡°Charmine, even though Tiffany did a wrong thing, you shouldn¡®t mess up her wedding! You¡®re embarrassing the Jordan family! And the child in Tiffany¡®s stomach is your niece. Do you want to cause trouble?!¡± ¡°I¡®m warning you: If my grandson faces any form ofplication whatsoever, I won¡®t go easy on you!¡± Madam Cabell red at Charmine scornfully. They all rushed in to take care of Tiffany, some asking how she felt while another poured her a drink. Tiffany was treated like a princess inside the resting room while Charmine sat alone in the corner outside, appearing more lonesome than ever. Julian red at Charmine icily. ¡°I can¡®t believe you¡®d be this cold¨Chearted, Charmine.¡± He scoffed and turned to leave. Not long ago, he was trying his best to win her heart. He thought she was straightforward, real, and genuine, but it turned out that was nothing but an evil woman¨Can irrational and heartless woman! If anything was to happen to the baby in Tiffany¡®s womb, he would never forgive her! A smirk appeared on Charmine¡®s lips as she watched the group of people surrounding Tiffany. They were all so concerned about the baby, but she wondered how they would look when they learned the truth... Chapter 405 Chapter 405 Chapter 405 In order to get out of their sight, Charmine found a less visible corner to sit in. Once Charmine left, Tiffany said to the Jordans and Cabells, ¡°Don¡®t worry, it¡®s just a cramp, but I¡®m much better now. Don¡®t mind me, I know you¡®re all busy.¡± ¡°Sigh! No matter how busy we are, you¡®re our main concern! Forget everything they¡®ve said; they¡®re just jealous of you!¡± Madam Cabellforted. ¡°We don¡®t mind what happened in the past, so you don¡®t keep it in your heart as well. As long as you¡®re happy with Julian.¡± ¡°That¡®s right. You have to be happy in order for your child to grow healthily. Don¡®t mind what others say¨Cwe know you¡®re a kinddy. As long as you don¡®t repeat the same mistakes, we¡®ll always be by your side,¡±forted Joey. ¡°Alright... I won¡®t let you down.¡± Tiffany nodded diligently. After convincing them to leave her alone, an evil look reappeared on Tiffany¡®s face. These people would listen to anything that pleased their ears. Just a few words from her would make them spin in circles just like fools. Charmine? Pah, the pathetic woman had no one backing her up! Meanwhile, a few people walked passed the resting room as they gossiped: ¡°Wow! Isn¡®t the wedding a tad too fancy?¡± ¡°They did spend a pretty penny for this. I thought they¡®d keep it low!¡± ¡°Haha! They truly are shameless. One is a well¨Cknown douchebag, and the other is a fake b* tch. They¡®re shameless to have organised such a high¨Cprofile wedding!¡± ¡°Exactly! Look at the attendees; nobody wishes them well genuinely. If I were them, I¡®d dig myself a hole to hide into.¡± ¡°A douchebag marrying a third¨Cwheeler? With a high¨C profile wedding? Hahaha! This is so...¡± Inside the resting room, Tiffany clenched her fists tightly. Seemed as though there were people who mocked her like Rio did. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. No doubt, most people would have simr conversations today behind her back! It was her wedding day, the most important day of her life! How could these people be so mean to her? It was all Charmine¡®s fault! Charmine was the one spreading the rumors on Twitter, and those articles were still there for everyone to see! Charmine rejected Julian while she cried foul to the masses, but all she wanted was to ruin their wedding! Tiffany scoffed at that. ¡°Ronnie, is everything prepared?¡± ¡°Don¡®t worry, Madam, it¡®s all set. The photos will be exposed,¡± answered Ronnie. Tiffany¡¯s expression lessened its intensity after hearing that. She could not wait for the wedding to start; she wanted everyone to see how Charmine was secretly living happily with Anthony while everyone sympathized with her for losing Julian! Meanwhile... Rio walked toward Charmine and sat down by her side. He asked in a low voice, ¡°Charmine, why didn¡®t you tell everyone the truth? I can¡®t even stand an extra minute of that b*tch¡®s false pretense! Charmine¡®s eyes darkened while her face remained calm. If not necessary, she would not want to expose the truth about the baby in Tiffany¡®s stomach, and perhaps it was due to her mother ¨C instinct from her experience five years ago. Even though Charmine knew the baby was fathered by the rapist, she still liked the baby and did not want him to die To her, the child remained innocent no matter how wronged the adults were Her initial n was to react to Tiffany¡®s n, wait for Tiffany to ruin the Jordan family, and then step in to expose her true colors. She had no interest in stepping in her love life. Never did Charmine expect, however, that she would sneakily take photos of her and Anthony together and nned to expose them at her wedding If Tiffany insisted on doing so, why should she deserve any mercy? Having a mother like her would not do the child any good! Her eyes simmered ominously. ¡°Soon.¡± Chapter 406 Chapter 406 Chapter 406 One hour before the wedding ceremony... Everyone was busy with their own tasks. The Jordans and Cabells were busy entertaining guests at the lobby downstairs while makeup artists were ready to do a final touch up. As it got closer to the hour, Ronnie helped Tiffany fix her makeup as she gushed, ¡°Madam, be happy. You look gorgeous today!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Tiffany gave a small smile as she gazed at her reflection. True, she did not lose to anyone in terms of beauty, and that included Charmine. Charmine¡®s beauty came from her arrogance, while Tiffany embodied elegance, beauty, gentleness, and innocence from within, just like a quietly blooming jasmine flower that one could not help but love. Any man would fall for ady like her. She wanted to stun the crowd with her beauty! Out of the blue, there were knocks on the door, well¨C paced and unhesitant. Warily, Ronnie walked over and opened the door to see a middle¨Caged man dressed in ck standing outside the door. She asked, ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking for Tiffany.¡± The middle¨Caged man looked past Ronnie as his eyesnded on Tiffany. ¡°Veronica told me to look for you.¡± Tiffany¡®s eyes twitched slightly. Veronica? Veronica was already in jail. Why would she ask a man to look for her? Moreover, judging by his appearance and age, he seemed... As if realizing something, Tiffany¡®s turned pale. She immediately instructed Ronnie, ¡°Get out. Stand by the door, and no one can walk in.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± Ronnie hastily invited the man toe in before leaving the room and closed the door. Inside the room, Tiffany sized up the middle¨Caged man with an unfriendly look before asking uneasily, ¡°Who are you? What are you doing here?¡± The middle¨Caged man looked at her with a solemn, painful, and emotional gaze. ¡°It¡®s been twenty¨Cthree years... You¡®re all grown up.¡± IT) What did that mean...? Tiffany¡®s hands froze, her words caught in her throat as she was overwhelmed by an uneasy feeling Could he be her... This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. The man continued, ¡°I¡®ve met with Veronica, and she told me all about you. I¡®ve wronged your mother all these years, and I... I¡®ve wronged you.¡± ¡°Shut up! Stop talking! I don¡®t want to hear that crap!¡± Tiffany red at him, with an ironic look ¡°What¡®s the point of apologizing? Mother is dead, while I lived in fear every day with the Jordan family! Out of all times, why did youe to meet me today? Do you want to tell everyone that I¡®m not their actual daughter? That I¡®m a daughter of someone like you?!¡± Tiffany¡®s eyes reddened as she spoke, her tone was full of resistance. The man in front of her was dressed in cotton and linen clothing, wearing nothing of value on him. If the Cabells found out that she was a daughter of this kind of man, would Julian still marry her? If everyone found out that she was not a part of the Jordan family, that she was merely a daughter of an ordinary man, how would they treat her? She was no longer the No.1 Supermodel, no longer weed in the modeling industry. The only identity she was left with was her current one, and she could not afford to lose it. The man frowned. ¡°Tiffany, actually I¡ª¡°. ¡°I don¡®t care! Get out! Get out of here right now! I don¡®t want to see you, and I don¡®t want anyone to know about our rtionship!¡± Tiffany cut him short. As if remembering something, she stood up and walked to a drawer. Chapter 407 Chapter 407 Chapter 407 The drawer Tiffany opened was filled with cash, prepared in case of anything unsavory happened. Tiffany picked up two stacks, approximately 20,000 bucks. She squeezed them into the man¡®s hand and firmly spoke, ¡°Leave now, and nevere into my sight again!¡± ¡°Tiffany...¡± N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. ¡°Go!¡± Tiffany turned away from him, not wanting to look at him another second. She was embarrassed by how poor he looked. How could she be a daughter of this kind of man? How could her actual parents be so poor? No! She wanted to be a princess¨Cthe highly revered Ms. Jordan! With that in mind, she scowled at the man, ¡°I¡®m warning you: If you tell anyone about this, I won¡®t let you live.¡± The man reeled back in shock at the threat but was left with no choice but to leave. Before that, however, he stopped before the door and said, ¡°I wish you the best, Tiffany. I¡¯lle find you when you¡®re less busy.¡± With that, he finally left. Tiffany¡®s hands clenched tightly. Find her again? For money? A father who never made himself present for her for the past 23 years, only showing himself to ask for money! ¡°Madam, the ceremony is starting. It¡®s time,¡± Ronnie came in and warily reminded her. Tiffany rposed herself. She took a few deep breaths and looked into the mirror as she concealed all of the darkness on her face before walking out of the room. As she walked past Ronnie, she reminded, ¡°Be ready for the photos.¡± She was unhappy, and she wanted Charmine to be unhappy as well! How could she live an uneasy life while Charmine lived happily? She wanted everyone to criticize Charmine for being a gold¨Cdigger, and she wanted every Bailey to despise her as well! She wanted Charmine to endure all of the pain she had felt! The lobby was decorated morously as a romantic and beautiful flower arch stood at its center. Guests, on the other hand, were seated for the ceremony. On the stage, the emcee kept the atmosphere cheerful and exciting as he beamed, ¡°Let us have a round of apuse for the bride and groom!¡± Everyone turned to see the couple walking in by the end of the arch. Tiffany held Julian¡®s hand with an elegant and happy smile on her face. Her long gown trailed behind her, decorated with luxurious and gorgeous diamonds on the hem. The handsome and charming Julian, meanwhile, looked well¨Csuited in his suit. The people who made fun of the couple were instantly wowed by their undisputable beauty. The groom was dashingly handsome while the bride was stunningly beautiful. It was as though they were a match made in heaven, a perfect couple that was meant to be. It was as if the wrongdoings Tiffany had done in the past had all vanished at that moment. All everyone could think of was her beauty, her formality, elegance, and exquisiteness. With a face like hers, one would not disagree if she called herself the most beautiful woman in the world! Tiffany saw the awe in their faces. Her smile broadened in return, and her posture straightened, just like a majestic white swan from above. Charmine, on the other hand, walked behind Tiffany along with the other bridesmaids. Although she was more unique than the others and looked rather fetching than the rest, there were nine bridesmaids and nine groomsmen. The group of them walked together, which was hard to spot her from the rest. After getting on the stage, the bridesmaids and groomsmen stood on two sides. Tiffany could feel Charmine ying a minor role in her wedding, and she felt her grudge and hatred had paid off atst. Chapter 408 Chapter 408 Chapter 408 Everything was perfect: Tiffany was the star of the show while Charmine was a mere backdrop, just like the maid she was! She was the one marrying Julian, the one earning her happiness! It definitely helped that some ¡®special¡® arrangements were prepared. She nced at the emcee, and the emcee announced with an enthusiastic tone, ¡°It¡®s not easy for a couple to enter the stage of marriage. Today, Ms. Tiffany Jordan is very grateful for everyone who¡¯s here to attend her wedding. Therefore, she had prepared a song to share with her guests today.¡± With that, a beautiful tune rang in the hall as the lights in the hall became dimmer and softer. At the same time, the screen behind the stage lit up. Someone handed the microphone to Tiffany, to which she epted. With a melody ying in the background, she sang: ¡°I¡®m used to staying silent, And rumors had no difference between right and wrong. I shut my eyes, and the noisy world faded into the face of a person.¡± The beautiful and mncholy lyrics resonated in the hall as photos of rumors criticizing Tiffany appeared on the big screen. Apanied by the sad lyrics, the photos seemed venomous as though made to hurt Tiffany. There was an air of sadness and gentleness as she sang, one that everyone would pity andfort. Everyone was touched by her music and influenced by her sadness. Everyone became silent. Tiffany continued: ¡°You know love has no seasons. Even at the wrong time and ce, one could still meet. I¡®ve no regret for loving, I don¡®t care what is right or wrong.¡± N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. The airy and sorrowful voice grew more determined and assertive. The photos on the big screen now showed the wedding photos of Tiffany and Julian, along with photos of them throughout the past five years. Every photo showed how happy they were. The photos were making a statement: She fell for Julian, a man she should not have loved, and she would not stop loving him as she was in too deep. Everyone was touched by her music and lyrics. She was such an innocent woman, and she truly loved Julian¡­ The music became more intense as Tiffany sang in a higher pitch: ¡°Rumors are loud, it deafens the happiness, loud and destructive! I¡®m tired, and I merely asked for a simple life. Is that wrong?¡± The big screen split into two sides, one side showing the ruthless criticisms of theizens while the other half showed wedding photos and photos of them throughout the years. The stark contrast of the two sides broke the hearts of the audience, gaining their sympathy. Joey was the most affected as her eyes reddened with tears, her throat dried. Tiffany merely wanted to be in love as she fell for a man she should not have, yet she had to go through so much for that, being criticized so terribly... This was supposed to be the most important day of her life, yet everyone came with such an attitude, and nobody truly wished her well... While Tiffany did not resent anyone for doing that, she kept all the sadness to herself. Her gentle and airy voice continued: ¡°Rumors are loud, they don¡®t care how deep the love is. I don¡®t care what others say, I only want to hold your hand till the very end...¡± As the music ended, tears rolled down her cheeks as she walked over to hold Julian¡®s hand. Her glittering eyes twinkled with determination, her weak and gentle figure transformed with courage, like a victimized woman working hard to chase happiness. Julian was touched, his heart aching with sympathy. Tiffany was confessing to him in front of everyone, and he heard not a single peep about this surprise. He held her hands tightly. At this moment, he only had one thought on his mind: He had to protect her and their baby. Chapter 409 Chapter 409 Chapter 409 Many among the audience were teary¨Ceyed as the song ended. The music tugged at their heartstrings. What an innocent and pitiable woman. Why would theizens harm Tiffany so badly? She did nothing wrong¨Cshe merely fell for Julian out of love. She fell for him after Charmine left him five years ago, when Charmine had already broken up with Julian. It was a choice nowhere life¨C threatening, yet they came after her like savage hounds¡­ Many people wiped off their tears with their hearts aching, regretting the scathing words they spoke of Tiffany earlier. Instantly, all of their prejudice turned into blessings. Among the audience were many directors and producers, and every single one was blown away by Tiffany! They never knew she could sing that beautifully. Her voice was so enchanting, more captivating by the best singer in the industry! Her voice touched the hearts of many as she sang wholeheartedly and passionately! ¡°I¡®d consider helping her publish an album,¡± said a producer. ¡°Her song will be a great hit!¡± ¡°Right? I have a feeling she could regain her poprity and be very popr!¡± Madam Cabell heard thesements and smiled wider, satisfied with what she heard. Tiffany made her proud. With that, she walked on the stage proudly and handed a ss box to Tiffany. ¡°Tiffany, this is a gift for you. From today onward, you¡®ll be my daughter¨Cinw. I¡®ll take good care of you and the baby in your stomach. I¡®ll make sure you¡®re happy.¡± This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Tiffany epted the ss box to see an emerald jade in it. The carving of the jade was exquisite with a beautiful shade of emerald, giving one a sense of the greenness of nature. This was a top¨Cgraded emerald jade, and arge exquisitely carved jade at that! Someone cried out, ¡°This is the Cabells¡® heirloom. Legend has it that this was given to them by the royal family a few generations ago!¡± ¡°Madam Cabell gave the jade to Tiffany! She¡®s passing on the family legacy to Tiffany!¡± Hearing theirments, the smile on Tiffany¡®s lips grew. She lowered her head in gratitude.¡° Thank you, Mum.¡± With the jade in her hand, she took a quick nce at the group of bridesmaids by the side. Charmine was standing in the corner where light did not shine on. A green nt had blocked her from sight, and nobody could see what she was doing. Tiffany was very satisfied. Wonderful! Everyone had their eyes on her as the whole world took photos of her, showering her with praises and blessings. She was indeed the woman everyone revered on this day, while Charmine was a mere wallflower that went unnoticed! No... That was not enough. She could only bepletely content when Charmine¡®s reputation crumpled in front of her eyes. She wanted the world to know how Charmine seduced Anthony and slept with him! With that, Tiffany gave a vague signal to Ronnie who stood not too far away. Instantly, Ronnie went to get prepared. The music faded out, and the big screen turned into a romantic backdrop of flowers and snow. The emcee announced, ¡°Now,dies and gentlemen, the moment you¡®ve all been waiting for. Let¡®s wee our bride and groom to stand in the middle of the stage to officiate the ceremony!¡± This time, Julian offered his arm to Tiffany as they walked to the center stage. Thinking of her tears and voice, he felt guilty and sorry for her. He had to be bewitched to let go of such a beautiful and gentle woman and fell for the evil Charmine instead. Even though Charmine was very beautiful, she was like a rose with thorns, nowhere feminine and wife¨Cmaterial. Chapter 410 Chapter 410 Chapter 410 Moreover, Tiffany had 30 percent of the Jordans¡® shares, and once Senior Jordan passed on, the entire Jordan Group would belong to Tiffany! Tiffany had money, looks, and reputation. Most importantly, she had his baby! Julian kept repeating these thoughts to convince himself of how perfect Tiffany was, in order to get the thought of Charmine out of his mind. ¡°Mr. Julian Cabell,¡± began the emcee, ¡°do you take Ms. Tiffany Jordan as yourwful wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse? For richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish until death do you part?¡± Without hesitation, Julian answered, ¡°I do.¡± He epted the ring handed to him by his groomsman and put it on Tiffany¡®s finger. Suddenly, the big screen behind them lit up. Instantly, the hall went into an uproar with the audience murmuring among themselves. A dark and beautiful smirk appeared on Tiffany¡®s lips. Excellent! The photos were finally up! They were seeing, atst, photos of Charmine with Anthony! No matter how rich Charmine was, she was never a match for someone high¨Cprofile like Anthony! Everyone would call her out for seducing him, a gold¨Cdigger who craved fame and wealth! Thinking of that, Tiffany was extremely pleased and satisfied. However, Julian staggered backward and instantly retrieved the ring from her finger. He red at her wide¨Ceyed. ¡°Tif¨Cfa¨Cny Jor¨Cdan!¡± He articted every syble through his gritted teeth with repressed anger. Tiffany jolted. Why did Julian speak to her with such a tone? Wait, what happened? Why did everyone look at her differently? As if realizing something, she looked up to see the image on the big screen and staggered backward. The big screen was not showing the photos of Charmine with Anthony. Instead, it was showing the clip of Tiffany sleeping with Oliver! Tiffany¡®s limbs went soft as she reeled back in shock. Disbelief at the sight of the video, her mind went nk What... What was happening?! Was it not supposed to be photos of Charmine with Anthony? Why was it her clip with Oliver instead? She made sure this clip was deleted, and she even hired hackers topletely remove it. How could it be?! Noises ofments floated in the lobby as everyone sneered:Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°OMG! What is that? Isn¡®t it Tiffany?¡±. ¡°Didn¡®t she say she loves Julian? Why¡®s she sleeping with another man?!¡± ¡°This man looks familiar... It seems like Julian¡®s assistant, Oliver. She slept with Julian¡®s assistant?¡± ¡°Damn! How dare she sang the song earlier? I was convinced that she loved Julian, but who¡®d have thought that she had betrayed Julian!¡± ¡°All my tears, gone to waste! What a shameful and disgraceful b*tch!¡± I The Jordans and Cabells were utterly bbergasted, at a loss for words. In their impression, Tiffany was always beautiful and elegant. They would never imagine her sleeping with another man, yet there she was in that video, seemingly enjoying herself! Madam Cabell was the first to react. She rushed on stage and pped Tiffany squarely on the face. p! A loud p resonated in the hall. Madam Cabell red at Tiffany viciously. ¡°Tiffany! What is this?! Why did you do this! ¡°We didn¡®t mind about your past and treated you with kindness, yet you stabbed Julian in his back? How are you so shameless?!¡± Mitchell Cabell scowled. Chapter 411 Chapter 411 Chapter 411 Humiliated to the core, the Jordans were so ashamed that they wanted to dig a hole and hide deep in it. They felt so ashamed as though there was no way to get out of the mess. Even Joey and Adam were utterly disappointed, hurt, and shocked. None of them went to defend Tiffany Madam Cabell went ham on Tiffany as she shook her vehemently, ¡°Say something! Look at that fake look of yours! Return the jade to me, and return the engagement ring to us! The Cabells will never have a woman like you as our daughter¨Cinw!¡± Tiffany was shaken vigorously as her cheeks burned in pain. Her world had crumbled at that point as all eyes red at her with hatred and disgust. No... This was not supposed to happen. It should have been Charmine who was embarrassed! It should have been Charmine at the receiving end of these res, not her! She worked so hard to regain her reputation and worked hard to this point to marry Julian. She could not be ruined¨Cnot again. Panicked, she rushed to Julian and grasped his hand. ¡°Julian darling, it¡®s not true! None of this is true! I was drugged¨C someone plotted this! I¡®m innocent! Someone plotted this, please trust me. I beg you...!¡± She cried out anxiously with extreme pain and sadness. Still, who would believe her? After that scandalous video that yed for all eyes to witness, who would still believe her? The video was still disyed on therge screen, and the Tiffany in that clip was obviously enjoying herself. How was that a drugged person? Also, if she was drugged, why did she not report it? Why was she silent on the matter? Julian swung her hand away coldly, his gaze filled with betrayal, distaste, and disdain. It did not matter what she wanted to say... She cheated on him! Tiffany¡®s face turned pale at the realization; Julian no longer believed her. What could she do? What else could she do?! Among the audience, Rio ced his hands on the waist and pompously spoke, ¡°Hah, what a show! I wonder if my cousin¡®s baby is Julian¡®s or Oliver¡®s!¡± Upon hearing that, everyone gasped: ¡°Tiffany is pregnant?¡± ¡°No wonder they¡®re getting married so abruptly!¡± ¡°So Julian was forced to marry her because of the baby?¡± ¡°Wait, what? So who does the baby belong to?¡± The Cabells¡® anger amped up a notch when they heard all that. The Jordans had threatened the Cabells to own up to Julian¡®s mistake when they first discovered Tiffany¡®s pregnancy, and they even made it clear that if Julian did not own up his mistake, the Jordans would destroy their family.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. They had topromise the whole wedding arrangement because of the baby, forcing Julian to marry Tiffany... On a second thought, it was likely that the baby was not even Julian¡®s! The Cabells were almost tricked into taking in this disgraceful woman and raising someone else¡®s child! Furiously, Madam Cabell rushed over and pped Tiffany¡®s face once again. ¡°You¡®re such a disgraceful woman! How could you do this to Julian? How dare you force Julian to marry you? I¡®ve never met such a dirty woman like you! You don¡®t deserve to wear this wedding gown!¡± Madam Cabell tugged and ripped Tiffany¡®s gown with all her might. Tiffany¡®s ears rang in pain as her cheeks had two red palm marks due to the ps she received. Her beautiful wedding gown was torn out, showing half of her body. Everyone started taking photos at that, and the shes from the reporters¡® cameras were unceasing. All Tiffany could feel was that her world got messier and blurrier¨Ceverything spiraled out of control. Thuck! The lightheaded Tiffany fell to the floor, passed out due to the chaos that haunted her. The chaotic situation made her faint. That did not stop Madam Cabell from wanting to p the living daylights out of her, though, but the Jordans recovered from their shock at that moment as Joey rushed up to stop her.¡° Enough! You¡®ve already beaten her badly! What else do you want?¡±. Chapter 412 Chapter 412 Chapter 412 ¡°We¡®ll give everyone an exnation after this. No, we¡®ll tell the world everything and the truth!¡± With that, Joey instructed the bodyguards, ¡°Come and carry her out.¡± Thus, they carried Tiffany away in a white stretcher. The once morous Tiffany in her wedding gownid unconscious on the stretcher. With Tiffany¡®s gown torn, Joey had to find a ck suit to cover her up. It was as though covering a dead body as they covered her up. Who would have expected the morousdy moments ago¨Cthe Tiffany who touched the hearts of many¨Cwould end up like that? Senior Jordan coughed up violently as his form trembled. ¡°Investigate! Go and investigate the matter right now!¡± The Jordan family did as they were told, helping him to leave the wedding ceremony which plunged into chaos. Still rooted on the stage, Julian red at the direction Tiffany was lifted to, feeling like his chest could explode any time. In his mind, Tiffany truly loved him, and despite making so many mistakes, they were all because of him. He assumed her love for him was genuine. He had never expected her to sleep with Oliver! The woman he loved, the woman he was about to marry, slept with Oliver! Meanwhile, Oliver walked toward him anxiously and fell on his knees. Thunk! ¡°Mr. Cabell, it was all my fault, not Ms. Tiffany¡®s! I was drugged...¡± Julian red at Oliver coldly as his mind raced with various scenarios. It urred to him how Oliver had asked about Tiffany on multiple asions, always making sure he was being nice to her. Those were the signs all along, and they yed him for a fool! He raised his fists and punched Oliver squarely in the face, one fist after the other. At the risk of Oliver being seriously injured, someone came up and stopped Julian as it got even more brutal Looking at the chaos unfolding before her, Charmine¡®s eyes exuded an untraceable chill as she turned to leave with victory. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. She remembered how her engagement party was just as chaotic five years ago. After she had fainted back then, Julian stood on the stage and announced to the attendees: ¡°My apologies, I happened to learn some very painful news. The baby in Charmine¡®s stomach isn¡®t mine. He slept with another man behind my back, and she even tried to trick me into raising the child! I had an argument with her and she fell off the stairs identally. Therefore, I apologize for that, but I don¡®t regret my action. I¡®ll take care of her medical expenses, but I¡®ll cancel my engagement with her.¡± Charmine, on that day, was dragged out of the hotel covered in her blood, apanied by the scowls of mockery and hatred from everyone else. Back then, nobody covered her up nor tried to defend her. She passed out from the pain as the baby ready to be born struggled in her womb. The unborn baby perished after being kicked by Julian, probably due to theck of oxygen inside. The unborn baby was due at that period and was about to see the beautiful world, loved by his parents. s...he died. He died in the womb before he could even take his first breath, mocked by everyone. She heard that the infant was the size of a kitten when it was taken out of her womb, having many bruises all over. He was then wrapped by a rubbish bin and tossed aside in the mortuary. Nobody cared. The thought of it pierced Charmine¡®s heart as she felt breathless of the agony. The wound from five years ago was fresh as though it was yesterday. What Julian and Tiffany felt was not even a fraction of what she felt! She was an innocent woman who harmed no one back then, while Julian and Tiffany deserved to be punished for what they had done! It was meant to be a celebratory event, but at the thought of herselfying on the stretcher with the stillborn in her womb, she felt like her heart was wrenched tightly. Charmine, after leaving the hotel, saw a ck car waiting quietly. It was Anthony¡®s car. Had he waited for her the whole time? Chapter 413 Chapter 413 Chapter 413 The car door flung open as Chris¡® little head popped out from inside the car. ¡°Mommy, Mommy,e here! The reporters are going toe after you and demand interviews!¡± Charmine snapped out of her mini trance and went into the car. Luke was behind the steering wheel, Anthony sat at the back, and Chris in the middle. Looking at the position they sat in, it was apparent that they did not leave. They waited for her the entire time! Charmine felt a sting in her nose as she recalled her stillborn, and she turned to look at Chris. Unable to hold back her emotions, she took Chris into her arms. ¡°Is Mommy alright?¡± asked Chris. ¡°It¡®s nothing... Let Mommy hug you for a while.¡± Charmine held Chris tightly as she hid her face in his shoulder and gently closed her eyes. She needed to calm down, and the soft and plump Chris worked miracles in soothing her. . mind. Anthony¡®s face sank a little. Was Chris¡® shoulder morefortable than his? He got more and more jealous of Chris recently. The boy was a hamper, no doubt... Charmine held Chris for a good while, thinking that her baby would have been Chris¡® age had he lived on. Nheless...that was all in the past, and she had to treat Chris better. At least the child did not have toe to the world to endure all the pain she had gone through. It was only after some time that Charmine slowly released Chris and felt better. ¡°Thank you, Momo. Your shoulder is so warming, so magical!¡± ¡°Really! Whenever Mommy is upset in the future, Momo will let Mommy hug me¨Calways!¡± chirped Chris as he burrowed his head into her arms in a cuddle. Anthony scowled at the sight. ¡°Come here!¡± ¡°Huh? Why?¡± whined Chris. Anthony reasoned with a low and serious tone, ¡°Mind your safety. No fooling around inside the car.¡± Charmine instantly realized what it was as she quickly ced Chris back in his middle seat and fastened his seatbelt. Chris scoffed, ¡°Just say you¡®re jealous, Daddy! You¡®re jealous of me getting hugs from Mommy! You¡®re jealous! Jealous!¡± Both Anthony and Charmine were speechless at hiseback. The atmosphere inside the car became tense again. Charmine ran through what had happened and thought that Chris had a point there... N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. It seemed to make sense! Was Anthony truly jealous of his son? Charmine felt a strange, foreign feeling. Five years ago, Julian hated her, but she met a man who cared for her genuinely five yearster. A man incredibly sweet, truly loving. The Jordans and Cabells were in hot soup as news of the wedding fiasco went viral. (Julian cheated on by Tiffany], (Madam Cabell pping Tiffany], [Tiffany slept with Oliver], [ Tiffany pregnant with unknown father)... Every article described the chaotic scene in detail, shaming both families in the process. Everyone knew that the Jordan and Cabell family shares would fall. Within two hours, almost 50 percent of shareholders sold out their shares at low prices. Both families lost at least ten billion bucks of shares in just a short period! Tiffany, of course, became the object of ridicule. [How dare she sing such a song? ¡®Rumors are loud? Why didn¡®t the ¡®rumors¡® happen to others?] Chapter 414 Chapter 414 (Things happen for a reason. The rumors were all true, yet she pretended to be innocent. We should all agree on giving her a new title: No.1 B*tch!) [Now let¡®s all go and listen to the song she sang, ¡®I want to hold on your hand forever¡®. how ironic! More like ¡®I want to cheat on you forever¡®! Haha!) (They call this Karma! Julian cheated on Charmine, and now Tiffany cheated on him! He deserves this!) (Everyone will remember how Tiffany cheated on him! Hahaha!) (And she even sang ¡®I have nothing to hide¡®. Well, why don¡®t you tell us the truth then? B*tch!) Tiffany and Julian¡®s reputation plummeted and crashed horribly once more. At the Jordan mansion... Senior Jordan hired the best investigator and received the following result: Those who went to the caf¨¦ on the day of the incident were all people of high status. None of them held any grudge on the Jordan family, thus nobody would have drugged Tiffany. There was one surveince camera on a corner left undeleted, showing that after Tiffany had gone into the room, nobody else went in other than Oliver. Furthermore, the investigation result showed that the person who deleted the other CCTV footage was none other than Tiffany¡®s staff! It would have been the other person deleting the footage instead of her, if she truly was drugged. Every piece of evidence showed that nobody drugged Tiffany, and she was lying! Adam was furious at the oue and arranged for abortion of the baby as sheid unconscious. It did not matter if the baby belonged to Julian or Oliver¨Cit should not exist! The Cabells, from that day onward, no longer epted Tiffany, and she could not marry down to some assistant either. With a stormy expression, Senior Jordan ordered, ¡°Announce to the press that the Jordans will retrieve all of her shares, that we¡®ll make sure she learns her mistakes! She¡®ll be signing papers to return the shares once she wakes up.¡± Adam did not object. Joey merely sighed but did not object either. She never would have thought that the daughter she loved the most would end up like this. They chose to forgive her for the many shameful mistakes she had done, yet she betrayed their trust. All they could do was retrieve her shares in an attempt to retain some of the Jordan family¡®s reputation. Inside the room, Tiffany opened her eyes with difficulty, filled with pain and anger. Ruined... All ruined! She was so close to marrying Julian, but the whole mess ripped her off of the chance of being epted by him. It was all ruined! How would everyone see her? How could she live on in this world? Ronnie, at that moment, walked in with her head lowered and reported, ¡°Madam, they... They said that once you wake up, they¡®d want you to give back all of your shares...¡± All of her shares? All that 30 percent she tried so hard to take had to be given back? What was there left for her after that? No money nor reputation¨Cnothing! No! She would not allow that to happen, not a chance! She had to think of something, and fast! N?velDrama.Org owns this. As if she thought of something, her gaze darkened as she weakly muttered, ¡°Get out, and don¡®t tell anyone that I woke up.¡± ¡°Yes...¡± Ronnie felt Tiffany¡®s ice¨Ccold re as she scurried away. She knew Tiffany well enough to know that she was nning something, and she might get hurt in the process. Ronnie had no courage to stay in the same room as Tiffany. After Ronnie closed the door behind her, Tiffany immediately tried to stand up with difficulty and made her way to the window. Chapter 415 Chapter 415 Chapter 415 At Royal Banquet Bar, inside a private room... The room was pitch ck with no lights, and Julian sat on the floor as wine bottles stood on the table in front of him. He drank one after another, amassing wine bottles around him. With bloodshot eyes, the aura he emitted was cold and distant, and with every mouthful of wine, he recalled memories of a much younger Tiffany. He remembered how¨Cas he firstid eyes on her in the Jordan mansion¨Che told himself that Tiffany was the Snow White from a fairy tale, and he wanted to be her Prince. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. He was, much to his chagrin back then, paired with the ugly and rough¨Clooking Charmine due to the Cabells¡® and Jordans¡® arrangement. Despite his distaste of Charmine, he kept his mouth should and pretended to go along with it as he had no right to speak up or object. Gradually, he and Tiffany secretly started their rtionship¨Che had always loved and cherished her. Even when he found out that Tiffany was not actually blood¨Crted to the Jordans, he did not look down on her. In fact, he was worried for her, worried that she would not be able to survive with the Jordans. He thus taught her to manipte Charmine and Robert to slowly steal their shares. It all seemed as if he was the one teaching her, but as Julian revisited these memories, Tiffany would have done everything herself but pretended to be unwilling. Julian had always thought she was kind, pure, and innocent. He never would have thought she would be so calctive! Thinking of the investigation result, he took another mouthful of the wine. Yes, Tiffany was indeed drugged, but she was drugged by herself! She set up an appointment with Anthony, wanting to sleep with him but failed. Charmine sent Julian a text that day, trying to give him and Tiffany a chance, but he asked Oliver to go instead If Tiffany¡®s n went ording to n, she would have slept with Anthony and dumped him! He always thought of Tiffany as the Snow White, but the truth was that she secretly wanted to sleep with Anthony and then dump him! Another mouthful of wine. The pile of empty bottles around was as tall as a hill. The drunker he was, the clearer his thoughts became. Charmine¡®s face slowly surfaced among his thoughts. Had she been free from Tiffany¡®s maniption for 18 years, she would have turned out just as amazing. Charmine had never done anything wrong; even the incident from five years ago was set up by Tiffany. If... If Julian could go back in time, he would dly ept the marriage arrangement with Charmine, to support her and work hard with her. They would have been happily in love and be an indisputable power couple. Most importantly, Charmine would never betray him. Never! Charmine would follow him anywhere and everywhere since they were kids, and her eyes would sparkle whenever she saw him. Julian made a mistake¨Che picked the wrong girl from the start. He swung his arm and the ss bottle was instantly shattered into pieces. The broken ss was everywhere, cutting his palm, and the sharp pain pulled him back to reality. With the thought of Charmine, he clenched his hands as his eyes darkened. At Violet Vi, Charmine was sitting on the sofa as she used her phone. Kay. [Boss Jordan, do you want to expose the truth of your identity, along with the DNA test result? I think it¡®s time.) Charmine: (Not yet. Soon. Wait for two more days. Keep a close eye on Tiffany meanwhile.] Kay: (Alright.] Just as she was about to put down her phone, a call came in. It was from an unknown number. After picking up, the person on the line said, ¡°Hello, Ms. Jordan, this is Royal Banquet Bar. A man named Alexander Walker wants to speak to you, saying that he has to talk to you for some important clues.¡± Alexander Walker? Important clues? Charmine¡®s eyes lit up. Was Alexander Walker emerging atst since Tiffany was ruined? She replied, ¡°Okay, I¡®ll be there soon.¡± After keeping her phone, she saw that Anthony and Chris were preparing dinner in the kitchen. Chapter 416 Chapter 416 Chapter 416 Chris helped wash the vegetables with his puffy hands while Anthony had an apron on, having his first attempt at cooking. Anthony¡®s chopping skills had greatly improved after staying with Charmine for some time, and it showed as he swiftly sliced some ginger. Not slices, to be exact¨C just some chunks of ginger. Still, he seemed proud of it as his face lit up elegantly, and it was a beautiful sight. While Charmine was entranced by the sight, she could not help feeling confused. Why would Anthony insist on making the dinner himself? They could easily order deliveries instead of him getting into the kitchen and doing stuff. Nheless, that was unimportant. Charmine went toward the father¨C and¨Cson pairing and said, ¡°Don¡®t mind me, I¡®m going out for an hour to buy something. I¡®lle back later to celebrate.¡± ¡°I want to go with you, Mommy!¡± Chris shot up instantly. Charmine walked over to pinch his tiny face. ¡°Look at you, you can¡®t leave things unfinished. You gotta finish washing these vegetables! Mommy is just buying some stuff, but I¡®ll be back soon.¡± ¡°Oh, alright... Come home soon, okay Mommy? We¡®ll be waiting for you toe home...¡±. Chris¡® voice was soft and cute. Charmine smiled. ¡°Sure thing.¡± ¡®Waiting for you toe home.¡® What a heart¨C warming phrase. She woulde home sooner. Just as she was about to leave, Anthony chimed in lowly yet gently, ¡°Drive safely.¡± He spoke in such a manner like a husband reminding his wife, and Charmine halted for a while. They were all so loving that she no longer felt like leaving home. However, it was an important matter. She replied, ¡°Don¡®t worry, I¡®ll be back soon.¡± Charmine rode away from the vi on her motorbike toward Royal Banquet Bar. Luckily, the motorbike could get away with the heavy traffic. With such speed, Charmine arrived at Royal Banquet Bar in 20 minutes. She walked, based on her memory, toward the private room she was told to go. Standing outside Room 707, she became emotional. Charmine was raped in this very room five years ago, and it was the fourteenth of February, Valentine¡®s day. Julian said he had a surprise for her, and she came here excitedly only to meet Tiffany inside.. Tiffany handed her a ss of juice, and she became unconscious after that. All this while, she thought she was raped in the Phoenix Hotel, until recently when Rex Walker told her it happened here... After taking in a deep breath, she pushed open the door. She instantly picked up the strong scent of alcohol as she walked in, but before she could react, a figure appeared swiftly and locked the door behind them. The lights in the room dimmed into a romantic pink, while the floor and sofa were filled with rose petals. Charmine frowned. The man blocking the door was Julian, suit taken off and was left with his white shirt on. The cor of his shirt was torn in a mess, his handsome face was flushed red. He was drunk. Very drunk! It was then Charmine realized that Julian trapped them both in the room! ¡°Open the door right now! Let me out!¡± She demanded with her ice¨Ccold voice without even a hint of warmth. Julian leaned on the door with his back, looking at Charmine with a sincere and genuine look¡± Charmine, don¡®t go. Hear me out... ¡°I was wrong all these years. I shouldn¡®t have manipted you in the beginning, and I shouldn¡®t have let Tiffany do all of the things to you. You may hit me or yell at me all you want.¡± With that, he walked over and pulled Charmine by the hand.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Chapter 417 Chapter 417 Chapter 417 Charmine swiftly avoided his touch and took a few steps backward. Julian was transfixed. After a moment, he smiled bitterly. ¡°I know you hate me, and I¡®d be lying if I say it¡®s not my fault. I had a thought today that if I could go back in time, if I had another chance, it¡®ll all be different today... However, it¡®s not toote yet.¡± With that, he took out a wedding ring and knelt on one knee in front of Charmine. ¡°Charmine, marry me. I¡®ll agree to whatever you ask for. If you want me to be your witness to send Tiffany to jail, I¡®ll do that. If you want a prenup, we¡®ll go get one. Just as long as you agree to marry me.¡± He was obviously drunk, but his face was determined. At that moment, he only had one thought: Marry Charmine, no matter what it took! He wanted to have closure for all the mistakes he made throughout the years. This was the only way to make up for the huge mistake and regret. He also believed that after everything that he said, Charmine would agree. However... Charmine looked down on him with disgust. ¡°Huh? So the high¨Cup Mr. Cabell is proposing to me? Didn¡®t you say that you¡®ll never like me, even if I¡®m a royal princess?¡± Julian was caught off¨Cguard as he remembered those words to Charmine five years ago. Tiffany had a grip on his mind back then, and he hated Charmine badly. He never knew that the cheap and ugly look on Charmine was caused by Tiffany. If they did not manipte her to dress down, Charmine would not have looked so ugly. He half¨Csobbed, ¡°I was blind for all the things I¡®ve said and done to you. You can hit me, scold me. ? ¡°Ha¨Cha¨Cha! Oh, Julian! Do you think you look very sincere and genuine now? You think you can touch me?¡± Charmine mocked him with an insultingugh and then red at him coldly.¡± You¡®re just a drunk dog! A useless dog who was cheated on and attacked! Do you think you really love me? If I came back from Africa with my same old look, without that diamond mine, without bing the morous supermodel, do you think you¡®d love me? Would you kneel before me like you¡®re doing right now?¡± Julian¡¯s hands that held the ring stiffened. Charmine continued to mock him, ¡°What you love is the morous me, and what you miss is someone who once loved you genuinely. You kicked that woman who loved you deeply down the staircase. This morous me will never belong to you!¡±. With that, she raised her leg and kicked Julian harshly at his chest ¨Cas hard as how he kicked her five years ago. Thunk! Julian¡®s body fell.to the floor as the diamond ring fell out of sight. N?velDrama.Org owns this. Charmine remained unperturbed as she calmly walked past him, cold and arrogant. Seeing that she was about to leave the room, Julian got up immediately. He grabbed Charmine¡®s arm and pushed her against the wall, more violent than usual after getting drunk. He pressed Charmine¡®s shoulders and yelled at her, ¡°You don¡®t belong to me now, so do you belong to Anthony? Do you really think he likes you? He¡®s just ying you, and he¡®ll leave you eventually! I don¡®t mind you¡®ve slept with him, and I don¡®t even mind you were pregnant! What rights have you got to reject me? What rights have you got to reject me!?¡± With reddened eyes, Julian growled as he shook Charmine vigorously. Charmine¡®s back was knocked onto the cold, hard wall behind her, more painful than usual. His vehement shaking got her dizzy before she could react. It took her a while before she regained herposure, and she red at him with a condescending look. He spared not a single nce at her during their engagement party five years ago, and he even slept with Tiffany on the day of their engagement! Why was he begging her so badly all of a sudden? Chapter 418 Chapter 418 Chapter 418 Julian even had the guts to question her and Anthony, and with such a rude tone at that? N?velDrama.Org owns this. ¡°So what if I reject you?¡± sneered Charmine. ¡°So what if I sleep with Anthony? A douche like you has no chance!¡± She reached up to push him away, but Julian grabbed her wrists and growled, ¡°Charmine! Anthony will never marry you! He won¡®t even waste his time on you if he knows about your past! He¡®ll look down on you! ¡°Marry me, be with me, and I can pretend none of these happened¡ª¡± ¡°Huh? Do you think everyone is like you? Do you think all the men in the world are as selfish as you?¡± Charmine met his eyes and articted the following words clearly, ¡°You dumped Tiffany right after learning about what happened between her and Oliver, but did you even think about why she acted this way? If it wasn¡®t because of what you did, she wouldn¡®t have done so! ¡°After all, you¡¯re just a selfish man¨Ca disgusting and narcissistic man! Anthony, on the other hand, is nothing like you!¡± Charmine¡®s gaze softened as she mentioned Anthony. ¡°He knew I was raped five years ago, and I know you would¡®ve dumped me had it been you in his shoes. Anthony chose to investigate the incident with me, and he had never looked down on me! ¡°So you have no chance with someone like me anymore. He¡¯ll marry me right away the moment I say yes to him!¡± Charmine¡®s voice was clear and arrogant as she pushed him away with force. Instantly, Julian was tossed to the sofa by the side like a puppet with severed strings. He did not even try to move as his eyes were filled with shock. Anthony... Anthony knew it all yet chose to help her out instead of tossing her aside? How... Why? How could Anthony not look down on Charmine? The smell of alcohol still lingered on Charmine¡®s clothes even after she left Royal Banquet Bar. She stopped by a mall to buy a jacket before riding her motorbike back home. The look of despair on Julian¡®s face reyed in her mind as she drove home, and she was satisfied more than ever. Hah! The douche got the karma he deserved! An excellent turnout! Still, Charmine felt like something was missing... Charmine only recalled something very important as she was almost close to Violet Vi: She promised Chris to celebrate with them when she got home, but she brought nothing home with her! She stopped by the side and called Kay, ¡°Send over a bottle of Uncle Pop¡®s wine right away.¡± ¡°That¡®s tough to get,¡± replied Kay. ¡°As you know, Mr. Pop treats wine like his life, and he won¡®t just give it away.¡± ¡°Just tell him I¡®m stuck researching on an autopilot drone,¡± insisted Charmine, ¡°and I need some inspiration.¡± ¡°This will work. I¡®ll pass this on right away!¡± ¡°Wait, get a bottle of Peach Dew on the way,¡± Charmine added. The Peach Dew was an original recipe from Mr. Pop. Every year, during the season when the peaches blossomed, he would collect the dew on the petals every morning along with one brightest petal to ferment the essence of the peach. This beverage¡®s alcohol level was low as it gave off a stronger taste of peach. Its fragrance would make one feel refreshed. Kay soothed his chest. ¡°I can already feel Mr. Pop copsing.¡± Charmine smiled and hung up. This day was the most satisfying day throughout the years, and it was only natural Charmine wanted to celebrate. She could help Uncle Pop collect more peach dew next year. Charmine gleefully walked into her vi as she was greeted with the sight of Chris sleeping on the sofa. Meanwhile, Anthony... Chapter 419 Chapter 419 Chapter 419 Anthony was working on theptop, and from where he sat, Charmine could clearly see the screen of hisptop. The screen showed photos of her walking out from Royal Banquet Bar and some images of Julian. Did Anthony send his men to follow after her? Anthony heard the door open and quickly turned to see Charmine. He frowned and quietly closed hisptop. ¡°You¡®re home.¡± Charmine nodded and locked the door behind her after she entered. Nonchntly, she said, ¡°I saw it.¡± Had Charmine seen everything? Anthony frowned. Had Charmine seen the images on hisptop and knew he had his men following her? Still... He disregarded that and inspected Charmine thoroughly. ¡°You changed clothes?¡± His voice deep and almost demanding, his gaze cold like a lion sizing up his territory. Charmine was going to question him first; she did not expect Anthony to question her instead. Thinking of her interaction with Julian, she felt strangely guilty. ¡°Bumped into a dog,¡± came Charmine¡®s reply. ¡°Felt disgusted, so I changed.¡± Anthony¡®s eyes darkened. Was that all¨C¡®bumped into a dog¡®? She stayed in the same room for so long with the utterly wasted Julian, and they used to be in a rtionship. How was that just ¡®bumped into a dog¡®? Anthony shot up from his seat all of a sudden and walked toward Charmine, one step at a time. Charmine frowned. ¡°What¡ª¡°. Before she could speak, Anthony already stopped before her, carried her in his arms, and walked to the bathroom on the first floor. Uneasy, Charmine blurted, ¡°What are you doing, Anthony?¡± The silent Anthony seemed ominous and distant at that moment, shutting the bathroom door after entering. He ced Charmine inside the bathtub and turned on the water tap. Charmine wanted to get up, but Anthony pressed her down by her shoulders. ¡°Clean up.¡± His tone almost sounded like an instruction.. It was only then Charmine realized he was more of a clean freak than she was. He made her bathe just because she bumped into Julian? ¡°Anthony, it¡®s simple. He merely pulled on my wrists, and touched my shoulder¨C¡± This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Merely? So you were expecting more interaction than that?¡± Anthony¡®s eyes darkened, displeased by what he heard. Charmine called it, Anthony was jealous! Meanwhile, Anthony lifted her wrists and rubbed them with water. He rubbed from the left wrist to right, so thoroughly that her wrists turned red, and yet he had no intention of stopping Thinking of how Julian touched Charmine¡®s wrists, his gaze darkened. Anthony did not even have many opportunities to touch her own woman. How dare that Julian touched Charmine? Right, her shoulder. Did he grab Charmine¡®s shoulder? The thought of it... Anthony¡®s eyes darkened as he reached out to help Charmine clean her shoulder. Right as his hand landed on her shoulder, however, their eyes met as both of them jolted. ¡°Get out, I¡®ll wash myself thoroughly.¡± That brought Anthony out of his mini trance as he asserted, ¡°I¡®m not convinced.¡± With that, he looked around and pulled over a towel to cover her. Anthony then continued to wash her shoulder with his hand. Charmine was speechless at his assertiveness. Chapter 420 Chapter 420 Chapter 420 Anthony, this guy... Did he have to wash her himself? With the towel wrapped around her, Charmine felt like she was in a massage session. Was Bailey Corporation¡®s Mr. Bailey her masseuse? Whatever. Since he insisted that he cleaned her himself, she might as well enjoy it instead of fighting back. She sat still and let him ¡®serve¡® her. Anthony rubbed from her left shoulder to the right, not stopping until Charmine¡®s shoulders reddened. He looked at Charmine sharply. ¡°That¡®ll do for now. It won¡®t be just this next time.¡± His tone was dangerously possessive. Charmine¡®s heart skipped a beat. ¡®It won¡®t be just this next time? What did that mean? T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Charmine sensed that Anthony was up to something. Regardless, she would never let Julian even get close to her next time anyway. Anthony brought her new set of clothes before leaving the bathroom. Charmine, after getting changed, brought her clothes to the washing machine when Anthony intercepted, taking Charmine¡®s clothes and tossed them into the bin. Straight into the bin! That was a new jacket, costing her almost 10,000 bucks! He should not be so wasteful despite his massive wealth. Anthony, on the other hand, remained solemn outwardly and showed no emotions. He sat in front of the dining table and said, ¡°Dinner¡®s ready.¡± Charmine walked over and sat down, remembering about Chris at that moment. ¡°I¡®ll ask Momo toe over.¡± ¡°No need,¡± said Anthony. ¡°He¡®s already eaten before he slept.¡± Immediately, Chris fell back onto the sofa after getting up. ¡®Waa...! I can¡®t wake up now! I can¡®t let Mommy know Daddy was lying...!! Charmine did not know Chris woke up, so she started eating with Anthony. The table was filled with a variety of dishes: Seafood tter with scallops and imported prawns, white truffles, golden¨Cfoiled pizza, seafood curry, caviar chocte pudding... Every dish was exquisitely made, and they looked expensive! Charmine frowned. What happened? Was he not slicing ginger before she left? Why were there no dishes made with ginger slices? Anthony¡®s face remained emotionless, showing no clue. He picked up a red wine bottle, ready to open it. Charmine stopped him at that moment. ¡°Wait! Today¡®s a happy asion, and I want you to try something amazing.¡± She walked to the mailbox to pick up two bottles. One was a transparent frosted ss wine with a dreamy¨Cpink colored peach dew in it. The other bottle was an exquisite ss bottle with dark rose¨Cred liquid in it. She ced the peach dew beverage by a side and walked over with the red wine in her hands. She poured half a ss for him and half a ss for herself. Looking at the bottle in her hands, Anthony frowned. He had never seen this bottle before, without abel nor a ce of origin. It was abel¨Cless bottle of liquid. He asked, ¡°Is it safe to drink?¡± . ¡°Of course. Try it!¡± ushered Charmine. She raised her ss and took a small sip. Instantly, her face muscles rxed. One had to admit that Uncle Pop¡®s self¨Cfermented red wine was indeed different from itspetition. Anthony took a sip suspiciously, assuming that it was some low¨Cgrade wine. Little did he expect that the taste of it was way better than those wines that cost tens of millions. His keen gazended on Charmine as it stayed there. ¡°Charmine, how many more secrets are you keeping from me?¡± His tone was intrigued and gentle. Chapter 421 Chapter 421 Chapter 421 Throughout Anthony¡®s¡ªand Chris¡®¨Cstay in Charmine¡®s home, Charmine always managed to surprise him. Every revtion about her made her seem even more mysterious. Anthony had never met any woman who could interest him, all while remaining a mystery to him. Charmine¡®s red lips curled upward as she teasingly remarked, ¡°What about you?¡± Three nonchnt words, with a hint of interest in wanting to know more. Anthony met her gaze. ¡°What about me? Are you interested?¡± ¡°Nah!¡± Charmine took another sip of her wine. ¡°Never mind, let¡®s eat.¡± Of course Charmine did not want to show that she cared for him and liked him. Men were a strange species; women would get easily dumped the humbler they were. If she acted like she did not care, meanwhile, a woman would not get hurt. Charmine, throughout the years, had built up a defensive wall that safeguarded her heart. While she epted Anthony, she would not show it. Anthony noted how Charmine evaded the question, and he was reminded of the time he asked for a fraction of her attention. If she was unwilling to give him 50 percent of her love, how much could she give? She was avoiding the topic, and he knew it. It was obvious to him how her demeanor toward him had changed for the better...yet why would she still dodge questions about admitting her feelings? Nheless, Anthony was in no hurry. Anthony took some food for her. ¡°What do you have in mind after this?¡± ¡°After this...¡± Charmine¡®s eyes darkened. Tiffany¡®s reputation would bepletely ruined sooner orter; there was no chance for her to salvage anything. After this, she did not have to do much. At the thought of a furious, livid Tiffany, Charmine sipped her winenguidly. ¡°She should¡®ve known the costs of her actions.¡± Her tone was low and dark. Anthony refilled Charmine¡®s empty ss with more wine and raised his own. ¡°Anyway, here¡®s a toast to you.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Charmine clinked her ss with his and took another sip. Although she had made Tiffany diposed several times, this time meant differently. It would take less than 10 days for Tiffany¡®s true colors to be exposed. Charmine looked forward to it. She finished the red wine in her ss, very much in a good mood as she continued to feast. Kay, who watched over Charmine from outside the vi, received a call at that moment. ¡°Kay, remember to tell Charmine that the wine¡®s alcohol level is different from before. It¡®s much stronger. Tell her to drink less!¡± Kay frowned. ¡°I¡®m afraid it¡®s toote...¡± Charmine ate and drank continuously¨Cone had to admit that the wine handmade by a professor like Uncle Pop was indeed different. It has a sweet and cooling texture, along with asting aftertaste. It was as thirst¨Cquenching as a fruit juice. The more she drank, however, the dizzier she got. Her vision became blurry as Anthony, from one, turned into two, and three... She was having a double vision! Was she drunk? Charmine would usually not get drunk drinking Uncle Pop¡®s wine, thus she eyed Anthony doubtfully. ¡°D¨CDid you drug my wine, Anthony?¡± ¡°Am I such a man in your eyes?¡± Anthony refuted. Charmine had noeback to that. Of course not. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Anthony had plenty of chances should he truly want to take advantage of her, yet he never did. Perhaps she genuinely was drunk. Just as the thought urred to her, Charmine¡®s body went soft as sheid down on the table. Anthony put down his fork and walked over to carry her back to the room. Finally, Chris jumped up from the sofa and ran to the second floor to open the door for them. Once Anthony walked into the room, he heard a loud ¡®click¡® from outside. That sound.. That was Chris messing with them again, no doubt! Chris always liked to make things, including an anti¨Copening device. Once the device was secured on both sides of the door, the people inside the room would not be able to open the door however strong they were. Chapter 422 Chapter 422 Chapter 422 Nheless, Chris¡¯ actions did not anger Anthony; he merely smiled. Chris was less annoying than usual. Outside the door, Chris looked at the anti-opening device and dusted his hands. Hehe! At longst, he could finally have his dinner after fighting back his hunger for so long! Daddy and Mommy could also spend some time together, and he might get a sister soon! With that, he ran downstairs happily and ate like he was fine-dining, behaving like an adult with etiquette. Back inside the room¡­ Anthonyid next to Charmine after cing her on the bed. Her face had a slight blush, exuding a different kind of charm from her usual coldness. He instinctively reached out to caress her cheek, but just as his hand was about to touch her skin, his hand paused for a moment before reaching out to toy with her hair strands instead. ¡°Oh, Charmine¡­ When will you celebrate for me?¡± She was always caught up with her past and her enemies, and he felt neglected. Unconsciously, Charmine turned over all of a sudden, and her arm wound around his waist. At that moment, their distance lessened. Her alluring feminine scentced with a faint scent of alcohol rushed into Anthony¡¯s nostrils and aroused his senses. Anthony¡¯s eyes narrowed at that. ¡°My little wild cat, do you know you¡¯re ying with fire?¡± Charmine did not respond as she slept still, her arm still wrapped around Anthony¡¯s waist. It was only then Anthony realized he was talking to a drunk person. Whatever. Anthony wrapped his arm around her waist as his lips curled up in satisfaction at how Charmine nestled in his arms. In front of him, she was harmless. He could feel her opening her heart to him slowly. However¡­ Anthony¡¯s eyes turned dull and cloudy at the thought of what happened to him five years ago. Would Charmine leave him after knowing about it? Would she think that he was a douche? He could tell that she hated rapists. Hopefully, he could keep this from her for a little longer, at least after they signed a marriage certificate. Charmine would be his after that. Charmine was sleeping peacefully that she forgot about someone¡­ She forgot about Robert. Robert had attended Tiffany¡¯s wedding, genuinely happy for her, until he saw the clip on the big screen. To him, the gentle and pure impression of his sister had beenpletely ruined. He got drunk and did not even go home. Coincidentally, Uji Quin sent his men to bring Robert to Kansas, and Robert boarded the ne without hesitation. At the Jordan mansion, after Tiffany had woken up, she walked to the window to pick up her phone. She sent Uji Quin a text: [Do me a favor, and I¡¯ll agree to whatever you ask for.] In Kansas¡­ Uji Quin smirked at the text. So, Tiffany had reached that stage already? So what if she had slept with Julian and Oliver? That did not change how beautiful Tiffany was, beguiling still! The once high-above, pure and innocent-looking woman, was begging him to help? He replied: [Are you sure? You¡¯ll agree to sleep with me?] Tiffany: [Yes. I¡¯lle to meet you in Kansas after this.) Uji Quin: [Okay, deal.] Tiffany received what Uji Quin sent her very quickly. When Joey and Adam were not in the living room, she dragged her weak body out of bed and walked into the deep end of the mansion. There, Senior Jordan lived in a separate two-story house. After what happened, he asked his maids to take on leave while he sat in the living room to clear his mind. At that moment, his door was gently pushed open. He looked back furiously to see Tiffany walking in. ¡°What¡¯re you doing? Get out!¡± he scoffed with a cold and demanding voice.N?velDrama.Org owns this. Tiffany was thest person he wanted to see at that moment. Chapter 423 Chapter 423 Chapter 423 Although Senior Jordan liked Charmine, he also liked Tiffany. She was his actual granddaughter after all, and he had high expectations of her. That was why he agreed when Adam and Joey wanted to give their shares to her, even though he knew the amount of shares with her would threaten his position. To him, the mistakes Tiffany made were just some mistakes most women would make. After all, which woman did not want to fight for fame and men? All that was important was that she was serious about changing and keeping a good reputation of the family image. He was taken by surprise, then, when she slept with Julian¡®s assistant even after having Julian. Tiffany ruined the entire Jordan family¡®s image as they turned into theughingstock of the masses. Senior Jordan was utterly crestfallen. To him, this granddaughter was already dead. Despite his rage, Tiffany walked toward him and stood in front of him. ¡°I came here to talk to you about some important matters. I heard that you want to take back my shares?¡± ¡°That¡®s right. You¡¯ve made such a big mistake, so you have no rights to own even a percentage of the family shares. The Jordan family can¡®t be ruined by you,¡± scoffed Senior Jordan with a stormy expression. Tiffany¡¯s eyes turned watery, and at that instant, tears rolled down her cheeks as she sobbed,¡± Grandpa, I¡®m your actual granddaughter...! I¡®ve been framed! I¡®m really innocent!¡± ¡°Huh? Framed? We¡®ve investigated this matter, and nobody drugged you. Why are you still lying at this point?¡± Senior Jordan questioned her. ¡°Yes, nobody drugged me. I... I drugged myself,¡± came Tiffany¡®s out¨Cof¨C the¨Cblue deration. Senior Jordan frowned at her words. What did she say? She drugged herself? Tiffany met his gaze and smiled bitterly. ¡°I bet you don¡®t know how much pain I¡¯d gone throught¨¦ly. Ever since Charmine¡®s return, she had been slowly pushing me out of the modeling industry, ruining my reputation. ¡°Yes, I deserve all of this, but I had no choice! I really loved Julian, and because I love him, I made horrible decisions and did what I did...¡± Her voice turned hoarse as she started sobbing,N?velDrama.Org owns this. ¡°Grandpa, do you know that Charmine has gotten so incredible after she came back from Africa, and Julian¡®s heart changed? He said he¡®d love me forever, but now he¡®s changed and fell for Charmine instead! ¡°We made the same mistake during their wedding, but I was the only one criticized. What about him? He turned around and continued chasing after Charmine! He told me not to contact him, to not see him again, and even asked me to help him win back Charmine! ¡°Grandpa, do you know how hurt I was? Do you know how hurtful it was after loving him for five years?¡± The agonized Tiffany clutched her chest as though her heart was stabbed, all while her tears gushed like waterfalls down her cheeks. Senior Jordan remained a stern look. ¡°But this isn¡®t an excuse for you to sleep with Oliver! If you didn¡¯t do this, you¡®d have married Julian by now! Also, why did Julian fall for Charmine? That¡®s because you¡®ve done too many bad things!¡± Tiffany inwardly scoffed at his words, hating what she heard. She had done too many bad things, huh? Charmine forced her hand into that! If Charmine did not plot to destroy her since her return and pushed her to the extreme, would she do all these things? Tiffany had to hold back¨Cit was not time to reveal her true colors just yet. She had to repress her anger, at least for the next few days. She swallowed her fury and continued with a pitiful voice, ¡°I didn¡®t want to either! Of course I didn¡®t want to do that with Oliver, but Julian made it happen! ¡°Grandpa, you know I haven¡®t gone outtely, and Julian didn¡®t even want to see me. He was busy chasing over Charmine. I loved him too much and I can¡®t live without him, so I asked him to meet me in the coffee house, trying to salvage our rtionship. Instead of showing up, however, he sent Oliver to meet me instead...!¡± Chapter 424 Chapter 424 Chapter 424 ¡°I dressed up and eagerly waited for him, only to be met with his assistant instead...¡°By then, Tiffany¡®s tears stained her cheeks. Senior Jordan frowned. Was it true that Tiffany drugged herself for Julian yet he sent his assistant instead? Tiffany eyed Senior Jordan from the corner of her eye and continued to sob, seeing that he began to believe her, ¡°This wouldn¡®t have happened if he came instead... I really didn¡®t want this to happen... I was the one going through the most pain all along...!¡± Tiffany fell to her knees listlessly as she wailed. Her small figure curled up on the cold¨Cmarble floor, making a heart¨Cbreaking sight. She sobbed as she hugged her knees, ¡°Now, the entire world is scorning me, and nobody trusts me or like me. But I¡®m your actual granddaughter... Would you really be like the others and bully me? This is my house, my only comfort ce. I no longer ask to marry Julian; I just don¡®t want you all to look down on me...¡± Her words were extremely humble and touching. The originally stern¨Clooking Senior Jordan finally let out a sigh and said, ¡°Go back and get a good rest, I¡®ll make sure everyone here takes good care of you. As for the shares... There¡®s no way around it. At least wait for this to fade off before the shares are returned to you.¡± Was... Was he taking her 30 percent shares anyway? Even after showing an utterly vulnerable sight, would he still do it? Tiffany¡®s hands clenched tightly as her gaze hardened, ice¨Ccold. Was all that act for nothing after all? How could he be so cold¨Chearted?! Transfer back to herter, he said? How so? They would keep all the shares from her, and when they learned that she was not the actual daughter, they would kick her out! Tiffany smiled coldly,and staggered her way up. ¡°Grandpa, you made me do this. You left me no choice, and I can¡®t help it. I treated you all like a family, the only people I can rely on, but now you¡®re all against me! I don¡®t have anything now, and the 30 percent share is the only thing I can rely on... ¡°I can¡®t lose it, I can¡®t let you all take them from me! So...forgive me...but all of you forced me to this point, and I have no choice...¡± Tiffany was on the verge of insanity. Senior Jordan had an uneasy feeling. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Tiffany took out her phone and showed him a few photos. The photos were of Robert locked inside a small underground room. It was a dark room with no window, only a dim yellow light above him. Robert was kneeling, sitting and curled on the floor, looking pitiful. Senior Jordan¡®s face shifted into an rmed expression. ¡°Tiffany! How could you do this to your actual brother? Didn¡®t he give his share to you?!¡± ¡°Don¡®t worry, Grandpa. As long as you don¡®t take away my share and give me your 30 percent This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. shares, I¡®ll ensure that Robert coulde home safely,¡±mented Tiffany cold¨Cheartedly. Senior Jordan¡®s face darkened. Not only could he not take away her share, but he had to give his to Tiffany too? She was using Robert to threaten him! Chapter 425 Chapter 425 Chapter 425 ¡°Tiffany!¡± roared Senior Jordan. ¡°Do you know what you¡®re doing? You¡®re ruining yourself, and the family will hate you more!¡± ¡°So what? None of you like me anyway¨Cyou guys hate me now and want to take my shares away! You guys treat me like dirt right when I needed my family the most. What difference would it make if I do this or not?¡± Tiffany smiled bitterly. ¡°I¡¯m merely trying to get something for my sick body. I can longer do modeling gigs and can¡®t marry Julian; I can¡®t expect the family to treat me the same again. All I want is the shares, put my all onto thepany, and numb myself with work. Only when I gain 60 percent of the Jordans¡® shares will no one bully me or put me down anymore. I¡®ll still be Ms. Jordan, the person in charge of the Jordan family!¡± Senior Jordan was furious as he heard Tiffany¡®s extreme yetughable thinking. ¡°What makes you think I¡®ll agree to that?¡± scowled Senior Jordan. ¡°With our resources and charmine¡®s help, do you think we won¡®t be able to find Robert?¡± ¡°You may try! But, if you don¡®t agree to this, I don¡®t mind killing him! Let¡®s see if you guys can find him before I kill him first. You pushed me to my limits, and I can stomach doing anything at this point!¡± Tiffany was out of control, her re borderline deranged and fierce. Senior Jordan had never seen this side of Tiffany. How could the usually gentle and wellposed Tiffany have this side of her? She was tantly putting it out there that she would kill Robert if he did not agree to her whim! Tiffany had the heart to kill Robert! Robert was the only grandson he had, and Tiffany was a corrupt woman. Charmine was an adopted child anyway, thus no matter how hard he tried, the family members would not agree to hand thepany over to Charmine. Robert was the only person who could take over thepany in the future.. Senior Jordan¡®s face became more solemn than ever. Tiffany kept her phone and handed a proposal to Senior Jordan. ¡°Grandpa, don¡®t forget that I¡®m still your true granddaughter, despite how many mistakes I¡®vemitted. Among the three of us, I¡®m the most capable one. Thepany, should it fall into my hands, won¡®t go bankrupt or destroyed¡ªit¡®ll only get stronger and bigger. You don¡®t have to hesitate.¡± With that, Tiffany insisted that Senior Jordan took her proposal, and he lowered his head to read the future nning she had made for Jordan Group. He had to admit that the proposal was well¨Cmade; it even had ns to salvage the negative impacts of this incident. Truly, Tiffany was capable of it all. Nheless... Did he really have to transfer all of his shares to this viinous granddaughter? Tiffany continued, ¡°Just agree to this, Grandpa. I was forced to do what I did. I only need something I could rely on, and I don¡®t want to be neglected by everyone. I¡®ll take good care of the family and prove myself to the world with everything I have. You don¡®t really have any other choice, do you?¡± Her soft and gentle voice was like a bewitching demon. Senior Jordan red at her, yet she met his gaze fearlessly. At that instance, he could see from her eyes a struggling young woman who was genuinely forced to do this¨Cwho had no other choices and was willing to kill. Tiffany might genuinely have Robert murdered if he did not agree to her! After a long while, Senior Jordan took out his phone and phoned his attorney. ¡°Prepare a contract right away; I want to transfer my 30 percent shares. Don¡®t let anyone know yet.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± His attorney started working on it right away. ted at how it turned out, Tiffany sighed in relief. Everything seemed to go on smoothly. She had seeded! She would own 60 percent of Jordan Group¡®s shares soon, bing the biggest shareholder in the Jordan family! Shortly after, the attorney came. When he saw that Tiffany was the person Senior Jordan was transferring the share to, he frowned. Senior Jordan was trying to transfer his 30 percent shares to Tiffany? Was her reputation not ruined? This would ruin thepany as well! ¡°Director...¡± the attorney tried to talk him out of it.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Chapter 426 Chapter 426 Chapter 426 Senior Jordan remained silent despite his attorney¡®s question. He picked up a pen and signed his name on the paper, eyeing Tiffany carefully. ¡°I hope you¡®ll keep your end of the bargain, Tiffany.¡± ¡°I will, Grandpa.¡± Tiffany¡®s lips curled up into a sweet smile, and she left with the contract in her hands. Looking at her back, Senior Jordan¡®s eyes gradually and heavily closed; Tiffany¡®s outburst shocked him to the core. He never thought she would have that side of her. Since she held Robert hostage, he had no other choice. Furthermore, she was his actual granddaughter, and she was pushed to her breaking point because of them. Perhaps she might feel better after having the shares. If she did what she had in the proposal, thepany could get better. After all, he was his actual granddaughter. What else could he do? Sigh... As if remembering something, he instructed his attorney, ¡°Transfer all of my properties under my name to Charmine.¡± The attorney was shocked. All his properties, to Charmine? He... When Tiffany got back to her room, her eyes were only left with deep hatred and evil. She finally had 60 percent of thepany shares, making her the Jordan Group¡®s director! Thinking of her identity and the shame she had gone through, all Tiffany wanted to do was to leave the country. No, she had to hold on a little longer. The shares of the Jordan Group did not worth that much, after all. Since she had the rights to log into the Jordan Group¡®s main official ounts, she logged onto Twitter and posted: (After thorough investigation, Tiffany and Oliver were drugged with Agarwood. Its scent would make one lose consciousness and start hallucinating. We still cannot verify who had drugged them, but the Jordan Group will find out the truth! Furthermore, the Jordan Group is funding 10 billion to the Brave Project, intending tobat illegal drugs, illegal underground organizations, etc., to protect innocent women from being harmed! Tiffany Jordan would take charge of this project, and she¡®ll be the campaign¡®s ambassador to raise awareness in society!) A photo of a medical certificate was attached to the post with the caption that read, (Tiffany Jordan¡®s poor fetal development was caused by illegal drugs!) Once she had posted, Tiffany bribed a bunch ofizens to flush thement section. (OMG! Agarwood makes one lose consciousness! How scary!) [I didn¡®t notice when I saw the clip, I thought it was her doing! Didn¡®t expect her to have been drugged by such a high¨Ctech drug.) [The world is indeed a harsh ce. Poor Tiffany¡®s reputation was ruined because of this! What a shame.] (Sigh! A wedding was ruined because of this, along with her reputation. What a poor woman.) [Am I the only person who finds this fishy? Tiffany was the No.1 Supermodel when all of a sudden, her nude was exposed, followed by a sequence of media explosions, harming the top ten supermodels, and now drugged by someone!) [It¡®s obvious someone is plotting against her! The modeling industry is too scary!) [Even if Tiffany is seeing Oliver, that¡®s up to her, her privacy! Who was the one ying the clip? This is invading her privacy!) (Correct! She could press charges against this person!] [I feel bad for Tiffany. What a poordy.) Theizens bombarded thement section, pressing down thements from other people. For further reinforcement, Tiffany posted a clip of herself exining everything: T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Truth be told, I wanted to call the police when this happened, but I was too scared. I was too scared to lose Julian, I was terrified, and now... ¡°The truth is that I was drugged, and because I was drugged, I was forced to do things I was unwilling to. Now, everyone¡®s ridiculing me, and the man I love left me...¡± Tiffany¡®s eyes reddened in the video clip, and after she took a deep breath, she continued,¡± But I don¡®t me him; even I can¡®t ept someone like myself! From now onward, I¡®ll put my all into my work as I strive to be a better person. Through the Brave Project, I hope every woman will participate and unite as one. We can all fight against the production of illegal drugs, and for the sake of all victimized women. As long as you¡®re brave enough to tell us your story, I¡®ll personally handle and help resolve every incident, as well as providing you withfort funds.¡± . This clip helped Tiffany to appear in a different light, and everything progressively got better once more. Chapter 427 Chapter 427 Chapter 427 The sky was already dark by the time Charmine woke up. With all the lights turned off, only the moonlight¡®s soft glow that danced through the window lit the room. Charmine could make out a fresh masculine scent as she blinked away her drowsiness...only to find herself in Anthony¡®s arms! Not just that, but they were cuddling one another,ying face to¨Cface in bed! Anthony was fast asleep. Torn and crumpled, his white shirt had many of her lipstick marks. What...? Charmine rubbed her temples and realized that she had a hangover. Was she the one crumpling his shirt when she was drunk? She felt unusually guilty as she carefully tried to get out of the bed, but a strong arm pulled her by the waist and back into Anthony¡®s embrace. Charmine met his darkened gaze. They were extremely close to one another as her lips could almost graze his chin. With a slight move, her lips would graze his. ¡°Let me go,¡± insisted Charmine without moving an inch. ¡°You hugged and touched me, Ms. Jordan. Are you not going to make up for that?¡± Anthony questioned her with his deep and hoarse voice. Charmine flushed. Hugged him? Touched him? This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. It could not be... ¡°I¡®d normally fall dead asleep after I¡®m drunk. I¡®d never do that¨Cdon¡®t use me blindly!¡± ¡°It appears that Ms. Jordan needs me to remind her of everything that happened, such as how she used my arm as her pillow...¡± Every word Anthony spoke made Charmine feel even guiltier. Even though she thought she was not that kind of person, Anthony¡®s clothes were the evidence! She hastily cut him short, ¡°Stop, stop, stop! You... Just tell me what I can do to make up for that!¡± Anthony¡®s lips curled upward as, out of the blue, he blurted out two words in his low and hoarse voice, ¡°Kiss me.¡± ¡®Kiss me? Kiss him? Charmine¡®s eyelids twitched. ¡°Anthony, you can¡®t do this!¡± She knew she had to make up for touching and hugging him, but... Why was he asking her to kiss him? ¡°Do you know how much trouble you¡®ve caused me today, Charmine? Or do you want me to remind you how it feels?¡± Anthony¡®s voice was deeper and hoarser than usual. Charmine was also an adult¨Cof course she knew. With that, she quickly offered, ¡°I can kiss you, but you have to forget this happened and not mention it to a single soul after.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Anthony smirked. He looked at her patiently, waiting. Charmine panicked and felt uneasy under his questioning gaze. ¡°Close your eyes,¡± she eventually spoke. Anthony smiled and closed his eyes. Charmine was an inch away from him, that angelic face of his, and the air he exuded always made one feel his abstinence. Kissing a man like him would not be so bad after all. She closed her eyes and narrowed the distance between them, and they jolted at that very moment. Charmine¡®s heart raced as if something was about to jump out from her throat. Charmine hastily pushed him away to leave, but Anthony hooked his hand on the back of her head and deepened the kiss. Charmine¡®s mind went ck, and all she could feel was his arrogant temper. She was running out of oxygen, out of air... ¡°Charmine...¡± His voice was low and hoarse, filled with deep emotions. Chapter 428 Chapter 428 Chapter 428 Charmine¡¯s heart galloped rapidly as Anthony¡®s kiss left her powerless. That damned voice of his was no help either; so bewitching that Charmine became weak before him. Unexpectedly, she said, ¡°Okay, since it¡®s not my first time anyway, I¡®m not losing anything.¡± She wanted to give it a try¨C life should be enjoyable after all. All of a sudden, Anthony¡®s emotional eyes turned sober and rational. He pushed Charmine away and eyed her sternly. ¡°Never say that again, Charmine.¡± Charmine was befuddled. She was confused. What did she say? Anthony held her chin and forced her to meet his gaze. He said in a low voice, ¡°Remember: It wasn¡®t your fault five years ago, and your body and soul are still pure and clean. You¡®ll always be the most amazing woman I know, so don¡®t ever look down on yourself. I crossed the line today, but I¡®ll show you enough respect, and I hope you can respect yourself more.¡± With that, Anthony pushed Charmine further away and stood up. He stood by the bed and fixed his shirt. His gesture was elegant, handsome, and manly. A wave of warmth surged within Charmine¡®s heart. They had both reached the next step, yet he said he would respect? He wanted to respect her... Any man would want to bed someone who had been deflowered like her. They would even call her pretentious if she rejected them. Yet, Anthony... She shot up from the bed and hugged him from behind. ¡°Anthony, giving myself to you isn¡®t an act of self¨Cdisrespect. Are you sure you don¡®t want it?¡± Anthony¡®s back stiffened as her soft skin could be felt from his back, messing up his rational thoughts. Still, he repressed his desire and firmly insisted, ¡°Of course I want it, Charmine, but not when you¡®re drunk, certainly not after, and definitely not when you¡®re feeling confused. I hope it can be on the day we get married.¡± ; His voice was serious, rigorous, and formal. Charmine felt like her heart was blown by the wind, fluttering in the air of springtime. Anthony truly wanted to wait until the day they would be wed? So he was serious about their rtionship and not just ying with her? He had his heart set on marrying her genuinely from the start! Anthony continued, ¡°If you really want to give it to me, let¡®s set a date, and I¡®ll start nning.¡± Charmine snapped out of her mini trance and pushed him away yfully. ¡°You want to change my surname so badly? Not a chance! I won¡®t simply marry a man who can¡®t even slice ginger!¡± Without a doubt, he must have failed at slicing the ginger at the end, trashed the dish, and N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. ordered for delivery. Anthony¡®s eyes darkened. ¡°So you¡®re not thinking of making up for it?¡± Cough, cough! Charmine choked on her thoughts. Did he have to be so explicit about that? ¡°I¡®m going out,¡± said Charmine as she evaded the topic, ¡°the air is getting stuffy.¡± However, when she walked to the door and turned the knob, she realized the door was locked. She tried pulling it hard with no luck. Charmine frowned. ¡°What happened here?¡± ¡°Your son¡®s doing,¡± came Anthony¡¯s simple reply. Her son? Chris? It then clicked for Charmine; Chris was behind this! ¡°What do we do now? How do we get out?¡± Chapter 429 Chapter 429 Chapter 429 Anthony sat on the bed. ¡°Just wait.¡± The room was soundproof; there was no way they could be heard even if they yelled. Furthermore, their phones were left outside, thus they could not call Chris. They would not leave the room until Chris opened the door for them. Charmine frowned. ¡°How long do we have to wait?¡± ¡°This depends on how long he thinks his father needs,¡±mented Anthony. Charmine blushed at his words before she eyed their surroundings. Unfortunately, the windows had locks on, so there was no way to get out unless they could remove the doorpletely. Sadly, there were no tools inside the room that could help them with that. ¡°Just rx for a night,¡± assured Anthony, ¡°and we¡¯ll think of ways tomorrow.¡± Charmine thought of Anthony¡®s promise that he would not touch her, thus she slowly eased herself. Chris would surely open the door for them tomorrow, unless he wanted them to starve. Luckily, there were some checkers scripts and building designs she left in the room before, so she sat in front of her working desk to burn some time. The clock on the wall pointed at 8pm. Charmine had slept for the entire day, so it would be difficult for her to even sleep during the night, and that went especially for Anthony. Charmine could look at the building designs, but all of Anthony¡®s documents were outside. He had no choice but to walk over to Charmine to look at them together. Seeing that she was drafting a design for a tall building, he took up a pen and drew some lines. ¡°Having this structure will contribute to its height.¡± Charmine took a look at the base of the pyramid structure. A structure like that would indeed contribute to providing a better base¨Cit was a sophisticated idea. Paired with her initial design, it would stun the world! She gawked at Anthony. ¡°Wow! How did you know about this? The Bailey Corporation had never done this, have they?¡± Even though Bailey Corporation had a lot of funds being the best in the world, they would never get involved with architecture: their only focus was on investing in different projects to get the highest profits. They were more market¨Chunting¨Cminded than business¨Cminded people. However, all of the projects overseen by Bailey Corporation had never made any loss, and none of their investments had ever made any loss. Charmine thought Anthony only knew how to analyze and invest inpanies and projects, but she would never have thought that he knew about architecture as well! A small smile appeared on Anthony¡®s face. ¡°I know many things, but you¡®ll find out more once we¡®re married.¡± LEGAL N?velDrama.Org owns this. Married... Cough, cough! Why did this man always speak about this topic! ¡°Hmm... I¡®ll get back to drawing.¡± Charmine lowered her head and pretended that he was not beside her. Luckily, Anthony did not bother her and instead, picked up her checkers manual to read. These manuals were all dated from many years ago. It seemed that the old men Charmine knew were rather major figures in the industries. Time passed, and it was two in the morning already. The drowsy Charmine turned toward Anthony. ¡°Chris isn¡®t here, so we don¡®t have to sleep together. You sleep on the floor.¡± It would be awkward if anything was to happen again. Anthony¡®s eyes darkened. ¡°So you¡®re a different person while sober, eh?¡± ¡°Didn¡®t you say you won¡®t mention this after the kiss?¡± Charmine frowned. Anthony refuted, ¡°Why do I have to sleep on the floor when we¡®ve hugged and even kissed?¡± With that, heid down on the bed beside her. Charmine was speechless at his rebuttal. How could he be so unreasonable? Would she not be able to get rid of Anthony, even though Chris was not with them? Would Anthony sleep with her from that moment on? Chapter 430 Chapter 430 Chapter 430 ¡°Don¡®t worry, I¡®ll behave,¡± assured Anthony with his low voice as he hugged Charmine by her waist and pulled her into his arms. Charmine wanted to fight back as he pulled her into his embrace but gave up soon after, thinking it was pointless. Anthony did say he would not touch her, and fighting back would make her seem pretentious. Whatever¨Cthey were just sleeping anyway. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. The soft glow of the moon seeped into the room like ayer of silver nket covering them peacefully. Both Anthony and Charmine heard an audible click that came from the door the next morning. No doubt about it, Chris was unlocking the door atst! Charmine instinctively shot up, but Anthony was quick enough to grab her by the waist. ¡°Are you that in a hurry to go out?¡± ¡°Huh? Of course,¡± replied the perplexed Charmine. ¡°Momo tried so hard to get us together. If he knew nothing happened, he might be disappointed and have a seizure again,¡± Anthony reminded her. Charmine was reminded of how there were no medicines to cure his illness yet. Chris would have seizures if something were to upset him greatly, and she felt bad for him. Nheless... ¡°If you and I don¡®t say anything, how would Momo know that nothing happened?¡± Charmine frowned. ¡°Do you think he¡®s a three¨Cyear¨Cold?¡± countered Anthony in a low voice. Charmine wanted to refute¨C Chris was only a five¨Cyear¨Cold! Sure, he was smarter than other kids, but a kid could not tell these things, right? Suddenly, Anthony climbed on top of her. ¡°For Momo, I¡®m afraid Ms. Jordan would have to cooperate.¡± Before Charmine understood what he meant, he was already pressing down on her. He lowered his head and gently sucked on her neck. Right before she could no longer take it anymore, Anthony stood up. ¡°Done.¡± Done? Were those few kisses just it? Charmine was confused until she stood in front of the dressing mirror and realized there were a few obvious hickeys on her neck! Did he really sleep with that one woman all these years? She found it hard to believe. Meanwhile, Anthony opened the door. Instantly, Chris ran in from outside. ¡°Good morning, Daddy! Good morning, Mommy!¡± Charmine wanted to cover up her neck with her shirt instinctively. Unfortunately, she was wearing a round¨Cneck long sleeve shirt without a cor. Chris easily spotted the hickeys on her neck once he walked into the room. His tiny face lit up and broke into a wide grin. ¡°Mommy, I¡®ve made breakfast using the breakfast machine. It¡®s time for breakfast¨Cyou can¡®t starve yourself now.¡± Chris then walked toward Charmine and escorted her down the stairs, supporting her as he did. Chris was scared that she might fall as they walked, so he held onto her hand tightly. Charmine pointedly red at Anthony. What could they do at that point? There was no way out of this misunderstanding... Anthony, on the other hand, merely smirked, seemingly amused. As he watched Chris supporting her down the stairs, a thought crossed Anthony¡®s mind that made his expression dull. His eyes turned cloudy instantly. Would Charmine still want to be with him once she found out he raped a woman before? Would she still want to have his child? Chapter 431 Chapter 431 Chapter 431 Chris escorted Charmine to sit in front of the table in the dining room. He spent the whole night cleaning up the table yesterday; he even washed the dishes and cleaned the house. Charmine was impressed at his work, though she still eyed her surroundings for her phone. Spotting her phone on the shelf, Charmine stood up to get it when Chris suddenly said,¡± Mommy! Stay there! I¡®ll get it for you! With that, his little figure ran over and handed the phone to Charmine. Chris seemed rather cautious, anxious that any hurt would befall upon Charmine. Charmine reached out to ruffle his hair. ¡°Oh, Momo, you¡®re still a child! Let Mommy take care of you, okay?¡± ¡°But the baby inside Mommy is younger than me, and a brother should take care of his sister. Just sit here, Mommy, and let me bring you breakfast!¡± With that, Chris ran into the kitchen. His actions stunned Charmine, but she did not want to upset him either. With that, she bit back her tongue and stayed silent. Once Charmine unlocked her phone, she was greeted with numerous text messages she received during the night, including texts from William. [William: Good morning.) [William: Goodnight.] N?velDrama.Org owns this. (William: Have you eaten?] Charmine hesitated for a while and did not reply. She clicked on the texts sent by Kay instead. [Kay: Bad news, Boss Jordan! Tiffany¡®s gotten Senior Jordan¡®s shares, and now she¡®s working on a project to salvage her reputation!] (Kay: Boss Jordan, are you here? This is getting out of hand! Tiffany now has 60% of Jordan Group¡®s shares with her! It¡®s bad!) With a frown on her face, Charmine logged onto Twitter to see the hottest discussion: # Tiffany¡®s¨CBrave¨CProject Charmine spotted not a single tweet condemning Tiffany. Instead, everyone wasmenting on how she helped this woman, provided help to that woman, donated to this woman, or helped other women regain their confidence. In fact, Tiffany even went to the extent of joining forces with officials to investigate drug¨Cdealing and underground organizations. Her ruined reputation was instantly glorified! Charmine frowned. Without the Jordans, she would not have done all of that. These officials were Senior Jordan¡®srades. Why would Senior Jordan let her have his 60¨Cpercent shares? Unsettled with the thought, Charmine called Senior Jordan. ¡°How are you, Grandpa? How¡®s your health?¡± ¡°I¡®m fine, not too bad,¡± Senior Jordan sighed helplessly. Charmine asked caringly, ¡°Grandpa, did something happen? You can tell me¨C¨CI¡®ll help you.¡± ¡°Sigh... Don¡®t ask. Almost everyone¡®s been asking me why I did it since yesterday. I didn¡®t have a choice. Just let it be, Charmine... I don¡®t want you to be worried.¡± Senior Jordan sighed once more. That served only to fuel Charmine¡®s uneasiness as she firmly asserted, ¡°Is there anything that I can¡®t fix? If you don¡®t tell me, I¡¯ll waste my resources finding out what went down. Hearing that, Senior Jordan sighed. ¡°Tiffany kidnapped Robert. Robert is now with her...¡± Realization dawned on Charmine. That made sense. No wonder Senior Jordan had to give his shares to Tiffany and helped her to salvage her reputation. So, Tiffany had started to plot against the Jordan family! Still, Charmine saw iting. As long as Tiffany was in action, it would be a good thing. She comforted, ¡°Don¡®t worry, Grandpa. Looking at her situation now, Robert is her only chip, so she¡®s not going to act recklessly. I can guarantee that I¡®ll be able to save Robert within three days.¡± ¡°Really? Are you sure?¡± There was a hint of hope and relief in Senior Jordan¡®s voice. Chapter 432 Chapter 432 Chapter 432 After all, Robert was his only grandson. That was a warrant of Senior Jordan¡®s worry, rightfully so. ¡°Yes,¡± answered Charmine assuringly. ¡°Don¡®t worry, Grandpa. Don¡®t let Tiffany know that we had this conversation, though. I¡®ll do my best to save Robert.¡± ¡°Okay, Charmine. Be careful. Tiffany... She seems to have changed, so much so that she terrifies me now.¡± Senior Jordan initially thought that Tiffany would release Robert after he handed her his shares, yet Tiffany extended their deal and said she would only let Robert go after her reputation had improved. In other words, Senior Jordan would still have to obey Tiffany¡®s will. Charmine¡®s lips curled upward. ¡°Don¡®t worry, Grandpa. I¡®m no longer the same person from five years ago, I can fix things and take good care of myself.¡± Senior Jordan sighed, finally at ease. Inside the prayer room, he pulled out a drawer and said to a portrait with relief, ¡°Did you hear that? Charmine¡®s grown into an incredibly capable woman now. She can take good care of herself, so we no longer have to worry for her...¡± Hanging up on the call, Charmine gazed into the gloomy clouds with determined eyes. Robert was nowhere to be found after Tiffany¡®s wedding, yet he had also packed his stuff before the wedding, which meant that he had nned on leaving. She heard that Tiffany hired Uji Quin to train Robert. Was Uji Quin involved? Things would get tricky if Robert had gone to Kansas. Charmine fished out her phone to text Kay. [Charmine: Find out where Robert is now, and don¡®t let anyone know about it.] [Kay: Roger that!) At that moment, Chris brought over a te of toasted bread and ced it on the table.¡° Mommy, have some toast. I made them!¡± ¡°Thank you, Momo.¡± Charmine took a slice to taste. Since the toasts were made with the breakfast machine, the heat and timing were perfectly controlled, making them soft yet tasty. ¡°Momo is so clever!¡± gushed Charmine with praise. ¡°This is very yummy!¡± ¡°Yay! Momo is clever, and my sister will be cute and clever, too!¡± beamed Chris as he gazed at Charmine¡®s tummy with a look of anticipation. Charmine was speechless at that. Meanwhile, Anthony walked over to sit at the table as well. He took a toast and a ss of milk as he instructed Chris, ¡°I¡®m going back to thepany today. You¡®ll stay home to take care of Mommy andT¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. your sister.¡± ¡°Don¡®t worry, Daddy. Momo willplete his mission!¡± Chris saluted his father. Charmine was perplexed. She could ept a childish Chris, but a childish Anthony? How sad would Chris be when he found out he would not be having a sister. At that moment, Anthony¡®s phone on the table lit up. [Nial: The results of 30 DNA tests havee out. We¡®ve got updates! Come back to thepany now, Bro, you won¡®t believe who was in the room!] Anthony frowned. The presidential suite belonged to him, and nobody could get in there as they pleased. How, then, could Nial say there were over 30 types of DNA were found in that room and the people were identified? That meant they could potentially track down the woman from five years ago. Once he found the truth, his rtionship with Charmine... Anthony instinctively turned to look at Charmine eating toast with Chris; it was a lovely sight. Quickly, he looked away and ced the suit over his arm as he walked out. No matter who it was, he had to get it over with. He would not let the matter affect his rtionship with Charmine. Chapter 433 Chapter 433 Chapter 433 Not long after Anthony left, Charmine also received a text from Kay. (Kay: I¡®ve found out that Robert was brought to Kansas by Uji Quin, and he¡®s in a secluded mansion with Uji Quin. The mansion is located at the peak of a mountain with strict security we¡®ll get spotted easily if we head up there.¡± Charmine frowned. Uji Quin was not a kind person, and he did no charity. Why would he help Tiffany? It seemed that the two had some under¨Ctable deal. Something else piqued her curiosity: why did Tiffany not leave after getting 60 percent of the family shares and remained in the Jordan mansion, all while Robert was up there? As if she thought of something, Charmine typed: [Charmine: Keep an eye on them to pinpoint their ws. Don¡®t act until I say so.] [Kay: Copy that.) Charmine kept her phone, thinking of the headlines online as she looked at Chris. ¡°Momo, are you bored staying home? Do you want to go out and y with Mommy?¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± Chris hopped giddily. Ever since Anthony and Chris moved into Charmine¡®s residence, they had not gone out in fear of being taken photos by McKenzie. Even the thought of getting outside made Chris ted! However... ¡°Won¡®t the bad Auntie find us out if we go out? What if she asked Grandpa and Grandma to separate us?¡± Chris pouted. Charmine ruffled his hair. ¡°Don¡®t worry; nobody would know. Mommy will dress you up.¡± With that, she brought him to her makeup room and painted his face with all kinds of makeup products for children, and Chris¡® face changed entirely. His doe eyes were transformed into a pair of long and pointy eyes, and his pouty lips became thinner. She even added contour on his face that made him look less cute and became more of a wealthy¨Clooking child. She then put on a golden wig over his hair and dressed him in a cool outfit set. He no longer exuded the elegance and ss he used to; he instead seemed like a little spoiled kid dressed in streetwear. Chris looked at himself through the mirror as he pped, impressed and in awe. ¡°Looking good! I like this style! I look like a little hero who could protect Mommy and my sister!¡± ¡°I¡®m d you like it.¡± Charmine smiled lovingly and went on to dress herself and put on makeup to look different than what she used to. She turned her exquisite features into a watered¨Cdown look. Complemented with a white dress, Charmine seemed like a full¨C time stay ¨Cat¨Chome mother. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. She looked at herself through the mirror, and a satisfactory smirk appeared on her lips. So, Tiffany was not leaving, was she? It seemed as though she had something else nned before she would take her leave. It was not easy to force her to this stage¨Chow could she leave her any chance? Charmine wanted Tiffany to have no chance of salvaging her reputation in the days toe! Charmine took a taxi with Chris to town toward Mile¨CEnd Mall, a mall owned by Mile¨CEnd Corporation that had all kinds of restaurants and entertainment. It was shopping heaven for everyone! Thinking of her n, she reminded Chris, ¡°Momo needs to be a good boy today, alright? It¡®s crowded up there, so remember not to run away on your own. Wait for my instructions.¡± ¡°Don¡®t worry, Mommy. I¡®ll be a good boy.¡± Chris¡® eyes sparkled with anticipation. His father seldom brought him out to go shopping; he usually made sure they cleared the shopping mall before they came and bought what they needed quickly. This was the first time Chris went to a crowded mall. Charmine gazed at the boy¡®s look of anticipation as she brought him to the fifth floor right away. The fifth floor had the biggest entertainment facilities in town: from machine games to children¡®s facilities, as well as darts, and bowling alleys. The highlight of this floor, however, was the rows of sparkling w machines. The machines were filled with a bunch of cute toys from Hello Kitty, Mickey Mouse, and other cute animals. Charmine looked around and did not see the person she was expecting. She narrowed her eyes. It seemed she had to wait for a while. Chapter 434 Chapter 434 Chris¡¯ eyes lit up when he spotted the game machines, though the twinkle in his eyes disappeared as a thought crossed his mind. Coincidentally, he spotted a figure not too far away and instantly tugged Charmine¡¯s arms, wanting to leave. ¡°What is it, Momo?¡± asked the curious Charmine. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I saw Coco, the daughter of Uncle Derek. She¡¯llugh at me if she sees me! Also, Daddy said these machines are stupid¡­and he never let me y,¡± muttered Chris, his expression tantly showing his disappointment. Charmine frowned. The daughter of Uncle Derek? She remembered that Anthony had another younger brother named Derek Bailey. Derek had been trying to fight for control and the family assets from Anthony, but he always lost to Anthony. To be fair, Derek was a sessful businessman, and even though he was younger than Anthony, he had married an heiress of an aristocratic family, who was also the best actress in the industry with no negative rumors. The couple was always regarded as the perfect-couple meant for one another. Needless to say, since Derek and Anthony were not getting along, his daughter Coco Bailey would not like Chris. The entire Bailey family did not seem to like Chris anyway. Charmine held his hand, ruffled his hair, and reminded him, ¡°Momo, have you forgotten about your look today? She won¡¯t be able to recognize you. Also, Mommy is here, and nobody can bully you. Just tell Mommy: Do you want to y with the w machine and beat Coco?¡± Without hesitation, he nodded. ¡°Yes, I do!¡± ¡°Alright. Come, follow me.¡± Charmine held on his hand and left for the gaming section. Coco Bailey was ying with the w machine inside the gaming section, yet even after 10 coins in, she failed to get a single prize. Furious, Coco pouted. At that moment, an adult and a child came into sight. The mother was wearing a white dress: seemingly in and simple, yet warm and caring. Her son was dressed in a cool street style, but scratch that-he had a huge lollipop in his hands! The lollipop was bigger than his face! Chris walked as he ate, his expression obviously showing how happy and loved he felt. Besides that, he had at least 10 other Alpenliebe lollipops made into a big ne hooked around his neck Coco was tempted. Although she was born into the Bailey family, living the most luxurious lifestyle since young, her parents had high expectations of her and never allowed her to have lollipops. What child would not like lollipops anyway? No kid could resist such temptation! Coco had been wanting to try a lollipop for a long time, and since her parents were not with her at that moment¡­ ¡°Hey, you!¡± she called out. ¡°I want your lollipop-give me one!¡± she demanded rudely. Chris instinctively got scared as she had been calling him names since young, bad- mouthing his mother, looking down on him, and bullying him. This time was different, however. He felt the heat radiating from Charmine¡¯s hand as he looked up confidently. ¡°No! Ask your Mommy to buy one for you!¡± With that, he bit a mouthful of the lollipop as big as his face, seemingly content and happy. As expected, his expression further agitated Coco. Coco ced her hands on her waist. ¡°Do you know who I am? Do you know who my parents are? I¡¯m the most precious princess! You have so many lollipops, why can¡¯t you give me one?!¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m my mommy¡¯s prince! No, I won¡¯t give you even one! Let¡¯s go y with the w machine, Mommy!¡± Chris held Charmine¡¯s hand and walked toward one w machine. On the way to buy the lollipop, Chris had told her how Coco used to bully him since they were toddlers. She used to make fun of him in front of her friends, and she even pushed him into a pond once. ¡®Hmph! So you bullied my son, huh? You better be ready to pay the price!¡¯ Charmine red at Coco heatedly. Chapter 435 Chapter 435 Charmine turned away and brought Chris to a w machine and worked her magic, easily winning the toy Coco so desperately wanted to gain. Just like that, a cat plushie was brought out from the machine. It was an adorable and endearing toy cat of at least 60 centimeters long, and it fitted perfectly in Chris¡¯ arms as he took it into his arms. He exuberantly jumped around. ¡°Mommy is awesome! Mommy is so, so awesome! I love my Mommy!¡± That only fueled Coco¡¯s jealousy as she watched from the sidelines- she wanted that huge cat plushie as well! She spent at least 10 tokens trying to get it, and Charmine got it in one goal! It must be all due to luck! Charmine eyed Chris pleasingly. ¡°What other toys would you like? I¡¯ll get them for you!¡± ¡°I want that rabbit! It¡¯s cute!¡± Chris¡¯ eyes lit up as he pointed at a toy rabbit. Charmine ruffled his hair lovingly. ¡°Okay, Mommy will get you that.¡± She started working on the machine. Coco scoffed. Did that woman really think it was that easy to score another toy? She just got lucky in scoring that cat plushie¡­ Beginner¡¯s luck! Little Coco was astounded, then, at the sight of Charmine easily winning a toy rabbit! It came out of the machine soon after. Chris gleefully pped. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s amazing! I love it! Thank you, Mommy, I love you!¡± ¡°Sit here, Mommy will get more for you!¡± Charmine carried Chris and ced him on a nearby sofa. Chris nodded obediently with two toys sitting on his left and right sides, all while he ate his giant lollipop. He still had that lollipop loop around his neck! As expected, Charmine managed to get a toy with every try, like a mother spoiling his son. It was not long until a bunch of toys piled around Chris. All the kids in the gaming area looked at Chris with admiration in their eyes, while Coco¡­was on the verge of tears. She spent so much, trying to get a toy with no luck, yet that woman won so many for her son! Furthermore, Chris had so many lollipops with him and had a giant lollipop in his hand. He looked like the happiest child on earth, while she had nothing! ¡°Waa¡­ Waa¡­¡± Seeing that Charmine got out yet another toy and put it beside Chris, Coco could no longer hold her tears at bay and began wailing. ¡°You all have so many!¡± she sobbed as she red at Charmine. ¡°Why can¡¯t you give me one? I want one!¡± Being the spoiled princess that she was, everyone in her family would let her have her way whenever she pulled the waterworks. However¡­ Charmine merely eyed her in disgust. ¡°Who¡¯s kid is this? So spoiled and rude! Shush!¡± With that, she walked toward Chris. ¡°Let¡¯s go, my boy. Let¡¯s find other things to y!¡± ¡°Yay!¡± Chris jumped off the sofa and carried his new toys, all while he licked his lollipop. So happy was he that he felt like he had the whole world in his arms. Nobody had spoken to Coco in such a tone since she was much younger, thus she wailed louder. ¡°Waa¡­! Waa! Bad people! Big, bad people!¡± A couple walked over to her at that moment. The man was dressed in a suit, gentle and handsome, while the woman-elegant like a flower-wore an elegant dress. She was Yvette Rond who came from generations of opera singers. She had been ssically trained from a young age and grew up to be a child prodigy. She then starred in a few movies with award winning acting skills, earned an excellent reputation, and gained the ¡®Best Actress¡¯ title at the ripe age of 20! After marrying into the Bailey family, she had been a good wife and mother, establishing a great reputation in the circle of the wealthy.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Chapter 436 Chapter 436 Yvette knelt and pulled Coco into her arms as she asked with concern, ¡°What happened, Coco? Didn¡¯t your Daddy and I leave you just for a moment? Who bullied you?¡± ¡°Waa¡­! It was a mother-and-son pair, dressed poorly. They saw that I dressed pretty, so they made fun of me! They even showed off what they won in front of me! ¡°There! It¡¯s them!¡± Coco pointed toward a direction. Yvette looked over to see the backs of Charmine and Chris. She frowned. These kinds of people bullied her daughter? She looked at Derek. ¡°Darling, please solve this for us. You gotta speak up for our daughter!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry- I¡¯ll call Julian right away. I¡¯ll make sure he makes these people leave right now and put them on the mall¡¯s cklist.¡± Derek seemed like a gentle and kind man, but he showed no mercy when he wanted to get things done. He walked to a side to make the call. Charmine left with Chris with toys piling in their arms, and the sight garnered onlookers¡¯ attention. However, thinking of her following n, Charmine kept all the toys in the locker room. At that moment, someone walked up to them. ¡°Madam, you¡¯re on our cklist. Please leave with your kid now.¡± cklist? Charmine frowned. What happened? Why was she pulled in the cklist? Mile-End Mall would not offend their customers out of thin air. She looked around to see a couple looking at her from afar. It was the gentle-looking Derek with Coco in his arms, while Yvette stood beside him. Both of them watched like a hawk. Coco had an arrogant look of satisfaction on her face, dering that she had won. Charmine merely scoffed. They wanted to kick them out, huh? What a joke! She took out a ck card from her purse. ¡°Are you sure you want me to leave now?¡± The manager and security guards eyed the card, and their faces instantly changed. It was the ck Card, and there were only 10 of those cards in the world! Only those at the top of the food chain could get hold of such a card, and even their boss, Julian could not get one! The staff of thepanies had been trained to recognize this card¡ª they could never offend people with such a card. Otherwise, their lives would be at risk The manager lowered his head instantly. ¡°My apologies, we¡¯re terribly mistaken. Please ept our sincere apologies.¡± ¡°You kick out your customers just because of a ¡®mistake¡¯?¡± Charmine scoffed coldly, exuding an air of authority that only high-ranking people had. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. She red at everyone. ¡°Go and tell the two adults to discipline their daughter.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± The manager nodded and left hastily. They would rather offend one of the Baileys than offend a ck Card owner! ording to the rumors, Anthony was the only Bailey who had the ck Card. Coco, Yvette, and Derek-who waited for the mother-and-son pair to be kicked out¨Csaw the security team walking toward them instead. Coco scolded them, ¡°Do you guys even know what you¡¯re doing? Aren¡¯t you supposed to kick them out?¡± ¡°My apologies, but after investigation, we found that they¡¯ve broken not a single rule in this mall, so we can¡¯t put them on the cklist. Furthermore, we¡¯ve checked our CCTV, and it was Ms. Coco Bailey who started it. I hope Mr. and Mrs. Bailey will teach your daughter well, or she might receive a bad reputation.¡± The three of them flushed red with embarrassment and anger. How dare a mere manager spoke to them with such a tone? Who gave him the rights? As they thought about it¡­ He was polite to them earlier, but after he spoke to that woman, his attitude changedpletely! It was that woman¡¯s doing! Who was that woman that this manager would rather offend them than offend her? Chapter 437 Chapter 437 At that moment, people gathered around Derek, Yvette, and Coco as they murmured among themselves. Some even took photos of the trio. Being a public figure, Yvette instantly put on her sunsses. ¡°Thank you for the reminder,¡± uttered Yvette, left without much of a choice to do, ¡°we¡¯ll teach her well.¡± With that, she hooked her arms around Derek¡¯s and left. ¡°Waa!¡± Coco wailed, unable to ept defeat. ¡°Why are we the ones leaving? They¡ª¡± ¡°Alright, don¡¯t cry. Remember that you¡¯re our Princess Bailey-you¡¯re my daughter. Don¡¯t embarrass yourself,¡± came Yvette¡¯s firm reminder. Coco felt wronged, and her mother did not evenfort her. She had no choice but to hold back her tears. Meanwhile, Derekforted her as he coaxed, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Daddy will find out her identity: I won¡¯t let them go so easily.¡± His eyes darkened as he took out his phone to message his assistant the following: (Follow the mother and her son.] Meanwhile¡­ Charmine left the gaming area with Chris. She came to Mile-End Mall with Chris for an important matter, but why was he not around? Had Julian changed his habit after all those years? Just as Charmine began to doubt her n, she saw a group of people walking out of the lift at the end of the aisle. They were all dressed in suits; people of great rank and power. Julian walked in front while the rest followed behind, reading reports to him. Charmine smirked faintly; Julian still had this habit even after years. Every roth of every month, he woulde to inspect Mile-End Mall. Tiffany would surely know about this if she herself knew it. If she was not wrong, Tiffany woulde for sure¡­ Although Tiffany¡¯s reputation progressively got better, it was all done with money. Knowing Tiffany¡¯s situation, she must have had more ns in ce, and Charmine¡¯s n was to ruin them! As expected, it was not long until Tiffany came into view with a hat and mask. She walked into Julian¡¯s private office. Charmine knelt and instructed Chris, ¡°Momo, I need you to do something¡­¡± ¡°Okay! Momo willplete his mission!¡± Chris listened to her instruction and walked toward them. Charmine watched him in silence. It was time to teach Tiffany a lesson! Upon Julian¡¯s return to his office after inspecting the mall, he was greeted with the sight of Tiffany on the sofa, waiting for him. She was dressed well, wearing a white dress with her hair tied back with a diamond band. She seemed elegant and graceful. Julian scoffed coldly, ¡°What¡¯re you doing here?¡± He walked to his desk and sat before it. He had no intention of talking to her. Tiffany noted that his assistant was no longer Oliver, and it was tantly showing how Julian was not tolerating their crap. Tiffany remained unperturbed as she merely walked toward the door and closed it behind her. ¡°Get out,¡± Julian growled. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. He had seen too much of that fake face of hers, and he no longer wanted to see it, let alone hear her voice! Tiffany did not expect him to be so heartless. How could the man who promised to take care of her forever turned into such a heartless man? She red at him with reddened eyes. ¡°Julian, is this the attitude you¡¯re showing me for our ten-year rtionship? I¡¯ve done so much for you all these years! Why are you so heartless?¡± ¡°Huh? Help me? Tiffany, are you going to keep up with that bullcrap after what happened? Do you think I don¡¯t know that you did all that for yourself?¡± Julian red at her coldly. ¡°You¡¯re just a random woman with a questionable background. You live with the Jordans on thin ice. You work hard to please me, just so you can use me in a plot against Charmine!¡± Chapter 438 Chapter 438 ¡°You imed to be helping me to marry Charmine while, deep down, you want her dead! You¡¯ve no intention of letting me get in contact with Charmine! ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t think I know the truth about your little incident with Oliver, now do you? Do you think I don¡¯t know that you wanted to sleep with Anthony Bailey?¡± Julian articted each word clearly with aloof and spite, all while he wore a fierce expression without a hint of mercy or familiar warmth for Tiffany. Tiffany jolted at his reveal as her face turned pale. She never expected Julian would know what was nned. Julian found out! Tiffany was momentarily stunned before a slow, mocking giggle escaped her lips. ¡°Well, I won¡¯t keep things from you anymore since you know the truth. Yes, you¡¯re right, but try to think of it: Who forced me to the edge till I did what I did? ¡°Why can you continue to chase after Charmine and try to win her over even with your tarnished reputation, while I can¡¯t find another man? Would I have done the things I did had you treated me like you always did before? Do I have to worry about not having a man to love me? ¡°You used me of doing these for myself, but before I tried to sleep with Anthony, you were all I wanted! But you? You fell in love with Charmine a long time ago! You stopped loving me a long time ago!¡± Tiffany growled in pain and frustration, letting out her pent-up hatred. Julian frowned as her words rang in his ears. ¡®You fell in love with Charmine a long time ago!¡¯ ¡®Long time ago? Was that true? Julian fixed his cor in annoyance as he dismissivelymented, ¡°Well then, leave this office if you hate me that much. I don¡¯t want to have anything to do with you!¡± Tiffany¡¯s lips curled into a mocking, bitter smile. Haha! Nothing to do with her? How easy did those words leave his lips! It was easy for Julian to say that as he had fallen for another woman, but he was the man she loved from the beginning! Tiffany, left without a choice, had to attempt to sleep with Anthony! Tiffany wanted nothing more than to marry Julian, be his wife, and take care of their families. What did she get in return? Tiffany smiled coldly and rposed her emotions. ¡°I don¡¯t want to have anything to do with you either, but the reason I came today is to offer you a deal as a business partner.¡± ¡°My apologies, but I¡¯m busy and am not interested.¡± Julian picked up the document on his desk, wanting to end the conversation. He had no tolerance for a woman who had cheated on him. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Tiffany sat down before him at his desk. ¡°You¡¯ll be interested. I want you to buy the fifteen percent shares from Lily and Amelia. Now that Jordan Group has a bad reputation, it¡¯d only take twenty billion bucks to buy them off. Also, after you¡¯ve bought the shares, marry me.¡± ¡°Marry you?¡± Julian looked up at her. ¡°Is this a sick joke or some?¡± he spoke condescendingly as his words stabbed her heart like a knife. She was once the No.1 Supermodel, the woman Julian wanted to marry, yet all he had done was show his chagrin and detest toward her. Tiffany bit back her pain as she offered and exined, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t ask for a big wedding ceremony. We just have to sign the papers so that I can salvage my reputation.¡± While there were no longer negative articles about her, it was only made possible with Senior Jordan¡¯s money. Buying the daily hottest discussions, cleaning her negative articles, and paying for fakeizens to leavements had cost her at least a million bucks. Regardless, that was all merely on the surface-everyone still mocked her and belittled her. Even the Jordans hated her thoroughly! Tiffany could only prove her innocence if Julian could forgive her, and only then would the netizens move past the incident. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll only be married on papers,¡± added Tiffany. ¡°I won¡¯t interfere with your private life. Furthermore, I¡¯ll reward you by selling my sixty-percent shares to you half the market price. As long as you let everyone know that we¡¯re married, you¡¯ll have seventy-five percent of the Jordans¡¯ shares, bing Jordan Group¡¯s director. Charmine, with just twenty five percent of the shares, would have to listen to you then.¡± Julian¡¯s eyes darkened at the offer. So long as he followed Tiffany¡¯s n, he would be able to buy the 60-percent share on half the market price. Once he bought that from Tiffany-along with the 15 percent from Amelia and Lily-he would own 75 percent of the Jordan Group! Chapter 439 Chapter 439 Tiffany saw how Julian gradually believed how feasible her n was, and her lips curled upward. ¡°Julian, we¡¯re just signing the papers-no ceremony and no fuss. We can even write a separate contract stating that once Charmine agrees to marry you, we can instantly divorce. Before she epts you, we¡¯ll pull off this act together. I want my reputation back while you want the Jordans¡¯ shares. This is a good deal for you.¡± Tiffany spoke with conviction, but cunningness brewed beneath those eyes of hers. Her reputation would be saved once she was married to Julian, and she would be the stunning Mrs. Cabell! Furthermore, once Julian bought Amelia and Lily¡¯s 15 percent shares, the rest of the Jordan family would have no say in the family. They would be left with nothing! So what if Charmine exposed her true identity then? So what if Charmine returned to the Jordan family? By then, the Jordan family would no longer be as glorious as they once were, rendered into a mere empty shell. The Jordans who looked down on her would be left with nothing! When they finally learned the truth about her identity, the Jordan family would merely be poor and copsed! If Tiffany could not be the Jordans¡¯ heiress, neither could Charmine! Julian could sense something else brewing beneath Tiffany¡¯s ns¡­but he did not care. Her deal was too alluring. Tiffany strived for her reputation and to crush Charmine, while he strived to take over Jordan Group. Once he owned the shares, his assets would double! Nheless¡­ N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. He looked Tiffany in the eyes. ¡°Why should I believe you? If you hate me so much, why would you give me such an opportunity?¡± Even if she wanted to save herself so badly, she could go find another person interested. After all, 60 percent of the shares with half the market price was at least a 50 billion bucks discount! Plenty of people would want to marry her for that! Plenty! Even if nobody would marry her, she could sell out the shares and leave Burlington and start off fresh in another country! Tiffany met his gaze and muttered, ¡°Even if you no longer love me, you¡¯re still the man I love. Plus, Charmine could buy it off of another person¡¯s hands if I choose to sell it to other people. What¡¯s the point in that?¡± She wanted the entire Jordan family to copse, to the extent that even Charmine could not salvage them with her money! She did not want.the Jordans to have any chance of being saved! The Jordans scorned her so badly, huh? Well, they would be on the receiving end soon! Instead of selling the shares and running away, it would be better to be Mrs. Cabell and watch Charmine return home to a poor family¡­ A family under Julian¡¯s control! Julian gazed into her eyes and, after a moment of hesitation, uttered, ¡°I agr¡ª¡± Before he could even finish his sentence¡­ Thoom! The door was kicked open. A cool-looking yellow-haired young boy stood in front of the door. ¡°Brother, don¡¯t believe what she said-she¡¯s lying! I heard her talking to the phone just now in the staircase, saying she doesn¡¯t have cash with her now and that she needs to use someone. She also said that once the price of the shares had gone up, her shares would worth more money! She said something about the Jordans buying back her shares, Charmine buying her shares-even you would want to buy her shares! By then, she could sell the shares at a high price, and make you all suffer and fight against one another! By then, she would use these shares to make you be her actual husband and get pregnant with your baby to earn your sympathy!¡± What? Grimacing, Julian¡¯s gaze turned cold as he red at Tiffany. How could she be so calctive?! Tiffany shook her head hastily. ¡°Julian, don¡¯t listen to him! I¡¯m not that kind of person! Why would I do that? Someone must¡¯ve sent him to ruin our deal! You can¡¯t listen to this kid!¡± Tiffany shot up and walked toward the boy. Chapter 440 Chapter 440 Tiffany barked at the cleverly disguised Chris, ¡°Who told you toe in? You¡ª¡±. ¡°Argh! I didn¡¯t make this up! Don¡¯t kill me! Don¡¯t! Big brother, help me!¡± cried Chris as he hastily ran and hid behind Julian. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Julian looked at Tiffany¡¯s face before he shifted his gaze toward the innocent kid behind him.¡±, Get out, Tiffany Jordan,¡± hissed Julian. He never wanted to see that evil-hearted woman ever again! Tiffany¡¯s eyes reddened as cold anxiety washed over her. ¡°Julian, you¡¯d rather believe the words of a stranger¡¯s kid instead of me?¡± Before Julian could retort, Chris quickly chimed in as he stuck out his head from behind Julian. ¡°You sounded so evil when you spoke to the phone! Who¡¯d believe you? Does your tongue not hurt from telling lies? Can you swear to god that everything you said was true? Like, if anything you said was not true, you¡¯ll die?¡± Tiffany¡¯s face went pale. She was genuine about the shares offer; Tiffany genuinely wanted to sell them to Julian half the market price. As for the marriage, however, she wanted to slowly earn Julian¡¯s sympathy¡­ ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯d be this evil, Tiffany,¡± Julian noted her hesitance and scowled.¡± Someone,e and drag her out!¡± Instantly, the security team came in to drag Tiffany out of Julian¡¯s office. She cried out, ¡°Julian¡­! Julian! Please believe me! I never thought of increasing the share price nor force you into anything! I only want you to eventually have feelings for me¡­!¡± Why would Julian believe her? He waited for the guards to drag her out before shutting the door with a loud ¡®m¡¯. He never wanted to see her again. The security team tossed Tiffany to an empty corridor, and she fell onto the floor-angry, furious, and pained. It was over. It waspletely over! She was trying to use Julian¡¯s name to salvage her reputation. As long as Julian could forgive her and reveal their marital status to the public, she would regain her standing in society. She wanted to see the Jordans going bankrupt, Charmine failing to buy back the shares, and watch the Jordan family slowly turn to dust. s, it was all a distant dream at that point. It was over for Tiffany! Julian no longer trusted her, and no matter who she sold her shares to, Charmine would be able to buy back the shares! Was running away with the money and watching Charmine save the Jordan family the only option she had? Tiffany sat on the floor for a very long time, and after making sure there were no other ways to get back with Julian, she had no choice but to leave the mall. Once she got into her car, Ronnie was there to greet her with a cup of coffee. ¡°Madam, please take a rest.¡± The moment Tiffany held the coffee, however, she was burnt by the heat. ¡°Can¡¯t you let it cool off before handing it to me?¡± she snapped at Ronnie. ¡°How am I supposed to drink this?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m very sorry!¡± Nearly crying out of fear, Ronnie lowered her head and apologized. Tiffany was infuriated by the sight of her. Ever since Veronica had gone to jail, nothing seemed to go her way. Argh! She would turn crazy if she stayed in Burlington any longer! Unable to stand the pressure anymore, Tiffany took out her phone and sent Rex a text that read: [Get in touch with buyers, and sell my shares separately. There¡¯s no hurry. Just try to put up the price, but don¡¯t let anyone know about this.] Tiffany wanted to leave the Jordan family as quickly as she could, but the shares they had did not worth much. If she waited for a few more days, she could earn a few extra millions. Also, leaving the Jordans too early would be too kind to Charmine. She had to give a present to Charmine before she left! Charmine stood calmly in Mile-End Mall, coldly and arrogantly. She smirked at the sight of Tiffany¡¯s car leaving the building. Was Tiffany trying to start a game with her? She should look at herself in the mirror! Nheless, Charmine anticipated what other tricks she had up her sleeve. Chapter 441 Chapter 441 Back in Julian¡¯s office¡­ Julian gazed at Chris once Tiffany left them. ¡°You¡¯ve done me a favor. What would you like in return?¡± ¡°No, thank you! I don¡¯t need anything. I love helping people. If Big Brother insists on thanking me, though¡­ You could give me your jade ring.¡± Chris pointed at the ring on Julian¡¯s thumb. It was a white jade ring with delicate carvings. The white jade was embellished with some irregr emerald jade pieces, like an emerald dragon flying among the clouds. Julian smiled unconsciously at the boy¡¯s request. ¡°You don¡¯t want anything but this jade ring? Do you know how much this costs?¡± of course Chris knew; he saw it at an auction with Anthonyst year. That was an ancient jade ring, and the final price at the auction was 90 million bucks. He liked this ring very much, but his father-Anthony- said a man wearing a jade ring looked too feminine, so he did not buy it for him. It was only fair, then, that Chris would try his chance to get it, given the opportunity. Chris maintained an innocent face. ¡°I don¡¯t know how much it costs, but I do find it rather good-looking, just like you! I didn¡¯t want to be a busybody-I¡¯m scared that that Big Sister would take revenge. But when I walked past, I saw you¡¯re very handsome like a celebrity! You also look like a good match with that¡­ That new model, Charmine Jordan, so that¡¯s why I came in to help you. I think you¡¯re as good-looking as this ring, and that¡¯s why I want to keep this as a souvenir.¡± Chris spoke differently from before, not with his original voice. His tone had be soft and cute. N?velDrama.Org owns this. Julian was not in a good mood as ofte, but when he heard what Chris said, his brows rxed. ¡°You said I look like a good match with Charmine?¡± he mused. ¡°Of course! Everyone says that children can tell these things very well, and I¡¯m good at it. I even saw your news; I think you and Charmine look exceptionally well together. I believe that if you keep trying, remain serious andmitted, she¡¯lle back to you!¡± assured Chris with a serious and sincere face. That was the first time Julian heard such words for him, and he was pleased. Without the boy¡¯s help, he would have fallen for Tiffany¡¯s trap, unable to get rid of her forever. If he ended up buying the 15 percent of the Jordans¡¯ shares without getting the other 60 percent as promised, it would have no use. Moreover, spending an extra 20 billion would tighten his cash flow and induce risks. On top of all that, this kid risked his life helping him as Tiffany mighte after him anytime. Julian¡¯s eyes narrowed as he handed the jade ring to Chris. ¡°Keep this. If anyone is causing trouble with you; show the ring to them and tell them my name.¡± The name ¡®Julian¡¯ was engraved on the inside of the ring. Indeed, not many people in Burlington would mess with Julian. Chris received the ring in joy. ¡°Thank you, Big Brother! You¡¯re so kind!¡± chirped Chris. ¡°I¡¯ll remember you forever!¡± With that, he took the ring and ran out of his office. Once he stepped out of the office, he almost puked. If it was not for the jade ring worth 90 million, he would not have said those disgusting things! He knew Julian had hurt his Mommy before, and it was only right that he got back at him. He wondered how Julian would react when he realized he was tricked into giving his 90-million ring to a kid. Haha! Charmine waited for Chris upstairs, and she saw him walking toward her with a grin like a Cheshire cat. ¡°What took you so long, Momo? Did he hurt you?¡± ¡°No, no. He thanked me, and he even gave me this jade ring as a reward.¡± Chris gave the ring to Charmine. Charmine inspected the antique ring, and she could tell right away that it cost a pretty penny. Why would a man like Julian give such an expensive gift away as a reward? ¡°Momo,¡± she prodded Chris, ¡°what did you do?¡± ¡°Haha! Nothing much! I just said things he wanted to hear, and he gave this to me voluntarily. Let¡¯s sell this ring sometimeter-we can invest in an amusement park worth ny million!¡± Chris chirped happily. Seeing that he was happy, Charmine did not question further, and they both left the mall content and satisfied. Chapter 442 Chapter 442 On the top floor of the Bailey Corporation building¡­ Anthony sat on the sofa with a document in his hands. There were 37 names on the list, and 36 of them were the female staff that worked in the hotel. The result of their investigation stated that all 36 women had fantasies about touching Anthony. They were enamored with him, the room he stayed in, and even the bed he slept in. Therefore, they rolled on the bed Anthony slept in, which was why his bed had their DNA. In other words, 36 women had slept on Anthony¡¯s bed in that hotel all those years! Nialforted, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve ordered for them to be fired. Enough about that, though, have a look at this person.¡± Nial flipped to thest page and eyed Anthony¡¯s expression anxiously. Anthony took a look and frowned. The name on thest page¡­was Annabel Smith. That name never appeared in his world for more than 10 years. Back then, when Anthony was 18, he attended Burlington University. He was the wealthiest prince, while she was a poor girl who attended the university with a schrship. She was gentle and weak like a flower, and it was as though anyone could kill her with a pinch. Still, she persevered and even took some part -time jobs. It was the first time Anthony came across someone so poor yet determined, and he helped her a few times out of sympathy. It was the first time he offered to help a woman, and she was one of the few women who had evere in close contact with him. Therefore, the Bailey family thought they were in a rtionship, and paid her five million to live overseas. With that, Annabel was unable to graduate from the university she worked hard to get into and ended up being expelled. Anthony had always felt guilty about it. He had been trying to find her to make up for it, all to no avail. He gradually forgot about it over time and had no ¡®special rtionships throughout the years. That was, until five years ago¡­ Nial asked him anxiously, ¡°Bro, what do you think? I think Annabel has come back to Burlington-it¡¯s just that we haven¡¯t found her. If Momo truly is her child¡­¡± Anthony¡¯s eyes darkened. He had thoughts of many possibilities, and the only possibility he did not think of was that Annabel woulde back after disappearing for 10 years. If she was the woman from five years ago¡­ Nial felt troubled at the sight of Anthony¡¯s frown, and he paced around the room worriedly. ¡°Damn it¡­ Even you are speechless! What¡¯ll you do if it¡¯s confirmed that Annabel¡¯s the woman from five years ago? I¡¯ve put in so much effort with you trying to get Charmine, and if anything happens to your rtionship, I¡¯ll be the one suffering¡­¡± Whenever Anthony was not in a good mood, Chris would be upset, and then he wouldin to his Uncle Nial¡­ When Anthony was happy, he was the one feeling like a third-wheeler. When Anthony was upset, he was the one suffering. How unfair! So unfair! Anthony eyed Annabel Smith¡¯s name sharply. ¡°Not a big deal.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Nial was unable to react for a second. Anthony closed the folder and instructed, ¡°Find out about Annabel and verify if it was her. I¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡± He merely pitied and sympathized with Annabel back then, with a faint hint of admiration. When he learned that she was forced to leave, he felt guilty. He spent so much effort to win Charmine¡¯s heart. Why would he give up on her for Annabel? Of course¡­ If Charmine knew about his past with Annabel, would she be angry? If she despised him for it¡­T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 443 Chapter 443 As the disheartening thought festered in his mind, Anthony turned to Nial and firmly stated,¡± Don¡¯t let Charmine know anything about this whole thing yet.¡± He could not afford to take any risk before marrying her. Nial frowned. ¡°Bro¡­ Are you trying to hide this from Charmine?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not ¡®hiding¡¯. I¡¯ll get to it.¡± He would deal with it ordingly. Anthony patted Nial¡¯s shoulder and left. Nial felt uneasy, but he hoped that Anthony could hide it from Charmine while he got down on the matter. As they both departed from the room, they failed to realize that someone hid in the toilet. It was McKenzie. Mckenzie came to Anthony¡¯s office in the morning in an attempt to negotiate a deal with him.¡¯ She had photos of him with Charmine, and she would use them as hostages so he would sever their rtionship entirely. It startled her that Nial and Anthony came in together, forcing her to hide in the bathroom, though she was rewarded with a shocking discovery. Anthony was still looking for the woman from five years ago¡­and that woman was probably Annabel Smith. McKenzie¡¯s eyes hardened in jealousy at the thought of her, that penniless girl. Born into a poor farming family, Annabel was pitiable and weak with those doe eyes of hers; the kind of eyes that could lure any man¡¯s soul. McKenzie hated that. She grew up with Anthony and knew him since the sandbox, yet never once was he impressed with her. Worse still, he got unusually close to Annabel when he was 18. She joined forces with Mdm. Bailey and sent Annabel away many years ago, but she never expected that she would return. Was she truly in Royal Banquet Bar five years ago? Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. If the woman he slept with was Annabel, then she would be Chris¡¯ mother¡­ McKenzie clenched her fists tightly. Annabel left Burlington after receiving the five million, yet she gave birth to Anthony¡¯s child? As McKenzie thought more into it, Chris¡¯ watery eyes did resemble Annabel¡¯s! Fury slowly built up in McKenzie¡¯s being, but her assistant Miranda was quick to remind her,¡± Madam, please calm down. This is a good thing. Think about it: What¡¯ll Charmine do if she finds out about Annabel¡¯s existence?¡± Gradually, McKenzie began to simmer down at Miranda¡¯s spection; she had a point. Knowing Charmine, she would do things to Annabel, and even if she would not do anything to her, Charmine would not tolerate Anthony for having another woman on his mind. Once Charmine would leave the picture, well¡­ Annabel was no threat. She was the epitome of a weak and gentle flower that could easily die with just a pinch. ¡°Go check on Annabel,¡± instructed McKenzie, ¡°and get her before Nial does.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± Meanwhile¡­ Anthony was on his way back to Violet Vi, the scene from 10 years ago still fresh in his mind as it unconsciously reyed. Back then, Annabel was often bullied by a few rich teenage boys in the university. No matter how much they tried to pay her, she would not give in. She would even fight against them. While Annabel was powerless and had nothing, she was firm in her stance and never wavered. He had never seen such a determined and strong-minded woman, so he sympathized and pitied her. Of course, those feelings had faded throughout the past ten years, and she had never once crossed his mind until Nial brought it up. Would Charmine take it wrongly once she heard about that? When he got back to Violet Vi, he saw Charmine and Chris both dressed in matching cute pajamas as they yed checkers. Thete afternoon sunlight shone on their backs¡ªthe sight was beautiful and heartwarming. Instantly, all of his doubts vanished as his gaze fixed on Charmine. Chapter 444 Chapter 444 Even after showering and a face without makeup, Charmine was still so stunning that it could bewitch any man¡¯s soul. There were women out there with mediocre beauty, one that would eventually bore the eyes after some time, Charmine¡¯s beauty was different. Chamine¡¯s beauty was enduring; she would always be as beautiful as she was from day one. Her eyes, especially¡­ They were like crystals soaked in ancient wells, clear and sparkling, and yet it also had a hint of wise dullness. It was a pair of eyes that told a story, one that people would like to read. Her beauty was different from Annabel¡¯s. Annabel made one want to protect her, while Charmine made one feel distant from her. At that moment, Chris spotted him and grinned widely. ¡°Daddy, you¡¯re back! Come and say hello to the baby!¡± Anthony frowned. Say hello to the baby¡¯? Charmine was just as befuddled. ¡°The baby in Mommy¡¯s tummy!¡± Chris articted adorably. ¡°I read a science book saying that we have to get in the habit of greeting the baby so that the baby is smart when she gets out. ¡°Look, just like this!¡± With that, he looked at Charmine¡¯s abdomen and waved. ¡°Hello, Sister. I¡¯m your brother! I¡¯m now ying checkers with Mommy. When you¡¯re out, I¡¯ll y with you every day! Look there-Daddy is back from work.¡± Charmine and Anthony spiraled further into perplexion. They, at that moment, realized how terrible of a mistake it was to lie to a kid like Chris¡­ Chris always had so much anticipation for everything, and he was always full of surprising ideas. What would he do when he found out the truth? Forget about future issues: would he ept it if they were to tell him his Mommy was without child? It was a first for Charmie to experience such aplex situation. Anthony hesitated for a moment. He paused for a while before hanging his suit on the coat hanger. He walked toward them. ¡°She¡¯s still very small now, and she¡¯ll only start growing in a month. Momo needs to read more into science, or the other kids will make fun of you.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ One month?¡± Chris was confused. Charmine affectionately rubbed his little head and added, ¡°Your Daddy is right¡ªthe baby hasn¡¯t even started growing yet. We only start interacting with the baby after three months, and this ismon knowledge.¡± After three months¡­ Charmine wondered how her rtionship with Anthony would be in three months. Perhaps she would have other ways to properly exin it to Chris then. Chris pouted in disappointment at their exnation. ¡°Oh, okay¡­¡± Anthony, at the sight of a pouting Chris, quickly changed the topic. ¡°Look at this.¡± He handed a packet to Chris. Chris epted the packet to see that it was his favorite Orleans roasted chicken wings, and his eyes lit up instantly. ¡°Wow! Thank you, Daddy! I love Daddy!¡± With the chicken wings in his hands, he was instantly happy. He ran to the dining table to start eating. Charmine looked at his active little figure as a smile appeared on her lips. Kids were so innocent, quick to be happy when they had treats. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. She then turned to look at Anthony. ¡°How¡¯s the business? Tough?¡± Anthony¡¯s eyes dulled at the thought. His business was of no difficulty, but what he was trying to fix was indeed challenging. Although he helped Annabel out of pity, he had helped her many times throughout the time they spent together. If Annabel truly was the person he slept with and Momo was indeed her child, would Charmine still trust him? Chapter 445 Chapter 445 Charmine saw how Anthony¡¯s gaze hardened at her question as though hesitating over someplex questions. It was a rare sight to see. She asked, ¡°What? That tough, huh?¡± ¡°No.¡± Anthony snapped back to reality as he abruptly turned his intense gaze toward her.¡± Charmine, promise me one thing.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Charmine was confused. Anthony looked at her and spoke with a solemn tone, ¡°There might be some challenging situations coming up, so please show me enough trust. I¡¯ll be able to solve them. You can¡¯t be persuaded by anyone for anything.¡± He wore such a grave, serious expression as he spoke. Charmine had a gut feeling that it was nothing good. Was it something about the incident from five years ago? Anthony was also investigating his incident. Had he found something that induced concern she would get jealous or have hard feelings? Her red lips curled into a faint smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. When I decide to be with someone, I won¡¯t change my mind easily. It¡¯s not love if I change my course.¡± Her answer only made him more pensive. Was it love that she felt for him after all? Anthony hoped he could clear up his mess as quickly as he could. After he left to sort out some documents, Charmine looked at his retreating form and could barely help herself from texting Kay: (Ask the Uncles if they have any new findings on Anthony¡¯s incident from five years ago.] His reply came swiftly. [Kay: Ok, I¡¯ll ask when I¡¯ve time, but we¡¯ve got a more serious topic that requires your immediate attention.) (Kay: I just received thetest update that Tiffany has started to try selling her shares secretly, and they¡¯ll be sold in the next two days. Furthermore, she just went to the office. Seems like there¡¯s a big project going on.) [Kay: Above all, we¡¯ve investigated Uji Quin¡¯s mansion and found that he had infrared detectors installed all over the mansion and the mountain. The terrain is so If even Kay and his men could not guarantee it, it showed that it was an incredibly difficult feat to aplish. That meant Charmine had to go on her own. It was not that she was more skilled than Kay and his men, it was just that she was a woman her body was more flexible and soft. Back at the training base, everyone saw her potential. However capable and well-trained the men were, getting away from the infrared detectors was extremely difficult while she would get past every detector without triggering them. Everyone had their forte, and this was hers. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. After a moment of thought, Charmine replied: [Keep an eye on Tiffany and do as I¡¯ve nned. What¡¯s Robert¡¯s current situation now? Is he hurt?¡± [Kay: Not hurt, but it¡¯splex. Robert doesn¡¯t know he¡¯s being kidnapped. Uji Quin used all kinds of excuses to lie to him, telling him that humans¡¯ potential reached the peak when starving, and Robert believed him. He hasn¡¯t eaten or drank anything since he got there!] Charmine was dumbfounded at the news. Robert was a smart guy! How could he be so dumb when it came to gaming? He might starve to death if she stayed idle. Looking at Chris who was in the dining room, she replied: [Prepare a ne. I¡¯m leaving for Kansas tonight at 12am.] It would only take two hours to fly from Burlington to Kansas, and if she acted quickly, she would get back before the sun came out. Tiffany did not go home after leaving Mile-End Mall. She went straight to the Jordan Group and asked for a board meeting. Chapter 446 Chapter 446 She presented a garden properties project to the board and concluded that they would get a loan of 100 billion for that nationwide Garden Properties Project. Every staff of thepany objected and voiced out their opinions: ¡°Ms. Jordan, are you crazy? How can we get a hundred billion-loan?¡± ¡°Are you unaware of what we¡¯re experiencing right now? The Jordan shares have dropped and the loss so far is a hundred and fifty billion, yet you want to get a loan of a hundred billion?¡± ¡°Jordan Group will go bankrupt if this project fails!¡± Even Lily chimed in, ¡°Tiffany, this is too risky. We have to y safe.¡± Tiffany sat on the director¡¯s seat and asked, ¡°If we don¡¯t take the sum into consideration, do you think this will be a good project?¡± Everyone exchanged looks with one another and remained silent. They had to admit that it was an excellent project. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. As their nation was developing garden properties for the sixth generation, even smaller houses could get the privilege of having a beautiful garden. All the bigger developers were investing in simr projects, but they each invested in one area to test the waters. If Jordan Group could invest in this on a national scale, they would reach their peak in two years and be the best in the industry. Nheless¡­ 100 billion was too risky. Even if they used up all of the Jordan Group¡¯s avable funds, they would be 50 billion in debt, and they would be over if the project failed. ¡°I understand everyone¡¯s concerns,¡± Tiffany addressed the room, ¡°but please remember that I¡¯m now the Director of Board. If anything is to happen, I¡¯ll be the one in debt, and I¡¯ll take full responsibility for it. If I¡¯m willing to take the risk, why won¡¯t you? Trust me: I want the best for thepany, and I want us to take this risk for the most immediate returns. I¡¯ll negotiate for the loan-it won¡¯t take long.¡± Everyone gradually nodded at Tiffany¡¯s enthusiasm. She had a point: she owned most of thepany shares and would be responsible if anything happened. If she was not afraid, why should they be? If the project went as nned, they would get handsome dividends. Most importantly, as Jordan Group was losing money, if Tiffany could get loans from the bank, the investors would see that the bank had not given up on them. That would put Jordan Group in a different light in the investors¡¯ eyes based on the new project. With that, the proposal passed with the board¡¯s full support. Tiffany then went straight to the bank to negotiate the deal with the Jordan Group¡¯s official seal. Alone in the car, Tiffany¡¯s eyes were filled with unadulterated malice. Her n would soon take its ce and seed. She had to leave Charmine a beautiful parting gift before she would leave. The Jordans heard about the news on the same day, and Tiffany did not join them for dinner.¡± Dad, you still haven¡¯t told us why you gave all of your shares to Tiffany,¡± pestered Joey. ¡°Is she capable of taking full responsibility for the board?¡± ¡°I always feel that she¡¯s too young and too impatient. If the fifty-billion loan is approved, Jordan Group will be at great risk in the following two years,¡± cautioned the worried Lily. Felix sighed. ¡°I¡¯d object to that, but I don¡¯t have the right to speak at all. I don¡¯t even have a single percentage of the share with me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the bank is unlikely to approve of the fifty-billion loan,¡± assured Adam. Listening to the discussions, Senior Jordan was in deep thoughts. Why did Tiffany take such a heavy risk? Thepany would either survive or die because of that decision! Still, she went to the extent of kidnapping Robert. What else would she not do? Tiffany wanted to prove her ability; she wanted to salvage her reputation. Moreover, she was the Jordan family¡¯s heiress, and the bankruptcy of the Jordan Group would do her no good. Just as Senior Jordan was about to speak, the door was pushed open. Click! Everyone looked over to see Tiffany standing outside the dining room. Chapter 447 Chapter 447 Tiffany had been home for some time, but when she heard their conversation, she stayed outside the dining room. She knew everyone did not like her, but listening to their discussion made her feel sick. The Jordans truly were not her family; they even questioned her capability over Jordan Group The thought of her ns and how she would soon leave this family, however, made her happy. These people would soon go into bankruptcy and live poorly! Hah! That was the price of offending her! Her next step would be to make sure everything else could work out as nned. She rposed her calctive look and walked forward with a faint smile. ¡°Grandpa, Dad, Mom, Auntie, Uncle, I¡¯ve negotiated a deal for the loan. We¡¯ll receive the sum in the next two days.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Joey¡¯s eyes lit up. Tiffany managed to secure a loan worth 50 billion? Why would the bank agree to such a huge loan? Of course, Tiffany would not tell them that she had mortgaged all of the properties owned by the Jordan Group, including the main building. She answered calmly, ¡°Mhm. I pitched our entire project to them and offered them the highest interest rate; they¡¯re willing to take the risk with Jordan Group. I understand that many of you are concerned about this project, but please trust my determination and capability. Nobody wants the project to seed more than I do. I want to prove my capability and to make up to thepany for the negative impacts I¡¯ve caused. In two years, ourpany will be making a lot of profits, and our market value will be fifty percent higher.¡± Her aspirational words made Lily and Felix look at her in a different light. A 50 percent higher market value? The shares they owned would only increase, and they would earn handsomely! Lily smiled happily. ¡°Oh, Tiffany, please don¡¯t take into heart what I¡¯ve said before-I was just concerned. If you managed to secure the loan from the bank, we believe that your project will seed. We¡¯ll just reduce our expenditure in these two years.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re both my closest rtives. I won¡¯t take it to heart.¡± Tiffany smiled as she maintained her good-girl poise. Even though most of them were displeased by her action, they felt somewhat at ease with how she behaved. After Joey had calmed down, she recalled what happened and felt guilty. Tiffany would not be at fault if he genuinely wanted to meet up with Julian instead of Oliver, yet she scorned her and hated her. Joey internally sighed; Tiffany was such a kind and hard-working daughter¡­ She got Tiffany a set of cutleries. ¡°Have a seat, Tiffany. Look at you-you¡¯ve lost weight. Don¡¯t go out these days, you should be staying home to take care of your body.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mom. I can only feel better by busying myself. Right, there¡¯s one more thing. I¡­ Never mind. Let¡¯s eat.¡± Tiffany pretended she had something else to say but halted. She picked up the spoon. As expected, that only made them want to know more. Joey asked, ¡°What is it? You can tell us, and I¡¯ll help you.¡± ¡°I¡­actually¡­¡± Tiffany hesitated for a long while before continuing, ¡°I know what I did was disappointing, but many things were out of my control as well. Things wouldn¡¯t have turned out the way they did if someone just stopped making me look bad to the public. I didn¡¯t know if this person was targeting me or the entire Jordan family, so I¡¯ve asked someone to investigate it. We managed to question an assistant, and she¡­ She said¡­¡± Tiffany paused and became more hesitant as though unwilling to continue. Lily, being the busybody as she always was, pestered, ¡°Tiffany, who is it? Just tell us. We¡¯ll help you!¡± ¡°Yeah. To be fair, this person was wrong and is definitely ill-intentioned, always exposing your clips to the public. Just tell us,¡± Joey encouraged her. Tiffany pursed her lips and slowly uttered, seemingly unsure and anxious¡­N?velDrama.Org owns this. Chapter 448 Chapter 448 ¡°The assistant said¡­it was sister¡­Charmine¡­¡± Charmine? Everyone¡¯s expression turned grim, especially Senior Jordan¡¯s. He squinted, eyeing Tiffany with displeasure. ¡°Tiffany, you know I hate lies, and I hate it if our family uses one another!¡± ¡°I know you don¡¯t believe me, Grandpa, and I didn¡¯t want to believe when I first heard about it either, but her assistant swore it was true. If we think about it carefully, the first time my photo was exposed was during the Chanel show, where Charmine eventually got the opportunity to take my ce. The second time was during Charmine¡¯s wedding with Julian: She had never wanted to marry Julian as she¡¯s got another man she¡¯s seeing. The third time was during my wedding, and she obviously didn¡¯t want me to marry Julian.¡± ¡°Tiffany, do you have evidence to prove that Charmine is seeing another man?¡± Joey asked: Tiffany nodded. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve seen it myself, and so does Julian and Kelly Mn. Still, none of us know who this man is. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can check it yourself.¡± She had no courage to say it was Anthony; she might die if they ended up calling Anthony and question him about the matter. Everyone¡¯s look darkened around the table, especially Senior Jordan¡¯s. Charmine was unwilling to go back to live with them¡­ Was that proof that she was seeing someone else? A thought then urred to Adam as he spoke up, ¡°If she doesn¡¯t want to marry Julian, why would she ruin your wedding? She was the one encouraging it¡­¡± They had been keeping a close watch on Charmine all the while and noted how Charmine was entirely mature about the situation, not dwelling on her past with Julian. Although she treated Tiffany with a rather cold attitude, it was rather unlikely that she would ruin her wedding. Tiffany lowered her head and said with a very guilty expression, ¡°There¡¯s something I¡¯ve kept from you all for the past five years¡­ I¡¯ve felt bad all this while, but now I really have to be open about it.¡± She pursed her lips and said, ¡°To be honest, I¡­ I was there when Charmine fell off the stairs five years ago¡­¡± What? She was there? Joey frowned. Was she notte for the ceremony that day? Tiffany continued guiltily, ¡°I walked past the staircase and saw Julian arguing with Charmine, saying that the baby in her tummy wasn¡¯t his. They yelled and fought, and I was going to protect Charmine, but Julian identally pushed her down the stairs. Charmine kept assuming that I pushed her intentionally. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can call her and ask.¡± Tiffany believed that if Senior Jordan called Charmine, he would ask, ¡®Did Tiffany push you down the stairs back then?¡¯ Charmine¡¯s answer would be, ¡®Grandpa, you knew?¡¯ Because of that, Tiffany was not afraid. She continued her act with a guilty and scared look. ¡°Because of this, Charmine had always hated me. She hated me for pushing her down the stairs and ¡®stealing¡¯ Julian from her in the past five years. All she thought of was revenge ever since she returned from Africa¡­¡± She paused to look at Joey and Adam. ¡°Dad, Mom, do you remember the first day Charmine came back? She stopped by my ear before she left, saying that she¡¯d ruin mepletely to get equal. ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to exin it to her, but she just won¡¯t believe me. She kept taking everything I have away from me, nning for my ruin. Never in a million years would I have thought my own sister would cruelly treat me this way¡­!¡± muttered the seemingly heartbroken Tiffany weakly as tears started to trail down her cheeks. Everyone in the room was shocked by what they heard. Basically, she identally pushed Charmine down the stairs five years ago, and Charmine held that against Tiffany venomously throughout the years? All of the negative news about Tiffany was part of Charmine¡¯s n? Just because Tiffany imed Julian identally pushed her down the stairs? Adam mmed his hand powerfully against the table as he roared, ¡°That¡¯s absolutely horrendous! You¡¯re her sister! How could she do that? I¡¯ll call her now and ask her toe back right away!¡± With that, he took out his phone.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Chapter 449 Chapter 449 Tiffany did nothing to stop Adam as she gently and quietly sobbed. After all, she had installed a program on Adam and Joey¡¯s phones so Charmine¡¯s phone would reject their calls. As expected, Adam was greeted with an automated voice that said, ¡°Sorry, the number you called is currently unavable.¡± She rejected the call! Tiffany sobbed, ¡°Dad, Mom, don¡¯t call her anymore¡­ She told me that she hated you both for favoring me. She won¡¯te back to us. I didn¡¯t say these to make you speak up for me; I just hope that you¡¯d all ept me. I was forced to do what I did, and I wouldn¡¯t have turned out this way had Charmine not hurt me like that. Even I can¡¯t ept what I did¡­¡± Her weak and soft face was filled with pain and bitterness. Touched, Joey sat next to Tiffany and pulled her hand gently. ¡°Tiffany, why didn¡¯t you tell us, about this before? Why did you keep everything to yourself? We could¡¯ve kept a close watch on Charmine had you told us about it!¡± ¡°I thought that she¡¯d forgive me so long as I try to get along with her¡­! I thought that even if she hated me so much, she wouldn¡¯t do things that could harm our family¡¯s reputation, but I¡­ I never knew¡­¡± Tiffany trailed off as her voice turned hoarse. ¡°Fret not, Tiffany. If she truly is the one behind it all, I won¡¯t let her go easy!¡± Joeyforted her as she looked at Senior Jordan. ¡°Dad, please call Charmine when you have time. We have to question her about it. Although we do favor Tiffany instead of her, she did it in her own volition. If she really plotted against Tiffany because of this misunderstanding, she¡¯s wrong! We have to punish her!¡± ¡°Exactly! She can¡¯t do things that¡¯ll ruin the Jordan family just because she dislikes Tiffany. She¡¯s just an adopted child, and yet she owns twenty- five percent of thepany shares! How could she do that?¡± Lilyined. Felix sighed. ¡°What a shame, what a shame. If it wasn¡¯t for Charmine, Tiffany would still be the No.1 Supermodel and give us at least a hundred thousand bucks worth of presents every month! Now, we¡¯ve got nothing! What a shame! ¡°Moreover, our family has be the joke of the town, scorned whenever we go out. An adopted daughter like her shouldn¡¯t have existed in the first ce!¡± T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Everyone voiced their displeasure. Adam scoffed coldly, ¡°I think we have to take back her twenty-five percent shares, no matter what. It doesn¡¯t matter if we have it or Dad keeps it; it¡¯s better than letting her hold on to them.¡± Senior Jordan¡¯s face was serious, his brows furrowed with mixed feelings. Although he did not believe what Tiffany said, she seemed to be telling the truth as she was unafraid for them to call Charmine. Tiffany, moreover, was trying to win back everyone¡¯s heart, thus she had no reason to lie. Did Charmine truly do everything Tiffany had said, then? That she wanted to take revenge without considering their family¡¯s reputation? It seemed that he ought to ask Charmine at some point. ¡°Let¡¯s eat now. I know what to do.¡± Senior Jordan stood up. He walked out of the dining room as he supported himself with his walker, and Tiffany eyed his retreating form tedly. She might be leaving, but she would give Charmine hell before she did! She wanted Charmine to be looked down on when she returned to them! Once he got back to his house, Senior Jordan took out his phone to call Charmine, but all he heard was the automated voice that said, ¡°Sorry, the number you called is currently unavable¡­¡± His eyes darkened. Was she genuinely seeing another man out there? Was that the reason why. she did not want toe home? Who was this man? Was it Anthony Bailey? Senior Jordan recalled the incident when Anthony came to back Charmine up. Still, how would the Bailey family ever approve of someone like Charmine? Impossible! His attorney came forward. ¡°Senior Jordan, are you still going to transfer all of your properties to Charmine?¡± That was his decision from the other day. Tiffany took all of his shares, and Robert was unable to step up. He was worried that all of his properties would end up with Tiffany and was concerned Charmine would be bullied by her. He wanted Charmine to have something to stand on her own. Chapter 450 Chapter 450 Senior Jordan never anticipated things were not what they seemed¡­ If he was to transfer his properties to Charmine, the entire family would object. He thus waved dismissively. ¡°Not now.¡± At Violet Vi. Charmine charged her phone and turned on the silent mode, preparing for her flight to Kansas. She carried Chris in her arms and read stories to him so he would fall asleep. Chris eventually fell asleep at 11pm. Charmine ced him in bed and said to Anthony in a low voice, ¡°I need to go out. Take good care of Momo.¡± ¡°This dead of night?¡± Anthony looked up from his document. Charmine nodded. ¡°Robert¡¯s in a challenging situation, and I need to save him.¡± ¡°I can arrange-¡± ¡°I know you can send someone in my stead, but it¡¯s no use. This is a special situation, and I need to go there myself. Just stay home and take care of Momo,¡± Charmine cut him short as she spoke with a determined tone. She walked into the dressing room and took out her agent costume. Anthony did not fight back at the sight of a determined, mind-made-up Charmine. Still, after she left, he took out his phone to instruct Luke, ¡°Bring a hundred men to watch over Charmine from the back.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir!¡± Charmine drove a compact car from her vi, but it was only then she noticed the few missed calls from Senior Jordan on her phone. She quickly rang his phone, all to no avail. Perhaps her grandfather was fast asleep by this time. Senior Jordan would not usually call her and would not give her a few missed calls all at once. With doubts in her mind, Charmine made a U-turn and headed for the Jordan mansion. She made a quick act to phone Kay as well on her way. ¡°Postpone the flight for an hour-I¡¯m going back to the Jordan mansion first.¡± The Jordan mansion¡¯s gate had closed and the lights had gone off at 11pm. Everyone was fast asleep. The grand-looking gate was firmly closed, and only a soft glow from themp by the gate illuminated the residence. Charmine swiftly got out of her car and rang the gate¡¯s bell, and a guard eventually opened the gate. When he saw it was Charmine, he said politely, ¡°You¡¯re back, Ms. Jordan?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to find Grandpa.¡± Charmine made her way inside. She did not manage to walk a few steps more when the guard stopped her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but Senior Jordan is quite upset today and is asleep. If Ms. Jordan wants to go in, I¡¯ll have to inform Sir and Madam first.¡± Charmine narrowed his eyes. Inform them first? Since when did she have to inform them before coming home? Sure, nobody liked her even at a young age, but no one stopped her froming home. They would not do that to her. ¡°Did anything happen today?¡± the question spilled from her lips coldly and firmly. ¡°I¡¯m not too sure. Sir instructed us in the evening that if youe back, they can¡¯t let you walk past this gate without informing them first. Kindly understand that I¡¯m just doing my job,¡± answered the guard politely, his head lowered as he did. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. The guard beside him called Adam at that moment, and it was not long before he picked up.¡± Charmine¡¯s back? Let her have the phone!¡± . The guard handed the phone to Charmine. Charmine received it with a cold face, intrigued to find out what Adam had to say. Chapter 451 Chapter 451 Charmine took the phone and, with a hardened expression, said, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°What is it, you say? How dare you speak to me like that? Have you finally decided toe home after you¡¯re done fooling around outside? What do you think of the Jordan mansion of: a ce you cane and go as you please and screw up?¡± snapped Adam. + N?velDrama.Org owns this. It was only obvious how furious he became the more he spoke. ¡°It was a huge mistake to have given your mother permission to take you home!¡± scoffed Adam. ¡°Your reputation was ruined five years ago, but you go ruining her reputation five yearster? You¡¯ve shredded the Jordan family¡¯s reputation and image! If I had known any better, I would¡¯ve killed you the moment you were brought home so none of this mess of yours would¡¯ve happened!¡± Charmine was yelled at without knowing what had happened, but before she could speak, Joey took the phone from Adam and said, ¡°No matter what Tiffany did to you, even if she was the one who pushed you down the stairs, she¡¯s still your sister! The baby shouldn¡¯t have existed anyway! How could you hold a grudge against your sister for something that happened five years ago and ruin the Jordans¡¯ reputation in the process? How could you be so ungrateful?¡± Charmine¡¯s face darkened. So, they knew about the incident from five years ago? It had to be Tiffany; she must have said something to them. ¡°You best do some self-reflection, Charmine,¡± barked Joey, ¡°and stop sleeping with some unknown man. Don¡¯t be an embarrassment! If you want to step into the Jordans¡¯ property, you better apologize to your sister first before you can move in with your things. But if you¡¯re thinking of treating this mansion like some hotel, I suggest you leave. I¡¯d rather have not adopted you-I¡¯ll just pretend that you¡¯re dead!¡± 13 Every word from Joey was sharp and heart-breaking. Charmine¡¯s eyes went colder. Apologize to Tiffany? Sleeping with an unknown man? Were they gobbling every word Tiffany said to them even with her burnt-down reputation? How important was Tiffany to them? Would they only believe whoever it was sobbing and crying? Not giving Charmine a chance to speak, Joey instructed the security guards, ¡°Ask her to leave, and if any of you let her in, you¡¯ll be fired. All fired!¡± Joey hung up right after. The guards looked at Charmine anxiously. ¡°Ms. Jordan, please don¡¯t make it any harder for us Charmine looked at the Jordan mansion, the ssic and picturesque building insulting, mocking. This was her home, but Tiffany took it away from her for 23 years! Even a trip home became so difficult. However¡­ Pah! Charmine¡¯s eyes darkened as she thought of her n. She tossed the phone to the guards and turned to leave. It would not be long¡­ Soon, they would all beg her toe home! The most important thing was to save Robert. As for Grandpa¡­ After getting on the car, she texted Senior Jordan the following: [I don¡¯t know what Tiffany has said, but nothing she says can be trusted. I¡¯ll exin it to you when I get back.] With that, she turned off her phone as she drove toward the private airport. None of the Jordans knew that the adopted daughter they looked down on was their actual daughter! At the private airport¡­ When Charmine¡¯s car pulled over, Kay led 10 other top agents in line and bowed. ¡°Ms. Jordan!¡± Every one of them treated Charmine with the utmost respect. She was no ordinary woman, as they had received direct orders from their supervisors to protect her. Kay even told them that only Charmine could get up to Uji Quin¡¯s mountain. Even if they could not get up there, a woman like Charmine could do it. She truly was, indisputably, an incredibly capable woman. Charmine frowned at the sight of so many men the moment she got down from her car. Chapter 452 Chapter 452 ¡°Why do you bring so many people? Let them go home and sleep.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to Kansas, and we don¡¯t have anything going on for us there. It¡¯s better this way if anything happens,¡± Kay exined. Charmine then countered, ¡°I¡¯m going straight to Uji Quin¡¯s mountain, save Robert, ande back right away. They can¡¯t even get up the mountain¡­unless they want to feed the mosquitos at the heel of the mountain?¡± Kay hesitated at that moment, and Charmine took that silence. ¡°Go home and sleep,¡± she ordered the 10 men. The 10 men were silent at her order. It was an incredibly rare opportunity for them to go on a mission with Charmine, yet she easily dismissed them like that¡­ T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Still, she had a point: What else could they do other than feed the mosquitoes at the heel of the mountain? The 10 men conceded. Charmine got on the ne, followed by Kay. The flight went straight to Kansas. A thought crossed Charmine¡¯s mind at that moment. ¡°Oh, right. Is Uji Quin at home today?¡± ¡°No, he¡¯s a night owl ¨C he goes clubbing almost every night. Poor Mr. Jordan is still waiting for him in the basement, starving himself like a fool.¡± Kay sighed. Charmine sighed in relief; things would be much easier if Uji Quin was out. She went to the dressing room to put on the night-mission costume and prepared the needed equipment. Around one hour and a halfter, the nended on an emptied mountain peak in Kansas, the soundless-spy model ne attracting not a single ear nor attention. ¡°Uji Quin¡¯s men might spot us if wend on Uji Quin¡¯s mountain. Driving there would take only an hour¡¯s time.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Charmine got out of the ne and got into the prepared car. They went toward the mountain. The driver said suddenly, ¡°Kay, Boss Jordan, someone¡¯s following us behind.¡± Charmine looked back and squinted. With her perfect vision, she could tell right away that Luke was driving the vehicle. Had Anthony sent Luke to watch over her? ¡°Don¡¯t mind that,¡± assured Charmine, ¡°they¡¯re with me.¡± The driver let out a sigh of relief while Kay frowned. With her? Was Boss Jordan no longer holding restraints when it came to Anthony? What about Mr. William? The car arrived at the heel of the mountain, and Charmine got out of the car. She put on the customized sun-sses and walked toward the mountain. ¡°Please be cautious, Boss Jordan,¡± Kay called out worriedly. ¡°If worsees to worst, get out right away. Don¡¯t risk it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know what I¡¯m doing.¡± Charmine adjusted the sses¡¯ angles. It was a special set of sses that could see infrared rays that the naked eyes could not see. Looking over the mountain, she could visibly see the mountain range filled with infrared rays, and touching any of those rays would trigger the rm. Heh! Were those supposed to stop her or something? She paced steadily, unblinkingly. In the dark, the ck agent costume she wore showcased her beautiful body shape. Charmine looked cold and calm. 1 When she came across the first infrared ray, she merely bent her waist gently and went past it. The driver looked out from the car window. ¡°Hey, Kay, wanna bet? I bet Boss Jordan can get up in an hour.¡± ¡°An hour?¡± Kay frowned. From the foot of the mountain to the top, it would take more than an hour even if one was to run up without the obstacles. How could Charmine get up in an hour? Chapter 453 Chapter 453 The driver¡¯s lips curled upward. ¡°If Boss Jordan gets up in an hour, I get ten days off!¡± ¡°Deal,¡± Kay agreed. Even though he knew how capable Charmine was, the mountain was tall. It was no easy task to get up the mountain in an hour, all while evading every single infrared ray. However¡­ Up there, Charmine did not take the usual path and instead continued to walk as she eyed her surroundings, walking to where the most infrared rays gathered. More often than not, the ce with more gathered infrared rays had problems. As expected, after getting past closely set up infrared rays, a long passage appeared in sight. The passage was built along the side of the cliff, like a nk walk of a scenic mountain. The passage only allowed one person to walk in at a time, and it was filled with closely set-up infrared rays. Charmine frowned. Was Uji Quin¡¯s house filled with gold? Was he not merely a gamer? What was all the mystery for? 1 She stretched her body and walked toward it. Swiftly after, she bent down 100 degrees at a time. Charmine alternated from leaping to walking on the mountain wall, sometimes crawling on the ground¡­ Charmine¡¯s body had no trace of excess fat. In the darkness, her figure was lithe and nimble, so surreal that one could only dream of being her. Around 40 minutester, she reached the peak of the mountain. The driver was dozing off on top of the steering wheel when the screen let out two soft beeps. He opened his eyes to see the system notification that stated: (Arrived at the destination.) It was the locating device detecting that she was at the highest altitude. The driver smiled and looked at Kay. ¡°I won!¡±T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Kay had been waiting silently outside. When he heard the beeps, his eyes went wide. 40 minutes? Boss Jordan went to the peak in just 40 minutes? Kay realized that he had not seen the true extent of Charmine¡¯s capabilities¡­ At the peak stood a European-styled mansion. She could see from afar that there were many security guards guarding the mansion. 1 Charmine nced around to see that the closest security guard was three meters away from her, and it held the most threat. She took out a prepared airgun that, with a pull, shot a pellet soundlessly. Charmine covered her mouth soon after. Those pellets were the invention of her Uncles, a colorless and odorless substance. Upon being released in the air, it would disperse an unnoticeable smoke that could cause people within 10 meters to faint. As expected, it did not take long before all of the guards fell down. Even those guarding the gate outside the mansion fainted as well. Charmine ran over quickly as she climbed in through the window agilely. ording to her research, Robert was in the basement. She scanned the inside of the mansion with infrared rays. Anywhere with more gathered rays would seem skeptical. As expected, it did not take long before she found the entrance to the basement. Of course, Charmine was in no hurry¡­ She nced around the mansion and went into the control room swiftly. Instantly, she hacked the system and turned off the entire protective. All infrared rays spread throughout the mansion vanished just like that. The security system was close to notifying Uji Quin about the intrusion, but Charmine stopped that as well. Chapter 454 Chapter 454 All done. Without any more obstacles keeping her back, Charmine ran toward the basement. The basement had no window; there was only a dim yellow light on the wall. Robertid on the Japanese-styled tatami as he slept soundly. Charmine walked over and kicked him gently on the leg. ¡°Wake up! Follow me!¡± Robert blearily opened his eyes with that, and he noticed it was Charmine, he frowned with confusion. ¡°Why did youe?¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to starve to death if I hadn¡¯te,¡± Charmine scoffed. ¡°Follow me!¡± Robert remainedying on the ground. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving. I want to learn gaming with Uji Quin!¡± Upon Robert¡¯s arrival to his mansion, Uji Quin told him that the most important aspect of gaming was one¡¯s inner peace. One should not be disturbed by the outside world and that they should stay in a safe ce. A darker ce would be ideal. Robert was initially skeptical of that, but Uji Quin came down to his basement to perform a few battles in the game. He told Robert that he only found the ¡®right feel¡¯ of gaming in the basement when he first started. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Thus, throughout the days and nights, Robert tried to find that same ¡®feel¡¯ as he abstained from eating and drinking. He tried to find that ¡®peace¡¯ from within him. Robert was not sure if it was due to some psychological reasons, but his gaming ability had actually improved a lot! Why would he leave after he had gained such promising progress? Charmine knocked his head. ¡°Do you think Uji Quin is teaching you? He worked with Tiffany to kidnap you, and Tiffany even used the photo of you in the basement to force Grandpa to give her his 30-percent shares! ¡°It¡¯s always been a plot when Tiffany set you up to learn from Uji Quin! Youing to Kansas broke our parents¡¯ hearts, so they gave their shares to Tiffany!¡± Robert reeled in shock at that for a good moment, but he quickly argued, ¡°Impossible! I don¡¯t believe you! Tiffany¡¯s not that kind of person!¡± ¡°You¡¯ll know once you get home. Follow me now. When Uji Quines back, we won¡¯t be able to leave!¡± Charmine pulled him up. Robert swung her hand away. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving! What can I do when I get home? What¡¯s the point of going back to a home with family members plotting against one another? You¡¯re all plotting against each other, harming one another to get the shares! Even Tiffany, the only . person who loved me, had turned into someone I don¡¯t even recognize. My home has nothing worth for me to go back for! ¡°I get to learn about gaming here at least, to improve my skills. I¡¯ll return someday and show every single one of you how a gamer can be sessful, too!¡± ¡°Hah! Do you think you¡¯ll be able to learn from Uji Quin? Do you think he can teach you?¡± Charmine scoffed coldly. ¡°Oh, how arrogant! If I can¡¯t teach him, can you?¡± A mocking voice was heard. Charmine frowned and turned to see Uji Quin walking down the stairs into the basement. 1 He was dressed in burgundy silk pajamas, his bare chest exposed. He gave one the impression of a typical wealthy man. Behind him were 100 bodyguards that blocked the entrance. 1 Was he not¡­at the nightclub? Why did he return so quickly? Uji Quin fiddled with the two jade beads in his hands as he condescendingly spoke, ¡°What? Disappointed? You didn¡¯t expect me toe back? I didn¡¯t expect a woman like you could get past my system either. If I didn¡¯t feel strange out of the blue and came home early to check, you would¡¯ve brought him away.¡± Charmine red at him coldly. ¡°Kidnapping is illegal. Are you trying to be a criminal with Tiffany?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean.¡± Uji Quin looked at Robert. ¡°Robert,e here, stand beside me. Tell Charmine: did I kidnap you?¡± ¡°Yes, Master!¡± Robert nodded politely and walked toward Uji Quin. Chapter 455 Chapter 455 Charmine¡¯s eyes narrowed as she grabbed Robert¡¯s wrist to pull him behind her. ¡°Stand behind me,¡± she spoke. ¡°Don¡¯t move! I wouldn¡¯t mind cutting off your hand so you¡¯d y a single game in your entire life!¡± Such words were uttered heatedly and dangerously threatening Even though Robert was arrogant and unwilling, the aura Charmine emitted was far too hair raising that he was too terrified to move. He thus stood behind her obediently. Charmine knew things would only get more dangerous if they overstayed their wee. ¡°Do you actually think you¡¯d learn how to be a top-tier gamer from Uji Quin?¡± spoke Charmine disdainfully. ¡°His gaming skills are just meh! Learning from him will do you more harm than good!¡± Those words did not sit well with Uji Quin, of course. ¡°Don¡¯t think you get to criticize my ability just because you got past my security system, Charmine! You¡¯re just some clueless woman, so shut it!¡± Charmine could say anything, but she should not doubt his gaming ability! Seeing that he had fallen for it, she met his gaze. ¡°If you¡¯re so confident, do you dare to have a one-on-one with me, right here, right now? If I win, you let me bring Robert away with me. If I lose, you get to do anything.¡± ¡°Hahaha! One-on-one, with me? Listen to that, fes-just listen to that! Uji Quin¡¯s grin stretched from one ear to the other,ughing as he turned to his bodyguards. The bodyguardsughed along with him as they eyed Charmine condescendingly. ¡°Ab*tch trying to challenge Mr. Uji?¡± ¡°Do you know our Mr. Uji is the Lord of the game for twenty seasons!?¡±. ¡°A woman like you should be sewing and cooking for your kids. You want to game? Ahaha! Hrious!¡± Embarrassed by their words, the annoyed Robert then snapped, ¡°Go away, Charmine! Do you know how embarrassing you are? Don¡¯t mind my business; you¡¯re ruining my business!¡± If Master Uji hated him because of this, his career would be over! Charmine ignored him as she maintained her cold re toward Uji Quin. ¡°Cut the nonsense. I¡¯m asking you again-do you dare to?¡± ¡°Wow! How arrogant! Why wouldn¡¯t I? Let¡¯s do it!¡± Uji Quin rolled up his sleeves and walked to theputer desk in the basement where there were two computers. He turned them on and looked at Charmine arrogantly. ¡°Let¡¯s do it here, right now! If you win, I¡¯ll let you two leave. If you lose, you stay here to serve me!¡± 1 ¡°Deal. I hope you keep your words,¡± Charmine said calmly as she sat before aputer.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Uji Quin sat before the otherputer, and both of them clicked on the game icon. Everyone looked at Charmine as if she was a fool. A woman like her had the courage to challenge Uji Quin? This was pointless! She would be killed in one second! Even Robert could not watch it as he tried to stop them. ¡°Charmine, don¡¯t embarrass yourself. You¡¯re no match for Master Uji, so please just leave!¡± ¡°Step aside and stop whining!¡± Charmine scoffed and logged in her ID. As Robert was about to speak again, he saw the system notification on the screen: (Wee back, Boss!) Boss? Why did that ID look so familiar? Robert hesitated for a moment. He instantly recalled that Boss was the only person who had defeated Uji Quin! Was Charmine¡­the yer Boss? No¡­ Impossible! Charmine could not be Boss! Chapter 456 Chapter 456 That must have been just a coincidence! Charmine just happened to have the same ID as the yer Boss, nothing more than that! Then, Charmine sent a challenge request to Uji Quin. An in-game notification popped up on Uji Quin¡¯s screen. (Boss invited you to a 1 VS. 1 dual!] There was a smaller line of words below: (Friendly Reminder: yer Boss have bested you before-be on your guard.] Uji Quin¡¯s eyes darkened as his eyelids twitched. Boss; the yer who defeated him before sent him another yer versus yer invitation. Wait a minute¡­ He was about to fight Charmine. Why would Boss send him an invitation? Unless¡­ As if realizing something impossible, he turned around to see Charmine¡¯sputer screen showing: [You have sent out a request. Waiting for the opponent to ept.) Uji Quin jolted as he stared at her wide-eyed with disbelief. It was Charmine! Charmine was the one who defeated him with billions of bucks! The Boss he had spent a fortune trying to kill! The only person who could defeat him in the world! The Boss who nearly made him change his name to Dog! 1 Robert was floored at the sight as he stood behind Uji Quin; so shocked that his eyes could pop out of their sockets! How¡­how could it be? His own sister was Boss? The legendary Boss that every gamer knew and talked about? Even the bodyguards by the entrance were stunned. They knew their master had only lost once and that became the joke of the world. His rivals and enemies would shame him with that fact whenever he stepped out. They all thought Charmine was just a woman, a woman who could only stay home and did not know how to game. Never did they think¡­ Never did they expect that Charmine was the Boss who defeated Uji Quin! Charmine remained unperturbed as she eyed Uji Quin impatiently. ¡°What? Are you chickening out now that you know it¡¯s me?¡± It was not until then when Uji Quin was pulled back to reality. His face flushed red. ¡°Who said so! I just made some mistakes back then. Do you think you can still defeat me?¡± He clicked on the ept button and they both entered the match setting. At that moment, 30 percent of the users following Uji Quin received a text notification: (Uji Quin is now having a 1-vs-1 dual with Boss¡­) D N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Everyone online instantly went into observation mode. Even those who were not online let go of whatever they were doing and logged onto the game to watch. Instantly, thement area was crowded. (Uji Quin didn¡¯t change his name after losing to Bossst time. Why are they fighting again?] (He said his opponent defeated him by coincidence, even iming that Boss cheated. Well, we¡¯ll see by the end their match if it¡¯s truly a ¡®coincidence!!] (I think it truly was a coincidence. Let¡¯s see how Uji Quin kills Boss in seconds!] Uji Quin read thements as his eyes darkened. He had to win this time no matter what, or everything would be over for him. He remained exceptionally cautious and alert as he waited for Charmine to pick her avatar. Just like before, Charmine picked the Dancer. Uji Quin¡¯s eyes twitched. Dancer, again? That Dancer defeated himst time, but¡­ Hah! Uji Quin swiftly locked on a heroine named Daji, which was known as the Witch with the skill to kill her opponent instantly. Since two of the Dancer¡¯s three skills were all defensive, the Dancer had no way to attack the Witch! The Dancer was basically rendered useless since two of her skills had no use in their new dual Hah! Charmine would surely lose this time! Uji Quin looked at Charmine mockingly as if he could already see how she lost. He would regain his crown and glory again when their little match ended! He wanted Charmine to beg for mercy and kneel before him! Chapter 457 Chapter 457 Charmine did not bother looking at Uji Quin at all as her gaze remained transfixed on theputer screen. The game eventually started. Due to the yer-versus-yer nature, they both had ess to their skills at the start of the game without the need to level up first. Uji Quin controlled his avatar to attack Charmine instantly. The Witch had three skills, and the first was a debuff skill that reduced her opponent¡¯s defence level by 30 percent, making her opponent weak and easily targeted. Secondly, she could cast a spell on her opponent that induced the Faint status 1.5 seconds. Herst skill was her ultimate; the ability to unleash vigorous mes that could kill her opponent within seconds! Those three abilities guaranteed the Dancer¡¯s death. Uji Quin would defeat Charmine at longst! 1 Robert stood behind Charmine, too tongue-tied to speak. He stared at both screens unblinkingly. He never would have thought that his very own sister was the Boss! Too overwhelmed with the new information, he wanted to see if it was merely coincidence when Charmine won against Uji Quin the other time. Meanwhile, countless gamers all over the world spectated the dual as the views shot up to at least a hundred thousand. Charmine did not move. She let her avatar stand still below her crystal tower. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Of course, that only enticed the jeers from spectators. [Hahaha! Is Boss too afraid to fight this time?] (Staying home like a scared tortoise? Hahaha!) (Seems like Boss is definitely losing this time!) Uji Quin was ttered. The avatar he chose had already defeated the avatar she chose. He was certain that Charmine had no way to win this time! Swiftly, his avatar fast approached the crystal tower where the Dancer was below. They were merely a few meters apart. Finally, Charmine started to move. Her fingers fluttered across the keyboard as he Dancer emerged from under the crystal tower, no longer shielded. Just like that, the Dancer became vulnerable! Uji Quin¡¯s eyes darkened. Instantly, he sent out an attack. Charmine had long anticipated it, however, as her avatar swiftly moved aside to avoid the blow. Uji Quin scoffed. Avoiding him, was she? He wanted to use his second skill to attack Charmine. He wanted her dead within seconds! Charmine¡¯s special talent was useless. Once she was possessed by the Witch¡¯s magic, she would not be able to move at all! She would die! Surprisingly, Charmine instead triggered her special talent: Fainting Spell. The Fainting Spell could make her opponent faint for 1.5 seconds. With that, the Witch fainted without prior warning, and Uji Quin¡¯s fingers were only 0.1 second too slow-merely 0.1 second! An evil smirk appeared on Charmine¡¯s lips-it was time to unleash her final move. She sent out three arrows all at once. Instantly, the Witch¡¯s health bar went down to 50 percent. Charmine then triggered another blow, dropping the Witch¡¯s health bar straight to 30 percent! Uji Quin panicked, his eyelids twitched. He did not expect Charmine to unleash her special talent before him. The downside to the Witch was that itcked the Dancer¡¯s agility, thus her special skill was Sprinting. s, how could he use it when his avatar only had 30 percent health points remaining? Damn it! He wanted revenge! Once the Fainting Spell faded, Uji Quin triggered his second ability, trying to cast a spell to make the Dancer faint. However, Charmine triggered her second ability and sprinted away from the Witch. As though she had anticipated his move, the Dancer managed to avoid all of the casting spells sent out by the Witch! Uji Quin¡¯s face darkened. She ran away! Why was she so fast?! Chapter 458 Chapter 458 Despite his predicament, Uji Quin did not give in. He chased after Charmine¡¯s Dancer with hatred in his eyes. He had to use his third skill! He had to unleash the mes to burn Charmine! Unfortunately¡­ He had forgotten that Charmine was not in a rush toe out in the beginning. She only came out of the tower when he was close to her. Therefore, Charmine¡¯s avatar was merely two meters away from her crystal tower. As he chased after her, his final blow did cause significant harm to her, but Charmine merely went back into her tower. Even though his final move caused significant harm to her, Charmine¡¯s crystal tower could refill her health bar continuously. Even after the Witch had used up all of her three skills, Charmine still had more than half of her health bar. Meanwhile, the Dancer¡¯s skills were refreshed once more. Charmine¡¯s red lips curled up as she utilized two of her skills at once. She sprinted toward the Witch with her second skill and used her third skill to unleash three arrows at once! N?velDrama.Org owns this. Suddenly, Uji Quin¡¯s screen turned ck, and it was only when the screen lit up again that he saw his fallen Witch at the Dancer¡¯s feet. Uji Quin lost! Again! The entire dualsted less than a minute-way too fast! The observers were all stunned. It took a while before the heated discussions started. [Damn it! OMG! That¡¯s incredible!) (Uji Quin lost again! The No.1 Gamer Uji Quin was defeated, in less than a second at that! Shocking!) [So quick and urate! The Boss spared no one!) [And her speed was so quick! She managed to attack Uji Quin before he even had time to attack! Like 0.1 second quicker!) (That was all too swift! Perhaps Boss is a professional gamer? With such a tactic, this yer is someone unique!] [I¡¯m sure that this Boss is an experienced Pro yer!) (Hahaha! This time I bet Uji Quin is too ashamed to call it off as coincidence!] [I strongly rmend Uji Quin to change his ID into Loser!) Reading the discussion going on, Uji Quin¡¯s expression was as dark as coal. He never would have thought that he would lose to Charmine again! Worse still, it happened in less than a minute. He had never been so humiliated since he was young! Robert stood at the side, too stunned toprehend what happened. The Uji Quin he had admired for 10 years turned out to be a loser. The teacher he thought so highly of was merely trash in front of¡­ His sister! The sister he had always looked down on, turned out to be so powerful and skilled¡­ He looked at Charmine in apletely different light, admiring her at the new revtion. Charmine stood up from theputer desk and nced at Uji Quin calmly. ¡°Practise harder. Goodbye.¡± With that, she turned to grab Robert¡¯s hand to leave. Uji Quin sizzled with venomous hatred. Was she leaving after defeating him like that? A person like her should not be alive; she would only cause more trouble! Instantly, he signaled the guards in front of the guards, and they understood him right away. They took out their taser batons and pointed them at Charmine and Robert as they blocked the entrance. Charmine frowned. ¡°You¡¯re not keeping your promise, huh?¡± ¡°So what? As the old saying goes, ¡®one should look at the big picture.¡¯ You humiliated me, and since you¡¯re the only person who can defeat me, do you think I¡¯d let you leave my mansion? Hah! How naive!¡± Uji Quin scoffed coldly, his eyes filled with hatred and pure evil. With that, he took out a dagger. Chapter 459 Chapter 459 Robert frowned as he asked anxiously, ¡°Master Uji, what are you doing? What do you mean?¡± ¡°What am I doing? Hah!¡± Uji Quin removed the dagger¡¯s sheath, the sharp point of the dagger twinkled grimly under the dim light. He had an evil smirk on his lips. ¡°You have two choices, Charmine. One, you let my men beat you to death. Second, you chop off your hands and leave.¡± Nobody in the world should win against him. Anypetition that could defeat him should not live on! Once Charmine¡¯s hands were chopped off, she would not be able to y again, and that would mark the end of Uji Quin¡¯s competition. With that, he tossed the sharp dagger at Charmine¡¯s feet. Shink! The dagger fell beside Charmine¡¯s feet. Robert¡¯s temple pulsated. How could a beautifuldy like Charmine chop off her hands? He quickly stood in front of Charmine and red at Uji Quin angrily. ¡°Master Uji, how can you do this? Why can¡¯t you ept your failure? You should honor your word!¡± ¡°Shut up! Don¡¯t call me your master! Do you think I want to teach you? I had a deal with Tiffany!¡± Uji Quin scoffed impatiently and disdainfully, his re matching the aura. ¡°With your skills and ability, I wouldn¡¯t have agreed to teach you if Tiffany didn¡¯t agree to sleep with me!¡± 1 ¡°You didn¡¯t see this coming, huh? What Charmine said was all true! Tiffany lured you to leave Burlington and used you to get the entire sixty percent of the family shares! I¡¯ve been keeping you in my basement all along, and yet you call me your master? Hahaha! It¡¯s astounding how much of a fool you are!¡± Uji Quin reveled in that feeling¡­ The feeling of breaking people¡¯s minds. Robert staggered a few steps backward as he eyed him in disbelief. Was this all a trap then? Had Tiffany truly yed him for a fool and even agreed to sleep with a man like Uji Quin? Was she truly being kind to him just to get his shares? Did that not mean everything Charmine had said was true, that she truly came here to save him? 1 How was it that the good sister he favored manipted him and schemed against him while the sister he hated actually risked her life to save him? 2 Robert¡¯s eyes reddened. He clenched his fists tightly. Uji Quin found his building anger amusing to watch. He mocked with a half-smile, ¡°What now -angry? You want to go home and get your sweet revenge? If so, convince Charmine to chop off her hands. You can even help her cut it off! As long as her hands stay here, I¡¯ll let you all leave. Otherwise, well, you¡¯ll both die!¡± stated Uji Quin coldly, his eyes filled with bitter coldness. Robert shielded Charmine behind him as he growled, ¡°Not a chance! You¡¯re being ridiculous! With me here, you won¡¯t be able to touch even a strand of Charmine¡¯s hair!¡± 1 ¡°Ahaha..! Hahahaha! You¡¯re hrious!¡± Uji Quin broke intoughter from ear to ear, his mocking gazed sizing Robert from head to toe. ¡°Oh, Robert! What rights have you got to speak here? What rights? With your useless and weak body? Or your clumsy fingers that can¡¯t even game?¡± Robert¡¯s face stiffened. He felt attacked by his words. What rights did he have? Uji Quin was right¡­ What rights did he have? His life revolved around games and gaming ever since he was a child. He did not learn nor study, and he refused when his family signed him up for business and science courses. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Tiffany, meanwhile, silently gave him money and encouraged him to y more. He used to think that this was the sweetest thing; he thought Tiffany was the only person who was kind to him. He knew then that it was not an act of kindness and love-Tiffany set him up for his ruin. Suddenly, he recalled the words Charmine once said to him. Chapter 460 Chapter 460 ¡°Open that mind of yours and think clearly, properly! Think! If Tiffany was genuinely nice to you, why didn¡¯t she ask you to study harder? Why had our parents and family given up on you? ¡°Robert, you¡¯re thanking the person who sold you out!¡± ¡®You¡¯re thanking the person who sold you out!¡¯ He refused to believe that and hated Charmine for saying such words to him back then. How he regretted every second of that. Under Tiffany¡¯s maniption and influence, Robert had nothing on him. He was a useless piece of crap! How could he even protect Charmine? Charmine-as she stood in front of Robert and shielded him-could sense he was overwhelmed with emotions. Hopefully, he would know better next time. Of course, their main issue was to escape the basement¡­ At that moment, the restless Uji Quin scoffed, ¡°You¡¯re just some useless trash, Robert, and what can you do, Charmine, even if you¡¯re skilled? Unless¡­ You think you¡¯re able to fight me and my one hundred bodyguards? If you know any better, you¡¯d chop off your hands and keep your life. Both of you will die once we run out of patience!¡± ¡°Oh, really? Sounds like I should consider it then,¡± Charmine bent down to pick up the dagger as she spoke. She then yed with the dagger and tested its sharpness. Robert¡¯s face morphed into horror as he anxiously called out, ¡°Charmine, don¡¯t do it! Don¡¯t listen to him!¡± N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. ¡°Shut up! Let your sister think! One more word from you and I might kill you first!¡± Uji Quin scoffed. Even Charmine pushed Robert aside. ¡°What do you know? Let the adults talk! Uji Quin¡¯s right. If we behave, we¡¯ll get to keep our lives.¡± ¡°Hah! Got some sense in you, Charmine-argh!¡± Before Uji Quin could finish his sentence, Charmine flickered into a ck shadow and appeared right behind him. In the blink of an eye, she swiftly aimed the dagger right before Uji Quin¡¯s neck. Uji Quin was caught off-guard, held captive with the dagger pointed at his throat. He was bbergasted, too afraid to move. 1 Everyone in the basement was very shocked. How was Charmine so skilled that she managed to take Uji Quin as a hostage just like that? The leader of the bodyguards was the first to react as he rushed toward them and tried to take Robert, but he deftly moved and ran behind Charmine. Charmine pointed the dagger at Uji Quin¡¯s throat as she unsympathetically ordered,¡± Everyone, get out of the way, or my dagger will cut through!¡± The leader and his guards were rooted where they stood. They dared not move, and all they could do was stare at Uji Quin nkly. Uji Quin growled furiously, ¡°You¡¯ll get wrecked badly if you hurt me, Charmine! Also, killing is illegal! You don¡¯t want¡­ Argh!¡± Before he could finish his sentence, Charmine¡¯s dagger went deeper. Instantly, a red line appeared on his neck. Charmine red at him coldly. ¡°Well, try me!¡± she threatened dauntingly. As his legs quaked in fear, Uji Quin hastily blurted, ¡°Get out of the way! Get out!¡± The bodyguards took a few steps back. As they did so, Charmine held onto Uji Quin as she exited the basement, and Robert followed right behind her. It was a tense atmosphere, a strained stand-off between two parties. Chapter 461 Chapter 461 The terrified Robert followed Charmine closely; he had never before experienced such a fearsome standstill. They luckily had Uji Quin with them, and they managed to leave the basement and went to the nk walk outside. As the passage was very narrow, idents might happen. Furthermore, Charmine knew well enough that Uji Quin would not let them go on so easily-he must have something else nned. Charmine had to make sure that Robert could get out of Uji Quin¡¯sir safely. She pressed on a button. It was an emergency button to signal Kay. Beep! Kay responded. Since the infrared rays were turned off and the nk walk was in sight, he should be here in no time. ¡°You go first, just keep walking,¡± said Charmine to Robert. ¡°Someone will be waiting for you down there.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡± Instinctively, Robert refused. This was such a dangerous situation-how could he leave Charmine alone? Charmine red at him coldly. ¡°What can you do even if you stay? Go!¡± she snapped demandingly. Robert halted; Charmine had a point. What could he do? He could not do anything, and he could barely protect himself. Robert, at that moment, despised his useless self-his loser self. However, he had to hold back his overwhelming emotions to walk down the passage. He had to leave; he should not cause any more problems for Charmine. When he left them to walk into the nk walk, a bodyguard went forward and tried to get him, but Charmine swiftly pulled Uji Quin to the entrance of the nk walk to block the entrance. She red daggers at Uji Quin¡¯s bodyguards. ¡°If even a strand of hair of his gets touched, Uji Quin will be dead.¡± Charmine pressed the dagger against Uji Quin¡¯s neck to assert her dominance. The terror-struck Uji Quin hastily bleated, ¡°Don¡¯t move! Listen to her! Stay back!¡± The bodyguards had no choice but to take a few steps back. Nobody dared to touch Robert. Robert¡¯s steps audibly grew weaker by the second. After a while, the sound vanished into the night sky. Uji Quin¡¯s eyes narrowed. He did not notice anyone at the foot of the mountain when he returned nor did he receive any notification that his rm system was turned off, so he did not have any men guarding the heel of the mountain. Someone was waiting for Robert down there! Since when did Charminee with her men? What Uji Quin did not know was that Charmine only brought two men; any more than that and they would get noticed. It was easier, on the other hand, to stay undercover with just two men. Charmine waited patiently as her guard never dropped from eyeing the bodyguards and Uji Quin¡¯s movement. Nothing should go wrong in this situation. Time passed, and Uji Quin¡¯s back grew sore. The words escaped him rather condescendingly as he spoke, ¡°Oh, Charmine, it was all just a misunderstanding, and your brother¡¯s safe and sound now as well! Why can¡¯t you let me go? I promise I¡¯ll let you go.¡± ¡°Shut up and stop whining!¡± Charmine snapped coldly. She was still calcting the exact time for Robert to reach the heel of the mountain. Uji Quin jolted at her tone. No one had ever spoken to him with such harshness ever since he was a kid, yet with Charmine, he dared not even fart! All he could do was roll his eyes, annoyed and irritated. How could Charmine speak to him with such a tone? She had to die! After a long while, approximately 20 minutester, Charmine narrowed her eyes and said to Uji Quin, ¡°Well, you¡¯re right. Do what you¡¯re told, and I¡¯ll consider keeping you alive. Any funny business and I¡¯ll get you for it!¡± With that, she released Uji Quin from her neck lock and raised her leg to kick his buttock harshly.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Thunk! Uji Quin flew toward his one hundred bodyguards while Charmine swiftly sprinted down the nk walk Uji Quin felt a sharp pain on his buttock as he roared, ¡°Chase after her! Now!¡± Chapter 462 Chapter 462 ¡°Yes, Sir!¡± Uji Quin¡¯s hundred bodyguards instantly ran toward the nk walk. Hidden in the dark outside the mansion were Uji Quin¡¯s bowmen, ready to let lose a rain of arrows on Charmine while she ran in the forest. Thwish, thwish, thwish! N?velDrama.Org owns this. Countless arrows flew in the sky, directed at Charmine in the dark. The points of the arrows were sharp and pointy. Charmine frowned. Had Uji Quin hired bowmen to guard his mansion? Hah! If she had the courage toe alone, she had ways to leave safely. Charmine nimbly zipped around, left and right, as she avoided every arrow. She then took out an owl w-like device and tossed it into the air. Instantly, the sharp w was hooked on a big tree which allowed her to swing in the air. In the darkness, her body swung at least 10 meters away in one swift gesture, and that gave her a huge distance from the bodyguards. With a press of the button, the flying owl-w device retracted automatically. Charmine smiled faintly-her Uncles¡¯ invention was pretty useful after all. The device was more sensitive than the previous generation. 1 She repeated the gesture a few more times before she arrived at the heel of the mountain. Just like that, the bodyguards were left 200 meters away! A car moved silently among the dark woods, and Robert-in the car-kept a close watch on the passage. When he saw Charmine, he opened the door and called out instantly, ¡°Charmine, quick! Get in!¡± Charmine swiftly jumped into the car. She stuck out her hand from the window and showed a big thumb before turning it upside down. The bodyguards chased after her and saw her finger as the car drove away. The guards were furious. Charmine was astonishingly skillful, and she practically rubbed it in their faces! Damn it! The leader called Uji Quin to report, ¡°Sir, she ran away and got into a ck car.¡± When Uji Quin heard that, his brows furrowed. He smashed his phone onto the ground. Damn it! How could he let that woman get away? That woman humiliated him badly! He would not be the best yer in the Esports industry so long as she lived, and he might live on to be a mereughingstock! At that moment, the butler came up tofort him, ¡°Sir, please calm down. Have you forgotten about the preparation we made earlier? It¡¯s good that she took away Robert. Had he died here, it¡¯d be quite challenging¡­¡± Uji Quin¡¯s eyes lit up. Right, how could he forget? It was good that Charmine took him away; Robert would still be a wreck anyway! Meanwhile¡­ The car sped away to the airport, and they boarded the ne. The door of the ne shut as the ne was ready to take off. It was not until then when everyone in their seats let out a relief. ¡°Boss Jordan, you broke the record again!¡± gushed Kay. ¡°The entire journey took less than three hours! And you saved Robert!¡± Charmine frowned. Three hours? She instantly took out her phone to check the time; it was almost six in the morning! Chris would wake up between 7 to 8am, and if he did not see her when he woke up, he would panic¡­ ¡°Ask the pilot to speed up,¡± she told Kay, ¡°I¡¯m in a rush.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kay went to the cockpit to speak to the pilot. Robert sat beside her and gazed at her, his emotions still whirling within his eyes. Who was Charmine? She had a private ne with a bunch of loyal men following her around. The strangest of all, her skills were too refined! She saved him from so many bodyguards without getting harmed! Thinking of the harm he had caused her since young, he felt extremely guilty. As he was about to speak, a sharp pain suddenly came from his stomach. D Argh! What blinding pain! Chapter 463 Chapter 463 Robert squirmed as he curled up like a ball on his seat. His hands pressed on his stomach as he moaned out in pain, ¡°Argh!¡± Charmine frowned as she looked at him, concerned. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Argh¡­ It hurts!¡± Robert then fell onto the floor of the ne. Thunk! He fainted. Charmine knelt swiftly and tapped his face, only to be met with no response. Within seconds, his face turned death-like pale. Unnerved at the sight, Charmine reached out a finger to feel Robert¡¯s breath. Her finger jolted. He¡­ He¡­ After a moment of panic, she cried out, ¡°Bring over the first-aid kit! Now!¡± Kay noticed it as well as he quickly brought over the first-aid kit. There were many emergency medications inside the kit, and that included some pills and machines. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Charmine took out a white pill and put it into Robert¡¯s mouth. The pill was Uncle Pop¡¯s co invention with the top researchers in the field, called Reborn. The pill must be taken within the first 30 seconds of the sudden death. The pill was so miraculous that it would save a life! Of course, the pill was not seen in the market yet; it was still in the trial phase in theb. After feeding him the pill, Charmine took out a CPR device to start resuscitating him with his chest. Kay instructed the pilot, ¡°Land at the nearest hospital!¡± ¡°No! Go right back to Burlington!¡± Charmine commanded. Robert¡¯s sudden death must have had something to do with Uji Quin, and since Kansas was Uji Quin¡¯s territory, he probably had his men in the area. Robert was a red g if Uji Quin pulled anything in any nearby hospitals. Kay had the same notion in mind. He took back his words and ran beside Charmine to help out. There were also some high-tech electronic palm-clips in the kit. While Charmine was resuscitating Robert, Kay took out the finger-clips to clip Robert¡¯s palms and soles. These palm-clips let out a weak electric current that could trigger one¡¯s limbs, preventing them from stiffening. Both of them struggled to save Robert as beads of sweat dripped from their foreheads. Charmine only had one thought in her mind at that moment: she had to save Robert¡¯s life! She must! Tiffany had yed him like a fiddle throughout his entire adolescence, and he just recently realized that. How could he die just like that? Furthermore, if anyone was to happen to Robert, she had no way of breaking it to Senior Jordan. How would an elderly man like him take the news then? 1 Perhaps it was due to her determination and willpower that after almost an hour of first-aid, Robert¡¯s finger twitched. ¡°He¡¯s back!¡± beamed Kay. ¡°He¡¯s back! He¡¯s alive!¡± Charmine¡¯s eyes flickered. She reached out a finger to feel his breathing, and as expected, she felt a faint breath. Once he was back, they had to stop using all the devices. Swiftly, she removed all the devices and called on the unconscious Robert, ¡°Stay alive for me, can you hear that, Robert? Grandpa and everyone else are waiting for you toe home! Tiffany¡¯s waiting for you to expose her true colors! If you don¡¯t stay alive now, you¡¯re dragging me down. Can you hear me?¡± 1 No response from him, as if he was in a vegetative state. That was not good. Luckily, the ne finallynded at the airport. Kay had arranged for his men to wait for them here. Once the nended, Kay and the pilot took out a stretcher and carried Robert out of the ne. Charmine followed closely behind. After getting inside the car, she said to the driver, ¡°Bring us to Royal Hospital!¡± Royal Hospital happened to be not far from the airport, and it was thergest private hospital in Burlington. By paying the exceptionally high costs, one would be treated instantly. Chapter 464 Chapter 464 At that moment, Luke and his men returned in their helicopter. Through the window, Luke saw Charmine and her men leaving anxiously, and he took out his phone to report the matter to Anthony. ¡°Boss, Robert seems to have fainted. They¡¯re driving to the hospital as we speak.¡± Initially asleep, Luke¡¯s call sent Anthony into full-alert mode. ¡°Contact Royal Hospital to prepare everything for them right away.¡±. Meanwhile, at the Jordan mansion¡­ Tiffany woke up early when she received a text from Uji Quin. (Gorgeous, I¡¯ve done a lot for you, so you bettere visit me soon and make up for it. Yes, Charmine managed to bring back Robert, but he¡¯s been poisoned, so he¡¯s probably a dead body by now.) 1 Tiffany¡¯s eyelids twitched at what she read. Had Robert been saved after all? Although she had anticipated that, it happened so soon¡­ Too soon! Since Uji Quin texted her that Robert was poisoned, Robert should have passed on from the poison¡­ Dead¡­ T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Tiffany felt anxious; she had never killed anyone before. It took her some time to calm down before she called Rex. ¡°Help me get the photos of Robert in danger.¡± 1 After a while, Rex sent her a few photos of Robert sent to the hospital¡¯s emergency room. Tiffany frowned. Why was Robert still alive? Was he not supposed to be dead? Why was he in the emergency room? (Rex: ording to my sources, Charmine resuscitated him to keep him alive. He¡¯s now being treated in the ER-still unconscious.] Still unconscious. That meant he was not necessarily dead yet, and he might survive¡­ Things would go wrong for Tiffany if he woke up¡­ A thought then urred to Tiffany as she stood up and ran out of the room. She rushed over to knock on Senior Jordan¡¯s house door as she cried, ¡°Grandpa! It¡¯s bad! Grandpa, wake up!¡± Quickly, the door was opened. ¡°What happened, Ms. Jordan?¡± asked the butler. ¡°I want to see Grandpa!¡± wailed Tiffany in-between sobs. ¡°Grandpa!¡± Tiffany ran to Senior Jordan¡¯s room. Senior Jordan heard her voice, so he stood up and walked out of the room. Tiffany saw him opening the door. She rushed over and¡­ Thunk! She fell on her knees instantly as she grabbed Senior Jordan¡¯s pajamas. ¡°Grandpa, it¡¯s bad! Charmine, she¡­ She harmed Robert! To frame me, to make you all hate me, she¡­ She killed Robert! Waa!¡± she wailed uncontrobly. Senior Jordan jolted. ¡°What¡­ What did you say? What happened to Robert?!¡± ¡°Waa¡­! My friend called me earlier and told me that Robert¡¯s sent to the ER in Royal Hospital. He¡¯s still unconscious, and he might¡­ He might stay that way!¡± Tiffany cried and sobbed hoarsely. Senior Jordan jolted and staggered a few steps backward. He would have fallen had his butler not been there to catch him. His lips quaked at the news: Robert was harmed¡­ He was harmed ¡­ Robert was his only grandson! Joey and Adam rushed into the room and heard that. Joey rushed up to ask, ¡°Robert? What is it? What happened to him?!¡± ¡°Waa..! I¡¯m sorry, it was my fault. It¡¯s all my fault!¡± Tiffany knelt on the ground and remorsely sobbed, ¡°Everyone in the family belittled me so badly that I made a mistake. I lied to Grandpa¡­ I lied that I kidnapped Robert so he¡¯d transfer me 30 percent of the shares!¡± Everyone was shocked. Tiffany did that just to get the shares? That exined why Senior Jordan gave it to Tiffany! Chapter 465 Chapter 465 Tiffany wailed as she exined, ¡°It was all lies¡ªI lied to Grandpa. I never kidnapped Robert, and I only helped Robert link up with Uji Quin to learn with him in Kansas. Robert had been interested in gaming, and I only wanted to help. The photos I showed Grandpa was when he was told to stay in the basement as Uji Quin helped him to improve his patience¡­¡± With that, she took out her phone and showed them her chat history with Uji Quin. The chat clearly showed: (Uji Quin: Ms. Jordan, don¡¯t worry; I¡¯ll take good care of your brother. He¡¯s well now, though still getting in the mood.] Attached were some photos of the basement. There were indeed twoputers in the basement and a photo of Robert sitting in front of theputer. Senior Jordan¡¯s face darkened. So Tiffany lied to him and never kidnapped Robert in the first ce? Robert was not kidnapped¡­ So it was all a ruse so Tiffany could get the shares? Joey did not bother to question Tiffany about lying to get the shares as she instead asked,¡° You said Robert was in bad shape? What happened?¡± ¡°Waa¡­! It¡¯s Charmine! She¡¯s still not satisfied even after she has ruined my reputation, and now that all of you have given me your shares, she¡¯s livid! Last night, she ran to Uji Quin¡¯s ce to kidnap Robert. He was still fine when she took him away, but after they came back to Burlington, Robert was sent to the ER¡­¡± Tiffany, with a worried and guilt-ridden look, sobbed, ¡°She wanted all of you to hate me, to me me for kidnapping Robert and harming him! Waa¡­. Robert is still so young! How could she harm him? He¡¯s innocent!¡± Tiffany continued to cry again. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Joey and Adam were shocked. True, Robert had disappointed them, but he was still their flesh and blood. They never wished harm upon Robert. Who would have thought that Charmine could do such an inhuman act! Adam scoffed, ¡°Prepare a car to Royal Hospital! Make sure the ungrateful Charmine is waiting in the hospital when we get there!¡± Senior followed them anxiously. He did not see the text Charmine sent him. At Royal Hospital. After an hour spent in the emergency room, Robert was finally sent to the ward. The chief doctor walked to Charmine with an apologetic tone, ¡°Ms. Jordan, I¡¯m sorry to inform you that we¡¯ve tried our best. We still haven¡¯t been able to find out what type of poison Mr. Jordan was given. Based on the current situation, it¡¯s likely that Mr. Jordan would never wake up again.¡± Never wake up again? Did that mean he would stay in the vegetative state forever? Charmine frowned. ¡°Why so? Can¡¯t you even locate the source of the poison?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve taken his blood sample to analyze, but it¡¯ll take at least three days for the results to be out. Since this poison is tooplex, it seemed to have caused acute death due to its direct attack on the central nervous system and the consciousness. He¡¯s lucky that you¡¯ve all performed immediate resuscitation. Otherwise¡­Sigh.¡± Charmine¡¯s eyes darkened. Acute death? When she boarded the ne with Robert, there was no poison around them¡­ At that moment, anxious footsteps were getting closer to her. Charmine turned to see Senior Jordan, Adam, Joey, and Tiffany walking toward her. They must have heard what the doctor said as their faces were filled with anger and rage. Chapter 466 Chapter 466 The livid Joey marched toward Charmine, raised her hand, and swung her palm toward her face. Just as her palm was about to touch her face, Charmine urately caught her hand. She met Joey¡¯s re and demanded, ¡°Tell me why you did that.¡± ¡°Why? Why dare you ask me ¡®why¡¯? I¡¯m asking you: Why¡¯s Robert in the hospital? Why¡¯s he poisoned?¡± Joey¡¯s heated stare burned and scorched. Charmine scoffed, ¡°Why? I¡¯d kindly ask you to ask your good daughter Tiffany, why! Ask her why she asked some people to kidnap Robert, why they poisoned Robert!¡± No doubt about it: Robert was poisoned at the mansion, and his body reacted to it once they left. Charmine¡¯s words only infuriated everyone else in the room instead. Even Senior Jordan¡¯s face was filled with disappointment. Tiffany was right after all. Charmine made it all up to frame her! ¡°Why are you so evil, Charmine?¡± growled Joey through gritted teeth. ¡°Just because Tiffany pushed you down the stairs five years ago, you think you can ruin her reputation and even used Robert¡¯s life to frame her?¡± Charmine¡¯s eyes twitched. Frame her? What did Tiffany say to them? Were they all so naive to have believed what she said? 1 At that moment, Tiffany went toward Charmine with pitiful tears in her eyes. ¡°Charmine, I know you hate me and me me for what I did I get that you want me dead. You can do whatever you want with me, but please¡­ Don¡¯t drag Robert into this! He¡¯s innocent! Do you think everyone will me me for kidnapping Robert after he¡¯s poisoned? That everyone will think I¡¯m the one who poisoned him? I¡¯ve told everything to Grandpa, Dad, and Mom, and they won¡¯t fall for your lies again! ¡°I beg you now; please admit your mistakes. Please give the antidote to Robert. I¡¯ll help you beg them so they¡¯ll forgive you. They will forgive you!¡± whimpered Tiffany, her voice heart wrenching and convincing. Charmine¡¯s eyes darkened. So, Tiffany had something to them before that they believed she framed her? N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Charmine abruptly released her grip on Joey and pushed her away. ¡°If you¡¯ve chosen to believe what Tiffany said, then I¡¯ve nothing else to say to you. Let the truth speak when the blood sample result comes out in three days!¡± With that, she turned to leave. However, Tiffany quickly grabbed her arm as she wailed, ¡°Charmine, three days is too long! Robert will die in three days because of you! I know you want Robert dead, that you want Grandpa to hate me and think that I was the one who poisoned Robert. Alright, let¡¯s go with that. Let¡¯s just say that I was the one who poisoned him and wanted him dead, okay? I¡¯m willing to be punished, and I can give you my entire 60 percent shares¡­!¡± Tiffany sobbed audibly. ¡°I beg you, please¡­ Bring out the antidote for Robert¡­! He¡¯s our only brother!¡± She sobbed as her tears ran down her cheeks like a downpour. Hastily, Joey pulled Tiffany behind her. ¡°What are you talking about? That¡¯s preposterous! How can a woman like her deserve 60 percent of our Jordan shares? This woman¡¯s been hanging onto something so small for five years! What an ungrateful adopted daughter! The biggest mistake I¡¯ve made in my entire life was bringing home an ungrateful person like you!¡± She red at Charmine with hellfire in her eyes that could char her to death. Adam turned toward Senior Jordan. ¡°Dad, banish Charmine from our Jordan family. Take back the 25 percent share from her! She doesn¡¯t deserve to own any of our Jordan shares!¡± Although Charmine was an adopted child, she was once Joey¡¯s favorite child and insisted that everyone epted her when she first brought Charmine home. Times have changed, and everyone wanted her gone. Everyone waited for Senior Jordan¡¯s approval. Once Senior Jordan agreed, Charmine would no longer be part of the family. Once he approved, Charmine would no longer own the family share, keep her surname, nor step into the Jordans¡¯ properties! Chapter 467 Chapter 467 Senior Jordan gazed at Charmine, perplexed. He believed Charmine and knew she would not harm Robert, but every evidence was against Charmine. 2 It did not help that Charmine did not pick up his call¡­ Tiffany, throughout the years, would always pick up his calls even if she was in the middle of a rehearsal. Whenever she went out, she would call him to check on him and to let him know she was safe. Charmine, on the other hand, never stayed home since her return. She did not evene home often nor did she call him frequently. He was an elderly man, and all he wanted was for his grandchildren to respect him. If it was true that Charmine intended to destroy the Jordans, that she had not a single ounce of care in her at all, it would tear his heart¡­ Charmine looked at Senior Jordan with a solemn expression. Unlike Tiffany, she was not good with words-she always proved herself through her actions. For example, if she promised Senior Jordan to save Robert, she would. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Little did she expect¡­ She felt uneasy. She did not know what to say to Senior Jordan nor how to exin the matter to him. Would the only man who trusted her in this family, trust her again? After a long while, Senior Jordan finally sighed. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about this when Robert wakes up. The most important thing now is to cure Robert. Adam, use all our connections to seek help from the best doctors in the world.¡± Adam thought of the important issue at hand, though that did not lessen the intensity in his sharp-as-de re at Charmine. ¡°We¡¯ll get back with you once Robert wakes up. You better get the share-transfer papers ready!¡± With that, Adam turned to leave. 1 Joey was just as agitated. She scowled at Charmine furiously, ¡°Just because your Grandpa tolerates this, doesn¡¯t mean we can! Get out of here; we¡¯ll take care of Robert. From now onward, you have nothing else to do with the Jordan family, and don¡¯t call me your mother. I wish I never brought home an ungrateful person like you!¡± Her words were cold and furious. Before Charmine could speak, Tiffany held onto Charmine¡¯s arm and quavered, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t say that. Charmine will be upset¡­¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± A loud and cold scoff came out from her red lips. Charmine red at Tiffany¡¯s fake and pretentious face with a cold and mocking smirk. ¡°Oh, Tiffany! You better cherish yourst opportunity to perform your act. You¡¯re done for once Robert wakes up!¡± Her mocking tone was cold. With that, Charmine left the room. Tiffany felt a chill down her spine. Could Robert truly wake up? Impossible¡­ It was highly unlikely. Uji Quin had said that the poison was extremely deadly. It was already a miracle for Charmine to be able to keep his life-how could he ever wake up? Furthermore, she only needed two more days, and she would leave Burlington then. All that mattered was that Robert should not wake up before that. It felt like a gloomy, heavy cloud hung over Charmine as she left the hospital. The family thought of Tiffany too highly. After all, she was everyone¡¯s favorite since young. They would believe whatever she said. 1 Tiffany was the culprit who poisoned Robert, yet she managed to convince everyone and twisted the story to her favor. On the other hand, whatever Charmine did, the family would look down on her. They were her family, her parents, and yet¡­ No, it was not the time to panic. If Charmine asked for a DNA test, everyone would think she had gone insane. She had to wait for a little longer¡­ Chapter 468 Chapter 468 Despite everything that had happened, Charmine was intrigued to find out how much longer could Tiffany put on her act. As she was caught up in her thoughts, a loud growl came out of the blue. ¡°Charmine! Give me back my grandson! Oh, I want to beat up a cheap woman like you to death!¡± Charmine snapped out of her mini trance to see Zachary Young and Pam Hahn walking toward her. They were Joey¡¯s parents-her grandparents. Joey was their only daughter, and they loved her children very much. They had saved arge sum of family assets for Tiffany and Robert. They were both on vacation when they heard that Robert was in danger. They rushed to the hospital right away soon after. At that instance, Pam had raised her walker cane and was about to hit Charmine with it forcefully. Charmine was unprepared at the sudden intrusion, still fresh out of her thoughts after all. Just as the walker cane was about to hit on her, a muscr hand grabbed the stick just in time. Swiftly after, Charmine was pulled into a warm and firm embrace. She looked up to see Anthony¡¯s handsome face, cold and serious that exuded an authoritative presence. 1 He wore a pair of matte ck sunsses that covered half of his face. Thus, only his sharp, somewhat domineering jaw was visible to them. Pam did not recognize him as she shook her walker cane furiously. ¡°Who are you? Let go of my walker cane! I¡¯m teaching my granddaughter a lesson! Get out of the way!¡± ¡°I¡¯m protecting my woman. And, this has nothing to do with you,¡± chided Anthony in his deep voice as he let go of the walker. Pam was shocked. His woman? Charmine was his woman?N?velDrama.Org ? content. A thought crossed Pam¡¯s mind at that moment, and she scowled at Charmine, ¡°Oh, I get it now! No wonder Tiffany said that you¡¯re keeping a wild man outside the house, and that¡¯s why you¡¯re noting home! Seems like it¡¯s true!¡± ¡°Charmine, do you think you can do anything now that you have some money? How dare you keep a wild man outside? Do you know how much of an embarrassment you are?¡± rebuked Zachary as he got closer. Anthony frowned. A wild man? He never would have thought that someone would ever call the President of Bailey Corporation a wild man! They even humiliated his woman in front of him! Anthony raised his hand, about to remove his sunsses. Charmine caught his hand, however, as she aimed her hardened gaze at them. ¡°So when I find an actual boyfriend, you call it embarrassment, but when Tiffany keeps sleeping with different men- including her fianc¨¦¡¯s assistant¨Cwhat do you call that?¡± (20) As her crisp and clear voice rang in the air, the two elders¡¯ faces stiffened instantly. They instantly became even more agitated at her words. They were on a cruise vacation when that whole fiasco went down. The cruise was going to a mystery ind which took them two months back and forth without stopping. They had to stay and wait on the cruise. To them, Tiffany had always been their favorite and most precious granddaughter. They never expected something like that would happen! Once they got backst night, they phoned Joey right away. When Joey told them the truth, they were furious! After a moment of shock, Pam¡¯s re toward Charmine sharpened even more. ¡°How dare you mention this? Your mother picked you up from the bin and put on you some clothes. You¡¯re not only ungrateful, but you even plotted to ruin the Jordan family and Tiffany! Tiffany would¡¯ve never been ruined had you not nned her reputation¡¯s demise! I¡¯ve never met any as ungrateful as you in my entire life!¡± Yet another called Charmine ungrateful. Charmine had grown immune to such usations. A mocking smirk appeared on her red lips. ¡°If you insist that I¡¯m the ungrateful one, then let it be. I don¡¯t care!¡± She scoffed as she held on Anthony¡¯s hand and walked past them, shoulder to shoulder. Her gait was cold and crisp, undeniably arrogant. Chapter 469 Chapter 469 Zachary and Pam reeled in shock; they never expected such arrogance from an adopted child. She had turned into apletely different person from five years ago¡­ Pam palmed her chest as she staggered a few steps back. ¡°Oh, my¡­! Oh, my! Why did Joey pick up this trash back then? How could she be so ungracious!?¡± ¡°Grandpa, Grandma!¡± a soft and sweet voice rang in the air. N?velDrama.Org owns this. Tiffany heard some noisesing from outside, so she came out to see them scolding Charmine. She quickly went up to them and held onto Pam, all while she meekly and sweetly coaxed her, ¡°Don¡¯t be angry, Grandma-don¡¯t harm your body. Charmine didn¡¯t mean to agitate you¡­ She¡¯s still young and she speaks without thinking¡­¡± ¡°Hah? Still young? You two were born on the same day! How are you so understanding while she¡¯s in such a terrible state?¡± Pam was furious when she was reminded of Charmine¡¯s behavior. Even Zachary scoffed, ¡°What was Senior Jordan thinking? They put on clothes on this adopted child for so long, and he even gives her so much family shares. She not only framed you, but she even tried to kill Robert! What a wretched child! No way, I must speak to Senior Jordan right away!¡± ¡°Grandpa, don¡¯t! Charmine is part of our family after all, and she has our surname. We can¡¯t do this to her¡­¡± Tiffany stopped him hastily. 1 ¡°Look at you! You¡¯re too kind, and that¡¯s why that wicked Charmine framed you! Don¡¯t talk me out of it; I¡¯ll handle this. She can¡¯t keep the surname!¡± Pam grabbed Tiffany¡¯s hand, expression riddled with worry as she fretted, ¡°Instead of helping this ungrateful person, you should take good care of yourself. Look at you! It¡¯s only been two months, and you¡¯ve lost so much weight!¡±. ¡°No, no, I didn¡¯t Grandma¡­! I¡¯m well, I really am¡­¡± muttered Tiffany as her eyes reddened, and her voice turned hoarse as well. Her watery eyes made her look very pitiable as though she had been wronged. That broke Pam¡¯s heart. ¡°Oh, lord, my good granddaughter¡­¡± She gently caressed Tiffany¡¯s hand. ¡°Don¡¯t pretend to be fine in front of your Grandma. I know you¡¯ve been wronged. Don¡¯t worry, cause we all believe you. And since Charmine had harmed Robert, this shows that she wants you and Robert dead in order to get hold of all of the Jordan shares. We won¡¯t let that happen. ¡°Ah, yes, we¡¯ve bought you a big present during our vacation. Come with uster, and I¡¯ll show you.¡± Tiffany¡¯s eyes darkened. Pam and Zachary lived on their own. They had more than 10 mansions under their names, along with countless expensive items inside. Zachary was an antique collector and appraiser; they had expensive antiques at home that cost a pretty penny. Tiffany would rake in a hefty earning if she could sell those all out! She was leaving in two days, but she never thought she could scoop yet another handsome sum of money! Once she left Burlington, the Jordan family would be in deep troubles while these two elders would not have anything left with them either. She wanted Charmine toe home to a broken and penniless family! Thinking of that, her expression became even sweeter and gentler. ¡°Thank you, Grandma.¡± ¡°Oh, dear, you¡¯re so polite! So polite! I¡¯ll go and check up on Robert and talk to your parents. Wait for me.¡± Pam patted her hand before walking into the ward. After they left, Tiffany walked to an empty hallway and took out her phone. She texted Rex the following: [Make an arrangement regarding Pam and Zachary¡­ Chapter 470 Chapter 470 (Rex: Ok. Oh, right, someone is interested to buy 60% of the shares, but they¡¯re only willing to pay 80 billion.) Just 80 billion? Tiffany frowned. 60 percent of the Jordan Group¡¯s shares were worth at least 110 billion. That person offered way too low! She replied: (Not selling below 95 billion.) Rex: (The buyer isn¡¯t willing to pay more than 80 billion. He said that the Jordan family is in a mess, and the reputation isn¡¯t well. His attitude was firm¡­ Tiffany was put in a difficult situation. True, 80 billion was no meager sum, but how could she settle for less when everyone hated her, coupled with the fact that she was to run away from Burlington? She still had no clue on where she could go. All that running away, change of identity, and starting a new career all required money! As she was caught up in her thoughts, a figure dressed in dark green appeared at the end of the hallway. Tiffany looked up to see the man-it was the middle-aged man she met at her wedding! She looked around to make sure everyone was inside Robert¡¯s ward before marching out. The man was cooperative, at least, as he walked outside and stopped below a tree in the empty garden. Tiffany followed behind him, snapping in a low voice angrily, ¡°Why did youe? Have you finished the money I gave you?¡± ¡°Tiffany, I¡¯m not-¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care why you spent them all. Leave, now! Don¡¯t look for me ever again! I¡¯m in a bad situation right now, I don¡¯t have time to care for you, and I¡¯m not obliged to care for someone like you!¡± huffed Tiffany disdainfully. The middle-aged man sighed, ¡°Tiffany, I came here to bring you home. Follow me, and you¡¯ll understand¡­¡± ¡°Huh? Go home? How dare youe and ask me to go home with you? Where were you when my mother gave birth to me? Where were you when I lived on thin ice in the Jordan family?¡± Tiffany only got angrier, more livid as she went through the memory and said it out loud, her eyes reddened with it. ¡°Let me tell you: When you¡¯re living a good life alone, my mother worked as a cleaner with her swollen belly. She woke up at five in the morning and slept after two in the morning! She had less than two thousand bucks on her when she birthed me, and she couldn¡¯t even afford the medical bills! She was thoroughly exhausted and died within three days after I was born! N?velDrama.Org ? content. ¡°In order to make sure I¡¯d live a better life, she dragged her worn-out body afterbor to swap me into the Jordan family, all so I wouldn¡¯t turn out to be a cleaner like her! ¡°All these years, I lived with the Jordans in fear, afraid that they¡¯d find out my true identity. Even when I was ill, I didn¡¯t dare to go to the hospital, and I didn¡¯t dare to donate blood or have a blood test because¡­ Because I¡¯m scared! ¡°I¡¯m constantly terrified that they¡¯d find out my blood type, realize my DNA. Even in my room, I had to make the maids clean it every day, in fear of leaving behind a strand of hair¡­¡± Tiffany¡¯s expression had morphed into the lock of slow terror and fear. Overridden with immense guilt, the middle-aged man weakly called out in a guttural voice,¡° Tiffany¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you call my name! What¡¯ve you ever given me? Even my name wasn¡¯t given by you! In the past twenty-three years of my growth, have you ever been a part of it? ¡°You just came looking for me now that I¡¯m making money and rich, huh? Are you not ashamed? Do you not feel bad? Get out of my sight, right now! I don¡¯t want to see you again! Ever!¡± hissed Tiffany venomously. ¡°Tiffany, I¡¯m really not asking for your money, I¡¯m ¡ª¡±the middle-aged man tried to exin. Tiffany merely pushed him furiously. ¡°Get lost! Go!¡± Chapter 471 Chapter 471 The middle-aged man staggered backward from Tiffany¡¯s push. Seeing that she was agitated, he had no choice but to walk away. 21 It was only after a few steps did he turn to give his name card to Tiffany, but she had already left. She left so quickly¡­ His outstretched hand that held onto his name card hung mid-air. A bodyguard dressed in ck walked over and curtly offered, ¡°Sir, would you like someone else to exin it to Ms. Tiffany?¡± ¡°Not yet. Let¡¯s give her some time,¡± the man sighed. After Tiffany left the garden, she replied to Rex¡¯s text. (Whatever! 80 billion it is. Sell the shares privately; don¡¯t attract any attention. Prepare a flight for tonight at ten!] She was not in a hurry, but she had no other choice. That middle-aged man wasing after her, and she was worried. She feared that anything could happen. The situation had escted to such heights, and that was enough. Most importantly, she had to get hold of the shares from Zachary and Pam. Coincidently, both Zachary and Pam just got out of Robert¡¯s ward. ¡°Tiffany, it¡¯s good that you¡¯re back,¡± greeted Pam at the sight of Tiffany. ¡°We¡¯re heading home now. Why don¡¯t youe with us? I¡¯ve prepared you and Robert each a gift, including Robert¡¯s favorite crystal gaming keyboard. You could bring it to him and talk to him, and perhaps he¡¯d be able to wake up sooner.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Tiffany turned to take onest look at Joey and Adam inside the ward, her heart somewhat quavered. She might never return after running away from Burlington. She recalled how well they had treated her throughout the years, and she somehow felt bad for leaving them. Still, thinking of how they took away her shares, how they favored Charmine, and how they looked down on her at her lowest, her eyes turned cold again. She was forced to do what she did. If they treated her better when Charmine exposed her clip or cared more about her feelings, she would not have to do all this. It did not help that Charmine had been nothing but an absolute menace. She was pushing her to the extreme, trying to take her life, thus she had no choice but to leave. 2 With all those thoughts in mind, Tiffany followed Zachary and Pam into the car. N?velDrama.Org owns this. Meanwhile¡­ Charmine and Anthony sat in the car. Anthony could still hear Charmine¡¯s voice ringing in his ears. ¡°So when I find an actual boyfriend, you call it an embarrassment¡­¡± An actual boyfriend¡­ Anthony had a slight smirk on his face. Charmine scoffed, ¡°You¡¯re happy that they called you a wild man?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind being your wild man,mented the dignified Anthony, voice maic. 1 Charmine was dumbfounded. Cough, cough! What logic was that? He was a man with reputation! Anthony leaned back on the seat elegantly. ¡°What¡¯s your next move?¡± ¡°First, I¡¯ll find the best specialist to diagnose Robert and find the best treatment for him. As for Tiffany¡­ Let it take its course.¡± Since Zachary and Pam hade home, Charmine was intrigued to see how heartless Tiffany could be. Since everyone had favored her since young, she could not be so heartless. If she truly was, then the Jordan family would pay the cost of her action. With so much favoritism, they had to be hurt in order to see Tiffany¡¯s real face¡­ She took out her phone to text Kay about the following n. (Kay: Latest update-Tiffany booked a flight ticket for tonight, 10pm. Wanna stop it?] Charmine¡¯s eyes narrowed. That fast? Tiffany was in such a hurry to leave tonight? After a moment of hesitation, she replied, [No need. Let her run. Chapter 472 Chapter 472 Only with Tiffany¡¯s sudden departure would the entire Jordan family witness the gravity of the situation. Charmine wanted to see everyone¡¯s reactions when they knew atst Tiffany¡¯s true colors. At the Young mansion. When Tiffany, Zachary, and Pam came home, they saw that everything in the mansion was wrecked, including the sofa and table. Many things were scattered on the floor while vases were shattered into pieces. Pam frowned. ¡°What¡­ What happened?¡± ¡°Has someone broken in? Even the passcode had been hacked! I¡¯ll check the CCTV.¡± Zachary rushed to theputer room while Tiffany and Pam followed behind him. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. The surveince camera footage showed a person dressed in ck keying in the passcode and walked inside. They eyed every nook and cranny before taking away some expensive essories. The individual then looked at the camera and smirked. ¡°Ms. Jordan wants me to tell you that you should never try her. How dare you two tell her off! She¡¯ll take away all of your assets within three days! Wait for it!¡± 1 Both Zachary and Pam flushed red as the standing Pam staggered unstably. Charmine! How could Charmine say such things to them? She dared do that?! Not only that, but she even threatened to take away their assets within three days? ¡°That ungrateful¡­ Ungrateful Charmine!¡± caterwauled Pam as she gripped her chest, lips trembling Tiffany quickly held onto her. ¡°Grandpa, Grandma, please don¡¯t be agitated. You¡¯re not young anymore, and if anything happens to you two, Charmine would take all of your assets. As you know, Robert and I are no match to Charmine. We can¡¯t even fight with her¡­! Listening to that footage, she must be nning something¡­¡± ¡°Hah! Nonsense! Even if I donate all of my assets, I won¡¯t leave anything with her. I¡¯ll write my will now; she won¡¯t be getting anything from me no matter what!¡± swore Zachary as he started to look for a pen and paper. Tiffany¡¯s eyes sparkled, though she held onto Zachary¡¯s arm. ¡°Grandpa, you¡¯re still so healthy ¨C please don¡¯t write a will yet. Nothing will happen to you. But, now that Charmine is very clever, I don¡¯t know what she did, but she managed to manipte Grandpa Jordan to give her 25 percent of the Jordans¡¯ shares. It¡¯s worth at least forty billion! ¡°Even if you write a will now, she might still be able to take every single one of your assets. I suggest that you transfer all of your assets to Mom first. It¡¯d be safer with her.¡± Tiffany sounded very genuine and considerate. Zachary¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°Your Mom is a silly woman. If she didn¡¯t bring Charmine home, none of this mess would¡¯ve happened!¡± ¡°Then¡­to Robert? Just transfer all of them to Robert,¡± Tiffany suggested. Pam sighed. ¡°We¡¯ll need a signature to transfer these shares; we don¡¯t even know when will Robert wake up. I don¡¯t know why, but I have an uneasy feeling like something is about to happen. This has to be settled as soon as possible¡­¡± 1 Pam then noted Tiffany in front of her, and her eyes sparkled. ¡°Of course, Tiffany! We¡¯ll transfer all of our shares to Tiffany! Tiffany, you¡¯re our most trusted granddaughter. We¡¯ll give them to you!¡± ¡°No, no, please don¡¯t. Grandma¡­ I don¡¯t want them. As you know, my reputation is now ruined, and nobody wants to marry me. I can¡¯t take your things¡­¡± Tiffany lowered her head with guilt. 1 Pam gently reached out for Tiffany¡¯s hand. ¡°You were framed by that ungrateful Charmine. Also, I feel that you and Julian have the right to take her assets. She plotted to take yours, so why can¡¯t you? As for the incident with Oliver, you were a victim yourself! We don¡¯t me you -we¡¯ll give you the shares!¡± ¡°Right, I¡¯ll call my attorney now. He¡¯ll be here in no time. Tiffany, follow me. I want to give you the key to my vault,¡± ushered Zachary as he phoned the attorney while walking Tiffany to his private vault. 2 Looking at Zachary¡¯s back, a smirk appeared on her face. Chapter 473 Chapter 473 In thete afternoon, Tiffany received Zachary and Pam¡¯s every asset and valuable item. She found an excuse to leave the Young mansion to sell them all off right away. Pam gazed at the retreating Tiffany, her brows furrowing as she did. ¡°Dear, what do you say? We¡¯ve given all our assets to Tiffany, and Charmine shouldn¡¯t be able to do anything to her. Why do I feel more uneasy?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m afraid Charmine would try to snatch them from Tiffany,¡± said Zachary. Hearing that, Pam¡¯s eyes twitched. ¡°You¡¯re right. Now that Tiffany has 60 percent of the family shares with her, along with our assets worth a hundred billion, Charmine would definitely do something to her! That mustn¡¯t happen! I¡¯ll phone Joey right away-they have to protect Tiffany!¡± Meanwhile, in Royal Hospital¡­ Joey was learning more about Robert¡¯s situation from the doctor when her phone rang. She walked away to hear Pam¡¯s old and hoarse voiceing from the phone, ¡°Joey, you have to be careful. We told Charmine off today, yet she asked someone to mess up our mansion. She even said that she wanted to take all of our assets! You ought to take good care of the Jordans, especially Tiffany. I¡¯m worried that Charmine might harm her.¡± ¡°What? Seriously?¡± Joey frowned. ¡°Is there a misunderstanding? She wouldn¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Of course she would; we saw it with our eyes! Would I lie to you? Also, look at Robert now. We¡¯ve even received the CCTV from Uji Quin to verify that Robert was fine when he left his mansion. Who else would poison him other than Charmine? You made a fatal mistake of bringing home an ungrateful girl back then. Are you going to watch her rip off the Jordans¡¯ assets? If she could harm Robert, she¡¯d harm Tiffany too!¡± persisted Pam. Joey frowned. ¡°Alright,¡± she conceded, ¡°I understand. I know what to do now.¡± Joey sighed once the call ended, enraged with sizzling fury. Who would have thought that Charmine had be so evil! Not only did she harm Robert, but she even threatened the two elders as well? How could she be so despicable? 1 Adam walked into the ward by then, and Joey called out to him softly, ¡°Adam,e here.¡± ¡°What is it? I¡¯m in a hurry to meet Dad to contact the brain specialist,¡± said Adam as he looked at his watch. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°No hurry,¡± said Joey, ¡°follow me home before you go and see the specialist. Let¡¯s direct a forced withdrawal of Charmine¡¯s twenty-five percent shares without Dad knowing it.¡± As the Jordans¡¯ patriarch, Senior Jordan had the seal of the Jordan Group. As long as theybined the seals from other shareholders, they could force a withdrawal of shares. Adam frowned. ¡°That¡¯s not ideal. You know Dad¡¯s temper; he¡¯d be offended.¡± ¡°Being scolded by Dad is far better than Charmine scheming against us. Do you know what she did? She threatened my parents! She threatened them that she¡¯d steal their assets! I¡¯m downright livid right now, but Dad just won¡¯t believe us! Let¡¯s transfer her shares back to Senior Jordan and kick her out of the family. We can tell himter,¡± insisted Joey. 1 Adam was hesitant, but after hearing this and ncing at Robert who was in bed, he nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± Adam and Joey returned to the Jordan mansion and called for a family meeting without Senior Jordan¡¯s knowledge. They all agreed to disown Charmine from the family and called for an attorney to force- withdraw her shares. Adam even logged into Twitter using the Jordan Group official ount to make an official statement: (Due to Charmine¡¯s uneptable behavior, harming the lives of others, we¡¯ve all agreed to disown her and take back her family shares. From now onward, Charmine will no longer be the adopted daughter of the Jordan family, and we have nothing to do with her!] The post went viral instantly. [Uneptable behaviors? Harm lives? What did she do?] [ording to inside news, the only son of the Jordans is now in a vegetative state, unlikely to wake up anytime soon.] (Huh? So Charmine did that? I don¡¯t think Charmine is that kind of person.] [Is it another doing of Tiffany¡¯s?] (This was published by Charmine¡¯s parents, and they even disowned her. This must be serious! Chapter 474 Chapter 474 As the discussion became heated, Joey logged onto her personal ount and tweeted the following: (We¡¯ve done thorough investigations with no mistakes. In order to get hold of the Jordans¡¯ assets, Charmine plotted against Tiffany and Robert, and that is uneptable behavior! She knows better than anyone else what she has done!) Joey¡¯s tweet turned everyone against Charmine. Even those who trusted her before doubted her after that. (Joey wouldn¡¯t be so pissed if they didn¡¯t have evidence.] (Charmine¡¯s loaded with money though. Why would she harm someone else for money?] [The wealthiest always want more. Also, the Jordans have quite a lot of assets, and the total would be almost two hundred billion!) [Think about it: Charmine is an outsider, and it¡¯s not too hard to imagine an adopted daughter plotting against the actual heir and heiress of the family, stealing their assets¡­) [The outsider screwing the family? That does seem usible¡­) At Violet Vi. Charmine and Anthony just arrived home when Chris ran toward them hastily. ¡°Mommy, Mommy! Look into Twitter-something¡¯s up! Someone¡¯s trapping Mommy!¡± He handed the phone to Charmine with his plump hands. Charmine epted the phone to see the tweets from the Jordan Group and Joey, along with the netizens¡¯ discussions online. She frowned. Although she knew that Joey and the rest did not like her, Senior Jordan had stopped them, yet they still kicked her out of the family and initiated a forced-withdrawal of her family shares? Moreover, it was obvious that they were trying to crush her with their tweets, using the power of social media! Did they really hate her that much? Anthony gently grasped her shoulder as he lowly yet reassuringly spoke, ¡°I¡¯ll ask Luke to fix this.¡± ¡°No need.¡± Charmine snapped out of her thoughts as her face regained that ice-cold expression she had. She had grown used to their cold-heartedness; there was nothing to be sad about. Furthermore, it must have been Tiffany pulling some dirty tricks before she left. Tiffany was leaving tonight anyway, and Charmine wanted to see how the Jordans would react. True, the Jordans disowned her, but they woulde begging for her in less than a day! Chris asked curiously, ¡°But why not, Mommy? Uncle Luke is very capable, and he can fix anything!¡± Charmine kept the phone andforted Chris, ¡°It¡¯s alright, Momo. We don¡¯t have to be dragged down to their standards. As the saying goes, ¡®If a dog bit you, you don¡¯t have to bite back.¡±¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ But we can kick back! Kick them all!¡± countered Chris angrily, though still with his child-like, naive voice. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Charmine almost spat out a mouthful of blood. Why were kids so hard to teach nowadays¡­ Anthony said, ¡°Momo, let Mommy sleep. I¡¯ll take care of everything else.¡± ¡°Oh, right! Mommy, please get some rest-don¡¯t forget about the small baby. Momo will walk you.¡± Chris supported her back to the room caringly. Charmine was at a loss for words. Perhaps Chris would never let go of the imaginary baby. Still, Charmine was rather tired after not getting any sleepst night, followed by a series of events. Just as she was walking back to the room, however¡­ Crash, crash, smash! The ss windows shattered as pieces of ss flew everywhere in the hallway, assaulting the trio. Chapter 475 Chapter 475 They were under attack! Anthony rushed to shield both Charmine and Chris, and the shattered pieces fell onto him instead. ¡°Bring Momo to the second floor,¡± instructed Anthony, voice low yet domineering. Although Charmine hesitated, they had to make sure Chris was safe. ¡°Be careful!¡± She eyed Anthony firmly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry; you won¡¯t be left a widow.¡± Anthony¡¯s lips curled into a dark and seductive smirk. His words made Charmine bbergasted. How was it that he could still flirt with her in such a dire situation? She held onto Momo¡¯s hand and rushed upstairs. Anthony walked to a safe corner to observe the situation when he eventually realized that the people outside were¡­ Meanwhile, Charmine arrived on the second floor as she brought Chris to the balcony. When she looked down, her brows furrowed. The people standing downstairs were none other than Joey and Adam! 1 Joey and Adam brought about 10 bodyguards with them and allowed the bodyguards to attack her mansion with hatred on their faces. Half an hour ago, Adam had met with the specialist. The specialist admitted that there was nothing he could do given Robert¡¯s current situation. They were furious to hear that, and recalling how Charmine messed up the Young mansion, they hated her so much that they wanted her dead! They thus brought the bodyguards with them to attack her vi. It was as though Joey could sense Charmine gazing down at them, thus she turned to look upward and scowled, ¡°I never thought you¡¯d be this cruel, Charmine! You harmed the innocent Robert and threatened the two elders! N?velDrama.Org owns this. ¡°I¡¯m ordering you to bring out the antidote now, or you won¡¯t have any peace! I¡¯ll get revenge for Robert and my parents!¡± Joey demanded with a tone full of hatred. A sh of bitterness appeared in Charmine¡¯s eyes. They had taken back her shares and ruined her reputation, but they even went out on their way to attack her vi? Why were they so mean-spirited? She scoffed coldly, ¡°Even if you kill me, I don¡¯t have any antidote. Instead of spending time here, why don¡¯t you go and check out what Tiffany is doing and keep an eye on the turning hands on the family shares?¡± Adam frowned as he barked, ¡°Charmine, you¡¯re still trying to frame Tiffany given the current situation? Are you even a human? Tiffany has been so kind to you since young, and she¡¯s still speaking highly of you even now!¡± ¡°Stop wasting time on her! A long as she¡¯s not giving the antidote, keep attacking! Destroy her house and capture her!¡± ordered Joey as she turned to the bodyguards. ¡°Keep throwing! I¡¯ll take on full responsibility!¡± It would only cost her a few million. No matter what it took, she had to capture Charmine and teach her a lesson! However, the bodyguards who were attacking the vi appeared as if they had seen something terrifying. They all staggered a few steps backward. The terror-struck leading bodyguard stammered in fear, ¡°Sir, Madam, this vi¡­ We can¡¯t attack it¡­¡± ¡°Why? Even if the Jordan family ran out of money, we can still afford a vi like this!¡± Joey scowled. ¡°But¡­ But the vi has¡­¡± The leading bodyguard wanted to tell the truth, but he felt a strong wave of pressureing at him as though choking him out of his breath. He could clearly feel the pair of sharp, domineering eyes staring at him from inside the building. The bodyguard shivered. ¡°Truly, this vi can¡¯t be harmed. Sir, Madam, please leave.¡± As he spoke, he pulled on the arms of Joey and Adam to walk away. Joey gaped in fury. ¡°What¡¯s there inside the house? You better tell me the truth! Is Charmine pulling some dirty tricks?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s your boss now? Why won¡¯t you listen to our orders? Let us go!¡± Adam scoffed. The bodyguards were too terrified to stop moving. They hastily picked up the pace as they dragged Adam and Joey away. If Anthony heard what they said, perhaps the entire Jordan would disappear instantly! Joey was trying to teach Charmine a lesson, but she never thought her own guards would go against her order. She sent ast death re toward Charmine. ¡°Just you wait, Charmine! I won¡¯t let you go!¡± Chapter 476 Chapter 476 ¡°You¡¯re no longer a part of the Jordan family; you¡¯re not one of us! Don¡¯t you evere back to the Jordan mansion. I brought you home back then, thus your life belongs to me, and I¡¯ve the right to take away your life if Robert can¡¯t be saved!¡± Joey growled with so much hatred and anger. Although Charmine had grown immune to such words, listening to her biological parents saying them still troubled her. Out of the blue, a warm and tiny hand held hers, followed by a soft and loving voice that spoke, ¡°Don¡¯t be sad, Mommy. Momo and Daddy will protect you. We¡¯ll stay by your side.¡± The voice brought Charmine out of her thoughts as she looked at the tiny Chris standing beside her. He was looking up at her, his watery crystal-like eyes filled withfort. A warmth spread throughout her being. Her closest family had done nothing but hurt her while the ones supporting her and showing her love were those who were not even rted to her. A smile appeared on her red lips. ¡°Mommy¡¯s not upset. Thank you, Momo. Let¡¯s go and sleep.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Chris held her hand and walked her back to the room. Anthony was walking upstairs and saw them. He expected that Charmine would be distraught by the confrontation, but he did not expect her to appear so calm. She remained unperturbed even when her actual parents treated her with such an attitude. How much pain had she endured that she became so resilient? Anthony pitied her. Charmine saw him, and she scanned him from head to toe. She saw a piece of ss cut through the back of his arm with fresh blood oozing out. She frowned. Instantly, she reached for the first aid kit and said to him, ¡°Come here.¡± Anthony walked over to sit on the sofa and took the kit from her. ¡°Go and get some rest. I can handle this myself.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk,¡± countered Charmine. Although she was not an expert, Charmine knew some basic emergency procedures. She took out a tweezer and efficiently took out the ss from his arm. At the same time, she used a cotton ball to stop the bleeding. 2 Chris-who watched the pair by the side-knew what to do. He walked downstairs to give them space. Downstairs was a mess! The windows were all smashed with ss pieces all over the floor. The outer walls had dents all over. Chris frowned. Those people had the guts toe after her! So what if they were her family? Nobody should attack Mommy! He took out the phone and called Luke. ¡°Uncle Luke, go and prepare two snakes, and put them in those meanies¡¯ car!¡± The snakes would surely terrify them, and they would not be able to trace who did the prank. Mommy would not be troubled by it! Luke agreed to his prank and went to set it up right away. It did not take long before Kay and his men came to fix the vi. He had been guarding the vi in the dark, but seeing that it was Joey and Adam, he did not step in. Kay noted how Charmine took her time, pacing around the matter slowly, and he understood why. Even though Tiffany¡¯s reputation was ruined, the Jordans would still listen to her no matter what. They would rather neglect their actual daughter and spoiled an evil and heartless woman! What a bunch of fools! 1 N?velDrama.Org ? content. Kay could barely wait to see their reactions when they find out the truthter! Upstairs, Charmine was cleaning Anthony¡¯s wound and fixing arge band-aid on his arm. The bin was filled with a bunch of bloody tissue papers, and it was no pretty sight to behold. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to,¡± the words tumbled out of Charmine¡¯s lips. ¡°I¡¯m your ¡®actual boyfriend¡¯. It¡¯s my duty to protect you,¡± replied Anthony. ¡®Actual boyfriend¡¯-Anthony emphasized those two words. Charmine flushed. She was only trying to refute the two elders! Why was it still in that head of his? Still, it was not the time to talk about that. ¡°I¡¯m tired, so I¡¯ll head to bed first. I still have things to fix at night.¡± With that, she stood up to walk away. Anthony¡¯s eyebrows twitched. She did not deny it¡­ Did that mean she agreed to that? Anthony abruptly reached out to grab on her wrist. Chapter 477 Chapter 477 Charmine was pulled back by Anthony¡¯s grip and she could no longer walk away. She turned to look at him. ¡°What is it?¡± Anthony gazed into her eyes. ¡°One word from you, Charmine, and I can help you fix everything.¡± No matter if it was Tiffany or the entire Jordan family. Why would she father be scolded every day? Charmine¡¯s red lips curled upward as she pulled herself away from his grip. ¡°Don¡¯t worry; I can fix my own things. It¡¯ll be over soon.¡± The more they hated her, the more exciting it would get tonight. Her darkened eyes were filled with anticipation and amusement. 1 Charmine had a good night¡¯s sleep while the Jordans were in a mess. Senior Jordan used up his best connections to find the experts, only to hear them reporting that it was an impossible task to bring back Robert. That was disheartening news to the Jordans. All-day long, they had been making phone calls to connect with as many people as possible. Joey and Adam were haunted by massive snakes that slithered all over them in their car, much to their horror. 1 Despite working around the clock tillte evening, they heard not a single good news. Lily, Felix, Amelia, as well as some distant rtives and close friends all came to the hospital to visit Robert. Senior Jordan believed that the more people spoke to him, the higher chances that Robert would wake up. Of course, he still did not know that Charmine was kicked out from the family and her shares were taken away. Amelia, who was in detention, had been released. When she saw Robert in bed, she jeered furiously, ¡°This is how evil Charmine is! I was punished back then because of her. She then framed Tiffany, and now she even harmed Robert! She wants to get hold of the entire Jordan family¡¯s assets! How evil!¡± ¡°Joey shouldn¡¯t have brought home this evil woman. She¡¯s the reason we¡¯re in a mess right now, and she was the reason our Amelia was put in detention for so long!¡± Lilyined. Everyonembasted Charmine. Among them, a youngdy said weakly, ¡°We can¡¯t me Charmine for what Amelia had gone ¨C through. It was Amelia who harmed Charmine in the first ce¡­¡± 1 ¡°Shut up!¡± Amelia red at the youngdy angrily. ¡°How dare you speak for Charmine right now? Do you want her to harm you that you end up in a hospital bed?¡± That youngdy was Senior Jordan¡¯s brother¡¯s granddaughter, Serena Jordan. She was twenty and studied music at a university. Amelia¡¯s heated re made Serena lower her head as she kept silent right after. Among the crowd, Rio scoffed, ¡°Nobody knows if Charmine was the one who harmed Robert. Don¡¯t be too shocked when the truth is out.¡± 1 ¡°Who else could it be? She¡¯s the one who¡¯d win the most if anything happens to Robert. She wants to get hold of Jordan¡¯s assets! You work for Charmine, so I hope you can leave the ward right now! Don¡¯t agitate Robert!¡± Amelia jeered. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. The ward was a mess. Senior Jordan looked at Robert, whoid on the hospital bed. He did not speak, but he was filled with heartache and panic. ¡°Oh, Robert, what happened? Please wake up soon to tell everyone the truth, do you hear me? Everyone is condemning Charmine right now. If she¡¯s innocent, do you want to see her being med for it?¡¯ Seeing that Senior Jordan did not speak, they talked even louder. Some even took out their phones to tweet: [You¡¯re still so young. Please wake up! We¡¯ve taken revenge for you, so please wake up soon to beat her up!) Almost everyone in the Jordan family retweeted this, and that only ruined Charmine¡¯s reputation. #Jordans-harmed became the hottest discussion topic. Everyone in the Jordan family hated Charmine thoroughly; they hated that ungrateful adopted daughter! In the middle of the mess, Serena asked again, ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. Where¡¯s Tiffany? Why didn¡¯t I see her today?¡± Chapter 478 Chapter 478 ¡°Tiffany¡¯s busy. Of course she¡¯s finding Robert the best doctor in the world,¡± replied Joey, her adoration evident in her voice. After all, Tiffany was her best daughter. She was her actual daughter anyway. Everyone in the ward sighed. ¡°They both grew up in the Jordan family, but why is Tiffany so perfect when Charmine is worse than a dog¡¯s feces?¡± 2 ¡°Even though Tiffany had her fair share of mistakes, she¡¯s not like Charmine who dragged down the entire family with her.¡± ¡°We must spend more time looking after Tiffany in the future. She¡¯s our only hope!¡± ¡°Exactly. Adam was almost burnt by the fire and Tiffany saved him. Nothing like Charmine, see, who¡¯s always destroying things!¡± At that moment, Senior Jordan¡¯s attorney burst into the ward. ¡°This is bad, Senior Jordan,¡± panted the attorney. ¡°It¡¯s bad!¡± Adam eyed the attorney, displeased. ¡°What are you so anxious for? How would there be anything worse than our current situation?¡± ¡°Yes, of course. Ms. Tiffany she¡­ She¡­¡± The attorney struggled to catch his breath. Joey jumped up and rushed toward him, grabbing his arm. ¡°What about Tiffany? What happened? Did Charmine hurt her?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll find Charmine right away! I¡¯ll kill her this time!¡± Adam jumped up and walked out of the ward. Hastily, the attorney grabbed onto Adam¡¯s arm. ¡°No¡­ Not that. It¡¯s not about Ms. Charmine. Ms. Tiffany ran away with the money!¡± What? Ran away with the money? Tiffany ran away with the money? The news stunned everyone silent; the Jordans found it a hard pill to swallow. 1 How could it be? Why would Tiffany run away with the money? Joey grabbed the attorney¡¯s sleeve. ¡°What do you mean? Exin yourself! How¡¯s it possible that Tiffany ran away with the money?¡± ¡°Madam, I don¡¯t want to believe this either. When I went to check on thepany¡¯s monthly ie just now, I realized that there was a huge turnover of the shares. Tiffany¡¯s sixty percent shares had been sold to an unknown person! Furthermore, the fifty billion we gathered for the Garden Project, along with the fifty billion-loan from the bank, had all been taken away by Ms. Tiffany!¡± As the attorney spoke, Joey staggered backward vigorously, almost tripping over as she did. Senior Jordan who sat by the bed jolted. Everyone in the ward felt as if they were being struck by lightning Tiffany sold out her shares, took away thepany¡¯s cash, and even ran away with the loan from the bank?! They glorified and heralded Tiffany just moments ago, yet she took all their money away?! 5 ¡°No¡­that can¡¯t¡­ That¡¯s impossible¡­ Tiffany¡¯s not that kind of person; she won¡¯t do that¡­!¡± Joey shook her head as she mumbled with disbelief. Hobson, the Jordans¡¯ butler, hastily went up to them at that moment. ¡°Sir, Madam, it¡¯s bad! Ms. Tiffany took away all the valuable items in the family and sold them out. Her phone number is unreachable now!¡± What¡­? Was she trying to destroy the entire family?! Pam, who was sitting by the corner, jolted as a thought crossed her mind. She took out her phone with a trembling hand and called her attorney, ¡°Please help me find out if all of our properties are still under the name of Tiffany Jordan¡­¡± ¡°Madam, I was just about to call you. All of your properties had been sold out, and someone will move into your mansion tonight! Regarding Senior Young¡¯s antique collection, they¡¯ve been taken away¡­¡± Pam¡¯s hand trembled. Crash! The phone fell to the ground, instantly smashed. The eyes of Zachary, who was next to her, twitched before he fainted due to the sheer anger. 7 ¡°Dear! Dear! Doctor! Call the doctor!¡±N?velDrama.Org owns this. Chapter 479 Chapter 479 The doctors quickly rushed in and carried away Zachary to the ward next door, resuscitating him. Zachary regained consciousness not long after, but at the thought of how his entire collection was gone, he fainted again. 1 It was mayhem for the Jordans, blindsided by the turn of events. Tiffany ran away¡­ She ran away with all their money¡­ Everything valuable in the mansion was gone¡­ What else did they have? Amelia thought of herself as she briskly went to the attorney and clung to his hand. ¡°What about me? What about my 5 percent shares?¡± ¡°You and your mother still own the shares, but¡­ Thepany is now fifty billion in debt, and the entire company will be used to repay the debts. Those who hold the shares are now responsible to pay them¡­¡± exined the attorney. 1 Amelia¡¯s pupils dted. 50 billion in debt? ¡®Responsible for paying the debt? She had to pay that much?! ¡°No-not happening! Why would Tiffany do that? How can this have happened? Find her now. No matter what it takes, we have to find Tiffany!¡± The dazed Adam eventually snapped out of his trance. ¡°Bring her back!¡± were his first words.¡± We must find her!¡± They treated Tiffany with so much kindness and gave her everything, yet she went ahead and ran away with all of their money? Just like that, the Jordans had gone bankrupt. They had to find Tiffany and demand an exnation from her, no matter what it took 1 ¡°It¡¯s the end of the month, however,¡± said the attorney. ¡°The bodyguards haven¡¯t been paid yet, and they¡¯re all feeling anxious. News of Tiffany¡¯s act broke out somehow, and now all thepany¡¯s staff had left with some valuable items¡­¡± That basically meant the Jordans could not even afford to find Tiffany! It was horrifying enough that they were out of money and 50 billion in debt, but theirpany and mansions were all gone, too! Senior Jordan, who remained silent throughout the entire debacle, spat out a mouthful of blood. ¡°Dad!¡± Adam, Lily, and Felix ran to support Senior Jordan. ¡°Senior Jordan, this is a trying time in our hands. Please take care of your body!¡± fretted the attorney. The Jordans were plunged into chaos, and the bank would find them tomorrow. If Senior Jordan became ill, the entire Jordan family would be over¡­ Senior Jordan gripped his chest as he weakly staggered. He removed the jade ring on his thumb with a trembling hand and handed it to Adam. ¡°Bring this¡­ Take this to the pawnshop for money to¡­to pay the staff. Report this incident to the police¡­ A-As for the debts, ask for a longer grace period¡­as long as possible¡­ ¡°Also, no matter what it takes, find out why Tiffany ran away. We must¡­¡± She was the heiress of the Jordan family. Why would she run away? There must be some unknown truth she was keeping from them¡­ ¡°Alright, Dad. Don¡¯t panic. Please take good care of yourself; I¡¯ll fix the issue right away,¡±forted Adam as he took the jade ring from Senior Jordan¡¯s hands. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. The jade ring was the Jordan family¡¯s heirloom from their ancestors, passed down from generation to generation, yet they had to pawn it. The situation had unfolded into the worst possible oue¡­ Joey came back from the other ward and saw this. Tears slowly dribbled down her cheeks as she fell to the floor listlessly. ¡°How can this be? Waa¡­ How could Tiffany do this?! Why would she do this to us? We¡¯ve treated her with so much kindness since she was a child! Why would she do this¡­? Waa¡­!¡± sobbed Joey, voice hoarse as she did. Still, no one in the wardforted her and was instead met with Lily¡¯s derision, ¡°What¡¯s the point in crying now? I don¡¯t know how you taught your daughters. The one you brought home ruined the family, while the actual one ran away with our money.¡± Chapter 480 Chapter 480 ¡°The Jordan family is now facing bankruptcy, and you two are the biggest criminals! You two should be responsible for all the debts!¡± ¡°Exactly! You¡¯re the one with the most responsibility! You better find out where Tiffany is, or the entire Jordan family will be over!¡± ¡°Even if you find her, this will still impact our shares negatively. It¡¯ll cost us a lot!¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be responsible for all of our losses!¡± Everyone jeered at Joey furiously. Joey was already heartbroken by the situation at hand, yet everyone made it worse for her with their mockery. They were the same people who tried to impress and befriend her, yet¡­ It was Tiffany! That sly Tiffany! She took Senior Jordan¡¯s 30 percent shares of thepany and sold them all out, causing such a mess! How could she be so heartless? Why would she do that? Rio left the ward silently among the chaos. After leaving the hospital, he took out his phone to call Charmine. ¡°Charmine, shall I tell them the truth now?¡± ¡°No need. Let them find out slowly-they¡¯ll know it eventually. Meanwhile, apany Grandpa personally in the next few days, and take good care of him. Help me pay Robert¡¯s medical bills as well.¡± 1 Charmine was resting in the room during the call, and she resumed her sleep after hanging up. She tried to, at least, but the thoughts that stormed in her mind kept her awake. She had waited for this day for five whole years. Since it was a mess, then let it be. She wanted the entire Jordan family to see the true colors of their favorite Tiffany! T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Did they not ridicule her for being the adopted daughter and asked her to never step into the Jordan family¡¯s property? She wanted to see the look on their faces when they found out the truth-Charmine wanted to see what else they could say! On the next day¡­ As expected, the entire Jordan family was chaotic. All of Pam and Zachary¡¯s properties had been sold, and that rendered them homeless. The hospital was their only refuge, though the avable cash in their bank cards was limited. After paying the costly medical bills, they had difficulty paying for food. When the bank found out that the 50 billion-loan was taken away, they instantly closed down the Jordan Group¡¯s every factory, as well as their hotels and properties. They gave them five days to pay the debt before the bank would sell their properties. 1 The Jordans¡¯ rtives and friends were terrified of being dragged down. They all ran away instantly, unwilling to be affected. Even all the maids in the mansion had left. Senior Jordan, Adam, Felix, Lily, and everyone else stayed in the hospital, only able to afford cheap hospital meals. Within a night, the Jordan family had lost its glory and was ced in a difficult situation. Every financial news outlets and social media were filled with headlines like the following: [The No.1 property group in the country had gone bankrupt!) (The Jordan Group closed down!) (Jordan family in 50 billion debt!] (Tiffany Jordan ran away with their money, and they are on a manhunt!) The discussion section was filled with terror and shock. [Unbelievable! Tiffany ran away with their money!] (The innocent-looking Tiffany did all that?] (Isn¡¯t she the heiress of the Jordan family? Even if she didn¡¯t run away with the money, she still has 60% shares with her. Why would she do that?] 1 [She ran away with the money, only to be hated by everyone. Is she a fool?] (The most thrilling drama of the year! Can¡¯t wait for the truth to reveal itself!] Everyone watched on in amusement. Some people even investigated the Jordans and found out that the Jordans were stupid¡ªthe most ridiculously clueless people on earth. 1 Tiffany was their favorite child in the family since she was a child, and they spent a huge amount of money nurturing Tiffany, signing her up for piano lessons,nguage courses, et cetera. The amount they spent on her was way more than the other children. Why would she do such a thing? Bang! Suddenly, a loud bang resonated in the ward. Chapter 481 Chapter 481 Lily looked up to see Amelia throwing the meal box onto the floor before tugging her hair in fistfuls, agitated. ¡°Argh! I can¡¯t take it anymore! I don¡¯t want to stay in this ward, and I don¡¯t want to sleep on the chair! I don¡¯t want to eat this disgusting meal¡ªI want to have seafood and lobster!¡± ¡°Amelia, dear, please bear with us. Perhaps things will get better once we get to find Tiffany. The police are hunting her down all over the world now. Just bear with us for a while¡­¡±forted Lily. 1 T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Amelia growled, ¡°Bear with you? Till when? When will they find her? What if she spent all the money when they found her? I can¡¯t do this anymore! I don¡¯t want to live like this anymore! You gotta think of something, Mom!¡± Lily sighed deeply. Felix red at Adam and Joey. ¡°Look at the mess you both have caused. You two must think of ways to fix this. We can¡¯t live on like this! Don¡¯t you have another daughter? Isn¡¯t that adopted daughter of yours loaded with money? Go and find her so she¡¯d give us some cash. At least rent us a mansion to live in for now!¡± 1 Eating from her meal box in the corner without an appetite, Joey¡¯s eyes lit up when she heard the suggestion. She turned to Adam. ¡°Of course¡­ Charmine! That adopted daughter caused us so much trouble! Who knows, she might¡¯ve had something to do with Tiffany running away! ¡°That has to be it¡­ Tiffany isn¡¯t that kind of person. There¡¯s no way she¡¯d do such a thing! It must¡¯ve been Charmine! Do you think she forced Tiffany to give out everything and then secretly killed her¡­?¡± Adam stiffened at that, his eyes darkening with worry. Everyone in the room became just as tense. Pam pped her thigh as she shot up from her seat. ¡°That¡¯s right. Why didn¡¯t we think of that? This is very likely! Tiffany is the heiress, and she has no reason to run away with the money, risking being put in jail! Argh! Could it be that Chamine arranged for someone to kill her? Could it¡­?¡± The anxiety in the room became much heavier as Pam spoke. Just as Senior Jordan was about to tell them off, however, the attorney rushed into the ward. ¡°I found the truth¡­ I found the truth!¡± ¡°What? You found Tiffany?¡± Joey asked, sounding concerned. The attorney replied, ¡°I didn¡¯t find her, but I found some torn-out pieces of paper put into the bin. I¡¯ve found an rming discovery after putting them back together. Have a look¡­¡± With that, he handed to Joey a piece of paper put together by smaller pieces of paper. Joey took it from him, and everyone else gathered around her to see the writing on the paper: (Why¡­why¡­ Why am I not the Jordans¡¯ actual daughter? Why do I have to live on thin ice? This feeling of having and losing is so painful! Argh! I¡¯m turning insane! What is it that you have, Charmine? Just because you¡¯re the heiress of the Jordan family, you want to take my attention and happiness with the family for twenty-three years? Why didn¡¯t you die in Africa?! Tiffany had written this in her mental breakdown. As she ran away in a hurry, she tore the paper into smaller pieces and threw them into the bin in fear someone might discover it. Who would have thought that the careful attorney would find it? Joey¡¯s hand who held onto the paper jolted vigorously as her eyes widened with disbelief. Tiffany was not her actual daughter, and¡­ Charmine was? How could it be¡­? She had raised and looked after Tiffany as she grew from infancy, while she picked up Charmine from a bin by the hospital¡­ How could it be? The staggered Adam, who stood next to her, opened his mouth to speak in disbelief. Chapter 482 Chapter 482 ¡°Impossible! Tiffany couldn¡¯t have written this! There must be a mistake or something¡­ Go and investigate the matter. Investigate it!¡± ¡°But¡­ But I¡¯ve already verified the writing, and this is indeed Tiffany¡¯s writing. The paper even has Tiffany¡¯s fingerprints¡­¡± exined the attorney. What else could they find if they went to check? Luckily, Rio walked in at the right time. ¡°There¡¯s no need to check- Charmine is indeed your actual daughter. Back then, Tiffany¡¯s mother and Aunt Joey gave birth in the same hospital, but her mother was on the verge of death after birthing Tiffany. To set her up for a better life, that woman secretly swapped the babies and took the real heiress, Charmine away, leaving her inside a bin. That¡¯s how Tiffany became the Jordans¡¯ heiress. This is why you felt hurt when you saw the baby in the bin, and that¡¯s why you treated the baby you picked up better than Tiffany.¡± Joey felt as if she was struck by a lightning, her pupils dted. It was true that her heart ached at the sight of little Charmine in the bin and favored her very much back then. Still¡­ Was this the reason to believe that Charmine was her actual daughter? That was ridiculous¡­ Everyone in the ward found that too shocking to be believable. Charmine, Joey¡¯s actual daughter, while Tiffany was swapped in to take up her ce? That was a hard pill to ingest-it sounded more like an act from a drama! 1 Rio then handed them a DNA test result. ¡°On the second day after you sent away Charmine five years ago, she asked me to get your hair strands to do a DNA test outside Burlington. Back then, she wanted toe home and call everyone, but all her calls were rejected. ¡°This DNA test result was done yesterday using Charmine and Robert¡¯s blood. She had always wanted to show you all but didn¡¯t have the chance to.¡± Joey, Adam, Senior Jordan, and the rest looked over to read that the DNA test result showed that Charmine was, no doubt, the Jordan family¡¯s actual heiress, as both Charmine and Robert had the same mother! Although the first DNA test was done in a hospital outside Burlington, this Royal Hospital was owned by the Bailey corporation, however powerful Charmine was, she would not be able to bribe the people from the Bailey family¡­ ¡°So¡­ So Charmine is my actual cousin?¡± blurted Amelia, still bewildered. ¡°This does make sense, though,¡± Felix chimed in. ¡°Tiffany ran away with the money because she knew she isn¡¯t part of the Jordan family, and so she wanted to take down the entire Jordan family.¡± 1 ¡°Ha! It¡¯s more than just that,¡± Rioughed mockingly. ¡°Tiffany found out the truth when she was eight. First, she manipted both Robert and Charmine to be useless, having it in mind that she wanted every percentage of the family shares. Five years ago, during Charmine¡¯s engagement ceremony, she overheard Tiffany¡¯s conversation with Julian, and so they pushed Charmine down the stairs! Tiffany had been like a demon lurking in the dark ever since she was eight, plotting against the entire Jordan family, yet every one of you treated her like the cream of the crop! Hrious, isn¡¯t it?¡± 1 N?velDrama.Org ? content. His mocking voice resonated in the ward, and Joey¡¯s body jolted vigorously. She fell to the floor and fainted due to the overwhelming stimtion that made her blood-pressure soar, resulting in her instant fainting. Hastily, Adam carried her to an empty bed in the ward, and the scene became chaotic again. Senior Jordan¡¯s body jolted as he quickly urged Rio, ¡°Hurry, go and find Charmine¡­ Go find Charmine¡­!¡± ¡°It¡¯s toote, Dad,¡± muttered Adam as though he was gut-punched, overwhelmed with remorse and regret. Chapter 483 Chapter 483 Senior Jordan frowned at Adam¡¯s words. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I¡­ We thought it was Charmine who messed up the Young mansion yesterday, so we used your seal to force-withdraw her shares and removed her from our family. We even brought some men with us to attack Charmine¡¯s vi and called her names. She¡­ She might not help us out this time¡­¡± Adam lowered his head, even though he was too ashamed to seek Charmine¡¯s help. 1 Senior Jordan¡¯s face turned green with anger. ¡°You¡­! How could you?! Why did you all do this? Didn¡¯t I say that we¡¯ll wait till Robert wakes up? How dare you-cough, cough!¡± Senior Jordan coughed the more he exerted stress in his words. Rio went up hastily toward Senior Jordan andforted, ¡°Please calm down. Let them make up for the mistakes they made-don¡¯t spoil your body for them.¡± ¡°My body is fine¡­ The most important thing now is Charmine. Oh, my Charmine! So she¡¯s my actual granddaughter, after all! Adam, go and apologize to Charmine right away! I don¡¯t care what you do, but you have to earn her forgiveness. If you can¡¯t make here back to us, I¡¯ll disown you as my son!¡± seethed Senior Jordan. Adam nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Dad. Once Joey wakes up, I¡¯ll go with her. Now, please calm down He had to calm down as well. He still could not ept the fact that the daughter he favored for the past 23 years was not his own flesh and blood, while the adopted daughter he hated for 23 years turned out to be his actual daughter! The daughter he favored for 23 years had been plotting against the entire family all the while¡­ The news felt like it was earth-shattering. After Joey had fainted, she had been uneasy and had a very long dream. She dreamt that she picked Charmine up from the bin and nurtured her with love until she turned eight, bing rebellious and unreasonable. Charmine even embarrassed the Jordan family many times. Joey scolded her many times: ¡°Get out of the Jordan family! I wish I didn¡¯t pick up an adopted daughter like you!¡± ¡°How are you so ungrateful? You¡¯re only an adopted daughter. An adopted daughter!¡± 1 Such scorn-filled words echoed and ricocheted in her dream while the young and tiny Charmine looked at her with tears in her eyes. She tearfully sobbed, ¡°If Mom hates me so much, then disown me!¡± With that, Charmine turned to run away. She kept on running toward the cliff in front of her. A deep and bottomless cliff. Joey wanted to chase after her, but Charmine ran right into it, and her body fell off the cliff. ¡°No!¡± It was then Joey shot up from the bed with tears all over her face. Adam held onto her hastily. ¡°What happened, Joey?¡± ¡°I¡­ I dreamt of Charmine. I dreamt of her running away¡­¡± quavered Joey with a terrified tone. Her mind was blurry at the thought of Charmine. She grabbed Adam¡¯s arm and asked, ¡°Adam, tell me: was I dreaming? Did the attorneye? Tiffany is still our actual daughter, right?¡± Adam frowned and let out a sigh after a while. He said nothing. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. The air in the ward was tense and oppressive. Joey¡¯s grip on his arm slipped down, slowly. His reaction told her that it was no dream. It was all true¡­ Tiffany was not her actual daughter. Her actual daughter was Charmine¡­ Chapter 484 Chapter 484 s, Charmine was the same daughter Joey had scolded and beaten when she was just a child. She hated this ¡®adopted daughter¡¯ of hers and even went as far as removing her from the family¡­ 10 She even brought men to attack her vi! A surge of guilt and remorse overwhelmed her senses. She grabbed Adam¡¯s arm again. ¡°Oh, Adam, what can we do¡­? How are we supposed to face Charmine? Will she forgive us? I¡¯m way too ashamed to see her!¡± ¡°Sigh¡­ I¡¯m thoroughly ashamed, too.¡± Adam sighed. Joey, at least, had treated her.kindly when she first brought her home while everyone else fought against that decision, assuming that Joey and Adam did this to get more of the family shares. That caused quite a scene back then. Therefore, Adam did not like Charmine since young, and he had never treated her with kindness. At that moment, Lily walked toward Adam. ¡°Brother, Dad had said that no matter how ashamed both of you are, you must go and find Charmine.¡± ¡°Look what¡¯s happening to us: We¡¯re in such a mess, and we¡¯re fifty billion in debt. We¡¯re going bankrupt, yet there¡¯s no way we can find this amount of money. Only Charmine could save us,¡± added Felix as he stood behind Lily. Joey was livid when she heard that. ¡°What rights do you have to say this? Back then when I picked up Charmine, all of you thought that I¡¯m trying to get a bigger share of the family shares, and all of you want her dead! When have you never treated her with hostility throughout the past twenty-three years? When have you ever stopped condemning her and calling her names? Now that we¡¯re in trouble, you want her to use her money to save us? How are you not ashamed?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Charmine the heiress of the family? It¡¯s her duty to save the family!¡± Amelia walked over. True, Amelia did not like Charmine, but she was the only person who could save the family. It was because of that that Amelia had to join in to persuade Charmine toe back and, at least, save the family first. Adam scoffed, ¡°This isn¡¯t what you guys have said when she got hold of the family share. You¡¯re all aware of how we treated her over the years! We looked down on her during our glorious days, and now that we¡¯re in a mess, we want her to save us? I¡¯m too ashamed to do so! If you¡¯re not ashamed, you may go and find her yourself!¡± His voice was firm and furious. Since Senior Jordan was on their side, Amelia and her parents shivered under Adam¡¯s words. Adam and Joey did not care what everyone else thought. Once they found out that Charmine was their actual daughter, all they wanted was to meet Charmine and make up for their mistake, wishing only for her forgiveness. Wanting her toe home and save the state of their family affairs? They were too ashamed to do so! 3 Amelia pouted as she sat on the chair furiously. ¡°Then let it be! Let¡¯s all live in the hospital and eat the hospital meal box forever! Let¡¯s just live on like this forever!¡± ¡°The Jordan family is so unlucky to havee across this. What¡¯s so hard about keeping a close eye on one¡¯s own children? That one daughter had been swapped in and yet is unwilling to take responsibility for it¡­¡± Felix mumbled. Adam was furious. He mmed his palms against the table as he shot up. ¡°Say it again! Who¡¯s unwilling to take responsibility?!¡± ¡°What I¡¯m saying¡­ What I¡¯m saying is that¡­¡± Felix hid behind Lily hastily, and he continued with his head stuck out from behind, ¡°No matter if it was an actual or adopted daughter, they¡¯re both your daughters, especially that Tiffany. You both raised her! Of course you have to take on full responsibility for what happened!¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t what you said when you received gifts worth tens of thousands bucks from Tiffany!¡± Joey refuted angrily. The scene was unfolding into yet another fight. Suddenly¡­T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Enough!¡± An old and hoarse voice snapped. Senior Jordan anchored his walker cane heavily onto the floor. ¡°A bunch of useless trash. Stop messing around! Adam, go and apologize to Charmine right away. No matter what, you must gain her forgiveness. As for saving the Jordan family, just ask if she¡¯s willing to. If she¡¯s willing to, the entire Jordan family will belong to her. If she¡¯s unwilling to, don¡¯t force it¡­ Just as long as she¡¯s willing toe home for a meal with us.¡± Senior Jordan did not wish for anything else¡ªhe merely wanted to hear her call him Grandpa again. All these years, she had been calling him Grandpa as the adopted daughter. Senior Jordan wanted to hear iting from the family¡¯s actual heiress. However, Amelia jumped up instantly to object, ¡°No way! The entire Jordan family cannot belong to her!¡± Chapter 485 Chapter 485 The Jordans-should Charmine decide to rescue them-would be worth almost two hundred billion, but it would go beyond that amount when taking into ount the other properties they owned! While it was true the Jordan Group was heavily in debt, the technologies and thepany staff were unique and one-of-a-kind. As long as thepany still had them on board, along with enough funding, the Jordan Group would be able to regain its glory rapidly. 1 When that happened, if the Jordan Group belonged to Charmine alone, they all had to live below her without owning any of the family shares. They would no longer receive the end-of year dividends! Senior Jordan red at Amelia coldly. ¡°If you can bring out fifty billion to save the Jordan family, you can own the Jordan Group!¡± Amelia was speechless. She would not even be here if she had 50 billion¡­ 1 Senior Jordan turned to Adam. ¡°Remember: the sole purpose of the visit is to apologize. It doesn¡¯t matter if she¡¯s unwilling to save the family.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Dad. After what happened, we know what to do,¡± Adam reassured. Joey sighed beside them. ¡°Still, I¡¯m too ashamed to see her again¡­¡± Even though they were merely going to apologize, how could they do so when they were penniless? Worse still, they had to talk to Charmine about saving the family. How could Charmine ever agree to help when they have treated her so poorly in the past and the family heavily in debt? 1. N?velDrama.Org owns this. ¡°Joey, just go.¡± Pam came in from the ward next door. Sheforted, ¡°You really have to apologize to Charmine. Also, the Jordans can¡¯t go on like this. We¡¯ve tried to contact many people for help, and nobody is willing to help us out. If Charmine is willing to fund us, as Senior Jordan said, all of the Jordans¡¯ properties and shares will belong to her. Furthermore, she can have half of the Hahn family¡¯s assets.¡± Hahn family? The Hahn family was Pam¡¯s family, and there was Joey¡¯s grandfather, Charmine¡¯s great grandfather. The Hahn family was a ceramic developer for centuries, and they mainly produced and supplied all kinds of ceramics. Their products had been listed as national-protected items, and legend had it that their ancestors made ceramics for the royal families back then. s, the target audience of these cultural arts was limited, andmercialized ceramics in the market had bested them, even though they had more values and deeper meanings. ¡® Joey frowned. ¡°Will Grandpa agree to give half of his assets to Charmine? Half of the family asset would be worth at least thirty billion!¡± ¡°Sigh¡­ You have no idea. Your Grandpa only had your uncle and me. Your uncle should¡¯ve taken over the family assets, but never was it expected¡­that he was unable to have any child. He and his wife are now in theirte sixties, still without a child¨Cthey¡¯re close-minded and are unwilling to adopt children. So now that they¡¯re old, they have no one to take over the assets. Your Grandpa has been troubled by this lately. When I called him earlier today and mentioned Charmine, he said that he has faith in her. He¡¯s willing to give her half of his assets,¡± exined Pam. 1 After all, Joey was Senior Hahn¡¯s granddaughter, thus Charmine was his great-granddaughter. She was the youngest descendent of his bloodline. Joey was pleased by the idea. ¡°With half of the Hahn¡¯s assets, Charmine¡­ Charmine only has to give out around twenty billion to save the Jordan family. Perhaps she¡¯ll agree¡­ I¡¯ll go talk to her.¡± Amelia sizzled in envy at what she heard! Charmine was that lucky to have a great grandfather who was willing to pass on his assets to her. Why was she so lucky? Argh! Why did she not have a great-grandfather like Charmine? Outside the ward, an elegant figure halted. McKenzie initially came to Royal Hospital to visit a friend when she, coincidentally, overheard their conversation. She clenched her fists tightly. Chapter 486 Chapter 486 McKenzie knew about the Hahn family very well. It was the only family in the country that had been listed as the ¡®Ceramic Family¡¯ and ¡®National Heritage¡¯. They had refined techniques, and the ceramics they produced were customized for the royals all over the world. Their products were limited as they were all hand-made, thus the buyers had to wait in-line. Anthony¡¯s grandmother was a big fan of the Hahn family-she would have people queue up for her every year just so she could buy a ceramic from the Hahn family for her collection. If Charmine did return to the Jordan family, got hold of all of the family shares along with half of the Hahn family¡¯s assets, Anthony¡¯s grandmother would favor Charmine tremendously and would give her full support on Charmine being with Anthony. McKenzie was trying to make sure the Bailey family knew about Charmine, but after she overheard the Jordans¡¯ conversation¡­ It turned out that Charmine had such a powerful identity ¨C McKenzie could not let down her guard. She had to separate Anthony and Charmine before the Baileys knew about Charmine¡¯s existence. Mckenzie marched away hastily from Royal Hospital, calling Miranda after getting into the car. ¡°Any news on the search for Annabel?¡± ¡°Madam, I was just about to call you. Hurry,e to Ocean Pce. I¡¯ll wait for you at the back door,¡± said Miranda excitedly. ¡°Go to Ocean Pce right away,¡± instructed McKenzie to the driver. The Ocean Pce was the only luxurious seafood restaurant in Burlington. All of the seafood was freshly airfreight to Burlington, and the seafood was taken as per request. The car pulled over at the back door of the restaurant. Miranda opened the car door and sat inside. She said to McKenzie, ¡°Madam, look at who¡¯s inside.¡± McKenzie looked through the ss window and noted that the car was parked at the back of the kitchen of the Ocean Pce. Inside the kitchen, a weak figure knelt on the floor with a brush, brushing the fresh prawns. Her hair was tied to a ponytail as she wore a white cap. She dressed like a maid; a low-ssed maid. The most attractive feature of her was her face. It was the size of a palm, small and pitiful. Her eyes were watery, which made one want to protect and pull her into an embrace just looking at her once, ¡°Hah¡­ She still has that pitiful look on her.¡± McKenzie¡¯s red lips curled up into a cold smirk. She pushed open the door and got out of the car, Miranda went ahead to arrange for her arrival swiftly. Annabel diligently brushed red prawns on her knees at the back of the kitchen, not realizing how the other kitchen starf slowly and silently left the kitchen. When the ss door of the back of the kitchen was pushed open, a long shadow projected onto the floor. Annabel saw that a pair of beige and silky high heels came in sight. She looked up and instantly, her hands halted. ¡°Ms¡­ McKenzie¡­¡± ¡°You still remember me?¡± McKenzie put her hands on her waist elegantly, eyeing down at her sharply. ¡°If you remember me, why¡¯d youe back?¡± ¡°I¡­I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry¡­? Annabel put down the brush instantly. She stood up and kept bowing to her apologetically. ¡°After I took your money, I went abroad to apany my Grandma for her treatment, as you¡¯ve arranged. However, five years ago¡­ Five years ago, Grandma died, and her only wish was to be buried in Burlington. She didn¡¯t want to be buried in a foreign ground.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I came back with my Grandma¡¯s ashes, merely wanting her to rest in peace¡­ I don¡¯t wish for anything else¡­¡± ¡°If so, why are you still in Burlington after five years? Does it take five whole years to bury your Grandma? Hmm?¡± McKenzie red at her threateningly from above, her words insulting and intimidating Chapter 487 Chapter 487 Annabel lowered her head, humble as if she was a maid as she exined, ¡°I didn¡¯t have a choice¡­ After I came back, I realized that my parents who had neglected me for years cam¨¦ back as well. They exined that they had no choice but to neglect me back then. After being an orphan for many years, all I wanted was to reunite with them and live a simple life¡­¡± ¡°So you stayed in Burlington for five years and gave birth to Anthony¡¯s son!?¡± McKenzie¡¯s voice went louder than before, ring at Annabel with her ming eyes. ¡°I can make you disappear after what you did!¡± 1 At Violet Vi. Charmine reclined on the sofanguidly as she reminded Rio, ¡°Do take good care of Grandpa, and make sure he¡¯s well taken care of.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry-Senior Jordan seemed healthier and happier after learning the truth. Do be prepared that Joey and Adam are about toe and see you, though,¡± informed Rio. Charmine¡¯s eyes remained emotionless and distant. The reason she exposed Tiffany¡¯s true colors was not that she wanted to go back to the Jordan family. She merely wanted Tiffany to pay for her actions. Their apology and remorse meant nothing to her. On the other side of the sofa, the little Chrisid t on the sofa as he drew with a color pencil. After Charmine hung up on the call, he shifted forward to present her his painting, ¡°Mommy, Mommy, look! I painted this for you.¡± 1 Charmine epted the paper to see that a heart-warning scene was drawn on the paper. Through the natural lighting from the window, she reclinednguidly on the sofa. The painting was delicate and refined; it was a painting of high standards. 1 However¡­ Chris used a white pencil to draw a big circle on her abdomen, and in it lied a cute baby girl who slept peacefully. Charmine¡¯s lips twitched slightly. Did Chris want a baby sister so badly? 1 Ever since that night, it seemed that Chris had been anticipating a baby sister every day, either through paintings or preparing toys. He even built a small bed with excitement. When he found out about the truth, he might¡­ Charmine¡¯s gazended on Anthony who was sitting not far away from them. Anthony sat cross-legged on the single sofa with a document on hisp. His look was serious as he exuded an air of elegance and coldness. It was as if he was posing for a fashion magazine. Even though they lived together, her heart would still race at breakneck speed whenever she looked at him. The wound on his arm stood out from his otherwise perfect skin. Charmine recalled how he protected her the other day, and the days they spent together. Somehow, a strange thought came to mind: It would not be so bad to have a baby with him after all. She was aware of how well Anthony had treated her. He seemed serious about this rtionship N?velDrama.Org ? content. Out of the blue, the doorbell rang. Charmine frowned. Who woulde to Violet Vi at this hour? Was it Joey, and that soon, too? She stood up to open the door, only to see a woman less than 1.6 meters tall standing by the door. Her palm-sized face was pitiable, and her eyes seemed glossed over with tears. She was dressed in a faded and cheaply made white dress, and the woman seemed like a feeble character. She was like a white lily, so weak and gentle that could be blown away by the wind. She was the real kind of white lily, unlike the type Tiffany pretended to be. After seeing Charmine, Annabel stuttered, ¡°Hello¡­May¡­ May I ask if Mr. Bailey is here?¡± Charmine frowned. She was here for Anthony? Uneasy, Charmine turned to Anthony, ¡°Anthony, someone¡¯s here for you.¡± Anthony looked up from the document in his hands. When he saw the person by the door, his eyes darkened as the hands that held the document jolted. Chapter 488 Chapter 488 Instantly, the air in the vi became tense. A strange glint appeared in Annabel¡¯s eyes when she spotted Anthony. Quickly, she avoided his eyes and cautiously asked, ¡°Mr¡­ Mr. Bailey, I¡­ May I speak to you in private?¡± Her tone was meek and low. After a moment of hesitation, Anthony put down the document and walked out. When he walked past Charmine, he halted and reminded in a deep voice, ¡°I¡¯ll fix this soon. Remember what I said to you.¡± Charmine frowned. What did he say? He had said too many things to her¡­ Meanwhile, Anthony said to Annabel, ¡°Follow me.¡± He walked in front of her toward the rockery pond. Annabel nodded at Charmine politely before following behind him. 1 Charmine felt unusually anxious as she stared at their retreating forms. She could clearly feel that Anthony¡¯s interaction with Annabel was different-especially with the way he looked at her-and his action was very strange. There must have been a story between them¡­ Furthermore, now that Anthony was walking in front, with the small figured Annabel following behind, the scene seemed as if it could only make sense for him to protect her from others. Charmine¡¯s hand held onto the door tightly. 1) T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Beside the rockery pond, there were just the two of them. Anthony stood by the pond with one hand in the pocket. He said nothing, but he exuded an air of authority. Annabel stood behind him, uneasy and anxious. After a while, she built up her courage to say, ¡° Mr. Bailey, I wouldn¡¯t¡­have looked for you if I had other options. I know that I¡¯ve wronged you ten years ago¡­¡± Although the two of them were not in a rtionship back then, Anthony would always show up to protect and help her. His life was boring back then, consisting of only work, study, and business. She promised him to show him other things in the world, such as the roadside stalls and the little things in life. However, the next day after she made such a promise to him, she took five million and left Burlington¡­ Annabel lowered her head with guilt. ¡°I know I wasn¡¯t worth five million-epting the money was an insult to myself. However, I had no other choice back then as my Grandma was diagnosed with kidney failure, and I needed arge sum of money to treat her. Also, I was aware that I wasn¡¯t good enough for you, that being with you would only add to your trouble, SO I¡­¡± Anthony remained silent, his cold back showed not a single emotion. 1 Annabel continued in a hoarse voice, ¡°I was nning to stay out of Burlington forever, but Grandma died five years ago¡­ She wanted to be buried back home and didn¡¯t want to die in a foreignnd. She insisted oning home every day, and I cannot let her die unpeacefully, so I had no choice but to bring her ashes back to Burlington. ¡°¡®I know you have a new life now, and I¡¯ve never thought of disturbing you nor breaking my promise to Ms. McKenzie and your mother. However¡­ As you know, I was an orphan since young as my parents left me when I was little, my Grandpa being the only parent who raised me. When I brought back her ashes, I realized that my parents came back, and it turns out that they were captured and forced to work as ves in illegal brickyards. Those people didn¡¯t let my parentse home until they were completely worn out¡­¡± 1 Annabel¡¯s eyes reddened as she spoke, ¡°I had no one after Grandma died, and they were the only ones I had- I can¡¯t leave them here. Sadly, I¡¯ve spent the whole five million on Grandma¡¯s treatment, and I don¡¯t have much left to bring them out of Burlington with me, so I had no choice but to stay in Burlington five years ago.¡± 1 Anthony¡¯s expression turned grim the more Annabel spoke, especially when he heard those words: ¡®five years ago¡¯. The hand inside his pocket jolted. Five years ago, she came back to Burlington. Was she truly the one who birthed Chris? Was it true, then, that Chris was her son? That Annabel was the woman he slept with? Chapter 489 Chapter 489 ¡°You went to Royal Banquet to earn some money?¡± questioned Anthony in a low, hoarse voice. ¡°I¡­¡± Annabel lowered her head guiltily. ¡°Back then, I just returned to Burlington, and it wasborious to find a job since I didn¡¯t graduate from university. When I saw that Royal Banquet was hiring and this job didn¡¯t require one to be seen, I decided to work there. I didn¡¯t think of anything else; all I wanted to do was stay at the back of the kitchen to wash dishes. I didn¡¯t go anywhere else, but¡­¡± She recalled what happened five years ago. Her eyes zoned out as her face blushed. ¡°A friend of mine had diarrhea on Valentine¡¯s day and asked me to help her send food to the top floor. I wanted to turn it down, but she said the guest needed the food urgently, and if it was sentte, they would cut her pay. So¡­ ¡°I thought I¡¯d leave right after sending the food, but I saw that the door was left ajar. I didn¡¯t know it was you inside, and I only wanted to close the door. However, when I walked to the door, you¡­¡± Annabel stopped there with her head low. Her face was full of shame and guilt. Anthony¡¯s eyes darkened. He was drugged that night, and the woman he pulled into the room was¡­ Who would have thought that it truly was Annabel! Annabel was Chris¡¯ mother all along? 2 The woman he had been searching for the past five years was Annabel.. Annabel thought Anthony did not seem pleased. All these years, she was afraid of him. She exined hastily, ¡°Mr. Bailey, I¡¯m not asking for anything else, I know where my ce is. I quit my job and left Burlington right after what happened that night, thinking that I¡¯d never trouble you and have anything to do with you after that. However, it turned out that I was pregnant¡­and he was already five months old when I knew¡­¡± 1 She continued with guilt and shame, ¡°Nobody would¡¯ve believed me if I told them I was innocent, but I was utterly helpless back then, and my body had always been weak with irregr menstruation and poor family. I didn¡¯t have the budget to check my body in Burlington. Thus, during the first five monthsT¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. of the pregnancy, I thought I was merely ill and didn¡¯t think of doing a body check. It was only until when I was five months pregnant that I felt some movements inside my tummy, and only realizing then¡­¡± She paused and lowered her head to look at her abdomen. ¡°I really wanted to have an abortion, not wanting to cause you any more trouble, but the doctor told me the fetus was already formed. He was five months old and started to move around¡­ ¡°I genuinely, truly liked the little one. He was innocent, so I was selfish and wanted to give birth to him. I wanted to bring him up on my own. I never thought of bothering you, but¡­¡± Anthony¡¯s eyes became darker than ever. In the meanwhile, Annabel¡¯s voice became extremely hoarse as she quavered, ¡°Never did I anticipate that the baby would die during birth. The doctor told me that the baby was already dead when he came out¡­ ¡°I only took one look at him before he was sent to the morgue. He was so tiny and pitiful back then, just like a small kitten. I was heartbroken¡­ I wanted to save him¡­ But I can¡¯t¡­¡± 2. Annabel¡¯s tears gushed down her cheeks by then as she sobbed breathlessly, her shoulders trembling along as she did. Anthony did not turn around; his back had been facing her the whole time. 1 He could not imagine how it felt like for Annabel to have birthed the child, undergone a difficultbor, and experienced the death of her baby all on her own. Although Anthony did not love her, he was the one who caused this¡­ After sobbing for a while, Annabel wiped off her tears and gazed at him. ¡°Mr. Bailey, I don¡¯t ask for anything for telling you this. I¡¯ve lived past the most difficult times of all, and I never thought of causing you any further troubles. The reason I looked for you today is that I¡¯ve no other option but to beg you for help. Ms. Mckenzie found out about everything, and she made me tell you everything so she could ruin your rtionship with Ms. Charmine. I didn¡¯t want to do so, and all I want is to live peacefully with my parents for the rest of our lives, but she forced me to take a drug and said she¡¯d never give me the antidote if I told you about this¡­¡± Chapter 490 Chapter 490 Suddenly, Annabel paused¡­ Thuck! She knelt on the floor. ¡°Mr. Bailey, I want to live ¨C I don¡¯t want to die yet. I¡¯ve only reconciled with my parents for five years, and I¡¯m their only daughter. I can¡¯t die¡­¡± Anthony spun when he heard the sound of something falling, and he saw her small figure kneeling on the ground. He reached out to pull her up. ¡°McKenzie drugged you?¡± Yes¡­ Earlier today. She gave me your address and helped me get into Violet Vi. She said nobody would be able to make a cure for this drug, and I¡¯ll have to take an antidote every month. If I told you about it, the worst thing you could do is to kill her while I¡¯ll have to suffer every month¡­¡± fretted the anxious Annabel, much like a meek little sheep. 2 Anthony frowned. His eyes darkened. Not only did McKenzie plot against Charmine, but she even went after Annabel as well? ¡°Head home for now,¡± said Anthony in his low voice. ¡°I¡¯ll fix this.¡± ¡°Alright, thank you. Thank you so much!¡± Annabel.bowed politely and turned to leave. Anthony looked at her leaving figure with a heavy and perplexed gaze. That woman had endured so much pain, and without him knowing it, he was the cause of it all¡­ ¡°Watch her from the shadows, Luke,¡± Anthony instructed Luke, ¡°and investigate her case swiftly.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir!¡± Luke nodded. Concurrently, in the vi¡­ After Anthony and Annabel had left for the rockery pond, Chris pulled Charmine to the window and gave her high-tech earbuds. ¡°Mommy, put these on. These can collect nearby sounds so that you can listen to their conversation.¡± ¡°No, Momo, you can¡¯t do this. This is an invasion of privacy,¡± rejected Charmine ; However, Chris insisted that she take the earbuds, ¡°Daddy is my father, my family; I have the right to know about everything! Mommy is his wife, so you have the right to know about him and other women. This isn¡¯t an invasion of privacy-we only want to know him better. Only through understanding him better can we be closer and live happily as a family!¡± assured Chris with a serious look as he put the earbuds into Charmine¡¯s ears. 2 Charmine wanted to reject, but Chris held onto her hands and gave her no chance to remove them. 1 With that, she had no choice but to listen to the conversation between Anthony and Annabel¡­ However, Chris heard something he should not have heard. Instantly, he let go of Charmine¡¯s hands and hastily spoke, ¡°Mommy, take off the earbuds. We can¡¯t invade others¡¯ privacy!¡± Things would turn bad if Mommy heard what they were talking about! However, Charmine already heard what Chris heard. She heard everything as clear as day. Instantly, her eyes darkened and felt as though her heart was strangled tightly by an invisible hand. She felt hurt, in pain. This weak and gentle youngdy was the person Anthony slept with back then? That she was Chris¡¯ mother?N?velDrama.Org ? content. Chapter 491 Chapter 491 Charmine had thought of many possibilities. She thought that someone had plotted against Anthony and that the woman who slept with him was an ill-intentioned, bad person. With that, she was ready to face any challenge with Anthony together. She never would have thought, however, that the person who slept with him was a weak, innocent, and harmless woman who had endured so much pain and suffering because of Anthony¡­ As Chris had pulled Charmine to the window, Charmine saw from where she stood how Anthony reached out his hand and helped Annabel up. Throughout their entire time knowing one another, Charmine never once saw Anthony having any body contact with any woman, yet he protected Annabel. He treated her differently¡­ If Charmine was not in the picture at the moment, Anthony would have reunited with Annabel, and Chris would have found his actual mother¡­ 1 Seeing the shift in Charmine¡¯s expression, Chris quickly pulled at her hand and appealed,¡± Don¡¯t overthink it, Mommy. Daddy only likes you! This Mommy belongs to the past. Also, I only like you, and I only want you as my Mommy! Although Mommy seems like a good person, I don¡¯t like her. I don¡¯t feel anything for her. Momo only likes you!¡± 1 Chris spoke with an entirely sincere countenance. Indeed, he had no feelings for Annabel, while he instantly adored Charmine the moment he saw her. He felt warm and secure when he was with Charmine as though she was his actual mother. 1 Charmine removed the earbuds and reached out to ruffle his tiny head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Momo. Mommy¡¯s not overthinking. I¡¯m just¡­¡± Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. She just found it hard to ept. She felt that things got a lot moreplicated. The door was pushed open at that moment as Anthony¡¯s tall and strongly-built figure walked inside. He saw Charmine and Chris standing by the window with the high-tech earbuds in their hands. He frowned. Had she heard everything? 1 Charmine met Anthony¡¯s gaze. The exchange of looks becameplex and heavy. The air was tense and different. After a moment of stillness, Anthony said to Chris, ¡°Go upstairs.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± Chris knew the gravity of the situation and ran upstairs in his tiny legs. Charmine ced down the earbuds and said calmly, ¡°Momo gave them to me.¡± After all, she still did not want Anthony to think that she had the habit of eavesdropping. ¡°I understand.¡± Anthony felt no suspicion on her at all. After he closed the door, we walked into the living room and sat down on the sofa. He ced his arms on hisp, with his fingers entwined and his body slightly forward, He was in a thinking posture as he wore a serious expression. Charmine had never seen him like that. She knew he was thinking and finding his words, so she was not in a hurry. She leaned against the window while she waited patiently. After a while, Anthony asked, ¡°Charmine, do you trust me?¡± His deep voice came with an unnoticeable trace of uneasiness. Charmine frowned¡ªthat was not what she expected from him first. She looked at him and asked, ¡°Does it make any difference? If I trust you or not.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Anthony looked up and gazed at her. ¡°Things are as you heard: I was drugged five years ago, my consciousness was blurred, and I harmed Annabel. ¡°Annabel went to the same university as I did, and I owed her one, but it¡¯s just that ¡ª returning the favor, no feelings attached. Give me some time, and I¡¯ll fix this.¡± Hisst sentence was said in a sincere and reassuring tone. Charmine had mixed feelings. Although Anthony¡¯s tone was sincere, she had to take other things into consideration. Annabel had to endure so much pain because of Anthony, thus Anthony must make up with her and take responsibility for her. There would be more interactions down the line by then. Would they develop feelings for each other as they keep meeting? Furthermore, they both went to the same university and had known each other for 10 years. Chapter 492 Chapter 492 Charmine, on the other hand, had only known Anthony for about three months¡­ 3 Anthony noted how Charmine remained quiet, and his usually cold and calm eyes became rather uneasy. He said with his hoarse and low voice, ¡°Don¡¯t think too much, Charmine. I¡¯ll fix this.¡± ¡°For how long?¡± Charmine asked, out of the blue. Anthony frowned. How long would he need? Such a question.. ¡°I don¡¯t know exactly, but I¡¯ll hurry.¡± As Annabel was drugged, he would not alert McKenzie so long as he did not have the antidote. Knowing McKenzie, Anthony knew that Annabel would have to endure more unnecessary pain if he confronted McKenzie. Anthony would remain uncertain of the future until Nial and medical professors could give him an antidote for Annabel. He would not lie about things he was uncertain of, and he would never lie to Charmine. Charmine felt as though a cat¡¯s w tore at her heart; she could see that Anthony was extremely careful this time. The usually decisive Anthony had be extremely cautious because of Annabel. 1 He must be worried about harming Annabel, worried that Annabel could not get an antidote¡­ 1 Truthfully, this was no big of a deal. If this woman was not Annabel, had it been any other woman instead, Anthony would have gone up to McKenzie right away to fix it. However, since Annabel was an important person to him, he cared about the consequences. It was because of that, Anthony was unable to give her an exact time¡­ At that moment¡­ Ding! Ding! The doorbell rang again. Anthony and Charmine¡¯s eyes fixed on the door, wondering if Annabel had returned. None of them moved. The doorbell continued to ring. From outside the door, they could hear a faint conversation: ¡°Maybe Charmine isn¡¯t home? Shall we wait for a while?¡± That was Joey¡¯s voice. Hearing that, Charmine somehow let out a sigh of relief. She said to Anthony, ¡°Get inside.¡± After what just happened, this was not the time to officiate their rtionship. Her future with Anthony had be erratic. After a moment of silence, Anthony eventually stood up and walked inside. He had no other thoughts in mind. It was not that he did not want to officiate their rtionship-he just respected Charmine¡¯s decision. Even without him in the living room, the air remained rather tense. After taking a deep breath, Charmine walked over and opened the door to see Joey and Adam standing outside. 1 The two of them no longer looked like wealthy people. They still had the same clothes they wore to the hospital yesterday, and they could not even change out of them. The essories on Joey¡¯s hair were all gone, and she looked in and shabby. 1 Joey had a delicate matcha cake in her hands. When she saw Charmine, she greeted with an awkward and polite tone, ¡°Charmine¡­¡± N?velDrama.Org owns this. Charmine calmly leaned against the door. ¡°Anything?¡± One word, cold and simple, as if speaking a word cost a gold bar. 1 Joey and Adam could feel how distant she had grown, and they felt extremely guilty for that. 1 Charmine was their actual daughter, and yet under Tiffany¡¯s schemes, they screwed up their rtionship with their actual flesh and blood¡­ If it was not for Tiffany, Charmine would have been their favorite for the past 23 years. She would have been the glorious heiress of the Jordan family instead of bing the ¡±adopted daughter¡¯ who was being looked down on for all those years¡­ With mixed feelings, Joey handed the matcha cake to her. ¡°Charmine, I remember that matcha cake is your favorite. Your father and I bought this for you.¡± Charmine nced at the matcha cake, and her eyes turned colder than it already was. Chapter 493 Chapter 493 Matcha cake. Again. When they were younger, Tiffany did not like matcha cake and would always give it to Charmine. As the adopted daughter, she had no courage to turn it down, and so she forced herself to eat it every time. After a while, everyone assumed she liked matcha cakes. Nobody truly knew what she liked. It was hrious thinking back at it. ¡°I never liked matcha cake,¡± came Charmine¡¯s simple reply. Joey¡¯s hands halted mid-air. She did not know whether to take it back or hand the matcha cake to her. She had always thought that Charmine liked matcha cake, but she never did? So they never knew what Charmine actually liked? After a while, Joey took back the cake and said, ¡°It¡¯s okay, we¡¯ll buy you something you like next time. We¡¯ll spend more time understanding you better¡­¡± ¡°No need,¡± Charmine monotonously turned them down. ¡°Charmine, we know you still hate us,¡± blurted Adam. ¡°It turns out we¡¯re the ones who were in the wrong, mistreating you. Now that we learned the truth and know that you¡¯re our actual daughter, we¡¯ll make up for it. We won¡¯t hurt you like how we used to¡­¡± 1 Joey¡¯s eyes reddened at that, gazing at Charmine with eyes filled with sincere emotions.¡± Charmine, I¡¯m sorry¡­ I¡¯m so sorry. We¡¯ve treated you like you were adopted since you were just a young child, mistreated you in many instances, never listening to what you said, and we never thought of truly understanding you. ¡°Recently, it got worse; we¡¯ve done too many things that we shouldn¡¯t have done to you. We¡¯ve wronged you over and over again¡­ ¡°I dare not ask for your forgiveness, and I don¡¯t think we deserve your forgiveness. The reason we came today is to ask if there¡¯s anything we can do to make you feel better. Yell at us, beat us-we¡¯ll do anything to make you feel better!¡± The eyes of both Adam and Joey reflected remorse and guilt. Charmine looked at their worn-out faces and felt as though everything was meaningless. She had anticipated their remorseful and pained expressions when she plotted to expose Tiffany, but seeing it happen made her feel as though it was nothing special. Was it meaningful for them to tell her how sorry they were? Would that make up for all the wrongs they did to her when she was just a child? No. Absolutely not! Some experiences would stick with her forever and affect her for life. She never, during the entire time she grew up till at this moment, felt as if she had a family. Still¡­ Should she hate them? Should she? Tiffany yed them all like fiddles. In a way, they were her victims as well. So¡­ Forgive them? Could she forgive them? After what happened five years ago, the weak and powerless her back then wanted to exin, and she even tried to. She said she was a victim, but Joey pped her before she could even finish her sentence. Joey did not believe her, just like everyone else in the Jordan family. They said that Charmine brought shame to the family; they did not listen to any of Charmine¡¯s exnations. Cold-heartedly, they sent the half-unconscious Charmine back then to Africa and let nature take care of her death. If it was not for the many lucky coincidences she encountered, she would have died a long time ago. Throughout the five years, they never called her as if they had never adopted her. Charmine did nothing wrong even as she returned to Burlington, yet whenever something went wrong, they med it on her and despised her. It was only yesterday when they disowned her and force-withdrew all of her family shares. N?velDrama.Org ? content. They even attacked her vi! Charmine¡¯s eyes dulled as she recalled everything. ¡°Go back-don¡¯t bother apologizing. I don¡¯t need your apology, and I won¡¯t do anything to you either.¡± Chapter 494 Chapter 494 ¡°That makes us feel worse, Charmine¡­¡± Joey grabbed Charmine¡¯s wrist. Charmine looked at her hand sternly. Feeling her cold gaze, Joey instantly loosened her hold on Charmine and retreated her hand. Her eyes reddened as she lowered her head and hoarsely begged, ¡°I know it¡¯s impossible to make you forgive us in a short time. We¡¯ll make up to you slowly, and we¡¯ll visit you whenever we have time. ¡°However, we wish to ask a favor from you: please do it for your Grandpa. He really misses you and wants to see you. He hopes that we can have a meal as a family¡­¡± Joey paused as if she was afraid that Charmine would turn her down. She looked up at Charmine. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Charmine. Although we no longer have any money, I¡¯ve pawned all of my essories. We won¡¯t ask you to eat with us in the hospital, and we won¡¯t make you eat poorly. I can pay for whatever you want to eat. ¡°Pleasee back for one meal, will you?¡± Joey looked at Charmine with a heartfelt gaze, feeling uncertain. Looking at Charmine¡¯s reactions and her attitude toward them, it was likely for her to turn them down. Still, Joey would try her chances, even if there was only a hint of hope left. She was ready to hear Charmine¡¯s rejection when all of a sudden¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll go back with you all. Also, I¡¯ll save the Jordan family and try my best to save Robert¡¯s life,¡± proimed Charmine out of the blue. Joey and Adam stared at her, wide-eyed. Did they hear her wrongly? Charmine was willing to go back with them? It surprised them, also, how Charmine brought up about saving the Jordans and even helping Robert when both Adam and Joey did not mention a word about it. ¡°This isn¡¯t because I¡¯ve forgiven you two,¡± Charmine reiterated, ¡°but it¡¯s merely for Grandpa and the Jordan family.¡± When the Jordan family was at its worst time, even when everyone looked down on Charmine, Senior Jordan still insisted on giving her 15 percent of the family shares, treating her like his other grandchildren. Due to that, Charmine would not leave Senior Jordan to face this all by himself. Joey nodded hastily. ¡°I know, I know. This is enough for us. It truly is! We¡¯re really pleased that you¡¯re willing to save the Jordan family now. Don¡¯t worry-we won¡¯t let you do this for nothing. Before we came, your Grandpa had already said that if you¡¯re really willing to save the Jordan family, the entire family will belong to you. Your great-grandfather also said that he¡¯d give you half of the Hahn family¡¯s assets!¡± Charmine frowned. She expected Senior Jordan to do this but did not expect the Hahn family to give her their assets as well. She did not know much about the Hahn family. Since she was only an ¡®adopted daughter, Joey never brought Charmine along with her when she went home. Charmine¡¯s only impression of the Hahn family was through others¡¯ praises of Tiffany: ¡°I¡¯m so envious! Tiffany is so lucky. She¡¯s not only the heiress of the Jordan family, but her mother came from a renowned family as well!¡± ¡°I know, right? The No. 1 Ceramic family in the country! They were listed as a national heritage!¡± ¡°I heard that the ceramics made by the Hahn family could only be purchased by the royal families. Ordinary people like us won¡¯t even be able to see it.¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. ¡°Argh! I want toe from such a family as well! i¡¯d smile in my dream!¡± Recalling these, Charmine was even more perplexed. A strong and powerful family like this was willing to give her half of their assets? After a moment of hesitation, Charmine asserted, ¡°I¡¯ll take all of the Jordan shares, but I won¡¯t ept the Hahn family¡¯s assets.¡± Joey frowned. It was such a generous offer, and yet she turned it down? Chapter 495 Chapter 495 Although the Hahn family¡¯s shares were low, they had an astounding reputation all over the world. Furthermore, a simple vase ceramic of the Hahn family could be easily sold at a million bucks! T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Everyone else dreamt of having links to the Hahn family, yet Charmine turned down such an offer? ¡°I¡¯m saving the Jordan family because of Grandpa,¡± replied Charmine calmly. ¡°I don¡¯t need any reward, and I don¡¯t need any form of repayment from you guys. Head home now-I need to pack up.¡± With that, she walked into the vi and closed the door behind her. Although they truly were her parents, she did not forgive them and thus would not let them in. This was to make sure they spotted not a single trace of Anthony living with her. Joey and Adam, standing outside the door, did not mind it as they were already very pleased that Charmine was willing to go back with them and save the Jordan family. As for everything else, they could slowly make it up to her. They were willing to use the rest of their lives to atone for their mistakes. Back inside the vi¡­ It was only after making sure both Adam Joey had left did Charmine go into the living room. In the lounge, Anthony was reclining on the sofa. He was not doing anything; he was waiting patiently. It was apparent that he was waiting for her. When Anthony saw hering in, he began, ¡°Charmine.¡± ¡°I¡¯m nning to stay in the Jordan mansion for a while,¡± Charmine cut him short. Anthony¡¯s brows furrowed. Stay in the Jordan mansion? Did that mean she did not want to live with him anymore? He stood up instantly. ¡°What is it, Charmine? Please tell me what you feel¡ªI don¡¯t like to leave things unsaid.¡± Once they lived apart, they would interact lesser and lesser. Charmine gazed at him sternly. ¡°It¡¯s not leaving things unsaid. I just feel that we should calm down and give each other some space to think things through.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have anything else to think through. I¡¯ve made it clear, and I have nothing to do with Annabel. I only need to find the antidote for the drug she took¡­¡± assured Anthony. Charmine, still, argued, ¡°But I need to think things through, Anthony. Give me some time.¡± Her voice was filled with fatigue. Although Anthony appeared to be determined, she still needed some time to process everything that had transpired. Anthony and Annabel¡¯s rtionship seemed stable, and if it was not for the Baileys getting in the way, they would have gotten together. Furthermore, they both had a son¡­1 Annabel was Chris¡¯ actual mother. She, Anthony, and Chris were meant to be aplete family. Without Charmine, Anthony and Chris would have been happily reunited with Annabel. Charmine, at that moment, was a home-wrecker. She needed some time to assess if she truly was the third-wheeler, to find out how much Annabel meant to Anthony. She looked at Anthony and solemnly stated, ¡°If you¡¯re sure about your choice, I also hope that time could prove it. If it¡¯s real love between us, we won¡¯t separate just because we lived apart for a few days. In the next few days, I hope we can calm down and think things through. I¡¯ll be busy with the family problems, and I hope you could fix things with Annabel.¡± With that, she marched upstairs. Anthony gazed at Charmine¡¯s form with a heavy and perplexed look. He was transfixed on the same spot for a long while. In the end, he did not run after her. On the second floor of the vi¡­ Chris was ying with his toys inside a room. Chapter 496 Chapter 496 It was a small robot, and Chris somehow managed to fit a Barbie dress onto the toy. Frowning, he wondered if his baby sister would like a toy like this. 2 Ugh! It was ugly. He would buy her a new toy! Just as he was about to toss the toy into the bin, Charmine came toward him. She carried Chris in her arms and pinched his cheeks gently. ¡°Is Momo having fun?¡± ¡°Yeah! I was going to give all of my toys to my baby sister, but I realized all of them are too ugly.¡± They were either Transformers, supercars, or cool robots. Charmine realized what Chris meant when she spotted the Barbie dress on the robot. If it was not for what happened, she would genuinely consider making him a baby with Anthony¡­ She collected herself and began, ¡°Momo, you have to promise Mommy not to be upset and not to overthink what I¡¯m about to tell you, okay?¡± The smile on Chris¡¯ face fell. He looked at her with his watery eyes with fear and terror. That ced Charmine in a difficult situation; she had gotten used to having Chris around after spending time with him throughout the days. Also, even though Chris was not her actual son, she felt he was somehow rted to her. She had a sense that she did not want any harm on him, and she would never want him to shed a tear. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Just thinking of parting with him made her feel as though she was stabbed in the heart. However, she had no other options. She needed the time to calm down. She hoped to think things through and also hoped to see Anthony taking action. Only time could show how much Annabel meant to Anthony, that whether Anthony still had feelings for her or not. If the three of them did not reunite as one true family, Charmine would go back to him. Charmine ced Chris on the bed and gently spoke, ¡°As Momo knows, Mommy¡¯s family has some issues. The Jordan family has gone bankrupt, and my brother is in the hospital. Mommy needs to go home, save the Jordan family, and beat up all the small monsters. Once Mommy is done with the problems, I¡¯lle back to be with Momo¡­¡± ¡°Waa¡­no¡­ No¡­! Momo doesn¡¯t want to part with Mommy. Please, Mommy, don¡¯t leave Momo alone¡­¡± Chris sobbed instantly. His two tiny hands wound around Charmine¡¯s neck tightly as his chubby body glued against hers, terrified that he would have to part with her. By instinct, he knew that things were moreplicated than they seemed¡­ 2 It did not take long before his tears drenched Charmine¡¯s shoulder. Listening to him-wailing, Charmine felt as if her heart was shattered into pieces. 1 She held Chris tightly. ¡°Momo, be good¨CMommy¡¯s not leaving you. Mommy is just going home to fix some things.¡± ¡°No. Momo¡¯s no three-year-old anymore. Momo is not so easily lied to! Momo knows that Mommy is angry at Daddy and that Mommy wants to separate from Daddy. Momo is going to beat Daddy up! Daddy is a bad Daddy¡­ Daddy hurt Mommy! How could Daddy have things to do with other women? Momo hates him! I don¡¯t like Daddy anymore!¡± 1 Chris wailed as he let go of Charmine and ran outside. He seemed as if he was ready to fight with Anthony Charmine did not expect him to be so clever. If he believed in this, it would be even harder for her to leave them. Hastily, she scooped Chris up from the floor and held him in her arms.¡± Momo, you got it all wrong. Mommy is merely going home to fix things. I can swear to God that once I¡¯ve fixed the things, I¡¯ll come back to you.¡± By the time she dealt with the state of the Jordans and Robert, she hoped that Anthony would have patched things up with Annabel. However, Chris continued sobbing and wailing, ¡°Waa¡­ I don¡¯t believe you, I don¡¯t believe you! Mommy is leaving Momo! Mommy doesn¡¯t like Daddy and Momo anymore! Mommy¡¯s noting back¡­ Waa¡­!¡± 1. Chris wailed sadly. Well-paced footsteps were heard at that moment as Anthony walked inside: Chapter 497 Chapter 497 Anthony walked to Charmine¡¯s side. Just like before, he sat down lovingly beside her and said to Chris who was in her arms, ¡°Momo, Daddy and Mommy are good. Mommy won¡¯t let you down.¡± ¡°Wa¡­ I don¡¯t believe it. Mommy is leaving; she¡¯s leaving a bad douche like you! Even Momo doesn¡¯t like you anymore! Why did Mommy like you?¡± Chris red at Anthony with reddened eyes, sounding as though disgusted with him. Anthony was, momentarily, at a loss for words. ¡°Do you really think Mommy doesn¡¯t like me?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Chris nodded vehemently, without hesitation. Right after he said so, Anthony suddenly wound his arm over Charmine¡¯s head and gently pushed her closer to him. Swiftly after, his lips were sealed on Charmine¡¯s. Anthony kissed Charmine right in front of Chris. Instantly, Chris stopped wailing while Charmine waspletely stunned. Charmine was tense from the moment Anthony sat down beside her. It did not feel peaceful like it usually would, and she never expected that little stunt of his, kissing her out of the blue! Charmine instinctively wanted to push him away, but just as she raised her hand, she thought of Chris who was beside them. If Chris really thought that she no longer liked Anthony and that she was leaving them, it was likely that he would keep wailing and would not let her leave. With that, she had no choice but to let Anthony kiss her. It was as though Anthony was making a statement as he kissed her forcefully and dominantly. Anthony then turned to Chris. ¡°Do you believe me now?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I believe¡­ Fifty percent of it¡­¡± 1 After all, if Mommy truly hated Daddy, why would they kiss for so long? Still¡­ ¡°You were the one kissing Mommy first, and that could only prove that you like Mommy. Mommy didn¡¯t even kiss you back¡­¡± Chris pointed out innocently. 1 Charmine and Anthony were both speechless. Why was the kid so hard to please? It was tough luck to be parents of such a sagacious child¡­ Anthony turned to look at Charmine silently, waiting. Charmine flushed red. She was still breathless from his kiss earlier, yet she had to kiss him again? If she did not do so, however, how else could she calm Chris down? After a moment of hesitation, Charmine had no choice but to go forward and kissed Anthony by the lips. It was just a quick peck, but the moment their lips touched, their bodies jolted as their hearts raced. 1. Charmine blushed and instantly straightened up to pull away from him. Chris¡¯s innocent voice rang in the air again, ¡°Waa¡­ Mommy didn¡¯t mean it! That¡¯s obviously fake; I can easily tell that Mommy doesn¡¯t like Daddy! Waa¡­ I don¡¯t want Mommy to leave, I don¡¯t want to separate from Mommy!¡± He cried as he held tightly onto Charmine¡¯s arm as if terrified she would leave him. Chris held onto her as if he would never let go of her. Charmine was perplexed at the boy. Things would not end pleasantly if the situation persisted. With that, she hooked her arm around Anthony¡¯s neck and pulled him closer to her. She lowered her head to kiss him on his lips. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Momo, do you believe now?¡± Charmine would copse if Chris still refused to believe¡­ ¡°Haha! I believe you now! But if Daddy and Mommy love one another so, why do you need to separate? Why would you? Won¡¯t you miss each other? If so, even if Mommy is going home, why don¡¯t you bring us along with you?¡± Chris asked with his innocent voice as he looked up at Charmine. Chapter 498 Chapter 498 Charmine was bbergasted. Oh, dear. It seemed that Charmine would end up staying with Chris after all! Suddenly, Anthony¡¯s deep voice resonated in the room, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Momo. Mommy has agreed to meet us once a day, or we could meet her at the Jordan mansion.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Chris¡¯ eyes twinkled like the stars in the sky. Charmine frowned. Did she say so? She did not remember making such a promise. However, under Chris¡¯ gaze, taking into ount how upset he was and how much he wailed, she had no choice but to nod. ¡°Yes.¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°Yes! That¡¯s amazing! I get to see Mommy every day! I want to see Mommy every day!¡± Chris danced a happy dance on the spot. Charmine could not even fight back the grin on her face as she gazed at the innocent Chris. Children were so easily pleased and satisfied. How great would it be if she could be with him and watch him grow? Mncholy fleeted in her eyes. 1 Would that happen? Would she be able to stay by his side forever? It would be difficult¡­ At the thought of Annabel, she felt that everything was endlessly long. Endlessly uncertain¡­ ¡°Go and help Mommy pack,¡± Anthony instructed Chris. ¡°Okay!¡± Chris ran over to take a suitcase and helped Charmine pack her clothes, skincare, some books, and checkers manuals that she read. His tiny figure ran around with purpose, and it was an endearing sight. Anthony sat beside Charmine and spoke in a hushed voice, ¡°Charmine, I can let you go home, but this doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m letting you go. Please remember what you promised Momo-we¡¯ll meet once a day.¡± 1 Charmine was speechless at that. She was framed! She thought they could both cool off and think things through. The best would be for the two of them to stop meeting for a short amount of time, yet now she had to meet them once a day? Charmine could not turn that down, however, at the thought of a giddy Chris. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll keep my words. I¡¯ll let you know the time and ce to meet, so wait for my instructions.¡± What she meant was that she did not want the two of them to look for her. Since there were so many uncertainties in their rtionship, she did not want others to know about them. Anthony saw through her thoughts, and his eyes darkened. After some time, Charmine pulled on the suitcase and walked to the garage without looking back. She could feel two pairs of eyes staring at her, but she dared not to look back. She knew that once she looked back, she would miss them. Still, when she got on the motorbike, the rear mirror reflected the image of the two; an adult man and a small boy. Anthony had one hand in his pocket, exuding an air of elegance and perfection, but the air around him was somehow heavier and stiffer than usual. Chris looked at her with his watery eyes, almost as though his cheeks would leak at any given time. Charmine felt like arge hand was strangling her heart, and she felt suffocated. She wanted to run back to them and forget about everything else, but her rationality held her back. No, she could not go back to them! She had to let time show Anthony¡¯s attitude toward Annabel. After what Julian did to her, she only wanted a pure and simple rtionship with no furtherplications. Furthermore, she would still see them once a day, so it was not considered as a proper separation. Before she could fix things in the Jordan family, Anthony would mend things with Annabel should he truly love her¡­ Charmine could only hope so¡­ Chapter 499 Chapter 499 Chris watched as the motorbike went out of sight before he turned to Anthony, pouting angrily. ¡°It would¡¯ve been all over for you if it wasn¡¯t for me, Daddy. You must settle everything with that Auntie, or I¡¯m not calling you Daddy anymore!¡± 1 ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Anthony ruffled his hair with determination in his eyes. He knew clearly what he wanted; all he felt for Annabel was guilt. Coincidently, Luke came back with a stack of documents. ¡°Mr. Bailey, after some investigation, it¡¯s verified that everything Ms. Annabel said was true. She currently resides with his parents in Southern Vige under difficult conditions.¡± As Annabel bore a child out of wedlock back then, vigers ridiculed and insulted, calling her names as they looked down on her. Nobody was willing to marry her to this day, and no one offered her or her family any sort of help. Annabel used the sry from her job at the Ocean Pce to support her parents, living under extreme conditions. Luke continued, ¡°I¡¯ve taken her blood sample, and in no time, we¡¯ll find out the drug¡¯spositions. We¡¯ve also got her hair. Should I send it in for a DNA test?¡± 1 Anthony went through the documents and nodded. Even though there was evidence, a DNA test was necessary. He instructed, ¡°Let Nial do this in person.¡± This was an important matter, and no mistake was permitted. ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± Luke nodded and was about to leave. As if thinking of something, Anthony added, ¡°Her life and work need improvements.¡± The document stated that Annabel was living in an old and worn-out tile house, and it could copse anytime. Luke understood Anthony¡¯s instruction and went ahead to make necessary arrangements. Chris pouted angrily. ¡°I don¡¯t like how Daddy is treating this Auntie so well!¡± 1 ¡°Momo, I¡¯m not treating her well, I¡¯m just repaying my debts. I¡¯ll only be able to fix things after clearing the debts.¡± His voice was thick and hoarse. Chris made a sound of acknowledgment and went on to mumble, ¡°But I still don¡¯t like it¡­¡± Anthony frowned-children always had a sensitive instinct. If Annabel truly was his mother, why did he not feel anything for her? Was it because he had spent too much time with Charmine? 5 He did not dwell on this thought for too long. Kay, who was observing in the dark, was just as puzzled. The investigations done by. Charmine¡¯s Uncles had shown that someone was framing Anthony secretly. How did it lead up to a weak and harmless woman? Also, if Annabel was the woman from that night, why did the data and video footage disappear without a trace that even their most-skilled technicians were unable to fix it? How could a weak and harmless woman be so powerful? This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. He phoned Mr. Pop to tell him about this, but he was instead greeted with Mr. Pop cheerful reply, ¡°What you¡¯re saying is that Anthony¡¯s first love came back to him?¡± 1 ¡°Yes, what I¡¯m saying is that something is off¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s off? Even if something¡¯s off, it doesn¡¯t matter. Anthony¡¯s notpatible with Charmine anyway! Since his first girlfriend is back, things will work out better, and now Willian stands a chance! Kay, I¡¯m warning you: Don¡¯t tell Charmine things you shouldn¡¯t be telling. Just do your job,¡± Mr. Pop warned Kay with a serious tone. Kay still felt there were some important clues, but he could not recall them somehow. On a second thought, Anthony was a businessman with many enemies andplex family while William was a researcher that came from a schrly family with no bad rep. Kay replied, ¡°Understood, not to worry. I also feel that Boss Jordan needs a gentle and uplicated man.¡± Meanwhile, Charmine rode away from Violet Vi on her motorbike as she simultaneously called Kay, ¡°Prepare fifty billion. Also, any news from the doctors you contacted?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Boss Jordan. They¡¯ve already replied. They¡¯ll go to visit Robert today,¡± informed Kay. Charmine felt reassured and continued riding. After riding for a long distance, she saw two familiar figures waiting for a bus at the bus station. Chapter 500 Chapter 500 They were Joey and Adam. They no longer had any cars after the Jordans went bankrupt, thus they could only rely on public transports. They took the bus to visit Charmine. This bus station was half an hour¡¯s walk away from Violet Vi. Joey and Adam felt embarrassed and awkward when they saw Charmine. They had never lived like this before; they had never been so poor their entire life. 2 They never expected Charmine would see them at their worst¡­ Charmine¡¯s hands on the handlebars halted, though after a moment of hesitation, she raced away without sparing them a nce as though they were strangers. Were they pitiable? No, not at all. In Charmine¡¯s first year of middle school, Adam pped her and made her take public transport for a whole month just because she identally dropped an ice-cream on Tiffany in the car. They attended the most prestigious private school in Burlington where all of the students were of the wealthiest families. Every student went to school in all kinds of luxury cars, and some even showed up in limited edition cars. Tiffany went to school in a customized car white car while Charmine, throughout that month, had to take public transport every day. By the time she arrived, her shoes would have been stood on by others, her hair messed up with weird scents all over her. 1 Every student gave her dirty looks as they sneered at her. ¡°Huh? The Jordans have such an adopted daughter? How embarrassing!¡± ¡°One Tiffany is enough for the Jordans. Why would they pick up this girl from the bin?¡± ¡°If I was a part of the Jordan family, I would¡¯ve thrown her out! Disgusting!¡± Thinking of that, Charmine¡¯s eyes turned dull. They should experience the pain they made her endure. At Royal Hospital. Senior Jordan, Felix, Lily, and Amelia were sitting in the ward. They were watching over Robert, but every one of them was waiting for Charmine. 1 Senior Jordan was uneasy and wondered if Charmine would agree toe back for a meal with them. The other three, on the other hand, waited to know if Charmine would save the family so they would not have to live here anymore, that they no longer had to live so vulgarly. 1 Although the hospital ward was more than 70-square wide with a sofa and a private bathroom, living all together in such a confined space was uneptable for the usually pampered Jordans. 1 It was then they heard footsteps closing in at the door, thus they turned, thinking it was Charmine. Little did they expect to see Julian by the door. Julian was dressed in a suit, looking ssy and handsome. When Senior Jordan saw him, his eyelids twitched. ¡°Get out!¡± Although there were still many things they did not know of, Senior Jordan despised him at how he yed with both of his granddaughters¡¯ feelings. Julian merely replied calmly, ¡°Senior Jordan, I¡¯m here trying to help Robert.¡± With that, a young-looking doctor walked up behind him. The doctor was dressed in a green long-sleeved shirt, exuding an air of crisp elegance. When they saw him, their eyes widened. N?velDrama.Org ? content. That was Hubert Warren, the young yet well-renowned physician in Burlington! Even though Hubert was only 30 years old, his fame was well-known. There was once an athlete who was disabled and ended up using a wheelchair for 10 years. Every specialist was, clueless, yet Hubert was able to save him through acupuncture. The athlete got back on his feet, and that went viral. Apparently, Hubert was the only apprentice of Doctor Weir, the best physician in Burlington. The Weir family¡¯s ancestor was the in-house physician for the Royal Pce, having established and maintained their exceptional fame and reputation for a few hundred years. The Weir family earned worldwide recognition through their exceptional skills and reputation. Hubert, being a student of Dr. Weir, was seldom seen in public. After what happened to Robert, Senior Jordan did try to reach out to Hubert with no luck. Who would have thought that Julian could invite him instead? Chapter 501 Chapter 501 Senior Jordan was overjoyed; Robert might be cured after all if Hubert could treat him. However¡­ He scrutinized Julian. ¡°What do you want?¡± Knowing Julian, he would not help them for no reason. He probably had something in mind. As expected, Julian looked at Senior Jordan and replied, ¡°Senior Jordan is indeed smart. Since you asked, I¡¯lly it out for you. I can ask Dr. Hubert to cure Robert, and I¡¯ll pay for all of Robert¡¯s medical expenses until he wakes up. Furthermore, I can provide you all a mansion close to Royal Hospital and hire maids for you so you could live like how you used to.¡± 19 Amelia, Lily, and Felix¡¯s eyes lit up when they heard Julian¡¯s offer. Was Julian seriously that kind? If Julian was willing to help, they would no longer have to live in such a vulgar condition! Only Senior Jordan remained calm as he asked, ¡°Tell me your conditions.¡± He did not believe in free lunches. ¡°Senior Jordan, it¡¯s not a big deal. I want you to lend me the Jordan Group¡¯s special team for fifty years,¡± remarked Julian. 1 The Jordan Group had a specialized team consisting of managing CEOs, designers, investigators, negotiators, and architects. The team consisted of the important roles that were taken by members of the Jordan family-Serena Jordan, for example, was in charge of investigations for the Jordan Group. Before they designed the buildings or areas, they would conduct an investigation in the field such as its location or the direction of the building,piling the most professional data. 1 The designers then used the data to design ordingly. Due to this proficient team, the Jordan Group was able to run most of the developing projects in the country. With a good reputation for providing the best designs and materials, they became the most well-loved developerpany in Burlington. If Julian could get his hands on their special team, his investments would have added values as well, making hispany the best in the industry. Senior Jordan¡¯s eyelids twitched. ¡°You truly are calctive, Julian.¡± It seemed as if he was helping them, but Robert¡¯s medical cost, along with Hubert¡¯s fees, would be less than a hundred million. Also, providing them a mansion with maids would cost him a few millions only. However deep in the mud the Jordan Group was in, the Jordans¡¯ special team was worth far more than one hundred million. ¡°Robert¡¯s life is priceless,¡± reminded Julian nonchntly.¡±Other than Dr. Hubert, perhaps nobody else would be able to save Robert. Dr. Hubert is priceless.¡± He spoke assertively. Hubert who was behind him stood up straight, exuding an air of arrogance. Indeed, he was the only person who would be able to save Robert. He believed Senior Jordan would cave in eventually. However. Senior Jordan looked at Hubert. ¡°Dr. Hubert is indeed a well-respected figure, and I¡¯m grateful that you came to visit my grandson. Other than asking me to hand out my special team, I¡¯ll agree to any other offers. No matter how much you ask for, I¡¯ll do my best to gather the sum.¡± It was apparent that Senior Jordan was unwilling to hand out his special team. Julian frowned mockingly as he condescendinglymented, ¡°I¡¯m not trying to mock you, but even if you tried your best, I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t be able to gather the sum of Dr. Hubert¡¯s fees. His visiting fee is three million. Do you have that amount now?¡± 1 Three million¡­?N?velDrama.Org ? content. Chapter 502 Chapter 502 Senior Jordan¡¯s eyelids twitched. Forget three million; they did not even have three hundred thousand with them. Everything they owned was confiscated while items that they pawned were used to pay their staff. The best Senior Jordan could do was ask around, begging for money. Julian¡¯s lips curled upward, satisfied with the oue. ¡°What about this: Since the Jordans and Cabells have known each other for a while now, I can give you an extra ten million, in cash! If you use it wisely, this will be enough for your entire Jordan family to live without worry forever. Rest assured, Senior Jordan, that when the Jordan Group¡¯s special team ends up with me, I won¡¯t neglect them. It¡¯s better than doing nothing like now,¡± spoke Julian rather haughtily as though he was doing them a favor. 1 Senior Jordan¡¯s temples pulsated. Before the Jordan Group fell into bankruptcy, manypanies tried to buy their special team and the asking price was up to five hundred million, yet Julian was speaking to them in such a tone? He was insulting them! He was taking advantage of them! Hubert chimed in as he spoke, ¡°What a bunch of fools! Now that you could get my help, you¡¯re here trying to weasel your way to profit the most gain? You should be grateful!¡± Senior Jordan¡¯s face turned green. All his life, nobody had ever spoken to him so rudely! He was not trying to weasel his way to profit the most, he merely did not want to let go of the Jordan Group¡¯s special team. Furthermore, they were the ones insulting the Jordans, yet they called him ungrateful? Of course, there were a bunch of fools in the family. Felix¡¯s eyes twinkled when they heard the 10 million-offer. They would have shrugged such an amount back then before their downfall, but ever since they have lived in such a meager condition for the past two days, they appreciated any amount. With 10 million bucks in cash, they no longer had to live in the hospital! How delightful! Instantly, Lily turned to look at Senior Jordan. ¡°Dad, just agree with them already. Even if you don¡¯t think for yourself, you should think for Robert!¡± ¡°Exactly. Do you want to watch Robert be in this vegetative state forever and never wake up?¡± Felix added on. ¡°With ten million bucks, Grandpa, you no longer have to sleep on the sickbed and will provide Robert with better care,¡± spoke Amelia with a grant tone. ¡°Why are you so rigid?¡± All Senior Jordan could feel was a mouthful of blood ready to spill from his mouth. What a useless bunch of fools¡­ How useless! He wanted to help Robert, but this was not the way! The Jordan Group¡¯s special team was their specialty for many generations, and the team was the pride of the Jordan family! Once the team was gone, what was the point of Robert waking up? The Jordans would no longer get back on their feet. Was it worth it to live on, lose one¡¯s pride, and watch as the Jordan Group special team working for another family? Absolutely not! Senior Jordan pushed Lily away and snapped, ¡°All of you, shut your mouths! What a bunch of useless and greedy trash! And you two, Julian and Dr. Hubert, I thank you for your kind offer, but I¡¯ll never give in my special team. Please leave. Don¡¯t try to take advantage of us!¡± This was the way it should be-the pride of the Jordans! Julian¡¯s eyes darkened. So, Senior Jordan turned out to be that rigid, huh? They hade to this stage, yet he still would not give in? N?velDrama.Org ? content. Julian smirked coldly. ¡°Are you sure, Senior Jordan? Dr. Hubert is the only person who could help your grandson. Do you want your grandson to be in the vegetative state forever?¡± ¡°Mr. Cabell, stop wasting time with him. If he¡¯s unwilling to, let¡¯s go. I won¡¯t help a client with such an attitude!¡± With that, Hubert turned to leave. Chapter 503 Chapter 503 Amelia panicked as she saw Hubert and Julian leaving, her eyes glossed over with tears. They would lose 10 million in cash and a mansion once they left! As the Jordans were all burnt down without money on them, no one would give them a million, let alone 10 million! Hastily, Amelia chased Hubert and grabbed his hand. ¡°Dr. Hubert, my Grandpa is old and rigid. We can talk things through nicely.¡± ¡°Huh? What¡¯s there to talk through?¡± Hubert swung her hand away in disgust. ¡°There are at least a thousand patients begging for my help on a daily basis. I came to visit Robert because of Mr. Cabell, and what attitude did you people give me?¡± ¡°Right, it was our fault. We¡¯re sorry to have not treated you better. I hope you understand how Senior Jordan was feeling.¡± Lily went up to add, ¡°The Jordan Group¡¯s special team is very important to Senior Jordan that had existed even before Robert was born, and that¡¯s why he was so¡­so¡­ You know.¡± Hubert, upon hearing their reasoning, scornfully replied, ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is that you thought the offer was too low? Well, the Jordans¡¯ special team is indeed quite useless. However, now that the Jordan Group has gone bankrupt, why keep such a team? The fact that Mr. Cabell is helping you show that he respects you all, yet you¡¯re not even grateful for that? What a bunch of greedy folks!¡± Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°You¡­ You¡­!¡± Senior Jordan trembled in fury. He gripped at his chest as he barked, ¡°Lily, Amelia! All of you,e back here! Let them go! Let them leave!¡± He did not want to negotiate with those two arrogant men. However, Amelia argued, ¡°Grandpa, are you crazy? It¡¯s ten million bucks! How¡¯re we supposed to get ten million bucks now? Also, Robert is my cousin, I don¡¯t want to see him in this state forever. Don¡¯t be so agitated¡ª let¡¯s sit down and talk things through.¡± ¡°Absolutely not!¡± It was not Senior Jordan who said this; it was Hubert! Hubert continued with an arrogant tone, ¡°Usually the patients beg me for help. Nobody had ever asked me to leave. Well, since Senior Jordan kept on asking us to leave, what¡¯s the point of talking things through? If you really want to talk things through, Senior Jordan has to bow a ny-degree bow and apologize. If not, I won¡¯t help!¡± 1 With that, he swung his arms and ced them behind him, his demeanor pridefully arrogant. Julian¡¯s eyelids twitched as he looked at Senior Jordan. ¡°Senior Jordan, please apologize to him, we can talk things through. I did spend quite a lot of effort inviting Dr. Hubert over. If you really offended Dr. Hubert, I won¡¯t be able to help you anymore. Robert will remain in this vegetative state forever.¡± ¡°Yeah, Grandpa, please apologize for Robert, won¡¯t you? We can talk things through!¡± Amelia panicked. Once they failed to talk things through, that 10 million would be gone! 1 Senior Jordan could taste metal in his mouth. Even though Dr. Hubert was the best in the field, he was still just a young man. How could he ask an elder man to bow to him? 1 Most frustrating of all, why were those three useless fools siding with the outsiders?! Seeing that Senior Jordan did not move, he scoffed, ¡°Whatever- no point apologizing. With such an attitude, unless you kneel down on your knees, I won¡¯t help Robert. You have ten seconds.¡± 10 seconds! Once the ten seconds countdown was over, that 10 million-offer would be gone with the mansion! The three of them rushed to Senior Jordan and pulled at his arms. ¡°Senior Jordan, you don¡¯t have to kneel. Just bow and apologize!¡± Felix, who was the most useless of all, was already kneeling. ¡°Please ept my apology, I¡¯m begging you now¡¯on my knees. Please don¡¯t be mad at us; let¡¯s make the deal!¡± It was worth the kneeling, just to live in a mansion with serving maids! Worst of all, Amelia forcefully pulled on Senior Jordan¡¯s arm as if she was trying to push him onto his knees! Chapter 504 Chapter 504 Amelia swung Senior Jordan¡¯s arm as she pleaded, ¡°Grandpa, I beg you, please apologize! Do it for Robert, he¡¯s your only grandson!¡± Senior Jordan was seething, all while he could hear static in his head. Why were these people so useless? How could they force him to bow at a youngster and apologize?! Just as everyone was forcing him to bend forward¡­ Suddenly¡­ ¡°Let go of Grandpa!¡± came a resounding demand. Everyone turned to see Charmine marching in with her ck boots. She had a tightly fitted ck leather top that showed off her alluring curves, exuding her usual arrogance. Everyone in the room stared at her wide-eyed. Charmine was back? Charmine actually came back? ¡°Charmine.¡± Senior Jordan uttered weakly at shakily at the sight of her. Charmine walked toward them and pushed away Lily and Amelia. ¡°Who permitted you to force Grandpa? The Jordan farnily has copsed, yet none of you know any basic manners?¡± She scoffed with a stunning authority, all while she held onto Senior Jordan and stood beside him. She stood upright like a guarding angel. Pushed over, Amelia gave Charmine a dirty look. ¡°We¡¯re trying to help Robert and the family. If you¡¯re not going to help us, you can¡¯t stop others from helping us, right?¡± ¡°Exactly! Or do you want us to watch Robert in this state forever? Dad is old now, and you want him to live in this hospital?¡± questioned Lily. Charmine smiled coldly. ¡°Who said I¡¯m not helping? Who said they¡¯ll live in the hospital forever?¡± What she was saying? Was she¡­offering them help? Lily, Felix, and Amelia¡¯s eyes lit up. Charmine was willing to help? If Charmine decided to help, her current assets would help the Jordan Group stand back on its feet in no time. They would no longer have to live in this hospital, eating from hospital meal boxes! While they were delighted, Julian¡¯s eyelids twitched. If Charmine was willing to help, it would be harder for him to get hold of the special team. He thought that with Charmine¡¯s temper and how the Jordan family was in such a mess, she would not step in. Who would have thought¡­ Julian looked at Hubert beside him as he reminded, ¡°Charmine, I know you have money, that saving the Jordans is as easy as moving a finger, but the most important thing now is Robert. Robert is your only brother, while Dr. Hubert is the only doctor who would save him. Since you¡¯re back, as a courtesy to you, we can negotiate a different deal.¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. ¡°Oh? Negotiate a different deal? Enlighten me,¡± remarked Charmine nonchntly. Her tone was arrogant and posh as if she was a queen speaking to a peasant. 1 Julian had grown used to this attitude of hers. Also, when he learned that Tiffany ran away with the money and drugged Robert, he had no hint of pity left for Tiffany. To him, Charmine was the only woman he wanted to get back with. He gazed at Charmine. ¡°I can ask Dr. Hubert to cure Robert, and you don¡¯t have to give me Jordan¡¯s special team. I¡¯m only asking for 30 percent of your family shares.¡± 1 It seemed as though he was making that 30 percent a very low percentage and that he made this deal as a courtesy to Charmine. If he asked for the special team, however rich Charmine was, she would be unable to help the Jordans get back on their feet without them. Since the special team functioned in a model passed on from the Jordans¡¯ ancestors, each skill and allocating of tasks worked in a secret order with perfect teamwork, helping one another with the best transition. Otherpanies woulde across a situation when the designer med the investigator, and the investigator med the materials and the architects, but that never urred in the Jordan Group. That was the reason why Senior Jordan did not want to give away his special team. 1 30 percent of the Jordans¡¯ shares, inparison to the Jordans¡¯ special team, was a big step Julian was stepping away from. The originally frustrated Senior Jordan became calmer and at peace. However¡­ Chapter 505 Chapter 505 Charmine nced at Julian coldly. ¡°What makes you think I¡¯d work with you? Just because you have a¡­what? Some doctor beside you?¡± Hubert grimaced at the way Charmine addressed him. ¡°What attitude is this? Have you not heard of my well-praised name? With such an attitude, I now know why I was treated illy by that old man beside you!¡± ¡°Well, Hubert, have you heard of a saying that an arrogant man will get beaten up? Do you really think I can¡¯t find another doctor?¡± Charmine scoffed coldly. Hubert¡¯s face turned green. ¡°You¡­! How dare you! Who¡¯s the arrogant one here? Do you know what you¡¯re doing?! Are you saying that you¡¯ll be able to find a better doctor than I am? That you managed to find someone else who could save your brother?¡± 1 ¡°Of course I can, and it turns out that the man I hired is your teacher, Dr. Senior John Weir!¡± Charmine then dismissed them agitatedly, ¡°Just get out of my sight already. I don¡¯t need an arrogant person like you to save my brother.¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± Instantly, Hubert broke into augh as though he just heard the biggest joke ¡°Haha! Are you dreaming, young woman? You, hire Dr. Weir? Do you know Dr. Senior John Weir is my teacher? He made it clear that he won¡¯t see any patient, yet you tried to ask him for help? And you even imed that he has agreed? Hahaha! You¡¯re hrious!¡± 1 Everyone else looked at Charmine nkly. Who was Dr. Weir? How could Charmine invite Dr. Weir to help Robert? Even the Jordans found it impossible to believe. Before Lily and Amelia could speak, Julian said, ¡°Charmine, I know you¡¯re capable, but Dr. Weir isn¡¯t someone you can hire. Please be more realistic and show some respect here. I¡¯ve made an effort to invite Dr. Hubert over, but if you offend him, even I can¡¯t help you anymore. Don¡¯t dream about Dr. Weir showing up to save your brother.¡± 1. Dr. Weir was at least 100 years old, and he preferred to live in peace, far from the outside world. Therefore, he took Hubert as his student 10 years ago, choosing to live under the radar once Hubert learned everything from him. No matter how much one was willing to pay, he never came out since then. ording to rumors, a well-known man went to him and begged on his knees for nine days outside his residence, yet he still did note out. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Hubert once mentioned that even though he was his student, he only had one chance of meeting Dr. Weir every year. Charmine imed that she had invited Dr. Weir over? Hah! How ignorant! Charmine merely gave him an aloof stare. ¡°It¡¯s none of your business either way, so shut up the Jordans don¡¯t need your help. Are you sure you want to stay here so shamelessly? Are you not ashamed?¡± Her tone was mocking and insulting. Hubert¡¯s face turned green. ¡°Oh, we¡¯ll be leaving alright, but not now,¡± he sneered. ¡°I want to see how you¡¯re inviting my teacher over. I want to see how bad you look! If you can invite my teacher over, I¡¯ll kneel!¡± 1 With that, he walked over to the chair by the side and sat on it, his eyes goading and provoking. Hubert¡¯s teacher went into seclusion without even bringing his phone. He had difficulty calling him, and it was only once a year was he allowed to meet him at a designated location for a meal. After the meal, all of Dr. Weir¡¯s family members¡ªas well as Hubert-would be asked to leave. Furthermore, his teacher hated those who think they had a penny or two. So what if Charmine was the Diamond Boss? His teacher would hate her even more. Charmine, trying to invite Hubert¡¯s teacher? Ha! Mission impossible! He wanted to see how ashamed Charmine would be A glint shed across Julian¡¯s eyes at the thought as he looked at Charmine. ¡°Charmine, if he doesn¡¯t come here, you and Senior Jordan will apologize to Dr. Hubert. I¡¯ll help you to ask him for help. As for the Jordan shares, I want fifty percent of it.¡± Charmine would pay dearly for her behavior. Charmine gave them a lopsided smirk. ¡°Oh, you said so yourself. If hees, both of you will kneel.¡± They both kept getting on her nerves, thus Charmine would teach them a lesson for it. ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll kneel if hees. I hope you seed,¡±mented Hubert nonchntly. Chapter 506 Chapter 506 With that, everyone started waiting Time passed, and it was nearly 12 noon. No one came into the ward Charmine helped Senior Jordan to sit down while he asked in a hushed tone, ¡°Charmine, why don¡¯t we¡­ Why don¡¯t we apologize i¡¯ll apologize on your behalf, or your brother, this isn¡¯t too bad.¡± As long as he did not have to give out his special team, he could do it. Charmine, however, reassured him firmly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Grandpa, Dr. Weir wille.¡± Her tone was firm; Kay had never let her clown, Looking at the sparkle in her eyes, Senior Jordan¡¯s troubled heart gradually settled down. Since when had his granddaughter grown into this protective figure that shielded him from harm Meanwhile, Charmine¡¯s phone rang, She picked up and identally pressed on the speaker, thus Kay¡¯s voice rang in the ward: ¡°Boss Jordan. It¡¯s bad. Dr. Weir can¡¯te¡­¡± He could note to the ward! Hearing that, Hubert smirked mockingly at his seat He knew itl ile saw thising! Julian¡¯s lips curled up as well, liis eyes filled with excitement. As Dr, Weir could note, Channine would have to give him their promised 50 percent share! Charmine would save the Jordan family, and half of the Jordan Group would belong to him! Charmine¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Dr. Weir wasing, but he got stuck in the traffic. He said he hated the air in the city and can¡¯t stay any longer. He wants to go home now,¡± exined Kay, Charmine frowned. That was it?Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. If he went home, she would lose! ¡°Give me the address.¡± ¡°Second Avenue,¡± Kay answered. Charmine hung up and took hier keys as she said to Senior Jordan, ¡°I¡¯m going out Wait here, ¡°Alright, be careful,¡± bade Senior Jordan. Before Charmine could leave the ward, however, Hubert blocked her. ¡°Wait up! You can¡¯t leave You¡¯ll have to kneel because my teacher didn¡¯te!¡± ¡°Are you deaf? I¡¯m about to fetch him,¡± Charmine scoffed. ¡°Haha! Fetch him? Fetch my teacher?¡± Hubertughed mockingly. He looked at Charmine as if he was looking at a fool. ¡°Do you think I¡¯d believe that you¡¯d bring him here? That¡¯s an excuse! You asked your friend to call you so you¡¯ll have an excuse to run away! If you don¡¯t want to kneel, you can beg me, and I¡¯ll let it go. Why get so worked up to put up an act, hmm?¡± Hubert sounded as if he was talking to a clown. ¡°Ha! What an ignorant and arrogant frog, choosing to stay under the well!¡± Charmine pushed him away and marched out of the ward. She was so powerful that she sent Hubert staggering two meters away before he fell to the floor. 1 Hubert struggled to bnce himself as he red daggers at Charmine¡¯s retreating form. ¡°Go ahead, Charmine! If you¡¯re not back within half an hour, your Grandpa will apologize on his knees!¡± 2 Hubert was not letting up on Charmine. Chapter 507 Chapter 507 Charmine did not stop. Back and forth from Royal Hospital to Second Avenue could be done within half an hour. Amelia looked at her determined pace as a frown made its way to her face. ¡°Can Charmine bring Dr. Weir here? Or is she running away?¡±. ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve only heard of Dr. Weir from rumors. I hope she¡¯ll get to bring him¡­¡± muttered Lily anxiously. Charmine was theirst hope, and all they could do was wait even though they did not like the idea of Charmine leaving. They would not offend Charmine for the time being. 1 Should Charmine fail, however, there would be hell to pay. Julian¡¯s eyes darkened as he studied Charmine¡¯s mannerism. Could she truly invite Dr. Weir to the hospital? He would never get the Jordan Group¡¯s special team should it happen! He took out his phone and sent a text that read: [Go to the Second Avenue right away and check if Dr. Weir is there. If so, help him to leave.) Charmine raced toward Second Avenue. As it was a weekend¡¯s lunch hour, the traffic was so terrible that cars on the road could barely move. Luckily, Charmine-a motorbike user-could use the designated pathway for two-wheeled vehicles. She squeezed on the throttle, bypassing other vehicles, sometimes drifting. She was racing at the highest speed. It was within 10 minutes that she, atst, arrived at Second Avenue. An ident urred not far away from her, the cause of the traffic jam. Charmine slowed down and nced all over the cars beside her. Quickly, she spotted a car with the number te Kay gave her. However.. N?velDrama.Org ? content. An elderly man dressed in dark blue hade out from the car. He was supported by a young man helping him to cross the road. The road across was in the opposite direction, and there was no traffic jam there. Was someone already trying to send Dr. Weir away, and that soon, too? Charmine got down from her motorbike, ced her helmet in the back of her motorbike, and marched toward them. The young man who was supporting Dr. Weir saw Charmine walking over, and his eyelids twitched, He was Julian¡¯s new assistant, Conor, and he outshined the rest with his outstanding abilities. Instantly, he said to Dr. Weir, ¡°Earlier, your student, Dr. Hubert was with our Mr. Cabell. He sent me here to fetch you. Dr. Hubert said that the Jordan family was extremely arrogant, and they looked down on Dr. Hubert¡¯s skills. They even threatened to see how bad Dr. Weir is to have taught someone like Dr. Hubert¡­¡± Dr. Weir frowned, displeased at what he heard. Meanwhile, a figure in ck stopped them from walking. ¡°Aren¡¯t you terrified of your tongue getting cut off when you¡¯re badmouthing others behind their backs?¡± Conor felt intimidated when he saw Charmine, but he still built up his courage to continue, ¡°I was telling the truth. If you didn¡¯t look down on Dr. Hubert, why did you invite Dr. Hubert and then Dr. Weir? Does a mere vegetative state patient need two of the best doctors?¡± Conor knew Dr. Weir would not leave with Charmine after hearing that. As expected, Dr. Weir¡¯s face sank, looking extremely offended. How dare they asked him to visit this patienting from such an arrogant family? Charmine ignored Conorpletely as she reached out her hand toward Dr. Weir. ¡°Hello, Dr. Weir. I¡¯m Charmine, Uncle Zul¡¯s goddaughter.¡± When Dr. Weir heard that, his eyebrows rose with delight. ¡°You¡¯re Old Zul¡¯s goddaughter, Charmine Jordan?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s me,¡± Charmine answered firmly. Chapter 508 Chapter 508 Dr. Weir¡¯s attitude changed into one of utter tion as he held Charmine¡¯s hands with his own two. ¡°This is great! I¡¯m finally able to meet you! I hear Old Zul talking about you all the time, and I¡¯m finally able to meet you! Let¡¯s go- I want to have a chat with you. I want to know if you¡¯re as clever as old Zul imed!¡± With that, he swung Conor¡¯s hand away and hooked his arm around Charmine¡¯s. Conor was confused. What¡­ What just happened? Was Charmine that famous? Why did Dr. Weir turn into a different person when he heard her name? Also, who was Old Zul? Charmine eyed Conor sharply, her red lips curling up into a smirk, haughtily and proudly. She helped Dr. Weir walked past the cars back to where she parked her motorbike. ¡°I heard you¡¯re the only person who could beat Old Zul in checkers!¡± gushed Dr. Weir. ¡°Is that true? I want to y one round with you!¡± ¡°Dr. Weir, there are still some issues at hand that I¡¯ll need you to fix, but once it¡¯s done, I¡¯ll promise to y checkers with you,¡± said Charmine politely as she handed a helmet to Dr. Weir. Senior Jordan was still waiting, and she only had half an hour left. There was not much time to waste. Dr. Weir was instantly reminded of what happened as he blurted, ¡°Oh, right! I almost forgot! Let¡¯s go!¡± He was ready to put on the helmet, but he seemed to struggle. Charmine asked, ¡°Have you been on a motorbike before?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± He was an old man! How would he be on a motorbike? This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Charmine smiled. ¡°Great, you¡¯ll finally get a taste of it! The air in the city can be cooling as well.¡± Charmine helped Dr. Weir put on his helmet as he spoke. Swiftly after, she swung one long leg over the seat and sat on the motorbike. Dr. Weir imitated her and sat. Charmine reminded, ¡°Hold onto my waist.¡± Dr. Weir was at least 100 years old, seeing Charmine only as his granddaughter, so he held onto her waist without hesitation. After making sure he had done so, she ignited the engine and raced away. The motorbike raced in the designated pathway, passing by a bunch of cars that were stuck in the traffic. Watching that, Dr. Weir felt extremely pleasant. These were the cars that made him stuck on the road for so long! He almost threw up earlier, but zipping past all those cars made him satisfied. 1 ¡°Faster!¡± he urged Charmine. Charmine was driving very slowly due to safety reasons. Who would have thought that Dr. Weir would ask her to drive quicker? ¡°You sure?¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯m sure! I¡¯m a strong old man-I can hold tight!¡± assured Dr. Weir as his grip tightened. Only then did Charmine speed away. Among the cars, a luxury car was stuck in traffic like the others. Anthony was making a phone call when he saw a familiar figure passing by. His eyelids twitched. The rear mirror clearly projected Charmine who was behind him. Even though she had her helmet on, the air she exuded was unique and recognizable. Behind her was a man dressed in dark blue. She was dressed in a leather ck while this man was dressed in a dark blue outfit. The sight did attract quite the attention! Anthony¡¯s eyes went dark. They merely parted for half a day, yet Charmine was already getting so close with another man? Not only that, but she even allowed the man to ride behind her? It seemed that he had spoiled her before. Charmine should be taught a lesson! Racing away on her motorbike, Charmine could somehow feel a pressure directed at her as if she was trapped by a darkening cloud, inducing a rather suffocating feeling. It was fine a moment ago. Why did it all feel so bizarre all of a sudden? Chapter 509 Chapter 509 Despite her uneasiness, Charmine was reminded of the elderly man sitting behind her. She dwelled no more on the difort and focused on racing toward the hospital. They eventually arrived at Royal Hospital 15 minutester. Dr. Weir got down from the motorbike and took off his helmet. ¡°Oh, we¡¯re here?¡± he muttered. So soon? He wanted to enjoy more of the city breeze, wanting to zip past more cars stuck in the traffic¡­ 1 Charmine parked the motorbike as she replied, ¡°What? You liked it?¡± ¡°Of course! No wonder the youngsters like to ride this thing. I find it more exciting than ying checkers!¡± gushed Dr. Weir, unable to avert his eyes from Charmine¡¯s motorbike. ¡°I¡¯ll teach you how to ride it when I have time,¡± said Charmine. It was not like she was buttering up to Dr. Weir-Charmine truly meant it. It was rare to meet an old man who liked motorbikes. Her four Uncles had been telling her off about riding the bike for god knows how many years¡­ Dr. Weir¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Okay, deal!¡± Upstairs, at Royal Hospital¡­ It had been more than half an hour since Charmine left. Amelia waited for her. Knowing Charmine was the Jordans¡¯ only hope, she did not fight back after Charmine pushed her away. Who would have thought that Charmine ran away! She whined, ¡°I think Charmine came back to screw things up!¡± ¡°Hah¡­ That¡¯s very likely! She hates the Jordan family, so she came back to screw things up. She doesn¡¯t want us to get the ten million!¡± Lily jumped up as the realization hit her. If Charmine did note, they would have gotten the 10 million-offer from Julian! s¡­ Hubert scoffed at Senior Jordan, ¡°Senior Jordan, your granddaughter ran away. You should apologize.¡± Senior Jordan looked at the time, and a hint of worry and confusion appeared in his eyes. He believed that Charmine would not leave him¡­ Had something happened to her? ¡°What? Still not giving in? If you¡¯re not kneeling, I won¡¯t treat your grandson no matter what you say,¡± asserted Hubert with an impatient and arrogant tone. 1 Julian looked at the phone with no reply. He did not know how Conor was doing. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Regardless, the time was up, and Charmine had lost. He crossed his legs elegantly as he reminded, ¡°Senior Jordan, now is your only chance to save your grandson.¡± ¡°Right, this is thest chance I¡¯m offering you. If you don¡¯t take it, your grandson will stay in the vegetative state forever. An old and useless man like you will feel guilty and helpless by his bed until you die!¡± cursed Hubert, loudly and haughtily. ¡°Nonsense!¡± Two loud and clear sybles rang in the air. That voice¡­ When Hubert turned to look, his eyes widened with disbelief. It was his teacher, Dr. Senior John Weir! ¡°Dr. Weir, you¡ª¡± Before Hubert could finish his sentence, Dr. Weir marched to him and swung his palm across his face. p! The loud p resonated in the ward. Hubert staggered a few meters backward and ended up falling onto the floor. Thuck! He gently grasped his burning cheek with fresh blood oozing out his mouth, shock still evident in his eyes. ¡°W¡ªWhy did you p me, Dr. Weir?¡± Hubert had been under Dr. Weir¡¯s tutge ever since he was young, and while he had punished him before, it was only by hitting his arm with a ruler. Dr. Weir never pped him before. Why did he p him out of the blue? Chapter 510 Chapter 510 ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not just stopping at ps,¡± snapped Dr. Weir, ¡°I¡¯m going to beat you to death! Why did my pupil turn out to be so arrogant and heartless? How did I teach you, hmph? Didn¡¯t I teach you how to treat others? Didn¡¯t I?¡± He kicked him as he seethed with rage 1 ¡°Argh! Argh! Dr. Weir¡­ Stop kicking me¡­ They¡¯re mean¡­ Argh!¡± Hubert tried to exin, but all he got was harsher kicks in return. Dr. Weir growled, ¡°You¡¯re still trying to protest even now? I¡¯m old, but I¡¯m neither blind nor deaf! All this while, I turned a blind eye every time you got big-headed, yet now you¡¯re trying to bully an old man? Get out here, right now! You¡¯re no longer my pupil, and I don¡¯t want to have anything to do with you!¡±. Hubert instantly stopped protesting, stunned silent at Dr. Weir¡¯s promation. No longer his pupil? Nothing else to do with him? No¡­ No! Although he was skilled, most of his reputation came from being a pupil of Dr. Weir. Everyone knew him as Dr. Weir¡¯s pupil! If everyone found out that he was discredited by Dr. Weir, how shameful would that be? 1 Instantly, he knelt on the floor. ¡°Dr. Weir, it¡¯s my mistake. I was agitated, but they were at fault too. They were being ungrateful, and that¡¯s why I -¡± ¡°Out!¡± Dr. Weir kicked him again, pushing Hubert away. After kicking him away, Dr. Weir cautiously looked at Charmine who was behind him. She was, thankfully, calm and collected. Otherwise, she might never teach him how to ride a motorbike! Everyone in the ward stared with disbelief. The high-above Hubert was kicked like a dog all over the floor. His green shirt had shoe prints all over, rendering him a pathetic sight to behold. Was this the same arrogant Hubert moments ago? On another note, Dr. Weir turned out to be so ¡®righteous¡¯? Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Hubert did not care anymore; he must not be discredited by Dr. Weir! He knelt on his knees. ¡°Dr. Weir, it was my fault. I was too impatient, I was too arrogant, but this was all arranged by Julian. He once saved my life, and I owed him a favor. He asked me to insult the Jordan family, and that¡¯s why I did so. It¡¯s all because of him!¡± 1 He pointed at Julian. Julian¡¯s eyelids twitched. How could Hubert betray him? Dr. Weir nced at Julian and scoffed. He pulled out his phone and made a call, ¡°From now onward, the Cabells are on the cklist. None of the pupils and staff of Weir family is allowed to treat the Cabell family. Furthermore, anyone who is willing to treat the Cabells would be my enemy.¡± Darn it! He was blocking the Cabells from receiving any healthcare service. Every doctor revered Dr. Weir and dreamt of receiving insight from him. No one would want to be his enemy! This implied that it would be extremely difficult for any of the Cabells to seek medical help in the future! 1 ¡°Dr. Weir, we don¡¯t know one another,¡± remarked Julian in a low tone. ¡°Why would you go to such an extreme?¡± ¡°Hmph! You offended the Jordans and my granddaughter, so you offended me! I¡¯ll go to such extremes. What can you do?¡± replied Dr. Weir arrogantly. Everyone in the ward stared at him wide-eyed. Granddaughter? Since when did Charmine be Dr. Weir¡¯s granddaughter? Hubert¡¯s eyelids jumped. He had known Dr. Weir for 10 years, and he never knew that Dr. Weir had Charmine as his granddaughter! Dr. Weir was not in the mood to exin to them. He merely wanted to fix things so that he could learn about riding a motorbike. Dr. Weir then eyed Hubert. ¡°As for you, you betrayed the man who saved your life, which is even more disheartening. Anything else you say will be useless, so get out now! From now onward, you¡¯re no longer my pupil!¡± Dr. Weir said with a determined tone. With that, he turned around, his back facing Hubert. Chapter 511 Chapter 511 Hubert¡¯s eyes widened. He thought that he would be spared after Dr. Weir dealt his red card toward Julian¡­ ¡°Dr. Weir, are you really going to do this to me, the student you knew for ten years, all because of an outsider?¡± Outsider? How was Charmine an outsider?! ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± came Dr. Weir¡¯s swift reply, no hesitation detected in his voice. ¡°Get lost, now. Don¡¯t make me angry!¡± Hubert¡¯s eyes reddened. He knelt, he got beaten, and he even lost his dignity, yet Dr. Weir still would not showpassion? Well, he better not regret that choice of his. Hubert stood up from the ground. ¡°Alright, you said this yourself. Hope you won¡¯t regret that.¡± Hubert stalked out of the room afterward, an ominous aura emitted from him as he did. Julian seemed to have thought of something as he quickly walked away, too. ¡°Wait up!¡± came a sharp quip. Hubert and Julian halted in their tracks. Hubert red at Charmine. ¡°What else do you want?¡± ¡°Did you two forget something? Didn¡¯t you say that you¡¯d kneel in front of me if Dr. Weir shows up?¡± ¡°How¡­ How dare you!¡± seethed Hubert. Julian¡¯s gaze sharpened at her words. ¡°Don¡¯t cross the line, Charmine.¡± 1 He asked for as little as 30 percent of the Jordans¡¯ shares, as a courtesy to Charmine. The reason he invited Hubert was not just to get those shares-he wanted to help Charmine bring his brother back so he could win her over slowly. How could she be so heartless? + With her hands on her waist, Charmine nonchntlymented, ¡°So it¡¯s okay for you to ask my Grandpa to kneel, but I¡¯m being unreasonable if I ask you to kneel? You two started this!¡± Her words rang in the air, and both Julian and Hubert looked disconcerted. They never expected Charmine would sessfully bring Dr. Weir to the ward, and above that, they never expected her to have such a genial rtionship with Dr. Weir! Hubert¡¯s eyes reddened. He was discredited by Dr. Weir because of Charmine, yet she pushed the boundaries and wanted him to kneel? ¡°You better watch out, Charmine. I won¡¯t make it easy for you!¡± Hubert red and turned to leave, Charmine merely smiled mockingly. ¡°Haha! I should be the one saying that to you. Since you¡¯re the one breaching the contract¡­¡± Charmine took out her phone and called Kay. ¡°Get the ward¡¯s CCTV and get the part when Julian and Hubert made the bet. Post it online and use five million to promote it.¡± Both men insulted Senior Jordan, thus it was only natural Charmine would not let them go unscathed. 1 Julian and Hubert halted. After a moment, they fastened their pace and left quickly. They would rather die than kneel in front of Charmine! As for the negative impact? They could easily spend some money to solve it, and the worst that could happen was theizens¡¯ scorn. It was far better than kneeling. However, they misjudged Charmine¡¯s ability¡­ 1 This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. On that same day, Kay used Charmine¡¯s main ount to publish the clip. He even added parts where both Julian and Hubert were arrogant and bullied the Jordans. Since Kay spent money to promote it, the post made it to the discussion area quickly, and it was met withments and ridicule from hundreds and thousands ofizens. Furthermore, when Julian¡¯s PR team tried to get in touch with the online tforms, they merely replied: [Boss Jordan had instructed it. No matter how much you offer, she¡¯d pay one buck more than you. It¡¯s better if you give up right away.) That sent Julian into fury. He was sincerely trying to get back with her, yet Charmine repaid it with heartlessness? Chapter 512 Chapter 512 Was it because of Anthony? Did Charmine think she could do whatever she wanted just because Anthony got her back? 1 No way. He had to think of a way to show Charmine who she should be marrying instead! No matter what they did, Mile-End lost a hundred million on the same day while Hubert¡¯s reputation was destroyed. Nobody would want to be seen with him anymore. Meanwhile, at Royal Hospital¡­ After Julian and Hubert had left, the ward became quiet again. The people inside the ward were still stunned with disbelief. Charmine actually managed to find Dr. Weir, and they seemed to know each other that well? Amelia and her parents looked at Charmine differently. It was impressive that she managed to find Dr. Weir! She was indeed the Jordan family¡¯s savior! 1 Senior Jordan had nothing else in mind as he gazed at Charmine with concern. ¡°Charmine, how did you do it? Also, why did Dr. Weir say you¡¯re his granddaughter?¡± He had to rify this. Charmine was his granddaughter; his true granddaughter¡­ The granddaughter that just returned to him, that no one could rob him off of! 1 Not even Dr. Weir¡­ Charmine was just as bewildered. She only agreed to teach Dr. Weir how to ride a motorbike ¨C she never agreed to be his granddaughter. Dr. Weir offered them a smile. ¡°Look, Charmine really intrigued me from the first moment we met. I want to have her as my goddaughter, so I hope that¡¯s okay with you all?¡± Everyone was shocked. Charmine, as Dr. Weir¡¯s goddaughter? The Weir family was the descendants of ancient royalty. They had been a noble and upper ss family since the 20th century with a good reputation. They never mingled with wealthy families and never fought with them either. The Weir family was never seen on any asion, and yet the patriarch of that mysterious family was asking Charmine to be his goddaughter? Dr. Weir was afraid that the Jordans would disagree, so he added, ¡°I won¡¯t ask her to be my goddaughter all for nothing. Whenever Charmine brings in a rtive, I¡¯ll personally treat the patient. Furthermore, I can pass on the Weirs¡¯ one-of-a-kind medical books to Charmine. The thing that happened today won¡¯t happen again. As long as I¡¯m here, nobody can bully Charmine.¡± 1 Dr. Weir spoke with conviction and familial love. Senior Jordan initially disagreed with it, but he changed his mind after hearing what Dr. Weir said, and he liked what he heard. ¡°This is a good thing, Charmine. Quickly, agree to this already!¡± Firstly, learning more skills caused no harm. If Charmine could learn some medical skills to protect herself, it would be beneficial. Secondly, if Dr. Weir was willing to treat them, Robert could be saved! Thirdly, Senior Jordan felt that he was no longer capable of providing anything to Charmine. He did not have money nor shares he had nothing. If there was another elderly inan who could protect Charmine, he would feel more secure and could at least die in peace. Charmine was shocked. Although he already had four godfathers, she did spend a very long time to earn their approval. Back then when she identally crossed their base, theyThis content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. captured her with the assumption she was a spy. In order to live on, she worked extremely hard to prove her ability to them, and she eventually gained their admiration. 1 On the other hand, she had only met Dr. Weir for less than an hour, yet he was already asking to be her godfather? If she could learn some more advanced medical skills, perhaps she would be able to cure Chris! Charmine nodded right then and there. ¡°Yes, I do.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great! Let¡¯s have a celebration mealter; it¡¯s Godfather¡¯s treat!¡± Dr. Weir smiled, his face riddled with wrinkles. He then saw Robert on the sickbed and asked, ¡°Is he your blood-rted brother?¡± ¡°Yes, Dr. Weir, please have a look at him. He¡¯s too young, and he shouldn¡¯t stay in this state,¡± replied Charmine. Instantly, Dr. Weir¡¯s face tensed up. He looked at Charmine with a displeased look as the air around him turned heavier. Chapter 513 Chapter 513 Everyone in the ward stiffened at the shift in the atmosphere. What was up with Dr. Weir? Surprisingly, Dr. Weir looked at Charmine angrily. ¡°What did you call me?¡± Charmine halted, realizing what it meant, as she instantly corrected, ¡°Uncle Weir, have a look at Robert.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Dr. Weir smiled instantly and walked over to the sickbed. 1 Enthusiastically, Lily pulled a chair for Dr. Weir and another for Charmine. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. ¡°Charmine, sit. Please have a seat.¡± She was the Jordans¡¯ savior and had such a genial rtionship with Dr. Weir, thus it was only natural they had to please her. Charmine merely nced at them; these people used to ridicule her for being the adopted daughter. They hated her for getting 15 percent of the family shares, yet all of a sudden, they tried to please her? Hah! Selfish beings! She disregarded Lily and remained standing by the side. Dr. Weir listened to Robert¡¯s pulse, and the atmosphere in the ward was unusually tense. Charmine and Senior Jordan were nervous. The doctors in Royal Hospital could not pinpoint Robert¡¯s ailment while the brain specialist Senior Jordan hired got nothing in mind. Could Dr. Weir cure him? Although they believed in Dr. Weir¡¯s skills, they were still worried¡­ Dr. Weir listened to Robert¡¯s pulse with a concentrated look, that joking smile of his no longer on his face. His brows furrowed from time to time as he sometimes moved his fingers, sometimes closing his eyes to listen more carefully. The concentrated look on his face made everyone hold their breath. After a while, Dr. Weir let go of Robert¡¯s wrist. Senior Jordan asked instantly, ¡°How is he? Dr. Weir, can he be saved?¡± Charmine looked at Dr. Weir anxiously as well. True, Charmine did not share a good rtionship with Robert, but he was still her brother, sharing the same genes. It was only natural, then, she was worried for him. Dr. Weir looked at Charmine and, suddenly, he smiled. ¡°Charmine, why do you look so anxious? Do you not believe in your Uncle?¡± ¡°No, of course I do. I just can¡¯t help feeling nervous,¡± exined Charmine. Dr. Weir smiled. ¡°What¡¯s there to worry now that I¡¯m here? I can assure you that your brother will wake up within a month!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Senior Jordan¡¯s eyes widened. Charmine was surprised. Robert was already in a vegetative state-would he be able to wake up within a month? Dr. Weir stroked his long white beard. ¡°Of course! Though he suffered from a chronic toxic illness, there is no illness that I can¡¯t cure in the world.¡± His words were full of pride and confidence. ¡°Chronic toxic?¡± Charmine asked with interest. ¡°What type of chronic toxic could attack him so suddenly, taking his life?¡± They were no longer in ancient times. Was there such a mysterious drug in the world? ¡°It¡¯s a mixture of saponin poison and blood blocker; another name for blood blocker is arrowwood. The arrowwood grew in the rainforest a thousand and five hundred meters below sea-level. Its white liquid is toxic, and once ites into contact with a wound, the person could die instantly. ¡°While the saponin poison is a moremon poison in nts, it can be found in vegetables as well. It can then be broken down under high heat, and without being cooked under high heat, the saponin would induce chronic poisonous death once a person ingested it or breathed it in the air. 1 ¡°However, the saponin poison is a chronic poison affecting one¡¯s coagtion. Whenbined with arrowwood, it could cause instant death. Furthermore, these two types of poison will stay inside the body. Within a few days, when these two poisons have reached a certain stage ofbination, they¡¯ll explode. The effect would be double the effect of arrowwood itself!¡± Dr. Weir exined the science behind the poison. He paused and added on, ¡°Normally, the arrowwood would cause death within half an hour. The fact that he survived was indeed a blessing from God.¡± Chapter 514 Chapter 514 Charmine was terrified after hearing what Dr. Weir said. Had she not gave Robert Uncle Pop¡¯s rebirth pill, had she not resuscitated Robert, he would have¡­ Tiffany was so vile! Robert had always protected her, seeing Tiffany as his best sister, yet she went to such an extent so she could frame her¡­ 1 Once she was done sorting things out, Charmine would make Tiffany pay dearly. Joey and Adam came back and heard what Dr. Weir said by the ward¡¯s door. Their steps halted as they felt attacked. Robert had a chronic poison in his system, and that meant that it was impossible for Charmine to drug him that night. Tiffany made everything up! Tiffany went to such an extreme on Robert, just so she could frame Charmine? At that time, Joey almost pped Charmine, attacked Charmine¡¯s vi with Adam, and even madeizens online ridicule Charmine¡­ They owed Charmine so much. Dr. Weir saw that Charmine seemed upset, thinking she was still worried, thus heforted,¡± Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll prepare the medicines right away. Let him have the medicine once a day, and if he doesn¡¯t wake up in a month, you can beat me up.¡± ¡°I believe in Uncle Weir.¡± Charmine smiled. ¡°As long as Robert can be cured, there¡¯s no hurry to make the medicine right away. It¡¯s almost two at noon-why don¡¯t we have lunch first?¡± 2 Dr. Weir was over a hundred years old, and Charmine was worried that he might get hungry. Dr. Weir recalled the promise he made to Charmine earlier, and he instantly said, ¡°Oh, right! I said I¡¯d treat you to a meal. Let¡¯s go! Pick a ce; it¡¯ll be my treat.¡± ¡°Dr. Weir, you came to diagnose Robert. How can we make you pay for lunch?¡± Adam walked up and suggested, ¡°We happened to have made a reservation at Andy Restaurant not far away from here. Let¡¯s go.¡± Dr. Weir¡¯s face darkened. ¡°No, I said I¡¯d pay, and it¡¯s my treat to my goddaughter. Nobody can get the bill except me.¡± Well¡­ Adam and Joey were embarrassed. They nned to treat Charmine so they could genuinely earn her trust. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Charmine saw Dr. Weir¡¯s determined gaze, thus she relented, ¡°Let Uncle Weir pay for lunch then.¡± Joey and Adam really wanted to bring her for lunch, but Charmine was not too excited about it. 1 ¡°My goddaughter knows me the best. Let¡¯s go!¡± Dr. Weir smiled and walked out of the ward. Charmine supported Senior Jordan while Joey and Adam followed behind. Amelia and her parents followed swiftly. They had no good food in the past two days, but since Charmine returned, the Jordans had hope. They had to get on Charmine¡¯s good books, no matter what! However.. Senior Jordan scoffed at the three of them, ¡°You three will stay back and watch over Robert while reflecting on what you did wrong today.¡± Had it been Adam and Joey instead, they would not have forced an old man like him. On the other hand, Amelia and her parents showed no respect to him for the ten million-offer. Hearing that, Lily hastily coaxed, ¡°Dad, we¡¯re a family. We were in a rush earlier, but we had good intentions-it was all for Robert. I promise it won¡¯t happen again, and we won¡¯t do such a thing ever again. We¡¯re a family, and a family should be happy and reunited!¡± ¡°That¡¯s true! A family should be happy and reunited. Furthermore, this is the day Charmine finally comes home. This is the first meal Charmine dines with us as the Jordans¡¯ true heiress. We should all have a meal together to bond,¡± added Felix as he grinned at Charmine. 1. Just as Senior Jordan was about to speak, Charmine¡¯s red lips curled up. ¡°Grandpa, let them hang around if they want to go. They were the ones wanting toe along so badly,¡± her clear voice sounded understanding. With that, she held on to Senior Jordan¡¯s arm and left. Lily and Felix¡¯s eyelids twitched. Why did Charmine¡¯s tone sound rather fishy? What was she thinking? Something felt off for them¡­ Chapter 515 Chapter 515 ¡°What¡¯s there to be arrogant about?¡± muttered Amelia lowly. ¡°She¡¯s got some money, that¡¯s it This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. ¡°Shush!¡± Lily covered Amelia¡¯s mouth hastily as she warned, ¡°Amelia, I know you can¡¯t stand arrogant people, but please, bear with it. Charmine is the only person who can save the Jordans, and she¡¯s the only person who can get us out of poverty! We¡¯ll have to bear with that temper of hers before we be wealthy again! She¡¯s the Jordans¡¯ savior, do you understand me?¡± ¡°Alright, alright. I know what to do.¡± Amelia pouted. With that, all of them got to Andy Restaurant, an eatery close to Royal Hospital with a ssical design and carved windows. The seats by the window had the view of the red lights decoration outside. It was vintage-looking. The friendly waiter brought them the menu and handed it to the oldest-looking of all, Dr. Weir, but he then handed it to Charmine. ¡°Charmine, pick anything you like!¡± he spoke to her lovingly. The sight filled Amelia with envy. Charmine did nothing, but why did that old man treat her so well? Why did he not ask her to be his goddaughter instead? 1 She was also a Jordan, and she was sexier than Charmine! 2 If only she was the one Dr. Weir was spoiling¡­ As Amelia was caught up in her thoughts, Charmine had already picked ten or so dishes from the menu. Finally, she added on some bread rolls and mustard. That puzzled the waiter, but he said nothing and went ahead to ce the order. Considering thete hours, all dishes that Charmine ordered were ones that could be quickly made or ready-made: roasted duck, eggs, steamed meat, pork chops, sauteed vegetables, and chicken soup. It did not take long before the table was filled with dishes, including a te of bread rolls and mustard. Felix drooled at the sight of such dishes. He picked up the fork, ready to eat, when Charmine suddenly spoke, ¡°The bread rolls and mustard are yours.¡± ¡°What?¡± Felix frowned. Charmine said calmly, ¡°You¡¯re aware of how you treated Grandpa earlier today. As they say, those disappointing people only deserve bread rolls. You¡¯re all utterly disappointing and shameless, so you¡¯ll be having the bread rolls.¡± 7 Charmine then pushed the te with bread rolls and mustard toward Felix, Lily, and Amelia. The three of them turned green. There were so many dishes in front of them, yet they would get bread rolls? No wonder Charmine said they were the ones wanting toe along so badly. Had she nned to shame them after all? Unable to hold back her anger, Amelia growled, ¡°Charmine, why are you so disgusting? You¡¯re at least my cousin, a family member of the Jordan family. Is this how you¡¯re treating your family!?¡± 1 ¡°I don¡¯t mind. Eat or leave as you please,¡± replied the aloof Charmine. They bullied Senior Jordan and hurt her since young. Of course she had to teach them a lesson! Felix was going to hold it in, but he did not expect Charmine to be so arrogant. He stood up, ready to leave. The observant waiter by the side walked toward them and reminded, ¡°The bread rolls are made with the imported golden flour from France, while our mustard is imported from Korea. The price of this dish is nine hundred and ny-nine bucks on our menu.¡± Felix¡¯s eyes went straight. 999 bucks worth of bread rolls and mustard? They had been eating meal-boxes worth only ten bucks for the past two days. When was thest time they had such expensive food? In truth, the bread rolls Charmine ordered were so expensive. She was so wealthy, and the only person who could save the Jordans was her. They had to bear it! With that, Felix sat back down unwillingly.; Chapter 516 Chapter 516 ¡°Then¡­ Then let¡¯s eat. We¡¯ll take it as a lesson, and we¡¯ll know better next time¡­¡± ¡°Dad! How can you be so shameless? It¡¯s merely bread rolls, just worth nine hundred and ny-nine! Charmine is humiliating us!¡± The usually conceited Amelia could not bear with Charmine as she red daggers at her. ¡°Tiffany won¡¯t do this if she¡¯s here! She won¡¯t be as evil as you!¡± 2 Everyone¡¯s expressions darkened as Amelia mentioned Tiffany, and the air grew heavy. Adam and Joey looked especially awful. Whenever they heard the mention of Tiffany, their chest tightened. Lily tugged at Amelia¡¯s sleeve and spoke in a hushed tone, ¡°Amelia, stop talking. Hold it in!¡± Charmine was not the person they could afford to offend. The entire Jordan family relied on her! ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth!¡± argued Amelia. ¡°So what if Tiffany was the adopted daughter all along? She never treated any of us so badly! She¡¯d never humiliate us like this! Charmine obviously has tens or hundreds of billions worth of assets, yet she made us have the bread ¡®rolls? Is this what a human does?¡± Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°What about what you all did today? Was that humane in any sense?¡± Senior Jordan pped his hands on the table, his face red as he recalled what happened in the ward. Amelia refuted nonchntly, ¡°We did that for Robert. What about Charmine? What good does she get for doing this? Is she even half as generous as Tiffany?¡± At that moment, the door of the restaurant was pushed open and a group of men walked in. All of them were dressed in suits as they exuded an air of smart elegance. The people in the room frowned. Who were these people? The man leading the men was in his forties. He walked up to Senior Jordan and handed him his name card. ¡°Hello, Senior Jordan, I¡¯m the general manager of the bank. We came here to let you know that if you still don¡¯t pay up your loan, in two days, we¡¯ll start putting your mansion, luxury cars, factories and all other assets on auction.¡± 1 Everyone¡¯s face changed. They were selling them out so soon? Amelia was just praising Tiffany moments ago, yet the truth came back biting her. Every property and luxury car to be put on auction? Her favorite ming red Ferrari was one of them! All of this happened because of Tiffany! Tiffany caused this! Amelia¡¯s expression turned ugly. Instantly, Lily stood up and looked at Charmine. ¡°Charmine, didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d help out the Jordan family? Amelia was being too irrational earlier, and she¡¯s younger than you, so please don¡¯t take it to heart. Please help us to pay up the loan-we¡¯ll be grateful to you.¡± ¡°Huh? How much does your gratefulness cost? Is it worth it to bring out tens of billions to help you?¡± Charmine scoffed coldly. Lily¡¯s face stiffened. Was Charmine not helping them out after all? She said she would when she first got to Royal Hospital! 1 Was it because of the bread rolls? Lily looked around and instantly picked up a bread roll. ¡°Oh, Charmine, we didn¡¯t mean to get in a fight with you earlier. I know you¡¯re trying to help us by asking us to eat these bread rolls. You¡¯re right, we shouldn¡¯t have done that to Dad. We deserve a lesson.¡± As she spoke, she picked up a bread roll and munched on it. She also gave one bread roll to Amelia and Felix each. Amelia did not look well; arrogant as always. She did not want to eat the bread roll, but she had no choice in her predicament. She remained seated, not moving. On the other hand, Felix was already munching on the bread roll rapidly as he looked at Charmine. ¡°Charmine, look: we¡¯re eating the bread rolls! We¡¯re family after all, and you¡¯re the Jordans¡¯ heiress. You won¡¯t watch us die without saving us, right?¡± His tone was pleasing and ttering. Chapter 517 Chapter 517 Charmine found it ironic. Just because she was an ¡®adopted daughter¡¯, even before she was eight and made not a single mistake, Amelia and her parents bullied her relentlessly. Whenever Senior Jordan, Adam, and Joey were not around, they would bully her and would not let her eat on the table. Joey stopped defending Charmine after she was eight years old under Tiffany¡¯s maniption, and this made them bully her even more obviously. It did not stop just at bread rolls; it wasmon for them to feed her with leftovers. They looked down on her in the past, yet because of their bankruptcy, they became so ttering even before she spoke? What a joke! Suddenly, Senior Jordan mmed his hands on the table. ¡°Enough! You three should stop being an embarrassment and shut your mouths!¡± He jeered before he turned to look at Charmine. ¡°Charmine, don¡¯t mind them. Grandpa only has one thing to say to you: If you¡¯re willing to help the Jordan family, all of the shares, properties, factories, and the special team will belong to you from now onward. No one will me you if you¡¯re unwilling to help us. You¡¯ll always be my good granddaughter. ¡°I¡¯ll think of ways to make some profits after auctioning. I won¡¯t want to drag you into this.¡± Senior Jordan¡¯s tone was caring and peaceful. Charmine¡¯s heart felt warm at that as she replied, ¡°You¡¯re so kind to me. How can I not save the company? It¡¯s just that if you give me all of the shares, some people might not agree to that.¡± Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. As she spoke, she nced at Amelia and her parents. As expected, Amelia argued, ¡°Now that sixty percent of the Jordan shares are on auction, we only have fifteen percent in our hands. If we give this to Charmine as well, then nobody in the family other than Charmine would have the family shares! Is she trying to monopolize?¡± ¡°What else do you want? Bring out tens of billions, and I¡¯ll let you monopolize!¡± snapped Senior Jordan. Amelia went speechless instantly. Dr. Weir, who had spectated their argument, chimed in, ¡°Why bother wasting time on them? If they¡¯re unwilling to give out the shares, Charmine will pay for the rest of the overdraft and make them pay for the fifteen percent overdraft themselves.¡± Right! That might work! Senior Jordan was reminded and said, ¡°Adam, calcte how much they¡¯ll have to pay.¡± Adam frowned. After a moment¡¯s thought, he said, ¡°ording to the bankruptcy use of the company, all shareholders will have to pay the overdraft ording to their percentage of ownership. Amelia and her parents still have fifteen percent of the shares, and now that thepany is fifty billion in debt, they¡¯ll need to repay seven billion and five hundred million.¡± Amelia and her parents reeled back in shock at the oue, their eyes wide like saucers. They would have to pay 7.5 billion! Where were they supposed to find that amount of money? They did not even have the money to buy meat! Although they had handsome dividends every year, they did not know how to manage their money. Amelia spent the money like it was flowing water, buying things left and right as soon as she received her dividends. Lily loved makeup and skincare, while Felix loved to gamble and always ended up losing all of the money. Every year, they waited for the dividends to spend them all. How would they be able to find 7.5 billion to repay the debt? Lily¡¯s face turned white as she eventually replied, ¡°You wanted us to give out the shares, right? We¡¯re willing to! We are! We¡¯ll sign the papers right away, and let Charmine pay for the 7.5 billion debt.¡± ¡°Mom¡­¡± Amelia pulled on Lily¡¯s arm, reluctant. However, Lily swung her hand away. ¡°What else do you want? Do you want to pay the seven billion and five hundred million debt? Do you have the money?¡± Amelia bit her tongue. Of course she did not have it; she just could not bear to part with the shares. Without the shares, they would receive no dividend once the Jordan Group got back on its feet. Even Felix understood the importance of the matter as he said to Charmine, ¡°We¡¯re willing to give you our shares, and you only have to take care of the debts. Please don¡¯t ask us to pay anything!¡± ¡°You sure?¡± Charmine asked coldly. Felix and Lily nodded instantly. ¡°Absolutely!¡± Chapter 518 Chapter 518 As long as the debts were paid and Lily and Felix did not have to pay anything, everything else could be negotiated again in the future. Unwillingly, Charmine took out her phone with an unperturbed look and made a call. It did not take long before Kay showed up with two share transfer documents. Although Lily and Felix were disinclined, the situation had escted to this point and they had no choice but to sign. They even made Amelia sign the documents. With that, all of the Jordans¡¯ shares belonged to Charmine. Charmine remained motionless as always as she said to Kay, ¡°Go to the bank with the general manager to deal with the loan payments, and sort out the shares as well.¡± She had bought the 60 percent shares from Tiffany long ago; she just had not ced her name on it yet. 1 Once Kay left with the bank staff, the people in the room sighed in relief. Joey looked at Charmine with mixed feelings. ¡°Thank you, Charmine.¡± Who would have thought that the person who made the family went bankrupt was the Tiffany they all favored, while the person who saved the family was Charmine whom they all hated? Charmine remained unperturbed. ¡°I did it for Grandpa.¡± If it was not for Senior Jordan, she would not have stepped in. The atmosphere was rather awkward. ¡°No matter who it was for, it was for the Jordan family.¡± Lily tried to ease the atmosphere.¡± We¡¯re a family, and without Tiffany messing around, we¡¯ll be peaceful and happy!¡± 1 ¡°Yes, thanks to Charmine. If not for her, our family would¡¯ve been done for!¡± beamed the ted Felix. As long as they did not have to pay the debt, they would no longer owe the bank anything! However, Amelia asked, ¡°What now? What¡¯s the n? Charmine will get everything, while we¡¯ll have nothing else by the year¡¯s end.¡± 1 Mentioning that, Charmine nced at them apathetically. ¡°Grandpa was too kind as he gave the shares to anyone rted. I work differently: I only look at a person¡¯s ability, not the person themselves. After I¡¯ve made some arrangements, I¡¯ll announce the recruitment and give you all an opportunity to be interviewed first. If you passed it, it shows that you¡¯re capable, and I¡¯ll give you the shares and sry you deserve. If you don¡¯t pass it, you¡¯ll have to move out of the Jordan mansion and find yourself a job.¡± 1 Her clear voice sounded serious and formal. Amelia and her parents¡¯ faces turned pale. They were members of the Jordan family, yet she asked them to work? They used to merely sit and wait for the dividends back then. How could charmine be so evil? Amelia bit her tongue. ¡°Charmine, what rights have you got to be so mean? Can you be less heartless!?¡± ¡°I made so much effort to save the Jordan family. Do you think that¡¯s to grow a bunch of useless parasites like you lot? If you can¡¯t take it, move out of the family!¡± Charmine¡¯s voice was cold, arrogant, and ruthless. She knew Amelia and her parents¡¯ personalities. The three of them had never been to thepany, and they merely sat and waited for the end-of-year dividends. What use was there to keep such parasites? For the new year? 1 Amelia was about to speak, but Lily held her hand and gave her a look. A look that was dark and calctive. Amelia bit her tongue and repressed her anger. She could not wait to discuss their next n when nobody was around. 1 They eventually started their meal. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Dr. Weir and Senior Jordan sat on one side, while Joey and Adam sat on another side of Charmine as if she was an important princess. Dr. Weir liked Charmine very much. He thought Charmine was merely a nouveau riche, but after looking at the way she resolved the conflict well and clearly, he was more impressed than ever. He put a piece of meat on Charmine¡¯s te. ¡°Charmine, try this pork chop. You¡¯re too skinny-eat more!¡± ¡°Thank you, Uncle Weir,¡± Charmine thanked him. ¡°Sigh! Don¡¯t be so polite. You¡¯re just like my actual granddaughter, and I like you very much! Oh, yes, how old are you, Charmine? Which year were you born in? What¡¯s your horoscope?¡± asked Dr. Weir. 2 Charmine¡¯s eyelids twitched. Oh, no, that sounded way too familiar. Dr. Weir was trying to¡­ Chapter 519 Chapter 519 Dr. Weir was trying to introduce a partner to Charmine! He wanted Charmine to go on a blind date! Charmine was too familiar with such questions. Her other four Uncles also started a conversation with her this way. Back then, each of them came to her one at a time, introducing to her some checkers genius, or some fighter captain, or medical professor. She turned them all down. It was not until Charmine met William during a project that they all stopped pestering her. They all thought William was the most suitable grandson-inw. Recalling the blind dates scenarios, Charmine felt her scalp itching. She quickly put a piece of meat onto Dr. Weir¡¯s te and changed the topic, ¡°Uncle Weir, it¡¯s past two already. Are you not hungry? This meat looks good. Try it!¡± ¡°Charmine, what I was asking you¡ª¡± ¡°Wow, the steamed meat is not bad; it¡¯s so authentic! It¡¯s really yummy, Uncle Weir, try it.¡± Charmine cut him off and put another meat onto his te. Seeing how genial and caring she was, Dr. Weir tasted the food and nodded with satisfaction. ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s not bad indeed. It¡¯s different from the ones I used to eat.¡± ¡°Of course. Do have more. Grandpa, have some as well.¡± Charmine put a slice of meat onto Senior Jordan¡¯s te. She sessfully changed the topic and got along well with both elderly men. Joey and Adam watched with delight and regret. When would they be in such good terms with Charmine? 1 Perhaps it was impossible in this lifetime¡­ They could only eat silently. Compared to them, Amelia and her parents had it even worse. While Charmine and the group were eating the delicious dishes, they could only have bread rolls with mustard. They had all kinds of dishes right in front of them, but they could only watch. It was pure torture! They thought Charmine was merely saying they would only have the bread rolls, but little did they expect Charmine to ask the waiter to bring away all of the leftover dishes. Felix said instantly, ¡°Charmine, since everyone else can¡¯t finish it, letting us have some is better than letting the waiter take them away, right?¡± ¡°As members of the Jordan family, you¡¯re begging for the leftovers? Haven¡¯t you learned a thing or two from eating the bread rolls?¡± came Charmine¡¯s apathetic response. Felix¡¯s face flushed red. Their table was filled with dishes! How were they leftovers? Charmine made it sound so bad! He was infuriated. He wished he could tear away that face of hers! s, everyone else escorted Charmine, thus they had no choice but to hold it in. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Amelia red at Charmine¡¯s back, her fists clenched tightly. ¡°Mom, I can¡¯t take it anymore. Charmine is too evil!¡± 2 Tiffany was terrible, but Charmine was far worse than that! Tiffany only harmed them when she left, but Charmine? Charmine was so cold-hearted! Lilyforted, ¡°Nobody can stand her, but do remember that we don¡¯t have money now, so we¡¯ll have to listen to her. We used to live with Senior Jordan, so she won¡¯t kick us out since we¡¯re still a family. Thankfully, we¡¯re still living together. Charmine is rich, but once she puts the Jordan Group back on its feet, we can¡­¡± 1 Lily then conveyed her n in a low voice. Chapter 520 Chapter 520 Amelia and Felix looked pleased once Lily ryed her n.1 They would hold it in before they became rich again. Just a little longer! One day, they would make Charmine pay dearly for her callousness. Charmine and the rest left Andy Restaurant. She said to Senior Jordan, ¡°Grandpa, go back and take care of Robert first. I¡¯ll send Uncle Weir back and take the medicines for Robert.¡± ¡°Okay, be careful. I¡¯ll wait for you all in the hospital,¡± said Senior Jordan. At that moment, Charmine received a message from Kay. 1 This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. (50 billion is in process. The mansion is unblocked and can be entered again.) Charmine noticed that the clothes Senior Jordan was wearing were the same as the ones he wore two days ago. They did not even have time to get changed in the hospital over the past two days. Heart moved with sympathy, Charmine then said, ¡°I might bete when I¡¯m back, so let the nurse take care of Robert for the time being. Do go home and get changed. I¡¯ve redeemed the Jordan mansion.¡± ¡°Redeemed the Jordan mansion? So soon?¡± gasped Senior Jordan, lips trembling, ted at the news. The mansion was passed on from generation to generation. Senior Jordan went back to have a look and saw that a few seals were stuck on the gate. He thought he would never redeem the mansion for the rest of his life. He thought the mansion would be lost, but who would have thought¡­ Charmine felt guilty. When the Jordan family went bankrupt and was blocked by the bank, she could have told Senior Jordan that she could save the family whenever. However, he was always surrounded by family members and rtives. She was worried that if the others knew that she could save them, she would not be able to make people like Joey feel the true impact and gravity Tiffany had dealt to them. 1 To be honest, Senior Jordan never owed her anything, but she made him worry due to her conflicts with Tiffany. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s been redeemed,¡± sheforted him firmly. ¡°You may go home, Grandpa.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ That¡¯s amazing! Thank you, Charmine. Thank you!¡± Senior Jordan held her hand, pleased with the oue. He did know the conflicts between Charmine and Tiffany, but he never expected Tiffany would stab the family by their backs like this. 1 Charmine only made them suffer for two days and already took out tens of billions to save the family. How could he me Charmine? Furthermore, Charmine had suffered for 23 years and merely made them suffer for two days. He was extremely grateful. Charmine brought Dr. Weir to her motorbike. Joey wanted to walk forward, but before she could say ¡®be careful¡¯, Charmine already twisted the throttle and left. Joey sighed and felt bad. ¡°Regretting what you¡¯ve done, yes?¡± scoffed Senior Jordan. ¡°You better make up for what you did to her throughout the years!¡± Senior Jordan saw it all. Since Charmine had changed after she turned eight, Joey and Adam scolded her and beat her ever so often. Ever since she turned eight, her life at the Jordan was like hell. Although it was Tiffany¡¯s doings and they were unaware of the truth, the fact was that they were too biased and mean. Even if it was not a mistake by Charmine, Joey would assume she did it. There was not a day when she did not scold her for being the adopted daughter. For example, after Charmine came back and Amelia called her for being a third-wheeler, Joey instantly scolded her for being shameless. When Tiffany said it was Charmine who drugged the top-ten supermodels, Joey believed her right away. Tiffany said it was Charmine who drugged Robert, and Joey wanted to p Charmine that quickly. They had never trusted Charmine before. Joey and Adam knew what they had done; they nodded with remorse. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Dad, we know what to do. However, I¡¯m more worried about Charmine. Do you think she truly can save the Jordan family?¡± After Tiffany had run away with the money, the Jordan Group¡¯s building was blocked and all the staff had left. The Jordan Group¡¯s new properties were unable to sell out as the reputation went south. Most importantly, due to the negative impact of Tiffany running away with the money, the Jordan family was cklisted by all banks and firms, and they would stay cklisted for at least three years. All the firms were worried about the Jordan family having internal conflicts again, and they would not reach out to help them in the following three years. It was possible that everything Charmine tried to do would be filled with hurdles and challenges that could not be solved with money. Even if Charmine had her wealth, would she be able to fix the Jordans¡¯ shredded reputation? Chapter 521 Chapter 521 Senior Jordan¡¯s brows furrowed as the thought gued his mind. Charmine was just a young woman, yet she had to take on the duty of saving the entire family and face hurdles after hurdles. 2 He would have resolved the family affairs himself if he could, but in his old age, he found it difficult to handle them¡­ 1 Hopefully, Charmine¡¯s journey would be smooth-sailing. 1 A thought then urred to Senior Jordan as he instructed Joey, ¡°You and Adam, fix the bad press.¡± The news about the Jordan family going bankrupt was all over the inte; it would hinder Charmine¡¯s next course of action. Furthermore, the entire family boycotted Charmine and even used her of harming Robert. They had yet to rectify the situation. Charmine had been wrongly used, and that deserved an exnation. Joey understood and nodded, her heart weighed with guilt and regret. Charmine drove Dr. Weir out of the city. The hidden ce he resided in was an under developednd in a secluded mountain, and it would take two hours to get there by motorbike. Nheless, Dr. Weir did not seem to mind it as he wore his helmet and enjoyed the breeze gleefully. ¡°Is it convenient to live so far away?¡± asked Charmine, unable to hold back the question in mind. ¡°Of course! You¡¯ve no idea how much freedom I get, Charmine. I grow my vegetables and I¡¯m self- sufficient. There¡¯s no noise, no responsibilities, and I don¡¯t have to think of anything every day. You¡¯ll understand how rxing it is once you get there, I can guarantee that you won¡¯t want to leave after!¡± Dr. Weir said proudly. 1 Dr. Weir¡¯s exnation piqued Charmine¡¯s interest. She had never lived a life like that. The Jordans shunned her from a tender age, and all she cared about back then was chasing Julian. She worked and changed entirely for Julian, and then she was sent to Africa when she was 18. Since then, she started nning and waiting for revenge. Her ns were executed one after another upon her return. Since that was almost sorted out, there were issues with Anthony¡­ N?velDrama.Org ? content. Dr. Weir could feel the change in Charmine¡¯s mood, thus he concernedly asked, ¡°What is it, Charmine? You seem unhappy.¡± ¡°Nothing, just sit and hold tight to my waist. I¡¯m about to speed up!¡± said Charmine. That instantly riveted Dr. Weir as he hastily held Charmine¡¯s waist tightly, preparing himself. Charmine squeezed the throttle and the motorbike raced away. In her world, there was nothing that drag-racing could not solve. Charmine had to give her undivided attention on the road as she raced, and even a slight distraction could cause an ident. So concentrated was she in the process, however, that all her problems were forgotten. Still, she drove considerably slower at that moment, considering there was an elderly man behind her. She only dared to drive two-thirds of her usual speed; it was fast enough for Dr. Weir. This was his first-no, second time sitting on a motorbike, breathing in the fresh, passing wind. His aged eyes sparkled as if he had found a new interest in life. Charmine took the shortcuts, and they managed to arrive at Dr. Weir¡¯s residence in less than two hours. It was a tranquil ce built in the green bamboo forest. There was a green stone-path leading to the deep-end of the bamboo forest. Along the path were bamboo leaves all over the ground, just like the best carpet made by nature. Walking further down, there were a thousand square-meters of cherry blossom forest. It was almost autumn, yet that species of cherry blossom was still pinkish, blooming brilliantly and beautifully. A gust of wind blew and countless cherry petals fluttered in the air. 1 In the middle of this beautiful cherry blossom forest, an exquisite bamboo house sat quietly. It had a simple, in, and delicate design, and a tabby cat took its afternoon nap in front of the door, under the roof. The introverted Charmine was instantly influenced by the atmosphere, and the sight enamored her. Chapter 522 Chapter 522 Charmine did not understand it, but it felt rather peculiar as she gazed at the cherry blossom tree in front of Dr. Weir¡¯s house. It seemed to exude a different air, and the bamboo house appeared to be a ce with stories. Charmine then began, curiously so, ¡°This is a beautiful home. Did you build this yourself?¡± ¡°If only I could build such a nice bamboo house! Look at the bamboo house; it¡¯s rather old. And the cherry blossoms are so well-grown, it¡¯d take at least five years to grow them! Someone introduced this ce to me, and I¡¯ve only lived here for a year. 1 ¡°I heard a couple lived here in secrecy, but something happened and they left this ce to a friend, saying that this ce can only be sold to someone worthy of it, and it just so happened that I moved in here. Doesn¡¯t it feel like the air here is incredibly nostalgic somehow?¡± said Dr. Weir. Charmine nodded; she somehow got the image of an ideal couple residing in this very bamboo house as she gazed at it. She walked to the courtyard and looked around, and her gazended on the most prosperous cherry tree. ¡°This cherry tree, in particr, stands out from the rest somehow.¡± It was no different from the others upon a nce, but that tree somehow seemed to have something that otherscked. Dr. Weir put his hands behind him and sized up the cherry tree. ¡°Yeah, this is my favorite tree. Sometimes, when I don¡¯t have anything to do, I¡¯d talk to this tree. I always feel that it understands me.¡± Charmine frowned. Was it that mysterious? It seemed just a tad different, that was all¡­ ¡°Look at me,¡± Dr. Weir smacked his head gently. ¡°I sound like a crazy man, don¡¯t I? Please have a sit here, I¡¯ll prepare the medicines for your brother.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Charmine sat in the courtyard and breathed in the tranquility. There was a breeze as the petals fell onto the ground, forming a beautiful sight. The wooden table in the courtyard seemed old, and there were some scratches on it. Somehow, Charmine noticed a word¡­ (Sweetie) The engraving was rather small and difficult to make out, but it seemed to be carved deeply into the wood as though the owner was using his life to carve the word. It was apparent that someone was in love with a girl named ¡®Sweetie¡¯, thus he carved the name here. If only there was someone who loved her as much. How beautiful would that be¡­ Charmine¡¯s mind eventually drifted to Anthony. He did not seem like a man who would do such a thing The love Anthony had for her was unlikely to be as deep¡­ Out of the blue, Charmine¡¯s phone rang, and she took out her phone to see a message from ?? ?? ???? ??? ?? ??? William that read, [I¡¯ve fixed the documents. You don¡¯t have to worry about it anymore-do get some rest if you have time.) Above that were a series of messages. Even though she did not reply, William still messaged her everyContent ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. day. With guilt riddling her mind, Charmine, after a moment of thought, replied: (That¡¯s good. I¡¯m busy now, and I¡¯ll be busier in the future. I don¡¯t have time to reply to your messages, and you don¡¯t have to send me so many texts.) (William: Ok. Is there anything I can help you with?] (Charmine: No, I¡¯m alright.] (William: Ok, do take good care of yourself. The temperature in Burlington is getting lower; put on more clothes.] Charmine¡¯s brows furrowed. A man like him seemed to have cared too much. It was apparent that William had not given up on her. Charmine¡¯s eyes narrowed as she typed, (Charmine: Mr. William, I thank you for your concern, but I¡¯ve already had someone I like. We¡¯re both adults¨Cyou know what I¡¯m trying to say. You deserve someone better.] After Charmine sent out the text, William, who would never fail to respond instantly, did not reply for a long while. Although Charmine felt too harsh, this kind of thing should be clearly said. William should know what to do, right? She hoped so. Chapter 523 Chapter 523 Not long after, Charmine¡¯s phone lit up. (William: Ok, I understand. I know what to do.) Charmine kept her phone. William truly was a gentleman; he would not want to cause her any trouble. In another corner of the world, William was sitting on the sofa in his white shirt and thin framed sses. He had a pair of sky-blue eyes with a clean outlook, much like a prince with a white horse in fairytale books. He exuded an air of a sumptuous and one-of-a-kind prince like temperament. Despite that, his gentle face appeared rather crestfallen as he held his phone. Ring! Ring! His phone rang. William answered the call and was greeted with Uncle Zul¡¯s enthusiastic voice. ¡°William, William, good news! I¡¯ve good news for you! Charmine and Anthony are having a rift, and she¡¯s alone now. This is your chance!¡± ¡°Hmm? What?¡± William frowned slightly, though his eyes lit up. Uncle Zul continued, ¡°Anthony¡¯s first love came back, and he and Charmine might as well be having a break-up now. This is your chance! Hurry and find time to visit Burlington right away, spend some time with her!¡± William was initially filled with hope at that news, but it was only secondster that his sparkling eyes became dull again. ¡°Thank you for telling me, Uncle Zul, but I can¡¯t go to Burlington.¡± ¡°Huh? Why so? Don¡¯t you like Charmine very much? Why can¡¯t youe to Burlington? Is your work as important as Charmine?¡± Uncle Zul was agitated. William replied, ¡°It¡¯s not because of work. Charmine sent me a text earlier-she doesn¡¯t want me to cause her any more trouble. There are things a man shouldn¡¯t do at certain times, especially in a situation when she¡¯s more vulnerable. I do like Charmine, but I¡¯ll find her when she¡¯s settled down, not when she¡¯s still fixing her rtionship.¡± 1 His words were gentle and caring. That only pushed Uncle Zul to be more agitated. ¡°What are you talking about? Have you gone dumb from all that researching? If you don¡¯t take the initiative, how¡¯s anything going to happen at all? You won¡¯t get a chance if you keep doing this! Also, now is the time she needspany. How¡¯s this not the right time?¡± 1 ¡°Uncle Zul, I understand what you mean, but I don¡¯t want to be another burden to her, causing her more problems. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll use my way to apany her silently.¡± With that, William hung up. LIITUT 24 Uncle Zul was frustrated and panicky. His way? Nothing-that was William¡¯s way! He had a crush on her for a few years but took no action on it! How frustrating! Could William not be a little more assertive or something?! William¡¯s eyes dulled as his eyes scanned Charmine¡¯s WhatsApp message once more. Why would he not want to be with her? Still, he understood what Charmine meant-she did not like him being so clingy. If he could not win her heart, William would not want her to hate him¡­ ? Back in the bamboo forest¡­ Charmine was sitting on a wooden chair as Dr. Weir walked over with a few packets of medicine. There were fifty packets in total, and he handed them all to Charmine. ¡°I¡¯ve put remarks and instructions on each of these medications on top. Just feed them to your brother every day ordingly.¡± ¡°Alright. Thank you, Uncle,¡± Charmine snapped out of her thoughts and thanked him politely. Seeing the dazed Charmine, Dr. Weir caringly asked, ¡°Charmine, is there something upsetting This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. you?¡± ¡°Huh? No, it¡¯s nothing,¡± answered Charmine in a calm face. She did not like to show her emotions to others. Dr. Weir smiled. ¡°Look at you. You¡¯re trying to hide things from a doctor like myself? You seem to have things on your mind. Oh, yes, I remember something! Wait for me.¡± Instantly, Dr. Weir ran inside his house. Chapter 524 Chapter 524 Charmine waited on the same spot, but it did not take long before Dr. Weir came out of his house with a few books in his arms. The books seemed ancient, with dark blue covers and old styled writings. (Secrets of Weir], [Weir¡¯s Medications], [Notes from Weir)¡­ Charmine¡¯s brows furrowed at the sight of the books. She had heard about them before, and they were the most invaluable books in the medical world. No matter which book it was, in it were recorded methods for curing some diseases unknown to regr people. Someone offered 50 million in the ck market to get any of these books, while other descendants and students of the Weir family even fought hard for them, but Dr. Weir safeguarded them all. Who would have thought that Dr. Weir would bring them all out? Dr. Weir ced them on the table nonchntly. He flipped open one of them and tore it down in front of Charmine. Rip! Charmine¡¯s eyelids twitched. ¡°Uncle Weir, what are you doing? These books are very precious ¡°How precious can it be? From now on, these books belong to you. Bring home and have a read, and if you don¡¯t feel like reading, just put them aside. You can even use them to clean your windows.¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Speaking carefreely, Dr. Weir sat at the table and folded the paper he tore out. Charmine was shocked. He asked her to bring home these precious books to clean her windows? She had only met Dr. Weir for a day, and he treated her with such kindness! Was he not going too overboard with this¡­? Dr. Weir continued, ¡°Don¡¯t think too much. These books are giving me a headache, and you don¡¯t know how annoying it gets. I¡¯ve known each of these books too well, and all the apprentices fought against one another just to get these books. Look, as their senior, it¡¯ll seem biased no matter who I handed them to this is a recipe for trouble. Also, the properties,panies, and factories are merely worth a penny or two. Is it worth it for them to kill one another?¡± Charmine was at a loss for words. Cough, cough! Luckily, Dr. Weir¡¯s apprentices did not hear this, or they would have thrown up blood. It did not help that his choice of words was triggering! What did he mean, ¡®merely worth a penny or two? Did he not know how many people would die to earn these pennies?! 1 Although she did not care about the money, she would not say things like that. Lost in her thoughts, Dr. Weir folded the piece of paper into a paper crane and handed it to Charmine. ¡°Charmine, have a look. This is a paper crane I folded for you. Do you like it?¡± Charmine looked over to see that the paper filled with words had been transformed into a paper crane. It looked unexpectedly nice. Did Dr. Weir tear a page out of a precious book just to make her a paper crane? ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate this paper crane. In ancient times, people folded it to pray for recovery, and it then became a symbol of prayer. Every paper crane could carry one wish or prayer. If you have any worries, just pray to this paper crane. It¡¯s effective-I can guarantee your wish wille true!¡± 1 Charmine¡¯s heart was filled with warmth Dr. Weir saw that she was upset, and he¡­ That torn-out paper folded into a paper crane would have been worth a few million¡­ This might as well be the most precious paper crane in the world. She epted with gratitude. ¡°Thank you, Uncle, but I don¡¯t have any worries in mind.¡± ¡°Still denying it, huh? Quick, make a prayer in front of me now. I can guarantee your dream wille true!¡± Dr. Weir pestered. Charmine found it strange. Why would an old and established doctor believe in such childish and romantic things? Why was he pestering her to make a wish as well? One could tell by his look that he was indeed waiting for her to make a wish. Something felt strange¡­ Chapter 525 Chapter 525 Charmine did not want to, but since Dr. Weir pestered and waited for her to make her wish, she eventually relented as she ced the paper crane on her right palm and prayed to it with her eyes closed. Charmine did not know what to even pray for at that moment. She could fix everything in thepany, and the only thing she had noplete control over was the matter between her and Anthony. Still¡­ To pray for love? How would God fix things that were out of her control? Whatever! She would give it a try. Dr. Weir studied Charmine¡¯s face intensely. To a normal person, a face had five features, and a face was just a face. To him, every inch of the skin would give out different signals. Charmine¡¯s eyes moved slightly, her right cheek undted. The left side of the face was for matters while the right side was for feelings¡­ His little girl was troubled by love! Moreover, her expression was stiff with her brows slightly bent. Her left brow was slightly higher than her right brow-it showed that she had some difficulties in her love life. Putting the pieces together with Charmine¡¯s personality, this matter seemed to be out of her hands¡­ It was up to a man! It was likely that the man she loved had flings with another woman! Charmine¡¯s eyes opened then. Dr. Weir could barely hold himself at the sight of her. ¡°Don¡¯t be too upset, Charmine, and don¡¯t overthink things. Plenty of men out there in the world that are amazing and extraordinary! Tell me what kind of man you like, and I¡¯ll introduce you to them all!¡± Charmine¡¯s eyelids twitched. She just made her wish, yet Dr. Weir could make that out? Was this paper craneced with something suspicious? Did he put something on it? Dr. Weir¡¯s scalp itched under her intense re. He quickly looked away and exined, ¡°Haha, it¡¯s nothing! I¡¯m just looking forward to having a grandson-inw soon. Right, head home now. Your brother is still waiting for these medications to be saved! Don¡¯t worry, your wish has been heard by the paper crane, and it¡¯ll work out.¡± 1 Dr. Weir then hung the bag of medications around Charmine¡¯s shoulder and walked her out. Charmine thought of what had just happened, though she believed Dr. Weir would not harm her. Nheless, she had to return to deal with a few issues at hand. ¡°Thank you for your blessing, Uncle Weir. Once I¡¯ve resolved everything, I¡¯lle back to teach you how to ride a motorbike.¡± ¡°Go, go! I¡¯ll try to learn it myself when I have the time,¡± ushered Dr. Weir as he put the short stack of books on the table into a packet. He tossed them in as if they were unwanted rubbish, and the packet was like a coarse sack. Charmine wanted to refuse, but she decided to bring them away anyway. Since Dr. Weir had given them to her, she could read them during her free time. She might even be able to cure Chris one day. 1 There were times when ancient medical techniques woulde in handy. With that, Charmine ced the two bags given to her at the back of her motorbike: One was a bag full of medicines while another was filled with books. The simple and in-looking bags contradicted her sleek motorbike. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Once Dr. Weir saw Charmine driving away, he instantly took out his phone and called someone, ¡°Find me a list of all the most amazing single men in the world, below the age of thirty. They must be handsome, sessful, and most importantly, no entangled love history, and loyalty!¡± Hmph! He wondered who the man Charmine fancied was. That man had the guts to upset her, did he? He had to find the most remarkable man to take good care of his good goddaughter! Charmine had no idea her love-life was once again arranged by her Uncle. She sped away with her motorbike. It waste in the evening, and the sun was setting. Charmine took a shortcut and drove the fastest she could as she was alone. She would be able to arrive in an hour¡¯s time. Chapter 526 Chapter 526 She felt at peace whenever she was racing. With so many urrences that had happened this day, Anthony¡¯s handsome face somehow always managed to worm its way into Charmine¡¯s headspace. A man like him would not secretly carve out her name somewhere; he would not love her as much. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. It was even more unlikely for them to live a secluded life like the bamboo house¡¯s owner, retiring like an ideal couple. Perhaps even the paper crane personally folded by Dr. Weir would not grant her wish¡­ Lost was Charmine in her thoughts that she did not notice the road ahead blocked by a group of people. She had no choice but to stop her motorbike. ¡°What happened?¡± she asked. ¡°The sweetie Annabel from our Southern Vige, she¡¯s got rich!¡± answered a viger enthusiastically. ¡°She¡¯s found a rich guy! Look at what car they¡¯re driving her in. I heard every car is at least a few million! We¡¯ve never seen such cars in our lives!¡± Charmine frowned. Annabel? Anthony¡¯s ex-girlfriend, Annabel Smith? Seeing that Charmine was confused, the woman then ryed the gossip, ¡°These men sent a lot of precious gifts to her. They even renewed Annabel¡¯s house and wanted to design her a different-styled house, changing her house entirely. I heard a very handsome man saying that he wants to turn Annabel into a celebrity and be a live-streamer or something. He wanted to make sure that she could earn up to a few million every month! This girl¡¯s gotten so lucky, and she even got pregnant out of wedlock five years ago. Nobody knew where that child went! And now a rich guy chose her¡­ Is the man blind?¡± Thatst bit assured Charmine that it was indeed Annabel Smith. She took another look at the few luxury cars parked by the side, and although the vigers swamped the cars, it was apparent that these cars belonged to Anthony. Had Anthony arranged for someone to improve her living conditions, helped her get a job, and be a celebrity? While it was the right thing to do, Charmine still felt unusually bad and upset about it all. ¡°There are many things you don¡¯t know,¡± said Charmine to the middle-aged woman, ¡°so don¡¯t make things up.¡± With that, Charmine twisted the throttle and zipped away. Vigers gave way to her when they saw the motorbike racing toward them. Charmine could make out quite a lot of luxury cars as she raced past. It was apparent that Anthony was dealing with Annabel¡¯s matter in a high-profile manner. She even heard the vigers gossiping, ¡°This woman got pregnant before marriage. How shameless! How did she get so lucky?¡± ¡°Even a woman like her can be chosen by a wealthy guy! Sigh¡­ God is blind!¡± Every word uttered was a form of ridicule toward Annabel. One did not have to imagine how difficult life had been for Annabel living in this vige over the years. Anthony did owe it to her, and he should take good care of Annabel. As for Charmine, she should not get in their way; she should not be a homewrecker. There were times that short-term pain was better than long-term agony. Some things should be ended¡­ Charmine inhaled deeply, prepared to race away in a dispirited manner. It was then when her phone rang loudly. She parked the motorbike aside and took out her phone to hear Chris crying anxiously,¡± Mommy, Mommy! It¡¯s bad! Daddy is in an ident! An excavator rammed against Daddy!¡± ¡°What?¡± Charmine frowned as she anxiously pressed, ¡°Where¡¯s he now?¡±. Chapter 527 Chapter 527 ¡°Waa¡­! Daddy¡¯s stuck in the traffic on Abbey Road! The tire burst and he¡¯s waiting for assistance, but it¡¯s taking too long¡­! Waa¡­ I¡¯m scared that Daddy can¡¯t hang on any longer¡­¡± Chris¡¯s soft and weak voice was so hoarse that it made one feel hurt and bad. 1 Charmineforted, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Momo. Mommy wille over to see Daddy. Mommy promises that Daddy will be fine. Just stay home and be good, okay?¡± ¡°Waa¡­ Okay¡­¡± sobbed Chris in a childlike manner. Hanging up the call, Charmine kept her phone away and raced toward Abbey Road. She had completely forgotten about the matter with Annabel and had only one thought in mind: She had to rush over as quickly as possible to save Anthony! Abbey Road was a secluded road outside the city. True enough, a few excavators had been operating around the area, and no doubt would it be able to crash cars.. Charmine raced even faster at the thought. Charmine spotted a car when she finally arrived at Abbey Road. However¡­ The dark ck luxury car was parked by the side, and there were no signs of damage on it. No one was inside the car as well. Charmine took a look at the car te-it was indeed Anthony¡¯s car. There was no ident, so where did Anthony go? Had an excavator run over him instead? She looked around, worried when she spotted something. There was indeed an excavator in front of the front tire, but the excavator was as small as a stone. It was a toy version of an excavator! The tire was deted and looked rather t; something had pricked it for sure. Charmine¡¯s eyelids twitched. Was this the so-called excavator Chris talked about? Had Chris lied to her? She took out her phone to call, only to be directed to the voicemail that yed, ¡°Sorry, the Momo you called is currently sleeping. Please leave a voice message.¡± Charmine was bbergasted. No doubt about it: she was yed by Chris and Anthony! They both set this up! She turned away, walking back to her motorbike. ¡°Charmine?¡± A deep and maic voice came from behind. Charmine halted and saw Anthony walking toward her. He had a safety hat in his hand; it seemed that he was patrolling the construction site. Seeing Charmine, his eyes bore the look of confusion and surprise. ¡°What brings you here?¡± ¡°You¡¯re asking me? You really don¡¯t know?¡± Charmine scoffed. Well, had Chris set this all up by himself then? Was Chris that smart? Anthony frowned. He seemed perplexed and innocent. Charmine sized him from head to toe. It seemed that he truly had no inkling of what happened. Then¡­ ¡°Just ignore what I said. I just happened to pass by, but I¡¯m going home now.¡± With that, she swung her long leg over her motorbike and sat down. Anthony walked toward her and spoke to her from behind. ¡°Give me a ride.¡± This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. With that, he sat behind her and hooked his hands around her waist. Charmine¡¯s body stiffened. After a moment of shock, she firmly stated, ¡°I¡¯m going to Royal Hospital, and it¡¯s a different route. Drive your car.¡± ¡°The tire is acting strange, and my assistant is busy,¡± came Anthony¡¯s reply, and that rendered Charmine speechless. Chapter 528 Chapter 528 What was that? How odd. If he was innocent, how would he know his tire was ¡®acting strange¡¯ without even looking at it? Most importantly, it was what he said in the end. His assistant was busy? Luke was busy with handling Annabel¡¯s matters, was he not? Charmine was in no mood to entertain. ¡°Mr. Bailey has so many men. Can¡¯t you find one to fetch you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m in a hurry to take care of Momo. Without me around, he wouldn¡¯t have his dinner,¡± answered Anthony in a matter-of-fact tone. Charmine suddenly felt as if she had lost the argument. Whenever he mentioned Chris, she would go speechless. Had Anthony chose to call his men to fetch him, it would take at least two hours to and fro since it was peak hour. Moreover, as it was already 5pm, Chris must have been waiting alone for him in the mansion¡­ Even though Chris lied to her earlier, she had a soft spot for him. She had no choice but to let Anthony cling to her as she drove away. When they reached the crossroads, Anthony called out, ¡°Violet Vi.¡± Violet Vi? Had Chris and Anthony been living there even after she moved away? Had they not returned to their mansion? Their mansion was obviously much bigger¡­ Odd as it was, Charmine said nothing about the matter as she continued to race. Anthony felt that something was off. He sat behind her with his hands around her waist, almost hugging her entirely in his arms. The distance between the two of them was so close, Charmine could feel the warmthing from his chest. She could even feel his heartbeat! ¡°Move back,¡± warned Charmine, ¡°you¡¯re affecting my steering.¡± ¡°So having someone else on this bike doesn¡¯t affect you?¡± he muttered lowly, his voiceced with a tinge of anger. Charmine¡¯s eyelids twitched ¨CAnthony sounded as if he was condemning her. Did he see her driving Dr. Weir? Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°He¡¯s an old man, an Uncle I just met,¡± she blurted in response, ¡°Dr. Weir.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a man,¡± countered Anthony with displeasure. Three words, and he sounded jealous. The thought of another man sitting behind Charmine and touching her waist morphed his expression into a darker one. It did not matter if he was an old man or a baby boy. Charmine was bewildered by his behavior. Anthony, jealous of an old man? How stingy was he? Anthony tightened his hands around her waist, and he whispered coldly in her ears,¡± Charmine, remember this: nobody should be sitting behind you.¡± He demanded in a low voice. Charmine frowned. She already agreed to teach Dr. Weir how to ride a motorbike. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t do that-ah!¡± A yelp escaped Charmine¡¯s lips as Anthony¡¯s hand had slipped inside her clothes, and it slowly inched upward! The voice whispering in her ears became lower and sexier, more demanding than before.¡° Charmine, am I being toox with youtely? Do you want me to do this so you¡¯d listen to me?¡± As he spoke, hisrge hand gently pinched her bare waist. Charmine¡¯s face instantly flushed red like a tomato. Cars drove past them from time to time, and they were done for if someone found out what they were doing in public! She said nervously, ¡°Anthony, don¡¯t mess around! I¡¯ll get angry!¡± ¡°Whether I mess around or not, it depends on your decision,¡± spoke Anthony huskily, a slight smirk on his face as he did. The traffic light was showing red, and there were some cars beside them. Charmine said quickly, ¡°Alright, alright! I promise you!¡± Anthony¡¯s lips curled into a satisfactory smile. Chapter 529 Chapter 529 Anthony¡¯s hand had moved away from her waist and grazed Charmine¡¯s ribs. Her body stiffened. What was he trying to do? He ced his lips right next to her ear as he huskily whispered, ¡°Remember this feeling, Charmine, cause I won¡¯t be as forgiving the next time I hear about this.¡± His hoarse voice was demanding. It did not help that they were too close to one another, and Charmine¡¯s back was basically glued to his chest. Her breathingbored as she hastily answered, ¡°Alright, alright! I get it!¡± She was a hundred percent certain that whenever someone else sat behind her, she would instantly think of Anthony. This would traumatize her forever! However¡­ It suddenly fell odd to her. Was this all nned, that Anthony sitting behind her was to teach her a lesson? At that moment, Anthony finally took out his hand from her clothes, but his eyes were clouded. He was merely trying to threaten Charmine for fetching another man on her motorbike. He had nothing else in mind until his senses came back to him. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. When he removed his hand, he felt the soft patch of skin on her waist, he could feel the warmth on her skin and the feel in his hand. It was like silk, making one hard to let go of it. The usually self-disciplined Anthony was unable to fight back his urge to want her at that moment. She was like an alluring poppy. Charmine could feel the shift in him. Her face flushed red as she snapped, ¡°I¡¯ll promise to do anything, so just sit back, okay?¡± Anthony did not let go of his hands as though he was entitled to it. ¡°There¡¯re medicines behind, so I can¡¯t sit back.¡± Charmine was befuddled at hiseback Were his buttocks thatrge? There was so much space behind, yet he said he could not sit back? Whatever¡¯-they were close to Violet Vi anyway. The sooner he got off, the better! She sped up and drove toward Violet Vi. Anthony sensed her impatience. He frowned as his eyes darkened. Was she in such a hurry to part with him? Was it because of Annabel? They finally arrived at Violet Vi. Charmine took off her helmet right away and got off from the motorbike. ¡°Go and spend time with Momo,¡± she said to Anthony, ¡°and don¡¯t tell him that I came.¡± Knowing Chris, she knew that he would cling to her for a long while. It was better to keep her distance from Anthony, minimizing their interactions. Anthony had gone off the motorbike. Elegantly, he fixed his suit that was still in perfect condition. Hearing that she was trying to keep her distance from them, he looked at her. ¡°Charmine, with Annabel¡¯s current living and working conditions, I can fix them within three days. As for the drugs, the medical team had started analyzing them, and it¡¯d take less than half a month for the results toe out.¡± . Charmine¡¯s hand froze. Was he replying to her question from earlier on today? She asked him how long he needed in the afternoon and he did not give her a satisfactory answer, yet at this moment, he was telling her that he would be able to fix everything within half a month? This warmed her heart, but recalling the vigers¡¯ gossips, her face turned stormy again. ¡°There are many things that can¡¯t be fixed with money. What you owed to Annabel was more than you think. No rush, just take your time.¡± With that, she hopped onto the motorbike, twisted the throttle, and was ready to leave. Anthony¡¯srge hand suddenly grabbed Charmine¡¯s wrist. ¡°Charmine, don¡¯te in close contact with any other man within half a month. Trust me.¡± Chapter 530 Chapter 530 Anthony¡¯s words sounded like amand with a hint of worry. He knew about the existence of William, and he knew how much he liked Charmine. This was the first time Anthony felt unsure of himself when he was usually strategized. Charmine saw the seriousness in his look; she had never seen him this way before. She was touched by this and nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± Only then did Anthony let go of her wrist. ¡°Be careful.¡± Charmine halted for a second before igniting the engine and left. Before this, her heart faltered by what she saw in the vige, and all she wanted to do was to help Anthony and Annabel get together. However, at this moment, she really wanted to wait for a little longer. Just a little longer. Perhaps Anthony would give her a satisfactory answer¡­ Anthony stood in front of the vi with one hand in his pocket. Looking at Charmine¡¯s retreating form, his eyes gradually became darker and duller. With mixed feelings, Charmine went back to Royal Hospital. Only Rio was present in the ward as he used his phone, and the others were not there. Warily, she asked, ¡°Where are they?¡± ¡°They all went back to the mansion with Grandpa. They should be back soon.¡± Rio looked at the bag in her hand and frowned. ¡°Are these the medicines for Robert?¡± ¡°Of course, and don¡¯t you underestimate them. Dr. Weir likes to y it low-key.¡± Charmine took out a pack of medicine from the bag and gave it to him. 1 ¡°I don¡¯t trust the others feeding him, so you¡¯ll personally take charge of this.¡± Although Adam and Joey would not harm their own son, they were not sharp enough and might not notice if others did something to the medicines. Rio frowned. ¡°Charmine, are you serious? I¡¯m a CEO now, and you want me to be a medicine boy?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll introduce some prettydies to you when I have time.¡± ¡°Deal! I¡¯ll do it right away!¡± Rio took the pack of medicine and ran out to get it ready. Charmine was stunned silent. Rio got all worked up just at the mention of prettydies. However, he was already 25; it was time to get married. Although he ran apany and had improved significantly, he was notmitted to any rtionship yet, so Charmine should find him a partner. Charmine made a remark in her head to deal with that whenever she had time. She then sat by the bed as her gazended on Robert. Robert was still unconscious, his youthful face pale. The once energetic young man had been reduced to such a state. Hopefully, Dr. Weir¡¯s medicines would be able to help him regain consciousness. She had to salvage what Tiffany destroyed, one step at a time. So, Tiffany wanted to mess things up for her before she left, just so Charmine would be frantic? N?velDrama.Org ? content. Hah! Fat chance. Meanwhile, her phone rang. ¡°Boss Jordan, log into Twitter when you have time,¡± came the voice of Kay. ¡°We¡¯ve got good news!¡± Charmine had not logged onto Twitter for some time, but as she had the spare time to do so, she logged in. She saw the first few heated headlines as such: (Julian Not Keeping His Words] [Mile-End Corporation Dipping] [Charmine Is The Actual Heiress] [The Truth Of Why Tiffany Ran Away With Money!) Charmine had expected this would happen to Julian, so she was not surprised, but Tiffany¡¯s news made it to the headlines, too? She had not had time to deal with Tiffanytely. How did she make it to the headline? Confused, she clicked on it to see that it was Joey who posted a lengthy post with more than a thousand words. The post read¡­ Chapter 531 Chapter 531 [Everyone must be concerned about what¡¯s happening in the Jordan family. Since we haven¡¯t updated everyone, I think it¡¯s time to let you all know. Twenty-three years ago, when I left the hospital after giving birth, I picked up a baby girl by the roadside and adopted her. I always thought the baby girl I adopted was not the child from my womb, so I treated her as an adopted child. Never in a million years would I have thought that she was, in fact, my flesh and blood. [The daughter I¡¯ve raised and doted on as though she was my true child, Tiffany Jordan isn¡¯t my actual daughter! [Back then, Tiffany¡¯s birth mother died from an illness, but she-for the sake of Tiffany¡¯s wellbeing and better future-swapped my daughter with hers and threw Charmine, my baby, into a bin. (If I wasn¡¯t lucky enough to have taken Charmine home, she would¡¯ve died outside! (Sadly, Charmine lived in a poor environment for the past eighteen years that she lived with the Jordans. Everyone made fun of her and ridiculed her, calling her the ¡®adopted daughter. 1 (And yet, the Tiffany that we all favored and pampered had been constantly plotting to take every asset from us! [She manipted Robert and Charmine to behave badly, worried that we¡¯d leave her after finding out her actual identity. She ran away with the money and used the Jordan family to secure the loan of fifty billion so that we¡¯re heavily in debt. [Not only that, but she had Robert kidnapped and drugged so she could frame Charmine. She did all these so we¡¯d hate Charmine (Her main goal was to destroy the Jordan family; she wanted Charmine to return to a messed up home! (Because of her, the Jordan family fell intoplete chaos: Robert¡¯s in a vegetative state; the Jordan family is in debt; ourpany went bankrupt; we have not even one cent at hand. 1 (It was Charmine who came back. Not only did she not hold it against us at how we treated her in the past, but she even invited Dr. Weir to treat Robert. She was willing to help us get out of this difficulty. (Our Jordan family will always owe it to her, and we¡¯ll forever support her¡­] The words were filled with sincerity, guilt, and honesty. The post went viral as thement section fluctuated withments. (OMG! This is so shocking! The frog turns out to be the prince?] (So Tiffany stayed in the Jordan family for 23 years, just to get their assets?] (Goodness, that¡¯s terrifying! The closest person to you turned out to have been plotting against yourself? How terrifying!) 1 (She spent the past 20 years manipting Charmine and Robert to behave badly? She even drugged her own brother?] (She drugged the top ten supermodels and slept with her brother-inw at her sister¡¯s wedding. I thought that was scary enough! Who would¡¯ve thought that Tiffany can go lower than that!?] [Is she not a human? Why is she not dead yet!?] (She wronged Charmine and sent her to Africa! Poor Charmine!) (We have to capture Tiffany-she shouldn¡¯t get away with it! The discussion topics went viral as well: #Finding-Tiffany #Charmine¡¯s-Bumpy-Journey. #Charmine-and-Tiffany Every topic made it to the top 50 on Twitter. Within a short period of time, many of the Jordan family members retweeted, including Lily, Felix, Adam, Serena, as well as the Jordans¡¯ official ount. They all provide positive support for Charmine. Other than the Jordan family, the artists from the RisingHawk retweeted andmented as well. Thest thing everyone expected was for Julian to join in and retweeted, even though his reputation was already at risk. He wrote: This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. (Youth is always confusing-you¡¯ll somehow fall in love with someone you shouldn¡¯t. I¡¯ve owed her too much, but luckily, life is long. I can slowly make it up to her¡­) Comments afterments scorned him. [Ew! Is the douchebag trying to gain some fame?] (You sound as if you¡¯re sincere, yet you bullied Charmine¡¯s grandpa and didn¡¯t keep your promise?] (You said you sincerely wanted to marry Charmine, but you slept with her sister at your wedding! Why bother pretending now?] Chapter 532 Chapter 532 [Douchebag! Mile-End Corporation will go bankrupt!] Julian was unfazed at thements directed at him as he simply replied, (Even if I¡¯m a douche, I only have her in my heart. I¡¯m a douche that¡¯ll only marry her.] 1 Cough, cough, cough! Some fans almost choked while some were somehow touched by that post. They even tagged Charmine¡¯s username¨C@Charmine-to see what she would reply. Charmine herself nearly puked when she read it. Why did she not realize how disgusting Julian was? How did she even come to adore a man like him back then? Charmine, unable to hold back, tweeted, (I was too young back then; I wasn¡¯t able to distinguish a dog from a human.] 1 This went viral instantly. It was an indirect p-back at Julian¡¯s tweet. Julian was on the lookout for Charmine¡¯s post, so he saw the post right away. His brows furrowed. He was sincerely trying to help her, yet she gave such a demeaning attitude instead? 1 Who else would marry her if it was not him? Did she really think Anthony would want to marry her? He took out his phone and called Conor, ¡°Find out what Anthony and the Baileys are up to now.¡± He had to find out about hispetitor. He had to make sure Anthony would leave Charmine, and fast! Charmine was about to put down her phone when she saw #AnthonyBailey shot up and became the hottest topic. Doubtfully, she clicked onto it to see Anthony¡¯s zombie-like ount, which had never posted any tweet, tweeted, [I heard dog meat tastes okay?] He had nine roses emoji at the end of the sentence. That post shot up like wildfire. (Ahhhhhh! This is the most powerful man in the country! Rumor has it that he¡¯s one of the wealthiest bigshots!) (Ahhhhh! I followed him for ten years, and he finally tweeted! My life isplete, I can die a peaceful death!) (What are you all so excited for? I haven¡¯t heard of this man before. Why did he make it up here?] [Of course you haven¡¯t heard of him! The Bailey family has a hundred years of history, it¡¯s not for any ordinary people to know about. The space is usually emptied before he shows up, and all CCTV would have to be deleted. None of the media dared to take any photo of him or rted to him!) [Not only that, but I heard that 50% of all of therge-scale real estates,mercials, and exhibition halls belonged to the Bailey family! Can you imagine that? The national stadium was fully sponsored by the Bailey family!) (OMG! So strong! Daddy! Daddy Anthony! Are you looking for a daughter? Or do youck a leg or hand?] [I¡¯m curious about what his tweet is about. Why would Boss Bailey want to eat dog meat? Why does dog meat have to go with nine roses?] Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. [Dogs are cute! Why¡¯d you want to eat dogs?] (Oh, Boss Bailey, I beg you to eat me! You may peel me alive! Let go of the dog, I volunteer as tribute!) Theizens went ham in fangirling over Anthony, pushing this well-hidden wealthy man up the search bar. They had no idea what Anthony meant, but Charmine did. When she saw his tweet, her heartbeat sped as her entire body tensed. What Anthony meant was that¡­ Chapter 533 Chapter 533 ¡®I heard dog meat tastes okay¡­. Just moments ago, Charmine tweeted how she was too young back then to differentiate between a man and a dog. She implied Julian was a dog. Julian, however, had the gall to confess to her in public. The tweet Anthony posted was obviously him being jealous- it was a form of war deration. His tweet ryed his support to her, implying he could crash Julian anytime and ¡®send her nine roses¡¯. Nine roses symbolized eternity¡­ He wanted to crash Julian the dog and be with her forever. Charmine¡¯s heartbeat fastened anxiously. So manyizens were online, but Anthony chose to tweet at the same time? What if someone realized the link? What would she do then? Their rtionship was still uncertain, and she did not want to officiate it yet. She looked through the comments section uneasily. Luckily, Anthony was at an incredibly high pedestal. To theizens, he was like the god in the sky; nobody would link him with rtionship scandals or any other rumors. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Whenever someone suspected something, it would be denied by many others, and the spection would end up at the bottom of the pile. Charmine let out a sigh of relief and rposed her thoughts so she could focus on the issues she would have to deal with. Although Anthony¡¯s mysterious appearance took away a lot of attention, Tiffany was still lit in mes. Hopefully, Tiffany would take action so she could pay up her debts. As the night fell, Charmine¡¯s beautiful face was covered by the shadow. Meanwhile, at an unknown mansion in the Kansas mountains¡­ A tied-up Uji Quin was tossed to the floor, and the fierce-looking Rex sharply eyed him. Uji Quin was livid. Tiffany; two days ago, said she wasing to deliver her promise. She said she needed apletely safe ce, a ce where nobody could find them. She even said she would come with a bodyguard in case someone found out and tried to capture her. Uji Quin sent the address of his most-secured mansion to Tiffany and anticipated her arrival there. Sure, Tiffany was the most wanted criminal in the world, but her alluring body and face were too bewitching. He helped her drug Robert, just so he could sleep with her. Who would have thought that Tiffany would drug him and made him lose consciousness upon her arrival. When he woke up again, he was already tied by and guarded by Rex. He red at Tiffany with fury. ¡°Tiffany! How could you be so evil?! Let me go, or I¡¯ll expose your sins!¡± ¡°Go on! Do it if you want! Show everyone how you forced me to send you a nude when I begged you to teach Robert about gaming! Show them what offer you asked for when I asked you to drug Robert! Using my mouth? Who do you think you are?¡± Tiffany sat in front of the window, gently swirling the wine ss in her hand. Her beauty was elegant and arrogant. Rex kicked Uji Quin harshly. ¡°Is Tiffany someone you deserve? Even if you expose her, you¡¯re the one who drugged Robert. You should be the one being killed instead!¡± ¡°Argh!¡± Uji Quin squirmed under the kick; the veins on his forehead protruding as he did. He never expected Tiffany would be that cruel to him. She yed him! He gritted his teeth. ¡°I won¡¯t let you get away with this, Tiffany! I won¡¯t let you go!¡± ¡°Huh? You¡¯re all tied up, how could you say such a thing?¡± Tiffany nced at him mockingly. She then turned to Rex and passed her instruction. Chapter 534 Chapter 534 ¡°Lock him in the basement, and make it secure. Don¡¯t let him run away.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± Rex dragged Uji Quin away. Tiffany continued admiring the view. Outside the transparent French window was a ming red maple forest, a romantic view straight out of a fairy tale. This would do. This secluded ce was hidden from¡¯satellites, and the people searching for her would never locate her. Her red lips curled up as she sipped her red wine. Charmine must have been frantic, trying to fix the pandemonium left behind. Hah! So what if she was not the actual heiress of the Jordan family? So what if she left the Jordan family? Tiffany was set for life! Charmine was meant to be entangled with problems. She had no choice but to watch Robert die! At the thought of Charmine, Tiffany instinctively took out her phone and logged into her Twitter ount. She expected a page filled with negative news about the Jordans. She thought Charmine would never get away after she was framed for drugging Robert, that she would be busy like a dog. Little did Tiffany expect to see that it waspletely different from what she expected. #Charmine-the-heiress #Charmine-saving-Jordans #Julian-confessing-to-Charmine #Will-the-Jordans-get-up? N?velDrama.Org ? content. Netizens left and right praised Charmine. Furthermore, Charmine managed to invite Dr. Weir to treat Robert! It was Dr. Weir, the descendent of the best doctor in the world! How did Charmine find him? Tiffany then looked at the news rted to her¡­ They were all scrutinizing, jeering, and cursing her-they wanted her dead! Tiffany¡¯s hands balled tightly, her face overridden with jealousy and disbelief. Although she expected Charmine to save the Jordan family and that the Jordans would treat her nicely, Tiffany thought the broken family would not be able to provide Charmine with anything, that Robert would always be the problem between them. Who would have thought¡­ Why was she under so much fire while Charmine was hailed like a savior? Why did she have no home to go back to that she had to hide in this forest, while Charmine enjoyed worldwide attention like she was the moon? Also¡­ That Julian! The man she loved so dearly did not even look at her, and instead, even became a dog of Charmine¡¯s? How could he? Tiffany was not backing down. She would not lose! As if thinking of something, she took out her phone and started typing. She then posted a long post. [Do you all really think Charmine is innocent? Do you think I wanted to do what I did today? I was forced to! [I was once the well-pampered princess of the Jordan family, but when I turned eight, someone told me I¡¯m merely an adopted daughter,pletely unrted to them. I was told that I might get kicked out of the family anytime. (I was only eight back then¡­ I was so young! I was too scared to lose everything, I was scared to be left with nothing. Do you know how it felt? [Someone might say I was insecure, that I did it to myself, but put yourself in my shoes and think about it: Would you wish for forgiveness when your mother nned everything for you? Will you be scared? 1 [I was scared as I was just an ordinary girl. I wanted toe clean, but I was scared of losing everything. [And then, Julian appeared. (Julian, the unloved little prince from the Cabell family. He told me he could help me, he would help me to get the Jordans¡¯ assets. He said he did not like Charmine, that he only wanted to protect me forever. (I turned corrupt listening to his words. Even though I regretted it deeply, I was forced by Julian, and I was manipted! I started making mistakes after mistakes under his orders. [You don¡¯t believe me? You think that I¡¯m ming him blindly? Please have a listen to this recording. Have a listen to what Julian, the person who imed to be so in love with Charmine, said. Listen to how evil he is!) 1 Below the text, she attached a few recordings. Chapter 535 Chapter 535 The content of the recordings was prepared by Tiffany. ¡°Julian darling, I feel tired and worn out. Why don¡¯t we stop plotting against Charmine? Let¡¯s get married, have a cute baby, live a simple life. I can give all of my assets and shares to you, and I¡¯ll try my best to support you and be a good wife.¡± ¡°Tiffany, you don¡¯t understand. Don¡¯t be too impatient-wait till you have at least fifty percent of the assets.¡± ¡°Julian darling, I don¡¯t want anything. I¡¯m too tired, and I only want to be with you. Let¡¯s stop the plotting¡­ Let¡¯s stop plotting against Charmine, please?¡± ¡°Be good, Tiffany. I¡¯ve got things to deal with, so you head home first. Let¡¯s speak more when you feel better.¡± ¡°Julian darling, do you still love me?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget the promise I made to you, Tiffany. I won¡¯t disappoint you.¡± This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. ¡°Julian darling, I¡¯m pregnant.¡± ¡°Julian darling, I¡¯m thirty-five days pregnant. Let¡¯s get married, alright? I¡¯ll give birth to the baby and we can live a simple life. I can help you to manage the Cabell family, and we can strengthen the family on our own!¡± ¡°Tiffany, I¡¯d like to have a child with you, but now is not the right time.¡± ¡°So?¡± Tiffany¡¯s voice trembled in the audio. ¡°Get rid of it, and take good care of your body. You¡¯ll have another chance in the future.¡± ¡°Julian darling, are you not going to reconsider? Does the baby not have a chance at all?¡± ¡°Tiffany, once I¡¯m done with the issues at hand, I¡¯ll make up to you.¡± The Tiffany in the recordings was humble, pitiable, and sad while Julian sounded heartless. Tiffany then added the following: (Juljan said he loved me, he said he wouldn¡¯t let me down, and what did he do? He was the one making me plot against Charmine and the Jordan family, and yet he bore no responsibility! [At the end, I was kicked away! I never thought I¡¯d end up like this! (And Charmine? She forced me to do what I did! [Five years ago, Julian and I did send her to Africa to get her fifteen-percent shares. Ever since she came back, she sought out blood. She told me that she wanted me to lose everything! [I was terrified, scared that everything I had would disappear! I had no choice but to attempt and cause an ident so she won¡¯t be able to fight with me! (Yes, I was wrong, but what did the Charmine you all like did instead? (She had her hands on the evidence of me trying to cause the idents and used a fake ount to make me send her a nude! Yes, you read that right: she yed such a dirty trick to make me send her a nude so she¡¯d get to expose me during the audition. This was all to ruin my reputation! (Furthermore, when Amelia said that she was wrecking the Diamond Prince¡¯s marriage, we had met many times, and Charmine would never tell us the truth every time we asked her about it. She indirectly manipted Amelia to expose her in order for the actual truth to hit Amelia in the face! This resulted in Amelia being detained in the basement for three months! [As for the Guci showdown, she intentionally took some ugly photos to win back the audience at the end with her pretty photos. She did all that to defeat me! [Every step she did was to agitate me to the point that I had no choice but to get back at her. I had no choice but to frame her for drugging the supermodels! She had the proof, and she could¡¯ve proven everything. Instead, she went to jail for so long and brought up the 10% shares. This was all to take away the 10% shares from me! 2 (As for the wedding incident, do you all really think that Charmine liked Julian enough to marry him? She intentionally agreed to marry him, just so she gets to expose us at the ceremony! (At her wedding, she did everything to trigger me, and Julian started losing feeling so for me. Insecure, I had no choice but to find Julian¡­ (As for the incident with Oliver, it was part of her n as well! [Yes, I¡¯ve wronged Charmine, but she pushed me to my limits. I had no choice but to counterattack!] Chapter 536 Chapter 536 (I can swear to God that if any of the above is false, I¡¯ll die!) Tiffany posted the tweet, and her lips curled into an evil and beautiful smile. She never believed in making an oath; she did not believe that an oath would truly kill her. Tiffany had loads of money with her, and it was more than enough for her to live in this mansion forever! She could buy whatever she wanted! How would she die? The person who should die was Charmine. Tiffany¡¯s post would tarnish herpletely! The night sky grew darker. Charmine eyed the clock at the bedside-it was 10pm. She frowned. It was already sote, but why were the Jordans not back in the ward yet? Mulling over her thoughts, Rio ran back in the ward anxiously, ¡°Charmine, it¡¯s bad! Bad! They returned to the mansion only to find it being sold out, and they¡¯re now in a fight!¡± ¡°What? Sold out?¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. How could it be? ¡°I don¡¯t know either,¡± replied Rio. ¡°I just got the news, and I¡¯m not good at fixing this, so you might have to go and have a look.¡± ¡°Okay, take care of Robert.¡± Charmine marched out and raced toward the Jordan mansion in her motorbike. A fight broke out in front of the Jordan mansion. Senior Jordan and a few other Jordans were standing on one side, and before them were Julian¡¯s grandparents, Tim Boyd and Ste Stroud. They eyen had a line of security guards and bodyguards behind them all dressed in ck, guarding the gate. They did not allow anyone to enter the mansion. Senior Jordan was still polite. ¡°Senior Boyd, Charmine has already redeemed this mansion. May I please ask you to leave?¡± ¡°Ha-ha-ha! Hrious! We went to the bank earlier in the afternoon and bought this at a high price. The bank staff said that we¡¯ll get the paperwork done by tomorrow. How would you be able to have redeemed this? I didn¡¯t receive any call from the bank.¡± Tim Boyd mocked, intentionally being difficult. Ste added on, ¡°Exactly! Ask the bank staff toe and talk to us, and we¡¯ll leave. Otherwise, it won¡¯t make sense for us to leave now!¡± She sized up Senior Jordan and the bunch from head to toe as though they were clowns. Truthfully, they had heard from the bank. They just wanted to insult the Jordans. The Jordans had treated Julian badly, especially after the Tiffany incident¨Cthey were extremely unhappy with the Jordans. As for Charmine? Hmph! She was merely a woman who had cheated on Julian and had a baby with another man. How dare she rejected Julian? She even made Julian look bad on Twitter and caused the Cabells¡¯ shares to drop. of course they had to stand up for Julian! Joey frowned. ¡°The bank staff had all clocked out of work. How can they pick up the call? Charmine wouldn¡¯t lie to us. She said all the paper works had been signed, and the bank staff wouldn¡¯t have been able to sell this mansion to you¡­¡± ¡°Aww, you¡¯re so wrong, Mrs. Jordan. The so-called ¡®office hours¡¯ are for the poor. They never really finish work when ites to serving VIPs like us! Our bank manager woulde even if we call him three or five in the morning. You¡¯re a Jordan. Don¡¯t you have a bank manager as well?¡± Ste cackled and mocked Joey, apparent that she was insulting the entire Jordan family. Chapter 537 Chapter 537 The Jordans were agitated, but before they could retaliate, Tim added, ¡°Dear, have you forgotten that they¡¯re no longer the Jordans they once were? The Jordan family has gone bankrupt, and all their staff dipped out! Hahaha! They treated an adopted daughter like an actual daughter and ended up like this. I heard they even lived in the hospital for two days!¡±, ¡°Oh, yes, I¡¯ve forgotten about that! The Jordans had gone bankrupt. No wonder I picked up a sour scent here, so it¡¯s them after all. Eww¡­¡± Ste waved in the air with disgust, clipped her nose with her fingers, and stepped back. ¡°Go away, all of you,¡± said Tim to Senior Jordan. ¡°This mansion is no longer something you can afford. Thirty million! Can you bring that out now? Forget thirty million-I bet you don¡¯t even have thirty thousand, huh? Hahaha!¡± Senior Jordan and the others turned green with anger. True, they did not have that much money with them nor did they have any cash on them, but did they emit a sour scent? Every one of them showered even though they had lived in the hospital for a while, yet they still got insulted for it? Amelia scowled, ¡°You caught us in a bad state. How dare you! Once we get back on our feet, we won¡¯t let you go easy!¡± ¡°Tsk, tsk! So loud. Allpanies across the globe have put you all on the cklist, and you still want to get back on your feet? What a lousy liar!¡± ¡°Why bother talking to them? Guards, ask them to leave right away and put up a board!¡± Ste instructed. ¡°Yes, Madam!¡± answered the bodyguards. One of them took out a board and put it on the gate. Even in the dark, the lights by the gate clearly shone the words: [The Jordan family and dogs are not allowed to enter!] N?velDrama.Org ? content. The bodyguards took out their batons and smacked at the feet of Senior Jordan, Joey, Amelia, and the rest. They mmed their batons on the ground as though chasing away dogs. Instantly, Adam supported Senior Jordan and took a few steps backward. All of them looked extremely bad. Had they just been likened to dogs? They were treated so badly just because they had gone bankrupt? They were mistreated in the past two days, so much so that people scoffed and sneered at them even when they queued to buy the boxed meals. Was it not enough that they were also chased away like dogs? This was once their mansion, the home they were proud of, yet they were no longer allowed to enter¡­? ¡°Go! Go! Go! Leave, now!¡± The bodyguards kept on chasing them with their batons. Although they did not hit them, it felt like they were hit in the face still. They were smashing their dignity! Senior Jordan was so agitated that he started coughing violently. He almost coughed out blood! At that moment¡­ ¡°Bullying the Jordans, are you? Wanna die?!¡± A clear and cold voice resonated in the air. Everyone looked over to see Charmine emerging from the dark, dressed in her ck top and bottom. There were ten ropes in her hands, and each of them was tied to a mastiff! The mastiffs, half the size of an adult, held back by the chains were fierce-looking. The Jordans gleamed with hope when they spotted her. : Tim and Ste¡¯s faces turned dark. ¡°Charmine, what¡­ What¡¯re you trying to do?¡± .. ¡°The Jordan family and dogs are not allowed to enter, huh? Well, I¡¯ll have you know right now that they can.¡± With that, she let go of the ropes. Instantly, the ten mastiffs ran past the Jordans and jumped toward Tim and his men. ¡°Argh!¡± All of them cried out in pain. Even the bodyguards fell out of formation chaotically. Chapter 538 Chapter 538 The two elders, Tim and Ste hugged one another as they ran to hide behind a pir, but one of the mastiffs still gave chase andunched at them aggressively. ¡°Argh! No!¡± The two elders were so terrified that they fell on their buttocks. Their eyes were tightly shut, no longer arrogant like they were moments ago. 1 The mastiff did not attack them as it merely jumped up and tore down the board from the gate. It bit on it with its sharp fangs. Rip! Tim and Ste did not feel the pain. They slowly opened their eyes and were met with quite a sight. The mastiff¡¯s ws were extremely sharp, it tore out the board and destroyed it. Its bloody mouth was so big that it could fit in a person¡¯s head. So¡­ So terrifying¡­! In all that chaos, Charmine walked over to hold onto Senior Jordan as they then walked toward the gate of the mansion. Joey, Adam, Amelia and her parents followed behind her. They all walked through the gate, along with a mastiff. Charmine stood by the gate and turned to look at them coldly. She nced at the two who were on their buttocks on the ground and the bodyguards trapped by the mastiffs. ¡°Jordans and dogs can definitely enter, but as for you lot?¡± scoffed Charmine. ¡°You¡¯re worse than dogs!¡± With that, she shut the gate with a loud ¡®ping¡¯. Wild and arrogant! Tim and Ste¡¯s faces had gone green. Charmine called them worse than dogs. Worse than dogs¡­! Tim scoffed at the bodyguards angrily, ¡°Can¡¯t you all take off a few dogs? Bang open the gate! I want to teach them all a lesson-argh!¡± Before he could finish the sentence, a mastiffunched at him and tried to bite him. They all fell onto the ground, moaning and wailing in fear. In the Jordan mansion¡­ Senior Jordan asked Charmine, ¡°Charmine, will anything happen?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I specially borrowed these mastiffs. They don¡¯t bite; they¡¯ll only scare them off. Let¡¯s say they get injured in the process, I can pay it off. Let¡¯s go-wash up and get some rest,¡± assured Charmine as she walked Senior Jordan inside. Senior Jordan trusted her and no longer cared what they said. He walked to his private house. The rest walked along with him. The mansion was the same as usual, and even the interior decorations remained the same. When they saw this familiar mansion, they recalled the scene when Tiffany knelt on the ground, wailing and apologizing to Senior Jordan. They believed her back then as they hurriedly rushed her to the hospital. Who would have thought that after the trip to the hospital, they almost did not make it back home! The emotional Senior Jordan gazed at Charmine and hoarsely muttered, ¡°Charmine, we¡¯re lucky to have you. We¡¯re so lucky to have you¡­¡± ¡°This is what I should be doing. Don¡¯t think too much, Grandpa. Wash up and get some rest.. I¡¯ll re-hire the maids tomorrow and make sure everything goes back to what it was,¡± Charmineforted. Senior Jordan nodded: ¡°Okay, okay¡­ Thank you. I¡¯ll ask my attorney to transfer everything to you tomorrow.¡± Amelia and her parents¡¯ faces darkened, but at the thought of their long-term n, they remained silent. N?velDrama.Org ? content. They had lived in the hospital for two days, and all they wanted to do was roll around in their mansion! After Senior Jordan walked into his bathroom, the rest of them went back to their rooms. Joey walked toward Charmine and pursed her lips before saying, ¡°Charmine, we¡¯ve brought back your suitcases. Which room would you like to live in? I¡¯ll help you prepare.¡± As Charmine had not once returned to the mansion in five years, they kept not a single room for her, so they had to prepare it right away. Joey felt deeply guilty at the thought. She was the actual heiress, yet she did not even have one room¡­ Chapter 539 Chapter 539 Charmine¡¯s eyes dulled. ¡°No need, I¡¯ll be living in the house with Grandpa. You all may go back.¡± Joey and the rest lived in the front mansion that was equipped luxuriously. Joey wanted to say more, but Charmine had already turned away and walked to the second floor, her gate cold and distant. Adam patted Joey¡¯s arm andforted, ¡°Take it slow. At least she¡¯s willing toe home.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Joey then let out a sigh. Left without much of a choice, Joey sent Charmine¡¯s suitcases before going back to her room. When she walked past Tiffany¡¯s luxurious bedroom, her tears rolled down uncontrobly. A world-ss craftsman had customized her princess bed, and she personally hand- picked the top-graded woods. Even the carpet was made of the finest wool¡­ They pampered Tiffany like the epitome of love while she stabbed them in their backs. These should have belonged to Charmine, yet they caused her so much pain. To make it up to her¡­ Was it even possible to make up for the emotional pain they had induced on her? 1 Inside the private house¡­ Senior Jordan lived on the first floor while the second floor was used to collect some paintings he fancied, a chess room, and a meditation room. Charmine found a guest room and washed up briefly beforeying on the bed. As she gazed at the simple and in room, Charmine felt all sorts of emotions piling up in her. Back then, whenever something happened, Joey and Adam would punish her by making her kneel on the floor, clean the garden, or stand throughout the night. Every time, Senior Jordan would pity her and bring her back to this very room and took care of her, comforting her. Whenever she was bullied, she would sleep in this room. This room reminded her of the warmth Senior Jordan had given her as well as the hurt Joey and the rest gave her. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. To Charmine, there was no ¡®Dad¡¯, ¡®Mom¡¯, nor any sort of parental love. If it was not for Senior Jordan, Charmine would not havee back. As for the future, she would let it be. Hopefully, nothing bad would happen. Since Robert was taken care of by Rio and the care worker she hired, she could have a good night¡¯s sleep. However, right after sheid down, she received a text from Kay. (Kay: Boss, Tiffany resurfaced. Have a look on Twitter.) Charmine frowned. Tiffany was wanted all over the world and nobody knew where she went. The men she arranged to keep an eye on her knew that Tiffany was hiding in a mansion and would note out. She did not expect Tiffany to make a post on Twitter. Was she not ashamed to be on Twitter? Out of curiosity, Charmine logged on to see Tiffany¡¯s thousand- word passage ofint that already made it to the search bar. The post exposed recordings of Julian, med everything on him, and even exposed the dark side of Charmine. The usations were written with detail, powerful and convincing! Thement section was like a warzone. [Damn. This is impossible! Too much shocking news over the past few days!) (Julian is so bad! He¡¯s a real douche!) (Had Charmine plotted all these? She forced Tiffany to take the nudes?] [How scary! The two of them had been plotting against one another all this while?] [It¡¯s almost as if I¡¯m watching a thrilling drama about a wealthy family¡¯s internal conflicts!) [I somehow feel good knowing this? Boss Jordan plotted all these to expose this fake b*tch!?] (I knew Boss Jordan was no good person; she¡¯s not a kind person for sure.] Charmine scrolled down thement section with a hardened gaze. Kind person? Was there even one kind person in the world? Should a kind person let others bully them and never fight back? Suddenly, Eric texted her. [Eric: Charmine, this might affect your reputation and RisingHawk. I¡¯ve prepared a reply, but I¡¯ll have to log into your Twitter ount.] It was not until then when Charmine was reminded that she had a manager. She replied, (Ok.] Chapter 540 Chapter 540 Charmine had nothing else to worry about since someone had prepared a reply on her behalf. She trusted Eric¡¯s ability. With that, it was not long before Eric logged into her ount and posted the following. (Firstly, if I wasn¡¯t that lucky back then, I would¡¯ve died when Tiffany bribed someone to push me down the hill. After I found out the truth, I gave her two choices: She would either release a public apology or send a nude. Still, she tried to me me for it? (Secondly, I bullied Amelia? In the Ohly shop, I opened my mouth and tried to tell them the truth, but did they even give me a chance to speak? They kept on falsely using me of things that weren¡¯t true, and she¡¯s trying to me it on me now? (Thirdly, about that Guci showdown. Someone assumed that the Red collection would not sell out in Summer, so she made me take the Red collection. When she realized how stunning the photos looked, she tried to destroy the photographer¡¯s camera. (Since she failed to do so, she found the emergency PR at HollyOak to publish a series of her self-portraits dressed in red to make it seem as if my photos were a knock-off of hers. What I didter on was merely to get out of her trap! (Long story short, it¡¯s true that I came back here trying to take back what¡¯s mine. I want to gain back my identity, and it was Tiffany who kept trying to attack me. If self-defense and counter-attacking a b*tch is wrong, then I¡¯d rather be wrong! [I¡¯d like to use this post to warn all of you: If you don¡¯t offend me, I won¡¯t offend you. If you harm me, you might as well be the next most-wanted criminal.] Eric attached the evidence of Tiffany setting up the car ident, the chat history between Chamine and Tiffany, as well as the CCTV clip of a few of them bullying Charmine. Every counterattack was supported with evidence. Theizens sided with Charmine right after. [So, Tiffany did so many evil things!) [And yet she imed to be innocent. She even tried to kill Charmine!? How despicable!) (Even if Boss Jordan isn¡¯t a kind person and is a stern, spicy boss, I still like her!) (This is the right thing to do to a fake b*tch! Nicely done, Boss Jordan!] (Anyone else wants to harm Boss Jordan? You¡¯ll be the next most-wanted!) (Haha! C¡¯mon, world¡¯s next most-wanted!] This long passage instantly helped Charmine came clean, winning everyone¡¯s support. Charmine read with a satisfactory smirk on her lips. Had Eric prepared such a long passage beforehand? 1 Was he not usually quiet? Why did he work so hard to help here clean this time? If she was going to solve this herself, she would have written something else like the following, [You made an oath and told all lies? I can¡¯t wait to see you dead!) Still, Eric¡¯s post was amazing. It would wreck Tiffany, no doubt! [Kay: Boss Jordan, shall I capture Tiffany and bring her back here?] Charmine frowned. Tiffany had already left for two days, yet she was already bored. Charmine was not in a hurry to fix the mess, but little did she expect Tiffany to attack her on Twitter. (Charmine: It¡¯s about time.] If Tiffany was brought back to Burlington, a lot of people would be waiting for her at the airport, throwing rubbish at her and sneering at her. Furthermore, it was the right time for Tiffany to see how the Jordans cherished Charmine. Heh. She thought she could live in peace after getting eight million? She might as well dream about it! However¡­ A thought urred to Charmine as she sent another text that read, [ying cat and the mouse is a fun game, but have some fun while you¡¯re at it.] [Noted!] Kay understood what she meant and went to arrange it right away. Charmine fell asleep peacefully-she seldom could rx in such a manner. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Julian, on the other hand, was ridiculed by the masses. Within a night, the Cabells¡¯ shares had dropped once again! 1 Everyone dubbed him ¡®Douchebag¡¯. Even though he posted a tweet saying that Tiffany made that all up, nobody believed him. They did not care whether what Tiffany said was true or not as there was evidence of Julian messing with both Charmine and Tiffany at the same time. No doubt about it; he was a douchebag. However, the one person who could not fall asleep at all was Tiffany¡­ Chapter 541 Chapter 541 Tiffany was scrolling through her feed, anticipating Charmine swamped by hate messages, only to find that Charmine had gone full-counter in aeback and supported with concrete evidence! Times had changed. In the past, theizens would hate women like Charmine who yed dirty, but everyone at this moment thought that she did the right thing and made a good fight. Netizens no longer liked innocent women or weak and gentle women. Reading thepliments flooding Charmine¡¯s feed, Tiffany¡¯s face flushed red in anger. 1 Tiffany thought Charmine would be tormented, that peace would never find her. Thest thing she expected was for Charmine to get out unscathed from theizens! At that moment, shes of bright light shone into the mansion, lighting the initially dark mansion. It was then a voice came through, amplified by what should be loudspeakers, ¡°Tiffany Jordan, we know you¡¯re in there. Come out now, or we¡¯ll barge in.¡± Tiffany jolted in terror. Has someone found her already? Were there people sent to capture her?! She jumped out of bed instantly and looked out of the window. Under the night sky, hundreds of men had surrounded the mansion. Each of them had a bright torch in their hands, pointing their light toward the residence. It was a daunting, frightening sight. Tiffany could tell right away that those men worked for Charmine. It would be over for her if she was brought back to Burlington. She had yet to enjoy her time nor her new life. She should not be apprehended-never! Quickly, she ran inside the mansion and put on a windbreaker while running to the basement. Rex kept his watchful gaze over Uji Quin, tied up like a chicken on the floor. He had fallen asleep, and so did Rex. Tiffany marched in and pushed open the metal door. She grabbed Uji Quin¡¯s hair forcefully and interrogated, ¡°Is there a tunnel? Where¡¯s the tunnel?¡± She knew Uji Quin had done many dodgy things, and there had to be a tunnel! Uji Quin was woken up right away. He looked at the panicky face of Tiffany and scoffed, ¡°Why would I tell someone like you?¡± p! Tiffany¡¯s p on Uji Quin¡¯s face made blood ooze out of his lips. She red at him furiously. ¡°Bring me there right now, or I won¡¯t hesitate to kill you instantly!¡± She was no longer quiet and gentle like she used to-she snarled like a wild animal. Uji Quin had never seen such a crazy woman. In this instance, she was like a devil in the dark, This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. the kind that would eat humans and drink their blood. ¡°I¡¯ll tell, I¡¯ll tell!¡± blurted Uji Quin. ¡°That¡­that way¡­! Keep walking¡­!¡± ¡°Bring me there!¡± Tiffany forced him up. Uji Quin was all tied up and was unable to move, so he could only hop forward like a zombie. When he arrived at the entrance of the tunnel, he used his shoulder to press the pure white . wall. Just like that¡­ Brrrrrkk! The floor opened up as a long tunnel appeared. Tiffany asked, ¡°Where does this lead to?¡± ¡°To a fishing vige ten kilometers away. It¡¯s very safe!¡± Uji Quin answered right away. In his mind, Tiffany was no longer the woman he wanted to sleep with. She was a devil. Instantly, Tiffany walked toward the tunnel. Footsteps from upstairs were heard at that moment. The men had barged in by breaking the door! No doubt, they would find this tunnel within minutes. Tiffany narrowed her eyes and signaled Rex, who raised his hand and chopped his palm at the back of Uji Quin¡¯s neck. Instantly, the Uji Quin that was still begging for mercy passed out. Chapter 542 Chapter 542 Tiffany went down and looked around before she finally found a mechanism. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. There were a few gigantic gear wheels on the ground, but if one were to smash the ground open, these gear wheels would rotate and close up the floor above. She quickly ordered Rex, ¡°Smash this plot of ground!¡± Rex found a safety hammer and started smashing the floor. Thunk! Thunk! Thunk! Rex, built like a bull, did not take long before the floor was smashed open, showing the gear wheels at their feet. Meanwhile, the movement above grew louder. Someone was walking down to the basement! Tiffany ordered, ¡°Squeeze him into the gear wheels.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Rex halted, baffled by the order she gave him. ¡°What, you need me to do it myself?¡± Tiffany¡¯s look was evil and dark. Rex then dragged Uji Quin from the ground and walked toward the tunnel. Once they both entered the tunnel, Tiffany pressed a button and the heavy floor above closed up perfectly. Rex then squeezed Uji Quin into the gear wheels. (1 Swiftly after, the two of them ran rapidly down the tunnel. Not long after they left, a few agents in ck rushed over. They saw a big hole at one end of the carpet, showing massive gear wheels below. Someone called out, ¡°Vice-Captain, there are gear wheels. Give me a minute; I¡¯ll be able to find the opening!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t open it!¡± the leading vice-captain snapped. Everyone was confused. The vice-captain eyed the gear wheels keenly. ¡°Can¡¯t you all see the man down there?¡± A man was down there? The men shone their bright torches and realized that a man was indeed wedged in between the gears. The gears would rotate if they activated the mechanism, and the man would be squeezed to death, mangled! The men were shocked at the sight. Impossible¡­ Tiffany was that inhumane? She did such a cruel thing to stop them from chasing after her? The vice-captain had to order, ¡°Think of another way to dissemble the gears from the outside!¡± Once the gears were disassembled, they would also then enter. Of course, it was a difficult task that would require at least an hour toplete. The vice-captain had no choice but to take out his phone and phone Kay. ¡°Captain, we lost her. She ran away through the tunnel.¡± ¡°What? You and your men lost a woman? How am I supposed to break this to Boss Jordan?¡± The initially asleep Kay was aroused from his sleep after that news hit him. Charmine warned him not to lose her, yet there it was: they lost her in just a few days. The vice-captain briefly exined the situation, eyeing his men, andined to Kay,¡± Why don¡¯t youe if you¡¯re so much better? I¡¯d rather stay by Boss Jordan¡¯s side!¡± As the vice-captain, he had to be out completing tasks every day when all he wanted was to be next to Boss Jordan! Kay could feel his grudge, and he instantlyughed. ¡°Your ability lost you the woman you were supposed to be following, and yet you want to stay by Boss Jordan¡¯s side? Speak when you¡¯ve apprehended Tiffany!¡± After following Charmine for so long, he had picked up a few of her mean traits to use. He instructed, ¡°Ask men to stand-by within a twenty kilometers radius. Send out news about Tiffany running away!¡± 1 The vice-captain went ahead to do as he was told. Tiffany and Rex finally got out of the tunnel after one and a half hours. They arrived at the fishing vige, just as Uji Quin had told them earlier. This was a sea-side vige in Kansas, silent on a tranquil night. The air had the smell of the salty sea. 3 Tiffany took a deep breath. It would not be so bad to spend some time here. The people in Kansas did not follow the news in Burlington, thus they would not recognize her. Moreover, the amount Tiffany had would make the vigers here would worship her. She walked into the fishing vige with Rex, hoping to find a secluded and safe ce to spend the night, but little did she know¡­ Chapter 543 Chapter 543 As Tiffany and Rex walked throughout the fishing vige and was about to knock on a door, they heard the following conversation: ¡°What are these notifications all about,ing at this hour? I thought it¡¯s something urgent.¡± ¡°This is the most-wanted criminal all over the world. She¡¯s likely to have run to our vige.¡± ¡°Huh? Running away with money? Tried to kill her brother? Poisoned the top ten supermodels? Such an evil person came to our vige?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just saying she might¡¯ve run into our vige, so we have to be careful. We¡¯ll get a five million- reward if we¡¯re to see and catch her!¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Look at her face, though. She¡¯s quite a stunner¡­¡± Tiffany¡¯s face went pale. Although they were speaking in their nativenguage, she could understand everything. Had Charmine¡¯s men worked that fast that everyone in this fishing vige knew about her? If they found her, they would catch her and hand her over to Charmine! Instantly, she signaled Rex, and the two of them left quickly. In order to stay hidden, Rex quickly found a cave by the sea, infested with worms at every corner, extremely wet. 1 Rex said, ¡°Ms. Tiffany, we¡¯ll have to spend a night here to lose the mening after us.¡± Spend a night? In such a ce? Tiffany looked at the dirty ground, and her brows furrowed. She had never lived in such a dirty ce from a young age, and she had never been so embarrassed. She ran away with the money in order to enjoy life, not to run away from danger! Just as she was about to lose her cool, a strobe of light shone not too far away. The men were closing in on them! No longer caring about the predicament, Tiffany hid inside the cave with Rex. The experienced Rex found a pile of bushes with thorns to block the cave entrance to make it look like a bush instead of a cave. With that, however, the cave turned dark ck. There was nothing in sight, and they could only smell the humid and smelly air. Tiffany felt so disgusted that she almost threw up, and it did not help that she had slippers on, a result from leaving in a hurry, causing her feet to ache. With only a windbreaker to cover her, the sea breeze made Tiffany shiver out of the cold. She curled up on the floor, her eyes reddening as she did. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Why her¡­? Why did she end up like this while Charmine lived her fancy life in Burlington? Was Charmine sleeping in her bedroom, taking over what was once hers, including her attention and love? How could Charmine be so evil? It was Charmine who forced her toe to this stage! 5 Tiffany despised and loathed Charmine. ¡°Arrange apletely safe ce to live in, ande get me tomorrow,¡± ordered Tiffany. ¡°Once it¡¯s settled, I¡¯ll give you five million.¡± The reason Rex stayed with Tiffany was her generosity in giving money. Since he was merely a criminal, there was no other way he could earn money other than following Tiffany around. He nodded instantly. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll make the arrangement right away.¡± There was an underground organization that could provide anyone with anything, so long as they had money. They were so powerful and mysterious that nobody would be able to find out how they did it. After running around for so many years, Rex had some connections and was able to get in touch with this organization. Tiffany squatted by the side as her fists clenched tightly, eyes sizzling with hot fury. She had to endure everything this night, no matter what. Once she lost those men chasing after her, she would be able to leave this ce tomorrow! Chapter 544 Chapter 544 Tiffany wanted to live an extravagant and luxurious life, not one that was running away from everyone! Tiffany would make sure Charmine suffered her wrath once she settled down. 1 After all, she had one more thing deadly to Charmine. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Due to the area being too remote, the vice-captain and his men focused on searching the fishing vige, so they did not find Tiffany that night. The next morning, Charmine received a call from Kay when she woke up. ¡°Boss Jordan, it¡¯s bad. We lost Tiffany,¡± said Kay as he briefly went over what happened. Charmine frowned; Tiffany¡¯s cruelty had amped up after all. After a moment, Charmine instructed calmly, ¡°Keep searching the fishing vige and stay there. Search the bottom of the mountain as well.¡± She knew Tiffany too well. Due to her frail being, Tiffany was sure to have searched for a ce to rest. Since the vigers would not keep her and they-Tiffany and Rex-had left in a rush without being able to contact anyone, they had to find somewhere to hide. Surely, Tiffany was likely hiding in a remote cave, waiting for her men to leave. If the men did not leave, Tiffany would keep waiting inside the cave. Hah! It was time for Tiffany to endure some harsh conditions. Kay knew what Charmine was thinking, and chills went down his spine. 1 Evil! Maliciously evil! Nobody could afford to offend Boss Jordan! Inside the cave at the fishing vige¡­ The sun had risen, and light trickled into the cave. Tiffany squatted on the ground with a windbreaker; she was asleep leaning on the wet wall. Her face and bare skin had red bumps all over, aftereffects of the flies¡¯ bites. She looked very bad. Furthermore, a swarm of ck and soft worms was crawling on her body. When Tiffany opened her eyes, she saw a ck and soft worm crawling up her arm. Her mouth flew open in horror as she shot up instantly. Rex sped a hand over her mouth before she could even make a sound. Rex reminded her anxiously, ¡°Hold it in, Ms. Tiffany; the men are still out there and searching the vige. There are people outside the cave as well, and they might find us anytime!¡± Pale-faced Tiffany nodded as she kept on signaling Rex with her eyes. Rex realized and let go of Tiffany. Panicked, Tiffany flicked off the worms crawling on her. It felt betterst night; at least she could not see anything. As the cave was brightened by the sun, she could see worms creeping on the walls of the cave and the ground. Some were green and some were ck-some even looked like leeches. Terrified, Tiffany¡¯s scalp itched as she had goosebumps all over her, yet all she could do was cover her mouth and try to not make a sound. Tiffany sizzled in anger. Why were the men still around? Was Charmine trying to kill her? She might die inside this cage; the worms might eat her! While she had billions of bucks at hand, she could neither spend nor use any of them in the meantime! She dared not even show her face, since the vigers would catch her and go ham on her. She felt like she was a rat running from street to street, only able to find solitude in this dark cave. 2 Tiffany was discontented-she did not want to give in! She was the No.1 Supermodel in the world; she had the most beautiful and innocent face. She was the purest woman in the hearts ofizens, the heiress spoiled with love, yet she had to hide in this cave! How could that be? Worms were everywhere she looked, above her and below her. Argh! Charmine was killing her! Chapter 545 Chapter 545 All Tiffany could do was endure the hellhole she was in, much to her chagrin, while Charmine was swamped with love and attention. Although Joey and the rest of the Jordans saw what Tiffany had posted, they knew what Charmine did, and none of them med Charmine. They understood why she did what she did. Tiffany was the one who started it all. If they were in Charmine¡¯s shoes, they would have done worse things than she had done! Early in the morning, someone knocked on Charmine¡¯s bedroom door. ¡°Charmine, time for breakfast,¡± came Joey¡¯s voice from the other side of the door. After Charmine washed up, she pushed open the door, seeing Joey standing behind the door. Unsure, the awkward Joey gently spoke, ¡°Grandpa is waiting for you to have breakfast with him in the dining hall.¡± She hoped that Charmine would not turn it down after mentioning ¡®Grandpa¡¯. True enough, Charmine rolled with it as it was for Senior Jordan, and she walked toward the dining hall. The maids have yet to return to the Jordan mansion, but when she arrived at the dining hall, she saw that the long rectangr table was half-full of breakfast dishes. There were slices of bread, sausages, scrambled eggs, beans, ham, sandwiches, fresh milk, baked biscuits, as well as spaghetti, steak, and pork ribs. Charmine frowned. Who else wasing? There were just a few of them. Did they need so much food? N?velDrama.Org ? content. Lily spotted Charmine approaching, thus she walked toward her and pulled her to the table.¡± Charmine, come and have some breakfast. We don¡¯t know what you like, so your mother and I spent the whole morning preparing these. Have a look and see which one you like, and if there¡¯s none, we¡¯ll do it.¡± She was trying to please Charmine. 1 Charmine automatically thought of how Joey must have been busy in the kitchen since two or three in the morning to prepare all these dishes. Joey was not working, more of a motherly, stay-at-home mother, thus she would spend time preparing food. Back then, Joey would only hand-made breakfast or food for Tiffany and would never do so for Charmine, especially after she turned eight. She had not eaten food prepared by Joey ever since then. Funny how Joey had prepared a table full of dishes for her. Charmine felt like it was an out-of-body experience as she walked over to sit down. Joey and Adam looked at her rather nervously. They never truly get to know what she liked or what breakfast she preferred. From now onward, they had to learn more about her. Furthermore, this was the first time they sat together to have breakfast as a family¡­ Senior Jordan did not wish for Charmine to be unhappy; he wanted her to be happy. He broke the silence as he began, ¡°Charmine, your father also helped out in preparing the breakfast, and they spent five to six hours preparing these. Please have some, whether they¡¯re to your preference or not.¡± Charmine nced at the table full of dishes, and she nonchntly took a piece of steak. Over the past five years spent in Africa, she had been eating bread or something simr for breakfast. She missed the food back home. After her return from Africa, she was flooded with sorting out things and lived alone in Violet Vi. She usually had instant-mix as breakfast. While she lived with Anthony, the breakfasts were usually in, and there was no steak for breakfast. Charmine had noint about the food, and she ate quietly. Joey tried to fight back her tears as she watched Charmine eat. Charmine, in the flesh, was eating the breakfast she prepared! She was willing to eat the breakfast she prepared! This was supposed to be an ordinary thing, but after how she had been treating Charmine over the years, Joey felt a lump at her throat. 1 Lily pulled her out of her thoughts as she said, ¡°Joey, what are you staring at? Your daughter likes the steak-get her more!¡± Chapter 546 Chapter 546 Since it was easily overcooked, Joey only had two steaks on the sizzling pot. Lily¡¯s words brought Joey out of her reverie, and she hastily walked forward and brought over more steaks for Charmine. ¡°Charmine, please have some more. If it¡¯s finished, Mom will go and cook some more.¡± The word ¡®Mom¡¯ felt foreigning out of her mouth. It felt even more foreign to Charmine, but she remained undisturbed and spoke monotonously, ¡°Enough.¡± She was not a pig, two steaks were already too much, Joey wanted to make her more? It was only then Joey realized Charmine was ady, and her portion was probably simr to Tiffany¡¯s, which was not much. Joey picked up the shared fork and got Charmine the rest of the steaks on another te. With a te filled with steaks, Charmine¡¯s hand that held her fork halted before she, silently as ever, resumed to eat. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Joey then sighed in relief as she sat down opposite her, and she then started eating. Lily watched the scene with a pair of smiling eyes. She enthusiastically took out her phone and helped them take a family photo. 1 As long as Charmine got along with Joey, Charmine would then definitely be able to save the Jordan family. Once the Jordan family returned to its previous glory, they would then¡­ Amelia silently munched on her slice of bread; she did not like how everyone was praising Charmine. However, thinking of what Lily said, she knew she had to hold it. After breakfast, it was already nine in the morning. Charmine looked at her watch and said to Senior Jordan, ¡°I¡¯ll sort some things out in the company today, and I¡¯ll also put up the vacancy news. If someonees for an interview, feel free to keep whoever you like, and ask those you don¡¯t like to leave.¡± ¡°Alright, keep safe. Call me if anything happens,¡± said Senior Jordan. Still uneasy, he then said to Adam, ¡°Ask your father and Uncle to go with you.¡± As thepany was in danger, it was likely for some situations to ur. Charmine was a youngdy, after all. Charmine nced at the two of them and refused, ¡°I¡¯ll go alone. The more people, the messier it gets.¡± By then, she had already stood up and walked out of the dining hall, her gait cold and distant. Joey eyed Adam insistently with her eyes. Adam then put down the half-eaten sandwich and wiped his lips with a tissue paper before running after Charmine. Charmine thought of heading to thepany with her motorbike when she saw a ck car parked behind her, blocking her from getting out. As she frowned, Adam rushed out of the car and opened up the passenger seat¡¯s door for Charmine. ¡°Charmine, please take my car. I was about to get some documents in thepany anyway.¡± Charmine wanted to refuse, but Adam did not want her to get heated from the sun, and he had even pulled down all four windows of the car. He stood uneasily before the passenger seat¡¯s door, anxious and nervous. He was a middle-aged man, but at that instant, he merely looked like an ordinary father. Charmine recalled how Adam would only drive Tiffany in the past. When they were both going to the same school, whenever Tiffany got into the car, Adam would instantly lock the car doors. Back then, the fake Tiffany would beg, ¡°Father, please bring Sister along. Let Charmine get on, please.¡± The Adam back then would look out from the car. ¡°Hah! She¡¯s just an adopted daughter-why care about her? Tiffany, remember, you¡¯re my only precious daughter. Daddy will only be your personal driver.¡± Back then, her little figure would stand outside the car door, watching the father-daughter leaving her behind with clouds of dust hitting her face. Charmine¡¯s eyes darkened instantly at the thought. Her expression was as dark as night as she walked inside the car. Chapter 547 Chapter 547 Adam had it in mind that Charmine would turn his offer down, thus it surprised him at how she agreed to get in the car. Delighted, Adam briskly walked to the driver¡¯s seat and started the car. Charmine reclined on the passenger¡¯s seatnguidly as she took out her phone and took a selfie, which she barely ever did. Tiffany, for 18 whole years, unted the love and attention their parents showered her with¡­ At that moment, it was Charmine¡¯s turn. She wanted Tiffany to taste every second of pain she had endured throughout the years. Hopefully, Tiffany could tank in the blows toe. Coincidently, a notification from the Jordans¡¯ family chat popped up, and Charmine clicked it open to see Lily posting the photo taken during breakfast earlier. In the photo, Charmine was sitting on the opposite end of the long table and ate her steak while Joey ced more steaks on her te. Lily wrote the following: (Let¡¯s wee Charmine home! This is our first family breakfast, and there are many more toe! Our Jordan family will get better!) [Felix: Great! This is what a happy family should be like!) [Serena: Wee home, Charmine! *heart* *heart*] The rest also wrote: [Treat Charmine nicely; we need to make it up to her!] (She had been badly treated all these years!) Everyone was being so friendly and nice, trying to please her. There was a resentful glint in Charmine¡¯s eyes. In the past, whenever she tried to blend in the group chat, someone would write, (Why¡¯s the adopted daughter speaking? What rights have you got to speak here?] Yet, here they were¡­ The world was so ironic. Only those with money and power could win over everyone else! 2 Luckily, Charmine had it all. Instead of replying to the group chat, she took a screenshot and sent it to Eric. [Prepare some drafts, and I¡¯ll let you know tonight when to post it.] (Eric: Haven¡¯t you decided to quit the entertainment industry? Are you looking forward to gaining poprity again?] (Charmine: Of course. Some people wish that I¡¯m gone, so it¡¯s only natural I have to stay and get even better!) How could she miss out on the chance to let Tiffany see how blessed she was? By then, the car had already pulled over by the Jordan Group¡¯s building. After parking the car, Adam said to Charmine, ¡°The Special Team is already waiting for you, and you¡¯re the only one who can sort it out. Be careful¡­¡± There was nothing else Adam could say-he had no other way of helping Charmine. The way the Jordan Group worked was that the patriarch would manage the Special Team and assemble the team, assigning and managing before giving out the tasks for the rest to work on. The contract between the Special Team and the Jordan Group was that they were not responsible for thepany¡¯s loss. With the fixed monthly sry of 10,000 bucks, everyone would get 2% of the dividends at a year¡¯s end. Therefore, even though the Jordan Group had gone bankrupt, Senior Jordan pawned his belongings to pay every staff of thepany. Furthermore, the Special Team wasposed of Jordan family members, so they did not leave. Even though they stayed, it did not mean they would keep working for the Jordan Group. If they did not get enough dividends, they would work for anotherpany with better profits. Charmine kept her phone and calmly replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know what I¡¯m doing.¡± She pushed open the car door and walked out with a folder Kay had prepared for her. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. At that moment, all ten members of the Special Team were waiting for Charmine in the meeting room. ¡°So our main shareholder is now Charmine?¡± Chapter 548 Chapter 548 ¡°Will Charmine be able to manage thepany? She¡¯s only twenty-three, and she doesn¡¯t have any experience working in the architecture industry.¡± ¡°I share the same concern. Although she¡¯s loaded, money doesn¡¯t really get you anywhere in the industry. If we stay with her, and if thepany loses money, we won¡¯t get any dividend at the end of the year!¡± ¡°I heard someone else managed her RisingHawk, that all she does is throw money to gain fame. It¡¯s something only the nouveau riche would do!¡± ¡°Exactly! She gave out houses when that¡¯s the shareholders¡¯ money. These were all the profits of the shareholders! She spends so much money and wasted all the profits!¡± ¡°At least Tiffany majored in economics and also interned in thepany from a small assistant. Charmine didn¡¯t even go to college, but now she¡¯s our Director just because she¡¯s rich?¡± ¡°That does it! Once she gets here, we¡¯ll have to ask her properly. If she doesn¡¯t convince us, we¡¯ll make her return the seat to Senior Jordan or even Adam!¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. The ten of themined and voiced their concerns. To professionals like them, they looked down on nouveau riche who knew nothing about the field. Meanwhile, a steady pace was heard walking toward them. Click, click, click.. Everyone turned to see Charmine walking in from the outside, dressed in a women¡¯s suit with a ck pencil skirt to match. She exuded an air of elegance, power, and authority. 1 The group¡¯sints died down when they saw her, their words lodged at their throats. 1 Walking in, Charmine then went toward the president¡¯s seat and sat on it. She nced around the room and said, ¡°I know you have doubts. Feel free to speak; let¡¯s fix them.¡± Instead of being doubted, it was better to hear them out. She could only solve thepany¡¯s crisis with their genuine approval and support. The crowd did not expect Charmine to be so direct. After the group exchanged nces, a man in his thirties said, ¡°Charmine, since you¡¯re so straightforward, let me be honest with you. The Jordan Group makes profits by selling properties in all the cities across the country. Its seems easy and simple on the surface, and outsiders might even say, ¡®Just build and sell the properties,¡¯ right? 1 ¡°However, there¡¯re many things that you don¡¯t see on the surface. There are many things you don¡¯t know and don¡¯t understand. ¡°Let¡¯s take house-designing as an example. The reason why our houses are award-winning is that even though the tall houses were built right next to one another, there is not one dark room in each house, meaning that the air and sunlight circte well in each room of the houses! ¡°As the director of the board and the Jordan Group¡¯s president, what do you know? Do you understand the hundreds of proposals we submit monthly? Do you know which proposal stands out and which doesn¡¯t? Would you know which design would bring us the highest return?¡± The man voiced out his concerns and doubts against Charmine. He was the Special Team¡¯s Director of Design, Brandon Jordan. He was only 35, with hundreds of designers working under him in thepany. He was well-known in the designing industry, having designed the best-selling properties. That was the fuel to his arrogance as he spoke to Charmine, unconvinced and unwilling to work under Charmine, the nouveau riche. Charmine met up his gaze emotionlessly. ¡°Who said I don¡¯t understand designing diagrams? Where did you hear this rumor?¡± Rumor? Charmine called that a rumor? Brandon pushed up his thin sses and eyed Charmine with displeasure. ¡°This is the truth. We wouldn¡¯t use you for no reason; everyone knows that you haven¡¯t been to a college. What makes you think you can understand the design diagrams?¡± 1 ¡°To see if she understands or not, why not just hand her a few design diagrams? What¡¯s the point of arguing with her?¡± a middle-aged man in his fifties could not help adding in. He was thepany¡¯s Executive Director, Peter Jordan. He was in charge of many things and liked giving out orders. Originally, the Director was Senior Jordan, not a youngdy who was merely 23. How could he stand being bossed around by such a young woman? After Brandon heard that, he curled up his lips before taking out five design diagrams and pushed them toward Charmine. ¡°If you can tell the problems in these five diagrams, I¡¯ll have no problem with you being the Director,¡± he spoke with a challenging tone. She had no rights to be thepany¡¯s director, that was what Brandon implied. Chapter 549 Chapter 549 Everyone in the meeting room nced at the five documents with anticipation. It was apparent that Brandon came prepared. Those five diagrams were of the most difficult designs, so much so that even people like Senior Jordan could not point out the ws in the documents until after they built the buildings. They only realized the problems when the buildings were on sale. These diagrams were almost perfect. How would Charmine be able to tell the problems? Charmine lowered her head as she disinterestedly eyed the diagrams and said, ¡°The passage here is too long-it looks spacious when it actually takes up too much space. The clients would feel that it¡¯s not worth the price after getting in there. ¡°This property has four bedrooms and one living room. However, one room is merely nine square meters, too small to be a nursery or even a study room. ¡°This design isn¡¯t bad, but the bedroom door is facing the main road, and it¡¯s a bad direction. ¡°The master bedroom in this house is too close to the next door toilet¡¯s exhaust fan. The room would smell of the toilet from next door.¡± ¡°The balcony in this house is very spacious with a good view, but it takes away the sunlight, and it¡¯ll make the living room much darker.¡± Charmine articted her words clearly with good logic. Furthermore, she merely nced at the diagrams nonchntly and could spot the problems right away. It was as if she was leisurely picking vegetables from the market. Everyone stared at her wide-eyed. Charmine was able to point out the ws, effortlessly so to boot? 1 It might seem easy at a nce, but looking at the diagrams, or even after being built, it was hard to realize these problems all at once. For example, the first diagram showed a passage too long which made the house seem more spacious. The extra space gave more privacy to the bedrooms. When it was first designed, everyone in thepany liked it, and it was not until when it went on the market that they realized a problem: most of the buyers like to see the space well-utilized. However, this lovely long passage took up 10 percent of the overall space, and to the buyers, it was as though they paid 10 percent extra. The room in the third diagram was indeed facing the main road. In fact, a lot of properties had rooms facing the main road in Burlington, thus it was nothing special, but what they missed out on was that this property was built in a small vige on the eighteenth avenue. The people in this vige were downright superstitious, and they were utterly particr about what direction the rooms were facing. These problems were not the actual problems. These were the problems that only urred after the properties had gone on sale. Yet¡­ Charmine was able to see them through the diagrams? Brandon stared at her, wide-eyed in disbelief. Was this truly a mere 23- year-old woman? Had she really not been to a college? Charmine then, out of the blue, challenged, ¡°Since you tested my ability, it¡¯s my turn to do the same.¡± As she spoke, Charmine opened up her folder and handed a design diagram to Brandon. ¡°Have a look, and tell me what¡¯s wrong with this diagram.¡± The diagram appeared before Brandon with a challenging tone. 1 Brandon¡¯s face shifted. Charmine was obviously testing him! 1 She was merely a 23-year-old woman. True, it was impressive she spotted the problems in the diagrams, but she had yet to secure her throne, and already challenged the Director of Design? There was no problem in diagrams that he could not tell. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. These five problematic design diagrams came from him. Other than those, there were no design diagrams that would make him fail! He would make Charmine bow to him! He lowered his head to study theyout summary of the design, its diagram, and the floor n. The design was of the most trendy ones in the market. There was a space area upon entering, followed by a horizontal living room of at least ten-square meters. The living room was isted from the dining room. It seemed spacious and grand. The balcony was not too big or too small it was just the right size. Theyout of the bedrooms was very logical as well. Brandon¡¯s eyes lit up. How could there be such a perfect floor n? Hold on¡­ This n was not supposed to impress him. He was supposed to find the problems! Chapter 550 Chapter 550 Brandon scanned the n intently, trying to find the w in it, but he had nothing even after looking back and forth. How¡­could it be? How was it possible for someone like him to not see a problem? Seeing that he did not speak, the rest of the people went over him to help out. However, each of them was more dumbfounded than the other¡­ Unhurried, Charmine reclined on her seat and waited patiently. Brandon lost his patience about five minutester, and he red at Charmine. ¡°Where did you get this floor n from? What¡¯s the problem with it?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t Director Jordan find the problems?¡± said Charmine questioningly. Brandon¡¯s face morphed into bitter resentment as he could only say, ¡°You better tell us a problem that¡¯s convincing enough.¡± If not, she was merely trying to make them look bad. Everyone stared at Charmine and waited for her answer. A floor n that even they could not find any problem in¡­ How would Charmine be able to point out any major problem? She was probably making things up! Charmine eyed them sharply. ¡°What¡¯s thetest kitchen policy update?¡± Kitchen? Brandon frowned. ording to the new policy, the open kitchen could not use gas anymore; it was a fire hazard. 1 Then¡­ Brandon¡¯s eyes flew open as realization hit him. ¡°The major problem with this floor n is its kitchen! As the kitchen space is rectangr, the best move was to knock over the wall to stretch out space, making it a grand open kitchen. However, due to the latest policy, this type of kitchen would be banned. Once the policy is implemented, this design would be a problem, resulting in a very narrow kitchen.¡± Everyone suddenly saw the problem. That was it! This floor n would have been entirely foolproof if it was not for thetest policy, but due to thetest policy, this floor n became problematic. As they could not turn the kitchen into an open kitchen, the kitchen space would be extremely small! When one studied the floor n, one not only had to look at its design-one had to take many situations into ount. The way Brandon looked at Charmine hadpletely changed as he excitedly asked, ¡°Who drew this floor n?¡± This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Even with the problematic kitchen, it was apparent that the design was way beyond his ability. This was someone he would look up to! ¡°It¡¯s just one of the unwanted drafts,¡± came Charmine¡¯s curt reply. Unwanted drafts? Judging by her tone¡­ Was she the creator of this floor n? Brandon found it hard to believe, but when he saw the words written on the floor n which matched with the words Charmine wrote on the contract, he was awestruck. Charmine was indeed the one who drew this floor n. Even an unwanted draft was so perfect! She was merely a 23-year-old. How would she know how to draw a floor n? Brandon looked at Charmine in apletely different way. ¡°Charmine¡­ No, Director Jordan. You¡¯ll be Director Jordan from now on!¡± Everyone looked at him judgingly and rolled their eyes. Was this not just a floor n? Why make such a big fuss out of it? ¡°Brandon, can¡¯t you keep your stance?¡± came Peter¡¯s firm counter. ¡°There are so many people who can draw a floor n. Furthermore, managing a bigpany isn¡¯t as simple as drawing a floor n.¡± Peter was not approving Charmine as thepany¡¯s president. Chapter 551 Chapter 551 Despite the scrutiny, Charmine remained unperturbed as she calmly spoke, ¡°What else do you want?¡± Peter¡¯s eyesnded on a woman dressed in a bright red suit. She was in her thirties and looked experienced and professional. ¡°Charmine, right?¡± the woman began. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m the marketing director. As we all know, we¡¯re now in an era that the actual products don¡¯t mean as much without good marketing. There were lesser competitors back then, and those with outstanding products would seed, but we¡¯re seeing a change as morepetitors emerge. Without a good marketing n and unique strategy, it¡¯ll be immensely difficult to stand out from the rest. Since everyone is doubting the Jordan Group now, do you have any marketing ideas that could save thepany?¡± Although she asked in a rather humble tone, the rest would not approve of Charmine if she failed to provide her with a good strategy, Sheena was a woman of high standards. Determined to strive for perfection, she would never approve of the usual, regr marketing strategies presented to her. Back then, she came up with the slogan, ¡®Monique Garden-your five-star unique home¡¯ which made this Monique Garden project stand out from the other ongoing projects, securing its throne in the hearts of the buyers. Whenever someone mentioned Monique Garden, one would instantly associate it with high quality, high standards, and a home equivalent to staying in a five-star hotel. Everyone liked it very much. s, this project was affected by the negative impacts of thepany¡¯s bankruptcy. Since it was the end of the month, all of the servicepanies went on strike that they stopped providing services to the houses and did not provide cleaning services as agreed. Even the lifts that had broken down were not fixed. Within two days, all kinds of negative criticisms about Monique Garden were heard. The residents¡¯int rate was as high as 50 percent. One in every two ownersined, thus the new properties were unable to sell out. Under such circumstances, what troubleshooting could they do to market the properties? Everyone looked at Charmine, waiting for her answer. Charmine had long anticipated that the team would challenge her, thus she came prepared.¡± No marketing is needed,¡± replied Charmine. ¡°Announce to the public that those who buy the properties within a month, three years of property fee will be waived off. Arrange a press conference to announce that we¡¯re signing a contract with the Avex Group as a backup n, and offer to pay five years of property service fees in advance.¡± Charmine¡¯s answer shocked everyone else in the room. ¡°Sign with Avex Group? Charmine, are you kidding?¡± ¡°Avex Group is the most well-known property servicingpany in the country, and they only service the upper-ss residence and mansions. Now that the Jordan Group¡¯s reputation This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. is destroyed, why would they want to sign with us?¡± ¡°And sign them as a backup n? They¡¯re the no.1 servicingpany! Why would they be our backup n?¡± ¡°Charmine, your ideas are good, but can you please be more realistic?¡± As they were all doubting her idea, Charmine tossed out a contract and snapped, ¡°I¡¯ve already made a deal with Avex Group¡¯s chairman.¡± That baffled everyone, wondering how it was even possible. How would Avex Group agree to sign as the backup n? However, when they lowered their heads, they saw that the contract on the table was the contract of the deal! (Avex Group will agree to sign with the Jordan Group for the five-year agreement as stated. If any property sold by the Jordan Group is in need of servicing, Avex Group will provide unconditional service to all of the properties owned by Jordan Group, including Monique Garden¡¯s residential project!] There was an Avex Group seal on the contract along with the signature of their chairman. Everyone gaped at the sight. ¡°How could it be? How can Avex Group be willing to be our backup n?¡± ¡°If the property service fees are waived off, and with Avex Group¡¯s guarantee, the residence won¡¯t have any more concern. The Monique Garden project would be revived in no time!¡± ¡°Manypanies had been reluctant to sign with us after the Jordan Group¡¯s fall. Charmine, what did you do to get this deal with Avex Group?¡± ¡°Impossible! The no.1 property servicingpany, willing to make a deal with us? And be our backup n, no less?¡± ¡°Charmine, did you sleep with them? How else would they agree to this?¡± Charmine¡¯s eyelids twitched. They dared use her of sleeping with them? Was she only capable of sealing the deal with Avex Group through selling her body? She wanted to keep a low-profile, but since they had such spections about her, she had to toss out another document to gain their approval. The crowd looked over with suspicious looks. This document showed that Charmine was in fact the shareholder of Avex Company¡­and she owned 50 percent of their shares! Their eyes flung open widely at the document, stunned silly. Chapter 552 Chapter 552 Charmine turned out to be the Avex Group¡¯s shareholder and owned half of thepany! They heard that the Avex Group¡¯s chairman started from nothing. He was an ordinary man who worked his way up to be a young entrepreneur. Nobody would have thought that Charmine was the one investing in him! The revtion made everyone bewildered. Everyone looked at Charmine with apletely different look. Charmine¡¯s red lips curled up. Five years ago, she had considered every possibility that could happen, and she had done adequate preparations. By chance, when she met the Avex Group¡¯s chairman, he was a final year student in college, broke as could be. In his search for investors, many had tricked him. Charmine decided to invest in him so that if anything happened to the Jordan Group, he would be able to help out. Well, the moment came that that favor would be put to good use, just in the nick of time as well! She nced at everyone calmly. ¡°Any more questions?¡± Any more questions¡­? of course there were more! Even though they had support from Avex Group, there were still many things that the Jordan Group needed to fix. All of them were rational people, and every one of them spoke their concerns. The meeting took ce from morning to six in the evening. Charmine impressed them with her in-depth understandings, from designing to marketing, to constructions, operations, execution, and finance.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. The sun was setting, and all of those who challenged her in the morning stood up and bowed at her. ¡°Director Charmine!¡± Charmine¡¯s red lips curled up gradually as she stood up and said, ¡°The meeting is dismissed. Be ready to work hard.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam!¡± came the team¡¯s thunderous reply. They were hopeful for the future under the leadership of someone as powerful as Charmine. Someone offered to open the door for her, someone offered to press the lift button for her. 1 Charmine, needless to say, floored them. After Charmine had left the meeting room, she sent some documents to Eric. In the evening, a few articles appeared online. (Charmine has returned to her family. Everyone is happy.] (Charmine¡¯s mother made her steaks; her father drove her to work.] (Charmine gained the entire Special Team of the Jordan Group¡¯s approval. Thepany is about to get better!) (The winner in life: Good looks, good family, and good career!) A bunch of simr articles was all over the inte, disying how much glory Charmine was in. Meanwhile, inside the fishing vige¡¯s cave¡­ Tiffany was close to exploding. Even though she had made Rex clear up a circle for her, she was still squatting in the circle with worms asionally crawling on her. Worms would even fall on her head from time to time. In order to prevent herself from screaming out loud, Tiffany had to tear a patch of her windbreaker to stuff her mouth. She looked very much in a bad shape. Furthermore, they-Rex and Tiffany-spent the entire day in fear. Her scalp numb, Tiffany was tired, sleepy, and hungry. She wanted to eat something, she wanted to lie down and rest, but they were inside the cave. Men were searching at the bottom of the mountain, and any movement would attract attention. Tiffany had no choice but to fight her hunger. She had been hungry for one whole day¡­ When Rex turned on his phone to call for help, the news from the inte popped out. Tiffany, right next to him, read the notifications, and her pupils dted instantly Tiffany saw the articles, how everyone cherished Charmine, and how she looked like during the meeting While Tiffany was at her lowest, Charmine reveled in glory! Why? Why?! She had tens of billions! Why did she have to hide in a disgusting cave? Argh! She could not hold it anymore, not even for another second! A glint of malice twinkled in her eyes. Chapter 553 Chapter 553 As night slowly approached, Tiffany briskly took off her windbreaker and picked up a small stone by the side to cut her hair with it. Rex held her hand in shock. ¡°Ms. Tiffany, what are you doing?¡± ¡°In a moment, you wear my clothes and run out. You have to distract everyone. Also, get in touch with people to wait for me by the pier,¡± ordered Tiffany as she cut her long hair. Tiffany had nurtured her hair for quite a few years, yet she had to cut them off. She had no choice¡­ Truly no other choice left to take¡­ Tiffany had to cut her losses. As long as someone waited for her at the pier to help her escape, however, she would be pleased! Therefore, one after another, she chopped off her long strands of hair by rubbing the stone. Swiftly after, she tied them in knots and turned them into a wig, handing it to Rex. ¡°We¡¯ll meet at Andros Ind, and I¡¯ll contact you. No matter what it takes, you must distract them tonight! I¡¯ll reward you with ten million.¡± 1 Rex¡¯s eyes twinkled at the mention of ten million bucks. Even if he lived for another ten lives, Rex would not be able to earn ten million. Was it not just to distract the men? He would do his best! Night nketed the fishing vige as the moon rose. A man dressed in ck suddenly shot out from the cave, running toward the mountain. The man guarding the area saw him right away, but just when he chased after him for a few meters, another person ran out from the cave. The woman had a windbreaker on, her hair was in a mess as she ran brutishly. It was Tiffany! Tiffany tried to use Rex to distract them and ran away after him! There was only one person guarding this area while the rest of the men were at the bottom of the mountain or other areas. Nobody expected the two of them to hide in this cave! At that instant, he had to turn back to chase after Tiffany and gave up chasing after Rex. Meanwhile, he called out to the men at the bottom of the mountain, ¡°They came out! Stop her!¡± Everyone followed him and chased after Tiffany. It was not long before they surrounded her in the mountain. They then realized that it was not Tiffany-it was Rex! Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. It was Rex dressed in a wig, wearing Tiffany¡¯s windbreaker. They were easily fooled due to the darkness. The two had swapped identities, the real Tiffany had run away! The vice-captain, realizing their error, called out, ¡°To the pier! Stop her at the pier!¡± Tiffany, dressed in Rex¡¯s clothes, had stuffed in some hay to make herself look fatter. 1 She ran barefoot, her feet scratched with fresh blood flowing, but she ignored it all as she continued to run. She eventually got closer to the pier, about ten meters away from it, when strands of hay dropped out of, and her figure became thin and small. Even though she had cut her hair, her new ear-length hairstyle still made her innocent looking face rather distinguishable. There were a few fishmongers by the pier, and they instantly saw Tiffany running over. Stunned momentarily, they then called out, ¡°Isn¡¯t this the devilish woman in the news?¡± ¡°The one who ran away with money and tried to kill her brother? She really ran to our vige!¡± ¡°Catch her! Beat her up!¡± Everyone called out with a disgusted tone as they ran to Tiffany and trapped her with their fiss. Tiffany was like a rat, running from street to street, though it did not take long before a few men surrounded her. Some of them grabbed on her hair; some punched her with their fists; some kicked her; some even spat at her. ¡°Ew! What a devilish woman! So heartless and inhuman! You¡¯re not even a human!¡± Chapter 554 Chapter 554 Tiffany¡¯s body ached as sharp pain was felt all over her being. Her hair was pulled so hard that her scalp bled. She red at them wildly with reddened eyes. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Why? Why did they do this to her?! She was forced to; Charmine had pushed her to a whole new extreme! Charmine lived in glory while she had to hide in a cave for a day and night. Was it not enough that vigers had to abuse her horribly? No! Suddenly, she grabbed a sharp metal from the ground and crazily attacked the crowd, growling, ¡°I¡¯m not a devilish woman! I¡¯m not a witch! Get off me! All of you, get off me!¡± Tiffany swinging the sharp metal, attacking the people resulted in a few casualties as a few bled from her stabbings. They never thought a woman like her would have so much strength in her. As they were caught off guard, Tiffany ran toward the pier with the metal in her hands. She saw a boat parked by the pier. The boat was here to save her! She had to run over! She had to leave this hellhole, and fast! The crowd behind her saw the boat too and yelled, ¡°Grab her! Don¡¯t let her get away!¡± ¡°How dare you stab me! You should be dead!¡± A group of men chased after Tiffany as she ran away from them, her face red from all their beatings, and it did not help that her clothes were torn and messed up¡­ She was like a mere beggar! She never, in a million years, thought of seeing herself with such a vulgar look. Even the beggars by the street had people giving them money, but her? Everyone was out to get her! Tiffany ran frantically as the angry mob gave chase. Just before she was about to reach the pier, a man suddenly grabbed her by the wrist! ¡°B*tch! Do you think you can run away!?¡± Tiffany¡¯s eyes reddened as she struggled with frustration. ¡°Let go of me! Let go of me!¡± She had to get out of the fishing vige! She had to live a worry-free life in Andros Ind! She could not stay here any longer! In her struggle against the man¡¯s grip, however, she lost her footing and fell into the sea. Ssh! ¡°She fell into the sea! She fell in!¡± ¡°Grab her out of the water!¡± As everyone could swim, they dived in to look for her. Due to the darkness of the night with no light source around the vicinity, none of them managed to find her¡­ At the Jordan mansion¡­ Charmine was inside a room on the second floor,yingnguidly on the bed with a face mask on. Joey pushed open the door and walked in with a fine-looking bowl in her hands. ¡°Charmine, this is a rose tea I brewed earlier. All women in their twenties should start taking care of their bodies. Please drink some of this.¡± Charmine was too disinterested to talk to her. At that moment, the phone she left on the table rang urgently. Joey wanted to help her get it, but Charmine had stretched out her long leg and grabbed the phone with her toes. She then pulled the same leg inward and took her phone from her toes. She answered the call and was greeted by Kay¡¯s frantic voice reporting, ¡°Boss Jordan, it¡¯s bad! Something¡¯s up! Tiffany fell into the sea, and we can¡¯t find her!¡± Charmine frowned. She fell into the sea? Why would she fall into the sea for no reason? Charmine recalled how Tiffany could not swim. If they could not find her, she might be dead. Even though Tiffany was a wanted-criminal all over the country, she did not deserve to be dead. If this went on the news, it would seem as if Charmine forced her to her death, and the situation would get more troublesome¡­ Joey¡¯s eyes narrowed as she stood beside Charmine. Tiffany fell into the sea¡­ Fell into the sea ¡­ Was she dead¡­? Chapter 555 Chapter 555 Although Tiffany had done many uneptable things to the Jordan family, she was still the daughter Joey had raised, her favorite child for the past 23 years. Even though she hated her, and however much she hated her, hearing about her death would still upset Joey as she felt worried instinctively. Charmine nced at Joey and looked away coldly. ¡°Keep searching,¡± ordered Charmine. ¡°I want to see her, dead or alive.¡± ¡°Yes, Boss.¡± Kay hung up. Charmine tossed the phone aside and said to Joey, ¡°Get out.¡± Joey snapped out of her thoughts and she instantly exined, ¡°I wasn¡¯t thinking of anything else, Charmine, I was just¡­worried out of instinct. I know that after what she had done to you, it¡¯s not a pity even if she¡¯s dead, but¡­ I¡¯m just too soft-hearted. Why did I even feel worried? Don¡¯t worry: Even if she¡¯s dead, I won¡¯t me you. If she isn¡¯t dead andes back, I¡¯ll beat some sense into her for you. I won¡¯t forgive her for the things she had done to you,¡± spoke Joey with words cautious and concerned, scared to offend Charmine. ¡°I¡¯m just trying to rest,¡± snapped Charmine. ¡°Please go back.¡± With that, she shut her eyes. Joey still wanted to say something, but looking at Charmine¡¯s face, she helplessly ced down the rose tea on the table and left the room. After hearing the door closed, Charmine¡¯s closed eyes darkened. Charmine was not petty; she just could not help recalling the things that happened in the past. Even when she was sent to Africa, put to jail, or anything of sorts happened to her, Joey showed not a single moment of concern for her. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. If it was her who fell into the sea, the Joey in the past would p her hands and say, ¡°Nice fall! Beautiful death! An adopted daughter like her should be dead! Thank goodness!¡± Tiffany? Tiffany plotted against her assets, slept with Julian, slept with Oliver, and even put the Jordan family in danger, yet Joey was still worried about Tiffany? Yes, it was out of instinct. After all, she was the daughter she had nurtured for 23 years. Therefore, Charmine could not me Joey. She did not me Joey, even- she was merely pitying herself. The night grew darker and darker¡­ Knock, knock, knock! Gentle knocks were heard and Charmine, who was resting with her eyes closed, opened her eyes instantly Those knocks did note from her door. It was Knock, knock, knock! The gentle knockings were heard again. Charmine looked over ordingly to the source of the sound and saw that behind the window were two puffy hands grabbing onto the frame. A small head stretched outward from below. It was Chris! Chris was hanging outside the window! Charmine jumped up and ran toward the window. She opened it and held Chris¡¯ small hands to bring him in hastily. Chris jumped into her arms, his small hands hooked around her neck. ¡°Mommy! Mommy! I finally get to see you!¡± Charmine frowned. ¡°How did you get here? Why did you climb the window?¡± It was ridiculously dangerous! What if he fell off?! This was the second floor, about ten meters above ground-level. Chris looked at Charmine with his dewy eyes. ¡°Mommy has forgotten about Momo. Waa¡­ Mommy promised to meet Momo and Daddy once a day, but Mommy didn¡¯t call Momo!¡± His lips were extended into a pout as he spoke, his tears ready to fall down his cheeks. Chapter 556 Chapter 556 Charmine then recalled how she was too into work that she had forgotten about Anthony and Chris. Instantly, she carried Momo to the bed and sat down, patting him gently and coaxed, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Momo, it¡¯s Mommy¡¯s fault, but today¡¯s my first day taking charge of thepany, so I was busy with many things. Mommy promises that this will never happen again, but you also have to promise Mommy that in case Mommy forgets again, you give me a call instead of doing something dangerous, okay?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Chris cuddled in her arms. His soft body was like a kitten, incredibly therapeutic. Charmine embraced the boy, and all of her worries had instantly vanished. She wanted to talk to Chris more when he said, ¡°Mommy, can I sleep here tonight? I¡¯m sleepy¡­ Can you sing me a luby?¡± 1 That felt off. He just came and was already tired? Charmine shrugged that off, however, reasoning that it was natural since he was still a child and should be sleeping early. ¡°Okay, stay here with Mommy tonight, and Mommy will send you home tomorrow morning.¡± Thankfully, the Jordans had not hired maids nor security guards. If she woke up at five and took the less-taken route, they would not bump into anyone. ¡°Thank you, Mommy!¡± Chris chirped happily and leaned backward. ¡°Mwah!¡± He kissed her on her cheek. Charmine felt loved as she helped him take off his shoes. She then ced him on the bed and gently patted his back. In order to avoid unnecessary attention, she sang the luby very softly. Chris fell asleep quickly, a satisfied smile adorning his adorable, squishy face. It merely took him a few minutes to fall asleep. Charmine frowned. Why was it so easy to put Chris to sleep? Why did he fall asleep so easily? 1 She did not dwell on the thought, though. She spotted dirt and marks from him climbing earlier, and a look of warmth and guilt appeared on her face. Chris was only five, yet he came out from Violet Vi to visit her, climbing the window just so she would not get into trouble¡­ He was so young yet so thoughtful, but that did not change the fact that it could have been fatal! What if an ident happened? Although she was really busy, she was merely using work to numb and distract herself; she would have thought of Anthony and Annabel had she not done so. She wanted to stay far away from them, but they¡­ Charmine took a deep breath and covered Chris with a nket. Suddenly, his children-phone fell out, the screen showing the message Chris had sent to Anthony: (Daddy, I¡¯m going out. I¡¯ll leave the glowing footprints for you all the way. You¡¯ll find me by following my footprints.] Charmine¡¯s eyelids twitched. Chris left glowing footprints behind? So Anthony would follow his footsteps here? Then¡­ Was Anthony on his way to the Jordan mansion? How would Anthonye? Walk in the front gate or climb in via the window like Chris¡­? N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Charmine felt uneasy at the thought. At that moment, she heard gentle knocksing from the window. Charmine looked over to see Anthony jumping in lithely from the window. Hended on his feet. Anthony was dressed in ck shirt and bottoms as if he was a king of the night dressed in the color of the night sky; elegant and powerful. His facial features, above all, were the true thunder- stealers that could send a person¡¯s heart racing like a stampede. Charmine¡¯s eyes darkened as she tried her best to remain calm. ¡°You didn¡¯t have toe, I can send Chris back¡­¡± ¡°I didn¡¯te for him,¡± replied Anthony in a low voice. He did not look away from her as he walked toward her, one step at a time. chapter 557 chapter 557 Charmine sat by the bed as Anthony got closer to her, the atmosphere turning tense as he did. She wanted to use Chris to ease the tension, but he was fast asleep... It was then it clicked for Charmine, why Chris always fell asleep so quickly. He did it on purpose so she could have some space with Anthony! Charmine was too into her thoughts that she failed to see how close Anthony had gotten to her. His tall figure was merely 20 centimeters away from her, his shadow engulfing her. As Charmine¡¯s heart thundered rambunctiously, Anthony took out a folded A4 paper from his pocket and handed it to her. ¡°I¡¯m here to report my progress.¡± Report his progress? Charmine looked down suspiciously and saw a nicely written report on the paper. [Today, 70% of work was done on Annabel¡¯s house. Our prediction is that the work will be done by tomorrow. Helped her to secure an offer with a broadcasting tform, and her fixed sry would be 50,000 per month with 50%mission. 1 [I¡¯ve arranged gifts to be sent to the vigers and had a meeting to briefly exin what happened five years ago to help Annabele clean. [The medical research team has progressed 20%, and we predict toe up with the antidote within ten days. [ording to the data stated above, the progress of the overall project has reached 40%...] The red left corner was a signature, and with it stated, [Signed by Anthony Bailey, written for Mrs. Bailey.] When Charmine saw this convincing writing, a strange feeling aroused in her. Anthony made this seem like a husband was reporting to his wife. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Was it necessary, though...? 1 She looked away and pretended to remain calm. ¡°Mr. Bailey, you don¡¯t have to be so serious...¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t I be serious? I¡¯ll personally bring in the report every night from now on,¡± said Anthony as he ced the paper on her bedside table. Charmine¡¯s eyelids twitched. Reporting every night? Would that not mean he would visit her, every single night? No way... ¡°No need. I can see your progress, I know.¡± ¡°What you hear or see might not be the truth. You can only trust what I bring to you personally,¡± insisted Anthony. He did not want her to have any chance to doubt him. Charmine was at a loss for words. What if the Jordans found Anthony sneaking in through the window every night? What would they think? If someone found out... She said to Anthony, ¡°Go home, I¡¯ll send Chris back tomorrow morning.¡± Anthony frowned. ¡°I¡¯m afraid not. The flying w had fallen off.¡± 1 Fallen off? So he could not get back down? Well... Charmine was just about to speak when suddenly, footsteps were hearding from the outside. ¡°Charmine, are you asleep?¡± It was Senior Jordan¡¯s voice. rmed, Charmine hastily spoke, ¡°Go and hide in the wardrobe! ¡± Anthony was bewildered. He was Anthony Bailey, but she asked him to hide in the wardrobe? Seeing that he did not move, Charmine had to push him forcefully into the wardrobe. ¡°Charmine¡ª¡± Anthony wanted to speak, but Charmine had already shut the wardrobe door and put a pencil over the handle of the wardrobe so he could not open it from the inside. 1 After doing so, she quickly went to the other wardrobe and covered it with a nket to form afy bed before carrying Chris over to ce him in there. Closing the wardrobe, there were no longer any traces of them in the room. The knocks on the door were heard. chapter 558 chapter 558 Charmine walked toward the door hastily and opened it. Senior Jordan asked suspiciously, ¡°Charmine, what took you so long to open the door? I thought you had fallen asleep.¡± ¡°I was washing my face and just finished my skincare routine,¡± lied Charmine as she walked to the table and pulled out a single sofa for Senior Jordan. She changed the topic as she spoke, ¡°What brought you here, Grandpa? Is something up?¡± ¡°Hmm... Yes, there¡¯s something.¡± Senior Jordan sat down on the single sofa and gazed into her eyes, concerned. ¡°I heard from the Special Team about your performance today. You¡¯ve impressed them all, and they genuinely like you, but I¡¯m concerned about you! ¡°You must¡¯ve been tired from preparing so much information. As for the designs... When did you learn all that? You must¡¯ve been through a lot over the past five years, no? You must¡¯ve been working so hard.¡± His tone was full of concern and care. Charmine¡¯s expression softened. After she came back for so long, Senior Jordan was the first person who ever asked her such questions. She smiled. ¡°It¡¯s nothing much, as long as I¡¯m back now.¡± i As long as she coulde back to Senior Jordan, as long as she could make Tiffany pay, it did not matter how much pain she had been through. i Senior Jordan sighed. ¡°Charmine, you¡¯re too head-strong, and you worry me. Not only me, but your Uncle Weir is very worried as well. He called me tonight, and we had a long chat. We both don¡¯t wantN?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. you to be so tired.¡± Charmine¡¯s eyelids twitched. What did that mean? Why did she feel so disconcerted? Senior Jordan continued, ¡°Your Uncle Weir is a well-known expert and has been in touch with many amazing individuals. He had prepared for a long list with names of the most amazing men in the country. Have a look: there are so many names in here! There must be one that you like.¡± As he spoke, Senior Jordan handed the document to Charmine. Charmine¡¯s lips twitched. Senior Jordan came in at this hour to make her pick a date...and forced her to get married...? It was then Charmine felt it, a sharp, stinging gaze from behind. It made her back sweat coldly. Anthony was still inside the wardrobe. If he found out that she was about to pick a date... She hastily rejected, not even epting the document. ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m still young. I¡¯m only twenty-three! I¡¯m not in a hurry. Also, now that the Jordan Group needs more attention, I¡¯ll fix thepany before¡ª¡± ¡°Exactly! Since the Jordan Group needs more attention, that¡¯s why I hope you can get married sooner so a man can take care of you, help you,¡± intervened Senior Jordan, insisting Charmine hold the document. ¡°Just have a look at the list. This is a wish from Uncle Weir, the men he picked are good. It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t find anyone you fancy, we won¡¯t force you. Just tell us which type of men you like, and we¡¯ll arrange everything for you.¡± Charmine, left without much of a choice, grabbed the document reluctantly. Since Senior Jordan proposed it to her, it would be rather rude if she did not have a look at the name list... Facing the pressure on her, she simply flipped it through. All she could see was a tall stack of papers of at least a hundred pages. From well-known entrepreneurs to medical professors, influencers to superstars, it was an album of men! i Attached with their photos, every paper had a detailed introduction of the man¡¯s personality, hobbies, height, skills, profession. Every one of them was downright handsome. They were those that would stand out from the others. Charmine was about to flip through and put it away when her eyesnded on the final page. It was Anthony Bailey! Why was he thest, and why was there arge cross over his profile as though he was singled out? Just as Charmine was about to ask, the pressure on her back increased, so strong that it almost made her out of breath. Anthony stared heatedly at her. The position of the wardrobe Anthony was in was facing the sofa where Charmine and Senior Jordan were sitting on. Through the small gap of the wardrobe door, he was able to see what was happening outside. What was Charmine doing, looking at thatst page so long? Was she actually going on a date? That was it; he had been too easy on her! chapter 559 chapter 559 Charmine, still on the sofa, felt as though Anthony would bust out of the wardrobe at any given time, and the document in her hands felt like a hot, ming yam. Terrified, she threw the document aside and said to Senior Jordan, ¡°Grandpa, I don¡¯t like them. We youngsters don¡¯t like blind dates, but I¡¯ll look around myself. I¡¯ll find someone I like one day.¡± ¡°You¡¯re upied with thepany work every day. When would you have time to look around? Grandpa is getting old; I hope I can see you getting married while I¡¯m still alive. I want to make sure someone can take care of you, protect you, love you. Only so will Grandpa be able to die in peace...cough! Cough, cough...!¡± Senior Jordan wheezed and coughed painfully. Charmine hastily poured him a ss of water. ¡°Grandpa, take care of your body and don¡¯t think too much. I¡¯ll ask Uncle Weir to prescribe some medicines for your health tomorrow.¡± ¡°Sigh... It¡¯s a heart illness, and only you can cure it. I¡¯m too worried for you and concerned. You don¡¯t even look at the list, you don¡¯t intend to get married. However many medicines I take won¡¯t cure me... Cough, cough, cough...¡± spoke Senior Jordan, followed by more coughs. 2 Seeing that his face had flushed red from coughing, Charmine relented, ¡°Alright, alright! I¡¯ll keep the document, and I¡¯ll look at itter. I ¡¯ll look at them one by one. I¡¯ll take good care of myself, okay?¡± 1 ¡°Really?¡± Senior Jordan instantly stopped coughing. Charmine nodded. ¡°Have I broken any promise I made to Grandpa?¡± It was true that she would get married. That was, at least, if Anthony fixed the matter with Annabel- Senior Jordan was less concerned after hearing so. ¡°Good to hear, good to hear... Take your time, Charmine. I¡¯ll get some rest and stop pestering you.¡± N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. ¡°Okay.¡± Charmine helped him up and walked him out. Right after closing her door, she instantly walked toward the wardrobe, terror racking her being. She actually locked Anthony inside the wardrobe; she stuffed the President Bailey in a wardrobe. The thought of it... Quickly, she removed the pen on the handle and opened the door for Anthony. Instantly, the eyes on Anthony were so dark, akin to a bottomless ck hole. So dark that he could engulf her anytime. ¡°I didn¡¯t have a choice just now...¡± muttered Charmine. At that moment... ¡°Charmine.¡± Senior Jordan¡¯s voice was heard again. Click! The door was pushed open. Senior Jordan came back! He came back all of a sudden! Stunned by the suddenness, Charmine felt her hand pulled by a firm and muscr hand. Swiftly after, the wardrobe door was closed, and the space instantly darkened. Anthony pulled her into the wardrobe with him. Just in time, Senior Jordan walked in. He was going to remind Charmine of other matters, but the room was empty. He looked around and could not find her. Finally, his gaze fixed on the bathroom door. The door was closed with the lights turned on inside; it seemed Charmine had gone to the bathroom. Senior Jordan had no choice but to leave, closing the door behind him. Charmine, inside the wardrobe, sighed in relief as she heard the door close. That was until a hand wrapped around her waist fiercely. She was pulled into a man¡¯s embrace tightly. Anthony lowered his head and red at her. ¡°Charmine, have I been toox on you? You looked at the folder for so long. Are you really finding someone to get married to?¡± His low and questioning tone resonated in the narrow space, making the air extremely heavy and stuffy. Charmine was a calm person, but along the way, she found herself uneasy and awkward around Anthony. She had no idea when it even began, either. She exined, ¡°I was acting for Grandpa! Also, thest page of the folder was¡ª¡± chapter 560 chapter 560 ¡°Acting for Grandpa? So you¡¯d marry someone just to lessen Grandpa¡¯s worries?¡± His maic voice was filled with displeasure and jealousy. The thought of her actually keeping the document made Anthony¡¯s gaze sharper than ever. 1 Hisrge hand tightened around Charmine¡¯s waist, pulling her closer as he spoke. Charmine was so close to him that her lips could graze Anthony¡¯s chin if she was to raise her chin. Uneasily, she tried to get out. ¡°Let go of me first, and I¡¯ll show you the document. You¡¯ll know why I looked at it for so long...¡± ¡°You even want to make me help you look for a husband? Wow, Charmine, you¡¯ve got guts.¡± Anthony¡¯s eyes darkened. Suddenly, he grabbed Charmine¡¯s chin. Charmine¡¯s heartbeat fastened. ¡°What¡¯re you doing¡ªmmph!¡± Before she could finish her sentence, Anthony lowered his head abruptly and kissed her lips roughly. Charmine wanted to struggle, but just as she moved, her backnded on the wardrobe wall, pushed up by Anthony. In that narrowed space, Charmine had no chance of moving or getting away. She was like a little sheep waiting to be ughtered as he ¡®taught her a lesson¡¯. Anthony only released her lips when Charmine was close to running out of breath. He grabbed her chin and looked at her lips swollen from their fiery kiss. ¡°Remember, Charmine: You¡¯re mine. Don¡¯t everThis is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. think of marrying someone else. You¡¯re not allowed to go on a blind date.¡± He warned her in his low and demanding voice. Charmine was still gasping for fresh air when she heard his words. She was the Boss Jordan! This man dared to threaten her? She looked up at him with an unfriendly look. ¡°I didn¡¯t go on any blind dates, and we¡¯re not married nor engaged. How could you be so¡ª¡± ¡°It seems that Ms. Jordan would like us to get engaged and married, yes? Excellent, let¡¯s get registered tonight.¡± 3 As Anthony spoke, he pushed open the wardrobe door and carried her in his arms. Charmine was hung on his shoulder, her head buzzing while Anthony walked determinedly out. It was apparent that Anthony would do what he said! Instantly, Charmine blurted, ¡°I was joking with you! Put me down. I promise you I won¡¯t look at the document; I won¡¯t go on any blind dates.¡± ¡°Ms. Jordan¡¯s hint was very clear just now. We¡¯ve known each other for too long, and it¡¯s time to get our marriage certificate.¡± Anthony did not stop walking. By then, they were merely two meters away from the bedroom door. Charmine¡¯s eyelids twitched. The entire Jordan family would know that Anthony was in her bedroom if he were to walk out, and at night no less! She said hastily, ¡°Anthony, you haven¡¯t fixed the matters with Annabel! How can you marry me like that? Do you even respect me?¡± 1 Anthony finally stopped walking, and he frowned. ¡°So you¡¯ll marry me once I¡¯ve settled everything with Annabel?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Charmine¡¯s tone was determined. She said so just to stop him from walking out; they would have more time to talk things through next time. Furthermore, Charmine felt that the matters with Annabel were not so easily fixed. Hearing so, Anthony put her down on the floor and gazed into her eyes with his own dark orbs. ¡°Be ready then, Charmine. Give me half a month, maximum.¡± His tone was steady and confident. Charmine frowned. Half a month, maximum? Was he implying that he could fix the mess with Annabel within half a month, and would marry her then? 1 How was he that sure? chapter 561 chapter 561 Charmine thought that things would be alright so long as she dragged out the time, but as she stared at the confident Anthony, she felt as though she had somehow fallen into his trap. Would she end up marrying him anyway if he did as promised, fixing everything with Annabel in half a month¡¯s time? This all seemed too sudden... ¡°Can I take back my words?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve said it yourself, so you¡¯ll have to keep it.¡± Anthony¡¯s lips curled up, watching her dumbfounded face. Charmine was stunned silent. Whatever. They could negotiate on the matter when the time came. If he could fix everything within half a month, well... It was not a bad thing, no. She did not dwell on it any longer as she turned to walk inside the room. Suddenly, she remembered that Chris was still inside the wardrobe! Instantly, she walked over and opened the wardrobe door. Inside the wardrobe, Chris had already turned around and changed his sleeping position. He was curled up, hugging a pir inside the wardrobe. Charmine knelt down and tried to carry him, but she realized that he gripped onto the pir so tightly that it almost seemed as if his arms were glued on it. It was impossible to pull him out of the wardrobe. She frowned, but just as she was about to think of other ways to remove him, Anthony stood behind him and said, ¡°Don¡¯t mind him. He¡¯s rather insecure when he sleeps, so he usually clings to something. If you wake him up by force, he might cry or even have seizures.¡± 2 Charmine was terrified and hastily retracted her hands. The Jordans would surely be awoken if Chris woke up and cried, or even had seizures, and it surely would not help Charmine as she would feel terrible. Luckily, her wardrobe was a big luxurious one; it was 80 centimeters wide and was a few meters long. The small Chris sleeping in it would not feel too stuffy. She rolled out a nket on the floor, just in case Chris rolled off the wardrobe. She also pulled open the ss wardrobe door before standing up. After fixing Chris, she looked at Anthony. ¡°Wait till around one in the morning. I¡¯ll send you out through a small passage when everyone is asleep.¡± Small passage? Anthony frowned. He was President Bailey, but why did it seem like she disregarded his high-profile identity? Was he such an embarrassment to her? 1 Still... His eyes darkened as he answered, ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll take a rest.¡± With that, he walked to the bed and removed his shoes. He thenid on the bed. It felt off to Charmine, but she paid no mind to it. She had used up a lot of brainpower, and she was rather tired. With that, she set an rm form before sitting on the sofa and shut her eyes to take a nap. Anthony frowned at the sight, and he lowly called out to her, ¡° Come here.¡± Charmine opened his eyes and looked at him, perplexed. ¡°It¡¯s not like we haven¡¯t slept together before,¡± sassed Anthony. ¡° Why make a fuss?¡± 1 Charmine was bbergasted at his words. They were purely sleeping, so why did it sound strangeing from him? 1 Charmine did not move, the wheels in her head still turning. Anthony stood up. ¡°It seems that you want me to carry you over.¡± ¡°No need! ¡± Charmine jumped up hastily. She quickly walked toward the bedside. 1 Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Charmine did not want Anthony to carry him. Instead of being passive, it was better for her if she took the initiative. 1 Watching her lying beside him, Anthony¡¯s lips curled up. He took her phone and remotely turned off the lights in the room. Instantly, the door turned pitch ck. Charmine was strangely nervous. Even after sleeping with him countless nights, her heart would beat frantically every time they had close contact. She was unlike her usual self in front of Anthony. She turned around and faced Anthony with her back. Anthony then silently turned off her rms and hugged her from behind. Charmine¡¯s body instinctively stiffened as hisrge handnded on her waist. chapter 562 chapter 562 Just as Charmine was about to remove his hands, Anthony reassured in his low voice, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s only for a while. Only one hour.¡± His low voice was strangely sad and pitiable. After halting for a second, Charmine did not remove his hands and allowed his hands on her¡ªthey had not met since they parted yesterday, after all. She did not know whether they would meet tomorrow, so she allowed him to hug her as he pleased. Anthony¡¯s hug was veryforting. He exuded a sense of calmness that made her feel safe. Perhaps she was too worked up during the day, but knowing that she had set an rm, Charmine allowed herself to drift off gradually. Anthony, on the other hand, could not get some shuteye. With Charmine in his arms, his eyes were heavy and dark. Last night, he could not fall asleep without her. When the sun came out, he had to leave again. Why was it so difficult to be with her officially? Oh, Charmine! He really did not know what to do with her... He yed with a strand of her hair as he looked at her hair, body, and every inch of her skin with longingness. It was a beautiful night, despite being short-lived. Inside the wardrobe, Chris¡¯ eyes twinkled as he watched the two of them embracing in their sleep. He was very satisfied.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Haha! He could finally continue sleeping, hugging the pir. 2 When Charmine woke up, it was already eight in the morning! She opened her eyes wide to see the room filled with sunlight. She shot up. Oh, no! She overslept! Anthony? Chris? She looked around and could not see them. Her room was empty. They left? When did they leave? Confused, she saw a paper by the bedside. [Mommy, Momo is going to school. Wherever Momo and Daddy go, Mommy will almost be in my heart.] 2 He drew a heart and a smiley face behind the sentence, along with his and Anthony¡¯s signature. Charmine¡¯s morning was filled with a warm loveing from within. Somehow, she hadpletely forgotten about Annabel. Meanwhile, outside Violet Vi... A ck car was parked under a tree in an emptied trail. The window was so dark that one could not see who was inside the car. McKenzie sat on the backseat with her hands on her waist. She had sunsses on, making her elegant appearance even more mysterious and unique. Her eyes fixed on the main road quite far away from her. She saw an extended Lincoln driving into the vi. She frowned. She thought the matters with Annabel would be enough for Anthony to leave Charmine, but she did not expect Anthony to continue living in Violet Vi. He even came back early in the morning! Did Anthony not sleep in Violet Vist night? She asked coldly, ¡°What did Anthony dost night?¡± ¡°Boss Bailey? He... He went to the Jordan mansion. He climbed in through the window and spent a night with Charmine...¡± stuttered Miranda. McKenzie¡¯s hands clenched into fists. It seemed that Charmine did not want to get close with Anthony, but he was still persistent! The man she could not get, the high-above and reputable Anthony Bailey, climbed into Charmine¡¯s room through her window? Eyes darkened, McKenzie ordered, ¡°Give Annabel a push, and make sure she gets immense publicity! ¡± McKenzie believed that with Annabel around, Charmine would not stick with Anthony without doubt guing her! Miranda understood her right away, she nodded. As if recalling something, she reminded her, ¡°Right, Madam. Mr. Nial Bailey is running a DNA test between Annabel and Young Bailey.¡± 3 DNA? McKenzie¡¯s eyes darkened. chapter 563 chapter 563 Later that morning... Charmine arrived at the Jordan Group building and held a morning briefing, delegating tasks needed to be done. Their most important task of the day was to recruit those staff who left. However, those staff lived on their wages and thus were scared of unforeseen risks. They feared they would not receive their wages or anything simr to that nature happening to the Jordan Group again, such as bankruptcy or internal conflicts. Charmine had to discuss a strategy with the human resource team to tackle that matter. At that moment, Charmine received a text from Kay. [Kay: Boss Jordan, Nial is doing the DNA test on the top floor of Royal Hospital. Would you like to have a look?] The four Uncles and Kay hoped for Charmine to go so she could get over Anthony. Anthony had a child with another woman. Why would Charmine still insist on staying with him? Charmine was at a loss for a good while, and it was only after a moment she texted, [I¡¯m busy. I¡¯m not going.] True, she was busy, but she also did not want to face it. Charmine, silent for a good while, then texted Eric, [Go to Royal Hospital for me. Watch Nial do the DNA test.] She knew it was impossible for Annabel to lie. She knew it was impossible for Anthony to have slept with any other woman than Annabel, and she was not ready to face it, but a pivotal matter like this should be ironed out without fail. Since people like Kay wished for her to leave Anthony, she could not trust Kay on this. Eric, in this case, was more reliable. [Eric: Okay.] Strangely, Charmine found it hard to concentrate on the meeting. Luckily, the ideas given by the human resource team were good, thus she did not have to squeeze her brain for some ideas. After the meeting was dismissed, she reclined on the chair and waited patiently. Thoughts in a mess, Charmine could only take out her phone and read some news to burn time. Unexpectedly, right after she refreshed her feed, she saw the news: N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. [Bailey Corporation signing the only female artist¡ªAnnabel Smith! ] [Annabel Smith broadcasted for the first day, Bailey Corporation sponsored a million bucks with their official ount!] [Rumors on Annabel selling her body, Bailey Corporation refused to answer!] Every news article stated how Bailey Corporation financially supported Annabel handsomely. There were also many photos of Annabel dressed in simple cotton and linen clothing as she helped out the workers rebuilding her old, run-down house. There was no denying how beautiful Annabel was, her eyes clean and sparkling clear with no impurities. She looked tough as her small figure carried arge bundle of firewood. What was so special about Annabel was how hardworking she was, enduring pain. She was not fake and was involved in the building of her house. Theizens spoke of her highly. Charmine had a strange feeling in her. If she was a man, she would like a clean and pure, yet strong and tough woman like Annabel. 1 If this was a drama series, Annabel would be the main character of the drama. Charmine? She was clearly Annabel and Anthony¡¯s third -wheeler... Eric, at that moment, got back to her. [Eric: The result shows that Chris is indeed Annabel¡¯s child.] 1 Charmine¡¯s pupils dted, and her hand that held her phone jolted vigorously. 1 Charmine had expected that result, but she felt inexplicably sad when she heard it anyway. Anthony slept with Annabel. Annabel suffered ten months for Anthony and gave birth to Chris. Annabel was Chris¡¯ actual mother... 7 Although Chris liked her more, what the child needed the most was thepany of his birth mother. Perhaps...she should be more rational and actually reconsider this matter. Meanwhile, on the top floor of Royal Hospital, in an unnoticeable corner of the staircase... Miranda walked to Mckenzie and reported happily, ¡°Madam, great news! The result is out, and Annabel is indeed Chris¡¯ mother! ¡± 1 McKenzie¡¯s eyes darkened instantly. Really? However... chapter 564 chapter 564 When McKenzie saw a figure leaving the hospital, she thought of something and took out her phone to text, [If the Walker family wants to get back on their feet, do me a favor. I can make the Baileys stop attacking the Walkers.] At the Jordan Group building. Charmine was alone in her office for a very long while, her thoughts rumbling like a storm. It was then she heard a knock on the door, followed by the voice of her assistant that said, ¡°Director Jordan, it¡¯s time to attend the press conference at the hotel. You¡¯re about to announce the deal with Avex Company.¡± They had invited many reporters in hopes of shifting the situation to their favor. Otherwise, the longer the properties around the country were left empty, the harder they were to be sold out. Collecting her thoughts and herself, Charmine kept her phone before she walked out of the office. She busied herself with work to distract herself... That was the only way she could stop thinking about the matters with Anthony. Adam was already downstairs, waiting for her. He had been Charmine¡¯s personal driver for the past few days and sent her to and fro work, all while helping her out in thepany during the day. Whenever Charmine needed to go out, he would personally drive her. Charmine did not reject as she sat in the backseat silently. Adam, on the other hand, drove silently as he had not much to say. From time to time, he would look at Charmine through the rear mirror. Adam noted how distressed Charmine was at the moment, and he kept silent. As they drove to the hotel, the car abruptly jolted and stopped mid way. Adam drove to the emergencyne and said to Charmine, ¡°Just stay seated. I¡¯ll get down and check what happened.¡± Charmine nodded and made a small sound of reply. Once he got out of the car, Adam inspected the car left and right before saying, ¡°The rear tire ran over a nail and got punctured. We need someone toe and fix it.¡± Charmine frowned, raising her wrist to look at the time. It was already nine-forty, and the press conference was starting in ten minutes. The theme of this conference was her return to the Jordan family, saving the Jordan Group with her own assets, and the deal with Avex Company. This was to help everyone regain their confidence in the Jordan Group. 1 If she did show up or turned upte, everyone would have wild spections. Thankfully, they were in a secluded passage where not many cars would pass by. She might turn upte if they did nothing about the car... Charmine got out of the car and stood by the roadside, her brain reeling as she tried to find a solution. At that moment, a ming-red Ferrari drove toward them from not far away. Its bright red color was eye-catching, while its convertible rooftop was grand and luxurious. Charmine did not care who it was. She walked forward and gged down the car. The sports car stopped before her. Charmine noted that the man driving the car was dressed in a burgundy shirt with four buttons loosely unbuttoned, and he lookednguidly seductive. Sporting rose-colored shades, the man''s skin under the burgundy shirt was fair like snow; even fairer than the This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. skin of a woman. He whistled at the sight of Charmine. ¡°Need a ride, gorgeous?¡± Charmine, somehow, felt as though the man was rather familiar, but she just could not make out of the memory. She sensed that the man was not one to be taken lightly, she would even be indebted to him if she took a free ride. Perhaps, she could... She said calmly, ¡°I don¡¯t need a ride¡ªI want to buy your car. How much are you willing to sell your car for? Name your price.¡± That was a haughty tone, alright. She stopped his car and wanted to buy it? Tristan Walker had never met a woman as wild as her, and his seductive lips curled into a smirk. ¡°Unfortunately, I¡¯m not intending to sell my car. I only give rides.¡± Charmine frowned. Was he acting that way on purpose? chapter 565 chapter 565 Charmine swept her eyes over the ming-red car and said, ¡°This car is a one-year-old, and the two front tires aren¡¯t aligned as it¡¯s probably driven at great speed. It won¡¯t be long until it¡¯ll have problems driving in a straight line or changing direction. ording to the current market price, this car is worth three million max, but I¡¯ll offer you eight million. Are you sure you¡¯re not selling?¡± Eight million? 1 Tristan¡¯s eyes darkened. Was this woman that rich that she was bold enough to make such a pricey offer? However... ¡°Unfortunately, my name is Tristan Walker, and I¡¯m not short of cash. I dock a pretty woman sitting in my car, though. Why don¡¯t youe in? I¡¯ll give you three seconds to consider.¡± Tristan ced his hands on the steering wheel as he spoke. Before he started to countdown, Charmine already stretched out her long leg, turned, and went into the car. If he was unwilling to sell, there was no point arguing with him. It was better to do it quickly. ¡°Impiana Hotel, thank you.¡± N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Tristan smirked as he ignited his engine and raced away. Seeing that, Adam instantly took out his phone and phoned Brandon. ¡°Charmine took a ride to Impiana Hotel,¡± said Adam. ¡°If she doesn¡¯t arrive in ten minutes, call me.¡± Charmine leaving with that man made him uneasy. "Alright,¡± answered Brandon. The man raced toward their destination, and it took less than ten minutes for them to reach Impiana Hotel. Charmine opened the door and gave her name card to the man. ¡°1 owe you one. Contact me if you need anything.¡± With that, she turned and walked into the hotel. Tristan looked at her back and then at the name card. His lips curled upward wickedly. ¡®Charmine Jordan? Nice to meet you.¡¯ Impiana Hotel was a grand forest-themed hotel with a beautiful view and amazing attractions for the customers to explore. Of course, there were no customers, no one exploring the venue. Everyone was instead waiting at the press conference room, and every reporter sat at their tables, debating on the issues at hand. ¡°Charmine¡¯s returning to the Jordan family, and supporting them wholeheartedly no less?¡± ¡°The Jordans hurt her so badly. Why would she support them?¡± ¡°Even if she supports them wholeheartedly, the Jordan Group has gone bankrupt. Saving them would be a long road.¡± As people in the area murmured and debated among themselves, the Jordans¡¯ special team¡¯s marketing director, Sheena walked to the stage and said through the microphone, ¡°All of your concerns will be answered by our Director, Charmine Jordan. Kindly ask only rted, logical questions.¡± After she spoke, Charmine¡ªdressed in a white blouse and ck pencil skirt¡ªwalked on stage. Her proportions made her figure very alluring, disying the energy of a strong and career-oriented woman. Sheena passed the microphone to Charmine. After receiving the microphone, Charmine addressed the crowd, ¡° Hello, everyone. I¡¯m Charmine Jordan, Director of the Jordan Group. Before you ask any question, I¡¯d like to show you a contract.¡± After she spoke, the screen behind her disyed the contract between the Jordan Group and Avex Company. Everyone reacted just like how the Special Team reacted yesterday ¡ªshocked, baffled. ¡°Why would Avex Company agree to this deal? It¡¯s impossible!¡± "Avex Company¡¯s director didn¡¯t evene. Did you photoshop this contract?¡± Charmine responded to their questions, ¡°Their director didn¡¯t have toe, because I¡¯m here.¡± With that, another document appeared on the big screen. It was her 50 percent-ownership of Avex Company. Everyone gasped and murmured among themselves. Charmine was Avex Company¡¯s director and the main shareholder all along? Absolutely ridiculous! The initially rambunctious crowd that came up with all sorts of questions for her was stunned at the sight. chapter 566 chapter 566 Topics were too extra and unnecessary. With the reporters and everyone else still silent, Charmine calmly continued, "Avex Company will fully support the Jordan Group''s return. As the Jordan family¡¯s heiress, I''ll do my best to help the Jordan Group. As for the future ns of the Jordan Group, we''re nning to..." Professionally, Charmine presented briefly, speaking about her financial capability, funding, connections, as well as the Jordan family''s future development. Though Charmine looked as though she was a beautiful yet empty vase, her knowledge was so in-depth as she used numerous architecture terminologies that stumped the reporters. The crowd eventually broke out into thunderous apuse. Charmine convinced them all. Charmine deserved to be the Jordan Group¡¯s director! Furthermore, everyone believed the Jordan Group would regain its stance under Charmine''s leadership. Charmine sat at the small table and ced the microphone in front of her. She had a new sense of rxed beauty. "Now is the time for questions. Feel free to ask me anything.¡± Ask? What was there to ask? This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Charmine came in and blew everyone away, answering their questions before they were asked. She would drop names of powerful individuals linked to her, like herself; of course she had all the power to save the Jordan Group! After everyone thought for a moment, they shifted the course of the conversation... "Charmine, we heard from the officials saying that Tiffany had fallen into the sea. What do you think about this?" "How do you feel after returning to the Jordan family? Are you okay with the Jordans?" "Will you return into the modeling industry? Will you still take on ambassador jobs?" "You''re already twenty-three, and Julian has been confessing to you on Twitter many times. Do you n to reunite with him? Do you have ns to get married soon?" 1 Thepany''s press conference had somehow turned into Charmine''s private-life press conference. It was tolerable, at least, until Charmine heard those words-''get married''. Her mind drifted to Anthony and all the news about Annabel. Last night and this morning were fine, but she had to face the reality. She had no idea what to say nor do about the whole situation with Anthony and Annabel... "Director Jordan." Sheena, who was beside her, called to her gently. Charmine snapped out of her thoughts as she looked at the reporters calmly. "Firstly, whatever happens to Tiffany, she deserves what she gets. We can all leave that to the officials. "Secondly, my family treats me well. Thirdly, I¡¯ll take on ambassador jobs, but I don''tck any money, so I''ll only ept thosepanies I''m interested in. "Fourth, reunite with Julian? Never. Not a chance! If there are any more questions regarding the Jordan Group, you may ask Director Sheena." With that, she lowered her head and was ready to walk away. Of course the reporters had no more questions regarding the Jordan Group. Inparison, they were more interested in the gossip of the wealthy. Many reporters stood up and chased after Charmine. Despite the rows of bodyguards around Charmine, the reporters did not give in. They chased after her and asked all sorts of questions. "Someone said you''re involved in Tiffany falling into the sea, that you made her fall. What do you think?" "Do you want her to be dead?" "If you don''t like Julian, do you like someone now?" Every question was a topic they could use to boost their sales. Charmine would always get carried away by questions she did not want to hear. For example, "Do you like someone..." She did not know why, but every time she heard questions like that, she would think of Anthony. Of course she liked someone, but the person she liked had a child with another woman... Charmine had nothing on her, no n on how to handle the situation. The story between Anthony and Annabel was not as straightforward; there were many feelings involved like a romantic drama. Seemed as though Charmine might never get over that after all. chapter 567 chapter 567 Charmine did not want to hear any more of those. She spoke to the bodyguards in a low voice and marched away quickly. The bodyguards formed a man-wall to block the reporters so she could leave. Leaving through Impiana Hotel¡¯s backdoor, Charmine got to a quiet alley; empty with no one around. Charmine put on her shades, but just as she was about to leave, a few women walked past her coincidently as they talked about an article in their phones. "Wow, look at Annabel... I really like her! I''ve decided to be a fan of hers!" "I really like her as well! Look at how she wears in and simple clothing when she¡¯s farming. She has so much callus on her hands and a simple outlook. She looks like a farmer, nowhere pretentious at all." ''The Bailey Corporation¡¯s official ount rewarded her with a million bucks, and she¡¯d get five hundred thousand worth ofmission! I¡¯m so envious! Jealous, I tell you! "Not only that, but I also heard Annabel was signed by a high-ranking officer at the Bailey Corporation and then rmended to the broadcasting tform. Her basic sry is tens of thousands every month, and the Baileys are taking care of her!" "Argh! She was an ordinary woman like myself, but she¡¯s now earned the likes and support of President Bailey! My head¡¯s reeling right now at the thought of how movie-like this is, how the President is falling for a farm girl!" "President Bailey must¡¯ve liked her a lot to treat her so well!¡± Charmine overheard their conversation, and her hands clenched. She did not expect to hear about Anthony wherever she went. Was God not letting her ease up a bit? Unsettled, Charmine quickened her pace. However, those wild reporters squeezed through the bodyguards and chased after her. They would eat up a significant chunk of her time if they caught up to her. Charmine narrowed her eyes, thinking of a solution. Coincidently, a ming-red Ferrari pulled over beside her. The door opened automatically, and the man inside smirked. "Get in." Charmine saw that it was Tristan again, and her brows furrowed. Was it all just a coincidence? 1 Charmine wanted to ask him about it, but the reporters were gaining on her. She had to rush into the car quickly. 1 Vroom! The sports car raced away, leaving the reporters behind. Charmine sighed in relief at the sight of the reporters growing smaller at the rearview mirror. She did not mind answering the questions, but the problem was that they would ask questions she did not want to hear. She did not want to talk about her feelings. Tristan, behind the wheels, flirted jokingly, "Charmine, I''ve saved you twice. How are you going to thank me?" Charmine snapped out of her gaze as she eyed him sharply. "Speak. Who are you, and what''s your intention in getting close to me?"N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Her tone was more of an interrogation instead of questioning. Tristan frowned. "Charmine, that''s rather disheartening to hear. Fate brought US together, and God gave US two chances to meet." "I don''t believe in fate nor some god," Charmine refuted. Tristan could feel her maturity and seriousness, and he smiled helplessly." Alright! I didn''t expect Boss Jordan to see through me. It was purely coincidental the first time, but I intentionally waited for you the second time. I need your help with something." Charmine''s face lightened up. If he insisted on this all being coincidences, she would suspect him of having ill-intentions and would have her men investigate him. She reminded him, "I prefer straightforward people." "Perfect. The truth is that it¡¯s not a big deal. I need Boss Jordan to have a meal with me." Tristan said as he reclined on his seatnguidly. He sighed. "I want to have a date that''s way out of my ex-girlfriend¡¯s league." 1 Ex-girlfriend? chapter 568 chapter 568 Charmine was confused. Tristan continued, "Shocking, eh? An amazing man like me happened to have an ex? She even rented the entire restaurant to celebrate her second anniversary! "I made a reservation for one at Vineman Restaurant a week ago, but they called me earlier to have me cancel my reservation? Hah, what a joke! How dare they cancel on me!" He was initially on his way to Vineman Restaurant, but when he saw Charmine on his way there, he came up with the thought of bringing her on a date. "How childish..." scoffed Charmine at his exnation. "How''s that childish? They bullied me for being single! Why can''t I bring an amazing new girlfriend to feel better? I''m Tristan, and I have three things: money, time, and temper. I¡¯m too bored and I want to watch drama. Ain¡¯t that splendid?" Tristan¡¯s lips curled into an impish grin as he spoke. Charmine was stunned. Ah, yet another wealthy, spoiled man. Tristan pulled over not far away from Vineman Restaurant before turning to Charmine. "Don¡¯t worry. Just dine with me, and you don¡¯t owe me anything else. This meal will clear it all." After hearing that, Charmine pushed open the door and got down. She hated to owe people, so if this meal could clear her debt to him, it was exactly what she needed. 1 Someone came to them to help park Tristan''s car after they both got down. 2 Tristan walked in front and she walked behind him as they made their way into Vineman Restaurant. The restaurant was a European restaurant with a see-through window. Its floor was made of grass and leaves-unique and scenic. The two sat down by the window as a server came forward politely and handed them the menu. 1 Charmine had her shades on, so nobody could tell it was her. Tristan epted the menu and handed it to Charmine. "Let thedy order. A handsome man such as myself is fine with anything." The server nodded. "You''re right, sir. We''ll improve on that." Charmine simply made some orders before she returned the menu to the server. She then looked at her surroundings. Vineman Restaurant had two sides of window seats while the center had an indoor cherry tree, a beautiful sight to behold. The other side of the space was chartered with romantic decorations. However, there were a few diners on this side. She frowned. ''They didn''t charter this side?" This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. ''They were going to. When customers received the call from the restaurant, they wanted to cancel their reservation. I asked my people to call them all up and give them two hundred thousand so they could stay and enjoy the meal. It''s just what I do; I like to do good things. Don''t get too impressed," gloated Tristan as he poured himself a ss of wine. Charmine had noment forthat. Haha! Do good things, he said? More like being destructive! The entire restaurant could have been so well-decorated, but the celebrating couple had to be squeezed up to one side with outsiders dining on the other side. Tristan pushed over a ss of wine. "Try this! The homemade wine from this restaurant isn¡¯t bad at all. You won''t find it elsewhere." Charmine, epting the wine ss, noted how thin his fingers were. His skin was fair and wless, even fairer than her. Men like him gave women a run for their money! Meanwhile, Tristan took a sip of the red wine. It was meant to be an elegant movement, but as he swallowed, he was so bewitching, even more alluring than a woman. Charmine frowned. Why did this man look so familiar? It was not his face, it was his temperament. She had to have seen him somewhere... As Charmine was caught up in her thoughts, someone walked into the restaurant. He had an expensive outlook and outfit, looking very elegant. chapter 569 chapter 569 It was Julian. Why did Juliane to this restaurant, and on this day no less? While Charmine was unprepared for that, she looked at Julian as if looking at a familiar dog running by. After a moment of suspicion, she looked away and no longer cared. The server brought over her steak and some smaller dishes. Perhaps they assumed that they were a couple, thus they gave them When Tristan saw this, his carefree look mellowed down a little. "We used toe here together, and we loved thismb chop." Charmine made a soft response and continued eating her steak. Tristan looked up at her. "Hey, don''t you wanna ask why? Why don''t you ask me how we broke up, or why we ended up like this?" "I''m not interested in others'' stories. I''m never interested," Charmine answered stiffly. Since she would not owe Tristan anything after this meal, he might as well be a stranger after this. Furthermore, she could not even clear her own thoughts, so it was only natural she had no intention to care about others. "You''re just like the Boss Jordan everyone thought of. s, I got a bad habit that the more people don''t want to listen, the more I''d talk." Tristan reclined on his seatnguidly as he continued, ''We were very much in love. However, her first-love came back, and he even worked hard to put her through college..." Charmine was not interested, but after listening to this, her hand holding the fork halted. First love... Why was Tristan''s story somewhat simr to what she was going through? She asked, ''Were you two very much in love when her first love came back and she left without any hesitation?" "I would''ve moved on much easier had she left without hesitation, but... Hah! Women are always so uncertain. She said she''d be with me forever and that nobody could change that. She said the past is in the past, but in the end, it turned, ¡®I''m sorry, I realized he''s still the man that I love...'' Hah!" Tristan''s red lips curled into a mocking smile. He arched back his head and swallowed a mouthful of red wine. Charmine¡¯s heart felt unusually uneasy. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. ''Sorry, I realized he''s still the man that I love¡¯? It went so well from the start and the girl promised, but she dropped him in the end? Coincidently, she looked up and saw the poster beside her. The slogan printed on the poster read, [It has always been you.] Feeling her chest constricting, Charmine raised her ss and downed the red wine. Seeing that she was drinking, Tristan frowned and asked, "What is it? You angry, Charmine? Thought of your ex-boyfriend, did you?" "Hah. Ex-boyfriend? He¡¯s not even worth my thought." Charmine poured herself more wine. Julian was like a wild dog to her; all she was thinking was Anthony. After handling the whole fiasco with Tiffany, Charmine would have been just fine with her life had she never met Anthony, happy enough that she could whistle a tune or two. s... Not far away, Julian picked up his phone to contact the Jordans. Sinceizens med him and called him a douche, he might be able to shift their impressions of him if Charmine was willing to be with him. He came to this area in hopes of meeting Charmine. He wanted to talk to her, but Charmine had already left Impiana Hotel. Anxiously, he was waiting for the Jordans to reply to him, but nobody did. When he looked up, he saw a familiar figure sitting in front of him. Although Charmine was wearing her shades, he could still instantly tell that it was her! He came all the way here to find her with no luck, yet there she was, dating another man? He thought the man was Anthony, but upon inspecting the man, he was stunned to find that it was not him. chapter 570 chapter 570 Was Anthony not enough that Charmine just had to seduce another man? She was that willing to drink wine and dine with another man instead of meeting him? Displeased, Julian got up and walked over to their table. "Good job, Charmine." Charmine moved her chair away in disgust at the sight of Julian, ring at him sharply. "Go away.¡± "How dare you!" Julian¡¯s face darkened. How could Charmine speak to him with that tone? This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. He red at her. "Don¡¯t forget, Charmine, that I was once your fianc¨¦! You dated so many men behind my back and left me! How could you be so easy?" What he meant was... Before Charmine could refute, Julian continued, "I know you hate me, but I''ve apologized to you more than once. I genuinely want to get back with you. Can you stop being so hard on yourself?" Bam! Charmine abruptly mmed her fork on the table as she gave him a dirty stare. "Being easy on myself is when I¡¯m still in touch with you! Can''t you tell how much I hate you? You''re like a disgusting dog licking around every day! Don''t you find yourself disgusting? "Now that all my appetite is gone, I feel more disgusted than having seen a pile of sh*t!" Tristan put down his fork as well as he yfully gripped his chest at Charmine''s scathing insult. 1 Julian''s veins appeared on his forehead. "Charmine, are you sure you want to insult me like this? Have you not seen how sincere I was over the past few months?" He genuinely wanted to marry her. He even called her in the bar and showed her his lowest point. When he thought of her brother and thepany, he went to hire a doctor. 1 Charmine? She kept on insulting him, and she even teamed up with another manto insult him! Thinking of that, he warned through gritted teeth, "Don''t you forget that the Jordans are still in a partnership with the Cabells. If you guys want to get back on your feet, you¡¯ll need the materials we''re supplying." "The Jordans are still cooperating with the Cabells?¡± Charmine frowned. A look of arrogance went back on Julian''s face, his pose even more arrogant than it was. "Of course. The Cabells produce the best raw materials in the country. The Jordans want to sell properties with the best materials. Where would you find the best materials without US? 1 "Oh, yes, Boss Bailey did say he''d provide the materials. However...¡± His eyes lingered on Tristan from head to toe and smirked. "Charmine, do you think Boss Bailey will help you if he found out you''re dining with another man? Do you think he¡¯d still protect you?" Charmine''s eyes darkened. "Are you threatening me?" "I won¡¯t call it threatening... Just negotiating what''s best for you." 1 Thinking he held her secrets hostage, Julian gazed at her. "Charmine, as long as you consider to be with me, I won''t tell Anthony anything and won''t hold this against you. The Cabells and Jordans had been partners for so many years, and we''ve been arranged for marriage from a young age. Why break up because of an adopted daughter? I''ll keep my promises to you. If you get back with me, I won''t mind about you having been with so many men. Now that the Jordans are trying to recover, I¡¯ll help you. Let¡¯s get back to where we were, alright?" His words were maniptive. "Hah!" Charmine scoffed coldly. "You''re socking in self-knowledge. I guess you''re the only one who has the courage to threaten me, and you¡¯re the only one who could turn a threat into such a maniptive confession! Get out of my sight! The partnership between the Cabells and Jordans will end now!" Her cold and clear voice rang in the air, haughty yet powerful. Julian¡¯s pupils dted. Charmine asked him to get out of her sight and ended the partnership between the two families? How could she end their partnership when the Jordans have yet to recover their status? chapter 571 chapter 571 Thinking of Charmine''s decision to end their partnership, Julian knew why she did so. He scoffed coldly, "Do you think Anthony will help you after this little rendezvous of yours, Charmine? Do you think this man will forgive you like I do? What family is President Bailey from? Why would he ept an unchaste woman like you? I''m looking forward to seeing how ugly you''d be crying. I''d like to see where you can get better materials from!" Julian then took out his phone to dial Luke''s number. Sure, he did not have Anthony''s contact number, but having Luke''s contact number was enough! The call went through quickly, and Julian said to Luke, "Pass this message to President Bailey: Charmine is having a date with another man in Vineman Restaurant." Luke, on the other end of the call, was so terrified that he almost dropped his phone. Anthony had not been in a good mood in the past few days, yet Charmine was having a date with another man? 1 Back in the restaurant, Charmine was unfazed by Julian''s act. Although she knew Anthony would get jealous, if he decided to hate her merely because she had dinner with another man and decided to cut off all the deals, then a man like him did not deserve her love. It was along that thought that another urred to her. It would be nice for Anthony toe; she wanted to talk to him after all. Charmine ced her hands on her waist and waitednguidly on the seat. Julian expected Charmine to be scared or would ask Tristan to leave. He did not expect her to be so calm. ''You don''t understand men, Charmine," sneered Julian. "The reason I was willing to forgive you is because I owed it to you. However, President Bailey doesn¡¯t mind your past and cared for you for so long, yet you went on a date with another man? And you even ordered a couple¡¯s set dinner? Do you think his patience has no limit?" ''You speak so much nonsense. Can''t you wait quietly?" Charmine sassed haughtily. Julian felt his temperature rising with thateback. Frustrated, Julian gritted his teeth. "Alright, I''ll wait here with you. Let''s see if you¡¯ll regret it! You better think of a way to make me less angry so I''ll take you in after President Bailey dumps you!" 1 Julian had done a background check on Anthony, and he knew that Anthony was more possessive than anyone else. How would Anthony stand it if he found out Charmine was having a couple''s set dinner with another man? Hah! He would sit and watch Charmine getting dumped! As for the man in front of him, it was apparent that he was a spoiled, second-generation rich guy who had not even seen him! What help would he be able to give Charmine? Tristan merely sat back, rxed, waiting for a thrilling drama to unfold. 1 It felt like a heated fight would happen... Not long after, a tall and well-built figure appeared by the door. Anthony was dressed in his wrinkle-free customized suit. His handsome face was ice-like, emotionless. He came closer, one step after the other, exuding a powerful and oppressive temperament. Charmine wanted to test the extent of Anthony''s generosity, but after seeing him walk in, she thought of the ''lesson'' he gave her inside the wardrobest night. She instinctively nced at the heart-shaped lamp chop on the table, and her heart skipped a beat as she grew unusually anxious. She felt as if she was caught... When Julian saw Anthonying in, he stood up right away and walked toward him. "President Bailey, you''re finally here. Charmine was having a couple''s set dinner with that man there. The two of them even had wine together; they''re enjoying themselves!" Anthony stopped when he was a meter away from the table. His eyesnded on Charmine for a good while before looking at Tristan who sat opposite Charmine. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Tristan''s skin was incredibly fair, and he looked rather...exquisite, to put it simply. He had a look that would lure one''s soul away, as if...he was a sugar baby! Julian continued, "I saw with my own eyes that Charmine came here with the man''s car. The two of them talked happily, and they even hugged and held hands. President Bailey, she betrayed your kindness and affection, just like how she dumped me. She¡¯s a despicable, promiscuous woman!" Julian added on as he raised an eyebrow, looking at Charmine. 1 Hmph! He wanted to see how Charmine would scramble to win back Anthony-surely he would not waste his time on a woman like her! As expected... Anthony scoffed coldly, "Get out of my sight." 1 His low voice was full of authority. Instantly, Luke came in with two other bodyguards and walked toward them. The sight satisfied Julian immensely-Charmine had atst enraged Anthony. She would not be as arrogant with him anymore! chapter 572 chapter 572 Charmine would surely look for him once Anthony dumped her! Frowning, Tristan spoke to Charmine, "Are you not going to exin yourself? Or are you trying to get with me?¡± Charmine kept silent as she eyed Anthony. Was Anthony not even going to ask her anything? Would he not spare her one chance and, instead, wanted her gone? Where to? What would he do to her? Charmine felt uneasy. She did not expect him to be this kind of man! At that moment, two bodyguards walked toward Julian, grabbed him, and pulled him away. Everyone was shocked. Anthony wanted Julian out of his sight? Julian was just as shocked as he struggled. "Did you guys grab the wrong person? You''re supposed to grab Charmine!" he growled. "Charmine betrayed your President Bailey! President Bailey, please say something!" Anthony looked at him with his dark and oppressive eyes, his lips parted slightly, "They''re right. I want you out of my sight." 1 Him? Jin halted, still struggling to get away. He asked, "Why? President Bailey, Charmine betrayed you! Charmine went on a date with another man!" "Since when do you earn the right to insult my woman?" Anthony red at him darkly, his questioning tone intense. Julian frowned. Why would he need to earn the right? He was kind enough to tell him Charmine was cheating on him, yet he said he had no rights to do so? Meanwhile, Anthony continued, "Furthermore, I must''ve done something wrong for Charmine to go on a date with another man. It''s my fault, not hers." 1 His low voice was full of care and love. Everyone was shocked. Tristan, meanwhile, was riddled with questions. What kind of logic was that? Charmine was shocked, too. Her pupils dted with disbelief. Not only did Anthony not me her for it, but he even said it was his fault and not hers? Since when had Anthony be so considerate and thoughtful? Darn it. Her heart raced at a breakneck speed! Meanwhile, Anthony walked toward Charmine and sat down beside her. His big hand sped her waist naturally as he, with his husky voice, spoke," Please tell me if you''re unsatisfied with me. Don¡¯t try to get on with another man; no man is like me." Anthony''s eyes then shifted to Tristan nonchntly, cold and chilly. His arm wrapped around Charmine''s waist while her ears were filled with his maic and loving voice. She knew he was acting, that he did not want Julian to win, yet her cheeks felt hot as her heart thumped wildly. It took her one second to calm herself down. Sheid on his chest and said, "Of course I''m unsatisfied. You''re on a high pedestal! Some people said that I''m not good enough for you, that I don''t have the right to be with you. Apparently, you won''t help me, and you also won''t cooperate with the Jordan Group." Anthony''s eyes darkened. Was Julian trying to break them up? 1 Charmine was already not happy with him, and this was not the best time for a third person to stir things up. Above all that, it was the first time his womanined to him. How adorable! He nced at Julian coldly. "It seems that President Cabell has too much time in his hands. Bring him out. Announce to the public that whoever works with Mile-End Corporation will be going against Anthony Bailey." ''Yes, Sir!" Luke and his men pulled Julian outside. Julian''s face was pale white like a dead man. Was Anthony trying to block him from resources? Was he blocking the entire Cabell because of Charmine? 3 The Cabell family would be over!This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. chapter 573 chapter 573 Charmine leaned against Anthonynguidly, her hands on her waist as she raised her eyebrows at Julian. Hah! Did he not say Anthony would dump her, that he would not support her? She wanted Julian to realize how shameless he was! He wanted Julian to know what true love was! Julian''s assumptions, as she thought of it again, disgusted her. The baffled, stunned Julian was dragged out of the restaurant. Why was Anthony so protective of Charmine? Charmine cheated on him, yet he still chose to side with her? "President Bailey, what do you see in her that makes you want to show her such kindness? I reported to you for your own good! How could This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. you cut out the Cabell family just like this?!" Anthony did not answer him as if he did not hear him, merely speaking to Charmine with his arm still around her waist, "Whatever the Jordan family needs, just tell me. I''ll do my best to satisfy you." His tone was sharine sweet. Charmine¡¯s red lips curled up. "There''s nothing much actually¡ªI only need some raw materials of higher standards." While the Baileys did not produce raw materials, they had all kinds of connections, including producers of better materials from overseas! Anthony looked up and ordered Luke who was by the door, "Arrange to sign a contract with Jordan Group. Release to the press that the Bailey Corporation will fully support the Jordan Group." 1 "Yes, Sir!¡± Luke dutifully answered. Julian, dragged by Luke, waspletely shocked and surprised. Why was Anthony not mad when Charmine treated him badly and went behind his back? Not just that, even-why was he still so much in love with her? The Bailey family had never fully supported any other family! Was Anthony insane? Julian could not care less. The most important thing was himself! If they cut out the Cabels, Julian would be done for. He had to think of something! 1 The restaurant fell silent and peaceful once Julian was pulled out of the restaurant. Anthony''s arm tightened around Charmine as he threw an unfriendly nce at Tristan. ''You''re still here? Do you need me to walk you out?" His chilly eyes were extremely oppressive. Tristan, meanwhile, was unperturbed as he merely grinned. "Mr. Bailey doesn''t even have enough time to spend with Ms. Jordan, so why would I expect Mr. Bailey to walk me out? We''ll meet again one day, sweetie." Giving a small nod, Tristan stood up and left. ''Sweetie''? He did not see Charmine for a day, and she became so close with another man. He called her ¡®sweetie¡¯? "Clear the space," he spoke to the server, his displeasure evident in his voice. ''Yes, Sir!" The servers were so terrified that they left instantly, asking all diners to leave. Even the couple who reserved the other side of the restaurant received a call telling them not toe anymore. Instantly, the restaurant became dead silent. Anthony''s muscr hands pull Charmine up on hisp. He red at her." Charmine, would you like to exin what happened to me?" He wanted her to pay dearly. His kindness and gentleness were all nothing but an act for Julian to make him look like a fool. Charmine met his gaze calmly. "Tire punctured, took a free ride, treated him to a meal as a gesture. I hope Mr. Bailey won''t hold it against me?" Charmine was basically implying he would be rather petty if he held it against her. Anthony''s eyes darkened. Instead of answering her, he took out his phone and called. "From now onward, follow Charmine around. Provide immediate support any time." 1 He would not allow any man to have a chance to help her out. Charmine fell silent as his antic. chapter 574 chapter 574 Did this man have to be so possessive? After Anthony gave instructions to his men, he looked at her and asked, " Do you want others to know about our coboration?" 1 He was willing to provide everything for Charmine, but he did not know what she felt about it. He knew Charmine was just acting in front of Julian like he did. Charmine said, "Of course we¡¯ll officiate our coboration, but... The coboration between the Baileys and Jordans shouldn''t reveal our rtionship no matter what." Anthony frowned. So she wanted his resources and not his person? Was he not as good as his resources? Unusually upset, Anthony muttered, "Charmine, we''ve been secretive about our rtionship for so long now. When do you n on officiating This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. our rtionship? Am I such an embarrassment to you?" His hoarse voice wasced with a hint of displeasure. Charmine looked at him and felt as if she had treated him wrongly. 1 At the thought of everything that had happened, however, her eyes dulled." Anthony, let''s talk." Talk? Anthony felt somehow uneasy. As expected... Charmine''s eyes fixed on the poster. ''The man told me about his past-his ex-girlfriend reunited with her first love. "She insisted on being with him in the beginning, but after going through many things and changes, she realized she still loved her first love." Anthony''s eyes darkened instantly. "So?" "So..." Charmine gazed at Anthony solemnly and, with an equally solemn expression, spoke, "I hope that we don''t meet in the next ten days. During the ten days, you, Chris, and Annabel must try to get along with one another. If you still have no feelings for her after ten days, I''ll believe that you no longer have feelings for her." Anthony''s eyes were hauntingly cold. "Charmine, do you not trust me at all?" "It''s not about trust. Annabel is your first love and the mother of Chris. She had been through so much for you, and you three are meant to be a family. She had been through so much, thus she deserves a happy ending. The ten days of interaction will be beneficial to you, Annabel, and me. If you start to have feelings for her again, it would prevent a tragedy from happening, don''t you think?" spoke Charmine. 3 Anthony tightened his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him. ''The tragedy is all in your head. I know who I truly love," countered Anthony. "Don¡¯t sound too confident. You have so much history with Annabel, but what do we have? Think carefully: Do we have any memorable or heart racing moments? The beauty of teenage years?" Charmine red at him. Anthony''s brows furrowed. He seemed to have shared nothing of such with Charmine... They did not have any memorable or heart-racing moments, nor did they have any beauty of teenage years left in them. It was just that when he first saw her, he somehow felt that it was her all along, that she was the person he would marry. Somehow, this feeling grew stronger and slowly became a part of him. The stars seemed to have aligned for him... Forthem. Seeing that he did not speak, she recalled all their memories within half a minute. Since they first met, it was Chris trying to ship them together. Without Chris, perhaps she would note even close to Anthony. Still, what did a child know? The child just so happened to like her and hoped that she was his mother. Perhaps, it was not love that Anthony felt for her. Perhaps it was just a habit, merely for the sake of satisfying Chris'' need... Thinking of that, Charmine''s eyes darkened as she insisted, "Anthony, I''m not negotiating with you-l¡¯m telling you. I¡¯ll never do anything that I''m not confident of. If you''re confident, and you''re certain that you won''t fall for Annabel after spending ten days with her, then prove it to me. If not...l won''t be with you." 1 Her words left no room for negotiation, cold as they were. chapter 575 chapter 575 Anthony gazed at Charmine''s hardened expression for a moment, and it was only after a while did his lips part as he spoke, "Alright. As you wish." Four words, spoken with a hint of repressed love. Anthony found himself doing his best to fulfill her wishes, but... Tve got one condition, however. If I still don¡¯t fall for Annabel in ten days, we''ll get married on the eleventh day, and announce our marriage N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. to the public." 2 Charmine frowned. Get married that fast, and had it announced to the public? However, Anthony did mention this before. It was apparent that he was insistent about it. If he did not get back with Annabel, and if he really liked Charmine... She met his gaze. "Deal! If you¡¯re still as certain in ten days, I''ll wait for you at the ce to sign for a marriage license." Anthony''s lips parted, "Remember your promise, Charmine." He was certain-very certain he would never get back with Annabel. He looked forward to that day. Ten more days. Charmine got off hisp as she stood up. "I should get going." There was a series of stuff to sort out in the Jordan family, especially since the Jordans no longer had coboration ties with the Cabells. Things would get even messier. Anthony nced at the uneaten dishes on the table. He pulled at her wrist and made her sit. "Dine with me once more." Without waiting for her permission, Anthony pressed on the call-bell. Without a choice, Charmine sat back down, though she sat next to him instead of on hisp. It did not take long before a server hastily walked toward them and presented the menu to him politely. 1 Anthony ordered the couple''s set dinner menu and looked at the server." It''s the actual couple this time." His low voice sounded as if he was telling the server off. The server nodded his head rapidly, and he fearfully answered, "Yes, President Bailey! We''ve made a mistake, but we''ll remember from now. We won''t make the same mistake again!" Anthony did not press on and waved it off. The server walked away as if escaping from a disaster. His back was covered in sweat as if he had just been to hell. The terror eventually subsided into one of surprise. 1 The well-known President Bailey had a girlfriend? Was that not Charmine Jordan? Antony Bailey was in a rtionship with Charmine Jordan?! This was a huge secret! He could not tell anyone! Charmine looked at Anthony. "Do you really have to? This is a small matter. Look at how you scared the server!" "As long as it''s rted to you, it doesn''t matter if it¡¯s a small or big matter," replied Anthony in his mellow voice. Charmine''s heart skipped a beat uncontrobly. This man was born for the flirting game, no doubt. It did not take long before the server brought over the dishes. There were beef steaks and red shrimps along, with a small dish of caviar. There were also nicely-cut oranges on a smaller te. Most importantly, the restaurant gave out a te of mixed chicken wings with a fruit tter for free! The bottom of the te was filled with dark green vegetables while the chicken wings shaped exquisitely, entangling one another. Rose petals were scattered on the te, an exotic, rare sight to behold. An international chef with a white beard walked over and apologized to them fluently in English, "My deepest apologies, it was a misunderstanding from our end. This is the most special couple dish in Vineman. It''s called the Wings of Love, celebrating the evesting love of a couple. I hope Sir and Madam have evesting love." Anthony''s cold eyes lightened up slightly, and he cooly replied, ''Thanks." Hearing Anthony''s reply, the main chef sighed in relief before he went back. They were worried that Anthony might shut down Vineman Restaurant anytime... Charmine looked at the Wings of Love and frowned. ''This is huge! How¡¯re we going to finish...?" Moreover, what was that, symbolized evesting love? They were not even married! Anthony''s lips curled up. He used a fruit fork to fork a piece of fruit and fed it to Charmine. chapter 576 chapter 576 ''There''s no hurry; we can eat slowly. It doesn''t matter if we finishte." After all, they would not be able to meet for the next ten days after this meal. He would rather the time stopped at this second forever. 1 Seeing through his intention, Charmine took the fork from him and forked herself another piece of fruit. She did not want to spend too much time on this meal. The longer it was, the harder it would be to part with him. She would rather get it over with quickly. 2 Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. With that in mind, Charmine ate much faster. Anthony looked at her and frowned. Was she that impatient to part with him? He lost his appetite at the thought. Charmine eventually finished the fruit pieces on her te, but when she looked up, she noticed that the food on Anthony''s te did not decrease at all. The untouched beef steak seemed to stare Charmine in the face as though it could have said, "If this meal is unfinished, does that mean we''d never have to part?" Anthony''s gaze never wavered from Charmine, his gaze darkening as he did. 4 Charmine¡¯s once rxed mood was instantly affected by his behavior. Charmine frowned. "You''re a man, Anthony. Can''t you make less of a fuss? It¡¯s merely ten days, and it¡¯s not like one of US is dying." 1 "Ten days, 240 hours, 14400 minutes, 864000 seconds. Does that sound easy to you?" Anthony red at her, his tone sounded unpleasant. 1 Anthony''s behavior baffled Charmine. Why would he be so serious about it? If she did nothing about it, this could go on and on... "Don''t speak anymore, just eat," asserted Charmine. "I''ll allow you to send me back to Jordan Group with a surprise." A surprise? Anthony looked at her. She did not look like she was lying, thus he regained his appetite again. They both left the restaurant after they were done with their meal. 1 The usually swift and sharp Anthony walked significantly slower than usual, seemingly far less efficient than his usual self. 1 Charmine was dumbfounded when she noticed that. After getting in the car, she nced at the speedometer-merely 20 kilometers per hour... Was Anthony actually driving the luxurious car like it was some mundane, run-of-the-mill car? If it was not for the obvious car te that nobody dared to offend, the sound of horning would have bombarded the entire road. Charmine did not speak; she allowed Anthony to do what he was doing. However long he was taking, the car would eventually stop below the tree outside the Jordan Group building. The windows were down, and nobody could see through from the outside asthe windows were tinted. 1 Charmine unfastened her seatbelt. Anthony looked at her. "Where''s the surprise?" Was she leaving just like that? Suddenly, Charmine got up and leaned toward him. She hooked her arm around Anthony''s neck and lowered her head to kiss his lips. Anthony''s body jolted slightly. His mind went nk. Was this real? Had she just kissed him on her own volition? The kiss was deeper than usual... She seemed serious and emotional. 1 She did not know if they would meet again in ten days. She did not know if she could get back to him. She did not know if Anthony would fall for Annabel in the following ten days. This might very well be theirst intimate interaction. Thinking of that, her lips roved his. Anthony, overwhelmed by Charmine''s forceful, passionate kiss, allowed her to do as she pleased. After nking out for a moment, he suddenly lowered down his driver''s seat. chapter 577 chapter 577 Anthony''s move startled Charmine. The kisssted for a long while. Out of the blue, Anthony''s tug pulled Charmine''s clothes open by her shoulder. Startled, Charmine blurted, "Anthony, what-" Before she could finish her sentence, Anthony suddenly lowered his head and forcefully bit her shoulder. "Aah!" The pained Charmine yelped, her expression scrunching in pain as her body stiffened. Did Anthony just bit her? 1 Luckily, a momentter, Anthony let her go. He looked at the bleeding mark on her shoulder, a look of concern appeared on his face as he, somewhat satisfied, spoke, "Remember: you''re mine." 2 His low voice resonated in the car, firm and confident. Anthony then sat upright and took a tissue paper to wipe off the blood on her shoulder. 1 Charmine gaped, stunned at what had just happened. He bit her so hard, just to mark his territory? Did Anthony not know how painful it was? Furthermore, the bite mark seemed as if it would never vanish. Even if she did not end up with him, how could Charmine see any other man? It was as though Anthony could see Charmine''s thoughts, and his gaze on her sharpened. "Trust me, I''m ready to get married in ten days. Other than me, no other man is allowed to touch you." 3 Charmine looked at his determined look and felt somewhat secured. "Okay." Perhaps they truly would end up together, genuinely so, in ten days. With this thought in mind, Charmine rposed her clothes and pushed open the door to get out of the car. Anthony red at her back, his eyes darkening with determination. Charmine could only belong to him. Charmine did not look back. His words and the slight pain on her shoulder made her unusually secured. It was merely ten days; she was not too concerned. However... She was worried about Anthony. Would he hold his end of the bargain? He climbed up her windowst night... Would he do anything in the following ten days? With that in mind, after entering thepany, she sent another text to Anthony, [Don''t find me in the following ten days-not even in private. Otherwise, the countdown starts again.] 1 Anthony watched as Charmine walked into the building when his phone suddenly rang. Seeing that it was a text from Charmine, his lips shifted into a small smirk. No meeting? Hah! A weak threat, that was.. 2 Charmine walked into the lift, her mind rattled with Anthony and Annabel. Just as she got to the top floor, however, she heard noises just as This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. the lift opened. 1 "Let me see Charmine! Where are the other Jordans? I want to see them!" Those voices... They were Mrs. Cabell and Mr. Cabell''s! Charmine looked up to see two people standing by the door to the office. They were making a scene trying to get in while security guards were blocking them. Mitchell yelled at the office angrily, "Charmine,e out! Don''t you think hiding from US would work! We''ll destroy you if you don''te out!" 1 "Oh? And how would you destroy me?" chapter 578 chapter 578 Charmine spoke to the husband-and-wife pair as she walked closer. Charmine''s voice felt like cold water sshing them as they trembled in shock. They turned back to see Charmine walking toward them. "Charmine, you''re finally back! Tell me: Why did you cancel all the contracts with the Cabells? Why did you ask Anthony Bailey to block the Cabells from getting all of the resources? The Jordans and Cabells had been working together for many years, it''s an established partnership from our ancestors! But a kid like you tries to break the promise?" Mitchell yelled at her. 1 "Even if you want to break the promise, you don''t have to force US into this position! You think you can do whatever you please just because you''re rich now? You¡¯re just a newbie, and ying with new fire will burn you!¡± Mrs. Cabell added on. The pair were home when they, out of the blue, heard that the Jordans were ending all contracts with the Cabells, that the Bailey family had blocked the Cabells from everything. How could they stay home and not fuss about it? The ends of Charmine''s red lips lifted into a small smirk as she coldly countered, "Even if I burn myself, you two will be burnt before me anyway. Instead of spending time scolding me, why don¡¯t you go home and think of ways to save your family?" "What''s there to think about? You''ve climbed Anthony Bailey''s bed, and he''d listen to anything you say. You must call Anthony right away; ask him to take back his words! We won¡¯t let you go otherwise!" threatened Mitchell. 1 Everyone in the office stared wide-eyed, unable toprehend what they had just heard. Charmine, in a rtionship with Anthony? She slept with Anthony? Impossible! He was practically an untouchable god! How could Charmine seduce him? Charmine could sense what everyone else was thinking, but she felt nothing of it. "Huh? Why did Julian offend Anthony?" gibed Charmine. "Why did Anthony block him? Only he knows the reason why. Instead of ming others, why don''t he spend some time figuring out what''s wrong with himself? "Someone drag them out, now." She would waste not a second longer on the pair. The security guards instantly sprang into action as they reached out and grabbed the two. If Charmine truly shared a solid connection to Anthony, they could not afford to offend this new Director! They could only respect the woman who won Anthony''s heart. Held back by the guards, Mrs. Cabell yelled out angrily, "Charmine, do you really have to be so heartless? Don¡¯t you forget, only Julian still chose your side when you gave birth to the bastard. Only Julian was willing to marry you! How are you not grateful at all?¡± "If you don¡¯t help US Cabells, we''ll tell everyone about your out-of-wedlock pregnancy five years ago and you sleeping with Anthony! We''ll all go down together!" Mitchell threatened. 1 Charmine''s eyes, the moment she heard about the incident from five years ago, darkened. They were still trying to threaten her with that after all these years? If Julian did not have a deal with Tiffany, if Julian did not ask her to meet at the Royal Banquet Bar, would that even happen to her? She red at the two, her gaze ice-cold. "Go and tell everyone. By all means, feel free to contact all media. If you could expose even one word, you lose!" Her voice was cold yet clear, strong yet fierce. Charmine then took out her phone and phoned Kay, "Contact those from the Network Defence Department, and have them closely monitor any negative news rted to me." "Yes, Madam!" answered Kay. Everyone stared at her, their jaws hung low in their bewilderment. Network Defence Department? Charmine knew people from the Network Defence Department? The Network Defence Department was the most powerful government department in the country, and they were in charge of everything on the inte. No matter if it was Twitter, Whatsapp, or even Facebook, the department was in charge of all the powerful tforms! This department closely monitored every post made byizens published within one second. Should it contain inappropriate materials, such posts would be disabled, unable to be uploaded or sent. Even if the post was sessfully made, there would be a second round of monitoring. Once they scanned an inappropriate text, the This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. department would instantly delete the post. Impossible... Charmine knew people in such a powerful department that she even sounded as if she was giving amand? Everyone in thepany looked at Charmine differently-they looked at her with respect and awe. They felt that their new Director was not one to be crossed... Mitchell and Mrs. Cabell, on the other hand, were so stunned that their faces turned extremely pale. Was Charmine not afraid of their threat? She knew the people in the Network Defence Department? Did they really have no power to make Charmine help, only able to watch as the Cabells fall into bankruptcy? chapter 579 chapter 579 Within half a day following that, the Cabell family was, true enough, cklisted everywhere. Within half a day, all international luxurious brands withdrew from the Cabells¡¯ Mile-End Mall. Mile-End Mall was known for having all kinds of luxurious brands; it was once a ce for the wealthy to spend their money. Without the luxurious brands, the originally prosperous Mile-End Mall turned dead. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. The big and spacious mall was instantly emptied as if it was a ghost town. Not only that, but orders of raw materials from the Cabell family were canceled as well. Many materials were returned, piling up in the storage. Mile-End Corporation, once worth a few hundred billion, copsed within a day. Headlines news all over the inte included: [The Cabell family blocked], [The Cabell family going bankrupt], [Who did the Cabells offend?]. Many tried to figure what exactly went down, but they just could not crack it. The only people who could block the Cabells from everywhere was the Bailey family. Nheless, why would a high-above family like the Baileys attack the Cabells? The Cabells'' world had changedpletely. Meanwhile, at the Jordan mansion... Charmine just arrived home, and Joey handed her a pair of slippers enthusiastically. "Charmine, it''s nice to have you home. Dinner is ready." Everyone else waited for Charmine in the dining hall for dinner. After going through bankruptcy, everyone had be more frugal than before. They no longer had expensive seafood-it was just a simple meal. Charmine sat down beside Senior Jordan. Just as she was about to eat, Amelia could barely help herself as she began, "Charmine, the Cabell family is blocked everywhere right now. Is this one of your doings? If we don''t coborate with the Cabells, where will we get our raw materials from?" 1 Although Amelia never asked about the business, she still knew that the Jordans had been using raw materials supplied by the Cabells. Even though the two families had broken out many times, they never ceased their partnership. How could Charmine, upon just bing the director, screw up their partnership that hadsted for over a hundred years? Adam said, "Charmine had been tired working for the entire day. Eat first, and we can talk after dinner." "Right, let''s eat first. We believe that Charmine would be able to sort out," Lily quickly added on as she threw a side nce at Amelia. Amelia was not pleased. They tolerated Charmine because they were waiting for Jordans to get back on its feet before they... If Charmine destroyed thepany, what would they do in the future? Felix was anxious-he did not want to go back to the days when he had to starve. Just as the Jordans were slowly regaining the glory, how could they sever their ties with the Cabells? He smiled dryly. "Why don¡¯t we settle such a serious matter like this first? I believe none of US have the appetite to eat, no? Charmine, just say a few words. Tell US what do you have in mind so that we can feel better, alright?" Charmine saw that even Senior Jordan did not speak. She knew that he was worried, but he did not want to wear her out and so he did not ask. She scooped him a bowl of soup and replied, "Don''t worry, I''ll pick the materials at the Baileys'' storage tomorrow. After sorting out the details, we''ll sign the contract in two days." Bailey? Everyone in the dining hall stared at her wide-eyed. "Bailey? Which Bailey?" "Is there any other Bailey in Burlington? Of course it''s that Bailey! Anthony Bailey! Boss Bailey!" "Charmine, are you really partnering with the Bailey family? Is this true?" Charmine said calmly, if you don¡¯t believe, just wait and see." With that, she started eating and no longer spoke to them. She had been working for the whole day, and all they were concerned over was whether she had destroyed thepany. All they cared about were the profits. chapter 580 chapter 580 Well, lucky for the other Jordans that there was Senior Jordan. Charmine would not have returned to this family otherwise. Sensing Charmine''s displeasure, Joey quickly ced a chicken wing on her te. "Charmine, your Auntie and Uncle are too impatient. You''ve been working for the whole day, so please eat more." Senior Jordan eyed Amelia and her parents as he ordered, "From now onward, separate business concerns from familial concerns. If you have any questions, go and ask in thepany. Don''t bring up work-rted matters at home." 1 ''Yes, yes!" Lily quickly replied. All that mattered was that the Jordans would not plunge into bankruptcy again. If Charmine truly partnered up with the Bailey family, the Jordan Group would be able to get better. The Jordan family would rank up in Burlington, and each of their social positions would increase as well! Since Amelia was the only single daughter in the Jordan family, perhaps she would end up marrying into a wealthier family... With that in mind, Lily and her family respected Charmine even more. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. After dinner, Senior, out of the blue, spoke, "Follow me, Charmine." Charmine followed him as they walked to the private house. It was likely that she would only live in this private house with Senior Jordan whenever she lived in the Jordans''pound. As some maids had returned to the residence, the mansion was cleaned and tidied. Under the night sky, the antiques in the private area seemed rather poetic. When they arrived at the empty pavilion, Senior Jordan stopped working abruptly. He looked at Chamine and asked, "Charmine, tell Grandpa honestly... Are you in a rtionship with Anthony Bailey?" Wait, what? Charmine''s brows furrowed. Why would Senior Jordan ask this question? Senior Jordan saw right through her as she tried toe up with an excuse. "Charmine, don¡¯t try to fool Grandpa. Your eyes already told me the truth. Your eyes told me that there must be something between you and Anthony Bailey." 1 His hoarse voice was confident. Charmine did not expect him to see through her. She asked, "Grandpa, how did you..." ''Your Grandpa has lived for eighty years! How would you keep things from me? On your wedding day, Anthony appeared with his son. I already sensed something, but I didn''t give it much thought. However, after what happened today, the Cabells being blocked by the Baileys, while you are partnering with the Baileys? Do you think Grandpa is a fool?" Senior Jordan asked her with an amused tone. Charmine admired his sharp senses. Other than Senior Jordan, nobody else could put two and two together. 1 After all, Antony was the high-above godly figure, while she was a woman riddled with rumors. Furthermore, Anthony did not publicize the partnership with Jordans. He was keeping it from the public... 1 Senior Jordan looked at her and asked concernedly, "Charmine, tell me the truth. What''s the deal between you and Anthony? If you don''t tell me, I won''t be able to sleep tonight." "We..." Charmine''s eyes narrowed, and after thinking of a way to put it, she said, "We''re just friends who admire one another and have good feelings for each other. We¡¯re still in the early stage now, but if I''ve decided to be with him, I''ll tell you right away.¡± "No. You cannot be with Anthony! Since you two are still in the early stage, cut it off right away!" Senior Jordan''s face darkened as he opposed it nervously yet gravely. 2 Charmine frowned. "Why so?" "Do you remember the list I gave youst night?" Senior Jordan asked. Charmine thought of the list. Right, there was a page of information on Anthony but he was crossed out. Why would Senior Jordan and Dr. Weir cross Anthony out from the list they prepared? chapter 581 chapter 581 Senior Jordan sighed. "Originally, Anthony was first on the list Uncle Weir prepared. Based on his nationality and This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. capability, he''s a good match for you. However, Uncle Weir said that he knew the Bailey family, and Senior Bailey isn''t easy to get along with. The family seems perfect from the outside, but their internal conflicts are quite severe. 1 "Even though Anthony Bailey is the Baileys'' patriarch right now, a few members are trying to get away from his ruling, with the most severe of all being Derek Bailey''s family. Derek seems gentle on the surface, treating people with kindness, but he¡¯s a calctive and evil man in truth, doing things in his harsh ways. He and Anthony would eventually fight over control over the Bailey family. 1 "Their family affairs will only drag you down if you''re with Anthony, and you¡¯d even lose sleep over it. As you can see, a small family like US is already having so many internal conflicts, let alone big families like them..." Senior Jordan spoke with a concerning tone, sighing from time to time. Charmine expected the reason Anthony was crossed out was due to a grave situation... She did not expect it to be just that-familial affairs." Grandpa, external matters shouldn''t be the reason that stops two people from getting together," reasoned Charmine. "If I can¡¯t be with him due to hisplicated family matter, isn''t it unfair to him? Also, others would see that us, the Jordans, are a rather problematic family as well. Doesn''t that mean no one would want to marry me?" 1 ''Well..." Senior Jordan frowned. Charmine had a point... However, recalling something, he added on, ¡®The most important of all is that Anthony has a child, and you¡¯ll be a step-mother if you marry him. It''s not easy to be a step-mother, and you''re still so young! How can you be some child¡¯s step-mother? This also shows that Anthony has had quite a peculiar love history, and I''m worried that it can hurt you." Mentioning that, Charmine¡¯s eyes darkened. "Grandpa, do you remember the incident from five years ago?" Five years ago... Senior Jordan halted. How could he forget about the incident from five years ago? He was happily preparing for Charmine''s wedding when he saw her lying in a pool of blood after she was pushed down the stairs. Julian imed in front of everyone that she cheated on him, thus Charmine¡¯s reputation was destroyed from then on. The Jordan family spent a lot of effort and money to settle this incident. They did all they could to minimize the impact, but it still cost them dearly. Senior Jordan did not believe that Charmine would cheat on Julian, but after giving birth to the baby, they made a DNA test and proved that it was indeed not Julian''s child... Ever since Charmine returned to the Jordan family, no one asked her about that incident. Nobody was willing to mention this scar. Therefore, only when Charmine mentioned this herself that Senior Jordan thought of something. "Rio said you overheard Julian and Tiffany, so they pushed you down the stairs. Did they do something to the DNA test result?" asked Senior Jordan sincerely. "No, the baby was not Julian''s. It was all Tiffany; she sent me to another man''s bed," muttered Charmine coldly. It was obviously a serious matter, but she made it sound so normal as if she no longer felt any hurt. Senior Jordan stared at her with disbelief. That actually happened? Was Tiffany evil to that extent? Charmine went through that grueling experience five years ago, yet they sent her away to Africa? Joey and Adam were walking toward them from the inside when they identally overheard Charmine. They were rooted where they stood. They did expect troubles were ahead, but never never thought that had happened to Charmine. Tiffany made Charmine lose her virginity and impregnated? Tiffany ruined Charmine''s reputation, and when she was at her lowest, they hated her, scolded her, despised her, and threw her away to Africa alone instead of helping her out... 1 Joey felt her heart vigorously strangled with guilt, regret, self-me, heartache. She was suffocating... Adam marched toward them. "Charmine, why didn''t you tell US about this? We would''ve confronted her for you!" chapter 582 chapter 582 ''Tell you? Would you have trusted me back then had I told you?" Charmine scoffed at him coldly. Adam halted. True, they would not have believed her had she told them from the get-go that Tiffany put her up to a painful experience. To them, Tiffany was perfect and wless, like the moon in the sky. Who would have thought... With reddened eyes, Joey spoke, "Charmine, I know that whatever we say now won''t be able to make up for the pain you had endured but please, believe US. We¡¯ll do all we can to make up to you from now on..." Her voice, though it was strained and sounded as if she was in agony, sounded just as sincere. Charmine said calmly, "I¡¯m telling this to Grandpa, not because I need your apology or sympathy, but I''m just trying to tell Grandpa that a woman like me who had been with Julian, no matter who I marry, will despise me or even belittle me. On the other hand, it would be equal-so to speak-as he also had a child with another woman. I won''t feel as if I owe it to him, and none of US will despise one another." Senior Jordan frowned. Charmine had a point. Why did he not think of this? As a man himself, he understood a man''s line of thoughts. Picturing Charmine with any other man... While the man would not mind, the love would fade overtime as problems would slowly surface. By then, Charmine might have to withstand heartache after heartache... Wait a minute. Charmine never spoke about the matters of the heart this lengthily before... Why was she bringing it up when it came to Anthony? Senior Jordan eyed her suspiciously. "Charmine, you said you two are still in the early stage, but it seems to me you''re deeply in love with him. Tell Grandpa honestly... It has to be Anthony, isn''t it?" Charmine blushed. "No." Really, no. Why would she be deeply in love with him? Why did it have to be Anthony? She was ready to break up with him. 1 However, Senior Jordan continued, "And you¡¯re still denying it! If you really don''t love him, why would you speak up for him just now? Why would you bring up the scar from many years ago? And you¡¯re blushing! Grandpa has never seen you blush!" 1 Charmine, caught red-handed. Oh, darn it. Was she blushing? "Charmine, you don¡¯t have to deny it. What you said made sense. In this way, Anthony is indeed the greatest match for you. Grandpa approves the two of you getting together." Senior gently took her hand in his as he continued, "Ask Anthony when he has time, and invite him over for a meal here." 1 Invite him for a meal? So soon? N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Charmine''s eyes twitched. "Grandpa, didn''t you say-" "Sigh! Your Uncle Weir brainwashed me, but now I think what you said makes more sense. Who cares about internal family conflicts? With your ability, you¡¯ll be able to solve them all! Even if you can''t, our entire Jordan family will help you! We¡¯ll support you fully!" assured Senior Jordan. Joey added on, "It¡¯s not easy to meet someone you like, Charmine. If you like President Bailey, then go for it by all means, and love him with all your heart. Leave the rest to me, your father, and Grandpa. We''ll all support you." 1 They harmed their happiness in the past, costing her a pile of pain. They would now do all they could to protect her happiness! Lily and Amelia were hiding behind a tree. They both exchanged a look of shock and surprise. Charmine had a thing with Anthony? That man was way above her, and yet Charmine tried to have some kind of rtionship with him? Charmine had given birth to a child. Why would she be good enough? chapter 583 chapter 583 Still hidden from sight, Amelia then said, "Mom, don''t you think they''re all crazy? Are they genuinely thinking of helping Charmine get along with President Bailey? Is he someone Charmine could sully?" "Even if they want to help, President Bailey might not approve of it. Also, this might be a good thing." Lily then continued in an even quieter, more hushed volume, ''You''re the only chaste daughter in the Jordan family. If they want to get along with the Bailey family, you''re the only one who could marry into the Bailey family." "That¡¯s right. Only I can, and a woman who had given birth like Charmine doesn''t deserve to! I don''t care-1 want you to help me think of ways. I want to marry President Bailey, or anyone from the Bailey family," demanded Amelia. 1 The Bailey family was a high-above godly family! If she could marry any of them, she would no longer have to worry about bankruptcy or unemployment. She would be a richdy! Lily ruffled her head. "Don''t worry, I''ll help you." Back at the Jordans'' pavillion... Charmine did not expect them to be so supportive of her dating Anthony. They even wanted to help her! Afraid that her family would act on their own, however, Charmine then spoke, "Anthony and I are still in the early stage, but once we¡¯re official, I''ll bring him back for a meal. Before then, please stay calm and don''t be concerned, Grandpa. Don¡¯t do anything, alright?" Senior Jordan frowned. Something felt off. It was apparent that Charmine felt deeply for Anthony, so why did she insist that they were still in the early stage? She was keeping something from him, he could almost sense it. However, he did not press on further. "Alright, alright, alright," conceded Senior Jordan, "Grandpa won''t get in the way, I promise. You have to get along well, however. If you need any help, just ask." "Okay," answered Charmine before she retreated to her room. Senior Jordan''s eyes darkened; something was fishy about that statement of hers. In a hushed manner, Senior Jordan spoke to Adam, "Find out what''s the situation between the two. Remember: don¡¯t let her find out." 1 Inside Charmine''s room... She looked at her empty room and felt something was missing. In the past, whenever she went home to Violet Vi, Anthony and Chris would be waiting for her. Last night, they even climbed in through the window to find her. s, they would no longer... 2 Anthony should have moved to Annabel''s house by now, spending time with her. 1 She wondered how they were getting along. A gentle and tough girl like Annabel could move Charmine''s heart, let alone Anthony... Charmine''s phone broke the silence in the room, and she found that it was a text from Chris that read, [Mommy, log into this website. The password is mami520. You can monitor Daddy and Auntie Annabel every day!] Charmine''s eyes twitched. Monitor? Chris actually sent this to her? He wanted her to monitor the interaction between Anthony and Annabel? That seemed rather...wrong. Just as she was about to type a reply, Chris sent another text. [Momo: Mommy, Momo spent a whole day setting up this website and monitoring device. I did this for Mommy to This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . monitor them. Mommy must log in and watch or Momo will be very sad, and I''ll have a seizure! Also, Mommy is Daddy''s wife, so it''s legal to monitor him spending time with another girl!] 2 That stumped Charmine entirely. Cough, cough, cough! That cheeky little boy! Still, he had a solid argument there, and she could not counter that. After a moment of thought, she replied, [Okay, Mommy will watch, but Mommy wants Momo to take good care of himself. Don¡¯t get ill, okay? In the next ten days, you have to get along with Mommy Annabel, and don¡¯t sabotage her rtionship with your Daddy.] Chris then texted, [Oh, you¡¯re my only Mommy. Auntie Annabel is an Auntie, not a Mommy! Don''t worry, Mommy. I heard from Daddy that in the next ten days, Momo and Daddy will prove to Mommy that we only like you and nobody else!] chapter 584 chapter 584 When Charmine saw his text, her lips curled up unknowingly. How beautiful would it be if it was true. She hoped so. [Momo: Mommy, you must watch the monitor. We¡¯re arriving at Auntie Annabel¡¯s house soon! Also, don''t tell Daddy about this, but I asked someone to ce the camera there secretly. He''ll smack my buttocks if he finds out!] 1 Strange as it was, Charmine felt it was adorable as she pictured Anthony smacking Chris'' little buttocks. Grinning, Charmine replied, [Okay, don''t worry.] After ending the conversation, she hesitated for a long while before clicking on the link Chris had sent her. It just so happened that she was curious how Anthony was getting along with Annabel-she wanted to know what was happening. Since her son sent it to her, it was not too wrong to watch her man spending time with another woman, right? Charmine said that to herself and gave herself a pep-talk before typing in the password. After logging in sessfully, she saw the monitor disying an outdoor garden area, living room, kitchen, balcony and themon space, as well as the room prepared for Anthony. The entire house was built and designed in a in and simple style, and perhaps it was what Anthony had instructed. His room was painted in greyish ck, reminding one of his cold and elegant temperament. At that moment, Anthony and Chris walked into the living room. She zoomed in in the living room area, the disy crystal clear as if she was watching a drama with sound on. Annabel''s parents looked extremely old. They were only in their fifties, but they looked as if they were in their sixties, their hair pale-white with wrinkles riddling their skin. Her mother, with her leg disabled, held a walking stick while her father had his eyes shut-he was blind. 1 They toiled and worked as ves, and they would not have made it out had they not been disabled. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. When they saw Anthonying in, the two of them anxiously stood up. "President Bailey, I heard you helped US improve our living conditions. Thank you, oh, thank you so much. We''ll never forget your kindness!" "President Bailey, pleasee and dine with US. Annabel and I have been preparing the meal for the whole afternoon. Although it''s nothing like the food in the city, we''ve grown the duck and chicken for three years, and I can guarantee that they¡¯ll taste delicious." Annabel''s parents were genial and humble. Since Anthony and Chris had not eaten, they sat down at the table. The table was in a square shape. Anthony sat by one side with Chris on his right, while Annabel naturally sat with her mother and did not try to get closer to Anthony or Chris. Charmine watched the monitor and her eyes changed. If Annabel was a calctive woman, she could still take care of it quickly, but Annabel was so pure and clean, like an untainted lotus blooming from dirt. Would Anthony really not fall for Annabel? ¡ö Her gaze shifted to Anthony, noting how silently yet elegantly he ate, and there was not a hint of emotion on his face. He had not once looked at Annabel, and it was as if none of them existed. After the oppressive and awkward dinner, Annabel''s mother suddenly spoke, "Annabel, President Bailey traveled from the city, and they must be tired. Why don''t you bring them to the room to get some rest?" "Okay." Annabel stood up and, anxiously so, spoke, "President Bailey, this way, please." Anthony held Chris'' hand and followed behind her. Charmine was somehow nervous. Without Annabel''s parents around, would they be as unfazed to each other? When they got to the bedroom, would they... chapter 585 chapter 585 Outside the room, Annabel pushed open the door for them like a maid as she softly spoke, "President Bailey, I''ve prepared the room for you. Please tell me if there''s anything to your distaste." Anthony simply nced around the room. Although it was not grand, it was clean, tiny, and simple. The room was newly furnished by workers with pure wood. It was eptable. He said coldly, "I''m satisfied with the room, but I¡¯d like to be alone." ''Do not disturb me¡¯-that was what he meant. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. "Okay," Annabel nodded instantly. Anthony held Chris¡¯ hand and walked into the room. Chris thought of how Charmine could see everything through the monitor, monitoring their every move, and that made him happy. Luckily, he arranged for men to set up the cameras, otherwise, Mommy would have made random assumptions. 1 Since Daddy gave Annabel the cold shoulder, Mommy would not be angry for sure! He ran into the room happily. Suddenly, Annabel called out from behind, "President Bailey, l''m...sorry, and thank you." ''Thank you for improving my living condition, arranging a job for me, and letting my parents live a better life, but...my existence might''ve upset Ms. Jordan. Sorry to make you live in a small vige like this. Why don¡¯t I go and exin to Ms. Jordan-" "No need," Anthony instructed her. "Don''t get in between me and Charmine. You taking care of yourself is a big favor on its own." His tone sounded authoritative. Annabel nodded instantly. "Okay." Not daring to bother him any longer, Annabel lowered her head and left hastily. Anthony shut the door and locked it from the inside. At the Jordan mansion... Charmine watched what Anthony did, and her lips twitched. Did he have to do that? Annabel was his ex! Why did he look like he was talking to a thief? Still, that did not water down the unknowing grin that crept on her face. ording to what she saw, Anthony showed no hint of feelings for Annabel, and hopefully, that would continue for the following ten days. She turned off the monitoring software and fell asleep easily. However, many people could not fall asleep... Anthonyid on the bed, looking at the deeply asleep Chris by his side and frowned. How nice was it to be a kid; they had no trouble and worries. If he did not fix this issue in ten days, he might end up losing hisdy! Furthermore, he was used to having Charmine sleeping by his side. Even though he did not do anything to her, hugging her was good enough. Yet, at that moment... Heid on his back with a darkened face, unable to fall asleep. The person who had it the worst was Julian. 1 Within a day, Mile-End Corporation was facing bankruptcy. All entertainment venues owned by thepany had be ghost towns, and nobody was willing to help out the Cabell family. The family was over! The family members rebuked him as they pointed their fingers at him, ming him. Wherever he walked to throughout the day, he looked like a criminal. He, at that moment, sat on the first floor of an empty mall, taking mouthful after mouthful of beer. Beside him was a pile of beer bottles, the air filled with a strong beer scent. Julian leaned on the ice-cold stone wall, gulping down the beer, when he spotted a giant poster from the corner of his eyes. chapter 586 chapter 586 From the corner of his eyes, Julian spotted a Guci portrait of Tiffany and Charmine on the wall of the second floor. Tiffany, in that photo, wore a crisp yet dainty outfit as she sat on the neck of the mingo, seemingly innocent and All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. pure. The haughty, sophisticated Charmine behind Tiffany donned a bright red outfit that fluttered in the air. In contrast, Tiffany''s appearance waspletely neglected-her beauty was not even a tenth of Charmine¡¯s. How blind was he to have liked Tiffany in the past? Why did he think Tiffany was more suitable to be his wife? Even he did not expect such an evil heart was concealed behind Tiffany''s sweet facade. As for Charmine... His mind drifted to how Charmine was in the past. She used to dress crassly, but there was no denying that sweet smile of hers. 1 Day after day, she would follow behind him, calling his name with a sweet voice: "Julian, please like me." "Julian, I made this breakfast for you with love." "Julian, I saw a newly opened couple''s yground! Can we please go together?" He loathed her back then, but at this moment, the Charmine back then only had him in her eyes. She only liked him. s... Charmine was with Anthony, and she even made Anthony block the Cabell family from everything, resulting in their bankruptcy! Julian raised his head and gulped down a few more mouthfuls of beer. If it was not for Tiffany, had he not treated Charmine poorly, none of this would have happened. Charmine was meant to be his, but she no longer spared him a nce even. She hated him and destroyed his family! Julian, who was once high-above, had not a single asset that came close to this woman! No... No! He could not be so easily destroyed; he would not be everyone''s joke; Charmine would belittle him no more! He wanted the Cabell family to get better, and he wanted to show Charmine that he was no weaker than Anthony! She liked Anthony, did she? She thought Anthony would marry her? Julian would show Charmine that the only man that would have her hand in marriage was him! 2 Crash! The ss bottle was smashed against the floor and shattered into pieces. It symbolized his intention to bring them down with him. In the following two days, Charmine met up with a representative from the Bailey Corporation and went to their storage to hand pick the more suitable materials for the Jordan Group. Anthony, meanwhile, lived in the wooden house with Chris, working and maintaining a cold distance from Annabel. On the third morning, McKenzie was in herb when the screen of her phone by the side lit up. It was a text from an unknown number. [Ms. McKenzie is so calm, is she? Charmine and Anthony had a deal, you see, that if Anthony has no feelings for Annabel after ten days with her, he''d marry Charmine on the eleventh day. Today is already the third day.] 3 McKenzie¡¯s hand that held a test tube trembled. What inside story was this? She thought Anthony was protecting Annabel, worried that anything might happen to Annabel, or perhaps helping her get used to her new job. She did not expect him to have such a deal with Charmine! She typed a reply instantly, [Who are you? Are you sure this is true?] [Very certain. Charmine''s cousin, Amelia told me. You better do something now, or you''ll end up like me. - Julian] 4 McKenzie''s eyes darkened. Julian? Charmine¡¯s ex-boyfriend, Julian Cabell? Sure, he was not one of the Baileys, but him finding her phone number was an impressive feat on its own. If in ten days-no. If in seven days Anthony was to marry Charmine, she was afraid that... Her fists clenched tightly. None of that nonsense would happen, not in her watch! "Do what I tell you to do,¡± she snapped to Miranda who was by her side, her voice calctive and dark. chapter 587 chapter 587 Early in the morning, at Southern Vige... The morning mist nketed the small vige, the atmosphere quiet and tranquil. The delicate house made of bamboo was a home hidden away from the rest of the world. Every morning, Annabel would wake up early to manage the vegetables and prepare breakfast. A photographer had captured her movement, made it into a short clip, and posted it on social media. Within a few days, Annabel¡¯s ount already garnered 40 million fans, impressively so like she was a celebrity. It was because she was never fake in the clip and did not do it for show-it was purely habitual. There she was, carrying a big basket of dried woods she got from the forest on her back, weighing over 100 kilograms. Her small figure bent over due to the pressure and her clear face full of sweat was not a pretty, dainty sight. If it was some other superstars, they would think this made an ugly posture. However, Annabel did not mind at all, she carried the blocks of wood on her back and walked to the yard. She failed to notice, however, that beans were scattered on the pathway as she walked to the yard. Unaware, she slipped on the beans and fell. "Argh!" A sharp scream rang in the air. Anthony was sorting out his documents on his balcony when he heard the scream. Looking around, he saw Annabel by the yard''s entrance, falling and rolling down the stairs. 1 The heavy dried woods crashed against her body, pressing her small figure down. Frowning, he shot up from his seat and walked out. Chris followed behind him. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Annabel''s parents who were inside the house also went out, but as one was blind while the other disabled, they struggled to do so. Anthony and Chris made it to Annabel first. After living together for the past two days, they had behaved politely. They were almost close enough to be friends. 1 While Chris did not like Annabel, he still went forward to push the blocks of woods from Annabel¡¯s form that piled up on her. 3 Anthony dialed Nial right away. "Southern Vige," he spoke, "emergency medicines." After hanging up, he wanted to ask the photographers for help, but they had already gone back. There was nobody around. He hesitated for a moment. After the pile of wood was moved, Annabel looked at Chris'' small and pouty face. Eyes red, she weakly muttered, "Thank you...Young Master." Her voice was utterly weak and humble. Annabel had never once brought up the fact that he was her son, only referring to him as ''Young Master''. 1 Chris did not like weak women; he did not particrly like Annabel. He merely helped her out of kindness. 1 He asked, "Auntie, are you okay? Can you still stand up?" "I should...should be able to. Don''t mind me." Annabel struggled to remove the basket from her back and tried to stand up with difficulty. However, the back of her head was wounded with fresh blood oozing out of the wound. Her thigh under the pants was scratched, and it bled as well. As she tried to force herself to stand up, the blood dribbled rapidly. Suddenly, she became dizzy and fell right to the ground. Thunk! Annabel fainted. She passed out in her pool of blood. Anthony did not want to get involved, but if he chose not to act, the worms on the ground might crawl onto her, probably worsening her injuries. After hesitating for a while, he looked at his surroundings and saw a pair of pure ck farming gloves. He picked up the gloves and bent down to carry Annabel from the ground. Chris quickly opened the front door and considerately put on a clean mat on the bed. chapter 588 chapter 588 After cing Annabel on the bed, Anthony took two steps back. At the Jordan Group building... Charmine had her hands full with paperwork and various tasks. As she had picked all the materials, she would announce their coboration with the Bailey Corporationter in the afternoon, making Jordan Group the first The men sent by Anthony to sign the deal were Nial and his assistant, Luke. It was a big deal. 1 Jordan Group, at this rate, was rising once more. Unexpectedly, Julian sent a few photos to Charmine. [Check the news, Charmine. This is the man you like.] Charmine clicked open her WhatsApp and saw Julian had sent her photos of Anthony with Annabel. It was either Anthony walking toward Annabel quickly, Anthony carrying on Annabel, or Anthony carrying Annabel into the wooden house. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. The small Annabel was covered in blood, like a wounded sheep in Anthony''s arms. They both looked like the prince and the princess from a storybook, Anthony''s face looking apparently concerned. Charmine, initially pleased with her day, soured in an instant. She had not seen Anthony carrying another woman before. Other than herself, Annabel was the only other woman Anthony had ever carried. This was only the third day, and the two of them were already touching one another. If in seven days... Julian texted again, [Charmine, you''re just a cigarette Anthony smokes in his leisure days, a toy in his free time, and he¡¯d let go of you whenever. Are you sure you want to waste your youth on him?] [It¡¯s better to find out who¡¯s worth your love before anything happens. Are you sure you want to destroy the Cabell family? Do you really have to destroy me?] Charmine was already annoyed, but after reading these texts, her eyes dulled even more. She sent, [I''d rather be a toy of a lion than to have any contact with a stray dog! Get lost!] Charmine blocked Julian''s contact before tossing her phone away andid back on her chair. She knew this was all part of Julian¡¯s n, but the images of Anthony carrying on Annabel constantly resurfaced in her mind. If the wounded woman was someone else such as McKenzie, Anthony would not have cared or carried her. It did not matter if it was his n or not. The truth had proven that Annabel was special to Anthony. 1 Meanwhile, a notification from Messenger popped up. The profile pic was Anthony''s. Anthony was sending her a text? After a moment of hesitation, she clicked the text open. [Anthony: Annabel tripped by ident, and I had no choice but to carry her, but I did so with gloves. If mydy is still angry, feel free to punish me.] That surprised Charmine. Anthony was that fast to report what happened to her, and he even went to the extent of wearing gloves? She clicked open WhatsApp and used a recovery app to find the photos sent by Julian. She saw that Anthony was indeed wearing a pair of ck gloves in the photos. He said the truth, after all... Her uneasy heart began to calm down slowly. [Anthony: I''ll let Nial stay in the house. I hope that''s not against the deal?] Her two elderly parents, him, and Chris could not take care of Annabel, so it only made sense for someone else to stay over with them. Charmine wanted Anthony to get along with Annabel without having additional people around, but after Annabel''s ident, there was no going around the fact that she needed a doctor in the house. After a moment of thought, she replied, [Okay.] Anthony, who was on the other side of the phone, frowned. Just that? Charmine would usually reply to him with more than just a simple word. He sensed something was wrong and instantly clicked on the video-call option. chapter 589 chapter 589 Charmine had tried to reduce her contact with Anthony for the past three days, hoping to make less of an impression in his life, allowing him and Annabel more space. Still, she would ept Anthony''s request for video-calls in those few days. At that moment, in her office, Charmine stayed silent for a while and denied the call. [Charmine: I''m busy, and I''ve got some things to sort out. Settle what you need to do first.] Although Anthony did text her and report back to her right away, this situation showed that Anthony was not too against Annabel. She needed the two of them to have enough space alone to make sure there was no room for development, that there was no chance of them getting back together before she could let this go. 1 She did not want to feel like she was a homewrecker, a third-wheeler between the two. Anthony saw her reply, and her eyes darkened gradually. Charmine was acting strange, and her text showed it. He clicked on the call button a few times more, and as expected, they were all rejected. Charmine hardened her heart and replied, [I''m having a meeting now.] With that, she instantly left Messenger and even logged out from the app. Although she felt uneasy, she even felt that she was making too much of a fuss. After what Julian did to her, she could not withstand anymore heartache. She was getting married to Anthony in seven days, thus she had to be 100 percent sure Anthony had room for no one else but her. As for work, she could give her all. As for love, she could not afford to lose. Short-term pain was much better than long-term pain, after all. With that in mind, Charmine shut down her phone to prepare for the press conference. Anthony was about to phone her, but all he heard was, "Sorry, the number you''re calling is unavable." His brows furrowed. What was up with Charmine? Nial walked out from the room at that moment and said, "The back of her head and thigh were scratched by the step, so I put on ten stitches on each. These wounds should never get wet, and she needs someone to take care of her." "You''ll take care of her," came Anthony''s simple reply before he walked away. Nial chased after him. "Bro, you''re kidding, right? I take care of her? I¡¯ve got so much to do! Also-¡¯¡¯ Annabel was his half-sister-inw. Why should he provide for his sister-in-w instead of Anthony? "You''re a doctor," deadpanned Anthony, "it¡¯s your duty to take care of a patient.¡± Other than Nial, Anthony did not want many people to know that he was living with Annabel. The situation was quite difficult, and if the Bailey family got involved, then... Understanding Anthony''s concern, Nial took his arm as he said, ¡®Where are you going? Didn''t you promise Charmine to do this for ten days? It''s only the third day right now.¡± "Fix things. Take care of Chris," concluded Anthony and left the house right away. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. ''Fix things''-these two words implied a much deeper meaning. Nial was dumbfounded by that. Ridiculous... He had to look after Annabel and Chris? He was a medical doctor, for goodness sake, yet he became a nanny just like that? Three o''clock, at the Jordan Group building. The meeting with the Bailey Corporation was hosted on the first floor of the Jordan Group building, where the meeting hall could sit 1000 people. The audience seats were filled with hundreds of reporters, as well as businessmen and entrepreneurs who wanted to attend the conference. The stage had flower baskets all over, and there was even a poster printed, [Congrattions to the Bailey Corporation and Jordan Group''s newfound partnership.] 1 Everyone else voiced their congrattions and excitement among one another. "The Jordan Group with a ruined reputation is partnering with the Bailey Corporation? What a news!" ''The Jordan Group was cklisted by the Business Association for three years, and no one wanted to partner up with the Jordans until today. Even ordinarypanies were unwilling to work with them, so what¡¯s the situation with the Bailey Corporation?" "They must''ve made this up to make it to the headlines. Otherwise, this must be a different Bailey Corporation!" chapter 590 chapter 590 Charmine heard it al I ¡ªthe gossips-as she eyed her watch from time to time, a frown etched on her face as she did. Did Anthony not say that he had asked Nial and Luke to arrive before 3pm, sharp? Why have none of them arrived yet? The Marketing Director, Sheena walked forward to remind her, "Director Charmine, all the reporters are waiting." The press conference must start on time, regardless of whether the Baileys '' representatives came or not. Charmine took a look at the end of the road and turned to walk on stage. She felt unusuallyplicated and heavy. Perhaps both Luke and Nial went to help Annabel due to what happened. Furthermore, Anthony agreed to this three days ago, so maybe he had forgotten... Luckily, they had signed the deal, and Charmine could still announce their partnership and show the signed documents, even if none of their representatives showed up. Of course, that might not effectively dispel spections. Charmine took a deep breath before walking on the stage and sat down. There was a microphone on the table, and with it, she spoke, ''Thank you, everyone, for attending the press conference. The Jordan Group would like to make two announcements today. "Firstly, from now onward, the Jordan Group will no longer get raw materials from Mile-End Corporation. We''re ending all coboration with the Cabell family. "Secondly, the Jordan Group will be getting high-quality materials from Germany through the Bailey Corporation. This is in hope of perfecting the Jordan Group''s every building and architecture." With that said, Charmine was bombarded with questions from reporters below the stage: ''The materials imported by the Bailey Corporation are only used for national architecture; they''ve never provided the materials to privatepanies. Why would the Bailey family coborate with your group?" "Charmine, although you''re quite powerful, the Bailey family is far from your reach." "Didn¡¯t you say that the Baileys will show up? Why are none of them here yet?" ''You imed that the Baileys had agreed. Do you have any proof?" The toneing from them was harsh and suspicious. It was not just the reporters, however. Who in the world would believe that Jordan Group could partner up with Bailey Corporation? The Bailey family was a family celebrated and thought of highly. Why would they cooperate with the Jordans with a ruined reputation? Charmine looked at the suspecting faces down the stage, her ears filled with the cold and harsh interrogations. She clenched her fists tightly. To these people, she was someone unworthy of Anthony. Was it that unlikely for anything to happen between them for these people? All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. While she was caught up in her thoughts, the heavy metal door was suddenly pushed open. A tall, strong figure walked in as the bright sunlight from outside shone behind him. The figure was ssy, enigmatic, and sophisticated. It was Anthony Bailey! Anthony actually came! Charmine¡¯s hand that held the contact tightened. 2 She was prepared to show the contact to the public. She did not expect Anthony to show up himself! Anthony actually came to the press conference? To everyone''s bewilderment, he walked toward the stage one step at a time and sat down beside Charmine. He said to the microphone, ''The Bailey family will coborate with the Jordan family. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me.¡± His deep and ssy voice resonated in the hall, sounding proud as ever. All the reporters in the meeting hall were unable to speak. Feel free to ask him, he said? What a tone! The reporters felt something was off, strange with the way the two acted, thus their camera shutters flickered incessantly as they took photos of the two on stage. Some reporters even asked, "May I ask why did President Bailey agree to coborate with the Jordan Group?" "Why did President Baileye to such a small press conference?" "Why do I feel that President Bailey is protecting Ms. Jordan? Is there something going on between President Bailey and Ms. Jordan?" Each word and sentence were sharp and pointed. chapter 591 chapter 591 Charmine''s eyelids jumped. These reporters were all gossipers- professional gossipers. She was done for if they knew her rtionship with Anthony. Meanwhile, another reporter asked, "Ms. Jordan, President Bailey, why did youe to this deal? Is there something between the two of you?" Seeing how Anthony was about to answer, she lowered her head and took the chance to answer, "Please don¡¯t specte nonsense. President Bailey and I are purely business partners.¡± Business partners? A sh of unnoticeable darkness appeared in Anthony*s eyes. Purely business partners? Was Charmine that eager to wash herself clean from him? Someone then asked, "How did Ms. Jordan seal this deal with President Bailey? Isn¡¯t it impossible for most people to meet President Bailey?" "I went to the Bailey Corporation to discuss the deal," Charmine cleverly replied, "and President Bailey was merely impressed by the Jordan Group''s proposal. That''s it.¡± Her tone was professional and business-like, not even sparing Anthony a nce as she answered. Anthony¡¯s eyes narrowed. ''That¡¯s it¡¯? How embarrassed was this woman of their rtionship? Was he such an embarrassment to her? 1 A bunch of reporters asked, some even directed the questions at Anthony. "President Bailey, is that true about what Ms. Jordan said? Were you merely impressed by their proposal? Why did youe to this small press conference in person?" Charmine''s heart thumped rapidly. If Anthony said anything that he should not be saying, it would be over. Reluctantly, she eyed Anthony as she weakly kicked his leg below the table. The drapery covering the table perfectly concealed the small act beneath the table. Anthony''s gaze sharpened as he felt Charmine kicking his leg. He said to the reporters, "Ms. Jordan and I..." With that, he paused intentionally. Charmine was terrified by this, maintaining a faint smile as she pinched Anthony''s thigh. It was hard for people to not assume things if he kept pausing for a dramatic effect! All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Anthony felt a stinging pain on his thigh. His eyes darkened again. How dare Charmine pinched his thigh!? Did she not know that one should not simply pinch a man¡¯s thigh? Despite the sharp pain on his thigh, Anthony''s face remained cold and unchanged, stoic as he was. "Ms. Jordan and I are purely business partners," he finally answered through the microphone. A man and a woman partnering for business. With that said, he continued, "The Bailey family will fully support the Jordan family from now on. Whoever goes against the Jordans will be going against the Baileys. Please be warned." After that, he pushed the microphone away, making it apparent that he was unwilling to answer any more questions. He then stood up and reached out his hand to Charmine. "Ms. Jordan, looking forward to working with you." Charmine felt her heart thrashing around as she eyed hisrge hand, yet she had to put on a calm and unperturbed face as she stuck out her own. "Looking forward to working with you." The reporters captured their handshake, and the photo of them both became viral all over the business world and inte. From on onward, the Jordan Group would get back on its feet. Those who tried to stay away from the Jordans began hoping to establish, or re establish, their connections again. The losing Jordan group had regained their glory! Inside the office... Charmine asked everyone to leave and asked Anthony to stay back under the guise of signing the contract. Looking at Anthony who was sitting on the sofa, she asked, "Why did youe in person?" "Why? Am I not weed?" Anthony asked, raising an eyebrow. Charmine squinted at him. Of course he was not weed. It was strange for someone like him to show up on such a small asion. It would be suspicious. chapter 592 chapter 592 Charmine did not respond to Anthony, and he sensed the coldness in her eyes. He reached out and grabbed her wrists, pulling her toward him. Charmine, not fast enough to register Anthony¡¯s tug, fell to hisp as their bodies grazed one another. She struggled to get up, but Anthony tightened his grip around her waist. "What? We haven¡¯t met for two days, and we''re strangers now?" His husky voice felt suffocating as his frosty aura hit her in the face. Charmine''s heartbeats fastened, but sheposed herself and warningly growled, ''This is an office, and there are people outside. Let go of me!" "Does that mean I won''t have to let you go if this isn¡¯t an office and there''s no one outside?" asked Anthony. 1 That stumped Charmine. How ridiculous. Would anyone even expect that President Bailey would say such things? She had no choice but to bring out her ultimate weapon. "Anthony, don''t you forget about our promise. If you break the promise today, the countdown restarts." Restart? Back to the start again? Anthony''s eyes turned murky at the thought. "Ms. Jordan, I¡¯m here as the President of Bailey Corporation, merely to sign the contract." "Oh? Merely came for the contract, you say? This is the so-called ''merely''?" Charmine eyes sized him up. Anthony was about to let go, but thinking of her words, hisrge hands halted. "If Ms. Jordan is about to restart the countdown, won''t it be a loss for me if I don¡¯t do something today?" 1 Tensing in fear, Charmine hastily said, "You let go of me now. If you let go now, you don''t have to restart!" "Really?" Anthony took a strand of Charmine''s hair and toyed with it. Charmine nodded without hesitation. "Of course! If you don¡¯t let me go, I''ll not only restart the countdown, but it''ll be changed to twenty days!" 20 days...? N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Anthony''s hand that toyed with her hair halted as his face morphed into displeasure. "Charmine, do you have to resist me so much from touching you?" His tone was hoarse and low,ced with displeasure and agitation. It was as if something plucked the string in the deep end of the heart, somehow emotional. 1 Charmine fell silent, feeling as if she had hurt him, wronged him. She exined, ''This is a testing period. We can''t have bodily contact within ten days." If not, what would happen if Anthony was addicted to Charmine''s sexy form? 1 By then, she would not be able to tell if Anthony liked her body or her personality. Anthony''s eyes narrowed. "In seven days, we''re getting married and intimate." That sounded more of an assured statement than a question. After a moment of hesitation, Charmine nodded. "Right." If Anthony could settle everything regarding Annabel, she would marry him and have his babies. Anthony gave a small smirk as he released her. Charmine hastily stood up and sat on a sofa one meter away. Anthony noted that and thought of her business-like response on stage earlier. She was always so impatient to dissociate herself from him. However, there was no hurry. In seven days, he would dere to the world that she was his wife. Once Charmine organized some documents and made sure that everything was set, she said to him, "President Bailey may leave now." Anthony''s eyes remained on her, unmoving. "I can leave, but you can¡¯t reject my video calls." 1 What? Charmine wanted to refuse when Anthony continued, "If you decline again, I can''t guarantee I won''t show up like this every day." Show up like this every day? As in, he would show up in all kinds of public venues every day? chapter 593 chapter 593 Charmine stiffened at the thought as she hastily agreed, "Okay!" Anthony then stood up and walked to the door, turning to her before he walked out. "I really had no choice but to carry Annabel. If mydy minds it, I won''t do it again." With that, he left. He knew clearly why Charmine declined his video-calls-it was Annabel. Charmine did not expect him to make such a promise. Her uncertain heart from the morning had be somewhat calmer. Anthony came to the conference in-person to meet her... Perhaps she really had thought too lowly of his feelings for her. 1 She hoped everything would stay perfect for the next seven days. Charmine did not realize how her usually smart and dominating self became so small in terms of rtionships. She felt as if she was on a rollercoaster throughout. On that same day, the photo of Anthony and Charmine shaking hands made headlines in all business news outlets and went viral. In theb, McKenzie looked at a video clip of the press conference, and her elegant eyes darkened. Huh! Merely business partners? ''Merely''? Those two were that good at acting. Annabel was already hurt, yet Anthony still came to meet Charmine? Was Charmine so much more important, more so than Annabel? 1 Everything might spiral out of control in the next seven days if McKenzie did nothing on this. Thinking of something, she took out her phone to text, [You''ve not made any progress? Do you want the Walker gang to exist at all?] Concurrently, at the Jordan Group... The Jordan Group steadily grew better due to their newfound partnership with Bailey Corporation. Several matters were easily fixed, and Charmine was finally able to go home early. Just as she walked out of her office, however, she bumped into a man. The man had a high pile of boxes and a handful of things. Their collision scattered everything. Thomp! A stack of boxes fell on the floor as slices of pizzasid everywhere. Drinks like Sprite were spilled all over Charmine. Charmine looked up to see that the person she bumped into was Tristan. She asked suspiciously, "Why are you here?" ''What a coincidence!" Tristan looked surprised. After a moment of shock, he exined, "I have a music shop down there, and I bought these for my friends. Seems like you''ve knocked down their food." Charmine looked at the pizzas on the ground and the Muse Club down the road. "You own Muse Club?" She frowned. It was not far from the Jordan Group, so Charmine had heard about it.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. The ''Muse'' from Muse Club meant music, and the club was the most professional auditory club in Burlington. They had all kinds of instruments including the guitar, harp, flute, saxophone, drums, piano, and the likes. Anyone could hear any instrument and music in that club...for a price, of course. Rumors had it that the rooms were equipped with 3D surround sound, coupled with 3D real screen special effect. Even the lowest grade entrance ticket would cost 99,000 each. Tristan asked, ¡®What? You''re interested in Muse Club?" "I¡¯m quite curious. Do you have children''s songs in there?" asked Charmine. "Children''s song?" Tristan''s lips twitched. Someone would go to Muse Club just for some children''s song? Charmine nodded. She had parted with Chris for ten days-he must have missed her dearly. She also felt especially guilty toward him. 2 Charmine, in ten more days, would bring Chris to Muse Club once they reunited. Noticing Charmine''s determined expression, the perplexed Tristan replied," Children''s songs aren''t impossible. I''ll ask someone to arrange it right away! Do you want to check out the effects?" chapter 594 chapter 594 Charmine checked the time on her phone-only 5pm. She had time to spare, so she nodded. "Yes, but..." She needed fresh clothes, considering she was doused in sprite and covered with the pizzas'' oily stains. "Muse Bar has new women''s clothing, and I can give them to you for free," offered Tristan. "You don¡¯t have to pay for the pizzas as well." 1 Charmine rolled her eyes at him. He was hrious, for sure. Her clothes cost over 10,000 bucks, yet she was nice enough to not ask him to pay up. s, the nearest mall from her was a few kilometers away. Charmine could not be bothered to get to the mall, thus she followed Tristan to Muse Club straight away. Upon entering Muse Club, a line of servers lowered their heads and greeted, "President Walker." Tristan ordered, "Get a set of clothing to Room One." 1 "Yes, Sir!" answered a server before leaving to do as tasked. Tristan and Charmine entered the room. The room had a minimalist design, its walls painted snowy white. The windows had dark curtains with children''s beanbags in the room. 1 It was as if walking into a private space. Charmine found the room rather empty and clean, free from embellishments. Of course, only a clear room like this would be better for 3D projections. Charmine kept silent as someone came in with her new clothes. It was a set of simple but elegant clothing. It was a white blouse with a ck pencil skirt. It was the costume for some of Muse Club''s servers, but it was a well-known brand. Taking the clothes, Charmine then said to Tristan, "Go out. I''ll call you when I''m done." "No need; I need to get changed as well. I''ll get into the washroom, but you can lock it from the outside." 1 As he spoke, he picked a set of clothing and walked into the washroom, closing the door from the inside. There was a metal lock on the washroom door. For safety purposes, Charmine walked over and locked it from the outside. With that, Tristan would not be able to barge in on her even if he wanted to open from the inside. Once that was done, Charmine hastily got changed out of her white suit. Around three minutester, she unlocked the door. Tristan walked out while fixing his burgundy suit. He winked at Charmine." Sweetie, you locked me for so long. Do you think I need so much time?" 1 "Don¡¯t call me that, I don¡¯t know you. Call me Ms. Jordan," Charmine reiterated. Tristan frowned as he eyed her, hurt at her tone. "As they say, first meeting as strangers; second meeting as pals. We''re meeting for the third time! Are we not friends?" ''The number of meetings don''t determine how close we are. Whatever, I can''t be bothered to reason with you. So, this is your 3D music hall?" Charmine nced around the room. Mentioning this, Tristan''s lips curled up. "Of course. Enjoy!" As he spoke, he turned off the lights. The room fell pitch-ck instantly, so dark that nothing was visible. Just as Charmine was about to frown, joyful music rang in the room. ''There is a frog in the happy pond. It jumped as if a Prince was dancing. Its cool eyes were more beautiful than any other frogs..." Along with the childish tune of the children''s song, the four walls of the room turned into a 3D world with trees, a pond, lotuses, and many frogs jumping around. This was not a simple projection-it was a 3D live projection. The frogs were rather life-like as though they were genuinely there. One could even feel the gentle breeze in the air. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . It all felt too realistic as if one could touch the frog by reaching out. Immersed in this world, Charmine''s red lips turned into a smile. This would surely make Chris happy. However... Did this not seem rather childish and simple? In the midst of her thoughts, however... chapter 595 chapter 595 A frog jumped onto Charmine''s feet. As Charmine wore open-toe heels, she felt a cold sensation on her toe as the frognded on her feet. When she lowered her head to have a closer look, the frog happily jumped away. Tristan asked, "What? Does the touch feel real?¡± Charmine frowned suspiciously. "What technology makes such a realistic effect?" "3Dbined with the human body heat induction system. For example, if the temperature is high while we¡¯re ying music rting to snow, the temperature of the room would lower down, and there''ll be snowkes as well! "As for the children''s song, well, the project has just started. We¡¯re thinking of ways tobine children¡¯s songs with games. Along with a designated heat induction system, getting the targeted amount of frogs or other small animals within the time of one song would earn a surprise gift," Tristan introduced. Charmine had seen all sorts of high-technology, and they were superior to all else. She did not expect the lower- level technology could actuallybine the technology with entertainment. She spent some time inside the room, even giving suggestions for improvement before leaving the room with Tristan. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. She said to him, "Reserve a room, and n as I said. On the night of the seventh day, I''lle here with a child." "A child? Who''s child is so lucky?" Tristan asked suspiciously. Charmine¡¯s red lips curled up. "Mine." With that, she strutted away in her heels. Tristan looked at Charmine and frowned. Her own child? Charmine had a child? Impossible... Tristan and Charmine, however, did not notice the lenses in the dark, taking photos of them. 2 At Southern Vige. Opening her eyes, Annabel was surprised to see Nial sitting beside her." Mr. Nial Bailey..." ''Your thigh is wounded, so you''ll need toy back for three days to recover. Don''t move around. Just tell me if you need anything,¡± Nial reminded her. Annabel lowered her head. "I¡¯m fine, I really am. I can manage it myself. Why don¡¯t Mr. Nial go back first...¡± "If I leave now, Anthony won''t have time to take care of you either. It¡¯d be difficult for you. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m a doctor, I¡¯ll leave once you''re slightly better. I''ve got a lot on my te as well," said Nial, seemingly stressed out. The truth was that he was no good at getting along with another woman. He only treated Annabel as his patient. After hearing what he said, Annabel could only thank him, "Thank you Mr. Nial for your kindness. Thank you." "No worries, just get some rest and don''t get off the bed. I''ll go out and get some air," spoke Nial. He was worried that Annabel would wake up after he left. It would only worsen the wound if she got down from the bed, thus he waited in the room. Since Annabel was awake, he could leave the room after advising her on her injury. Annabel looked at his back with a slightly flushed face, guilty and distressed. Anthony had helped her so much in improving her living conditions and work, yet she got hurt so easily. She even dragged him down by having him arrange for someone else to take care of her. Why was she so useless...? 1 With a brush at hand, Chris sat on a bamboo chair as he painted outside in the yard. It was a vaguely painted oil painting. There was a green-colored mountain and a quiet paddy field with three figures walking together. The painting showed two adults and a child in front of them. The middle figure was a woman, and the figure at the back was a tall man. Nial could tell right away who those figures were. Chris was the one walking in front, Charmine in the middle, and Anthony at the back. He frowned suspiciously. "Momo, do you really like Charmine?" chapter 596 chapter 596 "Of course I like her! She''s my Mommy!" Chris'' eyes twinkled like the stars in a night sky when Nial mentioned Charmine. He picked up the brush and painted a skirt on Charmine''s figure, wanting to beautify her. It was apparent that out of the three figures, only Charmine was delicately painted. Even her fingernails were carefully painted. "What about Ms. Annabel?" asked Nial. "What do you feel about her?" "Oh, she''s just a in person. I don''t like her, I don''t love her-l don''t feel anything," answered Chris in a more serious tone. 1 Nial frowned. Logically speaking, Chris was rted to Annabel, and the sixth sense of a child was always urate. Chris should have favored Annabel over Charmine. 1 Why was he so cold to Annabel and, instead, liked Charmine more? Chris continued, "Uncle Nial, you have to take good care of Auntie Annabel." "Huh?" There it was atst; he sounded more like a son already! However, Chris continued, "Daddy won''t have to interact with Auntie Annabel once she''s recovered, you see. Only when Annabel lives well will she not disrupt Daddy spending time with Mommy." 1 He spoke coherently with a serious face. Nial was baffled. Damn. This kid only had a soft spot for Charmine! Chris had met numerous people since he was born five years ago, yet he only liked Chamine. 1 Nial was perplexed. At that moment, Anthony walked toward them from outside. When Chris saw him, he ran toward him with the painting in his hands." Daddy, these are the three of us, and I want the three of us to keep living this way! I''m warning you: If we''re separated, I¡¯ll.J''ll cry! I will bite you! I''ll smash things! I''ll be angry! I¡¯ll destroy yourpany!" 3 His childlike voice was full of threat. Anthony nced at the painting. There was no anger in him as his eyes seemingly gleamed with love. "Don''t worry, we won''t be separated. Ill ask someone to frame this up." "Yay! The frame has to be pretty, yeah? Then we post this to Mommy!" Chris pped with his chubby hands. Anthony handed this to Luke who was behind him. "Do as you heard." ''Yes, Sir!" Luke took the painting and left. Anthony sat down in the yard and asked Nial, "How''s it going?" It was the fifth day Nial and his medical team researched on the antidote. They should have made some progress. Nial merely frowned. "It''s quite challenging. There are more than a hundred types of poisons in it, and we''re unable to break down the listpletely yet. Perhaps we should get it from McKenzie directly." 1 "No," said Anthony tly. Once they confronted McKenzie, knowing her personality, she would most likely bring everyone down all at once. If Annabel was hurt and had any side effects because of this, he would be held ountable for it. This would Furthermore, if McKenzie could do this once, she could do it twice. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . The best solution was topletely analyze whatever poison she induced on Annabel. This was so that McKenzie would not threaten them again. Anthony had only seven days left; he did not want anything to get out of hand. 1 He had to solve the matters regarding Annabel, and only then could he marry Charmine and deal with McKenzie and the Houston family. chapter 597 chapter 597 Nial saw through Anthony, and he sighed. The once precise man changed into apletely different man after falling in love. No wonder the elders always said it was better to find a wife to look after the man, and Nial never believed that until Charmine happened. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. As the sun fell to slumber, the sky turned dark. "Dinner''s ready!" a female''s voice called out from the inside. Nial frowned. He turned over to see Annabel walking to the dining table with her walking stick. She had a dish in her hand. He instantly walked over. "Didn''t I ask you toy down and not move? Why did you get up?" Tm fine, I didn''t put weight on my leg. I''m supported by the walking stick," assured Annabel as she raised her leg for him to see. Her wound did not break open, still perfectly sealed. Annabel reassured them, "Don''t worry, I''m not a weak woman. I can take care of myself. Don''t waste too much time on me, Mr. Nial, it''s okay to get back to your work." Nial looked at Anthony. It seemed that Annabel did not need to be taken care of. As Annabel had always managed the farm, she had endured hardships since young having been through a lot, nothing like city women. She was able to make dinner even on her walking crane. It seemed as though there was not much Niel could do even if he stayed. Anthony said, "Stay. Leave in at least three days." Annabel frowned. "Mr. Bailey...¡± "Don¡¯t misunderstand me. Your wound needs to be taken care of on a daily basis, so Nial must stay," insisted Anthony monotonously, his voice deep and emotionless as ever. He would not take care of her wound, and he did not want to take care of her either. 1 Things would be much easier if Nial was around. In other words, he insisted Nial stay not because he cared for her, but because he did not want to interact with her. Nial sensed the atmosphere growing tense, thus he changed the topic," Let''s eat, let¡¯s eat. I¡¯m hungry.¡± "I''m hungry, too! Daddy, let''s eat. We''ve got something to sort out after dinner!¡± Chris pulled on Anthony to the dining table. He wanted to discuss the antidote with Anthony, hoping to detoxify Annabel as soon as possible! Everyone sat before the dining table with a fewmon dishes including chicken, beef, duck, fish, and steamed pork. 1 Normally, Annabel and her family would not eat rathervishly, but ever since Anthony moved in and given them a lot of money, they spent some time on preparing each meal. Annabel''s mother, at that moment, saw the bandage on Annabel. With her appetite lost, she walked to Anthony and knelt on the floor. Thuck! "President Bailey, I beg you. I beg you to do me a favor, please...!" Anthony frowned. Before she could continue, Annabel already rushed toward her with her walking stick and grabbed her mother. "Mom, what are you doing? Get up!" "Let me be, Annabel, let me say it...!" Her mother pushed her hand away as she gazed at Anthony. "President Bailey, you¡¯ve helped my daughter a lot in the past few days, and we''re forever indebted to you. Annabel had never lived such a good life ever since her birth and had never once lived in such a good house.¡± chapter 598 chapter 598 "Had she... Had she not gotten pregnant and given birth out of wedlock five years ago, we''d be extremely grateful now, unable to pay back to your kindness... "But... Only Annabel knows how much pain she had endured in the past few years!" She paused and sobbed silently, her voice hoarse as she did. "People would ridicule her no matter where she went, scorning her behind her back. They called her dirty, unchaste, cheap, and easy... "We''ve tried to introduce her to people for the past five years, but they''d all look at her disdainfully when they found out that she had given birth before. ''The entire Southern Vige knew about her ruined reputation, no one wanted to even befriend her. Wherever we went, we couldn''t raise our heads, and every rtive had cut US out. The hurt we''ve endured isn''t something money can fix!" "Mom, stop talking. Get up, please," warned Annabel with eyes reddened. She did not like her mother rying their story, especially in front of Anthony. Anthony had already helped her so much; she did not want to tie him down with a moral dilemma... However, her mother remained on her knees, unwilling to get up as she said in a tormented voice, "I didn''t allow myself to think of these, but seeing Annabel hurt, I had to! Her father and I won''t live on for long-we''re getting older every day. With Annabel''s father being blind and I''m disabled, it¡¯s not convenient for US to do many things. We won''t be able to take care of her for long. "Annabel will age eventually, and she''ll get older. We hope to see her getting married, hoping to see someone who loves her, takes care of her, spoils her... We''d get to die in peace if thates true...! 1 With that, she started sobbing, "I know Annabel isn''t good enough for you, but she''s simple, kind, and very hardworking. Please, President Bailey, please marry her since she had given birth to Momo! Annabel is Momo''s mother, and you two had a history together! The two of you should be together- mmph!" 1 Annabel quickly covered her mouth before her mother could finish. "Mom, stop saying this! Really, stop talking!" So embarrassed was Annabel that she wanted to dig a deep hole and hide in it. How could someone like her ever marry someone like Anthony? How could one think of the impossible? How could her mother say such things to Anthony? How would she be able to exin? Guilt-ridden Annabel looked at Anthony. "Sorry, I''m really sorry. My mother shouldn''t have said that, please don''t hold it against her." Anthony''s face remained passive and stoic. Annabel called upon her father and pulled her mother out together. Her mother never stopped, however, even as she was pulled away." President Bailey, please think this through...! The three of you are a real family! Momo needs a mother, and Annabel needs you! Can you bear to watch her alone for the rest of her life? To be looked down on for the rest of her life? 1 "Only you could give her back her reputation, to make up for the pain she had endured in the past five years!" Her words resonated in the room, even though she was dragged out. Chris instantly looked at Anthony. "I don¡¯t need a mother, I only need Mommy Charmine, other than Mommy, I don¡¯t want anyone else!" Anthony reached out to ruffle his hair-he wished for the same as well. He did not really care about what her mother just said. However, Nial said, "Annabel¡¯s mother is saying the truth, though. I think this is what Charmine meant when she asked you to sort matters regarding Annabel. Money can provide for their material needs, but there are many more deeper problems that money can¡¯t fix. She was ridiculed for a whole five years just because she bore a child out of wedlock." She had to leave the vige due to this, ultimately leaving the country. If Anthony was unable to pay up these All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. debts, he would forever owe it to Annabel. Whenever a human owed something to another human, the matter instantly becameplicated... Of course Anthony understood this. Charmine said this to him on multiple asions: there were many things money could not fix... In this situation, perhaps only... chapter 599 chapter 599 Anthony turned his gaze to Nial and instructed, "Put up a list of trusted names, and arrange some blind dates for Annabel." "Arrange some blind dates? Bro? Are you serious...?" Nial''s lips twitched. Why the rush? Would Annabel even agree? Anthony''s lips curled up. "Of course I¡¯m serious. Find someone trustworthy who doesn''t mind her past. You¡¯ll be fully in charge of this.¡± 1 "How do I arrange such a thing? How will I know if they care about her past or not? What if they pretend it doesn¡¯t bother them? Annabel will be the one suffering once they''re married..." Nial reminded him. Meanwhile, Annabel walked toward with her walking stick. "It''s okay, I''m willing to go on blind dates. As long as someone is willing to marry me, it¡¯s okay if they mind about my past. I''m okay to be wronged." Her voice was determined and serious. Nial frowned, while Chris eyed Annabel strangely. Logically speaking, was she not supposed to hold Anthony ountable for this? Why was she so understanding? 1 Annabel said to them, "My mother has a point, still, if I don''t get married, they won¡¯t be able to die in peace. They''ve worked hard for years, all their life, and I don''t want them to die in regret. Also, if I get married, Ms. Jordan wouldn''t mind my history with President Bailey, and everything would be solved. Therefore, I''m willing to get married." Her words were so kind and generous. Anthony felt a sense of guilt arousing in him as he gazed at Annabel. "Don''t worry, Nial will find someone who¡¯d be able to take great care of you.¡± ''Thank you." Annabel bowed a ny-degree bow, genuinely grateful from within. However, Nial felt a headache due to the pressure. On top of his medical research, he was tasked to arrange blind dates all of a sudden? 1 It seemed that he would not have time to rest anymore... 1 At the Jordan mansion. Upon her return home, Charmine could not wait to log on to watch the monitor. She did not want to see Anthony, however-she wanted to see Chris. God knew how much she wished Chris was there with her at Muse Club when the frogs leaped from one spot to another. She even imagined how Chris would jump around her trying to catch the frogs. Chris would look so cute. He would be able to catch so many frogs and earn the mysterious prize! Missing Chris dearly, she logged onto the monitoring website. Little did she expect to watch what happened after Annabel brought the dishes to the dining table with her walking stick. She saw how tough Annabel was and how her mother pleaded bitterly. It was a plea from a humble mother. Her ears kept on ringing with what her mother said... "Annabel is Memo''s mother, and you two had a history together! The two of you should be together!" "The three of you are a real family! Momo needs a mother, and Annabel needs you! Can you bear to watch her alone for the rest of her life? To be looked down on for the rest of her life? "Only you could give her back her reputation, to make up for the pain she had endured in the past five years!" 2 Charmine''s eyes darkened, and her fists tightened. True, Annabel was Chris¡¯ mother, and she had a history with Anthony. They were meant to be an actual family; they should be together... They should be together... They should be... Charmine leaned back on her chair, closing her worn-out eyes. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. The sky was extraordinarily dark and heavy. Charmine was unable to fall asleep. Rarely, she turned and shifted. When she fell asleep, she was haunted by many, many dreams, and all of them took her back to the night five years ago, when she allowed everyone to harm her without fighting back. chapter 600 chapter 600 All of a sudden, Charmine''s bedroom door was pushed open as people rushed in, ring at her distastefully. "A cheap woman like you want to marry Anthony? In your dreams!" "You have a tarnished reputation and had a stillbirth, yet you want to marry upto a man like him?" Charmine hastily shook her head and tried to exin she was the wronged party, that the person who harmed her was the ''cheap'' one, not her. That person should have been the one facing the consequences, not her! Before she could even exin herself, however, three figures walked in as they held hands. They were Anthony, Annabel, and Chris, each wearing grins on their faces. The people that barged into her room surrounded Charmine as they threw rubbish, rotten eggs, and vegetables at her. "Anthony...!" Charmine cried out. "Anthony...!¡± No one heard her nor came to her aid. Anthony held Annabel by the waist, his eyes filled with love. No! "Anthony!" Charmine cried out and shot up on her bed. The sky was already bright as sunlight peeked in through the window. She wiped off the beads of sweat on her. It was morning already... What a peculiar dream that was... How could she dream of such a haunting dream? In the dream, she actually cared for Anthony, that she wanted to get Anthony. It should not be this way. Love should only be an icing on the cake to her- it should not be her main concern. A man should not affect her; she was no weak and over-sensitive woman. 1 Charmine got out of bed and washed up in the washroom, sshing her face with cold water. 3 When she was about to leave the room, she saw herptop. Once she keyed in the password, she would be able to see how Anthony was getting along with Annabel. After halting for a second, she chose to turn and leave. She dismissed the thought. There was nothing to see. Six more days. Anthony should be able to solve everything out by then. Otherwise, well... She could live on without love. Despite her thoughts, her heart still felt somewhat upset, heavy, and repressed. She had to force herself to get out of this feeling. Joey had prepared a table full of dishes early in the morning. Everyone was waiting around the dining table. They only started eating after Charmine arrived. After learning that Charmine liked beef steak, Joey made all kinds of beef dishes, along with some fermented and spiced cabbage. Amelia eyed Charmine and lowered her head to resume her meal. She had a lot going on in her head. Julian texted her the other day and asked her to tell him everything about Charmine, and he told her he was serious about getting back with Charmine. Amelia did not hesitate to tell him everything she knew about Charmine and Anthony. 1 She would rather Charmine marry into the Cabell family with a bad and unstable reputation than the world- renowned Bailey family. 5 This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. However, it seemed that Julian had not made any move so far. Would Julian win her over at all? Thinking of something, she said to Charmine, "Oh right, Charmine. Have you heard of Mile-End Corporation reopening all over the country? Do you want to go and have a look?¡± Charmine snapped out of her daze when she heard so, and she frowned." Reopening? Who told you that?" "Julian updated his social mediast night. He weed everyone to go and have a look in the morning," said Amelia. Charmine frowned. Something felt off... Did Anthony not already block Mile-End Corporation from everywhere, and that no luxury brands would cooperate with them anymore? Nobody would join Mile-End Corporation as they would be going against Anthony. How did Julian manage to reopen at such times? Why would any brand coborate with him? chapter 601 chapter 601 Charmine had her breakfast and let Adam drive her to the Jordan Group. En route, they passed by Mile-End Mall. "Do you want to pull over and have a look?" began Adam. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Putting a little thought into it, Charmine then nodded after thinking it through, curious as to what Julian was attempting to salvage whatever was left for him. Once Adam pulled over by an empty entrance, Charmine merely opened the door, donned her sses, and eyed the mall before her as she sat still. Charmine noted how the originally luxurious mall was filled with different colored gs all over. The words printed on the gs included, [Pizza], [ Kebab], [Fish and Chips], [Burger], [Nuggets], [Ice-Cream], [Beef Steak], [ Seafood tter], [Sandwich], [Grilled Fish]. They were all well-known street food that one could smell from afar. Charmine squinted. Julian turned the high-end Mile-End Mall into a food court?! These were all street food to boot, yet he hosted them all in Mile-End Mall regardless? It then clicked for Charmine-it made sense. All brands, even the smaller ones, would not go against Anthony, but that did not apply to the street stalls. These smaller businesses were managed by individuals usually from a poorer background. Many of them had not even heard of Anthony Bailey''s name. Even if they had heard of him, they had nothing to lose anyway, so there was nothing Anthony could do to them. Coincidentally, Mile-End Mall was located in the center of the city with many passersby. This would allow them to earn a lot of money, so these people were willing to move their businesses to Mile-End Mall. One had to admit, Julian was business-savvy. With that, although some changes were made to the Cabell family that their profits would not be as much as it used to, at least they could survive this danger for things to get better in the future. 1 Julian was indeed an eptable businessman. Julian, concurrently, was sorting out his tasks when he decided to walk outside for a breather and saw the car pulled over by the side entrance. The woman in the car had sunsses on, her jaw so delicate with ming red lips, exuding a strong temperament. It was Charmine. He could tell right away. He walked over with one hand in his pocket, ring at Charmine from above. "What? Thought you guys wiped me off of this ce? Surprised?¡± Noticing him, Charmine scoffed and mocked, ¡®What''s there to be surprised? Since President Cabell is trying to attract these local businesses, you could only get a maximum of ten-percentmission per stall. The average profit of each stall is around a thousand bucks, and yourmission is only 100 bucks. "It appears that your entire mall only has five hundred stalls, so your profit per day won''t be more than fifty thousand bucks. Mile-End Corporation''s profit used to be tens of millions per day, yet here you are. 1 "Hah... Yes, you''re not dead, but you''vended yourself in quite the trouble." Julian¡¯s face turned green-Charmine actually calcted all the costs meticulously. Her every word was like a sharp knife that stabbed his heart. Ever since their fall, the Cabells have yet to see a fifty-thousand-profit per day, but s, they had no other choices to boost themselves. If Mile-End Mall was left deserted, it would even be harder to attract more people for the future. He red at Charmine. "So what? As long as I''m alive, the Cabell family won''t go down. This is merely the first step; I''ve got other ns in the future. "Charmine, I''ll show you that I''m no weakling. I''m a good enough match for you! Good enough!¡± His tone was arrogant like ever. Charmine reclined on the chairnguidly, her red lips curled up mockingly. 1 Heh. It seemed as though he was not caving in... How ignorant! Julian¡¯s re toward her intensified. "Oh, you think I''m struggling, huh? Isn''t your rtionship with Anthony struggling as well? You think things will get better if you drag this one out? You think Anthony would leave Chris'' actual mother for you, someone he only met for three months?" 1 The words felt as though they cut through her heart like a cold knife. Eyes filled with fury, Charmine¡¯s ruby lips parted as she countered. chapter 602 chapter 602 ''The matter between Anthony and I has nothing to do with you!" With that, she rolled up the window as if she was blocking Julian from the outside. That did not deter Julia, however, as he yelled out, "You better think it through, Charmine. I''m the only one who¡¯s This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . willing to marry you officially!" 1 "Go!¡± ordered Charmine to Adam. Stepping on the gas pedal, Adam drove the car away speedily, leaving Julian with a face full of dust and smoke. Julian red at the leaving car, his eyes darkened with determination. He took out his phone and sent McKenzie a message. [Countdown: Six more days.] McKenzie was attending an international seminar when she saw her phone screen lit up, and her eyes dulled at the text. Six more days... In six days, Charmine and Anthony would get married... She intentionally arranged for Annabel to get hurt the other day, thinking that it would encourage Annabel and Anthony''s rtionship to bloom, but it failed unexpectedly. Her other arrangement did not seem to be going well either. If this went on, she might run out of time. With a heavy look in her eyes, she texted that familiar number again... [Be harsh!] Meanwhile, in the car... Adam heard the conversation between Charmine and Julian, and he knew something must have happened between Charmine and Anthony. He wanted to ask, but he sensed that Charmine was not in a good mood, so he did not ask and drive away silently. Charmine was resting as if she did not care, but her ears rang with Julian''s words. "Oh, you think I''m struggling, huh? Isn¡¯t your rtionship with Anthony struggling as well? You think things will get better if you drag this one out? You think Anthony would leave Chris'' actual mother for you, someone he only met for three months?" 1 "Annabel is Memo''s mother, and you two had a history together! The two of you should be together!¡± 2 "You two are a real family! Chris needs a mother, and Annabel needs you!" 1 Those words rang incessantly in her ears. Frowning, Charmine¡¯s eyes darkened as she went into deep thought. Suddenly, she opened her eyes and said to Adam, "Stop here, I want to walk around." Adam pulled over as she requested, though he asked caringly, "Charmine, is something the matter? Do tell me- we''re a family. I''ll help you find a solution." ''Thanks, but no need," declined Charmine as she opened the door and walked out from the car into thepany. She was annoyed, yet nobody could help. It felt as though the car was too small, too oppressive that it troubled her line of thoughts. It was three kilometers away from thepany. She could use this time to clear up her mind and take a breather. She walked on her heels toward thepany. As it was the morning rush hour, many people walked in groups to their offices. There were couples walking together,ughing and talking, feeding one another with their breakfast wrap-a loving sight to behold... Charmine felt upset and touched altogether. When would she ever have such a day with Anthony? Would this day Perhaps Julian was right; they had only met for approximately three months. Would Anthony leave his first love, Momo''s actual mother, and be with a stranger like herself? They came from different backgrounds, and this was not meant tost anyway. Why did they bother prolonging the pain anyway? chapter 603 chapter 603 As Charmine swam in her thoughts, her phone rang. It was a notification for a group message. Since they parted, Chris had pulled them into a group chat named, [Happy Family of 3]. Chris texted, [Good morning, Mommy! A beautiful day starts with a hearty breakfast. Don''t forget to have breakfast, Mommy!] Subsequently, he shared an article that read, [Health Department published that the patients who don¡¯t eat breakfast have a 20% death rate than normal people.] 2 Charmine''s lips curled up unknowingly as she read it. Chris was still so adorable. If only he was her actual son... How good would it be if she could watch him grow up? She thought for a second, thinking of what to reply when another message popped out. Chris: [I''m having breakfast-it''s a sandwich made by Uncle Nial. Waa... It''s so bad!] Chris: [Mommy, help me! I want toe back to Mommy! I want to have breakfast made by Daddy again!] Chris: [Uncle Nial is trying to poison me!] 2 It did not take long for their conversation to take ce at a quick pace, and it raked up at almost 99 messages. That felt off for Charmine, considering how Chris would not be as active as they wereplying to the ''ten days'' promise. How did he send out so many messages today? Right, they had talked for so long, yet Anthony did not show up. What was he doing? She frowned suspiciously as she typed, [Your Daddy...] She quickly erased it, however, and said nothing. If Chris was trying to distract her, of course he would not answer her. She used her phone to log onto the monitoring website. As the monitoring video appeared on the screen, Charmine noted that it was empty. Strange. Was Anthony not at home? Where did he go? After she left the chat room, Chris really sent her up to 99+ messages. They were all adorable texts. Charmine replied, [Be good, Momo. Mommy is about to work, so listen to Uncle Nial and your Daddy, alright?] Chris: [Yay! Don''t forget me when working, Mommy. Be ready to be with your adorable Momo in six days!] Chris: [Adorable Heart.jpg] All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Charmine''s eyes darkened. Would she really be able to be with him in six days? She swallowed her concerns and merely replied, [Okay.] After ending the conversation, she called Kay and said, "Find out what Anthony is doing right now." "Boss Jordan, I...I was hesitating whether to report this to you..." muttered Kay in a perplexed tone. Charmine frowned. "What is it? Just say it." After hesitating for a moment, he said, "Anthony personally went to interview potential husbands for Annabel." "What? Potential husband?" Charmine was a little shocked. What was that all about? When she watched the monitor yesterday, she did not continue watching after Annabel''s parents left. She did not know about Anthony arranging this up for Annabel. Kay said, "In order to settle down Annabel''s parents, he decided to find a husband for her. He originally asked Nial to take charge of this, but Nial turned it down in his worry, thus he personally went to interview them. He had disqualified more than ten people since this morning..." Kay emphasized the word ''personally'' and thought it was not enough, thus he reiterated, "Antony obviously cares a lot about Annabel; he personally does things for her. I think Boss Jordan should really reconsider William. Your four Uncles really hope that you can be with William, that he''s indeed a good match to you." 2 Charmine listened and parted her lips, "Don''t worry, I know what I''m doing." Hanging up the call, Charmine was overwhelmed with an indescribable feeling. 1 Anthony was setting up blind dates for Annabel? Did he truly want to marry her off? Was he doing this... to show her his determination? chapter 604 chapter 604 However, Annabel was in a simr situation as Charmine. Would she be able to find someone who liked her, who would not mind her past and genuinely cared for her within such a short time? 1 Before Charmine knew it, she stood right before Muse Club absent mindedly en route to thepany building. Tristan was sipping on his cocktailnguidly at the lobby with a ukulele in his hands. Him strumming the strings sounded...awful! That did not stop his self-indulgence, however, and the staff dared not say anything. He spotted Charmine passing by at that moment and instantly sped outside. "Sweetie!" Charmine heard this almost familiar tone and did not want to respond to it. However, Tristan already walked up to her. "The children''s entertainment n you told me yesterday is already set up. Would you like to have a look? We still have time to make some changes if you''re unsatisfied." It was not until then when Charmine stopped walking. She thought of how adorable Chris was earlier in the group chat, so she decided to walk in. No matter what happened to her and Anthony, she would still give the prepared gift to Chris. Of course, the person apanying him might not be her... Tristan brought Charmine into the 3D music hall. Combining Charmine''s creativity, there were many big cartoon chairs in the hall along with many stuffed toys. Charmine remembered that Chris liked stuffed toys. Furthermore, the stuffed toys would ease up the coldness upon entering the room. With that, ten songs were yed one after another, with every one being ssic nursery rhymes. Charmine also requested for an interactive gaming experience. For example, when one touched on the 3D projection of the frog, the frog would jump away; when one caught on the bubble, the bubble would break. This was to create more of a realistic experience. She thought this new breakthrough would take a few days to get it done. How did Tristan make this happen in one night? She looked at Tristan. "I''m pleased, thank you." "Of course you must be pleased. My team and I worked through the night for you." Tristan''s unreal red lips curled up. Charmine frowned. They worked through the night? Tristan had dark circles under his eyes. She had only met Tristan a few times, but why did he take her words so seriously? Also, she always found him rather familiar, as if she had met him somewhere... As she mulled it over... Swish! A sharp dart flew in from the window, aiming directly at Charmine. The sharp dart let out a chilly glow under the studio light inside the music hall. Charmine squinted-someone was trying to assassinate her! The dart zipped through the air in a blink of an eye. It was half a meter from her, aiming directly between her brows. It would be a fatal shot! "Be careful!" Tristan called out. Just as he was about to jumped over to protect Charmine, he saw Charmine remained transfixed on the spot, not dodging it. Her eyes were sharp, her expression solemn. Her right hand shot up instantly. Suddenly, the dart aiming at the point between her brows was caught between her index and middle finger. 1 She used her fingers to catch the dart in the air? Tristan was shocked, and the assassinator was even more shocked. A woman like Charmine was that sharp in her movement? How could she catch the dart? Unbelievable! The assassinator''s eyes became even colder as they shot another dart. This time, it was not one dart. There were ten of them! This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Ten darts flew through the window, aiming directly at Charmine. The darts glinted as they flew in the air, a daunting sight to see. chapter 605 chapter 605 Charmine frowned. Who would use darts these days? The attacker was proficient with them, too! Throwing ten darts, one after another, was a disy of ster wrist strength. The darts were homing in from different trajectories: from above, below, left, and right. They wereing from almost all directions! Getting to the door was their only safe option. s, the door was closed and there was no time to even get to the door! She gave her undivided focus on the darts and parried. Charmine shuffled in her footwork, raising her leg and kicking away the darts as they came. She took up a stuffed toy and swung it nimbly, using it as a shield. Just like that, the darts were flicked away. Before the assassinator could register her movements, almost all the darts were countered. All but one dart, s, that aimed for Charmine''s ankle. Charmine almost seemed to have missed the one dart flying below. The assassinator chuckled devilishly; it was good enough to hurt her ankle! Keen-eyed Tristan noticed the dart, however, as heunched toward Charmine, pulling her away to dodge the dart. Yet, it was still too slow. As heunched over, the dart that aimed for Charmine''s ankle brushed past Tristan¡¯s ankle. He hissed in pain, one that could be heard. Charmine lowered her head to see Tristan''s ankle sock torn-his ankle had a big dent with fresh blood oozing out! Tristan was hurt! As the assassinator slowly emerged, Kay-who, at a distance, kept a watchful eye on Charmine-rushed out of Muse Club as he gave chase. The assassinator wanted tond more blows when he noticed Kay rushing toward him speedily, and he was ready to run away. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. However, Kay chased after him with agility and caught him. 1 It was only after the attacker was taken down did Charmine allow herself to calm down. She looked at Tristan and asked, "Why did you help me? I don¡¯t need you to." She was actually aware of that dart. She was about to do something when Tristanunched over. Tristan nced at his bleeding ankle. Even though his face had turned pale from the pain, and that his naturally red lips had gone paler, he still smiled a flirtatious smile. "What? My sweetie is worried? I won''t mind having your hand in marriage as thanks." Charmine remained silent at that. After a short moment of silence, she looked at him suspiciously. "Speak: what''s your objective of getting close to me?" Objective? Tristan frowned. "I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re talking about, Sweetie." "You somehow magically appeared after my tire punctured. When I went downstairs from the office building, I just somehow knocked your stack of pizzas down. Here we are, with you hurt from protecting me. Don''t say these are all coincidences, Tristan Walker. I ain''t a three-year-old." 1 Charmine''s voice was sharp and pointed as she was strangely calm and rational. Tristan¡¯s eyes darkened. After a moment, his red lips curled up. "Didn¡¯t expect you''d be this smart, Sweetie. Ah, I won''t pretend anymore, now that you saw through me." With that, he suddenly raised his hand and pulled out the skin on his face, abruptly revealing his face beneath the fake mask of a face. 1 His skin was fair like snow, his facial features so seductive that it was more alluring than a woman¡¯s beauty. His look could steal one¡¯s soul away with just a look. Charmine''s eyes darkened. This face... This was the face she saw in the Walker gang''s territory. He was Alexander Walker! This man turned out to be Alexander Walker! It made sense... No wonder she found him so familiar. He was Alexander Walker all along! Furthermore, Tristan Walker had the same surname as Alexander Walker! Charmine stared at him suspiciously. "It''s you?" "It''s me." Alexander tossed his skin aside. He looked at Charmine and exined, "I did indeed check your agenda to bump into you on our first and second meeting." chapter 606 chapter 606 "Still, I was genuinely trying to protect you moments ago, to make up for what I owed you." ''For what I owed you''? Alexander owed her something? It was then Charmine recalled what Rex said to her in that one night. It was Alexander Walker... So... Alexander eyed her intently, his usually flirtatious eyes bearing a glint of guilt. "Five years ago, I went to Royal Banquet Bar. When I walked past a room, I heard you hitting on the door wildly from the inside. I was going to send you to the hospital, but you were drugged and kept on sticking on me, so being the normal guy that I am..." His hoarse voice sounded somewhat guilty. "I should¡¯ve taken responsibility, but I found outter on that you''re a mission taken on by the Walker gang. The Walker gang had to finish the mission, and we¡¯re notorious for never failing. In order to keep the name of the Walker gang, I had to send you back to the room..." A surge of feelings mashed together welled in her chest. So many things happened that night? So she had to be a sacrifice made to maintain the Walker gang''s reputation? She endured five years of pain, five years of ruined reputation because of what they did to her, and she could not be with Anthony officially because of that horrendous scar. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. She hated ''this man'' for so long, yet he dared show up in such a nonchnt manner? Charmine¡¯s eyes turned cold and bitter as her fists balled tightly. Alexander saw the hatred on her face and grabbed her wrist. "Charmine, the reason I try to get close to you is merely trying to make up for it. "Although the Walker gang was merelypleting the task, that Tiffany was the one responsible for it, I was the one who ultimately hurt you. The Walker gangpleted a mission, yet we''ve ruined your entire life. Please tell me what I can do to make you forgive me." "Hah! Forgive you? Mr. Walker made it sound so easy. Why don''t I stab you and then tell you I''m sorry?" Charmine''s hate-filled eyes were cold like the Tundra. 1 Out of the blue, Alexander handed her a fruit knife right away. "Yes, please go ahead." That took Charmine aback. ''You better get out of my sight, and get as far away from me as possible! Otherwise, I won''t mind destroying you entirely!¡± She scoffed coldly as she pushed his hand away and turned to walk away. Her gait was colder than usual, exuding an air of chilliness. She had hated the man who ruined her entire life in the past five years. She lost everything because of this man. She was kicked out of the family and gave birth to a stillborn, and that became the biggest dent in her entire life. Was Alexander that shameless that he thought he could just appear and make it up to her? Did she need him to make up to her? She only needed to destroy his entire family! At the Jordan Group''s building. When everyone saw Charmine walking in with her stone-cold face, everyone became extremely alert and did not dare to speak a word. Kay wanted to ask her what he should do with the assassinator, but even he had no courage to speak to her. With that, he ced the assassinator on a lockdown. Charmine closed the door shut upon entering the office, mind disconcerted with the maelstrom of thoughts. It was bad enough that she had such a troubling nightmarest night. Anthony personally went to take care of Annabel¡¯s potential husband, and all of a sudden, Alexander appeared? What could she do to Alexander to make herself feel better? Her rage wanted her to destroy the Walker gang, but the one hint of rationale left in her told her that the Walker gang was just executing their orders in order to make profits. The executors did not bear too much responsibility. However, this executor raped her, made her pregnant for ten months, gave birth to a stillborn, and ruined her reputation... 3 With brows knitted tightly in tiredness, Charmine wanted to lean on a shoulder and take a rest, but one look at her cold office hardened her gaze. Sure, Anthony keeping his promise to solely deal with matters regarding Annabel was ideal when she was in a good mood; it was a disy ofmitment to her. Yet, in her troubled state and a change of thought, Anthony was out there helping another woman when she neededfort or a shoulder to lean on! If it was McKenzie or any other woman, Anthony would not make so much effort, and he would not do things personally. Annabel was never a simple existence to Anthony. Suddenly, the need of a partner seemed like a luxurious desire to her. Was the rtionship between her and Anthony worth all the struggles? chapter 607 chapter 607 Charmine''s mind was gued with thoughts of Alexander and Anthony for the entire day. It was not until thete afternoon when her phone on the desk rang hurriedly. Caller ID: [Luke]. Charmine was brought out of her dark study, and after a moment of hesitation, she picked up the call. She was instantly greeted with Luke''s anxious voice as he began, "Ms. Jordan, please help President Bailey. Please help him!" Charmine''s eyelids fluttered in worry. "What is it?" "President Bailey is helping Ms. Annabel to interview for a qualified partner from six in the morning to three in the afternoon now. Nine whole hours! And he hadn¡¯t eaten! "Furthermore, some serious situations urred in thepany that requires his attention. He dyed them all, but these can''t be dyed no more..." Luke was so panicked that he almost cried. Charmine frowned. Nine whole hours? Was Anthony not resting until he picked the right person? Nine hours of not eating... If anything serious urred in thepany, perhaps the rest of the Bailey family might find out. 1 Her eyes narrowed as she questioned, "What''s the serious matter? Can¡¯t get it sorted tomorrow?¡± "It''s the people from the Eway factory in Derby. They found out President Bailey signed the materials to you, and they''re against it! They think the Jordan Group is a smallpany, a nobody that doesn''t deserve their materials. 1 "Eway''s president, Mr. Charles had dialed thirty video calls to President Bailey, but he didn''t pick up any of them. Furious, Mr. Charles said he''d cancel the partnership with the Bailey Corporation..." said Luke hurriedly. Charmine frowned. Bailey Corporation was the world-wide proxy for all luxury brands from skincare to daily necessities, clothing, shoes, materials and cars. Any top brands in the world wanting to establish retail stores within the country would have to go through Bailey Corporation. N?velDrama.Org ? content. If Eway canceled the deal with Anthony, it would negatively impact the Bailey Corporation¡¯s reputation. Charmine said to Luke, "You calm down and don''t do anything yet. I¡¯ll fix this.¡± With that, she hung up and turned on herptop. Sure, she was not Anthony''s official partner yet, but she had to help him out, considering how much he helped her from time to time. Anthony had once used herputer and logged in during his stay in Violet Vi. Charmine linked up with theputer at home and quickly operated to decipher the password. It did not take long for the password to be sessfully deciphered as a series popped out: [CharmineJordan5201314] Charmine¡¯s heart skipped a beat. That password... Why did Anthony use such a childish password? Was he even an adult? Yet, his password showed how much he loved her... It took her a moment before logging in. Meanwhile, at the Eway factory in Derby. A man with fair and snowy skin was sitting on the president''s chair as he worked on hisputer, his pair of blue eyes looking extraordinarily refined. However, his facial features were too sharp, making him seem rather unfriendly. "Anthony Bailey!" he growled. Tm ending our contract if you don''t ept my call!" His assistant walked toward him with a document. "President, please look at this first. This is sent to US urgently by the Burlington National Architecture Group. They said if we don''t cooperate, they''ll find anotherpany." Burlington National Architecture Group? What person did not know that the Burlingtons were the best at architecture? Charles'' face lightened up slightly. He epted the documents and saw the design of the No.1 Skyscraper in the world. It was 1300 meters tall, taller than the current No.1 Skyscraper in the world, the Khalifa. chapter 608 chapter 608 That skyscraper was named the Magpie Bridge, a skyscraper with a unique design, built like twin towers that were 99 meters apart with an air bridge that linked the two towers. 1 Walking on the bridge would be like walking on the clouds. The creativity behind the building was astonishing. Most astonishing of all was that the twin towers would be built with the cultural elements in Burlington as well as the fourth generation new-styled house design. Every floor would have their private garden, forest, and trees. The twin towers did not look like towers at a nce. Instead, they looked like two green and tall mountains pointing toward the clouds. Green mountains existed in the air, linked by the magpie bridge, exuding a dreamy sight. The Magpie Bridge project would take ce in Burlington, expected to start in the second half of the year. Charles was ted. "So powerful! Burlington has such a genius architect? This will garner worldwide attention! We have to work with them! We must provide them with the best and finest materials!" "Yes, I''ll get in touch with them!" The assistant marched away hastily. Charles then thought of the matter with Anthony, and his eyes darkened. Anthony would be providing his materials to the world''s No.1 Twin Towers! How would he have time to provide materials to smallpanies like the Jordan Group? Eway''s ranking would go up a notch; there was no need to coborate with a smallpany like the Jordan Group. This would bring down their reputation severely! With that in mind, he sent another invite for the video call. Thinking it would be rejected again, the call suddenly went through, though the person on the other end was a woman. The woman was wearing an early-autumn long-sleeved blouse in haze blue, and it gave her a cold, sharp outlook. Along with her dark red lips, she seemed like a professional woman. Charles was stunned. Burlington had such a beautiful woman? Wait a minute... Was this not Anthony''s ount? Why was it a woman? He asked, "You are...?" Charmine spoke in hisnguage fluently, "I¡¯m Charmine Jordan, the new Director of the Jordan Group." Charmine Jordan? Charles'' red at her pointedly. She was the Jordan Group''s director, Charmine Jordan? She was so young! How would she lead thepany to great heights? She even earned Anthony''s favor! Looking at her face, he suddenly understood. "So it''s you! No wonder Anthony would provide the materials to you-that beguiling beauty of yours tells me that you''re just a pretty but empty tin case. You¡¯ve got nothing going on for you other than your beauty, but I, Charles, won¡¯t fall for that face nor that beauty. No matter how beautiful you are, I won''t provide my materials to you!" "Mr. Charles, it''s only our first meeting. How are you so sure that I''ve got nothing?" rebuked Charmine. Charles scoffed, "Look at your age. Freshly graduated, no? How capable can you be? If your family didn''t have thepany, you''d be out there job hunting right now. "They all call you Director Charmine, but you''re just a nobody to me! Mypany will never work with you! Please pass this on to Anthony: If he insists on helping a vase like you, my friendship with him will end now. We''ll terminate all our contracts!" His tone was confident and angry. Just as Charmine was about to prove herself, her phone rang hurriedly. It was from Uncle Max. After answering the call, Uncle Max said excitedly, "Charmine, Charmine, you seeded! The Magpie Bridge you designed earned the country''s approval as well as Derby¡¯s Eway factory¡¯s approval! They''re willing to provide their All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. finest materials to help US build this Magpie Bridge!" 1 Charmine looked delighted. "Really? Congrattions, Uncle Max." Uncle Max asked her to design a skyscraper, and she came up with the inspiration for the Magpie Bridge. She gave it to Uncle Max but did not expect to hear back about it so soon. Uncle Max''s excitement was evident with the way he spoke. ''The credit is all yours! Your design of the Magpie Bridge consisted of Burlington''s ancient legends. The building tells a story, and it''ll definitely be the No.1 attraction in Burlington! Uncle will treat you to a meal one day!" "Alright. I''m busy now, so I''ll hang up now." Charmine hung up the call calmly. Charles, all the while on the other end, gaped at Charmine, stumped and in awe. "You...you''re the Magpie Bridge''s designer?" chapter 609 chapter 609 Charmine recalled that Uncle Max was talking about the Eway factory in Derby. Was she not talking to their representative at the moment? Her red lips curled up. ''Yes." Charles was shocked. How could it be? The Magpie Bridge was so tall and big, definitely one of the most challenging buildings of all times, yet Charmine N?velDrama.Org ? content. designed it? Charmine looked like a woman in her twenties, but she was the mastermind behind the fabulousndmark architecture? Still in a daze, he quickly flipped open the proposal on his desk and looked at the design diagram. There it was by the red bottom corner, Charmine''s signature! In other words, the building was actually designed by Charmine! Charmine was a savvy mogul after all, and not just some pretty vase? Charles'' expression instantly changed. "Misunderstandings! These are all misunderstandings! I knew Anthony had a keen eye-he''s lucky to have picked up a treasure like you!" That took Charmine aback. What sudden 180-degree change was this? Charles continued, "When''s your wedding? I''ll prepare a big gift, and I''ll personally go over to Burlington to congratte you two!" "No need,¡± said Charmone, "we don''t have such a n yet. Also, we''re not official yet, so if you''d be so kind to keep this between US. Otherwise..." She paused and intentionally threatened, ''The supplier of the Magpie Bridge might end up with someone else." "Oh, no, no! Don¡¯t worry, don¡¯t worry! I, Charles, will keep my mouth tight! I won''t tell anyone, I understand you both. This is romantic, isn''t it? A kept- hidden rtionship has its thrill! I understand, I''m a young man myself." That baffled Charmine even more. No, he did not understand! However, she did not want to exin to him further. After sorting out the material supplies, she hung up. Charles instantly transferred 999999 bucks to her along with a greeting: [I hope you two stay loving and have a baby soon.] Charmine was riddled with questions. How did his attitude change so fast? As usual, one would be impressed by one''s skills. As Charmine re-read the greeting, however, her expression grew grim. ''Stay loving¡¯, ''have a baby soon¡¯? With Anthony? She wondered if there was such a day. Meanwhile, at the Bailey Corporation... Despite Charmine saying she would settle their matters, Luke was still very worried. How could she fix it? Luke had tried everything, but Charles would not give in. Would Charmine be able to fix it? Little did he expect for Charles to call in and excitedly said, ''Your boss has such good eyes! He found me such a great partner! I love him! Tell him to treat Ms. Charmine nicely, and if anything happens, I won''t let him off!" Luke was bbergasted. What just happened? How did things end up this way? He wanted to ask, but Charles had already hung up. Out of curiosity, he phoned Charmine. "Ms. Charmine, President Charles has agreed to coborate with you. May I know what did you do to make him agree?" "Secret," Charmine answered calmly. The Magpie Bridge was still under development and was under the radar. They did not want the outside world to know in case of copying or giarism. Luke''s curiosity almost jumped out from his chest. However, Charmine changed the topic, "How''s Anthony doing?" "Sigh..." Mentioning that, Luke sighed heavily. "Nothing''s changed; he hasn''t eaten. I just recalled that President Bailey was preparing documents all night long, and he hadn''t slept in the past two days." Charmine frowned. If this went on, could his body handle it? chapter 610 chapter 610 Charmine frowned. "Give me his location." "Pendulum Tea Shop," replied Luke. Pendulum Tea Shop was located at the heel of the mountain in the outskirts of the city. It was a quiet location with high privacy. Charminepleted all her tasks before making her way for the tea shop. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. On the way there, her ears rang with what Luke told her while she got a shback to the monitor she saw yesterday when Annabel''s mother begged Anthony. She should be pulling away from Anthony, but under such circumstances, she had to go there and meet him. When she passed by a restaurant, she ordered a box of seafood tter and ced it on the passenger¡¯s seat. It came as a surprise, however, as she made a turn in the secluded road before arriving at Pendulum Tea Shop, she saw Anthony''s car driving toward her. Somehow, he suddenly lost control. Crash! The car rammed against arge tree by the roadside. Anthony had an ident! "Anthony!" Face morphed into horror and worry, she quickly pulled over her car to the emergencyne and ran toward him. She saw that the airbag in the car had popped out, cushioning Anthony from the impact. Anthony was visibly confused when he saw her. "Charmine?" Why did shee? Charmine looked at him, her chest filled with mixed emotions. The handsome and sharp Anthony was apparently worn out. He even had clear dark circles under his eyes. He was obviously fatigue-driving! She scoffed coldly, "Anthony, do you have to do this?" "You care for me?" Anthony asked gently, his eyes showing a faint hint of love. That pissed Charmine. He almost had an ident, yet he acted as if it was nothing? Noticing Anthony''s fatigue, Charmine recalled what Julian said to her:'' struggling''. Yes, Anthony and her were struggling, trying to save and fight for this non existent rtionship. What was the result? She would overthink things, feeling like it was a rollercoaster, while it drove Anthony into tiredness... A thought then urred to Charmine, and she calmly said, "Anthony, we should end this." ''We should end this.¡± Four words, filled with a thick sense of fatigue and hopelessness. Anthony, still in the car, frowned. He pushed open the door and got down from the car. He looked at her. "Are you asking for another lesson, Charmine?" "I''m not kidding with you-l¡¯m saying this to you in all seriousness." Charmine met his gaze unblinkingly as she emphasized, "I feel that we''re all so worn out from this. No matter what, you¡¯ve ruined Annabel''s life, and you''re the person who should be responsible to her." "That''s why I''m finding her the mostpatible match. I know what I''m doing, I''ll fix this," refuted Anthony in a deep voice. However, Charmine merely smiled faintly. "You''ll fix this? As in, find someone who epts her past and marries her off? Annabel is kind enough to ept this, but do you not feel any guilt? Even if you don''t feel any guilt, it¡¯s tiring to keep going on like this. I want to give up." 1 She thought of how bitterly Annabel''s mother begged, thought of how her words hit the nail on the head, and then the ''struggle'' mentioned by Julian. It felt as though arge boulder was weighing her down, making her feel breathless. 2 It only got worse after Alexander revealed himself to her and reminded her of what happened in her past. If she really wanted to be with Anthony, his family would not agree, and they would face a bunch of problems in the future... Anthony''s big hands hooked around her waist and pulled her closer. He sped his hands and questioned her, "Give up? Do you not feel any guilt toward me?" His low and hoarse voice questioned with a hint of an almost-unnoticeable sadness. Charmine''s eyes darkened. Guilt toward him? All these days, Anthony had beenpromising her. He had been trying his best to fix the matter with Annabel, wearing himself out and drove. All he wanted to do was to fix this matter as soon as possible. All that hard work, and she wanted to give up. She seemed to have wronged him... chapter 611 chapter 611 Anthony''s gaze on Charmine darkened. "What Annabel and I had was merely puppy-love, no genuine love in that. Marrying her is unfair to her, you, and me. Also, if Annabel is willing to marry someone else, all that truly matters is that we find someone who truly loves her, cares for her- feelings can be developed slowly. She could get a loving family." Charmine was stumped. What a double-standard statement! Annabel could fall for another person, but he could not develop his feelings for her? Marrying Annabel off would give her happiness, but marrying him would be unfair to everyone? Unable to ept that, Charmine warned, "Anthony, we have to do good things." N?velDrama.Org ? content. "I don''t want to do good things, I only want to do you." His voice was unusually low, his hoarse voice sexy and flirtatious. Charmine¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Before she could speak, Anthony pulled her to his chest again. "Charmine, don''t overthink it. We''ll get married in six days, just wait for it. Leave the rest to me; I can fix them." His words were confident. Charmine was adamant about breaking up with him, but hearing his hope- filled words dissolved her resolution. Anthony was like a drug she could not truly put down... Seeing that she did not speak, he raised her chin and lowered his head, trying to kiss her. 1 Charmine snapped back to reality and hastily pushed him away. 1 "Now hold your horses, we can talk about thister on. I''ll call for people to fix the car now. Have some food first." With that, she walked back to her car and brought a meal box to him. Anthony had a small smile when he saw the delicate meal box. His woman went this far to send him a meal? Unwilling to let her down, Anthony took the box before leaning against the hood of the car and ate. Even though they were by the side of the road, his action was still so elegant and handsome. A sight for sore eyes, he was. Charmine called Luke to update him before keeping her phone. Anthony was eating when he suddenly thought of something. He ced down the meal box and said with a frown, "I left a document at the tea shop. I gotta go back there." "No way, you have to eat. Sit and rest¡ªI''ll get it for you." Charmine warned him seriously. It was merely a ten-minute drive away from the tea shop. A to-and-fro trip would only take her 20 minutes. Twenty minutes was enough for Anthony to eat and rest in the car for a while. If Anthony went, it would not be as convenient to eat inside the car. Thinking of that, she opened her car door and went inside. Anthony wanted to stop her, but she had sped off before he could. His lips curled up gradually... His woman was quite thoughtful. All that talk about breaking up, yet she still cared for him? Women were indeed lying creatures. Charmine drove toward the tea shop, but as she was turning away after driving a few hundred meters, she saw a repairing vehicle driving toward her, driven by Alexander! It was easy to discern him; that burgundy top with snow-white skin underneath were telltale signs. Charmine frowned. Why was Alexander here all of a sudden, and driving a repairing vehicle to boot? As if sensing something, she violently turned her steering wheel and drove toward them to block Alexander. The silver-haired teenager sitting beside Alexander cursed, "Who drives so blindly, blocking Boss Walker''s road?" "Shut it." Alexander red at him before he pushed open the door and got out. He walked toward Charmine, lips shifted into a flirtatious smile. "We meet again, Sweetie." "Don''t tell me it''s coincidence again," Charmine bit back, tone cold and unweing. chapter 612 chapter 612 That man just would not leave her life! "Of course it¡¯s not a coincidence,¡± confessed Alexander. "As I said. I¡¯ll do everything to make it up to you. Since your man''s involved in an ident, of course I''ll instantly fix the car for him." He hired a repairman upon knowing Anthony had an ident? Alexander, fixing Anthony''s car? If Anthony found out Alexander was the man who hurt her five years ago... Somehow, Charmine did not want this matter toe to the surface. Just like how Anthony wanted to fix his issues on his own, she also wanted to fix the matter with Alexander. She said coldly, "Anthony doesn¡¯t need your help. Get lost if you don''t want to be dead." All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. "Don''t worry, Sweetie, I won''t go there personally. I''ll just let my friend fix his car. As long as your friends have any problem, I''ll help them all, and that''s a promise." 1 Alexander then signaled to the teenager at the front passenger¡¯s seat. With that, the silver-haired youth went over to the driver''s seat, ignited the engine, and drove away. Charmine frowned-she was still worried. Alexanderforted, "Don''t worry; it''ll just be an automobile repair car passing by and helping him to fix his car to earn some extra cash. President Bailey won''t find it suspicious. My heart can only feel better after doing something to you." "Alexander Walker, I''ll say it again: I don''t need your apologetic interventions. Your ''making up to me'' will only disgust me further! I''ll get back at you once I''ve settled the matters at hand." Her cold words rang in the air as she turned the steering wheel away and drove toward the shop. Meanwhile, she picked up her phone and typed in a text: [A repair car will pass by. Don''t ept his help...] Still, Charmine did not send the text, considering how ridiculous it sounded. That would only induce suspicion and draw Anthony to investigate it... Anthony was already so caught up with Annabel¡¯s matter, and Charmine did not want him to get involved with matters about Alexander. 1 After a thought, she tossed the phone aside and went to get the document. Alexander, standing by the road, watched as Charmine sped off in her car. Even her car exuded her unapproachable mannerism. His eyes darkened meaningfully as he watched her. Charmine, eh? He would make her change her view! Once Charmine returned with Anthony''s document, she noted how the hood of Anthony''s car was repaired. Since Alexander''spanion came specially for Anthony, they brought all the right materials for his car that even the scratches on the hood had been fixed. Her eyes darkened. Anthony dozed off in the driver''s seat, slowly waking up when he heard movements. "A repair car passed by; they¡¯re quite skilled." Anthony was downright exhausted, and since he was thinking of the matter with Annabel and Charmine, he had not enough attention to spare. Seeing that Anthony was not suspicious, Charmine sighed in relief and opened the front passenger seat''s door. "Move over, I¡¯ll drive you back." He could ask his men to pick up his car for him. Anthony frowned. After a moment of hesitation, he did as he was told. Seeing that he came in the front passenger''s seat, she said, "Take a nap, and I''ll wake you when we''re there." "Okay." Anthony had never obliged to a woman. Anthony''s willingness to cooperate softened Charmine''s heart, and theplicated feelings she had just somehow disappeared. 1 She never realized when her interaction with Anthony had be so in sync and harmonious. She drove slowly and avoided abrupt turns and bumps. The sunlight was shining in from the window, and Anthony''s elegant face had warmed up slightly. However, even with his eyes closed, he still seemed very tired. Emotions rumbled and rolled within Charmine. There were only six days left, and even though she believed that Anthony could fix everything, the six -days period seemed tumultuous and impossible. She even felt that his way of fixing the matter was not the best way. 1 Was it a must to persist through the struggle? chapter 613 chapter 613 Charmine barely realized it as thoughts swarmed her mind, but they were already a few hundred meters away from Annabel''s wooden house. Charmine pulled over and looked at the house, noticing that a bamboo house stood quietly in the tiny forest, with clouds of smokeing out from the chimney. It was a rustic life she wanted to have so badly. What a life it would have been if she could only live with the man she loved, living a simple life in such a ce! However... As if sensing the shift in Charmine¡¯s mood, Anthony opened his eyes. He saw that they had arrived at the destination, and his eyes darkened. He looked at Charmine. "Charmine, remember every word that I said today." ''Do not overthink.'' ''Trust him.'' Despite his visible tiredness, he still remembered this matter. She could not turn him down, so she nodded. Six more days to go anyway. If things were not fixed within six days, there was no need to persist anymore. Anthony straightened up and leaned toward her,nding a feather-like kiss on her forehead. Charmine was resisting his touch and wanted to push him away, but before she could move, Anthony opened the door and got out. He stood outside the car in his suit, one hand tucked in his pocket. His pose was so elegant. "Go home and get some rest," he spoke to her. Charmine remained silent for a good while before she turned and left in her car. 1 Anthony stood by the side and watched as she drove out of sight. In the dark, behind an unnoticeable bush, two people stood silently. McKenzie came to ''talk'' to Annabel, wanting to speed up things between Annabel and Anthony, but she never expected to see what she saw. The once unattainable Anthony waited at the side as he watched Charmine drive away! He even gave her a peck on the forehead! Charmine had a passive expression as if he owed her a few millions, yet Anthony did not care and even kissed her? "Charmine is good at her game," said Miranda. "She wanted to break up with President Bailey, and now he''s terrified of losing her. He treats her with so much care and attention, spoiling her." 2 McKenzie''s fists clenched up tightly. Her beloved man, the man she dreamed of having, was yed by that cheap woman! She wanted to use Annabel to break them apart, yet they were already at the stage of getting married? Things would be irreversible if nothing was done to stop it! McKenzie¡¯s eyes were shrouded with malice as she ordered Miranda, "Go and arrange this right away..." 1 At night, Annabel was broadcasting on the tform as nned. She sat by the stove under the dim light, burning the red potato while talking to everyone. Her clear and innocent face had that next-door neighbor vibe that won the hearts of her audience. 1 In the broadcasting room, countless people were sending expensive gifts like airnes, yachts, and the likes. Her room was popr. 1 All that changed, however, when a swarm ofizens flocked to herment section. [She faked her personality. She''s not an innocent woman at all!] [She was pregnant and gave birth five years ago!] [She worked in a nightclub before!] [She was born with that harmless face, but the truth is that she''s a cheap b* tch!] [Her reputation is so bad in the vige she lives in. Everyone looked down on her!] [The inte is not the ce to lie to people. We should say no to fake hosts!] [How many men have you slept with? How many kids did you give birth to? You can''t find anyone else to lie to, so N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. you came to the inte?] Such venomousments loaded on her screen and overran thement section. 1 Everyone in the broadcasting room saw it. Curious, they began to ask. chapter 614 chapter 614 [Annabel, what¡¯s this all about? We like you so much... You better give US an exnation!] Annabel saw the sudden change in the broadcasting room. Looking at all of their questions, her face turned pale. Someone... Someone found out... They... They knew she gave birth five years ago... N?velDrama.Org ? content. The nightmare was exposed to everyone in such a way... Utterly terrified, Annabel hadpletely forgotten how to react. Luckily, Luke monitored the situation from afar and ended her stream swiftly. However, it was still toote. Everyone saw her sluggish reaction. She was obviously guilty! 1 The little fairy fully supported by the Bailey Corporation-who came out a few days ago with high-soaring poprity- plunged from the skies. Furthermore, someone was pushing the news, and even though she was not as popr, the topics including, [#Annabel-was-pregnant] went up to the search on Twitter. It did not take long before a heap ofments piled up below: [Well, what a surprise! The fairy who just came out had given birth before?] [It¡¯s real! I came from the broadcasting room, I know this would make the headline! Annabel was stunned, it''s basically an answer!] [She was so young, yet she worked in a nightclub? To meet rich guys, was it? She gave birth and is now an influencer in the vige?] [How shameless! Cheap! Liar! I suggest we all boycott this influencer forever!] The matter turned grave. Inside the bamboo house, Annabel was stunned beside the stove, pain overwhelming her senses. Someone knew of her past and revealed it so abruptly to the world, and everyone else on the inte was quick to turn against her... Hurt, Annabel wanted to cry, but she could not be so weak. No, she had to force herself to hold it in. Anthony, meanwhile, was inside his room as he listened to Luke¡¯s report as he went, "President Bailey, the matter is getting out of hand. Everyone on the inte is boycotting Ms. Annabel. Furthermore, the tform is against influencers with negative backgrounds, so they''ll block her ount for a year..." Block her ount for a year? That would not do; Annabel would lose this job. It also did not help that she became the object of ridicule. She would be called a fake b*tch forever! Anthony frowned, his gaze darkening as he did. He had not been able to fix Annabel¡¯s marriage problem, yet something else just had to pop out. He only had six days left, as promised to Charmine. Luke asked, "President Bailey, if we can''t clear Ms. Annabel''s name and fix this, we''ll have to help her get another job. The policy has been quite tight in the recent two years." Get another job... Annabel had to take care of her parents at home, thus the most convenient job for her would be to stay home, and it was best if she did not have to go out at all. This was to prevent people like McKenzie from harming her. After a moment of deep thoughts, Anthony ordered Luke, "Let thepanye up with a new job that''s good for her." "Yes, Sir!" Luke could only do as he was told. Chris looked at Anthony worriedly. "Daddy, can the matter with Auntie Annabel really be fixed?" Her career was not working, a potential match was not found, and the antidote research had failed. The progress seemed to be going backward. Worn out with a frown on his face, Anthony could onlyfort, "It will be." Chris pouted his lips. How? Everything seemed impossible! His Daddy dared do an immoral deed five years ago! If he did not do such a thing, he would have been living happily with Mommy! No! He would not let things go on like this. He had to help his Daddy and Mommy! As if thinking of something, Chris ran to the bed and took his phone to start operating on it. chapter 615 chapter 615 At night, the Bailey Corporation''s staff members had a meeting to analyze Annabel''s strength and capabilities, and they came to a conclusion: Why not have Anthony pay her 200,000 per month? What job would there be for her to work from home, having no interaction with others and no technical skills needed? Furthermore, Southern Vige was far away from the city. No matter what she took charge of, they would have to send her things from afar and let her send them back from afar. If this went on, the costs would be higher than the gain! Perhaps she was only capable of being the President¡¯s stay-at-home wife... 1 When Anthony heard back from them, he denied it right away and made theme up with another idea. They had to. Most importantly, Anthony still had to take care of Annabel''s suitors. Anthony had met about 20 men, and while they initially said they did not mind such a past as Annabel''s, their true intentions were exposed after further questioning. He must make sure Annabel would marry off well so he would feel better, in order to please Charmine. 1 Many people could not sleep that night. The entire world was in a busy state. Charmine was shocked to see Annabel in the headlines. Annabel was sponsored by Bailey Corporation, yet she was still attacked? Even after pressing her articles down, it climbed up not long after. Countlessizens rebuked Annabel, and it only made Charmine feel sorrier for her, her mood gradually turning heavier then. Annabel did not sleep around; she did not give birth to an unknown child. It was merely due to Anthony''s identity that she could not tell the truth. She could only bear all the wronged usations. All of theseplications would have been fixed if Anthony would tell the truth, if he would ept Annabel. However... That night, she could not sleep. She thought things would get better, but things were getting out of hand instead. What she did not expect was that on the next morning, when Annabel went nting outside her yard, a bunch of people found her and threw stones at her, causing her to bleed and get hurt again. 1 When Charmine was about to go to thepany, just as she walked out of the Jordans gate, two figures ran over suddenly. Thunk! They knelt in front of her. They were Annabel''s parents, dressed in coarse linen. "Charmine, I beg you to break up with Anthony," Annabel''s mother begged with her hoarse voice. "I beg you to let Annabel have Anthony! This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . "Annabel is a poor girl, and she had endured five years of usations and hatred. The vigers used to look down on her, but now the entire Burlington loathes her! How could she take it? "Do you know that people attacked her today, just because she birthed a child? Her head bled! She didn¡¯t do anything wrong! Why must she have to endure all that?" Annabel''s blind father also knelt in front of Charmine as he heartbrokenly moaned, "We know you and President Bailey truly love one another. I know it¡¯s hard for you both, but I hope Ms. Jordan could think for Annabel''s behalf. 1 "You have a simr past, and you should know how painful it must¡¯ve been for Annabel in the past five years, don¡¯t you? If it was you, if you were the one scolded by everyone, arranged to marry off to another man, how would you feel? 2 "Annabel didn''t do anything wrong, and yet she had endured five years of pain. Now because of her incapability, she had to ept all of President Bailey''s arrangements. Even though she was hurt, she had to force out a smile. It''s so hard for her! "You have everything now: You''re loved by your family, you have apany, and many men who chase after you. Without Anthony, you''ll still have everything. As for Annabel, she''d have to hold up her ruined reputation and marry a man she doesn''t love!" The two elderly parents wailed and cried hoarsely as tears trickled down like streams of water. Charmine stood in front of them, her face gradually turned darker. Indeed, she did experience what Annabel went through... She was wrongly used for five years. The difference was that she got back on her feet over the past five years, while Annabel had gotten worse. Charmine could live on without Anthony, but Annabel would have nothing, and she was even poisoned... chapter 616 chapter 616 Still, she had to give up just like that? Why must she leave just because she was ''strong'' and give her man away? 2 Charmine red at the two elders coldly. "I understand how much you care for your daughter, but how did you find out my house address? How did you learn about my past? Are you two here solely for your daughter?" 3 She questioned them coldly, and the two elders who were on their knees jolted. Charmine continued, "I''ll take a solid guess McKenzie told you everything and asked you two toe here. She was responsible for the usationsst night. "She plotted all these and then asked you two to beg me, trying to soften my heart, no? All she wanted was for me to quit, right? ''There''s no suchw saying that the stronger person should surrender. You can''t guilt me, because I have no guilt!" Indeed, Annabel''s parents were sent by McKenzie. While they were initially guilt-ridden to even do such a thing to the innocent Charmine, one look at Charmine gave one the impression that she did not have a guilty conscience in her. She was an egoistic person with a bad mouth! She instinctively red at Charmine. "You''re right, McKenzie did ask US toe. So what? Every word we said is the truth! 1 "You¡¯re just a third-wheeler, and you have no guilty conscience! President Bailey and Annabel already had a history from before, and they have a five year-old-son! Logically speaking, President Bailey should be with Annabel...! "As for you? You lost your chaste five years ago and gave birth to a stillborn; you''re not as pure as our Annabel. What rights do you have to marry President Bailey? "Because of you, President Bailey had to wear himself out every day while people mocked Annabel. Is a third-wheeler like you incapable of feeling bad at all?'' Every word of hers stabbed right at Charmine¡¯s heart. Adam, who was driving out, opened the car door and scolded, "Who are you two? What rights do you have to say such things to our Jordans¡¯ heiress? Security,e and drag them away!" "Dear, please don¡¯t say such things. Just shut up!" Annabel¡¯s father pulled on his wife''s hand and apologized to Charmine with guilt, "My apologies, Ms. Jordan, it''s her fault for using such a harsh tone. I''d like to apologize to you on her behalf. We''re just concerned about Annabel, you see, as she had endured too much pain that she shouldn¡¯t have. We only wish for her to be happy. Please, let US beg you, we beg you to break up with President Bailey. Let them be together! As long as you agree, I can give you my life!" Annabel¡¯s father said as he bowed his head repetitively. His wrinkled forehead mmed against the cold stones on the ground, enough to make him bleed. A security rushed out and hastily picked them up from the ground. As he was blind, Annabel''s father had his eyes shut. There was blood flowing down from his forehead and nose while Annabel''s mother was filled with dust. The two of them looked pitiful. Charmine red at them coldly. "Do you think Annabel will be happy if I surrender? With your social status, how do you fight with McKenzie? Furthermore, the person you should be begging is Anthony, not me. Remember, it¡¯s not that I''m not quitting; it''s Anthony who won''t let me go! "If he asks me to leave, I¡¯ll get out of your world right away. Before then, don¡¯t beg the wrong person!" 1 This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Her words were cold and chilly. She turned around and marched away. Instead of getting into the car, Charmine walked straight back to the Jordan mansion. After what had happened, she was not in the mood to work. She had to reconsider what to do next... chapter 617 chapter 617 The two elders were stunned outside the Jordans'' door, their expression contorted perplexedly. They begged the wrong person? Was begging Charmine all for naught, then? Inside the car parked not far away, McKenzie''s face darkened as Charmine¡¯s voice rang in her ears. "It''s not that I¡¯m not quitting; it¡¯s Anthony who won''t let me go!" Charmine still gloated at the fact of how well Anthony treated her in such a situation? Did she have no guilt at all? She had a simr past, but why did she not help Annabel? The n had unfolded to this stage, but was Charmine not quitting? N?velDrama.Org ? content. Was Charmine forcing her to be harsher? Gaze hardening into bitter evil, McKenzie ordered Miranda, "Prepare the final n, and if they''re not giving in..." Miranda''s eyes narrowed. "Miss, isn¡¯t this...quite risky? If they happen to know the final n, I¡¯m afraid Anthony will-" 1 "Just prepare it, and don''t execute it unless necessary. Even if we do it, don''t use our own staff!" McKenzie instructed coldly. Upon walking back into the mansion, Charmine saw Senior Jordan and the others walking out. They heard themotion, after all. Amelia¡¯s eyes seemed to smile mockingly when she saw Charmine. Who would have thought that the high-above Charmine would be a third- wheeler at such a point! As though she cared, Amelia sweetly mocked, "Oh, Charmine, who were those people? Why did they call you a third-wheeler? Do you need my help?" "Before you help me, why don''t you take better care of yourself first? Have you finished your work?" Charmine threw a cold nce at her. Amelia halted instantly. She was a supermodel before, but ever since the news of her harming Charmine was exposed, her reputation was tarnished. Her disappearance for a few months resulted in a vanished reputation. While she wanted to return to the modelling industry, nobody was willing to sponsor someone like her, and nobody was willing to fund her or promote her. She wanted to get a position at the Jordan Group, but she knew nothing of the ins and outs. Even though Charmine had given her the privilege to interview first, she did not pass any of them. Because of that, she loafed around the mansion, doing nothing... Recalling this, Senior Jordan said with an unpleasant tone to Amelia and Lily, "The two of you, go and read some books! Find yourself a job! Nobody would spoon-feed you forever!" "But in the past-" Amelia wanted to speak, but Lily already pulled her away. 1 As they walked, Lily spoke, "Your Grandpa is right; we need to improve." As they retreated to an empty space, Amelia sourly muttered, "Mom, why did you pull me away? We seldom find a chance to mock Charmine..." "What¡¯s the use of mocking her? Have you forgotten our n? We can¡¯t hurt her now! Our n only has hope when she¡¯s doing well!" Lily reminded her. Only then Amelia recalled the important matter, and she pouted. "I don¡¯t like the way she looks; mocking her will make US feel better. Also, she mocked my job..." "Hold it. Hold it in for a little longer. Whenever we can''t stand her, just think of our n..." 1 Meanwhile, Senior Jordan brought Charmine to the pavilion in the garden while Joey and Adam followed behind them considerably and quietly. chapter 618 chapter 618 Senior Jordan looked at Charmine concernedly. He found out about what happened when he asked Adam to investigate Charmine and Anthony¡¯s rtionship. He could not step in; he wanted to let the two youngsters sort it out themselves. Little did he expect this to have He looked at Charmine andforted, "Charmine, I already know what''s going on between you and Anthony. It''s a bitter rtionship to you both. If you''re upset, you¡¯re wee to cry in front of Grandpa. Grandpa won''tugh at you.¡± Charmine was swamped with work for the past few days, and hearing that from Senior Jordan filled her with warmth. "I''m fine, Grandpa,¡± said Charmine. "I''m not at the stage to cry yet. I¡¯m thinking of how to make things right." "Make things right, huh? Sigh... To be fair, nobody is at fault in this situation, no matter it was Annabel or Anthony. God was at fault; fate, I mean. Charmine, you have to think carefully. Don''t let anyone down, and don''t let yourself down. No matter what decision you made, Grandpa and your parents will support you," assured Senior Jordan with a caring andforting tone. 1 Charmine frowned. ''Nobody is at fault¡¯, ''don¡¯t let anyone down'', and don¡¯t let herself down... If she was to be with Anthony, she would let Annabel down. If she let Annabel have him, she would disappoint Anthony and herself. 1 What choice could she make? Inside the bamboo house. The white bandages wrapped around Annabel''s head were tainted by blood. She had fainted, her face pale and anxious. She was like a small white flower that would wither with the wind at any given time. Nial sighed. "If this went on, Bro, do you think...¡± ''There''s nothing to think about. Send men to protect her," Anthony scoffed and walked away. Nial sighed as his brows furrowed. Not only had they not found Annabel a job, but she was also openly frowned upon and was hurt. If this went on, the problem would only get more severe. When Anthony walked out the door, he looked chillier than usual. Chris suddenly ran up to him. "Daddy, Daddy! I know what Auntie Annabel can do at home!¡± "Don''t mess around, and ask Luke to send you to school. You can''t keep missing sses,¡± said Anthony. "I''m not messing around. I''m helping my stupid Daddy fix his problem! Last night I contacted my friend Mark Jones, and he can help Auntie Annabel!¡± answered Chris as he found their chat history and showed it to Anthony. Anthony thought Chris was messing around, but reading their texts made his eyes glimmer faintly with hope. The Jones family was a ginseng supplier that was looking for a new piece ofnd to nt ginseng. Thend where Annabel lived was perfect for nting ginseng. They only needed to ship the things to this ce and let Annabel take care of them. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. That was a ster idea. Anthony reached out to ruffle Chris'' head. "I''ll ask them to deal with it. Be good and go to school." "No way! There''s a very important matter for you to deal with. Didn¡¯t you realize that Auntie Annabel''s parents are away? I think they''ve gone to find Mommy! Mommy didn¡¯t pick up my calls, so Daddy...you have to find Mommy!" Chris warned him. 1 Anthony frowned. Annabel''s parents went to beg Charmine? Charmine had been unstable for the past two days, even to the extent of wanting to give up. If they went to beg Charmine... Damn it! He no longer cared whether Chris went to school or not. He marched forward and raced away in his car. chapter 619 chapter 619 Chris'' little figure was left alone in the yard. His father hadpletely forgotten about him... At the Jordan mansion. Charmine went upstairs alone after her talk with Senior Jordan. Joey looked in the direction Charmine walked away and asked worriedly," Do we just let Charmine be alone? Why don''t we apany her-" "No need. Leave her be for now." Senior Jordan sighed heavily. With that, nobody went up to the second floor. They gave Charmine enough space and time. Inside the gym. Charmine was dressed in her tight high waist pants with a sports bra. Fists balled tightly, she threw jabs and This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . punches at the punching bag. With every punch, a huge dent appeared on the punching bag. It even flew afar before bouncing back. Her delicate and three-dimensional face had beads of sweat rolling down like diamonds. They flew along her face, dropping to her neck and corbone. Her beauty was utterly wild and unique. Despite her beauty, however, her aura was bitter cold and grim. Every jab was as if she was attacking something she was unsatisfied about. Her ears rang with the words said by Annabel''s parents. Her head was filled with how theizens scolded Annabel and attacked her. She also saw how tired Anthony looked when he was driving. Julian''s ''struggling'' yed again and again in her ears. Her rtionship with Anthony was indeed struggling. From strangers to today''s struggle, was it worth it? Charmine had not felt this bad in a very long while. While she sessfullyposed herself in front of Annabel¡¯s parents, her emotions ran rampant when she was alone. Thoughts of what had happened fueled more force into her punches as they got more aggressive. Meanwhile, the door was opened. Click! Thinking a maid hade in, Charmine growled, "Get out." The footsteps did not stop; they grew closer instead. Charmine frowned unpleasantly. She turned around to see the person walking from the door was a man... It was Anthony! Anthony was dressed in his casual pants and a white shirt. Perhaps he left in a hurry as he did not even have his suit on. He seemed more approachable and elegant with that. However, his face was heavy and serious. Charmine frowned at him. "Why did youe?" She remembered locking the door on the second floor when she came up. Perhaps he climbed through the window? Walking toward her, Anthony picked up a towel and tried to help her wipe off her sweat. His action was so elegant, gentle, and steady. Looking at her red flushed red from the exercising, his eyes were filled with care and love. "Don''t overdo yourself." His tone sounded as if nothing had happened. Charmine took the towel from him and wiped the sweat herself. "I know what I''m doing. I don''t need your reminder." As she spoke, she turned around to face him with her back. Anthony could clearly feel her distant demeanor. She was avoiding him. Gaze sharpening, he asked suddenly, "Where''s your ount book?" ount book? Charmine frowned. "Why do you ask?" Anthony took out his ount book and walked up to her. ''To get married." Charmine looked at his dark red ount book, his eyes serious and determined. She frowned. "Get married? Are you kidding me, Anthony? Have you gone crazy?" He came here at this time to try to get married? Annabel, meanwhile, was so wrongly used of because of him, her poison still active in her systems, she lost her job, her reputation, and was scrutinized by everyone. At this point, he still wanted to marry her? Anthony said in a low voice, "You have to understand: I didn''t cause the pain that Annabel is going through. They''re caused by McKenzie. Incident after incident, they were all arranged by McKenzie to stop US. The more we turn away, the more she¡¯d attack!" chapter 620 chapter 620 "Why don''t we keep it simple? Just get married." His thick and maic voice rang in the air. He put his ount book in Charmine¡¯s hands. Charmine was stunned. All the pain suffered by Annabel was not caused by Anthony but was caused by McKenzie instead? 1 That...seemed usible. That was it; McKenzie had to be the mastermind to have pulled the strings. Annabel would never have received such a heftysh-out if it was not for her. Furthermore... Keep it simple? Just get married? Did just use those words tofort her, to settle it? 1 Admittedly, Charmine had been in the blues for the past few days and the problems overwhelmed her for so long, yet his solution was to get married? 1 Seeing that she was stunned, Anthony asked in a low voice, "What? You want McKenzie to win this?" Charmine''s eyelids jumped. Let McKenzie win this? Fat chance! She would not simplypromise or fall. Still... Something seemed off. Why was that? How did she feel as if her thoughts had been manipted somehow? The one hint of rationality left in her made her give back the ount book to Anthony as she insisted, "Getting the marriage certificate is a big deal. I need to calm down and think it through. You go home first-give me some time." "Charmine, hesitate no more. We have to get married so McKenzie will give up, preventing any unsavory events from happening." Anthony''s voice was maic and thick. Charmine fell silent. ''Make McKenzie give up, preventing any unsavory events from happening''? Would their marriage end McKenzie¡¯s scheme? Oh, no, Charmine was already getting convinced? She still felt something was off, however... Before she could respond, Antony pulled her by the hand and walked downstairs. "Get your ount book from Grandpa," he spoke as he walked, "and after getting the marriage certificate, we can discuss everything else slowly.¡± Anthony would have peace of mind only after they got married, and only then could he settle everything else. It would be able to stop Charmine from overthinking. Charmine, in a blur, was dragged out from the room. Her thoughts were messed up. How did the situation escte to such a height all of a sudden? Was she really getting married to Anthony? Just like that? 2 Anthony had pulled her to the door of the second floor, and with just one push, the Jordans would see them. Suddenly... Ring! Ring! Ring! His phone rang hurriedly. Anthony took out his phone and wanted to decline it when he noted it was Nial calling. Nial would not call him if it was not an urgent matter. He had to stop walking and pick up. Nial''s voice was heard instantly, "Bro, it''s bad! Momo fell ill again! The situation is so severe that he''s been sent to the emergency room at Royal Hospital!" Anthony and Charmine''s faces darkened as they eyed each other anxiously. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Momo fell ill? He was sent to the emergency room? How could it be? Why did that happen so suddenly? Anthony asked in a low voice, "What caused it?¡± "I''m not sure. Momo went out alone, and when we found him in the backyard, he was spitting white bubbles, was unconscious, and had a nosebleed as well. It wasn''t pretty at all. Come over soon!" With that, Nial hung up right away. Anthony felt extremely uneasy. Chris was fine before he left, so how did that suddenly ur? He was so young! How could he take it? 2 She said to Anthony, "Follow me right away!" As of getting married... They could only postpone. chapter 621 chapter 621 Anthony kept his ount book and followed Charmine as they carefully took a different alley out, their driver already waiting for them by the side door. Once the two of them got on, the car raced away to Royal Hospital. Owned by Bailey Corporation, the hospital had the best specialists and medical professors in the country with the finest skills. However, they all stood outside a ward as they wore solemn expressions. Even Nial was frowning, his expression in a poor state. When Charmine and Anthony rushed over, the little Chris wasying on the sickbed with pipes and devices all over his body. 2 With his face paper-white pale and mounted by an oxygen mask, Chris was no longer cheerful and energetic like his usual self. Charmine¡¯s heart tightened instantly as she marched toward the bed and held Memo''s hand. ''What happened to Momo? How did this happen?" Even when he had seizures in the past, he recovered rapidly. Why were there so many devices? Why was it difficult for him to breathe? All the doctors in the room lowered their heads, and nobody dared to speak as they nced at Nial. Nial''s eyes were downcast, and it was only after a moment that he reluctantly spoke, worry evident in his tone, "Bro, Charmine... Momo, he... He''s diagnosed with the new-strand of Severe Immune Deficiency, and I¡¯m afraid..." 2 When he said that, Nial¡¯s voice became hoarse. Charmine and Anthony jolted. Severe Immune Deficiency? What illness was that? 1 Why did it sound so severe? Someone by the side exined, "The is known as SITN. In simpler terms, the immune system is too weak to support his body. His other organs will slowly break down gradually, fatal enough to cause death. Roughly... He might not be able to live past eight years old." 1 Charmine''s hold on Momo tightened. He might not be able to live past eight years old...? Momo would not live past eight years old! She did not believe it when Momo told her about it once, and never did she expect that it was true. How... How could that have happened? "He was fine in the morning...! How did this happen? Is there no technology to cure him? Can''t anything in this world save him?" She almost wailed, her voice was hoarse. Anthony stood silently at the side, his well-built figure emitting a strong sense of chill and authority. Nial¡¯s voice was heavier than usual as he replied, "Momo had a body check before, and we couldn''t pinpoint the source nor the illness. However, he had a nosebleed this time and difficulty breathing. That''s why we found out. This is a new strand of illness, and there are only three cases in the entire world so far. Of course, there''s only one way to save Momo..." Charmine''s eyesnded on Nial. There was a way... Atst, there was one way! Momo could be saved. 1 Anthony, who had been keeping quiet, looked at Nial. Nial signaled the rest of the doctors, to which they lowered their heads respectfully and left. By then, only the three of them were left inside the ward. Nial said heavily," The solution.Js that Bro and Annabel make another baby." N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Make another baby? The atmosphere in the room tensed up. Charmine and Anthony were dumbfounded. How could Nial joke around at such a crucial moment? Nial exined, "I''m not kidding, I''m serious. As of now, Momo''s illness can only be treated with cord blood. You brought Momo home, Bro, yet his umbilical cord wasn¡¯t reserved, and only his sibling of the same father and mother could save him. If you want to save Momo, you must have another child with Annabel, Bro." 3 His sentence felt like a heavy boulder that mmed against their chests. Charmine''s hand clenched into a fist. Only the child made by Annabel and Anthony could save Momo? Only cord blood could save Momo? 3 No... chapter 622 chapter 622 Anthony instantly glowered. "Nial, you studied medicine for twenty-six years. That''s all you got?¡± His tone was unpleasant and heavy. It was obvious he did not like his suggestion. Nial looked at him, guilty and hopeless. "I want to save Momo just as bad as you do, and I also want you and Charmine to be together. I''ve been shipping the two of you for so long! Do you think it''s easy to give such a sentence? "However, there are only three cases of this in the world, and two had died. The only one that survived was cured by cord blood. I... "Whatever, I don''t have much to say anymore. You two think it through. I''ll get medications for Momo to reduce his pain," concluded Nial as he pushed the door and walked out, his gait obviously covered with sadness. 1 N?velDrama.Org ? content. As the door closed audibly, the tension in the room built up heavily. Charmine sat by the bedside, her chest tightened. Anthony and Annabel had to make another baby? Charmine was ready to marry Anthony just moments ago, yet he had to marry Annabel instead all of a sudden? Everything was too sudden... Anthony remained transfixed on the spot for too long. Eyeing Momo attentively, Anthony turned and walked away. Sensing the ominous storm in him, Charmine asked hastily, ¡®Where are you going? What are you doing?" Knowing him, he would not follow through with having a child with Annabel. Anthony halted his steps as three sybles came out of his lips," McKenzie." McKenzie? That made sense! Chris suddenly got ill, and it happened just as they were about to get married. The situation made it that he had no choice but to make another baby with Annabel... No doubt, McKenzie was behind this. Still... Charmine gazed at him, eyes filled with reason and logic. "Is McKenzie so capable that she can give such a strange illness to Momo? Momo''s immune system had always been weak. Even if McKenzie was involved, she merely sped up the side effects and pushed the symptoms harder. Even if we find McKenzie now, neither Nial nor the rest of the world knows what to do with Momo''s illness! What could she do? The most we can do is kill her, but Momo will still die!" 3 Her clear voice rang in the air, calm yet heavy like ice. Anthony stopped before the door. This was indeed not the time to hold McKenzie ountable to this. The most important thing was Chris¡¯ illness. However, Chris'' illness could only be saved with cord blood. Did he really have to make another baby with Annabel? Charmine looked at the pale and weakened Chris on the bed, and she closed her eyes heavy-heartedly. When she opened her eyes again, her eyes were clearer than before as she looked at Anthony. "Anthony, we have to calm down and talk. I''ll contact Uncle Weir now and ask him toe and have a look. If he doesn''t have a way to save Momo, then you...and Annabel will make a baby." 1 Anthony''s eyebrows raised as he met her gaze. "You¡¯re okay with it?" His low and hoarse voice exuded a sense of pressure and unpleasantness. 1 Charmine was not terrified, eyes never wavering from his. ¡®What other options do we have? He''s your son! Do you not care? Momo is still so young, and he shouldn''t withstand such pain! If there''s no other way, you two better make it happen soon so that Momo will suffer less!" 1 It left a bitter taste as she spoke, but she mustered whatever strength she had left to try to rx and stay calm. To her, nothing was more important than Chris. Although Chris was not her actual son, somehow she always felt for him and loved him dearly. If she had to pick between Chris¡¯ life and Anthony, she would not hesitate to pick Chris''. chapter 623 chapter 623 Anthony was a few meters away from her, but Charmine''s determination was palpable. To Charmine, he was not as important as Chris. He should not be jealous at this time, but he was still upset. He looked at Charmine. "I have a win-win solution. I''ll fix this.¡± Leaving such set-in-stone, determined words, Anthony then turned to leave. Charmine was stunned by the bedside. Her lips curled up bitterly. How would there be a win-win solution at this stage? That was impossible. She turned to look at Chris, lying on the bed. She held his cold, tiny hand, and her grip tightened. He was just a young child. Why did he have to endure so much pain? No... She could not let Chris suffer! She took out her phone and dialed Dr. Weir''s phone. Dr. Weir rushed in within an hour. After checking Chris'' pulse, his brows tightened. Charmine had not seen him with such a serious expression. He did not have this expression when he treated Robert. A deep sense of uneasiness welled in her. "What is it, Uncle Weir? Is there hope for a cure?" "Sigh..." Doctor Weir sighed heavily. "Prepare yourself for what I''m about to tell you, Charmine. This child''s illness is different from your brother''s. Your brother was poisoned, but as long as the poison is ultimately removed from his body, he can recover. However, this child is diagnosed with a natural disease; he was born with weaker immunity. In other terms, if he was born with weaker immunity, there is nothing much we could do due to his frail immune system. ''With that, even for me, I''d need five years to slowly adjust his body, but it''s apparent that he won''tst that long. I¡¯m afraid that before his body can even adjust to it, he''ll..." Charmine hung onto thatst shred of hope, but Dr. Weir''s words plummeted her world into darkness. In other words, there really was no other way. Momo would not live past eight... This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . That was, unless Anthony and Annabel made another baby... Doctor Weir patted Charmine''s shoulder. "Charmine, you and Anthony aren''t meant to be together. Your Grandpa and I had discussed this problem before. Your Grandpa loves you and listens to you. I agreed with him, but now... Sigh. Uncle Weir can introduce better men for you!" 1 Already hopeless, Charmine had zero mood and interest to talk about that. ''Thank you, Uncle Weir, but I¡¯m not nning to get married anytime soon," she spoke. ''Thank you foring over to check on Momo.¡± "If you call me Uncle, you don''t have to thank me. Uncle knows you''re in a bad mood, so we won''t talk about this now. I won''t force you. Don''t be too worried-I have something that can ease his pain even though I can''t cure him. He¡¯ll be able to jump around pain-free soon. I''ll get it right away!" Dr. Weir stood up from the chair right after. Charmine eyed him in disbelief. "Really? He doesn''t have toy here and have fluids sent to him with these devices?" "Of course! I''m the best doctor, so it''s only natural I''m still capable of easing his pain. Just wait." Doctor Weir patted his chest and left. Charmine felt slightly better after hearing that. However, once Dr. Weir walked out, her head had more space to digest what he said earlier. Anthony and her were not meant for each other. They had no need to continue... Indeed, there was no need to persist. As long as Momo was healthy. So what if she was not with Anthony? On the same day, Dr. Weir had his men send the medications to Royal Hospital. Charmine fed them to Momo and took care of him in the hospital. Anthony, meanwhile, never returned after he left in the afternoon. chapter 624 chapter 624 The sky grew dark as thest sunset ray disappeared from the horizon. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Nial came in again to check on Chris. He raised his eyebrows with surprise. "Momo''s symptoms are gone! How did it vanish so quickly?" "He had the pills made by Dr. Weir, but this will only ease his pain for the following two years," replied Charmine with an indescribable emotion. The delight on Nial''s face turned a few shades duller. Charmine looked at him and asked, "Nial, will Momo be saved once we get cord blood?" ''Yeah. ording to the current research conclusion, cord blood contains hematopoietic stem cells that''ll quickly rebuild all the systems in Momo''s body. There''s a 90% chance," Nial replied. A 90 percent chance was considered very high in the medical field. Along with the finest skills from specialists like Nial, if they dismissed all the possible negative situations, the sess rate could be as high as 100 percent. Charmine nodded. "I understand. You take care of Momo for a while." Charmine could atst leave after sitting in the ward for a whole day. Although the hospital was extremely clean, the smell of medical liquid permeated the air. She walked to the balcony and felt the night breeze, looking at the limitless night sky. There were houses not far away, blinking like the stars. Every light represented a homely home. Anthony once said to her that he could provide her a family whenever she wanted so long as she was willing... s, that was all but a distant dream. 1 She took out her phone and dialed Anthony¡¯s number. "Anthony, I''m waiting for you at the balcony of Royal Hospital,¡± she began. "If you don''t announce the news of you marrying Annabel by tonight, I''ll jump off from the balcony." "Charmine! You-" Before Anthony''s anxious voice was heard, Charmine had already hung up. She hung up the phone and sat by the dangerous balcony side. Her eyes were cold and determined. She would not actually jump off the building; Charmine knew Anthony would strike her a bargain of sorts. Furthermore, if Anthony did notpromise, she had other ns. She could sue this chance to leave. [Charmine: Prepare everything.] Kay, all the while, kept a watchful eye on Charmine from afar. He gave a thumbs up when he heard her conversation with Anthony. How bold of her! Anthony had to have been frantic by then. However, Charmine seemed to have made up her mind. Perhaps nothing could change her decision anymore. Kay went ahead to prepare everything quickly. The night grew dark as the crescent moon hung on the ck night sky. Charmine waited by the side of the balcony for a very long while. It was a long, arduous wait. It surprised her, however, when arge intable bed appeared beneath her ten minutester. 1 Anthony arranged for this. It was evident he worried she might take things to a ridiculous extreme, thus he prepared it so he could save her. Did he think the intable bed would be able to ruin her n, though? Anthony thought too lowly of her. Meanwhile, the lift made a sound with footsteps heard rapidly. Ding! The footsteps were very quick. Many people must havee. Charmine turned to look at the entrance, remaining unperturbed as she waited. She had a hint of determination in her eyes. No matter what, she had to make Anthony bed Annabel. She wanted to save her son! However, when she saw the peopleing, her pupils dted. chapter 625 chapter 625 The people who came were... Anthony and Annabel! Anthony brought Annabel with him? Was he not avoiding Annabel? Why did he take her with him? Behind them were Nial, Senior Jordan, Joey, and Adam. Their hearts skipped a beat when they saw Charmine sitting by the balcony. Incredible... An arrogant person like Charmine was threatening him with her life! Annabel instantly ran and stood a few meters away from Charmine. She cried out anxiously, "Ms. Jordan, please don¡¯t do anything silly... Please don''t! President Bailey has a solution-we''ve talked things through! I¡¯ll give birth to his baby, but we¡¯ll use in-vitro fertilization, no interaction needed. I won''t stop the two of you from getting married; I''m just a surrogate mother! Please, I beg you, pleasee down...¡± 1 Charmine''s eyelids twitched. Anthony disappeared for a whole day to find and talk things with Annabel, even asking her to be a surrogate mother? Anthony actually thought of such an idea? Most surprisingly, Annabel agreed? Perplexed, she looked at Annabel. "Why did you agree to it?¡± Annabel was a clean, pure, and innocent girl. Why would she be willing to do such a thing?All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. She had yet to escape the ridicules from the masses, yet she still wanted to give birth to another baby? 1 Annabel replied, "Ms. Jordan, I''m not like you. You''re capable and skilled, and you can go for love, but all I''m going for is peace and the safety of my parents and I. With my identity, I don''t ask to be with President Bailey, but since Momo is my child, of course I''m willing to save him, even if it''s as a surrogate mother. "Furthermore, President Bailey has promised to arrange my parents and I to live in a ce where nobody would know US nor find US. We''ll live a quiet and trouble-free life. "We merely have to grow some flowers and nts every day, earning five million per month. This is something I won''t be able to get in my entire life. Therefore, rest assured that I¡¯ll leave Burlington and leave this continent right after the IVF operation. You, Momo, and President Bailey can be together without any concern." 1 Charmine frowned-that seemed rather well thought-out. So Annabel was willing to leave her country for money, and give birth to another child? Seeing that she had no intention toe down, Anthony gazed at Charmine solemnly. "I¡¯ve signed the surrogate mother contract with Ms. Annabel. If you still don''te down, do you want me to carry Momo to you personally?" Carry Momo? Chris was still resting inside the ward. If he carried him out, Chris would be disturbed! Charmine was prepared to perform her final act, but before she could do it, Anthony already knocked it out! Such brazenness, that was! If she did note down, it would seem that she was faking it. Since Annabel had agreed, however, what was there left to act for? With that, she came down from the balcony. The moment she came down, Anthony flickered like a shadow toward her, and he quickly ced his arms around her waist before bridging her to a safe area. Meanwhile, his big hand pinched on her waist as a punishment. "Have you forgotten everything I said before I left?" He sounded unpleasant. Charmine frowned. Things that he said before he left? She remembered he said he would fix things... Back then, she thought he was merely finding McKenzie. She thought he was just going to let it out on McKenzie and take revenge. Who would have thought... Most shocking of all, Annabel actually agreed to this deal? This was Annabel''s biggest chance of marrying into the Bailey family. She looked at Annabel with disbelief. "Are you sure about this?" chapter 626 chapter 626 ''Yes, and you don''t have to feel like you owe me. What happened between President Bailey and I was an ident. Other than this, the time we spent together was less than you did with him. You also know that even if I marry into the Bailey family, how would the Baileys approve of me with who I am? How can I get past McKenzie? N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. "Instead of being entangled with the Bailey family''s internal conflict, why not live a quiet and peaceful life with my parents? Therefore, Ms. Jordan, you and President Bailey should stay together. I fully support you two together." 1 Annabel gazed at Charmine with her doe-like eyes, sincere and encouraging. Charmine felt that everything was happening too suddenly; everything had changed so suddenly. Was this the so-called ''things will develop in the opposite direction once they reach the most extreme point''? Despite what happened, however, Charmine felt like something was off as she looked at Annabel''s innocent face. She felt uneasy, restless... Noticing her doubt, Anthony''s hand remained on her waist as he informed Luke, "Arrange for Ms. Annabel to be admitted and prepare for the operation tomorrow." ''Yes, Sir!" Luke went ahead to bring Annabel. Before Annabel left, she looked at Charmine and gave her a sweet and innocent smile. "Ms. Jordan, don''t overthink it. You have to be happy with President Bailey.¡± Those words rang in her mind and worsened her anxiety instead of easing it. Even she did not know where this uneasiness wasing from. 2 The Jordans saw how Anthony held Charmine, and they were relieved. Wisely, they left silently, leaving space for the two. There were only Anthony and Charmine left in the balcony. Charmine felt Anthony''srge hand gripping her waist tightly, so tight that she was unable to breathe. ''You may let me go now," she blurted. "I''m not silly; you don''t have to hold me." "If you''re not silly, would you have done this to threaten me?" Anthony red at her, his eyes darker than usual. God knew how worried he was when he received Charmine''s call. His usually calmed heart had never raced so rapidly before. What a woman she was-she gave him the life-or-death experience at 120 beats per second. Charmine fell silent. She had no intention of jumping off... Knowing Anthony, she knew he would not sort it out right away while she was more definite. She did not want to dwell on this for too long. It was just a matter of breaking up. Why drag it out for so long? Charmine nned on forcing him to marry Annabel or pretend to jump off the building and fake her death. This was for Anthony to think that she was dead, and she could leave the country then. However, she did not have to tell him everything now. The problem she was considering was... 1 Suddenly, Anthony hardened his pinch around her waist. She felt a sharp paining from her waist. He red at her. "Charmine, stop overthinking it. Once Annabel leaves the country to take care of the baby, we can get married peacefully." Charmine was stumped. Get married? He was having a baby with another woman, and he still wanted to marry her? Although it was a test-tube baby, Annabel was a surrogate mother. While they would not have any interaction, it still felt strange... Anthony did not hear a reply from her. His brows suddenly furrowed. He grabbed her shoulder and turned her to face him. He asked in a low voice, "What? You''re judging me for having a baby with another woman?" Charmine''s eyes darkened. Judging him? She had given birth herself, so it was only natural she would not look down on him. She had no rights to do so. 1 It was just that... This situation seemed to be different... Even though she knew she should not mind, it felt too strange when he suggested that they should marry. What kind of strangeness was she feeling? chapter 627 chapter 627 Charmine did not understand it. "I''m not looking down on you," she spoke to Anthony, "it''s just that getting married is a big deal. We''ll talk about itter. Take care of Momo for now, and we''ll talk when it''s all sorted." Anthony still wanted to talk about it, but Charmine squirmed out of his hold and walked downstairs. Anthony''s eyes darkened; she was avoiding him. When Charmine got back to the ward, she saw that the devices on Chris were removed. Still on the bed, Chris'' adorable eyes blinked. He was awake! "Momo!¡± Charmine instantly rushed toward him. Chris instantly spotted Charmine running toward him. Eyes glossed with tears, his little figure jumped up from the bed andunched into her hug. Charmine caught him steadily, embracing his warm being. Her nose tingled. The weak and breathless Chris had woken up! The feeling of gaining after losses filled up her heart. Chris practically glued himself to her, his doe eyes filled with tears as though they would leak anytime. He looked at her. "Mommy, don''t leave Momo, okay? Mommy, don¡¯t leave Momo. Don''t leave Momo alone..." 1 His soft voice begged her. Charmine''s heart instantly softened like soil. Calling her his mother, Charmine wanted to give him the world. Thinking of how heid on the bed with symptoms earlier, she nodded almost without hesitation. "Okay, Mommy will promise Momo. Mommy will always stay with Momo!" Howeverplicated matters would get with Anthony, she would ask Anthony to leave instead of leaving Momo behind! 2 Anthony walked in on them and frowned. Why did he feel as if he was neglected? Nial, who removed the devices on Momo, said to them, ''Take care of Momo. Since we still don''t have the cord blood, and even with Dr. Weir''s medication, we have to ensure that he''s in a good mood." Positive feelings and emotions were always the best medication. Charmine understood this. Thinking of how Chris was already five, he was merely three years away from being eight. Even with the cord blood, there was a ten percent chance of losing him. She made a decision: She would spoil Momo in the following three years. Nial then looked at Anthony. "Do get a good rest tonight. Tomorrow is the best time." Tomorrow happened to be Annabel¡¯s ovtion date, and it was possible for the test tube operation to be sessful. However... "Before that, there¡¯s a difficult situation to fix. The poison is still inside Annabel''s body. Although this won''t affect the n and won''t cause too much harm, for safety purposes, it''s better to fix it as soon as possible. Try to find McKenzie..." 1 Anthony''s eyes were unusually malicious. After a moment, he said, "I''ll arrange it right away. Act ording to the n." "Okay." Nial ruffled Chris'' hair and left. Blinking innocently, Chris warily asked, "Daddy, Mommy, what''s happening tomorrow? What n are you talking about?" This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Charmine halted. If Chris found out about this, he might not agree, and it might even affect his emotions... ''Tomorrow is the first day Momo gets up," offered Charmine, "and it''s the best time to do some exercises. Sleep early tonight, and Mommy will bring you out for a run tomorrow!" 1 "Yay! But I want to sleep with Daddy and Mommy!" Chris said with a pitiable face, his mouth elongating into a pout. "Momo had a very very long dream. I dreamed of myself falling to the ground and had a seizure-no Daddy, and no Mommy. I dreamt I had tubes all over me, that I can''t sleep with Daddy and Mommy...! Waa.J¡± chapter 628 chapter 628 Hearing that, Charmine''s chest tightened. "Alright, Mommy and Daddy will sleep with you,¡±forted Charmine. "We won¡¯t leave you alone.¡± ''Yay!" Chris jumped up happily and crawled back to the bed, tidying it, As he had a VIP ward, thefortable bed was 1.8 meters wide. 1 There was plenty of space even as Chris, Charmine, and Anthonyid down. Charmine looked at Anthony. "Go and wash up first. I''ll apany Momo." Anthony¡¯s eyes darkened. They would all atst share a bed? What an abrupt yet weed joyous feat... Charmine noticed how Anthony was rooted where he was and eyed him." What? Haven''t seen me for a few days and you don''t want to sleep with me anymore?" Anthony rposed his thoughts and walked into the bathroom. Charmine averted her eyes. It was no big deal-they would just share a bed. As long as Chris was happy, there was nothing toin about. Charmine shifted her attention to Chris. "Right, Momo, what was it? What happened to you today? How did this happen?" Thinking of what happened in the afternoon, his small face grimaced and almost cried. "Waa... A vige auntie said Mommy doesn''t want Momo anymore. She said Mommy would break up with Daddy, that Mommy will force Daddy to be with Auntie Annabel. She even pushed me, saying Mommy will marry another man, that you won''t be my Mommy anymore. Waa.J¡± 1 Chris sobbed and began to wail. Charmine hastily cuddled him in her arms, her heart ached badly. Was she genuinely that important to Momo that he had seizures because of her? She hastily yet gently patted Chris. "Don''t cry, Momo. You''re so silly! How could you listen to what they say? How could you get ill because of Mommy? Didn''t Mommy teach you to be strong?" "Waa... Mommy hasn''t seen Momo for five days, and Momo feels Mommy doesn''t want Momo anymore. I''ve missed you every day for the past five days, wanting to see you, but all Momo could do was wait..." Chris looked at Charmine with a wronged look as he blinked his big eyes at her. ¡± Mommy, promise Momo, don¡¯t get married to another man, okay? Don¡¯t let Daddy be with Auntie Annabel, okay?¡± Charmine fell silent. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Since the situation had unfolded to this stage, Charmine could only relent," Okay." Chris had a glint of satisfaction in his eyes. A clever look. Charmine hugged him and put him to bed, her gaze wavering and clouded. Why would a viger say such things to Chris for no reason? It was McKenzie, no doubt. McKenzie must have found out that Anthony was about to get married, so she did this to stop him from doing so. McKenzie had been pulling at all the stops behind the scene, trying to destroy everything. Did McKenzie think she could get away with it just because Charmine did not fight back? 1 She had to act for the antidote, and fast. She took out her phone and sent Kay a message. [Charmine: Drop a little lesson on McKenzie.] After a while, Anthony walked out. He was dressed in the white cotton shirt provided by the hospital, giving a gentle sense of a man who stayed home. His drenched hair dripped with beads of water, and that only made him sexier, much more...tantalizing than usual. Even though Charmine had seen him many times, her heart would gallop for miles and miles every time she saw him. He walked toward her, one step at a time. chapter 629 chapter 629 Charmine quickly looked away as she said to Chris, "Daddy will put you to sleep while Mommy will go wash up, okay?" "Okay!¡± replied Chris obediently. Charmine quickly let go of Chris, walked past Anthony, and rushed into the washroom. Anthony saw how she avoided him, and his lips curled up unknowingly. Chris and Anthony were left in the room. Chris suddenly reached out his hand and beckoned toward him. "Come closer, Daddy, I want to tell you something." Anthony frowned. This little cheeky just recovered-what ideas did he have? He sat down by the side while drying his hair with the towel. Chris went beside him and, in a hushed voice, spoke, "Daddy, I know about you making another baby with Auntie Annabel. I know everything." Anthony''s expression changed. He knew? "I was still conscious though I fainted. I don¡¯t mind it if you and Auntie Annabel make another baby, considering that I want to live past eight to grow old with Mommy. I want to be with Mommy forever," exined Chris as he bore the disposition of an adult. 1 Antony threw him a look. "Is this what you learn from school?" "I don''t care; I want to be with Mommy forever! I won¡¯t allow you to do anything that''ll harm Mommy! What happened between you and Auntie Annabel five years ago was the greatest harm done to Mommy, and now you¡¯re making another baby with Auntie Annabel. Mommy must be sad- she must be so upset. ''To stop things from spiraling out of control, I''ll be on the lookout for you both. I''ll help you to marry Mommy sooner. You got to stay smart, and don¡¯t let down the chances I give you!" Chris warned him with a serious tone, as if scared that Anthony did not remember. "Do you hear me?" Chris tugged at his sleeve. 3 All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Anthony was baffled. ''On the lookout¡¯? What did this cheeky boy have in mind? Before he could ask, the bathroom door was pushed open. Charmine showered as fast as she could before she changed into cotton pajamas. She walked toward the hairdryer while asking Chris, "Momo, what are you two chatting about?" "Nothing, Daddy said when he jumped over the fence today, he tore his thigh muscles. He asked me to help him massage," answered Chris as his little figure got down from the bed. He stood in front of Anthony and his tiny hands started to massage Anthony''s thigh. Charmine''s eyelids twitched. "Anthony, how could you let Momo massage your thigh? He just recovered! How could you abuse children like this?" growled Charmine as she carried Chris, cing him back on the bed. Chris blinked his eyes. ¡°Mommy, don''t me Daddy. Daddy said he climbed up two floors, and now his arms are hurting, so he can¡¯t massage himself..." Charmine recalled how Anthony climbed the window to find her, thus she instinctively said, "You could''ve asked me to massage you. No need to force the child to do things. Momo is so young; he¡¯s for you to spoil!" With that, she pulled a stool and sat down in front of him. She reached out to massage his thigh. Anthony''s eyes darkened. The scolding that came out of nowhere had suddenly turned into a blessing ... 2 He felt as if he won a 50 billion jackpot. Chris raised his chin by the side as if saying, "I''m smart, Daddy!" 1 Anthony reached out to ruffle his head. ''Thank you, Momo." Charmine thought Anthony was just feeling guilty for abusing Chris, finally realizing that he should not have made him massage his limbs. Oh, little did she know... chapter 630 chapter 630 She thoughtfully massaged Anthony by his thigh and asked, "Where exactly does it hurt? Up here, or do I go down?" "Up," replied Anthony with a straight face. Charmine''s hand went up a bit, but she did not notice how intimate they were at that moment. Chris, who was by the side, used his phone and took some photos. ck! ck! ck! "I¡¯m just recording how loving we are as a family of three!" said Chris as he took their photos. Inwardly, however, he impishly grinned from ear to ear. ''Hehe! With such an intimate photo of Daddy and Mommy, nobody would want Mommy anymore! While this is technically wrong to do, I want Daddy and Mommy to be together forever!¡¯ 1 Charmine saw how joyful he was with that grin of his as he took photos, thus she merely let him be. The three of them were so loving. However, tomorrow morning, Anthony and Annabel would make a test tube baby... Another woman was about to bear Anthony''s child... McKenzie seethed at the thought that night. 1 Inside the master bedroom of the Houston mansion, McKenzie smashed all of her things on the make- up table out of anger. A stash of expensive makeup products fell onto the ground. She sat on the make-up chair, her face almost exploding out of anger. She thought that Anthony would have no choice but to be with Annabel with her n, thinking Charmine would never ept Anthony that way. She thought they would end things and called it quits. Little did she expect Anthony would ask Annabel to make a test tube baby, and Annabel even agreed to leave the country and vanish from their lives! N?velDrama.Org ? content. The situation had unfolded to this stage, yet Anthony could still sleep with Charmine as if nothing had happened? How were they both so generous that they did not hate each other? She had never thought that things would end up this way! Meanwhile, McAmor rushed in hastily and panickingly said, "Sister, it''s bad. The Principal of the Institute of Science and Technology called and asked you to take a leave for a month. You''ll have to hand over Project X to someone else..." "What?" McKenzie''s face darkened. Project X was a new system that the institute was researching on. In the market, phones were either Android or IOS. While Android would have asional crashes, the IOS was not locally made. The institute used five years to research a new system. Once they seeded, she would be the top in the technological field in the continent. Her name would be passed on for generations, made into a legend. She had gone through a lot to be selected to join this Project X group five years ago, yet just as they had a model and the project about to take off, they wanted to kick her out? She asked, "Why? Did the principal state a reason for asking me to go on leave?" "Well... The principal said you''re always absent recently. You don''t focus during working hours, so..." McAmor trailed off. Meanwhile, McKenzie¡¯s phone rang. She took a look to see a text from an unknown number. [Give out the antidote if you want to continue working in Project X.] McKenzie¡¯s eyelids twitched. They were threatening her? Was it Charmine or Anthony? They actually threatened her! They were threatening her with Project X! 1 If she gave out her antidote, she would not have any chips to control them. She would losepletely! She deleted the message right away, seemingly unfazed. Hah! So what if Annabel was pregnant without the antidote? She would have to withstand a sharp pain once every month. If she could not endure it, she would have a miscarriage! Who was threatening who, exactly? They would soon find out. chapter 631 chapter 631 McAmor saw the vengeful expression McKenzie had and felt fear prickling at her. "Sister, you''ve seemed to have changed recently. Get some rest, and calm down." With that, McAmor left hurriedly. Startled with McAmor''s words, McKenzie looked in the mirror and was met with a bitter, envious, and furious version of herself. Her negative emotions overwhelmed her and stripped her of her elegance and grace. Her eyes widened in disbelief. Since when had she turned into such an unfamiliar person? Was she not highly celebrated? Was she not elegant like the swan soaring through the clouds, like the white snow on a tall mountain? Since when had she turned into this? It was all Charmine...! Charmine ruined her ns! She would have gotten engaged with Anthony, yet Charmine forced her to turn into this! McKenzie had reached her limit. She would not allow their n to seed! The night sky darkened, engulfing the entire world in its darkness. There was a ward painted in pastel blue with rxing music ying in the background, and it was filled with love and tranquility. Annabel lied on the bed as she listened, the music putting her body at ease. Nial told her that she had to be rxed so she would be in the best state for the operation tomorrow. She would have the in-vitro fertilization operation; she would be pregnant with Anthony''s baby tomorrow... At that moment, the door opened. Click! N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Annabel turned toward the door...and her pupils dted when she saw who it was. "M¡ªMs. McKenzie..." It was McKenzie. 1 As it was in the early Autumn, McKenzie was dressed in a pearlce long- sleeved top, paired with a pastel pink long dress that was elegant and fitting. She looked like the rich heiress back in ancient times, elegant, formal, and ssy. Such a beautifuldy, yet the sight of her made one''s scalp itchy. Annabel, terrified at the sight of her, eyed her anxiously. "Ms. McKenzie, why... Why did youe...?" "Why? Surprised?" The monotonous McKenzie shut the door and walked toward her one step at a time. "Do you really think you''ll get pregnant with Anthony''s child tomorrow?" "I...I don''t... I only do it for Momo..." Annabel lowered her head anxiously. McKenzie merely scoffed, "No matter what your reasons are, do you think a cheap person like you-a poor woman with nothing going on for her-has the rights to bear Anthony*s child?" Even McKenzie did not have such rights. How could Annabel? 1 Confused at McKenzie''s words, she frowned and said hopelessly, "Ms. McKenzie, what are you trying to do? Please don¡¯t do anything silly. I¡¯m just trying to save Momo-I haven''t thought of anything I shouldn''t be thinking! I won¡¯t affect you..." She begged, her already feeble small face bing even more pitiable. By then, McKenzie already walked to the bedside, standing taller than Annabel who sat on the bed. Her fair and beautiful hand grabbed Annabel''s chin as she red down at Annabel from above. "Remember: you don''t deserve to bear Anthony''s child. The child you bear won''t be Anthony''s child! Remember your poor identity forever, and remember the poison in your body. If you resist, I¡¯ll end you!¡± 1 McKenzie¡¯s grip on Annabel¡¯s chin tightened, hurting her more. Annabel felt as though her jaw was breaking under such sharp force. Her head was forced to look up, her throat tightened in the process. She felt so much pain. Seeing that Annabel did not speak, McKenzie''s red lips let out one word after another, "Did you hear what I said?" 1 ''Yes... I heard...!" Annabel nodded diligently. It was only then McKenzie pushed her away. She took out a handkerchief to wipe her hand before leaving elegantly. 1 Her formal gait showed no hint of the evil look on her face moments ago. Annabel panted as she watched McKenzie leaving the ward, her face filled with fear. What was McKenzie about to do...? What would she do? What did she mean the child in her would not be Anthony''s...? chapter 632 chapter 632 Though the soothing music continued in the background, Annabel felt as if she was engulfed by the boundless night sky until dawn, when the morning sun finally reappeared and lightened the sky. At Royal Hospital... Early in the morning, Chris was brought away by the doctor for a checkup. "Momo''s checkup will take an hour,¡± said Nial. "The operation had to take ce within this hour, so we''ll try our best to keep Chris from knowing. Bro, Charmine, are you ready for this? Are you sure you want to let Annabel bear the child? Are you mentally prepared?" 1 Anthony and Charmine looked at one another at the same time. They did not want to have anything to do with Annabel: Anthony did not want to have another baby with Annabel, and Charmine did not want her man to have a baby with another woman. However, they had no choice. For Chris'' sake and the cord blood they could have, they had topromise. It was nothing inparison to Chris'' life. Charmine convinced herself with this. She took a deep breath and looked at Anthony. "Go ahead, I''ll wait for you outside." Eyes narrowed, Anthony wanted to say something but did not eventually. He turned to leave, about to follow Nial to the special operating room. He needed to extract his sperms there. Anthony''s sperms would have to be extracted in the most natural way possible for the best result, not through needle extractions. After taking two steps, as if thinking of something, Anthony stopped and turned toward Charmine. "Will you help me?" 1 What? N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. He asked her to help him? Charmine''s eyelids jumped. How could she help him in this kind of thing? Was the nurse not supposed to be the one to help him out? Anthony merely said, "We both have the responsibility to save Momo, so you shoulde with me. Furthermore, only you...can touch my body." His maic body was almost flirtatious. Charmine¡¯s heartbeat skipped a beat. His body... Only she could touch... Only God knew she had no intention to touch his body! They had not reached such a stage, no? Nial reminded them from the side, "If the sperms are extracted under the best state, it''ll make the operation more sessful, otherwise, and if he''s not pleased, the activity of the sperms won¡¯t be ideal. It can result in the operation failure." 1 Failure...? Charmine frowned. Did that mean they would have to do a retake if it failed? She merely wanted Annabel to bear the child as soon as possible to cure Chris. Helpless, she had no choice but to follow Anthony into the operation room. Everyone else instinctively got out from the operation room, leaving only Charmine and Anthony inside. Anthony sat down on the pure white sofa as he gazed at Charmine. "Come here." Two words; alluring and deep. Charmine slowly paced toward him. Dawn came and sunlight began to peak, warming up the room with loving sunlight. 1 When they came out again, Charmine''s face was blushing red. Seeing Nial and the others outside the door, she did not even look up as she quickly ran away. She rushed back to the washroom inside the ward and cleaned. Anthony''s lips curled up pleasantly with her behavior. This woman was usually brave and fearless, yet at that moment, she was shier than anyone else when it came to doing such a thing. 1 However, breaking through this barrier, she would not look down on him. He would feel more secure in the following days. Meanwhile, Nial was with the microscope in theb as he did his research when... "Uncle Nial...!" He heard a cry from outside. "Waa.J Help me...! Uncle Nial.J" chapter 633 chapter 633 Was that not Chris? Nial rushed out quickly but saw no one. The top floorb was empty without a sound, so quiet that even a pin dropping could be heard. Nial frowned suspiciously. Not a single person was in sight? Was he hallucinating? Was he overwhelmed with work that he started to hallucinate? Nial walked back into theb. What he did not notice was that the moment he left, a ck shadow flickered into theb, silently and unknowingly, and changed the reagent on the table... 2 Inside the other operating room, Annabel had disinfected her entire body andid on the operation bed quietly. She was covered in a white nket, pure and sacred like an untainted white lotus. Doctors paced around as they prepared themselves as Charmine walked in and signaled to all of the doctors. The doctors left gradually. Upon the sight of Charmine, Annabel wanted to get up hastily but realized that she was wearing nothing, thus she only looked up at her. "M...MS. Jordan, is something up?" "I came for you. Yes, something is up." Charmine walked toward her, her face calm as she covered Annabel with the nket. Annabel was terrified as though she was a small rabbit meeting a big bad wolf. She meekly spoke, "Ms. Jordan, please tell me if there''s anything I can. I''d help out if I can." Charmine looked at her andforted, "Don''t be scared; I came here to make sure you''ve made up your mind. There''s nobody around here, so you can tell me with all honesty: Do you really not want to be with Anthony? Do you not want to marry him officially and instead, want to stay hidden forever?" Her voice was clear and well-pronounced. Annabel''s lips trembled. Just as she was about to reply, Charmine cut her short, "Ms. Annabel, I hope you think it through before answering me. To be honest with you, Anthony and I are still in the early stages, and I can''t do anything inparison to how you could bear two of his children. You have the right to marry him. If you want to marry him, I''ll leave. I''ll understand you and won''t me you. If you¡¯re concerned about McKenzie harming you, tell N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. me so, and I¡¯ll protect you for Momo''s sake. I''ll protect you to be the trouble-free Mrs. Bailey. But..." Her originally calm and rxed tone instantly turned sharper at that instance, if you agree now, that you¡¯ll merely be a surrogate mother, I hope you''ll keep your word and the agreed conditions. You won¡¯t be able to regret it in the future! If you ever regret or destroy my rtionship with Anthony in any way, I''ll treat you as if you''re a third- wheeler. You should know by now that I, Charmine Jordan, hate lying, calctive, and fake women.¡± 1 Charmine looked Annabel in the eyes with every word she uttered, her eyes burning into hers. Charmine''s voice was very clear and serious. Annabel had chills all over under her gaze. She had heard a lot of things about Charmine, and she also knew that Tiffany¡¯s whereabouts were left unknown as ofte. It was as if her body could not be found. She lowered her head and answered, "Ms. Jordan, all I said was true. I really...really want nothing more than to be a simple surrogate mother. I don¡¯t have other thoughts... 1 "No matter it was in the past, present, or the future, I won''t do anything to harm your rtionship..." chapter 634 chapter 634 Charmine was initially apprehensive and worried that Annabel would regret her choice, so she came to confirm with her. She did not expect Annabel to give such a reassuring answer. Charmine found it hard to believe. "Annabel, are you sure about this? This is your only chance to be with Anthony officially, and as I said, I''ll help you." "No, I really don''t want to. I only want to leave Burlington with my parents, to a ce where nobody knew US, to live a simple life. Don''t worry, I''ll take care of the baby. I''ll take good care of the child and birth him safely so we''ll have his cord blood to cure Momo," Annabel answered with determination. 4 Charmine studied Annabel¡¯s genuine and pure face and stopped questioning her. "Alright, I¡¯ll believe what you said. Just focus on taking care of yourself in the following days to maintain a positive state. Leave the rest to Anthony and I." 1 ''Thank you, Mr. Bailey, and thank you, Ms. Jordan." Annabel lowered her head humbly. Worried that her presence would only bother Annabel, Charmine eventually left. Nial and a few doctors walked in as one asked, "Ms. Annabel, are you ready?" Annabel hesitated for a moment before she nodded. "Mhm, I''m ready. However..." She looked at Nial. "Was there no ident throughout the preparation? Was there something missing?" "Don''t worry, I handled everything personally. Nothing will happen," Nialforted. Annabel felt more secured. However clever McKenzie was, she would not be able to pull off any tricks under Nial''s watchful gaze. 2 The operation finally started. Charmine sat on the cold bench in the corridor as the operating red light went on, her fists clenching as she did. Annabel would soon carry Anthony''s child. Chris was about to have a sister or brother, but not from her... Regardless, all that mattered was Chris would be safe-there was nothing to be sad about. As she went through her thoughts, someone came over and sat with her. Charmine turned around to see Senior Jordan and her parents as they sat with her silently. Senior Jordan patted her hand. "Don''t be upset-you made the right choice. This is a new era, and you and Anthony would have your own child in the future." ''That¡¯s right. Whatever choice you made, we''ll support you. Momo is a smart and clever child; he deserves to live on," Joeyforted. Charmine never thought she would see the day her family would be by her side andfort her. No wonder Tiffany would show off whenever her family member pampered her: Familial love made one feel loved and would nourish one''s soul unknowingly. It strengthened a person, never leaving one to battle their demons on their own. Her mood lightened up. Since Annabel had a healthy body, the entire would take less than 20 minutes to seed as long as the sperm was put into the body. 1 Nial walked out and took off his mask. "The operation¡¯s sessful," he said to Charmine. "Following that, Annabel All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. cane out after four hours. Without an ident, she would conceive sessfully." The weight on her heart was lifted atst. If Annabel really conceived Anthony''s child, the cord blood would be ready in ten years and Chris would be saved. 13 Chris would live happily without his seizures. As for the antidote, well... If McKenzie wanted to be destroyed, Charmine would dly do the honors. As Dr. Weir and Nial were on her side, she believed the result would be out soon! chapter 635 chapter 635 With such thoughts in mind, Charmine regained her strength and felt that there was nothing to feel ashamed of. She turned to them and said, "I''m fine. You should go and take care of Robert. I¡¯ll go check out Momo¡¯s body analysis result.¡± "Okay.¡± N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. They always went to the hospital daily to take care of Robert, and they would only return when Charmine was about toe back from work. They did this all so that Charmine felt the warmth ofing home after work. 1 Senior Jordan walked two steps when a thought urred to him. "Oh, right ...¡± began Senior Jordan. "Tiffany isn¡¯t found yet, so perhaps..." Charmine frowned. They had not found her? She had to find her, dead or alive. How could they not have found her? Nheless, the sea was vast and deep, and she most likely did not make it... Joeyforted, "Don''t worry-we''re over it. We only want to tell you that you''ll be our only daughter from now on, and our whole family will support you. No matter what happens to Tiffany, she chose to run away with the money, and she deserved it. It has nothing to do with you, and nobody will me you." Charmine nodded as she kept her distant demeanor, turning to leave. However, the air no longer felt hostile like it once was. Joey could feel that everything was gradually getting better. Everything was improving. Charmine walked into the lift, but just as she was about to go to the top floor, a ck shadow rushed into the lift. It was Kay. Kay grabbed her wrist anxiously. "Boss Jordan, something''s up!" Charmine threw him a look. "What are you making such a big deal out of?" She had been going through big matterstely. What could be more severe than Chris¡¯ illness? Kay said anxiously, "Your four Uncles already knew about you and Anthony, and they wanted to sign with their blood to object to you being with Anthony. They even said that if you don''t agree, they''ll cut their wrists!" Cut their wrists?! Charmine''s eyes jumped. How were the four Uncles so exaggerated? She instantly took out her phone to open her Whatsapp, noting that her Uncles had sent her numerous texts and countless video calls, but since she turned to silent mode, all notifications were silenced. She simply chose to reply to Uncle Max and video-called him. After the call went through, the screen showed the four Uncles sitting in a row behind a table. Each of them had a fruit knife in their hands, holding it against their wrists. Uncle Max said angrily, "Charmine Jordan, if you''re still going to be with Anthony, the four of US will die in front of you!" "Right! He''s having two children with another woman, but you still want him? Do you even have standards?¡± "You must break up with Anthony right away! You better go and spend some time in Derby." "If you don''t get together with William, I''ll die in front of you!" The four Uncles said one after another as they vented. Frowning, Charmine asked, puzzled, ¡®Why break-up? Is it just because Anthony had a child with another woman? I had my firstborn as well, so we''re equals, and the second child is nned to save Momo. Saving a life is better than doing good deeds. How else could people do charity?¡± "You... Charmine Jordan! Do you want us dead? How could you say such things-" "This is the truth. Think about it, Uncles. How much time does it take to give birth to a baby? How much pain does one have to endure? How much time does it consume?" Charminembasted them with questions, one after another. chapter 636 chapter 636 The four Uncles somehow had fallen into her trap as they fell into her line of thoughts. Conceiving a baby would take ten months, a month of postpartum care, then another month for the body to recover. That would take one whole year! 3 Charmine''s red lips shifted into a small smile as she added, "That¡¯d take a year, which also means I won''t be able to take care of the Jordan Group. I won''t be able to help thepany get back on its feet, I won''t be able to look into checkers, scientific researches, nor architecture books. Within a year, our opponents would get so much ahead of us! How many people are going tough at US? "Now that I don''t have to conceive a baby and get two children, isn''t this the best gift from God? Who in the world could get two free babies without enduring the pain of pregnancy?" 1 "No...nobody?" hesitated Uncle Zul. Charmine nodded. "Exactly! This is the greatest gift from above. Perhaps God didn¡¯t want me to go through the N?velDrama.Org ? content. pain, that he doesn¡¯t want me to recover for a year. Isn''t being with Anthony the most suitable arrangement for me? "I''ve decided that in the following year, I''ll spend more time to learn, to look more into the checkers, and to delve deeper into research to make our country proud again!" Her voice was full of determination and confidence. 1 Uncle Pop pped his thigh right away, agreeing, "Great! Well said! I support you! Two free kids! Make our country proud!" ¡ö "Exactly! Well, see you all next time, Uncles," said Charmine and hung up. Kay stood next to her, stunned at the oue. Was that how it worked? Why did the four clever Uncles seem as if they were brainwashed? Seeing that Charmine was about to step out from the lift, he followed swiftly behind. He asked, "Boss Jordan, have you thought it through? Will you be able to ept-" "Of course-it''s two free children we''re talking about here! Don''t be too envious of this! Don''t screw up things! Also, make preparations for a full protection over Annabel. One missing hair of hers, and I''ll shave off every strand of yours!" With that, Charmine walked away. Kay fell silent. Two free children? How could she say that as if it was a blessing? How was she even asking him to protect Annabel? Also, jealous of her? Heck, he did not even want to experience all that! However, he had to admit that Chris was indeed an adorable child, and very clever to boot! It was apparent that he was a potential child, quite simr to Boss Jordan as well. He would be willing if he could pick up a child like that. When Charmine reached the VIP ward on the top floor, she saw that Anthony had already packed his stuff for the discharge. When he saw hering in, he asked, "Where did you go?" He came in not long after she left and did not see her. Charmine went to talk to Annabel in her worry. Seeing Anthony dressed in his suit, Charmine could not help recalling the scene before the operation. She had never done such a thing in her life! The incident from five years ago was different as she was unconscious; she did not expect her first intimate interaction with a man would be with her hands... Cheeks flushed red, she avoided Anthony''s eyes and tried to change the topic, "Momo should be up soon, so I¡¯ll go get him." "I¡¯ll go with you." Anthony put down the documents in his hand and walked behind her to the examination room. Even by walking a meter away from him, Charmine could still smell the faint masculine scent from Anthony, and that wrecked her sanity. This man just would not give her any alone time! She wanted to keep the distance from him, but no matter how fast she walked, Anthony would also try to stay close to her. It was as if she could never stay away from him... chapter 637 chapter 637 Chapter 637 1 Luckily, when the two of them arrived outside the examination room, the door opened and Chris ran out from the inside. Instinctively, Charmine bent down and reached out to Chris while he ran into her arms, embracing her tightly. The leading doctor said to Anthony, "Young Bailey''s body is fine for now, so he can be discharged. Still, there''s always a threat since his illness isn''t cured. He must be kept in a good mood. Remember; do not make him cry.'' "Alright," answered Anthony. Sighing in relief, Charmine asked the doctor, "If he¡¯s constantly in a good mood, does that mean it''s less likely for him to have seizures?" "It appears so, for now. Furthermore, Young Bailey''s seizures are rted to his emotions, so we must pay close attention to his emotions," the doctor reiterated. Charmine nodded as she reached out to ruffle Chris'' head. "Momo, did you hear what the doctor said? You have to manage your emotions in the future. Tell Mommy if anything happens; don''t hold it in.'' "Alrighty!" Chris nodded diligently. The doctors were all perplexed. The Young Bailey who never epted any other woman as his mother was actually on such good terms with Charmine? As Chris was discharged from the hospital on that day, Charmine brought him back to Violet Vi. Other than her working hours, she spent most of her time with him. Charmine did not return to the Jordan mansion in the meantime. This also made it more convenient for the Jordans to take care of Robert in the hospital; they did not have to go back and forth for her sake. Annabel had to recover in the hospital, and with that, Anthony arranged for his men like Luke to watch over Annabel while Charmine had arranged for Kay''s men to protect her. Dr. Weir had been working on the antidote with Nial, thinking they would reap good results, but... Three days had passed. The antidote n B had failed again! Furthermore, Annabel had insomnia and was strangely unable to sleep, especially at night. There were sharp changes happening in her body. Nial conducted a meeting with his team and had Dr. Weir among them, every one of them gued with headaches. Suddenly, a medical doctor came in and said, "Dr. Nial, good news! Good news! There''s a sudden appearance of a genius female doctor from Kansas. Perhaps she''d be able to help us!" 1 At Violet Vi,te night. After Chris had fallen asleep, Nial brought a document over to show Charmine and Anthony. The document showed Kansas'' Waverly D''Cruz, the only heiress of the D''Cruz family. She was a 23- year-old well-brought-up heiress who was cut off from the outside world since she was young to undergo the noble family training. Not many people had seen her, painting her as an elusive figure. 3 The D''Cruz family had immigrated to Kansas. Their ancestors were ingenious doctors that had done many stic surgeries since centuries ago. After immigrating to Kansas, and as Kansas was famous for their skills of stic surgeries, the D¡¯Cruz family focused on practicing cosmetic surgeries. 6 Currently, the D¡¯Cruz family was known as the No.1 family of cosmetic surgeries, owning the most advanced surgery technologies. Their hospital was the only hospital to own the genuine ''Royal'' title, equivalent to a hospital that treated noblemen and royalties. 5 Any celebrity in the entertainment industry who had gone through stic surgery-when they had the money-would go to the hospital owned by the D''Cruz family. 90% of them had gone there. The celebrities shaped by the D''Cruz family looked as though they were naturally like that, with no traces of surgery done on them. Their beauty looked extremely natural and delicate. The rare ''naturally-born beauties'' all came from the hands of the D''Cruz family. 1 As the only heiress of the D''Cruz family, Waverly did not pick up the surgery field. Instead, she found that the current generation had been running after their appearances too much, that they would do anything to achieve beauty. Therefore, she went ahead to master the skill of hypnosis and some internal body bncing. 3 Perhaps it was because she possessed ingenious medical genes, but Waverly D''Cruz scaled up to rank highly among other doctors, it did not take long for rumors like, ''Dr. Weir in Burlington, Waverly D''Cruz in Kansas," to spread around. While Dr. Weir majored in finding fundamental causes of illnesses from the internal body, the poison in Annabel was made with a mixture of all kinds of chemicals. Therefore, Dr. Weir was unable to help that much. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Since Waverly knew both internal and chemically induced illness while also knowing hypnosis, she was likely to be able to make an antidote for Annabel. 2 When Charmine flipped over the documents and saw the photo of Waverly, her hands jolted abruptly. chapter 638 chapter 638 The woman in the photo smiled faintly, her facial features perfectly delicate and exquisite. Anyone would think of her as a timeless beauty, a well-brought-up heiress just in one nce. That face of hers sealed the deal-it was too beautiful. There was no trace of imperfection, as though she was a belle of ancient times. Her beauty was supposed to be stunning, but the moment Charmine saw her, she felt a strong sense of familiarity instead. Familiarity... This sense of familiarity came with just one look, and it was an unpleasant sensation at that. It was as if Charmine was born to dislike Waverly D¡¯Cruz... 1 Charmine frowned suspiciously. She had never seen Waverly before, so why did Waverly seem so familiar all of a sudden? 2 Sensing that something was off, Charmine maintained her gaze at Waverly''s photo. 6 As she did, her sense of familiarity grew faint before it eventually diminished. Perhaps...she was having a hallucination earlier? "For now, no matter if it''s the poison in Annabel or her current body state, we need a doctor like Waverly D''Cruz to heal and hypnotize her," stated Nial. "Coincidentally, Waverly ising to Burlington for some matters tomorrow. Her flight is at five in the afternoon, so you all better think of a way to bring her here.¡± 1 A person like hercked no money, reputation, nor profit. It would be quite challenging. Anthony said to him, "You''ll attend to this personally-just agree to any condition she gives." "Me?" Nial frowned, perplexed at the finger-pointing. "I wouldn''t havee for you two had I been able to do this myself. I heard that Waverly had never made any public appearance, shielded by Kansas'' royalty from a young age. This is her first time leaving the country, and many people had been keeping a close eye on her. The number of people waiting to meet her could circle around the world a few rounds.1'' 1 Charmine¡¯s red lips curled up, interested. "I''ll go get her." "Really?" Instantly, Nial looked as if he found a savior. All this while, Charmine never failed her tasks. He had a feeling that Charmine would be able to get Waverly. Charmine nodded. "Get an early rest, and take care of Annabel." "Alright! I finally got to sleep soundly tonight!" Nial sounded as if a stone had been lifted off him. He stood up joyfully and left. Anthony looked at Charmine. "Do you need any preparation?" "No need, I¡¯ll go to the airport tomorrow. I''ll improvise on the go." Charmine''s eyes were transfixed on the This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . document in her hands. 1 She looked at the formal and elegant Waverly*s photos as her gaze sharpened. She could see her in person, and she would find out where this damned familiar and insecure feeling hade from. Annabel somehow had insomnia, and out of nowhere, an ingenious doctor meant to treat her suddenly appeared. The timing was impable... Too impable. 2 As Annabel¡¯s illness was rted to Chris'' life, Charmine would not allow any idents to happen. Waverly D''Cruz, huh? She looked forward to meeting her. chapter 639 chapter 639 On the next day... After sorting out the matters at thepany, Charmine was driven to the Burlington Airport. People walked back and forth in the airport from all directions, with many waiting for the arrivals. As Waverly took the International VIP Direct Flight, they would only see her at the VIP area. Arriving at the VIP area, Charmine noted that about ten people were waiting in the arrival hall. All ten of them were dressed in formal, expensive suits. When Charmine walked in, everyone looked as though they were attacking her with their gaze. They were all aware that they all had the same target. With so many people in the hall, only one person would seed. Comically, the air smelled as though there was gunpowder. Despite all that, Charmine remained calm as she sat down on a sofa by the corner, quietly waiting. At that moment... "Everyone, get out!" An arrogant voice suddenly came from the door. Everyone looked up to see a blonde teenager in a flowery t-shirting in arrogantly. Dressed in luxurious brands, the teenager had a ruby diamond ring on every finger, his wealthiness evident with the way he carried himself. Everyone could tell right away that he was the youngest son of the Houston family, Ricky Houston. The Houstons centered themselves in the technology industry, having established the top technology company in the country. Ricky''s eldest sister, McKenzie had a world-renowned reputation while his second eldest sister, McAmor was a reputable designer. Therefore, Ricky was born with the fame and received attention wherever he went. When he saw the people waiting in the lounge, he said to his bodyguards behind him, "Why are there so many useless people hanging around the ce I''m at? Kick them all out!" "Go! Get out! Scram! All of you, out! Didn¡¯t you hear what Young Master Houston said? Miss Waverly isn''t someone you can meet! Don''t you all dare steal her from our Young Master Houston!¡± The bodyguards rushed in and yelled out loud. Some even kicked over the chairs. Those terrified had left in a hurry while a few resilient ones stayed, including Charmine. Ricky threw them all a look and said unpleasantly, "Huh? Guess some are just unafraid of death, eh? Clear them out in three minutes!" he ordered his bodyguards. One of the bodyguards brought them all over and instantly took out his tablet to investigate. N?velDrama.Org ? content. After a moment, he said, "Owner of the no.1 car manufacturer in the country, President Zayne, I heard your new batch of productions need some new inventive raw materials?" President Zayne halted for a second and instantly shot up, leaving the hall. The bodyguard continued, "President Quin of the medicalpany. It appears that your nationwide franchise pharmacies are still requesting to monopolize the DXX drugs, no? Our Ms. McKenzie is currently working with the research team." Instantly, President Quin stood up and left. It did not take long before everyone in the room had left... All except Charmine. When the bodyguard saw Charmine, he frowned. This... This kind of bigshot was here, too? Seeing that he did not speak, Ricky sneered, ''What now? There''s still one pile of sh*t there. Can¡¯t you make it go?" ''Young... Young Master Houston, this woman is the one and only diamond mine owner in Africa, the President of Ohly, the Jordan Group''s director, and the main sponsor of RisingHawk..." The bodyguard wiped his sweat as he spoke. Charmine''s reputation was widely known all across the business world. Everyone knew about her outstanding capabilities, and since Tiffany''s whereabouts were still unknown... Ricky merely scoffed, "Isn¡¯t that the nouveau riche who owns a smelly penny or two? She¡¯s got nothing on the Houston family!" Shoving his hands into his pockets, Ricky shot Charmine a challenging re. "You, the person with a smelly penny or two, you better get out of my sight now. Waverly D''Cruz is mine, and if you insist on going against me, I''ll make yourpany bankrupt." Charmine reclined on the sofanguidly as she gazed at him coldly. ''Yes, I have a smelly penny or two. Oh, but doesn¡¯t that mean you''re a dog who owns a lot of smelly pennies? Mr. Houston, it doesn''t seem very nice for you to call yourself that." chapter 640 chapter 640 Charmine''s p-back seemed to reverberate in the air, filled with arrogance and authority. Startled at her boldness, Ricky eyed her heatedly. "How dare you speak to me like that! Someone, cut that tongue of hers now-l''ll take full responsibility for her death!" "Young Master Houston, as Senior Houston instructed, you can''t offend the country''s top ten moguls..." the bodyguard beside him warned cautiously. Ricky instantly threw him a kick. "Isn¡¯t she a woman? What is there that I cannot offend? I want to! I''m instructing you to cut off her tongue, now!" 1 Nobody had ever spoken to him with such a tone, and nobody had ever called him a dog! This woman''s tongue should be severed and thrown! With Ricky''s kick, the bodyguard had no choice but to signal the others to corner Charmine. Charmine remained unperturbed as she sat still, nonchntly. If these people could touch even a strand of her hair, she would consider herself lost. As expected... When the two daring bodyguards reached out and were about to grab Charmine''s arms, a big hand grabbed onto theirs and bent them sharply. Crack! The sound of bone cracking resonated in the air. "Argh!" A painful cry echoed throughout the airport. The two bodyguards rolled on the floor as they wailed in pain. Their wrist was broken! Their bones were fractured, just like that! Someone actually broke their hand! Everyone looked over in shock to see Kay and the Vice-Captain, Frey stood beside Charmine like two pirs, dusting their hands as they did. "Your strength is two notches lower than mine," spoke Kay to Frey. "You lost again." "I let him go easy back there, but hey, there are others in here. Why don¡¯t we have a rematch?" said Frey as he nced at the bodyguards behind Ricky. All of them were so terrified that they trembled. These two men sounded so evil! They wanted to use them as a rematch? Who were they? How could they be so powerful? Agitated, Ricky red at Kay and Frey. "Who are you two? Do you all know who I am? How dare you touch my men? Have you grown tired of living?" N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. "Hmm... He sounds strong, so his bones must be hard. It must be quite nice to crack. You go, or I go?" Kay askednguidly. Frey grinned; he had not beaten someone up for so long! Just as he was about to go forward, Ricky suddenly picked up the bin and threw it at them. "Want to beat me up? Dream on!" Ricky was so fast that the bin''s contents flew out as he threw it. Kay and Frey frowned; they could not bother to beat him up. Instantly, they turned around and blocked Charmine from the iing contents. With that, rubbish fell onto them, soiling them as the air turned pungent. Charmine''s face grew bitter, but just as she was about to speak, the sound of heels clicking against the floor was heard. Everyone in the room heard it. They all looked up to see that by the end of the VIP corridor, an elegant figure walked toward them gradually. It was Waverly D''Cruz. chapter 641 chapter 641 Waverly was dressed in a beige, royal-like high-cored one-piece dress. As the cor and bodice were sewn with Her fairer-than-snow face exuded an air of an elegant, exquisite, formal, and wealthy heiress. Everyone in the lounge looked at her as though they saw a princess from a dreamy western royal family. When Charmine saw Waverly, her eyes twitched. There it was again, that heavy sense of familiarity. Even though she had never seen her face, and even though it was her first time hearing her name, why did she feel this sense of familiarity? 3 Charmine somehow felt ufortable as Waverly came her way. It was like she hated this woman to the bone, that she did not want to have anything to do with this person. How peculiar... Ricky, meanwhile, lit up when he saw Waverly. He instantly rushed toward Waverly and stood before her. Not beating around the bush, Ricky began, "Nice to meet you, Ms. D''Cruz. An elderly rtive of mine at home would like to invite you over to hypnotize her. Kindly name your price. Even if it''s for you to have a stroll on the moon, our Houston family will satisfy you!" His tone was self-centered and arrogant. One of the assistants walking by Waverly walked forward as she blocked Ricky. "Pardon, but our Ms. D''Cruz won''t simply hypnotize others. If you''d like to invite Ms. D''Cruz, please get a reservation number on the D''Cruz official website." With that, she shielded Waverly and walked away. Another ten or so well-built bodyguards in ck walked forward, standing by Waverly''s sides. Every bodyguard was a retired boxing champ, their builds Herculean and mighty. 1 Even the Houstons'' bodyguards dared not pick a fight. Waverly was like an elegant Princess protected by them. Seeing that she was about to leave, Ricky suddenly took out something. "With this emerald phantom crystal, is Ms. D''Cruz still going to leave?" As his voice rang in the air, Waverly''s footsteps halted. Everyone turned around to see the item in his hand. It was a pure emerald crystal ball the size of a quail egg,ying silently on a pure white brocade. Under the sunlight, its emerald color exuded a soft glow akin to the moon''s beam. One look at it gave one the sense offort. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Most importantly, if one looked closely, one would realize that within the emerald crystal were numerous catkins. It was as if the catkins flew in the air and fluttered in a forest, carried by a breeze. Everyone in the lounge stared at it wide-eyed in disbelief. The emerald crystal was a rare and hard-to-find treasure; there were less than five ces that produced it. The produced emerald crystals were in unique shapes, rare and truly natural crystals that could only be found once in 1000 years. The rarest of all was this emerald phantom crystal, and this kind of crystal had absorbed quite a lot of volcanic soot that resulted in the encased catkins. There were less than three pieces of such a phantom crystal in the world! Who would have thought that Ricky actually had one piece of such a pure and natural emerald phantom crystal! To an ordinary man, the emerald crystal was a symbol of wealth or treasure, but only those from the upper-ss society knew that the emerald crystal had a miraculous healing power that could improve one''s luck with nourishing miraculous benefits. 1 Waverly, as a world-ss hypnotist with insights to healing internal illnesses, she of all people knew of this healing crystal the most. 1 If it was used correctly, she could heal more people with this emerald crystal. This emerald crystal would be her greatest weapon that could bring her to new heights! Noticing that Waverly stopped walking, Ricky continued, "My Grandpa said that this is just a meeting gift, and if Ms. D¡¯Cruz is willing to hypnotize her, he''d present you with more. You can request anything you like." 1 The surrounding crowd was thoroughly impressed. This crystal was a priceless treasure, and they called this merely a meeting gift? Thankfully, they had given up earlier on-they would have been shamed otherwise by Ricky''s gift. Waverly maintained her calm and elegant pose as she nced at her assistant, and the assistant walked toward Ricky. "Ms. D¡¯Cruz is willing to visit your Grandma." chapter 642 chapter 642 ''That¡¯s wonderful! Let''s go!" Ricky threw a dirty nce at Charmine, pompous and proud of his achievement. Charmine merely said, "Hold on. Why don''t Miss D''Cruz have a look at my gift first?" With that, she raised her hand, revealing a small and delicate ticking pocket watch. The cover of the pocket watch was made with top-graded premium tinum that glowed under the sunlight. The entire watch''s surface and hands were made with a special pastel purple material. This kind of material was like a colored diamond: firm, rare, and dreamier than diamonds! Everytime the hand of the watch moved, there would be a dramatic color change from a different angle. 1 From rose-wine red to a dreamy purple, then to a dark blue. This was the exhibition of all of the high-end colors. Someone cried out, "It''s a tanzanite!" ''This is a tanzanite, a thousand times rarer than a diamond!" "One had to go to the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro in northern Tanzania to buy this!" "ording to rumors, one stone could only be extracted in every twenty to thirty years!" That meant Charmine not only owned a tanzanite, but she even turned it into a pocket watch! Every detail of the pocket watch, from its hands to needles, was all carved into the tanzanite! Most shocking of all was that this tanzanite contained a mysterious and dreamy substance that could change into a different color from every angle. As this dreamy stone was made into a pocket watch, whenever this pocket watch moved, everyone started to feel drowsy even without the lead of a hypnotist. 1 This tanzanite pocket watch possessed certain magical effects. Even Waverly, who seemed rather aloof, was startled when she saw the pocket watch in Charmine''s hands. She had always wanted a hypnotizing pocket watch as the icing on the cake. She did not expect Charmine to have brought her one! 1 It was apparent that this pocket watch was worth much more than that emerald crystal! Her assistant understood her, and instead of taking Ricky''s emerald crystal, she walked toward Charmine. "We''ll keep the pocket watch. Do you also have a patient in need of Miss D¡¯Cruz''s help?" "Yes. My car is ready, and it''s right outside." Charmine ced the pocket watch into the assistant''s hand and walked to lead the way. Her gait was very confident; she was assured that Waverly would follow her. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. After Waverly had taken the watch, she did in fact follow Charmine. Curing a patient and getting a pocket watch like this was indeed a bargain. Stunned momentarily at how the situation shifted so rapidly, Ricky rushed to stop them. "Who allowed you all to leave? You all agreed to go with me! How could you go back on your words? Do you want to live on in Burlington?" "Hah! Our Boss isn¡¯t someone you can threaten!¡± A bodyguard went forward and gently pushed him, but that sent Ricky flying a meter away. The group of bodyguards looked at Ricky passively as they walked past him, as if he was the dust by their feet. Ricky''s eyes reddened angrily. "I won''t forgive you all, especially you, Charmine!" growled Ricky. "You''re dead for stealing Waverly away from me!" 1 He threatened angrily. chapter 643 chapter 643 Charmine remained unperturbed as she led Waverly to walk out through the A5exit. Anthony had pre-arranged for a few luxurious cars to wait outside, and the drivers were already on standby to open the door for them. Charmine went into a car while Waverly and her assistant went into another. The rest of the bodyguards went into the remaining cars at the back. Unbeknownst to Charmine and everyone else, a man in a suit walked out of the VIP corridor elegantly after they departed. Sharing appearance-wise traits with Waverly, he was her brother, Max D''Cruz. When Ricky saw the luxurious cars leaving gradually, he growled at the bodyguards angrily, "Useless! You''re all useless! Why do I keep you all for if you can''t even stop these people? Get out of my sight! Get away as far as possible!" Every bodyguard lowered their heads as they quaked in fear. Meanwhile, McKenzie walked in from not far away. "Ricky, what''re you doing here?" 1 She came to the hall for work-rted matters, not expecting to see Ricky at all. When Ricky saw her, he quickly went forward and said, "Sister, you came at the right time! Grandma hasn''t been sleeping well these days, so she asked me to invite Waverly D''Cruz over. Damn it... A woman named Charmine Jordan took her away, though!¡± Ricky got heated as he recounted what happened; he wanted nothing more than to cut Charmine into 10,000 pieces. McKenzie frowned. "What you mean is that Waverly left with Charmine? Are you sure?" "Of course-l saw it with my own eyes! You have to deal with her. I want her to kneel in front of me and apologize!" Ricky gritted his teeth. McKenzie''s lips curled up with satisfaction. "No need, if she insisted on having Waverly, then let her have her. Hah... It¡¯s easy to invite someone over and hard to send someone away..." Her gentle voice sounded ominous. McKenzie''s beautiful face shifted into a wicked and calctive look. At Royal Hospital. Charmine brought Waverly into the ward. All of her bodyguards stood outside in a row, exuding a powerful temperament. It was a stunning sight to watch. Inside the ward, Annabelid on the bed, her face looking tired with obvious dark circles under her eyes. Indeed, she did not have a good sleep. She was unable to fall asleep in the past two days, and her insomnia was worsening. After a basic analysis, Nial concluded, "Now, she has to adjust her internal body and remove the toxins out from the body to develop the fetus." 1 Waverly merely nced at Annabel and her red lips parted, "I need to examine her body, so can everyone kindly leave the ward for the time being? Without my permission, nobody should be allowed toe in." Charmine and Nial exchanged nces before walking out. There was a CCTV inside the ward; everything was within their control. With that, Waverly and Annabel were left alone in the ward as Waverly sat by the bed and looked at Annabel. "Annabel, please listen to my voice and gradually close your eyes. Try to slowly ease your thoughts...¡± N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Waverly''s voice was very gentle like the breeze in March¡¯s spring-like the gentle and soft silky veil slowly brushing across people¡¯s hearts. Annabel did as she was told and gradually shut her eyes. Waverly''s voice was rxed and gentle like usual as she spoke," Meanwhile, you should feel as if you''re a flower The therapy was conducted in the most gentle way. However, when it reached a certain stage, Annabel¡¯s eyelids pped open as her eyes darted around the room anxiously. Waverly frowned, and instead offorting her, she reached out to check Annabel¡¯s pulse. chapter 644 chapter 644 With that, Waverly stood up and opened the door. "You two maye in,¡± she said to Charmine and Nial who were outside. When the two of them walked into the ward, Charmine took a look at Annabel who was on the bed and asked, "How was it?" ''The situation is quite severe. Patient Annabel seems calm and collected on the surface, but she had suppressed too many things in her heart and that caused her protective will to be extraordinarily strong, worsening her health. As for her mental health, it needs to be fixed from the root," concluded Waverly. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Charmine frowned. Suppressed too many things inside her heart? She nearly got together with Anthony officially ten years ago, yet she was forced to leave her home country to a foreignnd. Aftering back five years ago, such a thing happened to her, and she was everyone''s favorite joke in the past five years... As if that was not enough, she had to be a hidden surrogate mother now. If Charmine was in her shoes, she would not ept this as well. However, Annabel merely shook her head. "Dr. D''Cruz, no thoughts are bothering me. I just can''t fall asleep from time to time. I don''t have any repressed thoughts nor any protective will..." "Exactly, since you''ve been hypnotizing yourself in such a way, this resulted in your situation worsening, and this will only worsen if nothing''s done," countered Waverly as she eyed Annabel. "If you want to bear the child and fix your insomnia, you must face your problems directly andpromise with my treatment." Annabel pursed her lips and thought it through. Nial understood the problems as he gazed at Annabel. "Ms. Annabel, is there something you¡¯re unhappy or worried about? Please tell us-we might not be able to seed otherwise." Annabel¡¯s brows furrowed at that, and she had no choice but to say," Honestly, nothing¡¯s guing me much. I genuinely want to conceive a baby to save Momo''s life, but... I''m a woman after all. I know that my entire life will be ruined, that I won''t ever achieve a simple love in my life, and I can¡¯t control myself from feeling sad from time to time..." 1 She paused and looked up at Charmine. "Ms. Jordan, you have to believe me,¡± pleaded Annabel. "I¡¯m telling the truth: I merely feel a hint of pity for my life, but the rest of my thoughts go to saving Momo..." Her voice was weak and humble, though it wasced with her emotional turmoil. "I can understand," Charmineforted, "it''s not easy for you to do this." Charmine might have not done the things Annabel did if it all happened to her. Charmine then turned to Waverly. "Ms. D''Cruz, other than mental antidote, is there another way to heal this situation?" Annabel''s mental antidote would be Anthony, but since that would never work out, they had to think of another way. Waverly frowned. After a moment, her red lips slightly parted, "Indeed, there¡¯s a way, but her situation is more severe andplicated, and she¡¯d need forty-nine days to adjust her body. I don¡¯t have so much time." Her tone was filled with supreme elegance. Waverly was a busy woman; she would not spend up to two months on Annabel. "If you could cure her in forty-nine days, I''ll give you the seven colors collection of the ruby pocket watches," promised Charmine. Seven colors collection of the ruby pocket watches? Waverly frowned. In the terms of hypnology, each color had a different effect. The tanzanite pocket watch Charmine brought to her on their first meeting bore only hypnotizing traits. When the emerald stone was made into a pocket watch, it possessed healing properties apart from hypnotic traits. 1 The other colors had different benefits as well. Although Waverly came from a wealthy family and shecked nothing, this kind of natural crystal was a one in a thousand years kind of treasure. It was not something that one could buy with money. After a moment of thought, she nodded. "I''ll stay to heal her, but other than this, I have another request." chapter 645 chapter 645 Another request? "Please, tell me," replied Charmine. Waverly shifted her gaze to Annabel. "This patient''s illness is extremely severe. I need a presidential suite near Royal Hospital withplete camera surveince so I can check on the patient whenever. "Moreover, make the payment of five hundred million as a deposit. No matter if she''s cured or not, this won''t be refunded." Charmine frowned. 500,000,000 bucks, just as a deposit? Britney exined, "Our Ms. D''Cruz¡¯s outpatient fees is a hundred million. No matter who she''s seeing, a five million deposit will be collected. Furthermore, after the patient is cured, other than the seven-colored stones you''ve promised, you need to make the remaining payment of two billion." 1 Two billion bucks! 2 In addition to the colored stones, it would take almost a hundred billion to cure a patient! A godly doctor with such a sky-high price... This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Annabel had never heard of so much money involved. "You don''t have to cure me, Ms. Jordan," panicked Annabel. "I''m fine, I don¡¯t mind! It¡¯s just a bit difficult to fall asleep... I''ll sleep tight tonight!" Charmine merely said, "The problems that can be fixed with money is never a problem. Deal-1 hope Miss D''Cruz will deliver her best." With that, she took out a check from her bag and signed a check of 500,000,000 to Waverly. Britney epted it and kept it. Nial asked, "What about the poison in Annabel''s body?" "I listened to her pulse earlier; it''s merely a chronic drug mixed with eighty- nine types of chemicals. I''ll help her detoxify within the next forty-nine days." Waverly''s tone sounded very easy-going, as if she was stating something very simple. 1 Charmine frowned. "What you''re saying is that you can give her an antidote?" "Of course. Our Ms. D''Cruz came from the No.1 D''Cruz family in Kansas. There''s nothing to doubt," said Britney. "Let the patient get some rest; the therapy will start tomorrow. Ms. D''cruz just got out of her flight, and she needs to rest." With that, she supported Waverly''s hand and walked out. An army of bodyguards followed suit in a formation, making Waverly seem even more like a princess of the royal family. Instantly, Charmine asked her men to arrange the five-star Ritz Hotel for them. Charmine frowned again as she eyed Waverly''s disappearing form. Somehow, she always felt that Waverly was strangely familiar. What was the problem? Seeing how Charmine fell into a trance, Nial spoke, "Charmine, what''re you thinking of?" "Nothing," Charmine snapped out of her trance. "I hope you¡¯ll look after Annabel in the following days." "Don''t worry. Although I keep asking for a vacation every day, anything to do with Momo, I''ll take good care of," assured Nial. Knowing that Nial was with her, Charmine felt slightly more secure. With that, she left Royal Hospital. Chris should have gone back from school. He must be waiting for her at Violet Vi. She had to go back for him. Inside the car, she thought of Waverly and Annabel, and her emotions became heavier. She was not about to let down her guard until she could pinpoint that strange sense of familiarity about Waverly. 2 Furthermore, she did not know if Waverly could 100 percent cure Annabel nor did she know if hypnosis would cure her. Was everything going in the right direction? Thinking of that, she somehow managed to fall asleep. In a blur, she had a dream. In that dream, Tiffany¡¯s originally perfect body was bathed in the seawater for so long that her entire body had turned shockingly white. Her whole body was wet and dripped with water. She climbed out from the sea, walking toward her one step at a time. chapter 646 chapter 646 Tiffany''s evil and dark stared at Charmine unblinkingly as her gaze was filled with hatred. "Charmine...l¡¯m back..." she growled. "I came back for revenge! I want you dead!" As her sinister words rang in the air, Tiffany suddenlyunched at Charmine. Her pale face was suddenly right in front of Charmine¡¯s! "Argh!" Charmine shot up at that instant. She looked around the inside of the car and wiped off her sweat. Just a dream... Thank goodness it was just a dream. Nheless, why would she have such a dream out of nowhere? She was unafraid of Tiffany, and she never thought of Tiffany. She should not have that dream, logically speaking. "Mommy! Mommy!" A child''s voice called out to her. Charmine snapped out of her thoughts and realized that the car was already at Violet Vi''s driveway. Chris and Anthony were waiting for her by the gate. She opened the door and instructed Kay, "Keep a close eye on Tiffany, and let me know once you find anything. Also, dig deeper into Waverly-don''t leave out any detail." Kay frowned. "You think Waverly is suspicious?" "It''s just a hunch. Look into the matter." With that, Charmine said nothing else and walked toward the vi. Chris ran toward her and reached out his arms. "I want a hug from Mommy!" Charmine instinctively carried him up, her originally heavy look had instantly turned into a loving smile. "Momo, did you miss Mommy? How are you feeling today? Were you happy in school?" All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. "Yep! My body is great, but I¡¯m not too happy because I was thinking of Mommy every second, every moment. I miss Mommy''s hug, Mommy''s kisses!" Chris pouted as he ced his face closer to Charmine. Charmine¡¯s heart felt warm. "Okay, okay. Kisses!¡± 1 She gently gave Chris a peck on his face and walked into the vi. Anthony then closed up the door,pletely neglecting Kay who was standing outside the door. Kay fell silent. Was the woman with a warm and loving smile, looking like a homely mother, really his Boss Jordan? As far as he remembered, Charmine had always worked with a straight face. She was never loving. Furthermore, she spoke to him with a straight and suspicious expression just moments ago. How did she be so gentle after seeing Chris at the blink of an eye? He did not know why, but he strangely felt that Charmine, Anthony, and Chris seemed like the actual family after all. Chris and Charmine seemed to look more and more alike. 2 Perhaps faces would truly change after living together for long? Meanwhile, in the vi... "Daddy and Mommy should kiss too!¡± beamed Chris after Charmine kissed him. "Daddy and Mommy being happy together will make Momo even happier! It''s beneficial to my illness!" 1 Charmine grew unsettled. Kiss Anthony? ''Well, Momo... I don''t think that necessary. You''re still young, and it¡¯s not a sight for kids to see...¡± "Just a kiss-it won''t affect me! Momo is worried that Mommy doesn''t want Daddy anymore. After all, Mommy did leave me for a few days before! Whenever I''m worried, my chest would hurt and I''d feel unwell and dizzy. Oh no... I sense a seizureing..." Chris massaged his temples as he began to quake. Charmine was terrified at the sight. "Alright, alright! Mommy will kiss Daddy!" With that, she had to look at Anthony with her face slightly blushed red. chapter 647 chapter 647 Actingpliant, Anthony walked toward Charmine and stood next to her. Charmine felt utterly cheated. She would have mmed a hammer on Anthony if Chris was not there in front of her! 2 Why did Anthony not discipline his child? He and his son were setting her up! However, for Chris'' wellbeing, she would not turn him down. She had topromise and gave a gentle peck on Anthony''s face. Somehow, Chris had a phone in his hand. Click! He took a photo. The photo came out rather beautifully, as though they were a couple in love. He pped his hands joyfully. "Daddy and Mommy are so loving! I''ll take ny-nine photos and make a photo book!" Charmine frowned. Photobook? What was that? Chris exined knowingly, "It''s an idea from a kindergarten friend! He''s doing a business to help everyone print out their photos and make them into books. Still, I think what he''s making is too ugly, so I¡¯ll ask Uncle Luke to make a high-standard version. It''ll be awesome for sure!" 1 With that, Chris squirmed his way out of Charmine''s arms and said, "Daddy, Mommy, I''ll let you chat for a while. I¡¯ll go pick the most suitable materials. I¡¯ll have to do some Photoshopping before the photos are printed out as well." 1 With that, he sped into his room in his short legs. 1 Charmine was at a loss for words as she stared at his retreating form. How were kindergarten kids already doing business? Moreover, Chris was so young yet he knew how to use Photoshop... 4 If he made it into a book, others might find out about their rtionship. It felt as though Chris waspiling pieces of evidence, too... 1 However, Anthony merely said, "Don''t mind him. What''s the progress with Annabel?" With that, Charmine went back to business and forgot about Chris. "It''s alright, though Waverly D''Cruz said she¡¯d need forty-nine days of treatment. She seems capable, considering how she''s about to see through the internal conflict in Annabel. Furthermore, Uncle Weir said he could make some medicines to adjust her body, but Annabel''s body wasn''t suitable to take in those medicines since she''s poisoned. Therefore, hypnosis is the only way for now. This also means that if hypnosis failed, perhaps..." Charmine''s eyes darkened. If the hypnosis failed and Annabel could not conceive, then... Thinking of that, she looked at Anthony and warned him, "Anthony, I hope that you''ll prioritize Momo above all else no matter the circumstances. You''re an adult-you can''t let your feelings drive you." Her tone... Anthony knew what that meant. He gazed into her eyes and spoke in a firm tone, "Don¡¯t overthink it- everything will go well. Tomorrow, I''ll take some time to participate in the research of an antidote. The in-vitro fertilization isn''t as difficult as you think." Charmine remained silent. Well, she hoped for that as well. Anthony sounded as if everything could be solved, but she just could not shake off the uneasiness. Even though Annabel''s parents had moved into the hospital for the time being, away from the vige full of gossips... Even though Annabel was given ample rest, waiting to conceive the baby... However, if she really could not conceive, Chris would not get the cord blood to save his life. When worsees to worst, she might have to surrender Anthony, the mental antidote to Annabel. Perhaps she should have distanced herself from Anthony from the start... 1 All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. In the next early morning, Charmine wanted to let Chris get some rest, but Anthony thought Chris should have a normal life and experience. Therefore, she still sent Chris to the kindergarten before going back to thepany. 1 The Jordan Group was beginning to rise again. Every project was starting over again, so they could not afford any mistakes. Anthony, meanwhile, personally went to the hospital and participated in the research team focusing on Annabel. Annabel''s insomnia was activest night, and it was worsening. She only slept for two to three hours, and her dark circles grew obvious. Currently, Annabel wasying in bed with her eyes closed, allowing Waverly to hypnotize her as she saw fit. chapter 648 chapter 648 Waverly sat by Annabel''s bedside, dressed in an emeraldce pce- styled dress. She was elegant and regal as if she was from the oil painting of European royalty. She ced Annabel into a trance, her voice gentle like the breeze, strangely soothing. It sounded like a gentle breeze in the wild; like the soft and fluffy snow; like the streaming water. Any other person would be at ease with Waverly''s voice, yet Annabel seemed unsettled. Her brows furrowed tightly as if she had some unresolved issues in her. 1 Nial was in the surveince room as he monitored the situation. "Bro, Annabel might not be able to conceive at this rate," he spoke solemnly. Apart from a healthy body, conceiving a baby needed one to have her body and emotions atplete peace. Otherwise, even after conceiving, one could easily have a miscarriage. 1 Frowning, Anthony asked with a heavy tone, "What''s there for her to not let go of? You fix that." 1 "W-What? Bro, have you given all of your emotional quotient and thoughtfulness to Charmine? Think about it: Annabel has been subjected to intense hate online and is mocked in real life. Not just that, but no man would want her once she bes a surrogate mother! How can she just act like nothing¡¯s happening? How am I supposed to fix this kind of mental entanglement? Forget me; neither you nor Charmine will be able to help!"ined Nial. 1 Anthony''s eyes fell to the monitor that disyed Annabel''s figure. Guilt mellowed his gaze as he stared at her. 1 Annabel had been through too much because of him. However, guilt was guilt-it did not represent love. He instructed, "Satisfy her with anything that you could; let Waverly cure her with all she got." This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . "Yeah, that''s all we can do for now... Taking one step at a time," Nial sighed. Back in the ward... Annabel eventually fell asleep after a long session of hypnosis. Waverly stood up and walked out of the ward. Britney instantly went forward and handed her a ss. 1 The ss was a long rectangr straight tube made of a matte transparent material. ssy and simple, it contained a pink liquid in it. It was the D''Cruz family''s exclusive throat and beauty form, with the benefits of soothing her fatigue and nourishing her skin like white snow. Waverly received the ss and sipped at it elegantly. Meanwhile, Nial and Antony walked over from not far away. The two of them look extremelyelegant and reputable. Spotting them from afar, especially Anthony, Waverly''s eyes glinted darkly. 4 She handed the ss to Britney and fixed the fringe by her ear. Anthony walked over and looked at her stoically. "How long can she sleep after this session?" His tone was very office-like, void of any emotion even when facing a belle like Waverly. Waverly responded with the same official tone, "If things go as nned, she should be able to sleep for four hours. However, judging by the patient¡¯s current situation, she might wake up earlier." Anthony''s tense expression lightened a little at that. Four hours of sleep was not bad to people with insomnia. He suggested changing the treatment time to night-time so Annabel could sleep throughout the night, at least. "That¡¯s possible, but I''d suggest Mr. Bailey consider fixing her mental entanglements first. The hypnotizing therapy is gentler, but the effect will only show in at least half a month. Mind you, this half of the month is the key to Miss Annabel conceiving. It might fail," Waverly reminded him. Anthony frowned. Fail? If this failed, they had to restart everything again. It would take even longer to get the cord blood to save Chris... chapter 649 chapter 649 For the time being, Dr. Weir''s medication kept Chris'' illness in check, but his illness would worsen once he stopped the dosage. Waverly basically implied Anthony was Annabel''s ''mental antidote¡¯, but he refused to be so. 1 Anthony''s lips parted, "Just do your best, Ms. D¡¯Cruz. Everything will follow its course." They could always retry it if they failed. Chris'' illness did not have to be cured in the following one or two months. Waverly said nothing else, considering how determined Anthony was." Where''s your researchb?" she spoke, changing the topic. "I¡¯ll have a look.¡¯ Nial instantly led the way. One more person on the research team would give more hope. Furthermore, with Waverly''s high-up and world-renowned reputation, she must be quite capable. The three of them went into theb. Inside one of the Jordan Group''s offices. Charmine was sorting out a pile of documents. Unable to shake off the matters regarding Annabel, she texted Anthony. [How''s it going?] N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. [Anthony: Everything went well. Don¡¯t worry.] Charmine frowned. Based on what happened yesterday, it was not going well. How could Anthony sound so rxed? 1 It was apparent that he was not telling the truth. She texted Rio instead. [Investigate Annabel''s situation in the hospital.] A capable and effective man, Rio had been taking care of Robert in the hospital during his free time. As expected, it did not take long before Rio replied, [Annabel had fallen asleep, but she seems to be having a nightmare. Waverly said it¡¯s not going well.] Charmine frowned. ''Not going well''? She had a nightmare, even after hypnosis? That was not good... Charmine expected that things would get better once Annabel agreed to be the surrogate mother. She did not expect such a thing to happen. If Annabel kept on having this mental entanglement and could not conceive, Chris¡¯ illness would not be cured. As she was caught up in her thoughts, Brandon rushed in and said anxiously, "Director, it''s bad. Someone is ready to buy thend of Westfield. I heard it''s a bigshot from overseas. He has met up with many people today, and he wants to get involved in Burlington¡¯s real estate industry." Charmine looked up at him. "A foreigner is trying to buy thend of Westfield?" "Right, thisnd is situated in the center of Burlington. It should''ve been tall buildings, but there are now twenty- seven old heritage houses over a hundred years of history. "Many property groups went over to propose a deal, but the residence there was unwilling to move out. There''s the saying of how this Westfieldnd is an impossiblend to buy, and whoever gets it will be the strongest in this industry. 1 "If a foreigner buys it, all of our national real estate groups will be crushed and embarrassed. Furthermore, this buildings waiting for buyers around that area, so we must get thisnd to promote our remaining properties. If someone else gets it, our remaining projects might be at risk," Brandon briefly analyzed. Charmine noted the gravity of the situation and asked, "Do you have the buyer''s details? "I''ve asked them to make a quick check. It''s the heir of the surgery centered family in Kansas, Max D''Cruz," answered Brandon. 1 Charmine''s brows furrowed. Max D''Cruz? Was that not Waverly D''Cruz''s brother? Waverly came to Burlington to sort out some matters, while Max came to get involved with Burlington¡¯s real estate industry? Something seemed far too off for Charmine. "Let the project teampile the documents of Westfieldnd," instructed Charmine. "Bring them in quickly. I''ll handle the rest." "Understood." chapter 650 chapter 650 Once Brandon left the office, Charmine phoned Kay and asked, "How''s the background check on Waverly D''Cruz going?" "I was about to call you. The D''Cruz family is too mysterious. They''ve never made any public appearances nor had they attended any public event, especially Waverly¡ªthere''s almost no record of her. She had never made any public appearance either. She just popped out of nowhere it seems, and she suddenly became world-renowned just like that. I specte her appearance is to help Max D''Cruz develop in this country,¡± Kay replied. That did not sit well with Charmine. "Help Max D''Cruz to develop in this country?" "Speaking of which, that''s mysterious on its own too. Max is a genius business bigshot, never interested in business since young and focused onmerce. He owned up to sixty percent of the real estate development in Burlington. From this year onward, he suddenly became involved in many real estate developments overseas, he¡¯s ambitious. In this recent month, he had his eyes on Burlington. He''s obviously trying to expand his power." 1 N?velDrama.Org ? content. Kay then warned, "Your Uncles asked you to design the Magpie Bridge so that Burlington¡¯s real estate development looks stronger. Boss Jordan, do be warned. Max D¡¯Cruz would do anything to get what he wants; he might as well attack many of US in this industry.¡± Charmine frowned. It seemed Max D''Cruz came prepared. Taking down Westfield was perhaps his first target. Of course she could not lose the first battle. If they wanted to get Westfield, she had to fight for it, too! Nheless, that meant she would be in direct conflict with Max, who was Waverly¡¯s brother. This might ultimately result in discord with Waverly, which was far from ideal since she was caring for Annabel. 1 Annabel''s situation was not improving, and if they broke out with Waverly... Thinking of that, she texted Anthony, [The Jordan Group might have some businesspetition with Waverly''s brother, Max D''Cruz. Have Waverly voice out her opinion.] On the top floor of Royal Hospital, inside the medicalb... Anthony was in the whiteb coat, doing experiments with Nial and Waverly. Suddenly, his phone rang inside his pocket. It was a romantic ringtone, specially made for messages sent by Charmine. 1 Anthony looked delighted. Instantly, he put down the test tube, removed his gloves, and walked into the disinfection room. His action was so swift as if he could not afford to dy any second. Waverly looked at his speed and frowned. 3 Nial exined, "Just get used to it. Whenever Charmine texts him, he''d look like this. At least he did not rush out instantly today." Waverly smiled a polite and official smile, "Really? Your brother and Charmine are so loving." "I know, right? I didn''t expect my emotionless brother would have such a behavior! You have no idea-he''d keep a good two-meter distance from any woman in the past. Now, all he wanted to do was to glue himself to Charmine whenever!¡± Nialined. 1 Waverly lowered her eyes to look at where she stood, and then looked at the working desk Anthony stood before. Anthony kept that two-meters distance from her as well... Inside the disinfection room, Anthony thought Charmine texted him for something urgent. He never thought that a business-centric text would greet him instead when he unlocked his phone. His eyes shed with a hint of displeasure, though he still replied, (Okay, I''ll let you know.] After replying, he walked out of the disinfection room with his usually cold face. He looked at Waverly and asked, "It seems Max D¡¯Cruz came to Burlington and wants to get into real estate, no?" When Waverly heard this, she frowned. They actually knew about Max¡¯s actions that quickly? chapter 651 chapter 651 Indeed, Max came to Burlington to get into real estate. However.... Waverly looked up to meet Anthony''s eyes. ''Yes, that''s right, but I never get involved with his matters. May I know why Mr. Bailey asked?" "My wife''spany is into the rest estate as well, and she might have somepetition with your brother. Do you mind?" Anthony asked. 1 His eyes were filled with love when he called Charmine his wife. Waverly''s lips curled into a gentle and beautiful smile. "You don''t have to worry. I''m an adult, and if I promised to help the patient, I''ll keep my promise. I won''t be affected by unnecessary emotions. "Furthermore, my brother is a businessman, and he needs to make money. So do you. It''s normal to have conflict business-wise; it''s just how it is. If my brother lost, it¡¯s on him for not being capable.¡± 1 Her words were considerate and generous, and along with her faint smile, it made one like her more. "Ms. D¡¯Cruz is very understanding," praised Anthony, a rare feat indeed." Thank you.¡± With that, he walked back into the disinfection room and replied to Charmine, [You do you-it''s down to each side''s capability. Even if anything happened, I''m here.] 1 When Charmine saw the message in her office, her heart softened unknowingly. 1 "I''m here." Two words, as if they had a miracle power, soothed her anxiety throughout the day. Furthermore, Annabel would not be affected because of this, so Charmine was relieved. She put down her phone and looked at the documents regarding Westfield that Brandon had sent her. Thisnd was Burlington''s pride, and it should never fall into the hands of a foreigner. It would also affect the remaining properties owned by Jordan Group around that area. Max was currently at Westfield, negotiating with the person in charge. As she stood up and walked out, Charmine spoke to Adam who was handling paperwork, "Drive me to Westfield." "Westfield?" Adam frowned as he fretted, "We used to send people over, but they''d always get chased out. If you¡¯re hurt there... Charmine, why don''t we arrange for someone else to go?" "No need. Max D¡¯Cruz went in person, and if I don''t go, they might best Jordan Group in no time," Charmine said calmly as she walked toward the lift. Adam had no choice but to follow after her and drive her to Westfield. Charmine sat in the car and assessed the situation at hand. Max''s trip to Burlington was obviously trying to take over Burlington¡¯s real estate industry. It did not help that he came with Waverly... There must be something in the water. 5 Since he was now in Westfield, she could pay him a little visit. The car gradually drove toward the heart of the city, Westfield. This was a special area between tall buildings. The heritage housesid quietly beside one another as if telling one the story of ancient times. There was a giant tree as old as 500 years in the middle of Westfield, its roots embedded deeply as time passed. The grand tree was like an old man holding up the umbre for the residence. 1All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. The entire area was surrounded by walls, and outsiders were barred from entering. Therefore, skyscrapers that go up to 100 floors would have to be built elsewhere. After Charmine got out of the car, Adam went to find a parking lot nearby. It was always difficult to find a parking lot in the city. Instead of waiting for Adam, Charmine walked toward Westfield on her own. Westfield''s securities saw Charmine walking toward them, and they reached out their hands to stop her. "Excuse me, but you''re not a resident here. You¡¯re not allowed to enter." 1 Charmine handed them her name card. Tm here to talk to whoever¡¯s in charge. I''m sure you don¡¯t want yournd to end up with foreigners, right?" chapter 652 chapter 652 The security guard frowned as he read Charmine''s name card, obviously perplexed. She-the Diamond Boss, a supermodel, and the Jordan Group''s director- came to Westfield? 1 After a moment of hesitation, he lowered his hands. "Go ahead, but our chief will never sell thisnd no matter what you say. You should give up such a thought." "Thanks." Charmine disregarded his advice and walked into Westfield''s gates. Her main objective was to meet Max D''Cruz and see for herself what kind of man he was; it did not matter if she could convince Westfield''s chief or not. Furthermore, she had such a strong familiarity with Waverly, thus she wondered if she would feel the same for Max. 4 N?velDrama.Org ? content. She hoped to find some clues on Max. As Westfield''s walls stood tall, Westfield became somewhat like a secluded vige shielded from the hustles and bustles of the city. She noted how paths made of stones were elongated across the ground inside Westfield, and it gave the impression of ancient yet natural imagery. Charmine suddenly understood why the residents would not sell thisnd- it was a tranquilnd. Even though it was located in the city, the transportation was extraordinarily quiet. It was not noisy nor vain like a city would be, despite being in the heart of a well-developed town. It felt like going back to basics. 1 Charmine walked along the stone path as she then saw a heritage house not too far away with ten bodyguards. The ten bodyguards looked just like Waverly''s, very formal and strong-built. The chief was inside, and so was Max. Charmine was about to walk toward the house when about ten residents of Westfield approached her. "Get out of here, now!" they growled, agitated at the sight of her. "Don''t think you''d get ournd! We won¡¯t sell it!" "I don''t care if you''re a diamond boss or a superstar, anyone who wants to buy ournd is evil!" ''You''re all doing this for money. So cold, evil, and heartless! Get lost!" A woman threw the vegetables she just bought at Charmine violently. Charmine was attacked even before she could speak. Someone started to throw things at her, and the others followed. At the blink of an eye, vegetables, eggs, stones, and nts were hurled toward Charmine. Charmine frowned and nimbly got out of the way to avoid getting hurt. The edibles thrown at Charmine sttered on the ground where she previously stood. What barbarians! Charmine kept a three-meter distance from the residents as she eyed them sharply. "Instead of attacking me, why don''t you think of how to stop the chief from selling thisnd? You don¡¯t want to sell thend to me, but you''d sell it to a foreigner?" "Hah! Our chief isn''t that kind of man. He knows what to do, and he won¡¯t sell it to anyone! Please leave now!" ''We¡¯ll drive out the others once we get you out! Why asked US to see you first?" "Get out! Get out! Those who want ournd are bad people! You''re all concerned about making profit and not the passing-down of our culture!" Distressed, the residents chased after Charmine and kept on taking things to throw at her. Outside, Kay and his men were about to jump over the walls when Charmine gave them a calm look. Having direct conflict with the residents would only wreak havoc instead of resulting in a fruitful oue. Furthermore, after hearing their concerns, her eyes sparkled. So that was the reason why the residents were not willing to sell thend. Charmine was likely to have a way. chapter 653 chapter 653 Just as Charmine began to formte a n, someone rushed up and pushed her violently. ¡°Get out! Get out!" Charmine was forced out of Westfield''s entrance and almost fell over. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. She was saved by her quick-thinking and agile movement as she grabbed the tree by the side and stood on her feet steadily. Westfield''s residents instantly shut the main gate and scowled at the security guards, "Look after this gate properly, and don''t let stray dogs or cats in!" The security guards were scolded badly as they nodded. Charmine stood outside the door, frowning. Why were the residents here so vulgar? It seemed that she would need to put in some effort to win over these residents. 1 She wondered how Max got in... As she was about to stand up straight, she realized she was stuck. Charmine lowered her head to see her heel stuck between the gap of the road, and tried as she might, she just could not break free. Kay and his men were about toe to her aid, but before they moved, a bunch of men suddenly walked out from Westfield. The man leading them was dressed in a matte ck suit, exuding a regal- like yet arrogant aura. Behind him were ten bodyguards; it was as if he was a prominent figure. When he saw Charmine, his lips curled up into a cold and mocking smile. ¡°Ah, seems like this is all the world-renowned supermodel and the so- called Mrs. Diamond can do." Charmine, at that moment, was bent over, her head lowered as she examined her heel. Hearing this mocking voice, she straightened her body and looked at the person talking. It was Max. His facial features were so definite and sharp that it gave one the impression of a cold, distant individual. Furthermore, just like Waverly, he was raised in the best condition possible, resulting in that regalness that seemed to stem from within his bones like a highly revered prince. It was their first encounter, yet Max''s hostility was already so obvious? Charmine red at him and scoffed, "So here''s the prince of the number one real estate family in Kansas, the heir of the D''Cruz family. That''s it? Can''t even get the Westfieldnd?" Max frowned. He just came out and said nothing, but how did Charmine know he failed to strike a bargain for Westfield? He stared daggers at Charmine. "If I can''t get it, neither will you. The Jordan Group is struggling badly, and it¡¯ll shut down in no time. Furthermore..." His eyesnded on Charmine, sizing her up and down mockingly and flirtatiously. "Seems like your lover isn''t with you, Ms. Jordan. He''s out there helping another woman, yet you still have the time to care about yourpany? Instead of being an independent businesswoman, why don''t you think of ways to keep your man? Heh... Your man is staying by another woman''s side and has children with her. Seems like there''s no point in fighting for this rtionship. No wonder Ms. Jordan is working so hard," he sneered. 1 His words stabbed Charmine''s heart. How did Max know about her rtionship with Anthony? Well, considering Max was Waverly''s brother, it did make sense for him to know. However... She looked up at Max. "Two people in love doesn''t mean they have to be glued together. They should instead work hard for their shared future together. "Mr. D''Cruz, you look like you''re forty years old. Why do you worry about others'' personal things like some eighty- year-old granny?" 3 Max''s face darkened. What did Charmine say? Did she just say he looked like She said he looked like a 40-year-old, and she even said he sounded like an 80- year-old granny? 2 He was only 30! 1 Angered, A bodyguard behind Max barked, "How dare you speak to our master with such a tone?! You''re asking for it!" chapter 654 chapter 654 The guard then threw a heavy punch toward Charmine. Charmine could not move as her heel was stuck in the gap. His fist was merely five centimeters from her face just as she was about to take out her foot from her shoe. Just as his fist nearly grazed Charmine''s face, arge hand intercepted Max¡¯s punch. "A big man like Mr. D''Cruz dares to hit a woman? Aren''t you just shaming every other man like this?" Such words were uttered with disgust and mockery. Charmine turned to look who was talking. It was Alexander Walker... He just would not get off her back! 1 Alexander stood by her side, his cat-like eyes boring into hers. "Sweetie, why are you even talking to a tasteless man like him? Even if your man is having a baby with another woman, there''s still a long line of men waiting to marry you. A violent man like Mr. D''Cruz will probably end up domestically abusing his wife! Haha!" Alexander nced at Max before he, right in front of everyone, got down on one knee and helped Charmine fix her stuck heel. As the heel was perfectly wedged in-between the gap, it was hard to remove it. Alexander, at that moment, looked as though he was a knight that dutifully guarded a princess. Max intended to insult Charmine more, but when he saw Alexander, his eyes darkened as he scoffed, "You''re just a bunch of people with thick skins. If only you''re as capable!" 1 With that, he turned and left, his gait exuding bitterness and contempt. The ten or so guards red at Charmine and left gradually. Charmine¡¯s heated gaze bore into their retreating forms. It seemed that Max was trying to control Burlington''s economics and wanted to control everyone. Things seemed as though it would be hectic from then on... 1 Meanwhile, Alexander mustered his strength and finally pulled out Charmine''s heel. 1 He stood up and dusted his hands. "Why didn''t you bring your bodyguards?" Kay was ready to step in, but he saw that Alexander came. He and the Uncles had talked about it before; they knew that Alexander was the one who raped Charmine back then. It would have been better if Alexander could atst earn Charmine''s forgiveness and atone for his sin-a much more ideal scenario than having Charmine cling onto such a poisonous trauma that could scar her forever. 1 Therefore, Kay gave this chance of saving Charmine to Alexander... You don''t have to bother about me," noted Charmine monotonously. "I would''ve handled myself just fine. ''Til say this again: stop getting in my life." Whenever she saw him, she would think of that painful night five years ago. She was out cold that night, and everything felt like a blur. Thinking it was Julian, Charmine back then epted it all, but knowing the truthter on made her stomach turn. All she wanted to do to a heartless person like him was to stab him in his chest! Of course, as she was busy with the Jordans and Chris, she had no time to take care of the Walker gang. They would not get off the hook, however. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Charmine turned away arrogantly-she felt bad even from breathing the same air as Alexander. Alexander stood still, staring at her as she left with a hardened gaze. He still had time. He would appear whenever she needed help, and he would slowly make up to her, to gain her forgiveness... chapter 655 chapter 655 Charmine could not find Adam''s car, even though she had gone back and forth for a while. Suddenly, Kay appeared beside her. "Boss Jordan, you don''t have to be so hostile to Alexander. We''ve investigated Alexander and found that-¡± "I¡¯ve nothing to do with him," snapped Charmine, "and you don''t have to tell me anything! If you ever make a decision for me again and let someone like him get close to me, I''ll tell your manager to take you away!" That terrified Kay so badly that he sped a hand over his mouth. "I won''t speak, I won¡¯t speak! But...I do want to say something. Boss Jordan, you also feel that Anthony and Annabel should be together, right? Meanwhile, you and Alexander also did it five years ago. Now that Alexander is genuinely nice to you, maybe you should-" 1 Before he could finish, Charmine abruptly stopped walking, her figure seemingly ominous... Murderous. Kay¡¯s back felt cold at that instance. His toes pointed as he jumped a few meters away, hiding from Charmine. Charmine wanted to threaten him, say something like sending him to Africa, but the words were lodged in her throat. Damn it! How was Kay¡¯s brain that rotten and broken? How could hepare her situation with Alexander, with Anthony and Annabel''s? 1 Anthony and Annabel got together unknowingly-one innocent, the other drugged. It was pre-nned, an ident. 2 Her situation with Alexander was different... He knowingly hurt her! Even with that knowledge, Kay still had the audacity to try and talk her into getting together with such a man? Charmine should give Kay a deep-reasoning lecture whenever she had the time. Charmine took a while before she rposed herself, and she eventually found Adam¡¯s car. "Back to the office,¡± she spoke as she got in. Adam noticed Charmine''s tumultuous expression and thus kept silent, merely driving her back to the office. 1 Charmine''s thoughts were all over the ce as she sat in the car, but after facing such extreme anger, she gradually regained rationality. It seemed that what Kay said did make some kind of sense. Although Alexander was a rapist, to an outsider, she still had a past with Alexander, and since Alexander was willing to be kind and make up for his grave mistakes, perhaps Alexander was the most suitable man to her. 3 Only when she epted Alexander would the criticism stopped; no other man would belittle her. This was probably what caused Annabel to have such a stormy internal conflict. Only when Annabel officially got with Anthony and told everyone she was pregnant with Anthony''s child would everyone stop looking down on her. Until then, she would be called a dishonest and disloyal woman who bore a child out of wedlock, just like how Charmine was coined ''deflowered'' in the past five years. 1 Charmine was mentally stronger: She took five years to ept that and still intended to ruin Tiffany and the Walker gangpletely. What about Annabel? Not only did Annabelck such a vengeful spirit, but she still had to bear any child of Anthony''s for her parents¡¯ sake. Annabel''s entire life was indeed ruined-ruined by Anthony and Chrispletely. Such pain could never be redeemed with any amount of money. Feeling guilty, Charmine suddenly said to Adam, "Drive me to Royal Hospital." All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Adam did not question her request; he would agree to any of her demands. He turned the car around and drove her to the Royal Hospital''s car park. Charmine opened the car door and got down. "Go home," she calmly spoke, "don''t wait for me." Adam, unable to hold back the question, blurted, "Charmine, would you like toe back home for dinner...?" Charmine had not returned home ever since she moved back to Violet Vi. chapter 656 chapter 656 Charmine merely replied, "I don''t have time now. I''ll go to the ward to visit Robert and Grandpa." With that, she walked into the hospital. Adam could only watch as Charmine went into the building, his eyes glossed with helplessness. He deserved to be treated coldly, considering he was the one who treated her badly from a young age, and that was probably why Charmine was swapped at birth. Charmine went through so much pain due to Adam wronging this ''adopted daughter¡¯ of his. All he could do was use the rest of his life and atone for his mistakes, proving how he had changed for the better to Charmine... Charmine first went to the VIP ward for Robert. Senior Jordan kept his watchful gaze on Robert, and he was ted to see Charmine walking into the ward. "Oh, you¡¯re here, Charmine. Have a seat!" "No need, Grandpa. I have other things to attend to, and I''ll have to fetch Momo from school. I came here to pay you two a visit. How''s Robert?" asked Charmine. "Don''t worry about your brother," assured Senior Jordan, "he''s doing fine. The doctor said that his body parts are in good condition, and he could wake up anytime. The medicines prescribed by Doctor Weir surely are effective!" "d to hear that, Grandpa. Do take good care of yourself, and once I''ve finished dealing with the things at hand, I''lle home and spend time with you," promised Charmine.N?velDrama.Org ? content. "Alright, do settle your matters. Let me know if there''s anything I can help," Senior Jordan reminded her. Charmine did not need his help on any of her matters, however, and she went to the top floor after talking with Senior Jordan. The top floor was a special space that only Nial, Anthony, and a few high- ranking doctors could enter. That was where Annabel was housed so she could recuperate, along with her parents. Charmine keyed in the passcode. After arriving on the top floor, she saw through the window that Annabel''s small yet resilient figure wasying on the bed inside the ward. Charmine''s fingers moved. She wanted to go in but decided against it. Her presence would only unsettle Annabel, and Charmine barely had any word of assurance to ease her. The only way she could help Annabel ease her internal storm was to surrender Anthony... "Charmine?" Suddenly, a deep and hoarse voice came from her back. Charmine snapped out if and saw Anthony coincidentally walking over. He had a bowl of soup in his hands, about to enter the ward. She frowned. "What''s that?" "Nothing. Nial is busy, so I''m helping him to bring this nourishing soup to her. Wait for me here; I''ll be out soon." Anthony spoke as he marched into the ward. As there was a pir in the ward, those from inside the ward could not see what happened outside. Charmine had to watch Anthony walk into the ward with the bowl of soup in his hands and see him giving it to Annabel. A strange feeling, one that should never exist, was aroused in her. 1 "Please don''t mind about this, Ms. Jordan." Waverly walked to her side and exined in her soothing and gentle voice, "Annabel is in a bad state today, and while people can sleep for four hours, she could only sleep for an hour with constant nightmares, and that¡¯s with constant nightmares. 1 "If this went on, she''d fail to conceive this time around. Therefore, I''ve made some changes to the n- this is so that Mr. Bailey doesn''t act as distant to Annabel. 2 "Annabel''s mental knot is unable to be untangled, but if she can feel what everything she''s doing is for her friend, to wish the best for him, she''d feel better. Furthermore, Annabel had done so much for Mr. Bailey, so he should at least treat Annabel as a friend." 1 That clicked for Charmine; so that was the reason why. Waverly had a point: Anthony had given Annabel the cold shoulder as though she was a mere business partner. This would make Annabel feel as if she was merely a tool or an object. If she was treated like a friend, Annabel might feel better. However, this also implied that Anthony should treat Annabel nicer... They should have been a couple for ten years, yet at that moment, all they could do was be in close proximity... chapter 657 chapter 657 Charmine looked into the ward through the window and saw how Anthony handed Annabel the bowl of soup. Noticing there were no tissues around Annabel, Anthony took some tissues for her. It was as though a responsible husband was taking care of his pregnant wife. Charmine, who stood outside the window, looked like an extra. Noticing Charmine''s distant gaze, Waverlyforted, "Mr. Bailey really loves you; you don¡¯t have to be too concerned. He''s just a special friend of Annabel''s, that''s all." 2 Waverly''s out-of-the-bluement brought her out of her thoughts. She looked at Waverly who was beside her, and that strong sense of familiarity was awakened again, along with an obvious feeling of despise. It felt as if standing next to Waverly disconcerted her every cell. "Have we met before, Ms. D''Cruz?" blurted Charmine. Right after she asked, Waverly''s eyes showed a glint of panic. However, it merelysted for 0.01 second, so quick that it was almost unnoticeable. The panic quickly vanished. 1 She met Charmine''s eyes gracefully. "Really? Why did Ms. Jordan ask? I think we''ve never met before." Never met before? Where did this sense of familiaritye from? Charmine looked into her, trying to find the answer from her. Waverly merely looked at her unperturbed as she said gracefully, "I''ve been taken care of by our family nanny since birth, home-schooled since young by top tutors. Furthermore, I''m the only daughter of the D¡¯Cruz family. They¡¯d do anything for me and never let me make any public appearance. This is my first time visiting Burlington, apanying my brother to see the outside world." Waverly''s voice was clean and pure, as if she was an untainted white snowke without a trace of impurity nor dishonesty. Furthermore, she sounded rather proud when she mentioned her family. That proudness was very familiar... Charmine recalled how Tiffany used to show off to her about how well their parents treated her. Do all well-pampered daughters like to show off their love? Charmine¡¯s gaze felt all too meticulous on Waverly as if she wanted to see through her. Unsettled by her gaze, Waverly said elegantly, "My job is finished for today. I''lle back tomorrow." With that, she turned to leave, and Britney followed behind her. Charmine watched as Waverly left, her gaze darkening as she did. Even Kay and his men could not find out about Waverly. She seemed too mysterious... Anthony walked out at that moment, and he habitually wrapped his arm around her waist. "Let''s go and fetch Momo." Charmine instinctively stiffened. 1 They were in a public setting, and as the matters between them were still unresolved, and Annabel still inside the ward... If anyone saw them... She got out of his arm. "Let¡¯s go." Anthony followed behind her, practically feeling Charmine intentionally distancing herself from him. He frowned. 2 After getting in the lift, Charmine stood closest to the wall of the list, leaving a lot of space between them. His eyes darkened but said nothing. He walked into the lift and stood beside her as if nothing happened. When they arrived at the underground car park, Luke drove while Anthony and Charmine sat at the rear passenger seats. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Strangely enough, there was a screen that separated the front seats from the rear ones; the people at the front could not see what was happening behind. Just when Charmine sensed that this car was strange, Anthony''s big hand suddenly hooked around her waist. He exerted force and pulled her over, making her lean onto him. chapter 658 chapter 658 "Are you overthinking things again, Charmine?¡± Anthony''s husky, maic voice was evidently displeased. 1 As they were just a breath away, Charmine could clearly feel his crisp and cold breath fanning her face, and her heart skipped a beat. She scooted away, attempting to pull away from him, but Anthony''s arm hooked around her waist tightly and gave her no chance to escape. She then reasoned, "I''m not overthinking; I''m just looking at the fact. "If we''re both more rational in this situation, we really have no need to be together. Even if we''re together, we should at least keep it low, especially in the hospital where Annabel is around. We should avoid this. "After all, Chris'' life depends on Annabel''s pregnancy, and Annabel did have it real bad. If she''s affected and is unable to conceive, Momo will be done for...!" Anthony could detect Charmine''s worry, and he kept his hand around her waist as he lowly spoke, "Letting Annabel be a surrogate mother is merely letting her be a surrogate mother-it''s not about giving her a hope she shouldn''t have." 1 This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Anthony had reached his limit after listening to Waverly''s advice of treating Annabel like a friend, but now he had to be considerate about Annabel and could not even get close to his woman? Seeing that he remained determined, Charmine had to persuade him, "Of course I know we shouldn''t give her any hope, but the goal now is to make sure Annabel has a stable emotion and health, and this is so that the baby can be conceived and given birth to. I don''t expect you to treat her very well, but at least don''t have too much contact with me in front of her. Just be considerate of her feelings and take care of her like a friend. Once Momo is cured, we''ll have decades to be together." 2 "So what you''re saying is that as long as we¡¯re outside of the hospital, we don''t have to stay low?" said Anthony. Charmine fell silent. They were touching a heavy topic, yet he still could not grasp the point! Charmine wanted so badly to hammer him twice! Anthony tightened his hand around her waist as he gazed into her eyes seriously. "Charmine, I can agree to stay away from you in the hospital, and I''ll do my best to treat her like a friend, but that''s it. Don''t you ever have the thought of giving me out to heal her. I''m sure Momo would rather live till eight instead of seeing US break up, just like me." 1 His words were heavy like a stone, filled with an unbudgeable authority. Charmine halted slightly. He would rather Chris lived only until he was eight instead of breaking up? Anthony would not care about his own son and wanted to be with her instead? Did that show how deep his love was, or how irrational one could get when in love? 2 Meanwhile, the car stopped as Luke''s voice came from the front," President Bailey, we''re at the kindergarten." Anthony caressed Charmine¡¯s cheek with his thumb, reminding her in his gentle masculine voice, "Wait for me in the car, I''ll go get Momo." With that, Anthony exited the car and closed the door like a gentleman. Charmine sat inside the car, the heat from Anthony''s palm still lingered on her cheek. Her eyes darkened. Anthony''s feelings for her seemed rather too determined, so determined that she felt persuaded... Since when did she, Boss Jordan, be a girl enamored in love? She suddenly heardughter from outside, and Charmine looked out the window to see a few children out of kindergarten. The atmosphere felt warm and loving as parents picked up their children, talking andughing, sharing the new things they had learned throughout the day. Swayed by the beautiful atmosphere, it was not long until Charmine noticed two familiar figures not far away. Those two familiar figures were standing by the gate of the kindergarten. chapter 659 chapter 659 The man had sses on and donned a white shirt. He looked gentle. The woman, meanwhile, had a luxurious jacket on, and it gave her the image of avish person. It was Derek and Yvette. She knew about these two; they fought for power over the Bailey family against Anthony. If they found out about her and Anthony, Senior and Madam Bailey might find out. As her situation with Anthony was already difficult, things would get messier if the Baileys were involved. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Charmine moved further back into the car and put on her sunsses. Outside the car, a teacher brought down Chris and Coco. When Chris saw Anthony standing by the gate, he walked toward him unwillingly without even smiling. Coco, meanwhile,unched toward her parents. "Daddy! Mommy!" "My sweet Coco, let Mommy give you a hug." Yvette hoisted Coco into her arms as she lovingly pinched her chubby and pouty cheeks. Coco pecked Yvette''s face. "I love Mommy! I really love my Mommy! Thank you Mommy foring to bring me home every day! Coco has a Mommy!" She emphasized thatst sentence as she shot Chris a stare. Chris'' already upset face sunk further, and he turned away to leave. "Brother, the kid didn''t mean it," reasoned Derek to Anthony. "Don¡¯t take it seriously." "Don''t worry, I won''t hold it against those who can¡¯t control their mouth," Anthony scoffed coldly before turning over to chase after Chris. Derek''s once gentle gaze turned malicious as he red at Anthony''s back. Well, they would see how that arrogant behavior would be wiped out someday! Meanwhile, Coco suddenly called out, "Daddy, Mommy! There''s a woman inside Chris'' car!" 1 A woman? Derek and Yvette''s eyesnded on the car not far away. The car door was opened and Chris was going into the car. However, they could only see half of the car from where they were standing. They could not see the other side. "Coco, don''t make things up," taught Yvette. "Your Uncle''s car won''t have another person inside, especially a woman!" "But I did see one! When Chris opened the door, a woman was inside. Once Chris got in, the woman moved inside. If you don''t believe me, you can go and have a look." Coco''s face was genuine. Exchanging nces, Yvette and Derek walked toward Anthony''s car to verify Coco''s im. Meanwhile, Anthony was also going inside the car, his tall figure blocking the inside of the car. The two of them had to increase their pace to march toward the car. If there really was a woman in there, well, that would be shocking news! They wanted to see which woman won Anthony''s heart... They wanted to see if they could bribe this woman! 1 Chris was initially angry as he got into the car, but the moment he saw Charmine, his face turned cheerful like a flower blossoming. "Mommy! Mommy! You came to fetch Momo today! Momo has a Mommy!" "Mhm! Of course!" Charmine saw that he was unhappy, so she hugged him and gently caressed his soft and pouty face,forting him. Chris nestled further into her embrace. "Momo has a Mommy! Momo has a Mommy! Momo wants kisses from Mommy!" He happily leaned into her. Just as Charmine was about to lower her face, she saw two figures walking to the window. They were Derek and Yvette. Derek raised his hand and gently knocked on the car window. Charmine panicked and quickly signaled Anthony. They should not open the car window. She was done for once they recognized her. She did not want anyone to know that she was with Anthony! chapter 660 chapter 660 However, Anthony acted as if he did not understand her signal. He ced his hand on the window button and looked up at Charmine. "Anything wrong, mydy?" "Stop joking around at such a time! You know what to do!" hissed Charmine, half-yelling and half- whispering to Anthony. Anthony''s lips curled into a half-smile. "I don¡¯t understand what mydy means! The air is stuffy, and I want to open the window for some fresh air." "Anthony Bailey!" Charmine almost yelled at him through gritted teeth. This man was doing this on purpose! Chris reminded her, "Mommy, Daddy finds it hard to breathe from time to time. Sometimes, all he needs is CPR!¡± CPR? This child...! However, Anthony''s eyesnded on her as if he was waiting. Charmine was speechless. They were joining forces to threaten her! They were cheating! Meanwhile, Derek who was outside the car knocked again. "Brother, I just need to speak to you about something. Do you have to do this?" His tone was sounding impatient. Anthony looked at Charmine hopelessly. "As you can see, I have to roll down the window." He spoke as he made the gesture as if he was about to press it. Chris pestered, "Mommy, Mommy, hurry and give Daddy CPR on his lips!" 1 Charmine had no choice but to lean forward, her lips gently brushed Anthony''s. Instantly, she pulled away after. "Alright, happy now?" Anthony''s lips curled up into a satisfactory smile. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Charmine was obviously distancing away from him today, and despite it was just a graze of her lips, it was still an improvement. He instructed Luke who was in front, "Deal with it." Luke opened the front window and looked out to say to Derek and Yvette," I beg your pardon, but our President Bailey is busyforting Momo, so he doesn''t have time to talk. If there''s anything, do make an appointment with his secretary in the office." 1 With that, he pressed on the gas pedal and drove the car away. Clouds of dust fogged Derek and Yvette as they watched the car race away. What overbearing arrogance! Yvette carried Coco and took a few steps back. Sheined to Derek," Your brother wasn''t as rude in the past. Perhaps there¡¯s really a woman inside his car?" Derek scoffed. Not as rude in the past? He had always been rude! He shifted the bitter look on his face as he turned to Coco with a gentler disposition, asking gently, "Coco, did you really see a woman inside your Uncle¡¯s car? Did you see what she looks like?" ''Yeah! Coco never lies! Coco saw it! The woman had sunsses on, though, so I didn''t see her face clearly..." Coco said sadly. Derek ruffled her hair. "Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll look closer next time." There was a woman in Anthony''s car-that was all they needed to know to act. "Right, did you manage to find out where Anthony lives recently?" Yvette suddenly asked. Derek walked toward their car and said, "It seems that in order to avoid McKenzie, he lives in another mansion. No need to check on it-it¡¯s better that he doesn''te home." Anthony offending McKenzie was equivalent to him offending Senior and Madam Bailey. The stiffer their rtionship became, Derek''s chance of bing the Baileys¡¯ patriarch would grow higher. 1 If they could find out who that woman was and then bribe this woman to stand on their side, Derek''s chance of bing the patriarch would be sooner than they thought! Thinking of that, Derek called one of his men, "Keep an eye on Anthony, and check if there¡¯s a woman by his side." chapter 661 chapter 661 That night, Chris made Charmine sleep with Anthony. Anthony had always thought Chris was a nuisance in his progressing rtionship with Charmine... Who would have thought the boy would turn out to be a ster middle-man? 2 He put his hand around Charmine''s waist and fell into a deep slumber. Anthony woke upter that same midnight as he saw Charmine asleep by herptop, seemingly to have worked on something before she dozed off. There was a design diagram disyed on the still-onptop. Frowning, he got out of bed and walked over to carry Charmine back to bed. 1 Too tired with everything that happened that day, Charmine was out like a light. Anthony gently covered her up with a nket. Thinking of how much Charmine had worked and struggled, he then walked out of the room and closed the door behind him. Late at night, he dialed Nial¡¯s number. Nial was sleeping soundly when he heard his phone ringing urgently. Dazed and baffled, he answered the call to hear Anthony''s voice, "Send all of the information of the potential suitors to my email, and also, cancel all of mypany and family matters. I don''t mind if you pass them on to Derek." 1 "Huh?" Nial rubbed his eyes as he eyed his watch. 3am in the morning... "Bro, are you crazy? Am I dreaming right now?" Passing on his things to Derek would give him a chance to establish control over the family! Anthony said, i¡¯ll help out in the medicalb tomorrow-we''ll solve the issue with Annabel first.'''' 1 Annabel''s matter was a priority that needed to be finished. He had to fix it first so Charmine would feel better. Charmine was working her lungs off, so why should he ck off? Nial wanted to tell him about Derek sending his people to follow him, but Anthony already hung up. Whatever. Nial felt like he was the mother looking after the two brothers... On the next day, Charmine was woken up by a phone call. "Director Jordan, something happened, and it''s bad. Max D''Cruz got Westfield! He''s going there to sign the contract as we speak!" Sign the contract? That smacked Charmine out of her drowsiness. She sat up on the bed and saw the clock on the wall pointing to 10am. She overslept. There was no trace of Anthony and Chris on the bed. It was apparent that they turned off her rm. Afterposing her thoughts shortly, sheforted, "Don''t panic. I¡¯ll head toward Westfield now." That contract would not be signed; not on her watch. Charmine hung up and washed up quickly before going downstairs. There was a cooler box on the dining table, along with a note attached... [However busy you are, remember to have breakfast.] This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . [Signed, Beloved Momo; Beloved husband, Anthony.] Husband... Charmine''s eyelids twitched. Anthony called himself that? They were not even married yet! She had no time to hold him to it as she opened the cooler box. There was a box of milk and a prepared energy sandwich. The sandwich was her favoritebination made of ham and fried egg. By just a look at it made her feel how considerate they were, and how much they knew about her. 2 Charmine felt loved. chapter 662 chapter 662 Westfield, inside the chief''s house... Max sat at the center of the house, signing a document before pushing it to Westfield''s Chief Warren Lucas. Warren had 20 other people by his side, each reluctant and hesitant. Max yed around with his ring with meteorite iy as he spoke, "Sign it. Even if you don¡¯t sign it now, more people woulde here and give you more headache as it develops. That evil woman, Charmine Jordan is preparing to attack you all with her evil tactics. "Furthermore, nobody else would be like me, giving you fifty percent of thend¡¯s shares, and you''re also provided withnd at a strategic location. We can always recreate Westfield detail by detail." 1 Everyone¡¯s eyes narrowed-Max had a point. Usually whenever someone came for them, they would only offer money, but Max was willing to give them shares. 50% of shares implied that even after they moved out from here, thisnd would still belong to them. Max bought anothernd outside of the city and promised to recreate Westfield detail by detail. They would still live in a familiar surrounding. 1 They had grown tired of defending Westfield from property groups over the years... Warren sighed heavily. Finally, he picked up the pen and was ready to sign. Max''s eyes darkened with pride. After giving them 50% of the shares, he would not be able to make any gains in this deal, but as long as he could prevent the Jordan Group from getting back on their feet, it was enough. He wanted to use thisnd to target against the projects of the Jordan Group, to make sure that all of their properties here could not be sold out! He came to Burlington for the Jordans... 3 Just as Warren''s pen tip grazed the paper, however... "Stop!" came a sharp call, and everyone looked up to see Charmine walking in from the outside. Charmine was dressed in a burgundy high-cored, long-sleeved dress. She was walking on a pair of ck Dr. Martens boots, exuding a strong temperament. Max glowered at Charmine, his thin lips forming a smirk as he did. ''Toote, Charmine Jordan. The residence had decided to sell thisnd to me." Everyone looked at Charmine cautiously, and they pestered unpleasantly," Please leave! Mr. D''Cruz came with sincerity. An evil businesswoman like you should never meddle in our deal with Mr. D''Cruz. Get out!" ''You call it sincerity when he gives you the shares? Do you think you can keep the tradition by recreating another Westfield in the countryside? Perhaps you should have a look at what sincerity is, what is the true meaning of keeping the tradition alive." As Charmine spoke, she took out a scroll and rolled it open. The scroll opened up and a beautiful painting came in sight. There was a tall tower that had 199 floors. The tall tower had a cornice angle design, red windows, green tiles, and carved benches with The painting disyed that the houses by the side were designed in the style of ancient architecture. The center was of spaciousnd, allowing the sunlight to shine, reflecting the feel of an ancient town as beautiful as heaven. The tower was named Divine Bird-even the name of it was so well thought of. The painting showed how careful and considerate the designer was. Westfield''s residents eyed it apprehensively. ''This...this is..." Behind Charmine, Brandon came up to exin, ''This is the project diagram designed by our Director Charmine over the night. If the Jordan Group gets thisnd, we''ll build the Divine Bird here. ''The name Divine Bird came from mythology, the bird representing a phoenix. This project symbolizes the building of a phoenix in the city, N?velDrama.Org ? content. reflecting the first generation architecture in Burlington. "Furthermore, it won''t matter if you''re unwilling to work with US as we, the Jordan Group, will build this anyway. From now onward, all of our projects will be based on ancient architectural styles, spreading the beauty of our tradition." Brandon''s words took Westfield''s residents by surprise, their eyes heating as they slowly began toprehend his words. Warren even dropped his pen. He stood up and looked at Charmine. is... Is that real?" chapter 663 chapter 663 Charmine met his eyes and answered honestly, "Of course it''s real. I know the reason you all stayed here for so long isn''t to mark up the price, and it''s not that you all want more money. You just want to preserve thest heritage area in Burlington. "I understand your sentiment, and I understand where you''re alling from. The Jordan Group used to be the No.1 development group in the country, and we have the duty to make our country proud!" Most of the tall towers all around the country were built in a European- esque manner. Only some attraction spots still preserved the heritage buildings. Burlington was a country of rich culture and history, How could its tradition be drowned with the tides of time? On the right top corner of the painting, a line of words was written, [Our aim is to bring back the glory of Burlington.] As the residents realized how much effort and conviction Charmine had to bring back Burlington''s glory, coupled with that painting of hers, their eyes welled with tears, especially the Chief''s. Tears rolled down his cheeks. He had grown in Westfield from a tender age; he watched as the surrounding green tiles and walls were destroyed. He watched as tall buildings were built around Westfield. The town grew busy as their traditions faded gradually... The prosperous Westfield no longer showed the glory of the past. They swore to guard this ce, with the aim of preserving thest trace of history in this city-to guard the only remaining heritage area in Burlington. They did tell this to quite a few developers, but they were shot down instead. In an era of globalization, they chose to guard the old building of the past. They were called rigid, corrupted, naive, and unable to progress with the times. The ancient buildings were all very detailed, exquisite, and carefully made. Even a carved window was way moreplex than the newly built window these days. This type of architecture required at least double the time and capital. It was impossible to make gains. Therefore, the developers never considered buildings of a medieval style. Yet, there she was, Charmine who understood them! She even designed this tower over one night! Warren looked at Charmine with his reddened eyes, his body slightly trembling. "You''re Charmine, right? As long as you can promise to keep our tradition, I''ll sign with you! I can even give you thisnd for free!" Charmine¡¯s red lips curled up as she agreed, "I won''t let you down." Brandon took out the well-prepared contract and gave it to them. Max instantly scowled, mming his hand on the table as he shot up from his seat. Thomp! "Chief Warren, didn¡¯t you agree to sell thisnd to me? How could you break your promise?" "My apologies, but we''ve made a new decision now. Please leave," Warren said coldly. 1 They agreed earlier as they did not have a choice. Max said many bad things about Charmine: He told them how she killed Tiffany and how, if they did not sign with her, Charmine would use all kinds of dirty tricks to kill them all. 1 Therefore, for the sake of their younger generation, in addition to the excellent offer, they decided to sign with Max. Thankfully, the truth was revealed that Charmine was far from a diabolical individual. The people of Westfield no longer had to cooperate with Max D''Cruz! Max''s eyes darkened. "You all want the ancient design? We can design something even better! We can even offer you a better deal!" This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . "No need, young man. Go home. We can tell that you only want the profits; youck the sincerity and spirit to prolong the tradition I can see from Charmine," countered Warren. "Leave! Go away!¡± rebelled the people. "We¡¯re not selling Westfield to you!" '' Max¡¯s eyes turned cold and evil. "You¡¯re breaking your promise. Are you able to pay the price for it?¡± 1 As he spoke, hundreds of strongly built bodyguards rushed forward, surrounding them all. Each of them had an electronic baton in hand, menacing as they stood. Warren and the Westfield residents huddled together instantly, alerted and shocked by the sudden intrusion. Max was using force? Was he going to attack them? Warren looked at Max angrily. "As long as the contract isn¡¯t signed, thisnd still belongs to US. We have the rights to choose who we''re selling to. What can you do?" "Men with big goals don''t care about the small things. Thisnd can only belong to me, Max D''Cruz! You should reconsider your choice now!" growled Max. chapter 664 chapter 664 Westfield was located at the heart of Burlington, and a few buildings of Jordan Group stood erect in thisnd. Due to the Jordan Group¡¯s scandal, many properties were left unsold. If Max could own thisnd, he could establish control over the Jordan Group with his newfound authority, blocking them from rising again. With that in mind, Max shot Charmine a sharp re. "I''m giving you a chance to leave. As long as you get out of my sight with your design diagram, I''ll let you go easy and pretend as if nothing happened today. Otherwise, well, I''ll have to beat some sense into you!" 1 His words were filled with threat. All of the residents were so terrified that they huddled together anxiously. However... "Excuse me, but the person who should get lost is you!" Charmine stated seemingly unperturbed. Her eyes shing with a glint of deadliness. With a mere wave of her hand... Tap, tap, tap! Hundreds of men rushed in from the outside, dressed cleanly with agent suits and bulletproof helmets. To top that off, they wore bulletproof jackets as well. 1 Each of them held a ck weapon. They were from the headquarters...! They were those who had actual weapons! Each of them was so well-built, everyone could tell that they were soldiers who had been on battlefields. Max¡¯s eyes darkened. Who was Charmine exactly that she could gather this many people? This woman was unreal! All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Charmine¡¯s eyes nced over at Max and his men. "You have five seconds to leave. In five seconds, the weapons will go blind!¡¯¡¯ Someone loaded his weapon right after she spoke. Max''s fists balled tightly as he only hesitated for 0.01 second. He then said, "Watch your back, Charmine!" He took the lead and marched out, and his men followed suit. Upon Max''s departure with his men, the agents went out and kept watch. Westfield''s chief looked at Charmine with disbelief. How was Charmine able to gather those people? 1 It seemed as if they found out something they should not have... Nheless, they did not press on the matter and, instead, gratefully spoke, ''Thank you, Charmine! We''re lucky to have you!" "We''ve wronged you badly yesterday. We owe you an apology!" ''Thisnd will belong to you from now on. If you can actually turn it into the painting you showed US, you can own my life!" The residents of Westfield were emotional as they spoke. Charmine took the contract from Brandon and returned it to them. "Have a look at the contract. If there''s anything you don''t like, we can make amendments." The residents gathered and read the conditions stated clearly. The Jordan Group promised to turn Westfield into the ancient-styled Divine Bird. Furthermore, the Group would be monitored consistently, and their uing projects would be developed in the aim of spreading and preserving tradition. The Jordan Group gave their word to pay ten times the cost, should they break their promise. 1 A design diagram of the Divine Bird was printed clearly on the contract. As for the demolitionpensation, they did not even read through and signed right away! They only needed a ce to live for now. Once the project was done, they would be able to pick a house inside the Divine Bird. Other than that, they did not need a penny! Thus, the contract was signed. The Jordan Group had atst signed the contract for the most challenging and never-budging heritage area. 1 Such a contract would go down in the industry¡¯s history! chapter 665 chapter 665 Max left Westfield and returned to a hotel, seething with rage. Waverly was sitting by the window, leaning on the window that overlooked Burlington. Her eyes were dark and nostalgic. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. When she heard the door unlocking, sheposed her thoughts and asked, "Back so soon, Brother? Have you signed the Westfield contract?" "I failed. That woman, Charmine, was able to design an ancient-styled tower, and the bunch was persuaded on the spot. Seeing her capability, it seems rather hard to plot against the Jordan Group." Max''s tone dripped with fury. Waverly frowned. Was Charmine that capable? However, after a moment, she looked at Max andforted him gently," Brother, don''t worry-this is only a start. It''s a minor setback, is all. We can make it up from the others, and I believe you''ll be able to make a name in Burlington and take over the Jordan Group." Her voice was gentle and beautiful, one that eased a person¡¯s mind. 1 ''Thank you, Waverly. I''ll work hard for you." 1 Suddenly, Max walked over to her side and sat down. He reached out to hook his arm around her waist. He reveled in her beauty and gentleness, though his eyes darkened yet another shade. 4 Even if it was not for her, he would not let Charmine off the hook so easily. So, Charmine took Westfield, did she? Two could y at that game. Waverly did not resist him. In fact, she leaned onto his chest. They were meant to be siblings, but at that instance, they were more than that... 3 On that same day, Charmine and the Jordan Group''s official Twitter ount published the news of them taking over Westfield and the news of their ''Divine Bird'' project. Furthermore, the surrounding properties around Westfield that were left unsold were all demolished. Charmine led Brandon''s team to change the workers working on the project and refurbished the area. They thus began their operation by adding more days-of-old elements into it, starting over along with the ''Divine Bird'' project, creating an ancient-styled town. In the painting as proposed, one could see that among the tall modern buildings, the Divine Bird and the ancient-styled houses stood with cornice angled roofs, red windows, green tiles. It looked rustic yet majestic altogether. The entire world would be stunned! The entire architectural industry would be stunned! Thend that had been stubborn for decades was signed by Charmine. Charmine took it down! At the same time, the Divine Bird''s design was sterly beautiful. One nce at it would instantly make one recall the glory of ancient times. [Our aim is to bring back Burlington''s glory!] This phrase was mass-tweeted and retweeted byizens. Thement section was filled with praises and reverence: [Boss Jordan is indeed the Boss Jordan! Whatever she does, it''s stunning!] [Once the Divine Bird is built, it''ll stun the world!] [I love this historically driven architecture! I want to live in this town every day! And it''s got a stream flowing under the bridge! How poetic!] [Can''t wait at all! This will go viral once it''spleted!] This project was praised and supported by all of the people in Burlington. Before it had started, many people had already tried to queue and buy the units. Inside one of the Jordan Group''s offices... Brandon looked at Charmine with an awe-struck look. "It''s going well! Once the rest of our projects resume with the Divine Bird, the Jordan Group will get back on its feet in no time! Boss Jordan, your design is too stunning!" ''You''ll lead your team to design more towers in the style of the Divine Bird, and make sure the engineering department works in a timely manner as well. We¡¯ll speed up the project with the best materials and technologies." chapter 666 chapter 666 Charmine level-headly made arrangements and sorted numerous tasks at hand, and once all were settled, she left the office in a rather cheerful disposition. She did not know why, but when she had such great news, she instantly wanted to share it with Anthony and Chris. She wanted to hug Chris and spin him around. 1 However, Charmine hesitated as she recalled what happened yesterday. She could not fetch Chris from school; she had to let Anthony go alone. It would be bad if they came across Derek and Yvette again. For convenience, Charmine drove herself to and from work. On her way to Royal Hospital, Charmine spotted a caf¨¦ with an LED board that wrote, [The first sip of tea in Autumn, two for 999, forever and ever!] Forever and ever... Maybe it was her good mood, and maybe it was the victory of getting Westfield, but thinking of how the Jordan Group was getting better, she somehow felt that her and Anthony would eventually get better. As long as they worked hard together, they would be together for eternity. She took out her card and said to the staff by the door, "Couple''s tea, take away." "Sure." The staff quickly helped her make the payment. This was a very well-known and historical caf¨¦ in Burlington; they brewed the best red tea using the top-graded tea leaves. A staff brought out the teas tightly sealed with lids, yet Charmine could still make out the fragrance. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. The couple''s cups were endearing to look at. On the simple-designed khaki cup, one cup had [Forever] printed on it, while the other had [And Ever]. Charmine¡¯s heart melted at the sweet sight, and her lips curled up unconsciously. She thought of the first time she met Anthony and how they were pulled together by fate. Perhaps that was when Anthony had fallen for her. Charmine used to think it was all a joke back then, but it seemed as though Anthony was far more determined to make it happen, that he would hold that promise true. ted, Charmine held the two cups of tea and walked into the hospital. Just as she reached Annabel''s ward, however, she was greeted with the unexpected sight of Anthony pouring water from a kettle as Annabel sat on her bed. What came out of the kettle was not pure water... It was tea. Anthony poured a cup of it and handed it to Annabel. "Your mother said you want to drink tea, so Nial came up with this recipe for you. It won¡¯t affect you." Annabel was anxious. "I... I was just sharing my thoughts, but I didn''t expect my mother to have told you. Sorry to have troubled you! I¡¯m so sorry!" "Don''t worry, just drink it. Nial has lots of free time, so just tell him whenever you have any craving." Anthony squeezed the milk tea onto Annabel¡¯s hands. Sheepishly, Annabel epted it and lowered her head humbly. "Thank you ... Thank you so much." Anthony did not speak. After handing the tea to her, he sat on the chair, keeping the two-meter distance. Annabel took two sips and somehow felt nervous. "President Bailey, do have some," she meekly spoke. "You''re just sitting there, and I''m getting nervous..." He brewed the tea for her yet did nothing but watch her drink it. How embarrassing... Anthony wanted to turn it down, but he thought of Waverly''s advice to make Annabel feel morefortable. After halting for a moment, he took a paper cup and poured himself a cup of tea. Standing outside the ward, Charmine felt as if a ball of cotton stuffed her chest that she struggled to breathe. 1 Her fingers clenched around the cups. Her originally delighted mood popped like they were bubbles. Completely ruined. chapter 667 chapter 667 Although Anthony did not do anything, that they were merely friends, Charmine suddenly recalled their situation. How could she have forgotten? Annabel was conceiving his child... That child would be Chris'' savior, too. Annabel¡¯s pregnancy was not stable yet, and Charmine herself told Anthony to keep it low. How could she have forgotten that? If she affected Annabel resulting in her failure to conceive, it would not go down well. Charmine took a deep breath and left silently. 1 After leaving the hospital, she looked at the tea in her hands and suddenly felt like she was just an extra. Anthony had already taken the first sip of Autumn tea. The tea she brought him was insignificant. Chris'' illness was not even cured yet, yet she was actually thinking of being with Anthony forever and ever? She was a pig blinded by love! Charmine scolded herself rationally. She saw the bin by the side and simply tossed the tea away. At that moment, a figure in burgundy quickly took the cups of tea from her. 1 "What a waste to bin this expensive first sip of Autumn tea. I haven''t taken my first sip this autumn.¡± Alexander held onto the cup and, taking out a straw, he drank it. Charmine grimaced at the sight of him. "You again? Do you really want me to kill you right away?" "I happened to walk past and stopped you from wasting this. Isn''t the government encouraging US to reuse and reduce?" spoke Alexander and took another sip of the tea. 1 It did not take long before the cup of tea was emptied by him. He handed the other cup to Charmine. "Try it; it¡¯s not bad." "Hmph. Don''t be a busybody.¡± Shooting him a cold re, Charmine walked toward her car. Once she got in, Charmine raced away. Alexander stood on the same spot, watching her car speeding away and the extra cup of tea in his hand. After a moment of hesitation, he took out the straw and started drinking alone. To Charmine, the saddest thing was that her cup of Autumn tea was not even delivered to the intended person. 1 To Alexander, the saddest thing was that he had to finish the couple''s drink all by himself. One of them had to take in all... Inside the car... Charmine looked at the rear mirror and saw Alexander''s lonely figure. Her eyes darkened. She had to watch Anthony taking care of Annabel, and all of a sudden, Alexander had to pop out of nowhere again? She could at least stomach Alexander if he was capable of saving Chris, but he could not. Despite that, he still had the gall to show himself that it reminded her of the painful incident from five years ago?Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. She phoned up Kay and scoffed, "Is the Walker gang too boredtely? Isn''t your team in need of someone to wash your toilets? Bring those people to help out." "Cough, cough! They''re quite powerful themselves, and you asked them to wash our toilets?" Kay was bewildered by Charmine''s statement. Charmine merely said, "What? You want to wash your own toilet?" "No! No, no! I¡¯ll do it the right way! However, the Baileys were blocking out the Walker gang, thus a lot of them had moved to other bases. It''s hard to locate them, and it might take a while." "Do your best," concluded Charmine and hung up right away. She thought of Chris and frowned. Since Anthony was taking care of Annabel, he would not be able to fetch Chris. It was bad enough Chris did not have a Mommy, but now his Daddy could not even take him home? Strange as it was, her heart ached at the thought as though Chris truly was her son. After hesitating for a moment, she took out her phone and dialed Chris¡¯ watch-phone. At that moment, Chris noticed the call from Charmine, and he instantly grew giddy. "Mommy! ss is over! Are youing to fetch me?" chapter 668 chapter 668 "Memo''s very clever! You''re right, Mommy is waiting for you, but be careful -don''t let anyone see that you''re N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. "Alright, I got it!" Inside the school, Chris hung up the call. He carried his small backpack and walked out from the ssroom when he sensed Coco tailing after him. His watery eyes glinted sneakily, and he bolted. Coco instantly picked up the pace and followed him. Her Daddy and Mommy said that they had to know the identity of the woman with Anthony. Coco wanted to help them. She was hot on Chris'' heels as she ran up the stairs that led to the hallway, and then to the garden. Coco spotted Chris running into a room, and she, without thinking twice, rushed into the room as well...only to be met with a horrifying sight. All the boys were facing her with their backs. They were...peeing! She ran into the boys'' toilet! "Argh! Waa...!" Coco covered her eyes and instantly started wailing. Chris, seizing the opportunity, ran out of the toilet amid the chaos and left through the backdoor. Charmine''s car was silently waiting outside. He opened the door and went inside. When he saw Charmine on the driver¡¯s seat, he smiled joyfully. "Mommy! Momo is safely out!" "Good job!" Charmine praised him with an impressed look. "Fasten your seatbelt," she reminded him, "we''re going home." "Alrighty!" Chris fastened her seatbelt diligently. The car raced away. Back at their school, Coco was still wailing loudly outside the toilet as it was her first time entering the boys'' toilet and seeing...that. Her wailing attracted the attention of many teachers, and they alerted Derek and Yvette of what happened. Sure enough, they came tofort Coco, the thought of wanting to know the woman''s identity leaving their minds at that moment. 1 Charmine brought Chris home safely. When Chris got out from the car, he looked at the car suspiciously and then at Charmine. His eyes showed his confusion. There was no sight of Anthony even after he entered the house, and at that instant, it clicked for Chris. While Charmine was making dinner, he instantly ran to the balcony and secretly phoned Anthony: "You clumsy pig, it''s thiste and you''re not home yet? Do you still want your wife and son?" 2 On the other end of the phone... Anthony looked at the sky. It was only six in the evening, and the sky was still clear. What did it have to do with him noting home? Chris continued, "Mommy''s car smelled like tea, and it''s obvious she went to buy some, but I didn''t see any cups when she picked me up from school. She threw it away-l know it. 1 ''What did you do to Mommy? You better watch out! If you lose my Mommy, I don¡¯t want you as my Daddy! I''ll find William to be my Daddy, and ask Mommy and William to make me a sister!" 3 With that in mind, Chris hung up angrily. On the top floor of Royal Hospital. Anthony, standing by the French-Styled window, glowered at the thought. Find William as his Daddy? Had he been too lenient to Chris? He would have to teach him a lesson. 2 However... Tea? Anthony suddenly recalled that he made Annabel tea, yet Chris told him Charmine''s car had the smell of tea and she probably tossed the cups of tea away? Sensing something was up, he instantly phoned Luke, "Find out if Charmine came to the hospital today, and check her bank spending record as well." chapter 669 chapter 669 Luke was already busy with finding potential suitors apart from being nose deep inpany-rted tasks, yet he had to check on Charmine all of a sudden? Charmine¡¯s bank card was under special protection; even he had no way of checking on it. The surveince cameras inside the hospital did not show up anything strange, but Luke could vaguely feel that something had been cut out. Finally, Luke detected footage of the car park downstairs. Through the camera of one of the cars, he spotted Charmine atst. The clip was very short: it only showed Charmineing downstairs and tossing the tea in the bin. The car then turned away abruptly. The rest was not recorded. Since the recording was as short as three seconds, Kay and his men missed this segment out and did not delete it. When Anthony saw the clip Luke sent him, he frowned. The night had fallen. It was past ten, and Anthony was not home yet. Charmine was putting Chris to sleep as she patted his back, all while she thought of Anthony. Was he still taking care of Annabel? Even though she knew that he was doing this for Chris, even though she knew that he did not love Annabel, her heart was not at ease. Her man was taking care of Annabel, and that same woman was conceiving their child... 1 Had it been any other woman he was caring for, she would have broken up with Anthony, yet Charmine was still holding on, still suffering... How long would she and Anthony withstand the test of time? At that moment... Click! The door was opened, followed by footstepsing in from the outside. Chris instantly jumped up from the bed. "Mommy, Daddy''s home! Don''t cry; you don¡¯t have to miss him anymore!¡± Charmine was baffled. Since when did she cry thinking of Anthony? While Charmine was still bewildered, Anthony already walked up to the bedroom door. Chris said to Anthony, "Daddy, hurry up andfort Mommy. Mommy misses you so much that she cried. Her eyes even turned red!¡± 1 Chris got out of bed and walked over to pull Anthony into the room. Charmine¡¯s cheeks felt like they burned. That naughty kid...! Since when did she cry thinking of Anthony? Before she could exin herself, Anthony had already sat down by the bed. He took out a brocade box and handed it to her. "Open it." The box was square-shaped and tall, delicate to the eye. Charmine frowned. What day was it? Why did he bring her a gift? Did Anthony really think she was missing him and crying at home, and that was why he bought her a gift? To make up for it? "No, I didn¡¯t," said Charmine, "Momo just-¡¯¡¯ "Have a look first," Anthony cut her off, seemingly anticipating her reaction. Charmine thus opened the brocade box under his gaze. Instantly, she was startled. Inside the brocade box was a matte heart-shaped cup lying silently inside. There was a bright red straw in the shape of an arrow stabbing in from the top right corner. Inside the cup, meanwhile, was a pink fluid, and a strong scent of tea rushed upto her nose. Charmine was stunned. This tea...was the pink tea! Why did Anthony buy her the tea? Did he...? As she was caught up in her thoughts, Anthony''s low and maic voice rang, "Alice Wondend Tea. They sell nine cups per year, using autumn peach petals and snow mountain tea leaves." 1 He handed a greeting card to Charmine as he spoke. On the pink card, the golden font printed: [There''s no other tea like this tea. There''s no one else after you.] 1 As she read the beautiful and sincere sentence, coupled with the heart- shaped matte cup and the pink tea, Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Charmine''s heartbeat fastened as it galloped at a breakneck speed. chapter 670 chapter 670 Anthony came homete just to buy tea? He went through that much trouble just to dispel her anxiety? There would be no one else after her? He would not fall for anyone else... Anthony pulled up the long straw and broke it into two. He forced one of the two into Charmine''s mouth while he covered the other straw with his lips. "This is a couple''s tea.¡± He gazed at her. "What Nial made was public tea, and everyone on the floor drank it.¡± 1 Charmine''s cheeks flushed red. She felt embarrassed. So Anthony did know that she went to the hospital, and he was exining himself to her. He was so serious, which made it seem as if she was over-sensitive over one cup of tea... Moreover, the design of this straw was that as long as one person sucked on one end, the tea would go up to the ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. other person''s straw. The tea had a good texture, and it gave a warm, heartfelt sincerity with it. Anthony held the heart-shaped cup with one hand and ruffled her hair with the other. "Remember: everything I''m doing is to fix the hurdles between US. It¡¯s not fair to your man when you overthink things." His deep voice was slightly arrogant and oppressive. ''Your man.'' Those two words made Charmine''s heart beat faster than it ever did. She took the initiative to take a mouthful of the tea. "I didn''t overthink anything! It''s just... I didn''t want to disturb you, and you''re making a big deal out of it.¡± She sounded like a little girl when she denied it. Anthony''s eyes were filled with love. Outside the door, Chris saw Charmine and Anthony drinking the tea. It looked tasty; he never tried that pinkish tea before. He could not fight off the urge. "Daddy, Mommy, Momo wants to try! I''m also Mommy''s little lover!" 3 "Go and sleep!" Anthony red at him. He did not even prepare him the kid''s version of the tea. How could Chris have such a thought of having William connect with Charmine? Even if his father was dead, he should not have such a thought! Chris pouted. Did he do something wrong? Why did he feel like Anthony was hostile to him? 1 If he had not told him about the smell of tea in Charmine''s car, the two of them would be caught up in the misunderstanding as well. Waa... His Daddy loved and wanted only his wife, not his own flesh and blood! 2 Even though the father-and-son pair did not like each other at that moment, the air was still filled with love. That night, Charmine leaned on Anthony''s chest. She was happy for once. 2 Right, everything Anthony was doing was for their sake, for their future. She had no reason to be angry or get jealous. The two of them were already facing enough troubles. Things would be much more troublesome if they conjured internal conflicts. From now onward, she should be more rational, to clear the obstacles with her man. 1 With that in mind, in the following days, Charmine sorted out the matters with Jordan Group while letting the acquaintance of Uncle Pop and Uncle Weir get together to work on Chris'' illness. If Annabel really did fail to conceive, they should have a backup n. A few days had passed and the Jordan Group''s projects were well on their way. The residents of Westfield had been sorted out. They also took photos of Westfield before demolishing and reconstructing. If it was in the past, the residents of Westfield would have been crying, but after seeing Charmine''s design diagram, they became more supportive, hopeful, and keen than anyone else. At thepany, Charmine was unable to let down her guard. She was constantly keeping an eye at Max D''Cruz. Recently, he had been buying a lot ofnd inside and outside of the city with high prices. It seemed that he was preparing to invest. However, the Jordan Group was doing so well, and the other properties were selling well. What was Max trying to invest in? Was he not afraid of making a loss? At that moment... Thuck, thuck! Someone knocked on the door and came in. chapter 671 chapter 671 Charmine looked up and said, "Come in. Adam led Amelia inside as he said, "Charmine, your cousin is willing toe work in thepany. Let her be your assistant and have her sort out the documents." 3 Charmine frowned as she gazed at Amelia. Amelia was dressed in jeans with an open-shoulder top, showing her shoulders and her upper arms. She looked very alluring. Along with her curly hair and red ruby ne, she looked wild and stunning. Charmine frowned. "Sort out the documents? Are you willing to?" Amelia had failed many interviews-she had no specialty to her. The only position she could manage was to sort out the documents, and the monthly sry was 8,000, top that with being bossed around by Charmine. Amelia had been staying home doing nothing because of that, and yet she came? Had she relented atst? 1 "I thought it through," answered Amelia. "No matter how much the pay is, at least I earn something while gaining some experience to improve myself. It''s only right to have a goal, and I can''t keep waiting to be fed." Her words were so polite and understanding. Charmine''s eyes darkened. Amelia could say such a thing...? Amelia earned up to tens of millions per month during her modeling days. How would she be able to ept the 8,000 bucks monthly sry? However, since she was willing toe, Charmine was intrigued to see what tricks she could y. What could go wrong under her watchful eye? "Stay, then," said Charmine. "Sort out the documents there. Print out twenty copies and distribute them to each department." "Okay." Amelia instantly held the documents in her arms and left. Adam waited for her to leave before saying to Charmine, "I know the two of you aren''t good terms, but Amelia is a Jordan after all. The three of them would want the dividends at the end of the year, so they won''t do anything to harm ourpany. Letting her sort out the documents is ideal. N?velDrama.Org ? content. However, if she does anything wrong, you don''t have to let her stay and work-just turn her away." Charmine nodded. She saw that Amelia was dressed in luxurious brands from head to toe, and her lips curled up. "Don''t worry, I''ll take good care of my cousin." 1 Max was buying more and morends. Furthermore, he bought buildings by the side of the city. No matter how secluded the location was, he bought anything that was avable. Charmine grew more and more suspicious. She felt that Max was plotting something. As expected, the answer came out not long after. When Charmine was patrolling the construction site, Adam suddenly ran toward her and said hurriedly, "Charmine, it''s bad. Ourpany''s design diagrams have been exposed! Max D''Cruz is building Hundred Birds Tower!" He handed the documents to Charmine as he spoke. Charmine lowered her head to see that the phone screen disyed the newpany formed by Max, Jordown Group''s official ount. The ount published, [Hundred Birds Tower is opening soon, ready to stun the city!] These properties were located in every location of Burlington, with the names Harpy, Lamassu, Nephele, Manticore, et cetera. The names were taken from mythological creatures. Every building was designed with a traditional style with cornice-angled roofs and red and green tiles. The models and designs were all carbon copies of the Jordan Group''s, in addition to the elements of mythological creatures. 1 Furthermore, every building was over 60 floors! The outlook of the buildings was not too much of a surprise, as the Jordan Group had published the diagrams before. What was most shocking was that Max was able to build such buildings! The reason why nobody was willing to build the traditional architecture was because of the hefty costs it would reap. Another reason was that the technology of ancient buildings was not as developed, it was hard to build taller than 20 floors. Other than churches and temples, if the ancient-style buildings wanted to go taller, they needed an excellent ground design. They also needed excellent technology to make sure that massive architecture like the pce could be built a few stories tall without copsing, while making sure that there was no problem with the lighting, wind direction, and air cirction. This technology had always been the Jordan Group''s top-secret weapon, and Charmine learned it from the headquarters and further improved upon it. Up until now, the Jordan Group was the onlypany in the world that could build an ancient tower! chapter 672 chapter 672 All of a sudden, Max was promoting his ancient buildings project. This showed that they had possessed the technology as well. 1 This technology had to be stolen from the Jordan Group! Charmine had to go back to thepany to have emergency meetings. The final investigation result showed that someone had opened thepany''s document box! Charmine instructed, "Find out what happened, no. No matter what it takes, we have to find the perpetrator!" Everyone was busy with their tasks. Amelia was still helping Charmine to sort out the documents as if she had nothing to do with anything. She showed no guilty disposition. Charmine¡¯s eyesnded on her, and her eyes darkened gradually. At that moment, someone came and announced, "Director Jordan, there are about ten luxurious cars pulling over downstairs, and those cars look like they cost tens of millions! They seemed to havee for trouble!" Charmine frowned. Such a thing was happening? She went downstairs. She saw that outside the lobby, 12 highest-ss ck luxury cars glistened. A bodyguard in a ck suit walked out and opened the backseat door. A glowing leather shoe stood on the ground, followed by a long leg. It was Max D''Cruz. Heposed his suit and walked toward Charmine. His suit exuded an expensive elegance and arrogance. It was obvious he was gloating. He stopped in front of Charmine coldly while his red lips curled up. "Are you surprised, Charmine? I¡¯m able to make a name in Burlington so soon. Now, there are more than a thousand buyers paying two hundred thousand as deposits for my Hundred Birds Project! Once the buildings are sessfully built, your few buildings will pale inparison." He was gloating arrogantly. Shooting him a condescending stare, Charmine merely scoffed, ''This is a result of you stealing, is it something to be proud of?¡± Max''s face slightly stiffened. However, it faded after a moment. His voice was full of elegance as he countered, "One shall look at the result, not the details. Furthermore, stealing, you say? What evidence have you got?" Charmine''s eyes darkened. Evidence? Of course she did not have any evidence. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. She did not expect the heir of the wealthiest family in Kansas would y such a dirty trick! Seeing that she did not speak, the smile on Max broadened. "Charmine, you made a mistake when you made me your enemy. The Jordan Group will be mine for the taking!" His lips curled into an evil smirk while he turned to leave. After getting into the car, the 12 cars started but did not leave instantly. Instead, they pressed on their gas pedals and revved their engines, letting out clouds of smoke from their exhausts. The engines rumbling sounded like thrums of victory in the battlefield. In return, a pile of smoke was spreading outside the Jordan Group building, filling up the air with smoke. The entire lobby was filled with the disgusting smell of engine smoke. Max sat on the back seat. Through the ss window, one could see his smirk, and he then waved. The 12 cars drove away as if escorting a king. Everyone in thepany was enraged and felt wronged. The originally No.1 Jordan Group was bullied... If the Jordown Group was truly established, it might take over the Jordan Group. The Jordan Group had not gotten back on its feet. Would it be for them? chapter 673 chapter 673 A burgundy figure walked toward Charmine. Alexander was dressed in his usual ck suit and burgundy trousers. His shirt had three unbuttoned buttons, exuding anguid vibe. 1 However, his eyes were serious. "Sweetie, I can help you. I have a fewnds with me, and I can give them to you for free." 1 With these extrands, the Jordan Group would be able to fight Max. A Hundred Birds, was it? The Jordan Group coulde up with a Thousand Birds! However, Charmine merely scoffed, "I don''t need your help. Do you not feel disgusted following me around all day long?" Charmine threw a cold look at him and turned away. It seemed that Kay had be less effective that he could not even get rid of the Walker gang. Once she sorted out thepany matter, she would deal with it herself! Alexander¡¯s lips curled up. This woman was acting so tough! Did she think he would not give it just because she said no? He took out his phone and instructed, "I''ve eight morends with me. Give them all to Charmine Jordan without any conditions. Get this done by today." Upstairs, Charmine let her staff continue to find the mole in thepany. She then instructed the financial department, "Top up one billion, and make the Divine Bird project the best quality!" Thepany did not have any money left, thus Charmine used her own savings. As long as the Jordan Group could get back on its feet, that the Jordans could be saved, money did not matter. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Any problem that could be fixed with money was not an issue to her. The financial director said, "Eightnds have been transferred under your name, and they''re all located at the best locations. With thosends in hand, we could contend against their Hundred Birds Project. Why don¡¯t we N Eightnds? Alexander really gave them to her? These eightnds could at least cost him a few hundred million. Charmine remained unperturbed. "No need. Leave them, grow some snakes or something." The staff was shocked. These were such goodnds yet Charmine did not want to use them? Who was that man that was kind enough to Charmine to hand her eightnds unconditionally, only to be turned down by Charmine herself? 1 However, nobody dared to ask nor specte. They all went back to their matters. On the same day, the Jordan Group announced: [An additional one billion is topped up on the Divine Bird Project. We''re making the highest ss architecture! A green ancient-style residential area!] One billion, and that was just a top-up! Some buildings had total investment costs of a few hundred million. This kind of news pushed the Divine Bird Project up a notch. It became the ideal property longed by all of the upper ss in Burlington. Those would be the highest-ss ancient-style properties. Moreover, the properties were selling at as much as 115 bucks per square feet! 1 When Max saw the news, his lips curled up. Hmph. Charmine wanted topete with his wealth, did she? She was merely a diamond mine owner. How could shepete with a wealthy family like his? He instructed, "Top up ten billion onto the Hundred Birds Project! Lower the price to a hundred thousand per square feet. Make sure the Jordan Group has nowhere to go!" Ten billion, a sky-high price indeed. They could rebuild ten Pearl of Orientals with that price! Astounding! Not long after, articles like, [Ten billion added onto the Hundred Birds Project!], [Hundred Birds Project merely selling at a hundred thousands!], [ Hundred Birds Project¡¯s price and quality won over the Jordan Group''s!], [ Jordan Group facing danger!] made it to business headlines. The discussions in the industry went: [The Jordan Group was going bankrupt anyway, it was solely supported by Charmine''s personal funding. How long could theyst?] (The D¡¯Cruz family is a big and wealthy family with hundreds of years of history. They won¡¯t go bankrupt.] [Urgent question! The Jordan Family went bankrupt before. They even had internal conflicts with many uncertainties. What if we have bought their houses and they go bankrupt?] [Even if Charmine used up all of her personal funding, with the rate of her fighting with the D''Cruz, she''d go bankrupt in ten days!] chapter 674 chapter 674 [I''m advising you all to not buy the Divine Bird. Buying the Hundred Birds is more secure, isn¡¯t it?] [Also, the price of the Divine Bird is setting so high. It''s destroying the rule of the industry!] Under theizens¡¯ maniption, almost nobody dared to buy the Jordans'' properties. Meanwhile, sales of the Hundred Birds soared as they sold a few times more than the Jordan Group! At Royal Hospital... Anthony was resting on the sofa inside the medicalb when received a text from Chris. [Daddy, Daddy, look! Something''s happening!] A couple of articles were sent to Anthony''s phone, refreshing his feed with a screen-full of notification. When Anthony read the news, his brows furrowed. The Jordan Group had a situation? Max was going to such an extent? His eyes narrowed as he shot a re at Waverly, who was in front of the working desk. It was break time, but Waverly did not rest. She was still running some tests with the liquids. She looked serious, rigorous, and dedicated. However, Anthony''s eyes remained cold, he red at her without any trace of warmth. "Why is Max attacking the Jordan family?¡± His deep voice was exuding a faint hint of pressure. Waverly''s hands holding on the test tubes halted. After a moment, she answered calmly, "President Bailey must''ve mistaken something. In the field of business, it''s all about capabilities." "I am no fool," Anthony scoffed coldly. He was in the business industry for long enough to tell a normalpetition from intentional plotting. It was apparent that Max was attacking the Jordan Group and intended to destroy them. Everything was too apparent. Max was acting strange. Anthony''s re was sharp like an x-ray, ring at Waverly. "Ms. D¡¯Cruz, please be truthful. I don¡¯t like coborating with dishonest people." If Waverly was keeping things from him, even if she was dedicated at this moment, she might as well do something in the future. 1 In other words, if she was dishonest, he would still not work with Waverly even if nobody could cure Annabel. He would not suspect his people. However, he would not have suspicious people working for him! Hearing his tone, Waverly had to put down the test tube and walked over to the resting lounge. She removed her mask. She calmly met Anthony''s eyes. "President Bailey is indeed President Bailey -nothing could slip past your eyes. Let me be honest with you, then, that the reason my brother came to Burlington this time is to take over the Jordan Group." Anthony frowned. They wanted to take over his woman''spany right before him? This man was quite brave! Waverly continued, "The reason I came to Burlington is because my family thinks I should be getting married, and the man they''ve chosen as the most suitable suitor is you." 1 Anthony¡¯s eyes instantly darkened. The D''Cruz wanted to join forces with the Baileys? "Rest assured, President Bailey, that you''re not my type, I won''t fall for you. However, my brother doesn''t think so, and he thinks Charmine isn''t good enough for you. As he really spoils me, he''d clear out anyone in the way. This is the reason why he''s going against the Jordan Group and Charmine." Waverly¡¯s tone was calm and understanding. She assured him with a calm look as if she was not hiding anything N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. from him. 2 Anthony remained a cold face. "Then, please help me to pass this on to your brother: With me around, nobody can touch the Jordan Group in any way. Even if the Jordan Group goes bankrupt, I¡¯ll take care of Charmine forever, and it''ll never be you. Everything he does now would end up for naught." His words were cold and straightforward. Waverly''sshes moved slightly without notice. She calmly met Anthony''s gaze. "President Bailey, do you remember what you asked me two days ago?" chapter 675 chapter 675 Anthony remained silent, waiting for her to continue. Waverly continued, "As I said, in the business industry, everyonepetes with their capabilities. My brother does this for me partly, and the other reason he does so is to make a name in Burlington. I won''t get involved with his business. Meanwhile, I won''t get involved with what you all are doing to him, too. Furthermore, I hope that you can remember that the reason I''m here is because you all hired me with high costs. Here, I''m not Waverly D''cruz-I''m just Annabel''s therapist. I¡¯ll stay responsible to my patient without getting emotionally involved." 1 Her words were formal and graceful. She then stood up and poured a cup of tea from the table. She took a cup and handed another to Anthony. 1 "President Bailey, please don''t call me Ms. D''Cruz in the future. Just call me Doctor D¡¯Cruz." This cup of tea was reminding him that she was here merely as Annabel''s doctor. Anthony looked at the tea in her hands, and his lips curled up. "You''re a nice person, but I have a fiancee. My family is strict, and I won''t simply drink the water poured by another woman.¡± 1 With that, he stood up and left. 1 Waverly was still on the sofa as the hand that held the cup hung awkwardly in mid-air. 2 When Anthony walked to the door, he halted to say, "Focus on healing Annabel. I''ll thank you handsomely." Waverly snapped out of her thoughts as she quickly regained her grace and elegance. ''This is my duty.¡± After Anthony left theb, he logged on to retweet a tweet he tweeted sometime ago. [The onlypany Bailey Corporation would support: the Jordan Group.] With that, he tweeted: [If my girlcks any money or support, please tell me.] Instantly, the tweet went viral. The No.1 wealthiest Prince; the most handsome President Bailey in Burlington; the heir of the wealthy Bailey family; the legendary Boss Bailey- tweeted! 1 This was his third tweet of the year! His first tweet was the news of the coboration with the Jordan family. The second tweet was the retweet of the precious tweet. The third tweet was that, [If my girl...] Argh! Instantly, tens of thousands of tweets appeared in thement section. [OMG! My man is tweeting! I''m finally able to see my man tweeting before I die!] [Argh! My man is in love? He''s actually in love?!] [No way! Impossible! Who''s his girl? Who has the right to be his girl?] [Am I the only person excited? My man has lived for 28 years, and he¡¯s finally in love!?] [I really want to know who this woman is! Who is the firstdy!?] [The previous tweet was about the Jordan Group, and it''s apparent that he¡¯s supporting the Jordans. Since Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Charmine is in trouble now, could it be her?] 1 [No way, absolutely not! Charmine and Julian had been in a rtionship for so long; God knows how many times the two of them had slept together. Furthermore, she was so hostile to Tiffany. Why would our man fall for an evil woman like Charmine?] [Right. A man¡¯s type of woman should be like Snow White... ] [I still feel strange. Let''s ask Charmine...] Charmine was driving back to the Violet Vi when her phone rang loudly, incessantly. They were all the notifications from Twitter. She clicked open to see the viralments: [Argh! Charmine, I beg you to tell! Please tell me you''re not Anthony''s girl!] [Someone''s suspecting that you are! ording to my logical deduction, it''s likely to be you, but please tell me it¡¯s not you...?] [You''re amazing, but you''re no match for Anthony! It¡¯s not you, it¡¯s definitely not you!] (Please, please, don''t break our man¡¯s heart!] chapter 676 chapter 676 All of Anthony''s fans called him their ''man''. While he was no celebrity, his face could easily overwhelm any well-known individuals in the entertainment industry and all the ''good looking men''! He was the heir of a wealthy family, born with wealth and mystery. Even a photo of him could easily gain thousands of fans! N?velDrama.Org ? content. The fangirls liked to imagine him as the president in the usual romance novels and fantasized about the rtionship between the President and an ordinary girl. Therefore, his fans were the ardent type of fans, and violently so. Baffled at the tweets, Charmine''s heart raced quicker than usual. Why did everyone assume she was with Anthony all of a sudden? She instinctively felt that Anthony posted something he should not have posted. She clicked Anthony''s profile and realized Twitter had crashed! Crashed! The news spread like wildfire. The more people knew about Boss Bailey being in love and ''had a girl¡¯, they all clicked his profile: be it a business mogul, a business partner, and even the Baileys. How could it not crash? It took a few minutes for Twitter to resume working. And the headline was: [Anthony''s girl.] Two words. Charmine clicked into it to see Anthony''s tweet. Her heart was beating wildly. His girl? This was too obvious and suggestive. Along with the news of him supporting the Jordan Group, how could one not get suspicious? Why did Anthony do such a thing? Why did he go public? She was terrified. Without any hesitation, she tweeted, [Please calm down. Stop the spections. I have no rtion with this man you''re all talking about. Please let me off!!!] 1 Thest four words were a hint to Anthony. She wanted him to let her off! He had so many fans online, and it was apparent that they did not like the idea of the two of them together. If they truly found out about her rtionship with Anthony, they would tear her apart! Furthermore, she was busy with matters regarding herpany and Annabel. If their rtionship was exposed and the Baileys stepped in to mess things up, perhaps she would be too overwhelmed! Not only overwhelmed, but she was most concerned about affecting Annabel and unable to treat Chris. 1 The cord blood was the only thing that could save Chris-he would not live past eight without it. Therefore, she and Anthony had to keep it as low as possible. Why did this childish man not listen to her? Because of his tweet, everyone grew suspicious of them both! Amid her turbulent thoughts, she suddenly saw through her rear mirror that a car was silently following her. She was targeted. Charmine continued to drive toward Violet Vi while observing who was following her. With her sharp observation, she saw that it was Derek Bailey. Derek Bailey followed her here? Derek had been asking his men to investigate. After a long while, they finally found out that Anthony was living at the Violet Vi. Thus, he came in person to follow in silence. He wanted to find out who Anthony was dating, and he did not expect Anthony himself to make the tweet! The tweet was tweeted after the post about him supporting the Jordan group, and that news had the photo of Anthony shaking hands with Charmine. How could one not suspect them? He did not expect God to help him so much in this investigation, and now he coincidently saw Charmine driving over! Once he could validate that Anthony was really with Charmine, Anthony would be over! The Baileys would not ept a woman with a ruined reputation like Charmine. All of the elderly Baileys would join forces to resist her! 1 By then, if Anthony still chose to be with Charmine, he would offend all of the Baileys. Hah! Thinking of that, he followed behind Charmine. chapter 677 chapter 677 Charmine drove into Violet Vi¡¯s residential area, never expecting Derek to have the residence car-card as well. He followed her inside. If Derek really validated her living with Anthony, they would be in trouble. Luke had already brought Chris home. If Chris came out to greet her, she would be over! Thinking of that, she sent Chris a text while driving, [Someone is following Mommy. Don¡¯te out to greet Mommy today, and keep all the clothes. Stay in the room on the second floor and don''te out. Wait for Mommy''s knock before opening the door.] Chris answered quickly, [Alright, Mommy! Momo willplete the mission! ] 1 Sighing in relief, Charmine continued to drive with Derek behind her, trying toe up with a solution. How could she dissolve Derek''s suspicion? Letting him follow behind her was not ideal. Before she knew it, she was at her designated car park already. Once she parked her car, Alexander suddenly walked out of her vi and walked toward her. 1 "Sweetie, you¡¯re home!" he greeted enthusiastically. Charmine grimaced at the sight, but as a thought urred to her, she smirked. ''Yeah, let''s go home.¡± With that, she reached out to ¡¯hook'' her arm around Alexander''s and walked inside. Instead of actually linking their arms, she was actually hooking nothingness. She did not touch his arm. Alexander did not mind; he kept up the act thoughtfully, i''ve made you dinner. Guess what I cooked?" "Roasted chicken? Steak?" As Charmine spoke, her eyes were ring at him with hostility. When they arrived by the door, she still had her arm ''linked'' with Alexander¡¯s as they walked inside. Derek, who was tailing her, frowned at the sight. It was all a mere misunderstanding. Charmine was already living with another man. Why would Anthony fall for a woman like her? Even he married the heiress of the upper ss. How could an arrogant winner like his brother spare even a nce at a woman like Charmine? Derek turned the car around and drove away. Inside the house, the moment the door was shut, Charmine instantly turned around and pinned Alexander against the wall. She wore a cold expression. "Are you really asking for death? Do you want me to do something?" "Aren''t you grateful, Sweetie? I did help you earlier." Alexander looked wronged. Even though he was pinned against the wall, he still exuded the same temperament, like the most alluring and seductive evildoer in the world. Charmine added more force into it. "Help? If it wasn''t for you, would I need your help now?" If she did not lose her chaste five years ago, even if she went official with Anthony, she would have nothing to hide. It was because of her past that she did not have as much confidence in love inparison to her career. Mentioning that, Alexander''snguid look had a hint of seriousness. "Sweetie, I said I''d make up to you until you forgive me..." N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. "Huh? Forgive you? Great!¡± Suddenly, Charmine pushed him onto the chair and made him sit on it. Following that, she took out a dagger and tossed it at him. if you cut that body part in front of me, I''ll forgive you.¡± Facing this kind of man who would rape an eighteen-year-old girl, he could only off his body part to make up for it! Shink! A dagger fell beside Alexander''s feet. He picked up the dagger and looked at Charmine, almost shocked. "Cut my face? Sweetie, are you sure you want to be so cruel to me?" ''You were crueler to me. Didn¡¯t you say you want to make it up to me? Here''s your chance. What? Can''t keep up the act now?" Charmine red at him from above, her mocking eyes cold and cruel. Alexander sat on the chairnguidly as he yed with the dagger in his hands. "I can''t cut it off. However, I ruined my Sweetie, so I¡¯m being responsible to you. If you want to ruin me, would you be responsible to me as well? Surely no other woman would be willing to marry me. Can you guarantee that you''ll take care of me after I cut it off? I don''t mind." chapter 678 chapter 678 Huh? What? Take care of him forever? Charmine gave him a distant nce. "Asking you to cut it off is merely to help you make up to what you did back then-it''ll only make it fair. And yet you''re still daydreaming? Get out of my sight! I know you won¡¯t do it, and the sight of you just makes me sick!¡± Her words were cold. She walked upstairs instantly; she did not want to talk to him anymore. Alexander''s eyes darkened. Suddenly, he raised the dagger and violently cut his thigh. Instantly, his pants broke open, a deep wound could be seen on his snow- white skin as fresh blood oozed from it. Alexander frowned. However, he merely looked up at Charmine and said," Charmine, here is a cut I return to you. Remember, I¡¯m not afraid of cutting anything; I¡¯m just worried that no woman would have me. Once you have decided to take me, you could find me anytime. I''ll let you do it on me." 2 His words were determined. He dragged his wounded leg and walked out through the backdoor. His thigh was drenched in blood and it stained his pants red. The blood had oozed into his shoes; his entire leg was covered in fresh blood. Every step he took, a bloody footprint was left on the floor. Charmine halted. She did not expect Alexander to do such a thing. This cut was no act. It was really deep. The bloody footprints on the floor were so annoying... It took her some time to snap out from her thoughts. She phoned Kay," Come in and clean the house." Anthony was busy in the medicalb, and he then had to personally attend to Annabel''s potential suitors, hoping to find a good man for him. 1 Therefore, by the time he got home, it was already 10 at night. By the door, he frowned. There was a strange scent in the house. Another man had been to this house. He red around the house sharply. Finally, he found a burgundy button below the chair. He bent down and picked it up, inspecting it from above and below. His already darkened eyes instantly became even colder. It was the button of another man. There was a button of another man in the house! After Charmine had put Chris to sleep, she worked on theputer in the study room, making all kinds of ns for the Jordan Group. Suddenly, the door was pushed open. Click! Anthony walked inside coldly. He exuded anger that never surfaced before. Charmine looked at him and frowned. "What is it?" Why did he seem strange? Anthony walked up to the study table and ced the button on the table. "Charmine, can you give me an exnation?" His low voice was filled with apparent anger. The tension of the room went up, making one hard to breathe. When Charmine saw the button, her gaze shifted. This was Alexander''s button! Alexander left a button behind? Seeing the change in her gaze, Anthony could tell she was keeping things from him. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. He grabbed Charmine''s hand and pulled her up. Hisrge hand tightly clenched around her waist, possessively pulling her into his arms. 1 His cold and dark eyes red at her, his lips parted, "Charmine, have I been too lenient on you recently? Hmm?" His cold breath sshed onto Charmine''s face, and her heart skipped half a beat. chapter 679 chapter 679 Furthermore, there was barely any gap between Anthony and Charmine. She was sped in his arms, her body tightly pressed against his. She felt as if she was engulfed by his body. Charmine tried her best to calm down as she replied, "It¡¯s not what you think! Today-" ''You were so eager to keep things clear with me on Twitter," Anthony cut her short. "Is it because of this man?" he interrogated. God knew how pissed he was when he saw her tweet! Every word of that tweet was like a sharp knife that pierced his heart. 1 All he wanted was to protect her, yet all she wanted was to get away from him? Furthermore, she even brought another man home? To do what? What was it that even a button had dropped? Charmine tried to exin the matter with Alexander, but the words would note out. 1 Anthony was already suspecting that she was with another man. If he found out that Alexander was the person that raped her and that he was following her, his misunderstanding would deepen! She said, "Anyway, it¡¯s not what you think. The button might''vee off when I attack him. As for the tweet, it¡¯s the same reason as what I''ve told you before." She had told him about keeping low, and it was not just once. He could have remembered that. However, Anthony suddenly leaned in closer, the tip of his nose already touching hers. He red at her. "Charmine, you have to remember that I agreed to keep it low with you as a sign of respect, but...¡± He paused there, his lips suddenly slipped past her cheeks and stopped by her ear. 1 His voice was low as he whispered by her ear, "I''m not letting you go." 1 With that said, he sucked her earlobe out of the blue, an arrogant love bite it was. Instantly, Charmine''s body felt as if she was electrocuted. She wanted to push him away, but Anthony''s grip on her was too firm as his lips went down from her ear... He was arrogant and forceful, almost as if he was biting her. Even after Charmine used up all her strength, she still could not push him away. After almost half an hourter, her neck and shoulders were littered with one dark red mark after another. It was not until then when Anthony let her off, his re never wavering.1 Charmine, remember: today''s merely a small punishment. Next time, if you have any close interaction with any man, I don''t mind eating you.¡± 4 ''Eating you.'' Two words, filled with a strong desire and wildness. By then, his voice was so hoarse with an apparent burning desire. Charmine wanted to be rational and rationalize with him. However, her body was acting out of her will. Only God knew how close she was into giving in when he kissed her... Worse still, her heart just would not calm down from that tiring race it was on. How useless! Before she could speak, Anthony had already taken out the button. He phoned Luke, "Find out the owner of this button now." Anthony had not gone back to thepany in the past two days. Despite being so overwhelmed withpany-rted matters, Luke still received such a call from Anthony. s, he had no choice but to ept Anthony''s order. ¡®Yes, Sir." He was originally working till two in the morning, but seemed that he had to stay up for even longer... 1 Inside the study room, Charmine heard about Anthony''s order. Her brows furrowed. If Anthony went to check on Alexander, he might have thought of the matter more severely than it actually was. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Furthermore, Anthony already had a full te, yet he still wanted to investigate this? She rushed out instantly; Charmine decided to be upfront with him. chapter 680 chapter 680 ''You don''t have to investigate it. The owner of the button is someone from the Walker gang." Anthony''s footsteps halted. Walker gang? The Walker gang that hurt Charmine? Was Charmine in touch with the Walker gang? Charmine said, "Alexander Walker had been begging for my forgiveness. Today, Derek followed me here, so to get rid of his suspicion, I had to bring Alexander in. You have nothing to worry about, though. He was the person who hurt me five years ago, and all I want to do is to rip him apart. Why would I have any feelings for him? There''s no point for you to check on it. This is my matter, and I want to fix it myself." Anthony''s brows furrowed. He had been busy with the antidote for Annabel, little did he expect Alexander to have found Charmine. 1 He had missed out so much? Moreover, Derek had already found Violet Vi? Charmine walked to his side and added, "I hope you don''t get involved in this matter. It''s just like how you''re fixing your matters with Annabel. The hatred I have for Alexander, I want to sort out myself. As for now, all you have to do is to take good care of Annabel and make sure she conceives." Anthony¡¯s chest felt somehow heavy. His woman had such a rtionship with another man, and yet he was unable to stay by her side? To add more salt to the wound, he had to take care of another woman? His eyes were heavier than usual. "Charmine, I can''t guarantee how much longer I can stay low with you." Every moment, he wanted to officialize their rtionship, to tell the world Charmine was his woman! Charmine¡¯s eyelids jumped-this man was agitated again. By that tone, something could actually happen. Before she could speak, Anthony looked at her again as he spoke, "In a week¡¯s time, once Annabel has conceived, we''ll announce that we''re getting married." 3 His words were determined and unwavering. Charmine frowned. In a week? In a week, Max D''Cruz... Perhaps it would be a good date in a week''s time. Charmine''s eyes flickered as she met his. "Okay. This week, you take good care of Annabel while I¡¯ll fix my things.¡± ''You must keep your distance with Alexander. What happened today must never happen again," warned Anthony. The thought of Charmine bringing home a man and the man leaving a button behind made him feel as if dark clouds hovered in his chest. Charmine nodded. "Don¡¯t worry, I know what I''m doing." In this week, Jordown Group had invested a lot of money in advertising, promoting, making a big name for themselves, and iming that their properties were better than the Jordans'' with better value for money! With the same selling dates, the Divine Bird and other Jordan Group¡¯s properties were not selling well. The total sales were less than 200 units. On the other hand, the Hundred Birds Property had nine locations in Burlington in total. Each location had a few towers, and as they were all promoted at the same time, they were instantly sold out once they went on the market. Not even one was left! The Jordown Group even spent a huge sum to let the workers start digging and building foundations, promising everyone that the towers would be built within a year, making it a perfect deal. Even ordinary towers would take almost two years to be built, let alone the ancient-style towers like these. Every detail had to be taken into ount, and they imed they could build them in a year? The Hundred Birds Project had be the legend that broke the records in this industry. It was the Project that everyone knew of in Burlington, instantly bing the bigshot in the industry. Max sat in his office as he studied the drop in the Jordan Group''s share price and the rise in the Jordown Group''s. His lips curled up deeply and proudly. Charmine was no match for him after all. However, this was not good enough. He handed a stack of invitations to his assistant. "Invite all of the upperssmen in Burlington to the grand opening of the Hundred Birds, N?velDrama.Org ? content. especially Charmine Jordan. Make sure shees! Furthermore, arrange..." Max''s voice was cold, seeminglyced with calcted evil. He wanted to see how badly Charmine would lose. He wanted to take over the Jordan Group-he wanted to buy them off of her hands! chapter 681 chapter 681 At the Jordan mansion... Charmine took some time off to apany her family for lunch. Suddenly, the butler came in and said, "Madam, the people from Jordown Group are here." As he spoke, a man d in a suit walked in. The man looked around the house in disgust before eyeing the dishes on the table. They were mere ordinary dishes like pasta, chicken, and sd. The man shook his head in disapproval. "Has the Jordan family stooped to such a stage, eating a poor man''s meal? Even the sd our President eats would be a hundred times better than this table full of dishes!" His tone was full of mockery and contempt. The Jordans glowered at his words. "And what are you doing here?" challenged Adam. "You¡¯re not weed here." "Hmph. Of course I don''t want toe to this poor housing area, but I don''t have a choice. Our Jordown Group is hosting a banquet, and as you''re a small and rather well-knownpany in Burlington, we''ll still make the gesture of sending you an invitation in person," the man spoke as he took out an invitation and handed it to them. "It''s your banquet,¡± Adam scoffed, "what makes you think we''ll go?" "All of the attendees are renowned people in Burlington, and Burlington''s top one hundred are going as well. Although you''re going bankrupt soon, you''re almost within the top one hundred, I hope? Unless you''re noting because you think you can''t even get into the top one hundred? Or are you all so embarrassed to attend the event of the upper ss? Are the Jordans scared?" 1 His cold words were provoking, dipped with fiery contempt. N?velDrama.Org ? content. If they did not show up, it would be as if the Jordans had no dignity to show themselves. Daresay, it would be as if they were hiding! Senior Jordan mmed his hand on the table, exuding an authority only an elderly man possessed. "No matter our status, it''s not for a small assistant like you to mock, to force US. Get out! Someone, get him out!" snapped Senior Jordan. The butler made a gesture with a cold face to the bodyguards. "Out!" "Hah! What a bunch of losers. Still acting arrogant, eh? You''re eating so poorly at home, and I''m giving you all a chance to eat something better during the event. Don''t waste this opportunity!" The man''s eyes were almost growing on his head. The Jordans were so angry that their faces were turning green! Adam instructed, "Guards, ask them in to drag him out!" Charmine, who had not spoken all the while, suddenly said, "Everyone, do calm down. Since they''ve come to US, it''s only natural we should go and support them." "Oh, Charmine, you have some wisdom after all..." The man''s expression eased a little. However, before he could speak, Charmine had already stood. She walked over to take the invitation from his hand. She nced at the invitation, her red lips curled up mockingly. "After all, the Jordown Group stole the glory from the Jordan Group. If the Jordans, the original, don¡¯t show up, how can you even have this banquet?" 1 Charmine basically put it out there that Max had stolen the Jordans'' ideas. The man''s initially nonchnt expression instantly stiffened again. "You speak so harshly, Charmine. You im that we stole your ideas, but what evidence do you have? You can''t show me any proof at all!" "I can show you this." As she spoke, Charmine suddenly grabbed the man''s jaw and pulled on it forcefully. Crack! The man''s jaw hung low, dislocated awfully. chapter 682 chapter 682 The man¡¯s dislocated jaw disyed his pearly white teeth. Charmine scoffed, "You do look like a dog. Get out of my sight! Go to the hospital and cure that dog mouth of yours!" With that, she let go of his chin with disgust and took a tissue to wipe her hands, as if they were stained by something dirty. 1 "You...don''t... Argh...!" The man wanted to growl at her, but his damaged jaw rendered him literally speechless. Even making a sound was extremely painful for him! He could only violently re at Charmine as he then turned to leave. 1 Hah! As long as she was attending the celebration, she would cry her eyeballs out. His President had everything nned-Charmine was sure to go bankrupt. They would see if Charmine could still be as arrogant! After he left, Felix said excitedly, "Charmine is so cool! So clever! A big celebration like this would have lots of nice dishes. It¡¯d be a waste to N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. not show up!" "What do you know? Do you think Charmine is just like you, he who knows only to eat andze around? Shut that damn mouth if you know nothing,¡± Adam growled at him angrily. He then turned to Charmine, his expression solemn and concerned." Charmine, they invited US over, and it''s apparent that they plotted something. You shouldn''t have agreed..." ''That¡¯s true. Now, the Jordan Group¡¯s shares are dropping; it¡¯s almost as low as when we went bankrupt back then. We''re in danger. We''ll be everyone¡¯sughing stock if we attend. They¡¯ll..." Joey was equally concerned. Charmine tossed the tissue paper into the bin. She sat down calmly before the dining table. They had already made it clear. If she did not go, Max would definitely im that the Jordans hid from the upper-ss society. Since all of the upperssmen would attend, if the Jordans did not show up, it would seem as if the Jordans were removed from the upper circle of the society. It would make things even worse. 1 Also, if they were making so much effort to ensure she would attend, it was apparent that they had prepared something exciting. It would only be fair if Charmine showed up to watch. Coincidentally, it was time to showcase the riveting act she had prepared for a week... Charmine''s eyes darkened, but sheforted them calmly, "We''ve been building houses with all honesty, and we have nothing to hide-it''s just that our sales aren''t doing well. What''s there to mock about US? As long as we''re not embarrassed ourselves, it''d be the others that are embarrassed. I¡¯ll go to this event on my own.¡± 1 Her words were exuding arrogance from within. Senior Jordan took a pregnant pause as he assessed Charmine''s words, and it was only then he nodded. "Charmine has a point: we''ve done nothing wrong, and there''s nothing we should fear. Go ahead; ask your mother to help you get ready." 1 "No need. I''ll do it myself." After she sorted out a fewpany matters, Charmine went upstairs. She picked a bright red dress from the wardrobe that wrapped around her chest and got changed into it. It had the glow of the pearl satin, glowing faintly from her, emphasizing her unique temperament. Charmine noted a bite mark Anthony gave her, and she skillfully ced a flower to cover it up, making it even more stunning. Her dark hair was let downnguidly behind her back, and the right side of her hair had a red hair clip on, looking very graceful. Looking at herself in the mirror, her red lips gradually shifted into a small smile. They forced her to show up, no? Hope they were ready for hell. Just as she was ready to leave, she received a text from Anthony: [I''m waiting for you at the gate of the Jordan mansion.] At the gate? Charmine¡¯s eyelids twitched. Anthony actually came to get her? If the Jordans found out... chapter 683 chapter 683 Charmine got out of the mansion hastily and rushed toward the gate. Adam followed behind her. "Charmine, let me drive you there." "No need, I''ve asked my driver toe. Just settle whatever work you got," Charmine simply found an excuse to get out of the house. She still did not want anyone to know about her rtionship with Anthony. 3 Adam felt strange. Since when did Charmine hire a driver? The concerned Joey followed after Charmine. The two of them were standing 100 meters away and saw Charmine opening the car door for herself and closed it behind her. The car raced away instantly. Adam and Joey exchanged nces, utterly baffled. What driver did Charmine hire that did not even open the door for her and made her do it herself? Also, Adam remembered that Charmine liked to roll down the windows, yet the windows were tightly shut. When the car left, they saw the number te was a series of the same number! There were only two to three of this type of number te. Perhaps... Joey''s brows furrowed as she, in disbelief, spoke, "That... Is that car¡¯s President Bailey''s? He came here in person to fetch Charmine?¡± "It''s very likely, however..." Adam continued with a concerned tone, " President Bailey''s car was parked outside, and he didn¡¯te in. Was he looking down on the Jordans?¡± "Perhaps it was Charmine who didn''t allow him toe in? What I¡¯m more concerned about is, did President Bailey see US? And we didn''t invite him toe in and have a seat. That''s rather rude..." "Yeah. How could she keep him waiting outside? We should apologize to him once we have the time to meet him." Inside the car... Once Charmine got in, she realized that Anthony was sitting in the backseat, and it was Luke driving. She had not seen Anthony during the day for almost a week, seeing him only at night. Charmine eyed him suspiciously. "Aren¡¯t you supposed to be at the hospital? Why do you have time to get me?" Anthony, instead of replying, had his eyes on her body. Her long gown wrapped around her chest, showing off her delicate corbone, fair shoulders, and beautiful swan-like neck. Every inch of her skin was wless like a suet white jade. Anthony''s brows furrowed unpleasantly. "Are you wearing this to the event?" "Huh?¡± Charmine was perplexed. What was wrong with the dress? Her gown was the limited edition of a luxury brand, and her hair clip was a rare red ruby. They were nothing shabby at all. Why did Anthony''s tone sound as if they were cheap? Suddenly, Anthony took out a white big brocade box, and Charmine eyed it warily. The box had some weight to it. She opened it and saw... Inside the box was a high-neck handmadece scarf. The button at the neck was made with white pearl. The entire scarf was very delicate, utterly perfect. There were also a pair of whitece gloves that could cover the entire arm. 1 Everything was very beautiful, very stunning. One could tell right away that they were crafted and weaved by a master. However... Before Charmine could react, Anthony had already taken up thece scarf and put it on her. The whitece covered her neck, corbone, and arms. Anthony picked up her hands and helped her put on thecey gloves. Just like that, Charmine was entirely covered, and nothing but her elbows were showing. 1 Charmine''s lips twitched. Although they matched well, her bright red gown had to be put on alone to showcase the bold beauty. After putting on the scarf, the style had changed. "Do you have to...?" muttered Charmine. Anthony gazed at her intently as he said in his low voice, "What? You prefer to expose more?" Even though he was merely asking, she somehow felt pressured to reply. 1 Charmine felt his tone was strange, thus she said helplessly...N?velDrama.Org ? content. chapter 684 chapter 684 ''This isn''t exposing. The cut around the chest is tight, so nothing is showing -it''s just the arm and neck. Every woman has her right to dress. I hope President Bailey isn''t too old-fashioned?" N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Old-fashioned? She sounded as if she was looking down on old-fashioned men. Anthony narrowed his eyes as he shifted his tone, "It''s chilly out there, don''t catch a cold." That baffled Charmine. He helped her put on the scarf and gloves just because he was concerned about her catching a cold? Would she believe that? Anthony nonchntly changed the topic, "You really don''t have to attend this event." He could easily publish an article exining to the public that Charmine had a meeting with him so she did not have time to attend this event, thus it was not due to her being too embarrassed to attend. However, Charmine merely said, "Of course I have to go. This is such a grand asion. How can I miss out?" There was a bite to her words, a hidden meaning underneath it all. Anthony looked at her delicate face. Suddenly, as if he understood something, his lips curled up lovingly. It seemed that his woman hade up with some ideas to prank those people. 2 The event would not be as boring after all. "Are you sure you don''t need my help with the Jordan Group?" asked Anthony. Even though she came up with ways to fight with the D''Cruz family, the Jordan Group was not at its best state as ofte. People would mock her if she attended this event. Charmine remained calm. "No need, the Jordan Group is doing well." Luke who was driving in front was riddled with questions. 1 ''Doing weir? Was that so? Their properties were left unsold while all the personal funding from Charmine had not reached breakeven yet. How much longer could she hold up? Themon folk felt that the Jordan Group was about to gopletely bankrupt... 1 Anthony did not press on the matter. She did not need him to get involved, and he had always respected her. Finally, the car pulled over near the hotel hosting the banquet. Charmine looked out the window to see that this was a side door; there was nobody around. She said to Anthony, "I''m going out. Go back and take care of Annabel. The result should be out today, right?" Normally, women could only find out they had conceived the week after a month of missed period. However, through some advanced technology at the hospital, they could get the test done in advance. Charmine''s question seemingly made the air in the car suffocating. "It''ll be out by tonight," assured Anthony. "Once it''s out. I''ll let you know right away." "Alright." Charmine then opened the car door and went out. To avoid suspicion, she quickened her pace right after leaving the car, getting as far away from the car as possible. Anthony''s brows furrowed as he watched Charmine from the rear mirror. Was she that concerned about being seen by others? Luke asked, "Sir, are we going back to the hospital now?" "No need, go to the main door," Anthony stated. Luke was confused. Did he not agree with Ms. Waverly to have thest breakthrough of the antidote today? Also, he already turned down the invitation Max had sent beforeing. It seemed that he did this all for Charmine... Inside the banquet hall. Just like any other banquet, the soft lights crossed from one angle to another, and it made the hall glow elegantly. One after another, long rectangr tables were ced with an assortment of cakes and snacks made by master chefs. Even the red wines were from the biggest brand in France. There was nothing in the banquet that did not show off the D¡¯Cruz family''s bottomless wealth. 1 The highlight, however, was the few calligraphies in the heart of the hall. Each paper had a word written on them, and the words made up the phrase: [Good Luck For Great Beginnings!] The font was extraordinarily powerful and majestic, and they were written by Master Potter. Master Potter was a world-renowned calligraphy master from the calligraphy family. His words had been put into the national museum, and even a word from him could be sold at a few billion. He personally wrote these for Max D''Cruz. There were eight of them here, costing almost eight billion! chapter 685 chapter 685 Those handmade scrolls, on the other hand, were made of top-graded golden scroll handles and the finest papers. The papers used were the most ancient paper avable in the world, made with the most basic method used when it was first invented. The method of making these papers was veryplex and mysterious. They had to use a specific tree skin, then boil it with other ingredients for 70 to 80 hours. After cooling it off, they had to mold it with all kinds of techniques. Every batch could only withstand five kilograms of tree skins, and the trees needed were not less than 1000. They needed to burn 200 kilograms of wood, with the time spent as long as three months. Since this method of making the paper was incredibly rare, this kind of paper was naturally expensive. A long scroll of paper like this would cost as much as 300,000 per piece. Eight pieces of paper would cost 2.4 million! In addition, there were golden scroll handles and white jade shafts, and all these would cost at least 20 billion! 2 That was not all. There were green vases all over the hall. All of them were of the finest antique porcin. The ten antique vases of various heights were passed from generation to the next since ancient times. Every vase would cost tens of billions. The total of them all would be hundreds of billion! Even the decoration would cost as much as a hundred billion. Max''s statement of wealth was clearly made. Every guest admired the D''Cruz family with praise, their eyes shimmering with awe. Even renowned moguls were stunned at the sight of it all. Wherever one walked to, one would hear kind words about Max, about how everyone approved and preferred the Jordown Group more and more. Max had a ss of red wine in his hand with the other in his pocket. His darkening eyes nced across the expensive items and antiques. He made this banquet especially for Charmine. He wondered if Charmine would show up. He prepared all of these to take over the Jordan Group, to make sure they would go bankrupt! Hopefully, Charmine would not disappoint him. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. The other person anticipating that was McKenzie. McKenzie was not interested in a banquet like this. However, she knew that Max would not let Charmine go off easy. When Max found her grandfather, Senior Potter, to write the words, he mentioned something else... Charmine was not getting out unscathed once she walked in. How could she miss out on an exciting act like that? Furthermore, this entire Hundred Birds Banquet was to embarrass the Jordan Group¡¯s existence. In every corner of the hall, one could hear words of contempt for the Jordan Group. Whenever McKenzie heard someone speaking ill of the Jordans and of Charmine, she would feel better. 1 Nheless, she wondered if Charmine dared to show herself. Since the Jordan Group was on the losing end, would she show up at all? Amid McKenzie''s thoughts, a stunning red figure walked in from the door. It was as if the golden banquet hall turned dull the moment Charmine walked in, and all eyes were on her. Her red gown red out elegantly with every step she took. Her white scarf and gloves made her seem as if she was the wealthy heiress of an ancient European family, very exquisite. The eye-catching red ruby hair clip on her hair twinkled from different angles. Charmine sashayed with confidence like the most stunning star in the city- unabashed and arrogant, while expensive and exquisite like a wealthy heiress. 2 Everyone almost forgot to breathe. How could there be such a beautiful woman in the world? She was unreal! There were so many people in the hall, so many heiresses to boot, yet nobody could stand out apart from Charmine. Max and McKenzie¡¯s expressions fell. 1 They thought Charmine would look dull and fearful if she came, so much so that she would never look up, yet there she was: so arrogant and high profile, as if she was the host of this event. How could the Charmine, with none of her units selling out, walked with such an expensive gait? 1 Max¡¯s eyes darkened. However, after a moment, his eyes sparkled with pride at the thought of his n. It was good that she came. That was all that mattered. chapter 686 chapter 686 Max walked toward Charmine and handed her a ss of wine. "Ms. Jordan is finally here, very brave indeed." ''Very brave indeed.¡¯ These three words might sound as if he was praising her, but it was a backhanded mockery. The fact that she could show up to this kind of event... If it was not courage, what was it? The banquet was filled with moguls and renowned individuals in Burlington. How could the Jordans walk with their heads up? The people staring at Charmine snapped out of their trance. So, this was Charmine? While they had seen photos of Chamine when she was a supermodel, they did not know much about her. They only knew that she was a supermodel who had gone home to manage the family business. The Divine Birds had set the sky-rocketing price of one hundred fifty thousand per square meter, seemingly like the Rolls Royce in this field. However, this screwed up the rules in this industry, making it hard for everyone to survive. Who would have thought they could finally meet Charmine in person. She was indeed beautiful, but... Someone said with a strange and mocking tone, "It''s in to see she''s just an empty tin can; pretty but empty. No wonder the Jordan Group is getting worse." 2 "Even though she had the support of the Bailey Corporation, she still messed up the good hand she had. Tsk, tsk! Obviously, she''s making profits with her look." "Charmine doesn''t know business stuff. The Divine Bird had a good location and design, but they shouldn''t have marked up the price. Setting up the price at one hundred fifty thousand per square meter, they messed up the market price. I¡¯m d they''re being boycotted!" "Even the Oriental Pearl didn''t cost as much!" "If this goes on, well, forget about saving the Jordan Group. Perhaps even her diamond mine will be screwed over!" Every word and phrase was soaked in ridicule and scorn. Someone sighed. "The Hundred Birds Project is better, the price is better, and the ideas are creative. This banquet stunned the entire city. Charmine shoulde; she has so much to learn from Max D''Cruz!" Charmine remained unperturbed, even though she heard all of the criticisms. She remained rxed and unbothered. She nced at the red wine handed to her by Max, and she smirked." Pardon, but I only drink Senior Pop''s handmade red wine. I''m not interested in these kinds of factory-made wines." She was not pretentious. Her tone was filled with pure elegance from within. Everyone in the hall frowned. Senior Pop? The legendary Senior Pop? 1 Legend had it that Senior Pop had two hobbies: medical research and wine making. His handmade wines had gone on the news before, and nobody could buy them from him. Yet, Charmine imed to only drink the wines made by Senior Pop? Was she joking? A nouveau riche like her? Perhaps she did not even have the right to meet this Senior Pop. Those who already did not particrly like Charmine hated her even more as they shot heated res her way. 1 How could this woman lie so much? Was she not just some diamond mine owner? Did she have to be so arrogant? Also, she said she only drank Senior Pop''s wine? With that attitude, perhaps she would not be able to afford even regr mineral water! Charmine heard about the gossip around her and was amused. They assumed she was lying just because they could not get hold of Senior Pop? What a bunch of useless fools! Further exnation would be a waste of saliva. She walked toward the sofa and sat down. McKenzie was sitting not far away from her. McKenzie had been watching the drama unfolding in front of her. She felt good when the people looked down on Charmine. What right did an unwee woman like Charmine have to snatch her Anthony away from her? She wanted to watch Charmine embarrassing herself. She wanted to see her spiraling into bankruptcy.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. chapter 687 chapter 687 Despite McKenzie''s thoughts, she maintained her calm and elegant demeanor. She did not even look up nor did she nce at Charmine at all. It was as if Charmine was unworthy of her gaze. Charmine, meanwhile, sat down and ignored everyone. After ncing at the decorations of the banquet hall, she thought of something and took out her phone to y with it nonchntly. Max saw her unperturbed attitude, and his eyes darkened. He invited Charmine over to see her upset and embarrassed. He did not invite her to be a guest. His eyesnded on his assistant. Instantly, the assistant went ahead to prepare something. The Hundred Birds Project''s banquet was hosted with the theme of the Hundred Birds in mind. The theme was historic and ancient-driven, perfectly showcasing the deep traditional elements of the Jordown Group. In the middle of the hall was a disy model of the Hundred Birds Towers. Every tower was delicately crafted, and each of the roofs had a Harpy, Lamassu, Nephele, and Manticore. They looked as good as real, incredibly beautiful. Many began to praise joyfully, ''The Hundred Birds Towers are indeed the Hundred Birds Towers. It''ll be all around the city in the future, driven by tradition. How majestic!" "The Divine Bird Tower is merely one tower. How could itpete with this? Look at the details here- the Divine Bird is nopetitor!" "I wonder how the Jordan Group came up with the Divine Bird''s design. Who knows, perhaps they stole the idea from the D''Cruz family?" ''That''s very likely, and it was too abrupt. How could a half-dyingpany be able toe up with this?'''' ''The copycat dared to attend this banquet? She''s not too ashamed to attend the banquet of the Hundred Birds Project''sunch? For what? Free food and drinks?'''' Every word was unpleasant. Max seemed as if he was solely socializing with the guests not far away, but his eyes would dart to Charmine from time to time. Max had pre-arranged those people to say such a thing to agitate Charmine, to tear away that unperturbed face of hers! ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Once she snapped and picked a fight with him, she would not be able to provide any evidence of them stealing her ideas. Everyone would think she was a crazy dog then. Hah! He wanted to see how much longer Charmine could hold it in. However... Charmine remained seated on the sofa, sometimesnguidly leaning back, sometimes flipping her hair, and sometimes looking down to y with her phone. Furthermore, she was bossing the serving staff that walked around. She would order snacks and fresh juice at times. Every movement of hers exuded the elegance of an uppersswoman and showed no hint of fear. It seemed as if none of the mocking words went into her head. In fact, she was the one treating the staff hired by Max as if they were her staff. Max felt his blood boiling as he watched her, but just as he was about to arrange something, someone cried out from behind the door. "Argh! Look! It''s Anthony Bailey! Boss Bailey came!" Instantly, everyone looked toward the door. Even Charmine, who had remained unperturbed up until then, reacted as her eyelids jumped. Against the light, the tall, well-built Anthony walked in with his pristine customized suit. He exuded a sense of authority and elegance, making everyone somehow nervous while the hall became tense. Max frowned. Did Anthony not say he would note? Why was he here? Furthermore, Max knew about the rtionship between Anthony and Charmine. What was he doing here? The rest of the attendees were unaware of that as they gossiped in awe: "Boss Bailey actually came! The D¡¯Cruz family is so powerful that they even invited Boss Bailey!" "Now that the D''Cruz suddenly rose in this architectural industry and instantly became a bigshot in the country, it''s only natural Boss Bailey would look at them differently." "Didn''t Boss Bailey agree to only support the Jordan Group?" chapter 688 chapter 688 "Exactly. The Jordans are those that can''t be redeemed. A smart person like Boss Bailey would''ve long given up on them." "You''re right. After he made that tweet, he didn''t provide any further support to the Jordan Group. Now that the Jordan Group''s reputation is bad and in danger, he still showed no support. It''s apparent that he had long given up on them." "Charmine, look: even the Jordan Group''s only supporter hade to support the Jordown Group. You''re all over!" Charmine was speechless. She wondered how they would react if they found out about how Anthony would sleep with her every night, follow her around, and was so determined to marry her. Max did not know what Anthony was thinking, but the twinkle in his eyes remained. So what if he did not know what Anthony was thinking? As long as he could upset Charmine and make everyone feel that Anthony came here for him instead, it was enough. If Charmine snapped, she would identally expose her rtionship with Anthony. That would be a good show! 1 If not, Charmine would have to hold it in. Indeed, Charmine did not say anything. She nced at Anthony and looked away as if she did not know him. It was not the time to officiate her rtionship with Anthony yet. If Annabel was pregnant tonight, if they were certain that Annabel grew better, perhaps she could consider it... McKenzie, who was sitting not far away, smirked coldly with her red lips, one that was condescending. Hah! So what if Charmine was so arrogant? So what if she was Anthony''s secret lover? After all, she was just a rat that could not see the light! As long as McKenzie was here, as long as she had control over Annabel, Charmine and Anthony could never be together! Max rposed his thoughts and narrowed his eyes. He went forward to greet Anthony in person. "President Bailey is finally here-splendid! ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Wee! Let me walk you to a private lounge." "No need, I''ll find a seat. Don''t bother," said Anthony as he nced around. He walked to another side and sat on the sofa. Across the hall, his seat was opposite Charmine''s. He could see her right in front of him. Charmine¡¯s heartbeat quickened instantly. Was that not too obvious? If someone found out... Luckily, nobody was thinking in that direction. They were all discussing Anthony''s arrival. Anthony actually came to the Jordown Group''s banquet? He must have given up on the Jordan Group and that he was trying to build a good connection with Max. Therefore, even more people decided to build connections with Max, and he radiated from all the attention he received. However, Max was thinking of his n today. If Anthony was here, he wondered if the n could still work. However... He did not believe Anthony would help Charmine in the public eye. Once he helped Charmine, their rtionship would be officialized, thus the problems they were facing would intensify. Based on what Charmine was going through, he did not believe the Baileys would ept her as Anthony''s wife. With that in mind, he signaled to his assistant. After waiting for so long, it was time for the show. Charmine yed with her phone and read everyone''sments. Little did she expect to see a figure in the corner of her eye. This person stood at the other end of the hallway. Dressed in a white dress, that person stared at her silently. She looked up... It was Tiffany! Tiffany was like the white lily as usual, fey-like as she always was, so soft and gentle as if the wind could blow her away. She was looking innocently beautiful. However, her eyes were filled with bitter, unrelenting anger and hatred. Charmine frowned. They had not found Tiffany''s body, so why was she at the banquet? chapter 689 chapter 689 Charmine wanted to double-take, but the figure disappeared in the blink of an eye. Tiffany disappeared out of nowhere? Charmine stood up instantly and rushed toward the hallway. Charmine, to get to the hallway in front of her, had to pass the decorations of the hall. Unbeknownst to Charmine, however, tiny transparent pearls were scattered on the floor and, in her eagerness to chase after Tiffany, she did not notice those. Rushing in her heels, she abruptly slipped. "Argh!" she cried out as her body fell to the floor uncontrobly. As Charmine fell, the antique vases and scrolls nearby were destroyed as every paper was smudged by one another. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. A loud and crisp tearing sound was heard as the papers were torn in her fall. Eight writings were torn apart, the scrollsnded on the floor, and the shafts cracked upon falling. Charmine fell to the floor andnded on the antique vases. Those vases were in a pile and thus, as she fell, every vase fell onto the floor as they shattered. Everything was broken! Instantly, everyone cried out: "My goodness! The ancient vase!¡± "Senior Potter''s calligraphies!" "Oh, no...! They''re all ruined! They''re all ruined!" "Charmine ruined so many things! Gosh! What a waste!" The criticisms were heard one after another. Anthony instinctively shot up and wanted to help Charmine up. However, before he could move, he saw that sharp look she gave him. The look had a deeper implication; it came with a small warning and threat. ''Don¡¯te!¡¯ she warned him with her eyes. Anthony''s big hands clenched tightly. He held back his heartache while he remained seated. Charmine was on her hands and knees in the pile of messed-up antique with her red dress red out, exuding an unspeakable sense of beauty. She sighed in relief when she saw that Anthony did note over. However, Max walked over. Behind him, his assistant said angrily with a frown, "Charmine, even though you hate the Jordown Group, you shouldn''t have ruined these treasures! Do you know how much the calligraphies from Senior Potter cost? How much do these antique vases cost?" 1 Charmine sat up with difficulty as she exined calmly, "There are things on the floor. You did a poor job of cleaning things up; it has nothing to do with me!" "Hah! You ruined so many things, yet you me US for not cleaning up the floor? What kind of person are you? Everyone, say something!" The assistant was a man called Stanley, and he was the same man who went over to give Charmine the invitation card. He had a perpetual face of disgust for others. There were many pre-arranged guests surrounding them, as well as those who hated Charmine. They added on: "Each of us walked with no problem, yet when you walk, there''s a problem?" "Which part of it is uncleared of? Have a look? Which part? Why can¡¯t we see anything?" "You can''t even walk properly, yet you me others for your ipetence?" "I don''t think she tripped; she did it on purpose. She couldn''t bear to see how glorified the Jordown Group is, thus she wanted to ruin another group¡¯s banquet!" "What''s the point of arguing with her? She ruined everything, so she should pay up!" "Right! Pay up!" The people in the business industry only cared about their profits. Since Anthony had ditched her, why would they support her? They knew who was the person to turn to. They knew that they had to get on Max''s good graces. chapter 690 chapter 690 Max red down from above. "Ms. Jordan, as you heard, paying for the damages seems to be the right thing to do. Please make the payment." He said as Stanley took out the calctor to make some calctions. He then said to Charmine, "Adding up all of the antiques and writings in here, making it a whole number, it''d be one hundred billion in total!" 1 One hundred billion! Everyone stared at them wide-eyed. Since the Jordan Group''s shares were dropping, they would not get 100 billion even if they sold out the entire Jordan Group. What concept was 100 billion? Even when the Jordan Group was at its peak, its market value was merely 200 million. Furthermore, even though she owned a diamond mine, the diamond mine itself did not worth any money unless she sold out her shares. Once Charmine sold her shares, she would have nothing. Nheless, if she did not sell out her shares, she would not have 100 billion to pay for the damages. Charmine, still on the floor at that moment, frowned. They wanted her to bring out this much money as compensation? No way! She stood up from the floor and said with a serious tone, "There are things on the floor, I''m not lying. You all framed me!" "We framed you? Ms. Jordan, how can you use US of that? What evidence have you got? We even make it a whole number for you-that''s tens of millions we¡¯re talking about-yet you''re now using US? Are you not owning up to your mistake?" Stanley looked at her in disgust. The looks from the people around her had somehow changed negatively. They had thought she was a capable and beautiful woman, but at that moment, they thought of her as a barbaric and cheap girl. "Surely she doesn''t have that much money! She''s trying to get away with it! I¡¯d suggest calling the police!" someone suggested. Max merely said, "Today''s the celebration of the Jordown Group, and I don''t want to make such a big deal out of it. I can understand. Why would Ms. Jordan has so much money at hand? What about this: Since the Jordan Group isn''t doing so well as of now, why don''t Ms. Jordan pawn in the Jordan Group to make the payment? I don''t mind making some loss." Instantly, everything clicked for Charmine. Max''s goal was to take her Jordan Group! He had all these ns merely to take over thepany! The crowd consisted of business moguls, and they were no fools. They could tell that Max was using this opportunity to take over the Jordan Group, but it was Charmine''s fault that she ruined his collections. Nobody spoke up for her. In fact, Max had prearranged for some people to stop him. "President D''Cruz, are you sure about this? Now that the Jordan Group is about to be an empty shell, nobody would buy it even if they sell it off at fifty million!" "President, this is equivalent to buying the Jordan Group at the cost of a hundred billion. It''s not worth it!" Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. "Let her pay by cash. There''s no point taking over a bankruptpany like the Jordan Group." Those bribed guests spoke one after another. Max frowned. "Ms. Jordan is a woman after all. A man doesn''t fight a woman, and I''ve always been generous. Let''s just call it a deal. Charmine, as long as you sign on this share-transfer contract, we''ll call it a day." 1 He said as he made a gesture. Instantly, Stanley handed over a contract to Charmine. 1 Charmine looked down to see the ck and white paper clearly printed: [Charmine Jordan is willing to hand over the Jordan Group to Max D''Cruz unconditionally forpensation. The two won''t owe each other anything. Effective from now.] 1 They even prepared a contract. It was all a plot; that much was clear as day. Charmine''s eyes turned ice-cold, livid. "Max D''Cruz, you''re ying such a dirty trick. Are you not embarrassed?" "I don''t understand what Ms. Jordan is talking about. Now that the Jordan Group is struggling and the Jordown Company is doing so well, you should feel privileged that I''m willing to take over yourpany. "I have adequate funding so that your Divine Bird won''t go to waste. Furthermore, you were the one who ruined my antique collections, and I''m making this generous offer to let you trade in the Jordan Group out of pity. If you''re unwilling to, please hand in a hundred billion in cash right away." Max¡¯s words were clearly pronounced-they sounded righteous and aggressive. chapter 691 chapter 691 Unfortunately, the truth wasid out in front of their eyes against Charmine¡¯s favor. The transparent pearls had long vanished out of sight. Charmine had nothing to back up her im. Everyone tried to convince her, ''The Jordown Group is a group with a bright future, and them buying yourpany is your blessing! Hurry up and sign the paper!" "With the Jordown Group, the Divine Bird project will speed up as well, so it won''t end up badly. What are you still hesitating for?" Tm so envious of the Jordan Group. They''re doing so badly, and now a foreignpany is trying to buy theirpany? How lucky are they!" Everyone was saying how great the Jordown Group was that everyone thought Charmine got a lucky strike. 1 She would seem ungrateful if she did not sign the paper. Max was waiting silently; he had to make sure Charmine signed that deal. Hah! The Jordan Group would be his! Meanwhile, someone ran over. "President, President, it''s bad. Something''s up!" ''What is it? Speak to meter." Max looked unpleasant. He was about to get hold of the Jordan Group, and he had to get it done at this moment. Nothing could stop him! However, the assistant insisted, ''The people from the management team came. They said our materials failed! They''re forcing US to cease all work right away!" N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. With that said, a man in a ck suit walked in. Smart-looking, he exuded a strong temperament. Max could tell right away that he was from the management department. They were some highly sought-after moguls. Max frowned. "Why did youe? Please have a seat, let¡¯s discuss things." "No need. We came to let you know that the soil and concrete used in your construction sites didn¡¯t pass the minimum requirement. Before you make changes, your entire project must stop," spoke the man solemnly. 1 Max frowned. "How is that possible? The Jordown Group is using the best materials avable on the market." "Indeed. If you''re constructing ordinary buildings, your materials would have no issue, but you¡¯re building a medieval-style building as tall as sixty- six floors. The construction of a medieval-styled building is different from the modem buildings, so of course the materials have to be different. Even if you managed to finish building it, they could copse any time, and that''s very risky,¡± the man exined. 1 Max''s eyelids twitched. Was that a thing? "So the Jordan Group''s Divine Bird has to stop as well?" "Ah, yes, you should all learn from the Jordan group. The materials used for the Divine Bird from water-mud to the rebar, even the screws were all newly invented. They were all made for the medieval-style buildings." 1 The man then looked at Charmine, a frown on his face as he looked confused and impressed altogether. "May I ask where Ms. Jordan got these materials from? Many of those aren''t avable even in the international market." Many of these materials were special materials only the elite would know; even owners of some big constructionpanies would not have heard about these materials. However, when they went to examine the Jordan Group''s construction site, they realized many things were surprisingly impressive and quality-assured. Of course, Charmine would not tell them that her Uncle sent those for her. She simply replied, ''The higher-ups encouraged our project. They liked the Divine Bird very much, so they supported it." "Oh, I see," answered the man with an understanding look. He looked at Max and warned, "You have to think of a way to seek help. Once all your materials are ready, we''ll re-examine again." 1 With that said, the management team gradually left. chapter 692 chapter 692 Everyone in the vicinity overheard their conversation, and sure enough, murmurs were exchanged with one another. "So the Divine Bird is that pricey because they used special materials?" "Doesn''t that mean the Hundred Birds'' materials aren''t capable of supporting the medieval-style buildings?" "Will the Hundred Birds be able to find the materials? If they can''t, the entire project would be over, won''t it?" Everyone discussed as they looked at Max. Charmine, meanwhile,nguidly looked at him and asked, "President D''Cruz, do you still want to take over the Jordan Group, and the Divine Bird to boot?" Max''s gaze darkened; he never expected the situation to turn out in such a way. He had already used the best materials avable, yet they still were not enough? Forget about the Divine Bird. If he could not get those quality materials, the Hundred Birds Project would have to conceal the hundreds of billions he invested that would be wasted. No. That would not happen; not on his watch. As if thinking of something, his gaze swiftly shifted to Charmine. ¨¬ already gave you a chance just now, but you didn''t take it, and I regret it now. Since you owe me hundreds of thousands, how will your small Jordan Group worth the price? You either hand out a thousand billion worth ofpensation, or you hand over Jordan Group with your material suppliers." 3 He wanted their resources and materials above owning the Jordan Group- that was what he meant. Hmph. The gears in his head were quick to work after all... However, Charmine merely scoffed, "You keep asking me to hand over the Jordan Group, but with your capability, do you think you can maintain the quality after taking over the Divine Bird? Furthermore, you''ve been framing me since the beginning, plotting and harming me, and all you wanted was to take over the Jordan Group, no? Do you really think I don''t have evidence?" Max''s eyelids twitched. Evidence? She had evidence? It felt like things were getting out of hand for him... As his worries grew, Charmine continued, "When I walked past here, I slipped after stepping on something. I''m so sure that I stood on some pearls, but there was nothing on the floor. Baffled me, it did, until the people from the management came and mentioned something about rare materials. Suddenly, I recalled the new invention that the ck market is selling. There are transparent pearls invisible to the naked eye, N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. yet it was solid enough to cause someone to trip once ced on the ground. Moreover, they¡¯d vanish in three minutes upon being ced on the ground, with no trace of it left behind. These pearl-like objects are very popr and well-used in the entertainment industry, especially during the red carpet event. Female celebrities liked to frame one another with pleasure, but who would''ve thought that the well-reputable President D''Cruz would use such a thing in an attempt to ruin me?" 1 Max''s hands inside his pockets clenched tightly. This was a material only to be found in Kansas; only the celebrities in Kansas would use such a thing. How did Charmine know? However, as the mighty wolf he was, he kept calm and stoic, offering a smile to boot. "Ms. Jordan is good at making up things. If you said no evidence could be made, how can you say that I framed you? What evidence do you have?" "I wouldn''t have used you if I didn''t have any evidence. Everyone knows that this material would vanish silently upon touching the ground, but nobody knows that once this materiales into contact with brocade fabric, they won''t actually vanish. Coincidentally, the sole of the heels I¡¯m wearing today are wrapped in brocade fabric." 1 With that said, Charmine removed her heels in front of everyone. She held her heels and showed the soles to the crowd. The eyes of the people widened in shock at what they saw. chapter 693 chapter 693 It was a pair of red brocade heels that glowed like the surface of a pearl. Not only the front but even the soles were wrapped by brocade fabric. Both heels were like a whole piece of artwork. 1 Between the gap of the sole was a transparent pearl stuck between the gap wrapped by the heel''s brocade fabric. Charmine reached out, took out the pearl, and tossed it to the ground. The material had changed as it was stuck in the gap for some time, though it vanished not long after it was tossed onto the ground. Everyone gaped at the sight. ''There''s such a mysterious thing in the world?" "Charmine was telling the truth; she did trip over the pearls!" "How terrifying! I thought Max was merely taking up this opportunity to take over the Jordan Group, that it was merely all a business tactic. Who would''ve thought that tripping her was part of his n all along?" 1 "Looking at it now, who''d bring all of their antique collection for a celebration? It¡¯s too much." 1 "So this was all part of his n! This was all a plot from the start!" "How malicious! Max D''Cruz crossed the line on this one!" Everyone looked at Max strangely; they looked at him with disgust and disdain. They should stay away from this kind of man! Max D¡¯Crux¡¯s expression was as ck as ink. Charmine''s shoes happen to be able to pick up these pearls? How was that a coincidence? Of course not. Upon entering the hall and as Charmine studied the entire banquet setup, something felt off to her. She thus started ying with her phone, but in reality, she was asking Kay and his men to scrutinize everything in the hall. In the end, she found out about their n and understood this material. Coincidently, her shoes were made of brocade fabric, so she intentionally stood on the pearls to trap one. 1 Max''s head grew so haughtily for so many days-it was time for him to pay the price. Charmine stared at him. "Oh, have I told you? My entire being is coated with insurance. You made me slip and scratched my skin, so the insurancepany would have to pay me a hundred million. Do wait for them to send you the receipt! As for taking over the Jordan Group? Hmph. Speak to me when you''re done taking care of your mess." 1 Her words were harsh and arrogant. She flipped her hair and walked out barefoot with her heels at hand. Her demeanor and the way she walked looked fierce, fearless, and captivating, exuding her unique temperament! As he sat in the corner and enjoyed the show, Anthony smiled. His woman fought a beautiful battle, and a wonderful battle it was! He stood up and walked out. When he passed by Max, he halted and said elegantly, ''The Jordown Group yed such a dirty trick to intimidate theirpetitor. The Bailey Corporation would neverExclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. support this kind ofpany." 1 ''Never support,¡¯ and that basically implied that the Jordown Group would be cklisted by the Bailey Corporation. 1 Who would have the courage to support thepany that the Bailey Corporation had cklisted? Who had the courage to go against Anthony Bailey? The Jordown Group would be over! Anthony left coldly and suavely, and the rest followed suit. The originally lively Hundred Birds banquet suddenly ended abruptly. Transfixed on the same spot, Max clenched his fists tightly as his demeanor grew bitter and hateful. Anthony was helping Charmine throw another punch at him! The Jordown Group was doing bad already, and Anthony cklisting them would serve to only add more salt to the wound. Never did Max foresee his attempt to take over the Jordan Group would fail horribly, and it even grew worse... The person with an even more worsened mood was McKenzie. Earlier when Max found Senior Porter for his calligraphies, he was unwilling to write. He was never willing to write formercialized people. However, after Max had told McKenzie about his n, she helped persuade her grandfather, and thus Senior Porter wrote for him. She attended the banquet to see how Charmine''s Jordan Group would be taken over, to watch how Charmine would look like a barbaric dog, yet the oue was far different than what she expected. Worst of all, Anthony actually came! He spared her not even a short nce, but he was generous enough to stare at Charmine from time to time. Right after Charmine had left, he wanted to leave right away. He was unwilling to stay for even one second extra. chapter 694 chapter 694 Was it not enough for Anthony and Charmine to be glued to one another at Violet Vi? How could Anthony be blinded by this kind of woman? McKenzie was almost torn away by hatred. She stood up and stomped toward Max. By then, there was nobody else in the hall-it was so awkwardly empty. "Don''t be discouraged," said McKenzie to Max. "Think of your sister. She''s still waiting for you to get rid of Charmine!" With that said, she marched away and left. That brought Max out of his silent tantrum. McKenzie was right; Waverly was waiting for him to get revenge for her. Waverly needed him. 2 Materials, right? If Charmine could get them, so could he. Charmine''s little stunt of embarrassing him terribly would not be forgiven! s, much to his chagrin... On the same day, not long after Charmine had left, the inte was filled with the following news: [Hundred Birds Project Halted Due To Failed Materials.] [Management Team Impressed By The Materials Of The Divine Bird.] [Max D''Cruz yed Dirty And Framed Charmine Jordan!] (Charmine Jordan Walked Away With Heels At Hands!] A series of headlines took over the inte, and the discussions were heated. 1 [Ah, sh*t. Who would¡¯ve thought that the materials of the Hundred Birds would fail!?] [Argh! I paid a hundred thousand in deposit! Can I get a refund?] 1 [Please, I hope they give me a refund! I''m not buying the Hundred Birds unit anymore!] [Max D''Cruz used such a dirty trick to frame Charmine Jordan? How disgusting!] 1 [The Divine Bird''s impressively high price is due to the materials used! Argh! I want to buy the Divine Bird!] [Am I the only one falling for the sight of Ms. Jordan holding her heels in hand?] [I haven¡¯t seen Boss Jordan as an ambassador for some time now. I beg Boss Jordan toe back to the entertainment industry!] Thement area was filled with praises. Many people even directly messaged Charmine, [Please send US the link of the heels!] Charmine, after all, unknowingly promoted this pair of heels... The heels were of a luxury brand, DA¡¯s limited edition. One pair cost 99,999 bucks. As many went ahead to buy these heels, they all also messaged DA, hoping Charmine could be their ambassador. DA''s official page was somehow involved in this. In order to satisfy their fans, they had to send Charmine an invitation. Charmine was sitting in the car, looking at her phone. When she received the invitation, she narrowed her eyes and replied, [ Sorry, I''m busy.] The most luxurious brand sent her an invitation, and she said she was busy. 1 The brand was extremely shocked. A powerful boss figure with an equally powerful move, indeed. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. The person in charge asked humbly, [Could we please purchase the photo of you holding the heels to promote our brand?] 2 Charmine did not know who took the photo for her, though it was a very clear and good angle. It perfectly showcased her temperament as if it was precisely taken. 1 Since it was a pleasant surprise, she did not mind. After negotiating the deals with the brand, she posted a tweet: [Be a good person and do good things with no guilt. Can you do that?] She attached a photo of the Divine Bird''s construction site. The materials were orderly put while workers dutifully carried out their tasks. This tweet was clearly calling out the Hundred Birds for not being honest, trying to con money off of the buyers. This tweet went viral. Everyone got the message that the Divine Bird was doing the right thing, and they deserved the higher calling price with good quality materials! In addition to the approval from the management by posting on their official ount, praising the materials of the Divine Bird, many people went ahead to buy the units of the Divine Bird, fighting one another just to make reservations. The originally dying Jordan Group suddenly revived, and it wasing off so much stronger than the Hundred Birds Project. Meanwhile, the Hundred Birdsteam anxiously looked for materials... chapter 695 chapter 695 Charmine walked out of the hotel and entered the car, allowing the driver to drive her. With her head lowered as she used her phone, Charmine did not notice the driver turning back to the hotel''s gate again. Her phone rang incessantly with messages flooding in. People in her family group chat threw words of praise to please her. [Charmine is indeed the heiress of the Jordan. She''s so capable! You''re able to secure such fine materials!] [No wonder you asked US to just focus on our construction... It''s because we have such fine materials!] [We''ve nothing to be afraid of-the Jordown Group will be over soon! Let''s see if they can mock the Divine Bird!] [Congrattions! The data engineers expect all of the Divine Bird units to be sold out within ten days!] Charmine read the messages and clicked out from the group chat. This group chat was like a ghost town on most days, but whenever Charmine did something well, this would be a page of praises and nice words. When she did something well, she was the heiress of the Jordans. When she did something bad, she was the adopted daughter. They were so funny that she forgot how tough! Luckily, the Jordan Group was doing well, and it was delightful news indeed. Charmine kept her phone and did not bother replying to them. When she looked up, she realized that it had been so long and the car was still parked outside the hotel. This was where she got out. What happened? Before she had time to ask the driver, the car door opened abruptly as a tall and fit figure came inside, and the air in the car instantly changed. Charmine frowned at him. "Why did youe in?" Anthony got out of the hall the moment she left. He even asked the driver toe back and pick him up from the back door. They were done for if reporters caught them! Seeing how anxious Charmine was, Anthony frowned. "What? You don''t want to be with me?" ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. "No... I''m worried that someone might see US." Charmine looked around, and after making sure no one was in sight, she felt more secure. She said to the driver, "Drive US to Royal Hospital." It was better to get out of the vicinity, just in case. Noticing her impatient look, Anthony looked at her pointedly. "Charmine, don''t forget what you promised me earlier." Once Annabel conceived, they would get married. As they headed for the hospital, the result should be out. Charmine was perplexed just at the thought of it. Were they truly getting married? She could not recall when she thought of truly marrying this man. However, since she had promised and Anthony was not ugly, it was not a loss. 4 She nodded. "Okay." Hopefully, Annabel would seed. Hopefully, Chris could get the cord blood. Perhaps they would not have to stay hidden after getting married. The car pulled over before Royal Hospital, and they both went up from the underground VIP lift to the top floor. Inside the medicalb on the top floor... Nial was examining Annabel as Waverly observed by the side. Watching everything from outside through the ss window, Charmine said to Anthony, "You go in, I¡¯ll wait outside." chapter 696 chapter 696 Annabel would get nervous looking at Charmine, and she might even feel embarrassed and restrained facing her. She did not want to enter with the thought of affecting Annabel''s mood. Anthony did not insist as he reached out to ruffle her head. "Wait for me here." 1 Afterforting her, he walked inside. Charmine watched on through the ss window, and she grew more nervous. She had sorted outpany-rted matters... Would her rtionship be as sessful? If it all went well, she would get to marry Anthony and, once and for all, be his wife, byw and by promise. Charmine somehow epted that, and she was undeniably excited. She hoped that all would be well. However... Charmine grew antsy as Nial held the examination''s result. He looked at Anthony solemnly. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Anthony frowned. "How did it go?¡± "She¡¯s pregnant, but...¡± Nial hesitated for a moment, sighed, and continued, ''To put it in a simpler term, the embryo is very unstable, and there are signs of a potential miscarriage. However, it¡¯s merely a formation of cells for now, and it''s still unknown whether the embryo could develop in the future. The results show that her body isn¡¯t in the best condition, and it might be hard in the future. I''m worried that the embryo won''t develop, though we can only verify in three months'' time. Therefore, she shouldn¡¯t be irritated in the following three months. If she fails, with her current health condition, she can only go through an operation in half a year''s time." 2 Nial emphasized, ¡¯Half a year''s time.'' It was a firm warning. Although he supported Anthony to be with Charmine, he was Chris¡¯ uncle, and he wanted to save him. With the given situation, he only hoped that Anthony and Charmine could keep it low. Waverly warned, "The patient is very unstable. All my patients would¡¯ve had some positive improvements after such a long time of therapy, but she''s only sleeping four hours per night right now, and that''s far from enough for a pregnant woman. If this goes on, hypnosis would be useless as her body grows immune to hypnosis, making it lose its effectiveness. This will result in her illness being incurable by anything. Furthermore, after my long-hour observation, I realized that when President Bailey is in the hospital during the day, she could sleep better with better sleep quality. President Bailey should take more time to visit her in the hospital." 3 Annabel instantly shot up from lying down. She blushed, trying to exin," No I don''t! Dr. D¡¯Cruz, is your data mistaken? I really don''t need President Bailey toe more often..." "You''re not being honest-you''re probably unaware of your actual thoughts even. You feel that you shouldn''t drag President Bailey into this, that you shouldn''t trouble him, and you don''t wish to affect his feelings or career. However, you''re terrified by your future, and you have a fear for President Bailey. It was your conscience and your sense of responsibility for Chris that forced you to ept taking this operation. 1 "Yet, the more you force yourself to be okay with this, the more your health will worsen. What you should do is to gradually let it go: Don¡¯t feel as if you''re troubling President Bailey, that you¡¯d feel bad. You should treat President Bailey as your friend. You''re both now working together to save Momo, so you should both give out equally." 1 Waverly''s gentle and soft voice analyzed and consulted. Outside the door, Charmine¡¯s fists tightened as her chest became stuffy. The words resonated in her head: ''She shouldn''t be irritated in the following three months. If she fails, with her current health condition, she can only go through an operation in half a year''s time.'' ''If this goes on, hypnosis would be useless as her body grows immune to hypnosis, making it lose its effectiveness. This will result in her illness being incurable by anything.'' 1 The operation could only take ce in half a year, while Chris had the risk of another seizure within half a year. What if this problem continued until he was eight? What if the first, second, and third operation all failed? What if the operation could not seed until Chris was eight? Hypnosis was the only way to cure Annabel, but if even Waverly could not aid her, Annabel was done for. If that happened, Chris'' illness... Charmine¡¯s eyes darkened. At that very moment, she silently made her decision. chapter 697 chapter 697 Charmine turned and left the top floor when Anthony was not looking at her, silently driving out of Royal Hospital. She then texted Eric, [Prepare for me a house Anthony can''t find.] 1 Half an hourter, her car was parked in Marilyn''s Park that happened to be right next to the Bailey Corporation building. Marilyn''s Park was an upper-ss residential area with only garden bungalows. The residents were all renowned people. The park was next to the Bailey Corporation. The more dangerous ce was always the safer ce to be. Once Charmine entered one of the houses, she texted Kay, [Remove all traces of me.] 1 Eric, present at the house Charmine was in, handed the key to her. "I bought this house ten years ago and never lived here. It''s not under my name either, so you can live here hassle-free. Nobody can find you, but... Why do you need to hide?" "Nothing, I just want to be alone. Go back." Charmine closed the door behind her. Eric looked at her and frowned. He sensed that something was off. Nheless, he knew Charmine well enough to know she would not do anything stupid, so he did not press on further. Settling in the house, Charmine noted the rows of red wines on the wine cab. She kicked off her shoes and brought a few bottles of wine to lie down on the balcony sofa. The sky had darkened by then, and other houses began to lit up. Stars sparkled between buildings. Charmine sat on the balcony and recalled the things Anthony once said to her: He would give her a family whenever she was ready. She once fantasized that she, Anthony, and Momo would have a home that belonged to them, that they would have a family together. Who would have thought... 1 Thinking of what Nial and Waverly said, she chugged a mouthful of red wine. 1 She could bet it would not happen in half a year, and she strongly believed in that. The thought of Chris dying on a sickbed... How Charmine wished she could give up her life for Chris. All she wanted was for Chris'' illness to be cured so he no longer had to live in pain. Charmine thought everything would be alright once Annabel managed to conceive, but they were hit with the fact she might suffer a miscarriage or the embryo unable to develop... Even hypnosis could be futile... The only way to improve the situation would be for Anthony to apany Annabel, for Anthony to be genial with her. However, was there a pure friendship between a man and a woman? A friendship that shared a child? If Anthony apanied Annabel on a daily basis, what was the point of her getting married to Anthony? If all Anthony cared about was her, how would he be able to take care of Annabel? How would Annabel give birth at ease? With all these convoluted thoughts in mind, Charmine took mouthfuls after mouthfuls of wine as she suffered in silence. 1 She had not felt so heartbroken for a very long time. Since the incident from five years ago, she thought she had trained an undefeatable heart, yet there she was, beaten down... God knows how prepared she was to get married to Anthony, yet it ended on such a suspenseful note. 1 Looking at the boundless night sky and light from other houses, Charmine allowed herself to drink as much as she pleased for the first time to get drunk. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. What she was about to do next was something she could only force herself to do after getting drunk. As she grew more intoxicated, she suddenly recalled a very important matter. While it was fine if Anthony could not find her, Chris was a whole different story. What if he had a seizure out of terror? 1 However drunk or painful she was, she could not let Chris down. She fished out her phone and texted Chris... (Momo, don¡¯t worry about Mommy. Mommy is finding an incredible doctor who can cure you tonight. He''s very very clever; he''ll be able to cure your illness. Mommy will bring you a surprise tomorrow, so you have to be good. Don''t make Mommy see a sad Momo when Ie home tomorrow.] After sending that, she sent Alexander a text. chapter 698 chapter 698 [Didn''t you want to make it up to me? House 6, 33-2, Marilyn''s Park. Waiting for you.] 1 Charmine turned off her phone, encrypted it, andid back on the sofa. She continued drinking wine from the bottle. Right, she decided atst-she had to cut it off with Anthony. She should not hang to it, lest they would both suffer even more. They had to cut it off so Anthony could take better care of Annabel. Anthony would not easily let her go, not unless she was with another man. For that, Alexander was the most suitable candidate. 1 Charmine even thought of what to say, and she would tell Anthony as so... ''I''ve thought it through. You and Annabel are the perfect match, and I can ept Alexander. I¡¯ve spent many nights dreaming of how he possessed me. He satisfied me, he fits me perfectly. He''s a nice person. ''President Bailey, let''s break up. I like Alexander''s face; I like his body.'' If she said such vulgar things to Anthony after sleeping with Alexander, a noble man like Anthony would surely drop her like she was the bane to his existence. 1 As for Chris, they only had to pretend to be a loving couple. 1 Once the cord blood was ready to cure his illness, there would be no more need for their pretense and act... Everything would finally end. With that in mind, with the thought of pretending to sleep with Alexander tonight and saying what she nned to Anthony, she was almost unable to breathe. She kept on drinking, forcing herself to get drunk to fall asleep. Sheid on the sofanguidly, dressed in a red dress with a strong scent of alcohol, allowing the boundless night sky to engulf her. She was so painfully beautiful, bold, and determined. Not realizing how time passed, Charmineid on the sofa with her legs resting on the armrest. Her red dress hung down freely, showing her long, alluring legs. 1 She was unaware of her beauty. Her arm hung loosely pressed on the remote controller, and the television switched on. Despite her incredibly tipsy state, she still heard the news as it went, "Shocking news! The only couple¡¯s matching rings in the world had been taken from the World No.1 Monster Museum! ''These two rings were made using alexandrite gems carved into the outline of a cat''s eye. It was known to be the most precious diamond in the world, its price a thousand times higher than all diamond jewelries. ''This pair of alexandrite rings would appear as jade green under the sunlight, but when ced under incandescent or luminous light, it''lle off brown-red in color. It¡¯s called ''a jade during the day, a ruby at night.¡¯ "Furthermore, this alexandrite gemstone was made into a pair of rings with the diamond shaped like the cat¡¯s eye. When the two rings are put next to one another, they''ll form the digit "1", signifying ''the one and only*. "Since this was a very rare natural urrence and there was only one pair, they had been kept inside Monster Museum. ''The buyers of the matching rings as showcased in the Monster Museum had to have at least 131.4 billion bucks on top of signing a monster''s contract. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. ''The contract states that the buyer must buy the rings with a legally bound spouse, on top of signing a heart donation agreement." "If they break up, the buyer would have to allow Monster Museum to take away his heart for donation. 2 "Rumor has it that Monster Museum follows a legal and strict procedure, that the signed contract will be legally binding. The museum also has the most powerful hitman group in the world. Once the contract is signed, there''s no way to get out of it. "Our station nned to report on who actually bought this pair of rings, but we failed..." Charmine, still in a daze, heard it all as admiration welled in her. There was actually a man who would sign a heart-donation agreement for a woman? If he broke up with the woman, he would lose his heart and die. How much did he love this woman to do such a thing? She admired that woman for having a man who loved her so much while she, on the other hand, would never meet such a man... chapter 699 chapter 699 In pain, Charmine grew sleepy unknowingly. Sheid on the sofa as she waited for Alexander toe. She would no longer see Anthony after this night. She had to be with Alexander, even though she had to fake it... Charmine was not actually asleep-she was waiting for a knock on the door. Despite that, she fell asleep as she was unable to stay awake. Charmine failed to notice, however, that she typed in [House 3, 33-2], and not [House 6, 33-2], 1 She typed in the wrong digit... The instant he received her text, Alexander rushed to House 6, 33-2 right away and knocked on the door, only to be met with no response. He frowned with suspicion. Was Charmine antagonizing him, suffocating him with false hope that she needed longer to open the door for him? He could wait forever, though, so long as she forgave him. He waited, and waited... On the next morning... Click! Charmine was woken up by the sound of the door opening. Haphazardly opening her eyes, she saw two figures-one tall, the other much smaller-standing outside the door. They were Anthony and Chris! 1 What happened? Why were they here? Anthony spotted her right away. She lied on the sofa with her legs on the armrest. As her dress hung loosely, her long and straight legs were all out on disy. 1 With bottles of wine scattered all around her on the floor, Charmine truly looked like a fallen angel. Anthony frowned. "Close your eyes." He reached out to close Chris¡¯ eyes as he removed his suit and marched toward Charmine. Before she could react, the warm suit was draped over her legs. The dazed Charmine looked at the house and the pile of wine bottles, perplexed. What...happened? Did she not ask Alexander toe? Why did he not? Had she actually spent a night sleeping on the balcony? Moreover, these two... "Why did you twoe?" Did Eric not say that he could guarantee no one could track this house?! ''There''s no one in the world that Momo and I can''t find," dered Anthony while his eyesnded on the pile of wine bottles, then back at her face still adorned with makeup. She must have cried; that would exin her smudged eyeliner. His heart ached at the sight. "Did you do something foolishst night? Do you not remember the things I told you?" He had told her, not once but several times over and over, that he would fix all their problems. He had told her not to overthink, but she always turned and ran away. Charmine thought of her n fromst night, and she was too intimidated to meet his eyes. She said, "I only needed some time to myself, so I hope President Bailey can give me that." President Bailey? She called him President Bailey? Anthony¡¯s eyes darkened. This woman was about to mess things up again. He did not reply as he eyed Chris who stood not too far away. Instantly, Chris ran over and tugged at Charmine''s hand. "Mommy, Mommy! I finally found you! Do you know how worried I wasst night? I didn''t even eat dinner, and I didn''t have breakfast...! I¡¯ve been waiting for you! Waa... Momo''s now hungry and feeling unwell, Momo wants to eat...!" Charmine frowned. "Didn''t I send you a textst night to tell you not to be worried, you-" N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. "I know girls always speak of the opposite-you''re all liars! You said you¡¯re looking for a genius doctor, when you can clearly find this doctor during the day instead, Mommy. Why would you find him at night? Momo thought you were conned by some fake doctor, so I grew anxious and cried...!" sobbed Chris as he rubbed his eyes pitiably with his small hands. Charmine¡¯s heart ached as she was rendered speechless. What did he mean when he said that girls are all liars? Had she lied to Chris before? Moreover, conned by some fake doctor? Was she that dumb? chapter 700 chapter 700 Chris clung to Charmine''s arm and miserably muttered, "Mommy, can you bring me out for breakfast? I want breakfast..." Hisrge, doe eyes looked at her sheepishly and adorably, and it had the power of making one feel bad for not giving the world to him. Charmine thought of how Chris had not eaten sincest night, thus she instantly nodded. "Alright, let''s go and grab breakfast." She could talk to Anthony about the rest after breakfast. No matter what, she had to talk with Anthony. With that in mind, Charmine went into the bathroom and washed up to remove her makeup when Anthony also walked in. Throughout the night, there was a faint stubble growing under his chin with apparent dark circles below his eyes. He looked worn out. Charmine dared not imagine how he managed to find her over the night, and she dared not to imagine how tired he was. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. She forced herself to ignore it as she wore sunsses. Anthony walked to the other side of the sink to ssh cold water to his face as if trying to wash away a night of fatigue. Charmine saw his strongly built back, and her heart skipped a beat. He was too alluring for his own good. It did not matter how many times she had seen it; her heart would skip a beat. How could she admire his body when she made up her mind to break up with him? No. Be rational! Charmine inhaled deeply and began, "Anthony, why don''t you bring Momo for breakfast and send him to school? We can talk when you return." Although her initial n was ruined, it should not be toote to carry on the n if Anthony left. She could find Alexander once he left. To her surprise, Anthony pretended not to hear what she said and walked out. When he was by the door of the bathroom, he said, "Momo is still waiting for you outside." Momo... Charmine always felt Chris¡¯ cuteness was used as a maniption tactic. 1 It did not change the fact, however, that she adored him, and she could not stand to see him hungry. She had to go. When Momo saw her, he rushed into her arms. "Mommy, Mommy! Hug!" Charmine hoisted him instinctively and they walked out. "Momo, be good. Let¡¯s have breakfast before you go to school, alright?" "Alrighty! Let''s have breakfast first!¡± answered Chris enthusiastically. Charmine sighed in relief. As long as Chris was not around, she could talk with Anthony. The three of them arrived at the breakfast shop. Anthony and Charmine wore sunsses so nobody could recognize them. 1 After having a light breakfast, Charmine carried him and was about to put him inside the car. Suddenly, Chris held his stomach and, as though in agony, spoke," Mommy... I feel bloated. Maybe I didn''t sleep wellst night, and it''s probably indigestion. Can you walk with me?¡± Charmine frowned. Walk? How was Chris so active all of a sudden? How peculiar. Chris gazed at her with his signature doe eyes-he was as adorable as one could get. His pair of watery eyes gleamed like crystals, utterly pure without a hint of impurity. She could not think of any intention he could possibly have, so she agreed," Alright, let¡¯s go. Let¡¯s have a stroll." It was seven in the morning, and they had one hour before kindergarten started. They still had time. Delighted, Chris jumped joyfully as he ran around adorably. Charmine followed behind him and felt something was truly odd. If only she could see him growing up... If only she could be as trouble-free as him. How great would that be? Anthony looked at the adult and child before him, and his eyes darkened. He followed behind them silently. 2 Nobody noticed that his hand inside his pocket tightened. He prepared something, a grand surprise that was pivotal... chapter 701 chapter 701 Charmine followed behind Chris but did not notice where they were headed to. Somehow, suddenly... Chris tugged at Charmine''s hand. "Oh, Mommy, look. What a coincidence! This must be a message from above! We somehow ended up here. Look!" Charmine averted her gaze to where Chris pointed at, and the words, [High Commission] gleamed under the sunlight, the name hard to miss. Her face straightened and her lips twitched. They ''somehow'' walked to the High Commission? Was that a coincidence? Chris shook her hand. "Mommy, this must be a message from above. It''s fate! Instead of picking a day, why don''t you and Daddy get married Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. today?¡± w¡ªWhat?! Charmine suddenly understood why Chris insisted on having a stroll. From the start, Chris convinced her to walk with him so he could pester them to get married! She reached out and ruffled Chris'' little head. "You little genius, you! Getting married is a big deal, and it can''t be simply done. Furthermore, we need to pick a date and make further arrangements.¡± "Huh? Before I left today, I saw the horoscope calendar saying that today''s a suitable date to get married. Look, so many people havee this early in the morning to queue to get married! As for the preparation, I got the ount book and nine bucks, ny cents. It''s on me!" insisted Chris as he took out two ount books and eleven coins. Charmine was speechless. It was apparent that Chris came prepared. In fact, the preparation was too considerate! Furthermore, why was the Jordan family''s book ount with him? What she did not know was that when Anthony could not find her, he went to visit the Jordans over the night... Charmine was met with Chris'' round, watery eyes. Unable to deny him, the helpless Charmine eyed Anthony. However, Anthony merely stood quietly and elegantly. He looked at her silently, waiting. His posture was as if he was waiting for her to make the decision. Wait a minute... Charmine only realized that Anthony dressed slightly differently than he usually would. Although he was still in a suit, his suit was somewhat more formal than usual. He seemed to have shaved in the car, his face clean and neat. Charmine felt the weight of it all... Somehow...she felt trapped...by Anthony and Chris''s... 1 Seeing that she did not move, Chris suddenly pulled her hand and shook her pitiably. "Mommy, are you unwilling to marry Daddy? Do you not like Daddy? Don''t you want Daddy and Momo?" He paused there as if understanding something, and he then nodded in pain. "Right, that must be it. This must be it. Mommy wanted to leave Daddyst night, and that''s why you rejected my calls. Mommy doesn''t want Momo anymore...! Waa...! Mommy doesn''t want Momo! Mommy doesn''t want Daddy! Waa...!¡± 2 His wails grew louder as he spoke, his tiny shoulders shaking as if he would have a seizure any time. Chris'' face somehow grew pale as if he was a terminal illness patient losing blood by the second. Charmine''s heart tightened as she recalled the image of Chris lying on the sickbed. Uncle Weir and Nial also said that they had to keep Chris happy, that he should not be too stimted. Charmine instantly grew frantic inwardly, worried that Chris might faint or have a seizure. She had to kneel and hug Chris. "Momo, be good, don¡¯t cry. Mommy and Daddy will get married today. We promise you, okay? However, as you can see, the Uncles and Aunties haven''t started working, and the door of the High Commission isn¡¯t even opened. We¡¯ll send you to school first, and Daddy and I wille back to get married.¡± "Oh... Mommy, look! They opened the door! They started working!¡± Chris suddenly pointed at the High Commission''s building door. 1 Charmine looked over...and the door actually opened! It was only a few minutes past seven, yet they started working already? Oh... Oh, dear... Charmine''s lips twitched; she had to find a new excuse. She looked at the people queuing and said... chapter 702 chapter 702 "See, Memo? So many are lining up, and you''ll bete by the time you get to kindergarten." All of a sudden, everyone in the line instantly spoke, "Go ahead, you first!" They stepped back for Charmine, Chris, and Anthony, and some even turned and ran away. The sudden change made Charmine reel back in shock. She could almost taste blood on her mouth at the intense shock at what happened. Were strangers that kind these days?! Chris wiped off the tears on his face as he said joyfully, "Mommy, Daddy, you may get married now!" Chris pulled Charmine with one hand and Anthony with the other as he marched into the High Commission building. Charmine felt rather overwhelmed. What if Chris suffered a seizure if she denied him? On the other hand, she would end up legally married to Anthony if she did nothing. As Annabel''s condition was nowhere favorable, the poor girl should not be stimted and needed Anthony to apany her. How could she marry Anthony, knowing all that, guilt-free? 1 As they fast approached the building''s door, Charmine repeatedly signaled toward Anthony. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Anthony allowed Chris to pull him, walking ahead as if he could not see anything around him. 1 Charmine internally facepalmed. He could not be any faker than that! Quickly, she was dragged through the door. Getting up to the reception desk, Chris ced the ount books and ten coins on the desk. He also took out three photos of them taken with a red background. "Auntie, my Daddy and Mommy are getting a marriage certificate." Charmine looked at the photo, and her lips twitched. It was apparent that the photos were Photoshopped. A portrait of hers was put beside Anthony''s, though it was still presentable. They had prepared everything early in the morning. Instantly, Charmine walked beside Anthony and half-whispered, "Are you not thinking of stopping him? We can''t get married right now!" It was as if Anthony did not hear, though he stared at the staff. Pressured under his sharp gaze, they got to work hastily with their hands and feet, all while they registered their shock. Burlington''s Boss Bailey was getting a marriage certificate with Charmine Jordan! These two, the most unassuming couple without even clues that told they were seeing each other, were getting married! Charmine noted how swift they worked on the certificate, and she anxiously pinched Anthony''s arm. "Hurry, stop them! I''m divorcing you after this if you don''t do anything!" "Huh?" Chris suddenly turned over to look at Charmine in front, his watery eyes looked at her. "Mommy, what did you say?" "I didn''t say anything," Charmine said hastily, "I didn''t say anything." Chris'' face was still so pale, and she could not afford to hurt his feelings. He pouted his lips. "Why did I hear that Mommy said you don''t want Momo anymore? Do you want to give Momo away...?" 1 "How can you think that way? Momo is so adorable; why would Mommy leave you?" Charmine hastily went forward to ruffle his little head andforted him. A staff member came over. "Your Daddy and Mommy are married, they won''t leave you now." 2 With that said, she pushed the two red books to them. "Sir, Madam, it''spleted." Charmine looked at the two bright red books, bbergasted. How was itpleted so quickly? Did they not have to fill up some forms? It waspleted so quickly! chapter 703 chapter 703 ted, Chris picked up the two red books and handed them back to them." Mommy, Mommy, look! It''splete!" Charmine''s hand quivered ever so slightly-she did not want to receive them at all. Nheless, she had to take it all in as she gazed at the excited Chris. She flipped open to see that on the marriage certificate were her name and Anthony''s name, along with a photo of them both...and the High Commission''s seal. 1 The date of approval was the 25th of October, 2020. A mixture of confusion, shock, and disbelief convoluted her mind. 1 Was she genuinely married to Anthony, and legally at that? Had she just be his wife in mere minutes? She literally just made her decision to break up with him, but she became his wife instead? This...was... N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Anthony saw Charmine''s dumbfounded expression, and his thin lips curled up faintly. Whatever she was thinking, it was good that they got married. From now onward, she would be his woman. She would not be able to run away forever. Jumping in joy, Chris pulled Charmine''s hand and walked out. "Mommy, Mommy, let¡¯s go! We¡¯re going to celebrate! We can''t miss out on such a great asion!" Charmine was still in her daze as Chris pulled her around, unable to react at all. So she really got married to Anthony? The sun rose as they left the High Commission building. As her eyes registered the light, she slowly regained her sanity. This was absurd. She could not marry Anthony! "Wait for me here, Momo," excused Charmine, "Mommy is going to the toilet." She took the red certificate with her and ran back into the High Commission building without waiting for a reply. She sped and left the father-and-son pair, going up to the reception. "May I know if I can revoke the application just now?" They only made the application, so she could still revoke it, right? The staff eyed Charmine in disbelief. What did she say? Revoke? Many women would die to get married to Anthony, yet Charmine wanted to revoke it? Someone answered politely, "Sorry, it¡¯s now in the national system, it can''t be revoked.¡± Ugh. Shoot! "Then... Can we get a divorce? We''ll divorce now!" Charmine pushed the marriage certificate to them. The staff were even more shocked. They just got married, yet she wanted a divorce? How much did Charmine hate Anthony? After recovering from the shock, someone replied, "Sorry, six months to cool-off is needed before a divorce. Ms. Jordan, please calm down." Six months of cool-off period! Damn it all¡ªshe had to stick to the marriage. Dejected, she walked out of the High Commission''s door as if she had lost her soul. She saw Anthony and Chris, the adult and the child, waiting for her not far away. Their calm faces looked as if they won. Suddenly, Charmine regretted it all: She should not have given in from the start; she should not have brought Chris for breakfast; she should not have agreed to bring Chris for a stroll. 1 This stroll determined the rest of her life... Seeing that Charmine was walking toward them, Chris went up and took her hand. "Mommy, Momo is going to school now, so you have fun with Daddy. Wait for Momo toe home, okay? "Oh..." Charmine answered hopelessly. Chris did not mind it. The three of them got into the car. His legs swung happily as he hummed, "Today is a good day, a happy day, happy..." Charmine, all the while, was silent. chapter 704 chapter 704 Why did Charmine feel that it was a bad day? Everywhere seemed like a blur. It was nonsensical. She had to speak to Anthony. Once Chris was sent to kindergarten, only Charmine and Anthony remained in the backseat. Luke, as the driver, sat at the front with a board separating them for privacy purposes. Charmine was about to speak to Anthony, but when she turned over, she realized that Anthony had fallen asleep. This man fell asleep just like that! His arms were crossed with his head resting on the seat. He closed his eyes to rest, seemingly elegant despite his fatigue. Charmine was moved at the sight...though that was nowhere as important as getting married! Charmine raised up her hand, about to push him awake, but Luke warned," Mrs. Bailey, let the President sleep for a while. He''s been looking for you since sixst night. He looked for you from yourpany to the Jordan mansion and went to every house under your name. He even looked for everyone you knew. He''d gone past ten or so red lights, almost had an ident, and his car almost fell into the river. He didn''t have time to sleep throughout the night-he was either looking for you or ways to search..." Charmine listened as her feelings were convoluted into one giant storm. Anthony looked at every corner, all while she slept soundly and drunk? N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Was she that important to him? 5 They had only known each other for such a short period of time; she could even leave him... Unknowingly, the car had parked inside Violet Vi''s garage. 1 Luke left the car, offering the two privacy. Charmine gazed at the sleeping Anthony, his face riddled with fatigue and visible dark circles. Even though he had fallen asleep, hisrge hand still held their marriage certificate, and not once did it drop on their way back, despite the sharp turns the car had or how quick it sped. Charmine was overwhelmed with a plethora of emotions. She took a deep breath, and after some time, she reached out and attempted to take the marriage certificate from him. If he had to sleep, he should let go of everything and have a good rest. However, the moment she touched the marriage certificate, Anthony''s eyes shot open out of the blue. His stern eyes were filled with alertness and anger, but when he saw that it was Charmine, his eyes softened and became gentler. He held the marriage certificate and looked out the window. "Are we home?" The word ''home'' somehow tugged at Charmine''s heartstrings. They were legally married... Would they really be able to have a ''home'' that was only theirs? However... Thinking of Annabel and Chris'' illness, Charmine frowned and spoke," Anthony, we need to talk." "Mmh... wait." Anthony suddenly sat upright, took out a box, and handed it to her. Charmine frowned. One could tell that this little box had a wedding ring in it. She was not about to talk about marriage or wedding rings. She was trying to break up with him. She persevered as she insisted, "Anthony, I think we-" "Open it, "Anthony pushed the box into Charmine''s hands. His eyes were serious, exuding an authority that was impossible to turn down. Charmine had to receive the box. She knew it was a pair of rings, so no shocker there. She could speak to him after looking at the rings. Nothing in the world could prepare Charmine for what she saw next, and her pupils dted at the sight. Inside the dark ck ssy box was a pair of alexandrite rings, its centerpiece carved into a cat''s eye shape! 2 The rings'' design was simple, the tinum rings housed the alexandrite gemstone in the middle. Due to its cat-eye effect, the gap between the two rings formed the digit T. It signified ''the one and onl/. The rings gleamed differently than ordinary gemstone rings; it was a crystal clear jade green. 1 Charmine could tell right away that these were the alexandrite rings from Monster Museum! It looked jade-green during the day, dark and elegant, but it was fiery, ruby red at night. The mysterious man who bought the pair was Anthony all along! chapter 705 chapter 705 Why did Charmine feel that it was a bad day? Everywhere seemed like a blur. It was nonsensical. She had to speak to Anthony. Once Chris was sent to kindergarten, only Charmine and Anthony remained in the backseat. Luke, as the driver, sat at the front with a board separating them for privacy purposes. Charmine was about to speak to Anthony, but when she turned over, she realized that Anthony had fallen asleep. This man fell asleep just like that! His arms were crossed with his head resting on the seat. He closed his eyes to rest, seemingly elegant despite his fatigue. Charmine was moved at the sight...though that was nowhere as important as getting married! Charmine raised up her hand, about to push him awake, but Luke warned," Mrs. Bailey, let the President sleep for a while. He''s been looking for you since sixst night. He looked for you from yourpany to the Jordan mansion and went to every house under your name. He even looked for everyone you knew. He''d gone past ten or so red lights, almost had an ident, and his car almost fell into the river. He didn''t have time to sleep throughout the night-he was either looking for you or ways to search..." Charmine listened as her feelings were convoluted into one giant storm. Anthony looked at every corner, all while she slept soundly and drunk? Was she that important to him? 5 They had only known each other for such a short period of time; she could even leave him... Unknowingly, the car had parked inside Violet Vi''s garage. 1 Luke left the car, offering the two privacy. Charmine gazed at the sleeping Anthony, his face riddled with fatigue and visible dark circles. Even though he had fallen asleep, hisrge hand still held their marriage certificate, and not once did it drop on their way back, despite the sharp turns the car had or how quick it sped. Charmine was overwhelmed with a plethora of emotions. She took a deep breath, and after some time, she reached out and attempted to take the marriage certificate from him. If he had to sleep, he should let go of everything and have a good rest. However, the moment she touched the marriage certificate, Anthony''s eyes shot open out of the blue. His stern eyes were filled with alertness and anger, but when he saw that it was Charmine, his eyes softened and became gentler. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. He held the marriage certificate and looked out the window. "Are we home?" The word ''home'' somehow tugged at Charmine''s heartstrings. They were legally married... Would they really be able to have a ''home'' that was only theirs? However... Thinking of Annabel and Chris'' illness, Charmine frowned and spoke," Anthony, we need to talk." "Mmh... wait." Anthony suddenly sat upright, took out a box, and handed it to her. Charmine frowned. One could tell that this little box had a wedding ring in it. She was not about to talk about marriage or wedding rings. She was trying to break up with him. She persevered as she insisted, "Anthony, I think we-" "Open it, "Anthony pushed the box into Charmine''s hands. His eyes were serious, exuding an authority that was impossible to turn down. Charmine had to receive the box. She knew it was a pair of rings, so no shocker there. She could speak to him after looking at the rings. Nothing in the world could prepare Charmine for what she saw next, and her pupils dted at the sight. Inside the dark ck ssy box was a pair of alexandrite rings, its centerpiece carved into a cat''s eye shape! 2 The rings'' design was simple, the tinum rings housed the alexandrite gemstone in the middle. Due to its cat-eye effect, the gap between the two rings formed the digit T. It signified ''the one and onl/. The rings gleamed differently than ordinary gemstone rings; it was a crystal clear jade green. 1 Charmine could tell right away that these were the alexandrite rings from Monster Museum! It looked jade-green during the day, dark and elegant, but it was fiery, ruby red at night. The mysterious man who bought the pair was Anthony all along! chapter 706 chapter 706 "Call me your husband," insisted Anthony. Charmine''s face felt hot. How could she simply call out such a kittenish nickname? Then again, Anthony would carry her all the way into their residence if she did not call him that. The garage was merely a few meters away from the vi. She could clearly see a man standing by the door of the vi. It was Max D''Cruz! Why was he here? She did not know that Max was attacking her for Waverly, and she also did not know that Max knew about her rtionship with Anthony. They were doomed if Max took a photo of them. She quickly pestered, "Stop messing around-put me down!" "Call me your husband, or I''ll carry you around town," Anthony''s lips curled up, his voice low as he spoke. It was apparent he was not relenting. Charmine saw that they were getting closer to Max, and she did not want to be too close to Anthony in front of others. Wincing, she muttered, N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. "Husband..." Even though her voice was soft and she was unwilling to, the word was like an arrow stabbing Anthony''s chest, almost filling up his entire heart. He had never heard such a lovely voice, and he had never heard such a lovely word. It was so lovely that he could not wait to turn her into his actual wife! 1 When he saw the man looking for trouble in front of the door, he had to ce Charmine down. Max noted the pair, and he frowned. He knew of their rtionship, but he did not expect the high-above Anthony and the fiery tempest Charmine could be so sweet in private. However, he did not have time to care about this. The reason he came was for the materials. He made all his staff use up all resources to find the materials since yesterday, and he finally realized that the materials Charmine used came from two sources. The first was the top-graded materials from Derby owned by Anthony, and the second was the newly invented materials from a private research association. Even he had no contact with this association. It must have been Anthony who helped Charmine get in touch with them, no doubt. If Anthony offered his assistance, his Hundred Birds Project could be saved. He looked at Anthony. "President Bailey, sorry foring unannounced. You and I are straightforward people, so I''ll just get straight to the point. I need all of the materials you provided for the Divine Bird. Whatever you need, I can provide you in return." 4 His tone was straightforward and generous. The D''Cruz family was a renowned wealthy family in Kansas; they could naturally afford anything. He never expected that Anthony would ce his arm around Charmine''s waist habitually as his lips parted, "Apologies, but my wife is the one controlling all the materials, so I can''t give them to you. She has the final say." His voice was low and full of love. Max''s brows furrowed. Charmine had the final say? Damn it! Charmine was his enemy, and in work, the Hundred Birds and Divine Birds were also competitors. Was Anthony implying he wanted him to beg Charmine? To lower his head before Charmine? Through gritted teeth, he insisted, "President Bailey, you''re the person in charge. Even if you and Charmine are actually married, it should be the man having the final say, especially this work stuff. How could you hand it over to a woman? Unless President Bailey is a henpecked husband?" Hisst sentence intended to stimte Anthony. When Anthony heard the words ''henpecked husband'', his face changed. His eyes were filled with anticipation. He turned over to look at Charmine and asked, "I wonder if my wife is willing to give me an opportunity to be a henpecked husband?" Charmine never took the reins throughout their entire rtionship. She did not control his money nor his power. Even when he came homete consecutively in the past few days, she did not even call him. To others, the henpecked husband had a negative connotation. To him, it was so loving and something he could only wish for. Charmine met his hope-filled gaze, and her lips twitched. Could this man just behave in front of others? She did not want to be the hen. Why was he so excited? Was he drugged by a highly toxic drug or something? chapter 707 chapter 707 Max intended to provoke Anthony, not make him glow like some lightbulb! Furthermore, the way Anthony and Charmine looked at each other, they neglected him as if he was just some breeze. He was livid. "President Bailey, I came here with sincerity, and I even said to name your price, any at all. Shouldn''t you show some basic respect?" 1 "Was I not clear enough?" Anthony shoved him an unpleasant re. "My wife is in charge of everything. If you have a problem, speak to my wife," his tone was strict and authoritative. It was in to see Anthony wanted Max to lower his head before Charmine. Max was agitated, but he had no other choice. If he could not get the materials, his entire Hundred Birds Project would be over! He had no choice but to look at Charmine. "Name your price, Charmine. What is it?" "Huh? What price? What did youe here for?" spoke the nonchnt Charmine as she toyed with her hair. Max''s face turned green with anger. Damn it, Charmine! She was insulting him! However, he must let her do so, or his Hundred Birds Tower would be destroyed. He gritted his teeth and said, "Give me the materials for the Hundred Birds Project. Name your price." 3 "Oh, so you came here for the Hundred Birds Project." Charmine examined him nonchntly. "You tripped me during the Hundred Birds banquet yesterday, though, and tried to take over my Jordan Group. Why should I help you? Why should I give you the materials? I don''tck any money. Why should I ask for a price?" she shot question after another, unrelenting and merciless despite her calm demeanor. Max''s face was petrified as he red at Charmine with a burning gaze." Charmine, I advise that you don¡¯t cross the line. Do you really have to sever our rtionship and make it so stiff?" 2 "Do we share any genial rtionship at all? Hasn¡¯t our rtionship always been so stiff?" Charmine scoffed back at him. 1 Max felt his blood boiling. Damn this woman! What a b*tch! Hisrge hand clenched into a fist, but just as he was about to speak, Charmine added, "However, I¡¯m always generous-l don''t like to hold a grudge against a dog. I¡¯ll give you a good one: You give me your Hundred Birds Project and Jordown Group, and I can pay you ten million. I''ll also provide materials for the Hundred Birds Project with guaranteedpletion." Max''s brows furrowed. "You''re trying to take over the Hundred Birds Project and the Jordown Group? And only offering ten million?" "What? Are you the only one allowed to take overpanies, and I can''t? Furthermore, as long as you can''t get hold of the materials, your Hundred Birds Project will crumble, and it won''t be worth even ten million. I¡¯m offering ten million as a kind gesture, you should be grateful," articted Charmine. Max was so agitated by then, his face greenish purple as hisrge hands balled up tightly. Damn this Charmine! She intentionally acted in such a way as revenge for what he did yesterday. What a vindictive person! 4 His eyes had gone bloody red as he red at Charmine. "Charmine, don''t push it. What you asked for is impossible! You made an impossible offer! You better make me another one!" 2 "Then stop talking to me," scoffed Charmine before she hooked her arm around Anthony''s as they walked into the vi. Anthony let her take the lead; he did not step in at all. Seeing that the pair was about to enter the vi, Max coldly reminded them through gritted teeth, "Anthony, Charmine, don¡¯t forget that Waverly is my sister. If you''re pushing it, she won''t treat Annabel!" Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. Charmine halted and frowned. However, Anthony merely tightened his grip around her waist, and his lips parted to scathingly sneer, "If Waverly, as a doctor, is breaking her promise due to this, I won''t need her either." With that said, he walked inside with his arm around Charmine. The door closed behind them. m! Max''s face remained stiff as he stood outside the door, his expression vicious like never before. chapter 708 chapter 708 It was Anthony who hired Waverly. How could he be so bold? However, if Anthony did not continue to seek Waverly¡¯s help, how could they get to know each other better? Waverly could not leave yet. Inside the vi... Anthony knew he said the right thing; he was always good at reading people. Upon entering the vi, Charmine was shocked. Her originally dull house was redecorated to the nines. There were piles of red rose petals all over, the handle beside the staircase was covered with a red veil. The wall by the staircase was filled with red greeting paintings while there were ssy red balloons filling up the air. 1 The entire space was filled with a joyous ir. Charmine''s eyelids twitched. She left for a night, and Anthony asked the workers to redecorate her house? Anthony enjoyed the look of surprise on her face. He put his hand around her waist and said, ''What did you call me? Say that again?" Charmine thought of how she called him her husband, and her cheeks had been burning since. "I... I''ll go and clean up the house..." She simply found an excuse to push his hand away and left. However, Anthony grabbed her wrist and pulled her back into his arms. His strong arms were firm around her waist and forcefully made her lean on him. ''Today is our first day of marriage. Where is mydy going?" His low and hoarse voice resonated in the air. Charmine was forced to lean in his arms, and they were closer than ever. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. Her breathing was noticeably shaky as she nervously reminded him, "Let go of me! We merely got a marriage certificate, and you forced me into getting one!" "I forced you, and you agreed to get married? So if I force you to sleep with me, you''ll do so? Hmm?" Anthony lowered his head and gently blew air in her ear. Charmine felt as if she was electrocuted. She could feel that he was very much in the mood. It was because she called him her husband that he seemed as if he wanted to eat her. Something would surely happen at this rate. 1 She struggled against him. "Anthony, you can''t be so barbaric, I don''t like it! You should treat your wife with more respect-you can''t force me!" "Force you?" Anthony frowned, he seemed unpleased. He had not done anything to her, yet she called him barbaric? That he was forcing her? "It seems that I should let you know what a true barbarian looks like." With that, he hoisted her into his arms and marched upstairs. Charmine was so terrified that she screamed, "Anthony! Let me down! Let me down!" However, Anthony did not hear her at all as he stalked on the red decorated carpet. He pushed open the bedroom door, the master bedroom filled with a festive vibe. The room was filled with red air balloons and hanging red ribbons. The nket was red with some petals scattered on top. Once they entered, the prepared mini fireworks popped, filling the room with flying ribbons. Ribbonsnded on Charmine''s head and body. Still in her red dress and herce scarf, the ribbons made her seem even more like a bride. 1 From today onward, she would be his wife. His legal wife. She would be his! He ced her on the bed and reached out to remove his suit. He unbuttoned the buttons on his shirt one at a time. chapter 709 chapter 709 Anthony did not want to make such a sacred moment so simple, but based on the current situation, she was likely to run away at any given time. It was better to tie the knot as soon as possible, and it was necessary. Charmine watched him unbutton his buttons elegantly one at a time, and she hastily sat up and said, "Anthony, calm down. It¡¯s daytime right now!" Anthony looked as if he thought of something. He took the remote control and pressed a button. Instantly, the opaque ckout curtains automatically closed down, turning the space dark as if it was night. 2 Charmine was speechless. Since when had she installed ckout curtains? She never had a thing before... Did he install this over the night? Had Anthony already guessed she would use this as an excuse, so he had prepared this beforehand? As she was caught up in her thoughts, Anthony walked to the side of the bed and pulled down his tie, tossing it aside. 1 His shirt opened up, showing his alluring, bare, and seductive chest. Charmine gulped; she felt somehow thirsty. This man would be the death of her. She tried her best to stay rational and wanted to speak, but Anthony suddenly leaned over. He ced his arms by her sides and leaned in closer. Charmine instinctively backed away as he came closer, but as she did so, she found herself t on her back while Anthony''s well-built body was on top of her, almost locking and trapping her. He gazed at her heatedly, his lips parted, "Don''t worry, Charmine, I''ll be responsible. If I ever let you down, you may have my heart and life." With that said, he lowered his head and kissed her deeply. Charmine''s ears rang with Anthony''s deep and maic voice rang in Charmine''s ears as her heart raced for dear life. ''Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be responsible''? He had risked his heart and life for her... Right, from the moment he bought the couple¡¯s rings and signed the heart donation contract, their rtionship had been tied in a knot. He was loving her with his life. With that in mind, she felt Anthony''s lips dearly, allowing him to kiss her. She had forgotten to resist him, and she had forgotten to push him away. Just as the heat of the room grew intense and heated... Ring! Ring! The phone rang urgently, as if they were here to take his life. Anthony, enamored with their kiss, cursed, "Damn it!¡± He got up from Charmine, though he was quick to add, "Stay there, and don''t move.¡± With that, he walked over to answer the call. Charmineid on the bed, her cheeks burning. Her clothes were messed up and her lips had gone numb. God... She almost did it with Anthony... Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. Thinking of what the two of them were doing, her heart fastened as she gazed at Anthony standing before the hanger, taking out his phone. With his well-built back and crumpled white shirt, Anthony seemed so much more...raw. He answered the call, only to hear Nial anxiously blurting, "Bro, it''s bad! Something''s up! Annabel suddenly felt a sharp pain coursing through her body. It''s the poison!" Anthony frowned as his eyes became instantly serious. The poison attacked? The embryo was not well-developed yet, and if the poison attacked... "I''ming right away." After hanging up, he buttoned his shirt and turned to say to Charmine... 1 chapter 710 chapter 710 "Something urgent came up, and I need to pay a visit. You wait for me at home." Since Charmine overheard what Nial said, she got up from the bed and asked, "Shall I ask Dr. Weir to head over as well?" "No need, the medical research is in thest stage now, and there''s only one more step to go. Doctor D''Cruz and I will work overtime tonight, so we should be able to find a solution by then." They would have been able to fix it before, but he attended the Hundred Birds banquet and he had been looking for Charmine, thus pushing back the progress. Anthony put on his clothes and regained his usually calm and exquisiteposure. He walked over and sat beside Charmine, helping her fix her dress and zipped it up. "Charmine, don''t forget that we''re legally married. You''re mine, alive or dead, so don''t you think of running away. If my heart is donated, ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Momo won''t even have a father by then. Even if it''s for Memo''s sake, please stay." Charmine was speechless. He was using Chris to threaten her? However, since the situation had unfolded to this stage, she could not run away even if he did not say so. She reassured, "Don''t worry, you go and finish it up. I know what to do.¡± Forget the signed marriage certificate. For the sake of this ring, she could not let him donate his heart nor could he let Chris lose a father. This round, Anthony won, and he did so beautifully. 1 Anthony heard what she said, and his lips curled up into a satisfied smirk. He raised his hand and ruffled her hair. "Remember, tonight is our wedding night. What happened earlier, we''ll resume tonight." With that said, he gently pecked Charmine¡¯s forehead before he stood up to leave. Charmine thought of what happened earlier, and her heart skipped half a beat. What happened earlier would resume tonight? Resume... Strangely, Charmine felt rather giddy at the thought of it. She looked around this festive bedroom, feeling as if she was a bride waiting for the wedding night. It helped that she still had her red dress on-it made her look like a bride, physically. Still, it felt rather strange, so much so that she could not ept her shift of status from being single to being married. Since she drank herself silly throughout the night, she wanted to wash up in the bathroom to refresh herself. Inside the bathtub, she felt as if she had forgotten something but she could not recall what... At Marilyn''s Park, Alexander waited for her the entire night without seeing her. It was almost noon and she was still nowhere to be seen. He sat on the corridor floor, his back leaning on the ice cold wall. His graceful figure was filled with a hint of fatigue and loneliness. While Charmine and Anthony were happily married, he was waiting on the ice-cold floor unknowingly. 1 As long as Charmine was not out yet, he would keep on waiting. When he saw someoneing home and the owner of the house was not Charmine, he suddenly understood that he was yed. Had Charmine done this to make herself feel better? As long as she felt better. As long as she forgave him. After taking a bath, Charmine dried her hair and went before the wardrobe to pick some clothes with a towel wrapped around her. She wanted to pick something simple, but today was the day Anthony and her got married, and tonight would be their first night together. Perhaps she should wear something more formal... Her eyes lingered back and forth in the wardrobe: Red seemed too intentional; white was too in; green was too refreshing; pink was not her style. Just as she was having a headache... Ring! Her phone rang. Answering the call, Charmine heard Adam blurting, "Charmine, where are you now? Are you alright?" Charmine had not gotten used to his concerned tone, thus she replied in a straightforward manner, "Hmm, what is it?¡± chapter 711 chapter 711 Adam replied, "Basically, the Divine Bird''s thousand units were all sold out. The management team came to examine, and they said they wanted to discuss some things over a meal. They set the time at six tonight, do you have time?" "Okay." As Anthony was dealing with matters regarding Annabel, he should not be done with them before six. By the time he came home, it would be almost twelve. It should be fine for Charmine to have a work-rted dinner beforeing home. After hanging up, she found a working outfit to put on. When she realized how she nitpicked at her clothes, she internally sneered at herself. ''Oh, Charmine, since when have you turned into a woman who pleases others?¡¯ She forced herself to be more rational. After putting on some light makeup, she left the house. As she slowly closed the door, she nced at the festive red-sshed bedroom and felt like it was all an out-of-body experience. She was no longer a single woman-she was a married woman. When she came home tonight, Anthony and her would sleep in this room. Tonight would be their first night as a married couple, and Charmine was somehow excited. 2 The dinner reservation for the Jordan Group and the management team was at Impiana Hotel. The Impiana Hotel was located outside the city with guaranteed privacy, ideal for business-rted matters. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Pushing open the door, Charmine saw that Adam and two serious-looking middle-aged men were sitting at a table. One was Mr. Warren from the management team and another was Mr. Hahn in charge of Burlington''s traditional affairs. Above all, there was an additional party... It was Max D''Cruz! Why did Maxe? Noticing Charmine''s arrival, Adam stood up and exined to her," Charmine,e and have a seat. There''s a matter that the two men here need to discuss with you and President D''Cruz." Charmine squinted. What was there to discuss with Max? However, she did not make it hard for them as she walked over and sat down. When Mr. Hahn of the traditional affairs saw Charmine, he was courteous as he addressed, "Ms. Jordan, the reason we came to talk to you is that the management team is really supportive of the Jordan Group''s Divine Bird Project. They agree with your spirit and creativity of promoting our tradition, especially the slogan for the advertisement, ''Our aim is to bring back the glory of Burlington!'' We all love it very much." 1 "Indeed. The cornice angle design of the building is our culture, very antique, and it rys the history of our culture and tradition. Imagine looking over and all the tall towers in Burlington are built in this style, some with ny-nine floors like the towers in a fairytale. How majestic!" Mr. Warren chimed in. Charmine listened to them calmly-she was not arrogant nor furious. She waited for the main point. She wanted to see what their actual intention was. As expected... After a pause, Mr. Hahn said, "Ms. Jordan, as a born and raised woman in Burlington, you must be touched by this project as well. Mr. D''Cruz from Kansas is willing to join the force in this development. What a great opportunity! By joining forces, Burlington can truly regain their glory much sooner." Charmine understood everything in an instant. She looked at Mr. Hahn. "So Mr. Hahn came here today to speak for the D''Cruz family?" "Not exactly. The management team is really impressed by the Divine Bird, and they''re also very impressed by the Hundred Birds. If the Hundred Birds Project is canceled, the loss of the D''Cruz Corporation will be the loss of Burlington. The loss of the world! Think about it: If the Divine Bird and Hundred Birds join forces, Burlington will be filled with medieval buildings all over!" Mr. Hahn spoke and looked at Charmine sincerely, "We sincerely hope to see Burlington developing majestically. We hope there¡¯s new blood in promoting our tradition." Charmine narrowed her eyes. If she did not agree, it would seem that she did not care about the big picture. However, she was not someone who would easily give in. "I understand where you all areing from," she began, "but if Max D¡¯Cruz is genuine about promoting our culture and didn¡¯t steal the Jordan Group''s design diagram and plotted against US to take out the Jordan Group, I would''ve fully supported this idea. However, President D''Cruz has done such a disgusting act, so you''d excuse me when I say I can¡¯t cooperate with this kind of man." Mr. Warren and Mr. Hahn frowned. He stole their design diagram? Was that true? Max¡¯s face darkened instantly. He made so much effort persuading these two moguls, emphasizing it was all in the name of ''culture'', yet Charmine exposed that he stole her design diagram? Max was done for if these two moguls hated him. He stared at Charmine and warned, "Charmine, don''t use me of things without any evidence. Otherwise, I''ll expose matters I shouldn''t be telling as well." ''Expose matters''? He was referring to her rtionship with Anthony. He was threatening Charmine. chapter 712 chapter 712 Charmine was not intimidated at all. She leaned back on the chairnguidly. "Evidence? You and I know better; I can''t be bothered to pull and push with you. I stand with what I''ve said: I won''t cooperate with you. The Jordan Group would never cooperate with your Jordown Group. If you want me to provide you with the materials, can you give me seventy percent of your shares?¡± "Seventy? You¡¯re practically robbing US, Charmine." Max''s expression grew dark like burnt ashes. He red at Charmine resentfully as if he could kill her. 1 As the Jordown Group''s Director and President, he had never given out any shares, let alone letting others have more shares than him, yet Charmine asked for 70 percent of thepany''s shares? Charmine met his gaze evenly. "Didn''t you ask for the entire Jordan Group? I leave you with 30 percent as a kind gesture to these two men here. Didn¡¯t you say you''re a D''Cruz and youck no money? The seventy percent I requested won''t cost you anything anyway.¡± Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. Max was so furious that his face turned green. How could she link money with shares? The value of shares could increase and give one authority, while money could die. Max turned to the two men. "Mr. Hahn, Mr. Warren, you¡¯ve witnessed yourselves Ms. Jordan''s behavior. I''m serious in helping Burlington, but I don''t think it''s possible." The two moguls also felt that Charmine was being unreasonable, thus they turned to her and said, "Ms. Jordan, why don''t you two sit and talk it through? We''re all trying to promote Burlington¡¯s culture." "There''s nothing to talk about. Either take my offer for the Hundred Birds to develop sessfully, or you get no materials and see the project fail. Leaving you with thirty percent of the shares is the final offer," Charmine scoffed, never intending to back out. Max was trying to get hold of her entire Jordan Group yesterday, to buy in the Jordan Group. She would not show him any kindness for that. 1 Adam, next to her, was terrified at the frosty demeanor she emitted. He would have nodded and agreed to anything these two moguls said, yet Charmine fought back with such a tone. Seeing that Charmine was so determined, Mr. Hahn and Mr. Warren exchanged nces. Indeed, they had not met anyone who would not agree to what they said. However, Charmine was able to get hold of the materials from someone way above them, and she had the right to. Mr. Hahn looked at Max. "Mr. D¡¯Cruz, we can''t step in on the business negotiation. We can''t help you further. As for the exact deal and shares, you two will have to talk it out. We only want to see the big picture." 1 What he meant was that they could only help them up to this point; they could not help him any further. Max¡¯srge hand inside his pocket tightened. He thought these two men could convince Charmine, but Charmine was a smelly, unmoving rock. 1 It seemed that there was only one way left... He repressed his internal anger and regained his usual elegance. "Nheless, I thank you both for speaking to me today. Even though Ms. Jordan and I can''te to an agreement, this was indeed a special asion. Come, cheers." As he spoke, he picked up the teapot and poured each of them a cup of tea. Charmine looked at his face and scoffed at him internally. How could Max take it so calmly? He had something else nned, she knew it. When she looked down, she saw Max''s discreet action, and she could have sworn she saw aeriform powder. However, a momentter, the aeriform powder disappeared. Charmine lowered her head and looked closer. It was no longer there anymore. Max ced down the teapot and handed the teacups to each of them. chapter 713 chapter 713 All of a sudden, there were urgent knocksing from the outside. As though caught red-handed, Max''s hand jolted slightly as he looked out of the door. A waiter walked in with some appetizers and ced them on the table. Max smirked. "A fine cup of tea with some fine appetizers," he remarked," what a pleasure. Come, let¡¯s dig in." Heavy subjects were dropped right after and they drank the tea Max prepared. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. Time passed, and it was 9pm. Mr. Warren and Mr. Hahn bid them farewell. Before they left, they said to Charmine, "You two should talk; Burlington needs developers like you both. It should be a win-win project, making Burlington even more prosperous." "Okay," Charmine agreed. She genuinely wanted Burlington to be more prosperous, and she would not allow the developments and economics to end up with an outsider like Max! 1 Charmine saw both men out the door and intended to walk away herself, not wanting to speak to Max. Supporting his daughter''s decision, Adam followed behind her. 1 Just as the father-and-daughter pair reached the door, it closed and locked from outside. Adam turned to look at Max. "What do you want?" "Oh, please, don''t take me wrong. I''m trying to help. If you walk out like this, I''m afraid you''ll both embarrass one another in public," spoke Max nonchntly. He leaned back on the chair while ying with his ruby ring. His posture was so elegant and arrogant. Charmine frowned. Embarrass themselves in public? What was that all about? At that moment, she suddenly felt her body going soft as she got dizzy. 1 Her body softened and fell onto the sofa by the side. Meanwhile, Adam also fell beside her. Unsettled, Charmine red at him. "What did you do to US?" "Nothing, I''m just using a special way to speak with you.¡± Max changed into an even morefortable posture as he eyed Charmine. "I added some bits into the tea you drank so that the father and daughter could have an enjoyable experience. If you agree to provide US the materials, I can let you all go. Otherwise..." His gaze grew stormy, violence held back in those pupils. "The headlines tomorrow will be the incest between you two!" he sneered. Charmine''s eyelids jolted. Max would do such a thing for the materials? He would hurt her and her father? Adam grew livid at what he heard. "Max, are you even a human? Give US the antidote right away, or I''ll call the police. You''ll be charged!" "Even if you call the police, you''ll have to go through tonight first. The people who should be begging are you two!" Max warned. Adam felt his body worsening by the second, more pained than he was initially. Charmine seemingly suffered just the same. The two of them were drugged... chapter 714 chapter 714 Charmine and Adam would be finished if nothing was done. The Jordan family would be ruined. This would also affect the Divine Bird''s and the Jordan Group''s reputation... The aloof Max yed with his ring, though his bitter gaze remained on her." What is it, Charmine? Have you thought it through? Do you want to keep your materials, or your reputation? It''s not toote if you make your decision now, it''s still not toote," his tone was evidently assertive as he spoke. However, Charmine''s red lips suddenly curled up. ''The person who should make a decision is you.¡± With that said, her seemingly softened body on the sofa suddenly stood back upright elegantly. 1 Max''s eyelids flung wide open. "You''re not drugged?" ''You dare try a cheap trick in front of me? Hah!" Charmine scoffed disdainfully. She was dead sure Max attempted to drug them when she saw Max pouring the tea, and she thus signaled Kay to have the waiter bring in the appetizers. When the waiter knocked on the door and Max turned to the door out of guilt, Charmine rapidly swapped the teacups. With that, her cup became Max''s, while Adam''s became Mr. Hahn''s. 2 Surely someone high-ranking like Mr. Hahn would know Max drugged him after getting out. With that said... Charmine raised an eyebrow at Max. "Don''t you feel strange about your body, President D''Cruz?¡± 1 Max frowned, only to feel his body going soft. A tingling sensation riddled his entire being. He was tricked. Charmine outyed him! Max instantly fished out the antidote from his pocket, but just as he was about to put the pill inside his mouth. Charmine walked toward him and kicked it away with her long leg. Thuck! Her leg kicked the pill bottle away from Max and it fell to the floor. Instantly, Adam stood up cooperatively and picked up the bottle. He kicked it far away. Max stood up and growled, "Give me the antidote...!" 1 "Are you not ashamed to ask for the antidote? Why didn''t you think of giving US the antidote when you were threatening US earlier? When you¡¯re plotting against others, at least think that it''lle around. I hope you enjoy your own doingster on," Charmine scoffed coldly before turning to walk away. Max wanted to run after her, but he was a step too slow. m! The door heavily closed before him. It was locked from the outside! He mmed his fists to the door and roared, "Open the door, Charmine! You open the door now! What do you want to do? I''m a D''Cruz! Do you have a death wish?" 1 Hah! Charmine¡¯s red lips curled up beautifully. He still had the guts to threaten her at this time? So what if he was a D''Cruz? She would never fear such acts and threats even if he was the king. Kay coincidently walked out from the end of the corridor, and a 40-year-old woman with thick makeup followed behind him. Even though she was fat, she still wore a tight-fitting pencil skirt that showed her portly belly. There were also rings of fat showing on her Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. back. 2 She walked up to Charmine and asked politely and anticipatingly, "I heard there¡¯s a customer here. You''re paying me five hundred thousand?" "Of course." Charmine instantly wrote her a check. When the woman reached out with a grin on her face, Charmine lifted her hand and warned her, "Remember, serve him well." "Don''t worry, don''t worry. I''ve done this for twenty years, and I can assure you the customer will be satisfied." chapter 715 chapter 715 After the woman received the check from Charmine, she sashayed into the room Max was in. Charmine locked the door again and instructed Kay, "Keep an eye on the door and windows. Don''t give Max any chance to escape." Max wanted her and her father to have incest through his drug... How could she let him go unscathed if he had the guts to push to such a limit? Furthermore, if she did not have something to hold against Max, it would be even harder to deal with this kind of evil person in the future. Adam looked at Charmine, concerned. "Is it okay to do this? What if he wants revenge...?" "If I don''t do this, will he let me off?" Charmine refuted. That caught Adam off-guard; she was right. Max would do anything to get the materials they had. Instead of defending, why not attack? Mystified, he nced at Charmine. Since when had this ¡®embarrassing and shameful adopted daughter'' in his memory turned into such an unperturbed and powerful woman? 1 He used to think that Tiffany was the Jordan family''s only hope, but it seemed that only a powerful woman like Charmine could support the Jordan family entirely. Tiffany might only know how to cry if she was the one dealing with this mess... 1 Charmine asked her men to send Adam home while she waited. It would be interesting to see an enraged Max. Around three hourster, at 11pm... The woman walked out from the room, rubbing her waist as she beamed," That young man is good, and he''s hot to boot. I don''t need the five hundred thousand. Hit me up if something like this pops up next time!" 1 With that said, she gave back the check to Charmine and sauntered away, satisfied. 1 Charmine was speechless. What just happened? Did she not want the money, at all? It suddenly urred that this night was her wedding night with Anthony! Kay walked into the room right away. Max was t on his back when Kay came in, and he sat up angrily the minute he walked in. "I''m going to kill you all! I won¡¯t let you get away!" They made a 40-year-old woman have sex with him. Him, with a 40-year- old woman! 4 Max had always had a clean history, never touching a woman of such kind, yet that was ruined in just one night. Kay scoffed. He grabbed the torn-out clothes on the floor and tossed them at him. "Put on your clothes before speaking to me. I don''t want to speak to a bastard like you." Max''s green veins pulsed vigorously on his forehead. He had never been insulted like that before! He took the clothes and quickly ced them on before stealthily pulling out his weapon. It was a ck weapon that looked like a gun, though bullets were swapped with dart-like materials, almost as deadly as a bullet! He aimed at Kay¡¯s head as he growled, "Ask Charmine toe in. I want to kill her!" "Kill me?" A cold and chilly voice was heard. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Max turned to see Charmine walking innguidly, arrogant as always. She had a tablet in her hands and fiddled with it like a cynical alluring woman. Max loathed the sight of her even more. "You must pay for what you did today, Charmine!" With that said, the weapon in his hand aimed right at Charmine''s head. 1 He was about to pull the trigger! chapter 716 chapter 716 Despite being held at gunpoint and Max about to pull the trigger, Charmine merely smirked. "Before you pull the trigger, I hope you have a look at this first.¡± With that, she turned the tablet to show Max. On the screen was the video of Max having intercourse with the middle- aged woman. Though the middle-aged woman had loose fats all over, Max did not mind at all as he enjoyed himself thoroughly in the video. 2 Max nearly barfed at the scene, his gaze heated and livid. "Charmine Jordan, delete that right away! Delete it! I''ll kill you now if you don''t!" "I''ve sent this clip to my people online. If anything happens to me, this clip will go public. By all means, go ahead!" Charmine was unafraid to meet his gaze. She remained unperturbed as if the weapon aimed at her was nonexistent. Max''s fists turned white as green veins protrude on the back of his arms. Charmine was actually threatening him! She was threatening him with such an evil move! 1 If this clip went public, his reputation as the D¡¯Cruz family''s heir would be ruined! The woman he loved... The gentle and beautiful woman would look down on him... 3 Thinking of that, he red at Charmine. ''What do you want? Aren''t you satisfied that the Hundred Birds Project had reached such a terrible state?" 1 "You deserved what happened to you. I was just allowing you to have a taste of your own medicine. However, since you ask, let''s talk." Charmine walked over and sat down on the sofa. She crossed her legs and looked at him elegantly. "Firstly, tell me what¡¯s the deal with Tiffany being in your banquet." She was very certain that she saw Tiffany. Even if he found someone to pretend to be her, the gentleness and innocent temperament that came from her veins and bones were impossible to be faked. Even if Max knew she was looking for Tiffany, it was impossible to find someone so simr to be her. When Max heard so, his eyes darkened unknowingly. However, it faded instantly, and nobody noticed. He did not want to talk to Charmine, but he had no choice. He stared at Charmine arrogantly. "It''s just a 3D projection. The technology in Kansas is a few times better than yours." Charmine frowned. Just a 3D projection, was it? Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. That seemed usible, considering she had used this technology a few times. She never thought human projections would be truly life-like, though. "If you don¡¯t trust me, I can ask them to show you right away," insisted Max. Charmine narrowed her eyes-she did not want to dwell on this. She continued, "Secondly, I want ny percent of the Jordown Company¡¯s shares!" 1 She offered him 70 percent before and he turned it down. In return, he tried to plot against her? Of course he had to pay the price. Max''s pupils dted. "Ny percent?! Charmine, you''re asking too much!" "So, ny-one percent then?" Charmine askednguidly. Max gritted his teeth. "What¡¯s the difference of giving everything to you then? Do you have to do this?" "Ny-two percent," remarked Charmine as she toyed with the tablet in her hands, exuding an in-born authority. Max''s temples pulsed. Damn this Charmine! She was pushing him! How he wished to tear that face of hers away! However, he had no choice... She had his clip, and he had nothing to bring her down with... He gritted his teeth and spat out each word through the gap of his teeth," Ny percent it is! But you have to destroy all evidence!" Using the shares of onepany in exchange for peace was worth it. Furthermore, once this all blew out, Max could alwayse back and annihte Charmine. However, Charmine corrected, "It¡¯s ny-two percent. Thirdly andstly, you better listen up: From now onward, this piece of evidence will stay with me. If you ever do something to me or the people around me, or cause any harm to mypany, you''ll see this clip online." 1 Her red lips curled up beautifully and alluringly. chapter 717 chapter 717 Max almost threw up blood. He was so furious that his organs felt like they were minced altogether. Charmine asked for 92 percent of his shares in return for a short period of peace and got to keep the evidence as well? Hisrge hand clenched tightly as bitter-cold anger emanated from him." Don''t push me, Charmine. If you offend the D''Cruz family, you won''t end up well." "If you offend me, would you end up well?" Charmine scoffed at him coldly, her eyes mockingly lingered on his body. She eyed his shredded clothes. Hrious how eager he was just moments ago! Max knew what she was thinking, and he saw red. Charmine Jordan... He would never let her go easy! s... "Fine! Have it your way, then." Evidence, huh? Threat? If she could threaten him, he could also do the same! Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. The D¡¯Cruz family would never let Charmine go! That same night, Max signed the share-transfer paper. The once-powerful Jordown Group ended up giving 92 percent of their shares to Charmine, and she was in charge of the Hundred Birds Project. Jordown Group''s director, Max D''cruz, only owned a meager eight percent of the shares. 1 With such a small value, he had no power or rights to speak. All was futile. Max could almost cry as he read the contract. As Charmine prepared to leave, she smiled and patted his shoulder. ''Take it easy¡ªeight is an auspicious number." 1 With that said, she marched out in her heels, her gait arrogant and wild. She even took a cloth to wipe her hand and tossed it into the bin. Her arrogant, bold demeanor made her all the more bewitching. Violet Vi. It was already 12 at night when Charmine reached home. She thought Anthony would be home by then, but that was not the case. Still, as she stood outside, Charmine noted the faint lighting from the nursery. Luke stood by the front door. "Young Master has fallen asleep. President Bailey mighte homete, so he asked you to not wait for him and rest first." Charmine frowned. Come homete? "How are things in the hospital?" "Ms. Annabel''s body weakened after the poison attack, and she needed the antidote right away. Therefore, President Bailey and Dr. D''Cruz are working overnight toe up with the antidote," exined Luke. Understanding the situation, she then walked inside the house and closed the door behind her. The first floor was the newly renovated nursery. When she was by the door, she gently pushed the door open and saw Chris sleeping soundly with a rabbit pillow in his hold. A five-year-old kid should start learning to sleep alone. He would surely wake up if she walked in now, thus she carefully closed the door and walked up to the second floor. The master bedroom of the second floor was their wedding room Anthony had decorated. It was left the same way as they left it in the morning. The bed was slightly messed up, as if reminding her of how passionate Anthony was with her... The rose petalsid silently on the bed as if waiting for something. Charmine felt it then, the loneliness creeping up on her. Tonight was their first night together, yet they were unable to be together... 1 She wondered if Max would affect Waverly after she threatened him. What if they could note up with an antidote? What could she do? chapter 718 chapter 718 At Royal Hospital... Annabelid weakly on the bed after having a poison attack, her pale and small face almost paper-white. Her parents watched after her, taking care of her as she did. Meanwhile, Anthony, Waverly, and Nial were researching an antidote inside the medicalb. They had not eaten throughout the day... Although this poison would not be passed on to the embryo, it could harm Annabel''s body every time it attacked and could result in a miscarriage. An antidote, thus, was a priority. After doing a series of procedures, Waverly looked at the clock that pointed to 12pm. She asked, "Why don''t you just get the antidote from the person who drugged her?" Anthony remained calm and cold, not answering her question. He knew McKenzie''s personality and tactic all too well. If he went up to McKenzie, she would negotiate instead of handing out the antidote. If this went up to the Bailey family, the Baileys might even support McKenzie. They might even attack Annabel. They cruelly sent Annabel away ten years ago. Ten yearster, they would not take any risk to cure Chris. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. Anthony never liked being threatened. McKenzie tried to threaten him using poison, was she? She might as well try to enjoy such a thought, then. Nial wanted to exin the matter when they heard a loud banginging from the ss window. "Waverly,e out." The three of them turned and saw Max in a suit standing outside, seemingly bitter and angered. Waverly ced down the test tubes and spoke, "You two continue, I''m going out for a while." She removed her mask and gloves before walking outside and toward Max. "Brother, why did youe?" "Don''t help them anymore. Refund all of the money they paid you," scoffed Max, grimacing as he did. Waverly frowned. "Why?" "You''re doing your best to work for them, but do you know how they''re treating US? Charmine took ny-two percent of our shares from us!" growled Max, authoritative like he was a king. Waverly''s eyelids jumped, 92 percent? Was Charmine that good? Still in the medicalb, Anthony''srge hand jolted slightly when he overheard it. After a moment, he slowly grinned. Charmine managed to take 92 percent of shares from Max in a night¡¯s time? She was indeed his alluring woman. How strong! 1 Beside him, Nial¡¯s lips twitched. "Bro, you should be worried instead. How can you smile?" Although they were both here, the main research was led by Waverly. Unlike Waverly, they knew nothing about this poison nor how to make the antidote. They were merely assisting her. As things shifted in such a direction, it would get difficult if Waverly left with Max... However, Anthony remained calm. "Don¡¯t worry, she¡¯s a doctor. She should have the basic etiquette regarding this profession." As expected... Waverly looked at Max. "Brother, don¡¯t be upset. If it¡¯s not going well, just work harder. I trust your ability. As for me, as a doctor, it''s impossible for me to leave my patient. From the moment I took on this patient, I had the responsibility to take care of her, so I hope you''ll understand." 1 Her words were determined and gentle, sounding assuring. Nial''s gaze changed as he eyed Waverly. How could his brother guess correctly? How was there such a rational woman in the world? Max frowned unpleasantly. "Waverly, I''m your brother. Are you sure you want to work for your brother¡¯s enemy?" "Brother, I''m not working for anyone, I''m just doing my duty as a doctor. Furthermore, it¡¯s based on each''s ability in this business field, so just work harder." chapter 719 chapter 719 "Alright, I have to go. It''ste, so head back and rest early," Waverlyforted Max before cing her mask and gloves on, walking back into the medicalb. She closed the door behind her and locked it. Max looked at her through the transparent window with hands balled tightly. After thinking things through, Max had no choice but to turn and leave. Inside the medicalb, Nial Looked at Waverly with an impressed look. " Ms. D''Cruz is indeed a genius doctor. I¡¯m impressed!¡± Nial, despite being a highly capable and respected doctor, was incrediblyzy, always finding moments or excuses to dip out. After bing a doctor, there were so many instances when he handed out work to his staff to sort out. To him, hecked no money. Treating a patient was his hobby. Waverly,ing from a wealthy family,cked nothing yet was still so responsible. That in itself was a rare trait. Waverly answered him in a gentle and serious tone, ''To me, this is the fundamental of bing a doctor-there''s nothing impressive about this. Let''s get back to work." With that, she walked back to her working desk and continued with the procedure. Anthony eyed Waverly suspiciously. Something serious just urred to Max, yet Waverly was able to stay so calm? 1 That seemed rather... It felt odd for Anthony. He thought Waverly had ulterior motives. However, on that same night, past four in the morning, they found an antidote under Waverly''s lead. The antidote! When they injected the antidote into Annabel''s body, they could monitor its effect from a machine, and it showed how the antidote was tackling the poison. They seeded! They perfected an antidote to tackle Annabel''s poison! They no longer felt threatened by McKenzie. All thoughts of negotiating with McKenzie were thrown out of the window. Everyone in the room smiled happily. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. Nial reached out his hand at Waverly. ''Thank you for your help, Dr. Waverly. We''re really grateful." He could finally have some days off! Finally, he did not have to spend his days inside the medicalb! Waverly smiled faintly. ''This is the result of ourmon effort." She looked at Anthony and reached out her hand. "Well done!" Anthony did not want to cooperate with her, but he thought of how Charmine incapacitated Max and how Waverly chose to keep her promise instead of siding with her brother. After hesitating for half a moment, he picked up a thick medical glove and shook hands with her. ¡®Well done." 1 Back then, he refused to shake hands with any woman, and despite wearing a glove, it was a big approval from Anthony. Waverly retrieved her hand and remarked, "We''ve been working for so long, and we haven¡¯t eaten for one whole day and night. My treat?" "Okay! This is such a remarkable asion, so it''s only natural we celebrate!" Nial was the first to agree. Anthony lifted his arm and looked at his watch-it was almost five in the morning. "Sorry, but I have to go home," he excused himself. "You two have fun, I''ll take the bill. Go crazy or something." With that said, he marched out. Tonight was his first night with Charmine. How could he let her stay in the bedroom alone? He had to go home to meet Charmine and spend a memorable night with her. chapter 720 chapter 720 Waverly watched as Anthony walked away as her eyes gleamed indescribably. However, it disappearedpletely a momentter. By the time Anthony arrived home, it was already six in the morning. The autumn sky was still dark as Violet Vi was nketed with cold-as- ice mist, almost seemingly unreal. Entering the house, Anthony removed his frosted jacket and walked toward the room. Not bothering to see Chris, he went straight to his shared bedroom with Charmine. Upon pushing the door open, he saw all of the rose petals inside the red-decorated room had been cleared up, and Charmine lied on one side of the bed. She seemed like a vulnerable kitten, the sight capable of making one feel pitiable as it did to Anthony. It was their wedding night, and he Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. made her fall asleep alone? 1 He walked softly, afraid of waking her up. He did not let out any sound even afterying beside her. Charmine was sound asleep as her eyelids remained shut, yet her face was cool and quiet, as if she had covered herself in a shell. Anthony wanted to hug her, he lifted his hand but let it down. He did not want to wake her up. He did not even cover himself with the nket. Heid on top of the nket without moving. 1 Seven in the morning. The door was pushed open, showing a gap. A pair of doe eyes peeked into the room and, swiftly after, his little lips pouted. Chris closed the door and stomped away, grumbling to Luke, "Didn¡¯t you say as long as I sleep, Daddy and Mommy will make me a sister?" He thought his Mommy was pregnant with his sister in the past, only to realize that not every time they slept together would they make one. Thus, he was very excitedst night and slept as he was told, yet... "Daddy came home sote! I want him to make it up to Mommy!¡± Sweat-dropping, Luke tried to talk him out of his tantrum gently, "Don''t worry, Young Master, the young mistress will be here soon. Your Daddy had to workte, but if you go to school like a good boy, I can guarantee that your Daddy and Mommy will be happy!" "I don''t believe you unless you swear to wash the toilet for half a month if they don¡¯t!" Chris shot him a sharp re. 1 Luke¡¯s back was coated with sweat. How could he guarantee such a thing? Washing the toilet for half a month would be deadly! However, if he did not send this young master to school, his boss would be just as ferocious... He had no choice but to agree. With that, he went back to add another lock outside the bedroom door, ensuring no one coulde out. Chris watched him do so before going to school with satisfaction. Ten in the morning, Charmine woke up. When she opened her eyes, she saw a man''s white shirt and chest. Her eyes trailed up and noted his sexy throat and handsome face. His face seemed apparently tired. Anthony? When did hee back? Furthermore, he slept on top of the nket, not even going under the covers. In this instance, she understood. Perhaps Anthony did not want to wake her up. Perplexed, Charmine silently watched Anthony who was just a breath away from her. After what happened to her five years ago, how could she meet such a wonderful man? No matter if it was his body, looks, capability, or power- he was the man of men, the one in a million. Still, this man was willing to love her, to marry her, to care for her... Charmine felt as if it was all a dream. She could not help reaching out to touch his brows, wanting to find out if he was real. As her fingernded on his long brow, the originally shut-eyed Anthony opened his eyes. His gaze was not hostile and was instead sleepy and rxed. It seemedst night wore him out terribly. Charmine quickly retrieved her hand. "You''re awake..." "Mmh." Anthony made a reply as she was caught red-handed. He parted his lips to reassure her, "Don''t panic, we''re married. My wife can touch wherever she wants." With that said, he pulled her hand and ced it on his face. chapter 721 chapter 721 Charmine''s face instantly went hot. What did that mean, touch him wherever she wanted? Could this man not behave any better? She hastily pulled back her hand and exined, "I didn''t touch you, I was just...!" She racked her thoughts to find a usible excuse, but every single one seemed unbelievable. She then decided to get out of bed. "I¡¯m going to have breakfast." Anthony abruptly pulled her back to his chest by her waist. With her above him, he spoke, "Is my wife angry? I was wrong for not being here on our wedding night. I can make it up to you now." Caressing her hair, Anthony tucked strands of Charmine''s hair at the back of her ear and exposed her long neck as he did. His head was ced on her shoulder. With just a slight tilt of his head, he could kiss her ear. Half of Charmine¡¯s body had gone numb. She dared not to move, so scared that he might identally kiss her. "Let go of me," she grumbled. "You''ve been busy for a night, so you should rest up. I have to go to thepany." "I''ve requested a day off for you; the staff will sort it out. As for me..." Anthony reeled his hand and pulled her tighter against his form. "How could I sleep holding on my bride?" His voice was low and hoarse. Charmine knew what he was thinking. In all honesty, she had decidedst night to give Anthony her all, and she was entirely prepared for it. s, he did not return, and all that confidence was strangely gone in just one night... Since it was no longer their wedding night, there was no need to do it, no? After hesitating for half a moment, she said, "I think this is too rushed-l''m not ready. Give me some time." Anthony frowned. What was she hesitating about? After a moment of thought, he turned her body over and gazed into her eyes. "Annabel''s poison is being detoxified." Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. Detoxified? The news took Charmine by surprise. She fretted they would suffer for much longer under McKenzie''s grip, but never did she think they would be freed so soon. Anthony held Charmine''s chin and lifted her head up as he sincerely spoke, ''The longer it is, the more troubling it could get. I don''t want the night beforest night to happen a second time." The memory of Charmine hiding from him still worried him greatly. Only if they consummated their marriage would their rtionship be more secure. Anthony lowered his head to kiss her lips, arrogant and determined. His passion overwhelmed Charmine as she went weak, unable to resist. She felt dumbfounded, not knowing if she should resist. They were married anyway, so why resist it? If she did not stop him, however, would they just simply consummate their marriage like that? Amid her internal battle, Charmine suddenly felt a sharp pain from her abdomen, and a strange warm sensation was felt right after. Oh no... Her period came. 7 Charmine''s usually calm and cold face suddenly reddened like a tomato. She hastily pushed him away. "I can''t today...¡± ''Can''t today''? Anthony frowned. Why was she suddenly so determined? Not knowing what to say or begin, Charmine hastily got up and walked to the washroom. The moment she got out of the bed, however, her pupils dted. Her face grew so hot that it could almost fry an egg! Oh, dear. That was something, alright... Anthony''s white shirt, to one''s surprise... chapter 722 chapter 722 Charmine quickly covered him in a nket and walked to the wardrobe. She simply picked out a shirt and tossed it at him. "Go and shower...!'''' She sounded urgent and awkward. Anthony was even more clueless. Everything went so well, yet all of a sudden, he had to go shower? He looked at her, trying to find out what was happening. Charmine only grew antsy under his gaze. Once she found a shirt for herself, she hastily ran out. She had to leave the room as soon as possible; things would be painfully awkward if Anthony found out she stained his shirt. Upon reaching the door and trying to open it, it dawned on Charmine that it would not budge. As if it was locked from the outside, the door would not move! Had Chris locked the door from the outside again? Anthony, meanwhile, studied the frantic Charmine and nced at the patch of red on her pajama bottoms. He instantly understood. All that strange behavior...for that? The Charmine who feared nothing was, in fact, so easily embarrassed? Anthony stood up and realized that his shirt was stained as well. While he was a clean freak, he did not seem to mind since it was Charmine. He merely halted for a short while before walking toward her. Charmine turned around and saw him walking over, and the patch of red on his white shirt was so obvious. At that moment, she wanted nothing more than to smash her head against a wall! She had never felt so embarrassed before. She actually stained Anthony¡¯s shirt... "Don''te close. G-Go to the bathroom!¡± Not stopping, Anthony marched toward her, hoisted her in his arms, and walked to the bathroom. The flushed Charmine struggled in his arms. "What are you doing? Put me down...!" "Don''t worry, you¡¯re now very safe. I''m a picky eater after all,"forted Anthony as he ced her below the showerhead. 2 Taking the showerhead, Anthony adjusted the water to the most ideally warm temperature before putting it back up. Charmine stood below the showerhead as water washed over her. ''You can leave now," she blurted, i''ll wash myself!" "I need to wash, too. Together," Anthony said elegantly as though it was a trivial matter like sharing a taxi. 2 Charmine wanted to stop him, but he already removed his white shirt. For a clean freak like him, being able to hold on for so long was already his extreme. With that, Charmine showered together with a man for the first time in her life... 1 Thankfully, his manners were in check as he bathed her slowly. He even helped her into her clothes afterward. Abashed to even look at him, Charmine instantly ran out after putting on some clothes. She was even more mortified to see the patch of red on her bed. On the second day of their marriage, she had already dirtied the bedsheet and Anthony¡¯s white shirt. This wedding night was indeed memorable... She walked to the door again, trying to find a way to open it. Thest time they were locked in from outside was no big deal, but this time, she thought of Anthony''s white shirt and the scene in the ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. bathroom. She was so embarrassed that she had to get out. When Anthony got out, there was no one in the room. The door, removed by its hinges, leaned silently by the wall. 2 His thin lips curled up. This woman would rather remove a door to escape? How naughty. Meanwhile, at the Jordown Group building... Early in the morning, Adam led the staff arranged by Charmine to settle down in thepany to take over. After owning 92 percent of thepany shares, it was equivalent to the Jordan Group owning the Jordown Group entirely. 1 Max had to leave. chapter 723 chapter 723 Max watched as the Jordown Group building grew smaller as he was driven out. Hisrge hands clenched tightly, showing the green veins on the back of his arms. He purposely named hispany ''Jordown'', to ''take down¡¯ the Jordan Group, but things turned out far different than what he anticipated. As Charmine treated him cruelly, Max had to make an evil woman like her pay her dearly. Max took out his phone and, working on it, found Derek Bailey¡¯s contact details. He instantly sent Derek a few photos of Anthony with Charmine at Violet Vi and added, [Investigating Anthony''s woman? You''re wee.] In anotherpany owned by Bailey Corporation, Derek was having a meeting. He was dressed in his white suit, his disposition gently and genial like the spring breeze. After sorting out everything and dismissed the people, his assistant walked to him. "President, this project must seed. We must get a deal with Safford topete with Anthony." Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Derek scoffed as he loosened his tie, his friendly demeanor lost in the wind. He wanted to get the deal, but how was it as easy? Even though the rest of the Baileys did not like Anthony due to the situation with Chris, Anthony was too capable and had full control over Bailey Corporation. He was always decisive, thus Anthony had always been the Bailey family¡¯s ideal patriarch. Without the resourceful Bailey family supporting Derek, how could he get a deal with a big country like Safford? Derek''s phone rang at that moment-it was a text message. He unlocked his phone and was instantly met with photos and text sent to him by Max. Anthony and Charmine both entered a house in the photos, their hold on one another evidently loving. Derek frowned in shock. Anthony was actually with Charmine? It was Charmine all along? He saw Charmine entering the house with another man, though... Could it be that a smart man like Anthony was cheated on unknowingly? On the other hand, had Charmine misled him the other day? No matter what, the revtion was nheless shocking. Was Charmine not a joke in the entertainment industrying from a small family about to go bankrupt? How would the Bailey family, who only cared for the profits, allow Anthony to be with Charmine? The Baileys would lose all form of respect for Anthony if they found out about this and would support him, Derek, instead! He kept his phone and instructed his assistant, "Prepare the car, I''m going back to the Bailey mansion." Darryl Bailey and Susan ydon intended to bring McKenzie to meet Anthony''s grandparents, but they received a call from Derek asking them to wait for him at home. They were confused. Why was the usually gentle and elegant Derek in such a hurry? Did something happen? McKenzie was displeased. They were going to discuss how to help her and Anthony get engaged, yet Derek just had to mess it up. How troublesome... Still fuming internally, Derek already rushed over. When Grandma Bailey saw him, she asked him, dotingly and concernedly," Oh, Derek dear, why are you in such a hurry? Did something happen?" Derek, pausing momentarily at the sight of the two elders, then spoke in a concerned tone, "Nothing major, Grandpa, Grandma. You two are getting old. Why don''t you go upstairs and get some rest? I''ll speak to Uncle and Auntie.¡± Grandma Bailey frowned. "Look at you, being mysterious and all that. How am I supposed to rest upstairs?" "What happened? Tell US," asserted Old Senior Bailey, emitting an authoritative aura. They were in their nies with heads full of silver hair, yet they were still quite energetic. Darryl asked, "Derek, what happened? Tell US. Your grandparents are in good health." 1 Derek hesitated for quite a while before saying, "I realized that Anthony has a girlfriend, and the woman turns out to be...Charmine." His statement made the atmosphere in the room incredibly tense. McKenzie¡¯s usuallyposed and formal look seemingly cracked. chapter 724 chapter 724 McKenzie, of all people, was the one who so badly wanted the Baileys to know about Anthony''s rtionship with Charmine initially. However, after learning about the background of Charmine''s great-grandfather, she did not dare let the Baileys know about it after all. After all, they were the best at creating ceramic housewares in the country, the only ceramics family that continued to prosper even after a few hundred years. They produced the most refined ceramics, specially made for royals and the wealthiest families. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Grandma Bailey was a big fan of the Hahn family''s ceramics. In fact, she was queuing to buy one this year yet had not gotten the number. 1 If Old Senior Bailey found out about Charmine''s background- old Senior Bailey and the rest were extremely shocked. Anthony had a girlfriend, and the girlfriend was Charmine? Who was Charmine? Where did this nobodye from? Old Senior Bailey scoffed, "Give her information to me.¡± He wanted to see who the woman Anthony finally had his eyes on; he wanted to see how she looked like. After all, this was the first woman he found after not willing to see anybody for so long. Derek had prepared documents to show Old Senior Bailey. Grandma Bailey, Susan, and Darryl went closer and eyed the documents warily. They saw a photo of Charmine on the document, and it happened to be her self-portrait in a red dress. The dress had a V-neckline that showed her extremely alluring body and cold face. To the moderndies, this was the cool-goddess look. To the Baileys, especially the seniors, this was a head-scratching woman! Merely by looking at the photo, she gave a bad first impression. The documents went on to describe, [Treated like an adopted daughter from a young age. High school graduate, low educational background, been in a rtionship with Julian Cabell for over ten years. She almost got engaged for a few times, but due to some mysterious reasons, she was sent to Africa for five years. She owns a diamond mine, RisingHawk...] The Baileys did not bother reading the rest of the information. To them, her assets were as little as a penny! Their faces went green. Anthony got someone like Charmine as his girlfriend! The usually clean and clear Anthony was finally in a rtionship, but it turned out to be Charmine! A woman who had been with another man for over ten years, a mere high school graduate, and a woman of a small family! "Is he trying to kill me? Ask him toe back, now, right now!" Old Senior Bailey mmed his walking stick against the floor as a heavy thud was heard. He was very frustrated. Susan''s gentle face soured uglily. As a woman, she could tell that Charmine was not a nice woman: She was nowhere as formal, gentle, and pure as McKenzie. 1 They had to make Anthonye home. They had to make him break up with Anthony. However, Derek said, "Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle, Auntie, you know Anthony''s temper. The more you try to stop him, the more he¡¯d fight back, just like what happened with Momo..." The Baileys all voted for Anthony to send the child away back then, but he insisted to keep him by his side. Due to that, he broke his rtionship with the Baileys and moved out. He so very rarely visited the family ever since. Derek suggested, "I don''t think arguing with Anthony is a wise choice, as it''ll tear US apart. The most important thing is to keep US happy as a family. Perhaps we should speak to Charmine first. We could ask her to leave him perhaps?" His words made it seem as if he was thinking for the family''s sake, but the truth was... He only had a few photos and no other evidence. If the Baileys went ahead to see Charmine first, things could progress from there. Knowing Charmine''s temper, the Baileys would surely not like her. Once Charmine angered the seniors enough and Anthony chose to side with her instead, everything would be in Derek''s favor. 1 Grandma Bailey did not know about his intention, only thinking Derek''s suggestion was very reasonable. She looked at Susan. "Susan, what do you think?" Susan had experience in this. She was able to handle it because she used money to send Annabel away ten years ago. chapter 725 chapter 725 "Derek is right," said Susan, "I should go and meet Charmine. Let''s not argue with Anthony first." He was her son after all, and she would not want their rtionship to worsen. "Alright, you¡¯ll take charge of this," agreed Old Senior Bailey. "No matter what, you must make them break up. Otherwise, I''ll handle it myself." With that said, he stood up and left with his walking stick. The atmosphere felt tense, filled with a strong sense of authority. Susan knew Old Senior Bailey was angry and was unable to ept Charmine, so there was no reason to keep her. Susan turned to McKenzie right after. "Don''t fret, McKenzie, Mom will Derek''s face stiffened. He wanted McKenzie to give up on Anthony and unwilling to marry him, but that got shot down... Upon entering her ride, McKenzie''s face turned cold as frost. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. How would she not mind Anthony''s activities? How would she not get angry? Anthony loved Charmine so much that she believed he would miss Charmine, even if McKenzie married him in the end. 1 However, she was the future Mrs. Bailey, Anthony¡¯s woman. However hard it would get, she had to put up a brave front. 1 Jordan Group¡¯s building. Charmine was sorting out documents after documents. The Hundred Birds and Divine Bird projects ran concurrently, thus many difficult situations needed her immediate attention. Meanwhile, her phone rang urgently. It was from Kay. Answering the call, she was greeted with Kay''s anxious voice, "Boss Jordan, the Baileys found out about you and Anthony. Susan is nowing to yourpany. She¡¯ll be here in half an hour!" 1 Charmine''s heart sank. The Baileys found out? So soon? Moreover, Susan wasing for her! Charmine feared no one, but this matter had to do with Anthony. Since they were married, it was not wise to push things to the extreme. Charmine wondered, how should she behave around Susan? Meanwhile, at the Bailey Corporation¡¯s headquarters... Anthony was immersed in his work when Luke rushed over hastily." President, it¡¯s bad. Mr. and Mrs. Bailey had found out about your rtionship with Ms. Charmine. Mrs. Bailey ising for Ms. Charmine now!" Anthony''s brows furrowed. Susan wasing for Charmine? His rtionship with Charmine was not yet stable, but more people were getting involved? 1 Charmine was still apprehensive about him. If Susan said anything... chapter 726 chapter 726 With that in mind, Anthony instantly got up and marched out of the office. His gait was quick that he was almost running. Everyone in the Bailey Corporation eyed him with brimming fear. What happened? Why was the usually calm and steady Boss Bailey so anxious? Was the sky about to copse? 1 Anthony went to the underground garage and drove toward the Jordan Group, his head reeling on his journey. The best thing to do was to keep the Baileys out of his rtionship. s, they found out the truth, thus Anthony could only do his best to protect her! Nobody could harm his woman. With that in mind, he stepped on the gas as the speedometer pointed at the furthest right. Unfortunately, his car was caught up in traffic about 200 to 300 meters from the business street that the Jordan Group was located in. An ident happened, and workers needed at least half an hour to unblock the road. Anthony opened the door hastily, ready to walk toward thepany building. After merely taking two steps, however... As he rushed like a racing motorcycle, he bumped into someone in a rush. The person fell on the ground and gasped, "Argh!¡± That sounded awfully familiar. Anthony lowered his head to see that it was Waverly. Waverly D''Cruz? Why was she here? He frowned. "My apologies, I''ll make it up to you when I have time." The most important thing was to find Charmine. ''Wait, help me..." spoke the helpless Waverly. Struggling, she added, "My dress is torn open, and I can''t get up..." Anthony looked down and noticed Waverly''s dress was torn at the abdomen area, ripped by the tree branch by the side. 1 Half of her waist would be exposed if she stood up. As Anthony was the one who knocked her over and there happened to be a woman¡¯s clothing store in front, he walked inside and gave a ck card to the saleswoman. "Bring a jacket to thedy over there, right away." "Yes!" The saleswoman did as she was told. Just as Anthony was about to leave, Waverly called out, "Mr. Bailey, you¡¯re in such a hurry. What happened? Is there something I can help with?" "No, I got it." All Anthony could think of was finding Charmine, fearing Susan might hurt her. He did not want to talk to Waverly; all he wanted was to leave. Waverly then spoke, "President Bailey is probably going to the Jordan Group, which is right in front. President Bailey seems anxious, so Ms. Charmine must be facing a predicament of sorts. Everything in herpany seemed under control, however, and with Ms. Charmine''s capability, there''s nothing she can''t do. The only possibility is that your family is looking for her or trying to harm her." 2 She stated in order. Anthony stopped walking after hearing all that, but after a moment, he said, "If Ms. Waverly has figured it out, I hope you''ll understand." If he had hurt Waverly in the past, he would at least wait for her to get her jacket, or at least wait for her to get up from the ground before leaving. However, his mind was overwhelmed with thoughts of Charmine, and he did not care for anyone else. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Even though Waverly was on the ground, she still exuded an air of nobleness and elegance. She looked at Anthony''s back. "All President Bailey can do, even if you find her now, is to protect her temporarily, but this will only stiffen the rtionship with your family or make your family hate Charmine even more. "If you find a woman to act as your girlfriend so your family thinks it¡¯s all a misunderstanding, every problem will be fixed. Furthermore, this would allow Ms. Charmine to live in peace, hassle-free." 3 Anthony was about to leave and was about to cross the traffic light, but upon hearing Waverly''s idea, he stopped walking. Waverly¡¯s idea... Seemed to make sense. 2 It actually made a lot of sense. Even if he could protect Charmine, it would mean nothing unless he could spend the entire day with her-the Baileys would get a way to harm or potentially threaten her otherwise. If things got heated, knowing Charmine, she would not be pleased with him. She might even get tired and ask for a divorce... chapter 727 chapter 727 At that moment, the saleswoman finally came with the jacket and handed it to Waverly. She wore the jacket and walked up to Anthony. "President Bailey, I can help you, and I don''t need anything in return." Anthony eyed her as she stood before him, his eyes darkening as he did. She was indeed a suitable candidate. If it was her, even the Houston family would not be able to fight against her. However... "What are you nning?" Anthony did not believe Waverly would help him without anything in mind. "My brother and my family are forcing me as well," exined Waverly, if I announce to them that we''re in a rtionship, I''ll be able to take a breather as well." 2 She spoke with such honesty that her elegant face showed no hint of dark intention nor calction. 1 Anthony thought through it before his lips parted, "Alright. Let me ask for mydy''s permission." With that said, he walked aside to dial Charmine''s number. Waverly was speechless. He would ask for hisdy''s permission? Was President Bailey that much of a henpecked man? Charmine, meanwhile, was making all sorts of preparation. She wanted to leave so Susan could not find her, but as she thought it through, they would someday meet anyway. There was no use in escaping. With that idea scratched, what should she say when they meet? Should she act tougher, or slightly gentler? She was Anthony''s mother, after all... As Charmine''s thoughts overtook her, the phone rang suddenly. After picking up, she heard Anthony saying, "Mydy, I have two ideas. Firstly, we officiate our rtionship. With me around, nobody can harm you. Secondly, Waverly can, and is willing, to act as my partner, and this is to remove suspicion." When Charmine heard that, her brows furrowed. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Officiate their rtionship? Putting aside how unprepared she was, Annabel''s situation was not even stabilized yet. it was not the right time to officiate the rtionship yet. Moreover... The second idea was to put on an act with Waverly? Charmine could not quite ce it down, but Waverly raised red gs in her mind. Even though Waverly had detoxified Annabel, something felt off about her. 1 Despite her suspicion, Charmine could not ce her finger on what it was. Judging the situation at hand... Charmine thought for a moment and said, "I''d pick the second one." 2 She had known Anthony long enough to trust him. He was willing to donate his heart for her; it would be impossible for him to cheat on her. As for Waverly, even though she did not feel good about this woman, she could spend some time to know her better and see what her true intention was. However well the fox hid its tail, it would get exposed one day. Meanwhile, Susan''s car was stuck in the traffic as the ident was not cleared up yet. She had no choice but to get out of her car. She was dressed in a tight dress with a fur scarf on, allowing her bodyguard to hold up the umbre for her. She looked like a wealthy wife. Susan''s eyes seemed cold and haughty, one that could only be seen in people from the upper-ss society. Everyone got close to Anthony for his money. Hmph! She sent Annabel away ten years ago. Ten yearster, she might as well send Charmine away! With that in mind, she saw a familiar figure through the window. The tall and well-built man sat on the sofa inside the boutique with legs crossed, looking very noble and elegant. A woman, meanwhile, twirled before him as if asking, "How do I look?" The man nodded. Even though she was a few meters away, Susan could tell right away that he was her son. It was Anthony! Anthony was in there? He was apanying a woman to shop for clothes? chapter 728 chapter 728 Not believing her eyes, Susan warily paced closer to the two figures in the store. As she stood outside the boutique, she confirmed it was indeed Anthony on the sofa while the woman who walked out of the fitting room... With skin fair like white jade, she seemed to gleam with regality. Her facial features were so beautiful, almost as if she had mixed blood. It was Waverly D¡¯Cruz! Susan could tell right away that it was Waverly from the D''Cruz family. 2 The wealthy heiress who came to light recently, the true heiress of a noble family with links to the royals in Kansas... Even McKenzie was out of her league. Susan was stumped. "Anthony, Ms. D¡¯Cruz, you two..." When Anthony saw her, he frowned unpleasantly. "Why are you here?" he uttered lowly, almost threateningly. Even though he was her son, Susan was almost too afraid to meet his gaze. She simply found an excuse, "I happened to pass by! You... Why don''t you introduce her to me?" Her eyesnded on Waverly. Anthony''s face remained calm and elegant. "A friend." "You¡¯d apany a friend to shop? Do you think I¡¯m a fool?" ring at him, Susan turned to Waverly and asked, "Ms. D''Cruz, I''m Anthony''s mother. Are you two...?'''' She trailed off, trying to make it less explicit. Waverly was still elegant and noble, but when she heard about Susan¡¯s identity, she became rather stiff. "Auntie, Mr. Bailey and I are merely normal friends. Please don¡¯t..." Her exnation was obviously pointless. However dumb Susan could be, she could tell what was happening. "I''ve never seen Anthony shopping with any friend. You two don''t have to hide it from me. Are you two in a rtionship?" Hearing that, Waverly blushed sheepishly. She lowered her head and tried to exin, "Not yet-please don''t take it wrongly. We''re merely trying to know each other better. The most suitable man my family picked for me is Mr. Bailey. Mr. Bailey is willing to get to know me better first." Know her better? If they were merely trying to know each other better, why would Anthony shop with her? Meanwhile, the saleswoman brought back his ck credit card along with a long list of receipts. There were almost ten dresses bought that raked up to a few million spent! 1 Susan watched as her brows furrowed in shock. Although Anthony was very rich, she knew her son better than anyone. Anthony was a generous man in all ways except when it came to women; he would be super stingy. Susan had once introduced a woman to Anthony. He did not like her, however, and asked to split the bill after the date. Everyone mocked him for being stingy while he merely said, "I''d never pay for a woman unless she''s my wife." Anthony kept his word ever since, and he kept it well. He had never spent any money on any woman other than Annabel. Why did he buy a few millions worth of clothes for Waverly then? Susan knew very clearly that Anthony and Waverly were not just friends. If he was with Waverly, what was the deal with Charmine? She had to find out! She looked at Waverly and praised, "Ms. Waverly is so elegant, this dress must suit you as well. Why don''t you give it a try? If you like it, let me buy this for you as a meeting gift." Susan picked out a dress from the disy. Coming from the upper-ss society, Waverly instantly knew what Susan meant. Susan had things to speak to Anthony about. Waverly politely epted the dress and went inside the fitting room. When the door of the fitting room was shut, Susan walked over and sat beside Anthony. "I¡¯m not against you being in a rtionship with Waverly. I won''t stop you at all, and you don''t have to hide it from me... But what¡¯s the deal with Charmine? Derek said you¡¯re in a rtionship with her and even showed US these photos. Are you seeing them both at the same time?" Susan spoke as she handed him a stack of photos. Anthony looked down to see the photos of him and Charmine walking into the vi. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. He could have sworn Max had taken these. His eyes grew stern at the sight, though he covered it all with an elegant front as he mocked... chapter 729 chapter 729 ''You believed in what Derek said? If he asks you guys to give him all of the family shares, will you do that too?" Well... Susan frowned. Was Anthony suggesting that Derek made things up? These photos did not seem Photoshopped, however. They genuinely seem to be in love in the photos. The photos showed both Anthony and Charmine walking into the vi, with Anthony closing the door. Anthony took the photos and, eyeing them, scoffed, "So ugly. Why would I keep these?" With that, he instantly tore the photos. It was indeed ugly: the angle was ugly and it was taken without their consent as well. It was blurry and did not capture even one-tenth of his wife''s true beauty! 1 With disgust, he tore the photos into pieces and tossed them into the bin. His elegant face had a hint of disgust. Susan frowned. Anthony was obviously looking down on Charmine for being ugly, that he did not like Charmine and hated her from the bottom of his heart. He hated Charmine that much? If that was so, what was the deal with the photos? At that moment, Waverly walked out in an elegant, tight-fitting green dress with a faint smile on her face. She was elegant and noble like a true princess. Coincidentally, she saw Anthony tossing the photos away and frowned." Anthony, where did you get the photos from? Aren''t those the photos of you with Charmine?" 1 Susan frowned. "Ms. D''Cruz knows Charmine, too?" ''Yes, she''s a friend of mine. The D''Cruz family is trying to hire her to be our ambassador. s, she has to take charge of her family business, and she doesn''t have time to take on another job. Anthony and I went over to her vi with no sess." Waverly''s voice was so elegant and soothing. Susan suddenly realized that Waverly was also present when these photos were taken, but it was just that they only captured photos of Charmine with Anthony. Was Derek intentionally misleading them? Was Derek that evil? However, a noblewoman like Waverly would not lie for Charmine. Furthermore, since she was in a rtionship with Anthony, it would be impossible for her to help this model and also her rival. With another thought, Derek had always tried to plot against Anthony... Perhaps this was all a plot to take the family assets. Susan sighed in relief. All that mattered was Anthony was not seeing Charmine and did not like her! It would be ideal if Anthony could marry Waverly. It would be so ideal! This would bring the Bailey family up a notch! She instantly turned to look at Waverly. "I see; it¡¯s all a misunderstanding. Waverly, this dress looks good on you, let this be a meeting gift from me." She walked over and took out her card to pay for the dress. Momentarily shocked, Waverly thought for a second and took out a brocade box for Susan. "This is a jade bracelet I''ve collected and been keeping recently. Please keep this." Susan opened up to see a top-grade green jade bracelet. The color was very rare! If Waverly and Anthony were mere friends, why would she gift her such a fine jade? She instantly epted it with a wide grin. "Thank you, Waverly. You¡¯re so kind! Doe visit US when you have time." "Okay," Waverly replied. They wanted to continue their conversation, but Anthony already stood up with two bags full of clothes in his hands. He walked over and said to Waverly, "Time to get back." "Okay," Waverly looped her arm around Anthony¡¯s lovingly as she bade Susan farewell. "Auntie, see you soon." 2 "Alright, carry on," gushed the smiling Susan. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. She had never seen his son allowing another woman to get so close to him. Before, Anthony would instantly walk away if a woman ever got close to him, but he allowed Waverly to hook her arm around his? This rtionship could not be fake! However, recalling the photos and for the sake of reassurance, she instructed her assistant, "In the following days, follow Anthony everywhere. Don¡¯t miss out on even one trace of evidence." chapter 730 chapter 730 Anthony personally drove Waverly back home and even opened the car door for her thoughtfully. Those who secretly tailed them saw it all. When they parted, Anthony even found an angle to pretend as if he was kissing her forehead. Getting back into his car to return to Bailey Corporation, he wiped his hands repeatedly with wet tissues. After all, he did ce his hand on Waverly''s shoulder, and it bothered him greatly even though a thick cloth covered her shoulder. Anthony would always feel sick to his stomach every time he touched a woman... Strangely, he would not feel the same when touching Charmine. 1 As for that night from five years ago, he did not... He still felt ill whenever he had any contact with Annabel. Was it due to the drugs five years ago that made him able to ept Annabel¡¯s body? 1 It seemed that the only person in the world he could touch was Charmine. Rposing his thoughts, Anthony then removed the gauze and steel te around his arm-he knew he would have to get cozy with Waverly to throw Susan off Charmine''s scent. 1 To not instinctively swing Waverly''s arm away when she looped her arm around his, he wore the gauze and steel te around his arm. 1 Luke, at the front seat, questioned Anthony''s behavior. Was there such a need...? President Bailey went to such extremes to protect his wife and keep himself clean. After he had removed the steel, he instructed, "Call home, and ask them to keep it down." "Yes, Sir," Luke replied. On the same day, Anthony went back to his office without letting Susan and her staff spot anything amiss. Luke called Susan and informed, "Mrs. Bailey, now that President Bailey is still in the early stages with Ms. D¡¯Cruz, kindly don''t make a big deal out of it. After all, there''s still Young Master Momo. President Bailey wants to wait for their rtionship to be more stable before going official. Furthermore, Ms. D¡¯Cruz likes to keep a low profile..." Susan understood what he meant; it was a crucial matter. If they made a scene before everything was settled, the Baileys would be seen in a bad light should Anthony''s rtionship with Waverly fail. Furthermore, she genuinely liked Waverly from the first sight, and since Waverly preferred to keep a low profile, Susan would respect that. The D''Cruz''s status in Kansas could be said as an equivalent to the Baileys''. Having rtions with the D''Cruz family would only strengthen the Bailey family, what more should their families be united byw. Susan had to think of ways to help stabilize their rtionship. At the Jordan Group. Charmine did not expect the matter to be fixed so quickly, but it sure helped her calm down. At least she did not have to meet the Baileys, that she did not have to be used and scowled at. Charmine got to keep her sanity for the time being. Not long after, she received a text from Anthony that read, [I had to take five glimpses at Waverly, spoke three sentences to her, and touched her twice. Mydy may punish me if it dissatisfies you.] Charmine failed to fight back the smile that took her face. Anthony actually took note of these things, as if he waspleting a mission? That made sense; him pretending to be with Waverly was a mission in a way. Moreover, this mission was to protect her... She replied, [Hmm... You should be punished. Sleep on the floor tonight.] [Ok.] came the swift reply from Anthony It dawned on Charmine just momentster that it was serious. [Where are you sleeping tonight?] If he continued to stay in Violet Vi, they might get exposed. Anthony then texted, [I have a vi a few blocks away from you. Derek already found out about US.] Anthony staying in a different ce than Violet Vi would disperse all doubts and suspicions. Anthony then added, [I''ll stay in Vi 11 tonight.] Charmine let out a sigh of relief. Although they would be in the same residential area, Vi 11 was six blocks away from her vi. It should not be suspicious.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. chapter 731 chapter 731 Still, they just got married, yet they had to live separately again? Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. Charmine felt somewhat empty. She wondered when they could get together again... Ring! Anthony sent her another message that read, [I''ve sent someone to bring you tea. Remember to drink.] Tea? Surprised at the sudden gesture, themotion outside the office startled Charmine. "Aww, isn¡¯t this Amelia Jordan? You''re just a no-name secretary here? You¡¯re a little shabby right now, aren''t you?¡± ''That''s none of your business. What are you doing here? Get out!" snapped Amelia. The woman merely smiled arrogantly. "But we were once friends, and we were models. I happened to pass by here, so of course I have to visit you both. I gotta show the other models how the once arrogant and wild Amelia is now a no-name secretary! Ha-ha-ha!" Sounds of camera shutters were heard as the woman took photos of Amelia from all angles, cackling at the sight of her. "Haha! Have a good look, sisters! This is the once arrogant and wild Amelia! Haha! She¡¯s now a no- name secretary...! Imagine what''ll happen if we send these photos to the modeling industry and the inte-thements will surely be interesting!¡± Amelia growled, "Stop talking, or I''ll smash your phone!" "Huh? What did you say? Smash my phone?" The woman burst outughing before she sneered, "Do you know how much my phone costs? It''s a couple''s limited edition, thetest limited model of the year. There are only ten pairs of these in the world, and each is five hundred thousand! Even if I let you smash this five hundred thousand phone, do you dare to? Can you even pay back?" The scene fell silent for a few moments. Indeed, Amelia could not afford to destroy it, considering she was a humble secretary earning a mere few thousand bucks. She had not seen huge figures like a few hundred thousand for a very long time. "Hahaha! I know you can''t afford it. Everyone, look! The ex-supermodel can¡¯t even cash out five hundred thousand!" This woman howled inughter as she continued to take photos of Amelia. At that moment, the door of the office suddenly swung open. Charmine appeared by the door, dressed in her red suit. It was a long suit jacket up to her knees and matched it with ace t dress inside with a thin ck belt around her waist. She appeared cold, formal, and elegant. 1 She red at the two bickering women coldly. Amelia was pushed to the corner, her hands covering her face. She did not want her photos to be taken. The woman was the supermodel Eunice Kerr. Eunice had a group video-chat with some other supermodels that made scathingments. Charmine''s red lips curled up coldly. "Howe cats and dogs get into ourpany so easily? Where''s the security?" Momentarily stunned when she saw Charmine, it took Eunice a while before she could react. ''Well, well, if it isn''t Charmine Jordan! She does look like some president now, huh? Everyone, look, this is Charmine. She''s really a President now and even has a president''s office!" Holding up her phone, Eunice took a video of Charmine as if scanning her from head to toe. The other supermodels saw it through Eunice''s lens. Their voice was not as mocking as before, but they began to question: ''Wasn''t it nice being a supermodel? Why be a president?" ''You look like a man! You don¡¯t look like how a woman should be!" ''Youe off too strong! Who''d want to date you?" "Charmine, I advise you to find a man and get married. How tiring it is to be a president! Why would a woman want to be a president?" "Eunice is better off¡ªshe¡¯ll be marrying the number one wealthiest man in Safford from the wealthiest family! Even if she never works or goes to shows in the future, she is still loaded with cash that she can''t possibly spend it all!" 1 Disparagingments after another were spoken. chapter 732 chapter 732 Hearing praises for her made Eunice pompous as she straightened herself. Charmine took her spotlight in the past and made a name for herself in the modeling industry. Eunice had not liked Charmine since then. It grated Eunice when she recalled the incident inside the car show¡¯s dressing room when Charmine forced her to pick up the item from the floor. She felt ashamed since then and waited for a moment she could get back at her. Atst, the opportunity came! She was about to marry the No.1 Wealthiest Man in Safford, and his assets were worth a few times more than Jordan Group''s. Eunice ced her hand at her waist as she sized up Charminee. She clicked her tongue and mocked, "Why bother asking Charmine to marry a wealthy man? You girls should be asking wealthy men if they even want her. Didn''t you want to marry Julian? And yet he''d rather cheat with your sister instead of getting with you! Hahaha! And he even went bankrupt! She only has one ex-boyfriend, and he¡¯s bankrupted. Ahh, how ironic." Charmine eyed the security guard that wasing over, and she said calmly, "I''ll give you three seconds to walk away. Otherwise...you''ll be dragged out." However, Eunice showed no fear. "Sigh! Why so fierce?" she mocked." We''re all friends. As a fellow woman, I¡¯m advising you with the best intention. As a woman, isn''t it better off marrying a good man? Look at you, wearing yourself out every day like a man. Why so tired? Look at me: I do facials every day, and go to the steaming room and massages. I have people providing me services as Iy down. My fiance gives me unlimited cash to spend on. Isn''t that nice? The pieces of jewelry on me are a couple''s limited edition! How much more meaningful is thispared to what you''re all doing?¡± Eunice showed off the pigeon egg-sized diamond ring between her fingers while her hand caressed her ne. Brilliant pieces of jewelry they were as they twinkled under the sun. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. The people in the video chat disdainfullymented, "Don''t rub it on Charmine. Of course she wants to marry a man, but would anyone want her?" "No man would want to marry a woman like her who had been with another man for ten years! She even dresses like a man!¡± 1 As a thought urred to Eunice, she walked forward and fixed Charmine''s suit jacket. "Oh, right, how can I forget? All men like gentle anddy-like women like me. Who''d like a man-like woman like you? Always with that straight face on like a boy. Who''d date you? Hahaha...! You''re destined to be alone- you''re destined to be single forever! Hahaha!" 1 Eunice mocked and cackled devilishly. So what if Charmine was more popr in the modeling industry than her? She married a better man! She could finally rub it in her face! Meanwhile, a man in a suit walked over, exuding an extraordinary temperament. He was dressed in a customized Italian suit made from an Italian master, with a selling price of a few million in the market. One also needed to queue to buy these suits; it was not avable to just anyone with money. Even the shoes he wore were of a limited edition from a luxurious brand, selling at a few million. Amelia and Eunice stared at him nkly. This was such a young man. Who was he? Why had they not seen him before? The man walked up to Charmine and lowered his head politely. "Good afternoon, Madam. This is hand-brewed by my master. He''d like you to drink it while it¡¯s still warm," he spoke as he handed her a ck brocade box. Eunice was utterly stunned. A stunning man like this was a mere assistant to send Charmine some stuff? Who was his master? Would he not be extremely rich? Moreover, what did this man call Charmine? ''Madam''? Was Charmine married? Charmine remained unperturbed. She could tell that this was another assistant of Anthony''s. Not saying anything else, she epted the ck brocade box and opened it. Inside the rectangr ck brocade were heated red rubies, ced to keep the matte, rectangrly shaped ss hot. The liquid inside the ss was of a dark red color. chapter 733 chapter 733 There were chunks of ginger, red dates, rose petals, and some finest- graded tea leaves. One could tell instantly that the rose petals were exotic. Seemingly blooming in the tea, it was very much like a fine art piece. Eunice was so stunned that she found it hard to believe. Who was it that went to such an extent, sending her a warm cup of tea with an over-the-top presentation? He even used the red rubies to keep it warm! How rich was he? Charmine recalled Anthony did mention sending her tea, and the thought of it warmed her inside out. So this was the tea Anthony prepared for her? He knew that she was on her period, so he... Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. She picked up the ss and said to the assistant, "Tell your master that I''ve received this. I''ll drink it later." "Yes, Madam. Is there a problem here? Is there anything I can help with?" The assistant coldly red at Eunice by the side. Even though he was only an assistant, he exuded a powerful authority. A look from him would make one shiver. Eunice''s face stiffened, though she arched her neck and argued, "I''m about to get married to the No.1 Wealthiest Man in Safford. I''m a wealthydy! Who are you? What can you do to me?" Not bothering to reply to Eunice, the assistant turned to Charmine and asked, "Madam, do you need it fixed?" 1 He would only listen to Charmine¡¯s instruction. Charmine merely uttered three words, ''Toss her out." So what if she was the soon-to-be-wife of the richest man? She came to her territory, thus it was only natural she paid the price. Instantly, the assistant walked forward, picked up Eunice, and marched away. Eunice struggled like a madwoman. "Get off me! Put me down! My husband won¡¯t forgive you for this! He won''t! Let me down!" She struggled vehemently, her hair messed up and her face distorted. She was no longer half as arrogant as she was moments ago. 1 Charmine simply snatched her phone from her. With the video chat still running, she flipped the camera to show Eunice''s ugly appearance. "Look closely: I can toss away the woman who¡¯s about to marry the wealthiest man in Safford. If anyone is foolish enough to look for trouble here, you better be ready to face the music." Flinging Eunice''s phone, the phone urately flew right into the bin and crashed. The phone shattered upon impact. The crowd who was watching the video stared at the vulgar look of Eunice and heard her pleading for help. Finally, the screen went ck. They were all terrified and shocked. How was Charmine that wild that she boldly threw out the soon-to-be wife of the richest man in Safford? 1 Who gave her such courage? Moreover, the assistant was so powerful. Who was his master? Whose assistant was that powerful? He called Charmine ''Madam¡¯ as well. Was she married? They thought of how Eunice mocked Charmine for being single and called her ''man-like'', yet had someone hand-brewing a ss of tea for her, pampering her... Everyone in the video call seemed to note something far deeper than that as they simultaneously concluded to never mess with Charmine. 1 Charmine held the ss and walked back inside her office, and Amelia followed behind her. "Charmine, you saw me getting bullied. Don¡¯t you feel bad at all? Are you going to prolong this?" Amelia used her. Charmine sat on her working chair and looked up at Amelia. "Oh? Pray tell, what should I do?" chapter 734 chapter 734 Amelia then asserted, "As you¡¯ve heard, Eunice mocked me for being a lowly assistant. I''m a Jordan too! Being an assistant is so embarrassing! You have so much money now, so why don''t you invest some on me? Let me be a supermodel again to ruin those people! Isn''t that better?" "Hah!" Charmine nonchntly let out a scoff from her red lips. Charmine raised an eyebrow at Amelia. "You want me to invest in you, so you put on an act with Eunice? Your acting skills have improved, Amelia." Amelia''s face turned green. "I... I don¡¯t know what you''re talking about." ''There are only a few people who can get up to this level. Why would Eunicee in here without you acting up? Amelia, do you genuinely think I¡¯m that same fool from five years ago?" Charmine stared at her coldly, her face fierce and brutal. Amelia reeled back in shock, knowing Charmine saw through her facade. She was acting so well, yet Charmine still saw it through? Amelia decided to cut the act and stared Charmine right back. "So what? As my cousin, aren''t you supposed to help me? Why do you make Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. me your assistant? Isn''t it better for me to be a supermodel?" "Hah. You''re the one who wanted to be my assistant. Leave if you don''t want to work here-nobody is forcing you. Also, supermodel, you say? Did I stop you from going out? As your cousin, I''m not obliged to help you. Did you help me out when you had money?" Charmine refuted coldly, articting each and every word clearly. 1 Amelia''s face turned green from frustration. If she had a choice, she would not havee to Jordan Group to work as an assistant! Moreover, thews were strict on artists who had a history of misconduct. If Amelia was to return to the modeling industry, she would have to start from scratch again. 1 She was Amelia Jordan, the once most popr supermodel in Burlington, yet she had to start from the bottom again? Charmine had so much money and had apany to boot. Why was she not helping her repackage her image and help her get back to the industry? She red at Charmine. ''The past is the past, and the present is now! You''re crueler than Tiffany! You''re absolutely cold-blooded and heartless! You''re so evil, you were harmed and gave birth to a stillborn! You''ll suffer your whole life! You''ll get dumped by Anthony eventually!" Amelia cursed at her and stomped away angrily. Charmine sat in front of her desk, her face darkened. Dumped by Anthony eventually... 2 She was harmed...and gave birth to a stillborn... These words rang incessantly in her mind, one time after another. Even though she knew it was merely a curse, it still upset her. She picked up the ss and took a sip of the tea made by Anthony. The tea was warm and sweet, yet she felt somewhat bitter... That night, she went back to Violet Vi. She was in an ''alright'' mood until she noted how empty the house looked. Chris would have run to her from the room, asking for a hug... To avoid suspicion, all items of Anthony and Chris had been cleared out. The once warm and loving vi had turned cold and empty. It no longer looked weing. 1 While she could distract herself from overthinking during the day, her restlessness was amplified at night as she gazed at the cold space around her. Charmine never knew when this began, but she had grown used to the days spent with Anthony and Chris. Sheid in bed with no one to hold her, and she felt something was missing. So... Missing someone felt like this. Her mind wandered to the thoughts of Anthony: the way he spoke, the way he moved, and the way he carried himself overtook her. Charmine quickly shot up and picked up her phone to click on WhatsApp. She wanted to text Anthony. However, the uneasy words from Amelia suddenly resonated in her ears... 1 ''You''re so evil, you were harmed and gave birth to a stillborn! You''ll suffer your whole life! You''ll get dumped by Anthony eventually!'' Dumped by Anthony eventually... chapter 735 chapter 735 Even if Anthony did not dump Charmine, the Baileys would never ept her anyway. Due to what happened to her five years ago, she did not have enough courage to see herself as Anthony''s equal. If the Baileys found out that she bore a child and gave birth to a stillborn, all hell would break loose. 4 This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Charmine wondered how much longer she had to endure such days. Her man, the man she married, had to care for Annabel while pretending to date Waverly. Was there any meaning to this marriage? She suddenly recalled that one word from Julian that never left her...'' Struggling''. Anthony and Charmine were indeed struggling. This was a fight with the demons! Had it not been for that alexandrite ring from Monster Museum, she would have broken up with Anthony instead of going through this painful torture... Out of the blue, a sound was heard from outside, followed by the sound of footsteps. Someone invaded her home! She did lock the door with Kay guarding from the outside, and nobody could get in easily. Who could it be? Charmine instantly stood up from the bed and went to lean against the wall by the door. A momentter, the door was pushed open with a resounding click. A foot came into view. Charmine struck a punch at the person''s chest forcefully, but the individual nimbly avoided the punch. Charmine then grabbed the man''s arm, tearing his shirt in the process! When she looked up at him, her pupils dted. "An...Anthony?" Why was it him? Did he not say he would sleep in Vi 11? Why did hee to Violet Vi? Anthony nced at his bare arm and his lips parted, "We haven''t met for a day, and mydy has gone so wild?" Wild... Charmine looked at the cloth in her hands and Anthony¡¯s torn white shirt. Her face flushed red. "I thought you¡¯re a thief or a killer. Why didn''t you let me know before you came in?" Had her punchnded on Anthony''s abdomen, his ribs would have cracked. Anthony walked into the room, he hooked his arm around her waist naturally. "I wanted to give you a surprise, but you beat me to it." Anthony gazed at his arm. The cloth was torn away, and the marks of her fingernails left two scars on his arm with blood oozing out. Charmine knew he was messing with her. She went to get the first-aid kit and sat beside him to help him clean the wound. "You must let me know before youe in next time. I won''t be responsible if I injured you." Anthony did not reply; he merely looked at her intently. Charmine was solely focusing on Anthony, using the cotton to clean his wound and then putting some ointment on it. All she could see was his wound, as if all she could see was him. All she cared about was him. Noting that Anthony did not respond to her, Charmine looked up to meet Anthony''s intent gaze after cing a bandaid over the wound. Even though he was usually so cold and calm, whenever he looked at her, his eyes always showed a hint of softness. Charmine''s heart skipped half a beat. 1 This man was a drug; just one look at him affected her silly. "I''ll go and put back the medical box," she excused herself. "No need, sleep with me." Anthony put the box on the bedside table and his arm around her waist tightened. The two of them fell onto the bed. Hisrge hand was so strong as it wrapped around her waist. It was as if he was iming her as his possession. chapter 736 chapter 736 Caught off-guard as she fell into Anthony''s arms, Charmine wanted to move before deciding against it and settling in his embrace. His chest was so firm and wide, and his body scent calmed her senses. Her uneasiness was dispelled atst. Anthony ced his chin on her head as he held her in silence hugging her silently. He gradually lowered his head andnded kisses after kisses from her forehead to her eyes, then her nose bridge, and eventually aimed for her lips. Each kiss was deeply filled with meaning. When he was about to kiss her on the lips. Charmine instinctively moved back. 1 Strange as it was, Charmine would resist instinctively whenever they got intimate. Perhaps she was still traumatized by what happened five years ago... Anthony could feel that she was still resistant against him, or perhaps it was due to what happened with Waverly. He pulled her deeper into his chest andforted her with a low and deep voice, "Charmine, remember: I¡¯m your man, your husband byw too. Everyone else is just a stepping stone throughout our married journey." Charmine squinted at that. Did he mean Waverly and Annabel? 1 These two women were extremely amazing. Annabel gave birth to his child while Waverly was a perfect match for him, yet he treated them as'' stepping stones''? Charmine''s thoughts overwhelmed her before Anthony came, yet it took just an embrace and a few words for him to calm her down. She somehow felt as if she was attention-seeking, always needing him tofort her... Anthony kissed her patiently and calmed her with his gentleness. She no longer resisted and gradually rxed. That night, sheid in Anthony''s arm, enjoying his warmth as she fell asleep peacefully. When she woke up on the next day, Anthony was no longer there, but there was a paper slip by the bed. [Mydy, remember to have breakfast.] His words were beautifully written, and a loving sight it was. The two words-''mydy¡¯-made her feel the warmth. All the negative emotions from the previous night and the things that Amelia said had all vanished. 1 After she got out from the bed, she heated up the prepared sandwich while the milk was kept warm with a device. Everything was perfect; a rtionship without them both living together could still be loving. Charmine failed to fight back the grin on her face as she felt invigorated once more. As she had her breakfast, she phoned the staff in thepany and said, "Get ready, we''re having a meeting at eight sharp." If the Baileys looked down on her for being poor, if they look down on her for not being good enough for him, then she should earn more money! If she had a ruined past, she should work even harder to ovee that, to turn herself into someone everyone shall look up to, so she could stand next to Anthony in public! 1 With such motivation, she came to the office earlier than usual. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. Arriving at thepany''s shared space, she coincidentally saw Amelia. Amelia was sipping on her coffee by the side, instructing a small assistant angrily, "Hurry up and copy them-we need them for the meeting You¡¯re so slow, you can bet I''ll fire you." Shivering, the small assistant hastily got to work. Charmine stopped walking. She red at Amelia coldly. "You''re just a lowly assistant. Who gave you the right to fire anyone?" When Amelia saw Charmine, she panicked for a moment. "Charmine, you..." Why was she in the building so early? Charmine usually showed up past eight, and it was only seven-thirty. Furthermore, after she cursed at Charmine, she realized that Charmine went home looking rather upset, seemingly down in the blues. Amelia believed Charmine would still be haunted with such feelings, and it made her happy until... "Pack your things now, get your pay from the finance department, and leave!" Charmine scoffed coldly. 1 Amelia jolted. "What? Charmine, are you crazy? I''m your cousin!" chapter 737 chapter 737 "Did it cross your mind that I''m your cousin when you cursed me?" challenged Charmine. That took Amelia by surprise. As everyone was watching, she walked toward Charmine and growled through gritted teeth, "Yesterday is yesterday. I''m a Jordan after all. How can you fire me just like this? Can you show me some respect?" Charmine rolled her eyes at her as she debated, "Did you show me any respect when you cursed at me yesterday?" Amelia''s blood boiled in anger. Why did she have to bring up what happened yesterday?! "You''re using this for your vendetta!" "Vendetta? Heh!¡± Charmine''s red lips curled up beautifully as she shot Amelia an aloof stare. "If you''re that capable, why don¡¯t you be the director and get back at me?" Amelia was so frustrated that her face turned greenish-purple. Would she even waste her time with Charmine if she could be the Jordan Group''s director? Charmine was using her authority to ruin her! 1 Charmine red at her and continued, "Before you''re capable, know your status! Don''t embarrass yourself, and don''t offend people you can''t afford to!" So, Amelia genuinely thought she could wreck her when she was a nobody and made her second- guess herself? Hmph... She deserved what came for her! After she scoffed at her, Charmine marched away. Walking toward the human resource team, she then instructed, "Get Amelia ready for resignation. She''s not allowed to enter thepany in the future!" Her clear and cold voice resonated in the hall along with the clicking of her heels. Her fierceness and mercilessness were evident for all to see. Everyone in the building lowered their heads in fear. Amelia red daggers at Charmine''s back as she glowered in fury. Charmine fired her just because she cursed at her yesterday? 2 How vile! Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. She refused to be chased away without teaching Charmine a lesson! After Charmine had left, she quickly asked for a meeting. Early in the morning, she was setting the company''s future development: She nned to have one Divine Bird in the heart of each city and wanted the Jordan Group''s medieval-styled architecture to be built in the cities of every country! The designing team was tasked to design the buildings based on the culture of each city while the marketing team was in charge of promoting the projects. The executives would then focus on putting everything in action. Charmine would then contact the person overseeing the cities in every country to buy plots ofnd from them. If things went ording to the n, within three months, the Jordan Group would be the top architecturepany in the world! 1 Charmine was caught up in work; all she wanted was to improve her and the Jordan Group''s capability. She personally took care of therger, unwilling-topromise cities. Up until the evening... Ding! The Messenger notification on theputer rang-it was sent by Anthony. [Mother sent an AL Under Sea couple''s dining voucher. She insisted Waverly and I go there.] Charmine frowned. AL Under Sea was andmark building in Burlington located ten meters below sea level. Diners could eat as they feast their eyes on the thousands of fishes and sea creatures in sight. 1 Furthermore, the AL Under Sea Couple¡¯s Dining Experience only had nine under-sea rooms and only epted a booking for two. It was said that even the prince and princess of Burlington had dined in there before. The reservation waiting queue of the restaurant went as far as five years. Susan exerted so much effort to match Anthony with Waverly. If this wasst night, of course she would not have wished for Anthony to go over. However, after hearing what he saidst night, after his heartfelt words, she trusted him more than anyone. She typed to reply: [Don''t worry, I won''t get jealous. After all, they''re all mere stepping stones, right?] Knowing Anthony¡¯s personality, there was no way Anthony could have feelings with her after dining with these ''stepping stones''. Waverly should not be able to do anything. Anthony asked, [Do you really want me to dine with another woman in a couple''s restaurant? The couple''s room is a private space for two.] Charmine¡¯s brows furrowed. Private space for two? chapter 738 chapter 738 Seeing that she did not reply, Anthony''s lips curled up. It seemed that this woman could still get jealous. She had only him in her heart. 1 He texted and sent, [I''m just joking. Don''t worry, I know what to do. If you really mind, perhaps consider giving me a title?] Charmine was speechless. This man would do anything to officiate their rtionship! Nheless, it was too early for that. They had to at least wait for Annabel''s situation to progress for the better, and they had to wait until Momo had greater hope of getting healed. She replied, [Don''t worry, I really don''t mind.] Inside the Bailey Corporation building. Reading her reply, Anthony turned off theputer. He removed the suit and instructed Luke, "Bring everything in." Luke brought a pair of soft iron armor to him and respectively helped Anthony to put them on. 2 Even though Charmine said she did not mind, the thought of Anthony dining a couple''s meal with Waverly still upset her. 1 While on the drive home after work, the billboard by the roadside happened to advertise the AL Couple¡¯s Experience. The advertisement disyed transparent rooms with dining tables and chairs leaning on the ss. Outside the ss windows was the azure blue sea water with colorful fishes swimming back and forth. The sight was so romantic, much like a ce from a fairytale. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. This was the most beautiful couple''s restaurant in the world. Legend had it that the couples who dined there would be blessed by the entire ocean, to stay together forever... 1 Meanwhile, in the advertisement, a shark of captive breeding swam toward the couple suddenly, attacking the ss. The scared actress instantly went into the arms of the actor. The advertisement slogan read, [AL, the ideal couple''s dining experience under the sea.] Charmine frowned. Anthony was about to dine with Waverly at such a romantic ce? If Waverly was scared and got close to Anthony, would he protect her? Honk! The car beside Charmine honked at her. Charmine snapped out of her thoughts and saw that it was Alexander, somehow right next to her car. His red shirt with his red convertible sports car was a killerbo. She frowned. He did note thest time she looked for him, so why was he here all of a sudden? Perhaps he did not receive the text the other day? Alexander took out an item and showed it to her. "For you. You¡¯re wee." Charmine looked to see that it was an AL Dining Experience''s dining voucher. She frowned. Did AL Experience not only take in nine couples per day? The bookings had gone as far as a few years. There were no avable vouchers at all, yet Alexander got one for the day? "Don''t look at me like that. Anthony isn''t the only capable man in the world. Catch!" Alexander threw the voucher at her. Charmine instinctively caught it, but she threw it right back. "I don''t need it." "You don''t want to see how the woman is treating your man? What if this woman takes the opportunity to get close to your man?" teased Alexander flirtatiously. Charmine thought of the advertisement, and her eyes darkened. She trusted Anthony, but Waverly... "Don''t worry; I''ll leave after taking you there. After all, I ruined your life, didn''t I? A voucher worth nine hundred and ny thousand is nothing, no?" With that said, Alexander stepped on the elerator and took the lead driving in front of her. Charmine hesitated for a moment and drove forward, too. Alexander was right-he owed her too much. He nearly ruined her whole life. So what if she took a voucher from him? Moreover, Waverly was indeed awfully suspicious. Why would she give her such a strong sense of familiarity? Why did she happen to bump into Anthony the other day and somehow be his y- pretend girlfriend? 1 She had to find out, to see if she could find out any clue. As for Alexander... She drove as she texted Kaym [Find out Alexander''s bank ount and transfer two million to him.] With that paid, the voucher would be something she bought, double the price. She had no link to Alexander; they were not even friends. Alexander, who was driving in front soon received the notification, [Bank ount alert: 2 million received.] He frowned. It had been so long, yet Charmine still acted so cold to him? It was as if no progress was made. chapter 739 chapter 739 Regardless, Alexander was in no hurry. He could take it slow. Both his car and Charmine''s pulled over by the restaurant''s entrance. Charmine got out of the car, not bothering to wait for him as she marched into the restaurant. However, the staff by the entrance lowered his head politely and said," Pardon, Madam, but only couples can enter the restaurant." Only couples? She could not enter alone, even with a ticket? As she was frowning, Alexander walked to her side. "I hope we can enter now?" "Yes, you may. Please, follow me." The staff led them in politely. Charmine stopped in her tracks. Entering with Alexander? What if Anthony saw them? Knowing Anthony, he might... Alexander walked beside her and said in a half-whisper, "Don''t worry, I''ll find an excuse to leave after sending you in there." Since Charmine was already in AL, she could not just leave like that. 1 After a moment of hesitation, she marched ahead. Since Alexander was only sending her in, Anthony would not be able to see them. The staircase of the underwater restaurant was structured like a spiral. The lower they went, the bluer the sea became with more fishes swimming back and forth. 1 In the lobby, many coral seaweeds were used as decorations. Even the pirs were made of transparent ss, as if this was an underwater pce. They passed by the lobby and arrived at the dining area. There were nine areas separated by ss panels. The upper half was a transparent ss while the lower half was of matte ss. One could vaguely see the couples inside each area while retaining their privacy. Charmine and Alexander sat down in one room. She nced around and saw that the room to their right happened to be of Anthony and Waverly*s. They sat across one another with a candle on the table. They were having a candlelight dinner. Meanwhile, Alexander looked at her and asked, "Are you sure you don¡¯t want me to stay and apany you? Dining alone in this cold underwater space can get lonely..." "I''ve got thick clothes on, I''m not cold," Charmine remained calm as she sat before the table. Alexander pretended to let out a long and sad sigh, "What a heartless woman...! I''ll leave now." Not staying any longer, Alexander stood up and left. Seeing his retreating form, Charmine¡¯s eyes darkened. He was not apletely bad guy, but that did not change the fact he ruined her due to one mission back then. He ruined the beauty of a teenager¡¯s youth. 1 To her, what he did was equivalent to a rapist. She would never treat him with respect after what he did to her back then. s, Alexander returned to the table not long after, much to Charmine¡¯s chagrin. Alexander exined, "I don''t have a choice. The staff outside said that couples must leave at the same time. Restaurant rules." Charmine was baffled. How were there so many rules in this restaurant? "Alright, let''s go." She stood up, ready to leave. She would not dine with Alexander. However, the staff happened to be bringing some appetizers. "Sir, Madam, this is theplimentary appetizers provided by the restaurant. Please have a look at the menu." The serving staff handed two tablets over. "Can we not? We need to leave now," insisted Charmine. The serving staff looked at Charmine and Alexander. They just got here; it was apparent that they had an argument of sorts. The owner of this restaurant had established the goal of making sure every couple would be happy. Thepany had the intention of matching up couples and resolving their conflicts. She smiled politely. "My apologies, but the restaurant has the policy of not leaving a room empty to minimize the wastage of natural This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. resources. We have the rule stating that every guest must stay for at least thirty-nine minutes before leaving. We hope the two of you can understand and enjoy the view of AL Dining Experience." 3 Charmine was speechless. Did that mean she had to dine with Alexander? What if Anthony found out? chapter 740 chapter 740 Since there were a few rooms between them and Anthony, along with some corridors separating them, was it likely he would not see them? Charmine had to decide whether to stay or leave. Assessing that Anthony and Waverly were not far away, she finally decided to stay. She went through all the trouble to get to AL, Charmine would rather find out more about Waverly. As she went through the menu, her lips twitched. This restaurant was indeed the No.1 Couple''s Dining Experience in Burlington. Even the menu only consisted of dishes for two with no a carte dishes in sight. It did not help that the names for the dishes were so sickening. They had '' Love Birds'', ¡®Matching Wings'', ''Lover''s Tears'', and ¡¯Forever and Ever''. Each was more sickening than the other. 1 Charmine rolled her eyes. She had no choice but to finally order ''Full Moon''. The term ¡®Full Moon'' was not specifically used to describe a couple, so it was less sickening. The serving staff left with the menu, once more leaving Alexander and Charmine in the room. Sitting on the inside seat, Charmine took out her phone and yed with it. She did not want to see Alexander at all. Sensing her hostility toward him, Alexander looked at her and asked," Charmine, it''s been five years since. Do you still hate me as much?¡± Life felt much better before he mentioned that. Charmine''s expression fell and morphed into one akin to a billowing blizzard. ''Five years'' sounded so effortless. They were mere five years to Alexander, but to her, they were her nightmare. If she was not lucky enough to be taken in by the four Uncles, she would have died long ago. Charmine did not bother to answer him. Shooting him an intense stare, she hissed, "You better don''t make any sound. Try to make yourself less visible to me. If I hit you in public, it''s not good for either of US." Alexander was perplexed. Hit him? How unruly! Still, he did not insist on the matter as he knew how livid she was. He then decided toy on the sofa and sleep. As the sofa was only 1.5 meters long, it was unable to support his long legs fully, so his legs hung in the air. Charmine did not bother with that as she looked at the right side of the room. Anthony and Waverly seemed to be dining. Sitting across one another, they looked like two strangers. As Anthony was facing Charmine''s room, she could see his calm and elegant face that showed not even a hint of warmth. Since Waverly had her back turned to Charmine, she could not see Waverly¡¯s expression. Even though it was her back, she still gave off the strong sense of familiarity. Why did she feel like this every time she saw Waverly? It was as if every single cell of hers was uneasy. She wondered if Waverly would somehow drop hints on who she was... It did not take long before all the dishes were brought to the table. Sizzling steak, foie gras, and small dishes were elegantly presented. The most beautiful of all was the nine candlesticks, with one evidently taller and another much shorter than the rest. They made this the perfect candlelight dinner. The scene looked splendidly romantic as fishes of various colors swam joyfully outside the window. Charmine felt emotional right then and there. Everything would have been perfect if the person opposite her was Anthony. Unfortunately, her man was apanying another woman. Charmine, in one go, blew out all nine candles. The atmosphere was instantly destroyed. The serving staff was so shocked. How was this woman so fierce? This couple must be going through something, and it was better to leave them to their devices. With that, the serving staff left. Upon walking away, she met another serving staff and gossiped, ''The woman seems to be familiar, and her attitude is so wild! Her boyfriend brought her to a couple''s restaurant, and she''s still being so pretentious!" "I think she looks kind of like that supermodel, Charmine Jordan," said the other staff.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. When Anthony looked up, he coincidentally saw Charmine in the room diagonally opposite to his! His calm and emotionless expression instantly shifted into one of slow fury. Why was Charmine here? Only couples were allowed in here. Who did shee with? chapter 741 chapter 741 Anthony red at the ss as he tried to see through the matte lower-half who else was inside that room. Charmine was about to eat when she felt a strong pressure on her. Instinctively, she looked up and met a pair of darkening eyes. Anthony... He found out! Her usually calm face was now uneasy. She felt as if she was caught cheating... Across the hall, Anthony picked up his phone. Soon... Ding! A few words appeared on Charmine¡¯s phone screen. Anthony texted, [Who did youe with?] Charmine felt her heart beating faster. He sounded as if he was interrogating his cheating wife. Why was she so scared? What a weak stance! Rposing herself, Charmine then texted, [Someone I simply found on the way. I came here to check on you.] Right, she was the one checking on him. She should not feel guilty! When Anthony saw the text, he frowned. Simply found? Who? Where was the man? Was heying on the sofa, afraid to be seen? The thought of Charmine dining with another man and her actively keeping it a secret made him feel utterly unsettled. He typed, [Meet me in the washroom.] With that, he kept his phone and said to Waverly, "Excuse me.¡± "Alright.¡± Waverly remained elegant as she usually was. Anthony stood up and walked toward the washroom. Even though he was far away, Charmine could still feel the fury he emitted. The message he texted still lit up Charmine''s phone. Meet him in the washroom? They were in public with so many serving staff around. What if someone found out? Susan spent so much to have them both down here. What if she also had other people keeping an eye on them? What if Susan found out about them? Their efforts would go to waste. Anthony, on his way to the washroom, texted Nial, [Within one minute, hack into AL¡¯s security system. Find out the man Charmine came with.] Nial, at that moment, was taking care of Annabel... Why was it so difficult to be a doctor? It was so difficult to have a troublesome brother...! That aside, Charmine actually went to a ce like AL with another man? She was his sister-inw! Taken with curiosity, Nial went inside his office and worked on hisputer rapidly. Within less than a minute, his brows furrowed as he texted Anthony, [ Seems like you''ve got a rival, Bro. This man is Alexander Walker. OMG! He''s so good-looking, my heart skips a beat even though I''m a man!] 1 Receiving the photo of Alexander, Anthony''s already darkened expression instantly became colder as if he was an ice sculpture of over thousands of years. His being emitted ice-cold fury. Alexander Walker! Him, again! He noted how Charmine''s eyes lingered a little too long on Alexander for his liking when she went to the Walker gang''s base. She was so Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. caught up by the sight of him. Not long ago, she even let Alexander in their house, and he left a button! Anthony warned her before, yet she was still in touch with Alexander? Alexander was the man who touched her five years ago! The woman he had been reluctant to touch was touched by Alexander, and they still kept in touch! Chest filled with iprehensible fury, Anthony opened his chat with Charmine when he noted she had not moved from her seat. Charmine was still hesitating when she received Anthony''s message. (What? Do you want me toe and carry you out?] Her eyes twitched. Carry her? It would be over by then! chapter 742 chapter 742 Charmine was so terrified that she stood up instantly. She wore a calm facade when walking to the washroom, though she internally prayed. She prayed whoever Susan sent to spy on him would not catch on. The moment she walked into the washroom, Charmine felt her wrist grabbed before she was pulled into a cubicle with the door locked behind her. She was pressed against the ice-cold marble wall. Anthony stood in front of her, one of his hands ced by her side, his body leaning toward her. "Charmine, was the lesson I gave you not clear enough?" His husky voice sounded domineering. Charmine thought of the other time when he gave her a handful of hickeys, and she had to wear high-cored dresses for a good few days. As they were inside the washroom, anyone mighte in anytime. If he did anything... She quickly exined, "We met on the way here, and he gave me the entrance ticket. I was going to leave after, but the restaurant states that both parties have to leave at the same time." "So, you dine with him? What did you order? Lover''s Pleasure? Forever and Ever?" Anthony red at her unblinkingly. With that in mind, the arrogance in his eyes seemed to have swallowed her whole. Charmine felt the sense of oppression he was exuding. The narrowed space suffocated her. Sensing he was overpowering her, she countered, "What about you? What did you order with Waverly?" "We''re pretending to be a couple to protect you, yet you and Alexander are pretending to be a couple? Hmm?" As Anthony spoke, he leaned in even closer to her, his well-built body almost engulfing her entirely. Charmine looked up to see his throat. Backed up against the chilly wall, she had nowhere else to go. It did not help Anthony''s way of putting things made her feel somewhat guilty. Anthony was indeed protecting her, while she came here merely to check on him... At that moment, Charmine noticed that Anthony''s arm was colder and stiffer than usual. Looking closer, she saw that under his white shirt was cylindrical steel under his arm, covering his arm entirely. Her eyelids jumped. Was this man such a clean freak that he literally and figuratively steeled himself from any bodily interaction with Waverly? She, on the other hand... Suddenly, the guilt in her somehow deepened. 1 Anthony-who assumed Charmine was caught red-handed as she said nothing to reply to him -1 i fted her chin and forced her to look him in the eyes. "Charmine, tell me honestly: Do you like him? Do you want to be with him?" Charmine shook her head hastily. "Of course not! What happened today is merely a coincidence. I spent two million to buy the ticket from him. I never thought strictly only couples are allowed to enter...!" Thinking of how he stayed chaste for her, she gave him a long exnation and met his gaze. "Furthermore, why would I like a rapist? You asked me not to overthink things, so I hope you''ll listen to your own advice as well." "You two did it. He touched you; you let him," blurted Anthony. His voice carried no hint of hatred. In fact, it showed a hint of jealousy. 2 Charmine frowned. Anthony was that jealous that hepared himself to a rapist? Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. If another man found out that she slept with Alexander, they would look down on her and treat her badly, yet Anthony was here being jealous of him? 1 Looking at the customized steel around his arm, she felt strange. This was a man who truly respected her and loved her dearly. She felt that any exnation would be worth nothing. If he said she was resistant toward him, she might as well... Suddenly, Charmine hooked her arm around his neck, stood on her toes, and kissed him on the lips. 1 Anthony''s back slightly stiffened; he was unable to react. Charmine was more dominating than usual as she kissed him possessively, her body leaning toward his in the process. She only let him go when he was almost out of breath. A pair of sparkling eyes gazed into his. chapter 743 chapter 743 "Anthony, I adore you and you alone. If you keep using me of wanting to date a rapist, expect me to punish you for that." Anthony''s face straightened the moment he heard that. "What did you say?" he spoke, face still stoic. "I said, if you keep using me of wanting to date a rapist, expect me to punish you for that!" warned Charmine. "Kneel on a rough surface or shells; you can have your pick." "No, the endearing line,¡± dismissed Anthony. Endearing line...? N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Charmine frowned. She recalled, "I adore you and you alone-¡¯¡¯ 1 She stopped then and there, realizing what she had just said as her cheeks burned red. She tantly stated she adored Anthony... Never before had she admitted her feelings after knowing him for so long. It was first attributed to the trauma Julian left her with, feeling that women who took the initiatives in a rtionship would not end up well. She would rather be the passive one back then. Secondly, it was due to what happened five years ago, as well as herplex rtionship with Anthony. Although they signed the marriage certificate, she was still unsure of whether they couldst forever. If she admitted her feelings for him too early, she would be the one embarrassed at the end. 1 She kept herself from confessing her true feelings to him. s, that went down the drain... Anthony''s usually aloof, cold eyes were seemingly ignited with a spark of me. They had been together for so long; it was always him taking the initiative. Even though they had been married, Charmine still had not admitted her feelings for him. For the first time in forever, she admitted that she adored him. 1 Initially overwhelmed with anger, all negative emotions Anthony had vanished at that instance. cing his arm around her waist, he pulled her into his arms as he gazed into her eyes. "Coincidentally, I feel the same for you.¡¯¡¯ With that said, he abruptly lowered his head to kiss him arrogantly, intensely, and deeply. His hand was on her back while he kissed her and hugged her... Feeling Anthony''s cold,rge arm around her waist, Charmine became more aware of her surroundings... This was the washroom-anyone mighte in any time! she and Anthony had disappeared for so long and at the same time. It might raise suspicions. Charmine hastily pushed him away and reminded him, "Time to go back." Frowning as he was stopped, Anthony directed, "Charmine, it''s time for US to officiate our rtionship." While Charmine seemed aloof and uncaring on the outside, the fact she came to AL to check on him showed how much she cared for him. Moreover, seeing as she confessed her true feelings and they both felt the same way, there was no need to hide it from anyone anymore. 1 However, Charmine rejected, "Absolutely not. How rare it is for me to live in peace! Now isn''t the time to go public yet.¡± "You''d rather feel uneasy to live in peace?" retorted Anthony. Charmine was speechless. She was indeed feeling uneasy, but it was not severe, no? 1 "Furthermore, I came here not only to check on you. My main intention was to check on Waverly; I don''t trust her. Go back and spend time with her, I want to see when she¡¯ll show her true colors." Anthony frowned. "She doesn¡¯t seem to have any intention. She even healed Annabel." ''The problem gets even worse if we both can''t put a finger on it!" countered Charmine. ''The thorn on the side is always the worst. Just go back, trust me on this." "I trust mydy." Anthony looked at her, smiling at her gently. "Call me your husband?" chapter 744 chapter 744 Charmine''s face flushed red. Call him her husband? She called him that not long ago. Was there such a need to repeat it? "Stop fooling around! If they find US here, all our efforts would be wasted. All of the pretense of you with Waverly will be ruined." "Keep stalling and they''ll find US here," warned Anthony. That startled Charmine. Was he threatening her? It seemed as though he would not let her go unless she called him her'' husband''. True, someone would find them in the cubicle if they stalled even longer. She had no choice but to sheepishly mutter, "Husband...¡± 1 She sounded abashed, shy even as she uttered the nickname, a stark contrast to her usual cold, scathing way of speaking. Unsettled at the way she called Anthony that, Charmine''s cheeks burned red as she pushed him away. "Get out!" Anthony''s lips curled up with satisfaction. How he wanted to take her right then and there after listening to her voice. Furthermore, she sounded like a small and shy woman, far different from her usually cold disposition. It was utterly endearing. 1 With that, he reached out to ruffle her hair. "Be good, and stay away from Alexander. Don¡¯t make me angry again." 1 After saying that, he left. Charmine¡¯s heart skipped a beat after he ruffled her hair. Had he cast a spell on her? She came here to check on him and Waverly, but she ended up getting together with him... In order to be less suspicious, she only left the washroom approximately five minutes after he did. She noted that Alexander had started eating when she returned to the table, noticing that there was an extra dish by the corner of the table. It was a half-cut heart-shaped steak, delicately presented. One could tell right away that the other half was taken away. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. Alexander exined, "The serving staff brought this in. She said there''s a promotion going on, and they¡¯re giving out aplimentary Heart to Heart dish." Heart to Heart? Complimentary? Impossible... Charmine turned to look in Anthony''s direction. She saw that Anthony was having steak as well, and he was having the same dish. Seemingly sensing her gaze, he looked up at her and raised his wine ss. He was obviously inviting her... Her heartbeat fastened. When he was having a couple¡¯s set with Waverly and Charmine was with Alexander, Anthony ordered an extra dish to share with her? This was too obvious. They were done for if anyone found out. 2 Charmine hastily lowered her head to eat-she dared not look at Anthony for any longer. Once they reached the minimum seating time, she would leave right away! Diagonally opposite to her... Waverly was facing Anthony, her voice gentle and therapeutic as she began, "Annabel''s situation has gotten better in the past two days, but it¡¯s best if you spend more time visiting her. She''s conceiving your child, after all.¡± "Don''t worry, I¡¯ve made some arrangements," said Anthony with a cold tone, nothing like how he spoke to Charmine. Unbeknownst to them, an enormous shark swam toward the ss facing them. Anthony frowned. He thought of what Charmine said beforehand. If Waverly had other intentions, this was her best opportunity. However... Smash! The shark rammed against the ss loudly. For a more realistic effect, the ss had some three-dimensional cracks that looked utterly realistic. The women in the rooms were terrified, yelping as they jumped into the arms of their men. However, Waverly remained elegantly seated, showing not even a hint of panic. Anthony could not help looking at her. "You''re not afraid?" chapter 745 chapter 745 "I¡¯m aware that this is just an effect. Furthermore, I¡¯m a hypnotist. I was once invited to calm down an agitated female lion, and I was dangerously close to her-we were only ten centimeters apart with no protection. ss is separating US from the shark. What''s there to be scared of?" stated Waverly. Anthony''s eyes darkened. She seemed meek and docile, but Waverly had such courage in her after all? She seemed to be different from the other women. Was Charmine¡¯s suspicion on Waverly necessary? However, he would not spend too much time on another woman and shrugged off all thoughts of Waverly secondster. The shark swam away shortly after, and the restaurant felt calm once more. Both Anthony and Waverly remained respectful to one another throughout the meal, and as they finished, Waverly looped her arm around Anthony''s as they left. To stay out of Waverly''s sight, Charmine lowered her head and used her arm to cover one side of her face. The sight of their linked arms did not conjure jealousy within Charmine. After all, Anthony had steel sping his arm. Waverly must have felt unsettled as she felt the cold steel instead of Anthony''s actual arm. Her husband did a splendid job, a wonderful feat indeed! Passing by their table, Anthony nonchntly nced at the dishes and noted she had only eaten the steak he ordered whilst the Full Moon dish remained untouched. His thin lips curled up. She was his woman, perceptive indeed. He felt proud of her. Sighing in relief after Anthony and Waverly left, she then straightened herself. She should not take the risk next time-she should not doubt Anthony again. As for Waverly, well... She should find another way to check on her. Charmine was searching for a n when she noted Alexander taking all of the dishes in front of him and started eating slowly. She frowned. "What are you doing?" "Are you crazy? Anthony''s mother must''ve arranged for someone to watch over them. Won''t we expose ourselves if they saw US in here and left without finishing our meal?" Alexander spoke as he put food into his mouth. Assessing Alexander''s reasoning, it did seem to make sense. They would raise suspicion had they not done so. She did not protest. The portion originally made for two, at the end of the meal, was all eaten by Alexander who grimaced at being too full. Not wanting to owe him anything, she said calmly, "You don''t have to keep eating; leaving some is okay." "Oh, you care about me, Charmine?" Alexander winked at her. Charmine instantly rolled her eyes at him. "You continue eating. Finish them all!" Alexander was speechless. He spoke too much. By then, Anthony and Waverly had already left the restaurant, and Luke was on his way to fetch them both. Hidden in the dark, Susan watched on as her eyes were filled with excitement. She knew Anthony well enough to know she should not force him, so she did not follow them into the restaurant and only let a serving staff keep an eye on them. The final report was that Anthony and Waverly treated one another politely. Even when the shark appeared, the two did not hug each other. Yes, treating one another cordially was already a huge improvement for Anthony, but everything was too slow! Therefore, when Luke was out for food, Susan arranged for someone to add an item to the backseat of the car. It was a very small sachet, almost unnoticeable. They would not be able to find out anything even if they went to examine it. When a man and a woman were confined to the limited space, this sachet would stimte their hormones. It was a weaker form of aphrodisiac, but it could induce passionate feelings for one another. Once they had feelings, a hug or even a kiss would be possible. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. She had to help Anthony and Waverly to secure their rtionship! Amid her thoughts, Anthony and Waverly had already got into the car that drove away not long after. Susan''s smiling eyes darkened with excitement. chapter 746 chapter 746 Unfortunately... After just driving 500 meters ahead, a child waved at the car by the roadside. 1 This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. It was Chris! Chris bought a dinosaur cap from a nearby shop. He had a big lollipop at his hand, an adorable sight to behold. When Luke saw him, he instantly pulled the emergency brake. Chris opened the door and went inside the car. "Hello, Daddy. Hi there!" After greeting them, Chris went straight to sit between them, separating Anthony from Waverly. Luke, sitting at the driver''s seat, was baffled at the young master''s behavior. ''Hi there''? Chris called Waverly ''there''? 3 Waverly halted as well, but it onlysted for a moment before she regained herposure. She did not want to argue with the child. Anthony frowned and asked, ¡®Why are you here?" He had picked him up after school and specifically asked him to stay at home. Tm already five, Daddy,¡¯¡¯ whined Chris, Tm no longer a three-year-old kid! Aren''t you afraid of me getting depressed if you keep me home every day? If you''re not afraid, I am! So what if I want toe out? I have human rights!" Anthony was speechless. He did not want to reason with him. Undeniably, he came at the right time, or he would have to sit alone with Waverly. He always felt ufortable around her. He warned, "Be good." "Alrighty!" Biting onto his lollipop, Chris fastened his seatbelt and sat between them. The atmosphere felt way too odd with just the two of them there, but with Chris around, it was apparently better. In a different car, Susan sat as she watched Chris getting into the car. Damn it! That brat ruined her n! The sachet would only work when a man and a woman were alone. With Chris alone, it would be ineffective. The sachet she bought at a high price would get wasted! No... She had toe up with a different n. As for Chris? She had to get rid of that wild breed someday! 1 After Susan had left, Charmine and Alexander walked out of the restaurant. Charmine took out her car key, and Alexander walked over to open the door for her. She wanted to reject, but seeing that there were serving staff by the entrance, she did not say anything and went inside the car. ''Take good care of yourself," Alexander reminded her as if they knew each other well. "Call me whenever you need anything." Charmine was stumped at his behavior. Since she was already inside the car, nobody could see her expression. She scoffed coldly, "Goodbye." With that said, she pulled up the window. Alexander took a step back, his lips still had that alluring smile on as he waved at her. His posture was as if he was bidding farewell to his loved one. What nobody knew was that he was the only one with feelings... Charmine looked at him through the rear mirror, her face cold still. If the thing from five years ago did not happen, perhaps she could be ordinary friends with Alexander. She would not hate him, at least. s... There were no ''ifs''. The sky was darkening as she returned to Violet Vi, with only faint light illuminating the scene. Outside the vi, a person sat quietly below the tree. Even though it was a simple stone stool, the way he sat was as if he was a king from hell, emanating mercilessness. chapter 747 chapter 747 It was Max D''Cruz. Charmine acted as if she did not see him and continued to walk to her house. "Charmine!" he sharply called out as if instructing her to stop. Charmine did not bother and opened the door as if Max was just an insignificant breeze. Charminepletely shrugging him came as a shock to Max. He was a prince-like figure in Kansas, and many begged for his attention, yet Charmine gave him attitude? "Charmine, I came here to discuss some matters with you!" he snapped." Are you unafraid of offending some people?" "Discuss some matters?" All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Finally stopping to turn at him, Charmine aloofly stated, "Please get in touch with my secretary and get a waiting number." Her tone was cold yet fierce altogether. Max''s lips twitched. He needed to get a waiting number? How could a woman get as nonsensical as her?! Entering her house, Charmine was ready to shut the door. However, an agent in ck blocked the door. Max then walked over, standing by the door and ring at Charmine. "How could you be so arrogant? Is it just because Anthony likes you? Now that Anthony is already in a rtionship with my sister, he''ll fall for her and leave you in a month''s time! What do you have to Despite it all, Charmine remained unhurt and, instead, smirked with her red lips. "Compare? Why bother? I already have Anthony''s heart." ''I already have Anthony''s heart¡¯ was a bullseye and a scathingment at the same time. Max smirked, it¡¯s just temporary. He''ll dump you eventually!" "So what if it''s temporary? Can your sister get his heart even for a short while?" Charmine scoffed. Max was speechless. "Charmine, I can¡¯t be bothered to argue nonsense with you. No matter if it was the D¡¯Cruz family or the Baileys, everyone wants them to get together. You better leave if you''re wise. Furthermore, return my shares of Jordown Group, or you''ll die miserably once Anthony dumps you and you''re left without support!" Charmine squinted. "Are you trying to threaten me?" "You should take it as that. With the involvement of both families, Anthony getting on with Waverly will only be a matter of time. Without Anthony¡¯s protection, how will you rival the D''Cruz family? I hope you compromise sooner, and I might show you mercy in the future!" He came all the way here to ask her topromise and to hand back his shares? Charmine''s lips curled up alluringly. "Compromise? Did you mean this?" With that said, she took out a stack of photos from her bag and showed him. The photos were of Max sleeping with the woman in her forties. The photos showed them in action, taken from all 360 degrees! Max''s brows furrowed. "You got a death wish alright, Charmine!" He reached out to grab them, but Charmine held up the photos and red at him. "As I said, you have things on me. Cause problems again, and I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯ll feel hell." With that said, she swung her hand. Instantly, a stack of photos flew out from her hand, flying in the sky as if it was raining. Max red at her furiously. "Charmine, I want you dead!" He took out a ck-colored weapon and pointed it at Charmine''s forehead. Should he pull the trigger, the sharp silver needle would go through Charmine¡¯s head! At that moment, about ten people came out of the darkness with weapons at hand, all aiming at Charmine''s head. 1 As Charmine was surrounded with weapons, the atmosphere grew intense! chapter 748 chapter 748 Despite facing deadly threats, Charmine remained calm and unperturbed." If you have time to warn me, why don''t you pick up the photos first?¡± warned Charmine, all while she wore a faint smile. "If they fly too far away and someone picks them up, I''m afraid your reputation may be ruined. Also, if I''m dead, I can guarantee that at least a hundred helicopters will spread these photos all over the world." Though her voice had no allegro to it, her words still held potent venom. Only then did Max and his men realized that a strong gust had carried the photos further away, some even going as far as 200 meters away. Max''s face went as dark as ink. Charmine was the definition of evil-dark, calcted evil! Despite fuming vehemently, he had to shift his attention and instructed his bodyguards, "Pick them all up!" 1 The 15 bodyguards quickly stashed their weapons and went to pick up the fluttering photos. s, the autumn night breeze was so consistent that it continued to blow the photos away. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Hundreds of photos were all over the ce in all different directions. Even though there were 15 bodyguards, they were far from enough and did not manage to capture all of the photos. Seeing that some photos flew further away, Max could no longer hold it back. He gritted his teeth and red at Charmine. "Charmine, you''re digging your own grave. Notpromising? I''d watch my back if I were you!¡± he threatened her coldly. Without a choice, he kept his weapon and went to chase the photos. Smirking with her ruby lips, Charmine smiled faintly as she reminded him," There are two hundred and fifty photos in total. Better not leave any behind." The amount shocked them to the core... 250 photos! She threw that many photos! Max and his men felt their blood boiling at the fact. Max growled to himself and vowed to kill Charmine one day. Charmine, at that moment, had already closed the door behind her. She went up to the balcony on the second floor and made herself a cup of tea, one that she enjoyed as she sat in silence. She watched as the men below her picked up the photos as she enjoyed her tea. Hmph. Threaten her? Wanted her topromise? Really? Kay and his men had a moment of silence for Max and his men. They could offend anyone or make an enemy of anyone, but finding an enemy in Boss Jordan spelled trouble and only trouble for them. However, Kay and his men were not doing so well, too. They did not have the opportunity to step in and help Boss Jordan every time... 1 While Charmine nonchntly sipped her tea, Max and his men went ballistic as they tried to retrieve the photos. Every second and minute spent on picking up the 250 photos was an insult and humiliation forthem! As they took the photos, they would see the clearly printed images. The bodyguards were extremely shocked. Max D''Cruz did that with such an old woman? Of course, Max was the most humiliated of all! After picking them all up, he gritted his teeth and wished he could kill Charmine right then and there. As Max got back to the hotel, Waverly was sitting at the balcony, listening to folk songs using an antique phonograph as she stared at the city lights. Max walked toward her. "How''s your progress with Anthony?" "We''re merely faking it; there won''t be any progress," answered Waverly calmly. ''Waverly, what I need now is not pretense," blurted the exasperated Max." What I want is for Anthony to actually fall for you and dump that devil of a Charmine!" Waverly could sense a hint of hatred in his tone, and she turned to look at him. ''What is it? What did Charmine do to you?" Max recalled what happened earlier. How he wished he could kill Charmine at that instant. He was the heir of the D''Cruz family. He had never felt so humiliated before! However, he could not let Waverly know about this. He walked to her and sat beside her. chapter 749 chapter 749 Max then exined gravely, "She''s hoarding the Jordown Group''s shares. I''ve put in all the funds I had for this trip to Burlington, and if I don''t take the shares from her, it''ll be quite challenging to continue to the following n." 1 He spoke as he looked into Waverly''s eyes. "Charmine is so arrogant because Anthony is supporting her. You must take this man from her to show how weak she is.¡± Waverly frowned. "Brother, you know I..." Her tiny and fair hand was delicately ced on top of his clear-cutrge hand. It seemed as though there was romance when their hands were put together. Max pulled her into his arms as he muttered, "Waverly, I know you don''t like Anthony, but don¡¯t forget why you''re back in Burlington. No matter if it''s for you or me, we must teach Charmine a lesson. Even if you don''t like Anthony, think of ways to make him dump Charmine...!" 3 Waverly frowned, exuding a ssic and timeless beauty. She fell silent, unable to offer him an answer as she fell deep into her thoughts when her phone suddenly rang. It was a call from her assistant. "We have a situation, Ms. Waverly. Someone is secretly watching over you from downstairs. They''re probably from Susan." Waverly''s gaze shifted. "Alright, understood." After she hung up, she said to Max, "I can only try my best to act as a couple with Anthony. Whether or not he falls for me, it¡¯ll be down to fate. I don''t want to lose myself, and I hope you can understand." With that said, she stood up and left for another balcony, making a phone call as she did. Staring at her frame, Max wanted to pamper her with love. Her sister was so kind and rational. He would do all he could to help such a beautiful person! 1 On another balcony, Waverly dialed Anthony''s phone as she reminded," Your mother has arranged for people to watch over me, and she must''ve done the same to you as well. From tomorrow onward, perhaps you can fetch me to and from work." On the other side of the call, Anthony frowned. After a short while of silence, he said, "Okay." After hanging up, Chris, who was beside him, red at him wide-eyed." Daddy, is Auntie Annabel not enough? Now you have to fetch that nobody? You¡¯re a douche!" 1 "Do you want your Grandma to attack Mommy?" refuted Anthony. The originally frustrated Chris calmed down slightly after hearing so. "Hmm... Alright, then. Although I know you''re trying to protect Mommy, it can''t go on like this. How much longer do we have to hold it on? I already miss Mommy so much! Also, I don''t like Daddy getting so close to other women, especially that nobody! I don''t like the sight of her-l think she''s strange!¡± argued Chris, unsettled at the thought. 2 Anthony frowned. Not only Charmine but even Chris felt something was off about Waverly, too? It seemed he had to be extra vignt. He instructed Chris, "I know what to do. Go to sleep. I''ll bring you to meet Mommy in two days." "Really?" Chris¡¯ eyes sparkled instantly. Anthony nodded. Instantly, Chris excitedly went inside his room with a big toy cat. Anthony then turned to look at the boundless night sky with a small frown on his face. He had to fetch Waverly every day? It seemed that he had to make additional ns. Indeed, Anthony went to fetch Waverly in person the next day. He even opened and closed the door for her. To an outsider, they looked like a loving couple. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. However... After Waverly got inside the car, as the car gradually drove away, she suddenly frowned. Inside the car... chapter 750 chapter 750 Between her and Anthony used to be a one-piece leather seat, but it was somehow reced with an additional gap. When the car drove away from the hotel, when nobody was watching, the small gap had a transparent protective screen that rose in between them. The protective screen separated them, minimizing the chances of interactions. 1 Looking at the screen, Waverly frowned. Anthony said with a low voice, "My wife is strict, and I''m a henpecked husband. Surely Ms. D''Cruz will understand." 1 Waverly was perplexed. Normally, men would be ashamed to be called '' henpecked'' and would actively avoid the topic, but why did it seem like Anthony was rather...proud of it? Furthermore, this was his second time mentioning this... His love for Charmine seemed to be extremely genuine. After a moment of shock, she said, "Of course I understand, but are you not afraid to beughed at for spoiling Ms. Charmine?" ''What''s there to beughed at? A wife is to be spoiled by her husband. Spoiling one''s woman is the most basic form of respect, the most basic responsibility. What''s there to be embarrassed about? Furthermore, if a woman isn''t being spoiled, what if she runs away?" Anthony made a rare and lengthy reply. 1 Waverly listened and was stunned for a few seconds. There was a man who actually believed such a thing in the world? She praised him wholeheartedly, "President Bailey is indeed a good man. I¡¯m sure you and Ms. Charmine willst forever." ''Yes." One word, assured and certain, instead of, "Thank you for your blessing." To Anthony,sting forever with Charmine was the truth and not a blessing. Waverly somehow felt that he was showing off his affection to Charmine again. The car pulled over as they arrived at the hospital. The protective screen gradually came off, and there was no visible trace avable. The two of them got out of the car and walked toward the top floor of the hospital. Susan received the photos quickly, and her lips curled up with satisfaction. How rare was it for Anthony to personally fetch a woman to and from her work. How delightful! She might get a grandchild soon! 2 Nheless... She asked with suspicion, "Why are Anthony and Waverly always going to the hospital?" ''We can¡¯t get onto the top floor, but ording to my investigation, Royal Hospital owned by Boss Bailey has taken in a difficult patient who needed the help of Ms. Waverly. They had been treating this patient recently." Susan sighed in relief. That exined it all, then. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. The two of them had amon interest to spend days together. How delightful! She could finally live to see his son getting married while she was still alive! 3 McKenzie came over to the Bailey mansion to meet Susan, but when she arrived outside the door, she overheard Susan¡¯s conversation. She stopped in her tracks and turned to leave. She also warned the surrounding maids, "Don''t tell Madam that I came." ''Yes, Madam.¡± The maids lowered their heads politely, not daring to cross McKenzie. After she got inside the car, the baffled Miranda asked, "Ms. Mckenzie, didn¡¯t you set aside some time to apany Mrs. Bailey to go shopping? Why did youe out so soon?" "Go, drive," McKenzie scoffed coldly, her expression cold as ice. 2 Miranda dared not to ask any further, following her order as she drove away. The atmosphere in the car felt intense and oppressive. McKenzie thought of what Susan did in the past two days, and her expression grew awfully stormy. So, Susan was trying to match Anthony with Waverly that she neglected her ever since, was she? Hah! Susan actually believed that Waverly was a heiress of the wealthy family? 1 Waverly was merely... 6 Her hands clenched up tightly while her red lips curled up into a sinister smirk. Since Susan insisted, then let her match the two. 1 Hopefully, Susan could tank in the frustration once everything came to light. The fight between Waverly and Charmine would only get more and more interesting... chapter 751 chapter 751 Thinking of Charmine, McKenzie then took out her phone, searched for Julian¡¯s contact, and sent him a text: [President Cabell, are you going to give up on your ex-girlfriend just like this?] Julian had been nose-deep in his work and spent a lot of time transforming his Mile-End Mallinto food courts. Even without the support of luxurious brands, he had thousands of small food stallsing in. It would not be long until Mile-End Mall would be inte-famous throughout the cities. All that Julian needed was for customers to frequent his business, and everything would be sorted out from there. Since no luxury brand wanted to work with Julian, he decided to produce his own luxury brands! He contacted designers after designers that had not made a name for themselves. He researched, produced, and worked hard to build his connections with the others. Julian was inspecting the batch of clothings ced in the production line when he received a message from McKenzie. [President Cabell, are you going to give up on your ex-girlfriend just like this?] Give up? What? What was that nonsense? He wanted Charmine to see him getting back on his feet, wanting her to watch him get back at them. He wanted to win Charmine over with his achievements-he wanted to prove he was nothing less than Anthony! Swiftly after, McKenzie sent over a few more photos. These were the photos of Anthony with Waverly walking side by side. Julian''s thin lips curled up mockingly. Charmine, oh, Charmine... Finally ditched by Anthony? He opened his mail app and sent the photos to Charmine. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Charmine, in an office, was sorting out documents, pushing the Divine World Project into the international market when an email popped up. She clicked it open and her brows furrowed. Attached to the email were photos of Anthony with Waverly: opening the door for Waverly, protecting her from knocking her head against the car, and walking side-by-side with her to the lift. One was elegant and cold while the other was elegant and formal. The photos depicted both figures like a prince and a princess from fairy tales, an endearing sight to behold. Charmine frowned slightly as she battled that foreign feeling within her. It was impossible for her to not be ufortable seeing her man with another woman. However, after merely a moment, the unsettling feeling vanished. She was already married to Anthony who signed the heart-donation contract when purchasing the alexandrite rings, and he even wore a steel te around his arm for her. What else was there to doubt about Anthony? 2 Below the photos, Julian even wrote: [Do you still want to struggle with him after all? Are you waiting for him to dump you?] His words were full of mockery. Smirking with her ruby lips, Charmine typed to reply, [Getting kicked by Anthony''s BICV is better than spending the rest of my life with your AJ! You better stay out of my business!] 2 She promptly blocked Julian¡¯s email address afterward. Julian¡¯s lips twitched as he read Charmine¡¯s reply. BICV was the best among the high-end shoe brands for men. The family that birthed BICV had made shoes for generations, customizing each pair for their customers. Not one to industrialize their process, each pair of shoes were personally handmade by the 20 family members who were highly acimed shoe makers. ording to sources, each pair needed a total of 300 hours toplete. Thepany''s designer was sent to medical school in order to learn medicine for many years just to understand the human structure better and learn in-depth about foot-rted diseases. 1 Every customized pair would be made ordingly to the customer''s gait so as to make him the most suitable pair. Therefore, BICV was equivalent to the Rolls-Royce in terms of vehicles and Rolex in watches. A simple pair would cost 10 million. 2 Charmine was rubbing it in Julian''s face that he was nowhere rich like Anthony. So she was willing to be Anthony''s secret lover instead of officially marrying him? If so... Julian''s eyes glinted fiercely. chapter 752 chapter 752 Aside from hiring numerous designers and researchers to build his brand, Julian also hired many influencers to livestream in his food court often and even went as far as hiring a batch of fake haters. Those haters would livestream in Julian''s food court, mocking how the once prosperous Mile-End Mall ended up being a food court. They would live-stream there for three years, to watch the Mile-End Mall ''never getting back on its feet''! They would say provoking things like, "No need to get back up. You''re all worn out and dirtied, and you''ll definitely look back as you try to get back up.." "Why struggle after closing down? Isn''t it better to sell out this empty mall?" "Douchebag! Smelly fish! A smelly fish will always be rotten, no matter how much it changes!" The fake haters would ridicule Julian, and some even suspected Julian of faking everything. Nheless, the heated discussion brought All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. poprity to this food court. After the influencer live-streamed at Mile-End Mall, she resumed again in the evening, iming she felt ill after eating food from the food court and had to get a checkup in Royal Hospital. In her livestream in Royal Hospital, both Anthony and Waverly came into view by the corner of the screen. As they were both far from the camera, their figures were blurry and did not instantly catch attention, but some bribedizens brought it up in thements. [Hey, look at the two by the corner of the screen... A charming young man, and a beautiful young woman! OMG! Are they celebrities?] [It seems to be Anthony Bailey...! President Bailey-the legendary Boss Bailey of Burlington!] [Who''s that woman? What a perfect image of beauty and elegance!] [Please bring us closer to them. Please!] The fake hater hastily turned off the livestream as if she did this unintentionally. That only riled the curiosity of her viewers as they all went to search up, [ Anthony Bailey''s Girlfriend.] It did not take long before #AnthonyBailey''sGirlfriend went up to the hot list. Furthermore, many people even screenshot the image from the livestream and post it online. Though their figures were distant and their faces all blurred out, the elegance exuded by Anthony and Waverly was just too stunning and attention-grabbing. Instantly,ments afterments were directed by the bribedizens. [Argh! Yourdy is so elegant and amazing! She''s a perfect match for you!] (My cold President is finally in love! Congrats!] [Who''s that woman? How is there such an extremely elegant woman in the world!?] [They''re obviously a perfect couple! They''re a perfect match!] [Get married! Get married! Get married!] At the Jordan Group building... Charmine was still busy even after working hours. Adam walked toward her and ced a box of cakes on her working desk. "Charmine, have a little bite." Charmine did not even look up. "No need-just go home. I''ll stay a little longer." Globalizing the Jordan Group would take a lot of time. The design of each medieval building must not look the same; they had to have new elements in them. If Anthony had to take care of Annabel every day for her to fight McKenzie, she had to work harder. Instead of leaving, Adam gazed at Charmine with concern. Did she break up or something that she intentionally buried herself in work to numb herself? He wanted to ask. After all, Anthony had once visited them to ask for her ount book. Why would things turn out this way all of a sudden? However, seeing that Charmine had her head down, Adam did not want to bother. Sensing that Adam had something in his mind, Charmine looked up and asked, "Is there something?" "No... It''s just..." Adam stayed silent for a long while before he finally said, "Go home and get a rest early. You won¡¯t be able to finish all the work all at once." "Okay." Charmine lowered her head to continue sorting out a pile of documents. Walking out of the office, Adam was worried. Would Charmine be devastated once she saw the news on Anthony and Waverly? The discussion was so heated... Would Charmine not see it eventually, anyway? Meanwhile, inside another vi nearby Violet Vi... chapter 753 chapter 753 Chris sat before theputer as his fingers fluttered across his keyboard furiously. Why was his Daddy and that nobody on the news, and with so much attention at that? Netizens went full-out offensive when news about Daddy and Mommy was exposed. None of them supported his Daddy to be with his Mommy. Would his Mommy not be heartbroken if she saw this news? The small fingers of his chubby hands worked on the keyboard. Instantly, all topics on #AnthonyBailey¡¯sGirlfriend were wiped out. Furthermore, there was a bug on Twitter. No one could find anything from searching [Anthony BaileyJ-nobody could even type in his name! 1 All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Anything that seemed simr to those two words just could not be processed. Anything that had anything to do with Anthony waspletely wiped out! Out of the blue, another news went up to the hotlist. #5-year-old-boy-looking-for-a-wife! Everyone clicked on the hashtag to see a newly registered ount sending out as much as 18,800 bucks worth of cash. The ''wife requirement '' stated: [Requirement: Normal-looking. Age: Less than five. Work time: From now till death. Sry: Over a million per month. Work scope: I¡¯ll treat you like a little Princess. You apany me to eat, drink, y, and study! I''ll take care of you till we get old!] Attached to that post was an extremely adorable photo of Chris. Manyizens came for the money. His marriage requirement caught the attention of many, including those who were too caught up with the matter with Anthony and Waverly. Since they could not find the discussions about the two and could not send out anything, they decided to flock to a more interesting topic. It did not take long before Chris'' post went viral. [What a perfect job; it''s free lunch from the heavens, forever!] [I''m kinda overaged. Whose son is this? Does he need a nanny instead?] [Do you need someone to help you take out your trash?] Everyone talked about the #Five-year-old-hiring-a-wife topic, and all thoughts of Anthony with Waverly flew out the window just like that. Anything on the inte would usuallyst seven seconds, after all... Chris saw everything unfolding and smirked triumphantly. This was what he wanted! For his Mommy, he would sacrifice his reputation! Hopefully, his Mommy could give him a kiss for this the next time they would meet! Of course, Julian had been keeping tabs on the news as well. Money was scarce to him these days and was very important to him, but he used it to pay influences andizens... For Charmine, it was worth it! Julian wanted the news on Anthony and Waverly to go viral that both the D''Cruz family and Bailey family to pester them to get married. He also wanted Charmine to see everyone on the inte sending their blessings to Anthony and Waverly. Little did he expect... Chris Bailey, that five year-old-boy, ruined his n! His few hundred thousand was used for nothing! Julian gritted his teeth as hisrge hand clenched up tightly. However... Luckily, Julian had a backup n. He expected this to happen and had something else in store. His next n was to make sure Anthony and Waverly would get married soon so Charmine would give up sooner. 1 Charmine was his, and his alone! chapter 754 chapter 754 That night, the already repressed news of Anthony and Waverly in Burlington became one of the most-searched topics in other countries... especially Kansas''. [Heiress of the D''Cruz Family in love] went viral in Kansas. The people in Kansas did all they could to find out more on Anthony, using every method possible to get a clear photo of Anthony and Waverly. Along with the screenshot of the live streaming, thements went viral. [OMG! They''re a perfect match!] [One is handsome, and the other, elegant. They¡¯re a prince and princess of my dreams!] [Is this going to be a worldwide broadcasted marriage?] Everyone celebrated their rtionship as it became the talk of the country. At the Jordan mansion. Adam, as he kept up-to-date with the Anthony-and-Waverly matter, found out about the discussion that went on in Kansas. He had no appetite at all as the Jordans had their dinner. Concerned, he asked Senior Jordan, "Dad, what do you say? What can we do? Shall we talk to Anthony? How could he abandon our Charmine like this?" "Sigh! There''s no point finding Anthony... So what if we find him? If he really doesn''t like Charmine, there''s no point forcing him to." Senior Jordan''s brows furrowed as he lost his appetite, too. Joey, meanwhile, was worried. "True... Now, Charmine is so caught up with work, and she wants to save the Jordan Group. If we offend Anthony, if he stops supporting US, all of Charmine''s hard work will be for naught." "That is why, you guys, just continue eating! Why so worried? There''s no way Charmine is getting married to Boss Bailey-it''s too obvious!" Amelia mocked. "Shut up! Instead of talking about others, why don''t you think ofnding yourself a job!?" Senior Jordan scoffed. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Amelia pouted instantly. Hmph! She was telling the truth. How would they not allow her to speak it? Also, jobs? She would still have one had Charmine not fire her! 1 Amelia would seek that person... She would earn a lot! Not bothering with Amelia, the Jordans came to a conclusion after talking it out: They would apany Charmine and take care of Charmine! At the Jordan Group building. Too engrossed in work, Charmine had no time to mind about the news nor did she read the foreign news. She did not go home until ten at night. As she approached her door, she noticed that her vi was lit up as a silhouette moved about. She frowned. A thief? She walked over rapidly, ready to open the door when the door opened from the inside. Joey smiled at her. "Charmine, you¡¯re home! Come on in." "Why are you here?" Charmine frowned. "Your Grandpa is here, too. Come on in." Joey offered to help her hang her bag and prepared her a pair of indoor slippers. The pair of slippers were of a warm yellow color made of nnel material. They lookedfy. Charmine noticed that these were not her sippers; they were newly bought. Moreover, she noticed changes in her vi. Her vi once had a minimalistic design, but the wall behind the door suddenly had a cute wallmp. Walking in, the tea-table had an extra bouquet of sunflowers. There was a big cat pillow on the sofa. The small decorations made the originally cold house rather homely. Senior Jordan was sitting on the sofa. When he saw hering in, he waved at Charmine instantly. "Come here, Charmine. You gave the key to me the other day, so I brought your parents here to apany you. You don''t mind, do you?" "It''s okay." Charmine walked over and sat down. If Senior Jordan insisted, she would not turn it down. chapter 755 chapter 755 Nheless, why did Senior Jordan bring her parents to her vi out of the blue? Also, they even helped her to decorate the house? Before she could ask, Joey brought a bowl of soup to her. "Charmine, I used the ingredients in your kitchen to make you a calming soup-it''ll help you to rest better. Drink a little. It''ll relieve fatigue, too." It was a pastel-pink soup with some peach blossoms used. The faint fragrance emitted could warm one''s heart. Charmine did not reach out to take it as she eyed them suspiciously. "Did something happen?" The three of them halted, but Joey quickly shook her head. "Of course not! We feel that we''ve mistreated you, so we came here to visit you. We¡¯ve been busy taking care of Robert that we haven¡¯t seen you..." "Right, Charmine. Don''t think too much, we''re a family after all! We came here to meet you,"forted Senior Jordan. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Charmine knew they were hiding something. Although she knew that they felt guilt toward her, she knew all too well that Adam and Joey were too ashamed toe to her vi. They would not even have the courage to redecorate her vi without her permission. Something must have happened. She said calmly, "If you¡¯re not telling me, please leave. Grandpa, you should go home and get some rest as well. It¡¯s gettingte." Senior Jordan''s lips twitched. This girl would even chase him out? Seeing that she was determined and that she would eventually find out herself, Senior Jordan spoke after a long while of hesitation, "Charmine, we''ve seen and known about the news of Anthony with Waverly. You don''t have to be too upset, as your Uncle Weir had said, he''d introduce someone even better to you, and he''d be a hundred times better than Anthony!" Charmine frowned. Were Anthony and Waverly not keeping it low profile? How did the people find out? A foreboding feeling loomed over Charmine as she took out her phone to check. Senior Jordan quickly caught her hand and pressed on it. "Charmine, don''t look. It''ll hurt you like a knife...! They all say that new things won''te if the old won''t go. Anthony''sck ofmitment shows he''s not good enough for you!" The itch to know had a vice-grip on Charmine as she persisted to read whatever that was happening. She noted that someone had sent her a link to a news headline. Upon clicking on it, it was from a foreign news outlet. [Heiress of the D''Cruz of Kansas getting married to Bailey of Burlington!] There was a blurry footage of Anthony opening the car door for Waverly, and thements were all filled with praises, excitement, and blessing. Many people evenmented, [Where are they? Get married already!] Charmine''s heart sank. She was used to Anthony taking care of Waverly, but she did not expect the entire world to give them such a ring green light. Charmine remembered how the masses attacked her on Twitter when someone spected she was the woman Anthony fancied...yet the whole world was blessing Anthony and Waverly? 1 Were they such a good match? Seeing that she did not speak, Joey quicklyforted, "Charmine, don¡¯t look at it already. Don''t think about it. God wants you to lose it so that better things cane. I had three boyfriends before meeting your father, and I eventually married him. Your father is the best!" Adam, by the side, frowned. Joey had three boyfriends before him? How did he not know? 2 Charmine, meanwhile, regained herposure and, with narrowed eyes, said to the three of them, "You don''t have tofort me. These are all fake...and Anthony and I are married." 4 What? Married? The three of them were shocked. So Anthony was cheating on his wife? chapter 756 chapter 756 "We got married silently," Charmine exined to them, "and we don''t want to announce it to the public yet, but someone found out about it and the Baileys nearly caught US. Anthony is pretending to date Waverly so he can protect me. In short, the news is fake. We''ll announce our rtionship once the Jordan Group is doing better. Until then, he needs to distract everyone." The three of them exchanged looks with disbelief. That was it? Why did they find it hard to believe? Coincidentally, Charmine''s phone lit up again. It was a message from Anthony that read, [Mydy, it¡¯s my fault for not sorting out the news on the inte. It''ll be fixed within three days.] Her red lips curved into a smirk as she added, "Look, I''m fine. I don''t need you guys taking care of me. Go home and get rested; I still need to work tomorrow." Joey, Adam, and Senior Jordan saw Anthony''s text and they were finally convinced. 1 Anthony did not seem like a bad guy after all... So it was all a misunderstanding! "Alright, you get a good rest, too. Do tell US if anything happens-we''ll have your back no matter what," Senior Jordan reminded her. Charmine nodded and saw the three of them out of her vi. The moment they left, the building looked much colder and a little too unweing. As she sat on the sofa, Charmine''s initially stoic expression fell apart. She put up a brave front before her family, but in truth... Everyone online blessed Anthony in being with Waverly, and the sight of it made her feel sick to her stomach. She felt like a homewrecker of sorts... as if she was not good enough for Anthony... 3 Ding! It was her WhatsApp notification. Anthony''s message read, [Don''t overthink. Check the local news.] Local news? Was there something even more shocking in the local news? Warily, Charmine opened the local news and was greeted with the headline [#Five-year-old-boy- looking-for-a-high-paid-wife]. A me emoji wasically added there, making it even more interesting. Instinctively, she clicked into it to see the content of Chris'' tweet. Her brows instantly furrowed. Chris was bold enough to make such a post and offered a huge sum of free cash? No doubt, he must have done this to change the topic of discussion to bury the discussion about Anthony and Waverly in Burlington. With that, it seemed that it was the people in Kansas shamelessly trying to pull strings with the Baileys. It seemed rather hrious... Charmine felt somewhat better at that, and after a moment of thought, she sent a text to Anthony, [Momo did a good thing-help me to thank him. However, changing the topic of discussion isn''t a long- term solution. We have to sort out the matter with Annabel as soon as possible.] Annabel''s illness had to be stabilized before she and Anthony could go public. 1 Things would take a turn for the worse if they stalled things even longer. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. While it was initially to stop the Baileys from specting unnecessarily, it had gotten to the point that it seemed to be getting out of control. Charmine felt unsettled like something bad was about to happen... 1 As expected, something happened the next day. Although Anthony must have contacted people of authority in Kansas to wipe out the news, their headline stayed on the news for one whole night. As this was rted to Waverly, the D''Cruz family''s heiress, it remained viral. Many of the reporters in Kansas rushed over to Burlington over the night and waited outside Royal Hospital since dawn. Unlike the reporters in Burlington, they were unafraid of Anthony. Thus, when Anthony and Waverly arrived at the hospital, ten or so reporters surrounded them instantly. "Mr. Bailey, are you two in a rtionship?" "Ms. D''Cruz, are you getting married to Mr. Bailey?" "May I ask what stage are you both on? Can you tell US the date you n to get married?" Every reporter fought for the chance to speak their question and persistently forced their microphones toward them both. chapter 757 chapter 757 Kansas'' reporters hounded them, pushing against them that forced Waverly into Anthony''s arms. Anthony instinctively wanted to push her away, but remembering their stance and all eyes on them, he pretended to shield her and marched into the hospital. The reporters gave chase, unwilling to let Anthony and Waverly escape. Luckily, Luke quickly came with bodyguards and blocked the reporters, giving Anthony and Waverly a chance to get inside the VIP lift. They both arrived at the top floor with their clothes messed up. Waverly''s lipstick, amid the chaos, rubbed off on Anthony''s white shirt. It gave off the wrong impression. Nial eyed the pair with furrowed brows. "You two-" "About to get changed," spoke Anthony as he walked into the bathroom while Waverly walked into another washroom to fix her makeup and clothes. Both Anthony Waverly avoided talking about it, but it did not take long before the clip of tfAnthony- protecting-Waverly was posted online. The clip showed as though Waverly was forced to hide in Anthony''s arms. Her head was lowered as Anthony protected her with his arm to walk into Royal Hospital. Although his hand did not touch Waverly, the sight of it was so loving, resulting in girls rabidly fangirling over them. The fans who shipped them both had fantasized countless romantic moments of them both. Anthony got changed and regained his usual cold and elegantposure. ''You, handle the rumors on the inte," instructed Anthony to Nial. "Ms. D''Cruz will be in charge of Annabel." Nial was bbergasted. What a drag! He had to be in charge of everything, and all of a sudden, he even had to take care of their mess online? Was Boss Nial born to be a ve!? 1 Despite his chagrin, Nial agreed as it was important to his brother...though reluctantly so. Anthony, at that moment, took out his phone and was about to contact Charmine when... ''Ding!'' came the sound of the elevator, followed by the door to the elevator gradually opening. The people who walked out from the lift were Susan and Max! Anthony frowned. Why did theye together? If they found out about Annabel... He instantly signaled Nial. Stealthily, Nial walked into the VIP ward furthest down to prevent Annabel from walking out. Anthony, on the other hand, walked toward the resting lounge. Seeing him, Susan chased him instantly. "Anthony, why did you change clothes? Where''s Ms. D''Cruz?" "I¡¯m here." Waverly walked out from the washroom, clothes fixed and in pristine condition. Waverly eyed them both and asked warily, "Auntie, brother, what brings you two here?¡± "Oh, well, didn¡¯t the news of you two went all over the inte yesterday? Your family found out, and the elders of the D''Cruz family got in touch with us. I came here today to speak to you two about it," said Susan as she tugged at Waverly''s hand and walked to the sofa. ''Your parents aren¡¯t against you getting with Anthony; we fully support you two as well. There''s no need to cover up, just get along well." Waverly nodded and agreed, "Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re getting along well." This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "Oh, really? Why doesn''t it seem like that?" Max interrupted coldly, his tone hostile and harsh. chapter 758 chapter 758 Max stared at Anthony and then at Waverly. "If you two are actually together, is there a need to quell the headlines in Burlington? To be so secretive?" Waverly was speechless. What was wrong with her brother? Max continued, "As our parents have said, they''re not against you two from being in love, but they''re against a rtionship that doesn¡¯t end up with marriage. If you two are unsure of getting married, it''s better to break up sooner. Don¡¯t ruin the reputation of both families!" His tone was cold and harsh. He seemed displeased, much like a stern senior member of the family. Anthony sat on the sofa, his face apathetic and distant as he emitted an air of authority. He did not speak, thus Waverly had to say, "We¡¯re still in the early stage of getting to know one another. We can''t just get married after knowing each other for a few days, no? Please give US more time." ''The seniors insisted. If you two don''t officiate your rtionship, or if you don''t get engaged within a month, they want me to bring you back to Kansas," clipped Max. He was basically forcing Anthony and Waverly to officiate their rtionship. They only had the maximum of a month to do so. 1 If Anthony did not make themitment, he would bring Waverly home. By then, all hope would be lost for Annabel¡¯s illness... Max eyed Anthony, wanting to see how Anthony would choose. Anthony, who had not spoken, suddenly looked up and eyed Max sharply." Feelings can¡¯t be forced onto someone. In the eyes of Mr. D''Cruz, is love merely a mission? Or is it just that..." This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. His gaze at Max became even sharper and colder. ''The D''Cruz can''t wait to be associated with the Bailey family?" Max''s face jolted instantly. How could Anthony say such a thing?! Max was about tosh out, but Waverly hastily exined, "What Anthony meant was that feelings are hard to discern; it''s not to be negotiated or traded. Brother, why don''t you go back for now? Phone up our parents and tell them I know what to do. If our feelings are well in a month, there''s no harm getting engaged." Afraid of falling out with the D''Cruz family, Susan quickly piped up, "My Anthony speaks rather bluntly; there''s no big deal...! Let them talk it out and weigh everything themselves. It''ll be alright when they get engaged in a month. As for the rest, I''ll discuss with you on behalf of the seniors in the Bailey family." With that, she stood up and invited Max to leave with her. Max was furious, but thinking of the future n, he had to hold it in. "Alright, you talk it out, or you''reing back to Kansas with me! Furthermore, you two better admit it online so that others stop specting. The phone at home is almost exploding from all the calls we¡¯re getting!" He red at Anthony and Waverly before marching away. With that, Anthony and Waverly were left in the resting lounge. Waverly looked at Anthony. "Apologies, I didn''t expect things to turn out this way." "Not your fault." Anthony''s tone was cold like usual. There was no hint of warmth. He looked at Waverly and asked, "Will Annabel be cured within a month?" "Well..." Waverly thought about the recent situation and confessed, "Now that you consistently take care of her in the hospital, she can almost sleep for approximately five hours per day. If things can continue to develop from here and we continue the treatment for a month, sleeping for eight hours shouldn''t be a problem. In a month''s time, the baby in her should be in a much more favorable condition. There shouldn''t be too much of a problem." Anthony''s eyes darkened. After a moment, he parted his lips, "Alright, I''ll make a statement to calm the D''Cruz family within a month. I hope Ms. D''Cruz can do your best." With that said, he stood up and left. Waverly frowned. What he meant was that... On the same day, Anthony suddenly suddenly tweeted... chapter 759 chapter 759 [Waverly and I are still in the early stages of getting to know one another. We¡¯ll announce it to the public in a month if we''ve decided to stay or not. Until then, be ready to face the consequences if you invade our privacy.] 1 Since Chris had helped him to remove the option for theizens to leavements but did not remove the option to ''heart'' the tweet, it merely took an afternoon before the ''hearts'' shot up to as many as a million! Anthony''s Tweet was, to the people of Kansas, a tant confession he was indeed seeing Waverly, and the news went all over the inte for them. [Anthony Bailey Admitted!], [Anthony Bailey In A Rtionship With Waverly D''Cruz!], [Heiress of the D¡¯Cruz Getting Married In A Month.] and the likes went all over the front page. It was already evening when Charmine saw the news. She was driving home from the on-site inspection when the news app she downloadedst night notified her of various news. Other than the news, there was a clip from the afternoon. [Shocking News! Anthony Bailey protecting Princess D''Cruz! What A Protective Boyfriend!] Charmine''s eyelids jumped. What even happened? She clicked open the article to see the clip of Anthony protecting Waverly. The usually formal Waverly was like a kitten as she leaned against Anthony''s wide chest. The clip clearly showed someone forcing the microphone at Waverly, and she instinctively turned over. Her red lips brushed by the white shirt on Anthony¡¯s chest. A red lips mark. How romantic! Charmine felt her heart shriveling. She never kissed Anthony''s chest and white shirt before, yet Waverly did just that. 2 Furthermore, Anthony officially took it to Twitter to admit his rtionship with Waverly! Whenever Anthony tweeted anything to do with Charmine, she would be so terrified like a rat running away from the light. Waverly, on the other hand, could bask in the sunlight and gain everyone''s support and blessing... Thements were all praises. [Waverly D''cruz, the heiress of Kansas''s No.1 Family!] [The No.1 hypnotist in the world! A genius doctor!] [Her existence is like the unrealistically perfect main character in movies! I strongly encourage the two to get married soon!] Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Everyment felt like a cat scratching at her heart, a feeling most unweed and ufortable. Charmine decided to log out of the news and turned off the websites. She focused on the view outside the car. ''Ignore it, Charmine,'' she repeated to herself. ¡®Everything isn''t real; it''s for Momo''s illness.'' 1 Charmine crafted an unbreakable heart throughout the past five years...so why did she be so weak and uncertain all of a sudden? She lifted her hand to knock her head. Meanwhile, her phone rang urgently. It was Anthony. She hesitated for a moment before picking up. "Mydy," greeted Anthony," did Momo look for you?" "Huh? No, why?" asked Charmine. "He''s missing...!" confessed Anthony. Luke did not manage to pick up Chris after school. They investigated every surveince camera and still did not find any clue. Chris managed to wipe out all footage of the CCTV! Charmine panicked, "Any clue? Not a clue at all?" "Yeah, it seems that he intentionally didn''t want US to find him. He even binned the locator he wears." Anthony spoke with a tone incredibly rare and was hardly ever heard before... There was panic in his tone. However, thinking of Charmine, heforted, "Don¡¯t get too worried. Momo is already five, and he knows how to take care of himself. I''m just worried that he might do some unexpected things again." "Alright, you look for him. I''ll hang up now." After hanging up, she instantly took out another phone and instructed Kay," Use up all resources in Burlington to find Momo." Chris had been keeping tabs on the news of Anthony with Waverly, and he had not seen her for two days. Charmine did not know what he would do. If anything happened... chapter 760 chapter 760 Charmine''s nerves were rattled. That night, she drove her motorbike all over Burlington to find Chris. She went to the candy shop Chris liked, the yground, the ice-cream shop, and the likes. No stones were left unturned as she searched for him. She even went to the forest where she first met Chris, armed with only a torch...and she came out empty-handed. It was already one in the morning when she walked out of the forest. Both Anthony''s end and Kay''s had no leads to Chris'' whereabouts. It was as if Chris had vanished from the world without leaving a trace. Anxiety washed over Charmine as she grew antsy. Ring...! Ring...! Her phone rang...and it was Momo! Charmine instantly answered the call. "Momo! Where are you?!¡± "Mommy,e home quickly, I need to talk to you! Remember, don''t let the old man know!¡± instructed the angry Chris. Charmine wanted to talk more, but he hung up before she could. The old man he mentioned must have been Anthony. Without a second to lose to contact Anthony, Charmine raced back to Violet Vi with her motorbike. Chris asked her to go home. He must have meant her vi. As expected, when she arrived outside the vi, she saw a faint lighting from the inside. Charmine pushed open the door and her pupils dted. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. She saw Chris and Uncle Weir sitting on her sofa, and there was a pile of books in front of them. A tall pile of thick books was right there on the coffee table! The books seemed ancient, what with the discoloration of the papers, and there was even the faint smell of old papers in the air. Spotting Charmine walking into the area, Chris called out, "Mommy, Mommy! Come here!" ''You two..." trailed the wary Charmine as she walked toward them. She took a quick nce and noted that on the coffee table were all medical books. Chris tugged at her arm and asked her to sit beside Dr. Weir. "From now onward, you''ll learn medicine from Uncle Weir!¡± Learn medicine? Charmine was bewildered. Chris continued, "How good is that nobody? Isn''t she just a doctor? Why is everyone shipping her with Daddy? I want Mommy to be the best doctor in the world, to win against that nobody!" Charmine was speechless... So Chris disappeared, just to ask Dr. Weir to teach her? Dr. Weir turned to Charmine. "Little Momo has told me everything, and I support you to learn medicine from me. Firstly, this is so that you can surpass Waverly and make Burlington proud. Secondly, you seem uneasy recently, thus learning medicine from me will help to distract you." That baffled Charmine greatly. It was not that she did not want to learn-she was too caught up with her work. She also had to look at the documents sent to her by the other Uncles... Chris merely said, "I''ve convinced Uncle Nial to take out some time every day to help with your work. I¡¯ve also asked a few members of the special team in the Bailey Corporation to help you!" 1 So, this boy insisted she studied medicine? chapter 761 chapter 761 Seeing Charmine hesitating, Dr. Weir convinced, ''You don''t have to be concerned about not having enough time. I¡¯ve taken out all of the extra knowledge, and I''ll teach you a very cool one. Ultimate Seventy-Two Needles!" Ultimate Seventy-Two Needles? Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. What was that? Dr. Weir exined, "Most people have only heard of the Ghost Door Thirteen Needles, and it can treat depression, obsessivepulsive disorder, schizophrenia, and other mental diseases. However, they don''t know that my Weir family came up with an Ultimate Seventy-Two Needles out of this Ghost Door Thirteen Needles back in the days! ''The human body has twelve meridians and eight odd veins. They run through various acupoints in the body. On the two tendons, there are a total of seven hundred and twenty acupuncture points. "Each point has a different effect, and with acupuncture therapy, many diseases can be cured. Learning the Ultimate Seventy-Two Needles requires one''s innate potential. If one is very gifted, one merely needs a month or even just a few days to master it. otherwise, perhaps he won¡¯t be able to learn it forever. I believe you''re gifted, however!" Chris pulled on Charmine''s arm. "Mommy, try it! What if you learn it? You might just master it and cure my illness!" Charmine frowned. "Even Dr. Weir can¡¯t cure your illness, and I''m an absolute rookie..." "Mommy, you can¡¯tpare yourself with Uncle Weir because he doesn¡¯t know how to perform the Ultimate Seventy-Two Needles himself!" Chris exposed him heartlessly. Dr. Weird smiled awkwardly. "Well, as I said, one needs to be gifted. Although I know the seven hundred and twenty acupoints like the back of my hand, the strength required for this Ultimate Seventy-Two Needles is different from ordinary acupuncture. It requires one thing: the feel! It can''t be too much or too little. I¡¯ve beencking this feeling, and I can¡¯t master the right strength for this technique, so I can¡¯t perform it till this day..." 1 ''You''re saying...that if I can get the feel of it, I can master this Ultimate Seventy-Two Needles and might treat Memo''s illness sessfully?" reiterated Charmine, hopeful and excited. "Of course. Memo¡¯s illness is caused by his weak immunity. He needs nutrients to make up for that. If we can trigger the nine thousand nine hundred and eighty-one nourishing points in his body, there might be a miracle," stated Dr. Weir. Charmine nodded instantly. "Alright, I''ll learn for you!" Even if there was only a slight chance of treating Momo, Charmine would not give up. Many years ago, a friend of Uncle Pop-Uncle Xander-wanted to teach her medicine. She remembered seeing Uncle Xander mixing medicines during one of the visits. With just a nce, she could tell that he identally put in a few extra grams. Instantly, Uncle Xavier insisted on teaching her more. Had the four Uncles not have been so worried about wearing her out, Charmine would have learned a thing or two. Charmine believed that she was gifted, so she was willing to learn. If she could master it, she could treat Chris even if Annabel could not give birth to a child...and even if Waverly would not help out. Chris pped happily. "Awesome! Good luck, Mommy! You¡¯re the best!" "It¡¯s gettingte. You must go home and sleep quickly. Also, phone your Daddy," Charmine reminded Chris. Chris'' expression fell. "No way! You can''t tell Daddy, Mommy. Serves him right for being with that nobody every day, neglecting Mommy and me. Let him continue looking!" Charmine was speechless. This boy was more jealous than her? "Mommy, I got to go back to sleep. Have a fruitful learning session with Uncle Weir!" said Chris as he leaned over to kiss Charmine¡¯s cheek and walked away. He walked toward the aisle of the room on the right. Pressing on a button, a tunnel suddenly appeared on the floor. Charmine was dumbfounded. Since when did she build an underground tunnel? Why was she not aware of that? The other night, Anthony seemed to have appeared in her room without making any noise... Charmine was still in a daze even after Momo disappeared into the tunnel and the tunnel closed. She could not just let Anthony look for Chris outside throughout the night... She thought of how busy Anthony was during the day and felt bad for him. She took out her phone, about to call Anthony. Just then, her phone was grabbed right out of her hold! chapter 762 chapter 762 Dr. Weir activated the silent mode on her phone before keeping it in his pocket. "This guy caused so much headache for you" he snapped, "and he needs a lesson! You must listen to me for the next following days, and you can''t get online nor surf the inte. I''ll watch over you in Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. the office, too!" 1 The main reason he was willing to teach Charmine was not that he thought she was gifted. He mainly wanted to distract Charmine from seeing the mess online. Charmine was taken aback. Just like that, her phone was confiscated and she could not contact Anthony. Chris slept soundly while Anthony looked for him throughout the night. It was only the next morning when the worn-out Anthony returned to wash up, that he saw Chris fast asleep on the bed... Charmine, on the other hand, was forced to sleep early. When she woke up early in the morning, Dr. Weir handed her a thick ancient book. 1 This ancient book recorded the exact locations of the 720 acupoints in the human body as well as their functions. "As long as you can memorize this book, you¡¯ll havepleted fifty percent of the course," added Dr. Weir. In order to perform the acupuncture, one need only understand the location and usage of each point, some principles, and then to perform the procedure. As for the strength, it was all down to the ''feel''... 1 Dr. Weir had initially assumed Charmine needed a long time to learn it, but it shockingly took her only ten days to memorize all 80,000 words in the book! 1 When Charmine walked up to him and returned the book, the startled Dr. Weir asked, "You learned them all?" "You may test me," Charmine answered. "Point LU Eleven," began Dr. Weir. "It belongs to the LU Meridian, located on the outer side of the thumb, twenty-five point four millimeters away from the nail. The needles have to be directed from the outside..." Charmine answered without flinching. She recited with familiarity, not missing one word! Dr. Weir was over the moon. "How... How is this possible? There are eighty thousand words! Some people can''t even memorize the front page in ten days!" ''To be honest with you, I''ve been quite capable from a young age. I¡¯m quite gifted in many ways." Charmine remembered pronouncing consonants and vowels that others found hard to utter during her primary school years. She could also easily get full marks in exams. 1 She could feel that her IQ was different from the rest, but Tiffany would always say to her, "Charmine, don''te off too strong. The Jordans hate you so much, and if you steal the spotlight of the other children, they''ll hurt you somehow...! Do you know, we have a cousin who identally died..." Back then, she was merely an adopted daughter who had to live her days cautiously and humbly. Furthermore, having a high intelligence quotient did not mean having a high emotional quotient. Tiffany''s dark whispers scared Charmine witless as Charmine tried her best to minimize her sense of existence. Eventually, she could feel her intelligence quotient deteriorating. Everything changed five years ago when she passed out after being kicked. Perhaps the heavens pitied her, or perhaps it was the blessing she received from not dying, but Charmine had a significant breakthrough when she woke up in Africa. No matter what she learned, she could master it right away. Her hearing and vision became more sensitive. She also noticed that while she could not remember everything with just one look, she merely had to read through each sentence three times to remember them all. She asked Dr. Weir, "Can you let me look at my phone now?" In the past three days, Dr. Weir did not allow her to touch the phone at all. 2 He went as far as sitting beside her even as she worked, not allowing her to click onto news sites. She did not know how Anthony was doing, whether Anthony missed him, and how things were with Waverly... As she had finished memorizing the entire book, she wanted to look at her phone! Unexpectedly, Dr. Weir denied, "Absolutely not! What happens next is the key; whether you seed or not depends on this!" He brought over a body model and ced it in front of her. He took out a set of silver needles and handed them to her. chapter 763 chapter 763 "Use this figurine to learn how to apply needles," spoke Dr. Weir profoundly. "Learn the technique of application and the basic strength." "Didn''t you say that the strength required for the Ultimate Seventy-Two Needles is different from the ordinary acupuncture? How will I know if my strength is correct?" asked Charmine. 1 ''You asked a very good question. Normally when a needle is applied to the body, it won''t move, but the Ultimate Seventy-Two Needles is different. If applied correctly, all needles will vibrate! Remember, it''s not just one or two needles vibrating-all needles on the body would vibrate! This will only ur when all needles are correctly applied, and the body will be miraculously healing itself," exined Dr. Weir. Charmine processed to do as told. In other words, she needed to find the right ''feel''. She raised an eyebrow at Dr. Weir. "If I master it, don''t forget to return my phone." "Don¡¯t worry. If you master it, I can even give you a phone factory!" imed Dr. Weir. Truthfully, he did not believe Charmine could master it. After all, he himself could not master this set of techniques for decades. 1 He even taught it to a few more disciples of the Weir family. Even though they had all memorized the acupoints, only a few of them were able to make a few needles vibrate after practicing for tens of years, up to date, no one could make all needles vibrate. Luckily, he was not expecting Charmine to do so. Seeing that Charmine was inside the office, applying the needles onto the body model, he smiled and was pleased. All that mattered was he gave her something to focus on entirely so she would not overthink things. After all, the current situation was...not well... He thought of the matter with Anthony and Waverly, brows furrowed. How he hoped this youngdy could keep practicing. If only she could work on this forever. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. s... It did not take long, approximately an hourter for Charmine to walk out of the room. She lifted up her arms and asked, "Uncle Weir, did you mean this effect?" Dr. Weir was chewing on sunflower seeds as he watched Tom and Jerry when he heard her voice. Looking up, his eyes widened in shock. He saw that on Charmine''s upper and lower arms nine needles were applied, and every single one vibrated slightly! How... How could this be? Were his eyes ying tricks on him? Was he hallucinating? He rubbed his eyes and took another look... There it was, needles still vibrating! In other words, Charmine truly mastered the Ultimate Seventy-Two Needles! He actually witnessed someone mastering it before he died! He shot up from his seat excitedly, tears pooling in his eyes. "How did you do it? How did you actually do it?¡± He had been trying for decades. All of his disciples had been trying for almost 20 years and nobody was able to master it, yet Charmine merely spent a while to have mastered it? How could it be? Charmine pulled out the needles from her arms. She said calmly, "By feel." Feel... Merely by feel! Dr. Weir did not believe her, but Charmine merely said, "Give me my phone." She was too worried. Ten days had passed, and she wondered how Anthony and Waverly were doing. Anthony had not been able to contact her in the past ten days. Would he have given up on her? Perhaps... Was he forced by his family to marry Waverly? chapter 764 chapter 764 However, Dr. Weir''s grip on Charmine''s phone tightened inside his pocket, not wanting toplete his end of the deal. Tm not giving you, not unless you tell me how you actually did it!" Helpless, Charmine had to exin, "Maybe you¡¯ve all learned about the ordinary acupuncture, and that''s why you''re held back by concerns when applying. I simply apply ordingly to how I feel, and as long as it doesn''t harm me, I just continued to prod. Never did I expect that the more I did it, the better and morefortable it felt." Dr. Weir was shocked. That made sense! Since they mastered ordinary acupuncture, they needed to keep their hands stable, and to get that, they had to control the pressure and be incredibly precise. However, the Ultimate Seventy-Two Needles required one thing: to feel it! If he could clear his mind and find the feel, he would be able to master it soon! Over the moon at the revtion, Dr. Weir gushed, "Very well! I can die a peaceful death now! Finally, someone can pass on this Ultimate Seventy- Two Needles!" Unperturbed, Charmine stared into his eyes. "Give me back my phone." Her tone was determined and urging. Dr. Weir was at a loss for words. Could she not say that and ruin this exciting moment? s, Charmine¡¯s steely gaze made it impossible to not return her phone. He had to ask, "Are you sure? Well... How about you learn the Ultimate Thirteen Needles..." "I¡¯m leaving." Charmine kept the needles and marched out. She had stayed here for ten days, and she should get going. If he did not give back her phone, she could buy a dozen more! Dr. Weir instantly went forward to stop her. "Here''s your phone. You better read the news and make mental preparation." Charmine frowned. Mental preparation? Had things gone so wrong? Charmine took her phone from Dr. Weir...and reeled back at how staggeringly shocking the news locally and internationally were. [Anthony and Waverly Admitted to the Hospital!] [Waverly Suspected Pregnancy!] [Getting Engaged In Ten Days!] There were all kinds of contents in there. The articles stated that Anthony and Waverly frequented Royal Hospital together. They would enter in the morning ande out at night, and there were times they did not evene out! There was even a leaked list that stated a few nutritious recipes, as if Waverly was pregnant. Most shocking of all, some media exposed that the two would get engaged in ten days. The seniors of the D''Cruz family had flown over to Burlington to discuss the details. When asked about these rumors, Anthony and Waverly did not deny any of them. Everything seemed fixed! Charmine frowned. Why would things turn out this way? All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. How would the seniors of the D¡¯Cruze to Burlington? Also, getting engaged in ten days? She opened her WhatsApp suspiciously, noticing that Anthony had not contacted her at all over the past ten days. Even Chris only sent some emojis to tell her that he missed her. 1 After thinking silently for a while, she dialed Anthony''s number, wanting to ask him personally. s, the call did not get through as the automated voice greeted her," Sorry, the number you dialed..." Nobody picked up. Charmine hung up and felt a storm hitting her at full speed. "I must go there,¡± stated Charmine. ''Thank you for the past few days." "Charmine, why don''t you-" Dr. Weir wanted to stop her, but before he could finish, Charmine already left with the key. She put on her motorbike helmet and raced away. Anthony and Waverly were about to get married? 1 She did not believe so. She had to know what happened! chapter 765 chapter 765 Charmine pulled over at Royal Hospital and parked her motorbike. She then keyed in the passcode Anthony told her and walked into the VIP lift. Annabel was fast asleep on the ward of the top floor, her skin pale as sunlight shone on her. Not wanting to disturb Annabel, Charmine walked to the resting lounge only to find Anthony and Waverly nowhere in sight. Of course, she eventually found someone at the medicalboratory-Nial. He was sorting out a pile of documents when he saw Charmineing, and the sight of her shocked him. "Charmine, you''re finally out?" ''Yeah." Coming closer to him, she asked suspiciously, "Where''s Anthony?" "He..." Nial hesitated and tentatively looked at Charmine. "Did you see all of the news online?" Charmine nodded. "What actually happened? You may tell me everything, or I can find out myself." Nial fell silent for a good while before he eventually mustered, "Some of the news online aren''t true...but the article about them getting engaged in ten days is true." Charmine jolted. It was true? "Annabel wasn''t doing so well in the past few days, haunted by her nightmares and was nauseous. Brother and Ms. Waverly had to stay overnight in the hospital to take care of her, afraid that she might have a miscarriage, but reporters got photos of them both staying overnight here. Someone even found out about the pregnancy and the pregnant meals. If they found out that it was Annabel, Mother won''t let her go. At the height of it all, Ms. Waverly had to tell Mother that it was her preparing to get pregnant and nourishing her body. What happened next wentpletely out of hand..." Nial''s expression turned grim. "After Mother found out, she ran to buy lots of supplements, and it wasn''t long until many of the reporters found out and this went to the ears of the D''Cruz family. Master D''Cruz, Waverly''s father, really takes this daughter seriously. He rushed over the night and discussed this matter with Mother. The seniors of our family settled this." Charmine listened on with a frown. Not only was Annabel''s situation not getting better, but it even got to this? She asked, "What about Anthony? What does he think?" He would definitely not ept his family for arranging this. "Him, well..." Nial let out a sigh. "Of course he fell out with the family. He told Mother to fix what she did, no excuses. Mother had handed the family items to the D''Cruz already and thought she had no need to take back her words, considering they were in a rtionship. They could slowly develop their feelings after engagement. If Anthony resisted too much, Mother might get suspicious and eventually find out about Annabel. Due to all this mess, he was entirely hands-on-deck to sort it all out. He made it clear that he''s going overseas with Ms. Waverly, while he ns to secretly arrange for Annabel and Momo to be sent to another country." Charmine frowned. To send them to another country? Right, Annabel and Chris had always been their biggest concerns. Charmine would have officiated her rtionship with Anthony had Chris not been ill. The situation was already dire, so if Susan found out about Annabel''s role in all these, she would have done something to her or even to Chris! 1 All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Arranging for them to leave was indeed the best solution. However... Would Annabel''s illness be fixed after leaving the country? Would she be able to hide from Susan''s potential schemes? 1 Hiding was never the best solution. "Give me all of Annabel and Momo''s medical records," Charmine said to Nial. "I''ll look into them." ''You?" Nial was shocked. It was then Nial recalled what Chris said to him, and Nial then gasped anticipatively, "Have you... Have you mastered the Ultimate Seventy- Two Needles?" ''Yeah. Let me have a look," said Charmine. Nial reeled back, astounded. He had heard about the Ultimate Seventy- Two Needles and nobody had ever mastered it in the past 100 years, yet Charmine managed to master it so quickly? He quickly retrieved Annabel''s and Chris'' documents and handed them to her. ''Take your time to look into them. Tell me if you need any help!" It would be perfect if she could treat Chris'' illness! Charmine wanted to discuss more when footsteps were heard outside. They were strong and steady, apanied by the sound of heels clicking. 1 Anthony and Waverly wereing! chapter 766 chapter 766 Charmine turned to look at the ss windows. True enough, they were Anthony and Waverly walking in from the outside. The suit-up Anthony disyed a powerful temperament while Waverly walked behind him dressed in her Chanel suit with pearls, elegant and exquisite. Next to one another, they looked like a perfect couple. The sight caught Charmine off-guard, and it felt as though her heart was punctured repeatedly. The first time she saw Anthony in ten days was him with Waverly... The moment Anthony spotted Charmine, his stoic face shifted into faint delight. "Mydy?" Just two words, yet there was an apparent hint of surprise in them. ''You two should talk,¡± said Waverly, i¡¯ll go check on Annabel." She turned away elegantly. "I have some matters to sort out too, so you two talk." Nial walked out of the medicalboratory and thoughtfully closed the door behind him. That left only Anthony and Charmine in theboratory. Eyeing Anthony who stood not too far from her, Charmine felt her heart weighed down as her feelings overwhelmed her. There were so many things to say, but she did not know where to start. Anthony also remained silent for a while before walking toward her. ''The reason why I didn¡¯t text you in the past few days is because I¡¯m waiting for you toe out. I want to exin everything in person.¡± His voice was formal and serious. "Oh, Nial had told me everything," said Charmine. Told her? Anthony frowned as he stood before her. He asked, including Annabel''s situation?¡± ''Yeah," Charmine nodded as she said calmly, "I can understand. Annabel can''t live without Waverly. No matter if it was the pressure from the outside world or her illness, they have to maintain a good rtionship." "It¡¯s not just that. The reason why Annabel''s illness has worsened is due to her physical and mental problems," added Anthony. "As I''m always taking care of her in the hospital, she feels guilty and hopes that I can get engaged and married soon." 1 Charmine was dumbfounded. Annabel genuinely thought of that, even though she spent so much time with him? Did she genuinely have no desire of being with Anthony at all? "It peaked my suspicion at first, but Annabel remained determined. When she learned that I''m getting engaged with Waverly, she was genuinely happy for US, and her condition progressed on that day. That only showed that we had nothing to fear for back then.¡± Anthony looked her in the eyes. 1 Charmine''s eyes narrowed. She was afraid of officiating her rtionship with Anthony and worried that it would trigger Annabel, yet they never expected she would be so headstrong on the matter. Moreover, she even supported Anthony to be with another woman! 2 Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Suddenly, Anthony ced his arms around Charmine''s waist. Charmine¡¯s body jolted. Even though they had not met for ten days, and despite getting engaged to another woman, he could still embrace her so lovingly... Anthony pulled her into his arms and gazed into her eyes. "Once I make arrangements for Annabel and Momo, we can officiate our rtionship with nothing holding US back. The person attending the engagement party will be you.¡± Charmine''s heart suddenly skipped a beat. The person attending the party would be her... News of their engagement was all over international news outlets. Everyone in every country knew Anthony was getting engaged to the heiress of Kansas'' D''Cruz family...yet Anthony said that the person who would attend the party had to be her? Would he announce their rtionship to the public on that day? Would Waverly agree? 4 Amid Charmine''s growing thoughts, Nial rushed toward them. "Brother, Charmine, it''s bad. Mother and Master D''Cruz are on their way here!¡± chapter 767 chapter 767 Susan? Master D''Cruz? Things would take a turn for the worst if they saw her here. Charmine¡¯s eyelids fluttered open widely. Rare as it was, she felt rather panicked. Anthony reached for her hand calmly and led her to the equipment room. "You stay here for a while," he assured her, "it''ll only take a few minutes." "Alright,¡± agreed Charmine. The moment the equipment room''s door closed shut, Susan and a middle- aged man walked in. Seemingly genial and easy-going, the man was dressed in a green cotton top. He was the father of Waverly, Fredrick D''Cruz. When Fredrick saw Anthony, he had a friendly smile on his face. "Come, Anthony. Your mother and I came today to speak to you about the engagement party happening in ten days." Anthony walked over to sit on the sofa merely because he did not want them to notice the equipment room. Meanwhile, Susan pulled Waverly to sit on the sofa. She was a little too close to Anthony''s liking. 1 Fredrick asked caringly, "You¡¯re both engrossed with research every day, and you must be tired. Why not take some time off to focus on preparing for the engagement?" "No need. There are people in the Bailey family who''ll deal with that," stated Anthony matter-of-factly, still elegant as he was. "He''s right!" Susan piped in. "Don''t worry, Master D''Cruz. Anthony''s father, grandparents, and I will all personally attend to this. Don¡¯t worry; we won''t mistreat Waverly." "Alright, but there are details I need to verify with you all regarding the engagement." Fredrick''s tone was serious-it was apparent that he genuinely cared for this daughter. They discussed the engagement even more and almost everyone had a smile on their face. Waverly sat elegantly and formally beside Anthony, as if they were a perfect pair. Seeing everything through the small gap in the storage room, Charmine could not fight that gnawing, bitter feeling. 2 This was the first time she met Anthony after ten days, thinking they could atst talk, yet... She could only hide inside this dark and small room and watched him discuss his engagement with another woman. Charmine was like a rat hidden in the shadows, belonging only to the darkness. Waverly, on the other hand, could stand next to Anthony publicly due to her family, her status, and her medical reputation. She even received the blessings of the entire world... 2 N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Fredrick then emphasized, "Furthermore, I only have one daughter, and I want to announce the engagement party to get as much attention as possible. Therefore, we''ve invited thirty or so national TV stations to live stream the ceremony. What do you say?" "Alright, the bigger the better.¡± Anthony¡¯s face slightly looked better when saying that. 1 His response had a double meaning to it. Inside the equipment room, Charmine was baffled as her brows furrowed. Anthony wanted to publicize their engagement that much? Even if she was going to be the bride, it should not be... After all, Anthony and Waverly''s widely celebrated party was all over the news. If Charmine turned out to be the woman on the day, it was not hard to imagine how shocking this would be, how much hate they would have to endure... 1 Anthony said to Fredrick and Susan, "Also, in the next ten days before the engagement, I hope you both give US enough space. Minimize the paparazzi and staff monitoring." Susan and Fredrick jolted. 1 Recently, a handful of photographers following them around did it for headlines, but most of them were arranged by Fredrick and Susan. They thought no one would find out about it, yet Anthony found out? Susan wanted to deny it, but Fredrick said, "Alright, no problem. However, you''ll have to announce the engagement to the public by tomorrow." Announce to the public by tomorrow? chapter 768 chapter 768 Fredrick insisted that Anthony and Waverly make a proper announcement of their rtionship to stop the spections. After all, they had yet to provide a satisfactory answer. ''The paparazzi followed around because of your attitude," added Fredrick." If you admit it to them, they''ll stop trying to dig in deeper. Everyone will feel at ease. 1 "Coincidentally, tomorrow happens to be the trade fair between Burlington and Kansas. If you can announce your engagement then, the economy of both countries will benefit from this." With narrowed eyes, Anthony eventually relented, "Okay." Susan and Fredrick sighed in relief with that. What a delight! Anthony finally wanted to admit it to the public. What a grand improvement! Overjoyed, both Susan and Master D¡¯Cruz left in satisfaction. The moment the door closed, Anthony stood up right away and walked to the equipment room to open the door. Charmine was still rooted where she stood, unable to react. Anthony and Waverly would announce their engagement tomorrow... Anthony gazed at her andforted, "Fret not, mydy. Ms. D''Cruz has agreed to swap you in on the engagement day." 1 "Yes. I''ll rify to everyone that you two were held back by the Bailey family," spoke Waverly in an understanding tone. "As your friend, I volunteered to help you both, and I volunteer to help till the engagement day." Nheless, everything felt like it spiraled out of control for Charmine. "No one will ept it then. The D''Cruz family won''t simply forgive you either." "Don''t worry-my father loves me. The most he''d do is to say a few words. Helping you will also help my reputation, too, so it¡¯s no big deal," assured Waverly. 1 Anthony ced his arm around Charmine''s waist andfortingly vowed," We''ll also show them the ring contact and marriage certificate on the engagement day, and it''ll be toote for the Baileys to reject. In the next ten days, without monitoring them, I can make arrangements for Annabel and Momo. We don¡¯t have to worry anymore." Charmine could only nod. She wished forthat, ardently. She hoped things could go on smoothly... However, why was Waverly willing to help them with no intention? That felt odd for Charmine, but s, she could not point her finger at it. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "You two continue on with what you''re doing," said Charmine to Anthony and Waverly, i¡¯ll go home to look into their medical records.¡± "Okay, I''ll walk you out." Anthony took Annabel¡¯s and Chris'' documents and escorted her out. Standing before the lift, he did not hurry to press the button. Instead, he reached out to caress her hair. "Mydy, you¡¯ve been wronged in the past few days.¡± Charmine''s eyes darkened. Wronged? Oh, she was wronged, alright. She had to watch him and Waverly walking about while she had to stay hidden. However, thinking of his hard work and his goal, her red lips curled up. "It won''tst for long. After all, we still have forever ahead of US." When Anthony heard that word-forever-his eyes were filled with warmth. His lips parted, "Mydy is right, it¡¯s the final ten days. I¡¯ll oversee everything to its best." "Okay, but there''s no hurry to send them out. I''ll look into their medical records, and only send them off if I can''t help," Charmine reminded him. Anthony had already guessed that she had mastered the Ultimate Seventy- Two Needles. His woman had always been ster. ''Take care, mydy," he bade her. He personally held the lift door open for her and sent her out. Charmine held the documents close to her as she watched the lift closing. Through the tiny gap of the door, she could see Waverly helping Annabel to walk over. One was conceiving Anthony''s child and the other was a perfect match to Anthony''s background: the heiress of the wealthiest, Waverly D''Cruz. Once she left, Anthony had to spend time with them, and he spent almost every day and night with them... 1 Tomorrow, Anthony and Waverly would announce their engagement to the public... chapter 769 chapter 769 Charmine felt like a mess. She did not expect so many things to happen within ten days. Ah, forget it! She had to cure Chris and Annabel as soon as possible! If Chris'' illness was treated, the three of them could live together in peace even when faced with sneers after she announced her rtionship with Anthony. Once she got home, Charmine started going into medical books and their records. Although she had mastered the Ultimate Seventy-Two Needles, Chris¡¯ and Annabel''s conditions were quiteplicated. Each acupoint could treat different things, but putting them all together could give off thousands ofbinations, and only onebination could cure them... Charmine immersed herself in work for one whole day. That evening, Senior Jordan suddenly called her. "Charmine, are you busy?" "No, Grandpa. How are you feeling in the past few days?" asked Charmine caringly. Thinking carefully, she had not returned to the Jordan mansion nor seen Senior Jordan for quite some time. "I''m fine, I''m good," he assured. "Don''t worry about me, do take care of yourself. Don¡¯t make me worry about you." "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m no three-year-old anymore," teased Charmine. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. "Right, you''re all grown up, and you''ve upheld the entire Jordan family. How time passed!" Senior Jordan sighed and, after a while, he finally asked," The reason I called you is to ask you... How are you doing with Anthony?¡± With Anthony...? Charmine thought of what happened today and repressed everything to the bottom of her heart. "Same old, same old," she replied, "it''s not bad. Once Momo is treated, we''ll make our official announcement." "Is it? But..." Senior Jordan hesitated for a while. "I heard that they''re announcing their rtionship tomorrow, and they''ll do so during the Trade Fair." His tone was filled with caution and worry; he was afraid to upset Charmine. Charmine merely said, "Yeah, I know. I''ve talked about it with Anthony today, and I agreed. He should be able to make arrangements for Momo and Annabel within ten days." ''Truly? Yes, that''s good, that''s good..." Senior Jordan exhaled in relief." Since you''re well aware and consented to it, then I don¡¯t have to worry. I thought you didn''t know, and I didn''t want you to feel upset. The Trade Fair happens at eleven tomorrow morning. You have to attend." 1 Charmine was dumbfounded. ''Trade Fair? Do I have to go?" "Yes," replied Senior Jordan, "this is the trade fair between Burlington and Kansas. The association called US up and requested the person in charge of each sector to attend. I wanted to go on your behalf, but they insisted that it has to be thepany director." Charmine''s eyes narrowed at that, but after a moment, she answered," Alright, I''ll go tomorrow." ''Thank you, Charmine. You and Anthony will get better," Senior Jordanforted her. ''Thank you, Grandpa. I''ll work harder." Charmine only hung up after exchanging a few more pleasantries. As she gazed at the silent night sky outside, her brows knitted together. Anthony and Waverly would announce their rtionship to the public tomorrow. Did she have to go? Her heart felt like it was stabbed. The Trade Fair took ce in an exhibition hall. Many of the moguls had already arrived at the exhibition hall early that morning. They were people of high reputation, and the top 100 wealthiest people in the country had alle. Luxury cars lined up at the parking lot outside the lobby, and each was worth an amount no ordinary person would ever get in their lifetime. Standing before her dressing mirror, Charmine inhaled deeply and gave herself a pep-talk. Anthony and Waverly would announce the news to the public soon, and she had to be there to witness... s, this was instructed by the association, and she had to go. 2 She must... chapter 770 chapter 770 Charmine faced the mirror, and after encouraging herself, she went to her underground garage to get the car. Kay handed her the car key. ''Take this car, Boss Jordan." Charmine spared no long nces at the car as she ignited the engine and drove away. She had done enough mental preparation. So what if Anthony announced his uing engagement to Waverly? It was not true anyway; she was the person Anthony loved. She must not show any emotion... She had to remain as calm as water, no matter what... The best would be to find a corner to sit in and try her best to minimize her sense of existence... 1 Never did she expect, much to her shock, that Anthony and Waverly would arrive the same time she arrived outside the exhibition hall! The two cars pulled over outside the exhibition hall. Anthony came in an extended Lincoln. The body of the vehicle was elongated, showing the status and prestige of its owner. An assistant went over and politely opened the door forthem. Anthony and Waverly got out of the car and she hooked around his arms habitually. He was in a suit while she was in a satin suit. The two of themplimented one another well. Masses of paparazzi were present at the fair, arranged by the Bailey and D''Cruz families. When they saw the two of them, they instantly took up their cameras and started snapping photos. Many of them went up and asked hurriedly, "Is it true that you''ll get engaged in ten days?" "Ms. D''Cruz, you''re too beautiful, you''re like a fairy! You''re glowing! Are you ready for your pregnancy?" ''This will be the marriage of the two most powerful families in two countries. Please tell US more about it!" They gawked and chased after Anthony and Waverly like they were bright, shining stars in the sky. Meanwhile, Charmine''s car pulled over by the side,pletely neglected. Since it was a matte ckpact car, its appearance did not stand out from the rest. Even the car¡¯s logo was not seen by many. 1 Thus, everyone thought it was an ordinary car and assumed the owner was a nobody. Even Anthony did not notice it. Nobody paid her any attention. Charmine sat inside the car and saw through the window how everyone celebrated Anthony and Waverly. It felt like a deranged cat wed and scratched at her heart. 1 Although she was mentally prepared, she did not expect to actually bump into them. She never expected people would uphold them like some prince and princess. Watching more of them would send her into depression. 1 She pressed on a button of the car, wanting nothing more than to leave. All of a sudden, a mechanical sound was heard. ck, ck, ck! The car doors automatically flew upward like the outstretched wings of an eagle. The vehicle shifted and retracted into a ck mechanical umbre! 1 N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. The mechanical umbre opened widely like a loyal knight waiting for its king. Such extravagance quickly caught the attention of many people. When they all looked over, they were blown away and gawked in Charmine''s direction. How was there such a cool car in the world? Which mogul was driving such a cool car? Inside the car, Charmine desperately wanted to remove herself from this ce, and yet... She was done for if she showed her emotions to everyone present at this fair. After taking in a deep breath, she got out of the car. Her ck heels met the ground and her long and beautiful legs strode out. She was dressed in her customized ck suit along with her soft white shirt ince. Charmine, to put it simply, was haughtily beautiful and formal. The paparazzi instantly recognized her the moment they saw her. "It''s Charmine Jordan, president of the Jordan Group!" "I heard she alone saved the entire Jordan Group!" ''The Jordan Group''s market value is now right beneath the Bailey Corporation! They''re the second wealthiestpany in Burlington!" chapter 771 chapter 771 "Charmine, may I know what brand this car is? Why haven''t we seen this before?" "Can you share with US the car¡¯s manufacturer?" Half of the reporters who surrounded Anthony and Waverly flocked to Charmine instead as they shouldered against one another to conduct the interview. Charmine snapped out of her daze. She reminded herself that she was representing the Jordan Group that was the best in the property industry in Burlington. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. The Jordan family was still rebuilding itself, and she had to stand firm. As for Anthony and Waverly, Charmine had no choice but to pretend she did not know them both. Sheposed herself, getting rid of all the emotions she should not be having, and replied to the crowd, it''s just a niche vehicle that we researched ourselves. I''m just driving for the fun of it." She then walked toward the exhibition hall¡¯s main entrance right after herment. Born with an incredibly powerful disposition, every step Charmine took was apanied with a mighty aura that gave off a strong presence- bold and mighty in nature. ''Such a show-off, yet so eye-catching!'' Her stance immediately stole the spotlight from Waverly and every otherdy in the scene. No one expected ady would look so fabulous in a ck suit... ''She is ady, after all. It''s one thing that she''s dealing with properties, yet Charmine is also able to research and develop a car as well? That car''s astoundingly futuristic, yet she said she''s just driving for the fun of it?'' ''When one has spare time, one should start creating some news!'' Max, who was amongst the crowd, red daggers at Charmine. ''It''s her again! Why is Charmine such a show-off every time she makes an appearance? It''s like she''s got this insatiable urge to steal the limelight from everyone!¡¯ 1 ''Just you wait, Charmine. I''ll get you!¡¯ The exhibition hall was different from any ordinary banquet as it was the type to dazzle anyone. The hall was covered with transparent ceiling to floor windows. There were chairs ced beside the windows, and there were cups of tea that were prepared and ced on coffee tables. Charmine casually found a seat at a corner and sat down. She tried her best to conceal her presence. At that moment, Anthony*s 20 security guards entered the venue and, separating into two lines, blocked off all the reporters and escorted Anthony and Waverly. Under the escort of the security guards, Anthony and Waverly walked elegantly into the scene. They were an enigmatic, prestigious couple-a handsome man and a gorgeousdy with indisputably powerful auras-just like a prince and princess seen on the screens. Every tycoon and mogul turned their heads to watch as they stepped foot into the exhibition hall, and everyone came forth to greet them. "Mr. Bailey, it''s a pleasure to meet you!" "Ms. D¡¯Cruz really is a beauty. You two really are meant for each other!" "I nked out, thinking my eyes were ying me when I thought I saw angelsing down to earth!" "You guys really are a perfect match, a match made in heaven, destined to be together." A group of people surrounded Anthony and Waverly and spouted all sorts of blessings. Charmine, meanwhile, sat in the corner alone, feeling utterly lonely. Picking up a ss of tea, she sipped it to hide the uneasiness that bubbled within her. ''When can I stand next to Anthony with my head held high and receive blessings from everyone?'' 2 Max noted Charmine¡¯s behavior in silence, and his eyes twinkled in delight. He finally got to see a pained Charmine, and it thrilled him. ''No... It''s still not enough!¡¯ Not only had she taken his shares, but she even threatened him and plotted against him. He wanted to see her suffer many times more than this! 1 With his red lips curling into a smirk, he abruptly turned to Charmine and said, "Well, isn''t the one sitting at the corner our Divine Bird''s director? Ms. Jordan, since you''vee here, why don''t you have a word with everyone? Why sit all alone? Do you happen to have any objection to this diplomatic marriage between two countries?" In a split second, his questions made all heads turn to Charmine. chapter 772 chapter 772 Charmine had the authority to make decisions in Burlington. After all, she was from the secondrgest family of Burlington and the number one real propertypany, especially the project of Divine Bird that attracted the attention of many parties. "Such a person will possess a much unique vision. Does she have any special idea toward this diplomatic marriage?¡± Everyone eyed Charmine anticipatingly. Charmine felt as though her heart was choked. ''Is Max trying to rub salt to my wound with that question? Is he trying to force me toment in the public, that Waverly and Anthony made a perfect match? ''He really is cruel. But...'' Expression tranquil and unperturbed, Charmine smirked. "I¡¯m sorry, but I never like gossiping about other people''s love life to begin with." It felt like a backhandedment, calling out everyone for being busybodies. Max''s face stiffened momentarily at hereback, but not a momentter, he said coldly, ''The engagement between Mr. Bailey and Ms. D''Cruz isn''t just a personal matter. It''s also a grand asion for both countries, a diplomatic marriage between two countries. You, as the top ten richest people in Burlington, should at leastment and voice out your opinion." 1 "What if I say they''re not a match? Will they just call off the marriage?" Charmine counter-questioned. "Of course not!" snapped Max. "It''s just that-" "Then why bother asking me?" Charmine immediately sted, rendering Max speechless. That woman had a way with her words. Regardless of the asion, she would never let anyone have the opportunity to step up. 1 A babble of talk broke out among the crowd. ''They''re right about Charmine; it''s no surprise everyone calls her Boss Jordan!" Anthony''s eyes seemingly glinted with faint pride and love. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. ''She really is mydy. A stereback!'' Mr. Hahn noticed that the atmosphere was rather agitated and went forth to calm the scene, "Everybody, let''s just chat casually. It''s only normal for everyone to express their ideas! Mr. Bailey and Ms. D¡¯Cruz are a perfect match, and Ms. Jordan''s characteristic is also very unique. I¡¯m sure she''ll meet her Prince Charming in the future as well." Anthony''s brows furrowed as his eyes dulled unpleasantly. Charmine¡¯s expression grew darker as well. ''Prince Charming?'' Mr. Hahn wiped off the sweat over his forehead. ''Why is the atmosphere growing more awkward the more I try to fix it?¡¯ Noticing Charmine''s displeasure, Max¡¯s thin lips curved into a smirk again. Oh, how he wanted to hurt Charmine badly! He then said with a cold smile, half-teasing, "With a personality like Ms. Jordan, I wonder what kind of man she¡¯ll look up to. I''m afraid she''ll look for someone who has no self-opinion and is afraid of his wife, right?¡± 1 The assistant following beside Max added, "Haha! That''s right! Maybe she¡¯ll even find someone with a temper that¡¯s even worse and quarrel every single day. Still, Mr. Bailey and Miss D''Cruz are the best. They''re just like angels, meant for each other, the perfect match!" 1 Thatment basically meant that Charmine and Anthony were not a match to each other, and they would only end up yelling each other¡¯s ears off if they did get together. Waverly, on the other hand, was the perfect match for Anthony! Charmine turned her gaze to Anthony and Waverly. One was prestigious and charming while the other was elegant. They both were like statues created by the gods. ''They really do look quite a match to each other, but..'' "As the saying says, to beat is to care, and to scold is to love. Mr. Bailey and Ms. D¡¯Cruz both have incredibly pleasant characteristics, but won''t life be boring if they''re both like that, together? Is it going to be all business and doing things professionally?" 1 The crowd was utterly dumbfounded. ''How dare Charmine blurted such ament!'' ''How dare she say that at a public asion, at the masses, no less!¡¯ The problem was that her words slowly sank for the people present in the venue, and they realized Charmine was rather right. Regardless of the asion, Anthony and Waverly were always very polite to each other. People like them were like living a purely curt, disciplined lifestyle. ''How can they ever have fun in their life like that?'' 1 Max initially thought of making Charmine heartbroken, but he did not expect Charmine to blurt such a statement! ''She''s so shameless!'' He looked at Anthony and asked, "Mr. Bailey, aren''t you supposed to say a word about your life with Waverly? Are you guys having fun?" 1 When facing so many people, Anthony could not possibly look at Charmine. chapter 773 chapter 773 He wanted to see how Anthony denied Charmine in public! Then... N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Anthony parted his thin lips and said, "Indeed, I''m having fun with my wife. To beat is to care, and to scold is to love. That makes sense.¡± The crowd all exchanged looks at each other, finding it hard to believe. ''Anthony and Waverly will even argue with each other privately? Will they, considering their personality? Impossible!'' As for Max and Waverly, their expressions looked awful. Anthony''s statement sounded like he was protecting Waverly, but in fact, he was supporting Charmine! He had never greeted Waverly as his wife. The ''wife'' that he mentioned was obviously hinting at Charmine! ''Great one, Anthony. Nice one, Charmine!'' It was as if Waverly did not wish for the situation to be more awkward as she said, "Anthony, let''s go over there to have a seat." In public, she would always greet him as Anthony. Anthony eyed Charmine from the corner of his eyes. Max might never let Charmine breathe so long as he was in the scene. Feeling as though he could not make the situation a stalemate, all Anthony could do was to bring Waverly to the side of the hall and stroll around. That conversation was just a small interruption. The crowd once more surrounded Anthony and Waverly and gushed at them, casually talking to them to get into their good side. Of course, many went to where Charmine sat at the corner, asking her about the Divine Bird project and also about her new car. Charmine actively engaged herself in the conversations and tried her best to avert her attention. Not longter, the attendance was full as all the tycoons had made it to the venue. The broadcaster then made an official announcement, "Ladies and gentlemen, we have another ten minutes till the business meeting. Everyone, please make your way to the conference room.¡± Everyone then got up and made their way to the conference room, all while making way for Anthony and Waverly, and the crowd surrounded them. While Charmine was also headed to the conference room, she was behind the crowd. Anthony and Waverly truly looked like royals as the crowd made way for them, and she was just like a little ve who followed behind everyone else. The atmosphere in the conference room was intense. There was a stage upfront, and there were a few seats for the few higher- ups. On the left side was a podium for one to give their speech. Below the stage were rows of bright-colored chairs with long modern tables ced before each row. Everyone''s name te was ced on top of the tables. The top ten richest people''s seats were arranged in the first row. As Charmine got closer, her brows knitted together. Max and Waverly were the special honorable guest from Kansas, and they were ced in the first and second seats. Anthony was also ced near them, which was the third seat. Charmine, meanwhile, sat at number four. In other words, she got to sit with Anthony! 1 Charmine¡¯s eyelids twitched. ''Why am I ced right next to Anthony on such a huge asion, and at his right side, nheless?'' Knowing how Anthony would behave, Charmine grew uneasy. ''We''re done for if he tries anything funny!¡¯ 1 s, at this official conference, the seats were fixed. Someone then came forward and pulled out her seat for her politely. Without much of a choice, Charmine walked over and sat beside Anthony. Waverly sat at Anthony''s left while Charmine was on his right side. 1 Just as Charmine settled on her seat, Anthony''s eyes that were once tranquil all this while twinkled with warmth. His leg under the table suddenly tilted over to her side, bit by bit. chapter 774 chapter 774 Charmine had just settled in her seat when she suddenly felt something rubbing against her leg, as if something hade near her. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. She wanted to look down and see what it was, but when she subconsciously felt that it was Anthony¡¯s leg, her body stiffened. ''This is the conference room with hundreds of people sitting behind US, yet Anthony''s so close and even rubbed his leg against me! Oh, the chaos if anyone found out..!¡¯ She swung her knees slightly, signaling for him to remove his leg, but Anthony shook his leg too as if he was answering to her. 3 That felt so flirtatious to Charmine at that split second, and Charmine felt her face warming. ''This man really can''t behave himself. How dare he tease me with so many people around?!'' Fortunately, the conference table was a very long wooden table, and with a piece of solid wood board in front, others would not know what went down below the table. Charmine anxiously prayed, ''Please, don¡¯t let anyone know. Please don''t let anyone find out...!'' Not long after, the conference began. "Wee, everyone, to Burlington¡¯s business conference in the year 2020!" Even as the master of the ceremony extended a long paragraph, the representatives from Kansas showed no reaction. It was as if they were not satisfied with the uses. At that moment, the person in charge from Burlington announced, "A round of apuse as we wee Mr. Bailey and Ms. D''Cruz toe up the stage for a speech." Everyone''s attention zeroed in on Anthony and Waverly. At that split second, Anthony retrieved his long leg that leaned against Charmine. He got up and walked up the stage with a prestigious stance. Waverly followed closely behind, elegant as ever. Anthony faced the crowd below the stage, and when his gazended on Charmine, he felt a sense of unwillingness deep within him. Still, as he thought of the public and the arrangements needed during these ten days, he ended up opening his thin lips and said, ''Ten days from now, Ms. D''Cruz and I will be engaged." Hisment was meaningful and influential. As soon as he blurted thement, a round of apuse came down like thunder throughout the hall. Everyone pped. Some were those who expressed their blessings to Anthony, while others apuded as their eventual diplomatic wedding would liven up business rtions between Kansas and Burlington. Indeed, the representatives of Kansas exchanged nces with one another as their eyes gleamed with satisfaction. Initially, they thought that Anthony and Waverly''s issue was just a work of the media. However, from the looks of it, it seemed to be real. The D''Cruz family was a symbol of royalty in Kansas, and ording to ancient texts, they truly were simr to such status. As Anthony grasped the authority of Burlington''s finance, it would be an alliance between two powerful organizations when both Anthony and Waverly were united in a diplomatic marriage. The scene was filled with apuse of sincere celebration as camera shutters flickered incessantly. Charmine witnessed as the pair stood on the stage, not having any other choice but to join the crowd as she pped. She had to p as her man was together with anotherdy... She tried to fight the gnawing feeling. ''Bear with it... Just bear with it...'' Once they could relocate Chris and Annabel somece else and they were secure in a foolproof n, she could then reveal her rtionship with Anthony to the public without worrying about anything... 3 Meanwhile, Max eyed Charmine, gaze filled with provocation as if he telepathically sneered, ''You can keep up that arrogant act, Charmine, but your man will still leave you in the end! At the end of the day, you''ll only be apuding them!'' Max thought Charmine would be heartbroken, shameful, and utterly sad, yet he did not expect... Charmine met his gaze just as intensely as she brushed her long hair to the back, which was utterly gorgeous that she was showing her alluringness. Hair pulled back, Charmine''s earrings were exposed. chapter 775 chapter 775 Hanging on Charmine''s ear were rectangr, small customized earrings with a photo...that bore a photo of Max and thatdy on their first night! 3 The photo had been edited to the point it looked sciously scandalous, and it looked extremely fashionable. Max paled in an instant. ''Charmine''s crazy to have used that photo for her earrings! How dare she wear them to this public asion?!'' Max would crash and burn if cameras in the hall caught the image, when citizens of the entire nation knew what it was! He hardened his gaze to threaten Charmine and even warned her. Charmine smirked. ''Weren¡¯t you mocking me just seconds before? Weren¡¯t you having a good time seeing me suffer, rubbing salt over my wound? If I can''t breathe in peace, don''t think you''d get any either!'' 1 She found it interesting when seeing him restless. ''How fascinating.'' Regardless of Max¡¯s shifting gaze to hint at her, Charmine merely turned a blind eye and paid attention to the stage. Max clenched his fists tightly and wanted nothing more than to tear her into pieces. ''Why must it be at this conference? Many television stations are shooting right now!¡¯ At that moment, the camera shifted toward their table. Max felt as if his heart was about to leap out from his throat. Noticing she had scared him enough, Charmine then straightened herself. Languidly leaning against the chair, Charmine''s hair that was brushed to the back fell to her neckline once more, effectively hiding her earrings. Even though she wore a western-inspired ck suit, Charmine was still gorgeous as she wowed everyone. Max let out a breath of relief. TH deal with her, once this conference is over! ? Usually, a conference would go on for two whole hours, and once it ended, a prearranged celebration banquet would be held. Representatives from Burlington and Kansas went forth to Anthony and Waverly and led them to the celebration banquet, all while they engaged in conversation with the pair. Charmine was thest to leave the conference room. It was only when everyone had left did she take in a deep breath before stepping out. All of a sudden, someone blocked her just as she got closer to the entrance. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Max¡¯s silhouette, standing at 1.9 meters in height, blocked her pathway. His vicious eyes red into hers. "Are you trying to dig your grave, Charmine? Remove those earrings right now!" 1 "Who do you think you are? Why should I listen to you?" Charmine turned a blind eye to him. ''You-!'''' Max gritted his teeth. "Are you still in your little dreamnd, Charmine? Anthony and Waverly had publicly announced their engagement, and today''s news will be known throughout the entire globe. It''s going to be broadcasted on tens of television stations all over the world! "Do you really think you¡¯ll get to have him again? Do you really think that Anthony will still marry you? You being ditched is just a matter of time! You''re crossing me right now; have you ever thought whether or not there will be any good oue doing it?" His words were dipped with a venomous threat. Charmine''s expression turned dark as Max¡¯s words undeniably worried her. The situation at hand seemed to have spiraled out of control, so much so that it could not be resolved. ''Can I really retrieve him back?'' she doubted to herself. 2 Regardless, that was her matter alone, and it was not up to Max to interfere, let alone for him to mock! ''You think blocking my way will do something for you?" she scoffed. She then stretched out her hand and took down her earrings from her ears. Then, she raised her hand, and threw it ruthlessly to a far-away distance! chapter 776 chapter 776 Just like that, the earrings Charmine threw flew straight to the streets where many stood and chattered. As the earrings dropped to the ground, they quickly attracted the attention of many people. Everybody shifted their gaze to inspect the item. Max''s pupils immediately dted as he felt his heart felt like it wasing up his throat. "Unbelievable...! Charmine actually threw those earrings out here! I''m dead if people see them!" He walked inrge strides and rushed toward where the earrings were. He, who always had a prestigious outline, was overwhelmed by a sense of anxiety he had never experienced before. As he walked to the spot where the earrings were, he eventually realized that Charmine had not thrown her earrings. She threw, instead, a hairpinmon among thedies. 1 The hairpin had ck alphabets on it that spelled, [SB], Max''s eyelids twitched. Charmine yed him badly. These were not her earrings! Bystanders gazed at Max curiously as they started to assume randomly.'' Why is the young master from Kansas this anxious?'' Max became exasperated as he felt all eyes on him. Picking up the hairpin, he marched back to Charmine. "Charmine," he seethed through gritted teeth, "you''re fooling me!" "Did I ever say I¡¯m going to throw my earrings? Did I ask you to go pick it up for me?" Charmine counter-questioned coldly. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Max was exasperated and speechless. Just when the me of rage was about to explode from his chest, Charmine suddenly added, "Besides, there''s no fun if everyone finds out about it now. What else am I going to hold against you then? It''s only natural that I keep such evidence with me so that I can enjoy the fun of it. "Bear in mind, Max, that if you ever offend me again, I can just upload this picture for the whole nation to see whenever I want to." Her lips parted as she uttered those well-thought-out words. Giving him a stern gaze, Charmine then passed by him in a collected yet bold manner. Max, rooted on the spot, clenched the hairpin in his hand. ''Hadn''t I already given her enough proof? How dare ady, who¡¯s about to be dumped, be so arrogant! Argh, I must make Charmine suffer and cry!'' He took out his phone and made a call to give his order, "Carry out the n." The entire afternoon was the celebration banquet, and all the men of Kansas and Burlington were present. By the time Charmine got to the celebration banquet, many were already present as they talked to one another. The luxurious hall was filled with the aroma of wine as people poured some into their sses. Anthony and Waverly, who were in front, were the most attractive thing that urred. People gravitated to them, surrounding them from the start. Despite that, this was still inadequate... An assistant came into the scene. "Mr. Bailey, Ms. D''Cruz, many of your fans had sent you gifts the moment news of your engagement was spread." Following hisment, the security guards started entering the scene with presents at hand. There were 99 roses, a tablemp depicting a couple kissing, a meter high of pillows, a poster of them both seemingly made haphazardly, and so on... Every gift had something inmon, however, as they had an eye catching logo that wrote, [Anthony Bailey X Waverly D''Cruz]. Countless gifts had upied half of the scene. A few security guards ced a poster before Charmine and curtly said," Please move aside." That poster was a high-definition picture of Anthony and Waverly standing on the stage. A handsome man and gorgeousdy just seemed to attract everyone¡¯s attention. 1 Charmine''s gaze changed. There were plenty of Anthony and Waverly¡¯s presents beside her legs, and the atmosphere felt rather suffocating. At that moment, a person came forward and said, "The fans really put in a lot of effort. Mr. Bailey, don''t you guys suppose to give something back to Ms. D¡¯Cruz?¡± chapter 777 chapter 777 "Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" Someone from the crowd started to chant loudly and, soon enough, everyone started shouting at the top of their lungs. 1 Charmine¡¯s gaze flitted to Anthony and Waverly who stood at the center, surrounded by the crowd, and it felt like her heart was pinched. ''They want Anthony and Waverly to kiss?¡¯ On such an asion, them objecting to kiss would only raise suspicion. It might dissatisfy the people from Kansas. ''But if they don''t object, will he kiss Waverly?'' Surrounded at the center, Anthony wore a cold, hardened expression. It was obvious that someone was trying to create trouble. There was a certain someone who wanted to see hisdy go through hell. ''How am I supposed to bear with such a condition? Even if it¡¯s going to raise suspicion, I can''t kiss anotherdy!'' Just as Anthony wanted to reject it... "Daddy, Daddy...!" An innocent voice was heard. Everyone turned to look and saw a five-year-old boy running into the scene. The little boy had a little bag with him. He held a big, fiery red rose in his hand as he ran full-throttle to the front of the two people. "Daddy, I heard that you''ve found a mommy for me! Is that true? I love this Mommy! This is a gift for you both!" 1 He handed the big, fiery red rose to Anthony. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Anthony received it and quizzed with his deep voice, "Why are you here?" He sounded like he was unhappy about it, but his gaze was silently encouraging him. ''He came just at the right time.¡¯ "I''m actually here for a ss, but I heard from the news saying that you, Daddy and this Auntie have officially dered your rtionship," he childishly rambled, "so I want toe to get to know about Auntie." He turned to Waverly as he spoke and then muttered, "Auntie, will you love Momo? Will you turn me away? Will you end up being a cruel stepmother?" At that split second, everyone¡¯s attention was focused on Waverly. ''Oh, yeah. How can we forget that Anthony still has a test tube baby who always tagged along?'' 2 Anthony pampered his kid, no doubt about it. Even if he were to get married, he would surely not ditch his son. This would mean Waverly would have to be a stepmother. ''Waverly is still so young! Can she bear with it? Will she get along with this young master?'' As she stood before the crowd, Waverly gently patted Momo''s head and coaxed, "Of course I won''t ditch you. In fact, I''ve actually taken a liking for you. Rest assured, I''m also a doctor. Doctors have a kind heart and will never harm you." "Oh really? Are you being honest? Then, can you y with me? Ever since I''m back from school, I haven¡¯t had anything to eat yet... Waa...!¡± Chris tugged at her hand pitifully as he dragged her away. 1 Waverly had no choice but to follow Chris as they walked to the food and beverage section for something to munch on. While she had been next to Anthony the entire day, she had no choice this time but to separate from him. Charmine gazed at Chris'' small silhouette, astonished yet delighted.'' Momo truly did show up at the right time. He managed to dissolve the crisis and even separated Anthony from Waverly!'' She had a feeling Chris would be pestering Waverly for the entire afternoon. 1 ''I at least won''t have to see Anthony and Waverly being all lovey-dovey this afternoon.'' All of a sudden, Anthony-with arge bouquet of red roses at hand- walked toward her direction, one step at a time, closer to her. Charmine felt like her heart leaped all the way to her throat as she noticed he was getting closer. ''What is he nning to do in front of all these people...? And why is heing here?'' chapter 778 chapter 778 Anthony put on a prestigious yet aloof expression as he came closer to Charmine, and it riled up the crowd. "What is Mr. Bailey trying to do?¡± ''What is Mr. Bailey nning to do, holding a big bouquet of red roses and walking toward Charmine?'''' Charmine''s heart raced as she felt butterflies swarming her belly the closer Anthony got. Eventually, Antony came to a halt in front of her and handed her the big bouquet of red roses. 1 This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Charmine was at a loss for words. ''Unbelievable. What the heck is this man doing? Is he trying to screw me?'' The crowd had their jaws drifted apart, and left petrified on the spot. "Anthony, the Boss Bailey who announced his love rtionship with Waverly, is giving Charmine flowers?" "Are we seeing someone sailing two boats at the same time?!" The atmosphere shifted into a momentary standstill. Just as the media held up their cameras and about to take photos, Anthony suddenly said, "These flowers are for Ms. Jordan, stated here in this bouquet." "Name?" The crowd looked over at the name card on the flowers, only to realize that it was indeed Charmine''s name. ''That means..." ''These flowers should be for Ms. Jordan from her supporters, and Momo just grabbed the wrong bouquet, so I''m returning it to its rightful owner," uttered Anthony all while he wore a civil expression, not blushing nor letting his heart run rampant. The crowd paused for a moment before they finally regained their senses." So that''s what it''s all about!" "Like I said, how can Mr. Bailey give Ms. Jordan flowers? These two can never interact peacefully." "It''s just a misunderstanding. Let''s continue with our conversation!" People then escorted Anthony back. Charmine held the huge bouquet of red roses and felt all warm and fuzzy. ''Misunderstanding, my foot! I can''t believe Anthony and Momo would use this method to give me flowers in public. I''m stunned silly! But if anyone caught on to this...'' She found a seat at a corner and sat down, trying her best to water down her presence. She then continued discussing business issues with the one she was talking to before to change the topic. The entire celebration banquet ended at 10pm that night. Charmine had sessfully scored ten contracts and was able to sessfully set up branch shops of Divine Bird and jewelry shops in all cities of Kansas. As she exited the venue, she coincidentally bumped into Anthony and Waverly who were bringing Momo to enter in the same car. They looked like a harmonious family of three. "They really are a perfect match," chirped the crowd. "I can¡¯t wait to see them getting engaged." "I want to see them getting married." ''Their child will surely be cute!" Charmine overheard it all and sat in the icy-cold car alone. Anthony''s car took the right turn while her car took the left, and the two cars coincidentally passed by each other. They then grew further...and further apart. Brows furrowed, Charmine watched as the car they were in faded from her rear mirror. ''Them sitting together like that, surely they''ll have lots to talk andugh about, and I''m here,pletely alone.¡¯ Charmine could not walk out there with her head held high until Chris'' illness could be cured. All she could do was watch Anthony and Waverly together, with her own two eyes... Charmine abruptly stepped on the gas pedal and drove the car back at full throttle. She got to be familiar with the Ultimate Seventy-Two Needles; she had to find a way to cure Chris'' disease! ''Everything will remain passive unless something is done.¡¯ Meanwhile, Waverly had just returned to her hotel. As soon as she entered the room, Max instinctively changed her slippers and asked with a concerning tone, "Are you tired after wearing high heels the entire day?" 1 "I¡¯m still alright with it." Waverly changed her shoes and walked into the room. Max caught up to her. ''Today''s issue is quite sessful, but you guys are still too low-profile, and a kid suddenly popped out of nowhere, ruining my n!" He wanted Anthony to kiss Waverly in front of Charmine, and he wanted her to suffer in misery. What a shame... chapter 779 chapter 779 A devilish gleam was seen in Max''s eyes as he spoke to Waverly, "For the next ten days, just follow my instructions and act grandly. You gotta do something to shake up Charmine." Max then handed a few name cards to Waverly. Taking them, Waverly nced at the names and noticed they were contact information to exclusive experts on clothes, photography, and everything in between. She frowned. "Max, do you want to contact these people that badly? Anthony and I are just putting on a show. Do we need to take things up to the next level?" "Of course! You gotta make the show look realistic. I won¡¯t me you." Max hugged her from behind and stuffed the name cards into her hand. 1 The night was longsting. From that night onward... [Engagement of Anthony Bailey and Waverly D''Cruz. Private Gown with Sky- high Price!] [The Surprisingly Pricey Wedding Shoes!] [The World''s Number One Fashion Designer Came To City!] [The Arrival Of Hollywood¡¯s Movie Scenographer!] Grand news after another sprung up about Anthony and Waverly, much to everyone''s jealousy. Regardless of which forum it was, one would see the news disyed so tantly. News of their engagement was even sent through phone messages. It was just an engagement ceremony, yet it was far grander than any ordinary people''s wedding. Charmine was at home, using aputer to work remotely while researching Memo''s disease when news about the grand engagement started popping up on her screen. She forced herself to remain calm and bore with it. After a few more days, everything would be much better once they found a cure for Chris. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. She used all sorts of white rats to conduct experiments, suffering for five whole days and nights when, at longst, she found the cure on the evening on the fifth day! With that method, she would help Momo recover fully. Charmine was so excited that she immediately packed her needles, opened the underground tunnel, and went in. 1 At the same time, in another vi... Waverly brought another person over. "Anthony," she called out sweetly, "your mother insisted that I bring a designer to customize a necktie for you." Anthony had no choice but to open the door. Waverly purposely entered the room with him in a skillful manner, and the designer followed in as well. Taking out a measuring tape, the designer politely measured Anthony''s neck. Charmine came out from the underground tunnel, excited and all set to jump into Anthony''s arm, only to realize she was in a small room on the first floor. She heardmotion outside of the room¡¯s door. Peeking through the door gap, Charmine saw Anthony standing elegantly as Waverly-standing next to him-held tens of colorful cloth materials and was making gestures at Anthony''s neck. It was like watching a gentle scene between a couple that was deeply in love with each other. It felt like cold water sshed onto Charmine as all her excitement left her, and nothing but the ice-cold chills were left in its wake. It was indeed all for show at the start, but they seemed to be getting more realistic about the act. She was Anthony¡¯sdy, yet she could only hide in the little room and could not even leave... Charmine ended up waiting for almost an hour for them to finish. In order not to invite any other people''s attention, after the designer had left, Waverly stayed back all alone before leaving. She talked things through with Anthony about Annabel¡¯s illness and about the arrangement for the next few days. They were like friends who could talk about almost everything. Eventually, Anthony sent Waverly out of the room. Anthony helped her close the car door and saw her off before entering his house so that they could prevent paparazzi from sneakily taking pictures. Charmine came out from the room then, and she could still make out the sweet scent of a lovely vibe within the atmosphere. Spotting her, Anthony''s brows furrowed. "Darling? Why are you here?" The shock in his tone was evident. "Why? Surprised?" quipped Charmine. "I shouldn¡¯t havee, then?" There was jealousy in her crystal clear voice. Anthony looked at Momo. Momo, who was on the sofa, wanted to run toward Charmine right off the bat, but he instead went up the stairs after noticing Anthony''s gaze. Anthony covered the curtains properly and ensured that no one could take photos from the outside before he made his way to Charmine. The distance between the two grew smaller by the second. chapter 780 chapter 780 Charmine turned around to evade Anthony as he got rather close to her, and she walked aside. "I¡¯m not here for you-l''m here for Momo." Anthony hugged her by the waist and yanked her into his arms. He clung around her waist, stared at her, and asked, "Are you jealous?" "Not at all," replied Charmine coldly. 1 Anthony''s thin lips curled and his eyes gleamed with pampering love. "Your jealous look is very cute." "I said I¡¯m not jealous. I won''t be jealous." Charmine gently shoved his hands away, not noticing that the way she spoke was much like a little girl''s Anthony did not pull her in anymore as he merely remained his hold on her from behind. "Just bear a while more, darling, there are still five more days. All the routes have been arranged properly; we can''t afford to make a mistake." Charmine frowned. ''Is it the route to send Momo and Annabel overseas?'' She weighed in on the grave matter and spoke, "I already found a way to cure Momo." Anthony frowned. It had only been a few days, and she already managed to find the cure? That meant she came to share the good news with him and to cure Momo, but she ended up seeing him with Waverly instead... He spun her around and said, i¡¯ll let you go find Momo...only after you kiss me." 1 Thest two words were spoken with a husky, attractive voice. Charmine quickly struggled in his hold. "Stop fooling around." "Since you''re not jealous, and we''re legally husband and wife, it''s only All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. natural for you to kiss me." 1 Anthony''s arms were like strong iron pliers that held her effectively and strongly so. The more she struggled, the tighter he grasped her. Charmine was baffled. Momo was his son, but it did not seem as though the thought of a cure for Memo''s five-year illness excited him. Instead, he was teasing her. ''You better let me go, seriously," she grumbled, "I''m in a rush to cure Memo''s illness." "I''m sick as well," Anthony suddenly blurted. His eyes bore into hers as he reiterated, "Lovesick." 2 Charmine was speechless. Before she could speak, Anthony suddenly held onto the back of her head and gave her a passionate kiss. Dominance, aggression, and loyalty. The feeling of missing her and the separation during these few days felt as though it was fulfilled at that moment. It was only when Charmine was almost out of breath when Anthony released her. Ruffling her head, he said, "Off you go upstairs." 1 Charmine felt her heartbeat rather speedily. She was initially disgruntled, but their kiss nearly made her forget about the serious matter. Afterposing herself, Charmine marched up the stairs with Anthony close to her. Meanwhile, Momo was ying with his Lego set in the room as he piled up the cute little rectangle blocks into three puppets. One of the puppets was made entirely of red blocks, which would remind one of Charmine who had a bright personality. Another was made of entirely ck blocks, much like the firm Anthony. Thest one was a little blue puppet, and an adorable one at that. He ced the three puppets together and his mouth curled into a happy smile. Creak! The sound of the door being pushed open was heard. The moment he noticed it was Charmine, Chris shot up immediately." Mommy, Mommy! I want Mommy to carry me!" Charmine carried him in her arms like she was used to it. She pinched his chubby cheeks as she greeted, "Did you miss Mommy?" chapter 781 chapter 781 "Of course! I think of you every day, at every moment, minute, and second!" Chris coquettishly nestled himself more into Charmine''s embrace. Charmaine carried him, heart aching, and sat at the side of the bed. "You must''ve suffered a lot these few days, Momo. Just bear with it for another few days. I''ve already thought of a way to cure your illness. If your disease gets better overtime, we might not need to focus so much on Annabel for the next nine months." "Really?" Momo''s eyes gleamed hopefully. God knew how much he did not wish for Annabel to give birth to another child. ''Only mommy can give birth to my sister!'' Charmine nodded. ¡°Of course. Tonight, I''m here to cure your disease using needles. From now on, I want you to believe in my medical skills and give your best to rx your mind and body. Let''s work this out together, okay?" "Okay!" Chris immediately nodded andid on the sofa beside him, obediently. Charmine took out the disinfection instrument that she brought. Inspecting his being, she ten used alcohol and wiped it across the few points on his body. Finally, she took out a cloth bag that housed the needles given to her by the mysterious old man. Unveiling the cloth revealed hundreds of needles that were only a few millimeters thick. She took out one needle and casually asked Momo to divert his attention," Momo, don''t you have any good feelings for Waverly? You did spend so much time with her, after all." "Mmh, nope. I never liked her from the bottom of my heart. I kept having a hunch that she''s not good at all!" Chris answered, all while Charmine injected the needle on top of Chris'' head. Her technique was wless and smooth that Chris almost felt nothing. cing more needles, Charmine then continued, "Why? Everyone seems to like her though." ''That''s because they don''t have good insight. I sense that Auntie isn''t as innocent; it''s like there''s a cold feelinging from within her/ Chrismented. Charmine frowned. ''Cold feeling? Is that how we describe someone?'' She did not have such a feeling for Waverly, though she did find her peculiarly familiar. While she was conversing with Chris, she ced the needles urately into the respective point. Anthony walked to the entrance and saw both Charmine and Chris. Chris was on his back on the small sofa as tens of needles protruded on his head. His hands, ribs, and many more had as well. Charmine continued to administer the needles on his being. Her techniques were so smooth that she seemed rather well-versed. After approximately half an hour of intensity, Chris'' body was full of needles. Following thest injection of the needle, all of the needles started to vibrate slightly. ''This sign... It''s a sess!'' ''Momo, do you feel any pain? Do you have any feeling?" she asked, hardly able to suppress her excitement. "No pain. I just feel slightly numb," Momo answered. Charmine was delighted. ¡¯This feeling clearly states that it''s working!'' Momo developed the disease because of his extraordinarily low immunity, and the Ultimate Seventy- Two Needles had sessfully adjusted the self recovery recycling system within his body. He only needed nine sessions of treatment. Nine days, and he would be cured entirely! Just as Charmine reveled in her victory, Momo suddenly shrieked. His expression changed immediately, showing how hurt he was. Charmine frowned. "What''s wrong, Momo?!" Anthony came in with big strides. "Pain... Mommy, it hurts...!" Chris started moaning in pain. Charmine noticed his expression was contorted in pain as she hastily removed the needles from his body, one by one. She spent lots of effort removing the hundreds of needles on Chris, her foreheadthered with sweat, while Momo was in so much pain that his disgruntled face turned pale. 1 Charmine immediately took him into her arms. "What else did you feel? Tell me everything." "It''s just pain... Every point feels like it''s swelling up and about to explode. It feels like it''s attempting to reject all the needles..." Momo All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. answered weakly. Charmine''s brows furrowed. ''How can this happen? Why is it rejecting the needles?'' chapter 782 chapter 782 Acupuncture was the safest treatment method since ancient times. If it was targeted right in the roots of the disease, the side effect was very trivial. Charmine had practiced on white mouses during the past five days with no negative oue whatsoever. Moreover, that set of techniques and the process was even specifically altered for Momo. ''How can this happen?'' Anthony walked to her side and sat down. "No worries-don''t rush. There''s still plenty of time." Dejected and hopeless, Charmine initially thought that the technique could cure Momo. She would not have to worry about Annabel and Waverly then, and she could also make Momo recover as soon as possible. ''Sad to see that''s not happening right now.¡¯ She looked at Anthony. ¡°1''11 be sleeping with Momo tonight, and I¡¯ll leave first thing tomorrow morning." For the past few days, they were on their guard to prevent unnecessary things from happening, even though they had an underground passage. Anthony nodded. "Alright." Memo''s pudgy little hands grasped Charmine''s hand as he assured, "Don''t worry, Mommy. No need to rush. Actually, my disease isn''t..." N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. "Yeah... I''ll apany you to sleep. Soon, the pain will subside." Charmine held onto him, heartbroken, and went up the bed, gentlyforting him. Eventually, the pain from the needles gradually disappeared and Momo slowly dozed off in her arms. Charmine, meanwhile, was troubled in her thoughts. ''Why did it fail? I targeted my needles on the roots of the disease, yet the needles seemed to be rejected. Did I target the wrong points?'' ''But, if the positions were incorrect, the needles wouldn''t have vibrated.'' She vaguely thought of something and her eyes grew dim. ''It seems I''ll have to look it up thoroughly the next time.¡¯ After ordering his men to guard the perimeter, Anthony returned to his room andid next to Charmine, hugging her waist from behind. Feeling the warmth from his body, Charmine recalled everything that had happened. ''Momo''s condition is unstable right now, and yet Anthony still has to leave his home country as well?'' A sense of unwillingness grew within her and she solemnly offered," Anthony, why don''t we-¡¯¡¯ Before she even finished talking, Anthony''s big hand suddenly covered her lips gently, stopping her from continuing her sentence. "Believe me," he assured, "that you''ll be the prettiest protagonist on the day of the engagement ceremony." Charmine closed her eyes slightly. ''Will I?'' No use in overthinking it, however. Even if Waverly were to help them prove their innocence, they would still be the target of the entire world, and the people of Kansas would definitely not stop there. In such a situation, they had to face the world¡¯s criticism and attack, and they also had to obtain the Bailey family''s acknowledgment. ''Can we make it? Will Momo and Annabel be safe out there?'' Thought afterthought intruded Charmine''s mind. She wanted to speak and wanted to withdraw, but Anthony stopped her from doing so. "You just have to face it straight on after the deration," he softlyforted her by her ear, "and everything will just work out fine. It''s far better than staying stagnant right now and not going forward." She frowned. ''Staying stagnant and not going forward... He''s got a point. Things will only go down south if nothing''s done to change it. Besides, I can¡¯t allow Anthony and Waverly to get engaged.1 The next morning, Charmine left Momo a concise yet lengthy message, reminding him to take care of himself and so on. Then, under Anthony''s secret arrangement, Momo and Annabel were sent to a safe ce outside. Susan and the rest were busy preparing for the engagement ceremony and had no time to pay attention to Chris. Everything went on smoothly. The engagement ceremony had arrived in a blink of an eye, and it attracted the attention of everyone from all over the world. The engagement ceremony was held at the highest level of Moonlight Shore in Burlington, standing tall enough to overlook the entire city and was decorated to the nines. Elite bosses from all over the world attended the ceremony. In a room behind the stage, Charmine arrived at the venue via the secret passage Anthony had provided. chapter 783 chapter 783 At that moment, Waverly had changed into her engagement gown, and beautiful was she like a princess from a fairytale book. She said to Charmine, "Rest assured, Ms. Jordan, I won''t get engaged with Mr. Bailey. You should hurry and change your clothes. Come out when the ceremony master makes the call." Charmine turned to Waverly who stood before her, and she could not shake off that strong sense of familiarity with her. It disconcerted her, moreso in this engagement ceremony. Unsettled by her sharp stare, Waverly, thinking Charmine was worried, then assured, "Don''t worry. I''ll help you guys toe forward. Mr. Bailey had also prepared your DV, and it''s sure to attract many fans when it''s disyed. Besides, once it''s decided and announced in public, those who wanted to object will be toote for it." 1 "Thanks forforting me. I''m just thinking what color of lipstick I should applyter," said Charmine as she walked to a corner to touch up her makeup. Being around Waverly unsettled her, and she would not subject herself to such an emotion. Waverly frowned. ''Charmine really is...¡¯ Hearing her name called out from outside the door, Waverly then exited the room and closed the inner door behind her. Charmine heard them too, themotion and hype behind the door, and noticed that Susan and the rest waited outside. The Bailey family gathered around Waverly as if afraid to slow her down. Waverly was heralded as the most suitable youngdy for the Bailey family, that no one else could compare. Charmine sat down and frowned; it was likely that the Bailey family would give her hell if her rtionship with Anthony was announced. ¡¯Such an announcement method is just way too terrible.'' However, even if they did not use such a method, the Bailey family would still not ept her. Everything hade to this, and the only choice she had left was to walk this path... Moreover, the next thing in order would be that she got to continue researching Momo''s illness, whether or not it had anything to do with them. Minutes and seconds ticked by, and guests sat at their seats in the beautifully decorated and well- organized venue. Gentlemen were seen in western-inspired suits whiledies were dressed elegantly. Indeed, they were all from prestigious backgrounds. In the middle was a pathway filled with flowers while the stage was adorned with vines, fresh flowers, and diamonds that glittered elegantly. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. A famous host hired at a costly price stood on the stage and said with a deep voice, "Ladies and gentlemen, highly revered guests, in this 2020..." Charmine could vaguely make out themotion outside from the makeup room, and she felt her heart beating its way up to her throat. ''It''s starting. The engagement ceremony is finally starting. They''ll announce everything to the masses, and they''ll see the fiancee switching spots...'' She and Anthony would have to bear the huge pressure and stand together ... 1 Instinctively, she inhaled deeply to calm herself when the voice of the host was heard again. "On this prosperous and happy day, let''s give a round of apuse and wee the two main characters into the scene." Waverly, who was outside, looked at Charmine and moved aside to give way for her. She was that willing to have Charminee up on the stage, unconditionally. 1 Outside the room were guests of the engagement ceremony while Anthony, waiting for her. As long as that huge door was pushed open, Charmine would get to stand with Anthony for all eyes to see. Everyone would see her then, and she would no longer need to be that woman who had to constantly hide in the shadows. 1 The thought of it made her footsteps feel so heavy that she had never experienced before. It felt like shouldering a huge mountain weighing thousands of kilograms. 1 At the same time, Anthony-who was wearing a grand western suit-was standing by the doorway. His gaze gently gleamed as he gazed at the He waited for the door to open, waited for Charmine to show up... That day, he would dere his rtionship with Charmine and give her a status! chapter 784 chapter 784 Wearing a pair of crystal high heels, Charmine gradually approached the door. She wore a red chest wrap dress Anthony prepared for her, and it made her look utterly arresting. 1 Just as Charmine was about to stretch her hands to open the door, however, her phone suddenly vibrated. She took it out and saw the caller ID disyed, [Kay]. Answering the call hesitantly, she was suddenly greeted with Kay¡¯s desperate report, "Not good, Boss Jordan. Momo brought Annabel back, and they''re both badly injured!" Charmine¡¯s eyelids suddenly twitched. ''They came back? And they''re badly injured? Had they not gone overseas?'' ¡¯How can Anthony and I announce our rtionship and face the iing problems without worry? What if Susan and her cohorts spotted Momo and Annabel?'' She immediately hung up the call and texted Anthony, [Momo¡¯s in trouble. Hold on, I¡¯m going to go take care of Momo!] She then turned to Waverly. "Something urgent came up. My apologies, but I¡¯ll have to trouble you and my husband to take care of the issue at hand," she blurted before running to the secret passageway and ran as fast as she could, not bothering about anything else. Waverly frowned as she gazed at Charmine''s retreating figure. Meanwhile, Anthony waited outside the door when Luke suddenly brought his phone to him, and on the screen was disyed a message from Charmine. His brows furrowed at that split second. ¡¯Memo¡¯s in trouble?¡¯ Regardless of how perfect a n was, there would still be some ws in it. ¡ö How did something like that happen?¡¯ At that moment, the huge door slowly opened as Waverly, dressed in a chest wrap gown, came out from it. Though made with a few simple pieces of silk, it was embellished with diamonds. It was as though Waverly glistened the moment she revealed herself; she looked utterly appealing. 2 Despite that, Anthony did not look at her. He kept his phone and was about to march his way out of the scene, but Waverly walked to his side and reminded him softly, "Charmine wants you to calm yourself and keep the situation under control. She''ll take good care of Momo. "Rest at ease, Mr. Bailey. Regardless of whether or not we get engaged, I¡¯ll never marry you and stand between you and Charmine. "For now, the situation here is of priority.¡± 1 Waverly had never offered such a lengthy assurance. She held onto Anthony''s arm, and with each step, they slowly walked forward Anthony''s eyes turned dim, deeply in thought. ''Morno is in trouble, and Charmine has left. Am I really going to be engaged with Waverly? This is a very grand ceremony. If everything here is set in stone...1 3 In deep thought, it did not ur to him that they had walked through the aisle from the room and arrived at the long corridor of the scene. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Further ahead was the long corridor filled with fresh flowers where guests filled up the seats on both sides. Everyone spun and gazed at the couple and gave their blessings, looking forward to the event. Anthony¡¯s footsteps came to a halt at the end of the corridor, and all of a sudden, he dropped Waverly''s hand. His behavior stunned the guests. ''What is Anthony doing?'' Just as dumbfounded, Waverly tilted her head and looked at Anthony. "Mr. Bailey, at most it''s only going tost for half an hour," she half- whispered to him. ¡®You just need to bear with it a little while more...¡± Anthony did not answer her statement. Instead, he stretched out his hand toward Luke who was behind him. Luke quietly ced the Alexander wedding rings into the pocket on his shirt, took out another box, and handed it over. In that box was a pair of ordinary couples rings, and though they were costly, they bore no significant meaning. Anthony took the female engagement ring and stuffed it in Waverly''s hand. He said with a deep voice, "Something urgent is up. That''s all for the engagement ceremony for now." 4 He then took huge strides and left the scene. The guests in the scene were baffled. "What?!" chapter 785 chapter 785 ''Anthony just left like that?¡¯ ¡¯What¡¯s so urgent that he has to leave in such a hurry?¡¯ "Anthony! Anthony!" Susan and the rest immediately got up and attempted to catch up to Anthony, but Anthony was too fast that he disappeared from view. Reporters held their cameras and took photos frantically, and the sound of camera shutters were heard one after another incessantly. Then, members of the affluent D¡¯Cruz family got up and roared, "What¡¯s wrong with the Bailey family? What do they take my daughter for?" The scene plunged into chaos; it was an utterly nerve-racking scene. Waverly was rooted where she stood, still utterly elegant despite receiving curious gazes from the crowd. "Everyone, please remain calm. Something huge just happened to Anthony, and he needs to settle it urgently. He''ll exin everything once it''s settled." "What kind of issue that¡¯s more important than being engaged with you?" Fredrick asked, exasperated. Waverly lowered her head, and the blush on her face grew obvious. "It¡¯s... It¡¯s because the pianist, Green Mango whom he hired for me for today''s ceremony is in trouble..." "Master Green Mango?" Fredrick''s expression changed. Green Mango was the number one pianist in the entire world and was a great pianist who had won the Nobel prize in music. He was a musician who Waverly admired most. 3 Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. ''Anthony left so urgently just to hire master Green Mango for Waverly''s sake?'' 1 On the mountain, as the bright moonlight shone. Charmine rushed back to the vi and saw the pale Annabel lying on the bed, with Chris sitting at the bedside. His whole body was soiled and his face was covered with dust. She quickly rushed to him and asked, "What happened, Momo?" Chris saw her and immediately dived into her arms. "Mommy, Mommy, you''re finally back! Something happened! We actually got to a city on the outskirts of a foreign country two days ago, safely so, but that night itself, I noticed assassins were on US. They were ready to attack! "To be on the safe side, I brought Auntie Annabel along and escaped to the vige beside that city throughout the night, but we noticed that they spotted us, and it¡¯s because a tracking device was installed on Auntie Annabel! 3 "We had no choice but to get rid of all our stuff and change into a brand new set of clothes, putting on a camouge before making our way back." It was evident Chris never got over his terror even after escaping the ordeal. Charmine frowned. ''A tracking device was installed on Annabel?¡¯ Chris then added, "Mommy, what should we do now? Will Daddy really get engaged with that auntie? "I didn''t want to trouble you, Mommy, but Auntie Annabel was unconscious all this while and I couldn''t get in touch with Uncle Nial..." He was anxious and afraid something might happen to Annabel. After all, his father had told him that the child Annabel was conceiving would be able to save his life. Only when that child survived would Chris be able to stay with his parents for the rest of his life. Charmine¡¯s expression was dark. They had stealthily left for two whole days and nights, boarded a few flights, and took all sorts of detours to shake off the assassins. ¡¯Will Annabel¡¯s kid survive?¡¯ What puzzled Charmine the most was that Anthony had sneaked Annabel out himself. How could there be a tracking device on her? At that moment, footsteps were hearding from outside. Kay said, "Boss Jordan, Ms. D¡¯Cruz has arrived." Charmine frowned when she heard of Waverly and reminded Momo, "Go into the room and apany Auntie Annabel for now. I need to head out to attend something." "Alright." Charmine went out of the room and closed the door. Waverly looked at her and asked, concerned, "How¡¯s Momo and Annabel?" Charmine said not a word as her deep-seated eyes stared at her quietly. Noticing Charmine was not talking, Waverly assured, "Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m already engaged with Mr. Bailey. The situation is under control and won¡¯t cause amotion. After everything has died down, I¡¯ll take the initiative and call off the wedding." "Quit the act, Waverly. Aren''t you tired of faking it for so long?" snapped Charmine, tone colder than the tundra. chapter 786 chapter 786 Charmine''s words baffled Waverly. "I don''t get what you''re trying to say. Had I not been calm enough to control the chaos, everyone would''ve gone after you both." "So you''re saying we need to be grateful to you, huh? Aren¡¯t you doing this to slowly gain our trust and slowly make your way up to where you are today?" Charmine counter-questioned. Waverly''s expression was calm and gentle. "Ms. Jordan, you''re probably still in shock. You have to keep calm." "The only ones to know that Chris and Annabel would be sent overseas were me, Anthony, Nial, and you. Who else would''ve ced a tracking device on Annabel?" Charmine''s sharp re bore into her head. Nheless, Waverly remained serene. "I''ve been helping you guys since the very beginning, yet that''s how you think of me? You¡¯ll be fighting the entire Bailey family had Anthony and I not decided to put on an act." 1 Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. "Since you said that you''re helping us out sincerely, then please log in to your Twitter ount and release the status as per the original n, right now. 1 "Tell everyone that you and Anthony were just faking it. You''re just a decoy to me, and you''re helping me and Anthony progress smoothly in silence," said Charmine straightforwardly. Waverly frowned. "Are you nuts, Charmine? I¡¯m already engaged to Anthony for all eyes to see. Besides, there''s still no news about Annabel''s disease, and Momo''s disease is not stable yet. If we do as you say, the Baileys could hurt them!" "This is my business, and you needn''t worry about it. Rest assured of that, and put up that status." 1 Charmine¡¯s gaze never wavered from Waverly as she emitted a domineering aura that no one could oppose. Waverly looked straight into her eyes. She did not expect her to say such a thing... Secondster, Waverly''s red lips curled into a small smile. "You''re very smart, Charmine. You''re right, I''m not helping you guys out of pure sincerity. ¡ö Charmine squinted. ''Is she going to reveal her true colors?* Waverly continued, "To tell you the truth, my family kept pestering me to get engaged. If I don''t get engaged with Anthony, they¡¯ll want me to get engaged with the prince of Derby. My trip this time to your country is to look for someone who I love, and to escape from getting engaged. "Coincidentally, Anthony needed a fake girlfriend, and I also needed a fake boyfriend. Isn¡¯t that just swell?" "Hmph." Charmine let out a cold smile as she countered, "Do you think I''ll believe in that crap?" "Whether you believe it or not, I''ll make it clear that I didn''t order anyone to assassinate Annabel and Momo. After all, if Annabel''s dead, won¡¯t I lose the reason to stay by your side and cure her?" Waverly asked. 1 Charmine''s eyes dimmed and found it rather reasonable. 1 From the beginning, Waverly used Annabel as a reason to stay back. Waverly added, "Yes, I did use Anthony to divert my family, but if you''re going to treat me like this, I can''t guarantee I won''t change my mind in the future. After all, Anthony and I are hailed as an engaged couple, acknowledged by the entire nation. If I don''t help you, then you''ll be sure to be regarded as the mistress in the end. With that said, you''d do well to pay me more respect!" 1 ¡¯Hmph! Such a tone... Is she trying to threaten me?'' At that moment, the door was pushed open. The wind raged outside as Anthony brought Nial in. After seeing the situation in the house, Nial asked stiffly, "Where''s Momo and Annabel?" "Inside." Waverly looked in the direction of that room. Nial was sincerely trying to confirm their condition and rushed into the room. Waverly walked toward Anthony and softly spoke, "Mr. Bailey, I managed to get rid of that ce with the reason of hiring Master Green Mango. You have to return with me right now, or people will get suspicious." Anthony merely ignored her as he turned to Charmine instead, asking," How''s the situation?" Charmine looked at Waverly. After keeping quiet for some time, she then answered, "You should return and take control of the scene. Nial and I will be here." 4 Judging from the current situation, she did not wish to cause havoc. 1 Anthony understood her flow of thought and answered, "Alright." ''Since we''re able to get it through with the engagement ceremony, we¡¯ll only have to do the wedding toast.'' He spun around and walked out the house with Waverly. chapter 787 chapter 787 Waverly''s red lips curled. ''At least Charmine knows how to behave.'' Just as she thought so, however... ¡¯Wait," stopped Charmine, seeing that Anthony and Waverly were about to leave, and she slowly walked toward Waverly. Waverly frowned slightly. ''What is she nning to do?'' Charmine walked to her and, standing before her, said calmly, "Your makeup is fading. You need to fix it." She then took out a limited-edition diamond lipstick and pulled Waverly to the full-length mirror at the doorway''s entrance, and she then stood behind her as they faced the mirror. She seemed to be somewhat taller than Waverly. Her hands came up from behind Waverly to her front. One of her hands held Waverly''s chin while the other held the lipstick, wiping over her red lips. Her lips that were initially already red became redder, so much so that it looked eye-catching. Charmine eyed Waverly''s makeup before lowering her head, whispering into her ear, "You may take him away, but you can''t get his heart. Even if you were to change your mind, even if you''re prettier, he¡¯ll never look at you in the eye-you don''t have such power over him!" 2 Every word was articted meaningfully, and it echoed at Waverly''s ear. Waverly''s gaze quivered as she felt that Charmine, who stood behind her, was like a bright red Piranha nt: fierce and domineering. At that moment, Charmine pulled Waverly, spun her around, and faced Anthony.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. She asked, "Dear, what do you think of Waverly''s makeup?" Anthony did not even look at her as he nonchntly uttered, "Sucks." 2 Waverly was astonished. ''They''re doing this on purpose!'' Her make-up that day was done by the number one makeup artist in the entire world. It took her three whole hours to get itpleted, yet Anthony said it was ugly? ''Charmine''s intentionally trying to hurt me!'' Charmine¡¯s red lips shifted into a smirk as she finally released Waverly. She said to Anthony, "You''ll be having it rough the next few days, my dear. Things might get too tense, but you''ll have to hold it in. I''ll be sure topensate you with interest in the future." Waverly was speechless. At the end of the day, she was seen as a youngdy from a prestigious family whom everyone admired, but to Charmine, being with Waverly would make one endure grievance and sufferings, that one needed to bear with it? 3 The worst part was that Anthony replied seriously, ¡¯Alright. You got to remember what you said, darling." Charmine nodded and saw them off, her eyes housing a small, cold storm. If Anthony realized that Waverly had ill intentions, he would surely not continue with the n. For the time being, Charmine got to hide it from Anthony. ''So, Waverly wants to use Anthony to take me down? Hah! In her dreams.'' She wanted to make Waverly suffer a few times despite staying by Anthony''s side, refusing to believe she just wanted to divert her family''s attention. 1 She would have to thoroughly investigate what was about to happen. On the other hand, Waverly and Anthony sat in the car, their emotions at a stagnant low. It was obvious that Waverly had won that match, but it seemed like she had lost miserably. After all, she was also the No.1 prodigy doctor. They were the ones who invited her, yet she had to endure such humiliation? She could only bear with it whenever she thought of her situation... ''I have to remain firm.'' chapter 788 chapter 788 In the vi... ¡¯Mommy, Mommy!¡± Chris'' sudden hollering brought Charmine out of her trance. She walked to the room when Chris walked to her side and chirped, "Good news, Mommy: the baby in Auntie Annabel''s tummy is alright!¡± "That''s great to hear." Charmine was relieved as well. She had yet to find out the strange urrence with Chris when the Ultimate Seventy-Two Needles were ced on him. Before knowing the technique, the child in Annabel''s womb was their only choice to save Chris, and Charmine vowed to keep it safe. Nial looked at her and asked, "Charmine, what do you think about this incident? Where does the problem arise?" "The only person who got close to Annabel was Waverly-there shouldn¡¯t be anyone else beside her. Nheless, I had yet to grasp her true intention," answered Charmine. Nial frowned. "The prodigy doctor from the D''Cruz family doesn''t seem to be a bad person." "And it¡¯s because of that that she¡¯s most likely to be an antagonist. Besides, being able to trick you guys for so long just proves how cunning she is.¡± Charmine''s gaze darkened. The thought of the events that urred on that day made her remind Nial," From now on, remember to never let Waverly be alone with Momo or Annabel. Also, whenever she is hypnotizing Annabel, you guys must always be at the control room next door and keep an eye on her.¡± 1 "Noted," Nial answered, though his worry remained. "Then... Are you and my brother still nning on stalling about your status?¡± he asked. 1 Anthony and Waverly were already engaged and even caused a hugemotion. What was about to happen next could be difficult to handle... Charmine¡¯s gaze hardened as she recalled that. Regardless of Waverly''s intention, it seemed she would still cause problems so long as Charmine remained by Anthony''s side. With that, she had to hurry in finding a cure for Chris. Meanwhile, at the engagement ceremony venue... Despite the chaos that urred in the morning, Waverly and Anthony ended up hiring Master Green Mango in the afternoon, and he yed one of the ten famous music, Dream Wedding, with the piano, on the spot. Just like that, everything settled down and the atmosphere regained its tranquility. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Reporters that were present were warned, and none of them had the guts to report even a second of the mayhem as they instead publicized all of it with a nice bulletin and had distributed it to the entire globe. The scene was filled with grand blessings and envious gazes. However, that was never adequate... Max held his ss of red wine and swirled itnguidly. He knew very well about Waverly¡¯s personality, knowing that she would never truly develop feelings for Anthony. She might even end their rtionship down the road, but Max would not let that happen. He wanted to make Anthony fall hard for Waverly and ditch Charmine! He vowed to retrieve the Jordown Group and also take over the entire Jordan family. 1 With such thoughts in mind, he nced at Master Green Mango who was on the stage and lowered his head slightly to give him a hint. Master Green Mango suddenly spoke over the microphone, "Nice to meet everyone. This is my first time ying a piece of music to newlyweds. I hereby send my utmost blessings to Mr. Bailey and Ms. D''Cruz. I''ll be ying Fur Elise forthem, and they¡¯ll dance for everyone to enjoy!" As soon as he said that, the scene suddenly burst with a heated round of apuse. Filled with mirth, many started to chant, "Dance! Dance! Dance!" They had guests from tens of countries all over the world, and everyone was focused on Anthony and Waverly. They were not egging them on but bestowing their blessings instead. Before that, Anthony and Waverly were entertaining guests when people around them gently took their ss of red wine and pushed them toward the dance floor. Seeing that they were about to reach the dance floor, Anthony suddenly forced himself to stop walking. 1 Waverly noted how reluctant he was and wanting to reject it, thus she quickly interjected, "Fur Elise is very nice music, and it¡¯s suitable for As she spoke, her face was adorned with a gentle blush. Everyone suddenly started talking away, "Hahaha! With such a beautiful woman, how can a man have a healthy waist?" 1 "You got to eat more supplements, Mr. Bailey. I¡¯ll send you some supplements one day!" "Everything has to be done in moderation, or you''ll injure yourself!" chapter 789 chapter 789 Anthony kept his usual unperturbed, esteemed disposition as the crowd teased him, and no one knew what he was thinking then. Moreover, he did not argue as well. ''After all, teasings are just teasings. It¡¯s better than having to dance with Waverly.'' Waverly lifted the train of her dress and headed toward the dance floor. She wore a white chest wrap dress with diamonds adorning the hem of her dress. The diamonds twinkled gently yet aesthetically as she stood under the elegant lighting, making her seem much more prestigious. Waverly danced to the piano piece and would swing her slim arms or sway side to side with her slim waist. She even alternated to creative choreography as her dress fluttered. No matter how she moved, it was oh- so captivating everyone held their breath. Max, sitting at a corner, looked on as his eyes gleamed with love for Waverly...one that was not brotherly love. 2 Lifting his ss of red wine, he sipped at it as he shifted his gaze to Anthony not too far away, smiling widely. ¡¯Waverly¡¯s figure was said to be the most gorgeous among the rest in the entire world. After seeing her dancing, how can Anthony remain Moreover, even if Anthony kept his calm, no one would ever know that Max had specially arranged the music for Anthony. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. With the splendid music, apanied with ady¡¯s graceful dancing and a powerful drug, such an image would be rooted deep in Anthony''s thoughts that he would be bewitched. 1 That powerful drug was at Anthony''s... Max shifted his gaze to Anthony*s wine ss. He tampered with it during themotion, and the clueless Anthony would drink his wine from time to time. At that moment, he shifted his gaze at Waverly just so no one would notice him acting oddly. Anthony initially nced at Waverly nonchntly, but he gradually felt something was off. It felt as if he was poisoned, and that made him keep staring at her. It made him want to look at Waverly''s hand, waist, legs... Just as those thoughts came to him like a wave, Anthony''s gaze hardened. ''This is no innocent dance... Someone did something to it.¡¯ 1 Anthony then eyed Luke who was just beside him, and ten secondster... Ring! Ring! The phone in Anthony''s pocket rang. When everyone was enjoying the dance, he stood up instead, walked to a deserted corner, and took out his phone to answer the call, much to Max¡¯s chagrin. ''Damn it! That drug isn¡¯t as potent as others. An effect will only take ce when he listened to the music and spectated the dance, yet Anthony just had to leave! Was he not going to watch the dance and just talk on the phone?* He had spent millions to purchase that drug, and it just went down the drain! Max anticipated Anthony''s call to end quickly-it would be enough for him to just watch Waverly¡¯s for even a minute. However, for three whole minutes, he was constantly on the phone! 1 Coincidentally, Anthony ended the call when the dance was over, and he made his way back to his spot. A round of apuse broke out like thunder in the venue. "Ms. D''Cruz''s dance is just way too stunning!" i''ve never seen such gorgeous choreography. That ballerina neck and back is just like a first-ss national dancer!" "Mr. Bailey is so lucky!" The entire crowd cheered and praised. Waverly walked to the stage and toward Anthony as everyone apuded her. Suddenly... Spilled soup was on the floor where Waverly walked, and it was not known how it got there. Abruptly, Waverly slipped on it and, unable to bnce herself, fell harshly to the floor. chapter 790 chapter 790 "Argh!" cried Waverly as she crashed to the ice-cold marble stone floor. Such a sight tugged at everyone''s heart as they imagined how painful it was. 1 "Waverly!" Susan and the rest rushed over to her. Fredrick was utterly anxious and immediately ran to Waverly, asking nervously, "Are you alright, Waverly? Are you injured anywhere?" "I..." Waverly attempted to make a move and she frowned in pain. "My leg. I think it''s twisted... I can''t move it..." ¡¯Her leg is twisted?'' Suddenly, someone shouted, "Blood!" Everyone lowered their head to look and noticed that Waverly''s ankle was indeed bleeding from the harsh fall. 2 Fredrick immediately looked at Anthony. "Hurry, Anthony. Come and carry her to the restroom! I need to attend to her injury!" He would not allow his daughter to have any scar. He must apply his stic surgery techniques to sew it up! Everyone looked at Anthony. Anthony, as Waverly''s fiance, was to bear responsibility and take care of his injured fiancee. Max''s eyes were dim. ''Let¡¯s see how Anthony worms himself out of this!'' It would make the headlines if he carried Waverly, onerge enough to make Charmine heartbroken. Also, Max believed that should Anthony and Waverly spend more time together, with a slight intimate rtionship, he believed that Anthony would fall in love with Waverly! ¡¯Who''d reject her?'' Anthony frowned and, under intense scrutiny, said, "I''m sorry, but I didn''t hold myself backst night, and my waist is still supported by a metal te. Luke, hurry and carry mydy to the restroom." 1 He gave his mature and stern order as if it came naturally, and that made the people talk yet again, specting loudly. ''Anthony admitted that he didn''t hold himself backst night?'' ''And he got so badly injured that he even had to put on a metal te?'' ¡öJust how aggressive were theyst night, to a point that he couldn''t even carry her today? Is he exaggerating it?'' 2 Some of them held their suspicion. At that moment, Luke went toward Waverly and squatted. Max''s expression was utterly dark. He thought he was improving Anthony and Waverly''s rtionship, but never did he think that an assistant would be in Anthony¡¯s stead. ''How can I allow a mere assistant to carry my Waverly?¡¯ He was all set to head forth when Anthony suddenly grabbed a shawl from the side and ced it on Luke''s arm. With that, Luke would not have direct contact with Waverly¡¯s being as the shawlyered her from his touch. Luke then carried Waverly in his arms as the shawl lined underneath her. Some among the crowd were envious while those with suspicion dropped the idea that Anthony was insincere. They thought through it. ''His assistant was merely carrying her, yet Anthony lined her with a shawl. This just shows that he doesn''t wish for Luke to touch Waverly!'' ''He¡¯s genuinely caring for her!'' Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. The members of the affluent D¡¯Cruz family were unhappy about it, but in such a situation, they had no choice but to relent. ''Besides, since Anthony imed his waist is aching, it''s like we''ll have a baby soon...'' For the time being, they ignored the unpleasant emotions and escorted Waverly to the restroom. Anthony, on the other hand, followed closely behind them with a matureposure, making him look like a caring boyfriend who silently apanied his girlfriend. Despite it all, Waverly was bitter at what happened. ''It¡¯s one thing that Anthony''s not carrying me, but he even ordered an assistant to carry me instead? I''m the best exalteddy in the world!'' She had helped them so much, yet that was how they treated her. 5 Meanwhile, Max red at Anthony''s back as his gaze grew darker. ''At this rate, I''m afraid it¡¯ll be hard for Anthony and Waverly''s rtionship to make progress. I need to use a much stronger method!'' chapter 791 chapter 791 He took out his phone and secretly sent a text to his father. Inside the restroom... Everyone else was asked to leave, and only rtives like Fredrick and Susan were left. After examining Waverly''s wound, Fredrick looked up at Anthony." Waverly''s wound needs two stitches. Make sure that her wound is free from contact with water. Since you''re both engaged, I hope you can live together, take good care of her, and make sure she doesn''t act silly." Fredrick was instructing Anthony as a father-inw, not expecting to be rejected. He wanted Anthony to live with Waverly. Susan knew that Anthony had disappointed everyone a little too muchtely, and if he rejected again, the D''Cruz family would get angry. "Good idea!" she piped up. "Anthony should be living with Waverly. I¡¯ve prepared a mansion for them as a wedding gift. They¡¯ll move in today!¡± "Once the banquet has ended, we''ll help them move in! Anthony will take good care of Waverly!" Darryl added on. Anthony stood still by the side of the bed. "No need." ''No need¡¯? What did he say? ''No need''? He turned them down in front of all the D''Cruz family1 s senior members? Instantly, the atmosphere turned tense. Grandma Bailey hastily poked Anthony''s arm. "Look at this boy. What¡¯s the matter with you today? Are you too excited to be engaged? So excited that you do not know why?¡± Senior Bailey stared at him and scoffed, "Speak properly. Otherwise, they''ll think we''re forcing you." "Anthony, what''s the matter with you today?" questioned Fredrick bitterly." Can you give US an exnation? Do you even like Waverly at all?" Waverly looked at Anthony and signaled him with her eyes. Under such a circumstance, as they had reached this stage and persevered for so long, would he give up just like that? The moment Anthony gave up, everything would go down... Meanwhile, at Violet Vi. Nial was treating Annabel when an anxious Chris ran to Charmine and blurted, "Mommy, Mommy, it''s bad. They want Daddy to live with that nobody! Everyone is forcing Daddy, and it seems like Daddy is going to fight them...!¡± Charmine frowned. Really? It seemed the Baileys and the D''Cruz family had been awfully persistent these days. It was bad enough that the main problem had yet been solved and Chris'' and Annabel''s condition were not ideal yet. They had to keep at it. Just then, Charmine''s eyes twinkled faintly as she picked up her phone and texted Anthony. Well, Waverly wanted to live with Anthony, was she? She would regret such a decision, then! At the venue of the banquet, inside the restroom... Anthony silently racked his mind for a solution when his phone suddenly vibrated. It was a message from Charmine. [Agree to that, stay at the Violet Residence.] A few words, and he instantly understood Charmine''s intention. His wife wanted to entertain the situation, and he would naturally y along. He kept his phone and said to everyone in the room, "You''ve all misunderstood-l¡¯ve long decided to bring her to Violet Residence. You needn''t make any more preparations.¡± Everyone frowned. Violet Residence? The only mountain view residence in the outskirts of the city. One could see the entire city entirely should they stand on the top floor of the vi. There were only 39 vis in Violet Residence, and the owners of the vis were wealthy individuals. Anthony''s ''no need'' was no rejection; he merely had things prearranged from the start. The faces of Fredrick and the rest turned slightly more pleasant. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "Alright, since you''ve made an arrangement, you two will live together tonight. I''ll send you both over myself. If I find out that you bully my Waverly, we¡¯ll have a problem here,¡± Fredrick warned him sternly. Anthony''s face remained calm. "Okay." When Waverly heard his reply, she frowned. It must have been Charmine who sent him a text and asked him to live at Violet Residence! Charmine had shown her true colors. What would Charmine do? chapter 792 chapter 792 Everyone thought that Anthony picking Violet Residence as their amodation was a kind gesture to Waverly, but only Waverly and Max knew it was so Anthony could meet Charmine more conveniently. As long as they could live together, everything would turn out well. At night, as the banquet came to a close... Susan, Darryl, and Fredrick personally sent Anthony and Waverly to the vi. Anthony had asked them to decorate the vi with some congrattory stickers on the wall, showing how ''serious'' he was with everything. Fredrick looked at the surroundings of Violet Residence and noted that each vi was standalone and serene. He nodded with satisfaction. "Waverly, you and Anthony will live here in the future. Contact me if Anthony bullies you." "Don''t worry, father. Anthony treats me very well," replied Waverly gently. "Alright, get along well. I won''t disturb you both anymore." Max looked at Waverly with a loving look, while a glint of unnoticeable worry and concern shed by. Waverly smiled elegantly as her response. More at ease, he then went inside the car and left. He plotted it all, anyway. He made his father force them to live together so he could make Charmine suffer. He must seize the Jordan Group as soon as possible! As for Waverly, he trusted that she would not fall for Anthony... The vi turned quiet after everyone had left. Waverly broke the silence as she began, "Don¡¯t worry, President Bailey, I''ll live on the first floor and you''ll live on the second floor. You and I won¡¯te across one another." "Alright. Maria, take care of Ms. Waverly," instructed Anthony before he headed upstairs. His ck was so cold and elegant, showing no hint of warmth. At that moment, sounds of camera shutters were heard from outside as a shlight''s beam shone through. Someone was sneaking some shots. Things would turn unsavory if the person photographed how Anthony left Waverly alone on the first floor. Anthony, who just got to the staircase, instantly halted. 2 After a moment, he still headed upstairs but brought down pajamas from above and walked to Waverly''s right side. "Go to the room." He stood on the outer side. It seemed as if he was holding on Waverly when his arm actually hung mid-air. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Understanding what he meant, Waverly nodded and was led to the bedroom by Maria. After the three of them had gone inside the bedroom, Maria was the first toe out and closed up the curtains. She then walked out and closed all curtains in the living room seamlessly and securely. After making sure that nobody was shooting, Anthony took a step aside and kept his distance from Waverly. Charmine had just emerged with Chris through the tunnel when she saw Anthony and Waverly standing inside the bedroom, with Anthony''s arm draped with two sets of pajamas. One was a man''s ck pajamas, while another was a woman''s red pajamas. They were... When Waverly saw her, she quickly exined, "Ms. Charmine, don''t take it wrongly. Someone was sneaking some shots, so President Bailey and I had to get inside the bedroom." 1 "Don''t worry, you don¡¯t have to exin. I trust my husband. I came here to stay with him," Charmine stated clearly. 1 Waverly frowned. Stay with him? Charmine still wanted to stay with Anthony despite theplications they had? Charmine said, "We were going to live together long ago, but we were worried that someone might find out. Now that you''re living here, you can be our shield! From now onward, you¡¯ll live on the second floor, while my husband and I will live on the first floor." 1 Waverly''s eyelids fluttered wide open. She had to live on the second floor? chapter 793 chapter 793 Charmine was obviously trying to cut Waverly out of the picture. 1 After the negotiation in the afternoon, Charmine did not believe her excuses. She even thought Waverly had other intentions... Not bothering to argue, Waverly conceded, "Alright, but do be careful. We''ll be in hot soup if photos are taken." "Don''t worry, I''ll make sure I have the same outfit and hairdo as you, so we can say it''s you even if they caught the photos." Charmine''s red lips curled up. She then stared at Waverly as she asked, "Since Ms. Waverly has been an excellent decoy, I''m sure you wouldn''t mind shielding US more, yes?" 2 Waverly was speechless. "No, not at all. Enjoy." After saying that with an elegant tone, she limped away. Maria instantly went up to support her getting up the stairs. There was no one on the second floor-it was cold and empty with no trace of warmth. Downstairs, Charmine said to Anthony, "Husband, I want you to help me get changed into pajamas." Her tone was alluring and seductive, making one to think of how loving the two of them were. Anthony, who had been cold and elegant, replied, "Okay. I''ve touched something I shouldn¡¯t be touching today, so let me wash my hands." 1 Waverly, limping to the second floor, stopped abruptly. ''Something he should not be touching¡¯? Was he referring to her? They were the ones who invited her and she agreed to be their shield out of ¡¯kindness, yet they were cutting her out? 4 She mmed her door shut loudly once she got inside the room. m! On the first floor... Closing the door, Anthony looked at Charmine. ''Tell me, did you find evidence about Waverly?" Knowing Charmine, he knew she would not find him for no reason. Under such circumstances, she would usually avoid him. Charmine merely said, "No. I saw that you two got engaged and how the entire world was captivated, and I don''t like it. Also, don¡¯t you think that with Waverly around, this is the perfect time for US to get along?" 1 Anthony squinted. That was it? "Daddy, Mommy is right," added Chris. "You two can get along well secretly. Even if they took some photos somehow, you can say that it was that nobody, no need for concern! However, you must keep at it during the day. Uncle Nial said Auntie Annabel''s illness needs the help of hypnosis from that nobody every day, and if she can treat Auntie Annabel, Mommy won''t have to wear out herself in researching the acupoints every day!" Chris sounded like an adult. Anthony had been tired throughout the day, and at that moment as felt the warmth of his family, he instinctively reached out and ruffled Chris'' hair. "You can''t simply touch a man''s head. Touch Mommy''s head if you want! You two must make Momo a small sister tonight!" grumbled Chris as he flinched from Anthony¡¯s hand, running away and closed the door behind him. 2 That left just Anthony and Charmine in the bedroom. Charmine reached out to take the pajamas from Anthony and was about to walk to the washroom, but Anthony held her and pulled her back to him. She fell into his arms as she was unable to react in time. Anthony held her waist tightly as he huskily uttered, "Didn''t you want me to help you get changed?" Charmine¡¯s face flushed red. "I was putting up an act in front of her. Now that there''s no one around, I can get changed myself." "You''re my wife. Why bother putting on an act? We just have to be ourselves." This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. With that said, Anthony reached out and helped her unbutton her buttons. Charmine had changed out of her gown and wore a simple red satin top with ck pants. As the first button was unbuttoned, her fair and beautiful cor bone was exposed. Her face felt hot. She toyed too much with fire and found herself burned with it! chapter 794 chapter 794 Seeing that Anthony was about to continue unbuttoning her top, Charmine instantly stopped Anthony''srge hand. "I¡¯ll do it myself. Aren¡¯t you tired? Go change yours, and we¡¯ll rest early." This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "I¡¯m not tired when ites to helping my wife get changed." Anthony insisted as he moved her hands away. Charmine was bewildered. She tried to find another way to turn him down when Anthony huskily teased, "We¡¯ve done even more than this. Why so shy?" 1 Charmine¡¯s face heated up. More than this... Right, that one time in the hospital. In order for Annabel¡¯s in-vitro fertilization, she used her hands to... She stiffened for one second, and Anthony took the opportunity and removed her jacket. However, he did not look around since it was autumn and the weather was chilly. Without further ado, he helped her put on the pajamas. Charmine''s face was as red as a ripened peach. How could she let Anthony help her get changed just like this? He was helping her to get changed...! 1 Just as Anthony was about to remove her pants, Charmine lost her calm as she flinched to one side. "I¡¯ll change my pants!" She walked to a corner by the side and quickly changed out of her pants with speed. Anthony gazed at the frantic Charmine with a loving smile on his lips. This woman had always seemed so wellposed, yet she panicked when it came to small things like this? What an adorable woman. After washing up, he put on his pajamas as well before heid by her side and embraced her. Even though they had spent a lot of time together, her body would still go stiff whenever he touched her as if her body would resist him instinctively, keeping distance from a man. 1 Anthony thought of the utter pain she endured five years ago, and his eyes dulled for a moment. Had Charmine not stood her ground that she wanted to deal with it herself, he would have dealt with Alexander. Meanwhile, he gently patted her back andforted, "Don¡¯t worry. As long as you don¡¯t push it, I won¡¯t cross the line before our official wedding." 1 Charmine''s eyshes fluttered slightly. As long as she did not push it? Did he not mean as long as she did not disappear and got too close with another man? As long as she did not trigger him, he would not cross the line? Anthony always spoiled her, listened to her, and never forced her to... Lost in her thoughts, kisses fluttered across Charmine''s face one after another, going from her forehead to the tip of her nose, then to her lips. She could clearly feel the warmth of his lips, and a hint of anxiousness went through her. "Didn''t you say you won''t cross the line?" ''There are many ways to not cross the line between a man and a woman. Didn''t you do this to me before?" His voice resonated lowly and hoarsely. Anthony kissed her lips once again. Charmine¡¯s face flushed red. He wanted her... The temperature of the room gradually rose. Meanwhile, the second floor was stone-cold chilly. Waverlyid in bed. The sky was pitch-ck outside the window with stars freckling the dark canvas. She found herself unable to fall asleep as she flipped from one side to another. No doubt, Anthony and Charmine must be so loving in the bedroom while she... At that moment, her phone rang with a request for a video-call. It was from Max. Waverly looked at her locked door and made sure the room was soundproof before answering. 1 In the video, Max was in his pajamasying in bed. When he saw Waverly, his voice was filled with a hint of gentleness as he began, "How''s it going with Anthony?" "It''s just an act. He and Charmine are sleeping on the first floor, and I¡¯m on the second floor," Waverly answered calmly. Max frowned instantly. "Charmine is actually sleeping with Anthony? They''re that daring?" chapter 795 chapter 795 Waverly did not answer Max''s question as she instead asked gently," You¡¯re not asleep yet?¡± "Yeah, Waverly. I need to speak to you." Max then firmly began, "I asked you two to get engaged and to live together, but I''m not asking you to be their shield. If you maintain this gentle and upetitive attitude, how are we going to continue our n?" "Brother, you know me. I''m just trying to avoid being forced into a marriage by the family," answered Waverly. ''What aboutter on? Will you..." Max wanted to speak of their next n. He hesitated and did not speak further. "Never mind. Knowing you, there¡¯s no point in me forcing you, and I should worry about you instead. You should sleep early¡ªni make some arrangements tomorrow morning." Waverly wanted to stop him, but Max had already cut off the video call. She frowned. An arrangement tomorrow morning? What arrangement? That night, Waverly had a restless sleep while Charmine soundly asleep in Anthony''s arms. However, the doorbell rang rather early the next morning. Maria knocked on the door anxiously. "President Bailey, we have a situation. Mrs. Bailey is here! She''s outside the door!" Charmine was woken up by this, and her brows furrowed. Mrs. Bailey? Susan Bailey! Susan came to the vi so early in the morning? She shot up right away and put on her clothes quickly. "Anthony, I got to go. Hurry and wake up!" Things would get awfully suspicious if Susan came in and saw Anthony and Waverly sleeping in two separate rooms. Anthony woke up but he was not anxious. Instead, he walked to her side and helped her fix her clothes calmly. After making sure that she had put on her clothes, he pecked her forehead gently. "See you at night." Charmine nodded; she would be back at night. As long as Waverly stayed here, she coulde. She would not give them any chance to be alone! After waving at Anthony, Charmine went next door to check on Chris before walking to the tunnel hastily. Waverly, at that moment, hurriedly limped down the stairs and, in her rush, did not have time to put on her formal clothes. Dressed in a light purple top that hung loosely, it showed off her alluring body and her long, skinny legs. 2 Waverly was supported by the handle of the staircase and she walked down one step at a time: elegant, graceful, and beautiful. Charmine was about to enter the tunnel when she saw Waverly''s silhouette, and her brows furrowed sharply. "Anthony, you called in a mistress so early? Since when have you be so uncultured?" Anthony frowned as he eyed Maria unpleasantly. ''Who phoned them up?" "I...she¡¯s not... She''s...Ms. D''cruz!" Maria stuttered. Waverly''s face turned pale as she stood on the staircase, and her hand on the handle of the staircase tightened abruptly. Charmine called her ''some mistress'', and Anthony yed along? They... They had the gall to treat her this way! Meanwhile, Charmine acted in shock. "Waverly? Impossible! Ms. Waverly is a wealthy heiress-the No.1 heiress! Why would she expose her body like this? The face..." Trailing off, she looked up at Waverly''s face and jolted. "It''s actually Ms. Waverly! I beg your pardon! Your outfit is overly suggestive that I almost couldn''t recognize you!¡± Even though Waverly did not want to argue with her, what Charmine said made her face turn green. Just as she was about to speak, the bell on the door rang again. Ding! Ding! Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Susan was thin on her patience as she had waited outside for too long. 1 She would catch on if things got dragged on. chapter 796 chapter 796 Charmine instantly walked to the tunnel, but not before she concluded, * Might I suggest, Ms. Waverly, that you put on more clothes, lest Auntie might not recognize you and you''d end up bringing shame to your D¡¯Cruz family." 1 Charmine reminded her kindly before walking away, not even looking back as she did. Waverly was confident with her body as she walked out in her pajamas, but she did not expect Charmine to say such mean things! She felt uneasy at that moment; she felt that she was ugly. Out of the blue, Chris ran out of nowhere and handed her a long sleeve jacket with buttons. 1 "Hey, you, put on this! Our teacher said that girls have to respect their bodies. They have to love their bodies and should never think of This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. selling off their bodies.¡± 2 Waverly''s face turned greener. She was just in her pajamas, yet it made it sound so bad as if she did not respect her body and thought about selling her body? Receiving such harshments, Waverly had no choice but to take the clothes from Chris and put it on. The jacket was pure ck and long, from the neck to the ankles. Buttoning up the jacket, it covered her entire body as if she wore a sleeping bag, a nd sight to spare. Coincidently, the door was pushed open. Click! Susan walked in and eyed Maria unpleasantly. "Why did you take so long to open the door?" "It''s.Jt''s my fault. I woke upte." Maria smiled apologetically. Susan did not answer her as she walked into the living room and saw Anthony and Waverly walking down the stairs. Anthony was already in her formal clothing, while Waverly was dressed in this ck sleeping bag-like clothing... 1 She frowned. Was this Waverly''s sense of fashion? Did she dress like this at home? In her mind, Waverly''s image points were greatly deducted. "Waverly, did you just wake up? Hurry and go get changed," said Susan suggestively." There''s a show that wants to tape you two." Waverly could clearly see that Susan did not like her outfit. This jacket was so ugly, and even she did not like it herself. She had never worn such an ugly jacket, yet Susan just had to see her in it! She nodded. "Alright, I''ll go upstairs and get dressed. You two have a talk." She turned around and went upstairs. Her ankle was covered in bandages it was quite obvious. Susan looked at Anthony, displeased. "Waverly''s ankle is hurt. How could you let her walk herself? Go and carry her!" "No need, she needs to move her joints. What show was it that you talked about?" Anthony instantly changed the topic. 1 Susan thought of that, and she instantly seemed delighted. ''There¡¯s a real-life show in Burlington called The Love Journey of the Princess. They specifically capture the love life of all wealthy heiresses. This is a world-renowned real-life show going on, and we should catch up to the hype and the trend these days. Since this is your second day after your engagement, you''re still so in love. This show can record the little details of your new life together." Anthony frowned and he scoffed coldly, "Call it off." Call it off? "Why? This is a good show, and Max spent a lot of effort to help you all contact them. This show is very sincere, and they were so happy for you two to take part! This means that the entire tform would fully support the Baileys with all of their resources forever. Every year, the Baileys spent tens of millions on advertisements, annual ceremonies, et cetera. With them fully supporting US with all of their resources, we''ll save a few billion down the road. You could save up to buy some milk powder for your children with Waverly! Isn''t that good?" Susan reminded him with displeasure. With that said, Max and Fredrick walked in with a few people in tow. chapter 797 chapter 797 "We know that you don''t like to be seen in public, but this is a new era,¡± began Fredrick genially. "Even the President of XMI Technology showed up in person to broadcast live. You''re all youngsters, so you should catch up with the trend. This can help to promote the status and ranking of the Bailey and D¡¯Cruz families. It''ll be effective!" "Don¡¯t worry. President Bailey. We won''t film you intrusively-we''ll shoot through monitoring. We''ll set up some monitoring devices in the house while you two just live like usual, we won''t disturb you at all." The person in charge of the show exined anxiously, trying to please him. Anthony''s face was darkened like rain clouds. Monitoring? Live-streaming? Showing off their personal lives on television? He scoffed, "The D''Cruz family wants to upgrade their status through media entertainment, are they? The Baileys don''t need to save a few billion; we can provide what we need. I''ll give you a minute to get out.¡± 1 His eyes were locked on the shooting crew with their devices, exuding an air of authority. The person in charge felt as if it was difficult to breathe. He looked at Fredrick and everyone else, helplessly so. ''This..." Fredrick looked at Anthony, peeved. "Anthony, what''s the matter? You really don''t want to be seen with Waverly in front of everyone?" Max''s eyes darkened. He spent so much effort to finallye up with this idea. Anthony must not call it off! If they monitored and live-streamed their personal affairs all day long, Charmine would not be able to show up! He stared at Anthony and asked sharply, "President Bailey, do you even like Waverly? Is this engagement even legit?" 1 With that said, Susan''s brows furrowed. She felt that this engagement was happening too smoothly. Usually, Anthony would do the opposite of what she said and would like who she did not like, and all of a sudden, he epted his engagement with Waverly without fussing? Did he really like Waverly? What happened in the past two days seemed unusual... Anthony remained calm as he apathetically replied, ''Two people living together isn''t a show for the others to see. If you want to be on a show so badly, why don¡¯t you live-stream yourself?¡± 1 His sharp words were like a frozen knife thatshed at them. Fredrick, Susan, and the rest were all speechless. Who would want to see people of their age if they live-streamed themselves? Furthermore, he said that he did not want to show the others? Was that his excuse? Meanwhile, Anthony looked at his watch and said coldly, "One minute''s up. Luke, clear them out." ''Yes, Sir!" Luke instantly brought in bodyguards from outside. They strictly asked the shooting crew to leave. Each bodyguard looked so cold and distant that they emitted a fierce aura. The person in charge knew too well about Anthony''s temper, thus he said instantly, "We''ll leave, we¡¯ll exit ourselves! My apologies, Mr. Bailey, Master D''Cruz!" With that said, he led his crew to leave with their devices, and they were gone in seconds. Max''s face expression turned bitter ck. He spent so much effort organizing this show, yet Anthony shot it down just like that? Luckily, he had other ns! Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. He pped his hands and his assistant brought forward a delicate food container. When the container was opened, what sat inside was... chapter 798 chapter 798 Everyone eyed the container, and inside was a bowl of seafood soup noodles. Unlike ordinary noodles, the noodles were long and conjoined. Max said, "We have a rule in Kansas. On the second morning of engagement, the newly engaged must share the same bowl of noodles. The couple must eat the noodle strip from the ends to the middle, symbolizing their never-ending love. President Bailey, you don''t like to be seen in public, so eating this bowl of blessed noodles shouldn''t be a problem, right?" Max raised an eyebrow at Anthony as he asked interrogatively. Anthony had no reason to decline this. Max waved his hand, and his assistant instantly brought the noodles and ced it on the table. Each side of the container had a tail that formed two heart shapes, and they both must eat from one side each, moving toward the middle. This would improve one¡¯s rtionship and bring the couple closer. Fredrick looked at Anthony, "Anthony, we won''t force you if you don''t want to be publicized. However, this is Kansas'' tradition, and every engaged couple must eat this bowl of love noodles. Don''t disappoint US." His tone obviously disyed his growing frustration. Susan instantly chimed in, "Don¡¯t worry, Fredrick. Anthony and Waverly went for a fine-dining before! Why would they say no to this?¡± With that, she turned to Anthony. "Anthony, hurry and ask Waverly toe downstairs. The noodles will get cold soon." Anthony nced at the bowl of noodles as his eyes dulled. Unintentionally, he saw Chris who was neglected by the corner, and he silently left. At that moment, Waverly walked down the stairs. She had changed into a velvet leopard suit, paired with a short skirt. Her neck adorned with diamonds, she looked very much like a wealthy heiress. By the side, Anthony reached out his hand intuitively, though he did not pay too much mind into it as his arm had been covered in steel. Waverly hooked her arm around his habitually as they walked down the stairs together. When she saw the noodles, she frowned with a hint of surprise. "Isn''t this the love noodles from Kansas? Burlington has it, too?" "Of course! Your father and I prepared this for you two early in the morning. I hope you won¡¯t let US down," reminded Max, one with a hidden meaning to it. Waverly looked at Anthony. "Anthony, this is a tradition of Kansas... Will..." Would he ept it? Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. She did not finish the question as Anthony walked toward the table. He said, "If it''s the love noodles, it''s only right we eat it." It sounded so effortless. Waverly frowned. Why was Anthony so easy-going? However, Anthony had brought her to sit before the table, thus she had to sit. The two sat side-by-side while the assistant brought over their cutleries. Fredrick took out his phone happily. "Hurry, I''ll record this for you two. One only gets to eat this love noodles once in a lifetime, and we must record it!" 1 "Okay." Waverly''s red lips curled into a smile. She picked up the fork and put one end of the noodle into her mouth. Anthony put the other end into his mouth. The noodle strip was as long as two meters, and Anthony and Waverly ate slowly while the gap between them narrowed, shorter by the second. Max looked at them with a look of satisfaction. They would soon be a mere breath away, face-to-face with one another. Max did not believe that Anthony would not fall for Waverly''s beautiful face. 1 Even if he would not, by the end of it, their lips would have to touch. Once they kissed... chapter 799 chapter 799 Hah! Max would send the photo to Charmine to wreck her heart, so much so that she would leave! Amid his thoughts, the gap between Anthony and Waverly was half a meter left as they slowly slurped the noodle. Just as they both got closer... ¡°Beep! Beep! Master Lupin, IQ two-hundred and fifty!" A cacophonous sound rang in the air. A two-meter tall robot barged into the scene from the side of the hall. Made out of sturdy steel and built powerfully, loud clicks were heard with every step it took. It was agile as it moved left and right, crashing and smashing everything as though it short-circuited. Max frowned. As if sensing something, he instructed, "Stop it!" His assistant went forward dutifully, but the bot swung its heavy self toward Anthony. Frowning, Anthony flinched to his side, and just like that... Tick! A sound was heard and the noodle snapped from the middle. 1 The robot was relentless as it smashed the table beside Waverly and shook it vigorously, spilling the soup everywhere. ¡°Argh!" Waverly cried out loud as she jumped up. 1 Her clothes were dirtied. Dirtied! Anthony instantly walked to Waverly''s side and handed tissue paper to her. "What happened here?" he growled. ¡°Da... Daddy..." Walking out from the corner, Chris then said with a weak and pitiful look," Master Lupin went out of control... His wires seemed to have snapped..." "Shut it down!" Anthony scoffed, his tone unpleasant. Chris hastily carried the robot and lowered his head in front of Waverly. ¡° I¡¯m so sorry, Auntie, I didn''t mean it. I didn¡¯t expect Master Lupin to go out of control. He''s my favorite and most powerful robot. I wanted to use it to send you a gift..." spoke Chris with a wronged look and he took out a rose from the robot''s hand. The rose was perfectly kept by the robot, and coupled with Chris'' watery eyes, it was hard to get mad at him. s, Susan showed no sympathy. It was this wild kid again! He just had to ruin things! ¡°Chris Bailey, do you think apologizing is enough?" she hissed. "Do you know what you''ve done? You''re all grown up yet you still mess things up!" "Wa... I didn''t mean to, I really didn''t mean to!" Chris wailed as if he was terrified, tears rolling down his cheeks as he did. He walked toward Waverly and pulled at her hand with a pitiable look. ¡° Auntie... Don''t hate Momo, okay...? Momo only wanted to give you a rose... Momo wants to get along with you...!" Waverly knew he was acting, but how could shesh out at him? If she got angry, the maids would assume she was an evil stepmother. She could only protect Chris and appealed to Susan, "Don''t me Momo. He''s being sincere, so let''s not scold him. The tradition is superstitious, and all that matters is as long as Anthony and I get along well." Susan liked her even more as she heard her response. "Waverly, you''re so considerate." She then turned and scoffed at Chris, "Get out!" 2 "Okay." Chris pulled out the robot and left with a pitiable gait. Unbeknownst to Susan and Fredrick, he sneakily gave a proud smirk at Waverly and Max. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Wanted to take advantage of his father? Wanted to rece his mother? Fat chance! 2 Max''srge hands clenched up tightly. This wild kid! All the efforts he put out this morning were destroyed! He would teach that kid a lesson he would never forget! chapter 800 chapter 800 Once Chris left, Anthony instructed Maria, "Bring Madam upstairs to get changed." "Yes, Sir." Obediently, Maria instantly helped Waverly get upstairs. "Make Momo kneel for four hours as a punishment," said Anthony to another maid, "and keep watch over him." ''Yes, Sir!" The maid left. While he still felt something was off, Fredrick saw how Anthony treated Waverly and even punished his child. It was in to see he still cared for Waverly. 1 Even if he did not like her, the two could slowly develop their feelings... He sighed. "Now that the love noodles are destroyed, we¡¯lle if there¡¯s any other tradition to be reminded of in the future. Anthony, you must take good care of Waverly. She¡¯s my only daughter, and you mustn''t mistreat her." 1 "Okay," came Anthony''s swift response. It was just an act anyway. With that, Fredrick left with satisfaction. As his n had failed, Max no longer wanted to linger as he too exited the vi. Inside the car, Max''s eyes darkened with a strong sense of annoyance. No matter what he did, things just would not develop between Anthony and Waverly. It seemed that this must not be hurried. His next best bet was attacking from Charmine''s angle. With such a thought, his thin lips curled up evilly. Anthony did not fall for Waverly because he had Charmine in his heart, so if Charmine was destroyed, he would not care for her so much. 1 That was it, then. If he could not speed them up, he must do something to Charmine! 5 Max took his phone and texted a stranger''s number: [Do you still want the pill given to you by McKenzie?] The receiver was Julian. Julian was about to get busy in the factory when he received an anonymous text. Of course he remembered that pill. Had Tiffany not messed things up, he would have slept with Charmine, but s, she became further apart from him... [You have it?] Julian replied. Max texted, [Of course. I''ll send one over. She''s watching Anthony and Waverly getting engaged, so this is your best chance. If you can seed...] 1 [Rest assured.] concluded Julian. Nothing stood in his way anymore, not even Tiffany. Furthermore, Julian did not know that Anthony and Waverly faked the engagement. He believed that Charmine must have been in pain in the past two days. If he slept with Charmine and cared for her, she woulde crawling back to him for sure. With that in mind, he started making arrangements and prepared himself. Anthony and Waverly went to the hospital again as they continued Annabel''s recovery treatment. Their loving engagement news went all over the world, and hordes of people admired their rtionship. Charmine did not read them. To her, as long as she could sleep with Anthony every night, she would be satisfied. The most important thing was to research; she had to know the reason why the needles were rejected. She could only treat Chris'' illness once she figured it out, so that there was nothing else to be worried about. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. She reclined on the sofa as she read the pile of books Doctor Weir left behind in her vi. The sky grew darker then. As Kay changed shifts, Julian-dressed up like an old woman-sneaked to the window at the back. As the window was left open for venttion, he sessfully came inside the bedroom through the window. 1 So absorbed was Charmine with the medical books that she did not notice Julian taking out a small bottle of pill with eyes darkened calctively. 1 This was no ordinary pill; Charmine would start hallucinating the moment it so much so grazed her skin. Julian secretly rubbed the pill on the kettle at the pantry. He waited silently. chapter 801 chapter 801 All that needed to happen was for Charmine to touch the kettle. As she was upied with her books for so long, the thirsty Charmine held the mug and walked to the pantry with the book at hand. Immersed in her book, Charmine failed to notice another person was in her vi as she grabbed the kettle and poured herself a cup of water. 1 She headed back to the sofa and continued reading when seconds passed, and suddenly, the words became blurry and her thoughts turned convoluted. It was as if the world spun as Charmine felt herself heating up and growing dizzy. Something was wrong... This feeling was not right! She quickly put down the medical books and attempted to pick up her phone at the coffee table, ready to call someone, but her phone was taken away just as she rose from the sofa. Charmine looked up and noticed...that standing in front of the coffee table was Julian! "Why... Why are you here...?!¡± "Charmine, I came here to apany you.¡± Julian forced shut her phone and tossed it to a corner far away. He walked toward her as he spoke, "Anthony is already engaged to Waverly. He¡¯s been ying you since the start! Can''t you see that? I''m the only man who¡¯s willing to marry you and grow old with you. You''ve been throwing your tantrum for long enough, and it''s time to give in." 4 As he spoke, he sat by her side, reaching out to hold her hand. Charmine got up and wanted to flinch, but her body was growing soft. Not only was she growing limp, but her vision grew blurry as well. The face in front of her seemed to be changing... The man sitting on the sofa was no longer Julian; it looked like Anthony instead... Charmine shook her head and tried her best to calm down. It was an induced hallucination! Whatever drug it was, it could make one hallucinate! Charmine bit her lips forcefully. The sharp pain brought some sense into her. Seeing that Julian''s hand was about to caress her body, strength that came from out of nowhere surged as Charmine aggressively kicked Julian''s waist. 2 Julian fell to the ground, startled at the sudden impact as his bones almost cracked from the fall. 1 He red at Charmine, fuming. "Charmine, what are you still thinking at this point? Do you still want Anthony? He¡¯s already living with another woman, he doesn''t want you, yet you''re still waiting for him?¡± "That¡¯s none of your business!" Charmine spat out her reply with great difficulty as she grew dizzier. The needles... She must get the needles... She could save herself with the needles! Listlessly, she looked around and spotted the pack of needles on top of the coffee table incredibly close to her, just two meters away. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. However, in this situation, they were out of reach! In her head, there were too many messed-up images. Something might happen if she did nothing about it! She pinched her thigh sharply, using her remaining rationality tounch over to the table. However, Julian already stood up from the floor and caught Charmine''s wrist. He tossed her back to the sofa. "Don''t try to fight back, Charmine! You¡¯re destined to be mine. Time to get back to the start and continue to be together. I won''t let you down, and I won''t get engaged to another woman. Be with me-l won''t mistreat you," spoke Julian as he removed his tie. 1 The impact from being thrown to the sofa caused Charmine to teether awfully as her consciousness grew blurrier. She could vaguely see a man in front of her. His figure was tall and big, dressed in a suit. Was... Was it... Anthony...? "Anthony..." chapter 802 chapter 802 Julian gazed at Charmine''s behavior as his thin lips curled up with satisfaction. Wait... Did she just call out Anthony¡¯s name? Anthony was already engaged to Waverly, yet she still wanted him? Julian was furious at the thought. "You were all over me back then, Charmine, circling me every day! Don¡¯t you remember now? It seems like I have to bring back your memories!" 1 Charmine gritted her teeth to resist. The one hint of rationality left in her was reminding her that this was not Anthony''s voice. This was not Anthony''s scent... No... Julian must not touch her...! Charmine vehemently thrashed about as she wed blindly. Her long, rectangr, sharp nails managed to scratch Julian''s arm, instantly drawing out some long bloodstains. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Julian''s eyes went blood-red. Charmine in the past would not hurt him, yet she drew blood from him at that moment? How much did she hate him? How much did she resist him? Hisrge hand caught Charmine''s wrist as he red coldly. "Charmine, Anthony doesn''t want you anymore. You want to stay chaste for him? You''d rather be a secretive third-wheeler than to be with me?" "Let... Let go...!" The more she struggled, the more angered Julian was. "Stop struggling-you''re mine today. Nobody will save you, and Anthony doesn''t want you... He''s dumped you! I''m the only person who doesn''t look down on you in this world, and only I am willing to marry you! This is your blessing!" 1 With that said, he lowered his head when out of the blue... Ding! A loud ring was heard as the tunnel in front was opened. Julian looked up to see Anthony walking out of the tunnel, one step at a time, as an ominous aura emanated from him. 1 He frowned. Tunnel... Charmine''s house had a tunnel?! Wait, were Anthony and Waverly not engaged already? Why would he appear at Charmine''s tunnel? Why would hee? Anthony''s re turned deadly as his gait depicted a man who rose from hell. He marched over and lifted his long leg. Thump! He fiercely kicked Julian''s chest. "Argh!" Julian cried out in pain, as he instantly fell off the sofa. He felt a sharp pain on his ribs as his face contorted in pain with sweat dripping from his forehead rapidly. This painful sensation... His ribs were broken. 1 Anthony cracked and broke his ribs! Anthony saw Charmine on the sofa with her clothes in disarray, and a murderous aura aroused from within his eyes. He marched over andnded yet another kick on him. "Argh!" Julian was kicked and flew a few meters away. The left side of his ribs was broken! That was not enough for Anthony. Far from enough. He wanted to kill Julian, but... "Mmh..." Charmine moaned in pain on the sofa. Anthony instantly rushed over and removed his jacket, wrapping it around Charmine''s being. He carried Charmine in his arms and walked into the room as he took out his phone with one hand and phoned Luke. "Toss Julian out. Destroy him!'' chapter 803 chapter 803 The word ''destroy was forcefully articted. Julian¡¯s pupils dted when he heard it. Destroy? N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Anthony wanted to destroy him? Still reeling in Anthony''s order, Luke and two other bodyguards came in from the tunnel quickly and dragged Julian toward it. It was as if Julian knew they would do something to him as he cried out," You can''t do this to me, Anthony Bailey! You''re engaged to another woman! What rights do you have to intervene in my business! Charmine and I are a couple! We used to-" Luke''s eyelids shot wide open when he heard Julian''s words. Julian was so daring to have said such things! Even Anthony did not dare touch his woman, yet this man had the courage to! Heck, forget about touching her. Julian even said such horridly implicative things! When they arrived at the tunnel, Luke raised his leg, and... "Aaargh!" A cry as ifing from the ughterhouse resonated to the roof of the vi, and it sounded guttural, horrifyingly daunting. Julian was utterly destroyed! Meanwhile, inside the bedroom... Anthony ced Charmine on the bed. He took out his phone ready to phone Nial when Charmine suddenly tugged at his hand with force. Anthony jolted at the sudden force and fell. Charmine met his eyes. "You''re finally here...¡± Anthony frowned. He was ''finally here''? Had she waited for him? He lifted her head by her chin and asked, "Charmine, do you know who I am?" "Anthony... You''re Anthony...¡± The sky was bright by the time Charmine woke up. As if realizing something, she shot up. She saw Anthonyying by her side, sleeping soundly. His shirt was messy with a few buttons torn open. Wait a minute... Sensing movement, Anthony opened his eyes and saw Charmine covering herself with the nket. She looked anxious. He raised an eyebrow at her. "Now you''re scared?" Charmine''s face heated up. Scared... She was scared... Noticing the clothes on the floor, Charmine asked cautiously, "Last night, you..." "What?¡± said Anthony as he reclined on the pillownguidly. His tone made Charmine''s heart skip half a beat. Did that genuinely happen, then? She could not help getting angry, "How could you do this? Why didn''t you get me a doctor, or throw me in the bathtub or something?!" Sure, they were husband-and-wife legally, but she was not mentally prepared yet! chapter 804 chapter 804 Anthony remained elegant, his thin lips curling up as he did. "I was going to call Nial, but before I can take out my phone, you-" "Alright, stop talking!" Charmine cut him short. She did not want to hear even one word about it. Although she did not know if this was true, Charmine had so many images in her head. She turned around and wanted to put on clothes, but Anthony caught her hand and asked, "What? Are you regretting it?" His voice was low and displeased. Charmine¡¯s body halted. Regret? Of course not! Charmine would have been scarredst night had Anthony note in time. She would have to live with such a traumatic experience forever. He came at the right time. However... "It''s just happening too soon." Anthony pulled her back into his arms. "Don''t worry, we did nothing." This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Charmine frowned. "W¡ªWhat?" Anthony''s lips curled up. "Have you forgotten what happened in the hospital? I returned the favor.¡± 1 Face flushed red, Charmine punched Anthony''s chest. Anthony caught her tiny fist, his voice deeper than usual as he spoke," Charmine, when are we getting married?" "Huh?" Charmine was dumbfounded. The change of topic was too quick! Anthony lowered his head and huskily spoke into her ear, "I can''t wait for us to get married." She pulled away, trying to keep a distance from him. "Let¡¯s talk about this when Momo recovers." Anthony frowned. Again with Chris, ruining the fun. He wanted to punch him so badly, but s, Chris was his son, and he had to care for him. It was strange thinking back at it. Chris came from Annabel, but he had an unusually close bond with him. Ever since picking him up, he wanted to give him the world. As for Annabel, he still had no feelings for her-not ever. At that moment, the clicking sound of footsteps were heard outside the door. It was followed by rapid knockings. "Mr. Bailey, Ms. Jordan, are you two in?" 1 It was Waverly''s voice. chapter 805 chapter 805 Waverly actually came to their room? Charmine instantly left Anthony''s arms and got up to look for her clothes, but she stiffened just as she walked to the wardrobe. She was in her lingerie, and she got out of the bed just like that... She looked back and, as expected, Anthony was indeed checking her out. 1 "Shut your eyes!¡± she half-yelled, half-whispered. Anthony''s lips curled up, though he eventually turned away from her. Charmine then continued to look for her outfit, wanting to find an outfit that could cover her thoroughly, but a thought then urred and her brows furrowed. Julian was near bankruptcy, but what he used on herst night was incredibly high-tech. It would have cost at least a few million. How could Julian afford such a costly substance? Furthermore, since the Baileys wrecked Julian, he could not have gotten the drug had it not been for a third person helping him. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Who else would it be other than Max? She wondered if Waverly was involved... Charmine originally chose a more conservative outfit, but she chose a red silky night robe in the end. Putting on the robe and tying the ribbon, she then walked to the door. 1 Dignified, Waverly stood outside the door as it opened, and she was instantly greeted with the sight of Charmine dressed in a red nightgown. Her eyelids jumped slightly. "Charmine, you two..." "Don''t worry, I got trappedst night. Anthony had to help me, so we had no choice but to..." Charmine curled up her red lips into a smile as she paused. ''To be honest, we should thank the person who trapped mest night. This person brought us closer than ever." 1 Waverly''s face turned slightly green. They helped to bring them closer! However, after a moment, she acted as if she was not interested. She looked away from Charmine. "Congrattions to you both. However, I came for an important matter. Grandma Bailey phoned earlier, asking Mr. Bailey and I to go home for lunch. The family is waiting, and Mr. Bailey should leave with me." Her tone was formal, showing no hint of any emotion. Charmine could feel, however, that she implied, ''However loving you two are, he still has to leave with me during the day!'' 1 Charmine paid no heed to that as her red lips curled up into an alluring smile. She looked at Anthony who was in bed. "Anthony, you should go. Can you get down? Or do you want to spend some time with me first?¡± 2 Anthony changed into an even morefortable position in bed as he said to Waverly, "You go on ahead-ril get there soon." 1 He was basically implying he wanted to be with Charmine and spend more time with her. Waverly gritted her teeth and reminded him, "Hurry. Let''s not raise suspicion." With that, she turned and left. Charmine followed behind her to walk her away. When they arrived at the corridor, Charmine suddenly stopped Waverly from moving ahead. Waverly frowned and asked, "Ms. Jordan, may I help you?" chapter 806 chapter 806 Waverly''s posture was still strangely formal, elegant, and regal. Charmine stared at her and coldly dered, "I know you guys are involved with the whole shenanigan about Julian. You guys even set up the love noodles from yesterday morning. I have one word for you: Know your ce. You''re just a doctor that we hired, and I hope you don''t have thoughts that you shouldn¡¯t be having." Waverly frowned. "Charmine, how can you speak to me like this? Do you know how many people in the world are queuing for my help for as long as ten years?¡± "So what? If you''re unhappy, you may leave now. Annabel will be fine without you,¡± attested Charmine. She showed no hint of gentleness in her voice; she was not giving in. Charmine always felt that Waverly was more than what she portrayed herself. 1 Waverly had never been treated like this before. Who would not treat her with respect? She calmed her mind. "I won''t see things like you do. I''m a doctor. After treating Annabel, I''ll leave on my own ord." 1 "Really? Then I hope you''ll do as you¡¯ve said. If you or your brother try anything funny, you''ll be dealing with me." Charmine red at her Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. before turning to leave. How was Waverly able to stay being Annabel''s doctor and endured the words they said if nothing else anchored her to the position? Something else made her stay, and that ''something'' fueled her determination. Waverly''s target seemed to be Anthony, ording to the development of things. Even if Waverly was able to treat Annabel, Charmine would not show her any respect. With that in mind, she walked back to the room and acted as if she was worried. "Now that you spend so much time with Waverly, what if you fall in love with her?" Anthony frowned. Charmine asking him such a question out of the blue meant she was ying mind games. He went along with her, his thin lips curled up lovingly. "Don¡¯t worry, she''s ugly. She¡¯s not even one- tenth of you!" 1 Waverly jolted as she walked down the corridor, and her fists clenched instinctively. 1 It was bad enough Charmine agitated her, but even Anthony said such things about her? She was not as beautiful as Charmine? She spent one whole month on her face so that... 6 A glint of anger shed in her eyes. She marched away to the tunnel, walking back to the other vi. Chris was getting ready to school when he saw Waverly. "Hey you, why''s your face so dark?" he gasped in shock. "Did you not sleep wellst night? Why do you seem ten years older?" 2 Ten years older? However well Waverly''s temper was, she was genuinely angry the moment she heard him! Anthony called her ugly and that she was not one-tenth as beautiful as Charmine, and this boy called her old?! 1 Was she really that ugly? Instantly, she marched into her bedroom and gazed at her reflection at the mirror, noting how utterly wless it was. Her facial features were beautiful and prepossessing with a hint of foreign exquisiteness. She calmed down instantly, though her hands clenched tightly. Her face was undoubtedly beautiful. Very beautiful. It was worth all the pain she had endured. 1 Anthony, Chris, and Charmine... This family of three was intentionally hurting her! Recalling what happened just moments ago, she brought out her phone and phoned Max. "Was it you that set Julian upst night?" 1 ''Yes. I wanted to destroy Charmine, and I wanted her to leave Anthony fast, but I didn''t expect Anthony toe rushing!" Max did not hold back his anger, evident in his hostility-filled words. Waverly''s face instantly straightened. "Do you know what you¡¯ve done? They''ve never slept before, butst night, they..." Max, who was on the other side of the phone, smashed his fist onto the table. Damn it! Not only did he fail, but he even hastened their romance? The bitter taste felt like eating a fly! chapter 807 chapter 807 Waverly realized that her tone was quite harsh, thus she gently coaxed, "I wasn''t ming you, I was just worried. I know you don''t like Charmine, but now that Charmine and Anthony have slept together, and if she conceived Anthony''s child, Charmine will-" "She won''t, don''t worry. I''ve made a mistake, but it won''t repeat. I''ll make Charmine leave Anthony soon!" Max''s tone was full of anger and hatred. Waverly halted. "Brother, don''t wear yourself out," she reminded him with her gentle voice. "Don¡¯t hurt yourself. It¡¯s their matter, and honestly, we don''t-" "I know what to do. You do your doctor thing, just treat your patient. I¡¯ll work the rest out for you." With that said, Max hung up. His eyes fell on the window, unusually dark. Max had no power within Burlington ever since Charmine took his Jordown Group. All usablends were bought for the Hundred Birds Project. At this rate, Charmine would only progress, and Waverly¡¯s rtionship with Anthony would go nowhere... As if thinking of something, he took out his phone and called someone. 1 "Have you been looking for a jobtely? I¡¯ve things for you to do, with a ten million bucks reward on it." ''Ten million bucks? Really!?" The woman sounded extremely delighted on the other end of the call as if she had not heard such a huge amount for a long time. 1 Max smirked. "Yes, I''ll pay you a million deposit first. If you seed, the remaining nine million will be transferred to you instantly." "Okay!¡± Meanwhile, in the vi... After Waverly had left, Charmine''s eyelids fluttered as if something bad was about to happen. Seeing that she was standing in front of the door, Anthony sat up and asked, ¡®What? Did you fight? If you really don''t like her, we can-" "No, it''s nothing..." Charmine snapped out from her thoughts and rubbed her eyes. "I''m just tired from last night. Wake up-hurry. Waverly is waiting for you at the Bailey Mansion," she spoke as she found him an outfit set and handed it to him. Anthony took up the steel te by the side. "Please help me put this on, mydy." Charmine had no choice but to walk over. While it was soft steel, it was very thick like the fingernails and looked rather heavy. Since Anthony had worn it often, the steel te left an obvious red-line bruise. "Don''t wear this," replied Charmine, "I trust you." 1 ''Trust me. I''ll keep my distance from other women for you. Furthermore, it''s not just because of you." His body had always refused the touch of another woman. Whenever a woman got close to him, he would instinctively want to make the woman go away. 1 Without this steel te, he might push Waverly away by instinct should she get close to him. 1 Charmine frowned. Anthony''s body was oddly unique. She remembered how he slept with Annabel five years ago, and that literally meant Charmine was not his one and only... Of course, Charmine also recalled how innocent Annabel was, and she did not hold it against her then. 1 With that, she took out the steel te and helped Anthony to put it on. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. At that moment... Ring! Ring! The phone rang suddenly-it was Adam calling. Answering the phone, Charmine was greeted with an anxious Adam blurting, "Charmine, are you avable today? Something happened with the properties!" chapter 808 chapter 808 Charmine frowned. "What is it?" she asked suspiciously. ''The builders identally triggered the gas pipeline, and there was a gas leak on site. They''re making arrangements with the rted departments, and we''ll need you here to sign it," exined Adam. Charmine frowned. They triggered the gas pipeline? How was that possible? The Jordan Group¡¯s builders had always been of the most professional, and they would usually not make such a major mistake. She had to go to the site and inspect it. After hanging up, she said to Anthony, "Go home, I need to sort out some work." "Bring Luke along, he can help you," offered Anthony. "No need," Charmine turned him down, "I can handle it on my own. We must keep things as low-profile as possible in the following days," she added as she buttoned up his shirt and fixed his ck suit. Once done, she pushed him out of the room and ushered him as she walked, "Hurry, go! I''ll see you at night." 1 Anthony was unwilling to leave, but hearing those four words, ''see you at night¡¯, his expression softened a little. Just as he got to the tunnel, Anthony stopped and lowered his head to gently peck her forehead. "Remember toe at night," he reminded her firmly. "Okay," Charmine answered. After walking him out, she closed the tunnel door and went to get changed quickly. Kay had stationed about ten bodyguards around the vi¡¯s perimeters early that morning. When they saw Charmine walking out, Kay went forward and lowered his head politely. "My apologies, everything that happenedst night was due to our negligence. Please allow US to make it up to you." 1 While they were tasked to protect Charmine, she would do most of the work herself and thus they did not have any chance to step in. That was why they became less cautious. Never did they think Julian could find a blind spot and went in when they were idle in their conversations. 1 "Wash my toilet for a week," snapped Charmine. Wash her toilet? Kay''s face turned green. "You may even ask me to re-train at the base for a week! Can I not wash the toilet?" 1 All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. He absolutely hated washing the toilet! "No, this is an order. Get to it!" Charmine''s voice was stern. After saying that, she marched to the garage and drove away. What happenedst night was severe, and she did not want that to happen for a second time. Professionals like Kay carried out important duties, and they had to be badly punished to reinforce alertness into their system. s, the aggrieved Kay could only wash the toilet... As Charmine drove out of the vi, she saw Anthony¡¯s car by the fork of the Violet Residence''s road. For venttion purposes, they did not close their windows. One could inly see Anthony sitting with Waverly, and although Waverly intentionally kept her distance, the space inside the car was still narrow. They looked like a couple of a handsome man and a beautifuldy, and anyone would think they were a couple. Furthermore, they seemed extremely posh as if they were about to attend a banquet while Charmine drove alone, looking rather sad inparison. 1 When Waverly saw Charmine, her red lips gradually curled up as she greeted, "What a coincidence." Three words, making her more elegant than usual. The way she looked at Charmine was like an upper ss-woman looking at a lower ss-woman. Charmine remained unperturbed as offered a stunning smile. "Not a coincidence. I came here to say a few things to my man." 1 With that, she looked past Waverly and said to Anthony who sat on the other side, "Husband darling, I want to have some blue cheese. Can you bring home some for me at night, please?" 1 Waverly¡¯s originally elegant face froze for a second. Charmine asked Anthony to buy her the stinky blue cheese? chapter 809 chapter 809 Did Charmine forget who Anthony was? She asked a man of such status to buy her some stinky blue cheese! Much to Waverly''s shock, Anthony obediently replied, "Okay." One word, uttered gently and soothingly, potent with love. Waverly almost doubted her ears. One was daring enough to ask for it, and the other agreed unconditionally? Were they both intentionally rubbing it in her face? 1 Seeing that Waverly was triggered, Charmine''s red lips curled up stunningly. 1 She sped up and raced away, bold and arrogantly. Hah! Waverly wanted to show off Anthony to her? Well, hope she liked the taste of her own medicine! Luke, Anthony and Waverly''s designated driver that day, silently gave Charmine a thumbs up. Mrs. Bailey was indeed Mrs. Bailey. One would normally be upset upon seeing Waverly and Anthony sitting side by side, yet Charmine was able to rub it back at Waverly. Nicely done! 1 Anthony''s eyes twinkled with mirth and love. This was indeed his woman. He said to Luke, "Ask Mr. Mozart to personally prepare a portion of blue cheese.¡± Waverly''s face stiffened. Mozart was the main chef of a Michelin restaurant and was then hired to be Anthony''s chef. He prepared with the finest ingredients, and just because of Charmine, Anthony would make Mozart prepare the cheap, stinky blue cheese? How...painfully triggering! At the Divine Bird''s construction site... Since they triggered the gas pipeline, the Jordan Group''s builders had to stop all work and move away from some hazards. The gaspany sent their men over to fix it while the management team criticized andmbasted Adam and the rest. When Charmine arrived at the site, the person in charge said to her," Director Jordan, it¡¯s good that you came. Yourpany has always been highly spoken of by the association. Your work has been excellent all this while, which is why we never thought such a major ident to happen this time. This isn¡¯t a small matter-things can get fatal if the gas leak poisoned the workers or caused an explosion." ''Yes, we''ll investigate the cause of this and make an analytical report," Charmine answered calmly, her eyes fixed on the triggered gas pipeline. It was just a small foundation base, and they usually would not dig so deeply-the workers should have known about this. Why would they dig so deep? What Charmine did not notice was Amelia hid behind a big pir not far away, her eyes gleaming with dark satisfaction. 3 Charmine had mocked her so many times, treated her so badly, suffocated her, cut her out from work, and refused to help her regain her reputation. She would pay dearly this time! She signaled a worker on the second floor who then took out a lighter from his pocket and lit up the cigarette in his hand. After taking a deep breath, his eyes darkened as he tossed the still-lit cigarette butt. Below him was where Charmine and the rest were standing. Many of the people in charge as well as workers were there as well. The cigarette butt was falling right above them. Amelia, still hidden from sight, was smug. Charmine would not escape this time! Charmine and the rest were conversing when she spotted a cigarette butt falling from above. Her brows furrowed instantly. A cigarette butt? They were fixing the gas pipe in the area, and with so much gas leaked, there was a strong smell of gas in the air. An explosion would happen should the cigarette buttnd on the under repair gas pipe. 1 It would end badly! Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. When everyone saw the cigarette butt, they clenched their fists with their eyes widened, unable to react. It was at that split moment that Charmine spotted a red figure from the corner of her eyes, and putting two and two together, she lifted her long leg. Lifting her long leg at 180 degrees at one straight line, she swiftly kicked the cigarette butt in the air. 1 Instantly, the cigarette butt flew in the direction where Amelia stood! chapter 810 chapter 810 Amelia anticipated a good show as she stood behind the pir. Once the area exploded, Charmine standing so close to it would surely burn her face. Anthony would no longer want her then; Charmine would never be able to marry into the Bailey family. In her expectations, never did Amelia see iting that cigarette butt was sent flying her way! 1 Her pupils dted as she stood on the spot, transfixed, and when she eventually reacted and wanted to run away, it was already toote. The cigarette buttnded on her feet, and it just so happened she wore a dress made of light material... Fwoosh! Due to the explosive gas, Amelia''s dress caught me from the hems and went upward. "Aargh!" Amelia cried out loud in terror. She jumped up out of the pir, reaching out to smack the me away, but it only grew stronger and brighter. 1 Hurt as the me slowly consumed her, she dropped to the ground and rolled around. "Aargh!" She cried out loud in pain. Adam gaped in shock. "Amelia! Why¡¯s she here?! Save her!" Someone instantly retrieved a fire extinguisher, but Charmine intercepted it and brought it toward where Amelia was. When Amelia saw hering, she instantly growled out loud, "Save me! Hurry, save me! Argh...save me...!" The calm Charmine merely red down at her and she seethed, "Speak: who made you do all of these?" "Nobody! Help me... Extinguish the fire!" Amelia cried out in pain, her voice hoarse from all her yelling. It merely took a while before her hair was ignited as well, but despite the daunting sight, Charmine showed no sympathy. Original from N?velDrama.Org. If it was not for her quick reaction, so many people would have been dead or wounded on the site. How did Amelia turn so evil? She scoffed coldly, "Not telling? Alright, good luck!" With that said, Charmine turned and walked away. Amelia was burnt all over, and one could almost hear her skin sizzling. 4 She was in so much pain, yet Charmine walked away from her just like that? She had the heart to refuse saving her? "Argh! Save me! I''ll tell you¡ªI''ll tell you all! It was Max D''Cruz! He asked me to do this... He wanted to burn your face...argh! Save me! I can''t take it anymore!" she roared in pain. It was only then Charmine stopped walking. She turned back and sprayed the fire extinguisher at Amelia. Instantly, white smoke filled up the air as it eventually enveloped Amelia and extinguished the fire. Ameliaid on the ground, half of her hair burnt from the me. Her flesh was burnt red all over as if covered in chili. Weak and unable to move, she stuttered as she growled through gritted teeth, "Charmine, you...you¡¯ll pay for this..." Amelia would not have been wounded so badly had Charmine saved her much earlier, yet due to the dy, her skin must have been burned badly! The more she hated Charmine, the weaker her body was, and that was how Amelia passed out. 1 "Send Amelia to Royal Hospital," instructed Charmine calmly to the men," and no one''s allowed to visit her without my permission. Furthermore, take in everyone on the second floor!" There were only two floors built with cement frames so far, and that meant the person who threw the cigarette butt must have been on the second floor. No matter who it was Amelia bribed, the person who dared to do such a harmful act must be punished! "Yes!" Some bodyguards carried the stretcher to carry Amelia away while some started to go upstairs to capture everyone. Under the instructions of Charmine, everything happened ordingly in order. All the people in charge of each department still felt terrified, and it was their luck that Charmine was present. Otherwise, with their slow reaction, everyone would have been hurt! chapter 811 chapter 811 Amelia¡¯s confession... So Max had something to do with the attempt to injure Charmine? This was a criminal offense! Someone asked Charmine, "Would you like to file a case for investigation?" "No need; things that happened in the Jordan Group will be fixed by the Jordan Group. We''ll give a perfect exnation to everyone, and anyone suspicious will be brought to justice." Charmine''s eyes gleamed with malice. Well, since Max dared to do such a thing to harm me, it was only right that Charmine yed his game for the next following days! With the gas pipeline on the site fixed, they filled up the hole soon after. After sending off the people from each department, Charmine said to Adam, "You''ll personally keep an eye on this site in the following two days. Don¡¯t let anything happen." "Alright. What about you? Will you look for Max? He''s a questionable individual-you must be on your toes," cautioned Adam with a face filled with worry. "Don''t worry. His action nearly cost US gravely, but I''ll look for him for a smallpensation." Charmine marched away and, entering her car, phoned Max. "Derby Caf¨¦. Be there in half an hour." "Huh? Who do you think you are, thinking I''lle just because you want me to?" Max scowled angrily. Charmine''s red lips curled into a small smirk. "Amelia failed. What do you think she told me?" Max¡¯s brows furrowed. Amelia failed? How could the perfect n fail? 1 He had been waiting for Amelia''s good news, never expecting she would blunder and give him failure instead! Moreover, with the way Charmine spoke, could she have found out something from Amelia? Max wanted to interrogate Charmine more, but she had hung up on him. Damn it! He had to meet her. Upon reaching Derby Caf¨¦, Max found Charmine sitting by the window seat, nonchntly drinking coffee. The room was very spacious, all floor-to-ceiling windows. The leaves outside the windows were golden yellow, making Charmine look drop-dead gorgeous. However, Max had no interest in an evil woman like Charmine. After walking into the room, he closed the door behind him. 2 ''What do you want, Charmine?" he snapped as he sat opposite to Charmine, body emanating unpleasantness. Charmine put down her coffee as her eyes calmly met him. "I should be the one asking you, Max D''Cruz. What do you want?" she asserted, her clear voice filled with pressuring authority. Max''s expression straightened. "I don''t understand what you''re implying." "Are you sure you want to continue to act?" Charmine took out a document from her bag and tossed it at him. Prepared by professional analysts, the document was a record of all Max''s doings since his arrival at Burlington. 1 He established the Jordown Company, bought manynds, attacked the Jordan Group many times, bribed Amelia, matched up Anthony with Waverly... Every action was clearly stated with details. The final conclusion of the analysis was, [Take over the Jordan Group and split up Charmine and Anthony.] Max frowned. Charmine managed to prepare such a detailed document? Charmine reclined onto the back of the chairnguidly. "Speak: What grudge do you hold against the Jordan Group?" she scoffed. ''What offense did we do to have driven you to such cruelty?" 1 Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Max¡¯s eyes darkened...and he thought of something. He was done for if Charmine found out about that thing. 2 He looked at Charmine. "Holding no grudge doesn''t mean I can¡¯t take action. I want to take over Burlington¡¯s real estate industry and help Waverly marry into the Bailey family, to join forces with the Baileys." Charmine smiled coldly. "Do you think I''ll believe you?" chapter 812 chapter 812 Max would not have done anything that could injure civilians if he genuinely just wanted to take over the Jordan Group. Everything should have been purely legal businesspetition. 2 Charmine would have been wounded or even died had she had poor reflexes at the construction site. Her instinct told her that Max hated her, that he disliked her from the beginning and came to attack her. Charmine''s gaze was cold like a frozen ice-mirror, ring as sharply as an X-ray, prating through the darkness of one¡¯s deepest intention. Max had gone through many daunting experiences in life, yet her keen gaze still made him feel guilty. Taking a moment to regain his calm, he then replied lowly, "Perhaps Ms. Jordan is overthinking things-l''ve always been this way. You''ve obstructed Waverly''s progress, took my Jordown Group, and ruined my reputation. Such are the reasons why I hate you dearly, so much so I Original from N?velDrama.Org. want you dead every second. To be honest with you, I wanted to destroy your face today so that you can never marry into the Bailey family. Anthony won''t even bat an eye at you once your beauty is ruined!" Charmine frowned. Everything made sense, usible indeed. Still, she felt that something was off. The hatred Max had for her was not built up in merely a few days. Not able to figure it out just yet, Charmine shrugged off the thought as she eyed Max. "Doesn¡¯t matter if you don''t tell the truth. Eat this." She took out a pill and pushed it toward Max. It was a ck-colored capsule...much like a poisonous drug! Max frowned instantly. "Why would I?" ''This." Taking out her phone and cing it on the table, Charmine yed a recording that red through the speakers: "Argh! Save me! I''ll tell you-l''ll tell you all! It was Max D''Cruz! He asked me to do this... He wanted to burn your face...argh! Save me! I can¡¯t take it anymore!" Max''s face darkened. He expected Amelia to have told the truth, but he did not expect Charmine to have recorded it. 1 Was she using yet another evidence to threaten him? "Is this all you¡¯ve got, Charmine!?" "It doesn''t matter, as long as it works!" Charmine kept the phone and red at him coldly, "You bribing people to hurt US, even though it failed, willnd you in prison for three months. If you don''t eat this pill, I''ll report you and send you to prison today!" ¡ö Max''s eyelids jumped. Approximately three months? 1 He was a well-known figure in Kansas. If he went to prison for three months, his reputation would crumble horribly! Charmineid back on the chair and reminded himnguidly, "Don''t worry, this isn''t a poisonous drug. It¡¯s just a controlling drug. It¡¯ll have side effects once a month, and you¡¯ll experience excruciating and painful rashes all over your organs. As long as you don''t do me or Jordan Group any harm, I''ll give you the antidote every month on time. If you don''t listen to me, you will Hah!¡± 1 Her cold voice resonated calmly, filled with an ominous threat. Max''s expression was ck like ink. Charmine wanted to use this drug to control him, and if he ingested it, he would not be able to do anything to Charmine or the Jordan Group! If he did anything, he would lose his life. His photos being leaked would pale inparison to this! He spat out one word after another through gritted teeth, "Charmine! Are you sure you want to be so cruel?" 2 "I won¡¯t be cruel if others aren''t cruel to me. If others are cruel to me, I''ll wipe them out!" Charmine''s expression shifted viciously, exuding an air of frost and deadliness like a bloodied warrior on the battlefield. Only if Max ingested this pill could the following days be slightly more peaceful. Only this pill could wipe things clean. She pushed forward the pill. "Eat it. You have thirty seconds!" chapter 813 chapter 813 Max eyed the controlling drug in front of him with clenched fists. How could he take in such a drug that would restrict him forever? Nheless, if he chose against it, a cruel woman like Charmine would do anything! Without a choice, he reached out, slowly picked up the pill, and reluctantly brought the pill to his lips, little by little. Charmine red at him coldly, waiting for his movement. Just as the pill was a breath away from his lips, Max''s hand suddenly exerted force with vigor. Crack! Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. He punched the pill and crushed it! He gave Charmine a death stare, one with venomous hate. "Perhaps you''ve underestimated me, Charmine. You want me to go to prison for three months? Let¡¯s see if you can get it done!" He was a D''Cruz of Kansas. Why would he not be able to sort out such a small matter? "Don''t you forget, once I get back to Kansas, the side effects would be very trivial. Nobody can threaten me!" Charmine¡¯s red lips curled up. "I''ve already submitted the evidence to request an investigation on you. You¡¯re restricted from boarding the ne." 1 Restricted to board?! Charmine had thought to such an extent already, even requesting a restriction permit? 1 Max''s eyelids blew wide open. How could she be so cruel?! 1 "Since Mr. D''Cruz had made up his mind, I hope you''re ready to face the consequences!" Charmine stood up and walked out, her gait undeniably daunting. Since Max was unwilling to ingest the pill, it showed that he insisted on attacking her and the Jordan Group. This kind of man should not be left alive! Max saw how determined she was, and his senses rang in alert. A cruel woman like Charmine could do anything, especially when she had evidence of him with her! Seeing that she was about to leave the room, he reluctantly blurted," Charmine, aren''t you trying to bring your Jordan Group to the international market? I can make Kansas open their doors for you!" Charmine¡¯s red lips curled up slightly, but she did not stop walking. Max continued, "Kansas will give all green lights for you and won''t obstruct your dealings within the next three months. I won''t do anything to the Jordan Group as well. If I break any of the promises within the next three months, you can do anything you want!" 1 Charmine''s eyes twinkled stunningly. She had expected Max to take a step back, and this was exactly what she wanted! She had globalized the Jordan Group as ofte, and the only market they could not enter so far was Kansas. Taking Max''s promise into ount, if he did not attack the Jordan Group in the next three months, they would be able to develop well. She smirked with her red lips. "Since President D''Cruz is so sincere, I suppose I¡¯ll ept your offer. I hope you keep your word!" she emphasized before leaving. Her bold gait was like a sessful woman, as if she was a queen. Max red at her retreating form with clenched fists. Damn that Charmine! She made it impossible for him to notpromise. He had neverpromised with anyone before! In the next three months, the Jordan Group would surely get back on their feet and enter the Kansas market. His trip to Burlington would be useless if he did nothing about it! As if thinking of something, he took out his phone and sent a text to Waverly: [You must speed up your rtionship with Anthony. Treat it as helping me, your brother, to make a point! Tonight, think of a way to stay in the Bailey mansion with Anthony!] As long as they stayed in the Bailey mansion, Charmine and Chris would not be able to ruin anything. With that, they would make some progress. Knowing Grandma Bailey and the rest, they would surely sneak a peek and eavesdrop, and Anthony would surely do something to pass their test. Max wanted Charmine to feel the pain of being cheated on by her dear, dear beloved! chapter 814 chapter 814 It was after she walked a considerable distance did Charmine recall something she forgot to say. She took out her phone and texted Max, [Forgot to tell you that I knew you bribed Amelia to steal the documents, but I didn''t expose you then. I was waiting for today!] It would be futile if Charmine exposed them at that moment, considering stealing documents was a small offense. However, what happened today was a criminal offense, and she gained control of them all! When Max saw the text, his face went green with anger. Thunk! His fist banged on the table. Damn Charmine... Damn the cruel Charmine! If she exposed Amelia beforehand, perhaps the ident today would be harder to proceed, yet she took her time for him to fall into her trap. He would give her hell to pay! At the Bailey mansion, lunchtime. Susan specially arranged for Anthony and Waverly to sit together. Senior Bailey and Grandma Bailey sat on the host seats in front while Susan and Darryl sat on the side. They were a family of six, three generations in one hall. Grandma Bailey was all smiles with her face glowing in red. "April, help US take a photo! Hurry, a family portrait!" "Alright." April instantly took Grandma Bailey''s phone and found an angle to take the photo. 1 Everyone smiled pleasantly while Waverly''s lips curled up into a small smile, elegant and formal. Sitting beside Waverly, although Anthony did not smile, his look was very elegant and good-looking. Even though they were only sitting, one could feel the chemistry between Anthony and Waverly. 3 Grandma Bailey looked at the photo and smiled gleefully. "Delightful! How delightful! Being able to see Anthony getting married leaves me with no regret before I die!" All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. She was already 87 years old with a weakened body, yet she seemed especially energetic at that moment. Susan smiled. "Oh, stop speaking nonsense, Mom! You¡¯ll live a long and enjoyable life, and you''ll surely get to see Anthony and Waverly give birth to their baby! By then, we¡¯ll have four generations around the table and have a group photo!" "Oh, how promising! Alright then!" Grandma Bailey smiled before turning to Anthony and Waverly, her keen gaze fixated on them. "You''re both aren''t young anymore. When are you nning to have children?" 1 Waverly lowered her head elegantly. "Grandma, we¡¯re not married yet." ''What century are we in? You can have a baby even if you''re not married, and you can then get married with a child! How delightful!" Grandma Bailey smiled happily as she looked at Anthony. "Look at me, I''m so old. If you don''t speed things up, your Grandma won''t be able to see her great grandchildren. Would you want your Grandma to die with regrets?" 4 Taken care of by his grandparents since he was young, Anthony had a good rtionship with the two elders. He looked up at Grandma Bailey andforted, "Grandma is in good health-you¡¯ll surely be able to live another thirty years." ''Who knows? I''ve been feeling pain in my chest recently. I know my health, and so I asked you all toe home for a meal today to speak to you regarding this matter. I had an appointment with the doctor a few days ago, and he said that only positive asions could help my body to get better. The happier the asion, the better it''ll be for my health. My heart will get better, too! Nowadays, I don¡¯t have any expectations, and I can only hope to carry the child you and Waverly will have. Anthony, you won''t let me down, would you?" Grandma Bailey looked at Anthony. 2 After falling silent for a moment, Anthony agreed, "Don¡¯t worry, I''ll work hard." "Alrighty, I''ll take that as a yes from you! You and Waverly will stay the night at the Bailey mansion tonight! I¡¯ve been consulted by an expert, and he said that the baby you two make will be smarter at this location. Furthermore, the Bailey mansion is filled with blessings from many generations! I''ve arranged the room for you two!" gushed Grandma Bailey. She then looked at April and said, "Hurry, go and continue decorating the room. Prepare more rose petals!" 1 "Alrighty!" April left happily. Anthony frowned. Stay the night at the Bailey mansion? chapter 815 chapter 815 He agreed to meet Charmine at night. "Grandma-" began Anthony when Grandma Bailey suddenly started coughing. She patted her chest as she struggled to say, "Cough, cough...! Anthony, let''s keep things like this. Cough, cough! If you don''t want Grandma to get ill, listen to Grandma''s arrangement..." 3 Grandma Bailey''s health had not been at its best as ofte. As she must not be upset, Anthony had no choice but to obey her. After the meal, he brought Waverly to a secluded pavilion. While it might seem like they both admired the view, the truth was that Anthony was eyeing his surroundings and, upon confirming no one was around, questioned Waverly, "What did you say to Grandma? Why would she make such a decision?" Grandma Bailey still looked alright in the morning, but she kept on pulling Waverly out for a talk. Until the afternoon. Grandma Bailey and Susan started adding onto one another. Waverly met his gaze without guilt. "Grandma merely asked me some questions. She wanted US to get married and make babies soon. I was merely thinking on your behalf and looked for ways to postpone it." Mentioning that, she sounded guilty, "Perhaps it was the postponing that made Grandma feel insecure. But rest assured, I''d rather sleep on the floor than do anything foolish." Anthony stared at her genuine eyes, and his thin lips parted, "You better know what you''re doing. Don¡¯t you ever expect something you shouldn¡¯t be expecting." He then turned to the side, away from her. 1 Waverly''s eyes glinted. She had been thinking about him, and yet he still doubted her? Anthony did not care about her anymore. He took out his phone and texted Charmine, [Stay with Momo tonight, I need to take care of things with Grandma here.] Charmine was sorting out some matters at work. When she received the text from Anthony, her brows furrowed. ''Take care of things with Grandma''? [So you can''te home tonight?] questioned Charmine. Anthony then replied, [Yes. Don''t worry, I know my boundary.] After hesitating for a moment, she replied, [I trust you.] She trusted her man. Just as Charmine was about to turn off her phone, she chanced upon a post of his. Half an hour ago, he actually posted a photo taken during lunch. The six of them sat together, and it was a lovely family portrait. The caption read, [Looking forward to having three meals per day with you, spending all four seasons with you till we grow old.] 1 Charmine frowned. Why would Anthony post such a thing? No doubt, it must have been Grandma Bailey or Susan using Anthony''s phone to post it. They would even do such a thing over lunch, and Charmine wondered if they would go to extremes. That night... Anthony and Waverly were quickly pushed into a well-decorated room prepared by Grandma Bailey. The nket, bedmps, curtains were all in red. The floor and bed were filled with rose petals, as if the petals were free. Waverly nced around andforted Anthony, "Don''t worry. I''ll keep my words." 1 Walking to the bed, she found a nket and prepared to sleep on the floor when, all of a sudden, Anthony stopped her. "Wait up." Waverly halted and eyed him curiously. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ''Wait up''? Did he not want her to sleep on the floor? Anthony looked around, his eyes fixed on the wall that the end of the bed was facing. The wall was clean without dust, and there was only one switch...with a pinhole camera inside it! chapter 816 chapter 816 While things as such would usually go unnoticed, Anthony had always been sharp. Original from N?velDrama.Org. No doubt, it was arranged by Grandma Bailey. His eyes twinkled as a thought crossed him. He removed his suit and threw it at the hanger by the wall. The ck suit hung on the hanger, coincidentally covering the pinhole camera. However, Waverly did not understand, but as she saw Anthony removing his ck suit, she nced around suspiciously and anxiously. "Mr. Bailey, you-" "You may sleep on the floor now," Anthony said coldly. 1 Waverly was speechless. He stopped her, removed his suit, and still asked her to sleep on the floor? So he was merely removing his suit to watch her sleep on the floor? Although she was confused, she did not question further. She could only carry the nket off the bed. The room¡¯s wooden floor was clean, free of dust. Right after she covered the floor with the nket, some noise came from the outside. Anthony looked at the gap below the door and noticed shadows moving. Someone was outside! Outside the door... Grandma Bailey was monitoring the bedroom, wanting to see how Anthony and Waverly would get along, but little did she expect that his suit would cover the camera. It was pitch dark with no sound. Worried about Anthony, she pulled Susan to hide outside the door. "Susan, what do you think? Why are they not making any sound? Do you think Anthony is lying to US?" "I doubt so. They''re just engaged, so perhaps they haven''t started. Let''s listen," said Susan as she pressed her ears onto the door. 2 Anthony always had a sharp hearing. Even with a door blocking, he still heard their conversation. Such a nuisance would only make this night a long, challenging one. An idea came to him as a dark glint appeared in his eyes. His eyesnded on Waverly who was spreading the nket on the floor. "Cooperate with meter." Waverly frowned. Cooperate? How? Before she could ask, Anthony already walked toward the door and opened it, causing the two caught- off-guard figures to lurch forward. He held on to Grandma Bailey quickly. "Grandma, you''re here?" "Huh? I... I happened to pass by. I passed by!" Grandma Bailey found an excuse and stood up in a hurry. "Continue, don''t mind US. Go back in," ushered Susan as she reached over to push Anthony inside. Anthony merely said, "Hold on. Do you have women''s special products in the mansion?" 1 "Huh?" Susan was perplexed. Grandma Bailey was just as confused. What special products? Anthony said, "Waverly is on her period." So sudden? On her period? Susan and Grandma Bailey exchanged nces as they eyed Waverly, befuddled. Waverly, standing by the bed, looked surprised. Anthony actually used such an excuse to... So this was the cooperation he asked for. This is what he meant... 1 If she did not cooperate with him, Anthony would assume that she had other intentions. She had no choice but to meet the eyes of Grandma Bailey and Susan, lowering her head unnaturally. ''What Anthony said is true. I just got it, and I don''t know what to do about it..." "Sigh! It seems that my great-grandchildren will have to wait for another month." Grandma Bailey sighed, seemingly disappointed as she instructed Susan, "Bring Waverly what she needs.¡± "Alright," Susan agreed, but not before throwing another nce at Waverly. Waverly really liked Anthony; it was impossible for her to lie for Anthony. Sigh... How unlucky! chapter 817 chapter 817 After Susan left them, Grandma Bailey looked at Waverly again. "Since it''s not convenient, go home. You can''t live in this mansion during your period. Come back in a few days." 2 Waverly could only nod. "Okay." Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Inside Violet Vi. Chris had closed the curtains and asked Charmine to apany him. It was ten at night, and Chris lied in bed, eyes wide open. Heforted Charmine, "Don''t worry, Mommy. Even if Daddy stays with that nobody, Daddy won''t betray you. You need to trust Daddy!¡± Charmine nodded. "I''m not worried about that, I¡¯m worried about you. Why aren''t you asleep yet?¡± "Oh... I''m worried that Mommy will be all alone and sad if I fall asleep." Chris blinked at her. "I didn''t expect Daddy and that nobody would be asked to stay back at the mansion. Oh, I''d be so mad if I was him! Mommy, you should punish Daddy when he gets back!¡± "Look at you...! Just sleep tight-Mommy isn¡¯t sad, really. You still don¡¯t know about me after spending so much time together?" Charmine teased him. Chris thought about it and he finally nodded. "Okay then, I''ll sleep. If Daddyes back and you want to punish him, remember to let me watch!" His eyes twinkled like little stars. 1 Anthony was always the one punishing, so he wanted to watch Anthony getting punished! Charmine nodded. "Okay.¡± Since he fought back his drowsiness for so long, Chris fell asleep quickly. Charmine looked at the boundless night sky outside the window, her eyes gradually darkening as she did. She wondered what Anthony and Waverly were up to. She wondered if Grandma Bailey would do something to force them... Just as those thoughts intruded her, she heard the door opening outside. Someone came back. Charmine sat up instantly, listening closely to the movement outside. Anthony uttered lowly, "Thank you for your cooperation today, Ms. D''Cruz." "It¡¯s nothing much, don''t worry. Have a good rest, Mr. Bailey." Waverly''s voice was gentle and soothing. Back in the room, Charmine only sighed in relief when she heard that it was Anthony and Waverly. She opened the door and walked out. Seeing the two of them, she asked suspiciously, "Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯re noting home tonight?" "How would I let mydy sleep alone?" Anthony walked forward and naturally hooked his arm around her waist. When he looked at Charmine, the stiffness on his face vanished with only a gentle and loving expression on his face in its wake. Charmine was unconvinced. "So what did you do to make Grandma Bailey let you leave?" "I¡¯ll tell mydy when we get back to our room." Anthony wrapped his arm around her waist as they walked toward their room. They had parted for one day; he only wanted to console her. As for Waverly? He had spent one whole day with her, and all he wanted to do was to leave as soon as possible. 1 Completely neglected by the two, Waverly watched as the couple walked into their room lovingly. 1 The vi turned cold and quiet at that instant, and there was not even a shadow on the second floor. She gently inhaled before walking to the second floor. 2 Her phone rang suddenly. It was a text from Max. She walked into the room and took out her phone. Max asked, [How''re things getting on?] Waverly typed to reply, [Brother, don''t think about pushing US together like this in the future. Anthony was so determined, he had me say that I''m on my period and brought me back to Violet Residence.] Max frowned in shock as he read it. After Charmine yed him that afternoon, he waited for Charmine to spend the night alone. Little did he expect his perfect n to be ruined. 2 He gritted his teeth. [Waverly, you can''t give up! Keep working on it; we''ll move on to the final n!] 1 The final n... chapter 818 chapter 818 Inside the room... Anthony took his time in his shower, feeling better after removing the clothes he had worn that day. He went back to bed and, true to Anthony''s fashion, hugged Charmine. As he approached her, Charmine thought of what happened between themst night, and she blushingly pulled away, diverting, "You haven''t told me how you got back." "I only said that she''s on her period," Anthony replied. Charmine halted, and she almostughed out loud. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. She did not expect Anthony to use such an excuse! She wondered how triggered Waverly was. "You''re not afraid of them catching onto you?" ''The worst-case scenario would be to officiate our rtionship," said Anthony, sounding rxed. To him, this would be the best-case scenario. Charmine was speechless. He actually thought so? He was that impatient to let the world know? It did not matter, Anthony was back and she no longer needed to worry. Charmine then fell asleep in his arms. As she had spent half her day immersed in work and tucked out worried, she was quite tired as her breathing grew less heavy over time. Anthony hugged her as she slept soundly, his lips curling up gradually. Hugging her to sleep was the most satisfactory time spent. He longed for the day they could spend their time together in broad daylight. Toying with strands of Charmine''s hair, he savored every moment spent with her. Suddenly... "Argh!" a loud scream was heard, followed by frantic footsteps. The sound-asleep Charmine was instantly awoken. Exchanging nces with Anthony, they instantly got out of bed and walked out. They then saw Waverly rushing down from upstairs anxiously. Her usually elegant face was looking anxious and fearful, ¡¯There''s a snake upstairs... Snake...!'''' Snake? Why would there be a snake on that floor sote at night? Noticing Maria rushing toward them, Anthony instructed, "Go upstairs and have a look." "Yes, Sir!" Maria instantly went upstairs. It did not take long before she rushed down from upstairs. "Sir, there really is a snake! Maybe it climbed in from the giant jacaranda outside! I''ll bring someone over to sort it out right away!" There was a three-story-tall blue jacaranda in the backyard. Its branch was leaning on the window. Since the sun had been bright as ofte, snakes were prone to lurk around. Anthony did not question further. Maria quickly woke up a male staff to sort it out upstairs. Still terrified, Waverly looked at Anthony and Charmine with fear. ''To be honest with you, I don¡¯t have many fears, but the only thing that terrifies me is a snake. Can I sleep with Ms. Jordan on the first floor tonight?" 1 Anthony frowned. He only had this moment to hug Charmine to sleep, and if Waverly took that away... He wanted to reject, but Charmine merely said, "You helped US so much, so taking care of you is a must.¡± With that, Charmine looked at Anthony. "Husband, you¡¯ll sleep alone tonight while Ms. D.Cruz and I will sleep in the same room. Just for one night, you can do it." chapter 819 chapter 819 Anthony had to relent when he noted how determined Charmine was. Charmine and Waverly walked into the guest room and closed the door behind them. Waverly looked at Charmine and elegantly professed, "Thank you, Ms. Jordan.¡± "Do you really think I''d protect you by sleeping with you?" Charmine suddenly snapped, figure seemingly cold and distant. Waverly frowned, not understanding what she meant. "Are you sure you want to keep up the act? You asking me to sleep with you is just your way of separating me and Anthony so we can''t spend time together!" Charmine scoffed coldly. 1 With the frown still on her face, she countered with displeasure, "You have a prejudice against me. These are all mere coincidences." "So getting hurt, sharing the same vi with Anthony, and having a snake tonight are all coincidences? What season are we in? It¡¯s the end of autumn, why would snakes slither out of nowhere?" Charmine pronounced each of the words clearly as she eyed Waverly sharply. "Waverly D''Cruz, do you take others for fools?" 1 Waverly''s eyes gleamed with faint panic, but she quickly stamped it down. She had to fight it. Charmine continued, "Your brother told me everything. He admitted that the main reason you guys came to Burlington was for Anthony and to destroy the Jordan Group!" "What?" Waverly''s face stiffened instantly. She asked in shock, "What... What else did he say?" Charmine¡¯s heart tightened. ''What else did he say¡¯? 1 Was she implying something else was more crucial, heftier than what Max admitted to? Waverly realized that she had lost her calm, though she quickly rposed her anxiousness. "I was just shocked. I don''t understand why he''d say such things. My aim isn¡¯t Anthony, and it''s not you. I came to Burlington to avoid my family pestering me to get married." Charmine¡¯s eyes darkened-she was still denying it. It seemed that Waverly was hiding a lot of things and that she had a more important agenda! 1 She stared at Waverly unblinkingly, "I don''t care if you admit or not, and I don''t care what your final goal is. I won¡¯t let you get away!" Charmine''s tone was cold and demanding. With that said, she marched out and left. "What are you doing?" Waverly asked anxiously. "If you say you¡¯re not trying to break US up and that you have no ill- intention, then rest assured. There''s no snake on the first floor. Sleep tight alone while I¡¯ll go and apany Anthony. We need to continue what we were doing. You''re on your period, but I''m not." Her ruby lips curled into a stunning smirk as she marched out. 1 Waverly''s face darkened instantly. Unable to hold it anymore, she rushed over and tried to block the door. 1 ''You''re right, Charmine, my aim is to break you both up. You want to go and sleep with Anthony? Not a chance!" Charmine ced her hands on her waist. "Oh? So you¡¯re finally showing your true colors?" Waverly''s face was cold and stern, no longer gentle and elegant as she usually was. She stared at Charmine. "I initially just wanted to use Anthony as a decoy, but one has to admit that he''s not a bad man at all, and only I am good enough to be his wife! I did feel bad for you both, but you both kept on showing off in front of me. Have you two thought of my feelings? Since you want to push it, I''ll say it loud and clear: I won''t be your decoy anymore. I will be Anthony''s official wife!" Her tone was determined. 2 Charmine merely scoffed. "You want to be Anthony''s official wife? Have you asked for his opinion?" "I don''t have to. Once the sky turns bright, I''ll be his official fiance again. I''m the one who''ll walk with him in public and stand next to him in the public eye-me! And you? Hah!¡± Waverly red at Charmine mockingly. ¡®You''re just a rat who can''t see the daylight! If I don''t put up the act for you both, everyone will hunt you down when you walk the streets. What right do you have to be arrogant in front of me?" Her tone was sharp and harsh, nothing like her elegant persona in the past. Charmine merely smiled. She smiled nonchntly, alluring and brilliant. "Without me, without my need of a decoy, what are you? Will you be able to speak in front of me?" "Unfortunately, there¡¯s no ¡®if¡¯ in the world. After all that happened, are you daring enough to take it to the masses?" Waverly interrogated her without backing off. Waverly would tell everyone how Charmine wrecked her rtionship with Anthony, should she ever announce her rtionship with him. She would not get out of this mess unscathed!All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. chapter 820 chapter 820 Charmine''s eyes darkened, but her red lips merely parted, "Sure, I''ll be in trouble once I announce my rtionship with Anthony, but what about you?¡± her cold tone resonated in the air. Waverly jolted abruptly. Everyone would scowl at Charmine if she announced the truth, but Waverly Charmine eyed Waverly. "Not only will you lose the title of being his fiancee, but you won''t even get to stand next to him. Oh, but I can, and him and I will face every challenge together. However difficult it might be, we''ll be able to solve them eventually and show up in public! Don¡¯t you want to tell the world? Go on, right now!" 1 As if thinking of something Charmine gushed, "Oh, I forgot. You rushed down anxiously, I bet you didn''t even bring your phone, did you? Here, you can have mine. You may log onto Twitter or even start a livestream!" she spoke as she handed out her phone to Waverly. Waverly was so triggered that her eyelids jumped. How could Charmine be like this? How was she not scared at all?! 2 She should be shaking for dear life! No... She should not let Charmine control her. She hated this feeling! Waverly pushed Charmine''s hand away as she red at her. "Don''t try to instigate me with that, Charmine. I won''t announce it to the world, but as long as I don''t say the truth, you can''t be seen in public with him! You''ll never be able to go out with Anthony in public! And do keep in mind, I''m Waverly D''Cruz, Anthony''s true fiancee. You want topete with me? No matter if it''s my background or capability, you''re far behind me!" "Oh, really? Be on your toes, then, cause I''ll make sure you know how painful it is to be Anthony¡¯s fiancee! I''ll have you spitting your words!" 1 Charmine scoffed arrogantly as she pushed Waverly away. She turned and walked out. Waverly wanted to block her, but Charmine was so quick and powerful that she was pushed to the wall. 2 When Waverly stabilized herself, the door opposite to her had already closed. Charmine would sleep with Anthony again, while she had to sleep alone in the room! Waverly clenched her fists, her eyes filled up with envy and hatred. However, there was no hurry; she was Anthony''s fiancee after all. The green jade bracelet that Grandma Bailey gave to her was still in her possession! Charmine wanted to get it back? Hah! She was intrigued to see how Charmine could ever get it from her! Meanwhile... When Charmine returned to the room, Anthony frowned. "Why did youe back?" "I chatted with Waverly. I''ll need my husband''s cooperation in the following days," said Charmine as she walked to the side of the bed, her voice beautifully destructive! Anthony frowned. Cooperation? On the next morning, Chris went to school early in the morning. After sending Chris out, Charmine and Anthony sat on the sofa. The sun was bright outside, but the curtains in the living room thoroughly blocked them out. Charmine did not seem to mind as she sat on Anthony''sp, her arms hooked around his neck. "We won''t be able to meet for one whole day. Will my husband miss me?" Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Anthony could feel her body grazing his, and his thin lips curled up lovingly with pleasure. He asked, ''What do you think?" "I don''t think you will. Waverly is so beautiful with something to look at, and you''re spending the whole day with her. You''ll fall for her, won''t you?" Charmine acted like a jealous teenage girl. 2 Anthony had never seen her like this. He could not help reaching out his hand to hook around her waist. "Don''t worry, she''s not even a thousandth of you! If you''re really jealous, why don''t we officiate our rtionship?" 1 Waverly walked out from the room when she coincidentally overheard their conversation. 1 She was not even a thousandth of Charmine? With her look and face, she was still nothing like Charmine? They were doing this on purpose! chapter 821 chapter 821 Charmine knew Waverly hade out, but instead of getting off of Anthony''sp, she continued to lean against him. "No need. If my husband said so, I trust you. Furthermore, she''s merely a decoy, and we don''t have to mind her." With that, Charmine suddenly frowned. "Husband, I''m quite hungry." ''Til ask Mozart toe over,¡± offered Anthony and took out his phone, only to be held back by Charmine. "No way, I want to eat the breakfast made by my husband. That''ll be more romantic." Anthony was speechless. This woman was that addicted to this game? Regardless, he would always satisfy her request. "Alright, I''ll go and make it.¡± He ced her on the sofa and stood up, about to walk toward the kitchen. Waverly, who was in the corridor, clenched her fists tightly. Damn Charmine... She was rubbing it in her face! How could she make the high-above Anthony her personal chef? All of a sudden, Charmine suddenly grabbed Anthony''srge hand. "I suddenly thought of something. Women should be the ones preparing meals. How can I let you do it? Just sit back." Anthony frowned. He did not know what she was ying. Waverly let out a relief. Hmph! At least Charmine knew her ce. Just as she was having this thought, Charmine suddenly said, "The man should be taking care of matters outside the household while the woman takes care of the house itself. A man shouldn''t have to enter the kitchen; let the woman prepare the meal. Waverly, aren''t you Anthony¡¯s fiancee? Why are you still standing here?" 1 Waverly frowned. "What did you say?" "You''re Anthony''s fiancee, and you''re likely to spend the rest of your life with one another... Do you not want to cook for Anthony? Does a woman like you don''t know how to cook?" Charmine interrogated her coldly, causing Waverly¡¯s face to stiffen. 1 If she said she did not know how to cook, Anthony would definitely look down on her, but if she said she knew, would a wealthy heiress like her have to make them breakfast? Seeing that she did not speak, Charmine¡¯s eyes twinkled devilishly. "Husband, it seems that Ms. Waverly doesn''t know how to make breakfast. Didn''t you say you''ll make your choice between the two of USst night? You better not marry her, or you''ll never be able to taste a home-cooked meal. Sit here while I make breakfast for you," spoke Charmine as she walked toward the kitchen, reaching out to get the apron. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Waverly instantly walked up to her and grabbed the apron from her. "I''m Anthony''s fiancee, so I''ll make it!" Even though she knew this was Charmine trying to trigger her, she had no choice. She had just gotten the time to spend with Anthony, yet she did not know how long this rtionship couldst. She must make Anthony fall for her, to make him look at her differently! As for breakfast... Hmph! She was well-equipped beforeing to Burlington. No matter what, she would be able to win against Charmine, be it in making breakfast! With that, she tightened the apron around her and worked in the kitchen. Charmine''s red lips curled up with satisfaction. She went back to the sofa, sat with Anthony, and resumed their making-out session. Waverly saw them through the ss window, and her hands clenched tightly into fists. She was a wealthy and renowned heiress, Anthony''s official fiancee, yet she was here making them breakfast when Charmine, the one that should not be seen in public, was making out with Anthony? Soon... Soon, she would topple Charmine victoriously! 1 Just as Charmine was ying Anthony*s with finger, Waverly suddenly walked out with a tray. She then saw the dishes on the tray. chapter 822 chapter 822 It only took Waverly three minutes, but there were sandwiches, prawns, and fried hams on the tray. Every dish was exquisitely presented, looking delicious. How was Waverly able to make these within such a short time? Seeing the shock in Charmine¡¯s eyes, Waverly''s red lips curled. So Charmine wanted to embarrass her, was she? Hah! She might as well dream about it. She thought of ways to please Anthony, so she brought over the breakfast machine invented in Kansas. One only had to put the ingredients into the breakfast machine for the machine to automatically prepare the dishes and start heating them up. Since it was an electronic device, it prepared the dishes quickly with the right texture. The preparation was urately timed, almost like a five-star chef! Bringing out the dishes, Waverly said to Anthony confidently and elegantly," Mr. Bailey should think it through. You''re marrying someone to spend the rest of your life with, not someone who you hug like a vase." She was calling Charmine a vase! Inparison, Charmine was sitting on Anthony''sp. She was indeed iparable to Waverly! Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Anthony merely continued to hug on Charmine''s waist as he disinterestedly nced at Waverly''s food. "Boring, uninteresting, tasteless. I''ll bring you to dine in a restaurant, Charmine." With that said, he stood out with Charmine and was ready to walk out. Waverly remained transfixed on the same spot, her face turning green. She made such exquisite breakfast, yet Anthony called them boring? He was so cruel to her! Just as Anthony was about to bring Charmine out, she stopped. "Husband, let it be. I''ll go home and eat instant noodles-they''re moreforting. Aren''t you going out for a meeting? Now that Waverly is your official fiancee, you should bring her out." Anthony frowned. After a moment of hesitation, he looked at Waverly." What is Ms. D''Cruz waiting for?" Snapping out of her thoughts, Waverly ced down her tray and removed her apron. She wore beige-colored handmade clothes with a foldedce decoration on her waist. She regained her usual expensive image. When Charmine walked to the tunnel and passed by her, she stated lowly," I can make Anthony look down on you, and I can also reward you with an opportunity to go out with him. Of course, I also can make him dump youpletely. So what if you''re his fiancee? You should know where you stand before it''s toote!" 3 Waverly''s already green expression turned ice-cold. Charmine did this to her so early in the morning!? Charmine came from a small family. No matter it was her reputation or looks, she was nothing close to her. What rights did she have to be so arrogant? Waverly met Charmine¡¯s gaze with the same intensity as she said one word at a time, "So what if you''re arrogant? I¡¯m the woman Anthony will walk out with during the day! If I help him to secure the deal and he gets used to it, he''ll see that I¡¯m better than you! You''ll be the one getting dumped!" 1 Waverly cursed in a low voice as she marched away arrogantly in her heels, shouldering against Charmine as she walked past her. Waverly left with Anthony like a white swan in human form, like the golden phoenix in the sky. Charmine red at her retreating form as she smirked mockingly with her red lips. Help Anthony secure the deal? Hah! Things would be unfolded ordingly in time. She wanted to be Anthony''swfully wedded wife, was she? Time to see if she could live up to such ideals! 1 Inside the private room of a grand hotel... chapter 823 chapter 823 That noon, about four to five international moguls were in the private room, all of them with golden hair. They were outstanding figures in the country, and they were present in the room for an international coboration. Once the deal was made, the Bailey family would gain up to ten billion bucks every year. However, they were only willing to give a 50-percent ratio to the Baileys while Anthony wanted 70 percent. The deal was difficult to achieve. Anthony walked down the golden corridor while Luke followed behind him, running through the details. Right after that, he eyed Anthony warily." President, do we have to bring Ms. D''Cruz along? Will she be able to help?" "Don''t worry, I''ve taken part in many negotiations on the D''Cruz family''s behalf. I¡¯ll be able to provide some help," answered Waverly. She had to follow them. She must help Anthony to secure this tedious deal so he would think fondly of her. Anthony did not reject it as he walked toward the room, and the door was pushed open. The pce-like grand, luxurious hotel''s room had a marble table by the window. Waverly followed behind Anthony as they walked toward the round table. A few moguls stood up and genially extended their hand. "President Bailey." Anthony shook each of their hands and sat down before the table. Someone asked jokingly, "Is this President Bailey''s fiancee?" ''Yes, and though she looks average, she''s quite capable. Perhaps she might change your mind today," replied Anthony. 1 A man with golden hair asked, "Really? It seems that Ms. Waverly is quite promising. Let''s have a ss of wine, let''s see how capable you are," hemented as he poured red wine into a ss. Waverly did not hold the ''she looks average''ment against Anthony as she eventually blended in with the group. She relished the feeling of sitting beside Anthony, and all of them treated her as Anthony''s woman. She raised her ss of red wine and elegantly said, "As Anthony''s fiancee, let me make a toast to everyone." "Okay, here''s a toast!" Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. The few men drank the red wine readily, treating the red wine like whiskey. Waverly initially wanted to take just a sip, but seeing their gesture, she had to finish the entire ss. Drinking wine meant for tasting burned the throat, but with Anthony by her side, her red lips curled up happily. She was the one apanying Anthony, sitting beside him, and Charmine? 1 Hah! She was probably jealous and sad all by herself. She wanted to fight andpete with her? How ignorant! 1 Another man said, "It¡¯s the first time we see President Bailey bringing out his fiancee for a meeting. Of course we must make a toast to Mrs. Bailey!" The man filled his and Waverly''s ss. Liking hisment, Waverly downed another ss with him. Following that, the rest of the men each made a toast to her. It only took a while for Waverly to have downed six sses of red wine. With a high concentration, the wine induced dizziness in her system. 1 She was tipsy, and she might not be able to help Anthony if such a condition persisted. She said, ''You all are so easy-going. I''m sure that if the deal is made, the coboration will be very pleasant." "This is rightly said, but still, we¡¯re not done drinking yet. Why talk about the business now? Let''s drink more first!" A man stood up and filled Waverly''s ss, his hand even touching her shoulder. Waverly was irked by his motion and wanted to push him away, but the man was so strong and acted as if he was drunk, more so leaning against her as well. "Ms. D¡¯Cruz has such an alluring body, and you have such supple skin. President Bailey is so lucky to be engaged to such a beautiful woman," he spoke as he raised his hand to feel Waverly¡¯s face. chapter 824 chapter 824 He was caressing Waverly''s face in front of Anthony! Waverly instantly turned away and looked at Anthony for help. "Anthony... Anthony had been sitting by the side ever since they came into the room, and never once did he show any emotion for her. Seeing that Waverly was pleading for help, he parted his thin lips, ''They are my brothers-they''re merely joking with you." ''Yeah. Why is Ms. D''Cruz so nervous? We''re all joking. Touching you won¡¯t make you lose a chunk of flesh, right?" said one man as hisrge hand touched Waverly¡¯s face, feeling her skin. Another man ced his hand on her thigh. "Yeah. If we want to secure the deal, we must first be happy." "It seems that Ms. D''Cruz is good at drinking. Let¡¯s have another ss!" A man pushed his own wine ss to Waverly''s lips. Three men surrounded Waverly: one touching her face, another touching her thigh, and one making her drink. She felt like a hostess, nothing like the wealthy heiress she should look like. Waverly was angry and upset. How could they treat her this way?! She looked at Anthony again to remind him, "Anthony, aren¡¯t your friends crossing the boundary? I¡¯m your fiancee..." "And that''s why you need to apany them. Don''t ruin my deal," quipped Anthony remorselessly, having no intention of stopping the men even as they surrounded her. Waverly''s brows furrowed. Was Anthony letting these men do anything they wanted to, and she had to please them all? She was no hostess. She was his fiancee, the No.1 Wealthy Heiress of the D''Cruz family! Just as she fumed, a man''s hand slipped up her thigh, opening her dress. He was showing no hint of respect! "Argh!" Waverly was so terrified that she jumped up from the chair, hid behind Anthony, and said anxiously, "Anthony, I treated them as friends, and I''m fine with drinking and joking around, but how can they touch me? You saw it; they''re pushing it! I''m your fiancee!" "Hmm... Ms. D''Cruz, your words have offended me. If we''re securing a deal, it''s only natural that you show some sincerity. Touching you won''t rob you of your flesh! Why are you so dramatic about it?" a man scoffed angrily. "Apologize!" Anthony scoffed coldly, his tone sounded demanding. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Waverly instantly felt better. "Did you hear? Anthony asks every one of you to apologize. We''re here for a meeting, not for unnecessary jokes!" "I asked you to apologize." Anthony''s words were sharp like ice-he showed no hint of warmth on his face. 1 Waverly''s face instantly stiffened. "What... What did you say?" "How are you going to make up for ruining this ten billion worth of deal?" Anthony scoffed coldly, his tone harsh like metal. Waverly staggered arge step back in shock. Anthony asked her to apologize instead? The men had toyed with her dress all the while, yet all Anthony cared for was her ruining the deal? She almost did not know the man in front of her. Her lips trembled as she asked, "Anthony, are you serious? Do you actually hope that I''d spend the night with all of them?¡± "You''re my fiancee, so you should be my efficient assistant as well. You should do what you''re told as long as it helps secure the deal! This is what a fiancee should be like!" Anthony stared at her as he reminded her, word by word. Waverly''s face paled at his words, her ears ringing with Charmine''s words from the night before: "I''ll make sure you understand how painful it is to be known as Anthony''s fiancee!" ''How painful it is¡¯...? ''How painful''? Had Anthony and Charmine set her up like this? Anthony and Charmine wanted her to back out? chapter 825 chapter 825 They had the heart to make such a despicable move to make her surrender! Anger umted in her chest. ''You men are treating me like this! I''ll make you all regret it!" sheshed out with pain and anger before Original from N?velDrama.Org. picking up her bag and turned to leave. Right after, a man instantly wiped his hand clean as he eyed Anthony, puzzled. "Why did you ask US to do such things? Wasn''t it too much?" Anthony''s eyes remained devoid of any emotion. Too much? Howughable. Charmine had already told him everythingst night. Waverly had pulled many tricks to be his fiancee. She tried to force Charmine out of the picture; she bullied his woman. What happened to her was just a light lesson for her! Also, this was the way it had always been in the industry. Excluding some powerful families, many businessmen would ask their wives to drink with the other men before securing big projects worth millions. Should he truly marry Waverly, he would carry the same outlook if there was a simr situation in the future. Waverly should get used to it if she wanted to be his wife! Waverly looked bitter and angered as she left the hotel, so much so that she did not care to hide her emotions even when she knew people took photos of her secretly. So, Anthony and Charmine wanted to force her out, were they? She would show them their ce soon. She wanted them to beg her to return! On the same day, news of the incident went viral quickly. [Anthony and Waverly fighting!] [Waverly left alone with anger!] [Waverly did not return to the Violet Residence!] [The International Couple Fighting!] The news was full of their fight, and the discussion forum online was just as heated. [Sigh! Didn''t they get engaged not long ago? How are they fighting so soon? ) [Waverly banged the door open. It seems Anthony had wronged her!] [This is a hotel... Was Anthony with a hostess? A third-wheeler, maybe?] [Argh! President Bailey, pleasee out and give US an exnation! Be prepared to apologize to her!] Everyone spected and felt that Anthony had wronged Waverly. Such an opinion caused Anthony''s phone to ring incessantly from noon until night. No matter if it was the Baileys or the D¡¯Cruz family, everyone got in touch with him, trying to figure out what happened. Susan even drove all the way to Violet Residence as she wanted to ask Anthony personally. Even though Anthony was not home, she waited outside the vi with her people. They were not leaving unless Anthony showed up. Inside the hotel... Waverly sat on the sofa before the French window. She gazed at the skyline of the city at night, red lips curling into a bewitchingly calctive smirk. Everything hade to this. She wanted to see how Anthony and Charmine could fix it. If Anthony did note and apologize to her, asking her to return, she would never go back! By then, Anthony would only be forced by the Baileys and the D''Cruz family! 1 Meanwhile, inside Violet Vi... Anthony had gone back to Violet Residence, visiting Charmine''s vi with Chris through the tunnel. Since it was a few blocks away, nobody noticed them. On the sofa on the second floor, Chris was looking through a telescope. He reported back to Anthony and Charmine worryingly, "Daddy, Mommy, what to do? Great-grandmother is here!" Grand-grandmother? Grandma Bailey? She was not in the best shape as ofte. Why was she waiting outside the vi? chapter 826 chapter 826 Worried, Charmine looked at Anthony and said, "Why don''t you go back and sort it out?" "Are you sure you want me to go now?" Sitting on the sofa, Anthony raised an eyebrow at her. Even though it was a simple sentence, his tone sounded displeased. Charmine only then realized that asking him to go back was equivalent to pushing him into a pot of boiling water. Perhaps everyone would interrogate him, scold him, or even force him to apologize to Waverly. Still, if he did not go, would these people have to keep waiting? Suddenly, Chris'' eyes looked around and his eyes sparkled. ¨¬ have an idea!" He ran back quickly and picked up Anthony''s phone. He phoned Luke," Uncle Luke, hurry and go tell great-grandmother and grandmother that that nobody is crying and trying tomit suicide." 1 Luke, on the other end of the line, was delighted at the idea. "Perfect! I¡¯ll do this right away!" This was a great solution! Once everyone thought Waverly was trying tomit suicide, they would not be waiting for Anthony anymore and instead go to find Waverly. Let them see how Waverly answered their worry filled questions then! As expected, Susan and Grandma Bailey who waited outside the vi gate instantly left with their staff in a hurry once getting that call from Luke. Chris put down the phone and telescope, turning to Anthony and Charmine happily. "Daddy, Mommy, one problem is solved. No need to worry anymore, you two can enjoy your time!" Charmine was speechless. Why did that sound like they would do something at night? 2 However, one had to admit that Chris'' idea was ster. She was curious to know how Waverly would answer to their ''concerns¡¯. Inside the hotel¡¯s Presidential Suite... 1 Waverly was waiting for Anthony and Charmine to make a joke out of themselves, but little did she expect... Ring...! The bell rang urgently, and Waverly frowned. Max woulde back with the keys. That meant someone else was at her door, knocking on it. She anxiously packed up all of Max''s things and put them into another room. Rposing herself, she then walked over to open the door...only to be met with Susan and Grandma Bailey. When they saw Waverly, Susan instantly walked inside and took her hand." How are you, Waverly?" she asked caringly. "Are you alright?" Original from N?velDrama.Org. "Don''t overthink things! Talk to US if there''s anything, and we''ll speak up for you!¡± said Grandma Bailey caringly. Waverly frowned. She asked suspiciously, "I''m fine, Auntie, Grandma. Why did you alle?¡± ''Waverly, don''t hide it from US. We''ve received news saying that you tried tomit suicide in the hotel. Tell US, hurry, what happened? What did Anthony do to you?" Susan asked caringly. Waverly''s eyelids jumped. Commit suicide? When did she attempt that? Clever as she was, she understood it right away. It must have been Charmine and Anthony. They pushed it back to her? If she talked bad things about Anthony, what if Anthony did not admit it? What if the Baileys also agreed she should not ruin such a big coboration? No matter what she said, they would see her as a jealous, fussy person over minor things. After hesitating for a long while, she could only say, "Don''t worry, I''m really fine. Those are nonsense." "If so, why didn''t you go back to Violet Residence? Is there something going on between you and Anthony? You can tell US all-don''t hold things back. If Anthony ever does anything wrong to you, I''ll help you to teach him a lesson!" said Grandma Bailey angrily. Waverly did not know where to start. She was panicking in the hotel without a single piece of evidence on her and, most importantly, was afraid of getting Charmine involved. chapter 827 chapter 827 Waverly did not want the world to know of Charmine''s existence. She did not want to lose her ''fiancee'' title. With that, all she could do was make up things for two full hours with the two women... Not managing to find out anything even as the skies darkened, Susan and Grandma Bailey had no choice but to leave. They both decided to confront Anthony. They had to make sure Anthony secured this marriage! Waverly was all tucked out as she sent the two women out, but despite her tiredness, she still remembered to take out her phone and texted Charmine: [Charmine, do you know how much Anthony''s mother and grandmother care about me? They apanied me for two whole hours, Meanwhile, inside Violet Vi... Chris was fast asleep while Charmine was sitting on the sofa, reading medical books as she tried to discover why the needles could be rejected by the body. Her phone rang suddenly. With just a look, she saw Waverly''s text. Was Waverly forcing them topromise? She did im that if she did not return, Anthony''s pressure would only grow heftier, and the situation would be more troublesome. Still... She expected that Charmine and Anthony would beg her toe home? Hah! All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Before she could reply, Anthony suddenly walked over to carry her to the bed. "It''s eleven, time to sleep." Charmine was ced on the soft and huge bed as Anthony thenid down beside her. She looked at the time. It was indeed 11 pm, but a thought then urred to her as she leaned against his chest. "Anthony, we haven''t taken a photo together before. Why don''t we try taking one?" 1 Anthony frowned. Take a photo? Still surprised at her suddenness, Charmine had already turned on the selfie camera on her phone. Anthony was resistant originally, but since it was her, he bared with it. Click! A photo was taken sessfully. Charmine was leaning against Anthony¡¯s chest in the photo, while Anthony''s usually cold and emotionless face was filled with love. Satisfied with the photo, Charmine then sent the photo to Waverly. 1 Was Waverly going to use the childish act of ''running away from home'' to force them topromise? She typed, [Thank you for letting US have alone time. Without you, the air is so much fresher!] 1 When Waverly saw the reply, she almost spat out a mouthful of blood. Should they not be scared? Should they not be thinking of how to solve the situation? How would they have this result? Were they not scared of her ratting them out?! Inside the room... Anthony took away her phone. "No need to spend too much time on this. Rest early." Charmine looked at him and asked, "You¡¯re really not scared of US getting exposed?" "I can''t wait," replied Anthony. 1 Charmine was speechless. It was uncertain if they could shield Annabel and Chris if their situation was exposed, yet they must not yield to Waverly. They must not allow her to mess around as she pleased. 1 They could only take one step at a time. Head on Anthony¡¯s chest, Charmine eventually fell asleep. After Anthony had fallen asleep, she thought of something. She then took out her phone and texted Kay, [Arrange for someone to protect Annabel and Chris at all times.] Her instinct told her that her rtionship with Waverly would be more strained. Everything was about to worsen... chapter 828 chapter 828 On the next day when Anthony went to work, he was interrogated by Susan and Grandma Bailey in his office. "Anthony, tell your grandma, what''s the matter?" pestered Grandma Bailey." Why did you and Waverly live separately? She''s your fiancee! You should be spoiling her lovingly!" "I know what I''m doing,¡± quipped Anthony as he walked toward his working desk emotionlessly. Grandma Bailey was so angry that her eyelids flew wide open. "You better know what you''re doing. Don''t make things tooplicated! Waverly is so kind to you, never once soiling your name until now. She had been holding things back all to herself. How could you treat her this way?" "Anthony, you two had been engaged not too long ago. No matter if it was for thepany''s reputation or your personal reputation, you should apologize to her right away and bring her back to Violet Residence!" asserted Susan. Anthony remained calm, i¡¯ll sort out my matters. If you all keep speaking, I''ll only reconsider whether or not to cancel the engagement." His tone was cold and serious, showing no hint of gentleness. Susan and Grandma Bailey jolted. They knew Anthony too well; he would do what he said. If they forced him too much, he might... Both women had to concede, but they had to think of other ways as well. Waverly waited the whole while for Anthony to apologize, yet the wait dragged out to two days and he still did not show up! She wanted to use Susan to force him, but they seemed clueless as to how to make Anthony submit as well. While she was waiting bitterly, Anthony was living a happy life with Charmine. 1 Charmine posted photos of her candlelight dinner with Anthony, their breakfast, and only Waverly bore witness to them. Waverly looked at the two happily in love with fists clenched tightly. If Anthony and Charmine had no intention of backing out, she should not show them any mercy either. She wanted them to pay dearly! On the fourth morning, when Anthony and Charmine woke up, he suddenly received a call from Nial. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. "It¡¯s bad, Bro, something happened! Waverly hasn''te to hypnotize Annabel for two days, and her insomnia in the past two days had gotten worse. She could only get three hours of sleep per day! She has stomach ache now, and if this goes on, perhaps the baby in her stomach will be unstable..." "Alright." Anthony hung up, his expression darkened. Waverly once imed to be professional and ethical. She imed that Annabel was her patient and that she would be responsible. Who would have thought that Annabel was the first she attacked. 2 "I¡¯ll go over to the hospital," he said to Charmine, "you take care of yourself.¡± "Husband, have you forgotten about my new skill?" Charmine chimed in abruptly. Anthony looked at her exquisitely stunning face, only then recalling his woman had mastered the Ultimate Seventy-Two Needles. This could easily cure insomnia effectively. With that, he went to the hospital with Charmine through the underground garage. Charmine had made thorough preparations. She was in all ck and had a ck cap on with ck sses. Her face was almost indistinguishable. She only removed her shades when they arrived at the hospital''s top floor. They walked inside the ward. Inside, Annabel was sitting on the small sofa by the bed, sighing as she gently caressed her stomach. "Baby, you have to stay healthy. Your brother is still waiting for you to save him. We all need you..." Hearing footsteps, she turned back to see Anthony and Charmine walking over, and she instantly stood up anxiously. "Mr. Bailey... Ms. Jordan..." "Don''t panic-justy back onto the bed. I''ll examine your situation," soothed Charmine calmly. Annabel obeyed with a nod as she walked to the bed and sat down. chapter 829 chapter 829 Annabel eyed Charmine and Anthony before she asked suspiciously, "Why ... Why are you two together? Isn¡¯t Mr. Bailey engaged to Ms. D''Cruz?" It was only when those words left her mouth that Annabel realized she had offended them. She quickly exined, "I don''t mean anything-l''m genuinely curious. I was worried about affecting Mr. Bailey¡¯s rtionship..." Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "Don''t worry, he''s fine. The person he chooses has always been me. You only have to take care of yourself.¡± Charmine helped her toy down on the bed properly. The Ultimate Seventy-Two Needles were very precise that once the patient''s illness was verified, the process could take ce. Although Charmine did not know how to diagnose illnesses, she could deduce from Nial''s case and information for Annabel¡¯s illness-Anxiety and Depression Type Insomnia. This illness caused the patient to lose control of the brain thus ending up overthinking. The long-term insomnia could worsen their body. She took out the needles and urately applied them on about ten acupoints all over Annabel¡¯s body. The frowning Annabel, as thest needle was applied, closed her eyes peacefully, no longer grimacing. By the side, Nial witnessed this and excitedly blurted, ''This is so powerful! Charmine, the Ultimate Seventy-Two Needles that you mastered is so effective!" "Well, it is an ultimate technique," Charmine answered calmly. Her eyes looked rxed. All that mattered was she managed to stabilize Annabel''s illness. Waverly wanted to use Annabel to threaten them, was she? Laughable. She might as well dream about it! Nial asked curiously, "How many treatments are needed to treat Annabel?" "Ultimate Seventy-Two Needles, in addition to the Ghost Door Thirteen Needles, should take less than fifteen days to completely cure her illness. However, within the next fifteen days, the treatment can''t be stopped halfway. We must keep her safe," Charmine instructed. Charmine was all the more concerned Waverly would do something else against them, using other ways to attack Annabel. "Don''t worry," assured Nial, i¡¯ll handle this." After making other arrangements, she walked out of the ward with Anthony, but just as they got to the corridor outside the resting area, the lift door opened. Ding! Susan walked out of the lift! 1 Charmine instinctively wanted to hide at that moment, but she had no time to do so as once the lift door opened, Susan had spotted her. Her eyes met Charmine''s. It was all toote. When Susan caught Anthony walking side by side with Charmine, she frowned. "Anthony, why are you with this woman?" Her questioning tone sounded displeased. Charmine''s mind went nk. If Susan found out about their rtionship, the situation would get messy. 1 She wanted to find an excuse, to im that she was here to see a doctor, but before she could speak, Anthony suddenly hugged her waist. His face was serious as he lowly replied, "Just as you see." 5 Four words, simple and truthful. Susan''s eyelids jumped. Just as she saw...? Anthony was with Charmine? Waverly was upset because Charmine became a homewrecker? She stared at Charmine heatedly. "You''re at least a Director. How could you do such a shameless thing? Leave Anthony right away!" Charmine frowned. Shameless? 1 Who was the shameless one? chapter 830 chapter 830 Since Charmine was atst face-to-face with Susan and had no way of turning back, they might as well show the cards. Charmine met Susan''s gaze as she raised an eyebrow. "May I know how I¡¯m shameless?" "How dare you ask me that! Anthony is engaged with Waverly! They¡¯re the couple blessed and closely followed by the entire world! How can you involve yourself like this, wrecking their rtionship? This is so shameless! Are you not aware of that?" "So Mrs. Bailey is saying that the person involved in a couple''s rtionship is a third-wheeler, and this person is shameless?" repeated Charmine. ''Yes! A shameless third-wheeler like you must leave Anthony right away! Even if you destroyed Waverly and Anthony''s rtionship, don''t you ever dream of getting the Bailey family''s approval! We''ll never wee a third- wheeler like you!" Susan scowled angrily. Charmine remained calm as she warned Susan, "I hope Mrs. Bailey can think things through and figure out the true third-wheeler is." Susan frowned. "W-What''s that?!" "Have you forgotten the things that Derek told you?" spoke Anthony, who stood by the side. Susan frowned in confusion. The things that Derek told her? Derek said... Realization then dawned on her as her pupils dted in shock. "So... So you two have been lying to me? Lying to the world?" Anthony answered calmly, it¡¯s just as you think." With that said, he pulled Charmine closer to him. Susan staggered a few steps backward in disbelief. His son was with this kind of woman! So what Derek said was true, and Anthony merely used Waverly as a decoy? Anthony and Waverly were only pretending to be a couple, all to protect Charmine? Patting her chest, Susan scowled, "How could you be with Charmine? She''s not good enough for you! You lied to everyone! Do you want to upset your family, upset your Grandma?" "I''ll fix my own things. Please leave!¡± Anthony said coldly, his tone disgruntled. Susan stared at him angrily. "I know you don''t like me to control you, but I¡¯m your mother, and I want nothing but the best for you! Other than looking slightly better than Waverly, what has Charmine got to compete with Waverly? Her background, capability, reputation-all of these are nothing close to Waverly''s! None of the family members will say yes to you being with her. You two must break up right away!" 1 Anthony frowned. How could she say such things in front of Charmine? He instructed with a cold voice, "Luke, send her back." "Yes, Sir!" Luke instantly walked toward Susan, politely saying, "Madam, please head home for now. President has made up his mind, and there''s no point saying more." ''There''s no use making up his mind! If you two don¡¯t break up, don''t me me if I use everything the Bailey family got!" snapped Susan. ring daggers at Charmine, she then seethed, ''You better know your ce and leave Anthony, Charmine, or you''ll find yourself in a very bad shape!" Charmine had long expected this situation, yet it still caused difort as she faced it.Original from N?velDrama.Org. She tried her best to calmly meet Susan¡¯s gaze. "Auntie, it doesn''t matter if you hate me. You may do all you want to me. However, whatever you do won''t change my determination. Anthony and I had gotten our marriage certificate." What? Marriage certificate?! They already obtained their marriage certificate? It felt as if the world betrayed Susan, so much so that she could not react for a long while. chapter 831 chapter 831 Still baffled by the sudden turn of events, Luke took the chance to help Susan get into the lift and closed the door. Susan wanted to speak, but it was already toote. Once she left, the corridor became silent. Anthony looked at Charmine by his side, and he hoarsely coaxed, "My mother''s vision is blurred and short-sighted. I hope mydy doesn''t take her too seriously.¡± His tone showed that he was concerned about her getting angry... A faint warmth spread throughout Charmine as she yfully spoke, "Are you not going to seriously consider what your mother said? I can¡¯t "If you¡¯re actuallyparing yourself to that kind of woman, I think you''re in need of a lesson," he replied huskily. Suddenly, he lifted Charmine''s head by her chin and kissed her passionately. 2 Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. The kiss was so arrogant, it seemed like a punishment. Feeling her lips aching, Charmine quickly pulled herself away. "I was just joking! Let''s get down to what really matters right now. What do you think your mother would do after getting back?" "Don''t worry. With me by your side, nobody can harm you." His low voice sounded powerful and threatening. To Charmine, however, he sounded immensely warm andforting. Anthony was right. No matter how bad the situation could get in the following days, they could face anything so long as they were together. 1 Charmine was not a woman who would chicken out easily! She took out her phone and phoned Kay to instruct, "Use the people of the Dragoul. Move out Annabel and Chris, and protect them at all costs." "Understood!" Kay instantly went ahead to make arrangements. The Dragoul was a confidential organization specialized in guarding some very important figures and attended international conferences. Since Charmine had once conquered them, they looked up to Charmine. Thus, as long as they had no mission, Charmine could use them all she wanted. On the same day, Annabel and Chris were secretly moved to Violet Vi where the third floor was transformed into a hospital. Nial watched and said with satisfaction, ''The most dangerous ce is also the safest ce. They shouldn¡¯t be able to find this out in a short time." "Yeah. Thank you for ensuring Annabel''s safety in the following days," said Charmine to Nial. The people of Dragoul and Nial were in there... Annabel and Chris should be quite safe. Meanwhile, everyone in the Bailey mansion was in shock. Senior Bailey, Grandma Bailey, Darryl, and the rest sat together, asking with disbelief, "What did you say? Anthony is with Charmine?" ''Yes! I saw it myself, and Anthony also admitted it. He''s always been with Charmine, and his engagement with Waverly is just pure decoy!" answered Susan hurriedly. 1 Senior Bailey mmed the table angrily. "How could he do that? It''s bad enough he brought home a wild son, but now he wants to be with a nobody too?!" "His younger brother brought home a well-cultured heiress, yet as the Bailey family''s patriarch, Anthony wants to marry a model? A model who was once engaged and dumped?" Darryl was furious. Grandma Bailey held her chest, trying her best to stay calm. "Everyone, please calm down. Don''t you all know Anthony''s temper? The more we insist, the more he wants to fight against US. He was born rebellious, so we need to be soft when dealing with him!" "Mother, what do you mean?¡± Susan asked, perplexed. Grandma Bailey then replied, "How did you send that Annabel girl away? Do the same. Any woman who got close to Anthony is up for his money. There¡¯s nothing in the world that can''t be solved with money!" 1 "But... But Charmine is the second wealthiest in Burlington, and she owns a diamond mind. Perhaps she might not be easily persuaded..." Susan was concerned. "I''ll speak to her myself!" remarked Grandma Bailey. 1 Everyone in the mansion was shocked. Grandma Bailey would speak to her personally? chapter 832 chapter 832 Violet Vi. For safety purposes, Anthony sent Chris to school early in the morning. Charmine, meanwhile, apanied Nial to take care of Annabel on the third floor and provided treatment to her. With her treatment, Annabel was able to obtain up to six hours of stable sleep every day, far more impressive than Waverly''s hypnosis! 1 This was a miracle in the medical industry! "We wouldn¡¯t have to find Waverly had we known Dr. Weir has such a miraculous technique!" gushed Nial. "She must be waiting for US to beg her in the hotel! Haha!" 1 Charmine¡¯s red lips curled up. "If only that''s all she''s doing." Waverly stopped treating Annabel and was not merely waiting for them to apologize. She lured Charmine to go to the hospital, thus revealing her to the Bailey family! Since she had fought Susan, it was likely that they would make a move soon... Just as that thought urred to her... Ring! Ring! Her phone rang urgently. Charmine picked up and heard Kay reporting, "Grandma Bailey ising to Violet Residence! They¡¯re coming to your vi-she''s here for you!" Charmine¡¯s eyelids jumped. Grandma Bailey? If it was Susan, she could refuse to meet her or even have a direct conflict with her. However, Grandma Bailey was an elder with health at risk, and she was respected by Anthony... Kay said, "She''s a hundred meters away from the vi. Do we block them?" "No need." Charmine had a thought as she then replied, "Hide yourselves. I''ll deal with it." 1 Things that were meant toe, would eventuallye. There was no way of running away from it, so why not face it directly? 2 After hanging up, she said to Nial, "Don''t make any movement upstairs. Try not to let the Baileys know that Annabel is here." "Okay, but are you able to deal with Grandma Bailey? Even I can''t handle her when she''s angry," warned the concerned Nial. "Don''t worry," assured Charmine. "However powerful she is, she still won''t bite." With that, she walked down to the first floor. They were initially 100 meters away before their car pulled over before the vi. After getting out of the car, someone politely handed Grandma Bailey her walking stick while another quickly walked to the door and rang the bell. She stood patiently, waiting. Original from N?velDrama.Org. She thought the bell would ring for much longer, assuming Charmine would pretend she was not in, but little did she expect that the door would open once the doorbell rang. Charmine stood by the door, calmly greeting, ''Wee, Grandma Bailey." Grandma Bailey gazed back at her, her eyes darkening slightly. Charmine was dressed in a simple beige-colored dress. There was no embellishment on herdress-she looked rxed at home. However, her face was so charming that her beauty was so captivating even with just a look. Looking closer, her beauty was even more pleasant and alluring. With just one look, Grandma Bailey already understood why Anthony would fall for Charmine. 1 Supported by her walking stick, she walked into the vi elegantly. On a table by the window, there were two cups of tea prepared. The bodyguards around Grandma Bailey pulled the chair for her. Charmine walked over and sat down opposite Grandma Bailey. She remained calm. With a wave of Grandma Bailey''s hand, the bodyguards understood and backed away. The vast space only housed Charmine and Grandma Bailey left. She said nothing. She took out a check and ced it on the table. "Charmine, here''s two hundred billion. Leave Anthony." 3 Two hundred billion? What concept was two hundred billion?! The Jordan Group had just gotten back up on their feet, though their worth was less than two hundred billion. To be fair, many of the well- reputed moguls had never seen the sum asrge as two hundred billion...yet Grandma Bailey offered such a huge sum all at once? chapter 833 chapter 833 Anyone else would have panicked If it was someone else, the person would have panicked. However, Charmine remained calm. She took out a check and wrote out two hundred billion and one before pushing it to Grandma Bailey. "I''ll pay one extra buck to Grandma Bailey. I hope you¡¯ll allow me to be with Anthony." The usually calm Grandma Bailey felt her eyelids twitching. "Are you insulting me, Charmine?" "Aren''t you insulting me, Grandma Bailey, insulting love?" Charmine looked into Grandma Bailey''s eyes. Her response stunned her. After a moment, she asserted, ¡®Two hundred billion is more than the worth of the entire Jordan family. This is also the sum of money I can get after selling out all of my shares of the Bailey family. I¡¯m hoping to negotiate with you, so I hope you''ll appreciate my gesture!" Charmine looked at her in the eyes as she calmly expressed, "Grandma Bailey is determined, willing to give out all of your shares to ask me Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. to leave, while I''m willing to give out all of my shares to be with Anthony in my determination. You should know how determined I am, Grandma Bailey." Grandma Bailey saw the determination in her eyes; one that was tough as diamonds. She had a feeling that Charmine was not in for the money.... She eyed Charmine for a good while before she took back her check, asking coldly, "Charmine, do you know what it means to insist on being with Anthony? Do you know what you''re going to face? The Bailey family is very powerful!" "I understand, and I wee it all." Charmine''s red lips curled up, politely and confidently. She exuded a stunning beauty from within her bones as if nothing could harm her at all. Grandma Bailey looked at her and was slightly taken back. She had not seen a woman with such courage and confidence like her before. "As a woman, I admire you and respect your courage. As a senior, I still insist that you''re not good enough to be with Anthony. Since you''ve made your choice, I hope you can endure whates next!" Grandma Bailey pronounced each word clearly before standing upto leave with her walking stick. Charmine stood up and opened the door for her, politely responding, "As Anthony¡¯s girlfriend, this is the basic respect I should be showing you. As a woman, I think Grandma Bailey is overly rigid. What''s more important than marrying a partner of the same background is mutual love-the support and feelings between the two. What''s the point of two peoplecking feelings for one another, hoarding a pile of gold?" 3 Back stiffening for a moment, Grandma Bailey eventually walked out of the vi as she spoke, "Feelings can be developed. Waverly''s looks and personality aren''t worse than yours. Anthony will fall for her eventually!" With that said, the door to her car was shut and the vehicle drove away. Charmine gazed at the fading-from-view vehicle, her red lips curling into a small smile. ''Feelings could be developed''? Background and wealth could all be created. What Waverly had that she did not was her D¡¯Cruz family. Charmine would soon triumph over all! Inside the luxurious car... Grandma Bailey lowered her authoritative facade as the female housekeeper, Dorothy massaged her temples. She sighed deeply. "Truthfully, Charmine is a good woman. She''s nothing like those fake women out there, and she''s got potential." 2 "Is Grandma Bailey saying...you''d allow them to be together?" Dorothy tried asking. Grandma Bailey sighed again. "A shame that the Jordan family is too small. However powerful Charmine is, it¡¯s her alone. How can she support Anthony? The danger that the Baileys are about to face is only able to be solved by a big family like the D''Cruz family..." she spoke as she rubbed her own temples, eyed closed in tiredness. 4 Dorothy did not understand. Grandma Bailey suddenly opened her eyes, and her eyes were no longer soft like it was just seconds ago. "Give me the number of the person in charge of Derby Eway Factory," she demanded coldly. Dorothy instantly understood. Between her beloved grandson¡¯s feelings and the family matters, Grandma Bailey had chosen thetter. Getting in touch with the Derby Eway Factory meant she would attack Charmine. chapter 834 chapter 834 Derby Eway Factory produced the most refined materials, and ordinary architecturepanies in the market could not get their materials. Even if they wanted to buy some, they had no connections to do so. Once the call got through, Grandma Bailey instructed, "I want you all to stop supplying to the Jordan Group." The person who picked up the call was not Charles. It was the Vice- President, Jackes Hayes. He asked suspiciously, "Why so? President Bailey instructed US to supply them everything they needed. President Bailey would surely be displeased if we stopped supplying forthem." "I''ll take care of the troubles. He''s my grandson; he can''t do anything to me. You only have to do as you¡¯re told." Grandma Bailey was determined and serious. Jackes frowned. "I heard this project is rted to the Magpie Bridge Project in Burlington?" Grandma Bailey frowned. Magpie Bridge Project? Was this not a grand project appointed by the national association? Anthony gave up the Magpie Bridge Project to convince Derby Eway Factory to supply to a smallpany like the Jordan Group? What did Charmine do to him? How could Anthony lose his rationality?! Grandma Bailey grew pressed at this. "Don''t worry. I''ll take care of everything else and make sure you won''t have any loss." Jackes did not wish to supply to a smallpany like the Jordan Group anyway, so he agreed right away. With that, on the same day, Charmine received a call from Adam. "We have a situation, Charmine. The supplier called, saying that they''ll be taking back all of their supplies from US. They said they''ll no longer supply to the Jordan Group!" Charmine frowned. Was Grandma Bailey attacking the Jordan Group so quickly? "Ask them to hold up, I''ll fix it right away." She hung up and searched for Charles'' contact on her phone. She had negotiated with him before, and Charles should know that she was the Magpie Bridge''s bridge, thus he would not simply cancel the deal. Original from N?velDrama.Org. She had to talk to Charles. However, she was answered with the automated, "Sorry, the number you dialed is unavable..." Charmine frowned. Unavable? She had no choice but to rush over to the Divine Bird¡¯s site to settle the situation. At the site... Adam was talking to a few men genially. "Mr. Jackes, the materials are already here, and we''ve been coborating well. Why pull out suddenly? The Divine Bird will be built in no time-it¡¯ll help promote yourpany too!" "No point talking me out of it. This is a decision made by thepany, so I hope you make way now. We''ll bring away the materials by today," asserted Jackes curtly. He was the Vice-President of the Eway Company. He happened to havee to Burlington for a business trip. To him, a smallpany like Jordan Group was not even good enough to polish their boots. He did not understand why Charles would agree to provide to the Jordan Group. It was good that this would end. "May I know what decision it was?" implored Adam respectfully. "What did we do wrong? Kindly rify...!" Jackes did not want to speak to them any further. At that moment, he looked up and saw Charmine walking toward them in her ck suit. He looked at Charmine. "What reason? Go ask your director!" Everyone looked at Charmine. It was rted to Charmine? Had she offended Eway Factory? Charmine walked over calmly, frowning when she saw Jackes. "You''re the Vice-President of the Eway Factory? Why is Mr. Charles'' phone not getting through?" "Wow, look at you! Are you saying you know our President? Or are you trying to seduce our President?" sneered Jackes. "I''ve things to discuss with him," replied Charmine level-headedly. "The negotiation was agreed to by him." chapter 835 chapter 835 "He did it for the Bailey family, but now that the Baileys aren''t helping you anymore, there''s no use even if you contact our President! You should know what to do now, so stop wasting our time," asserted Jackes. When he mentioned the Baileys, Charmine turned to Adam, and understanding the gaze, he led the rest of the people to leave them alone. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Only Charmine and Jackes remained. 1 Charmine looked at Jackes. "Grandma Bailey is crossing business matters with her personal matters. The Eway Factory isn''t a small factory. Are you sure you want to side with her?" "Haha! You sound quite arrogant. So what if we do? Weren''t you the one messing around in the first ce? You got only a smallpany, and if you hadn¡¯t seduced President Bailey and used your rtions with him, how would you have obtained our materials? If you want to sell your body, you should be ready to get dumped!" mocked Jackes harshly. 1 Charmine frowned. He was thepany''s vice-president, so how could he not know her deal with theirpany? She had to talk to Charles. Sizing her up from head to toe, Jackes seemed to have known what she was thinking. He said, "You can¡¯t get in touch with our President. He¡¯s out with a few buddies, and he''ll only be back in five days. Until then, I''m in charge of everything on his behalf. Grandma Bailey wants me to tell you to leave Burlington. If you leave, we''ll keep supplying you with the materials and can guarantee Jordan Group to be fine. If not, this is only the start of something more." Charmine¡¯s hand that was fishing for her phone halted. Grandma Bailey was forcing her head down. If she could not think of a way, the Jordan Group would be over! Meanwhile, it only took a few hours before the news went viral in the business section. [Derby Eway Factory Cancelling Deal With Jordan Group.] [Derby Eway Factory No Longer Supplying Materials For Divine and Hundred Birds Projects!] [Jordan Group''s Divine Bird, Hundred Birds Projects Will Fail!] The articles appeared one after another, catching the attention of many as they got in touch to inquire about the matter. Just like that, the Jordan Group''s line service was bombarded with questions from buyers. The situation seemed dire. Without the supply of the top-graded materials, the Jordan Group would copse. At the Bailey mansion. Grandma Bailey was tasting the finest tea while reading the news on her phone. Her lips curled up slightly. As the Jordan Group was facing such a tempestuous difficulty, Charmine would surelye beg for her mercy within three days! "If Charmine phones me, don''t hurry," she instructed Dorothy, "make her wait." Although she admired Charmine, she was still too young and had not been shaped by society. She had to help Charmine to grow up. On the other hand, Waverly was also waiting for the drama to unfold as she watched the news with delight. Even if Anthony insisted on being with Charmine, he would have to first go through the Bailey family without her doing anything. She just needed to sit back and wait. She instructed Britney who was by the side, "Collect more of Charmine''s news for me, especially the news about the Jordan Group shutting down." When Britney saw the news, her pupils quivered. "Something happened, Madam. Charmine... She turned the tides!" 2 What? Charmine still could do so even under such pressure? How could it be? chapter 836 chapter 836 At the Divine Bird construction site... "You¡¯ve been stalling for three hours, Charmine, shouldn''t you give me a response by now? Look at the news! Are you sure you want to go on like this?¡± Jackes handed his phone that had the news online to Charmine, reminding her ''kindI/, "If you keep dragging it on, it''s not good for your Jordan Group, and you''ll only be hurt in the end of it all. Why bother?" 1 Charmine nced at the news on his phone but kept her cool. "Let''s have a bet. I can continue to gain supplies from yourpany, and you''ll beg for my forgiveness!'''' 1 "Hahaha! Who are you kidding? Have you gone demented under the pressure, Charmine? I''m Eway Factory''s vice-president! Why would I ask for your forgiveness?" Jackes nced at Charmine mockingly, sneering, "As for you, if you kneel and beg me to keep you as my ninth girlfriend, I might reconsider to continue supplying you with the materials." 2 "Hah!¡± she scoffed through her red lips, clear and cold. Jackes frowned. "What was that, Charmine? I gave you an opportunity, so you should feel honored. How dare you scoff at me with such a tone? I''ll have you know that all eight of my girlfriends don¡¯t look worse than you!" "Really? And they epted someone like you? Collective blindness?" Charmine looked surprised. 3 Jackes was so angered that his face was flushed red. "You''ve offended me, Charmine, do you know that? Even if the Baileys changed their minds and want me to supply you with the materials, I''ll say no! No matter who tries to convince me, our Eway Factory won''t supply you with anything!" he scowled. He then instructed the bodyguards behind him, "Instantly move away all of the materials!" "Yes, Sir!" Everyone came forward instantly and started moving the materials away from the site. Charmine stared at Jackes and reminded him, "You should do this in a few more minutes." "Forget a few minutes-l won''t let you keep the materials one second more!" chided Jackes. "Move them away! Right away!" Everyone heartlessly moved all the materials, and it only took a while before everything was moved to the truck. There were many reporters outside, taking photos of the materials moved from the Divine Bird site. They already had the titles in mind, ready to see Charmine''s project failing! Suddenly... Ring! Ring! Jackes'' phone rang urgently. He took out his phone and saw it was Charles calling. Was Charles not attending a gathering with the other moguls and asked him not to phone him for a week? Perplexed, Jackes picked up and heard Charles panting from the other end of the line. "Jackes, what are you doing? Why did you offend Charmine? Did you run over to her site to move the materials away?" "Yeah, why? The Baileys asked me to do so; they''re unwilling to support her anymore. You don''t have to supply to such a smallpany for the Baileys '' sake." "Who told you I''m supplying them for the Baileys'' sake? I want you to return all of the materials back to where they were! Go and apologize Original from N?velDrama.Org. to Charmine right away!" growled Charles, half-yelling as he did. 1 Jackes'' eyes were wide open in disbelief. Charles made him apologize to Charmine? What for? "What for? Charmine is the Magpie Bridge¡¯s designer, that¡¯s what! We must get the opportunity to supply for the Magpie Bridge Project! Do you know who I''m with right now? They''re the moguls behind the Magpie Bridge Project. We''re negotiating, and here you are, ruining things behind my back?" 1 On the other end of the call, Charles was panting and almost spat out blood. 1 He tried so hard to gain the opportunity to provide for the Magpie Bridge Project. He was negotiating with the rest of the moguls, with one of them being Senior Max! The negotiation was well on its way when Senior Max suddenly received a phone. He merely said one thing... chapter 837 chapter 837 "Boss Jordan is bullied by the Eway Factory! They¡¯re moving all the materials away!" The amiable Senior Max shot up from his seat. "We''re not talking anymore, absolutely not. We''ll find other suppliers for the Magpie Bridge Project. I''ll never work with those who bully my granddaughter!¡¯¡¯ The thought of it made Charles pant, "What are you waiting for? If we lose this Magpie Bridge Project, you''ll lose your vice-president position!¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Charles hung up subsequently, leaving Jackes rooted on the spot, dumbfounded and unable to react. Charmine was the Magpie Bridge''s designer? A ground-breaking architecture like the Magpie Bridge was designed by Charmine? Jackes knew their factory exerted a lot of effort to secure the Magpie Project. Who would have thought that the Charmine he spurned was the Magpie Bridge''s designer! Seeing that the bodyguards were about to move the materials onto the truck, he cried out loudly, "Stop! Stop right now! Bring back all of the materials!" 1 "Huh? Why?" The bodyguards standing far away exchanged looks. Jackes smacked the bodyguard¡¯s head nearest to him. "I ask you to move things back, so do as you''re told! Why ask nonsense? Move, now!" Never before had they seen him so furious, thus they obediently moved the materials back. Jackes quickly walked toward Charmine and abashedly spoke, "I-It was a misunderstanding, a complete misunderstanding. You should¡¯ve told me you''re the Magpie Bridge''s designer! We wouldn¡¯t have so much trouble in the first ce." 1 "Didn''t I say I want to speak with your President? Did you give me the chance to?" refuted Charmine. The Magpie Bridge was still a secretive project, so it was only natural she kept it hushed. Far removed from his hubristic nature, Jackes instantly nodded politely." It¡¯s my fault, my fault. I hope a prominent figure such as yourself won¡¯t hold it against a small figure like me. Don¡¯t be like me." 1 Charmine raised an eyebrow and asked, "Didn''t you want me to be your girlfriend? Would you like me to service you?" Jackes instantly understood. Charmine was challenging him! He gently pped his face. "How terrible of me; my mouth is a loose cannon! Director Jordan, what can I do for you to forgive me? Please tell me!" "Please tell you?" Charmine''s red lips curled up as she eyed him. "I want you to bring all the materials and ce them back to where they were, on your own!¡± 1 Jackes'' eyelids jumped. All the materials? All by himself? Even with his strongly-built bodyguards, they only managed to fill up half of the truck! It would take him two whole days to move everything back! However, if he did not move them, he would lose his job... If only he listened to Charmine back then when she said to only move the materials a few minutester. s, no matter how deep his regret was, he still had to move the materials back on his own. With that, everyone watched as Jackes moved the materials back one at a time, and he was eventually drenched in sweat then. 2 When Grandma Bailey learned about this, the teacup in her hand jolted. "Investigate. Find out what happened, now!" How would the staff of Eway Factory behave so humbly toward Charmine? Dorothy showed her thetest news. "Grandma Bailey, it''s because..." Grandma Bailey looked down, and her expression changed. Charmine was... chapter 838 chapter 838 Thetest headline read, [Charmine''s Magpie Bridge] with the following content: [By the end of 2020, Charmine Jordan will be building the No.1 Tower in Burlington with a height of 1300 meters. It will surpass the current No.1 building in the world, the Khalifa, et cetera. They will incorporate the fourth generation architecture...] After a long introductory passage, the final sentence read: [ording to investigations, the designer of this architecture is Charmine Jordan!] A few design diagrams of the Magpie Bridge were attached. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. No matter if it was the two tall towers that scraped the clouds or the 99- meter long sky-bridge, the architecture looked surreal as if it was a painting from fairytales. Thement section was filled with astonishment and awe: [OMG! This amazing international building is designed by Charmine Jordan!] [Boss Jordan is wild and beautiful. Is there anything she can¡¯t do?!] [I heard the people of Derby Eway Factory went over to move away the materials. Upon learning Charmine''s capabilities, it was as if Boss Jordan pped them herself!] [Many assumed that the Jordan Group attained the materials due to the Bailey Corporation, but it¡¯s actually because of this Magpie Project!] 1 [They said the Jordan Group was copsing this morning, yet they prosperede noon? How dramatic!] Negative news regarding the Jordan Group had shifted entirely. Charmine¡¯s design diagram stunned the entire world! When Grandma Bailey read the articles, her face was filled with disbelief. The Magpie Bridge had huge influences. After it was designed, the association had many meetings with moguls of various industries, and as the elder of the Bailey family, she had the honor of attending one of the meetings. 1 She was blown away when she first saw the Magpie Bridge''s design, unable toprehend how a stunning architecture could exist in the world...and the designer of such architecture was Charmine all along! Charmine was the designer of Magpie Bridge! Noticing her excitement, Dorothy held onto her and asked, "Grandma Bailey, now that Eway Factory has rified that they''ll continue to supply for the Jordan Group and that they won¡¯t cancel the coboration, what will w "Let me calm down. Let me calm down..." Grandma Bailey sat before the table, unable to shake off the shock in her system. She refused to admit Charmine¡¯s impressive achievement, how she was able to design a national architecture. Once the Magpie Bridge was built, it would be andmark, and that meant Charmine''s worth would increase... "Look at how useless you are!" Senior Bailey suddenly came in, scowling at her. Grandma Bailey rubbed her temples. "I didn''t mean to, but didn¡¯t you see how stunning this design diagram is? I didn''t expect a youngdy like her to be so capable." "So she can enter the Bailey family just because she can design? Can she solve the impending danger the Baileys are facing?¡± questioned Senior Bailey firmly. Grandma Bailey thought of that matter, and her face instantly darkened. Right, that... It was about to happen. 1 Charmine came from a small family. How would she be able to endure it? "You''re too soft-hearted, you¡¯re not built to settle these matters," argued Senior Bailey. "Let Susan deal with it, and you just stay out of it." Grandma Bailey frowned, though after a while, she nodded. 1 "Alright. I genuinely don''t want to hurt this youngdy. If her family was more prominent, I would''ve asked Anthony to marry her right away. Ask Susan to do it less harshly; don''t harm thedy.¡± "Don''t worry, she knows what to do," replied Senior Bailey lowly. At Ritz Hotel... Waverly received the phone from Britney, reading news regarding Charmine. Charmine truly had shifted the tides despite the pressure, even when under intense scrutiny. The Jordan Group was about to copse, but after Charmine''s identity as the Magpie Bridge''s designer was exposed, the entire world worshipped Charmine instead! chapter 839 chapter 839 Although many countries had allowed the Jordan Group to enter their markets, they did not seem too weing nor friendly. With this news, almost every city of every country had given the Jordan Group green lights to establish their business. Within three months, the Jordan Group would then be able to develop into the international market. The entire inte hailed Charmine with that. Waverly snapped the flower beside her with one hand. Things did not look good. With Charmine making such a scene, what followed might... As if thinking of something, her eyes gleamed as she suddenly asked Britney next to her, "Didn''t you say Grandma Houston invited me over to treat her this morning?¡± "Yes, Ricky Houston had beening here a few days in a row. He said that Grandma Houston''s illness is worsening, and all the specialists had no idea how to tackle it," answered Britney. Waverly kept her phone as she instructed, "Prepare the car. We''re going to the Houston mansion." To the Houston mansion? Britney frowned. With everything that happened, Waverly still wanted to go to the Houston mansion? Was she not supposed to get back with Anthony? That evening, at the Houston mansion... Everyone knew Waverly wasing, thus they waited. While Grandma Houston did not suffer any serious illness, she did have difficulty falling asleep, only managing to get two to three hours of sleep every day, sometimes even just one. 1 She had consulted all kinds of specialists and tried ten or so different medications, all to no avail. A doctor even said, "If this goes on, Grandma Houston won''t live past ten days." Grandma Houston was a famous astronomer who once discovered an asteroid and made a big contribution to the astronomy field. The nation would lose a bright star if she genuinely passed on. 1 Everyone in the Houston family was expecting Waverly to save her. Just as everyone patiently expected, Waverly showed up elegantly. McKenzie glowered in disdain when she spotted her, but she quickly stamped it down. She walked toward her. ''Thank you so much foring over, Ms. D''Cruz. If you''re able to treat my grandmother, the Houstons will greatly reward you." "I''ll try my best. Please, leave US in here." Waverly had a graceful posture and looked formal. Everyone left. In less than an hour''s worth of treatment, Grandma Houston who had insomnia fell asleep. Furthermore, ording to a device, it showed that she was in deep sleep! The Houstons were ted at the progress as they surrounded Waverly with gratitude, even bringing out an antique vase as a reward! As she gazed Waverly being cherished like a star, McKenzie walked to the corner and posted on Twitter, [Thank you, Doctor D''Cruz, for treating my grandmother. You''re a genius doctor, a miracle worker!] 1 After posting it, she instructed Miranda who was by her side, "Give it a push." That baffled Miranda. "Madam, why are you helping Waverly? Isn''t she your greatest enemy now?" To her, Waverly was more threatening than Charmine. McKenzie merely said, "Waverly is merely a paper tiger, and I have something on her that''s real hefty that I can crush her to death any second! Charmine... Argh!¡± She could tell that Anthony had fallen in love with Charmine. She had to use Waverly to remove Charmine! Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Miranda was very confused. Waverly was so elegant and powerful. With the D''Cruz family supporting her, how was she a paper tiger? What big secret was there? 1 Nheless, she dared not poke around as she did as was told. More exciting drama would unfold! chapter 840 chapter 840 At night... [Waverly Sessfully Treated Ny-Year-Old Astronomer] [Waverly Rewarded With An Antique Vase] [A Vase Worth Almost A Hundred Million] These articles became the most heated topics, toppling the news regarding Charmine. Netizens hailed Waverly as the modern prodigy doctor as she cured the astronomer and won the hearts of the people. Waverly, reading the news, was satisfied. She wanted to crash Charmine. She wanted the Bailey family to know that she was more talented than her! At the Bailey mansion... After hearing from Senior Bailey, Susan had been thinking of ways to attack Charmine when she happened to see the news as well. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Waverly sessfully saved Grandma Houston? No specialist was able to treat her before! Charmine was just some designer while Waverly was a prodigy doctor! What did Charmine have in her topete with Waverly? The thought of her staying under the same roof as Anthony agitated her. Ridiculous. She had to make Anthonye back to the mansion and make him live with Waverly! With something in mind, she texted Waverly, [Waverly, I hope you¡¯ll do as I tell you in the following days. I¡¯ll help you get to Anthony.] At Violet Vi. After the news of Charmine''s Magpie Bridge was exposed, Chris acted like he had discovered new land and skimmed through her design books in the room. Charmine looked at the time. "Mono, it''s already nine. Time to sleep.¡± ''There''s no hurry. Daddy, Mommy, don''t mind me. I¡¯ll sleep after reading!" 1 Chris had a very nerdy and proactive look on his face. Charmine saw how immersed he was and thus did not insist on him sleeping. Closing his door, she then walked toward her room where Anthony was sitting on the small sofa, legs crossed with aptop on hisp. His clear-cut fingers typed on the keyboards, exuding an air of seriousness. Seeing that Charmine hade in, he kept theptop. "I¡¯m sorry for the matters regarding Grandma Bailey.¡± "Why do you sound so formal?" Charmine threw him a strange look and walked over toy in bed. Anthony walked over and sat on the bed. "Of course. My family has troubled you quite a lot recently, and I feel guilty. I must make it upto you." Instead ofying down, he sat by the side and reached out to massage Charmine¡¯s shoulders. Charmine frowned. Anthony, the man ced on an incredibly high pedestal, was offering her a massage? 1 He seemed to be even better than she imagined. As she felt her feeling welling up, hisrge hands slipped from her shoulder to her spine, and his hands slipped to the sides. Sensing his intention, Charmine¡¯s body tensed. "You better behave..." "I said I''d make up to you, so it¡¯s only natural I have to give you a full body massage to show my sincerity," answered Anthony with a serious tone as hisrge hands continued to massage her. Charmine was stunned at that. He must have bewitched her. She genuinely thought he was a good guy, but it seemed that he was merely finding an excuse to take advantage of her! 1 Just as she was about to scold him, the phone on the bedside rang urgently. It was Susan calling. ncing at the phone, he reached out and was ready to hang up before Charmine held his hand. "Answer it. Let''s see what she has in mind. It''s better to know what they''re thinking." After a moment of hesitation, Anthony answered. Susan''s voice came out from the phone. "Anthony, Waverly treated the Astronomer Houston. The staff of the International Medical Association hade to Violet Residence, wanting to interview her. I don¡¯t care what intention you have, but you got engaged to Waverly in public, and the entire world thinks you two are a couple. You must at least be responsible in this current situation." chapter 841 chapter 841 Anthony''s brows furrowed. ¡®People from the world''s medical research society will being, too?'' Charmine did not expect Waverly''s incident would cause such huge press. Susan added again, ''Waverly is at Violet Vi''s entrance as we speak, waiting for you to open up the door. No matter how bad your fights get, outsiders still don''t know about Charmine''s existence. You guys should at least keep up with the act and handle the masses with much care." 1 Anthony snorted at that, calm as he was, and was about to reject the idea when Charmine held his wrist and with her gaze, hinted at him. 2 Anthony noticed that she was against his idea and hung up the call decisively. He asked, feeling crossed, "Are you still not willing to disclose it, mydy?" 1 "It''s not time yet. If we¡¯re toe out with the truth now, not only will we face the schemes of your family but the entire world''s scorn as well. This goes especially for Kansas and the D''Cruz family; they won''t let US off the hook that easily," reasoned Charmine rationally. "We''ve already received the certificate,¡± countered Anthony huskily, "why still be afraid of them? No matter what danger lies ahead, I''ll settle them." Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. "But I want that day, the day we disclose our rtionship, to be a day the world celebrates it, not one filled with the entire universe''s hate. They wanted to do that live broadcast because they wanted to show the world about how lovey-dovey you and Waverly would be. They want me to know my standing and retreat. "Since the Bailey family wanted toy a finger on me, then why not wey a finger on Waverly first?" 1 Charmine¡¯s eyes gleamed as she talked. Anthony knew what she was trying to express. He stretched out his hand and ruffled her hair. "You''re smart, mydy. Tonight, I''ll be prepared to enjoy the show." "Alright. Wait until the reporters are gone, then I''ll go look for you. You have to have patience no matter what happens," reminded Charmine. Outside of another vi... Waverly was sitting in the car, waiting quietly. In another five minutes, the people from the medical research center would being over to conduct an interview. She was done for if Anthony did not return. ''Do they have to go overboard when I''ve already gotten some results?!'' As she was deep in her thoughts, the lights in the vi lit up as the main door opened. Waverly sighed in relief as it happened. Her pink lips like cherry curled up in satisfaction. ''I knew they''d give in. In the end, I''m still Anthony''s fiancee!'' 1 She walked into the vi elegantly and noticed Anthony sitting on the sofa, with his entire body giving off a calm, prestigious aura. Such a ster man could make a person''s heart race with just a nce at him. ''Such a regal man should never marry Charmine!'' She concealed her thoughts and, as if nothing had happened, said elegantly, "Mr. Bailey, the men from the medical research center will be here soon. Rest assured, I''ll never reveal any news about Ms. Jordan." 1 "I hope you''ll be more honest instead," Anthony blurted coldly, histone tantly disdainful. He had that urge, that itch to reveal his status with Charmine... Susan then came in from outside with brows furrowed. "Anthony, is this how you treat Ms. D''Cruz? At the very least, she had helped you guys keep it a secret for such a long time. Because of her kind and generous self, she''s willing to return!" "Why don¡¯t you marry this ''kind, generousdy¡¯ instead?" Anthony nced at her coldly. 2 "You...!" Susan was apoplectic with rage. She was very aware of Anthony''s temper and did not wish to speak another word with him. She pulled Waverly and, bringing her to a safe distance, softly coaxed, "Waverly, thank you for your willingness to return. Don''t you worry: No matter what feelings Anthony has for Charmine, the daughter-in-w that the Bailey family acknowledges will only be you! "For theing days, you just have to be more patient, and you must stay by Anthony''s side. Develop your rtionship with him as the days go on. "As for Charmine, I''ve already had ns to take her down. You¡¯ll just have to enjoy the show!" Waverly''s eyes glinted. ''Susan ns toy a finger on Charmine? She''s a very crueldy. Surely, Charmine''s path would be as rocky as it could get from now on!¡¯ chapter 842 chapter 842 Waverly''s eyes gleamed with anticipation. "Don''t worry, Auntie,¡± she said to Susan, ''TH have a fairpetition with Charmine. I''ll never give in easily." 1 "That''s great if you can take it that way. You got to put in more effort tonight! Remember, you''re Mrs. Bailey who everyone acknowledges!" reminded Susan with admiration. Waverly nodded. 1 The people from the medical research center eventually arrived, and there were a total of three people. One of them was an old, experienced medical professor from America, another was a photographer, and thest was an assistant. The interview would be conducted live through a YouTube channel. The live stream aimed to allow the citizens to have a better understanding of keeping a healthy lifestyle and some knowledge regarding the medical field. The old professor went forth when he saw Anthony and Waverly, genially greeting, "A pleasure to meet two prominent figures. It''s an honor for me to finally be able to meet you guys." Anthony merely offered a calm sound of reply to him. Waverly was more elegant, but her face was still stered with a faint smile. "Professor, you''re a famous individual yourself. We¡¯re the ones who should be honored to have you here." "Haha! Is this a business kind of praising each other? Then it''s better to get into the topic. Today''s live stream is to make everyone know in-depth about the importance of sleeping, and also how you can speed up the process of hypnotizing a person. "There are some questions listed here, please have a look at them first." The old professor handed a book over to Waverly. Waverly took a look at it and nodded with satisfaction. "No problem." ''It doesn''t matter what questions are being asked, as long as I get to cozy up with Anthony in public and make Charmine so mad that she''ll go crazy!'' The live streammenced. Waverly and Anthony sat on the sofa; one at the left and the other on the right. They both looked graceful, much like angels, like they belonged in fairytales. 1 At the beginning of the live stream, all the old fans of the live stream were stunned when they noted the guests were Anthony and Waverly. They keptmenting on the page frantically and kept sharing it everywhere, which in no time, the number of people in the live stream was over the bar, breaking through 80 million people. Anthony was sitting at a side throughout the entire session, flipping through the magazine on his hands calmly, as if he was just a background image. 1 However, in theizens'' view, they were utterly envious of it. [Ah, ah, ah! Boss Bailey, who never likes to make an appearance, would start operating for Waverly''s sake!] [I kept feeling that he wanted to sleep and was being forced into this! Hahaha, he must be forced into this by Waverly. He really is controlled by his wife!] [Show us a look of true love!] The live stream was hyped up. The old professor was absolutely professional as he conversed with Waverly in incredibly fluent English, "ording to the international investigation, there are approximately a quarter of the people in the entire world who have problems sleeping. In every four people, there will be one person having insomnia. You''re the world''s number one female hypnotherapist. May I ask your opinion..." Both of them had a series of professional discussions with numerous technical terms and data analysis, which confused many of the listeners. The old professor asked again, "I heard that today, you managed to sessfully treat an astrologer. You managed to make her, who had insomnia throughout the year, slumbered in just half an hour and even entered deep sleep as well. May I know if this is true?¡± "Of course. Treating patients with insomnia is my basic ability. Within ten days, I''ll make Grandma Houston recover," answered Waverly elegantly as she spoke in a superior manner. She was an angel at the top of the hierarchy. What did Charmine have topare herself with her? She wanted to gain everyone''s respect and admiration! Indeed, the room was filled with praise and awe. [I heard that a notification letter about Grandma Houston''s deteriorating disease had been given out. She will not be able to survive for more than ten days!] [Yet Waverly is able to make her recover within ten days? It''s truly like a god in reality! She really is like an angel!] [I didn''t expect that there''s such miraculous hypnosis existing in this world!] Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. [Truly love it! She really deserves to be together with Boss Bailey. This professional status is just fantastic!] [I wish them both lovely together forever!] Almost the entire world hailed Waverly. Susan stood beside and cropped the praise-filledments during the live stream and sent them to Charmine. [Are you seeing this, Charmine? The whole world is rooting for them to be together. They''re the ones who are a match, a handsome man and prettydy, and you''re just an extra!] chapter 843 chapter 843 [If you know your ce, then please take the initiative and leave now, or you''ll suffer more for theing days. You''ll only get to see Anthony and Waverly showing their love for each other!] At that moment, Charmine was leaning against the bed''s headboard and watched the live stream carefreely. Her red lips curled into a smile as she read Susan''s message. [I won''t be the only one sufferingter, then.] Susan failed toprehend Charmine''s message, yet the live stream... Anthony, who sat at the side and never spoke a word the whole time, suddenly lifted his gaze toward Waverly next to him. "There''s a patient that you''ve been treating for almost a month and had not much improvement. How can you overestimate yourself? Please don''t tell lies." 3 Hisments were only words of lecturing her. "Please don''t tell lies.* These four words kept on repeating themselves throughout the live stream, and the atmosphere within the entire room suddenly froze. Waverly was evidently stunned as well, evident in her expression. ''What did Anthony say? Did he just say I''m telling lies? Is he trying to spoil my image?¡¯ 2 The old professor was seized with Anthony''s remark and, bing a busybody, asked, "The genius doctor, Ms. D''Cruz only needs ten days to treat Grandma Houston. How can she fail to treat a patient to recovery after spending a month''s time?" "It''s not guaranteed that in ten days, she''ll fully recover. At most, it could only relieve her symptoms. My fiancee loves telling lies, so I hope everyone can bear with it." It was a rare opportunity for Anthony to look into the camera lens. 2 The entire room felt ice-cold as though frozen in time. [Did Anthony just say Waverly loves telling lies?] [Is he saying that Waverly can''t treat Grandma Houston in ten days? She''s just talking big?] [Besides, she loves telling lies? What other lies has she said before?] Netizens bombarded thement section with one question after another. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Waverly felt so awkward that she just wanted to dig a hole and bury herself in, yet she could only pretend to be calm and turned to Anthony. "I¡¯m not sure when I''ve told you lies, Anthony. It¡¯s not a good idea to be cracking jokes right now- everyone will get the wrong idea." "I''m just stating the facts. How can there be a misunderstanding here? Outside the shop at the za, the things that you lied to me, do you want me to say?" Anthony counter-questioned. Waverley''s pupils immediately shrunk. ''Shop? He¡¯s talking about the incident when I''m the one who went to look for him and promised to just pretend to be his girlfriend! How could Anthony mention this during a live stream? Is he trying to tell the whole world about Charmine''s existence?¡¯ People in the live stream had clearly witnessed the change of Waverly''s expression, and that got them thinking. [It seems like Waverly did tell a lie?] [I guess so! Please dig deeper into it, go on!] 1 [Let¡¯s not listen to any more professional boasting. We want to hear gossip!] [So Waverly likes to tell lies, does she now?] [Boss Bailey, please share more if you can!] Everyone startedmenting frantically. The crows who were initially respectful of Waverly immediately turned into curious cats. No one cared about her professional medical skills anymore. 1 Anthony said to the camera instead, "That¡¯s all for the live stream. From now on, I''ll teach her well." 1 After hisment, Anthony''s cold gaze shifted to Luke who was at the doorway. Luke immediately got up and cut off the power supply to the live stream. That was the end of the live stream. The old professor noticed something odd in the atmosphere between them and immediately got the hint, bidding his farewell. As for Susan, she was exasperated and went forth to scold Anthony. "What the hell are you doing, Anthony? You could¡¯ve made it worse for Waverly!" "Isn''t this your fault?" retorted Anthony coldly, yet his gesture was elegant. They wanted to use this live stream to broadcast their love and show-off to Charmine, yet Anthony made it worse for Waverly. ''Let''s see if you''ll still have the guts to pull off all these tricks in the future!¡¯ 1 Waverly was disconcerted and stood there, dumbfounded. Her gorgeous hands clenched harshly. She had never been treated that way. She had never faced such humiliation before! 4 ''How dare Anthony treat me that way!¡¯ A glint of hatred appeared deep within her eyes. chapter 844 chapter 844 Waverly''s expression was stony and stiff as she looked at Anthony. "Mr. Bailey, at the very least, I''ve helped you guys get rid of the poison and acted as your decoy for so long. Why did you have to be so cruel?¡± "Aren¡¯t you the one cruel in the first ce?" Anthony counter-questioned coldly. ''If it wasn¡¯t for Waverly provoking Charmine, if it wasn¡¯t for her making Susan head toward the hospital, how could the event have ended up in such a state?¡¯ Waverly smiled coldly instead. "I just don¡¯t want to continue being your decoy, and I just wanted you to marry someone more suitable to be your wife, but how did you and Charmine treat me? Back then at the hotel, you guys nearly let me have it worse, and today you want to destroy my fame? If you''re determined to be so cruel, let''s cease everything between us!¡± 1 Having said that, Waverly spun and headed outside. Seeing everything unfolding, Susan quickly went forth, grabbed her, and said, "Waverly, it¡¯s all Anthony''s fault. I apologize to you on his behalf. Please bear with it a little longer, alright? "Have you forgotten what I said? Now that you guys are engaged, the only Mrs. Bailey that the entire world acknowledges is Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. you..." "But I don''t want acknowledgment from outsiders. I, Waverly D''Cruz, needn''t beg him to marry me. Since he loves Chamine, then I might as well give my blessing to them!" Waverly''s expression turned icy-cold as she shoved Susan''s hand. 1 ''They''ll think I''m easy to be bullied if I don¡¯t frighten them a little!¡¯ Susan''s eyelids fluttered aggressively. ''If things be this chaotic and Waverly leaves, the entire Bailey family is done for!¡¯ ''The affluent D''Cruz family and entire Kansas will surely take down the Bailey family. The incident of Anthony cheating on his fiancee after the engagement will for sure invite the entire world''s hatred!'' Susan quickly held onto her and gently persuaded, "Waverly, why don''t you just bear with it just for my sake, hmm? I guarantee you that Anthony will never, ever treat you this way again!" 2 Susan turned to Anthony as she said it. 1 "Anthony, you better say something! Do you really want the entire world to know about the things between you and Charmine if you just let Waverly leave like that? Forget about the Baileys rejecting Charmine-even the entire world won''t ept her too. Charmine will only be cursed by everyone!" 1 Anthony recalled what Charmine said, that she had also been considering this issue. However, Anthony was not a woman who would consider things in great detail. His expression was calm. "I want to see who dares to curse around, and I''d like to experience the methods used by the Kansas nation and the D¡¯Cruz family!" 1 ''Judging by his tone, he''s really looking forward to havoc...¡¯ Susan was well aware of her son''s thinking; Anthony never liked being forced. Since Waverly had given her word, how could Anthony discard his pride and beg her to stay? ''If things continue as such, they''ll end up separating!'' Susan sensed that Waverly was restless still, but as things had progressed to such a state, she had no options but to calm the storm. "Anthony, didn''t you want to be with Charmine? We can agree with that, but with the condition that you have to be with Waverly all day long and really get along with each other for one month! If you still don''t like Waverly after that, we¡¯ll agree for you to be with Charmine." Anthony''s cold expression changed slightly. Seeing that there was a change in him, Susan added, "Now isn''t the time for you and Charmine to disclose your rtionship in public. If after one month, the hype of the engagement has reduced, only then should you announce to the public that you guys have divorced because you realize you two aren¡¯t meant for each other. It won''t harm any party at all, right?" 1 "Alright," Anthony answered. He would never like her even if he were to be together with Waverly for his entire life, what more a month. However... He raised his brows and looked at Waverly. "But I got a condition. After a month, Waverly has to publicly admit that she had been, from the very start, a decoy for me and Charmine. She shouldn''t twist any facts nor create any fake news!" 1 Waverly frowned. Initially, she just wanted to leave the scene to frighten them, but never did she expect for them to give their own requests on their terms. 1 Susan kept eyeing her as a sign. Her eyes vaguely gleamed with irritation. ''If I reject him now, Anthony will never make her stay, and Waverly will forever lose the chance to stay by Anthony''s side...¡¯ After giving it a short thought, she said, "Alright, but I don''t want anything like what happened today to repeat within a month." chapter 845 chapter 845 Anthony acknowledged it silently. 1 ''Anyway, once will do. This will make theizens talk about it for a few months.'' Susan immediately left the scene when she saw the two of theming to an agreement. Within a month''s time, she firmly believed Anthony woulde to like the Waverly, who was such a splendiddy. It was also more than enough time for her to take down Charmine. After leaving the vi, she called her assistant and asked, "What¡¯s the progress of the arrangement I asked you to do?" "Don''t worry, everything is proceeding smoothly!" In the vi... Once Susan left, Charmine immediately brought Chris out of the underground. Waverly was about to get near Anthony when she saw the two of them. 1 She frowned. "Anthony, don¡¯t tell you¡¯ll let them tag along within this whole month of us trying to get along?" 3 "Of course," said Anthony in an eminent manner. Waverly''s expression changed for the worse. ''What¡¯s the point of spending time together with Charmine and Chris tagging along?'' 1 Charmin''s red lips curled. "If you manage to gain Anthony''s heart under these circumstances, that¡¯ll only prove that you have what it takes. Don''t tell me you don''t even have this much confidence, Ms. D''Cruz?" "Of course not. You''d better prepare yourself for the days toe!" Waverly red at her and spun, heading toward the room beside them. That room was just opposite to Charmine and Anthony. She would no longer be staying upstairs. She wanted to live opposite them and stop them from staying together! 2 Chris looked at her retreating figure and frowned, puzzled. "Daddy, Mommy, is that Auntie getting fatter? Why does her face seem to be bigger after just two days of not seeing her?" 1 Waverly, who just entered the room and was not in time to get herself ready, felt that she was instantly humiliated. ''I haven''t done anything yet, but I''m already humiliated with just ament! I Anthony purposely answered Momo''s question, "You should eat less from now on or you¡¯ll end up being fat, just like her!" "Alright. Mommy is still the prettiest. She won''t get fat even after eating so much!" Chris said as though he was swooning. "You sure know the good stuff, don¡¯t you?" Charmine praised and patted his head. "It''s gettingte,¡± she added. "Let''s go, we should get some rest earlier. Let''s go to the big room on the second floor and sleep." 1 The three of them headed to the second floor happily. Waverly, still in the room, clenched her elegant fists tightly. ''They stayed and slept on the second floor before this. Why are they headed up to the second floor all of a sudden? Are they doing this on purpose to ditch me on the first floor?'' N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. She did not want to prove herself weak and tagged along upstairs. 2 However, as soon as she went upstairs, their room was mmed shut with an audible bang. The corridor turned ice-cold that instant, leaving her alone. Waverly''s expression was utterly dark. ''What sort of getting-along is this? How are we supposed to get along in this one month?¡¯ At that moment, Susan suddenly called her. "Oh, Waverly, I know that Anthony will ignore you, but you got to bear with it. In this one month, you just need to keep yourself as pretty as a flower, and I''ll help you get rid of Charmine. "Within three days, she¡¯ll leave Anthony on her own ord!" "Really?" Waverly was rather reluctant to believe. ''How could a shameless person like Charmine leave Anthony on her own ord, after going through so much trouble and finally being together with him?'' Susan smiled softly. "You just wait and see. Soon, she¡¯ll leave!" It waste at night, and it was very quiet. chapter 846 chapter 846 That night, [Waverly tells lies] trended as the ''hot search¡¯, garnering a very heated discussion on it. Anthony had earned the title of being the ¡¯straightforward iron man¡¯. Many people were throwing guesses as they felt Anthony''s rtionship with her was a little odd. Paparazzi surrounded their perimeter early that morning, and many were bold enough to block the entrance, shouting, "Mr. Bailey, can you pleasee out and be interviewed?" N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. "Mr. Bailey, you said that Waverly loves telling lies. What actually is that all about?" "Does Waverly, the princess to the royalty of Kansas, really tell lies?" "Did something wrong happen in your rtionship?" Those direct questions kept circling around the entire vi. When Charmine woke up, she went over to the windowsill and had a look, seeing the crowd outside. Moreover, there were many reporters from Kansas, all wanting to get an exnation. The issue that Anthony had causedst night during the live stream had a huge impact. "I¡¯ll go out through the tunnel,¡± she said to Anthony. ''Tile back and look for you during the night." "Alright." In broad daylight, Anthony never once forced it on her. When Charmine headed downstairs, she noticed all the curtains in the house had been sealed up tightly. Waverly, sitting on the sofa, had herptop on as she conducted a long distance conference, uttering various professional, technical terms. She had on a dress with a pearl-white cor and long sleeves, making her look prestigious and elegant. Her red lips curled with disdain when she saw Charmine walking down the underground. She cut off the video. "It¡¯s already daytime, and the mouse that can¡¯t show herself in public had to leave as well?" Her words were full of mockery. Charmine smiled instead. "Why don¡¯t you try it out if you have what it takes? You''re just a passerby with no rights, yet you still think you got the right to run your mouth?" "You...!" Waverly wanted to blow up, but she noticed the issues of her image and finally pulled herself together. She said scornfully, "Charmine, why are you so arrogant? The moment you leave, Anthony will be all lovey-dovey with me, even taking extra care of me while all you can do is just watch everything y out!" ''Lovey-dovey?'' Coincidentally, Anthony came down from upstairs. Charmine yanked Anthony and got on her tiptoes to kiss Anthony. Anthony''s body trembled slightly. After some time, he shifted from his passive stance and grew active, French-kissing Charmine. 1 Waverly, standing at the sidelines, was so jealous that her eyes turned red. ''How dare they kiss each other so passionately in front of me? They don¡¯t even care about my feelings and just kiss each other so heatedly!'' 6 After some time, only Charmine pushed Anthony away, staring at Waverly as she spoke, "Did you see everything? This is what you call being lovey- dovey! You and Anthony are just putting up an act. At most, he''s just tolerating you and respecting you. "If you still don''t get it, I don''t mind showing you a few more of it to you on the spot." 1 Waverly''s expression was apoplectic with rage. ¡¯Charmine kisses Anthony in front of me just because she wants to agitate me?'' She wanted to vent out her anger, but when she recalled what Susan saidst night, she dropped that idea. 1 "You should leave now, Ms. Jordan!" Only with her leaving would Waverly feel much better. 1 Charmine also did not wish to waste anymore time on her. She then kissed Anthony on the forehead before leaving through the tunnel. Anthony could feel her warmth on his forehead, along with the breath left from her lips. Suddenly, his lips curled as he said to Waverly, "I quite like it when you stay in the vi." 2 Waverly''s heart started pumping quickly. ''Did... Did Anthony just say he like¡¯ me?'' 3 "I¡¯d have a ny-percent chance of her kissing me, after all." With that said, Anthony then headed for the kitchen. Waverly''s expression immediately turned dark like a wok. ''He likes me staying, just because of Charmine?'' Of course, she had no idea that before she came over, Charmine was always behaving respectfully to Anthony and always kept the necessary distance between them. chapter 847 chapter 847 However, ever since Waverly came in, Charmine was always unting her love for Anthony at Waverly¡¯s face. Anthony was utterly satisfied with the decision he madest night. After Charmine left the vi, she headed straight to thepany to settle her business. She could not shake off the gnawing feeling that the Baileys would be onto her. Surely, they would make a move on the However, after she arrived at thepany, it was all about good news. Ever since her identity as the Magpie Bridge¡¯s designer was exposed, the entire world hoped to get the opportunity to work with her and had been constantly given the green light to all her projects. The progression of all of the projects was ten percent faster. Charmine felt her eyelids flickering, and she could not feel at ease. She might as well go to the Divine Birds and Hundred Birds Tower sites to survey everything. All the workers were seriously working and building in order, and the huge high-end tower crane that she had to spend a fortune on was extraordinarily eye-striking. Adam was following behind her andforted, "Don''t worry, everything is well underway. I guess even if the Baileys are to make a move, they shouldn''t be able to find a way to do so." Charmine could not believe it. Those affluent and prestigious families had plenty of tricks up their sleeves. No one would know what would happen the next day. When she left the scene, she noticed there were a few workers sneaking a peek at her. Their eyes were as though gleaming with guilt. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. However, after she had gazed at it in detail, she noticed that every worker had their head facing the yellow soil with their back against the sky as they were moving the bricks. There was nothing odd going on. ''Was I hallucinating?'' While she was deep in her thoughts, Adam got concerned and asked, "How are things between you and Anthony?" Charmine snapped out of her mini trance. "Please tell Grandpa that everything is proceeding smoothly, but for the time being, I won''t be heading back home as there are lots of things for me to take care of." The main reason was that she was afraid the Bailey family would use her family to threaten her. Currently, she had to spend less time with her family and tried her best to show everyone that she was having a bad rtionship with her family. Adam did not question further. Never did Charmine expect something to happen that afternoon. "Bad news, Ms. Jordan! Something happened! There''s someone found dead at the site!" Brandon ran in, stumbling and panting. Charmine''s brows furrowed. "What did you say?" "Thepany''s technician¡¯s tower crane suddenly made an error while operating it, and the tower crane just crashed down, right on tens of workers! They''re all dead-thirteen people are dead!" 2 Charmine grew tense instantly. ''All are dead? So many human lives...!¡¯ She immediately got up and walked out, ordering, "Activate the first-line defense operation!" "It''s already been activated. All the important members gathered at the scene and are searching for answers. However, with reasons unknown, there are so many reporters nearby coincidentally. At the first instance, they immediately uploaded the news," said Brandon. 1 Charmine''s brows knitted much tighter at that. ''Someone uploaded it to the? Well... Seems like the Baileys have moved now! How dare they mess with human lives, just to take me out?!'' For the time being, Charmine was not bothered to settle the issue on the. She got into the car and immediately rushed to the scene. It was chaotic at the site of Divine Bird. Some of the workers expressed their sympathy, some were crying, while some were petrified. There were many reporters taking pictures of the scene frantically. The scene at the site was surrounded. The tall tower crane had truly crashed down from the top, and along with the operator of the tower crane, there were a total of 13 people found dead! Adam had moved all the corpses on the stretcher and covered them with a white cloth. The moment Charmine arrived, she was swarmed by a group of reporters. "Charmine, what do you have to say about the ident that robbed thirteen lives, your workers, on your site?" "Some people said that the pressure in yourpany is too immense, that the working hours are too long, which summed up the operator of the tower crane losing control. Is that true?" "How are you going to face the thirteen lives?!" The reporters shouldered one another from the front and back, pushing each other while surrounding her, effectively trapping Charmine in their midst. The scene was tense and chaotic. chapter 848 chapter 848 Though faced with the camera, Charmine was wellposed as said calmly, "Thepany will settle this issue appropriately. All of you, please show some respect for the dead. Let US settle the deceased first." Her cool voice was apanied by an intense aura. With just ament, it made it look like the reporters did not know their boundaries and had no manners at all. 1 Soon, the security guards showed up and forcibly split the reporters to both sides. Only then could Charmine enter the scene. She went forth to investigate, her gait seemingly free from fear. She stretched out their necks and looked around them. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Eventually, she concluded that they had genuinely died, and it was solely due to the ident. ''How could the Bailey family be so cruel to take out so many lives just to get rid of me?'' A murderous aura gleamed in her eyes. She ordered Adam, "Send everyone to the best funeral parlor. Also, inform their families and arrange a meeting. I''ll personally go over and discuss the matter in the future." "Alright." Adam carried out the order and organized the arrangements. Soon, everyone was sent to the funeral parlor. Unfortunately... In just a moment, the news had spread like wildfire. #DivineBirdSite13PeopleDead was immediately the hot search. As the ident involved migrant workers, it was a highly talked-about topic as the forum was filled with empathy. [How unfortunate. Thirteen human lives! How cruel this is!] [Thirteen families were destroyed just like that...] [In just a single day, kids from the thirteen families had lost their dads, and thirteendies lost their husbands...] [Isn''t Divine Bird a high-quality site? How can such a thing happen? Is it because of the inadequate supervision and the tedious overworking?] Amongst the many empatheticments, there were many ount holders who started leading the tempo. [It''s just me alone who''s being concerned. Will there be anyone willing to buy the houses of Divine Bird?] [There''s already thirteen people dead. Surely, they''ll be haunted!] [You guys dare to stay there? Count me out!] [Ah!!! I bought a unit from the Divine Bird! I request a refund!] It was obvious there was a hiredizen leading the tempo. Soon, news of #DivineBirdHauntedHouse# and #OwnerJoiningForceToRequestToRefund # had be hot searches as well. The most terrible thing was... Families of the 13 migrant workers refused to meet with Charmine to discuss the matter. They brought all their family members and headed over to the site of Divine Bird, bursting into sobs. Each of them even bought a floral wreath and even lit candles. In just half a day, the little area of Divine Bird which was initially a high-end area was forced to stop work to undergo an investigation. The scene had turned into a funeral. The family members were even crying desperately. Many took pictures of the scene until night fell. They even purposely put it into a ck and white photo, giving it a sad and scary atmosphere. Suddenly, almost 70 percent of the owners joined forces and called up the Jordan Group, requesting a refund. In the office of the Divine Bird site... Charmine looked at how things were progressing and her eyes gleamed coldly. ''Someone¡¯s behind this, no doubt. Just to get rid of me, the Baileys dared to sacrifice thirteen innocent human lives!'' Ring! Ring! Ring! The phone rang and the screen revealed two words-Anthony Bailey. After hesitating for a moment, she answered it. Anthony said with a deep voice, "I''ll find out who it was and give you an exnation." "Please make it fast, or I won¡¯t mind making a move on my own." 1 Whether it was Susan, Grandma Bailey, or Darryl, as long as those who were involved in this murder case, she would not let any one of them off the hook! 1 Anthony noticed the coldness in her reply as heforted, "Be a good girl and stay in the office. Don''t go anywhere and wait for my conclusion." 1 Charmine did not reply and hung up the call. How was it possible for her to sit and do nothing when things had progressed to such a state? She got to head out and settle the issue as soon as possible. Anthony knew she would not be able to rest assured, so he got up and headed outside. Waverly immediately said, "There are reporters outside. They''re still waiting to get in depth about yesterday''s news..." chapter 849 chapter 849 Ignoring Waverly, Anthony went straight to the garage and drove out in his car. As reporters ran up to his vehicle and attempted to surround him, Anthony stepped on the gas pedal harshly to its limit, not once releasing it. Terrified, the paparazzi evaded the car, not daring to block him again. Waverly watched on with fury, eyes cold with bitterness. ''Anthony had just been in the house for an entire day, yet he can¡¯t sit still just because Charmine is in trouble? Just how deep is he in love with Charmine?'' However, the thought of it made her smirk coldly. She wanted to see how Charmine would settle the issue under such pressure! At the site... Charmine had sent her men over to negotiate with the families of the dead, be it money or any other forms-they were free to bring it up. However, none of them epted the offer. Tens of children and women bewailed their faith. A few elders were on their knees, burning candles, making the entire site chaotic. Adam said to Charmine, "Charmine, you should head back to thepany. We¡¯ll settle the things on the site. They¡¯re way too agitated right now." "No, I must meet them personally." Charmine headed out of the office and walked straight to the site. The moment she stepped out, the security guards immediately went up and protected her, afraid that she might be injured. Some even asked, "Director Jordan, do you want to forcibly chase them out?" "No. You guys just stand here. You all don''t have to follow." Charmine stopped everyone and headed alone toward those children and women who were crying. She knew that gazes were turned her way. If she brought the security guards over by force, no one would know for sure what sort of articles would be written. Above all, she sincerely sympathized with the families of the victims. Original from N?velDrama.Org. Since she was young, because of her status as an orphan, she always wished to have a family that truly belonged to her. After the incident that urred five years ago, she became more sentimental about matters regarding families. 13 broken families were ced in front of her. They were the fathers of many children... As the director, she had the responsibility tofort them and settle the issue. However... As soon as she walked over, those who were crying immediately stared at her. "How dare you still show up?! What right do you have to visit them?!" "You''re just a woman. Just say if you don''t know how to operate apany or manage one. Why bother trying to act tough?!" "It''s about so many human lives here! Your faulty management caused them to die, just like that!" Sobs were heard as words followed, "You must return my husband to me! Return him to me!" There was ady who cried and went forth. She grabbed onto Charmine''s cor and kept pping at her. Charmine did not dodge it and just stood calmly, allowing thedy to beat her. Her gaze nced at the group ofdies who were crying and said, "Will beating me ease your family? If your husbands are in heaven watching this, will they be willing to see you guys in such a state right now?" It was supposed to be just an ordinaryment, yet her voice was crystal clear that resonated in their souls. All thedies came to a pause. if our husbands are in heaven watching this, will they be willing to see US in such a state right now?¡¯ ''Of course not... Of course they can¡¯t stand it. Our husbands will only wish for us to live a better life, taking a huge sum of money, and have a peaceful life.'' ''Besides, beating Charmine is indeed useless; futile.'' They were initially apprehensive toe to the site and wail of their fate. However... There was ady who suddenly thought of something. Her expression became very fierce. "Stop talking all this rubbish to us! If it''s not for you failing to manage yourpany, how can this thing even happen?" "I don''t want your money. No matter how much money it is, I don¡¯t want it. I just want you to pay with your life! Give me my husband''s life!" Thatdy got agitated and picked up a stone on the floor, attempting to smash it against Charmine''s head aggressively. Charmine was about to evade it but before she could even do so, a huge hand suddenly pulled her into a broad and firm chest. Raising her gaze, her eyelids fluttered in shock. ''Anthony! It really is Anthony!'' ''Why is he here?!1 ''This is a public scene, and there are lots of reporters hiding around. How could he...?'' chapter 850 chapter 850 The crowd at the scene reeled back in shock as their eyes were wide open. ''It''s Anthony Bailey!'' Anthony was hailed as the king that everyone in Burlington looked up to. He had attended all international conferences and multinational business conferences as well. He was even engaged with the Kansas'' royal family¡¯s wealthy heiress. ''Such a mighty man hade to the site belonging to the Jordan family, and even hugged Charmine?'' ''He is already a man with a fiancee, yet he still embraced Charmine like that?'' Charmine noticed that everyone''s gaze lingered on them, and she quickly pushed Anthony away. "Mr. Bailey, what brings you here?" She pretended to be a stranger to him and enquired, immediately burying their rtionship from all eyes. Anthony''s gaze was fixed on her as his eyes gleamed deeply. Charmine kept feeling that she was not being herself when Anthony looked at her. ¡¯He looks like he''ll say something he shouldn''t be saying, anytime now...'' Original from N?velDrama.Org. Fortunately, when she was perturbed, Anthony finally said, "As the Jordan family''s strategic partner, it''s only natural for me to show up to have a look when such a huge event has happened." The onlooking crowd was stunned at the scene and his response. ''So he''s only here because of work?'' ''Is that solely the purpose of it?¡¯ However, mighty people like Anthony had never been seen making a move to protect ady. Scratch that, he was never even seen getting close to anydy, yet all of a sudden, he held Charmine like that? Anthony did not exin to the crowd, only getting closer to Charmine. His gazended on Charmine''s body. Dust had gathered on her shirt, caused when the maniacdy was beating her. Anthony ced his hand in his right breast pocket and took out a handkerchief before gently wiping off the dust on her cor, cket, and so on. 1 Suddenly, the scene fell quieter. Everyone''s eyes widened in astonishment, and it was as if a needle dropping to the ground could be heard as well. ''What have we seen?!'' ''The always prestigious Anthony wiped off the dust for Charmine?'' ''Are we hallucinating?!'' Charmine''s eyes shrunk and her body stiffened. ''What the hell is Anthony doing?'' ''Everyone is already suspicious to begin with, and he should be staying far away, yet he¡¯s doing such a thing?!'' When everyone was astonished, Anthony had cleaned off all the dust from Charmine''s clothes. He took a step back and stood up straight. "As my working partner, please always pay attention to your appearance." Charmine and the crowd were speechless. ''So Anthony is here for thepany''s issue. He wiped the dust off of Charmine because she''s his working partner?'' ''Can we believe in this excuse?!'' Charmine felt like everyone''s suspicious gaze was akin to throwing her into a ho''s nest. She quickly took the initiative and took two steps back, reminding, "Mr. Bailey, could you please remind me immediately the next time? Your fiancee will misunderstand it, and that¡¯ll be worse." "Don''t worry, she''s very generous. She won''t mind," said Anthony in a prestigious way. 1 At that moment, Waverly was watching the live stream in the vi. A few live-streamed the Divine Bird site. Anthony¡¯s abrupt appearance made them stunned that they forgot to switch off their phones that aimed right at him and Charmine. Besides, no one was talking at the scene, allowing Anthony and Charmine''s voices to be very clear and audible. Waverly could clearly hear Anthony saying ''generous''. Her expression became very bitter that it could have forced out a drop of water. ''Generous... Generous...? How dare Anthony describe me as such! Is he praising me?'' ''Besides, working partner? He thinks using that term could help him protect Charmine from the masses? This is too much!'' chapter 851 chapter 851 The crowd was less suspicious when they thought of Waverly. Anthony had a point: He was engaged to Waverly, and he could not have messed around. Furthermore, Waverly was the wealthy heiress from Kansas, and however powerful Charmine was, she could notpete with a royal family. It seemed unlikely for Anthony to have anything to do with Charmine. Those who were waiting snapped out of their daze as they yelled at Anthony, "What are you doing here? Go away! We don¡¯t want to cause you any problem, we''re only targeting Charmine Jordan!" "This woman doesn''t know how to run apany. She didn''t manage it well, and that¡¯s why my husband died. She must kneel to apologize!" "We won''t take however much money she''s offering. She must get on her knees to apologize! One life for another!" Everyone scowled at her. Anthony''s already cold eyes became even more distant. "However much she¡¯s paying you, I''ll pay you double." The cries and wails instantly halted. What did he say...? Double? They were using Charmine, yet Anthony was speaking this way? Did he know something? Some of the women came for money. A person told them if they make a scene, they would be rewarded with a million bucks, and double that would be two million bucks! Most of them were tempted, but someone still stayed calm and said, "Sir, I don''t understand what you''re talking about. We only want to pay tribute to our husbands-we want justice for them! No matter how much you¡¯re paying US, we won''t take it. Please don¡¯t insult us!" "Yeah, we don''t want money! We don¡¯t want the money!" A kid was pushed by a woman and started wailing, "Waa... I want Daddy, I want Daddy...!" His cry invoked the tears of the other children present, and just like that, the scene was filled with whimpers. Anthony''s expression was even colder than before as he showed no hint of warmth nor sympathy. He instructed Luke, "Bring them to the funeral parlor by force. The people they wanted are in there; they should be sent to cry at the funeral parlor." "Yes, Sir!" Instantly, Luke led the bodyguards forward and they emotionlessly pulled everyone away. The women were yelling, "Let go of us! Let go of us!" "Look, everyone! The Jordan Group is using force on us! They''re attacking harmless women like us!" "Do you not have sympathy toward the children? They''re so young!" Had it been anyone else, even if the Jordan Group did such a thing, they would be scrutinized. However, it was Anthony. Everyone watched silently, tongue kept in check. Even those who were livestreaming the scene were forced to shut down their phones. All the reporters were too intimidated to shoot nor make a sound. The women were dragged into the cars as they used their children to beg for sympathy. Luke maintained his cold front. "None of you are caring for your children. You¡¯re using them for your own benefits, yet you expect the others to have sympathy for you? If you want to moan, go to the dead men!" Luke enforced his President''s order! Everyone was so terrified to speak up. Each of them was forced into the car and was sent away. Anthony looked at Charmine. "Follow me, I need to discuss a matter with you." With that said, he walked toward his luxurious car. Charmine frowned. Follow him to his car? In front of so many people...? However, if she did not follow him, everyone would think she was hiding something. Still, they did have to discuss this matter. She put on a formal attitude as she followed him to the car. Still shocked at how cold heartless Anthony was, his bodyguards leaned toward them and gave them a strict warning. Nobody dared to take the photos nor speak up at all. They could only stare as the car drove away. Inside the car, once Charmine settled in her seat, Anthony grabbed her wrist and pulled her closer. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Caught off-guard, Charmine fell into his arms, her body tightly held in his embrace. chapter 852 chapter 852 Anthony looked at Charmine with his stern gaze. "Didn¡¯t I ask you to wait for me while I sort it out? Why did you put yourself in N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. danger?" How would those women back there let her off easy had he not made it in time? Charmine matched his gaze with her own. "I can hide away, even if you didn¡¯t show up. I can handle it." "What do you take your husband for? Decoration?" Anthony scoffed coldly, histone showing how displeased he was. Charmine could feel the bitterness all over him. She decided to sit up straight on hisp and resolutely responded, "I can sort out thepany matter. I only need you to make sure the Bailey family isn''t overdoing things." Especially when it involved lives. The Baileys had ruined so many families! Pupils darkened, Anthony replied, "I''ve already chased Susan out of the board, and her shares are being confiscated." 3 Charmine frowned. So soon? Susan only owned 10 percent of the shares, worth at least a few billions. Within a day, a few billion vanished and she was kicked out of the board with no power left... Anthony''srge hand sped at her waist. "Be good, and stay at home. I''ll arrange for men to take care of yourpany matters." These people were overwhelmed with fury, so much so they might harm her. However, Charmine rejected, "No need. What you did today was enough for someone to get suspicious. If you arrange for someone to enter mypany, what would everyone think?" 1 No one was dumb. Adding up everything in a sequence, someone would eventually figure out the truth. Furthermore... "If I can''t even solve a small matter like this, how am I supposed to take over the entire Bailey family with you in the future?" Charmine questioned confidently. 1 Anthony studied her hard-as-diamond gaze. It seemed that whatever it was, she was always so unruffled. Moreover, she talked about the future. She thought about spending her future with him. Anthony failed to fight back the loving smile that crept on his face. Charmine thought of her n and looked at him. "Oh, right. The things I do following this will ruin your mother''s reputation. Do you mind?¡± 1 "Go ahead, don''t hold back," replied Anthony without hesitation. His low voice was steady like a mountain, always providing her with powerful support. 2 Charmine''s red lips curled up with satisfaction. Meanwhile, the car pulled over by Violet Residence. It was in front of Anthony''s vi. Many reporters were taking photos in the surrounding area, waiting to interview Anthony on what he said about Waverly lying. Charmine was shocked. "Anthony, you¡¯re bringing me back in front of everyone?" "Of course, my coborator." Anthony''s lips curled as he walked out of the car elegantly. By then, Luke had opened the door for Charmine as he stood by the side politely. Charmine was speechless... This man was so brazen to risk it all! Was he not afraid of being exposed in front of so many people? 3 s, she could not back out anymore. Looking around the car, she spotted some documents which she instantly picked up before walking out of the car. Dressed in a long suit with an open cor, she looked like a capable businesswoman. Along with the documents in her arms, she looked like someone who came for business. Stunned at the sight of Charmine, the reporters instantly took photos from where they hid. Hearing a dull noise outside, Waverly opened the door to the vi in an attempt to create the image of a gentle woman at home, happily weing Anthony. Little did she expect to see Charmine with him when the door opened, side by side. Her eyelids jumped. "Anthony, you two..." Were they trying to expose themselves?! Before she could finish her question, Anthony cut her short, "Ms. Jordan and I have some business matters to discuss. Go prepare two cups of coffee." Waverly''s face turned green. He asked her to make coffee for them? chapter 853 chapter 853 Anthony actually asked her, the elegant Waverly, to make them coffee? He treated her like a maid! "What? Why does the hostess seem so unweing?¡± questioned Charmine somewhat condescending. Waverly wanted to yell at her, but she had no way to; too many people were taking photos in the dark. "Of course I wee you,¡± she lied. Original from N?velDrama.Org. With that, Waverly held back her anger as she weed Anthony and Charmine inside the vi. Once the door was closed, the smile on Waverly''s face stiffened. "Anthony, Charmine, is it meaningful to y me like this?" "How can you call this a y? Don¡¯t you like being the hostess? Isn''t it kind of us to satisfy you?" scoffed Charmine. Waverly was utterly livid. How was this being a hostess? They were intentionally upsetting her! She thought by living under the same roof as Anthony, they could develop some feelings. It seemed more like a self-induced punishment instead! However, she was unwilling to leave. She would not let Charmine and Anthony win! She walked over and opened the curtains, prepared two cups of coffee, and ced them on the coffee table. "Ms. Jordan, please have a seat." The other cup of coffee was ced by the side. As the guest, Charmine could only sit by the side. The curtains were opened with many reporters outside. How would they be able to sit together? How would they show off their love in front of her? Unruffled, Charmine walked over and sat down by the side. Waverly¡¯s red lips curled up with satisfaction. So what if Charmine was arrogant? Charmine would have to let her! Once Charmine sat by the side, she would be able to sit on the host seats with Anthony. On the long sofa, she would be able to cling to Anthony. With that image in mind, her eyes were filled with delight. All of a sudden... Instead of sitting on the host''s seat, Anthony went to sit opposite Charmine. 1 Opposite to her was a single sofa as well. The two sat on two ends of the coffee table, treating the table as a long rectangr meeting table as they sat opposite to one another. Waverly, meanwhile, was stunned on the spot, the expression on her face stiffened. She had to sit on the main seat alone, on the long sofa? Damn it! How could they rub it on her face?! Unable to hold back her anger, Waverly reached out and pulled up the curtains. 1 She did not want anyone to capture the shot of her sitting alone! With the curtains closed shut, Waverly no longer had to act as she walked away, into her bedroom. She must hold it in. She must hold it until Susan made Charmine leave! Charmine looked at her retreating form, her red lips curled up mockingly. How was she not embarrassed to act? Charmine had yet to do anything, yet she ran away already? Anthony watched Charmine''s faint expression. He stood up and lifted his arm. "Come over, time to have a nap upstairs." Charmine stood up and clung to Anthony*s arm as they walked upstairs. The two looked like a newlywed couple, very loving. Waverly was about to close the door when she happened to see them both. She was the one Anthony was engaged to, yet she was rendered to be the third person! 6 Her hand on the door handle clenched tightly. Ridiculous. She could go insane with this much ridiculousness! After closing the door, she phoned Max, "Brother, did you see the news? It''s time for US to give it a push.¡± "Alright, I¡¯ll make the arrangements." Max agreed, walking to theputer and started working on it. His eyes were filled with deep hatred. chapter 854 chapter 854 At night... News of [Divine Bird Site Thirteen Dead!] was sent out. With Max backing it, the news made it to the headlines of many Original from N?velDrama.Org. countries, damaging the Divine Bird Project¡¯s development in other countries. The Divine Bird, with that, was dubbed ''the haunted house¡¯. Furthermore, the news, [Anthony Discussing Business With Charmine Overnight] was sent out. Many people realized how severe the matter was. Two moguls discussing such matters overnight. How could it not be a big deal? Everyone was antsy for the follow-up on this matter as news after news came up. Inside the room, Chris asked Charmine, "Mommy, Mommy, do you have a n for this? How should we fix this?" "Go and sleep, Momo. You''ll know tomorrow," Charmineforted him. Chris was not content with just that. "No! If you don¡¯t tell me. I¡¯ll get so worried that I can¡¯t fall asleep. I won¡¯t be able to go to school tomorrow." "Ah, look at you..." Charmine had no choice but to put it in two simple sentences. "It was actually your grandmother who nned all these. They didn''t die from an ident-they volunteered to die." 1 "Volunteered to die?" Chris was baffled. Charmine then continued, "When I went to inspect the site this morning, I noticed many workers looking at me with guilt. After the incident, Kay and his men investigated it and found that many of them searched online for thepensation amount of their idental death insurance in thest two days. If it wasn¡¯t an ident, they didn''t die for nothing. I''ll find the families at two to three in the morning. I''ll make sure they admit and stop making a scene." 1 As long as the families stopped making a scene at the site, the matter would cool down gradually. Furthermore, if it was voluntary death and the workers were used of ripping offpensation from the insurancepany, the matter would only worsen. Chris said happily, "Mommy is clever!" Outside the room... Waverly walked up the stairs to retrieve her items and, as the door to the room was not closed entirely, she happened to overhear their n. Charmine actually thought of this to turn things over? 1 Not on her watch. She instantly went downstairs and closed the door, calling Susan right away. "Auntie, may I ask if you had things to do with the thirteen deaths?" On the other end of the call, Susan halted. Even Waverly figured out? "Auntie, you don¡¯t have to hide it from me. I know you were forcing Charmine to back out, and I won''t me you." Waverly¡¯s tone was gentle andforting as she continued, "The reason I called is to tell you that Charmine knew about it. She''s going to the families by this morning to convince them to stop making a scene. It seems... It seems that she''s ready to attack you. Do be careful." Susan frowned. It was bad enough Anthony took her shares, yet Charmine wanted to attack her already, wanting to turn the tides? Susan had put in so much effort and incurred so much loss. There was no way Charmine could turn things over! ''Thank you for letting me know, Waverly. I''ll make arrangements right away." Once she hung up, Susan took out her phone and instructed an assistant," Keep a close eye on the funeral parlor. Do not let Charmine get close to any of the families. Furthermore, warn the families, and top up the amount!" "Yes, Madam." The night was as dark as ink. Susan patiently waited for the news, waited until the phone finally rang. She asked, "How was it? Have you seeded?" "Sorry, but he''s caught.¡± A cold voice came from the speaker of her phone. This voice... This voice belonged to Charmine! Susan''s eyelids jumped abruptly. "Charmine!?" chapter 855 chapter 855 "Don¡¯t be shocked. I arranged for your favorite daughter-inw to call you," said Charmine calmly. 2 Susan instantly understood. Waverly took the bait! How could Waverly be so dumb?! She gritted her teeth. "What do you want, Charmine?" "Your henchman is now with me. Do you think I can make him sell you out?" Charmineid back on the sofanguidly. In front of her was a man tied up, on his knees. Susan''s eyelids jumped abruptly. Although the man was loyal, Susan knew how capable Charmine was. She threatened, "Are you sure you want to go against me, Charmine? I¡¯ll hate you even more if you do this!" 1 "Would you like me if I don¡¯t? Will you approve of Anthony and I being together?" retorted Charmine. Susan fell silent instantly. Of course not! No matter what happened, she would never ept Charmine! Charmine said slowly and unhurriedly, "Since you''re Anthony''s mother, I''ll give you two choices: Firstly, stand out and admit everything. Secondly, I¡¯ll ept your henchman as your scapegoat, but you''ll have to tweet, ''How could Waverly be so stupid?!¡¯" Susan¡¯s eyelids jumped abruptly. She wanted her to publicly shame Waverly? Anthony already publicly shamed Waverly during the live broadcast, and Charmine wanted her to do it next? The D''Cruz family might attack the Baileys! She scowled angrily, "You''re pushing it, Charmine. I won''t ept this!" "Alright, I¡¯ll make him sell you out then. I''m sure the news of Mrs. Bailey harming thirteen lives can make it to the headlines!" teased Charmine as she was about to hang up the phone. Susan gritted his teeth. A person like Charmine would actually do that! ''Wait!" Susan stopped her. "I''ll post it! You¡¯d do well to remember, Charmine, that I''ll remember this. Don¡¯t you ever think of marrying into the Bailey family!" 1 With that, she hung up the call. Charmine was unfazed. Hah! She had faced numerous threats from a young age, so much so she got used to it. Furthermore, she did not want to marry into the Bailey family-she only wanted to marry Anthony! 5 Inside the vi... Waverly was unable to fall asleep as she waited for the call, waited for the news on Charmine¡¯s n failing. 1 Susan would thank her and would like her even more! Little did she expect... Susan phoned her and said, "I''m sorry, Waverly, but my henchman is with Charmine. She wanted me to make a tweet in order to let him off, saying how can you be so stupid." Waverly¡¯s eyelids jumped. "You agreed?" "I don''t have a choice. If I don''t agree, Charmine won''t let US off the hook. I can''t have anything to do with the thirteen lives involved. I¡¯ve wronged you this time; it¡¯s on me," said Susan apologetically. Waverly was infuriated. "How could you do this? People are stilling for me after what Anthony had said about me, and my reputation is at stake. If you tweet this, what would others think of me?" 1 "I don''t have a choice! What else can I do?" Susan was very angry. She was already not in a good mood, and with Waverly running her mouth, she grumbled, "If you didn''t pass that on to me, Charmine wouldn''t have gotten my henchman. I don''t have a Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. choice now. That¡¯s it for now, I''ll make it up to you in the future and kick Charmine out." With that said, Susan hung up instantly. Waverly clenched her fists tightly. Damn it! Susan shifted the me to her? She actually listened to Charmine and would publicly shame her? She would have to embarrass herself in public...to be negatively spoken of by theizens...! chapter 856 chapter 856 That night... Susan had no choice but to tweet, [How could Waverly be so dumb?! What an idiot!] 1 Her ount was verified as a wealthydy, so many people knew her identity. Once she made the tweet, it only took a moment beforements appeared: [Waverly?] [How did Waverly offend her mother-inw?] [I thought Susan Bailey used to like her. She even looked after her on their engagement day. What happened behind the scenes that Waverly did to offend Susan so badly?] [She looks like a nice woman. Why would she lie and be called dumb?] [Waverly was caught lying, and now she was publicly called dumb? This wouldn''t happen for no reason, and I suspect that she has a wed personality!] Many people were specting for entertainment. Waverly was wrongly used of having a ''wed personality¡¯. 2 Waverly nearly went ballistics. Throughout the night, Waverly¡¯s phone was bombarded with calls from Max, Fredrick, and the rest, asking for exnations. While she hated Susan for this, she was to be her mother-inw, and it was indeed her fault from the start. She had no choice but to hold back her anger to calm the others. How frustrating! At the funeral parlor... All of the women with their children were watching outside the morgue. Under Anthony''s control, this was the only ce they could wail and mourn. At 2am, Charmine walked down the long corridor. When the crowd saw her, they instantly scowled at her loudly, "What are you doing here? You broke families after families! Go away! Get lost!" Overridden with their emotions, everyone hated her with a burning passion. 1 They hated Charmine for killing their husbands. They hated Charmine for using force to stop them from making a scene. When Charmine saw them, she calmly waved. The man in ck shirt had been thoroughly beaten up by Charmine, he had no choice but to walk forward and exined, ''They didn¡¯t die in an ident. I bribed them, and they died voluntarily." "What...? What?" The crowd was shocked. The man in ck shirt continued, "I''m an enemy of Charmine, and I''ve hated her for a long time. I want to ruin her site, so in my effort, I handpicked all of your husbands. Every family here was in great difficulty with huge amounts of loans, and your men have toiled day and night with burdens weighing them down. I merely suggested to them that if they died, other than the idental insurance im, I''ll pay each of you two million bucks. They agreed. If you don''t believe me, you may watch this footage." 1 He showed the screen of the tablet to the crowd. On the screen, he brought the men to an alley to talk things out. There was a final scene. Although the thirteen workers looked as if they were busy with their own work, they were actually walking to a spot below the tower crane. Each of them had been prepared fortheir deaths. The families watched with tears running down their cheeks. They never knew...and it was only after the incident that they were told to make a scene to gain a million bucks. Everyone thought that their husbands¡¯ deaths were caused by the ident due to their work, which was why they went ahead to cause a ruckus. However, they faced the truth that their loved ones died voluntarily...only to gain more money for them. It had nothing to do with Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Charmine or the Jordan Group... Charmine spent the entire night sorting it out. The next morning, she hosted a press conference to exin everything to the world. She published the shift timing of each worker, and every worker would only work eight hours. They would not be subjected to any ''additional weights and burdens''. She even published the footage ofst night and pressed charges against the man in ck in front of everyone. The wives of the dead workers apologized to Charmine and the Jordan Group. Everything was set up by the man in ck; it was not an ident. This went viral. chapter 857 chapter 857 So that was the truth. The Jordan Group was wrongly used! 1 The scrutiny against the Jordan Group online stoppedpletely. Manyizens even spoke up for the Jordan Group, sympathizing with how unfairly they were treated. Apart from that, everyone was so into talking about how the workers killed themselves for insurance money that they abandoned the ''haunted'' Divine Bird topic. The tables have turned. Satisfied with the oue, Charmine could finally go home and sleep after sorting it out overnight. Car parked at thepany''s backdoor, Anthony waited inside, and as she got into the car, Anthony handed a warm yellow cute kitten mug to her. The adorable cartoon kitten could melt one''s heart. Charmine opened the lid and took a few sips. It was a nicely scented tea that evaporated her fatigue. She looked up and asked, "Where did you buy this? It tastes good." 1 Anthony''s lips curled up at her praise. "I''m d you like it." d she liked it? As if sensing something, Charmine felt a surge of warmth in her heart. Anthony made this tea himself. He, the high-above Boss Bailey, hand-brewed the tea for her... Suddenly, she thought of something as she said to Anthony, "Since you''re treating me so well, I''ll take a day off with you at home. I''ll make you a meal!" 2 "Okay." Anthony''s thin lips curled up slightly. She was so immersed in work as ofte that she had not spent much time with him during the day. Meanwhile, at Violet Residence... Already overwhelmed with anger throughout the night, Waverly never expected to see some even more frustrating news the next morning. The Jordan Group actually turned things around? Everyone had forgotten about how ''haunted'' the Divine Bird was? Why did she have to be negatively spoken of, hated by the public, while Charmine got the limelight? That should not have happened! Just as she was struggling in her anger, the sound of the door opening outside was heard. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Was Anthonying home after sending Chris to school? Waverly quickly touched up her make up and retrieved the emotions she should not be carrying with her. Charmine must be busy sorting out thepany matters. It was her chance to spend time with Anthony! Little did she expect that upon leaving her room, she saw Charmine and Anthony! 1 The two walked in, side-by-side. They seemed enamored with one another as Charmine clung to Anthony''s arm. Her eyelids jumped. "Charmine, it''s morning. Why did you bothe together?¡± "Did you see any reporter outside?" Charmine scoffed coldly. There were times Waverly would just not bother to clear them up, but this day, she wanted to spend a day with Anthony, thus she went through the trouble to disperse the flies on the wall. Waverly looked outside and noticed all the reporters-including the ones from Kansas-had been clearedpletely. She clenched her fists angrily, livid at the turn of events. Without the reporters and the people lurking around, Charmine could be with Anthony however she liked! "Oh, yes, I haven¡¯t been able to thank you," said Charmine out of the blue as she gazed at Waverly. "Thank you for calling Mrs. Baileyst night so that I could capture that man and turn things around. Since you helped me so much, I''ve brought you breakfast. What do you say?" said Charmine as she handed a breakfast set to Waverly. It was some skinned chicken breast. With just one nce, Waverly thought of how she did this to herself. Face green in anger, she used all her willpower to repress her frustration, politely saying, "No thanks, I''m not hungry." With that said, she turned and walked into her room, no longer able to hold it anymore. She picked up her phone and texted Max, [Brother, sort it out. I don''t want Charmine to get away!] [Don''t worry, the incident isn''t over yet. I won''t give her the chance to turn things around!] chapter 858 chapter 858 Inside the vi... Charmine wore the apron, wanting to prepare lunch for Anthony when Anthony turned her down. "You''ve been busy for one whole night. Go get some rest, let me prepare lunch." "But..." Charmine wanted to speak, but Anthony added, ''You want to prepare me a meal just because I brewed you a cup of tea?" Charmine halted. He had a point-there was no need. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. "Alright, I''ll rest." Instead of heading upstairs, Charmineid down on the sofa. Anthony covered her with a nket before entering the kitchen. Waverly wasing out for a breather when she spotted Charmineying on the sofa while the highly hailed Anthony was busy in the kitchen. Wearing an apron over his white shirt, his apathy was much less than it usually was. In fact, he exuded a homely gentleness aura. A man like him actually liked Charmine... Amid her thoughts, Anthony struggled to use a device. It seemed as if it was his first time using it and he had no idea how to work with it. Waverly withdrew the unpleasantness in her eyes and walked toward the kitchen. "Mr. Bailey, let me help you." The worse they treated her, the gentler she had to present herself. She did not believe that Anthony would not like her. Anthony merely scoffed, "No need, don''t taint the food she''s about to eat." 4 Waverly¡¯s face stiffened. Taint her food? Anthony spoke of her so lowly?! If it was not for her well-cultivated manners, she would haveshed out. She thought of her n and said, "I''ll make my own lunch. I hope that''s okay with Mr. Bailey?" As she spoke, she marched into the kitchen and took out the ingredients she needed. Anthony did not like being in the same space as her, but he was making soup for Charmine. He had to stay and watch the soup so Waverly could not drug her. With that, Waverly walked around him as she washed the vegetables, cut the greens, and used the machine. Her every gesture was elegant, beautifully presented in each angle. As she cut the vegetables, the shoulder strap on one side of her shoulder slipped down, showing her fair shoulder. She thought Anthony would surely look at her, that he would be seduced, so it startled her at how he was merely focused on the soup, stirring and working on his phone. The screen of his phone was full of Charmine''s news. He actually had an anonymous ount, helping Charmine to retweet the articles. The high-above Anthony personally retweeted the articles to support Charmine. He would rather y with his phone than to look at her. 1 Even when she finished making her dishes, Anthony spared her not even a nce! This was far from enough... Anthony was making a nutritious soup for Charmine, and it took him a few hours. After making the soup, he kept his phone and scooped a bowl of soup for Charmine. Charmine slept on the sofa and pouted. "I''m not hungry, I don¡¯t want to eat." "Be good, drink it," coaxed Anthony. Charmine sounded like a child as she whined, "No... Mmh... I want to sleep. Let me sleep for longer..." She pulled the nket over her head. Anthony''s thin lips curled up. "It looks like you¡¯re hoping for me to wake you up in a special way." With that said, he leaned forward and kissed Charmine''s lips. Waverly was still in the living room. They kissed just like that as if nobody was around them! She was so frustrated that her face turned green. "Mr. Bailey, I hope you two can behave yourselves!" she reprimanded them. 1 Stopping for a moment, Anthony snapped, "Leave if you can''t take it!" 2 His tone was merciless, cold. There was no hint of the gentleness he treated Charmine with. chapter 859 chapter 859 Anthony was a totally different person! By then, Charmine was fully awake as she stared at Waverly nonchntly." I hope Ms. D''Cruz can fix her clothes before she asks others to behave. If you¡¯re not well-behaved, I hope you''re prepared for the others to be not well -behaved, too." With that said, she wound her arms around Anthony''s neck and kissed him back. If Waverly could have a strap of her clothing fall from her shoulder in front of Anthony, Charmine could kiss Anthony in front of her! 1 Waverly almost exploded with anger as she watched the two on the sofa. She wanted to tear away that face of Charmine''s, but she could only leave angrily. She had to hold it, just for a while longer! Max said he was all geared up. Waverly believed Charmine would find herself in hot soup again. As expected, on the same afternoon... Anthony went to thepany to sort out some matters, and that left only Waverly and Charmine at home. While Charmine was asleep, Adam called her urgently. "Charmine, it''s bad-the [Divine Bird is Haunted] has gone up the search bar again. We don''t know what they said to the buyers, but all the buyers are downstairs, and they''re asking for a refund. There are almost a thousand people, and they''re not going away. We''ve said everything we could, but they insisted on asking for a refund. They''re unwilling to buy this so-called haunted ce; they want their money back..." Charmine¡¯s drowsiness disappeared instantly. "Establish control over the havoc for now. I''ll think of something." Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. "Alright." Adam hung up. Charmine opened her phone and saw the heated topics online. As expected, news like #Haunted-Divine-Bird and #Divine-Bird-Buyers- Asking-For-A-Refund had gone up the search bar. 1 In the photos, almost a thousand buyers had gathered outside the Jordan Group''s lobby, yelling in anger. Someone even made a banner with printed words, [Return My Money!] The discussion on the matter was heated. [Thirteen men died. Even if they died voluntarily, this is indeed a haunted ce.] [Thirteen men died. One mustn''t live in an area like this.] [We must get a refund!] [Isn''t Charmine a supermodel? Isn''t she the owner of the diamond mine? She doesn''tck the money of the buyers, so give back our money!] Charmine frowned. It was only half a day and someone was that eager to have another go? They wanted to attack the Jordan Group again? They were pushing it this time. They actually contacted all buyers of the Divine Bird, and almost a thousand buyers went over to thepany to cause a scene! 1 It was a tricky situation, indeed. Although they had signed the contracts clearly stating the no-refund policy, all the buyers had banded together. The entire world was watching how the Jordan Group would deal with it. If they did not deal with it well, the Jordan Group''s reputation would be ruined. How could she fix it? If she refunded their money, nobody would buy the houses anymore. The entire project would be at loss, and the area would end up a dead city. If she did not refund, these buyers would continue making a scene, and news of such havoc would be like wildfire... At that moment, Max suddenly texted, [Charmine, I''ll help you fix it if you return the shares to me.] Susan also chimed in, texting, [Charmine, if you leave Anthony now, the Bailey family can step in to help you get out of your current situation. Otherwise, prepare to witness the Jordan Group¡¯s demise!] Susan was clearly threatening her! Waverly walked out of the room and leaned close to the vasenguidly. "Charmine, just give up already. As long as you''re fighting to be by Anthony''s side, they won''t give up attacking you. This will happen more and more often. Why don¡¯t you give up now? Why keep holding on? You¡¯re no match for both the Baileys and the D¡¯Cruz family!" Waverly''s tone was beautifully venomous. She was sure that Charmine had no way of getting out of this matter. However... Charmine''s red lips curled up stunningly. "Give up? There''s no such thing as ''give up'' in my Charmine''s dictionary!" 1 The more they wanted to see her fail, the more she wanted them to be disappointed! chapter 860 chapter 860 Picking up the phone, Charmine then called Adam and instructed, "Arrange a refund for everyone. We¡¯ll return all of their money." Waverly''s pupils dted. Were her ears ying tricks? Charmine actually agreed to refund them? Adam was just as startled. "Refund? Charmine, are you sure?" Once they agreed to refund, the Divine Bird''s profit would be all gone! They would be at a loss! As thepany was the one shouldering the buyers'' loans, they would be responsible for covering the costs of all the houses. With that, thepany would have to be in debt of up to a hundred million bucks! By then, nobody would buy the houses of the Divine Bird-nobody would buy the haunted houses. The Divine Bird Project was as good as dead! In fact, if they did not refund and continued dragging on, they could get over with it if they were shameless enough. Charmine merely said, Tm sure. Refund them right away. Make sure all the procedures proceed within today." Waverly listened on, baffled with what happened. Why did Charmine seem like she could not wait to take back these houses? With the current situation, what could she do with the Divine Bird? What did Charmine have in mind to fix it? Charmine hung up the call, ignored Waverly''s doubtful expression, and marched upstairs. It merely took a while before #JordanGroup-Full-Refund made the headlines. This happened so quickly that everyone was unable to react from shock. Nobody had expected Charmine to be able to provide a full refund to everyone so quickly. Was shepletely giving up on the Divine Bird, throwing all of her money into the water just like that? 1 The Baileys were having dinner together at the Bailey mansion. Grandma Bailey mumbled, ''What do you all think Charmine is ying? Why don¡¯t I understand?¡± "Mother, don¡¯t mind her. She¡¯s not lowering her pride at me, so she¡¯s just trying to hold herst breath! Since she had put in so much money into this Divine Bird Project, this means she''s no longer capable. She''s still not good enough to be with our Anthony," Susanforted, scooping for her a bowl of soup. Grandma Bailey sipped at it though still deep in thought. Did Charmine spend all of her money on this project? Why did she feel like Charmine would fight back? Would this youngdy give up so easily? Meanwhile, Dorothy suddenly came in with her phone and blurted excitedly, "Grandma Bailey, Grandma Bailey, have a look! It''s a big deal!" Grandma Bailey suspiciously epted the phone, noticing that it was Charmine¡¯s Twitter feed. Charmine posted a tweet: [I don''t want to work anymore...] With just one simple sentence, all moguls appeared in thements. [The National No.1 Leader of ESports, Old Larry: Give me one house, right away!] [The President of the International Checkers Association, Old Zul: I want two units! One unit for my beloved granddaughter!] [A Mega-Mogul in Scientific Research Field, Old Pop: I want twenty units! I''ll pay online!] [A Little ve of Diamond Boss, Prince Simon Gray: Thirty units is enough. I''ve been quite broke recently...] [Dragoul Combating Team, Kay: I want a hundred units! Each of the teammates will get one unit! Who''s afraid of a haunted house now? Which corner of the Earth has no dead people over billions of years?] [A Humble Designer: Give me one unit! I¡¯ll fully support Boss Jordan! Please, I beg you to consider coborating with me next season!] Swiftly after, the Master Designer-Mr. Boluvre, an International Investigator Mogul-a Forensic Mogul, the Inventor, the Superstar, Supermodels, and the likes have all made the transaction online. This was not a set-up... They actually paid online! They posted the screenshot of the transaction made to the Jordan Group. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Within a night, all of the units from the Divine Bird close to a thousand units were all sold out without anything left! chapter 861 chapter 861 Furthermore, each of the Divine Bird''s new customers was a mogul, and these prominent figures would be residing in the Divine Bird area! Charmineid on the bed as she wore her moisturizing mask. Seeing that so many people supported her, she had to tweet, [Since you¡¯re all so supportive, I¡¯ll give you all a 10% discount!] That got the people talking. [Discount??? Are you looking down on US?] Original from N?velDrama.Org. [Just give me a n!] [Consider coborating with me!] [Give me your new inventions!) All of these moguls were so supportive of Charmine. Never did theizens expect to see such a great, 180-degree turn of events as they waited for a follow-up regarding the Jordan Group. They thought the Divine Bird would not be sold, yet with just one word from Charmine, all the moguls from each field appeared right away! How could Charmine know so many moguls? Moreover, they all seemed to be so supportive of her! 1 Who was Charmine, exactly? How could she be so powerful?! 1 The news made Grandma Bailey reel back in shock, in disbelief. "See, I was right! I knew this youngdy wouldn''t give in so easily. What can you do to her now?" Grandma Bailey pridefully handed the phone to Susan, pridefully. Susan frowned. Who was she siding with? Averting her gaze to the phone, Susan was stunned at what she read. Charmine had sessfully turned the tides and made things in her favor! Still, she expected Charmine to be bankrupt, expecting Charmine to beg for her forgiveness. Who would have thought that Charmine actually knew so many moguls? She triumphed over all the hurdles and made it her own! Thinking back, the text she sent Charmine was such an embarrassment... "I think we should reconsider Charmine," began Grandma Bailey. ''Waverly''s reputation hasn''t been that great recently. Furthermore, thinking closely, she agreed to be the decoy for Anthony and Charmine, yet she broke the promise halfway in at the end. How trustworthy is she?¡± 3 Mentioning Waverly, Susan was unhappy. If it was not for Waverly being an idiotst night and passed on the wrong information, she would not have lost her assistant! 1 The assistant was her best assistant. She paid double the loss! However... "Sigh! The D''Cruz family is big. How could Charminepete with them? However supportive these moguls are, they''re not her family. Who¡¯d genuinelye to her aid if she''s met with great trouble? Mother, don''t you forget; the matter is about to happen. Within half a year, the Bailey family will be in great danger. Without the help of the D''Cruz family, what can we do?" 2 ''Well..." Grandma Bailey sighed deeply. She asked, "What are you going to do next? I don''t think you can fight her." "Be confident. Remove the ''I think¡¯!" A cold voice was heard suddenly. Everyone turned around to see that it was Anthony, and he was home! Anthony had not set foot to the Bailey mansion for a long time, yet he returned all of a sudden? Senior Bailey instructed, "Prepare an additional set of cutleries.¡± "No need." Anthony cut him off coldly. He scoffed, Tm to let you all know that if you attack Charmine again, I''ll transfer all of our three majorpanies to Charmine right away." 1 The Bailey Corporation owned ten majorpanies of different industries. Each of them was practically a gold mine in each field! Out of the ten, seven of thepanies were owned by many of the Baileys, but three of them were owned by Anthony alone. 1 As long as he wanted to, he could give it to someone else anytime! Susan was so frustrated that the fork in her hand fell to the floor. ''What... What did you say? You''d turn against the Bailey family for Charmine!?" chapter 862 chapter 862 Anthony remained cold and calm as he shot Susan a cold re. "Are you all not turning against me now?" His cold tone was full of power, his tone housing an apparent hint of usation. Susan felt her chest hurting. "We did all that for your sake! Charmine isn''t good enough for you-she''s nothing close to Waverly!" "You don''t have a say in whether she''s good enough or not. I''ve made my message clear: If you insist, ready yourselves for a whole lot to pay." 2 With that, Anthony turned and left. The enraged Darryl mmed the table. "You''re turning against us! You''ve changed...! You''ve changed!¡± 1 He seldom came home, yet he came home to threaten them? ording to his tone, he would actually transfer the threepanies to Charmine? Each of the threepanies was worth more than the entire Jordan Group! Grandma Bailey sighed. "This is what love can do to a person; this is how youngsters behave nowadays. To be fair, I''ve never seen Anthony acting based on his feelings. I think we should tone it down slightly, and let¡¯s speak when he''s calmer." 1 "You''ve all spoiled him! You''ve shaped this bad temper of his from a young age!" Senior Bailey scoffed angrily. He threw away the fork and left. Only God knew how he thought they could finally dine as a family. s... Susan was livid. She put in so much effort, yet she was not understood? Still, Grandma Bailey was right. Anthony was fuming, and he had to cool off. 1 At the vi. After sorting out the situation, Charmine spent most of the day sleeping. With adequate sleep, she prepared a full table of dishes with Chris. Waverly was in the living room, unable to react for a long while. She thought the Divine Bird Project would be over, but how could Charmine forcefully turn things around? Also, Charmine knew that many moguls?! How did she meet them? What had she gone through in the past five years? A woman who was raped and yet was backed with support from various people? As she was caught up in her thoughts, the door was opened. Anthony hade home. Removing his suit and hanging it on the hanger, he walked inside the house elegantly. Chris rushed down to wee him right away. "Daddy, you''re finally back! You''re in luck today! Mommy is in a good mood, and she cooked US a pot of pepper crabs!" Anthony frowned. A pot of pepper crabs? Could crabs be eaten that way? Who would cook crabs with pepper? Was Charmine uneducated? At that moment, Charmine brought out a pot of pepper crabs, grinning at both Chris and Anthony. "Oh, dear. I was ying with my phone and forgot to keep a close eye on it. It¡¯s overcooked..." The crabs in the pot she carried had turned to ck when they should have been red. They smelt overcooked. Waverly smiled. "Don''t pretend as if you can cook if you can''t. The overcooked food contains benzopyrene, and it can cause N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. cancer." 1 With such a professional warning, Anthony would surely look down on Charmine. He might even me Charmine for trying to harm him! 1 Little did she expect... Anthony walked over to receive the pot from Charmine and looked at the food inside. ''The crab shell is burnt, but the meat is still edible!" "Righto! Let''s eat!" Chris ran over happily to prepare the cutleries. Charmine was quite upset. As it had been a while since she prepared a meal, she did not expect her crabs to turn out like this. There were so many crabs, and she spent so much effort cleaning and preparing them. She was prepared to bin them all, yet Anthony did not seem to mind? ''Why are you still stunned? Afraid of cancer?" teased Anthony as he reached out to caress her face. chapter 863 chapter 863 "Don¡¯t worry. Even if you get cancer, Momo and I will still be with you.¡± With that said, he put his arm around her waist and walked to the dining hall. Charmine burst outughing, unable to hold it back. Of course she was not afraid. 1 The burnt part was only the crabs¡¯ shells, and only these could cause cancer. Furthermore, even if the food was overcooked, eating it once in a while would not cause any cancer, let alone the crab meat! Regardless, the usually elegant Anthony would eat the overcooked dish with her? Charmine felt a surge of warmth in her. Sitting beside Anthony, he personally picked up some meat for her. Anthony gazed at her. ''Touched? Why don''t you consider officiating our rtionship?" Charmine frowned. Officiate...? Anthony just had to bring it up again. Although they were winning, the Jordan Group was just getting sturdy. The n to get into the international market was still ongoing, even though the Bailey family still did not like her. Most importantly, she still had not figured out why Chris'' body would reject the needles.... With that, she reached out to remove the shell of a crab for Anthony. "Don''t talk when eating." Inside the living room, Waverly''s hand clenched tightly. Anthony would genuinely eat such overcooked food, just to make Charmine happy? Absolutely ridiculous. 1 Listening to the conversation from the dining hall made her even more bitter, more jealous! Anthony was the one wanting to officiate their rtionship, and Charmine was the one dragging things on? Was she using this trick to hook in Anthony? How despicable! Unable to take it in, she went to her room and called Susan. "Auntie, I''ve exined to Max regarding what you did to me on Twitter, and they won¡¯t me you. Nheless, what n do you actually have in the future? Charmine is making you submit, and she''s living with Anthony fearlessly. If this goes on, I¡¯m afraid-" "Sigh... Please hold it in for a little longer, Waverly. I don''t have a n right now. Now that Charmine has the upper hand with so many moguls supporting her, Anthony is seduced by her and he''d do anything for her. We''re unable to do anything recently as once we do something, Anthony might attack US. I hope you can understand." Comforting her for a moment, Susan hung up afterward. The situation annoyed Susan. Not only did she have to cater to her son, but she also had to serve her daughter-inw? No way! Waverly was so furious that her face turned green. Susan actually disrespected her so much? She was Waverly D''Cruz, the wealthy heiress of the D''Cruz family! She tossed away her phone and looked at the photo of Anthony in her room. Her hands clenched tightly. No matter how they treated her, Anthony must be hers! 2 Original from N?velDrama.Org. All of a sudden, a tall figure suddenly came in from the window, exuding a cold temperament. 1 When Waverly saw him, her pupils dted. "Brother, why are you here?!" 2 This was Anthony''s vi, yet Max came to find her. They would be in deep trouble if they knew Max was in. Max walked behind her and hugged her from the back. "If I didn''te, would you continue to stare at Anthony''s photo? Tell me, Waverly: have you fallen for Anthony after all?" he interrogated. 3 As he spoke, he turned Waverly¡¯s face and lifted her chin. Waverly¡¯s eyes shed a hint of panic, though she maintained an unbothered front. "I keep nothing from you, and you still don¡¯t trust me?" Max looked at her beautiful side-profile and turned her around, toying with a strand of her hair. ''There¡¯s a photo of Anthony hung in your room, and you stared at it for so long. How can I trust you?" Waverly frowned. Suddenly, she stood on her tiptoes and seized his lips with hers. chapter 864 chapter 864 Back stiffened in their kiss, Max grabbed Waverly''s waist and wanted to kiss back. However, Waverly pushed him away and exined, ''The photo was already there in the room. I zoned out, thinking of a way to get revenge. I''m thinking of how to get Anthony to dump Charmine. If you don''t trust me, who else can you trust?" With that, her soft and beautiful body leaned into his arms. Max looked at her innocent eyes-he trusted her. He lowered his head to kiss her lips. Waverly panicked, "Don¡¯t do it here, Anthony they all might notice...¡± "Don''t worry. Anthony only loves Charmine; he doesn¡¯t care for you. He''s busy loving Charmine anyway, so why would he notice?" 2 Max kissed her daringly. Everyone thought they were siblings, but only they knew that it was not the case. 1 As Max pressed Waverly down, his eyes bore an unnoticeable hint of unwillingness and hatred. Anthony would not look at her, Anthony did not care for her. He only cared for Charmine... That was the truth. Once they were finished with the big pot of burnt crabs, Anthony, Charmine, and Chris walked up to the second floor, neglecting Waverly entirely. 1 Charmine''s red lips curled into a smirk as she eyed the closed door downstairs. Waverly wanted to snatch her man, was she? She wanted to live with Anthony, huh? This was the oue of living with Anthony! Just as Charmine was about to go inside the room, her phone suddenly lit up. It was from an anonymous number. [Just you wait, Charmine! I won''t let you go! Never! You ruined me, and you¡¯ll pay dearly for it! I won¡¯t let you be happy!] 1 When Charmine received the text, her eyelids jumped. This text was sent by Julian. 1 After he was ruined, he was sent to the hospital and remained unconscious for so long. He had just woken up and went straight to text her this? Even separated by the screen, Charmine could feel Julian''s grueling, bitter hatred for her. 1 It unsettled her, worried her. What was Julian nning? She was unafraid of everything else, but the thing that she was most afraid of was that one matter... "What are you thinking of?" Anthony''s low voice was suddenly heard. Charmine snapped back to reality. She saw Anthony walking over with two sets of pajamas, handing one to her. She replied, "Nothing. I''m just..." After a moment, she said, "Nothing, it¡¯s nothing. You go shower, and I¡¯ll take care of Momo." Anthony noticed how she quickly withdrew her words. Frowning, he grabbed her by her arm and pulled her back. "What? I¡¯m your husband, you still want me to force it out of you?" "It''s really nothing. I merely zoned out." Charmine avoided his eyes. The more she behaved this way, the more serious Anthony became. "Do you want me to do this?" With that said, hisrge hand lifted her head by her chin and forced her to face him. He lowered his head and covered her lips with his. Charmine was caught off-guard. They stood before the door and she was taken back by him. They were in front of the door, and Chris was just next door. If he came to find them like this... She pushed him away instantly, having no choice but to relent, "Alright, alright, I''ll tell." Only then did Anthony let her go, gazing at her patiently. Afterposing her thoughts, she looked up at Anthony. "Anthony, have you thought of telling your parents and your family about what happened to me back then?" Anthony frowned. What happened back then? Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "There¡¯s no need to tell them." He did not wish for anyone to see her wound. "The others might not think so," argued Charmine. "Other than the dead Tiffany who knows that I was raped by Alexander, there''s Julian and even some others!" chapter 865 chapter 865 ''They won''t let me live with it. Who knows? They might even tell the whole world about it, how the wife of Anthony was raped by someone else and got preg-" "Enough! We''ll talk about this in the future. Until then, don''t overthink things!" Anthony cut her short. He did not want her mentioning anything to do with what happened back then. Charmine pouted. "See? I said I don¡¯t want to talk about it, yet you made me," she said as she took the pajamas and walked into the washroom. However, Anthony hugged her from behind and ced his head on her shoulder. "I''m sorry." Charmine paused. She did not mean it, yet he still apologized so formally? Anthony continued, "Don''t worry. Whether the others know about this or not, it has nothing to do with me and you." What he meant was that this would not affect his determination to be with her. Charmine felt his breath fanning her ears as warmth surged across her chest. She had always known his determination to be with her. However... Would his aloofness in the matter eliminate whatever could happen in the future? One day, someone would expose it. One day, the Bailey family would hate her even more. It seemed that she must make some preparations beforehand. When Anthony went to shower, she picked up her phone and texted William, [I remember you mentioning a type of medication that targets selective amnesia. How''s it going?] On the other side of the world... William just got home from work and was showering when his phone rang with a special notification. It indicated Charmine had sent him a text. N?velDrama.Org content rights. He instantly turned off the shower and picked up a towel to wipe off the bubbles. He walked out of the bathroom and picked up his phone. Charmine actually texted him! Even if she was merely asking about his project, his lips curled up into a warm smile. He typed quickly, [I''ve been working on it. I''m about to fly to Burlington tomorrow to discuss this project with Uncle Pop.] Charmine sighed in relief. What a coincidence. If they were still working on it, well, just in time then! She replied, [Can I join when you¡¯re discussing it? I¡¯ll take out four hours per day to help out.] William asked caringly, [What happened? Do you need this medication urgently?] Charmine replied, [Yes.] [Once the discussion starts in Burlington, I''ll get in touch with you right away!] responded William. Charmine merely replied, [Okay.] After putting down her phone, her eyes darkened. If medication for selective amnesia was made, she could make Alexander, Julian, and the rest take it. 1 Although many people attended the banquet back then, the Jordan family had a record of all the attendees. In the past five years, she had used her connections to monitor these people to make sure none of them caused mayhem or made a big deal of her past. It would be the best solution if she could make these people forget about that incidentpletely. 1 In Kansas. After making sure that Charmine was not replying, he instantly phoned his assistant. "Please help me change my flight to tonight. The earlier the better!" "Sir, you haven''t rested for two days..." "It''s okay, right away!" William hung up and rushed back into the bathroom. Inside the vi. Charmine somehow fell asleep while waiting for Anthony, forgetting to delete her messages with William and not knowing he was flying over to Burlington over the night. When Anthony came out from the shower, he saw the fast-asleep Charmine on the bed, her phone still in her hand... chapter 866 chapter 866 Anthony walked over to cover Charmine with a nket before taking her phone from her grip. The screen lit up but showed no message. Charmine was still looking at it before sleeping. What was she looking at? Out of curiosity, he wanted to unlock it but realized that it had an additional password. Furthermore, it had security software that would let out a warning tone once the phone was opened by force. Anthony''s lips curled up-this little kitten was quite cautious and defensive. He would slowly make her lower her guard. When Charmine woke again, it was already nine in the morning. Different from the past, when she woke up, Anthony was still The sunlightnded on his body and illuminated his handsome face with ayer of golden light. Even as a man, his skin was fairer than a woman''s. His skin was so wless that it made one want to touch it. Just as she wanted to reach out, Anthony suddenly opened his eyes. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Charmine asked, ''Why did you wake up sote? Aren''t you sorting out matters in thepany?" "It¡¯s the weekend, so I''ll apany you." Anthony¡¯s voice was low and hoarse. He hugged her tightly in his arms. Charmine looked around. Chris did not have school over the weekend, and as the matters with the Jordan Group were fixed, she had time to spend with Chris. It was then Charmine thought of the recent matters and asked Anthony suspiciously, "Did you realize that Momo is acting strangetely? He¡¯s no longer sticking to US and seems busy." 2 Chris would usually sleep with them before and would wake them up early in the morning, but why was he no longer doing that? Anthonyforted, "Kids will grow. Don¡¯t take it too personally." Charmine rolled her eyes at him. "How can you be such an irresponsible father?" "The wife can run away, the children won¡¯t," said Anthony with a serious tone. Charmine was speechless. Was Anthony still worried she might run away? 1 Why was this high-above Boss Bailey so insecure? She said to him, "Since you have a day off, you must spend some father- and-son time with Momo. I¡¯ll arrange that for you." "Okay." He would agree to her arrangement. Charmine used her phone to search for some father-and-son bonding activities, but just as she was about to save them, Uncle Pop suddenly called her. "Charmine,e over! A good project is going on today!" gushed Uncle Pop excitedly. Charmine suddenly recalled what William said yesterday. Has Uncle Pop started making preparations in advance? "Okay, I''ll go." After she hung up, she turned to Anthony. ''Til have to apany an Uncle today. Take Chris for an outing after this, I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± Anthony saw her phone and noted that it was a renowned scientist calling." Okay," he agreed. After getting changed, Charmine greeted Chris. Chris merely said, "Go ahead, Mommy. I''m already five years old, so it''s okay if Daddy doesn''t apany me. Furthermore, interactive activities are stupid-I want to y mud by myself!" 1 With that said, he continued to y with the mud he bought. Charmine was speechless. It seemed that Anthony would be neglected. However, seeing that Momo was being so mature, she left home feeling reassured. Noticing that Charmine had left, Waverly''s red lips curled up slightly. Charmine was gone atst, leaving only her, Anthony, and Chris at home. She would be able to get close to Anthony! 1 She spent some time picking a suitable outfit from the wardrobe before she finally settled on an outfit she was happy with. It was a simple, long, and fitting knit dress, free from embellishments and had a simple design. It was very fitting, perfectly showing off the curves of her body. The white color perfectly showcased her fair skin. She looked like a very desirable and formal wealthy heiress. Waverly put on some makeup before walking upstairs. Charmine was not home; Anthony would surely steal nces of her like this. Little did she expect, by the staircase... chapter 867 chapter 867 Cluck...cluck...cluck... Heavy footsteps were heard, apanied by the sound of grating metal. Before Waverly could react, a two-meter tall robot stretched its arms and blocked her path. "Warning! Warning! You''ve got vegetables between your teeth. Do not enter!" spoke the robot. 2 Waverly halted, her expression morphing into displeasure. Just as she was about to fix herself, she suddenly recalled that she did not eat vegetables. In fact, she had not even had breakfast! It had to be Chris, pulling at the strings! She tried her best to repress her resentfulness. Gazing at the robot, she said elegantly, "Dobi, I haven''t eaten breakfast, and I didn''t eat vegetables. Please make way, I¡¯m finding Mr. Bailey to discuss some matters." "Tut-tut, you must¡¯ve eaten them yesterday. Please leave! Please leave!" The sound of Dobi was extremely cold. It was Waverly almost spat out blood. She must have eaten yesterday? She did not have vegetables yesterday! It was intentionally insulting her, blocking her from seeing Anthony! She bit back her anger and said, "Momo, be good. Don''t mess around. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Auntie really needs to talk to your father." "Tut-tut-tut-tut. Please leave!" The robot kept giving out warnings, seemingly as though it could not understand anynguage. Blocked at the foot of the staircase, it seemed Waverly would never get past the robot nor did she know how to get up. Infuriated, she could only turn to leave. She did not believe that Anthony would note downstairs. She could wait! Meanwhile... Charmine arrived at the medicalb provided by Uncle Pop. The medicalb was located in a forest ten kilometers away from the city. In the golden autumn season, all trees were red in color, and standing amid them were simple and white architecture everywhere. She traversed the area when someone suddenly called out, "Charmine." It sounded gentle, just like the wind in spring. Charmine looked back and saw William walking toward her from not far away. Dressed in a simple suit with a white shirt, his pair of blue eyes were captivating even with sses on. He exuded the disposition of a knowledgeable man. He had some test tubes in his hands, perfectly showcasing his identity as a scientist. Charmine looked at him and could not help frowning. "Isn¡¯t your flight at noon? Why did you arrive so early?" "Uncle Pop said he wanted to invent this medication sooner and asked me toe earlier, so I changed my flight." William''s voice was gentle. He would not let Charmine know he did it for her. He did not want to add more burden to her shoulders. Charmine did not give it any second thought. "This medication must be invented sooner. Let''s go." 1 She took the lead to walk toward the medicalb. William followed behind her, though close to her side as he did. At that moment, a jet-ck car drove past outside. Inside the car, Susan suddenly called out, "Stop the car! stop the car!" The driver instantly pulled the break. Susan opened the car window and looked into the forest. She thought she saw it wrongly, but as the car stopped, she was certain it was Charmine walking into the forest! Why was she there, and with another man, no less? Suddenly, a dark glint appeared in her eyes. While Anthony ced her at a stalemate, Charmine just had to give her an opportunity to attack! She took out her phone right away. Turning on the silent mode, she zoomed in to take a few photos. By the door of the medicalb, William opened the door for Charmine like a gentleman, letting Charmine to get in first. The pair of them, a handsome man and a beautiful woman, made one think differently. With these photos in hand, she wanted to see if Anthony would still remain somitted to Charmine! chapter 868 chapter 868 Inside the medicalb. Uncle Pop walked toward William and Charmine, gushing, "How delightful! You two are finally coborating after so many years! With you two geniuses, this medication will surely seed!" Original from N?velDrama.Org. Of course, the most important thing is that he had to witness their feelings for one another bloom! Charmine said calmly, "Let¡¯s work hard, and hopefully this medication can be made soon." Many people longed for something to wipe out their memories. If this medication seeded, it would be a great milestone reached in the scientific field! Furthermore, it could help her or even Annabel and the rest to remember something they should not be remembering. With that, the three of them assigned their tasks and started working hard. 2 Meanwhile, William went to the pantry for water. Uncle Pop followed behind him and spoke in a hushed tone, "Sigh! Why are you not showing any signal? You''re so caught up with the research! How are you going to get her?" "Uncle Pop, we''re now researching for a new medication. We must focus during the shift," William recalled in a gentle voice. Uncle Pop was exasperated at that. "Look at you-you''re irritating me! Did you think I asked you toe to Burlington just to research a new medication with Charmine?" "Hmm?" William was perplexed. The worried Uncle Pop then added, "Charmine has been facing quite the trouble as ofte. I think she¡¯s not a good fit with Anthony, so I asked you toe to Burlington to develop some feelings between you two. Once she has fallen for you, she¡¯d no longer be attacked by the Bailey family! Do you want to see the Baileys bullying her?" 1 "I..." William pushed up his sses. Of course he did not want that to happen, but after assessing the situation, Charmine voluntarily wanted to be with Anthony, and she chose to face all these problems. He did not have any reason to step in. 1 Looking at William''s expression, Uncle Pop was furious. "Alright, alright. I can''t be bothered to speak to you. You¡¯ll be single forever if you keep going on like this! Hand the water to Charmine, I''ll need my antihypertensive pill," he spoke as he handed the ss of water to William before turning away. William had no choice but to walk over to Charmine with the ss at hand. Charmine was conducting her research on the working desk. This project was at the forefront of current technology, and there were many problems to be solved. Head lowered as she worked, Charmine''s focused yet delicate look was a sight to behold. Anxious, William hesitated before handing the ss to her. "Charmine, have a drink." ''Thank you." Charmine was tired. She epted the ss and took a few sips. As if thinking of something, she said to William, "Oh, yes, don''t call me Charmine in the future. Call me Jules. In the published document for this project, please use this name for me." 1 She could not let anyone know that she was involved in this project, especially people like Julian, otherwise, they might ruin her n. Although William was curious, he would not ask more than he had to. He could only say, "Okay." All caught up by the research, little did they notice that someone was using a high-definition camera to capture photos of them from a tree not far away. 3 At Violet Residence, noon. Luke sent over two meal boxes. He saw Anthony and Chris inside, busy with their own things. Chris was ying with the mud and painting from time to time while Anthony was working in front of the desk. When he brought up the meal boxes, Luke asked suspiciously, "President, why didn''t you go down and eat...?" There were many dishes prepared in the kitchen, and they needed only to heat it up in the microwave. Anthony said coldly, "My wife isn¡¯t home. It''s not convenient." Luke was perplexed. What did having a meal have anything to do with Charmine? However, he soon understood. Anthony did not want toe close to Waverly... A married man was indeed different. He was so well-behaved. 1 Just as Anthony was about to eat, a few photos suddenly emerged on hisptop. chapter 869 chapter 869 In the photos, Charmine and William were next to one another as they seemingly walked. He opened the door for her in these photos, and he even handed her a ss of water. The two looked like a couple, all cozied up to one another. Anthony''s fork bent. He was so well-behaved for her, yet she went out with another man? How dare she drink the water poured to her by another man! Susan then typed, [Anthony, as you see, Charmine isn''t good enough for you. You gave up on Waverly for her and worked against the entire Bailey family as well, but it¡¯s not worth it!] Anthony turned off theptop right away, his expression as dark as ink. After a moment, he opened theptop and replied, [I asked her to go. She''s there toplete a project.] If he did not say so, the Baileys would hate Charmine more or even attack her! On the other side of theptop, Susan fell silent. After shutting theptop, Anthony stood up and walked to the window. Charmine said she was to meet Uncle Pop, yet she was actually with William? She was spending time with another man! So furious was he that the room''s temperature dropped. big deal out of this, Daddy! You didn''t take good care of Mommy, so Mommy ran away with another man! You must go find Mommy right away to win her back!" 1 Anthony frowned. He picked up his suit and hung it over his arm before walking out. After a few steps, he came back and put down his suit. He picked up his phone to call Charmine. After some white noise, the automated voice jingled, "Sorry, the number you dialed is currently unavable...¡± ''Currently unavable''? What was Charmine doing with William? Were they so busy that she had no time to answer the call? Should he go and find her? N?velDrama.Org content rights. ording to the photos, they were in the medicalb. The Uncle Pop who phoned her in the morning was there, too. Though a well-renowned senior scientist, he did not like Anthony. If Anthony went, it might make things worse. Under such circumstances, he had to remain calm. After some thoughts, he texted Charmine, [Come home early. Important matter.] With that, a long wait followed inside the vi. The usually calm Anthony suddenly had many question marks popping up in his head. Where were Charmine and William? What were they doing? Did they get close? Did they do anything? Did Charmine fall for that man? 1 Unknowingly, the sky had darkened. Inside the medicalb. Since it was their first day, there were many things to sort out before they finally finished working. Charmine changed out of theb coat and put on her own jacket before leaving. William followed behind her. ¡®Til send you home." "No need, I have a car. You get some early rest, too," came Charmine''s aloof reply. William''s lips curled up. "Alright, drive safe." Charmine walked toward her own car. When she took out her car key, she felt for her phone. She took it out to see a few messages, and one of them was sent by Anthony that read, [Come home early. Important matter.] She frowned. What matter was that? Anthony even called her... Anthony was usually calm. If it was not for an important matter, he would not look for her so urgently. She instantly got inside the car and rushed back home. chapter 870 chapter 870 However, Charmine did not drive far before her phone rang. Adam called to say, "Charmine, something happened in thepany. About a hundred staff members wanted to resign today, and they''re not telling why. They''re holding the more important positions in thepany, and our Divine Bird Project has to be put on hold due to this." Charmine frowned. "Resign suddenly? With no prior warning?" "Yeah. I¡¯ve investigated for one whole day and found no clue why they¡¯re doing this, so I had no choice but to phone you. Furthermore, I noticed that all the workers on site looked as if they''re upied by something, and they looked restless," exined Adam. Charmine''s eyes darkened. Seemed as though someone was up to something, again. She had to fix this earlier this time in order for the same thing to happen again. "You get ready to monitor and prepare the resigning documents. I¡¯lle back to thepany." Giving her order, she hung up and phoned Kay. "Something¡¯s up at the site. Go investigate it personally." Kay was following Charmine from the shadows, keeping a watchful eye over her when she called him to give her order. He was delighted to hear it. 3 Atst! He had been doing nothing for too long, and he could finally do something! Instantly, he arranged for the others to protect Charmine while he drove away. Charmine drove toward thepany, about to call Anthony when her phone ran out of battery and shut down on its own. Whatever. She could tell Anthony everything through theptop when she got to thepany. Inside thepany, Adam had prepared all kinds of cameras to monitor the site as well as the documents for resignation. When Charmine came in, he handed all of the documents to her. "Charmine, hurry and have a look. Find out what''s the problem. A hundred staff members had resigned in one day. If this goes on, thepany won¡¯t be able to hold it together." N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. When Charmine received the documents, she saw the resignation reasons for every individual. They were all urgent matters. Some had to take care of ill rtives, some had to attend their funerals, some had to prepare for their children to get married, and some were severely ill. The reason they gave was not to be rejected by thepany. They were determined to resign. She looked at the monitoring screen again and noted how the workers on site seemed troubled. They were moving bricks around with things on their minds. Some even cautiously whispered to one another as if discussing something. However, whenever a manager walked over, they stopped talking right away. The monitoring was not of the highest resolution. It was too far away, thus one could not read the lips. 1 Charmine frowned. "Do we have anything else other than this?" "Hmm... I''ve asked someone to look into this, but none of them were willing to tell." Adam sounded worried. This situation was a first throughout his time at the Jordan Group. Charmine''s eyes grew dark. As she was specting, Kay suddenly walked in. "Boss Charmine, I''ve found out that someone is spreading rumors! "Someone imed that there was someone else behind the man in ck. The person is your enemy. Seems like thirteen lives weren''t enough for this person, and they''d want to hurt more. "Scared witless, the workers only wanted to keep their lives, thus they resigned. They were afraid of beingughed at for being a coward, so they didn''t speak." 1 ording to the sources, some workers heard about this rumor and were unwilling toe forward to interview for a job at the Jordan Group. This rumor was spreading quickly; the number of resignations would increase tomorrow. Charmine instantly realized. That was the reason why! Someone was actually pulling such a low and yet effective trick?! No matter what the Jordan Group did, they needed manpower. Once the workers were gone, it did not matter if the units were sold out. If they could not build the houses, thepany''s reputation would be ruined and negatively affected. Adam asked, worried, "What can we do? Even if we exin it, maybe nobody will believe US." After all, everyone knew that the man in ck convinced the thirteen workers tomit suicide. Nobody knew what else could happen. Charmine looked at Kay and asked, "Did you manage to find out who was spreading the rumor?" chapter 871 chapter 871 "Of course, Max''s people," answered Kay. Adam eyed Kay warily. Who was he? He spent so much effort with no result, but how could this man discover the perpetrator so quickly? Charmine''s red lips curled up dangerously. Max, again? It seemed as though they just wanted to get into the action as fast as they could. Of course, if they nned on attacking, she would not sit idly! "You two go get some rest," said Charmine to both men, ''Til handle everything else from here." Adam wanted to ask how she would do so, but before he could, she had turned and left. Her back was cold and arrogant, yet she exuded an air of calmness. Nodding at Adam politely, Kay quickly left. Adam had a quizzical expression as they both left. Since when did Charmine have such a powerful man by her side? She was so powerful that others could be repressed and made inferior... After Charmine had left thepany, she drove back to Violet Vi. N?velDrama.Org content rights. It was quite a journey. By the time she arrived at the vi, it was already midnight. She suddenly recalled something. Oh no-shepletely forgot about Anthony''s text! Was Anthony waiting for her all along? Inside the vi... Anthony was in the gym, throwing one dart after another at the dart board. The small darts flew rather fiercely as the sharp ends went deep into the board. His expression was as dark as ink as he emanated a baleful aura. Twelve in the morning. It was midnight, and Charmine had note home! What did she do with William? Talk? Flirt? With those images in mind, hisrge hand clenched as another dart shot out. It was then that footsteps were heard outside. Judging by the pace and rhythm, he knew all too well that Charmine was home atst. He wanted to go out with her right away, but on a second thought, he stopped and remained inside the gym. When Charmine saw that the bedroom was empty, she went to Chris¡¯ room. It was twelve in the morning, and Momo was still searching things on his phone. She quickly walked over and asked, "Momo, why aren''t you asleep? Where''s Daddy?" "Huh? I... I was about to listen to a luby." Chris simply yed a luby and put down the phone. He said to Charmine, "Mommy, although Daddy is boring, straightforward, serious, emotionless and not as gentle, caring, stunning as other men, please don''t dump him. He has his redeeming qualities. The good thing is that it''s a buy-one-free-one deal! Think about it, no matter who you''re with, it''s impossible for you to get a free, adorable boy like me! So stay with Daddy, it''s worth it!" 2 Charmine failed to fight back her grin. So, even Chris thought Anthony was terrible? She came homete for one night, and he was that worried? "Don''t worry, Mommy won''t leave him. I''ll look for him now." "Okay! Daddy is training in the gym," Chris provided information willingly. Charmine frowned. It was sote-twelve in the morning-yet Anthony was still in the gym? She felt that something was off. After covering Momo in a nket, she walked toward the gym. chapter 872 chapter 872 From outside the gym, she saw that Anthony was in his ck training clothes, seemingly shrouded with dark clouds. With a dart at hand, he fiercely flicked his wrist and threw it. The dart knocked out the other darts from before, almost hitting the bullseye. The bullseye was shot thoroughly, consecutively. Such strength... Charmine gulped. "Anthony, are you alright?" "I''m fine," answered Anthony coldly, not once bothering to look at her. The first thing she did when she came home was to look for Chris instead ofhim. Hmph! 1 With that in mind, he ignored her entirely and continued to throw the darts. Charmine frowned. What was wrong with him? He seemed strange... She asked again, "What happened?" "Nothing." Anthony kept his cold face on as he threw the darts. He had no intention of caring for her. Charmine frowned. Really, nothing? Why did his tone sound as if he was angry? However, a person like Anthony had seen all things. Why would he get angry because of a few small matters? Perhaps she had been tired and was over-analyzing things. "Good that you''re fine. I¡¯ll go and have a shower, you and Chris should get some rest." With that said, she turned and left. 2 Anthony''s eyelids jumped. She actually left? She spent the whole day with another man. He waited for her the entire day, yet not only was she unaware of it, but she even headed straight for the shower aftering home? 2 Anthony threw out the dart in his hand and marched out. However, Charmine was quick. She had gone back to the bedroom and locked the bathroom door. She locked it naturally. This was her habit all along. Locked outside, Anthony''s expression was so dark that ink could ooze out of it. She spent the whole day with another man, and the first thing she did uponing home was to shower? 1 Was she trying to get rid of some evidence? 1 He had the urge to rush in. However, he stared at the door for a long while before he finally decided to walk to the sofa by the side and sat on it. He would wait for her toe out, and he would make her pay! 3 With that, he waited for one whole hour... Charmine had a long day, and that rxing warm bath she had made her feel so much better. Once she wore her pajamas, she blew-dry her hair before exiting the bathroom. Upon getting out from the bathroom, she saw Anthony sitting on the sofa. His legs crossed as his body leaned back on the sofanguidly. He exuded a dark and cold aura. She was shocked, "You''re not sleeping yet? It''ste." Anthony eyed her with a cold mien, his eyes ring every inch of her skin. Charmine was wary of how Anthony did not even utter a word to her, though he always had that coldness to him anyway. Perhaps he was waiting for her to sleep? She quickly walked to the makeup table and put on her skincare, from water to cream and to the eye essence. Original from N?velDrama.Org. Anthony''s expression grew darker. "You''re so used to seeing another man outside that you don¡¯t show interest in me aftering home?" came Anthony''s snide remark out of the blue. Charmine who was massaging her eyes suddenly halted. What? What did he say? She did not hear him clearly... Anthony red at her dumbfounded face. Suddenly, he stood up and walked toward her. Charmine felt a powerful pressure crashing toward her. Her heart somewhat skipped a beat as she tensed up. He was angry... There must be some misunderstanding... Seeing that he was getting closer to her, she suddenly recalled what Chris said. She suddenly recalled that she spent time with William today. She asked instantly, "Anthony, you know William?" "How do you feel after spending a day with him?" His tone was cold, filled with coldness and unpleasantness. chapter 873 chapter 873 Charmine frowned. This man said he was fine when he was, in fact, obviously jealous! He was very jealous! She quickly exined, "You misunderstood. I was only coborating with William in making a medication. Uncle Pop was there all along. We were properly inventing a medication!" ''What, unless you thought of doing things that aren''t proper?" replied Anthony. Charmine was speechless. When the man got jealous, what else could the woman do? She reached out to wrap her arm around Anthony''s arm. She lowered her voice and tried her best to speak gentler, "Hey, I''m telling you the truth. Uncle Pop was my witness. Furthermore, we have our marriage certificate. What''s there for you to be worried about?" Anthony''s face remained cold. "Last year, there were nine thousand, four hundred and seventy-one thousand couples, but four thousand, one hundred and fifty-four thousand divorce cases. The rate of divorce is as high as forty-three percent. Even if couples got married, half of them ended up with divorce." Charmine almost spat out blood. This man stayed home for the whole day to investigate the statistics of divorce, so much so he memorized them all? 1 As she was about to speak, Anthony pushed her arm away and coldly spoke, "Reflect on what you''ve done. Don''t think I¡¯ll forgive you with a few sentences you said!" 1 With that said, he turned away to the other side of the bed and sat down, still cold as ice. Charmine frowned. He seemed genuinely pissed, and he had no intention of forgiving her so easily. Since there was no use after trying to speak to him, then... She decided to walk to the other side of the bed and removed her clothes. Anthony was facing her with his back as he sat on the other side of the bed. However, the angle of the light coincidently projected her shadow in front of him. He could clearly see Charmine''s silhouette as she removed her pajamas. Her hair was long, very alluring. 1 The light perfectly drew out her beautiful body curves as well. Was she thinking of sleeping naked? Just as Anthony thought of that, Charmineid in bed, her long legs leaning toward him. "It''s a beautiful night. Are you sure you''re just going to sit?" Her tone was so gentle and different from her usual tone. Anthony could see her long, outstretched leg on the bed in the corner of his eyes. One leg was stretched out, perfectly showcasing the line, while the other was slightly bent, moving up and down. She looked alluring as she did it, her lean legs looking much like a fine work of art. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Anthony was furious. He was ready to ignore her for the entire night so she could attempt to make it up to him, but at this moment, he was unable to swallow his saliva. All the anger in him instantly vanished. 3 After a moment, he gave in and leaned toward her. Hisrge hand picked up her chin. "Charmine, is this what you do with William?" Charmine frowned. "Am I that kind of woman to you?" Anthony¡¯s expression darkened as he said coldly, "You drank the water he handed you." William poured her that ss of water. He held it out to her, and the warmth of his hand would have lingered still. 2 Furthermore, if William drugged her, how would she handle it? She was so unguarded with William! Charmine''s eyelids jumped. Anthony even knew about this? It seemed that someone was watching over the mini scienceb. They even took photos of it and sent it to Anthony. However, it was merely a ss of water. How could Anthony make such a big deal out of it? She could not help raising an eyebrow. "Anthony? Are you sure you''re going to be so narrow-hearted?" "What? Used to how generous and gentle William is? Comining about me now?" Anthony looked at her coldly. 1 Charmine was speechless. "Anthony, can you stop fooling around? We¡¯re just colleagues. It was only a ss of water; nothing intimate at all. If you keep acting this way, I¡¯ll get angry." Anthony''s face hardened. Angry? She, angry at him? She went out for one day and he waited for her for one whole day. She did not even apologize, and now she wanted to get angry? "Seems like I''ve spoiled you, Charmine!" With that said, Anthony suddenly grabbed her chin and kissed her harshly. chapter 874 chapter 874 Anthony was punishing Charmine with an arrogant kiss. "I warned you the other time that if you get close with another man, I won''t let you off easy. It seems that you really want that punishment!" With that said, he kissed her briskly like a whirlwind as he pulled at her camisole. Charmine did not know where she got the strength from, but she pushed him and took charge instead. She red at him from above. "Snap out of it, Anthony. I can give it to you, but not under such conditions! You misunderstood me, and that means you don''t have enough trust in me!" Angered, she stood up and was ready to leave. She pulled a long bed robe and wrapped it around her body before going out of the door. The moment she shut the door, arge hand suddenly came out, ready to hold the door open. With a loud ''thump'', the door closed onto his four fingers. Charmine clearly felt it. When she looked back, Anthony''s face had turned green. His four knuckles were bruised. Her chest tightened, and all of her anger vanished instantly. She asked," How is it? Does it hurt?" "No." N?velDrama.Org content rights. Retrieving his hand, Anthony turned and walked back further into the room. Charmine looked at his arrogant and lonely figure-she could not leave him alone. She turned back to him and closed the door behind. When Anthony heard her footsteps, his thin lips vaguely curled up. He sat down on the sofa. Charmine took out two ice cubes from the mini fridge. She wrapped them with a bandage and sat down beside him. She reached out to hold Anthony''s hand, but Anthony refused. She insisted and put his hand on her lap. She held on the iced bandage and mped it between his bruised knuckles. The two did not speak. Charmine was treating him with full concentration. She thought of what happened today and felt that she was too impatient. She tried to exin patiently, "When I left home in the morning, I didn''t know William was already in Burlington. I would''ve told you had I known. We had no intimate contact when I got to theb, and the ss of water was poured by Uncle Pop, and William merely handed it to me. We used to work in research before, and we''re really just colleagues. You knew the person sending you the photos is ill-intended. If yoush out at me, isn''t this exactly what they wanted?" With that said, she reiterated, "Anthony, it''s not easy for US to havee this far. We need to trust each other. I hope you can understand that the thing I hate the most is when someone doesn¡¯t trust me." Five years ago, everyone used her, nobody trusted her, rendering her unable to defend herself. Five yearster, even as she returned, everyone trusted Tiffany. She had enough days when she was doubted! 1 Anthony looked up at her. "Whether I¡¯m angry at you has nothing to do with whether I trust you or not." Charmine was confused. She was dumbfounded. Anthony looked at her and continued, "You''re mydy, but however much I trust you, other men aren''t allowed to look at you. I don''t wish for you to have close contact with any other man, especially men who like you!" His tone was possessive and arrogant. It was not until then when Charmine suddenly realized that Anthony was a jealous man. Rtionship-wise, he was too possessive... Suddenly, Anthony pulled her to his chest and lowered his head to kiss her. Unlike the arrogant kiss earlier, he was much gentler and more caring this time. After kissing for a long while, he let go of her and looked at her sincerely. "Charmine, remember: you''re the only one who can make me jealous. It has nothing to do with trust." 2 Charmine displeasure from earlier had vanishedpletely due to this kiss. She leaned into his chest and exined sincerely, "I''m researching a selective amnesia drug. I want Julian, Alexander, and the others to take it. Once it seeded, I can guarantee that I won¡¯t have any more contact with him." chapter 875 chapter 875 "Between now and then, I''ll keep my distance from him." Anthony frowned. Selective amnesia drug? Well, it would be ideal if Julian and Alexander could forget about her body. However... "How long is this project going to take?" "Well...¡± Thinking it through, Charmine hooked her hands around his neck. "The duration isn''t certain, but what happened today was an ident. I''ll only spend a maximum of four hours there every day. If you really do mind, I could bring you along?" 1 Bring him along? Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Anthony''s face eased. He carried her to the bed. "No need. Four hours? I''ll check on you anytime," he spoke, cing her on the bed as he did and gazed at her. "If I realize you two have any intimate action, I¡¯ll punish you." Before Charmine could assess what Anthony meant by ''punishment'', he kissed her again, but he managed to hold himself back before he got too heated. Charmine could feel his restraint. It stung her heart, knowing he was holding it back. "Actually, you don''t have to hold back. I''m willing to." Perhaps Anthony''s insecurity was due to the restraint between them. If this would make him feel more secure, she was willing to... However, Anthony huskily replied, ''Til wait till the day we tie the knot officially." 3 This was the basic respect he would show to her. Charmine was speechless. As a grown man, he was willing to hold himself back for her. It had to be painful. She looked around and decided to change the topic. "Right, mypany has a situation again. I''m nning to bring you, Waverly, and Susan for a press conference." Anthony reached out to ruffle her hair. "I''ll listen to you." Charmine''s eyes twinkled. Waverly would have it bad tomorrow! Downstairs, Waverly was unable to fall asleep. Susan told her earlier on about Charmine and William. She thought she could use this chance to get to Anthony. Never did Waverly foresaw she would be blocked, literally, from going upstairs throughout the day. That big and ugly robot barricaded her way, giving her no chance to get close to Anthony. She also thought Charmine would be in for a shouting match when she got home, punished even, but Waverly heard nothing like that from upstairs. It was as if nothing happened. Damn it! Anthony spoiled and loved Charmine so much! Furthermore, she knew about William, a renowned young scientist in Kansas. He was, for these women, the Prince Charmine. Even the royalties looked up to the scientists. William¡¯s reputation was praiseworthy in Kansas. Charmine managed to snag such an amazing man, and William even fancied Charmine? Waverly was so angry that she could not sleep. It was only when the sun rose that she felt tired. Knock, knock, knock! There was the sound of knocking on her door. In this vi, only Anthony or Charmine could knock on her door. No matter who it was, she had to put on her best look in front of them. Waverly got rid of her tiredness and went out of bed quickly. She quickly put on her clothes and some makeup. 1 It did not take long before she opened the door. She had an elegant posture, but the moment she saw the two by her door, her face became distorted! chapter 876 chapter 876 She saw Anthony and Charmine by the door. The two still had pajamas on-one was in ck and the other in burgundy. The silk material made them lookvish. However, Charmine''s cor was lower. Just a look, one could clearly see a lot of hickies on her neck. That left very few discrepancies as to what they didst night. Seeing that Waverly was sizing her up, Charmine''s red lips parted as she spoke, "Apologies. I wonder whoined to my man and told him that I had flings with another man. He was so angry that he punished me to his liking." 1 She emphasized the word ''punish'' as she spoke. Waverly¡¯s face turned green. She clenched her fists and tried to repress her anger. "What do you want this early in the morning for?" "We want you to apany Anthony for a press conference," spoke Charmine as she handed her a document. When Waverly epted the document and read the content, it was all about the Jordan Group! Waverly was asked to announce with Anthony that the Bailey Corporation would fully support the Jordan Group. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Furthermore, Susan had to attend to rify she did not take care of her assistant, that it was on his own ord and grudge that he attacked the Jordan Group. There was no one behind this anymore, and nobody would attack the Jordan Group. It was apparent Charmine had figured out the reason behind the staff resigning. She wanted to use Anthony toe clean! Waverly¡¯s face sank. "I¡¯m not going!" Forget helping the Jordan Group. Anthony and Susan publicly insulted her, so much so she could not go outside for a few days. If she went out at that moment, many would interview her for that. She did not want to be embarrassed again. Charmine frowned. "Are you sure you''re not going? Then I''d have to go with Anthony. We''ll say that you¡¯rezy and sleeping, telling everyone that you have social anxieties. Don''t me US." With that said, Charmine added on, "Oh, right. I forgot to remind you. If the reputation of the Jordan Group isn''t saved, Anthony will give me three of hispanies to y." Her calm voice was filled with an apparent threat. Waverly¡¯s face stiffened. If she did not go, would they ruin her reputation, all while Charmine would get three of Anthony''s companies? "Are you threatening me, Charmine?!" "So what? Can''t you be?" Charmine scoffed arrogantly. Served them right for attacking Jordan Group behind her back again. If they chose to attack, they should be ready to pay the price! Waverly¡¯s hands clenched tightly. Her face looked horrible. Charmine had always been so strong-willed. Ever since she came back to Burlington, she had always been so arrogant! 1 However, Waverly had no choice but to y by her rules. "Okay! I¡¯ll go!" Asking her to go out? Well, Charmine gave her that chance to hold a press conference with Anthony, and she hoped Charmine would not regret it! She went in to get changed. Charmine''s red lips curled up with satisfaction. The drama was exciting. She went back upstairs with Anthony and said to him, "You go get changed. I''ll call your mother." Anthony wanted to do it, but after carefully thinking about it, he agreed. His little wild kitten was about to agitate others... 1 Charmine went to the study room and logged into her ount on theputer. She sent the press conference invitation to Susan, along with the content. When Susan saw it, her eyelids twitched. She instantly phoned Charmine. "Charmine, why would you think I¡¯ll attend the press conference? Why would I care about your Jordan Group?!" chapter 877 chapter 877 "Your verified daughter-inw caused problems. Are you not going to save her?" replied Charmine calmly. Susan halted. Waverly? What did she do this time? Charmine said, "Waverly asked people to spread the rumors of how the man in ck was instructed by someone else, that whoever it is won''t let go of the Jordan Group and will harm more lives. Now that I can''t keep the staff in mypany, don¡¯t you think I have to fix it?" Susan''s face sank. Waverly actually did such a thing? She spread that the person behind was evil, that whoever it was would harm many more? Was she not referring to her? 1 To save herself, after the man in ck was caught, they only said it was some personal grudges. When they announced it to the public, the man in ck did not show his face. With what Waverly had done, the man in ck would have to exin to the public, and it might backfire for Susan! Charmine toyed with her dainty nails as she warned, "Mrs. Bailey, if you don¡¯te, I¡¯ll have to bring the man in ck to rify, and if he identally mentioned you..." "Charmine! You''re a youngdy! What makes you think I''ll be scared? I''ll have ways to make the assistant silent!" scoffed Susan. 1 "As Anthony said, if mypany can''t solve the danger and shut down, he''ll give me three of his companies to y with. Mrs. Bailey,e or not, you better consider it properly," concluded Charmine languidly before hanging up. 1 Susan''s hand that held the phone jolted. She almost broke the phone. Damn it! Charmine was threatening her with Anthony''s heart. She had the audacity and did that! Worse still, she could not neglect this threat! It was Waverly''s fault! She did more harm than good. How could she be so dumb?! On the same morning, the Bailey family announced that they would hold a press conference. Many moguls and reporters arrived at the press conference venue, all equally curious. The Bailey family had not held a press conference for a long time. What was the reason behind this one? At Violet Vi... After Waverly got changed, she went downstairs to wait elegantly. 1 It did not take long before Anthony and Charmine came downstairs. Anthony was in his suit as usual while Charmine wore a high-cored top with a ck suit. The toppletely covered the hickies on her neck. When Waverly saw, she smirked. "However loving you are, you still have to hide around when you get out." Her tone was mocking. She was mocking how Charmine could not reveal herself with Anthony in public. She wasughing at her for being a rat afraid of the light. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. If it was someone else, they would feel guilty or even upset. However, Charmine raised an eyebrow at her, and her red lips curled up." On that note, do you have anything at all to hide?" 2 As she spoke, her eyes scanned Waverly''s neck. Waverly was wearing a low-cored top, and her fair neck showed no trace of scars. Forget a hickey; there was not even one red spot! She thought she was the unsullied Snow White, but after what Charmine said, she felt empty and embarrassed! Her palms clenched tightly. There was a surge of anger rising in her that could not be repressed. Charmine was arrogant because of Anthony! What did she have to be so arrogant about? 1 Anthony''s fiancee known to the world was her, Waverly! She had to agitate Charmine today, and she had to get Anthony in it. chapter 878 chapter 878 Luke came with the car not long after. Anthony looked at Charmine. "Come with US?" Histone was inviting. "No need," declined Charmine simply. "I have a driver. You guys can go ahead and help me set up." N?velDrama.Org content rights. She fixed Anthony''s uncrumpled cor, sounding like she could care less. Thinking of how this press conference was made for the Jordan Group, he had to agree. He went out with Waverly. Waverly followed right behind him. Even though she looked elegant outwardly, she was devastated on the inside. This press conference was hosted for the Jordan Group! It was to help save the Jordan Group! Even though she hated Charmine, she had no choice but to participate in it. The feeling was, nheless, still devastating. Luckily, she had something up her sleeve... 1 More and more people started arriving at the press conference venue. Charmine sat in the car driven by Kay, intending to go straight for the press conference when an assistant came toward her. "Ms. Jordan, Mrs. Bailey would like to speak to you." Charmine frowned. Why was Susan looking for her? She did not want to go over, but the female assistant added, "Mrs. Bailey invited you, so it''s an honor for you. She also said that if you don''te, she¡¯ll attack Momo any time." Her tone was mocking and threatening. Charmine red at the female assistant and followed her to the backstage. In the dressing room... Susan was tasting the tea, her every movement elegant like an expensivedy. Even though she was in her fifties, she was so well-maintained that she looked only in her thirties. When she saw Charmine walking over, she suddenly raised the tea ss and threw its contents in her direction. It was boiling hot water in the ss! Hmph! So, Charmine genuinely thought she could threaten her over the phone just like that? Just as the hot water was about to ssh onto Charmine, she suddenly made a strong tug nimbly. In the blink of an eye, she pulled the assistant that led the way toward her. Ssh! The boiling hot water sshed onto the assistant''s chest, and she shrieked in pain as her neck turned red. Charmine frowned. "Mrs. Bailey, what did this assistant do wrong? Why are you so angry?" 2 "You...!" Susan was so frustrated. Damn Charmine! How dare she spoke to her in that tone! Before she could speak, Charmine continued, "However wrong your assistant may be, she''s still a human being. How could you bully someone like this? If this matter went out, everyone will think Mrs. Bailey is a bully with no conscience." "Watch your tongue! I¡¯ll teach you a lesson today!¡± barked Susan as she picked up another tea ss, about to ssh it onto Charmine. Suddenly, there was a movement in front of her. In a sh, Charmine was already in front of her. Charmine held Susan''s wrist as her red lips parted, "Mrs. Bailey''s face looks green with fierce eyes-you don''t look like a luxurious I¡¯m hurt or unhappy, he''d give me his threepanies to make me happy. Do you think I''ll get them if you ssh this water onto me?" Her voice was calm but very oppressive. Susan''s veins were showing on her forehead. How would Charmine threaten her?! She was a senior and Charmine should be scared of her, yet she repressed her entirely! How could a woman who wanted to be her daughter-inw be as wild as this? How could she be so unruly? "Charmine, didn''t your parents teach you some manners? Have you thought of what''ll happen if you treat me this way?!" "Thanks for your concern. My Grandpa only taught me to hit back if I''m bullied. If the sky falls, they¡¯ll hold it up for me, while you..." Charmine''s eyes sized her up. "I wonder how your parents taught you? Did they teach you to ssh hot water at people? Did they teach you how to be a crazy woman?" chapter 879 chapter 879 "You... You...!" How frustrating! Susan wanted to yell at her, but Charmine had let go of her hand. "As for the oue, I, Charmine, only care about the present!" With that said, she walked outside. Susan raised the ss, wanting to ssh the water at her. Then, Charmine took out her phone, clicked on the Whatsapp icon, and walked as she left a voice message, "Darling, didn''t you say you want to give me the threepanies? You may H Original from N?velDrama.Org. "Enough! Shut up! Shut up!" growled Susan. With a loud bang, the ss was ced back on the table. "Get out of my sight! I''ll pretend as if I didn''t see you today!" Charmine¡¯s red lips curled up into a stunning smile as she walked away. She wanted to hurt her? Did she think she could actually harm her? Aggravated, Susan sat on the sofa as she panted heavily. Utterly enraging! She wanted to teach Charmine a lesson before the press conference, wanting it to be harsh when Charmine did a 180-degree and agitated her instead. After Charmine had left backstage, she walked to the front stage. Many reporters lined up in front of the meeting room. Meanwhile, Anthony and Waverly stood next to one another as questions after questions were met, reporters interviewing, "Ms. Waverly, may I ask what it was when Mr. Bailey called you off for lying?" ''Why did your mother-inw call you dumb?" "Is it true that your rtionship with your mother-inw is bad?" "Ms. Waverly, please answer US?" Everyone pestered Waverly with their questions. Waverly¡¯s face was not looking well; she looked awkward. 1 She had stayed inside for a few days withouting out, but who would have thought that everyone still remembered and still asked her about it? However, Anthony did not ask the bodyguards toe over. They were all standing still, allowing the reporters to fire their shots Seeing that she did not answer, they turned to Anthony. "Mr. Bailey, can you please answer? Why did you say that Ms. Waverly lied?" ''What did Ms. Waverly lie to you about?" "Please satisfy the curiosity of allizens!" The reporters were going crazy. It was so rare to see the two together, and if they did not dig out anything, they would go crazy! Anthony nced at Waverly who was beside him. Waverly felt guilty under his gaze. Why was Anthony looking at her? Was he really going to answer the reporter''s question? Was he really going to answer them?! As she was hesitating, the host on the stage suddenly said, "Wee all the guests. Please be seated, or be ready to be asked to leave." This was the host of the Bailey family, the family known to be straightforward. The reporters were extremely despondent. Since they did not manage to ask anything, they could only walk to their seats and sit down. Waverly looked up at the stage with gratitude, seeing Susan behind the stage. It seemed that it was Susan helping her. Susan was not useless after all. Taking their seats, everyone was riddled with curiosity. Why did the Bailey family suddenly want to host a press conference? Did major events ur? At that moment, a slender figure suddenly walked to the front row. She wore a white-cored top along with her ck wide-leg pants. With her ck suit, she looked audacious and arrogant, much like a powerful woman. It was Charmine? Charmine actually came to this press conference? chapter 880 chapter 880 Under everyone¡¯s keen gaze, Charmine walked to the front row calmly. Anthony and Waverly were standing there. She reached out her hand genially. "Mr. Bailey, Ms. Waverly.¡± Her tone was very ordinary, as if she was nothing more than a regr coborator. Anthony reached out his hand calmly and shook hands with her in front of everyone. At an angle where nobody could see, his thumb gently caressed her palm. Charmine''s heart skipped a beat. This man had the audacity and did that in front of everyone! She instantly retrieved her hand and went to shake hands with Waverly. Sitting close by, Waverly could see everything they did. There were so many reporters, yet they were so loving in front of her! How could they have so much fun while everyone made fun of her? Anger welled within her, but she maintained a poise expression outwardly as she elegantly shook hands with Charmine. Unbeknownst to everyone else, Waverly added strength into her handshake with hatred burning her eyes. Ha! She would score one against Charmine today. She wanted to see the look of despair on her face! 2 However, Charmine exerted more pressure into her grip. With that squeeze, she used so much force that Waverly''s four fingers almost crumpled into a ball. 1 Waverly was in so much pain that she nearly shrieked, but just as she was about to speak, Charmine had let go of her hand. Charmine wore an aloof expression, one that seemed as if nothing happened, as she walked to the side and sat down. She remained calm as if everything was fine. Waverly''s face turned green. She merely used some force yet Charmine tried to crack her bones!? 5 How despicable! Luckily, she nned an arrangement for this moment. She must make a move with Anthony today! The reporters were even more curious. Charmine, Anthony, and Waverly were that close? What were they going to announce during this press conference? Fredrick and Max D¡¯Cruz were present as well as they sat in the front row quietly. Their faces were darkened and showed no emotions. With everyone''s curiosity, Anthony and Waverly walked up to the stage, where a podium was prepared with a microphone on. Anthony, d in his ck suit, stood elegantly. He said into the microphone, "The Bailey family is partnering with the Jordan Group, and I look forward to the Jordan Group¡¯s future development. However, I heard that many staff are resigning from the Jordan Group, and there are even rumors spreading that someone will intentionally destroy the Jordan Group. Therefore, I''d like to make some rifications." An assistant then started the Powerpoint Presentation on the big screen behind him. All the reporters exchanged looks with one another. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. They came to this press conference early in the morning with the thought that something pivotal happened in the Bailey Corporation. They waited for so long, yet after all that waiting, Anthony only wanted to announce his support for the Jordan Group? Did someone resign? Were there not some rumors spreading around? Was President Bailey of the Bailey Corporationing up just for this small matter, that the Boss Bailey of Burlington was personally rifying for the Jordans? At that moment, the photo of a man in ck appeared on the big screen. On the left was the man in ck with something covering his face when he was captured. On the right was him in a suit. This man looked alert and formal. This was the man who persuaded thirteen men tomit suicide? That aside, he looked awfully familiar... Anthony said, ''This man is one of my mother¡¯s assistants, Samson." 1 An uproar filled the venue. Anthony''s mother?! chapter 881 chapter 881 Mrs. Bailey, as in Susan Bailey? Her assistant took thirteen lives? Behind the stage, Susan¡¯s hands clenched tightly. She really did not want to be seen in a press conference like this, but faced with Charmine''s threat, she had no choice but to walk out and stand on the tform. An assistant handed a microphone to Susan. She epted and said to the people below, "Yes, Anthony is right. Indeed, my assistant persuaded the people tomit suicide, but this has nothing to do with me-it''s between him and Charmine due to certain grudges. "Since the Bailey Corporation and the Jordan Group are partners, we always have a few meetings, and it was during one of those meetings that Samson fell for Charmine and tried to chase her. "However, Charmine ruthlessly rejected him, shifting Samson''s adoration into hatred. He attacked the Jordan Group in an attempt to get revenge." After hearing what she said, everyone in the audience was shocked. There was such a story behind the thirteen deaths? An assistant trying to chase Charmine? How was that possible? 1 Susan continued, "I heard someone was spreading rumors that there are people behind Samson and would still attack the Jordan Group. Please be cautious; this isn''t true. "I absolutely abhor Samson''s actions. His family had consulted him, and nobody will make the same mistake twice. With this, staff members from the Jordan Group can work at ease!" It disgusted Susan to have said it but she had no choice. To stop the three Baileypanies from falling into Charmine''s hands, she had to ''help'' Charminee clean. All thanks to that foolish Waverly, of course. She would not have been in this predicament had it not been for her! Waverly felt bad as well. Max and her nned all of this to ruin the Jordan Group. Never did they think that the n had only gone on for one day and this happened! At that moment, she had no choice but to stand up for Charmine... Anthony stood on the tform and announced to the public, "Although this has nothing to do with my mother, it was due to herck of leadership. The Bailey Corporation had decided to fund all the staff at Jordan Group for a hundred million insurance." 1 With that said, two staff from the insurancepany carried a big board to the stage. On the board, three big words were printed, [Hundred Million Insurance]. Below the board were a few smaller words which read, [If an ident urs where the worker is forced or plotted to be harmed or even dead, the maximum compensation goes up to a hundred million!] Everyone was stunned. Forget Anthony personally standing up for Charmine, but he even asked his fiancee and his mother to stand up for the Jordan Group! It did not stop there. He even bought them a hundred million insurance! There were so many people in the Jordan Group. How much would he spend? Was Anthony too protective of the Jordan Group? 1 Anthony remained calm as usual. He looked at Charmine who was below the stage. "May I invite Miss Jordan toe up for a signature?" Charmine walked up to the stage, all eyes on her as she did. Although Waverly stood next to Anthony, the signature spot on the board happened to be where she was standing at. 1 She must make way for Charmine... She was unwilling but thinking of her n, she eventually made way elegantly. Charmine walked over. Meanwhile, Anthony walked to the front of the board with a golden pen in hand. He signed on the board handsomely. After signing, he handed the pen to Charmine. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Charmine received the pen and signed her name. The two names looked so well together. She could not help thinking of the time when they signed their marriage certificate. Despite the hurdles, Anthony always made it happen that they both stay within the closest distance... Out of the blue, an uproar was heard downstairs...as a group of people rushed in! chapter 882 chapter 882 There were all reporters from Kansas. Barging into the venue, they raised their microphones and challenged, "Mr. Bailey, may I ask why you said our Kansas¡¯ No.1 Wealthy Heiress was lying? What evidence do you have?¡± ''Your engagement with Ms. Waverly helped to seal the deal between the two countries. Are you neglecting her after achieving so?" "Could you give US an exnation for the way you treated Ms. Waverly and the people from Kansas?" ''There are only a few staff resigning, and you¡¯re hosting a big press conference. Why didn''t you host a press conference for Ms. Waverly?" "Who''s your actual fiancee?" Each question was strongly and clearly articted. The local reporters realized, too. These were the actual questions they wanted to ask-they had no interest in this insurance! Rtionships made better gossip! With that, everyone below the stage turned their gazes to the people on the stage with spections and doubts. Charmine frowned. So many people showed up... Waverly remained unusually calm. She instantly pushed Charmine away and walked to Anthony, hooking her arm around his. ''You''ve all misunderstood. This isn''t what you think; Anthony and I are very much in love,¡± she spoke as she leaned closer toward Anthony, somewhat portraying a blissful couple. She knew Anthony would not shrug her off with so many eyes on them! Indeed, Anthony did not push him away. He remained standing, allowing her to glue herself on him. He had worn steel all over him beforeing to the press conference. Even if she leaned on him, it was merely ice-cold steel. 1 However, this feeling was already bad enough for him. "Send them all out!" ordered Anthony coldly, words strong and domineering. The bodyguards instantly stood up and pushed out the reporters from Kansas. Someone scoffed, "Anthony, are you always solving problems by force?" 1 "Why are you not replying? Why don''t you answer?" "We''re not listening to Waverly¡¯s reply. We want you to exin in person!" All riled up, the reporters fought the bodyguards and were unwilling to leave. They must get their answers at this moment! Although the bodyguards were sending them out, these people were from Kansas, and they could not harm them. The situation was a mess. Suddenly, Fredrick, who sat in the front row, stood up. "Settle down, everyone. Anthony and my daughter have some little amusements between them. The lie Anthony referred to was just a small surprise Waverly prepared for him. Anthony has always been conservative, and it''s normal for him to not like the surprise, but he''s always loved my daughter. Why else would they get engaged, no? Why would he take on the live- streaming interview for her?" Standing on the tform, Charmine''s eyelids twitched slightly. Fredrick would actually speak up for Anthony? What a drag this turned out... As expected, seeing that everyone was still suspicious, Fredrick turned to Anthony and said, "Anthony, there''re so many people in here. Since everyone is still unconvinced, reassure them!" "Right! We¡¯ve never seen any intimate gestures between you two! We need at least a French kiss to believe!" 1 "Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" chanted everyone at the conference. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Waverly leaned against Anthony, sheepishly saying, "Anthony, it''s just a kiss. Once we kiss, they won''t doubt US anymore, and the deal between the two countries won''t be affected." Could Anthony reject her in this situation? Since she said her mind, the reporters from Kansas would fuss over the situation if Anthony rejected her, and things would get out of hand. Anthony''s expression was like a darkened cloud. chapter 883 chapter 883 As Anthony was about to push her away, the corner of his eyes caught Charmine''s expression. Charmine gently lowered her eyes unnoticeably. Was that a look ofpliance? She was okay with him French-kissing another woman!? Was she wanting to get punished again? Charmine was worried he would genuinely push Waverly away, distressed that the situation would get out of hand. She gave another look at Anthony. Her eyes glint faintly: collusive, calctive, and yful. Anthony sessfully read her. He vaguely understood that she had some other ns. He was intrigued. In this situation, what other ns could she have? Facing all the reporters below the stage, Anthony had to lower his face, slowly closing on Waverly''s lips, steadily... That speed, it was as if time had stopped. The initially rambunctious crowd fell deathly silent, quiet as they watched the scene. Was Anthony about to kiss Waverly? Were they about to kiss...? Susan was only satisfied by that. Wonderful. Waverly was finally making progress! She actually arranged this! Just one kiss, and their rtionship would bloom! 1 ording to some scientific research, certain hormones would be secreted when two people kissed that would help develop the feeling of being in love. As for Charmine? She was merely a nobody, and all she could do was watch on helplessly. Hah! Indeed, Charmine was watching along with everyone else. The dashing man was closing in toward the beautiful woman, and such a sight was picturesque, much like a fairytale. Watching that the two were getting closer, the moment when Anthony''s lips were about to graze Waverly''s... The standing Waverly suddenly batted her eyelids shut. Caught off-guard, she fell on the stage. 1 Waverly fainted... She fainted just as they were reaching the climax! There was a short period of silence. After a moment... N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. "Waverly!" Fredrick and Max called out, rushing up the stage in worry. That brought Anthony out of his mini-trance. So that was the final move? She actually made Waverly faint in front of everyone? Anthony¡¯s originally tensed face eased as he knelt down, shaking Waverly. Waverly did not move. "Ambnce!" he ordered Luke. "Ambnce!" Remove this woman, quickly! He did not want to put on the act with her any longer! However, the crowd saw his anxious face and assumed he was worried. Anthony was that worried about Waverly? He really loved Waverly all along? Had they assumed wrongly the whole time? Meanwhile, Max walked up the stage as he red at Charmine and Anthony coldly. He spoke to them in a very low and soft voice that only they could hear, "If I find out that either one of you did this to Waverly, be ready for hell to pay!" 1 He did not believe Waverly would faint out of the blue. It must have been Anthony and Charmine, pulling at the strings! Fredrick also bent down on the floor. He started to check on Waverly''s pulse. Although he was the No.1 Surgery Doctor in the world, he also had insights on other diseases. The D''Cruz family was not only good at stic surgery, but they also had great medical expertise and understanding. Waverly was his only and favorite daughter. Whoever tried to harm his daughter would face his ultimate wrath! chapter 884 chapter 884 Susan walked toward them. "Fredrick, do have a thorough check. Find out why Waverly faints!" She was fine all the while. Why did she suddenly faint? Charmine must have done something. If Charmine actually attacked Waverly in this public event, Charmine would be over! Unfortunately... After doing a series of checks, Fredrick frowned as he confessed, "Waverly had anemia. It''s caused by theck of nutrients in her body." That shocked everyone. That was it¡ªjust Waverly with anemia? "Father, did you actually check?" asked Max in disbelief. "She just has a weak pulse. Don''t make random guesses." Fredrick did not believe it, but that was the truth. "No need for an ambnce, Anthony," he decided, "just take Waverly home and care for her." "Okay." Anthony seemed to have worried about Waverly as he removed his suit and covered Waverly with it. He carried her and walked out with her in his arms. Since they did not kiss, even a hug was a good ending. It helped that he had steel all over his body, so it did not matter.N?velDrama.Org content rights. Charmine did not mind, too. Nobody knew that she had one of Waverly''s acupoints with a needle, resulting in that ''weakened pulse''. 1 Nobody would find out what happened, and what Waverly had to face in the future would... Haha! On the same day, news of the event went viral. [Waverly Not Only A Stupid Liar But Is Also Weak?] 3 Thement section criticized the matter. [Poor President Bailey. He was about to kiss his fiancee, yet she fainted?] [Why is Waverly so troublesome? She angered her mother-inw and now she''s out cold?] [Was she the one refusing to get married? She arranged for so much embarrassing news to cancel the engagement?] Inside the vi... Susan kept watch over Waverly by her bedside. When she read the articles, she was enraged. Waverly was such a troublesome heiress! What did the Baileys do to her? Why did she faint? They were so close to kissing. The ending would have been different if they actually d id ...yet she was that useless? Opening her eyes, Waverly was met with Susan''s glowering face. She frowned suspiciously. What... What happened? Was she not kissing Anthony? Why was she here? Why did Susan look... Seeing that she woke up, Susan frowned. "Waverly, you''re finally awake. Do you know that you fainted at the wrong time? Do you know what you missed?" She sounded angry. Waverly frowned. She vaguely recalled what happened. Back then, she suddenly felt dizzy and failed to stop herself from fainting. Susan was ming her! She instantly exined, "Auntie, it''s not what you think! Someone framed me; it must be Charmine! My body has always been well, and it¡¯s impossible for me to faint..." "Are you saying your father is an ipetent doctor? He personally checked on you!" argued Susan with a cold expression. Waverly''s heart sank. Her father? Even Fredrick could not find out why she fainted? Curse that Charmine! Why did she harm her this way?! "Waverly, I hope you can be more cautious next time and seize on the opportunity you get," scoffed Susan. "Don¡¯t always cause trouble!" Waverly¡¯s eyelids jumped. She was the heiress of the D''Cruz family! How could anyone speak to her with such a tone? chapter 885 chapter 885 Waverly''s face stiffened abruptly as gazed at Susan, displeased. "Auntie Susan, is this how you''re speaking to me? Aren¡¯t you forgetting something?" 1 Susan frowned. Waverly continued, "Don''t forget: I''m the heiress of the D''Cruz family from Kansas. The D¡¯Cruz family is a noble family equivalent to royalty." 3 In other words, she was equivalent to a princess, yet Susan spoke to her with such an attitude? She stared at Susan and reminded her, "I just nned on being their decoy from the start, but it was you who insisted on matching US, hoping we¡¯d get engaged soon. To be fair, Anthony has a son and rtions with Charmine. I¡¯m chaste, and it''s my loss to get engaged with him! It all came to this point, and I didn''t want it either. I¡¯m upset. How can you, as my future mother-in- Her tone was of a warning, lecturing tone. Susan''s face stiffened. She felt her cheeks turned hot and painful. Was Waverly lecturing her, speaking of her son so lowly as though she abhorred him, calling it her loss? 1 Even if what she said was true, her son, Anthony was the ideal partner of so many women! Just receiving a nce from him was a gain for her! While she fell out with him, Anthony was her son, and only she could berate him. No one else could do so! Face turning greenish-purple, Susan seethed, "I''m creating opportunity for you two. I thought Anthony would fall for you, thinking highly of Ms. Waverly¡¯s capability, but it had been so long and the two of you made no progress! If you im that it was me forcing you two to get engaged, and now that you two aren''t getting along, why not consider telling everyone the truth?" 2 Susan did not believe Waverly would actually give up on Anthony. She was just making a scene! 1 As expected, Waverly¡¯s face turned purple. She thought Susan would be intimidated if she reminded her of her background, but who would have thought Susan would counter in such a way? 1 In that case, would she ept Charmine as her daughter-inw? No way. For her future n, she could not fall out with Susan! Waverly had to lower her tone, "Auntie, of course I want to make progress with Anthony. As you know, Charmine was able to make the reporters from Kansas go away. Without the reporters waiting outside, she spends time with Anthony every day, and I can''t even speak to him. Even when we have one chance to be alone, Chris would use that robot to annoy me. They don''t give me any chance to develop feelings with him! If you could help me, perhaps the situation could improve." Susan smirked coldly. Ah, was she not begging her atst? She was her mother-inw; it was only right for Waverly to act this way! However, based on Waverly''s background, Susan would keep it in. She said to Waverly, i''ll think of something. Wait for my news. By tomorrow, I''ll give you two an opportunity to spend time together. I hope you can appreciate the opportunity by then." ''Thank you, Auntie," replied Waverly. Leaving Waverly, Susan got to her car and sat in it, displeased. It seemed that Waverly was just like Charmine-they were not as simple. If one of the two became her daughter-inw, she would likely suffer. 1 Somehow, she suddenly thought of McKenzie. McKenzie always did research and inventions; she was the simplest of all. Unfortunately, she had neglected McKenzie for a long while. 2 N?velDrama.Org content rights. She took out her phone and dialed McKenzie''s phone. Inside theb, McKenzie was drinking coffee and watching the news. When she saw Susan calling, her red lips curled up brilliantly. While both sides waged war, she started to make gains out of it. After answering the call, her voice was gentle and formal as usual. "Auntie." "McKenzie, have you been busy recently? I¡¯ve got things in need of your favor tomorrow. Do you have time?" asked Susan. Tomorrow would be herst time helping Waverly. If she failed again, she would give up on her! chapter 886 chapter 886 "Do let me know if I can do anything for you," offered McKenzie. "However busy I am, I''ll make time to help." 1 Susan was delighted. McKenzie truly was the best, one less trickier and less fussy. She would have matched McKenzie with Anthony had it not been for Waverly inserting herself in the picture. She said, "So, I guess you''ve seen the newstely? Anthony is in a rtionship with Waverly, but it''s ingenuine-it''s to seal a deal. I didn''t know about it in the beginning. I thought they loved each other, so I pushed them together, neglecting you in the process. I do believe you still stand a chance. As long as you help me tomorrow and invite all close friends to the Bailey mansion, I''ll put you and Anthony together after tomorrow if they still don''t get along." McKenzie scoffed inwardly; Susan made it sound so pleasant. A man who had many ties with countless women, and she said McKenzie could only '' stand a chance''? She sounded as if she was rewarding her. McKenzie would have kicked him far away had it been any other man, but this was Anthony, the best among all amazing men in the world! 1 She said elegantly, "Okay, don''t worry, Auntie. I''ll help you, and I understand your predicament." "Alrighty, that''s the spirit!" On that day. After sorting out matters regarding the Jordan Group and calming the staff, Charmine felt grateful. It was too small a matter to ask Anthony to speak up for her, so she had to thank Anthony well. N?velDrama.Org content rights. She was shopping in the mall, picking some gifts for Anthony and Chris. It was already ten at night when she got home, and upon entering, she saw Anthony and Waverly sitting in the living room. Waverly was saying something to Anthony while he remained stoic, apathetic. Seeing Charmineing in, Waverly''s lips curled into an elegant and formal smile. "Charmine, you came back at the right time. There''s something I need to tell you. Tomorrow, the Houstons, Stevens, and others will go to the Bailey mansion for a gathering. It''s so rare forthem to gather, and they''d bring along their family. "Mrs. Bailey called today, saying Mr. Bailey and I must attend, or I''ll fail as a daughter-inw. She''d rather consider Annabel as her daughter-inw instead!" Charmine¡¯s eyelids jumped. She was threatening them with Annabel? Of course, Annabel was safely hidden in Violet Vi, but if they found her still in an unstable state, anything could happen. 1 Charmine remained silent for a moment as she walked over. "Isn''t it just a banquet? It''s not like Anthony and you haven''t attended one before. Go if you want to, as long as you can endure it." Her words were ominous, domineering. Waverly thought of the images of how she attended events with Anthony. Either they treated one another formally, or they were attacked by the press. Whenever she hooked her arm around Anthony''s, it was always cold steel. It would be the same tomorrow! No, Susan would help her tomorrow. Everything would be different! "Alright, see you at nine tomorrow morning." Waverly''s lips curled up elegantly as she walked away. Charmine did not seem to care as she walked to Anthony. "See what I got for you." With that said, she handed a small box over. Anthony frowned. So, this woman finally had a heart. She bought him something atst? 1 However... After receiving the box, he simply put it by the side and pulled Charmine into a hug. Caught off-guard, Charmine fell and sat on hisp as his arms hooked around her waist, her body tight against him. 1 She could smell the scent on his body, and it sent her heart racing. "What ...?" Anthony looked at her intensely, and his thin lips curved into a small smile. chapter 887 chapter 887 "Let me unwrap my present," he spoke, voice husky and maic as he raised his hand and unbuttoned the buttons on her suit, helping her remove her suit. Charmine''s cheeks flushed red. Unwrap his present? He was removing her suit, and he called it ''unwrapping his present''? However, after a moment, she vaguely understood... Lips half-curled, Anthony carried her and walked upstairs. To him, she was the best present. Panicking, Charmine quickly reached out to grab the box as he carried her upstairs. Waverly had not gone inside her room by then, and she heard their conversation and saw what they did. Charmine''s suit was left on the sofa, a silent showcase of their romance. They just did not hold back in front of her! She was so envious that it could tear her apart. Her hands clenched tightly. Hold it. She must hold it! Tomorrow during the banquet, she had to make progress with Anthony and make sure Charmine paid for what she had done to her! On the second floor... Charmine was ced in bed as Anthony unbuttoned his white shirt, one button at a time, his movement elegant yet passionate. Charmine gulped. Her heartbeat fastened. Although Anthony said he would not touch her before marriage, they only held back thest part. Who knew what else he would do? She quickly handed the box to him. "Why don''t you unbox this? I picked this for you." ''There''s no hurry. I can unbox the gift tomorrow, our night is running out," he said as he turned off the light and leaned forward. Charmine¡¯s eyshes fluttered. Their night was running out... Right, tomorrow morning, Anthony would have to go back to the Bailey mansion with Waverly. The two had to be seen together in public while she could only watch from the dark. She stopped struggling and allowed his heavy body to lean toward her. She reminded him worriedly, ''They might do things to you tomorrow. Do be careful." Anthony raised his eyebrows when she spoke, apanied with a yful look that was rare from him. "If I''m drugged and have to sleep with another woman, what would you do?" Eyes narrowed, Charmine answered instinctively, "It''s not like it didn''t happen before. Your child is five years old." With that said, their bodies stiffened. Five years ago, the drugged-out Anthony slept with Annabel, resulting in her birthing Chris. Present-day Annabel still bore Anthony''s child as she rested on the third floor of a vi not far away. They were so absorbed with matters regarding Annabel that they forgot about Annabel. Annabel was the only woman Anthony had slept with... The atmosphere felt somewhat thick. Anthony''s expression fell. "I''m sorry, mydy." His low voice sheltered a rare glint of gentleness as hisrge hand kindly fixed her hair. He lowered his head and kissed her between her brows. Charmine closed her eyes gently, allowing him to kiss her. Every time she thought of Annabel, she felt restricted, bound. He was her man, yet he had a child with another woman. He even had her baring another. N?velDrama.Org content rights. On second thought, she did not have a chaste body either. She did not have the right to feel so. It would have been perfect, dare she dreamed, if Anthony was the man who deflowered her five years ago, that she birthed Chris instead. If Anthony was the man from five years ago, how good would it have been? chapter 888 chapter 888 s, that would never be. Annabel and Chris had a DNA test, after all... 2 Noticing that Charmine lost focus and was silent, Anthony kissed her on her lips, one that pulled her back to reality. She fell into his gentle and seductive kiss. 1 A night of gentleness, it was. The next morning when Charmine woke up, there was no sign of Anthony by her side. She did notice, however, that the box was opened and the gift was taken. There was a slip of paper inside that read, [The size is right, soft and sweet.] The words were powerfully written, but they emanated a hint of warmth in it. Charmine¡¯s lips twitched. This man! She bought her a pocket square-did he have to make it sound so loving? She noticed that he would have a pocket square on the left side of his suit whenever he went out. She thought it would be satisfying if he could go out wearing a gift she gave him. For Chris, on the other hand, she prepared a small bear clip. He would look adorable with it. Unfortunately, she overslept, and Chris was already in school. It was only eight in the morning... Worried that Waverly would invoke her wrath, Anthony woke up early in the morning and woke Chris up. They went downstairs early in the morning. Waverly intentionally put on a set of leopard-skin top with a shirt skirt that beautifully showcased her long legs. The essories on her were worth at least ten million in total. 2 She woke up early so she could show off to Charmine. She wanted her to get jealous. Who would have thought that all she got was an exchange between Anthony and Chris, "Be good, and don¡¯t wake up your Mommy. She needs sleep." "Alright, then." Momo pouted. He touched his bear pin and decided he would thank his mother in the afternoon. Waverly saw the pocket square on Anthony and the bear pin on Chris, and her eyes were filled with darkness and hatred. 1 They wore the things Charmine gifted to them so daringly! They were intentionally hurting her! Luckily, she had arrangements today. Charmine would never be able to be with Anthony again! The banquet was hosted in the Bailey mansion''s garden. Early that morning, the maids had tidied up the garden. It was so clean that there was not even dust on the ground. It was mid-autumn with all the flowers blooming. It was a garden of a few thousand square meters. There was a whole patch of golden flowers. McKenzie came early to apany Susan. She helped in decorating the scene. Susan looked at McKenzie, her lips curled up with satisfaction. "McKenzie, if only you can be with Anthony. You¡¯re my favorite daughter-in-w.¡± "Auntie, we can''t force feelings. I did try, but if Anthony doesn''t like me, I don¡¯t hope to make it so awkward. As long as we can be friends." McKenzie''s words were rational and formal. Susan sighed. "If only Waverly thinks the same way you do. Do you know, she''s so dumb that she got me into trouble twice! Whatever, let¡¯s N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. not talk about it. We''ll see after today." McKenzie narrowed her eyes. After today... It seemed more good drama would unfold. As the sun went up, more and more people started to arrive. Everyone brought their sons, daughters-inw, daughters, and everyone in between. Susan would usually host such gatherings at the end of the year, inviting these opportunistic friends, but this year, she made it earlier. It seemed many wealthydies did not want toe, considering the jewelry they ordered for the end-of-year gathering had not arrived. They did not get to show off. chapter 889 chapter 889 However, Susan spoke out, and the Houstons sided with them. As the two major families took the lead, they had toply. Even though they were not pleased, they all still greeted one another with enthusiasm. When the seniors got together, every one of them gloated about their sons or daughters. Somehow, the topic took such a turn... "My son and his wife are on good terms. They went to a gathering a few days ago and took the dance floor like a prince and a princess." "My daughter-inw is so nice to my son. Even though she''s a wealthy heiress, she handmade a scarf for him." "I''ll ask my daughter and her husband to dance for you all. They won an international award a few days ago, and it''s a shame none of you were able to bear witness to it," spoke another, and the couple actually went ahead to start dancing. 1 Their dance was stunning. The two looked so much in love, much to the envy of the seniors. With that, the rest of the sons and daughters went ahead to perform. Between the self-seeking friends, nobody wanted to lose. By noon, when everyone had finished showcasing, someone piped up, "Oh, Mrs. Bailey, where''s your son and his fiancee?" Susan had looked at the entrance countless times, riddled with anxiety. Was Waverly so useless that she could not even bring Anthony? Just as the thought urred to her, two figures appeared by the entrance. One was in a suit, dashing as he could be, while the other was in an expensive top, a very wealthy heiress. 1 The two stood out so much in the crowd, captivating and stunning everyone as they walked in. When the other wealthy heiresses saw Waverly, they turned bitter and jealous. 1 Waverly was from Kansas, thus her face features were more defined than theirs. She had a foreign sense of beauty, as if she walked out from a ssic oil painting. Even the aura she emanated overshadowed theirs. Only McKenzie remained cold and calm. She nced at Waverly''s face, and a glint of unnoticeable darkness appeared in her eyes. Fredrick D''Cruz''s surgery technique was so wless. He was indeed the best in the world. 3 The wealthydies quickly regained theirposure. They started calling out to them, "Perfect timing. Anthony, Waverly, you came at the right time! Everyone here has performed. It''s your turn now!" "They danced and sang. Anthony, why don¡¯t you and Waverly perform a piece on the piano," gushed Susan as she did not give Anthony a chance to talk back. She asked people to move the piano up. She had surveyed Waverly¡¯s background: She could draw, read, write, and y the piano. Her level was as high as grade ten. If Anthony could y the piano with Waverly, he would surely be wooed by her talent, and they would be closer. The rest agreed. "Right, I haven''t heard Anthony y the piano for so long. This gathering only happens once a year. y something."N?velDrama.Org content rights. Sitting among the flowers, Grandma Bailey looked at Anthony. "Anthony, Grandma wants to hear you y. Perhaps I''m getting old, but I miss the times when you learned the piano back then." Anthony remained apathetic. Nobody could tell what he was thinking. As he remained silent, everyone waited for him. His presence always made the atmosphere more tense. Waverly was extremely worried. Even Grandma Bailey spoke out. Would Anthony turn her down? She would be so embarrassed if Anthony did so! With that in mind, she leaned closer to Anthony and said in a volume that only he could hear, "Anthony, just one day. Think of Annabel." Her tone was menacing. chapter 890 chapter 890 Anthony''s eyes grew ayer of frost. Was she genuinely threatening him? He had to put her in her ce. 2 He walked toward the piano and sat down elegantly. Waverly exhaled in relief. Perfect-she managed to intimidate Anthony! 4 Atst, she could perform something with him in public! She walked over and sat down. Susan and Grandma Bailey let out a breath of relief, pleased with the oue. Thus, everyone waited silently. Anthony''s delicate fingersnded on the keyboard as he started his performance. The beautiful sound came out from the piano, and it was Rachmaninoff''s Piano Concerto No. 3. This was the most difficult piano concerto in the world! A famous music critic once described the performance as energy-draining, and that the physical energy required was equivalent to ''ten tons of coal''. In the documentary of an Australian musician [shing Glory], he once described a pianist who mentally copsed due to performing this piece... yet Anthony was able to perform such a difficult piano repertoire! After a moment of shock, Waverly¡¯s red lips curled up slightly. Luckily, she was well-prepared beforeing back. In order to sessfully stun anyone, she had learned all of the most difficult things in the world, from hypnosis to piano pieces and all kinds of arts. Rachmaninoff''s Piano Concerto No. 3 was not too difficult for her. 3 Her fingersnded on the piano keys and she yed with Anthony. The two sat together like a pair of fey couples, and countless people admired them. Many wealthy ladies felt extremely bitter. How did Susan marry off so well and have such an amazing son and daughter-inw? Eventually, however... The tempo picked up and became faster. Next to Anthony, Waverly failed to catch up to Anthony''s tempo. She looked anxious and no longer smug like before. 1 N?velDrama.Org content rights. She tried to catch up but was unable to do so; she was a few beats behind. 1 Until the end, when Anthony¡¯s tempo was at its peak, her fingers failed to even touch the keys. 1 She waspletely out of sync with Anthony, unable to catch up! Furthermore, she wanted to y, but Anthony''s delicate fingers jumped from the left side of the piano to the right, fast like a phantom. Even though it was fast, his posture and look remained calm as if he was drinking tea. He even yed Waverly''s part as well... Waverly sat by the side, and awkwardly so. A gust of autumn wind blew by, and the dried yellow leaves flew in the air... As the concerto drew to a close, the audience were stunned. They had never heard such a beautiful concerto. Who would have thought that Anthony not only knew business, but his piano skill was so high-level! After a momentary stun, everyone snapped out of it as theymented, ''Why did Waverly stop halfway?" "Isn''t she the No.1 wealthy heiress from Kansas? She failed to catch up?" "Anthony is a businessman, but he''s so impressive on the piano, yet Waverly couldn¡¯t catch up?¡± 1 They were all envious of how Susan had such a nice daughter-inw, but Waverly''s ipetence set them up for a chance to criticize her! Susan''s face turned green. It was not easy for her to give Waverly a chance to be with Anthony, yet Waverly embarrassed her again! She fainted yesterday, and all of a sudden, she could not even y the piano? Waverly sat still, angered and awkward. She did not expect Anthony to y so quickly. She did not expect Anthony''s level to be so much higher than hers! 1 Forget her; even Charmine or anyone else would not be able to catch up with Anthony. However, she could not say so, and she had to try to keep her elegance. She exined, "Apologies, my fingers suddenly cramped halfway through the piece." Everyoneughed inwardly. It was obvious she could not follow through, but she excused it as cramps? chapter 891 chapter 891 How fake! Grandma Bailey was not pleased, but since she was the host, she tried to defend her. "Hand cramps are normal, very normal. Even a prodigy will slip up at some point. Look at this, the flowers are blooming so beautifully. Let''s go and admire the flowers." Dorothy instantly went forward to help up Grandma Bailey. Since it was Grandma Bailey, the rest followed her to admire the flowers. Waverly followed behind Anthony, tense-looking as she did. She had never been so embarrassed in public before. These people might tell everyone else that she could not y the piano! She was embarrassed. She must make Charmine embarrassed as well! As she followed behind Anthony, she secretly texted Britney when he was not looking. [Go with the n. Make sure nothing goes wrong!] With that, she admired the flowers with the rest as if nothing was happening. The flowers bloomed so beautifully as they seemingly glowed in yellow majestically. With Susan¡¯s approval of letting anyone pick at the flowers, many men picked it up and tucked it behind their wives¡¯ ears. Susan picked one personally and handed it to Anthony. "Anthony, don''t be so cold. You''re an adult now, you should learn to please your fiancee. Come, give this flower to Waverly. I''ll help you two take a photo.¡± She forced the flower into Anthony¡¯s hand. Anthony looked at Waverly and then at the flower before he...tossed the flower away! He just tossed it into the bin by the side. Everyone was dumbfounded. What was Anthony doing? Why did it seem that he was having a fight with Waverly? Waverly''s face stiffened. Anthony was giving her a hard time! At that moment, Anthony spoke up, ''The flower is too small. How could she have it?" As he spoke, he personally picked the biggest flower and gradually raised his hand to put it on Waverly''s head. Waverly lowered her head shyly-she misunderstood him after all. Was Anthony finally willing to do something intimate to her? Progress, atst! 3 The delighted Susan stood by the side as she took out her phone to capture the gesture. With these photos, she could surely agitate Charmine! It came as a surprise, however, when Anthony ced the flower on top of Waverly''s head instead. 2 It was ced on the center of her head! 2 Everyone ced it by the ear, a sweet and delicate gesture, but Waverly had a huge flower on top of her head! She looked like a tasteless vige woman! The people around them burst outughing at the sight. "Oh my goodness! He''s so straightforward! He''s a clueless man!" "Hahaha! Dear me, what a pitiful sight! It''s hrious!" Waverly heard the crowd mocking her, and her face stiffened and darkened. Anthony did this to her on purpose! He did it on purpose! 3 With her stiffened face along with the golden flower on her head, she looked like she was taking a mugshot. 2 Susan''s hand that was about to capture a photo halted. This...Waverly was too ugly. She looked worse than the flower! 1 Also, was she nning on just standing stiff? Could she not do anything else? 1 Waverly remained awkward for a long while before reacting. Noticing Susan''s gaze, she quickly took it down as if it was not a big deal. "Anthony, this isn''t how you put a flower. This is how you should do it." N?velDrama.Org is the owner. As she spoke, she reached out and took the flower from her head, ready to put it by her ear. All of a sudden, however... "Argh!" A loud cry resonated in the air. Waverly staggered a few steps backward and the flower in her hand was thrown a few meters away. She panicked as if she had seen a ghost. Her heels broke and she fell on the ground ungraciously. chapter 892 chapter 892 The loud cry attracted everyone''s attention. Everyone turned back to see Waverly falling to the ground. Her originally beautiful face was filled with panic, and strands of her hair fell out of ce. She was in so much shock and did not look elegant at all. Susan was angry. Waverly was trying to embarrass her! However, she had to calm herself and support her. She asked, "What happened?¡± "Worm...a worm...!" Waverly looked badly shaken, still. When she was about to put the flower on her ear, she noticed a thumbsized worm on the flower and it wiggled toward her palm. She gradually felt the worm¡¯s soft flesh. Disgusting! Utterly disgusting! Susan''s face darkened. She could no longer hold back her fury. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. In a wealthy family, even if they had flowers, they would have maids picking out worms by hand every day. Waverly called out a worm in the flowers she grew, and that was indirectly embarrassing her! The people admiring the flowers kept some distance from the flowers instantly... McKenzie walked over. "Ms. Waverly, did you see it clearly? How can there be a worm on the flower? When I came here in the morning, I saw Mrs. Bailey arranging for the maids to examine all of the flowers." "But it¡¯s there...¡± Waverly wanted to speak before she realized something. If she continued, she would have offended Susan. She instantly stood up and fixed herposure, quickly saying in a calm tone, "Right, I saw it wrongly. Indeed, I saw it wrongly." How would the people believe her? A few of themughed. They were no longer picking the flowers, and most of them stopped admiring the flowers. All of the flowers were imported from Fresno to grow. Before Susan could earn praises from the attendees, Waverly just had to ruin it... Susan could not stand it any longer. She massaged her temple. "Everyone, do enjoy your stroll and look around. I''ll check if the tea is ready." She left. Thinking of the tea, her face became even darker. She prepared cakes made with the flowers. They were the finest cakes, yet she was unable to present them. Waverly was so foolish! So dumb! Waverly could sense that Susan was unhappy. She was just as furious. Susan did not take good care of her flowers and terrified her, yet she was ming her? Nheless, since everyone was looking around freely, she finally had her opportunity! Anthony also found an excuse to leave. She walked toward Grandma Bailey and said elegantly, "Grandma, let me walk around with you." "Okay." Although Grandma Bailey was not happy, she followed her anyway. 1 Meanwhile, at the Jordan Group... Charmine was sorting out some matters. She was speeding up thepany1 s globalization. Since they built traditional buildings in Burlington, they would have to build local traditional buildings in other countries to sell out. At that moment, her phone rang. She took out to hear a voice note from Chris that went, "Mommy! Mommy! Save me!" 4 Charmine frowned. Was Chris in trouble? She instantly called him, but all she heard was, "Sorry, the number you dialed is unavable." Unavable...? She stood up and marched out. She walked as she called Kay, "Find out Momo''s location within three minutes!" chapter 893 chapter 893 With that, she hung up and let Adam take over thepany matters she was handling. She left thepany exactly three minutester. Kay walked over to report to her, "After investigating the matter, we found that Momo left school. We haven¡¯t found his current address, but we''re certain that thest message was sent out from the Bailey mansion." The Bailey mansion? Charmine frowned. Had Chris gone to the Bailey mansion to look for Anthony? The Baileys never liked Chris. With Waverly and McKenzie around, if they did anything to Chris... With that in mind, she went inside the car and rushed toward the Bailey mansion, all while she attempted to call Anthony. He did not pick up. She had to go ahead alone. At the same time, Anthony was trying to get away from Waverly. Since Senior Bailey looked for him, he went inside Senior Bailey''s meditation room. The meditation room was a resting space for Senior Bailey. Upon entering, they had to remove all weapons and phones. They had to wash their hands and disinfect their body. Anthony never got to enter back then, but there he was, sitting on the cushion and meditating with Senior Bailey at that moment. As long as he could get away from Waverly. Unable to contact Anthony, Charmine drove toward the Bailey mansion, though she pulled over at a ce far away from the mansion. If she went in just like that, she would be blocked from entering. Since nobody knew her rtionship with Anthony, what would others think if they found out she came all the way for Chris? She tied up her hair and put on a ck mask before leaving the car. She walked as she phoned Kay, "Locate the final location." "Radius XXX," Kay reported the exact location. Charmine hung up. She found an unnoticeable back wall and jumped over with agility. The backyard that opened up to a mountain was silent, and no one was around. Noticing a maid was cleaning nearby, Charmine walked over and pricked her, prompting the maid to fall silently to the ground. She dragged the maid to an unnoticeable rockery before putting on her clothes. With that, she walked toward the yard. ording to the resource Kay provided, she located a garden by the backyard. Who would have thought that upon entering the garden, Grandma Bailey had fallen on the ground. Her face was green. Charmine realized something instantly; it was a trap! Based on her face, she could tell that Grandma Bailey''s life was in trouble! Although Grandma Bailey was not as easy to her, she was Anthony''s grandmother. If anything happened... 1 She had to walk toward her and knelt to examine Grandma Bailey. When she knelt... "Grandma Bailey!¡± A startling yell was heard. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Swiftly after, ten or so people walked into the yard. The person calling was Waverly who was walking in front. With a call, everyone saw Grandma Bailey on the floor and the disguised Charmine kneeling beside her, hand outstretched as if to feel her neck. ''What are you doing?!" barked Susan. Instantly, she pushed Charmine away and knelt by Grandma Bailey¡¯s side. She reached out anxiously to feel her breathing. When she sensed airing out, she was more relieved. She called out loudly, "Doctor! Call the doctor! And capture this maid!" Someone ran away anxiously, while the bodyguards marched toward Charmine. Seeing that they were approaching her, she had a glint of darkness in her eyes. Damn Waverly! She trapped her! How could she use Grandma Bailey? As everyone treated her as the perpetrator, if they realized she was Charmine, things would go down south really bad... chapter 894 chapter 894 Within a short period of assessment, someone had reached out to grab Charmine''s arm. Charmine''s body turned away with agility. "Grandma Bailey won''t live past five minutes if nothing''s done to help her!" she snapped. What? Would not live past five minutes? Everyone reeled back in shock. Susan scoffed angrily, ''Who are you? Not only did you harm Grandma Bailey, but you even cursed her? Someone,e here and remove her mask!" The people surrounded Charmine and were about to grab her. Charmine merely said, "You don''t have to, I''ll do it myself!" In front of everyone, she took the initiative to remove her mask. Her stunning face was shown, calm and cold. When everyone saw her face, they all gasped instantly. "Ch...Charmine!" ''The Jordan Group''s director?" ''The Jordan Group''s director pretended to be a maid and came in to harm Grandma Bailey?" The most shocked of all was Susan. Realization dawned on Susan as she noticed it was Charmine''s voice, no doubt. She did not recognize it earlier! Charmine sneaked into the Bailey mansion! She growled angrily, "Charmine, you¡¯ve gone too far! How can you harm Grandma Bailey? She''s a senior!" "I knelt beside Grandma Bailey, and you used me of harming someone? Now you¡¯re carrying Grandma Bailey, you¡¯re the one closest to her. Did you harm her?" scoffed Charmine. "You...! Don''t try to talk back! You''re in this yard, alone, and dressed as a maid. You''re ill-intentioned! Someone,e and capture her! Send her to the police!" Not bothering with talks and reasoning, Susan gave her verdict right away. At that moment, Grandma Bailey-Still on the ground-had blood flowing out from her nose! Someone shouted, "Grandma Bailey is bleeding. This... This isn''t a good sign!" N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. "Susan, you must be careful. My senior at home started bleeding and instantly died!" Susan was horror-stricken to hear them. She called out loudly, "Doctor? Why¡¯s the doctor not here?!" Waverly went forward and knelt by Grandma Bailey to feel her pulse. She examined her eyes. After a moment, she frowned. "She¡¯s suffering from intracranial hypertension apanied by cerebral hemorrhage, and blood reflux is also produced. If she''s not sent to the hospital, she won¡¯t live past five minutes, just as Charmine said!" She emphasized the ''as Charmine said¡¯. Everyone panicked. Sent to the hospital within five minutes? How was that possible? Grandma Bailey was in a perilous situation...yet Charmine was able to tell with just one look and even guessed the time urately? Everyone looked at Charmine suspiciously. Susan growled at her, "Charmine, what did you do to Grandma Bailey? How can you be so evil?!" "You should ask that to Ms. D¡¯Cruz who¡¯s by your side." Charmine¡¯s eyesnded on Waverly coldly. "Who was thest person apanying Grandma Bailey? And who lured you all toe here?" Charmine''s words were cold and maniptive. The crowd thought about it. Waverly was apanying Grandma Bailey for a walk, and she did call out to them and said Grandma Bailey was missing. She was the one who led everyone to start searching for her. 1 Unless... Waverly remained calm. "I¡¯m the Bailey family''s daughter-inw. There''s no reason for me to attack Grandma Bailey. Charmine, it''s you. Wasn''t it just a small conflict between you and Grandma Bailey? Why did you have to sneak in to attack her? If we didn¡¯t catch you, you would¡¯ve escaped! And yet you''re still trying to use me!?" Her counter was powerful. chapter 895 chapter 895 Only then did Susan think about it. Waverly had a point. Grandma Bailey once went to look for Charmine. Other than Anthony, Charmine hated everyone in the Bailey family. 1 She must have thought of ways to kill the Baileys, whoever stopped her from being with Anthony! 1 Since Waverly had the approval of the seniors, why would she attack Grandma Bailey? "Call the police," fumed Susan, "call the police right away! Send Charmine to the police station!" Ten or so bodyguards went toward Charmine. Abruptly, Grandma Bailey bled even more, and Charmine instantly pushed the bodyguards away, taking out a bag of needles once she did. "Only I can save Grandma Bailey. It¡¯d be toote by the time the doctores here!" "Go away! Are you not tired of harming Grandma Bailey? Are you that raring to want to attack her again? Do you think we can''t do anything to you?" Susan blocked her from getting closer to Grandma Bailey. She said to the bodyguards, "Are you even trying to keep your job? You can''t even take down a woman!" "Yes, Madam!" The bodyguards took out their electric baton from their uniform and waved it at Charmine violently. Just as about ten bodyguards were about to electrocute her, ten or so men in ck jumped over the fence. In the blink of an eye, it merely took a while before all of the bodyguards fell to the ground. "Argh!¡± They moaned painfully. Everyone watched with disbelief, backing away in fear as they did. Charmine actually brought so many people over? There were so many of them, all so skilled. Were they filming a spy movie?! Susan was shocked. Before she could react, Kay and the rest went forward to pull Waverly and Susan by the side. Soon, the space cleared up. Kay said to Charmine, "Boss Jordan, please go ahead!" Instantly, the Gragoul team formed a line and all the heiresses were blocked outside. No longer met with any obstruction, Charmine marched toward Grandma Bailey and knelt before her. Blood oozed out of Grandma Bailey''s eyes. 1 Her intracranial hypertension had reached an irrepressible state. She instantly took out silver needles and quickly pricked many spots on Grandma Bailey''s head. There were 19 needles in total, all in an effort to keep her from dying! Charmine''s forehead was zed with sweat. Whether she could live or not, it depended on Grandma Bailey''s own doing. Obstructed at the side, Susan watched on as needles were pricked onto Grandma Bailey. Her face turned white in terror. "Charmine, stop! You can''t do this to Grandma Bailey! Murdering is illegal, don''t you know that?!" She growled as she wanted to rush in, but the bodyguards were strong like a wall. It was impossible to knock them over. The Baileys bodyguards, meanwhile, still writhed on the floor, unable to get up as they suffered in pain. 1 Waverly had a worried look on her face, though she inwardly scoffed. Given Grandma Bailey''s current situation, even if Charmine was the best doctor in the world, she would be in great trouble! As expected, the 19 needles vibrated. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Grandma Bailey''s blood did not stop flowing, and instead, more blood oozed out. Fresh blood came out from her nose, ears, eyes, and mouth. She was going to die! Everyone watched. The timid ones had fainted, while some even cried out in fear, "Murderer! Charmine is a murderer!" As the crowd slowly spiraled into chaos, steady and powerful footsteps suddenly came toward them. Everyone looked over and saw Anthony, Darryl, and Senior Bailey marching over. Seeing that, Susan was more secured. She instantly rushed toward Anthony. "Anthony, look at her! Look at Charmine! Charmine is attacking your favorite Grandma!" chapter 896 chapter 896 Anthony, Darryl, and Senior Bailey looked at the yard. They saw that Grandma Bailey was on the ground, pricked with needles on her head. Blood oozed almost everywhere. They also spotted Charmine dressed in a maid''s costume, kneeling by the side. Overtaken with rage, Darryl roared at the row of bodyguards, "What are you standing there for? Hurry and capture Charmine! Save Grandma Bailey!" 1 ''These aren''t our bodyguards. They''re all taken down!" yelled Susan in reply. It was not until then Darryl noticed that there were bodyguards lying on the ground in pain. Charmine''s bodyguards, on the other hand, were strong like a wall as if they were warriors in the desert-undefeatable! His eyelids jumped. Charmine had such powerful bodyguards! As he gazed at his wife on the ground, Senior Bailey demanded, "Charmine, you let go of her! Hurt me instead, but let go of my wife!" He stumped his walking stick as he yelled. Darryl was even more furious. "Look at what an evil woman you''ve brought into your life! If your grandmother is dead, be ready for a lifetime of regret!" "Go and stop her! Only you can stop her!" Susan pushed him. The crowd was dumbfounded. Was Anthony not with Waverly? Why did he have things to do with Charmine? What did she mean by only Anthony could stop her? It seemed as if they had realized a secret... Anthony''s eyesnded on Charmine. She was dressed in a white-and-ck maid''s costume. Half- kneeling on the ground, she used a handkerchief to help wipe off the blood from Grandma Bailey. Her face remained focused as if the noise around her did not exist. In her eyes, there existed only the patient. Anthony walked toward the row of bodyguards, one step at a time. When Kay saw him walking over, he frowned. However, after a moment, he made way for Anthony. Hmph! He wanted to see Anthony attacking Charmine. He wanted Charmine to see the kind of person Anthony was! Even Anthony did not trust her. Why was she insisting on being with Anthony? Since there were so many people here, Anthony would not be able to harm Charmine. This time, Boss Jordan would finally snap out of her daze! 1 As everyone watched on, Anthony walked toward Charmine. The Baileys thought he would attack Charmine while the Gragoul team was ready to protect Charmine. Waverly¡¯s eyes were filled with delight. Charmine harmed the person Anthony most cared about. Surely, Anthony would not like Charmine anymore! Which was why it came as a surprise when Anthony, instead, knelt next to Charmine! He knelt right next to her! Following that... He took out the pocket square from his pocket and reached out to help Charmine wipe off the sweat on her forehead. He was wiping Charmine''s sweat! Everyone was stunned. They remained transfixed as if they saw a ghost. Charmine fatally harmed Anthony¡¯s favorite grandmother, but not only did Anthony not attack her, but he even wiped her sweat? Kay and his men were ready to pull out their weapons. However, they all remained transfixed on the spot, finding it hard to believe. Were their eyes tricking them? Why did theplete opposite happen instead? Only Charmine remained calm. She looked up at Anthony and continued to work on helping Grandma Bailey. Grandma Bailey had blooding out from her ears. She had to fix it soon or it would have severe side effects! N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Anthony was apanying her by the side. She was wiping blood off Grandma Bailey while he wiped off Charmine''s sweat. The Baileys almost exploded with anger. Susan growled loudly, "Anthony, are you crazy? Don''t you even care for your grandmother anymore!?" "Bad kid! I¡¯ll beat you up! I¡¯ll beat you up!" Senior Bailey raised his walking stick andunched at the group of bodyguards. 1 Just as his walking stick was about tond on the bodyguards... "Cough! Cough! Cough!" chapter 897 chapter 897 Grandma Bailey suddenly started coughing. A mouthful of ck blood spouted from her mouth as she coughed, though her sickly green face slowly eased for the better. Moreover, the needles on her head no longer vibrated. The crowd reeled in shock. Grandma Bailey woke up? She was visibly on the brink of death, yet she managed to regain consciousness? Also... Charmine was using the needles to save her and not to harm her? Charmine exhaled deeply in relief. Once she removed the needles on her head, she stood up and said to Anthony, "Grandma Bailey is stable right now, but she''ll be weaker in the following days. She''ll need some time to recover." "Okay." Anthony trusted her, he reached out carefully to help Grandma Bailey up and signaled to Luke with his eyes as he did. Luke and his men instantly brought the stretcher toward them. Anthony helped Grandma Bailey onto it, but since her body was quite heavy, Charmine had to help out. Grandma Bailey, with herplexion purplish-green, was much better. She was able to open her eyes. When she saw Charmine, her eyes squinted. "Char...Charmine..." Susan saw that Grandma Bailey regained consciousness, thus she instantly rushed over. She grabbed Grandma Bailey''s arm and asked, "Mother, what happened? Why did you faint? Did Charmine harm you?" Lying on the stretcher, Grandma Bailey instantly exined to Susan''s spection, "No... She didn''t... I...I fainted suddenly. Nothing did it..." Susan frowned suspiciously. So, it was not Charmine? Charmine did not harm Grandma Bailey? Turning her weary gaze around, Grandma Bailey briefly understood something. She looked at Charmine weakly and said, "Child, thank you... I''m grateful to have you..." 2 "It''s nothing. Please reserve your energy and recover well," assured Charmine. Grandma Bailey nodded-she liked Charmine even more. She almost died, yet it was Charmine who saved her... Charmine gave her a second chance at life... N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. She gradually closed her eyes, allowing the people to carry her out as she internally made her decision. At that moment, a butler suddenly rushed over. "It''s bad, it''s bad! A maid was knocked out! Her costume was stolen!" Instantly, everyone looked at Charmine. Darryl scoffed, "Charmine, if you didn¡¯t harm Grandma Bailey, why did you sneak into my mansion? Why did you harm our people?" Charmine did not bother to exin. She took out her phone and yed the voice message. Chris'' voice was instantly heard. "Mommy, save me! Save me!" The crowd was perplexed as they exchanged nces. The Young Master Bailey was in trouble? Why did he send this to Charmine, and why did he call her ''Mommy1? Seeing that everyone was suspicious, she exined calmly, "The Jordan Group and Bailey Corporation are partners. As we had many meetings, the Young Master always liked me. When I received his message today and I couldn''t reach President Bailey, I located the message that was sent from the Bailey mansion. So I had toe over to find out." With that said, she turned her gaze to her clothes. "I had no choice but to put this on. The Baileys didn¡¯t really like me, and they wouldn¡¯t have given me a chance to get in." The crowd listened. Was that it? Raised in wealthy families, each of them could deduce things, seeing as they had seen many internal conflicts. ording to what she said, Charmine was trapped toe to the area and was framed. If it was not for her good medical skills, Charmine would have been responsible for killing a human! Susan, Darryl, and Senior Bailey knew even more beyond that. Someone used Chris to trap Charmine, and this person also used Grandma Bailey to frame Charmine! The person who would do that... Instantly, all of the Baileys looked at Waverly. 2 Only Waverly had this motive. Furthermore, Waverly was thest person Grandma Bailey was with. She was also the one who called everyone over! chapter 898 chapter 898 Scrutinized by their gaze, a glint of panic was ignited in her eyes, though she remained calm and exined, "Indeed, I was thest person with Grandma Bailey, but after a while, Grandma Bailey said she wanted to be alone, so I left her. "When I noticed that Grandma Bailey hadn''te back after a long while, I got worried and so I asked everyone to look for her together. As she said, she fainted. It¡¯smon for elders to have high pressure." With that said, she looked at Charmine¡¯s phone. "As for why Momo is in trouble, perhaps we should find Momo first. Everything will be exined." Her words were rational and calm. Susan eyed her again. Was it really not her? N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Other than her, who else would attack Charmine? 1 It seemed they had to find Chris before making a conclusion. "Use all our men," said Anthony to Luke, already ahead of them, "Find Momo!" "Yes, Sir!" answered Luke and left right away. Anthony said to the crowd, "We have a situation now. Please leave." The crowd nodded and left. After leaving the Bailey mansion, they all gossiped among themselves. "Why do I feel that Anthony has no feelings for Waverly, that he cared for Charmine instead?" 2 "I never heard Chris calling Waverly ''Mommy'', but he called Charmine that?¡± "Hey, Anthony helped Charmine to wipe off her sweat! Thinking closely, he even had his family standing up for Charmine!" "What happened today was obviously someone framing Charmine. If there¡¯s nothing between Charmine and Anthony, why would they frame her?" 1 "My thoughts exactly! Have you forgotten? It was Susan''s assistant who killed the thirteen lives! Perhaps Anthony likes Charmine, but the Bailey family is keeping him from being with her?" The crowd added onto one another. Startled at the development, they vaguely had an answer in their minds. Inside the mansion... Anthony red at the remaining people in the scene. "Every one of you misunderstood Charmine. Don''t you all owe her an exnation?" Kay said instantly, "Exactly. If we hadn''t stopped you from getting to her, you guys would''ve taken her down, and you would¡¯ve had a hand in killing Grandma''s Bailey. An apology is a must!" Susan gritted her teeth. She had to apologize to Charmine? She was a senior! Still recovering from the aftershock, Senior Bailey said, "No need to apologize; anyone would''ve misunderstood given the situation. However, Charmine did save my wife, and we thank you for that. Why don''t you stay for a meal today while we wait for news on Momo." With that said, he did not give Charmine any chance to reject as he left with his walking stick. Kay and his men were displeased. They were about to speak up but Charmine gave them a look. Despondent, the Gragoul team reluctantly jumped over the walls and disappeared right away. Their movements were nimble and lithe, much like special agents would. The crowd watched them in shock. Charmine had such bodyguards? Each of them far surpassed the Baileys'' bodyguards... 1 Anthony did not care for the crowd. He took Charmine''s hand into his and left. 1 That left Waverly, Susan, and Darryl. 1 Waverly frowned. She looked at Susan and exined, "It really wasn¡¯t me. However much I dislike Charmine, I won¡¯t try to harm Grandma.¡± "Don''t worry, have some rest and wait for the news. Once we find Momo, everyone will have an answer." Susan patted Waverly''s shoulder and left. In her heart, she vaguely had her conclusion. chapter 899 chapter 899 McKenzie followed behind Susan. After a considerable distance, she asked, "Auntie, what do you think?" "Although it''smon for an elder to faint, why would she faint out of the blue? There are so many drugs we haven''t heard of in the world. Furthermore, Waverly did try to kill people on the Jordan Group''s site to hurt Charmine. It has to be her!" theorized Susan coldly. McKenzie looked as if she was thinking. "Indeed, but it''s not definite. Perhaps Charmine put up this act so everyone will like her and hate Waverly?" Susan''s footsteps halted. "You have a point! Why didn''t I think of that? The two of them aren''t kind people anyway!" When McKenzie heard this, she was satisfied. She wanted Susan to hate everyone, and that way, she could reap the benefits all to herself! By the side of an empty pond. Anthony stopped walking and released his grip on Charmine, expression displeased as he did. "You knew this was a trap, so why did you stay? Do you know how dangerous it was?" If she did note with Kay and the men, knowing Susan, she would have hurt her! Charmine answered calmly, "I never do things I¡¯m not confident in. If I dared to do it, I''d be capable of facing it. Furthermore..." She met Anthony''s eyes and answered solemnly, "She''s your grandmother." Three simple words were clearly pronounced, and warmth spread throughout his chest. She would still involve herself because she was his grandmother, even though she knew it was a trap? After chasing after this woman for so long, she finally responded to his feelings! Charmine sighed, "I''m most concerned for Momo. I wonder if anything happened to him. Waverly would do anything to harm me!" "Just because she wants to harm you, doesn''t mean she''d dare to hurt Momo. If not, it''ll be too apparent that it was her," assured Anthony. Charmine frowned. Just as she mulled things over, Luke brought Chris to them. "President, Charmine, I found Momo!" Charmine looked back to see Chris with a little backpack on, looking visibly upset. When Chris saw her, heunched himself toward her. "Mommy! Mommy!" Charmine instantly hoisted him in her arms. "Momo, where did you go?" Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. "I''m sorry, Mommy! After school, I realized my bear pin was left in the car, so I had toe to the Bailey mansion. Since they all don''t like me, I had to hide my trace. I wanted to find Daddy secretly, get the car key, and leave. However, I didn''t find Daddy, and saw a dog biting on my bear pin. The dog ran to the back of the mountain. I chased after it..." If Luke had not found him, he would not have known what happened. He did not even know that he dropped his phone and caused so much trouble for Charmine. Charmine¡¯s eyes narrowed. As expected, Waverly was crafty in her scheme. At this angle, this all looked like a misunderstanding. As Chris was fine and was unhurt, there was no evidence to use Waverly of. As for that message, it was probably made with some software. 2 After all, Kansas had always been the leading power in technology. It was hard to sort out or figure out. This was the one lucky thing out of this misfortune-as long as Chris was safe. At that moment, a maid came toward them. "Master, Ms. Jordan, lunch is ready." Charmine frowned. Sharing a meal with the Bailey family? She looked at Anthony. There was no need for this... Since they had found Chris, she should leave with Chris instead of staying back... chapter 900 chapter 900 "Come with me," persuaded Anthony. He pulled at Charmine¡¯s hand and walked to the dining hall. Charmine was restless. The Baileys liked Waverly and they, together, looked much like a family. This would make her seem like an extra. It would not look good if she stayed... Chris hooked his arms around Charmine tightly. "Mommy, I don''t want to eat with them..." Every time they saw him, they would berate and look down on him. It had been a long time since he came to the Bailey mansion. Seeing the look of fear on his face. Charmine suddenly thought of something and ced Chris on the ground. She took out a wet tissue and cleaned Chris¡¯ dirty face as she spoke," Momo, remember: You''re Anthony''s flesh and blood. You have Anthony''s blood flowing in you. Your Mommy Annabel is a kind- hearted woman, and not some despicable woman. You have nothing to hide, and you have to believe that you''re an adorable kid. Man up, and show it to the world! No matter how much others loathe you, you only have to be yourself. Let them know that you''re the Young Master Bailey!" 1 Her words were encouraging and motivating. Chris seemed to have understood something, and he nodded. "I understand now, Mommy. I know what to do!" Charmine smiled. She fixed his hair and held his hand as they walked into the dining hall. Her words were to both encourage Chris and also herself. No matter whether they liked her or not, she only had to be herself. The three of them arrived at the dining hall. There was a long rectangr table with Senior Bailey sitting as the host. Darryl and Susan were sitting by the side, while Waverly and McKenzie sat on another side. The past Chris would cower in fear whenever he had to face something like this back then. He would be too scared to face them on those days. At this moment, however, he had a smile on his face as he greeted them politely, "Great Grandma, Grandpa, Grandma, Auntie Houston, Auntie D''Cruz." His childish voice was soft and harmless. His eyes were no longer scared-they twinkled charmingly instead. When Senior Bailey saw him, he frowned slightly. Was this the same Chris in his memory? He hated Chris not only because of his unknown mother but also because of his naturally weaker body since birth. He lived in the incubator for so long that the doctors even said he would not live past eight. N?velDrama.Org content rights. He would rather not have such a great-grandson with a short lifespan. He did not want to develop any feelings for him, lest he would have to watch him die. 1 Therefore, they all started hating and disliking him. Chris did not look like a Bailey at all, always hiding and scared of them. He was even too scared to appear in their sight. Who would have thought that Chris was suddenly so brave today? Senior Bailey made a rare invitation, "Have a seat." Chris held onto Charmine''s hand and walked toward the dining table. He did not sit with McKenzie and Waverly. In fact, he sat with Darryl and Susan. Seated on the second seat, Darryl suddenly noticed a soft and squishy boy was sitting beside him. This boy had always made the effort to hide from everyone before, yet he chose to sit beside him all of a sudden? They were so close that he could detect the sweet, childlike scent from him. His hands were puffy, and it made one want to pinch him. Cough, cough, cough! Darryl looked away from Chris. After sitting down, Chris pulled Charmine to sit by his side while Anthony sat on the other side of Charmine. Two figures, one adult and another a child, protected Charmine from each side as if afraid of her getting bullied. With this seating, there were five sitting on the right with only McKenzie and Waverly sitting on the left. It seemed as if the two of them were the extras. 1 Waverly¡¯s face turned pale. She was Anthony¡¯swful fiancee, yet... Susan did not like it either. She wanted to match Waverly with Anthony yet ended up with this situation urring. Charmine stole the spotlight! chapter 901 chapter 901 As a thought urred to her, Susan then raised her ss out of the blue." Ms. Jordan saved our Grandma Bailey today. Let me make a toast to Ms. Jordan," she spoke as she raised her wine ss. This was the top-graded wine from the Baileys'' wine cer. In the upper- ss society, there was proper dining etiquette. Even in the case of making a toast, there were many rules. Susan raised her wine ss and quietly looked at Charmine, waiting for her to embarrass herself. Everyone on the table was from a prominent, wealthy family, and only Charmine hailed from a small family. Even if she somehow got rich down the line, how would she learn about the upper-ss''s table etiquette? Ha! At that moment, all eyes were on Charmine as they waited for her to make a fool out of herself. By then, if she did anything wrong, they would lecture her! However, against their expectations... Under everyone''s scrutinizing gaze, Charmine raised her wine ss with her hand around the stem, the angle precise. Furthermore, she met Susan''s eyes and calmly raised the ss toward her. The level of the ss was not higher than Susan''s. Her series of actions showed no slight of mistake. Every action of hers was well-mannered from within as if she had grown used to this asion. 1 Susan was unsessful. She could only take a sip of the wine and put down the wine ss. Senior Bailey said, "Let''s eat." With that, everyone began dining in. McKenzie gently picked up some pork chops for Susan. "Auntie, ording to scientific research, the skin of a pork has a high level of cogen, and it could maintain our skin''s sticity." 1 N?velDrama.Org is the owner. "Thank you," praised Susan, "you¡¯re so thoughtful, McKenzie." She then continued with concern, "What project have you been working ontely? Any new invention in theboratory?" "Recently, I''ve been working on a new tiny chip, trying my best to improve the technology in Burlington. I want to improve the effectiveness of the phones...1¡¯ McKenzie replied elegantly. Susan would talk to Waverly from time to time. Their flowing conversationpletely neglected Charmine and Chris, and she even neglected Anthony, all three who sat at the same table. Senior Bailey did not speak much, though he would look up from his meal from time to time as he ate. They thought Charmine and Chris would be awkward, but Charmine remained calm. She would pick some vegetables and red meat for Chris; this was so that he did not have too much fatty food. Chris knew Charmine liked spices, so he picked her some ribs. The two got along so well, one could say they looked like a genuine mother- and-child pair. Senior Bailey frowned. Why did he feel that Charmine and Chris looked alike? 6 Was it that humans tend to grow simr after spending a long time together? Charmine ate with Chris when, all of a sudden, someone reached out and took the rib away from her te. She turned to see that it was Anthony. In front of everyone, Anthony snatched the food away from her te! Anthony remained cold and elegant, and after putting the rib on his te, he picked up chicken meat and sent it to Charmine¡¯s te. 1 His eyes looked as if he was saying, ''Eat this.'' Charmine¡¯s eyelids jumped. Was Anthony genuinely jealous on this asion, so much so that he did not want her to eat the meat Chris gave her? Was that not overboard...? There was more! Anthony actually pushed his te toward Charmine, a te empty and without food on it. 1 Anthony was asking her to pick him some food! In front of everyone, he wanted them all to see... chapter 902 chapter 902 Since Anthony was the prominent character at the asion, everyone still had their eyes on him even if no one spoke to him. After what he did, everyone eyed the three of them. The Baileys were shocked. To them, Anthony always had no feeling like a cold robot, so when did this man grow to be a man capable of getting jealous? McKenzie and Waverly did not seem pleased. What did Charmine do to him? Was Anthony truly showing off their affection in public? 1 Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Was he that jealous of his son? What man was this? He wanted Charmine to pick up food for him in public. Did he consider what others feel about it? 1 Everyone stared at Charmine as Anthony''s te was in front of her as well. The empty te was almost like him saying to her, though telepathically so, ''If you don¡¯t get me food, I won''t eat.'' Feeling the rather immense pressure on her, Charmine took some food for Anthony from chicken to prawns, and then to seafood. She even picked him some chives before pushing the te back to Anthony. Susan and the rest smiled coldly. Charmine had been with Anthony for so long yet did not know Anthony hated chives? In one of the reunion dinners, a chef added some chives to spark up the taste. The chef was then instantly fired and asked to leave. It caused such a scene that they were not able to have the reunion dinner. McKenzie recalled with a friendly tone, "Anthony doesn''t like chives from a young age." This tone sounded as if she knew Anthony much better than Charmine. Charmine frowned. Anthony actually did not like chives? She did not dine with Anthony often, so she did not notice it. Oh, well, it all started to look like a joke ready to beughed at... At that moment, Anthony red at Mckenzie coldly. "Who said so?" With that, he picked up the chives and opened his mouth to eat them. He seemed to be enjoying it. McKenzie¡¯s face instantly stiffened. 1 Not only her but the rest of the Baileys, too. Was Anthony actually eating chives? He hated chives from when he was a child, yet he was actually eating chives all of a sudden? Charmine felt a surge of warmth spreading out inside her; Anthony was doing this for her. Touched by his move, she picked a chicken wing for Anthony. Chris instantly reached out his te. "Mommy, Mommy, Momo wants chives, too! Momo wants chicken wings." "Okay." Charmine picked them for Chris. The two boys sat by her sides, eating pleasantly, satisfied. 1 It was as if they were the actual family, giving off a warm and beautiful atmosphere. Senior Bailey watched on with a perplexed expression. He thought his grandson would be cold with anyone, and he did not expect them to get along this way. Finally, Anthony looked more like a human being... As he felt his emotions welling up inside him, Grandma Bailey suddenly walked toward the table with maids supporting her. Senior Bailey instantly pulled out a chair for her. "Why did youe out? Aren''t you supposed to be resting?" "Don¡¯t worry, I''m not as weak as you thought. My body is capable of walking eight kilometers now." Grandma Bailey was in a good state as she said with gratitude, "I came out personally to thank Charmine. If it wasn¡¯t for her, I wouldn''t be seeing tonight¡¯s moon. Perhaps you''re all busy with preparing a funeral by then." "Don''t speak of nonsense." Senior Bailey threw a look at her. Grandma Bailey did not care about him as she looked at Charmine." Charmine, you saved my life, and for that, you may ask for a favor. As long as I can make it happen, I will.¡± 1 "Mom!" Susan instantly stopped her. chapter 903 chapter 903 What if Charmine used this opportunity to ask for permission to marry Anthony? 1 Grandma Bailey scoffed at Susan, ''This is my affair. Charmine saved my life, and I have to thank her. Go on, Charmine, just say it.¡± McKenzie and Waverly¡¯s expressions shifted. Charmine was about to ask for something...and she might ask to be with Anthony, officially! At that moment, Charmine¡¯s gaze met Grandma Bailey¡¯s eyes. "I don¡¯t need a favor, but if Grandma Bailey insists, I¡¯ve got one favor to ask for. I hope Grandma Bailey could promise me that when you see Momo in the future, even if you don''t like him, don''t say mean things to him." "Huh?" Grandma Bailey was dumbfounded. She was prepared for Charmine to ask to be with Anthony, yet this was the request she asked for? Charmine looked at Chris before she continued to them, "Anthony already found out that it was Ms. McKenzie Houston who drugged Chris'' mother¡ª she was drugged and didn''t n to bear this child. Furthermore, no matter who his mother is, Momo has Bailey''s blood flowing in him. He¡¯s Anthony''s flesh and blood, an innocent boy. Even if you all don''t like him, please don¡¯t say mean things to him. Ignoring him is the most you can do." 2 Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. The Baileys were stunned. They did not expect Charmine to make a request for Chris. Also, what she said seemed usible... After a moment of silence, she nodded. "Okay, I promise you." Instantly, she turned to Susan and Darryl as well as the house full of maids, "Did you all hear that? Nobody should bully Momo in the future! Nobody should say anything mean to him, or you¡¯re acting against me!¡± "Okay," everyone agreed. Chris was incredibly moved. He did not expect Charmine to use up such an important request for him. So what if they sneered at him? He would soon recover anyway. She should not have wasted this opportunity on him... Grandma Bailey asked Charmine out of curiosity, "Oh, Charmine, why didn¡¯t you ask me to let you be with Anthony, given such a golden opportunity given to you?" 1 She was prepared for it; Charmine did save her after all. As long as Charmine asked, she would do anything she could to help her. Charmine answered calmly, "Firstly, I prefer to fight for what I want. Secondly, whether the Baileys agree for US to be together or not, it won''t affect my determination to be with Anthony. What I''ve been waiting for isn''t the approval from you people." 1 She had been waiting for Annabel to get more stable. Once Annabel had given birth, Chris would be saved. By then, Chris would be healthier and would endure more things. Annabel, on the other hand, would no longer be someone that could hinder them nor keep them apart. By then, even if the Baileys did not approve for them to get together, she could still officiate her rtionship with Anthony. They did not have toe home to the Bailey mansion. Grandma Bailey saw the determination in her eyes, and she was moved. This woman was strong-willed. Perhaps nothing could stop them from getting together. It would have been ideal if Charmine¡¯s family was bigger, more renowned. The meal hade to an end atst... Grandma Bailey personally walked Charmine out as if she was her actual granddaughter-inw, while Susan spoke to McKenzie as if telling her to do something. 1 Waverly''s hands clenched tightly. She thought Charmine would be used of murder and would not be able to marry into the Bailey family. Never did she foresee that it would, instead, get her closer to the Baileys! 2 Although she was no longer suspected, these people still had their doubts. They would still suspect her. Moreover, It seemed Susan did not seem to mind about her. It seemed that Susan had given up on her. She knew she must secure her worth in their hearts, and fast! What did Charmineck the most? She would win against her there! She must win against Charmine and McKenzie! After she left the Bailey mansion, she sent a text to Britney that read, [ Arrange for the birthday banquet in a few days.] chapter 904 chapter 904 Waverly¡¯s birthday was in two days. Waverly initially did not think of hosting a birthday banquet since she was not in Kansas, and she did not know many people nor have friends in Burlington. 2 At this point, however, it seemed that she must make it. She must host it so sumptuously. On that day, Max and Fredrick started organizing it and sent out invitations to the people in Kansas. The D''Cruz family was big and wealthy like the royals in Kansas. Nobody dared to turn this down, and countless people had to book tickets to fly to Burlington. Charmine, Anthony, and Chris sat inside the car and left the Bailey mansion. When she saw the design inside the car, she felt a surge of warmth inside her heart. Anthony had put in so much effort for her. She thought about the steel he wore as she looked at him. "You don¡¯t have to do preparations like this in the future, really. Even if you have any contact with Waverly, I won¡¯t mind." "No way! I don''t want Daddy to have anything to do with that nobody. In the morning when I got out of the car, she touched me and my bear pin fell inside the car! She was the one who plotted everything!" Chris rejected vehemently. Anthony''s eyes darkened. Truthfully, they did not need any evidence to deduce that Waverly was the one who plotted everything that happened this day. She had the stomach to harm an elderly woman, all just to harm Charmine. 1 They had been too kind to Waverly... She should be taught a lesson! He took out her phone and phoned Luke, "Find out what the D''Cruz family is up to recently." "Boss, I was about to phone you. They don''t have any business going on business-wise, but they''re making some moves. Waverly¡¯s birthday is in two days, and she wants to invite the entire Kansas. Many people are flying over," Luke reported. Charmine, next to Anthony, overheard it all and frowned. 1 Waverly¡¯s birthday was in two days? It would be the 30th of November in two days. This day would be her birthday as well... She recalled having celebrated her birthday with Tiffany ever since she was a child: one was the heiress and one was the adopted daughter. The difference was apparent on the day. 2 All the attending guests would prepare gifts for Tiffany with so much effort, while the presents for Charmine were a few careless small things bought on the way to the party. Furthermore, the customized gowns the Jordans made for Tiffany were at least ten million while the gowns they bought for Charmine were less than a hundred thousand. She had always been grateful then. She felt that she was the adopted one, so a hundred thousand- worth of gowns were more than enough for her. However, Tiffany would instigate her every year, telling her how their parents were biased, saying how she was embarrassed and even brought her to meet their parents. While their parents thought Charmine was being unreasonable and always scolded her with hurtful words. After leaving the Jordan family to Africa, she no longer wanted to celebrate her birthday. Whenever her birthday came, Charmine would think of how the Jordans cared for Tiffany and only Tiffany while she was alone... "Charmine." Anthony''s low voice was suddenly heard. Charmine reacted and realized that she nked out for a moment. She asked, "What?" "It¡¯s your birthday in two days. How would you like to spend it?" asked Anthony. He noticed it when he saw her ount book the other day. However, he had been busy and totally forgot about it. He only recalled this matter when he heard about Waverly¡¯s birthday. Charmine''s eyes narrowed. "Just a meal with you all." Anthony made a decision in his heart. Chris said, "Mommy, I don''t think we can have a simple meal on your birthday." Not possible? Wary of his reply, she epted the phone given to her by Chris. She looked down and saw the news, [Jordan Family Booked Millennium Hotel For Charmine¡¯s Birthday!] 1 N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. The content showed that Adam and Joey picked this grand hotel. They went there to personally decorate the venue and write the birthday invitations, wanting only to help Charmine celebrate her well- bted 23rd birthday. chapter 905 chapter 905 This was the first time Charmine would celebrate her birthday genuinely as the Jordan family''s heiress and with a birthday banquet to boot. Charmine frowned. They were already organizing this and made it such a big thing as well? At that moment, her phone rang. Answering the call, Charmine was greeted with Joey''s exnation," Charmine, I''m sorry. We wanted to make you a private birthday banquet and only invited close rtives, and we didn''t mean to make it such a big deal, but the media found out about it somehow. What do you think? Now that it¡¯s exposed, why don¡¯t wee up with something else?" What they did was more of a homey, cozy party-it was not one of those high-standard ones. Charmine frowned. So they did not expose it themselves? Did someone arrange it and buy views for it? Charmine came to a conclusion silently before she calmly answered," Don''t worry, keep working on it. Wait for my news." The car pulled over at Violet Residence. Charmine was on the phone while she brought Momo out of the car and into the vi. Waverly was not back yet. Maria reported, "Ms. Waverly went out in person to organize her birthday banquet." Charmine frowned. Waverly''s birthday happened to be on the same day as hers, and she was working on it. To top that off, the news was somehow exposed... She took out her phone to call Kay. "Find out if it was Waverly buying views to the article!" Instantly, he took out hisptop to investigate it. Three minutester, he replied, "Boss Jordan, it was indeed her. She purchased three days of views: today, tomorrow, and the day after. Would you like to cancel it?" "No need, I need to tell you some other arrangements," Charmine instructed him. Meanwhile, Anthony was sending a text at the same time. Inside the hotel... Waverly was contacting a gown designer, her appearance elegant and high- above. She was the highly heralded wealthy heiress from Kansas, and those who would attend her birthday banquet were those from wealthy families, even royalties. Charmine? Ha! Her parents were making her a small and cheap gathering with a few attendees. Would the Baileys look at Charmine differently with this? She wanted them to understand their differences. She wanted them to see who was more outstanding! 2 Max suddenly walked over to hug her from behind. "What gift would you like? You may make your wish, and I''ll make it happen in two days." Waverly had a glint of hatred in her eyes. Of course she wanted Charmine to die! However, she merely said, "I only want to win against Charmine''s birthday banquet. I want to host my banquet at Skyview Tower." Skyview Tower was an all-ss tower in Burlington with a total of nine floors, located at the outskirts of Burlington. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. When night fell and the lights were lit, the ss tower would look as if it came to life. It was like a tower built from the sea, very surreal. 1 However, this tower would only take in one host per night, and the reservation needed to be made three years in advance. Furthermore, ording to rumors, Skyview Tower was established by a few moguls from the association. Only those with acknowledged names could make the reservation. The regr, run-off- the-mill wealthy people could not book it however much money they offered. If she could host her birthday banquet there, she could easily defeat Charmine within seconds! Max felt her on her waist. "I''ll fulfil your wish." Just Skyview Tower, was it? He only had to use the name of the D''Cruz family to reserve it. Of course, he never saw iting... chapter 906 chapter 906 Skyview Tower. The nine-story ss tower stood out from the sea. Since it was autumn, the mist and water vapor made the ss building more dream-like. Charmine did not want toe to this ce, but she received the investigation from Kay that Waverly wanted to host her banquet here. 1 Skyview Tower was like Hermes for all the wealthy ones in Burlington. Waverly wanted to crash her completely! Furthermore, she arranged for the news of Charmine''s birthday to be exposed, and she wanted to see Charmine embarrassed. How could Charmine let her be when Waverly was pushing it? However, the owner of the Skyview Building was... Ring! Ring! Her phone rang amid her thoughts. Charmine took out her phone and heard Anthony¡¯s low voice. "Are you out?" he asked her. "I''ve arranged for Moonlight Shore to be booked. How would you like it to be arranged? Or would you like me to take charge of it?" Moonlight Shore was also andmark building in Burlington. One night¡¯s reservation was up to ten million bucks. However,pared to Skyview Tower, Moonlight Shore was more of a nouveau riche location. Charmine said hastily, "No need, I¡¯ll arrange myself. You only need to take good care of Momo. I''ve got a better venue¡± Anthony frowned. A better venue? N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. After a moment, he relented, "Contact me if there''s anything." "Okay." Charmine hung up and looked at the nine-story ss tower. Sheposed her thoughts before walking inside the hotel. Max was already at the lobby by then, sitting as a serving staff handed him a bill. Max spotted her and his lips curled up instantly. "Charmine, you came toote. I''ve asked the hotel to rent out the venue for me in two days. You better pick another venue." Charmine frowned. Max came so early? She did not care for him as she turned her gaze to the serving staff instead. "Don''t give him the bill yet. Where¡¯s your owner?" "Ms. Jordan, our owner isn''t here, and I¡¯m now in charge of the hotel. You may tell me if there''s anything," replied the staff formally. After that, he thought of the news on the inte and then looked at Charmine. "If Ms. Jordan is thinking of hosting your birthday banquet here in two days, you should give up. Only political moguls can make reservations here. You''re not qualified." ''You''re not qualified,'' and such words were filled with disdain. "Give me your owner''s contact," came Charmine''s calm reply. ''TH contact him myself." "Sigh. Why won''t you listen? As I said, you''re not qualified. There''s no point even if you contact our owner," argued the serving staff with a disdainful look. "I''ve seen too many people like you. You¡¯re just a nouveau riche, thinking you can do anything and everything with some money, right? Don''t you think there are ces you can¡¯t enter even with money? Do you even want to meet our owner? Do you think our owner will meet anyone? Please leave, leave, leave!" Charmine frowned. She looked at the serving staff and remembered his number on the badge. Max saw that she had not left, and he had a mocking expression on his face. "Hahaha! Who would''ve thought that the Jordan Group''s director would see such a day. Isn¡¯t it funny? Perhaps I should take a few photos! This will totally make the headlines, and I even thought of one. ''Shocking! Jordan Group''s director, Designer of Divine Bird, Magpie Bridge, and Diamond Mine Owner is Denied Entry!'' Oh, that''s not enough. I should also add, ''A Shameless Mogul. How Embarrassing!''" As he spoke, he took out his phone and started taking photos of Charmine. Charmine stood before the front desk with nobody serving or caring for her. She looked neglected. After taking the shots, Max clicked his tongue. "Manager, having this person in the hotel is too disturbing. Why aren''t you kicking her out yet? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll sign the bill when a dog is around me." chapter 907 chapter 907 The serving staff frowned. They had reserved the ce in Max''s favor. If he decided to not officiate the reservation that was happening in two days, who would reserve it? If they had a day of no reservations, they would lose up to ten million. He would lose hismission! He instantly instructed the guards, "Come, and ask Ms. Jordan to leave!" These guards had been serving all kinds of moguls of all industries. To someone like Charmine with only some money, they did not take her seriously. They instantly walked toward Charmine to ask her to leave, pushing her as one of them said, "Hurry, please leave. Don''t be so shameless. This isn¡¯t a ce for someone like you to be at." Charmine did not expect them to be physical. They were hotel staff workers; did they just touch her? Pushed with such force, she staggered and almost slipped... when she suddenly fell into a warm embrace. She turned back to see that it was William. Holding her in his arms, William instantly let her go and asked with concern, "What happened here? Are you alright?" "Nothing." Charmine pulled away from him. William asked, "Why didn¡¯t you contact me?" Charmine squinted. Before she came, she did hesitate because this tower was opened by William''s parents along with some Kansas moguls. She had worked with these people before. However, they all wanted to match up her with William, so she gradually distanced herself from them. In thest two years, she had not contacted them. Strangest of all, the seven moguls opened this hotel for the sake of fooling around. Nobody wanted to manage it as they pushed it to one another. Since they had not been in touch for so many years, Charmine did not know who was in charge. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. If she could get to meet the person in charge, she could fix it with only a phone call. She did not have to get in touch with the seven moguls and did not have to contact William. She knew William had feelings for her. She had been trying to stay away from him and was unwilling to trouble him, but never did she expect... The staff spotted William from afar, and he did not hear their conversation. He walked forward politely and said," Master William, you came at the right time. This woman insisted on reserving the tower for the day after tomorrow. I said no to her, but she¡¯s unwilling to leave. She even scowled at US ruthlessly. She''s a nouveau riche; an insanedy!" "Alright, stop talking." William looked at him. His usually gentle eyes were filled with a glint of displeasure. "Go to the human resource department and resign. Right away!" "Wh...What?" The serving staff gasped in shock. "Why? Why do you want me to resign? I''ve been working so hard to maintain Skyview Tower. I did what I had to!" "Which rule told you to mock your guest, kick her out, and insult her?" William scoffed coldly. The staff frowned. "I...I didn''t. I just said what I had to. Mr. D''Cruz can be my witness!" As he spoke, he instantly looked at Max. "Mr. D''Cruz, say something! I can''t lose this job!" When Max saw William, he frowned. Although he was the heir and a wealthy businessman in Kansas, William was the most well-renowned researcher in the scientific industry. He had won many rewards in this industry at such a young age. William came from the Peterson family with a scientific background. Even the royalties in Kansas had to show the Petersons some respect. Without the Peterson family, Kansas would not be as prosperous. Who would have thought that the Skyview Tower in Burlington was owned by the Petersons. said. I''ve already reserved the tower for a banquet in two days, but Ms. Jordan insisted on fighting for it ruthlessly." "Unfortunately, I¡¯ve known Ms. Jordan as a close friend for five years. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s not who you used her of." William¡¯s tone was gentle. The staff and Max both frowned in shock. Charmime was William''s friend? How would Charmine meet a science genius like William? How could she have known someone like him personally? chapter 908 chapter 908 As they were all in shock, William continued, "Furthermore, even if she has an attitude, she''s my friend. I¡¯ll only let her have the reservation.¡± His tone was gentle yet arrogant. Max''s expression darkened instantly. William was that protective over Charmine, so much so that he would only let Charmine have the slot? Max scoffed, "Mr. Peterson, things must be fair. Are you sure this is how you¡¯re treating your client?" "My apologies, but I''ve made up my mind. Please leave." William looked him in the eye, not once budging from his stance. Max clenched her fists tightly. Damn William! He was a well-known businessman himself, yet William treated him with such an attitude? s, Max had close rtions with the people from the association. Kansas focused on scientific development as well. William''s words were powerful. Max had to hold it in. After staring at Charmine with anger, he walked away. Charmine took out her phone and captured the image of Max leaving the floor in anger. Before he exited, Charmine texted Kay, [Prepare something for me.] She was out for blood. Max wanted to make her the headlines, was he? It was only fair she returned the favor! William looked at the staff again. "Please, you have to leave as well." His gentle voice was rather arrogant. The staff wanted to beg but seeing how William was protective over Charmine, he had no choice but to pack up and leave. Soon, the General Manager came out in person to help Charmine n the entire birthday banquet. After sorting everything out, Charmine left Skyview Tower with William following behind her. She was in front of her car when she turned back to look at William. "Thank you for today. If you have any problem or need for work, text me and I''ll help you sort it out." "No need; you''re busy preparing your birthday banquet. I can sort out work-rted matters. Furthermore, we''ve known each other for so long. This is nothing." As William spoke, he opened the car door for her. Charmine merely said, "Because we''ve known each other for long, you should know me well enough. Since you helped me, I must return the favor. I hate being indebted." Her tone was determined. William hesitated for a moment before he relented, nodding. "Alright, I happen to have a problem. I¡¯ll send the documents over to your pher." "Good." Satisfied, Charmine went in her car and drove away. William watched as she drove away, his eyes filled with a hint of loneliness. All these years and she still treated him so politely. Regardless, he would do anything she said. He took out his phone and sent a document to Charmine. Inside a car not far away. After Max had left the tower, he went to the backseat of his car. "How did it go?¡± she asked. "Have you reserved it?" "I was about to sign it, but Charmine stepped in. She even knew the owner of Skyview Tower." Max was enraged at that. Even the thought of it agitated Max greatly. Waverly frowned. Charmine managed to take the reservation? Charmine intended to host her banquet in that building. Did that not also mean she was about to lose to Charmine? 1 Max looked at her andforted, "Don''t fret about it, Waverly. Let''s just host it at Moonlight Shore in this case; it is still andmark location In Burlington. Inparison, Moonlight Shore is more well- known. Skyview Tower has been keeping a low profile, and many people don''t know about it." N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Waverly pursed her lips. "If Charmine hosts it at this high- end yet low-profile venue while I host it at Moonlight Shore, doesn''t that make me seem tasteless inparison?" "Well..." Max frowned. He knew about that too, but there was no other way. chapter 909 chapter 909 If they could not win Charmine location-wise, they could only Thinking of something, Max''s eyes lit up as he said to Waverly, "What about this: I''ll ask them to move over all of the newly-bred White Camellia flowers for the decoration in two days." When Waverly heard that, her frown eased slightly. "Alright. Thank you, brother.¡± She smiled. The White Camellia was a mysterious flower that only existed in mythology. Rumors had it that there were only leaves with no petals. It was a very rare species. Kansas had attempted to breed this flower and seeded. If they could use the White Camellia as decorations, they would make Charmine lose! Max sighed in relief-he managed to make his woman happy. 1 He took out his phone as he was about to make the arrangement, but he just so happened to see the news that read, [Shocking! Max D''Cruz Shamelessly Kicked Out of Skyview Tower!] It took only a while before the article made it to the hot-list. Thement section was full of negative comments on his attitude. Max''s eyelids jumped. He was fuming. Charmine did this to him? She actually put up the news?! He merely took photos of her and did not do anything with that, yet Charmine dared to make news of him?! As he glowered in deep-burning rage, Charmine and William coincidentally walked out from the building. With a glint of darkness in his eyes, he took out his phone and took photos of them. Hah! Charmine hooked up with William. He wondered how Anthony would feel when he saw Charmine with William, how his expression would shift! This would make for a good, savory drama. When Charmine returned to Violet Residence, Waverly happened to arrive by the door as well. Seeing Charmine, Waverly scoffed with a half-smile as she went inside the vi. She did not bother to speak with Charmine. An exciting drama was about to unfold! Charmine sensed the look in her eyes, and she frowned slightly. Why did she feel that Waverly had done something again? With suspicion, she entered the vi and went up to the second floor. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. In the living room upstairs, Anthony was sitting on the sofa, ying with his phone with a darkened look on his face. Seeing that Charmine hade home, he kept his phone.¡± Fixed it?" ''Yeah. Where''s Momo? Why didn''t I see him?" Charmine was suspicious. Anthony turned his gaze in a direction. "He''s ying with his toy. You only ask about him whenever you come home. Don''t you have other things to tell me?" His voice was low and deep. Charmine was so tired that failed to detect the shift in his tone. She had many things to deal with following this day. Tm going to shower first," she said, "I''ll talk to youter.¡± With that said, she went inside the bedroom. Anthony''s eyes darkened. He looked down on the phone in his hand. On the screen was the photo of Charmine with William. He was helping her open the door for her and talked to her... The photos were eye-stabbing as if rubbing how close the two of them were. Even if William helped Charmine, why did they talk for so long? He decided to turn off the phone and marched back to the room. Charmine showered quickly and changed into her pajamas, and only then did she see Anthony sitting by the bed. He patted the bed and said, "Come here." His voice was low with oppressive authority. Charmine frowned. Why did he act that way? Did someone offend him again? Anthony saw that she zoned out and frowned. "What? You want me to go there and carry you?¡± With that said, he stood up and walked toward her, one step at a time as the temperature seemingly dropped. chapter 910 chapter 910 Charmine was unable to react on time as Anthony carried her and tossed her to the bed. Plopped onto the soft,rge bed, she watched as Anthony removed his clothes. She understood instantly. "Anthony, what did you hear today? Did someone tell you about William again?" "I gave you a chance to speak, so you don''t have to exin anymore," spoke Anthony as he unbuttoned his white shirt. He had respected her wishes all this while, yet it seemed that the longer he waited, the more likely it was for her to run away with someone else. Charmine felt the tense aura that came from his being. As if sensing what he was about to do, she sat up right away. " Don''t mess things up, Anthony-I haven''t even had the time to tell you about what happened today. I was going to tell you after returning the favor to him." "So what you¡¯re saying is that if I didn''t find out, you never nned on telling me?" As he spoke, Anthony tossed his shirt to the hanger by the side and went right on top of her. Although Charmine was tall with a strong temperament, she had a small bone structure. His wide body pressed down against her entirely, and it made her look like a meek sheep. She instantly asked, "Do you really not trust me? I went there on purpose today to avoid him and to sort out everything myself. What happened after was all but an ident. Furthermore, I already asked him to send me a document, and once I sort it out and return the favor, I won''t have to worry you again. I thought of you all this while, yet you¡¯re here, wanting to punish me?" Her cold voice challenged him. When Anthony heard what she said, the anger in him had mostly disappeared. However... He grabbed her by the chin. "Something must''ve happened between you both, and for safety purposes, I need to prevent all idents." With that said, he lowered his head and kissed her lips. The powerful, storm-like kiss seized Charmine entirely, though she put no resistance against him. She could have pushed him away or hurt him. Heck, her past self would have kicked him to the ground. However, she found herself unable to hurt him as ofte, unable to push him away. She could not bear to do so. Unknowingly, she was already unable to hurt him. As if she had already... Noticing that she was not resisting him, he frowned. Since when had she be so cooperative? He had to let her go and stood up to look at her. "Why aren''t you resisting?" Charmine smiled. "We''ve gotten our marriage certificate. What''s there to resist?" Anthony was speechless. Since when had she be so open-minded? Charmine''s hand felt his chest as her gaze glided down his body. Her tone was yful as she spoke. Anthony¡¯s eyes darkened. This woman... He decided to stand up from her and put on his shirt. Charmine frowned. "What? Not continuing?" Anthony did not speak as he buttoned his shirt. Continue? He wanted to punish her, but seeing that she was so cooperative and easy, why would he continue? He always thought that their first time would be more formal. He could lose control and punish her. He could give her a long lesson, but she might not react the way he wanted her to. i N?velDrama.Org is the owner. After putting on his clothes, he reached out his hand. "Give me your phone." Charmine frowned with suspicion. Though she held her suspicions, she handed him her phone nheless. Taking her phone, he brought it to the study desk and sat down. He logged onto Charmine¡¯s Whatsapp through theputer and used her phone as verification to get the document William had sent her. When Charmine went up to him, she saw him sitting before theputer and working on the keyboard. chapter 911 chapter 911 The document detailed a rather challenging research topic; it was about how to increase the working speed of a chip. Charmine thought Anthony was just a president of apany, but who would have thought he knew about technology as well? Charmine frowned. "What are you doing?" "Don''t ask, go to bed," replied Anthony before he focused once more on the document. Instead of going away to bed as told, she went to the sofa by the side and rested. She took a nket and draped it over herself and waited. After Anthony had fixed the documents, he sent it to William. Attached to the document, he typed, [Thank you for helping mydy today. I''ve helped you with the document, so you don''t owe each other anything.] Charmine¡¯s lips twitched as she sat on the sofa not too far from him. This man sacrificed minutes of sleep just for this! Meanwhile... When William noticed Charmine was sending him a document, he grew excited and racked his mind on how to reply to her. He could reply with a ''thank you¡¯ or ''sorry for the trouble''. These two replies seemed rather distant, though. What about... However, before he could decide on what to reply to her, he received the message from Anthony. He felt his heart sinking as if he was sealed by the ice. Instantly, he felt unusually heavy. So it was Anthony who prepared this document for him, not Charmine. He was prepared to print this out and even frame it. s... Even though he had hard feelings, he knew that if Anthony found out about his existence, it might cause harm to Anthony¡¯s rtionship with Charmine. William instantly replied, [Fret not, Mr. Bailey. Ms. Jordan and I are merely colleagues. We don''t owe each other anything.] It was not until Anthony saw his reply that he turned off the phone. However, this was not enough. William had helped Charmine to reserve Skyview Tower. If he did not do anything, he would lose out. He took out his phone and made some other arrangements. After sorting everything out, he noticed that Charmine had fallen asleep on the sofa. He then carefully lifted her into his arms and put her in bed. Deep in her sleep, Charmine remained in slumber. Anthony thought of how whenever he got close to Charmine in the past, she would be extra cautious and resistant. He noticed that she had indeed changed toward him. His thin lips curled up slightly; he was pleased and happy. He was the reason for her to have be gentler, more feminine... On the next day, all kinds of news on Waverly were made into headlines. [Kansas¡¯ Most Powerful People Arrived in Burlington.] [Kansas'' Ten Mega Superstars Arrived in Burlington.] [Kansas Tech Arrived In Style.] 1 Numerous articles of these moguls supported Waverly had sessfully covered news rted to Max''s blunder yesterday. Theizens were envious. N?velDrama.Org content rights. [Wow! Is the entire Kansasing?] [So many people are celebrating Waverly''s birthday! How powerful!] [Isn¡¯t it just Waverly''s birthday banquet? I thought it¡¯s the Olympics or something!] Waverly read it all, and she was simrly shocked and stunned. The people from Kansas Tech did not seem to like the D¡¯Cruz family''s stic surgery business. She did send them invitations, but they said they did not have time. Had they caved in atst? Who would have thought they woulde anyway? No matter. As long as they were willing toe, everything would look well. Even the arrival of these attendees could instantly win against Charmine in a matter of seconds! Still...These were far from enough for Waverly. Thinking of how Charmine took the chance to book Skyview Tower from her, Waverly''s lips curled up evilly. She wanted Charmine to losepletely! Tomorrow, Anthony would not be able to support Charmine in public! chapter 912 chapter 912 Waverly thought of her n and asked them to make another news. [Shocking! Waverly¡¯s Birthday Banquet Decorated In White Camellias!] Included were a few photos of the flowers. There were White Camellia flowers everywhere on the venue''s rooftop. The flowers were ced one next to another as they sprouted from the long, dewy tendrils, curling to one another as they did. Though small and delicate, the flowers were white like snow; it gave off a profound sense of sacredness. Countless white flowers adorned the venue and were like stars that embellished the green branches. They were beautiful, dreamy, refreshing, and surreal. The photos, once exposed to the masses, struck everyone in awe. [Is this the White Camellias that bloom every 3000 years?] [Kansas managed to breed the White Camellias? And they''d use them on Waverly''s birthday banquet? How luxurious!] [Argh! Waverly is so amazing! I want to cry with envy!] [We''re from the Aerotech National Academy of Sciences! Hopefully, our country could breed these flowers as well!] Netizens kept tabs on the news of Waverly''s banquet and anticipated the moguls'' arrival. The matter was exceptionally well-publicized. The entire world knew about these mysterious flowers. Many researchers were sent from all over the world, and they all had amon goal: To attend Waverly''s banquet so they could, in person, see the flowers and research them. They came all the way here for that. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. With that, the entire inte was filled with news of Waverly''s birthday banquet while Charmine''s was swept under the rug. Pleased with the oue, Waverly thought of her n and phoned Susan." Auntie, I''m a straightforward person, and I don''t like to be indirect. I know you''re not particrly pleased with me recently. I feel the same toward Anthony, too. This is thest time I''ll ever contact you, and if you guys can help me and Anthony get together for onest time, and if we seed, the D''Cruz family will join forces with the Baileys to form the next business empire. If we fail, I''ll consider returning to Kansas after the banquet." When Susan heard this, her eyes sparkled. The Baileys were only the No.1 in Burlington. Compared to the other countries, they were not the strongest yet. With the support of the D''Cruz family, the Baileys would only grow prosperously. With Waverly''s powerful background, so many people came all the way to Burlington from afar. Both McKenzie and Charmine would not be able topete with that. Susan had to agree, "Okay, I''ll try my best to help you!" Waverly smiled with satisfaction. She took out her phone to contact Max." Brother, Julian has been hospitalized for so long. Don''t you think it''s time for him to recover?" On the second floor of the vi. Anthony, upon waking up, saw all the news regarding Waverly. He frowned and phoned Luke. "How''s the arrangement going?" "Don''t worry, President. Everything is going well. Why don¡¯t we release the news as well?¡± suggested Luke. "No need. Arrange for that after twelve tonight." Anthony looked at Charmine who was sleeping, and a glint of warmth and adoration could be seen in his eyes. He would give her a surprise at 12pm. Luke said, "You want to apany Madam at twelve tonight, President? That might not happen." ''Might not happen¡¯? Anthony frowned as Luke continued, "Senior Bailey came to thepany out of the blue. He''s waiting for you at the office and insists that youe over. He said that if you don''te, he''d send out the Bailey Aceto harm Madam." Anthony''s eyes narrowed. Bailey Ace was the Baileys'' elite bodyguard unit from the first generation. They only appeared when Baileys were in a dangerous situation, and there were 10,008 guards in the team! chapter 913 chapter 913 Although he believed in Charmine''s capability, he could not take any risk. He had to hang up and go to thepany. Inside the office, Senior Bailey sat on the sofa with his eyes closed. He tapped his walking stick to the ground from time to time, the staff embroidered with a handcrafted dragon head at the hilt. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. In came Anthony as he sat opposite to the elder. "What do you want to do?" he asked dully. Senior Bailey finally opened his eyes, and not beating around the bush, said, "Tomorrow is Waverly''s birthday banquet. You need to be with her all the way." "Have you forgotten that Charmine saves Grandma¡¯s life? I''ve told you all about my rtionship with Waverly," Anthony bit back coldly, and his displeasure showed on his face. "Charmine saved your Grandma, and it''s fair we will thank her for it," said Senior Bailey. "We''ve prepared a handsome gift for her tomorrow. Thinking of being with Charmine, on the other hand? Forget about it!" His tone was very determined as he gave no room for Anthony to reply, "As you can see, Waverly is merely hosting a birthday banquet, yet it''s as big as the Olympic event. Perhaps only she could invite so many people. What does Charmine have topete with her? The future Mistress of the Baileys must be of someone like Waverly. She needs to have a lot of connections. Charmine is too far behind!" "I¡¯m marrying a woman, not a family. Furthermore, I¡¯ve made up my mind, and I''m never changing it!" With that said, Anthony stood up when a faint spell of dizziness overtook him. He staggered and looked at Senior Bailey suspiciously. "You...You drugged me?" Senior Bailey wore a grim expression. ''You forced my hand into it. Remember, Anthony, that I''m doing this for your own good." 2 With that, Anthony''s heavy body fell back onto the sofa. He would never have thought that his usually straightforward and direct Grandpa would pull such a dirty trick on him. Furthermore, he had not even a sip of water upon entering... Senior Bailey looked at the walking stick in his hand and his eyes darkened. The drug was on the walking stick, and it diffused into the air with no sound nor smell. For the future of Baileys, he had no choice... When he thought of what Waverly said to Susan, he said to his men," Handcuff him and send him to Waverly." ''Yes, Sir!" The bodyguards carefully handcuffed Anthony and carried him into the VIP lift. Meanwhile, at Violet Residence. When Charmine woke up, she did not see Anthony. In fact, she saw Waverly leaving the vi happily. When she left, she smiled at Charmine beautifully. "Charmine, I''m so looking forward to the birthday banquet tomorrow." With that said, she left elegantly and arrogantly. She exuded an air of victory as if an ordinary person had suddenly won a few hundred million worth of jackpot. Charmine squinted. Why was Waverly so arrogant all of a sudden? Did something happen? She took out her phone ready to call Anthony, but it went straight to voicemail. Amid her growing anxiety, Chris walked out from his room and assured her, "Mommy, Daddy is probably busy. Don¡¯t be worried!" Anthony did tell him that he was preparing Charmine a surprise at 12, this midnight. It was thest day, and Anthony must have been busy. However, Charmine¡¯s eyelids fluttered. Was that it...? Why did she feel uneasy? Her eyelids twitched as if something bad was brewing. chapter 914 chapter 914 Chris took out a card from his tiny bag for Charmine. "Mommy, hurry up and prepare for it. Tomorrow is your birthday, and you got to look pretty!" When Charmine received the card, she saw that it was a private reservation ticket at Bling Spa. Bling Spa was an exclusive spa owned by the Bailey Corporation. From facials to spas, haircuts, foot massages, and body massages-they had everything. For her, Anthony had made her a private booking for the entire space. She vaguely understood that Anthony was helping her to be stunning tomorrow. With what he usually did, he must have gone to prepare her a surprise. It did seem she had not taken a breather for quite a while. Since she still had topete with Waverly the following day, it was time for her to rx. She said to Chris, "If I''m going today, what about you? Would you like toe with me?" "Nah, I want to stay home today and guard our house," Chris quickly turned it down. He had a hidden agenda, in truth: Knowing Anthony was preparing a stunning gift for Charmine, he did not want to lose out! He must give Charmine a big surprise! With that, Charmine left with the card. Unbeknownst to her, however, a pair of eyes eyed her keenly... N?velDrama.Org content rights. When she arrived at the spa, everyone treated her with utmost respect and service, considering Anthony had warned every staff member to do so. As she was having the treatment, she closed her eyes, rxed as she did. The beautician had a look of violence in her eyes. The lying down Charmine somehow fell asleep. When the beautician saw that she fainted, she stood up to open a small door, and behind it, a violent- looking Julian walked out. 2 He handed a check to the beautician. "One million, enough to cure your child from leukemia." 1 "Thank you, really, thank you!" The beautician took the check and left. Although she would never think of betraying Bailey Corporation, she had no choice. Her son was only five years old and suffered from leukemia. She had no choice but to do this... 1 Julian then carried Charmine from the bed and left through the smaller door. He went inside a car. 1 He had been receiving treatment in the hospital all this while, scrutinized by the gazes of everyone else. Everyone knew that he was no longer a man. He was useless! 1 Charmine and Anthony had ruined his life. How could he let Charmine off easy?! 1 That was why he jumped right into the n when Max contacted him; he did not hesitate to take action. He wanted to suffocate Charmine. He wanted Charmine to be responsible for what she did, and he wanted her to be in as much pain as possible! The car arrived at an unknown underground secret room. He pulled over the car by a bush before he carried Charmine inside and tied her up with a thick rope. Charmine trusted Anthony¡¯s arrangement too much that she did not think of having a problem. She was sleeping deeply until someone tossed her on the ice-cold floor. She frowned and opened her eyes weakly. With her blurred vision, Julian was kneeling in front of her. chapter 915 chapter 915 He caressed her face and gently fixed her hair. "Charmine, I love you so much. How could you do this to me? How dare you ruin me? You''re mine- we''re a loving couple. A verypatible couple..." His tone was gentle and loving as if a boyfriend was speaking to a girlfriend, yet it sounded like he was on the verge of insanity. Charmine felt shivers running through her body. She tried to struggle, all to no avail as she was tied up completely. "You never red at me like that before, Charmine. I used to be the apple of your eye, the one you adored. Have you forgotten about that?" "Stop it, Julian," Charmine scowled, "don¡¯t make the same mistake all over again!" "Haha! Don''t make the same mistake all over again? You¡¯re the one making faults after faults. You''ve changed! You said you''ll love me forever, to chase me forever, but you changed!" He suddenly tipped entirely and became delirious. Since Charmine was having a spa, she was wrapped in only a towel. With just a tug, the cloth was torn away. Charmine reached out and tried to resist, but she was unable to move. N?velDrama.Org content rights. At this moment, his eyes were filled with extreme hatred. He grabbed Charmine by her waist. "You need to pay for what you¡¯ve done, Charmine. You''re mine! You can only be mine! I want you to be with me forever!" She frowned. "What are you doing?" "Don¡¯t be afraid, I''m just going to do a small operation on you, I want you to be ruined like me. Oh, Charmine, do you think Anthony still wants you if you can''t give birth?" Julian teased and answered his own question with a cold smile, "Hahaha! Of course not! You¡¯ll be ruined, and you can only be with me! We''ll be together forever, we will!" With that said, a cold and evil smirk appeared on his face as heunched at Charmine. He wanted her to be sterile. He wanted her to only be able to be with him! Charmine''s gaze shifted instantly. Who would have thought Julian could stoop to an unimaginable low? i If she was ruined... No! No way! Charmine used up all of her energy as she raised her leg and kicked Julian powerfully. Julian did not expect her to still be able to move after being drugged. With a loud thud, he was caught off-guard and fell to the floor. Instantly, Charmine jumped up and ran out with a thick metal cuff. She had to escape. He must not get her; she should never be with him. In his deranged state, Julian could do anything... Unfortunately, she was exhausted and her pace was staggered. Julian fell to the floor, though he smiled wildly. "Hahaha! You''re trying to run away? Do you think you can run, Charmine? You¡¯re mine! You can only be mine! Don''t you think of getting away today!" As he spoke, he picked up the thing from the floor and rushed toward her. chapter 916 chapter 916 Charmine¡¯s upper body was tied up, and the metal cuffs restrained her ankles. Still, she could move as the chain that bound the cuffs around her ankles was lengthy enough. She used up all of her energy to run forward in her state of disarray and dizziness, but she staggered and stumbled. She only had one thought in her head: she could not let Julian chase after her. She must not end up with him. She could not be ruined! Chris waited for her. Anthony waited for her... Closing in from behind her, Julian growled menacingly, maniacally, "Stay right there, Charmine! You can''t get away! You can only be mine; you must be ruined like me! You must spend the rest of your life with me!" N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. His psychotic, insane voice rang in the air. Charmine had never been in such a vulgar state. She dragged her heavy body to run, even with the cuffs. identally, the cuff on her ankle collided against a stone, and it sent her lurching forward to what was a cliff. She rolled down audibly. 1 Julian''s gaze changed instantly. "Charmine! Charmine!" He chased after anxiously and ran down the slope. However, Charmine rolled down the slope quickly for a few hundred meters, and suddenly, her body ramped off into the air. "Argh!" A cry was heard as she fell into a hole. The moment shended, she felt dizzy and fainted. Julian spent a lot of effort chasing after her, but never once did he expect Charmine would fall into some deep pit. It was as deep as ten meters to boot! From the height she fell, she would either die or at least have broken bones, i "Charmine... Charmine, wait! I¡¯ll save you! I''ll think of ways to save you!¡± Julian tossed away the metal stick in hand and rushed away quickly to save her. Charmine is his, and only he could harm her! She was his and his alone, and she had to spend the rest of her life with him. She must not be harmed! Meanwhile, on the highway... A few ck luxurious cars were driving out of the city toward the Bailey mansion. In the leading car, Anthony was lying down, unconscious, while the cars tailing behind had Waverly and a few other bodyguards. Waverly was pleased as she gazed at the car in front of hers. She was about to arrive at the Bailey mansion with Anthony. They would live in the room prepared by Grandma Bailey and would consummate their marriage like a true husband and wife. 1 Once they did the deed, Anthony would have to be responsible for her and the entire Kansas! With so many moguls supporting Waverly and the entire Bailey family supporting her, what did Charmine have topete with her? In the birthday banquet tomorrow, Anthony would be with her and not Charmine! Little did she know... Anthony, still lying down on the seat of the leading car, opened his eyes. He banged the door open and jumped out. Thump! With a loud sound, his body fell to the road and rolled down without control, down the slope and toward the forest below. The driver instantly stopped the car in terror. Seeing Anthony roll down the slope, he cried out loudly, "Boss Bailey! Boss Bailey!" Oh no! Senior Bailey instructed them to not have any ident, yet this happened! If anything was to happen to Master Bailey, he would be in deep trouble! "Hurry! Hurry!" he ordered the guards tailing him. "Save Boss Bailey!" The entire Bailey family''s bodyguard unit rushed toward the scene and toward the forest below. Waverly also came out from the car as she pulled on her dress and ran into the forest quickly. With his hands and ankles bound by metal cuffs, Anthony felt listless and dizzy as he was still under the drug''s influence. i When he saw that the driver and a few others were tailing him, he could only rush into the forest as quickly as possible. They had confiscated his phone, and with that, he could not contact anyone. Without much of a choice, he had to get away from them. Five years ago, he had deflowered Annabel. Five yearster, he must not have anything to do with Waverly! Charmine was still waiting for him, after all... chapter 917 chapter 917 With that in mind, Anthony did not notice the pit below him. Thump! Caught off-guard, he fell into the pit. 2 It was a dark pitch with very faint light peeping in. With this fall, the already dizzy Anthony fainted once again. Knocked out for a very long time, Charmine slowly awoke to see a cave entrance with a bleary vision. While it was daytime, the tree branches hovered above and effectively enveloped the cave in darkness. However, she felt water around her. It was strange. What was that? She looked down to notice that the water had built up inside the cave over the years. It was a mud pit below, so dense that half of her body was trapped in it. 1 Nheless, it was thanks to this mud pit that she was in one piece, unharmed even after her great fall. Sheid on the mud pit and sighed in relief. She thanked her lucky stars she fell into this pit or Julian would have gotten her. It was her biggest blessing from the heavens, far more ideal than suffering under Julian''s schemes. She rested for a long while before she readied herself to get back up, all while thinking of ways when she noticed someone else was lying on the mud not too far away from where she was. Was it Julian? Her body tensed instinctively, ready to attack. She reached out her leg and kicked the man to show his face. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Instantly, the man''s striking face was shown. It was not Julian... It was Anthony! 1 Charmine''s pupils dted. Why was Anthony in this pit? Why were there metal cuffs around his ankles? She instantly went over to shake Anthony. "Anthony, wake up! Wake up!¡¯ The knocked-out Anthony gradually opened his eyes. When he saw Charmine''s face, his long brows furrowed. Charmine? Why was she here? "Why are you here?" he asked. "I should be the one asking you. Why are you here?" Charmine helped him up. Anthony leaned on the wall andposed his thoughts. After a moment, he looked at her. "Someone attacked you?" "Yes." After answering him, she instantly understood it. It seemed that someone attacked Anthony as well. Someone was that evil to pull such a devilish stunt to break them up! Luckily, Anthony and Charmine were both able to escape and coincidentally fell into the same cave as well. Charmine looked up at him. "We seem to be fated..." "If we¡¯re not fated, why would both our names appear on the same marriage certificate?" Anthony''s lips curled upward as he teased. 1 He had a look of relief on his face. He thought himself lucky that he got to see her after jumping out of the car and falling into this pit. He asked, "Do you me me?" It was because of him that his family went after her so horribly. Charmine''s red lips curled into a small smile. "If I me you, will you divorce me?" "Not a chance." Three words, spoken with determination and no hint of hesitation. 1 Charmine was speechless. Her gaze shifted downward when she saw the wound on Anthony''s arm. His clothing around his knees were torn out. He had wounds all over. Instantly, she pulled him to a drier spot as she instructed, ''Take off your clothes, now." chapter 918 chapter 918 Anthony frowned. "Here?" he asked, tone low and yful. He knew Charmine had always been bold, but he did not expect her to ask him to take off his clothes at this kind of ce. When Charmine saw the look on his face, she knew he misunderstood her. She instantly exined, "Your wounds need to be cleaned. You have mud all over you, and they''d get infected like this.¡± Anthony''s eyes turned dull. That was it? No need forthat, then. "It¡¯s just some minor wound," he replied, "there''s no hurry." Charmine looked at therge surface of the wounds all over him and frowned. No hurry? He was severely wounded, and these must have been caused by friction. Although the wounds were only on the skin''s surface, their surroundings were wet. How could she leave it unattended? Just as she wanted to speak, Anthony turned his gaze upward to weigh on the situation. The cave was as spacious as about ten or so square meters. The middle part was a mud pit with two dry sides. They leaned on the wall with their backs; they seemed safe. However, the wall was coated with wet mud. They would not be able to climb up, so all they could do was wait for help. Noticing he was thinking of something, Charmineforted, "Don''t worry, Kay and the team will find us in less than twelve hours." The Gragoul team had always been powerful and capable. Anthony''s eyes narrowed. Of course, he believed in Kay and his team''s capability, but he was curious. How did Charmine get the support of these many people? Before he could ask, Charmine had found some wooden sticks and leaves, and she knelt in front of him. "The most important thing now is to clean the wound to prevent infection," she spoke as she used the stick to scrape off the mud around his wounds. Meanwhile, he used leaves to clean the wounds to keep them clean for the time being. Since his skin was hurt by friction, she worked on them gently. Charmine¡¯s face looked gentle and more delicate than usual. Anthony watched her as he failed to bite back the growing smile on his face. Meanwhile, she was very focused, and all she could see was him. Even though the two of them werethered with mud and looked horrible, he said, "It''s quite nice that we fell in here.¡± Charmine frowned. ''Quite nice''? He was fully wounded yet he did not feel the pain? He did not even frown and found it ''quite nice''? She looked up, ready to tell him off but was captivated by his dark and loving gaze. The way he looked at her made her heart skip a beat. Awkwardly, she looked away. "Close your eyes and get some rest." Anthony pulled at her arm that sent her toward him, sitting by his side. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. He hugged her and said lowly, "No need to clean the wound, just keep mepany here." Charmine wanted to move but his arms were wrapped around her tightly, i She remembered that his arms were wounded. If she pushed him away, his wound might be torn open. All she could do was let him hug her as she silently leaned into his embrace. Anthony enjoyed this momentary bliss. 1 Outside, their lives had been fast-paced. They were either busy with their business or sorting things out with people around them. In this cave, he could hug her quietly and leave the city¡¯s hustles and bustles behind. If only time could pause at this moment... Though, Charmine might be enraged if she learned about these thoughts. It diforted them as mud covered them from head to toe. Furthermore, it was her birthday banquet the following day yet they were stuck in this pit. There were many things that needed her attention... Despite all that, they had no choice. Charmine could only calm herself as they waited for her men to get them. Time passed, and the sky turned darker. Night fell as they waited still. The forest grew pitch-dark, but that only meant the cave was even darker. chapter 919 chapter 919 It was near the end of autumn, and as Charmine only had a tank top on, she shivered in the cold. Anthony removed his suit and shirt to put them around her body. Charmine frowned. "Aren¡¯t you cold?" "No," came Anthony''s reply in his low and maic voice. He looked calm. However, Charmine could feel the goosebumps on his skin. This man was obviously not speaking the whole truth... With that, she took off the shirt and suit-even removing her tank top-and went forward to hug him. They both straightened instinctively as their bodies touched, especially Anthony. He frowned. Charmine jumped into his arms, and naked at that? Charmine exined, "ording to the principle of heat conduction, group- hugging is the best way to increase temperature." Anthony was speechless... This was the first time she was taking the initiative, and it was merely to increase body temperature? His thin lips curled into an impish grin. ''There''s an even better way to increase the temperature. Would you like to try it?" As he spoke, hisrge hand on her waist fluttered from her waist to her back. Charmine instantly sensed what he was about to do, and her face turned red and hot. "Don''t mess around, we''re only hugging." Anthony sensed that she tensed up. His eyes were filled with love. ''What? Didn¡¯t you say you''re giving it to me the other day?¡± ''That was thest time. You missed it, so you better behave now," Charmine warned. 1 They were in a forest. How could they do it here? Furthermore, Anthony had wounds all over, and if they did anything rigorous, the wounds might tear... 1 With that in mind and worried he might do something, she stood up and was ready to leave before Anthony grabbed her, stopping her. "Don''t worry, I know what not to do. If you keep moving, I can¡¯t promise anything." Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. His voice was low and hoarse. Charmine could only sit by his side and hug him once more. Anthony pulled the shirt and wrapped it around her back. ''Today''s your birthday," came his sudden comment. "Huh?" Charmine was baffled. Why did he bring that up out of the blue? Anthony did not speak, but his eyes were filled with bitterness. He was preparing a surprise for Charmine for this night, but little did he expect this to happen. If it was not for his family, Charmine would not have gotten hurt with him... Charmine sensed what he was thinking, thus she assured him, "Don''t worry, this is already the best birthday I¡¯ve ever had." Anthony frowned. Bored and without anything else to do, Charmine decided to open up to chat with him, "Back in the days, everyone in the Jordan family hated me, the adopted daughter. Every year, my birthday was a torture. I had to watch Tiffany smothered with love while I looked like an extra. Do you know what that felt like? That no matter what you do, you''re wrong, but everyone else is right?" 1 Whatever Tiffany did not like and gave it to her, it was Tiffany being kind. However, things that Charmine did not like and tried to give it away, the others would scold her. Even the cakes. Tiffany only ate very little in order to maintain her weight, and they praised her for loving her body. If Charmine ate little, she was called wasteful. Charmine squinted. "I haven''t ever celebrated my birthday for the past five years, and none of my friends mentioned about it to not reopen the wound. Actually, I''ve almost forgotten my own birthday. This year was an ident." Anthony felt a sting at his chest as he raised his hand to ruffle her hair." Don''t worry, it''s in the past." Charmine made a sound. She thought of something and asked with curiosity, "Aren¡¯t you and Momo preparing a gift for me? What did you all prepare?" Knowing Anthony, she wondered what he would prepare... chapter 920 chapter 920 Anthony thought of that as his gaze hardened. He had asked for the Halfeti roses to be air-flown from Turkey to decorate Skyview Tower''s top floor. It was a type of natural ck rose that had a rather matte surface. It was bold yet stunning, very simr to Charmine¡¯s temperament. 1 Furthermore, the Halfeti roses were only avable in Halfeti, Turkey, and they would only bloom in midsummer before going out of season by autumn. The ones he prepared were a Turkishb''s gems from theirb, far more impressive than Waverly''s White Camellias. Apart from the flowers, he even invited Master Kingston to customize Charmine a unique gown. He thought these gestures were romantic, but looking back at it all. Charmine had been through so much pain that they could not make up for anything. He held her small hand and ced it on his chest as he lowly muttered," No matter what gift it is, it won''t be as good as I. Remember that I''m yours. Say the word, and I''ll make it happen." "I''ll make it happen," words uttered powerfully and profoundly. Charmine''s eyelids fluttered to a near close; her heartstrings were tugged. What Anthony gave her was the most special promise. One word from her, and he would make it happen. She cuddled in his arms silently as minutes went by. Even though they both looked grubby and were covered in mud, the atmosphere felt warm and romantic. The cave was exceptionally quiet while the outside world had gone crazy. Charmine had forgotten something. She had asked Kay and the team to stand guard outside the room as she entered the spa. She even told them that it would take quite long. Being men, Kay and his men assumed a full-body spa would take a few hours or even one whole day, and they dared not to disturb her. Julian and the beautician, meanwhile, left through the small back door. Therefore, it was not until the spa closed that night and Charmine did note out that Kay and his men realized something was amiss. Upon barging in, they saw no one else in the room. Charmine had gone missing! They pulled out a thorough investigation swiftly after. Coincidentally, the Bailey family had sent out their Bailey Ace team to search the woods. At the Baileys¡¯ mansion¡¯s lobby, a few people sat anxiously. Grandma Bailey was especially furious. "How could you all do this behind my back!? Why didn''t you discuss it with me? Don''t you all know Anthony? He''s been rebellious from a young age! The more you force him, the more he''ll resist! He even jumped out of the car when it''s driven that fast! He must be wounded! How could you?! I''m warning you, if anything happens to Anthony, I don¡¯t want to live anymore!" i "Mom, please calm down. Let''s wait longer, we''ll hear back soon," coaxed Susan, attempting tofort her. 1 Grandma Bailey raised her hand and pped Susan¡¯s face. 2 "Wait, wait, wait! We''ve been waiting for one whole day! How much longer do we wait? The forest is so dangerous, and he has to hide from the people you sent after him with metal cuffs. There are wild animals in there! If anything happens to him, who¡¯s holding the responsibility? You¡¯re the one who persuaded Senior Bailey, so you get out of my sight! I don''t want to see you!" Susan staggered a few steps back after being pped, her face riddled with shock. N?velDrama.Org content rights. She had never been hit before. This was her first time! 2 Grandma Bailey actually pped her. How would the maids see her after this? As expected, all the maids in the living room had to lower their heads, not knowing how to react. Waverly, who sat at the side on the sofa, looked appalled. She thought bing Mrs. Bailey was an honor on its own. Who would have thought that someone like Susan could be beaten up by an old woman, and all she could do was to ept it? Susan was already furious, and when she saw Waverly''s expression, she straightened her back instantly and looked at Waverly, displeased." Everything was arranged by Ms. Waverly. I only did what she nned." chapter 921 chapter 921 "If Anthony is safe, it should be fine. I don''t mind taking this p to my face. If anything happened to him, your D''Cruz family would have to be responsible for it as well!" Waverly¡¯s face stiffened. Susanshed out on her instead? Why was she to me? She only provided Susan with a n, and they were the ones after the D''Cruz family¡¯s benefits. They did it voluntarily! She was the D''Cruz family''s wealthy heiress. It was already past twelve at night, it was her birthday. Everyone should be cherishing her like the star she was to be, yet the usations were turned to her instead? "Enough, enough," dismissed Senior Bailey. "Let''s wait a little longer. Anthony isn''t a weak man-he''ll be fine. Let¡¯s discuss after finding him." His hoarse and old voice sounded tired. Waverly¡¯s eyelids jumped. Discuss after finding him? Was he implying they would talk more about whether they would let her be with Anthony after they found him? Anthony was a grown man who disappeared for only a day, yet they were so anxious and med her for it? How repulsive! With that, everyone waited. No one dared to sleep until he came home, and no one was willing to get some shut-eye. After all, Anthony was the Bailey family''s future patriarch. If anything was to happen to him, the entire Bailey would be affected as well as the entire country. 2 The waitsted throughout the night. Meanwhile, Charmine and Anthony slept soundly. They both held one another despite the low temperature, and it was a loving sight. Eventually, Charmine was awakened by the sound of footsteps. She has always had exceptional hearing. Since it was very quiet, she could hear movements within a few hundred meters. The footsteps wereing from far away, and it sounded much like footsteps of a man. Charmine woke up in shock. A man? Was it Julian¡¯s? She opened her eyes and realized the sky had turned bright. It was brighter than usual as the sunlight shone past the fully grown trees, and shadows of the leaves hovered over them. Under the sunlight, someone walked to the entrance. The figure was obviously Julian''s. He found her! He stopped above the pit and called out from above, "Charmine! Charmine!" Charmine quickly put on her tank top and gently woke up Anthony. Anthony woke up and saw what was happening. Who would have thought that Julian would be the first to have found them? So it was Julian who kidnapped Charmine! Was he not destroyed? Had he not learned from that? Anthony hugged Charmine tightly. "Don''t worry, I¡¯ll make sure he''ll suffer a feeling worse than death!" Charmine had zero qualms to that. Perhaps Anthony did not have to do it-she would do it herself! Nheless, Julian had gone insane, and they had to be careful. The two of them leaned on the dark corner of the wall and waited quietly. It was dark looking down from ahead, thus Julian should not be able to see them. N?velDrama.Org (C) content. As long as Julian did not hear back, he would leave. They never thought Julian would linger for much longer, not once leaving. It came as a bigger shock when Julian yelled, "Hold on, Charmine! You must hold on! I''lle down and save you! I¡¯ll help you out!" He unraveled a rope and threw the other end down below. He wasing down! chapter 922 chapter 922 Charmine frowned; she never even replied to Julian. Should he not be assuming she was dead or had left? Use mud to bury her, mayhaps? Did Julian still want toe down and save her? Next to her, Anthony''s expression was as dark as ink. As a man himself, he knew what this meant. It was apparent that Julian still loved Charmine. Anthony exuded a murderous aura as he said to Charmine, "You may think of a way for him to die. He can''t be kept alive.¡± Charmine was speechless. One moment ago, Anthony was thinking of a way to make him feel worse than death, but he backtracked and wanted him dead again? 1 Just as they mulled things over, Julian had atst descended with the rope. His movement was agile, and it was apparent he was well-trained. Anthony let go of Charmine to prepare for an attack. When Juliannded, he saw the mud pit and swung his body to the drier side of the cave. Afternding, he looked around and said, "Don''t be scared, Charmine. I''m here, and I¡¯ll protect you. You won''t die! We''ll be together forever-¡± Before he finished speaking, he saw Anthony and Charmine in the corner. He glowered. "An...Anthony? Why are you here?!" "Thanks to your n!" Anthony''s expression was stone-cold, much like his tone. So, Julian wanted to be with Charmine forever, was he? He had not given up on Charmine, huh? Anthonyunched toward him like a phantom as a savage-like aura permeated from his body. He powerfully kicked at Julian''s ribcage and, with an audible crack, sent him flying to the wall about two meters away, 1 He grimaced in pain as he gripped at his chest and spat out a mouthful of blood. His ribcage... He just recovered not long ago, and Anthony cracked them again! Anthony marched forward and stepped on his chest. ''You kidnapped Charmine and tried to ruin her! Who gave you the permission, hmm?" As he spoke, he forcefully stepped on him. "Argh!" Julian cried out in pain and spouted another mouthful of blood. One could hearthat his cracked bones had stabbed into his organ. However, Anthony did not n to retrieve his leg. When he thought of how Julian tried to hurt Charmine and put metal cuffs on her, he wanted to crash Julian to death! Charmine quickly went upto pull at Anthony. "You''ll be too easy on him if you kill him down. Calm down for now.¡± Anthony removed his leg on his abdomen, though his expression was still merciless. At that moment, Charmine''s ears twitched slightly. Though they were below ground, she could hear the movement from a few hundred meters away, and she detected the sound of multiple sets of footsteps. More wereing, and they were not Kay and his men. She instantly said to Anthony, "Someone¡¯s here, and they''re not ours. We must get out of here, now!" Anthony frowned. They could be the Baileys'' bodyguards. Given the current situation and it was Waverly''s birthday, they must have wanted to bring him back to attend Waverly''s birthday. Well, if they dared to do so, they must be prepared to pay dearly for it. N?velDrama.Org (C) content. Hended another kick on Julian. "Argh!" Julian was kicked into the mud pit, and half of his body was submerged in it. Anthony removed his suit and tossed it at Julian before he said to Charmine, ''You walk in front, and I walk behind." "No. You''re wounded, so you walk in front and I walk behind." Charmine was determined. Whoever walked behind the other could support the person walking in front. Furthermore, the one behind could help the other from slipping. Anthony, however, gave her no room for back talk as he carried her and put her on the rope, all while snapping orders. chapter 923 chapter 923 "Go up!" Instinctively, Charmine held onto the rope. Of course. With her capability, she did not need Anthony''s help anyway. The drug''s aftereffect had vanished overnight as well. She held onto the rope and used her legs to push herself up, all while her hands pulled her up the rope. Julian seemed to sense what they were doing, and he called out instantly," Wait up! You guys can''t leave! Charmine is mine! Charmine can only be mine! Stay...don''t leave!" Anthony''s already remorseless face turned even darker as he swung his leg. Instantly, mud flew up and went toward Julian, into his mouth, 1 Mouth filled with mud, Julian frantically tried to spit it out, horrified and disgusted. He never thought he would end up in a pit after struggling to find a rope and got lost in the forest countless times. He did everything to save Charmine, yet she worked with Anthony to do this to him? 1 His bones were broken once again and they dug into his organs. He was in so much pain that he felt like dying! All that, and those two left him behind? A heartless, evil couple they were! They had the heart to leave after all that? Meanwhile, Charmine had gotten out of the pit with agility, but she spotted a group of mening their way as she looked ahead. She quickly pulled on the rope and urged Anthony to hurry. Anthony red at Julian and growled through gritted teeth, "Remember, Charmine is my woman. If you want her, I want you to feel worse than death!" Bidding his final words, he then climbed up the rope. At that moment, Julian saw clearly how Charmine waited for Anthony above the pit. They were like a perfect match about to be reunited, while he... No! He would not let that happen! The rage in his head overwhelmed him at that moment. A dagger suddenly appeared in his hand as he jumped off the ground andunched at Anthony to stab him powerfully on his back. 1 Anthony, still scaling up the rope, had no time to dodge the sudden attack. Instantly, the sound of a knife embedded into flesh was heard as the dagger stabbed into Anthony''s calf. Anthony grimaced in pain, though he managed to kick Julian forcefully away with his pointed leather shoe, and it aimed right at Julian''s lower jaw. Crack! His lower jaw was broken! Julian cried out in pain and fell back into the mud pit before he fainted from the pain. Charmine''s heart clenched when she saw Anthony hurt. She quickly pulled up the rope to help Anthony upward. Atst, Anthony fully emerged from the pit though with a bleeding calf. Moreover, the wound on his arm broke open. It was severe, and they had to go to the hospital quickly. Charmine said to him, "Why don''t you go back with them-¡± "No need." Anthony pulled out the dagger from his calf and tossed it inside the pit. He then tugged at Charmine to leave. If he went back, those people would not have learned their lesson! How dare Senior Bailey drugged him? He wanted them all to understand who actually had a say in the Bailey family! 1 Charmine was pulled by him to escape. When the Bailey Ace team arrived at the pit, they saw someoneying in there, but because of its depth, they could not see the face and could only see the ck suit. The suit was Anthony''s! Everyone started getting into the pit. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Unbeknownst to the men, Anthony and Charmine were way ahead of them. 1 Charmine was supporting Anthony. He was bleeding more and more, and if this went on, something would happen. Not far from where they stood were more men that came toward them, and they were... chapter 924 chapter 924 Charmine was prepared to pull Anthony quickly into another cave. However, the people in front happened to be Kay and his men! They wereing from ahead, and just as they were about to miss her, Charmine rushed toward them. N?velDrama.Org (C) content. "I''m here!" Kay and his men looked back and saw Charmine standing in front of the cave. She had mud all over with only a beige tank top on. 1 The group looked shocked. Their Boss Jordan was reduced to such a state! Someone did this to Boss Jordan! Kay instantly tossed the towel he prepared to Charmine as he said, "Boss Jordan, who hurt you? We''ll destroy him now!" "No need; he''s already destroyed. Let''s go." Charmine put the towel on her and walked into the cave to support Anthony. Even though Anthony''s calf was hurt with fresh blood oozing out of his wound, he still straightened himself and exuded his usual regality. He walked out of the cave without waiting for Charmine to hold onto him. Just as Charmine was about to catch up to him, she spotted something of bright red color inside the cave. Her red lips curled upward at the sight as she instructed Kay, "Collect it and keep it well. Send it to Skyview Tower." "Yes, Boss Jordan!" Kay instantly went inside the cave. Under the protection of the Gragoul team, Charmine and Anthony managed to return to Violet Residence. To hide from the Baileys and D¡¯Cruz family''s people, they returned to Violet Vi first. "Hurry up and clean up your wound," said Charmine to Anthony, "I''ll treat your wound." "No need. I''ve got other ns to settle," refused Anthony as he walked to her working desk and brought herptop over. Charmine frowned. "What n is that important? Treat your wound first." "You go and clean up first. Go back to the Bailey mansion with meter," concluded Anthony as he turned her body toward the bathroom. 1 Charmine frowned. Go back to the Bailey mansion with him? She suddenly understood what he was doing. So he wanted to... However, he was so severely wounded. She wanted to say something, but Anthony was already seated in front of theptop and started working on it. Charmine saw the look of determination in his eyes. She knew Anthony too well and quickly went to the bathroom to clean herself. After cleaning up, she put on simple jeans with a khaki trench coat. Seeing that Anthony was working on theptop, she did not disturb him. She went to the tunnel to check on Chris in the other vi. After not seeing him for the entire night, she wondered how Chris was. She wondered if he had a seizure again... She then noticed that the vi was empty, with no one in sight. Even the maids in the vi were on leave. Just as Charmine was preparing to leave through the tunnel and find out what happened from Kay... Cluck! Cluck! Cluck! A mechanical sound resonated in the air. Charmine turned to the sound and saw that a two-meter tall robot made its way to her, standing in front of her. The robot opened and closed its mouth, and it reyed Chris'' recording that went, "Mommy, you''re home! I''m Momo, I''m Momo! I knew Mommy woulde home safely! Don¡¯t worry, Mommy, I¡¯m at the Bailey mansion. I''m helping you both!" Charmine frowned. The Bailey mansion? Chris went there alone? Those people did not even like him. What if they harmed him? She instantly went through the tunnel and said to Anthony, "Come on. Let''s go to the Bailey mansion right away!" Still working on theptop, Anthony smirked coldly. "We should go." chapter 925 chapter 925 Anthony would make the Baileys pay! At the Bailey mansion. None of them slept a wink that night as they gathered in the living room, waiting for news on Anthony. Waverly was already very sleepy, but she could not sleep as everyone else was awake. She apanied them for a night, causing dark circles to form under her eyes. It was past eight already. It was her birthday and she had to attend her birthday banquet, yet she just had to stay with them... Then, a person in charge of thepany ran over as he anxiously reported, "Senior Bailey, Madam, I''ve got news. It''s bad! "As he hadn''t returned for a day, the President had missed yesterday''s and this morning¡¯s international conference. Many countries pulled out from the deal, and the loss was as much as sixty billion!" Senior Bailey held a cup of tea and was ready to drink when he heard the news, and the teacup fell to the floor and shattered. Everyone in the room looked rmed-they looked absolutely terrified. 60 billion! What concept was 60 billion?! Even if they were the Bailey family, this loss would hurt them for a few months! Derek, who sat in the corner, had his gaze darkened. 1 Anthony went missing and caused such a great loss. The shareholders would surely not be pleased. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. It made an interesting drama, indeed. Suddenly, a Bailey Ace leader ran over and reported, "Senior Bailey, it''s bad. We found Mr. Bailey''s suit in a cave, Julian, and a dagger with blood. Julian had no visible wounds, so the blood could be of Mr. Bailey¡¯s. He''s still missing..." Grandma Bailey jolted in her seat, and she would have fallen to the floor had the maids not been there to support her. Anthony was hurt... He was hurt by a dagger... Chris was initially silent as he sat in his corner, but he, at that moment, burst out crying. He wailed with deep despair, "Waa...! Daddy must¡¯ve been hurt by the dagger! His heart might be stabbed, or his face, or even his head... Waa...!" Each word he said formed an image in Grandma Bailey¡¯s head. No matter if it was his heart, face, or even his head that was hurt, it was bad! He was the Bailey family''s future patriarch. How could he be harmed?! Grandma Bailey gripped at her chest and scowled at everyone in the room, "It¡¯s all your fault! All of you are brainless! Are you happy now? We lost sixty billion, and we still don''t know if Anthony is alive or not! Are you all happy!? I''m warning you: If he doesn''te back, all of you have to die with him!" 2 She red from Senior Bailey to Susan, and she of course remembered to stare daggers at Waverly. Waverly lowered her head; she was tired and angry. Was Anthony that useless that Julian wounded him? Wait, no... Was Julian not supposed to be with Charmine? Why did Anthony meet him instead? Unless... She felt greatly unsettled, while the rest in the room were very anxious and worried. That went especially for Senior Bailey. He regretted everything so much that his face had turned green. Forget losing 60 billion, they even found Anthony''s blood! It had taken a turn for the absolute worse! Although Anthony had note home after having Chris, Senior Bailey had always favored Anthony and had decided to let him take over all of his shares. If anything was to happen to Anthony... At the thought of it, he instinctively raised his walking stick and mmed it dangerously close to Susan¡¯s foot. "It''s all your fault! It''s all your fault! You ruined things with those silly ideas!" Susan¡¯s face turned green. Although the walking stick did not touch her, it was equivalent to smacking her face, destroying her dignity! 1 This day was the most insulting day in her life! She could not help ring at Waverly with fury. chapter 926 chapter 926 Waverly did not look well. Of course she knew Senior Bailey and Grandma Bailey both used her. Even if they looked as if they were scolding Susan, they were actually scolding her! 1 Sick of keeping secrets, Susan eyed her indignantly. "Someone gave me this idea, and she threatened me as well. She said if she can''t be with Anthony, she''d then go back to Kansas. I did it out of kindness; I merely wanted to match them up! Now, however, I see clearly that this someone should''ve gone back!" Her tone was filled with disgust as she spoke. Waverly frowned. "Mrs. Bailey, what do you mean by this? I was merely giving you the idea, and you people were the ones executing it-" 2 "Enough, enough, stop bickering! You¡¯re all wrong, yet you''re here making a ruckus?" Grandma Bailey cut them off sternly. It was clear she was not giving Waverly a chance to speak. Chris hid in the corner, as if they terrified him, and he dared not to breathe. However, the truth was that his eyes were filled with a glint of pleasure. He wanted that nobody to get scolded! He wanted his Grandma, Grandma, Great-Grandpa, and Great- Grandma to hate this nobody! The entire room was full of hatred as each of them felt constrained. Only Derek was charged with anticipation. If Anthony died out there and never came back... Just as the thought filled him, the butler suddenly ran toward them. "Mr. Bailey is back! He''s back!" Instantly, everyone looked toward the door. They saw that outside the door, Charmine propped up Anthony as they walked toward them, step by step. His body was covered with mud while his arms, legs, and shoulders were all scratched. There was even a dried wound on his calf. He looked grimy though still exuded a regal aura, like a warrior returning from a victorious battle. Behind him were 100 elite, professional-looking bodyguards that wore agent costumes with bulletproof jackets. 1 The bodyguards heavily guarded the living room. With Charmine supporting him, Anthony¡¯s face was cold as frost as he walked into the living room. When Grandma Bailey saw his appearance, she instantly went forward with a pained heart. "Anthony... Oh, my Anthony! What happened to you...?" "We should be asking our Senior Bailey, shouldn''t we?" snapped Anthony as he red at Senior Bailey. Senior Bailey saw how Anthony looked, and his heart felt like it bled painfully. This was his favorite grandson! His grandson had never looked as vulgar as this! 1 He shut his eyes in pain and said in a hoarse tone, "From now on, Grandpa won''t meddle in your affairs and who you want to be with. Grandpa has no say..." Anthony merely scoffed, "Charmine saved my life, and I don''t need your permission anymore. I came back today, hoping that Grandpa will give your shares to me." He made a gesture as he spoke, and Luke instantly brought over a contract to Senior Bailey. He looked down to see the contract with the words printed, [Voluntarily give out 30% shares to Anthony Bailey.] Anthony already owned 40 percent of the shares, and with this 30 percent, he would be inplete control of the entire Bailey family. In the future, none of them would have any say! Senior Bailey frowned. "Are you forcing me to retire, Anthony?" N?velDrama.Org (C) content. ''You nearly cost me my life, Senior Bailey, and asking you to give your shares is already the kindest act from my side." Anthony showed no emotion at all. He looked at Senior Bailey as if he was a nobody. It was indisputable that Senior Bailey attacked him, and he had objected to Anthony being with Charmine due to his power to have the final say. chapter 927 chapter 927 Without the final say, what threat could there be? Who else would attack Anthony and Charmine? Senior Bailey red at Anthony for a long while before, finally, he gave in. "Alright. I''ll give you my shares under one condition: This matter will be closed, and nobody should mention it. Moreover, you muste home once a week.¡± 2 He noticed Anthony''s aloofness in the way he spoke. Senior Bailey did not wish for Anthony to still hate him after getting the shares. As he was in his old age, he wished nothing but for the whole family to gather again. Derek instinctively shot up at that. "Grandpa, do you not want to reconsider ...?" He only had 10 percent of their shares while Anthony had 40 percent, the highest shares-percentage in the family. If he obtained Senior Bailey''s shares, it would be almost impossible for Derek to gain control of the Bailey family. 2 Senior Bailey merely said, "You don''t have the right to speak here! Anthony, you only have to answer me. Do you agree with this?¡± 1 Anthony looked at Charmine who was by his side. "My family is strict. Please ask mydy for permission." Charmine was speechless. She came here to be a mere spectator, yet Anthony gave out such an important decision-making power to her? Also, did he just say his family was strict as if she controlled his everyday activities, not letting him go out? Seeing that everyone was staring at her, her cheeks turned red as she quickly said, "I don''t mind." Anthony looked at Senior Bailey afterward. "She doesn''t mind, so I don''t mind as well." Senior Bailey''s lips twitched. Oh, his grandson! Whatever...so long as he agreed. He picked up a pen and signed the contract. His signature sealed the contract. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Derek was enraged. He thought Anthony would die out there somewhere, never thinking he would come striding in and take up so much shares! Curse him! 2 Grandma Bailey did not care about these anymore. She said to Anthony, sounding hurt, "Anthony, Grandpa has already given it to you, so hurry up and go to fix yourself. Looking at you now makes me feel so bad!" Anthony saw that Luke had taken the contract away, so he also turned to leave. He did want to clean up. After all, he still had to attend Charmine''s birthday banquet. Chris hopped toward them and held onto Charmine''s small hand. Grandma Bailey instructed, "Prepare some clothes for Anthony, and ask the family doctor toe right away!¡± Everyone was so busy that nobody had time to avoid Charmine nor ask her to leave. Furthermore, they hadpletely forgotten about Waverly. Waverly sat there nkly, her head swarmed with disbelief. Was Julian not supposed to be punishing Charmine? How did she end up saving Anthony anding back together? Senior Bailey walked a few steps and suddenly turned back, saying to Waverly, "Do head home, Ms. D''Cruz. Since Anthony isn''t in a life- threatening situation anymore, I won''t hold this against you this time. However, as you see, he''s hurt. We need to take care of him, so none of the Baileys will attend your birthday banquet today.¡± 1 Waverly¡¯s hands clenched tightly. Nobody would attend her birthday banquet? Almost the entire Kansas would attend, but her fiance and his family members would not attend? How was she supposed to exin to the entire world? She would be the joke of the town! 1 Suddenly, Senior Bailey said, "Forget today; don¡¯te back anymore. I don''t think you¡¯re a good match with Anthony-you two are ipatible. Do reconsider and cancel the engagement." 6 Waverly felt her head buzzing. Cancel the engagement? chapter 928 chapter 928 She spent so much effort and calcted everything for things to turn out this way and finally got engaged with Anthony...yet even Senior Bailey wanted to cancel their engagement? i Grandma Bailey jolted as well. Although she did not like Waverly, she only nned to teach her a lesson. After all, this matter was serious and they had to think it through. Had this old man had an epiphany? Senior Bailey stared at Waverly. "My Anthony was never hurt before, yet he nearly lost his life after meeting you! You two aren''t a good match. Go back and think it through. Let''s see if you two will cancel the engagement, or we will do it." Waverly clenched her fists, her expression contorted horribly. "Don''t worry. After today, I¡¯ll think it through!" N?velDrama.Org content rights. With that said, she marched away. Hmph! They wanted to cancel her engagement? She had to host her birthday banquet so majestically, and she wanted the whole world to see how she was showered by glory. She wanted the Baileys to realize that she, the heiress of the D''Cruz family, was far superior that they could not afford to keep her. They would surely regret treating her this way! Inside the bedroom... Anthony went into the bathroom. Chris closed the door and handed the phone to Charmine happily. "Mommy, Mommy, have a look. Nobody was scolded fromst night till now!" 1 Charmine took the phone and saw the recorded video. She was touched. "Momo, you came here to watch and record the video for Mommy?¡± "Not entirely. It''s just that nobody nearly risked your life and Daddy''s, so I wanted to teach her a lesson! This video can be useful in the future." Chris¡¯ eyes twinkled like stars. Charmine instinctively ruffled his head. "Good job, Momo, you''re the best! No matter if Daddy and Mommy are with you or not in the future, you have to be as brave, okay?" "Don''t worry, Momo is no three-year-old boy anymore! Furthermore, now that Daddy and Mommy are in danger, Momo must take good care of himself. I won¡¯t be a burden for you both and make you worry about me," Chris'' voice was soft and childlike as he spoke. 2 Charmine was even more touched. She gave him a gentle peck on his forehead. ''That''s my boy. Mommy loves you!" Chris grinned from ear to ear when she kissed him. Grandma Bailey happened to walk in when she saw the scene. When Grandma Bailey entered, she happened to see this scene before her. It boggled her indeed, but Charmine and Chris seemed rather simr to one another. They had simr facial features. Was she having a vision? Charmine was with Julian five years ago and was sent away to Africa. How was it possible for her to give birth to Anthony¡¯s child? 1 She recollected her thoughts and walked toward them. When Chris saw her, he instantly stood before Charmine and greeted Grandma Bailey politely, "Great- Grandma." "Don¡¯t worry, I''m here to thank Ms. Jordan. I won''t hurt her," Grandma Baileyforted Chris and turned toward Charmine then. "Hearing what Anthony said, you saved him?" Charmine said calmly, "Not in a sense. Someone happened to toss me into the forest and I happened to bump into Anthony, so we helped each other to get out." Grandma Bailey frowned. In other words, Charmine was attacked as well... Waverly not only made them attack Anthony, but she even made Julian attack Charmine. How despicable! "I''m d that you both made it back," she muttered emotionally. "You saved me the other time, and now you saved Anthony. We don''t know how to thank you. Coincidentally, today¡¯s your birthday, so here¡¯s a little something from me." As she spoke, she took out a box for Charmine. Charmine epted and opened it to see an emerald jade. It was exquisite and expensive-looking, filled with the stories of generations. Charmine heard that this emerald jade was passed on since the Baileys¡¯ first generation. They only passed this on to the wife of each patriarch... chapter 929 chapter 929 Charmine closed the box and handed it back. "It¡¯s still too early. I can''t take this." "Take it. To be honest with you, even the old man agreed for you to be with Anthony; we just need to discuss things among ourselves now. With the two of us supporting you two, you¡¯ll be fine." What Grandma Bailey meant was that she liked Charmine even more already. She looked good. Even though she had a stunning face, she did not fake herself nor overdid it like other women out there. 2 Seeing that Grandma Bailey was determined, Charmine could only keep the jade all while she felt confused. Not long ago, Grandma Bailey tried to bribe her, wanting her to leave. Who would have thought she would grow to be a supportive ally? At that moment, Kay walked in. "Boss Jordan, your family is looking for you. They''ve gone crazy." It was only then Charmine recalled that she had to host her birthday banquet. Everyone was waiting for her to go back. N?velDrama.Org (C) content. She looked at the bathroom and said to Grandma Bailey, "I got to go. Please take care of Anthony. If he doesn''t listen, just say I told him so." "Alright, that¡¯ll work!" Grandma Bailey nodded with pleasure. At longst, there was a way to tame Anthony. 1 Charmine was on her way to exit when Grandma Bailey suddenly called out to her, "Happy birthday. Charmine!" Three simple words but filled with peace and love. Charmine''s back stiffened. She never thought she would hear such a blessing from Grandma Bailey. ''Thank you," she spoke sincerely. Chris quickly rushed toward her and gave her a key. "Mommy, Mommy! Daddy and I have prepared you some gifts, and they''re all inside a room on the third floor. You must see it before attending the birthday banquet!" Chris reminded Charmine. Charmine nodded. "Okay." Meanwhile, at Violet Vi... Senior Jordan and Joey went to look for Charmine at the vi in person. When they saw Charmine returning, Senior Jordan went forward to ask," Charmine, where did you go? Do you know we''ve been looking for you one whole night?" "Sorry, Grandpa. I went away for work and only came back today. Sorry to have worried you." Charmine had always been polite toward her grandfather. Senior Jordan let out a sigh of relief right away. "Good that you''re fine, good that you¡¯re fine. Let¡¯s go to Skyview Tower. All the guests are waiting outside, and they''re waiting for you." "Outside?" Charmine asked suspiciously. "A bunch of bodyguards imed to be from Anthony," said Joey, "and they said that you must be the first to enter. None of the guests could even enter the hotel, you see." Charmine frowned. Had Anthony truly prepared an extravagant surprise for her at the hotel? Suddenly, she thought of Chris'' words as Charmine then said to them," Wait for me, I¡¯ll get changed and leave." "Alright, no hurry. Take your time," assured Senior Jordan. Charmine walked to Anthony''s vi through the tunnel and went straight to the third floor. One of the rooms was locked with a colorful birthday card on the door. It looked festive. She took out the key Chris gave her, curious as she did. She wondered what gift they prepared for her that they locked inside the room... With a twist, the door was opened. She pushed open the door and gradually looked over. Inside the room... chapter 930 chapter 930 The room''s floor was covered in a snowy white fur nket, and nestled between them was a red gown worn by a mannequin. While it looked like a simple red gown, it had a gradient effect where the upper half was fiery red and it grew whiter toward the dress''s tail. 1 It was like a ming rocket that shot into the clouds: fierce like a piranha in the darkness, utterly stunning and dreamy. There was a simple knot that connected the top to the sleeves. The long red flowy cloth was as long as two meters. It looked surreal as it was beautified with a few touches of ssical charm. Charmine was shocked. Although this gown was simple with no embellishments, it was apparent that a grand-master made this. In a daze, she walked to the gown. The big balloon on the ceiling exploded and countless fine pieces of fur fell from above. It was as if the world was snowing. A furry cat-shaped robot jumped out from the corner, hopping around as it sang, "Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you...¡± N?velDrama.Org content rights. The voice was of a young girl, cute and soft. The small robot kitten stopped by her foot as if it was an actual pet. Charmine stood there with fur falling all around her. The soft furry kitten by her foot made the gown in front of her even more stunning. It was as if she hade to thend of the fairies. Her heart felt entirely warm. She would have seen this gown at twelve yesterday had there not been any idents... She bent down to carry the kitten. Its touch and fur felt very real. As she held the kitten in her arms, it blinked. "Madam, I''m your birthday present. From now onward, I¡¯ll also be your pet. You may instruct me to close the door, close the curtains, close the air-conditioning, listen to music, attack that nobody, attack the bad guys, protect you, and more..." 2 Charmine frowned. This kitten had that many features? Chris obviously prepared and designed this for her. Was Chris'' coding skill already so advanced? 1 She wanted to y with the kitten, but knowing that everyone was waiting for her, she had to get changed quickly. She put back the kitten before leaving quickly. Meanwhile... At Moonlight Shore, the hall was filled with people early in the morning. Other than all of the wealthy heirs and heiresses, countless reporters and influencers were live- streaming the event. There was even a special event on Instagram live streaming Waverly and Charmine''s birthday banquet. Whoever''s live stream had more views would win the event, and the winner would get the complimentary one-year promotion from Instagram. Charmine did not want to agree, but thinking of what Waverly did to her yesterday, she agreed to it. Waverly wanted to win against Charmine. She wanted Charmine to know she was out of her league! Waverly was in the live-streaming room as moguls or prominent figures would pop by from time to time. There were either superstars from Kansas or the big names in that country. It only took a while for her live stream to reach a few hundred thousand views. Meanwhile, the door to Skyview Tower was not even open. There were only some snacks outside the door with few people passing by. Nobody knew who these people were. They did not look familiar, thus there were only 10,000 views. Back at Moonlight Shore, someone called out, "Waverly is here!" Everyone turned to look and the camera turned over. One could see Waverly elegantly walking over from the far end of the red carpet. chapter 931 chapter 931 Waverly was dressed in a European-inspired brocade royalty gown that opened up a few meters long and had puff sleeves. It was incredibly ornate as if she was avish princess from the royal family. 1 Furthermore, the brocade had diamonds as embellishments. With each step that she took, the gown sparkled in all angles. She disyed glory, elegance, beauty, exquisiteness, and majestic temperament. Everyone watched with astonishment. She was indeed the wealthy heiress of the D¡¯Cruz family from Kansas. Charmine had more than 10,000 people in her live stream. However, half of them had gone to Waverly''s live stream to view her brocade gown spangled with diamonds. Waverly walked on the red carpet and enjoyed everyone¡¯s admiration for her. Her lips curled up gradually; she exuded a swan-like elegance from within. She would always be the most beautiful and most attended one. Charmine could never take that away from her! 1 At that moment, someone called out in the hall, "Hurry! Go check out Charmine''s live stream. Charmine¡¯s out, too!" At Skyview Tower... As everyone highly anticipated it, an ordinary car pulled over. Charmine, Senior Jordan, and Joey came out from the car, with Charmine supporting Senior Jordan as he walked. The grass was green by the river. Among the greenery, Charmine-holding up Senior Jordan as she walked-wore a red gown that fluttered in the air. Made with a mysterious material, the gown was light like cicada wings. Withyers ovepping one another, it would flutter in the air even without a breeze. 2 With the blood-red color fading out into a gradient effect, it was like the setting sun painted with cold blood fading into a dream. There was a longce between her arms that flitted in the air. They were like two red waves, gentle and fiery. Charmine could be likened to a red spider lily from the night; mysterious and beautiful. Everyone watched with disbelief. "OMG! What craft is that? How''s there such a beautiful shade of red?!" "It¡¯s like the sunset on her, like the flowers blooming in the darkness!" "This material is so light. Even without the wind, it can float in the air!" An elder said suddenly, ''This material is the Goddess Gown kept in the museum! It''s made with the most light-weight material ever invented in the world! This material only weighs ten grams per square meter. It''s very soft to the touch with a surface that resembles the glow of a wave. Only a superfine thread a fifth of a hair strand could be used to make this material. Currently, only one corporate could make this material in the world!¡± "OMG! Are you exaggerating?" N?velDrama.Org (C) content. "Boss Jordan is indeed Boss Jordan! She''s wearing a one-and-only!" "Argh! I want my friends to bear witness to this unparalleled gown!" Instantly, the live stream fell into an uproar as the number of viewers skyrocketed. Within a few minutes, there were as many as a million viewers just like Waverly''s. Everyone admired the beauty of her Goddess Gown in the live stream. The gown only got better the longer they looked at it-it became even more admirable. On the other hand, Waverly¡¯s overly expensivece and eye-catching diamonds made one feel as if she was a nouveau riche. 2 It only took a while before the viewers in Charmine¡¯s live stream went higher than Waverly''s! Waverly saw the reactions of her attendees, that many people used their phones to watch Charmine''s live stream. Her fists clenched tightly. However, thinking of something, her lips curled up beautifully. White Camellia flowers decorated her main hall. It was a species that could only be seen once every 3,000 years. What would Charmine have topete with her? She led her guests to the massive crystal lift to head toward the main hall. chapter 932 chapter 932 The massive crystal lift could take up to 300 people per round, made entirely with transparent ss. When the lift went up, one could admire from above the entire Burlington. Apanied by many moguls, Waverly arrived at the main hall on the top floor. Upon entering the main hall, everyone was stunned. The entire hall was decorated with green vines. Even the pirs had been turned into gigantic and ancient-like trees. It felt like entering a hidden magical forest upon walking through the entrance. At the tform ahead were innumerable bell-like white flowers. Theyplemented the refreshing greenery on the venue incredibly well. There were rings of white flowers that hung everywhere. The branches were bent elegantly, rejuvenating. A few cameras shifted toward the flowers for some close-up shots. One could feel the sacredness of the White Camellia flowers even through the camera, very beautiful. They were the once-in-every-3,000-years kind of White Camellia flowers! The viewers in the live stream went up once again. Everyone came back to admire these once-in-a- lifetime, legendary flowers. Unknowingly, Waverly had already changed into another gown with a simpler and purer design. She seemed so elegant and gentle, much like a beautiful Goddess. She truly enjoyed the feeling of being cherished by everyone. She stood on the tform as she conversed elegantly with her guests. 1 N?velDrama.Org content rights. At Skyview Tower. Charmine supported Senior Jordan as she addressed the crowd," Apologies for making everyone wait for so long." She then nced at the door before saying to the bodyguards, "Open up the door." When the bodyguards Anthony had dispatched to the venue saw Charmine, they opened the door. Charmine led the people to walk inside, through the lobby filled with ck roses, i These roses were simr to the other roses. However, they were sprayed in matte ck, and it looked elegant and expensive. Different from Waverly¡¯s set up that was only limited to the tform, these ck roses were arranged from the door to the staircase, then to the lift, counter, and everywhere else. It was as if the hall had been turned into a queen¡¯s castle! 1 Charmine walked into the hall in her red gown. She stood out from the rest, valorous yet beautiful. Everyone was stunned. ck Roses! The Turkish Halfeti ck Roses! There were so many ck Roses carefully cultivated by the scientists, all equally priceless! Best of all, the tform ahead was made of all Halfeti ck Roses. Even the walls on stage were filled with blooming and huge roses as big as one¡¯s face! 1 When everyone spotted the eye-catching red flower, they were utterly floored. "Is that the Red Spider Lily? Is there such a gigantic Red Spider Lily in the world?" "My goodness! This can go on the Guinness World Records!" Everyone was astonished, and Charmine was equally stunned when she saw it as well. She recalled that this was not the setup she had in mind. It seemed that Anthony had his men to secretly rearrange this. ck Roses were indeed unique. As for the Red Spider Lily... A reporter walked toward Charmine and inquired curiously, "Ms. Jordan, may I ask if this is truly a Red Spider Lily? Is there such a gigantic Red Spider Lily in the world?" "Yeah, I have to thank a friend for this. She invited me to the forest yesterday, and I discovered this gigantic Red Spider Lily by ident," Charmine''s red lips shifted into a small smile as she answered elegantly. At Moonlight Shore, Waverly happened to have overheard the live stream someone was ying. Hearing Charmine''s reply, she felt anger bursting out from her chest. Charmine actually came across this gigantic Red Spider Lily! She won against her with these ck Roses and Red Spider Lily! Worse still, she was the one who led Charmine to the Red Spider Lily... 1 Argh! She was raging! When she was the one who nned everything carefully, Charmine once again stole away her spotlight. The number of viewers in Charmine''s live stream had scaled far higher than Waverly¡¯s! At that, Max walked toward Waverly and attempted tofort her. chapter 933 chapter 933 "Waverly, don¡¯t be dragged down to Charmine''s level. Maintain your beauty at all times. Don¡¯t forget that these aren''t the best of you-your background and family are!" The words ¡®background¡¯ and ''family'' helped Waverly to regain herposure. She was reassured. She regained her elegant smile once more. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Of course. She was the wealthy heiress of the D¡¯Cruz family. What did Charmine have topete with her? She signaled at Max. Soon, they arrived at the gifting ceremony. Just like a royalty princess, Waverly sat before the exquisite stage. The guests went forward to offer their gifts while the emcee read out, "Patriarch of the D''Cruz family, Fredrick D''Cruz offered 20% shares!" ''The Prince of Kansas gifted nine ceramic vases as a tribute from the royal family to the D''Cruz family!" ''The Princess of Kansas gifted ten royal golden silk brocades!" "Kansas Car Manufacturer offering a customized luxurious car!" Each gift was extremely expensive and rare. The live stream instantly went viral. "OMG! I feel as if I¡¯m watching a movie when the queen celebrates her birthday!" "Any one of her gifts willst me for a lifetime!" ''Waverly D''Cruz is indeed Waverly D¡¯Cruz! How majestic!" At the Bailey mansion... Anthony allowed his family members to bandage him. Senior Bailey, Grandma Bailey, Susan, and the rest were watching the television in the living hall. The screen showed two sides. One was Waverly''s birthday banquet, while the other was Charmine''s. When Grandma Bailey saw how Charmine was supporting Senior Jordan, she nodded and praised, ''This girl seems cold on the outside, but she treats her family and rtives well. She''s a good girl." "I know, right? Look at Waverly; she only cares for herself and not her family,"mented Senior Bailey as he watched Waverly. However, the extravaganza of Waverly''s banquet instantly silenced everyone. Waverly¡¯s social circle was filled with royalties and international moguls. If the Bailey family and D''Cruz family became rtives, it would be ideal. Charmine, on the other hand... Those who attended were only her rtives, and there were many people that they had not met. Furthermore, there were less than 100 attendees in total. Waverly, meanwhile, had over 1,000 attendees. From the first to the top floor, there were guests everywhere. The contrast was too obvious... Susan had already calmed down. "Dad, Mom, I think what you both did today was too irrational. Waverly and Anthony are a better match. However much you both don''t like Waverly, you shouldn¡¯t have given the jade to Charmine. Apart from Charmine, we can still consider McKenzie. Look at it now: Charmine''s background is so small and low. She''ll be an embarrassment to our Bailey family!" Chris happened to overheard them. Suddenly, he ran back to the room. "Daddy, Daddy, it''s bad! Granny is looking down on Mommy''s family. They think her family isn''t powerful enough. We must find help for Mommy!" Anthony leaned on the sofa as he allowed the doctor to clean up his wound while he yed with his phone. The phone screen was showing Charmine''s live stream. His eyes lingered on Charmine and followed her as she walked. Her red gown among the ck Roses made her look like the most stunning queen in the world. Each movement and each second of her was screenshot-worthy. As for her background... Anthony ruffled Chris'' head. "Don''t worry, I''ve arranged forthat." Just a little longer. Within a few minutes, things would turn around! chapter 934 chapter 934 Moonlight Shore. A few reporters surrounded Waverly to interview her. "We heard that sixteen of the most powerful Tech Giants arrived at Burlington earlier today, iming they came for a friend''s birthday. May we ask how you met these moguls? Are you close with them?¡± Waverly had a hint of unnatural panic in her eyes. In truth, however impressive the D¡¯Cruz family was, they did not manage to get close with these Tech Giants. She usually would not be able to get these people. She did not expect these moguls to havee, and never did she expect them to attend her banquet. However, so many reporters were asking her about them, and she could not tell the truth... Since these people havee to Burlington, they must havee to her banquet. There was no need to tell the truth. She maintained her elegant smile as she replied to the reporters, "We¡¯re close friends. I''m so thankful that they''ve made time from their busy schedules to attend my banquet." Just as she finished saying that, someone suddenly cried out in shock, "Huh? The sixteen Tech Giant moguls went to Charmine''s Skyview Tower?" i "What?" Waverly frowned. She snatched the phone from that person to see what happened. True enough, she saw that all of those middle-aged and elderly men were surrounding Charmine, who used differentnguages to greet them. 1 "Charmine Jordan! You haven''t visited me for two years, and you didn¡¯t even send me an invitation to your banquet," said one of them, tone evident with displeasure. "Tell me: have you forgotten about me?" Charmine smiled sheepishly at that. "My apologies. I thought you wouldn¡¯t want toe to my banquet, considering we haven¡¯t talked for two years and all." "You¡¯re kidding me! You helped me to invent an anti-cancer medicine two years ago! I''d do anything for you. With just a word from you, forget attending your banquet, I''de even if you asked me to climb up a mountain or down a river!" The man was agitated, 1 Everyone recognized that man. He was a mogul in the field of medicine research. He had a worldwide reputation known for inventing anti-cancer drugs. Never was it expected that Charmine had a hand in assisting the creation of his anti-cancer drugs! What a ground-breaking revtion! One of the other attendees curiously went forward to ask them, "However, we heard that you came to Burlington to attend Waverly D''Cruz''s birthday banquet." "Who''s Waverly D¡¯Cruz?" 1 "I heard of the D''Cruz family. The stic surgery family, no?" i "I don''t have anything to do with the D''Cruz family. My face is a hundred percent natural!" 1 ''To attend Waverly''s birthday banquet? What a misunderstanding! That¡¯s a rumor! We''vee here to attend Charmine''s birthday banquet!" "Yes, Charmine is our best friend. Please don''t bully her!" The ten or so moguls stood their ground for Charmine, and their every word was like a harsh p to Waverly''s cheeks. The crowd around Waverly all looked at her mockingly. N?velDrama.Org content rights. "Didn¡¯t Waverly say that these people are here for her birthday banquet?" 1 "Didn''t she say they''re close friends?" ''They don¡¯t even know her!" "Hahaha! What a legendary embarrassment! It¡¯ll be made into a headline in no time!" Waverly''s face stiffened. She genuinely thought these people were here for her birthday banquet. Who would have thought that they were at Charmine''s birthday banquet?! Charmine knew so many moguls, and all of them spoke so highly of her! Awkward... She had never been so awkward and embarrassed before! Meanwhile, at Charmine''s banquet... More guests were arriving. Joey picked up the microphone and continued to call out, "Gragoul team giving one K999. Permitted to be used under special circumstances!" "National Science Association giving a mansion!" "National Architecture Association givingnd!" chapter 935 chapter 935 "Checkers Association giving a full set of natural crystal checkers!" "E-Sports Association gifting ten franchises of inte cafes all over the country!" 1 A long list was read out, and every gift mentioned was grand and pricey! That was not the end of it all, however... "No.1 Antique Collector, Mr. Young bestowing a thousand pieces of antiques!" "No.1 Ceramics Developer, Master Hahn gifting a full set of customized furniture!" As Joey spoke, someone moved a few pieces of furniture inside: from the vases on the table to the human-sized vase; from porch decorations to indoor decorations, and everything else. The ceramics were all in red, made with the greatest level of craftsmanship in the market as ofte. They were the rarest red ceramics! Red ceramics would only be made at 1300 degrees Celsius with 10 degrees amplitude. If the number was too low, it would turn ck; if the number was too high, it would get burnt. Furthermore, only one piece could be made at a time. The rate of sess was as low as 10 percent. These were the priceless treasures in the world! Everyone was astonished. ''The Hahn family is indeed the Hahn family. They''re indeed the only national-heritage ceramics developer in the country!" "Not long ago, Burlington was deciding on who should be protected, and in the end, Mr. Hahn was chosen to be under the Gragoul team¡¯s secret protection!" "And yet the Hahn family actually sent Charmine such an expensive gift? She knew the Hahn family?" 1 At that moment, Senior Hahn and Grandma Hahn walked inside. The reporters recognized them right away. They all took photos of them and tried to interview them. They did not stop walking until they reached Charmine, and they then beamed, "Great-Granddaughter, happy birthday!" 1 That sent everyone into a shocked frenzy. Charmine was the great-granddaughter of the Hahn family? Of course! Charmine''s mother was Joey Young who hailed from the Hahn family. Charmine was their great-granddaughter! No mistaking it anymore; she was indeed the Hahn family''s great- granddaughter! Everyone was astonished. At the Bailey mansion... Initially worried, Grandma Bailey''s eyes twinkled in delight when she saw what happened. "Oh, gosh! Charmine''s great-grandparents are the Hahns! Every year, I keep on waiting to get hold of their work! Oh my lord! My granddaughter-inw is from the ceramics family I''ve always been a big fan of!" 2 Susan frowned. She sensed danger right away. Grandma Bailey had always liked the ceramics of the Hahn family, and all of a sudden, she called Charmine her granddaughter-inw. Would McKenzie still have a chance? 1 She jumped in, trying to change the course of the direction as she spoke," Mother, please calm down. They¡¯re not her close rtives, and they don''t really have any link with Charmine. Furthermore, they''re just some ceramics developers..." "What do you know?! What do you mean, just some ceramics developers? They¡¯re protected by the country! Since ancient times, they''ve been holding up our culture for generations. They''re the pride of Burlington, and even the Gragoul team protects them! Do you know who the Gragouls are? They''re the top-secret national organization! Currently, there¡¯s no one inheriting the Hahn family, thus they''ll pass on everything to Charmine. Also, do you know who are the inws of the Hahn family?" refuted Grandma Bailey. N?velDrama.Org (C) content. Susan was too perplexed. She had not paid attention to these things, so she did not know. Grandma Bailey continued with excitement palpable in her tone, "Grandma Hahn¡¯s mother is from the family of the War Department! The Cherny family! We don''t even get to meet them!" By then, Susan''s head figurativelybusted. The Cherny of War Department. They were someone even the Baileys wanted to get to know! Charmine had such a powerful background? No... It could not be... Would they have to let Anthony be with Charmine after all? chapter 936 chapter 936 While the Baileys were anxious, the attendees at Skyview Tower fell into a chaotic excitement. This was because another group of moguls had arrived! Four highly acimed celebrities, world-renowned singers, international violin masters, directors, and European''s Top 10 artists had entered the hall, i Each of them was a world-renowned mogul. They gradually went on stage and started performing uplifting repertoire that entertained the audience. With so many influential attendees, the number of viewers on Charmine''s live stream had gone up to almost a hundred million! Charmine was dumbfounded. She did not invite these people At that moment, her phone rang, and she took it out to see Anthony texting her, [I want you to have the best in the world. Happy birthday.] Her heart felt warm with surprise and delight. 2 Not only did Anthony prepare so many ck Roses and a gown for her, but he even invited so many people to help her out. He had indeed prepared so many surprises for her... The entire birthday banquet was so perfect that it went viral. Furthermore, someone from the live stream pointed out that those ''unknown'' guests were either secretive researchers or private generous donors. They were figures that were not usually seen in public. The gifts andments in the live stream increased. On the other hand, Waverly¡¯s livestream only had a few million people watching, though they were there to only watch her fail. Someizens tried to make it worse than it already was. [May I ask how Waverly feels after telling a lie?] [No wonder Anthony said Waverly likes to tell lies. This right here is the proof!] 1 [Exactly. And why is no one from the Bailey family here? The food is about to be served, yet they¡¯re not coming yet?] Due to the scrutiny, Waverly found an excuse to go to the dressing room backstage. Reading thements from theizens, she was so furious that she crashed the vase in hand. 1 Fredrick came in and just so happened to see that. "Don¡¯t worry, Waverly," he spoke, reassuringly with worry, "Father will speak up for you! I''ll make sure the Baileys give us an exnation!" With that said, he turned and walked out. They made it clear about noting to Waverly''s birthday banquet. They wanted to embarrass Waverly! Since they had announced their engagement to the public, the Baileys must at least give them an exnation! Waverly saw him leaving. She wanted to chase after him but decided against it in the end and let him go. It was right for the D''Cruz family to pressure the Baileys. Although Charmine¡¯s background was revealed, she was only as good as they were. 2 N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Waverly did not believe the Baileys to be so ruthless! s... Fredrick rushed to the Bailey mansion and growled furiously, "Are you sure you lot want to do this? You used the D''Cruz family to secure the deal between two countries, and now you want to break it up?" "What is Mr. D''Cruz talking about? If it wasn''t for your daughter almost murdering Anthony, we would¡¯ve attended the banquet," Grandma Bailey bit back with a straight face. Fredrick knew about the incident yesterday, but he did not think it was Waverly''s fault. It was so hard for him to have this daughter. This was why he would allow Waverly to get whatever she liked, and he would only support her. "Don''t forget the n you agreed to," he warned seriously." Anthony is being too rigid. He chose to jump out of the car, and that was an ident. How could you me it all on Waverly? I don''t want to talk to you anymore, but no matter what, every one of you must attend her birthday banquet. Furthermore, Anthony and Waverly must go on stage together as a couple, rightfully so as they are!" 1 Only if the two went on stage to look like a couple could the chaos be diverted. Senior Bailey merely said, "Apologies, but he can¡¯t go. His leg is hurt, thanks to your daughter!" "With that said, are you sure you want to break things off with the D''Cruz family? If you''re not going today, the engagement will be canceled, and the two families will be enemies from now on. The business deal will be called off!" chapter 937 chapter 937 Fredrick scoffed, his tone ruthless as he spoke. Still keeping his rationality, Darryl went forward and said," Please, everyone. Don''t be so agitated. Let¡¯s sit down and talk it out." "What¡¯s there to speak about? Cancel it if you want, be an enemy if you''re sure! Do you think the Bailey family will be scared? I¡¯ve lived so long, yet this is the first time someone tried to threaten me!" Grandma Bailey was livid as she red at Fredrick. "From the beginning of their engagement, Waverly agreed to only be Anthony and Charmine''s decoy, but she then decided to make it real after agreeing to that. Furthermore, she¡¯s nothing but a heiress who likes to tell lies! We don''t need someone like her! We, the Baileys, will live just fine without your D''Cruz family. We''ll be better off!" After all, Grandma Bailey could only think of the Hahn family and the Cherny family. These two families were her favorite families. Since Charmine was rted to them, how would she not be pleased? "Alright. As you wish! Do keep in mind that you¡¯re the ones saying this! You better be ready to pay the price!" Fredrick growled before turning to march out furiously. Darryl wanted to chase after him but Fredrick managed to lose him. Darryl exchanged a worried look with Susan. The two elders always cherished Anthony, thus when Anthony got hurt, they had lost their calm. If one calmed down and thought it through, a big family like the D''Cruz family was not to be offended! However powerful Charmine was, it was just a birthday banquet... Her background was only as good as Waverly''s. At the birthday banquet, Waverly received the news from Britney and was utterly enraged, i The Baileys no longer wanted her at all, that they did not even fear making them their enemies, all because Charmine was the great-granddaughter of the Hahn family, rted to the Cherny family? If it was not for Charmine... Everything would have been hers! Her anger spiked out from within. Britney quicklyforted her, "Madam, this is the time when you have to keep calm. We need to think of a way to fix this." The atmosphere in the hall seemed strange. Waverly clenched her fists as her eyes burned with rage. The Baileys chose Charmine due to those distant rtives she had. 2 Those rtives were so distant. How could they support Charmine at all? If these rtives did not like Charmine, how would the Baileys even like her!? Waverly''s lips slowly curved into a small smirk. "Of course, this is the time to stay calm and face it. I¡¯ve been through so much pain, what''s there to topple me?" She looked at herself in the mirror as she took out her lipstick to put it on her lips. Her eyes were determined. Anthony could only be hers! As everyone waited on her, Waverly came out again, only this time in a redce gown, as she walked up the stage elegantly. 2 N?velDrama.Org is the owner. With the greenery-backdrop, the white flowers adorned her appearance even more. She stood on the stage and said to everyone with the microphone, "I''m so pleased and thankful for all of you who came to my birthday banquet. Now, I''m about to make a big announcement..." Big announcement? Everyone turned silent. chapter 938 chapter 938 Noticing that all eyes and attention were on her, Waverly¡¯s lips curled up even more elegantly. ''The reason Anthony and his family can''t attend my birthday banquet isn''t due to our rtionship problem. It is because Anthony got hurt yesterday." Murmurs filled the hall as words were exchanged. Anthony was hurt? How could a big figure like Anthony get hurt at all? Was it all Waverly made up to conceal the truth? Fredrick and Max looked at Waverly strangely. She still wanted to hold the rtionship and present herself as such on stage? She wanted to hold it up all by herself? Waverly continued, "Regardless of whether everyone believes me or not, this is the truth. I¡¯m not angry at them for not attending my birthday banquet. After all, this is just a birthday. What''s more important than Anthony''s health? Furthermore, as for what happened earlier, I owe you all an apology, it¡¯s all a misunderstanding. It was so noisy that I mistook the moguls as scientists from Kansas, and that''s why I made such replies. No matter what, it was on me, and I offer my sincerest apologies for that. I hope everyone can have a lovely time for the remainder of the day," she formally spoke before cing down the microphone and walked off the stage elegantly. She was exuding an air of expensiveness from within, a very pleasing sight. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Under such circumstances, she was still able to face the press with such calmness, and this disyed her formidable emotional quotient, i The crowd was supportive of the D''Cruz family. Furthermore, they did not want Kansas to look bad, thus the atmosphere gradually improved. It did not take long for some celebrities to go on stage to perform. Although they were not as big names as those at Charmine''s, they were well-known enough, good enough to please the audience that watched the live stream. When nobody was noticing, Fredrick pulled Waverly to the backstage and asked suspiciously, "Waverly, why did you do that? You should announce that you''re canceling the engagement. You can''t wrong yourself." "Dad, have you forgotten why I came back?" Waverly suddenly asked. Fredrick frowned. Her goal... After a moment, he let out a sigh. "It¡¯s my fault for not helping you more..." "Dad, it''s not your fault. You¡¯ve already helped me a lot. I¡¯m grateful for what I have now. However, you must know that I won''t simply give up on my goal. I must achieve it, no matter how hard it is." Waverly¡¯s voice was gentle and soft with a hint of determination. Fredrick grew even more worried as he asked with concern," However, they have made it so clear now. How will the Baileys ept you?" "Don''t worry. As long as they haven''t found a better match, they won''t simply give up on me. I only need to say a few words to them," replied Waverly as she picked up her phone and called Grandma Bailey, i Fredrick did not understand what she meant, but the call was already answered. Grandma Bailey scoffed at her, "Why are you calling? You want to threaten me like your father?" "Grandma Bailey, you''ve misunderstood. I''m calling to apologize to you. My father was too impatient, and it''s my fault. We were too impatient, and we needed to calm down. Furthermore, if Mr. Bailey and Ms. Jordan get engaged anyhow, I¡¯ll leave. Before then, I truly love Anthony, and as long as he isn¡¯t with Charmine officially, I''ll keep waiting however long it takes. I hope you can permit this humble love of mine." i Her tone was gentle and humbling. Grandma Bailey did not expect Waverly to say such things. All of a sudden, it seemed that she was the impatient one. Susan quickly signaled to her and said in a low voice, "Since they can''t get married, we can''t make an enemy out of them chapter 939 chapter 939 Grandma Bailey replied to Waverly, "I can promise that I¡¯ll keep the truth from the public for the time being, but I also hope that you can keep your end of the bargain. If they be official, you and Anthony will cancel the engagement in peace." "Okay. Thank you, Grandma Bailey." Waverly hung up the phone all while a scheming expression adorned her face. ''If they became official''? Ha! How would that ever happen so long as she was around? She then said to Fredrick, "Dad, I''ll need a favor from you after this..." On that day, the two birthday banquets ended in glory. Charmine won! The media picked the highlights from the event and made them into a shorter clip for easier ybacks. Sure enough, the clip became famous. However, the most-heated search turned out to be # Charmine''s-Background. Many people were in awe of the topic. [Charmine¡¯s the granddaughter of the Hahn family?!] [I heard the Hahn family doesn¡¯t have any heir. Will the Hahn family end up giving their wealth and fortune to Charmine in the future?] [That''s not the most terrifying part! Grandma Hahn is from the Cherny family of the War Department!] [Argh! The Cherny family of the War Department? How mysterious! I heard they have seven sons without a daughter. This is the legendary ''boys club''!] Whoever was leading the discussion, #Charmine''s-Cherny- BoysClub had made it to the most- searched list. There were manyments on how ''seven brothers spoiling me'' went viral. There were rumors and gossip that centered this particr topic. Of course, Charmine was too busy the entire day, sending off the moguls that she did not see the comments. She was, however, worn out at the end of the day. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Chris and Anthony were not home yet by the time she got home. With that, sheid in bed to rest. Not long after, Chris and Anthony returned, with Luke supporting Anthony as they walked. "Boss, the doctor said you shouldn''t be walking¡ªit''ll slow down the recovery. Ms. D''Cruz isn''t back tonight yet, so why don''t you stay on the first floor?" "Alright." Anthony walked to the first floor without even holding onto the railing. Chris ran up behind him, supporting Anthony. When Chris arrived by the bedroom door on the first floor and saw Charmine, he instantly left Anthony behind and ran to the third floor to find his kitten. He then ran back down. Anthony had entered his bedroom, but just as he was about to close the door, Chris sneaked inside. He pressed on a button and ced the kitten on Charmine''s back. The kitten, as it was activated, crawled on Charmine''s back in a regr pattern. Charmine had fallen asleep out of tiredness when she suddenly felt pressure on her back, though it was soft and gentle, kneading at the muscles on her back. i She opened her eyes and saw Chris standing by the bed. His big and watery eyes looked at her. She was delighted. "Momo, you''re back." ''Yeah. Don''t move, Mommy. Stay put and let the kitten massage you. I invented this massaging feature just for you," answered Chris. "Momo, you invented this all by yourself?" questioned Charmine as she enjoyed the kitten''s massage. ''Yes! To be honest with you, I''ve always been interested in all kinds of research. I can read and remember things!" said Chris proudly. Charmine frowned. "Read and rememberthings?" She suddenly had this special ability to read and remember things five years ago. Reading something up to three times would enable her to remember it, word by word, i Chris had the same ability? chapter 940 chapter 940 Chris nodded. "Yeah. Ever since I learned how to read, whenever I read the same thing three times, I''ll be able to remember it clearly. I can even recite it backward." i Charmine was even more shocked. He was just like her in this sense! Was this something that could be passed on by gics? With this possibility in mind, she quickly denied it. How could that be? She bore Alexander''s child, not Chris. i After giving birth five years ago, and though she was halfunconscious, she saw the baby taken and packed up. The baby was already dead... Seeing that she zoned out, Anthony frowned, feeling displeased. "Momo, go back to your room and study." "I¡¯ve already studied during the day," Chris protested. "Study again," snapped Anthony. "No way, I want to apany Mommy-" Before he could finish, Anthony asserted once more, "Study three times. I''ll test you!" "No! Mommy, help me..." Chris tugged at Charmine with his puffy hands. Charmine quickly looked at Anthony. "You can''t punish him." Anthony, who was determined, then frowned. After a moment, his tone became gentler as he spoke, "Alright, Momo. Be good, and go sleep in your bedroom." Chris had goosebumps all over. "I¡¯ll go study in my room!" With that said, he waved at Charmine and left the bedroom. N?velDrama.Org (C) content. Once the door was shut, Anthony walked to the bed and moved the kitten on Charmine''s back. He turned it off and put it by the side. After that, he sat beside her and started massaging her neck. Charmine frowned. "No need, I¡¯m much more rxed already." "Don¡¯t move. The massager only massaged you for three minutes and twenty seconds. It''s not long enough to rx your muscles," said Anthony with a straight face. Hisrge hand massaged her with the right pressure, i Charmine was speechless. Anthony sounded formal when he was, in fact, jealous of a kitten! This man was hopeless. He was even jealous of a kitten... Amid her thoughts, Anthony¡¯s hand went from her shoulder to her corbone. With that, he suddenly leaned in and lowered his head to kiss her. Suddenly, the door was pushed open. "Mommy, happy bir-" Chris came back to wish her a happy birthday when he walked into this scene. Before he finished his sentence, he quickly changed, "You two continue, I didn''t see anything! I didn''t see anything!" With that said, he quickly closed the door again. Face flushed red, Charmine blurted to Anthony, "Go and check on him!" How embarrassing was it to have let the child see this... "Momo asked us to continue, so we need to make the child¡¯s wishe true," said Anthony with a serious tone before lowering his head to continue kissing her. chapter 941 chapter 941 Eventually, Charmine leaned on Anthony''s arm as she asked, "When''s your birthday?" "Next month, on the thirty-first of December," replied Anthony calmly. Charmine red lips curled up. "Perhaps you''ll receive the gifts you most anticipated." Anthony did not look forward to his birthday as much, but Charmine''s words made him smirk. "Yes, I anticipate it." Within a month, they should probably be able to get married. Unfortunately, after a night ofments and rumors... Articles like [BoyClub Spoiling Me], [The Spoiled and Precious Cousin] made it to the hot-topic list. Everyone in the country knew that Charmine''s great-granddaughter was from the Cherny family of the War Department. 2 Many fans leftments on Charmine''s Twitter, all driven with awe and admiration. Charmine''s background instantly became more powerful and respectable. At the Cherny family. Seven young men stood in a row with a cool military posture. A stern-looking middle-aged man stood in front of them, and he growled furiously, "Which of you got in touch with Charmine? Tell the truth!" "Report! None!" seven men replied in unison. The middle-aged man harshly whipped the whip at them. "Not telling the truth? If none of you contacted her, why would she use the name of our Cherny family?" "Really, we didn''t. We don''t even have enough time to train every day!" the eldest son answered formally, sternly. The second brother said, ¡®These are written by theizens." The third brother continued, "Perhaps she¡¯s using us to increase her poprity..." The middle-aged man was their father. Seeing that they were so set on in their stance, it showed that they truly did not talk to Charmine at all. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. He ordered, "Go back to the base to continue training!" "Yes!" The seven sons turned and went back to the training base. The middle-aged man picked up his phone and used the Cherny family''s official Twitter ount and tweeted the following: [I hope everyone pays attention to what you read. The Cherny family is from the War Department with strict rules. Please don¡¯t spread rumors! Do not use the name of Cherny to increase your poprity! Currently, the Cherny has nothing to do with the Jordan family!] As this was an official ount, they would usually only post important notices. Their tweet of sudden rification, surely enough, attracted the attention of many. At the Bailey mansion... Senior Bailey and Grandma Bailey were picking the date for Anthony and Charmine''s marriage when Susan suddenly ran in. "Dad, Mom, hold on. Have a look-the Cherny family isn''t epting Charmine." Grandma Bailey epted the phone and frowned. Why did it seem like the Cherny family was trying to stay clean from the Jordans? Still... "Whether Charmine is rted to the Cherny family or not, she''s the great- granddaughter of the Hahn family." "Mom, I know Charmine¡¯s background isn¡¯t bad, but we can¡¯t be in such a hurry. The marriage needs to wait. I heard that the Cherny family and the Hahn family aren''t close. They even have a past..." Susan went closer to Grandma Bailey and whispered in her ears. Grandma Bailey''s face changedpletely. There was such a thing! chapter 942 chapter 942 Grandma Bailey looked at Susan. "Are you sure about this?'' "Of course, I''m very sure. Why would I make up such a thing? I''ve contacted so many people, pulled at every stop to find out about this matter. In conclusion, if Charmine wants to get close to the Cherny family and get their support, she must fulfill that requirement. However, if she doesn''t, she won''t be with Anthony and can''t get married!" ''Then we must make sure they get married sooner! What if the Cherny family takes her away?'' Grandma Bailey asked anxiously. Susan frowned. ¡°Mom, how could you think this way? What I''m saying is that she won¡¯t get support from the Cherny family. With that, all the rtives and elders of the Bailey family won''t agree to this marriage. This situation will get murkier. The rtives will be divided and our family will be weakened in the process. Then, when that situation actuallyes our way, we won''t have any energy left to fight with!" 1 Her tone was serious. Darryl walked toward them. "Susan is right, Dad, Mom. I know you both care for Anthony and think on his behalf, but we must consider the situation as well, we can''t get too impatient." Senior Bailey and Grandma Bailey exchanged nces, eyes filled with worry. At Violet Residence. Even though it was a weekend, Chris did not go out. He locked himself in the room and upied himself with something. Charmine did not disturb him. She went back to her vi to check on Annabel, who was asleep when she got there. "Although the needles have improved her sleep, she has been staying inside the vi the whole time," reported Nial," and that¡¯s not good for a pregnantdy''s mood and wellbeing. Her appetite isn''t good, and with that, the growth of the fetus will be slower than usual." Charmine frowned. Since Charmine was fighting against Waverly, Annabel must be kept hidden. Before she could find out the reason why Chris'' body rejected the needles, Annabel¡¯s unborn child was their only hope. She must not be harmed. Still, something could happen if Annabel was to stay hidden inside every day as well... Amid her thoughts, her phone rang urgently, i She answered the call and was greeted with Grandma Bailey''s voice as she spoke, "Charmine, do you have time toe over to the Bailey mansion? I have things to discuss with you about. Remember: Do not let Anthony know about this." Charmine frowned. What matter was this about? Was it so serious that she must not let Anthony know? Grandma Baileyforted, "Don¡¯t worry, I won''t harm you. It¡¯s regarding your future with Anthony." Charmine mulled it over before she eventually agreed. "Okay, I''ll go now." Since Kay and his men would keep their watchful gaze on her anyway, nobody would harm her. N?velDrama.Org content rights. As for Anthony... Charmine instructed Nial, "You take care of Annabel for the time being. She could walk around on the balcony but not outside in the residential area. I''ll let you know once Ie up with a n." "Okay." Nial then turned his hopeless gaze at the sleeping Annabel in bed. This meant that he had to stay here for a long time. How bitter... When Charmine got back to the next vi, she saw Anthony in the living room on the second floor, working on hisptop. Even though she was standing far away, she could see the Marry Wedding website. Marry Wedding was the top wedding gown-designing brand in the world. They only took one client every 1,314 days, symbolizing ''the one and only*. In other words, they only took in one client every three to four years. Even after epting the client, the gown would only be done three yearster. Within the three years, Marry Wedding would have received the order and reservation. chapter 943 chapter 943 Anthony was preparing a gown for her? Charmine walked toward him. "Don''t trouble yourself over this. It''s not certain yet." "My grandparents have given their blessings, and this way, I don''t have to keep up the act with Waverly anymore,¡± grumbled Anthony coldly. Waverly actually nned to drug him. This had alle to an end. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Charmine''s eyes narrowed. His grandparents agreed to their rtionship? If they had agreed, why would they ask to meet her secretly? Regardless... ''Then find a way to reserve Marry Wedding,¡± she relented. "I''ll sort things out in thepany.¡± "Alright." Too engrossed in the website, Anthony did not ask any more questions. Charmine managed to leave the vi and made her way toward the Bailey mansion, where Grandma Bailey had arranged for a maid to politely lead her into a tea room when she arrived. There were two cups of tea on the table, and the scent was purely aromatic. When she saw Charmine, Grandma Bailey instantly invited, "Charmine,e over and have a seat." Charmine removed her shoes and walked over to sit beside her. There were some snacks on the wooden tea table, and the ambiance in the room was tranquil. Grandma Bailey genially began, "Have a taste. These are all exquisite titbits that I asked them to make. I hope you''ll like them." Seeing that she was being so friendly, Charmine felt unsettled. Grandma Bailey acted unusually kind to her. She asked her toe to their mansion, thus there must be a motive of sorts... She could not help saying, "What is it, Grandma Bailey? Do tell me. If you won''t exin anything, I won''t have any appetite to taste these treats.¡± "Aw, you''re such a straightforward girl." Grandma Bailey ced down the snack and sighed. "You know your great-grandmother''s family, the Cherny family? Are you close to them?¡± "Never been in touch," Charmine answered honestly. Since young, Joey had only brought Tiffany back to the Hahn family, but the Hahns and Chernys did not keep in touch. "As expected," said Grandma Bailey, followed by a sigh. "I heard about something earlier. It¡¯s quite challenging. Apparently, the Cherny and the Granger families had been close, seeing as Senior Granger once saved Senior Cherny. Senior Cherny made a promise to Senior Granger that if they gave birth to a daughter, she would marry Senior Granger''s son. This promise would be valid in every generation. However, when they finally gave birth to a daughter, who is your great-grandmother, Grandma Hahn, she did not want to get married into the Granger family and, instead, insisted on marrying Senior Hahn. Therefore, the Cherny and the Hahn families cut off all rtions, though this didn''t put an end to the promise. Little did they expect that ever since then, the Chernys had only had sons throughout the generations. Up till your generations, there are seven children in their family, and they''re all boys!¡± i Charmine frowned as she listened. She seemed to have vaguely understood something. Grandma Bailey concluded, ''To put it simply, the Chernys didn''t give birth to any daughter, but they did make a promise to pair up with the Grangers. If you establish your rtionship with the Chernys, they''ll force you to get married with a Granger son." Charmine said, "Don¡¯t worry, I won''t have anything to do with the Chernys." "Members of the Bailey family had a meeting, and if you don''t have support from the Chernys, they won¡¯t allow you to be with Anthony. They¡¯ll reject the marriage. They''ve even started working on it, and things might get rocky from now one," muttered Grandma Bailey with a frown. Charmine had a matching frown as well. Would all of their rtives reject her marriage? chapter 944 chapter 944 Grandma Bailey continued, "After the investigation, I also found out that the Cherny family once hunted down a red wolf in a mountain, and its bones could cure Memo''s illness. I think you should try to get along with the Cherny family. This could not only help you be with Anthony without opposition, but it could also save Memo¡¯s life." Charmine''s eyes gleamed. The bones of a red wolf could cure Chris'' illness? Sure, they had Annabel, but she was in an unstable state, and it was still a problem whether her baby could grow healthily or not. If there was another way of helping Chris... Seeing that Charmine was convinced, Grandma Bailey took out a yellowish ancient book and handed it to her. "Look at this: the book recorded that Chris'' illness is caused by a deficiency of nutrients since birth. Since he was born with a weak body and the wolf¡¯s bones are nutritious, they could cure Momo!" 1 Charmine skimmed the pages to verify what she said. The red wolf was a legendary species, and no one had seen it since the twentieth century. Many people thought it had gone extinct and no longer roamed the world. However,st year, the Chernys was lucky to have found the body of a red wolf... It seemed that Charmine must make a trip to the Cherny mansion. She said to Grandma Bailey, "I know what to do." "Charmine is so understanding. I really like you, and I hope you can get along with the Cherny family. Once that''s done, everyone here will fully support you to be with Anthony. By then, nobody could stand in your way anymore! I''d like to remind you, however, that you''re with Anthony and you love him. Don''t let the Granger family take you away." As she spoke, Grandma Bailey seemed worried as she held Charmine''s hand. Charmineforted, "Don''t worry. If I''m that easy to be taken, I wouldn''t have been with Anthony for so long." 1 ''That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good... If you need my help, do let me know,¡± reminded Grandma Bailey. Eventually, Charmine drove out of the Bailey mansion after talking to Grandma Bailey for a little longer, and her words rung in her ears even as she left. She must get along with the Cherny family for the rest of the Baileys to support the marriage. Only then would she win against Waverlypletely! 1 To put it simply, she must sort out the issues regarding the Cherny family. However, there was a marriage arrangement between the Chernys and the Grangers. If she got along with the Chernys, she might be forced to marry... Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. If she remembered correctly, the Grangers worked for the Defence Navy. Those moguls of importance were unlikely to ept someone like her. i After all, she had birthed a child before, got engaged, and had her reputation ruined... With all those thoughts in mind, she recollected herself as she drove toward the Cherny mansion. Even if she could not help along with the Cherny family, it would be worth a shot if she could get the bones to cure Chris. The Cherny mansion was a few kilometers away from the city. As her car got to their gate, she could see a tall fence that epassed the mansion. Two strict, menacing-looking guards stood watch by the gate''s entrance. Furthermore, the mansion was surrounded by tall-standing pors, giving out the impression of how much authority the Cherny family had. Charmine felt the formality of this ce. She fixed herposure before opening her car door to get down. Not far away from Charmine¡¯s car was another regr-looking ck car parked by the side of the road, and in it was Waverly, lips curled into a smirk. 1 She anticipated Charmine toe. Charmine wanted to get close to the Cherny family, was she? She wanted to win their support? Hah! She might as well dream about it. Things would surely take an interesting turn from there! After Charmine got out of the car, she walked to the gate and said to one of the guards, "Hello, I''m here to visit Mr. Cherny. I have matters to discuss with him, so please help me ry it to him." i "Hah! Do you think a person like you is allowed to get into the Cherny mansion? And you even want to meet Mr. Cherny?¡± The guard eyed Charmine condescendingly. chapter 945 chapter 945 "Aren''t you just a celebrity using the name of the Cherny family to increase your poprity? What a joke! Get away!" N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Charmine frowned. Even the guard of the Cherny family knew about that? He had such an arrogant tone! She warned him patiently, "Even if I¡¯m a celebrity, I''m a rtive of theirs, and it makes sense for me to visit them. You, on the other hand, are just a guard. Are you sure you won''t be passing word about me to your boss and insult me instead? Is that what they taught you?" "Ha! How did they teach me? Do you know how many people attempted to get close to them on a daily basis? Do you think anyone could get in? Furthermore, Mr. Cherny had made it clear on Twitter that he had nothing to do with you. You''re a distant rtive, yet you''re trying to get in and even had the audacity to lecture me? Ugh, what a disgrace!" With a look of disgust on his face, the bodyguard spat at her and reached out for his electric baton to beat Charmine''s leg. He moved as he growled, "Go away! Don¡¯t disturb me from working!" As he had undergone training under the Cherny family, his movement was quick as he swung the electric baton. He moved so quickly that the long electric baton was a graze away from Charmine¡¯s leg. Suddenly, Charmine lifted her long leg with agility and harshly stepped on the baton. The guard was shocked. He did not expect a woman like Charmine to be so agile. He tried to take back his baton but Charmine was too strong. He tried pulling at it but to no avail. "B*tch!" he growled angrily at her. "Get off!" "I thought you''re confident with yourself? Why can''t you even take back the baton? Are you a coward?" Charmine mocked him. The guard was furious. "You...! How dare you speak to me like this!" At that moment, the door of the mansion opened from the inside. The originally fierce-looking guard suddenly shifted in his demeanor, quickly letting go of his baton and falling backward. "Bam!" With a loud sound, he fell beside the stone lion, 1 The ear of the stone lion was cut away! The man walking out was Hugh Cherny. He saw this and his face tensed. ''What''s going on here?!¡± "Mr. Cherny, Charmine insisted on meeting everyone. She ims to be a family member, a distant rtive of yours, and she said you must attend to her! However, I told her you''re busy and don''t have time to see her. I asked her to mind her attitude and she then got mad. She started attacking me and insisted on getting inside, saying that the Cherny family must grant her an audience!" The guard made things up to worsen the situation. With a grimace, he scowled at Charmine, "Go away! We, the Cherny family, will not meet a distant rtive like you!" Waverly, who was observing from afar, was delighted. Luckily, she had arranged for it beforehand. As the Cherny family would not ept Charmine, what did Charmine have to win against her? As long as Charmine did not gain the approval from the Chernys, they could finally see Charmine shaming herself! However... Charmine red daggers at the guard before she lifted her leg and harshly kicked at the guard. Thomp! With a loud sound, the guard''s face was kicked as his head twisted to the side. A mouthful of fresh blood oozed out through his lips. He covered his face in disbelief as he looked at Charmine, shocked. "You... You actually hit me..." Charmine actually attacked the guard in front of Mr. Cherny! chapter 946 chapter 946 Mr. Cherny was furious. He had lived so long and nobody had ever been so arrogant in front of him! He scowled furiously, "Charmine! How dare you hit my guard?! You''re asking for trouble!" "Did you notice something, Mr. Cherny? That''s a blow from me! If I, Charmine, hit him, there¡¯ll surely be blood! Your guard framed me for that, and this shows that the Cherny family hasn''t taught him well! You used me right after hearing what he said, showing how unjust you are! I don''t need a rtive like you!" Finishing her sentence, Charmine then turned on her heel to leave, her gait arrogant and wild. Hugh was so furious that the muscles on his face twitched. What did Charmine say? Did she just call him unjust and that she did not need a rtive like him? How could there be such an arrogant woman in the world? Waverly was cautious inside the car. Why was Charmine so arrogant? So what? Charmine doing this would further offend the Cherny family. She would never be able to get along with the Chernys again! Just as Waverly gloated in the feeling of triumph, a man suddenly came out of the woods nearby. He wore a camouge costume with mud smeared on his face. He had some leaves on his hair as well. Standing at 1.9 meters tall, his facial features seemed well-chiseled, showcasing his masculine and powerful aura. He walked to Hugh and said, "Uncle, you''ve misunderstood her. I was hunting by the side, and I saw it all. It was indeed your guard who framed her, and she hadn¡¯t used any force throughout their conversation before you came." 1 Hugh''s expression changed instantly. This was Guy Granger, an heir of the Granger family. He had always been straightforward and never lied. 1 Had he really misunderstood Charmine? He red at the guard furiously and the guard shivered in fear, guiltily avoiding his eyes. Hugh lifted his leg and kicked him harshly. "You''re asking fortrouble! Why''s there someone like you in the Cherny family?!" "Argh!" The guard was kicked and flew a meter away due to the force. With a loud ''thunk'', he fell on the ground and spat out yet another mouthful of blood. When Guy saw that Charmine was about to drive away, he quickly looked at Hugh and said, "Uncle, she''s actually here for...¡± Despite his attempt to exin, his ears were turning red. Hugh had watched Guy growing up, and he had never seen him speaking up for any other woman before. Seeing his reddened ears, Hugh seemed to have understood something. He teased, "Our Guy is finally grown up. Not bad. Uncle will look out for you." As he spoke, he walked toward Charmine''s car. Guy''s face had turned even redder, though he remained standing where he stood, waiting. Charmine was about to drive away when, all of a sudden, Hugh walked in front of her car and said with a serious face, "I''ve wronged you earlier. Come on out, let''s talk." Charmine frowned. Oh? Since she would not hold it against him, and thinking of Chris'' illness, she opened the door and got out of the car. With that, she followed Hugh into the Cherny mansion. Guy followed behind them and kept a respectable distance from Charmine as he walked a few meters behind. 1 None of them noticed, however, that his ears would turn red and hot with just a nce of Charmine. 1 When Waverly watched the three of them entering, her fists clenched tightly. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Damn it! Where did that mane out from? If it was not for him, Charmine would have lost her chance in talking to the Chernys! Why did that man ruin her n?! Max, who was by her side, reminded her, "Don''t offend him. He''s the son of the General Officer of the Navy Defence, and he''s protected by the Gragoul s Team. We can''t afford to offend him." Waverly''s eyes were instantly filled with jealousy. chapter 947 chapter 947 Son of the Granger family? How could Charmine get so lucky? She came just to meet the Cherny family, yet she won the help of a Granger already!? Somehow, and she did not know why, Waverly felt extremely unsettled... Inside the Cherny mansion. Different from other mansions, the Cherny mansion was filled with different training bases. There was a boxing ring, wildness base, and an empty base with many people training outdoors, namely the seven sons. They were practicing rock-climbing at the time, and all seven were hanging high above. They spotted Charmine walking in, and their expression morphed to one of shock. Their father invited Charmine inside? Did he not hate her before? Furthermore, how would a woman like Charminee inside the Cherny mansion? Hugh could feel their eyes on him, and he scoffed, "Continue your training!" Everyone snapped out of their daze and continued to climb and train. Hugh, meanwhile, led Charmine and Guy into a resting lounge. The room was simple with only a square table situated in the middle. Hugh sat on the host seat as someone brought over three cups of tea. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. He said to Guy, "Sit, Guy." "Okay..." Just as Guy was about to sit, he recalled he was covered in mud and his hands were dirty. This was her first meeting with Charmine. How could he look like this? "Why don''t you go on ahead and talk with Charmine, Uncle?" He excused himself. "I have to attend to something... Excuse me..." After saying so, he lowered his head politely at Hugh and Charmine before he turned and quickly left. Hugh understood his intention but did not call him out for that. Instead, he looked at Charmine and asked, "What''re you here for?" Charmine sat down on the left side and, not beating around the bush, started, "To be honest with you, I''m about to get married to Anthony. However, the Baileys don''t think highly of the Jordans. Therefore, I came here in hope of reconciling with the Chernys while trying to get a red wolf bone." Hugh frowned. "Getting married to Anthony? Isn''t Anthony engaged to Waverly?" Anthony was a major figure in Burlington. Although he was a businessman, he was in charge of the economics in Burlington and the international trades. Charmine exined, "In simpler terms, Waverly is my decoy. If I can get the Cherny family¡¯s support, I''ll be able to reveal the truth and myself." Hugh understood it, but if Charmine was with Anthony, then Guy... Of course, they could talk about this in the future. He gazed at Charmine. "You''re a bravedy. You want to use our name, do you? And get hold of the red wolf bone? What makes you think we''ll let you and do you this favor?" ''To be honest, I don¡¯t have any valid reason as well. That''s why I came here to talk to you. We''re straightforward people, so you can tell me what I can do for you to ept me," replied Charmine calmly. Hugh''s lips twitched. Charmine instantly pushed it back at him and asked him to make an offer? She was a cleverdy. However, if he was the one making the offer... Hugh seemed to have thought of something as he said to Charmine, "If you''re certain that you want me to make you an offer and you don''t have any way of moving me, you may leave now. I''ll get in touch." Charmine frowned. Leave and let him get in touch? He asked her in, and all of a sudden, he was asking her to leave? Would she be able toe back again the next time? chapter 948 chapter 948 Charmine squinted at Hugh as she spoke, "I know we haven''t been in touch for many years. It''s quite difficult for you to acknowledge me as your rtive, and I can understand if you do not ept me, but I hope Mr. Cherny can reconsider the red wolf bone. Let me know what it takes for me to get the bones. Just name your price. As long as it¡¯s not killing someone, I''ll do it." The other reason she came to the Cherny family, after all, was to get the red wolf bone. "I don''t have anything for you to do,1'' replied Hugh. "Go home for now, I''ll get in touch." His tone was thick and determined. Charmine grew suspicious. He was willing to talk earlier, so why the sudden change of demeanor? 1 s, there was no point in trying to argue nor stay any longer with his final words. "Alright, I''ll leave now. Do get in touch with me," she said politely before standing upto leave. Hugh watched her retreating form as he started thinking. It was not long after she left when Guy returned to the resting lounge. He had changed into a clean set of camouge costumes, and with his face and hair cleaned up, he seemed more handsome than before. When he saw that Hugh was the only one left in the lounge, he frowned." Have you two finished talking already. Uncle?" "Yeah, it''s no big deal. Just a small matter. Come over and sit.¡± Hugh pushed the tea cup at him. Guy walked over and sat down. He lifted the cup and drank listlessly, all while his gaze averted to the door. Hugh burst outughing at his behavior. "Oh, Guy. All these years, you¡¯re unwilling to find a wife and get married. We¡¯ve been pestering you for seven years, since you were twenty to now, twenty-nine. Have you finally made up your mind?" 1 N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. "NO...I just... I just feel thedy was nice. I only admire her." Face reddened, Guy lowered his head and took another sip to cover up his sheepishness. Hugh patted his shoulder. "I''ve been in your ce before; I know what you''re thinking. However, there''s no hurry in this, and it¡¯s quite a challenge as well. Don''t get your hopes too high for her. It''s unlikely for you two.¡± "Okay." Although Guy agreed, his eyes still lingered at the direction Charmine went. He could not help recalling how Charmine kicked the guard away. Watching Guy zoning out, Hugh could not help recalling what Charmine said to him. He frowned. Perhaps it was yet another un-fated love... Hopefully, Charmine could hold up to his test and be the person the Cherny family approved of. Meanwhile... After leaving the Cherny mansion, Charmibe was recalling the changes shown by Hugh as she drove. From inviting her to sending her out, the change was too abrupt! She did not know what he was thinking. If he did not ept her and did not agree to give the bones to her, what could she do? She was so absorbed in her thoughts that she had arrived at thepany. It just so happened that she had to sort out a few matters rted to thepany anyway, thus Charmine went in. When Brandon saw her, he said, "Boss Jordan, you came at the right time! Someone came here for you, and he''s now waiting in your office." "Hmm? Who''s that?" Charmine walked toward her office as she asked curiously. 1 "I don''t know either," said Brandon, "and he insisted on meeting you. Since he''s of a powerful background, we had to let him in." Charmine was perplexed. Of a powerful background? chapter 949 chapter 949 Unhinged, Charmine walked into her office and saw that a man in a suit was sitting inside. He had a serious look on his face as a powerful temperament oozed out of him. She had not seen this man before. How powerful could he be? Noticing that she had entered the office atst, the middle-aged man smiled genially at her. "Boss Jordan is a busy woman. It''s not easy to finally meet you!" Walking over and sitting down, Charmine asked suspiciously, ¡°What''s the matter?" "To be honest, I came here to propose a deal." As he spoke, the man handed his card to Charmine, to which she epted and studied. The card stated he was Harry Cherny, the marketing director of a materialpany. This materialpany was quite popr and was one of the top ten in Burlington in terms of material supplies. Harry continued, "I know you¡¯re building Divine Bird and are in need of some special materials. Those materials you''re using are provided by the association and Derby, but they''re rather expensive. I have some materials with us that are the exact same, and I can offer you a promising price for them. You''ll make at least a few billion in profit each year." He then took out some samples from his bag to show Charmine. After looking at them carefully, she concluded that these materials were indeed the same as the ones provided from Derby. They looked the same, but... Charmine¡¯s red lips curled up. "This is a high-imitation." Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Pausing for a moment, Harry then chuckled. "Hahaha! Boss Jordan is indeed Boss Jordan. You''re so observant! still, these aren''t just any imitation goods. They¡¯re the highest level of high-imitation. We made them after carefully analyzing and researching to provide. Although these aren''t as good as the ones you''re using, they''re way better than every other materials in the market. I can guarantee they will pass the trial." 1 ''The original could hold perfectly, while these materials will only hold up to eighty percent," remarked Charmine as she examined the documents before passing it to him. "Go back. We Jordans won''t make this kind of deal." "You made up your mind too soon, Boss Jordan. Why not reconsider it? This will bring you up to a few billions of extra profits every year. A few billions will allow you to pamper your skin and have some vacation time, buy some yachts and helicopters. Isn''t that good? Your units are all sold out, and these materials won''t cause any safety issue. It''s just some slight difference quality-wise, but nobody will be able to tell the difference. Why do this to yourself?" Harry tried to persuade her. 4 Charmine scoffed, "It¡¯s not the original anyway. The Divine Bird is a high- quality and ordinary architecture. If you''re not leaving, would you like me to send you out?" "Boss Jordan, let¡¯s talk it out. I can lower the price again. I can guarantee you an extra eight billion bucks every year!" "Security!" Charmine was unswayed as she called out for her guards. Harry continued, "Why don''t you make an offer? Tell me how much-" 1 "Security!" Charmine called out louder. She stood up to walk out. Seeing that she was about to leave, Harry suddenly shot up and pulled at her wrist. "Congrattions, Charmine. You¡¯ve passed our Cherny test.¡± Charmine halted. She frowned, confused. Passed the Cherny test? What did that mean? Harry said to her, "I¡¯m Harry Cherny, sent here by General Cherny. He wants to find out if you¡¯d go against your morals for business, but it seems that you''ve passed it." 1 Charmine instantly understood. So Hugh asked her to leave so he could test her like that? Asking the security guards to leave, she turned to him again as she asked," So, Mr. Cherny is willing to give me the red wolf bone?" "Not yet. This is just a small test. If you canplete the following task, there won''t be any problem," Harry continued. Charmine asked suspiciously, "Oh? What is it then?" chapter 950 chapter 950 Harry then exined in a serious tone, "A few hundred years ago, a Cherny sword was stolen and ended up with a collector in Safford. Recently, the Cherny family had managed to contact the collector''s association, but they didn''t want to give it back, even when we offered a very high price. However, they changed their minds and they''d bring this sword back to Burlington. They''re attending the Collector''s Expo happening tomorrow. If you can help the Cherny family get back this sword, Mr. Cherny will be willing to give you the red wolf''s bone.¡± 1 Charmine''s eyes sparkled. Once she got the sword for the Cherny family, she would get the bone to cure Chris! "Okay,¡± she agreed, "I¡¯ll try my best tomorrow." Harry continued, "Don''t be too happy. There''s a condition. Mr. Cherny instructed that you must stay low-profile throughout the entire time, and you can¡¯t let anyone know that you''re Charmine. Furthermore, throughout the entire trial, you can''t let Anthony know about it. He mustn''t step in to help you. Otherwise, even if you get the sword, the deal will be off!" 1 Charmine frowned. She had to keep it a secret and keep it from Anthony as well? Still... "Where''s this Collector''s Expo happening tomorrow?" "At Century Square," answered Harry. Charmine instantly understood the challenge. The Century Square was owned by the Baileys, and as the host of the Expo, Anthony would attend the event. She had to keep it all a secret from Anthony and work on this behind his back... Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. It was indeed challenging. When she got home, she found out that Waverly had note to the vi for two days. With that, the atmosphere inside became so much better. Anthony, at that moment, was answering a call on the staircase. Standing high above, he emitted an air of inborn elegance. Charmine overheard his conversation; it was regarding the following day¡¯s expo. She frowned. It seemed that she had to make some arrangements so she would not be exposed at the expo... Noticing that Charmine was finally home yet was spacing out downstairs, he asked suspiciously, ¡®What are you thinking of?" "No...nothing. Have you sorted out Marry Wedding?" Charmine changed the topic. Anthony''s thin lips curled up. He walked down to approach her. "Is there anything in the world your man can''t fix?" 1 Charmine was surprised. He managed to reserve a spot in Marry Wedding after all? They only took in one reservation every three and a half years, and the queue was as long as ten years, yet Anthony managed to sort it out? Anthony wrapped his arm around her waist. Suddenly, he sniffed at her and frowned. "You''ve been to a ce with many men?" That took Charmine by surprise. He could tell from the smell? She had gone to the Cherny mansion, after all, and there were all men in the training base... She would have told him the truth, but thinking of the condition given by the Cherny family, she had to quickly find an excuse. "I went to examine the site. The staff are all men in thepany." Anthony frowned. "Go out less. You may ask them to send me whatever issues they have, and I can sort it out for you." "Anthony, are you trying to take over mypany?" Charmine asked yfully. Anthony hugged her tighter, lips curling into a smirk. "Compared to taking over yourpany, I''m more interested in taking you over!" 1 With that said, he put his hand behind her head and lowered his head to kiss her lips. Startled at the sudden kiss, Charmine wanted to push him away, but the memory of how they had gotten their marriage certificate let her loosened up as she allowed him to kiss her. Should everything go ording to n, she could announce their rtionship and get married in public after obtaining the bone... Just as she thought of that, the front door swung open abruptly, and in came Waverly with her suitcase. Thess just so happened to see Anthony and Charmine kissing. 1 Her expression turned dark. They were kissing in front of her! How shameless! When Charmine saw Waverly, she felt that strong sense of familiarity again. This sense of familiarity made her feel ufortable, as though each of her cells loathed this woman. chapter 951 chapter 951 Charmine decided to stay in Anthony''s arms while she smiled at Waverly, asking, "Ms. D¡¯Cruz came back, eh? Why didn''t you call us beforehand? If we know you''reing back..." Waverly¡¯s expression eased a little at that. So, they would restrain themselves in front of her? 1 If they knew she wasing back, would they behave better? Little did she expect... Charmine''s red lips curled up as she continued, "If we knew, we would''ve done it in the living room. How could we only let you see us kissing? How uninteresting!" i "You...!" Waverly''s elegant face turned green. Was it not enough that they unted how they ate each others'' faces off? Was Charmine that adamant in showing more? Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. "How can you be so shameless, Charmine?!" "It''s a natural thing between a married couple. It''s a must-do. In fact, the one watching is the shameless one!" Charmine scoffed, i With that said, she hooked her arms around Anthony''s neck and kissed him once more, to which Anthony reciprocated as he wrapped his arms around her waist. Waverly hands balled into fists. She did not want toe back, but at the thought of how everything was so close to its end, she must not give up. She had to stay by Anthony''s side for him to see her good side. 3 She came back to the vi with confidence, but never did she expect to walk in on such a loathing sight. How frustrating! Meanwhile, Chris was on the second floor and, even with his eyes covered, said, "Hey, nobody! Haven''t seen you for two days. Why are you fatter? You''re not closing your eyes? How rude!" His innocent voice was like a knife that stabbed at Waverly''s heart. Waverly was very furious. She was so livid that she dragged her suitcase into her bedroom. The moment she closed the door behind, the elegance on her facepletely vanished, reced with malice and jealousy. 2 Damn that Charmine! Damn that Chris! Why were they not dead yet?! Anthony should have been hers! The thought of it just enraged her even more! However, thinking of the matter with the Cherny family, she picked up her phone to send Guy Granger an anonymous text, 1 [Charmine is going to the Collector''s Expo tomorrow.] After sending that, she felt much better. With the Cherny family''s arrangement in ce, she only had to sit back and watch the drama. Charmine would never be able to be with Anthony! Time passed, and it was already the next day. As the sky turned bright, before Charmine had woken up, Anthony had already put on his suit and sweetly pecked at Charmine''s forehead. Charmine opened her eyes in a blur as she asked, feeling confused, "You''re waking up so early? Busy day?" ''Yeah, to sort out things at the expo. You stay home and get a good rest. Don¡¯t go down,¡± Anthony reminded her. Charmine smiled. "Why? You''re afraid of me hurting your fiancee?" "No, I''m afraid that her ugliness will hurt your eyes," replied Anthony monotonously. 1 Charmine suddenly felt sorry for Waverly. Out of so many men, she had to fall for someone like Anthony. Nheless, it was perfect. She also kissed him on his forehead. "Don''t worry, I can take good care of myself. Call me if there''s anything." "Okay." Anthony ruffled her head before leaving the vi. Chris had his bag on his back as he waited for Anthony outside the door. He could not help walking inside. "I also want to kiss Mommy!¡± "She''s not someone you can kiss!" Anthony carried him by his small bag and pushed him out. Chris swung his puffy hands, displeased at Anthony''s tant gatekeeping. Charmine watched on and could not help smiling. Who would have thought that Anthony, who was not interested in any other woman, could get so jealous easily. He could be jealous of even a child! 2 It seemed that she must not get close with any man during the expo. chapter 952 chapter 952 With that in mind, Charmine made sure Chris and Anthony had left before getting out of the bed. She took out the makeup bag she had not used for a long time and started packing. To disguise herself, she then brought a backpack into her vi, all while Waverly watched on as her red lips curled into a smirk. 1 No doubt, Charmine would disguise herself. As the son of the General Navy Commander, Guy Granger hade across various enemies, so he should be able to recognise Charmine, right? 1 Even if he did not recognize her, Waverly could still make it happen! At Century Squaremenced an international Collector¡¯s Expo. There was a disy every ten or so meters with all kinds of collections on disy. The disy included some antique vases, costumes, and weapons-they had everything! To boot, attendees of the expo were of the upper-ss society, well- dressed as they came. Finishing up with her disguise, Charmine had transformed into a short- haired teenager. Along with her oversized t-shirt and denim jeans, she wore a short hair wig and a pair of sses on. She looked ordinary and blended well among the crowd. She was unnoticeable. i Furthermore, she sprayed on cologne to cover up her scent. Despite all her efforts, however, she still worried about walking among the crowd. Although even she could not recognize herself, Anthony was a clever man. It would spell terror for her if he could still recognize her. All she could do was to try and stay away from Anthony''s sight as much as possible. Thankfully, he was nowhere in sight. With that, she started to look for Safford''s disy tform. After walking a big round, she finally saw a tall tower in an area. On the disy was a ck antique box, as long as two meters and half a meter wide. Strangely enough, there was no lock or anything to keep the box there. It was like a ck stone ced on disy. Charmine frowned. Was it not meant to be an ancient sword? Why was it a ck stone? If she did not see the Cherny sons surrounding the tform, she would have thought that she came to the wrong disy. Among the crowd, the seven sons of the Cherny stood near the disy, staring at the ck metal box, determined and utterly excited. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. This was the Cherny family''s ancient sword passed on from generation to generation. This was a treasure that their ancestors had tasked them to reim. Each generation had tried their best to look for the sword, and even as their ancestor was at his deathbed, he still did not give up. At longst, they finally got to see the sword. Hugh recollected the emotions swirling in his eyes and said solemnly, "The reason they''re willing to put this on disy is due to their inability to open up the box.¡± ''We''ve observed the box for half a day. There''s indeed no way of opening it," said the eldest son. The third eldest looked at the screen and said to them in a low voice," ording to the inside news, they had used countless ways from CT scan to force and tools. They tried everything but with no luck and clue on how to open it!" i "That mysterious, huh? What other ways are there to open it?¡± asked the fourth brother. Nobody seemed to talk. It was apparent that there was no way to open it for the time being. They could only stare at the box as they racked their brains to find a way. Standing behind them, Charmine could clearly hear their conversation. So this box was that mysterious? At that moment, an elderly man from Safford with white beard stood before the disy. ¡®Today, I''m exhibiting an antique sword, one that nobody was able to open. If anyone can open up this box today, this sword will belong to the person for free!" Everyone below the disy was excited. The ancient sword could be worth over ten million bucks! The elder man added, "However, this is an antique. If you''re not one hundred percent sure of your method, please do not try to open it." chapter 953 chapter 953 "Every person who tries to open it will have to pay ten million as a deposit, and if a person is able to open it, the money will be returned in full amount. If one fails, there''s no refund!" i Instantly, those who wanted to try fell silent. The fifth son, on the other hand, grumbled, "How evil. They are using our treasure to con money!" "Stay calm, and keep a close eye on it," Hugh reminded them. The fifth son had to stay quiet to continue watching. At that moment, Guy walked closer to the disy, his eyes dulling with disappointment upon not finding Charmine in the area. Just as he was about to leave, Hugh saw him and pulled him over. "Guy, you came at the right time. Have a look here; what do you think?" As he was dragged, Guy had no choice but to have a look at the box. No matter how they looked at it, it was still a box with no opening to it. The challenge that the Cherny family gave to Charmine was so advanced. Would she be able to solve it? Charmine tried to go forward to have a closer look, but someone identally knocked her over. Caught off-guard, she fell to the side. Guy had always been a gentleman. Instinctively, he reached out to support the woman. Instantly, his face flushed red. When he touched her, he could feel the softness under her... Though, it looked like a man that he caught, not a woman. Why did he feel soft? He lowered his head to look at this man standing before him. With just one look, his ears turned red again. The person before him was Charmine! Although she had disguised herself, he could still recognize her. Their contact earlier helped him to verify that she was a woman. Looking closely... He had never seen a face as beautiful as Charmine''s. Her eyes had their stories to tell... N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Even though they seemed cold, there was a sense of determination and fearlessness, like crystals soaked in crystal water. Not every woman had a pair of eyes like hers. Charmine actually came and was dressed up as a man, standing beside him... Caught by Guy, Charmine quickly pulled herself away upon realizing a man had caught her. ''Thank you," she uttered, attempting a male voice. That brought Guy out of his mini trance. He gave him a nod before he retrieved his hands and remained standing as if nothing happened. Charmine did not pay too much attention to him. After stabilizing herself, she refocused her attention on the box to continue examining it. Meanwhile, a group of men started to walk toward them from not far away, every one of them exuding a powerful temperament. The man leading the others was Anthony! 1 When Charmine saw him walking over, her heart instantly skipped a beat. Anthony was walking their way. If Anthony recognized her, her n would be over! She instantly took out earphones to put in her ears and pretended as if she was listening to music. Meanwhile, she lowered her head to quickly put on colored contact lenses. Since Guy had stared at her eyes, she wondered if he recognized her. Only then did she recall that the eyes were the easiest way to expose one''s identity. Things might be better once she wore the lenses... Amid her thoughts, Anthony walked directly toward the disy. The distance between them was getting closer...and closer... chapter 954 chapter 954 Charmine''s heart raced wildly against her will. If Anthony recognized her and found out about her task, he would surely step in to help her. By then, the entire deal would be called off... With that in mind, she tried her best to minimize her sense of presence and slowly walked backward. Coincidentally, a rather rotund man as tall as 1.8 meters was there, and his physique was big enough like a wall. Charmine managed to stand behind him. With a group of men surrounding him, Anthony walked to the front of the disy. The men around him were of the upper-ss, and they conversed in foreignnguages. With their presence, the noise from the crowd became softer than it was. After all, everyone respected these men, especially Anthony. He was so good-looking that everyone could not avert their eyes from him. i After someone introduced the box and sword to him, Anthony frowned. This sword belonged to the Cherny family. No wonder so many members of the Cherny family came to the expo. To be fair, Charmine was a distant rtive of theirs. N?velDrama.Org (C) content. Should he help the Cherny family get this box? By his side, the elder saw that Anthony did not speak, and he then said, almost proudly, "President Bailey seems interested. You seem to like this sword. Would you like to have it? Why not try to open it?" Below the tform, Charmine was pretending to listen to music, but her eyes instantly turned toward them when she heard that. If Anthony was involved and took the box away, the deal would be ruined! Anthony seemed to have sensed a familiar gaze on him. He looked down at the crowd. Terrified, Charmine instantly shifted her gaze back to the box just like everyone else. When Anthony nced around, he saw many people looking at the box, and many people were looking at him as well. Behind a tall, fat man was a teenager with only half of his figure showing. That figure seemed... Just as he was about to look closer, the elder asked, "President, would you like to give it a try?" Anthony was pulled back to reality. He took another nce at the teenager and did not find anything suspicious. He looked away, i Turning his gaze to the box, he took another look at the box before he replied in his deep voice, "Perhaps not." Although he saw a way to open up this box, Charmine was not present in the expo, thus he could not open it. The surrounding crowd could not help agreeing, "President Bailey is so humble. If even President Bailey can''t open it, who else in the world can?" "If it¡¯s easily opened, this man wouldn''t have brought it here, right?" said another yfully. The elderughed. ''That¡¯s true. However, I believe someone must be better than me. Someone would be able to open it, so that I don''t waste the effort of bringing this all the way here." When Anthony heard that, he said to Luke beside him in a low voice, "Tell me when someone opens it." He wanted to see who else in the world could open this box. Luke answered, "Yes, Sir." With other things to attend to, Anthony did not stay any longer as he eventually left with the men that came with him. As he left, Anthony nced around the crowd once more. Charmine felt her heart jumping loudly. If it was not for her colored lenses, he could have seen her eyes flinching. When she sensed that Anthony was looking at her, she tried her best to remain calm and collected. Luckily, she was strong-willed. Although she panicked, she showed no emotions outwardly. Anthony scanned past her and, upon noticing nothing out of the ordinary, left soon after. After the men surrounding him had also left, the atmosphere finally eased. Everyone continued to stare at the box; they all wanted to get the sword within it. A few people gradually went ahead and paid ten million bucks in deposit. However, they all failed. chapter 955 chapter 955 The attendees that attempted to have a go with the box tried to pull it with force, use a magnifying ss to examine the gaps, use wires, and even machines. However, the box was like a ck iron stone that even knives of the cutting machine shattered without even breaking the box. Time passed, and it was already past five in the afternoon. The expo was to end in half an hour. After observing it for one whole, Charmine finally figured out what the problem was. N?velDrama.Org (C) content. This ck iron stone was a piece of machinery one of the four uncles had once told her. Who would have thought that they already had this technology back in ancient times! She was about to go forward when she realized there were more than 100 tall figures surrounding this box. Those people included Rio Young, Ricky Houston, and others who knew her. A bodyguard of Anthony''s was standing not far away, quietly observing this area. It was apparent that Anthony wanted to find out who could eventually open the box. Charmine hesitated. What if someone recognized her if she went up? Even if nobody recognized her, if Anthony caught wind of what would happen, would he ask his men to investigate her and eventually find out the truth? Furthermore, if she had to open this box, two people must cooperate well... As she was thinking, Guy suddenly walked to her side and asked, "Do you have a method to open this? It''s ending soon." His tone sounded worried. If Charmine failed the challenge, she would not be approved by the Cherny family... Charmine looked at him and frowned. Why was he still around? 1 Ah, yes, he came with the Cherny family, and if they had yet to leave, he probably would not either. With something in mind, Charmine''s eyes sparkled. She said to Guy in a low voice, "I do have an idea, but I need another person. Do you have any trusted female friends around here?" Guy frowned. A female friend? She needed help from a female friend? Charmine answered him with her eyes. That was right. She was in disguise, thus she must not speak too much. Since Guy had recognized her, she could only seek help from him. With that, even if Anthony found out she was in disguise, at least she opened the box with another woman. He would not be jealous of a woman, right? At that moment, Guy nodded, "Okay, wait for me." After he left, he took out his phone to send a text, [Dior,e over to the S hall. I need your help.] Dior was Guy Granger¡¯s sister and was in the pearl exhibition next door. When she received his text, she parted the exhibition unwillingly to look for Guy. Little did she expect to see a horde of people surrounding the box that encased the sword when she arrived at the sword exhibition. She struggled to get to the tform, and amid her attempt to get there, strands of her hair got stuck in a button of a fat man. 1 The man noticed this and teasingly spoke, ''This is a new trick you got there, chick. I like it." "Please, no. Do you know who I am? Don¡¯t move!" Dior scowled at him angrily. Disgusted, she lowered her head to try and pull out her hair from the man''s button. When the man saw that she lowered her head, he took a sniff of her scent with satisfaction, looking as if he enjoyed it. She smelled divine! He could not help lifting his hand to touch Dior¡¯s head, but just as his hand was a mere inch away, a hand caught his wrist. It was the teenage-disguised Charmine... chapter 956 chapter 956 When the man saw the teenager, he frowned and scolded in a low voice," Take your hand off of me!" Had this been any other day, Charmine would have twisted his arm. However, she did not want to cause a big scene at the moment, and she sure did not want to attract too much attention to herself. She red at the fat man coldly and scoffed, "How dare you mess around in an event like this. I¡¯ll screw up your family¡¯s reputation!" With that said, she put in more strength to twist the man''s wrist before letting him go. The man was in so much pain that he was sweating. He wanted to scold her but was unable to, only able to hold his wrist and attempt to alleviate the pain. Meanwhile, Charmine raised her hand and pulled. The button on the man''s shirt was ripped off audibly, releasing the strands of Dior¡¯s hair from it as well. Charmine took out the hair before tossing the button back at the man. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. "Keep your trash!" Even though her voice was low and hoarse, it was full of threat. In pain, the middle-aged man was on the verge ofbusting in anger as the button was tossed his way. Meanwhile, Guy walked over and red at the man from head to toe, exuding an air of violence. With a straight face, he looked like a wolf, definitely not someone to mess with. 1 The middle-aged man growled in a low voice before walking away. Dior''s eyes, all the while, were fixed on Charmine''s face, her eyes sparkling like stars as she did. Damn! This teenager was so handsome and powerful! Even though he had a delicate face, he exuded such a powerful temperament. She had never seen such a beautiful yet powerful man! She quickly regained herposure and smiled. "Hey handsome, can I get your number?" Charmine was stunned at that. When she saw the look of admiration on Dior''s face, she suddenly sensed that she might have caused trouble... Guy jolted, though he managed to rpose himself after a moment and quipped, "Dior, don''t mess around. This is my friend, and we need your help." "Okay, do tell me what I can help with." Dior looked at Charmine with enthusiasm. Seeing that there was no one else around, she leaned in and said in a low voice, "We¡¯ll be going on stageter on, and you''ll put five fingers on three centimeters, seven centimeters and thirteen centimeters. Only exert 1 Newton of pressure. Remember, the pressure and location have to be precise. Make no mistake," instructed Charmine in a masculine voice. 1 Dior could only feel the heat circling her ears-the low and hoarse voice was like a low bass. 1 Argh! Her ear was getting pregnant! Her face was red like cooked prawns! 2 Seeing that Dior did not speak, she asked, "Do you understand?" "Argh...l...am sorry. Can you please repeat everything?" asked Dior, blushing. Charmine could only repeat. Dior truly wanted to help her, and this time, she listened attentively. She had been through various training from a young age, and this was a small mission easily aplished. "Don''t worry," assured Dior, "I can guarantee it''ll be done!" "Alright, let¡¯s go," said Charmine as she went forward. Dior went to Guy and spoke in a half-whisper, "Brother, you''re so mean! Since when do you have such a handsome friend? Why didn''t you introduce him to me? If you told me earlier, I wouldn''t have spent the whole day at the boring pearl exhibition!" Her tone was displeased as she med her brother. Guy frowned. "Dior, she-" Before he could finish, Dior cut him off. "However, since you finally called for me, I¡¯ll let this go and won¡¯t hold it against you. I¡¯m going to help my man!" continued Dior as she followed after Charmine. chapter 957 chapter 957 Meanwhile, the elder man on the tform said, "Is there anyone willing to try? If not, we¡¯ll call it a day. Sigh." Everyone looked around and nobody went forward. Throughout the day, seven people had lost their money. That was 70 million bucks in total! What a huge sum! Seeing that nobody was trying, the elder man was preparing to pack up the box. "Wait up!" a loud voice was heard. After she led Dior to the tform, Charmine then spoke in a teenage-like voice, "We''re willing to give it a try." Everyone was shocked. "Where did these two kidse from? No one else could open it, so what can these lovebirds do?" "Just give up. It''s ten million bucks! You might as well buy a car with that money!" Charmine heard thements and noticed all eyes were on her and Dior, including Anthony''s bodyguard that stood not too far away. She was worried again. There were so many people around. What if someone recognized her? Nheless, they had both stepped up to the te, and there was no turning back. Even if Anthony recognized her, once she got hold of the sword, she could then be honest with him... With that in mind, she was prepared to take out a check when Dior quickly handed a ten-million check before she could. "I''ll pay the deposit!" She put the check into the box and turned to Charmine with a sweet smile on her face. "I believe you''ll be able to open it!" Charmine looked at her sweet and happy smile, and it unsettled her. Was this youngdy so naive? She just met her yet was willing to give out ten million bucks so easily? Anthony would have said something along the lines of, "How dare you, Charmine. Instead of seducing men, you decided to seduce women?" 1 No way... Anthony was a generous man; he would not be jealous of a woman! At least, that was what Charmine told herself before leading Dior to the disy. She asked, "Are you ready?" N?velDrama.Org is the owner. ''Yeah!" Dior nodded vehemently. Charmine said to her, "Now!" With that said, they both stood on opposite ends as they ced their hands on the box. If one looked closely, one would see that each of their fingers was ced at peculiarly precise spots. Unfortunately, nobody minded those details and, instead,ughed at them. "Hahaha! How funny! They''re trying to open it bare-handed?" ''They both look so gentle! Are they here to put on an act?" ''They don¡¯t even have a tool. Do they think they have superpowers? Haha!" Everyone wasughing, including the elder man himself. All these years, he had tried everything and was unable to open this box, yet these two youngsters were trying to open this box without exerting much of an effort? Did they think they could open it with just their fingers? Just as heughed at the sight, however... As Charmine and Dior gradually pulled up the box, the one big chunk of box instantly had a crack. The higher they lifted, the bigger the crack. The crack grew bigger as they lifted higher. It was the lid! They bare-handedly opened the box! As the box was opened, the sword inside was revealed. chapter 958 chapter 958 Inside the ck boxid an ancient sword as long as a meter. The sword was pitch-ck with a dragon engraved on its scabbard. It exuded an air of ancient mystery, along with violence and authority. The sight of the sword astounded the attendees nearby. "My goodness! This sword is too beautiful! So majestic!" ''The metal box is actually opened! And it was opened so effortlessly!" "What was the logic behind it?!¡± "So clever! How did those two manage to open it?" "Am I the only one feeling honored to have witnessed the reappearance of such an ancient sword? Oh, what a privilege this is!" Everyone was shocked. Below the tform, the Cherny family was excited. How delightful¡ªit was finally opened! This was a sword used by the Cherny ancestors, one that generations of the Cherny family had actively sought after! They finally found it in this generation! However, they did not expect the people who opened the box to be Dior and that teenager. Guy, Dior, and their family had tried to help the Cherny family in getting back this box, all to no avail. In other words, that teenager was the key to opening the box while Dior was just an assistant. The teenager had opened the box. Had Charmine failed her mission then? The most shocked of all was the elder from Safford on the tform. All these years, he had tried all possible ways to open it with no sess. Who would have thought that this young couple could easily open the box so effortlessly! 1 ''What''s the logic behind this?" he blurted in disbelief. "Can you please exin to everyone?" Instinctively, Charmine wanted to say, "No!" N?velDrama.Org is the owner. However, this seemed too much like what she would do. Therefore, she had no choice but to exin patiently, ''This is a highly secured sealing technique done using a slow-wire cutting technology to complete. One could only see the opening after magnifying it 800 times. If not, there will be no crack, and the box would look like one whole piece securely sealed without a trace. Furthermore, this box was made with non-newtonian solid. Without the correct pressure, the stronger the pressure exerted, the tighter the box would be. This is also the logic behind the famous saying one would hear in Burlington, ''Ovee strength with softness.''" Her teenage-like voice resonated in the air, and everyone listened nkly in shock. Who would have thought that there was so much more behind this small box? The making of it was so legendary that it could be written into history! By her side, Dior looked at Charmine with admiration, her eyes sparkling with adoration. The way she exined it was so handsome, so professional, and so enigmatic! Argh! Why was there such a perfect man? She must bring him home! The elder listened with shock, unable toprehend it so quickly. They already had such technology back in ancient times? He said, "How delightful! From now onward, this ancient sword will belong to you both, but I''ll have to ask you toe with me for some papers to sign." "Okay." Charmine carried the box before she said to Dior, "I''ll go alone. Thank you for today; I owe you and your brother a meal." "No, I will go with you." Dior held on her wrist and helped her to carry the box. With so many eyes on her, Charmine could not say anything and went to the back with her. 1 Dior followed Charmine like a young girl in love. Anthony''s bodyguard saw it and took out his phone to take photos. He sent the photos to Anthony: [Boss, they opened the box.] Meanwhile... chapter 959 chapter 959 Anthony was about to leave with the rest of the men. When he saw the photo sent to him by his bodyguard, he frowned. Was it that teenager again? It baffled him as well, but the mere sight of that teenager unhinged him. He could not help stealing nces at him. Darn it. What was wrong with him? He quickly looked away and instructed Luke, "Find out about this person. I expect a report within one hour." "Yes, Sir!" Luke then left. At the back. Charmine and Dior walked into an office when they suddenly were surrounded by about ten men, guarding the exit from the outside. The old man said to Charmine, "Thank you so much for helping me to open the box. Here''s your ten million refund. Furthermore, the total of seventy million bucks in the pool will belong to you as well." Charmine frowned. "What do you mean?" ''Young man, you can''t do anything with this sword while I¡¯m an avid sword collector. I¡¯d like to buy this with seventy million bucks! You should know that although this sword is ancient, it wouldn''t cost more than seventy million bucks," said the old man. Charmine scoffed, "How dare you break your promise. You want to take it back now?" 1 "Don''t make it sound so bad. To me, this is a priceless collection. To you, this is merely some broken metal. Why not be happy with the seventy million bucks you''re getting?" refuted the old man. Dior instantly shot up straight. ''You''re not keeping your end of the bargain! Do you know who I am? I''ll make you feel worse than death!" "Ha, you''re just the precious daughter of the Navy General. You''re so spoiled! I''m trying to be civil with everyone here. Are you sure you two want it the hard way?" The old man''s face changed abruptly, no longer genial like he was before. He was old with wrinkles all over his face. By then, he looked like a scary witch. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Dior was somehow scared. She did not expect this old man to be unafraid of the Granger family! She went behind Charmine and meekly spoke, "What do we do now?" Charmine hugged the box tightly. She was quite worried. In order to hide her identity from Anthony, she did not deploy Kay and his men around her. If they actually had to fight, with Dior by her side against more than ten of these men, they were unlikely to win... Seeing that they were scared, the old man continued, "How about this: I''ll give you an extra thirty million to make it a hundred million. You will then put down the box and leave, and we''ll pretend nothing happened. Otherwise, if I have to fight, you won''t get anything!" His words were filled with threat. If this was anything else, Charmine would not fight for it. She would take the money and leave. However, this was the Cherny family¡¯s ancient sword. She could obtain the red wolf''s bone from them if she brought to them this sword. With that in mind, Charmine had a glint of harshness in her eyes. She already secretly sent a Grade One SOS text to Kay. 2 Meanwhile, Charmine continued the charade as she spoke, "Old man, this is indeed a broken metal, but coincidentally, I happen to be a sword collector myself. If the price isn¡¯t right, I won''t give it to you so easily." "Ha! You''re so young, how would you be a sword collector? This is an excuse! Right, Dior is from the Granger family, and they''re close to the Chernys. You must''ve gotten this for the Cherny family! You''re trying to buy time!¡± The old man alertly sensed something was wrong as he instantly instructed everyone, "Take them down! Take the sword back!" Instantly, more than ten bodyguards surrounded Dior and Charmine as they closed in on the distance. Each of them had a dagger in hand. It was a sticky predicament, no doubt! chapter 960 chapter 960 Terrified, Dior hid behind Charmine. "I''m so scared! Can you protect me, please?" Charmine was speechless. This was not the time to exin to Dior anyway. She could only hand Dior the box. "Just stick close to me, and take care of the box!" ''Yes, don''t worry!" Dior instantly hugged the box tightly. The bodyguards were getting closer. Seeing that they were about to attack, Charmine suddenly jumped up. She grabbed onto an indoor tree branch and, using it like a pole, did a 360- degree twirl, kicking at the guards harshly. Thomp! Instantly, the surrounding bodyguards were knocked down. Dior gaped as she watched Charmine fight. "Oh my stars! So cool! So handsome!" The old man frowned. He did not expect this young man to be so powerful. How surprising! He instantly instructed, "Get them! Do not let them leave!" However, Charmine had pulled at Dior and rushed out. When the two ran out from the office at the back, a few bodyguards in ck rushed over. These bodyguards looked very well-built, each and every one of them Herculean. One of them was even a retired boxing king! The boxing king could knock out Charmine and Dior with just one punch! Charmine gritted her teeth. "Follow me!" Dior nodded vehemently as she followed after Charmine. Instead of looking scared, Dior seemed to be enjoying this. At this moment, it was as if the two of them were running by the seaside, on a romantic path filled with cherry blossoms. The wedding song was resonating in the air... 1 When Dior snapped back to reality, she realized the two of them were blocked in a corner. Charmine intended to rejoin the Cherny family, but there were too many bodyguards there, so she had to run this way. Never did she expect that it would be a dead end instead as guards surrounded them. The boxing king who led the men was standing not far from them. He scoffed coldly, "I''ll give you three seconds to hand the box. If not, I''ll teach you a lesson with my punch!" 1 His tone was filled with threat as the atmosphere felt utterly tense. However, Charmine was unusually calm. In this situation, there was only one thing: Go for it! Seeing that the boxing king was about to strike, she threw out a punch to get in the fight. Throughout the fight, Charmine was protecting Dior, not letting anyone have any chance of attacking her. She only had one thought in mind: The box could save Chris'' life, and these men must not get their hands on it!N?velDrama.Org (C) content. When the rest saw that she could fight the boxing king, the other bodyguards came forward to start attacking the duo. One of them tried to attack Dior from the back. The dagger was close to cutting Dior''s wrist! 1 Too caught up with her fight against the boxing champion, Charmine failed to see one of them was coming to Dior and was unable to get to her in time. When the soft and gentle Dior noticed, however, a cold smirk suddenly appeared on her face. "Ha! I''ll stop pretending! Let''s see which of you is my opponent!" With that said, she lifted a box weighing at least ten kilograms and powerfully threw them at the bodyguards. Thoom! Followed by a loud sound, their heads started bleeding. Charmine was dumbfounded. Was Dior not scared and was on the verge of tears earlier on? Were her strength and ability really that of a soft and weak heiress? 2 As Charmine was perplexed, the boxing king suddenly had an extra dagger in hand. He was about to stab Charmine at her heart! 2 He was too quick and too strong, and he was not giving her any time to react! chapter 961 chapter 961 Quick to react, Charmine was prepared to quickly turn away when a figure suddenlyunched toward her and pressed her to the floor. Shink! The sound of flesh being cut was heard. Looking up, Charmine then noticed it was Guy who pressed down against her, but it was also then the boxing champion''s dagger had gashed at Guy¡¯s arm harshly. There was a long wound on his arm with fresh blood oozing out. The pain did not register for Guy, however, as all he felt was that time had seemingly stopped as his heart thundered against his ribcage. Within mere moments, the boxing champion noticed that Guy had joined them with the Cherny members not far away, and he then decided to attack Dior instead. Dior was already fighting a few other bodyguards when, all of a sudden, someone attacked her from the back and hit her at the back of her neck. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Her vision blurred and darkened due to the impact as her figure went limp. The boxing champion instantly grabbed the box from her before leaving with the others. Charmine quickly pushed Guy away and stood up in an attempt to chase after them when Dior suddenly held on to her ankle. "Hey ...don''t..." She wanted to say that these people were too powerful; she wanted to tell her not to run after them. However, before she could finish her sentence, she had already fainted. Charmine wanted to give chase, but the men had already gotten into their car and drove away. She could only take out her phone to quickly instruct Kay, "Arrange for c team to chase after the boxing champion. None of you should show your face!" The Gragoul had SABCD teams. Each team had five groups, and each in charge of protecting various ranks of major figures in Burlington. Only highly renowned figures like Charmine and moguls like her Uncles were protected by the s team. Since Kay was serving Charmine and obeying her order, Anthony would find out that she was the one all along if Kay ever carelessly showed his face... At that moment, Guy came toward her and, with his blush that adorned his face, asked, "Are you hurt?" Tm fine. Bring your sister to get some rest," instructed Charmine. The Cherny men rushed over right then. When they saw the car driving away, the fifth brother clenched his fists. "Damn it! I should''vee earlier so they''d never get their hands on that sword again!" "Alright, we''ll think of ways to retrieve it in the future. Regardless, we have to thank this young man." Hugh remained calm as he looked at Charmine and asked, "May I know your name?" "Uncle Hugh, she''s-" Guy was about to exin but Charmine cut him off. "Just call me Charlie," she replied instead to Hugh. Each time she went undercover, the organization would provide her with a spotless persona. If they investigate her ording to her current outlook, they should not find anything on her. Although they were the Cherny family, she wanted to keep her identity private until she could retrieve the box. The more people who knew about her identity, the higher chance of exposure. Since they were in so much danger, if Anthony found out, he would not let her get involved. Guy understood what she meant, thus he kept silent. The eldest Cherny member asked, "Hello, Mr. Charlie. Do you have time, by any chance? Perhaps we can have a meal and discuss how to retrieve the sword." Charmine was about to speak, but her phone suddenly rang. She took out to see the caller¡¯s name and saw the caller''s ID: Anthony! 1 Why would Anthony call her at this hour? Had he gotten home and realized she was not in? chapter 962 chapter 962 Worried, Charmine then turned them down as she spoke, "No need, but some other day, perhaps. I have things to do." With that said, she marched away in a hurry. "Do we have someone to look into him?" "No need,¡± came Guy''s quick intercept. When he sensed that he was overly excited, he quickly added, more calmly this time, "He''s a friend of mine. I trust him." "Alright. Guy, do talk to him more. Find out if he has any idea on what to do. I feel that he¡¯s clever, that he''s the key in whether or not we''ll be getting that sword back," advised Hugh. 1 "Okay," agreed Guy. The seventh brother had already gone over and carried Dior in his arms. Seeing that she had fainted, he said, "Let''s head home now." The group of them went away to further discuss the matter at hand. Charmine, meanwhile, was in an empty alley, and after she made sure no one was in the perimeter, she got into the car and answered Anthony''s phone. ''Where are you?" Anthony''s low voice was heard. "In mypany. Why?" answered Charmine without sounding suspicious. She had instructed Kay to make it seem as if she had been to thepany. Anthony should not have picked up something amiss. "Come home right away," said Anthony. His hoarse voice was serious. Charmine frowned as the rm bell rang in her heart. What happened? Did he find out? She instantly agreed and quickly got changed. She pulled away her fake skin mask and rushed back. In order to avoid being exposed, she even went back to herpany to shower and get changed. What she did not notice was that after she left, a mysterious man in ck with a camera silently photographed her encounter with Dior and Guy, to when Guy was on top of her. The shots were incredibly scandalous, to say the very least. 1 At Violet Residence... In the living room on the second floor, Anthony was sitting on the sofa. He had a stack of documents in hand about ''Charlie''. Twenty-two years old. Grew up in an orphanage without any rtives or family and worked for an international intelligence organization. There were the photos of ''Charlie'' attached below as well. The photos were of Charlie listening to music in the crowd, examining the sword, helping Dior, opening the box calmly, and exining the process. Anthony gazed at the photos with brows furrowed. This was obviously a man, and even if he turned the photos around, he still looked like a handsome young man. Why would Anthony feel strange looking at him? Furthermore, he could not help staring at this young man. He could not stop himself from looking, and his heart even galloped speedily... When Luke told him this man was attacked, he almost wanted to rush over. Luckily, the Cherny family rushed into the scene. Everything did not make sense. Did he catch feelings for this young man? He was waiting for Charmine toe home. The reporters were no longer allowed to get into Violet Residence. With that, Charmine drove directly to the vi and walked inside. On the sofa, Waverly was elegantly reading the book. If one did not know her, they might think Waverly was a quiet yet elegant figure. Charmine, on the other hand, was all too certain she was pretending- Waverly was acting for Anthony to see. N?velDrama.Org (C) content. Still, she did not bother Charmine as thetter went upstairs. Waverly watched Charmine''s back as her red lips curled up. Ha! She was intrigued to see how much longer Charmine could hold her ground. Meanwhile, she only had to maintain her persona and show Anthony how outstanding she was. 2 In no time, Anthony would no doubt cast Charmine aside! Charmine went upstairs and saw that Anthony was keeping the documents. He looked at her. She asked suspiciously, "What is it? What happened?" "Nothing." Anthony walked toward her and put his arms around her waist. Her waist was slim but not of the weak kind. Her waist was healthy-slim, lean with abs after years of training. When he hugged her, he could feel even with clothes on how her waist had no excess fats, making it rather attractive. chapter 963 chapter 963 With just a hug, Anthony instantly had the desire that a couple would have, and his frown loosened up slightly. Luckily, he was still into women. Charmine saw the shift in his expression and frowned. Why did Anthony seem weird? "Anthony, do you want to say something?" Anthony looked at her clear eyes and beautiful face, and he felt somewhat guilty. He had such a beautiful wife, yet he caught feelings for another young man? "It''s nothing, really," he said, "I just miss you." With that, he put his hand on the back of her head and kissed her lips. Charmine frowned. He called her and asked her toe home, rather rushed might she add, all because he just missed her? He was acting out of character...and Charmine felt as if he had discovered something. Anthony sensed that she was zoning out, thus he let go of her and asked," Why are you zoning out? What did you do today?" "Nothing, just sorting out some documents and working on globalizing thepany," Charmine simply found an excuse and winged it. She then changed the topic. "Where''s Momo? Is he alone in the house again? I¡¯m going to check on him.¡± With that said, she walked toward Chris'' bedroom. Anthony looked at her back and frowned. Why did he sense that Charmine was keeping something from him? However, he did ask people to check on her, and Charmine did go to thepany. Perhaps he was just over-sensitive. Inside Chris'' bedroom... N?velDrama.Org is the owner. When Charmine walked in, she saw Chris typing something with the keyboard. When he saw her, Chris quickly changed the tab and smiled sweetly at Charmine. "Mommy, you came home from work!" "Hmm, what is Momo working on recently? Why are you always in your bedroom?" Charmine sat down beside him. She looked at the screen and noticed it was a design for some robots. Chris climbed to herp and yed with her hands. "I''m interested in these robots, and I¡¯m learning more about them. I want to create many, many robots!" ''That¡¯s impressive. Why don''t Mommy help you out to produce them?" offered Charmine. Chris shook his head. "No, I need to work on them myself! I can''t let others call me out for getting help from my rich parents." 1 His sentence made Charmine burst outughing. ''You''re only five, and it doesn''t matter if you get help from your parents. Where did you learn this independent thinking from?" "From you, perhaps." Chris cuddled into her arms. Mentioning that, Charmine grew perplexed. Annabel had always been independent. She had to take care of herself from a young age, and she had been strong-willed all these years. Chris must have inherited such independence from her, and since Annabel was bearing Anthony''s child, she had to take care... "Mommy, Mommy! What are you thinking of?" Chris'' innocent voice pulled her back from her thoughts, and that effectively reeled Charmine back to reality. "Nothing, Momo. Just continue to design your robots. Mommy will go and prepare dinner." "Alrighty!" Chris left her arms diligently. After Charmine had left, Chris turned back on the original tab. The screen no longer showed his robot designs and, instead, showed a handful of building designs. Even though he was young, his illustrations were very professional. They were drawn in the style of Charmine''s! 1 His gift was passed on from Charmine. 4 Unfortunately, Charmine had gone to the kitchen on the second floor and thus did not see the graphics. Anthony was learning to cook, and Charmine wanted to go forward to help him out when her phone suddenly rang. She took it out and noticed it was Guy calling! Guy actually called her at this hour! chapter 964 chapter 964 Anthony looked at her and asked, "Who is it?¡± "It''s nothing. Joey wants me to have a meal with them," answered Charmine as she rejected the call and put her phone in her pocket. 2 Anthony frowned. Joey called her? Why did he sense that something was off? He wanted to ask more but he caught the smell of something burning. He overburnt the fried egg! All wrapped up, he could not ask Charmine anymore questions as he quickly turned off the induction cooker. Charmine walked over to help him. "Let me take over, just sit outside and wait." "No need," Anthony''s voice was low and deep as he turned her down, "You wait outside." He remembered how she asked him to cook when they first met, but he also remembered embarrassing himself. Anthony never had a thing that he could not learn! Seeing that he was determined, Charmine could only nod. "Alright, good luck." She left the kitchen and walked to the living room. Even sitting away from the transparent door, she could see Anthony preparing the ingredients.N?velDrama.Org is the owner. The sight of him was pleasant to the eyes despite looking a little haphazard when handling the ingredients, and Charmine failed to bite back the grin that crept on her face. She never thought she would meet someone who loved her so much in this life! 1 She had to sort out Chris'' illness soon and officiate their rtionship! After making sure that Anthony would note out anytime soon, she took out her phone and sent Guy a text. [What is it? I can''t take a call now.] Guy instantly replied, [Would you like to tell Dior who you are? When she woke up, she kept on asking me about you. She wanted to look for you!] Charmine frowned. After a moment of thought, she replied, [Tell her I''m a woman, that I''m on a mission and have to dress up like a man. Do not tell her who I am.] She must not let Dior fall for her, or things would take a turn for the worse... [Ok.] came Guy''s reply. Charmine then added, [Right. What''s the update on that boxing champ? Did you guys find out anything?] To that, Guy replied, [They''re driving into the territory of Safford. We can¡¯t enter for now. Uncle Cherny has decided to request an International Court of Justice.] Charmine frowned. He wanted to sue them? The International Court of Justice usually took a long while. It would take at least a few months to a few years'' time. The Cherny family could wait, but Chris'' illness could not! She did not reply to Guy and instead deleted all of the messages and tried toe up with a n in her head. If Safford could steal the sword from the Chernys, so could she! 1 A revenge n was in order. However, it had to happen at night. What if Anthony found out? She watched Anthony cooking in the kitchen as she weighed the pros and cons. Not long after, it was dinnertime. The dining table had a cauliflower soup ced on top, soup with some unevenly cut cauliflowers. 1 Anthony scooped her a bowl. "Try it." Charmine received it and took a gentle sip. She could taste the cauliflower. However.Jhe soup was sweet. She wanted to ask about it, but she then saw Anthony''s anticipating gaze. He asked, "How does it taste?" "Hmm, quite nice." Charmine took a mouthful of it to appreciate his effort. Chris was thinking to himself how his Mommy was obviously lying. His Daddy treated the sugar as salt! 1 Who would add sugar into a cauliflower soup? However, he did not expose his father. He cleverly helped out Anthony by taking a big sip and said to Charmine, "Mommy, Daddy intentionally prepared this sweet cauliflower soup for you! He added a specially made sugar which is meant to nourish the lungs with many other benefits. Mommy has been busy for a whole day, so you must drink more!" 1 Charmine frowned. Anthony was that caring? chapter 965 chapter 965 Why did Charmine find it...hard to believe? All of sudden, Joey sent her a voice message. "Charmine, can youe back home? Your Grandpa''s brother is here, and he¡¯s gloating about how well-off his granddaughter is. He''s also mocking how even though you''re capable, you''re not as considerate. Your Grandpa is so furious that he had a coughing fit. He''s missing you as well." Charmine frowned. Senior Jordan was coughing that much again? 1 She looked at Anthony and Chris. "I need to go home in a bit. I''lle back tomorrow.¡± "No! I''ll miss Mommy!" Chris clung to Charmine¡¯s arm. Charmine ruffled his head. "Be good, Momo. He''s Mommy¡¯s Grandpa. I can''t leave him alone. It''ll only be one night." "Alright, then. He¡¯s Mommy''s Grandpa, so he''s my great-grandfather. I hope he can live prosperously." Chris let go of her arm reluctantly, but was rewarded with a kiss at his forehead by Charmine. "Momo is the best. See you tomorrow!" With that, she finished drinking the soup quickly, despite not liking sweet food. After the meal, she put down the spoon and said to Anthony, "I''ll leave now, alright?¡± "I¡¯ll send you.¡± Anthony stood up and walked out with her, and Charmine did not turn him down. She did feel quite guilty about it, after all. She arranged this in order to bring back the sword tonight. If Anthony found out about it, it would be game over for her. When they were at the gate, Anthony stopped her, "Hold on." Charmine was already anxious and her heart was suddenly thrashing about. Did Anthony find out? She turned back to look at Anthony and weakly asked, "What is it?" Anthony did not speak as he extended his hand toward the corner of her lips. Since she was eating in a rush, a smudge of the food was left on her lips. He reached out to wipe it off for her, but on a second thought, he lowered his head and kissed her. He licked off the food left on her lips as his eyes glinted with desire. "Do stay in touch with me after getting home. Don¡¯te close to any man. If I find out..." he trailed off in his sentence, voice husky and dark as he spoke. However, Charmine let out a sigh of relief. That was it? She thought he found out something! She agreed, "Okay." Meanwhile, Waverly sat on the sofa with her lips twitching in anger. 1 Charmine was so cheap, yet Anthony ate the food off of Charmine''s lips! Did they have to be so intimate and loving?! However, when she heard what Anthony said, Waverly''s eyes shed with pleasure. He did not want Charmine to get close with any other man? Heh! Impossible! Waverly not only wanted Charmine to get close with another man-she wanted Charmine to fall for another man! Charmine sessfully left Violet Residence. Anthony did not even nce at Waverly at all as he went straight back to the second floor. After they had left, Waverly took out her phone and sent Max a text. [Keep an eye on Charmine''s movement. She seems to have something nned tonight. Knowing her, she''s likely to go after the sword!] Max then replied, [Don''t worry, I¡¯ll arrange it. I won''t let her get it.] [No, if she''s after the sword, tell this to Guy. They''re a good match, we need to set them up.] typed Waverly schemingly. 1 Her elegant face was filled with malicious intent. Max learned her intention, and he praised, [Waverly is so clever. Don''t worry, I''ll help you take revenge.] The night grew darker. When Charmine got back to the Jordan mansion, she chatted with the rtives before going to her bedroom. It was not until midnight when she secretly left the Jordan mansion and headed toward the Safford territory. What she did not notice, however, was someone following her from far away, watching her every move...N?velDrama.Org (C) content. chapter 966 chapter 966 The Safford territory was heavily guarded by all the top agents from Safford. After the sword was taken in, they sent another 50 special agents over. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Charmine did not want Kay and his men to show their faces, so she had toe on her own. 1 She wore a tight agent outfit with the cor pulled up to her nose and also had ck sses on, fully covering her face. Her identity was perfectly concealed with her attire, i When she arrived at a blind spot in Safford, she climbed in from an air- conditioning duct by the side. With that, she sessfully arrived above the ceiling of the building. Charmine peaked in from above and noticed that the aisle below her was as long as ten meters, and the aisle led to a room up ahead. Two guards kept watch-standing on each side-at every two meters. There were ten guards in total that guarded the aisle, i Each of them had weapons in their possession, and they also wore an extremely thinyer of anti- poison mask. With this anti-poison mask, they would not be easily distracted. Charmine''s red lips curled up. Luckily, she came prepared. She took out a specially made weapon and aimed it at the guards. This weapon looked simr to a gun, but instead of bullets, it shot out needlesced with a special drug. With her fingers¡¯ quick movement, it only took a while before ten needles were shot silently at the guards. The ten of them felt as if bitten by a mosquito. Before they could feel anything, their eyelids grew heavy before they fell to the floor. Charmine opened the ceiling and jumped down from the duct, quickly rushing to open the door once she did. She had prepared the most advanced fingerprint recognition system, and with it, it took less than a minute for her to open the door sessfully. Once she went into the room swiftly, she then spotted the box ced on the table just as expected, and she wasted no time in running toward it and lifted it in her arms. However, upon touching it, the rm rang loudly. She triggered the rm system on the table! Instantly, footsteps were heard from not far away. Many people were on their way! Charmine carried the box and rushed out of the room, wanting to use the duct she came in through to escape, but she quickly realized that numerous security guards wereing up the stairs just as she arrived before the duct. If they saw her entering the air-conditioning duct, they would stop her from its exit! Her hold on the box tightened as she quickly ran upstairs. "Catch her!" the leading guard cried out and chased after her with his men. 1 Charmine ran to the balcony and sessfully opened the door, only to be met with an open space with nothing else. The surroundings were nothing but tall buildings; there was nothing around her. She had nowhere to escape! The footsteps from below wereing closer. That was it... She was done for! Just as such a finality came to her mind, someone suddenly grabbed her arm and pulled her behind a wall. Before she could scream, she heard a man''s hoarse voice that spoke, "It''s me." The voice was familiar... Charmine turned back to see that the man standing beside her was Guy. They were both hiding in a narrowed, half-a-meter-long space, 1 This was a small space behind the wall, enough for both of them to stand in. There was a wall behind them and a wall in front of them. Frowning, Charmine wanted to question him when the men came up the balcony. The leading guard and his men had ck-colored weapons in hand, and they started searching the balcony from the trees to the bins, as well as the water tanks. They inevitably caused a ruckus in their search. Charmine and Guy stood still and held their breath. None of them made any sound or movement. Between the narrowed space, it was as if they could hear each other''s heartbeats. chapter 967 chapter 967 In that space, Guy1 s gaze shifted to Charmine. Even though it was dark, he could still see the shape of her face, one that was incrediblyely. She did not have any scent on her, not even the smell of her shampoo. She instead exuded a very cold scent. They stood so close to one another that his arm nearly grazed hers. With his heart racing at an rming speed, Guy''s ears turned red and hot against his will. Charmine, meanwhile, did not notice him as she peeped through the very small gap, closely monitoring the situation outside. The guards had searched all over, high and low, but found nothing on the balcony, and the leading guard ordered, "Bring in the bulldog!" 1 The bulldog was a hunting dog they had trained to detect the scent of humans. It could help them to sniff out the intruders! Charmine frowned. Once the bulldog got to the balcony, they were done for! She turned to Guy and whispered, "Are you confident?" Guy looked at the shadow and nodded. With that, Charmine urged, "Run!" With that said, she pushed open the wall and ran out with the box in her arms. Guy rushed out as well, following closely behind her. They both ran back to the staircase like two rockets as they rushed downstairs speedily. The guards were spread out on all corners of the balcony. Some even went to the ends of the balcony, leaving the staircase unguarded. With that, Charmine and Guy sessfully reached the staircase and rushed downward. Most of the guards downstairs were on the balcony by then, so no one guarded the lower floor. Their leader did not expect them to hide behind the wall. He did not expect a gap to be there! He instantly led his men to chase after them, all while he took out his walkie-talkie and instructed, "Attention! Target is moving down! I repeat: Target is moving down!" Instantly, guards rushed up from below. Men gave chase after Charmine and Guy from above and below. When Charmine ran to the fourth floor, she did not go down and instead quickly went to a room on the fourth floor. There was a big tree outside the room, though the tree was three stories tall. If she jumped out, she had to be very agile in order to get to the tree. Guy looked at her, worried. "Are you going to be okay?" "Don''t worry!" N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. With that said, Charmine¡¯s hold on the box tightened as she jumped out. Her figure moved nimbly in the darkness, and she sessfully got to therge tree! In the past few years spent in Africa, there was more than once when Tiffany arranged for people to send her to the forest. Tiffany wanted her dead. Following that, she learned quite a lot of survival skills. Guy watched her in shock. He did not expect a woman like her to be so skillful! 1 Hearing footstepsing toward him from outside, he instantly jumped out of the window as well. The two of them urately caught on the tree branches and climbed down. Coincidentally, a motorbike happened to be parked below the tree. As the men grew closer, Charmine tossed the box to Guy and swung her leg over the motorbike as she said to Guy, "Get on!" Guy wasted no time. He hugged the box and sat behind her. Charmine twisted the elerator, and with Guy cing his hands on her waist, the vehicle raced away, effectively leaving the guards that chased after them! However, in the darkness, on a tall building far away, someone was using an ultra-long-distance camera to capture this moment. The photos showed Charmine driving with Guy putting his hands on her waist. chapter 968 chapter 968 Charmine did not notice someone was spying on them, however, as she roared up the road at full throttle to evade the guards that chased after them in cars. There were more and more cars with police carsing from the front. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. They were about to get arrested! Spotting a river by the side, Charmine then asked Guy, "Do you swim?" ''Yes," answered Guy honestly. Someone was chasing after them with a motorbike, and there was a weapon aimed at them! However, at that instant, Charmine turned the direction of the motorbike and rushed into the river. Those who chased after the duo were baffled, stunned as they saw the motorbike sinking into the river. Who was so skillful and daring? Winter was approaching-they were risking their lives! "Search the river!" ''Yes, Sir!" They formed a river-search team and started digging and investigating. Meanwhile, Charmine had led Guy to get out of the river. The two of them were drenched as they ran into the forest quickly. Charmine sent an SOS message to the C team arranged by Kay, and within half an hour, the people of the C team would be able toe and fetch them. Sitting below a tree, Charmine opened the box right away to check on the sword, delighted to see the sword unharmed and no water managed to get in the box. Atst, she retrieved the sword. With this, she would be able to cure Chris! By the side, Guy suddenly moaned. He seemed to be in pain. Charmine turned over to realize the wound on Guy¡¯s arm had reopened. The wound was a result of him saving her from the dagger attack, and though it was wrapped up, the wound reopened when they jumped to the tree and swam. With that, the wound oozed blood. He tried to wrap it up again, but with only one hand, it was inconvenient. Charmine had to put down the box and walked toward him to help him wrap his wound again. Guy''s face flushed red at that moment, and luckily, it was dark and she could not see that. He said, "Thank you." "No need to thank me. You helped me, so I owe you,¡± said Charmine as she wrapped up his wound professionally. With her skillful bandaging technique, his wound no longer bled. "Why are you here?" she questioned. "I..." Guy thought of the anonymous text he received and frowned. He had yet to know who sent him that text despite his effort of trying to investigate, and until he found out, he did not want to tell Charmine in fear she might be worried. He exined, "I thought that you''d go to retrieve the sword tonight, so I tried to help. Since we had a mission here before, we also hid behind that wall to get out of danger. I thought it might help you, but..." They actually had a bulldog this time. They had no choice but to jump off the tree and into the river. Through the moonlight, he could see that her clothes were scratched and she was just as wet. He was worried for her. He had lived for 29 years, and this was the first time he felt worried. In the past, even when his sister, Dior was hurt, he felt that as a Granger, she must be trained. As he gazed at Charmine, however, he wanted someone to save her so she could get some rest. Charmine remained calm as she said to him, "No need to be guilty. If it wasn''t for that space between the walls, I might have to jump off the building. I owe you one. If you ever need any help in the future, do not hesitate to contact me." Her voice was clear and soothing, though it sounded aloof and stern as well. chapter 969 chapter 969 Not knowing how to respond to Charmine, Guy could only nod. "Okay." The night was dark, and the gust did blew as the air grew cold. With the box safe in her arms, Charmine held it close as she rested silently. After the dangerous escape, she felt strangely tired and dizzy. Somehow, her eyelids grew heavier, and she fell asleep unknowingly. Her tense body grew more rxed as her head leaned onto one side. That did not go unnoticed by Guy as he hurried to sit by her side, thus Charmine''s headnded on his shoulder. In the darkened forest, he sat upright withbored breaths and dared not move, not wanting her to wake up. A mosquito flew over and bit his neck. He could feel it but he did not move. His arm did not raise up as well. The scene was strangely beautiful... Far at the distance, someone took a photo of it, and they smirked with satisfaction as they eyed the shot. A photo like this was romantic enough... However, the person had an even more important mission ahead of this. Guy allowed Charmine to lean on him. Gradually, he sensed that something was not right. Charmine''s breath was hot, so much so he could feel her body getting warmer even with clothes on. Sensing something, he raised his hand to feel her forehead, and his hand jolted. Charmine had a fever! She actually had a fever at this time! Due to the mission, Guy did not bring a phone with him. All they could do was wait for Charmine''s people to get them. However, if nothing was done with her clothes still drenched, her fever would worsen! Guy looked around. Their current location was upstream, while those guards went downstream to look for them. They should not find them anytime soon. 3 He ced Charmine on the ground and walked around the woods in search of wood. Despite the darkness, his eyes were sharp. He moved quickly and did not care when his skin was scratched by the tree branches. He only wanted to get some wood to make fire. Charmine''s clothes were drenched. He must make a fire to dry it off as soon as possible! When he finally came back with some wood, a bunch of people suddenly walked toward them. Guy took Charmine into his arms, ready to fight. When one of them saw Charmine, he frowned nervously. "How''s Boss Jordan?" Guy asked, "Who are you?" "Gragoul Team C," answered the man and showed his identification card. When Guy made sure it was a legit Gragoul card, he loosened his guard and said, "She''s ill, and she needs to be sent to a hospital!" "No, Kay instructed to keep her hidden. Nobody should know where she is," argued the person in charge. Someone asked Guy, "Is there apletely safe ce we could go? And then look for a doctor?" i Guy thought for a while and said, "Come to my house." As he spoke, he carried Charmine and walked out. There were a few cars parked by the side, and the heaters were on inside the car. Guy told them his address and used a nket to cover Charmine. The cars drove toward his house in the outskirts of the city. The person in the dark took countless shots again, every shot showing how intimate Charmine and Guy were. 1 When Charmine woke up, the sky had turned bright, and someone else was next to her. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. When she saw Guy, she shot up and nervously looked around her. Someone changed her clothes, and she was in a bathing robe! i Had Guy apanied her for a night? chapter 970 chapter 970 Charmine''s internal alert bell rang inside her. She only had one thought in her head: she was done for good, 1 If Anthony found out about this, it would be so hard to exin! She instantly clung to the bathing robe tightly, plucked out the infusers on her, and tried to get out of bed. Guy was awakened when he detected movement. Noticing Charmine getting out of bed, he said nervously, "Ms. Jordan, you can''t move! You have a fever as high as 39.7 Celsius, and you must stay in bed to get treated!" "Don¡¯t worry, I''m fine." Charmine got out of bed, put on her shoes, and eyed her surroundings. The box of the sword was ced not far away, and the sky was turning bright. She had to rush back to the Jordan mansion before the sun got out. Nobody should realize she was not in during the night. She went over to get the box when Guy quickly said, "I¡¯ve phoned the Chernys. They¡¯lle in a moment, so please wait a little longer." Charmine, who was in a rush to leave, stopped when she heard Guy''s exnation. If the Chernys truly came, she did not have to go to them to hand over the sword. However, she did not know how long she had to wait, and she hoped they woulde swiftly. Seeing that she was impatient, Guy asked suspiciously, "Is there something urgent? I can help." "No need,¡± Charmine sat down on a sofa by the side. She lifted her hand to check the time. It was past five in the morning. Anthony would wake up at six, and he might contact her. She did not even bring her phone. If she did not reply to him, he would grow suspicious. However, she must personally hand the box to the Chernys. She did not trust Guypletely. 1 Guy sat on the stool by the bed. He knew she was in a panic and he wanted to help her, but he did not know how to. He did not know what to say. Even though he really wanted to speak to her, he could not seem to find a topic. He sat there and became somewhat nervous. The room was quiet. N?velDrama.Org (C) content. Meanwhile... Hugh and his fifth son, Phil, were rushing toward Guy¡¯s house. Phil could not helpining, "Dad, didn''t you say you gave a mission to Charmine to retrieve the box in exchange for the red wolf¡¯s bone? Why did she disappear and Guy took up the mission instead?" Guy, in their phone call, only mentioned that he and his friend got the sword. He did not specify that it was Charmine, so they all assumed that it was Charlie. In this sense, after Charmine had epted the mission, she hadpletely disappeared without a trace! Hugh scoffed mockingly, "What a woman! What can we expect?" He thought Charmine would be different from other women. He was willing to give her a chance to challenge herself. Who would have thought she was just a nobody! 1 On another note, Charlie was quite impressive. He thought of how Charlie fought, thus he said to Phil, "Find out who this Charlie guy is. He seems alright and very skillful. The seven of you should learn from him." "Don''t worry, Steve is already checking him. With his skills, he should be able to find Charlie''s address," assured Phil, i The Chernys always liked to be acquainted with kind and powerful people, just like Charlie. Thinking of Charmine, Phil scoffed, "Dad, don''t you ever bring that kind of woman to our training base again. She dirties our ce!" Hugh did not speak-he agreed with that. The car pulled over at Guy¡¯s house. Different from other mansions, Guy''s house was a simple one-story house in in white. The two of them walked in and saw Guy boiling water. Phil asked suspiciously, "Guy, where''s your friend?" "She''s in the room. She had a fever from swimmingst night. I¡¯m boiling water for her," replied Guy as he walked in with the hot water. Hugh and Phil suddenly respected this friend so much. He was only a friend of Guy¡¯s and actually risked his life for the Cherny family? chapter 971 chapter 971 The Chernys must thank this person! Both Phil and Hugh walked into the room respectfully, and they instantly spotted a figure sitting on a grey sofa next to the window. This long-haired figure had a bathing robe on, and her face was stunningly beautiful. It was Charmine! Why was she here? Hugh asked in shock, "Guy, you...you two..." Phil asked with disbelief, "Guy, you''ve finally learned to get a chick! Did you two really sleep together?" "No...nothing like that!" Guy''s face flushed red as he quickly exined, "It¡¯s not what you think it is. She... She had a fever and wasn''t able to change out of her clothes, so..." N?velDrama.Org (C) content. Despite standing at 1.9 meters and having a well-built figure, he was a stuttering mess. Phil patted his shoulder. "Alright, we''re all men, I understand. You''re twenty- nine now, and it''s normal. Still, why her...?" He looked at Charmine judgingly. She was useless, even though she had quite the beauty of an elf. She was not good enough for the Granger family. Charmine felt herself judged, and she was not pleased. Since she was in a rush, she could not bother to exin to them. She would show them with action. She stood up and went to take the box. Not noticing her, Hugh looked at Guy and said with a serious tone, "Your cousin is right. If you want to get married, you should find someone with a clean background. How can you be with her? Oh yes, where''s your friend? Where''s Charlie? He''s got a fever?" Guy''s face flushed red as Hugh spoke to him. He felt so embarrassed. He exined, "It''s a misunderstanding. She''s Charlie." What? Hugh and Phil jolted, unable toprehend the news Guy told them. 1 She was Charlie? How could that be? How would Charmine, a woman, know about ancient technology? Why would she fight against Safford agents? How would she even have the courage to enter Safford''s territory? At that moment, Charmine walked up to them and handed them the box. "I managed to retrieve the sword. I hope Mr. Cherny can keep your promise and give me the red wolf bones." Her voice was unperturbed as she exuded a powerful temperament. This look of hers was simr to Charlie¡¯s... Hugh and Phil exchanged nces. They found it hard to believe. The Charmine they looked down on was, in fact, the Charlie they praised? How...unbelievable! Seeing that they did not believe her, Charmine used a man''s voice to speak, "I''ve other things to do. Please examine the sword." The voice was Charlie''s! It was a man''s voice! Phil was utterly bbergasted. "You can change your voice! You are Charlie!" ''This is to make sure nobody knows how I am," replied Charmine, "so I simply disguised my look." Hugh and Phil felt embarrassed. 1 Simply disguised her look? Her skill was so refined. How was that a ''simple disguise''? Hugh knew he had misjudged her. This was the first time he looked at a woman wrongly. With guilt and remorse, he then apologized, "I''m sorry for the misunderstanding. Thank you so much for helping US to get back the sword." As he spoke, he received the box from Charmine. In the next moment, his expression changed. chapter 972 chapter 972 Charmine frowned and asked suspiciously, "What''s wrong?" "There¡¯s a problem with this box!" Hugh called out. He had seen the box during the day and examined the sword thoroughly. ording to the length and shape of the sword, the item should not have this weight! Opening the box, it was revealed to be apletely different sword, as expected. It seemed to be a cheaply made sword instead! Charmine and Guy were utterly shocked at Hugh''sment. How could it be? "Impossible. I even opened the box to check on it when I got it out. I only took it out after making sure it''s a real sword," insisted Charmine. ''The agents from Safford even chased after US," added Guy. "It can''t be a fake sword they''re going after!¡± "So where''s the problem?" Hugh was perplexed. Charmine squinted as she jogged her memory, and only a momentter did she reply, tone cold, "Someone swapped it on the way." On the way? Guy frowned. "Impossible. Only the two of US held the box along the way, and nobody else could¡¯ve touched it except when..." He paused there and his pupils dted. "I remember: it was in the forest! After Ms. Jordan fainted, I noticed she had a fever so I had to leave her to gather some wood. I think the sword was swapped out then!" Charmine''s eyes narrowed. If it happened then, it showed that someone had been following them. Who was it, however? What for? To get the sword? She asked, "What¡¯s the value of this sword?" "It''s not much, it''s just a family sword of the Chernys. It was owned by our ancestor, the general of the army, and used this sword to fight many wars. To us, this sword represents the glory of our family-it symbolizes our pride! To an outsider, this is just a collectible object," exined Hugh. Phil then added, "Safford wanted this because they had always liked to keep Burlington''s collectible objects. They wanted to shame Burlington and prove to the rest of the world how we can''t even protect our cultural objects. Only they had shown interest in the sword and pursued it actively, and no one else had shown much tenacity apart from them." Charmine frowned. This mission became much harder than it was. If nobody hade in the way in recent years, why was there a third party trying to steal the sword all of a sudden? What was the problem? Who did it? N?velDrama.Org (C) content. The sky had lit up amid her thoughts. Charmine looked at the sky and, thinking of Anthony, said to them, ''There''s no point standing here and thinking. I need to go. Dispatch a few men into the forest to try and find some clues. Tell me right away if you find anything." Making her way out as she spoke, she then turned once more to add," Regardless of what it is, only text me. Do not tell anyone else about my other identity for now." The three of them nodded. She had to stay in secrecy. If they found out it was her, perhaps even the people in Safford would make it hard for her. Charmine wanted to bring the Jordan Group into Safford''s market, and it would be difficult if her identity was exposed. Spotting Charmine rushing outside, Guy followed quickly and called out," Ms. Jordan..." Charmine stopped and looked at him. "What? Is there something else?" Face flushed red again, he stammered with difficulty, "No...nothing. You¡¯re ill, so drink more hot water." ''Thank you," came Charmine''s curt reply before marching away. The C team had prepared a car to send her back to the Jordan mansion quickly. Meanwhile, Guy watched as the car left before he smacked his head furiously. He was so useless. He could not even speak properly to her! chapter 973 chapter 973 Charmine would not like a dumb man like him... Hugh frowned when he noticed Guy''s expression. "Guy, you like her." "No...I don''t..." denied Guy, though the blush remained on his face and ears. Phil walked over and held his shoulder. "Alright, it¡¯s written all over your face! Don''t worry, we look at Charmine differently now. We won''t stop you from liking her." "Really, I don''t..." Guy tried to deny it, cheeks still burning as he did. Phil pulled him to another room and interrogated, "Tell me what you like about her. How did you fall for her? It''s your first time liking someone, isn''t it? Haha!" Hugh saw the two of them messing around and a solemn expression was formed. He thought of what Charmine told him. Charmine liked Anthony and wanted to get married to Anthony. The reason she came in touch with the Chernys was to gain their approval, just so she could be with him. If Guy found out about this, how would he take it? This was the first time in 29 years that Guy had liked someone. She was the first. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. "Sigh..." Hugh sighed heavily. Whatever; he would take things one step at a time. It was hard to specte feelings. Perhaps Charmine might fall for Guy eventually? Furthermore, Charmine was also a distant daughter of the Chernys, and they did have that marriage arrangement with the Grangers. By then, they could even force her to marry him! Charmine, meanwhile, was on the way back to the Jordan mansion, and she went in through the secret tunnel and quickly went back to her room the moment she arrived. 3 It was half-past six in the morning, and there were no calls or texts on her phone. Wonderful! Anthony had not contacted her! She let out a sigh of relief and quickly got changed when her phone rang. Looking at her screen, she spotted that the caller was Anthony. Thank goodness she came back early! As she epted the call, she pretended as if she just woke up. "Hello...?" "You''re not awake yet?" asked Anthony in a low voice. Charmine answered weakly, "Yeah. What is it?" "Can you pick up Momoter? I need to sort out the robbery incident in the Safford territory," began Anthony. Charmine frowned. "Robbery incident in the Safford territory? They asked you to investigate?" Anthony, being the man with many things in his arsenal, could easily find out it was her! Anthony detected the change in her voice and frowned. "What''s wrong?" "Nothing. J¡¯m just shocked. Since when are you involved with these things?" Charmine made up an excuse. Anthony replied, "It was rted to yesterday''s expo. Apparently, there was a fight over this item during the expo." Charmine pretended to be shocked as she thenforted, "Okay, go and do the investigation then. I''ll pick up Momo in the afternoon." "Okay, see you at night." Anthony''s voice was low and soothing. s, Charmine was not in the mood to admire it. She hung up the call, downright concerned. If Anthony took part in this investigation, he would find out some clues soon orter. If he found out it was her and that she worked with Guy, that she even spent a night at Guy''s house, what then...? What abouting clean to him? However, if she confessed, knowing Anthony, he would not permit her to get close to the Chernys anymore. He would not let her get involved with this dangerous mission. 1 Charmine was caught in a dilemma... chapter 974 chapter 974 After a moment of thought, Charmine could only phone Kay to instruct, ''Try your best to wipe out all traces of my mission." "Don''t worry, Boss Jordan. We¡¯ve already cleared out everythingst night. Forget Anthony; even God might not be able to find anything!" Kay reassured her. 2 His behavior baffled Charmine. Was Kay not against her being with Anthony? Why would he help her to cure Chris and, moreover, put so much effort this time? She could not be bothered with that, however. She was more reassured with that. After hanging up, Kay high-fived with a few elderly men. "Don''t worry-this is a good sign. As long as Anthony can¡¯t find anything, Boss Jordan would have more time to spend with Captain Granger. Who knows, they might develop feelings along the road!" "Well done, well done. Guy is at least a hundred times better than Anthony! Even though Charmine doesn''t like William, she might like Guy!" "Let''s hope she realizes it sooner! Can''t wait to hear some good news!" The few of them were very delighted as if they had finally found a ray of hope. Charmine was going downstairs when she sneezed a few times. Joey who was downstairs instantly walked toward her with concern as she asked, "How are you feeling? Did you catch a cold? It''s getting chilly, so please put on more clothes." "I''m fine," answered Charmine tly. Although she had a feverst night, her body was always quick to recover. With medication, she should be fine in no time. There were already some beef steaks on the dining table, where Senior Jordan and Adam were sitting. Amelia, on the other hand, was in the hospital due to the burns she suffered. Still receiving treatment in the hospital, Felix and Lily had gone over to take care of her. Charmine walked over to Senior Jordan and sat down beside him. "How are you feeling as ofte, Grandpa?" she asked. "Don''t worry, I¡¯m fine. I''m worried about you being so busy every day." Senior Jordan looked at her caringly. She had note home for a long time, and she only came back after asking Joey to fake the voice message for her toe home. With that in mind, Senior Jordan asked suspiciously, "Did Anthony treat you badly? Does he not allow you toe home?" 1 "No. Recently, the Baileys are having some conflicts with the D''Cruz family. His family is forcing him to be with Waverly. He''s worried that I might leave him, and so insecure was he that he hoped I could stay with him more." Charmine made up an excuse. Adam, Senior Jordan, and Joey were shocked. Anthony seemed so cold on the outside, but he was that insecure internally? He was worried that Charmine might leave him? He seemed to love Charmine so much... Charmine changed the topic as she spoke, "Right, how''s Robert? Has he woken up?" Mentioning that, Senior Jordan sighed. "He''s been taking the medications, and his body has recovered. He should be awake by now, but he hasn''t. Dr. Weir came over a few times to check on him, and he said that Robert''s body had recovered. However, it seems that due to some psychological issues, he''s unwilling to wake up. He needs to ovee it himself." 1 Charmine frowned. Psychological issues? What psychological issues would Robert have? Joey reassured, "Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re still massaging him every day to keep his muscles active. Once he wakes up, he¡¯ll be able to move like usual." 1 Charmine nodded. She was so busy recently that she could only visit Robert after sorting out every other matter. 1 After having breakfast, she reminded the three of them, "Oh, yes. No matter whoes to ask you, do tell the truth that I didn''t leave the mansionst night." "Okay, don¡¯t worry." N?velDrama.Org (C) content. The three of them agreed, though they were worried. Was Charmine in trouble? They just could not get involved with her world anymore... Joey and Adam looked at her as she left, their emotions welling up in them as they gazed at her retreating form. chapter 975 chapter 975 If only they knew she was their true daughter instead of Tiffany, they would have treated her better since she was a child. 2 Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Charmine drove back to the Jordan Group and went past the river she had traversedst night. Police officers covered the perimeters, and one of them instructed, "We¡¯re closing down this area. Please take another road." Charmine was far away from them as she saw a handful of people inspecting the area. These included officers from Safford and Burlington, the old man, and Anthony''s men. Anthony was standing by the river as he studied the trace on the ground. The motorbike that rushed into the river left a long ck mark by the riverbank. If he looked closely into the depth and length of the trace, he could specte the weight of those who rode the motorbike! Charmine''s eyelids jumped. Being the analytical man he was, Anthony might find out the truth! With a thought in mind, she parked her car and walked down. The person in charge stopped her, "We asked you to take an alternative route, didn''t you hear? They''re having an investigation, so please don''t affect the officers working!" 1 "Please let them know that I need to speak to Mr. Bailey," insisted Charmine. 1 The officer scoffed, "You''re the nieth woman who said this today! Why are all fangirls like you so shameless? Boss Bailey is engaged to Ms. D''Cruz from Kansas, and nobodies like you can''t do anything about it. Leave now or I¡¯ll charge you for obstructing official duties!" He took out a pair of handcuffs as he spoke. Charmine warned him, "I know him, and I have legitimate matters to discuss with him." "Haha! The thirteenth woman I asked to leave said the same thing. If you know Boss Bailey, I¡¯ll change my surname to yours!" The man was condescending in his reply. Charmine called out instantly, "Mr. Bailey!" Anthony, at that time, was staring at the trace on the ground. He somehow felt that the curve of the mark looked familiar. Even though he had not seen this trace before, he somehow recalled something vaguely familiar to the mark. The person by the side said, "President Bailey, let¡¯s go and see if we can find some other clues." Anthony did not respond to him. He remained transfixed on the mark when he suddenly heard Charmine''s voice. His lips twisted into a frown when he looked up and saw Charmine. She actually came? Initially set in his business-only demeanor, he instantly tossed everything aside and walked toward her right then and there. The crowd exchanged looks strangely. Who was that woman, and why did Boss Bailey seem to care so much for her? When the officer saw Anthony walking over, his legs shook uncontrobly. 1 This woman knew Anthony? Anthony was truly willing to see her? The officer was so terrified that he lowered his head at Charmine. "I''m sorry, I''m so sorry I misunderstood you. I thought you''re like the others, and I didn''t expect..." 2 He no longer looked arrogant like he once was. "I know you''re just doing your job," came Charmine''s short reply. "Do be more careful next time." "Yes, Madam." The man nodded vehemently. Charmine did not hold it against him because Anthony was already standing before her. He looked at her suspiciously. This was the first time she had looked for him in public. 1 He asked, "What is it?" Charmine felt guilty. ''What was it?'' She only intended to divert his focus from the investigation. What next? chapter 976 chapter 976 The crowd looked at Charmine strangely. Charmine came to look for Anthony? Did they know each other that well? Nervous as she was, Charmine simply found an excuse and said to Anthony, "I have some problems regarding our coboration. We need to discuss it." Anthony frowned. Coboration? There were too many people around them. He thus turned to the officer in charge and instructed, "Excuse me. If there''s anything, let my assistant know right away." "Yes, Sir!" The crowd nodded with respect. 1 Anthony followed Charmine as they walked away. Charmine felt somewhat uneasy. They were seen leaving together in front of so many people! She only had the intention of distracting Anthony andpletely forgot that they were in a public setting. As Anthony got on the front passenger''s seat, she had no choice but to get in and drive away. Driving away from the riverside, both of them were left alone in the car. Anthony finally asked, "What is it?" His tone was serious. If it was not for something important, Charmine would note and find him. Charmine thought of something quickly. After a while, she said, "I know you''re investigating this incident, but this isn''t going to work if everyone keeps investigating this way. I realized that they had hacked into the country''s firewall and deleted all rted footage. Even all the rted cars and car- cameras were wiped out. This shows that they''re very powerful. If we can find out their IP address, it''ll make this a lot easier." Anthony frowned as he gazed at Charmine unblinkingly. Charmine was driving but could sense his eyes on her. Her heartbeat was racing. He was staring at her so intently. Had he noticed something after all? 1 N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Did she miss something...? Even though she was panicking inside, she maintained her calm appearance. "What? Is something on my face?" "No." Anthony''s eyes flickered with a curl of his lips. "You''ve changed, Charmine." "Huh?" Charmine hands nearly iled from gripping the steering wheel. She changed? How so? Had he figured out how she went on a secret mission behind his back? 1 As she was overwhelmed with terror, Anthony continued, "You never bothered with whatever my business was in the past, but now you''re thinking about me. Not bad.¡± He praised her in his low voice. Charmine''s anxious heart instantly settled down. So Anthony said she had changed because of that? She let out a sigh of relief. "And I thought it was something serious. Well, we''ve gotten our marriage certificate. Isn''t it normal to help each other out?'' "Indeed." Anthony''s lips curled up. He could not help recalling the past incidents. Forget about a month ago-she did not even care much about him even half a month ago. He asked, "So, may I ask mydy where shall I start?'' Charmine''s eyes narrowed as she advised, "I¡¯ll give you an ount to log into the national security system. You can use this ount to investigate it. If you can find out their IP address, everything will come to light." Anthony frowned. An ount to ess the national security system? Charmine had this ess? chapter 977 chapter 977 It seemed that Charmine had to talk with those elderly men for a long while to be able to ess the system. He stroked her head by impulse. ''Thank you so much." His words, however, only made Charmine feel guiltier. N?velDrama.Org (C) content. The ess was indeed given to her by those men. However, she spent no effort in getting it. In fact, Kay and his men even used this ess to wipe out all of the evidence. Anthony would not be able to find out anything using this ess. She was merely trying to divert his attention, to slow down the process, yet there he was-thanking her. Hopefully, he would not have her head when he learned the truth. 1 When they got home, Anthony went to theputer room and used the most advancedputer to log in and investigate. With that, he spent the rest of the day working on it. When Charmine saw that he was busy in theputer room, she left secretly and sent a text to Guy and Hugh, [Remove all evidence from the river as soon as possible.] Anthony had arranged for his men to dig out the motorbike. Although there was no fingerprint left on the vehicle, it would still be detrimental if the vehicle was brought out from the river. 1 Meanwhile, she had to find out the sword¡¯s location so she couldplete her mission, and only then could shee clean to Anthony. Somehow, she had been having a strange feeling as if something bad was about to happen... As expected, on the next morning, Anthony suddenly received a call. "President Bailey, the motorbike was taken out from the river but someone burned it down over the night. No evidence was left behind. Again, the footage waspletely destroyed this time." Anthony''s drowsiness evaporated at that instant. The evidence was wiped out again? No evidence was left behind? Perhaps only a few moguls from the national security organization would be so daring. National Security... Somehow, his eyes fell on Charmine who wasying beside him. Out of all the people he knew, she was the only one who had ess to the national security system. Even though he was incredibly resourceful, this was not his sector. It would take time for him to gain ess to it, yet Charmine could always easily get things done. 1 The sleeping Charmine sensed a pair of eyes staring at her. She had no choice but to open her eyes, and a small frown appeared on her face." What? Did something happen?" Anthony looked away and recalled all the events that happened inside his head. Suddenly, he asked, "Are you in touch with the Cherny family?" ''The Cherny family?" Charmine frowned. Why would Anthony ask this? Anthony looked at her. "You and the Chernys made it to the most-searched list not long ago. The person who stole the sword is likely to be from that family or someone rted to them." 2 Charmine panicked but remained calm on the surface. "Are you suspecting that I''m doing something with the Chernys? You think I''m involved?" Her tone was distant and cold. Anthony exined, "Of course not, I''m just asking you for some clues. Or perhaps you know if anyone among the Chernys is likely to have ess to the national security system?" Charmine recalled her conversation with Grandma Bailey. She wanted Charmine to earn the approval of the Cherny family, but at the same time, the Chernys had a marriage arrangement with the Grangers. If Anthony knew about it, it would be a stalemate. For the sake of their future, Charmine had no choice but to meet his gaze." Do you think I¡¯d know? I don''t even know much about the Chernys yet." It was true: She did not know much about the Chernys nor their background. All she knew of them was through Grandma Bailey and that she wanted the red wolf''s bone from them. When Anthony saw how calm she was, it seemed as if she was not hiding anything. He could not help reaching out to ruffle her head. "My bad. Sleep for a little longer, I''ll get things fixed." 1 Charmine nodded, though she remained worried. Anthony was already suspicious, and he had always been a sensitive person. This must not go on like this. Perhaps she should work quicker... chapter 978 chapter 978 Anthony noticed Charmine had zoned out and, thinking she was angered, held up her hand. "You may hit me if you''re angry, just don''t hold it internally," he spoke as he held her hand to hit himself. Charmine quickly retrieved her hand. "Not at all, I won¡¯t hold it against you. Go and sort out your things." What was most important is that she dared not hold it against him... N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Should the daye that he found out the truth, he might punish her severely if she did hold it against him! Seeing that she was not angry, Anthony felt perplexed. Since when had she be so understanding? Nheless, the matter at hand was readily difficult. He had to walk out of the car. Charmine watched his back uneasily. Anthony would soon dive back into the investigation. He already had his suspicion, and if she tried anything else, he would be more suspicious. Chris was already outside the door, waiting. Seeing that Anthony hade out, he pouted with displeasure. "Daddy is a bad guy. Why would you help that bad man to investigate? I heard the sword used to belong to the Chernys. Even if they really took it back, they did what they had to! Now that the sword was meant to be stolen, the one stealing the sword should be a hero! How dare you suspect Mommy, Daddy! I don''t want you to send me to school today!" 2 Anthony frowned. He had to soothe his wife, and all of a sudden, he had to coax his son too? "Don¡¯t get involved with adult things," he coldly muttered. "Go to school now." Not giving him any more chance to retort, he then held on to Chris¡¯ small backpack and pulled him out. Charmine saw their backs, and a glint appeared in her eyes. Chris thought the thief was a hero? Promising; she could ask Chris to destroy Anthony''s following investigation. He was indeed her precious treasure! She timed the clock. After making sure Chris had arrived at school and parted with Anthony, she texted Chris, [Momo, I heard what you said in the morning. I agree with you-we''re on the same side!] [Momo: Really? You think so too? Daddy even scolded me for that! He said we can¡¯t steal no matter what. If this happened in Burlington, he must find out the truth to prove to the other countries. He even said we have to conquer others with reasons.] Charmineughed to herself. Did Anthony think so? He said that to soothe a child. Anthony was indeed investigating the matter, but he was more curious about finding out the thief¡¯s identity. It was less about making a statement to the other countries. Charmine then replied, [No matter what Daddy thinks, Momo is correct. When the other side isn''t reasoning, we don''t have to reason. No matter what you want to do, Mommy will support you!] [Really! Momo wants Daddy and his people to fail at finding out any evidence! Is that ok?] came Chris'' reply. Charmine then texted, [Ok. Don''t expose yourself!] [Momo: Thank you, Mommy!] Once she managed to rope Chris into her n, she felt unusually guilty. She was even using a child... 1 However, she had no choice. Once she got hold of the red wolf bone to cure Chris, everything would be fixed. Of course, she had to retrieve the sword first. Since Anthony was not around, she logged into another encrypted system and reeled back the messages. 1 Not long ago, Guy sent her a message that read, (We''ve done what we can. There¡¯s no clue. No footage was found in the forest. We don''t have any evidence.] Charmine frowned. No evidence? 1 It seemed to be a dead end. What else could they do? chapter 979 chapter 979 Charmine then contacted the c team. "Any update?" "We¡¯re about to contact you. After investigating in the forest for a day, we finally found a footprint. ording to the depth and size of the print, the person is an adult male, 1.7 meters tall, weighing fifty kilograms, and has a physique minimal fat and mostly muscles. ording to the sole, it''s a match to the guards of the Warren family. We pulled out an investigation on the Warren family and found out that someone did bring a box into their treasure chamber," answered the team leader. Charmine frowned. ''The Warren family?" The team leader then sent some documents about the Warren family. The Warren family was into biotechnology. They focused on inventing all kinds of advanced medication. The documents had detailed information on each of the family members, and their eldest daughter was married to the Granger family. In other words, the Warren family was rted to the Granger family. Charmine frowned. In this sense, the Warrens should be a loyal and reputable family. Why would they steal the sword? The team leader continued, "After our investigation, we''re suspecting that it''s Guy Granger''s second cousin." Guy''s cousin had always been fooling around aimlessly, stealing collections from his family and selling them out. He once stole an item and sold it to Safford. 1N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Since he went to the Granger mansion quite often, he might have learned about Guy''s n and even stole from him. Charmine thought about it and noted that it was a possibility. The team leader continued, ''Today, Mr. Warren is having a birthday party. His mansion is full of people, and it seems to present a good opportunity. However, he is spoiled by his mother. They installed thetest infrared security system two days ago in his treasure chamber, and we''re not a hundred percent confident..." 1 The team leader felt embarrassed just saying that out loud. The key was that one had to be very flexible in order to bypass the infrared security system. All of the team members were tough and well-built guys. None of them would seed. 1 Charmine frowned. In other words, she had to do it herself. She instructed, "Prepare me with a suitable identity." "Okay." The c team went ahead to search up a suitable identity. It did not take long before they prepared for Charmine a ck, long- sleeved dress and a skin-mask. The mask was of Ann Lewis from a small wealthy family. She was about to attend this party when the c team made her faint silently. 1 After leaving the vi, Charmine got dressed and put on the mask. She sessfully went in with the prepared invitation card. Many women were walking around in skimpy bikinis in the pool area, tantly showing off their bodies. Luckily, Ann was a quiet woman. Nobody really noticed her. Charmine was wearing a long dress. When nobody was watching, she walked to the back of the garden. Little did she expect to see a familiar figure in the garden. It was Guy! Guy was speaking to an elderly woman, his posture upright as he did. 1 Charmine did not expect him to be present. She did not expect to see him at all. She turned and was ready to leave, but the elderly woman saw her. "Miss, could you pleasee over?" Charmine frowned. She called her? She had no choice but to walk over. The elderly woman looked at her from head to toe before she praised with satisfaction, "A good girl, a very good girl! There''re so many people here and only you have clothes on. I like you. Guy, didn''t you have difficulty finding ady? I¡¯ll help you; you two try to get along." 1 As she spoke, she held Charmine''s hand and put it with Guy''s. Charmine jolted and quickly retrieved her hand. chapter 980 chapter 980 If Anthony found out about this, it would be too difficult to exin. Guy also retrieved his hand and said to the elderly woman, "Don¡¯t be so rash, Grandma!" "How am I messing around? You''re twenty-nine! Who''s not married yet at your age? Do you want me to be worried all the time?¡± The elderly woman sounded weary. Guy frowned. Whenever he was put in this situation, he always found himself at a loss for words. Charmine still had other things to attend to, thus she simply found an excuse and said, "Do have some time for yourselves, Grandma Warren. I need to go to the washroom." N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. With that said, she turned to leave. Guy wanted to apologize to her, but she had already left when he turned around, and the sight of her retreating form made him feel some type of way. Sure, he had met Ann before and felt nothing, but seeing her again this time somehow made his heart race and his cheeks growing hotter. It was how he felt when he met Charmine... Was Charmine also informed and came to the Warren mansion to investigate? He said to the elderly woman, "Grandma, I''ll do what I have to. I have things to do, so excuse me." With that said, he patted Grandma Warren''s hand and walked away. Grandma Warren looked at him as he went in the direction of Ann. She was very delighted. This man was finally blooming! He was finally willing to talk to a woman! 1 How delightful! She said to the old maid by her side, "Make sure everything sails smoothly. I want a grandchild next year!" "As you wish!" The old maid agreed and went ahead to help out. Meanwhile... Anthony walked out from the police building and went into his car. Luke was driving as he spoke, "President, the Warren family invited you to their pool party. They said they have a new biotech project for you.¡± 1 "Cancel it," came Anthony''s quick order. Luke continued, "The Grangers will be there as well.¡± Anthony frowned. Currently, there was no evidence or document left at every scene. All they knew was that during the day of the incident, Guy and Charlie snatched the sword once. The sword being missing at night could have things to do with the Granger family. So, the Grangers and Chernys had gotten braver over the years, had they? They were daring enough to steal? He was intrigued to find out. "Make an arrangement." With Luke''s preparation, Anthony walked in through the VIP passageway so that nobody saw him. Senior Warren and Grandma Warren were already waiting for him. They were only trying their luck when inviting him, but never did they expect he would truly show up! "Boss Bailey, have a seat. We''ll show you ourtest biotech proposal right away!" Grandma Warren quickly handed him the proposal with excitement. Luke epted it and handed it to Anthony. Anthony held on the proposal and had a look. He said to them, "I need some alone time to look at it carefully." Senior Warren understood it right away. Of course, this was a big project after all. If they could get the favor from Bailey Corporation to use their resources to promote this to the world, it would greatly benefit the Warren family! 1 The Bailey Corporation had all the important connections and resources for global economies. Senior Warren instantly stood up. "Boss Bailey, do take your time. If you need anything, just ask the maids to find US." With that said, the two of them left the lounge. After they left, Anthony looked away from the proposal. 1 chapter 981 chapter 981 It was far from enough to promote to other countries, even with the added benefits to the pre-existing ones. However, there were indeed some improvements made, and he could aid them or not, but it was not worth spending too much time on. Anthony closed the proposal and observed the situation outside, in the garden. It was empty, without any passersby. Had Guy gone to the pool area? "Luke, inspect the area." ''Yes, Sir!¡¯ Luke walked out and explored the mansion secretly. Meanwhile, Guy''s cousin, Jimmy Warren-tired from ying in the pool- led a model to a spot behind the tree and had some fun. Once they finished, they wanted to rest in the lounge when the butler abruptly stopped him. "Sir, you can''t go in. There''s a major figure inside. Senior Warren instructed that if anyone disturbed him, their leg would be cut off." From N?velDrama.Org. "What kind of major figure?" spoke the nonchnt Jimmy. "Do I even have to make way for him?" 1 "Boss Bailey... The Boss Bailey..." the butler emphasized, stuttering as he did, and Jimmy''s aloof expression shifted at that moment. Boss Bailey? There was only one Boss Bailey in Burlington! Boss Bailey was indeed someone he should not offend. He asked, "Why would he visit the Warren mansion?" Although the Warrens were into biotechnology with over 100 years of history and were of the top three in this industry, they had note anywhere close to the Bailey family. The butler said in a small voice, ''The Warren family''s twotest inventions are trying to get into the international market. They invited Boss Bailey over for that, so today¡¯s incredibly crucial for it.¡± Jimmy frowned. There was such a thing? If the Warrens seeded and got acquainted with someone like Boss Bailey, he could do anything as he pleased! i With a thought, he left right away and said to the assistant by his side," Pick a clean woman and send it to Boss Bailey." Being a man himself, he knew men well. However powerful Anthony was, he was a man. He would think with his lower body. If he could send a woman to sleep with Anthony, pleasing him, they mightnd themselves in his good books. 2 The Warrens had hope! The assistant was terrified, however. "Sir, I...I don''t dare to..." He could be killed if he sent a woman to Boss Bailey! "Go," Jimmy kicked his buttock. "Now!" Meanwhile... After Charmine parted with Grandma Warren, she went to the washroom to fix her makeup, and she only exited after making sure her makeup was still intact. Since most of the people gathered at the pool area, there were less people in the back garden. She easily evaded everyone''s line of sight and got to the treasure chamber. The treasure chamber was a one-story modern design building, built for Jimmy to store his collections. He was spoiled and always bought many expensive items for his collections, though the sources of many of these items were suspicious. Charmine looked around and spotted two guards watching over the treasure chamber. However, this was a small matter to her. She hid behind the tree and took out a pellet she had prepared. She was about to throw it at the guards. It was a high-tech pellet that could emit the sound of footsteps when it bounced off the ground a few times. This would be able to distract the two of them for a while, and she only needed one minute to get inside the treasure chamber. Just as she was about to throw it, however, she felt strangely dizzy. In the blink of an eye, she fell onto the ground and lost consciousness. 1 The moment before she fainted, she took out her needle trying to help herself. However, it was toote, and she did not even have time to send an SOS text. It was a strong dose of medication! Who was it? When did they drug her? chapter 982 chapter 982 Baffled at the sudden turn of events, Charmine did not have enough time to think about it before she fainted. It was not long after that an old maid looked around and eventually spotted Charmine. The maid frowned suspiciously. Why would Ms. Ann faint here? Grandma Warren had tasked her to get Ms. Ann, but this woman had mysteriously fainted before she could do anything. Had Grandma Warren asked others to do it? Though confused, the maid paid not much thought into it-so long as she was unconscious. She quickly went forward and covered Charmine with a bag, pretending to be carrying a heavy bag as she pulled Charmine to a room not far away. 2 On a tree far away, a person was monitoring the situation with a telescope. After making sure Charmine was dragged into a room, his lips curled up with satisfaction as he then sent a text that read, [Madam, the n is working.] 1 Jimmy''s assistant also led a model to a room located at the far end of the building in the backyard. It was leaning onto the mountain with dim lighting. The model was new to the industry, fresh and innocent, clueless to the grim reality of this new world. When she saw the room, she felt unusually nervous. "Sir, didn''t you say you''d be showing me more materials to work with? Why did you bring me here?" "If you seed today, forget materials: you can be a superstar if you want to. Be smart!¡± commented the assistant as he spritzed a mist onto her face. Instantly, the model felt listless and fell. From N?velDrama.Org. The assistant covered her with a bag and was about to carry her away, though nature called and he had to make a quick pit stop at the washroom. He did not notice, however, that there was another person covered in a bag on the sofa by the corner. Charmine fainted for a long while. In a blur, she heard the old maid saying to her, "Ms. Ann, I''m sorry to make you wait. I¡¯ll ask Mr. Guy toe here. It''s your privilege to be able to marry into the Granger family. Do treasure this opportunity." 2 It then clicked for Charmine that it was Grandma Warren''s doing, wanting her to be with Guy! Although Guy would not do anything to her, it was still too risky. She had to avoid this. Although she felt listless and hopeless, she still tried her best to struggle out of the bag. By using force, she lost control and fell to the ground. Concurrently, the model was also attempting to escape despite her dizziness. She knew it would be much harder to escape afterward. She tried her best to roll around, trying to get out of the door. However, she did not realize she was going the wrong way and into a darker corner instead. When the assistant came out of the bathroom, he saw the bag on the floor had rolled to the sofa area. Hoisting her, he pped her and growled," When you see the man you''re about to please, you''ll be thankful and won''t even think of escaping!" Inside the lounge... Anthony had waited a long while for Luke, but as he had yet to report anything back to him, he put down the proposal to walk out. He never expected that the lounge''s curtains were closed, despite only stepping outside for a while. The room was dimly lit with only a pinkmp turned on. The lounge was instantly turned into something else. 1 If one knew about this ce, they would know this was the Warren mansion '' lounge, but any other clueless soul would have thought he had entered a nightclub. On the dimly lit sofa was a woman with her dress torn apart, showing off her long legs. Her cor was torn out as well, and her figure looked incredibly beguiling. When Anthony saw her face, he frowned with displeasure. He instantly wanted to leave. Charmine, carried into the room by Jimmy''s assistant just a few minutes ago, felt like crying as sheid there on the sofa! chapter 983 chapter 983 The assistant was baffled when he, upon taking out the woman from the bag, saw Charmine instead. How did he end up with the wrong woman? Was there another woman in that room? However, it was toote... He heard footstepsing back from not far away. He had to tear out Charmine¡¯s dress and leave in a hurry. Charmine thought it was going to be Guy, but never did she think it would be Anthony instead! She thought she was hallucinating when Anthony''s tall figure came in against the light. Why...would Anthony be here? Why did hee? Just as she was about to call out for help, Anthony looked at her for a second before he instantly turned away, seemingly disgusted. Only then did Charmine recall she was Ann Liam, wearing the skin mask of her face. If Anthony found out she came to the party in a disguise and was framed by someone to be sent to Guy, she would be dead meat! 1 With his back turned to her, Anthony felt awfully disgusted and was about to leave, but he had to get the phone he left on the sofa before he could. The moment he picked up the phone, his gaze turned to the woman''s long legs, and the sight of him aroused a strange feeling in him as if he wanted to... Goodness! Why would he feel such a way about another woman? What was wrong with him? N?velDrama.Org (C) content. He had feelings for Charlie, and all of sudden, he had feelings for an unknown woman? Charmine¡¯s heart thrashed wildly as she saw him standing not far away. It was bad. If Anthony recognized her, she would be screwed! She instantly used a flirty voice to say, "Boss Bailey,e here... I¡¯ll please you right..." She was using Ann''s voice to flirt. Feeling his scalp itching, he instantly took his phone and marched out. Coincidentally, Luke returned as he reported, "President, I looked around and didn''t see anyone from the Granger family. Perhaps they had left...¡± "No need to look further. Tell the Warrens to be careful!" With that said, he did not take another look at the woman and walked out, figure emitting cold anger, 1 When Luke saw the woman inside the lounge, he frowned. "Goodness gracious..." The Warrens were so daring to send Boss a woman? How daring! He instantly left with Anthony. When Charmine saw that Anthony had left, she let out a sigh of relief. Although she wanted Anthony to help her, she could not. She must not let Anthony know she came here in disguise. She could only watch Anthony leave. After recovering, she sent out an SOS message through the bracelet on her wrist. Within ten minutes, the C team would be here. There was no need to let Anthony know... After leaving the Warren mansion, Anthony had a very strange feeling. He did not know why, but he actually had feelings for the woman on the sofa! He even wanted to go back and bring her with him! Curses! What was wrong with him? He fixed his tie and went inside the car. He instructed Luke, "Send me the information about that woman on the lounge." While he should not be checking in on other women behind Charmine''s back, that he had never felt anything for anyone, he was feeling strange recently. He had to tackle the root of the problem! chapter 984 chapter 984 At the Warren mansion. Senior Warren and Grandma Warren anticipated the news on Anthony, but what they heard from Luke instead caught them byplete surprise. They instantly berated Jimmy badly. Jimmy defended himself, "You keep saying how I don''t care, but I¡¯m just trying to help! Who would¡¯ve thought Anthony Bailey is no man-¡± p! Grandma Warren swung her palm across his cheek before he could finish his sentence. "How dare you speak like this! Have you not caused us enough trouble? Do you know who Boss Bailey is? He¡¯s engaged to the princess in Kansas! Why would he fall for a model? Do you think everyone is just like you!?¡± ''The Warren family is screwed. We¡¯re screwed! You actually sent Boss Bailey a model, and that''s practically an insult to him!" Senior Warren saw red, wanting nothing more than to smack Jimmy. 1 Jimmy mumbled, "She¡¯s not a model. I was going to send a model, but somehow it turned out to be Ann... She¡¯ss from a wealthy family, so how''s that an insult...?¡± Grandma Warren''s eyelids jumped. "What did you say? Ann? You sent Ann to Boss Bailey?¡± "Yeah. My assistant is a good-for-nothing guy. I don''t know how he messed it up." Jimmy kicked his assistant. Panicking, Grandma Warren instantly called out, "Go and look for Guy in the garden room! Now!" She had sent Guy to the garden room, wanting him to be with Ann, but if Ann was sent to Anthony, then Guy would be with the model instead...! How would a family like the Granger family ept a model?! Someone came in at that moment and reported, "Madam, Mr. Granger is fuming. He said he can¡¯t ept what the Warren family is doing, and he won''t being back to..." Grandma Warren jolted and staggered. The Warren family still needed the support from the Grangers, yet on this day, they had offended both the Baileys and the Grangers... i Impossible! ''Where''s he? I need to see Guy," she fretted. ''This is a misunderstanding. I was trying to match him up with Ms. Ann, not the model!" Guy came from the army, and he loathed cheap tricks like this. She muste clean to him quickly. Senior Warren held on to her. "Hold on. Just ask Guy¡¯s mother to talk some sense into him afterward. We must sort out the situation with Boss Bailey. We need to let him know that the woman we sent was Ann." From N?velDrama.Org. Grandma Warren realized the difference as well. Sending a model to Anthony was very different from sending Ann Liam to Anthony. They had to go with the mistake... Since only a few people knew about this, they all kept it a secret, i Anthony sat in the car and read through Ann''s information, one that Luke had prepared for him. He frowned. As strange as it was, he felt nothing as he gazed at the woman in the photo, but he felt some type of way for that samess on the sofa... It had been so strangetely. At Violet Residence. Waverly heard the updates of the situation, and her red lips curled up with satisfaction. Turning to the real ann beside her, she spoke, "Don''t worry. I saved you, so I won''t harm you. Also, I admire your embroidery skill. I wonder if you could make me one?" 1 "Of...of course..." Ann nodded while shivering. Arranged by her family to attend the Warrens'' party, one that she refused to go to, she somehow fainted on the way there. When she woke up again, she saw that Waverly had saved her. Being in close proximity with a renowned figure such as her intimidated her. She politely epted the strings and cloth to start embroidering. Waverly watched her as her eyes gleamed with schemes and pleasure. If Anthony found out that Ann spent a whole day here, he would realize that the Ann in Warren mansion was someone else. Waverly had been plotting this for a long time, and it was finally time for things to work... Meanwhile, at the Warren mansion... i Half an hour ago, Guy was asked toe to the garden room, but he sensed that something was not right, so he left quickly. chapter 985 chapter 985 Coincidentally, Guy saw Jimmy''s assistant bringing another woman into the lounge. He went into the lounge the moment Anthony had left. Who would have thought that it was Ann! N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. He instantly used a nket to cover her up. He tried to ask, "Charmine, is that you?" Noticing how Guy was spot-on with his guess, she did not bother to hide it. "It''s me." Guy was shocked. He asked her out of suspicion, never truly expecting it was her! It made sense how he felt something was off just by staring at her back. He felt guilty at the thought of how she was drugged and sent to this ce. "I''m sorry for what my Grandma had done. I''ll make sure she apologizes to you!" "No need. I came here today in hopes of finding out if they have the sword in the treasure chamber. No need to cause a scene"mented Charmine as she tried her best to regain her energy. Of course, she did not know what drug they had used against her, and her body still felt weak even after so long. Guy quickly said, "I''ll send you out. I''ll find out about the sword." ''You won¡¯t be able to. I need to do it myself." Charmine thought of the C team''s report, and she knew Guy would not be able to get inside the treasure chamber. She would meet another dead-end if they drew any unnecessary attention. "Help me get my needles," she requested instead, "it should be on the floor." ''You mean this needle bag?" Guy handed the bag to Charmine. He happened to see the bag on the floor as he wasing in. Charmine was delighted. It was indeed her needle pack! With the needles, she would be able to detox herself. She lifted her hand to receive it, but the nket covering her fell to the floor, and as Guy was sitting beside her, he identally saw her long legs and the torn-open cor. He blushed again, quickly shutting his eyes as he turned around. "I''m sorry." i His tone was awkward and guilty. "It''s okay,¡± came Charmine¡¯s cold reply. "Step out, I need some time." She took out the needles and tried to prick at the right spot, but she was still weak and she had no energy. Her hand that held on the needle quavered persistently. In such a state, she would need a long while before she could urately prick at the right spot. Guy was about to go out when he noticed her hand shivering. "I can help you," he offered, i Charmine frowned. Help her? Eyes still shut, he then continued, "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll close my eyes the whole time. I''ll only help you stabilize the needle." 1 Seeing that her hand was shaking, Charmine knew she could not urately needle at the right spots anyway. It was important for the needle to be ced at the right spot. The longer it took, the harder it would be for her to detox. "Okay," she relented, and Guy then knelt before the sofa with his eyes shut. With the long needle, Charmine held on the bottom of the needle while Guy held on the upper end. He was stabilizing the needle from shaking. With his help, Charmine managed to urately execute the needle at the first spot. They then went to the second spot, then the third... Charmine was too focused on detoxifying herself that she did not notice the pinhole camera by the corner, capturing everything. 3 She only knew that if Anthony found out about this, he would be so mad at her! 1 Reluctant was she as it all happened, but she had no choice. He had to help her detoxify herself. Nheless, she would be able toe clean to Anthony once she retrieved the sword again. chapter 986 chapter 986 Charmine carefully pricked each needle into her body. Guy, who knelt beside her, could feel her hard work and dedication. She could have left and returned once she recovered, but she insisted on staying and held herself together. Guy had never seen any woman who was as dedicated. Furthermore, they were so close to one another, and he could smell the unique feminine scent from her. He had a feeling that he had not felt before arousing in him. i His face was hot and his ears were red. Charmine did not notice it all, however, as she continued to put in thest needle. The nine needles on her figure vibrated non-stop. Gradually, the toxin in her body was removed as she recovered, and her blood returned to its healthy regtion as usual. She was as good as before. Charmine sat up from the sofa and removed the needles swiftly. "Let''s move," she prompted as she poked one end of a string to a needle to sew up a dress. The tear was effectively sewn, leaving no trace of the tear on the ck dress, and the sewed-up opening made the dress even more unique. After working on it, she packed up her needles and walked out. Guy snapped back to reality as he quickly followed after her. "Is there something I can help you with?" "Cover me; I need to get to the treasure chamber. If someonees over, try to buy me some time," spoke Charmine as she walked toward the treasure chamber. i Guy did not expect himself to be someone''s cover-up, but he was willing to because it was her. He quickly went forward then. The two walked in the empty alley and, meanwhile, the Warrens were still thinking of ways to appease Anthony and teach Jimmy a lesson. All the maids also knew how the Warrens had offended Boss Bailey. They knew something bad was coming, and they were busy enough that nobody noticed this alley. Both Charmine and Guy sessfully arrived at the treasure chamber. The two guards were not there, to their surprise. The guards seemed to be somewhere else. Charmine turned around to instruct Guy, "I¡¯ll go in now. Tell me if someone ising." "Okay." Guy nodded. Charmine did not take long before arriving at the door of the chamber and unlocked it. She went in sideways and closed the door behind her. The treasure chamber was like a library with treasures instead of books ced on the shelves. There were rings, nes, and out-of-print money. There were hundreds of shelves going inward, and she could not tell if the sword was in here. With that, Charmine took out her special sunsses and wore them, allowing her to see infrared lines in space. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. People would surelye rushing in if the lines so much so graze her. Charmine tied up her dress and walked inside. She had to bend, lower her body, jump, and move nimbly like a cat. 2 After passing through, she finally arrived at a step by the wall. The wall had a control system attached to it. 1 She worked on it swiftly. With a beep, the rm system waspletely turned off. She could atst move freely in this secret treasure without needing to worry about rms. Charmine removed her special sses and walked around the shelves to look closely. After approximately five minutes, she saw a ck box by the corner of a shelf. It was the box of the sword. It was really in here! As she was about to march over, there were footsteps behind her. She looked around to see Guy. 1 "Why did youe in?" chapter 987 chapter 987 "Grandma and the rest are passing by. They¡¯re bringing Jimmy to the prayer hall, so they won''te in,¡± answered Guy. He only made sure of that beforeing in. Charmine heard soundsing from the outside. However, the sound gradually faded away and nobody came in. She sighed in relief afterward. "Let''s check out if the sword has any problem." As she spoke, she walked over with Guy following her. The two of them worked together to open up the box. It was empty inside! N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Empty! This was only an empty box, and the sword was taken! How could that be? Were they trapped? Just as she was deducing the situation, a loud sound was heard as the floor they stood on broke. Before Charmine and Guy could react, they fell into the basement below. Everything was happening too abruptly and they had no time to react. 1 Guy only reacted secondster when he rolled over to let Charmine fall onto him. Coincidentally, Charmine fell onto him and Guy made a sound, though he did not feel the pain. i He could clearly feel Charmine''s body on top of his; it was an experience he had never had before, i His face turned hot, his ears red, and his temperature skyrocketed. Charmine quickly reacted and instantly got off him. She asked, "Are you okay?" "Y...Yes." Guy snapped out of his daze and mentally pped himself. How could he be this way...? How could he have fantasized about her body? What a brute! Charmine, meanwhile, paid him no mind as she eyed her surroundings. This was an ice-cold basement with a temperature about 12 degrees Celsius. Cold air circted in the space as if it was winter, i Cold. Very cold. There was no window in the basement, and there were only a few holes on the ceiling that allowed dim light toe in from above. Since Charmine had turned off the power, there was no light and she could not see any more switches. Charmine frowned. It seemed hard to get out, and they might need some time to search around. That would not do, however, and she had to quickly find a way out before she died of hypothermia! 1 She was walking around and searching the surroundings, though her head was filled with questions and doubts. Who was it that wanted to frame her? Why did they want her to fall in here? Was it the Warrens? She had never offended the Warrens before. Was this a way of Jimmy keeping the sword safe? That it was not against her specifically but against anyone who tried to steal this sword? Why, then, was the box empty? Just as she racked her brain for an answer, a warm jacket was abruptly draped over her. Charmine turned back to see Guy had removed his jacket and ced it on her. She quickly took it down and gave it back. "No, thank you." "It''s too cold in here-you¡¯ll catch a cold," said Guy. She was only wearing an autumn long-sleeve dress, and the cor opened in a square opening, showing her corbone and neck. It was too chilly. Charmine insisted that he take back his jacket. "No need, you put it back on. I''m not cold." Even if she was cold, she dared not to wear Guy¡¯s jacket. If Anthony found out, then... The thought of Anthony suddenly raised a vague thought. chapter 988 chapter 988 However, the thought quickly escaped her. She did not seem to have grasped it. What was what? What did she miss? However, this was unimportant. The most important thing was to get out of the basement. Despite her confusion, she continued to search for switches in this wine cer. Guy, on the other hand, was disappointed when she rejected his jacket, even though it was awfully cold. 1 What did he do wrong? Why did Charmine always reject him? Was it because he came too close to her after they fell down, that she kept her distance from him? Was she possibly upset that it was because his Grandma framed her? With those thoughts in mind, he watched as Charmine looked around and suddenly made a very important decision. After he took a deep breath and made a mental preparation, he said, "Ms...Ms. Jordan, I¡¯ll be responsible to you." Charmine, who diligently searched for a in every corner she could, was dumbfounded to hear his sudden confession. She looked at him confusingly. "What are you saying?" Guy''s face flushed red. Luckily, the light was dim here and Charmine could not see it. He clenched his sweaty hands, strangely so even though it was wintry cold. He had lived for 29 years, and he had never been so strung up. After being nervous for a long while, he finally had the courage to say, "My Grandma harmed you, and I saw things I shouldn''t be seeing, just now..." She was pressed on top of him when they fell. His face was even redder at the memory, and he was too embarrassed to say it out loud. 2 He could only look at her and say, "Don''t worry, I¡¯ll be responsible to you. I''ll discuss it with Uncle Hugh right away and I''ll marry you officially." It was only then that realization dawned on her. So, just because he had seen her clothes torn out and cushioned her when she fell, he felt obliged to be responsible to her? Anthony was just like that. Were men these days even more narrow-minded than her? "Mr. Granger, you''re thinking too much," she said patiently. "I don''t need you to be responsible, and you don''t have to feel guilty either." "But..." Guy frowned. He had never been so close to the opposite gender from a young age. To him, after so many intimate contacts, he must be responsible to this woman. 1 He looked at Charmine. "I should be responsible. Everything that happened today was caused by me. I''m willing to be responsible." "But I''m not willing! This is a small ident, and there''s no need to tie knots together out of a small ident. Furthermore, you''re the heir of the Granger family. Don¡¯t let this small thing determine your future happiness," asserted Charmine before walking away to another side and resumed her search for a switch. 1 Without her phone and even a good enough source of light, she could only search randomly. Guy frowned. She thought he wanted to marry her merely out of a sense of responsibility? This should not end this way. Guy gazed at her from behind, her hair flowing as she exuded a very cold temperament. 1 This figure was somehow engraved in his heart. Perhaps it was when she kicked the guards outside the gate. Perhaps it was when Charlie fell into his arms. Perhaps it was when he sat behind her in the motorbike and held on to her waist... No matter what, it was not only the sense of responsibility. He clenched his fists tightly and looked at her. "Charmine, I''m not trying to marry you out of these small incidents. I ..J truly admire you, Ms. Jordan, and I like you..." N?velDrama.Org (C) content. He had to say this with the greatest courage he had ever mustered, and he dared not look at her face after proiming such bold words, head lowered as he did. 2 Charmine, who was still looking for a clue, suddenly jolted. chapter 989 chapter 989 What did she just hear? Did Guy just confess to her? Charmine turned toward Guy and noticed how awkward he seemed. Judging by his behavior, he seemed to have fallen for her... She suddenly recalled how he had been protective over her for the past few days. Since she was only concerned about getting the sword and the red wolf''s bone, she did not pay much notice to him. Goodness... She effectivelynded herself in hot soup, i As the realization jolted her, she looked at Guy seriously and asked, "Guy, do you know why I''m working so hard to get the sword? Do you know why I want the Cherny family''s approval?" Guy frowned. He felt an uneasiness that he had not felt before. He had a feeling that whatever he was about to be told, he would not be able to ept it... i As expected, Charmine continued sternly, "I''ll be frank with you: I¡¯m married and have gotten my marriage certificate. I also have a five-year-old child." 3 Guy''s tall and well-built body jolted. He felt as if he was struck by lightning. She was married and had a five-year-old child? I¡ªImpossible! He had checked her background in the past few days. She had broken up with Julian and was not married... The surge of courage that suddenly overtook him made him meet her gaze as he spoke, "Ms. Jordan, I know you''re not married. Is this just an excuse to reject me?" "No, it¡¯s not. I¡¯m secretly married due to some special reasons; we don¡¯t want others to know. The reason I need the bone to cure the strange mdy my child has been diagnosed with. Only this bone can save him. The reason I need to earn the Cherny family¡¯s approval is that the child''s father is a well- known figure, and his family doesn¡¯t approve of a small family like the Jordans. I have to earn the Chernys ¡¯ approval so that I''d be approved of his family. This is all so that I can be with him." 1 Charmine spoke clearly, one word at a time without holding anything back. After saying that, she looked Guy in the eye. "Don''t fall for me, and don''t think of being responsible to me. I don''t need it. I swear with my life about what I just said. It''s true. If you don''t believe me, I''ll bring you to him after we get out of here." Guy was shocked and was transfixed on the spot. His tall and well-built figure was stunned as if he was frozen. The news hit him so harshly that he could notprehend it. She was actually married and even had a child! N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. She came to the Cherny mansion just to help her husband... It was so rare that he fell for another woman, yet she was married to another man... Guy experienced a feeling he had never felt before. It was as if his chest was cut open by a knife. 1 Pain. Incredibly painful. He found it hard to breathe. Charmine saw the look in his eyes. She wanted tofort him but did not know what to say. She did not expect Guy would fall for her after just knowing him for two days... Fall for her... This thought slipped past her mind. Suddenly, the rm bell rang in her head loudly. The thought that she did not grasp on suddenly resurfaced, and she realized then. She finally realized why she ended up in this space-why she and Guy fell into this basement! Oh, no! She had fallen into a trap from the start! She had to rush and meet Anthony as soon as possible! chapter 990 chapter 990 Meanwhile, at Violet Residence... Anthony was busy the entire day. When he came back to the vi, he saw Waverly sitting on the sofa. He took no notice of her as he walked inside. Waverly¡¯s face stiffened. She made the effort to put on a nice-looking azure blue dress, a limited edition from a luxury brand. Once she wore the dress, she even put on delicate makeup to make her seem even more elegant as if she was a mermaid from a fairy tale. She even stunned herself as she gazed at her reflection in the mirror. 2 She sat on the sofa as she waited for him. Who would have thought that Anthony would ignore her? She bit back her bitterness as she stood up and walked toward Anthony. "Mr. Bailey, I embroidered you a sachet. It has a unique scent only avable in Kansas. If you keep this with you, it''ll help you in improving your sleep," she spoke as she handed him a sachet. The sachet was also azure blue, only the size of a thumb. There was a phoenix embroidered on it, and it looked exquisite. However, Anthony did not even look at it nor did he turn back to her. He walked toward the staircase. It was as if he did not hear Waverly speak. Even if he heard, he nked herpletely. 1 Waverly''s face turned green. She had lowered her standards to live in this vi for so long, yet even with all that, Anthony still had no feelings toward her. He had not changed! Well, he must not me her for what she would do! She said abruptly, "Charmine isn¡¯t home; she has gone out. She went out right after you left in the morning." Anthony frowned. She went out? However, that did make sense. She had manypanies with different matters to take care of. Waverly continued, "Does Mr. Bailey actually thinks she''s busy with her work? Have you not noticed that she¡¯s been acting weirdtely? I''m sure you''d be quite interested to have a look at these photos." 1 As she spoke, she walked forward and handed a phone to Anthony. The phone''s gallery was filled with photos that he could see once he clicked it open. Anthony eyed the phone when, out of the blue, the door was kicked open. The two of them turned to the door. Charmine was in her long-sleeved ck dress. Some alterations were made to the original dress, and a hint of personal touch was added to the dress. She stood before the door, exuding a wild temperament. She marched forward and snatched the phone from Waverly, smashing it against the floor. N?velDrama.Org (C) content. Waverly reeled back in utter shock, caught off-guardpletely. 1 Charmine was that vulgar that she broke her phone! She was that vulgar, even in front of Anthony?! She only found her voice after a long while, and she smiled coldly as she spoke, "Charmine, do you think I don''t have a backup after you crashed my phone? Do you think Anthony will never find out what you did?" "Stay away from our matters. We don''t need you to get involved!" Charmine scoffed arrogantly before turning toward Anthony. "I have some personal issues to speak to her, but I''ll exin everything to you tonight," she said. "Until then, I hope you can trust and respect me. I want to tell you everything in person." With that said, she grabbed Waverly by her cor and pulled her into a room. 1 Waverly wanted to struggle, but she did not have as much strength as Charmine. Seeing that she was about to get dragged into a room, she roared out loudly, "Anthony, Charmine cheated on you! She and another man... Argh!" chapter 991 chapter 991 Charmine dragged Waverly into the room before Waverly could finish her sentence. Bam! The door was shut. By the staircase, Anthony¡¯s well-built figure remained transfixed as his face stiffened. What did Waverly say? Charmine cheated on him? What did she do with another man? i Why was Charmine so nervous? Why did she smash Waverly1 s phone? Was she guilty? Luke walked in and asked, "President, would you like to fix the phone? Or have a look at the CCTV inside the room?" Anthony''s gaze turned to the shattered phone and then at the tightly shut door. N?velDrama.Org (C) content. With just a nod, he would learn the truth. However, Charmine wanted him to trust her. She wanted to tell her in person. Inside the room... Charmine tossed Waverly on the floor, who quickly stood up and red at Charmine. "Charmine, what are you doing? Are you guilty? Scared? Do you know who I am? How dare you attack me? Have you thought of the oue?" "Hah. I''m not only attacking you, I''m going to p you!" Charmine swung her palm and pped her squarely across her cheek. 1 p! The force sent her flying, and her cheek burned at the sheer brunt. She fell on the floor again as she covered her face in pain, ring daggers at Charmine as she did. "How dare you p me! You''ll die for this, Charmine!" "Ha! So what if I p you? You''ve done such horrible and cruel things, and pping you is nothing in comparison!" Charmine met the intensity of Waverly¡¯s gaze coldly. Waverly, who was just about to make a phone call, frowned when she heard Charmine''s words. "I don''t know what you''re talking about! You''re the one doing horrible things! How dare you cheat on Anthony with another man? You''re the horrible one!" 1 "If you hadn¡¯t framed me from the start, would I have done so? Waverly, do you think I''m an idiot? Do you think I don''t know your n?" Charmine red at her with her chin held high, her lips curled up coldly. Waverly halted. Charmine knew her n? Charmine scoffed, "You wanted the seniors of the Bailey family to deny Anthony to be with me from the very start. You even used the red wolf bone as a bait to bring me to the Cherny mansion and went as far as arranging the guards at the Cherny mansion with the aim of creating a bad impression of me toward the Chernys. After that, when I went to the expo, you arranged for someone to take photos, and Guy came to the Safford base because you told him. When we''re in the forest, a henchman of yours stole the sword when I fainted, making it seem as though the Warrens were involved, so I went to their mansion. You knew that Guy''s grandmother wants him to get married, so you used Grandma Warren to match me up with Guy. You then made us fall into the underground cer. You''re horrendous! I might still be stuck in that basement if I hadn''t realized your n now. I might even have to embrace Guy out of the cold while you take photos of us for Anthony, probably even bringing him to the basement to catch us!" 2 Charmine¡¯s every word was confidently articted. Waverly sat on the floor and there was a look of shock on her face. She did not expect Charmine to have figured it out. Charmine actually knew She had nned this for so long. What if Charmine ruined it? 1 She did not want to lose! chapter 992 chapter 992 Waverly stood up from the floor. She tried her best to maintain a cold smile. "Charmine, what you said are just your spections. You''re pushing it to me when you¡¯re the one in the wrong! I just managed to get some photos and wanted to show them to Anthony out of kindness. Don''t forget: These photos still exist no matter what you say or however you try to frame me. You did have intimate moments with Guy! If you dare, you''ll let me go out and show these photos to Anthony! You''re stopping me because you''re guilty!" i "Ha! I don''t need you to remind me! I''ll tell him what he should know. You, on the other hand..." Charmine''s figure screamed violence as her fingers moved. Instantly, a silver needle stealthily pricked into Waverly''s body, and she suddenly felt a sharp pain that coursed throughout her body as she stood. The excruciating pain felt like a knife was stabbed into her body, and it was as if a churning machine was trying to cut her body in pieces. "Argh!" She moaned out in pain as she curled up, helplessly clutching her abdomen. "Ch...Charmine... What did you do to me?!" i "I merely used a needle to prick on your deadly spot! If you don''t return the sword, you''ll suffer in pain that will only prolong every day until you rot to death!¡± snapped the merciless Charmine. 1 She pulled Waverly in the room so she could retrieve the sword! As long as she returned the sword to the Cherny mansion andpleted the mission before Anthony realized the entire n, she could atst obtain the red wolf bone. She could thene clean to Anthony afterward! Waverly knew what Charmine wanted. She repressed her pain and red back at Charmine coldly. "Charmine, do you think you can control me this way? Don''t forget that the D''Cruz family is rich with medicinal knowledge! It''s just one needle, and I have ways of extracting it! For what you''ve done to me today, I want you to feel worse than death!" i She then picked up her phone on the floor and phoned Max, but just as he answered, Charmine smiled coldly. "The deadly point is the most unique acupoint in the body. If you cut it open and bring it out, not only will you get a scar on your stomach, but the needle is now in your vein, and you''ll die from massive blood loss if your vein is cut open!" i Waverly''s hand that held her phone shook. N?velDrama.Org (C) content. Scar...and die from massive blood loss...? "No! You''re lying to me, Charmine!" On the other side of the phone, Max growled, "How can you be so cruel, Charmine, how can you be so cruel?! How dare you do this to the heiress of the D''Cruz family! I want you dead!" ''You two are the cruel ones from the get-go. I''m giving you half an hour to send the sword to the Cherny mansion! If not, once it''s past half an hour, even if you agree by then, I won''t help her to get the needle out!" sneered Charmine heartlessly. Waverly and Max gasped at the same time. Half an hour? The sword was indeed with Max, but even if he left quickly, it would take him half an hour to get there! Charmine even timed it precisely! Waverly was about to speak when she suddenly felt the sharp pain all over again. "Argh!" She was in so much pain that she could not maintain her image anymore as she rolled on the floor. Her forehead was coated with sweat within just a short while as her hair and clothes were drenched with sweat. She looked like a woman who had just given birth, i Charmine then warned her out of ''kindness'', "Oh, right, I forgot to tell you. If I don''t remove the needle from you, you''ll feel a sharp pain like what you''re experiencing all over your body every two minutes." chapter 993 chapter 993 "Any second wasted is your loss!" Waverly was in so much pain that she nearly lost her senses as she rolled on the floor, whimpering as she did. Max, hearing it all from the other end of the call, felt his heart wrenched at the sound. A momentter, he conceded, "Okay! I''ll send the sword right away! You must take out the needle from her now!" "Apologies, I must verify the sword to make sure it''s legit," remarked Charmine. Waverly and Max were furious but they had no other choice... Waverly''s life was in Charmine''s hands-a second dy meant more pain for Waverly. Max dared not to waste anymore time as he instantly hung up and left with the sword. Waverly, meanwhile, wanted to stop him but she was in too much pain. She had not felt so much pain in her life. The pain was so overwhelming that she could not even utter one word. She could only grasp at her stomach in hopes of relieving the pain, even if just a little. i Charmine red at her. "Before Ie back, do savor this moment. This is the price you¡¯re paying for what you did to me in the past few days!" After scoffing that, Charmine walked out and locked the door from the outside. For safety purposes, she put on an extra lock. At that moment, Anthony was sitting on the sofa in the living room as he glowered. Charmine''s words still rang in his head, and he recalled how Chamine crashed the phone. She was hiding things from him. Charmine momentarily jolted when she spotted him, but she still walked toward him nheless. "Anthony, I need to go out. I''ll fix it within an hour ande home. Before then, I hope you don''t listen to what others say, especially Waverly. When Ie back, I''ll tell you everything. If you don''t listen to me, we might have to break up.¡± Anthony frowned. Break up? The matter was that severe? Charmine came up to him andnded a kiss on his forehead before she solemnly spoke, "Please remember what I say. I hope you don''t listen to what others say. Wait for me toe back." With that said, she took the car key and walked out. Anthony gazed as she walked away, eyes darkening as he did. He could hear Waverly constantly banging the door from inside the room. His hand stiffened, but he remained seated. Chris happened to return home when Charmine went out, and she reached out to ruffle his head. "Momo, Mommy has an urgent matter to attend to. You take care of your Daddy in the meanwhile, and don''t let him speak to that ''nobody1 or anyone else!" "Alrighty!" Chris nodded diligently. After getting inside the car, she drove away at high speed. As long as she took back the sword and handed it to the Cherny family, she could get the red wolf bone to cure Chris! She had decided atst that she would officiate her rtionship with Anthony after this day. They could not go on like this anymore. 1 Meanwhile, at the Granger mansion... Upon returning home, Guy went at it at the sandbag in the training base. Beads of sweat dribbled non- stop as his clothes were drenched. 1 N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Dior stood by him as she asked, confused, "Brother, what are you doing? You''ve been punching for two hours! What made you so angry? What actually happened?" Guy said nothing as he continued to swing his fists at the bag. A hundred kilograms of sandbag was sent flying two meters away. It was apparent that Guy was taking out his anger. chapter 994 chapter 994 Dior frowned. She had never seen Guy in such a state before; he had always kept himself in check from a young age. Nothing could make him lose his cool other than some official matters. Worried about her brother, she then tried to find a topic. "Brother! I''m talking to you! Are you upset? Why don''t we go out for a drink? Don''t you have a new friend? You haven¡¯t introduced that Charlie guy to me!¡± i Guy''s body stiffened when she mentioned Charlie. His eyes showed how much pain he was in. His voice was hoarse and thick as he replied, "He won''t come back. We can''t be friends..." She told him she had a child and a husband; he stood no chance at all. Everything she did in the past two days was for her family. He thought he met the one, yet she was impossible to be with... Frowning, Dior grabbed at Guy''s hand. "Brother, what do you mean? What happened to Charlie? What happened?" Guy did tell her that Charlie was a woman in disguise. Of course, she did not believe him. How could there be such a handsome and bold woman in the world? She conducted her own investigation on the matter and eventually found out that Charlie indeed existed and he was a man. Dior thus thought Guy lied to her and did not want her to get close to Charlie. When she heard about Charlie, she was nervous and felt her heart in her throat. Guy, however, was not in the mood to exin. He pushed her away and continued to punch at the sandbag. Thomp! Thomp! Thomp! The sandbag shook vigorously. Dior saw how emotional Guy was, and she frowned deeply. "Brother! What actually happened? Why won''t Charliee back? Why can''t you be friends with him? Weren''t you two close? Did something happen to him? Is he heard? Does he have cancer? Is he...dead...?" 3 She slowly broke down into tears as she spoke before she ran toward Guy, blocking him from the punching bag. "I won¡¯t let you punch if you don''t exin. Punch me if you dare-argh!" Guy had swung his jab at Dior''s arm before she even finished. He did not expect Dior to run over; he was not quick enough to react. Dior was sent flying away by the impact, i Thomp! She fell onto the grass. "Dior!" Finally regaining his senses, Guy instantly rushed over to help her. Dior pulled on his arm. "Brother, tell me: what''s the matter with Charlie?!" Her eyes were filled with worry and uneasiness. Seeing her eyes, Guy eventually began after a long while of silence, "I didn''t lie to you the other day. What I said was true." Dior frowned. Was it true? Was Charlie truly a woman in disguise? Impossible... Guy sat down beside her and told her everything from the beginning before he concluded, "She did everything to gain the support from Cherny family and get the red wolf bone. She has a child and a husband. When we parted today, she wanted me to get over her and stop having any hope at all, or I¡¯d be her burden..." He recalled Charmine''s cold and decisive expression and his heart twitched in pain again... Listening to Guy¡¯s exnation, Dior was stunned silent, unable to believe it. Charlie truly was a woman in disguise... Charlie was someone her brother liked! It made sense after all... No wonder Guy always protected Charlie... He acted differently around Charlie... s, she truly stood no chance with this handsome young man anymore... No more... N?velDrama.Org (C) content. How rare it was for her to fall for a guy, and he turned out to be a woman! She wanted to cry, and cry she did as she flung herself into Guy''s arms and started wailing. Affected by her emotions, he began to sob as well. 1 An adult man like him was tearing up. Dior sobbed for quite a while before easing up. chapter 995 chapter 995 When Dior saw how her usually emotionally stable brother cried and sobbed before her, she was worried. She had never seen her brother this upset. This was her brother¡¯s first love! No. She had to think of a way to help her brother. Since her crush did not be her boyfriend, she wanted this woman to be her sister-inw! With a thought in mind, she instantly stood up and ran away. Guy watched her running away, thinking she was just very upset and did not go after her. As heid on the grass and closed his eyes, he saw Charmine''s smile and action reying in his head. He decided to do sit-ups in an attempt to distract himself with exercises. At the gate of the Cherny mansion. Charmine pulled over and saw that Max was already waiting for her there. She walked over and asked coldly, ''Where''s the sword?" A bodyguard walked over and opened the box for her to examine. There was a swordying inside the box. Max red at her. ''The sword is here. You have to go back and treat Waverly right now!" "Apologies, but I''m now holding the upper hand, and you don''t have the right to instruct me!" With that said, Charmine walked over and reached out to get the box from the bodyguard. The bodyguard held on to the box and looked at Max. Max''s expression contorted bitterly, but at the thought of the pained Waverly, he had to nod. The bodyguard let go. Charmine thus took the sword and walked into the Cherny mansion. The guards by the gate knew her and thus did not stop her from entering. In the training base, the seven sons were hanging upside down as they did difficult sit-ups. When they saw Charmine, Steve frowned. "Why is this woman here? Didn''t we say that she''s not allowed toe in anymore!?" "Don''t speak yet. Soon, you''ll look at her differently!" said Phil smilingly as he jumped down from the bar and made his way toward her. "Charmine, why did youe? Is that the sword?" "Yes, this is the actual one. Where''s your father?" asked Charmine. "He''s inside. Let''s go, I''ll bring you to him," assured Phil as he led Charmine inside. The other six men watched on and exchanged nces with one another, i Did their eyes y tricks on them? Why was Phil so friendly toward Charmine all of a sudden? Did he not scorn Charmine before? Charmine, meanwhile, ignored their gazes as she walked inside. Hugh was on a call when they came in, and he hung up for them. "Charmine, you came." "Yeah, I brought it in exchange for the red wolf bone,¡± said Charmine as she handed the box and opened it. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Shock and excitement rushed within Hugh as he saw the swordying inside the box. This was indeed the sword that belonged to the Cherny family. They had looked for it for so long, and it was finally returned to them! i He asked with disbelief, "How did you get it? Did it not disappear without a trace?" "It''s a long story, but that''s no matter as long as I get it back. I have other things to attend to, and I hope Mr. Cherny will keep your word," Charmine reminded him. 1 Hugh halted and covered up the box. He then handed it to Phil. Phil knew that they had to talk, so he epted the box and walked out. There were only the two of them left in the room. Hugh looked at Charmine and said, "Charmine, I remember the promise. However, I''m very sorry, I can''t give you the red wolf bone yet.¡± 2 What? Why? chapter 996 chapter 996 Charmine frowned. She asked suspiciously, "Why?'' ''To be honest with you, that red wolf bone doesn¡¯t just belong to the Chernys; me and Guy''s father found it. However, he''s mostly at sea, so the bone is kept in the Cherny mansion. I phoned them up earlier to let them know that I''m giving the bone to you, and while they agreed to it, you''ll have to marry Guy,¡± Hugh exined patiently. 2 Charmine''s eyes narrowed. To get married to Guy? "Not happening. Mr. Cherny, I told you on the first day that I was married with a child." ''That¡¯s why I said that I can''t let you have it for now. You need to think it through," replied Hugh. Charmine clenched her fists. 1 That meant they would not give her the red wolf bone until she married Guy, did it not? How was she supposed to exin everything to Anthony without the bone? 1 She asked, "Didn''t you tell the Grangers about my past? I told Guy that we won''t work out. The Grangers deserve someone better." "Charmine, what era are we in? The Grangers aren''t narrow-minded people. They checked on you and said you have potential. They admire independent women like you, and they don''t mind about your family or your past with Julian. As for your rtionship with Anthony, they knew that the child isn''t yours. Even if he is, the Grangers voiced out, The woman that even Anthony fell for is unique.'' They want you. So, I think..." 1 Hugh sighed. "I''m stuck in the middle. I''m a man of my word, but they took the bone away. If you don¡¯t want to be with Guy, the Cherny family will owe you a favor." 2 N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. His tone was hopeless and apologetic. If Hugh was the one not letting her have the bone, Charmine could still beat him up. However, Hugh made it clear that he did not have a say in this. What else could she say? "I understand," came her simple reply. With that, she turned and walked away. Hugh gazed at her back as he called out, "You can consider Guy, Charmine. He''s a good man. The Granger family is of the national navy service. They''re good people, unlike the Baileys. Being with Guy will make you happier than being with Anthony." 2 Charmine did not even turn back as she marched out, only speaking with conviction as she got to the gate, ''There are many good men in the world, and I can only love one!" 1 Her cold tone was wild and arrogant. Phil was eavesdropping outside. He did not expect Charmine toe out so soon saying that. His respect for her instantly heightened. This cousin of his truly was admirable! Not only was she beautiful, but she had a stunning personality and a bold way with her words! So many people in the world dreamt of marrying Guy, yet Charmine was unwilling to and stayed loyal? Goodness. What an idol! Charmine drove out of the Cherny mansion, restless as she did. She failed to get the bone. How was she supposed to tell Anthony everything? 1 She was busy for nothing in the past few days! She thought she could officiate their rtionship once she got the bone. They could get married publicly, and it would be worth all the troubles. 2 Little did she expect this to happen... If Anthony found out about her contact with Guy, he would be so mad! He might want to kill her... 1 Meanwhile, at Violet Residence. chapter 997 chapter 997 Anthony was still seated on the sofa as an ominous aura emanated from him. Chris, meanwhile, sat not too far from him as he did his homework, though his gaze would dart around from time to time. What happened? Why did Anthony seem different? At that moment, Luke walked in. "President, we found something. On that night, a woman was trying out a new phone not far from the Safford territory, and she used the super-zoom function to take a photo that captured the image of two people sitting on the motorbike." As he spoke, he handed the printed-out photo to Anthony. As Anthony was about to look at it, Chris suddenlyunched toward him, snatched the photo from his hands, and tore it into pieces. Anthony frowned. "Momo, what are you doing?" "Argh...?" Seemingly snapping back to reality, Chris looked around and then said with a dumbfounded look, "Why am I here? Wasn''t I doing my homework? Why am I here? Hmm! I must¡¯ve been sleepwalking. Yes, sleepwalking!" he answered himself before walking back to the table. 2 Anthony''s eyes darkened as he looked at Luke. Luke instantly took out another photo. "Luckily, I made another copy." Chris, who was walking away, suddenly turned back. He reached out to snatch the photo again when a large hand caught his small wrist, disabling him from moving. 1 Anthony looked at him. "Sleepwalking again?" "I...I..." Chris looked around, unable toe up with an excuse. Anthony pulled him back and put him on the sofa as he received the photo from Luke. It was Charmine on the motorbike with Guy behind her. Although she wore N?velDrama.Org (C) content. a ck agent costume with the cor covering her face, even with sunsses on, her bold posture and temperament were still recognizable. 1 Guy, as the photo showed, had his hands on her waist as he sat behind her. The photo made them seem like a couple. Anthony''s expression was dark as ink. This photo made it apparent that it was Charmine who stole the sword from the Safford territory. 1 Charmine did it with another man! Behind Anthony''s back, she came so close with another man! It made sense... It made sense why Charmine suddenly came looking for him when he was examining the motorbike trace. She even offered him ess to national security for him to investigate. He was so touched, yet it was revealed atst she was merely trying to distract him out of guilt. 1 She had been lying to him since then! With something in mind, he took out the mini phone from Chris'' pocket, and the boy was toote to stop him. Anthony unlocked the phone and saw his conversation with Charmine. Charmine was actually using Chris to ruin his investigation? Charmine was using a child!? So, Chris wanted to ruin the evidence because Charmine asked him to? 1 Expression contorted into cold fury, Anthony red at Chris coldly. "Chris Bailey, you¡¯re already five. How can you get fooled? If you''re so stupid, do you still want your Mommy?" Chris was dumbfounded. He saw the photo. He did not expect his Mommy to be the hero who stole the sword! Thinking back, Charmine used him as a cover, and she even used him to Charmine and the man behind her... chapter 998 chapter 998 With that in mind, Chris shook his head. "There must be a misunderstanding! It''s probably more than what we see. As Mommy said, she asked us to wait. She''lle backter and exin to us in person!" Anthony scoffed. Exin? How would she exin everything? Whatever exnation she had, she still had close contact with this man! Anthony instructed coldly, "Investigate this! Within three minutes, give me his information!" Luke instantly went ahead to find out more about Guy and, as ordered, returned three minutester with a thick stack of papers. "President, he...he... Have a read of him yourself." Luke ced down the information and instantly went away to the door. He did not want to be involved. Anthony frowned. Why was Luke so scared? He picked up the documents and his face stiffened. Guy Granger: heir of the Granger family of the Navy General family. The Grangers and the Chernys even had an arranged marriage proposal! Anthony suddenly recalled how Charmine denied having any contact with the Chernys when he asked, and she even med him for suspecting her. It seemed that Charmine had indeed talked to the Chernys and even considered marrying into the Granger family! Well, well! The cold fury he emanated intensified, and it made Chris-who was next to him-shiver and ran away from him. He had to contact Charmine right away. He had to make sure she exined everything to Anthony as soon as possible, 1 N?velDrama.Org (C) content. Otherwise... Anthony was left alone in the living room. Not far away, Waverly was still knocking on the door. She lied on the ground as she wailed in pain. It was so intense that she almost fainted. 1 She did not want to suffer for nothing. Anthony had to get the photos. She must make sure of that. Since Anthony was not opening the door, she had other ways to make it happen! With a thought in mind, she pulled herself up with difficulty and took out her backup phone to phone Max. "Brother, the photos... Hack Anthony''s phone and send them to him...argh! It hurts...! He must see the photos!" Max saw Charmine leaving, and he frowned. "If you do this, Charmine won¡¯t treat you!" "Don''t...don''t worry... Even if I have to die, I won''t make it easy for Charmine! Furthermore, I have something...else in mind..." hissed Waverly as she struggled to speak. With that, Max could only relent, "Okay." Anthony was still on the sofa in the living room, mien cold and irked. The knocking eventually stopped. Unable to hold it anymore, Luke mustered his courage to ask, "Boss, do you want to let Waverly out? Listen to what she has to say..." It was not a good idea to prolong the matter, after all. Anthony''s hands that rested on the armrest tensed. Of course he knew, but he also remembered what Charmine said before she left. She told him to hear it from her in person. If he listened to Waverly, the situation would only worsen. Although he was at the verge of breaking, he had to hold on. At that moment... Ring! The phone on the table let out an urgent warning tone. After a moment, his phone screen went ck and started ying a slideshow of photos after photos. There was a photo of Charmine and Guy going into the Cherny mansion together; Charmine disguised as Charlie; Charlie opening the sword box with Dior; Guy getting cut while trying to protect Charlie. chapter 999 chapter 999 The slideshow showed Charmine stealing the sword with Guy and of them leaving. There were also photos of thempletely drenched in the forest, Charmine leaning on Guy''s shoulder, and also of Guy carrying Charmine to his home. Anthony''s hands clenched so tightly that his veins protruded as his gait grew bitterly, angrily cold. Charmine cheated on him for so long and spent so much time with Guy! i Charlie was also Charmine! No wonder he had feelings for Charlie. He thought he was bing queer and felt sorry for Charmine, but who would have thought that Charmine was with Guy at that time! 2 He was on the verge of exploding. He wanted to crash the phone but the slideshow was still ying. By the end of the slideshow, the photos grew even more intimate! There was Charmine, disguised as Ann Liam, pulled by Grandma Warren as she was asked to be with Guy. In another, Charmine was on the sofa with her clothes torn out, and Guy was bent down beside her, seemingly helping her to insert the needles. Hisrge hand nearly grazed Charmine''s skin! The slideshow even showed how they both fell into the basement, with Charmine falling on top of Guy''s body! Smash! Anthony, no longer able to hold back his anger, mmed his palms against the armrest, and the impact caused visible cracks to form on the armrests. 3 Luke was terrified. He instantly went forward to turn the phone over on the table. "Boss... These photos must''ve been photoshopped, they must''ve been! Please calm down-please wait for Madam to be back..." "Get out!" Two words, cold and with fury. Luke¡¯s back broke out with beads of sweat. Judging Anthony''s behavior, something big would happen! 1 He wanted tofort him but Anthony abruptly shot up and grabbed his car key to leave. His pace was incredibly quick as if he was a ck shadow instantly that vanished into thin air. Luke could only rush upstairs and called out, "Young Master, Young Master, it¡¯s bad! Something big is about to happen!" Chris fumbled with his phone as he tried to dial, but the voice repeated, "Sorry, the number you''ve dialled is currently unavable.¡± Oh, no! Why was Charmine''s phone turned off at this moment?! 1 He had to tell Charmine! Charmine drove a steady pace toward Violet Residence.From N?velDrama.Org. Her eyelids fluttered and felt as though something bad was about to happen. 1 Above all, she had no idea how to exin everything to Anthony. She did not get the bone, and without the cure for Chris'' illness, she could not officiate their rtionship... 1 If she could not officiate their rtionship, what did she have tofort Anthony? Amid her tumultuous thoughts, a loud revving of a vehicle''s engine was heard as a ck car drove toward her, and it effectively blocked her path. Startled, she quickly pulled up the brake. She looked ahead to see the door opened, and a tall and well-built figure got out of the car. It was Anthony! Even though it was daytime with the sun shining in the sky, Anthony still exuded a bitter-cold aura. 1 It was as if he was the lord from hell, that one look of his could pull one into a bottomless abyss. 1 Charmine¡¯s heart throbbed. Anthony... Judging his expression, he must have figured it out. He did not wait for her to exin to him and he already knew everything. Just as she was about to get out... Click! Anthony forcefully opened her car door and grabbed her wrist to pull her out. chapter 1000 chapter 1000 Charmine frowned. "Anthony, you..." Anthony gave her no chance to speak as he pulled her to his ck car and forced her into the backseat. Shutting the door and going into the car himself, he locked the door from the inside. It was the ultimate lock, and there was no way of opening it. 1 Charmine had just straightened herself, but before she could put on the safety belt, Anthony had stepped on the pedal and sped away. The speedometer showed to the furthest right; he was driving at the fastest speed. He even drove past red lights uncaringly! rmed, Charmine pulled on the safety belt and reminded him, "Anthony, are you crazy!? Stop! Stop now!" Her plea, however, fell on deaf ears as Anthony continued to sped. The car shot out from the city and turned to the highway. The view outside the window flew by quickly, and Charmine felt the car almost flying. They could die at this rate! She was unafraid of death, but what about Chris? They were adults; there was no point risking their lives for a small matter like this! 1 With that in mind, Charmine looked at Anthony and warned him, "Anthony! Calm down, please! If you have seen the photos, you should know that someone else gave them to you. This was a plot-l was framed!" Framed!?N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Pah! A vicious glint appeared in Anthony''s eyes. So what if she was framed? Charmine did have intimate moments with Guys! They were so close to one another! She was clearly drugged, but she did not even call out to him under the influence and instead waited for Guy to help her? Would she have continued to hide things from him had Waverly not act out? i How much longer would she spend time with Guy behind his back? With those thoughts in mind, his face froze as he drove at the fastest speed. The friction from the car''s tires sparked fireworks against the asphalt. Charmine yelled out rationally, "The reason I didn''t tell you is because I wanted to get Momo the-argh!" The car made an abrupt sharp turn before she could finish, and the force threw her against the car door. She saw golden stars as she felt lightheaded, and it was only after a long while before she regained her senses. 1 By then, the car had already pulled over into a secluded forest. Among the trees was a double-story vi built in a minimalistic style; a square, regrly shaped modern architecture. The sight of the vi made Charmine feel uneasy. The car door flung open at that moment as Anthony pulled at her hand and forced her out of the car, dragging her into the vi. The aura he emitted was so cold, the atmosphere seemingly dropped dangerously low in temperature as well. Charmine sensed that he was about to do something, thus she quickly exined, "Anthony, please calm down! I did everything for Momo! The Cherny family has the red wolf bone with them, and it can cure Momo''s illness! I had to get the sword on my own in exchange for the bone. What happened in between was plotted by Waverly. She told Guy about my whereabouts to cause...argh!" Before she could finish, Anthony had already tossed her into the vi. He red at her coldly. "Do you think this is a good enough reason to calm me down?" She got so close to Guy for a red wolf bone? All because of a red wolf bone, she chose to trust Guy in the afternoon and let him hold her to insert the needles? chapter 1001 chapter 1001 Throughout the process, did Guy''srge hand touch her skin? Did his gaze rake over her body? They were so close to one another, too. Did Guy catch a whiff of her scent?! i She knew about the marriage arrangement between the Chernys and the Grangers. How could she still stay so close to Guy for so long? All those thoughts embittered Anthony even more as wintry fury came out of his chest. "Momo and the red wolf bone aren''t excuses for you toe so close with another man! I''ve been too lenient on you these days. From now onward, you''ll stay inside this house, and you''re not allowed to come out without my permission! I''lle and get you in three days!" Anthony then walked out of the door and shut the door behind him. Charmine failed to stop him as he moved too fast, so much so she could not react in time, 1 When she walked to the window, she saw that Anthony was already inside the car before he drove away. She frowned. Three days? He was so agitated, he must have thought of officiating their rtionship, to let the world know! He would probably show up with the wedding car in three days! 1 Since Memo''s illness was unstable, Annabel must stay out of sight and receive treatments at home. If this was exposed, they might be threatened and she would be their soft spot! What if the Baileys used Chris and Annabel to force them apart?! They must not officiate their rtionship before that problem got fixed! Charmine wanted to use her phone to ask for help but realized that the phone was left inside her car. On the other hand, this vi was strange. The materials were different even though it looked like a run- off-the-mill vi, and there were anti-thief wire fences outside the window. With just one look, Charmine could tell that those wire fences had surging electric current! Anthony''s vi was as good as the most advanced technologically designed vi. He had even turned on the S-grade protection mode, 1 Once this mode was turned on, anything touching the outside wall would be instantly electrocuted and trigger the rm. Charmine walked around anxiously as she attempted to find a blind spot before eventually deducing that unless Anthony opened the door from the outside, any approaching person would be electrocuted! 1 Sheid on the sofa and rubbed her temples. What could she have done? Everything was beyond her control. What else could she do? Meanwhile, at Violet Residence... Anthony drifted back and found Max and Waverly in the living room. N?velDrama.Org (C) content. Max held the fainted Waverly-passed out due to the pain-and said to Anthony sternly, "I''ve given what Charmine wanted back to her. Where is she? She must detox Waverly right away!" "You can''t find her anymore! From now onward, get out of my sight," growled Anthony emotionlessly. He lifted his hand and waved. 1 Luke came into the vi with his men in tow. They had suitcases with them and forced all of Waverly''s belongings into them. It only took a while before they came out with Waverly¡¯s stuff and tossed them to Max. "Please leave now!" 1 Max frowned. "Anthony, are you insane? You''re still technically engaged to Waverly, and you want her to move out? Are you not afraid of me exposing your rtionship with Charmine!?" "Go ahead!" Anthony growled lowly, unafraid, unintimidated. Max frowned. Anthony was unafraid of his rtionship with Charmine getting exposed? What was he nning? 1 Since he had seen so many photos of Charmine and Guy, was he not supposed to kick out Charmine instead? chapter 1002 chapter 1002 Instantly, Anthony instructed Luke, "Have the rest of the Baileys gathered. Also, be ready to announce that I''m marrying Charmine in three days!" Luke jolted at the abruptness. "Boss, isn''t this...too sudden-?¡± Luke was unable toplete his sentence when he was met with Anthony''s fiery gaze. He could only nod in return. "Yes, Sir!" Luke thus pushed Max with Waverly in his arms out through the door before he threw out Waverly''s suitcases as well. Max''s face turned green in his shock. Why did Anthony decide to marry Charmine instead of ditching her? Was he insane?! "Anthony, are you sure you don''t want a kind and chaste woman like Waverly? You want to be with a woman who has cheated on you?" "Once I officiate our rtionship, I wonder if any man on earth is daring enough to offend me again!¡± Anthony scoffed coldly. He ignored Max and marched upstairs. He only wanted to marry Charmine as soon as possible. Even if that meant being pressured, he still had to marry her! N?velDrama.Org (C) content. He knew he had to officiate their rtionship to stop other men from trying to approach her. Only after they were married publicly could Charmine belong to himpletely. He could not wait even for a day longer! Max was livid when Luke pushed him out, but what mattered most to him at that moment was getting Waverly treated; she would suffer all over again upon waking up if nothing was done. He carried Waverly into the car and rushed to the hospital, all while he called Fredrick, "Father, Anthony has turned his backpletely to us. You have to talk to the Bailey family. If it doesn¡¯t work, cancel all coborations with the Baileys!" Fredrick, who was on the other side of the phone call, frowned and agreed. "Alright." 1 Anthony went upstairs. Chris, inside the room on the second floor, still attempted to contact Charmine but failed. He did not expect Anthony to have driven away and then came back. Sensing something, Chris instantly put down his phone and asked Anthony, "Daddy, what did you do to Mommy?" Instead of answering, Anthony asked, "Chris, do you want to walk with Mommy in public?¡± When Chris heard this, he nodded diligently, "Yes!" He had known Charmine for so long and he, all the while, had to go out with her away from the public eye. It would make his day if they could walk out there without needing to hide and let everyone know that Charmine was his Mommy! i Anthony''s face eased as he exined, "I''m going to be hosting a wedding ceremony with your Mommy in three days, but you''ll have to stick close to me in those three whole days. Meanwhile, you''ll have to use all of your robots to fully protect Annabel." Chris'' eyes sparkled instantly. "Wedding ceremony? Daddy and Mommy are finally hosting a wedding ceremony!? Wonderful! I''llplete my mission to make sure the wedding can go as nned!¡± 1 Anthony walked out and Chris quickly followed behind him, sticking close to him obediently when Anthony¡¯s phone rang. Once he epted the call, he was met with Grandma Bailey''s question," What''s the matter, Anthony? Why did you chase Waverly out?" "In three days, I''m hosting a wedding with Charmine," responded Anthony coldly, making a statement instead of asking for permission. Grandma Bailey was instantly delighted. "Charmine got the red wolf bone? She earned the approval of the Chernys?" Anthony''s eyes darkened. "You know about this?" 1 H| ft chapter 1003 chapter 1003 When Grandma Bailey realized she made a slip, she quickly retracted herself and said, "I don¡¯t know... I don''t know anything..." 1 "Okay, then. Get ready for the wedding," dered Anthony, i With a frown on her face, Grandma Bailey fretted, "But does she have the support from the Cherny family? The seniors in the Bailey family knew about this, and they said Charmine''s background isn''t good enough for you. Without the Cherny family''s approval, they would resign their posts instead of permitting you to be with Charmine!" Anthony scoffed, "Really? Make an announcement then-l''m having a full family meeting." With that said, he hung up and walked out with Chris, saying, "Remember: you might be in danger in the following three days. No matter what happens, stay close to me. Your safety determines whether your Mommy and I get married. Understand?" Chris sensed the importance of the matter, thus he nodded heavily. "Yes, Sir!" At the Bailey mansion. Once the call ended, Susan, next to Grandma Bailey, muttered, "What to do now? Anthony is going to go against the D''Cruz family, Kansas, and the entire Bailey family because of a woman?" 1 Without much to go on, Grandma Bailey could only instruct, "Go and find out what happened!" As she was still in the dark, she did not know how to resolve the matter. "No need to find out,¡± sneered Fredrick as he walked toward them at that moment, "Charmine cheated on Anthony with the heir of the Granger family! You Baileys are so generous. You still want a woman like her!?" He then ced a thick stack of photos on the table, to which Grandma Bailey and Susan lowered their heads to see. They were of Charmine''s intimate shots with Guy; too intimate. Susan''s face stiffened. "Uneptable. Charmine is seeing two men at once? How could Anthony get married to a woman like her!?" "Indeed, this is uneptable!¡± snapped Grandma Bailey. Seeing that Grandma Bailey spoke, Susan grabbed her hand and said," Mother, you must stop this. We can''t let Anthony marry a woman like her!" '' "It''s not Charmine who¡¯s uneptable-it''s the Grangers! They know Charmine is married, yet they''re trying to steal my inw! Uneptable! Utterly uneptable!" Grandma Bailey was so furious that she mmed her palm against the armrest. 2 Susan and Fredrick were shocked. What did Grandma Bailey say? Had she lost her marbles?! Susan gazed at Grandma Bailey and asked, "Mother, this... ording to the photos, it''s apparent that Charmine is the one trying to flirt with the Granger heir!" "It was I who asked her to go to the Cherny mansion. I know what she''s doing. What I''m worried about...did happen..." Grandma Bailey rubbed her temples, fatigued. She had arranged her men to follow after Charmine. She knew Charmine told the Chernys the truth about her being with Anthony from the very start, and she also knew the task the Chernys gave to Charmine. 1 She thought everything was going well. Who would have thought that the Grangers would try to steal Charmine even when they knew she was married! "Not happening! Anthony and Charmine must get married! We can''t let the Grangers steal her!" 1 She suddenly stood up and said to Susan, "Host a full family meeting!" Susan frowned. "Mother, you''re serious?" "Of course! Right away! Now!¡± Grandma Bailey was determined. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. No wonder Anthony was in such a hurry to get married. She fully supported him! 1 No matter what, they had to get Charmine first! chapter 1004 chapter 1004 When Susan saw how determined Grandma Bailey was, all she could do was follow her request and make the notice. Since the rest of the family would not agree to this, she might as well wait for them to arrive. 1 Dumbfounded, Fredrick red at Grandma Bailey with disbelief. "Grandma Bailey, have your gears rusted in aging that you can''t decide properly? You don¡¯t want Waverly but want a woman like Charmine? Have you considered the oue?" i "Oh? I do want to know what oues there are!" Grandma Bailey met his re fearlessly. Fredrick did not expect her to be so determined, and he halted before arguing coldly, "Back then, the deal between Burlington and Kansas was signed due to the engagement between the D¡¯Cruz family and Bailey family. If you do this to Waverly, the deal will be canceled! Furthermore, we''ll fully boycott the Baileys as well. We¡¯ll be enemies!" 1 "Hahaha! My good enemy. Well said." Grandma Bailey smiled coldly and looked at him mockingly. "I''m almost a hundred years old. I know how deals work, but I''ve never seen a reputable family who turns others into enemies out of disagreements. Is this how the D¡¯Cruz family treats others?" Fredrick frowned. He seemed as if he had just woken up. Was this how the D¡¯Cruz family treated others? No... Their family had never done such a thing before, but ever since Waverly came back, everything seemed to have changed... 1 ''This isn¡¯t the first time your family threatened the Baileys," she added. "We let you in the past out of generosity; it doesn''t mean that we''re afraid. If you want to make an enemy out of this, we¡¯ll do the same! However, I hope Mr. D''Cruz thinks it through before then. How much time have we given Waverly? How many times have we tried to make them truly get along? Can you me us that Anthony didn''t fall for her after all? You can''t force things. Do you want things to end pretty or ugly? You choose." 1 Fredrick frowned. After a moment, he finally said, "It''s your Anthony''s low standards for not falling for Waverly-it doesn¡¯t mean nobody wants her. I do want to see how well Charmine is!" With that said, he turned and left. The atmosphere was tense, and it was only after he left could Grandma Bailey rx and sat back on the chair tiredly. 1 If Charmine could get the support from the Chernys and the Grangers, her background couldpete with Waverly. Unfortunately... Thergest hurdle was the other Baileys. Would they ept Charmine? 30 people were seated in the massive 100-square-feet meeting hall. Among those present were six seniors of the Bailey family along with the holders of 20 percent of their shares. The six seniors were the brothers of Senior Bailey. Although they did not have shares with them, they could force Anthony to surrender if they spoke in unison, even though he owned 70 percent of the shares, 1 As for the 20 shareholders, even though each of them only had one- percent share, this amount was passed down from generations above. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Some of them were in charge of the exporting branch, some in-charge of the materials, while some managed thepany''s air-shipping, i Any problem in any sector would affect the entire Bailey Corporation''s operations. Even in the headquarters, the World Trade Company taken charge by Anthony, ten percent of their shares were owned by Derek, who was also present. The atmosphere was intense as everyone expressed their disapproval. "We had a meeting the other time. As we said, unless Charmine gains the support from the Chernys, we won¡¯t approve of her!" chapter 1005 chapter 1005 "Grandma Bailey, you must teach your grandson well. You can''t let him mess around!" "Charmine was engaged to Julian, and her reputation is ruined. Marrying a woman like her will make us aughingstock!" "I won''t approve! All of us won¡¯t approve!" 1 The crowd disapproved in unison. Grandma Bailey sat by the side, bombarded with the protests. She rubbed her temples. They were so noisy, and the internal conflicts were ... How annoying! How would Anthony fix this? Suddenly, a tall and well-built figure walked in through the door. The moment he walked in, it was as if the sun had disappeared into the clouds. The temperature in the hall dropped significantly. 2 Even though he said nothing and merely made his way toward them, he exuded an oppressive temperament. The rambunctious crowd fell silent instantly, and they dared not breathe too loudly. Some members who acted out before he came quickly went back to their seats, as if they were the students and Anthony the teacher. 1 Anthony walked to the front of the table as his gaze swept across every face present. "I heard you all have opinions on my wedding?" From N?velDrama.Org. His low and maic voice was heard; it was unusually chilly. Everyone was terrified, and the more terrified ones instantly shook their heads. "No opinions... No..." 1 Before they could finish speaking, the six seniors red at them, and they instantly shrunk, falling quiet as they did. 1 The leading senior looked at Anthony and said with a pleasant tone," Anthony, it¡¯s a good thing that you''re getting married. When you got engaged with Waverly, we fully supported you. We did send you a lot of gifts, right? But you suddenly want to marry Charmine. Are you kidding us? What do you like about her? What¡¯s there in her that is worthy of your attention?" His genial tone sounded intrusive, interrogative. Anthony met his eyes and said coldly, "I like her, and this is her greatest forte. This already made her better than all of the women in the world." 1 The crowd was speechless. The second senior''s face turned green as he rubbed his throat. "Cough, cough, cough! Anthony, we''re trying to help. Charmine isn''t of your level. Marrying her would turn you into a joke. All of us won¡¯t approve, so you better-" "I came here today to let you know of my decision, not to listen to your opinions. The wedding will still go on in three days!" 1 Anthony''s low voice turned harsh as his authoritative, domineering aura surfaced. The crowd exchanged perplexed looks. Finally, the sixth senior, who was the most daring of all, stood up. "Anthony, if you want to make it this way, we won''t waste any more time with you! If you want to marry Charmine, you''ll have to resign from the Bailey Corporation. The six of us wille together to dismiss you and take back the shares from you!" His words were filled with threat. Derek, meanwhile, sat and watched on. If Anthony was dismissed, he would take his ce... Grandma Bailey frowned. This situation was very tense. What to do? chapter 1006 chapter 1006 Everyone in the meeting hall assumed Anthony would be intimidated, threatened. They thought he wouldpromise, but little did they expect... Anthony remained unperturbed as he met their eyes. "Since I¡¯m here, I have another matter to speak of." With a wave of his hand, Luke walked toward them and ced a pile of documents he had in his arms on the table, i Everyone looked over and noticed that they were the share-transferring contracts with the words printed, [Anthony is willing to transfer 70% of his shares to unconditionally.] He even signed it! Everyone was stunned. "President Bailey, what are you doing?¡± "Are you giving up all of your shares and authority in Bailey Corporation?" ''You''re giving up yourpany for a woman!?¡± They slowly rose and spoke of their disagreements and distaste. Senior Bailey, who had been trying to keep calm, could no longer hold himself back as he turned to Anthony and blurted, "Have you lost your mind, Anthony?" 1 He gave up his 30-percent shares to Anthony not long ago, and all of a sudden, he would give them all out? To these shareholders, no less? Was he trying to piss him off?! Anthony remained apathetic as he pushed the contracts toward the six seniors. "As you asked, I''ll give out all of my shares and the authority. From now onward, I¡¯m no longer the President of the Bailey Corporation.¡± 1 The six seniors halted. They guessed it right, but hearing it from Anthony was even more shocking! Anthony willingly gave his shares because of a woman? Derek frowned. After a short while of shock, he asked, "Brother, what are you doing? We''re a family. What''s the point of doing this to the six seniors all for a woman?¡± Hearing that, the six seniors'' countenance changed, especially the ill- tempered sixth senior. "Do you think you can threaten us by doing this, Anthony?" he sneered. "Do you think the Bailey Corporation will be over without you? Our business was passed down from generations; we kept it running before you were born! Now you''re giving it all up for a woman? You''re so useless? Leave if you want! Nobody is keeping you. We won''t keep you!" he scowled with his face flushing red. 1 Nobody had yelled at Anthony. Everyone else shivered as they cast their gazes to the floor, not wanting to be involved. Anthony remained unperturbed. He was cold and emotionless as usual. "I''m d to hear this." With that said, he stood up and buttoned his suit before walking out. Everyone stared with disbelief. They were dumbfounded. Anthony left? Just like that? He left? He was giving up his empire for a woman? Senior Bailey felt his chest tightened, so much so that he almost fainted, i Grandma Bailey quickly held onto him while she called out, "Anthony, calm down! Calm down and let''s talk it through!" Although she supported Anthony to marry Charmine, he should not sacrifice something so hefty for it! The unruffled Anthony, however, continued to walk out of the hall. Luke stopped and looked at everyone else, warning them out of ¡¯kindness''," Right, Boss Bailey will be taking with him ten S-graded projects, as well as deals with a hundred and eight countries. Do try your best to make arrangements for yourself." 1 With that said, he lowered his head politely and followed behind Anthony. Everyone in the meeting hall reeled back in bewilderment. Ten S-graded projects? From N?velDrama.Org. These were the profitable projects Anthony had started in recent years. Each of them made a few billion profits each year! chapter 1007 chapter 1007 Furthermore, the Bailey Corporation only had deals with 50 countries before Anthony took over. After Anthony took charge, he signed deals with almost all countries around the world, i If he left with the deals with 108 countries, would the Bailey family return to the point they were at before he came? Would they not be left with only deals with 50 countries? Instantly, they understood. Anthony was not trying to scare or threaten them. He had all the rights! 1 Even if he left the Bailey Corporation, he could build another empire within five years with his own capability! He would not be the one at loss-they were! The younger members instantly ran out as they blocked Anthony from leaving. "Boss Bailey, please, don¡¯t leave!" ''The six seniors were joking with you! It wasn''t serious!" From N?velDrama.Org. "We''re a family! A family! Why make it so awkward?" "Don''t you just want to marry Charmine? We agree! We all do!" They spoke one after another to please Anthony. Anthony merely looked at the six seniors. "Control your people." ''Your people''... That basically rubbed it in their faces that he was no longer part of the Bailey family... 1 The six seniors¡¯ faces turned green. The usually peaceful third senior spoke, "Anthony, what makes it sound so serious? You''re a Bailey; we were just joking around!" "Sixth senior wasn''t kidding." Anthony eyed the sixth senior who was speechless when the spotlight was ced on him. Why did Anthony only single him out? He would have berated him as he did moments ago, but Anthony was threatening to leave with so many resources... If Anthony formed a new empire, however powerful the Bailey Corporation was, they would never be able to secure the deals with 108 countries. By then, the Bailey Corporation would go downhill. The sixth senior swallowed his anger and stomped. "Alright, marry her, marry her! I''ll only ask her to leave afterward..." i Of course, thest sentence was merely thought to himself. They had no choice but to cave in to Anthony''s threat. He would think of ways for Charmine to leave later on. With their approval, the situation had changed. Senior Bailey, who was about to have a heart attack, suddenly recovered. He was surprised. 1 He did not expect Anthony to use reverse psychology on them. He did that to make everyone approve of his marriage? A clever move, it was! Derek maintained his gentle expression but his eyes darkened. Curse that Anthony! Derek thought he would soon have the shares, never thinking the tables would turn so abruptly! However, was Anthony truly marrying Charmine? Although Charmine did not have support from the Chernys, so many prominent moguls showed up to her birthday banquet. 1 With her powerful connections, she could surely help Anthony to be even more powerful! Impossible. He had to think of ways to stop Anthony! Inside the vi in the forest. Charmine tossed and turned in the bed. She had contacted Kay with her emergency bracelet. They hade but had no clue how to ovee the vi¡¯s tight security. They told her the news: Anthony went against his family. She frowned, incredibly concerned. Once the news got out, the number of people disproving their rtionship was beyond calction! That went especially for Waverly. The D''Cruz family would not give in so easily! 1 What if they did anything to Chris? Waverly knew about Annabel''s existence, after all... With those thoughts in mind, she could only send a message to Kay, [ Forget about me. Protect Chris and Annabel-this is your mission for the next few days!] It seemed that she could only wait to get married in three days... chapter 1008 chapter 1008 At a hospital. Waverly was in the emergency room, and doctors that attended to her were helpless, i The needle was inside her vein, and if they were not careful, Waverly could die of massive blood loss. 1 The solution Waverly came up with before she fainted was temporary anesthesia. This was achieved by injecting enough local aesthetics around the painful area. She had three injections on her stomach with that. Fredrick and Max apanied her, pitying her as they felt utter rage toward Charmine. Max watched as she was still unconscious with herplexion extremely pale. He stood up in anger. ''TH find Charmine right now. I''ll make her endure a hundred times more pain than Waverly¡¯s feeling!" "Alright, sit down." Fredrick scoffed. He red at Max. "Since when have you be so impatient? Since when has the D''Cruz family be so short-tempered?" Fredrick did not sound pleased. Max frowned. "My sister is being bullied. How can we stay quiet? Do you want to let Charmine bully Waverly?" 1 "What can you do? Do you think causing more trouble is ideal? Have you thought of the oues? Do you think going against them is good for our family? Do you think the Baileys are that scared of us?" berated Fredrick sternly. Max halted; his father was never that angry for a long while. He had to calm down. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Coincidentally, Waverly, whoid still in bed, weakly opened her eyes. "Brother... Father is right. This time...l troubled our family greatly..." Her voice was so gentle and harmless as if she would faint anytime. 1 Max quickly sat beside her and held her hand. ''Waverly, Father didn¡¯t mean that. He didn''t me you. Now, the situation has be moreplicated. We have to think it through. You take care of your body while I''ll help you fix the situation." Waverly frowned. "The situation became moreplicated, you say...? What happened? Was Anthony not angry looking at the photos...?" "Sigh..." Fredrick sighed deeply. He did not have the heart to break her heart, but he also knew that there was no way of hiding this. The world would know about it in no time. He had no choice but to say, "Steel yourself, Waverly. Anthony is... He''s marrying Charmine. He''s gotten the support from his entire family." "What...?" Waverly¡¯s face was already pale, and it only turned paler afterward. 1 She thought Anthony would break up with Charmine. Who would have thought that he wanted to marry Charmine instead? Was he crazy? Fredrick continued, "I know you''re angry and sad. Please stay calm. I¡¯ve spoken to the Baileys, but they''re not afraid to make an enemy out of this. They might be a threat to us. Anthony has all of the evidence against you, from how you agreed to be a decoy to how you fought against Charmine. He has it all. The D''Cruz family''s reputation will be at stake if the evidence is shown to the public. This, of course, won''t be good for you as well." 1 Waverly''s hands inside the nket tightened. Had the situatione to this? It went so well, and she suddenly losing? No! No way! She met Fredrick''s eyes. "Father is right. This is my personal issue, and I can''t drag the D''Cruz family down. Now that I''m the heiress of the family, I can''t bring shame. Once the Baileys announce the wedding, I''ll confess and leave..." "Waverly, what about your revenge?" Fredrick asked, sounding concerned. Waverly smiled weakly. "I''m fine. We''ll speak about thister on, there''s no hurry..." After all... Haha! Waverly believed Anthony would never get to marry Charmine publicly! 1 Not with her around! chapter 1009 chapter 1009 Once Waverly had both Max and Fredrick leave the ward, she picked up her phone and sent Britney a voice note. "Listen carefully..." At Violet Residence. Anthony had just returned after a long day at work when Nial hurried toward him, near tears. "Bro, it''s bad! Something¡¯s up! Annabel somehow disappeared!" "Disappeared?" Anthony frowned. ''Yes," replied Nial. "I noticed that she was in good sleep today, so I excused myself to the garden on the first floor for a breather, but she suddenly disappeared when I went upstairs ten minutester! I checked all of the cameras and saw that a person dressed in ck came in through the tunnel, and whoever it was managed to avoid all of the safety rms and left with Annabel!" i Anthony''s cold expression hardened. Charmine was the one who imnted the safety system. The staircase and the tunnel had rms attached to them, yet this person managed to evade every single one? 1 All thoughts of resting flew out the window for Anthony as he stood up." Trail that person, stealthily. Find them by all means! "Also, Charmine must not know about this. She can''t know!" Inside the forest vi. Charmine had been locked up for two days. Anthony did note and visit her nor did he contact her. Every morning, someone would bring in the freshest ingredients kept in an ultra-thin box. It was like a piece of paper which could be sent in through the window. The person would not speak and would always leave in a hurry. Although Charmine was clever, she had no way of escaping under such circumstances. All she could do was to sit on the sofa and nkly watch the television. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. As she turned it on, she saw the news. ''Tomorrow at ten in the morning, Anthony Bailey will be hosting a wedding ceremony! The ceremony will be elegantly decorated with countless wealthy families attending from all countries..." i Charmine frowned. 2 Anthony was indeed preparing the wedding ceremony, and it would happen tomorrow... He did not say who the bride would be; it seemed that he was nning to surprise everyone. It would be a mess by then. Perhaps everyone would disapprove... 1 It was not the best time for them to officiate their rtionship. At that moment... Knock, knock, knock! Charmine snapped out of her mini trance and saw two figures standing outside the window. It was Guy and Dior. She frowned. Why did theye? Guy, upon seeing her, shyly and quickly lowered his eyes to avoid her gaze. Staring at Charmine, Dior then believed what her brother told her as she studied Charmine''s face and temperament. Charmine did resemble Charlie. She had to help her brother snag this amazing woman! She waved at Charmine and said in a low voice, "Charmine, Charmine,e over here! We have a way to help you out!" 1 Help her out? Charmine walked over, confused. ''You know how?" ''Yes," replied Dior, "we know how to get you out. You must leave with us. I have important information. Annabel is missing!" Charmine frowned. 2 Annabel was missing? chapter 1010 chapter 1010 Was Annabel not staying at Violet Vi? Was Nial not looking after her? How did she end up missing? Guy exined, "Anthony announced his uing wedding, and the D''Cruz family turned against him. Many inside people have learned about this, and perhaps someone kidnapped Annabel to threaten you and Anthony. Anthony had his men looking for her in the past two days, but they''ve yet to find anything. If you leave with us now, maybe the wedding ceremony will halt tomorrow." Dior handed a ck bag to Charmine through the window as he spoke. "Uncle Hugh got this from the government agency. Put this on and jump out of the ventting window of the toilet on the second floor." Although there were electric wires outside the ventting window, the electricity surge would be the weakest there due to the water tank. This top-graded insting jacket could withstand weak currents, and it would be sufficient for Charmine to escape. Charmine took it with a small frown on her face; she did not expect the government agency to have such a good item. 2 Did she want to owe another favor to the Grangers? With her rtionship with Anthony stiffened, she should not get too close to the Grangers again. Seeing that she did not move, Dior continued, "Stop hesitating, Charmine- we''re trying to help you. We have ways of tracking down Annabel! Once you get out, don''t go back to the Bailey mansion. Come with us to the Granger mansion, and just pretend to get married to my brother. You only have to pretend. By then, our grandparents will allow you to have the red wolf bone. With the bone in hand, you can use it to cure Chris. So even if anything happened to Annabel, it won''t affect you all!" 7 Charmine frowned. Straight to the Granger mansion? To pretend to get married to Guy? Anthony might kill her for that... Guy raised his head. "Don''t worry, I won''t touch you at all. I''m just trying to help you. I know my family is using me to threaten you. I feel guilty for that. I genuinely hope I can help you to get the bone, and I won''t disturb you once you get it." His tone was determined and genuine, and his unswerving expression seemed genuine and honest. Charmine looked at him and was confused. This idea was not bad. Once she got the bone, everything would be solved and Chris would be healed from his illness. Annabel would not be a threat to Charmine and Anthony even if they kidnapped her. From N?velDrama.Org. However... To fake a marriage with Guy? She dared not think of the oue. As she hesitated, Dior looked around and pestered, "Charmine, regardless of whether you''reing to the Granger mansion or not, juste out first. If Anthonyes back, it¡¯ll be difficult for you to get out." 2 Charmine was brought out of her thoughts with that. Dior had a point. No matter if she was going to the Granger mansion or not, she should not be locked up in the vi. She picked up the ck bag and walked inside. When she saw the pillow on the sofa, her eyes sparkled. She quickly removed her jacket and dress to put them on the pillow. She made it seem as if she was sleeping. She then took out another set of clothes in the wardrobe and put them on before wearing the insting jacket. 1 The normal insting jacket would not be able to withstand the electric current on the wall, but this ensemble provided by the government agency, one that ordinary people would not have ess to. With this, Charmine managed to get out of the vi and walked away with both Dior and Guy. Charmine stopped when she noticed their car, however, and Dior noticed it. "Charmine, if you really don''t want to go back with us, we won¡¯t force you to," she spoke to Charmine, "but you''d do well to be careful. They even kidnapped a pregnant woman; they''re ruthless! Do take care." Her eyes were full of concern as she spoke to Charmine before getting inside the car. Guy, on the other hand, said nothing as his head hung low, cheeks flushed red as he did. chapter 1011 chapter 1011 "Do contact us if you need anything. We''re friends." With that said, Guy turned and went inside the car. Dior sat inside the car as she gave Charmine a reluctant wave. "Goodbye, Charlie." Charmine saw that the car was about to move with a frown on her face, and it was then she walked toward their car, opened the door, and went inside. Dior looked at her with disbelief. "You... You''re willing toe with us?" "Yeah, let''s go," came Charmine''s formal reply. If she went back to Anthony, they would also be searching for Annabel anyway. Instead of being passive, she might as well get the bone and be proactive! She could cure Chris once she got the bone, and everything would be fixed! Charmine looked at Guy who was driving, and she then reminded sternly," I¡¯ll need to make it clear right now: I''ve been in love with Anthony for a long time, and we¡¯ve already gotten our marriage certificate. I''ll marry him no matter what. We can only pretend to be a couple to get the bone to save Chris, and this won''t change no matter what. Whether we seed or not, you''re my friends and I owe it to you two. If there¡¯s anything I can help in the future, do let me know. We¡¯re only friends." 1 Her tone was serious and cautious. Guy¡¯s hand on the steering wheel stiffened, though he had expected everything. He nodded. "Don¡¯t worry, I won''t have any ideas I shouldn''t be having." Dior, who sat by his side, also nodded. "Right! You can trust my brother. Don¡¯t worry!" As long as Charmine agreed, she and her brother would have more time to spend together. She believed Charmine would eventually fall for Guy as they spent more time with one another. 4 Her brother was not any lesser than Anthony! Even if they did not end up together in the end, at least she tried to match them up. She would not regret it. 1 N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. The car gradually approached the Granger mansion that was built by the sea, granting the mansion with a view of the ocean. However, there was arge field in front of the mansion with guards standing outside the gate. It looked formal. The three of them got out of the car, and Dior then gushed to Charmine," Our parents aren¡¯t home, so only our grandparents are home now. If they ask, just say that you two want to keep it low-profile. You¡¯ll get married before having the ceremony. They¡¯re old, so as long as you don''t act too distant, they won¡¯t be able to tell anything.¡± 1 "Okay." Charmine agreed and followed them inside, 1 As the sun hung brightly in the skies, the two elders sipped their tea in the garden. When they saw them returning, Grandma Granger frowned. "Dior, Guy, you..." "Grandma, Charmine made up her mind. She thinks Brother is good, and she''s willing to marry him now and get alongter," spoke Dior as she pulled at Charmine, making her and Guy stand together. Charmine, standing beside Guy, looked rather awkward and resistant. 1 However, she thought of Chris and the red wolf bone. She had to act along. When Grandma Granger heard that, she waved toward her. "Really? Really? Come here-let me look at you." 1 Her tone sounded adoring as she spoke toward Charmine. After a moment of hesitation, Charmine walked toward her. chapter 1012 chapter 1012 Grandma Granger held Charmine''s hand and eyed her from head to toe before she nodded with satisfaction. "It''s no surprise why my Guy fell in love for the first time; you''re indeed a wonderfuldy. I like you, and I believe you''ll like Guy and this family eventually." i ''Impossible''. Charmine wanted to say that, but she nodded at the elderly instead. Senior Granger was sitting beside Grandma Granger. "Since you¡¯re here, that means you''re epting Guy. We know the reason you came. You want the red wolf bone, don''t you?" 1 Charmine did not expect Senior Granger to be so straightforward, though she met his gaze honestly. ''Yes." "You''re an honest kid indeed. As long as you¡¯re with Guy and take good care of him, the red wolf bone isn''t an issue; we''ll even give you more than that," spoke Senior Granger. He then added, "However, don''t think of trying anything funny. Just live happily. Otherwise, you know the Granger family is big and reputable, and you don''t want to offend us." 1 His aged voice sounded like a warning. Charmine¡¯s eyes darkened. The Grangers were not to be offended... This could get more difficult than it should be. Dior went forward and held Charmine''s hand. "Grandpa, why are you saying that? She''ll be with Guy, don''t scare her.¡± "I might''ve sounded too harsh..." Senior Granger pursed his lips before he continued, "However, I''ve always been straightforward. Since you''re all here, why don¡¯t we discuss the marriage and choose a date?" i Guy instantly walked in front of Charmine and defended her, "Grandpa, there''s no hurry. Charmine is willing to spend more time with me. We can take it slow. Just give her the bone for now; we don¡¯t need it anyway." "Look at you. You''re not married yet and you''re already so protective of your wife! I want to hear what Charmine says, don''t step in." Senior Granger looked at Charmine. Dior looked at Charmine as well and winked at her. Charmine answered calmly, "Grandpa, Grandma, I feel the same way. We can get married soon with a traditional ceremony at the end. We can keep it simple." "Really? You really think so?¡± Grandma Granger''s eyes widened with disbelief. They knew modern women liked to have grand weddings, how they wished the whole world would know about it! They thought Charmine was this kind of woman, not expecting her to behave like how she did instead. Charmine nodded. ¡®Yeah, we must pick a good date though. Let''s keep it traditional." ''Yes, I agree with you! I''ll ask them to arrange it right away! We''ll pick a date quickly!" Grandma Granger was delighted, i Nobody liked the traditional wedding anymore, but Charmine seemed to like it. Of course they were delighted! She went ahead to prepare it. Senior Granger said to Charmine, "Guy, Dior, Charmine just got here. Show her around, and once we''ve chosen the date, we''ll need you all to know.¡¯ "Okay," Guy and Dior agreed before they led Charmine to the backyard. Charmine saw the two elders leaving happily. She frowned. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Was it a good idea to lie to the two elders? 1 Although she was guilty, she had no choice. She had to cure Chris as soon as possible. Furthermore, the Chernys promised her the red wolf bone. She deserved it, yet they used it to threaten her instead. It was not too cruel for her to get it back. She reassured herself with that. Seeing that she was zoning out, Guyforted her, "Don''t worry, there are ces without CCTV in here. Our grandparents aren''t around, so you can rx in the backyard.¡± Charmine nodded. She was rxed because she made up her mind on the way here. chapter 1013 chapter 1013 Charmine had intentionally asked the two Granger elders to pick a date. They would surely go to the most well-known psychic in the country who would then tell them tomorrow morning at nine in the morning was the best choice. There would be no other suitable time throughout the year should they miss it. i The two elders would ask them to get married at that specific time and give her the bone. If she could get the bone, she might still be able to attend her own wedding with Anthony... 1 That evening at Violet Vi, as the sun turned blood-red... Anthony and Chris had searched everywhere but found no clue that led to Annabel''s whereabouts. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. His wedding would be held tomorrow, and if he failed to find Annabel, things might get harsher than they needed to be. At that moment, Luke walked in. "Boss, it''s bad! Madam is missing!" "What?" Anthony frowned as his figure steadily grew stiff, angry. "I brought some people over to send her the wedding gown,¡¯¡¯ Luke blurted," and we realized no one was inside...¡± ''When did Mommy go missing? Is there any clue to her?" Chris asked anxiously as he pulled at Luke''s arm. Luke replied, "Madam put her clothes on the pillow, and that''s why the guards in the afternoon shift didn¡¯t realize anything was wrong. We don''t know whether she left in the morning or afternoon. As for the evidence... they''ve all been wiped out. The surrounding footage is cleared uppletely..." i Anthony''srge hands clenched tightly, so much so that the veins in his arms protruded. Cleared uppletely? Just likest time? He had an impossible thought in his head as the air he emitted grew daunting. The Cherny mansion, or the Granger mansion? Whichever mansion she was at, it was unforgivable! She ran away with some man while he was out preparing for their wedding? 2 Anthony exuded an air of dangerous violence. "Get them ready to enter Cherny mansion and Granger mansion!" he snapped. ''Yes, Sir!" Luke answered. The night was dark as ink. In the living hall of the Granger mansion... Grandma Granger pulled at Charmine and Guy''s hands happily. ''Wonderful news. Apparently you two have matching horoscopes and numbers. However, the most ideal timing would be tomorrow at nine in the morning. If you miss this, there''s no better date!" "If so, since we¡¯ve all agreed, you''ll go with this, won''t you, Charmine?" asked Senior Granger. Charmine''s eyes narrowed, appearing as if it was too sudden. After a moment, she nodded. "Okay.¡± It would be too suspicious for her to answer so quickly. Sure enough, the two elders were pleased by her reaction. "Wonderful," beamed Senior Granger happily, "you two go and get some rest. We¡¯ll prepare everything else to make sure everything goes well tomorrow!" ''What about your family? Do you want to let them know?" asked Grandma Granger. Charmine hesitated for a moment. "Maybe not now. This is all too sudden, and I''m afraid they''re not ready for the news. To avoid unnecessary objections and problems, I¡¯ll let them know once everything is stable." "Alright, go and get some rest. Go on¡ªit''ll be a long day tomorrow!¡± gushed Grandma Granger as she pushed Charmine and Guy into a newlyweds bedroom that was well-decorated. 1 Charmine wanted to speak but the door was closed. That effectively left her alone with Guy... chapter 1014 chapter 1014 Senior Granger then spoke to Guy and Charmine, ''Talk about your feelings and feel good about it tonight, or you¡¯ll both look too distant tomorrow during the ceremony. Furthermore, this happens too soon, so we won''t let the outsiders know about it yet, and obviously you can''t get inside the bedroom tomorrow right after the ceremony, so now is the time... I won¡¯t disturb you two any longer!" 1 With that said, the two seniors left. Guy who was inside the room blushed. He then looked at Charmine. "Don''t worry, I¡¯ll sleep on the floor, so you can sleep on the bed." Charmine nced around. It was a room that had taken up the entire first floor, and there was one bedroom, one bathroom, and a balcony. A white translucent curtain hung by the balcony that fluttered in the air as the breeze blew from time to time. The spacious room also had a bed as well as some sofas. "You sleep on the bed," said Charmine, "and I''ll sleep on the floor. You helped me, so I can''t let you sleep on the floor." 1 With that said, she went to the wardrobe to get the extra nket and ced them in a corner somewhat far away from the bed. Guy wanted to reject this offer but since he was in the same room as Charmine, he was too nervous to speak. Watching how quickly Charmine moved, all thoughts of words flew out of his mind. He could only give in. He slept in bed while Charmine slept on the floor near the balcony. Charmine could not fall asleep. She had the nket on and turned off the light, but her thoughts ran rampant still. She wondered what Anthony was doing. Was he looking for her all over the ce? Was he worried for her? 2 She wanted to text Anthony, to ask him to wait for another day, but she decided against it as she thought things through. She knew Anthony, and he would not agree to it. He might even try to ruin her n. 1 This was herst shot in getting the red wolf bone, and she must not fail. With that in mind, she forced herself to fall asleep, and she unknowingly did. Guy who was in bed, looked in Charmine''s direction with a heavy heart. Even though she was beside him, she was still so far away. Charmine would not fall for him...and she might never would... Just as he thought of that, a sudden loud crack was heard. The bed broke! It broke, just like that! Caught off-guard, Guy''s bed fell to the floor, and the noise woke up Charmine as she saw Guy on the floor. Guy''s face flushed red. Why would the bed fall? How was he supposed to exin things? He quickly stood up and said, "It suddenly...broke...l¡¯ll ask them to fix this..." From N?velDrama.Org. Charmine looked at the bed; the bedposts were obviously cut. It was intentional. 1 "No need," she said, "sleep on the floor, then." Guy frowned. He did not understand. To that, Charmine exined, "Maybe your grandparents knew we''d be sleeping separately, so they cut the bedposts. If you go out now, even if the bed was fixed, they might think of something else. Instead of that, why not just leave it as it is." Guy instantly understood. He looked at Charmine apologetically. "Sorry... they¡¯re overdoing it. I¡¯ll tell them off tomorrow." "Don''t worry, just get some sleep for now. Don''t expose it, and just get the red wolf bone tomorrow," said Charmine. Guy nodded and picked up the mattress. 1 There were many wood chips on the nket, so Guy brought it to the bathroom and shook them off. Charmine frowned. This bed was a traditional wooden bed. There was no mattress and the only extra nket was with her on the floor. If Guy was to sleep on the floor, he did not have a nket. chapter 1015 chapter 1015 Charmine wanted to help Guy, wanted toe up with something for him, but when Guy came back out, he ced the thinyer of nket on the ground and slept on it. He picked a spot far away from Charmine, and the broken bedid between them. With a wardrobe at his side, the space he was in was rather narrow. Charmine frowned. Noticing that she had more space on her side, she spoke, ''You can sleep here, too." "No need, I''m fine. I can sleep here,¡± answered Guy with a reddened face. To him, there was no problem sleeping on the floor. He had slept in worse conditions during his training. Charmine looked at his back and frowned, though she said nothing in return. She would remember this favor from him. Once her rtionship with Anthony had stabilized, she could then return the favor to him. i She hoped she could get the red wolf bone tomorrow. 1 The night resumed its silence again. Meanwhile, Dior stood outside their door and heard the movements inside the room. Her lips curled up pleasantly. 1 Wonderful! The bed was broken, and there was no extra space. Her brother would have to sleep with Charmine, right? If she did nothing forthem, how would they develop even a sliver of a feeling? Even if they had not developed some feelings, Charmine would start having some feelings for her brother! With that, she happily went back to her room. Outside the window, the moon slowly climbed up the tree. The autumn night was colder than usual. With a chilling breeze, the curtain fluttered in the air. 1 The sound-asleep Charmine suddenly felt eyes on her, the intensity causing chills to run down her spine. She gradually opened her eyes to see that a well-built figure stood on the balcony, and they looked daunting behind the curtain. Based on the shape of the figure, it was Anthony. i Anthony actually came! Anthony stood still behind the curtain as he emitted a fierce demeanor. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Through the curtain and the moonlight, he could clearly see Charmine sleeping inside. Charmine was here and was sleeping with Guy, no less! They even broke the bed! What did they do?! i His eyes were seemingly on fire as he walked toward them. Charmine quickly went out from the inside and pulled him to the other side of the balcony. When she made sure that it was Anthony, she anxiously asked, "Why did youe?" 1 "Would I have found out that my wife is cheating on me if I didn''t?" Anthony''s tone was filled with anger and restraint. Charmine quickly said, "Calm down, listen to me. I came here for the red wolf bone; they promised me. As long as I pretend to get married with Guy tomorrow for the grandparents to believe us, I''ll get the red wolf bone." Anthony''s eyes darkened and became colder. Get married to Guy? "Charmine! Who do you think I am? A dead man?" i As he spoke, he held Charmine''s hand and scoffed, "Go out, I''ll fix this now." He looked like the devil incarnate as if he was about to destroy the Granger mansion. Charmine saw that he wanted to attack Guy, thus she quickly held onto his arm. "Anthony, calm down. I''ve heard about Annabel disappearing. She''s missing. She might be kidnapped! If we get married tomorrow and someone threatens us using Annabel, what can we do? What if they threaten us with the baby in Annabel? We have to be proactive instead of passive. Once we get the red wolf bone to treat Momo, no matter what happens, nobody could threaten us again. Please, hold it for just one more night, okay?" chapter 1016 chapter 1016 "Hold it for one more night?" scoffed Anthony. "And let my wife sleep with another man? Watch her marry someone else? Charmine, I''m not as generous as you think!" With that said, he pushed Charmine''s hand away and walked into the room. Terrified that he would wake up Guy and his family, Charmine pulled him back, all to no avail as he was too strong. He was unstoppable. Just as he was about to enter the bedroom, Charmine abruptly took out a dagger and pushed it against her neck. "Anthony, if you''re going in, you might as well send me to the hospital!" 1 Hearing her threat, Anthony turned back to see a cold dagger pressed against Charmine''s neck. He frowned. "You''ve only met him for a few days, and now you''re using your life to save him?" "I''m not saving him-l¡¯m saving Momo and our future! As long as I get the red wolf bone tomorrow, we can still get married in the afternoon. If I can''t get it, Annabel would be in danger, and Chris will be put on the line, too! Anthony, you and I are both adults. Can¡¯t you think of the bigger picture?" growled Charmine under her breath, stern and assertive. Anthony looked at her clear face. Hisrge hands tightened with veins popping out. Bigger picture? He did not care, especially when his woman was involved! i Charmine continued, "Do you remember the day we fell into the pit? You said that I can ask for anything, and that you''ll fulfill it for me, so I have a request tonight. Please, calm down. I''ll get the red wolf bone tomorrow morning. Once I get it, I''ll do anything you want! Otherwise, if we don''t get the red wolf bone, I''d rather die than to leave this ce!" As she spoke, she pushed the dagger closer to her neck, determined and stubborn. Anthony had not seen her so stubborn after knowing her for so long. It was apparent that she had made up her mind and was hellbent in seeing her n through. Charmine continued, "The bed was intentionally broken, and I''ve been on the floor from the start. If you can''t even trust me in this, how can we get married and spend the rest of our lives together?" challenged Charmine, i Anthony''srge hands clenched even tighter. She had gone to this extent for the red wolf bone? He did not trust her? They could not get married and spend the rest of their lives together? Suddenly, he turned away from the bedroom and coldly snapped, "I¡¯ll be doing it my way to retrieve the red wolf bone, Charmine. With me around, don''t even think of marrying another man!" 1 With that said, he jumped off the balcony onto the field. His dark shadow disappeared into the darkness of the night. Even though he was gone, his chilling and oppressive breath lingered in the air. Charmine looked in the direction he disappeared into, and her brows furrowed. What was Anthony nning? What could he do? What if he ruined the n tomorrow? What if...? She could only bring out her new phone to send him messages. [Anthony, calm down! Everything isn''t real, it¡¯s just an act! Can''t you treat me as an actor?] [This is the only chance to get the red wolf bone. Don''t mess up!] No matter what she sent, he did not reply to her. 1 Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Charmine stared into the dark night and felt uneasy. She felt that Anthony was about to do something, but she dared not chase after him. She did not want to wake the Grangers up... i As she stood on the balcony for a long while and was lost in her headspace, she helplessly went back into the room to sleep on the floor. 1 Luckily, they did not speak loudly. Guy did not wake up, and nobody realized what happened. She shut her eyes, silently praying that everything could go as nned for the wedding. chapter 1017 chapter 1017 Guy, meanwhile, had his back turned to Charmine, though his eyes were wide open in the darkness. He had never been in so much pain before. Charmine was here merely for the red wolf bone, and she would leave right after getting it... Even though she used the dagger to force Anthony into letting her stay, she was using her life to stay with Anthony. Guy had never been envious of anyone. Anthony was a first. In the darkness, Anthony arrived outside the gate silently. Luke said in a low voice, "President, we''ve located the red wolf bone-it¡¯s in the heavily secured basement set up with rms all around. ording to the results, there are many rms and protective machines. It¡¯s dangerous. Why don¡¯t we-" N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. "Hmph!" Anthony scoffed and put on his ck mask. He went in the direction of the basement quickly. He had to get the red wolf bone before morning came. The moon up the tree slowly sunk as the sky turned into a brighter shade. Charmine did not sleep well. She had many dreams instead. Her newborn was tossed into the bin; five-year-old Chris'' face turned pale as blood oozed out from his lips as he muttered, "Mommy, sorry, I can''t be with you, you have to be happy with Daddy...¡±. Chris closed his eyes gently, and his little head turned down... No! No! Charmine opened her eyes abruptly and she heard someone knocking. She was in the bedroom in the Granger mansion. She thanked her stars that it was just a dream. Dior''s voice was heard from the outside. "Charmine, Charmine! Are you awake? The ceremony will happen at five, you may start getting ready!¡± Although the ceremony only had the two elders and less than ten rtives, they did it with a lot of effort. They decorated the hall and even prepared the traditional wedding costumes for them. Guy had woken up, too. He quickly stood up and tossed his nket at Charmine. "For the act," he muttered, blushing as he did. "Okay, don¡¯t worry." Charmine did not mind. As long as she could get the red wolf bone, this was a small matter. Guy walked over to open the door, revealing Dior and the two elders outside, along with some maids with costumes at hand. When they saw the shared nket on the floor, they were delighted. So the bed brokest night, and they truly slept together. Perfect! Grandma Granger said, "You two go and wash up. Put on the costumes." A maid came in with the costume. Charmine said, "I''ll go get changed myself." "Okay, we like independent kids." Grandma Granger nodded with delight. Charmine went into the changing room. She looked at the sky outside and felt uneasy. Anthony said he would not allow her to get married to Guy. This implied that he would do something before the sky turned bright. What if he went ahead to steal the red wolf bone? She had learned about the machines in the basement. It was a heavily mechanical basement. Even Dior, Guy, and herself had no confidence in getting in safety, i They were done for if he triggered any of them! Her eyelids fluttered at that moment as if something bad was about to happen. At that moment... Knock, knock, knock! Someone knocked on the door, followed by Grandma Granger''s voice. "Charmine, have you changed? Guy ising in. He''ll get changed with you." chapter 1018 chapter 1018 Charmine frowned. Get changed together? What if Guy came in when she was truly changing? From N?velDrama.Org. She collected herself and quickly got changed. Even though it was aplicated ensemble of traditional clothes, her movement was so swift that it took less than ten seconds for her to put it on! 2 After changing into the clothes, she quickly opened the door. "I''m ready. Guy can go in now." Guy reeled back in shock as Charmine stepped out. Charmine was dressed in handmade traditional clothing with a phoenix embroidered to it. As her skin seemingly glowing like a pear, her hair was slightly messy, which made her seem even more carefree and beautiful. The sight stunned him silly. The rest of the Grangers looked at her in awe. Dior was the first to react and she smiled. "My sister-inw is so gorgeous. Brother, what are you standing here for? Hurry and get in to get changed. Don¡¯t make her wait for too long." "Oh..." Guy snapped back to reality and realized he was embarrassing himself. A blush made its way to his face again. 1 He quickly grabbed the clothes and went into the changing room. Some maids hade in to tidy up their bed. Dior helped Charmine to get to the dressing table where a makeup artist quickly donned makeup on her. Charmine wanted to turn it down, but she decided against it in fear of raising suspicion, i The makeup artist was very professional. After moisturizing her skin, she quickly helped her to put on the makeup. The rest of the Grangers waited by the side. They were delighted. After her hair was fixed, Grandma Granger took out a jade hairpin and put it on her hair personally. 1 She looked at Charmine in the mirror, her face was flushing red with delight and pleasure. "So beautiful. I¡¯m so pleased to have a granddaughterinw like you. I can die in peace now. Once you go through the ceremony, it''ll be confirmed! I''ll feel secure and free from nightmares!" Charmine saw the pin on her hair through the mirror. It was made of jade and looked expensive, most likely passed down from generation to generation in the Granger family... She smiled at Grandma Granger, but there was a glint of unnoticeable guilt in the dark end of her eyes, i Grandma Granger treated her too well, but she came with the sole intention of getting the red wolf bone and faked herself for it... A maid brought over a bowl of porridge as she said delightedly, "Madam, the blessed porridge is ready." "Alrighty! Guy,e over here! Share this!" Grandma Granger called out to Guy. Guy was waiting at the far end. When he heard that, he walked over and sat beside Charmine. 1 The porridge was made of red oatmeal, and it symbolized the prosperity of the marriage. There was only one spoon prepared, too... Grandma Granger handed the bowl to them personally and smiled. "Have a taste, it''s good. We can get going once you finish this." When Charmine saw the bowl, she frowned and grew rather anxious. There was only one spoon in the bowl. Was she supposed to share this with Guy and feed it to one another? i She had this image in her mind along with Anthony''s eerily cold expression, and the chills ran down her back, i Guy halted. He did not know what to do. Seeing that they did not move, Grandma Granger put the bowl in Guy¡¯s hand and pestered, "Guy, you''re a man, take the initiative!" She eyed Guy as she spoke. With the bowl at hand, Guy¡¯s ears flushed red. Charmine, who was by his side, frowned. Grandma Granger was the one pestering, and if they did not eat it, she might get suspicious! chapter 1019 chapter 1019 Still, did she have to share it with Guy? What could she have done? Just as Charmine racked her brain for a solution, Guy raised his hand and lowered his head to drink it. Quickly, he finished the entire bowl of porridge with nothing left. After drinking it, he handed the bowl back to Grandma Granger. "Here, I''ve finished it." Grandma Granger looked at the emptied bowl, and her face turned green." You...you... You! Is your head made of wood?! You''re meant to drink this with Charmine! You¡¯re supposed to share it!" ''You frustrated me! Oh lord!" Senior Granger flicked his fingers against Guy¡¯s forehead. Guy lowered his head and pretended to be apologetic, "I''m sorry, I was too hungry..." "Sigh! Whatever! Let''s get going!" Grandma Granger soothed her chest and turned to leave. Senior Granger red at Guy. i Charmine grew guiltier when she saw Guy getting scolded. She never thought he woulde up with such a method to disperse the issue. She owed it to him. 1 They altogether walked out. It was only six in the morning, and the sky was turning brighter. Charmine and Guy were dressed in red¡ªa handsome, dashing man with a stunning woman. They seemed like a perfect match. The aura they both emitted contrasted yetplimented one another, how Guy''s bright, determined disposition was against Charmine''s aloofness and coldness. They seemed like a couple meant to be together. Following behind them, Dior gazed at their backs with mixed emotions. 1 How wonderful would it have been if they were genuinely to be together? i If only Charmine could fall for her brother... She sighed and took out her phone to take a few photos in silence. Charmine walked out and grew more antsy. They were about to go through the ceremony. Once the timing was right, they would be officiated. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. She wondered if she could get the red wolf bone; she wondered if things would go as nned... She wondered what Anthony was doing. Would he mess things up? Her thoughts overwhelmed her head. There were about ten or so rtives of the Grangers, all dressed in simple yet formal outfits. When they saw the two, the rtives all greeted: ''The bride is so beautiful. No wonder you''re all keeping it low and quick. You''re afraid of her getting snatched away!¡± "Congrattions! Guy is finally willing to get married! What a delight!" "Let''s officiate the ceremony!¡± The rtives showered them with blessings. Although they were all moguls with high status, they were not businessmen so they seemed friendlier. 1 Charmine could only smile back to them, all while she prayed internally, "Hopefully, Anthony isn''t here. Hopefully, Anthony won''t cause a scene. Hopefully, I can get the red wolf bone. Today''s the day..." Guy, on the other hand, walked behind her. There were so many people around him, and he was somehow pushed closer to Charmine. Even though he knew it was an act, even though he knew Charmine would leave him afterward, he could not fight back the smile that crept on his face when he saw the decorations and heard the blessings from everyone present. He felt blessed. Dior kept her phone and thought of her matchmaking n, so she ran to them. As Charmine walked, she suddenly felt someone pushing her, causing her to fall toward the side, i Guy quickly reached out to support her. Caught off-guard, Charmine fell into Guy¡¯s arms. 1 At that moment, she felt a pair of cold eyes ring at her, and it sent chills all over her body. chapter 1020 chapter 1020 Charmine felt uneasy and felt something ominous in the air... Was Anthony around? Was he nearby...? 1 She quickly stood up and kept his distance from Guy. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. The crowd thought she was shy, thus some rtives teased them. ''You''re about to get married. We understand! Haha! We''re a family, don''t be shy!" "Guy! You should hold on to your wife! You should learn to take good care of your wife, to protect her.¡± "Hurry up and learn to be a more considerate man. If not, we won¡¯t let you off!" Everyone pestered Charmine and Guy. Guy blushed as he tried his best to speak calmly, ''Til do that privately. There¡¯re so many people around today, so let¡¯s not force it." "Aw, you''re an adult man yet you¡¯re so shy! Look at Charmine! She''s not shy, is she?" A woman smiled and looked at Charmine. ''Of course I''m not shy," Charmine thought to herself, "I''m just unwilling.'' She thought they only had to go through the ceremony and keep things simple. She did not expect there to be so many procedures. She was ready. She knew that even if she went home with the red wolf bone, Anthony would punish her severely... 1 Seeing that she was unwilling, after a moment of hesitation, Guy offered his arm to her. "Charmine, hold onto my arm." It was a typical gesture between partners, and all she had to do was hold his arm. This gesture was not intimate at all. i Charmine could feel that Guy had been helping and protecting her all this while. She frowned before she finally put her hand on his arm. Since they were at this stage with so many attendees, all would be for naught if anyone became suspicious. She was merely touching his arm, so she could please Anthony more when she got home, to make him less mad... 1 With that in mind, she held onto Guy''s arm and walked forward. Guy¡¯s body stiffened, unable to believe what happened. Charmine was holding onto his arm... She was actually holding onto his arm! He thought she would only fake it... Walking by her side, his heart thumped loudly. He never felt this way before. The usually calm and well-built man like him, flushed like a teenager at that moment. 1 A lot of the rtives smiled, and some even whistled. "Guy is finally a man! Our Guy has grown up!" Apanied by their teases, they finally arrived at the ceremony pavilion. The pavilion was located at the south-side of the mansion. When they got in, it was a well-decorated space with the names of their ancestors carved on the walls. Grandma Grangerforted, "Don¡¯t be scared, Charmine. They were good people, and they fought for the country back then. They''re kind and won¡¯t harm you." Charmine answered, "Don¡¯t worry, I''m not scared." "Alright, alright! Atta girl. Let''s go in; it''s the right time now. We can officiate the ceremony," gushed Grandma Granger as she held onto Charmine with a friendly smile, i With that, Charmine walked inside with them. A maid was preparing the script. Charmine looked at the majesticyout of the pavilion, and a frown made its way to her face. Was she about to write the script in front of their ancestors? This seemed like a serious matter... i After hesitating, she looked at Grandma Granger worryingly and asked in a low voice, "What you promised..." "Don''t worry. Once the ceremony is over, I¡¯ll give it to you," assured Grandma Granger. Charmine felt much better then-what mattered was that she got the red wolf bone. Someone handed the script to her, but just as she was about to receive it... 1 Bam! chapter 1021 chapter 1021 A loud bang was heard as the pavilion''s door was kicked open, and all eyes turned to see a tall, well- built figure outside the door. Dressed in a ck-colored agent¡¯s costume, the figure had numerous scratches on their clothes as blood stained his skin. He emanated a dangerously cold aura as if he was a warrior who returned from the battlefield. Charmine frowned. It was Anthony! 1 N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Anthony came back! The faces of the Grangers changed. Senior Granger instantly instructed," Dior, send the guests to have a walk in the garden. We have things to deal with here." "Okay." Dior instantly invited the guests out of the pavilion. The guests were curious. Why did the most reputable man in the business industry, Anthony, show up to the wedding? Moreover, Anthony did not have anything to do with the Grangers in the past... However, they always listened to Senior Granger, thus they all went out, leaving only a handful of people inside the pavilion. Anthony eyed Charmine who was dressed in a wedding costume, and his gaze hardened, set aze in fury. He was supposed to marry Charmine on this day, yet there she was, wearing a wedding costume for another man! She was standing beside Guy, and the sight itself was triggering. "Come here!" Two cold, harsh words were uttered, and it sounded like an instruction. Charmine frowned. He asked her to go with him? They have gotten so far! Was she supposed to give up on the red wolf bone? "I¡¯ve gotten the red wolf bone,¡± snapped Anthony. "Come here, now!" 1 This was his second time ordering her. Charmine was shocked. Anthony managed to retrieve the red wolf bone? He disappeared for a night just to steal the red wolf bone, and he even seeded? At that moment, a maid ran toward them and fretted, "Sir, Madam, it''s bad! The red wolf bone in the underground was stolen!" The eyes of the two elders widened with disbelief. The red wolf bone was indeed stolen! The underground was located below the Granger mansion, and it was akin to an undergroundbyrinth asrge as 700-square meters. There were hundreds of organs and gears, and not even the Grangers¡¯ special agents coulde back out if they entered! How was it that Anthony Anthony could get in and walk out alive? To top that off, he only had light, skin-deep wounds... Senior Granger was the first to react as he barked, "Someone, capture him!" In came more than ten agents dressed in ck with hismand, and every one of them seemed like they would do their worst. The vicious aura they emitted could onlye from warriors who had joined battles. Instantly, Charmine went to Anthony and stood next to him. She said to the two elders, ''To be honest with you, I came here to get the red wolf bone. It''s rightfully mine, but your family took it away, and I had no choice but to get it back this way. Since the situation has unfolded to this point, I hope you''ll consider making an offer. As long as we can fulfill it, the Jordans and the Baileys will do our best." Her voice was no longer gentle like it was before-she sounded clear and harsh. Guy felt a sharp pang in his chest when he saw her standing with Anthony. Yes, he had long anticipated this happening, but it still hurt him... 1 Charmine was right; this red wolf bone belonged to her. Guy thus turned to his elders. "Grandpa, Grandma, let them go. Don¡¯t make it hard forthem!" "My foot! It''s incredibly rare for you to fall for a girl you genuinely care for, Guy. You can¡¯t just let her walk away!" yelled Grandma Granger with a glint of ferocity in her eyes. chapter 1022 chapter 1022 Grandma Granger thus looked at Charmine and Anthony. "Do you two think you can walk out of the Granger mansion unharmed? Charmine, are you sure you want to leave with Anthony?" 1 Charmine nced at Anthony by her side. He must have been through hell throughout the night in the undergroundbyrinth; he was wounded because of her. Since he had the red wolf bone with him, there was no reason for her to stay. She nodded without hesitation. "Of course, you can''t force love. Why don''t we end things well?" "I don''t think it¡¯ll be that easy. I''ve asked Dior to tell the world about your marriage with Guy today," confessed Grandma Granger. Charmine frowned. The news was out? N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Sensing something, she quickly took out her phone to see the most- discussed topic: #Charmine-got-married! Clicking onto it, there were photos of the ceremony taken by Dior. In the photos, she was in the same red traditional costume as she walked side-by-side with Guy. The two of them looked like a perfect match. Thements went everywhere. [The Navy General! It''s a big wedding!] [How powerful! No wonder Charmine looked down on Julian.] [God bless them!] [Wishing them the best!] Everyonemented under the articles, and the news was heavily dosed with news of the supermodel Charmine marrying into the Granger family! i Charmine¡¯s hand around her phone tightened. "Grandma Granger, why would you do this!?" "Sorry, but for my grandson, I don¡¯t mind pushing it. You may resent me or me me, but don¡¯t you ever think of marrying Anthony!" scoffed Grandma Granger. 1 Charmine''s face turned green. With this news out, would the Baileys agree to it if she ended up marrying Anthony? What would the netizens think? It was already a challenging marriage, and it had just be a notch harder! 2 Anthony merely scoffed, "Do you think you¡¯ll be able to trap her this way? Ha! Not even in your wildest dreams!" With that said, he grabbed Charmine¡¯s hand and looked at the surrounding bodyguards. He was a man who managed to get out from the undergroundbyrinth. Why would mere bodyguards scare him? Grandma Granger was shocked. News of Charmine and Guy''s wedding went viral! Did Anthony not care at all about that? Seeing that he was about to attack, she could only say, "Do you think that''s it? Doesn''t Ms. Jordan feel unwell?" Charmine frowned. Feeling unwell? As she assessed herself physically, she suddenly felt a sharp migraine. It felt like a churning machine was churning her brains, as if it was about to explode in her head. "Argh!" she groaned as she grasped at her head. Anthony instantly held onto her and frowned. ''What is it?" Charmine was in so much pain that she was unable to speak. She had never been in so much pain before, so much so that she could not even hear what others around her were saying. 1 Anthony could only hold onto her and red at Grandma Granger coldly." What have you done to her?!" Guy was just as shocked. He red at Grandma Granger furiously. "Don''t be too anxious," said Grandma Granger. "This is just a pain-drug invented in theboratory not long ago. If she doesn''t get the antidote, this poison will stay in her body. She''ll suffer pain three times per day, and it won''t stop." 1 Anthony''s figure emitted an ominous aura as he held Charmine while marching forward. He grabbed Grandma Granger by her cor. "Give me the antidote, now, or I won¡¯t hesitate to attack you!" 1 His tone sounded dangerous. He held onto Grandma Granger''s cor tightly, nearly lifting her off the ground entirely. chapter 1023 chapter 1023 Grandma Granger was never treated in such a way before. Even though Anthony was not a soldier, he exuded an even deadlier air than troopers. Although she was terrified, she thought of Guy¡¯s future and met Anthony''s gaze fearlessly. "Mr. Bailey, by all means, go ahead. Only I have the antidote, kill me if you will. Charmine will be in pain forever!" Tightening his grip on her cor, Anthony lifted Grandma Granger off of the ground entirely. "You''re threatening me!" i "If you think so. I''ll stand by my choice!" Grandma Granger eyed him squarely. Guy, who was by the side, quickly walked forward. "How could you do this, Grandma? Bring out the antidote now! Ms. Jordan is right; there''s no point forcing these things. Furthermore, I merely admire her, but it''s not love. Please, let them go!" "I won''t! Kill me if you want to!" Grandma Granger shut her eyes stubbornly. She looked as if nothing in the world could make her afraid! Anthony felt his anger filling up his chest. He was just about to toss Grandma Granger in the air when a hand caught his wrist. He lowered his gaze to see that it was Charmine, and though her migraine was easing up, her face was still pale. She gently parted her lips. "Let go of her. Let''s move. Dr. Weir and the other Uncles should have a solution to this." Furthermore, she practiced the Ultimate Seventy-Two Needles. If she worked on it, the inflicted status should not be an issue. There was no point holding it against an elderly woman. Noticing how worn-out Charmine was, Anthony tossed Grandma Granger away to where Guy was at, and Guy quickly caught onto his grandmother. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Charmine had no interest in speaking to them any further. She held onto Anthony''s hand and left. ''There¡¯s no point for you to leave!¡± Grandma Granger called out behind them. "No one will have the antidote, no matter who you seek after! If you leave now, you''ll have to go through the migraine three more times today, Charmine! You''ll be in pain longer if you don¡¯t give in now. Are you certain of leaving?" Her words sounded like a warning. Charmine halted. She nced at Anthony who was beside her. After a moment, she did not even turn back as she scoffed, "Even if I have to live in pain every day, I¡¯ll still choose this. There are things in the world that you can''t gain by force!¡± 1 Her voice was arrogant and cold, and Grandma Granger jolted. Charmine would still choose to be with Anthony, even if she had to live with the immense pain? She was not afraid and called this ''things that can''t be gained by force''? Was she that adamant of not wanting to be with Guy? i Seeing that she was about to leave, Guy quickly said, "Ms. Jordan, please, hold. I didn''t know this would happen. I''m very sorry. If you leave now, you''ll suffer incredibly. I''ll ask Grandma to let you have the antidote now, so please wait!" With that said, he looked at Grandma Granger as he wore a grim expression that was not seen before. "Grandma, bring out the antidote right away! Now!" "What''s wrong with you? I¡¯m trying to help you! I¡¯m helping you!" Grandma Granger fretted as she comforted him, "Charmine won''t be able to go through the pain every day. Even if she leaves now, she''lle back after a few more times.¡± Her tone was determined. Guy pushed her away angrily. "If you don''t bring it out now, I''ll go find it myself! Don¡¯t me me if I flip through everything!" chapter 1024 chapter 1024 As he spoke, Guy rushed out of the pavilion and instructed the bodyguards that gathered nearby, "Go and find the antidote! Look for it in her bedroom and everywhere else!" The bodyguards were blocking the exit as they stared down at Charmine and Anthony, but the guards turned to Grandma Granger upon hearing Guy¡¯s order. "What are you all still standing there for?" snapped Guy. "Don''t forget who''s in charge of the Granger family!" 1 His tone was filled with authority, and the guards lowered their heads as he reminded them of this fact. ''Yes, Sir!" They then left and went ahead to search for the antidote. Grandma Granger was so furious that her lips twitched. ¡®You, you, you... You''re pissing me off!" ''You''ve crossed the line, Guy! Why are you helping the outsiders!?" Senior Granger held onto Grandma Granger as he shot Guy a re. Guy did not care about them as he instead walked toward Charmine and Anthony and humbly spoke, "I''m very sorry. This is my fault." "Hmph! Get lost!" growled Anthony before he left with Charmine. He wanted to act like a nice guy in front of Charmine? Get real! If Grandma Granger hid the antidote well, how would Guy find it at all? i Their only hope was to seek help from Dr. Weir. Charmine did not stop, either. She went away with Anthony. From N?velDrama.Org. Although she knew Guy was innocent, she chose to end things swiftly in case he still held the feeling of wanting to be with her. Both of them were not meant to be, after all. Guy saw the two of them leaving, and his fists clenched tightly. Charmine must have hated him. She must be ming him. He was trying to help Charmine, but he did not expect this to happen instead... Grandma Granger walked forward and scowled at him angrily, "Did you see that? Even if you''re trying to help, they won''t be grateful! If you let them go, Charmine will keep distancing herself from you!" "Enough! Grandma, you better reconsider not giving the antidote!" scoffed Guy before he marched away. The yard was filled with wedding decorations, but they became an eyesore instead. Those who did not know what truly went down thought this was a happy wedding ceremony, but it was nothing but an act... When Charmine left with Anthony, they bumped into Dior who was returning from ushering the guests. Dior wanted to stop them, but they did not let her. After the two left, they went inside the car. "Contact everyone," Anthony instructed Luke, "and gather them in Violet Residence." With that said, he looked at Charmine. "Which of the Uncles practice medicine?" Charmine took out her phone. "I''ve already sent him a text. He''ll be at the Violet Residence." Anthony''s face eased at that, though his facial expressions still looked visibly tense. Although he had brought Charmine out of the mansion, he did not know if these people would be able to get the poison out from her body. If they could not, what else can he do? The car drove toward Violet Residence, and both Charmine and Anthony said not a word throughout the drive. Charmine saw the wounds on his body and frowned. She wanted to clean them for him, but there was no equipment in the car to help her clean them. Finally, the car pulled over outside the vi. When the two of them went out, Chris jumped toward them. chapter 1025 chapter 1025 "Mommy! Mommy! You''re finally back! I thought you don''t want Momo anymore..." Charmine quickly hugged Chris. He wore a nice little suit, and he looked formal and sharp. It was apparent he was ready to be the flower boy for their wedding! 1 She reached out to ruffle his head. "Why would Mommy leave you? Don''t overthink things! Oh, yes, how''s your illness? Did we get the red wolf bone?" Nial, who was walking out, nodded. "Yes, Bro sent it over earlier. I''ve examined it and deduced that it truly can treat Momo''s illness. Currently, I¡¯m ready to extract its essence to turn them into capsules. Momo only has to take it once a day, and his illness will be cured in less than a month." 1 Charmine let out a sigh of relief. Wonderful! They finally got the red wolf bone, and they could atst treat Chris! As for Annabel... ''What''s the situation with Annabel then?" asked Charmine. "Hmm... Sigh! We''ve been following the suspected people, but we haven''t found out who kidnapped her. There''s no clue yet." Nial sighed heavily at that, though he continued, ''These are small matters. Annabel isn''t a threat now. Now that you two are back, quickly get ready. Everyone is waiting at the venue." Anthony''s face sank and Charmine was just as bitter-looking. She could only walk inside with Chris. 1 Nial noticed that they didment anything on the matter so he frowned." What''s the matter? Why are you two not saying anything? Aren''t you all back? The venue is ready...¡± Anthony walked inside and looked at Charmine who was sitting on the sofa. He said in a low voice, "Ask them to amodate the guests first. Wait for further updates." Nial was perplexed. Wait for further updates? What updates? Chris sensed that something was not right. He quickly checked his phone and saw the news online. He was with Nial in the scienceb on the third floor, and they had been working on the red wolf bone to the point they were not even updated with news at the time. Who would have thought that Charmine was married to Guy. She even wore the bride''s wedding costume! It was also then Chris realized that Charmine wore the same costume as she did in the photos. He asked with disbelief, "Mommy, what happened...? You don''t want Daddy anymore...?" "No, it¡¯s a misunderstanding. Mommy did it to get the red wolf bone," Charmine exined. Chris frowned. "But why are Mommy and Daddy not happy...?" Charmine was thinking of an excuse when the bell rang outside. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Nial walked over to see the few seniorsing over; Dr. Weir and the other five seniors. When Charmine saw them, she said to Chris, "Momo, be good. Go up to theputer room to help Mommy stand. Scold thoseizens who scolded Mommy." Although many congratted her for getting married to Guy, many people thought she was not good enough for him. Chris knew she was trying to get rid of him, but this was indeed an important matter. He nodded and went upstairs. After making sure that Chirs was upstairs, Charmine said to them, "Come over here." "Charmine, we heard that you were poisoned? What poison is it? Did The Ultimate Seventy-Two Needles not work?" Dr. Weir walked over and looked concerned. Charmine nodded. "I examined myself on the way back, but I can¡¯t even figure out what type of poison this is. I don''t know where its source is either. You''re all my only hope now." 1 "Hurry, let me feel your pulse." Dr. Weir sat beside her and quickly searched for her pulse. The few others grew anxious-they were all very worried. This was the first time Charmine had faced such a challenging situation since her return to Burlington. 1 Would they be able to fix it? chapter 1026 chapter 1026 Dr. Weir checked her pulse for a very long while. After that, he frowned. Uncle Pop asked instantly, "What''s the matter? Say something! Otherwise, let Old Sam have a look!" By the side, Uncle Sam had opened his medical box, one filled with all sorts of devices. Dr. Weir retrieved his hands and sighed heavily. "You all have a look, then." As he spoke, he stood up and let Senior Sam have his seat. He walked to the window and said nothing else. The atmosphere was intense. Uncle Sam had no worries as he instantly took out all of his devices. He was one of the first few doctors who went abroad to hone and perfect his medical skills. He had innumerable experiences in treating patients. He had a helmet-like device at hand and he fitted it on Charmine''s head. Once he pressed on a button, the helmet made some beeping sounds. ''This is a high-tech neuron sensor," he exined, "and it can examine all kinds of illnesses in the head." Charmine frowned. Uncle Sam had such a high-tech device? She hoped he could detect something after all. Not long after... Beep! "No illness detected." Uncle Sam frowned. "How could it be? Don''t worry, I have other devices," he spoke as he took out all of the other devices to put on Charmine. He even extracted her blood to examine! However, no result was shown. Everyone asked in shock, "Old Sam, what''s the matter?" Uncle Sam frowned. "It doesn''t make sense. Why can''t I even detect any problem!?" "No need to check anymore," said Dr. Weir. ''There are too many illnesses in the world that even devices can''t sense nor exin." For example: Why would some women have period cramps and some did not; why some herbs had the benefits of nourishing one¡¯s beauty and looks. He sighed. ¡®Whatever it is that has poisoned Charmine, it''s something beyond the current studies. The poison isn''t administered into her head- it¡¯s inside her body. This type of poison will attack one''s head and induce a painful migraine. Unless we get the antidote, then..." 1 Sitting at a side, Anthony''srge hand tightened. Crack! The armrest his hand was resting on suffered cracks. 3 Charmine looked at him and put her hand on his, a silent form offort in her attempt. Meanwhile, she looked at them and asked, "So what you''re saying is that unless we get the antidote, there''s no other way?" Dr. Weir sighed again. "Apparently so." Uncle Pop clenched his fists angrily. "Who poisoned you? Tell us, and we''ll blow their house right away! We''ll make them bring out the antidote!" "No need for that, but thank you foring. Go home for now. We still have things to sort out," assured Charmine. The seniors exchanged looks. At the thought of how Charmine and Anthony were about to marry yet this instead happened, they felt sympathetic. The atmosphere was intense, yet all they could do was leave the vi. Nial was perplexed. Everything was well on its way, so why was Charmine poisoned? He asked weakly, ''The wedding..." 1 "Cancel it," muttered Anthony before he marched upstairs. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Nial waspletely baffled. Anthony had been looking forward to this wedding for so long, yet all of a sudden, he wanted to call it off? Was it not just some poison? They could still get married! Why cancel it? i Nial seemed confused as he looked at Charmine. Charmine''s expression was solemn as well. "Cancel it for now. Treat Momo first, and make sure he takes a capsule every day." chapter 1027 chapter 1027 With that said, Charmine went upstairs as well. After all, her migraine would happen three times a day at regr times. If they had a wedding ceremony at that moment, it would only cause a big scene when the migraine woulde. 1 Nial saw the two of them leaving, and he felt like crying. He spent so much effort taking care of Annabel, yet he ended up with even more things to deal with... Luckily, Annabel went missing before the drafts Anthony asked his men to prepare were sent out. On the other hand, the people only assumed that Anthony was getting married, and to Waverly as well. Canceling the wedding ceremony would not cause any harm to Charmine. Upstairs... Dark clouds were everywhere, and the sky was dull. Standing at the balcony, Anthony had a cigarette between his fingers, and he was nketed in smoke. He never smoked before, yet he at that moment let the smoke linger around him, and Charmine saw him as she finally reached upstairs. His well-built figure stood below the darkening sky as he emanated a foreboding aura. Her eyes narrowed, but just as Charmine was about to speak, she felt a sudden sharp migraine. She quickly leaned on the wall, not wanting Anthony to see it as she forcefully bit her lip and forced the yelp that threatened to spill down her throat. 1 Unfortunately, the pain only grew worse and more significant. While it initially felt like a churning machine, it slowly grew into a pain akin to knives poking her head. The pain worsened, and it felt as if her head would explode any time. "Argh!" she finally yelped in pain. The smoking Anthony heard her cry, and he instantly tossed the half-used cigarette away and walked toward her quickly. He saw how the usually arrogant and cold Charmine leaned against the cold wall, hugging her head deeply in pain. He instantly pulled her into his chest tightly as he called out for Nial who was downstairs, i However, Charmine grabbed on his arm and stopped him. "No need... Don''t let Momo...know..." Momo would be upset if he saw her in such a state; he must not know much of this as he was just a young boy. Since Dr. Weir and Uncle Sam had no clue on what to do, Nial would not have any clue either. She leaned onto Anthony''s chest and pushed him to the balcony. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Anthony knew what she was thinking. Even at times like this, she was more concerned about Chris instead of herself? Even though Nial might not have any solution, at least he would have some painkillers. 1 As he was about to call out again, Charmine made a push and the bedroom door was shut. They could only open the door from the inside, and the room was soundproofed... Anthony frowned. "Charmine!" "Argh!" Before he could finish speaking, Charmine let out another moan. Helplessly grasping onto Charmine, the usually wellposed Anthony had a panicked expression that was never seen on his face. He did not know what to do, and he did not know how to help her. Did he make a mistake from the start? If he did not ruin the ceremony at the Granger mansion, Charmine could have gotten the red wolf bone with her own way, and it could all be solved without much of a problem. 2 He made it worse... chapter 1028 chapter 1028 Charmine''s painsted for a long while before she eventually passed out in Anthony''s arms. Anthony held her close to him; he had never seen her so pale and weak. Large hands clenched into fists, he swung one to the wall, witnessed by Nial as he opened the door. "What happened to Charmine?" he asked, perplexed. "Take care of her, I need to go out," came Anthony''s order as he carried Charmine downstairs and ced her in bed. Nial quickly stopped him. "Bro, what are you going to do? Your wounds aren''t even cleaned yet, and our grandparents have seen the news of Charmine getting married to Guy. They''re on their way." "Ask them to leave. Don''t let them disturb her!" he spoke, words cold like frostbites, and he then marched out with a baleful aura. After leaving, he went inside his car and drove away. Despite the wounds on his figure and his shirt torn out, his elegance and authority remained intact, thoughced with viciousness, i As the car sped away, Anthony made a phone call and seethed coldly when it was answered, "You love Charmine, huh? Meet me at the beach outside the Granger mansion." It was near the end of autumn, and the seawater was extremely chilly. An upright figure stood at the empty beach, silently waiting. It was Guy. Guy had searched every nook and cranny for the antidote, all to no avail. Grandma Granger, on the other hand, had fainted out of anger and refused to hand over the antidote. Thest thing he expected was a call from Anthony. What was it for? A Hummer raced toward his location from afar, its speed causing clouds of dust and sand to flutter in the air. It looked much like a scene from a racing show. Anthony''s gaze was set aze in fury the moment he spotted Guy. He did not slow down as he zipped in, closing in toward Guy. 1 This man had so many intimate moments with Charmine. He had seen Charmine''s body, hugged her, and even slept with her. To top that all off, his family even caused Charmine so much pain! Hisrge hand maintained the grip on the steering wheel though he was dangerously getting closer to Guy. He had no intention of slowing down. 1 Guy saw it all, too. He knew Anthony wasing straight for him and his pupils dted at the sight, but he did not even flinch. Anthony hated him and med him, but so what? He hated himself, too. If his death could ease Chamine''s pain, he would dly go through it. The seven-foot-tall man remained standing where he stood, and he had his eyes closed, i The Hummer was about to crash into him when a loud sound was heard and the car stopped abruptly. The front of the car was merely 0.01 millimeters away from Guy! Anthony was sitting inside the car. When he saw Guy¡¯s face, his brows furrowed. ''You want to die? Well, you don''t get to until Charmine gets her antidote!" Guy frowned. He gradually opened his eyes. He wanted to speak but did not know where to start. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. It was all his fault-he was to be med for not talking his grandmother out of it. He did not protect Charmine well, and for that, she had to suffer. 1 ''What do you need me to do?" he spoke. "I¡¯ll do what I can.¡± Instead of saying anything else, Anthony took out a pill from his pocket and tossed it at him. "Eat this." There was no room for negotiation, based on his tone. The pill was invented when they worked on Annabel''s illness, and they made a simr drug administered into Annabel. Whoever consumed the pill would suffer sharp pains at unusual times. He must have the antidote once every month. 1 Since Grandma Granger was unwilling to give out the antidote, they could only poison Guy. Of course, Grandma Granger would not want to see her grandson in pain! chapter 1029 chapter 1029 Guy instantly understood. He caught the pill Anthony tossed to him and ate it without hesitation, and Anthony''s eyes turned steel- cold at the sight. 1 Guy had only known Charmine for a few days, yet he would do anything for her? Charmine was his woman! She signed the marriage certificate with him, yet this man did not hesitate to butter up to Charmine! Oh, how he vexed him! He wanted to punch him so badly, but before he could lift his hand, Guy groaned and grimaced. The side effect had kicked in. This was an upgrade to the one Annabel suffered, and the side effects were more severe. Anthony grabbed his cor and tossed him into his car. ''Your grandmother should see you in pain!¡± With that said, Anthony went in and drove straight for the Granger mansion. When Guy left the mansion, the ''fainted'' Grandma Granger opened her eyes. She asked Dior who was by the bed, "Where''s your brother? Did he manage to find the antidote?" "He looked all over the mansion but found nothing. He''s probably given up now," answered Dior. "Wonderful! Since he won''t be able to find it anyway, Charmine will have two more migraines today. They¡¯ll give in soon!" Grandma Granger seemed delighted, pleased even. She believed Charmine would give in eventually. With a frown on her face, Dior asked, "Grandma, is this a good choice? She''ll hate the Granger family, and who knows? She might hate Brother more..." "What''s there to be afraid of? As long as she gives in and stays with Guy, their romance will build over time. Furthermore, once she bes my granddaughter-inw, I''ll apologize to her and pamper her lovingly every day. Now we need to get her to marry Guy first," Grandma Granger spoke with anticipation. From N?velDrama.Org. Dior nodded; she had a point. So long as Charmine married her brother, they could make it up to her. i At that moment, a loud engine sound was hearding from outside. It was as if something had been rammed over, as if something barged into their mansion! Dior quickly held onto Grandma Granger and walked out from the room together, only to be greeted with the sight of a Hummer parked inside their living room. 2 The car door opened and Anthony got out. Seeing him, Grandma Granger scowled right away, "Anthony, what are you doing? Are you not showing any respect to the Granger mansion!?" Apathetically, Anthony opened the car door, pulled Guy out, and tossed him at them. "Brother!" "Guy!" Both of them rushed toward Guy and caught him. They saw how he held his stomach, seemingly suffering in great pain. Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, and his clothes were thoroughly drenched. Heart aching at the sight, Grandma Granger shifted her heated stare at Anthony. "What did you do to him?!" Anthony scoffed coldly, "Just paying what he deserves!" Grandma Granger jolted. Paying what he deserves? That meant... Guy suddenly grabbed her hand and hissed through his gritted teeth in pain, "Gra...Grandma...give him the antidote, l...argh!" Before he could finish the sentence, he felt another sharp pain in his stomach that made him wince. Grandma Granger¡¯s expression changed instantly. Guy... Guy was poisoned...! If she did not give Anthony the antidote, would he not give Guy the antidote? No! chapter 1030 chapter 1030 When he noticed Grandma Granger''s hesitation, Guy pushed them away in pain and fell onto the sofa. He pitiably held his stomach and curled into a ball as he whimpered in agony, "AntL.antidote... Give me the antidote...¡± On edge and strung up, Grandma Granger turned to Anthony. "Mr. Bailey, I beg you: please give him the antidote. Please give it to him first!" Anthony remained emotionless as he red back at Grandma Granger." Give me Charmine''s antidote.¡± His tone was cold. He was not in the mood to negotiate at all. This trade had to happen. Grandma Granger looked at Guy who was on the sofa. She was so anxious that she wanted to cry. "But...l don¡¯t have the antidote... I don''t have it..." "What are you saying?" Anthony red at frigidly. Grandma Granger was terrified, but she had to fess up nheless, "I made Guy drink the antidote unknowingly... The antidote is in his body. If you want to let Charmine have the antidote, the two of them have to sleep together for a while. This is the only way to-¡± 1 "You''re asking for death!" Anthony grabbed her by her cor before he tossed her away, i How disgusting was she? Why did she have to make Charmine sleep with Guy? How disgusting was this?! Dior, luckily, was quick to react as she caught Grandma Granger from falling to the ground. Dior stared at Grandma Granger and, with disbelief, questioned, "Grandma, you really did this? When did you..." "In the morning, I ced the antidote in the porridge. I thought if they shared it, Charmine could have half of the antidote, and the poison in her body would be repressed for a while. Who would have thought that Guy... Sigh! You can''t me me!" Grandma Granger wailed, i Guy and Dior frowned. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. So Grandma Granger had set Charmine up since then? What other options did they have left then? Guy was in so much pain that his veins protruded on his forehead, though he managed to send his grandmother a heated re. "Where did you get the poison? Who gave it to you? Ask him to make another antidote!" "No...there''s no use. The old doctor who invented this passed awayst year..." said Grandma Granger helplessly. Without a choice, she turned to Anthony and begged, "Mr. Bailey, you can''t me me for that. You really can''t me me! Please, save Guy now, and we''ll think of something after he''s fine, okay? Otherwise, you ask Charmine to marry into the Granger family. We won''t-argh!" 2 Before she could finish her sentence, Anthony walked up to her with hisrge hand about to strike at Grandma Granger''s face. She was so terrified that she quickly shut her eyes...but the swing missed her intentionally. Bam! He punched the wall next to her. Anthony''s knuckles bled with the impact but he did not feel any pain. He red at Grandma Granger instead. "You want Charmine to marry Guy? Hmph! You might as well dream about it! As long as you don''t hand me an antidote, Guy will suffer just as Charmine is!" With that said, he went back inside his car and started it. The engine roared to life before he drove out of the mansion arrogantly, causing dust to fly up in the grand living hall. Dior wanted to cry. She looked at Guy, who still winced in pain, as she fretted anxiously, "Grandma, what should we do now? How can we save Brother?" Grandma Granger was intimidated by Anthony''s deadly re, so much so that she was still in a trance until Dior spoke. "Doctor!" she instantly called out. "Call the doctor!" She did not believe no doctor could cure him. She had to cure Guy! chapter 1031 chapter 1031 It was not easy for the Grangers to gain leverage over Charmine, and Grandma Granger wanted to utilize the opportunity they had and not let it slip away. s, she woulde to regret such a decision... Just like Charmine''s situation, all of the doctors hired by the Granger family failed to treat Guy. Nobody managed to detox the poison from Guy''s body, and unless they obtained the antidote, Guy would have to suffer daily. i Grandma Granger fell back onto the sofa. What other options did she have? What could she do? Meanwhile... Anthony drove aimlessly after he left the Granger mansion. His face was as if covered in thick frost while Grandma Granger¡¯s words incessantly rang in his ears. "If you want to let Charmine have the antidote, the two of them have to sleep together for a while." Charmine and Guy had to sleep together for some time... Sleep together for some time... Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Anthony¡¯srge hand clenched tightly, so much so that his veins surfaced on the back of his arms, i Never! Charmine was his woman; nobody could steal her from him! StilL.what about her poison? He thought of how she looked when she was in pain, and his eyes were filled with deep hatred and pity. The sky had already darkened by the time he returned to Violet Residence. When Anthony entered, Nial was sighing in the living room. "Bro, have you got the antidote?" Nial believed Anthony could do anything. Since he hade home, there was hope! Unfortunately... Anthony looked at the stairs and asked, ''Where is she?" "She''s awake, and she¡¯s ying with Momo. Why didn''t youment on what I said, Bro? Is it that..." Nial felt uneasy. Anthony did not answer as he walked upstairs instead. The atmosphere was unusually heavy and serious. Nial''s face stiffened. Judging by his look, Anthony did not get the antidote. If even Anthony could not get it, what other ways could there be? After Anthony left, Nial did his own examination of Charmine''s situation before he came to a conclusion disappointingly simr to the seniors''-no solution. Was their only option left to watch Charmine suffer helplessly?... On the balcony of the second floor... With Chris in her arms, Charmineforted, "Momo, don''t overthink things. Mommy and Daddy are fine. We canceled the wedding for the time being to find Auntie Annabel. Once she''s found, Daddy and I will host the wedding ceremony again!" "Oh." Chris'' tiny face pouted. He did not seem happy. He knew what he saw, how news of Charmine and Guy¡¯s wedding went all over the tabloids. It even became the virtual talk of the town. Charmine had to fake the wedding just to get the red wolf bone for him. However, many people assumed that they were married for real! How terrible was that! Furthermore, his Daddy had prepared a massive and grand wedding ceremony for Charmine. Chris thought they were finally able to live in the light, to be seen with his Mommy on the street, 1 s... He looked at the photo on the phone sadly. "Mommy, look, Daddy decorated the venue himself. He even prepared the wedding gown, and he also prepared so many surprises for you." Charmine lowered her gaze and saw the photo on the phone. The wedding venue was decorated with Halfeti ck roses. Their stunning colorplimented the green vines; the venue was aesthetic and significant, 1 If not for what happened, she would have married Anthony... 3 Would she, then, still be able to marry Anthony? chapter 1032 chapter 1032 Upon reaching upstairs, Anthony saw Charmine zoning out with Chris in her hands and he walked toward them. "Momo, go draw in the art room.¡± Chris knew they both had things to talk about, thus he instantly gave them space. It was then Charmine realized Anthony had truly returned, though still in his torn-out clothes with his not-yet-cleaned wounds. She stood up, ready to find the medical box, but Anthony merely held onto her and pulled her toward him. Charmine fell onto hisp at the sudden loss of bnce and Anthony''s pull, and she could smell the smell of blood on him. She frowned at the sight of his bloodstained knuckles with tears on them, and she asked, "What did you do?" "Met up with Guy." Anthony did not intend to hide it. Anthony frowned. Why would he look for Guy? "Revenge," he added. Charmine was speechless. That was too much. "What? Felt bad for him?¡± His low voice sounded displeased. "Of course not," Charmine quickly exined, "I just feel...¡± Guy was innocent, but of course, she could not say that to Anthony outright, thus she shifted their topic of conversation. "I''m curious how it went. Did you get the antidote?" Anthony''s face stiffened before he muttered lowly, ''The antidote is in Guy''s body. We don''t have much of a choice other than letting you marry him." Charmine frowned. One sentence was all it took for her to understand what Anthony meant. She took Anthony''s hand into hers. "Don''t worry, it¡¯s just a few minutes of pain every day, but we''ll still have seven hundred minutes. I don''t mind." "But I mind.¡± Anthony studied her form before he spoke, "Charmine, I don¡¯t mind what you''ve done with Guy. Now, you may go and find him, I''ll let you leave.¡± His hands loosened their grip on Charmine''s waist as he pulled away. 1 Charmine eyed him. "Anthony, are you being serious right now?" ''Yes," Anthony''s voice was low, though he no longer looked at her. His eyes had darkened, and one could not know what he was thinking. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Regardless of whether he meant it or not, Charmine stared into him and said with a serious tone, "Anthony, I don¡¯t want to hear this again. I didn¡¯t let you go when you impregnated Annabel for the second time, but you''re letting me go because of a minor illness? Is this all the Boss Bailey can endure?" Anthony frowned. "Guy is a good man, you''ll be happy with him. This is your best chance to leave." Leave? Charmine merely smirked. "Has anyone told you that it''s easy to get a woman and hard to ask her to leave, hmm?" With that, she suddenly lowered her head and kissed Anthony on his lips. Anthony wanted to push her away, but Charmine dominated him in her kiss as she held him tightly, pressing him onto the sofa. She kissed him with fervor, with passion. It was only after a long while that she released Anthony, though she red at him heatedly. "Remember: I''ve decided to spend the rest of my life, living with you and the pain. Just treat it as a migraine. Don¡¯t you dare overthink things." i Charmine then stood up to look for the medical box, all while Anthony gazed at her with a softened gaze. He never thought of letting her go; he was just testing her. He might have let her leave should she genuinely like Guy, but that seemed not to be the case... He sat up quietly as he allowed Charmine to clean his wounds. The scratches were caused by the machines in the Grangers¡¯ undergroundbyrinth. She only had to put on medication and band-aids. Charmine looked at how vulgar Anthony looked, and she smiled. "Go and wash up, or I¡¯d think you''re a beggar from the street." chapter 1033 chapter 1033 Anthony stood up and walked to the bathroom,menting nothing else on the matter. Charmine seemed rxed, as if she did not care about the poison in her. Anthony could not do that, however. Even if he did not give her up to Guy, he had to think of other ways to help her! As Anthony left her side, Charmine¡¯s gaze darkened as well. She could care less about the poison in her-it was just some migraine after all. Once it passed, she would feel alright. s, it seemed as though seeds of doubt had imnted themselves within Anthony, and it would only worsen if he was to see her suffering continuously. Charmine had toe up with something else for that, then. She went back to the room and took out the medicine books the doctor had given her. 2 The Ultimate Seventy-Two Needles could cure any disease in the world. It should be able to detoxify her poison, no? She might have some leads on what to do next upon determining the source of the poison. The sky grew darker then. When Anthony returned to the room, he was already in his green sleeping robe. Band-aids were all over his figure, but with that, he was no longer covered in wounds. In fact, it gave him an attractive ir. Noticing his presence, Charmine then suggested, "I''ll go sleep with Momo tonight. He''s been through so much, and I''m worried he might have a seizure tonight." "No need. He''s eaten the capsule made with the red wolf bone, and it''ll keep his illness under control." Anthony walked in and locked the bedroom door. 1 From N?velDrama.Org. "Go sleep somewhere else, then," Charmine continued. "I¡¯ll spend a long time reading the medicine books, and it might affect your sleep..." "Stop trying to push me away, Charmine,"mented Anthony as he sat down by her side and gazed into her eyes. "I''ll stay with you." That took the words right out of Charmine. She had indeed intended to push Anthony away at the thought she might have another migraine. She did not want him to see her suffering. Who would have thought... Since he insisted, she could only let him stay. The books documented innumerable pieces of information, from treatments of many diseases to their recoveries. However, there was not much said about poisons. After all, a poison would mix up with all the blood in the body. Unless she reced the blood in her, then... With that in mind, Charmine''s eyes sparkled. Reced the blood in her? There was already such technology in the world. Earlier this year, a woman stung by a poisonous bee caused her to have kidney failure. The doctors quickly went to work and reced the blood in her over a few days, which ultimately saved her life. If Charmine went for a blood recement, would that bring out the poison entirely off of her? Just as she entertained the thought, Charmine was struck with a sharp pain in her head. "I''m going to the bathroom..." She quickly stood up and was about to walk away. Anthony sensed that something was off. He stood up and hugged her tightly in his chest. "Charmine, don¡¯t hide from me. I''ll stay with you." Charmine heard his low and hoarse voice by her ears, and a strange feeling welled in her. Before she could feel touched or emotional, the pain grew intense and more severe. It was as if her brain was about to explode. She was in so much pain that her face turned pale as her expression contorted in agony. "Charmine..." Anthony called out her name. Suddenly, he put his hands on the back of her head and lowered his head to kiss her lips. Met with the sudden kiss, her migraine somewhat decreased, though not by a mile. 1 She was still in so much pain, so much so that she had to grit her teeth. "Mmph..." a groan was heard. She bit Anthony''s lips! The taste of blood lingered in her mouth. chapter 1034 chapter 1034 Charmine tried to push Anthony away. Her migraine was not going away anytime soon, and she might bite him again. They should not be kissing... However, the more she struggled, the tighter Anthony held her. His kiss was fervent yet gentle. He was trying to ease her pain, as if trying to make her feel better. Held flush against him, Charmine could not break free from his hold. Despite the sharp pain that gued her head, Anthony''s kiss triggered the dopamine release in her head which alleviated a bit of her pain. 1 With that, she endured the migraine this time and did not faint from the pain. 1 After the migraine, she felt listless in his arms as the metallic aftertaste lingered on her taste buds. Looking up at Anthony, she noticed his lips were left with a bite-wound as blood oozed out of it. It was more difficult to stanch the bleeding on the lips. She frowned. "Don''t do that again." "Compared to your pain, this is nothing.¡± Anthony carried her into his arms and ced her in bed. He pulled up the nket and instructed her, "Remember: When this happens again, don''t try to hide from me." i Charmine frowned. She was worried that he would give up... He might surrender to the whims of the Grangers if he watched her suffering. Nheless, her eyes narrowed. "Okay.¡± She had undergone three migraines already, so she was finally able to sleep. She cuddled in Anthony''s arms, her hands on his waist as solemnly reminded him, "Remember, the migraine onlysts for a short while. It''s almost nothing. Remember our time spent after the migraine, and don''t say or make any abrupt decision during the migraine." In the darkness, Anthony''s eyes darkened more. She might say it onlysted a short while for her, but to him, it felt utterly excruciating to even witness her suffering for even a second. He already had the hospital staff researching the poison. He wondered if there would be any finding at all. Recalling the idea she had not too long ago, Charmine then spoke, "Right, blood recement might be helpful. Let''s give it a try at the hospital tomorrow." Anthony knew about the theory behind the blood recement. There was a faint glint of light in his eyes. Charmine fell asleep quickly, all worn out and tired. She woke up too early and did not have a good sleepst night. She was exhausted. Though she slept deeply, her brows furrowed still. She did not seem at ease. The night was dark as the clock''s needle pointed at two. After making sure she had fallen asleep, Anthony carefully got out of the bed and walked out. Nial, sleeping in a room, had his door opened as a tall figure walked in to pull him up. When Nial saw him, he was confused. "It¡¯ste, Bro. What is it?¡± "Arrange for a blood recement right away. Rece all of the blood in Charmine¡¯s body," came Anthony''s coldmand. The initially drowsy Nial jolted from his sleepiness. "Of course! Why didn¡¯t we think of this earlier? Recing blood can clear up at least 99.99% of the poison in her body! Bro, do you know what her blood type is? We''ll arrange for it tonight!" Anthony took out a transparent packet and handed it to Nial. There was a tiny needle and pipe inside the packet, along with a blood sample. Anthony collected this from Charmine¡¯s finger beforeing out of their room. Nial received it from him and went to the third floor. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. They had transformed the third floor into a medicalboratory due to Annabel¡¯s illness. chapter 1035 chapter 1035 As Nial took Charmine''s blood sample to the medicalboratory, he mused to himself with mirth, "I''ll be able to locate her type in the blood bank once I analyze this sample. We¡¯ll be able to cure Charmine!" 2 Anthony stood by the side as he waited silently. No matter what her blood type was, he would find it for her. With Chris finally secured to be treated within a month with the red wolf bone capsule, Anthony could marry Charmine atst once she recovered. Just as he thought of that, Nial suddenly made a sound. "Hmm, it''s strange." Anthony frowned. "What is It?" "Nothing. I''ll have a closer look." Nial repeated the test once again, and then a second time, and then a third. Almost an hourter, Nial turned to Anthony and muttered, "Bro.Jt''s bad." Anthony frowned. "What is it? Tell me." T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. "Charmine...Charmine¡¯s blood type is very rare. She''s got the A3 subgroup..." Nial sounded as if he was in turmoil. Anthony''s face sank down. A3 subgroup? What type of blood was this? Nial exined, "The A3 subgroup is a rare blood type discoveredst year. When a pregnant woman went to get tested, they found her blurred blood type. The doctors sent her blood type to the Blood Type Association''s headquarters, where they then found out she had the rare A3 subgroup blood type. The result shows that this was caused by a sudden change in DNA, and they¡¯ve only discovered one case in the entire world. In other words, Charmine is the second person." 1 Each person could donate up to 400 milliliters of blood each time. If Charmine had to rece all of her blood, she would need at least 15 blood donors. Otherplications could also ur during the process, and they needed at least 50 people with the A3 subgroup blood type. The main problem was that other than Charmine, there was only one other person in the world who had the same blood type. The A3 blood subgroup was like the endangered panda; one of a kind. Anthony''srge hands clenched. "There''s no other way? We can''t rece it with another blood type?" Nial frowned. "Currently, studies don''t support whether it''spletely safe to rece blood with a different blood type. We need more experiments to prove that." Anthony went back to the bedroom andid next to Charmine. Seeing her unconscious frown, he had some mixed feelings that he did not have before. He thought a blood recement could help her, but it seemed to be impossible. Did he have no other ways than to watch her suffer in pain every day? He could not sleep a wink that night. It was only when the clock struck five in the morning, when the sky turned a shade brighter, that Anthony finally felt drowsy. As he was about to fall asleep, Charmine who was sleeping suddenly groaned in pain. "Argh!" The pain woke her up, and it engulfed her once more. She sped her head and curled up in pain, struggling in the torment. As the room was still bathed in darkness, the upied Charmine fell to the floor in pain. "Charmine!" Quickly sitting up and turning on the light, Anthony saw that Charmine had fallen onto the floor, and her knees and head bled. He quickly hugged onto her tightly, yet all Charmine felt at the moment was the pain in her head, not from her bleeding. She clung onto her head tightly as she grimaced. Anthony gazed at the bleeding Charmine in his arms, and hisrge hands clenched tightly. He felt a pain he never felt before arousing in his chest. He lowered his head, wanting to kiss her on the lips when Charmine pushed him away and fell back on the bed. She refused him from getting close. chapter 1036 chapter 1036 As she suffered excruciating pain, Charmine bit her lips where blood oozed out. If he kissed her, she would surely cause harm to him and it would be severe. Anthony tried to reach out for her, but Charmine rolled to the corner of the bed. Balled up as her knees reached her head, she groaned in pain. Watching her in so much pain, his face stiffened and hisrge hand clenched tightly. He finally decided. He marched out and left. On the empty balcony, Anthony phoned Grandma Granger. Grandma Granger did not sleep a wink that night, in fear that Guy would have an outburst when she was asleep. He was her only grandson, and seeing him in agony crushed her badly. Suddenly, her phone rang. After picking up, she heard Anthony''s cold and harsh voice, "How long do they have to sleep together to be cured?" Grandma Granger halted. "What are you talking about?" Anthony''s tone was low with repressed anger. It took her a while to react as she quickly answered, "Only takes twenty- one days. She¡¯ll be cured in twenty-one days." 1 As the antidote was in Guy¡¯s body, when he and Charmine be physically intimate, their body heat would rise as hormones would be released. This would then detox the poison from her body. 4 This poison was invented by Grandma Granger''s incredibly rigid-minded old friend. He fell in love with a woman who did not love him back, so he invented this drug. When Anthony heard her reply, he hung up right away. Charmine suffered for a very long time before the pain slowly ebbed away. At that moment, Anthony walked back from the door. From N?velDrama.Org. She sat up listlessly from the bed. Her lips curled faintly as she assured him, "Don''t worry, it''s nothing worth worrying much over. It''ll be over." Anthony looked at her bleeding lips and the wounds on her body before he suddenly remarked, albeit with a cold tone, "Charmine, go find Guy." ''Find Guy? Charmine frowned. "Anthony, what¡¯s up with you this early in the morning? Have you forgotten what I said to youst night?" Anthony''s expression looked grim. What did she say again? She said she did not mind...but he did. The migraine struck before she even woke up. How was she supposed to live normally in the future? What if it happened when she was driving? When she was crossing the road? When... She only fellst night. What would happen next? He looked her in the eyes. "Be with him for twenty-one days. Come home then." Charmine frowned. What Anthony meant... He... Anthony saw the look of shock on her face. "You need the antidote. It only takes twenty-one days." It was just an intimate act with Guy. He could ept it. 1 He loved her, after all, not her body. Charmine understood what he meant, but she was so angry that sheughed. "Anthony, are you crazy? Can you ept it? Can I ept it? Do you think women are that easy?" "Annabel still carried my baby in her, just to save Chris. Charmine, will you turn this down?" Anthony asked. Charmine jolted. Annabel was indeed bearing his child, but they had no other choice but to do it for Chris. Still, did she have to sleep with Guy for 21 days nheless, just to get healed? How was that the same? "If you don''t go, I''ll phone them to pick you up!" snapped Anthony as he took out his phone, about to dial the number when Charmine quicklyunched over to stop his hand. i "Okay, if you insist, I''ll go!" chapter 1037 chapter 1037 Charmine thus stood up and went to the changing room. The atmosphere was unusually tense. Anthony watched her as his hands clenched tightly. As she quickly got changed, Charmine then put on a windbreaker and zipped up before leaving. "I''m leaving now, for real." Her tone was meant to trigger and threaten him. She thought he would stop her, not for him to follow behind her instead! "I''ll drive you." Charmine halted. He would drive her? Send her straight to Guy? What was all this?! "No need! I''ll go myself. I can¡¯t go there with you, following around!" With that said, she pushed the door open and left, leaving Anthony alone in the room. The room''s temperature seemingly dropped drastically at that moment. The sound of her heels grew further away before they finally vanished, i He stepped forward, wanting to chase after Charmine, but he instantly recalled Charmine''s pain- contorted face just as his handnded on the doorknob. Anthony paused where he stood. His hand clenched around the knob before he finally walked back in and kicked the coffee table violently. Thunk! The ss cups fell and crashed into pieces. Pieces of broken ss were everywhere. His face was extremely tense. From N?velDrama.Org. Charmine was gone. She truly was gone! She would sleep with Guy. He did not even dare to touch her, yet there he was, giving her away to another man! 1 He could not even stop her, however, and he must not... Hearing themotion upstairs, Nial went up and saw Anthony kicking the coffee table. He walked toward him and asked, "Bro, what happened? Why is Charmine leaving angrily?" "No need to do the blood recement," growled Anthony before he left, door mmed in the process. He drove and sped away from the vi. The luxurious car roared loudly as he drove on the highway aimlessly. Images of Charmine with Guy kept appearing in his head. Would Charmine fall for Guy? Would they develop feelings eventually? Finally, he sped up as the engines rumbled like thunder, and the car headed to Royal Banquet Bar. The staff saw his face, yet they dared not question him. They quickly brought up all kinds of liquors and closed the door of his private room. Anthony never smoked, and he did not drink much, yet he had smoked a great deal for the past two days. At that moment, in that room, he sat on the sofa as he downed the liquor, bottle by bottle. He wanted to make himself drunk, and he did not want to think about anything rted, but the more he drank, the more the images of Charmine and Guy taunted him mentally. Were they together already? Crash! The bottles were thrown to the floor, and the room was filled with the strong smell of alcohol. The usually elegant and cold Anthony was like a drunken man. He was a drunken man. At that moment, Charmine arrived at the Granger mansion, but the sight of the majestic mansion made her clench her fists clenched tighter. When the maid saw her, she greeted, "Ms. Jordan, you''re here. Please..." The door was opened for her. The Grangers had always weed her. Charmine merely said, "No need. Ask Mr. Granger toe out. I need to meet him.¡± The maid instantly ran back in and called out, "Master Granger, Ms. Jordan is here for you!" With that, everyone woke up. Grandma Granger and Dior instantly jumped up from bed and ran out. Dior reached out to hold Charmine. "Charmine, you''re finally here! Please,e in..." chapter 1038 chapter 1038 Charmine quickly declined as she spoke, "No need, just ask Mr. Granger toe out." "Charmine, I know you¡¯re angry at us. It''s our fault, but I didn¡¯t have a choice. As long as you agree to marry into the Granger family, I''ll apologize to you however you like! You know, we only have one son, yet he¡¯s so adamant to not marry even when he''s thirty years old right now. It¡¯s so rare for him to fall for someone... It''s my fault, and I apologize. I hope you can understand my difficulties...¡± Grandma Granger¡¯s voice was hoarse-she seemed to be in pain. Charmine merely scoffed, "If I understand you, who''s going to understand me? Do you know how hard it is for Anthony and I to havee to where we''re at today? Do you know how much courage I need to marry him? You want others to sacrifice things for your precious grandson? The Granger family is a well-reputable family, and you¡¯ve all done great deeds for the country, yet you''re acting so sneaky in this situation? Do you think you even deserve to be a Granger? Can you live up to what your ancestors have done?!" i Her words were clearly pronounced as she exuded a powerful authority. Grandma Granger halted as she was interrogated. Her face did not look well. "I...I really didn''t have a choice..." she whimpered lowly, pitifully. "It''s my fault, I ruined the Grangers¡¯ reputation...but we don''t have a choice now...¡± 2 "So you owe me more than an apology, and don¡¯t you think I''ll forgive you. Keep the apologetic words to yourself. They''re merely a fa?ade, and they''re useless!" 1 With that said, Charmine looked inside the mansion when Guy happened toe out. "Follow me!¡± she called out to him. With that said, she turned to walk back into her car, and Guy quickly followed behind her. When he was about to leave, Grandma Granger caught him. "Guy, don¡¯t go! She won''t forgive us! She might even harm you..." "We made a mistake, so it''s only fair we must make it up to her. We owe her now, and I''d do whatever she says!" dered Guy as he pushed her hand away. He went inside Charmine¡¯s car. The panicking Grandma Granger wanted to cry. She wanted to pull him back but Dior stopped her, saying, "Don''t worry, Grandma, Charmine won¡¯t harm Guy. She knows what she''s doing. I trust her! Brother is the only person who can save her, and it''s because of this that she won''t do anything insane." Grandma Granger could only watch as the car drove away. Inside the car. Charmine was focused on the road and said nothing else. Guy, meanwhile, sat on the backseat. He held his hands as he wore the look of a guilty man. He wanted to apologize to her, but he thought of what Charmine said earlier, he could not say it. The word ''sorry* seemed so blunt and helpless. Finally, the car pulled over in a por forest. Charmine did not turn back as she suddenly asked, "So the antidote is now in your body?" Guy answered right away, "Yes." Charmine opened the car door and went out. "Follow me." Guy followed behind her and walked into the forest. When he saw this foreign forest, he frowned. Why did she bring him here? Knowing Anthony, he would not permit her to find him, yet she came... T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Just as he thought of the possibilities, Charmine had already arrived at a small house. It was the researchboratory she worked at with William. However, no one was in theboratory. After learning that Charmine was drugged, everyone had been having meetings every day, trying toe up with a way to help her. Charmine used her fingerprint to open the door and led Guy inside. She went into the disinfection room to disinfect herself before she donned the disinfected whiteb coat. Guy followed her. Finally, both of them went into theboratory. 1 Charmine said to Guy, "Lay on it." There was an operation table by the side. chapter 1039 chapter 1039 Guy did not further question Charmine as heid on the operation table cooperatively. Due to Annabel and Chris'' illnesses, Charmine had been quite familiar with the medical instruments. Along with her natural talent, she had learned many things. She took a few catheters and inserted them to his wrist, fingertips, and ankles to get his blood samples. Following that, she took his blood sample to the device to further analyze and examine it. She even took some blood samples from her wrist and analyzed them as well. This process went on for two hours, and Charmine was too focused that it was as if the world had vanished behind her. 1 She said not a word as she worked while Guy remainedying on the operating table. He did note up nor did he disturb her. Seeing that she was so focused, his gaze grew moreplex. Charmine would not have suffered if it was not for his grandmother. However, his grandmother did it for him, and it all started because of him. After a long while... Charmine removed her mask and gloves, but the sight that greeted her when she turned back shocked her-Guy was stillying down. Anyone else would have gotten off of the table, but there he was... She did not question him on that, however, as she instead said, "Come on up. Wait here for my news." With that, she walked into the resting lounge. Guy stood up and felt confused. Wait for her news? Was sheing up with something? If only there was a way to detoxify the poison without destroying her marriage, how good would that be? Inside the resting lounge... Charmine looked at the report at hand, and she sat on the sofa for a while before taking out her phone. She dialed on Anthony''s phone. 1 At Royal Banquet Bar. Anthony was still on the floor as he gulped down alcohol, bottle after bottle. He did not even care that his phone rang; he did not even spare it a nce. Nothing was worth his attention anymore. Nobody picked up Charmine¡¯s calls, yet that did not deter her as she continued to ring his phone. It was due to all that incessant ringing that made Anthony''s head hurt. He reached out and was ready to toss his phone away when, in the corner of his eyes, he saw the notification. It was Charmine! Charmine was actually video-calling him? He instantly stood up and sat on the sofa. His thumb was about to ept the call, but his hand halted. Wait, why was Charmine calling him at this time? Was it to show him how lovey-dovey she was with Guy? Was she reporting back to him that they had done it? He left the phone by his side, no longer wanting to answer as he picked up another bottle and drank a mouthful from it. However, the ringing continued. It was as if it was never-ending. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Finally, Anthony epted the video call. The screen showed Charmine sitting on a small sofa. The space was white and pale, and she even had a whiteb coat on her. She seemed well-posed and did not look as if she had been sleeping with Guy. He frowned. Perhaps they had not started? Were they wearingb coats for a role-y? 1 His expression steeled as his gaze hardened. "What?" One word, as if he was an emotionless robot. Charmine saw him on her screen, and she could tell that he was in his room at Royal Banquet Bar. Her red lips curled upward. "Didn''t you say you can ept me sleeping with another man? Why are you trying to make yourself drunk? You can tell me if you can''t ept it." ''Can''t ept it''? Anthony''s gaze grew hostile at that. chapter 1040 chapter 1040 Of course Anthony could not ept it; he had thousands of thoughts in bringing her back. The thought of the poison that still coursed through her veins and the pain on her face, however, made hisrge hands clenched. "Well, what do you want to say?" he scowled. "If not, I''m hanging up." He could continue drinking once he hung up. This was the only way to repress those thoughts. Seeing that he was about to hang up, Charmine quickly said, "Hold on. Look at where I¡¯m at." As she spoke, she turned to the rear camera and showed him the resting lounge and theboratory outside. There were all kinds of devices, and one could tell it was a researchboratory right away. From N?velDrama.Org. Anthony frowned. "What are you doing there?" "I have good news and bad news. Which one do you want to listen to?" asked Charmine with a mysterious tone. "Bad news," came Anthony¡¯s instantaneous reply. He only wanted to know if she had slept with Guy or not. Charmine acknowledged that. "I¡¯ll tell you the good news first. I¡¯ve analyzed Guy¡¯s blood sample, and his blood can detoxify the poison in my body." Anthony''s eyes gleamed. Guy¡¯s blood could treat her? Did that mean they no longer have to get intimate? Then... ''What''s the bad news?" Had they done it before finding out about the detoxifying blood method? Charmine thought of the bad news, and her expression became more serious. "The bad news is that I can only inject the blood during the migraine. It¡¯ll take at least two months of treatment." 1 This only meant that Guy had to stay close to her as she had her migraine at irregr times. This had tost up to two months! Anthony''s furrowed brows finally eased. "What you¡¯re saying is that his blood will be enough to save you? But he has to stay with you for two months?" "Correct," Charmine answered. This was undeniably great news, but she knew Anthony too well. Even though he seemed mature, he could get easily jealous. Spending time with Guy for two months would trigger Anthony any time, so much so that it could be akin to living with an active volcano, i Little did she expect that Anthony would suddenly stand up and ask in a low voice, ''Where are you two? I¡¯lle to pick you up in person." They only had to live together for two months. As long as they had not slept together, living together was nothing! 1 With him around, Guy would not be able to get close to Charmine! "You''ve been drinking," corrected Charmine, "and it''s illegal to drive. Let me pick you up." With that said, she hung up first. It seemed that Anthony had agreed. He was okay with her living with Guy. Since he had agreed, he should be okay with it. She walked out to say to Guy, "Mr. Granger, I''ve analyzed your blood. It turns out that your blood can treat the poison in me, but this has to go on for two months. When I''m having a migraine, you have to extract fresh blood to inject into me. I''ll need your cooperation." Her tone was more like a notice; she was not ready to negotiate. She was not a saint. The Grangers had done so much damage to her, and they even aired news of their wedding. She still had many things to sort out in the future. Guy was innocent, but his grandmother was old. As his grandson, he had the duty to amend their mistakes to Charmine on her behalf. Guy did not hesitate and instantly nodded, "Of course, I''m willing to do that!" He seemed delighted. He was genuinely happy. As long as this could cure her, he did not mind even if they ran out of blood! Both of them left theboratory. Charmine was ready to drive when Guy said... chapter 1041 chapter 1041 Chapter 1041 "Let me drive, it''s safer." Charmine''s eyes narrowed at Guy''s offer, but he had a point. It had been an afternoon, and who knew when her migraine would strike again. She sat in the backseat and said to him, ''To Royal Banquet Bar." Guy drove as told, albeit with a frown on his face. "Royal Banquet Bar?" He did not know where that was... Charmine then recalled that Guy was not someone who would frequent such ces, thus she pulled up the GPS. "Show me the direction to the Royal Banquet Bar." "Okay, your location is set. Please drive to..." the GPS replied. The earthen drove forward ordingly. Charmine stared at Guy who was in the driver''s seat and frowned. He was a good person. It was a pity that such things happened; they would have been friends had it not happened. The car pulled over at Royal Banquet Bar. Charmine opened the door and said to him, "I¡¯ll go pick up Anthony, wait for me here." "Okay," Guy agreed, though he seemed worried. Her migraine could strike any time. Would she be okay alone? What he did not remember was that his pain would strike anytime, too... It was just that the frequency was not high-probably once a day, or once every two days. It was not three times a day like Charmine''s. That did not dissipate his worry, though. Without her noticing it, Guy got down from the car and followed after her as well. Charmine took the lift to the top floor. Somehow, every time she came to the Royal Banquet Bar, she had a strong sense of familiarity. It meant she had been here before, and something bad happened. ording to Alexander Walker and a few other reports, she did not go up to the Presidential Suite back then, and she did not have memory of such. It would have been better if only she had gone to the top floor back then. If only she was the woman Anthony bedded. Chris would then be hers and Anthony''s child. Without Annabel, without Alexander, nobody would ever find out. s... Charmine took a deep breath. Who knew? Maybe there was such a coincidence? Was it possible? She should ask Anthony for more details. One must live with curiosity! Sheposed her thoughts and walked toward the room upon pushing open the door. A strong smell of alcohol rushed to her nostrils. Anthony was sitting on the sofa, d in a suit as he sorted out some documents. There was no alcohol bottle in the vicinity at all. Noticing her, he gazed back at her and said, "Oh, you''re here? Right, let''s go back." He packed up his documents as he spoke. He seemed so mature and showed no trace of him drinking his woes away before. Charmine frowned. Their video-call clearly alerted her that he was drunk! Knowing him, he would surely make himself drunk. Had she over-thought it, then? Anthony held her hand and walked out. His lips curled up vaguely as hisrge hand massaged her back. He treasured her. He thought she would note back after this, that even if she came back, something would be different. Who would have thought she would still return to him? T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. He seemed pleased. Meanwhile, the hiding Guy noticed that Charmine had reached and gotten to Anthony without a hitch, thus he quickly took the lift down without alerting her of his presence. After the two got down, they saw Guy sitting on the driver''s seat, just the same as where Charminest saw him. When Anthony saw Guy, his originally pleasant face stiffened. Did Guy truly have to stay close to Charmine from that moment onward? For two months? His figure emanated heated anger as he abruptly pulled Charmine''s hand and walked to the side. Charmine frowned. "Anthony, what are you doing? Didn''t you agree?" chapter 1042 chapter 1042 Anthony scoffed. He did agree to her n, but it did not mean that Charmine and Guy should stay so close together. He brought Charmine to the car parked at the side where Luke was in. Anthony merely nced at Guy. "Mr. Granger should be able to find Violet Residence, no? If you can''t, follow our car." With a wave of his hand, their car moved forward as he had his arm wound around Charmine. He made it clear that they were in a rtionship. 2 Charmine was speechless. He did not even want them in the same car? How would they live in peace in the following two months? Guy, luckily, did not hold it against him. He merely followed behind them quietly. Charmine was forced to be in Anthony''s arms. "You''re an adult," she frowned at him. ''There¡¯s no need-" "What? You''re disappointed to not be in the same car as him?" challenged Anthony, his tone low as he did. Charmine quickly shook her head. "Of course not, I was simply asking. Don''t mind me." That was unimportant. Anthony''s thin lips curled into a smirk as he held on to her waist tightly and said, "Charmine, have you not heard of the saying, ''A man in love is a childish man''?" Charmine frowned. No, she had not. However, that was unimportant. This had proven so. The car pulled over by the door of Charmine''s vi, and the three of them got down from their vehicles. NiaI saw them and was weirded out by the sight. "Bro, why did you let hime?¡± Was he not Anthony¡¯s enemy? Why would he bring Guy home? Anthony looked at Guy before he said in a low voice, "Mr. Granger''s blood can treat my love. He''ll live here with us for two months. Treat him well." 1 He sounded so mature and understanding. Nial''s eyes gleamed at the news. "Really?" he blurted. "Mr. Granger must be a special guest, then. Please, follow me. Here''s a room just for you!" He led Guy as he ushered him to a bedroom on the first floor. Charmine¡¯s lips twitched. ''His love''? Anthony had not called her with such a nickname before. 1 Also, a specially prepared room? They would not be as kind... As expected, Nial pushed open the room Waverly once lived in. The room was nicely prepared, and there was no trace left of her, but it was also the smallest room in the vi. It was only 30-square meters and was located at the end of the hallway. In summer, this room was the coolest. In winter, this was the chilliest. 1 Charmine was speechless. How was this ''treating him well''? As expected, they were not kind people at all. Guy did not seem to mind as he turned back to look at them. ''Til be staying here. Let me know if there''s anything." 1 T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Anthony looked at how easy-going he was, and he did not seem pleased. chapter 1043 chapter 1043 Why was Guy pretending? A man like him could only fool young girls! Anthony gave Guy a pointed stare. "Remember, Mr. Granger, that my love and I are married. You''re staying here to treat her. Don''t have any ideas that you shouldn''t be having." 2 His warning sounded serious. With a frown on his face, Guy responded unpleasantly, "Rest assured, Mr. Bailey, I''m a man of my word." With that said, he went straight into the room and said not a word to them anymore. Meanwhile, he instructed his assistant, "Bring some clothes and essential items to Violet Vi. Remember, don''t let my Grandma and Dior know about this!" If they knew he would be giving blood to Charmine every day, knowing them well, they would not agree to it. After all, his blood type was too rare... Outside his room. After Guy had gone into his designated room, Anthony walked to the second floor with Charmine. He did not want to spend any more second with Guy around. Nial followed behind them when he recalled something and asked suspiciously, "Right, Charmine, isn''t your blood a rare A3 subtype? Didn''t your body reject it when you injected Guy¡¯s blood in?" "A3 subtype?" Charmine frowned. She never knew what her exact blood group and type was. Nial said, "Yes, we were going to arrange for a blood recement with youst night, and we analyzed your blood but found out that it''s too rare. Only two people have it in the world." Charmine frowned. Was there such a thing? It was then she remembered that Chis did not have this blood type. Up till then, she still entertained the thought that Chris was her baby all along, but with the revtion of her blood type, it seemed impossible for Anthony to be the man who bedded her five years ago. 1 Her blood type literally told her she was unrealistic... However, if her blood type was so rare, how would Guy¡¯s blood save her? She took out a small test tube and handed it to Nial. "Run a test on this. I only did a quickpatibility test and found out that his blood can treat my migraines." Nial instantly walked to the third floor with the test tube in hand that held Guy¡¯s blood in it. Charmine and Anthony followed behind. Nial went through some tests before he blurted, "It makes sense! Guy has a Rhnull blood type, and it''s dubbed the Golden Blood. In the medical field, we call it the king of blood because it''spatible with any blood type. It¡¯s also the most precious blood type in the world that could save anyone! Of course, while this type of blood ispatible with any blood type, the problem is that if the person with Rhnull blood type needs blood donation, he''ll only be able to receive Rhnull blood. Therefore, when one is in need of a Rhnull blood, it''ll be quiteplex as one might have to trace down a blood donor overseas. The blood will then need to be exported to another country..." Charmine frowned. In other words, Guy''s blood type was very rare, and if anything happened, even he could be in danger! Guy must have known about his own blood type, but he so willingly agreed to her demand without questioning it... Anthony¡¯s expression hardened, wintry cold as he red at Nial. "Are you done? Go and revise your medical knowledge!" It was not until then when Nial realized he had said something wrong. This made it even clearer that Guy had feelings for Charmine! 1 He quickly said, "However, this blood type isn''t as rare as the mutated A3 subtype. There are around fifty people with Rhnull blood type. If anything happens. Guy shouldn''t be in danger." Charmine''s eyes narrowed. Since it was known as the ''Golden Blood'', it must have other benefits as well. What they were facing was a serious situation. "Keep it confidential," said Charmine to both Nial and Anthony. "Don''t let the Grangers know about this. On the other hand, Nial, you do some precision tests and find out the exact amount of blood we need from him each time. Try to minimize it." Nal agreed, "Okay." Instantly, he took Charmine''s and Guy''s blood and started working on it. Noticing her worry, Anthony tightened his grip on her and pulled her closer into his arms. "You''re worried about him?" T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. His voice sounded cold and hostile; he did not sound pleased. chapter 1044 chapter 1044 Charmine met his gaze and answered rationally, "I only hope that he''s kept in optimal condition. Otherwise, I won''t be cured, now would I? If anything happens to him, the Grangers will make an enemy out of the Baileys, making things a whole lot more difficult than it needed to be." 1 Anthony scoffed. She made it sound as if it made sense, but he knew she did not want Guy to be in danger. i Guy was someone special to her. However, thinking of her migraines, he had to keep it to himself. He could make him pay two monthster. Nial ran a few tests in theboratory while Charmine thought of what happened in the past few days. Perhaps the Jordans and Baileys did try to contact her within that period. However, when she left home early in the morning, her phone had run out of battery. "I''ll go get the power bank on the second floor," she said. "Be right back." Remembering that Guy was on the first floor, Anthony willingly removed his hold around Charmine¡¯s waist. Charmine went downstairs and looked for her power bank in the room, intending to text the Jordans to tell them she was okay. However, when she got out of the room, a sharp pain exploded in her head. The pain came without a warning, and when it happened, she was instantly in deep pain. "Argh!" Charmine groaned out loud as she held her head. Anthony, who was upstairs, and Guy, who was downstairs, heard her yelp in pain as both of them ran to the second floor at the same time. As Guy was trained for the navy, however, he could jump up ten steps of stairs at once; he appeared beside Charmine almost instantly. 2 Seeing that Charmine was about to fall to the floor, he went forward instinctively and grabbed her before she crashed, crying out, "Someone! Prepare to extract blood!" Anthony and Nial both ran down then, and Anthony saw Charmine in Guy''s arms. 1 Sure, Charmine was tall, but the burly-looking Guy made it seem as if she was tiny in his arms. Anthony walked forward and pulled Charmine back before he quickly ced Charmine on the sofa. Nial walked toward Guy with the device. Seeing how Charmine was tormented by the pain, Guy quickly rolled up his sleeve and exposed his arm. "Hurry! Extract more!" Nial wanted to scoff at him. Was he not aware of how precious his blood was? A person with Rhnull blood must not be put in danger. Other than this being a very rare blood type, they could only receive blood transfusion once in their entire life. After that, they would develop antibodies. During the second blood transfusion, there might be signs of blood clotting which would result in death! 1Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Nial found out about that bit not long ago, but at the thought of Anthony''s personality, he did not borate on it. He quickly put the catheter into Guy''s arm and quickly extracted 20 milliliters of blood before he transfused it into Charmine''s arm. Charmine, still struggling with her severe migraine at that moment, instinctively pushed the catheter away. Anthony had to hold on to her tightly and locked down her arm. Nial slowly injected the blood into her. In order to minimize side-effects, he had to inject the blood very slowly. It took him three minutes to inject 20 milliliters of blood into her, to which Charmine grew calmer as the blood entered her body. The pain gradually eased with that, and the effect was apparent. 1 Guy watched on by the side, and his tense expression grew calmer as his brows became less furrowed. His blood was working! He could cure Charmine! Charmine no longer struggled as herplexion returned to normalcy. She looked much better, and her face was no longer as pale. The sight, however, still antagonized Anthony. "Is there any way around this?" he questioned. ''We could only inject the blood during the migraine?" "For now, that''s the only way. When the poison reacts with the blood, it''s the most effective time to inject the blood into her to repress the side effects." chapter 1045 chapter 1045 ''Transfusing blood to Charmine in other times won¡¯t help," concluded Nial. With that said, he thenforted, "Don¡¯t worry, I found out in theboratory earlier that after each transfusion, the migraine would be less severe the next time. This shows that the migraine will eventually ease up and bepletely cured." i Charmine sat up. ''The pain onlysted for one minute today. It''s okay, I can take it." N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Anthony looked bitter still. He thought of how Charmine was in Guy¡¯s arms, and his gaze darkened, i It seemed that he had to stay with Charmine every second. He must not give Guy any chance to try anything with Charmine. "I''ll be heading downstairs if there''s nothing else," said Guy. "Call me if you need me." With that said, he left and did not try to stay with them, and Nial sighed at the sight. Guy was using his life to save Charmine. If anything was to happen, he would die before Charmine... "You take care of Charmine," said Nial to Anthony, "I''m going to brief Mr. Granger somethings." Anthony did not stop him as he took a tissue paper to wipe the sweat off of Charmine¡¯s forehead. Since Anthony''srge figure blocked Charmine''s line of vision, she did not see Guy leaving. Charmine was speechless. Anthony would not even let her look at Guy at all? The man gave her his blood. Why was Anthony being so stingy? Downstairs... Guy entered his room, and Nial followed behind him. Perplexed at the suddenness, he muttered, "Is there something else?" "You know about your blood type, right?" Nial asked, not beating around the bush. He closed the door as he spoke. Guy''s expression changed. Of course he knew. His blood type was very special, and the seniors of the Granger family never truly allowed him to go to the battlefield for that. He would, most of the time, perform shadowing tasks. The Grangers even hoped that he could change his career. However, he turned them down back then. To him, he would rather sacrifice his life for the people. At that moment, Charmine was as important to him as his country. ''This doesn''t stop me from saving her," he stood his stance, "don''t worry." "Just because it doesn''t stop you, I''ll still have to speak to you." Nial''s face was serious and solemn. He said to Guy, "I can tell that you fancy Charmine, and that''s normal. After all, she''s an amazingdy. However, it wasn¡¯t easy for her to have come this far with my brother. No matter how much you love her, you better keep it to yourself. You''re saving her not because you love her; it''s because the Grangers owe her. Think of it this way, or it''ll only get worse." 1 Guy frowned. Anthony had warned him before, yet even Nail was warning him? Did he look like a homewrecker, one who would ruin a married couple? 2 "Rest assured. I, Guy Granger, am a man of my word. I know what I should and shouldn''t do," he promised, honestly and bluntly. Nial was less concerned upon hearing that, and he patted Guy¡¯s shoulder." Remember to take good care of yourself. Don''t let yourself get hurt. Your life has direct corrtion to another life and family," concluded Nial before he left Guy''s room. None of them realized the listening device on the wooden bed frame. It was Waverly who nted the device, and it was through that device she overheard them both... chapter 1046 chapter 1046 Waverly, still reclined in bed, was pale like snow. The needle in her body would torture immensely for the past few days. It felt horrible everytime. There was no way to treat it, and her only choice was to apply local anesthetic every time. She could not leave the hospital at all. Most important of all, the anesthetic had side-effects. She might end up developing paralysis or dementia should she go on using it. It was then, still in bed, that she heard this important piece of information from the listening device, and she quickly said to Max, "Arrange something for me, Brother. Use this evidence to force Charmine into helping me to take out the needle. If she doesn''t agree to it, we will tell this to the Granger family, and they will then stop Guy from helping her." Max''s face eased upon hearing her n. He was unable to get to Charmine as ofte, but it seemed that there was an opportunity after all! He took the device from her. "Okay, I¡¯ll do it right away. Wait for my news." At Violet Vi,te at night... Even after Charmine had recovered, Anthony looked permanently restless. He was contacting someone with his phone on the balcony. Choosing against disturbing him, Charmine used herputer to sort out some work. As she was looking at a document, her phone notification alerted her, and upon clicking on it, she realized it was a voice message sent by Max. Knowing that Anthony was around, she changed the voice messages into texts. The texts appeared on her screen. [You know about your blood type, right?] [This doesn''t stop me from saving her, don¡¯t worry.] Charmine frowned. This conversation was between Guy and someone else, and upon recalling that Nial left with Guy, she realized that it must have been Nial. Before she could reply, Max sent her another text. [Charmine, what do you say if I send this recording to the Grangers? How would things turn out?] Charmine frowned. How would things turn out, he said? Terrible, no doubt! The Grangers would not let Guy transfuse his blood to her... Max was threatening her! Max sent her another text. [Charmine, help Waverly to get the needle out from her. Otherwise, you''ll suffer with her!] Charmine''s eyes had a glint of violence. Her red lips curled up as she typed, [Max D''Cruz, are you sure you want to threaten me? Max then replied the following, [You pushed me to do this! I''ve given the red wolf bone to you, but you didn''t keep your word!] 3 Charmine then texted, [I''ve always kept my word when dealing with people. Unfortunately, you''re not a person! If you didn''t step in, the situation wouldn¡¯t havee to this! If you decided to do what you did, you should''ve been prepared to endure the consequences!] [So you¡¯re saying you won¡¯t be treating Waverly? Are you sure you want to go down this road?] came Max''s text, followed by another. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. [Don¡¯t me me for what happens next! The Grangers wille to you in no time!] Charmine merely sent him a video along with the text, [If you run your mouth, your video will be leaked, too!] In the hospital... Max was about to keep his phone when he suddenly saw the threatening video and text from Charmine. It was that dreaded video of him sleeping with the older woman. His face stiffened. Charmine was threatening him! Charmine was using this video to threaten him again! ¡ö He quickly texted, [Charmine, are you even a human?! How many times have you threatened me with this video!?] [As long as it works. Your choice!] came Charmine¡¯s reply. With that, she turned off her phone and shrugged him off entirely. chapter 1047 chapter 1047 Max stomped his feet furiously as his expression contorted bitterly. Charmine had used this to threaten him for so many times! It was not easy for them to have found a way to save Waverly, yet Charmine was taking that away! 1 How he wished the Grangers could get to Charmine! Unfortunately, the video footage of him was in Charmine''s hands. An evil woman like her would leak that any time! i How would the D''Cruz family look at him if it was leaked? How would Waverly look at him? How would the world look at him? i The D''Cruz family''s reputation would be ruined! As he was hesitating, he heard footstepsing from not far away. He looked up to see Waverly weakly making her way to him with Britney''s help. He looked around and quicklyposed his thoughts. When Waverly walked to his side, she asked curiously, ¡°How is it? Have you sorted it out?" "Waverly, I''m sorry..." Max looked solemn. He reached out to support her. Being clever enough to discern the atmosphere, Britney left to give them space. He continued, "Charmine hacked into my phone system. She damaged the original file, and I''m afraid..." Waverly¡¯s hand trembled. "What did you say? What about the recorder?" To avoid getting exposed, she only nted the most basic listening device. There was no backup to it. She had to use another recorder to record what she heard. Max saw the disappointment written on her face, and he was worried. He said, "I connected the recorder to the phone. I didn''t duplicate it, I transferred the original..." He did not duplicate the recording. He transferred the original recording to his phone, and that meant the original recording was no longer in the recorder. Waverly staggered and almost fell onto the floor. Max quickly held on to her andforted, "Waverly, I''m sorry. This is my mistake. I''ll think of another way to help you, and I''ll make sure Charmine treats you as soon as possible!" 1 Waverly was furious. She wanted to yell at him, but this man was the heir of the D¡¯Cruz family. 2 T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. She could only purse her lips and withhold this painful moment, only able to be sullen. Max was just as upset. He had tofort Waverly while thinking of a way to attack Charmine. 1 The sky gradually darkened and night had fallen again. Charmine already had three migraines during the day, but the pain was eased using Guy''s blood. It was bearable. She had contacted Senior Jordan to exin about the rumors online. Sheforted them while sorting out some work, being the productive busy bee she was. Anthony, on the other hand, was rather upset. His shower was even restless as the scenes during the day recurred in his head. Every time, Guy would save Charmine with his blood while Charmine would look at Guy with guilt. She had always been cold like frost to Julian and Alexander, but to Guy? She acted differently to Guy. Completely different. 1 With that in mind, Anthony felt an anger arousing in his chest. Outside, Charmine was about to sleep when she suddenly received a call. "Charmine," Dior began in panic, "is Brother with you? Did something happen to him?" It was not until then when she recalled that after she picked Guy up in the morning. She had not been in touch with the Grangers then. She said in a low voice, "Don¡¯t worry; he¡¯s doing okay. We¡¯re experimenting with some antidotes, and he volunteered to stay back." "Really? Grandma doesn''t believe it. She forced me toe out to look for my Brother. Unless you ask him to tell us through the phone..." said Dior. Charmine frowned. She could only go downstairs. Not long after she was gone, Anthony walked out from the bathroom, and his brows furrowed when she was nowhere in sight. chapter 1048 chapter 1048 Where did Charmine go? It was sote. Where else could she have gone? Anthony wiped his body with a towel before he walked out. Meanwhile... Charmine was downstairs, and she stood before Guy''s bedroom as she knocked on his door. Opening the door, Guy grew flustered at the sight of Charmine. "Ms. Jordan, what is it?" "Your family is worried about you," replied Charmine as she handed him the phone. Noticing that it was Dior calling, he received the phone and said, "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine. Tell Grandma to not do anything that hurts me again. I''lle home when I''m free." "Okay, then. Do get along well with Charmine! God bless you!" ended Dior before she quickly hung up, and Guy did not even have a chance to exin to her. The blushing Guy handed Charmine the phone. "Sorry, my sister is always like this. I hope you don¡¯t mind." "Don''t worry, rest well." Charmine took back her phone. When Anthony came down, he happened to see Charmine and Guy standing outside the bedroom. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. The blushing Guy was dressed in ck pajamas while Charmine was dressed in her purple nightgown. The two looked awfully like a perfect match standing next to one another. Anthony felt the fire rising up in his chest. It was sote, so why was Charmine meeting Guy? Also, she even wished him a good rest? He remembered how she vehemently tried to push him as far away from her as possible, back when he tried to romance her. Anthony had to walk forward and put his hands around Charmine''s waist. "It¡¯ste, why did youe down?" His voice was gentle and low, as if he was genuinely concerned. Charmine was wise enough to detect the anger he held back, thus she quickly exined, "Dior couldn''t contact Guy. She phoned me instead.¡± i "Why exin? I''m not a stingy man." Anthony lifted his hand to y with Charmine''s hair. He said lovingly, "It''ste, I came to ask you to sleep early." i Charmine frowned. Since when was he so understanding? With Guy in front of them, she did not question him on the matter and went back upstairs with him. Anthony walked beside her, but he could sense that Guy was still looking at Charmine. There was another man in the house, and this man was looking at his woman?! He wanted nothing more than to pound his face in. Nheless, he was rational, and he knew he had to hold back for Charmine''s sake in this situation...while not giving any chance to Guy. The feeling itself just irked him, irritated him to the core! i The two of them went upstairs and shut the bedroom door. Charmine looked at Anthony and questioned, "Are you truly okay? Don''t assume things randomly; I merely passed on the phone." "Don''t worry, I''m not a stingy man. Time to sleep!" Anthony turned off the lights as he spoke, and he brought her to bed as the room was nketed in darkness. Charmine was speechless. Not a stingy man, he said? Why did he sound so strange then? i His grip on her was even too tight as if afraid of her running away... She did not feelfortable-his grip was so vice-like that she could not move. However, she did not want to trigger him further. She did not speak and forced herself to fall asleep. She fell asleep quickly, but Anthony could not. He thought of how Guy looked as he gazed at Charmine, how gentle Charmine was toward Guy, and that foreign, unfamiliar feeling sizzled in his chest. chapter 1049 chapter 1049 Throughout the night, Anthony ran through several scenarios for a perfect solution to this problem. He wanted toe up with a way to kick Guy out. Unfortunately, Charmine had a migraine early in the morning again... It woke her from her slumber, and as the sharp pain prodded her head, she helplessly groaned out in pain. Her whimper awakened Anthony as well, and he instantly held her close as he pressed on the emergency button. The button was to notify Nial. Nial, who stayed on the first floor, instantly woke Guy up, and the two of them went upstairs. In the bedroom, Anthony held Charmine to him as she was still d in her purple nightgown with buttons up. However, Anthony was still afraid of the other men looking at her, so he used a nket to cover her body. Only her wrist was exposed, i Nial quickly extracted blood from Guy''s wrist and injected them to Charmine. It seemed to do the trick as she settled down, no longer writhing. However, her face was very pale. Even her lips had turned green. "Why don''t we stay on the second floor from now on?" suggested Nial on a whim. "Waste no second." "It takes an extra nine seconds to get from the first to the second floor. We should minimize the time!" Guy red at Anthony; he sounded concerned. Anthony''s face stiffened as he red at Guy unpleasantly." Mr. Granger, are you saying that I don''t think on her behalf?" "I¡¯m just stating a fact. If you love her, you wouldn''t want her to suffer for one extra second!" Guy''s expression was stern as he spoke. He was not backing off in this matter! i Anthony''s already hardened expression darkened even more. Seeing that the two were about to break into a fight, Charmine quickly interjected, "Alright, I''m fine. I don¡¯t mind the extra seconds at all. What''s the point of this argument?" Her voice was clear and cold. The two men were in a standstill. She did not mind, but they did! They felt more hurt than Charmine when they watched her suffering! Anthony was furious. Was he supposed to agree to Guy living on the second floor? Last night, Charmine already went downstairs to find Guy. If Guy moved to the second floor, would the two of them develop feelings quickly? i If he did not agree to it, he cared about Charmine as much as Guy! This feeling was like choosing whether to cut off his thigh or arm. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. At that moment, a small figure suddenly walked in. It was Chris. Chris said to Guy, "Uncle Guy, you¡¯re mistaken. My Daddy isn¡¯t a stingy man-he loves Mommy more than you do. He even told mest night to ask you and Uncle Nial to move up to the second floor. You two can stay in their room on the floor! For Mommy''s sake, he doesn¡¯t mind at all!" The adults in the room felt their faces frozen. Guy and Nial living on the second floor? On the floor? Nial did not mind, and Anthony trusted him, but Guy- Anthony red at Chris unpleasantly. Chris merely winked at him and pulled his hand. "Daddy, you told me thatst night, right? You even asked them to prepare extra mattresses, no?" With a gesture of Chris'' tiny hand, Luke and his men brought in two mattresses and some essential items. Charmine''s eyelids fluttered. Anthony would prepare these? He even asked Guy and Nial to sleep on the floor? ¡¯ Was he that much of a generous man? Seeing that this had happened, Anthony could only re at Guy. "Of course, I care for my woman. I wouldn''t want her to be in pain even for an extra second. Rest assured with that." With that said, he continued, "Go pack up. You''ll stay here from now on." i Charmine felt her heart sinking. Anthony really agreed to it? Guy would sleep with them there? chapter 1050 chapter 1050 Guy looked at Anthony and felt that he was not such a generous man at all. However, since he had already said so, there was no reason for him to turn it down. Sleeping in the same space could indeed shorten Charmine''s suffering time. He turned to go downstairs and started packing. Nial looked at Anthony and asked, ¡°Bro, are you serious?" ¡°Of course, go pack up your stuff!" snapped Anthony. Nial could only leave. After they left, Anthony grabbed Chris by his tiny bag and picked him to the study room. After closing the door, he red at Chris. "Chris Bailey, you''re a disgrace!" i "Daddy, don''t be angry yet. If you don¡¯t agree to it just now, Mommy will feel that you''re not as thoughtful as Uncle Guy, that you don¡¯t love her as much as he does. If you do this, they''d be astounded and shocked," Chris exined in his child-like voice. 1 Anthony red at Chris. "Do you know what''ll happen if Guy lives with us?" He was a man himself. He knew what men think. The closer they were, the higher the probability Guy would fall for Charmine. He might even want to sleep with her! On the other hand, Charmine was already treating Guy differently. If they lived and saw one another on a daily basis, something more than friends might blossom! "Are you being foolish, Daddy?" he remarked. "Of course I¡¯ll help you. Since I¡¯ve asked everyone to stay together, I¡¯ll make sure Mommy won''t fall for Uncle Guy. She might even end up hating him!" Anthony frowned, though he noticed how Chris'' eyes gleamed impishly. Chris then walked over and patted his hand like an adult." Daddy, wait for me toe home from school." i With that said, he left with his tiny backpack. Charmine saw how happy Chris was, and she frowned. Anthony would have spanked or disciplined him one way or another. Why did they seem rather happy? Chris waved at her. "Bye-bye, Mommy! Take care, alright?" 2 "Okay. Have you taken your capsule today? Remember to eat it," Charmine reminded him. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Chris nodded. "Don¡¯t worry! The first thing I do every day after I wake up is to eat the capsule." His Mommy made so much effort to get hold of it. As long as he was healthy, his Daddy and Mommy would not have to worry about him. When Charmine saw him leaving, she frowned. He was such an adorable child. Sight! If only he was her own flesh and blood, but the fact of the matter was that they even had different blood types... When Anthony came out, Guy had alsoe back up with a nket and mattress in hand. He ced them in the living room. The space had a bedroom, a living room, and a study room. The living room was 15-square meters, and there was still room after fitting in two extra mattresses. Guy said to the two of them, "I¡¯ll be resting in the living room. Call me right away if there''s anything." Anthony did not even want to speak to him. However, he thought of what Chris said, thus he replied, "Don''t worry, your blood can save my woman. I''ll call you, even without you saying anything." His voice was low and rather strange. Guy did not care much as he merely walked out. In order to be able to help Charmine right away, he sat on a sofa not far away from the bedroom door. Bored, he picked up some war tactic books and started reading. In the bedroom, Charmine said to Anthony, "Nial is home, so you can go and sort out your work. You don¡¯t have to watch over me every day." "Don''t worry-nothing happening at work," assured Anthony as he picked up hisptop and walked to the study room. The truth was that there were almost 100 copies of documents on his desk... Charmine did not try to talk him out. She wanted to go out for a walk but since the migraine could get to her anytime, it would be inconvenient to be out during the migraine. She could only sit before the other desk. Bored, she searched her mind for something. chapter 1051 chapter 1051 Would they live like this every day, watched by Guy and Nial? Charmine knew it in her guts that things would not go as smoothly. As expected... Guy received a text from Dior during his reading session outside. [Brother! I overheard from Grandma that Charmine needs to drink honey green tea so her migraine would be eased.] He frowned. Honey green tea? That was somethingmon, though it would be nice nheless, even if it only alleviated a small percentage of the pain. He kept his phone and looked around the room. Anthony was with Charmine at the moment, and since she just had a migraine, the next one would not happen so soon. From N?velDrama.Org. He hurried downstairs and found some ingredients to make Charmine tea. 2 He never made tea before, only drinking water the whole time, thus he had to search up the recipe and steps to make the tea online. Eventually, a perfect honey green tea was made. With the tea at hand, Guy walked upstairs and saw Charmine working on a desk not far away, so he knocked on the door. "Ms. Jordan, Dior said this tea can ease the side effects.¡± ''Thank you.¡± Charmine walked over to ept the tea. Anthony, who was in the writing room, heard some movements and instantly walked over, seeing Charmine with outstretched hands and was about to receive the mug. 2 He instantly walked over and took the mug first. "Go and have a seat, Charmine. I''ll get it for you.¡± Charmine was baffled at his behavior. Taking the mug off of Guy¡¯s hands, he then remarked, "Let the maids do this, Mr. Granger. You''re considered a guest here; you don''t have to do things by yourself." His tone sounded like a warning. Lips contorted into a frown, Guy argued, "You don''t have to treat me with such hostility, Mr. Bailey. I''m merely trying to help Ms. Jordan." 1 Anthony scoffed. Merely trying to help Ms. Jordan, he said? Ha! He wanted to steal his woman! "If you insist," replied Anthony. "If you genuinely want the best for my Charmine, then by all means! You¡¯ll make lunch for her today. I''ll write to you about her favorite dishes. You should also think of what other dishes you can make to ease her pain," he added as he took up a pen and paper to start listing down the dishes. 1 Beef Wellington, Consomme, Turducken... Each dish was extremely intricate and were all incredibly challenging to make. After writing them down, he handed the paper to Guy. "Here you go, Mr. Granger.'' He wanted the best for Charmine? He wanted to make her tea? Well, he might as well make her lunch! 3 How he would like to see if he could act all gant again! Guy''s face stiffened. It was not that he did not want to cook for Charmine- it was just that he had never cooked before. He did not know how... Charmine, who was by the side, stiffened at the exchange. Anthony was intentionally making it hard for Guy! "Anthony, we have a chef at home," she interceded; she had to. "Let him do it..." "Why? Do you feel sorry for him? Or is it that you don''t want to tire him out?" questioned Anthony, and it was obvious in his demeanor that he did not sound pleased. Charmine was stumped yet again. Goodness, gracious! Her husband got jealous again. What else was there to do? Guy basically bargained his life to save her. Would she have to let this hostility prolong? chapter 1052 chapter 1052 As Charmine was wrapped up in the tense turmoil, Guy took up the menu." You don''t have to make it hard for Charmine, Mr. Bailey. Her feelings are solely for you, she doesn¡¯t feel bad for me. As for this menu, you''d think I¡¯m making them for Ms. Jordan anyway if Iplete them, but if I don''t, you won''t feel good either. If so, why don''t we make them together? To kill some time and talk things out, so you don''t assume things randomly." 2 Anthony''s eyelids jumped and his brows were knitted tightly. Did Guy just challenge him? He wanted him to make the dishes together? Who did he think he was? Also, Guy made it sound like Anthony was bullying him. He pulled the victim card! Anthony had to turn this around! His eyes darkened as he suddenly wound his arms around Charmine. "No need. You''re a guest, after all. How can I let you cook? Now that you¡¯ve mentioned it, Chamrine and I will go and make them. You wait here," he concluded coldly as he headed downstairs with Charmine, his arms still around her. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. His behavior bbergasted Charmine. Charmine feared that their little squabble would prolong which might grow into a full-blown argument. Who would have thought that Anthony would turn things around? 1 All of a sudden, he wanted to cook with her? Was this a way for them to publicly disy their affection again? Anthony had led her into the kitchen as she was lost in her thoughts. 1 He pulled her a chair and said to her, "Have a seat, I''ll make it." Charmine frowned. Sit...? Spotting the man sitting in the living room, Anthony handed the apron to Charmine. "Put it on for me." 1 His tone was low yet one that could not be challenged. Charmine knew him too well. She knew what he was thinking, and so she let him. She took the apron and tiptoed up to him, wounding the strings around his neck and back, before she walked to the back to tie it up. They were both so close that they looked like they were embracing one another, and the sight of it was the epitome of romance. Guy was sitting in the living room, and since the kitchen was made of see- through ss panels, he could see everything that happened in the kitchen. Even though he knew Anthony did that on purpose, even though he knew Charmine was married, he still felt bitter. He could not help it. 1 This was the first woman he loved in his life, his first love, the one that unfortunately got away... 1 No, he must not feel emotional. She was someone''s wife. He must not feel anything, not even hurt. Guy looked away and rested on the sofa. Nial came down and saw Anthony and Charmine as well, He rubbed his eyes. He was a single man, too... Back in the kitchen, Anthony looked focused. After putting on the apron, he started preparing in front of the kitchen table. Charmine approached him to help him with anything he needed, yet Anthony merely handed her a handkerchief. "If you can''t stay put, you may help me to wipe off my sweat." 1 Charmine eyed the scene outside. It was winter. The trees were bare as dried leavesid scattered on the ground. She felt rather cold herself. How would he sweat? How? "What? You don''t want to let Guy see that you care for me?" Anthony suddenly asked. Charmine¡¯s hand jolted, though she then muttered, "No, I''ll wipe your sweat for you." She would have stood up to him, but this was Guy. She had so many intimate moments with Guy, and Anthony would not just pretend like nothing happened nor forget. It was best for her to stay low. With that, she held onto the handkerchief and reached out to wipe up Anthony''s non-existent sweat. 2 The meal was prepared with a show. chapter 1053 chapter 1053 Nial and Guy went forward when the meal was ready, and the sight that greeted them puzzled them greatly. On therge dining table was a beautifully ted set meal in front of Charmine and Anthony. There was a heart-shaped egg, white wine prawn and others. It looked like a candle-light dinner. Each item was doubled, and the portion was generous. Guy and Nial, on the other hand, only had singles: one egg, one prawn, one chicken wing... 2 They only had one of everything! "Bro, you''re cutting our food supply?" whined Nial. "No, I merely want to remind you both that you should be aware of your singrity." 5 Anthony said calmly though intentionally as well. His words baffled Nial. Really? Did he have to do this to Guy, even during a meal? Guy saw the food ting and understood Anthony''s warning. He forewarned that he would never get in between them both. Guy sat down to eat, and to avoid any conflict, he said nothing. Anthony sat down beside Charmine with a smirk stered on his face. Using his fork and knife to a slice of beef, he then elegantly pushed them to Charmine. Charmine finally knew how troublesome it was when a man got jealous. Things would grow hectic for two months if nothing was done to remedy this mess... 1 They were just having a simple meal, and they even had to sleep together tonight. She felt that it would not be as peaceful. As expected, that night... Charmine suffered no migraines throughout the remaining day, but that meant the two migraines would happen at night. Even though everyone seemed calm and did not speak, they were all worried. Nial and Guy slept on the floor¡ª NiaI slept on the outside while Guy faced the wall. Charmine and Anthony were inside the bedroom. Charmine wore full-length pajamas. It had a high neck andpletely covered her skin. Despite that, however, Anthonyid restless in bed as his expression darkened in displeasure. He thought of how Guy was sleeping just outside, and Charmine could see him once she got out. It soured Anthony. Chris told him he had a way to make Charmine hate Guy. It was past ten, so why was there nothing yet? Just as the thought urred to him, a loud scream was hearding from the outside.From N?velDrama.Org. It was Chris! Charmine frowned. She ran out instantly while Anthony and Nial followed behind her. In the mini pantry on the second floor, Chris fell on the floor in a pitiable manner. Guy, meanwhile, stood nearby with an empty ss at hand, face contorted with helplessness. When Charmine came, Chris instantly ran over and wailed hoarsely," Mommy, Mommy... Waa...! Don''t hate Momo! Don''t leave Momo!" Charmine pulled him into her arms as she gushed, "Of course I won¡¯t do that. I never said I''d leave you. Why would you say that?" "Waa.J Him... Uncle Guy said that..." Chris looked at Guy and continued, "Uncle Guy said that with me around, people will only know you as a step-mother. He yelled at me, saying I shouldn''t be around. He said that Mommy has been through a lot of pain with Daddy... He said you''re someone amazing, and you shouldn''t be a stepmother. He said I should be nice to you and then identally bumped into me..." As he spoke, he cried as if he was wronged. Charmine frowned as her gaze trailed to Guy who stood by the side. 3 Did Guy just bully a child? chapter 1054 chapter 1054 To Charmine, was not that type of man. He would not bully a child. However, Chris'' ims were not impossible. Guy harbored feelings for her, so could he have said such things to Chris because of her? Before she could speak, Anthony scoffed at Guy coldly, "Mr. Granger, this is our family matter. You don''t have to teach my son!" ''This is a misunderstanding; I didn''t say that. I saw him talking to someone,ining how his stepmother mistreated him. I merely told him off..." Guy exined with a serious face, i Charmine narrowed her eyes. Chrisining about his stepmother? Impossible! Chris could never speak badly of her. He would never refer to her as his stepmother. It seemed that Guy had... She then looked at Chris who sobbed in her arms-he seemed wronged. She had to pat Chris''s little shoulder and said to Guy, ¡¯Thank you Mr. Granger. No matter what Chris says in the future, kindly refrain from berating him. He''s young, he can''t take it." With that said, she held onto Chris¡¯ tiny hand and led him into his bedroom. Guy chased after them. "Ms. Jordan, this is a misunderstanding-" Before he could finish, Anthony blocked him and red daggers into him." Mr. Granger, I¡¯m grateful that you''re transfusing blood for my woman. You may ask for any sum of money or any request. However, do stay away from my woman and child. Please keep your distance." With that said, he turned and followed Charmine and Chris. Guy remained transfixed on the spot. As he watched them leave, the anger welled up within him so much that he wanted to punch the wall. He was wronged! He did not lie. Chris framed him! Well, Charmine must have already assumed he was a petty man with that. Inside Chris'' bedroom... Chris sat by the side as he took Charmine''s hand. ''Thank you for trusting me, Mommy. Don''t me Uncle Guy, what he said was true. Marrying Daddy is quite challenging, and I am just an extra..." "Alright, Momo, stop saying that. You''re not an extra. I adore you the most, and I wouldn''t be with your Daddy without you. Once I''ve recovered, I''ll ask Guy to leave," Charmineforted Chris. Chris'' eyes twinkled. ''Thank you, Mommy!" Charmine put him to sleep and went back to the room with Anthony. What she did not notice was that Chris made an ''okay'' gesture to Anthony. Concurrently, Guy was already sleeping on the floor outside the bedroom. He wanted to say something when he saw theming in when he noticed the look on Anthony''s face. Since Charmine would not speak to him, he could only stay silent. He watched as Charmine and Anthony walked into their bedroom and closed the door, i Guy grew crestfallen at the closed door. He was a full-grown, adult man yet was put through this. Any other man would have left if he was in Guy''s shoes, but this was Charmine... She needed him... Just as the bitterness crept into his mind, his phone vibrated. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. He took it out and noticed it was a text from Charmine. [Mr. Granger, I''m sorry. I know Momo framed you, but with Anthony being jealous and Momo caring for me, I don''t want them to feel bad or cause any more conflict. Sorry to have wronged you these days; I owe you one. I''ll repay you in the future!] 1 After reading that, Guy instantly felt better. Charmine did know Chris framed him after all! Charmine did not misunderstand him. That was good! The joy he felt at that moment, however, was fleeting as he grew sad once more. Even though she knew, she chose to hurt him instead of making Chris sad or Anthony jealous... chapter 1055 chapter 1055 Was Guy supposed to be happy or sad? Inside the bathroom... Charmine knew about the lie right off the bat, but if she picked Guy''s side, Chris might have a seizure while Anthony would also assume she liked Guy. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. She hoped Guy could understand her determination to protect Anthony and Chris. However, Guy was risking his life to save her, and they genuinely did him dirty, so she went to the bathroom to quickly text him before deleting the message. She would be in for one hell of a time if Anthony found out about it. She had too many contacts with Guy. Anthony remembered them all... i Once she made sure she deleted the text, she walked out from the bathroom. Anthony, meanwhile, sat before the window in the bedroom. He wore a hardened expression as the ss window reflected his elegant figure. He looked at his own reflection, his eyes dull. Chris said he knew how to make Charmine hate Guy. Was that his n then? It seemed he had seeded. However, since when did he have to dish out such a dirty trick? When he saw Charmineing out of the bathroom, he gazed at her with wonderstruck eyes. Even though she suffered migraines for the past few days, she looked as beautiful as she always did. Whatever. He had a stunning wife, and if he did not pull anything like that, she might be stolen from him! For her, he did not mind being mean. Just as the two were falling asleep, Charmine had a migraine again. This time, Nial and Guy rushed in from the outside and they injected blood into her proficiently. This time, the pain onlysted for less than 15 seconds, much to Guy''s relief. Anthony looked at his arm. There were so many scars caused by the transfusion, and they looked painful. Furthermore, Charmine did not even trust him earlier. She said mean things to him, yet he did not seem to mind? He was still so kind to her? How much did he love Charmine that he willingly endured it all? 2 Anthony felt sour. Whatever. Chris could do whatever he liked! A nice man like Guy...even he might fall for him! The next morning, something happened again. When Charmine and Anthony went downstairs, a maid walked over and said, "Sir, Madam, we have a situation. Numerous people sent in flowers, letters, and many gifts!" Charmine frowned. Fresh flowers and gifts? For whom? Suspiciously, she walked out with them and spotted a pile of gift boxes by the corner of the vi, and there was also another pile of flowers nearby. A handful of cards were ced on top, and some of them read: [Long time no see, Guy. I miss you.] [Dear, do you remember our time in the bar?] [Guy darling, I''m waiting for you to fulfill your promise xx] The contents raised Charmine''s goosebumps. Guy''s face flushed red as he quickly exined to Charmine, "I genuinely don''t know who sent these. I¡¯ve never been with any woman! You have to trust me this time!¡± Anthony, standing in front of Charmine, jolted. ''This time? Since when did she trust you?" 1 His eyes were cold like ice, his tone sharp and hostile. Charmine¡¯s eyelids jumped. Ah, curses! Guy slipped up! chapter 1056 chapter 1056 All hell would break loose if Anthony found out they textedst night. Just as Charmine internally scrambled to find a viable exnation, Guy already came up with an excuse as he spoke, "When the investigation shows that the Granger had the red wolf bone, Ms. Jordan didn''t doubt me. I wanted to say that these flowers have nothing to do with me, and I don¡¯t know the people who sent me these gifts." It was better he did not mention this, but as he talked about it, Anthony thought of how Guy and Charmine spent so much time together. Behind his back, they went into action every night. They risked their lives together, and they even went to the forest... His face suddenly turned cold as his words matched his steely tenacity," Mr. Granger, we''re not interested in knowing whether you know them or not. We''re not interested in your private life. You don''t have to exin to us." With that said, he ced his hands on Charmine''s waist and walked upstairs together. Guy remained transfixed there. He felt wronged. This had indeed nothing to do with them, nothing to do with Charmine, and Charmine did not care. He cared, though... He did not want toe across as a yboy, i After Charmine went up with Anthony, when they were turning at the corner, she nced at Guy. Her eyes were calm and did not seem angry. In fact, it was a form of silentfort. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. She knew it must have been Chris. They wronged him, and it was not easy for him to take all the me. She was already thinking of ways to repay Guy once everything was over, i The downcast Guy regained his spirits upon seeing Charmine''s gaze. Of course. Charmine was clever, so it was only logical she could see through these tricks. She would not wrong him. Still...she did not want to expose Anthony and Chris. They were a family. Anthony went into the bedroom with Charmine, though he could make out that something had happened between Charmine and Guy. However, he was met with the calm and emotionless Charmine when he looked at her. Was he overthinking things? Whatever. Time had passed, and noon came. After school, the ted Chris walked out of the school gate with his backpack. Uncle Guy wanted to steal his Mommy away, was he? Not a chance! It was not enough, though. He had to make Charmine hate Guy a little more every day in the following two months! i When he got into Luke''s car, he saw an old man selling a kitten by the gate. There were seven to eight kittens, and after a while, only one small white kitten was left. The white kitten was cleanly washed and was incredibly adorable. It was only as big as a mouse, and it looked cute and fluffy. However, its paw was somehow wounded, and it was due to how severe it looked that nobody bought it. i "Uncle Luke, stop the car!" Chris called out. "I want to buy the kitten!" ''Young master, this is a stray cat. They''re hard to tame, and they might harm humans..." Luke warned him. Chris was determined. "It''s okay, I want to buy it. Pull over!" Luke had no choice but to pull over, and Chris got out upon opening the door. When the old man saw him, he instantly said, "I¡¯ve vinated the kitten. It had a bad fall, but if you take good care of it, it''ll recover. You¡¯re a good kid, so bring it with you. I''ll give it to you for free..." ''Thank you, Sir. I''ll take good care of the kitten." Chris insisted the old man keep the 100 bucks before taking the kitten with him. Eyes twinkling, Chris cooed to the kitten in a low voice, "White kitten, don''t be scared. I''ll treat your woundster." In the dark, an elegant figure was sitting in a car. It was Max. chapter 1057 chapter 1057 Max watched as Chris got back into the car that drove away soon after. His lips curled up darkly. So, Charmine did not want to cure Waverly and interrupted his n of using the voice recording, did she? Using this child was of no concern to him! Oh, how he wanted to see how everything panned out on this day! At Violet Residence... Since the migraine could strike at any time, Charmine had to work from home, and the all-too-worried Anthony asked his staff to bring his work to him as well. With that, both him and Charmine worked in the same office. At that moment, someone cried out loud from downstairs. "Mommy! Mommy! Waa.J Mommy!'' Chris was crying! Charmine frowned. What was Chris pulling this time? She rushed down with Anthony and saw that Chris was crying with a kitten in hand in the living room. The kitten in his hands was wounded; it was bleeding. Guy, standing by the side, was confused. Charmine frowned and asked, "What happened, Momo?" He sobbed and sniveled pitifully. "I brought home a kitten today, Mommy, but Uncle Guy saw it and said you might be allergic to it... He also said that animals like this have many germs, so he threw and wounded the kitten... Waa...!" He cried in between sentences as he held the kitten. "Mommy, look, the kitten is so severely wounded. Uncle Guy hates small animals. He has no patience and love-he''s so violent...!" 5 Guy''s expression turned green as he stood by the side. Was Chris intending to keep lying about him? He had done nothing! The kitten was already hurt when Chris brought it back, and Chris suddenly burst into tears once he saw him... From N?velDrama.Org. He had framed him twice. Was he framing him all over again? Charmine saw that Chris'' acting was too refined; it was as if his tears could roll down for free. Just as she was about to go andfort him, however... The kitten in Chris'' arms seemed to be shocked. With a loud meow, it jumped andunched at her. It was too fast, and the kitten scratched Charmine''s arm, leaving a long scar in its wake. 1 Both Anthony and Guy were rmed at that, and they both tried to catch the kitten. However, the kitten seemed out of control. Itunched at Guy with agility. Before Guy could do anything, a long scratch was made on his palm, and fresh blood shot out. Instantly, Charmine, Anthony, and Nial-who just got down-were startled. Guy was hurt! Guy''s blood type was too rare, and even one drop of it was priceless. Things would escte to a different degree if he got infected. Nial reacted quickly. He took the first-aid kit and rushed down. Although Guy did not like Guy, he knew this was a serious matter. He reached out and caught the kitten before he quickly tossed it into a box and closed it up. The kitten went wild inside the box as it struggled vehemently. Charmine frowned. "The cat is strange. Stay away from it." Chris was dumbfounded. He had no idea how it got out of hand... The kitten was so tame. Why did it turn feral all of a sudden? Nial frowned. ''The blood flow isn''t stopping. We need to retrieve the R factor right away!" 1 Retrieval? 1 That would take at least half an hour... chapter 1058 chapter 1058 On the other hand, Guy could die from excessive blood loss if nothing was done to the wound in the next 30 minutes. Charmine frowned and walked over. Taking out her silver needles, she pricked them around Guy''s wound...which effectively stopped the blood from oozing out. Nial gaped in disbelief. "The silver needles can stop blood flow!? How powerful!" "It''s just the most basic closure of veins. Put on a band-aid; I''ll pick out the needles in three minutes," said Charmine. Nial did as he was told. Eyeing the pool of blood on the floor, Charmine then turned to Chris with a stern gaze. "Don¡¯t y something like this in the future ever again, Momo. There¡¯s no need for that!¡± Chris was visibly startled when he got called out. He looked at Charmine and stuttered, "Mommy, you...you knew?" She knew he did all this set-up? Anthony''s gaze narrowed as he stood by the side. Charmine said Chris was ''ying'', so she knew Chris had been framing Guy? 1 The situation had escted to a brand new low, and an ident even happened. "I knew," she began, "but you¡¯re my good boy, and I want you to be happy. So no matter what you do, Mommy will cover up for you, to care for you. However, as you see, this happened. If I didn''t know about acupuncture, Uncle Guy would¡¯ve died. If he died, my migraines won¡¯t be cured, and it¡¯ll only worsen..." Chris understood the severity of the situation. He listened with his head down, expression painted with guilt, sadness, and difort. So Charmine knew it was his n all along. The n he thought was perfect had failed from the beginning. He almost killed someone, hurt his Mommy... Still, he could lose her if he did nothing and watched idly... Charmine bent down beside him and held Chris'' shoulder. "I know you''re worried that Mommy might fall for Uncle Guy. If I like him, I would¡¯ve stayed with him, aren''t I right? Why would I cover up for you? Why would Ie home? Furthermore, your Daddy and I are married, and we even have you, our adorable child. I''d still stay, even if you did nothing at all." "Really...?" Chris looked up weakly at her. His big eyes were filled with tears as if he could cry any time. Charmine took some tissues to wipe off the tears. She nodded without hesitation andforted, "Of course. Since when did Mommy lie to you?" Chris blew his nose,forted by her words but still uneasy. It was not that he did not trust Charmine-Guy was just too nice. 1 He was willing to use his precious blood to save Charmine, and to top that off, he was good-looking and honest. He was the Mr. Perfect for all the women out there! If he did nothing, he was scared that Charmine might run away with Guy one day... Charmine saw through him, so she continued, "If you¡¯re worried, you should do things to improve yourself, or use a better way to make Mommy stay instead of causing harm to the others. If you frameFrom N?velDrama.Org. Uncle Guy, how is it different from Tiffany and Amelia framing Mommy in the past? Promise Mommy: be a good and honest man." 1 Chris was near tears until he heard it all until the end, and he understood it right away as if he came across an important revtion. "Mommy is right! I''m sorry for what I''ve been doing in the past two days... I won¡¯t do it again!" With that said, he bravely walked to Guy and confessed, "Uncle Guy, I''m sorry! I apologize for my behavior, but it doesn''t mean I''m surrendering! I''ll guard my Mommy and keep you from stealing her!" 1 Guy smiled. "Don''t worry, I won¡¯t steal your Mommy away. You''re a family." "Hmph! I hope you¡¯ll keep your promise!" Chris looked up with a scoff. chapter 1059 chapter 1059 Anthony''s expression darkened as he stood by the side. He realized a major w in the situation: If Charmine knew it all along, this showed that Charmine fully trusted Guy. 1 T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. It was only with that-her trusting Guy-that she would know Chris made up everything. Did She trust Guy that much? Forget about trust. Guy did not seem to mind being framed, and he even took it all in. How would a fully grown man like him tank it all in? How could he even sleep peacefully? 1 Charmine must have said things to him privately! It made sense... No wonder he sensed something had happened between Charmine and Guy. They talked to one another behind his back! Anthony red at Charmine. "Follow me!" He marched up the stairs as his gait seemed menacing. Charmine frowned. Why was Anthony so angry? Did he notice something? With that, she retrieved the needles from Guy before she followed Anthony up the stairs. Sensing something had happened, Nial took care of Chris instead, i Upon entering the bedroom, Anthony closed the door. He red at Charmine coldly. "Be honest, Charmine. Are you secretly in touch with Guy?" Charmine''s heart skipped a beat. As expected, Anthony hit the nail on the head. This man was terrifyingly observant! If she admitted to it, Anthony would... Seeing that she did not speak, Anthony scoffed, "What? You want me to recover your data on your phone?" Charmine was stunned at that. Well, there was no point in hiding it since he guessed it right off the bat. "Yes," she confessed, "I owe him a favor. Other than that, there¡¯s nothing else." 1 Anthony''s face instantly darkened. While he had guessed it, it was still tough listening to the fact from her. They lived under the same roof, yet Charmine secretly texted Guy behind his back! 1 If she wanted to, would she sleep with Guy behind his back, thinking he would not notice? Sensing the silent angering from him, Charmine argued, "I think something''s wrong with your head! I knew that both you and Chris had been framing Guy, but I cared for your feelings so much that I didn''t expose you. Doesn¡¯t that show how much I love you both? Guy is helping me, and all I did was send him a text. Do you have to make a big fuss out of it?" 4 "So you''re saying that I''m over-reacting?" Anthony''s eyes were zed with cold, hard ice. Charmine was bbergasted by hiseback. ''That''s not what I meant. I''m only saying that there¡¯s nothing between Guy and I. You don''t have to be angry..." 1 The more she exined, the angrier Anthony seemed to her. She was genuinely at a loss for words. 2 At that moment, Nial rushed up and knocked on the door. "Bro, it''s bad! Grandma called; she wants you to visit them, and with Charmine, too!" Charmine frowned. That urgently? How could she go, knowing an onught of migraines awaited her? Were they supposed to bring Guy with them then? chapter 1060 chapter 1060 The Baileys did not seem pleased about what happened between Charmine and Guy. They were about to cause her more trouble. Charmine had been too busy in the past two days that she did not go back to the Bailey mansion with Anthony. From N?velDrama.Org. Since they were asking to see both her and Anthony, it had to be the issue regarding Guy. How could she bring Guy with them under such circumstances? Anthony opened the door and said to Nial, "You go and fix this." "I can''t! Grandma is threatening to end her life if you two don''t go back. Furthermore, she already prepared the rope to hang herself. She hung herself once, and if Senior Bailey didn''t pull her down that one time, she might¡¯ve..." 1 Nial felt overwhelmed at the situation he was in. Charmine frowned. After a moment of thought, she said, "Let''s go. We''ll have to face them eventually; no point dragging it on." 1 ''Your migraine..." Nial fretted. "Bring Guy along," said Charmine. "What?" Nial was perplexed at her suggestion, and Anthony frowned as well. She still wanted to bring Guy with them, even in this situation? Charmine met their gazes. "We have to fix this situation anyway. If Guyes with us, he can even verify what I say. Grandma Bailey will feel more at ease with that." 1 Anthony''s eyes darkened. Not long after, they were all driven to the Bailey mansion. With Nial driving, Guy sat in the front passenger seat. Charmine, Chris, and Anthony sat in the back. Chris cuddled into Charmine¡¯s arms while he looked up at the man on the passenger''s seat from time to time. He raised his chin at him from time to time, showing how close he was with Charmine. 1 Anthony¡¯s eyes darkened. He loathed Guy, yet they had to bring him home anyway? Charmine sat by the side of the window. Was she peeking at Guy? It was supposed to be just the three of them, yet they just had to bring this other man with them... Hisrge hand in his pocket tightened. After he rposed himself, he threw a look at Chris. Understanding his stare, Chris said to Charmine, "Mommy, you don''t have to be nervous. Daddy has talked things out with the seniors at home, and they like you very much. The original wedding ceremony was grand, all our rtives had prepared you expensive gifts, and Grandpa even helped you all to entertain the guests. You would''ve officially be Mrs. Bailey by now had that ident not happened." Chris would shoot Guy res from time to time as he spoke. Guy was already thinking of ways to help Charmine fix this problem with the Baileys. After all, everything started because of him. When Guy heard what Chris said, he felt even guiltier, thus he solemnly spoke, "Don''t worry, I''ll help Ms. Jordan to exin everything when we¡¯re there." Anthony''s expression turned hostile yet again. Guy was always so protective of Charmine. It was apparent that he cared for Charmine. Since when did he need another man to protect his woman? The car pulled over by the Bailey mansion. Anthony went down first, disregarding Chris at that moment as he went around the car to open the door for Charmine. He even reached out his hand for her. 1 Charmine naturally hooked her arms around his and walked by his side. Anthony took the opportunity to whisper lowly, "Remember: If youe close to Guy again, I''ll make you pay for it¡ªpast and present." His maic voice resonated in her ears. Charmine frowned, though she spoke nheless, "Rest assured." 2 The two of them walked inside with Chris. Guy and Nial followed behind. chapter 1061 chapter 1061 Nial had a small medical box in hand. At the living hall... Grandma Bailey, Senior Bailey, Susan, Darryl, and a few other rtives were present. Grandma Bailey was pulled back as she stood under the beam with a thick rope hung to it. When she saw someone getting closer, she yelled, "Let go of me! Let go! Let me die! I want to die!" "Okay, enough of the acting," Anthony''s elegant voice was heard as he walked in with Charmine. The Baileys felt the chills as they saw the pair. Whenever they saw him, Anthony would always exude that oppressive temperament of his. However, they quickly spotted Guy following behind Anthony and Charmine, and the sight of him took everyone by surprise. They could hardly believe what they saw. 1 T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. They came home, but they brought Guy along with them!? What was it for? To cause a scene? Grandma Bailey''s eyelids fluttered wide open. Did Charmine not say she would never fall for Guy? Why were they both together? "Do you know why we''re asking to see you today, Charmine?" began Susan, growling as she spoke. "We spent almost a billion preparing your wedding, but you? You ran away and got married to General Granger! You didn''t give us an answer until now, yet youe in strutting, bringing him with you?" Her tone was unpleasant. Before Charmine could speak, Guy who was behind her came forward and argued coldly, "Mrs. Bailey, is this how you''re going to treat your daughter-in w? You haven''t seen her for long, but instead of asking how she feels, instead of asking for the truth, you me her for everything? Is this how you''re taught?" i Guy''s tone was cold and hard like iron. Raised with a soldier¡¯s temperament, Guy emanated a stern, unyielding aura. The Baileys were stunned. Even though the Baileys were powerful, they must not offend someone like the Grangers. Grandma Bailey red at Susan and walked in front of her. "General Granger is right. Susan is acting like this because she''s too anxious. What''s the matter with you and Charmine? Don¡¯t you owe them an exnation so they can be at ease?" Guy looked at Charmine and exined in a serious tone, "Everything started with the red wolf bone. Ms. Jordan came to the Granger mansion in hopes of getting the red wolf bone to cure Chris'' illness, but my family likes Ms. Jordan very much, and they made it a condition that unless Ms. Jordan and I get married, they won''t let her have it. Therefore, Ms. Jordan and I had to fake the wedding to get the red wolf bone." Grandma Bailey listened and her brows rxed. So that was the reason? So there was nothing between Charmine and Guy? Was it all due to Chris'' illness? Susan mumbled, "If it¡¯s for the illness, why publish the news? How are we supposed to receive Charmine? What would the others think?" "Right. Although it makes sense, we''re facing a big mess right now, and none of you have gone forward to make a public statement." i "Everyone thinks Charmine is your wife now. You two even show up together. How''re you going to fix this?" The other rtives aired theirints, 1 Charmine did not want to speak, but when she heard what they said, she red at the crowd with displeasure. "How dare you say such things? Did everyone here genuinely think I want toe here with Mr. Granger? Do you know what I''ve been through in the past few days? None of this would''ve happened had it not been for your meddling hands!" Her cold and clear voice was heard. Everyone was petrified at her bold words. What did they have to do with this? chapter 1066 chapter 1066 Charmine was on the verge of losing consciousness at that moment and did not hear anything. All she felt was pain. This was the first time Chris saw Charmine suffering from the migraines. He only knew Guy had to give blood to her, but he did not know it was so painful. Chris cried by Charmine¡¯s side, "You have to hold on, Mommy! Please hold on! Don¡¯t scare Momo! Nial! Uncle Nial! Hurry and save Mommy!" T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Nial rushed and knelt beside them with syringe needles readied. He went to Guy and naturally extracted blood from him before he quickly transfused the blood into Charmine. Charmine, who was in pain, quickly grew calm. Anthony walked to her side. Although his expression was still dark, he still reached out to hold on to her. Susan quickly walked forward to stop him. "Anthony, didn¡¯t you hear what I said? Charmine hugs Guy instinctively-Guy is that important to her! They''ve only just met, but if this goes on, she''ll cheat on you one day!" 1 Charmine, leaning into Guy¡¯s hold at that moment, heard the rm bells ringing when she noticed her predicament. She quickly stood up and distanced herself from Guy. Guy also stood up and said, "Mrs. Bailey, I hope you¡¯ll tell the truth! You pushed Charmine to me, and I had no choice but to catch her!" "Ha! Of course you''d say that since Anthony is here! Who''d admit to cheating?¡± Susan scowled at Guy before she looked at Anthony. "Anthony, I''m your mother; I won''t lie to you. Do you want to believe this woman or your mother?" 1 Charmine jolted. Naturally, everyone would choose to trust their mother. Furthermore, Anthony already hated Guy, and he was not on good terms with Charmine before they came to the Bailey mansion. With all that had happened, surely Anthony would... What Charmine did not expect, however, was for Anthony to walk up and put his hands on her waist. He said in a low voice, "I trust no one. I want to hear Charmine exin to me." As he spoke, he looked at Charmine''s body. "You tell me, I trust you.¡± Charmine''s racing heart grew steady at that moment as she met his gaze. "Will you believe me if I tell you your mother pushed me?" Anthony frowned as he turned to Susan. ''You pushed my wife, Susan. What shall I do?" 2 Charmine was shocked at that. She thought Anthony was joking, but she did not expect Anthony to actually trust her! 1 He would go against his mother for this? Even Susan was shocked. Was Anthony not supposed to get mad at Charmine? Why would he believe Charmine? The infuriated Susan scowled, "Anthony, what did she do to you!? Why would she admit to cheating on you-" p! Before she could finish speaking, Grandma Bailey pped Susan on the back of her head, causing Susan''s clipped-up hair to cascade. She, at that moment, looked vulgar. 1 ''You''re one of us," scoffed Grandma Bailey. "Since when have you learned to lie? Do you think we don''t know what kind of person Charmine is? I saw you pushing her when I happened to look out the window! Apologize to Charmine, now!" chapter 1067 chapter 1067 Susan was so frustrated that she wanted to cry! Grandma Bailey and Anthony were in another room, and they were nowhere close to this area. Even the window did not face this direction! How would she have seen it? She was intentionally helping Charmine! That was bad enough, yet she wanted her to apologize to Charmine? 1 No way! Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. She haughtily argued, "Grandma Bailey, please be more rational! Charmine still has to spend two months with Guy Granger. She needs his blood every day. How will they not develop some feelings down the road? Furthermore, in two months, how are we going to tell the world about this? The D''Cruz family is pestering us! We won''t be able to drag on for two months! Anthony can be with Waverly or even McKenzie, while Charmine could be with Guy. Everything will be resolved! Isn¡¯t that good?¡± 1 ''You''re very wrong! If Charmine would fall for Guy, she wouldn''t be suffering all the pain right now! She has the determination to endure the pain! Do you think she''d easily fall for someone else? As for what we have to say to the public, well, the Baileys never have to say anything! Charmine and Anthony will be wed once she recovers; just tell them the photos had been photoshopped!" Grandma Bailey red at Susan. "No matter how bad the situation bes, you have no reason to insult her. You must apologize to Charmine, now! And you¡¯ll spend sometime reflecting in the prayer room!" Susan had more to say but Grandma Bailey continued, "What now? You won¡¯t even do as you''re told?" Susan had no choice but to agree to it. She looked at Charmine reluctantly, embittered and furious. 1 She was Anthony¡¯s mother, yet she had to apologize to someone like Charmine? 1 s, she had no choice. As long as Grandma Bailey was alive, she must not offend her. i With much difficulty, she managed to say, "Sorry..." It was soft and almost imusible, but to her, it felt like her dignity was tossed to the ground and shattered into pieces. With that said, she ignored everyone else and turned to walk away. Charmine did not make it harder than it was-she did not want to waste time. Grandma Bailey walked up to Charmine then. "I''m so sorry, Charmine. I''ve spoiled her in the past for her to act this way. Don''t worry, I fully support you to be with Anthony. I made a scene to ask you two to come home because I thought you ran away with another man. Now that it''s cleared up, go home and take good care of your body. Once you recover, I''ll officiate your wedding ceremony." 1 Charmine looked at her and nodded. Grandma Bailey used to hate her so much, yet at that moment, she was incredibly supportive... This was all because of her aplishment. This was because of how she beautifully crushed Waverly during their birthday banquets... Anthony put his arms around Charmine''s waist while she held Chris'' hand. They walked out together. At that moment, Grandma Bailey suddenly recalled something as she said, "Hold on, Charmine. I need a favor from you and Anthony." As she spoke, a youngdy walked to her. Grandma Bailey introduced, "She''s from my family, my daughter''s daughter. Her name is Yvonne Eckert, and she''s only twenty. She came over to spend her winter break with me, but as you''ve seen, I¡¯m old and I can''t take good care of her. How am I supposed to look after her? Susan doesn''t take it well when ites to younger women, and she had been trying different ways to harm Yvonne in the past two days, so I need a favor from you two to bring Yvonne home with you for a while. She¡¯ll go back to college when term starts." 2 Charmine frowned. They had to bring Yvonne home with them? Yvonne was Anthony''s cousin. What motive did Grandma Bailey have to put a cousin with them? 1 Strange... chapter 1068 chapter 1068 Before Charmine could make sense of it all, Yvonne walked up to her and naturally hooked her arms around hers, smiling as she did. "Sorry to be disturbing you in the following days, Charmine, hope you don''t mind." Charmine was never one to be so jovial to others. Not only that, but she would suffer migraines every day, and she would not be able to apany Yvonne. She could not even leave home. She wanted to turn it down but Anthony said, "Alright,e with us.¡± i Charmine eyed Anthony strangely. Did her ears y tricks on her, or did Anthony just agree to it? Anthony was always cold even to his own mother, yet all of a sudden, he agreed to bring a cousin home? This was very strange... ''Yay! Thank you, Anthony!" beamed the happy Yvonne as she grabbed her hand, walking her out. Though wary, Charmine could care less of it all. She grabbed Chris'' hand and left. It was only then Chris snapped out from the shock he had after watching Charmine in pain. When he saw someone else holding his Mommy''s hand, he did not seem happy and quickly left with them. Anthony nodded at Grandma Bailey before saying to Guy, "Mr. Granger, thank you for protecting my wife. Let¡¯s go home; I must make a toast to you." 1 As he spoke, he made a gentlemanly gesture, one of invitation.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Guy frowned. Anthony looked like he would kill him before this, so why the sudden genial mannerism? Why was this such an out-of-body experience? Even Nial found it hard to believe. Since when did his brother change? Although they were weirded out, they were more concerned about Charmine''s illness. None of them dared to stay too far from her. They all went inside the car. The seven-seater Lincoln drove away slowly. The three men sat in front while Charmine, Yvonne, and Chris sat at the back. Charmine held Chris¡¯ hands as sheforted, "Don''t be scared, Momo. Forget what you saw. Mommy will recover soon." "Don''t worry, Mommy, I''m not scared. I''ll stay with Mommy and protect Mommy!" 1 Chris was very understanding and mature. He knew his Mommy was ill, thus he must not make her worry. Still, his gaze would avert to Yvonne who sat just next to Charmine. He could not help it. He had never seen this Aunt, yet she suddenly showed up in their house. No doubt, it was not a good thing! Yvonne met his gaze. ''You must be Momo, yes? You''re so squishy and cute! Don''t worry, I won''t harm your Daddy and Mommy, and I won''t harm you. Also... I''ll help you all!" Herst sentence was very soft as it came as a whisper to Charmine¡¯s ear. Charmine frowned. Help them? What could a small woman like her do? Yvonne said nothing else as she eyed Guy who was sitting in front. She was looking at his figure. Her lips curled up into a smile from time to time. Charmine sensed something and she vaguely understood. The car pulled over by Violet Residence. After they all entered the vi, Charmine said, ''Til arrange a room for Yvonne. Everyone else should get some rest." Agreeing to her suggestion, Anthony then thought of something and reminded her, ''Yvonne is always scared, so just let her stick close to us." 2 Charmine understood and led Yvonne upstairs. s, Yvonne''srge suitcase overwhelmed her small stature. chapter 1069 chapter 1069 Charmine was about to help Yvonne with her luggage when Guy, who was by the side, went forward. "Let me have it." Anthony''s eyes squinted as his pupils instantly darkened. It was apparent Guy cared about Charmine, always seemingly attentive to Charmine¡¯s needs... Anthony looked at Yvonne. Yvonne quickly turned to Guy and said, "It¡¯s okay, Mr. Granger. I''m an adult, and I can carry it myself." With that said, she used her strength to pick up the suitcase. She went upstairs with the suitcase, her small figure looking capable of hauling it. Charmine followed behind her and they all went upstairs, with Chris behind them as always. When the three of them were in, Yvonne ced down her suitcase and closed the door. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Alert at that, Chris instantly jumped in front of Charmine in a shield-like manner. He red at Yvonne. "What do you want to do?" "Momo, be good. Don''t worry, Ms. Yvonne has good-intentions. She¡¯s here to help us," Charmineforted. Yvonne frowned and looked at Charmine suspiciously. ''You know why I came here?" "If I¡¯m not wrong, Grandma Bailey spoke to Anthony and convinced him to let you stay with us. You''ll try to make Guy fall for you," answered Charmine emotionlessly. 1 Yvonne seemed impressed. "You''re indeed a woman my cousin fell for. You¡¯re clever, but that¡¯s not all..." As she spoke, her cute and innocent face turned serious. Her hands turned into fists as she swung at Charmine. Charmine frowned. They broke into a fight. 1 While Chris initially wanted to call out for help, he stopped and instead cleverly studied Yvonne''s attacks. She did not mean to harm-Yvonne did not intend to harm Charmine. Still... Charmine fought with Yvonne, and the former was always known for her precision and violence. It took them less than ten moves before Charmine¡¯s hand was at Yvonne''s neck. Yvonne halted, though it was not long until that adorable and friendly smile returned to grace her features. "You¡¯re quite good at this. You''re good enough for my cousin!" i Charmine retrieved her hand but before warning Yvonne, "Don''t pull that kind of stunt next time. I might end up hurting you." "Oh, you don¡¯t want to hurt me. You should be pleasing me. Do you know who sent me here?" asked Yvonne. Charmine frowned. "Not Grandma Bailey?" ''To be honest with you, Susan came looking for me even before Grandma did. Guess what she asked me to do?" Yvonne had a cheeky smirk as she, without waiting for Charmine to continue, continued, "Susan told me that you''re not good enough for my cousin. She wants me to break you two up and stop you two from getting together." Charmine had a look of concern on her face. Susan had searched for Yvonne and asked her to do that? Yvonne smiled. ''Though it doesn''t matter if she finds me or not. I have eyes to tell whether you''re good enough for my cousin or not, and I¡¯ll be studying that in the following days. If you please me, I won¡¯t ruin things. I might even help you two to go against Susan. There''s one thing you don¡¯t know, that I know a big secret of hers. With this secret, she''ll have to say yes to anything.¡± 3 Charmine frowned. What secret would Susan have? If that was true, this could save them a lot of trouble... She looked up at Yvonne. "How do you want to examine us? Just tell me the conditions." Charmine liked to keep things direct; she did not like to hide things. Yvonne''s lips curled up. chapter 1070 chapter 1070 Yvonne then said to Charmine, "Don''t worry, I''m not a mean person. I''ll know you well after spending a few days with you, and I''ll then decide whether or not I''ll tell you Susan''s secret. If you want to pass my examination, you¡¯ll do well to treat me nicely." With that said, she gave a cheeky smile and winked at Charmine, much to her silent confusion. ''You''ll sleep in here. Let us know if there''s anything." With that said, Charmine held onto Chris'' hand as they turned to walk out. Yvonne was baffled. Anyone else would have tried to please her upon hearing such an opportunity, yet Charmine just left? She left? "Hey, is this how you''re going to treat me?" blurted Yvonne. "Shouldn¡¯t you be treating me nicer? Help me to unpack or something?" "My apologies, but I''ve never been a pleaser, and I never try to," came Charmine¡¯s calm reply as she led Chris out through the bedroom door. 1 Although she wanted to learn Susan''s secret, she would not please someone just forthat. Yvonne remained perplexed in the room for a good while before she snapped out of her daze. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Anthony was single all these years, just to end up with a woman like that? She was so arrogant! However, it would not be as easy to be with her cousin... 1 After quickly unpacking, she opened the door and went out. Downstairs... Anthony had his staff prepare a feast. Someone even came over to rearrange the space Guy and Nial lived in. The originally simple living area had been carpeted and cushioned; it was morefortable to live in. 1 Guy sat before the table, confused. "Mr. Bailey, you-" "I suddenly had an epiphany today. Mr. Granger is risking his life to save my wife, and I shouldn''t be making your life harder than it is. Let this be my apology to you. If you ever need anything in the future, please mention them to me. I''ll do anything I can," confessed Anthony as he picked up the red wine and filled Guy''s ss before his own. 1 Guy watched his gesture and his brows furrowed. Anthony would act like this? Charmine walked over to Anthony and sat down beside him, equally weirded out as well. It seemed that Grandma Bailey not only arranged Yvonne to stay with them, but she even offered Anthony a therapy session. That was good. Hopefully, no more conflict would ensue in the following two months. If Yvonne and Guy could genuinely catch feelings for one another, that would be ideal... With that in mind, Charmine signaled Chris. Chris ran over and quickly sat by Nial''s side. This was so that there was only one seat left empty, which was beside Guy''s. When Yvonne came down, she saw the seat and had to sit beside him. She said to Guy enthusiastically, "Nice to meet you, Mr. Granger. I¡¯m Yvonne Eckert, but you may call me Yvonne. I hope we''ll get along well in the following days." i As she spoke, she reached out her hand at Guy. Guy halted. While he did not want to take her hand, he knew Anthony would take it as him trying to behave in front of Charmine if he decided not to shake her hand. Eventually, Guy reached out his hand and shook hands with Yvonne. When Yvonne saw his hand, she frowned. "Mr. Granger, what''s up with your hand? Is it that dangerous in the army base?" "No, just some minor scars during the daily training. It''s normal," answered Guy. chapter 1071 chapter 1071 Yvonne quickly found a topic to speak with Guy, and they hit it off afterward. With that, Guy did not even have time to speak to Charmine during the meal. 1 Anthony noticed this and his thin lips curled into a small smirk. It was indeed the right choice to bring Yvonne back with them. In the dark and unnoticeable corner, a maid secretly left. After leaving Violet Residence, she made a phone call and reported back," Sir, they''ve all left and returned with a new member. Everyone is getting along well; there''s no conflict." 1 On the other end of the phone, Max frowned. 1 He worked on the kitten in hopes it would worsen the tension between Anthony, Charmine, and Chris when thetter brought it home. What he observed was that Anthony got mad at Charmine. Who would have thought that everything changed after they went to the Bailey mansion? He said, "Who''s the person they brought back?" "Apologies, but I¡¯m just a sweeping maid, I can only observe from a distance. I don''t know anything else," answered the maid. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Max was depressed. He spent so much money for this kind of answer? He helplessly hung as he rubbed his temples. 1 Waverly walked out of the ward at that moment and happened to see him having a headache. She asked caringly, "What happened, Brother?" "Nothing, just something unexpected. I don''t know who''s the person they had brought home," replied Max. Waverly said, "I received a text from McKenzie. She thanked me for treating her grandmother and said she''ll visit Yvonne Eckert soon. She also said that she¡¯s now living in Violet Residence with Anthony and asked if I''m still staying there." "What you''re saying is that...the person they brought home is Yvonne Eckert?" Max''s eyes instantly lit up. Waverly nodded. "Yeah, McKenzie is intentionally telling me this. She wants to use us to go against Charmine, but this information is quite useful nheless. I checked on Yvonne-she''s usable " She handed her phone to Max as she spoke. Max took it from her and read Yvonne''s information. The Eckert family was Grandma Bailey''s family, and Yvonne was Grandma Bailey''s sister''s granddaughter. There was only one granddaughter in the Eckert family. Yvonne was the only heiress to all of the family assets. Therefore, Grandma Bailey adored Yvonne very much and they all spoiled her. In other words, if Yvonne did not like Charmine, Grandma Bailey might see things differently... Max thought of something as he said to Waverly, "Perhaps we could work on Yvonne." 1 The night was dark, and there was not a visible star in the sky. Anthony was about to go back into their room when Yvonne went forward and grabbed Anthony''s hand, pulling him to an empty hallway. She said to Anthony, "You''re resting so early, Anthony? Have you not figured that Charmine has a small habit before bed? Guy is such a catch, so you should present yourself well." 1 Anthony frowned. "Small habit?" He had spent so much time with Charmine; he did not notice any habit. Yvonne tiptoed and went closer to Anthony''s ears. Anthony frowned with a faint glow in his eyes. "Go on," said Yvonne, "I''ll help you keep an eye out on Charmine and Guy." ''Thank you," said Anthony before he walked downstairs. Yvonne gazed at his back and then at Charmine and Guy who was inside. Her red lips curled up beautifully. chapter 1072 chapter 1072 Once she was sure Anthony had left, Yvonne found something and walked into the room Charmine was in. There used to be a small sofa in the resting lounge before it was swapped out with two single beds with a simple drawing hanging above them. The setting was simple and elegant. 1 Nial slept on the outside with his head covered. Guy was also lying down, resting with his eyes closed. He had to maintain his energy so he could be there for Charmine in her migraines, whenever it would strike. He had to ensure his body was in a good state to provide the optimal blood. Knock, knock, knock! Guy looked up to see Yvonne standing by the door. He asked, "Can I help you?" "You''re from the Granger family, aren''t you? You should know how to fix this, right? Can you please have a look at this?" Yvonne opened the door and walked toward Guy''s bed, passing to him a ck-colored weapon. Guy, still lying on his bed, was ufortable when women got so close to his personal space, but his eyes lit up when he saw the weapon in her hand. He quickly sat up. It was an older version of a wooden gun. It seemed to have seen many seasons, evident by the scratches the body of the gun had. i Yvonne exined, ''This is my great-grandfather''s weapon, one that was passed down to my generation. I don''t know when it was broken, but I''ve always wanted to fix it. I didn''t manage to find anyone that could, though." After he inspected the wooden gun, Guy then said, "I can fix this, but I¡¯ll need some time." "No problem! Thank you! Just give it back to me when it''s done." Yvonne smiled and turned to leave. As she turned, however, she identally knocked onto the small desk by the side with an audible thump. "Argh!¡± a loud groan resonated in the room. Charmine was already in bed, but she had to walk out when she heard themotion. 1 Nial, who was fast asleep in the same room, was also awakened by the noise. Yvonne gazed at them innocently. "I identally knocked against the table. What do I do with the bruise? What if it stays there? How am I supposed to wear shorts?" She rolled up her pant leg as she spoke, revealing the bruise she talked about on her knees. Nial frowned. "I don''t think we have the medication to fade out bruises here "No, I don''t care! You have to think of something, Nial! I don¡¯t want a scar! No way! If you don''t help me, Grandma will force you to get married!" Yvonne threatened Nial. Nial,fortable in his nket up until then, shivered as he quickly shot up from his bed. "Let''s go, let''s go. Go to the third floor-we have everything in there. I¡¯ll help you!" This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. He rushed as he wore his slippers before dragging her out, and Yvonne had to limp quickly behind him. Charmine made way for them, which left only her and Guy in the room. Guy was leaning on the bed frame as he examined the wooden gun, and Charmine eyed it warily. Back when she underwent her training, one of her Uncles once told her that this kind of wooden gun was a collector¡¯s item. She thought to herself that she had to get it when she eventually found one, yet it was broken instead... Guy inspected it and worked on it, but he did not seem to have a way to fix it yet. i Charmine was about to walk toward him before she decided against it. Only the two of them were left in the room, after all. Anthony was not around, and Guy was in bed. i With that in mind, Charmine turned away and was about to go back to the bedroom. chapter 1073 chapter 1073 What Charmine did not expect, however, was that just as she took a few steps... Beep, beep, beep! The phone next to Guy¡¯s pillow rang urgently. Charmine looked back to see a blinking red sign that popped out on the phone screen. There was a firewall program installed in the device, and the warning beep would only ring when someone tried to locate or dox Guy''s location. Charmine frowned. Who was tapping into Guy''s location? The Grangers, or was it someone else trying to screw them up? 1 No matter who it was, Guy yed a vital role in her wellbeing, and he must be kept safe. After a moment of thought, she walked toward his bed and took Guy¡¯s phone. 1 The phone was still beeping out loud, so she quickly worked on it. In less than 20 seconds, the phone was forced to execute its anti-virus program and shut down. Guy looked up and asked her worriedly, "What was it? Was something wrong with the phone?" "Someone¡¯s tapping into your phone, and I need to investigate it," informed Charmine concisely. Guy did not hesitate as he spoke, "Of course, my password is..." Charmine nodded as he ryed his password before she left with the phone. Suddenly, Guy thought of something. In his phone were a few photos of him and Charmine! i They were mostly taken on their wedding day. Dior took them and sent them to him. He always thought of deleting them but had no heart to see it through, thus the photos remained. If Charmine found out about these photos, she might... This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. He quickly stood up and said, "Ms. Jordan, hold on-" Charmine was engulfed in working on his phone, however, as she racked her thoughts on who the attacker was. Was this person against her? She was so caught up that she did not hear him. Seeing that she was about to unlock his phone, Guy rushed up to her and blocked her, much to her shock. Thump! She knocked into his chest. She snapped out of her thoughts as she staggered two steps back, and Yvonne saw it all transpired as she returned. Charmine quickly backed away as if they were up to something moments before she walked in. Were they hugging one another? Charmine frowned at the sight of Yvonne as she thought of exining herself, but on a second thought, she questioned, "You led Nial away to test me, didn¡¯t you?" Yvonne did not expect Charmine to question her. Instead of exining, she tipped her chin up high. "So what? You think you get to be all cozy with Mr. Granger when no one is around? If I didn¡¯t test you, I wouldn''t have known you''re this kind of person!" i Her tone was full of displeasure. "Ms. Eckert, you''ve misunderstood. I stood before Ms. Jordan so abruptly that she bumped into me..." Guy exined. Yvonne merely scoffed, "You two are just reaching right now, anyway." "No, I''m telling the truth, I truly-" Guy wanted to exin when Charmine cut him off. "No need to exin; we have a more important matter to settle," interjected Charmine as she took the phone into the study room and sat down before theputer. Yvonne frowned. "What important matter? You should be exining things to me first, Charmine! You don''t even care what I think? I''m Grandma Bailey¡¯s favorite! If I speak lowly of you, you won¡¯t be able to be with my cousin!" she sneered, much like the mannerism of a spoiled princess. 1 Charmine, on the other hand, had connected the phone to theputer. She was working on it rapidly as her fingers fluttered across the keyboard, 1 She wanted to find out who it was that hacked into Guy''s phone. chapter 1074 chapter 1074 Charmine was so focused that her face seemed apathetic. One would not want to disturb her with such an expression. Yvonne was livid as she was left standing by the side. Any other girl would have bent over backward to please Yvonne just to look good for Grandma Bailey or to even hear Susan''s secret. Why was Charmine not so keen? Just as Yvonne was about to scold Charmine for that, Charmine¡¯s fingers stopped moving and an IP address appeared on theputer screen as well as some codes. The IP address showed Royal HospitaL.where Max and Waverly were at! Charmine instantly understood right off the bat. It was Max working against them again, as was his goal... Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Charmine looked at Yvonne and asked, "Ms. Eckert, do you know you¡¯ve been used?" "Huh?¡± Yvonne was dumbfounded. Charmine said, "You wanted to use this wooden gun to test whether I''ll be with Guy, but I won''t fall for that. I have my standards. You should know, though, that someone hacked into Guy¡¯s phone at this very moment, causing us to interact. Why would this person hack into Guy''s phone at the exact moment, though? Why would the person know about your n? Ms. Eckert, do you know what that means?" i Charmine questioned her calmly. Yvonne was transfixed on the spot as a look of shock overtook her. After hearing that, it was apparent that the hacker''s aim was not to bring Charmine close to Guy. The hacker wanted Yvonne to hate Charmine and dislike her. The hacker tried to take advantage of Yvonne! How was that possible? How did the hacker know about her n, when she entered the room, or when she left? Most importantly, how did the hacker know the exact time? Yvonne stared at Charmine. "You¡¯re messing with me, right? How can someone control the timing so well? Are their eyes on me or something?" "That¡¯s the question I should be asking you. Have you been anywhere, met anyone strange, or is someone spying or tapping you?" questioned Charmine. "Impossible," Yvonne answered firmly, "I¡¯ve been staying here and haven¡¯t been anywhere. Oh, yes, when someone gave me this wooden gun, I went out to get it and identally bumped into a fifty-year- old maid. She¡¯s only a maid so she can¡¯t do anything, right?¡± Charmine squinted. It was apparent that Max had bribed the maid. Also, a maid bumped into Yvonne? Charmine scanned Yvonne from head to toe before her eyesnded on Yvonne''s feet. She was wearing a pair of burgundy cotton slippers. Paired with Yvonne''s red pajamas, the slippers did not stand out. Charmine bent down and rooted out an incredibly small device from Yvonne''s slipper. Yvonne took it from her and saw that it was as small as a sesame seed. If she did not look closely, it would bepletely unnoticeable. 1 Upon closer inspection, however, it was apparent that it was a tapping device! Yvonne exploded. "Someone nted this on me!? How dare they! Did you find out who it was? Tell me his name-l want him dead!" 1 "He''sing for me, but I¡¯ll fix that. I told you because I hope you can understand one thing: Anthony and I are already facing quite a lot of troubles, and we¡¯ve got tons more coming. Try not to pull such childish tricks or there will be repercussions, that you¡¯ll end up being yed like a fiddle," advised Charmine sternly before she went back to theputer desk. She handed back the phone to Guy and connected her phone to theputer. chapter 1075 chapter 1075 Charmine searched her phone storage for a certain video before turning it to a video that looped back and forth. Meanwhile, in the hospital... Max sat before theputer with Waverly as they tapped into Yvonne, but when they found out Yvonne¡¯s n, they stopped tapping so other devices would not be able to pinpoint the mini listening device they nted on her. They never would have thought that Charmine was able to deduce from logic and her eyes to find the listening device on Yvonne''s slippers! "Don''t worry," Max assured Waverly. "With what we''ve done today. Charmine had to have gotten close to Guy, and Yvonne will hate her guts for it. As long as Grandma Bailey hates Charmine, it won¡¯t be easy for Charmine to stay with Anthony." "Let''s hope so," Waverly sighed. She wanted nothing more than to have Charmine kicked out by the Bailey mansion. Once everyone hated Charmine, she would not be as arrogant and she might treat Waverly nicer. 1 Just as the thought urred to them, the screen before them shed as a video-clip surfaced. The video clip yed as it showed Max in throes of passion with a fat middle-aged woman, and they both moaned loudly. Waverly''s face changed. What did she just see? Max, the D''cruz family''s heir, the ''brother* she liked, he... Max was so stunned that it took him a while before he snapped out of it and reacted to the video. How could he let Waverly see this video? How?! He quickly shut down theputer, pulled out the plug, and said to Waverly panickedly, "Don''t believe that video, Waverly-that wasn''t me! That cruel, wretched Charmine used an Al face-swapping method!" Waverly frowned. Face-swapping method, he said? If this was not real, why would Max be so anxious? She felt he was hiding something... Max sensed that she did not trust him, and he grew furious. He had always had a perfect image in front of Waverly. No, scratch that¡ª his image had always been pristine for all eyes to see! As the heir of the D¡¯Cruz family, how could he let such an ursed material be leaked? He grabbed Waverly by her shoulder as he reminded her, "Remember: you didn''t see anything. I¡¯ll find Charmine right away!" "Okay..." This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Waverly''s gaze narrowed. Seeing how anxious he was, she vaguely had an answer. Still, it was unimportant whether Max slept with another woman. The most important thing was if he would still do anything for her... i After Max left the ward, he went to an empty balcony and called Charmine, barking, "You used the same video-clip to rob me of mypany and as ckmail a few times now. What else do you want to do!?" "As I said, a good trick can be used a couple of times. As long as you do anything that might harm me, I''ll post this clip! This is just a minor warning. If you do anything again, I don''t mind posting this for the whole world to watch!" Charmine growled arrogantly before she hung up. Her behavior stunned Yvonne. She had never seen a woman as arrogant as Charmine. Max threatened Charmine, yet she used such a method to threaten him? A stereback, that was! She wanted to worship Charmine before her mind brought her back to reality. No! She had to be rational! Her goal here was to... She had to n again. She must not surrender so easily! chapter 1076 chapter 1076 Charmine turned off theputer and wiped off all traces of her. "It''ste," she said to Yvonne. "Go back, and don''t pull such a childish act again." Yvonne pouted and walked away. When Charmine saw the unfixed wooden gun in Guy''s hands, she thought of something. She took the gun from him and made a few turns. Yvonne heard something, and when she turned to look back, she saw Charmine fixing the broken wooden gun in just a few moves. She handed the wooden gun back to Yvonne as she said calmly, "Bring this back with you. If you want to test me, juste to me straight away or ce a camera in my room. Don''t use such a bad excuse." Yvonne was stunned. It was not easy for her to havee up with this excuse. It was very normal to ask someone like Guy to fix the broken gun, yet Charmine knew it was an excuse. She even stated it out loud! 1 She was embarrassing her in front of Guy! Hmph! Others would only please her, and Charmine was the first to do such a thing to her! Perplexed, she then walked out. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Once Yvonne left, Guy turned to Charmine and muttered, "My apologies, Ms. Jordan. The Grangers had put you in such a difficult position." The Baileys would not have suspected Charmine and sent someone to test her if the Grangers had not done what they did. ''You offer me your blood every day; there''s no need to be guilty," answered Charmine. "Have an early rest." She thus returned him his phone and, without exchanging another word, left for her room. Guy knew to back away, and he did not speak. He turned to walk out as well. At that moment, the pace of steady footsteps was heard. Anthony had returned with a paper bag at hand, and a strong barbeque smell came from it. He spotted Guy walking out as he walked to the door, and he also noticed Nial was nowhere to be seen. His lips automatically turned into a frown." What happened?" Yvonne, in the hallway, was worried that Anthony might take it the wrong way, thus she helped Charmine to exin, it''s nothing. I was hurt, so Nial went to the third floor to find me some medicine. I needed Charmine''s help to fix something, and we just came out." Anthony saw the wooden gun in Yvonne¡¯s hand, and his suspicions were alleviated. As he walked further into the house, he eyed Guy before he turned to Charmine who was in bed inside the room. It was apparent that nothing happened between them. His thin lips curled up slightly. "Come out, Charmine. I bought you something," he spoke as he ced the bag of food on the living area¡¯s table. The table was on the other side opposite to where Guy slept. Charmine frowned. Anthony used to never want her out in the same space as Guy. It was alreadyte at night, yet he asked her toe out? Judging by the smell, did he go out to get that bag of food? Suspiciously, she got out of bed and walked out. On the small table were barbeque grills:mb grill, fish grill, and everything in between. She frowned. "Why did you buy this?" "I heard that you liked to eat these at night. I bought them for you," replied Anthony as he helped her to sit down and handed her a stick. 1 Charmine frowned. She indeed used to like eating them, especially at night. Back then, she was a very ordinary girl. Although her family did not treat her well, she was living alright with a sister who treated her well. She also had someone she fancied, and she was kind-hearted and innocent. Ever since the incident five years ago, everything changed. She changed. After she was sent to Africa, she worked hard to grow and became stronger, more mature. She did it all to return stunningly and to take back everything from Tiffany. She had always hadte supper ever since then. Who would have thought Anthony would bring her these? chapter 1077 chapter 1077 Seeing that Charmine did not dig in, Anthonyforted, "Eat them if you like. You¡¯re no longer in the entertainment industry. I''ll take care of you." "I''ll take care of you," spoken with sincere love. It sounded so warm on that cold night. Charmine was somehow moved. She would have turned down these dishes instinctively, seeing as she had grown used to being harsh on herself, but Anthony wanted her to be that innocent woman again. She scrutinized themb stick at hand, hesitating before she finally took a bite. Anthony¡¯s lips curled up in satisfaction. Recalling something, he turned to Guy and asked, "Mr. Granger, would you like to join US for supper?" His tone was gentle and gentleman-like, void of any hint of hostility. "No thank you,¡± replied Guy, Tm not hungry." He did not want to get in their way. Anthony''s lips curled up. "I won''t insist, then." He then handed the stick to Charmine. Seeing that she was only wearing her pajamas, he removed his jacket and wrapped it around her. She was hit with gentle warmth as the jacket enveloped her, seeing as Anthony¡¯s body heat had warmed it. Charmine ate her supper with a warm heart and a warm belly. He even picked up tissue paper to wipe her lips from time to time and poured her a ss of water. "Drink, it''s spicy. If there''s anything else you want to eat, I''ll buy it for you." "No need," dismissed Charmine as she ate, "this is enough." Her hands were cold as it was already winter, and she grabbed the ss of water to keep herself warm. Anthony saw it, however, thus he took her hands and ced them in his pockets. "Just sit still, I''ll feed you," he offered as he began to feed her. Charmine was baffled. Since when did Anthony be so gentle? They were not only having supper, but they even showed their affection publicly. Nial happened toe in at that moment, intending to eat something before he turned back to his bed upon seeing Anthony feeding Charmine. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. He did not want to be a third-wheeler! Just like that, Anthony fed Charmine until they were done before he lifted her into his arms and put her in bed. 1 Half-way in, he even turned back to Nial and Guy. "Don''t fall asleep too soundly; Charmine might have another migraine tonight." With that said, the two men had to open their eyes. Under the light, they saw Anthony carrying Charmine in his arms, and the atmosphere was filled with romance and warmth. Guy agreed and closed his eyes. As long as she was happy. Anthony nced at Guy, and his thin lips curled into a small smile. The night was perfect. What they did not expect, however, was that Charmine only had two migraines instead of three. When they woke up in the morning, Anthony looked at Charmine who was sitting soundly beside him. He frowned suspiciously. Did something happen? Was it a good sign? When he saw Nial waking up, he woke up too and walked to him. "She only had two migraines yesterday." Nial, who was putting on clothes, halted. "That doesn¡¯t make sense. It''s only been two days, and it''s unlikely for this to happen. We must find out why." chapter 1078 chapter 1078 Anthony was worried that something might turn bad, thus he spoke, "Get the devices ready." "Alright, bring Charmine up here," instructed Nial before he rushed upstairs. Guy followed behind him, saying, "If anything happens, just let me know how much blood you need." "Don''t think of it so negatively-perhaps it''s a good thing," Nialforted him. Guy looked at the bedroom. Charmine had migraines yesterday, and she suffered so badly every time. How could he not think of it negatively? Anthony worried about the same thing. He walked to the bedside, not wanting to disturb her since she was still asleep. He went to the wardrobe to look for clothes for her, and he even pulled out some socks for her. Hearing rustles and movements, Charmine''s eyes gradually opened as she saw Anthony busy in the dressing room looking for clothes. She was about to get up but felt her body rather listless. She frowned and asked, "Anthony, what are you doing? Can youe and help me?" Anthony heard her waking up, thus he quickly went back to the bedside." What is it?" "My body feels strange... I can¡¯t seem to move," muttered Charmine as she tried to sit up. She managed to sit up with Anthony supporting her. Still, she felt rather off, and her body was listless. Anthony frowned and was even more uneasy. "Don''t worry," he assured her. "You only had two migraines yesterday, and it might be a good sign. Let''s go to the third floor to have a full check-up." "Okay." Charmine took her clothes and put them on. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. She used to move so quickly in the past, but at that moment, she moved so slow as if she had a cold or fever. She felt lifeless. 1 Anthony noticed this and he personally put her clothes on for her and fixed her cor. Following that, he even helped her to put on her pants. Charmine somehow felt like a child, allowing Anthony to take care of her. In the past five years, whenever she was ill, she was always alone. There was never a man who would take care of her so well. She could not help asking, "Anthony, would you take care of me when I''m paralyzed?" "Don''t make things up!" Anthony red at her. After putting on her pants, he carried her and walked upstairs. Nial had prepared all of the devices. When he saw them, he said, "Let''s get a blood test and then run a full-body CT scan." Charmine felt something was wrong with her body, and as she was about to get tested, she grew worried. Would something happen? Was it not strange? Anthony put her in bed and sat beside her, apanying her. Nial brought over the syringe needle. It looked so sharp that it gleamed coldly under the light. Anthony shot him a deadly re. "Don''t hurt her, or you''re not getting meat for three days!" Nial wanted to cry. Good God. He was robbed off of his holiday because of them, and he never got a proper break for a very long time, yet Anthony still threatened to take meat away from him? 1 Goodness, gracious! He had to be fully concentrated. He held the syringe and precisely extracted blood from Charmine. Luckily, Charmine sat still without even flinching. Nial let out a breath of relief; thank goodness she did not flinch! Quickly, a test tube of blood sample was ready. He brought them away. Charmineid on the CT scan for the full-body checkup. The devices were of the most advanced design, and the entire procedure took less than a minute. Nial turned off the device and said, "Everyone should wait for me here. I''ll need half an hour to analyze the result." chapter 1079 chapter 1079 Anthony nodded and looked at Charmine, i''ll carry you to get some sunlight?¡± "No need, I''ll sit here for a while," Charmine replied. Somehow, she felt uneasy as if something was about to happen... Yvonne came to them at that moment as she questioned, "What''s going on? Did something happen?" Anthony did not reply to her. Guy was worried, and he did not speak either. Only Charmine looked at her. Although Yvonne tried to trick herst night, she was an innocent young lady. "Don''t worry," she replied, "it¡¯s just a full-body checkup." "Oh, that scared me-l thought something big happened. Did you find anything?" Yvonne turned to Nial. 1 Nial was working in the ss room, immersed in his work. He went through all the procedures and read the CT scan with a hardened, solemn expression. Everyone waited uneasily. Time passed, and half an hourter, Nial walked out of theb room. Charmine and Anthony, who looked calm a moment ago, instantly asked," How''s the result?" "The result..." Nial frowned as he sighed. "It''s very strange. Very strange. Compared to the previous test, the toxin in her body had lessened but very mildly. This shows that having only two migraines yesterday isn''t normal. The full-body CT scan looks normal, too. She shouldn''t be feeling listless." That meant he did not detect anything off. ''That''s good news!" chirped Yvonne but was met with everyone frowning at her. They eyed Yvonne suspiciously. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Realizing she spoke inappropriately, she quickly backtracked, "What I meant was that it''s good news nothing''s wrong. If anything is wrong, we could''ve found out. Isn¡¯t this good news?" "Not necessarily," said Nial. "We need to run through more detailed tests to find out the cause of Charmine''s listlessness. We need to diagnose any illness as soon as possible." "Oh...right.¡± Yvonne nodded. Charmine said to Nial, "Carry on with the tests, I don''t have anything nned today anyway." Nial went through another series of tests. He took blood samples from her fingers to ankles. Anthony was by her side all the while when he suddenly received a call from Luke who instantly reported, "President, we seem to have found traces of Annabel." Anthony frowned. "''Seemed to have''?" "Yes. We¡¯ve been searching all these days, and someone in the Burlington c area imed to have seen Ms. Annabel around. However, she seemed to have appeared in Mr. Derek Bailey''s vi. We didn''t go ahead to investigate it further. You might have to go over yourself," added Luke. 1 Charmine overheard the conversation and frowned. Derek? Was Derek responsible for kidnapping Annabel? That seemed usible. Derek had vied for Anthony''s power, and he had been waiting for his opportunity. Things would get much tougher if Annabel truly was with Derek. She said to Anthony, "Go and investigate it. Yvonne and Nial are with me, don''t worry." Anthony frowned. He had to leave when they had yet to fully diagnose her? "Just go, Anthony," Yvonne assured him. "What are you afraid of with me around? The results aren''t out anyway, and there''s no point waiting in here." Anthony thought of what Grandma Bailey said; she asked him not to present himself as a narrow- minded man. With Yvonne and Nial around, there was no harm leaving them for a while. It seemed he must pay Derek a visit to know the truth. chapter 1080 chapter 1080 Anthony looked at Charmine, i''ll go out then. If there''s anything, you may seek help from Yvonne or even call me anytime." 1 "Okay." Charmine nodded. With that, Anthony turned to walk away, but it was only after two steps that he turned back and ruffled Charmine''s hair. "Take good care of yourself." His tone was gentle as he spoke. Yvonne was shocked when she heard that. As far as she could recall, Anthony had always been a cold and emotionless robot. She had never seen him so gentle... It was as if he had given all of his kindness to this woman. Well, she had to wait and see. She had to find out if Charmine was worth Anthony''s shower of love. Anthony spoke to Charmine before leaving the vi. With that, only the four of them were left on the third-floorboratory. Yvonne sat at Charmine''s bedside as she said to Guy, "Mr. Granger, go and have a rest. I''ll take care of Charmine." 1 "No thank you, I''ll wait here. She might suffer a migraine anytime." Guy stood where he stood, his figure tough like a wall. He was unmoveable. Yvonne found it strange. He was such a good catch. Why would he treat Charmine so well? Sure, Charmine was somewhat ster, but... Whoever she was, Yvonne would find out!T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. She rposed her thoughts and looked at Charmine. "Are you bored? Do you want to drink water? Watch dramas? You can hit me up with anything." "I only feel listless, it¡¯s not something severe. Just go on as normal,¡± Charmine replied. She was, in fact, trying to figure out what the problem was. She was finest night, so why did she feel listless after waking up? She was supposed to have her third migraine, but it had note. 2 Everything was strange. She hoped Nial could detect the cause quickly. She leaned on the bed frame as she calmly waited. Even though she was ill, she did not appear weak. She was still stunning as ever. Nial conducted the second round of checkups and analysis, and he spent two hours for this round. However, when he walked out of theboratory after a series of tests, he defeatedly spoke to Charmine, "The results are the same: no problems detected." Charmine frowned. No problem? Why did she feel so weak then? Nial was a well-reputable doctor, and he should have found the cause. Nialforted, "Perhaps it¡¯s not a big deal; maybe it¡¯s just malnutrition issues. If it''s a sub-health status, the devices couldn''t have traced it anyway." Charmine squinted. He had a point when he said that the devices would not be able to detect many diseases. For example, donkey skin had been tested on all devices and itsponent was simr to a pig''s skin, but it was proven that the donkey skin could cure many diseases that the pig''s skin could not. Was it, then, that she had a disease that the devices could not find out? How did this happen all of a sudden? Everything seemed strange... Seeing that Charmine was thinking, Yvonne had a thought andforted," Don''t think too much. As they say, ''When you''re happy, your body will be happy.'' Who knows? You might recover naturally!" chapter 1081 chapter 1081 "Come, I''ll walk you to the garden to get some sun," offered Yvonne as she reached out to support Charmine. That brought thetter out of her daze as she was supported into the lift on the third floor. Bothdies went to the ground floor together. The backyard of the vi was a vast garden full of red roses. Charmine had yet to take care of the garden ever since her return to Burlington, thus Kay and his men assisted her to upkeep the garden regrly. Even though it was mid-winter, therge red roses were still incredibly stunning and eye-catching. Yvonne supported Charmine toward the rose garden, and they sat on the stone stools. Noticing this, Guy instantly pulled over a fur carpet and ced it on the stone stool. Yvonne turned to Guy with emotions unreadable in her gaze as she curiously questioned, "Mr. Granger, why did you treat Charmine so well? Why don''t you treat me just as kindly?" 1 Guy¡¯s face flushed red. Everyone who knew him knew he was a helplessly clueless man. In the past, he would never know what to say to girls when he met them. He never understood why some men could be so gentle toward girls. However, after meeting Charmine, he realized however clueless a man he was, he could still be gentle when he met the one. He would want to give her all of the best things in the world. He would be worried about her, cherish her and fret over her... Unfortunately, this woman was someone else''s wife... Guy recollected himself and got rid of thoughts he should not be having as he deadpanned, "My Grandma didn¡¯t keep her word and didn''t give Charmine the red wolf bone, apart from also drugging her. The Grangers owe her, and I should make it up to her." Yvonne nodded but was not convinced. That was it? Impossible! This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. After sitting under the sun for a while, Charmine breathed in the fresh air and felt her body rxing. It was not ideal to sit and be idle, thus she requested, "Ms. Yvonne, please help me to bring over my laptop. I''ll do my work while you can work on whatever you have in mind. So long as we stay close." When Yvonne heard that, her eyes lit up. "Okay. I''ll get you yourptop. Wait for me!" With that said, she turned and left quickly. Nial was still on the third floor as he arranged the medical boxes. He was checking on the syringes needed daily as well as all kinds of devices to prevent any ident from urring. That left only Guy and Charmine in the rose garden. Guy wanted to leave, but he hesitated when he realized Charmine was left alone. He said, "I¡¯ll leave when Ms. Yvonnees back." Charmine wanted to refuse but knowing that Guy was stubborn, she knew there was no way to talk him out, so she did not bother trying. She sat before the stone table as she unconsciously recalled the phone call Anthony had earlier. Annabel had disappeared for so long and yet was found on this day, and in Derek''s vi, no less? Did Derek kidnap Annabel? Was it to seize their family assets? Was he attempting to threaten Anthony with Annabel? No matter what the reason was, the situation was dangerous. She hoped Anthony could find more leads into the issue. She needed herptop to hopefully be able to tap into the city*s CCTVwork so she could find out what Derek was up to. s, she had waited for ten minutes, yet Yvonne was nowhere to be seen. Charmine and Guy looked at the hallway and were confused. Going up the stairs and down would take less than three minutes. Why did Yvonne take so long? 1 Just as they thought of that... "Argh!" A sharp scream was heard. It was Yvonne¡¯s voice! Was she in danger? chapter 1082 chapter 1082 The worried Charmine stood up at that moment, but she forgot about her physical condition that her legs felt listless the moment she stood. She lost her bnce and fell down in the process. Guy instinctively wanted to reach out to hold on to her, but to his surprise, Charmine had grabbed onto the stone table to support herself and managed to sit down. "Go and find out how Yvonne is doing," she said to Guy. ''TH sit here by myself, but I¡¯ll be alright." "But..." Guy wanted to say more but Charmine was insistent. With that, he ran into the vi at the quickest speed possible, spotting Yvonne in the kitchen who cradled her arm that had a patch of redness on it. Nial rushed down at the same time, and he grabbed her arm to rinse it with cold water. When she saw Guy running in, she quickly said, "I''m fine, I just wanted to heat up some food, but I burnt myself. Nial is here to take care of me, so no need to worry. Bring theptop to Charmine. Take care of her." 1 T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Guy eyed the wound she had. Sure, she was burnt, but Nial was helping her. No longer worried, he thought of Charmine left alone in the garden, thus he turned and took theptop on the sofa before he left. Yvonne frowned as she gazed at his retreating form, displeased. This man did not seem to care or worry for her. He was like wood. 2 Although she came with them on a mission, she still felt ufortable. Seeing that Guy had left, Nial turned off the water. "Are you sure you want to do this? If Anthony finds out, he''ll beat you up!¡± "I¡¯m not ill-intended, anyway. Your Grandma Bailey and Susan were the one who asked me to stay with you guys. My mission is to see if she¡¯s good enough for Anthony, and if she''ll develop feelings for Guy. Once I think she''s good enough, I''ll think of something to help her out. Don''t you want to see Charmine getting married to Anthony with nothing to stop them?" asked Yvonne. Nial frowned. "You keep saying you have their secrets. What are they?" "Secrets." Yvonne''s lips curled into a smirk as she reached out her arm at him. "Put on some medication; we have toplete the act." Nial looked at the red patch on her arm. He pulled her to the living room and put ointment on her. "Go ahead to test her," he dered. "Charmine won''t disappoint you." His tone was confident. Yvonne frowned. Why was Nial so sure of Charmine? She wanted to see how good Charmine was! Back at the rose garden... Guy ced theptop before Charmine, and he even pulled her a chair with a back support before he told her about Yvonne¡¯s incident. Charmine frowned. Yvonnne was burnt when she tried to heat up food? It would take a long while to take care of the burn, thus Yvonne would not be out so soon. "I''m going to work, but feel free to do your stuff. You don''t have to watch over me," she said to Guy. "Okay," Guy agreed and walked to the side. He sat down on a stone chair less than ten meters away from Charmine. With this distance and his speed, he would be able to rush over in the shortest time possible no matter what happened. Turning on herptop, Charmine worked with nobody next to her. There were many documents to sort out, and she also had to reply to the greetings from friends and family. After sorting out the urgent matters, Charmine logged onto the city''s CCTV system. As it was, the system surveyed the entire city. Besides some blind spots, one could clearly spot even a small alley. 1 As the system developer, Charmine managed to log in and locate Derek. chapter 1083 chapter 1083 It was a powerful tool that enabled her to retrace all of Derek''s activities in the past ten days, finding out where he had been and who he met. 1 After locating him, Charmine scrutinized theputer screen. This went on for two hours. Nothing seemed strange. Derek was either meeting his friends or business partners. He did not go anywhere suspicious or had any contact with Annabel. Strangest of all, on the day Annabel disappeared from Violet Vi, there was nothing strange happening outside the vi either, i Annabel disappeared in the closed room, and no leads were left that could lead to her whereabouts. Charmine frowned. If that was the case, Anthony might not find anything in Derek''s vi. Where was Annabel, then? Although Chris'' illness was cured, Annabel still had Anthony''s child in her, and it was a given that she suffered because of Anthony and Chris. They had to find her. Just as she pondered over the situation, a bat abruptly came zooming in and attacked Charmine, 1 Guy heard it all as he rushed toward Charmine, ready to protect her. Meanwhile, Yvonne and Nial were standing in the corner. Yvonne''s eyes were filled with curiosity as she waited. Charmine was listless at that moment, and with no way of hiding, she could only rely on Guy to protect her. With no eyes to judge, a romance novel-like scene would unfold as Charmine and Guy would surely get intimate! Nial, on the other hand, wanted to cry. If Anthony found out about him allowing Yvonne to do this, to put Charmine in danger, he might as well be dead! i Little did he expect... Just as the bat was about to attack Charmine''s face, she raised her hand. The bat that attacked her suddenly stiffened before it fell to the ground, unable to move, i Guy was all geared up to protect Charmine until then, but his hands were left hanging in the air. He could hardly believe what he saw. What did Charmine do? Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Yvonne, who was watching from afar, was just as baffled. Charmine merely raised her hand, yet the bat fell to the ground? Was she a goddess? Charmine retrieved the needles in her hand and red at the bat on the floor. She said to Guy, "Don''t be so anxious. Although my body is in a strange condition, I can still defend myself from a small animal." 1 With that said, she took out her metal lighter and burned the needle to disinfect it. The me made her face even more arrogant and powerful. Yvonne knew at that moment that Charmine used a needle to take down the bat. How unreal! Charmine, sitting as she was surrounded by a pile of roses, with a lighter at one hand and a needle in the other, made a stunning sight. Yvonne was awestruck in adoration. "I get it now why you guys hail Charmine so much. It¡¯s tough not to fall for a woman like her!" o "Please mind your words, I don¡¯t like Charmine," Nial reminded, "I only support Charmine to be with my brother." Anthony would assume he liked Charmine as well if he heard Yvonne saying what she said, and he might as well be dead by then. He then added, "So that''s enough, then? Stop ying with your childish tests." Yvonne frowned. "No way, I still want to know if Charmine will secretly be with Guy. I¡¯m not testing her reaction time. So a bat doesn''t work; I need to think of other ways." i Her eyes gleamed with meticulous nning and schemes. chapter 1084 chapter 1084 Nial felt a headache rising. "Can you stop messing around? If you keep doing this and your cousin finds out, he''ll kill you!" i "Last one-1 promise this is thest! As long as you help me, I won¡¯t mess around after this. I promise I''ll help Anthony to get rid of this rival!" Yvonne promised. Nial hesitated for a moment before he reluctantly conceded, "Okay,st _ _ _ n one. In the garden... This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Guy, intending to protect Charmine from the bat¡¯s onught, was taken aback at how she handled everything on her own. He seemed like an extra instead. "Don''t mind me," said Charmine to Guy, "carry on with whatever you''re doing." "Okay." Guy walked away. For safety reasons, he did not walk too far away and stopped within five meters, standing before a flower bed. There was nowhere to sit down. Squatting at one side of the flower bed, he said to Charmine, "It''s my first time seeing this type of roses. I want to admire them." Of course, he was not good at lying, and his face did not seem natural when he spoke. Furthermore, he was squatting in a stand-by position. A seven-foot-tall man like him imed he was ¡®admiring the roses''? He fought for his country before this, yet at that moment, he was protecting a woman... Charmine was touched. She knew he cared for her, but it would be nothing more than unrequited love. Once she was cured, everything would end. Charmine did not want to embarrass him, thus she lowered her gaze to focus on work. Yvonne walked out of the vi and saw everything unfold. An adult man like Guy, squatting to admire roses? How bad was that excuse? i This man was...still cute! Sheposed her thoughts and walked over quickly. "Charmine, do you feel unwell? Is there anything I can help you with?" "Nothing, why?" Charmine asked. "No, I''m in a good mood today. Today''s my first year anniversary after I graduated from college, so I want to prepare a table full of good food to celebrate this day! I¡¯ll head over to the kitchen to tell them what to do. If anything urgent happens, just call out for me!" beamed Yvonne. 1 Charmine squinted. First anniversary since graduation? Who would celebrate that? i Before she could speak, Yvonne had walked away. Charmine could only let her go. Her migraines did not hit her throughout the entire morning, luckily, but that meant all of the migraines would happen in the following half of the day. Along with yesterday''s migraines, did that mean four migraines were pending? It felt strange, and it unsettled her. Guy, waiting by the flowerbed, eventually felt so bored that he donned an apron to trim the leaves and remove the insects. An adult man like him instantly seemed more gentle. That afternoon, Yvonne helped Charmine up to the dining hall. There were only four of them, but the long table had more than 20 dishes ranging from seafood to meat. They had everything! i Yvonne even took out a bottle of red wine as she happily chirped, "I intentionally brought this from my wine cer. We''ve kept this for ten years, so do have a taste of it. It''s not bad." She filled each of their sses as she spoke. Charmine squinted again. Why was Yvonne suddenly so friendly? Did she have something in mind again? She raised the red wine ss and took a sniff. There was nothing in it; it was merely a normal ss of red wine. At that moment, she was unable to see through what Yvonne intended to do. Yvonne raised the ss. ''Today is the first anniversary since my graduation. Aren''t you guys offering me a toast?" Since she already said so, Nial had to raise his ss to y along, "Happy first anniversary!" Guy, meanwhile, was entirely bewildered. chapter 1085 chapter 1085 What was there to celebrate the graduation anniversary for? Was that how a woman would think? Since she was Anthony''s rtive while he was considered a guest, he could only raise his ss. "Happy anniversary." Charmine could only raise her ss as she toasted, "Happy anniversary." They sipped their wine as Yvonne turned to Charmine. "Let me offer you a toast, Charmine. You have no idea how much you''ve impressed me. I thought my cousin would stay single forever, that nobody would make him smile, yet you made him drop his walls." 1 Charmine thought of Anthony, and her cold eyes had a hint of warmth. "One day, you''ll also meet someone who''ll change your life." With that said, Charmine took another sip. Yvonne beamed brightly at her words. "I love hearing such things. Since you gave me a toast, I¡¯ll pour you more of this seven-figure red wine." She poured Charmine another ss full of red wine, and even afterward, Yvonne found all kinds of excuses to make Charmine drink. 1 After taking a few sses, Charmine squinted as she caught onto something. She raised her ss and initiated a toast to Yvonne, "Ms. Yvonne, you''re a guest here. Let me make a toast to you as the host." Yvonne halted. She had made Charmine drink seven to eight sses. Why was Charmine not drunk? All of a sudden, Charmine was making her drink instead? No! This was a specialized red wine with high alcohol content. Any regr woman would be drunk after two sses, yet Charmine... Seeing that Yvonne did not move, she frowned. ''What is it? You don''t want to drink?" "No, why would you say that? Of course I''ll drink!" Yvonne had no choice but to drink it. Charmine refilled her ss again as she calmlymented, "And thank you foring over to take care of me. If it wasn''t for you, and with Anthony out today, I''d be the only woman at home. That¡¯d be inconvenient." Charmine raised the wine ss at that. Yvonne, on the other hand, sensed something was not right, but she had to drink. She felt tipsy after a few rounds...yet Charmine was still refilling her ss! Charmine''s delicate face remained calm and her face did not even flush at all. In fact, her face was very pale. It was as if she had not been drinking, that she had only been drinking water. The coldness she exuded could confuse anyone. Yvonne had to say, "Oh, no, I can''t drink anymore. Charmine, are you not drunk? You drank a lot..." "Oh, didn''t I tell you? I''m immune to alcohol." Charmine''s red lips curled up stunningly, i She wallowed in despair back when she was sent to Africa, and she used alcohol to numb herself. Even after meeting the Uncles, she would still remember the devastation she experienced and the dead baby she birthed, i The Uncles fretted over her excessive drinking, thus they made her a vine. 1 After injecting the vine, alcoholic drinks would pass her intestines like water without causing any harm. Yvonne''s face turned green. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Charmine was immune to alcohol? Why did she not tell her earlier? i She prepared a table full of dishes and found this excuse. She wanted to make Charmine drunk! Is this how it would end, then? Charmine remained unaffected while she was about to get drunk! Still... Luckily she came prepared. Despite her faint eyes, she still had something up her sleeve. chapter 1086 chapter 1086 Unfazed andpletely sober, Charmine asked Yvonne, "Do you still want to drink?" Six words, yet they sounded like a curse. Yvonne quickly shook her head. "No, I don''t want to drink anymore. Let¡¯s eat-the dishes are getting cold," she spoke as she put her wine ss away and started eating. Charmine smiled. She wanted to get her drunk, did she not? Hah! Charmine calmly ate. During her meal, Yvonne suddenly felt unwell. She put her hands on her cheeks and mumbled, "Why do I feel unwell? My skin is itchy..." 1 Nial, who was enjoying the show, frowned instantly. "Yvonne, are you allergic to alcohol?" 1 Rashes and red spots began to emerge on Yvonne¡¯s skin. If it was not allergy-rted, what else was it? Yvonne looked at her hand. "I don''t... I don''t recall being allergic to alcohol n "But this is a sign of alcohol allergy. It¡¯s severe, the red spots will increase, and you''re at risk of sudden death if it worsens! We don¡¯t have anti-allergy medications at home, so you must go to the hospital now!" Nial put down his fork and stood up, ready to make the preparations. Yvonne frowned as she asked Charmine, "Is it that bad?" Charmine noticed her skin was acting weird. Her original fair skin was overtaken by red spots that went up to her neck. Yvonne was allergic to alcohol, yet she wanted to drink with her? She said in a serious tone, "You must be sent to the hospital right away!" "What about you?" Yvnne asked worriedly. Anthony instructed her to take care of Charmine, so if they left her... Nial thought of it, too. He quickly took the medical box and said to Guy, "All of the needles and devices are in there. If her migraine hits, you''ll extract your blood to transfuse into her." 2 "Don¡¯t worry, just send Ms. Yvonne to the hospital now," assured Guy. As he had undergone frequent blood transfusionstely, three times a day, he knew how it worked. Charmine knew the importance of the matter. If anything happened to Yvonne, Grandma Bailey would not forgive them. She walked Yvonne and Nial to the car, and once the two left, only Charmine and Guy were left in the vi. Guy asked, sounding concerned, "Why don''t you eat? Eat more for your physical needs." Charmine nodded. She picked up the fork and continued eating, though she was still worried. She hoped Yvonne would be alright. As she ate, she was hit with a dizzy spell. Her already listless body felt even stranger. At that moment, her phone rang. It was a caring text from Yvonne that read, [Oh, that''s right, Charmine, I forgot to say that the wine''s after-effect is quite strong. Even if you¡¯re not drunk now, perhaps you might beter on. Do be careful.] 1 Charmine frowned. After-effect? She was immune to alcohol. Would the after-effect have any effect on her? She doubted it all until her head became heavier, her body softer. Sensing something was wrong, Guy quickly asked, "I''ll walk you back to your bedroom?" "No need, I can walk," Charmine turned down his offer. Since she was still conscious, she put down her fork and walked to the bedroom on the first floor. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. It was only ten meters away from the dining hall. With each step she took, she felt even more powerless. chapter 1087 chapter 1087 Charmine usually would not have such a reaction to alcohol, but it was strange enough she woke up listless on this day, and she felt even more lifeless after drinking the wine. Did something happen to her internally? Was her illness worsening? The more she thought about it, the less it made sense. Even though she was listless, she still forced herself to walk into the room andy down. She covered herself with a nket, and it effectively draped her figure as she spoke to Guy, "I''ll sleep for a while, you don''t have to be worried." Guy, though he agreed, was still awfully concerned. He could only watch over her from outside the door, overtaken with fear something could happen to her. Outside Violet Residence, a car pulled over...and Yvonne was in it as she watched over everything that happened with her tablet. "I¡¯ve said that Charmine is no ordinary woman," began Nial. "Even though she¡¯s limp right now, she won''t act up with Guy! I''m putting my neck out there, allowing you to do this. Anthony will kill us!" "Don''t worry; they¡¯re just some vitamins to weaken the body. It won''t have any side effects, and she''ll recover within two hours," assured Yvonne. 2 This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. The Eckert family purchased this vitamin. Yvonne used to be naughty and never got home early, thus her Grandma made her eat those vitamins to stay home. Since Grandma used to let her eat this, it should not have any side effects. Nial knew about this, and that was why he permitted her to do so. That did not diminish his anxiety, however. If Anthony found out they made Charmine feel unwell, he might send them to Africa! 1 Both Nial and Yvonne watched through the CCTV as Charmine slept. She felt sockadaisical that her body felt like it was a soft cotton ball. She could not even exert energy. It did not help that she was thirsty, too. She wanted to drink water. However, the water was at least five meters away from her... Yvonne stared at her tablet, her eyes gleaming with anticipation. The bad thing about this vitamin was that it would make one extremely thirsty and wanting to drink water. Back then when Grandma locked her up, a maid had to stay by her side to pour her water. She would feel so limp once she sat up that someone had to help her up and feed her. 2 Since no one was home, Charmine would not be as guarded, and she would surely ask Guy to pour her water. Sparks would definitely fly once Guy supported her and gave her water. 1 Since nobody was around, Charmine would look at Guy differently... Just as the thoughts entertained her, Yvonne was met with shock as Charmine stood up. Even though her body felt limp like noodles, she still insisted on getting out of bed. 1 She knew her current situation. Guy would be worried if he saw her in such a condition, and Anthony would be mad jealous if he was to see him helping her out. Most importantly, Guy treated her differently. She had to limit her interactions with Guy-Guy must not fall for her again. 1 With that in mind, she bit her lip and walked to get herself some water. There was a water purifier in the master bedroom. Since this was just a guest room, there was no water purifier in this room. Charmine had always been a woman with high living standards. The drinking fountain in this room had a water bucket below. What nobody else knew was that the water in the water bucket was sent over by Kay and his men from a special mountain spring... 1 Charmine pinched her thighs harshly, using pain to wake herself up. With gritted teeth, she carried the water bucket up and toward the bed. 2 Yvonne watched the tablet with shock in her eyes. Charmine was basically powerless, yet she could carry that water bucket! How unreal! She would rather force herself to such an effort instead of asking Guy to pour her water? chapter 1088 chapter 1088 Yvonne had a taste of the vitamin before. She knew how listless it felt after consuming it; it felt like having a bad cold. Charmine drank so much wine as well, so she should not be able to exert that much energy...yet she pinched herself to carry the water bucket? She was that strong? Nial exined, "You underestimated Charmine. ording to the investigation, she had lived under harsh conditions in Africa with no one taking care of her. In the most severe incident, she had high fever and pneumonia; she even coughed blood yet was still able to cook herself a meal. She was used to living alone, and she''s tough as nails. Since she wants to keep her distance from Guy, it''s a no- brainer she won¡¯t call for him." 1 Yvonne frowned. Charmine was so strong-willed? Was her test useless then? 1 Luckily... This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Inside the room. Charmine finally carried the water bucket to the bedside. Her body felt soft like mud, and it was only after she rested for a while that she drank the water. Guy, who was outside, heard motions and shuffling in the room, thus he asked, "Do you need help?" "No need. I''ll be sleeping for a while. You call Nial to check on Yvonne," said Charmine. Guy agreed and took out his phone to contact Nial. He hoped that Nial coulde back sooner. If anything else happened to Charmine, it would be tough. Nial, still in the car, received his text as he said to Yvonne, "Let''s go back, the test is over." "Wait for a little longer." Yvonne was patiently looking at the tablet''s screen. She did not want to go back so soon. It was incredibly seldom for Anthony to be out for the entire day, and such an opportunity might nevere again... The thought kept Yvonne interested as she gazed at the screen, disying the sleeping Charmine. With its high resolution, they could tell Charmine was not well. The asleep Charmine suddenly felt the after-effect of the alcohol rushing up her head. Sensing something, she sat up right away and dragged herself into the washroom where she let the water run. When Nial saw that, he frowned. What was wrong with Charmine? Why did she suddenly go and shower in the washroom? Unless... His brows furrowed as his sharp stare aimed at Yvonne, displeased. " Yvonne Eckert, did you do something behind my back!?" Yvonne was dumbfounded-she had indeed done something without Nial knowing it. She thought it would be a dangerous situation, and with nobody else at home except Guy, Chamine would seek help from Guy. 1 Who would have thought that Charmine would rather use cold water to shower instead ofing close to Guy? 2 Was it true, then, that Charmine felt nothing for Guy? Seeing that Yvonne did not speak, Nial could vaguely make out a theory as he grew furious. "Yvonne Eckert, you''re going to get me killed!" he hissed as he started the car and raced back home. Yvonne did not stop him and let him drive back. After getting out of the car, Nial pulled her out and rushed inside, his re never dropping. "Go and take care of Charmine! If anything happens, you might as well be dead!" 1 Yvonne knew the situation had turned dire, so she jogged into the bedroom. When Guy saw that they came back, he frowned. "You''re both home early." Nial said nothing as he waited outside silently. He seemed anxious as he was praying. He hoped Charmine was fine. Otherwise, should Anthonye home, Nial would be sent to Africa for three days and nights! 2 Yvonne walked into the washroom and saw Charmine in the bathtub. She looked cold with no sense of warmth. Her face was so pale and bloodless that her lips were equally pale as well. chapter 1089 chapter 1089 Yvonne reeled back in shock. It was winter, yet Charmine showered in cold water! She could have sought help from Guy, so why did she suffocate herself? Yvonne asked suspiciously, "Why... Why didn¡¯t you seek help from Guy? There''s no one else at home. If anything happens between you two, nobody would know...¡± 3 Charmine, immersed and bathed in cold water, gazed at Yvonne coldly. "I didn''t ask for his help, and it had nothing to do with whether there was anyone at home or not-it¡¯s to do with whom my heart goes to!¡± Her tone was clear and direct. Yvonne halted. It was to do with whom her heart went to... Charmine fancied Anthony. Would she not attract any other men, no matter what happened? She had never seen a woman as stubborn as Charmine. Charmine red at Yvonne. "You keep pulling these low-blow tricks. Are you happy now?" 1 "I..." Yvonne suddenly did not know what to say. All she could do was quickly hand her a towel. "Come on, I''ll help you out." Charmine had already recovered, and she did not want to waste time holding it against Yvonne. She dried herself up with the towel. Luckily, the vi had a heating system, so the temperature was still bearable. Once she got out, Yvonne handed her some clean clothes. Charmine red at her before she went behind the screen to get changed quickly. Yvonne was going to ask if she could help, but she saw the fluent movement behind the screen, and her words were lodged in her throat. Charmine was different from other women she knew. Despite being in a dangerous state, she did not do anything that could hurt Anthony. That only piqued her interest and admiration for Charmine more... 1 When Charmine came out, she changed into fluffy fleece pajamas. Yvonne wanted to help her. "Sister-inw, let me help you." ''Sister-inw.'' Yvonne called out to Charmine sincerely. Charmine, however, turned down her offer as she walked out herself. Strangely, after the cold bath, her listless body had somehow gotten better. Yvonne could only follow behind her. Nial, who waited by the door, saw Charmineing up. "How are you feeling, Charmine?" he asked. "Are you feeling better? Are you okay? Do you need some medications?" "What do you think?" asked Charmine. Nial noticed that emotionless tone of hers. Charmine was angry for sure! "You''ve overdone it, Yvonne!" scowled Nial. ''You even made me y along with you! Apologize to Charmine right now, and you should think of a way to make it up to her!" "I..." Yvonne lowered her head as she mumbled, "I merely wanted to test Charmine. I wanted to see if she''d do anything..." This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Guy, who was by the door, frowned as he stared daggers at her. "So you nned everything? You intentionally made Ms. Jordan listless with all kinds of effects, and they''re all your tests?" 1 His tone was filled with anger and usation. Yvonne pouted, ''Yeah, but I won''t-" "You crossed the line, Ms. Eckert! Do you know how severe it got?!" Guy shot her a deadly stare, his gaze sharp like a knife. "Do you know Ms. Jordan has impending migraines? You merely made it worse! Her migraines haven''t urred, are you not aware of that?" With that said, both Nial and Yvonne jolted. chapter 1090 chapter 1090 Guy was right. They forgot about that detail! 2 Charmine''s migraines had yet to hit her, even fromst night, and Charmine woke up listless to boot. Nial red at Yvonne. "Yvonne, what have you done? What did you do to Charmine?" "I...actually didn''t do anything. I just fed her the vitamin Grandma used on me, and it needs to be taken one day prior for the effects to kick in the next day. The wine was just a catalyst," Yvonne exined. 1 Yesterday, when she asked Anthony to buy Charmine some supper, she had bribed the staff to put the vitamin on the grill. 1 Nial¡¯s fists clenched tightly. So Yvonne had worked her n on Charmine from yesterday!? Yvonne was the cause of Charmine''s lethargic state in the morning, when all the while, they worried that something else had happened to Charmine! 1 Enraged, Nial red at Yvonne. "Anthony will have your head, Yvonne! He''ll toss you to Africa! He won''t care about you ever!" "No! You must keep this from Anthony, you can''t tell him! I won¡¯t do it again, promise!" whimpered Yvonne. She did not fear her parents and family, but that cousin of hers scared her. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. After all, Anthony would not care about anything else when enraged! Guy scoffed coldly, "With someone like Ms. Yvonne staying here, it''ll only get worse. I won''t help you to keep this as a secret!" "Hey, how can you say that? What rights do you have to criticize me? Do you think your Granger family is much better? If your family didn¡¯t drug her, she wouldn''t be experiencing so much pain! I merely wanted to test her personality, to find out if she¡¯s good enough for Anthony. Everyone will be tested!" Yvonne refuted. 1 Guy red at her coldly. "Yes, the Grangers made a mistake, and I''m here to make amends for it all. That¡¯s all I¡¯m doing: making it up to her and nothing else! What about you? You¡¯re just destroying and ruining things! You im to be testing her personality, but have you thought of what rights you even have to test Charmine? If Charmine wants to be with me, why would she go through all the pain? She would''ve be Mrs. Granger long ago! She left this honor behind to be met with your Bailey family''s scrutiny! This is her determination-there¡¯s no doubt about it!" 3 Guy''s words were assertive and powerful. He had not been angry for so long, and he had only used such a tone when he served in the army. He never wanted tosh out at women, but thinking of how Charmine was almost harmed by Yvonne''s bat, how Charmine became listless because of her, he could not hold back his anger. Yvonne lowered her head at his words,pletely at a loss for words. He had a point. The fact that Charmine was willing toe home with them was already her greatest determination, and yet she tested her for so long... She pursed her lips as she turned her gaze to Charmine. "Charmine, I promise that I''ve learned my lesson. I won''t do this again. I¡¯ll take good care of you in the future, and I owe you. If you ever have any problem, I''ll help you!" Charmine, meanwhile, leaned on the pillownguidly as the nket draped over her. She watched on as they spoke. It was as if she had nothing to do with this; as if she was watching a show, but she was actually considering a fact that nobody noticed. She did not suffer from migraines after eating Yvonne''s vitamin. What did that imply? Could the vitamins repress the poison in her? 1 Seeing that Charmine did not speak, Yvonne was scared that she was livid enough to tell Anthony what she had done. chapter 1091 chapter 1091 "Don''t be mad, Charmine," coaxed Yvonne. "Didn''t you want to know Susan''s secret? As long as you forgive me, I¡¯ll tell you about and help you to gain the entire Baileys¡¯ approval!¡± That brought Charmine out of her thoughts. She could look into Yvonne''s vitaminter; she had to know about Susan''s secret. "I''m going to have to ask you both to leave," she spoke to Nial and Guy. "I need to speak with Ms. Yvonne." "No way! You can''t be in the same room with a woman like her!" argued Guy. Yvonne¡¯s face straightened. "Hey! What do you mean, a woman like me?" This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. "You should know yourself better.¡± Guy''s expression was unusually cold. He stared at Yvonne with no hint of gentleness and friendliness. Charmine repeated herself, "Mr. Granger, leave us alone. I know what I''m doing, and I can take care of myself." Guy wanted to insist, but he knew Charmine was not one to budge, thus he aimed his pointed stare at Yvonne. "If you do anything that harms her again, the Grangers won¡¯t let you go easy!" This was the first time Yvonne saw Guy so enraged. His entire being seemed apathetic and merciless; he intimidated her. i Nial red at her. "Yvonne, behave!" Both men left the room together and closed the door behind. Still, they dared not to stay too far away as they stood watch outside the door. Back in the room, Charmine looked up at Yvonne once they were gone. "Now, you may speak." "Of course, but you have to promise not to tell Anthony about what happened in the past two days. I''ll help you from now on, and I can even make sure Anthony doesn¡¯t get jealous about you and Guy anymore," promised Yvonne. Charmine scoffed, "You''re scared now? Why weren¡¯t you scared when you did those things?" 1 "I thought it''d be fun. I promise I won''t do it again, but you have to give me your word on this. I''ll only tell once you promise," proimed Yvonne proudly. Her personality did not deter Charmine, however, as she smirked. "Don¡¯t worry, I know when to keep quiet. Tell me." "You said it yourself-l trust you!" Yvonne smiled with satisfaction before her face turned solemn. "Susan''s secret is quite something. Don''t let her know I was the one who told you about it, though. I might as well be dead if you do." Charmine frowned. "If you keep making it so mysterious, I can''t promise you." "Don''t!" Yvonne held her hand as she then began in a low voice, "I came across Susan''s diary when I stayed in the Bailey mansion for a few days ago. About twenty years ago, when she went abroad to study, she had an affair and gave birth to a baby. She had been looking for that child all these years!¡± 1 Charmine frowned. Was there such a thing? The formal and elegant Susan had an affair, and she even gave birth to a baby?! Did that not imply Anthony had a brother? chapter 1092 chapter 1092 Noticing that Charmine was suspicious, Yvonne instantly said, "You don''t believe me? I can guarantee you: I saw it with my eyes! If you hold this over Susan''s head, will she still oppose you in being with Anthony? This is a big secret! You must keep your word!" Charmine was brought out of her train of thoughts. It would be much easier for her with this information, but she needed a n. All she knew was the information itself, but she did not know where the child was nor why Susan was looking for that child. Anthony had a brother. Would that be a bad thing? What would that cause to the Bailey family? i Everything needed to be investigated. She said to Yvonne, "You go out for now, I know what to do." "No way. I must stay with you! I¡¯ll stick close to you from now on!¡± Yvonne insisted. Charmine frowned. "I don''t need anyone to take care of." ''You''re not the one to turn me down. Anthony did ask me to take good care of you, after all, and only if I stay close to you will Guy keep his distance," she insisted as she pulled over a stool and sat by the bedside. Charmine squinted. She had a point, however. Perhaps Anthony would not get so jealous of Guy with Yvonne around. Not caring about Yvonne anymore, Charmineid in bed and took out her phone to text Kay: [Investigate everything that happened to Susan twenty-five years ago.] Kay instantly replied, [Ok.] Charmine put down her phone and her gaze darkened. Hopefully, Kay could find out everything. She must have a solid grip on Susan''s soft spot! If Susan ever attempted to trick her again... Heh! Just as she was about to rest, a sharp pain attacked her, and Charmine grimaced in pain. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Instinctively, she grasped her head. "Argh!" she cried out in pain. Yvonne jumped up in terror. "Charmine! Charmine, are you okay?" Anxiously, she yelled at the door, "Nial! Nial!" Nial and Guy, both waiting outside, barged in upon hearing themotion. Seeing that Charmine was having a migraine, Guy ran over and rolled up his sleeve. Nial took out his medical box and extracted blood from Guy to transfuse into Charmine. Charmine used to grow better over the minute after the transfusion, but at that moment, she still suffered in agony. She fell back on the bed, her face tormented with beads of sweat dripping down. Nial and Guy panicked. How could that be? Did the blood transfusion not work? Yvonne, still by the bedside, realized the changes in Charmine. Charmine was initially pale and seemed like she would have a seizure, yet she seemed calmer over time. "Her symptoms are easing off," she pointed out. "Perhaps not enough blood is transfused?" When Guy heard that, he urged Nial, "Extract more! Hurry!" Seeing as how Charmine balled up in pain, Nial did not hesitate to prod the needle into Guy''s vein again. He only intended to extract 20 milliliters of blood, but Guy took the device and extracted 40 milliliters in one go! 1 Terrified, Nial quickly plucked out the device. "That''s enough! Let¡¯s see what''ll happen for now, don''t waste it." As he spoke, he transfused the blood into Charmine¡¯s body. Charmine''s pain was eventually alleviated. chapter 1093 chapter 1093 Everyone in the room sighed in relief at Charmine''s progress. Guy gazed at Charmine, t on her back on the bed. "How do you feel? If you''re still in pain, take more blood." He sounded all too calm as if it was not his blood. Yvonne, meanwhile, could barely stomach what she saw. Guy''s usual iron- like face seemed gued with fatigue even more. "No need," declined Charmine, "I¡¯m much better now." Sheid in bed weakly as she recovered her strength, looking at Nial. "Can you find out why I need so much blood this time?" Sensing something was wrong, Nial said, "No rush-we''ll get your blood sample when you recover." Charmine was hit with a recollection of what happened this morning when he mentioned the blood sample. Vaguely having an idea, she asked Yonne, "What vitamin did you give me? Let Nial do some tests on it." Yvonne frowned. ¡®Why? You think my vitamins have problems? impossible. I¡¯ve tasted them from a young age. My family fed it to me when I was younger and liked going out. It''s been more than ten years now, and there are no side effects." "It''s not definite. Everything was normal before I had supperst night. There''s an eighty-percent chance that it has things to do with the vitamins," refuted Charmine. Hearing her argument, Yvonne took out a small candy-like pill and handed it to Nial. Nial agreed with what Charmine said as he instructed, ''Take care of her. I¡¯ll be running some tests on this." Once Nial left them, Guy red at Yvonne coldly. "Yvonne Eckert, you better pray that this has nothing to do with you, or you¡¯re done for!" i His masculine tone was filled with threat and authority. Yvonne, who never feared anything at home, felt somewhat intimidated by Guy. She lifted her chin defiantly. "I have nothing to do with this! I''ll make it up to Charmine somehow, so stop scolding me!" "Hah! Let''s hope you¡¯ll know how to, then!" Guy did not sound friendly. He never liked spoilt heiresses like Yvonne; he always nked them. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. He turned to Charmine instead. "Ms. Jordan, tell me if you''re unwell. Don''t feel bad for taking more blood." His tone was thick and gentle, nowhere close to how he snapped at Yvonne earlier. Yvonne pouted-she was unhappy, i Charmine said to him, "Don''t worry, I''m fine. You go and get some rest, wait for Nial''s results toe out." "No, I''ll stay here, just in case," assured Guy before he walked to a nearby chair and sat down. He threw a suspicious nce at Yvonne as if worried she would not take good care of Charmine, 1 This made Yvonne feel even more ufortable, thus she met Guy''s re with her own. ''This is a woman''s bedroom. Why are you staying here? General Granger, is something wrong with your head? If I intended to harm her, why did I bother calling for help when she had the migraine earlier? Why do you look at me as if you¡¯re looking at a thief?¡± Momentarily speechless, he then scoffed, "You''ve done it before. No point arguing, though. I''ll stay here until Nial or Anthonyes back." Guy was determined. Yvonne wanted to refute, but there was a cry of surpriseing from upstairs. 1 "Result¡¯s out! Good news!" chapter 1094 chapter 1094 Guy, Charmine, and Yvonne frowned. Good news? What kind of good news could there be? They looked out of the door in unison. Nial rushed back. "I ran some tests on this vitamin, but I identally knocked over the test tube this morning. The poison from Charmine''s blood is mixed with the vitamin! Guess what I found?" Guy, a man with maturity and calmness, was impatient at that moment as he persisted, "What is it? Spill already!" ''The two mixed together, and the extremely active toxin became weaker! The X substance in the vitamin repressed the poison!" beamed Nial delightfully. The three of them were just as ted to hear the news, especially Yvonne. She jumped over and tugged at Nial''s arm. "Are you serious? So I didn¡¯t mess things up, and I even saved Charmine?" "It appears so, for now. You came across it by ident, anyway!" said Nial. i Guy frowned. "That''s unlikely. Ms. Jordan¡¯s migraine hit her harder than usual." "Have you forgotten that Charmine only had one migraine fromst night until now?" questioned Nial. Guy then realized... So that was the reason? Nial was right. She usually had three migraines per day, but on this day, she only had one! Nial continued, "ording to my observation, the X substance in the vitamin reduced the toxin''s activity, so to survive, the toxins became resistant to fight against this external substance. Since the toxins gathered together, Charmine only had one instead of three migraines per day. This is a huge change! This also implies that Charmine doesn''t have to stay inside the vi every day!" i This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Charmine listened on as she processed the information. This was indeed a good thing. To suffer the migraine only once a day meant she would not have to live with the terror and anticipation of the next migraine. She could live on as normal. "But we used to extract blood three times per day. Now we need to extract sixty milliliters in one go, will Guy''s body be able to take it?" questioned Yvonne. With that, Charmine and Nial fell silent. Of course... How did they forget this issue? An adult could only donate as much as 400 milliliters of blood every four months! Guy was extracting 20 milliliters of blood each time, and it was like having a minor injury. The body could recover and have enough time to replenish more blood. With the newest change in Charmine, however, he needed to extract 60 milliliters, and ten days would equate to 600 milliliters. The effect was different. "I''m fine," assured Guy, "my body is healthy. I make more blood than others." He seemed to neglect his body''s condition entirely... i This was the first time Yvonne saw a man being so selfless, and she could barely help but nce in his way. S Other than that weird temper of his, he was a good man. Charmine thought for a while before she said to Nial, "Since X substance can suppress the toxins, run another test to find out if we can use X substance directly to eliminate the toxinspletely." 1 "Okay, I''ll run the test right away. Everyone should rx-don''t be nervous," assured Nial before he went back upstairs. ''You have a good rest; no need to be worried about me," said Guy to Charmine. "Alright. You may leave for now. Today should be fine, so take care," Charmine reminded him. Guy thought of the change in her body, and she should not suffer any migraines in the afternoon anymore. With that in mind, he walked out. i Once he left, Charmine texted Uncle Sam, [I remember you had a stem cell project going on. I have a friend who''s losing 60 milliliters of blood each day. Do you have anything to replenish his blood quickly?] 1 Uncle Sam was in theboratory when she texted. Not anticipating she would send him a text message, he replied instantly. chapter 1095 chapter 1095 [Of course! You came to the right person! We researched severe anemia, and we''re making a new medication that can help the body to produce blood 1.3-1.5 times quicker. Do you need it? I can send it over to you now.] Charmine replied, [Yes. Thank you, Uncle Sam.] [You¡¯re wee. Ah, yes, this medicationes with a diet that needs to be strictly followed. Don''t miss it!] Uncle Sam reminded. 1 To that, Charmine replied, [Okay!] Charmine received the diet n from Uncle Sam, though she frowned as she went through it. No matter if it was the pork broth or fresh juices, each of them had a precise recipe to follow. Any imprecision would result in the failure of medication. In such a case, they needed someone who was trustworthy and precise. Only Nial was the only one meticulous in this vi, but he had to focus on running tests on X substance. Other than him... Noticing Charmine said nothing, Yvonne suspiciously asked, "What''s wrong? Are you worried about Guy? He''s a fully grown man, and sixty milliliters of blood per day should be fine! Who knows, he might be less fierce if he loses more blood!" i Charmine¡¯s lips contorted into a frown as she warned, "Guy is the only antidote for now, so don''t be hostile toward him. Also, don''t pull any more dirty tricks." "Don''t worry, I know what I''m doing. I''m just saying..." muttered Yvonne. Charmine could not think of anyone trustworthy. Since she had recovered, she got out of bed and walked out. Yvonne quickly followed behind her and asked, "Where are you going, Charmine? What are you doing? Just tell me to do it for you!" Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Yvonne was unaware of how much she looked like a fangirl.... "No need,¡± Charmine turned her down, "just don¡¯t mess things up.¡± She walked to the study room to print out the recipe before she went downstairs. There was only a maid in the vi. Charmine handed the recipe to Nancy. "Order the ingredients ording to this recipe. Make sure someone sends in these ingredients every day, and they must be fresh!" "Yes, Madam." Nancy received the recipe and went ahead. Yvonne took a nce and could tell that these were recipes to replenish blood. 1 So Charmine searched up for those recipes on her phone for Guy? She cared about Guy so much? If Anthony found out, he would get jealous again! Yvonne thought of Grandma Bailey''s words... "Your mission is to prevent Charmine from getting too close to Guy, prevent them from developing feelings." While she initially did not like Charmine, her opinions have changed as she admired Charmine very much. It was only natural she had to help keep her around! With that in mind, she said to Charmine, "Charmine, from now onward, let me handle things with Mr. Granger. Don¡¯t worry!" 1 ''You?" Charmine looked at her suspiciously. Yvonne did not get along well with Guy; it was already a blessing that she did not harm Guy. Yvonne merely said, "Charmine, can it be that you want to take care of Guy yourself? Do you want Anthony to get jealous?" Charmine frowned when she mentioned Anthony. He had gone out for a day, yet there was no news from him? Did he find Annabel? Just as the thought came to mind, a sound was heard as the door was pushed open from the outside. 1 Anthony was back! chapter 1096 chapter 1096 Yvonne and Charmine both turned to see Anthony walking in. He removed his suit and hung it over the stand, his eyes encasing a faint tinge of panic. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Charmine went forward to ask, "How did it go? Did it go well?" "Dead end. I''ve arranged for people to continue monitoring, though," Anthony replied. He had gone to Derek''s vi just hours ago. He had his men search the residence thoroughly, and they even went through the basement of his vi, only to be met with nothing. He conversed with Derek for a long while, and Derek seemed clueless. As for Annabel''s appearance in the monitoring cameras, they had to investigate that. He walked toward Charmine. "How do you feel today? Everything okay?" His question made Yvonne anxious as she eyed Charmine warily. Charmine, meanwhile, remained calm as she answered, "Everything is okay. There''s good news, though: The migraine will onlye once a day instead of thrice from now onward." Anthony was surprised. "Really? Howe?" Charmine said, "Yvonne has a vitamin, and it somehow fell into Nial''s test tube. Coincidentally, he found that it contains a substance that could suppress the toxin. Currently, Nial is running more tests. If we can extract this substance and make the most out of it, it''s not impossible to get rid of all the toxins!¡± 1 ''That''s great news. I¡¯ll ask them to continue nning the wedding then." Anthony had a long-overdue look of delight on his face. The wedding had been postponed for long enough, and there was progress atst. "No need to hurry," said Charmine, "let''s see how it goes in a few days. We have to check on Momo''s recovery as well. If we get better, then the wedding can go on anytime. We''ve got a more important issue we need to fix now." Her tone was serious as she spoke. Anthony looked at her curiously. "Hmm?" Charmine said, "Currently, we need to extract all sixty milliliters of blood from Guy at once, and it¡¯s quite harmful to the body. I''ve asked for a bloodreplenishing recipe from Uncle Sam. This diet is strict and must be followed thoroughly, but Nial is upied at the moment. Who else can take charge of this?" 1 Anthony''s face grew cold when Charmine mentioned Guy. Charmine was not even rushing when he mentioned their wedding, saying there was something more important than that. He thought it was something important, yet it turned out to be Guy''s diet n? A strange feeling aroused within him as he coldly replied, i¡¯ll arrange for a dietician to take care of it." "Didn''t the kitten Momo brought home have issues? Can we trust an external dietician? If anything goes wrong, the diet won''t be effective," insisted Charmine. Anthony frowned. Charmine cared about Guy so much? 3 When the tension built up, Yvonne instantly came forward and said, "Leave it to me. I''ll take care of it personally! Trust me, I can do that!" Charmine merely shot her down and said, "You can''t. Even if you don''t mess things up, someone might. You''re not careful enough for details." "What do you mean?" Anthony looked at Charmine as he questioned her. Charmine hesitated for a moment before she met Anthony''s gaze. "Either you take charge, or I will. We must do it ourselves." Anthony''s face turned cold. It was merely Guy''s diet n, yet she wanted either of them to do it personally? She obviously cared about Guy! 1 He was fuming as the fire red in his chest, but Yvonne-Standing at his side-winked at him from time to time. He thought of what Grandma Bailey said to him. chapter 1097 chapter 1097 Anthony, with the memory in mind, spoke "Of course I''ll take care of it. Why would I want my wife to do this? Don''t worry, I''ll take good care of him." Charmine knew Grandma Bailey''s words affected him, thus she did not insist. "Okay, I believe in my husband." The word ''husband'' instantly dissipated all the displeasure built up in Anthony, and in its wake was warmth and love. Of course, Charmine was married to him. She was his wife, and so long as he fought against it, she would not be able to marry another man no matter how she fell for Guy! He put on an apron and went into the kitchen. Guy only came in at that moment, not hearing any of their conversations as he handed a box of top- graded cherries to Charmine. "Dior asked the Grangers to send this for you; she said cherries will help your body recover. Don''t worry, I asked my men to pick this from home, and they don''t know where we''re at." Charmine reached out to take the box before Yvonne snatched it from his hands. "Just sit still, Charmine. I''ll prepare them for you and feed them to you!" she beamed as she walked into the kitchen with the cherries. Charmine frowned. Was Yvonne trying to prevent her froming close to Guy? Could she not even take something Guy handed to her? 1 As she was about to speak, Yvonne quickly ran out with a te of cherries. "Charmine, let''s get to the sofa. It''s nicer to eat cherries this way!¡± she chirped and pulled her away by the arm, not giving Charmine and Guy a chance to talk. She even took 30 seconds to wash the cherries. What speed was that? This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Luckily, Charmine had no intentions to speak with Guy anyway. It was nice to have Yvonne around. Charmine and Yvonne sat on the sofa as they ate the cherries, unaware that a maid outside quietly left. In the hospital. The maid reported everything to Max, and his fists were clenched tightly. That Charmine...! She won over Yvonne and made her side with her?! How would Charmine develop feelings with Guy at such a rate? Furthermore, Charmine would be able to be with Anthony with no other obstacles in their way once her toxins were eliminated, and Max did not want to see that day! No... He had to do something! Max took out his phone and called his assistant who reminded him, "Mr. D''Cruz, are you sure you want to do this? If Charmine finds out, she might actually publish your clip to the world..." Max was hit with the memory right then and there, and he wanted to facepalm. How could he forget that? Charmine was an evil woman, and she had threatened him to do this. 1 If he took the risk, he could not take the consequences. "Forget it! Don¡¯t do anything. I''ll think of something else!" Max hung up. He looked through his contacts before his eyesnded on one particr person: [Mckenzie Houston]. In theboratory... McKenzie was working on an app design when her phone beeped with a notification. [Charmine''s about to eliminate the toxins out of her. They''re about to get married again.] McKenzie¡¯s beautiful brows furrowed. Charmine managed to eliminate theplex toxins the Grangers administered in her? How clever was she? If they truly got married... Her assistant reminded her, "Madam, the D''Cruz family is obviously using you to go against Charmine." "Hah! Do you think I don¡¯t know of it? Still, they have no other ammunition, so it¡¯s time I have to step in." McKenzie''s eyes gradually darkened. chapter 1098 chapter 1098 McKenzie saw how everything transpired: Charmine had hurt Waverly, and she even had a clip of Max with her. Her two chess pieces slowly turned useless with that. Perhaps she was the only reliable one left. She must not allow Charmine to recover. She would not let go of such a good opportunity to pair up Guy with Charmine! McKenzie suddenly asked, "Isn''t there an invitation to a banquet? Will the Grangers go?" ''Yeah, but didn''t you say it¡¯s just a useless gathering hosted by the seniors trying to pair up their grandchildren? You want to go?" asked her assistant McKenzie''s red lips curled up. "Of course I will." The night had fallen. Sure enough, Charmine''s migraine did not hit her throughout the day. She received the medication Uncle Sam had sent her that night, and she made sure Guy ate it. Anthony personally prepared the diet dishes for Guy, and it was he who handed them to him. Yvonne, on the other hand, sat with Guy and made sure he did not talk to Charmine. Everything went smoothly as nned, yet the next morning... Charmine sent Chris to the car, but just as she saw Chris leaving and as she was about to re-enter the vi, a sharp pain suddenly overwhelmed her. 1 She staggered and almost fell to the ground. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Standing near her, Yvonne quickly went forward and caught her as she cried out, "Someone! Help!" Guy, drinking water at that moment, tossed the ss aside while Anthony, just putting on his shirt on the second floor, rushed downstairs without buttoning up his shirt. Nial slid down the staircase railing from the third floor. In the blink of an eye, the three men arrived before Charmine. 1 Skilfully, Nial took out the syringe ready to extract blood from Guy when... "Stop! Stop it right now!" An old, hoarse, yet frantic voice was heard. Everyone looked over to see Grandma Grangering their way! 1 She staggered forward with her walking stick as she anxiously rushed toward them. When she saw the scars on Guy''s arms, her heart ached. "So this is what you''ve been doing! You used your own blood to save her! How can you be so silly? How could you do this to yourself, your family, and your ancestors?!" 2 Guy frowned. Charmine abruptly groaned in pain as beads of sweat broke out. Not hesitating, Guy snapped at Nial, "Continue, hurry!" Nial was about to put the needle into Guy''s arm when Grandma Granger suddenly took out a dagger and pressed it against her neck. "Stop it! If any of you touch my grandson, I''ll die here! As long as I''m here, none of you are allowed to harm him!" Anthony''s eyes were cold. He signaled Luke who was by the door. Luke was about to confiscate the dagger from her, but little did he anticipate... Guy also took out a knife and pressed it against his throat. "Grandma, if you stop me from saving Ms. Jordan, I don¡¯t mind killing myself, too!" he called out. 1 He was about to stab into his own throat! The sharp knife prated his skin as fresh blood oozed out. If he pressed on deeper, he would have cut his throat. Nobody would be able to save him! chapter 1099 chapter 1099 The terrified Grandma Granger dropped the dagger to the ground as itnded with an audible ng. Nial''s eyelids jumped. Guy had coagulopathy, yet he messed with his own blood! Did he not want his life?! Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Luckily, Nial had a high-tech band-aid in his medical box made of highly effective coagtion factor that could quickly stop bleeding. Nial was more prepared after the fiasco with the kitten. He quickly extracted blood while instructing Yvonne, "Hurry and put the band-aid on him!" Yvonne panicked. She never expected a man to do this to himself! Anthony, meanwhile, held onto Charmine. Yvonne quickly went over to the medical box and took out the special band -aid before kneeling in front of Guy. Blood seeped out of the cut on Guy''s throat, and it made him a horrifying sight to behold. She reached over to put on the band-aid. They were so close that she felt Guy''s powerful air of masculinity. Even though he was hurt, even though he was on his knees, he was still powerful as if he was a nt in the desert. Yvonne somehow felt her heart racing, and it did not help her that her face was flushing red. Finally, Nial managed to transfuse Guy¡¯s blood into Charmine. When Grandma Granger saw a syringe full of Guy''s blood flowing into Charmine¡¯s, she staggered with pain and fell onto the ground. "Guy... How... How could you do this to yourself? Do you want to make me angry? Do you know how precious your blood is? Do you know that if anything happens to you, nobody in the world can save you!? You''d rather risk your life saving a woman who doesn¡¯t love you?!" 1 Guy watched as Charmine grew better, ignoring Yvonne who knelt before him in the process as he stood up. "I know what I''m doing-it¡¯s just sixty milliliters per day. Nothing will happen." "Nonsense! Sixty milliliters per day? It''ll be six hundred milliliters in ten days! Any healthy adult could only give this much blood in half a year! You¡¯re risking your life! You''re the Granger¡¯s family''s only heir, our only hope! How could you do this to yourself?" Grandma Granger growled as she smacked her own chest. Charmine, who slowly recovered, saw it all as her pale face regained color. They had kept this a secret so that the Grangers would not find out, so how did Grandma Granger find out? Who told her? Only Max knew about this. Did he tell her about it then, risking his raunchy clip in being exposed? Just as she thought of the possibility, Grandma Granger suddenlyunched over, grabbing Charmine''s hand as she pleaded, "Ms. Jordan, please, I beg you to let go of my grandson! Please, I beg you! His blood is too rare, and if anything happens to him, we''ll need resources from around the world. There might not be enough people to donate him blood. There are less than a hundred people with his blood type. You, extracting his blood daily, will kill him! I beg you to let go of him!" 2 Grandma Granger pleaded with her hoarse voice. Her tears rolled down her cheeks as she turned into a heart-wrenching sight. Anthony remained unperturbed as he nced at her. "Didn''t you cause this? If you gave her the antidote, would this have happened? What rights do you have to beg her?" He then helped Charmine to stand up and distanced her Grandma Granger. Grandma Granger remained sitting on the ground, though she lunged to grab Charmine''s leg. "It''s my fault, I know it''s my fault, but all I wanted was for you both to get together. If you two sleep together for two months, it''ll be cured. Why would you want to take his blood? Anthony, if you really love her, would you mind that she''s no longer a virgin? You want to keep Charmine a virgin instead of keeping Guy alive! Is this morally correct?" Grandma Granger rebuked Anthony as she emphasized her every word. chapter 1100 chapter 1100 Charmine was still in a daze, but after hearing what Grandma Granger had said, she calmed down as she stared at the elder calmly. "Grandma Granger, I haven''t held you ountable for everything you¡¯ve done to me. How ironic is it for you to take the moral high ground? If you didn''t drug me, would Mr. Granger have to use his blood to save me? When you could''ve targeted another woman, you chose to drug me! You''d rather break up a loving couple for your grandson! Is that morally correct? You imed that our issue will be solved so long as Guy and I sleep together for two months. Well, you made it sound so simple. Why don¡¯t you try sleeping with another old man for two months?" 1 T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Charmine''s every word was unhurried; she was determined and straight to the point. Grandma Granger halted in shock. The stoic Guy, at that moment, marched forward to lift up Grandma Granger to stand. "Go home, now!" he snapped coldly. "Don''t get involved in my life!" 1 Brought out of her train of thoughts, Grandma Granger grabbed his arm." No, you''re my grandson! I must care about you! Even if I made a mistake, you shouldn''t be the one punished. If anything happened to you, how am I supposed to exin it to our ancestors? Follow me home, now! You can''t stay here!" she wailed as she persistently tugged Guy. Guy considered the fact that she was an elderly woman, so he did not use force on her and let her pull on him as she pleased. Fearing that they would fall, however, Nial went forward to remind them," Grandma Granger, please calm down. Let''s talk it out..." "I''ve nothing else to talk about! I have noints if Guy has an ordinary blood type, but he''s different! His life is at risk!" whimpered Grandma Granger anxiously as she stood before Guy, acting as a shield. "If you want to touch Guy, you might as well walk on my dead body!" Her tone was determined and showed no room for negotiation. Yvonne had never been in such a situation before. She looked at Anthony and Charmine worryingly. How would they fix this? They would not attack an elderly woman, would they? Guy guiltily reached out and tried to push Grandma Granger away. "Hold on," Charmine called out, causing Guy to pause momentarily. "Please excuse US, Ms. Jordan. I''ll send Grandma back-" Before he could finish, Charmine took out some needles and aimed them straight for a few key spots. Instantly, the agitated Grandma Granger suddenly became listless before she fell down, though Guy quickly caught her in his arms. She fell into Guy''s arm and gaped at Charmine with disbelief. "You... What have you done to me...?" She dared to attack an elderlydy! Charmine red at her as she stood, eyeing her down. "Don''t worry, I merely punctured some points to rx your muscles-it''s actually good for your body. You''ll be able to move in an hour. Don''t worry, we¡¯ll keep Mr. Granger safe as we extract his blood." 1 With that said, she looked at Guy. "Send her home. Make sure she¡¯s looked after in the following days." "Okay." Guy did not doubt Charmine as he lifted Grandma Granger and walked toward the car. Grandma Granger wanted to resist, but left without a bit of energy, she could only concede as Guy carried her away. On the same day... Yvonne looked at Charmine with respect. Charmine was too charming! She actually did this to Grandma Granger and sent her away! Still... She stared at Guy''s back. Charmine harmed his grandmother, yet not only did he not mind, but he even did as he was told? chapter 1101 chapter 1101 Guy was just...gant! Meanwhile... Guy helped Grandma Granger to get inside the car when Dior, spotting them both, fretted, "Brother, what happened to Grandma? Is everything okay?" ''You came at the right time. Come with me!" urged Guy as he marched into the mansion¡¯spound. He carried Grandma Granger into a stand-alone house, one with fool-proof security windows that could not be opened. Once he ced his grandmother in bed, Guy advised Dior, ''You''ll be taking care of Grandma in the following two months. No matter what happens, don''t let her go out and mess things up." "Dior, you...you can''t listen to him. You must stop Guy! You can''t let him go ... He''s giving blood to Charmine..." stuttered Grandma Granger weakly. Dior frowned as she turned her confused expression to Guy. "What happened?" "My blood is the only way to help Charmine ease her migraines. She only needs a little of them every day, nothing serious," Guy exined briefly. " You don¡¯t want Charlie to be in danger and great pain, do you?" he added. 1 Dior''s fists clenched tightly when she heard that name-''Charlie¡¯. Charlie... Charmine... She met Guy''s gaze as she nodded heavily. "Don¡¯t worry, Brother, I''ll take care of Grandma. I won''t let her mess things up outside." "Good," sighed Guy in relief before he walked out. Although Charmine only had one migraine with the help of Yvonne¡¯s vitamin, he still fretted over the matter and wanted to rush back to the mansion. Once he left, Grandma Granger looked at Dior andmented, "Dior...your brother is crazy! Do you want to be just as insane as he is? Have you forgotten about his blood type? If anything happens to him, you won¡¯t have a brother..." "That won''t happen!" interjected Dior confidently. "I trust Charmine; she won''t neglect another man''s life for herself. She''ll take care of Guy. For now, just stay here and rest-stop making it hard for Guy!" 1 Grandma Granger nearly spat out blood. It was bad enough her grandson directly disobeyed her, yet even her granddaughter jumped in that boat! Guy had such a special blood type... What if something happened!? No... She must not stay indoors and do nothing. She had to think of something! Guy rushed back to the vi but saw no one downstairs except for Yvonne, painting her nails on the sofa. He asked, ''Where are they?" ''You mean Anthony and Charmine? They went to fetch Momo from school," answered Yvonne. Guy almost choked. He came back anxiously in fear something might happen to Charmine, yet she... Of course, it had always been a one-sided thing, i With Anthony around, he would be able to protect her well. He, on the other hand... Guy just wanted to exin everything, worried that Charmine might be upset because of what his grandmother said...but it seemed she did not care about that. He was about to walk toward his room when Yvonne abruptly yelled, ''Wait, you''re leaving me here alone in the living room?" Guy looked at her confused. Had she not always been alone? 1 What was Yvonne attempting?This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. chapter 1102 chapter 1102 Tidying her nail paints, Yvonne blew on them as she spoke, "As you know, your grandmother found our location. Who knows if others know about this ce as well! What if someone barges in?" She grew wary and anxious as she continued, "As a man, you have the duty to protect the weak ones. Before theye home, you can''t leave me alone!" Her speech baffled Guy. "Preposterous!" How old was she? Why would she say such things? He ignored her entirely as he walked upstairs. 1 Yvonne quickly followed behind him. "Hey, what do you mean? Are you ignoring me? Nobody has ever nked me before...!" 1 The two of them went upstairs, bickering as they walked with Yvonne being the more persistent, loud one. Meanwhile, at a kindergarten''s gate... The school had strict rules: they only had winter break ten days before the end of year. In order for Chris to have a healthy schooling experience, Anthony would have his man sending Chris to school every day. It waste and almost all the students had left. Only two small figures were left standing by the gate. Coco saw her parents walking toward her, and a proud smile made its way on her face. "What a poor worm. Your parents didn''t pick you up today, huh? Don''t you know you''re just a wild child nobody loves? Nobody wants you! An assistant picks you up every day!" 1 "Nonsense! I¡¯m not a wild child. I have a Mommy!" Chris yelled back. Coco smiled coldly. "Your current Mommy is just a step-mother, and she''s not even married to your Daddy! No matter who your step-mother is, your actual mother isn¡¯t a good person!" i Chris clenched his fists tightly as he fumed, but he had to control himself. He was a boy; he must not hit a girl! Coincidentally, Derek and Yvette walked toward them as Yvette bent down to carry Coco in her arms. ''You can''t say that to your cousin, Coco. Apologize." "No way! I was just telling the truth! Look at him-nobody picks him up every day! Hahaha, nobody wants him!" she snickered as she made a face at Chris. "I''m sorry about that, Momo," Derek apologized, "Coco is just a little girl who''s yet grown. Why don''t I send you home today?" "No need," Chris turned him down and walked away. Derek and Yvette carried Coco to their car. Chris watched the happy family of three as he pouted sadly. His Daddy and Mommy had not picked him up from school for a very long time. Other children always had their parents weing them with a warm hug, while he only had Uncle Luke... i T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. He lowered his head sadly...when the loud roar of an engine was heard. A matte ck superbike pulled up right next to him, racing in before it stopped. Chris looked up to see a dashing yet cool woman on the superbike. It was Charmine! He jumped up in delight. "Mommy! You came!¡± "Sorry, dear. The traffic was bad, so I had to take this superbike, that¡¯s why I''mte. Come on up! Mommy will race you home!" Charmine spoke as she handed him a white customized child helmet. 2 Chris epted and donned the helmet before he jumped up to the seat, sitting behind Charmine. His squishy hands hugged Charmine close to him as he threw a proud look at Coco in her luxurious car. "Coco Bailey, have you been on a superbike before? Let me tell you, it''s very fun! Look!¡± 2 As he spoke, Charmine cooperatively ignited the engine and raced away. chapter 1103 chapter 1103 Chris looked like a mini-racer as he sat on the matte ck superbike. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Coco grew envious at the sight. "Daddy, Mommy, I want to ride a superbike, too! I want to!" "Behave, Coco. Superbikes are very dangerous, and you''d be prone to idents as well," advised Yvette. Despite that, Charmine raced away safely through the garden. The falling leaves made it seem so appealing and fun, too! The little Coco understood none of those safety precautions, however, thus she burst into tears, no longer arrogant and proud like how she mocked Chris. 1 Watching her from afar, Chris was filled with joy as he heard her cry. ''Thank you for helping me to stand up to them, Mommy! I''m happy! Most of all, thank you for picking me up. I haven''t been so happy for a long while!" Charmine felt his tiny arms hugging her tighter from behind as he spoke, and her heartstrings were tugged. Other kids might find the experience as nothing extraordinary, but it was a luxury to Chris. Charmine had to fix her health quickly and officiate her rtionship with Anthony for Chris to live the life of an ordinary child, i Once they were far from Yvette''s sight, Charmine reduced the speed and drove at a safer speed as sheforted Chris, "Mommy will recover soon. If I only get a migraine in the morning, I''ll be able to pick you up every day." "Okay, you promised! Even if it¡¯s for Momo, Mommy must recover speedily!" chirped Chris as he hugged her, leaning closer to her as he did. Charmine could barely fight back the grin that surfaced. It baffled her, but it felt so heart-warming whenever she interacted with Chris. It was as if he truly was her son. s, he was not... Anthony, meanwhile, was still stuck in traffic when Charmine pulled over upon spotting him. "Wanna hop on?" she offered. Anthony frowned. ''Hop on''? 1 He, a fully grown man, had to sit behind Charmine? Letting a woman take the wheels? 1 Just as he was about to turn her down, he suddenly thought of Guy who was staying with them. Unexpectedly, he replied, "Okay." Charmine frowned. He agreed to it? She was merely asking out of courtesy Anthony went out of the car and put on a pair of sunsses. He walked toward their superbike and sat behind Chris, though his arms were wrapped around Charmine''s waist. Charmine''s face broke into a blush. This would surely make a savory news article if anyone noticed them. She instantly ignited the superbike and raced back to Violet Residence. With his Daddy and Mommy sandwiching him, Chris smiled in pure bliss. 3 The three of them arrived at Violet Residence as the superbike pulled over outside the vi. Guy, hearing the engine, looked out from the second floor''s window and saw the three of them on the superbike epassed in an embrace. It was a loving sight to behold. Guy initially felt rather sullen at the sight, but it was not long before a smile broke out on his face. So long as they were happy. They were already a family, anyway. Charmine carried Chris off the superbike, about to tell him she would make him dinner tonight when her phone rang urgently. Answering the call, she was met with Senior Jordan''s frantic voice," Charmine, it''s bad! Something happened! Your brother is missing!" Charmine frowned. Brother? Robert? Was he not in aa? Why would he disappear? Sensing something, an unsettling feeling aroused within Charmine... chapter 1104 chapter 1104 On the other end of the phone call, Senior Jordan continued, ''Your father was looking after him in the afternoon, but when your mother was about to change shifts with him, Robert went missing. We checked the surveince camera, but it got destroyed. We can''t find anything." "Calm down, Grandpa. I''lle to the hospital right away," coaxed Charmine before she hung up. She then said to Chris, "Mommy has things to take care of now. Momo will stay home and wait for Mommy toe home, okay?" "I heard Mommy is going to find Uncle Robert. I want to help out!" Chris insisted. Charmine knew the issue would beplicated and there would be many things to handle, thus she ruffled Chris'' hair. "Be a good boy, Momo. Mommy wille home in two hours. A young boy can''t sit on the superbike for too long; you might catch a cold." "Oh..." Chris wanted to insist, but he did not want to make it hard for Charmine. Instead, he had another idea. "Okay, I won''t go, but let Daddy go. Daddy is an adult, after all, and he won''t catch a cold." i Charmine did not want to bring Anthony along. After all, she felt strange when Anthony sat behind her. However, Anthony agreed with a nod, "Okay, Momo, stay home and wait. I''ll help you take care of Mommy.¡± "Alrighty!¡± Chris nodded happily. Charmine could only hop onto the superbike again, allowing Anthony to get on behind her with his hands around her waist. "Please take good care of Chris," she said to Yvonne and Guy. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. "Okay," Guy agreed, and he watched as Charmine rode away with Anthony. Chris looked up at him. "What''s wrong, Uncle Guy?" "Nothing, let''s go back in." Guy picked up Chris'' bag for him and brought him in. Chris looked around. Guy''s feelings for Charmine were painfully obvious, so much so that it looked like ''I love you'' was written on his face. No. He had to think of something so Daddy''s rival would be removed! Meanwhile... The superbike raced toward the hospital as Charmine''s gaze darkened, mind cranking up theories and assumptions. Robert was in the gaming industry. He had no enemies, and neither did the Jordans. That meant that the likeliest ones were her own enemy. Was it the D''Cruz family? McKenzie? Was it someone else? 1 No matter who it was, she had to save Robert... Sitting behind her, Anthony sensed her worry, so hisrge hand on her waistforted her. "Don''t worry-there''s nothing you can''t solve in the world. Even if there is, you have me.¡± Warmth blossomed in her. Anthony was right; there was nothing she could not solve. Anthony was giving her independence and trust. The superbike pulled over by the hospital gates, and both of them got down. The Jordans, meanwhile, anxiously waited in the ward. Lily rubbed her eyes. "Dear me... If anything happens to Robert, the Jordans won''t have any male heir left!" The sight of Charmine walking into the ward lifted their worries by a little... but they became anxious again when Anthony followed suit. A mogul like Anthony came to the hospital! The panicked Adam instantly stood up to pour him tea. "Mr. Bailey, please have a seat..." Anthony said, "I came here to apany Charmine while trying to be useful. Don''t mind me." His tone was filled with affection. AvA chapter 1105 chapter 1105 The Jordans were baffled. Someone like Anthony just wanted ''to be useful ''? Senior Jordan was the first to react; it was without a question that saving Robert was more important. He held Charmine''s hand and sighed. "You''re back, Charmine. We troubled you again...¡± "It''s okay, everyone should have a rest now. I''ll look out for evidence,¡± assured Charmine as she looked around the ward. Joey said caringly, "We¡¯ve checked the ward thoroughly from inside out, but there''s no evidence, nothing. The CCTV happened to be broken today, and the hospital even had a ckout once this very day as well. The CCTV was turned off and lost some information that couldn''t be retrieved." i Charmine frowned at the information Joey revealed to her. What a coincidence. The CCTV was even wiped out and could not be retrieved? Why dare make it so obvious? For the rest of the afternoon, she ran through all the tests such as using some magnifying devices to find fingerprints on the bed as well as trying to analyze the data from the car''s camera nearby. All that effort yet she found nothing even as night came. Charmine frowned. The entire situation was strange. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. No matter who did it, they would not make it untraceable unless the person Charmine had a vague answer as she picked up her phone and found Grandma Granger''s phone number. [Grandma Granger, you arranged for Robert to be kidnapped, didn''t you?] she began. Grandma Granger was resting in her room when she, out of the blue, received Charmine''s message. She frowned and quickly replied, [How did you know?] She had contacted the association to cover up her deeds thoroughly with a special measure. How did Charmine find out? She initially nned to text the Jordans when they were panicked and clueless... Charmine''s eyes darkened. So it was Grandma Granger! 1 Charmine had racked her brain at how only special measure could do this level of work, and out of all the people she had offended, only the Grangers could get their hands on it. Still, she did not want to believe an elderlydy like Grandma Granger would attempt a kidnap! Who would have thought it was indeed her all along. Seeing that Charmine did not reply to her text, Grandma Granger added, [ I''m not going to pretend anymore, since you''ve found out. I''m sorry, but I''m too worried about Guy. I don''t want him risking his life to cure you, so I have no choice but to take Robert away. I didn¡¯t harm him, I can promise you that. So long as you let Guy out, I¡¯ll send Robert back. Otherwise, Robert will be staying with me.] 1 Robert was not fully cured. In his current stage, he must take his medication once every day, or all their effort would be wasted and he might not wake up again. Frowning, Charmine replied, [The Granger family is a renowned navy family. Why would you kidnap someone? Robert hasn''t fully recovered yet. Even if you don''t harm him, you might end up killing him!] Grandma Granger then replied, [If that''s the case, I hope you''ll bring Guy home as soon as possible. I don¡¯t want a tragedy for both sides. Forgive me for being cruel when ites to protecting Guy.] Charmine frowned. So, she would not release Robert until they returned Guy to them? Robert was in the process of healing; they must not give up on him. On the other hand, Guy would be livid if he knew about this. How would she resolve this conflict? At that moment, Anthony walked over and spoke to her in a half-whisper, " There''s a clue. Follow me." He pulled Charmine by the hand and left. chapter 1106 chapter 1106 Senior Jordan followed behind Charmine and Anthony curiously. What clue was there in this situation? Anthony pulled Charmine into an office and showed the footage. "I found this footage just now. You may have a look." A boy was filming out of the window that very afternoon, and it was because he was small that no one noticed him. Anthony had done more than he should to recover the footage, and with Charmine, he reyed it... During the time frame of Robert¡¯s disappearance, a major ident had happened in the city center. Three ambnces rushed out urgently from the hospital, and only these three had exited the hospital- simultaneously, at that. Robert, being a patient, could only be sent out with an ambnce. Once he was transported out of the hospital, they swapped him into another vehicle. "I¡¯ve asked them to find out the routes of these three cars," added Anthony. "I''ll be hearing from them soon." "No use in that; you won¡¯t get a reply," muttered Charmine lowly. Anthony frowned, but just as he was about to question her, his phone rang urgently. Luke reported back, "Boss, the entire CCTVwork down the road is destroyed, and there''s no trace of the footage." Anthony''s face darkened. The entire CCTVwork down the road, destroyed? That was not normal! Unless... He looked at Charmine. Charmine knew the Jordans were around and, not wanting them to panic, she calmly replied, "Although the CCTVs are destroyed, we can start with other clues like..." She looked at the three cars in the footage and said to Anthony, "Find out the drivers¡¯ identities as well as the staff in the ambnce." Although Anthony was suspicious, he did not question further and went ahead to work on it. The Jordans watched with terror. So Anthony actually came to them, trying to be useful? Charmine even had Anthony work on their issue... T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. It did not take long before someone came in with a stack of papers detailing information of the drivers, nurses, and doctors. Charmine instantly sat before the working desk and, taking out a pen, did a quick calction on the paper. The Jordans had no clue what was going on. Was Charmine actually solving a math problem? What was it for at a time like this? Anthony instantly understood. Charmine was using an equation to figure which ambnce had one additional person from the body masses and tire pressure. The hospital''s ambnces were all the same. If they had one extra person in there, the tire could exert a different pressure. Although an ordinary person could not tell, one could use a professional equation to find out. As expected, after a series of equations andparing them to the footage on the screen, her pen landed on one of the ambnces. ''This ambnce took Robert away. Bring me to this ambnce, now." Anthony held her hand as he addressed the Jordans, "Please be patient to hear from us. Excuse me.¡± Everyone else nodded. "Alright, go ahead. Don''t mind us." Charmine followed Anthony to the car park where there was an ambnce, and she walked toward it. Anthony was confused. Even if they confirmed that this was indeed the ambnce that took Robert away, the staff could have been bribed by the perpetrator. There would be no point interrogating the doctors or nurses, so what clue could she get from this ambnce? Charmine did not exin herself as she got into the ambnce and checked the driving record for that afternoon. Obviously, the record had been deleted and the camera footage waspletely wiped out. chapter 1107 chapter 1107 Despite that, Charmine still transferred the data into her phone before she got off of the ambnce. Luke had prepared the car. He was waiting for them in the basement car park. "Is there aptop in the car?" she questioned. ''Yes," Luke answered. Chamine went to Luke''s car and connected her phone to theptop to run a series of analyses. Her fingers fluttered across theptop''s keyboard rapidly, her expression like the calm before the storm. 1 Anthony sat by her side as he silently watched. What would his audacious kitten do to find Robert? About half an hourter, a line showed up on theptop screen with a few red spots along the line. Charmine pointed at one of the red spots. "Robert was carried off of the car from here." Anthony frowned. "What is this?" "Although the records were wiped out and can''t be retrieved, I managed to recover the driving history. When the vehicle stopped, the driving history would show a red spot. All the other red spots had a traffic light except this one. The vehicle stopped, even though there was no traffic light." Anthony looked at Charmine, colored impressed. It was such a waste that Charmine did not work for a spy agency. Charmine ran through more analysis. There was a crossroad where the vehicle stopped. The receivers would bring Robert to somewhere secluded, so they would take the narrower road. The narrower road led to the north of the city... Charmine''s red lips curled into a smirk. "However powerful the association is, they won''t be able to wipe out the data in Burlington. There are some run -down shops in the north, and they might still have the footage." 1 Property ? N?velDrama.Org. With that, she sessfully hacked into many CCTVs in the north of the city. She checked the vehicles passing by during the time frame, and there were only 200 vehicles! She then analyzed the car tes of all the 200 vehicles, and after identifying their owners, she managed to narrow her search down to one vehicle. It was a ck vehicle, and the driver was a distant rtive of the Grangers who worked as a mountain prison officer! The prison was indeed a good location. Who would have expected a kidnapper to bring the hostage to the prison? After all, kidnappers were terrified of officers. Anthony understood her final finding, and he frowned. "The kidnapper is from the Granger family?" ''Yes.¡± Charmine turned off theptop and started plotting. She must not alert the Grangers. She had to save Robert as quickly and quietly as possible. Otherwise, if the association found out that she knew Robert''s location, they might change his location. Anthony''s eyes darkened. It was the Grangers again. It was bad enough they drugged Charmine, yet they just had to take her brother, too? "Guy has been staying in the vi for so long. It''s not going to work in the long run," he pointed out. "I''ve asked Nial to run some tests, and he mighte across something crucial. Once it''s solved, Guy will be able to go back," exined Charmine, though she agreed with his thought. Firstly, she did not want to owe Guy too much. Secondly, she understood Grandma Granger''s intention. Thirdly, the Granger family''s power was not to be underestimated. It was not a good idea to keep them as enemies. She said, "The most important thing now is to save Robert. Luke, drive to the mountain prison." Luke frowned. "It''s a prison. How could we save Robert? If anything happens, then-" "I have something in mind. Just drive," insisted Charmine. Luke thus drove as told. Anthony sat beside Charmine as his gaze darkened. 1 Officials strictly guarded the mountain prison, and if Grandma Granger truly locked Robert in there, she would have informants working nearby. How would Charmine be able to save Robert in this situation? Was his little kitten about to deliver an interesting, ster performance again? chapter 1108 chapter 1108 The car pulled over in an alley five meters away from the prison. The night shrouded the perimeter so darkly that no one noticed it. Charmine had texted Kay and his men before they arrived. "We¡¯ll wait here patiently," she said to Luke and Anthony. Luke was confused. Did she not say she wanted to save Robert? How would she save him by waiting here? Anthony, calm as he usually was, waited patiently. The waitsted for almost two hours. The sky was pitch dark as the clock pointed at 12 midnight. Suddenly, the originally dark prison suddenly lit up as men seemingly rushed around. Many prison staff started looking around, and arge group even ran out to search in the woods. Luckily, Charmine had chosen their current location wisely, and they were not noticed. Luke frowned and asked, "Shall I drive away?" "No, wait for a while.¡± Charmine''s eyes were locked in one direction. Around half an hourter, three figures walked out from afar. Charmine instantly went down to open the car door. Being a seven-seater car, there was an additional back row of seats. Kay and another man carried a man to the backseat. It was Robert. Robert was still in aa and showed no signs of waking up, yet they still had him wear a police officer''s costume so he could blend in. Luke watched with disbelief. "Ms. Jordan, how did you do that? They took out Robert just like that?" "Drive first, talkter," Charmine reminded him. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Luke did as he was told and raced away. Before Charmine could speak, Kay abruptly gushed, "Boss Jordan is too formidable! She asked us to blend in there and find an underground space where we can hide and Robert before she ignited a scene. Those people walked in to an empty room and a missing Robert, much to their surprise, and they thought he vanished into thin air! As you''ve seen, everyone came out to look for him, searching every nook and cranny in the prison and outside. They almost used up their manpower while there was an empty hallway in the prison. When everyone went out to search, I knocked out three people and changed into their costumes to get out. Easy job." 1 He paused before he looked up at Charmine with respect. "Boss Jordan is indeed Boss Jordan! You came up with such a n! Those dummies are now thinking Robert had truly vanished into thin air! They even thought it was a supernatural urrence!" 1 Luke, who drove the vehicle, was filled with respect as well. He once did not know why Anthony was so infatuated with Charmine, but as he got to know her, it was not hard to figure out why. 1 Charmine was, without a doubt, steller, and she was smarter than most of the wealthy heiresses. Anthony ced his hand around Charmine¡¯s seat, as if iming his trophy as he cooed, "Good job. Sorry for burning my wife¡¯s brain cells again." ''My wife,'' he emphasized as if reminding Kay and the rest. Everyone else was baffled Did he have to do that? They worked for them, too... As Charmine was about to speak, a text suddenly came in. She clicked it open and noticed it was from Chris. [Mommy, are youing home yet? Momo wants to see you home before sleeping.] 1 Charmine quickly replied, [We''re on the way. Be a good boy and sleep first.] [Alrighty! I''ve washed my feet, and I''ll wait for Mommy in bed!] chapter 1109 chapter 1109 As Charmine read Chris'' text, she kept her phone and said to Kay, "Arrange for another car; you¡¯ll personally send Robert back to the hospital. Employ better security at the hospital. This mustn''t happen again." ''Yes, Boss!" obeyed Kay as he then went ahead to make the arrangement. Upon arriving at the crossroad, Kay and the other man carried Robert down from the car. Charmine, being his sister, should have sent him back personally, but she was confident with Kay overseeing the matter. Furthermore, Chris was waiting for her. It was past 12 already, and she might suffer a migraine anytime as well. With that, she watched as Kay''s car drove away before getting back inside, and the car made its way toward Violet Residence. Anthony naturally wrapped his arm around Charmine''s. "Is Momo so important to you?" She chose to rush home so she could put Chris to sleep instead of sending her brother to the hospital personally? Charmine had a small frown as Anthony brought it up. She did not know why, but whenever it concerned Chris, she would instinctively want to protect him. 2 It was like she feared Chris would be harmed, that she did not want Chris to be bullied. It was a strange, foreign feeling indeed. It was as if...Chris was born from her, womb and all, that they were intertwined and inseparable. Just as the thought graced her, Charmine''s phone rang urgently. Grandma Granger was calling. Charmine had anticipated this call, thus she epted it but remained silent. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Grandma Granger''s voice came through the speakers as she began, "You took Robert back, Charmine?" ''Yes." One word, uttered simply yet clearly, i Grandma Granger reeled back in shock. "How did you do it?" She arranged for so many people to watch over Robert; he should not have been taken away so easily. Moreover, what the officers said was that Robert disappeared out of thin air! How did Charmine make a grown man disappear just like that? The bemused Charmine smirked as she quipped, "It''s unimportant how I did it, but I hope you''ll remember one important thing: don''t ever pull a dirty trick again. Otherwise, I¡¯ll do more than rescuing someone from prison!" "I didn''t have a choice! I hope you¡¯ll understand me, Charmine. I always treated you as my granddaughter-inw, and I never intended to be your enemy. You''re all hurting Guy by taking his blood, so I had no choice but to do that! You can''t hate me..." Grandma Granger sounded helpless and pitiable. 1 Charmine scoffed. She imed she had no choice? Who drugged her in the first ce? Was it okay to hurt others in the name of protecting her grandson? Anthony, who was by her side, took her phone and said to Grandma Granger coldly, "When we take Guy¡¯s blood, we''ll make sure he¡¯s safe. I hope you''ll behave well, or you''ll regret it!" 1 With that said, he hung up. Charmine did not stop him. She hoped that Grandma Granger would listen to them this time. However.Jt was not easy. At the Granger mansion. Grandma Granger eyeballed her phone-anxious, worried, and angry! Anthony and Charmine dared to threaten her? So what if the Bailey family was the No.1 business empire? The Grangers had official authority! What right did they have to be so arrogant? Also, they were at fault for extracting Guy''s blood! i If anything happened to Guy, how would she live on? No... It must not be! Such a tragedy must not happen! She looked around and tried toe up with a n. chapter 1110 chapter 1110 Their way home was greeted with trees and street lights. Suddenly, the car stopped abruptly. Luke informed, "There''s traffic up ahead." Charmine looked out of the window. The night was dark yet there was a long queue of cars in front, and it even sounded like people were arguing. This was the only road toward Violet Residence, and there was no other way around. She said, ¡°I''ll go down and have a look." "Let Luke do it," Anthony stopped her. Charmine was adamant as she picked up a mask. "Don''t worry. By the looks of it, this traffic won''t go away in half an hour. I''m going out to get some air," she spoke, all while she had opened the car door to get down. Anthony could only concede, though not without instructing Luke, "Have the men watch over her.¡± With that, he donned a mask himself to cover his attractive features before he followed behind Charmine. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Charmine came out to get some air when she overheard the people talking. "She''s only fifteen years old! Why would she want to jump off the bridge at such a young age?" "She seems like a nice girl. What a pity if she dies...¡± Charmine frowned. A 15-year-old, wanting to jump off the bridge? She was not a saint, and she never really liked to get involved in other matters. The words exchanged among the crowd tugged at her heart, however. She remembered vividly how Adam and Joey hated her back then, a 15-year- old, and everyone in the family mocked her for being an extra. With the hate she received, she depressively stood on this very same bridge and nearly jumped off...when a woman walked past and spoke to her. One of the words she said to Charmine was, "Even if nobody loves you, don''t you love someone? Don¡¯t you want to live on for the person you love? To be with him eventually?" Back then, she was all over Julian, and she decided to live as she had yet to gain his heart back then. The current Charmine felt grateful that she did not die the other night. She was grateful she did not die with sorrow. Otherwise, she would not end up with everything she had, and she would not have Anthony and Chris. With that, perhaps even this girl, she-the girl who wanted to jump off the bridge-would see better days ahead... With that in mind, Charmine squinted as she instinctively walked toward the crowd. When she squeezed past them, she saw a 15-year-old girl standing on the other side of the bridge''s safety railing. She was facing the river as her hands grabbed the railing. She could fall down anytime. The crowd dared not to approach her, and they could only yell out from afar, i "Youngdy, what happened? Tell us? You¡¯re so young, and your parents will be devastated if you go!" 2 "Don''t talk about them! Shut up!" the youngdy screamed. "They never cared about me!" she growled. "Even if I die, they''ll think it''s best that they don¡¯t have a daughter like me!" "How could that be? There are no parents who don''t love their children..." "Enough! If you keep talking, I''ll jump off!" the youngdy burst uncontrobly. Those who tried to talk her out dared not to speak anymore, though they gossiped among themselves. ''We''ve called the police, and we even sent the photo of the girl to the police. They tried to use facial recognition to find her family, but strangely enough, they haven''t found them..." When Charmine heard what they said, she frowned. It seemed impossible to have her familye over to talk her out of it. Suddenly, she walked toward her, and everyone else quickly stopped her. chapter 1111 chapter 1111 "Hey, don''t get closer to her. What if you startle her?!" "If she loses her mind because you get too close, you''ll be responsible for it!" Charmine disregarded the crowd as she paced toward the girl at the bridge. The girl on the bridge saw Charmineing her way; she felt like the woman was an elusive figure with that face mask covering her face. Though it did not upset her, the girl hissed, "Don¡¯te close to me! I don''t need your sympathy! I don''t need your help!" "I''m not sympathizing with you, and I won''t help you either! I only want to ask you one thing,¡± spoke Charmine as she looked at the girl. "You want to die just because nobody cares about you? If nobody cares when you''re alive, will they care when you''re dead?" The girl''s fingers jolted at the question. Charmine continued, "Your family might be upset for some time, but they¡¯ll carry on with their lives after that. Your friends might think it¡¯s such a pity, thinking that you''re unfortunate, while some mightugh at you behind your back! However, within a year or even half a year, the world would''ve forgotten about you. Do you think your death is meaningful?" 1 Charmine''s voice was crystal clear as she presented her argument, and the eyes of the girl dulled with unnoticeable pain and sadness in them. No... That was not what she wanted. She wanted those people to feel guilty. She wanted those people to live with guilt forever. How could they forget her so soon? Charmine closely observed her reactions. Guessing the reason, she then spoke lowly, "Trying to kill yourself for revenge or to seek for attention will only make yourself seem even more helpless. What you can do is to better yourself with your skills-make yourself so great that they all look up at you. And that, I can help you." 1 As Charmine spoke, she approached the girl and reached out her hand. When the girl saw that Charmine got closer, she continued to growl, "Why would I trust you? How can you help me? You''re lying to me! When I get off of here, you¡¯ll all continue with your work, and nobody will care about me!¡± Her body swayed as she grew agitated. She could fall at anytime! Charmine knew it was not going well, so she pulled down her mask in front of her. "If I don''t keep my word, you may expose me anytime!" When the girl saw her, her eyes darkened. It was her...Charmine Jordan... Everyone knew about the news regarding Charmine with Tiffany. Charmine even owned the Jordan Group and attracted a lot of attention from the public. The reason her parents neglected her was all because of Charmine! The girl suddenly growled out loud, "Charmine Jordan, how dare youe and talk me out? It¡¯s all your fault for where I am now! Don¡¯t you want to help me? Come, then! Come!" She grabbed Charmine''s outstretched hand and tugged her fiercely with all her weight, causing the caught off-guard Charmine to lurch forward. She had time to get rid of the girl, but the girl would fall in due to the gravity if she let go. At that moment, the girl clutched Charmine''s neck tightly and pulled Charmine down with her. The two of them were about to fall into the river! "Argh!" ''They''re in danger!" T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. The crowd fell into a state of chaos as shrieks pierced the air. chapter 1112 chapter 1112 The night sky watched as Charmine and the girl were falling into the river. Charmine could only hear the sound of the wind and shrieks. Free-falling from a few meters tall, the cold wind blustered against her skin that made it feel like her skin was cracking. Everything happened too suddenly; Charmine had no chance to get back up. Despite it all, Charmine knew they would not die as it was a river beneath them. She held the girl close to her to prevent the girl from being washed away by the river current. The girl was taken aback. She wanted to drag Charmine down to die with her, yet Charmine still wanted to protect her? Was Charmine not the kind of person she thought she was? Charmine was ready to dive into the river, mentally prepared for the bonechilling water but never expecting to fall onto a soft cushion instead. It was so soft that it did not feel like water, despite the dizziness she felt after the plunge. Before she could make sense of everything, a group of men came toward them. The bodyguards efficiently grabbed the girl and handcuffed her. Anthony walked toward Charmine and lifted her into his arms from the cushion. 1 His eyes scanned Charmine¡¯s body anxiously, and it was only after he was sure she was safe that he sighed in relief. He was already uneasy when he saw Charmine approaching the girl. To avoid an ident from happening, he effectively called the surrounding boats to prepare the life- saving cushion. If he did not prepare in advance, perhaps Charmine would have... As the thought haunted him, anger red in Anthony''s chest as he red at the girl coldly. "She intentionally hurt a person. Send her to the police station!" His words were apathetic and emotionless. The bodyguards moved forward into another boat to drag the girl away. Charmine, however, grabbed Anthony''s arm. "Wait. Let''s keep her." "No!" Anthony snapped; he had no intention of negotiating. This girl pulled Charmine to jump down with her. She was with ill intent! Free from her light-headedness, she freed herself from Anthony''s arms. She stood on the deck and said to Anthony, "I think I want to clear up some things." As she spoke, she looked at the girl and asked, "You said it''s all my fault earlier. What did you mean by that?¡± "I''m not telling you! Don¡¯t pretend to be a nice person! I¡¯ll go to the police station, and I don''t need your help! I''m not scared!" The girl was so agitated that she did not want to speak to Charmine. Charmine frowned. "You need to give me a reason. If it''s my fault, I can fix it for you-" 1 "No thanks! I''d rather go to the police station! Send me there!" barked the girl at the bodyguards. Seeing that she had a terrible attitude, Anthony coldly ordered, "Take her away! No need to go so easy on her!" 1 The bodyguards pulled the girl away. Charmine frowned. "Bringing her away like this won''t fix the problem." "Don''t worry. Give her some bitterness, and she¡¯ll learn,¡± Anthonyforted her. It was obvious with the way he spoke, however, that he wanted to teach the girl a lesson. Charmine had doubts about it. After all, that was a girl. However, this girl¡¯s attitude was strange. If Anthony''s people could fix it... "Be careful," she reminded him, "she''s still young." "And you?" This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Anthony''s eyes were transfixed on Charmine as hisrge hand with defined knuckles lifted her face by her chin. Charmine frowned, confused at his question. What about her? "You''re young too, Mrs. Bailey. I hope you take care of yourself; you have a husband and a family. You need to stay safe!" chapter 1113 chapter 1113 Anthony''s voice was deep and thick as he spoke. Charmine knew her actions worried him. Her red lips curled into a smirk. "Didn''t you fix it for me anyway? Why would I ever be scared with you around?" Her clear voice sounded nonchnt. Anthony seemed stoic and solemn when he first intended to discipline her, but Charmine''s words ignited the warmth that spread throughout his chest. With him around, why would she ever be scared? She trusted him that much? A married woman was indeed different. The boat slowly floated to the riverbank. The street lights on the bridge had set up the romantic ambiance for the two. It was only then Charmine noticed arge group of people were observing from the bridge with phones and cameras out, taking photos. Luckily, the two of them had not taken off their masks, and no one should be able to recognize them with the night''s dark nket. The boat stopped at the shore as the bodyguards made way for Anthony and Charmine to get inside the car. Upon getting inside the car, Luke''s phone rang. After picking up, he reported back to Anthony and Charmine, "President, Madam, we have a situation: Someone had taken away the girl, and they said they held a Phoenix Card." Anthony and Charmine frowned. A Phoenix Card? Even they had not heard about that. Luke exined, "ording to our intel, this is a special card moguls from the Association possessed. There are less than ten people with such cards in the country." Charmine''s face darkened. Less than ten people? Anthony did not have one, and this proved that only those in the Association could have it... The Phoenix Card was the highestmanding card. Everyone must obey the card-holder. 1 The girl knew someone with a Phoenix Card? Sensing something was wrong, Anthony instructed, "Find out who they are!" ''Yes, Sir!" Charmine felt uneasy as well. The girl she coincidentally saved from the bridge was a super mogul, and she hated her that much? 1 It looked much moreplicated than it seemed. It was past one in the morning when the two of them returned to Violet Residence, and the lights were off. When they were about to take out the keys, the door opened from the inside. Chris jumped into Charmine''s arms. "Mommy, Mommy! You''re finally back! Momo missed you!" His tiny head nestled into Charmine''s arms as he beamed. Charmine ruffled his hair. "Didn''t I ask you to sleep early? You''re still growing up, so don¡¯t stay upte next time." "Alrighty! I¡¯ll listen to Mommy!" Chris saluted her. Anthony nced at him. Ever since Chris met Charmine, he had forgotten about his father''s existence! 2 Peculiar as it might be, Charmine and Chris strangely looked alike the more Anthony looked at them. 1 Was it because they spent so much time together? Chris sensed that Anthony was staring at him. He knew something was up as he quickly wiggled out of Charmine''s arms. "Mommy, Mommy, I''m sleepy, so I¡¯ll go to bed now. You and Daddy sleep early." T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Even though he was wide awake a moment ago, Chris yawned and rushed upstairs to his bedroom. Charmine knew. Chris was a clever kid, and he did not want to disturb her and Anthony. She was tired herself and was ready to head upstairs when Nial walked down with a solemn expression. "Charmine, the result of the antidote is out..." His tone sounded depressed. chapter 1114 chapter 1114 Charmine knew it was not good news, yet she insisted, "Don''t worry, just tell me." ''The X substance from Yvonne''s vitamin can repress the toxin, but it can only repress it. I failed in trying to use the substance to neutralize the toxin ..." confessed Nial somberly and sighed. Charmine asked suspiciously, "How did it fail?" "How should I phrase it? For example, some medications can only cure the cold, but if one wants to get rid of a fever, they must take other more specific medications. I tried to increase the strength of the X substance, but it wasn''t effective," Nial answered. Charmine vaguely understood. So that was the reason... "It''s okay-at least it¡¯s getting better now. We might have a breakthrough soon." Nial nodded. There was another thing he did not tell, and he dared not to. During the experiment, Nial found out that the toxin would grow immune to the substance overtime, and the X substance would someday be ineffective. However, this would take at least half a month to happen, and it was not an immediate problem. Anthony stood by her side as his hand was on Charmine¡¯s waist. "What''s this X substance? Is that Yvonne¡¯s vitamin?" How would they link a vitamin with the toxin? Nial quickly exined, "When Yvonne went to y around on the third floor, the vitamin she had with her identally fell into the test tube." N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Anthony frowned. Was that so? Why did Yvonne carry a vitamin with her? 1 Charmine noticed how Anthony grew suspicious; her man had always been sensitive after all. She instantly said, ''This is unimportant. What''s important now is that the X substance can reduce my migraines to once per day. It¡¯s a good turning point. Let''s hope there¡¯s a breakthrough soon. Since we''re all tired, let''s get some rest, shall we?¡± 1 She changed the topic smoothly. Anthony recalled how she had a long day, so he helped her to get upstairs. The suspicions on Anthony''s mind flew out of the window... Yvonne, who was upstairs, sighed in relief. Clever, Charmine! However, if the toxin could not be cured, did that mean Charmine would have to constantly take Guy''s blood? Yvonne''s gaze turned to the slumbering Guy, and she fretted. Guy had slept much earlier to keep his body healthy. He seemed to disregard his body. It had only been a few days and Guy''s face had turned significantly paler. 1 It was a weakened body-kind-of pale. He appeared much weaker than how he once used to look like. When Charmine went upstairs, she saw Yvonne nking out. She asked, "Still awake?" "Oh... I came out to pour some water. I''m sleeping soon." Yvonne quickly walked away with a faint blush on her face. Charmine noticed it, and her eyelids fluttered half-way. Sure, Yvonne was spoiled, but if she could be with Guy, the two of them wouldplement one another. Nheless, one must not rush into a rtionship... Both Charmine and Anthony walked into the bedroom, but Charmine¡¯s eyelids fluttered wide open as they walked past Guy, much to her surprise. She felt a strange sense of uneasiness. It felt like something bad was about to happen. Anthony sensed it and frowned. "What?" Why did she stop walking after seeing Guy? "Nothing. Let''s get some rest." Charmine walked away quickly. Anthony red at the sleeping Guy, and hisrge hand inside his pocket clenched. chapter 1115 chapter 1115 They must not go on like this. s, he had to keep it together for Charmine''s sake and her illness... 2 Before he could do anything, however, something crucial happened the next morning. The morning light shone into the bedroom and filled the space with warmth. Ring! Ring! The phone on the bedside rang urgently. Charmine felt around for the phone before she answered the call, greeted with Adam''s urgent voice, "Charmine, it''s bad. All thepanies under the Jordan Group were locked up. The construction sites are told to stop the work, and they just won''t give US an exnation when we ask about it. They only wanted US to call you." The initially drowsy Charmine sat up straight away, awakened by the news. She frowned. "The Association locked US down?" ''Yes. Our bodyguards dared not to resist, and they couldn''t...¡± Adam then warily asked, "Charmine, did something happen? Is someone against you?" Charmine already had a vague answer within a short while. "Don''t worry, it''s not a big deal," she assured him. "Ask Grandpa to rx-l can fix it." With that, she hung up. A few news articles then popped up on her phone; they were the links sent to her by herpany staff. When she clicked on one of them, she read as the business section stated the following: [Divine Bird Project Halted!] [Jordan Group Forced To Lock Down!] [Who Did The Jordan Group Offend?] N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. These articles were the most searched on the business news page, and many debated on the topic. [Everything went well so far, so why are they locked down? Didn''t the Association support this project fully?] [Did some major incidents ur? There''s no deadline to this lockdown, and it seems to be forever.] [Charmine knows so many moguls, yet nobody helped out? Maybe they can''t even intervene for her sake?] [Look, all the Jordan Group shares are falling!] [Argh! What to do? We bought the houses. Will they be a goner in time?] Reading them all gave Charmine a headache. The Divine Bird Project was forced to stop, and even all of the Group¡¯s construction sites were locked down. The matter had taken a turn for the worse. Although they had sold out the Divine Bird houses, the other sites were ongoing and were actively tried to be sold out. If this went on, the Jordan Group would be in great loss. At that moment, Grandma Granger called. Her hoarse and guilty voice came through as she began, "Charmine, have you read the news? Have you heard? I''m sorry, but I have to do this for my grandson. I can guarantee you that as long as Guyes home, as long as you and yourpany stop taking his blood, I''ll make sure this gets sorted out right away." 1 Charmine''s hands clenched tightly. As expected, it was Grandma Granger again! 1 In order for Guy to not overhear, she stood up and walked to the study room. Closing the door, she then countered furiously, "Grandma Granger, you kidnapped Robertst night, and now you attacked mypany. Aren''t you taking things a little too far? Don''t forget that you started this by drugging me in the first ce! I also told you that I¡¯ll ensure Guy''s safety!" "But Guy has a special blood type! How can you ensure his safety? If anything happens to him, what can you do?" fretted Grandma Granger in pain. She continued in a stern voice, "As I said, I have no choice; it''s all for my grandson. You can call me cruel or scheming if you want, but I only have one thing to say: If you don''t let go of Guy, the Jordan Group will be locked down forever! It¡¯ll close down! I hope you think things through carefully, Charmine!" 1 With that said, Grandma Granger hung up right away. chapter 1116 chapter 1116 The call''s abrupt end was followed by the sound of static. Charmine¡¯s grip on the phone tightened. Grandma Granger would do anything to get Guy back! Charmine had worked so hard to get the Jordan Group back on its feet, yet Grandma Granger would ruin it? She ran through her acquaintances mentally, thinking who might be able to help. However, most of her contacts were either into technology or business. The only family rted to the Association was...the Cherny family. The Cherny family... Charmine frowned. She had not contacted the Chernys for a long time, mainly keeping her distance due to the pre-arranged marriage. Since the Chernys and the Grangers were partners, the Chernys would not help her. What else could she do? Would she have to let the Jordan Group suffer? Outside the door... Anthony heard the voiceing from the study room. He frowned. Grandma Granger attacked the Jordan Group this early in the morning? His eyes dulled as he walked downstairs right away. Once he went out of the door, Luke was ready to report to him outside. Anthony said, "I''ve learned the news. Make some arrangements." "But..." Luke frowned with difficulty. ''This is an order given by the Association. We can¡¯t step in...¡± "Didn''t the Association want the Bailey family to take charge of a few international trades?" asked Anthony. Luke frowned. Was Anthony intending to use this to negotiate with the Association? To threaten them, perhaps? "If Grandma Bailey finds out or if our shareholders find out, they won''t agree to this. Furthermore, going against the Association is quite..." Everything would get moreplicated and more problems might arise. Anthony''s face sank. "Go and negotiate; it''s more important to save the Jordan Group." 1 ''Yes, Sir!" Luke could only leave. Anthony went back inside, and Yvonne had already helped to prepare the breakfast. Guy''s diet breakfast was perfectly executed. Seeing it all, Guy politely spoke, ''Thank you." ''That''s all you''re going to say? I woke up at five in the morning to help out. A ''thank you'' is all you''re going to say?" Yvonne sat beside Guy, cing her chin on her palm as her pointed gaze aimed at him. Guy frowned. "What do you need?" "Hmm..." Yvonne looked around as though thinking when she suddenly spotted Anthony ring at her coldly. It was as if her behavior displeased him, as if he had something to say to her. Yvonne knew Anthony was sensitive. He might have sensed somethingst night, too. She had lived with them for a while yet had not romanced Guy at all. Anthony might kick her out anytime. After deliberating her thoughts, she said to Guy, "I heard you¡¯re good at throwing darts. Why don''t you train and teach me every day from now on?" Every day? T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Throwing darts would require body contact from time to time. Guy refused. "As an heiress, why would you need to learn this?" "Of course I''m learning it to protect myself. What if someone tries to attack me? What if my bodyguards aren¡¯t around me?" countered Yvonne. Guy frowned. The probability of someone facing such dangers was as little as 0.001 percent. He wanted to say something when Yvonne merely looked at him and said," From now onward, I''ll take charge of your diet for you to replenish your blood. If I get careless, it might cause harm to your body. Do you want your body to be harmed to the point you can no longer provide blood for Charmine?" Guy¡¯s gaze darkened at that. Quickly, he agreed, "Okay, I¡¯ll teach you once I have time." 1 Anthony''s eyes darkened as he stood by the side. chapter 1117 chapter 1117 It was apparent that Guy truly cared for Charmine. That was not good. As Charmine walked down from upstairs, Anthony came toward her and walked her to the dining table. "Don''t think too much now. Have some food." He personally brought her breakfast as he spoke. The breakfast te included some prawns. He even put on gloves to peel the prawns for her. He was an elegant and high-profiled man, yet his eyes were filled with only love at that moment. Guy noticed that. He felt rather emotional, but he was pleased nheless. He was assured at how Anthony treated Charmine so well. 1 Charmine, however, had no appetite due to her concern over the Jordan Group. The situation could only worsen the longer itsted. The situation was already a challenge for her, and she did not know how to resolve it. Sensing something was amiss, Guy asked, "What is it? Did something happen?" "Nothing." Charmine refused to tell. Guy would surely go up against the Grangers if he found out what happened, and that would even ignite the situation to gopletely out of hand. Anthony, peeling the prawns, identally tore the prawn into two as if tearing someone apart. Charmine cared for another man''s feelings right in front of him? She did not want Guy to have conflicts with his family that badly? 2 Anthony must hold it. Hold it! Yvonne could tell that Anthony was jealous again, so she quickly moved her chair closer to Guy and asked, "Ah, yes, how long does it take to master dart-throwing? Based on my potential, how long will it take for me to hit the target everytime?" Although Guy did not want to speak to her, he still had to answer her. She sessfully diverted his attention. The meal ended with a strange atmosphere. After the meal, Charmine wanted to get to thepany to sort things out, but because she had yet to suffer the migraine, she could only wait at home. When Anthony went upstairs and saw how busy she worked in front of theputer desk, he felt hurt. His phone rang at that moment. Noticing that it was Luke calling him, he went to the other balcony on the second floor to answer. Luke anxiously apologized, "Boss, we failed... The Association said that Guy is a rare and gifted general, and the navy can¡¯t afford to lose him. Even if our economy can''t take the lead in this uing trade, they had to save Guy''s life. The Association wants us to reconsider and let Guy leave, or else Luke did not finish the sentence. Anthony''s eyes darkened. He had threatened the Association with such an important matter, yet they were siding with the Grangers? Did they truly have no way of helping the Jordan Group? "Don''t drag the Bailey family down with me, Anthony," a clear voice called out to him from behind. Anthony turned around to see that Charmine had somehow walked behind him. Frowning, he quickly hung up to reassure her. 1 "Don''t think too much. I''ll think of another way." "No need. The Association is right. The navy can''t lose Guy. Perhaps nobody would agree for someone so important to the country like him to give me his blood. Now that the Jordan Group is in a tight spot, they might attack the Bailey family altogether if you get involved," spoke Charmine, concerned. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Anthony frowned. If he did not help her, would he have to watch the Jordan Group getting shut down? Would he have to let go of Guy and watch as Charmine suffered in pain? Perhaps...he had to let Charmine be with Guy? chapter 1118 chapter 1118 Charmine knew what Anthony was thinking just by studying his expression. Standing on the balcony, she calmly persuaded, "It''s nothing, truly. It only hurts once per day, I can endure it." "No. I''d rather the Jordan Group gets locked down than seeing you suffer," answered Anthony coldly. He walked to her and ced his hands on her waist. "Even without the Jordan Group, the Baileys are here. We¡¯ll always have your back." "We''re not kids anymore, Anthony," came Charmine''s abrupt, out-of-the- blue response, one with wisdom and maturity. Her past teenage self would have sacrificed everything for love; she could care less about the family company or other responsibilities so long as she was happy. Times have changed, however, and she was the Jordans¡¯ only pir of support. Senior Jordan did not pressure her into it, but she knew he ced great hope in her. If the Jordan Group had to shut down, the aging Senior Jordan would take it badly. Furthermore, they had sold out all units in the Divine Bird, thanks to the builders'' hard work. The Divine Bird would advance the country upon itspletion. Thepany must not fall. Also... Charmine looked at Anthony. "Do you think we can still be together if the Jordan Group copses?" The Baileys never supported them to be together; they looked down on her. Grandma Bailey liked her merely because she was more capable and cleverer than Waverly, but Charmine might lose her support if things continue to worsen... Anthony looked at her. "So you''d rather let Guy go home while you suffer in pain?" Charmine¡¯s face darkened. She looked out at the window. After a long while of silence, she said, "If there''s no other way, this is the only thing I can do.¡± Anthony''srge hands inside his pockets tightened again. He had seen her in pain. Would he want her to suffer? Of course not! A thought urred to Anthony as he turned and left. Charmine quickly called after him, "Anthony, what are you doing?" "Wait to hear back from me." He marched out, his regal figure looking cold and ruthless. Charmine frowned. Why was he going out at this time? Had he found another route? She wanted to chase after him but shegged a few steps behind when Anthony raced away. Guys spotted her and asked suspiciously, "Does Mr. Bailey has an urgent matter to attend to?" i Guy had his phone turned off to block out Grandma Granger''s constant pestering, thus he did not know what happened to the Jordan Group. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Charmine replied, "Yeah, something happened in hispany. He¡¯s busy." With that, she nced at Yvonne. Yvonne also knew Guy must not know the situation at hand, thus she chimed in, changing the topic, "Mr. Granger, didn''t you agree to teach me how to throw the darts? Let''s go, I need to prepare your lunch soon." i Guy could only nod and followed Yvonne to the training room afterward. Since Yvonne¡¯s constant interference, Guy and Charmine barely even interacted. Charmine¡¯s lips curled up with satisfaction. It was a good thing that Yvonne stayed with them. As she was about to find Nial on the third floor, Luke suddenly called," Madam, it''s bad! Boss raced to negotiate with the Association, and he brought the F Project with him!" chapter 1119 chapter 1119 Chaptering The F Project was a joint project between the Bailey Corporation and the Association to make establishments across 18 countries. If Anthony used this to negotiate with the Association, it would make him an irrational business partner and escte the tension! Charmine quickly hung up and phoned Anthony, yet all she heard was," Sorry, the number you have dialed is currently unavable..." Anthony must have turned off his phone or activated its airne mode. He was adamant in fixing the problem. However, the Association did not seem to care about international trade, and they even warned Anthony. Would Anthony''s threat work this time? i It might even affect the Bailey family! Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Charmine instantly rushed out, ready to look for him when Nial stopped her. ''You can''t go out, Charmine. You haven''t had a migraine today. You also know Anthony is stubborn, and unless there''s another way, he''s not going to quit." "I know, and that''s why I have another n," answered Charmine before she rushed out of the vi. Nial wanted to stop her but failed. He was worried. What if she suffered a migraine out there? In this situation, it seemed that one of them had to sacrifice something to resolve the problem... Nial thought of something and instantly phoned Senior Jordan. Charmine did not go too far before she went back to Violet Residence. She entered a different vi, however, hoping to use herputers to hack into the matters of the mogul-one that was in charge- Anthony was about to meet. If something went wrong, this person would have to fix them right away and Anthony would not be able to negotiate with this man... She entered theputer room and worked on the keyboard rapidly, managing to hack into the system and messing up a few algorithms. Charmine¡¯s red lips curled into a smirk. This man was about to be very busy, and that meant Anthony would not be able to meet him, would he? At that moment, her phone rang urgently. It was Senior Jordan calling. Just as she answered the call and was about to greet him, Senior Jordan''s heartfelt voice was heard as he fretted, "Charmine! Don''t do anything silly! We''ve learned about the situations in thepany. They want to force you into giving up your treatment, don''t? Don''t care about anything else-just focus on treating your illness and take care of Guy''s health. Don''t let the Jordan Group get in the way. It''s just a lockdown, and even if we close down, Grandpa will be happy as long as you''re healthy." Charmine frowned. "You knew, Grandpa..." ''You''re hiding such an important matter from your family. What do you think family is for? Remember that we¡¯re blood-kins, and we''ll always support you, I mean it all. Sure, I''d care heavily about the Jordan Group in the past, but all I want now as I grow older is for everyone to be healthy and safe." Senior Jordan¡¯s voice sounded aged and peaceful. He continued in a calm tone, "I understand the situation: Either the Jordan Group closes down, Anthony drags the Baileys down because of us, or you continue to suffer in pain. Out of the three options, of course we''ll choose to let them lock down the Jordan Group. Tell Anthony to not worry about us. As long as he treats you well, everything is okay! As long as you¡¯re cured, it doesn''t matter what happens to the Jordan Group!" 1 ''Your Grandpa is right! We stand by your Grandpa!" Joey''s voice was heard. Warmth spread within Charmine''s heart. Since when did the Jordans treat her so well? How could she shut down the Jordan Group when they treated her lovingly? There must be a way! There must be! chapter 1120 chapter 1120 "Don''t worry, Grandpa," Charmine coaxed Senior Jordan. "I¡¯m a grown-up, and I know how to sort things out." "I know you can sort things out, but it''s how you sort things out that worries me!" fretted Senior Jordan. He reminded again, "Remember how we''ve wronged you in the past twenty-three years; we just want you to be healthy. Don¡¯t think of anything else. If anything happened to you, I won¡¯t be able to live on." 1 "Alright, don''t worry, Grandpa. Even if it''s for you, I''ll take good care of myself. Rest assured," promised Charmine. Once she managed to calm him down, Charmine hung up with a dull gaze. Senior Jordan found out what happened. Everything was going south. Still, she was determined to not drag the Baileys with her, and the Jordan Group must not be sacrificed for her sake. Then... Charmine went downstairs and walked back to the other vi, much to Nial''s relief as he sighed. "You''re back, Charmine. I wondered where you went off to! You have to take good care, cause if anything happens..." "Don¡¯t worry, I won''t go anywhere," replied Charmine as she entered the lift that took her to the third floor. Walking into theb and disinfecting herself, she then put on theb coat and walked toward the desk. Nial followed behind her as he warily asked, "Charmine, what are you nning to do? Are you experimenting on your own?" "I¡¯mpiling all the materials. Have these sent to William," she instructed as she found a low-temperature container and ced some items into it. William was a world-renowned researcher from Kansas. Although she did not want to interact with him that much, she had no choice with her given situation. There might be a breakthrough if William researched these with Uncle Sam. That would be ideal. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Nial merely frowned. Charmine was contacting William! William had always fancied Charmine. If they discovered something after all and she was moved in the process, would the two of them get married and live happily ever after? i Nial unconsciously imagined a lovely couple with many children and grandchildren. Charmine red at him; she knew what he was thinking. ''You''ll end up bing a good love drama producer," she muttered, i "Cough, cough!" Nial turned away awkwardly. He said nothing, yet she still saw through him? Chamine analyzed all the toxins and the X substance before putting them inside the container and handed it to Nial. "If I¡¯m willing to be with William, the Uncles wouldn¡¯t have pestered me for a good few years. Go now. The most important task at hand is to neutralize the toxins so that we don''t have to depend on anyone." Nial agreed. Charmine was right. They had a more important matter at hand! "Okay. I¡¯ll ask them to send this over right away!" he spoke as he rushed downstairs. Charmine took out her phone to text William the following: [I have some toxins I¡¯d like you to look into when you have the time. Someone will be sending them over. No matter if you seed or not, I''ll still owe you. Let me treat you to a meal and introduce you to a girlfriend.] William, meanwhile, was running a few tests in aboratory with gloves on. When he heard the special notification beep, he rushed out right away. He took out her phone from the locker to see that it was indeed Charmine. His gentle-looking brows raised with a smile. After all this while, Charmine finally contacted him first! He had heard about Charmine''s illness from her Uncles. Even though the Uncles were helpless, he had not given up. chapter 1121 chapter 1121 All this while, William halted everything else just to focus researching the toxins to help Charmine¡¯s illness. It was apparent that Charmine ran out of options before finding him. He did not let it get to him, however, as he replied, [OK. Wait for my news. I will try my best.] Charmine''s gaze turned solemn as she read his reply. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. It was in to see that William fancied her, but it was a shame she did not share the sentiment. She had to introduce a girlfriend to him when she had the time... Charmine waited the whole day to hear back from William and waited for Anthony toe home. However, even when night fell, Anthony had yet to return. She already had one migraine and took Guy''s blood to cure herself momentarily. Guy poured her a ss of water and was about to hand it to her when Yvonne quickly walked over and took it from him, bringing it to Charmine." Have some water, Charmine. Tell me if you don''t feel well.¡± "I''m fine. Don¡¯t you like to practice throwing darts? Go and train with Mr. Granger." Charmine was dealing with William, and she did not want to interact more with Guy. Yvonne understood what she meant and pulled at Guy''s arm instantly." Nial, take care of Charmine," she reminded. "Don''t worry, I¡¯m more trustworthy than you,¡± remarked Nial. Yvonne and Guy headed upstairs, leaving only Nial and Charmine in the living room. Charmine asked Nial, "Your Bro isn''t home yet?" "He..." Nial hesitated. He sighed before saying, "He''s stubborn like you. He''s noting home until he meets the man. He''s likely to stay there for the night." Charmine frowned. Anthony insisted on using this project to negotiate with the Association? How long would he have to wait? She stood up. "I''ve already had the migraine. I can go and bring him home." ''There¡¯s no use. I''ve called him, but he''s stubborn. He won''t give up so easily until he fixes this,¡±mented Nial. 1 Knowing Anthony, he would not stand idly as the Jordan Group got closed down. Charmine frowned. There was no use waiting on this way. She found a jacket and walked out. Nial wanted to follow behind her, but knowing Charmine¡¯s capability, there was no use for him to follow her. He thus gave up. Leaving the vi, she went toward the researchboratory instead of going to look for Anthony. William and Uncle Sam were researching in theb, so perhaps she could help out. She had to fix the problem from the core so Anthony would give up negotiating with the Association. Only when the situation gets resolved would Senior Jordan be at peace. It was 9 pm and her car drove toward the researchboratory that night. Theboratory in the woods was lit up. Through the transparent ss, she could see someone working in front of the desk...but there was only one man. It was William. Charmine frowned. Uncle Sam texted that he was in theb as well, but why was he not around? If William was the only one in there, she did not want to enter. Just as she hesitated, William''s body abruptly jolted in front of the work desk moments before he swiftly fell to the ground with an audible thud. 1 Charmine frowned. William was in danger! chapter 1122 chapter 1122 Charmine rushed into theboratory without thinking twice. She saw William on the floor with furrowed brows and face pale. Charmine rushed forward and briefly checked on him. After making sure he was alright, she helped him up and ced him on the bed by the side. ording to his body and blood level, she could tell he fainted due to overworking. She took out her needles and was about to treat him when Uncle Sam rushed over and quickly stopped her. "Charmine, stop! Stop now!" Charmine¡¯s hand that held the needle jolted. "What''s wrong?" Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Uncle Sam put down the meal box and said, "William had worked overnight for the past few nights. He worked intently and didn¡¯t eat regrly-that''s why he fainted. You should let him rest. If he wakes up again, he won''t sleep for the night." Charmine frowned. "What project was he working on that''s so urgent?" "Oh, yes, go and have a look at the working desk," said Uncle Sam. Charmine walked over to the desk and saw an assortment of liquids in various test tubes as documents were stacked. The documents were all about her toxin as well as her blood analysis! 1 William... Uncle Sam said, "After we went to your ce to examine you the other night, William found out about it not long after. In the past few days, he had been researching in hope of a breakthrough to help you out. Whatever we said to him, he refused to rest. He only took short naps and continued after waking up. He didn¡¯t even eat regrly." Charmine saw the meal box in Uncle Sam''s hand and felt guilty. She only thought of William today when she ran out of options. She did not expect him to have secretly started researching for her long ago. She owed him another favor... Uncle Sam sighed. "Charmine, do you want to consider being with William? He is a well-known researcher in Kansas and hails from a powerful family. If his family makes a statement, Grandma Granger won''t do anything to the Jordan Group. This situation will be sorted." Charmine frowned. Be with William and use his family''s status to threaten the Grangers? She would have gone with William a long time ago had she wanted, and none of this mess would have happened, 1 Her eyes narrowed as she recollected herself and asked, "Is there any progress in the work he''s been doing in the past few days?" "Sigh..." Uncle Sam sighed. He draped William''s form with a nket and said helplessly, "He''s been working on it for a few days now, but this toxin is thest and crudest toxin made by the scientist before his death. The only remaining antidote is Guy''s body now. There was nowhere to start. Even for us, there''s no major breakthrough or progress so far..." With that said, he looked at Charmine. "Charmine, if you insist on being with Anthony, you must be mentally prepared. This is a very challenging toxin, and after conservatively estimating, the research will take up to three months." Three months? Guy would be drained off of his blood by then! What would there be left to research on? Charmine asked, "At least three months? Any other possibilities?" "Look at him; he¡¯s been worn out in the past few days with no progress or breakthrough. Three months is a very optimistic estimation..." Uncle Sam sighed, i Charmine felt her heart burdened heavily. chapter 1123 chapter 1123 There was no meaning to this project if it took three months. The only antidote was Guy, yet the Grangers were forcing her to... Charmine inhaled deeply as she tried to ease the hefty weight that burdened her inwardly. Suddenly, she made a decision as she said to Uncle Sam, "Let''s do the research together. Maybe I can find something with my gift." "Oh, of course! How could I have forgotten about you? You''re highly aplished, and it''ll be ideal if you have a breakthrough!" Uncle Sam''s eyes lit up. He quickly pulled Charmine into the office to work. From analyzing the toxin to weighing the liquid and the bloodponents of Guy''s blood, they went through the procedures again. The night grew dark as the moon made it high above the tree. That midnight, Uncle Sam fell asleep on the sofa while Charmine continued the research. They had tried all ways with no progress. She even used thetest technology to mix the toxin with Guy''s to find out all of itsponents, but she came out empty-handed in the end. Looking at the messy and clueless results, Charmine felt disheartened for the first time. She massaged her temples and walked out. She saw Williamying on the small bed with a pale complexion while Uncle Samid on the small sofa, seemingly all worn out. 1 Both of them tried so hard to find an antidote for her. However, no progress was made and they got nothing in return. It seemed that all their efforts had gone to waste. Charmine walked over gently. She helped Uncle Sam toy on the sofa and covered him in a nket before leaving theboratory. The chilly breeze blew, causing her face to ache with the coldness. She pulled up her jacket and, getting into the car and starting it, drove aimlessly. She thought of running the test with Uncle Sam again in hopes of finding a breakthrough. Nothing fruitful came out, however, and it was time to give up- They would just be overworked for her sake, anyway. It was not worth it. She took out her phone to make a call and saw that there were no missed calls. Anthony did not contact her, and that meant he was still out and not home yet. He had not realized that she was not home. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. It would not be ideal if this problem prolonged-whether it regarded the Jordans, the Baileys, or even William After she deliberated her thoughts, Charmine pulled over by the side and phoned Grandma Granger. "I can send Guy home, but everyone there has to take care of him. He''d be against this if he finds out.¡± The already sleeping Grandma Granger was sleeping shot up from the call, all hints of drowsiness flying out the window in disbelief. "What did you say? You agreed to send Guy home?" ''Yes. In three hours, I¡¯ll send him to the Granger mansion, so you¡¯ll all sort out the rest. My suggestion is to send him out to live with his parents for some time." Guy, should he ever find out, would do anything toe back if he knew, but it would be difficult for him to return once he was sent away. Grandma Granger nodded happily. "Okay, I''ll make the arrangement right away! Right away! What about you? How''s your illness? Why don''t you leave with Guy? I''ll help you fix the matter with Jordan Group. The Grangers will make it upto you-¡± "Grandma Granger, the moment you attacked the Jordan Group, we¡¯re no longer acquaintances, and there''s not a chance for me to ever be your granddaughter-inw. You only have to arrange to pick up Guy and make sure the Association stops attacking the Jordan Group," Charmine scoffed coldly. 2 As for her illness, well, she had something else in mind... chapter 1124 chapter 1124 Although Grandma Granger was apologetic and guilty, she knew her grandson¡¯s life was more important. She instantly agreed, "Okay, I''ll wait for you in front of the Granger mansion.¡± Charmine hung up and drove back to Violet Residence. She changed the security setting to go in without making any sound nor attracting any attention. Following that, she quietly went upstairs and took out the scented diffuser she had prepared beforehand and ced it through the crack of the door. The diffuser emitted mist as Nial and Guy slept soundly. Charmine was about to walk into her room when someone behind her called out, "What are you doing?" She turned back to see Yvonne who had woken up. When Charmine saw her, she said calmly, "You came at the right time. I need your help. Didn''t you want to help your cousin to get rid of this rival? From now onward, you and Guy will go away for a while. Don''t let hime back until I''ve fixed the situation here.¡± i "What?" Yvonne frowned. "Are you saying you''re letting Guy go? Don''t you need his blood?" Charmine nodded. She wanted to, but how could she use it given the current situation? Once the Jordan Group had closed down, Anthony would use the Baileys'' resources to help her entirely. Senior Jordan, on the other hand, would insist her to sacrifice the Jordan Group instead. So everyone had to be upset for her illness solely? Her eyelids flittered half-way as she said to Yvonne, "For the best oue, this is the right choice. I need you to follow Guy around. Don''t let hime back before I¡¯ve fixed everything. Can you do that?¡± Yvonne''s brows furrowed. Leaving with Guy... Anthony would kill her if he found out, yet Charmine had a point. This seemed to be the only right thing to do at the moment, and it could save numerous issues. 1 The only problem that could not be solved was... Charmine noticed how worried Yvonne seemed, thus she reassured her, " Don''t worry, I already have some ideas to fix my problems. Uncle Sam has invented a powerful painkiller with only some mild side effects. I can take it. I believe Anthony will be fine with that." "Oh...alright...then," Yvonne agreed almost unwillingly. With that, the two of them carried Guy down and put him inside the car. 1 Charmine took out a pill and put it into Guy''s mouth. It was a powerful sleeping pill, so potent that he would not wake up within the next 24 hours. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Charmine drove toward the Granger mansion speedily, and her phone rang on the way. Answering the call, she heard Luke saying anxiously, "It''s bad, Madam. President is driving toward the man''s house. He had his men with him, and he''s about to barge in!" Charmine frowned. He was about to barge in? That was not good. Intruding someone''s private space was illegal! ''Til rush over right away! Think of something to slow him down." With that, she hung up and pulled over the car by the roadside, asking Yvonne, "Do you drive?¡± "Of course." "You''ll drive, then. Make sure you send Guy to the Granger mansion; they''ll receive you there. Remember: this is an important mission!" Charmine warned her in a serious tone. Yvonne went to the driver''s seat and patted her chest. "Don¡¯t worry, I can do this!" chapter 1125 chapter 1125 Yvonne stepped on the gas pedal and raced away afterward, i Charmine sighed in relief as the car safely drove away before she phoned Kay. Kay came in not long after and caught up to her quickly. "Drive me to a mansion by the North River,¡± instructed Charmine. The mansions by the North River were upied by important, wealthy people-persons with high power. 1 Kay was curious but did not question her, driving as he was told. 2 Charmine sat back in the car and felt overwhelmed. She had sent Guy away, and she would suffer excruciating pain in the following days. Although she had taken some powerful painkillers from theboratory and she could take it whenever she had a migraine, the painkillers worked by only numbing the neurons. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Consuming them in the long run would hit her with side effects such as facial paralysis. She might not be able to smile... Moreover, this could only stop the pain but would not remove the toxin. In other words, she would have to depend on it... 1 She had no other options, all while she had to keep the Jordan Group from getting closed while not dragging the Baileys with her. 1 Even if her face became paralyzed and she could no longer smile, Anthony would still be able to ept her...would he not? With that in mind, as she went closer to the mansion, Charmine sent another text to William. [I have another favor to ask from you: No matter who asks, tell them that N76 painkillers have no side effects. I owe it to you. If you ever need anything, just ask.] Finally, the car pulled over before the North River mansions that lined up in a row, all simple-looking. Charmine took a quicker way and arrived before Anthony. She went ahead to find the man''s mansion and looked at the gate. This elderly man was in charge of all construction projects in the country. No matter if it was a bridge or a building, he had the final say on all of them. Any construction project in Burlington must get his approval. A word from him could also halt an entire project! Things would take a turn for the worse if Anthony came over with his men forcefully... With that in mind, the door suddenly opened from the inside as a young girl walked out angrily. When the girl saw Charmine, she squinted. "Why are you here?!¡± When Charmine saw her, she frowned. Was that not the girl who jumped off of the bridge with her? Why was she here? 1 A man in his fifties chased after her as he barked, "Stand right there! Where are you going? Have you not caused enough trouble these days?" The girl did not seem to care. She opened the mansion gate and was ready to go out when Charmine stopped her. "Leaving your house everytime you have an argument is not the way to go. Are you nning to jump off the bridge again tonight?" "You have nothing to do with this! You don''t have the right to speak to me like this!" The girl was furious and was about to push Charmine away. However, Charmine grabbed her wrist."You don''t have the skill to push me yet. You need another two to three years of training. Live well until then; speak only when you¡¯re stronger!" 1 She pushed the girl back into her yard before she walked inside and took out a special lock to lock the gate. Other than her key, nobody else would be able to open it. The girl attempted to break free but struggled in vain. The man was confused. He looked at Charmine suspiciously. "How did you find out about my daughter jumping off the bridge?" Although some people saw it that night, they were all passersby. He made the authority to sweep the news clean, so no one should have known about it. Charmine met his gaze and said in a low voice, "I saved your daughter." The man''s originally cold face instantly changed. chapter 1126 chapter 1126 The man knew someone had saved Chloe the other night and wanted to find that individual to thank them personally, yet sources told him that the person wore a mask that concealed their identity. He asked Chloe about it, yet she would not say anything. 1 Never did he expect the person who saved his daughter would show up at his mansion this night! Leon Lennon looked at Charmine with disbelief. "You saved Chloe?" "Yeah, and I need to speak to you, Ms. Lennon." Charmine looked at Chloe and asked, "Ms. Lennon, you wanted to take your life due to Mr. Lennon being too caught up with work and neglected you in the process. You think he''s being too strict on you, don''t you?" i This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Chloe frowned. How did Charmine know? o However, she scoffed, "As I said, you don¡¯t have a say here! You can''t control me! This is the Lennon mansion, so please leave!" "Since Ms. Lennon said I''m the cause of everything, it''s only natural I have a say in this," said Charmine before she turned to Leon. "Mr. Lennon, why don¡¯t we go in and have a talk?" "Of course, of course! You''re weed. Please,e in!" Leon led her in and instructed the maids, "Go and prepare some tea!" "Leon Lennon, are you sure you want to speak to a stranger? What''s there to talk about?!" grumbled Chloe angrily. ''This is a talk between adults, so stay out of this. Go to sleep!" ordered Leon strictly before he led Charmine to the sofa in the living room. "Please forgive Chloe,¡± muttered the guilty Leon, "she''s still so young." "She''s not young anymore-she''s fifteen. Do you still treat her like a young child and yell at her for being one?¡± asked Charmine. 1 Leon halted. "As you''ve seen, she''s bad-tempered. If I don''t yell at her, she¡¯ll get worse!" "Not necessarily." Charmine looked around the living room; clean without a speck of dust. Everything was orderly ced, seemingly perfect, but itcked the warmth of a home. She said, "If I''m not mistaken, Mr. Lennon is busy with work every day. You probably onlye home once per month and have bare minimummunication with Ms. Lennon, am I right?" "How do you know?" Leon was shocked. Charmine studied his face: he had a serious and strict face. She smiled. "Not only that, but I also know that even when you''re home and though you miss your daughter greatly, you don''t know how to spend time with her. Since you''re full of machismo, you believe in being strict to your child, which trantes to how you treat Ms. Lennon very strictly. Am I right?" 1 Leon listened on with shock. This was his first time meeting Charmine, yet she seemed to have read their lives thoroughly. He picked up the teacup and took a sip. He sighed heavily. "To be honest with you, Chloe''s mother passed away when giving birth to her. Fifteen years ago, I was still a lower-ranked staff-l was bullied wherever I went and lived with minimal wages. I had to take care of her alone and I couldn''t even afford a Barbie doll for her. I was determined to give her a better life at that moment, burying myself in work to give her a better life. All these years, my average working hours per day are as high as fifteen hours. I come home being tired. I wanted to see her well-behaving, but as you''ve seen, she is bad-tempered. What else can I do?" 1 Charmine did not expect someone as high-ranking as Leon had such a backstory. "Everyone has their own difficulties. I can understand that you''re trying to help Ms. Lennon," she spoke. "However, other than giving the children money, status, and discipline, have you thought of something else?" Charmine asked quietly. chapter 1127 chapter 1127 Leon eyed Charmine with confusion as he waited for her to continue. Charmine said, "You must be ming Ms. Lennon for not understanding your difficulty and hard work, but have you thought of how Ms. Lennon grew up without a mother and how shecked maternal love from a young age? What she needs isn''t your mansion or luxury cars; she needs a father or a family member to apany her. You don''t understand the hardship of a young girl like her growing up without thepany of her parents, while you even tried to educate her through a strict system. If you were willing tomunicate with her more and spend some time with her, she wouldn''t have turned out like how she''s today." i Charmine spoke clearly and logically. Leon felt as if he was woken up with the criticisms. Indeed, he did not spend a lot of time with Chloe. It was already impressive if he coulde home once a week. However, Chloe would not be doing her work and, instead, hung out with her friends whenever he came home. That infuriated him. If he spoke to her gently, perhaps things would not havee to this... Charmine looked at Leon and continued, "Mr. Lennon, remember that you were once a child, too. The adults strive for wealth and status, while the children only care about feelings and love." Leon¡¯s usually sharp eyes glistened with guilt. He had lived for so long yet did not have the wisdom of thisdy in her twenties before him.Property ? N?velDrama.Org. He was too strict on Chloe all these years. He had mistreated her... 1 "Thank you, Ms. Jordan. I know what to do now." Suddenly, he stood up and walked toward the garden. Chloe had gone to a corner in the garden after her father and Charmine went into the living room. Mood soured and ruined, she kicked and destroyed many flower pots when, out of the blue, Leon walked over. She thought he wanted to scold her again, but Leon merely looked at her with guilt and restraint. "Chloe, I wasn''t a good father to you, merely wanting to provide you with materialistic love in the process yet neglected your other needs. I promise I¡¯lle home earlier from now on, and we''ll talk it out if there''s anything. I won¡¯t scold you or stop you from hanging out with your friends." 1 Chloe remained transfixed on the spot. Did her ears y tricks on her? Her usually strict father, who was always so serious and stern, said such things? What did Charmine say to him? How did he change so much? Charmine walked toward them and said to Chloe, "Ms. Lennon, you should talk it out with your father. Yes, your father owes you a lot, but he''s been through way more hardships than you think. He has to sleep with sleeping pills every night and takes more than ten medications every day..." 1 Charmine handed a pill bottle to Chloe as she spoke. Leon dropped it on the sofa unknowingly, i The transparent bottle had more than ten pills of different colors. Chloe''s gaze changed. In her memory, Leon had always been rigid like a mountain with a healthy physique, yet he had to take so many medications... Looking closely, half of Leon''s hair had turned white. "You two should talk it out," Charmine concluded, "as I have other things to attend to. I¡¯ll be taking my leave now." She was about to walk out when Leon suddenly thought of how they were closing down the Jordan Group. "Ms. Jordan," he quickly stopped her, "hold on!" chapter 1128 chapter 1128 Charmine turned back to look at him. "Is there anything else, Mr. Lennon?" "You came tonight because of the issue regarding the Jordan Group closing down, right?" asked Leon. He thought Charmine would sneakily ask him a favor after what happened, but never did he expect she would leave just like that. Charmine''s lips curled up. "No. I came tonight to stop someone and something from happening. I don''t me you for closing down the Jordan Group-you can''t do anything about it anyway. I''ll do something else to resolve it." It made sense for the Association to protect someone like Guy and his Granger family. Surely, with her sending Guy home, Grandma Granger would cease shutting down the Group. She reminded Leon, "Don''t worry about the Jordan Group, Mr. Lennon. Talk with your daughter." With that said, she turned and left. Leon called out, "Who said I can''t do anything? With my authority alone, I can stop them from shutting down the Jordan Group." 1 Charmine stopped in her tracks. Leon looked at Chloe and said, "I¡¯ll speak to Ms. Jordan for a moment, Chloe. Wait forme." Chloe was still astounded at the sudden shift. Back then, Leon would only say, "Go and sleep. I''m busy." His tone... Chloe felt that everything had changed. She eventually grew calm and nodded at Leon. Leon then walked to Charmine. "To be honest, I didn''t agree with them shutting down the Jordan Group; it''s a separate matter anyway. The draft of your Divine Bird project, all the documents, funds, sponsors, and supports were approved by myself alone. To me, the Divine Bird is a very meaningful project and the most valuable architectural addition to our country. I watched how you helped the Jordan Group get back on its feet. As for the matter of General Granger, I believe you''re capable of keeping him alive." 1 Nheless, him believing in her meant very little-the rest did not see it the same way. The others would rather shut down this promisingpany to save an important soldier like Guy. However... Leon looked at Charmine. "You''d save a passerby''s life, clear-visioned, and you also helped me resolve a decade''s worth of conflicts. What you said to me tonight was very wise. How would someone like you harm Guy? In fact, I think you and Guy are both the most gifted children of the country. Don¡¯t worry, and go home. I''ll stop them from shutting down the Jordan Group tonight." Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Charmine frowned with disbelief. "Mr. Lennon, isn''t this too irrational?" Everyone was worried about Guy''s health, yet Leon was not and trusted her instead? He was okay with her taking Guy''s blood? Leon smiled. "How''s this irrational? It''s irrational to shut down a promisingpany like the Jordan Group. Go home, I¡¯ll fix everything else." i It was merely a military order. If he would be the guarantor, the Association would be willing to give them two more months. Charmine frowned. "Thank you, Mr. Lennon, but I''ve already sent Guy home "What? What about your illness? I heard it''s very painful when it urs." Leon frowned. Charmine wanted to brush it off when it urred; that head-splitting agony of a migraine. The pain felt like an electric drill was drilling her brain, that her head was about to explode, 1 "Argh...!" she whimpered before losing her bnce and falling to the side. chapter 1129 chapter 1129 Kay instantly rushed over to support Charmine and helped her to sit on a nearby sofa. Her pain would prolong without Guy¡¯s blood. Charmine struggled to take out the N76 painkiller, but in her half-conscious and dazed state, she could not recall where she left the painkiller. It took her a long while to find it in her bag. Leon was terrified. "Call up the family doctor! Now!" ''Yes, Sir!" The butler ran away. Chloe was just as terrified. She thought Charmine was a brute, a pompous woman, but never did she expect to see her in such a state. Charmine made a terrifying sight as the green veins on her head and arms protruded. She had to suffer so much pain during the migraine, yet she was willing to let Guy go? Kay noticed what Charmine was looking for, thus he helped her to take out a pill bottle from her bag...and he was bbergasted at what it truly was. It was an N76 painkiller! The Association spent a long time developing this powerful painkiller, one that could rid pain in three seconds. They intended to give the soldiers consume these in dire situations, but this was a failed product. After taking as little as one pill, the side effect would ur by numbing the face, and it would feel like spices had numbed the facial muscles. If one ingested up to five pills, one would end up paralyzed forever, unable to smile or speak, and their lips would twitch continuously as well, i N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Therefore, the N76 was never approved and they even banned the usage of it unless in an extreme circumstance. Charmine nned to consume this after sending Guy away? Kay instantly kept the pills away and sternly spoke, "Boss Jordan, you can''t take this pill! I''d rather you suffer in pain for the next ten minutes than to take this pill!" Charmine was already in so much pain that her face contorted in agony as if she could not hear what the others said. She could only sp her head tightly, hoping to relieve some pain. When their family doctor arrived and saw this, he was baffled. "Sir, I''ve never seen this before. I think we must send her to the ER." "Right, the ambnce! Call 911!" Leon cried out anxiously. "No use sending her to the hospital. Hang on! I believe Boss Jordan will make it!" Kay sat by Charmine''s side as hisrge hand held hers tightly. The few of them frowned. Was there truly nothing else they could do than to watch her suffer? 1 For how long? Suddenly, the loud revving of an engine was heard as a car pulled over in front of the Lennon mansion. The car door opened and Anthony rushed in right away, taking Charmine into his arms while Yvonne rushed in with a syringe at hand. She extracted blood from Guy earlier when he was still sleeping. It was her first time transfusing blood, thus her hand trembled. When she saw the family doctor, she instantly handed the syringe to him." Hurry! Inject this into Charmine!" The family doctor was curious about this treatment, but seeing that Leon had nodded, he rushed forward to inject it into Charmine. Charmine, who was still in deep pain, gradually grew calm once the blood was injected into her. When she regained her consciousness and saw Yvonne, she frowned. "Why are you here...?" chapter 1130 chapter 1130 Charmine sent Yvonne and Guy away, so why did Yvonne return? Moreover, her body... When she saw the syringe in the doctor''s hand, she frowned. This was Guy''s blood... Yvonne looked down and said, "You can''t me me, Charmine. I was on my way to send Guy, but the car broke down halfway through! As we were stuck there, a bunch of racers passed by and when they saw me alone in the car, they forced me to get out. I was so helpless, more so in the middle of the night, so I called Anthony..." She was still terrified by the incident as she spoke. She usually had bodyguards with her when going out, but she had never experienced this before... Charmine was speechless. If she called Anthony, would he still agree for Guy to leave? Of course he would bring the two of them back. Just as expected. Anthony red at her angrily. "Mrs. Bailey, you acted without telling me anything. Do you even respect me? Do you not want to even discuss it with me first?" 2 His tone was low and unpleasant. Charmine was never one easily intimidated, but his questioning made her feel guilty. "I thought you might be fine with the side effects of N76, so we don¡¯t have to discuss it." Compared to the Jordan Group shutting down and the Bailey family getting involved, facial paralysis was a better choice. Anthony¡¯s eyes darkened. "So, ording to you, wealth is more important than your health?" When he just wanted to negotiate with Leon and Guy could stay to save her, she chose to protect the Bailey family by sacrificing herself instead. Forget facial paralysis-he would even not agree to her losing a few strands of hair! Charmine was speechless. How could he phrase it that way? How could the entire Bailey Corporation be reduced to merely ''wealth''? To him, a prominent family was worth less than something he called '' wealth''? Leon was dumbfounded. He only knew that Anthony was engaged to Waverly, but he did not know that Charmine was with Anthony. What was this? It all made sense... No wonder Anthony insisted on meeting him; he looked for him on Charmine¡¯s behalf? Seeing that the two of them were arguing, Leon said, ''There''s no need to argue. Ms. Jordan, you don¡¯t have to take N76. Mr. Bailey''s family and the Jordan Group will remain intact.¡± Anthony frowned and looked at Leon. Even though Anthony was not as powerful as Leon, he exuded an air of authority still. Leon exined, "I''ve told Ms. Jordan that Guy Granger can remain in your vi and provide her with his blood. I''ll stop them from shutting down the Jordan Group." Yvonne and Anthony were startled. Did they not insist on shutting down the Jordan Group? Why would they suddenly agree to it? Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Charmine did not refuse this time. Since Anthony had learned the truth and brought Guy back, this was the only way out. i She looked at Leon and said, ''Thank you, Mr. Lennon. I hope you can reassure Grandma Granger that we''ll do our best to ensure Mr. Granger''s safety." "Don''t worry, you¡¯ve helped us a lot. I¡¯ll try my best," Leon promised. Meanwhile, Charmine''s phone rang-it was a call from Grandma Granger. chapter 1131 chapter 1131 Once Charmine answered the call, she heard Grandma Granger asking anxiously, "Charmine, didn''t you say you''re sending Guy home? Everything Is prepared, but why aren''t you here?" "Sorry, but Guy has to stay for now...¡± ''What? Charmine! I felt bad for you and I liked you, yet you yed me in the middle of the night? You lied to me?" Grandma Granger was furious. Leon took the phone from Charmine and said to Grandma Granger, ''The truth is that I''m helping Charmine and asked for Guy to stay. We¡¯ve decided to not shut down the Jordan Group. Also, you can rest assured that I can guarantee with my name that Mr. Granger won''t be in any danger at all." 1 Grandma Granger, on the other end of the call, jolted. It was sote in the night, yet Charmine was still with Leon and won his help as well? She said, "Mr. Lennon, what do you have in you to guarantee? Don''t forget that this is an order from the Association, and Guy is a gifted soldier not to be missed. He mustn''t be in any form of danger!" "From now onward, the Lennon family will do our best to ensure Mr. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Granger''s safety. We''ll execute international measures to find those with Mr. Granger''s blood type and gather them in Burlington. Even if anything happens to him, everyone will be ready to send him the blood he needs. Everyone will be on standby!" 1 Leon''s voice was full of reassurance. Grandma Granger frowned. ''That''s impossible. Guy has a Rhnull blood type, and there are less than fifty people with this blood type. It¡¯s impossible to gather them all here...¡± Charmine doubted it as well. She had thought of this a long time ago, but her investigations told her that those with this blood type were too rare. Their lives, thus, were more precious than the others. A lot of them were invited to do experiments. Many of them had be medical doctors themselves as well. They were all busy with their own things, so how would theye to Burlington to standby? Leon said, "Of course we have our ways. Grandma Granger, please sit back and rx. The results will show tomorrow." With that said, he hung up. On the other end of the call... Grandma Granger was in her room, anxious as she was. She thought she could see Guy tonight, and she did not expect such a turn of events. She wanted to get angry, but Leon said there would be results tomorrow. What would the results be? Charmine was confused as well. She looked at Leon and asked, "Mr. Lennon, what ways do you have to gather those people over to Burlington? With theirmitments, this seems highly unlikely..." "It¡¯ll be down to your tactics.¡± Leon looked at her and added, "Recently, Burlington and Kansas aren''t as bonded, and trade activities became rockier. Everyone in the Association is affected. If you have some strategies to change the attitudes of those in Kansas while attracting people from all over the world toe..." With that said, he smiled and concluded, ''This sounds challenging, but I''m sure Ms. Jordan can pull such extravagance. So, good luck." i With that said, he turned to Chloe. "Let¡¯s go; it''ste. Let''s get some rest." Chloe looked at Charmine and was no longer as hostile as before. She went inside with Leon. Yvonne looked at Charmine and asked, "Charmine, what does he mean? He wants you toe up with a n that''ll resolve our conflicts with Kansas while inviting those with special blood types toe over. How''s that possible?" "Leon Lennon is indeed Leon Lennon! He seems to be helping you to keep Guy while throwing a difficult problem at you!" remarked Kay. i Charmine''s eyes darkened. Leon had indeed reminded her that a very good strategy could solve all problems. If she could think it out, everything could be solved. Since Anthony and Waverly were still engaged, Kansas had been making it hard for Burlington. 1 It was time to resolve that... chapter 1132 chapter 1132 Charmine and the group returned to Violet Residence. Nial and Guy both slept soundly, thetter not knowing what happened throughout the night. Anthony arranged for his men to put Guy back into the room. Aftering home, Charmine went to the study room and starteding up with strategies. Meanwhile, in a hospital... Waverly was in so much pain that she lived off of anesthetics. Consuming it consistently over time, however, asionally numbed her body. She had lost weight and seemed awfully worn out. 1 When she saw Maxing back, she blurted, "How is everything? Did Grandma Granger attack Charmine?" Max¡¯s face straightened, and he said after a moment, "Charmine is too clever; she saved her brother from the prison. Grandma Granger then attacked the Jordan Group, but she managed to talk the person in charge out of it..." Waverly almost spat out a mouthful of blood. She thought this was it, that she could profit from all the gains. Little did they expect Charmine to be so powerful. 2 If this went on, how else could she stop Charmine from getting with Anthony? 2 She grabbed Max''s hand. "Brother, you must think of something. Right now. Guy is Charmine¡¯s only soft spot..." "Don''t worry, Waverly. I''ve promised you that I''ll destroy Charmine, and I will do it. Don¡¯t hurry-your father and I have contacted a highly reputable acupuncturist. He''ll be here tomorrow to help you, and I''ll help you to destroy Charmine. You just get some rest." "A highly reputable acupuncturist?¡± Waverly frowned. ''Yeah. Apparently, the master of this doctor invented something called the Ultimate Seventy-Two Needles, but the books were lost as they''re passed on. Luckily, this doctor is highly gifted and is an expert in this field. He said it''s not an issue to take out a needle," Max reassured her. i Waverly''s full eyes suddenly lit up. Wonderful. She had endured so much paintely, and she finally had a cure! She could finally get the needle out of her! Charmine, huh? That woman had hell to pay! Seeing that Waverly''s mood was alleviated, Max put her to sleep before returning to his room and started thinking of ways to attack Charmine. s, he failed toe up with any perfect n to destroy herpletely. With even Leon on her side, what other ways would there be? If Charmine found out he was attacking her, the clip of him might go viral... Thinking of that, his eyes lit up. Right...viral! Property ? N?velDrama.Org. If the whole world knew Charmine was taking someone''s blood for her own illness and that she was taking the blood of the masses¡¯ idol... He took out his phone, ready to send his assistant a text when his assistant abruptly opened his door and rushed in anxiously. "It''s bad, Sir, real bad! Look!" he spoke as he handed his phone to Max. Max took it and saw that the official page of Burlington made an announcement. [In five days, Burlington will host our First International Cultural Olympics at the Burlington Arts and Culture Centre.] [As we all know that the Olympics only focus on sports, the Cultural Olympics will focus on arts and culture. There will be a few categories included from medical research to dance, arts, costume designs, and many others. Each category has gold, silver, and bronze medals. The award winners will each receive a customized trophy made with Ohly diamonds!] Once the post was published, almost every other official page retweeted this as well as many reputable celebrities. chapter 1133 chapter 1133 [The First Cultural Olympics] became the most searched topic. Many articles included the following: [The cultural center hosting this Olympics is next to the Jordan Group''s construction sites. For this event''s safety reasons, we had to stop the construction in advance. Now that the hazards are removed, the Jordan Group will run as usual.] Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. In other words, they had to shut down the Jordan Group merely to prepare for the Cultural Olympics! Furthermore... [The diamond trophy sponsored by Ohly will be the one-of-a-kind, No.1 ck Meteorite Stone with a value of 1 billion bucks!] The winners would be financially capable for the rest of their lives! Such news attracted the attention of all kinds of people as an assortment of articles shook up the inte. [Charmine Sponsors The Ohly Trophy!) [Jordan Group Resumes Business!] [Eighty Countries Signed Up!] (Who''s The Winning Country?] [Is Kansas Joining?] A series of news made the Cultural Olympics the most discussed event, almost as important as the Olympics. Max read on with furrowed brows. He was about to cause Charmine some troubles, yet everyone suddenly shifted their focus on this Cultural Olympics! Who would care about the small matters? Even if someone cared, with this current situation, the news could be easily covered in minutes. Nobody would see it. It was not extremely difficult to cause Charmine some troubles. Furthermore... Kansas and Burlington were at a standstill as everyone waited for the Bailey and D''Cruz families to make a statement. Otherwise, all of the future trades would be canceled. Since Burlington was hosting such a powerful event with so many countries attending, the economics in Burlington would surge greatly. For the following days, numerous countries would try to establish trades with Burlington. Why would they still care about Kansas? However, if Kansas was to attend this Cultural Olympics, it was equivalent to them lowering their pride, i If they did not attend and the rest of the world did, they would be the joke of the town! Hisrge hands clenched into fists. Curses! Why would they host a Cultural Olympics at such a time? This was not the right time to host such a thing at all! The assistant asked, "Sir, what do we do now? Senior D''Cruz went ahead to have a virtual meeting in the morning. Our government wants to participate, and they''re implying that the engagement shouldn''t affect the country''s reputation..." 1 In other words, Kansas wanted to participate in the Cultural Olympics and fight for the ranking. They wanted honors above all. i As for the engagement between the D''Cruz and Bailey families, they did not seem to care as much anymore... 1 Max''s expression was dark as ink. Since the government had decided, he could not do anything against it. He could only say, "Keep an eye on it, then. If we''re taking part, Kansas must win this. We must be the champion and crush Burlington!" ''Yes, Sir!" The assistant then left. At that moment, another man came in. "Sir, Dr. Umar is here." Max¡¯s eyes lit up. Umar was the star student of the legendary master of acupuncture. All these years, the Umar family had lived under the radar. Fredrick spent a lot of effort and money to even contact Umar. With him present, Waverly''s illness would be cured! "Invite him inside. Get some tea ready!" spoke Max as he walked out instantly. chapter 1134 chapter 1134 Waverly had woken up earlier to get ready. Even though she was in deep pain, she would not show her disoriented side to others. When Umar entered, her eyes lit up in an unnoticeable way. He was a clean-shaven man wearing a khaki-colored long sleeve top with a pale white jacket on top. Even though he had normal short hair, he looked like a prince from a fairytale. He emitted a clean, refreshing aura that made him unique from the rest. Anthony was too cold, Max was too powerful, while other celebrities were overly shallow. Every other man in the world was filled with the stench of filth and mediocrity. Umar, on the other hand, was a clean man who walked out from the mountain. As he approached, she could smell the faint smell of woods and books from him. i Waverly felt like her soul was baptized as she gazed at him, and it baffled her. ''Waverly... Waverly..." A voice pulled her out of her trance. Waverly snapped back to reality. "Apologies," she apologized instantly." Perhaps I didn¡¯t sleep well enough that I zoned out.¡± "Didn''t I ask you to sleep earlyst night? You couldn''t sleep again?" Max handed her a ss of water and introduced, ''This is the son of father¡¯s friend, Dr. Umar. He''ll force out the needle in you. From now onward, you won''t have to suffer again." "Really?" Waverly looked at Umar elegantly. Her tone was gentle and grateful as she spoke, ''Thank you, Dr. Umar." "Don''t worry about it; I''m a doctor. I''ll feel your pulse now,¡± spoke Umar as he pulled a stool by her side to sit down. Waverly reached out her hand and rolled up her sleeve. Her fair arm was exposed with that, her skin wless as the sleeve rolled up. However, Umar''s eyes were clear like an unpolluted stream. He focused on feeling her pulse. His face had no hint of emotion as if nothing could enter his vision. Waverly looked at him closely, and her heart fluttered involuntarily. How could there be such a clean and amazing man on earth? Her body and skin could impress any man with just a nce-she even remembered how Max looked when he saw her body. He was so astonished and impressed as he surrendered to her. i However, when Umar looked at her, it was as if he was looking at a piece of white paper, utterly emotionless. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Was he not into women? Just as she thought of it, Umar frowned, seemingly impressed. "Who administered the needle into you?¡± Was there such a highly skilled expert? Waverly lowered her head, unwilling to tell as if she did not want to badmouth someone else. Max said angrily, "It''s Charmine Jordan, that despicable woman. We have some issues with her, and she said she''d force out the needle if we give her what she wants. However, she didn¡¯t keep her word and made Waverly suffer all the while!" Umar frowned. She did not keep her word? "It''s wrong to lie indeed. This is her fault. I''ll force out the needle from Ms. D''Cruz now." As he spoke, he took out his bag of needles. There were 108 needles inside, every one of them thin like an eysh. They were delicately made. Max asked, ¡®You can force it out today? Is there something I can help with?'' ''This..." Umar thought of something, he looked at Waverly and said, ''The needle was inside you for a while now. I need to puncture all of the points in your body to force out the needle. Therefore, I¡¯ll need Ms. D''Cruz to take off your clothes..." chapter 1135 chapter 1135 Take off her clothes? Max frowned. "Is there another way?" He knew how perfect Waverly''s body was. Any man would go crazy for her. He did not want anyone else to see Waverly''s body! ''There¡¯s no other way," answered Umar. Waverly appeared indecisive, but after a while, she said to Max, "Brother, why don¡¯t you go out for the time being? It¡¯s more important to force out the needle. Furthermore, we came from a medical family. There''s no ¡¯man'' or ''woman'' for a doctor-we¡¯re all patients. Have you forgotten how many female patients Father meets every day?" 1 Max felt better after that. She had a point. Their father had to perform surgeries on countless women every day, performing breast enhancements, thigh suctions, and many more. With Waverly starting to get numb as a side effect, it was more important to force out the needle. He could only look at Umar. ''Thank you, Dr. Umar." "We''re friends, don''t worry," replied Umar gently. After Max had left, Britney helped Waverly to remove her clothes before she left as well. That left only Waverly and Umar in the room. Waverlyid on her back, her face blushing as she did. A man had not seen her in such a state for a long time, and he was even aplete stranger. This feeling was... She thought Umar would be impressed by a body like hers, that he would get worked up in some type of way. Little did she expect for Umar to instead speak to her calmly, "Ms. D''Cruz, it might hurt a little, but you''ll have to endure it. Once all points are punctured, you''ll be cured." 2 "Okay, you may go ahead. I''m not afraid of pain." Waverly closed her eyes. Umar picked up the needle and started pricking in different spots. His movement was so precise and fluent that one would not feel any pain. Waverly only felt as if an ant bit her; the pain was within her endurance. She could not help opening her eyes to watch Umar working on her. Umar was focused on pricking her skin. Even when he targeted the more private parts, he seemed utterly emotionless. He was like a stream in the mountain with no hint of impurities. He was like an uncut jade that could not be corrupted. Waverly looked at him and could not help recalling her previous self. Mayhaps others saw her with that impression. She had always wanted to be this kind of woman: clean, pure, and innocent. However, many things around her contaminated her, forcing her to be Umar... N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. When would she be as pure and clean as Umar again? Never, perhaps. Charmine was the root of it all! Charmine wrecked everything! Charmine Jordan! She would never let Charmine go easy! Her hands clenched tightly as she repressed her anger. After all spots were punctured, a tiny needle was forced out from her bloodstream. The originally shiny needle was full of blood. It was a terrifying sight. When Umar saw the needle, he frowned. Was this not the family needle his ancestor was asking them to find? This woman named Charmine used his family needle to cause harm to others? Where did she get the needles from? For the first time, he looked at Waverly with emotions. "Where does this Charmine live? I must find her!" Waverly elegantly wore her clothes as she asked, "Dr. Umar, is something wrong?" Umar said, ''To be honest, the Jordans'' ancestor might have stolen our family needles! I must speak to her!" If this was indeed his family needles, he must get them back! chapter 1136 chapter 1136 Charmine''s phone was bombarded with calls early in the morning. Luckily, she had it on a no-disturb mode, thus they only sent her texts. [Leon: Charmine, the idea you hadst night was spectacr! It''s nowing along with great feedback!] [Uncle Pop: The Association invited me to attend thispetition to get a ranking for our country!] 1 (Senior Jordan: Don''t worry, Charmine, I won¡¯t let the trophies end up in the hands of others!] [Kay: Boss Jordan, I''m observing those with Guy''s blood type. Currently, more than ten of them areing over to Burlington to attend this event.] When Charmine woke up and saw the messages, she smiled. Everything went as nned. Grandma Granger should probably stop pulling her tricks already. 1 As expected, Grandma Granger also texted her, [Charmine, the Association has briefed me, and I can see the goal of your n. Although it''s good to have some backup blood, if anything truly happens, Guy will be in pain. My intention isn''t to hear some backup n from you all-I want you and everyone else to ensure that no harm can be caused to Guy at all!] Charmine read and frowned. She replied, [As I''ve said, we''ll do all we can to ensure his safety. What else do you want? Tell me.] [Grandma Granger: My ultimate request is for you to let go of Guy and stop taking his blood. Is that possible? Now that Leon is helping you and even asked me to let go, he made it seem as if I''m being irrational. You''ll all understand my worries once you get old, though. I only want my grandson to be healthy, so is that too much? Whatever, you won''t understand anyway. Since this is all happening, there''s no use in me speaking more. You need another fifty days to be cured. In the next fifty days, I hope you all can take good care of Guy. Otherwise, the Granger family won''t forgive anyone! Ah, also, Leon signed a life-and-death contract to ensure us. If anything happens to Guy, Leon will be in danger.] 3 When Charmine read the text, she felt confused. Leon signed a life-and-death contract. This implied that nothing must happen to Guy, or Leon might... She replied to Grandma Granger, [Okay, I¡¯ll ensure Guy¡¯s safety, but I hope you''ll keep this between us. Grandma Granger should know that the Associations had many enemies, and many are trying to eliminate Leon.] In the room, when Grandma Granger saw Charmine''s reply, she frowned. Goodness... How could she have forgotten? If someone wanted to eliminate Leon from the Association, they might attack Guy. She already told Dior... Would she leak it all by ident? She instantly picked up her phone to call Dior. Dior was shopping in a big mall. Recently, Grandma Granger kidnapped Robert and attacked the Jordan Group to threaten Charmine. Knowing Charmine, she would hate the Grangers with a vendetta. Dior picked the most expensive health supplements and handed them to her bodyguards. "Bring these to the Jordan family. Just say it''s Guy''s gesture of apology to the Jordan family." ''Yes, Madam." The bodyguard took it from her and left. At that moment... Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. "Dior!" A gentle voice called out to her. chapter 1137 chapter 1137 Dior turned around and saw McKenzie walking toward her. A genial smile broke out on Dior¡¯s face as she walked up to her and hooked her arm around McKenzie. "McKenzie, long time no see! Fancy meeting you here!" "Yeah, what a coincidence! What are you doing here?" asked McKenzie, face looking concerned. They merely had a small age gap, but they both came from reputable families in Burlington. They went to the same school from a young age, so they knew each other well. Dior did not keep anything from McKenzie. "I''m sending some gifts over to my future sister-inw. I''m helping my brother court a woman. I want my brother to get married soon!" "Chase a woman? Isn''t your brother with Charmine?" McKenzie frowned, suspicious at what she was hearing. Dior sighed. "I don''t even want to talk about it. Don''t tell anyone else about this; I¡¯m only telling you. They''re both putting on an act. My brother likes Charmine, but she doesn''t feel the same way. He¡¯s given up on Charmine, but I haven''t, and that goes for my Grandma as well. Grandma even created a mess recently, and I was the one helping to fix things. How can she be so stupid? The more she attacked the Jordan Group, the less likely Charmine would marry Guy! Now, even an outsider has to sign a military order. Charmine will surely hate us! We¡¯re worse than the man Charmine just met!" 1 McKenzie, being perceptive, caught on to something but pretended to be curious and worried. "Grandma is overdoing it. Why would she force an outsider to sign a military order? Wouldn¡¯t that be rather awkward?" "I know, right? I think it''s weird. Uncle Lennon..." Only then did Dior feel like she over spilled, thus she shifted the topic. "Never mind, let''s not talk about it. What about you? How have you been? I''ve always wanted to see you. Didn''t your family ask you to be with Anthony? But he seems..." i "Do you think I like Anthony?" McKenzie''s red lips curled into a smile as she asked. Dior frowned; she was confused. McKenzie had always been more mature than other heiresses from a young age. Even though her family had a pre-arranged marriage for her with Anthony, she never glued herself to him. Instead, she focused on her career and work. 1 Despite being McKenzie¡¯s close friend, she did not even understand her. i McKenzie smiled. "Don''t worry, the man I like will only like me alone. If he doesn¡¯t like me, I won''t insist. Let it be." 1 The smile on her face seemed generous, but it was after she talked with Dior for a long while, exchanging stories and catching up that the smile tlined after Dior left. She phoned Max. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. "If I''m not wrong, Leon Lennon signed a military order on behalf of the Jordan family. Grandma Granger won¡¯t do anything to Charmine or the Jordan Group. You have been staying in the hospital for long enough, so it''s time to do something." 6 Max frowned. A military order? After a moment of thought, his thin lips curled into a smirk. "Interesting. The cautious Leon would sign such a thing for aplete stranger? Well, let''s say Guy is hurt, then Leon will be over. This would be a good thing for Kansas anyway." "I don¡¯t care what you do to Leon," McKenzie said coldly, "I only need you to stick Charmine to Guy as soon as possible!" "Don''t worry. Thank you for your information, though. I know what to do." i Max subsequently hung up as his gaze darkened. chapter 1138 chapter 1138 Max dialed his assistant and instructed, "Identify Leon Lennon''s enemies. I want their information." 1 N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. It was not long then that he received the name list that stated the names of many highly reputable figures in the construction industry. Max scanned through the list intently for a long time before his gaze locked onto the cruelest among them. With a highly encrypted messaging system, he texted, [Leon Lennon signed a military order.] He only wrote a few words, but they were enough. Knowing this person''s efficiency, he would be able to find out everything regarding Leon signing a contract to guarantee Guy¡¯s safety with his own life. 1 Meanwhile, Guy had his breakfast in Violet Residence. Just like yesterday, Yvonne personally prepared his blood-replenishing diet, and Guy finished his meal to replenish and sustain enough blood. Yvonne watched on with delight. "Is my meal so delicious? But I have to say, you''re the first person that I ever cooked for." ''Thank you." Guy used the tissue to clean his lips, never was one good with words. He stood up and was ready to leave before he was hit with a dizzy spell as his body swayed side to side. Yvonne was alert and went ahead to support him. "Are you okay?" Charmine, Anthony, and Nial wereing down from upstairs. Seeing what happened, the trio rushed toward them. Guy calmed down as he reassured them, "Don''t worry. Maybe I just didn''t sleep wellst night and felt dizzy." "I don''t think so. Tell me what you''ve felt in detail. You must be responsible for your own body as well as Charmine''s," instructed Nial. Guy stammered inwardly before he confessed, "I felt dizzy when I woke up. My vision went ck as if I was blind. When I got out of bed, I was dizzy for three minutes..." He did not tell anyone when it happened so as to not worry them. Nial frowned instantly. ¡®This is a ssic sign of severe anemia! Goodness... You need to be treated!" Anthony''s face sank. "Anemia? Did the medication Charmine took from Uncle Sam not work?" "Guess not. Guy won''t be having this severe symptom...¡± answered Nial. The atmosphere in the room became tense instantly. The thing they feared the most had happened. It made sense, however. They extracted 60 milliliters of blood from Guy every day, and that meant they took out 600 milliliters in ten days! He had a special blood type. His blood replenishing system was probably different from the ordinary people. Charmine thought things through for a moment before she spoke, "Nial, examine Mr. Granger¡¯s body thoroughly. Be prepared to transfuse him withpatible blood. I''ll contact those who have Rhnull blood type to get ready." "You stay at home, I''ll make the arrangement," assured Anthony in a low tone. He looked at Nial and Yvonne, ''Take good care of her this time. If anything happens again, I won''t be as forgiving." 1 Nial and Yvonne were scared. Why did it sound like he figured out what happened before? In unison, they answered, "Don¡¯t worry! Well take good care of Charmine!" Anthony red at the two and reached out to ruffle Charmine''s hair. "Don¡¯t be too kind to them-your safetyes first. Before I get back, don¡¯t leave the house." "Go ahead, I''m not a child." Charmine waved it off. Even though she was a resilient woman, he always treated her as if she was a little princess. Anthony left the vi and went to contact those with Rhnull blood type. chapter 1139 chapter 1139 Guy thought of how Charmine might have a migraine anytime, thus he took good care of his body and was very cooperative when Nial examined him. Inside the medicalboratory on the third floor... As Nial examined Guy, Charmine contacted Uncle Sam to inquire about the blood-replenishing medication. Uncle Sam replied, [Dear me, I forgot to tell you. Even though it''s effective, it takes at least ten days to be effective. It doesn''t work right away. Within these ten days, he must take good care of his body and living environment.] Charmine¡¯s heart sank. Ten days? Guy would suffer from severe anemia for the next ten days? If the medication would work in ten days, he should get better. Anyone would not be able to feel well after having 60 milliliters of blood extracted from them every day. She prayed inwardly that things went well on Anthony''s end. Hopefully, he could convince many people to donate blood. She prayed that Guy''s situation was not severe. Unfortunately... Guy seemed solemn as the test result came out. "It''s not an optimistic result. Since we¡¯re taking blood from him every day, Mr. Granger¡¯s body had a strange alteration. His body¡¯s immunity and blood -replenishing system had some serious malfunctions due to therge amount of sudden blood deficiency. This caused his body to go from healthy to having severe anemia. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen something like this happening...¡± Charmine frowned. "What can we do?" "Currently, the only thing we can do is to transfuse four hundred milliliters of blood into him and wait for the result to show," concluded Nial. Charmine frowned. He needed 400 milliliters in one go. Those with this rare blood type would not give out such arge amount of blood in one go. She wondered if thoseing to Burlington were willing to donate blood... The waitsted until night, and Anthony returned with unsavory news. There were 16 of them arriving in Burlington today... Half of them would not donate their blood no matter what. Those who were willing either caught a cold or had some chronic disease. In the end, only two volunteers met the requirements. To top that off, both of them were only willing to donate 200 milliliters of blood. They were afraid that something might happen to themselves. Charmine looked at the special medical box that Anthony had brought back. She frowned. There were 400 milliliters in total. What about tomorrow? What else would they do? Nial smiled optimistically. "Don¡¯t worry; others should be arriving tomorrow. At least we have some for now. Who knows, maybe he¡¯ll get better?¡± ¡®Yeah, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m fine. Anemia is nothing severe," Guy reassured them. 1 Anthony saw how Charmine frowned and how Guy had to reassure her-it did not sit well with him. He said to Nial, "Why don¡¯t you transfuse blood into him now?¡± ''Yes, right away!" Nial went ahead to prepare the bed and everything else." Here, Mr. Granger," he gestured toward him. Guy went over and sat down. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Nial prepared all kinds of advanced blood transfusion devices. Anthony instructed Yvonne, ''Take good care of Mr. Granger. He helped us a lot." "Of course." Yvonne thought of her mission, thus she pulled out a stool and sat down, asking with concern, "Mr. Granger, is there something you¡¯d like to eat? Do you want to tell me anything?" Guy was speechless. All he cared about was for his body to recover quickly. He did not want to worry Charmine and drag her down. He hoped he would get better after this blood transfusion... chapter 1140 chapter 1140 Charmine saw how well taken care of Guy was, and she was less worried. She turned and walked out of theboratory. Anthony followed after her. "Don''t worry," he coaxed, "I''ve arranged for them to convince the others." ''Yeah, but we can''t sit and do nothing. I''ll contact Kay to find out more and try to get more connections," spoke Charmine before she phoned Kay. Kay''s voice was heard, "Boss Jordan, I was just about to call you. There are thirty others with this blood type, but they''re not nning toe to Burlington. Two years ago, they joined the M35 Medical Research Association." Charmine frowned. "M35 Medical Research Association? What is that?" ''This is a research association targeting special blood types all over the world. They''re trying to research all kinds of advanced technology concerning hematology. They even attempted to create Blood Cloning Technology in the past five years." 1 Since embryos and many others could be cloned, the M35 thought that the blood type could be cloned as well. Once their research had seeded, there would be no more cases of people dying due to having a rare blood type. It was because they were busy researching on a daily basis that they had no time to leave the laboratory. Charmine frowned. These people were not even attracted to the Cultural Olympics despite having a medical research category. She spent so much money and effort to organize this event, yet they only had two volunteers? This was not going well... Seeing the frown on her face, Anthony reached out and ced his hand on her small waist, pulling her into his arms. ''Worried?" he spoke, voice low and hoarse. Charmine nodded. She had nothing to hide from Anthony. Anthony lowered his head and leaned toward her ear. "Call me your husband. I''ll attract another thirty people over if you do." "Really?" Her eyes lit up. He knew how to get them toe? Anthony''s thin lips curled into a smirk. "Of course." With that said, his eyes looked at her quietly as if waiting for something. Charmine thought of what he said; he wanted her to call him ''husband''... He was only willing to help if she called him that? They were outside the medicalboratory on the third floor. Anyone mighte out anytime. So many of them lived in the same vi, and the fact made her feel abashed. ''Why don¡¯t you do it first," she offered, "and I''ll call you tonight?" "I don''t take credits," Anthony reminded her. Charmine was speechless. She gazed at Anthony, and Anthony met her gaze. The two of them remained transfixed for a while before Charmine had to give in. Since she needed that favor, she had no choice. As she was about to say it, her throat felt tight. She was too shy to say it. Even though she had many intimate moments with Anthony, that they even appeared very intimate in front of Waverly when she lived here, she felt her cheeks burning as Anthony looked into her, waiting for her. The two-syble word was stuck in her throat, unable toe out... Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. The sight of a blushing Charmine sparked a glint of amusement within his eyes, i She looked so beautiful and they even slept together at night, yet the usually arrogant and wild Charmine could be this shy? He found her very cute to flirt with. Anthony''s hand around her waist tightened. "What? You want me to show you how?¡± Charmine was perplexed. ''To show her how''? What did he mean by that? Before she could react, Anthony lowered his head and whispered in her ear, "My wife..." His low voice was so maic and seductive, he sounded like the base note of a cello that resonated from the bottom of her heart. 1 They were too intimate, so close that Charmine could even feel Anthony''s breath. She blushed instantly, and her cheeks felt incredibly hot. chapter 1141 chapter 1141 Anthony''s voice was too seductive! Was he trying to make her pregnant?! 1 Charmine was about to push Anthony away by instinct when he trapped her and reminded her, ''Your turn." Charmine was baffled at this. Her turn... "Can you not y such a childish game?" "What do you think?" asked Anthony as he gazed at her with a half-smile. His tone was a reply in itself. Of course not. Charmine still had a pile of work to sort out and she had always been an independent woman, yet she- feeling like an elementary student at that moment-became flustered. 1 This was too unlike her character! She made a decision then, and with the goal of sorting this out as soon as possible, she forced out, stuttering, "Husband..." Her voice sounded naturally cold, yet it sounded so endearing as she muttered. Anthony''s body jolted. He felt as if an electric current coursed through him as his heart went numb. "Screw it. I¡¯ve changed the condition." He had his arm around Charmine''s waist and walked into the lift. Unsettled, Charmine questioned, "What are you doing?" ''You." One word-simple and straightforward. Charmine was unable to react for a long while, but when she did, her cheeks went hot. What was that? Anthony had the heart to pull that at this moment? Property ? N?velDrama.Org. She did not reject him, however, and allowed him to pull her into a room as the door then closed. A kiss caught her unprepared. Anthony had wanted to do this for a long time. He always felt like digging out his eyes whenever he saw Charmine with Guy, exchanging nces... even if there were people around them. Sure, they both had their marriage certificate, yet he still did not have that sense of ownership. He only felt secure if he held her this way. It was only after a while that Anthony released her. Charmine rubbed her numb lips and asked, somewhat irked, "Can you tell your conditions now?" "Are you sure this is the first thing you''re saying?" retorted Anthony. His voice was low with a hint of jealousy. 1 Charmine''s head turned quickly. Was Anthony jealous again, all because she wanted to resolve Guy''s issue quickly? What was wrong with this man?! Seeing that she was getting angry, Anthony said, "Don''t worry, I''ll ask Nial to look into somethingter. It''s some cloning equipment. Our men will attend the Cultural Olympics tomorrow. When they see it, they''lle." Charmine¡¯s eyes lit up. Why did she not think of this? The group was passionate about research, and if any innovative equipment appeared in the Cultural Olympics, they woulde! Anthony did it again! "Love you!" she blurted as she joyfully pecked him on his cheek, leaving a red stain of lipstick... Anthony''s eyelids jumped. She was so unwilling when he kissed her earlier, yet she so boldly took the initiative all of a sudden? Just because he was able to help Guy? He somehow found the kiss not sweet at all. In fact, he even felt like taking out the bodily weapon on his form... 1 Charmine no longer paid attention to him. When she left the room, she quickly took out her phone to send Uncle Sam a text that read, [Uncle Sam, are you free? I need a favor from you.] [Uncle Sam: Huh? What is it? I''m busy, I''m convincing William to eat..." It was only then Charmine was reminded of William. Was William still researching for her sake? chapter 1142 chapter 1142 Her fingers worked on the keyboard quickly as she typed to reply, [Tell William that he doesn''t have to work on my illness anymore. There''s no use. I only need Guy''s blood for another fifty days or so, and I''ll recover.] 1 In other words, 50 days would have passed and all efforts would be futile, even if William worked very hard and seeded. When Uncle Sam saw her reply, he phoned her right away. "Charmine, why don''t you say this to William yourself? I can''t talk him out of it. Oh, Charmine wants to speak with you..." said Uncle Sam to William in the end. Charmine grew taut. She was still inside the Vi and just gotten out of the bedroom, yet Uncle Sam asked her to talk to William? Anthony was already jealous of Guy, and if he overheard this... She looked back and saw that Anthony was not out yet. She quickly walked to the balcony by the end of the hallway and put the phone by her ear. William''s voice was instantly heard on the other end. "Don''t listen to Uncle Sam, Charmine. I didn''t do this research for you; I''m just interested in this toxin. I¡¯m a medical researcher, and I always liked to research challenging topics..." "Oh, well, take your time- there¡¯s no hurry. My illness will be cured in a month or so," replied Charmine. On the other side of the call, William''srge hand halted. It would be cured in a month or so? He would not be able toe up with an antidote within a month. 1 If he carried on, it would not help her anyway... "Ah, yes, you were looking for Uncle Sam earlier?" he spoke. "I wanted to ask if he has any medical technology design rted to blood research. If he does, I''m hoping he can attend this Cultural Olympics on Burlington''s behalf to bring pride to the country!" replied Charmine straightforwardly. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Fearing that Anthony coulde over at any time, she said, "Return the phone to Uncle Sam. I''ll talk with him." "Okay. If you need any help, just phone me anytime," bade William before he returned the phone to Uncle Sam. "Charmine, you mentioned the Cultural Olympics?" asked Uncle Sam. "You want Burlington to win it? Don''t worry; the Association has prepared something. We won''t embarrass ourselves in events like this. We won''t have any trouble getting in the top three!" Charmine was relieved to hear Uncle Sam''s voice again. She said, "It¡¯s not just that. Guy has developed anemia since he transfused blood actively, and I hope to attract the people from M35 Lab toe over. You have the most advanced technologies in Burlington. Just bring some over." Although Anthony said he would ask Nial to do the research, the opening was tomorrow. How would they have enough time? It would be more promising to have more hands working on it. Uncle Sam thought for a while before saying, "I almost forgot! I happened to have done an experiment rted to hematology half a year ago, and it might just capture their attention if I showcase the result. However, the project is only halfpleted, so I''ll need more time to work on it. Oh... What are you doing, William? Why did you remove all of the poison documents?" "You''re right," he began, "this poison is too rare, and the findings won¡¯t be too effective. Since we''re not in a hurry anyway, I¡¯ll work on the others." Uncle Sam was dumbfounded. He had been saying this to Wiim a few days now yet he never listened, insisting on working on it, yet he was willing to drop it all just because Charmine was the one who told him it was futile and to concentrate his work elsewhere? 1 "William is meant to work for you!" he blurted. "If only I knew how much he listens to you, I would¡¯ve asked you two to have a chat." When Charmine heard that, she frowned. Why would Uncle Sam say that out of the blue? chapter 1143 chapter 1143 Why did William do it? A sudden gust of cold air tingled down her spine just as she had the thought. It felt as if someone was staring at her from the back, incredibly forbidding. Charmine instinctively turned to look and finally noticed that Anthony had somehow walked to the balcony. His cloudy gaze observed her keenly with an ominous temperament. She was so terrified that her hands jolted, and her phone nearly fell. "An...Anthony...why are you here?" "If I''m not here, how would I know that my wife is secretly talking to another man behind my back?" spoke Anthony, his re aimed at her before itnded on her phone. His gaze felt sharp and thorny; it was as if her phone was a rival of his. 1 Charmine felt somewhat guilty. She was just talking regrly on the phone, yet he treated her as if she was cheating on him... Unfortunately, Uncle Sam did not have a good hearing and thus did not overhear Charmine talking to Anthony as he continued, "Oh, Charmine, look at how much William loves you. For you, he researched so much on the poison, and now he¡¯s starting to look at the documents to help with the blood project. I''m just saying...why don''t you consider being with William? With his family''s support, they might be able to pressure the Grangers into giving you the blood you needed obediently!" 1 Charmine was speechless. This was the first time she wanted to pluck out the hairs of Uncle Sam''s beard. "I have things to do here..." she gulped. "Talk to you next time..." Charmine instantly hung up then, yet Anthony''s temperament grew more menacing. Consider being with William? Talk to him next time? His gaze narrowed malevolently. "Charmine, what are you going to talk about with Uncle Sam next time?" Property ? N?velDrama.Org. That tone... The guilt-ridden Charmine hastily exined, "Don''t misunderstand us. I just wanted to provide some ideas for Uncle Sam." ''William likes you that much?" Anthony asked instead. It was as if he did not hear Charmine''s exnation as he instead asked pointedly. It was cut to the chase. Charmine was speechless. The truth was right there before them, and there was no point in denying it. After a moment of thinking, she decided to change the topic altogether." Don¡¯t Waverly and McKenzie like you a lot, too?" i Anthony squinted and countered, out of the blue, "So William is always pulling tricks on you, always trying to find opportunities to be with you?" 1 Charmine halted. Anthony turned this against her! If Waverly and McKenzie always tried to be with Anthony, then William would do the same! She wanted to deny it when she suddenly had a shback, back to three years ago... It was not long after the Uncles rescued her, and they prodded her to discover her potential before realizing she was good at many things. They even ced her and William for a project. Incredibly gentle and considerate, he took care of her during working hours. After work, when he saw how she was always alone and nking out, he would apany her under the guise of numerous work-rted excuses. She used to suffer nightmares those days, dreaming of Julian and Tiffany pushing her down the stairs and kicking her stomach. Whenever she woke up from the nightmares, she would always see him in his room across hers with the lights turned on for her... Her shback was cut when she heard footstepsing toward her. Charmine looked up to see Anthony approaching her. Ah, curses. Shended herself in hot soup! chapter 1144 chapter 1144 Anthony''s gaze was on her the entire time, thinking Charmine would respond to him quickly. What he did not expect was for her to drift away in her thoughts. It was apparent that the two of them had gone through something! ''You¡¯re thinking of another man in front of me? Have I been too lenient on you, Charmine?" His low voice was oppressive as he stood before her atst. i Standing at 1.8 meters, he towered over her like a mountain, and it daunted her. Charmine quickly snapped out of her thought and exined, "No... I¡¯m not trying to lie to you. William did take good care of me, but it¡¯s all in the past. You won¡¯t get angry because of this, right?" The way she questioned him made it seem like he would look childish if he was indeed angry at her past. Anthony was speechless... He did not notice how he had turned into this stingy partner who used to be generous. After being with Charmine, it felt rather sickening even if she was to look at another man. He did not hide this feeling as he eyed Charmine and said, "Don''t talk about your past, though I have the right to get angry in your present and future. You said you''d talk to Uncle Sam the next time? You''ll be contacting William in the future, then?¡± 1 "How could you wrong me this way? I said that to Uncle Sam, not William. I was even speaking to Uncle Sam about the technology. I''ve been keeping my distance from William. Would I still be here if I did want to be with him?" 1 Charmine desperately tried to prove her point, and yet... Anthony narrowed his eyes and red at her. "If you''re not here, where would you be? In his arms? His bed?" 1 His cold words haunted her slowly, and Charmine was bbergasted. This man was exaggerating things and was being unreasonable! She seldom tried to calm a man, and she thus grew helpless... Anthony never broke his gaze from her. "You talked to William behind my back today, so will you get more intimate with him behind my back tomorrow?" 1 Charmine was speechless. Who was going to save her? What could she say? She had no chance to speak. Anthony pressed against her and angled his face down toward her, putting his handsome face closer to her. 1 "If you''re not guilty, why did you try to hide this phone call from me?" he interrogated her. Charmine hastily stepped back a few before she found herself backed up against the balcony. There was nowhere else to go. He was getting closer as his masculine breath fanned her. Panicking, she had nothing else to say as she babbled, "Anthony, can you stop messing around?" "Messing around? So asking you questions is me messing around?" Hisrge hand pressed against the balcony as he leaned in closer to her. i Charmine''s cheeks burned red as he trapped her. What Anthony had said sounded somewhat familiar. It was as if she had heard it before. How peculiar... She then realized what it was after a moment of thinking. What he said was often heard in those dramas! However, it was usually the women messing around. How did Anthony take up this role? Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. It made her seem like a douchebag... 1 "I didn''t mean that," she coaxed in an attempt to calm him, "I only wanted to say that there''s nothing between William and l-honest. Don''t overthink it." "So you''re saying that I''m overthinking and messing around? Hmm?" Anthony¡¯s voice was low, and the atmosphere''s temperature seemingly dropped to an all-new low with it. Charmine was speechless... Goodness, it felt like talking would make no progress! She looked up at Anthony. "What do you want? Tell me, and I¡¯ll do it if I can.¡± chapter 1145 chapter 1145 Anthony''s gaze narrowed. ''You''d do anything I say?" ''Yes." Charmine wanted nothing more than to end this mess! If this went on, they would have wasted so much time with her saying the wrong things. Anthony ced both of his hands on the balcony as his body leaned forward. His clouded eyes bore into hers as he spoke, "As your man, I have the right to know things. That''s not too much to ask, no?" What? Charmine was dumbfounded. She snapped out of her daze a momentter. "What you''re saying is that I must report everything back to you?" Anthony nodded and said nothing. Charmine thought for a while. Perhaps it would be better to report things like what had happened today back to him. ''That''s not too much," she spoke. "I agree." "If it¡¯s not too much, then from now on, I must be around when you''re speaking to another man on the phone, especially those Uncles of yours and William!" said Anthony abruptly. 1 Charmine was perplexed. Did he not ask just to know things? How did things turn into this? She had to make the phone call in front of him. Knowing her Uncles, they would keep convincing her to be with William. Furthermore, if William spoke to her... ''What? You''re not okay with that?" Anthony''s big hand lifted her face by her chin. Charmine quickly agreed, "No, we''re good!" After they finished up this ordeal, she could find another time to speak with them to minimize their interactions. It was then Anthony''s expression grew calmer. He stood upright and said to her, "If I ever catch you speaking to them behind my back, I won''t be letting you off so easily." 4 "Okay." He was always right. As long as they could end this topic, she would agree to anything. However, Anthony was not done yet. "Now, you''ll have your punishment. Since it¡¯s your first time making the mistake, I''ll punish you by kissing me for one minute." i "Huh?" she croaked. "Punishment?" She was rattled for so long! Was that not her punishment? "I was just venting it all out," replied Anthony, "I was cooling myself off to ept your apology." 1 Charmine was speechless. This man was a dog with no heart! However, thinking of the more important matters at hand, it was not ideal to drag things out. She might as well ept it. Just a minute of kissing, was it not? It was not like they had not kissed before. 1 She took out her phone and started the stopwatch before she stood on her tiptoes, mming her lips against Anthony''s. Perhaps she was too determined or wanting to vent it all out, Charmineunched at Anthony so forcefully that he staggered and fell. Anthony fell backward while she fell on top of him. With a loud thud, Anthony was seated on the swing in the balcony with her pressing on top of him. This happened too abruptly, and even Charmine jolted. Before she realized what was happening, a voice was heard, "God! You two ... You two..." That voice... Charmine refocused and looked up to see Yvonne, Nial, and Guy! They were all right there! Guy''s blood analysis had to be carried out at different times to get rid of anomalies, so they had the first batch of blood transfused. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. They came looking for Charmine and Anthony, but they did not expect to find them in such a state... Charmine''s cheeks burned, but just as she wanted to sit up, Anthony hugged her by the waist and said, "Charmine, it¡¯s still daytime. Why the hurry? We have time at night." 1 This... This... This... What was he saying? Why would he say that?! He was using Charmine for being impatient by jumping on him in broad daylight! chapter 1146 chapter 1146 Charmine''s face grew hotter. She was already self-conscious when found on top of him, yet Anthony unloaded the responsibility on her? One might even mistake her for... The truth was that Anthony staggered and did not catch her... It was then realization dawned on her. A fully grown man like Anthony would not have staggered backward. It was impossible for him to not have caught her falling, i He must have known that Guy and the rest wereing, so he intentionally nned this fall. He did this to show off! Charmine was utterly speechless. It was on that day she found out how mean Anthony was! 1 "Come backter,¡± she spoke to the three. "Mr. Bailey and I have things to discuss..." Nial was the first to react. "Alright, we won''t disturb you anymore. You two... carry on..." 1 With that said, he pulled Guy away. Guy turned around with his ears and cheeks reddened. It stung, yes, but he wanted to be happy for them. Charmine and Anthony were so loving... No, they had always been loving and happy. After walking a few steps, Yvonne turned back to remind them, "It''s too narrow on the balcony. The bed is morefortable." Charmine waspletely at a loss for words. After making sure that the three had left, Charmine stood up and asked Anthony, "What now? Are you happy?" Charmine''s cold and handsome face jolted, but it was only a secondter that his hand rested on top of the swingnguidly. He seemed happy. 1 The white cor of his shirt had opened due to his movement, showing the fair yet muscr skin below his corbone. His throat, especially, was enticing, beguiling. He looked at Charmine and his thin lips parted, ''That''s so Charmine. You''re clever." 1 She instantly found out that he did it on purpose, and she even yed along with him. Charmine leaned on the fence, feeling her yell stuck at her throat. If she did not understand him so well, her days would be difficult! If she anxiously tried to exin herself to the three, she knew Anthony all too well that he would assume she was anxious that Guy would misunderstand. Luckily, she was clever. She looked at Anthony. "No matter if it''s Guy or William, I treat them as friends. Once everything is fixed, we''ll send Guy back. Before then, we have to sort things out first." Anthony''s face froze. He almost fell into Charmine''s trap. After all that, she still thought of helping Guy! "Of course we should deal with it, but not now," he spoke. "Come and sit." Charmine looked at him questioningly. "You want them to think I''m incapable if we go out so soon?" remarked Anthony. Charmine instantly understood what he meant, and her cheeks burned like ripe apples. If Anthony wanted to make a point, would they have to sit for hours? Those hours would go down the drain just like that... As expected, Anthony looked at her and asked, "So you want to stand for a few hours?¡± Charmine was speechless. She walked to the other side of the swing and sat down before she asked," Let''spromise. We¡¯ll go out in half an hour, alright?¡± "You want me to look bad?" countered Anthony. "Half an hour isn''t short at all," replied Charmine. "ording to data, Burlington menst around twenty minutes." 1 ''You looked into that?" Anthony spun his head to her and eyed her intently.Property ? N?velDrama.Org. chapter 1147 chapter 1147 Charmine gulped. Shended herself in trouble again! Why did she say that to Anthony? Was she asking for trouble?! Anthony noticed how herplexion turned red. Oh, how easy it was to toy with her. He reached out to ce her on hisp as he spoke in a half-whisper," Alright, I''ll stop teasing you now. Take a rest, and I¡¯ll wake you upter." She was so immersed in her work for the past two days, caught up with all the nning and preparation, that she only had two hours of sleep. She needed to rest. Charmine also knew Anthony too well that he would not go out anytime soon, so they would have to kill some time on the balcony. Since there was nothing else to do, she might as well sleep for a while. She shut her eyes and calmed herself to rest. Her thoughts still ran rampant, however. Charmine wondered how Uncle Sam was doing with the preparations. She wondered if they could garner the attention of M35 Laboratory. She wondered if Guy''s anemia was progressing for the better. When Anthony saw that she was frowning, he reached out tofort her," Don¡¯t worry and sleep. I''ll contact the other research teams. Burlington won¡¯t lose to other countries." His words eased Charmine. Anthony was right. Every country would want to fight for the first prize, and they would showcase their greatest projects for that to happen. With that, there would surely be things that could attract the attention of M35 Laboratory. Maybe Charmine was all worn-out after those two days, or maybe it was Anthony gently rubbing her forehead, but with his gentle strokes, she gradually rxed. As her eyelids grew heavier, she fell asleep, i Anthony''s eyes were filled with adoration at the sight of a sleeping Charmine. After making sure that she was asleep, he took out his phone and turned on the silent mode before he worked on it. Charmine slept for a long time, from early that noon tote afternoon-four hours in total. 1 Anthony did not wake her up. When he counted that it was about time, he gently ced her on the swing and proceeded to drape a nket over her from before he stood up and walked away. A thought urred to him just after taking two steps. He then turned back and put his face on Charmine''s lips. Even though Charmine wore no makeup at home, she would still put on a bright lipstick to look sharp. With that, a lipstick mark appeared on Anthony''s face. He walked out with satisfaction and buttoned his shirt as if trying to hide something, i Nial, Yvonne, and Guy were chatting in the living room, and all three of them jolted at the sight of Anthony. That went especially for Nial. He wanted to yell at him. He knew Anthony and Charmine had a good rtionship, but he did not expect Anthony toe out like this with a big red lipstick mark on his face! He even buttoned himself up as if hiding many more of this! Goodness! Was he so inconsiderate of their feelings? Although Yvonne was loud and bubbly, she was still a woman. She reminded him weakly, "Anthony, do you want to shower first?¡± "No need, you all came in in a rush. What was it about?" he spoke as he sat down, seemingly ignoring the mark on his face. 1 Nial thrashed and wailed internally. Anthony might not want to shower, but they wanted him to! 1 Could he not be more considerate of others'' feelings!? Only Guy remained more calm as he spoke, "It''s not too big of a deal, just take good care of Ms. Jordan." ''Who says it''s not a big deal? We''re waiting for Anthony to fix this!" Yvonne thought of the important matter and was worried about Guy. She said to Anthony, ''The test result is out. From tomorrow onward, Guy will need a hundred milliliters of blood each day. Where do we find that much for him?¡± 100 milliliters per day, and that equated to 1000 milliliters for ten days... 1 Things had gotten tough, indeed.Property ? N?velDrama.Org. chapter 1148 chapter 1148 After thinking for a moment, Anthony said to Nial, "Leave this to me. You and your medical team will get ready to take part in tomorrow''spetition." "Huh? Why would we take part in apetition at this time? Isn''t it toost minute?" questioned Nial. Anthony''s expression turned cold. "I need results regarding the blood type, and we must fight to get into the top five. Otherwise, you''ll be sent to Africa for a month." "Bro! Are you serious? Top five? In a day..." Nial wanted to protest, but Anthony sharply added, ''Top three!" He left no room for negotiation, rendering Nial speechless. How heartless! He was so caught up with Anthony''s matters that barely had the time to date girls. They were already full with work, yet Anthony decided to give him yet another important task? i He knew Anthony too well, though. There was no point talking him out of the things he had decided. 1 Nial could only bitterly leave, and Yvonne gazed at him sympathetically. "You don''t have to make it so hard for Dr. Nial, Mr. Bailey," said Guy. ''The result states that it''s only anemia, and it won''t affect my health within the next two months. I can go back to normal after then." Guy knew they were trying to get the attention of those with his blood type toe over through this event. Anthony''s eyes darkened. He thought Guy was a fool, but he seemed rather perceptive. Anthony''s cheek began to itch with Charmine''s lipstick stered on his skin. He took a tissue paper to wipe it off but when he saw Guy who was sitting in front of him, his hand halted and went ahead to rub his eyes instead. 2 After that, he tossed the paper away into the bin. He reclined on the sofanguidly, replying in a deep voice, "Don''t feel bad, Mr. Granger. You''re offering your blood to help my woman, and you''re saving Mrs. Bailey. It''s only natural that the Baileys will do all we can to ensure your safety." He emphasized ''my woman'' and ''Mrs. Bailey'' as he spoke, and Yvonne rubbed her arms as she sat at the side. Was Anthony not going too much into it? Still, she had never seen her cousin acting this way... Guy did not want to speak any further and could only let them be. Charmine had the migrae that same afternoon. Anthony personally transfused Guy''s blood into Charmine''s vein, but he noticed how tiny her arm was as he did. He remembered how Charmine looked when he first met her. She had normal-sized proportions, nowhere skinny, and was very attractive. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. However, he noticed that Charmine had somehow lost some weight. 1 Her fair arm had turned so skinny that he could easily grab it with his entire hand. He could close up his thumb and middle finger, and there would still be arge gap left in between. Her skin was very fair, so much so that one could see blood flowing in when blood was transfused into her. Her purplish-green veins were very obvious. 1 At that moment, Anthony''s heart sank. He was so used to seeing a dauntless, fearless Charmine. He always thought of her as an independent woman, yet at that moment, she leaned into Yvonne¡¯s arm like a frail, meek woman. Guy was staying by her side. His tall and well-built body made Charmine seem unusually smaller. When all of Guy''s blood had gone into Charmine, Anthony tossed the syringe into the disposable box. Yvonne knew her stance, thus she handed Charmine back to Anthony. Anthony sat down on the sofa and took her into his arms. He said to the two of them, "Go ahead on your day. I''m here." "Okay," answered Yvonne and pulled Guy away. Guy looked at Charmine worriedly and was inwardly furious. It felt like getting stabbed at his chest every time he saw Charmine in pain. She would not have to suffer such pain had his grandmother not been so meddlesome... chapter 1149 chapter 1149 Anthony''s gaze dulled when he saw Guy''s guilty expression. Charmine would not have to go through so much pain had he not stopped them from marrying. She would have recovered... He wanted to give Charmine the best, but he never thought... When Charmine regained her consciousness, she saw Anthony''s glum expression. She sat up and asked, "What¡¯s wrong? Are you afraid of blood?" That baffled Anthony. Did he look like someone who was afraid of blood? Instead of replying, hisrge hand held onto her small one and yed with it. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Her fingers were so fine and fair. Holding her hand was like holding a kid''s hand. He asked, "Does it hurt a lot during the migraine?" Charmine frowned. Why would he suddenly ask her such a thing? Not liking the tense atmosphere, her lipstick-colored lip curled into a smile. "Not a lot. Doesn''t hurt as much as finding out about you and Annabel." i Anthony''s gaze narrowed. Annabel... They had yet to find Annabel. There was no news about her at all. He had Luke and his men investigating in the past few days, and Charmine never really mentioned it, yet all of a sudden... Charmine ced her hands on his waist and sized him up. ''To be fair, I had so many thoughts about giving in to you and Annabel, but I gave up on them. After all...however nice Annabel was, it''s nothingpared to me smiling at you, right?" Her tone was confident and flirtatious. She sounded as if she was joking. Anthony''s heart softened. What Charmine tried to say was... She was able to read his mind with just a nce and used the incident with Annabel to get rid of his thoughts. She wanted to tell him that no matter how well Guy treated her, he was not the man that she loved, that Guy was nothingpared to him. She was an utterly considerate woman. He looked at Charmine''s clear eyes as hisrge hand tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "What are you going to do today? I want to apany you." Since she already had her migraine, she could go out for the rest of the day. Charmine''s red lips curled up. If he stayed with her, he would not have thoughts he should not be having. "I''d like to help out in theb to help us get a ranking tomorrow," she answered. "Alright, let''s go." Anthony helped her up with hisrge hand naturally wrapped around her waist. Charmine handed a tissue paper to him to wipe his face as they went out, but Anthony declined, "No need." "We''ll pass by many ces, and it''ll be troublesome if anyone sees this," insisted Charmine before she wiped the lipstick mark off of his cheek. "Isn''t it better for more people to see this?¡± he spoke. "What? You don''t wish the same?" He turned toward her and his warm breath fanned the side of her face and ear. Charmine was speechless. Since when did Anthony turn into this pervert? A reputable President of the Bailey Corporation would walk around the city with a red print on his face just to prove a point? Indeed, Anthony nned to do so, and he did not expect Charmine to forcefully wipe the mark off. It would not seem right if he went out like this. After looking around, he thought of something and his eyes glinted. Hisrge hand reached out toward Charmine¡¯s corbone. chapter 1150 chapter 1150 Anthony and Charmine were on the staircase between the second and first floor, and both Guy and Yvonne were downstairs. Charmine became somewhat nervous. They were in public. What would he do? Anthony''s hand reached into her cor and fished out Charmine''s ne from underneath her clothes, cing it outside her jumper. His thin lips curled up into a satisfying smile. "Alright, let¡¯s go." Charmine was speechless. Did this man have to do this? She lowered her head to look at the ne. He gave this to her when they were on that Ferris wheel ride, and she could not take it off ever since. Moreover, the brand of this ne was very special. He was obviously showing off their rtionship! Charmine hesitated. Their rtionship had not been officiated, and it did not help that many assumed Anthony was still with Waverly. It was not the time to officiate their rtionship, and if someone found out s, Anthony already had his hand around her waist as they walked out. When Guy and Yvonne saw them in the living room, they did not say anything, much to Charmine''s relief as she sighed. Of course, although this ne was special, it was unlike other jewelry as it was smaller in size. Most people probably would not know about this ne, right? i Even if she had it on, it would not make any difference. With that in mind, Charmine went out with Anthony at ease. She sat on the front passenger''s seat as Anthony drove them to theboratory in the forest. As the car pulled over outside, William happened to be bringing a box of trash out. He stood before the bin to separate out the trash. When Anthony saw him, his eyes darkened. Charmine was about to get out of the car when Anthony lifted hisrge hand and pressed on a button. Tick! A sound was heard as Charmine''s door was locked. One could only open it from the outside. Charmine frowned questioningly. What was Anthony doing? 1 Anthony said nothing as he unfastened his seatbelt and pushed open his car door. Following that, he walked around the car to Charmine''s seat to open the door for her. Charmine was mystified. This man was hopeless-he started showing off again. However, there was nothing she could do about it. She could only let him be. Being cooperative, she unfastened her seatbelt and went out. Anthony had his hand protecting Charmine from knocking her head until she went out before he closed the car door. He had his hand on Charmine''s waist as they walked over. When he saw William, he frowned. ''This is...¡± Charmine was speechless. Haha! Continue acting; the show must go on. Anthony had already dug out so much information about William and saw so many photos of him, yet she had no choice but to be cooperative. ''This is Dr. William from Kansas." i Anthony merely acknowledged it with a look of disbelief. "I''ve seen some photos of Mr. William in the magazines. I remember you as elegant, but you look..." His eyes darted from William''s head to toe before saying, "My apologies. Mr. William looks rather down to earth with dark circles. Sorry for not recognizing you.¡± 1 Charmine and William were at a loss for words. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. William had a paper box with a myriad of test tubes and special waste. Since he was glued in theboratory, he merely wore an ordinary pair of jeans with a white jumper, topped off with ab coat outside. He looked rather casual. Most importantly, William had been so busy in the past few days trying to help out Charmine that he barely had time to care about his appearance. chapter 1151 chapter 1151 William paid very little attention to his appearance, yet Anthony called him out for his dark circles and said that he could not recognize him... It was only then William realized he had been overly casual. Compared to Anthony, he was way out of his league. He regretted it. If only he knew Charmine wasing, he would have freshened up. 1 All he could do was bite the bullet. "I''ve been too busy researching things- my apologies to have embarrassed myself. May I know why you two came?¡± "I¡¯m here to apany my wife," replied Anthony as he gazed at Charmine lovingly. Charmine, on the other hand, was unsettled. Sure, Anthony spoiled her every other day, but he was never this explicit... Anthony said to William, "Even though Mr. William is busy, you should find time to rest. Your friends might not mind it, but it''d be hard for you to find a woman." 1 He spoke in a mature tone as if genuinely concerned about William, but Charmine knew Anthony was making it hard for William. Anthony did not like the idea of William constantly trying to help Charmine. He even wanted William to stop trying to help her! In other words, Anthony wanted William to get some rest, care about his appearance, and spend less time on Charmine, i As a man himself, William understood what Anthony was saying. However, he did not call him out on it as he instead invited, ''Thank you for your advice. It''s windy out here. Please,e on in." He walked in front of them and led them in as he spoke, giving off a friendly and approachable temperament as he did. Anthony red at his back and hisrge hands clenched tightly. The sense of danger arose again. Another rival! If Anthony was a woman, he would fall for this type of gentleman as well. Anthony could only sp Charmine¡¯s waist tighter and walked inside. Pulled against him so tightly, Charmine could barely breathe. She muttered softly, "No need for this... Can you loosen up? I can''t breathe Anthony lowered his head and whispered to her ear, "What? You don¡¯t want him to see you and I in love?" 2 His breath was chilly but also hot to the ear. Charmine''s mouth zipped shut as she could only let him hold her close as they walked in. Uncle Pop and the rest of the Uncles were in theboratory,ing over to help when they learned about the situation from Uncle Sam. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. The four of them were discussing the idea, but when they saw Charmine and Anthony walking in, their eyes popped out. Were their eyes fooling them? The usually independent Charmine was leaning into Anthony''s arms like a weak and small woman. Was this the same Charmine they recalled? The flustered Charmine had no other choice but to smile awkwardly and pulled a bluff, "I had motion sickness..." Everyone thought it made sense. So she looked like that because she had motion sickness? "So you also have motion sickness when you''re home?" spoke Anthony abruptly. Charmine was bbergasted. He was exposing her! He was iming that she also leaned in his arms at home! She was the Boss Jordan! How would they look at her in the future? Seeing how awkward she was, William changed the subject. "Ms. Jordan came here today to learn about the progress of the blood cloning devices, yes? We happened to be having some disagreement." "Oh? What is it?¡± Charmine was quick to jump into the topic of work, much to Anthony¡¯s displeasure as his eyes dulled. Was William being considerate to Charmine? He was so caring that he helped her to get out of the awkwardness? Also, Charmine was that impatient to change the topic. Did she find it awkward for them to publicly disy their affection? She was chatting up with William so naturally as if they were husband and wife! chapter 1152 chapter 1152 Charmine failed to sense Anthony''s reaction, and nobody else realized it either. William exined to Charmine patiently, "Basically, Uncle Sam invented IMU medication targeting the special blood type, and once ingested, it can help the person with a special blood type to improve his immunity and coagtion. With this medication, the percentage of having a blood disease for those with special blood types could go down sixty to eighty percent. Furthermore, when one injures himself, this medication could instantly activate the body''s system to effectively activate rapid coagtion.¡± 1 Charmine frowned. "Isn¡¯t it good?" ''The problem is that after a day of research, we found out that we can only keep one of the two benefits. In other words, we either keep the boost of immunity or the improvement of coagtion, and no matter which benefit we keep, the following experiment might fail. If we pick the right benefit, the chance of seeding would be ny-nine percent. If we''re unlikely, the entire project will fail," confessed William. Everything dawned on Charmine. No wonder it was so challenging. They truly needed to analyze the data. "Wait for me in the waiting lounge," she said to Anthony, "I''ll need to have a look." She walked to the side and picked up the whiteb coat as she spoke, putting on medical gloves and a mask afterward. Anthony wanted to stop her but his lips moved slightly with only a word uttered, "Okay.¡± Theboratory was covered in ss doors. When Charmine and the group went in, the ss door automatically closed off. Charmine, Uncle Sam, William, and the rest were in a circle as they analyzed the data. Since the working desk was huge, the few Uncles casually pushed William over and he somehow ended up standing beside Charmine. 1 However, Charmine was too focused on work that she did not realize it. While she was no doctor, she had sharp observation skills that enabled her to reveal details that many others could not. Anthony sat in the waiting area as he watched everything through the ss door. Charmine stood upright before the working desk as she peered into the microscope from time to time and tucking the fallen hair strands behind her ears. She seemedmitted, exuding the beauty of a mature woman in every move, incredibly alluring. A possessive me was ignited within Anthony. A woman like her should be kept at home; only he was allowed to look at her beauty. 3 s, William stood beside her and looked as though talking to her. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. The two of them got along well as if they were an old, married couple. Hisrge hands clenched tightly. He had a sense of emotion that he could not control, but he heard the words that Grandma Bailey said to him, "Oh, Anthony, I know it''s hard for you to ept another man around Charmine, but you need to know that no woman likes a stingy and narrow-minded man. You have to keep your cool to appear more attractive so she can fall for you." Anthony closed her eyes and frowned for a while before easing up. At that moment, arge hand patted Anthony''s shoulder, and he opened his eyes to see that Uncle Zul had somehow walked to his side. Anthony greeted, "Professor Zul." "Just call me Uncle Zul. You and my granddaughter are almost the same age. Charmine calls me Uncle Zul, too." Uncle Zul sounded genial as he sat down beside Anthony, i A spark of warmth was found in Anthony''s gaze upon hearing his words. If Charmine called him Uncle Zul, it was only natural he called him Uncle Zul. His lips curled up. "I''d like to thank you for taking Charmine all these years." chapter 1153 chapter 1153 "Oh, don''t say that. We should be thanking her for having such potential." Uncle Zul had a friendly twinkle in his eyes as he spoke. He looked at Charmine who was inside. ''You know, Charmine truly is impressive. Back then, the few of us were researching in theboratory when she suddenly barged in. It was a national secret and we had to kill anyone else who knew. With that, we decided to shove her in the basement and do some things to her..." Mentioning that, Uncle Zul seemed guilty and wished he could p his face for that. He quickly continued, "Charmine is highly intelligent with strong survival skills. She never gave up, even with a slight hint of hope to live on. I remember how we kept her in the basement, trying to starve her to death. Ten days had passed and when we went down to find her, guess what we saw?" "Hmm?¡± Anthony remained quiet as he waited to hear more, yet displeasure began to swirl in his eyes, i He thought these old men adored Charmine. Who would have thought they tried to starve her to death before? Uncle Zul continued, "We believed she was dead back then, but there was no sign of anyone in the basement! A young woman like her used her nails to dig out a hole on the cemented ground. She then used the cement to dig out a pathway going out! The pathway was precisely calcted to be the most precise spot with the shortest distance. I''ve only seen this in those prison dramas!" 1 Mentioning that, Uncle Zul still sounded very shocked and impressed. Anthony''srge hand in his pocket tightened. She used her bare hands to dig into the cement? How her hands must have bled... How much pain did she feel back then? How determined was she to get out? Uncle Zul continued, "Luckily, her body gave in and she fainted in the middle of the pathway, or we wouldn''t have caught her if she got away. Her fingers were mashed with the skin rubbed off, leaving only her pinkish flesh with lots of dried blood, i "We all pitied her and couldn¡¯t think of killing her, thus we sent her to the hospital. Guess what they found? Her stomach was full of straws-those that were laid out on the basement floor. During the ten days, she ate the dried straws to fill up. Since there was no water, her esophagus was scratched and broken-" 2 Bam! A loud m was heard as Anthony mmed his fist against the tea table. His expression was vicious. "Stop talking." He might lose control and stab everyone if Uncle Zul continued. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. He respected these seniors before, but he never expected that they were monsters! Luckily, no one in theb heard it as the room was soundproof. Uncle Zul quickly pulled Anthony to sit down. "Don''t be angry," he blurted," hear me out. "We were just executing direct orders from our superiors; we had no other choice. We learned our mistake afterward, and we''ve tried to make it up to her throughout the years. I''m telling you this in hopes you¡¯d understand how much we treasure Charmine. She can kill us if she wants, but nobody is allowed to hurt even a strand of her hair!" 1 Mentioning that, Uncle Zul looked at Anthony and muttered, "We want her to be happy, more than anyone else. To be honest, we prefer William..." 1 Anthony¡¯s glower contorted into silent fury. It looked like the sky before a storm. chapter 1154 chapter 1154 Putting aside that they hurt his Charmine, he even admitted to his face that they preferred William? Uncle Zul had seen many things, but a livid Anthony sent chills down his spine. Recollecting himself, Uncle Zul continued, "We watched William as he grew, and we understood his personality and thinking. He genuinely loves Charmine and treats her well. If you want us to approve you, you must be more outstanding than William! If you ever hurt Charmine for the slightest bit, we won¡¯t let you off easy!¡± i His body straightened as he spoke, looking proud and confident. However, Anthony seemed as if he did not hear this. His eyes were cold as he red at Uncle Zul coldly. "Since you''ve owed her so much already, none of you have the right to stop her from liking who she likes! If you truly care about someone, you don''t force her to do what you say. You''d support her decision instead!¡± 1 Anthony¡¯s voice was stern and disciplined as if he was lecturing a child. Anthony stood up and buttoned his suit. "Excuse me.¡± With that said, he walked over and put on a whiteb coat. Uncle Zul was stunned as Anthony¡¯s words rang in his ears. "If you truly care about someone, you don''t force her to do what you say. You''d support her..." "Support her..." By then, Anthony had buttoned up hisb coat before he pushed the ss door open and entered. When those in theb heard the door and turned to look, they were all shocked. One had to admit that he had a good outlook. Even though he was a President, he instantly looked like a professional academician after putting the lab coat on. Since he was very tall, one had to look at him with awe and respect. The Uncles jolted the moment he came in. Even Charmine was perplexed. She had not seen Anthony wearing ab coat for a long time. Thest time she saw it was when he was researching the antidote for Annabel. This man did look good. Her gaze narrowed as she asked, "Why did youe?¡± 1 Anthony had not been involved in this field. He mostly worked on trades, so he should not know much aboutboratory work. "I came to wipe off your sweat for you," he responded as he walked toward her, seemingly ignoring everyone else, and took out his handkerchief to wipe the sweat off of her forehead. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. His movement was gentle like water. His eyes were filled with pity and love. He always thought Charmine was a powerful woman until moments ago, when he learned that she was strong due to all the pain she had gone through. He did not want her to overwork even if it was for one second. Charmine frowned. Why did Anthony seem somewhat strange all of a sudden? The people around them were definitely not used to this. They were working, yet Anthony came right in to publicly disy his affection! After tucking Charmine¡¯s hair behind her ears, Anthony pulled over a stool and said to her, "Sit on this. Take care of your body." Charmine was dibobted. Sit on this, he said? Was she that weak? Anthony did not give her a chance to decline as he turned to everyone else. "Apologies, but my wife was tortured inhumanly before, and her body is weak. She can''t stand for long, so be mindful of that." 1 His mature voice sounded hurt as he implied other things, and he surely did not forget to nce at the Uncles as he spoke. They instantly felt guilty. Inhumane torture... Was he referring to them? William was the first to react. chapter 1155 chapter 1155 ''True, Ms. Jordan should take care of her body," said William. "It''s okay to sit. Let''s continue, shall we?" ''Yeah, let''s continue. We''re running out of time," Uncle Sam chimed in. Uncle Pop looked at Anthony. "Mr. Bailey, why don''t you wait outside? We''ll let you know when we''re done." "No need. I''ll watch from the side. I won''t cause any trouble, so do carry on," spoke Anthony as he backed away to minimize his sense of presence. Everyone else was dumbfounded. It felt oppressive with him standing there, as if they were watched over by their supervisor. How could they continue their work like this? Charmine wanted to ask Anthony to leave when she recalled all the simr incidents in the past. With Anthony abruptlying in and treating her so well, perhaps it was due to her being too close to William and that he got jealous. If she asked him to leave, he would surely ask, "What? You¡¯re afraid that my presence will prevent you from flirting with William?" 1 Charmine got goosebumps as she recalled his tone and his dark gaze. She said to them, "Let''s continue. ording to n A that we analyzed, my spection is that the rate of sess is..." She went back to work as the rest refocused as well. Although the other Uncles were not in the scientific field, they had high intelligence quotient and could thus provide some ideas.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Initially unsettled, Charmine reeled everyone back on track quickly. Anthony sat in the corner as he gazed at Charmine gently and sympathetically. If only he met her earlier... He was not there during her most painful years, so he had to work harder for her. When he saw Charmine about to reach out to get water, he walked over to open a bottle of water for her. When he saw Charmine about to tuck her hair, he walked over to help her. When he saw Charmine reaching out for the documents, he handed her the documents before she could get up. 1 Charmine felt her scalp numbing. Anthony was unusually different. Would he act like this in front of people and ask her to repay his favor? Thinking closer, she barely interacted with William, though... She felt anxious about this. Since she had sat for a few hours, she said," Have a break; we¡¯ll continue later." "Okay." The Uncles felt relieved as they instantly went out through the ss door to get some air. Charmine''s shoulder felt ufortable, but as she was about to rotate her shoulder, Anthony suddenly walked behind her. He raised his hands and ced them on her shoulder to massage her with the right pressure. Charmine instantly felt her muscles rxed as the difort slowly receded. However, Anthony''srge hands were hot and she was terrified by that. She quickly said, "It''s okay, go and get some rest. Don''t worry, I''ll keep my distance from William." Anthony frowned. William? He knew she had misunderstood him, so he exined, "It''s not because of him. I simply wanted to be nice to you." Charmine was confused. Hrious. Why would she believe him? Had Anthony ever been so caring to her before? 1 He was not as caring, even when he was trying to get her. Of course, she would not say this out loud and instead nodded. "Okay, I''ll treat it as you purely wanting to be nice to me." Anthony frowned. It was obvious she did not believe him! Suddenly, he grabbed her hand and pulled her over. They stood face-to- face as he grabbed her by the waist. chapter 1156 chapter 1156 Only Charmine and Anthony were left in the ss room while the rest were outside. Some went to get drinks while some went to get food. One only had to turn back to see the two of them inside the ss room. Charmine was anxious-she did not like public disys of affection. She reached out to push Anthony away. "Let go of me, I-" "Charmine darling," his low and seductive voice was heard as he cooed at her lovingly. Charmine''s heart instantly skipped half a beat. This was his first time calling her name, and it felt earnest... Anthony hugged her as his gaze was fixated on her. "Whatever you need in the future, just tell me. If you don''t like anyone, you don''t have to do it yourself. In other words, let me do it for you. Just sit back and be my wife." His mature voice was very loving. Charmine''s eyelids fluttered. Did Anthony have a fever? Why would he say such things? The corner of her eyes saw William standing outside, and she instantly understood. Anthony must be showing off, and he wanted to show her how good of a man he was! 1 He was using a new trick to try to make her like him more. He wanted to win against William! "Actually, Anthony...you don''t have to. You''re already very nice to me, and I won''t fall for others. I, Charmine Jordan, won¡¯t fall for anyone else." Anthony was stunned. She must have misunderstood him again! Whatever, let her think of it then. As long as he treated her well. He reached out to hug her as hisrge hand gently tucked her head against his chest. "Rest, Charmine." Charmine frowned as she felt the goosebumps again. Could she move? She dared not! This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Anthony''s jealousy red just because she was researching with William, even with the Uncles around, and he would go out of his way to win her heart. If she pushed him away now, he would probably say the same thing, "What? You don¡¯t want him to see us being lovey-dovey?" The awkward Charmine had no other choice but to lean into him, yet as she did, she heard Anthony¡¯s stable heartbeat and somehow calmed down. She realized that she could smell Anthony''s attractive masculine scene. With her face against his chest, she could feel his muscr chest. This position made her face turn red and her heart raced. However, she had to maintain this posture and allowed his scent to overwhelm her. Outside the ss door... The Uncles wereing back with fruits and wanted to ask Charmine and Anthony to have some but saw them hugging instead. The ice-coldboratory was warmed with such a romantic sight. Uncle Pop sighed. "William, if only you had half of Anthony*s shamelessness, you would¡¯ve ended up with Charmine a long time ago!" William picked a seat that was not facing the ss door. He did not want to see what was happening there. His lips curled up. "You can''t force feelings. As long as Charmine is happy." "Sigh! If Anthony had your mentality, he wouldn''t have ended up with Charmine!" blurted Uncle Sam. Wiim frowned, not understanding what he meant. Uncle Pop chimed in, "You don''t know about it. Charmine treated Anthony just like how she treated you. In fact, she even hated him. She didn''t like Anthony, but he used all kinds of ways to get her! If only you made some effort, you would¡¯ve won her!" William frowned. If he truly did exert efforts, would he have won Charmine over? Was that so? Somehow, the words went right into his heart. chapter 1157 chapter 1157 Inside the ss room... Anthony hugged Charmine for a long time before letting her go. "I''ll send you home to rest, Charmine. I''ll ask Nial toe over and help out." "Huh? That''s not good..." Charmine frowned. She came here to publicly disy their affection instead of helping out, and all of a sudden, she had to leave? Nial had been researching for a whole day. Surely he needed some rest, no? "It''s fine," assured Anthony. So long as she could rest. He hugged her by the waist and walked her out. When the Uncles saw theming out, they greeted, "Come and eat some of this. It''s Charmine''s favorite finger lime.¡± Finger lime was a thumb-sized special fruit with a lime skin outside, but there would be green pearls like caviar inside once opened. This fruit was simr to caviar; limited and precious. They were used as seasonings. However, the finger lime the Uncles invented was just like caviar-sour and sweet with a good texture and of high quantity. When Charmine heard finger lime was served, she walked over to sit down. "I haven¡¯t eaten this for a long time! Anthony, why don''t youe and have a try?" she picked up a finger lime and broke it into half as she spoke, handing the one half to Anthony. Anthony frowned. He did not like sweet and sour things, but he still walked over to take it from Charmine. He sat beside Charmine and frowned. "How do you eat this?" Charmine already poured the small pearls into her mouth with only the skin left, and his question made her frown. "Huh? You never tried one before? Impossible!" "Yeah, I haven¡¯t. Teach me," spoke Anthony in a straight face. The helpless Charmine could only take the finger lime from him and feed him as the rest watched speechlessly. 1 How would a person like Anthony not have eaten a finger lime before? He obviously wanted Charmine to feed him! Even William''s gaze changed. His family had taught him to be a good man and to never lie from a young age. It was on this day that he learned that a man could be so...fake! At that moment... Ring! Ring! Anthony''s phone rang. He took it out to see it was Nial calling. Perfect timing. He needed to speak to Nial as well. Since the Uncles were talking and it was noisy, he went close to Charmine''s ear and whispered, "I¡¯ll go get this. I''ll bring you hometer." Sure, they were just words, yet her ear was fanned with his breath as he leaned too closely. Charmine tried to keep calm as she uttered, "Okay." Anthony stood up and walked out, but it was after two steps forward that he remembered something and turned back to her. "Oh, and it¡¯s delicious." Four words. Hoarse and maic. Charmine''s face flushed red. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. He meant the finger lime was delicious, but did he need to say it with such a tone? 1 She thanked her lucky stars that Anthony finally left! When he stood outside theboratory, he spoke into the phone, "What is it? Tell me." "Big news¡¯ Big news about the research you asked me to do!" gushed Nial excitedly. chapter 1158 chapter 1158 Nial was intentionally fishing for attention. "Have a guess, Bro. Guess if it¡¯s good or bad news." "Just tell." Two words, uttered coldly and straightforwardly. Nial facepalmed. How boring. Could he not y along? However, knowing Anthony''s personality, he had to exin, "Didn''t you ask me to research the blood type? I suddenly discovered an important piece of information! Someone used to have an ordinary type A blood, but after a test, she suddenly turned into an A3 blood type! This shows that a human¡¯s blood can have drastic changes. We then researched this, and if it goes well, we¡¯ll have results by tonight!" Anthony frowned. He turned to look inside and saw that Charmine was still sitting in there. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. She would stay to help if Nial did note, but on the other hand, Nial¡¯s research seemed important... Nial thought Anthony would be happy for him, but he never expected for him to be replied with silence instead. "Bro, you alright?" he asked. "Why are you not speaking? Isn''t this great news? Why did you make it seem so bad?" "Bring it over," came Anthony''s abrupt reply. "Huh?" Nial was perplexed. Anthony repeated himself, "Bring your research to thisboratory. When you work on your project tonight, help out William and his team." "What?" Nial jumped out of the sofa. "Bro, are you kidding me? Was I hearing things? Do you know how challenging my project is? I haven''t eaten for the entire day because of this project. The sess rate is now only fifty percent, and you want me to help out others? Do you want me to die out of fatigue?!" 2 "And do you want your sister-in- law to die out of fatigue?" retorted Anthony. Nial instantly realized that it was because of Charmine. "But Charmine is just providing minor support to William and her Uncles-it won''t take up too much energy. If you want me to take care of two projects at once, I might not make it till the next sunrise!" "She can''t overwork, so you try your best," spoke Anthony as he removed the phone from his face, ready to hang up. Nial cried out, "Bro! I know you''re not concerned about Charmine overworking. You just don¡¯t want Charmine toe close to William, right? Why don''t I arrange forthem to send William away?" Anthony was speechless. Why was it that even Nial thought he was being jealous? Why could he not just treat Charmine nicely with pure intentions? 1 He did not bother to exin anymore and hung up, leaving Nial hanging andmenting his fate. Ah, curses! Anthony would rather kill Nial due to his jealousy! How could he do this? Inside theboratory... Charmine was leaning on the sofa as she listened to the Uncles talking, but her ears grew numb. Somehow, she closed her eyes and gradually fell asleep. The voices of the Uncles became softer. Uncle Pop looked at William. "Get her a nket." William felt awkward. He would not have hesitated back then, but since Charmine had someone she fancied, he seemed more of an extra... "The nket is with the other housing items," added Uncle Sam. "You want old men like us to go and get it?" William had no choice but to stand up and get the nket. Once he found it, he came back and draped it gently over Charmine''s form just as the door was pushed open. Anthony came back! When Anthony came in, he saw Charmine sleeping in the dim light. chapter 1159 chapter 1159 William was standing beside Charmine as he draped the nket over her caringly, and while it was a normal gesture, Anthony felt something in the air that caused him difort. Anthony slowly paced toward them. Uncle Sam stood up and softly spoke, "You can''t be jealous, are you, Anthony? Charmine and William are good friends..." Anthony said nothing in return as he raised his index finger before his lips. ''Quiet/ it meant. Nobody knew what he was thinking, so nobody made a sound. Walking toward Charmine, he cautiously took her into his arms before he slowly turned to walk out. The rest of them exchanged nces. What was Anthony doing? Was he so jealous that he did not want to speak with them? Anthony was once a decisive and swift man, yet at that moment, he was so gentle as if carrying something incredibly precious. 1 The sight was shocking. Everyone watched as Anthony oh-so gently brought Charmine to the back of the car andid her down. Perhaps it was his breath that gave her a sense of security, or perhaps his movement was too gentle, but Charmine was not woken up at all. He gently closed the car door and went back inside, where the Uncles and William remained. Anthony softly exined, "Apologies, but I didn''t want to wake Charmine up. Sorry to be rude. Don''t worry, Mr. William covered my wife in a nket so she won''t catch a cold, and I''m only thankful for that. Why would I be jealous?" i They all thought they had just seen a ghost. Was this the same Anthony they did the background check on? Since when had he be so gentle? Anthony said, "Since my wife is now sleeping, I''ll be sending her home. Goodnight." He nodded his head politely and got back to his car, turning on the engine with the silent mode activated. 2 The car gradually drove away at 20 miles per hour. It was a big luxury car traveling at the speed of a tram... Long after they had left, the Uncles were still unable to react. Only Uncle Sam sighed, "Why do I suddenly find this man not too bad?" The rest of them were speechless. Really? Although Anthony seemed like a civilized person, he did not look like one. William, meanwhile, watched as the car drove away, his eyes pooled vaguely with emotions, i It waste at night and almost 12. The nightlife in Burlington was just about to start, and the map reflected that with the notification of traffic up ahead. Naturally, there would be honking. Anthony turned back to look at Charmine. She had lost a lot of weight recently, so much so that her body seemed small under the nket. His ears rang with the Uncle''s words. She used her bare hands to dig into the cement, her stomach filled with straws... She had been through so much. He did not want her to get harmed at all. After a moment of thought, he picked up his phone to send Luke a text. Luke had fallen asleep, but Anthony''s message always had a special sound. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. He weakly woke up, but as he read the text, he jumped and almost fell off the bed Anthony did that!? chapter 1160 chapter 1160 It was sote at night, yet Anthony sent him such a text! [Ban any honking on Burlington Highway tonight through the radio station. Nobody can make any noise! The surrounding shops are banned from ying music and any activity with sound!] Luke was exasperated Goodness, gracious! There were so many pubs and clubs along the way that woulde to live at night, and there would surely be honks and ring music. How could he stop the cars from honking? How was that remotely possible? What if this caused idents? s, this was an order from Anthony. He had to obey him. Luke could only get out of bed and started contacting the radio stations. Following that... That night, the cars passing by the area suddenly had their cars'' radio station forcefully turned on with the following announcement resounding: "Dear drivers, due to an emergency situation, we have to make this announcement. There¡¯s a researcher traveling down the road. She has a sleep disorder and hasn''t been sleeping for seven days. Tonight, she finally managed to fall asleep with her husband¡¯s help. We hope the drivers in this driveway could refrain from honking or making any noise. Please help this researcher; we can all make the world a better ce..." Perhaps it was due to the identity of being a ''researcher'' that everyone respected this person, and the road fell into a pin-drop silence! The clubs and pubs suddenly received emergency notice saying that someone wasing over to examine them. They faced the danger of running out of business! Instantly, everyone cleared out and the clubs closed down. The originally bustling city went instantly quiet. The cars relied on the traffic light. Even though the city was busy, there was no noise as if it was a muted city. Anthony parked the car by the side until he made sure the area up ahead had no noise before driving forward. Charmine was oblivious to the changes, and it was perhaps she was too tired, so she slept for a long while. She did not wake up even after they had arrived. Meanwhile, at the Royal Hotel... Max received thetest news: [Anthony and Charmine called for many researchers. They want to get a ranking in tomorrow''spetition to attract the people from M35 Lab.] He frowned. Guy was in need of his blood type, and if those people came, things would get rough on Max''s side. If Burlington won, Kansas would look bad. He had to stop it, no matter what! After making some ns, Max asked his special assistant, "How''s it going with Eugene Lowre?¡± Eugene Lowre was Leon Lennon''s rival. He had always wanted to get rid of Leon to take his ce. The assistant replied, "He had learned about the paper that Leon signed. He¡¯sing up with a n." Max smirked. "Send him thetest news!" Ha! Knowing Eugene''s personality, he would do all he could to prevent Charmine from getting a ce! With that, Max could use Eugene to stop Charmine without anyone knowing it. Furthermore, Kansas could then earn a ce and crush Burlington! This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Once Charmine lost and failed to attract the people from M35 Lab, Guy would be in danger. Ha! He was dying to know what else they could pull out. Max did not notice Waverly standing behind the corner down the hallway. She frowned and her eyes darkened. Although Max''s n could kill three birds with one stone, it was far from enough. She had to make it moreplicated! She secretly texted Britney, [Have Guy harmed, severely.] When Charmine woke again, it was already seven in the morning. chapter 1161 chapter 1161 Charmine felt refreshed and rxed after a good sleep. She sat up, slowly frowning when she saw the clock hanging on the wall. It was seven in the morning! What happened? Was she not inside theboratory? How did she get home? She wanted to help out in the research yet had fallen asleep. Had they seeded? If they failed, they would not be able to participate in this day''spetition, and they would not be able to attract the people from M35 Lab subsequently. As she was about to get out of bed, the door was pushed open. It was Anthony, d in a pair of casual ck pants with a white shirt. He seemed friendlier without the suit. He had a ss in his hands filled with tea. Seeing that she had woken up, Anthony walked to her and began, "Go and wash up, I''ve made you tea. You must drink this every morning." Charmine frowned. "Tea?" What was this about? Anthony had not given her anything like this before! Just as she internally debated with herself, she heard her phone beeping. She lowered her head and noticed it was a text from Dr. Weir. "Charmine, you must drink the tea Anthony brought home for you! He came to me in the middle of the night and dragged me out of bed to give him the one-of-a-kind tea that I''ve kept for decades. Don''t waste it, please!" i Charmine frowned as she eyed Anthony. "Anthony, you don''t have to do this. Just treat me as usual. I won''t fall for another guy; it''s impossible for me to like William!" Anthony''s lips twitched. He genuinely cared about her body. After learning about her past, he understood that even though she seemed tough and powerful, she had gone through so much and her body was weak. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. This exined how her hands and feet were always cold when she slept and never warmed up. He did not sleep during the night and went all the way to get this tea from Dr. Weir, brewing it for four to five hours...and all he got from her was her misunderstanding? Anthony had to exin himself. He ced the medication on top of the bed before he looked at Charmine in the eyes and said, "Charmine, it¡¯s true I get jealous of William, but I won''t do this all because of him." Charmine frowned. What? Was there another reason? Anthony looked at her as his eyes were filled with care and love. He reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear and said gently," From now onward, I''ll do anything for you." His voice was low, hoarse, and gentle, so much so that Charmine''s heart almost skipped a beat. Why did he act all loving so early in the morning? William was not around... Anthony added, "Uncle Zul told me about your incident from five years ago. "Huh?" Charmine frowned. Five years ago? Uncle Zul told him? "So...you¡¯re treating me well because..." Anthony held her small hand as he confessed, "Yes, purely because I care about you and want to make up for all these years that I''m not with you." His maic voice was filled with love and care as he gazed earnestly into her eyes. Instantly, Charmine fell right into his dark pupils. chapter 1162 chapter 1162 Sure, Anthony had been sweet to her before, but it baffled her how she still got flustered-face burning, heart racing-every time. She was a powerful woman, but in front of Anthony, she was merely a white rabbit... One thatcked social and emotional experience. She instantly felt small and insignificant as she gazed at him before her. Anthony suddenly lowered his head and closed their distance, causing her heart rate to quicken as she closed her eyes shut. Just as she did... Ring! Ring! Anthony''s phone rang urgently. Charmine snapped back to reality. Gosh! What was that? Was she quietly waiting for him to kiss her? TILgo and freshen up," she blurted in a panic before she booked it toward the bathroom. Anthony then took out his phone, face turning cold when he saw the name '' Nial''. Once he epted the call, Nial-who was calling from theboratory with dark eyebags-gushed, "Bro! We''ve seeded! Both experiments were sessful!" He was fishing for apliment but was sadly met with Anthony¡¯s cold," Okay, good job. Be ready to meet some dates." With that said, he hung up right away. Nial wanted to cry. Gosh! What had he done wrong? He worked so hard on this experiment and worked on two projects at once. He even invited more than ten scientists to get involved! All he got from this was some dates he did not fancy? How heartless! Meanwhile, in the bathroom... Charmine sshed her face with cold water, but when she rose to face herself in the mirror, she was shocked. Ever since her return to Burlington, she had put on heavy makeup every day to make herself seem more powerful and arrogant. She did all these so that others would not bully or try to frame her. She always thought of herself as powerful, but who was that woman in the mirror? Her hair was let loose and slightly damp, her skin pale like a porcin doll. More importantly, she barely had any makeup on throughout the days she stayed at home, save only lipstick to brighten up her look. Someone wiped it off of her when she sleptst night, however, and she looked like a in, white doll. She was like a fresh graduate who was blushing because of a guy. Even Charmine did not recognize herself. Suddenly, knocks were heard from outside. "Charmine, do you need any help?" Anthony''s low voice was heard. Charmine jumped. Would she need help to freshen up? To help her get the toothbrush? To wipe her body? N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. She had goosebumps all over at the thought as she quickly declined, "No need, I''m almost done." Charmine quickly freshened up and took a hot shower before going out. 1 Anthony was already standing in the dressing room when she got out." Come here, Charmine," he beckoned to her with a hairdryer at hand. The usually powerful Anthony was in his white shirt, looking just like a gentle prince. Charmine hesitated for a moment before walking over. ''TH do it myself. Don¡¯t treat me as if I''m disabled." "Don''t speak of nonsense." Anthony gave her a look and sat her down. "If you marry the right person, you''ll always be a spoiled princess," he ended before he turned on the hairdryer and dried her hair for her. 1 His words resounded in her ears. chapter 1163 chapter 1163 She would be a spoiled princess if she married the right person... Had she turned into one unknowingly? 1 She looked at Anthony who was drying her hair. He seemed so focused as if scared of hurting her. Charmine felt strange. Even though the world did not support them to be together, he still treated her so well. She wondered if he would still be as gentle once they announce their rtionship to the public? The thought of it made her feel uneasy. Although the Jordan Group had entered the markets of many countries, Bailey Corporation was a big corporation that stood for over a century. They had many resources, nothing that the Jordan Group could contend against. The Baileys did not support them to be together, while Anthony dished out ruse after ruse to make them give in. The future would be quite difficult... Whatever. She must stop thinking. They had to settle Guy¡¯s matter and the M35 Lab before disclosing their rtionship. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Charmine wore her makeup as Anthony was drying her hair. She was generous in her makeup, as heavy as she could with a dark lipstick to boot, and it was only then did she regain her sense of familiarity as she eyed her reflection. Just as she finished, her phone happened to ring. Charmine picked up and heard Uncle Sam saying, "Charmine, we¡¯re going to thepetition venue now. Are youing? There are many teams, and you''ll see many things!" Charmine¡¯s brows furrowed at that. Many teams? That meant more rivals. Thinking of the recent matter, she said, "Okay. I''lle over, but I''ll bete. Everyone can go on ahead." After hanging up, she texted Kay, [Arrange two things.] The entire world watched the Cultural Olympics. The opening ceremony was at ten in the morning while the Sports Channel, Competition Channel, and Central Channel were all live streaming the competitions. Since there were too manypetitions, each channel could only y onepetition. The Medical Competition was filmed by the professional live streaming crew. One could see from television that there were up to 30 countries who took part in it. From the technological advancing Morrison to the highly crafted Dubez, as well as countries H, R, and Y were all present. Since the prizes were too attractive, everyone was very excited. Uncle Sam and Nial were on their way toward thepetition, thetter feeling discredited as he sat in the back row, thinking of how Anthony forced him to a blind date. William sat beside him with a big box in his arms. Inside the box was their work over the night. This device would be able to help Charmine, thus it should not be harmed. Suddenly, a loud scratch was heard and the car drifted before ramming into something. Crash! The car lost control and rammed into a tree by the side of the road. Luckily, this was a special vehicle designed by Charmine-airbags would pop out for the passengers¡¯ safety should anything happen. Dizzy, the group felt as if shrouded in clouds. William hugged the box tightly. He looked at the driver and asked, "What''s going on?" "Sorry, the tire might''ve been punctured. I''ll go down and have a look," exined the driver as he quickly opened the door and did a quick check. William, Uncle Sam, and Nial went down as they eyed the forest...before realizing something was wrong. A group of people with ck helmets wereing toward them from a distance, and only their eyes were exposed as they were d in ck. They looked like terrorists. The sight of those men with ck weapons in their hands gave off a dangerous vibe. 2 Nial instantly understood. They were trapped! chapter 1164 chapter 1164 William instinctively held the box closer to her, intending to guard it to the best he could. 1 "You go back inside," Nial instructed him. "No matter what happens, don¡¯te out!" William could not fight, especially with weapons. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. He did not insist as he quickly went back into the car and hugged the box tightly. ''I go with the box,¡¯ was his mentality. ''If they want the box, they¡¯ll have to get it from my dead body!'' Nial helped to lock the car. As the assants approached, Nial sighed. "I barely slept a winkst night, and now you''reing at me? You want me tosh out at you all?" Uncle Sam was terrified. He frowned and warned Nial under his breath," Professor Nial, what are you talking about? This isn''t the time to speak of nonsense!" "Don¡¯t be intimidated. Do you think they''ll attack?" Nial nced at their weapons. These were controlled weapons, and with them being on Burlington soil, whoever used it would be severely punished. As expected, the leading man came forward and spoke, It was gibberish that Uncle Sam did not understand at all. Nial did, however. This was thenguage of Kruipo. Kruipo was a chaotic country with dark forces controlling the entire nation. They were ruthless and untameable, and that made their men the most powerful assassins in the world. 1 It was apparent that someone hired them. The leader actually said, "Hand out the box if you''re smart, or you''ll all die here today!" Nial responded in Kruipoian, "We won''t give you the box-never! However... we can give you a lot of money. However much they paid you, I can pay you double!" The leader smiled coldly. "Do you think we''re doing this for money? You¡¯re still a kid, young man! I''ll only give you five seconds to hand out the box!" Nial frowned. They did note for money? Then what else could it be? He could barely assess it before the man started to count down. ''Three, two, one...¡± The man waved his hand as he finished, and the men behind him took out their daggers andunched at Nial and Uncle Sam. Obviously, they dared not use the weapons. To them, finishing off Nial and Uncle Sam was an easy job. The daggers glinted eerily under the morning light. Just as they aimed for the two men, sounds were heard. Something hit the daggers off of their hands! The daggers ttered as they fell to the ground. Following that, a ten-seater SUV drove over as ten men came out dressed in ck agent costumes with weapons in their hands. They were the Gragouls. The Gragoul team was tasked to protect Uncle Sam. They had to prioritize the lives of great scientists, i The assassins of Kruipo jolted when they saw the Gragoul team, but after a moment, their leader had hatred rising up in his eyes. "Perfect. Now that you''re all here, it¡¯ll be a treat!" With that said, he suddenly took out a ck item and tossed it at them. Nial''s eyes narrowed. It was a self-made bomb! They actually had this! At that moment, a man from the Gragoul team went forward at the speed of light and kicked the bomb away. The small ck bomb was kicked a few meters away before it exploded in the air. The power was destructive. Smoke was everywhere as everyone trembled at the explosion''s force. The Gragoul team instinctively jumped toward Nial and Uncle Sam to protect them. However, the leading assassin used this opportunity to shatter the car window and reached in to grab the box from William. 2 William wanted to hold it tight when his body went limp lifelessly, giving the assassin an opening to snatch the box from him. 1 Only then did he realize that those who were on the ground did not climb back up again. The bomb had a problem! chapter 1165 chapter 1165 It was no ordinary bomb; it was made of chloroform! It made sense why the assassins wore ck helmets. It was more than just to conceal their identities... It was to shield themselves from the chloroform. William did not inhale much of it, however, as he was inside the car. He fought through it as he covered his nose and mouth with one hand and opened the door with another to get out. The assassin was about to get away with the box when he felt someone grabbing his leg. He looked down to see William had jumped out from the car and held his leg tightly. "Get off of me!" barked the assassin. "Put down the box!¡± William insisted. This was the result of all 50 of them working overnight! Charmine was waiting for this box to fix her problems. How could he let them take it away? 1 The assassin grew impatient. "It looks like you want to die. Fine, have at you!" With that said, he lifted the weapon in his hand and was about to pull the trigger. William would be done if he pulled it! Out of the blue, a leg swung and kicked at the assassin,unching the weapon a few meters away. The assassin turned back to see that it was Guy with more than ten Navy soldiers behind him! The assassin ordered, "Scatter!" Instantly, the other assassins rushed into the woods. Guy wanted to chase after them, but there were too many people on the ground. No matter if it was Nial or Uncle Sam, they were important people and, moreover, people Charmine cared about. 1 Guy had to stay to screen everyone while the rest of his crew went into the woods. None of them noticed the pair of eyes watching in the dark... After making a quick check, Guy let out a sigh of relief. It seemed that they had no external harm and nothing severe; they just fainted. Nial¡¯s eyes slowly opened when Guy was screening them, but he frowned as he eyed their surroundings. This was not what they expected. Those were the Kruipo assassins. Why did they hate the Gragoul team, so much so that they even threw out a bomb? Guy was about to ask Nial how he felt when a loud screech was heard, and he could not even react when he felt a sharp pain in his stomach. 1 Fresh blood oozed out of a wound. He lowered his head to see arge, sharp dart embedded right into his stomach, and a wound as deep as five centimeters was left in its wake. The blood was flowing nonstop! 1 His expression contorted at that moment. Oh, no. Nial, who just opened his eyes, was just as shocked as one thought overridden his senses. Oh, no! No, no, no! Guy''s blood was too precious! How could he have gotten hurt?! Nial, who was still feeling weak, instantly jumped up. "Don''t move! I''ll help you stop the bleeding now! Hold it! Ambnce! Call an ambnce!" he spoke as he quickly tore out his white shirt and anxiously helped him to stop the bleeding. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Guy kept it together despite the pain as he took out his phone to make a call. Though his blood type was too rare, it was difficult to stop the bleeding. Nial used his white shirt as a bandage and wrapped it around Guy''s waist with a medical wrapping technique, yet the bleeding had not stopped. His white shirt had turned bloody red. Eventually, Guy was sent to the nearest hospital in his severely wounded state. Inside Violet Residence... Charmine and Anthony had just sent Chris to school. As they were packing to get ready, Kay phoned Charmine. "Boss Jordan! It¡¯s bad-real bad! The box was stolen, and Guy is severely wounded. He''s now in the ER of City South Hospital!" Charmine frowned. Thepetition was about to start, yet this happened! chapter 1167 chapter 1167 Anthony saw how nervous Charmine was, thus he assured her, "Wait for me here." This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Anthony, with his tall, well-built figure, walked away before he eventually disappeared along the end of the hallway. Charmine had a hunch of what he wanted to do. She phoned Kay. "Go and meet the people with Rhnull. If Anthony is trying to lead them away, help him. No matter what they ask for, just agree to it." "Understood." Kay then went ahead to work on it. On that same day, those with the special blood type were taken to a Presidential Suite of a hotel. Panicked, they desperately wanted to phone the police but were unable to do so. Anthony sat on the European-styled sofa in the Presidential Suite as his being emitted a formless authority. Luke, standing beside him, addressed the people, "You have two choices. First, volunteer to donate blood, and we¡¯ll agree to any condition. Second, you¡¯ll be forced to donate blood but will be paid five million bucks." Meanwhile, in another hotel... Dressed in a white dress with a pearl ne, Waverly looked delicate and elegant, more so as she donned her pearl earrings. She emitted a professional aura as well. Max looked at her in awe. "You look gorgeous today, Waverly." Waverly''s lips formed a smile. ¡¯Thank you, Brother. I won''t let you and our father down on asions like these. Thank you for taking care of me all this while. I''ll make our country and family proud!¡± She had a medication that could earn a ce in thispetition. Max reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "I believe in you. "Ah, yes, I also have some good news to tell you. It¡¯s a gift for your discharge from the hospital." "Hmm?" Waverly was curious. Max said, "The device Charmine and her team invented was stolen on the way topetition. Furthermore, Guy is severely wounded. He''s in the ER." "What?" Waverly was shocked and frowned. "So she..." ''They''re anxiously trying to find blood for Guy, so they won''t make it to thepetition. If the Grangers find out that Guy is wounded, they''d never allow him to stay with Charmine anymore, even if Guy is saved," remarked the satisfied Max. Waverly grinned all the more as she sang, "It is a nice gift, Brother. I like it very much." She stood on her tiptoes and kissed Max on his forehead, but he pulled her into his arms and captured her lips. Waverly repelled but thinking of her n and her identity, her eyes were filled with darkness. So long as she could make Charmine pay and die, this was nothing. As long as she was alive, she would do anything to ruin Charminepletely! Outside the emergency room. Charmine was sitting on the ice-cold chair anxiously. How did this happen? Why did Guy go to such a ce this early in the morning? Who arranged for the assassins to steal the box? Leon signed a military paper for her, yet Guy was in a dangerous position all of a sudden. Things would take a turn for the worse if the Association found out. More importantly, would Guy make it? Would Anthony be able to find the blood he needed? A voice was heard just as the thought urred to her. "Guy! My poor Guy!" a pained shriek was heard. Charmine looked up and instantly frowned, 1 Grandma Granger and Dior came! chapter 1168 chapter 1168 The Grangers had somehow caught wind of what happened, thus they came. The staggering Grandma Granger was supported by Dior. She went to the door of the operation room as she sobbed anxiously, "Guy... my Guy... Grandma is here, so please, hold on..." "It''ll be fine, Grandma. Don¡¯t panic,"forted Dior as she signaled Charmine to get away quickly. The Grangers were offended at that moment, and they would not let Charmine go easily. Charmine understood that, of course, but leaving would make the Grangers think she was running away. So she stayed, thinking of a way to fix this. 1 At that moment, Grandma Granger saw her and walked toward her, her eyes zing as she stared at her. "It¡¯s all your fault, Charmine! You hurt my Guy! You said you''d keep him safe, but what happened?! Look at how he is now! He¡¯s inside the ER! He''s in pain! Are you happy? Satisfied?!" 1 She grabbed Charmine''s arm and shook it vigorously as she grilled her with anger. The rest of the Grangers stood by the side as they hurled usations at her. ''You¡¯re putting him in pain just to ease your own! How selfish!" "When there''s a better way, you chose to take Guy''s blood! You¡¯re inhuman!¡± "If anything happens to Guy, your entire Jordan family will go down with him!" The anger-filled words overwhelmed Charmine. The Grangers surrounded her as she stood upright, and she allowed Grandma Granger to shake her vigorously. She let them denounce her. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Yes, she was responsible for Guy''s safety. She just did not expect Guy to get there and someone intentionally hurt him. Indeed, she was careless in terms of protecting Guy. Her silence, however, gave them more room to rebuke her even more. Running out of breath, Grandma Granger was hitting her as she ordered," Someone! Someone! Take Charmine! Don''t let her go until Guy recovers! If anything happens to him, I want her dead!¡± Her voice was determined. With that said, she said to Charmine, "Don''t me me, Charmine. I''ve given you many chances. I¡¯ve trusted you and gave you my one and only grandson, and yet you...disappointed me! You let him get hurt! He''s the only heir in the Granger family. I care about him the most! I can¡¯t forgive you!" 2 With a gesture from her, bodyguards came forward and surrounded Charmine, about to capture her. Charmine''s gaze narrowed at that moment as she broke her silence. "It''s in your best interest to stay calm, Grandma Granger. Nobody wished for this to happen, but since it had, we should be thinking of ways to fix it. We can talk about the rest after." "I don''t need you reminding me. I¡¯ve been listening to what you say too much and give you too many chances. This is why Guy is now in danger. From now onward, you should be ready to pay for what you''ve done to Guy!" Grandma Granger turned her back at Charmine, no longer caring about her. 1 The bodyguards came closer as one of them reached out to grab her. chapter 1169 chapter 1169 The unflinching Charmine stood still and said coldly, "You Guy will be in genuine danger if you take me away now, Grandma Granger!" Even if Anthony brought the blood to help, he would refuse to cure Guy if he did not see her. Grandma Granger jolted. "Charmine, are you still trying to threaten me? How dare you?!" "I''ve been trying to speak to you nicely, and I''m just reminding you out of kindness. Guy needs more blood right now, and we¡¯re searching for it. If you insist it your way, you¡¯ll only worsen the situation!" Charmine reminded her. Grandma Granger looked at the red light above the door, at the verge of breaking. ''You''re not here to teach me what to do!" she snapped. "Tell your people to get us the blood, or I¡¯ll take a hundred milliliters of yours every minute!" "Grandma, calm down!" Even Dior could not stand it anymore as she rushed to stop her, only to be pushed away by Grandma Granger. "Shut up! None of you speak to me! I only want my Guy to get better! I only want him safe!" She could care less about everyone else. Ha! Haha! Charmine suddenly smiled. She looked at Grandma Granger and sneered," Oh, so you''re saying this now? Why didn''t you think of this when you were forcing us to get married, to make you a great- grandson? Why didn''t you want him to be safe? Back then, all you care about is getting yourself a great-grandson, and you''d do anything to achieve your goal! You didn''t care about Guy¡¯s will, and you surely didn¡¯t care whether I have a child or not, or even a husband! You thought that as long as you have a great- grandson and a granddaughter-inw, everything else doesn''t matter! See how you''re the root of this problem, and you''re piling the me on others?" 2 Charmine put things in order as she stated matter-of-factly. Grandma Granger halted and was speechless. After a moment, she reacted and held her chest. "Yes, it¡¯s all my fault! It''s been my fault since the beginning! I shouldn''t have let Guy fall for a heartless person like you! I shouldn¡¯t have tried my best to match you two! And my greatest mistake is to leave Guy with you to cure your illness! You may take my life if you say it''s all my fault, but why harm Guy? What has he done wrong?!" she shrieked emotionally. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. At that moment, she gave Charmine no room to fight back as she ordered," I¡¯ll say this again: capture Charmine Jordan! I''ve wronged her, but she had wronged Guy! She must be punished!" i Her sentence was resolute. The rest dared not to waste any more time. Two bodyguards went forward, wanting to grab Charmine''s arms. All of the sudden... "Who gave you the guts to touch my wife?" he scoffed coldly as he walked at a stable pace. 1 Everyone looked over to see Anthony walking over, exuding an eerily powerful pressure that made one difficult to breathe. Behind him were more than ten bodyguards. Luke was walking in front with a medical container in hand, and inside it was blood recently extracted. Anthony did note closer as he merely eyed the bodyguards around Charmine. "If you want to save your Master Granger, let her go!" chapter 1170 chapter 1170 The bodyguards were not intimidated. They were more than mere bodyguards as they served the Grangers. Each of them stood upright as they looked at Grandma Granger for further instruction. Grandma Granger sternly chastised, "You might intimidate others, Anthony Bailey, but we''re not! You and everyone else hurt Guy, and saving him now is a must! I''m capturing Charmine now for matters in the future! We won''t budge this time!" ''Yes, this is a must from the Bailey and Jordan families!¡± "Guy is our only heir! You can''t harm him!" "How dare you threaten us? Who do you think you are?" The rest of the Grangers scowled at him as they blocked him from Charmine, not wanting to release her. i Charmine was going to say something but Anthony¡¯s expression turned ominous. "I''ll only give you three seconds to think, or else...¡± 1 He said nothing else as he took out a lighter and, with a click, a spark was made. Following that, he moved that toward the container with blood in it. Granger Granger frowned as she cried out, "What are you trying to do?!" Anthony said nothing as he counted: "Three." ''Two.¡± His hand slowly moved as the me in his hand could ignite the container anytime. He grew closer...and closer!N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Grandma Granger called out in terror, "Let her go! All of you, back away!" i The bodyguards that surrounded Charmine backed away. Charmine quickly walked toward Anthony as she muttered, "Actually, we shouldn¡¯t..." They had indeed wronged Guy. His blood was too precious and rare. Anthony¡¯s trick of using the lighter was... "Grandma Granger only cared about her grandson," spoke Anthony softly," and I only care about my wife." Charmine felt as if her heart was run over. His wife... Anthony continued, "We''ll win this. I can one-hundred-percent ensure the safety of the blood.¡± With a gesture from Anthony, Luke instantly brought the medical box into the operation room. Nobody stopped him as everyone made way. Nial quickly came out to receive the blood. Grandma Granger wanted to rush in as she saw the door opened before it was instantly shut. The people in that room were busy. Growing even more frantic, she turned to look at Anthony and Charmine. "I won¡¯t let you go easy! You better pray that the blood you took can save Guy!¡± i Charmine said nothing as her gaze darkened. Had Grandma Granger overdone it? Yes, she had. However, she was pitiable and she had her reasons. They were walking a dangerous territory with Guy''s blood type, and they would be in a very challenging position from then on. Judging by Grandma Granger''s behavior, she would not allow Guy to stay with them anymore to provide them his blood... Just as the thought haunted her, her small hand felt a surge of warmth. She lowered her head to see Anthony''s big hand epassing hers. Wordlessly, he pulled her closer to him. His presence andpany warmed her heart. chapter 1171 chapter 1171 Yes, Anthony would always be with here what may. Both of them and the Grangers stood in the hallway as they waited in long silence, and about two hours later, the operation light turned from red to green. The operation was over! Everyone rushed toward the operation door with the Grangers upying most of the door frame. Charmine and Anthony stood behind, watching quietly. A nurse pushed Guy out as Guy removed his mask, walking out. i Gazing at the slumbering Guy, she asked anxiously, "How''s my Guy doing? How is he?" "Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Granger is now stable. What happens next is that he¡¯ll return to the ward to get some rest. Do remember that though the dart was removed from his stomach, we had to stitch him up a few times, so he shouldn''t be moving,¡± Nial reminded them. "Okay, okay." Grandma Granger nodded, relieved atst. She personally pushed the bed toward the ward, but as she passed Charmine and Anthony, she paused. "You both should be ready for it. I¡¯ll make you pay when I have time! Also, tell Leon to get ready to resign!" i Charmine frowned. It was apparent that Grandma Granger was livid beyond relief at that point, so much so that she wanted Leon out. After she left, Nial walked back to Charmine and Anthony. He gave them a look. Charmine and Anthony understood, and they followed him into the office. After closing the door, Nial said to them in a serious tone, "Guy''s situation is very bad, but I didn''t want to tell Grandma Granger about it. The dart went in too deep; it went through his stomach and liver. Luckily, the wound was shown on the surface. I coagted his blood, but if the dart was one centimeter deeper, he could''ve died from organ failure!" i Charmine''s face was pale. How was the assassin so urate and cruel? Anthony studied Charmine¡¯s look of shock as he turned to Nial, displeased. "Get to the point already." Nial continued, "Anyway, it''s very severe. We merely stabilized it today, but he can''t move. In addition to his special blood type and massive blood loss, he needs blood transfusions for three days. The blood you brought us will onlyst till tomorrow and the day after." 1 Anthony frowned. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. He had already taken the blood from all of the healthy people, and they could not possibly draw out more of their blood. Who could donate blood in two days? Unless they could attract the people from M35 Lab... Charmine''s phone rang urgently at that moment, and as she epted the call, she was greeted with Uncle Pop anxious rambling, "Charmine, it¡¯s bad! Waverly D''Cruz of Kansas is bringing out something that everyone is impressed with! She...she might get first prize...¡± Charmine frowned. Waverly went to take part? At thepetition venue, the Researching Section. Many audience members were seated, as well as media and reporters. There was a stage upfront where participants would go on to showcase their invention and exin about it. On the stage was Waverly. Dressed in a pearl white dress, she looked elegant, expensive, professional, and aloof. She was introducing the hypnotic music box to the crowd. The music box had a simple design slightly curved like the moon. It was made of a pure blue crystal and looked incredibly pleasing to the eye. Upon touching the moon, it would y out hypnotic music ording to one''s body temperature and data. The hypnotic music could help those with sleep disorders to fall asleep within one minute! Everyone was in awe as they gazed at Waverly admiringly. Waverly looked down at her audience and wore a certain smile on her lips. She had thetest news saying that Grandma Granger held Charmine back, that their situation was getting out of hand. 1 She would win over everyone this time, and she would crush Charmine with her feet! chapter 1172 chapter 1172 The crowd was amazed as they saw the hypnotic music box, and when Waverly yed the music, tens of the audience fell asleep! Many had sleep-rted disorders in this century. This kind of device would help many people! Apuse resonated in the hall as the host stood next to Waverly with a microphone and asked, "Is there anyone elseing up to showcase your invention?" The participants sat in their own seats as they eyed one another; none of them was willing to get on stage. Their inventions paled inparison to that magical music box. Something that could instantly put the listeners to sleep deserved all of their attention! Waverly truly was the indisputable master hypnotist from Kansas. Thepetition ran in the style of a one-on-one challenge. One had toe forward to challenge the participant on stage. If nobody came forward, thest person standing would win the first prize. Max and a few others from Kansas were among the audience with their heads held up, pride-filled and satisfied. One of them even said to those from Burlington, ¡®Thank you for letting us present. We have nothing special; this is nothing too special. Who would''ve thought we''d win the prize!¡± Such ament triggered those from Burlington, yet they had nothing else to fight about. They did not have any outstanding products, so they had to let Kansas defeat them. "Thank you, everyone, for your respect," Waverly said to the microphone elegantly, ''Til work harder next time toe up with something more outstanding!" She then returned the microphone, about to walk off the stage like an elegant white swan when... "Hold on!" This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. A loud and clear voice was suddenly heard. Everyone turned to see a figure walking over from the end of the red carpet, dressed in a ck coat with her dress flowing in the air. She emitted a powerful and experienced demeanor. Her temperament came from within. It was so captivating that one could not help but turn back to have a second look on the street. Most of the audience were medical researchers who were not up to date with entertainment news, thus they did not recognize her. However, Max and Waverly frowned. Was that Charmine? Why did shee!? Did Grandma Granger not hold her back for interrogation? How was she able toe? Charmine walked toward the stage. When she walked past Waverly, her shoulder brushed against hers as shepletely nked her. The host was pleased to see the only participant from Burlington. He asked with excitement, "Would you like to participate and introduce your invention to the audience?" ''Yes." One word, determined and straightforward. "Hahaha!¡± a burst of mockingughter was heard from the crowd. A few people were convinced by some others and mocked, "A model tries to take part in a scientific researchpetition? Do you think this is a show?" "I just Googled about her, and I didn''t find anything about her other than being a model and an ambassador of a few brands. She''s not even that famous!" "What a joke! There are so many professionals from Burlington here, and not only did none of them go up on stage, but a model did?" "Get down! Don¡¯t waste our time!" Many people were mocking andughing. Most of the scientists around had not seen Charmine before. Some would not help asking in a low voice, "Who''s this person? Is she going to further embarrass Burlington?" chapter 1173 chapter 1173 "We could¡¯ve lost and kept it low. Why would she run up on stage? What would others think of us?" "Sigh! What an embarrassment to Burlington!" Charmine ignored everyone else as she eyed a corner where Kay instantly came up with a box in hand. When Max and Waverly saw the box, they frowned. Did Leon¡¯s rival not have it taken from them? Why did Charmine still have a simr box? Charmine eyed Max and Waverly discreetly. She arranged for the box to make its appearance at the end to evade both Waverly and Max¡¯s suspicions, i This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. It was apparent that they both expected the box to have been stolen, and that meant they were involved with the robbery! Meanwhile, Kay ced the box by his side. Charmine recollected her thoughts as she began, This is a new medication I¡¯m presenting to you called IMU. Only one pill needs to be taken when one¡¯s hurt in order for rapid coagtion to happen." She took out a prosthetic arm as she spoke. It was broken in half with blood oozing out. Once Charmine sprinkled the medication in the capsule on the arm, the blood stopped and the wound no longer oozed blood. The crowd was enraptured at the sight as they watched with disbelief. How was there such a thing so miraculous? Charmine continued, "ording to the data, the death caused by severe blood loss is up to five figures per year. Tens of thousands of people died of blood loss, and tens of thousands of families were ruined. Furthermore, warriors and front-liners fight so hard for the country and face so much danger. Those with special blood types or with coagulopathy especially had to live so cautiously. They live in fear of getting hurt, with much ordinary happiness taken away from them. "Such a victim with a special blood type would not have immediate blood supply if they were injured. Therefore, if IMU can be mass-produced, the rate of death caused by blood loss can be reduced." Her pitch made even those who mocked her fell silent in shock. This medication was so unbelievably magical! Compared to the hypnotic music box, saving lives was more important! The medication invented from Burlington could easily trump Waverly''s music box! 1 Waverly and Max jolted. They thought this was stolen from them, and they received texts confirming it! Why did Charmine still have it? Could they lose to Charmine once again!? Charmine looked at them, and her red lips curled up mockingly. Uncle Sam called her earlier, and when he told her that many were participating, it reminded her that people could pull a dirty trick. Just in case, she texted Kay to secretly exchange the boxes. William, Uncle Sam, and even Nial did not know about this-they thought the box was stolen! Up until now, Waverly and the assassins did not know they were fooled. However... When Charmine asked Kay and his men to guard them, she did not expect Guy to be there. She also did not expect them to intentionally hurt Guy after stealing the box. It seemed that someone was pulling a dirty trick, i This person was... chapter 1174 chapter 1174 Charmine looked at Waverly and caught the look of shock in her eyes. Charmine¡¯s red lips twisted into a small smirk. "What? Shocked?" Waverly snapped out of her trance, not knowing how to respond. No, she must not show it. Charmine was about to take her first prize! She would lose to Charmine again! Unwilling to ept defeat, she took a moment to regain herposure. "I¡¯m indeed quite shocked. Ms. Jordan managed toe up with this medication at such a young age." Max instantly caught on as to what Waverly attempted to do, thus he added, "The best is always above the rest! Ms. Jordan is indeed very impressive." Others chimed in: "Charmine Jordan? It''s so impressive that you came up with this at such a young age!" ''You''re our idol! We must learn from you!" "Ms. Jordan, can you please share your secrets of sess with all of us?" Everyone exalted Charmine as many reporters tried to interview her. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Everyone eyed her admiringly. At that moment, all focus shifted to Charmine standing on stage. Even the live-streaming tforms were filled with praises for her. Charmine calmly exined to the crowd, ''You''ve all misunderstood. This IMU project was led by Professor Sam, Mr. Nial Bailey, and thirty other professors. Unfortunately, they were attacked, thus I came on their behalf." Her tone was honest; she had no intention of taking the credit. Waverly frowned. She purposefully ced the halo on top of Charmine. Anyone would want to admit it was their work when met with so much praise, i Since Charmine and Uncle Sam were close and that Nial would listen to Anthony, nobody would expose Charmine if she imed that it was her invention. Waverly would have taken all the credit if it was her. She would expose Charmine, shaking her down from heaven! Who would have thought Charmine honestly dered that it was not her work?! Was she not ttered with the praises she received? As expected, everyone looked at Charmine in a different light as they then saw her as a mere assistant. The questions shifted in their tone. "Attacked?" "What happened?" "Can you tell us more?" From looking up to her and praising her, they then treated her as an assistant. Charmine showed not a hint of disappointment, however. She was never a big fan of these. She exined to them, ''The incident is still under investigation. The officials will announce the result to the public, so please be patient." With that said, she packed up her things on the stage. Calm and professional, she had no intention to spend a second longeron the stage as she was ready to leave. This contradicted Waverly, which made her look bad. She had been standing on the stage, enjoying the gaze of the audience. She liked to be watched, 1 How could an assistant like Charmine, who came on others'' behalf, receive more attention than her?! Charmine had left... Waverly felt her cheeks burning. Too embarrassed to stay on the stage, she wanted to leave quickly...before she noticed her legs had gone numb. 1 It felt as if she had been squatting for too long that both her legs had gone numb! chapter 1175 chapter 1175 Waverly felt like the bottom of her feet was pricked by needles every time she tried to move, and it felt painful. Waverly remained rooted on the stage. She dared not to move. The audience and those watching the live stream scoffed at the sight. [Charmine has left, but why is Waverly still standing there?] [Her product isn''t bad, butpared to IMU, it''s not good enough!] [To be fair, we haven''t seen Charmine for so long! She''s wild as always! Looking at Waverly, she''s like an extra!] [She doesn¡¯t look like a medical researcher at all! She looks like a celebrity instead!] [Right. Don¡¯t you think Waverly gives off the same vibe as Tiffany?] [Yes! I feel the same! I get the same b*tch vibe from Waverly!] Waverly remained stunned there. Although she could not read thements on the live stream, she could hear the conversations below the stage. It was too awkward to remain standing on the stage. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. She helplessly eyed Max in a silent plea for help, to which he responded by getting up on the stage and asked caringly, ''What''s wrong?¡± "My legs...pins and needles...! can''t move them..." Max wanted to carry her but since there were too many people around, he could only call out to his assistant, "Bring forward a wheelchair." ''Yes!" Someone rushed in with a wheelchair, and Waverly sat on it. 1 She was finally able to leave the stage with Max''s help, but the viewers in the live streaming tform jeered at the sight. [What a coincidence! It just so happened that she can''t move? What a joke!] [Hahaha! She remained on the stage for so long, she thought she was getting first ce. What an embarrassment!] [Of course she had pins and needles for standing so long on the stage! Karma!] Waverly, noticing the audience''s gaze on her, clenched her fists tightly as her brows furrowed. Max pushed her to the resting room as heforted her, "Don''t mind them. I''ll ask the doctor toe over." There were many doctors around, including those from Kansas. They did not even have to go to the hospital. Waverly nodded elegantly. "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not as narrow-hearted." The moment Max left, however, her expression contorted horribly. Was it a coincidence that she felt pins and needles? She never believed in coincidences! At that moment, sounds of clicking were hearding from outside. It sounded like the clicking of heels. Waverly turned over to see a tall woman walking toward her, exuding a cold yet authoritative temperament as she did. It was Charmine! Something dawned on her as she red at her coldly. "It was you, wasn''t it, Charmine? What did you do to me?!" Charmine did not deny the usation as she scoffed back at Waverly. "So what?" Waverly frowned. "How can you be so evil? You''ve inflicted enough pain on me already!" ''That''s the other time. This is now. Do you really think I don''t know who led to Guy''s injury?" Charmine red at her as she towered over her, gaze darkening as she did. Waverly''s hands clenched tightly. After a moment, she sneered, "I don''t know what you''re talking about." ''You have many things you don¡¯t know about, such as..." Charmine''s eyes darkened as she took out her phone and clicked on a clip. 1 The clip was... chapter 1176 chapter 1176 Waverly watched as the clip disyed Max in throes of passion with an older woman! This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Waverly''s expression changed. Her eyes widened with disbelief. It was Max! Her dignified brother! He was sleeping with an older, ugly woman! How could it be...? Waverly looked at the disgusting clip and recalled the kiss he gave her. She felt her stomach growing upset as she clenched the hem of her dress tightly. She reeled herself back and pretended as if she did not care. She lifted her chin and said, "That woman took advantage of my brother, can''t you tell?" Ha! Charmine scoffed coldly, "Oh, you¡¯re so in love with your brother. Even if he was assaulted, he still slept with an older woman, didn''t he?" 1 Waverly''s body jolted as her face turned pale. Max walked in and saw everything transpiring. "What are you doing, Charmine?" he growled. "What did you show Waverly?!" Charmine calmly kept her phone. "A clip that can teach her how to make you happy." i Max recalled how he was manipted, and his face went pale. He could recall how the older woman twisted her waist on him. Even the sheer thought of it insulted him. That aside, Charmine showed that disgusting clip to Waverly! She let Waverly see how disgusting he was! Enraged, he pointed a gun at Charmine''s head. "Charmine, delete the clip now and exin to Waverly!" Unfazed even as he pointed the gun at her, Charmine raised her arched eyebrows. "You''re teaching me what to do? Is this your first day out here?" 2 Max was speechless. He wanted to kill her! Waverly looked at him and asked, "Brother, what happened? I want to hear you exin." Max had to leave Charmine aside. He did not want his impression of Waverly to be ruined! 1 He quickly looked at Waverly and exined, ''Waverly, it¡¯s not what you think. She manipted me. She drugged me, and this happened. I couldn''t control myself, and I didn''t know anything." Waverly listened with shock. Charmine manipted him? He was meant to help her to get rid of Charmine, and he was framed by her in return? How useless! She kept this to herself, however. Thinking of her n, she had to hold back the disgust as she looked at him caringly. "Brother, I understand you. If so, I won''t me you. I¡¯ll only me her for that!" As she spoke, she red at Charmine. "Charmine, do you think you can break our trust this way? You¡¯re disgusting to have done this!¡± Max touched Waverly''s shoulder. He braced himself for her loss of trust and her disgust, but never did he anticipate that her eyes would be filled with concern and admiration. 1 She was indeed the woman he adored. So kind and pure. Charmine was speechless. She pped instinctively as her sexy lips curled into a stunning smile." Max, you''re moved so easily. Do you truly think your sister is so pure?" Waverly¡¯s face went a few shades paler. chapter 1177 chapter 1177 Curse that Charmine! What was she up to? "I know what kind of person Waverly is," he said, "you don''t have to tell me!" "Ignorant! It seems I should tell you something, then..." Waverly felt unsettled just listening to Charmine''s words, i She wanted to cut her off but before she could, Charmine continued, "It was you who arranged for Nial and Uncle Sam to be killed, right? What you didn''t know is that Waverly arranged for Guy to be killed behind your back! Guy is still in the operating room, thanks to her!" "What are you saying?" Max slowly turned to Waverly in disbelief as the shock took him byplete surprise. He kept Waverly out of this because it was too violent. Who would have thought Waverly nned for Guy to get killed behind his back? Waverly was sacred and kind when she arrived at the D''Cruz residence... yet Charmine was telling him this! 2 Max might expose her if his feelings for her ceased, and she would not be able to stay with the D''Cruz anymore. She no longer would be able to exact her revenge! 1 Panicking, she looked at Max and wanted to exin, but she did not know where to start. A person like Charmine must havee prepared. No matter what she said, Charmine would have evidence smacking her in the face. 1 Seeing the change in Waverly''s face, he vaguely understood. He looked at Waverly with newfound doubt and peculiarity. Charmine red at the pair; she knew their rtionship was crumbling. She had no interest in watching them. ring at Waverly, she concluded," Waverly, don''t you dare pull any dirty tricks behind my back again. You''re just paying some interest today. When I have time, I''ll make you pay in full!" With that said, she turned and left coldly. Her pace was professional, eerie, and powerful. With the door shut behind her, only Waverly and Max remained. Waverly knew there was no point in exining. She could only look at Max and said, "Don''t be angry, Brother. I saw you working so hard for me, and I didn¡¯t want you to get tired, so that''s why I did it. Also, this is the quickest way to punish Charmine. As you know, Charmine made me suffer so badly, and I kind of got impatient..." N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. She recalled her past as she spoke, and her eyes turned glossy with tears and pain. Max still found it somewhat hard to ept, but Waverly was too beautiful. She had this pure and elegant sense of beauty. His heart clenched at the sight of a frowning, hurting Waverly, thus he went to embrace her by the waist instinctively. ''Waverly, don''t be sad. I understand you, and I''m not angry. I just found it hard to ept. No matter what you do, I can understand. In the future, you may tell me in person. We shouldn''t hold anything back when facing a woman like Charmine! I made a mistake and didn''t think of attacking Guy as well." Waverly frowned. "Brother, you don''t mind that I stepped in and tried to kill someone?" "I never really liked weak and soft women. I was willing to help you in the beginning because you were determined and goal-oriented. Why would I me you now? Just tell me if there¡¯s anything in the future. We''ll work together to make Charmine pay." "Okay, thank you." Waverly leaned into Max''s arms as he held her, as if nothing happened. They both knew, however, that something had vaguely broken between them. chapter 1178 chapter 1178 After Charmine left thepetition venue, she thought of the important matter at hand and picked up her phone to make a call. She instructed," Make IMU the most talked-about topic." This would be the only way to attract those from M35 Lab to Burlington. This was the only way to save Guy. A few minutester... #IMU-special-effects made it to the no.1 headline of all. It became the most discussed topic and even caused Twitterg a few times. It was the center ofizen¡¯s conversations. [OMG! So cool! This medication will sell like hot cakes! So many will be spared from dying!] [This medication is a blessing to everyone!] [How miraculous! If I didn''t see it with my own eyes, I wouldn''t have believed this at all! A small pill can stop the bleeding within a few seconds.] [This woman is too clever! She actually came up with this miracle pill!] [It''s our pride to have such a genius in Burlington.] Charmine reclined on the car seat and went to her profile to tweet the following: [I¡¯m an assistant of IMU. Contact me for any rted inquiries.] Not long after she posted, the Twitter appgged again, and she smiled. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. She was waiting for M35 Lab to contact her. As the topic grew more and more discussed, Charmine''s follower count gained ten million more! Even the local news channels were live streaming this. Everyone in Burlington was proud of this achievement. This news quickly made it to the international news channel and attracted a lot of attention. Just as Charmine expected, M35 Lab was interested. The professors called her from theboratory. "Hello, may I speak to Charmine Jordan?" "I am her." "You¡¯re in charge of IMU, right? We''re a researching team, and we''re interested in this new medication. Can we meet and talk about it?" "Sure." "Perfect." The professor did not expect Charmine to be so keen, thus he expectantly responded, "Can you pleasee to ourboratory? We''ll pay for all expenses." "No, I can''t." Charmine replied earnestly, "I don''t have time now. If you want to discuss things, you''ll have to find me in Burlington." The professor felt exasperated at the twist... They never left theboratory, let alone to another country! i If they went out, many things would be affected... They had to consider. "Ms. Jordan, do you truly not have time? We can wait for your schedules to clear ande over. If we work together, it¡¯ll be a win-win solution.¡± Charmine remainedposed in her reply, "Unfortunately, otherboratories are looking for me as well. Furthermore, if Ie to you because of one phone call, doesn''t it make me seem desperate?" With that said, she was about to hang up. The other side of the phone cried out, "Wait, hold on, Ms. Jordan." A few secondster, the man seemed to have made up his mind as he offered, "Ms. Jordan, please don''t agree to work with anotherboratory yet. Let me be honest to you, we''re calling from M35 Lab. My name is Jack, and I''m a researcher at theb. I''m genuinely interested in IMU. If you don¡¯t have time, we cane to you." Charmine¡¯s brows were raised. Finally, something she wanted to hear! "Okay," Charmine said. "If you''re sincere,e to Burlington as soon as possible. Call me when you get here. If you miss this opportunity, I can''t guarantee to not work with the others." "Okay, we''ll leave now. Please wait for us." "Okay." After hanging up, Charmine let out a sigh of relief. Her hard work finally paid off! As long as they came, Guy would be saved with the special blood type! chapter 1179 chapter 1179 Charmine instantly looked for Anthony the moment she got to the hospital, but she could not find him. She went to Guy''s ward and saw him lying in bed and still in aa. Grandma Granger, on the other hand, was at his bedside as she held his hand worriedly. It was only half a day, but she seemed a few years older already. Dior stood by the side, her usually optimistic face looking upset. Charmine walked over; she felt usually heavy. Grandma Granger had noticed her presence even before she could say anything. "What are you doing here?" she scoffed coldly. ''You''re not wee here. Leave!" "I''m here to visit Mr. Granger." Grandma Granger was triggered by her nonchnt tone, thus she emotionallymbasted, ''What are you faking there? You''re the reason Guy is still ina! He doesn¡¯t need you to visit him. You leaving him alone is better than anything! Go-go away now!" Grandma Granger grew even more furious as she spoke as she mmed her walking stick heavily against the floor. "Grandma, Charmine is just trying to be nice..." Dior spoke on Charmine''s behalf. "Shut up!" Grandma Granger growled, ''You''re going against me because of this outsider?" Dior instantly stopped talking. She could only signal Charmine to stop triggering Grandma Granger. Charmine looked at Grandma Granger''s elderly outlook. She fell silent for a moment before turning to leave. She could only stand outside the ward to watch over the manying in bed. Through the window, she could see that the usually healthy Guy was very pale. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. He had lost a lot of weight from transfusing blood. Guilt suddenly overwhelmed her. To be fair, Guy was innocent in this matter. He was just paying the debt of his grandmother, yet this happened to him... Luckily, the scientists from M35 Lab wereing atst. Hold on, Guy! Hold on for three more days! He would be in a better condition when the blood supply got here. Click, click, click... The sound of footsteps brought Charmine out of her thoughts. She looked over to see a nurseing over. She asked, "You''re here to take care of the patient?" ''Yes." ''Thank you," said Charmine. "Please take note to make sure Grandma Granger doesn¡¯t stay for too long. Her staying by the bed might affect the patient''s sleep. Turn the temperature in the room to 23 degree Celsius; it''s better for his body. Get IMU ready to prevent any further bleeding." ''Yes, Madam." The nurse nodded and walked in. Charmine still peered through the window and observed Guy from outside the ward. When Anthony came back and turned the corner, he saw Charmine looking inside the ward with a complex expression, i He halted. He could not help recalling the conversation he overheard. Was it her who made those detailed and caring notes? Her tone was so gentle that even Anthony did not recognize that it was her voice! Anthony said, ''You¡¯re that worried?" She was so worried that it showed on her face. "Anthony?" Charmine snapped out of her thoughts and turned around to see him." Where have you been?" Anthony looked at the medication in his hand. He visited Dr. Weir to get her some medications to improve her immunity, all so that her pain would be eased during a migraine attack. He cared so much about her, while she... chapter 1180 chapter 1180 It was then Charmine realized how strange he acted. "What¡¯s wrong?" she asked. Anthony''s gaze darkened. He wanted to get angry but thinking of what he learned about Charmine''s past, he did not want to get angry at her. "It''s nothing," he dismissed her. "I''ve got things to attend to, so I''ll go and see them done.¡± He handed the item to her and turned to leave. Charmine looked down to see a bottle, and she instantly understood. He went all the way to get her some medications in the afternoon? Why the strange behavior, then? She looked at him leaving, and she frowned. Who offended her? Charmine took out her phone and tried to phone him, but he hung up after the first ring! Charmine was speechless. This was the first time he hung up on her. She called again. In the underground carpark of the hospital, Anthony looked at his lit-up phone with an iing call. After a moment of hesitation, he finally epted the call. ''What is it?" His tone was neither cold nor hot. Charmine asked, "Is everything okay?" She was going to share with him the good news from M35 Lab. "It''s nothing." Anthony thought of how much she cared, and he was not happy about it. However, he said, "I''m fine, you just take care of Guy." Even though his voice was pleasant to hear, he sounded rather sour. Charmine frowned and suddenly realized... This man was jealous again! Again! 3 Charmineforted him, "Stop overthinking things, Anthony!" "I''m not overthinking!" His tone seemed to disagree with his response. Charmine lowered her head and smiled. She recalled Dior''s voice saying," Why did you leave me?" Charmine hesitated for a moment and then said in a very gentle voice, "I haven''t seen you for a day, and L.miss you." i She wanted to see him and would love him toe back; that was what she meant. Anthony sat inside the car, holding the phone with one hand and the other typing on the keyboard nonchntly. The rhythm of the typing was like his convoluted mood. His expression seemed displeased, but when he heard how the usually cold and harsh voice of Charmine''s had turned so soft, his fingers stopped along with his heartbeat. His face was like a melting iceberg as it grew warmer. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. She had never spoken to him in such a gentle tone... Anthony turned around and looked up at the first floor. How he wished he could rush in and embrace her, kissing her passionately as a punishment. Still... He did not want to see how worried she looked because of Guy. He did not want to have conflicts with her regarding this. Anthony looked away and cleared his throat. He insisted, "Be good. I have other things to attend to. You take good care of him." With that, he ignited the engine and was about to leave... Charmine heard the engine revving and wanted to tell him not to go when a loud buzz resonated in her head, followed by a sharp pain. Again! She felt as if her head was about to explode. She grimaced in pain. Charmine stood in the hallway as she bit her lips. Her green veins popped out as she clenched on the wall tightly, trying to hold it in. Anthony noticed how quiet she became, and his heart sank. Did she really not care about him? Just as he was about to hang up, a painful groan was heard from the other side of the phone. "Argh...!" Anthony''s face straightened. ''What''s wrong, Charmine? Is your head hurting again?" Charmine was in so much pain that she had cold sweat on her face as the veins on her neck protruded. Her face grimaced intensely as she held on to the pain. She said with difficulty, "I''m fine...you...you go do your things..." Anthony had already rushed out of his car even then as he ran inside the hospital with his long legs. chapter 1181 chapter 1181 Anthony ran like the wind, so fast that nobody could see him clearly. Upon entering the hospital, he quickly pressed on both buttons for the lifts. Unfortunately, one of the lifts stopped on the twentieth floor while the other lift had just gone up... "Don''t be scared, Charmine, I¡¯m on my way." Anthony looked at the stagnant lift and could no longer wait. Without a second thought, he rushed to the staircase and took three steps at once to run up quickly. He took less than two minutes to get up from the first to the thirteenth floor! What kind of determination was it that made him so wild? i When he rushed out of the staircase, he saw Charmine with her body bent by the side. "Charmine!" He pulled her in his arms. "Anthony?" The kneeling Charmine looked at him weakly and in shock. Where... Where did hee from? She just hung up. 1 ''Yeah, I''m here." Anthony reached out his gentle hand to wipe off the cold sweat on her face, and it agonized her to see her in pain. They could not withdraw blood from Guy, and there was no other way to ease her up... Charmine wanted to ask him but before she could say anything, the pain had worsened. "Argh...!" She moaned in pain with both her hands sping her head, and the veins on her forehead even surfaced. She did not want Anthony to get too worried. She bit her lips as she tried to minimize the pain. Anthony looked at how she tried to keep herself together. Suddenly, he reached out his left arm and put it by her lips. "Bite me, Charmine!" Instantly, Charmine who was about to faint from the pain looked at him nkly. He wanted her to bite him to ease up the pain... Her heart was moved. She wore a weak smile with difficulty. "No...no need "Listen to me!" snapped Anthony as he insisted on putting his arm into her mouth. He was in greater pain than her as he watched her struggling. He would rather be the one in pain. 1 N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Charmine looked at him with a look of fondness. Just like him, however, she would rather herself to be the one in pain. Why would she hurt him instead? As she was about to turn, her migraine worsened again after it was lightened momentarily due to Anthony''s return. "Argh...argh...!" Charmine cried out in pain. She hugged her head in severe pain. Anthony hugged her tightly. His eyes reddened as he pushed his arm in her mouth again. Charmine saw the arm and herst hint of rationality made her push him away. However, her body was out of control. With the pain worsening, she bit the arm. Instantly, Anthony''s body jolted. He still held on to her tightly as he allowed her to bite his arm. It did not take long before blood started dripping onto the clean floor from his arm... This was the VIP floor with very few patients. The nurses passing by asionally all looked at Charmine with admiration. Her boyfriend was so handsome and loved her so much. She must have saved the gxy in her previous life! The migrainested for seven minutes. Charmine bit into Anthony''s arm so hard, and he did not even make a sound. 2 It was not until her pain had eased up that she removed his hand away from her. She asked listlessly, ¡®Why are you so silly...?" "I''m not silly!" Anthony did not care about the pain in his arm. He held Charmine tightly as he lifted his bleeding arm to wipe off the cold sweat on her face. "As long as it eases your pain, it doesn''t matter." Charmine''s face lightened up. She looked at the bite mark on his arm as she reached out her small hand toward his arm. "I''ll bandage you." "Okay." Charmine took a few steps when Anthony abruptly let go of her hand. She looked at him suspiciously. Why did he suddenly let go of her? chapter 1182 chapter 1182 Charmine lowered her head to see Anthony opening his palm to hold hers. Following that, his fingers interlocked with hers tightly. Charmine¡¯s face turned hot. She nced at him. Anthony acted as if nothing was happening, and they walked into the medical room. He was holding her instead of her holding him. What a man! Charmine asked for a medical box from the nurse. She sat in front of him and focused on cleaning the wound. Her movement was fluent as she cleared the blood stains and disinfected it. "Don''t do it again next time," she muttered. "I like it," came Anthony''s nonchnt reply. "Hmm? You like getting hurt?" ''You left this mark," he replied absent-mindedly. "It''s my honor." i Charmine was speechless. "Silly!" scoffed Charmine, though her tone betrayed her as her movement grew gentler. Anthony looked at her focused look as he lifted his right hand. "If you''re in pain again next time, bite here." Charmine was speechless. He even anticipated her next migraine! Despite that, it filled her with warmth. The next day, Nial needed to transfuse blood into Guy, but seeing that Grandma Granger and Dior were inside the ward, he could not think of a way to get rid of them. He could only call for Charmine''s help. After hearing what he said, Charmine frowned and thought for a while before her eyes lit up. "I have an idea. Just wait for a moment." "What idea?" Nial asked suspiciously. Charmine smiled mysteriously. She turned and walked away. As she walked past the nurses'' resting room, she went in for a few minutes beforeing out as if nothing had happened. She then walked into the washroom. Inside the ward... Grandma Granger looked at Guy who was still in aa. Her expression darkened. Since he had yet to receive his daily blood supply, his breathing was bing shallower. Grandma Granger sighed heavily as she anxiously spoke, "Why isn¡¯t Guy awake yet?" His breathing was even shallower than yesterday''s! N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Dior poured her a warm cup of water. "Grandma, don''t worry. Doctor says Brother will be okay." "How can I not be worried?" Grandma Granger asked emotionally. "He''s my most precious grandson. He''s in aa! How am I supposed to not worry about it!?" i The more she looked at him, the angrier she was. It was all because of Charmine! Guy would not have been reduced to such a state if it was not for her! 1 Grandma Granger was about to tell Dior to make sure Charmine was banned from this ward again when she heard footstepsing over. Her face turned cold, thinking it was Charmine, but the door was not opened. Instead, a few nurses walked past as they discussed: "Is there such a ce? The patient was still in the ICU a few days ago." ''Yeah, why would I lie to you? You can go and have a look; he''s now walking on his feet and looking well!" "Oh, what are you two talking about?" "We''re discussing the critically ill patient. He was unable to drink water two days ago and was in aa. His mother then went to a ce to ask for blessings, just to try her luck, and guess what? The patient recovered! He has a good appetite now, and he¡¯s looking good." "Oh, wow! That''s amazing!" As they walked away, their voices became softer and fainter. Grandma Granger heard everything they said. chapter 1183 chapter 1183 Gazing at Guy who was in bed, Grandma Granger instantly walked out with her walking stick and called out to the nurses, "Hey, nurses!" The nurses who were walking away exchanged nces as if not knowing anything. They turned back to her. "Grandma Granger, may we help you?" "Where is this ce you''re talking about?" "Oh, you mean the ce that helped the patient?" The nurse waved it off," It''s superstitious." Grandma Granger insisted, "Tell me." Even if it was superstitious, even if there was a small chance, she still had to try it. The nurse said, "It''s an old house on top of a mountain outside the city. They say thend is blessed there. We were just discussing how the mother of a critically ill patient went there, and he recovered after." Grandma Granger''s eyes lit up as if she had seen hope. "What''s this ce called?" "It''s called the Five Ways." "Okay, thank you." Grandma Granger went back inside the ward and looked at Guy from the side of the bed. She decided at that moment to visit this ce. She instructed Dior, "I''ll go to Five Ways to ask for a blessing for Guy. You stay here and take care of him." "You''re not young anymore, Grandma," she fretted. "I''ll go with you." "No, you stay," persisted Grandma Granger. "The bodyguards will go with me. Don''t let Charminee close to Guy." "Okay, take cake, then." 1 After calling the bodyguards, Grandma Granger walked out of the ward. After walking two steps, she saw Charmine walking toward them. ''What are you doing here?" scoffed Grandma Granger. "As I said, you''re not wee here!" She heard Charmine had a migraine yesterday. She must havee for Guy¡¯s blood again. Not happening! Chris just arrived at the twelfth floor and happened to hear Grandma Granger scoffing at Charmine. His glowing eyes squinted. He backed away and hid in the corner. "Don''t worry," assured Charmine calmly, "I''m just passing by." Grandma Granger scoffed, "Don''t try to get close to Guy when I''m not around. Even after he''s recovered, he won''t be giving you blood!" "Don¡¯t worry, I won''t try that to a patient," she replied. Grandma Granger looked at her and was furious, but she knew Charmine and she could not be asked to scold her again. She scoffed and reminded Dior, "Remember what I said." Dior looked at Charmine and nodded. "I know, Grandma." Grandma Granger walked past Charmine. After she left, Charmine went straight to Nial. The hallway was empty. In the corner, Chris'' eyes glinted as if he was nning something. He turned and went downstairs... A few minutester, Charmine and Nial went into Guy''s ward. "Charmine..." Dior felt exasperated. She wanted Charmine to visit her brother, but she was afraid that Grandma Granger would berate her for it. Charmine gave her a reassuring look. When she was by the side, she looked at the weak Guy and said to Nial," Hurry and transfuse the blood.¡± Nial started working on it professionally. Dior was confused. "Why does he need blood?" Charmine exined, "Guy, truthfully, isn''t in a stable condition yet. He still needs arge amount of blood. Don''t worry Grandma Granger about it; hide it from her for now." "Why is that so..." Dior covered her mouth in shock as she looked at the man in bed. No wonder the doctor said her brother was fine while the devices showed that his body was not. Charmine said, "You¡¯ll help us to keep this from Grandma Granger for now. Don¡¯t worry about her, and leave the rest to me." Dior thought of the special blood Guy needed, and she asked, "The blood type is so limited. How is he going to get more blood?¡±This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. chapter 1184 chapter 1184 "Don''t worry about it," assured Charmine calmly, "I''ve found the blood supply. He''ll receive the blood supply until he recovers." "Really?" Although Dior knew Charmine would not lie to her, she still asked uneasily, "Are they willing to?" Charmine thought of the phone call from the professor telling her that they were on their way, and she raised her brows. ''They probably will." Dior was still unsettled. Charmine meant ''probably, not ''will''. When Charmine saw Dior''s uneasy expression, she patted her shoulder." Don¡¯t worry." Dior''s anxiety dissipated at her assurance. Charmine was a powerful woman, and she would be able to fix it. She trusted Charmine. Nial seeded in transfusing blood into Guy. It did not take long before Guy''s body data went back to normal. Sighing in relief, Dior turned to Nial. "Thank you, Dr. Nial." ''You''re wee." "Dior, in the next few days, Mr. Granger will be needing more blood," confessed Charmine. ''You¡¯ll take care of Grandma Granger." Dior nodded. "Okay, I got you." Her phone then rang at that moment-it was a person in charge of an art gallery. Dior answered the call. ¡°Hello." "Ms. Granger, one of your arts was chosen by a man. He''d like to purchase it and would like to know your thoughts when you painted it. Can youe over?" "Which painting?" ''The Wind from the Sea." Dior was shocked. Painting was only her hobby, and she did it for fun. The painting consisted of just a simple seaside, beach, seagulls, and a sunset. However, it was also the painting that she put the most effort in. Back then, Grandma Granger forced her to be a female general, but all she wanted to do was to stay as a trouble-free heiress. Seeing the free seagulls inspired her. This painting had been on disy for over a year. Compared to other less abstract paintings, this painting seemed ordinary and abstract, yet someone still picked it? Dior had forgotten about Grandma Granger''s warning as she said, "Okay, ask him to wait for me. I''m coming over now." ¡°Okay." After hanging up, she suddenly realized that she must not leave Guy. If she asked Charmine to take care of Guy, Dior would be in trouble if Grandma Granger came back! Dior could only look at Nial. "Dr. Nial, I need to fix something, I''ll be back soon. Can you help me to look after my brother, so that you''re here if he has an emergency?" Nial checked and, since he had nothing urgent to attend to, nodded." Alright, you may go." ''Thank you." Dior then turned to Charmine. "Charmine, Grandma wille back soon. She hasn''t looked good in the past two days, and she didn''t rest well either "Don¡¯t worry, I won''t let her see me," promised Charmine. "Okay." Dior then left in a hurry. Charmine watched over Guy by the bed and was about to leave, too. She had to discuss with Anthony on how to convince those from M35 Lab to donate their blood. However... Before she said anything, an urgent knocking was heard. "Dr. Nial! Dr. Nial, are you inside?" ''Yes!" A nurse opened the door as she urgently blurted, "Ady named Ms. Yvonne Eckert was rushing upstairs and fell. Her arm needs stitches, and she insisted we call on you!" i Nial frowned. Yvonne? If she had a scar, how would he exin it to Grandma Granger? 2 This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. He looked at Charmine right away, and she was just as helpless. If Nial went and Grandma Granger saw her when she returned, she would create chaos again! chapter 1185 chapter 1185 "Don''t worry, stitching is quick," exined Nial. "I¡¯ll be done before shees back." Charmine thought about it and knew they had to care for Yvonne. She could only nod. "Alright, go ahead." "Don¡¯t worry.¡± Nial walked two steps before a thought urred to him as he reminded her, "Ah, yes. Since Guy just had a blood transfusion, he needs to be looked after closely, in case an emergency happens. I''ll have some nurses waiting outside, and if Grandma Grangeres back, they¡¯ll let you know beforehand." 1 Charmine nodded. She did not have to argue with an elderly woman. "I''ll leave now. You sit here and call for a nurse if anything happens," ended Nial before he hurriedly left. Charmine sat before the table. Guy was still in aa and did not need any special care. She leaned on one hand as she picked up her phone to text Anthony. [I won¡¯t be back so soon.] Anthony replied quickly, [Why?] [Charmine: Dior and Guy are busy, so I¡¯ll have to look after Guy.] 3 Afraid that Anthony might get jealous after the text, she added, [Guy had a blood transfusion quitete, and he needs to be looked after, just in case anything happens.] Anthony read her text, and his eyes squinted. So she was alone with Guy, in a room? Not happening. [Anthony: I¡¯ming over now.] 2 Charmine had expected this and was not shocked. She replied, [Okay.] Anthony did not reply, and Charmine knew he was rushing over. Even after ten minutes, however, Anthony had yet to arrive when Guy moved slightly in bed. "Mmh..." Thinking he was awake, Charmine walked over to see that he had his eyes closed tightly, looking as if he was in pain. She asked, "What is it? Do you not feel well?¡± He was not awake, but he looked like he was in agony. Charmine quickly pressed on the emergency bell as she studied Guy''s form before realizing the area of the shirt above his stomach area had turned red! Charmine pulled open the shirt and jolted. His wound was worsening. It was bleeding nonstop! She reached out in an attempt to fix it, but her hand stopped a few centimeters away. She was reminded of how Anthony acted yesterday. Charmine quickly pressed on the bell again, but no doctor showed up. She could only go out to call forthem in the medical room, but nobody was around. Charmine professionally took out an IMU and some bandages from the medical room before rushing back to the ward. Her heart ached at the sight of his precious blood oozing. She quickly fed him IMU, and the bleeding stopped. She let out a sigh of relief. Since no nurses were around, she had to do it herself. She cautiously cleaned the wound and put on a new bandage. Anthony pushed open the door and coincidentally saw this. Charmine, sitting by the bed, had her hand above Guy''s stomach. Charmine was speechless. Blinking, she looked at her position and then at her hands that rested on Guy''s wound. Oh, dear... This man was getting jealous again! "Anthony..." Charmine then attempted to exin, "His wound started bleeding, and nobody was around, so I...¡± "So you fixed it for him?¡± Anthony¡¯s expression had darkened. Without a choice, Charmine could only say, ''There¡¯s nobody in here, so should I just leave him bleeding?" shiro Anthony''s face was devoid of emotions as he walked toward her.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. chapter 1186 chapter 1186 Charmine felt that domineering pressure from Anthony and had only one thought in mind. Anthony was getting angry... As she was thinking of a n, Anthony reached out his hand and took the bandage from her. "Go and rest by the side. Let me do this for you." Charmine was stunned. He would take care of Guy?! Anthony was cold and high-above. Why would his hands touch such things? Furthermore, did he not hate Guy? "Anthony..." Charmine wanted to insist that she do it as his offer seemed rather strange, but Anthony helped her to the sofa and said, "You rest. Leave it to me. With that said, he walked back to the bed and continued to bandage Guy. The way he handled it was rather callous, but it was honest work. Even he had no idea how serious he looked as he bandaged Guy. "Cough, cough...!" Guy started coughing vigorously. Following that, a gust of fresh blood oozed out from his mouth, and it colored his pale lips. Anthony frowned. After he froze for two seconds, he picked up a clean towel to wipe it off. Outside the ward... A patient on the same floor came out to the hallway to move around when he suddenly felt listless and lost bnce. Swearing, he reached out to grab a handle by the window to stabilize himself from falling. Coincidentally, when he was about to turn around, he saw what Anthony was doing for Guy. Anthony was focusing on wiping the blood off of Guy. Looking from his angle, it looked very caring. Anthony continued to bandage his stomach after wiping him. The man outside was interested. A man taking care of another man? He curiously watched on before the shock overtook him. Was that not Anthony? The most expensive man at the top of the pyramid, taking care of another person? A man, no less. Shocking news! Since the view was limited, the man only saw what was happening around the bed and did not see Charmine sitting not far away at all. Watching intently, an idea urred to him as his eyes twinkled with excitement. The topic of #AnthonyBailey could be sold for a very good price! He instantly took out his phone and recorded this scene before he left quietly. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. When he got back to his ward, he instantly contacted the media pages. After negotiating a good price, he sent out the video with the title: [Anthony left his beautiful fiancee at home to take care of a man in the hospital. Guess why?] It did not take long before #AnthonyandGuy rushed up as the most discussed topic. The inte melted at the topic. [Ah, my heart! It¡¯s broken! It''s broken!] [Oh no!!! Anthony, my boy-god! How could this be?!] [He took such good care of him! Is this real? Ahhh! My heart is broken.] [I don''t get it! Why does he have a beautiful fiancee at home and still wants to be with a man!?] With that, those women who hated Waverly for stealing Anthony started a hate-train. [What else? All because Waverly is incapable!] [Exactly! She¡¯s beautiful, but she''s just a vase. All she does is try to look good. Anthony isn''t a shallow person!] [Hahaha! Have you all heard of the phrase ''the beauties are cruel''? She must''ve threatened Anthony to hold onto him!] [She has so much negative news, and she even lies! Who knows, maybe Anthony doesn¡¯t like her at all!] Instantly, Waverly became everyone''s target. The topic went as far as a full- on criticism of Waverly. At Royal Grand Hotel... Smash! A phone was smashed onto the balcony, causing cracks. Waverly''s eyes were filled with hatred as the things she read shed in her mind. Of course she did not believe that Anthony had a thing for men. chapter 1187 chapter 1187 She knew Anthony would help Charmine to take care of Guy, ignoring his expensive and high-above status! Ha! How much did he love her, anyway? Also, why was she targeted instead of Charmine? 1 Waverly''s beautifully manicured nails clenched the handle tightly as she reigned in her rage, thoughts flying rampantly. After a while, she smiled. The hatred in her eyes vanished and was taken over by eerie darkness. She stomped in her ten-centimeter-heels as she walked back to her room elegantly. 1 She picked up the telephone and made a call. "Keep an eye on Charmine. Do it once you have a chance!¡± After hanging up, Waverly smiled coldly. Charmine, it was not over yet! Inside the hospital... Anthony had helped wrap Guy''s wound and was only able to rest for a while before Luke called him. "Boss, you''re on the hotlist." Anthony looked at Charmine who was sleeping on the table. He walked out of the balcony softly as his gaze narrowed. "What is it?" "You taking care of Guy in the hospital spread like wildfire on the inte! Theizens are guessing that you and..." Luke did not dare to finish his sentence. He could only ask, "Do you want to take it down?" Anthony squinted. He thought of the news of Guy and Charmine, and he said in a low voice, "Leave it.¡± As long as he could protect Charmine, everything was fine. Shocked, Luke curiously asked, "What? But why? If this goes on. I''m afraid... Also, Boss, why did you take care of him in person?" Anthony was ced at a high pedestal and nothing had his fingers before, yet he was cleaning another man''s wound! Anthony unconsciously turned to Charmine. She was on the sofa, sound asleep. She was usually cold and wild, yet at that moment, she slept peacefully and disyed a different kind of beauty. His cold eyes softened. "Just do as I say. Don''t ask too much." No matter what theizens said, the most important thing was to make sure that his woman was not taking care of Guy. "Yes, Sir!¡± Luke dared not to question as he thus started working on it. After hanging up, Anthony went back to the ward, only to find Charmine awake. She looked up and halted for two seconds. She frowned. How did she fall asleep? Anthony, sitting by her side, tucked a strand of her hair gently behind her ear. "Did I wake you up?" "No." She was a light-sleeper. Charmine turned back to see Guy in bed and asked, "Did he suffer any side effects?" Anthony did not seem pleased. The first thing she asked after waking up was about another man?! His face sank. "No." Charmine did not notice his expression, however. She looked at the time and noticed that it was noon! 1 Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Nial was not back? Dior was not back? Most shocking of all, Grandma Granger was not back? The fact that Charmine did not read his face triggered Anthony immensely. "We should go back," he said tly. Charmine merely said, "There''s no one else we can trust here." They must not leave Guy alone in the ward. Furthermore, his wound had reopened in the morning. If anything else happened... Anthony tried his best to hold back his rising anger, his face as dark as a stormy sky. ''You care about him so much?" She cared so much that she had to stay by his side! chapter 1188 chapter 1188 Charmine was speechless. Anthony got jealous again! She reached out her small hand and grabbed hisrge hand. "You got it all wrong, Anthony. Nial said that we must keep an eye on Guy at all times; he''s still unstable. Remember that I¡¯m the cause of this, too. You know me, and you know how I don''t like to owe anything to anyone." Anthony could feel her soft hands. When he heard her speak, his heart softened. Charmine was like this. What else could he do other than spoiling her? Whatever-he would not hold this against her. After calming himself down, his icy disposition melted as he held her hand. "I''ll be with you." If anything happened to Guy again, he could step in. He would not allow her to help another man, especially Guy! Charmine sighed in relief. "Okay." Meanwhile... Not long after arriving at Five Ways, Grandma Granger felt her eyelids fluttering wide open consistently She frowned suspiciously. Had Guy''s illness worsened?This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. She picked up the pace and rushed toward the ce. Upon arriving at Five Ways, Grandma Granger prayed sincerely and asked for good luck. She did all she could to show her sincerity. Finally, she knelt before the altar to give all the blessings to Guy. 1 When she finished the procedure, her eyelids did not flutter wide open as they did before, and she knew not whether it was all in her mind or not. Still, her worries remained, thus she phoned Dior. "How''s Guy? Is he feeling better?" "Much...much better." Dior had no idea what was happening in the ward and was caught offguard. However, knowing that Charmine was there and that the data was alright when she left, Dior added, "Don''t worry, Grandma, Brother is getting better." Grandma Granger instantly let out a sigh of relief. After hanging up, she donated arge sum of money into the donation box. When she was about to leave, she had an idea. Since this ce was so powerful, she might as well ask for Guy¡¯s future. If she could find out when Guy would find a wife and give birth to a child, she could be prepared. 1 As she was about to go to find an expert for that, she spotted a group of people conversing on the way, and a young girl was sobbing helplessly," Waa...! Please, please don''t kick me out! "I haven''t eaten for a day, and I''m so hungry..." When the girl saw the figureing, she sobbed even harder, "I only want to eat, even just for a little... I''m really hungry..." "Waa... Please, please give me a bun...a hot bun...!" Apparently, however pitiable she was, the person in charge of the ce remained stoic. "Young girl, you came to the wrong ce. You can''t beg for food here. Go away." Although the ce was for good deeds, they used to adopt children, and it resulted in many children running to them for shelter. Some people even abandoned their children by the door of Five Ways, i After some time, the ce stopped helping children. Grandma Granger could not help walking over. When she saw the young girlying on the floor, she frowned. When the young girl saw hering, her glossy eyes widened as she blinked diligently. Her clear eyes were instantly filled with tears as she sobbed, "Grandma, Granddad, please, please help me. I don''t know where to get food... Please don¡¯t kick me out, please give me some food...l...l can''t make it..." She cried as her shoulder twitched as if she would pass out anytime. chapter 1189 chapter 1189 "That''s the rule of this ce," spoke the person in charge sternly." Regardless of whether I want to help you or not, I''ll still be punished if I break the rules." Those around them murmured, "This young girl is too pitiable. Why did she end up here?" "Young girl, where''s your family?" "Give me the number and we''ll help you contact them, alright?" The crowd was asking, but none of them was willing to help her. It was not that they could not spare a few bucks; they knew they would have to do it again if they did it once. Those who were in the temple must have faced troubles of their own to havee to this ce for blessings, thus it was only natural that they had no spare energy to help others...even though she was a pitiable girl. The young girl pouted sadly as tears rolled down her face. "I''m an orphan...I don¡¯t have a family... Waa...!" The crowd gasped at that, and one of the women was moved. She came to seek blessings for her daughter-inw who could not conceive. She wanted to be a grandmother. This girl was an orphan, and she could adopt her! Sure, she was not a boy, but it was better than nothing! It was then and there she decided, but just as she was about to speak... "Child..." called Grandma Granger as she approached her by the side, helping her up. "What would you like to eat? Come with me, and I''ll buy for you." The young girl blinked her big eyes as she muttered weakly, "I want to eat buns...hot buns... Not too many, just one, or even a half!¡± Her voice was so adorable that it melted Grandma Granger''s heart. A genial smile spread across Grandma Granger''s features as all thoughts of wanting to know Guy¡¯s future disappeared. "Okay," she assured the girl, I¡¯ll buy you some!¡± The overjoyed young girl nodded obediently. "Thank you, Grandma! You¡¯re so kind!" Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. When she called her ''Grandma, Grandma Granger''s face lit up as she held her tiny hand. "Let''s go.¡± The young girl stood up with an unnoticeable winning smile. She turned around, face wet with tears and nose red as she walked away with Grandma Granger. The other woman who wanted to adopt her from earlier bit her lips. She chased after the two of them and said with a friendly tone, "Young girl, what would you like to eat? I''ll buy some for you, alright? I have many toys at home. You can y and eat whatever you want." When Grandma Granger heard that, she lowered her head to tell the young girl not to trust this woman, and the young girl responded, "No need, thank you." She turned to look at Grandma Granger and said, "I think this Grandma is friendlier. I like her more. Thank you for offering your help." Grandma Granger''s heart warmed at her response. All this time, she hade across as too harsh and powerful to everyone else, yet this young girl thought she was friendly? She looked at the young girl with satisfaction. She liked her more. "My dear, if you go with her, you¡¯ll only get one meal," spoke the woman with reluctance in her tone. "If youe with me, you''ll get many meals forever." The young girl inwardly scoffed, ''I''ll never run out of meals and clothes! Hmph!'' Outwardly, however, she had a grateful look on her face. ''Thank you, Grandma, but I''ve decided to go with this friendly Grandma. She looks nice and gentle, and I''ll be happy to get one meal with her!" Grandma Granger could not fight the smile that surfaced. This young girl would give up the chance to get meals for her entire life for one meal with her, just because she looked friendly? Why did she find this young girl very clever, and so likable at that? chapter 1190 chapter 1190 Grandma Granger was still suspicious, but when she lowered her head to see the girl''s clear, watery eyes, nothing raised her wariness. She must have overanalyzed things, then. The other woman persisted, "Young girl, why are you so silly? After one meal-¡± "Shut up!" Before she could finish her sentence, Grandma Granger cut her short coldly. "Don''t you think I don''t know what you''re thinking. Stay away if you¡¯re smart, or HI call the police!" When the woman saw that Grandma Granger was dressed up elegantly, she knew she was of a prominent background and could not be offended. Reluctantly, the woman left. The young girl looked up at Grandma Granger with admiration. "You''re so cool, Grandma. You''re like a high-ranking soldier!" Grandma Granger smiled a friendly smile, unable to tell this adorable girl the dark truth. She asked, "What¡¯s your name? How old are you?" "My name is Momo." Grandma Granger took her into her arms. "This name was given to me by the orphanage''s director. I''m five years old." 1 "I see," uttered Grandma Granger, pained. She looked at her and wanted to ask many questions but did not know where to start. She did not want to upset this young girl. She was such an adorable girl, and she should have been spoiled by her family at this age. Why was she out here begging for food and getting bullied by everyone?! Grandma Granger held her hand tightly as she chose a less intense topic, " If you''re doing well inside the orphanage, why did you run out?" "Because I want to find my Mommy," muttered Momo as she pouted. She blinked as if she was about to cry but bit her lips to hold it in. It was a sorry sight. "The children in the orphanage said my Mommy is bad," she whimpered sadly, "that she tossed me away after giving birth to me. When I see the picture of my Mommy, she''s very beautiful-she doesn''t look like a bad person. The director also said that my Mommy is kind. She must''ve had her reasons for leaving me behind." Grandma Granger felt tears welling in her eyes. This child was so young yet so understanding. Momo pouted as she continued, "I want to look for Mommy, and I want to ask her what have I done wrong for her to leave me-" "No, my child." Grandma Granger cut her short. "You''re a good kid. Your Mommy must''ve had her reasons to have left." "Yeah." Momo nodded heavily, her eyes widened with determination." You¡¯re right! I believe in Mommy! I want to find Mommy now!" Grandma Granger could not help liking this child more. "Good child. What''s your Mommy''s name?" she asked. She could help her find her mother. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Momo was speechless as a look of panic shed in her eyes. Why did she forget toe up with this? She rubbed her eyes and took in a breath. She finally thought of one. "Her name is Armine." "Armine? Which Armine?" Momo said with a serious face, "The director said it''s A-R-M-l-N-E. The director also said that Mommy lives on Corporate Street." Grandma Granger halted. Was there such a name? Corporate Street? The world was so big, and there would be more than a hundred Corporate Streets in Burlington! 1 It was not easy to find someone. The director must have lied to this girl! She could not destroy this girl''s wish, thus she coaxed, "Okay, I understand. I believe you¡¯ll find your Mommy since you¡¯re working so hard." chapter 1192 chapter 1192 Inside the hospital. Guy was in a stable condition, somewhat, and had no emergencies in the afternoon. Nial called them beforehand to tell Charmine and Anthony that he had things to attend to, that he would not be back so soon, so they both stayed in the ward from afternoon until the sky turned dark. Charmine looked at the time. It was past six. She phoned Dior but all she heard was, "Sorry, the number you''ve dialed is currently..." She frowned and grew anxious. Did Dior turn off her phone? Grandma Granger would grow suspicious if she noticed that Dior was not around. It would then be harder for them to distract her when Guy needed his next blood transfusion. Noticing her growing anxiety, Anthony reached out with his big palm to hold her ice-cold hand. ''Wait for a while. It¡¯ll be fine as long as shees back before Grandma Granger does." ''Yeah." Meanwhile... After arriving at the exhibition, Dior went to the waiting lounge. When she opened the door, she saw a tall man facing her with his back, sitting upright in front of the window. He was dressed in a grey-white shirt, jeans, and casual shoes. Perhaps it was his clothes, but he gave off a worn-out, cheap vibe. Dior frowned. He, wanted to buy her painting? Was that a joke? When the man heard hering, he turned around to reveal a handsome face. Dior''s heart skipped a beat. Argh! So handsome! So handsome! Was he a prince from a fairytale book? He was even better-looking than Charmine in her Charlie get-up! 1 Dior''s heart felt her heart bursting. 2 "Hello," greeted the man as he walked toward her, hand outstretched like a gentleman. "Hello..." Dior snapped out of her thought as she reached out her left hand with excitement. Unfortunately, it was the wrong hand! With an awkward smile, she then reached out her right hand to shake his hand. As his thick palm touched her glowing hand, she felt the shock of an electric current. Dior tried to calm down as she gestured for him to sit down. "Please, have a seat." The two of them sat on the sofa. Dior sized him up and asked, "Sir, are you sure you want to buy my painting?" "Yes," the man''s voice was sexy, "but I hope Ms. Granger can sell it for a lower price." "Hmm?" Dior could not help but frown. The first impression of him was poor. However, his gesture was very manly and gentlemen-like. She felt as if he was the young master of some wealthy families; it was just that he preferred dressing down. He wanted her to lower the price? The man exined, "Actually, today is my girlfriend''s birthday. She likes your painting, and I''m here to buy it for her, but I don''t have enough funds, so I hope you can lower the price." Dior''s face stiffened. Curses! He had a girlfriend, and he liked her that much!? All the fantasies in her mind instantly vanished. However handsome he was, he was another woman''s man! Why was she so sad? Dior narrowed her eyes. She was going to exin to her about the inspiration of this painting, but the thought flew out of the window already. "Ms. Granger?" Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. When the man saw that she had zoned out, he called out to her. Dior was brought out of her train of thoughts as she asked, "Okay, what''s your budget?" 1 "Eighty thousand." chapter 1193 chapter 1193 "Okay." Well, he was a sight for sore eyes, still. The man seemed very grateful. ''Thank you." ''You''re wee." Dior led him to pay and wrap up the painting. After the man had left, the assistant asked, "Ms. Granger, you sold off your painting at such a low price?" "I don''t care about money." Dior flipped her hair. "I care about people." The assistant thought to herself, ''Okay. You''re rich, so you do you.'' Dior reclined on the seat as her bright eyes stared at the back of the leaving man... She felt almost heartbroken. It was not until the man had vanished from her sight that she turned around to hand out her card to the assistant. "Use my card to fill up the remaining amount." Although she owned this gallery, there were two other partners. They had to keep the numbers right. After sorting out everything, Dior drove back to the hospital. Her eyes wandered as she stopped before the traffic light, yet among the crowd, she noticed the same man from the museum... He had a nicely packed painting in his hands. He frowned as he talked to a woman next to him, seemingly exining something. The two of them stood below the tree as if they were arguing, and the conversation grew tense. Dior''s gazended on the woman. She wore Christian Dior''stest top while her pants and shoes were simr to those worn by celebrities. Her bag was from Chanel! Everything on her was from a luxury brand! Dior cocked an eyebrow at the sight as she eyed the man again. Men like him were hard to find. He saved all his money to spoil his girlfriend. Dior then looked at the woman, and she was scolding the man nonstop... Dior did not like what she saw. The car behind her started honking. She looked away and drove away, but her eyes would stillnd on the couple through the rear mirror. She saw the man handing the painting to the woman, but she did not even look at it and harshly mmed it on the ground. Dior squinted. Did the man not say that his girlfriend liked her painting? If she really liked it, she would not have smashed it no matter how angry she was. Dior, unable to hold it in, turned her car around. She put on her sunsses and pulled over by the roadside not far from them, i N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. She leaned against the seat and removed her sunsses to stare at them. Unfortunately, the woman went into a limited edition luxury car a few minutester. The man did not chase after her; he looked at the car as she drove away. After a long while, he looked away and picked up the gift from the floor. He sat by a water fountain and lit up his cigarette. He seemed very lonely. Dior looked at him sympathetically. A good man like him was dumped? She wanted to go over and give him a hug so badly... No! No way! What time was it? She had to go back to the hospital to watch over Guy. Why was she looking at a stranger instead? Dior started her car, but as she was about to leave, she saw the man walking away, determined. Dior blinked. He was walking toward the sea! Was his man trying to kill himself? No way! Dior rushed out of her car and followed behind him. Saving a life was more important than anything! If he was going to kill himself and she saved him, this would be a good deed done on her brother''s behalf Dior stayed ten meters behind him as she tailed after him. When she saw that he was by the seaside, he continued walking into the sea. Dior was shocked! Goodness¡¯ Was he truly ending himself? Such a looker-it would be a shame if he died! She threw away her handbag and, running toward him in her heels,unched at him. Both of them tumbled down as Dior coincidentally sat on his waist and leaned against his muscr chest. The man frowned and looked at her, confused... chapter 1194 chapter 1194 The man''s eyes narrowed when he noticed the woman on hisp. Was it her? Realizing their position, he gulped and hoarsely questioned, "What are you doing?" Dior heard his alluring voice and was knocked off her feet. When she finally reacted, she said, "She¡¯s just a woman. Why end yourself for her? There are so many better women in the world, and you don''t have to do this! Even if you don''t care about your life, think of your parents! It wasn''t easy raising you!" Harry was baffled. "When did I say I''m killing myself?" "Huh? You were walking into the sea!" rambled Dior. "Are you not committing suicide?" "No, you just thought too much into it." He looked at their position again and his eyes darkened. "Oh." Knowing that he was not killing himself, Dior was more reassured. After that, she finally realized...that she was sitting on top of him! Her hand was touching his chest! "Ah...haha...! What a misunderstanding..." Dior smiled dryly and got off of him unwillingly. "My apologies, I was wrong." Harry''s sea water-drenched stuck to his skin and showed his perfect body. Dior stared at him without blinking. "Don¡¯t worry,¡± said Harry, ''Tm not as weak." ''That''s good. That¡¯s the right way to think!" Dior looked at his handsome face and added, ''There are many women." ''For example, the one right in front of you!'' Although it was not morally correct to steal someone''s boyfriend right after the breakup, he was too handsome! His look, physique, and even his eyes were beyond her standards. Harry looked at her. ''Tm not sad because of her." In fact, he found it ironic. He cut all ties with his parents just to be with her, and he went to work on site and tried to give her the best. In the end, all she said was, "Harry, I don''t want to go on like this." Ha! He took the wrong bet! "What?" Dior was confused. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. If he was not sad because of the woman, why did he seem sad? "Nothing." Harry did not want to speak further. "Oh." After a short pause of silence, Dior asked, "What''s your name?¡± "Harry Cogen.¡± Dior''s eyes lit up. "Sounds nice.¡± Even his name was nice. "My name is Dior Granger." She looked at his damp shirt and said, "Your shirt is wet because of me. I''ll buy you one." "No need." Dior was upset. Why was this man so cold? She pursed her lips and reached out to hold onto his wrist. "Your shirt is wet, and you might catch a cold staying here. Let''s go, I''ll buy you a new shirt. Otherwise, I''ll feel bad." Harry wanted to say something when he looked at her hand on his wrist and pursed his lips. He left with her. 2 When they went back to the street, Dior brought him to a luxury mall. When they entered, the staff saw Harry and stood upright. As they were about to greet him, he quickly gave them a look to stop them. A few of them realized and pretended as if they did not know him." Wee!" Dior picked him a suit, and when he changed into it, she looked over as her heart raced wildly. He was in a fitting Armani ck suit. His legs are long and straight, his face handsome and mature. How handsome! He must have been the handsome CEO from one of those romantic novels! chapter 1195 chapter 1195 Harry looked muscr under his shirt and looked in shape with the shirt on. However, this man showed no interest in her! Was there a sadder thing than this in the world? Dior pitied herself before going to pay for it at the cashier. Harry was like a useless man as he followed behind her, and Dior was rather upset as they walked out of the mall. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. She was really going back this time! She turned back to look at him. "Goodbye, then." "Okay." She took her bag and walked toward her car. Harry stood on the same spot and watched as she left. After she had left, he turned and walked back to the cashier, speaking authoritatively, "Refund the money back to thedy''s ount." ''Yes, President." Before Charmine and Anthony managed to see Dior, a nurse rushed in urgently. "Ms. Jordan, Mr. Bailey, Grandma Granger is downstairs." i Charmine frowned and could only instruct the nurse, ''Take care of Mr. Granger. If she asks, just tell her what I told you earlier." "Okay." Charmine and Anthony left the ward in a hurry before they went into the lift. When the lift was shut, the opposite lift door opened and Grandma Granger walked out. She walked into Guy''s ward and did not see Dior. There was only a nurse looking after him. She frowned. "Where is Dior?" "M. Granger has a situation, and she has gone out," replied the nurse as she was told. "Did Charminee today?" "No." Grandma Granger walked to the bedside. She looked at the devices that showed Guy was more stabilized, and she let out a sigh of relief. It seemed that Dior did her part and did not let Charminee in. She sat by the bed and looked at Guy who was still in aa. She sighed. Noticing his hand was out of the nket, she tucked it in under when she suddenly saw a needle of simr color with the nket was next to the fabric. She picked it up and thought of something. She turned to ask, "Did Charminee?" The nurse jolted. She was speechless and could only shake her head. "No, Ms. Jordan didn''te." ''Then, tell me what this is!" She showed the nurse the needle, and it glinted under the light. It was obviously left behind by Charmine! The nurse stood firmly and was at a loss for words. It was then the door of the ward opened and Dior walked in. She noticed the atmosphere was off the moment she walked in. The nurse looked at her for help. When Dior saw the needle in Grandma Granger''s hand, her heart skipped a beat. Oh, no... They were exposed! ''You finally came back?" Grandma Granger growled, "What did you promise this morning?! Did you disrespect what I said?" Dior asked the nurse to get out. Knowing they were busted, she said," Grandma, Charmine dide, but she didn''t do anything to Guy. She merely came and had a look." i "Nonsense!" Grandma Granger was too furious. Even her granddaughter lied to her for Charmine, and she felt betrayed. She tossed the needle into the bin. "I won¡¯t trust you again. From now on, I''ll look after him by myself! "Grandma..." How would Charmine be able to transfuse blood into him? Grandma Granger was livid. "Get out!" Dior bit her lips. With Grandma Granger enraged, she dared not to further trigger her. She could only turn away from the ward. When she walked out, she took out her phone ready to send Charmine a text. It was then she realized she had somehow turned off her phone by ident. She turned it on and texted Charmine, [Charmine, Grandma knows you came and she insisted on watching Guy by herself. She even kicked me out] When Charmine read the message at home, she frowned. If Grandma Granger personally attended to Guy, how could they transfuse blood to him the following day? chapter 1196 chapter 1196 The question kept Charmine awake all night. Unable toe up with a win-win solution, it caused her to lose her sleep... She tossed and turned in bed before she was pulled into Anthony''s arms abruptly. His voice huskily tingled her ears, "What are you hinting at me by twisting around?" Charmine looked at his darkening eyes, and her face turned hot. She exined, "I''m thinking about Guy." Anthony''s face sank. "It seems that my sense of presence is too low!" She was in his arms while thinking of another man! "No, L.uhh..." Before she could finish, Anthony lifted her face by her chin and arrogantly kissed her lips as a punishment. 1 Knowing that she was tired, he let go of her and embraced her, dering," Just sleep. I''ll take care of everything." Charmine frowned. Did he have a solution? Grandma Granger would attend to Guy personally from then on, and she would not leave. Although Charmine was tired, she did not want Anthony to get jealous again, so she did not further question him. Through the moonlight, Anthony saw how worried she was still, and his brows furrowed at the sight. She always cared so much about Guy. He had to distract her. He said, "The people from M35 Lab will be here tomorrow. Charmine, go and convince them to donate blood." Charmine was reminded of this. "Okay." She had to meet them. The next morning... Anthony brought a big bag to the hospital. He went into Nial''s office and tossed it in front of him. Nial looked at the ck bag and asked, "What¡¯s this?" "Open it," came Anthony''s simple reply. Upon inspecting the contents of the bag, Nial found a grey-white wig, sses, and a few documents! "What''s all this for?" questioned Nial as an uneasy feeling welled up inside him. Anthony stared at him. "Because of what you did yesterday, you must now make up for it." Nial was bbergasted. So, he had to dress up as an elderlydy? Anthony was ying him! He shook his head vigorously. "I don¡¯t want to!" Anthony had a cold smile. "You only have two choices: Either do it yourself, or I¡¯ll help you to.¡± Nial wanted to cry! Why was he always bullied?! Inside the ward... Grandma Granger stayed at Guy¡¯s bedside while he was still in hisa. Furthermore, he had be unstable again, even though he was stable yesterday. Worried, Grandma Granger debated on whether she should go to Five Ways again to pray. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. However, if she left Guy, nobody would watch over Guy. She did not trust anyone else. Grandma Granger held his hand and muttered weakly, "When will you wake up, Guy...?" At that moment, the door to the ward opened as Anthony walked in. Beside him was an ''elderlydy'' in a doctor''s coat. Grandma Granger stood up with a straight face. "Anthony, what are you doing?" "Don''t worry, Grandma Granger," assured Anthony, "I won''t attack Guy. This is a doctor I invited from Amerites, Dr. Nancy. She has international recognition and a good reputation." 1 With that said, Anthony handed the documents to Grandma Granger. Grandma Granger suspiciously looked at this ''elderlydy'' and then at the documents. Nancy Kirby, a reputable doctor from Amerites. Grandma Granger asked suspiciously, "Will Dr. Nancy be able to cure Guy?" "Dr. Nancy needs to have a full-body examination on Guy," spoke Anthony. Grandma Granger looked at Dr. Nancy urgently. "Thank you, Dr. Nancy!" Dr. Nancy pushed up her golden sses and parted her lips to say... chapter 1197 chapter 1197 "I don''t want others to be around me when I work." Grandma Granger frowned. She looked at Guy who was still in aa. After a moment of hesitation, she walked out of the ward with Anthony. When the door was shut, the so-called Dr. Nancy lowered her head to look at her costume with a disgusted look. She quickly took out a tube of blood and started transfusing blood into Guy. Charmine turned around in the huge bed to hug Anthony, but her arms felt nothing beside her. She abruptly opened her eyes and noticed that the space beside her was empty, 1 Anthony was not there. She thought of what Anthony saidst night, and she instantly called him. After the call was epted, she asked, "Anthony, how did it go? Did you manage to get the blood to Guy?" Anthony was not pleased. She woke up and the first thing she asked about was Guy!? 1 He glowered. "We''ve sessfully transfused his blood. You don''t have toe to the hospital. Just go and meet those from M35 Lab." "Okay." Charmine felt more at ease after hearing that. She fell silent and said, ''Thank you, darling." Anthony''s anger evaporated when he heard her calling him ''darling''. He felt energized. "What did you call me, Charmine?" Charmine''s face heated up as she called out in a small voice, "Darling." A gentle smile appeared on Anthony''s face. "Okay, darling." Charmine felt her cheeks getting warmer. She got out of bed. "I¡¯ll get to work now." "Okay." Charmine freshened up and went downstairs when she saw the slip on the table. [Mommy, I''m going out to y with my friends. Don¡¯t worry about me.] The note made Chris look like an innocent child. Charmine¡¯s eyes were filled with love. This boy forgot all about her after getting friends. After breakfast, Charmine contacted the scientists from M35 Lab. Jack replied instantly, "We can''t travel to certain ces. Meet us at the Chelsea Hotel; we¡¯ll be waiting for you." 1 Charmine drove to the hotel, where seven to eight men sat together. Charmine''s eyes lit up. They had the same blood type as Guy! Jack sat in front of her and began, "Ms. Jordan, our goal is simple. We want the form for IMU. Let us know what your conditions are, and we''ll try our best to meet your expectations." Charmine''s lips curled up. "I can give you the form, but I need each of you to donate three hundred milliliters of blood per month." ''What?!" The group of men was shocked. Their blood was as precious as their lives. They would never donate blood. They would use up a sizable quantity of blood every month for research. Adding 300 milliliters on top of that would cost their lives! The men objected. "Ms. Jordan, anything but our blood." ''We can pay you! Do you want ten million? A billion? Just give us a price!" Money? Charmine narrowed her eyes. She opened her folder and handed over a document. "Everyone may have a look at this document." Linder the impression that she was giving them an IMU-rted document, the men gathered to have a look. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. However, they were all shocked in the next second, their eyes filled with disbelief. It was the list of the richest individuals in Burlington, and this youngdy in front of them was No. 2! Charmine looked at the crowd. "Do you still want to talk about money?" her tone was wild and arrogant. ''No, thanks!¡¯ spoke the men inwardly. It seemed that they had to change tactics. How would they negotiate with this woman in front of them... chapter 1198 chapter 1198 One of the men thought of his precious collections and said, "Ms. Jordan, I can give you my Skyatte-it''s the finest of all! There''s only one piece in the world. The auction price is starting at a hundred million!¡± "Skyatte?" Charmine''s beautiful eyebrows raised. ''Yeah." Thinking she was interested, the man excitedly continued, "Skyatte is a green vase made with the most ancient technique. They spent at least a thousand hours refining it in a high-temperature cave. Hundreds of procedures were put into it to transform it from mud to a vase!" Everyone was astounded at the fact as their eyes reddened with jealousy. ''You spent five hundred million to get it back, then!" ''This is one-of-a-kind!" "Charmine, you¡¯re in luck!" However, Charmine nonchntly took out her phone and showed them a photo. "Apologies, but my grandparents made them." 1 The photo was taken at her birthday banquet. It was a group photo of her and her grandparents. Everyone reeled back in shock. The highest-ranking figures in Burlington were her grandparents! How could she be so blessed? Knowing how proud she was, someone offered, "I''ll give you a super-sports car! Limited edition! You can''t even buy it with money." Charmine looked interested. "What kind?" "Image-S!" replied the man haughtily. Image-S! Everyone was impressed with that. This was a limited edition super-sports car. It was technologically advanced, and only nine of them existed in the world! He would give out his Image-S for I MU?! The man reveled as everyone eyed him with admiration. He lifted his chin at Charmine with confidence. She must have been tempted! s... Charmine merely said, "I was the ambassador for this car. The organizer insisted that I keep one. The car is now piled with dust inside my garage. If you want it, I can give it to you!" 1 Everyone exchanged nces in disbelief. How rich was she?! This man spent half of his life savings for this car, yet she had this car unused inside her garage and could give it away so easily? Charmine''s clear eyes sized up the men before her gazended on Jack." Professor Jack, I said I only want your blood. If you''re not going to negotiate, then this is farewell." She took up the folder and turned to leave when a group of people suddenly rushed in from the outside. There were 20 of them all dressed in ck, and they surrounded Charmine. With rock-solid physique, the men exuded an ominously cold aura. Charmine frowned. "You''re all..." Behind her, Jack¡¯s voice was heard coldly, "Since you want it the harsh way, don''t me us." Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. The man blocking Charmine suddenly pointed a ck weaponced with poison at her! Jack said with satisfaction, "Ms. Jordan, your organs will break down if this liquid so much so grazes you, and you¡¯ll die. I hope you''ll reconsider!" "Really?" Charmine showed no hint of fear in her eyes; she even seemed intrigued. "Let''s make a bet, then. If your poison can make me fall and die, you¡¯ll have the IMU form. Otherwise, you''ll all give me your blood." Everyone stared at her wide-eyed. "Charmine, are you crazy?" "Do you know what poison this is?" "This poison is a work of M35 Lab for many years! No one who touched this poison made it past three years up until now!" "I hope you''ll be less pompous about this!" Charmine merely said, "Cut the nonsense. One word: yes or no?" chapter 1199 chapter 1199 The men had never seen anyone as lofty as Charmine. Jack smiled coldly. "Okay, you asked for it. Go ahead!" Fearing she would change her mind, Jack signaled the men in ck to release the poison. With that, ck smoke enveloped Charmine entirely. The group of men staggered a few steps backward in fear, about ten or so meters away. Charmine remained on the same spot and was calm. By then, the ck smoke had covered her up entirely. They only had one thought: "Goodness! The poison literally engulfed her! She''s going to die!" "Someone identally touched it in the past and was instantly sent to the hospital in aa!" "No one asked her to be so arrogant. It''s time to teach her a lesson!" The ck smoke gradually dispersed as the men talked among themselves, anticipating the result. Shockingly... Charmine remained unharmed as she stood upright, despite the ck smoke that nketed her. She looked like a queen from a futuristic world. Her eyes were unusually clear and showed no hint of weakness. It was as if nothing had happened. Everyone gaped at her in shock. Who was this woman? How was she so powerful, so much so that M35 Lab''s poison did not faze her!? While everyone was still stunned, Charmine nonchntly brushed off the remaining powder on her and went into the disinfection room. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. When she came out, she looked at Jack as her lips twisted into a smirk." You¡¯ve lost." Jack was so shocked that it took him a while to react. It was as if he had made a shocking discovery as he excitedly came to her. "Ms. Jordan, how did you do that?¡± Anyone else would have died! "I can¡¯t tell you," replied Charmine. Jack was impatient. Nobody had ever spoken to him this way, but he dared not to trigger this woman. He tried asking, "If we donate our blood, will you tell me?" "You''ve lost the bet, so you should be donating blood," corrected Charmine. "Since you''re not breaking your promise, I can tell you after you''ve donated your blood." With their newfound respect for her, the men wasted no time and donated their blood. After doing so, Jack handed his blood personally. "Ms. Jordan, can you tell me now?" i Charmine held the blood packets and curled up her lips nonchntly. "I merely used needles to block my essential points." With that, she left with the blood packets. The crowd watched her back with respect. They almost wanted to worship her! She blocked her essential points! Charmine was already so advanced with the needles? Powerful! So powerful! Charmine left with the blood packets and rushed to the hospital. When she walked out of the lift, Grandma Granger was already there. When Grandma Granger saw the medical container in her hands, her face straightened. "What are you trying to do? Did you think I wouldn''t be here, and you wanted to steal Guy¡¯s blood again!?" Charmine wanted to exin that she came to save Guy, but she was worried that if Grandma Granger found out that she had blood in the container, she might figure that Guy was in need of blood! Seeing that Grandma Granger was staring at the medical container, she tightened her grip on it and exined, "I''m here to look for Nial." Grandma Granger was clever. She looked at Charmine and knew that something was not right. She was hiding something from her! "What''s in your hand?!" she interrogated. The blood container Charmine brought over for Nial looked simr to this! "Some medical equipment Nial needs.'' Charmine wanted to walk away from her, but Grandma Granger took a step forward to block her way. She was getting closer to Charmine. chapter 1200 chapter 1200 "Medical equipment? I want to see it!" said Grandma Granger as she reached out to grab it. Not wanting to fight an elderly woman, Charmine backed away until her back hit the wall. She had no more room to back away. Standing before her, Grandma Granger reached out and was about to take the container... Charmine frowned. She would know what was happening if she knew the contents! What could she do?! Just as Grandma Granger was about to take the container... "Grandma Granger!¡± Behind her, the door of the ward opened as her assistant walked out with excitement. "Master has woken up!" "What?!" Overjoyed, Grandma Granger instantly dropped her suspicion and rushed into the ward. Charmine let out a sigh of relief and quickly brought the box to Nial''s office. ''Try to transfuse the blood in this container to Guy." When Nial opened the box and had a look, he asked in shock, "How did you get them?" ''Take a guess." Charmine smiled ambiguously. Nial sat on his office chair and rubbed his chin before he responded, "You pricked each of them and stole their blood when they fainted?" i Charmine was speechless. Seeing that she did not speak, Nial smiled confidently. Tm a genius!'' Inside the ward... When Grandma Granger saw that Guy had finally woken up, tears welled in her eyes. "Guy, you''re finally awake." When Guy saw her, he looked around. When he did not see Charmine, he asked wearily, "How is Charmine? Is she okay?" Grandma Granger''s face sank. "She caused you so much trouble," she hissed, "how can you still care for her? You mustn''t care about her from now on! You only have to take care of yourself!" Guy wanted to speak more, but he knew his grandmother too well. The more he appeared to care, the more Grandma Granger would me Charmine for it. He could only nod to not offend her. 1 Still, all he could think about was whether Charmine had a migraine when he was in aa. She suffered immensely during her migraines... How would she endure it without his blood? 1 He looked worried as he talked to Grandma Granger. He zoned out frequently and was not present- minded at most. Seeing him in such a state, Grandma Granger knew he was thinking of Charmine. Guy took so long to wake up. She would not let him transfuse blood for that woman again! However, Guy would not listen to her no matter what she said. Whenever that woman needed it, he would save her while neglecting his own life! Grandma Granger narrowed her eyes. It seemed that a conversation with both Charmine and Anthony was in order. Anthony was smoking in the smoking area. After sorting out some work matters, he went back to Nial¡¯s office. When he saw Charmine, his eyes were filled with a new hint of gentleness. He walked over to sit by her side and kissed her seemingly glowing forehead. "Good work today." Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Charmine''s clear eyes had a hint of shyness as she asked, "How did you transfuse blood to Guy in the morning?" Grandma Granger guarded Guy, after all, and it must have been difficult. Anthony looked at Nial and replied, "Dr. Nancy was here.'' "Dr. Nancy?" ''Yeah. You''ll see how he gets changed into Dr. Nancyter," added Anthony. "Ha..." Charmine understood it right away and burst outughing. 1 "Enough!" Nial scoffed. "Go out if you want to publicly disy your affection again. Get out." Curses! He had to dress up as an elderly woman, and they evenughed at him for it! No, not justughing at him-they even shoved their affections in his face! How unbearable! The straight-faced Anthony spoke, "How could we leave before Charmine meets this elegant and formal Dr. Nancy?" "Oh, you''re so cruel, Anthony. But...¡± Charmine looked at Nial''s helpless look, and her red lips twisted into a small smirk. "I like it." chapter 1201 chapter 1201 Anthony''s eyes gleamed with adoration. "As long as you like it." This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Nial looked at the two of them nkly and was speechless. Suddenly, the door to his office was knocked on as a familiar voice drifted from outside, "Ms. Jordan, are you inside?¡± Charmine frowned. That voice... It was the maid who followed Grandma Granger around, Nancy. Charmine walked over to open the door. "What is it?" Nancy said, "Grandma Granger would like to meet with Mr. Bailey to discuss some matters.¡± "I don''t think they have anything to talk about," rejected Charmine. She was going to warn him to not mess with Guy''s blood. Nancy said, "It''s rted to Leon Lennon." Charmine hesitated and frowned. Back when Grandma Granger opposed Guy strongly from donating his blood to Charmine, Leon stood up against her. With Guy in an unstable position, Leon was also at risk. He might have to resign as well. Before Charmine could speak, Anthony, who was behind Charmine, asked," Where do I meet her?¡± "At the resting lounge.¡± The two of them went to the VIP resting lounge, and Grandma Granger was waiting inside. In the mood to negotiate, her gaze narrowed and her tone was much gentler. "Have a seat." Charmine and Anthony sat opposite her as they began, "Grandma Granger, how is Mr. Granger?" Grandma Granger''sposed expression turned cold again. "What? Do you want his blood again if he¡¯s awake?" "Grandma Granger!" Anthony would not permit his woman to be treated in such a way. He said coldly, "If so, there¡¯s nothing else to talk about." With that, he stood up and was ready to leave with Charmine. "Hold on a moment." Grandma Granger saw that the two of them were about to leave, thus she hurriedly spoke, "I can let go of Leon Lennon." Charmine frowned; she would not let him go without conditions attached. As expected... "On one condition," added Grandma Granger "Yes?" urged Charmine. "You both go and tell Guy that you''ve recovered, that you no longer need his blood." With that, her grandson would not have to worry about Charmine anymore, and he would not have to donate blood anymore. Charmine narrowed her eyes. This deal was not bad. She did not intend to use Guy''s blood anyway. If Leon coulde out unharmed, this would be perfect! Why not just shake on it? As she was about to ept, Anthony interjected, "Apologies, but we can''t agree to this." Charmine frowned suspiciously and looked at him. The condition was so good. Why turn her down? Grandma Granger was baffled. "What? You won''t agree to this?!" She offered such a tempting deal, yet they would not agree? Her face turned cold. "This is your only chance to save Leon." "Nothing is definite," insisted Anthony. "Is there something else?" Grandma Granger was not happy. If they did not agree to this, this also meant that Guy might have to go on donating blood for Charmine! She would not let that happen! "What else do you want, then?" she prodded. As long as they could stop hurting Guy, she would agree to it. "Nothing else. You may leave,¡± dismissed Anthony. "You...!" Grandma Granger was so furious that her face turned white. She wanted to say something else, but Anthony exuded a powerfully ominous aura. He left no room for negotiation. Since they would not take the deal, Grandma Granger was unhappy. She scoffed and left with her walking stick... 1 She would have her way! chapter 1202 chapter 1202 After Grandma Granger left, Charmine asked Anthony, "Why didn''t you agree to her earlier? We don''t need Guy¡¯s blood anymore." This was their only chance to save Leon! Anthony looked at her. "Not taking his blood, while you suffer in pain every day?" She would rather be in pain than take Guy''s blood! Anthony''s expression turned gloomy. It was as if a storm was approaching. Charmine reached out to hold his big palm and wanted to exin when her head started to pound, and she instinctively gripped his palm tightly. Anthony, who was still angry, felt the sudden pressure. He looked up and noticed her contorted expression, her forehead coated with cold sweat. "Are you hurting again?" He hugged her tightly and extended his right arm to put it in front of her mouth. "No, no need..." Charmine''s pain grew unbearable yet she pushed his arm away, which was followed by intense pain. "Argh..." As her face lost its pallor, she hugged her head as she groaned in pain. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Anthony held onto her, torn as he gazed at her. "I¡¯ll bring you to Guy to get his blood!" Even if Grandma Granger was around, nobody could stop them! "No..." With thatst hint of rationale, she held on to his hand tightly. "Guy just woke up, and his body is still weak..." Anthony was furious at her reply, and he felt tortured. She was in so much pain, yet she was still thinking about Guy! However, he understood her. Seeing that she was in so much pain, he held on to her waist and pulled her into him, seizing her lips with his. Charmine halted as she felt his warm kiss, and she suddenly forgot about the pain... Kissing her gently, a hoarse voice came out between her teeth, "Charmine, why don¡¯t we have a baby?" "W¡ªWhat?" Charmine had forgotten about the pain again, "Anthony..." She was in so much pain that she was fainting. And yet he was talking about making another baby? 1 He kissed her gently, all while he tried to hold back his desires. "Make a little princess as beautiful as you. She''ll wear a pink and cute dress. She''ll have pinkish lips and will run around us. She''ll learn how to speak, and she¡¯ll call us Daddy and Mommy..." 1 His tone was alluring as if he was seducing her, and Charmine was confused as he kissed her. Listening to his words, she could not help fantasizing about this. She pictured how he would hold the little princess in his arms while she held Momo... A warm feeling spread within her at the thought. Surprisingly, her headache gradually went away... Listless in Anthony¡¯s arms, herbored breathing slowly regained its calm. Anthony reached out to caress her pale face as his gentle tone carried adoration within them, "Charmine, your kissing has improved." Charmine''s pale face blushed slightly. She realized in shock that they made out for ten minutes! Grandma Granger, on the other hand, heard Charmine''s painful groan not long after she walked away from the resting lounge. Was that another migraine for Charmine? She was worried that Anthony would bring Charmine to take Guy''s blood, thus she quickly went back to the ward and instructed, "Gather ten bodyguards to stay outside the door! Do not allow anyone to enter, especially Charmine and Anthony!" If they wanted toe in, they had to fight them first! Nancy went ahead to arrange this. Noticing themotion, Dior and Guy exchanged nces and knew what was happening. Guy was worried. He wanted to give his blood to Charmine right away! However, Grandma Granger was right in front, thus he signaled Dior with his eyes to inspect the situation. chapter 1203 chapter 1203 Understanding Guy''s signal, Dior said to Grandma Granger, "I have some matters to attend to. Grandma. I''ll have to leave now.¡± "Go on." Grandma Granger looked at her. "You don¡¯t even help your own people, so I don''t expect you to take care of Guy!" Dior bit her lips and walked out of the ward. She went to the VIP resting lounge to check up on Charmine. It was then she saw Charmine and Anthony kissing. She blinked and stood outside for a few minutes. What was that?! They just did not stop! Love was indeed the living force...but where was hers?! Harry''s dashing face haunted Dior. Her heart skipped a beat as she was excited for a few seconds, only to be dispirited as her face sank. What was the point of thinking of him? He must be missing the woman from yesterday! Furthermore, she did not even have his number! Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. How deplorable. Inside the resting lounge, Charmine was weighed by the pain while Anthony kissed and soothed her. Dior looked at Charmine''s pale face while she could not offer any help, and that unsettled her. Her grandmother was the cause of it all, and with her brother ill, he could not donate anymore blood. What to do...? Furthermore, she could not even get hold of that handsome man, and that added to the mix of confusion within her. 1 Not wanting to go back to the ward, Dior turned and went downstairs to walk it out. She shopped around, and when she decided to go back to the hospital, she went into a supermarket to get some supplements for Guy. It was as if the sky had answered her prayer that at the dairy section, she saw the figure she missed so dearly. Harry stood in front of the rack as he studied a can of milk in his hands. Dior was so excited and wanted to run over, but she then saw him putting down the milk and turned to leave. Impossible! He was that poor? He could not even afford a can of milk that cost around ten bucks? Although Dior really wanted to greet him, she knew he did not want to bump into anyone when it was apparent that he could not afford a can of milk. Especially because he was a man! Dior looked at her cart full of food, and she did not hesitate to betray Guy. She put aside all of the supplements in her cart! She then pushed her empty cart to get about ten bottles of milk and wore her sunsses as she secretly followed behind Harry. She picked up to ten things that he had touched. After buying them, she saw Harry standing in front of the supermarket for a while before turning into the office. Dior sympathized with this handsome man even more. He was so poor that he had to work in this supermarket? 1 What a poor guy! He could clearly earn money with his face, yet he chose this tiring job! When he went into the office, Dior quickly paid for the cart full of food. Otherwise, a stubborn man like him would not ept this at all. After paying, she carried the two big bags of stuff to the entrance of the supermarket and sat down. She waited for him toe out. Harry pushed open the office door, and the supervisor inside stood up and greeted, "President Cogen." He nodded and sat on the sofa. He crossed his long legs. "The shelf life of'' SO MILK'' isn¡¯t ideal. Bring them all down, including the KK drinks and yogurt, HE bread, and GD choctes." The supervisor was shocked. "President Cogen, these are just sent over from the factory. They''re new!" How could they take them down? Why would they take them down? chapter 1204 chapter 1204 Harry squinted and scoffed coldly, "Refund them all." The supervisor did not question further and nodded. "Yes, Sir!¡± Harry took out a cigarette as the supervisor quickly lit it for him. He took a breath and exhaled the smoke. "Why has the staff wages gone down?" The supervisor shivered as he almost stuttered, "Maybe...the new ountant in the financial department miscalcted..." Harry looked up coldly and red at him. He knew what was happening, but he did not expose him as he said, "If I see this again, you know what''ll happen." 1 "Yes! It won¡¯t happen again! I''ll make changes right away!" gushed the supervisor. "Yeah." Harry finished his cigarette before he left the office. Just as he walked past the supermarket entrance, a voice was heard." Harry Cogen!" He looked over to see Dior sitting in a cafe not far away with two bags full of things on the table. Dior waved at him. "Come here!" Harry walked over and nced at the bags. He realized that she bought the things that he found problematic. As he was about to ask her to refund them all, Dior said, "I bought these for you." Speechless, Harry looked at her suspiciously. "Why would you buy these for me?" She patted his shoulder knowingly. "It''s okay, I know." Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Harry frowned. What did she know? Dior took out a card from her bag. "Everyone faces challenges from time to time. Use this for now, but tell me if you need more." Harry was speechless. Oh, she missed the mark big time. Harry looked at the card and hesitated for a few seconds before epting it. ''Thank you." Dior felt very happy. "You''re wee! We''re friends, after all." ''Most importantly, you''re so handsome. How can I let you suffer here?'' Harry carried the bags and asked, "Why are you here?" This was a supermarket in front of the hospital, and people would not usually shop in this ce. Dior looked up at the hospital and said, "My brother is in there." She thought of the matter, and a hint of worry shed in her eyes. Harry saw the change in her eyes and asked, "Is it severe?" "Yeah, kind of." "What happened?" Dior felt as if she had met a long-lost friend, thus she told him everything. She told him how Grandma Granger poisoned Charmine, how Guy had to donate blood for her, and how he was hurt. 2 She even told him the awkward situation they faced. She frowned as her cheery face was filled with doubts. Harry listened and fell silent for a few seconds. He then said, "I have a way to try." "Huh?" Dior looked at him, surprised. She thought she was hallucinating. Harry said, "Come, follow me home." "W¡ªWhat?" Follow him home? She only gave him a card! Was this not too soon!? Dior thought about that, but thinking of his handsome face, she nodded without hesitation. "Okay." Harry carried the two big bags and walked to the road with her. He walked past his luxury car and stopped a taxi. Sitting beside him, Dior gazed at his handsome side face as she thought to herself, ¡¯Why is he bringing me home? Is this what I''m thinking it is!?'' Should she reject it? She must reject it! Otherwise, she would seem like an easy woman. chapter 1205 chapter 1205 No, no, no! Harry was so handsome and well-built. No matter what he asked for, she could not resist. She thought of his body without clothes on, his muscr chest, his powerful waist, and... Dior somehow blushed. Her perverted mind yed a scenario for her while they were on the road! It did not take long before the taxi pulled over in a secluded area juxtaposing the city center. About ten or so houses stood in the area, and they all looked old and worn out. The taller ones could give the impression that they were unstable. As she got out of the car, Dior gazed at the house in front of her with a frown and asked, "You live here?" This was not safe! Harry halted. His face turned a few shades colder. As expected, every woman in the world was just like this. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. They only cared about money and superficial things! Without money, she would not see the man no matter how well he treated her! Hmph! Yes," he answered coldly. He thought she would look down on him, when she merely had a concerned look on her face. ''The money in the card I gave you should be enough for you to buy a new house. This is too dangerous; don¡¯t live here." That took him by surprise. His eyes darkened as he looked at her. Dior''s heartbeat fastened as his eyes bore into hers. "Why do you look at me like that?" He looked as if he was going to eat her! "Nothing." Harry carried the bags as he walked in front of her. Dior followed behind him, but the more she walked, the faster her heart raced. She had to stay calm! What was there to be afraid of? She liked him, and she wanted to sleep with him! i She tried her best to calm down as she followed him upstairs... When they entered the house, she saw the clean and tidy sofa, tea table, and table. Dior liked him more. Harry ced down the bags in his hand as he spoke, "You,e in with me." Argh! How exciting! Was this the time? "Okay." Dior followed him giddily before her eyes met the room filled with photos of him with his girlfriend! Each photo was of him looking at her deeply in love. The photo that captivated her the most was the photo by the bed. Disnend was in the background. He held her face, and he looked so proud as if he owned the world. Dior''s excitement was washed off as if cold water was sshed onto her. "You must''ve loved her, huh?" spoke Dior with an undertone of jealousy. Harry followed her gaze and looked at the photo, though he looked away after just one look. "Not anymore," he replied nonchntly. The moment she sat in her luxury car and left, he no longer loved her. It was all work from there. "Huh?" Dior blinked. She wanted so badly to ask, ''Really?* If he did not like her, would he consider her? Before she could speak, he looked right into her and walked toward her... Dior sensed something, and her body stiffened. She did not know what to do. She stood in the same spot and bit her lips. Her bright eyes were both scared and excited as she looked at his sexy lips. As he grew closer, she closed her eyes and waited for his kiss... chapter 1206 chapter 1206 Suddenly, Dior heard a gentle breeze by her ear as the sound of a drawer being opened followed that came from behind her. Dior frowned. She opened her eyes and saw the man''s arm reaching behind her. What? Before she could react, she heard Harry''s calm voice, "A friend gave this to me. Perhaps you can have your friend try this.¡± Dior was speechless... Oh, so he was not kissing her and was just reaching out to get that? Also, his intention of bringing her home was to get this!? How awkward! 1 Dior was perplexed for a few seconds as she patted her head to clear out her thoughts. Looking at her, Harry halted and asked, ''You don¡¯t feel well?" "No, I''m fine." Dior snapped out of her thoughts and sighed. She tried to stay awake as she looked at the thing in his hand. She asked, "What is this?" Harry lifted the empty bottle and needle in his hand as he exined, "A friend gave this to me. It''s a needle K technique. You prick your brother''s skin with this needle for thirty seconds. The K-string in the needle will absorb a special substance from the skin. When you remove the needle in thirty seconds, prick this needle into your friend¡¯s skin. K-string can dissolve in her skin and let the substance heal her.¡± 1 Dior was confused. What was the K-string? What was needle-pricking? Her head was in a mess! She blinked and asked, "So, what does this have anything to do with Charmine and my brother?" Harry was speechless. He pursed his lips and said, "In simpler terms, you prick this into your brother''s arm for thirty seconds, take it out, and prick into Charmine''s skin. She won''t be in any more pain." Dior was stunned for two seconds before she finally reacted as her eyes widened. "That powerful?" ''Yes." "Wonderful! My brother will no longer have to donate blood, and Charmine will no longer be in pain!" "Exactly." Dior thought of how everyone would be pleased if she brought this news to them, and she was overjoyed. Gazing at the handsome man before her, she stretched her skinny arms and hooked it around the man''s neck tightly, and without any hesitation at that. "Thank you. You¡¯re my life-saver!" Harry''s body stiffened as she hugged him. With an empty bottle and needle in hand, he did not react. Dior felt the coldness from him and finally sensed what she was doing. She thus quickly got away from him. "Sorry, I was too excited." He did not respond. He packed the things in hand and handed them to her, calmly adding, "If you have any questions, call me." "Okay." Dior received it and said, "Can you give me your phone number?" "188****6699." Dior instantly took out her phone to save this contact. She finally got his contact number! After saving it, she looked at him. As if knowing that she was looking at him, he met her eyes in a way as if he was saying, You may leave now.'' She did not want to leave! Dior bit her lip and racked her brain to think of something to say to him. Was there anything else to say? The more panicked she was, the emptier her mind became. Eventually, she resigned to her fate that she had nothing. Harry finally said, "If there¡¯s nothing else. I¡¯ll have to get back to work." "Okay." Dior had no choice. He made it clear, and there was no point for her to stay. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Reluctantly, she studied his features from his eyes to his tall nose, and finally to his sexy lips. His lips had to be very soft. chapter 1207 chapter 1207 Somehow, the dazed Dior tiptoed and unhesitatingly kissed his lips. However, Harry reacted quickly that before she could kiss him, he lifted his head. Her lipsnded on his chin instead. 1 Dior halted. She looked at his apathetic face and felt hurt. She, a beautiful woman with money and reputation, wanted to kiss him, yet he stayed away from her! Livid, she promptly bit his chin and cocked an eyebrow at him before leaving without turning back, probably due to the awkwardness in her. Harry was bbergasted. It was only until the door was shut did Harry, who remained transfixed, raise his hand to caress the part of his chin Dior had bit. His eyes darkened with a mixed feeling. Dior walked out of thepound as the blush seared her cheeks. Oh, god! She actually kissed him. Although it was not his lips, it was still intimate. This feeling felt too good. She felt her burning lips as she could not help recalling what just happened. She was happy. However, she also recalled how cold he was, and she grew upset. He actually flinched away! Was he a man?! Still... Dior raised her eyebrows. The colder he was, the more she wanted to conquer him! She wanted to get this man no matter what. Otherwise, she would write her name upside down! At the hospital''s VIP resting lounge... As Charmine''s migraine receded, she said to Anthony, "Don''t worry, Anthony. It''s only ten minutes per day. I no longer need Guy¡¯s blood." Anthony looked at him, and his heart felt hurt. She could hold it, but he could not let her suffer every day. He hugged her as he looked out of the window. There must be a way! They must be! Even if there was none, he had toe up with something! Nial heard that Charmine had a migraine, so he came forward tofort them. When he heard the conversation between the two of them, he said, "We need to transfuse blood to Guy first. He''d recover in three days. Let¡¯s think of a way after he gets better." Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Anthony looked at Charmine, feeling hurt. "Don¡¯t worry." Charmine smiled warmly. "Three days will pass quickly." At a loss for words, Anthony could do nothing else at that moment. At the Presidential Suite. Waverly had her personal spa when a notification was heard. She opened her phone to see a message sent by Britney. [Ms. Waverly, Nial found a chance to transfuse blood to Guy. He''ll recover in three days!] Waverly jolted. She panicked. Guy would help Charmine to recover if nothing was done, and everything she had done would go wasted! She squinted her eyes to think. It was mere momentster that her lips twisted into a cunning smirk. She turned up the brightness on her phone and texted, [Find the actual woman, and prepare something.] On the next day... Early in the morning, Grandma Granger took care of Guy in the ward when Nancy suddenly rushed in. "Grandma Granger, it''s bad! Something''s up!" "What is it?" questioned Grandma Granger. "Why make such a fuss?" Nancy handed the newspaper to her. When she received the newspaper, she read: [Amerites'' Dr. Nancy was stabbed!] She frowned. Dr. Nancy was still in the hospital yesterday. How could she have gone back to Amerites? Something did not seem right... chapter 1208 chapter 1208 Nial, who happened toe to the ward to check up on Guy, was met with Grandma Granger''s suspicion-filled gaze. "Is Dr. Nancy around? I need to speak with her." Nial halted. He thought wearily about how he would have to get changed againter. As he was about to say that Dr. Nancy would return, he saw how Grandma Granger red at him. Sensing something, he looked at the paper in her hand. When he read the headline, he jolted panickily. The actual Dr. Nancy was dead! What could he say? "I asked you something!" Grandma Granger scoffed. 1 "Oh, Dr. Nancy?" Nial snapped out of his trance and nonchntly replied," She had an emergency in Amerites, so she rushed backst night." "Really?" Grandma Granger was suspicious. "Yeah, she''s busy, and she only came because of my brother," added Nial." She said she had an emergency and rushed backst night." Grandma Granger red at him for a while and did not see anything from him, thus she did not press on it further. Nial instantly let out a sigh of relief. Luckily, he got away with it! However, he might not be able to transfuse blood to Guy this way... He rushed back to his office and phoned Charmine, saying, ''The actual Dr. Nancy is stabbed, and it''s on the news. Grandma Granger sensed something, so I had to say that Dr. Nancy rushed backst night. "However, now that Grandma Granger is glued to Guy''s side, we can''t transfuse blood today..." At Violet Residence... Charmine just woke up and had her breakfast with Anthony. Receiving the call that bore the news, she frowned. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. What a coincidence that Dr. Nancy was stabbed. What other ways were there? Anthony, who sat beside her, frowned. He thought about it and could note up with a win-win solution yet. Nial, meanwhile, waited anxiously in the hospital. He stayed close to the ward and kept a close look at Grandma Granger. It was past ten in the morning. If he did not transfuse blood, Guy would get ill again. What to do? Meanwhile, when everyone was trying toe up with a n, Grandma Granger received a call. She instantly stood up but was nervous. Seeing that Guy was fine, she instructed the ten bodyguards, "Do not walk away. Nobody gets to go in before Ie back." Following that, she left the ward anxiously. Grandma Granger rushed downstairs and looked around. However, after looking around, she still did not find the person. As she was about to phone her, a child''s voice was heard from the tree by the side, "Grandma..." Grandma Granger looked over to see Momo standing below the tree, and '' she'' had a phone at hand. Her pale face was dirty with tears in her eyes, and she looked pitiful. "Momo." 2 Grandma Granger felt hurt looking at her. She walked over and hugged her. "What is it? Were you bullied?" "Waa.J Yes...!" Momo showed her hand as her tears cascaded her cheeks. "Grandma, it hurts." Grandma Granger looked over to see a long wound on her arm with fresh blood oozing out. Her eyes widened in shock. "What happened? How did this happen?" She said she was hurt on the phone. Grandma Granger thought it was a minor incident, but she did not expect it to be so severe. Momo blinked her watery,rge eyes and muttered, "I fell off the stairs by ident. I need a doctor to mend me...!" chapter 1209 chapter 1209 "Someone stole the money you gave me, too, so I don¡¯t have money now. The nurse didn¡¯t want to help me and kicked me out!" Grandma Granger looked at Momo and felt her heart wrenched. "Let¡¯s go," she coaxed, "I''ll bring you inside." Momo stood in the same spot without moving. She shook her head in fear. Grandma Granger asked, "What¡¯s wrong?" "Grandma, I¡¯m scared," whimpered Momo. "The doctor here is so fierce. I don¡¯t like them." Grandma Granger looked at her arm full of blood and was very concerned." If you don''t sort it out now, you might get infected.¡± Momo shook her head. "No, it¡¯s okay.¡¯¡¯ Grandma Granger frowned. She knew that there was a hospital not far away from here, thus she held her hand. "Let''s go to another hospital, alright?" Momo asked worriedly, "Grandma, will they scold me and then kick me out?" "No," Grandma Granger looked at her and felt pained as she gently assured, "nobody will bully you with Grandma around." Momo listened to her and nodded. "Okay." Inside the hospital. Nial, Charmine, and Anthony were texting on the group chat as they tried toe up with a n when an assistant gleefully ran to him. "Dr. Nial, Grandma Granger had gone out!" Nial¡¯s eyes sparkled. "Really?" "Of course, but she had ten bodyguards guarding the door..." Nial was speechless but updated the news on the group chat nheless. Charmine spoke, "Ten bodyguards? The Grangers have the navy as their bodyguards. It might be quite challenging." Sitting by her side, Anthony squinted. He texted Nial in the group chat, [@ Nial, wait for me in the hospital. Don''t go anywhere.] A foreboding feeling loomed over Nial... Anthony kept the phone and looked at Charmine. "Don''t worry, wait for the news from me at home." Charmine looked at him doubtfully. "You thought of a way?" Anthony''s thin lips curled up. "Yeah." He kissed her cheeks and turned to leave the house. In less than half an hour, he walked into Nial¡¯s office with a ck bag and ced it in front of him. Nial said uneasily, "What do you want to do now? The Dr-Nancy-trick is no longer working." "You''ve got a new identity this time," replied Anthony.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Nial was speechless. Why did he always have this uneasy feeling?! What was even more heartbreaking was when he opened the bag, he was actually excited to find out what identity he had! Argh! When he took it out, he noticed that it was a janitor''s get-up along with a woman¡¯s short wig. Curses! Nial growled, "What do you take me for? I''m not doing this!" "Hmm?" Anthony squinted at him and gave him two choices, ¡®You change into this yourself, or I help you to." Nial met his darkening eyes. After a few seconds, he snapped, "I¡¯ll get changed!" Outside the ward were five tall bodyguards in ck. They were guarding so tightly that even a mosquito could not get inside. In the hallway, a janitor with short hair was pushing her janitor cart toward them. She bent her back and walked past them, about to enter the ward when a bodyguard stopped her harshly, "No cleaning is needed inside." The janitor was perplexed. No cleaning needed? How else could he get inside? If the blood was not transfused, the situation could only worsen! chapter 1210 chapter 1210 After thinking for a moment, the janitor found an excuse and spoke, "Ms. Granger instructed me to come and clean up inside so that Mr. Granger will have a better living environment." The bodyguards looked at her suspiciously. If this was an order from Ms. Granger, they dared not stop her. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. However, Grandma Granger made it clear that nobody should enter, knowing that Grandma Granger did this to protect Guy from getting hurt. The janitor was only going to clean, and since it was an order from Dior, there was no need to stop her. A guard looked at the janitor before letting her in. "Go in, hurry!" "Okay." The janitor took out the cleaning tools from the janitor cart and walked into the ward. Guy wasying in bed as he thought of Charmine''s wellbeing when a janitor came in and rolled up his shirt. His face sank as he quickly looked around. "What are you doing? Get out!" he snapped. "Transfusing blood to you," said Nial as he quickly took out the blood packet stored at a low temperature from his chest. Guy heard his voice and realized that it was Nial. Nial actually came? He instantly sat up and asked, "How''s Charmine?" "Same old," replied Nial as he prepared everything needed. Guy frowned. "Where''s she? I''ll give her my blood," he urged, ready to get up. Nial, however, pressed him down. "Don''t worry. Your current body state can¡¯t give her blood yet. There are ten bodyguards outside, too, so you can''t get out." Guy pursed his lips. He thought of Grandma Granger¡¯s temper and had no choice but toy back down. After transfusing blood to him, Nial bent down and walked out with the cleaning tools. He ced the tools back into the cart and walked away with them. None of the bodyguards realized anything was weird. He pushed the janitor cart to his own office and, realizing the bodyguards still had their eyes on him, bent nonchntly as he knocked. "Dr. Nial, I¡¯m here to clean your room." Even though nobody responded from the inside, he seemed to have heard a response. "Okay,¡± he replied before he brought in the cleaning tools. 1 Door shut, Anthony was sitting on the sofa as he asked, "Finished?¡± Nial stood up straight. "Done in a hurry. Don¡¯t worry," he spoke as he removed his wig with disgust. He removed his janitor uniform and returned them to an actual janitor. When the person received it, she walked out of the office with the cleaning tools. When the bodyguards noticed the janitor exiting the ward, they bore no suspicion. Nial went back to his working desk and muttered, "Bro, you gotta make it up to me." "Alright," agreed Anthony. "Do this for two more days. Once it''s all done, the limited-edition Porsche in my garage will be yours." "You said that! You can''t go back on it." Anthony frowned and looked at him coldly. "Since when have I broken a promise?¡± "Okay." Nial thought of how he would drive the Porsche on the street with countless women worshipping him, and he felt better. Meanwhile... Grandma Granger brought the young girl to a nearby hospital. Since Nancy was not around and she did not know anyone from this hospital, she had to queue like everyone else. Momo felt good. Even though her arm was painful, she had a determined look on her face as she followed Grandma Granger quietly. chapter 1211 chapter 1211 Grandma Granger and Momo only got their queue number after about ten minutes, and Grandma Granger then brought her to a doctor. Little did she know that a man had his eyes on them for a long time... Inside the ward, the nurse looked at the young girl''s arm and then at the young girl. She frowned. "Why is it so severe? It would''ve been toote." Grandma Granger felt guilty about that. "It''s all my fault. I wasn''t familiar with the procedure, so I took too long." She usually had a private doctor and would go to her own military hospital. No waiting was needed. There was no procedure at all! The nurse cautiously cleaned Memo''s wound as she gently said, "It''ll be quite painful, so bear with it, okay?" Momo bit her lip. Tm not scared.¡± "Good child." Grandma Granger looked at her and felt a pang in her chest. 1 If she did not leave her phone number for this girl, what would have happened to her? Seeing that Grandma Granger was frowning, Momo reached out her other arm and held her hand. "Grandma, don''t worry. I''m fine-sorry for bothering you.¡± "What a silly kid." Grandma Granger smiled, feeling pleased. "You¡¯re calling me Grandma, so don''t be so polite." Momo smiled sweetly and said, "You''re too kind, Grandma." "Good." After clearing the wound, the nurse said to Grandma Granger, "Grandma, the kid needs to stay in the hospital for a while to make sure the wound isn''t infected. She might get tetanus at any time, which can harm her life. You need to take care of her." So severe? Grandma Granger nodded in fear. "Okay, HI look after her.¡± "Ye. If anything happens, just press on this. Welle over." "Okay." As the nurse was about to leave, Momo said politely, "Thank you, nurse. You''re so kind." The nurse smiled. "You''re so polite." The nurse then spoke to Grandma Granger, ¡°Madam, you''re so lucky to have such a polite granddaughter." Grandma Granger felt as if the young girl truly was her granddaughter and looked at Momo proudly, i This kid was so nice. Grandma Granger wanted to take her under her wing and care for her if the child wanted it. After the nurse left, Momo grew dizzy after the medication was applied on her. She tried to fight off the drowsiness, however, as she tried not to fall asleep. Grandma Granger noticed this, and Momo captured her heart. "Momo, sleep if you''re tired." Momo opened her eyes and looked at her with her watery eyes. "I''m afraid that after I wake up, you won¡¯t be here." "No, child." Grandma Granger covered her with a nket. "Sleep, I¡¯ll stay with you." Even if the nurse did not insist someone to stay with her, Grandma Granger would have done so, anyway. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. "Really?" Momo looked at her, ted at her words. "Really. You''re a good kid. Sleep." Relieved, Momoid back and slept almost right away... Grandma Granger sat by the bedside. Her once harsh gaze looked at the girl sleeping in bed, and her eyes were filled with love and gentleness. If she was not looking for her Mommy and was willing to stay by her side, she would not be as lonely. This kid was ambitious, sadly, and she could not stop her. She could only try her best to help her and spare her from suffering. Grandma Granger had watched over Guy in the past few days and barely had enough rest, thus as she sat by the bed and watched over Momo, she fell asleep leaning on the chair. The slumbering child on the bed, however, suddenly opened her eyes after hearing that Grandma Granger had fallen asleep... chapter 1212 chapter 1212 Momo looked at the old woman asleep on the chair and then at the nket by the edge of the bed when an idea urred to her. Climbing over to take the nket, she could only use her free arm to carry the nket since the other was injured. She then cautiously nketed Grandma Granger with it, who was so tired that she was not aroused from slumber. At that, the door of the ward gradually opened... Momo looked over and thought it was a nurse, but she saw a man instead! The man met her gaze and a sh of panic appeared in his eyes. He halted and did not take a further step. Drats! The two of them were asleep earlier! Why was she awake all of a sudden? What could he do? The innocent Momo, who thought the person went to the wrong ward, asked gently, "Uncle, did you enter the wrong room?" The man''s eyes gleamed with faint malice as he walked toward her. "I¡¯m not." "Huh?" Momo was baffled. "But this is my room." "I know." The man stood by the bed and eyed Momo. As Momo was still doubtful, he lowered his eyes and saw the jade ring on Grandma Granger''s finger. He noticed this from the moment he spotted the,. This jade ring must cost a fortune! Eyes filled with malicious intent, he reached out and took the jade ring from the elderlydy''s finger before he turned and left-professionally, swiftly. The pain Grandma Granger felt at her finger awoke her from her sleep as she gazed down at her finger. The ring was gone! This was a guarding jade she begged for from India. This was supposed to keep her family safe! She had never removed it! Grandma Granger thought of what happened. She sensed something and instantly ran out to give chase... Her legs failed her, however, as they went soft, and her weight caused her to fall onto the chair heavily. In bed, Momo reacted. Without thinking, she got out of bed and started to run after the man. After taking two steps, her arm knocked against the table by ident." Ouch...!" Her face turned pale in pain. Grandma Granger walked over with her numb legs and sighed, "Don''t worry; don¡¯t chase after him. You won''t be able to get it back." She could call the police. If the police did not manage to get back the ring, she could get another one! Momo repressed her pain and asked Grandma Granger, "Grandma, you look anxious. Is the ring important to you?" "It¡¯s very important..." Since her children had to go to the battlefield frequently, she went forward to beg for this jade ring to ensure her family¡¯s safety. The elderlydy wanted to reassure the little girl, but she-biting her lip- ran out instead and ignored the throbbing pain. Initially unable to react, Grandma Granger dragged her numb legs and slowly chased after her a momentter. "Momo...don¡¯t go after..." Momo seemed to be oblivious, however, as she went all out. In the blink of an eye, the man was already outside. Spotting him, the young girl hid by the side of the road. With a quick turn, she bit her tongue and rushed over. When the man turned back to look at the hallway, something suddenlyunched and grabbed his leg. It was a little girl! She gripped the man¡¯s leg. "Give it back! Give me back my Grandma¡¯s ring!" The man lowered his head and looked at the kid below him. He red and kicked her away. Momo''s squishy cheeks inted as she pouted in pain. Regardless, she shrugged off the pain and grabbed the man by his leg to steal the ring from his hand! Perhaps she was too strong-willed, but all she could think about was to get the ring back for Grandma Granger. She tried her best and finally jumped up to snatch back the ring. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Enraged, the man clenched his fist and was about to punch her when he spotted Grandma Granger walking toward them. With gritted teeth, he reluctantly made his escape to not get caught. chapter 1213 chapter 1213 Grandma Granger finally caught up to them. When she saw the foot mark on Momo''s body, she asked out of concern, "Poor child. Are you alright? Are you hurt? Tell me..." 3 "I''m fine." Momoid on the floor and returned the jade ring with an innocent smile. Grandma Granger''s eyes widened at the sight. She was a little girl, yet she managed to take this back from an adult man! 1 Her heart shriveled as she felt very grateful. Guy and Dior were all grown up yet had turned more rebellious; they had not treated her so well for a long time. She helped the girl up on her feet, grateful and genial. "Good child. Thank you-l truly appreciate you. I¡¯ll treat you as my actual granddaughter!" "Grandma, don''t worry. You treated me well." Momo got up from the floor andforted her. The emotional Grandma Granger could only bring her back to the ward, and Momo limped as she followed behind her. The nurse came to clean Momo''s wound when they got to the ward, and Grandma Granger''s heart ached at the sight of Momo''s bruised leg. "Child, why are you so silly? It doesn''t matter; it''s just a jade ring..." Momo was speechless. "Grandma is right. This is very important, so don''t lose it." Grandma Granger then understood what she meant. She went all out to take the ring back just because she said the ring was '' very important''? "Child, it doesn''t matter." ''Your safety is very important to me.'' Grandma Granger sobbed as she recalled what happened. Momo reached out and tried to wipe her tears, and her eyes grew wet." Grandma Granger is nice to me, you treat me nicer than anyone. I don''t want you to be sad." Grandma Granger embraced her with eyes filled with love. "Silly child, these are mere materials." She held her hand. "It''s gone when it''s gone, but I can get another one. Furthermore..." Grandma Granger looked at Momo gently. "I lost the ring but saw how much you care about me. I''m happy." Momo blinked. She whimpered and wailed moments ago, but facing Grandma Granger, she smiled innocently. "Grandma...you treat me so well. Better than the director of the orphanage." Grandma Granger''s heart tightened. She thought of how the director gave Momo a fake name and address! Was she wronged in the orphanage, too? Grandma Granger said, "Momo, if you like Grandma, why don¡¯t youe home with me?" Momo hesitated for a few seconds. Finally, she shook her head. "I can''t, Grandma. I still have to find Mommy. I miss her." Grandma Granger sighed in resignation. "Okay, I know."This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Momo thought for a while as her dewy eyes stared into hers. "Grandma, can I ask you for a favor?" "Alright, tell me. I''ll try my best." Momo''s tone was dependant and trusting. "The nurse asked me to stay here for a few days, so can you stay by my side until I''m done? I want to spend time with you before looking for Mommy." i "Okay, sure." Grandma Granger agreed to it without hesitation. Momo''s tiny face had a smile on it. "Thank you, Grandma." In the following three days, Grandma Granger would spend time with Momo in the hospital and took good care of her, thoughtfully, i In another hospital, Nial managed to transfuse blood to Guy. Every time Charmine had a migraine, it was Anthony who stayed by her side to put her through it. 2 Everything went on smoothly, until... chapter 1214 chapter 1214 At Violet Residence... Charmine sat on the sofa as she sorted out some matters when the phone on the table beeped with a notification for a text message. Her beautiful fingers grabbed it as she eyed the notification. It was a text from Nial. [The final blood transfusion to Guy has seeded. He''s now more stable. From today onward, he doesn''t need blood transfusion anymore.] 2 Charmine let out a sigh of relief and put down her phone. She thought of how Grandma Granger had yet to return, thus she said to Anthony who was by the side, "Anthony, why don¡¯t we visit Guy?" ''There are ten bodyguards outside," said Anthony. "Even a mosquito can''t get in." Charmine frowned. ''There must be a way, no?" "No. We don¡¯t have to go,¡± insisted Anthony as he helped her to sit down. Charmine was just as persistent. "I want to have a look." Anthony''s face turned cooler. She insisted on visiting Guy? Although he was unwilling to, he did not want his woman to worry about another man. After staying silent for a while, he said coldly, "If you want to go that badly, phone him and ask him to dismiss the bodyguards." Charmine turned and looked at him. Why was this man so endearing? He did not seem pleased yet still helped her think of a way to visit Guy! Charmine picked up the phone to call Guy. "Mr. Granger, can you dismiss the bodyguards by the door?" Guy understood what she meant right away. "Okay, I''ll ask them to leave now." "Okay," said Charmine, "Anthony and I will go over now.¡± "Okay," his tone was calm and anticipating, "I''ll wait for you." Anthony heard that, and his brows furrowed. He said Til wait for you¡¯ in front of him? Anthony held her waist. "I¡¯m hungry. Let¡¯s get food!" Charmine was speechless. They had just eaten not long ago... Charmine looked at him and knew what Anthony was thinking. She said, "Anthony, Mr. Granger is ill because of me. Now that he has recovered, we should go to visit him." She said ¡¯we'' instead of T. Anthony felt less jealous. He held her hand and said, helplessly with love, "I don¡¯t know anything else other than spoiling you." N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Charmine smiled. It did not take long before the two of them arrived at the hospital, and the ten bodyguards that guarded the door were no longer seen. Guy truly was effective and reliable! Charmine and Anthony went into the ward. When Guy heard footstepsing in, he turned to look. When he saw the figure he had been so worried about, his eyes lit up. He could not help calling her name, "Char-" He quickly corrected himself. "Ms. Jordan." "Mr. Granger." Charmine smiled and walked toward him with Anthony. She wanted to inquire how he felt when her head felt like it exploded, and all she heard was the buzz. She held on Anthony¡¯s hand tightly. She wanted to get through it just like before. However, the migraine hit her much harder than before! The pain came in waves as if thousands of needles were pricking her head. Anthony sensed that something was not right. He embraced her tightly and worriedly asked, ¡®You don''t feel well?" Charmine''s face turned pale as cold sweat appeared on her forehead. She bit her pale lips and muttered, "Don''t worry, just help me to the sofa to sit down." chapter 1215 chapter 1215 Guy saw how tortured Charmine seemed, thus he urged, "Hold on, Ms. Jordan. I''ll ask Dr. Nial toe over to transfuse blood into you right away!" He then pressed on the ring, and since Nial was his primary doctor, Nial would be notified right away. "No, I''m fine.¡± Charmine''s migraine came in waves. Even her response sounded shaky as she uttered, "I can hold it." This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Anthony held her as she writhed, and in the next second, her head felt as though thousands of knives were stabbed into it. It was so frequent that she could no longer fend off the whimper she bit back. "Argh!" It felt as if the pain extended from her head. Even her heart, organs, and body started to ache! Charmine''s entire being was in agony as she writhed out of Anthony''s arms and to the ground... She lost her rationality as she grasped her head. The veins at her neck and temples protruded, proving to be a distressing sight. "Argh..." Charmine cried out as she struggled. Anthony knelt before her and took her into his arms tightly. "Charmine, I''m here. Bite me like you didst time!" Charmine did not seem to have heard him. She was on the verge of breaking as her eyes turned blood- red. This was the first time Anthony had seen her in so much pain. He turned to look at Guy. He wanted Guy to use his blood to help Charmine right away; there was no other way than that. They had no other choice. Distressingly, Nial had yet toe! Seeing that Charmine almost passed out from the pain with bloodshot eyes, Anthony growled anxiously, "Nial! Hurry!" Guy stood by the side and was equally anxious. His eyes turned glossy as he painfully watched her, and even his heart ached at the sight. She suffered this much everytime she had a migraine? In such an rming state, he could not even be next to her and coax her, even though he was right there. He could not even say something to calm her down. Guy''s hand clenched into fists tightly as he internalized the pain. The door of the ward swung open urgently as Nial walked in. When he saw Charmine in pain, he frowned. "So severe this time?¡± She usually could tank it in as she bit her lip, but it seemed it was far worse this time as she seemed to have lost herself. Anthony growled, "What are you still standing there for?!" This was the first time Nial had seen his brother with such a vicious expression, and he was terrified. He quickly ran over to check on her. It did not take long before they had a conclusion. "Oh, dear... She hasn''t had a blood transfusion for too long, and it''s worsening!" When Guy heard that, he said without hesitation, "Dr. Nial, take my blood." Anthony had the same thought, so he did not turn this down. Charmine, already in so much pain, wanted to resist entirely on that verdict, yet the pain rendered her so powerless that she could not even speak... Nial had no way but to look at Anthony. Anthony''s eyes darkened; he agreed with it. Nial asked Guy, "Are you sure?" "Of course, hurry!" Guy responded. As long as Charmine was not in pain, he would not blink even if they took his life. Let alone a mere fraction of his blood. Nial wanted to go over how he had just gotten stable and should not have his blood withdrawn, but he dared not anger Anthony at such a pivotal moment. Moreover, since Charmine¡¯s illness was worsening, this was the only way. i He opened the medical box and took out the tools while Guy removed his jacket, showing his powerful arm. Nial patted his arm before footsteps were heard outside the door... chapter 1216 chapter 1216 Guy''s face straightened. He recognized those footsteps. Grandma Granger was back! Nervous, he urged Nial, "Hurry up!" Nial saw how anxious he was and got to work. He took out the needle and pricked his skin when suddenly... Before the needle could touch on the skin, the door of the ward opened. Grandma Granger walked in with a young girl when she saw that a few more people were inside the ward. Nial was about to extract blood from Guy! Her face turned cold. "Stop it! Who allowed you to touch my grandson!?" Nial was shocked and dared not to move! "Grandma, just once," pleaded Guy, "Charmine is having a migraine." "No way." Grandma Granger looked at Charmine who was in pain and scoffed, "As I said, I won''t allow you to give her any more blood!¡± Anthony''s face hardened. He looked at Charmine who was in pain and then at Nial. "Do it!" "Huh?" Nial was confused at what to do upon hearing Anthony''s order. His brother would offend the Grangers for Charmine! Guy turned away from Grandma Granger and signaled Nial with his gaze to continue. Even if he had to anger Grandma Granger, he did not want Charmine to be in pain. Nial held the syringe tightly and wanted to continue, but Grandma Granger barked, "Don''t you dare!" She walked over and snatched the needle from Nial, smashing it to the floor. Nial reeled in shock while Guy¡¯s face sank. "Grandma!" Grandma Granger said coldly, "If you give her blood again, Leon Lennon will be sent away and won''t be back, ever!¡± 1 Guy frowned. With Nial''s syringe smashed, he stood helplessly as he eyed Anthony. Seeing Charmine in agony, Anthony decided to send Grandma Granger out when Charmine grabbed him by his arm. She held on to him tightly as she forced out, "No need.just ten minutes more...lt...lt¡¯ll be fine soon..." Charmine seemed to put whatever energy she had left in her breathless reply. Anthony pursed his lips. His eyes were dark as if he weighed the situation deliberately. Would he have to let her suffer? The thought did notst long as Charmine groaned out in pain once more, her forehead glossy with sweat. However, Grandma Granger still obstructed them from Guy and stared daggers at them. Anthony''s gaze turned ominous as hisrge hands clenched into fists.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Just as he nearly chose a terrible decision, however... The door of the ward was pushed open! Dior walked in and instantly read the room when she saw everyone in the ward. She quickly revealed what she had at hand and said, "Brother, you don''t have to transfuse blood anymore. This can save Charmine!" 1 Everyone spotted the item she had; it was a small bottle with a needle inside. How could this small needle save Charmine? Dior said, "You only have to prick this in your skin for thirty seconds and then prick it on Charmine¡¯s skin for thirty seconds. This will ease the migraine!" "Okay," Guy said to Nial without hesitation, "You do it." "Absolutely not!" Grandma Granger''s fiery gaze aimed right at Dior. "Your brother has just gotten stable, and you''re siding with outsiders?" chapter 1217 chapter 1217 Dior exined, "We just need to prick once. We won''t take brother''s blood." "No way!" Grandma Granger insisted. "Guy just woke up, and he can''t take this! If anything happened, an elderly woman like me would have to guard him day and night!" i She only had one grandson, the only heir from the Granger family. If anything happened to him, how would she face their ancestors? Yes, the needle looked like any ordinary one, but who knew what side effects it had? Who could save Guy if anything happened?! No way! At that moment, Charmine groaned loudly in pain as she grasped her head with both hands, her veins protruding in the process. She was deep in pain without relief. "Grandma..." a soft and childlike voice was heard. Everyone looked over to see an adorable young girl standing by the side, and they frowned. Since when was there another girl? She called her ''Grandma, too. Grandma Granger looked down and, seeing how scared the girl looked, felt somewhat guilty. Had she been so worried about Guy that she scared Momo in the process? Her expression slowly receded into calmness. "Darling, what is it?" Everyone else was even more shocked at that. Where did this young girle from? Why did Grandma Granger treat her so well? Momo looked at Charmine in pain. ''She'' recollected herself as she uttered, "Thedy is in pain. Grandma, can you help her?" Anthony''s gaze darkened when he heard this and studied the girl. She seemed familiar, but he could not make out where he had seen her before... Guy and Dior stared at the girl in exasperation. They wanted the girl to keep talking and to convince Grandma Granger! Grandma Granger would have turned her down, but as she gazed into Momo''s hopeful eyes, she somehow could not. Momo thought of her Mommy, and tears brimmed in her eyes. "Grandma, thedy looks like my Mommy. I pity her... Can you help her? If my Mommy is going through this, I''ll feel worse than death. Looking at her makes me feel as if my Mommy is in pain... Waa...!" whimpered Momo as her pinkish lips pouted. The tears rushed out of her eyes, and it made her a sorry sight. "Don''t cry," coaxed Grandma Granger. "What would you like me to do?" N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Momo sobbed and wailed, "Just try, Grandma! Try to make her feel less painful..." Grandma Granger noticed those hope-filled eyes and could not deny her of her wish. After a moment of thought, she turned to Dior, "Will this harm Guy? And it''ll only take thirty seconds?" "Yes, Grandma." Dior nodded. "You may watch from here. I won''t hurt Brother!¡± Grandma Granger looked back at the girl''s glossy eyes and finally agreed. "Don¡¯t be sad; I promise you." Momo was instantly excited as she nodded. ''Thank you, Grandma. You¡¯re so kind. You¡¯ll have a long life ahead of you!" Dior also let out a sigh of relief as she handed everything to Nial, who sessfully found the right spot to prick. 30 secondster, he took it out and pricked Charmine¡¯s skin for another 30 seconds. Everyone looked at Charmine. This seemed too absurd, and one would wonder if it could work... If it did not... chapter 1218 chapter 1218 When Nial took out the needle, Charmine was surprised to find out that her migraine receded... Still in Anthony''s arms, her pale face slowly regained its color. Anthony asked, "How do you feel? Are you still hurt?" "No." Anthony''s worry-filled face grew calm. Grandma Granger instantly looked at Nial and instructed, "Hurry, give Guy a body check, now!" "Grandma, I just got pricked once! There''s no problem!" Guy reminded her. Grandma Granger was still worried, however. "I''ll only be at peace after that checkup!" Guy conceded as he let Nial inspected his body, and the result showed nothing wrong. Grandma Granger was less worried about that. Momo held Grandma Granger''s hand as she asked bitterly, "Grandma, now that thisdy is feeling better, will this happen to her again?" This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Grandma Granger pursed her lips and said, "Not necessarily." She knew Charmine would have a migraine every day; she just said that to not worry the child much. When Momo heard that, her innocent small face sank. "What do we do?" she fretted. "If she feels so much pain every time, I''ll feel bad... Waa...! Grandma, can you tell me where my Mommy is? Thisdy looks like my Mommy. If she¡¯s in pain, is my Mommy also in pain? I-I can''t even help her ... Waa...!" whimpered Momo as she then sobbed loudly, i Her sobs tugged at Grandma Granger¡¯s heartstrings. Grandma Granger bent down and hugged her. "Darling, don¡¯t cry. Be good." Momo continued to sob, "But I don¡¯t...l don''t want to see thedy in pain. Waa... She must be in so much pain...!" She turned back to look at Guy and begged, "Brother, when she gets hurt again, will you help her?" Everyone looked at the girl in shock. This girl must have been an angel sent from above! She not only convinced Grandma Granger to agree to have Guy pricked, but she even spoke out about the most important matter at hand! "I can promise you, but..." Guy then looked at Grandma Granger meaningfully. In other words, if Grandma Granger agreed, this would work! "Grandma..." Momo turned to Grandma Granger. "I really don''t want to see thisdy suffering...just like how I don''t want Grandma to lose your very precious item. I don''t want you to feel hurt...waa...!" i Grandma Granger instantaneously recalled how she helped her to get back the ring fearlessly. Not wanting to disappoint the girl, the initially hesitant elderlydy patted her shoulder and reassured her, "Darling, don''t cry. I can promise you that when she has a migraine, she can look for Guy." "Really!? Thank you, Grandma!" Momo reached out her small hand to wipe off the tears as she excitedly beamed, "Grandma, you''re so kind. Momo wants to be like Grandma. I want to help others, too!" 1 Grandma looked at her innocent and kind smile. She felt that she had made the right decision! She turned to look at Charmine. "The next time you have a migraine, you may find Guy for help-only if you don¡¯t hurt him! Furthermore, when Guy gets out of the hospital, I must stay with him at Violet Residence to watch over him and take care of him!" i She agreed! Charmine replied, "Okay." Everyone let out a sigh of relief. They never would have thought that a child could convince Grandma Granger. Inside the hospital. Waverly put on a mask as she sat on the sofa when the bell rang suddenly. She removed her mask, feeling disturbed. She walked over to see the CCTV, only to find that it was Max. He seemed rather nervous. chapter 1219 chapter 1219 Waverly squinted and opened the door. "What''s wrong, Brother?" Max walked in and closed the door behind him. He said with a frown, "A young girl managed to con Grandma Granger! She''s agreed to let Guy help Charmine!" i "What? Grandma Granger, that gullible?" Waverly found it hard to believe. "It¡¯s not that she''s gullible, but the little girl is too smart!¡± remarked Max as he looked at her. "Do you know who the girl is?" "Who?" "Chris Bailey!" "Him?" Waverly was perplexed. That made sense. He had always been perceptive. If it was him... She smirked. "Heh. That''s interesting!" Oh, she wanted to know how Grandma Granger would feel if she found out that it was him. Max''s eyes gleamed with deviousness. "I''ll do something about it, then?" Waverly''s eyes darkened as she seemed to be thinking. After a while, she smiled calmly. "No hurry, we need to find the right time." They must attack Charmine at the right time; only then would it be interesting. Max frowned. "Waverly, do you have any new ns?" Waverly did notment on it but instead said, "Brother, go and handle the matters with the Olympics..." Max vaguely understood her meaning, and he agreed, "Okay." Night came, and Guy was finally dispatched from the hospital after he made full recovery. Charmine and Anthony came to the ward. Dior was no longer there. Only Grandma Granger was left to apany Guy. When she saw the twoing in, Grandma Granger said colly, "Why did youe? Didn''t you prick him already today?" "We''re here to send Mr. Granger," Charmine exined. Grandma Granger''s face eased. She had the ''I hope you know what you¡¯re doing'' look on her face. Guy packed up and said, "Let¡¯s go." He had a backpack and a big suitcase, which he seemed to struggle with. Recalling how he had just recovered, she walked over and took the suitcase from him. "Mr. Granger, let me have this.¡± Triggered, Anthony squinted and looked at Guy, the meaningful gaze that telepathically told him that he would toss out his suitcase if he dared agree. 4 Of course, Guy would not let Charmine take the suitcase. "No need," declined Guy, "this is heavy. Let me have it." Charmine frowned. What if his wound worsened if he handled this heavy suitcase? "Let me have it," she insisted Suddenly, another hand was on the suitcase. Anthony moved the suitcase to his side as he held onto Charmine¡¯s small palm. "Let me have it." Baffled, she looked at his glowering face and frowned. Was this man jealous again? "Just give it back to me," insisted Guy. "You two may go down with Grandma first." Anthony looked at him emotionally. "Nonsense." He took the two heavy suitcases and pulled Charmine out of the ward. Anthony and Charmine were walking in front as they descended. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. She looked at Anthony''s cold face and frowned. Was it not just a suitcase? This man got jealous again! chapter 1220 chapter 1220 Charmine squinted as she exined under her breath, "I''m just worried that Guy carrying something so heavy might reopen his wound." "Yeah," muttered Anthony, "I know." i Otherwise, why would he stay so calm? Charmine was speechless. If he knew, why did he still have a straight face? 1 Anthony put the two suitcases into the back of the car while Guy supported Grandma Granger to walk over and get into the car before he did. As the car was tall, Charmine was worried about Guy''s wound, thus she instinctively reached out to support him when he went into the car. Anthony red at her hand on his arm. He squinted as he pulled her behind him with hisrge hand. Following that, he got inside. When Charmine saw his cold face, she frowned suspiciously. "Anthony?" 2 Anthony was on the verge of exploding, but as he recalled how Guy helped to relieve Charmine''s migraine earlier, he could only clench his fists silently. He reached out to pull her into the car. With that, Anthony separated the two as he sat in the middle. Helpless, Charmine could only sit and close the door before the car began to move. Nial opened the window and cold air rushed into the vehicle, causing Guy to cough. Charmine looked over and said to Nial, "Nial, close the window, please.¡± "Oh, okay.¡± Nial quickly closed it off. After closing the window, Charmine took a nket. She wanted to pass it to Anthony so he could pass it to Guy. Just as she took it, however, Anthony''s powerful hand stopped her. He glowered at her angrily. Did she care so much about Guy? 1 He sat in the middle, yet she still wanted to nket Guy? N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Charmine exined, "He just recovered, and he might catch a cold. Why don¡¯t you-" Before she could finish, she felt Anthony¡¯s eerily cold eyes ring at her. His grip tightened around her wrist as he emitted an ominous aura that filled up the car. She jolted. He was that angry? 1 As she thought he was about tosh out, his grip gradually eased off. His clear knuckles received the nket and tossed it over Guy''s body. "Take it." "Thank you." Guy saw his darkening face, so he turned to look at Charmine. "Don¡¯t mind me, Ms. Jordan. I''m fine." Charmine made a sound and looked at Anthony cautiously. The stalemate aura loomed still, and it was rather suffocating. 1 After a moment, her small hand reached out and held his palm. She went to his ear and said in a very gentle tone that only the two of them could hear, "Anthony, I''d like to have a candlelight dinner tonight." 1 Anthony halted and turned to look at her bright eyes. She merely smiled at him, waiting for his response, and that faint smile was embedded deep inside his heart. His rage instantly vanished. He red at her darkly. "Just the two of us?" Did she want Guy to join? The entire restaurant would explode because of him! "Okay," Anthony''s expression turned calm once more. They reached Violet Residence not long after. When Yvonne saw the group returning, she let out a sigh of relief. Guy was finally out of the hospital! Since she had slipped recently and Grandma Bailey was angry at her, she did not go over to the hospital. Anthony looked at her. "Bring Grandma Granger to a room." Yvonne thought of how Grandma Granger was Guy''s grandmother, and a strange feeling loomed over her, but she led her to a room diligently. Grandma Granger was intrigued to tour the vi, thus she followed behind Yvonne. chapter 1221 chapter 1221 Anthony signaled Nial with a look, and thetter understood instantly. Grandma Granger would be livid if she found out that Guy lived on the second floor, outside the master bedroom and on the floor! He quickly went upstairs and ran over to work on it, leaving only Anthony, Charmine, and Guy in the living room. Anthony picked up Guy''s suitcase and tossed it back at him. 1 "Sort it out, Mr. Granger." He wanted to have a candlelight dinner with his wife, after all. "Okay, go ahead.¡± The calm Guy reached out to take his suitcase. Anthony''s hand was still around Charmine''s waist. Although Charmine was worried about Guy¡¯s wound, she thought of how Nial would be around and did not want to offend Anthony. She nodded. However... After taking two steps, she heard a groan from behind. Charmine halted and saw Guy putting down the suitcase. She frowned instantly and asked, "What''s wrong? Did you get hurt?'' Cold sweat was on Guy''s forehead. "I''m fine, you do yours." Charmine frowned. He must have hurt himself. "Let me carry them." Anthony was speechless. She cared so much about Guy even in front of him!? 2 His calm demeanor dissipated as fury reced it. He walked out. "No need, Ms. Jordan, I can manage." Guy insisted on taking the suitcase. "This might reopen your wound," exined Charmine, "and I won''t be able to exin to Grandma Granger by then. Have a rest." With that said, she insisted on getting the suitcase. Guy wanted to take it back but Anthony had walked over, pushed him to the sofa, and warned him coldly, "Why don¡¯t you get some rest? I can''t afford anything happening to you." Guy was baffled. Anthony turned over to get the suitcase from Charmine, i "Give it to me." With that said, he carried the suitcase up to the second floor while Charmine and Guy could only follow behind him. 1 Nial had redecorated the space beside the master bedroom. Anthony ced the suitcase, looked at Charmine, and asked, "Is there anything else?'' "No. Do carry on," answered Guy. Charmine looked at the suitcase and was still worried. She asked, "Are you going to unpack?'' i After all, he only had a few clothes, and they were all inside the luggage. "Don''t move too much," she reminded him. ''Wait for Nial or Luke toe and help." Anthony glowered at that. Forget helping him to carry his suitcase, helping him up, and giving him a nket, but she even wanted to unpack for him? His woman cared so much about this man? i Did she want to touch Guy''s underwear as well? 3 Before Guy could respond, Anthony scowled as he took out the clothes from the suitcase and squeezed them all into the wardrobe. It rendered Charmine speechless. "Thank you, President Bailey," thanked Guy. Anthony smiled at him coldly. "You''re wee. Just take care of yourself." N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. With that said, Anthony held Charmine¡¯s hand and led her out. Charmine studied his expression, and it was as dark as a gloomy sky with the storm fast approaching. She held hisrge hand and asked, "Are you angry again? I just didn''t want to owe him anything." "I know," Anthony cut her off. "Let me handle the small things in the future. Don''t get so close to him; just see him when you''re having a migraine!" 2 Charmine was speechless. They lived together. How would she not care about him? chapter 1222 chapter 1222 Seeing the anger in Anthony''s eyes, Charmine decided to drop the discussion. "Alright, I''m hungry. Let''s go and eat." Anthony was reminded of the candlelight dinner she mentioned, and his expression grew brighter. "Have you decided which restaurant to go to?" "Not yet." Charmine turned to look at him and smiled. "You pick-you get to decide today." Her clear voice had her own unique sense of maturity. All of Anthony¡¯s anger vanished. He knew her well, and he knew there was nothing to hold against her. His eyes were filled with adoration. "Let''s go to XH Restaurant, shall we?" "Okay," Charmine agreed. The two of them walked out of the vi, but just as they almost got in the car, Luke walked toward them urgently. "We''ve got a problem, Boss. The Association suddenly contacted us, saying they want you to host an Olympic Banquet in ten days." Anthony frowned. "An Olympic Banquet?" "Yes. When all thepetitions have finished in ten days, they want to host a banquet for all the visitors. There are many countries involved, and this is a big event. The Association is worried about making any mistake, so they asked you for help," exined Luke, i Anthony frowned. If he epted this, he would not be able to stay with Charmine in the following days. Just as he debated on the matter internally, Kay suddenly rushed toward them and spoke to Charmine, "Boss Jordan, it''s bad! The representatives of Burlington and Kansas were talking and drinkingst night, and they got triggered. The Association ced a bet against Kansas, iming that Burlington will win the first prize in the Olympics. Otherwise, we''ll have to pay a hundred million dors to Kansas!" 1 A hundred million dors! Good god! A hefty bet, indeed! 1 Kay continued, "The final stage of the talentpetition will happen during the banquet in ten days as entertainment for the banquet! The Association is worried, and they think you have a way to win this, so they want you to participate!" Charmine frowned. The Association had been nice to the Jordan family, thus she must not abandon them in such a situation. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. After a moment of hesitation, she agreed, "Okay, I''ll take part." Kay let out a sigh of relief. "Okay, Boss Jordan. I¡¯ll pass this good news to the Association." "Okay." After Kay left, Charmine looked back to realize Anthony staring at her coldly. His face was stern. She asked, "What''s wrong?" Was he jealous of her talking to Kay? "You can''t go," spoke Anthony. "Why not?¡± questioned Charmine. "A hundred million dors is a big bet. If Burlington loses, we''ll be laughed at!¡± This was not a personal contest; this was a contest between countries. She would not permit any mistake! Anthony''s dark gaze had a new hint of worry as he looked at her. "You''re not concerned about having a migraine during the contest?" If any ident happened, she would be the joke! Charmine said calmly, "Everything will be alright with the needle. I''ll go on stage after the migraine." Anthony''s eyes turned darker. A few secondster, he insisted, "No." He would not permit any ident to ur to her. Charmine halted. She looked at him suspiciously. She could simply go on stage after the migraine. What was wrong with that? Charmine eyed his stubborn expression as she asked a few secondster," Anthony, do you want me to stay by your side? I might lose myself if things go on like this." She could feel him growing overprotected over her, and she felt like she was slowly losing herself... chapter 1223 chapter 1223 Anthony heard the dullness in Charmine¡¯s tone and felt a pang in his chest. Charmine used to be wild and arrogant, so much so that she ruined Tiffany entirely! She was the proud ambassador for luxury cars and exuded innate confidence and power. Owning a diamond mine, her umted wealth made her wealthier than some countries! She had stunned the world over and over. s... She had let go of many things to just be with him, and she slowly disappeared from the public eye. Anthony felt guilty for the first time. After a long while, he reached out to put his hands around her waist and said, "Alright, you may go." "Really?" Did he just agree? Charmine found it hard to believe. "We''ll have to announce our rtionship to the public, though," added Anthony, "or I won¡¯t be able to make public appearances with you." Charmine, ted just moments ago, deted at Anthony¡¯s suggestion, and it showed on her face. "Anthony, now is not the time to announce our rtionship to the public yet." The Baileys were deep in trades, and Anthony had numerous enemies and fans. If they announced their rtionship, more people would go against her, and that would be detrimental given her recurring migraine! Anthony frowned. If they did not announce their rtionship, he would not be with her publicly, and if she was to have migraines, it would be Guy staying beside her and not him... 1 Charmine read his mind and said, "That''s not too bad. The Grangers have a powerful background, and with the previous rumors, if the crowd spected about my rtionship with Guy, they won''t attack me for a short while.¡± 1 "So, you want to continue the rumor with Guy?" Anthony''s tone was cold, i She wanted to take part in thepetition, did not want to announce their rtionship, and even wanted everyone to think she was with Guy?! "What you''re saying is that...you want to announce our rtionship to the public right now? You want more people to know that I''m your woman?" asked Charmine. Anthony''s face stiffened, and his big hands clenched tightly. She had a point. The Grangers worked for the country, and they had no enemies in Burlington. The Baileys, however, were always so prominent and had offended many. Many tried to find his weak spot, i He used to be so confident in his ability to protect her, but with Charmine''s illness, she might have a migraine anytime. If someone attacked her... His eyes darkened. A long whileter, he conceded. "Fine, but always keep your distance from him!" Shocked, Charmine frowned. She thought he would argue with her on it or turn her down, but who would have thought he would agree to it so quickly? This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. She even came up with so many ways of talking him out... Who would have thought he agreed to this because of her health. She looked at him and suddenly found him incredibly sexy and alluring. Anthony met her gaze as he arrogantly demanded, "Kiss me." "Huh?" "I made such a sacrifice. Won''t you reward me, at least?" Charmine bit her lip. She raised her head to kiss his cheek. Anthony tilted his head, however, and her lipsnded squarely on his thin lips. He grabbed her waist tightly just as Charmine wanted to part, and their kiss deepened... Too engrossed in making out, footsteps were hearding from the stairs, and Charmine pushed Anthony away. They looked back to see Grandma Grangering their way. The elderlydy saw the two of them kissing and walked away emotionlessly. Charmine asked, "Grandma Granger, are you happy with the room?" It''s fine," Grandma Granger answered coldly. Charmine thought of attending the Olympics with Guy and frowned. She wondered if Grandma Granger would agree for Guy to be seen in public chapter 1224 chapter 1224 After hesitating for a moment, Charmine walked up to the elderlydy." Grandma Granger, I have something to talk to you about." Grandma Granger sat on the sofa and looked at her in shock. How rare it was for Charmine to speak to her in such a tone. "What is it?" she asked. "I¡¯m attending the Olympics in two days. Mr. Granger needs to show up with me." "The Olympics?" repeated Grandma Granger. ''You''re going topete?" ''Yes," said Charmine. "Since it''ll take a few days, I need the daily pricking." In other words, if Guy did not go, she would not be able to get help. Grandma Granger narrowed her gaze and carefully thought it through. She was not against Guy and Charmine to be seen in public. She even hoped that they could develop some feelings. Thus, she looked up at Charmine from where she sat. "Alright, you can." Charmine thought she would turn this down, but who would have thought she would agree to it so easily! 1 "Thank you," she professed. The conversation was still calm when Grandma Granger added, "I''ll go as well." "Huh?" Charmine looked at her, startled. "I''m worried about Guy going alone, so I''ll go with you two to look after him." Grandma Granger was afraid that if she was not around. Charmine might end up taking Guy''s blood should the needle technique fail. She had to stay by her side to keep watch. "Alright, do prepare for it." After sorting it out, Charmine then shifted her focus to the most important matter... How to win first ce. Sure, she had cool tricks up her sleeve, but they did not give her the confidence to win the first prize. 1 Thinking of winning the first prize, it had to be innovative and unique: something jaw-dropping. Anthony, on the other hand, had started to prepare for the banquet. Late that night... Charmineid in bed as she struggled to think of a foolproof n. She had a headache as she pressed her temples. She turned to the other side. i Suddenly... A powerful arm wrapped around her waist as Anthony hugged her from behind. His warm breath fanned her face as his hoarse voice resonated in her ear, ''You''re hinting me again? Hmm?" Charmine was speechless. Why was his head full of that? She exined, "No, you''re just overthinking." Anthony hugged her from behind as he promised, "If you move again, you''ll get what you want." Charmine was utterly baffled. Was she not even allowed to turn around?! However, knowing his personality, she knew Anthony would do as he said. She nodded and said, "Let''s sleep." Anthony seemed to like her answer. Hugging her, his breathing fell into a steady rhythm. Charmine found it hard to fall asleep, however. The more she tried to think, the lesser the ideas that came. Since she did not want to disturb Anthony, she could only give up. That was why it surprised her that the moment she shut her eyes, a figure surfaced in her mind. It was her senior, Frank White! He was taught by her Uncles, and she had met him in the mountains. Everytime she was not in a good mood, she would write with him to feel calmer. His writing was amazing as if he knew magic. Every stroke and word was like a fluttering butterfly. She had investigated it for long and never learned the secrets. If she could learn the skill, she was confident she could win first prize for Burlington. Despite that, Frank never likedpetitions or fame; he only wanted to live a calm life. He had stayed hidden in the valley for many years. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. She needed to find him, but... Anthony surely would not agree. She knew Frank White well. Since she once saved his life, Frank was always protective of her. If Anthony saw how she spent her time with Frank, that jealousy of his would resurface, and she did not want to get Frank in trouble! chapter 1225 chapter 1225 Charmine frowned. She had to think of a way to ensure Anthony would not be enraged while she made use of this opportunity. Once she deliberated over her thoughts, she turned to face Anthony. She looked into his deep eyes that were like a calm, coldke. It was bottomless. "What did I say?" Anthony asked darkly; it sounded like a warning. "Hmm?" Charmine was in no mood to entertain him as she spoke earnestly," Anthony, I want to talk with you." Seeing how serious she looked, he no longer flirted with her. "What is it?" "To get first prize for Burlington, I¡¯ll have to learn calligraphy from a senior of mine." "Your senior?" Anthony had an alert and serious look. Charmine exined, "Someone I met in the past. He taught me quite a lot of things, but that''s not the main point. What''s important here is that his calligraphy will help us get first ce!" Anthony frowned. "Getting first ce with calligraphy?" "Yeah. Frank White¡¯s writing is very unique, so much so that he can attract butterflies," exined Charmine. "It''s very unique and aesthetically pleasing." Charmine recalled how he wrote and how butterflies fluttered his way, and she beamed. Anthony, on the other hand, thought she was excited to see Frank at the sight of her gleaming eyes! Without hesitation, he rejected, "No way.¡± Charmine was speechless... She knew it! Charmine said, "You agreed for me to take part in thepetition. If I don''t get first ce, there''s no point in this Olympics." Anthony''s cold, dull eyes shifted slightly. After a moment of thought, he said, "You may learn from your senior, but someone else must go on your behalf." 1 Charmine grew exasperated. "No," she countered, "Frank won''t see any other woman." There was a time when wolves chased after Frank in the mountain, and Charmine managed to kill the wolves and save him. Even with all that, Frank would not see her! He had always lived on his own and did not allow others to disturb him. Anthony''s face sank. He did not allow other women to see him except for Charmine?! Preposterous! "Don''t think about this," resisted the stone-faced Anthony, "I can''t agree!" "But..." "I have a way!" Charmine tried to convince him, but Anthony merely cut her off. "Leave this to me. Wait for my news." Charmine was worried. What n did he have? If she could not find Frank for help, what was she supposed topete with? The Olympics would end in ten days, and if she did not make it in time... Seeing how worried she was, Anthony embraced her tightly. "Don¡¯t overthink. Just listen to me," he instructed coldly. Unable to wiggled herself out of his embrace, Charmine had no other choice but to try and sleep. Perhaps it was because of Anthony¡¯s embrace, but she fell asleep quickly. In the darkness, Anthony opened his eyes. He gently got out of bed and walked to the room next door, where Nial was fast asleep in his bed. 1 This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Anthony turned on the light and instructed him, "Master calligraphy in one day. Use it to attract butterflies." 1 His tone was nonchnt as if saying something very simple. Nial, however, was dazed. Master calligraphy? "Bro, are you crazy? It¡¯s sote now, and I¡¯m not God! I don''t know magic! How am I supposed to attract butterflies-" "I don''t take nonsense," scoffed Anthony with his thin lips, tone filled with threat. "Tomorrow, this time, I want to see results. Otherwise, you''ll live in Africa for three years!" 3 "What?!" What an awful threat! chapter 1226 chapter 1226 Confused, Nial began to question life. "Calligraphy? Attract butterflies? Am I dreaming? Yes, that must be it! This is a nightmare! I need to continue sleeping!" he remarked before he fell back to his bed heavily. Anthony patted his shoulder. "It¡¯s entirely up to you whether you''re sent to Africa or not." 4 Nial was speechless... He just could not lie to himself anymore. Knowing his brother, if he did not manage to learn it by the following day, he would be sent to Africa! He thus got out of bed begrudgingly as he turned on theptop to learn as much as possible. Worried about their limited time, Anthony also went to the study room to start learning. The next morning... When Charmine did not see Anthony when she woke up, she frowned. Where did he go so early in the morning? She did not see him even after washing up. Yvonne was watching television in the living room. "Charmine, what are you looking for?" she asked as she spotted Charmine Charmine asked, "Did you see Anthony going out?" "No.¡± Charmine grew wary at that. What was he doing? She took out her phone to call him, but all she heard was, "Sorry, the number you have dialed is currently unavable..." Charmine frowned. He went missing so early in the morning? Did he... Did he go to see Frank in person!? Charmine asked Yvonne, "You really didn''t see him leaving?¡± "Yeah," said Yvonne. "I woke up early to train with Grandma Granger in the morning. After breakfast, she went back to her room to rest while I stayed here to watch television. I didn''t see Anthonying down. Did he go out before sunrise, then?¡± Charmine found it more suspicious. Anthony truly did go to find Frank, and he went out before sunrise! Charmine turned back upstairs. "Are you not getting breakfast, Charmine?" asked Yvonne. "No." She headed upstairs and walked past the study when she heard the sounds of someone typing on the keyboard. She halted and opened the door to have a look. She saw Anthony sitting before theputer, and he was so focused on the screen that he did not notice her going in. As Charmine walked to the desk, he alertly turned when he noticed the shadow of a person moving toward him. When he saw Charmine, his eyes softened and asked, "You''re awake?" Charmine looked at him. "What are you doing?" "Researching," Anthony replied simply. Charmine looked at theputer and noticed it was the living habit of butterflies. It clicked for her right away. Anthony tried to learn a way to attract butterflies! Was he kidding her? She tried to learn this for half a month and did not seed. Anthony thought he would learn it in a few days? Furthermore, he still had to teach her after learning it! Was this what he had in mind? Charmine was mind-boggled. "Anthony, you don''t have to make it so hard. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. I''ll learn it from Frank ande back in a few days!" Anthony looked up at her. ''You don''t trust me? You think I''m not as good as Frank?" Charmine was speechless. For the first time, she found out how scary a jealous man could be! She pursed her lips and reassured him, "Stop researching. If you''re ufortable, you maye with me." Anthony frowned. "Come with you?" Then what? Watch them both spend all day together? He would get so angry that he could rampage! Anthony turned and wanted to leave. He picked up an ancient book from behind and opened it. He read it and said, "What I said to youst night was clear. Leave this to me; just wait to hear back from me." chapter 1227 chapter 1227 What else was there to say? Anthony went into a concentrated mode. The dejected Charmine could only walk out of the study room as her head hurt. Could Anthony work it out at this rate? How was she supposed to convince a jealous man? Anthony and Nial each locked themselves in two separate study rooms. They researched, read books, and learned the butterfly attraction method. They did note out for one day and night. No matter how Charmine called for him or talked him out, he was in his own world and did not want to be disturbed. 1 Charmine was helpless. On the second night... Charmine walked up with dinner in an attempt to convince Anthony to order some food. He had not eaten sincest night, and still... She stood before the study room, but no matter how she tried to talk him out, all she heard was a thump from inside. She quickly opened the door and went inside, but Anthony was no longer in front of the working desk. She walked over to see Anthony fallen below the table! "Anthony?" Charmine''s heart tightened. She ced down the dinner and walked over to check. He fainted! Angered and hurt, she reached out to carry him up and back to their bedroom, cing him in bed. She naturally took out the needle and pricked on his spots. It did not take long before Anthony woke up as he gradually opened his eyes. When he saw Charmine by the bed, he frowned. Was he not reading? Why was he... Suddenly, he recalled how he fainted. Perplexed, he asked, "You carried me back?" "Yeah." Charmine''s tone was strangely calm. Anthony was too engrossed in his studies that he did not notice her strange behavior. At the thought of their time running short and that he had yet to understand the method, Anthony instantly sat up. She pressed her hand against his chest and pushed him back to bed. Charmine looked at him, and the two days'' worth of anger built up in her finally exploded. "Anthony, don¡¯t you know? I don¡¯t like narrow-hearted men! I don''t like what you''re doing!" Anthony did not eat nor drink for two days and stayed in the study room just to stop her from meeting Frank! Anthony halted. He looked at her, confused. "What''s wrong?" In order for her to get a first in the Olympics and stun the world, to regain her true self, he sacrificed sleep to help her to attract butterflies. Why was she angry? N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Charmine met his gaze as a hint of disappointment was in them. "Anthony, since when have you be so stingy? Don''t you feel that you''ve changed?" Anthony halted. He changed? Charmine asked him that? "You used to be elegant and ssy, powerful, and thoughtful," rambled Charmine. "Now, you¡¯re always jealous and arrogant!" When Anthony heard what she said, his eyes darkened. Had he changed? Charmine looked at him seriously. "I, Charmine Jordan, want to marry a considerate man, not a man who acts on my behalf!" she resolutely spoke before she turned to walk out. 1 Anthony quickly grabbed her wrist and pulled her back. He said in a low and hoarse voice, "Charmine, go and learn from Frank." "Huh?" Charmine''s eyes sparkled. "You''re okay with that?" "Yeah, but I''ll go with you," Anthony insisted. Charmine frowned. Was he not in charge of nning the Olympic Banquet? How would he have time? However, it was already a big step for him topromise. She nodded. "Okay, eat something first." Anthony looked at the meal she brought him, epted it, and ate it. Charmine''s expression settled peacefully. She reached over to get the bowl when Anthony abruptly caught her hand. chapter 1228 chapter 1228 Anthony looked at her meaningfully. "Charmine, I may have changed, but I''m loving you more now," he spoke lowly with affection in his tone, yet he had never felt so wronged before. Charmine felt a pang in her chest. He had changed...and loved her even more... That was it. He was jealous because he loved her more... She, on the other hand... Her voice grew hushed. ¡°Anthony...¡¯¡¯ "Go and prepare to leave,¡± Anthony cut her short and stood up to prepare the luggage. Charmine looked at his back and felt confused. That night... Charmineid in bed. Thinking of the Olympics, she asked Anthony, "If youe with me, will you have enough time to arrange for the Olympics Banquet?" "Yes." One word, cold and calm. Charmine frowned at his short reply and added, "So, tomorrow..." "Sleep now,¡± Anthony cut her short coldly and turned his back to her. Charmine looked at his back and paused for a moment before her skinny arms reached to hug him from behind. Anthony jolted yet did not move; his back still faced her. Charmine''s heart sank. He would always turn to hug her if she did, even though he had fallen asleep. He was not even asleep, yet he did not even react to her touch! Charmine wanted to coax him, but at the thought of how he had not slept for two days, he must be tired. Her lips parted slightly, but she made no sound. Hugging him, she closed her eyes and fell asleep. When Anthony heard the breathing behind him had stabilized, he opened his eyes. His dark eyes looked out of the window, confusionyering his pupils... The next morning, the group headed to the valley. To take care of Charmine, Grandma Granger, Guy, Yvonne, and Nial went along. 5 N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. They went into the car while Dior stood at the back, but she did not want to go in. They were leaving... She wondered when they would have toe back from the valley. She was missing the man already before leaving. What if he ran out of money? 1 What if he was wronged at work? What if his girlfriend bullied him again? 1 Not on her watch! She had to stay! She would not allow anyone to bully him! Pursing her lips at the thought, Dior palmed her stomach and grimaced. She looked as if she was in pain as she walked weakly to Grandma Granger. "Grandma, I got a stomach ache," she spoke feebly. "Stomach ache?" Grandma Granger looked at her pale face and asked worriedly, "Did you eat something wrong? Do you want to go to the hospital?" "I don''t know," said Dior as she winced. "I want to go to the hospital to get it checked..." Grandma Granger frowned. "Would you like us to wait for you?" "No need.¡± Dior waved it off. "I won''t being along to the valley; I¡¯ll only cause more trouble." Grandma Granger thought about it and nodded. "That''s alright, then." "I''ll go to the hospital now...argh...so painful. Take care!¡± Dior backed away and waved at Grandma Granger. Guy looked at her and said, "Give me a call if there''s anything." "Okay," said Dior before she walked to her own luxury car to leave. Yes! She was on her way to find her crush! Nial drove the seven-seater and went toward the valley. chapter 1229 chapter 1229 Charmine and Anthony sat next to one another while Guy sat alone. In the backseat, Yvonne sat with Grandma Granger. Suddenly... Ten minutes in, Charmine''s head began to buzz that followed up with sharp pain. She jolted as her face turned pale. Anthony quickly caught on as he held her hand. "Migraine again?" "Mmh..." Nial, who was driving, heard this and instantly took out the needle, handing it to Guy. "You know where the point is, right? Where I usually prick into. Just prick one centimeter!" "Okay." Taking the needle, Guy looked at his arm and found the spot, pricking it urately. Knowing that Guy sat on the other side, Anthony stood up and said to Guy," You may sit here." Guy, too worried about Charmine, did not debate on it as he switched with Anthony and sat by her side. Guy took out the needle from him 30 secondster and lifted Charmine''s arm, rolling up her sleeve. Charmine seemed to have sensed that it was not Anthony, and she instinctively retracted her hand. Guy looked at Charmine andforted, "Rx, Ms. Jordan. It''s just the needle." Charmine, hearing him mention the needle, stopped moving. Guy pricked the needle into her arm. Sure enough, her migraine receded 30 secondster. She then realized it was Guy who was next to her. Anthony, sitting by the window, grew cold as his face turned stoic. Charmine frowned; Anthony was acting unusual today. If she... She narrowed her eyes, but just as she was about to speak... "Ugh...urgh!" Grandma Granger groaned, seemingly in pain. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Yvonne held her arm. "Grandma Granger, how are you feeling?" "It¡¯s motion sickness, but I''d feel better sitting by the window..." Sitting by the window... Since this was a seven-seater, the back row had no window seat. Only Charmine''s and Anthony¡¯s seats had one. Anthony looked at Charmine who had just recovered. He stood up to move to the back seat. Grandma Granger sat at his spot and rubbed her temples. She felt much better. Charmine frowned. Anthony offered his seat so Guy could still sit with her? Instinctively, she looked back at Anthony who sat in the back row, eyes dark and face expressionless. Anthony was silent. "Anthony," she began cautiously, "you''re not angry?" Anthony''s face was cold as ice. "Don''t worry, I know what''s important." Charmine nodded, but that tone of his... The silent car ride was interrupted as it abruptly turned and swerved. Unable to react in time, she leaned toward Guy, who instinctively reached out to support her. "Are you okay?" he asked. "Yeah." Charmine remained seated and turned to Anthony. His handsome face grew colder. She asked, "Why don''t we switch ces?" Anthony¡¯s expression seemed unforgiving, yet his tone was eerily tranquil." No need. You¡¯re just sitting together; it¡¯s just like sharing public transportation. I don¡¯t mind." Charmine was speechless. He would have lost his mind had this happened before, but not only did he offer to let Guy have the seat, he was not even angry when all this happened... 3 s, the car would stagger in every turn, and every time it did, Charmine would fall into Guy and vice versa, 1 Anthony stared at them, his eyes filled with hatred and anger, but he remained silent with clenched fists. chapter 1230 chapter 1230 After driving for a few hours, they finally stopped. Grand mountains came into sight as trees stood and flowers grew at the foot of the mountain. Below the mountains, there were many flowers and trees. It was quiet and elegant, though it gave off a sense of emptiness. There was no visible path that led upward. Yvonne supported Grandma Granger as she took in the sight. She frowned and asked, "Charmine, is this the right ce? Is someone even living here?" "Yeah,¡± answered Charmine, "this is it." Frank lived here, and she had visited him many times. s, that man did not want others to know that he lived here. He intentionally made it seem as if nobody did. She walked on based on her memory from years ago and got to the approximate location. She reached out to spread outyers of grass. Finally, a path was seen with many thorns all around. Anthony walked over and asked, "Is this the path?" Charmine nodded. Anthony went back to the car and took out a knife. With one swing, the thorns were cut off. He tossed the thorns aside and then looked up at Nial. Nial was speechless. Why was he not thought of when something good happened? Anthony only thought of him when he was needed! Nial grumpily walked forward and started cutting the thorns. The two brothers cut out the thorns in front. Charmine wanted to help out but Guy blocked her from going forward. "Ms. Jordan, be careful. There are many thorns." "It¡¯s okay," said Charmine, "I''ll help out." Hearing them talk, he looked at the two of them and coolly spoke, "Don''t have to help; just don''t get hurt." He then turned back and continued to swing his knife handsomely. The initially thorn-filled path was cleared up to reveal a wider path. Charmine looked at his back doubtfully. He was so calm. He would have been fuming in the past! i Since Anthony did not allow him to go over, she could only follow behind them. Guy was worried about Charmine getting hurt, and he was also worried about snakes and worms jumping out to scare her. Thus, he stayed by her side at all times, 1 Charmine, on the other hand, kept her distance from Guy in fear of angering Anthony, not that Guy minded. He followed behind her as his gaze was focused on the bushes, getting rid of insects that popped out. He would not let them scare off Charmine. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Charmine looked at Anthony, who was focused on cutting out the thorns. She wanted to talk to him so badly, or she would continue feeling miffed. She also did not want to see him acting strange. s... After taking two steps, a bee as big as a baby''s palm flew in front of her. "Be careful!" Guy quickly jumped to shield her as he waved hisrge palm and killed the bee instantly. Charmine was speechless. She wanted to tell Guy that it barely fazed her, but it was best to speak less. She said politely, "Thank you." "It''s okay." Guy did not read her face as he dumbly said, "Don''t be afraid." When Anthony heard that from the front, he tightened his grip on the knife. He waved the knife wildly, cutting out all the thorns around them. He picked them up and tossed them aside. Charmine saw his strength and knew he was pissed off. This time, she walked toward him without hesitation, wanting to talk to him. All of a sudden, a four-legged snake rushed out and jumped at her! 4 "Ms. Jordan! Be careful!" Guy rushed forward and pulled her back. He bent down to grab the head of the snake! 2 He held onto it until it no longer moved before he tossed it aside. "It¡¯s okay," said Guy, "the four-legged snake is harmless." Charmine was dibobted. chapter 1232 chapter 1232 "No." Still a one-worded reply. Charmine frowned. Was he angry? Why was he so cold to her? It was as if he was another person. Charmine wanted to speak more, but he gave off such an unapproachable aura as he carried her like a robot. No matter what she said, he would give simple responses. "Mmh." "Yeah." "Oh." There was no point in talking to him, so she gave up. The path was twisted and uneven. Nial cleared the path on his own. Anthony carried Charmine while Guy helped Yvonne and Grandma Granger. They walked for an hour before they spotted the bamboo forest hidden in mist. Nial almost teared up. Ugh, finally! His hands were breaking! 2 Nial walked toward the area, but Charmine, still on Anthony''s back, sensed something was wrong. She detected it right away and quickly called out, "Stop!" "Hmm?" Nial looked back. "What''s wrong?" Everyone looked at her in confusion. Charmine got off his back and took out a special pair of sunsses to put them on. Infraredsers appeared in the originally cleared path. Charmine exined, "There are infrared lights. If we touch them, we''ll be dead." Drats! Nial instantly backed away a few steps, and Guy supported Grandma Granger to step back as well. Annoyed, Yvonne whined, "What now? We came all the way here, and we can''t back out now, right?" Charmine curled up her red lips stunningly. She said with wild confidence," I can try." Anthony frowned. He did not want her to, but he recalled something. He could only narrow his eyes and say calmly, "Be careful." "Okay." Charmine took down her backpack and handed it to Anthony, to which he robotically epted. Charmine put on her sunsses and looked at the tightly packed infraredsers. She bent down ready to go ahead. The first gap between the lights was bigger than the rest, thus she went through it easily. However, the gaps started to get narrower after that.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Charmine stretched out her long leg and went through the second gap. She bent over to get through. She stood back up and there was another one right beside her waist. She held on her breath and dared not to move. On the third line of thesers, one was around her waist while another was next to her knee. There were three to four lines on top of her head, thus there was no way she could go above them. She could only carefully tilt her body to move downward. When she got away from the one around her waist, she had more space below. After avoiding the one by her knees, she went to the ground and crawled forward to the middle. The lines grew much narrower, so much so that even her arms could touch them if she went over. Charmine frowned. She looked at the closing-in gaps and the nearestser closest to her. She bent down and slowly went through the ten-centimeter gap. 1 Since it was only ten centimeters, there was no room to move around. Her upper body went through first, and she then put her palms on the ground as her legs slowly went over thesers. "Ms. Jordan..." muttered Guy in concern as he watched on. Unable to see thesers, they could only see her moving cautiously. chapter 1233 chapter 1233 Everyone was worried at the sight of Charmine being on her hands and knees. Anthony stood by the side as his eyes darkened. He clenched so tightly that his veins grew visible. s, there was nothing he could do but to watch her closely as he bit his lip. "Don¡¯t worry," assured Charmine, "just wait for a while." She observed theser before her as she supported herself on her palms, and she then noticed a gap ahead of her. Stretching one leg, she pushed herself and jumped into the air. Swiftly and quickly, Charmine flipped andnded on her feet in just one second! Before anyone could react, she was already behind the third line as she stood upright. The crowd watched as she moved cautiously. They felt as if they were the ones moving as they held their breath. This was the final stage! Charmine stood still as she eyed thesers, finding a way through it. However, thesers ahead were closely packed like a fis. There was no room for a finger to get through! Frowning, Charmine could only search for an opening from below, but she then noticedsers dangerously near her feet and knees. There was no way out! There was only a gap left slightly above her knees. She could go through it there. Charmine stared at the gap for a few seconds and looked at thesers ahead of her. She gradually bent down and moved along her right knee, bncing her body on one leg. After crossing it, she tilted her body and supported her weight with her right hand and knee. Charmine observed for a moment before she maneuvered through the gap above her head. She dared not to move her hand or leg as she supported her upper body with her waist to get through the gap. Finally, she stiffened. She still could not move her leg. Even if she moved it, she had nowhere to ce it. Charmine looked at thest 30 centimeters of the gap when something urred to her. Her face sank. She ced both her palms against the ground so both legs could cross the 30-centimeters gap, pulling her upper body over. Within a second, shended on the ground steadily again. Bold, poised, and stunning. Charmine looked back at thesers behind her and smirked. She mastered everything her Uncles taught her. The crowd was floored at the sight. Everyone else thought moresers were up ahead, thus they gazed at her with concern. Charmine, however, merely turned around and said, "Wait for me, I''ll ask Frank toe out and turn them off." "Okay," said Anthony, "be careful." "Okay." Charmine could feel that he cared for her. ''He cared after all?'' she mused to herself. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. He was probably just jealous, then, i She smiled at him vaguely and turned to head into the bamboo forest. The bamboo forest seemed endless, but there was a small wooden house not far away. Charmine walked over and rang the doorbell. "Frank! Frank!" Silence. Charmine thought about it and said, "Frank, I¡¯m Charmine." When she said her name, a sound was heard, followed by footsteps. Following that, the wooden door slowly opened. A handsome young man came into sight, wearing a long white shirt with a flute on his waist. He bore a carefree demeanor, i Dressed in white, he looked like a prince of old tales as he emitted a powerful temperament of an academic. Charmine looked at him. Perhaps it was because he dissociated from this world and lived in a hidden ce away from everything else that Charmine felt a sense of calmness from him. "Charmine?" Frank looked at Charmine''s direction and asked, "You came back?" chapter 1234 chapter 1234 Charmine looked into Frank''s clear eyes and said, ''Yes, it¡¯s me." She walked forward to reach out to him. ''You crossed thesers outside?¡± he asked gently. ''Yeah." ''You¡¯re still as stunning after all these years.¡± Frank seemed pleased. He then asked, "What brings you here?" Charmine pursed her lips and said, "Frank, Kansas had challenged Burlington. I''m here to learn how to attract butterflies through writing." Frank, being as easy-going as he always was, nodded after a mere moment but was interrupted by a woman''s voice that came from behind him. "No, you can''t agree.¡± "Faye,¡± Frank muttered, "don''t mess around.¡± "I''m not messing around." Faye White walked out from the house and looked at him, concerned. "Brother, your body-" "I¡¯m fine." Frank White cut her off. He had a calm and gentle smile on his face. "I have nothing to do anyway, so I can teach you.¡± "Well, I don''t agree." Faye red at Charmine and scoffed before she turned back inside. "Faye is always stubborn," Frank exined, "sorry for that." "It''s okay." "Come in and rest." As Frank was about to invite her inside, Charmine said, "Frank, I actually came here with my friends." "Oh, is that so?" Frank walked out of the house and smiled. ''The forest wille alive this time." 1 "I know you like peace. Sorry for disturbing you." "It¡¯s okay, it''s nice to have people around from time to time." ''Yeah." Charmine held him to walk out. When everyone saw Charmine supporting Frank, they were shocked. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Yvonne looked at Anthony worriedly. ''What is Charmine doing?1 she panicked internally. She had triggered Anthony many times along the journey, and she even supported another man? Anthony would be so mad! Frank walked toward the area packed with infraredsers and bent to pick up a stone. He then tossed it urately at the fourth bamboo stick on the left. The bamboo jolted, and thesers instantly vanished! Relieved, Charmine called out to them, "Anthony,e here. Thesers are turned off!" Everyone walked over and stared at the good-looking man in a white shirt. Anthony''s gaze was fixated on how Charmine held Frank''s arm, and his eyes held silent fury. Charmine introduced him to everyone, ''This is Frank White." Frank White looked at them. "Pleased to wee everyone to my humble abode." Anthony walked forward and reached out to shake his hands when he suddenly realized something strange. His eyes were so clear and bright, but there was no sense of focus... 1 Everyone else realized it then, too. Frank seemed to have anticipated their doubts, thus he exined, "I was blind since young." That exined it all! Anthony''s alertness eased off. Charmine supported him because of this! Charmine looked at Anthony and said, "Frank is good at sensing things. All these years, he moves like anyone else.¡± Due to this, he was more sensitive than many others. His hearing was so sharp, he could easily make out the sound of a fallen leaf. ''You''re exaggerating, Charmine," Frank said gently. "I''m telling the truth." Charmine held on to his arm as she looked at Anthony. chapter 1235 chapter 1235 Noticing Anthony''s glowering face, Charmine introduced him, "Frank, let me introduce you to my husband, Anthony Bailey." Frank¡¯s face was gentle. "You''re married?" "Yeah, and he treats me well/¡¯ beamed Charmine. Anthony''s stern expression grew gentle at that. 1 She spoke highly of him! N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Anthony nced at her and then said to Frank, "Nice to meet you, Frank." "Please,e on in.¡± When Faye heard the movement outside, she rushed out angrily, wanting to kick the woman away. Her brother was so ill. How was he supposed to teach her? When she got to the door, however, she spotted the group of people and paused. Her gaze was attracted to the tall and handsome man, Anthony. God! So handsome! So elegant! So mature! She blinked. She could not ask them to leave anymore. Frank said, "Faye, go and make them tea." She stared at Anthony nkly before she snapped out of her daze and nodded diligently. "Okay." 2 The crowd walked forward and gathered around the exquisitely made bamboo tea table. Faye prepared the tea exquisitely with a proud look. She held a teapot and performed the art of tea making. However, she seemed to be putting on the show for Anthony and she nced at him. Unfortunately...Anthony never seemed to have noticed her. After drinking the tea, Frank said to Faye, "Faye, prepare the rooms for them." With that said, he turned to them. "Please get some rest." Faye pouted. "We only have two rooms. How do we prepare them? One for men, and another for women?" "The room is big," Frank exined, "and there are four to five beds in each." Guy nodded. "Okay. Thank you, Frank." Everyone else nodded. Anthony looked at Charmine. He thought about how Yvonne would stay with her and take care of her, thus he had nothing to argue with that. Faye led them to the backyard. Anthony was going to pick up Charmine''s luggage for her but was stopped halfway. Guy was quicker than him, so much so that he even picked up Grandma Granger''s suitcase. Anthony''s face sank. He said nothing and walked to the backyard. When they arrived at the backyard, they went to thedies'' room first. Guy wanted to bring in the luggage forthem, but Faye stopped him, "Men can''t go in." "Okay.¡± Guy had to put them down. "Everyone else can go," Charmine piped in. "I can do this." With that said, she brought the suitcases into the room. Yvonne helped Grandma Granger to enter. When thedies had all gone in, the men continued walking. Faye went in to settle them down beforeing back out. Seeing that the men had walked away, she walked over and stood beside Anthony. "Hello, Brother. What''s your name?" "Brother?" Anthony looked at her and frowned. "Yeah. You''re older than I am, so I''ll call you brother." Compared to her enthusiasm, Anthony seemed very cold. "Just call me Anthony." "Anthony?¡± Faye''s eyes lit up. "Can I call you Brother Anthony?" "No," Anthony rejected her with one word, 1 Faye seemed as if she had not heard it. She stayed by his side as she asked, "Brother Anthony, do you have a girlfriend?¡± chapter 1236 chapter 1236 "Ha...!" Nial chortled at Faye''s question, and he looked back at Faye. "Youngdy, this brother is married." Anthony halted and looked at her seriously. "Charmine is my wife, and our child is five years old." Faye met his cold eyes and bit her lip, feeling as though a bucket of cold water was dumped on her. He was married and, worse still, had a five-year-old child! She looked at his back and fell silent for a few seconds. Not wanting to give up, she caught up to him and continued, "Brother Anthony, your wife is so beautiful." Anthony thought of Charmine''s face, and his expression softened unconsciously. "Yeah, she is." "You two must be so much in love, huh?" added Faye again. "Not just that. She''s my life, and she''s irreceable," said Anthony coldly. Faye felt sour; she did not like this feeling. She wanted to talk to Anthony more, but he was too handsome that she dared not to speak. If this went on, Anthony would start hating her! She would have plenty of time to ask in the future. After arranging the rooms for them, Faye returned to the living room. Frank stood in the pavilion outside with his hands crossed as his clear eyes looked ahead. He took out his flute and ced it by his lips. He did not move for a long time. After a while, he took away the flute and hung it on his waist. Faye walked over. "Brother." Frank asked, "Is everything prepared?" "Yeah." Faye sounded worried when she added, "It''s cold in the forest at night. Will they catch a cold?" "Don¡¯t worry," Frank said gently, ''Til get some wood to make a fire." "You don¡¯t have to go, Brother." Faye thought of something, and her clear eyes shifted. "Leave it to me." "You¡¯re not safe alone," Frank pointed out. "Let me do it. You¡¯ll prepare breakfast at home." "Don¡¯t worry about it, Brother," Faye insisted, "just leave it with me. So many men are here, and I''ll just ask one of them to help me." "They''re guests... Faye?" Before Frank even finished, he heard footsteps going away. Faye had left. He shook his head hopelessly. 1 Faye went to the men''s room. After knocking, she went in without waiting for a response! Nial had just removed his shirt to take a nap, too... He cursed in a low voice and put on his shirt again. Faye did not even eye him, however. She had eyes only on Anthony, who was unpacking by the side. "Brother Anthony, it''s cold in the forest. I need to pick some wood to start a fire." Anthony thought about how Charmine might feel cold at night. It would be moreforting to sleep with fire. He nodded. "Where from?" "Just follow me." Faye looked at Nial and Guy, her tone no longer as gentle. "You alle with me." Guy did not mind. "Okay.¡± Nial massaged his temple tiredly. God! He drove for half a day, cleared up the path for half a day, and hiked for half a way! It was finally time to rest, but he just had to go find some wood?! 1 God! Why was he always hurt? Charmine made her bed as well as Yvonne''s and Grandma Granger''s. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Too tired, Grandma Granger did not speak much beforeying down to rest. Yvonne unpacked for a while and, just as tired, went to bed. Charmine was not sleepy, and she wanted to talk to Anthony. chapter 1237 chapter 1237 Since everyone had fallen asleep, Charmine walked out of the room and went to the men¡¯s room. She knocked and called out, "Anthony." Silence. "Anthony?" Charmine called out again. Nobody responded. She pursed her lips and pushed open the door, only to find an empty room without its residents. Charmine frowned. Where had they gone to? She turned and went to the front yard. However, when she arrived at the living room, she saw Frank rolling up his sleeves in the pavilion and was preparing to write. He seemed so unreal and gentle. Charmine walked toward him slowly. "Frank." When Frank heard the sound, he knew exactly which direction she wasing from. He turned over and smiled at her. ¡¯You had a long day. Why are you not resting?" "I came out to look for Anthony, and I can''t find him." "Faye took them out to get some wood," replied Frank, "in case everyone feels cold at night." "Oh." No wonder they all disappeared! Frank knew that the ink was ready, so he put it down. Charmine saw the ink on the table¡ªit was well prepared. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at Frank. "Frank, what are you drawing?" "Care to guess?" "Hmm..." Charmine looked at the white paper and frowned. "I don''t know." "Watch." "Okay." N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Charmine stood by the side and watched him quietly. Frank picked up the brush and dipped the tip in the ink. Following that, his brush gentlynded on the paper. Below the brush, images started to form: river, mountain, mist, the sky, and the sunrise. Following that, he dipped the ink again and precisely went to the center of the paper. He drew in a downward stroke, and a bamboo tree was revealed. Charmine widened her eyes in disbelief at the shocking sight. Frank actually painted the bamboo forest! He had never seen the bamboo forest. How would he know how to draw every detail to the tee? The painting looked the same as the forest itself! 2 "Frank." Charmine reacted after a while. "How do you know?" Frank said, "I feel it. How is it? Is it far different from the actual bamboo forest?" "Not at all," said Charmine, "it looks exactly the same. Frank, you''re too good!" Frank smiled weakly; he seemed so gentle and humble. "It''s not." Saying that, he seemed as if he could see things. He picked up the painting and handed it to her. "We haven''t met for so many years. This is for you." Startled at his sudden gift, Charmine eventually epted it. "Thank you, Frank. I''ll keep it safe." She would bring this to an exhibition for more people to see his work! Frank smiled. ''You''re too polite." Charmine smiled as she kept the painting. She walked over to help him prepare the ink. Frank dipped his brush in the ink and wrote on the sacredly white paper: [I love because I don''t know how to not love.] Charmine looked at this sentence and frowned. Although it was a poem, she somehow felt that there was a strong sense of nostalgic feeling in that sentence. She looked up at the ever-so-calm Frank. "Frank," she began, "do you fancy a woman?" Frank''s brush moved, but his face was cold like a coldke. "No. I don''t know what to say, so I picked this poem." "Oh." Charmine then looked at this sentence and felt that it was very emotional and touchy. 1 It was as if it was reflecting his current state; he was feeling a strong sense of nostalgia. Charmine thought for a moment and stared at the words for a long while before saying, "Frank, you truly have fallen for someone. Won¡¯t you share? You can tell me, I can help you." chapter 1238 chapter 1238 Frank merely smiled calmly at Charmine''s question. His clear eyes showed no hint of love and emotion as he replied, "No, you''re overthinking things. I like to be alone-it''s simpler this way. You should know that I''m not interested in love." "Oh," Charmine did not question anymore. She changed the topic and said, "Frank, try to attract some butterflies for me to see." Franknded his brush on the white piece of paper and wrote a sentence. [Through the woods, you''re a destination I can''t reach.] As he wrote, a butterfly flew toward them out of nowhere. Like a bee that smelled pollen, the butterfly flew over curiously. The butterfly stayed on the paper and fluttered its wings. Along with the beautiful sentence, it formed a beautiful sight. Charmine was touched again. "Frank, how did you do it?" "Control the brush deftly. I let the brush, ink, and myself merge into one,¡± exined Frank simply before he handed the brush to her. 1 Charmine put down the ink and took the brush. She had learned calligraphy before, but just as the bristlesnded on the paper, the butterfly flew away as though shocked... Helpless, Charmine turned to Frank. "The butterfly flew away." Smiling lovingly, Frank leaned in behind her and reached out his hand. He held her hand that held the brush as they wrote on the paper. 1 Startled, Charmine instinctively looked around, feeling as if Anthony saw her. Oh, he would lose his mind if he did! Charmine turned to look at Frank and saw how devoid he was of emotion, fully focused on the paper. She felt embarrassed. She knew Frank very well. Why would she overthink? Anthony nted the fear in her! Thus, Charmine focused on his teaching. Faye and the three men came back from picking the wood for fire. Faye walked in front with Anthony while Nial and Guy were slightly behind them. When they pushed open the gate, Anthony instantly saw Charmine and Frank inside the pavilion, i Frank was leaning in behind Charmine as he held her hand and wrote on the paper. Charmine did not seem ufortable; it seemed as if she was doing something natural. Her eyes sparkled as she tried to attract the butterflies. Anthony''s face stiffened as his grip tightened on the wood, so much so that his veins protruded. Faye looked at Charmine speechlessly. Why did Anthony like this woman so much? She had the audacity to even flirt with Frank when he was not around?! How frustrating! Faye mentallyined as she looked over and squinted, calmly saying, "Who would''ve thought my brother and Charmine are still so close after all these years. Frank used to be so nice to Charmine. He spoiled her and took great care of her. My brother is so nice and writes so well with a great personality. Every woman would like my brother." i She then turned to look at Anthony and noted how silent he was. His eyes were fuming as if he was an agitated lion, proving to be a terrifying sight. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Faye smiled with satisfaction. Hmph! That Charmine Jordan! What an easy woman! Oh, how she wanted to see how Anthony would get back at her! As expected, Anthony put down the logs at hand and walked toward the pavilion. Faye stayed at the same spot, waiting to watch the drama. Charmine heard some noises when Anthony put down the logs, and when she looked over, she saw Anthony''s cold, icy eyes. She then thought of how close she was with Frank, and her heart sank. Charmine saw Anthony walking over and said, Trank." Frank heard her anxious tone and then the footsteps. He understood. He let go of her and backed away from her. Although he had no intentions of Charmine, he did not want to cause any misunderstanding. Charmine stayed in the same spot. She looked at Anthony who was walking toward them angrily. chapter 1239 chapter 1239 When Anthony was close to them, Charmine called out, "Anthony..." However... Just as she was about to exin, Anthony merely walked toward Frank and said gently, ''Thank you for taking care of Charmine over the years, Frank." "I should be," came Frank''s gentle reply. Charmine frowned. Was he so angry that he had gone crazy? She walked forward and held his hand. "I''m learning calligraphy," she exined. "Mmh.¡± Anthony looked at her calmly. "Learn well. Focus." Chamine was startled, but Anthony merely ruffled her hair and turned to leave. Frank said, "Let¡¯s continue." Charmine looked away. She wanted to exin to Anthony, but she did not want Frank to wait for her either, so she continued. Faye did not see the argument she had anticipated. She pouted. Charmine was so close to Frank. Was Anthony not angry? It seemed that he did not love her so much. Any man seeing his wife with another man would have gotten mad jealous. 3 Did that also mean she stood a chance? Faye''s eyes lit up. She held onto the logs and chased after Anthony. Nial was still stunned on the spot. He could not believe what he had just seen. Since when did the jealous Anthony be so caring? Guy was bitter at the sight, but he did notment on it as he held the logs. "Let''s go,¡± he said to Nial. "Oh." Nial left with Guy. In the backyard... Faye chased after Anthony and asked, "Brother Anthony, are you not angry?" Anthony''s face was cold as usual. It was eerily cold, even. It was as if he did not hear her as he walked into the kitchen wordlessly. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Faye did not give up. She continued to run after him. 1 When they arrived at the kitchen, Faye approached him and taught him how to make fire. Just as she did, however, Anthony instinctively backed away, expression still fierce. "Just tell me how." i "Oh." Faye did not feel good, but she stood by the side and taught him nheless. Anthony picked up on the skills quickly, and with that, the fire burned strongly. His face was cold like water. When he recalled what he saw from the pavilion, he kept on adding wood to the water. Suddenly... Crash! The big pot had cracked into three, and everyone was startled. Looking at the broken pot and vigorous fire, they were all stunned for a long while and did not know what to say. Finally, Guy instinctively picked out the pot and reced it with a new pot. Nial looked at the fuming fire and said, "Bro, justsh out if you''re angry!" The pot was innocent! Anthony looked at him nkly. He said nonchntly, "I''m not angry. It¡¯s my first time making fire.¡± Faye used this as an opportunity to tter him, "Right! You¡¯re doing a good job for the first time." Nial was speechless. He looked up helplessly, i The days ahead would surely be hellish. chapter 1240 chapter 1240 Faye saw that it was about time. Recalling that Anthony was keeping the fire going, she started washing the vegetables in the kitchen to prepare dinner. She wanted Anthony to see how much better she was than Charmine, i That woman was nothing but a vase and a beautiful face! After washing the vegetables, she turned to Nial. "Brother Nial, can you help me to bring them to the kitchen?" "Okay." Nial then put down his phone and brought the washed vegetables to the kitchen table. Faye took out her smoked bacon and muttered, "This bacon is difficult to cut." Nial saw how she held a knife bigger than her face, thus he said, "Why don''t I help you then?" "No, no need." Faye brought out her thinly sliced bacon to show them. "You guys won''t know how to-only I can cut them so thinly." "Oh," said Nial, "you slice them, then." Faye was speechless. She turned to look at Anthony. He did not even look at her! Faye bit her lip. It seemed that it was time to showcase her talent! Taking a carrot and cing it on the cutting board, she held the carrot with one hand and the sharp knife with another. Chop, chop, chop... Slices of refined and equally cut bacon were revealed. Nial pped nkly. ''That''s impressive, Faye, you''re very good. Your carrots are perfectly cut." i Anthony, who had stayed quiet, finally reacted as he looked at her. Noticing that, Faye tried her best to showcase her cutting skills. The knife chopped so quickly that one could not even see it! Just as she expected Anthony to praise her, he frowned and looked at the un-cut meat. "You''re going to cook these tonight?" "Yes." Faye thought he was worried about her getting tired, thus she blinked and looked understanding. "Don''t worry about me. Cooking is my forte." Nial thought to himself, ''Worried about her?'' This missy thought too much of herself! He looked at the materials and finally understood what Anthony meant. Nial stared at how Faye was anticipating to be praised, thus he pursed his lips and tried not tough too loudly. 1 As expected... Anthony''s brows furrowed. He put down the logs at hand and walked over. He stared at the vegetable basket and took out some vegetables from the pile. Faye smiled. "Brother Anthony, you don''t have to help me. I can manage." Anthony was baffled. He had a cold look as he said, "My wife doesn''t like this. Don¡¯t mix them together." 1 "W...What?" i Faye could not believe what she heard. Not only was he not praising her, he even told her Charmine did not like to eat these?! Anthony said, "If you all like these, cook them separately." Faye¡¯s face turned pale, and it was only after a long while she forced out," Okay." i N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. With that said, Anthony turned away to continue making fire. Faye red at his figure angrily. She then stared at the vegetables he picked out and pouted. Hmph! So what if Charmine did not like this? She did not like this, but everyone else did! Fish leaf was her favorite! Why was she banned from making it? After cutting all the vegetables, she picked up the vegetables Anthony took out and cut them out. She wanted to cook them anyway. Charmine could either eat them or starve! After cutting them all, Faye was about to fry them as Anthony walked over." Less salt." "Oh." Faye thought he liked less salty food, thus she nodded. chapter 1241 chapter 1241 "Don''t worry, Brother Anthony. I''ll make it less salty." Anthony stood by the side and watched as she worked. He fell silent for a few seconds before he spoke, "Forget it. Let me do it myself." "Huh?¡± Faye met his gentle eyes, and her small heart thumped loudly a few. Was Anthony worried about her? 1 Blinking, she smiled as she gently spoke, ¡®You don''t have to. I''m not tired." Anthony merely said, "I''m afraid that Charmine might not like it." "What?'' Faye bit her lip and looked at him nkly. She felt as if she was a joke! She thought Anthony was worried about her, but all he thought of was that woman! 1 She was not allowed to cook the vegetables Charmine did not like, and all of a sudden, he would cook them himself!? Why was that woman so lucky?! Nial said, "Faye, let my bro do it. Get some rest." Faye saw that Anthony had already rolled up his sleeves, thus she did not insist. She made a sound and went to arrange the logs by the side. When she smelled the fragranceing from the side, she turned over to see Anthony¡¯s handsome face. This was her first time seeing a man cook, and he was a very handsome man to boot. She looked at him nkly. She was deep in jealousy moments ago, but his charm fully captured her already. Who did not want such a perfect man like him!? i That Charmine still got so close to her brother in front of Anthony! How ungrateful! She was not guilty for giving a shot! Quickly, Anthony prepared a table full of dishes. Some dishes consisted of condiments that Charmine did not particrly like, so he made some special dishes for Charmine. Following that, Yvonne helped Grandma Granger to walk over. Charmine and Frank put down the brush, washed their hands, and got to the table. When Charmine saw the dishes in front of her, her eyes sparkled as she looked at Faye. ¡®You''re so thoughtful, Faye.¡± 1 She knew what she did not like, yet she even made her some unique dishes!? Frank must have told her! How else would she know!? Faye was perplexed. Why would Charmine think so!? Ugh! Charmine sat by Anthony and asked, "How was your rest?" "Not bad," replied Anthony coldly, not bothering to borate. "Oh." Anthony picked her favorite food for her. "Try this." Charmine took a bite and found it very delicious. When Anthony saw her look, his face softened. Could she tell that he made this? Charmine, on the other hand, ate and thought of how Frank had tutored her the entire evening, thus she looked at Frank and said, "Frank, try this. It''s very yummy." 1 With that said, she picked it for Frank. 2 Anthony''s face sank instantly. He cooked this, and she gave it to Frank, not even knowing he made it? 1 N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. He was right beside her! Anthony swallowed the anger within as he lifted his bowl to eat. Still! Charmine saw that Frank had been picking the food in front of him. She thought he could not reach the food in front of her, so she picked some for him from time to time. When she stood up to get more food, Frank''s bowl was empty. Considering that he was blind, Charmine got him more food. Just as she sat down... Crack! A loud crack was heard. Everyone turned over to see... 1 The fork in Anthony''s hand had snapped! chapter 1242 chapter 1242 Everyone looked at Anthony with terror in their eyes. It was only then Charmine snapped out of her daze and realized what she had done. ¡¯Was he angry again?!'' she thought to herself. She was merely concerned about Frank only eating the food in front of him and that he could not reach the other dishes. Nothing more than that! "Anthony," Charmine uttered, "I just-" "It''s okay," Anthony cut her off as he calmly tossed away the broken fork. "The bamboo fork is old, anyway. It breaks." Faye instantly got him another fork. Charmine pursed her lips. She quietly pushed the dishes closer to Frank, no longer picking vegetables for him and no longer talking to him. However, Anthony put down his cutleries abruptly and said, "Enjoy the food." Faye looked at him with her clear eyes. "You don''t like the food?" "No, I''m full," Anthony said nonchntly. With that, he turned and left, much to Faye¡¯s delight. "Someone is so ungrateful and flirt with others." Charmine looked at Anthony and frowned. "Don¡¯t worry, my brother eats very little," said Nial. "Don''t mind him." Charmine looked away and put down her cutleries. "Frank, everyone, do continue eating. I''m full." "Okay." Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Frank knew what she wanted to do. Everyone thought she was going to find Anthony, but she merely went to the kitchen. 1 Anthony walked out of the house. The night breeze blew as heid on the grass with his hands behind his head. His eyes fell heavy as he looked up at the stars. One could hear the sounds of small animals from the surroundings. His agitated heart was graduallyforted. He closed his eyes and could not help thinking how Charmine and Frank were together. Her eyes were smiling, and he was so gentle. He knew he must not hold this against her, but any man would get angry seeing his woman with another man! However, everytime he wanted tosh out, he would be reminded of her words. ''Anthony, you¡¯ve changed.'' Had he changed? Had he? All he knew was that he would not be a man if what he saw was not angered, or he did not love that woman at all! He did. He truly loved her. He did not want to see that, but he did not want to make it difficult for her. Anthony let out a sigh heavily. What could he do? Amid his thoughts, he suddenly heard familiar footsteps. Anthony opened his eyes and looked over. He saw Charmine walking toward him with something at hand. "Anthony." She sat by his side and handed what she held to him. "You weren''t full, were you?" Anthony looked at the food in her hand-it was a slice of cake. His favorite cake. He narrowed his eyes and epted it. ''Thank you," he spoke tly. Charmine was speechless. Was he crazy? "Why are you so polite to me?" "It¡¯s nothing." Lips tlining at his response, she gently exined, "I know you''re angry at me. I wasn''tining about you; I just don''t want you to hurt yourself. I picked the food for Frank because he''s blind..." i Anthony clenched on the cake in his hand, his expression cold like snow." I''m not angry. It''ste, and I need to sleep. You should sleep early, too." With that, he stood up and was ready to leave. Charmine frowned and looked at him. chapter 1243 chapter 1243 "Are you sure? You''re going to leave right now? We can''t sleep together tonight." Anthony paused at her words. After a moment of silence, he turned and walked back to Charmine. Before Charmine could react, he reached out to her and pulled her into his arms. He lowered his head to kiss those lips that had seduced him throughout the night... After kissing her, he let go of her as if nothing happened. "Goodnight," he spoke. "Admire the view here; you probably like it." With that said, he left without turning back. Charmine looked at his back and unconsciously lifted her hand to touch her burning lips. He would hug her much longer before, but he released her all too soon that night... i Whatever. Take it slow. Sheid on his spot with her hands behind her head as she admired this soothing sight. He was right-she did like the view. When Anthony got back to the bamboo house, he heard rustling sounds. He unconsciously turned to the source and noticed it was Frank. He changed into a long grey robe; he seemed chaste. Linder the moonlight, he had wine at hand and a brush in another. He moved the brush fluently and almost otherworldly. He emitted the scent of an academic, very gentle. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Anthony squinted. A man like him was indeed a sight to adore. He went back to his room soundlessly. He found his phone and sent a text to Luke. [Send a white long robe with the drone, the same set as Frank White''s.] i The next morning. Chamine woke up and saw Frank feeding the birds in the woods. He was in a white robe, gentle as always. Wasting not another second, Charmine walked toward him to practice again. However, the more she walked, the stranger the sight became to her. Frank was usually not as cold. The temperament from his body... She had a name in her head as she walked over with disbelief. Looking closer... The man in the white robe feeding the birds was Anthony! "Anthony?" Charmine called out in shock. "Why did you..." Why would he wear the same thing as Frank? Anthony said coldly, "Living in the woods isn¡¯t too bad. It''s rxing." Charmine was speechless. He must have been so jealous! As she was about to tell him that he did not have to do this, Faye''s girly voice was heard from the back, "Brother Anthony, here''s the ink you needed. Let''s start." "Okay." Anthony handed the bird food to Charmine. "Feed them. It''s quite fun." With that said, he walked away with Faye. Charmine looked at the thing in her hand and then at the two of them walking together. Faye was talking to him with enthusiasm, and he replied to her gently. Charmine felt strange. She felt as if she had eaten the wrong thing, and she felt rather ill. After they had left, she looked away and fed the bird. It did not take long before Frank called out to her, "Charmine,e here." "Okay.¡± Charmine put down everything at hand and went to the pavilion. When she stopped, she heard Faye''s happyughtering from not far away. "Brother Anthony, not like that." Charmine looked over to see Anthony and her sitting below the tree. Faye was teaching him calligraphy. The two of them were close to one another. Faye was almost in his arms! She frowned. Anthony wanted to learn calligraphy, too? He could have learned from Frank along with her. Why did he have to ask Faye to teach him?! chapter 1244 chapter 1244 Charmine did not feel good. "Just do what I taught you yesterday, Charmine," advised Frank. "Focus on the brushpletely." "Okay.¡± Charmine looked away, focused on the brush, and dipped the bristles with ink. She tried to focus on the brushpletely, merging with the brush. Try as she might, the images of how Anthony and Faye were fooling around together haunted her so badly that she did terribly. She managed to attract one to two butterflies yesterday, but what she had just done did nothing! On the clean sheet of paper, only a few, terribly written words were seen on the pristine paper, and it reflected her emotions-convoluted. Charmine looked at the words on the paper and was furious. She could not focus at all as she kept getting distracted. 1 Faye''sughter and Anthony¡¯s gentle eyes. The images of the two of them. Sensing something strange, Frank said, "Is something bothering you, Charmine?" "No," Charmine replied. She then said, "Let me try again, Frank." "Mmh." Charmine held the brush again and tried to empty her mind, but what she wrote was lifeless and cold. Not even one butterfly was seen. Frank wore a gentle expression. "Charmine, ask me if you have any questions." "I can¡¯t focus," confessed Charmine.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Frank smiled faintly. He walked behind her, held her brush, dipped it into the ink, and wrote on the paper. Charmine could feel from the warmth of his palm that he was fully focused, so she slowly calmed down as well. Just like that, about ten butterflies miraculously flew toward them. It was as if there was a ma on the paper that the butterflies fluttered their wings on the paper, not wanting to fly away. Charmine centered her focus and understood. "Frank, I want to try again," she dered. "Okay.¡± Frank backed away from her. Meanwhile, Anthony looked at her side coldly. When he saw Frank getting close to Charmine, he clenched his hand around the brush as if he was about to break it. Sitting beside him, Faye coaxed, "Brother Anthony, you don¡¯t have to be too forceful. This will make the words rather harsh." When Anthony was brought out of his thoughts, he rxed his arms. "Right, that¡¯s it. You have to be gentler," said Faye. "You need to get the hang of it yourself, and it takes time. No hurry; you''re doing well.¡± Anthony looked at her. "As well as your brother?" "Huh?" Faye met his burning gaze and was excited. Her heart thumped so wildly as she zoned out, not processing a single word he said. "Nothing." Anthony¡¯s face turned cold. He dipped the brush in the ink and continued writing. He did not believe that he could not attract a butterfly. He refused to believe he was not as good as Frank! Inside the pavilion, Charmine was fully immersed and was free from distractions. After writing a sentence, she managed to attract about five to six butterflies. Charmine''s lips turned into a smile. "We¡¯ve got a few butterflies here, Frank." "Good." Frank said, sounding pleased. "Continue to write, and more wille." "Okay.¡± Instantly, Charmine had forgotten about the two of them below the tree. She only thought about the competition and butterfly attracting. She wanted to get the first prize! She grew engrossed in writing, and with an initial five to six butterflies, it grew to seven, then to eight, and it then exceeded ten. However, this was far from enough. She wanted to attract a kaleidoscope of butterflies to fly above the paper so that even if she continued writing, the butterflies would not fly away. She only had ten or so butterflies, and when she continued writing, the butterflies were terrified and flew away in shock, 1 Frank seemed to have seen the butterflies on top of the paper, thus he praised, "You''re gifted. Continue to work hard, and you¡¯ll learn it in a day or two." "Okay.¡± Charmine continued to write. chapter 1245 chapter 1245 Charmine would question Frank when she failed to grasp something, and if she still could not understand, he would teach her personally. The morning went by quickly, and Nial and Yvonne made lunch for them. Nial brought the dishes to the table and called out, ''Time for lunch." Frank said to Charmine, ''You must¡¯ve been tired from a morning of practice. Get some rest after lunch. Don''t worry, you improved a lot." "Okay." Charmine smiled at him. ''Thank you, Frank." ''You''re wee," said Frank as he crossed his hands and walked out of the pavilion, gentle as always. Still at her spot, Charmine''s gaze drifted to the tree. Anthony was still with Faye! Squinting, she cleaned up the table, washed her hands, and walked toward them. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. "Anthony, time for lunch." "You eat." Still writing, Anthony was so focused that he did not even look up at her. Charmine pursed her lips. ''Your stomach isn''t well. Don''t starve yourself." "Don''t worry, I''m not hungry." Charmine wanted to speak more when Faye interrupted, "Charmine, Anthony said he''s not hungry. Don''t disturb him, alright?" Charmine was speechless. Her eyes cooled off as she looked at Faye. "You don''t have to tell me if he''s hungry or not!" Faye''s face turned pale, and she looked at Anthony. "Anthony..." Anthony did not even spare a nce her way. ''You two go on, I want to practice." Enraged, Charmine turned and walked away. Faye saw her back and smiled with satisfaction. She did not move and remained seated beside Anthony. "Brother Anthony, I''m not hungry. I can continue to teach you.¡± Anthony took a step to his right to keep a distance from her, no longer as gentle. "No need!" Faye bit her lip and left. Everyone sat before the table. Nial asked, "Where''s my brother?" Charmine was going to reply, but Faye beat her to it. "Brother Anthony is practicing calligraphy." "So hardworking,¡± said Nial. Charmine looked at Faye coldly. Was she that interested in Anthony, or was she faking it to agitate her? Since Frank agreed to teach her calligraphy, was Faye jealous? Frank put down his bowl. "I''ll go and have a look." "Frank," sighed Charmine, "he''s stubborn.¡± "Don''t worry, I have things to tell him." Charmine did not insist. Faye looked at Charmine and said mockingly, "Sigh! Anthony is so pitiable." He did everything for Charmine, yet Charmine did not even seem to care. Nial ced a piece of meat in her bowl. "You''re hungry, Faye. Eat more." Baffled, Faye scoffed. Why was everyone siding with Charmine? She was arrogant and cold. What was so good about her!? It was as if Frank could see everything as he walked toward Anthony. When Anthony saw himing, he did not seem to care and continued to practice. Frank stood before the table and looked in his direction gently. "Why are you not eating?" "I''m not hungry." Anthony did not even look up, continuing to write. Frank''s ears moved; he precisely heard the anger in his brush strokes. Anthony was angry, apparently. chapter 1246 chapter 1246 Frank smiled gently. "One needs to write with a clear mind and free of emotions. Otherwise, the written words wille across as cold and lifeless." Anthony looked up at him. He wanted to ask him to leave him be, but Frank continued, ''You can''t lie to me. You''re actually very angry to have seen Charmine and I working together in the past two days. You pretended as if you didn''t care while every cell in you hated the sight of us, and your every stroke shows that." i Anthony narrowed his eyes. Frank could tell? However, he remained calm and said nonchntly, "You think too much." "You don''t have to mind," added Frank. "I have a wife, and I treat Charmine as a sister." Anthony halted. He looked at him intensely and went quiet for a few seconds. ''Your wife? Where¡¯s she?" He had been here for two days yet saw no wife. Did he take him as a three-year-old? Frank''s calm eyes met his, and he had ayer of sadness in his eyes. "She passed away many years ago." Passed away? Anthony looked at him and was suspicious. "Follow me," he beckoned. Anthony put down his brush and walked with him deeper into the forest. Before approaching, he could see from afar that there was a tomb below the mountain. Frank walked before the tomb naturally and reached out precisely to caress the photo on the tomb. Anthony looked over to see a woman smiling in the photo. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g [Aimee White] were the words engraved. Anthony frowned and turned to look at him. Frank took up his wine and made a toast to the tomb with a gentle expression. "She was the kindest soul on earth. When I had nothing and at my worst, she stayed by my side and never left me. She encouraged me and supported me. She wanted to marry me even when I had nothing." He spoke and paused, his face seemingly more remorseful and sorrowful. "I rejected her to give her a better life. I tried my best to study, to refine my skills, to learn. I wanted to make a name for myself. My n was going well that I wanted to give her the biggest wedding so she''d have a good start for a good life once I seeded. However, there was a sudden earthquake five years ago. She died here trying to save me, and I lost my sight due to that..." 3 Frank took another mouthful of alcohol. The burning alcohol ignited his throat and heart. His dull eyes looked afar. "Although I¡¯ve now seeded and got what I wanted, she''s no longer here. Ever since then, my world was left with loneliness and sadness. She died for me, and I won''t fall for anyone else in my life." i Frank looked down and touched the flute she made him. It was as if he was caressing her face, his face softened. "A flute-a memory thatsts forever." Anthony initially did not believe him, but that was until he listened to him and thought of how he always looked at Charmine with his clear eyes with no impurities. It seemed that he had misunderstood him. Anthony opened the wine by the side and made a toast. Tm sorry." "Anthony, I hope you''ll treat Charmine right," advised Frank. "Life is unexpected, so you must treasure the person in front of you." Anthony nodded and slowly let his guard down in front of Frank. However, thinking of Charmine, his eyes were filled with ayer ofplexities. Frank was caught up with the past as he told Anthony his past, and Anthony silently drank his wine and listened. After a long while, the two of them returned to the forest. Charmine was practicing in the pavilion. Curious on how to attract butterflies, Nial watched by the side. Charmine improved a lot. When she lifted the brush, more than ten butterflies made their way toward her. chapter 1247 chapter 1247 Nial sighed. "You''re amazing! How did you learn so quickly? Teach me." Charmine''s red lips curled up as she said, "Ask Frank to teach you. I''ve only learned forty to fifty percent." The door suddenly opened at that moment, and they both turned to look. Anthony and Frank walked in together. Charmine frowned as she looked at Anthony. Why was the sight so uncanny? Nial stared at them. Had those two fought? Had he lost to Frank and became unruly? No... No way! As the two of them were suspicious, Anthony walked over with Frank. Charmine was about to speak to Anthony when Frank asked, "Charmine, how''s your progress?" "Only ten or so butterflies are attracted," Charmine answered. "You improved a lot," replied Frank, sounding pleased. "Keep working." "Okay." Charmine looked at Anthony. "Have you had lunch? What would you like to eat?" "I¡¯m not hungry," said Anthony. "Continue learning from Frank." "Mmh?" Charmine frowned. Was he being sarcastic? Anthony turned away to get wine. He opened it and handed it to Frank." You might need this." "Thanks." Frank epted it. Charmine stared at them nkly while Nial¡¯s jaw dropped into an eggshape. 1 What happened to Anthony? Why was he suddenly so good at acting? Charmine pursed her lips and said, "Anthony, just say if you''re angry. Don''t hold it in.¡± He was not acting so strange that it was terrifying. Anthony looked gentle and showed no hint of anger. "I''m fine," he said calmly. "Please, go on." With that said, he turned to leave. Charmine and Nial exchanged nces. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Nial muttered, "My brother must¡¯ve gone crazy, or..." He then looked at Frank. "Frank, it¡¯s so empty here, and it''s the foot of a mountain. Are there ghosts around?" He was convinced that a ghost took over his brother! Frank merely smiled gently. "No, he¡¯s always been so gentle." Nial and Charmine were speechless. Gentle? This word was never associated with Anthony! 1 As Anthony walked out from the pavilion, Faye walked into the living room with a bamboo basket behind her back. When she saw Anthony, her eyes sparkled as she ran toward him. "Brother Anthony, you''re back?" Anthony''s face was cold like snow as he kept mum. Faye continued, "I want to help my brother get some herbs. Can youe with me?" "I''m busy." Anthony was cold like frost. As he was about to leave, he thought of something. His eyes darkened as he asked, "Are you getting the herbs for Frank?¡± "Yeah, his eyes get ufortable from time to time. He needs medication every three days." Anthony pursed his lips. If this was for Frank, he would not mind helping. Furthermore... "Okay." "Wonderful, I won''t be scared this way." Faye smiled happily. She reached out to hold Anthony''s arms. chapter 1248 chapter 1248 Faye did not expect, however... Anthony flinched away quickly, stepping back to keep his distance from her. He red at her, his eyes cold like ice. Faye dared not move, but her giddiness remained. She said she was scared and Anthony agreed right away. This showed that Anthony did care about her. Not wanting to mess things up, she followed after Anthony diligently. When she turned over and saw Charmine in the pavilion, she raised her brows as if she had won the battle. Charmine was unfazed, however. She was not interested in this. If she was not Frank''s sister, Charmine would not have spoken to her. What she did look at was Anthony''s cold back. Was he truly not angry? He asked her to learn from Frank and did not seem to care, yet he went with Faye to agitate her! Could he not tell that Faye was all over him? 1 Charmine looked away and clenched the brush tighter. Frank heard her change and felt her pressure against the brush. He smiled." Charmine, if you want to go, you may tag along. The view is quite nice up there.¡± "No need,¡± dismissed Charmine, "I need to practice.¡± "Okay,¡± Frank''s tone turned duller. "Learn it quicker and go back sooner." Charmine was so focused on Anthony that she did not notice the change in Frank''s tone. She took a deep breath and let go of her thoughts, focusing entirely on her practice. That evening... Faye carried a basket full of herbs back with Anthony. When Faye saw Charmine, she loudly spoke, "Thank you for taking great care of me in the afternoon, Brother Anthony." Baffled, Anthony looked at her dully and warned her, "Shut up. Don''t make things up!" 1 Since when did she take care of her? He always kept one meter away from her! Faye smiled as if she did not hear him and continued, "Thank you. I''ll sort out the herbs." With that said, she ced down the bamboo basket and walked to the side. Anthony remained where he stood as he looked at the pavilion. Coincidentally, Charmine was looking at him as well. His pupils dted as his gaze unconsciously drifted to Frank. Thinking of how he taught Charmine so well, Anthony walked to the side to help sort out the herbs. Faye frowned and pulled him away. "Brother Anthony, this isn''t how you do it.¡± Anthony halted and looked up at her. After a while, he tightened his grip and asked, "How?" "I''ll teach you." Faye leaned in closer. Anthony stiffened. His veins were showing and his face cold. He scoffed coldly, "You do it." Smiling, Faye went closer to him and started to teach him how to blend them. Anthony''s face turned cold, on the verge of exploding but remained silent as he learned from her. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Noticing that she was so close to being in his arms and he did not push her away, Faye was satisfied. She stared at Charmine the whole time as she put on a show for her, all while not noticing Anthony''s glower. When Charmine looked over, Faye had an idea and reached out to touch Anthony''s hands. chapter 1249 chapter 1249 Anthony jolted as his eyes were filled with anger. He clenched tightly around the herb and nearly crushed them into powder. However, when he saw Charmine looking over, he shook off his anger and pretended as if nothing was happening. 3 Faye was even more delighted at that. Anthony must have fallen for her! 2 She grew bold at his actions as she held his hand and beamed, "Brother Anthony, your hand is so beautiful." Unable to take it anymore, Anthony scoffed at her under his breath, "Let go. Just tell me how to make it." "Oh." Faye had to let go, but when she did, she touched his hand again. Charmine held onto the anger for the entire day, and at that point, she could no longer ignore it. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Anthony actually allowed another woman to touch his hand? She put down the brush with a cold look on her face, marched over, and pulled Anthony up. "Anthony, do you have to?" Just because she was learning calligraphy from Frank and he held her hand, so Anthony had to do the same? Anthony remained aloof as if it was a normal thing. "What? I''m just learning how to sort out the herbs from her." Charmine scoffed coldly, "Can''t you see her in your arms? She''s touching your hand. Can''t you feel it?¡± Anthony frowned and looked at her. "Are you jealous? I don''t recall you being so narrow-minded." ¡® Charmine was speechless. He was using her words the other day to get back at her, huh? Anthony said nonchntly, "Don''t mess around. Frank is teaching you so seriously. I should be helping him to sort out some herbs." With that said, Anthony ignored Charmine and walked out of the forest. Charmine watched his back, and her heart sank. If he did mind about Frank teaching her, he could have told her. Why did he have to make it hard for everyone? Knowing that Anthony had left, Faye looked at Charmine and mocked," Someone is so shameless. She keeps hurting the man, even though he adores her. She even tries to flirt with my brother in front of him. Brother Anthony is merely learning from me, so why are you even angry? Can you think of yourself before getting angry? How shameless." Charmine did not like what she heard, but she ignored Faye for Frank''s sake. Charmine minded more about Anthony''s attitude toward her! Still, it did not help that Faye was pushing it! Charmine looked away and red at her coldly. "I know what you¡¯re thinking. I''m sick of this act!" Unfazed, Faye had a faint smile on her face as if she was winning. "So what if you know? Can''t you tell that he¡¯s not refusing? He didn¡¯t push me away when I was in his arms, and he didn¡¯t refuse when I held his hand! This shows that he cares about me, but his expression falters when he sees you! Your rtionship is superficial!" Charmine''s clear eyes turned cold, and she arrogantly pped back," You¡¯re not in the ce to judge us. Do you truly think that you''re the reason why he didn''t mind you sticking around? Youngdy, I advise you to be realistic! You need to have your boundary-don''t be a third-wheeler! Oh, I forgot to tell you. You don''t even have the right to be one! He didn¡¯t even like the Princess from Kansas or McKenzie, so do you think he¡¯d fall for you? If you do like him, queue behind them. I can get you a numbernumber thirty-eight!¡± 1 "You...!" Infuriated, Faye''s face turned pale as she clenched on the herb tightly." He''ll leave you one day!¡± she barked. chapter 1250 chapter 1250 "Is that so?" Charmine smiled. "Keep waiting, then! As long as I¡¯m his wife, you''re just a nobody-one that doesn''t even have the right to be a third- wheeler!¡± Charmine took a few steps and turned back at her, red lips twisting into a smirk. "Youngdy, if you want to y, I can y with you. The question is, how far can you go?" i Charmine was so bold that she left Faye speechless. She could only re at Charmine angrily. Hmph! Who cared about the Princess of Kansas or McKenzie? They were so ordinary with no uniqueness. Anthony must have been bored of them! Why would he even like them? He liked innocent women like herself; adorable and tameable. O Faye looked around and thought of something... Searching for Anthony, Charmine suddenly felt a sharp pain after taking a few steps. The pain was so severe as though thousands of needles were stabbed into herbrain. As Charmine turned pale, she bit her pale lip and went to look for Guy in the backyard. After taking a few steps with difficulty, the pain worsened to the point she could not walk. She grasped her head and knelt in pain. Faye saw her and showed no sympathy. "How fake!" she mocked." Anthony''s no longer here. Who are you acting for? Don''t pull this act in front of me!" She scoffed and ignored her. However, Frank sensed themotion from the pavilion. He heard Charmine groaning in pain. He put down the brush and walked toward her. "Charmine?" Frank stopped before her and reached out to her. "How are you?" "Frank..." Charmine stuttered, "Help me...to call for Guy from the backyard." Frank acted as if he could see her when he reached out and carried her right where she was. "Frank, you don¡¯t have to..." Frank held on to her and walked in quickly. ''This is quicker." Charmine saw his clear eyes and did not ask him to put her down. Frank never had any feelings for her, either; he merely treated her as a sister. Frank did not mind about Anthony treating him so coldly in the past two days, and Charmine felt bad for that. If she asked him to put her down, it would seem rather hurtful. Furthermore, he did not want her to misunderstand. Frank clenched his hands and held her like a gentleman. She could not turn him down. Seeing it all from behind her, Faye took out her phone and took a photo of them. She smirked with satisfaction. Even God helped her! Earlier, she finally managed to get Anthony''s phone number, and she was still thinking of a way to start the conversation. This was good! She had an evil look in her eyes and sent the photo to Anthony. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. The night breeze blew by as Anthonyid on the same grassy spot heid onst night. He looked up at the sky full of stars and turned to look at the road from time to time. Still, he still did not see the figure he wanted to see. Anthony looked away and smiled mockingly to himself. He had done this before. Would she still try to reassure her like yesterday? He ced his hands behind his head and looked up at the sky. He wondered if Charmine understood his feelings... Amid his train of thoughts, he felt a sudden pang at his chest. Anthony squinted as though he could feel it, that Charmine must have had her migraine. He instantly stood up and rushed back. However, after a few steps, the phone in his pocket beeped as a text message came in. He took it out to see an unidentified number. Anthony was concerned about Charmine, and he did not want to care about it. However, in the next second, he received the same thing. [Brother Anthony, look at Charmine.] chapter 1251 chapter 1251 Charmine? Anthony frowned. He thought of his unsettling thought, thinking she was in pain as he opened the text. All he saw was Frank carrying Charmine... He stopped abruptly. Did Charmine not resist? She had a husband, yet she would still allow a man to embrace her? Anthony''s eyes darkened. He clenched his phone tightly and wanted to crush it. It seemed that Charmine did not understand his feelings... He red at the photo for a long while before he cklisted the number. He turned back to the grass, immersed himself in the night breeze, and looked at the confused night sky. Inside the room... Nial took out the needle from Guy and pricked it into Charmine''s arm urately. Charmine withstood the pain as she instinctively looked at the door. It might have been all in her mind, but the pain was much more painful with Anthony absent. Even her heart started aching. Where did Anthony go? She wanted him to stay by his side when she had a migraine. Standing by the side, Guy''s gaze seemed conflicted as he stared at Charmine helplessly. He would rather be the person in pain instead of watching her suffer. 30 secondster, Nial removed the needle. Cold sweatthered Charmine''s forehead, but she slowly recovered as her glossy eyes looked out of the door again. Guy took a piece of tissue to help her to wipe, but on a second thought, he ced the tissue in front of her table. ''Thank you." Frank, who had always been gentle, could not help but frown. He asked," Charmine, how did this happen?" "Doesn''t matter, Frank," said Charmine. ''There¡¯s a way to fix this now." Frank knew she did not want to borate on this, thus he did not press on the matter. "We won''t practice today, then. Have a good rest." "Okay." After Frank left, Guy left the women¡¯s room. Nial was the only remaining man as he packed up the medical box and asked, "Where''s my brother?" Was he not there when Charmine had her migraine?! Charmine said, "Perhaps he''s admiring the night view outside." Nial was speechless. Anthony, admiring the night view? Why did he find the two of them acting rather strange? Nial walked out of the room and tried to call Anthony. His phone was turned off! Drats! What even happened?! The room resumed its peace, but Charmine looked out the door. Anthony still did not show up afterte night. Her heart turned cold as she finally turned off the lights to rest, i Little did she know, after the lights were off, a figure stood outside the door for a long while. The next day... Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. It was still early when knocks were hearding from the backyard. Anthony did not sleep well. He walked out to see what it was. He saw Faye dressed in her customized white embroidered robe with a purple hat. She seemed focused as she sat below the tree, elegantly mixing the herbs. When she saw Anthonying out, her eyes brightened. "Brother Anthony, you''re awake!" she beamed. Anthony looked at the distance from there to the women¡¯s room. He frowned. "Softer." Faye did not realize what he meant. ''This herb is hard, and I need to mix harder." Anthony did not want to wake Charmine up, and thinking of how Frank needed this, he walked toward Faye slowly. chapter 1252 chapter 1252 Anthony took it from Faye and started mixing it himself. Faye''s smile blossomed. "Brother Anthony, you''re so considerate." Anthony dismissed her smile as he said coldly, "Go and sort it out.¡± "Okay." As she was about to leave, she heard voicesing from the women''s room. Faye instantly took the herbs and leaned over. Anthony was caught off-guard as Faye leaned to him, and before he could push her away, the bedroom door suddenly opened. Charmine walked out and saw the scene: Faye leaning against Anthony and was almost in his arms. Looking like a couple, they looked as if in love! Anthony met her eyes and kept his distance from Faye. Faye was oblivious, however. She smiled with satisfaction as if iming out loud that: ¡¯I leaned into Anthony¡¯s arms. He didn''t push me away.'' Charmine knew that she did it on purpose, and she did not seem to care. What she cared about was that Anthony let Faye do that! Would he not push Faye away if she tried to kiss him? Her eyes seemed wintry as she walked toward them. She nced at Anthony coldly before her gaze drifted to the herbs in Faye''s hands. With just a look, she frowned. Faye did not seem pleased. "What are you looking at? What do you know about these herbs? Don''t pretend as if you do." Charmine''s lips curled up into a smile. "Are you helping Frank or trying to kill him?" "What are you talking about!?¡± Faye red at her. "Why would I harm my brother? You¡¯re using me!" Charmine looked at the herbs by the side, and shenguidly exined," These two herbs can improve one''s moods and help to calm the mind, but you added these other two herbs which have side effects. Since you''re using more of these, this will cause difficulty for him to sleep and not help ease the pain in his eyes." i Faye''s face turned pale. She looked at the herbs in her hands and said," Nonsense! I did this for my brother all the time! He seemed fine!" Charmine scoffed coldly, "He doesn''t sleep well at night. Will he use his sister for causing so? If his eyes don¡¯t feel well, will he use your herbs for being problematic?" Faye bit her lip and was at a loss for words as she turned back to Anthony and said innocently, "Brother Anthony, she''s wronged me! She''s jealous of you being with me, so she wronged me." Anthony merely said coldly, "She¡¯s right." Faye looked at the herbs with disbelief. She did not believe Charmine, but she believed Anthony. Were these herbs genuinely problematic? Charmine added, "If you¡¯re genuinely trying to help, take away these two herbs. Add some jasmine flowers and peppermint leaves. The proportion of berries should be ten to one. Otherwise, he might not be able to fall asleep." Her tone was very professional, and this instantly made Faye seem ignorant. Charmine then looked at Anthony. "Even if you want to thank Frank and do something for him, you shouldn''t be learning from someone who doesn''t know anything.¡± "Who are you talking about!?" Faye''s face flushed red. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g She wanted tosh out at her, but Anthony was around, so she could only bite her lips and look at Anthony. "Brother Anthony, I was careless. I¡¯m not as useless as she said, so she shouldn''t be telling you off! I''ll be more careful next time...¡± She sounded as if she was protecting her boyfriend''s ego. Not wanting to see anymore of that, Charmine turned to the pavilion to practice. When Faye saw her back, she gritted her teeth. She turned to Anthony, wanting to whine before she decided against it. "Brother Anthony," she muttered innocently, "I genuinely didn''t know." chapter 1253 chapter 1253 Following that, Faye took out the herbs Charmine pointed out and looked innocent. "Now that she pointed it out, I now know." Anthony stood up and stared at her coldly. "Don''t do this again, or I won''t be as polite." "Brother Anthony..." Faye knew what he was referring to. She reached out to hold on to his arm, but he swung her hand away coldly just as her touch grazed him. Anthony seemed stern. "If you''ve understood, just do as you''re told!¡± With that said, he turned to leave. Faye bit her lip and seemed reluctant, and it was only when Anthony disappeared from view that she turned to look at Charmine angrily. Hmph! Wait for it! She would cry someday! After lunch, Yvonne helped Grandma Granger back to the room. Grandma Granger felt the ring on her finger and thought of something. She sighed. When Yvonne heard her sighing, she asked, "Grandma Granger, do you not like it here?" "No." Grandma Granger was brought out of her thoughts. "I''m just worried." She left in a rush and did not tell Momo beforehand. Her phone ran out of battery and could not reach her. i She wondered how Momo was doing. She wondered if she was hungry, bullied, or conned... 1 "Hmm?" Yvonne raised an eyebrow. "What are you worried about?" Grandma Granger looked at her and shook her head. "It¡¯s nothing." "Oh. Have a good afternoon nap, then." "Okay." Grandma Granger looked at her with admiration. "Thank you for taking care of me in the past two days." She was liking Yvonne even more. To be honest, she was not worse than Charmine. She was a gooddy. "No worries, Grandma Granger." Yvonne smiled and walked to her bedside, nketing her. "Let me know if you need any help." "Okay." Grandma Grangerid down, and at the thought of how Momo was bullied when she was not around, she grew anxious. After lying for ten minutes, she sighed heavily and sat up from the bed. "Ms. Yvonne, are you asleep?" "Not yet." Yvonne walked up to her. "What¡¯s wrong, Grandma Granger?" "Nothing. It feels stuffy here." Yvonne thought about it and said, "I heard from Frank that the view in the mountain is beautiful. Shall I walk out with you?" Grandma Granger thought about it and nodded. "Okay." Yvonne instantly helped her up like a good granddaughter-inw.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. "Grandma Granger, just call me Yvonne. You''re too formal." "Hmm, okay." Grandma Granger looked at her and thought of something." Yvonne, go and ask Guy toe with us up the mountain," she said. Since Charmine did not like Guy, it would be fine to help Yvonne and Guy get together, i This woman was nice and respectful unlike Charmine, who only knew how to agitate her and harm Guy! "Okay." Yvonne helped her out of the room and sat her down on the bamboo chair outside. "Wait for me here," she said, "and I''ll go to look for Guy.¡± "Go on." Yvonne turned to the men''s room and went in without knocking. Guy was sitting in front of the desk with his phone at hand. The screen showed... 1 When he saw Yvonne walking over, he panicked. chapter 1254 chapter 1254 It was a photo of Charmine! Guy quickly backed out from the gallery and turned off the phone. Luckily, Yvonne did not notice what he did and said, "Guy, Grandma asked you to go up the mountain with us." Her voice was clear and crisp, so much so that she woke up Nial who had just fallen asleep. He rubbed his eyes in a blur and turned to look... Was that a woman? "Sh*t!" Nial cursed under his breath and covered his naked top. "How can you simply walk into the men''s room?" "What are you covering up for?" sassed Yvonne. "It''s not like I haven¡¯t seen it!" "You...!" Nial was agitated. "How shameless of you!" "You''re shameless!" Yvonne rolled her eyes at him and turned to Guy. "So, are youing?" Guy did not mind going to the mountain, but Charmine had not had her migraine yet. If he left and Charmine had a migraine, what would she do? She had to practice, and that meant she could not go with them. "Ms. Yvonne, please go with Grandma," said Guy, "I won''t be able to." "Why?" Yvonne thought she misheard him. Was he not going to apany his grandmother and ask a stranger like her to do so? Yvonne said, "Grandma wants you toe. She felt stuffy and needed to go out for a breather. If you don¡¯t go, she won''t go. Furthermore, we''re unrted. Why would I help you?" Guy pursed his lips and thought about it. He was worried about Grandma Granger¡¯s body, so he had to nod. "Let''s go." Nial looked at the two of them. "Where to?¡± "Up the mountain with Grandma," Guy replied. Nial fell silent for two seconds and grabbed a shirt to put on. "I''lle with, too" He had been so bored staying in here for the past two days! When the four of them walked past the front yard, Guy walked to the pavilion. Charmine was so engrossed in her writing that she did not hear his footsteps. Frank, however, heard the footsteps and looked over. He looked in his direction and said gently, "Mr. Granger, what brought you here?" When Charmine heard that, she snapped out and turned to look. "Frank, I need to speak to Ms. Jordan." Guy looked at her and said, "Ms. Jordan, I need to go up the mountain with Grandma. If you have a headache and I''m not back yet, call me. I''ll rush back." "Okay." Charmine nodded. "Charmine, you''ve improved a lot. You may go with them if you want to," Frank pointed out. Charmine picked up the brush and continued to practice. "I won''t." She wanted to learn it quickly and leave this ce sooner. She did not want to see Anthony and Faye getting together. "Alright," said Guy. "Carry on. We¡¯ll be leaving now. Ms. Jordan, remember to call me." "Okay." Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g After Guy had left, Frank asked, "I can tell that something is on your mind. Rx for a bit." "Don¡¯t worry, Frank,¡± responded Charmine casually. "We can continue." Frank did not speak much. He agreed with her and continued to teach her. Below the trees, Faye saw the group of four leaving, and her eyes gleamed ominously. She spent the entire morning thinking of how to give Charmine a lesson, and she finally had one! After sunset, Faye watered the nts and called out, "Brother, water is ready. I added herbs to it. Go on." Frank looked in her direction and sensed that the sky was not dark yet. He asked suspiciously, ''Why so early today?" She was a few hours earlier than before. chapter 1255 chapter 1255 Stumbling over her thoughts, Faye lied, "Oh, I made the medicine and forgot the time." Faye was trying to help, thus Frank did not put much thought into it. "Okay, I''lle now." Frank turned to Charmine and said, "Charmine, you may continue to practice or take a rest." "Got it. Go ahead, Frank." Frank thus left with Faye following after him secretly, taking away his clothes when he entered the shower. Following that, she walked out of the forest as if nothing happened. Charmine did not bother with Faye leaving, but it was not long until the forest felt eerily quiet for her. The silence made her even more anxious. Anthony had note back since morning; he was nowhere to be found. She felt just like Frank had said-rather heavy and unable to focus. Charmine did not want to see Anthony being with Faye, and she wanted to master the skill as soon as possible. However, the more anxious she was, the less sessful she was. The number of butterflies she attracted was not as many as yesterday... Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g After practicing for a few minutes, Charmine put down the brush and decided to rest. She turned back to the room and, thinking of something, picked up the phone by the bed and phoned Chris. Both Anthony and her had not been home for two days. She wondered how Chris was doing and if he missed them, i Oddly, no one picked up. Charmine frowned. Was her apprehensiveness because of Chris after all? She instantly phoned Luke. "Where''s Momo?" "Madam, the young master is ying by the side." Charmine let out a sigh of relief and added, "Is he not wearing his smart watch?" "Yeah, he''s ying a game and took it off." Charmine was speechless. "Is he okay?" she asked. "Yes, don¡¯t worry,¡± assured Luke politely. "Would you like to speak with him?" "No need. Let him y." All that mattered was that he was fine. "Okay." After hanging up, Charmine heard Frank''s nervous voice from the shower room. "Faye? Faye?" Charmine frowned. Frank had been calm all the time, but why was he suddenly so anxious? Charmine ced down her phone and walked to the door, asking, "Frank, what happened?" Frank said, "Charmine, ask Faye toe over, or any man in the forest." Charmine frowned. "Frank, Faye has gone out. Everyone else went to the mountain." In other words, she was the only one around. Frank paused for a few seconds before saying, "Alright then." Charmine grew suspicious. What even happened there? Frank sounded awfully panicked. Suddenly... Thack! Something dropped inside. Charmine''s clear eyes squinted. "Frank, what happened?" Frank was in the bathtub, reaching out yet unable to find his clothes. He identally pushed down the hanger in the process... He did not want Charmine toe in, but hearing Charmine''s voice, he halted for a moment and said, "My clothes might have been taken away by Faye to wash.¡± 1 So... Frank did not have anything to wear in there and could note out? chapter 1256 chapter 1256 Charmine knew she was the only other person left in the forest, and she could not let Frank catch a cold. That would worsen his eye pain. "Wait for me, Frank," assured Charmine, "I''ll get you some clothes." "You don''t have to, Charmine,''¡¯ Frank refused. "Wait for Faye toe back. Don''t mind me,¡± insisted Charmine and left. Meanwhile... Faye and Anthony walked out of the living room. Anthony felt the chills when Faye ran up to him abruptly and cried out," Brother Anthony, it''s Charmine! She..." Thinking it was her migraine, he did not bother asking as he sprinted. When he went back to the forest, Faye told him, "Brother Anthony, Charmine followed Brother to the back secretly. I wonder what they''re doing." He looked at the pavilion, and the two of them were not around. His wariness grew as he went to the backyard with Faye to find out what Charmine was doing. When they got to the backyard, he saw Charmine bringing clothes into the shower room. His expression grew stormy in an instant, fierce like a wolf at night with bloody-cold eyes. Faye was satisfied with his expression as she continued rubbing it in, "See, Brother Anthony? I didn''t lie to you. I saw Charmine helping Brother to prepare water, and now she''s bringing clothes inside. I know men and women can''t get too close. She knows you like her, so she flirts with other men behind your back." Faye coquettishly added, "Thinking about it, though, my brother is so amazing that any woman would fall for her. They''ve spent quite some time together... B-Brother Anthony?" Anthony had already made his way toward the shower room mid-sentence. Faye felt utterly gratified as she ran after him quickly. If Anthony saw Charmine and Frank inside the shower room, he would be angry and furious! She followed inside quickly, waiting for a drama to unfold. Little did she expect... With a burning gaze, Anthony opened the door abruptly. He saw Charmine wearing an eye mask, feeling for the hanger to pick it up and hanging the clothes on it. Frank, on the other hand, was behind the hanger, and the two of them kept their distance. Nobody saw anyone. Anthony paused and was no longer as angry. Faye''s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. She... She... She... Why did she put on an eye mask? Had her n gone down the drain that fast?! Charmine heard noisesing from the door and instantly felt the chills. It was balefully cold. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g She removed her eye mask instinctively. When she saw the two in front of her, it was as if she had anticipated it and not too shocked at that. "Why are you two here?" she asked calmly. Anthony red at Charmine. "Shouldn''t I be asking you instead? What are you doing here?¡± "Frank forgot to get his clothes. He couldn''t see, so I brought them for him," Charmine exined. Anthony''s fierce disposition vanished in an instant, much to Faye''s shock. Charmine removed her mask and exined so calmly, and it was not what she expected at all! Charmine seemed to have sensed her shock and nced at Faye coldly, smirking. ''Is that all you¡¯ve got?'' she seemed to convey. ''You''d sell out your brother like this?'' Faye was startled. What did she mean? Did she see through her n? 1 Charmine was no longer interested in her as she made her way out, but her hand swung against the hanger and got scratched in the process. "Argh!" she moaned out in pain as she held her hand, grimacing. Anthony jolted as he rushed forward. "Where are you hurt?" "My hand. It''s so painful..." Charmine frowned. She seemed to be in pain. Anthony carried her into his arms without hesitation as he walked into the room. Charmine leaned into his arms, and when they walked past Faye, her clear eyes red at her as her red lips mouthed a word. chapter 1257 chapter 1257 Faye understood what Charmine was mouthing. ''Idiot.'' Her face turned pale as she enviously red at Charmine with Anthony with clenched fists. Charmine did this on purpose! She wanted to show off their affection to her! Cursed that Charmine! She would pay dearly for that! Faye bit her lip tightly as she kicked the stone with force. The shower room opened at that moment as Frank came out after putting clothes on. When he heard the movement, he asked, "Faye, did Anthony misunderstand?" "No, he didn''t!" Faye answered. She wished he did, but no! She could only say, "Don''t work yourself up, Frank, they''ve gone back already. Get some rest early." "Alright." Frank let out a breath of relief. Judging by Anthony''s voice, he did not seem that angry. Furthermore, since he had said to Anthony that he had no feelings for Charmine, Anthony would believe him. Recalling what happened, however, his clear eyes looked in the direction of Faye. "Faye, why was my robe not there?" "Huh?" Faye thought about it. "Sorry, I picked it up by ident." Faye did not suspect her. "Okay, be careful next time." 1 "Alright, I got it." "Go and prepare dinner." "Okay." Faye and Frank left. Anthony carried Charmine in his arms, and he seemed concerned. When he ced her in bed, he turned over to get the medical equipment. Charmine sat in bed and watched him as he did the work. He walked over with the medical box and asked, "Are you severely hurt? Can you show me where?" She extended her two skinny, scratch-free fair hands. Anthony halted with a frown, only reacting a whileter as his eyes dulled." You lied to me?" "Anthony, can''t you tell that Faye put on the act for you to see?" refuted Charmine coldly. "Why did Frank''s clothes go missing? Why did she ask you toe?" Anthony squinted and fell silent for a few seconds before he said, "It¡¯s all a coincidence. She grew up in the mountains. She''s innocent and doesn¡¯t think that way.¡± 1 Charmine''s expression changed as she looked at him with disbelief. "So you''d rather trust her instead of me? Are you fooled by her-" "Are you jealous?" Anthony cut her short before she could finish. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. "She told me out of kindness; there¡¯s no ill intention there. Also, Frank had forgotten his clothes, and you could¡¯ve waited for us toe back." "Hah!" Charmine scoffed coldly. Would he rather believe someone he had met for two days instead of his wife yet dared think she should not have helped Frank? Was he aware that Faye would not have asked him to see if she did not go in?! Watching her getting angry, Anthony''s fists clenched by his sides. He was trying to calm down his urge to reassure her. He maintained a calm disposition. "Since you''re not hurt, get some rest. I''ll tell you when the dinner is ready." "No thanks!" Charmine was boiling with rage. Charmine turned away from him. She thought Anthony wouldfort her, but... chapter 1258 chapter 1258 Anthony merely said, "Get some rest." With that, he turned and left, much to Charmine''s bewilderment. He had changed. This was not the same Anthony she knew! Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Charmine felt so dejected that she did not want to eat. Both Guy and Frank came and asked her to eat. Only Anthony did not. She sat on the bamboo chair as she read, though distracted as she kept looking at the door. She looked away furiously when Anthony remained absent. At the dining table... Frank looked at Faye. "Faye, bring some dishes to Charmine." "Me?" Faye pointed a finger at herself. Why did she have to bring dishes for her? How she wanted her to starve to death! "Take more broli and carrots," Frank simply added, "she likes them." Faye did not move; she continued to eat. "Brother, didn¡¯t she say she didn''t want to eat?" "She didn''t mean that," clipped Frank. "Go." Faye bit her lip. Since everyone was around, she had no choice but to take a bowl and fill it with food before she walked to the backyard. When she arrived at Charmine''s room, she went in without knocking. Charmine was reading by the bed. When she saw Fayeing in, she thought of what she had done, and her eyes turned cold. "Go away!" Faye yed deaf as she smashed the bowl against the table, causing it to shatter and scattering the rice and vegetables everywhere! Faye crossed her hands at her chest and mocked, "What a spoiled princess! Do you truly think you¡¯re one? Who needs to grovel to you anyway?" Charmine closed the book emotionlessly, casting her clear eyes upward." Are you here to fight me?" "So what if I am?" Faye scoffed. "Do you think you''re better than us? You called me low-leveled, but what you did was just as bad!" "Oh," said Charmine nonchntly. "Didn''t you see how much Brother Anthony cared about me? I was heard and he instantly carried me away. He dropped you then and there. You lost, my darling." "Ahaha!" Fayeughed. "You''re not even eating. If he truly cares, why didn''t hee and talk you out?" "Good question." Charmine flipped her hair and said arrogantly, "Anthony always listens to me if I don''t want to do a certain thing. I don¡¯t want to eat, so there¡¯s no point asking me to.¡± "You...!" Faye turned pale in fury. Charmine picked up the book again, "Before I get angry, get out.¡± Of course, Faye did not want to back out. She stood on the spot and red at her back. What a shameless woman! So arrogant! Why was everyone spoiling her? Was it just because she looked good? Faye would ruin her face-she wanted to see if she could keep up the bossy act afterward! Faye''s figure grew sinister as she picked up a shard of the smashed bowl and inched toward her when... Charmine turned around and caught her by her wrist before she could get close enough! With her other hand, Charmine precisely pricked a needle into Faye¡¯s neck! Charmine red at her changing expression calmly. "Darling, I did tell you that you can''t fight me." Faye felt the pain on her neck. She jolted and her body dared not to move. She was so terrified that her face turned pale. "What did you do to me?" Charmine said calmly, "Nothing; just shutting down that mouth of yours." "What!?" Faye''s eyes widened, but as she was about to speak, footsteps were hearding from outside. chapter 1259 chapter 1259 As a streak of hatred shed in Faye''s eyes, it then left as her small face instantly turned pitiable and terrified. "Charmine, why did you do this to me? I just bought you dinner-you didn''t have to smash the bowl. My brother asked me to bring it to you." Charmine looked at her face, and her red lips twisted into a smirk. "It¡¯s such a waste you didn¡¯t get into acting." The door opened as Anthony, Frank, Guy, and Nial walked in. Faye instantly went on her knees before Charmine and wailed, "I''m sorry, Charmine! Please, let me go...!" Charmine looked up at the group of men and her gaze remained on Anthony''s figure, thinking none of them would buy the lie. Much to her dismay, their gazes turned judgemental and disappointed... Her heart turned cold. It seemed that Faye was indeed an innocent and kinddy to them. Who would believe that she tried to kill her from the back? Frank asked, "Faye, what happened?" Faye was on her knees beside Charmine. She did not move and whimpered, "Brother, I listened to you and brought food to Charmine, but she threw them away instead of eating them. When I picked up, she pricked a needle into my neck and told me she¡¯d shut my mouth down... Waa.J" "Charmine." The confused Frank looked at her with his clear eyes. "What¡¯s all this?" "Frank, she-" "Take out the needle," interjected Anthony lowly before Charmine could exin. 1 Charmine met his gaze with a hint of disappointment. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. He truly believed what Faye said? What a joke. Anthony saw the disappointment in her eyes, and his hands clenched tightly. If she did not take out the needle and left it there, Faye would win their pity and further wronged Charmine. However, these thoughts... Charmine seemed to ignore Anthony then and there as she extracted the needle from Faye''s neck. She was not ill-intentioned-she just wanted to scare Faye. When she took out the needle, Faye started bowing at Charmine. "Thank you. Thank you, Charmine!" This caused further misunderstanding. How evil was Charmine to have terrified an innocentdy like Faye! Faye then ran behind Frank like a terrified bird as her figure trembled. As though threatened, Faye feebly spoke, "Frank, you must teach her well. She''s scary-" "Alright,¡± Frank cut her short. "You must¡¯ve triggered her. I trust Charmine." 1 "Brother!" Faye looked at Frank as if she was wronged. He was siding with Charmine?! "Alright, go back," clipped Frank. "Charmine, get some rest." "Okay." Everyone walked out of the room, including Anthony. Charmine was rooted on the spot as she clenched her fists, gazing at Anthony''s cold back. Inhaling deeply, she walked to the window and peered to look at the moon dejectedly. Nial, Guy, and Anthony went back to the men''s room. Nial looked at the stone-coldtter. "Bro, you believed what Faye said?" Anthony squinted as he asked, "Do you?" "Of course not," came Nial''s quick response. Anthony had a ''so-do-l'' look. Of course he trusted Charmine; he just wanted her to take out the needle. Faye twisted it against her, and with Frank around, he did not want to expose Faye to make it harder for Frank. Guy sighed. They had wronged Charmine this time. Nobody stood out to speak for her even though everyone knew Faye was lying, all because Frank was there. They did not want to make it difficult for him. Anthony returned to the room, but he suddenly stopped in his tracks... chapter 1260 chapter 1260 "Bro, what are you doing?¡± asked Nial. Anthony did not reply as he made his way to the kitchen, much to Guy''s uneasiness. When Charmine neededfort the most, he just could not be there for her. The only person who had the right had tofort her, hurt her instead. Faye walked with Frank as her figure huddled up, seemingly terrified. Frank frowned and looked at her. "I hope you won''t repeat that, Faye!" Faye widened her eyes in shock. "Brother, what are you talking about?" "You know what I¡¯m talking about!" "No, Brother. She bullied your sister! How can you side with her?" Frank ignored her and walked away with his hands behind him. Under the moonlight, he sighed heavily. The night had darkened. Charmine stayed by the window as she gazed at the night sky when knocks were hearding from the door. She frowned. Knowing that Grandma Granger and Yvonne had fallen asleep, she gently walked out to open the door. No one was outside, but there was a perfectly made pastry left in front of the door instead. It was her favourite cronut. o Her bright eyes looked around as she frowned. Only Anthony knew she liked this. Wait... Hah! That naughty guy! Charmine took it and returned to her bedroom, regaining her mood as she ate it. On the next day... Charmine practiced with Frank but found herself unable to focus, probably due to her mood in the past two days. 1 Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. She even regressed instead of improving. "Charmine, why don''t we go up the mountain?" offered Frank. 1 "Okay." 1 Charmine knew she did not have much time left; she had to make the most out of it. The trip would be wasted if she continued to regress. Frank packed some things and went up with Charmine, i The road was narrow, so Charmine held onto him. "Charmine, I''m sorry to have wronged you yesterday," professed Frank regarding yesterday''s urrence. "Faye is childish. Please forgive her." Charmine smiled. "Don¡¯t worry, I won''t hold it against kids." "d that you don¡¯t mind.¡± "Yeah, it''s okay." If she did, Faye would not be able to leavest night! 1 They both went to the top of the mountain. Frank seemed toe here often, with the stone table and chair as proof. He took out the items while Charmine stood by the side, admiring the beautiful scenery. There was a mist. Her anxious heart gradually calmed down. Frank prepared the ink and said, "Come, Charmine. Give it a try." "Okay." i Charmine looked away, picked up the brush, and let her mind go nk. She lifted the brush. With her mindset in a better ce, she wrote a phrase. With that, butterflies seemed to flutter their way out of nowhere, and the kaleidoscope wasrger than before as theynded on the paper. Charmine was overjoyed at the result. "Frank, we¡¯ve got arge gathering here!" "Yeah." Frank''s gentle face lit up as he remarked, "Keep working, and remember this mode. If you can do this when we get back to the pavilion, you''ve mastered the skill." 1 "Okay." chapter 1261 chapter 1261 Determined to see it through, Charmine was fully focused as she continued to write from afternoon till sunset. The sunset made the sky turn red, and with butterflies fluttering with their wings to the paper, it made a beautiful sight as the gentle breeze blew, 1 It was when the sun had set that Frank said, ''Today¡¯s not bad at all. It''s getting dark. Continue tomorrow." Charmine looked at Frank in shock. "Frank, how do you know it''s getting dark?" Frank smiled faintly. "I guessed it.¡± Charmine smiled. "You''re well-tuned to your surroundings." Frank seemed as if he could see her smile when he said, "Charmine, you should be happy every day." ''And not feel upied by different things every day.'' Charmine halted and nodded. "Okay." She packed up her stuff and helped Frank to get down. As they walked down the hallway, she noticed that the metal door on the way was already closed. Charmine walked forward and pushed it. She frowned. The metal door was locked from the other side! "Frank..." Charmine looked around and asked, "Is there another way to get down?" "No, this is the only way.¡± Frank noticed the change in her tone, thus he asked, "What''s wrong?" The metal door on the way was locked. Frank walked forward and felt the ce for the key. It was empty. He frowned, too. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g This metal door was locked to prevent wild animals from descending the mountain. They should have left it open when going up and then locked it when going down. If they had note down, who came up halfway to lock it? Charmine searched her bag. As they made this trip spontaneously, she did not bring her phone and had no way of being contacted. How was she supposed to get out? Frank looked up worriedly. "The sky is dark, and wild animals wille out." With a thought, he said, "There¡¯s a cave a hundred meters away on the right. Let¡¯s get there. When Faye and the rest realize that we¡¯re missing, they''lle up and look for us." 1 "Okay." Charmine knew the truth, but she did not expose it to Frank. She helped him to get to the cave. What surprised her was that there was food in there. She smirked coldly. Someone wanted her and Frank to stay the night out there to make Anthony misunderstand, huh? Charmine helped Frank to sit by the log. It was cold at night, so she went out to look for more logs to start a fire inside the cave. Frank sat in front of the fire and said, "Charmine, are you hungry? I wonder when Faye will get here. I¡¯ll go out to hunt a few rabbits." "No need, Frank.¡± Charmine picked up the prepared roasted chicken and all kinds of dishes toward him. "Someone has prepared them." Frank halted and thought of something. He made a sound and frowned. "I''m sorry, Charmine. I''ve spoiled Faye from a young age. She¡¯s simple- minded but not evil." i Charmine could not tell Frank that the girl had changed and thus could only nod gently. "Okay, I know, I don''t mind." The two of them chatted before a wolf¡¯s howl was heard from outside the cave. "Charmine, put out the fire!" Frank immediately ordered. The pack of wolves must have seen the fire in the cage and came over. "Okay." Charmine used her feet to put out the fire. With the sky dark, the cave was pitch dark. They could only hear the sound of breathing. Following that, they no longer heard the wolf''s wailing. Charmine let out a sigh of relief, but just as she was about to speak, she heard some movements outside the safe. Frank quickly held out his hand to tell her not to move. Charmine looked over and held her breath. She saw... chapter 1262 chapter 1262 Outside the cave, ten pairs of cold, glowing wolf eyes red at them as if they caught the scent of humans. Frank slowly took her backward. His senses were strong enough that he managed to hide behind a boulder. Charmine, however, was unable to see and identally kicked against something as she got to the boulder, causing a sound. A momentter, the wolves outside made a few exchanges and rushed toward them. As she pursed her lips and tried toe up with a n, Charmine reached out for something. When she found a stick, she let go of Frank and walked out without hesitation. "Charmine..." Frank''s expression changed as he tried to reach out to her, but... Thunk! He fainted on the ground. As Charmine was ahead, she did not know what it was and thought Frank knocked against something. "Keep low, Frank!" she urged him. Under the dim moonlight, she held onto the stick and emitted an ominous air as her hair fluttered with the breeze. She stalked out like a deadly assassin who revealed herself in a movie-fierce yet cool. Seemingly threatened by her presence, the wolves dared not approach but circled her instead as they eyed her sharply with fierce eyes. Charmine looked at the pack of wolves that cornered her, and her lips curled up coldly. With that, she used up all of her energy, lifted the stick, and brought it down heavily upon the wolf before her. It fell to the ground before it could even howl. The remaining wolves opened their bloody mouths andunched at her. Charmine gritted her teeth as she evaded their lunges and attacks, using up her remaining strength to land blows upon them. In order to keep Frank hidden, she slowly lured the wolves out to the entrance of the cave. A wolf tried to bite at her face, but Charmine used the stick to smack its fangs away! The other wolf by her leg tried to bite her feet, but she lifted her leg and crushed its neck forcefully. It was only when it howled onest time and stopped breathing that Charmine lifted her feet from it to kick another wolfing her way. i With a powerful kick, it cried out and fell to the ground. Charmine managed to deal with the four wolves quickly and urately. The remaining three red at her coldly. She smiled and raised her stick, but before she swung it, the three wolves cried out and ran out of the cave. Tensely, Charmine stood still as she watched them disappear into the night.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. As she dropped the stick listlessly, she bent and ced her hands on her knees. Her fingers were even shaking. She heaved for a moment before she took out the lighter and looked around. "Frank?" No reply. Silence. "Frank?" Uneasy, Charmine quickly ran toward the boulder inside the cave, only to find Frank passed out on the ground with a patch of blood on his lips and face. She knelt and noticed his snow-like paleplexion. She opened his eyes and saw that he seemed to have panicked. Charmine''s heart tightened. What happened? She thought he merely fainted, but he even spat out blood. This was way more serious than she thought! Faye was such an idiot! She even disregarded her brother''s health just to be petty and cause misunderstandings! i Charmine kept the lighter and lifted him. As she ced her hand around his waist and the other on his shoulder, she carried him up and ced him on her back, squeezing everyst bit of energy she had to drag him away. As they neared the cave''s entrance, she thought of the metal door and picked up the stick. She struggled to walk to the metal door before she ced Frank down. Charmine¡¯s eyes were viciously cold as her baneful figure banged against the door harshly with the stick. Once, twice, thrice. Each bang was fueled with anger and rage. Haunted by Frank''s unsafe state, she gritted her teeth and smashed down... chapter 1263 chapter 1263 Crash! The metal door was smashed open. Charmine tossed the stick aside and helped Frank up to leave. She continued walking as she heaved, "Hold on a little more, Frank. We''re almost there. You''ll be fine." In the bamboo house. Anthony had not seen Charmine the whole afternoon, and his worry only grew as the sky darkened. He tried to call her...only to hear her phone ringing in the bedroom. 1 She left without her phone! Anthony frowned. It was already sote, so where did she go? Also, Frank was not even home. Knowing what gued his mind, Faye ran to him and said, "Brother Anthony, are you looking for Charmine?" Anthony red at her coldly. He walked past her and went out, but the unrelenting Faye caught up to him and added, "You don¡¯t have to keep looking. Brother went out with Charmine." Anthony stopped dead in his tracks as he turned and looked into her eyes." What did you say?" "Frank and Charmine went out in the afternoon," rified Faye. "I don''t know where they''ve been." Anthony squinted... She went out with Frank? "Don''t worry, Brother Anthony. Perhaps Charmine wasn''t in a good mood, and that''s why Brother brought her to walk it out," coaxed Faye. "Perhaps they''re enjoying their time and found a ce to stay for the night." 1 Anthony''s hands clenched into fists tightly, unable to shake off the images of Frank walking with Charmine in his mind. 1 Yes, what he didst night did hurt her, but she did not have to go out with Frank to piss him off. 1 N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. They did not evene back after dark! Anthony''s eyes grew cold dark, filled with rage as he lifted his fists and smashed into the tall bamboo, causing the tree to shake as a dent was formed. That startled Faye. She panted and, looking at his glowering expression, pretended tofort him, "Brother Anthony, you''re overthinking it. Charmine was wronged by so many peoplest night, and she¡¯s probably not in a good mood. Frank spoils her, and it makes sense for him to bring her out for a few days." "Shut up!¡± Anthony red at her. "Out!" Faye bit her lip and dared not to trigger him anymore. She turned and left, leaving Anthony where he stood with fierce eyes that peered into the horizon. He debated on asking Luke to pinpoint Charmine''s location, and if they found out she was in the same room as Frank... His heart palpitated wildly at the thought. No! Impossible! Charmine merely felt wronged for what happenedst night. She merely wanted to walk it out. Anthony reassured himself, but as he turned, he heard footstepsing his way. He frowned and looked over. Under the moonlight... Was that not Charmine with Frank holding onto her? chapter 1264 chapter 1264 Anthony''s expression grew apathetic as he smiled mockingly, his figure emitting a grim aura as he began to walk toward them. He was worried about her throughout the night, yet she not only hung out with Frank tillte hours but even had her hand on his shoulder! 1 Did she even care for his feelings? Anthony rushed to the backyard and went back to the room, closing the door with a bang. Startled, Nial stared at his brother''s face and dared not breathe, thinking,'' What is Charmine thinking, going out sote with Frank?!¡¯ Nial sided with his brother at that point, but Guy, on the other hand, pursed his lips and said, "Mr. Bailey, you should believe in Ms. Jordan." Anthony red at him coldly and did not speak. Charmine dragged Frank back to the bamboo forest with difficulty. When she arrived at the front yard, she cried out, "Nial,e out here! Nial!" Faye heard Charmine''s voice from inside the room, and her eyes widened with disbelief. How did she manage to return? Was the metal door not locked? How did she manage toe back?! Faye wanted to find out, but she stopped on the way out. Charmine''s voice was so fierce... Did she know what truly happened? Her brother had warned her already the night before, and if they found out it was her again and exposed her doings, she would look bad in front of the rest... She would be too embarrassed to speak to Anthony. Faye bit her lip and turned back to her room to wait. On the other side, the atmosphere in the men''s room was tense. Nial felt the chills and covered himself in the nket. It did not take long before Charmine''s urgent voice was heard. Nial halted and looked at Anthony. Anthony''s face was like an impending storm; he dared not to speak. Guy was the one who spoke, "Charmine seemed to be in danger. Go and have a look." "Okay!" Nial jumped out of bed, but Anthony snapped, "Stay there." Nial instantly halted and dared not take a step more. Guy said urgently, "Mr. Bailey, Ms. Jordan is calling for Doctor Nial so urgently. Don''t you think she''s having a migraine?" Anthony thought of this possibility, so he shot up and rushed outside, with Nial and Guy tailing after him. Faye noticed the group of men rushing out and, debating for a moment, silently made her way out after them. When Anthony and the rest arrived at the living room, they saw Frank''s face covered in blood. He passed out on the sofa. "What happened?!" Nial cried out. "Examine him!" urged Charmine. "Find out what''s the problem!" Nial urgently got up to Frank and inspected his body. Anthony squinted at Frank''s unconscious self. So, when he saw Charmine and Frank walking side by side, it was due to him...fainting, and she had to carry him? His heart tightened. He had misunderstood her again... 2 Anthony''s expression grew less tense as he eyed Charmine, who looked at Frank nervously. Nial opened Frank''s eyes and had a look as he frowned. He pressed his head and noticed his intracranial pressure had significantly increased! He took out his portable medical box and went through a series of checkups. After a moment, his expression grew utterly solemn as he turned toward everyone else. "Frank...Frank seems to have cancer." Charmine''s expression faltered. "Cancer?" They spent a few days together, and Frank seemed very normal. Why would he have cancer!? Anthony frowned and asked...N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. chapter 1265 chapter 1265 "Did you check carefully?" "Yeah, but I don''t know which type of cancer this is. I can only specte for the time being, but it''s at ater stage." Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Charmine frowned. Later stage? Did Frank know? "My brother is in his midst stage," came Faye''s statement as she walked out of the backyard, just as Charmine grew restless, i She turned to look at her, her eyes filled with anger and cold fury. "Are you done ying around? He''s your brother, your kin by blood! You knew he had cancer, yet you''d do this to him! Are you happy now?" Faye looked at the unconscious Frank, not fighting Charmine''s words. She looked guilty and started sobbing, "I know you feel wronged. I merely wanted my brother to stay with you. I didn¡¯t see this coming... Brother hasn¡¯t had this for a long time..." Charmine held back her anger as she asked coldly, "Why is this so severe? What illness is this?" Faye took a cloth to wipe off the bloodstain from Frank''s face. "It''s a brain tumor," she whimpered, "and it''s in itsst stage. Brother doesn''t want to get treated." "Why?" asked Nial. "This illness can be treated with early treatments." The tumor had already developed, and though it could be cured, it would be incredibly challenging... Faye sobbed, "Brother doesn''t have the motivation and reason to live on. He has no more hope in life; his world is grey and dark." Charmine frowned. She looked suspicious and hurt. What did Frank go through? Why would he think that? i Anthony recalled what he said to him the other day, and he had a vague understanding. Charmine noticed Anthony''s look, so she asked, "Did Frank tell you something?" Anthony told everyone what Frank told him the other day, and they felt heavy at the story. They did not expect Frank to still treat everyone so gently after he went through so much. How much sorrow and pressure could he withhold alone? Charmine looked at Nial. "Is there a way to treat him now?" 1 Nial injected two relievers into him and said, "This illness has been going on for too long. He needs to get checked in the hospital to find a treatment." Charmine looked at Anthony. The two of them exchanged looks and understood each other. They wanted to bring Frank to a hospital. The room fell silent. Faye cried out before the sofa, "Brother, you''re awake!" Charmine went forward and frowned. "Frank, why didn''t you tell us about your illness?" Despite his paleplexion, Frank still looked soft and gentle. He gradually sat up from the sofa like usual, gently replying as though nothing was wrong, "Doesn''t matter. Don''t mind me." Anthony''s heavy gaze was fixated on him as he spoke, "There are still many things in the world worth living for..." Before he could finish, Frank waved it off. "She''s my only motivation. Since her death, every waking hour has made me suffer. After learning about my illness, I felt a sense of relief. Perhaps, she misses me." He could meet her sooner that way. chapter 1266 chapter 1266 Charmine parted her lips, wanting to reassure Frank when he interjected," Alright, don''t worry about me. Everyone has their own choice, and this one''s the best for me. Don¡¯t feel bad-go back.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Seeing that there was no way to talk him out, they had no choice but to leave. After walking out, Nial said, ''The tumor pressed against his visual neurons, resulting in his blindness. His eyes will hurt from time to time now, and if he doesn''t receive the treatment, it''ll worsen. The pain will happen more frequently, causing stable angina. He''ll be paralyzed in the final stage!" Charmine felt a pang at her chest as she listened, saddened at the fact. She nced at Anthony and walked out to the front yard, and thetter understood as he walked after her. When they walked out of the bamboo forest, Charmine said, "Anthony, stop messing around with Faye. If this goes on, more things will happen. I don''t want to see Frank or anyone else in danger!" Anthony''s eyes darkened; this truly was beyond his control. He looked at her as he solemnly spoke, "You don''t feel good looking at Faye and me. Now you know how it feels to get jealous?" Charmine frowned. Since he asked... That meant... "You were merely trying to make me jealous by being with Faye?" "Yes.¡± Anthony looked at her and lowly added, "I feel this way every time I see you with another man.¡± Charmine''s heart tightened at that. He was not close to Faye because he liked her; he did it just to make Charmine understand his feelings... Anthony looked at her. "I get jealous, angry, and care when you''re with another man because I love you. Do you know how much your words hurt me the other day?" 1 Charmine clenched her fists. She understood him when she saw him with Faye, especially when she called him stingy for being jealous. At that point, she felt terrible. What she said to Anthony the other day did seem rather harsh... She reached out with her small hand and held onto hisrger palm, and he tangled his fingers with hers, i Anthony''s cold eyes gradually softened. He looked at her and earnestly exined, "Charmine, remember one thing: Getting jealous does not corrte to one''s personality-it''s a matter of how much one loves." 1 His low voice resonated in the night, sounding serious and stern, and Charmine acknowledged that. "I know. It¡¯s probably my fault-" "Probably? Hmm?" Anthony lifted her face by her chin. Charmine was forced to meet his eyes, so she had to admit, "Okay, it was my fault. I''ll keep that in mind and not yell at you again. Once we sort out everything with Frank, we''ll go home. I''ll be more cautious." 1 Anthony''s eyes softened. "You hurt me. Don¡¯t you owe me an apology now?" he asked. 2 Charmine was speechless. "We know each other well now. What apology do you need...?¡± "I don¡¯t need a verbal apology. You know what I meant." Anthony''s eyes darkened as he looked at her, and Charmine''s heart leaped. She knew what he meant. They had not been intimate for a few days, and with everything cleared, she did not hesitate to tip-toe and kiss him on his lips. Anthony had waited so long for this kiss. Hugging her by the waist, he took this kiss aspensation for the dissatisfaction he faced in the past few days. i After a long while, the two of them let go and somehow ended up on the field. Anthony brought her to a spot, and they bothid on their backs. He had a hand behind his head and used his other hand to cushion Charmine''s head. chapter 1267 chapter 1267 Resting in Anthony¡¯s arms, Charmine enjoyed the night breeze as she looked up at the sky. Anthony asked, "What are you going to do about Frank?" Charmine thought of this matter and felt depressed. "Frank doesn¡¯t want to get treated..." She was helpless. This illness could be cured, but Frank did not want to be cured. There was nothing she could do. All she knew was that he must not continue to suffer. Anthony hugged her and looked at the night sky, saying, "Think of something else to talk him out of it." "Yeah.¡± The two of them fell silent for a long while. Suddenly, Charmine thought of something, her eyes sparkling. "Anthony, I have an idea." "Hmm? Tell me." ''William''s mother is a brain tumor specialist, and Frank will have a hundred- percent rate of recovery if we''re to invite her to treat him." Anthony''s eyes narrowed. William... Charmine noticed the shift in his gaze and knew what gued him. She said, "If you mind, you may be the one inviting her over. I won''te close to William at all." Anthony halted for a few seconds before he nodded. That was not his concern, however. It was...whether William''s mother would agree to their invitation. Seeing him nodding at her suggestion, Charmine felt more relieved. As long as there was a treatment n, she would be able to convince Frank to make him agree. The two of them stayed on the field to enjoy the breeze for a while longer. As it grewte, they went back to the bamboo forest. After walking Charmine back to the women''s room, he went back to his men''s room. Anthony stopped as he just got to the door, however. He turned and walked to a tree not far away, sitting beneath its branches. He took out his phone and made a phone call, and it was not long until it was answered as an elegant lady''s voice was heard. "Hello." "Mrs. Peterson, I''m Anthony Bailey," he introduced himself. He had to be on his best behavior as he was asking for a favor. "A friend of mine has a brain tumor. I''d like to invite you to Burlington to treat him.¡± "Anthony Bailey?" Jenny raised her eyebrows. "Which friend of yours? Mr. Bailey made the phone call himself." Anthony pursed his lips and said, "Charmine''s senior, Frank." "Oh?" Charmine? Hmph! Jenny did not hesitate to turn him down, "I''d probably agree had it been anyone else, but if it has anything to do with Charmine, that''s not happening." 1 Seeing that she was about to hang up, Anthony said, "Mrs. Peterson, you may request anything if you agree toe." Jenny was going to turn him down but thinking of the experiment at hand, she reiterated coldly, "Any request?" "As long as I can make it," added Anthony. Jenny smiled. "If you want my help, it''s not impossible. You''ll have to give me your brain to experiment on. The side effects include paralysis, loss of memory, or getting into a vegetative state." 5 She was in need of a genius to experiment on, and he inserted himself just when she needed it the most. Anthony was startled. Paralysis? Loss of memory? Vegetative state? He narrowed his eyes and asked, "Is there anything else apart from this?" "No. I don''tck anything but a genius, and you happened to be one!" said Jenny. "You don''t have to answer me right away. I can give you three days to consider. Once you''ve made up your mind, call me." With that, she hung up.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g chapter 1268 chapter 1268 Anthony stood below the tree as he held his phone tightly. His gaze was tumultuous for a few minutes before he headed back to the men''s room, unable to sleep tillte at night. His troubled gaze looked out at the moonlight as he fell into deep thought. The next morning... Frank was awakened due to eye pain as the sky turned bright. He walked out of the room and sat down beneath the tree while he prepared his medicines. After a few minutes, Faye walked out of the room and rushed to him when she spotted him below the tree. "Brother, are your eyes hurting again?" "Doesn''t matter," said Frank gently, "it''ll get better with medicine.¡± Faye quickly took the items from him to prepare his medicine. Staying by her side, Frank then spoke after a few seconds, "Softer, don''t wake them up." Faye pouted and softened her movement. "Don¡¯t tell anyone about this, Faye." He wanted to continue teaching Charmine so she could go back for thepetition. "Okay." Faye did not care in the beginning, wanting to tell others about Frank''s illness. However, as she thought of how Charmine berated herst night, she looked around with a cunning gaze... After she prepared the medicines and put them on Frank, she helped him back to his bedroom. Instantly, she went to the women''s room and said to Charmine, "Practice on your own today. Brother''s eyes are hurting again." Charmine paused as she looked at her. "Is it severe?" Faye nodded. "More severe than thest time. Let him rest today-practice on your own!" Charmine frowned and put down the brush in hand. She took out something in her backpack and walked out. Faye looked at her back and smiled coldly as she turned to walk out of the bamboo forest. Meanwhile, Anthony was feeding the birds with a mildly dispirited expression. Faye walked up to him and muttered, "Brother Anthony, Charmine isn¡¯t focusing on her practice again." Anthony nced at her coldly and continued to feed the birds. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Faye stood by his side and continued innocently, "I told her that Brother isn''t feeling well and asked her to practice on her own, but she nervously went out to Brother''s bedroom." Hearing that, Anthony reacted, "Is that so?" Frank¡¯s eyes were hurting again? "Yeah." Thinking he was asking about Charmine, Faye blinked her doe eyes and added, ''You may go and have a look yourself. I haven''t seen Charmine so anxious before." Anthony put down the food and rushed inside. 1 Satisfied with his reaction, she followed after Anthony as she riled on," Brother Anthony, Charmine doesn''t even care about you, even though you''re her husband! She treats Brother so well in front of you! If you''re not here, she might even cross the line!" 1 Displeased, Anthony frowned. Faye thought he was angry, so she reassured him, "Brother Anthony, don''t get angry. You must be special to Charmine anyway." Anthony halted and red at her coldly. "Shut up!" he snapped impatiently. Since when did she have the right to criticize his woman? Faye met his cold gaze and dared not continue, merely thinking he looked enraged because of Charmine. Charmine went to Frank''s bedroom and knocked. "Frank?" "Hmm?" Frank put on the medicine and walked over to open the door. "Come, Charmine, I''m about to teach you." "Huh?" Charmine frowned. Did Faye not tell her to practice on her own since Frank felt so unwell? chapter 1269 chapter 1269 Charmine''s ruby lips curled into a smirk. Was Faye so unrelenting that she riled on like this? "What''s wrong?" asked Frank. "Nothing," said Charmine. "You''re not feeling well, Frank, so I''ll practice on my own today." "No need. It''s not a big deal," insisted Frank gently. "You''re running out of time, so do make the most out of your time here.¡± Charmine looked at his gentle face and felt her heart aching with pity. She reached out her hand heavily to help him walk inside. "I¡¯ll help treat you with needles. Let''s see if that will ease the pain." Frank fell silent for a few seconds and nodded. "Okay." Helping him to lie in bed, Charmine took out the needles and said, "I need to prick around the eyes. Tell me if it hurts." "Okay, don''t worry." Charmine took out the needles and slowly pricked them around his brows and the corners of his eyes. Each needle was as long as the palm, and the needles were embedded halfway in. Charmine asked, ¡°Does it hurt?" "No. Go on." "Okay," She took out a few more needles and pricked them in the lower corners of the eyes. After putting them in, she walked in and did the same to the other side. When she reached out her hand, two figures appeared by the door. She looked back to see Faye walking in with Anthony. Charmine nced at Faye coldly and said, "I thought you''ve learned your lesson afterst night. I thought you''d change!" With that, she nced at Anthony and continued to treat Frank. "What¡¯re you talking about, Charmine?" said Charmine innocently. "I came here to check up on my brother. Is that wrong? And why are you so close to my brother?" 3 She turned to look at Anthony as she spoke. He, on the other hand, merely frowned with a less intense expression. His eyes seemed somewhat gentle as he gazed at Charmine, much to Faye''s bewilderment. Anthony saw Charmine so close to Frank. Was he not angry? Was something wrong? Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Faye was still thinking of ways to agitate Anthony, but all of a sudden... Anthony looked at Charmine and asked gently, "What would you like to have for breakfast?" "Hmm..." Too absorbed in the treatment, Charmine did not hesitate to say," Anything. I like anything you make." "Okay." Anthony turned and walked out. Faye widened her eyes in shock. What happened? Why was Anthony not angry and not yelling at Charmine? Also, he offered to make her breakfast so nicely? Why? Faye bit her lip and went ahead to catch up to him. "You saw it yourself, Brother Anthony! Charmine was so close to Frank! She didn''t care about your feelings! Are you not angry?" Grimacing, Anthony red at her coldly. "Leave!" With that, he walked to the kitchen. Stunned, Faye was rooted where she stood. Why was this different from what she imagined? Why was Anthony not angry at Charmine and was mad at her instead? She followed him into the kitchen, unwilling to give up. She saw Anthony preparing breakfast with a gentle look. When he saw hering in, his expression grew colder. "Problem?" chapter 1270 chapter 1270 "Brother Anthony, didn''t you see-" "So what?" Anthony cut her off. "Frank is in pain, but not only did you not care for him, but you don''t want others to attend to him. Furthermore, I was only acting with you to make sure my wife gets how I feel when I get jealous-1 only have her in my thoughts. Now that she gets it, you''ll do well to stay away from me from now on!" "W...What?" Faye¡¯s face went pale. "Brother Anthony, you..." She was so shocked that she could not speak. He merely treated her kindly to make Charmine understand what jealousy felt like? Her eyes reddened instantly. "Brother Anthony, how can you treat me like this? You used me?!" She cared for him wholeheartedly, yet he hurt her! "I''m sorry, but you''ve misunderstood from the start," said Anthony in a low voice. "After all, I¡¯ve always been cold to you, and I never told you I have any feelings for you." 1 Faye had tears in her eyes; she looked as if she was hurt. Seeing him make breakfast for Charmine, she bit her lower lip and ran out crying to a tree... Why? Anthony treated her differently! He cared for her! Charmine must have said something to him that made him say such things! Anthony liked her, and he only said that because of Charmine! Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. "Charmine Jordan!" Faye mouthed her name enviously. Faye wiped off the tears, and her pitiable eyes turned dangerously cold... 2 Once she pricked numerous needles on Frank, she asked, "Frank, do you feel better?" "Much better," answered Frank kindly, "it''s no longer hurting." Charmine smiled faintly. "Good. I''ll do this again at night so that it doesn''t hurt at night." "Okay. Thank you, Charmine." "Don''t mention it." Charmine packed up the needles. She halted for a second and said, "Frank, could you..." "Charmine." Frank knew what she was going to say, thus he gently interjected her. "I know what I¡¯m doing. Don¡¯t try to talk me out of it." Charmine sighed to herself. She did not know if there was a treatment for him yet. She did not want to give him false hopes. It would only make him more depressed if he was willing to try the treatment but she had none for him. Charmine did not coax him anymore as she stood up and said, "I''ll be heading back, then." "Okay." Charmine walked to the door while Anthony walked toward her. He looked at Frank inside the room and said, "No need to tutor Charmine today; let her practice on her own. Get some rest." Frank waved it off, however. "It¡¯s fine." Anthony frowned as he looked at Charmine. Understanding his gaze, Charmine turned and went back inside to help him sit on the bed. "Frank, I don''t feel like learning today." Frank was taken aback. "Why not? Don''t stop because of me. I''m fine.¡± "It has nothing to do with you," replied Charmine. "I want to go out for a walk with Anthony. Too many things have happened in the past two days, and I''m not in the mood." 2 Frank understood. Charmine had been wronged because of Faye in the past two days, and the two of them had many conflicts to resolve. 1 They should go out for a walk. 1 He nodded. "Alright, go ahead." "Okay," sighed Charmine in relief. chapter 1271 chapter 1271 As they were about to go out, Anthony asked Frank, "What breakfast do you usually have?" "Faye should be preparing it. You two should eat something before you leave." Anthony frowned. Faye? She ran out crying after he told her off, and she had not returned since. Frank noticed something had happened when he noticed Anthony''s silence. "No, that¡¯s alright,¡± said Frank, "I''ll make it right away.¡± Charmine quickly pressed him back to the bed. "No, I''ll make it with Anthony." "No, you two are guests," Frank insisted. Charmine frowned, and her tone grew cold as she snapped, "Frank, please don¡¯t be so polite. If this goes on, I''ll get angry." 1 Frank was stunned silent. Knowing Charmine, he did not turn her down after that. Charmine turned around and held Anthony''s hand, asking, "What would you like to eat? We¡¯ll make it." "Anything. I''m not picky." "Okay." Charmine turned and went out with Anthony, closing the door behind them. She turned to look at Anthony and asked, ''You''re not angry at me for taking care of Frank, are you?" Anthony lowered his head and smiled. "How narrow-hearted am I to you?" "Alright," said Charmine, "let¡¯s go." "Okay." Entering the kitchen, Charmine smelt the delicious food right away. She looked at him and asked, ''You made me breakfast? What is it?" "Care to guess?" Charmine sniffed and said, "Pork ribs, carrots, cakes, and corn." 2 They were all her favorites. Anthony raised an eyebrow; he did not expect her to have guessed it. He looked at her lovingly and reached out to scratch her nose. "Clever." 1 Charmine smiled and walked over, and it was only then she noticed Anthony made only one portion, and it was for her. Stunned, she then asked, "What will the others eat?" "I don¡¯t care." He looked at her. "I only care about you.¡± Charmine''s heart tingled with warmth. Anthony said, "I made soup. Let''s make noodles and bring them to Frank." "What about the rest?¡± "Nial has nothing to do." Charmine was at a loss for words. She could only help out him as he cooked. 1 Quickly, a bowl of noodle soup was prepared. Along with thickened pork broth, the dish smelt good. Charmine brought it into Frank''s room, where Frank was reading before the desk. "Enjoy your meal, Frank. Call out to Nial if there¡¯s anything," said Charmine. Frank was going to say he was fine, but knowing Charmine, he could only nod and agree to it. "Okay." Charmine then left with Anthony. The two of them walked side by side to the field with their breakfast. The morning sun was refreshing, and the air was filled with the scent of bamboo. Charmine looked at the beautiful scenery and squinted, feeling emotional. Frank was still young; he was just like the rising sun in the morning. How could he leave so soon...? She had to think of a way to treat him. Anthony took out a spoonful of cake and brought it to her lips. Charmine snapped out from her thoughts and looked at him. "I''ll do it myself." He did not move and stared at her. Charmine''s small face grew hotter as she opened her mouth and ate it. Anthony picked up broth by the side and scooped it for her. Charmine was not used to a gentle Anthony, but he kept feeding her, eyeing her darkly. "Open your mouth.¡± Charmine''s red lips parted as she gulped the soup. Suddenly, she felt that this was the best soup she had ever tasted in her life Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. It was only after Charmine had eaten that Anthony ate some as well. He then hugged her as they watched the sunrise together. However, when he recalled the matters with Frank and what William''s mother said to him, his gaze grew weary... chapter 1272 chapter 1272 Charmine, in Anthony¡¯s arms, sighed in awe. "So beautiful." Anthony''s gaze never wavered from her face. "Very beautiful indeed." His voice was heavier than usual. Charmine frowned. She turned to him and met his gloom-filled eyes. Pausing momentarily, she then asked, "Why do you look at me like this today?" He was strange. She treated Frank and made the man breakfast without Anthony getting angry. He even fed her caringly! All that, and he looked at her in such a way... "Anthony," said Charmine as she gazed at him. "Is everything okay?" "Yeah." Anthony looked away and watched the rising sun. Momentarily silent, he then turned to her solemnly as he called out with an equally serious, "Charmine." "Hmm?" Charmine looked at him. He pursed his lips and asked, "If I fall paralyzed one day, will you-¡± "What nonsense are you talking about?!" Charmine reached out her hand to cover his mouth. "Don''t speak of nonsense!" Even the thought of it made her breathless. Anthony frowned. "Don¡¯t you dislike stingy men? Don''t you like powerful men who are good enough for you?" If he was paralyzed, would she still like him? Mentioning this, Charmine frowned. "Can we talk about something else?" She already apologized to him yesterday. Anthony reached out to ruffle her hair and did not press on the matter further. Charmine fell silent and did not dwell on it either as she asked, "Have you contacted William¡¯s mother? What did she say?" Anthony''s gaze lookedplicated. He looked away. "We''re still discussing it. She needs time to think." Charmine nodded. "When she agrees, we¡¯ll think of a way to convince Frank." "It¡¯s not as easy," said Anthony. Charmine thought of Frank''s personality and frowned. "We have to think harder to find a way to convince him." "Yeah." Anthony hugged her and squinted, watching as the sun rose to the skies. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Anthony received a call from Jenny that afternoon. "Mr. Bailey, have you made up your mind?" Anthony''s eyes turned cold. "Didn''t you say three days?" "I gave you three days to consider," said Jenny, "though I don''t think Frank can wait that long. After all, this is a brain tumor, and one minute of dy means one more minute of dangling in danger." Most importantly, she was waiting for his brain to experiment on. The thought of having the brain of a genius like Anthony to experiment on was exciting! Anthony pursed his lips. "I''ll reply to you in three days." "Okay. If you''ve decided to let him receive the treatment, I hope you hurry up. The patient can¡¯t wait." Anthony hung up and clenched his grip on the phone tightly with aplex look. After lunch, Anthony apanied Charmine to practice up in the mountain as Frank still suffered from complications. With Anthony by her side, Charmine managed to calm down. She was focused on practicing, deeply concentrated as she grew ustomed. Her brush danced as more butterflies came her way. Even when her brushnded on the paper, the butterflies no longer flew away in fear. In fact, more gathered around the paper she wrote on. chapter 1273 chapter 1273 Charmine smiled and looked at Anthony. "Anthony, look." Anthony looked up and saw her standing at the peak of the mountain, her brush dancing with the butterflies fluttering around her. She seemed so stunning to him, and his gentle eyes somehow dulled a few shades. She was so captivating. She belonged to the spotlight and did what she liked. She should not be worrying about anything. Lips tlining, Anthony solemnly gazed at her and asked, ¡®You really want Frank to live on?" "Of course." Charmine did not hesitate to answer. Anthony''s eyes darkened... Charmine noticed his eyes and, thinking he was stretching things again, exined, "Don¡¯t overthink it. I treat him like a person I''m grateful for." She ced down the brush and looked into the mountain, her gaze stoic." Back then, I was betrayed by the people I trusted wholeheartedly and was sent to Africa. Luckily, I met the Uncles who discovered my talents. They trained and grew me. "All I wanted was revenge back then, and I trained myself from day to night for it. I became devoid of emotions and turned into a robot eventually, head filled with hatred. I was so cold-hearted that I don¡¯t feel a thing even if I see a child falling. I hated the world; my world was filled with anger. At worst, I didn''t speak a word for half a year. I even forgot how to smile..." i Anthony''s heart ached as she told her story. He sat next to her and caressed her shoulder. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Charmine leaned into his arms and said, "Luckily, I met Frank and stayed with him here for a while. He talked me out of it back then, and he taught me to treat the world with a calm heart. He told me that the world was just beginning for me and that I shouldn''t let hatred ruin my life." Charmine still remembered how Frank talked her out of it all with a peaceful disposition: "Charmine, although you¡¯re hurt now, there are still many people who haven''t hurt you. You¡¯re still young, and you shouldn''t revolve your life around hatred. You shouldn''t ruin your life for those who hurt you. I hope that as you''re exacting revenge, you''re living a life that you¡¯re happy with." Charmine thought of the incident with Frank and could not help but feel terrible. He had been through so much pain yet still treated the world so gently. Her eyes turned glossy with tears as her voice grew hoarse, continuing," Frank even said to me that thunder and storms are also blessings from above. I should appreciate everything thrown in my way. I slowly gained inner peace as Frank brought me out of it. I was able to sort out other things while getting revenge." Charmine appreciated Frank as she spoke of Frank, turning to Anthony. "I don''t want him to die like this. Without him, I¡¯d still be that cold robot. It was him who gave me passion and reasons to live on." Anthony felt heavy as he looked at her sympathetically. Although he minded, Frank was very important to her. He felt ashamed that he was not there for her on her worst days, i gued by the thought, he gulped and caressed her face as heforted," I know. Don''t worry, there will be a way." 1 He hugged her and looked away. Suddenly, the decision he found hard to make was settled. Late at night... Anthonyid in bed, tossing and turning as he did. He thought of the things Charmine said to him in the afternoon. He took out his phone a few times, wanting to phone Jenny. 1 However, he thought of Frank¡¯s resistance and gradually put down the phone. He looked at the moon with a maelstrom churning within him. He failed to fall asleep... chapter 1274 chapter 1274 The next day. After breakfast, Frank asked, "Charmine, how did practice go yesterday?" "Much better than the day before." Charmine then assured him, "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll practice harder. You only have to take care of yourself." "Okay. You''ll master it in a day or two." Frank''s gaze became content as he spoke, his tone gentle like his expression, "Go andpete. Get a prize." "Your calligraphy will surely get first prize, Frank," said Charmine. Frank smiled calmly, "It doesn''t matter which prize you get, just try your best." "Okay." Charmine wanted to assure him that she would be fine practicing alone, but Frank said, "I''ll teach you thest lesson today regarding the movement of rush. This will allow the butterflies to fly and dance at yourmand." 1 "You need more rest," Charmine turned him down, "there¡¯s no hurry.¡± "It''s okay," Frank waved it off nonchntly. "Don¡¯t mind me, and don¡¯t get worried. I''m fine." He was not suffering that much; it was just that the frequency of eye pain had increasedtely. He fainted the other day out of panic, at the sight of Charmine about to go out alone to fight the wolves. Charmine still wanted to persuade him, but Frank finally dropped his gentle disposition for the first time. "Listen to me-l know my body well. I¡¯m genuinely fine." Charmine did not want to disappoint Frank. She looked at Frank and agreed, "Okay." She helped him to get to the pavilion. She spread out a clear piece of paper naturally, prepared the ink, dipped the ink, and started writing. It baffled her that not even a single butterfly came her way, however. It went splendidly on the mountain; the butterflies even flew and perched on her hands. As he stood by the side, Frank could sense her weight as he said," Charmine, is something bothering you? Did you fight with Anthony?" "No." Charmine looked up at him. All she could think of was how to have him agree to get treated and how she could get William¡¯s mother to agree to treat him. She was unable to focus at all. Frank walked to her and said, "Charmine, as I said to you, the writing needs to merge with the person. Calm your heart and don''t overthink." Charmine bit her lip and looked at him with her clear eyes. He seemed more stern than he usually was. "I know, Frank," she mumbled. Frank walked over. "Dip the ink and try again. Remember: no troubling thoughts." "Okay." 1 Charmine dipped the ink and tried again, but the oue was the same as earlier. The words came off rather heavily weighted... Frank frowned. As a thought came to him, he came toward her and held her hand from the back. He spoke gently with a hint of hopelessness," Don¡¯t overthink things. I''m fine." The only thing he wanted to do was to teach her well. i His illness only grew severe, and he fretted that the next time he fainted, he might not be able to wake up. He would die in regret if he failed to teach Charmine fully by then. Frank held her palm calmly and wrote with her. Charmine could feel his calm pulse, and it soothed her heart to fall tranquil. As they wrote, the words grew more in shape, and butterflies started to flutter their way. Charmine''s eyes lit up. The butterflies came...! So many of them hade, far more than what she imagined. Frank sensed it, and he wore a faint smile. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. All of a sudden, his body went soft as he fell backward instantly... chapter 1275 chapter 1275 "Frank!" Charmine sensed Frank copsing as she quickly reached out to break his fall, supporting him. When she saw his pale face, she frowned worriedly. "Frank?" Why was he not responding to her? Panicking, she used all of her strength to hold him and bring him inside. Outside the bamboo forest, Anthony heard themotion and, thinking of something, ced down everything at hand and ran inside. He saw Charmine walking in with Frank, and she seemed anxious. Frowning, he walked toward them and carried Frank into the building. Nial saw theming back, and he rmedly grabbed the medical box and followed them. Anthony ced Frank over the bed, where Nial walked over and did a series of checks on Frank. His usually optimistic face darkened. "His illness has worsened. He needs an operation right away, or..." He did not have to finish his sentence for them to understand. Everyone looked dispirited as they nced at the unconscious Frank. Their hearts sank. He was so young yet had to die so soon? What a pity... He did not have to! Nial injected two relievers into him, but he still did not wake up. 1 Frank was even frowning; he looked in pain as if he was suffering badly. Charmine took out her needles and pricked them into his arms. Then... Faye rushed in suddenly and pushed Charmine away, growling, "Go away! I don¡¯t need you to be so pretentious. My brother is in this shape because of you." She stood beside Frank and did not let anyone get close to him. Her eyes reddened as she yelled at Charmine, "Brother was alright until you came. He used to have one ck-out every half a year. But ever since you came, he fainted twice within the past few days. You''re bad luck! Get away! Go!" Anthony scowled as he red at Faye coldly. ''You, get away!" Faye looked at Anthony with tears in her eyes. "Brother Anthony, she hurt my brother. If my brother didn''t teach her so intensely and overworked, he wouldn''t have fainted!" "Stay away!" Anthony snapped once more, not caring about her at all. Faye remained as she red at Charmine, biting her lower lip. Charmine made Anthony hate her, and she even made her brother ill! Was she going to ruin everything? Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Before she could speak, Charmine stared at her coldly. "If you keep wasting time, your brother''s illness will worsen. He might not even wake up this time!" Faye jolted as her face turned pale. He would not be able to wake up...? Would he be able to? Charmine ran out of patience as Faye stood motionlessly. She narrowed her cold eyes and grabbed Faye''s arms to toss her aside. Pushed to the side, Faye growled in fury. How could Charmine get so violent?! She scowled at Charmine, "Charmine, you''ve done enough damage to my brother, and now you''re attacking me as well? If you harm my brother again. I''ll fight you to death!" Charmine shrugged her off as she walked past her. She sat by the bed and started treating Frank... chapter 1276 chapter 1276 Long and narrow needles were slowly injected into Frank''s arms, yet there were no signs of him waking up. Charmine frowned, her expression turning urgent. Nial looked at the unconscious Frank as he blurted, "His illness needs to get treated as soon as possible. It''s now worsening, and it''ll only wreck his life if nothing is done to him." Charmine and Anthony exchanged nces. They knew what to do, but knowing Frank, he would not agree to it... What else was there to do? Watch him in his final moments? Anthony frowned. "Why don¡¯t we send him to the hospital, now that he''s ill? Why not find a way to treat him and make the next move?" Nial nodded at the suggestion, agreeing that it was a good idea, but... "No need..." Frank seemed to have overheard their conversation. He opened his eyes and said listlessly, "Don''t worry. Just leave me be, everyone." "Frank..." Charmine frowned andforted him worriedly, "You need an operation." Frank shook his head weakly. "I''ve made up my mind. Nobody can talk me out of it..." His voice was weak but determined. Nial, being a doctor, urged, "It¡¯s not toote if you get treated now, Frank. Don''t be so pessimistic. We have advanced technology in our arsenal, and you''ll fully recover." With a heavy head, Frank closed his eyes and calmly remarked, "So what if I''m fully recovered..." His beloved had long left him, and he lost all motivation to live on. Every waking day felt like it suffocated him. Whenever he thought of how useless living was, he felt so hollow as though a sword prated through his heart. She must have missed him. She must have. Confused, Frank seemed to have seen her smiling gently at him, waving at him. He, frowning from the eye pain, broke into a genuine smile. One that made everyone feel heavy. "My love," Frank half-whispered, "wait for me..." No one knew what to say. Love was nothing in the end. To him, perhaps only death was worth anticipating... Frank fell back asleep minutester, his body still weak. Everyone was worried for him, yet he was too stubborn and refused their help. The bamboo forest fell into a tense atmosphere. Gazing at Frank''s pale face, Charmine felt heavy and walked out of the bamboo forest. Anthony followed after her and held her hands. "Don''t worry. We''ll think of something." Charmine made a sound and looked at the night sky. Was there any? Frank had no reason to live... What would make him stay? An idea urred to him as she looked at Anthony and said, "I have something, but I''ll need your cooperation, though!" i "Hmm?" Anthony looked at her. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Charmine went to his side and whispered her idea. Anthony''s eyes turned heavier. After a long while, he nodded. "We may try, but be careful." "Okay." Since Frank needed more rest, Charmine practiced on her own. In less than half an hour, she saw Guy heading out with a knife. Charmine hesitated for a moment. She put down her brush and walked over to ask, "Mr. Granger, where are you going?" "Faye said there¡¯s no more wood," said Guy. "I''m going to chop up some." chapter 1277 chapter 1277 Charmine quickly packed up her brush. "I''ll go with you." "Mmh?" Guy looked at her with a baffled expression. Yes, he was happy she would go with him, but he did not want Anthony to misunderstand. "I need to go up the mountain to practice anyway," added Charmine. Not waiting for Guy''s response, she turned and walked to the pavilion to get her things before she rejoined him. "Let''s go." Guy was perplexed. She usually kept her distance from him, so why... Charmine exined, "I''m worried that you won''t be home when I have a migraine." Guy''s initial hesitation left him as he nodded at her exnation. "Okay." The two of them then left as they walked side-by-side, and Faye saw it all as she walked out of the living room. She clenched her fists tightly. Anthony turned her down because of this woman? He was so devoted to being with Charmine, but what did she do? She not only flirted with her brother, but she even flirted with Mr. Granger! She did not frame her this time. What a fake and pretentious b*tch! She wanted Anthony to see Charmine''s true colors. She wanted him to know that he chose the wrong person! Faye looked around sneakily. She took out her phone and followed after them. They got to the mountain where trees were abundant near the practice area. Thus, Charmine resumed her practice while Guy chopped up logs. Charmine stayed focus as she recounted Frank''s teachings, and it was not long until butterflies came her way. The butterflies were not only on the paper; they would perch on her palm when she stretched out her fair hand. Charmine looked at the butterflies in her palm and felt overjoyed. She had improved a great deal. She seemed to have understood something She squinted as she raised her arm higher, and the butterflies still lingered on it. Butterflies even landed on her shoulder. Guy, not far from her, saw the beautiful scene, his eyes filled with awe. That was Charmine. No matter what she did, she would always captivate. Guy watched her for a long time before looking away and continued to cut wood. All of a sudden, the weather abruptly changed despite the skies being clear when they left. It had only been an hour, and the sky was filled with storm clouds already. The clouds were so thick as if one could touch them if they reached out. Guy noted that this was the sign of an impending storm. He tied up the logs and walked to her. "Ms. Jordan, it''s going to rain. Let''s head back." "Okay." Charmine looked up at the sky and started packing up. She carried her items on her back and went down the mountain with Guy. They only walked a few steps when the gates of heaven opened and unleashed the downpour abruptly. Both of them were startled as the rain grew heavier. The two of them halted. "Ms. Jordan, why don¡¯t we find shelter from the rain?" suggested Guy Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Charmine noticed the figure from afar, so she said, "Okay." Guy looked around. ''There''s nowhere to hide from the rain here." There is," said Charmine. "Follow me!" She shielded her bag and jogged in one direction, and Guy followed after her. When Faye saw them going further in, she smiled coldly. She ran down the hill quickly and went back to the bamboo forest. She saw Anthony admiring the rain from the pavilion, drinking his wine with a heavy heart. Faye ran over and said urgently, "Brother Anthony, it''s bad!" chapter 1278 chapter 1278 Anthony looked away nonchntly. "What now?" he scorned. Looking worried, Faye blurted, "I saw Charmine and Guy stuck in the mountain, unable to get back down.¡± Anthony squinted as he turned to walk into the living room, seemingly not hesitating. Faye noticed he was getting an umbre as she followed right behind him and said, "If we bring them an umbre now, won''t we disturb them?" Anthony halted as his gaze grew tense. "What are you trying to say?¡± Faye blinked innocently as she added, "In the afternoon, I saw Charmine inviting Mr. Granger to go up the mountain. I was going up to sort out something and saw the two of them having a good time. Sigh... One of them was cutting wood and the other was writing a poem. How romantic was that!¡± Anthony pursed his lips, his face cold as frost. "Brother Anthony, I''m not messing around this time," Faye riled on." Charmine initiated it! She doesn''t care about you. She flirted with my brother, and now she''s flirting with Mr. Granger!" With taut jaws, Anthony''s face turned green as his figure emitted an oppressive aura. Pea-sized rain dropped as if sshing right onto his heart. Clenching the umbre tightly, his knuckles were clearly defined. 1 Faye said innocently, "I¡¯m worried that we might disturb them if we go up now. After all, the two of them..." The two of them could be doing god-knew-what up the mountain alone. Anthony''s eyes darkened at her remark as he walked into the downpour... Faye watched his back and smiled with satisfaction before she chased after him with an umbre. "Brother Anthony, wait for me!" The rain was heavy as Charmine and Guy made their way to the cave, and it was impossibly heavy as they reached their destination atst, though utterly drenched as they did. The trees swayed with the bustling wind. Looking at the soaked-with-rain Charmine, he took out some logs to start the fire, all to no avail as the logs were wet, too. Noticing Charmine grew pale, Guy took out a knife to cut off the wet exterior of the logs. After cutting a few times, he finally managed to start a fire. "Ms. Jordan,e closer toward the fire.¡± Charmine came closer to it as Guy continued to cut out the wet skin of the woods. Suddenly... The knife and wood fell to the ground. Charmine heard the drop and looked over, noticing his shirt torn with fresh blood oozing out. His palm turned red. Startled, she quickly took out the IMU in her backpack and let him have it. If Grandma Granger learned that he bled, she would force Guy to be taken home and never let her come close to him again. A few seconds after ingesting the IMU, the bleeding on his arm stopped. He looked at Charmine who was nervous and said, "Don''t worry-it''s fine." When he noticed how small the me was, he fretted that Charmine would feel cold, thus he wanted to add more wood to the fire. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. As he increased his speed, the knife went in the wrong direction and identally cut his arm. 1 Charmine frowned and said, "Your wound needs to be cleaned, or it might get infected." Guy walked over. Charmine looked at his wounded arm and, pausing for a moment, said," You might have to remove your clothes.¡± Initially unsettled, Guy looked into Charmine''s calm eyes and thought he was overthinking things. He finally removed his shirt. Furthermore, he wanted to take the things from her to clean his wound himself. Charmine nced outside the cave and said, "You can''t clean your wound with one hand." chapter 1279 chapter 1279 As she took out some cotton, Charmine blotted out the blood from his hand before she took the disinfecting solution and disinfected his wound. She then bandaged it to wrap things up. "Thank you," professed Guy. Once everything was done, he noticed what little remained of the me, thus he quickly chopped up the logs half-naked, not bothering to put his clothes back on. 1 Noticing his drenched shirt by the side, Charmine did not think twice as she took it and started drying it with the fire. Guy, on the other hand, cut a few more sticks and rushed over to make fire when he noticed the clothes in Charmine¡¯s hands. "Ms. Jordan..." As he was about to tell her he would do it himself, they heard footstepsing from outside the cave. Both of them instinctively turned around to see Anthony with an umbre, expression doused with cold fury. He red at her darkly before his fierce gaze turned to Guy. Guy was half-naked, and his shirt was in Charmine¡¯s hands! He held onto the umbre tightly with a gaze darker than ck. Faye, following right behind him, eyed Charmine triumphantly. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Even God was helping her! She finally caught them in action! There was no way she could get away this time! "Anthony..." Charmine met his eyes and reacted. She handed the shirt back to Guy and exined, "You¡¯ve misunderstood!" "I saw it with my own eyes!" Anthony looked at her coldly. "So this is how you interact with Guy behind my back?" Guy quickly exined, "Mr. Granger, don''t take this the wrong way. This isn''t what you think it is. We''re merely-" "Enough!" Anthony red at the two of them coldly. "I only believe what I see!" Anthony nced at the umbre in his hand and scoffed, "Congrattions, Charmine. You turned me into a joke!" i With that said, he tossed the umbre aside and walked back into the rain. "Anthony..." Charmine rushed out trying to exin, but Faye blocked her from advancing as she snidely commented, "Don''t bother chasing after him. Anthony saw it with his own eyes, so what''s there left to exin? You''re so shameless! Anthony treats you so well, while you flirt with other men behind his back! You¡¯re awfully shameless!" "Faye!" Guy snapped as he could no longer hold back. "Mind your tongue!" "Am I wrong? Charmine is shameless!" Faye scoffed coldly and looked down on the two of them. She picked up the umbre from the ground and chased after Anthony. "Brother Anthony, wait for me..." Guy clenched his fists tightly. He guiltily turned to Charmine as he muttered, "I''m sorry, Ms. Jordan. It all started with me." Charmine''s face was unusually calm, even after Anthony and Faye had left. She turned back to face Guy. "Mr. Granger, it''s not your fault." Guy was confused. "Ms. Jordan..." Why was she not anxious at all, even though Anthony was livid? Charmine looked out at the rain that oh-so-slowly subsided and said, "Mr. Granger, it''s less heavy now. Let''s head back down." "Okay." Things would not seem right if she lingered around. After leaving the cave, Anthony walked up the mountain while Faye held onto the umbre. She tiptoed as she tried to shield him from the rain. "Brother Anthony, the rain is heavy. Don''t catch a cold." Anthony''s face darkened. "Leave! You¡¯re not in the ce to be concerned!" His attitude did not deter Faye, however. How could she leave him when Charmine had hurt him? 1 This was her best shot! chapter 1280 chapter 1280 Faye caught up to Anthony and said, "Brother Anthony, don''t get angry. Charmine isn''t the only woman in the world. She¡¯s so flirty and shameless. She doesn¡¯t deserve your love." Anthony did not want to hear what Faye had to say. His tumultuous gaze remained on the ntations by the side as he stopped walking. Faye failed to react in time as she ran into his arm. It was the first time she came so close to him, and her heart skipped a beat. She stepped back with flushed cheeks. Why did he stop abruptly? Did her words strike a chord in him? With that in mind, Faye bit her lip and mustered up her courage, blurting," Brother Anthony, is it possible that you''d consider me?" "Hmph!" Anthony stared at her coldly. Faye trembled, somewhat terrified, but she must not back down with the words out of her mouth. She courageously reached out to hold his arm. Her doe eyes were shy as she said, "I won''t flirt with another man, and I won''t make you angry. I¡¯ll treat you wholeheartedly forever...argh..." Anthony¡¯s face straightened and pushed her away before she could finish. Pushed away with such force, Faye staggered a few steps back before she lost her bnce and was about to fall into the ntation. 1 It was then she stared at the green ntation, and her eyes widened. Hydrangea! One would pass out for a good few days upon touching this flower. She could tell that Anthony purposely pushed her into them with his strength and direction! 1 Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. As though sensing something, Faye squinted and grabbed the bamboo by the side. She did not let herself fall in, but... She twisted her ankle and changed direction, and it caused her to fall backward heavily instead. The back of her head was hit against a sharp stone that caused her to bleed. Anthony squinted when he realized where she fell into. "Brother Anthony..." Faye was pale and in pain on the ground. "Brother Anthony, my head hurts. It''s painful... Am I dying...? Save me... Hurry and save me...!" Anthony was taken aback as he noticed a pool of blood that oozed from her head, and it began to flow as rainwater carried it. That was not what he expected. He had no time to think as he pulled her up. Faye fell into his arms, her bun-like face pouting, though her eyes were bright with a hint of sneakiness. Anthony pushed her away and snapped, "Walk on your own!" "I¡¯m hurt.J¡¯m fainting..." muttered Faye pitiably, staggering as she spoke. Eyeing the wound on her head, the glowering Anthony spoke, "I''ll walk behind you." In other words, he would walk behind her but not carry her. Content with that, Faye settled with that and endured the pain as she walked. Meanwhile... Charmine and Guy had returned to the bamboo forest. The rain had stopped. After getting changed, she walked to the pavilion while looking at the bamboo forest after rain. She sighed weakly. The rain poured at the right time. She wondered if Anthony... With that in mind, the gate suddenly opened. She looked over to see Anthony and Faye, thetter looking pale as she walked. Faye was still awake! Charmine frowned. Puzzled at what happened, she walked to Anthony." Anthony, what happened?" This was not ording to her n. Anthony did not reply as he asked Nial to bandage Faye when she made a scene. chapter 1281 chapter 1281 "Go away, you! I don¡¯t need you to bandage me! I want Brother Anthony to do it!" "I''m a professional," spoke Nial with a frown. "It''s the same if I do it." Most importantly, stop causing a scene! She knew Charmine was here, yet she wanted Anthony to do it. "I don''t want you. Go away! I want Brother Anthony..." Frank heard Faye''s rants from inside the room, so he walked out and asked, "Faye, what happened?" Faye noticed his presence but ignored him entirely as she continued to scream, "Brother Anthony, I only want you to do it! I¡¯m afraid I''d get hurt if someone else does it! If you don''t help me, I''ll bleed out!" Charmine walked to Frank and helped him to sit. "Frank, Faye is hurt." Frank frowned and asked, "Is it severe?¡± "Not too severe," said Charmine. "She insisted that Anthony bandage her." Frank''s brows furrowed deeper. They had a doctor with them, yet Faye insisted Charmine''s husband bandage her! How could she?! "Faye!" he barked, but all to no avail as Faye solely focused on Anthony, not hearing her brother snapping at her. Charmine said, "She''s head over heels for Anthony, Frank, and she wants to be with Anthony so badly. She¡¯s still so young yet fell for someone she shouldn''t be. She''s acting this way all because of Anthony. Don''t you want to correct her? Don''t you want her to meet the right person who can take care of her for life?" Frank''s expression darkened at Charmine¡¯s remark. He ced his hands on hisp and clenched his fists. Charmine continued, "Faye is ignorant. Do you want to leave her all alone? Who''s going to teach her? Who''s going to take care of her when she¡¯s hurt? She has an innocent mind. If she goes out and meets a bad person, what can she do if she gets tricked?" 1 Frank thought of that, and his clear eyes were filled with worry. Charmine took this opportunity to make another strike, "Frank, Faye only has you as her family. If not for yourself, you should think for her." Frank pursed his lips and fell silent for a long while. After a moment, he said, "Each person has their own fate, and it takes time for one to find out what lies ahead. Whatever path she chooses to walk, whether good or bad, she needs to ept the oue." "Aren''t you worried about her? If she picked the wrong path..." "Charmine, I know what you''re trying to say." Frank cut her off and said," Don''t worry about me, and don''t try to talk me out. Even if I can recover and live till seventy or eighty, a world without her is suffocating to live in." i Frank instinctively reached out to caress the flute at his waist. "I should be meeting her soon. She¡¯s been waiting for me for too long." The only thing he could not let go of was Charmine''spetition. Time was running tight, and he had no time for treatment. He had to make sure Charmine mastered the skill before he could leave in peace. Charmine frowned. He did not even care about Faye. What else could she use? She debated for a moment and decided to pull onest trick. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. "If you don''t receive treatment, I won''t learn from you! I don''t want a patient to be teaching me; I can''t focus and calm down." Frank did not expect Charmine to say this. He stopped short for a few seconds before saying, "Don''t force me, Charmine. Without Anthony, will you be able to live on?" Charmine heard the words, and her heart shook. Could she live on without Anthony? chapter 1282 chapter 1282 Charmine''s eyes darkened as she fell into deep thought. Five years ago, her reason for living was to get revenge. What was her reason at this point? Was it for Chris? Grandpa? Her friends? Would she lose all hope in living if she lost Anthony forever? Charmine frowned and vaguely understood something. She looked out the window and said, ¡®Til be taking a walk now, Frank." Frank thought she felt the same way he did and that she should be able to understand him. He nodded. "Okay." With that said, he caressed the flute at his waist and went back inside the room. On the sofa, when Faye saw Charmine leaving, she bit through the pain and stood up with difficulty. "Stay there!" She limped out. Charmine stopped and turned to face her with her clear, sharp gaze." Problem?" Faye said coldly, "You''re leaving now? Do you think I don¡¯t know this is your n?" Charmine squinted at her. Faye scoffed, "You acted with Guy and argued with Anthony in an act to give me hope in being with Brother Anthony! You guys want me to faint so my brother gets worried and epts his treatment!" Charmine frowned. It seemed that Faye was quite the intelligent girl. Faye saw Charmine¡¯s eyes and smiled coldly. "You didn''t expect anyone else to be clever in the world, did you, Charmine? Now that Anthony has hurt me, you must be responsible forthat! You must make him bandage me until I recover." Charmine looked at her coldly, her red lips twisting to a smirk as she said unhurriedly, "Since you''ve figured it out, there¡¯s no need to keep up the pretense then." Charmine walked over. Faye''s pale face turned paler as she felt the menacing gaze Charmine had, instinctively backing away, 1 "Charmine, what are you trying to do?" Since she had twisted her ankle, she could not move too quickly. Charmine was already in front of her with just two steps, and she pricked a needle into her skin. Before Faye could react, she was no longer able to move. Charmine red at her coldly and then at Nial. "Bandage her!" "Okay!" Nial helped Faye to walk in, and thetter red at Charmine¡¯s back." You''re utterly shameless, Charmine Jordan! I''m not done with you!" Charmine did not seem to care as she walked out. Anthony was momentarily stunned as he watched her walk before he went after her. Charmine seemed to have sensed something. She did not turn back and said, "Anthony, I want to be alone." Anthony could only stop with a concerned expression. The bamboo forest felt refreshing after the rain as Charmine walked up the hill. It was almost evening when many small animals came out to hunt for food. Charmine was fascinated by a small fox who came out to hunt. She stood by the side and observed it for a while. 1 With something in mind, she walked over. Surprisingly, the fox was not startled and did not run away. It looked at Charmine before it continued to look for food. Charmine looked at its legs and frowned. Seeing how the fox circled around, her eyes lit up as she went back down. In the bamboo forest, Frank was writing in the pavilion. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Charmine walked upto him. "Frank." Frank heard her footsteps and turned in her approaching direction. "Just in time, Charmine," he greeted. ''Til teach you how to hold the brush..." He had to make the most out of the remaining time. He had to teach her every skill there was. "Frank." Charmine was not in the mood to learn. chapter 1283 chapter 1283 "Why don''t I take you up for a walk?" "Up the mountain?" Frank thought of the incident and was worried. "It might rain in the evening, and it even rained just now. It''s not safe to get up now." "Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll get back down soon." Since it was evening, they had to go up. No other hour would work! Although Frank was suspicious, he put down his brush and went out with her. On the way, Frank was still thinking about herpetition. He said," Charmine, you need to let your heart go nk and calm down when you write. There''s not a lot of butterflies in the city. If you zone out slightly, the butterflies might not feel the movement and won''te to you." Charmine nodded. "I know, Frank.'' "Your grip; it has to be soft but still. Your grip was too harsh in the past two days." Charmine nodded. "Okay, I¡¯ll take note of that." Frank wanted to say more but with her holding onto him, he stopped. Thinking there were animals ahead, he asked, "Are there wolves?" "No, Frank. Don''t worry." Charmine was staring at the fox that still looked for food and let go of Frank. "Wait for me, Frank." "Okay. Be careful." Charmine nodded and walked toward the fox. She narrowed her eyes on the small fox and said gently, "Little fox, don''t be scared. I won''t hurt you. Come here." She reached out her arms. The little fox stared at her for a while and jumped toward her, into her arms. Charmine stroked its fur and carried it to Frank. "Frank, I¡¯m carrying a fox,¡± she spoke. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. "Oh?" Frank''s expression was gentle. "It''s okay. Foxese out at this hour. They won''t harm anyone." Charmine handed the fox to him. "Carry it." Frank took the fox into his arms and stroked its fur. The fox adorably nestled itself further into his embrace as it made a sound. Frank''s look softened. He gently caressed it and suddenly... He frowned. He felt its legs again. There were only three legs. Charmine noticed the change in his expression and said, "Frank, although this fox only has three legs, ites out for food every day. It''s trying to prove to God that even though something in it is missing, it''ll live on." Frank understood what she was getting at, thus he said, "Everyone has a different attitude. Humans and animals are different." "No, we''re all the same," corrected Charmine. "It has its loved ones and its family, but they''re all dead. It lives alone and disabled. With no loved ones around, did it give up on living? No. It yed around in the forest, continued to live, and enjoyed the moments in life and the sunshine. It lived on for itself, enjoying every inch of sunlight and goodness." 1 Frank felt the fox in his arms more deeply than before. Charmine looked at him. "In the past, you chased after fame and let the beautiful moments slip past you. Now that she''s dead, you lost your career and reason to live on. You live hidden now, cut out from the world, and what you''re actually doing is giving up on life! You never truly lived well for yourself before. You never truly experienced life fully." After saying these to him, she turned to look at him and asked, "Frank, have you lived for yourself before?" The words interrogated his soul. Frank frowned, his clear eyes filled with doubts as he went into a deep thought. He lived for fame, then for his wife, then for his impending death... He never seemed to have asked himself what he truly wanted. chapter 1284 chapter 1284 Charmine looked into his eyes. "Frank, you asked me before about how I''d feel if Anthony was dead, and I''ll say yes. Yes, I''ll be sad and in misery, even, but I won''t want to die. Anthony wouldn''t want me to do so either. "I''m not only the Charmine that Anthony loves. I''m also Chris'' mother, Uncles'' treasure, President of the Jordan Group, and the hope of Burlington''s architectural buildings! "I''m Charmine Jordan, and I am myself.'' Herst sentence was filled with confidence and beauty. She gazed at Frank earnestly. "Five years ago, I lived for revenge. Five yearster, I''m living for myself. 1 "We should all strive to glow when alive. We shouldn''t treat love, rtionships, or anything as our everything, and we shouldn''t die for anything else. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. "One must live for oneself!" Her every word was stern and urge-filled, and Frank''s expression eventually faltered, overtaken with sadness and emotions. "I know you want to tell me the importance of living. However, my wife sacrificed her life for mine, so I shouldn''t let her wait alone in heaven." "Why did she save you?" asked Charmine abruptly. "She saved you for you to live on. You should live on for as long as you can. She''ll be happy for you in heaven; don''t let her sacrifice be wasted." Frank jolted at that. His wife did tell him to live on before she died... Charmine walked toward him and reassured him gently, "Frank I hope you can live on well. You should be excited for the future with an open heart. I hope that, one day, you can open your eyes and look at this beautiful world, in its four seasons. I hope you''ll live in solitude for the sake of wanting privacy, not as an escape. Your wife will be assured when she looks at you living that way." Frank fell into deep thought, unable to make up his mind in his confusion. Charmine took the little fox from him and concluded, "Consider it, Frank. What''s the ultimate goal of living? What did your wife want? What for?" Charmine then backed away and left him. Frank''s clear eyes aimed to where she walked off, and he could not but recall the words she said to him. ''Why did your wife save you? She wanted you to live on.'' ''You should live on so that her sacrifice won''t be wasted.'' ''Frank, have you actually lived for yourself?'' He reflected those words carefully before, finally, atst, the realization dawned on him. He did all that for his life, but he had forgotten what she wanted... She would not want to see from above how he self-destructed; he would have betrayed her sacrifice if he did. Furthermore, Charmine was right-he had not lived for himself... Frank¡¯s dead heart instantly felt revived. He walked toward Charmine quickly. "Charmine..." Charmine stopped with the fox in her arms as she waited for him to continue. Frank walked up to her and gently answered, "I''ve thought it through. I''m willing to ept the treatment." Charmine was ted at his decision. "Yeah, that''s great," she spoke, pleased with the oue. He sighed, "Sorry to have worried you all." "It¡¯s okay." As long as the ending was good, everything was worth it. Charmine ced the fox back into his arms and helped him get back down. When they returned to the bamboo forest, Charmine helped Frank to get back into his room. chapter 1285 chapter 1285 "Rest well, Frank," said Charmine. "We¡¯ll go out tomorrow and help sort out your operation and treatments." "Alright. Thank you." "No problem.¡± Charmine walked out of the room and went to the men''s room for Anthony. Anthony walked out, and when he saw her appeased expression, his eyes softened. "You seem happy." Charmine ced her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. "Frank has agreed to do the operation!" she chirped. Anthony''s eyes were riddled with uncertainty as he met her gaze gently." That''s good." "Yeah." Charmine released herself from embracing him and held his hands instead as she said, "Have you heard back from William¡¯s mother?" "She¡¯s still considering it," replied Anthony softly. "It should be fine." Charmine''s eyes brightened. "Frank will be saved!" Anthony ruffled her head with a solemn gaze. "Are you happy?" "Of course I am!" Charmine never liked self-destructing people, so when she saw the person sheforted get back up on his feet, she was pleased. 1 Charmine then left to pack up her belongings. Anthony, on the other hand, watched her leave as his gaze grew dull. He walked to the tree and made a phone call. The other end picked up quickly as an elegantdy''s voice was heard, "Mr. Bailey, have you made up your mind?" Anthony asked, "Does the operation have a hundred percent sess rate?" Jenny smiled coldly. "Of course." The image of Charmine¡¯s face shed past his mind, and his eyes grew darker than before. A few secondster, he conceded, "I agree. Arrange for the operation soon." Jenny raised an eyebrow. "You¡¯re so generous, Mr. Bailey. You''d agree to such a dangerous procedure for your woman." Anthony, not wanting to speak anymore, hung up and returned to his room. He thought of the side effects Jenny mentioned, and he felt heavier than usual. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Frank was teaching Charmine the final lesson in the pavilion. After she managed to convince Frank, she realized what it meant to continue living on, and it made her feel much lighter. She was no longer caught up with the matter between Anthony and Faye as she focused entirely. Her every stroke wasplete and concentrated. As the bristles touched the paper, butterflies starteding her way. Some perched on her fingers, some stopped on her shoulder, and some answered to hermand. She had mastered the skills, and she was good at it. i To solve the problem of not having enough butterflies in the city, she even tried to write on every corner of the bamboo forest. Whether it was in the mountains, at the front yard, backyard, or even the rooms, butterflies would flutter her way the moment her brushnded. It was as though enticed by pollen; they all came! It was as if Frank saw it all happen, thus he was pleased when he dered, "You¡¯ve mastered it, Charmine." Charmine nodded. "Thank you for teaching me." Frank smiled gently. "You''re wee." "You¡¯d better start packing, Frank. We''re going out tomorrow," reminded Charmine. "Okay." After Charmine left, Frank thought of herpetition. He turned back to the backyard. He took out the writing equipment he had collected for a long while and started preparing the ink. Charmine, meanwhile, walked to the men''s room to look for Anthony. Nial told her that he was not around. She paused for a moment and went back out to the field before she found Anthony atst, smoking as his eyes looked in a far-away direction. He seemed rather lonely. Charmine walked to him. "Why are you here alone?" chapter 1286 chapter 1286 Anthony narrowed his eyes, put out the cigarette¡¯s me, and said," Admiring the view." Charmine sat down beside him and held onto his arm. "I''ve mastered the skill. I¡¯ll be able to leave tomorrow." "Okay." Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Charmine heard his one-worded reply and instinctively turned to look at him. "What''s wrong, Anthony?" Why did he seem so burdened? "It¡¯s nothing." Anthony reached out to hold her as his solemn gaze eyed the far-away mountain. "Time to leave. I''ll miss the peace in this ce." Charmine felt the same. She did not think too much of his behavior as she leaned on his shoulder and admired the view with him. "We''lle back next time when we have time.¡± "Okay." Anthony gazed at her meaningfully as he held her hand and never let it go. The two of them sat there for a very long while before they returned to the bamboo forest. Everyone started packing after dinner, while Frank walked into Faye''s bedroom with a heavy heart. Sheid in bed with a bandaged hand and an ankle that had not recovered. She bawled out her eyes as she wanted to see Anthony in her room before sleeping. When she saw Franking in, her tears ceased. "Brother, why did youe?" With a frown, Frank sat by the side. He sighed and said, "Faye, stop being so stubborn. Don''t try to get things that don''t belong to you." Faye understood what he meant and retorted, "Brother, what year is it now? Everyone has the right to chase after love. One can file for a divorce after marriage-" "Shut up!¡± Frank stopped her. ''Your mentality is crooked. Even if you like Anthony that badly, you must know that he''s Charmine¡¯s husband." "So what?" Frank frowned and asserted, "If you continue behaving like that, I¡¯ll have to ask a doctor to treat you." "Brother..." Did that mean she would never leave with him, that she would not be able to see him again? "I''m sorry," muttered Faye. "Faye, you need to fix your morals," he sternly asserted. "Don''t ask for too much." Faye said obediently, "I know." He knew she was just brushing him off, and he sighed. Luckily, Anthony loved Charmine genuinely, or things would have taken a turn for the worst. Frank said helplessly, "If you¡¯re half as good as Charmine, there¡¯ll be people who like you and treat you genuinely. You can''t get your way by making a scene to ask for their attention!" i Faye scoffed. How was Charmine good? She flirted around shamelessly! How was Charmine better than her? Outwardly, however, it appeared as if she epted the criticism. "Don¡¯t worry, Brother. I''ll listen to you and stop causing a scene. I''ll treat Charmine and Anthony nicely." "If I find out you¡¯re not doing as you said, you''ll be sent back!" warned Frank. "Okay." The next morning, the group went down the hill. Faye looked at Anthony by her side, and she limped while she tried to carry Frank''s heavy suitcase. She pretended to struggle in front of Anthony as though she was a good sister. Anthony did not even nce at her as his gaze solely focused on Charmine. He even took the suitcase from her. Faye jolted, rooted on the spot as she looked at Anthony¡¯s back. Charmine walked past her and scoffed coldly, reaching out her skinny arms and took the suitcase from Faye. She lifted it up with one hand and walked forward. She was bold and unruly. Faye gritted her teeth and red at Charmine''s back before she caught up to them as she limped. When they arrived at the bottom of the mountain, Anthony escorted Charmine to the car and ced his hand on the top of the car, preventing her from knocking her head. Charmine halted and turned to look at him. He behaved rather weirdly all of a sudden. He even held her hand tightly as they descended as if she would leave. chapter 1287 chapter 1287 Anthony met Charmine''s suspicion-filled eyes and gently caressed her face. "Sit properly." He then sat by her side and reached out with hisrge, warm palm to hold her small palm. Charmine turned back to look at him. She asked, "Anthony, what''s wrong?" He was absent-minded since the night before, and he never told her what it was about when she asked him. Anthony¡¯s expression was gentle as he held her hands tightly. "It''s nothing." Charmine red at his tightening grip and frowned. "You make me feel as if I''m about to leave you." Anthony jolted at her words but reached out to ruffle her head. "What are you talking about?" i Charmine looked at him in confusion, but Anthony merely leaned on the chair, his hand still on hers, and closed his eyes. At the thought that he was probably tired, Charmine did not bother him as she leaned against him, silently staying at his side. The car ride was very quiet as they were on the road. Everyone was absorbed in their own world as they thought and nned ahead. Grandma Granger, who sat at the back, looked out the window and let out a sigh of relief. She could finally go back to check up on her little doll. She wondered how she was in the past few days. She prayed no one bullied her. She prayed that she found her mother. A few hourster, the car pulled over outside Violet Residence, where Luke waited at the door. As the car pulled over, he greeted, "Boss.¡± Anthony said, "Bring in the suitcases and arrange the rooms." "Okay." Charmine helped Frank to get in. "We''re here, Frank,¡± she announced. "Stay here for the next few days. The doctor will arrive in Burlington in two days." Frank nodded gently. "Sorry for the trouble.'''' Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Faye looked at the luxurious vi, and her eyes lit up. Was this Anthony''s home? If she could be the mistress of this building... She fantasized at the thought and grew giddy. One day! That day woulde! After Luke sorted everything out, he walked over to remind them, "Madam, thepetition is tomorrow." Charmine nodded, "Mmh, okay." "Are you confident?" asked Anthony. "Yes." Charmine¡¯s eyes were set aze in belief. Anthony looked at her lovingly. He believed in her, and he looked forward to her performance. Frank overheard that and offered, "Charmine, I''d like to be there when youpete tomorrow." Charmine made a sound of acknowledgment and said, "Okay. I don''t want you to get bored at home, anyway." Faye, at the side, chimed in, "I want to go, too!" She was not there to watch Charmine seed. She wanted Charmine to make an embarrassment out of herself! Nial wanted to say something, but Frank waved it off. "No. It¡¯s been a day since you fell. You must get admitted right away!" "Brother!" Faye''s face sank. Everyone was going to thepetition. How bored would it be for her to stay in the hospital on her own?! Nial added, "Faye, you do need to get to the hospital to treat your leg as soon as possible." Faye bit her lip. "I don''t want to go. Since it¡¯s alreadyte, it doesn''t matter to dy for another day!" Frank frowned. "Faye! Are you throwing a tantrum again?!" She thought of what Frank said to her yesterday and unwillingly muttered," Fine, I''ll go to the hospital." "Faye, Frank is trying to help you," coaxed Nial. "If you don¡¯t get treated now, do you want to limp forever?" "Of course not!¡± Faye did not want to end up that way. She said, "Hurry and arrange an operation for me right away!¡± Nial said, "Alright!" He brought her to the hospital to arrange for an operation. The rest of them went back to their rooms, but none of them noticed a cleaner maid secretly sneaking out of the vi... chapter 1288 chapter 1288 Inside another vi... Waverly reclined on the sofa. Her expression turned cold after she finished a call and ced down the phone. Max looked at her. "What is it?" "Charmine is back, and she has mastered a unique technique. She''s determined to get first prize tomorrow." Max then embraced Waverly. "Don¡¯t panic¡ªI''ll find someone to disqualify her. There¡¯s no point having mastered the skill." Waverly squinted as she said, "No need. Let her participate! The show will be fascinating tomorrow." She lifted her chin arrogantly as she contacted Britney with her phone. Max looked at her and knew she was up to something. His eyes were filled with admiration. ¡®You''re so clever, Waverly." He embraced her as he seized her lips. Waverly had a hint of difort and disgust in her eyes, but she wore a shy smile as she gently pushed him away. ''We have to be careful..." Max continued to kiss her. "Nobody is watching." With that, he pulled her to his form and kissed her passionately... Grandma Granger went back to the room and charged her phone. She instantly called Momo¡¯s number after turning on her phone, but nobody picked up. That caused her to frown in worry. Momo did not pick up. Did she not bring her phone, or did something else happen? Grandma Granger sat by the bed and looked out at the sky. She sighed gently. Grandma Granger had no way of contacting Momo unless she searched for her. It did not take long before her charging-phone beeped. She jolted and thought it was Memo¡¯s text, so she quickly picked it up. All she saw was some notifications from Twitter. It disappointed Grandma Granger; she was not interested in such news. As she was about to put down her phone, however, something caught her eye. #Four-year-old-beggar-kidnapped Her heart tightened as she clicked on it. She saw a four-year-old kidnapped and sent away to beg for money. Luckily, the girl found her family and her parents reported it to the police, so the case was closed. That news attracted a lot of attention. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Grandma Granger saw the clip of the girl hugging her mother while crying, and her heart tightened further. She was worried about Momo. She wandered around without a family member, after all. What if she came across some bad people? i Furthermore, Momo treated her as her grandmother, but she had not contacted her for so many days. What if some bad guys got to her? Grandma Granger turned pale at the thought and wanted to call the police, but she then stopped. All she knew was Momo¡¯s name. She did not even remember how she looked nor how she could find her... Grandma Granger was stressed out and felt burdened. She helplessly ced down her phone and looked out the window. She sighed. She hoped the girl had found her mother, and that was why she did not contact her... Charmine was practicing in the study room as she prepared for thepetition the next day. She opened the window, and as the bristles of her brush grazed the paper, butterflies gradually flew in from the outside. They stopped on the paper and danced around. Charmine''s red lips curled into a smile, i If she could attract so many butterflies already, she could do the same on the following day as well! She ced down the brush and outstretched the bony fingers of her right hand. A butterfly perched on her finger and fluttered with its wings, unafraid of her. She reached out again, and the butterfly, somehow understanding hermand, flew to her left hand. Over the moon, Charmine wanted to ask Anthony to look at her, but she found that he was already staring at her-and longingly, at that-when she turned, i She halted and asked, ¡®Why are you looking at me like that?" chapter 1289 chapter 1289 Anthony looked at her. ¡°I''m watching you as you attract the butterflies." Charmine frowned. He seemed rather off ever since she told him about Frank''s operation. Was he not supposed to be happy? Why did he seem so worried? "Anthony..." Charmine wanted to ask him what bothered him when knocks were heard on the door, and in came Frank¡¯s gentle voice, "Charmine, are you asleep?" Charmine decided to drop it in the end as she answered, "Not yet." She walked to open the door. It opened to reveal Frank, dressed in a white robe, as he stood outside the door elegantly. "Come on in, Frank." "No, thank you." Frank handed a small box to her. "This is the ink I madest night, and there are also other inks, brushes, and papers. These are for yourpetition tomorrow. They''ll help." Charmine took it from him and eyed the box. "Frank, you''re too kind." The equipment looked very high-end. She never saw Frank use them before. Perhaps these were his collections? "As long as they help," said Frank gently. "Yeah. Thank you, Frank." "You¡¯re wee. Rest early." "Okay," said Charmine. "If you have any problem with your stay, juste and find me." "Okay." After Frank left, Charmine shut the door and turned back to the room, and Anthony eyed the things in her hands. Charmine felt his eyes on her and thought he was furious again. Her red lips parted slightly as she wanted to exin herself before there was a knock on the door again. It was Guy. "Ms. Jordan," he announced himself. As she paused for a moment, she looked at Anthony before she ced down everything at hand and headed to the door. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. "What is it, Mr. Granger?" Guy noticed that Anthony was also in her room. His tall figure thus remained outside the door as he reminded, "You haven''t had the migraine today. If you do get itter on, juste and find me, no matter howte it is. You won¡¯t disturb me." i Charmine nodded. "Okay." She grew suspicious after Guy left. Why did both Frank and Guye to her at the same time? She closed the door and went back to the room, only to notice Anthony''s burden-filled expression and eyes. She sighed. Was he angry? She pursed her lips and exined, "Anthony, Frank came to give me his collections for thepetition tomorrow. Guy came to let me know I can look for himter on if I have a migraine." Anthony narrowed his eyes and beckoned her toe as he gently called out, "Come." Charmine did not understand him and eyed him suspiciously. What was the matter? Strange, it was. Charmine sat next to him, and Anthony reached out to embrace her. His solemn eyes studied her face as he looked at her forehead, then to her eyes, to her nose, and to her sexy red lips. After a long while, he said, "I know." He was not angry at all. He was just emotional. It assured him how many others would care about her if he became paralyzed or entered the vegetative state. With that, he could go look for Jenny andplete his end of the deal. chapter 1290 chapter 1290 Charmine grew even more suspicious. Anthony knew? Why did he look at her like that, then? She thought he was angry at her again! Anthony met her gaze and caressed her face. He gulped and asked," Charmine, if I ever be vegetative one day-" "Nonsense!" Charmine stopped him as she put a finger to his lips before he could finish. She frowned and looked at him. "Anthony, why do you keep asking me that?" He even asked her yesterday what she would do if he became paralyzed. Anthony said gently, "Nothing...just asking." Charmine fell silent for a while and thought of what happened in the past two days. There was only one possibility! He could be asking her all that because he saw how she cared for Frank. He wanted to know what she would do if it happened to him, did he not? Charmine frowned. What a prideful man! Her clear eyes gazed into him as she earnestly spoke, "Don''t worry, Anthony. Let alone going paralyzed, I won''t leave you even if you''re in a vegetative state. I''m not someone who gives up. I chose you, and I''ll stand by my choice till the end." Her words were filled with conviction and bravery, and it jolted Anthony. His dull gaze brimmed with emotions as he held her tightly. "Okay. I know." As he knew all that, he would die for her. Charmine cuddled in his arms and finally understood. He acted all weirdly for the past two days because he was thinking of those problems? How would any of that ever happen to him?! Anthony stroked her long hair gently. "Go and practice.¡± "Okay." Charmine then left his embrace and headed to the window to pick up her brush once more, i Anthony stood behind her as he gazed at her. He wanted to take in every look and smile of hers and keep them in his head. Even if he lost his memories one day, even if he forgot everything, he wanted to remember how beautiful she was. On the next day... Luke entered the vi and said politely, "Boss, the car is ready." Anthony acknowledged it. With someone in mind, he turned into the room. Charmine was doing her makeup. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g He walked toward with a gentle look and said, "You''ll go to the venue with them. I''ll take another car with Nial." 1 Knowing that they had not officiated their rtionship, Charmine nodded." Okay." Following that, Anthony sat by her side and watched as she did her makeup. Charmine felt his emotional eyes, and she turned to him. "How am I supposed to do my makeup with you watching?" She had to get changed, too. "You do you, and I do me,¡± came Anthony''s nonchnt reply. Charmine was at a loss for words. She had no choice but to continue her makeup. Once done, she took the gown and said, "I''m about to get changed." He stood up and walked to her. "I''ll help you." "No need." Charmine was ufortable. "I''ll do it myself." "Can you zip up your back?" he asked seriously. Charmine was dumbfounded. "Alright." Following that, he gently helped her to put on the gown. Once done, he took a belt and tied it around her skinny waist. Charmine looked at him coldly. "All done?" Anthony nced at her, stunned by her once again. The ck, fierce long gown seemed as if it was customized for her. It was simr to her cold temperament: elegant, exquisite, and unruly. He reached out to fix her hair as he, with a twinge of regret, responded, "It¡¯s done." chapter 1291 chapter 1291 Charmine looked utterly ethereal, yet Anthony was not her plus-one. "Okay." Charmine took up the box by the side and donned her heels. Her disposition became even more charming. Anthony fixed her gown and held her hand as they headed downstairs. Nial was floored as they got out of the vi. "So beautiful," he gushed unconsciously, but one look from Anthony, and he looked away instantly. Charmine held on to his hand and walked out of the vi. Anthony opened the car door for her and covered her head from hitting against the door frame, i When he was sure Charmine was settled in, he looked at her meaningfully as if he was reassuring her, TH be behind you.'' Charmine nodded. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. He then watched as Guy and Frank got into the car as well. With tightened fists, Anthony felt awful. When would the world see him with her? Would he still have a chance in life? Yvonne was thest to enter, and Anthony shot her a nce. It was apparent that he wanted her to make sure Charmine and Guy did not get too close. Yvonne understood and nodded before she got into the car. Anthony remained on the same spot until the car drove away. His eyes darkened. After a while, he turned around and got into the car behind the first. The two cars traveled at a distance. Anthony leaned into the seat as his solemn gaze eyed the car in front of his. Nial turned to look at him and said, "Bro, do you have to be so worried? She''s in another car, but you look as if you''re going to lose her." Anthony nced at him coldly. "You''re single, so you won''t understand." Hisment dibobted Nial. That was not an attack-that was a full-on insult! The Cultural Olympics was a massive event with participants from all over the world, while the panel consisted of all international figures. The seats behind the panel were all filled up. A participant of another country was performing on stage, and her countrymen cheered for her below the stage. On the other hand, the VIP seats in the front row were all representatives from each country. The performance won the cheers of the audience, and Kansas'' representative turned to look at his people and sneered, "Look at that performance, and listen to all that noise! Ah, we''re sorry, but Kansas will be getting first prize this year!" i As the representative of Burlington, Wayne Lucas nced at him and said," It''s still too early to decide! Charmine isn''t up yet!" "Charmine?" The representative from Kansas frowned. "Who is she?" Wayne''s eyes glinted with pride. "She designed the Magpie Bridge, crushed the No.1 Supermodel Tiffany Jordan, and was involved in all kinds of research. That famous I MU? Yeah, that was her people¡¯s work!" Wayne believed Charmine would score first ce for Burlington. Therefore, no matter who performed or how loud the cheers were, he did not care. The Kansas representative listened but could not help thinking in his head: ''Who''s Charmine? I''ve never heard of her!'' ''She wants to get a first?'' ''She might as well dream about it!'' Behind them, Waverly heard their conversation and had a mocking look in her eyes. Burlington put their hopes on Charmine? Well, they were in for a disappointment, alright! Burlington, including Charmine, would embarrass themselves! Suddenly, there was an uproar at the entrance. She looked over and saw a group of people taking photos. Waverly frowned. Who was that? Even when she came in, only a few paparazzi were taking her photos! i Who would attract so much attention? As she was about to go over and have a look, the crowd dispersed and the person standing in the middle was... chapter 1292 chapter 1292 Charmine? Waverly frowned and sat back down. Hmph! Charmine dressed up so stunningly, but that would go down the drain when she embarrassed herself! Charmine¡¯s skin was even fairer and seemed to glow as she walked in her ck gown. She had a box at hand while her other hand was on Guy. After she answered some questions, she walked in. 2 Behind her, Yvonne held onto Grandma Granger and said to Frank who was by the side, "Stay close to me as we go in, Frank. We have a lot of people right now." "Okay, it doesn''t matter." Frank could hear far and wide, and he could tell that the Cultural Olympics went smoothly. He walked beside Yvonne as if he could see and entered the venue with them. When Charmine entered, Uncle Sam walked over and greeted her," Charmine, you can''t lose this competition! You must get first ce and bring pride to Burlington! Otherwise, we''ll getughed at!" 1 Charmine nced at the dancing participant on stage and looked away calmly. "Don¡¯t worry, Uncle Sam. I''ll get first ce," promised Charmine confidently. Uncle Sam nodded. "Good, good. It''s all down to you!" Charmine saw the LED board showing that it was her turn after two other participants. She did not go elsewhere and went straight to the waiting lounge. 1 However, a few minutester, her head buzzed and started to hurt. The pain went all over her head. The nervous Charmine went to find Guy at the VIP seat. "Mr. Granger, prepare the needle." "Okay." Guy brought the needle and walked to her. "Let''s head to the back." Charmine pursed her pale lips and went to the back with him. Grandma Granger, worried about Guy, followed him. Meanwhile... Britney walked in quickly from the door. When she arrived by Waverly''s side, she said, "Got it." "Good. Now, go! They''re at the back!" Britney nodded and headed to the back. Waverly watched as she walked off and smirked with satisfaction. ''Let''s see what you''ve got to fight against me, Charmine! You so badly want to get first ce, but you won''t even get up on that stage. How to fight me, then? Burlington can forfeit! Without you, there''s no hope!¡¯ Guy helped Charmine to the back. Once they sat down, he took out the needle and precisely pricked his spot. As he waited for the 30-seconds mark, the clicks of high heels against the floor was heard. The three of them turned over to see Britney walking toward them and said, "Grandma Granger, I have a gift for you." 1 Charmine''s face was pale from the pain. She nced at her, but Britney merely shot her a knowing look. She frowned. Waverly''s assistant came to do her bidding! It was an important moment for her. What was Britney up to? Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Grandma Granger looked at her calmly. "What gift?" Britney''s phone lit up as she showed her a certain clip. Grandma Granger peered to look at it. When she saw it was Momo, the girl she missed dearly, her heart skipped a beat. Oddly... The clip showed how Momo went into a rundown public toilet, but when she walked out, he was in a suit and looked like a boy! Grandma Granger stared at the screen, unable toprehend what happened. Britney thought she did not understand, so she said, "Grandma Granger, can''t you tell yet?" chapter 1293 chapter 1293 ''The young girl by your side has always been Charmine''s son! He pretended to be an orphan to win you over, and he used your kindness so Charmine could get those blood transfusions!" "What!?" Grandma Granger''s eyes were filled with cold fury as she growled at Charmine, "Is it true?" Guy took out the needle, about to prick into Charmine¡¯s arm when Grandma Granger stopped him. She red at Charmine. ''Tell me!" She was so worried about Momo during the days in the bamboo forest that she barely slept, yet the child turned out to be Charmine''s son! He lied to her! "Grandma..." Guy looked at the aching Charmine who was in pain and exasperatedly urged, "We''ll talk later." He wanted to prick the needle into Charmine, but Grandma Granger grabbed and mmed the needle onto the floor. "I asked you a question, Charmine!" Charmine had lost consciousness in pain and was confused. A young girl? Momo? What happened? Momo did this behind her back? "I don''t know anything..." she groggily replied. "You don''t know?" Grandma Granger smiled coldly. "How else would he know how to trick someone so cleverly if you didn''t teach him?! Ask him toe, now! Let''s see if it''s true or not!" Charmine''s head hurt so badly that she had no energy to think. Seeing that she did not answer her, Grandma Granger¡¯s hands trembled. She was furious at the thought of how she was betrayed by a little girl whom she treated like a family. 1 Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g She turned to look at Guy. "Hurry, find Momo!¡± "Grandma, Charmine is going on stage soon,¡± fought Guy. ¡®This is a national matter. Let her have the needle now, and we''ll talk about this after the competition." "Shut up!" Grandma Granger growled at him, ''The two of them lied to me, yet you''re siding with her! If you''re not calling, I''ll ''invite'' him over myself!" With that said, Grandma Granger was about to phone her bodyguards to grab Momo over when footsteps were hearding from the door. Anthony arrived at the venueter. When he did not see Charmine, he asked Yvonne. When he was told that she was at the back, he rushed over. He did not expect to see this. He walked to Charmine''s side. Seeing how she suffered, he frowned and looked at Guy. "Why are you not helping her?" "Just in time, Mr. Bailey!" Grandma Granger handed the phone to him. ''You two have done a despicable act for Guy''s blood! You even used your own son!" When Anthony heard her words, he looked at the phone and saw that the boy in the clip was indeed Chris! His expression grew stoic as he phoned Luke instantly. "Where is Momo?" "Next to me," Luke answered. ''Young Master said he wants to watch Madampete, so I went over to fetch him." "When will he get here?" "We''re at the door!" "Bring him to the back, right now!" snapped Anthony. "Okay." Luke hung up and looked at Chris. ¡®Young Master, what have you done to have angered President Bailey?" He sounded very angry. Very angry! 1 What infuriated Anthony so badly? chapter 1294 chapter 1294 "Hmm..." Chris blinked and said innocently, "Nothing. Daddy has been outside in the past few days. Haven''t I stayed home diligently?" Luke thought of how he was by his side in the past few days. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. He was not to be med, was he? The car pulled over, and Luke carried him into the venue. When Anthony hung up, he looked at Grandma Granger and said coldly, "I¡¯ll give you an exnation for this. Now..." He looked at Charmine, who seemed embroiled in agony, and ordered Guy, "Needle!" Guy instantly took the needle. The prick he did was wasted, but just as Guy wanted to prick his arm again... Grandma Granger grabbed the needle from him. "Before this gets cleared up, there''s no way Guy is helping her!" Anthony''s face turned a few shades colder as his clear knuckles clenched tightly, so much so that his veins protruded. Britney crossed her arms in satisfaction as she stood at the sidelines. Charmine wanted topete against Waverly? Howughable! She would not even get to go up on stage! Burlington would lose, no doubt! i For extra measures, she added, "Oh, right. Don''t get too angry, but I have something else to inform you. Back in the hospital, the person who stole your ring was also arranged by Chris! He wanted to trick you!" As she spoke, she showed a few other photos to Grandma Granger. They consisted of Chris talking to the ''thief''. Grandma Granger was so angry that her temples pulsated. She was so emotional back then, only to know Chris set her up! She would get back at that boy! Then... Luke rushed into the room with Chris in his arms, and he sensed the tense atmosphere. He slowly put Chris to the floor and asked, "Boss, what happened?" Grandma Granger studied Chris'' facial features, and she glowered even more. No proof was needed. Chris was indeed Momo! The kind-hearted Momo who she missed so dearly and took her ring back for her merely used her! Her expression turned viciously cold as her whole being trembled. Anthony eyed Chris coldly and asked, "Did you dress up as a girl to lie to Grandma Granger?" Chris blinked his big eyes and looked at Grandma Granger who was by the side. He knew that could no longer continue the charade, thus he lowered his head. "I lied to Grandma about my identity, but that''s because I didn''t want to see Mommy in pain..." With that said, he turned to Grandma Granger and carefully held her hand." Grandma, I''m sorry. I-" Before he finished, Grandma Granger swung his hand away. "I don''t want to listen to your exnation! Go away! I was so worried about you and feel so bad for you every day, yet you lied to me! Get out of my sight; I don''t want to see you anymore! I won''t allow Guy to help Charmine anymore!" i She growled and showed no hint of kindness in her tone. She looked at Guy and ordered, "Come home with me, now! All of them are liars! They''re bad people! Don¡¯te close to any of them!" "Grandma," Guy frowned. As he looked at the suffering Charmine, he remained seated and did not budge, i Grandma Granger''s face went pale with anger. "You''re not leaving? Do you want me to die or something!? Come with me! Now!" she shrieked as she reached out to grab Guy. Seeing that Guy was about to leave, Chris rushed and clung onto Grandma Granger¡¯s arm. chapter 1295 chapter 1295 "I¡¯m sorry, Grandma. This is my fault, but I didn¡¯t have a choice. I genuinely treated you as-" "Go away!" Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. All out of patience and with no intention to talk, Grandma Granger tossed Chris aside. His small frame fell backward as he rammed against the cold, hard floor. 1 Grandma Granger jolted. She did not mean to use that much force... She pitied him, but as she recalled what he had done, she pushed it to the back of her head and insisted to pull Guy away. Chris sat up from the ground and hugged her leg as he pitiably whimpered," Grandma, before you leave, hear me out, okay? Daddy took me, an infant all green and blue, from the morgue. Everyone thought I was a dead baby, but Daddy found out that I was still breathing. I was lucky I survived, but surviving still made me suffocated. I''ve seen how other kids have their mothers from a young age, and they so happily get to hug them. Me? Grandma and Grandpa hate me, nobody likes me, and everyone calls me a '' wild breed''!" As tears brimmed in his eyes, Chris sobbed, "All these years, Mommy Charmine was the only one who truly liked me and treated me well, and that is why I never want to see her suffering. She''s my only Mommy-I don¡¯t want her in pain!" 1 His tears free-fell as he finished. Grandma Granger''s cold heart was moved. Chris was so pitiable since he was a child? Charmine, after having heard everything, turned to Chris with ache-filled eyes. Chris endured so much heartache, yet not only did she fail to protect him, but she even made him worry... Chris sniffed with his reddened nose and continued, ¡®Yes, I''m guilty of lying to you, Grandma, and I¡¯ve been repenting and living in guilt...but I don¡¯t have a choice. I can''t lose my Mommy, I don''t have a choice... When you''re not around in the past few days, I went to repent at the temple and prayed for your health." As he spoke, his pudgy hands took out a silver packet and a drawing. He gave them to Grandma Granger. "Grandma, this is a packet for your good health; it''ll keep you safe. There is jade in it, and I picked it for you," he said as he showed her the jade, and inscribed on it was Grandma Granger''s name, birth date, and ''stay safe¡¯. The small jade stone was difficult to carve. Coincidentally, his small hands looked worn out. Grandma Granger instinctively thought of how he carved it all with his tiny hands, how he bled, and her heart softened. Chris said, "Although in the beginning, I got close to you to lie to you, I genuinely grew to miss you. You''re way more friendlier than my Grandma. When you''re not around these days, I drew you a painting." Luke next handed her an oil painting with vibrant colors. It looked real and showed a lot of effort. Grandma Granger was inwardly moved, and her nose became sour. After she hesitated for a few seconds, she reached out to ept it. Chris sniffed his reddened nose and muttered, "Grandma, you can me me. You may hit me and yell at me, but please save my Mommy, okay? I don''t want to lose my Mommy, and I don''t want to be a Mommy-less wild breed..." Grandma Granger saw how pitiable he was and thought of the things he did for her. With her heartstrings tugged, she helped him up to his feet. His feelings for her, regardless of what he did, were true, at least. "Okay,¡± she finally responded, much to everyone''s shock. Even Chris was shocked. Grandma Granger agreed? She forgave him? chapter 1296 chapter 1296 Grandma Granger looked at Guy and said, "What are you doing, being stunned there? Do you want her to suffer?" Guy reacted as he took the needle and pricked himself again. Britney''s eyes widened at the turn of events, unable to believe what she saw. Drats! How could that be? Why were things different from what she expected? 1 How could that old woman forgive Chris so easily? She was rooted where she stood as she watched Guy stabbed the needle into Charmine''s arm. Would Charmine be able topete after all? Britney knew things were not in their favor, so she hastily turned and walked back into the venue. The scene was chaotic. The host called out from the stage once more, "Burlington''s representative, Charmine Jordan, you have two more minutes. If you don''t show up, you''ll forfeit your chance." Those from other nations, meanwhile, cheered in unison, "Forfeit! Forfeit! Forfeit! Last prize! Last prize!" Wayne, Uncle Sam, Uncle Pop, and others sweat bullets. Where did Charmine go? They could not call her! When the representative of Kansas noticed how Wayne panicked, he scoffed coldly, "What¡¯s wrong? Weren¡¯t you so confident earlier? What I think is that she saw the dancing candidate as too competitive. She didn''t want to lose, so she was too scared toe up on stage, isn''t that right?" 1 "Hahahaha!" Representatives of other nations guffawed at that. Wayne''s face turned pale. Time was running out, yet Charmine was nowhere to be seen... Did Burlington have to forfeit after all? Burlington would be ashamed for at least the next ten years if they did! Waverly, who was on the VIP seat, smirked with her red lips. She looked at the yelling crowd with satisfaction. Charmine would not show up in that remaining one minute, Burlington would lose! Suddenly... Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Just as Waverly felt gratified, Britney rushed over in a hurry. "It¡¯s bad! The old woman simply forgave Chris, and Charmine is now receiving the needle!" "What!?" Waverly''s expression faltered as she looked at the time-50 seconds left! She stood up as she scrambled to think of how to stop Charmine in the next 50 seconds when the hall fell silent. It was followed by a loud cheer... Waverly looked over to see Charmine walking over in her ck gown with a box at hand. She made her way up to the stage. Charmine exuded an air of confidence as she said, "My apologies for my untimeliness." The host looked at the time and said gently, "Forty seconds left. You¡¯re notte! Let''s start." Waverly''s face turned paler at that. She looked like a deted ball as she fell back onto her seat. Britney looked at Charmine, who was the center of attention, and whispered, "Why don''t we ask people to drag her down now?" "Idiot! Waverly red at her darkly. She raised her hand and wanted to p her face before she suddenly remembered she was in public. She put down her hand and kicked Britney''s ankle with her heels and stood on her. Britney bit her lips and did not speak up. After a while, Waverly retrieved her long, skinny leg as if nothing happened. She remained seated elegantly. "Get out!" Britney''s ankle was in so much pain, yet all she could do was nod politely before she walked away in pain. On the stage, Charmineid out her paper and dipped the high-end ink with her brush. She instinctively turned her gaze toward the VIP seats. When she saw Anthony and Chris seated among the people, she was reassured and made a gesture. chapter 1297 chapter 1297 With Charmine''s gesture, an assistant instantly went on stage with a wooden rack with two long scrolls by its side. The music yed. Charmine held the brush as she wrote on the paper to the rhythm of the music. Each stroke was like a dragon that danced in the air; omnipotent yet elegant. As her brushnded, butterflies started to flutter her way from all directions, and what started as just a few then grew into tens and hundreds. Some rested on the paper while some danced around her brush. Even though her hand was moving, the butterflies remained where they were, unintimidated. The audience watched on with disbelief. They were so shocked that they forgot to cheer! Butterflies... So many butterflies! Charmine''s writing attracted that many butterflies? It was the twenty-first century! How magical! Everyone was bewildered at the sight, yet Charmine was unfazed as if she was in her own world. She continued to write, and with her powerful wrist, each stroke and brush sshed with the ink. Word after word appeared on the paper. [Seventy Winds and Tides, Make My Burlington Proud Again!] Each word was carefree and powerful. The butterflies seemed as if they felt the pride from the ink, so much so that they pranced around the word ''proud''! Everyone was mystified. What majestic writing! What a powerful sentence! Dressed in a ck gown, Charmine merged with them, valiant and powerful for all eyes to see. The finale was when she ced down her brush and waved her hands in the air decisively. The fluttering butterflies flew away and gradually left... Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g The hall remained silent for a few more seconds before everyone acted as if they just woke up from a dream. One of them sighed, "How beautiful!" Instantly, the audience apuded like thunder as they rambled excitedly. "How shocking! Charmine''s writing genuinely attracted butterflies! How did she do it?" "No one has seen that before!" "This is a first! How magnificent!" "How is she so outstanding? She''s the best of the best!" The apuse and the murmurs did not cease even as Charmine''s performance had ended. Charmine had a cold, confident look on her face. She was gant as she bowed with her box. It was a perfect ending. The apuse became even louder until she went down the stage. They talked about her for a long while and did not stop, 1 When Frank heard how everyone talked about and praised Charmine, his lips curled into a faint smile. Charmine was Charmine, captivating as always, be it three years ago or after! Charmine went off the stage as her eyes met Anthony''s gentle gaze. She instinctively wanted to walk to him, but as she recalled something, she paused before turning to sit by Guy''s side. Guy looked at her with admiration in his eyes. "Ms. Jordan, you''ve done a fabulous job!" Charmine smiled faintly. "Thank you." By the side, Chris pulled a face. "I want to sit with Mommy." Anthony rubbed his head as his eyes went duller. "You can see her when we get hometer," he spoke. Chris was not happy. He widened his eyes and looked at his Mommy sitting with another man. Waverly looked at Charmine coldly, and her eyes were filled with rage. She was the next one up! With Charmine receiving such good feedback, she would pale inparison as she was up next. It would be all awkward! She red at Charmine angrily. She even wanted to kill her! As expected... chapter 1298 chapter 1298 When Waverly got to the stage, due to the overly-excited crowd from Charmine''s performance, Waverly''s performance seemed boring and unusually quiet inparison, i It was quiet. Some even used the time to go to the washroom, buy things, or get food. Half of the audience went away. When the panel saw this, they all shook their heads. Waverly''s face turned pale. She trembled with anger but finished her performance as she bit her lip. Only a handful of people pped for her when she got off the stage. Waverly went straight to the back, into her dressing room, and shut the door with a loud bang. The thought of it all only enraged her more as she swept everything off of her desk, causing them to crash on the floor. ''Charmine Jordan! You may have embarrassed me today, but I''ll make sure you get it ten or a hundred times worse!¡¯ 3 Waverly looked at herself in the mirror, and her eyes darkened balefully. The solo-talent show of the Cultural Olympics had ended. The panel graded their favorites, and the staff quickly calcted the marks. Within ten minutes, the host got the result. When he saw the first name, he mouthed ''whoa'' before he announced," The First Prize winner of the Solo-Talent Competition is...Charmine Jordan!" 1 Instantly, the tense venue was filled with apuse. Chris apuded with his small hands like a small penguin. "Mommy is so awesome! Mommy is so awesome!" Anthony felt pleased, but that burdensome feeling greeted him again. Charmine deserved to be so stunning. She should not let him bring her down and suffer so much... Guy heard the host announcing her name, and he beamed," Congrattions, Ms. Jordan!" "Thank you." Charmine stood up and walked onto the stage gantly and proudly. Wayne grinned from ear to ear. He pped so hard that his hands turned red and painful, yet he continued to p. As expected, Charmine was Charmine! 1 She disappointed no one! The representatives of all other countries watched as he cheered for her. They felt bitter, but they had to let him. Her skill proved that she was, no doubt, Number One. Even Frank apuded her as his clear eyes looked in the direction of the stage. s, he could only imagine Charmine''s performance and her receiving the prize. He felt a sense of regret that he could not watch everything on his own. Waverly must have bribed someone from the panel to have gotten the second prize! She stood by Charmine''s aide, and her smile stiffened. Ugh! Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. She deserved the center, and the apuse was hers! Charmine took everything from her! She was filled with hatred, yet she maintained a pleased disposition outwardly with a faint smile on her face. She then shook hands with Charmine and then the third prize winner. The three of them walked off stage with their prizes. When they walked to the back, Waverly red at Charmine''s cold figure and mocked, "Congrattions for mastering this witchcraft!" Charmine scoffed, ''The witchcraft got me first ce, but it''s sad you don''t even know witchcraft!" "You...!" Waverly''s face turned green. She did not know how to refute. "Oh, one more thing.¡± Charmine looked at Waverly''s green face. Her sexy and red lips curled up stunningly as she added with a grateful tone, ''Thank you for exposing Momo. I know now how much he actually cares for me." chapter 1299 chapter 1299 "Speaking of which, you''re quite pitiable. You can¡¯t get Anthony''s heart, and even Momo doesn¡¯t like you." Waverly was furious. "Shut up!" Charmine continued and took out her phone, shaking it before her face." This is my gift in return! Enjoy!" Waverly nced at the screen and saw... The hot topics on Twitter were all about her! #Although Waverly Was Anthony''s Fiance, Anthony Never Talked To Her. He Did Not Even Look At Her. #Anthon/s Son Would Rather Have Another Woman As His Mother! These two articles attracted a lot of gossips, and included in them were such as the following: [Her? A useless woman? It''s only natural Anthony won''t like her!] [Children are innocent; they like whoever likes them. If Anthony¡¯s son didn''t want to be with this woman, this shows that she didn''t treat him well.] [Waverly isn''t a good woman. She must¡¯ve threatened Anthony to be with her and forced him to make her his fiancee.] [She used to tell lies and embarrassed Anthony. What did she do this time for the kid to hate her?] [She must have quite the attitude! A b*tch!] Waverly clenched her fists tightly. She red at Charmine. "Charmine Jordan!" "What''s the hurry? None of us panicked when you had Britney drop that gift on us. Now, it¡¯s time for you to enjoy your gift!¡± sneered Charmine with a smirk. She then put away her phone and left arrogantly. Waverly''s face turned pale with anger. She red at her back viciously with tight fists. Charmine! She would make her pay! Waverly then saw how the reporters surrounded Charmine. ring at her, a thought visited Waverly as she picked up her phone to make a call. Within half an hour... The news regarding her and Anthony were pushed down and reced by: #GuyandCharmine They were engaged. One was a Navy General Commander, and the other was a powerful mogul. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. They were a well-regarded couple. [OMG! The man is handsome, and that woman is beautiful! They''re such a great match!] [I''m fully supportive of this marriage!] [This is what a great match is like. They''re perfect! One is a general, and one is a mogul. A perfect match!] [Guy gazing at Charmine is the definition of head-over-heels! How admirable!] [I love this couple! If they don''t get married, I¡¯ll write my name upside down! ] The discussions increased. This topic was very well-discussed and became the no.1 searched topic on Twitter, 1 Inside Violet Residence... Anthony, once he got home, used hisptop to sort out some matters when he read the news. His expression fell. Noticing how angry he grew, Charmine ced down her phone and walked to his side. "Ignore this news. All you have to know is that I only care about you. You''re my number one." Anthony was angry at this news, not at Charmine with Guy. He wanted to cherish every moment left to spend with her. Why would he have time to get mad at her? He hugged her, and his eyes darkened. A perfect match, huh? Guy was indeed a good match for Charmine. If he became paralyzed in the future, should he agree for them to get together? Charmine saw how dejected he became, and she frowned. "If you mind, I can draw a line between Guy and me in public." Anthony looked at her and lifted her face by her chin. chapter 1300 chapter 1300 Anthony forced Charmine to look him in the eyes, and his dull gaze was fixed on her delicate face. "Don''t think or do that; I only want you to get safe. Use Guy as a decoy. That''s the best solution for now." Charmine frowned. "Why do you not seem happy, then?" "It''s not because of that..." It was because of... Anthony''s eyes darkened. His time with her was running out. He was worried that if he became paralyzed or vegetative... Charmine frowned. "Why?" "Just emotional." "About what?" asked Charmine suspiciously. "You¡¯re so..." Stunning. He was afraid he was not good enough for her. "Daddy!" The door opened as Chris walked in before Anthony could finish what he wanted to say. Charmine came out of Anthony''s embrace and held Chris'' hand. As she recalled what he said to Grandma Ganger, a maternal, loving expression blossomed on her face. Chris looked at Charmine and said, "Mommy, Grandma forgave me! She epted my drawing, and she''s happy for a night!" Charmine ruffled his head. "Good." Chris noticed how steely Anthony looked. As he thought of what happened in the afternoon, he said cautiously, "Daddy, Mommy, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t tell you both before getting involved..." Anthony looked at him gently. "It''s fine." Chris did all that for Charmine. Why would he me him? "We''re not angry," corrected Charmine, "but I hope you won''t sneak out this way in the future. It''s not safe." "Yes. No matter what you do in the future, you have to tell your Mommy. Don¡¯t make her worry," added Anthony. Charmine heard this and frowned. Why did that sound strange? Did he tell Chris to tell her? He was Chris¡¯ father. Was he not supposed to be told? Chris nodded diligently. "I know." Chris held onto Charmine and Anthony and said, "Daddy, Mommy, Uncle Nial made dinner to celebrate. Let''s go down and eat." "Okay." Chris was ted as he held his Daddy and Mommy. Simrly, Anthony felt a surge of warmth within him as they held hands. Following that, he hugged Chris and held Charmine''s hand. Chris blinked and looked at his handsome face. "Daddy, I can walk." "It¡¯s tall. Don''t fall." "Haha!" Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Chris happily hugged Anthony by his neck, and Charmine watched on with a smile. Anthony carried Chris downstairs as his gaze grew weary. Would he still have a chance to carry him and give him this sense of security someday? At dinner, everyone was happy and made toasts. Anthony remained calm, but deep down, the burden piled up on him. He leaned on the seat and drank his wine. He looked at the table full of people celebrating. Instantly, this scene reyed in his head like a movie. Every movement andughter were embedded deeply in his head... i Far away by another pier, Sherlyn Wicks saw the news regarding Guy and Charmine. She was very excited. "Thisdy isn''t bad at all," she gushed to Tim Granger giddily. "She won the first prize on behalf of Burlington. I saw on the news that she¡¯s also into medical research. She''s achieved a lot!" Tim took a look and nodded. "She''s not bad at all. Good enough for our Guy." i Sherlyn made a decision right away. They were going home! chapter 1301 chapter 1301 Sherlyn and Tim must not let that ideal daughter-inw slip right out of their hands! Since Burlington won the first prize in the Cultural Olympics, the country celebrated the victory by having a national holiday. With that, the couple rushed home hastily. Sherlyn went home and did not see anyone. She phoned Guy. "Guy, your father and I are home. Why are none of you here?" "Mom, you and Father are back?" Guy was ted; he had not seen his parents for a longtime. However, he did not exin where he was and instead said, "Grandma and I wille home now." "Okay." Guy went downstairs to look for Grandma Granger. "Grandma, my parents are home. Let''s go home and meet them." "Sherlyn and Tim are home?" Grandma Granger was excited. "Let''s go home." Since Guy had helped Charmine with her migraine, he told her he had to head home with Grandma Granger before they made their way back. When Guy and Grandma Granger entered the residence, Sherlyn and Tim walked out to wee them. The two of them helped to support Grandma Granger. "Mom, why were you two not home?" "We went out to sort out some things," said Grandma Granger. Tim nodded and did not question further as he supported her to get inside. Sherlyn, on the other hand, turned around to hold Guy''s arm. She looked at him and said, "Son, have you lost weight?" "I did?" repeated Guy. "I don''t think so." Grandma Granger scoffed, "You prick needles into your arm every day. Of course you''ve lost weight!" "Grandma!" Guy''s face sank. Sherlyn frowned. "What does that mean, prick needles every day?¡± "Ask your son!" Grandma Granger did not bother to speak more as she walked into the living room. Tim quickly held onto her and sat on the sofa. Sherlyn and Guy walked over. "Son," she began, "what is this about?" "Nothing, Mom. Don''t ask." Guy feared his parents would know, thus he shrugged them off and poured tea forthem instead. Sherlyn did not ask further questions about that. She thought of her reason foring home and quickly said, "Son, thedy who attended the Olympics with you yesterday... Is she your fiancee?" Guy exined, "That''s what we''re known for, but she''s actually..." ''That¡¯s good," Sherlyn cut him off. "She''s quite amazing. Her name is Charmine Jordan, isn''t it? Since you''re engaged, hurry up and marry her so your father and I can get a grandchild soon! We''ve been waiting for many years!" Tim nodded in agreement. "Right! She''s a good match. Her personality and temperament make her good enough to be our inw!" Guy frowned. "Mom, she won¡¯t marry me, and I won''t marry her." "Why? Aren''t you two engaged?" Guy exined, "Charmine is married." "She''s your fiancee, isn''t she?" Sherlyn frowned. "How''s she married?" "She''s not my fiancee, per se. It''s a misunderstanding and rumor on the inte," exined Guy and did not want to cause Charmine any trouble. He added, "Mom, Charmine and I have no chance." This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. Sherlyn was confused. "What''s the matter?" Grandma Granger scoffed, "She¡¯s using your son to protect her husband and treat her body. Your son is a fool and agreed to it." "Grandma!" Guy frowned. ''That''s not true!¡± Sherlyn looked at Guy and then at Grandma Granger. "Mom, you''ve confused me. What happened, exactly?" chapter 1302 chapter 1302 Grandma Granger did not bother to borate as she clipped, "All you have to know is that they won¡¯t be getting married." Sherlyn squinted before she understood. Guy liked Charmine, but she did not like him? That was easy! The Grangers possessed an impressive family background, and so many women would queue to marry Guy! She did not believe Charmine would not be tempted. Sherlyn turned to look at Guy. Of course, her son liked Charmine. She was determined to help him marry Charmine! 1 After breakfast, Charmine yed with Chris in the living room when the bell rang. Yvonne went out to open the door, and upon seeing the strangers, she questioned, "May I know who you''re looking for?" Sherlyn looked at her. Was this Charmine? Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Her researchst night informed her that only Charmine and her husband lived in the residence. This woman did not look like the woman on the news. Was it a filter? Did they change her headpletely? Sherlyn was disappointed; this woman''s temperament was not up to her standards. Sherlyn smiled. "Sorry to have disturbed you, Ms. Jordan." "Ms. Jordan?" Yvonne frowned and asked, "Are you here to-" "Who¡¯s here?" Charmine walked to the door as she held Chris¡¯ hand before Yvonne could finish. Sherlyn looked over Yvonne and was caught off-guard when she finally spotted Charmine. She was in a home-dress. She had no makeup on, but her skin looked very healthy; it was fair and spotless. Her temperament was elegant and cold. She was a thousand times better than other wealthy princesses. This... This... This... This was her daughter-inw! So beautiful! Sherlyn quickly said, "Charmine, we¡¯re here for you." Charmine walked over and nced at the two of them and their outlook. She could tell right away. "You''re Guy''s parents, aren¡¯t you?" "Yes, yes, we are." Sherlyn smiled. She liked Charmine even more. Tim, too. Thisdy was highly intelligent and elegant. He rated her 90 out of 100! 1 Charmine thought they came to look for Guy, so she said, "Mr. Granger has gone home." "I know," said Sherlyn and looked at her gently. "We came here for you." Although Charmine was suspicious of why they came for her, she invited," Please,e in." "Great!" Sherlyn turned back at Tim and said, ¡®Thisdy is so mature." With that said, she went in with Charmine while Tim walked aside to enter with a few bags. 1 Yvonne looked at the bags; she could tell they were not cheap at all. What were they up to, with the bags and all? Why did they seem as if they came for a marriage proposal? Upon entering the hall, Sherlyn took the items from Tim and handed them to Charmine. "Look at you, Charmine-you''re so skinny! You should eat more. Here are some nutrients we imported from abroad. They''re good for the skin and body." Charmine nced at the expensive items in hands and ced them down. "Uncle, Auntie, may I know why you came here?" Sherlyn heard her question. She held it in her hand as if looking at her own daughter. "Nothing much," she gently replied. "It''s just that you¡¯re not young anymore. You and Guy have been engaged for long enough, and it''s time for a wedding." Charmine raised her eyebrows. A wedding with Guy? Was there a misunderstanding? "Yeah," Tim chimed in without waiting for Charmine to exin. "Since your mother-inw and I are back for a vacation, pick a date and get the wedding over with.¡± 1 Charmine was speechless. chapter 1303 chapter 1303 Charmine said calmly, "You''ve all misunderstood. I''m married, and..." She turned around to look at Chris. "I have a son." "A son is fine." Sherlyn remained awfully friendly. "We know the kid isn''t yours. Your father-inw and I are open-minded, so we don''t mind that." Charmine found it absurd. Did they know what they were talking about? She looked at the two of them and insisted, "I treat Mr. Granger as a friend. I won''t marry him. I love my husband." Anthony just so happened to descend the stairs then and heard it all. He was moved. He walked over and sat by her side. He ced his arm around her and asked, "What''s going on here?" Charmine said, "They¡¯ve misunderstood. They want me..." "We didn''t misunderstand," Sherlyn cut her off. She then gently said, "I know you''re married, but you¡¯re not official, right? Your father-inw and I don''t mind about this. As long as you treat Guy well, we''ll be happy." Anthony looked at the two of them and realized what was going on. They wanted Charmine to marry Guy? Absurd! Exasperated, Charmine looked at Sherlyn and Tim, insisting, "I¡¯ll never marry Mr. Granger; I don¡¯t feel anything toward him. I hope you don''t misunderstand me." Sherlyn¡¯s smile stiffened. Seeing that Charmine was determined, she did not know what else to say. She did not expect that despite their glorious background and her not minding her rtionships, Charmine still turned her down. Anyone else would have shook on it and called it a day! i Sherlyn looked at Tim helplessly. Tim understood, and his cold face managed to make out a friendly smile, still. "Charmine, I know you''re worried, but it''s okay. Once you think it through, you can let us know." "No need to wait," asserted Charmine. "I won''t consider this. Not now, not ever." She looked at Anthony and Chris. "My husband and son are here, and I¡¯m happy where I am now." Charmine turned back at them with a colder look. "You both are also spewing all this at their faces. You didn''t respect them!" Tim waved and tried to exin, ¡°No, you''ve misunderstood. We don''t mean it like that. We only want you to consider Guy. Your mother-inw and I like you very much, after all." "Yes." Sherlyn nodded and agreed. When Anthony heard that, his hands tightened around Charmine. She could feel his change, and her eyes went a shade colder. "No need. I''ve already made it clear." She was already agitated at that point. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. They kept referring to themselves as her father and mother! Guy and her were nowhere close to that stage! If they were not Guy''s parents, she would have asked them to leave long before! Sherlyn did not give up, sadly. "Charmine, you don¡¯t have to tell us now..." Luke happened toe in at that point. Charmine, unable to take anything from them anymore, ordered, "Luke, ask them to leave!" Sherlyn and Tim felt awkward. They came here to propose a marriage for their son, yet the daughter-in-w asked them to leave! Then again, they thought of how unsavory it was to have discussed it in front of her husband. Sherlyn stood up and said, "Alright, then. We¡¯ll be taking our leave now.¡± Tim stood up as well as he insisted, "Charmine, think it through. Don¡¯t worry too much." "Luke!¡± snapped Charmine. Sherlyn did not look well anymore. She quickly pulled Tim who had more to say away. After a few steps, Charmine''s voice was heard, "Wait up!" chapter 1304 chapter 1304 Sherlyn turned around with a smile. "Have you thought it through, Charmine?" Charmine picked up the expensive items and handed them back to the couple. "Please bring these with you as well." Sherlyn''s smile stiffened as she waved it off. "No need; you keep them. You''re skinny, so you¡¯ll need more nutrients." "No need, thank you." Charmine''s attitude was hard. Sherlyn had to awkwardly take them and left with Tim. i Charmine turned back to look at Anthony who was on the sofa. Noticing his displeased expression, she muttered, ''They had a misunderstanding. Don¡¯t get mad." "I''m not mad," said Anthony. "Your face tells me differently." Charmine studied his ever-dulling expression. Anthony was at a loss for words. He was actually thinking. Guy and Charmine were a good match. Guy, at least, was truthful to her. His parents treated her well and liked her. When Anthony thought of the uncertainties in the future, he felt extremely heavy... Charmine sat by the side, but as she was about to say something, Chris chimed in, "Mommy, let¡¯s go to the back garden to water the nts." "Okay." Charmine stood up and looked at Anthony. "I''ll only be your wife in this life," she promised. Without waiting for Anthony to reply, she walked to the backyard as she held Chris¡¯ hand. Anthony reclined on the sofa, and his eyes darkened as he watched their backs. He was touched, but it did not diminish his anxiety... Sherlyn and Tim went inside the car, but the former did not want to leave. She turned over to say to Tim, "Darling, Charmine must¡¯ve turned us down because her husband is beside her. She treated us so well in the beginning. She¡¯s mature and elegant." Tim thought about it and nodded in agreement. "Right. I think thisdy is smart-she knows what''s good for her. However, her husband was around, so she couldn''t say anything.¡± 1 Sherlyn thought for a few seconds and said, "Hurry and drive." Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g When they arrived home, Sherlyn rushed to her room and found her photo album. She picked a few photos she was satisfied with and put them into her bag. She walked out to the living room where Guy was putting on his shoes by the door. He was worried that Charmine might have a migraine, so he wanted to go back to Violet Residence. Sherlyn looked at him. "Son, where are you going?" Guy pursed his lips and said, "I''m going to buy something." Sherlyn thought of what she had investigated and knew where he was off to. If he went there, how could she speak to Charmine? Sherlyn pulled her husband to them. "Ah, yes. Your father came home and didn''t bring anything to wear. Take him out to go buy some." Guy halted. Tim saw the look in his wife¡¯s eyes and instantly yed along. "Right, I came back in a rush, so I didn''t bring anything. Since you¡¯re going out, let¡¯s go shopping." With that said, he went ahead to put on his shoes without waiting for Guy to reply. Guy halted for a few seconds. He had to leave with his father. Before he left Violet Residence yesterday, he told Charmine to phone him if she had a migraine. He would not go too far away. Seeing the two of them leaving, Sherlyn held her bag and drove out confidently. She came back to Violet Residence and recalled Charmine''s stubborn attitude. chapter 1305 chapter 1305 If Sherlyn rang the doorbell again, Charmine might not even let her in! Sherlyn looked at the vi and went in through the back door. When she arrived at the garden, she heard Charmine''s voice, "Momo, go and ask your Daddy to put on more clothes. Tell him to not catch a cold." "Yeah." Sherlyn''s eyes lit up from the outside. So, was Charmine alone? Good timing! Sherlyn was always brave and straightforward. She tossed her bag inside and then climbed over the wall. 1 She flipped in the air, jumped over the wall, andnded in the garden. Charmine was watering the nts when she heard a thud behind her. She turned back to see an expensive bag on the ground. She frowned, and before she could make out what happened, a figure shed and stood in front of her. She narrowed her cold eyes. Guy''s mother? "Well, Charmine.'' Seeing that Charmine was alone, Sherlyn picked up the bag and walked toward her. "Now that Anthony isn''t around, you can tell me your thoughts," she began. Charmine frowned. "I made myself clear.¡± Sherlyn looked around and said, "I know you said that because your husband was around." With that said, she took out Guy''s photos from her bag. "Look-our Guy is so handsome. He looks fit with clothes on, but underneath the clothes are all muscles. Look, his biceps-" Charmine nced at the photo in front of her coldly and sneered, "What does that mean? I¡¯m not a shallow person." "No, Charmine, don''t say that yet. Hear me out," insisted Sherlyn with a friendly tone. "You get a lot of perks with marrying Guy. He''ll treat you well forever, and he''ll never do you wrong. His father and I are very open- minded; we''ll treat you like our daughter. As you know, we''re a navy family. If you marry him, you won''t have to worry about anything. Your children will be Grangers as well." As she spoke, she thought of how happy they would get along. She held Charmine''s hand and said, "Anthony¡¯s only your current husband who hails from the business side, but it''s dark and evil in the market. He has many enemies, too. With an ident, he might get kidnapped or robbed, and you¡¯ll have to live in fear. ording to my understanding, his parents and family don¡¯t like you. They''re very judgemental..." i When Charmine heard that, she frowned and said coldly, "Apologies, but I chose him, and not his family. When you love someone, you have to ept him fully! Forget the Baileys being hostile. If they don''t have anything, I''m willing to build an empire with them! If you don''t love someone, what does it matter if you get all the wealth in the world? No feeling means no feeling." With that said, she emphasized again while looking at Sherlyn straight in the eyes, "I''ve always treated Guy as a friend. No need to convince me anymore." Sherlyn looked at her with disbelief. She thought Charmine turned her down because her husband was around and that she did not mean it. With everything said and done, however, did she truly have no feelings for Guy?This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. Thinking of how much Guy had said to her, Sherlyn''s eyes turned colder. She looked at Charmine. "Is there no room for negotiation?" Charmine looked at her with determination. "No! I don''t want to say the same thing again for the fourth time!" Sherlyn''s face changed. Charmine and Guy had no chance, huh? Did she n to use Guy, having him help her and use him as her decoy? She was using her son! chapter 1306 chapter 1306 Sherlyn became visibly stoic. "In that case, Charmine, you''ll have to understand one thing: Guy doesn¡¯t owe you anything, and he doesn''t have to help you! Stop having him around if you don''t love him! Don''t expect that he''d help you again!" she seethed as she ced the photos of Guy back in her bag. She then took out her phone to call the bodyguards. She instructed, "Bring Guy home-he can''t leave the house without my permission!" Sherlyn haughtily jumped over the wall once more as she spoke into the phone. Charmine frowned. That woman ced his son under house arrest just to force her into marrying Guy? Absurd! Charmine turned off the water and turned to the living room. She tried to phone Guy, but it oddly did not go through. She squinted at that. How was she supposed to save him if he got locked down? The Grangers were a navy family with a residence of high security... Guy apanied Tim to buy things and went back home after. He was worried that Charmine might have a migraine, thus he rushed out in a hurry. Suddenly... A group of bodyguards in ck suits ran in unison and blocked his path just as he got to the gate. Guy frowned. "What''s the meaning of this?" "Our apologies, Master." With that said, the leading guard said to the other man, "Lock the Master in the house. Without Madam''s order, he''s not allowed to leave!" "What did you say?" Guy widened his eyes in disbelief. Why would his mother lock him down? Before Guy could react, two bodyguards rushed and picked him up by his arms. They dragged him inside. Guy''s face turned green. "Let go of me! What are you trying to do?" The bodyguards replied, "We only take orders from Madam!" "Grandma!" Guy saw Grandma Granger walking out from the hall, and he cried out urgently, "Grandma, stop them!" Grandma Granger rushed over and barked, "What''s going on here? Let go of my grandson!" The leading bodyguard, however, stopped Grandma Granger. "Our apologies, Old Madam Granger, but this is Madam''s order. We can''t disobey it!" Grandma Granger red at him. "I¡¯m the senior of the Granger family. Do you think you can disobey me?" s, those bodyguards worked for Sherlyn and obeyed her alone. They could only apologize and lock Guy in the building. Grandma Granger stomped her feet in panic. She turned to growl at Tim," What''s the matter with Sherlyn? Why did she lock Guy up?" Tim jolted. "She¡¯s locking Guy up? Why?" "I''m asking you!¡± "Don''t panic, Mom!" Tim held onto Grandma Granger who was fuming and walked out. "I''ll call and ask," he assured her. "Hurry!" She dared to lock Guy up right before her! Did Sherlyn not have to consult her?! Tim phoned Sherlyn, and her voice came from the door. "Don''t talk me out." Grandma Granger red at her coldly. ''Why did you lock Guy up?" "Mom, I have my reasons." Sherlyn walked over and helped her to sit. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. "Absurd!" Grandma Granger pushed her hand away. "Release Guy!" Her precious grandson never got locked up in the army, yet all of a sudden, his own mother did? What a joke! "Don¡¯t worry. Mom," Sherlynforted, "I''m not hurting Guy. I have my reasons. Just trust me." chapter 1307 chapter 1307 Tim and Sherlyn exchanged nces before something dawned on him. He then turned to Grandma Granger and reassured her, "Don''t worry, Mom. He''s our son. Why would I let him suffer? Sherlyn cares about him the most. Sherlyn must have her reasons for doing this." 2 With Tim¡¯s reassurance in Sherlyn''s motive. Grandma Granger believed they did not intend to harm Guy. "If I find out that he''s suffering, you¡¯ll all get it bad!" shot Grandma Granger conclusively. Timughed. "Mom, you make it sound serious. We won''t, don¡¯t worry." Sherlyn walked off to see Guy, who looked at her with confusion. "Mom, why did you lock me up?" He did not go against the house rule! "Son, I know you did nothing wrong, but I¡¯ll have to put you here for a while," exined Sherlyn. She did not believe Charmine would make it without Guy helping her! That was why she ced him under a sort of house arrest. The truth was that he was to stay indoors for as many days as it would take for Charmine to agree to the proposal. She woulde to them when she, atst, could no longer stand. Sherlyn held Guy''s hand and said, "Son, don''t me Mom. I''m doing this for your own good." With that said, she turned and left. She gave a cold order to the man who guarded Guy, "Keep a close eye on him. Not even one mosquito can get it. Without my order, anyone who disobeys will be fired from the navy!" Guy looked at her back and thought of what she meant. What did she mean, for his own good? Drats! Guy thought of something, and his brows furrowed. She wanted to keep him from helping Charmine and force her into marrying him! Ridiculous! He finally convinced his Grandma, and his mother was next? What was there to do? With the lock and the guards outside, not even a fly could get through. Let alone him! Guy thought for a while before he recalled that there was another exit! However, that exit could only be opened with his parents, his, or Dior''s fingerprint! His parents would not help, and he was stuck in this prison. The only person would be... Dior! Guy''s eyes lit up as he took out his phone. Thankfully, they did not confiscate his phone! Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Guy had all hopes on Dior as he dialed her number, and... It went through, but nobody picked up! Guy¡¯s heart sank. He stared at his phone that was running out of battery! He phoned a few more times, and nobody picked up. Guy¡¯s hopes were extinguished in an instant. He wanted to phone Charmine, but she could not even get in-she could not do anything. If he told her, she would get worried! Guy held on to the phone tightly. Finally, he sent a text to Dior: [Dior, call me when you see this message! If my phone is turned off, go to the backdoor of the prison to open the door for me! Don''t tell anyone about this! Youe back secretly!] After sending this, the message was like a stone that sank into the seabed. There was no reply. Guy could only stand before the window and looked out at the light... Meanwhile, Dior... Ten days ago, she sessfully found an excuse to not go to the bamboo forest. She drove her car happily as she hummed to the music. Since Harry had his interview at the supermarket outside the hospital, he should have started to work, no? Dior did not hesitate to drive over. She wanted to give him a surprise. However... chapter 1308 chapter 1308 Dior walked around the supermarket but did not see Harry. She stood before the dairy section and frowned. Perhaps he was not on duty? She pursed her lips in disappointment and turned to the staff beside her to ask, "Is Harry working today?" The staff frowned and answered, "Sorry, I''m new here. I don''t know Harry, and I haven''t seen one. Are you at the wrong ce?" Dior was stumped. Did he decide not to work after she gave him money the other day? Hmm... A versatile man was her type! Dior bought so much stuff that filled an entire trolley and walked out of the supermarket. She then drove to the town''s outskirts. She prayed he did not buy a new house and move away! When she arrived at the house he once brought her to, she carried the heavy bags and entered. Her blood felt hot as she thought of seeing his handsome face once more. Then... She was about to knock on the door when she heard a female voice from the inside. "Harry, I''m sorry, but you can¡¯t offer me the life I wanted. Can love fill you up? No, it can''t. Would you want us to live here after marriage?" The woman''s voice grew rather excited as she continued, "All these years, I''m tired. Call me superficial or selfish, but at least that man offered me a life I wanted." Harry, on the other hand, wanted to tell her that she was overthinking! If she chose another man, even though he loved her a lot, he would not keep her! Just as he parted his sexy lips, about to say something, knocks were heard on the door... Dior overheard the woman''s every word. Unable to restrain herself, she opened the door, and... Damn it! It was locked! She knocked and flirtingly called out, "Darling, I''m home." Harry halted. The instant he heard that voice, Dior''s face shed past his mind. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. His tumultuous gaze eyed the tightly shut door before he walked toward it. It was just two steps, however, when Sonia pulled him back and looked at him in disbelief. ¡®Who is she? Why is she calling you darling?" "Darling, I''m carrying a lot of stuff. I''m tired..." sighed Dior. Harry looked at the hand on his arm and snapped, "Let go of me!" Sonia was baffled, startled. It was the first time Harry looked at her and spoke to her with such an attitude after being with him for so long, i Harry took the chance to open the door as she was stunned. Dior put down the bags and hugged Harry, flirtingly saying, "What were you doing? My hands are tired." Harry looked at her emotionlessly. He was going to turn her away, but thinking of something, he looked away and said, "Nothing-just dealing with some personal stuff." Dior halted. He was willing to act along with her, and was it to trigger his girlfriend? Hmph! Dior was good at that! Dior acted as if it was not until then that she noticed Sonia. "Oh? Why is there an outsider at home?" she asked. "Darling, who is she? Why is she in your house? You better give me an exnation! Otherwise, I won¡¯t forgive you, even if you kneel!" Sonia heard what she said, and her eyes widened in disbelief! chapter 1309 chapter 1309 Kneel? Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g This arrogant man, who never lowered his head, would kneel for this woman? Even when Sonia was angry in the past, Harry would only say, "Stop messing around!" All of a sudden, he would kneel for this woman!? Sonia expected he would say the same thing to Dior, but Harry merely responded to her gently, "A friend." Sonia''s head buzzed... Her head felt like it wanted to explode! As her face turned pale, Sonia pointed a shaking finger at Dior as she turned to look at Harry. "Who is she? Have you been with her behind my back all along?" Harry looked at her coldly. As he was about to say something, Dior pulled him behind her and stood in front of Sonia arrogantly. She looked at Sonia from head to toe and had a look of realization on her face. "Oh, so this is that girlfriend of yours!" Dior continued, "What? Weren''t you taken by some rich dude? Why do youe back?" Sonia was furious. She looked up at Harry and asked, "I asked you a question, Harry! Have you cheated on me long ago and been together with her?¡± "What are you yelling for? Don''t you know you have a sharp voice?" Dior scoffed coldly. "So what? Some rich woman can''t sweep him off of his feet, but a rich dude can pick you right up?" 1 Harry was speechless. "You...!" Sonia was so furious that her whole being trembled. Even more annoyingly, Harry did not even say a word! Was he indirectly admitting that what this woman said was true? She took care of him after all?! Dior red at Sonia. "Didn''t you break up with him a long time ago? How he lives now is none of your business!" Sonia bit her pale lip. Dior red at the suitcase in her hand and mocked, "What now? You don''t feel good now that he''s with me? You want him to miss you so much, do you? Well, I''m sorry to have disappointed you!" Dior grabbed Harry''s arm and said, "My darling wasn''t even sad-he''s happy with me. You should go back to your rich dude and be happy with him, missy! Stop getting in our way!" i Sonia''s face went pale in embarrassment. She was right. She broke up with Harry; it was none of her business to question who he was with. She was the one who initiated the break-up... Was he not all over her, though? How could he fall for another woman so soon? Sonia looked at Harry with tears in her eyes. She looked pitiable. Harry met her eyes and felt a pang in his chest. "You disappointed me, Harry," she muttered with pale lips. With that said, she pushed her suitcase away and did not even turn back. Dior was furious. "Ugh! How can you be so shameless? You were so arrogant a moment ago, and now you''re acting pitiable and all!?" "Alright, she''s gone!" sighed Harry. Dior turned to look at Harry who was within her reach. She met his dark eyes, and her heart skipped a beat. "Enough berating?" added Harry. "Err...what? Haha..." Dior smiled awkwardly and reasoned, "I just couldn''t stand and do nothing. Furthermore...¡± She stood upright and looked at him. "Didn¡¯t you y along as well?" chapter 1310 chapter 1310 Harry looked at her deeply and did notment on the matter anymore. He walked past her to tidy up the room, asking, "You here for something?" "Oh, right!" Dior recalled why she came at that moment. "I came to thank you for the needle you gave me. It was very useful." That was an excuse, of course. The truth was that she missed him terribly. She truly, ardently, terribly missed him. "Didn¡¯t you help me earlier as well?¡± said Harry. "We''re equal." "No, no, no. I merely said a few words." Dior would not let the opportunity go to waste as she continued, "You helped me a lot. To thank you, I''d like to bring you to dinner tonight." Harry halted. He should not have prolonged their conversation and kept her there, but he recalled how Sonia and her new boyfriend had a birthday banquet at HG hotel. In fact, she came to invite him to attend. She even expected him to be happy for her. "Alright, then," said Harry atst. Dior had an innocent and nk smile on her face. "What would you like to eat? I''ll make a reservation." "Let''s go to HG Hotel." Dior blinked. She did not expect him to know of that expensive hotel! She nodded. "Okay, let¡¯s go there," she agreed as she took out her phone to reserve a private dining room at HG Hotel. The reservation was at 6.30pm, thus they had to wait. She sat on the sofa and looked at his back, suddenly at aplete loss for words and topic. As silence nketed them, Dior suddenly thought of his job and asked curiously, "Why are you not working at the supermarket anymore?¡± Harry''s expression remained stoic as he did not bother exining. "Yeah," he muttered. Suddenly, he turned back and looked into her eyes. "Didn''t you give me money?" His voice was hoarse and maic. Dior''s heart jolted as she lost all bearings. How sexy! He was already so handsome, and his voice was so soothing. He was surreal. She looked at him nkly and only reacted a whileter. Dior, who was usually arrogant and confident, was not shy. At that moment, however, she stuttered, "L..I thought this ce wasn''t safe to live in, so I gave you money to buy a house..." When she talked about taking care of him, she said so to frustrate that woman. Still, that made her equally happy. Haha! Harry paused for a moment before he calmly replied, "I see. I thought it''s the fees." Dior¡¯s face flushed red. She wanted to say, If you''re willing to, I''m totally fine with that!¡¯ However, his gaze was too intense. Her cheeks flushed at that point as her mind tied a knot in panic. She said, "You... You got it all wrong." Harry said nothing else as he turned away to continue packing up in the room. Dior frowned. She scoffed at herself for not being useful. What was she shameful about? Was she not undefeatable? Ahh, drats! She let a good opportunity go! Nheless, she got to dine with him at night. She had plenty of time. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g She could say it at the right time again! This was a man she lent a hundred million willingly. There was no way she would let go of such a captivating man! Dior was thinking of the candlelight dinner while Harry walked out of the room with a box. She nced at it and noticed that the box consisted of his photos with his ex-girlfriend. Dior blinked. "Why are you packing them?" Harry tossed them at the corner. "Why not? Should I hug them to sleep?" Dior understood. He was letting go of his girlfriend, was he not? Unconsciously, her face broke out into a smile. "Okay," she beamed. chapter 1311 chapter 1311 However, why did he merely leave the photos at the corner? Was he not supposed to toss them away? Darn. He loved that woman so much that he probably missed her! Dior pouted and swore to herself that she had to win this man over! She would be the one throwing out these photos! Thinking of that made her feel gratified. Dior then wanted to ask him out that afternoon, but after sitting in his house for a while, he said he had to do something outside. Speechless, Dior dejectedly returned to the gallery. She was not in the zone throughout the afternoon. In the evening, Dior went home to dress up. After putting on some makeup, she put on the right shade of lipstick. She put on a sexy red gown along with ten-centimeters high heels. She looked haughty, ravishing, seductive, and sexy. Once she finished her makeup, she phoned Harry excitedly, "Are you free yet? I can pick you up." "Yes, I''m free.¡± "Okay, where are you? I¡¯lle and get you." Harry just got in his car, but he got out when he heard Dior¡¯s offer. "ES Mall," he replied. "Okay, wait for me. I''ming over now." "Okay." Dior hung up and thought of how that night was their first dinner together. Her heart skipped a beat. Her thoughts then brought up the possibilities of making him drunk... Dior''s ears grew hot. She picked up her bag and went downstairs. She was not close to the ES Mall; it was quite far. Even so, she could almost see the man smoking by the roadside. He was dressed in his Armani suit, his side-profile facing her. Dark eyes, a slinky body, and a charming, handsome face... Darn it! Somebody should kill her! How was there such a handsome man in the world? Dior did not get enough of him as she stared at him nkly. Her car pulled up beside him. Dior rolled down the window and took out her shades. Her clear eyes looked at him as she haughtily invited, "Come on up." Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Harry still had smokeing out from his mouth, but his charming eyes pierced through the clouds as he eyed her. So beautiful, elegant, and sexy. At that moment, she managed to stun him. However, it merelysted for one second. He no longer permitted love in his world. Harry tossed the cigarette head on the floor. His shiny shoes stepped on it to extinguish it before he opened the car door and went inside. Dior looked away and started driving. "What were you upto in the mall?" she asked. Harry answered emotionlessly, "Buying clothes." Dior jolted. He bought such an expensive suit, just to look good for her? How thoughtful. Her red lips curled into a smirk as shemented, "You have good taste. You look good in it." Harry did not react much. He made a sound of acknowledgment and picked up his phone to work on something. Dior took a nce and saw him chatting with someone. As if sensing her nce, he put down his phone. Dior looked away as well. She already saw the name of the person-[B]. So long as it was not that woman, or she would not be able to eat! When they arrived at the restaurant, she gave her car key to the valet while she walked beside him in her heels. Looking at his handsome side face, she liked him more and more. She was in love. However, the more she looked at him, the more disappointed she felt... So what if he was handsome and perfect? He was not hers. Dior took another look at him and internally decided. It was either she got him, or she would write her name backward! 1 She had to make this man drunk after their dinner. She did not believe he would not fall for her! chapter 1312 chapter 1312 During the meal, Dior kept asking her friend for advice on making a cold man drunk. She asked a pile of questions, and perhaps her friend found it annoying that she phoned her right after. She looked at Harry. She could not answer the call right at his face, but she desperately needed to know. Dior put down her fork and excused herself, "I''ll go to the washroom." "Okay." She walked out and turned a corner to pick up the call. "What is it? Is there a win-win solution?" "Make him drink!" hissed her confidante. "Of course I know that!" retorted Dior. "The question is, how to make him drink more?" He drank only tea throughout their dinner so far, and not once did he touch the alcohol, much to Dior''s chagrin. The friend said, "Tell him how pitiable you are, then. Make it as bad as possible. This way, he''d feel bad for you and pity you. He''d listen to whatever you say.¡± Dior blinked. Tell him how pitiable she was? She had nothing to be pitied over! Oh, the troubles. Dior hung up and looked worried. Was he not the more pitiable individual, yet she had to make herself look more miserable? Dior thought about it for a while yet still failed toe up with something to tell him. Finally, she could only tell about how her ex-boyfriend lied to her and how sad it was. That she thought of him and felt sad. She needed him to drink with her. Perfect! Dior felt good at the idea, but as she turned back to the private room and just as she got to the door... A big man with a pungent alcoholic breath looked at her sleazily. "Prettydy, where are you going? You look so lonely! Are you lonely? Come, drink with me. I can make you so happy tonight." Dior looked at him coldly. "Get off of me." "Ooh, so wild. I like it." The man reached out to hold her against him. Dior squinted and clenched her fists. As she was about to teach him a lesson, she saw someone walking out of the lift... Sonia, and that rich boyfriend of hers old enough to be her father? Sonia seemed to have seen her, too. She held on to her boyfriend''s hand and stared at her coldly. Dior''s eyes lit up. She instantly acted weak and begged, "Sir, please let me go!" "Let you go? Not a chance! Youe with me to have a few drinks, and I''ll let you go." As for how bad she might turn out after drinking or what would happen after that, he could not guarantee! Sonia smiled coldly. She held her new boyfriend and was ready to watch the show. Dior smiled to herself, too. She was ready for her show, was she? This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. Hmph! They would see who was watching who''s show! The vulgar man took pity on her small and pitiable face. "Come. Come with me. I''ll make you happy." Seeing that the man was about to hug her, the pale-faced Dior took a step back and cried out in shock, "Harry! Help me...!" Sonia was about to watch the show, but Harry? "My girl, there¡¯s no use for anyone to save you now." The vulgar man ced his hand on her shoulder with an evil grin. Dior felt a sense of disgust and looked at the door to the room anxiously. Why was he not out yet? She was not worried about her own safety. She just did not want to let go of this perfect opportunity to trigger this woman! chapter 1313 chapter 1313 Sonia crossed her hands at her chest as she red at the man that held Dior. This woman was lying for sure! Harry was so full of himself. He knew she was having her birthday banquet at the same hotel, so he surely would note! All of a sudden, just as Sonia thought of that, the door abruptly opened... Harry walked out with his long legs. His gaze unconsciously swept past Sonia, but he did not want to go that way. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Sonia widened her eyes at him with disbelief. She was so close to where Dior was, yet he did not see her? Also, why was he in the hotel with that woman? Sonia bit her pale lip and blurted, "Harry! Why are you here?" Was he intentionally nking her!? Harry heard her voice and paused for a moment. Following that, he acted as if nothing happened. He did not turn back as he went straight to Dior. He red at the man coldly and snapped, "Let go of her!" The vulgar man turned back and was met with a tall, lean man. "What if I don¡¯t?" he mocked. Harry¡¯s eyes had ayer of frost on. He was cracking his knuckles loudly. The vulgar man saw his stance and jeered, "What? You want to fight me? Well, if you win me, she goes with you. If you lose, you''re a piece of sh*t and shees with me-" Bam! Harry punched his pig face before he could finish. The man staggered a few steps backward before his heavy body fell to the floor. "Wow!" Standing at the sidelines, Dior''s eyes shimmered as her hands patted her cheeks, much like a fangirl would. She gazed at the dashing Harry and proimed instinctively, "So handsome!" "You...damn it! You..." Blood oozed out of the lips of the beaten man as he struggled to get back up on his feet. Drunkenly, he staggered toward Harry. Harry''s eyes were cold. He punched him once more, and his fist put him to the floor once again! Falling onto the floor, the man suffered in pain as he pointed a shaky finger at Hary. s, he merely opened his mouth and fresh blood kept oozing out. He was unable to speak... Harry walked over to put his hands on Dior''s shoulder. "Are you hurt?¡± he asked gently. "No." Dior looked at him lovingly. She recalled that Sonia was watching them and said, "Darling, you looked so handsome earlier. Are you hurt? Let me blow it for you." "It¡¯s okay," dismissed Harry and coldly nced over at Sonia before walking back to the private room. Sonia saw the two of them so in love. Her face went pale and white as she clenched her fists. Suddenly... Sonia saw the vulgar man behind them. Her eyes widened as she cried out in fear, "Harry! Move!" Before the two of them sensed it, a sharp knife stabbed right into Harry''s waist... "Argh!" he moaned and looked down at the knife in his waist. He raised his leg to kick the man a few meters away. "Ah..." The man spat out a mouthful of blood before he fainted. "Harry...¡± Dior did not expect that to happen! She looked at the knife embedded in his waist. "I.J''II bring you to the hospital!" she dered shakily. chapter 1314 chapter 1314 Dior held Harry by the waist and helped him to leave. "I¡¯m fine, don''t worry," said Harry softly, but his eyes were on Sonia, who was not too far away. Nobody knew if he was reassuring Sonia or Dior. Sonia, however, thought he meant it for her. As her eyes reddened and with an aching heart, she desperately wanted to go after him when a hand landed on her shoulder. "If you leave now, I''ll make you regret it." Sonia bit her lip and was rooted at the spot, but nothing could stop her from crying. The man gently reached out his puffy hand to wipe off her tears. "You''re the birthday girl-you don''t look good when you cry." i He then led her away from the scene. Dior helped Harry to get inside the car, and her eyes reddened in worry at the sight of his bleeding waist. Harry leaned against the seat, his handsome face turning pale due to massive blood loss. "I¡¯m sorry, Harry," fretted Dior. "Please, hold on. We¡¯ll be at the hospital soon!" Harry looked at her calmly. "Don''t look at me. Keep your eyes on the road, and drive carefully." Dior sniffled and looked ahead. She sped up. By the time they got to the hospital, he had already fainted. After running through a series of checkups, the doctor found out that the knife had beenced with poison. The poison was so severe that it ced Harry''s life at stake. Dior''s heart clenched with guilt. She would have beaten that man had she not been so yful. Harry would not have gotten hurt! She instantly requested the best doctor to treat him. The operation went throughout the night as Dior paced back and forth anxiously outside the room. The operating light went off when the sky turned brighter. The doctor walked out. She walked up to him anxiously. "How was it? Is he okay?" "The operation is sessful. We''ll wait for the patient to wake up." Dior was more relieved. ''Thank you." Following that, she stayed at Harry¡¯s bedside until he woke up at night. Dior looked at him, joy written all over her. "You''re finally awake! You scared me!" Harry looked around the room, and when he noticed she was the only one, his eyes dulled slightly in disappointment. He nced at Dior. "I''m stubborn. I don¡¯t die easily." Seeing that he had regained his prideful self, Dior finally felt relieved. She asked, "You must be hungry, aren¡¯t you? What would you like to eat? I¡¯ll get it for you." "No need." He thought of the things that awaited him to sort out in thepany, Harry stood up from the bed in pain and said, "I''ve got other things to attend to. I¡¯ll leave now." Dior was unable to make sense of it. She pressed her hand on her shoulder and did not want him to move. "You just woke up, and it''s already night time. What are you busy with, making money? How much do you want? I''ll pay you! Don¡¯t underestimate your physical needs!" Harry looked up at her. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Noticing how still he was, Dior continued, "Just listen to me. Stay here, and recuperate properly. However much you''re earning, once you leave the hospital, I''ll pay you ten times." 1 Harry was speechless. Whatever. He needed rest, anyway. chapter 1315 chapter 1315 Subsequently, Dior dropped every work she had to keep Harrypany in the hospital. Although she was worried, staying so close to Harry was the happiest and most fulfilling time she had for a long time. A few dayster, he was finally allowed to be discharged. Dior was about to help him do the procedure, but... When she returned, she instantly spotted the visible patch of bloodstain at a corner of his white shirt. "God!" Dior cried out. Harry*s face, though nearly colorless at that point, was still so gorgeous. His entire being, on the other hand, seemed stoic. "You alright?" Dior rushed over and pressed on the bell for the doctor. She then took out a ball of cotton to help him clear the stain, but he stopped her. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. "I''m fine!" He stood up coldly and walked past her. However, after a few steps, a loud '' thunk'' was heard. Harry fell to the floor. "Harry!" Dior¡¯s heart clenched and hastily ran to him. He had lost consciousness. Not knowing where her strength came from, she gnawed on her lip and lifted Harry back in before the doctor came. With that, Harry was ced in the operating room once more. Dior was so worried that she wanted to cry. He was about to get discharged, but why did his injury worsen? "Ms. Granger, your medical credits have reached the limit. Could you pay up the remaining amount?" "Okay." Since Dior had asked for the most expensive items and services, including hiring the best doctor, the fees were higher. Dior went back to the ward and saw Harry''s phone left on the desk. Coincidentally, the phone beeped and the screen lit up with an iing message. She nced at it nonchntly. Someone sent him a message. Was it that girlfriend of his? She did not mean to read it, but the message was already on the lockscreen. [I¡¯m sorry, Harry, I didn''t mean to trigger you. Is your wound okay? Can you tell me which hospital you¡¯re at? I want to visit you.] Dior squinted aloofly. Harry''s face was so cold moments ago, and he was so angry that he wanted to leave. Was it all because of that woman? Dior was so angry that she felt breathless. How mean was this woman?! She tossed the phone away and turned around to pick up her phone. As she was about to ask her secretary to transfer some funds into her ount, she noticed a few missed calls from her brother. He even texted her. Dior read the message and saw him asking her to...go home? Harry was so ill. How could she leave him? Nobody visited him throughout his stay in the hospital. What if things go awry if she left his side? Dior was about to phone him, wanting to tell him that she could note home in the next few days. Guy, however, called her. "Dior, hurry! Come home and open the lock for the prison room for me!" came Guy''s urgent plea the moment she answered. Dior pursed her lips. She hesitated for a second and said apologetically," I¡¯m sorry, Brother, but I can¡¯t come home now.¡± Guy jolted. "Why? Whatever you''re doing now, you muste home to let me out!" "I''m not around," insisted Dior, "I''m on a vacation with my friends. I can only get back in two days." i "I Before Guy could finish, Dior''s phone ran out of battery and turned off automatically. She seemed apathetic to his situation. So what if he was locked down? Their parents liked Guy more. Grandma was home, too. They were just as happy without her. However, if Harry did not have her around... chapter 1316 chapter 1316 Dior thought of how sad Harry''s life was. She never wanted to leave him, ever! She was the cause for Harry''s injury, which was all the more reason she could not abandon him. Dior walked out of the ward and borrowed a phone from the nurse to phone her assistant to transfer some funds. Following that, she waited in front of the operating room anxiously. On the other hand, Guy''s temple pulsed vigorously at how she hung up on him. What other option was there when his only hope vanished? No! There had to be something else... As he was at the verge of desperation, Anthony phoned him. "Charmine is about to have a migraine soon. Remember toe back." Guy looked at the tightly shut metal door and fell silent. "Okay," he eventually answered, "I¡¯lle back in just a bit." "Hurry." With that said, Guy''s phone finally ran out of battery from a day of calling. He smashed his phone against the floor harshly, and the impact caused the device to shatter into pieces. Guy went up to the metal door and pounded on it as though venting. "Let me out!" he growled. "Hurry and let me out!" Charmine was about to have a migraine. She would suffer! He was supposed to be there to help her! However, the guards outside acted as if they did not hear him as they stoically stood like unwavering trees. Vexed, Guy tried his best to open the metal door. s, the door was too strong, and none of his efforts helped. All it did was make him tired. He could only sit on the floor listlessly, anxiously. Since that morning, no matter how he made a scene or even when he refused to eat, his mother did not seem to care. He would not have cared if he had nothing to risk; he would have let his mother lock him up. The thought of a suffering Charmine, however, hurt him deeply. Thomp! Guy punched the floor in fury. Grandma Granger, who was in the living room, heard the noise. Her heart ached at it. She looked at Sherlyn with a fierce gaze. "Don''t punish my grandson. Hurry and let him out!" Sherlyn timed it a 11¡ªit was about time. She stood up from the sofa. "Mom, there''s no hurry. I''ll go over now." Grandma Granger scoffed and turned to Tim. "Look at your wife!" "Mom, don''t get angry," coaxed Tim. "She did it for Guy''s own good." 2 Sherlyn came to the prison room and stood before the door, looking at Guy in pain. "Bear with it for a while, my son." Charmine was about toe crawling with that migraine of hers! Furthermore, Guy had such a good profile. There was no way she would not say yes to him! Guy''s eyes had lost their usual clearness. He looked at her as if looking at a stranger. After a while, he said calmly, "Mom, don''t you want me to get married?" "Yes, son. Have you thought it through?" Guy''s eyes seemed to be coated with cold mockery as he spoke, "If I get married, will you let me help her?" "Yes." Sherlyn was happy that her n was working. She said, "Of course! Charmine is our inw. Of course, you have to help her!" "Okay, let me out, then. I''ll go and propose to her now and marry her." "Really?" Sherlyn looked delighted. "Son, I''m d you''ve thought it through. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Come on. Sorry to have kept you here. I¡¯ll let you out now." Once Guy stepped out, he spoke, "Get everything ready." "Okay!" Sherlyn happily helped Guy back to the living room. His face remained calm-emotionless, even. His tranquility made him look dead. 1 She frowned and looked at him. "Son, what''s with this face?" She knew her son liked Charmine, but why did he not seem too happy? "Nothing," said Guy emotionlessly, "I¡¯m worried that it''ste. I wonder if Charmine is asleep." chapter 1317 chapter 1317 "Probably not! It¡¯s time, okay?" said Sherlyn and told the proposal news to the rest of them. Tim said to Grandma Granger, "Look, Mom. Sherlyn knew what she was doing!" Grandma Granger looked at Guy and asked, "Guy, are you willing to?" "Yes, Grandma." Grandma Granger nodded. "Good, good." So long as Guy was on board with it, it was good. Charmine was a good match for Guy, after all. Sherlyn then prepared everything needed for the proposal. "Let''s go! Why are you still standing there?" The group drove toward Violet Residence. Upon arriving, Guy rushed out of the car. Charmine was in the living room. She was in so much pain that her face turned pale. Anthony red at him. "Hurry!" The pale-faced Charmine heard the voice and looked at him. "Why are you IF Did his mother not lock him up? Instead of answering her, Guy habitually pricked the needle into his own arm. 30 secondster, he pricked the needle into Charmine''s arm. Meanwhile, the Grangers came in with the proposal gifts slightlyter as they had to park their car. Anthony squinted. He red at what they had in their hands and grew wary. "What¡¯s going on?" "Nothing." As he watched her recover, Guy walked to the back and epted the gifts from Sherlyn before he made his way toward the sofa. Sherlyn and Tim smiled. Anthony''s face turned a few shades darker as he stared daggers at him. If he was to say anything, he would get kicked out right away! Charmine looked at him and was baffled. Was this thepromise he made with his mother? It did not matter. She would turn him down. Guy walked over and came before the two of them. Suddenly, he turned away and looked at Yvonne gently. "Will you marry me, Yvonne?" The crowd was stunned for a few seconds. Yvonne reacted and looked at him with disbelief. "What are you saying?" Sherlyn reacted and walked forward. "Son, I asked you to propose to Charmine, not her." That other woman was good, but not good enough to be her inw. Only Charmine met the requirements.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. Guy said to Sherlyn, "I like Yvonne. Why would I propose to Charmine?" "What?" Yvonne was shocked again. He liked her? Since when? Sherlyn frowned. "Son, are you serious?" Guy nodded. "Of course. Do you think your son is so silly? Charmine and Anthony are married, and I had given up a long time ago. The person I like now is Yvonne." When Yvonne heard him, she thought she was hallucinating. Guy looked at Yvonne and said, "Will you marry me? I¡¯ll treat you well, and I''ll never hurt you." His words moved Yvonne effectively, and it helped that she liked him, too. That did not change the fact at how sudden everything was, though! She blinked and said, "Can I have some time to consider this?" chapter 1318 chapter 1318 Guy pursed his lips and said, "I''m serious. Marry me, and I¡¯ll cherish you." Yvonne met his sincere eyes and hesitated. Grandma Granger noticed her hesitation and chimed in, "Yvonne, since Guy promised you that, just say yes to him. We¡¯ll treat you well." Yvonne was the one who took care of her when they were in that bamboo forest. On top of that, she was respectful and elegant. Grandma Granger was not too far off from Charmine. She could tell that Yvonne liked Guy, too. Most importantly, if Guy genuinely liked her, then it was all good. Yvonne pursed her lips, but just as she was about to say something... She noticed Guy¡¯s eyes, and they seemed to telepathically convey a message. A message that she understood. He wanted her to ept the proposal. Was this all a show for his family? Unsure, Yvonne studied his gaze once more, and it never wavered. Finally, she took a deep breath and responded, "Okay, I''ll marry you." The crowd was too astounded. It all felt too surreal. Guy proposed to Yvonne so suddenly, and she agreed to it! Sherlyn walked over and asked Guy, "Son, are you sure of this?" This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. Why did she feel that Guy liked Charmine instead? Since when did he start liking Yvonne? Guy looked at Yvonne and dered, "Yes. I don''t want to lose her." Sherlyn frowned at that. Her inw was no longer the same person she wanted, and she found it hard to ept. Grandma Granger had always liked Yvonne, and she was also at odds with Charmine at the same time. "Just let these two marry,¡± she spoke up. " Yvonnees from a good family, I like her, and she respects me well. I¡¯ve known her for some time." i At the elderlydy¡¯s words, Sherlyn then thought of how her son and her mother were fond of this union. Guy was also getting old, and Sherlyn wanted a grandchild so badly. She looked at Yvonne and realized that this woman Guy fancied was, in fact, not so bad-looking. Compared to Charmine, who had been married with a child, this chaste woman of a nice background was better for the Granger family. "Alright, as long as you like it," conceded Sherlyn. "Your father and I will agree to it." "Yes! As long as you like her, we''ll treat her as our daughter once you marry her. We won''t wrong her." "Okay," said Guy. Grandma Granger nodded. ¡®Yvonne always respects me. I like my granddaughter-inw." Sherlyn held Grandma Granger''s hand and said, "I''m d that you like her, Mom. Let''s settle this quickly, then; we''re only back for a few days. Tim and I will prepare the guest list." "Okay. I''lle with you," said Grandma Granger. Since Guy had pricked the needle, there was nothing Grandma Granger was worried about. She looked around and asked Charmine, "Is Momo asleep?" "Yes, he¡¯s worn out from too much ying. He got tired and slept early." "I''ll see him tomorrow." "Okay." The three Grangers left. When Charmine saw that they had left, she looked at Guy and asked... chapter 1319 chapter 1319 "Mr. Granger, have you thought it through?" Charmine was skeptical of the decision. His mother had locked him up and forced him to marry her, yet he came in and proposed to Yvonne instead? He never showed affection to her before. Did he do that for Charmine, then? Charmine looked up at him and earnestly warned, "Mr. Granger, this isn''t a joke. You can¡¯t do that for me-" "No," interjected Guy. He then added, "I think Yvonne is a pleasant individual, and I liked her for a long time. Furthermore, I¡¯m not young, and I should be getting married." 1 Without waiting for Charmine and Anthony to react, he took Yvonne-who stood nkly-upthe stairs. Anthony looked at Charmine. "What¡¯s the matter?" Charmine exined, "Sherlyn locked Guy up after forcing me to marry him this morning." Anthony squinted. That exined why Guy did not return for so long, and when Charmine had the migraine, she insisted on not looking for Guy. So... His heart grew heavier. Charmine looked at him. "We¡¯re married, and it makes sense that I won''t agree to it. Don''t overthink it." Anthony made a sound and embraced her. His eyes dulled as he gazed to a corner. Should he end up paralyzed in the future, and Guy being married and unwilling to treat her, she... Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g The mere thought suffocated him. His arms around her tightened. Upstairs, Guy pulled Yvonne into a room. Yvonne stared at him, but as she was about to say something, Guy spoke first, "Ms. Yvonne, our marriage is just a show for others. I won''t touch you, and I won''t keep you. When you fall for someone else, you can divorce with me anytime." Yvonne jolted at that, but from his telepathic gaze, she guessed as much, too. He loved Charmine so much. Why would he suddenly fall for her? Nheless, she did not feel any better after hearing it from him. She hesitated. She, Yvonne Eckert, was just a pawn... Should she turn him down? Still, she liked him, and if she did not marry him, her family would match her up with someone she did not like. Furthermore, she was a ster individual. Perhaps Guy would fall for her someday? After she deliberated, she decided, "Don''t worry; I understand. It''s all for show." Meanwhile... The giddy Sherlyn sat in the car. Although she did not get the ideal inw, Yvonne was not too shabby of a person. The thing she was most worried about was finally resolved. She turned to Grandma Granger. "Mom, Yvonne isn''t too bad, right?" Grandma Granger nodded. "Yes, and she''s very respectful. Her personality is straightforward and understanding." Other than not being as capable as Charmine, her background and personality were much better than Charmine. Sherlyn nodded. "Guy has good eyes. Why don''t you pick a date? In the next two days, we''ll get the marriage over with." Grandma Granger thought of how they were not back here for long, thus the matter must not be dyed. She looked at the dates and said," Tomorrow is okay. Although it''s not ideal, it suits your time. It''s the best date in this half of the month.¡± "Tomorrow?" repeated Tim. "Is it too soon?¡± chapter 1320 chapter 1320 "It¡¯s not too soon." Sherlyn did not want any changes made, thus she insisted, "How is this too soon? Guy already proposed, and Yvonne agreed. We don¡¯t even know when we''ll have the time toe home." If they both changed their minds, when would her son marry again? Tim thought about it andmented, ''That¡¯s true. Make it tomorrow, then. Phone Guy to make them prepare." Sherlyn picked up her phone to call Guy. "Son, your Grandma looked at the dates, and tomorrow is the ideal day." Guy frowned. ¡®Tomorrow?" He instinctively looked at Yvonne who was not far away and argued, "Isn''t it too soon?" "Not soon at all. We''re going back to the navy in a few days, and we don¡¯t know when we''ll evere back. Your Grandma says tomorrow is a good day, and we''ve all agreed." Guy sighed to himself and conceded, "Fine." Since he could not marry the woman she loved, he could marry anyone. It was just for show, anyway. "Wonderful." Sherlyn was delighted. "You and Yvonne must get a good rest tonight. Tomorrow will be tiring." "Okay." After hanging up, Guy looked at Yvonne. "The wedding is tomorrow. Is that okay?" Yvonne was stunned. "So soon?" "Yeah. My parents are only in town for a few days. Tomorrow is a good day." Furthermore, she should know that it was just for show-it did not matter when or where. Yvonne read it from his gaze, so she said, "Okay." "Okay. Get some rest tonight. It''ll be tiring tomorrow." Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Guy then turned and went back to his own room. He stood on the balcony as he gazed into the ck night sky with a muddled head. He did try to reassure himself, though. To love someone did not mean to own the person. epting fate was also a perfect closure. Let it all go. This way, Charmine and Anthony would not have to fight, and his family did not have to worry. After getting Guy''s agreement, Sherlyn was still worried. To avoid any problem, she logged in to Twitter and announced: [My son, Guy Granger, and Ms. Yvonne Eckert will get married tomorrow. Since we''re in a rush, we won''t be giving out invitations. The wedding will be private and simple. From now on, Ms. Yvonne Eckert will be our daughter-inw. Please take note.] Upon publishing, this tweet rushed to the No.1 in Trending. Theizensmented: [What? What?!] [Isn''t Guy with Charmine? Why is he marrying Yvonne?] [Guy and Charmine are such a good match! I shipped them for nothing!] [No matter who he marries, we¡¯ll be happy for him.] Inside a luxurious mansion. Waverly held her phone in a vice-like grip as she red at the screen furiously. "Damn it!" Her fingers could almost crush the phone. Her green veins protruded as her face turned pale in anger. Guy married a woman he did not fancy for Charmine! Were all of her ns wasted, then? She could no longer rely on Guy in the future! Waverly¡¯s eyes grew cold. She had toe up with another n. She had to make Charmine suffer! Aftering home, Sherlyn and Tim prepared for the following day''s wedding. Grandma Granger took out the red costume she had prepared for her granddaughter-inw long ago and handed it to Sherlyn. "I''ve long prepared this for my future granddaughter-inw. I¡¯ll bring this over for Yvonne tomorrow." 1 "Mom, you''re too thoughtful." chapter 1321 chapter 1321 Sherlyn epted it and praised, "You must''ve put in a lot of effort." The embroidered phoenix on the dress was handmade. Grandma Granger nodded as she sincerely spoke, "Since she''ll be married into our family, we must treat her like our daughter, as you''ve said. We can¡¯t treat her as an outsider." Sherlyn thought of how Grandma Granger must have liked Yvonne. This woman was not too bad, after all. With that, Sherlyn started to like Yvonne more. Even though they did not have a lot of time, they had lots of resources and workers to get the necessary items ready, such as the rings, the wedding venue, and the host. Everything was sorted within an hour. The next morning, Sherlyn led the top makeup artists and stylists to Violet Residence while she arranged the schedule for the day. Charmine was sound asleep in her room when her phone abruptly rang. She opened her bleary eyes as Anthony, not a momentter, stretched out his long arm to grab the phone to look at the caller. Jennie was calling. He looked at Charmine instinctively and answered the call, "Mrs. Peterson." Jennie Peterson? Charmine looked at him. The elegant voice was heard from the other end of the line as she spoke," I''m at the airport. Where do I meet the patient?" "Please wait," assured Anthony. ''THe fetch you." "Sure, HI wait for you at the airport." "Okay." Anthony then hung up. "William''s mother is here?" asked Charmine, and Anthony nodded at her. "I''ll go fetch her now." "Wonderful! Frank will be saved!¡± The delighted Charmine looped her arms around his neck. Anthony looked at her gently, and though he was d, he began to feel more burdened by the minute. He was about to be experimented on, and he had no idea what would happen to him... Charmine got out of bed. "I''lle with you." Anthony wanted to agree to that but decided against it when he thought of something. "No need, I''ll go on my own. You just have to arrange the things at home, and I''ll send you the addresster. Just bring Frank over." Charmine halted. Anthony seemed to be preventing her from meeting Jennie. Suddenly, she understood. Was it because she was William¡¯s mother, or perhaps Jennie did not like her? 1 Charmine nodded. "Okay. Once you get her, send me the address. I''ll take Frank with me afterward." Anthony nodded and washed up before leaving the house, dispirited and depressed. 2 Charmine, meanwhile, went to Frank¡¯s room and knocked. "Frank, are you awake?" "Yeah." Frank came over to open the door as he faced Charmine with his clear eyes. "How is everything going?" he asked her gently. "Good news," began Charmine. "The doctor is here, and I¡¯ll take you for an examination. Get ready for the operation." "The doctor''s here?" Frank sounded nervous. "So soon?" Charmine could tell that he was nervous, thus sheforted him, "Frank, don¡¯t be worried. She''s a professional neurologist. You''ll be fine." Frank nodded. "Alright, I believe you." "Get ready, I will bring you overter." Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Frank thought about it and said, "I won''t be able to attend Miss Yvonne''s wedding today. Please help me apologize to her." "Okay." Charmine then waited for Frank outside the room when, all of a sudden, her eyelids fluttered open. chapter 1322 chapter 1322 A foreboding feeling loomed over Charmine. It was as if something bad was about to happen. Charmine rubbed her eyes. Did she not sleep well? At the international airport... Jennie, sporting a long ck jacket and shades, looked expensive and elegant with her red hair curled. She walked out of the airport with a few well-reputable doctors behind her. They walked to the entrance, where a luxury car was parked in front of her. Anthony rolled down the window and spoke in fluent English, "Mrs. Peterson,e on in." Jennie raised an eyebrow and went inside while the other four doctors called for a cab to follow after them. Inside the car... "The rate of sess is a hundred percent, yes?" recalled Anthony. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g "Yes." Jennie shot him an aloof stare and smiled coldly. "Mr. Bailey, you should be more concerned about yourself." Anthony''s eyes dulled a few shades. He fell silent for a while before he reminded, "Do not tell Charmine regarding our deal." That was why he did not want Charmine toe with him. Jennie removed her shades and looked at his back coldly. She smiled. "Mr. Bailey is such a hopeless romantic. s, I can''t guarantee that your body won''t be inflicted with any side effects. As I told you, this willst a lifetime, and you won''t be able to hide it from her." i "You don''t have to worry about this," said Anthony coldly. Jennie smiled coldly and donned her shades once more. Anthony sent her to the hospital. Once he spotted Nial, he spoke to Jennie, "Let Nial know if you need anything." Jennie smiled with confidence. "I''ve brought everything I need. You only need to bring me the patient." Nial was mystified. Was she looking down on him?! Anthony said to Nial, "Arrange a VIP ward." "Okay." Anthony walked out of the office and phoned Charmine, "We¡¯re at the hospital. Bring Frank over." "Okay." "Brother Anthony..." When Anthony hung up, he saw Faye jogging toward him. When he noticed how she intended to hug him, Anthony took a step back and kept his distance from her. "Stay away from me." Faye was overjoyed when she finally saw Anthony after not seeing him for a few days. She shrugged off his coldness toward her and instead enthusiastically chirped, "Brother Anthony, are you here to fetch me from the hospital?" "No,¡± Anthony said simply. Faye pouted. She thought to herself, ''He must''vee for me. I mean, why else is he here?'' Mused by the thought, Faye reached out excitedly to link arms with him. Anthony''s eyes turned cold as he warned, "Do you want your brother to send you back to the bamboo forest?" Hearing that, Faye halted and withdrew her arms, took back her hands." Fine, I''ll keep my distance from you," she sheepishly muttered. Anthony red at her coldly and turned to leave. Faye thought about something and rushed up to him. "Brother Anthony, I''m being discharged today. I want to attend Mr. Granger¡¯s wedding." "Whatever." Anthony took the lift to fetch Charmine downstairs. Faye went inside the lift as well. His eyes darkened, but she exined, "I¡¯m going down, not following you." She pressed the first-floor button as she spoke. Anthony did not care about her. He walked out from the entrance of the hospital and lit up his cigarette with a heavy heart. Faye did not notice that something was off. She stood beside him and kept talking. "Brother Anthony, what do you think I should wear for the wedding?" "Brother Anthony, is Violet Residence your house? It''s so beautiful." chapter 1323 chapter 1323 "Brother Anthony, the way you smoke is so handsome." "Brother Anthony..." "Shut up!" Anthony snapped in the end as he tossed the cigarette and red at her coldly. "Stay away from me! Stop annoying me!" Faye slightly parted her lips, petrified as she was. It was momentster that a car pulled over in front of them. Anthony''s coldness instantly vanished as he gazed at the car gently. Faye could not register that change in him as she looked over to see Charmine helping her brother out of the car. That shameless woman, again. She red at Charmine coldly. She walked over and beamed at Frank," Brother, did you guyse to fetch me?" "You''re discharged?" asked Frank instead. Faye halted. Did he not know she was discharged? 1 "Why are you all here, then?" Frank said, ''The doctor is here. Charmine brought me over for a check-up." "Oh." Faye held onto him. "I''ll walk up, then. I need to sign the discharge form, too." "Okay." Charmine wanted to follow them but Anthony held on to her hand. The two of them stayed back. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. He said to Frank, "Go up and find Nial." "Okay." Frank was about to go up when Faye stopped. She turned to look at Anthony. "Brother Anthony, are you noting?" Anthony nced at her coldly and did not respond to that. Frank heard her. His face sank as he hissed, "Faye!" She dared not to anger her brother, she could only re at Charmine evilly before leaving with Frank. Hmph! Everyone regarded that woman so highly, but all she had was a nice- looking face! Faye intended to steal the spotlight from her at the wedding! When the two of them had gone in, Charmine asked, "Anthony, you don''t want me to meet Jennie?" "He''s just having a check-up. No need to." "I still need to know the result," reasoned Charmine. "We''ll be notified." "Oh." Charmine had no choice. Thinking that they had to attend Yvonne''s wedding, she took the car and left. When she arrived home, Grandma Granger was in the living room as she yed with Chris. Charmine did not mind as she went upstairs and walked to Yvonne¡¯s room. She had put on makeup and dressed up in a gown. She lookedely with a wedding veil on. It matched her temperament, and she looked good in it. Charmine walked over and praised, ''You look gorgeous." Yvonne smiled. "Don''t make fun of me, Charmine." Sherlyn looked at the two of them and had a thought. If only Charmine was in that gown, she would have looked even better! s, it was unlikely to happen. Once everything was settled, the time was about right. The group then took the cars to the wedding venue. Charmine, Chris, and Anthony took one car. Halfway there, Anthony received the call from Jennie. "No problem. Operation in three days, but he''ll have to stay in the hospital in the next two days so I can monitor his body statistics." "Okay." After hanging up, Charmine asked, "What is it?" "Operation in three days." "Wonderful!" beamed Charmine. "Frank will be saved!" She finally would not let him down. Anthony looked at Charmine through the rear mirror. Seeing how delighted she was made his heart sink. Charmine met his gaze and turned to him, seeing how burdened he seemed. She frowned and asked, "Anthony, what¡¯s wrong?" It was Yvonne¡¯s wedding, and Frank was able to have an operation. Was he not supposed to be happy? chapter 1324 chapter 1324 "Nothing." Anthony shifted his gaze to look forward at the road. Charmine looked at his back and felt a sense of heavinessing from him. He behaved like that every time she mentioned Frank. He had told her what bothered him, but did she not exin to him as well? Why did he behave so oddly? Charmine pursed her lips and fretted, "Anthony, what do you want to do? Tell me what''s on your mind- don''t hold it all in." Anthony narrowed his eyes. "It''s nothing." Charmine frowned. He looked depressed. It was pointless to interrogate him on it, however, and all she could do was take her time to find out about it. At St. Bowden Cathedral... Although the Granger was a wealthy family, the wedding was kept simple, and they did not invite many people. Even Yvonne''s family did not know about the wedding. Charmine held Chris'' hand and noticed a stunning figure in the crowd. Dressed in a burning red gown and donned heels, the woman''s hair was braided elegantly. She looked magnificent and ssy. A few reporters took photos of her. Charmine saw her back and thought of Dior. She was the only one who could pull it off. As she was about to go to her, the person turned to her. Charmine halted. It was not Dior, it was... Faye? Charmine looked at her, and a cold smile made it to her face. Ha! She wore something more captivating than the bride at her wedding? Faye met Charmine''s mocking eyes and looked satisfied. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Since many people were around, she asked innocently, "Charmine, why are you alone? Where¡¯s Anthony?" "Shut up!¡± scoffed Charmine. Although the wedding was kept simple, there were many reporters, including moguls and notable members of the army. Charmine came in the same car as Anthony but walked in at different times. That baffled Faye, but she then recalled how Anthony treated her at the hospital. Had they fought? Hmph! That made sense. Who would be able to stand that temper of hers? Faye saw Anthony walking toward them, and she turned away from Charmine to walk toward him. Charmine turned over to see Anthony and Faye standing next to one another. She frowned. When would she be able to stand beside Anthony without hiding? Soon. She looked away and brought Chris to the resting lounge. Anthony saw her back and instinctively wanted to follow her, but the reporters and some businessmen came his way. He then chose to remain as he recalled their standing in public. 1 Faye, meanwhile, stayed by his side and looked as if she was his girlfriend, answering the reporters. The reporters had to ask, "President Bailey, is she your new girlfriend?" "Are you not engaged with Waverly? Why is she noting?" "President Bailey, how long have you been with thisdy?" "So, have you and Waverly broken up after all?" Anthony red at the reporters in front of him, and his cold lips parted," I''ve nothing to tell." His cold look was shockingly authoritative. The reporters were so scared that they dared not to say anything else. Anthony did not even look at Faye as he left them all. The reporters continued to interview her: "Miss, how long have you been with Anthony?" "Uhh, we..." Faye was thinking of what to say to make it sound as if she was Anthony''s girlfriend without offending him. However, Anthony stopped abruptly, turned over coldly, and red at her. chapter 1325 chapter 1325 Anthony''s re seemed so vicious that Faye''s heart quivered. It gave the message that if she said anything, he would kick her out. Faye bit her lip and elegantly replied, "You''ve all mistaken. I¡¯m not his girlfriend." When Anthony heard that, he turned and left. The reporters then left Faye not long after her response, not having anything else to ask. Faye¡¯s face turned a few shades paler. Following that, she chased after him as she grabbed her dress by the hem. "Brother Anthony, wait for me!" Anthony acted as if he did not hear her as he went to greet the guests. Faye spent a huge sum to rent the gown, and she did not want the opportunity to slip away. She gave chase and followed after him closely. Even though he ignored her, Faye felt talking to him made it seem as if the two of them were on good terms. Charmine came to the resting lounge and saw Yvonne sitting on the sofa in her gown while Grandma Granger and Sherlyn talked to her. Charmine looked at her and felt perplexed. A thought then whispered to her... When could she wear such a wedding gown? Would her inws treat her so well? Charmine''s heart grew heavy at the thought of Anthony''s family. Perhaps such a wish might never happen in their lifetime. Yvonne spotted Charmine and said, "Charmine, is Anthony not here yet?" Her wedding went on the news, but she had not told her family. She did not want to upset them, so she hoped Anthony would help her settle that. "He¡¯s outside." "Oh." Yvonne suddenly remembered that Charmine and Anthony were not official. Still, she could not go out to find Anthony. As Yvonne was hesitating, her phone rang. Noticing that it was Grandma Bailey, she pursed her lips and greeted, "Grandma Bailey." "Yvonne, is the news real? You''re marrying Master Granger?¡± "Yes, Grandma Bailey." "Oh, child, why didn''t you tell us? If I don¡¯t show up at your wedding, what would others think of us?" Yvonne said, "Grandma Bailey, this is different from what you¡¯re thinking. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Do you remember the reason you sent me to the Violet Residence?" Grandma Bailey recalled it all. Yes. She put Yvonne there to get close to Guy to prevent him from liking Charmine. Yvonne married him forthat? Her voice sounded guilty as she muttered, "Yvonne, I''ve wronged you." "I''m fine." The Grangers were around, thus she could only say, "I genuinely like Guy. Let¡¯s speak more when we meet. Help me tell my parents, and I''ll exin to them when I have time." "Okay." Grandma Bailey sighed. "I can''t get there in time, anyway. Stay well. I¡¯m sorry. Call me if you need anyone to have your back." Yvonne''s heart felt warm as she smiled. "Okay, Grandma Bailey." They hung up. Grandma Granger knew it was too rushed, thus she said to Yvonne gently," I''m sorry that it¡¯s all rushed, Yvonne. Once the wedding is over, I''lle home with you to visit your family." "Okay." "Yvonne, your father-inw and I can¡¯te," said Sherlyn, "we need to get back to work." "It¡¯s okay." She did not mind, anyway. It was all but a show. They woulde home with her, but perhaps they would divorce soon. Charmine sat beside Yvonne and saw her clenching her fists. "Are you nervous?" she asked. chapter 1326 chapter 1326 Yvonne smiled proudly. "No. It''s just a wedding." Charmine fixed her hair. "You''re gorgeous." Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Yvonne knew what she meant, and she beamed at her. "You''ll look prettier when you have your wedding, Charmine!'''' Charmine said nothing in response to that; she merely smiled. Sherlyn, on the other hand, looked at the time and fretted, "Is Dior not here yet? It¡¯s her brother''s wedding. How could she be missing?" Grandma Granger had a small frown at that. "Call her and remind her about it. I wonder what she¡¯s been up to in the past two days. She didn''t evene home." Sherlyn made the phone call right away. "Dior, are you home yet? The wedding is starting. It''s your brother''s wedding, and you can''t be absent!" Dior looked at Harry, who was still in bed, and she reluctantly replied," Soon. I''m on my way." "Alright, hurry!" "Okay." After hanging up, Dior sighed and looked at Harry dejectedly. "I''m going home now. Are you going to be alright on your own?" Luckily, the wound from yesterday was not too severe. Harry was in a better condition already. Heck, she would not leave him for anyone''s wedding if he was not! Harry nced at her apathetically. "Of course." His behavior baffled Dior. She felt that he treated her colder than he used to after waking up. Was it because of what the woman did to him, that he took his anger out on her instead? Ugh! Why? She still fancied him a great deal! What could she have done? The colder he was, the more she wanted him! "Your body needs at least another day of observation here," she advised." Don''t you dare to leave the hospital after I''ve left." Harry looked at her, and his gaze tranted to, ¡¯You''re too harsh.'' Dior met his eyes and insisted, "It''s all for your own good. If you get ill again, your ex..." The moment she noticed his gaze turning colder, she instantly shifted her follow-up, "She¡¯ll be d! She''ll want to see you suffering for her." "Don¡¯t worry," said Harry emotionlessly, ¡°I won''t die yet." "Alright. Call me if there''s anything, and I¡¯lle over anytime. If you leave on your own, I¡¯ll..." His eyes darkened. "What?" "Sleep with you!¡± He was mystified at how arrogantly Dior said that. She picked up her bag and walked out of the ward. She then went to the office and requested a 24-hour nurse to take care of him, even asking them to notify her should he attempt to leave. It was only then that she left. The wedding was starting just as she got to the cathedral. There were not many guests, but the decoration was swooningly romantic. There were fresh flowers and white carpet, and it made the venue look elegant and luxurious. Dior stood at the end of the carpet as she gazed at the trail, from where she stood to the stage. She could not help but imagine herself in a wedding gown and Harry in a suit, waiting for her at the end of the aisle. Would that day evere true? As she was nking out, Tim walked toward her. "You''rete, Dior." Dior snapped out of her reverie and excused herself, "Hey, Dad. I went away with friends." Tim was speechless, but he knew how outgoing she was. "Get a seat," he eventually replied. "It''s starting." "Okay." Dior found a seat and sat down. Following that, romantic music resonated in the cathedral. Guy stood on the stage, while the Father stood an arm¡¯s length away from him. chapter 1327 chapter 1327 Yvonne, on the other hand, stood at the end of the aisle. Dressed in a white wedding gown with a veil draped over her head, she looked ethereal. She walked down the aisle with a bouquet of fresh flowers at hand, and she then reached the stage and stood before Guy. Yvonne looked up at Guy. She had to admit that he looked handsome- more dashing than usual. She was not too bad, either. Yvonne lifted her chin and looked at him as if telling him, ''I¡¯m not bad, either!'' The Father read the oath and looked at Guy. "Mr. Guy Granger, will you take Ms. Yvonne Eckert as yourwful wife?" Guy was stoic, and he did not seem delighted. When the Father questioned his end of the vow, Guy instinctively turned to look in Charmine''s direction, i He then quickly averted his gaze, his eyes turning dull as he did, and gulped. "I do,¡± he eventually answered. Yvonne noticed his behavior, however, and scoffed to herself. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. He looked as if he was forced to marry her. Did he not remember that he was the one who asked for her to ept it? The crowd cheered at Guy''s response. The Father then asked Yvonne, "Ms. Yvonne Eckert, will you take Mr. Guy Granger as yourwful husband?" Yvonne gazed at Guy with her bright eyes, and she thought of how he looked. She then muttered softly that only both of them could hear, "What do you say if I suddenly say, ''I don''t¡¯?" Guy jolted as he looked at her in disbelief. Yvonne had always been arrogant. Knowing her, she could pull that. When she saw the change in his expression, Yvonne grinned. "I¡¯m kidding." Not waiting for him to react, she gently replied to the Father, "I do." The crowd erupted in cheers once more. "I shall now pronounce you, husband and wife!" dered the Father. The attendees then began to chant: "Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" Guy looked awkward while Yvonne looked at him, wide-eyed. "What? Scared?" He pursed his lips. Instantly, he held her face as he kissed her. Yvonne''s body jolted. She looked at him with disbelief. 1 From everyone else''s angle, he looked as if he was kissing her, but little did they know... He used his hand to lift her face to hide what truly happened: his thumb was wedged in-between her lips and his. 1 He was kissing his finger! Sherlyn and Grandma Granger exchanged nces and said, "It seems that Guy truly does fancy Yvonne." Knowing Guy, he would not have kissed someone he did not like. Grandma Granger nodded. ''That¡¯s good.¡± Guy was finally married, and with that, her greatest concern was settled atst. Meanwhile, as Charmine witnessed their vows and kiss, Charmine finally believed Guy truly had feelings for Yvonne. It made her fret that he married Yvonne because of her, but it seemed she had overthought things. After the wedding, the crowd went to the restaurant for the reception. Faye wanted to sit with Anthony, but recalling his eerie eyes, she had to stay away from him quietly. Seeing that Charmine was not sitting too far away, she thought of something and went over to sit. Charmine was baffled. All she wanted to do was to have a nice meal. Dior and Charmine were eating together, but when she saw this woman in red, Dior raised an eyebrow. "You are...?" This was the VIP table. Who was this overdressed woman? Faye exined, "I''m a good friend of Brother Anthony. He asked me to sit here." Charmine frowned. Anthony asked her to sit here? What was that for? chapter 1328 chapter 1328 When she caught the glint in Faye''s eyes, Charmine understood something. She did not react to her as she sipped her teanguidly. Dior noticed the vague aloofness in her eyes, and she turned to look at Faye again. Dior never liked pretentious women, but she did not want to ask her to leave. "Oh, well, have a seat," offered Dior. Faye did not understand their facial expressions at all, but she sat beside Charmine nevertheless. Charmine was speechless. Faye sat down and said to Dior, "My brother taught Charmine the skill she showcased in the Cultural Olympics." Dior watched the livestream the other day and was interested. "Where''s your brother?" "My brother isn''t here today.¡¯¡¯ "Oh, what a pity." Dior was interested to meet someone with such rare abilities. During the meal, Faye made a toast to Charmine. "Charmine, here''s to congratte you for winning the Cultural Olympics!" Charmine looked at her coldly. She wanted to ignore her, but the guests that fully upied the nearby table looked at her. Furthermore, she was just seen at thepetition, and Chris was with her at the table as well. She could only raise her ss to clink it against hers. When she ced it down, Faye filled up her ss again. "Charmine, thank you for convincing my brother and putting in so much effort to treat him." Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. She made another toast at Charmine. Charmine pursed her lips and drank up. "Charmine, you even found a doctor to treat my ankle. Today is a special asion, and from now on, we''re a family. For this, I''d like to make another toast to you." 1 Charmine was dibobted. Could she just ssh the wine at her face? With a second thought, she could only apany Faye to drink one ss after another. It was not long until the alcohol made her tipsy, and it was met with Dior''s worry. "I''ll help you to get backstage, alright?" i "No need, no need. I can go on my own." Faye also offered to help Charmine. Surprisingly, thetter did not turn her down. Chris held Charmine¡¯s hand and followed her to leave. Not far away, Anthony saw Charmine being supported and escorted. He frowned and stood up. 1 Faye supported Charmine as people walked past them before she abruptly hollered, "Look at you! Mr. Granger is just getting married, and you didn''t have to get so drunk. Look at what you''ve done to yourself!" i The passers-by automatically looked at Charmine once more, and only then did they realize it was her all along. Still, the attendees did not find it too strange. Two days ago, the two of them made such a huge scene online. Suddenly, Guy got married, and she must have felt bad because of it. Charmine looked mildly intoxicated as she shrugged off their gaze. The moment she spotted Anthony walking toward them in the corner of her eyes, mischief red in her eyes... She wanted to know what Faye wanted to do! Hearing Faye''s lie, Chris shot her a vicious stare. "You''re lying! My Mommy isn''t drunk because of Uncle Guy-you''re the one who made her drink a lot!" Faye''s face turned white as she red at Chris. "Stop lying, kid!" "You''re lying!" "No, you!" s, with the boy being Anthony''s son, she could not do anything about him and could only attempt to soothe him, "Whatever you say." All that mattered was Charmine got drunk. Anthony wasing their way, too. The drama was about to start! Charmine, meanwhile, held Chris'' hands tighter, and the boy instinctively looked up at her and into her steely eyes. chapter 1329 chapter 1329 It was then Chris remembered his Mommy''s true self. He grinned at Charmine, showcasing his small, white teeth, and nodded at Charmine. As they entered the resting lounge, Faye ced Charmine down. A momentter... The door opened, and Anthony walked in. He frowned at the sight of a drunken Charmine on the sofa and fell silent." Brother Anthony, you''re here," greeted Faye. "Charmine is drunk." "Drunk?¡± Anthony came close and nced at the sleeping Charmine. As he did not believe what Faye said, he turned to look at Chris. "What happened?" Chris nodded seriously. "Mommy is drunk." Faye was initially terrified and feared the boy would out her. It seemed, however, that he did not like Charmine so much after all. Anthony felt hurt as he looked at Charmine. Poor thing. Why did she drink so much? He never saw her that intoxicated before. He walked over and was about to carry her away, much to Faye''s panic." Brother Anthony, let her rest. She drank so much, and her tummy is probably upset. Since today is Mr. Granger''s birthday, she must be so hurt. She felt so bad that she almost cried. Mr. Granger must''ve meant a lot to her.¡± i Anthony squinted. He was furious, but he suppressed the storm within him as he chose to re at her instead. "That''s not true!" "Brother Anthony, are you sure you know her? You can''t know a person''s thoughts. She doesn''t seem to care on the surface, but at the bottom of her heart, she must¡¯ve felt bad." "Shut up!¡± Anthony red at her coldly. "Since when do you have a say here? Even if she gets drunk because of Guy, it¡¯s because I haven¡¯t treated her well enough!" He could not give her a wedding, leaving her with nothing but to attend someone''s wedding instead and feel upset with it. Faye blinked at his response in confusion. How... How was this different from what she anticipated? Anthony spoke with such belief and was about to lift Charmine into his arms to leave. Charmine suddenly opened her eyes. Without waiting for him to react, she stretched her skinny arms, looped them around Anthony''s neck, and kissed him squarely on the lips... i Anthony jolted at that, but he instantly fell into rhythm and returned the kiss passionately. Chris smiled and instantly reached out to cover his doe eyes. 1 Faye''s eyelids pped open in disbelief as she watched the two of them kiss each other fervently. How did that happen? Was Charmine not drunk? She saw Chrisughing by the side, and she found out the truth way toote! Drats! She was tricked! Faye''s eyes turned colder as she clenched her fists. Ugh! That Charmine! She dared to trick her! Oh, she would cry one day! This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Faye left furiously, but... "Stop right there!" Charmine called out abruptly, not sounding drunk at all. Her clear eyes red at her as she fiercely rebuked, "You keep on making me too drunk to im that I got drunk because of Guy. Tell me, how should I punish you for falsely using me? Should I tell your brother and have you sent home?" Faye''s face went pale. "You¡¯re wrong! I thought you were sad, so I drank with you. Since you epted my toast and didn''t turn me down..." Charmine scoffed, "I was just ying along to tell you to cut the act! Even if your n works, it won''t do anything! My rtionship with Anthony isn''t something you can ruin!" With that said, Charmine held Chris¡¯ hand while Anthony hugged her. They then went out of the resting lounge together. Faye was rooted on the spot as she watched the three leave her. She gritted her teeth. Charmine always did that! She always insulted her! She made her seem useless and stupid! She hated Charmine! She would remember this and get back at her! chapter 1330 chapter 1330 Anthony looked at Charmine¡¯s reddened face and frowned. "You drank quite a bit, didn''t you?" Charmine nodded. ¡°How else would she have fallen into my trap?¡± Anthony ruffled her hair gently. "Drink less in the future." "Okay." When they arrived at the door, the two of them stopped. Charmine looked at him. "You can leave for now. I''lle outter." Anthony looked at her helplessly and sighed. He had no choice but to exit the lounge before them while Charmine and Chris waited backstage for a few more minutes before going out. After the wedding that afternoon, the attendees went to the Granger Mansion for the wedding night. When they spotted Guy and Yvonne walking into the wedding room, the group wanted to follow suit. Anthony did not join in and instead stood in an unnoticeable corner. "Does Guy genuinely fancy Yvonne?" he questioned. The wedding was too sudden. Charmine thought of Guy kissing Yvonne during the wedding and assured him, "You know Mr. Granger. If he doesn''t like her, why would he marry her? He wouldn¡¯t try to kiss a girl he doesn¡¯t fancy." Anthony saw that, too. He nodded. As the two of them spoke, the group of people walked out of the wedding room. Dior locked the two inside from the outside. "Have fun with my sister -inw, Brother! We won¡¯t bother you!" With that said, Dior and the rest left. Charmine saw the cheerful, tightly shut wedding room. Her red lips curled up. Even though Guy did not like Yvonne so much, the two of them were a good match. Perhaps they might develop feelings in the long run? i The feelings should follow their natural course. Inside the room... Yvonne sat on the luxurious bed and looked at Guy who was on the sofa. As the two of them fell into silence, she broke it first as she spoke, "You''re sitting so far away. Do you think I¡¯d eat you?" Guy snapped out of his thoughts. "As I said, I won¡¯t touch you." Yvonne was baffled. "Are you thinking too much? Did I beg you to touch me?" Guy halted and turned around. "What''s that?" "Come and help me unzip the back of my gown. This gown is too heavy!" Yvonneined. Awkwardly, Guy slowly, unwillingly walked up to her. Yvonne saw how he behaved and pointed out, "What''s that look for? You''re just going to help me unzip the gown! Don¡¯t worry; I don¡¯t like you. If it wasn''t for Charmine and Anthony, I won''t even agree to marry you!" What a clueless man! "My apologies." Guy walked over and clumsily helped her to unzip her gown. He instantly retracted his hands and did not touch her. "Go away," blurted Yvonne automatically, "I''m getting changed!" Guy nodded and walked out to the balcony, facing away from her. Yvonne looked at his stiff back, and she got somehow upset. Did this clueless man not know that women spoke the opposite of what they meant? She took the clothes by the side and went into the bathroom to get changed. When she came back out, she saw that Guy was still on the balcony. He did not n toe back in. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. She called out to him, "Guy Granger,e in." When he heard her voice, he turned around and asked, "What¡¯s wrong?" Yvonne lifted her leg and fretted, "My leg hurts. Help me to massage it." "What?" Guy looked at her cluelessly and thought he was hallucinating. He never came that close to any woman. Although they were married, the truth was they were not even friends. How could he touch her leg? "Isn''t this something normal?" grumbled Yvonne. "I got married because of you, and I wore heels for a day! It hurts! Do I suffer for nothing, then?" Guy frowned. "A gentleman doesn¡¯t touch ady." "What are you talking about?" Yvonne frowned. "Are you joking? What century are we in? Is massaging forbidden?" chapter 1331 chapter 1331 "We¡¯re now married, and you''re iming we can''t get too close? Well, if that''s what you¡¯re thinking of, we should get a divorce." Yvonne purposely spokenguidly to toy with his mind. Guy pursed his lips-she had a point. She had married him, and that was the greatest sacrifice any woman could make, i They would divorce one day, too. She disregarded her reputation just to help him, and she did not mind getting a divorce as well. Since he could not give her his love, he would give her anything else. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Guy sighed and knelt down to massage her leg. Yvonne sat by the bed as she felt the callus in his fingers touching her. Her heart tingled at his gentle massage. Outwardly, however, she remained poised, princess-like as she refused to show how she felt. She always wore heels, too. Why would she suffer from wearing it all of sudden? She just wanted to be touched... Once he finished massaging her leg, Yvonne added, "My shoulder hurts. Help me." Guy wordlessly massaged her shoulder at her request. Sheid in bed once hepleted the massage, and her bright eyes looked around. "It''ste now," she spoke. "What are you nning to do?" Guy instinctively looked away awkwardly. "Ms. Yvonne, I told you yesterday that-¡± Yvonne found his exasperated self amusing as she watched him. She smiled flirtatiously and said, "As expected, all men think with their bottom halves." "What?" Guy panicked. "What are you talking about? Can you just be tant?" "I just wanted to ask you to keep my gown. What are you thinking?" Yvonne asked. Guy was speechless. Did he just misread her intention? He felt awkward about that. Yvonne continued, "Keep my gown; Grandma made it by hand. I need to keep it safe." "Okay,¡± came Guy''s simple reply. "Also, tidy up the shelves," added Yvonne. "Leave a ninth of the ce for me to store my clothes." Guy frowned. A ninth? Would he get a ce to put his clothes? "Sorry,¡± she shrugged, "I have a lot of clothes." Guy then recalled that he only had a few clothes, so he conceded, "Alright." Yvonneid on the bed. ''TH sleep on the bed, and you take the sofa." "Sure," agreed Guy. He nned to do that, anyway. Yvonne, however, was irked when he agreed. How annoying! He was like a robot! She red at him and said arrogantly, "I¡¯m going to sleep now, and I can¡¯t fall asleep with an opposite sex in the same room. Go and stand outside on the balcony, and don¡¯te back before I fall asleep." "Okay." With that, he turned and walked to the balcony, much to Yvonne''s surprise. She watched his back and was speechless, once again. That man was infuriatingly dense! One day, she would teach him! Dior went downstairs. As she noted that the wedding was about to end, she wanted to find Harry. However, Sherlyn stopped her. "Dior, are you going out?" "Yeah." "What for? We don''te home often. Can''t you stay on to apany us?" Dior stopped abruptly. "Huh?" Well, who would apany her man, then? He was all alone in the hospital with nobody to talk to. He must have been lonely. "What happened to our daughter?" Sherlyn¡¯s elegant face sank. "You¡¯re evente to your brother¡¯s wedding. What have you been up to in the past two days?" chapter 1332 chapter 1332 Dior squinted as she responded to her mother, "I went out with my friends in the past few days." "Isn''t everyone home now?" This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. Dior was at a loss for words at that response. Sherlyn took Dior''s hand and pulled her to the sofa, saying, "Look, Dior- your brother is married. You¡¯re up next." Dior¡¯s heart sank. She knew that. She knew she was next in line once her brother got married. Would her parents find her a good match and marry her off? Dior smiled daintily. "Mom, you''re too rushed in this! I''m still young." "How are you young? In a few years, your rtives'' children will be running around while you¡¯re still single-¡± "Stop!" Dior did not want her to continue as she insisted, "I''ll think for myself." "If you do, you won''t be single now." Dior was bewildered at that. Sherlyn then thought it through and offered, "I have a friend from the famous Cogen family. If you have time tomorrow, I can ask her son out to meet you." "No, thanks." Dior shook her head. "Don¡¯t worry about this, Mom. I¡¯m not in a hurry." "Even if you''re not in a hurry, your father and I are." "Isn¡¯t my brother married now? You might as well ask him to make you a grandchild to y with." She did not want them to focus on her. She had not won over Harry, so how could she get married yet? Her, Dior Granger, would not settle down so early and be a stay-at-home wife! "I''m talking about you!" Sherlyn was triggered by her indifference. She was already married when she was at Yvonne¡¯s age! When would Yvonne walk down the aisle? i "Okay, I know. I''ll hurry." Of course, Dior merely said that to cease her nagging. She then stood up." I''m going to my room to read, Mom." "Sigh... Look at you..." Sherlyn looked at her back hopelessly. The confused Dior went back to her room. She was happy that her brother married a woman he fancied. She wanted to get married, too, but someone else had taken her heart. She would not want to marry a man she did not love. Harry Cogen... Harry Cogen... 2 Dior thought of his handsome face, and she swooned at the memory. Still, when could she win him over...? She could not even leave the house! As she plopped down on the bed, Dior took out her phone and stared at Harry''s number nkly. After a moment of hesitation, she made a phone call, which was answered not long after. Harry''s maic voice was heard from the other end, "Who is this?" His first words unsettled her. "You didn''t save my number?" When he heard her voice, he knew who it was. "No." He sounded as if it was the right thing to do. Baffled, she paused momentarily before she asked, "Are you feeling better? Are you running out of the hospital behind my back?" "No." "Oh." Dior felt more reassured. "I might not be able toe over today. I''ll pick you up tomorrow when you¡¯re discharged." "Whatever." His cold replies rattled her. She was the heiress of the Granger family! She had never felt so wronged before! Any other man would have given in at that point, but she liked him because he was aloof and a hard catch. chapter 1333 chapter 1333 Dior would not even bat an eye at Harry if he was all over her. The tight-lipped Dior gnawed on her bottom lip, at a loss for words and not knowing what to say. With nothing else to say, she muttered, "Have a good rest, then." "Okay." He hung up on her instantaneously. Dior, meanwhile, looked at his number despondently. A momentter, she recollected herself and felt that things must not continue the same way they did. He was already apathetic to her, and if she yed the same card, no sparks would fly between them. She had to persist. She did not have to hold back when it came to a handsome man! Dior increased the brightness of her phone and texted, [Harry, have you thought of getting married?] Harry, who was contemting on the balcony, saw her text and frowned. His dull eyes were matted with a maelstrom of emotions and thoughts. He did think of marriage before; it was once the most important matter in his life. s, his heart became void after Sonia cheated on him, and he was no longer interested in love. All he thought of was making money at that point. Perhaps, when he was at the right age, he could find a woman who loved him but not the one he loved. Perhaps he might be in a marriage where both of them did not love one another yet spend the rest of their lives together still. Harry looked at Dior''s text. He knew what she meant... He had warned himself that he should not contact her, but whenever he tried to ignore her, he then recalled how Sonia broke up with him and sat in the luxury car. The visibly emotional Harry then typed on the screen: [So what if I do? So what if I don''t?] Dior did not expect him to reply at all, but there it was-her notification went off. She had received a text. She excitedly opened the text, and she was all smiles when she realized it was from Harry. When she read what he wrote, she became suspicious. What did he mean? Did he want to, or did he not? Dior thought of his personality and, with pursed lips, typed, [Can you consider me? I can give you the life you want, and you¡¯ll never have to suffer.] She reread her text repeatedly before she mustered enough courage to send it. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. She was confessing her love to him! Although she had done a lot for him, she never truly confessed her love. She refused to continue this game she disliked! Everything would be perfect if he said yes. Otherwise, she would wait until he said yes to her! Even if he would use her to trigger his ex-girlfriend, even if it was not true love, she was willing to. All she wanted was to have him, the handsome man that he was. However, she had no replies even after the text was long delivered. Dior was confused. If he did not like her, that her liking him would only burden him and want her to stop looking for him, what other options did she have for that? i Dior thought of that and felt ill. She held onto her phone and typed again, [I¡¯m joking. Don''t take it seriously. I Out of the blue, before she even finished the text, Harry replied... [I don''t want a rtionship for now.] Dior looked at the text and went nk. That was what he was thinking of. Dior thought she had frightened him. His reply did not deter her, though. He was not ready to date yet, but that did not stop her from liking him. Did that mean he also liked her, but because Sonia broke his heart, all he wanted was to earn a living for himself, wanting to get rich and make a name for himself? That was it! Oh, how his character made her fall head over heels! Dior deleted the text she initially wrote and instead replied, [Okay. I¡¯ll wait for you no matter how long it takes. Even if you only want to use me to agitate Sonia, I¡¯m still willing to y the part.] chapter 1334 chapter 1334 Dior received no replies after thatst text. She tried to stay up, as sleepy as she was, to wait for his reply, but it was alreadyte at night, and no replies were in sight. Dior felt helpless, and she could not even leave the house. All she could do was to wait for him to get discharged the following day to speak to him... Meanwhile... Charmine and Anthony returned to Violet Residence. Nial went to the hospital to take care of Frank, and with Yvonne and Guy not around, the vi felt emptier than usual. Charmine was not used to it. Still, when she recalled Yvonne d in the wedding gown and Guy looking happy, she admired them. When would she be wedded to Anthony in the public eye? Anthony, who stood next to her, noticed her dimming gaze and asked, " What''s wrong? Is something on your mind?" Charmine looked up at him and fell silent for a while before abruptly saying, "Anthony, let''s get official. Once Frank recovers, we¡¯ll get married. We''ll let the entire world know about us. I''ll be your wife, and you''ll be my husband." Anthony squinted. "Are you not afraid of public bacsh?" Charmine shook her head. "I¡¯m not." All she wanted was to be seen with Anthony in public. They could face every adversity together, too. Anthony saw the determination in her eyes, and the weight in him grew heavier. 1 He did not mind going public; he could protect her. However, if his operation failed and they still decide to be public, what would happen to her? Charmine noticed his hesitation, and she frowned. "Don''t you want to?" "It¡¯s not that." "Then what are you thinking?" "I''m thinking of when to go public." Charmine then broke into a smile as she assured him, "I don''t mind that. Once Frank recovers, we¡¯ll pick a date to get married." With hesitant-filled eyes, Anthony took her hand into his and nodded. "Alright." Charmine''s red lips curled into a smile as sheid in bed and began nning for her wedding. When Frank recovered, it would be the start of Spring, and it was the best season for a wedding. The sight of a determined Charmine haunted Anthony immensely, more so than usual. He dared not imagine what would happen if he got injured. How would she take it? Did he have to hand her to another man, then? The thought of it made him feel as though cotton clogged his chest. Anthony went to the study room when Charmine fell asleep. For the sake of not disappointing Charmine and to give her a better future, he must not get ill! With a narrowed gaze, he turned on hisptop and posted on the ck market. [Looking for intellectuals around the world. Will be rewarded with a huge sum!] Seven reputable medical professors as candidates had identified themselves as it reached 3am. Anthony put them together and instructed them, "Be ready at all times. If something happens to me during the operation, be ready to save me." Charmine gambled her life on him. He would not let her lose. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. The next morning. Faye had been staying at Violet Residence after her discharge from the hospital, but Frank had also instructed her to help clean up the house. She must not eat and stay for free. She was helping to dust the house when she identally came across the wedding invitation card Charmine had designed. She frowned. Was Charmine secretly nning her wedding? How could that be? How could Anthony marry a woman like her? He would not be happy for the rest of his life! He needed someone cheerful like herself to be happy! i Still, Anthony did not even talk to her. What else could she have done? How could she stop them? gued with worry, Faye went out for a walk. Anthony never spoke to her since Charmine had exposed her during the wedding reception, and she had no inkling of what she could do to stop them! Was the only option left was to watch them marry, after all that? Would she have to return to the bamboo forest forever with her brother once he recovered? Would her brother match her up with a nice man when she was at the right age? 1 It all seemed simple and ordinary, and that would be the end of her story, but it was not the life she wanted! Faye looked up at the building before her, and her eyes were filled with determination. chapter 1335 chapter 1335 Faye wanted to live in a luxurious vi. She wanted to wear the most expensive clothes and to marry a powerful man, not hide in a bamboo forest for the rest of her life! What could she do? She wanted to marry Anthony, but he was about to marry Charmine... Faye felt ill at the thought, and the night breeze made her eyes red. She stood at the shores of a beach, and the thought of ending her life even crossed her mind. Anthony would not care, though, and he would not even frown if she died, so of course she was not as foolish! Faye was about to head back when a luxury car pulled over in front of her, and she automatically tried to study the car. The car window rolled down to show a woman in shades with only half of her face revealed. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. Faye shrugged it off and was about to turn away when a cold voice called out to her, "Ms. Faye." Faye stopped dead in her tracks. Did the woman just call out to her? She turned and asked, "You called me?" "Yes," said the woman from the car. Faye peered into the car, but as the woman sat facing away from the light, only half of her face was revealed, and she even wore shades. No one could identify who she was. i The mysterious woman then began peculiarly, "I know what you''re thinking. I have the same goal as you." "Is that so?" Faye was intrigued at that. "Tell me: what''s your goal?" "To break up Charmine and Anthony," replied the woman simply. Faye looked at her, shocked. "How... How did you know?" Was the woman following her? Contrasting her shock, the woman said in a calm tone, "You don''t have to know how I know. Anyway, the enemy of the enemy is a friend.¡± Faye thought about it. Well, Charmine did have many enemies...but who would turn down a free helper? She wanted to know what this woman had in mind. "Tell me, then," said Faye arrogantly, "what ideas do you have?" The woman stretched out her skinny hand with beautifully red-painted nails and revealed an item that resembled an earplug. "ce this item in Charmine''s reading room and bedroom." Faye took the device and looked at it. "What is this?" "A listening device." Faye grew suspicious. "Could this thing stop Brother Anthony from marrying Charmine?" Aughter was heard from the car, much to Faye''s irritation. "What are youughing at?" The woman inside the car did not reply to her question and instead assured her calmly, "Don''t worry. Just hide this device properly, and don''t let them find out. Charmine and Anthony won''t be able to get married." Faye entertained the thought as she gripped the listening device, but her suspicion of the woman did not waver as she eyed her warily. "Why would I believe you?" "Because you don¡¯t know anything." "You...!" Faye was vexed at that, but the window rolled up at that moment before the car drove away. Faye remained on the same spot as she stared nkly at the leaving vehicle. The car looked expensive. Although she did not know who this woman was, what she said was right. They had the same goal! Since she had no other ways, why not give it a go? She had to fight to live on in this city. She had to surpass this woman; she wanted to drive a better car than hers! She would then see who else daredugh at her. Faye looked down at the listening device in her hand and kept it away, fire dancing in her eyes as she returned to Violet Residence. Charmine was ying with Chris in the living room, and when she noticed Fayeing back in, she nked and ignored her. Faye bit her lip. Everyone looked down on her, so she had to be better off than all of them! One day, they would look up to her! Faye did not care about Charmine. She walked past the living room and went upstairs, i Thinking that Charmine was downstairs, it was easier for her to nt the listening device. When she opened the study room, her eyes were met with a pair of dark ones... chapter 1336 chapter 1336 Faye was so startled that her hands flew up to her chest in terror as she looked elsewhere. "An... Brother Anthony?" Anthony stood before the bookshelf with a medical book at hand. He red at her fiercely. "What are you doing here?" Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Faye stuttered, "I came.Jn to...clean up.'' Anthony squinted as he growled, "There¡¯s no need for that." "Okay, I''lle back tomorrow." Faye was so terrified that she turned away, not wanting to talk to Anthony. She stood in the hallway as she debated on entering Charmine''s room before the fear of getting exposed loomed over her. Whatever. She could wait for all of them to leave the following day so she couldplete her task. Faye was on her way back to her room when Charmine came up with Chris. Charmine frowned at the sight of Faye standing in the corridor. "What are you doing here?¡± "Nothing." Faye lifted her chin. "What, I can''t wander around? This isn''t even your vi-this is Brother Anthony''s! You can''t tell me where to go!" Charmine smirked at hereback. "Who told you this is Anthony''s vi? This is mine!" Faye reeled in shock. This vi was hers? A vi this big, bought by a woman like her? Charmine red at her coldly. "Don''t mess with me, or I''ll make you leave this instant!" "Charmine!" The enraged Faye pointed a shaky finger at her. "My brother treats you so well, yet you bully me when he''s having an operation?" Charmine merely shot her a stunning smirk. "You better thank your brother, then." Faye would not be able to stand there so haughtily, in her vi, no less, if it was not for her brother. "What do you mean?" Faye¡¯s fury only grew as Charmine mocked her. Charmine did not seem to care, however, as she brought Chris back to his room to sleep, leaving Faye transfixed on the spot. She gripped the listening device tightly. That Charmine better not parade herself like that! The fuming Faye turned to the staircase and began to descend the stairs when she, at that moment, overheard Charmine''s voiceing from the room. "I miss you, too." Faye initially ignored that, but Charmine''s voice was filled with a sense of dependence and gentleness, so much so that the former stopped and looked up at Charmine''s room. She saw Charmine calmly talking to someone on her phone. "No need. A man and ady can¡¯t get too close." Faye widened her eyes. Was she talking to a guy? Charmine was usually so apathetic and would only be gentle around Anthony, but it seemed as though the person on the other end of that call was not Anthony! Faye raised an eyebrow. Was she talking to another man behind Anthony''s back? She walked forward and continued to eavesdrop. Unfortunately, Charmine had gone into her room. There was CCTV along the hallway, and she could not listen outside her room. If Anthony came out of the room, she would be exposed. Faye wanted to rat her out so badly, but she did not have enough evidence! Since Anthony would not listen to her anymore, she had to collect evidence before telling him. Otherwise, she might raise Charmine''s suspicion! Faye withheld her excitement as she sat down on the sofa, eyes gleaming with newfound sheer cold determination. She could get to work tomorrow. On the next day, Anthony headed out due to an issue at hand. That left Charmine and Chris as they watered the nts in the backyard. Faye took this opportunity. She grabbed the dust swapper and went into Charmine''s bedroom with the excuse of cleaning her room. She looked around and put a listening device below the makeup desk. Following that, she put the second on below theputer desk in the study room. 1 Pleased with herself, dusted her hands and grinned. chapter 1337 chapter 1337 Faye then pretended as though nothing happened as she continued to so- called clean the shelf before she exited Charmine¡¯s room. Just as she did, she spotted Charmineing back in from the backyard with Chris. She locked eyes with her and smirked, self-gratified. Charmine frowned. What was Faye up to? She had a headache every time she saw that expression of hers. How could she be so clueless about her capabilities? Faye walked past her coldly and turned away while Charmine brought Chris to the living room. As she was about to y with him, her phone rang. She saw the caller and said to Chris, "Go on and y for now. Mommy needs to answer a call." "Okay." Chris nodded diligently. Charmine went upstairs and answered the call. "When are youing over?" Faye walked out to the front yard and quickly put on the earbud. She heard Charmine saying, "Okay. I¡¯ll take care of everything when youe over." "Okay. We¡¯ll meet in the backyard." "Don''t worry, I won¡¯t let Anthony find out." "Yes, tonight at nine." "I¡¯ll wait for you.¡± With that, she hung up. Faye removed the earbud and felt her blood boiling. This was shocking news! Charmine was seeing another man behind Anthony''s back, after all! As expected. She knew Charmine was a bad woman! Faye was exhrated with what she had found out. They would meet in the backyard at night? She would have her evidence this time, and she would, at longst, take Anthony to catch this cheater red-handed! i She would take the proof that she cheated, and the prideful Anthony would surely divorce her. That would leave her and opening! 2 The thought of it electrified her as she hummed a tune and walked out. She was about to shop for a nice dress to look good in front of Anthony, but just as she exited the vi, her phone rang. Faye rejected the call when she noticed that it was an unknown number, but within that minute, the caller texted her the following: [Pick up the call!] Faye saw this demanding text and automatically recalled the woman who gave her the listening device. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Was it her? She had no time to doubt it as her phone rang once more. Faye pursed her lips and answered it. "Any follow-up?" a cold, elegant voice was heard the second she answered. It was indeed that woman. "I have good news," said Faye haughtily, "but what do I get for telling you?" The woman fell silent for a while before she snarkily bit back, "You''re quite ambitious." Faye scoffed, "Of course! I won¡¯t help you for free!" Yes, the woman lent her a hand, but she helped her out, too. "How much do you want, then?" said the woman straightforwardly. Faye''s eyes widened. She did not expect this woman to actually pay her. She hit the jackpot! "Give me a million first." "Hmph!" scoffed the woman. Faye seethed at her behavior as her fingers clenched around her phone tightly. This woman was at her mercy for information, and she refused to give what she wanted for free! The woman said calmly, "Are you sure your news is worth a million?" "Of course!" chapter 1338 chapter 1338 The woman hesitated for a moment and said, "Alright, then. Send me your bank details." Faye was over the moon. She had just secured the evidence of Charmine cheating, and she scored a million bucks for it! She could buy some nice clothes with this money, and she would surely sweep Anthony off his feet if she donned high-quality clothes! "First, transfer that amount to me," demanded Faye. "Don''t mess with me," the woman hissed. "If I expose you to Anthony right now, you won''t be able to get anything!" Faye''s face turned green as sheined, "What about you? Don''t forget that you''re the one who gave me the listening devices. You¡¯re part of this!" "Is that so?" The woman smiled coldly. "Go on and tell Anthony, then. Tell him I gave you the listening device." Faye could easily rat this woman out to Anthony...until she realized something, and her face turned pale. How could Faye tell on her? She did not even know who she was. She would be the only one liable for consequences if she told Anthony everything. Moreover, this was a golden opportunity for her, and she had no actual reason to drop it altogether. Faye bit her lips and softened, "I''ll tell you now. Will you transfer me the money right after this?" "I promised you, and I will." "Okay," conceded Faye. "I found outst night that Charmine was secretly calling a man. Her tone was flirtatious." "That¡¯s it?" The woman scoffed coldly, ''Your news isn''t even worth ten thousand bucks." "Wait, I''m not done yet," Faye hastily stopped her. "Why the hurry?" "Continue." "I heard today that the man ising over tonight at nine," continued Faye. ''They''ll meet at the backyard of Violet Residence." "Is that so?" The woman seemed more excited. "Tonight?" Faye nodded. ''Yes. I heard it all, loud and clear. I''ll bring Anthony to catch this man tonight!" The woman paused for a moment before she corrected, "Don''t hurry." "What?" "Don¡¯t tell Anthony tonight yet." Faye was baffled. "Why? This is a good chance!" They might never get such a chance next time, and all their efforts would go down the drain! The woman scoffed, "If we record it, why the hurry? Letting Anthony know isn''t enough for me!" She knew Anthony. Even if he saw it with his eyes, as long as Charmine exined to him, he would believe and forgive her. Faye halted. "What do you mean?" "Wait for my notice," the woman instructed aloofly. "I want Charmine''s reputation to be ruined." "You have a better idea, then?" asked Faye. The woman said, "I''ll have some people to go there, and you''ll lead them to see it all." Faye nodded. "Sure." She did not expect this woman to be more ruthless than her! Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Faye nearly hung up before she recalled the promised amount. "Remember to transfer me that million dor-deal!" she said urgently. No replies came from the woman as she hung up. Rooted where she stood, Faye red at her phone angrily. If the woman did not transfer her the money, she would go against their n and take Anthony as she initially nned instead! No matter what the woman''s goal was, her goal was to break up Anthony and Charmine! However, within a few minutes, she received a text. It was a payment alert. 1 Her eyes widened and lit up as she looked at the zeroes-it was a million bucks! chapter 1339 chapter 1339 Faye had never seen so much money before. ted, she instantly hailed a taxi to the expensive mall to buy clothes. Meanwhile... Waverly leaned back on the sofa elegantly after she hung up. She took out a cigarette and ignited it, her nails unattractively painted with red. This night was indeed a good opportunity, but it would only trigger Anthony for a while! Anthony would be ashamed if Charmine was seen with another man, and if Waverly failed to expose them, the recording would be handy. She had to make Charmine suffer badly! Waverly blew out the smoke through her red lips, smirking meaningfully as she took out her phone and typed out a long text. [Yvonne might be bullied, Grandma Granger. You should visit her.] She ced the phone down apathetically upon sending the text, and she gazed ahead as she continued to smoke calmly. After dinner, Charmine looked at the time and said, "Anthony, go and see how Frank is doing at the hospital." "Okay." Anthony agreed. Charmine turned around to look at Faye. "Don¡¯t you want to go see your brother?" Previously, Charmine did not even have to suggest anything for Faye to stick to Anthony like glue, but... "I visited him this morning," excused Faye. "I got tired shopping today." Charmine''s gaze was murky with suspicion, and Anthony looked at Charmine warily. She asked Faye to go with him? Charmine met Anthony¡¯s eyes. Sensing that she was close to exposing herself, she said, "I''m worried that Frank might miss her." Anthony thus nodded at her reasoning and did not question her about it." I''ll go now." "Okay." Anthony left not long after, and when Charmine noticed Faye still sitting in the living room, she brought Chris upstairs and put him to sleep. She then walked to the backyard, not knowing that Faye sneakily tailed after her and hid in a dark corner with her phone out, recording her. A man stood at the other side of the gate as Charmine opened the backyard. He was in streetwear, his hair dyed white as he donned a twinkling earring. When he saw Charmine, he instantly hugged her and giddily yelped," Charmine! Did you miss me!" Charmine coldly patted his shoulder, and the two separated. Eddie stretched out a finger donned with a ring as he touched her. "Aw, my Charmine is so beautiful. I missed you!" Charmine thought of how Faye was home and, not wanting her to overheard, spoke, "Speak softer. We''ll chat inside." "Okay." Eddie held her arm as Charmine led him into the resting lounge in the backyard. "How''s the diagram I showed you?" she asked. Eddie smiled. "Although it''s not too bad, it needs some alterations." "Well, I wouldn''t have had you come here if that wasn''t the case." Charmine offered to bring in his luggage. Eddie looked at her, bright-eyed. "Charmine, are you not afraid of your husband finding out?" "Nope," said Charmine calmly. Since theirst argument, their rtionship was more secure than before. Unbeknownst to them, a giddy Faye overheard it all. How she wished she could bring someone over instantly to find out what kind of person Charmine was! This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. She could tell that Charmine was a flirtatious woman even when they were in the bamboo forest, and she even had men all over her. How shameless! All that, and Anthony still treated her so well! Faye leaned over with her phone to continue filming them both. Meanwhile, Eddie and Charmine talked about everything under the weather. He then recalled the times they spent together and muttered," How happy we were back then. How unfortunate that you¡¯re getting married now. I miss the sleepless nights we spent together... They''re all impossible now." Charmine said gently, "How are they impossible? I''m only married, but that doesn¡¯t stop us from doing anything." "Good. I thought you''d forget about me after getting a husband." "No way." Faye''s smile grew in satisfaction at their exchange. With this evidence, Charmine was done for! chapter 1340 chapter 1340 Yvonne had to visit her nuclear family as part of the duties after getting married, but they were not in Burlington. With that, she could only visit Anthony at Violet Residence. The Grangers, on the other hand, came with her to show their gratitude for taking care of Yvonne. Guy and Yvonne both looked as pretty as a picture, donning a couple''s sweaters their family had prepared. The group came bearing multiple gifts, but Guy felt ufortable when he saw Charmine greeting them. "Thank you so much,¡± expressed Grandma Granger. "Without you, Guy wouldn''t have met such an amazing woman!" "You''re wee. They''re fated," Charmine said gently. "Come in and have a seat." Guy, Yvonne, and everyone else entered when the bell rang once more. Charmine went to open the door when she was unexpectedly met with Grandma Bailey. She was shocked for a few seconds before reacting, "Grandma Bailey, what brings you here?" Grandma Bailey looked at Charmine gently and said, "I''ve missed you all! How are you and Anthony?" Charmine gave her a nod as an answer. "Yvonne got married so abruptly," added Grandma Bailey. "I''m still in shock, so I''m here to visit her." Charmine then helped her to enter. "You''re just in time. Yvonne has just returned, and the Grangers havee along, too.¡± Grandma Bailey scoffed. The Grangers bullied Yvonne, did they not? Were they not ashamed? The elderlydy''s expression confused Charmine. "What''s wrong, Grandma?" "Nothing. Take me in." "Okay." The two of them entered the living room, and all heads turned to look at them. Yvonne was the first to react. "Grandma!" she chirped as she stood up to support her. "What brings you here?" Grandma Bailey looked at her and asked, "Did the Grangers bully you?" "Hmm?" Yvonne was confused. "No." She was the one bossing Guy around. Who bullied her? Grandma Bailey frowned. "Is that true?" Why did she receive a text that said Yvonne was bullied? This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. She was so worriedst night and unable to fall asleep that she came early in the morning. Yvonne nodded. "I¡¯m telling the truth, Grandma." When Grandma Granger heard her, she stood up and said, "My dear, we didn''t bully Yvonne. Please rest assured." Grandma Bailey was then convinced. "Good, then." Grandma Granger helped her to get to the sofa. Anthony looked at his grandmother and asked, "Grandma, what brings you here?" "Oh, nothing. I just came to look around. Yvonne just got married, too. How could I note?" Sherlyn quickly exined, "We¡¯re sorry, Grandma Bailey, but since Guy¡¯s father and I are going back tomorrow, we had to rush the wedding. That''s why we made it happen." Grandma Bailey scoffed, "However much of a rush it was, I can''t just marry off my granddaughter so hastily." "We''re sorry that everything happened so quickly," confessed Grandma Granger. "Please, don''t get angry. What we owe Yvonne on the wedding, we''ll make it up to her in the future. I said to Yvonne yesterday that when we have the time in the next two days, we¡¯ll visit you.¡± Sherlyn and Tim nodded. Yvonne reassured her, "Grandma, it wasn''t a rush. The wedding was very well done, and I liked it. Furthermore, Guy and I are in love. His family treats me really well." Grandma Bailey sighed. She knew that Yvonne married Guy because of Charmine and Anthony. Still, the Grangers seemed to treat her amicably. chapter 1341 chapter 1341 Yvonne noticed how Grandma Bailey eyed Guy, thus she gave him a nudge. "Hello, Grandma Bailey," he finally greeted. "I''m Yvonne''s husband." Grandma Bailey looked at Guy from head to toe before she nodded with satisfaction. "Well, well, well..." Faye was pouring tea for everyone as she nced at the guests that came so abruptly. She then realized that they must have been sent by the mysterious woman. Wonderful! This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. She shot Charmine a sneaky nce. ording to what she knew, the man she had an affair with was still in the room in the backyard, busy working on something. If Charmine went out to meet that man, Faye could lead them all to catch them in action! That was what she nned, at least, but Charmine was talking to Grandma Bailey that she probably would not visit that man. Faye grew desperate. The guests might leave if she did nothing about it! Faye pursed her lips, but as she was about to contact the woman... Charmine''s phone rang just as she was chatting with Grandma Bailey. She picked up to see a text from Eddie. [Come over! Now! Help!!!] What happened? Was Eddie in danger? Charmine looked worried as she turned off her phone and said to Anthony, "I''m going to the bathroom." Anthony looked at her and nodded. Charmine then stood up and walked to the backyard. Faye triumphantly stared as she walked away. Was she going to look for that man? For safety''s purposes, she did not want to make a fool out of herself. She followed behind her secretly and saw Charmine was indeed walking to the room in the backyard! Internally leaping in joy, Faye turned back to the living room right away and hurriedly said to Anthony, "Anthony, it¡¯s Charmine! She-" Anthony squinted. "What about her?" "She''s with another man! They''re cheating behind you!" Anthony''s eyes turned dark. "Mind your words!" Grandma Bailey seemed irked at her. "Who are you? What are you talking about?" Faye donned an innocent demeanor. "I''m telling the truth! I saw it with my own eyes that she''s seeing another man in the backyard room. The man is even staying in thispound! If you don''t believe me, we can go and look now!" Anthony frowned, but he stood up and walked out regardless. The skeptical Grandma Bailey walked out as well, followed by the rest of the guests. Was Charmine this kind of person? They had to see on their own. Meanwhile... Eddie was fixing the design diagrams in the resting lounge when a python¡¯s head suddenly reached out from the ceiling. Inherently a scaredy-cat, he feared animals that crawled, especially pythons. His instant reaction was usually to scream and run, but he remembered that Charmine asked him to hide himself. Thus, he tried to curl up in the corner and, with shaky hands, texted Charmine. He shivered in terror until he heard footsteps. When the door was opened, Eddie looked as if he saw his savior. He did not hesitate to hug Charmine tightly. "Charmine, I''m terrified! You have pythons here! That scared me!" Charmine looked at the python on top of the ceiling and squinted. This python could not have slithered its way into this room. Someone ced it there! Charmine then recalled the malicious expression Faye had on her. Was this one of her doings? How childish. Just as the thought urred to her, footsteps were suddenly heard. Her heart sank as she looked at Eddie who clung to her. As expected, in the next second, everyone walked toward them, and Anthony was the one ahead! chapter 1342 chapter 1342 Faye became smug when she saw both Charmine and Eddie in an embrace. Perfect! Charmine was done for. She dared hug this man in broad daylight! "Look, Brother Anthony, I didn''t lie to you!" rambled Faye. ''The truth is right in front of us!" Anthony saw it too, how both of them hugged, and his beautiful face contorted into silent fury. His Charmine was hugging another man! Grandma Bailey and the rest were just as shocked. What was this? Charmine... Charmine pushed Eddie away and walked up to them. "Anthony...hear me out." Anthony tried his best to repress his anger, but his gaze remained fierce." Speak." He gave her a chance to exin herself. "What''s there to exin, Charmine?" scoffed Faye. "I have another piece of evidence with me!" With that said, she took out her phone and yed the recording of their conversation. "Charmine! I missed you!" "We used to stay up all night!" "Don''t forget me after getting a husband." "What if your husband finds out..." The conversation sounded awfully flirtatious, and topped that with them embracing... Everyone looked at Charmine in shock. They never thought Charmine would do such a thing! Anthony looked at Charmine coldly. "You nned our wedding in front of us yet fool around with this man behind my back?" What did he do for her? He tried his best to look for doctors to give her a secured future, all so she would not be heartbroken. Grandma Bailey looked at Charmine with disappointment. "Charmine, you''ve disappointed me." "How could you do this to Anthony, Charmine?" snapped Yvonne. "He''s treating you so well!" She even married Guy for their sake, yet she did such a low blow! How unbelievable! Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Sherlyn and Tim, at that moment, exchanged nces and sighed in relief. Luckily, Guy married Yvonne, luckily, or the Grangers would be the joke of the town if he married a woman like Charmine! Faye kept her phone and looked at Charmine triumphantly. Charmine swept her steely gaze from Faye to Anthony. She was going to say something when Eddie, who was behind her, finally put two and two together. Did they think Charmine was cheating with him? Eddie found it absurd, and he pulled Charmine behind him and said, "You guys got it all wrong!" Anthony red at him, "Do you have the right to speak here?" "Anthony..." Charmine pulled at his hand. Eddie flew in from Italy to help her, and thest thing she wanted for him to face was rebuke! Anthony¡¯s fury-filled eyes grew intense as he stared into her eyes. Was she protecting this guy? Eddie felt the atmosphere getting out of control, thus he came forward and asserted, "Fine, stop talking. Let me exin.¡± "The truth is right in front of us," scoffed Faye. "What¡¯s there to exin?" Eddie was always a friendly and enthusiastic individual who made friends with everyone he met, but the moment he looked at the woman before him, he frowned in disgust and wanted her to have a piece of his mind. chapter 1343 chapter 1343 "Who are you to speak here? Do you even belong here? I¡¯m not exining to you, so get out if you don¡¯t want to hear!" Faye paled at his words and dared say nothing else. The evidence was right before them. She wanted to see what lie he could pull out to mask it all. Eddie turned to Anthony and began, "You¡¯re Charmine''s husband, right?" This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. He was only met with Anthony''s steely gaze. "Hurry and exin!¡± Yvonne pestered. She was afraid that Anthony might burn him before he could get a word out. He even called Charmine¡¯s name so flirtatiously! How daring! "Fine, fine." Eddie looked at everyone and exined, "We''re not what you think. I''m a small suit-designer, Eddie." As he feared no one would believe him, he handed out his name card as he spoke. Everyone frowned in shock. Eddie? The most famous suit designer from Italy, Eddie!? He was a child prodigy who taught himself skills and made a name for himself internationallyter down the line. Rumor had it that a suit he made was sold at 80 million! Someone even spent a billion to have him make a suit! The man in front of them was a world-renowned suit designer, Eddie? Everyone looked at him in shock and disbelief. This famous designer stood right in front of them...and Charmine had an affair with this man? Eddie continued to exin, "I¡¯m one year younger than Charmine, but I always see her as a sister. We have a close bond because I was once tricked and got wasted. At my lowest, I attempted to end myself every time, but Charmine saved me. Heck, she even invested in my studio. She could spot the problems in my design, and with her support and guidance, she made me. All my dreams and sess are thanks to her.¡± 1 He gazed at Charmine proudly and gratefully as he ryed the truth, much to everyone''s bewilderment. They looked at Charmine with disbelief. She was a mentor to this internationally renowned suit designer, and Eddie was sessful because of her? Everyone looked at Charmine from disgust to awe. They knew Charmine was always impressive; they just did not expect her to be so versatile... Grandma Bailey looked at Charmine and, knowing her, believed Eddie''s side of the story. Faye stood by the side, and her face turned pale. Who would have thought that Charmine and this man were just friends? Still, she could still twist it all around to her favor, could she not? Faye smiled coldly. ''You don¡¯t have any evidence, so you can say anything! Who knows what you two did behind our backs? If you''re merely friends, why would you hug so tightly?" Everyone had just started to believe in both Charmine and Eddie again when they were brought back into doubt. True, they did hug, and the recording sounded very flirtatious... If they were merely friends, why would they speak this way? If they were normal friends, why would she have to hide him? Charmine looked at Faye coldly. It seemed that she came prepared this time! How could she exin this? 1 Eddie and her were merely close friends, much like siblings. Eddie was also asexual but did not want anyone to find out about that bit, so it was natural Charmine would not air that piece of information. chapter 1344 chapter 1344 While Charmine tried toe up with a better reason, Eddie stepped up to the te. "I clung to her in horror and out of reflex because a python appeared in my room out of the blue. Also, I''m asexual." Charmine instantly turned to him, wide-eyed. He was brave enough to out himself like that, just to exin for her! Eddie reassured her with a look and said, "If you don''t believe me, I can show you my report!" He then went into the room and opened his luggage to take out the report. Everyone then eyed the report that stated, [Asexuality.] A person with no sexual feeling toward any gender. Everyone looked at Eddie in shock. This perfect-looking man was asexual! That meant there was nothing between Charmine and him... Charmine looked at Eddie. "I''m sorry to have involved you in this mess." "It''s okay, I''m d that¡¯s out of my chest. Furthermore, you''ve helped me so much, and this is nothing inparison to what you''ve done for me." Eddie reassured her and said to Anthony, "Anthony, I hope you don¡¯t me Charmine. She didn¡¯t want me to be seen because she was nning a little surprise for you. In the past two days, we''ve been designing a suit for you." Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Anthony''s heart sank the moment he heard Eddie''s exnation. He then looked at Charmine with disbelief. Charmine invited Eddie to design him a suit as a surprise while he so foolishly wronged her? Goodness, gracious... He guiltily looked at Charmine and, after a moment, muttered, "I was wrong, Charmine." "Don''t worry about it," she dismissed it. She was inconsiderate, anyway. Sure, she was friends with Eddie, but anyone else would have misunderstood that they looked more than friends. None of them thought that it was all a misunderstanding. "I¡¯m sorry to have med you, Charmine," apologized Yvonne as she recalled what she used her of. 1 "Charmine, we were misdirected. Please don¡¯t take what we said seriously," Grandma Bailey added remorsefully. "It¡¯s okay. As long as it¡¯s all cleared up now." With that said, Charmine red at Faye coldly. She had ruined her perfect n! Faye sensed that things were already out of hand, and she tried to leave. Charmine red at her back and snapped, "What? You caused trouble and are trying to leave now?" Everyone then turned to look at Faye, instantly recalling how it was she who brought them out here and misdirected them. They would not have misunderstood Charmine if it was not for her! Faye, on the other hand, acted as if she heard nothing and continued to walk out, but Guy obstructed her from leaving the room. "Ms. Jordan is talking to you." 2 Faye''s face turned pale. She bit her lip and looked at Guy. Yvonne thought of her n and sneered, "How can you be so evil-hearted? You knew Charmine and Anthony are married, yet you keep trying to break them up. What good does that do to you? Let me tell you: even if Anthony and Charmine are to divorce, he won''t fall for you!" 1 Grandma Bailey scoffed at her, ¡®You look so young, but you¡¯re so evil- hearted. If they didn''t exin themselves, this would¡¯ve turned out worse! Where did youe from? How dare you mess around here?¡± Faye was trapped where she stood as she clenched her fists tightly. chapter 1345 chapter 1345 Faye orchestrated everything for everyone to see, and Charmine should have been the one receiving the brunt of it all, not her! What had she done wrong? Charmine was the one flirting with that man behind their backs! She was acting weird! Anyone would have thought so, and moments ago, they believed her. Why did they chide her all of a sudden?! Everyone sided with Charmine already, and she had no way of defending herself. She could only purse her lips and repress her emotions. Her eyes looked red and pitiable. 1 Charmine red at her coldly. "Faye, how many times do I have to say this to you: my rtionship with Anthony isn''t something you can mess with! Even if we file for a divorce, you''re not even up next! Instead of putting so much effort on tricking me, why don''t you spend some time upgrading yourself?!" 1 Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Her voice was clear and filled with mockery, and it made Faye clench her fists tighter that her nails dug into her palms. Her n backfired, and Charmine was on to her. She refused to give in! Hearing what Charmine had said, Grandma Bailey took her hand worrily." What else has she done to you, Charmine?" "It''s in the past," assured Charmine, "don''t worry about it." "Sigh! I¡¯m sorry that you met this kind of person.¡± Grandma Bailey¡¯s heart went to Charmine as she decided, "Kick her out. Let her vanish on her own!" "We could call the police," offered Sherlyn. "She¡¯s breached thew, and she can be put to jail!" Eddie crossed his arms as he looked at Faye with disgust. "I agree. Charmine is hosting and caring for you. How can you be so heartless?" Anthony walked to Charmine''s side and took her hand, saying, "Why don''t we take her to the police?" Faye was an adult, and she had to be responsible for her actions and words. She had tried to break Anthony and Charmine up. She had crossed the line many times! Charmine frowned. She did not want to see Faye anymore, but then there was Frank... She was the only family he had left in the world. How could she send his only sister out through the door? It did not help that Frank was about to get an operation. Charmine turned to say to Anthony, "No need. When Frank is discharged, she''ll go back to the bamboo forest with him." 2 None of them were pleased with that decision. "Charmine, why would you keep someone like her by your side?" fretted Grandma Bailey. Grandma Granger frowned as well. "Listen to us. You¡¯ll only cause yourself more trouble by keeping someone like her around you." "They''re right, Charmine. She treated you so badly, and you¡¯re just going to let her off? This isn''t your style!¡± Eddie was curious. Charmine nced at Faye coldly. "Frank is about to undergo the operation, and I don''t want him to worry." Everyone began to see it from her point of view. Grandma Bailey held her hand fondly. "You¡¯re so kind, Charmine. You''re my good granddaughter-in- law." "That''s right!" beamed Eddie as he patted her shoulder. "My Charmine is cold on the outside and warm on the inside. She''s very kind-hearted!" Anthony nced at him coldly, causing Eddie to let go of her shoulder and distanced himself from her. Anthony''s face softened. Faye was only provoked as she heard them praising Charmine and scolding her. She gnawed on her lip so harshly that it almost bled. Did Charmine expect her to kneel to thank her? Hmph! "Who are you kidding, Charmine? I won''t thank you!" ring at Charmine with reddened eyes, she cried and ran out. No! She refused to ept this! She hated this! She had to make this woman pay! She had to think of another way to take herdown! chapter 1346 chapter 1346 Everyone stared at the retreating Faye, at a loss for words. She did something wrong and still acted as if she was right? How uneptable! It did not bother Anthony, however. All he thought of was how he misunderstood Charmine because of someone like Faye, and he was overridden with guilt. 2 He held Charmine''s hand and said gently, "Charmine, I¡¯m truly sorry." She nned everything for him, yet he did not trust her. Charmine looked at him and smiled with her ruby lips. "It''s okay. Just treat me nicer in the future." "Okay." Anthony wrapped his arm around her waist. Eddie crossed his hands in front of his chest, "Hmm... It looks like you''ve found yourself a good husband, Charmine." Charmine nced at him. "You don''t say." "May I now walk around your vi without sneaking around?" asked Eddie. "Sure," said Charmine. "The surprise is ruined, anyway." Anthony hugged her. "To me, this is already a surprise." Charmine met his gentle eyes shyly, and they both walked back to the living room with her in his hold. Faye was agitated-she did not expect things to take this turn.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. She was all fired up to see Charmine getting ridiculed, yet it backfired on her instead. She became the joke. She ran out of the vi and thought of the woman who nned this. She thus took out her phone and dialed her number. The other side picked up, and that familiar cold voice was heard, "How did it go? Are they fighting yet?" "How dare you ask me that? I got exposed!" yapped Faye. "She''s not cheating with the man; he''s just a friend of hers! I was publicly criticized, and they almost kicked me out!" Recalling how she got so many visitors to visit them altogether, Faye gritted her teeth and hissed, "I suggestedst night to only have Anthony see that guy. Why did you want me to bring so many people to them?" She would not have been scolded by many if it was not for this elusive woman. She never faced such embarrassment ever since she was a child! "Heh!" the woman scoffed. "You took my money, yet not only did you fail to get things done, but you''re also ming me?¡± Faye pursed her lips and dared not challenge her. She did use up the one million she had transferred to her bank ount, after all. She bought expensive clothes, skincare, bags, shoes, and lipsticks. What if she agitated the woman and the woman wanted the money back? Furthermore, she could not do anything to this woman. She did not even know a name to rat out! She was the only one responsible for everything! Faye pursed her lips and said, "I was too impatient." The woman was calmer with that shift in tone. "It''s a small matter. What¡¯s the hurry? This is just the start." Faye paused. "What does that mean?" Did she have something else in store? She was a homeless rat, and no matter what idea this woman had, there was no use! Anthony would not trust her anymore. "Wait for my phone call," concluded the woman. Faye bit her lips and nodded. "Okay." Charmine tarnished her image so badly...and she would pay dearly for it. Furthermore, Charmine would send her back to the bamboo forest once her brother recovered. chapter 1347 chapter 1347 Faye never wanted to return to the bamboo forest for the rest of her life. Since she had a backer who could help her, she would fully utilize the chance she had. 2 Faye clenched her phone tightly as her gaze grew diabolical. That night... After dinner, the Grangers left to go home, and Grandma Granger insisted that Grandma Baileye with them. "Why don''t youe with us to look at how Yvonne is living?" That was also the reason why Grandma Bailey came to visit Violet Residence in the first ce, so she nodded. "Okay." Before she left, however, she advised both Charmine and Anthony," Charmine, Anthony, stop doubting one another, okay?" Charmine nodded. "Okay." "Don''t worry," replied Anthony gently. Grandma Bailey looked around and, with Faye nowhere in sight, muttered," Be careful around that woman. Don''t listen to her." Anthony nodded. "Okay.¡± With that, Grandma Bailey left with the Grangers. Eddie leaned on the sofa and urged, "Let¡¯s hurry, Charmine." Anthony squinted. Did she have to iste herself with him? Charmine saw the look on Anthony''s face, and with a smile, reached out to hold Anthony. "This time, all of us together." There was no need for the element of surprise, anyway. Anthony''s expression grew amicable while Eddie sighed in relief." Wonderful! We don''t have to hide anymore." Only God knew how hard it was for him to hide around. He was a well- known designer, for goodness sake! Since when did he have to sneak around? The incident with the python that afternoon still terrified him, too... Eddie took the designing tablet and started altering it in the living room. This time, Charmine no longer had to guess Anthony''s measurements- they could measure him right then and there! She took a measuring ruler and stood before Anthony to measure his abdomen. Anthony looked down at the woman in front of him. Her hair was soft, her eyes focused, her nose upright, and her lips sexy... Her every feature tugged at his heart, and his mind drifted to the thought of their actual wedding day when Charmine would put on a wedding gown... She would be the most beautiful woman in the world! Charmine jotted down his measurements emotionally. Once Frank got discharged from the hospital, they would get married. She could finally stand with him in public and dere herself, Charmine Jordan, as Anthony Bailey''s lawful wife! That day would soone... Charmine was still finalizing their future, measuring him and then telling Eddie his measurements. Eddie, on the other hand, altered the design onest time. When the design was done, he added colors to the diagram on the screen. Charmine swept a nce at the colors and then at Anthony. The colors truly did suit his temperament. When she thought of him in this suit, she could see him waiting for her at the end of the aisle... 1 Charmine felt her emotions welling up in her chest as she looked up at Anthony and said, "As promised, once Frank recovers, we''ll get married." Her words were bold,ced vaguely with anticipation. Anthony looked at her gently. "Okay." Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Charmine gazed at him, and her red lips curled into a satisfactory smile. Meanwhile, Anthony''s gaze dulled as emotions whirled beneath his irises. Faye returned that night and saw Charmine and Eddie talking. Wordlessly, she removed her shoes. 1 Eddie scoffed, "How unashamed of her toe back. Her skin is thicker than my cow''s skin!" Faye bit her lips and pretended as if she did not hear him. She had to hold it in. With the woman''s help, she would be able to force Charmine away! 1 Her goal was Anthony; she would not hold this against anyone else! chapter 1348 chapter 1348 Seeing that Faye was ignoring them, Charmine red at her coldly." Remove the listening devices." Faye, who just got to the staircase, stopped dead in her tracks as a glint of panic appeared in her eyes. How did she know? The listening devices were so small, and she could not have seen them! Faye turned toward them and looked innocent. "What are you talking about? What listening devices?" Charmine''s eyes darkened. She was not fixing that attitude of hers! She said coldly, "Are you too dumb, or do you think everyone is as dumb as you?" denounced Charmine. "If you didn¡¯t nt listening devices, do you have super-powerful ears, then? Do you want me to ask someone to run the checks?" Charmine interrogated her and scoffed, "Before I get angry, you better remove them now!" Faye bit her lip. The devices were useless, anyway. "Fine!" She instantly ran up the stairs. Her behavior agitated Eddie. "How can this woman be so shameless? She did such a bad thing and acted as if she''s right!" "Get used to it," muttered Charmine. "I can''t get used to it," protested Eddie automatically. "Charmine, you''ve be gentler ever since having ns to get married! The thought of living with this woman makes me want to resist with every cell in me!" 1 Charmine merely smiled. "Soon. Just keep it together for now." Once Frank was discharged, she had to tell Frank about Faye''s problems. The girl would ruin herself if she continued down this road. Frank would not want his sister to end up that way. Faye went upstairs and removed the listening devices, and when she got back to her room, she struggled to breathe properly due to frustration... She did not understand why her n never worked out. The n was wless, yet she always ended up beingughed at like a clown! She picked up her phone to text that mysterious woman the following: [She knew about the listening devices. I took them down.] A reply was received quickly. [No worries. I''m sending some flowers over. When you receive them, put them into Charmine''s room.] Faye frowned. [Why would you send flowers now?] C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. The womanughed mockingly as ifughing at her like a fool. She did not borate as she instead insisted, [Just do as I say.] Faye could only reply, [Ok.] She walked out of her room and went downstairs. When she walked past the living room, Eddie red at her and frowned." Can you stop walking in front of me? The sight of you annoys me!" i Oh, how he messed up her sanity! Faye red at him. "Close your eyes, then!" This was not his house! What was he on about? She no longer bothered him as she walked out. "You...!" Eddie waved his arms furiously. He looked at Charmine for help. "Charmine, I beg you-chase her out! I can''t take it anymore!" "Keep calm," said Charmine tly. "Frank is having the operation tomorrow. Once he''s discharged, she''ll return to the bamboo forest with him." Eddie clenched his hands tightly; he was going up the wall. "I''m going upstairs to design. I don''t want to see her!" "Alright, then," said Charmine helplessly. ¡®We''ll go upstairs." Faye, who heard this outside, smiled coldly. Send her back to the bamboo forest, she said? Hah! She refused to go along. She wanted to stay! 1 She walked out of the vi and there was indeed a pot of flowers. She held the pot with both hands and walked inside. She went upstairs as if nothing was happening. chapter 1349 chapter 1349 As Faye was about to walk into Charmine''s room, the door to the next-door study room suddenly opened. Faye''s body jolted, and she slowly turned back. Charmine stood before the door and red at her coldly. "What are you doing?" Faye tried her best to stay calm, and she already came up with an excuse on the way. "I''ve done wrong today, so to make it up to you, I bought this pot of flowers to give you. Please don''t tell Anthony, alright?" Charmine scoffed. She did not believe a single word she uttered. She looked at the fresh flowers and, squinting at it, lifted her leg to kick at the pot. Instantly, the pot of beautiful flowers crashed against the floor and, strangely enough, a powder-like substance wafted out of the pot. Charmine red at Faye coldly. "You''re not even sorry, Faye!" she hissed. How dare she give her a manmade musk flower! This could cause infertility if one sniffed it for a long period. Faye''s expression faltered as she cried inwardly. She knew? She took a deep breath to calm herself down, but in the process, she sniffed the powerful pollen. 1 She acted as if nothing happened. "What are you talking about? I..." Faye felt light-headed before she could finish. She instantly lost her senses and fell to the floor right after. Not knowing what she was ying at, Charmine eyed her doubtfully. Suddenly... Faye''s skin turned purple! Charmine shifted her gaze downward to the flowers on the ground and realized that the petals contained a lot of pollen, and they had gathered a thickyer of poison! Frowning, she took Faye by her arms and pulled her away. Eddie heard her and saw the purplish-skinned woman on the floor. "What happened?" he cried out. "Is the weirdo possessed by a demon?!" i Charmine said seriously, "She''s poisoned. Carry her down, and send her to the hospital." "Me?" Eddie pointed at himself with disbelief. He had to carry this woman? Dear God... He might as well be killed. "Do you want me to do it, too?" rebutted Charmine. "Don''t waste more time. Hurry!" Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Studying that Faye was indeed poisoned and how serious Charmine seemed, Eddie dared not fool around as he quickly downstairs without wasting any more time, i Charmine went into the tools room and put on disposable gloves. She then went back to her room, held on her breath, and air-sealed the pot before she, too, went along to the hospital. When they arrived at the hospital, Nial saw how sickly Faye looked and reeled back in shock. "How did this happen?¡± 1 Charmine handed him the air-sealed pot. ¡®The petals contain poisons. She sniffed it." "Wait for the results," said Nial as he brought the flowers to get tested. He also arranged for Faye to undergo an operation. Charmine sat by the side as she gazed at the tightly shut door to the operating room. Tomorrow was Frank''s operation. If anything happened to Faye, how would she tell it to Frank? Eddie asked, "How did the woman get poisoned?" asked Eddie. Charmine squinted as she recalled the scene outside her bedroom. Faye was not the one to have bought the flowers... It seemed that even she did not know the flowers were poisoned! Knowing her, she would have skedaddled when Charmine kicked the pot. That meant... Someone had instructed her to do it. chapter 1350 chapter 1350 Charmine then tried to think of whoever it was that could have made Faye do it when the operating room¡¯s door abruptly opened. She stood up and walked. "How did it go?" The nurse looked at her. "It¡¯s severe. I need to find Dr. Nial." The nurse then rushed toward theb room, leaving Charmine rooted on the spot. Severe? How? Was Faye not just poisoned? The nurse found Nial running tests on the flowers, and she hurriedly spoke, "We have a situation, Dr. Nial! The patient isn''t doing well." Nial put down his work and frowned. "Howe?" "It looks like kidney failure. Pleasee and have a look!" urged the nurse. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Nial went with her. Before they went back in, Charmine quickly interceded them. "Why is it severe?" "The patient is poisoned severely," exined the nurse, "and her kidney is failing." Charmine was mystified. How could it be so severe? Nial said to her, "Let me have a look. Don''t worry." With that said, he went in with the nurse quickly. Eddie crossed his hands at his chest and scoffed, "She¡¯s done enough bad things, and God sees everything. She''s getting her karma!" i Charmine squinted in confusion. Faye merely sniffed at the pollen. How would it be so severe? Moreover, the poison was meant for her. Who would want to kill her? Faye was in such a critical stage. What if Frank found out? His operation was set for tomorrow! Charmine prayed that nothing would happen. She and Eddie waited for two hours in front of the operating room, and the door eventually opened. Nial removed his mask and looked at Charmine. "She''s poisoned," he dered grimly, "and a very severe poison, at that. Strangely, we can''t find out what caused it, and her kidney is already failing." Charmine frowned. ''Was it the poison from the petals?" Nial shook his head. "No. I ran some tests on the petals; it''s just sprinkled with some pollen that could cause infertility. There''s no trace of the poison on the flowers." "where did she get the poison from, then?" Charmine did not understand. Her skin did turn purple after sniffing at the pollen, and she lost consciousness after that. "We don''t know yet, but she''s in a critical stage now," concluded Nial. ¡®Til put her in the ICU while you try to find out what poison it is." With that said, Nial turned to the doctor beside him. "Send her to the ICU." Faye was pushed out of the operating room. Charmine stared at the unconscious Faye and was stunned for a few seconds. She was a healthy woman who deteriorated and looked ten years older. This poison was so powerful... Nial exined, "Her kidney is failing, and her body is under a lot of stress. This is normal. Study the poison while I''ll find a suitable kidney for her." "Okay." Charmine agreed. Nial started using his resources to search for a kidney nationwide while Charmine stayed in the office to study the poison. There was no progress until 12 that night. Nial did not find a good match; the mostpatible one was only 35 percent. At this level ofpatibility, even if they moved it in, she would not survive! Faye''s condition was worsening by the hour. Her pulses were not stable, and she remained unconscious. Tomorrow was Frank''s operation, and if he found out... Charmine''s face darkened and persisted in her research. It was two in the morning. "This is too strange!" sighed Nial. "There''s no poison on the petals, so what caused her kidney to fail so abruptly? If this goes on..." Eddie, meanwhile, had already dozed off as he sat on the sofa. chapter 1351 chapter 1351 "Logically speaking, you and Faye were right next to one another. Why was she poisoned and you''re not?" added Nial curiously. Charmine frowned. It was indeed strange how she was spared from the poison''s aftermath and Faye was not. Unless... Charmine''s eyes lit up as a thought came to her. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "Wait for me. I''m heading home!" She rushed out urgently. Eddie, seeing her rushing out and not wanting her to go alone, raced after her and drove her back home. Upon returning to Violet Residence, Charmine put on disposable gloves and went into Faye¡¯s room to search around. About ten minutester, she finally found the listening devices she found that Faye had removed. "Why are you looking for this?" questioned Eddie. "The flowers'' poison wouldn''t have caused such a severe reaction on Faye. Maybe this thing has poison on it, too,¡± theorized Charmine. After all, Faye only brought the devices and flowers into her room, i Eddie gazed at Charmine, starstruck. She was that brilliant to have discovered the corrtion! Still, was there poison on the listening devices, after all? Terrified, he took eight steps back as he held his breath. Charmine smiled. "Don''t worry, it''s sealed." Eddie let out a sigh of relief. "Charmine, why are you going through so much for that heartless woman? She treated you so badly. Why don''t you just leave her be?" Charmine''s eyes darkened. "She should be thankful that she''s Frank''s sister, or she''d be long dead by now." Eddie was speechless. "Okay, get some rest. I''m going to the hospital." Charmine was about to go out when she recalled something. "Is Anthony not home yet?" she asked. "Not yet." Charmine frowned, wondering what Anthony was up to for the past two days. He always went out early and came homete. Perhaps it was his work, so she did not meddle too much into it. 1 Charmine brought the sealed listening devices back to the hospital and handed them to Nial, saying, "Examine them. Find out if there¡¯s poison on the listening devices." "Okay." Nial went into theb room to run a series of tests, and it was half an hourter that he, at a loss for theory, looked at the report. The listening devices had poison on them, and it was TUI! TUI was a chronic poison. Should an individual sniff it daily, the poison would build up in their body and result in overall physical weight gain and rashes on the face. One would die in two years with no observable cause! Still... Nial squinted as he asked suspiciously, ¡®This isn''t the same poison Faye was diagnosed with. This is a chronic one, but what was dealt against Faye was instant. The severity is different." Charmine, who waited by the side, frowned. Was it that peculiar? Was it not the poison from the listening devices? How did Faye get poisoned, then? It seemed like a stalemate once more. Both Charmine and Nial studied the report repeatedly, and Nial even brought out the report of the poison found on the flowers. As the night grew murky, everything grew misty. Finding himself on a deadend, Nial cluelessly handed the report to Charmine. "Perhaps we should just give up and let Faye face retribution..." After all, it was not a pity for someone like her to die. Frank was her only boon. Charmine knew that, too, but she went through the reports nheless. What was the problem? She saw the data. [TUI...POLLEN.] [TUI...POLLEN.] She abruptly turned to Nial. "I think I got it!" chapter 1352 chapter 1352 Charmine walked to theb desk, swabbed the poison from the petals, and put the sample into a bottle. After that, she swabbed the poison from the listening device and mixed both poison samples. After dissolving them, she brought them to theb. The data was interpreted after a few minutes, and Charmine asked for Faye''s report once more. As expected, the two reports aligned. Faye''s poison was caused by a mixture of these two! Nial looked at the data and cried out with astonishment, "Charmine, you''re amazing! You managed to connect the dots so well! Spectacr! Knowing the source now, we can try to deduce it all now." "Hurry," urged Charmine. "Alright." Nial followed this data and analyzed it to start making the antidote. Focusing on TUI and the pollen, he concocted hundreds of antidotes. However, since they did not know what poisons'' proportions were, they did not know the exact measurement and dosage for the antidote. There were hundreds of substances, and any extra substance would cause a severe side effect! It took up an hour to formte the first version of the antidote. When they ran through the tests on this antidote, the result...showed that it was not a good match. It did not tackle the poison. They started making the second version. Nial tried to reduce the AE proportion to 0.8 percent. They then tested it, but the data showed a negative oue again, i It was already four in the morning, and they had brewed up to ten versions, yet not a single one could cure the poison! They made another version, and both of them stood before theb desk to wait for the result. Nial sighed. "Whoever came up with this poisonbo is clever. The proportions are so urate and difficult to tackle!" Charmine was curious. Who was it that came up with such a malicious n? Despicable. When the report came out, Nial wanted to cry. "Failed." Charmine merely insisted, "Continue." Faye could not wait. "Alright." The two changed the liquids, the proportions, alterations, modeling, and tried again... C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. It was only when daylight broke that they finally received results... Thetest version of the antidote could relieve the kidneys from failing. Nial looked at the data and said, "This will merely relieve the symptoms. It''d be extremely difficult to come up with the exact antidote. Still, this one is able to relieve some pressure off her body and help her regain consciousness." They could interrogate her once she did. "Good!" The two of them went to the ICU to feed Faye the antidote. At the ward''s bed... The bleary Faye felt listless as she felt pain all over her being. She even found it hard to breathe. She looked around and realized she was in the hospital. What happened? Was she not in Violet Residence? The moment she spotted Charmine, she recalled that she was with her before she passed out. She began to heave as she hissed, "Charmine...! What have you done to me ...?!" Why did she pass out when she was all fine? This evil woman must have caused her harm! "I didn''t do anything," said Charmine tly. "Why did I end up here, then?" she feebly retorted. "I want to go out..." She must noty in bed. She had to fight for her Anthony! "You can¡¯t be discharged yet!" snapped Nial. "Why not? I¡¯m awake now...!" chapter 1353 chapter 1353 Faye initially thought she passed out because of Charmine. Nial pursed his lips. "Your body is in a critical condition. Your kidney is failing severely." "What!?" Faye''s face turned pale. Kidney failure? "Charmine!" Faye''s face was so pale that it was terrifying, and she nearly lost consciousness again. She stretched out a shaky finger and pointed at Charmine, shrieking, "How are you so evil? You had the heart to do this to me, just because I wronged you?!" "I was going to ask you this: who did you meet beforeing home?" interrogated Charmine intensely. Faye refused tomunicate and give her cooperation, despite her body being in a dangerous state. She grew angrier instead. "Just you! I was fine before entering your room. You saw me lifting the pot of flowers meant as your gift, but you got all fierce and attacked me! How can you be so heartless, Charmine?!" Nial, unable to tolerate that behavior, shot Faye a menacing gaze. "Watch yourself, Faye. You''re badly poisoned right now, and if it wasn¡¯t for Charmine, you would''ve died at home hours ago!" This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. Faye was shocked. She could have died? Was it that lethal? Was it not some ordinary pollen poison? Still, Charmine and Nial did not look like they were bluffing, and she did feel painfully ill... Fear instantly overrode her senses as she meekly questioned, "What can I do? Is there a cure? I don¡¯t want to die... I can¡¯t die because of you guys!" 1 "Treating kidney failure needs either an antidote or a suitable kidney," came Nial''s tant truth. "Otherwise...¡± He did not have to continue his sentence for Faye to understand. Her expression shifted once more, herplexion turning green, then to pale white. She shot Charmine a murderous re, wanting nothing more than to kill her. Gripping at her chest, she barked with whatever shred of energy she had left, "You better hand me the antidote, Charmine! Are you even human? I merely wronged you, and you did this to me!? Is this what you do to repay my brother? Give me the antidote, now!" Charmine red at her with hostility evident in her gaze, and she repeated, "As I said, I wasn¡¯t me! The flower and listening devices had poison on them, and only the person who handed them to you has the antidote. If you want to live, you better start talking." Faye reeled back in shock at her words. It was from the flowers and listening devices? Was the pot of flowers not meant to harm Charmine? How did she end up getting poisoned instead? The only antidote was with that mysterious woman, too? With a bloodthirsty gaze, she red at the thought of her phone. Charmine read her mind and said, "Your phone is home. I didn''t bring it for you.¡± Faye turned to Nial. "Give me your phone!¡± Nial handed her his phone, and she squeezed her brain to recount the mysterious woman''s number. However... Her phone was turned off. Faye felt like crying. Try as she might, the calls never got through despite calling a few more times. Pale-faced Faye grew terrified and was sick to the stomach... She would never get the antidote if she could not reach that woman... Would she die without a suitable kidney, too? The thought of it broke the dam as her tears fell. She then began to wail. She stretched out her shaky finger once more and pointed at Charmine. Her eyes were furious, but she barely had any strength to say, "Charmine...! You must find her! You must cure me, or I''ll make you pay!" "You didn¡¯t even tell me who she is," scoffed Charmine. "How am I supposed to find her?" Faye felt bad, and she copsed. "I told you, I don¡¯t know who she is!" "Seems to me like you don''t want to live that much anymore." Charmine red at her coldly and walked out. chapter 1354 chapter 1354 "Wait, don''t leave!" Faye called out urgently with reddened eyes. "I don''t know who she is, I swear. I''ve only ever heard her voice: cold, elegant, but very pompous. I remember her hands and her nails, painted with high-grade nail polish. She seems very pampered, much like a princess would be." i Charmine frowned. An elegant temperament with a high-above manner of speech, and seemed like a princess? Instinctively, a name crossed Charmine''s mind-Waverly. Waverly always spoke with an elegant tone, especially to people without status. She even acted haughtily, cing herself on a greater pedestal. Most importantly, she always used others as her means. Charmine looked at Faye and asked, "She¡¯s the person who asked you to nt the listening devices as well as the flowers inside my room?" "Yes!" Charmine suddenlyughed before she swept an aloof gaze her way." Should I say you''re stupid or too ignorant?" "What do you mean? I didn''t tell you tough at me!" Faye''s face turned pale. "I''m taking you down with me if you can''t cure me, Charmine...!" Indeed, that mysterious woman intended and caused her harm, but she would not have been poisoned had Charmine not kick the pot of flowers! Charmine should be the one dying, not her! Charmine then hissed, "Do you know what the woman is? She''s Waverly D''Cruz, Anthony''s publicly known fiancee. She wants to put me away to marry Anthony. Do you think she''s helping you?" Charmine scoffed. "She''s merely using you!" Faye''s face turned pale. Waverly D''Cruz? The woman she saw from the news two days ago at the Cultural Olympics? She thought of the luxury car from the other day and was suspicious. Taking Nial''s phone, she then searched for news about her and clicked on one clip. Everything came crashing onto her the moment she heard her voice. This was the voice of the woman who spoke to her over the phone. Charmine saw her reaction and added, "She wants us to kill one another and then pocket the gains! Do you think you can marry Anthony if you killed me? How are you going topete with Kansas'' princess? You¡¯re being used as a chess piece, you fool!" 1 Charmine scoffed and turned to walk out. Nial also red at Faye before leaving. ¡®You better pray for yourself. Even if you survived, your brother and Anthony won''t let you go easily!" Nial thus went out with Charmine. Faye was petrified at the bed, never expecting herself to be used as a chess piece. She thought the woman was dumb enough to help her unconditionally. She even paid her! She realized, atst, that she was the joke, the one yed like a fiddle! She was done for without an antidote... Faye clenched her fists furiously. Waverly D''Cruz, was it? She had to remember this person! i Charmine and Nial walked out of the ICU. "What to do now?" asked Nial. "Even if we know the source of the poison, it''s too severe, and we can¡¯t make an antidote right away. Even when we make one, Faye might not make it. Waverly won''t give out the antidote so easily, either..." "Don¡¯t worry. Leave it to me." Charmine''s red lips curled up coldly. With that, the sky grew brighter as the sun rose to the heavens. At M&G Hotel. Waverly leaned on the sofa and red at the message Britney had sent her. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. [Faye¡¯s poisoned. Charmine and Nial are looking for help.] Her red lips curled up coldly. chapter 1355 chapter 1355 Although things did not go as she nned, the oue was not too bad, either. Charmine still had thoughts of marrying Anthony, did she? She wanted to go public with him? Hrious! Charmine could be jailed for life if Faye could not be saved, yet that woman still wanted to marry Anthony and live happily ever after? Not happening. That one-million deal was worth it! Waverly''s fingers, painted with red nail polish, clicked on the screen as she stonily replied, [Keep a close watch on the situation.] Grinning in glee, she then clicked on Susan''s number and texted the following: [Auntie, are you free? I''d like to have a cup of tea with you.] [I know you don''t like me, but would you ept Charmine who''s responsible for murdering someone? Would you want her as your daughter- inw?] After a few minutes, Susan replied, [Okay.] Waverly''s smile broadened at Susan''s response. So long as Faye remained untreated, Charmine would be responsible for murdering her! Susan never liked Charmine, too. She would not allow someone like that woman to be part of the Bailey family! The graceful Waverly remained as a perfect candidate. Just as she mused herself with these thoughts, however... Bam! The room door was kicked open. She turned around, wanting to give this person a piece of her mind when she saw...Charmine walking toward her furiously! Waverly met her eyes with a hint of anxiousness. Did she know something? Outwardly, however, Waverly stered an aloof expression. "Didn''t your parents teach you to knock before entering, Charmine?" Charmine shot her a fierce stare. "Manners will depend on who you''re treating. No need for them if it¡¯s with you." i "You...!" Waverly''s face changed as she picked up her phone to call for the securities. Before she could even take the device, however, Charmine rushed up to her and kicked the phone away, causing the phone to zip ten meters away. Crash! The phone fell to the floor and cracked. Waverly gaped. "You crossed the line, Charmine!" "Speak for yourself!" Charmine red at Waverly coldly. "I didn''t do anything to youtely. What, are you itching or something? How dare you do such evil things!" Waverly grimaced as she barked, "I don''t know what you''re talking about!" Charmine did not bother to entertain the lies, however. "Hand me the antidote," she warned. Waverly refused to cave in. ¡®What antidote? What are you talking about?" "Heh! Still want to y dumb, do you now? I don''t have time for this trash, sadly," hissed Charmine as she revealed a sharp dagger at hand. 1 She zipped toward Waverly and pushed the dagger to her neck. "I¡¯m going to ask again: give me the antidote!" The terrified Waverly dared not move, yet she still put up a fight calmly." Don''t forget who I am, Charmine. Don''t mess with me!" "I''ll show you, messing around!" The de pressed tighter against her neck, causing the skin to turn red. Waverly was scared for her dear life. She knew Charmine could do anything. "Okay, I will give it to you..." she hastily responded. "Stop messing around!" "Get to it, then!" snapped Charmine.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. chapter 1356 chapter 1356 Waverly nced down at the knife against her neck and carefully turned back to open the box by the side. She took out two antidotes and handed them to Charmine. Charmine took them and withdrew the knife from her neck. "You better not pull anything funny," she warned. "Don''t worry, these are the only antidotes. Take it or leave it." Waverly heaved in the air as she distanced herself from Charmine. Charmine smirked. "Still so pompous, are you? I think you should suffer a little more." Opening her palm, an odorless, colorless powder shrouded Waverly, one that thetter did not notice. "I''ve given you the antidotes, Charmine! What else do you want to do?¡± she asked cautiously. "You¡¯ll knowter. Enjoy!¡± Charmine smiled coldly and turned away. 1 Waverly looked at Charmine''s back in confusion. What did she mean by that? Why did she open her palm like that? Before she understood, she suddenly felt pins and needles all around her body. rms went off in her mind as she rushed into the bathroom. Just like that... "Argh!" a terrified cry resonated from the bathroom. Waverly looked at herself from the mirror. No longer was her skin fair and smooth; they were littered red spots that had pus in them. They looked disgusting, i Her face was not the only part of her that suffered-her body shared the same fate, too. i Unable to register what happened to her, she growled, "How did this happen? Why did this happen?!" Her face... Her skin! How could they be ruined?! She was about to meet Susan that afternoon. How could she meet her like this? She ran out anxiously and quickly called for a doctor, who came just as fast. After running some checks, he frowned. "Ms. Waverly, you''re infected with WR toxin. This toxin is both odorless and colorless. You took in too much, and that''s what caused this." "What?¡± WR toxin? She was fine before! How did she get infected? Curses! This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. The image of Charmine parting her fingers at her face shed past her mind. It was her-Charmine, that b*tch! That heartless woman had the audacity to hurt her! o Malice sizzled in Waverly''s pupils. Curse that Charmine! There was hell to pay! Even if she wanted to go public with Anthony, Waverly would make sure that she could never marry into the Bailey family! i Waverly scoffed at the doctor, "Give me medication right now! I want these to go away!" It was already difficult to contact Susan. She had to see her as nned! The doctor was put in a difficult position. "Based on your symptoms, it¡¯ll take at least a week of medication." Waverly''s face turned cold. "I¡¯m not going to repeat myself. Do as I say!" She had to meet Susan. She had to hurry and convince her, and she had to make her agree to her wedding with Anthony. She must not let Charmine go public with Anthony! Afraid of losing his job, the doctor could only do as he was told. He gave her two-thirds more of the original prescription, and she ate them all. An hourter, the red spots on her face disappeared. Topped that with makeup, her face was no longer gued like it was moments before. She sat before the makeup table and looked at her delicate face. She smiled coldly. Ha! ''What ame trick, Charmine! You can''t stop me from meeting Susan!'' How ignorant! Though there were no ws to her skin anymore, Waverly still put on anotheryer of concealer. chapter 1357 chapter 1357 Just as Waverly was about to leave, she suddenly felt a sharp pain and itchiness on her skin. She looked at the mirror, and her eyes widened. Another big pimple appeared on her face, along with many red spots! The blood and pus ruined her makeup! It was more severe than the morning! i Seeing her grotesque reflection, she mmed her palms against the doctor. "How did this happen? I asked you for medication! How did this happen?!" The doctor bent and exined with his head down, "I... I didn''t expect this either... Your pores might¡¯ve gotten clogged when you put on your makeup, worsening the symptoms..." Waverly''s entire being shook in anger. "You''re so useless! Get out of my sight! Get out!" The doctor scrambled and got out of the room, leaving Waverly staring at herself in the mirror. She knew there was no hope. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. After a long while of hesitation, she had no choice but to pick up her phone to text Susan the following: [Auntie, I''m so sorry. I¡¯ve got things in the afternoon, so I can¡¯t go home. I''m so sorry. We''ll meet next time.] When Susan received her text, her expression turned steely. That Waverly...! This woman dared to trick her, yet she still tried to marry into the Bailey family? She might as well dream about it! Disgusted, Susan deleted the messages and blocked Waverly right away. Meanwhile, Waverly waited for Susan''s reply. Even if she just wanted to brush her off, she would normally reply to her. However, nothing came. Her hands clenched tightly. Susan already did not like her, and this must have angered her all the more and hated her more passionately. Curse that Charmine! She ruined everything! Waverly clenched her phone, and her eyes darkened. Inside the hospital. Frank was about to undergo the operation, and the doctors examined him onest time. He felt serene and epting, not resisting much of anything at that point. He seemed peaceful and at ease. After all, his life would be just as stale if he survived. As he was examined, he heard the nurses talking to one another. "I know, right? I haven''t seen this kind of poison, either." "How strange! The girl was all purple when she got admitted. Even Dr. Nial was clueless!" "Ms. Faye''s fate is down to God now. There''s no cure for this kind of poison!" "Sigh! What a pity. She''s only twenty-one, too." Frank was unbothered by their gossip, but the moment he heard his sister¡¯s name and her age, his head snapped in their direction. The nurses continued, "I heard that Charmine Jordan caused it! The two of them even argued in the bedroom." "This woman is so hard to tell! She was amazing during the Cultural Olympics and seemed elegant. Who would''ve thought she''s actually such an evil person!" Frank automatically shuddered at that. Charmine? He asked urgently, "May I know if the poisoneddy is my sister, Faye?" The nurse looked at him and answered, "Yeah. Sigh...l pity that woman." Frank''s face turned paler. Faye was poisoned? He reached out to feel his surroundings. He sat up on the bed and said," Excuse me, but I won''t be examined. Could you bring me to Faye¡¯s ward?" Momentarily stunned, the nurse then reacted to convince him, "You''re about to undergo the operation. You must do the test today to make sure your body is in good shape." Frank shook his head. "No. Abort the operation for now." How could he be so calm and undergo the operation while his sister was ailing? He reached out to make his way out of the bed. chapter 1358 chapter 1358 Helpless, the nurses had to help Frank get to the ICU, where Faye listlesslyid in bed, her breathing labored. Faye lifted her head and looked at the door when she heard it opened. She thought it was Charmine with her antidote, but she was instead greeted with the sight of a nurse helping Frank to get in. "Brother..." Seeing him, Faye felt wronged. She began to pant and wail, "Brother... I''m about to die. I don''t want to die! I''m only twenty-one... I don¡¯t want to die...!" Hearing her heaving, Frank turned around and frowned. ''What happened? How did you end up like this?" Faye thought of her misfortune, and her pants grew erratic. She gripped her chest for a moment before saying, "I¡¯ll tell you the truth, Brother, but don''t me me..." An unsettling feeling welled up within Frank at her words. This meant that she had done something for Charmine to treat her in such a manner. Faye began, "A person manipted me to nt listening devices in Charmine''s room, which she eventually found out. I do feel apologetic, and that''s why I bought her a pot of flowers, but not only did she turn me down, she even kicked the pot! It turns out that the pot of flowers and the listening devices had poison on them, and it inflicted me badly...! Waa.J" 1 Faye held her swollen face as she squalled, "I really don''t want to die, Brother!" This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Frank frowned with anger and pity. "How are you so foolish to listen to the others?¡± "Brother...! Don¡¯t beat me up for it! I''m already in bad shape, and I''ll die without an antidote...!" she sobbed. Frank felt bitter. He did not expect the two of them to end up this way. He was fine, but Faye... "Do we have other options?" he asked. "No!" Faye, seeing that Frank did not scold her, added, "It''s all Charmine''s fault! If she didn''t kick the pot of flowers, I wouldn''t have been poisoned! This woman is too evil! I merely got close to Anthony in the forest, and she wants me dead! You have to get her for me, Brother!" Frank frowned. How could she still me Charmine at this stage? He wanted to say something but decided against it, listening to her harrowing voice. At that, the door opened abruptly, and in came Charmine. Faye''s blood pressure rose the moment she spotted her. She pointed at her shakily. ¡®You''re an evil woman, Charmine! Get out of my sight! I don¡¯t want to see you!¡± Charmine, however, shrugged her off and turned to Frank instead. "Why are you here, Frank?" Had he found out what happened? Frank looked confused and helpless. "I heard about Faye, so I came to have a look." Charmine frowned. "Your operation-" "Cancel it for now." Charmine''s heart sank. Her fear was realized atst. They finally hired Jennie, and if they postponed it... Frank knew what she was going to say, thus he gently reiterated, "Faye''s matter is more urgent. Why don''t we settle her matters so I can be assured?" Faye heard what her brother had said and scoffed at Charmine, "Charmine, why are you pretending to be a good person? If it wasn''t for you, I wouldn''t be in this state. Brother wouldn''t have to cancel his operation too! You ruined everything! Why do you act as if you''re worried now?" When the nurses by the side heard this, they scowled at Charmine and gossiped. "It''s true that Faye overdid it, but Charmine caused kidney failure to this youngdy?" chapter 1359 chapter 1359 "Charmine won first prize two days ago, and many hailed her to be a goddess of sorts. Who would¡¯ve thought that she¡¯s actually so mean..." 1 "Sigh! The brother-and-sister pair was fine before, but this woman poisoned the sister and had the brother cancel his operation..." 1 "Sigh! What a shame that the two of them met this evil woman.¡± When Faye heard this, she added, "I merely misunderstood you, yet you did this to me? How can you be so evil? It was my brother who taught you with much effort the skill you showcased in the Olympics!" The crowd gasped. "Oh, gosh! This is cruel! The man treated her so well, yet she caused so much harm to them!" "How uneptable!¡± Charmine did not care about the rest; she did not bother to exin. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. All she cared about was whether Frank misunderstood her. It was not easy for her to have convinced him for an operation, and if he chose against it... She looked at Frank. "Frank, I didn''t know the flowers were poisoned." Frank nodded. "I know, Charmine. Don¡¯t me yourself. This thing has nothing to do with you. You don¡¯t have to exin." He believed her. He knew Charmine, and he knew Faye even better! Charmine would not have treated her like this had his sister not triggered her, one way or another. "Brother!" Agitated, the visibly worn-out Faye looked at Frank with disbelief. "You believe her, Brother? She knew the flowers were poisoned, so she kicked them intentionally!" "Alright, stop talking." Frank turned to Charmine. "Is there any way to cure Faye now, Charmine?" Charmine took out the antidote. "I¡¯ve retrieved the antidote. It should be able to relieve her poison." "The antidote?" Eyes ignited, Faye hissed, "What are you waiting for, then? Do you want me to suffer any longer? Let me have it!" Charmine turned back to look at the two nurses coldly. "Call Dr. Nial." The two nurses thus headed out. Knowing that an antidote was on standby, Frank''s pupils jolted with excitement as his expression grew less tense. So long as there was an antidote. Although Faye was to be med, she must not die. Once Faye felt better, he could undergo the operation at ease and not make Charmine worry.... A whileter, Nial came in with the nurses, surprise evident in his gaze as he looked at Charmine. "You got the antidote, Charmine?" "Yes. Study the antidote beforehand if anything is fishy." Just in case. Nial epted the antidote Charmine handed to him. He then scrutinized and ran tests on the antidote before breaking in delight, "Wonderful! This is the antidote, alright!" Faye''s situation was worsening, and the longer they waited, the uglier the oue. This antidote came in the nick of time! Nial fed this to Faye, who sighed in relief, i Good. She was spared from death, on the path of recovery, and could even marry Anthony! 2 However... Half an hour passed, and Nial ran some tests on Faye again. His expression looked grim, and that did not go unnoticed by Charmine." What¡¯s wrong?" asked Charmine warily. Nial answered, ''The poisons are cleared off, but the damages done to her kidney can''t be undone. She still needs a new kidney." Charmine frowned. Faye, on the other hand, so caught up with being able to fully recover and discharged right after, did not see thising! Her breathing grewbored and her face turned pale as she weakly pointed at Charmine. "Charmine! You must find me a suitable kidney, or we¡¯ll have a problem!" chapter 1360 chapter 1360 "Faye!" Frank frowned and hissed, "Stop speaking to Charmine like that! You can¡¯t me her this time!¡± "Brother!" Faye shot Frank a disagreeing look. Frank gave her no chance to continue her rant, however, as he walked out of the ward. Charmine shot her onest re before following Frank. She turned to Nial. "Continue to look for a kidney." "Oh, Charmine... You''re so silly. What have you done to have met this difficult woman?" Nial sighed sympathetically. It was then he sensed Frank next to him, and he shyly added, "Frank, I-" "It¡¯s okay. You spoke the truth." Frank did not me him. Nial let out a sigh of relief. ''Til go and finish off my work. Don''t worry, Frank, this will sort out when the time is right." "Okay," answered Frank. Once Nial left, he then turned to Charmine and muttered, "I¡¯m so sorry, Charmine. Faye isn''t doing well, and I don''t think I can undergo the operation in peace. Please help me tell the doctors..." Charmine knew there was no point in talking him out of his made-up mind, thus she could only nod. "Okay." She felt dejected. She anticipated being able to go out in public with Anthony after settling Frank¡¯s matters, but it seemed that n was on hold for the time being. 1 That day... Frank stayed in the ward to take care of Faye while Charmine and Nial went into the office to search for a kidney. Meanwhile, Anthony''s agreed experiment with Jennie was happening soon. He had been leaving home early and going homete in the past two days. He was nning some policies and even stayed up till morning yesterday. Charmine was not around when he came home, however. Thinking that Frank must have started his operation, he called her. "Are you at the hospital?" "Yeah." Charmine picked up and looked at theputer. "Faye is stuck in something, so I''m at the hospital now." "Faye?" Anthony halted before he said, "Why are you helping her?" Charmine was helpless. "I have to.¡± Anthony was suspicious, but knowing that exining things over the phone was difficult, he said, "I''m coming over." "Alright." This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Anthony hung up. Not having time to rest, he sshed his face with cold water and went to the hospital. When he entered the office, he saw Frank also sitting inside. He frowned. Was he not supposed to be undergoing the operation? Charmine looked at him and asked, "What time did youe homest night?" She remembered not seeing Anthony when she went home in the middle of the night. She did not know what he was up to. Anthony looked at her and asked, "Were you here the entire night?" How would she not know that he was out the entire night otherwise? Charmine nodded. Anthony frowned. "What happened?" Nial came over and told him everything, and he then concluded, "Faye is now in need of a kidney, and Frank''s operation had to be postponed." Anthony''s face stiffened. How did so many things happen while he was not home for merely two days? Waverly harmed Charmine again? Also, Faye was too much of a fool! Charmine looked at Anthony and said, "Now isn''t the time to hold this against them. We have to sort out our matter first. Furthermore, our wedding also needs to be postponed..." When Anthony heard this, he automatically turned to Frank. If the operation was postponed, the wedding had to be postponed, too. That should have worried him, but somehow, he felt more rxed. If so, his agreed experiment with Jennie could also be postponed. He could spend more time with Charmine and also find the best treatment for himself... He took Charmine''s hand into his. "No hurry. With me around, we¡¯ll get down to this together." chapter 1361 chapter 1361 Anthony was gentle as he coaxed Charmine. In the following days, Charmine, Anthony, and Nial stayed in the office as they focused on searching for a suitable kidney. s, they hit a setback after being unable to find the match, and the suitability was only 38-percent maximum. Faye¡¯s health, on the other hand, worsened as she had to undergo dialysis every day. She looked haggard with her body swollen and face littered with spots. She felt ill after her daily dialysis, and she wanted Anthony toe to her, encouraging her, but he... Inside the office. Charmine put down her documents and dug her fingers into her shoulders. That did not go unnoticed by Anthony. "Tired?" "Yeah," spoke the worn-out Charmine with a nod. She would have let Faye at her will if she was not rted to Frank! Anthony walked behind her and reached out to massage her. Hisrge hands with visible knuckles pressed against her-once, twice, and thrice. He showed her kindness that he had never shown to anyone else. Faye clenched her hands tightly. Was the great Anthony massaging Charmine?! Anthony did not notice her, however, as he focused solely on Charmine, asking, "My love, is the pressure alright for you?" "Yes." Charmine did not shy away from him. He leaned towards her and rxed. Anthony said, "Get some restter," advised Anthony. Charmine, however, shook her head. "No need. We better settle everything quickly." C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Anthony''s face sank. "Listen to me. Don¡¯t make me carry you!¡± Charmine was speechless. With so many people in the hospital, and if he carried her, then... She hastily nodded instead. "Okay.¡± Faye''s breathing grew haggard. She was suffering, yet those two were all romantic with one another! She could not help looking at Anthony. "Anthony, my brother isn''t around, and I''m all alone. Can you help me get back to my ward?" Anthony red at her coldly. "I''m busy." Faye bit her lip and wanted to say more, but Charmine turned to Nial. "Nial, help her back to the ward." With that said, she turned back to Anthony and talked to him as if nobody was around. Charmine shrugged Fayepletely while Anthony continued to massage her. His cold attitude instantly nked Faye. Faye clenched her fists tightly. She red at Charmine. It was Charmine! How could Charmine be so narrow-minded? She was already so ill, yet she still did not permit Anthony to send her back! How cruel! 1 Since she was a patient, Nial walked toward Faye and offered, ''Til help you back to your ward." "Go away. I don¡¯t want you!" Faye growled at him weakly and left. Nial stayed transfixed on the spot for a few seconds. Who did he offend? He had a sleepless night because of this woman, yet she was acting up and yelling at him? 1 Was there anything worse? Faye went to her ward angrily. She was already in pain when she saw her reflection in the mirror. She looked worn out and swollen! Was this her?! No wonder Anthony ignored her more than he used to. She would have done the same thing if she was him, too! She wanted to strangle Charmine so badly. She would not be in such a state had it not been for her. 2 All that, and she still paraded her romance with Anthony right at her face! What an evil woman. Oh, how would it have been if the roles were reversed and Charmine became ugly instead! Anthony would surely ditch her if Charmine became ugly, what with that abhorring personality to boot! The mere thought of it made Faye excited, and her breathing grew urgent. Why was she the one punished while that evil woman enjoyed her life? She wanted her to taste how it was like to be ugly! chapter 1362 chapter 1362 In the evening, Faye was brought to theb for her dialysis. She was in agony after the treatment, unable to move as sheid in bed. Just as she began to feel better after a while, she overheard the nurses talking among themselves. "This fever virus is hard to deal with. It keeps spreading, and lots of people get high fever. It''s hard to cure." "There''s that patient who got her whole family infected with her. They¡¯re all admitted to the hospital." "Sigh! Oh, dear. At this rate, when will I get my day off?" Just as both nurses were engrossed in their chat, the door abruptly opened. "Ruby, Mindy, hurry, the patient is throwing up!" The two nurses left what they were doing behind and said to Faye, "Ms. Faye, when you''re feeling better, remember to go back to your ward." Faye nodded, and with the nurses leaving her side, Faye was all alone in theb. She tilted her head, and her eyes were glued to the packet of powder. Her head reyed the nurses¡¯ conversation... She thought of Charmine leaning into Anthony''s arm. As her eyes dimmed, she braced herself for the pain as she got out of bed, walked over to the table, and put on some gloves. She took away some powder and put them into her pocket. She then acted as if nothing had happened and walked out of theb. After she had gone back to the ward with pain, she took out the packet of powder and red at it coldly. How could she pour this on Charmine to infect her? 1 Charmine was in the office, looking at theputer and at the documents with everyone else around her. Faye could not attack her in that state. Faye thought for a long time and finally came up with an idea. She ced the powder back into her pocket and dragged her worn-out body off the bed, walking into the office. Since Anthony brought Charmine to have a rest, only Nial was left alone. Faye went in. Hearing footsteps, Nial looked up from the documents, pausing a moment when he realized it was Faye. Had she not left? Nial asked, "Ms. Faye, is there a problem?" "Nothing." Faye walked over to Charmine¡¯s spot and said, "I''m here to see what you''re all up to. My body is worsening. Please hurry!" When Nial heard how she thought they had the duty to help her, his lips twitched. 2 They did not have to care about her matter! She asked for it! Charmine was kind-hearted and asked them to find her a kidney, causing them to stay up all night for it, yet Faye made it sound as if it was their utmost priority! Nial did not want to care about her. He turned back to his documents. Seeing his posture and position, Faye decided it was time. She sat on Charmine''s spot and casually flipped open the documents while her other hand secretly took out the packet of powder from her pocket. Faye looked up at Nial and eyed her surroundings. She had aputer in front of her. Even if he looked over, he should not be able to see it; he would think she was merely skimming the documents. Faye wasted no time. She pretended to look at the document as she released the powder in about seven to eight pages. She then casually flipped over the pages and stood up to leave. Nial heard her moving, but he did not even bother to look up. Not long after she left, Anthony went back to the office. "Bro, go and get some rest," said Nial. Charmine and him had not slept for two nights as well. "I''m fine." Anthony looked at him and went back to his seat. "Proceed." Although he did not care about Faye''s livelihood, this was what mattered to Charmine. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. He would support her, no matter what. He also knew that she had been waiting for the wedding for too long... If they did not cure Faye, Frank would not undergo the operation. Ultimately, their wedding would be dyed, too. chapter 1363 chapter 1363 Charmine was finally willing to go public with Anthony and put her fears behind her. How could he disappoint her? Charmine rested for less than an hour before she woke up and went back into the office. When Anthony saw hering back, he frowned. "Why don''t you rest more?" Charmine went to her seat. "I woke up and can''t fall back asleep. I came here to help." C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Anthony reached out to stroke her long hair. "You''re worn out, mydy." Charmine smiled. She was not worn out with them working alongside her. She then took the document and studied them carefully, but a few minutester, her head started to spin. It might have been due to herck of rest that she would feel this way from time to time, and she did not mind. An hourter, however, the dizziness came back. Her hand that held the documents grew weak, causing them to fall and scatter on the floor. She rubbed her eyes and stood up to take up the documents, but she became limp and lost her bnce. Anthony, who was beside her, reacted quickly and caught onto her before she could fall. He looked at her warily. ''''What''s wrong?" Charmine rubbed her temples. "I feel dizzy." Anthony then noticed herplexion strangely turning red, and he reached out to feel her forehead. It was burning! "You caught a fever!" Quickly hoisting Charmine into his arms, he turned to Nial. "Prepare the medication." "Anthony..." Charmine wanted to say more, but Anthony shot her a nce. "Leave Faye''s matter aside." Nobody was more important than her. "No, you don''t have to carry me," insisted Charmine. "I can walk." There were so many people in the hospital. If anyone saw them, it would be bad. Anthony merely tightened his arms around her and walked out. There were some people in the hallway, and there were also some rtives of patients sitting on the benches. A few heads turned to look at them when they headed out from the office. Charmine frowned and tugged at Anthony''s sleeves, feebly arguing," Anthony, put me down. There are too many people here, and we''re not official yet..." Anthony did not mind that. "Who''d say anything?" he scoffed. His tone was eerily cold and he shot everyone around them a cold stare, which effectively sent chills down everyone''s spine. The onlookers felt like they were frozen on the spot. The crowd was in shock as they then looked away, lowering their heads and pretended as though they did not see anything. Anthony carried Charmine into the resting lounge, while Nial rushed after them with a medical box at hand. He measured her temperature and was startled to find out she had a fever at 40-degrees Celsius! He quickly got her intravenous liquid. The bleary Charmineid in bed and saw Anthony, who was by the bedside. "You don''t need to apany me," she said. "Just go and do the research with Nial. I¡¯ll feel better in no time." Anthony saw her bloodshot eyes, and he felt tortured. He reached out to caress her face as he gazed at her gently. "I''ll stay with you here." "Really, you don''t need to," Charmine insisted. "You must find the suitable kidney soon!" Faye''s body was worsening, and if no progress was made and no suitable kidney was found, she would die... chapter 1364 chapter 1364 Anthony thought of how anxious Charmine might feel. Pursing his lips and after a moment of hesitation, he said, ''TH go continue our work once you''re asleep." Charmine did not insist. This was already the biggestpromise Anthony could make. She nodded and instantly closed her eyes. It could have been that she was too tired or due to her fever, but she fell asleep in no time. Anthony waited until she fell asleep before leaving for the office, yet he still fretted over her when he entered. Seeing that it was almost time, he turned to Nial. "Time to change the IV." Nial looked at the time. The rm would ring only one minuteter! How could Anthony be so precise? What a crazy husband! Nial instantly ced down the documents and went out for Charmine. Anthony, on the other hand, was still worried and contemted for a few seconds before standing up eventually and went with Nial. When the two of them got to Charmine, they noticed that her cheeks were red like hot buns. The sight made them worry. Anthony reached out to feel her forehead; it burned so hotly that he became troubled. He turned to Nial with his steely gaze. "Why is the fever not gone yet?" Nial changed the IV for Charmine and answered, "I don''t know." Usually, a fever would have dissipated after one bottle of IV. He inspected the IV and found nothing wrong with it. Anthony frowned. Distressed at the sight of Charmine in bed, he spoke," Well, find out what happened!" Nial injected pain-reliever into Charmine and extracted blood samples from her to run some tests... Charmine was in bed with a high fever, and Anthony stayed at her bedside, not once leaving her. Her entire being felt like a furnace as her head grew foggy. Anthony reached out his cold palms to hold onto her small hands, but his hands instantly turned hot as well. He went to get a bucket of cold water to wet some towels. He took one and squeezed out the excess water before cing it on her forehead. Feeling a cold sensation on her head, Charmine blearily woke up and spotted Anthony. "Anthony," she feebly called out, "what''s happening?" "You¡¯re having a high fever," confessed Anthony. "It''s not going away." Charmine frowned and remembered Nial getting her intravenous. How did this happen? It might have been a bad cold or a virus infection. She looked up at Anthony and earnestly pleaded, "Stay away from me. Don''t get infected." Anthony, however, shrugged off her request as he held her hands tightly. "I hope you''d give it to me, then. I want to go through this with my wife." i Charmine was speechless. What time was it? Why was he fooling around? "You better go out," she insisted. The two of them must not stay together. Anthony did not budge. He looked at her reddened face; she was suffering. How could he leave her when she was in agony? Seeing that he did not move, Charmine helplessly argued, "Anthony, do you want me to send you out- mmph...!" Before she could finish, Anthony leaned in and kissed her lips. Charmine''s eyes locked on him in shock. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. She had a fever! How could he kiss her?! She brought up her hands to push him away, but she had no energy left. Anthony kissed her passionately, and she could not even resist. Anthony''srge body leaned on her, forcefully kissing her. After a while, he stood up and said, "If you kick me out again, I don¡¯t mind kissing you." His voice was low and sounded like a warning-incredibly haughty. 1 Charmine frowned. "Anthony, can you be more rational...?" chapter 1365 chapter 1365 It was for Anthony¡¯s own good! Before Charmine could put another word on it, though, he leaned in once more... Charmine was speechless. Meanwhile, Faye wanted to see how the radiating Charmine turned ugly as she suffered. Anthony would look down on her! She never expected, however, that she would see Anthony leaning in to kiss Charmine so deeply as she stood outside the room. 2 The pale, cold ward glowed with their affection. After the kiss, Anthony even took the towel, dried it, and cleaned Charmine''s cheeks and palms. His every movement was tender and loving. Faye clenched her fists as she looked at the scene with disbelief. How could this be? Was Anthony not supposed to ridicule her? Why was he so gentle and careful? Which part of this evil woman was good?! 1 As her breaths grew short, she gripped her chest and rushed out angrily, just in time that Nial-on his way back with results-spotted her. Why was this woman everywhere?This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Baffled, he turned away, opened the office door, and went in. Anthony asked, "How¡¯s the result?" "Nothing. It¡¯s no ordinary cold. She was infected by the virus." "Infected by the virus?" Anthony looked at him coldly. "How so?" Nial exined, "This is normal. There are lots of people in the hospital, and quite a number of cases were reported within these walls. Maybe she caught the virus by ident." Anthony asked, "How long does it take for her to recover?" "One to two days." "One to two days?¡± Anthony shot him a re. Seeing how Charmine suffered, even an hour was unbearable! Nial shivered as he exined, "Charmine''s body is healthy. Normally, one would get dizzy, vomit, and would take a week to recover." Nial ced the report aside and said, "We thought that it was a normal cold, so the medicines didn''t work." He then prescribed the necessary medicine tobat the virus and handed them to Anthony. "Have her eat this, Bro.¡± Once that was settled, he realized how close Anthony was to Charmine, so he reminded him, "Bro, this virus is infectious. You better wear a mask if you want to get so close." Anthony turned around to fiercely stare at him, and it effectively made Nial mp his mouth shut. 1 Nial insisted on taking care of Charmine until she fell asleep before he left. The two of them went back to the office to continue the research. Nial studied Faye''s data. Suddenly, the data looked very familiar as if he had seen it somewhere. He initially thought it was run-off-the-mill data and did not take it seriously. A few minutester... He mmed the table. Anthony turned toward him. "What is it?" "Bro!" yelped Nial excitedly. "I might have found a suitable match!" "Hmm?" Anthony looked at him. Nial then hesitated, ¡®Yes, well..." He looked at Anthony cautiously before he backed down. "Whatever. I''ll verify it first." With that said, he picked up Faye''s report and went to the resting lounge. Charmine was in bed when she spotted Nial rushing toward her. "What''s going on?" she asked. Nialpared the data to Charmine''s. Hepared them and realized... The data was almost identical! In other words, Charmine''s kidney was a suitable match to Faye''s! She could be a donor! chapter 1366 chapter 1366 Nial felt excited and distressed altogether as he showed the two reports to Charmine and said, "Charmine, you and Faye are destined to be enemies." Not understanding what Nial meant, Charmine took the report and went through it, frowning a moment later. "I''m a suitable donor for Faye?" "Yes.¡± Charmine was mystified. How ironic. Nial said, "Charmine, for this, you-¡¯¡¯ "I don''t allow it!" came an abrupt interjection as Anthony came in through the door. Charmine turned over to see him. Anthony said, "Charmine, this has nothing to do with you and me. We helped her because of Frank. This doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m going to risk my woman''s safety in exchange for her health!" Charmine did not n on agreeing anyway, so she nodded. ''Yeah." It was then Nial realized something. True, his brother was insanely in love with Charmine. He would not permit her to be a donor. ''You''re right. I was just excited when I saw the data," said Nial. "Let''s just call it off. Anthony and I will go back to researching.¡± After Anthony and Nial had left, Charmineid in bed with aplicated feeling. Her kidney turned out to be suitable for Faye? Hrious. They did not tell anyone about this, but the news somehow went to Faye''s ears. When she heard this, she dragged her heavy body to the resting lounge." Charmine, are you even a human? How could you do this? Your kidney is suitable for me! How can you call it off?¡± Charmineid in bed as she shot her a nce. ''You¡¯re not good enough." ''You...!" Agitated, Faye panted as she shakily pointed at Charmine. "Since your kidney is suitable for me, we must arrange for an operation right away! Give me your kidney!" 3 This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Charmine, on the other hand, found it hrious. "What for? Who gave you the courage to speak to me this way?" "What for?¡± Faye red at her. ''You reduced me into this state! It''s okay if there''s no kidney, but now that there''s one, what right do you have to not give it to me?" Her loud voice attracted a crowd to watch. Faye intentionally spoke loudly and continued, "How can you be so evil? You turned me into this, and now that you found a kidney, you don''t want to give it to me? You want me to be dead, right, Charmine Jordan?!" The crowd pointed at Charmine. "How can this woman be so evil? She harmed the woman into such a state!" ''Yeah. Even when she''s found a suitable kidney, she doesn''t agree to the transnt?" "She wants her to be dead, doesn''t she?" Looking at the crowd outside, her eyes turned cold. Anthony and Nial heard themotion outside, so they rushed out and toward them. Anthony red at the crowd coldly. "Don''t you all have anything else to do?" His eerie voice was filled with threat. The crowd was so terrified that they dared not meet his eyes. "Alright, go away!" snapped Nial. The crowd dispersed with that. When Faye saw Anthonying toward them, she stered a pitiable expression. "Charmine, what did my brother and I do to you? You harmed me, and my brother even refused to undergo the operation because of you! He''s in more pain than he was used to these days!" chapter 1367 chapter 1367 "If it wasn''t for you, my brother would''ve done the operation a long time ago. He''d feel better if you had me treated!" Anthony red at her coldly. "Who gave you permission to speak to my woman like that?!" Faye parted her lips and whimpered, as though betrayed, "Brother Anthony, her kidney is a good match for me, but she doesn''t want to give it to me. She''s so evil! Why are you still so protective of her?" Anthony sneered at her as his thin lips parted, saying, "It was my idea that she won''t give you her kidney. I love her, no matter how evil she may be. Do you have a problem with that?" 2 Though his words were ruthless, there was that undeniable tinge of adoration within them, causing Charmine to blink at his words. She was so used to being a lone wolf and faced everything on her own. All of a sudden, she found a safe haven in a person whom she-regardless of her actions and how terrible they were-would be right behind her, supporting her. With that, she had no regrets in life. So provoked was the pale Faye as she shot an incredulous stare at Anthony. "Brother Anthony, you told her not to give it to me?" "Yes!" Anthony looked at her coldly. "If you have a problem, say it to me. You don''t have the right to challenge her!" He refused to allow Charmine to be harmed or hurt, especially by such an insignificant woman. Faye looked at him, wide-eyed. What did he say...? It was obvious that she had a special ce in Anthony''s heart, and he treated her so well! How could he leave her to die all of a sudden? 1 Charmine must have said something to him that made him think like that! 1 Faye patted her chest as she panted. Meanwhile, Anthony sat beside Charmine, his steely gaze growing mild as he reached out to caress her forehead and face. He noticed that her fever began to dissipate. "Call me when things like this happen again,¡± he spoke. He said, "We don''t have to deal with those that don''t matter." Touched at his gesture, Charmine nodded. Faye, on the other hand, was still rooted on the spot, growing furious at the sight of both Charmine and Anthony adoring one another. 1 She wanted nothing more than to kill Charmine, but how could she when she could not even get close to her... At that moment, Frank pushed open the door and came in. His clear eyes seemed to look at the room inside as he questioned, "Faye, what are you doing here?" Faye looked as though her savior had arrived. "Just in time, Brother! Charmine is utterly heartless! She found out that her kidney is a match for me, yet she pretended as if she didn''t know anything. She didn¡¯t want to tell me about that fact. I came here to look for her, and she said she won''t give it to me. She wants me to die!" "Hey, hey, hey..." warned Nial. "You''re twisting it. Charmine didn''t want to donate you hers, but we''re not leaving you to die! Aren''t we pulling all- nighters to help you look for one?" Faye smiled coldly. "Have you found one? There''s no result, even after so many days, and what''s be of me? I can''t even breathe properly! I can''t even move! You might not even find another match even after I die at this rate. It''s just one kidney, and you''re that selfish! Do you want me dead?" 1 "Faye, stop messing around!" barked Frank as his expression contorted into fury. This was the first time he scolded her. Charmine and the rest spent all day and all night researching for her sake. They did it for Faye! She was also the one to have started all this, so she could not me anyone. Frank was already very grateful for the things that they had done for her. Kidney transnt was no small matter; it made sense for Charmine to not agree to it. "Brother..." Faye looked at Frank incredulously, seemingly hurt by his behavior. "I''m your sister! How can you say that to me for the others?"This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. chapter 1368 chapter 1368 Frank said, "This isn''t Charmine''s problem. They''ve all been on a grind to find you a suitable kidney, so stop being so irrational! Nobody owes anyone anything!" "Brother!" Dazed, Faye then whined, "What kind of brother are you? Is this how you''re going to treat your sister?'' i An intricate web of emotions shed across Frank''s eyes as he then muttered, "Alright, go back and rest." He pulled her by the arm and left. Faye, however, resisted. "I¡¯m telling you now, Charmine! If you don''t find me a suitable kidney by tomorrow, you must give me yours!" i Charmine looked at their backs and fixed her eyes on the lonely Frank. It felt as though a bee had stung her chest as she blurted, "Frank...¡± Frank stopped, turning around as his clear eyes seemed to look in her direction. "What is it, Charmine?" Faye looked at Charmine nkly. Was Charmine agreeing to do the transnt? Nial was just as shocked as he looked at her. Why would Charmine call for Frank? Was she agreeing, after all? Then... "I¡¯m sorry, Frank," said the heavy-hearted Charmine as she gazed at him. After all, she did kick the pot of flowers over. Faye would not have ended up in such a state had she not done that. Still, Faye deserved what came for her, and she would not give Faye a kidney for nothing... Faye stared at Charmine viciously. She thought Charmine would donate her kidney, but all she did was apologize! What an evil woman! Frank said gently, "It''s okay, Charmine. Don''t apologize to me. This is your free will; you don¡¯t have to." Charmine nodded, and Frank then pulled Faye away. 1 Nial sighed in relief afterward and muttered, "And here I thought you''d agree to them like that, Charmine." Charmine nced at him. "Do I have to?" Nial nodded. ''That''s true. It''ll be her lucky day if we find one for her. If we don¡¯t, it''s what she deserves!¡± Sitting at the edge of the bed, Anthony took Charmine''s hand into his and assured her, "Don''t trouble yourself over her. Let God handle her fate." Charmine nodded. Meanwhile, Faye returned to the ward, panting in bed as she resentfully red at Frank. "Brother, how could you do that to me? This isn¡¯t a walk in the park, and I¡¯ll die if they don''t find me a suitable kidney! Die, I tell you! Do you know what that means?" Frank had a glint ofplexity in his eyes as he said, "Charmine and the rest are looking for one. They''ll find one soon." "You''re being too optimistic." Faye panted heavily. "What if they don''t? Can''t you see me now? I don¡¯t even look like a ghost!" Frowning, Frank insisted, "There will be a way. Don¡¯t worry." Faye was so agitated that she gripped her chest and panted. "What else can I say, then? To you, outsiders are more important than your actual sister." Frank frowned, "Nobody is leaving you behind! Aren''t we all working on your problem?" Faye scoffed andid back in bed. However, after sleeping for less than an hour, her body started aching again. Her breathing grew labored, and she woke up with a cry of pain. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. It felt as though thousands of needles were pricked into her being, and she felt so burdened as though she was a mountain. Faye looked at the empty room, but Frank was nowhere in sight. chapter 1369 chapter 1369 Gritting her teeth, Faye braced herself for the pain and lugged herself toward the bathroom. Her eyes widened as she stood before the mirror. Reflected was the image of a swollen woman who looked 68 kilograms! Her face was yellow with spots all over her face, too! Instigated by the sight, Faye''s chest began to heave as she struggled to breathe. She started choking and coughing...when she felt liquid rushing up to her throat. She tasted blood. "Urfh!" A mouthful of fresh blood sshed against the clear mirror. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. The sight did not faze the listless Faye, however. She quickly walked out of the bathroom, wanting to look for Charmine and force her to donate her kidney. Just as she got to the door, it opened from the other side as Frank walked in. "Brother...l''m dying...! Waa...!" The terrified Faye began to wail, "My whole body hurts, I can¡¯t breathe, and I even coughed up blood... Waa...! Am I dying, Brother?" Worried, Frank urged, "Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll take you to Nial for a checkup. Let''s see if there''s a reliever." Frank reached out to grab Faye, but she remained motionless, unmoving. He looked back at her. "Faye?" Face wet with tears, she looked at Frank sorrowfully and... Thunk! She knelt before Frank. "Brother, I beg you: have Charmine donate her kidney to me, please? She''ll only be missing a kidney, but my whole life is at stake! She¡¯ll listen to you.¡± Frank seemed visibly burdened and, after a moment of hesitation, lifted Faye to her feet and said, "Let Nial find out what''s wrong first. They''re looking-¡± Faye snapped as her gaze dulled, shoving him away angrily. "Go away. I don¡¯t have a brother like you!" She growled and left, snarling, "Just let me die, then! Not that anyone cares!" Frank staggered at the force, and after regaining his footing, he walked toward the direction of the voice. "Faye, don''t mess around..." Faye ignored him entirely, panting as she left, but it was not long until... Unable to catch her breath, her heart tightened, and her world turned a shade dimmer. Thump! Faye lost her consciousness and fainted, falling to the floor heavily. "Faye!" Hearing the loud thud, Frank sensed something went wrong. No longer calm like he usually was, he searched around for his sister in terror. "Faye, where are you?" Nial, who was in the office, heard the frantic voice. After he exchanged nces with Anthony, he rushed out. He saw Faye lying on the floor while Frank stretched out his hand to search for her, not knowing he had passed Faye. Nial felt sour as he gazed at Frank''s lonely figure. Nial walked toward him and assured him, "Frank, she''s here." "Okay." Frank, being unfamiliar with the hospital, slowly fumbled around and made his way toward him. Not waiting for him, Nial carried Faye to the operating room as he called out to the doctors. Meanwhile, Charmine overheard themotion and saw Frank rushing to the operating room anxiously. Walking toward him to support him, she asked, "Frank, where are you going?" "Faye''s situation has worsened. I''m going to have a look." Charmine jolted. Worsened? chapter 1370 chapter 1370 Charmine quickly stood up and helped Frank to get to the operating room. The red light turned on as Nial worked on saving Faye. "Don¡¯t worry," Charmine assured Frank, "Nial is on the case." "Okay." Frank stood before the operating room, but he was gazing in Charmine''s direction instead. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. There were many instances when he desperately wanted to ask her to donate Faye a kidney... but he must not be so selfish. Charmine was not meant to. If anything happened during the transnt, she would be in pain. Furthermore, this matter had nothing to do with Charmine. It was all Faye''s fault! How could he use his resources to help Faye? Standing by the side, Frank''s expression crumpled destely. A momentter, he recalled what Faye had said to him and began after a deep inhale, "Charmine..." Charmine looked at him. "What¡¯s wrong, Frank?" ''Could you help Faye?'' Those words were simple enough, yet he could bring himself to utter them. Finally, he sighed to himself and asked, "Did you find a suitable kidney?" Charmine¡¯s eyes narrowed at that. "Not yet. The highestpatibility rate for now is thirty-nine percent. We can''t proceed with the operation yet." Frank nodded. "Sorry for the trouble." "It¡¯s okay." Charmine looked at him. The usually calm and peaceful Frank was anxious for his sister''s life... She was never a soft-hearted person, but she could not fend off the emotions storming within her. Frank stood before the operating room, and though his eyes showed how ill he was and his breathing slowing down, he remained upright. Two hourster, the doors to the room were still closed. Seeing Frank''s bloodshot eyes, Charmine persuaded, "Frank, why don¡¯t you go back and have a rest? When Niales back out, I''lle for you.¡± Frank waved it off. "It''s okay. I¡¯ll wait here." Faye was in a critical situation. How could he rest? She would not have suffered so much had he not brought her out of the bamboo forest. There were too many uncertainties in the future... He did not fear dying, but if he could not find Faye a suitable kidney... Faye was his only remaining rtive, while he was Faye''s only support. As long as he asked for help from Charmine, Faye would be saved, but... Charmine had no reason to help her. Frank felt guilty andplicated. He began to feel drowsy, but he clenched his fists tightly and persevered. Charmine noticed the beads of sweat on Frank''s forehead. His entire being began to tremble as he broke out in cold sweat. His breath grew shallow, too... She frowned and asked, "Frank, is your illnessing back?" Frank remained calm. "It doesn''t matter." "Go and get some rest; there''s no point waiting here. If anything happens to her, I''ll let you know," said Charmine. Frank shook his head. "It''s okay. Don''t try to convince me. I''ll wait here." Charmine was helpless. Frank had always been stubborn. Just like before, there was no way of persuading him. As she was about to say something, Frank covered his mouth and started coughing. He tasted blood in his mouth, and his fingertips were drenched, too. He clenched his fists and did not let Charmine see it. Seeing how his coughs grew intense, she went ahead to help him. "You must get some rest!" Not giving him a chance to resist, she forced her to his room. Frank also wanted to clear up the bloodstains, so he allowed Charmine to bring him back to his room. chapter 1371 chapter 1371 Frank had justid down when blood rushed up to his mouth, and before he could react, he threw up all over the floor. Charmine quickly handed him a towel, all while she frowned. "Frank, how many days have you not rested? How can you endure so much pain?" "It doesn''t matter. Faye is more important." Frank cleared up the bloodstains and was ready to go out, but Charmine stopped him, earnestly warning, "Frank White! You must rest! Your body-" Before she could finish, Frank, who had taken two steps, felt his legs soften. His weakened body copsed. She hastily caught him, only to realize he was unconscious and blood seeping past his lips. She then ced him back on the bed and used tissue to wipe off the blood on his lips. "Listen to me, and don¡¯t go anywhere! I¡¯ll call for a doctor now!¡± Frank was already light-headed and sensed his body failing. He looked up at Charmine weakly. "Charmine, if anything happens to me, please save Faye. Take care of her for me, and don''t let her go down the wrong path..." 3 Instead of obeying his wishes, she took out her phone and called Anthony." Anthony, Frank is in a critical condition now. Hurry and have Jenniee look at him." "Okay.¡± Anthony put everything in his hands down and phoned Jennie afterward. Charmine hung up and looked at Frank. "Don''t trouble yourself too much; you''ll be fine." Frank, however, continued to speak as though rying his will, "Charmine, promise me. If I die, you must teach Faye the best you can. Don¡¯t let her take the wrong path. With her current condition, please try your best to find her a kidney-ugh..." 1 Before he could finish, Frank retched another mouthful of blood. Frowning, Charmine tried to wipe it off for him with the tissue. "I won''t care about her. She''s your sister, and she''s got nothing to do with me! If you want her to live well, you better live! Get yourself all healed up and help her find a good man she could build a family with!" Frank''s face sank. He was about to say something when the door suddenly opened... Jennie strode in elegantly with a medical box at hand, and a few prestigious-looking doctors followed suit. Charmine saw her form and sighed in relief. Seeing Frank''s condition, she cried out, "How is it so severe? Hurry, get him to the operating room!" Frank still wanted to speak, but the doctors wheeled him out. In heels and donning white gloves, Jennie looked cold yet regal. She shot Charmine a nce as she passed her before walking off with the other doctors. Anthony came in and held her hand, asking, "How did this happen?" Frowning, she walked out with him. "He probably didn''t rest well in the past few days. Top that with Faye''s condition, he got worried.¡± Anthony squinted. He turned out like that due to theck of rest? Then, Charmine... He looked at Charmine seriously. "Is your body feeling better?" "I feel better after the pills," said Charmine. Anthony''s face turned cold. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Just ''better*? Not fully recovered? Thinking that the test would take at least an hour, he sternly spoke, "Go and get some rest." "No need," dismissed Charmine, "let''s continue the research." With their situation, they had to find Faye apatible kidney as soon as possible. This was the only way Frank would be willing to undergo the operation. Otherwise, those two would be in danger. Anthony''s handsome face sank. He turned and looked at her. "Do you want me to carry you to get a rest?" chapter 1372 chapter 1372 Charmine was speechless. Before she could react, Anthony hoisted her into his arms. "If that''s what you want, I can only satisfy you." Terrified, Charmine hissed, "Put me down! There are so many people out there!" Anthony squinted as he nced around calmly. "Who''ll argue about me carrying my wife?" While he seemed like he spoke to Charmine, it was meant for everyone else instead. Upon his bold deration, he walked to the resting lounge and put heron the bed. Charmine looked at him speechlessly. So many people were in the hospital, and he dared pull such a move... Anthony''s eyes darkened as he met her own. "What are you hinting at?" "What?" she squawked. When was she hinting at him? Charmine wanted to continue when Anthony leaned in and kissed her lips." Rest well. Don''t make me worry, okay?¡± Charmine knew what sort of character Anthony was, so she could only nod and close her eyes. Anthony stayed by her bedside, not wanting to leave. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Charmine closed her eyes, but all she could see was Frank spewing blood. If he did not go through the surgery, then... On the other hand, he would not want to be operated on until a suitable kidney for Faye was found. With that in mind, she grew restless, unable to sleep, though she pretended to be so Anthony would not worry. A whileter, Anthony stood up and walked out of the resting lounge, under the impression she had truly fallen asleep. As he opened the door, Jennie marched toward him and sternly reminded," Frank''s illness is worsening, and an operation is needed right away. If this goes on, he can''t be saved." Anthony''s eyes darkened. "Can¡¯t you relieve his symptoms for now? I''ll convince him soon." "You''d better hurry, then," she warned. "He¡¯s in his final stage; it can''t take any longer!" Charmine opened her eyes when she heard Jennie''s warning. Frank''s illness had worsened? She wondered when Faye would get a suitable kidney. If this went on, Frank would not be saved... She might have to donate one of hers at this rate. Still, she did not want to. After what happened five years ago, she was no longer that innocent giver, and Anthony would not agree to that, either... Would they have to watch the siblings die, then? Was there not a best-of- both-worlds'' situation? Anxious, Charmine racked her brain for a n when a sharp pain overwhelmed her. It instantly felt like pins were stabbed into her head. Charmine was in so much pain that her face turned pale. She hugged her head and groaned in pain. Anthony heard her from outside the door, sensing something was wrong as he pushed the door open and strode in. He saw the pale-faced Charmine sping her head in agony. He walked over tofort her. "You''ll be okay, Charmine. I''ll phone Guy toe over now!" he assured her as he took out his phone to call Guy. For the past few days, Guy woulde and visit from time to time to help her, leaving once he was done. Guy picked up his phone quickly. "Resting lounge!" came Anthony''s urgent words. "Right now!" Guy and Yvonne had just reached Nial¡¯s office. Hearing Anthony''s urgency, Guy sensed something and ran toward the resting lounge. Seeing Guy so anxious made Yvonne''s heart clench. Was he too kind-hearted, or was he ruthless? chapter 1373 chapter 1373 Yvonne cursed internally. Whatever. She should not be jealous of Charmine. Yvonne and Guy quickly got to the resting lounge where thetter saw the hurt-looking Charmine. His gaze held sorrow for her. He quickly went forward and took out his needle, pricking his arm urately. Jennie, who stood in front of the ward, smirked at the sight of Charmine in agony. That woman deserved to suffer, seeing how she had hurt her precious son''s heart! 3 She raised her chin coldly and walked off elegantly in her heels. Meanwhile, Charmine''s pain ebbed away after Guy pricked the needle into Charmine''s arm. With a pale, colorlessplexion, she nestled into Anthony''s arms. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Anthony knew why she was in pain, thus he looked at her with a steely gaze. "Don¡¯t think about things that you shouldn¡¯t be thinking." She suffered enough; she must not donate her kidney to Faye! "Okay..." muttered Charmine and nodded, though her worry remained. She was the only person who could save Faye. Sure, she could drop the matter entirely, but Frank had helped her five years ago, and he had helped her again. Could she truly disregard the matter? i Once Guy and Yvonne knew about this, they instantly helped out to do the research. Jennie took the lift down when she phoned William. "William,e and pick me up from the hospital." "Hospital?" William frowned. "What happened? Why are you at the hospital?" "It¡¯s nothing. I came here to treat a patient. We haven''t met for so long now, too." "Okay, I''ll go pick you up now.¡± William hung up and rushed over. Jennie entered his car and, recalling Charmine''s issue,mented, ¡¯Thank goodness you''re not with Charmine, William. You should let go of her as well. Stop waiting for her." William frowned, but he asked caringly, "What¡¯s the matter with her?" Jennie leaned back elegantly, eyeing her nails as she replied, "A woman got poisoned because of her, and that woman now needs a kidney transnt. They''ve been looking for a few days, and the only suitable kidney is Charmine''s, but she doesn''t want to donate hers.¡± Jennie scoffed. "Due to this, the woman''s brother¡¯s illness worsened as well! If the brother refuses to undergo the operation, he won''t live past ten days. Sigh! What have the sibling pair done in the past to have met an evil Charmine..." ended Jennie sourly. Luckily, that woman had left her son. She wondered what harm Charmine would have brought to her son had they dated. William continued to drive as if nothing was happening, but the truth was that he got worried. Charmine was not an evil person. There had to be another story to this! At this rate, Charmine would agree to give out her kidney, which would negatively impact a person''s health. She might get hurt... William had a sh ofplex emotions in his eyes. With something in mind, his hands clenched at the driving wheel. After sending Jennie home, he used an excuse to do research with friends to leave home, driving toward Kansas¡¯ researchb in Burlington instead. Kansas ran the building, while he was the President of the association. Opening the door, he saw a group of scientists dressed in dust-proof costumes. William walked over to ask the old scientist who was working by the side," Yoshua, can you give me the artificial kidney you invented earlier?" The artificial kidney was Kansas''test invention that could be nted into an individual¡¯s body to rece the original kidney. If William could get it, Faye could be saved! chapter 1374 chapter 1374 Yoshua looked at William and asked, "What do you need it for?" "My friend''s kidney is failing," he reasoned. "She couldn''t find a suitable kidney, so I-" "You''re crazy!" Yoshua cut him off angrily, "We spent so much time and effort inventing this! This is the only artificial kidney in the world. Do you know how precious it is!?" 2 There were other benefits to this invention, too! How could they simply give it away? William was taken back by his yelling. Why was he so triggered? "I can pay you how much it¡¯s worth in the market," he gently offered. Yoshua red at him and growled, "No way. I''m not selling it! Don''t bother me!" 1 William was curious. "Why?" "This current artificial kidney has been reserved!" snapped Yoshua. William frowned. "Reserved?" How did he not know? "Yes!" Yoshua reaffirmed. "If you need one, invent another one.¡± "How long does it take?" questioned William. "One year." William frowned. They needed one year to invent it, but it would be toote by the time it was completed. He wanted to ask if he could have the artificial kidney for the time being, but Yoshua had turned and left. William rushed over and asked, "Who reserved it?" He could speak to this person. Yoshua merely looked at him coldly and walked faster. It did not deter William, however, as he continued to follow him, fueled with curiosity. He saw that Yoshua stopped before a small room outside, where a paralyzed girl was in bed. William halted. ''Yoshua, this..." he trailed off gently. The girl in bed saw William standing in front of her door, and her eyes seemed to glow. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Yoshua looked at his granddaughter and said, "She''s my granddaughter, and her name is Annie. She''s suffering fromte-stage kidney failure, and her hands and legs were amputated." Annie was in bed every day. There was no word to describe it. He knew his granddaughter had no zest to live for a long time already, but she was his only descendant. He had to make sure she survived. It was why he invented this artificial kidney. William looked at the girl in bed with sympathy. It made sense why Yoshua spent so much effort inventing this artificial kidney. It was all for this girl. 1 He had no power to take away her right to live on. William looked helpless. He thought he could help Charmine, but he was useless... "I''ll be heading home then, Yoshua," he finally excused himself. Yoshua nodded and went into the kitchen to make lunch for Annie, but as William arrived by the door, the girl in bed called out, "Wait..." William halted. He turned to look at the girl. "Is there a problem?" ''Yes." Annie looked at him cautiously. She was shy as she began, "Mr. Peterson, don''t you remember me?¡± She had met him three years ago when she came to theb with her grandfather. She liked to watch him focusing on his work, and she adored his gentle personality. William frowned. He looked at this girl carefully and shook his head." Apologies. Have we met before?" Annie¡¯s eyes lost their sparkle, though her gentle expression remained. chapter 1375 chapter 1375 "Can you chat with me?" asked Annie. William walked over and sat on the stool not far away. With pursed lips, Annie gazed at him before she spoke, "I liked a man before, and he looked like you. I can¡¯t confess to him due to my health, though." She nced at William, eyes twinkling with an unnoticeable emotion. "You may give it a go," said William. "What if the man likes you, too?" Annie was startled as she looked at him, and it was only after a while that she said, ¡®Would he? Would someone like a girl like me? If you''re him, would you ept me?" She sounded hopeless, deste. William thought for a few seconds and nodded. "Yes. When you love someone, you fall fortheir soul and personality. No matter how the person turns out to be, I won¡¯t mind and care. You don¡¯t have to be too self- conscious. Live on for good, and dreams wille true one day." Hearing his words, a sh of mirth zipped through Annie''s eyes. Having heard this from him was enough. Recalling William''s conversation with her grandfather, she thought for a while as if deciding on something crucial before looking up at William. "Mr. Peterson, let''s secure a deal, alright? You take care of me for three days, and I¡¯ll get you a second artificial kidney." William frowned. "It''d take up to a year to make a second artificial kidney. How would you get another?" Annie, however, looked confident. "I have a way." A thought then urred to William as he reminded, "If you''re thinking of giving your kidney to me, I don¡¯t want it." This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Annie shook her head. "Why would I? I''m not a fool! This is the only thing that''ll save me. Why would I give it to you? I know where to get another artificial kidney." William shook his head. "No way." This was the only artificial kidney in the world. Why would there be a second one? She must have lied to him. Annie bit her pale lips and said, "It¡¯s real, Mr. Peterson. Will you help me? Grandpa won¡¯t let me go out, but I truly want to see the colorful flowers and the blue ocean.¡± Her gaze held longingness to see the outside world as she spoke. William wanted to turn her down, but the words were stuck in his throat. After a moment of hesitation, he said, "I just happen to have some spare time. I can bring you out." With that said, he emphasized, "I''m merely fulfilling your wishes; I¡¯m not after anything. You don''t need to give me the kidney." Annie¡¯s eyes sparkled. She did not exin too much and nodded. "Okay!" That afternoon, when Yoshua had gone home from theb, William came to this room again. Annie usually stayed in bed with her pajamas on, but since the man of her dreams would take her out, she wanted to put on nicer clothes. She came before the wardrobe in her wheelchair and looked at the nice clothes, but ncing down at her amputated thighs, her eyes lost their glow. Eventually, she picked a long-sleeved pink dress to cover up her deformity. She wanted to showcase her best outlook to give William the best impression. He did not want him to think of her in the future merely as a paralyzed girl stuck in bed. William helped her to get in the wheelchair and took a nket for her before pushing her out. The flowers bloomed in all colors outside, very much a sight for sore eyes. Annie seemed as if it was her first time seeing so many beautiful flowers, and she was stunned. Her clear eyes were filled with glee. chapter 1376 chapter 1376 William slowly wheeled Annie around, and what was meant to be a ten- minute journey took them over an hour. Finally, they arrived by the seaside. The cold breeze made Annie''s hair flutter with the wind. Still on her wheelchair, she gazed at the boundless sea joyfully. Sunlight, beach, ocean, and the unbound seagulls... How beautiful would it have been if time stopped at this moment? Standing next to her, William noticed the glow in her eyes and felt inexplicably moved. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. He then gentlyforted her, "You have a long future ahead of you, waiting for you. You''ll see many of these moments again, such as the Maldives with azure blue ocean, Mount Fuji with its cherry blossoms, mountains with snow all year round... I''ll go with you if I have time." Annie turned to him, emotions stirred as she did. "Really?" "Yes. You''ll have to recover soon," assured William. As a doctor, he did not want any patient to give up on their lives. Annie''s eyes sparkled. "Okay, promise! If I recover, we¡¯ll see the flowers, ocean, snow..." "Okay," William agreed. Annie smiled vaguely before turning back to look at the calm sea. 1 With his promise, she had no regrets even if she died. At M&G Hotel. The fuming Waverly leaned on the sofa. Her usually fair and wless skin had turned dull and yellow, with pus and blood-filled spots everywhere. She looked disgusting. She held her phone in a vice-like grip, gaze burning and on the verge of copsing. On her phone screen was a message from Britney that read, [XE Burlington¡¯s President would like to ask you out for a meal. They''re interested in having you be their ambassador.] Curses! It was a good opportunity, but she had to turn it down with her face''s abnormalities. That evil Charmine ruined everything! Waverly got angrier the more she thought about it. She wanted to kill Charmine! She had the audacity to pull such a trick. She would not escape unscathed! 1 Waverly fiercely stared at her lit-up screen before she made a phone call." Destroy Charmine¡¯s face for me!" At Royal Hospital... Still in the operating room, Faye''s life was in danger. Waking up in bed, Frank disregarded his body and made his way to the operating room. Groping at the closed door, he frowned. He wanted to have an update from a nurse when the door behind him opened abruptly, just after he took a few steps. Frank turned around and asked, "How''s Faye?" "It¡¯s not looking well. Dr. Nial is still working on her..." said the doctor grimly before he jogged away and into the medicalb. Frank was pale, rooted on the spot. Faye''s condition was much worse than ever. If they did not find her a kidney, she might... Frank clenched his fists tightly, so much so that his green veins protruded. After a moment of hesitation, he made his way to the office where Anthony, Guy, and Yvonne were. Frank asked, "Mr. Bailey, have you found Faye a suitable kidney?" Anthony''s expression turned dreary. "Not yet." Frank¡¯s usually clear eyes were dull. He nodded and said, ''Thank you." This was an important matter, yet he could not help at all. chapter 1377 chapter 1377 Frank was just a blind man who could not see anything... He turned and left. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Anthony, Guy, and Yvonne felt emotional as they watched how helpless he seemed. Faye was in the wrong, yet Frank suffered. Anthony looked away and continued to do the research. While Frank vulnerably felt the floor, he somehow got to the resting lounge. He stood before the door, hand raised mid-air for a long while, and did not knock. After a moment of hesitation, he finally took in a breath, retrieved his hand, and left... He must not be as selfish. It was Charmine''s decision, her freedom. He had no right to insist. Frank took two steps before he heard insanely urgent footsteps behind him, and it sounded like whoever it was headed for the resting lounge. With his sharp hearing, he heard the exact two words this person uttered: "Kill you... Kill you..." This person headed for Charmine''s resting lounge. Did he want to kill Charmine? Terrified, Frank did not hesitate to run toward the lounge. As expected, the person already opened the door. Charmine was contemting in bed when the bedroom door abruptly opened. She turned over to see a man in a hospital gown. The man seemed to be mentally unsound as he grinned at Charmine, his yellow teeth showing. "It''s you, it¡¯s you. You¡¯re the person from the photo!" Charmine frowned. Was this person ill? Oh, dear. The man abruptly dropped his grin, and his expression turned cold. He lifted his hand, with something in his grasp, and rushed toward Charmine. Sensing something was wrong, Charmine got down from the bed just as the person threw whatever he held toward her. Suddenly... A figure breezily rushed toward her and shielded her, causing whatever liquid was thrown at her sshed onto this person''s corbone. "Argh!" a painful groan resonated around the hospital. The room was filled with the pungent smell of sulfuric acid. The criminal rushed out crazily, all while he mumbled, "I get candy, I get candy..." Charmine gaped when she realized who was on top of her. It was Frank! Frank''s corbone had dposed, and his bones were revealed as blood oozed... 1 He was in so much pain that his face turned pale. He was already terminally ill, and he almost fainted from the pain... Charmine helped him up and frowned. "Frank, I¡¯ll get you some help now!" Frank¡¯s breathing grew shallow, almost unable to breathe. Though on the verge of losing consciousness, he held onto Charmine tightly, listlessly saying, "I''m fine, Charmine..." He was already terminally ill, and with the sulfuric acid eating up the skin before his chest, there was not much chance for him to survive. Charmine''s eyes red as she looked at him. "How could I leave you to die? Hurry! Don''t waste time!" Frank, with a face pale like snow, shook his head weakly, not caring about his well-being. It triggered Charmine so badly as she tried to force him to get up when... Thunk! Frank staggered and knelt before Charmine. Startled, Charmine quickly reached out to help him up. "Frank, what are you doing? Get back up!" chapter 1378 chapter 1378 Frank''s clothes were drenched in red as he was seized in agony. Still on his knees due to theck of air and pain, he pushed away Charmine''s hand. "Charmine, can you help Faye?" he pleaded listlessly. "I know I shouldn''t do this, and I shouldn¡¯t let you get hurt, but I have no other way. Faye is my only sister, and I can''t let her down..." This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. His voice was weak and hoarse. The doctor said Faye was severely ill, and Anthony had yet found her a suitable kidney. She could die at such a rate. Charmine already knew what he wanted to say before he uttered a word of it. "Just get up now," she spoke. He did not budge from his kneeling position as blood trickled from his wound. His face was pale as he said helplessly, "Charmine, I''ve never expected this day toe, to ask you to get hurt, but...Faye is actually my wife''s actual sister. No one knows this. Faye survived the earthquake but lost her memory, and from then on, I regarded her as my actual sister..." 2 Charmine was shocked. Faye was his wife¡¯s sister? She had no inkling of that... It made sense why Frank cared so much about her, that he would give up his life for her. Frank looked anguished and vulnerable. "My wife saved me and sacrificed herself, so I can¡¯t leave her sister to die. Charmine..." He held onto her hand tightly and feebly begged, "I beg you to save Faye. I owe you a life. I know this isn''t easy for you, but I have no other choice... It doesn¡¯t matter if I die. I only want her to live." Charmine looked at Frank grimly. She had no desire in saving Faye, but Frank had once saved her... Frank might die if she did not hold him to that promise! After a moment of hesitation, she helped Frank up on his feet. "I promise you, Frank." It was just one kidney. Frank would give up his life for her; she must not be so cruel. Frank''s distress was alleviated at her response. "Thank you, Charmine.J owe you..." Before he could finish, however, he fell to the floor with a loud thud. Charmine''s heart sank as she frantically sought out a doctor for him. With his skin utterly ravaged, Frank was pushed into the operating room right away, where Charmine waited outside anxiously. She had to return to the resting lounge, however, in fear Anthony would be worried should he find her missing. After the nurse came to clean up the room, the pungent smell faded. Charmine sat by the bed, eyes darkening as she recalled the man who attacked her. He dared attempt to hurt her in broad daylight! She phoned Kay coldly, saying, "Get me the identity of the man who tried to kill me in the hospital today!" "What?" Kay cried out in shock. "Boss Jordan, someone tried to kill you!? Are you okay?'' 1 "I''m fine," responded Charmine. "Oh, thank goodness!" Kay then growled, "Who''d dare try to kill you!?" Charmine squinted her cold eyes as she recalled the man and his shirt. "He might be mentally ill," she remarked. "Find out who contacted him.¡± Someone must have asked him to do it. Even if the person was mentally ill, he would not kill her or point out that she was the person in the photo he had. "Roger that! I''ll get to it now!" obeyed Kay. "You''ll hear positive news from me." "Okay." Charmine hung up and started nning about the kidney-donating matter. chapter 1379 chapter 1379 Anthony would not agree to Charmine donating her kidney, hence she must not alert him of it. Still, he had been staying in the office. How could she make him leave? Just as she tried to think of something, the door opened abruptly, and in came Anthony as he elegantly walked. His lips twisted into a frown when he saw her sitting upright. "Why''re you not resting?" Charmine instantly walked up toy in bed and exined, "I got up to use the bathroom." Anthony''s displeasure faded at how Charmine listened to his advice. He walked over to the bed and sat down. Charmine asked, "Any progress?" "Same old." Anthony'' brows furrowed. Gazing at his fatigue-ridden face, she asked, "Darling, are you tired?" Anthony''s body jolted as he looked at her. "What did you just call me?" "Darling?" Charmine replied naturally. Anthony''s eyes darkened as he lifted her face by her chin, lowered his head, and seized her red lips. Charmine jolted and resisted. They were at the hospital, and if anyone saw them... She then thought of her n on donating her kidney and dropped her defenses, allowing him to kiss her. After a while, Anthony let go of her. Eyes fogged with desire, he hoarsely muttered, "You sly imp." He had to take good care of her once everything settled. Charmine''s face turned hot and remained still. She changed the topic, however, saying, "Are you tired? I''ll massage your shoulder." She then reached out with her delicate hands and leaned against him, massaging his shoulders. Anthony looked at her strangely. "Why are you acting weird?" 1 She called him ''darling'' and offered to massage him? Charmine''s hands never stopped pressing onto his shoulders. ¡®Why can''t I treat you nicer? You''ve worked so hard for Frank in the past few days. I feel bad for my darling, okay?" Anthony had a half smile as he looked at her. "Seems like my slinky imp has a soft side to her." Charmine smiled. "I''ve always been kind, okay?" Anthony did not deny that. He did not want her to massage him for too long, so he removed her hands from him. "Alright, I''m not tired. Get some rest, and don''t overthink things. Even if we don''t find a suitable kidney, don''t feel guilty. Faye asked for this." Charmine nodded. "Okay." This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Anthony stood up, but as he was about to leave, his big hand felt a soft touch. He lowered his head to see Charmine holding onto his big palm. Touched by her gesture, he gazed at her. "What is it?" Charmine said nothing as she pulled him, causing Anthony to fall to the bed. She leaned in, raised her head, and kissed his cold lips. Anthony jolted. She did not react when he kissed her, and all of a sudden, she took the initiative? Charmine was more fervent in her kiss at the thought of the unforeseeable future. Anthony was hook, line, and sinker with their kiss as he let go of his thoughts and fell deeper into the kiss, one that left Charmine blushing red. Anthony was elegant as always, as if it was not him engaged in their kiss. He reached out his hand to caress her lips, asking hoarsely, "Why take the initiative?" It mystified him how she kissed him on her own will. Worried that he might see through her thoughts, she smiled. "Do I need a reason to kiss my husband?¡± She wanted to spend more time with him. To kiss him, hold his hand, call him ''darling''-she wanted to please him. In case her operation did not go well, should anything happen... chapter 1380 chapter 1380 Anthony''s eyes dulled at Charmine''s peculiar behavior. However, Charmine seemed so calm that she did not even falter. Anthony then felt he was the one overthinking things. Why could she not kiss him? He tucked the hair behind her ears, lovingly cooing, "I really need to go now." "Okay." Charmine nodded. Anthony shot her onest nce, one with reluctance. He wanted nothing more than to stay with her, but he knew she fretted about Frank''s health, so he had to quickly find Faye a suitable kidney. All problems could be resolved afterward. After Anthony had left, Charmineid in bed quietly after Anthony left, though unable to fall asleep as the image of Frank¡¯s body eaten up by the sulfuric acid haunted her. Anxious, she sneaked to the operating room. With the door still shut, Charmine asked the nurse, "Is Frank still inside?" "Yes," the nurse replied. "We''ve been notified that he needs a skin graft." Charmine¡¯s heart dropped. Frank¡¯s journey had been too painful. Recalling his plea before he fainted, her eyes darkened again. She must distract Anthony to help Faye. Amid her thoughts, the operating door next to this suddenly opened. It was Faye¡¯s operating room, where Nial walked out tiredly from! Charmine rushed over, but before she could ask, Faye was pushed out. Lying in bed, it seemed as though all life was lost from her. Her figure had gone a size bigger while her face was yellow and pale with spots all over it. All while she had an oxygen mask on. Her condition looked critical. Charmine turned to Nial. "How¡¯s she?" Nial looked at Faye and muttered, ¡°More severe than before. Her kidney is failing very quickly. She''s now unconscious and has difficulty breathing. She needs a kidney, and fast." With that said, he turned to the other doctor. "Get her to the ICU. Arranged for the nurses to watch over her." "Yes, Sir." Hearing all this, Charmine was even more certain about her decision. She looked at Nial calmly and said, "Come with me." 9 Charmine walked toward his office. Thinking she wanted to ask about Faye''s condition, Nial followed her without an inkling of suspicion. Once Charmine entered, she waited for him to enter before locking the door. Nial walked in and sat on his seat, eyeing her in confusion. "What do you want to talk about, Charmine?" C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Why was she acting so secretive and serious? Charmine sat beside him, crossing her legs as she began, "Does Faye need an immediate kidney transnt?¡± Nial nodded seriously. "Yes." "Get her my kidney," decided Charmine. Gulp. Nial choked on the tea he was sipping before spitting it out. He looked at Charmine with disbelief, wondering if his ears yed tricks on him. "What did you say, Charmine? You¡¯re kidding, right?" Charmine, however, looked dead-set. "I''m serious; give her my kidney. Don''t tell Anthony." Nial firmly shook his head as he shot her a stare. "No way." i He knew how severe the side effects of a kidney removal were. How could he let Charmine harm herself to save that heartless woman!? 2 He would be dead meat if his brother found out! 3 No way, it was too dangerous. It was not worth the risk to save that woman! Charmine insisted, "As you know, Faye is severely ill now, and she needs the transnt right away. I don''t care about her, but Frank is worsening as well. I can¡¯t leave him to die!" With that said, she added, "If this goes on, either one of them dies, I''ll be responsible for two lives! How am I supposed to get married with your brother then?" chapter 1381 chapter 1381 Nial pursed his lips. He understood the link and also knew that Faye''s condition was worsening. Still, he shuddered at the thought of potentially risking Charmine¡¯s life in exchange for Faye''s! Nial shook his head and insisted, "Charmine, you can''t do that. Anyone can give her the kidney but you!" "It¡¯s just one kidney," retorted Charmine earnestly. "Many donors carried on with their lives just fine. I can only marry your brother and stand in the public eye with him only when everything is settled!" "Still a no." Nial did not even hesitate. "The wedding can be postponed, but you still can¡¯t donate your kidney!" "While the wedding can be postponed, Faye and Frank''s health can''t be put on hold any longer, can it now?" challenged Charmine as she looked at him. "Do you know how severe this matter is?" The guilt would torment her if they both died, especially since Frank came to her rescue today. Nial nodded. "I know, but this doesn''t warrant you getting hurt for it! Charmine, stop trying to convince me. I won''t allow it no matter what.¡± Nial''s tone was decisive. Charmine looked at him with her brows furrowed. This was difficult. After a few seconds of hesitation, she reached up to unbutton a few of her buttons, much to Nial''s horror as he quickly turned around. "What are you doing, Charmine?!" he yelped anxiously. How could she remove her clothes in front of him?! Charmine dered, "If you don''t say yes to me, I''ll go and tell your brother that you¡¯re taking advantage of me!" 2 Nial¡¯s body stiffened, his face turning red and anxious. "What nonsense, Charmine! Since when have I taken advantage of you?" Charmine did not seem to mind his argument. "If I go out and tell your brother, do you think he''ll trust you or me?" "You... You...¡± Nial was so agitated that his face turned red, at aplete loss for words. Charmine said, "Do you agree with me? Otherwise, I¡¯ll find your brother right now!" "Wait, wait!" Nial stopped her urgently. If she went ahead to tell his brother, he would not live long enough to see tomorrow''s sunrise! "Don''t worry, I won''t let your brother know about this," assured Charmine." Even if he finds out, I¡¯ll take full responsibility. I won¡¯t me it on you.¡± Nial sighed heavily. "Do you really have to?¡± "Yes. You know well about Faye and Frank''s conditions. There''s no other way." Nial hesitated for a moment before he feebly conceded, "Fine, I¡¯ll agree to it." Charmine smiled as she nonchntly buttoned up. "You may turn around now." Nial turned over cautiously, adding, "I''ll arrange for the operation in the afternoon, then?¡± How would he distract his brother? Charmine thought for a moment. ¡¯Tomorrow, then. Have everything arranged today." Nial agreed and felt unusually heavy. He would have to remove Charmine''s kidney behind Anthony¡¯s back tomorrow? How stressful! Charmine red at him and stressed on the matter, "Remember: don''t let your brother find out about this. If he asks, just tell him that you''ve found a highlypatible kidney." Nial nodded. "Don''t worry. I know." She even threatened him by unbuttoning her shirt. He wanted to live long enough to see tomorrow¡¯s sunrise! Charmine made sure he did not tell anyone about this before leaving his office. Leaning back on his chair, Nial gazed at his tightly shut door with burdensome thoughts haunting him... 1 Charmine went to the research room, Anthony being its only upant. Guy and Yvonne had gone home. Hearing footsteps, Anthony looked up, his steely gaze softening when he realized it was Charmine. "You woke up?" "Yeah." Charmine walked over to sit beside him, studying him up-close. Noticing that his gorgeous face looked worn-out, Charmine felt hurt. She held onto his arm and said, "Anthony, let''s go home." "Hmm?" Anthony looked at her suspiciously.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Was she not worried about Frank? There was no breakthrough yet, so why would she ask him to go home? It was very much unlike her. chapter 1382 chapter 1382 Charmine caught onto Anthony¡¯s suspicion and piped in, "I realized this afternoon how it''s not worth being so beat for Faye. Look at you: You haven''t been resting in the past two days, and you look so worn out. It hurts me to see you like this." Anthony felt moved as he gazed at her meaningfully, was touched. "Do you really think so?" "Yes." He could not help kissing her cheek, his eyes gleaming endearingly instead of being aloof. "I¡¯ll listen to my wife. Let''s go home." Chris ran out of the yground the moment they both entered the vi. Instead of running to his father, his own kin, he ran right into Charmine''s arms. "Mommy! You''re finally home! I missed you so much!" Charmine lifted him into her arms, her eyes filled with maternal adoration." Mommy misses you, too! That''s why I came home to spend time with you." "Haha! Mommy is the best! Mwah!" Chris pecked Charmine''s cheek as he was still nestled in her arms, not wanting to let go of her. Anthony¡¯s face turned cold at the sight. "Get down!" "Haha! Momo misses you a lot, too, Daddy!" chirped Chris adorably. Anthony''s expression did not lose its intensity. "Enough hugging! Get down!" i Charmine was his! Charmine was mystified by his behavior. Was he jealous of his son? With a pout on his face, Chris reluctantly got down from Charmine''s hold, and the three of them entered the living room where Lucas came toward them. "Sir, Madam." Anthony nodded. "Go and sort out thepany''s matter." "Noted." Luke then left. It was 3 p.m? as Charmine looked at the time. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. She thought about it and asked Anthony, "What would you like to eat tonight?" Anthony looked at her. "What?" Why would she ask that? "I''ll cook for you,¡± came Charmine''s answer. Anthony halted. "You?" "Yeah?" said Charmine. "You don''t trust my cooking skills?" "It¡¯s not that." Anthony held onto her fair hand. "Your hands are meant for more important matters or for admiration. You shouldn''t use them to cook." Charmine was taken aback; he still treated her so well... That merely depressed her, however, the nicer he treated her. i She held his arm and leaned on his shoulder. "It''s okay to prepare a meal once in a while. Also, you deserve it. I should be thanking you." Anthony reached out to scratch her nose. "It''s worth being worn out after hearing that, then." It was an atmosphere filled with endearment. Chris pped and cheered by the side, "Yay! Daddy and Mommy will kiss! Kiss!" Charmine was at a loss for words, though she tried to change the topic as she ruffled his tiny head, "Don''t be naughty now, dearest. Mommy will make dinner tonight. Are you excited?" Chris was overjoyed. "Hooray!" Charmine said gently, "Momo, what would you like to eat?" Chris thought about it and said, "Mommy, can we have barbecue? I remember the first time we ate at your ce; it was delicious!" Charmine thought of that and nodded. "Okay, let''s have a barbecue." It was then she thought of something as she turned to ask Anthony, "Are you okay with this?" "Of course." Anthony was fine with it. A barbeque was simple, and she did not have to get tired. Charmine said, "Alright, then. I''ll go and buy the ingredients while you both stay home." Anthony looked at her. "You''re going alone?" "Yeah." They had not gone public. Of course she should not be seen with him. Anthony reeled her back with a tug of her hand. "Hold on." 1 "Hmm?" Charmine was confused. chapter 1383 chapter 1383 Anthony headed upstairs. Charmine, still standing where she stood, looked at Chris. "Where''s your father going?" Chris shook his head. "I don''t know." Both of them were still confused, even as Anthony came downstairs. He changed out of his usual ck suit, opting for casual wear with a ck mask and sunsses. He was no longer that arrogant and cold President; he was like a cool- looking-celebrity instead. If one did not know him, one could not tell that he was Anthony Bailey! Anthony walked over and put on a mask over Chris'' mouth. He turned to Charmine and said, "Let''s go." Charmine halted. He dressed himself and his son up just to be able to go out with her? 1 She wanted to treat him nicely, yet he was the one... With that, the three of them went out. Since they lived in a high-end area, not many people were around, and not many noticed them, too. Chris sat inside the shopping trolley while Anthony pushed at it, Charmine following right behind as she carefully picked the ingredients. It felt enjoyable all the while to her. This was the first time she went out with Anthony and Chris in public, and they looked like a married couple as well. They would still be as sweet after their wedding, would they not? Even the thought of it was sharine-sweet. After getting the ingredients, Anthony held the bags with one hand and held Charmine''s hand with the other, leaving a speechless Chris following after them. Did they adopt him? That had to be it, then. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. Anthony ced the bags inside the car, and only then did he remember Chris, turning back to see the boy sullenly following behind them. He said to Chris, "You sit at the back." "Okay..." Chris diligently opened the door and went to the back. Although his father did not remember him until that moment, he at least did not forget about him completely. 1 After getting home, Anthony wanted to help Charmine in preparing the food, but Charmine put on the apron and said, "I want to make you dinner by myself. Can''t I do that?" "Okay." Anthony reached out to tie her hair back gently and reasoned, "I don''t want you to be tired." Charmine smiled. "It''s okay. Go y with Momo." Anthony looked at her deeply and could not help nting a kiss on her forehead before leaving. Charmine thus worked in the kitchen alone. Anthony insisted oning in a few times after that, but she turned him down everytime. All he could do was sit on the sofa and y with Chris, though his gaze constantly wandered to the figure inside the kitchen. That 7 p.m., their food was prepared atst. Charmine walked out with the prepared dishes and also had a small food trolley to push out the raw ingredients. Chris looked at the table full of food. His eyes lit up, his puffy face breaking out into a grin. "Mommy, you''re the most beautiful housewife. You''re perfect in anything you do!" i Anthony''s elegant face looked proud. "Of course! Don''t you know who her husband is?" He then pulled out a chair for Charmine. "Thank you, mydy.¡± "It''s alright." Charmine sat down and prodded, "Hurry. Taste and see if they¡¯re yummy." "My wife prepared these," said Anthony, "so of course, they''re yummy." Charmine nudged at him. "Try it first." Anthony took a mushroom from the grill and chewed on it slowly. Following that, his lips curled up, seemingly satisfied. "It''s delicious. Very sweet." "Huh?" Charmine was baffled for a second before she cried out in shock," Sweet?" i She did not add sugar. Why was it sweet? She quickly picked out one to taste. It was spicy! She looked at him nkly. "It''s spicy!" Anthony looked at her lovingly. "My heart is sweet." 1 Charmine was speechless. chapter 1384 chapter 1384 Since when did Anthony be so flirtatious? Charmine blinked away her shyness and changed the topic by getting some food for Chris. "Eat some more, Momo." Chris nodded. "Yay! Mommy made it so yummy, I want to finish all by myself!" Charmine smiled. She felt appreciated and loved. As she was about to take some food for Anthony, he had already filled up her te. "Mydy has been working too hardtely. Have some more." Charmine felt moved, again. The ambiance was affection-filled, homely after the meal. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. A smile graced Chris'' face, and Anthony''s eyes were filled with love and gentleness. Seeing how happy they were, mncholy shed past her eyes. She was to have her kidney removed tomorrow, so she had to treasure their time together tonight. After dinner. Charmine cleaned the table when Anthony reached over to take away the things from her hands. "Let me do it." "No need. I-" Before Charmine could finish her sentence, he took the tes away from her and walked to the kitchen. She frowned. She seemed to have seen a hint of uneasiness and longingness from Anthony''s eyes. It was simr to her own. Why would he feel this way? 1 Charmine turned around to see the man washing the dishes in the kitchen, unable toprehend it. Was it just in her head? "Mommy, hurry,e and watch this show with me!" Chris¡¯ voice snapped her out from her thoughts. Charmine could only then turn out to the living room and sat next to Chris. "What would you like to watch?" Chris¡¯ eyes sparkled. "I want to watch ''The Battle of Robots¡¯!" "Okay." Charmine picked up the remote control to turn on the television for him before settling herself next to Chris, watching the show with him. Anthony walked out after washing the dishes. He sat beside Charmine and hugged her naturally. The two adults watched the show emotionlessly with Chris, and the living room was filled with the sounds of battling robots. When 10 p.m. struck, Anthony finally ran out of patience. "Chris Bailey, time to sleep." "Oh, okay..." Chris looked away and pouted with his tiny mouth. He looked around with his watery eyes. "But I want to sleep with Mommy tonight." Charmine thought of tomorrow''s operation, so she nodded without thinking twice. "Okay, you can sleep with Daddy and Mommy tonight." "Yay! Wonderful! Mommy is the best! I love Mommy!" Delighted, Chris hugged Charmine by her neck tightly as if not wanting Charmine to change her mind. Anthony looked at Charmine in confusion. She acted so strangely throughout the evening. She kissed him first, called him ''darling'', massaged him, cooked for him, and even allowed Chris to sleep with them? She never acted like this usually. However, recalling her exnation of how she thought he had overworked in the past few days due to Frank''s matter, that she did all these as his treat, it then made sense. What other reasons were there? Anthony did not question further. Once Frank''s operation was over, he would undergo Jennie¡¯s experiment. The oue was still uncertain, so he had to treasure every moment of happiness he had left. Chris noticed Anthony''s ever-dulling gaze and asked cautiously, "Daddy, may I sleep with you both tonight? Just one night! I''ll sleep by myself tomorrow!" Brought out of his thoughts, Anthony agreed, "Alright." Chris, still in Charmine¡¯s arms, grinned wider. That night, the three of them slept together. chapter 1385 chapter 1385 Anthony and Charmineid in bed, with Chris nestled between them. It might have been due to his excitement that Chris still tossed and turned at 11 p.m., unable to sleep a wink as he gazed at Charmine, brightly grinning at her. Seeing how tired Charmine seemed, Anthony¡¯s gaze grew wrathful as he snapped, "Sleep, now!" Chris blinked his innocently big eyes, muttering, "But I can''t fall asleep." He had not seen Charmine for too many days. He missed her too much. Anthony was speechless. Charmine offered, ''Til tell you some bedtime stories, then?" "Okay! Hehe!" Chris leaned into her arms obediently. Charmine then picked up a storybook with her clear voice ringing, "One day, Adam made a robot friend. The robot ran with him..." Her voice was gentle and soothing, almost hypnotic, so much so that Chris somehow fell asleep in her arms as he listened. Charmine put him down carefully and draped the nket over him. Thinking Anthony was asleep, she looked over to see his hands put behind his head, all while looking at her. She halted. "Why aren''t you asleep yet?" Anthony looked at her, and his thin lips parted for him to utter, "Waiting for you." Feeling touched, Charmine carefully got out of bed and walked toward his side of the bed, lying next to him and nuzzling into his arms naturally. Anthony hugged her and looked at her with his darkened eyes, saying, "You acted strange today." Charmine''s heart almost missed a beat. Did he find out something? She tried her best to keep calm and asked, "So I can''t even treat you nicer? I''ll just treat you like how I used to, then?" With that, Charmine stood up and threatened to leave, only to be pulled back by Anthony, reeling her back in with an arm around her waist. He hugged her tightly, his warm breath fanning her ears. "Do you think you can leave now?" Charmine was speechless, her blush searing across her face. ''The kid is right next to us." Anthony gave her a half-smile. "I only want to hug you to sleep. What are you hinting at?" i Charmine was speechless. Fine. She thought too much of it. Sheid in his arms with her face flushing red. Words danced at her lips but she had no idea where to start. Furthermore, what she said today was already very suspicious to him. If she spoke more, he might catch on. Therefore, she could only find afortable spot in his arms and said," Goodnight, darling." Anthony stared at her affectionately, his Adam''s apple bobbing as he hoarsely responded, "Goodnight." Charmineid in his arms with her eyes shut, while he was unwilling to rest his eyes, gazing at her with clouded eyes. He wanted to engrave this serene look of hers deeply into his bones. Even if he lost his memories during the experiment, he still wanted to remember how beautiful she looked at this moment. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. The next day when Charmine woke up, Anthony was no longer beside her, though Chris still slumbered in her arms. Charmine cast him a gentle gaze. Should she still have a chance in the future, she would want to treat him with only the best and never wrong him again. Even if she was not his birth mother, she would treat him like her own, or even better! i Chris seemed to have sensed Charmine''s gazejolting awake as he opened his drowsy eyes. When he saw Charmine in front of him, he rubbed his eyes and recalled what happenedst night. His small, white teeth were revealed as he said with a sleepy voice, "Mommy, good morning!" "Good morning." Charmine looked at him. Suddenly, she recalled something, and her eyes sparkled. She caressed his round face and said, "My dear, would you help Mommy to do something?" chapter 1386 chapter 1386 Chris nodded. "Okay!¡± Once Charmine told him what was on her mind, she asked, "Is that okay?" Chris'' watery eyes sparkled. "Of course! Leave this to me, Mommy! Don¡¯t worry!¡± Charmine smiled. "You''re the best." "Of course." Chris grinned. "I''ll share Mommy''s troubles.¡± Casting him a serene gaze, she replied, "Wonderful. Once Mommy''s operation is done, we''ll take you wherever you want to go.¡± Chris nodded diligently. "Okay!¡± Charmine merely told him she had to undergo a simple operation and Chris, not knowing what it was, instantly agreed to it, and carefreely at that. After washing him up, they went downstairs to see the tall and big-built Anthony making breakfast in the kitchen. She walked toward him. Hearing footsteps behind him, he turned around to look at Charmine lovingly. "You''re awake?¡± "Yeah.¡± Charmine walked over and hugged him from behind. "What are you making? Do you need help?¡± "No need." He looked down at the hands around his waist before turning to nt a gentle peck on her forehead. "Go out, it''s smoky in here." "Alright, then." Charmine walked out to the living room and signaled Chris with a look, telling him it was time for action. Chris blinked his big, sparkling eyes. After breakfast, Anthony asked Luke to watch over Chris while the two of them went to the hospital to continue the research. When Anthony was still researching in the hospital, he received a call from Luke. "Boss, it''s bad. The young master has gone missing!" "What!?¡± Anthony''s face sank. "What¡¯s the matter?" Luke said anxiously, "Young Master wanted me to bring him to the theme park, and I was queuing for the tickets, but I came back with them, he was missing! I tried tracing him and found out that he was heading toward Amerites!" Gaze turning stoic, he uttered, "I''lle now!" He hung up and said to Charmine, "I need to go out now." Charmine looked at him. "What''s the matter?" "Chris has gone missing in the theme park. I''ll dispatch more men to look for him." Charmine looked anxious. "How did he go missing?¡± "I''m not sure yet, but I''ll go and find out now." "Okay, text me when you find him," said Charmine and watched as Anthony''s figure disappeared from the hospital. She took out her phone and called Nial. "Get ready for the operation." M&G Hotel. Receiving a text from Britney, Waverly turned around to look at Max with a wide grin. "Brother, we got wonderful news. Charmine is donating her kidney for Faye! She''ll finally suffer!" Although she failed to ruin Charmine''s face and ruined Frank¡¯s instead, she did not expect it to be so effective. Waverly picked up the mirror to look at her still ill-looking face, ruthlessly saying, "She did this to my face and even filmed that video of yours. It''s time for her to pay the price!" Max''s eyes darkened with pleasure. However, recalling the artificial kidney in William''sb, he frowned. " William is a threat. I''ve checked on it, and he¡¯s now with Yoshua''s granddaughter to get the artificial kidney." 2 "Is that so?" Waverly smiled coldly. William was a fool. He was hurt by Charmine, yet he still treated her so well? 1 This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. It seemed like he was not yet sober. She picked up her phone to call Yoshua, eyes gleaming devilishly. "Yoshua, don¡¯t you know? William is trying to convince your granddaughter in hopes of taking her artificial kidney!" chapter 1387 chapter 1387 The news startled Yoshua, and he asked, "Who are you? How did you find out about the artificial kidney?" He told not a single soul apart from theboratory staff about the artificial kidney¡¯s existence. Waverly coldly refuted, "That''s none of your concern. All you have to know is that if you don''t find William now, your granddaughter will willingly give her kidney to him." Yoshua thought of how William did ask about the artificial kidney. No matter if this was real or not, he had to see it on his own. Furthermore, William had not appeared after that day. Hanging up the call and rushing home urgently, he found out that Annie was not home at all! Furious, Yoshua instantly dialed her number and soon realized the phone was switched off! An unsettling feeling loomed over him as he contacted people to locate Annie. William apanied Annie and strolled around in the past few days. They had gone to the forest, seaside, garden, and mountaintop. Today, as per Annie''s request, he brought her to the sunflowers garden. The weather was surprisingly warm. The field was full of sunflowers that reached out toward the sunlight. Annie was in her long sleeve dress, hair braided into two ponytails, looking a little more alive. She leaned back on the wheelchair as she gazed at the beautiful sunflowers, and her face seemingly radiated. Annie turned to look at William and said, "Mr. Peterson, do you know? My biggest dream in life is to live like a sunflower." Unfortunately...she was running out of time. William looked at her gently. "Yeah, you should be optimistic like the light. Your bright future is waiting for you." Future? Annie¡¯s eyes turned a shade dimmer as she muttered, "Thank you for being with me in the past two days, Mr. Peterson. I''ve been happy all the while, and it all seemed like a fairy tale..." William draped the nket over her form. "As long as you¡¯re happy. When I have time in the future, I¡¯ll bring you to see more things." Annie had a satisfied smile on her face. She looked at him for a long while before asking abruptly, "If I die one day, will you miss me?¡± The question took William aback as he spoke, "You¡¯ll have the artificial kidney. Why would you die? Don''t do anything silly, okay? I''m apanying you now as a doctor. I sympathize with your situation, and I don¡¯t wish for you to give out your artificial kidney." Annie looked at William meaningfully as she assessed his words, lips curling into a faint smile afterward. She did not love the wrong man. Annie looked at him as her breath grew erratic. "Mr. William, can I lean on your shoulder for a while?" she asked. "Just for a while?¡± Even knowing that this might sound absurd to him, she could feel her breathing growing shallower. She only wanted her dream to be fulfilled in her final moment. William hesitated for a moment. He had never been so close to any woman, but Annie was a patient, and he wanted her to get better. He knelt down and offered her his shoulder. As silence enveloped them, William pointed out, "Annie, look at the pigeon flying with the wind. When your operation is over, you''ll get to fly in this world, too..." There was a pregnant pause with no response. William paused as he turned to look at Annie... When he moved, her head that leaned into his shoulder slumped heavily, though William caught onto her before she fell over. He held onto her cold hands and looked at her lifeless pale face. William¡¯s heart dropped. "Annie?" There was no response no matter how William called for her. He reached out his shaking fingers to feel her breath and found she was no longer breathing. He looked at her with disbelief. He could not believe that a gentle girl had departed, just like that...Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. A second before her death, she was still leaning on his shoulder, anticipating her beautiful future! William felt sick. A young life was lost that day... As he was about to carry her into the car, someone growled, "Let go of her!" chapter 1388 chapter 1388 William retrieved his hand and turned to see Yoshua stomping toward him furiously with seven to eight burly men in ck behind him. William recalled how Annie told him that her grandfather did not allow her to leave home. Not only did he bring her out of the house, but she even passed away on his shoulder! Somewhat distressed, William blurted, "Yoshua, you''re here?" Yoshua yelled at him angrily, ''Til get to youter!¡± With that, his gaze aimed straight to Annie, who was on William''s back." Annie, let''s go home!" he called out. However, Annie remained still on William''s back. Yoshua approached them, all while William frowned. Without anything else to say, he somberly dered, "Annie is...gone.¡± "What!?¡± Yoshua¡¯s expression stiffened as he walked toward him, disbelief slowly etched onto his face. He then noticed how Annie was no longer breathing and how her body was cold to the touch. He thought of that stranger''s call and instantly connected the dots. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. William brought Annie out for the artificial kidney! He even tried to kill Annie! Yoshua saw red that instant, and a loud smack was heard. He pped William and shot him a murderous re. ¡®William Peterson, are you even a human? You''re taking away herst chance of living!" Blood oozed out of his lips due to the p. William looked at Yoshua to exin, "Yoshua, you''ve mistaken..." Yoshua red at him. "Mistaken? What have I mistaken? To get the artificial kidney, you killed my granddaughter! How could someone as coldblooded as you exist?!¡± With that said, he turned back to order the group of men behind him, "Beat him up till hisst breath!" "Yoshua? Argh-!" Before William could exin, the men in ck surrounded him andnded blows on him, one after another. He tried to defend himself, but punches were swapped out with metal rods as they beat him fiercely. Each metal stick hit right into his bone! William could feel himself getting unconscious. When he thought he was about to die here, the group stopped. The leading man kicked his back and said, "Dr. Peterson, don''t touch things that aren''t yours!" With that said, he made a gesture. "Go!" Lying on the ground, William felt his entire body overridden with pain as though hit by a car. His face, head, and hands were wet with blood... He nearly lost his consciousness as heid there before struggling to get back up on his feet, enduring the pain. With a blurry vision, he staggered forward. He wanted to look for Yoshua, to tell him that he did not bring Annie out for the artificial kidney. That he merely pitied her as a doctor... William disregarded his wounded self as he rushed back. Yoshua carried Annie back to theboratory with reddened eyes. He arranged for his people to save her, but all was in vain. "Annie! My granddaughter..." Yoshua knelt before the operating desk and groaned in pain. Curse that William! He actually killed his granddaughter for the artificial kidney! He would never forgive him! Yoshua glowered murderously, but as he took out his phone and was about to call the police to report him, he saw... chapter 1389 chapter 1389 A letter suddenly fell out from Annie''s clothes andnded before him. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. He looked over to see the words written in front of the letter, [To My Grandpa.] Yoshua stopped short. He had to hang up and pick up the letter to open it. Words were neatly written, and Annie wrote: [Grandpa, I did not pass away abruptly. I nned it. [I have always wanted to die, but all I wanted to be was a healthy person. This illness has taken up my entire life, and it is suffocating for me and a burden to you. [I¡¯ve saved up five years'' worth of sleeping pills. I bought some every day to prepare for this day. This matter has nothing to do with Mr. Peterson. I once told him I''d let him have my artificial kidney, but he turned me down. 1 [I hope you don¡¯t misunderstand him. [Mr. Peterson has been apanying me for the past few days. He added color to my dark, boring life. I would¡¯ve never imagined how beautiful and romantic the flowers and ocean could be. How the ocean breeze could actually blow one¡¯s troubles away... [I thought I¡¯d die with regrets, but with Mr. Peterson¡¯s presence, I felt what love was. I no longer have any regrets. [Grandpa, please let Mr. Peterson have the kidney. Otherwise, I won''t be at peace even after my death. Without him, I wouldn''t have lived on for so many years-l would''ve died a long time ago. [I missed him all these years, so I persisted and endured all the pain. When he finally appeared, he gave me the warmth I wanted. I have no more regrets. [Grandma, don''t feel sad for me. I''m happy. The end is a new beginning... You will always be my Grandpa, even in the next life! 1 [Yours sincerely, Annie.] Yoshua''s face was drenched with tears as he read Annie¡¯s letter. He clenched onto this letter tightly as he gazed at the girl in bed, his vision blurred with tears and his throat burning, choked. After a long while, he hoarsely spoke, "Why were you so foolish, my child? You were never my burden... Never... You''re my favorite granddaughter..." Yoshua was anguished, heartbroken. He always knew how Annie did not want to live. Still, she listened to him, took the medicines he gave her, and epted the treatments. She coborated with him well. He thought she at least had the desire to keep living. Little did he expect that she had saved up her sleeping pills for five years. 1 Yoshua sobbed before Annie¡¯s bed, "With you gone, Annie, how am I supposed to face your parents? I¡¯m an old man, and you''re still so young. Do you know how terrible I feel...?" As he sobbed, theboratory''s door gradually opened. William''s eyes and face were swollen, patches of his blood still stuck onto his skin. He did not quite react to what he saw. He staggered inside, and when he saw the sobbing Yoshua, he endured the pain in his lips and exined," Yoshua, you...you misunderstood me... Annie asked me to take her sightseeing. I treat her as a friend and have no ulterior motives. I wouldn''t harm her because of the artificial kidney." Yoshua looked at him and recalled Annie''s letter. Actually, he knew William for many years, and he was not an evil person. He was influenced by the strange call, and when he saw Annie dying in William''s arms, he wronged him in a rush. Yoshua shut his eyes in pain, inhaling deeply before gazing at Annie. With his back still facing William, he uttered, ''You may have the artificial kidney." William stopped short. ¡®Yoshua, you''re willing to let me have it?" ''Yes," said Yoshua. "I know you didn''t get close to Annie for the artificial kidney. I''ll give it to you as Annie wishes. Otherwise, she won''t rest in peace." William looked at Annie with a look of disbelief. "She... She ended her life for..." She ended her life for him? He refused to take the artificial kidney! chapter 1390 chapter 1390 ''Yoshua, I can''t have this," declined William. "Don¡¯t misunderstand. I-¡± "I know," Yoshua stopped him as he wiped off his tears, turning to finally look at him. "Annie didn''t die for you; she¡¯s lost all hope in living for a long time. You showed her the wonders of life when you entered her life, and she died with no regret." William halted and made sense of it. So, those were her thoughts. It made sense why she had asked him if he would miss her after her death. She knew she would not have much time left... William felt like his heart was stung by a bee. He gazed at Annie sympathetically, his lips still stained with his blood. He thought they would be friends. s, it was toote... "Argh..." William''s chest hurt as he spat out a mouthful of blood. Mind going nk, he lost his bnce and fell onto his knees, lurching forward... Yoshua quickly caught him. When he saw how severely beaten William was, he recalled how he asked his men to beat him up. He quickly said, "Go to the hospital, now!" William, however, thought of how Charmine was about to undergo the operation. Ignoring his state, he weakly pleaded, "I''m sorry, Yoshua. Could you give me the artificial kidney? My friend urgently needs it." Yoshua looked at him. His eyes were so swollen that they formed a line. His forehead was swollen, and he had wounds all over his body. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. He was even spitting out blood... He not only suffered from skin-surface wounds, but his internal organs were hurt, too! Yoshua frowned. ''You must get to the hospital first!" William merely said, Tm fine. Don¡¯t worry." He heard from his mother in the morning that Charmine was undergoing the operation today. He had to get there with the artificial kidney before then! He must not let Charmine get hurt! Yoshua merely sighed, thinking of how this was Annie''s final wish and that there was no way to save her. He had no reason to keep this artificial kidney. He walked to the heavily encrypted vault in theboratory and took out a coconut-shaped metal box, where one could see, under the arched lid, a device nestled within. This was the fruit of their many years ofbor. It was made with thetest technology. It could be imnted into one''s body to rece the kidneys. Annie could have been the one using it if everything went as nned, but... Yoshua clenched his fists, he handed the small device to William, "Have it." William epted it, but with his hands injured, his hands shook. He did not have energy to hold it. Yoshua saw him and sighed. "Go and check it at the hospital. If you keep wasting time, some internal harm might be caused to the organs!" Moreover, he caused these injuries. If anything happened, he would not have the heart to tell it to William''s mother. William wiped off the blood and nodded listlessly. "I''m fine. Once I send the kidney, I¡¯lle back to watch over Annie." Yoshua wanted to reject, but thinking of how much Annie cared about him, he did not reject. "As you wish." "Goodbye for now, Yoshua." William bit back the pain as he held the artificial kidney tightly with his blood-filled hands. His head was heavy as he got into his car, his vision blurry... When he thought of Charmine, he held on tightly to the steering wheel. He made an effort to keep his eyes open, opening the window in hopes of clearing his mind with the cold breeze. By holding onto his pain, he drove quickly to the hospital. To make sure Charmine did not know it was him who sent over the artificial kidney, he put on a mask after arriving at the hospital. chapter 1391 chapter 1391 The mask covered up William''s facepletely. One could only see how beaten-up he was, but not how he actually looked like. A few even cast him quizzical nces, what with the only thing exposed were his bloodshot eyes. His breaths were alreadybored, and with the mask on his face, he felt like he was running out of oxygen. Even with that, and with his head buzzing, face pale and swollen, he endured it as he entered the lift. All of a sudden, he lost his bnce, legs turning into mush as he slumped inside the lift heavily. The moment that he fell, he managed to hold up the artificial kidney, and he sighed in relief when he knew it was safe. He withstood the pain and pressed the button with difficulty. Following that, he bit his tongue and tightened his grip, causing his veins to protrude, to climb back up on his feet. By the time he went out from the lift, his face was extremely pale with cold sweat all over. After a few deep breaths, he dragged his worn-out body to the operating room, breaths growing frantic at the sight of the tightly shut door. He gripped his chest and walked to the office by the side. Panting, he uttered," Nurse, may I know if Charmine''s operation has started?" "Yes," the nurse replied, "Ms. Charmine and Ms. Faye had gone into the operating room." William''s heart stilled. There was time! He quickly handed the artificial kidney to her. "Nurse, could you please give this artificial kidney for Ms. Faye? Don''t let Charmine donate her kidney!" "Huh?" The nurse was perplexed. "Artificial kidney?" This was the first time she heard about such a thing. "Yes!" His chest heavedboriously, but William persisted with his remaining strength, able to continue, "Bring this to Dr. Nial. He should know how to use it... Hurry, we''re running out of time!" The nurse looked at the thing in his hand and was shocked. He was so severely wounded, and all he thought of was Charmine? She epted it and asked doubtfully, "Are you sure this is helpful?" "Yes,¡¯¡¯ said William. "Please bring this to them. Hurry!¡± The nurse nodded. "Okay." William instantly exhaled deeply, his vision darkening as his body felt as if his meridians were cut. He fell listlessly. However, he quickly reached out to hold onto the wall by the side to stabilize himself. He must not fall¡ªnot yet! He had to wait until the nurse came out from the inside to tell him that the artificial kidney worked! Otherwise, everything he did was useless... Inside the operating room. Charmine was calm as sheid in bed. After this operation, every problem would be solved...This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Faye would be saved, and he could then undergo his operation as well. She could finally go public with Anthony and marry him! Charmine imagined the day of their wedding, and suddenly, all the hard work seemed to be worth the effort. Donating a kidney was nothing. Nial, on the other end, looked utterly distressed and reluctant. Although the operation could be sessful, the side effects were risky... Thinking of how Charmine might have to endure the side effects in the future, he felt unusually heavy. He might just die if his brother found out about this! Casting a nce at Charmine, Nial hesitantly spoke, "Charmine, are you absolutely positive?" Charmine looked at him. "Yes." For Anthony and for Chris, this was worth it. Nial sighed to himself as he unwillingly unpacked the anesthetic. As he was about to inject it into Charmine, the door suddenly opened... chapter 1392 chapter 1392 The nurse rushed in urgently. Seeing that the operation had not started, she sighed in relief, saying, ''Thank goodness I¡¯m right on time!¡± Nial looked at her and frowned. "We''re undergoing an operation. Why did you barge in?" The nurse handed the artificial kidney to him, saying, "Dr. Nial, Ms. Charmine doesn''t have to donate her kidney anymore. Someone sent over an artificial kidney, he said we may use this on Ms. Faye." Charmine was baffled, and Nial was just as shocked, too. Charmine looked at her and asked suspiciously, "Who sent it to you?" The nurse frowned. "He insisted on letting me bring this in. I was in a hurry and forgot to ask for his name." Charmine frowned. Who could it be? Only she and Nial knew about the operation, i The nurse seemed to understand her, just as Charmine was about to inquire more about it, and said, "He was wearing a mask and had wounds all over him. I couldn''t see his face clearly." Nial looked at the artificial kidney that looked just like an ordinary kidney." I''ll test out its function and compatibility first," he formally spoke. This man was so mysterious that he did not want to disclose his name? Who would be responsible if anything happened? Nial went into theboratory with the nurse to run through some tests. A few minutester... An excited Nial returned, his expression evidently mystified. "Charmine, good news! You don''t have to give away your kidney! This is thetest high- tech artificial kidney that can rece a human''s kidney! We can use this on Faye!" Charmine nodded, sighing in relief. She was pleased to know she did not have to give away her kidney. "Charmine, go and search for the man who gave this invention," said Nial." I''ll operate on Faye now." Charmine recalled this and left with the nurse. When they went out of the room, the man was no longer there. "Huh..." The nurse scratched her head, confused. "He was standing here just a moment ago." Charmine looked around suspiciously. Who could this be? How did he know about her donating her kidney? How did he get this newly invented artificial kidney? Charmine looked for a while and, still clueless, turned back to the office. William was hiding behind the hallway. When he saw Charmine walking out and after making sure that she had not undergone the operation, he was relieved. A smile slowly spread across his face as he still bore the pain that gued him, propping himself up with the railing and walking down with difficulty... When Charmine was about to check the CCTV, her phone rang. Noticing it was Kay and recalling the task she had him do, she answered the call with her eyes cold, "What is it?" This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Kay said, "Boss Jordan, we''ve found something. Just as you suspected, it was a mentally ill patient, but we couldn''t find out who got in touch with him. Also, he died from food poisoning yesterday." Charmine squinted coldly. "Keep digging, then. Someone must''ve ordered him to do so!" "Yes, Madam!" Charmine hung up. Three hourster, the office door abruptly opened. Nial walked in with a delighted face. "Faye''s operation is a sess!" That did not stir any grand emotions within Charmine, however, as she merely nodded and asked, "When will she wake up?" "She''ll wake up once the anesthetic¡¯s effect runs out; around an hour or two." chapter 1393 chapter 1393 Charmine fell silent before asking, "How''s Frank doing?" Nial said, "He had a skin grafting procedure yesterday. He''s now in the ICU." "Okay." Charmine stood up. "I''ll visit him now.¡± Nial nodded. Thinking of Anthony, he asked suspiciously, "Where''s my brother?" Charmine was then reminded of that matter. "I distracted him.¡± Since she did not need to undergo the operation, he coulde back. Nial looked at Charmine with admiration. "Clever you are, Charmine!" Charmine smiled. "Of course!¡± o With that, she picked up her phone as she walked toward Frank¡¯s ward, texting Chris, [Baby, Mommy has sorted out the matter. You maye home now. Remember to tell your Daddy; don''t make him worry.] i Meanwhile, Chris was on a cruise. When he received Charmine''s text, he replied, "Alrighty, Mommy!" 1 After sending the reply, he turned off his phone and rubbed his eyes. He walked over to the waitress and feebly muttered, "Miss, I can¡¯t find my Daddy..." "Huh?" The waitress was shocked. "What¡¯s your name? What''s your father¡¯s name? Did hee onboard with you?" Chris blinked his big eyes and replied, "I...I might be on the wrong cruise. I haven''t seen my Daddy, and I didn''t bring a phone..." The waitress looked at him in shock. "My dear, how did that happen? This cruise won''t stop until it reaches the destination." Chris narrowed his eyes, his small, bun-like face grimacing, near tears. "But ...I miss Daddy..." he sobbed. "Daddy must''ve missed me, too!¡± Unable toe up with anything, the waitress could only go to her manager. The manager was afraid of idents happening, so she went to her superior to request a stop at F shore. The waitress then walked over to Chris. "My dear, the cruise will stop at F shore. I¡¯ll help you to call the police when we get there, okay?" "Alrighty!" Chris'' eyes sparkled as he nodded diligently. With that, he became the center of everyone''s attention. The staff took turns to look after him, afraid that he might go missing. When the cruise pulled over at F shore, the waitress was about to call the police when Chris said, "Miss, I remember my Daddy¡¯s phone number. I''ll ask him to pick me up." The waitress said, "Okay, I won''t call the police, then. Use my phone to call your father, and ask him to pick you up." "Okay." Chris dialed Anthony''s phone and began pitifully, "Daddy, I''m now at F shore." Anthony was tracking Chris and followed his location with a boat. When he received the phone call from Chris, Anthony was shocked. Thinking someone had kidnapped Chris, he spoke, hostility palpable in his tone, "Did they do anything to you? Are you hurt? Ask them to speak to me!" Chris said weakly, "Daddy, I¡¯m fine." "Hm?" Anthony stopped short. "What do you mean?" Chris nced at the waitress and said, "I saw an Uncle selling sweets in the theme park and I wanted to buy it, but he left. I followed him onto a cruise. I told ady on the cruise, and she¡¯s now dropping me off at F shore." Anthony was speechless. He was about to track Chris down using his hired soldiers, but all this problem started with Chris trying to buy sweets? Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. When Luke heard that by the side and saw how fierce Anthony''s expression had turned into, his heart sank. He took a breath and tried to convince him, "Boss, the young master is only five. He''s young. Do forgive him!" Anthony held on his phone so tightly that his veins were showing. He seemed to be holding back his anger as he red at the ocean, gradually calming himself down. 1 "Wait for me there!" chapter 1394 chapter 1394 "Okay, Daddy." Chris hung up and handed the phone back to the waitress. "Thank you, Miss. My Daddy is picking me up.¡± The staff adored Chris for being a well-behaved boy. Any other child would have cried and caused a scene if this happened to them, yet not only was Chris unafraid, but he even calmly phoned his father to pick him up! Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. The waitress ruffled his hair and said, "My dear, you¡¯re amazing. The cruise has to move on, so I can''t stay here till your fatheres." Chris nodded. "It¡¯s okay, I can wait alone here. Thank you." The waitress waved to bid him farewell. After the cruise moved, another boat arrived by the port a few minutester Anthony came off the boat. When he saw Chris standing alone not far away, his heart sank. He wanted tosh out at him, but he reminded himself that Chris was merely a five-year-old kid. He knew nothing! He was his son-his flesh and blood! It did not help that he would have to go under the knife soon, and no one could tell what would happen. Since he still remembered him, he should treat him well. Anthony narrowed his eyes and tried to make himself look kinder. He walked over and looked at Chris. "Are you cold?" "Huh?" Chris blinked, wondering if he was hallucinating. Not only did his father spared him from rebuke, but he even asked if he was cold? Chris looked at Anthony with his big, watery eyes. He reached out with his small palm to hold onto Anthony''s big hand. "Daddy, I¡¯m not cold." Anthony took him into his arms and walked toward the port. Chris looked at his handsome face, pursing his lips as he muttered, "I''m sorry, Daddy." Anthony looked at him and fell silent for a few seconds. "Don¡¯t do this again in the future, okay?" he spoke. "Tell your Mommy wherever you go. Don''t make her worry about you." Chris looked at him suspiciously. Just his Mommy? What about him, then? Not delving too much into it, Chris hooked his hands around Anthony''s neck and nodded heavily. "Yeah, I know. I¡¯ll tell Daddy and Mommy wherever I go in the future..." 1 Hearing Chris adding ''Daddy'' into his promise, his heart felt warm. He carried him into the boat and went back. Charmine arrived at Frank¡¯s ward, where heid in bed, his eyes nk. His face was pale, and he looked very weak. Charmine felt dispirited. She would never have thought that the once calm Frank, who wrote carefreely with his brush, would end up in such a state. However, with Faye¡¯s operation a sess, he should probably agree to his operation. Even though Frank was in a lot of pain, he could still hear the unmistakable sound of footsteps walking toward him. He turned over to the direction of the sound. His ears moved and he said," Charmine, you''re here?" Charmine said, "How do you feel, Frank?" "I''m fine." Frank looked nkly ahead. He asked, "Charmine, how''s Faye?" Charmine replied, "I''m here to tell you some good news. Faye just had a kidney transnt, and it went well. She¡¯ll wake up in an hour or so." Frank''s zoned-out eyes sparkled instantly. He said with his shaking voice," Really?" Instantly, he frowned again. "Charmine, if Faye had the operation, how did you..." How could she get out of bed so soon? Charmine exined, "I didn''t have to give her my kidney. Someone sent an artificial kidney, and we used it on her. It was a perfect fit." Frank was touched. "Wonderful. Thank goodness you''re not hurt, too. Who sent the artificial kidney? I need to thank her.¡± Charmine frowned. ''We haven¡¯t found out. When I came out from the operating room, that person was already gone." chapter 1395 chapter 1395 "I see..." Frank thought more into the matter and said, "If you have time, help me find out who it was, Charmine. She saved Faye and was also the reason why I don¡¯t owe you a kidney and hurt you. I must thank the individual." 1 "Hmm... Okay." Charmine agreed to it and looked at him. "Faye¡¯s matter is now sorted. You shouldn''t put your operation on hold anymore. It''s time to get it done." Frank nodded. "Okay. I¡¯ll have a look at Faye before the operation." Charmine could only help him get to Faye¡¯s ward. Frank sat by the bedside, and though unable to see how she looked, he could feel Faye''s breaths were better than before. It was no longer weak like yesterday. Finally reassured, he looked at Charmine¡¯s direction and said, "Charmine, I''m sorry to have troubled you in the past few days. I''m ready for the operation." Charmine let out a sigh of relief and nodded. "Okay. I''ll ask Anthony to call for the doctor." Frank nodded. ''Thank you." "You''re always wee." Charmine phoned Anthony and, thinking of something, began, "Anthony, have you found Momo?" "Yes." Anthony had just arrived at the hospital. "I''m with him now, don''t worry." "Okay," said Charmine. "Frank has agreed to undergo the operation. Let Jennie know and ask her toe." Anthony was caught off short. "He said yes to it?" "Yeah," Charmine replied, "Faye already had her operation." A theory hit Anthony, and his face turned tense. "Charmine, did you..." C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. There was nopatible kidney, even when he left that morning. How did she end up finishing the operation? The onlypatible kidney was Charmine''s... Charmine instantly exined, "Don''t take it the wrong way. Someone sent an artificial kidney to us. Also, how could I call you now had I went under the knife?" Anthony was then reassured. "As long as it wasn¡¯t you," he gently said. "I¡¯ll arrange for the operation now." "Okay." Charmine hung up and said to Frank, "Frank, Anthony will call for the doctor now. The operation will happenter, so get ready." "Okay." Frank looked in her direction and said sincerely, "Charmine, sorry to have troubled you with Faye and my matters. If I make it out of the operating room, I''ll thank you greatly..." Charmine smiled. "Don¡¯t be so polite with me." Frank nodded, his clear eyes graced with gratefulness. Charmine reassured him again before leaving the ward. When she arrived at the office, the lift door by the side opened up. Anthony walked out with Chris in his arms. "Mommy..." he whimpered softly as if what happened to him was real, gazing at Charmine. "I was so scared." He came out of Anthony''s arms and jumped into Charmine¡¯s. He winked at her and added pitiably, "I almost got lost." Entertained by his acting, Charmine tried not to smile. "What happened?" "I was following an Uncle who sold sweets and ended up on a cruise." Charmine¡¯s expression turned stern. "No matter where you go in the future, you must let us know, okay? Don¡¯t wander off on your own." 1 "Okay!" When the two of them finished catching up, Anthony asked Charmine," Who sent in the artificial kidney?" Charmine carried Chris into the resting lounge, saying, "I don''t know either. I''m still finding out." Anthony narrowed his eyes. Who could be so secretive? Charmine asked, "Have you told Jennie?" "Yes. She''s on her way." Charmine nodded. She was thinking of how once Frank¡¯s operation was over, she would finally marry Anthony... 1 Her clear eyes looked dreamy as she looked at Anthony. "We¡¯ll go as nned. Once Frank finishes his operation and is discharged from the hospital, we¡¯ll have our wedding and go public." Anthony looked over and nodded. "Okay." When he looked away, his eyes had a hint ofplex emotions... chapter 1396 chapter 1396 Charmine was talking to Anthony when Jennie walked out of the lift and passed the resting lounge. She was shocked to see Charmine standing. Did she not donate her kidney to Faye? Why was she standing here,pletely fine? Anthony looked at her and said, "Frank is ready for the operation." Jennie gave a small nod, the medical box still at hand as she nced at Charmine. She did not manage to see how pained she was after removing a kidney. What a shame! She left arrogantly and went right into the operating room. A few minutester, Frank was pushed inside. With Chris still in her arms, Charmine waited outside the operating room as Anthony apanied them, his dull eyes never wavering from them both. He would have to be experimented on once Frank recovered. If the experiment caused paralysis or injured his brain, he might forget the two of them... Even the thought of it was painful. Charmine waited patiently with Chris, but they did not notice the emotional look on Anthony''s face. An hourter, Jennie walked out of the operating room. ''The operation went well," she dered apathetically. Charmine let out a sigh of relief. Jennie nced at Anthony coldly. She was about to remind him of the experiment but recalled he did not want anyone to know about it. She could only signal him with a look before turning to leave. In less than a minute, Anthony received a text from Jennie. [The experiment will happen tomorrow.] When Anthony read this, he felt unusually heavy. Charmine, on the other hand, was delighted as she walked toward him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Frank and Faye had sessful operations," she chirped. ''This is great!" She could finally have a wedding with Anthony! 1 Nothing shoulde in their way after this. i Anthony put his arm around her slim waist and nodded emotionally. "Yeah." He felt troubled. How would she take it if anything happened to him? Charmine was in a pleasant mood. Imagining about their wedding made her eyes gleam like diamonds anticipatingly. Anthony looked at her and said gently, "Are you happy?" "Yeah,¡± Charmine''s red lips curled into a smile. Her eyebrows arched upward joyfully. The matters that concerned her for so many days were finally resolved. It was worth feeling happy for! Anthony tried his best to smile with her. As long as she was happy, it was worth it. He walked into Frank''s ward with Chris. Frank was still unconscious, but the report showed that his brain tumor waspletely removed. The operation was extremely sessful. He only needed some time to recover. Charmine held onto Anthony¡¯s hand tightly. "Ask Nial to arrange for the best nurses to look after him. We''ll go home." She had to go home to n for their wedding. They had wasted too much time in the past few days. Anthony looked at her, his love and adoration in his eyes unable to be buried. "Yes, Madam." i He held onto Charmine''s hand with one hand and carried Chris with the other, leaving the hospital together. When they arrived home, Anthony made an excuse to go inside the study. He leaned back on his working chair and lit up his cigarette. nketed in smoke, his handsome face looked deste. The experiment was to take ce tomorrow. How could he cherish this night? If anything happened, how would Charmine take it? This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. His eyes darkened, and he continued to smoke his cigarette. It was a long whileter that a thought came to him, and he extinguished the smoke before walking out of the study. When he walked past the staircase, he happened to see Chris ying with the robot on his own. chapter 1397 chapter 1397 The small figure entertained himself, though Chris still looked lonely. Anthony stopped short. As a father, he spent too little time with his son. Perhaps, in the future... He let his emotions sink in and watched his son for a long while before going inside his bedroom. Charmine was nning their wedding when she saw Anthony walking in." You came at the right time." She smiled. "Come and have a look." Anthony walked toward her. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Charmine showed herptop screen disying their wedding gown and suit to him. "What do you think?" Anthony looked at their attires and felt heartsick. This gown would look so good on her. She would be the most beautiful woman in the world. Would he still have a chance to see it? He gulped, muttering softly, "It''s beautiful.¡± Charmine''s alluring lips curled up. "You''ll look good in this suit, too." Touched, Anthony lifted her face by the chin and kissed her alluring lips. "Why don''t we take some wedding photoster?" "Hmm?" Charmine looked at him, surprised. "Did you just read my mind?" She wanted to take some wedding shots with him as well. Anthony smoothened her hair. "Let''s bring Chris along." "Okay." Once she closed herptop, she pulled on his arms and looked at him, realizing only then that his handsome face was stiff. She stopped short and asked suspiciously, "What''s wrong? Aren''t you happy?" It seemed that since Frank''s operation, he would have this look on his face whenever she spoke to him. Even when she was talking about their wedding, his face did not show any anticipation. Anthony turned to look at her. "Nothing. Don¡¯t trouble yourself." Charmine looked at him. "But I can feel that you¡¯re unhappy." 1 Was he not hoping for them to get married? Why did he look rather depressed? Anthony looked at her with a gentle look, lifting his hand to ruffle her hair. "I¡¯m worried that once we go public, I might affect you. After all, I have too many enemies." Only then did Charmine understand; he was worried about that. Her small palm held onto his big palm as she gazed at him earnestly." Didn''t we talk it through before? Even if we have to go through many hurdles, we¡¯ll go through them together. Anthony, if I chose to go public with you, that means I¡¯m ready for everything. Even if the skies are falling, I¡¯ll get through it with you." Her clear voice was determined. When Anthony heard her, he was moved and depressed... He held her hand tightly, trying to mask the emotions in his eyes. "You promised yourself, mydy. You won''t break it, no?" Charmine was speechless. "Do I look like someone who breaks their promise? I''m about to take wedding photos with you. Do you think I''ll break the promise?" Anthony curled up his lips. "I worry too much.¡± Charmine intercrossed her fingers with his and said, "Don¡¯t you have this mindset again. Don''t say such a thing again. When I set my mind to something, I never change it! Even if you want to change your mind, you must ask for my permission first!" i Anthony felt a surge of warmth in him. "Okay." With that, he had no more regrets. Anthony brought Charmine and Chris to YS Studio. Cain was the head photographer here, and he was also a friend of Anthony''s. When he saw Charmine, his eyes widened. Was Anthony''s fiancee not Waverly? Why did he bring Charmine to the studio? chapter 1398 chapter 1398 Anthony could tell what Cain was thinking, hence he earnestly introduced," This is my only wife. It''s not a joke." Cain was surprised. Was Waverly just a joke, then? Right. Waverly was too over the top and was just like any heiress. She was not unique. Cain walked over and shook his hand before turning to Charmine. ''You''re doing well, Boss Bailey. You find yourself such a beautiful wife behind our backs!" Anthony red at him coldly, and Cain instantly wiped off his flirtatious grin, instead saying, "Charmine, pleasee here to pick a gown." Anthony held onto Charmine''s hand as they made their way to choose a gown, not letting go of her hand once. ''This is a bright red gown, and it suits your temperament," suggested Cain by the side. Charmine nced at him. Cain was indeed a top designer-this was what she had in mind! Anthony looked at Charmine. ''What do you think? Would you like to look around for the time being?" Charmine nodded. "This gown is fine. We don''t have to look further." She had always been this way. Once she found something suitable for herself, even if she found something betterter on, she would not change her mind. She had the same principle when ites to love. Anthony nodded and handed the catalog to her. "Help me pick a suitable one." "Okay." Charmine looked at the men''s outfits carefully. She looked through at least ten outfits before picking a ck formal suit. She handed the catalog back to Anthony. "This outfit is good." Anthony did not even look at it as he spoke to Cain, ¡®This one." "Alright." Cain looked at Charmine and said, ''You have good eyes, Charmine." This suit would go so well with her gown. She smiled. Following that, she carried Chris in her arms and said, "Momo, what outfit would you like?" Chris widened his sparkling eyes and looked at Charmine. "Mommy, I want you to pick one for me, too!" "Alright." Charmine could not deny him as she started browsing through the children''s catalog. After looking through a few outfits, she picked a delicate ck tuxedo, turning to ask Chris, "Do you like this?" "Yeah." Chris was happy. "I like it. I like anything Mommy picks for me!" Charmine caressed his head and said to Cain, "Just these three for now." "Okay." Cain wanted to ask her more when he spotted Anthony¡¯s displeased expression. It seemed as if Anthony would throw him out if he continued speaking to Charmine. Instantly, he left and arranged for his staff to get the outfits. With that, the three of them started to get their makeup done and got changed. Anthony and Chris had less things to do, so they came out first. Even though it was still a suit, Anthony looked somewhat more formal than before. Chris did not hold back from praising him, "Daddy, you look so handsome tonight. You''re good enough to be with Mommy!" i Anthony crossed his long legs sitting on the sofa. He looked at Chris gently, ''You¡¯re not too bad yourself." "Haha!" Chris checked himself out with satisfaction, smugly grinning. Not long after, the changing room door opened. Charmine walked out gradually with a long gown that trailed off behind her. Her skin was originally fair, but she, at that moment, seemed much fairer in contrast with the red gown. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Her sexy lips were red, her eyes twinkled, and her face was stunning. Her hair was tied back with strands of hair left framing her face. She looked elegant, exquisite, and sexy. It was apparent that she was a top supermodel. Even though Anthony saw her every day, the sight of her still took his breath away when he looked up. 1 She had this capability of making one''s heart fasten. After staring at her deeply for a while, Anthony finally reacted. He stood up from the sofa and walked over to put his hand around her slim waist. chapter 1399 chapter 1399 "You''re the most beautiful woman in the world, mydy." Meeting his burning gaze, Charmine''s fair face was graced with a shy smile. Meanwhile, the tux-d Chris came and lifted the tail of Charmine''s gown like a gentleman. He chirped happily, "Daddy and Mommy are so handsome and pretty. You''re a perfect match made in heaven! Yay!¡± Charmine was baffled. He was still so young. When did he learn to say such things? Cain looked at Charmine, just as stunned. Charmine had an innate elegance exuding from within her and brought out the beauty of the gown. A lot of people liked this kind of gown, but they did not look as elegant when dressed in it. Only Charmine managed to showcase the gown''s charm entirely. Cain looked at Chris and praised sincerely, "You''re right, my dear boy. Your Daddy and Mommy are a perfect match!" They both looked alike, and even their outfits matched, too. "Haha! I know, right? Of course, they''re my Daddy and Mommy," remarked Chris haughtily, chin angled upward, 1 Cain was speechless. This kid was still so arrogant. He asked Anthony, "Boss Bailey, where are you going to shoot the wedding photos?" Anthony looked at Charmine gently. "I''ll follow my wife¡¯s lead." Charmine thought for a while and said nonchntly, "Let''s go to the beach." The beach had many things to offer. She could also use this opportunity to bring Chris to see the ocean. Anthony had no qualms with that. "Okay." Cain instantly turned back to order his staff, "Off to the beach. Get ready!¡± "Yes, Sir!" The staff quickly brought out the needed equipment to set up the beach. Cain picked up his personal camera and said to Anthony, "Boss Bailey, you''ll all be getting into my car." With an arm around Charmine, Anthony nodded and followed after him. Both of them became the center of attention the second they walked out of the door: a dashingly handsome man, and a charmingly beautiful woman. Stunned were the passersby at the sight of the three people who seemed to have walked out of a fairytale. Everyone took out their phones and started snapping away. Charmine''s initial reaction was to cover her face, but at the thought that she would eventually be in public eye with Anthony, why should she be scared? With that, she held on Anthony''s hand bravely and then followed him into the extended Lincon. As they got into the car, Anthony turned to Charmine. "I''ll ask them to keep all news of this on a lockdown." Charmine frowned. "Why?" They were about to go public; there was nothing to be worried about. Why did it feel like he did not want people to know about them? She looked at him for a long while and thought of his behavior in the past two days. "Anthony, do you not want to get married?" she asked. "Mmh? Why would you think so?" Anthony narrowed his eyes and looked at her. ''The thing I anticipate the most in my life is to marry you." That thought had stuck itself to his mind ever since he first met her, and it never left. However... If they went public and if anything happened to him at tomorrow''s experiment... What would Charmine do if something happened to him? There were so manyplicated rtionships, enemies, and they would all focus on Charmine, all while he would not be able to protect her... He covered the news about them to avoid Charmine from telling. Charmine, on the other hand, grew suspicious of him. He made it sound alright, but it was apparent that he felt unusually depressed. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. With Faye and Frank''s matters resolved, what else was he worried about? The only thought she could think of was that he did not want to marry her. After keeping quiet for a moment, she looked into him. "Anthony, if you don''t want to marry me, tell me on the get-go. Don''t make me aughingstock." chapter 1400 chapter 1400 Anthony felt a pang in his chest when he heard Charmine''s words. The entire Burlington would ridicule Charmine if the experiment resulted in him being ruined! How could he wrong her like that? Anthony''s eyes darkened as he reassured her, "Charmine, don''t get the wrong idea. Marrying you means so much to me. Why would I pull out?" "But your expression tells otherwise,¡± refuted Charmine. Anthony retained his gentle expression and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "How should I prove it, then?" Charmine was speechless. All this while, she knew Anthony treated her well and never suspected him, but in the past two days, she felt that Anthony acted strangely. Even though everything seemed calm, things were unrealistically hushed... Chris saw the change of atmosphere and quickly chimed in, "You''re probably experiencing a wedding scare, causing you to overthink it, but don''t worry! If Daddy bullies you, I''lle to your rescue!" Charmine instantly smiled as she ruffled his tiny head. "Okay. With Momo around, I''m not afraid of anything!¡± "Haha!" Chris cuddled in Charmine''s arms. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. The atmosphere in the car brightened with their endearment. Charmine looked at Anthony again, and that sheer worry had not left his face. She held onto his big hand and convinced him, "Don''t worry, Anthony, you don¡¯t have to worry about going public. You don''t even have to worry about your family making it hard for me. I¡¯m not weak, and not anyone can hurt me! Just rest assured in the next few days and focus on our marriage!" Her tone was determined and sounded like an order. Anthony could not help caressing her face. "Okay.¡± Seeing how the strained expression slowly left him, Charmine frowned. Was he that worried about it? He was Anthony Bailey-the Boss Bailey! Since when had he be so weak-minded? "What a fool," she blurted a tease. Anthony held onto her small hand tightly, leaning toward her as he hoarsely uttered right at her ear, "A fool only for you." 1 As long as she was happy, so what if he was a fool? Charmine could feel his warm breath fanning her ear, and he sounded all- too seductive. Her heart skipped a beat as she looked abashed. "Goodness!" Cain saw this scene from the rear mirror and had goosebumps all over. What a love show! Since when did the usually tough and decisive Anthony be so gentle? After Anthony caressed Charmine, he nonchntly picked up his phone. With his back facing her, he still texted the order to Luke, [Remove all news of Charmine and me in wedding gowns online. None of the photos taken by the public today can be published.] Luke instantly replied, [Yes, Boss!] Anthony sent another message, [Bring the things I prepared in the past few days to the beach.] [Luke: Roger that!] When they arrived at the beach, the staff had already cleared out the ce and decorated the venue. Cain held onto his camera and said, "Boss Bailey, please stand here with your wife." Anthony had his arm around Charmine''s waist as they stood on the edge of the cliff. The sea was azure blue and seemingly endless. d in a suit, Anthony was statuesque, and Charmine, in her long gown, was elegant and sexy. Cain was gleeful. The two subjects were so perfect that no matter how they posed, the photos would turn out perfect. After taking some shots for them, he asked Chris toe over. Anthony hoisted Chris up in his arms, and the three made an endearing scene. After half an hour of shooting, Cain said, "Charmine, get some rest, and touch up your makeup." "Okay." chapter 1401 chapter 1401 Charmine walked over to sit down, and the makeup artist instantly came to touch up her makeup. It was Anthony and Chris'' solo shots. Anthony nonchntly sat by the side as Chris stood behind him, yfully putting his head on his shoulder. Thinking of what he had nned, he reminded Chris in a low voice, "Take some photos with your Mommy afterward." The mini gentleman Chris, dressed in his tuxedo, scoffed. "Of course! I won''t let you hog Mommy all to yourself!" 1 Anthony had no time to lecture him as he eyed Luke, who was rushing toward them from a distance. When Chris would take photos with Charmine, he would walk behind them both, unnoticed, with the thing Luke was bringing over. Luke asked, "Boss, are you pushing this ahead of schedule?" Anthony nced at him coldly. ''That''s none of your business." Luke shut his mouth and tried to hide the smirk on his face. Anthony ignored him and brought the item back to the beach, where Charmine was holding Chris¡¯ hands as they took a few photos. Gazing at her form for a long while, Anthony slowly walked toward them. Charmine, on the other hand, thinking he wanted to take photos with them, said, "Anthony,e and join us!¡± Anthony nodded and walked over, one step after another. Charmine stood there, waiting for him, and her heartbeats somehow fastened. The way Anthony walked toward her seemed strangely formal, albeit vaguely so. This sense of formality made her somewhat nervous. As he slowly made his way up to her, he suddenly knelt on one knee before her... Charmine was stunned. What was he doing? Were they not here for a photoshoot? The people around them began to cheer. "Oh!" "Goodness! Propose! Propose! Propose!" Charmine then reacted. Was he proposing to her? Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Anthony took out the long-prepared diamond ring from his right pocket and held it up with both hands before her. ''Thank you foring into my life, Charmine. You made me feel touched, worried, cared, and.Jove. I''ve troubled you one too many times, and the guilt of not meeting you sooner gued me. Still, even though I met youte, I¡¯ll love you for the rest of my life. From now on, I won''t let you be harmed again. I''ll do anything for the things you want, and do everything I can to stop the things you don''t want. Charmine Jordan, will you marry me?" i He sounded so formal, so solemn, like never before. He knew this was not the right time, but he had no choice... If they could not have the wedding as nned, at least he had given her what she deserved. He did not want to leave with any regrets. When Charmine saw him on one knee, she teared up involuntarily. She thought it was just some wedding shots, yet he actually proposed... They had long signed the marriage certificate. They did not need this, yet he still gave it to her. Although she did not understand, she was still very touched. Chris cheered and pped by the side. "Mommy, hurry and say yes to him!" The rest of them cheered, "Say yes! Say yes! Say yes!" Charmine could not fight back the small smile that crept onto her face as she reached out with her skinny hand toward Anthony. "I''ll take your words by heart-from on onward, and forever! If you break your promise, you know my temper!" i Anthony''s lips curled up, "Rest assured, mydy. As long as I''m alive, I''ll endure your temper." His words were filled with adoration as he fitted on the sacred, wless ring onto her ring finger. The people around them apuded. "Kiss! Kiss!" Anthony stood up and hugged her. Before Charmine could react, a burning kiss came her way... chapter 1402 chapter 1402 Luckily, there were many people around them. Anthony let go of Charmine not long after. Charmine was touched. This was the first time they were seen in public by so many people, and it felt like they were officially together, at longst. She blushed and looked at Anthony. ''You got me really good this time." Was this surprise the fuel to his strange behavior for the past two days? Anthony hugged her. ''As long as my wife likes it." Charmine smiled; she indeed liked it. However... Who would propose without even a flower? Since many eyes were on them and he took his time to prepare this surprise, Charmine did not hold this against him. Gazing at the ring on her finger, Charmine held his hand and could not help kissing him on the cheek. Cain quickly captured the scene, and it came out incredibly picturesque. He had been a professional photographer for so many years, and this was the first time he felt very pleased. After finishing up the shots at the beach, Charmine, Anthony, and Chris put on another outfit for a photoshoot in a forest. Dressed in a crisp, rustic attire, Charmine seemed even more graceful as she stood among the trees like a proud, agrestal queen. Anthony and Chris, on the other hand, wore grey linen long sleeves, effortlessly looking like royalty. After the shots, Anthony suddenly suggested, "Charmine, why don''t we take photos of us looking aged?" Charmine frowned. "Photos of us looking aged, you say? ''Yes." Anthony nodded. With that, even if anything happened to him, it would seem that he had lived forever with Charmine. Although Charmine did not think this was necessary, she would go along with it if he wanted to. She nodded. Anthony said something to Cain, and Cain instantly ordered his makeup artists, "Get ready for the old- age makeup effect." Charmine and Anthony each went to their designated makeup room while Chris yed with his phone, waiting patiently. Charmine leaned back on the chair and allowed the makeup artist to work on her. It was as if the artist was a magician that worked her magic on Charmine, drawing on her face that made her seemingly age, little by little. It did seem like she had grown much older. It did not take long before her hair was turned white. Along with the drawn wrinkles and aged face, she looked like 60 to 70 years old. Donning an antique purple gown, Charmine seemed formal, elegant, and majestic. Charmine looked at herself in the mirror; she felt as if she had finished her life within one hour. She was not used to herself looking this way. When she walked out of the makeup room, Anthony was already waiting for her on the sofa. He wore a ck antique outfit with his white hairbed back, sses on the bridge of his nose, his face looking aged. He did look the part-the part of an old man. i Other than the familiar features on his face, she almost could not tell that it was him. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. She looked at him and felt as if they truly had spent their lives together, that they had lived till this age. It felt unusually touching and strange. This was a rather nd taste of style. Why would Anthony want to take photos like this? Anthony walked toward her with a rose at hand, and a surge of warmth ran through Charmine when she spotted it. She did not tell him a rose was missing during the proposal, yet he still knew... Anthony held the rose and walked toward her, looking at her with his burning gaze. As he handed the rose to her, he said gently, "My love, you¡¯re still so beautiful." He caressed her face with an outstretched hand, gazing at her passionately as he gulped to moisten his burning throat. His emotions overwhelmed him. It was as if they had lived a long life together. In case he could not do so, everything he had done couldpensate for that with no regrets... 1 Charmine was affected by his emotions. She found him unusually emotional and touching today. She took the rose from him and earnestly spoke... chapter 1403 chapter 1403 "Anthony, why are you behaving strangely today? Why so sentimental?" Anthony''s voice was sweetly captivating, saying, "What other women can have, you must have them, too." Charmine was moved. She once lost herself for Julian, thinking she would never love again after that. After all, she gave birth to a stillborn and was no longer a chaste woman. Had it been any other man, he would have avoided her or found her disgusting, yet Anthony still chose her... She smiled genuinely, lovingly. She had her hands around his neck as she kissed him on the lips. Anthony held onto her slim waist to deepen the kiss. By the side, Chris enjoyed watching the two of them, his soft face stered with a grin so wide that it reached his ears. ''Hehe! Both of you are finally acting like a normal couple.¡¯ 2 The rest around them were forced to watch this unexpectedly sweet scene. How many times had they kissed today? After the kiss, Cain walked over to say, "Alright, alright. If this goes on, your makeup will be wasted. Let''s get some shots." They took the next shots indoors, inside an outmoded house. Anthony held onto Charmine''s hand tightly as they walked in, and the two of them sat in the living room. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. One of them was majestic, and the other, elegant. Both looked time- honored. Cain was satisfied with the shots. The photos of them did not need to be edited-99 percent of their shots were ready to be published anytime. The one shot that he deleted was due to his shaky hands... After the shots, the two of them returned, at 9 p.m., to Violet Residence. Anthony offered to cook a romantic dinner for her. Apanied by candlelight, Charmine raised her ss to click with his, believing their love would still shine after the wedding. 2 It made her feel like wanting to marry him quicker... Anthony noticed her smile, but he felt more burdened than before. This was hisst dinner with her. He hoped that the experiment could go well, and that he could dine with her again... That night, the three of them slept together. Charmine read a story to Chris to put him to sleep before plopping herself into Anthony''s arms naturally. When he saw her tired face, the things he wanted to say were all stuck in his throat. He reached out his hand to tuck the fallen hair strand behind her ear gently. He said, "Let''s sleep. A lady must rest well." Charmine nodded and closed her eyes. They had a long day. Furthermore, she had to make time to n the wedding tomorrow. It did not take long before she fell asleep. Anthony hugged her, lowering his head to look at her, gaze fixated on her form for a good while. The next morning... Anthony woke up early to make them breakfast in the kitchen, but before he could eat, a text came in. [I¡¯m waiting for you at theb.] Anthony''s eyes grew dim. He could only keep his phone and delete the text. He then went to the bedroom on the second floor. Charmine was already awake, using theputer to pick an invitation card design. With her hair free from any constraints and the morning sun shining on her, she looked demure. Perhaps she had heard his footsteps, so she turned to look at him. "What is it? Is something wrong?" "Yeah. Mypany has some emergency matters, and I need to make a trip." "Mmh?" Charmine frowned. "What''s the emergency?" Anthony said, "The factory in Amerites has some situations with the materials. I''ll be back in two days." Charmine frowned. Two days? She would not be seeing him for two days? chapter 1404 chapter 1404 Luckily, there were a few more days until their wedding. Once Anthony sorted out hispany matters, they would have their wedding. She could only say, "Okay. Come home soon. I''ll be nning for our wedding." Anthony stopped short and, masking the dread in his eyes, walked toward her to hug her. "Alright. Stay home, and wait for me." "Okay." Anthony lowered his head and his eyes lingered on her for a while. After that, hended a sacred peck on her forehead, "I''ll go now." "Okay." Charmine nodded. Anthony slowly released her from his embrace, and a momentter, he left without turning back. He dared not to look back, afraid that once he did, he would be pulled in by her eyes and would not be able to leave. Charmine remained transfixed, looking at his back until he closed the door. Only then did she look away. She frowned warily. Why did he look so despondent? Why did he look at her like he did not want to go and let go? Was he not off to work and woulde home in two days? Why did he look as if he was about to die? Was she overthinking things? Charmine took a deep breath. When she thought of Chris having to eat breakfast after he woke up, she dropped everything else and headed downstairs. Just as she entered the kitchen, however, she could smell the fragrance of porridge. She walked over to see well-made porridge in the pot. It was carefully prepared: the texture was soft, and it smelt good. It was unlike some hastily prepared porridge that did not smell good. Charmine felt a surge of warmth in her heart. Had Anthony woken up early to prepare this? She could not help texting Anthony, [Thank you for preparing breakfast. Stay safe, ande home soon.] Anthony just got into the car when Charmine¡¯s text chimed his phone. He felt his heart clenching. How would he be willing to leave her? He wanted to go back and hug her, but he had to sort out his promise first and foremost. He looked at her text nostalgically for a few minutes. He did not reply. Anthony cleared his burning throat and made the phone call. "Mr. Ross, I''ming over now." Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. A polite voice of a man was heard from the phone, "Yes, President Bailey. I''m waiting for you at the office." Anthony arrived at an office and went into Mike Ross'' office, thetter standing upto wee him, "Good morning, President Bailey." Anthony nodded and asked, "Is everything settled as I''ve requested?" "Yes, Sir." Mike exined, "Just like you said, if anything happens to you, all of your assets, properties, stocks, as well aspany shares will go to Ms. Charmine Jordan." Mike spoke as he handed over the documents, "Please have a look.¡± Anthony epted the document and read the contract regarding his assets. He quickly skimmed through and went to thest line with the words printed, [If anything happens to the man as stated above, all of his assets will go to Ms. Charmine Jordan unconditionally.] When he read that, he sighed in relief and signed the document. Mike was touched at the sight-Anthony was such a loving man. He was willing to transfer all of his assets to Charmine? The once cold-hearted, stubborn Boss Bailey would give out his assets like that? After he signed the paper, he handed it back to Mike. "And that''s that, Boss Bailey. The contract is effective the moment you sign it,¡± dered Mike. "Okay." Anthony left and drove toward theboratory. chapter 1405 chapter 1405 Theboratory was located inside a secluded forest in Burlington. It was one of thergest pieces ofnd, owned by Kansas in Burlington. Multiple projects ran in this ce. Jennie was at the brain department''sboratory, and she had been waiting since early in the morning, i When she saw Anthonying in, her lips curled into a cold, knowing smile. The genius with the brain that she wanted was here! Anthony walked over and, with a stoic expression,mented, "Hurry up and get started." "Okay." Jennie smiled coldly and led him in. "Let''s start with an XC." Anthonyid under the machine and was then put in position. He felt as if he would die anytime. A sharp light shone at him right after, and the beam was so sharp that it hurt him, painful enough to make him feel like he was stabbed even after he closed his eyes. After that, an ear-stabbing beeping sound rang next to his ears. Each beep was stronger than before. Anthony knew how much damage the XC would do to a person''s body...but he could endure it. He would endure the following experiments, too. The only thing he was worried about was Charmine. She would be utterly devastated if he did note home... Her charming face should be smiling with pride and confidence, not stoic and dull because of him! Anthony clenched his fists and shut his eyes. His head was filled with images of Charmine smiling at him. It might have been his longingness for Charmine that delivered him through the painful procedure. Under the confining machine, he suffered for over an hour before he was pushed out again. The moment he was pushed out, everything before his eyes was grey and dull. His world was so quiet that even when Jennie spoke to him, he could only see her lips moving and heard nothing from her. Jennie saw that his eyes were opened when he came back out, and she was shocked. The voltage was so powerful, yet he did not faint? This was indeed the genius-with-a-brain she had been searching for! Jennie was like a hungry wolf that locked in on a rabbit before, her eyes filled with hungry desires. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. She buried her excitement and quickly pushed him to the next experiment. At Violet Residence. Charmine waited for Anthony''s reply after herst text...yet nothing came in, even after a long while. Her heart sank. Anthony would usually reply to her quickly. What happened today? Luke came and brought Chris out while Charmine went back to the study room to distract herself, continuing to n for her wedding. She listed various ces: a cathedral, the beach, a cruise, before finally deciding to host the wedding on an ind. At Bora Ind. A romantic and unique venue. It would be such a memorable wedding that they would remember for the rest of their lives. Charmine looked at the photos and was excited. On their wedding day, she would walk toward him in this gown... It stirred her as she anticipated the day longingly. She picked up her phone and wanted to ask if Anthony would like to go to Bora Ind, or if he had any other ces in mind. However, when she called, all she heard was, ''The number you¡¯ve dialed is currently unavable." She frowned and before dialing his number again. He might have boarded already. Furthermore, he was so caught up with work recently for the wedding. He seemed to be working three to four times as much, every day. No matter-she could decide on her own. Anthony would say yes to whatever she liked, anyway. After picking the wedding venue, she continued to make the guest list. It baffled her, however, that her eyelids would flutter, quiver whenever she thought of the wedding. It was as if something bad was about to happen. chapter 1406 chapter 1406 At M&G Hotel. Waverly stood before the bathroom mirror. Seeing how the repulsive e had finally disappeared, she smiled coldly as she slowly put on her bathrobe. Charmine made Susan hate her, made her fear of meeting anyone for the past one week, and made her cancel countless appointments. She had to make Charmine pay! She walked out to the living room and was about to make the phone call when her phone rang before she could call anyone-it was Britney. She flexed her nicely polished nails and answered the call, coldly saying," What is it?" Britney said, "Anthony left to undergo the experiment." Waverly frowned. Hmph! Anthony was such a fool. He was willing to endure the pain because of Charmine? Poor Charmine had no idea of it, too. She wanted Anthony to see what Charmine was doing behind his back while he endured hell for her. Malice bubbled in Waverly''s eyes as she frostily ordered, "Get me the footage of William sending the artificial kidney yesterday." "Okay." Within half an hour, Britney had sent her the video, to which Waverly pressed ''y'' and watched. She scoffed and sent it anonymously to Charmine''s phone. She also wrote, [For you, he''s severely hurt and is nowying in Royal Hospital.] She peevishly ced her phone by the side and leaned back on the sofa, ying with her nails. She did not understand. What did these people see in Charmine!? This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. So many men would give up their lives for her! Hmph. How utterly hrious. 2 Charmine was designing the wedding invitation card when her phone next to her beeped. Thinking it was Anthony''s text, her eyes sparkled as she quickly grabbed it to see... Only to be disappointed that it was not his name on the screen. It was an unknown number, instead. Charmine did not care at first, but when she read thest sentence, a thousand bad thoughts ran through her mind. Did Anthony do anything foolish? She held onto her breath and quickly opened the text message. Apart from the text itself, there was a video clip attached. Everything seemed so familiar. The setting was familiar, and the man in ck also looked familiar! Charmine clicked onto it, and when she saw the man¡¯s face entirely, she could still tell right off the bat that it was William, even with a mask on. Moreover, what William had in hand was the artificial kidney that the nurse brought in yesterday! Charmine was shocked. William was the one who sent them the artificial kidney? The guilt gnawed at her. All this while, she had been turning down William and tried to keep her distance from him, yet William still brought her such an invaluable artificial kidney? He seemed so beaten and bruised in the clip, too, yet he still held onto it! What happened? Why was he injured? Charmine stared at the sentence for a long while. Was William hurt because of her? No matter what, she had to visit him in the hospital. 2 Charmine turned off theptop and went out with her phone. When she arrived at Royal Hospital, she walked to the counter and asked a nurse, "May I know which ward is William Peterson in?" "William Peterson?" The nurse looked at her and said, "Let me check." She checked on theputer and updated, "He''s in ward 1812." chapter 1407 chapter 1407 "Thank you.¡± Charmine took the lift up and went to ward 1812. As she was about to knock, she heard something crisply shattering from inside. She quickly pushed open the door. She saw William in bed with bandages wrapped all over him, the floor littered with broken shards of ss. When William saw the woman in front of him, he thought he was hallucinating. Why would Charminee? Blinking, he found himself still staring at her before him, much to his bewilderment. "Ms. Jordan, why... Why did youe?" Why did she know he was admitted here? Charmine looked at him and frowned. "Why are you so severely hurt?" William leaned back and said, "I''m fine-it''s a small matter." Eyeing the broken shards, she had guessed he broke a drinking ss. Could he not hold onto one? She walked to the bedside and poured him a ss of water. "Thank you." William''s lips were pale and dry. He had been thirsty for a long time, visible in the way he gulped the water the moment he received it. Seeing that he had finished it, she poured him another ss and asked," You''re injured. Why don''t you ask a nurse to take care of you?" William pursed his lips and said, "I¡¯m fine, I can take care of myself." Charmine looked at him. "You can''t even hold a ss. Are you sure you can take care of yourself?" William did not seem concerned at all, he said, "It was just an ident." Charmine asked suspiciously, "Isn¡¯t your mother around?" "She doesn''t know about this," said William. "Please, help me keep this from her." Charmine was stopped short as she suddenly recalled the text she received. She knew he was hurt because of her. It was apparent that William got injured when getting the artificial kidney. He did not tell Jennie because he knew she did not like Charmine? Awed by his thoughtfulness, she gazed at William. ¡®Thank you, Mr. Peterson." William frowned as he was caught off-guard. "Thank me? What for?¡± "I knew. You sent us the artificial kidney," answered Charmine. William stiffened at her response, identally contracting his vein as his expression contorted into a pained grimace. He had cold sweat on his forehead. After easing up, he said, "It''s nothing. It''s okay." Seeing the sweat on his forehead, Charmine took a tissue paper and handed it to him. Her action and proximity with him made it look as if she was wiping the sweat for him. William received the tissue paper. ''Thank you." Charmine looked at the floor with broken sses everywhere and frowned. "Have a rest. I''ll call for a nurse." "Okay," said William. ''Thank you, Ms. Jordan." "You''re wee." Charmine walked out of his ward and, to evade Jennie, put on a mask. When the mysterious figure outside the ward heard the footsteps, he hurriedly hid in the corner... Charmine went to the office to find out more about William''s injury. The nurse said, "He''s fine now, but the wounds aren¡¯t healed yet. He needs to stay in for observation. What kind of girlfriend are you? You didn¡¯te to take care of him yesterday." Charmine frowned. Was this nurse misinformed? This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. As she was about to exin, the nurse took out a slip and said, "This bottle is to disinfect the wounds in his inner thigh and parts below the belly button. This ointment is for his back, and this is for his arm.¡± 1 Charmine was speechless. The nurse wanted her to disinfect his private parts? Anthony would kill her if he found out! chapter 1408 chapter 1408 As Charmine was about to correct the nurse, the nurse left her to attend to other matters, leaving her to reluctantly bring the medication back to William''s ward. Anthony would surely get jealous if he found out about this. They were about to get married, and she did not want anymore unwanted incidents to happen. Furthermore, she had to go home to continue nning for their wedding. After a few seconds of hesitation, Charmine walked to the office to have a personal nurse take care of William, paying for his medical expenses to boot. She told the personal nurse what the other nurse instructed her, and she went back to the ward. "Mr. Peterson, I need to leave now. If you have any problem that you don''t want to bother others with, you may call me." After all, she was the reason why he got hurt. Despite the unwillingness in his gaze, he nheless said gently, "Okay. Go ahead with your day-don''t mind me." Charmine nodded and left. Meanwhile, the individual in ck watched as everything happened, frowning. Why did she leave so soon? He did not get any intimate photos yet! The person looked through the photo album and found a few shots of Charmine with her back facing the camera, wiping the sweat off of William''s face. He looked at the album furiously. He sent out the photos and texted, [ Apologies, Ms. Waverly. Charmine had left, and I only have these two photos...] Waverly eagerly waited for the photos. How great would it be if she could agitate Anthony with them? Much to her chagrin, however, she was sent photos that had not much of a substance. Curses! This was such a good opportunity, and it was all wasted. However... She would have other chances in the future, and she would not let Charmine off so easily! ''Just wait for it, Charmine!'' Two days had passed, and Charmine was finishing up with the wedding nning. She expected Anthony toe home today. She apanied Chris to water the nts early in the morning as she waited for him toe home. However... He did not even return, even as afternoon came. Charmine phoned him, but the phone was turned off. She frowned suspiciously, not understanding what happened. Why was Anthony so busy in the past two days? She phoned him a few times, but his phone was always turned off. Uneasiness stifled her. Nheless, Anthony never lied to her. He said he woulde home tonight, and he would keep his word. Charmine thus waited patiently, yet even as it got to 3 p.m., Anthony was still not home yet. His phone was still powered off! Charmine was uneasy and impatient. She pondered for a moment before finally calling Luke. Luke quickly answered the call as he said politely, "May I help you, Madam?" Charmine asked, "Why did Anthony turn off his phone?" There was a pause before Luke answered, "President Bailey is sorting out some challenging matters as we speak." C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Charmine frowned. "He doesn''t even have time to pick up his phone?" Luke sighed deeply, trying his best to calmly exin, "Madam, please wait for a little longer. When President Baileyes hometer, he''ll exin to you. This matter is important, and I''m not in the right ce to speak for him, so please don''t make it hard for me." He sounded troubled in the way he spoke. Charmine narrowed her eyes, though he had a point; Luke was only an assistant. She asked, "He''ll be home tonight, right?" "Absolutely! Luke answered with certainty. Charmine felt calmer at his assurance. "Alright, then." Luke let out a sigh of relief. Thankfully, she did not persist on the matter, or he would have scrambled to find an exnation for her. After hanging up. Charmine resumed her matter at hand. chapter 1409 chapter 1409 All that mattered was Anthony woulde home. However, it was six in the evening, and he was still not home. Charmine started to feel uneasy again.... In the past, even if Anthony was very busy, he would not go on two days without contacting her. Lips twisting into a frown, she leaned back on the sofa and deliberated on it before heading upstairs. She turned on herputer, and her slim fingers fluttered across the keyboard before, not long after, the screen changed and turned ck. Following that, strings of codes in red appeared. Charmine keyed in Anthony''s phone number to locate his location. She then found out that he was still in Burlington. She looked at the location in shock. Did he not go overseas? Why was he in Burlington? Furthermore, even if he had returned, why did he note home? Why did he not contact her? Charmine located his exact location and was shocked to find out that he was on the outskirts of the city, below a mountain. She squinted and stared at the red dot on the screen. The location was aboratory owned by Kansas! Why was he there? Charmine frowned suspiciously, thinking there was an error in her search or that she missed some parts. She then tried again, and still... The result was the same! He truly was at theboratory! Charmine pursed her lips and stared at the screen with disbelief. Anthony lied to her? What was he doing there? Why would he lie to her? There was a vague tinge of disappointment in her. She did not want to believe that the person she trusted the most had lied to her. Charmine''s eyes grew cold as she picked up her phone and car keys. She had to go and find out what he was up to!. She sped along the way until she arrived at the heel of the mountain. Charmine looked at the buildings hidden in the forest; they were almost out of sight. They looked even more mysterious in the dark. Looking away and parking her car, she got down and saw a familiar figure down the road. She blinked her bright eyes. She could tell right away that it was Anthony. He truly was here. He lied to her, after all! Charmine was overwhelmed with disappointment as she stared at him, frigidly calling out, "Anthony." Anthony heard her voice, frowning as he looked her way. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Why was she here? He stabilized himself to cover up his difort before walking toward her. "Charmine? What are you doing here?" he began. Charmine¡¯s expression was steely. "Why can¡¯t Ie here? Are you afraid of me finding out that you lied to me?" Anthony stood before her, and he exined, "Darling, I didn¡¯t lie to you.¡± Under the dim moonlight, he looked rather pale and tired. His voice was not asfortable as it usually sounded. Charmine was still angry that she did not notice the difference in him. She asked angrily, "Two days ago, you told me you''re going to Amerites. I¡¯ve been trying to contact you, but nothing came through. When I searched you up earlier, I found out that you''ve always been in Burlington! When did youe back? Why didn¡¯t you go home after you came back? Why didn''t you contact me?" Did he not know how worried she was? Anthony felt listless, but his voice merely sounded mature and calm," Please don''t get angry. In the past two days, my phone has been broken. It turned off from time to time, but I arrived an hour or so ago. I came here to sort out some matters. If you don¡¯t believe me, you may check my travel log." He exined calmly and handed his flight tickets to show her. His phone screen would also sh from time to time as he did. It was apparent that his phone was broken. 1 Charmine frowned. Was that it? Had she misunderstood him? chapter 1410 chapter 1410 Charmine studied Anthony for a while and noticed that he looked honest. He did not look as if he was lying. It seemed that his reason was believable, that he was not making things up. She asked again, "Are you being honest?" "Of course!" Anthony held her by the waist and asked, "My darling, since when have I lied to you? Why would I lie to you?" Charmine looked at his shing phone screen, and the suspicion in her slowly ebbed away. "Alright, then,¡± she conceded. "I''ve wronged you." Anthony reached out to lift her face by the chin. "Shouldn''t you make up for it, then?" 1 "Don''t mess around. You''ve been out for two days. Let¡¯s go home." Not one to disy their affection in public, Charmine took his hand, wanting to pull her with him when she realized how cold his palm was. It was ice-cold freezing. His palm had always been warm. Why was it cold all of a sudden? Charmine looked at Anthony, confused as she asked, "You''re cold?" Anthony paused as panic momentarily shed past his eyes, but he quickly replied, "I¡¯m not." Charmine frowned. "Why is your palm so cold, then?" "What do you think?" Anthony looked at her with a half-smile. "You were angry at me, and I was afraid of you overthinking. I got so nervous that I sweated." Charmine was speechless. "So, President Bailey is so scared of me, huh?" "Of course," Anthony''s thin lips parted. "A frown from you would make me question what I''ve done wrong." Charmine was moved. This was the first time she heard him say so. She looked at him earnestly and said, "You don''t have to be so cautious. I don''t bite." "I do wish my wife would bite me sooner." Anthony had a flirtatious smile on his face. Charmine''s face flushed red. He threw suggestive innuendos her way when he just got back? "Let''s go home." She pulled him to the car. Anthony opened the car door for her and ced his hand on the car door frame to protect her head. When she was seated, he closed the door for her and walked to the driver''s seat. He drove away. As the car drove out of sight, Jennie walked out of the door elegantly against the green light. She red at the car coldly. She did not expect Anthony to be able to pretend as if nothing happened, what with all the torture he went through. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Still, things would only get interesting from this moment onward. She burst outughing and walked away in her ten-centimeter heels, i When Charmine and Anthony arrived home, Luke was ying with Chris, the former sighing in relief when he realized Anthony had returned safely. Anthony was safe and sound! "Daddy!" Chris put down the toy and ran into Anthony''s arms. Since he ran right into him, he ran against Anthony¡¯s body that was already strained with pain. Anthony could not fight back the groan that escaped his lips. Luckily, Charmine was removing her shoes. Other than Chris, nobody else heard it. Not understanding what happened, Chris looked at Anthony and saw how pale he looked. He asked, "Daddy, what happened?" Why did he look so worn out? Furthermore, when he hugged him, he could clearly feel that Anthony seemed rather weak. Anthony exined, "I was very busy in the past two days. I didn''t rest well." Chris frowned. "You weren''t as weak when you carried Mommy! Hmph! You''re biased!" Chris scoffed arrogantly. chapter 1411 chapter 1411 Anthony, however, could barely hold Chris up in his arms as beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. In fear that the truth would be revealed, he huffed, "You''re way out of your Mommy''s league. Go and sleep!" With that, he put down Chris. Chris scoffed at him. "Actually, I like her more, too! I¡¯ll find Mommy to y with me!" he blustered as he hopped toward Charmine with his short legs. Anthony then walked off to the bathroom on the first floor. He leaned against the door and panted heavily the moment he closed the bathroom door, taking deep breaths as he did, yet he still struggled to breathe. Perhaps he exerted too much strength that the pain that had slowly receded came back. He massaged his temple with his hand. When he no longer felt as afflicted, he stood before the mirror and used hot water to ssh his pale- like-snow face. He exited the bathroom when hisplexion no longer looked as pale. Luke was already gone, while Charmine and Chris were ying on the sofa. When the two of them heard her, they turned to look at him. To Charmine, he had always looked so cold and quiet, so she did not notice the change in him. Chris, however, looked at Anthony strangely. Why did he seem all too tired? Of course, he sorted out work matters and took multiple nes in the past few days, so he must have felt worn out. Chris felt bad for him for three seconds... Holding Chris in his arms, Charmine said to Anthony, "I''ve done the booking for our wedding at Bora Ind, one week from now. I¡¯d like to go over a few details with you once you¡¯re well-rested." Anthony walked toward them and leaned on the sofa. "No need to discuss with me-you decide everything. I¡¯ll like anything you pick," he spoke affectionately, i This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Charmine nodded, her expression graced with bliss. She frowned, however, when she noticed how exhausted Anthony looked. She had never seen him so drained before. Anthony had to settle all matters beforehand to make time for the one- month honeymoon she had arranged. He must have been worn out in the past few days. She, on the other hand, was busy with the wedding and could not help him... Anthony saw the way Charmine looked at him and, fearing she might notice something, said, "I''ll go up to schedule for tomorrow''s work." Charmine was going to say something when her phone on the table rang. Senior Jordan was calling. "Alright, go ahead," she said to Anthony. After Anthony had left, she answered the call, saying, "Grandpa, how have you been?" "I''m good, don''t worry, but you..." Senior Jordan thought of the news he heard recently and asked," Charmine, why are you preparing for the wedding on your own? You''re the one picking the venue and sending out the invitations. Where is Anthony? How could he make you do these all alone!?" Charmine exined, "Anthony is busy with work. He¡¯s working hard now to have some time off after the wedding to go on a vacation with me. He has to sort out his work in advance.¡± Senior Jordan scoffed. "He didn''t sort them out earlier, and now he''s busy and expects you to be in charge of the wedding? Juste clean with me if you''re hurt, Charmine, and don''t mind his status. If he doesn''t like you, Uncle Weir and I will introduce more men to you!" Charmineforted him, "Grandpa, it''s not what you think. Anthony has been really busytely, and he feels bad for me, too. He wants me to leave everything to him and his assistant, but you know me. I can''t sit back and do nothing, especially when ites to something as important as a wedding! I want to be in charge of it." Senior Jordan felt touched by her words. She was right. All these years, Charmine had been very independent. He wondered if she would change once she married Anthony... chapter 1412 chapter 1412 "Some duties are meant to be split," said Senior Jordan, unable to hold back his words. "The wedding is a shared matter between you two. Don''t overwork yourself." "Don¡¯t worry, I''m not a kid anymore,¡± Charmine reassured him. As he was still bothered, Senior Jordan asked, "Are you busy tomorrow? I''m free, and I can visit you." "I¡¯m going to BR Studio in the south," answered Charmine. Senior Jordan, who had just managed to calm down, became frustrated again. "Just you alone?¡± Charmine exined, "No, I¡¯ll be going with Anthony tomorrow." "That¡¯s not too bad,¡± said Senior Jordan, "I''ll wait for you at BR Studio tomorrow." "Okay.¡± Senior Jordan said, "Alright, I won''t disturb you anymore. Rest early." "Alright, you too." Hanging up the call, Charmine was worried that Anthony might be busy working tomorrow morning, so she went upstairs to tell him. It was then she realized Chris had fallen asleep beside her, his squishy face utterly adorable under the light. She could not help but pinch his cheek. Even though he was not her flesh and blood, she loved him a great deal, still. She thus carried him back to the nursery room gently. When she went back to her bedroom, she realized that the room was empty. She frowned. What was Anthony up to sote at night? She walked toward the study room suspiciously. Outside the door, just as she was about to knock on the door, she heard Anthony''s voiceing from the inside. "Okay, I¡¯lle over for an examination tomorrow." The doctor on the other side of the phone asked worriedly, "How are you going to endure it the entire night?" Just as Anthony was about to speak, he heard shuffling outside the door with his acute hearing, quickly shifting his response, "Leave it at my office. I''ll sort it out tomorrow." With that, he hung up. Charmine came in and asked suspiciously, "Are you caught up with work again?" Anthony casually clicked away a page on the screen with the mouse at hand, replying, "Yeah, but it''s sorted now." Charmine noticed how fatigued he looked as she walked toward him, saying, "Anthony, why don¡¯t we cancel the honeymoon vacation after the wedding?" She did not want him to overwork himself. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. "No," he replied, "my woman can''tck what other women get. She has to have more than them." The way he spoke was alluring and haughty. Stirred by his sentiment, Charmine reached out to caress his furrowed brows. "Take good care of your body, then. Don''t overwork yourself." "Okay," he agreed, "I''ll listen to my wife." Charmine was no longer as worried when she noticed he was still in the mood to tease, thus saying, "Can you take half a day off tomorrow? Come with me to BR Studio in the south at ten in the morning." With that said, she reminded him, "My Grandpa is going, so you can¡¯t be missing." Anthony was caught off short. Tomorrow? He had to undergo treatment... He intended to go through an examination after the experiment he had today and also get some pain- relievers. However, with Charmine¡¯s unexpected appearance, he could not have gone over. The doctor called earlier to insist on him showing up tomorrow, but... Gazing into Charmine''s anticipation-filled eyes, he did not want her to be disappointed. "Okay. Tomorrow at ten, we''ll go on time to meet Grandpa," answered Anthony. With that, they both slept together. Anthony withstood the sharp pain that gued him and held Charmine, seemingly calm. After she had fallen asleep, however, he carefully retrieved his hand and walked out of the bedroom and into the study. He then leaned against the chair with brows furrowed, looking very much in agony, i He ced both of his hands on the desk, he clenched his fists tightly with his veins showing. Even the veins on his neck were showing, i It was not until three in the morning when his pain started to go away. He quietly went back to the bedroom toy back down. He did not sleep well, and he woke up at six in the morning. chapter 1413 chapter 1413 Charmine was still deeply asleep. Feeling unwell and not wanting to wake her up, Anthony gently left the bed. Before he left, he left a slip on the desk that read, [I''ll sort out some matters in thepany. Contact me if anything happens.] It sounded so nonchnt as if he had forgotten what he promised Charminest night... It was almost ten when Chamine woke up, frowning when she noticed Anthony was not in the room. She wanted him to have a proper rest, yet he still got up so early? She then realized Anthony was not even in the vi after washing up, though he had left a slip on the table. Charmine frowned. Had Anthony gone to hispany again? Did he not promise her he woulde to the studio with her? Why did he sound as if he had forgotten? As she was about to call him, Senior Jordan phoned her. Senior Jordan spoke the moment she picked up the call, "Charmine, didn''t we agree to meet at ten in the morning? It''s almost ten. Why are you two not here yet?" Not wanting her grandfather to worry, Charmine found an excuse and said," We''re having breakfast. We¡¯ll being over right away." "Okay, call me when you arrive. Take your time," said Senior Jordan. "Okay." Charmine hung up and phoned Anthony right after, and he answered the call, his voice maic and soothing as he spoke, "What is it, my dear?" Charmine frowned. He asked her that? He sounded as if he genuinely forgot about it! "Anthony, did you forget what you promised mest night?" she asked. Anthony fell silent, his long brows furrowed. He promised her somethingst night? What was it? This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. He thought carefully and suddenly felt a sharp pain in his head. After a long while of thinking, he finally recalled that he had forgotten to go to the studio with Charmine. "I didn''t forget," he quickly responded, "but thepany suddenly has some urgent matters, so I came over to sort it out first. Is he at the studio already? I''ll rush over now." Charmine frowned. He woke up early to sort outpany-rted matters, just so he could make some time for her? No longer skeptical of him, she turned his offer down. "No need. Go ahead and deal with the matters at hand." Anthony would have to work double at night if he came, and she did not want to tire him out. Anthony wanted to say more, but knowing her, he had to relent. "Okay. Call me if anything happens." "Okay." Charmine hung up and went to BR Studio on her own. It was a high-end professional makeup-makeover studio. The makeup artist had a high reputation and needed to be booked three months in advance. With some ''special connections'', Charmine managed to get a slot. Senior Jordan had been waiting at the VIP lounge for a long time. When he saw Charmineing on her own, he could not help frowning. "Charmine, you''re alone?¡± "Some urgent matters popped up in the company, so Anthony has to go there," exined Charmine. Senior Jordan''s expression turned grim instantly. "What''s more important than his wedding? Why are you the one working for everything? Does he even care at all?" "You got it all wrong, Grandpa." Charmine held onto his arm and reassured him, ¡®You know how arrogant I can get; I arranged for a month of vacation after our wedding. I don''t want him working during that time, so that¡¯s why he needs to sort things out now to make time for me." Senior Jordan scoffed. "Does thepany not function without him? I just feel that he doesn''t care enough about you! He didn¡¯t officiate the rtionship, and now he has this attitude. Charmine, why don''t you reconsider this marriage? A marriagests forever, and you were hurt by Julian in the past. I don''t want you to meet another man of this kind." When Charmine heard this, she felt hurt. chapter 1414 chapter 1414 Although Charmine no longer loved Julian, the hurt he caused her had traumatized her. Currently, Anthony seemed overly busy and did not give her enough attention. Would he change in the future? Charmine felt unusually uneasy at that. However, since Senior Jordan was with her and not wanting him to fret over her, sheposed herself and assured him, "Don''t think too much about it, Grandpa. Anthony did want toe, but he''s stayed up till three to four in the morning. I don''t want him to overwork, so I turned him down froming here. Furthermore, the gentleman¡¯s makeover is quite simple, and it works anyway. I have you to keep mepany.¡± Senior Jordan was speechless, but he also did not want to scratch open her wound. He could only say, "So long as you believe he loves you, Charmine. I only want the best for you; don''t settle for less." "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not someone who¡¯d settle for less. If Anthony doesn''t treat me well, you don''t even have to ask for it¡ªI''ll kick him out myself!" Her determination and assurance were evident in the way she spoke, and Senior Jordan, trusting her capabilities, eventually eased up. The two of them walked to the makeup studio, and the artist worked on Charmine. Senior Jordan sat on the sofa alone as he quietly apanied her, seemingly lonely. Charmine could not help saying, "Grandpa, the makeup will take at least two hours. Why don''t you go home first?" "No way," declined Senior Jordan. "How often do I get to see you? I want to apany you longer." "Sitting so long isn¡¯t good for your body, and you can''t do anything either. Furthermore, I''ll leave the Jordan mansion on my wedding day, so we need some preparations," said Charmine. Senior Jordan instantly thought of it. "Right! How could I forget such a big matter? I thought you''re leaving Violet Vi for good...!" After all, she had note home for a long time. "I¡¯ll go home and sort it out now," he spoke animatedly. "Contact me if anything!" "Okay." After Senior Jordan had left, Charmine started the long makeover. Half an hourter, the studio door opened. Charmine looked up to see... Waverly? She squinted, ring at her coldly. Waverly met her eyes and scoffed. "Sigh! Just you alone?" Charmine, however, remained impassive. "Isn''t this a high-end makeover studio? Why are dogs and cats permitted to enter?" "How dare you!" Waverly jolted, wanting to say more. However, Charmine did not seem to care about her as she leaned back on her seat coldly and asked the makeup artist, "Didn''t I book this studio? Why did a crazy dog enter?" "Apologies, Ms. Jordan. If I remember correctly, Waverly is booked in for the afternoon slot," said the makeup artist and looked at Waverly helplessly. "I want toe earlier to wait," said Waverly coldly. "Can''t I do so?" The artist dared not speak more. Knowing Waverly''s status, she dared not offend her, even though she was a high-end artist. She only focused on the makeover, not liking the dramatic conflict. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. She continued to put foundation on Charmine''s face. Waverly sat by the side, her elegant, long legs crossed as her eyes darted mockingly about Charmine. "I heard Ms. Jordan has been working on the wedding all on her own recently. You booked the venue, the hotel, the menu, and took charge of the invitations..." said Waverly, seemingly pleased. 3 "Sigh... It seems that Anthony doesn''t love you as much. Why else would he let you work all on your own?" Her tone was downright insulting. The assistants around them did not dare to speak, but they were up for gossip! Charmine was getting married to Anthony but did not like her? So, Charmine was a third-wheeler? chapter 1415 chapter 1415 Charmine remained calmly seated as she slowly raised her clear eyes and nced at the woman behind her. She scoffed. "What do you have to do with this? Didn''t you do everything on your own when you got engaged with Anthony?" It felt as though her wound was stabbed, and Waverly¡¯s face turned a few shades paler despite having to act like Charmine did not faze her. "Getting engaged and getting married are two different things. I''ll only tell you this, though. If he doesn''t care even for the wedding, do you think he''ll treat you well afterward? He can ignore you now, and he''ll ignore you ten times, a hundred times, after the wedding. He¡¯ll forget you entirely one day!" Charmine''s fingers curled up unnoticeably, and her words resonated constantly in her ears. ''He can ignore you now, and he''ll ignore you ten times, a hundred times...'' All of a sudden... "Since when does an outsider like you have the right to meddle with my marriage with her?" a cold, masculine voice was heard from the door. Charmine felt a sense of relief when she heard this maic voice, and she turned to see Anthony pushing open the door, walking toward them coldly. Donning a ck, long windbreaker, his being emitted a domineering aura so powerful that everyone else in the room felt humbled, oppressed. Shooting Waverly a cold nce, he turned to Charmine and said gently," Sorry I''mte, my dear." Waverly looked at Anthony, who was before her, with disbelief. How did he get here? Did he not go for an examination? Why was he here, and safely, too? Charmine looked at Waverly''s pale face and smirked. "You''re notte-l just started." Studying her makeover, he did not hold back as heplimented, "So beautiful." Charmine''s delicate face was filled with confidence. "My husband has good eyes. Help me pick which hairdo suits me nicer." Anthony looked at the catalog and pointed at a hairdo. "This suits you." "Okay." Charmine decided on it right away as she turned and spoke to the makeup artist, ''This one.¡± She believed in Anthony''s choice. "Certainly." The artist and her assistants instantly started tob Charmine''s hair. Anthony took a seat at the side as he waited for her, his eyes brimming with endearment as though no one else was around him. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Waverly saw this and felt embarrassed. Curses! She was all ready to ridicule Charmine, but who would have expected the tables would turn against her instead? 2 The couple only had each other in their eyes, and none of them spared her a nce. Romance filled the studio. She was the one neglected, like a clown! She bit her pale lip and clenched her fists, her fingernails nearly digging into her flesh. "Anthony, don¡¯t forget that we¡¯re still engaged!¡± Only then did Anthony nce at her. ¡®You should know the reason why we''re engaged. If you don¡¯t leave now, do you want me to send you out myself?" His dark voice was ominous. Waverly''s face turned extremely pale, but not daring to challenge Anthony, she could only leave angrily, her arms swinging at her sides. Her ten-centimeter-tall hells stomped against the floor as sheshed out in anger, her heels producing squeaks and sharp noises. Charmine looked at Anthony. "Have you finished your work?" "Not yet, but..." Anthony looked at her. "How could I let my wife be here, trying out her makeover alone?¡± Charmine felt loved. Sure, she was the one making the wedding preparations, but none of that mattered after hearing his words. Marrying Anthony was worth it. chapter 1416 chapter 1416 Two hours had passed, and Charmine''s hairdo was finally done. Her hair was curled, and a golden crown was fitted on her head. This headpiece was made with great detail, and it looked sophisticated, beautiful. It went along with Charmine''s temperament-incredibly willful and arrogant, wrapped in elegance. Charmine looked at herself in the mirror, and she was satisfied. She turned to look at Anthony. "You got a good taste." Anthony locked eyes with her reflection, his voice maic and hoarse as he responded, "It''s my wife who looks good in anything." Charmine was speechless. Although this was overly sweet,ing from a cold and arrogant man like Anthony, it sounded so...pleasing! Afterpleting her look, Anthony had a few simple touch-ups. Even though they were merely simple touch-ups, he looked elegant and regal, and one would adore him with just a nce. Both of them stood together like the two main characters of a fairytale. One seemed noble, and the other was willful. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. They would walk down the aisle together once the timing was right. After finalizing the looks, both of them went home. Charmine then realized, upon their return, that there were some unread messages on her phone. She unlocked her phone to see that they were texts from her mogul-uncles. [Charmine, are you free tonight? Dinner at 9 p.m., in HN. Let''s dine together, since you''re not married yet; it''ll be so difficult to see you once you tie the knot. Also, you must bring along Anthony-we want to meet him!] Charmine was speechless when she realized that all four of their text messages werepletely identical. They must have copied one another. Charmine turned to look at Anthony. "Are you free tonight?" "I should be," said Anthony, "why?" "My few Uncles want to eat with us, and they want to meet you. Don''t disappoint them-you muste." Anthony did not hesitate as he nodded. "Okay." Charmine then replied to the four men, [Okay.] Anthony went to the study, and not wanting the same thing that happened this morning to happen again, he set an rm on his phone and typed in his memo. He must not disappoint Charmine this time, and he must not make her look bad in front of her Uncles. After typing in the memo, he started catching up on work. Not long after, Luke phoned him, saying, "President Bailey, there''s an emergency matter at the company, and you may need toe and sort it out." Anthony thus went to the bedroom and said to Charmine, "Darling, I have to go back to thepany to sort out some matters." Charmine looked up at him. "What time are youing back? The dinner with the Uncles is at nine." Anthony thought of the memo on his phone and said, ''Tile home beforehand. Even if I don''t, I''ll be there on time." "Okay." She was fine, so long as he made it on time. "Go on." At six in the evening, Charmine received a call from Uncle Larry." Charmine, we''re here now. What time are youing?" Charmine said, "Uncle Larry, didn''t we agree to meet at nine? It''s only six now." Uncle Larry had a straight face. "If you don''t have anything to do,e earlier and chat with us. We haven''t seen you for so long, and we missed you." Charmine pursed her lips. Well, she did not have anything to do anyway. Furthermore, she did miss the four of them. She agreed, "Okay, I''lle over now." "Alrighty!" Uncle Larry was overjoyed. "We''ll wait for you here." "Okay." Charmine hung up and texted Anthony right after, [I¡¯m going to meet all four of them now. Come straight after work.] Anthony, meanwhile, was having a meeting when he received her text. He replied, [Okay, go on. Have fun.] He put down his phone to resume the meeting...until nine at night. Anthony picked up the documents from his messy table and walked out of the meeting room, not noticing that he had left his phone on the table. chapter 1417 chapter 1417 Anthony seemed as if he hadpletely forgotten about it as he drove home. Charmine rushed to HN Restaurant at 6 p.m. to chat with the four men. They happily reminisced the good times they had back then. A waiter came to their table at the instructed time-at 9 p.m.-to take their orders. Uncle Zul frowned and said, "Charmine, didn¡¯t you say Anthony will be here at nine?" Charmine was confused. Why did he not arrive yet? He promised her before leaving that even if he could note home beforehand, he would arrive at the restaurant at this hour...but it was already past nine. Why was he not here yet? "Does he not take us seriously at all?" grumbled Uncle Max. "No," Charmine exined, "maybe he''s caught up in traffic." "Charmine, call him and ask him where he is at," said Uncle Pop. Charmine thus took out her phone and called Anthony, and all four pairs of eyes were on her the entire time. She believed Anthony. He said he woulde, and he would! Perhaps something was keeping him. However... His phone had been switched off. The four Uncles were waiting for her to make the phone call quietly. When they heard that the line was busy, all of them heard it and Charmine could not defend him further. Their expressions faltered into one of displeasure. "He even turned off his phone?¡± pointed out Uncle Pop. Uncle Larry was not happy. ''The four of usbined are three hundred years old! We came early to wait for him, yet he''s now missing!" This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Uncle Zul thought of something, and he looked at Charmine with a concerned expression. "Charmine, tell us honestly: does he really love you?" Uncle Max scoffed. "How unreasonable! He¡¯s about to marry you, and he doesn''t even care about you anymore!" i "A lot of men are like this. They put on their best behavior when courting you, and neglect you once they have you!" "It''s just like fishing; you stop baiting once you catch a fish." "That¡¯s highly likely, Charmine. You must reconsider this marriage!" The four men added onto one another, and Charmine did not know what to say. She looked at her phone, disoriented. She even told Anthony twice, and he agreed. Why was he not here yet? His phone was even turned off, no less. She knew Anthony well, however, and he would not go missing for no reason. Charmine calmed down and exined, "Do calm down first. Anthony isn''t that kind of man. Maybe he¡¯s busy now, so let''s wait a little longer." Seeing how certain Charmine was, the four men spoke in unison, "We''ll wait for half an hour more, then!" Charmine was speechless. How united! With that, everyone waited. Still, Anthony did not show up even half an hourter. "What¡¯s the matter with him?" scoffed Uncle Larry. "Is heing or not?" Charmine pursed her lips. "Please have your dinner for now. I''ll go home and find out." Something felt off, and she had to ask Anthony for an exnation. The four Uncles were here to meet Anthony, and there was nothing else to talk about if he was not coming. Charmine seemed visibly upset; she must have felt worse than them. Uncle Zul nodde. "Okay, Charmine, go home. We''ll meet again next time." "You must ask for an exnation! If he lies to you, tell us! We won¡¯t let him go easily!" "If he doesn''t treasure you, cancel the wedding! We''ll find you a better match!" "Okay." Charmine then stood up and left, bewildered and hurt as she made her way home. 1 What was the matter with Anthony? Why did he not show up again and again? chapter 1418 chapter 1418 Had Anthony grown out of his feelings for her, then? He was not this kind of man... Did something happen to him? Charmine grew antsy the more she questioned it. She sped up and drove home quickly. The moment she pushed open the door, she stared wide-eyed in disbelief at the sight of the living room. Anthony was ying a game with Chris on the sofa, aloof and elegant as he always was. All he had in his eyes was Chris, just like when she first met him. It was as if he had forgotten about her existence... Charmine frowned. If he was home, why did he not join her meal with the four men? Why was his phone turned off? Anthony turned the moment he heard footsteps, frowning when he spotted her. Charmine asked right away, "Anthony, did you forget what you promised me?" Why did he look so rxed? N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Meanwhile, Anthony felt his heart drop when he heard her question. What had he promised her? He tried his best to think about it, but it only made his head hurt. He then vaguely recalled that Charmine seemed to have reminded him to have dinner with her four mogul-uncles. 2 Goodness. He had forgotten about it, and it was something important, no less! Anthony nced at Chris and parted his lips, "Momo had an emergency, and I had toe home to look after him. I lost track of time." Charmine frowned as she looked at Chris and asked, "Momo, what happened?" Chris picked up on the way Anthony looked at him, and he understood the message. His watery eyes looked round as he feebly muttered, "Mommy, I suddenly felt dizzy and had a stomach ache. I even threw up... I didn''t know you had a date with Daddy, so I phoned him..." Charmine let out a sigh of relief. Was that what happened after all? She asked, "Are you feeling better now?" "I''m much better now, Mommy. Please don''t get angry, I was the one who asked Daddy to apany me." Charmine¡¯s anger partially ebbed away at Chris'' exnation, but the fact remained that she was still displeased. She turned to look at Anthony. "If this happens in the future, call me and let me know right away." "Sorry, I was in a rush this time round and forgotten." Anthony hugged her apologetically. Charmine was still confused. Anthony would not have done this in the past; he would put her before anything else. All of a sudden... Why did he not tell her anything? It was as if she was an outsider. That night... When Charmine was showering, Anthony asked Luke to send his phone over as Charmine was showering, and he then found out that his phone had run out of battery and shut down. He looked at the memo in his phone and stared at what he wrote. He fell into deep thought. He even wrote it down, yet he still forgot about it? Was this the experiment''s side-effect? Just as Anthony thought of it, Charmine came out of the shower and dried her hair. Putting down his phone, Anthony turned off her hairdryer and took a towel to dry her hair by hand. "Are you trying to make up to me?" asked Charmine. "Yeah." Anthony did not want Charmine to grow suspicious, thus he added, "It¡¯s my fault for what happened tonight. I''ll visit your Uncles when I have time to make up for it." When Charmine heard that, she turned to look at him. He did care about that after all. Charmine said, "Okay, but we have to treat them to a nice meal next time. They''re easygoing but tend to be a little crass. We''ll be nice to them, and they''ll be fine." "Yeah." Anthony looked at her and, still feeling guilty, said, "Darling, I''m sorry to have let you down...again." chapter 1419 chapter 1419 Recalling that Anthony''s absence from meeting the moguls was due to Chris and that he did care a great deal about it, Charmine was no longer angry. "It''s okay. Chris'' health is more important than anything else." Anthony smiled. "If Chris hears this from you, he¡¯d be so happy that he won''t be able to fall asleep." Charmine smiled. "I mean it." Anthony hugged Charmine as she fell asleep while he stayed awake all night. When the sky lit up the next day, he went to the experimentboratory early in the morning to look for Jennie. Jennie was analyzing the data from the experiment when she saw himing, unbothered to even acknowledge him. Anthony walked up to her and asked frigidly, "Why do I keep forgetting things?" Jennie scoffed. "Did you expect the suffering tost only on the day of the experiment? I''ve told you that the side effects are severe. You''re lucky that you¡¯re not paralyzed." 4 Anthony squinted. "What other side effects are there?" Jennie looked at him and smiled coldly, "Like what you have now. Your brain is severely damaged, and you have amnesia. It¡¯s still quite mild now, but it''ll only get more severe in the future." Anthony''s expression contorted in silent fury. Did that mean that in the future, even if Charmine was standing in front of him, he would not be able to call out her name or know who she was? He felt a pang in his chest at the possibility. Jennie saw the look in his eyes and said, "Just as what you¡¯re thinking, you won''t be able to give Charmine a future. You''ll be more and more forgetful. You might kiss her one moment and forget her name the next. You''ll forget the promises you made to her and disappoint her, time and time again." Jennie persisted, "Anthony, you better reconsider your marriage. Do you want Charmine to waste her time on you as a young woman? If you want the best for her, you¡¯d better break up with her." 2 Charmine made her son miserable, and she wanted Charmine to have a taste of her own medicine. 4 Anthony red at her coldly and scoffed. "How do you know I can¡¯t fix it? How do you know that Charmine will think it''s a waste of time after knowing what I''m facing?" Anthony was determined that Charmine would remain loyal to him. No matter what he had turned into, she would stay by his side. He had even formed a formidable medical team, too. He would surely get through this! Jennie merely smirked at him silently, her eyes seemingly smiling in ridicule. "Well, let¡¯s see how stable your rtionship is, then," she taunted, arms crossed at her chest. Anthony looked at her darkly before walking away heavily.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . He drove away from theboratory to find Jonathan Muller, a man with an array of electronic inventions. Jonathan was ying with his phone in front of a pile of electronic equipment, and when he saw Anthonying in, his eyes lit up. "Boss Bailey, what wind blew you here?" "I want to customize an electronic watch that can record memos," requested Anthony. Jonathan frowned. "What''s it for? Can¡¯t a phone do that, too?" "The phone isn''t as convenient. Only a watch can be brought along anywhere," insisted Anthony. "Hurry, I want it now!" "Can you wait for me to finish this round of game?" asked Jonathan weakly. 2 Anthony, however, said nothing else as he shot him a dark stare. Jonathan felt his cold sweat forming on his back under Anthony''s re. "Fine, I''ll do it now." With that said, he said to his team, "Brothers, I''m sorry, but I need to ghost now. Your next meal is on me!" Following that, he put down his phone and started working on Anthony''s request. A matte ck watch was made in less than an hour, fitted with numerous buttons that allowed its user to type in words. Anthony put this around his wrist and felt more at ease. With this watch, he would note down everything Charmine would tell him. As long as he did not take this off, he would not forget again. He walked out. He had to go home soon to spend more time with Charmine, and to test out this watch, too. chapter 1420 chapter 1420 Jonathan washed his hands, but just as he wanted to strike up a conversation with Anthony, he saw him leaving. "Anthony, is this how you treat a brother?" he blurted. "My team is now boycotting me, and I won''t be able to y games today. Can you chat with me?" "I''ll treat you to a meal when I have time," came Anthony''s simple reply as he got into his car, much to Jonathan¡¯s chagrin. He had heard this phrase over a thousand times from Anthony, but it never came true since they were young! 2 At Violet Residence... Charmine was working in front of herputer. When she saw Anthonying in, she chimed, "Just in time, Anthony! I just recalled that we haven''t told your grandmother about our wedding. Why don''t you make a trip home today to tell her and try to get your family''s approval?" "Okay," Anthony agreed, "I won¡¯t let you down this time." He then typed in Charmine''s reminder into his watch when Charmine was not looking before going back to thepany. When it was almost noon, he was about to go home but felt like he had forgotten something. He nced at his wrist and realized that he had things to do. He massaged his temples, angry at himself. It had only been a few hours, and something slipped out of him again. Luckily, he had this watch.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Anthony instantly drove back to the Bailey mansion and was met with a pleased Grandma Bailey. Despite seeming pale, she was all smiles as she saw himing in. "Anthony, what brings you home today?¡± "Charmine and I are having our wedding in six days. The venue is at Bora Ind." "Wait,e again?" Grandma Bailey was shocked. "You''re about to have your wedding?" "Yes," Anthony said simply. "Wonderful. Oh, how wonderful!" Grandma Bailey was over the moon. "You can finally bring Charmine home officially!" Susan, meanwhile, frowned as she sat by the side, disgust evident in her eyes. "Anthony, are you sure about this? I don''t agree with this marriage, frankly speaking." 1 Grandma Bailey¡¯s smile instantly became stiff, and she turned to re at her. ''They already got their marriage certificate. If you don''t agree to it now, are you even his mother? Can''t you see how happy your son is?" Susan had a look of embarrassment on her face. Although she was used to Grandma Bailey berating her, she still felt ufortable when she did it in front of her son. She narrowed her eyes and said, "Mother, what I meant was that Anthony''s publicly known fiancee is still Waverly. They hadn''t called off their engagement. If he marries Charmine right away, what would the D¡¯Cruz family think?" Grandma Bailey scoffed. ¡®They can think whatever they want to! I only approve of Charmine as my granddaughter-inw! I won''t have an evil woman like Waverly as a Bailey!" Waverly nearly cost Anthony his life at one point, and she would never forget that! Susan still had more to say, but Anthony raised his eyes to look at Susan." I¡¯ll only marry Charmine in this lifetime, and only Charmine can be Mrs. Bailey. On our wedding day, I''ll dere to the world that Charmine is my wife and is the legitimate Mrs. Bailey." Grandma Bailey nodded with satisfaction. "My good grandson, I support you! I''ll bring all my friends and rtives to witness your wedding!" Anthony nodded. Susan gritted her teeth, nowhere pleased with this at all. "Anthony, please try to calm down first. Even if you don''t like Waverly, you may consider McKenzie or others. Charmine had been with Julian for so long, and she must¡¯ve lost her chast-" "Shut up!" Anthony cut her off coldly and shot her a fierce re. chapter 1421 chapter 1421 "Mrs. Bailey, have you forgotten about my decision during the family meeting? Please don''t make me repeat that." Susan''s expression changed. Back then, Anthony was willing to resign from his position as thepany''s president, to cut all ties with Bailey to be with Charmine. It had been so long since then, and he was still so determined? What drug did Charmine feed him that made him fall so blindly in love? Not wanting the situation to be awkward, Grandma Bailey looked up at Susan and scoffed. "Why don''t you agree to it? Do you want to chase away your son? Why don''t you kick me out as well?" "Mother, you''re making it sound more severe than it is. I¡¯m just thinking for Anthony''s sake..." "If you want the best for him, you should support him to love who he does, and not force him into marrying someone he doesn''t love! You''re so old now. Don''t you understand yet?" Grandma Bailey scoffed at Susan and then said to Anthony, "Go ahead to prepare everything. I¡¯ll help you clear out all the barriers." "Alright. Thank you." Anthony turned to leave, not caring about Susan, who clenched her fists tightly. It seemed that she had to find time and speak to Charmine, one-on-one. i After Anthony left, she instantly contacted Charmine. "I want to meet you." Charmine knew Anthony visited their family mansion, and she was able to guess what this was about. She did not want to care about Susan, but she was Anthony''s mother, whom she would have to face eventually when she married him. She did not want their rtionship to be so awkward, so she agreed to it. The two of them met at Mirus Cafe where Susan hade earlier, waiting for Charmine. She was dressed in a dark purplece dress and had a scarf over her shoulder, looking very distinguished. Charmine walked to her table, and when she sat down, Susan said coldly," What? Why did you keep me waiting? You want to make a statement before getting married or something?" Charmine cast her an indifferent stare. "This ce is close to your house, but I need time to get here." Susan scoffed. She was not even married to Anthony, yet she was already acting up. How rude would she be after the marriage? 2 Susan red at Charmine coldly and got straight to the point, "Leave Anthony. I¡¯ll give you whatever you want.¡± Charmine raised her eyes to look at her clearly. "Apologies, but we¡¯ve talked about this a long time ago, and I don''tck anything." "Charmine, I''d advise you to know your ce and break up with Anthony. Otherwise, don''t me me if I expose your past." 1 Charmine said calmly, "Oh? What about my past?" There was not anything that could shake her. Susan smiled at her coldly. "Have you forgotten about your stillborn? What will you say if I put that online? How would everyone see you and the Jordan family?" Charmine''s face stiffened. That had always been a dent in her heart, a thorn she could never get rid of. It would hurt every time someone touched on that topic. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. She did not expect Susan to use this to threaten her. Susan saw the change in her expression, and she smiled with satisfaction. Ha! Charmine, wanting to go up against her? How ignorant! Visibly triumphant, Susan spoke, "Charmine, you better leave him for good. Do you want to be the joke of Burlington? You''re a smart girl, and you should know what to choose. Furthermore, with your status, you can find a good man after you leave Anthony. However, if this incident goes public, you won¡¯t be able to marry anyone for the rest of your life." 1 Charmine balled her fists beneath the table. This was indeed an excruciating memory that gued her, but she was not someone to be trampled over! chapter 1422 chapter 1422 She met Susan''s gaze, and her sexy lips curved into a cold smile. "Well, I have something to say as well. How is your illegitimate son, who''s residing outside the country?" 1 Susan''s face turned pale right away. Her cold eyes stared at Charmine with disbelief. "What... What are you talking about?" Curses! How did this woman find out about this? How could she have known?! Charmine smirked. "Of all people, you should know exactly what I¡¯m talking about. If you keep pushing me, I don''t mind dragging you down with me." With that said, she stood up and left, leaving a pale, frustrated Susan behind. How dare Charmine threaten her? She must have had evidence with her to have made that promation! If she angered Charmine and she exposed her, she would be the one who would then be too ashamed to stay in Burlington! Her hands clenched tightly, her expression contorting uglily. At Violet Residence... Charmine spotted only Chris, ying all alone when she returned home. She frowned in suspicion. If Susan came to speak to her regarding this, Anthony should have told her about it. Why was he not back home yet? Was he working in thepany again? Charmine sat on the sofa, but just as she was about to phone him, she heard a car pulling over. She turned to see Anthony driving into thepound and felt somewhat relieved. She genuinely thought he would forget what she told him this morning, but luckily, he remembered and did what he was told. Anthony met her gaze the moment he walked in, and he halted. Fearing he had forgotten what she had told him again, he instinctively lifted his wrist to look at his watch. There was only one mission recorded, and he had done it. Anthony thus walked toward Charmine and asked, "What''s wrong?*'' Why was she looking at him with such a look? Charmine''s red lips curled into a smile. "I think you look very handsome." Anthony was caught off-guard with that, but he smiled nheless. "How rare it is for my wife to compliment me." 1 He took out a small box from his pocket. "Here, this is for you." Charmine looked at the small box and asked, "What is it?" "Open it and have a look." Charmine opened it and saw that it was a nail polish in her favorite shade of red. Her eyes sparkled and looked at Anthony with surprise. He actually remembered! She loved this color and used to paint her nails in this shade, but she had not had one for a long time as it went out of stock. He knew this was her favorite shade? Furthermore, this shade from this particr brand was no longer to be found in the entire Burlington! How did he find it? Did hee homete because of this? Anthony looked at her gently and asked, "Do you like it?" "Yes, I do." Charmine held it tightly in her hands and looped her arms around his neck. "Where did you buy this?" "I arranged for someone to buy it from their manufacturer." Charmine''s heart dropped. He spent so much effort getting her such a small thing? Stirred by his gesture, Charmine hugged him and muttered, "You didn''t have to.¡± "Yes, I do," said Anthony. "As long as my wife likes it, I¡¯ll find it for you no matter how difficult it is." This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. His life goal was to make her happy. Charmine got out of his arms and blurted, "Silly." Anthony''s gaze was soft. "As long as you''re happy." He was willing to be silly. Charmine still felt the butterflies; he seemed to have changed ever since they started nning their wedding. He treated her better, and he would say sweet things he had not said to her before. She looked up and nted a kiss on his well-sculpted cheek. "I''m very happy." Anthony''s long arms hooked around her waist, pulling her closer as he looked at her. "How are you going to return the favor?" 1 "Hmm?" chapter 1423 chapter 1423 How would she ''return the favor*? The puzzled Charmine had her luscious lips seized by Anthony as he lowered his head and kissed her... They made out from the living room and all the way to the sofa. Once they broke from their kiss, Charmine leaned on his chest, her eyes twinkling flirtatiously as her cheeks flushed red. Anthony narrowed his eyes and noticed she still held onto the nail polish." Do you want me to put this on for you?" he asked. Charmine stared at him. "Do you know how to?" "I''ll learn for you." Charmine gave him a hearty smile as she handed him the nail polish. "Let''s see how skillful you are." "Okay." Anthony took the nail polish and gently painted her nails. Romance filled the air, while at a hotel... Waverly was extremely displeased. Anthony clearly went through the brain experiment. Why was he fine? Did Jennie not say he would have amnesia? Anthony still functioned as an ordinary person would! What frustrated her more was that even though Anthony suffered so badly, he still treated Charmine so kindly! Waverly recalled how the two of them looked at one another at the studio, how they could only see each other in their eyes. She clenched her fists tightly, her eyes filled with cold fury. Even if Anthony was extremely ill, he must not end up with Charmine! Waverly thus picked up her phone and made a phone call. "Customize me a maic device," she demanded, leaning back on the sofa after hanging up the cold. Her gaze was steely, cold as she did. 1 With his customized watch, Anthony remembered everything Charmine had told him the next few days after, not disappointing her at all. Everything went on smoothly. In the blink of an eye, it was three days away from their wedding. Charmine checked every detail and schedule to make sure they were wless. Amid her busyness, she received a phone call from Uncle Larry. "Charmine, the four of us have been thinking in the past few days, and we''re still not at ease," he said. "We must meet Anthony before your wedding. Are you home? Well be here in two hours." Charmine was speechless. They were on their way. Could she even decline them? "Okay,¡± she relented, ''Til wait for you toe, then." She hung up and phoned Anthony. "Are you still busy?" Anthony was in a meeting when she called. He looked at the pile of documents in front of him and said, "I still have some left. Why?" "My four mogul-uncles areing," she exined, "and they really want to meet you this time. Can youe home in two hours?" "Okay," said Anthony as he typed it into his watch and set an rm. Charmine pursed her lips. She was still not at ease even though he agreed to her, thus she reminded, "You muste home this time-you can''t not appear again." "Rest assured, I won¡¯t repeat the same mistake this time," promised Anthony. "Okay." Charmine was then reassured. "Go back to your work." Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Anthony agreed and put down his phone. The affectionate expression he had on vanished instantly, however, as he shot everyone at the people around the meeting table aloofly. "Continue." Meanwhile... A woman in a cleaner''s costume was nonchntly cleaning the meeting room. Everyone was focused on the meeting and did not notice the small maic device in her hands. Anthony was nose-deep in his work, too, knowing how he would not have time to work when Charmine''s mogul-uncles woulde to visit that afternoon, 1 He wanted to sort everything out before then. With his customized watch, he did not have to worry, i Unbeknownst to him, however... With the maic device around him, his watch glitched unstably. Meanwhile, his phone that he ced to the side was also affected by the maic field. It was turned off somehow... i Anthony had no clue as to what was happening. chapter 1424 chapter 1424 After calling Charmine, the four moguls arrived at Violet Residence in less than half an hour. When they saw Charmine preparing the meal alone at home, their originally pleasant faces sank. Uncle Zul questioned, "Charmine, why are you the one making lunch?" "Yeah, why are you making lunch? Where is Anthony?" demanded Uncle Larry. Uncle Pop frowned. "Is he not around again?" Their expression soured even more at that. Charmine gently exined, "Don''t worry, everyone. Even though he''s not home now, he''ll be back on timeter. The wedding is fast approaching, so he''s quite busy." The four moguls scoffed in unison. "You said the same thingst time," refuted Uncle Larry, "and what happened now?" Charmine pursed her lips, considerably worried as she thought of it. What could she do if Anthony really did not make it back on time? He was more vehement in his promisest time than this time. "No, he''ll be here." Uncle Pop scoffed. "He better be, ''cause if he goes missing again, well be very angry." Charmine was going to exin, but somehow, she did not have as much faith in him as well. She could only ask them to wait in the living room as she then poured them tea. After reassuring them, she said, "Do entertain yourselves for now while I prepare the meal." When Uncle Larry heard this, he smiled. "Okay, Charmine. I¡¯ll have some chili lobsters." "Oh, there will be," responded Charmine. When the other three men instantly forgot about Anthony''s tardiness when food was brought up. "What about my sweet and sour pork ribs?" chimed Uncle Pop. "Uncle, your blood pressure was high," reminded Charmine, "so there''s no sweet and sour pork ribs today." Uncle Pop''s face instantly dropped, and he childishly sulked, "Well, what else will we have?" Uncle Pop was ready tosh out if there were no dishes that he fancied. Charmine smiled. "There''s not sweet and sour pork ribs, but there will be steamed pork." Uncle Pop made a face as if he just made apromise and remarked, "It seems I¡¯m your favorite Uncle after all, Charmine." The other three men swiftly and red sharply at him, but Uncle Pop was still very pleased. "Charmine, did you make my soy fish? Only the one you make has that texture," said Uncle Max. Charmine said, "Of course." Uncle Max winked at the others with satisfaction. "Do I need to say anything, Charmine?" spoke Uncle Zul. "I''m preparing your broth," assured Charmine. Uncle Zul sniffed the air and happily spoke, "No wonder I smelt something so familiar the moment I walked in." "I¡¯ll go and cook your favorite dishes. Give me some time," said Charmine. "Go ahead." When she entered the kitchen, Charmine instantly took out her phone and phoned Anthony, but... The phone was turned off. Charmine''s heart sank. Was he going to be missing again? ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Charmine felt anger bubbling within her, but there was still some time, and he might make it back on time. 1 She put down her phone and continued to prepare the dishes. She grew concerned, however, as time passed, and even as lunch was ready, Anthony was still not home yet. She secretly phoned Anthony again, but his phone was still turned off! Charmine''s heart dropped. She felt chills from the bottom of her feet. This was the third time he broke his promises. The first and second time was forgivable, but there was no excuse for it this time. chapter 1425 chapter 1425 Anthony still did not make it home in time for lunch, and his phone was still turned off. How was Charmine supposed to exin that to her moguluncles? They had been in Violet Residence for a long while, and they did not see Anthonying home. They caught on to what was happening when they noticed Charmine''s expression. Uncle Zul said, "Anthony is missing again, huh?" Uncle Larry scoffed. "You don''t say. He''s always like this; he doesn''t care about Charmine at all!" "All men are the same. He stops caring, now that he¡¯s about to have you!" condemned Uncle Max. Uncle Pop sighed. "Charmine, do consider this marriage again. Does he like you as a person, or like you for your status? Your connections, perhaps?" i Charmine looked ill and felt ill altogether. She did not agree with what Uncle Pop said, but she did take what Uncle Max said to heart. Was every man truly the same? They would care for their lover before marriage, and once they married their significant other or perhaps after marriage, they would turn cold. 1 Julian was like that back then, too, saying things that would please her when he was, in fact, after her shares. Even though he did not like her, he would make her feel otherwise. In the end, he slowly went missing with all kinds of excuses... Thinking of this, Charmine felt dispirited. "Don¡¯t overthink it, Charmine. Why don''t you call him to find out?" suggested Uncle Larry. Charmine said nothing. Call him? He turned off his phone! How was she supposed to phone him? This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Uncle Max noticed how Charmine kept mum, and he could not help asking, "Did the same thing happen again-his phone is turned off?" Uncle Max already had an answer as he studied Charmine''s expression. He said angrily, "He must¡¯ve turned off his phone! What a douche. He yed us like monkeys! How dare he? How uneptable!" Uncle Pop was furious. "A man like him can''t be kept! He¡¯s not good enough for you! He¡¯s already acting this way before marriage, and once you marry him, he''ll be worse! A man like this can¡¯t be your husband!" i Uncle Zul nodded in agreement. "Yeah, he''s not good enough for Charmine! I have to put this out there, Charmine: I don''t approve of your marriage!" With that said, the other three nodded in agreement and spoke in unison, "I don¡¯t approve, too!" "Charmine, you can even be with William!" "Even if you don''t want William, we can help you look for others!" Charmine''s face was pale. Seeing how angry they were, she did not know what to say. They were their elders, yet Anthony ghosted them twice! Even if Anthony had a big excuse this time around, he would not be forgiven. Charmine felt disappointed and was not in the mood at all. She looked at them and said, "Apologies, but I have to let you all down once again. I''ll give some thoughts to what you''ve said today." The four men knew she was pained just by listening to her words. The wedding was happening soon, yet this happened... Uncle Zulforted her, "Don''t worry, Charmine. There are plenty of good men in the world. A fool like him can be dismissed!" The other three agreed, "That¡¯s right!" Charmine bit her lip and muttered, "I''d like to be alone now, everyone." The four of them knew she needed to be alone, so they left after putting in words offort. Charmine leaned back on the sofa and hugged her knees close to her chest. She stared at the door nkly. Even though he had mistreated her, she still hoped that his car would pull over in the next moment. He would exin to her that the traffic was bad and he forgot to charge his phone. The yard remained vacant, and there was no sound, either. Charmine stared nkly and felt crushed. Why did Anthony change? Despite the promises he made, he would disappear every time when it counted the most. Was it fun to be missing? chapter 1426 chapter 1426 Was Anthony truly like what Charmine''s mogul-uncles called him to be, the kind of man who would treat her well before marriage but would neglect her afterward? That every man in the world was like this, and he was no exception? Charmine then recalled how she would marry him in three days. She thought of his attitude and felt every cell in her resisting... She used to look forward to the wedding and life after marriage, but those had all disappeared. She started to fear the wedding in three days...for her happiness after marriage... She was even more fearful of Anthony turning into the man that the Uncles told her about... Charmine looked faraway nkly, her thoughtsplex as she did. 1 She did not know how long it had been when finally, the sound of a car pulling over was heard outside. Charmine snapped out of her thoughts and turned. As expected, Anthony hade home. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. However, her heart was stone-cold and stoic by then. She looked at him silently and noticed how he seemed nonchnt, as though nothing had happened, i Her heart grew colder at the sight. Did he not care about her anymore? Did he not feel anything for ghosting her and making her feel bad? Disappointment pooled in her eyes... When Anthony returned home, he saw Charmine staring at him calmly. Not sensing anything was amiss, he asked gently, "Have you eaten?" Charmine felt a sharp stab right in her heart. Not only did he not apologize or reassure her, but he acted as if nothing happened, too? Charmine pursed her lips and looked at him nkly. "Anthony, let''s postpone our wedding." Anthony was startled at the abruptness and looked at her bewildered." Why? What''s going on?" Charmine met his eyes and grew even more disappointed. He actually asked her ''why''? She said, "Think about it yourself." With that said, she picked up her car key and turned to leave. Anthony asked, "Where are you off to?" Charmine did not reply; she left without even turning back. Anthony was transfixed on the same spot and looked at her retreating form warily. He could only sense that she was very angry. Why was that? Did he...forget something again? Instinctively, he lifted his wrist to look at his watch. He was shocked when he realized that it was turned off. His heart shattered as panic shed in his eyes. He quickly turned it on and saw the memo, [Go home, meet the four Uncles. ] He frowned that instant. He had forgotten such an important matter? He even promised her with so much confidence, yet he made her look bad in front of the Uncles again. With a distressed expression, Anthony took out his phone to call Charmine...only to find out that her phone rang on the sofa... His heart tightened as he instantly headed out to chase after her. However, it was dark outside, and Charmine was nowhere to be seen. He drove out worriedly to look after her, all while instructing Luke through their call, "Locate Charmine right now." He drove around endlessly, looking for any traces she had left behind, but he came out empty-handed in the end after a few minutes of driving. Suddenly, he gazed at the road signs, feeling confused. What was he doing here? Why was he on the road all of a sudden? Anthony tried to think, but his head was nk. The more he wanted to recall, the sharper the pain he felt. He could only then pull over the car to massage his head. Not long after, he drove toward hispany instead as though he was not upto something beforehand. Meanwhile, Waverly had been monitoring Anthony and Charmine¡¯s movements. 1 When she found out about Anthony missing the appointment due to his watch being turned off and that Charmine was angry at him, Waverly felt very pleased. 2 She leaned back on the sofa and sipped her red wine coldly, all while typing a text on her phone with the other hand. chapter 1427 chapter 1427 [Keep an eye on Charmine. Let me know if she does anything.] Charmine was caught in a dispiriting situation, and Waverly would not miss out on the opportunity to laugh at her! Ding! [Britney: Charmine is still very angry, and she''s speeding. We don¡¯t know when she''ll slow down.] Waverly smiled triumphantly. Anthony would actually pick a fight with Charmine? It seemed that his amnesia slowly diminished his affection for Charmine. Waverly''s eyes were cold and noxious. She would not miss such a good opportunity! She instantly made a phone call and instructed ruthlessly, "Locate Charmine, and scatter nails along the road. This time, I want her dead." 4 Charmine was speeding furiously along the highway. All she could think of was Anthony''s nonchnt self, and it depressed her. How did Anthony change so much? He said he would always worry about how imperfect he was whenever she frowned, but he kept disappointing her! Was he truly neglecting her after winning over her? Questioning it merely made her angrier. She stepped on the gas, causing the engine to roar violently. Suddenly... It sounded as though something had scratched the tires of her car, and the car began to sink as she drove. Charmine frowned. The tires had punctured. She pulled on the emergency brake right away, but the tires made the car lose control and continue to speed forward, even as it ran over the sharp nails. Up ahead was the highway''s fence! Charmine''s face turned pale. Seeing that her car was about to run into the fence that was about ten meters tall, she frantically racked her brain for a few seconds before quickly removing her safety belt and opening the car door. The cold breeze blew, and the car was zipping incredibly fast. Without hesitation, Charmine jumped out of the car. Charmine fell onto the ground heavily and rolled a few times at the impact. She felt her bones aching all over. She was in so much pain that she almost fainted. Meanwhile, her luxury car rushed off the highway and plummeted, bursting into smoke and me with a resounding rev of its engine. Charmineid on the ground and felt as though a car had run over her. She was in a lot of pain. Warm liquid trickled down from her forehead and hairline, and it visibly trailed down to her fair neck. Charmine closed her eyes listlessly and tried to reach for her phone in her pocket to call for help...only to find out her pocket was empty. She vaguely remembered how she was too furious when she left home, and she had forgotten to bring out her phone. She could feel her head hurting more and more, and her consciousness began to dissipate as well... Was she dying here? No. Not happening. She must not die! Charmine''s eyelids shot eyes. She tried her best to stand back up on her feet and staggered to walk forward. Not far away from her, a ck car pulled over. With sunsses on his face, the driver stared in Charmine¡¯s direction. He initially thought she was dead when he saw her unconscious on the ground, but just as he was about to report on her status, he saw her climbing up and staggering forward. "Sh*t!" the man cursed and extinguished the cigarette in his hand. She survived after jumping out of a speeding car, huh? He would send her off himself, then! Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. The car''s headlights lit up as the car zipped right toward Charmine when... An army vehicle surpassed him and pulled over beside Charmine. Guy and Yvonne were on their way home when they happened to pass by, but they then spotted a familiar figure from afar. The figure looked like Charmine. Guy frowned, thinking he was hallucinating. Why would Charmine be in such a condition on a highway? chapter 1429 chapter 1429 To heck with that man! Guy always ruined her n! "Okay. That''s it, then," clipped Waverly, hanging up furiously afterward. Why was that Charmine b*tch so lucky to have survived everything?! She red outside the window evilly, her mind already brewing a plot... Guy carried Charmine into the hospital as he shouted, "Doctor! Doctor!" A few doctors rushed over and when they saw Charmine, shocked at the sight as they immediately arranged for her to be sent to the emergency room. Not far away, William had just recovered and was about to get discharged. 2 When he opened the door, he saw a few doctors quickly pushing a woman past him. He could not help ncing at the person on it, and he was petrified. Charmine? Why was it her? This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Why was she so severely injured? William chased after without second-guessing it. "She¡¯s my friend, and I¡¯m a doctor. Let me clean her wound." With that said, he pushed her into the operating room himself and started the operation. Guy, meanwhile, was outside the room, worried as he gazed at the tightly shut door. Why would Charmine drive on the highway alone and be so severely wounded? He clenched his fists and phoned Anthony. "Where are you?" Anthony, answering the call, frowned at Guy''s tone. What possessed this man to question him like that? He said coldly, "Do I need to report what I¡¯m doing to you?" "Charmine is severely hurt, don''t you know that? Is that how you''re going to treat her?" The mere image of how injured Charmine was red his anger. He cared about this woman so much and did not want to be her burden. He tried so hard to bury his love for her and even married another woman that he did not love! How was Anthony treating Charmine? "What did you say?" Anthony''s body stiffened. "At Royal Hospital. Come over, and you¡¯ll know," Guy growled and hung up angrily. Anthony shot up and rushed out toward his car, driving to the hospital so quickly that an hour''s journey only took him 30 minutes. Meanwhile, Charmine was finally moved from the emergency room to the regr ward. Sheid in bed, her face pale like snow. Her head was bandaged, one tainted with her bloodstains. Her originally wless face had a few more apparent scars. It was a shocking sight. Anthony looked at the fainted Charmine with disbelief before shifting his gaze to Guy, one that shifted into anger. "What happened to her? Why is she in such bad shape?" Guy asked furiously, "Shouldn¡¯t I ask you that instead? How did you treat her? She''s that close to dying when I saw her on the highway!" Anthony¡¯s heart tightened. He looked at Charmine, pained, but could not recall anything. Why would he let Charmine drive around the highway alone and let this happen? Seeing how clueless Anthony looked, Guy was even more furious. This had happened to Charmine, yet he had no clue? He clenched his fists tightly and snapped, "Anthony, do you think you can just leave her around like that just because you''re about to get married, and when she needed you the most, too?! Do you know how much she had given up because of you? She had faced so many unnecessary difficulties and went through so much! Are you going to treat her like this!?" 1 Even Yvonne could not stand what had happened and chimed in, "Anthony, I''m not going against you, but you''ve handled this terribly. How could you let her go through this alone? If we didn''t happen to run into her today, it would¡¯ve ended on a very, very bad note.¡± They both berated Anthony and eyed him usingly. Anthony''s face was extremely dark. chapter 1430 chapter 1430 William helped Charmine refill the intravenous as he reminded Anthony and Guy, "Ms. Jordan needs some rest. Don''t fight here." Anthony was already in a terrible mood, and since he did not want to disturb Charmine, he red at everyone else in the ward coldly. "Get out." Guy wanted to say something when William stopped him, "Leave him alone." Guy could only re at Anthony and walked out with Yvonne. Anthony sat by the bedside, aggrieved at the sight of a pale-faced Charmine. "Charmine..." He held onto her cold, small hands, his voice hoarse as he muttered, "What happened to you?" Why did this happen? He did not even have a slight recollection of what happened prior. Anthony reached out to caress her face, and after watching over her for a good while, he turned to leave. Just after a few steps, however, Guy stopped him. "So you¡¯re that bold to leave her in such a state after getting her?" 1 Anthony was only with Charmine for a few minutes, yet he was ready to leave! How could he leave Charmine alone in this cold hospital? Anthony red at him coldly. "This is between Charmine and me, and you, an outsider, shouldn''t step in." He then turned to the doctor''s office, where the doctor was sorting out his tasks. "What''s her current situation?" asked Anthony in a low voice. The doctor knew who he was talking about, thus he quickly responded," Ms. Jordan has bone fractures, all resulting when she jumped out of a fastmoving vehicle. This wouldn''t have happened if it''s a regr fall." N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Anthony squinted. She jumped out of the car? Why would she do that? What happened? Anthony instantly phoned Luke and instructed, "Investigate everything that happened after Charmine left Violet Residencest night.¡± "Yes, Sir!" obeyed Luka and immediately started investigating. A whileter, Anthony received a reply from him. "Madam left Violet Residence terribly angry, speeding along the highway as she drove. She didn''t notice the nails scattered on the road, however, and they punctured her tires, causing the car to lose control. She had to jump out of the car, just to survive." Anthony clenched his phone so tightly that his veins were showing. She was terribly angry? Why? It did not take long until he suddenly recalled everything. He broke the promise he made to her that afternoon. He...was responsible for what happened to her. It felt as though a sharp knife stabbed into his flesh. Anthony cursed to himself. How could he disappoint her and then cause her so much harm? All he wanted was to stay with her, to take care of her and make it up to her. He walked out of the hospital and happened to run into Jennie, who walked out of the opposite office. Jennie had, in fact, came to examine Frank, and she overheard what happened to Charmine. She looked at him coldly and smiled. "I told you. You won''t be able to give her happiness, and staying with her will only make her suffer. The side effects of the experiment aren''t as simple as you thought it was." 2 Anthony''s hands clenched tightly. His anger burned within him, but he was unable to fight back. Jennie continued, "This is just the beginning, though. How difficult would it be for her when you forget everything in the future? I¡¯d advise you to break up with her sooner-don''t make her suffer." "That''s none of your business!" Anthony scoffed and walked past her coldly. Jennie looked at his back and smiled mockingly, walking away in her heels. She wanted to see how long they wouldst. chapter 1431 chapter 1431 William just so happened to walk out of the ward to get water, and he overheard everything. Disbelief washed over him as he clenched the kettle handle tightly. His mother experimented on Anthony''s brain? The side effects of that experiment were dreadful. Why would the proud Anthony agree to this? Confused, William walked into Jennie''s office and opened the door. Jennie was just sitting down, and when she saw William, she asked calmly, "What is it?" William then questioned her, his tone frigid and unforgiving, "Mother, how could you be so selfish? You knew how bad the side effects are, so why did you experiment on Anthony?" Jennie was taken aback. Did he overhear them? Still, she fell back into what she was doing before-going through the documents nonchntly. "Why? We get what we want, and he''s just exacting his end of the deal. I didn''t force him to. He volunteered!" William frowned. "He is Charmine¡¯s partner, and you shouldn''t have experimented on him! You ruined Charmine''s life!" When Jennie heard this, she raised her cold eyes to look at him. "Since when are you in the ce to tell me what to do? Do you want me to be like you, running over to help the person who hurt you?" "Mother!" snapped William. "I treat her as a friend." Jennie scoffed. "Don''t think I don''t know what you''re thinking, William. I did this all for you!" "I don''t need you to!¡± William knew what she was thinking. However, even if Anthony broke up with Charmine because of this, Charmine would not be with him either. She was a loyal person. Jennie scoffed. "It doesn''t concern me whether you need me to or not. I''m just ying ording to my n." Overtaken with fury, William no longer wanted to stay in her office as he turned and left. 2 He always knew what kind of person his mother was. Out of guilt, he went back to the ward and found Guy and Yvonne no longer around. He looked at Charmine, who was in bed, and felt his feelings tangled with one another. Charmine fought with Anthony because of his amnesia, but Anthony¡¯s amnesia was caused by his mother... That basically meant that he was the one hurting Charmine. William remorsefully walked toward her bed and pulled up the nket over her form, and it just so happened that Anthony walked in,ing back after a smoke. He saw William taking care of Charmine carefully, and he frowned. William, upon noticing him, consciously stepped back. "Mr. Bailey, I¡¯ll leave Charmine to you." "Alright, thank you." Anthony paid him no mind as he walked to Charmine¡¯s bedside and sat. Guilt and hurt haunted him as he gazed at her, who was still unconscious. "The medications she needed are here," informed William. "I''ve already changed her IV, too, so remember to change it on time." "Okay." William then left, leaving only Anthony and the unconscious Charmine alone in the ward. Anthony''srge hands took Charmine''s cold, small hands into his as he gazed at her face. It used to be radiant with willfulness and beauty. It felt like his throat was burning. Gulping, he hoarsely muttered, "I''m sorry, Charmine..." s, his only response was Charmine''s shallow breathing. Anthony felt so bad, his intense gaze never wavered from her form. He stayed by her side. Not long after, however, Charmine¡¯s once peaceful expression morphed into pain, frowning as she looked hurt. "What''s wrong, Charmine? Where does it hurt?" Anthony, still holding onto her hands, pressed the emergency button." Doctor! Doctor!" Charmine''s face was extremely pale, seemingly suffering as cold sweat appeared on her forehead. William rushed into the ward urgently. Right away, he saw the tube on Charmine''s arm. The liquid above it was already empty, so her blood flowed backward into it and filled up half the bottle! "Mr. Bailey, you didn''t change the liquid for Ms. Jordan on time!" his heart sank as he spoke. He quickly reached out to feel Charmine''s forehead. It was hot! Since the blood had flown backward, Charmine fell into a dangerous state. Her immunity was going downhill rapidly. Coincidentally, the air even went into her body and caused embolism. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Should the air flow into her heart and if nothing was done, she would instantly die! chapter 1432 chapter 1432 Although Charmine sensed the difort and unconsciously twitched to notify her critical condition, her body had a high fever because of this. "Straight to the ER!¡± William quickly pushed Charmine into the emergency room. Anthony followed after them before standing stiffly outside the emergency room. William''s words loomed over him at that moment. He cursed to himself. He forgot something, again! He almost hurt Charmine, again! Anthony swung his fist powerfully against the wall, causing it to shake as though an earthquake had happened. Blood oozed down his hand as a result. Anthony did not seem to feel the pain, however, as he continued to punch the wall a few more times, seemingly taking out his anger with it. A nurse who happened to walk by spotted him, and she hastily spoke, "Sir, your hand...do you need it bandaged? You''re so severely hurt, and if you get infected-" Anthony nced at her coldly, startling the nurse so badly when she saw it that she wordlessly left, and in a hurry, at that. Two hourster, Charmine was pushed out of the emergency room. Anthony went up to ask, "How did it go?" "Her brain was almost affected, and she now has a fever. We need to monitor her body temperature constantly, so once it goes up, call for a doctor right away," said William. 2 "Okay..." Anthony nced at Charmine ruefully. Things would have been much better had it been him on that bed instead. He would rather suffer her pain, and a thousand-fold at that, instead of watching her suffer. Anthony was going to take care of her, but a doctor came over and said, " May I know who is rted to Ms. Jordan here? Could you make the payment, please?" Anthony took the bill, rushed down to pay it quickly, and rushed back up. William was still worried, so he stayed in Charmine¡¯s ward and looked after her. The moment Anthony opened the door, he saw William using a towel to carefully wipe Charmine¡¯s forehead, cheeks, and palms. William was so gentle to Charmine while he, other than causing harm to her, could not offer her anything. Anthony''srge hands clenched tightly as an idea, a thought, came to him. He took a deep breath and went in, saying, "Let me do it." William wordlessly handed him the cold towel, to which Anthony took gently dabbed Charmine¡¯s palms to dissipate her body heat. Anthony¡¯s desteness was stered on his face, and the blood staining his hands remained. He was severely hurt, but he did not seem to care. His entire body was weighed down with remorse and guilt. Looking at him, William recalled how this was all caused by his mother. " This is no big deal, Mr. Bailey," he reassured him. "This isn''t your fault, and Ms. Jordan won''t me you for it as well. As technology advances, amnesia can be treated." Anthony halted, and he looked at him. ¡®You knew what happened?" "Yeah," admitted William gently, still feeling guilty. "I overheard your conversation with my mother. I want to apologize to you on Charmine''s behalf." Anthony merely said, "We get what we want." However... Charmine had to suffer. He looked at Charmine and then said to William, "Don''t let her find out about this." William was baffled. "Why, Mr. Bailey? If you tell Ms. Jordan, she''ll be understanding and won''t get angry at you for your amnesia. This won''t happen again." "This willst a lifetime. I don''t want her to feel guilty and me herself for this," said Anthony. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. William sighed. "Don''t be too pessimistic. This illness can be treated after careful research." "Before I get treated, please help me keep this a secret," requested Anthony. 1 He wanted the best for her, and not for her to constantly worry about him. chapter 1433 chapter 1433 Seeing the resolve in Anthony¡¯s eyes, William felt powerless and said nothing else. At that moment, Anthony''s phone in his pocket rang. He took it out and noticed it was a call from his elite medical team. He squinted. He was aware of where he was, so he walked out to the balcony and answered the call. "What is it?" An elderly, solemn voice came from the other end of the line, saying, "Our sincere apologies, President Bailey... ording to the data from your brain examination, we can see that your brain is severely hurt, and there''s no cure for it..." Anthony squinted. "What you''re saying is...that''s it?" "Yeah..." The doctor shivered when he heard the way Anthony spoke, and it felt as though he was nketed in ice, but he continued, ''The symptoms will only get worse. I''m sorry, but we can''t help..." Anthony''s heart dropped. They were his only hope, yet they said they could not help... Hisrge, bony hand clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white. An aura of gloom and hopelessness came out of him, and he looked visibly depressed. Rooted at the balcony for a long while, Anthony eventually recollected himself and buried the loneliness in his eyes before turning back into the room. Inside the room, William was using a cold towel to carefully wipe the sweat off Charmine''s forehead and cheeks. His eyes were gentle and filled with concern. Anthony stopped right in his tracks. 1 William was utterly gentle with Charmine, and he merely wanted the best for her. He, on the other hand, could only hurt her and disappoint her... The symptoms were not that grave yet, and she was already hurt. What would happen to her when his symptoms worsened? Anthony gulped and seemed to have decided on a heavy ultimatum. He walked to William and sat down in front of him. He asked, "Do you still have feelings for Charmine?" William halted. Sensing as though he was too close to Charmine, he instantly put down the towel and exined, "Don''t take this wrongly, Mr. Bailey. I noticed that her temperature has gone up again, and I''m trying to lower her temperature." Anthony went straight to the point, however, as he spoke, "I''m not going to marry her, and I''ll no longer be with her. Be kind to her when I leave. Take good care of her, and don''t let anyone bully her. Don''t do her wrong." William reeled back in shock, thinking he was tripping. Anthony and Charmine had always had a strong rtionship! Why did he... William was stunned for a while before reacting, though still in disbelief at what he had heard. "Mr. Bailey, what are you talking about?" "You heard the phone call. Things will only worsen if I stay with her, but you can take good care of her." William, on the other hand, argued, "You''re the man she loves, while I only treat her as a friend. You don¡¯t have to leave her because of an illness." Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Anthony''s eyes darkened. An illness, he said? If it was any other illness, he would have stayed with Charmine regardless. Charmine, after all, was the woman he wanted. What he was facing, s, was amnesia. He could forget whatever she said to him constantly, and he would cause harm to her anytime... 2 Charmine had already suffered a lot in the past, and she did not have to suffer again-especially if it was because of him. "I''m being serious here," he affirmed, "and I''m not testing you. I''ll disappear from her life, and she''ll be very heartbroken, but please stay with her and take good care of her. The best way to move on from a rtionship is to start a new one." 1 William still wanted to refute Anthony''s ideas, but Anthony decisively remarked, "If you don''t treasure this opportunity, another man would be taking care of her once I leave." William frowned. "Are you sure?" chapter 1434 chapter 1434 If Anthony truly was leaving Charmine, William would want to stay and look after Charmine. Nheless, he would not court her as he stayed by her side. He would take care of her as a friend, hoping that she would not take it too depressingly. Furthermore, everything happened because of his mother, and William merely wanted to take care of Charmine to redeem her. Anthony looked straight at him. "Do you think I''d joke with a matter like this?" N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. William pursed his lips and thought for a few seconds before, finally, he nodded. "Okay, I promise you." Anthony then shifted his gaze to Charmine, pained and unwilling. He had no choice... If loving her meant he would hurt her in the process, he would rather not love her altogether. Anthony stayed by Charmine''s side and took care of her until daylight broke. He waited until her body temperature had returned to normal, and when she was about to wake up, he called for William. "You''ll take care of her from now on. Let me know when she wakes up. If she asks about me, just tell her that I never came." William sighed. "Mr. Bailey, you really don¡¯t have to hide this from her. If she finds out that you took care of her throughout the night, she won''t be mad at you." Anthony pursed his lips. This was why he had to be strict. Knowing her, she would be suspicious. Anthony muttered, "Just do as I said." William could not even say anything as Anthony left without turning back. Gazing at his retreating form, William then looked at Charmine, who was still in bed, and sighed heavily. They were so close in getting married, yet such a thing befell upon them... How upset would Charmine be when she woke up? Nheless, he took care of Charmine in the ward until she woke up that afternoon. She gradually opened her eyes, and the memories before she passed out slowly came back to her. She looked around and only saw William in her ward, looking at her emotionally. Her eyes dulled, unable to hide the disappointment in her eyes. Was Anthony not here? William noticed how crestfallen Charmine looked, yet he gently called out," You''re awake, Ms. Jordan. Do you feel any difort?" "No," responded Charmine hoarsely. "Did...Anthony note?" William buried the emotions that welled in his eyes as he replied, "No." Charmine''s heart sank, yet she persisted, "Is he busy now, or did he never show up? Is there something I should know?" William saw a glimmer of hope left in her eyes, and he did not want to say harsh words to her, but... Anthony had made up his mind, and William did not want to let him down. He thus said as he was told, "He knew about your situation, but when Mr. Granger and I called him, he said he was busy." "Cough...cough...cough...!¡± Charmine was so angry that her face turned pale. She choked and broke out into a coughing fit. That man! Him, busy? How busy was he? William quickly poured her a warm ss of water. ''Til call him now." The pale-faced Charmine, however, shook her head. "No need." If he truly did not want toe and thought that work was more important than her, what was the point of asking him toe? She did not need to beg for his attention. Charmine took a sip of water to soothe her chest, and she looked at William. ''Thank you, Mr. Peterson." "It¡¯s okay-just have a rest," said William. "I''ll now call the other doctor toe examine you." He thus left her ward, leaving Charmine still in bed. Her fingers curled up gradually. She once thought she was the person who understood Anthony the most in this world, but... chapter 1435 chapter 1435 Did Anthony stop loving her? Why did he propose to her, then? Why would he go against his family for her and say so many sweet things to her? When she could clearly feel the love in his eyes, why did he treat her like this? If he still loved her, why would he do this to her? He broke every promise he made, and he did not even follow after her to exin himself when she stormed out of the vi. She had an ident and almost lost her life, but he did not even show up! Could a man truly change after getting the girl he wanted? William walked out of the ward and called Anthony right away. "Ms. Jordan is awake now. Please come-she¡¯s been looking for you since she woke up." Anthony finally let out a sigh of relief, his tense face finally softening as he took his keys and rushed out...only a few steps. He stopped after recalling something. If he went over to see her right after she woke up, she would know he still cared about her. Anthony went back to the sofa, his eyes dulled as he lit a cigarette. His eyes looked past the smoke that wafted in the room and eyed the clock on the wall. The seconds felt like years, and he could only wait for time to pass... William brought a doctor to examine Charmine''s body. She was fine for the most part but still needed to remain for further observation. After the doctor had left, William saw how listless Charmine was, thus he blurted, "I called Mr. Bailey earlier, and he said he''ll being." Charmine''s cold heart jolted emotionally. He woulde to see her atst ...? Perhaps he did care about her, but since she was unconscious anyway, he went back to work as there was no point for him to stay? Perhaps he did that so he could spend more time with her once she woke up. Charmine''s lonely heart had a new sense of anticipation. If what she was assuming was true, she could understand. With that, Charmine waited for him in the ward. A half-hour wait turned into an hour of waiting, yet Anthony was nowhere to be seen. Charmine''s originally hope-filled eyes slowly turned dull and disappointed, and a mocking smirk appeared on her face. 1 What was she still waiting for? One time after another; she should have known better. William thought Anthony would have arrived by then, but when he came back in to refill the liquid for her, all he saw was Charmine. He frowned. "Is Mr. Bailey not here yet?" "No," came Charmine''s cool reply. Wary of what happened, William went back out to phone Anthony. "Mr. Bailey, are you busy? Why are you noting?" he asked. Anthony was working inside the study when he received the call. "Where to?" William¡¯s initial silence was followed by a sigh. It seemed that he had forgotten about this. "Ms. Jordan woke up an hour ago. I told her you wereing, and she waited," he exined. "She''s now disappointed because you''re not here." Anthony frowned, and he felt his heart ache. He repeatedly disappointed her, yet she still waited on him? This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. It seemed that the only thing he could give her was more disappointment. "I''lle now," he responded. "Okay, don¡¯t forget this time,¡± William reminded him. Anthony hung up and rushed to the hospital. When he arrived outside Charmine''s ward, he stopped. He stood coldly by the window of the ward and looked at the woman in bed. Charmine wasying in bed, and her face was very pale. Not only were the scars still bright on her face, but her usually bright eyes had lost their sparkle-they became lifeless. Anthony''s eyes were filled with sympathy. He wanted to rush in and hug her tightly, wanting to reassure her that he was here. At the thought of how everything was his fault, however... He clenched his fists and inhaled deeply before walking into the ward nonchntly. chapter 1436 chapter 1436 Charmine leaned against the headboard when she heard footstepsing her way. She turned over to see that it was Anthony, and her nk eyes began to twinkle. He was finally here. He would surely exin everything to her, right? She would forgive him as long as the exnation made sense. After all, after her near-death experience yesterday, she realized that there was nothing in life more important than staying alive. Furthermore, he was so immersed in work to spend more time with her after their wedding ceremony. He was so tired, and she should have been more understanding. She must not be so unreasonable. Charmine then noticed how he silently sat by the side, and she frowned." Are you busy?" she began. "Not really," replied Anthony apathetically. That caused Charmine to pause and look at him in confusion. He was not busy after all? Why did he not rush over to see her, then? Just as Charmine grew suspicious, Anthony eventually said, "Let''s break up, Charmine." At that moment, Charmine heard a loud buzz in her head. Her head went nk, and she looked at him impassively. "What did you say?" Anthony felt a pang in his chest the moment he saw how pale she had gotten, but he forced himself to remain steely, frigid as he clenched his fists. "I¡¯m just as they said-l don''t mind losing you, now that I''ve gotten you. I don¡¯t want to cherish you," he remarked. "Every man is like this, and I''m no exception. You''re too cold, and I like cute women like Faye now. It''s less tiring." Charmine could not believe what she just heard. He once said that he liked how confident and proud she was, but he oh-so suddenly said it was tiring to be with her? i Anthony ignored the hurt in her eyes as he ruthlessly continued, "I treated you so well in the past to tame your proud temperament. Now that I won your heart, I got bored. Do you know why I keep disappearing in the past few days?" Charmine looked at him, stumped. Anthony''s fists were so tightly clenched that his veins protruded, but his expression remained tranquil throughout his speech. "Since you¡¯re ready to officiate our rtionship, you became so eager. You cooked, took care of the kid...but I want a stunning woman, not a maid. Furthermore, you became overly attached, calling me from time to time, and it tired me so much. It¡¯s as if I¡¯m being monitored. You''re annoying. I don¡¯t even want to get married anymore, so that''s why I escape by loading myself with work." 1 Charmine felt attacked. Her eyes etched deeply with pain widened, and she seemed painfully lost. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Was this a nightmare? Why else would Anthony treat her in such a way and say harsh things to her? The man who used to be willing to give up his life for her, merely wanted to tame her and ditch her afterward? Charmine still could not believe everything he had said. It was only after a long while did she feebly speak, "Anthony, is what you''re saying...true?" That was it? The reason why he kept running away from her, noting home, and breaking his promises was because he got bored of her and did not want to get married? "Yes," responded Anthony coldly, his handsome face stoic as he did. Charmine''s eyebrows furrowed sharply. She red at him with disbelief. It was then she spotted his clenched fists. It was apparent that he was hiding something. She did not believe that he was this kind of man. He must be hiding something from her! She red at him and asked, "Anthony, are you hiding something from me? Is there something you can¡¯t tell me? You can tell me anything! There''s nothing we can''t conquer in the world if we work together." "No!" Anthony scoffed at her, sounding impatient. "I came here to break up with you. Nothing else." With that, he turned and walked away. Charmine looked at his back and felt everything seemed surreal. If he left her now, she would lose him forever... She ignored everything else as she ripped out the needles from her arm and, not bothering to put on her shoes, ran after him with bare feet. When she opened the door, she saw Anthony standing before the lift. She rushed toward him and called out, "Anthony...!" Anthony, meanwhile, acted so coldly as if he did not hear her. chapter 1437 chapter 1437 Anthony did not dare turn back, only daring enough to nce from the corner of his eyes how Charmine ran toward him, bare feet, and blood dripping down her arm. He clenched his fists tightly. His body was so tense that his temples pulsated intensely. God knew how badly he wanted to turn to her, how badly he wanted to hug her. s, but all he could offer was a silent apology... He could not give her a future. A pain that wouldst only a short while was better than agony that lingered longer. Everything would be alright once they got past the storm. Charmine would not have to live her life with him burdening her... With that in mind, he tried his best to mask the pain in his heart and walked into the lift coldly. Charmine stood before the closed elevator doors, barefoot as blood dripped down onto the white floor. It was a heartbreaking sight. She watched as the elevator descended a few floors, and her heart sank just as deeply. It felt as if her heart was forcefully removed from her, and it ripped her from within. She quickly pressed the button for another lift, but the numbers were far apart. Thinking of how she might never see Anthony again once he left, her heart clenched as she started running for the stairs...before suddenly losing her bnce in her listlessness. Just as she was about to crash onto the floor, a strong arm caught her by her waist... William hugged her and frowned at the sight of the wound on her arm. He felt hurt and worried. "Don¡¯t run anymore, Ms. Jordan. Your wound is more important." "Let go of me...!" She then coughed. Charmine tried to free herself from his grasp, but as she had overexerted her energy, her breathing labored and she ran out of breath. William quickly helped her back to the ward and got the oxygen mask ready. Anthony went inside the lift. The moment the lift door shut, he leaned on the wall listlessly as if he had used up all of his energy. It felt as though a sharp de pierced through his heart and wounded it severely. He had to say such harsh words to her, and it pained him a thousand times more than it did to her. i ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . However, he truly had no other choice than this. He believed that Charmine would not linger on a hopeless romance for too long. She was an independent woman, and love was never her whole world. Anthony returned to Violet Residence and instructed Luke, "Pack up all my belongings. Don''t leave anything behind." He should not stay in this vi anymore since he had broken up with her. Although he was baffled, Luke obeyed hismand and had his men do as they were told. Chris, meanwhile, was sitting on the sofa as he suspiciously looked at Anthony. "Daddy, why are we moving away?¡± What happened? Why did he feel that his father was significantly depressed ever since he returned this morning? Moreover, Charmine had yet to return for a day! Anthony looked at him and said, "Would you want to see your Mommy getting hurt?" Chris shook his head without hesitation. "No." It was then something clicked at the back of his mind as Chris hastily questioned, "Daddy, did something happen to her?¡± Why was she absent from the vi for so long? Anthony pursed his lips and said, "She had a serious car ident." Chris'' face straightened, and his tiny face scrunched in worry. "I want to see her!" Anthony pulled back his arm and snapped, "No!" "Why not?" Chris stared at him with his doe, watery eyes. Why was Anthony so heartless? Anthony looked at him and exined, "I¡¯ve broken up with your Mommy. I''m facing a few troubles of my own now, and it almost got her killed. I might seriously put her in danger at this rate. Didn''t you say that you don''t want to see her getting hurt?¡± Chris still did not understand. Why would his Daddy hurt his Mommy if he stayed with her? chapter 1438 chapter 1438 Anthony knew that a child like Chris would not understand what was happening, thus he summed it all up, saying, "I nearly cost her her life. If she stays with me, she''ll only get hurt. Leaving me will give her a better future." Chris was visibly distressed at what he was hearing, but to keep Charmine from getting hurt, he had to nod and agree, "Okay... I understand, Daddy. I''ll leave with you." Anthony looked at him and said, "Go up and pack your things." Chris nodded and dejectedly headed upstairs. He knew his father still loved his Mommy, and that she still loved him a lot. He must not see them breaking up. Meanwhile, at the hospital... Charmine slowly regained herposure, lying in bed as doubt and despair loomed over her. She could not believe that the man she thought she would spend the rest of her life with would suddenly break up with her. The mere thought of what he had said to her, angered her again. What gave him the right to say such things? He thought he could be with her whenever he wanted to, and leave her whenever? Was she a toy to him? Charmine was never one to be weak. Charmine instantly pressed the bell to call for someone, but it was William who came in. He looked at her and asked gently, "Ms. Jordan, do you feel any difort?" "No," said Charmine. "Help me remove these devices on me. I want to be discharged." William frowned. "Ms. Jordan, you haven''t recovered. You can''t be discharged." This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Charmine scoffed. "Isn''t it the patient¡¯s free will to stay in the hospital?" William knew how stubborn she could be, and if he did not clean her wounds, she would leave in this state. Without much of a choice, he removed the devices attached to her and cleaned her wounds, reminding, "If you feel any difort, call me right away." Charmine nodded and turned to leave. When she returned to Violet Residence, she found out that the vi was empty. It was as if half of the vi had been cleared out. Anthony''s and Chris'' belongings were gone. The entire vi was so cold and clean, just like how it was when she first moved back to Burlington. It was as if everything was just a dream, that nothing had happened. Charmine clenched her fists. Hurt and rage stormed within her. What happened to Anthony? He wanted to break up that badly? Did he even ask for her permission? The rage she held back within her suddenlybusted. She turned and left the vi, speeding toward the Bailey mansion, the speedometer needle pointing to the furthest right, i She arrived at the Bailey mansion, where the gates were tightly shut. No one was even walking around thepound. She came before the door and rang the bell, yelling, "Come out here, Anthony! Are you even a man? You didn''t even rify everything! Why are you hiding?!" Sitting in the living room, Anthony¡¯s brows knitted tightly together as he heard her voice. She was so severely hurt, yet she got herself discharged? Inhaling deeply, he could no longer hold it back as he stood up and walked out. When he opened the door, his originally concerned face instantly turned frigid, uncaring as he eyed Charmine emotionlessly. "Yes?" Charmine''s eyes reddened as she red at him. "What are you doing, Anthony? Do you really want to break up?" shembasted him. "What makes you think we''ll break up just because you said so? Am I something you can push and pull whenever you want to?!" Anthony merely shot her an apathetic nce. "We break up when feelings are no longer present. Isn¡¯t this normal? Ms. Jordan, you¡¯ve always had many suitors, so why won''t you just leave?" chapter 1439 chapter 1439 ''Ms. Jordan¡¯? He called her ''Ms. Jordan¡¯ before she even agreed to the breakup? Charmine''s already ashen face turned paler at that, but her re aimed at him remained. "No more feelings, you say? You don''t feel anything for me anymore, huh? Why are your fists so tightly clenched, then? Why do your eyes look so tormented? What happened, exactly? I don¡¯t believe you¡¯re this kind of person-" "Ms. Jordan!¡± Anthony snapped at her before she could even finish. "My fists are clenched because you annoy me! We¡¯re both adults here, and I¡¯m sick of this. I don''t want to face this anymore, so let¡¯s just break up. Why force myself to be with someone I don¡¯t love? You¡¯ve always been decisive, Ms. Jordan, so I hope you can be more casual now." With that said, he detached himself from his intricate web of feelings, and his eyes became cold and emotionless. "It disgusts me how you¡¯re still trying to cling onto this rtionship!" Charmine''s face jolted. She never would have thought he would use that word against her-''disgust''. The man who used to hug her and told her that he would love her forever, found her disgusting now? Charmine raised her hand and pped Anthony''s face loudly. Susan, who was upstairs, happened to be walking to the staircase and saw this. The sight made it feel like her blood rushed backward, and she hissed, "What are you doing, Charmine?!" Susan arrogantly marched down and walked toward her in her heels. Anthony saw how furious Susan looked, and his eyes turned darker. His mother would not miss out on this opportunity to scorn Charmine. He looked at Charmine, and his eyes turned cold... As though furious that she pped him, his tongue soothed his cheek from the inside while he red at her emotionally. "Get out." Charmine was mystified as she met his eyes. She would never have expected Anthony, who once made her his entire world, would look at her so coldly, so emotionlessly. While she was petrified, Susan came before her and pushed her away. "Did you not hear all that, Charmine? Anthony wants to break up with you! Are you deaf, or do you not understand human language?" Charmine was taken aback as she staggered a few steps due to the push. Susan red at Charmine as she ridiculed, "Can''t you just let go of my Anthony? You''re not even good enough for him! You should know your ce! Anthony''s been ying for long enough, and you should be honored he even stuck around. Since he doesn''t want you now, why bother sticking to him? Are you that shameless?" 1 Charmine''s face turned pale, and it felt like her heart was stabbed as she heard Susan''s words. Was Anthony merely ying with her feelings, after all? Charmine instinctively turned to look at Anthony, wanting to search for even a tinge of reassurance in him but was only met with a stone-cold face. He acted as if he heard nothing and allowed Susan to insult her. Her breathing abruptly stopped. Did he truly stop loving her? In the past, he would not have permitted anyone to speak to her with such a tone, even if it was his mother. 1 Anthony met her eyes and said coldly, "We''ve made it clear. Do you still want to stay here? You''re so clingy and bothersome-it annoys me!¡± 2 With that said, Anthony faced her with his back, his face was cold. "Anthony..." Charmine could not hold herself back from questioning, "Are you sure we¡¯re breaking up for real?" Anthony, who was walking up the stairs, stopped. He did not turn back, though his hands at his side clenched. "Yes," came his cold, final ultimatum. 1 Susan scoffed. "Is that clear enough? Can you get out of our property now?" Charmine merely nced at Susan coldly, but her gaze lingered on Anthony longer. Seeing his clenched fists, however, made it feel as though he was hiding something...Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. chapter 1440 chapter 1440 Charmine wanted to speak, but Susan had already called for security, ordering, "Send this woman out! From now onward, she has nothing to do with us. If she shamelessly rings the bell again, kick her out!" The security stared at Charmine and made a gesture to ask her to leave." Ms. Jordan, please don''t make it hard for me." Susan crossed her arms and elegantly watched as Charmine was made to leave. Ha! That shallow woman deserved this. This is justice for how she threatened her the other day! An ignorant woman, Charmine was! Charmine came out of the Bailey mansion. It was as if the skies knew she was wronged that mist nketed the area and the gates of heaven unleashed a downpour. She stood before the gate nkly and watched as the security shut the gate. Charmine looked up at Anthony¡¯s room and noticed him standing at his window, looking at her coldly. After meeting her eyes, he instantly turned away and pulled the curtains shut. Charmine was bewildered. She was not sure if she was just seeing things, but she could clearly make out a look of concern and desperation in his gaze when she looked at him. Was he hiding something from her? She refused to believe that the man she loved was this sort of person. She refused to believe that the Anthony Bailey who loved her so dearly would stop loving her just like that! i Biting her lip, the reluctant Charmine mmed her palms against the gate." Anthony,e back out! Let''s talk!" Silence. Other than the heavy rainfall, there was no response. Charmine stood before the gate alone, not wanting to leave. She was drenched from head to toe, and her head grew heavier by the minute. Despite that, she still remained and gazed at Anthony''s room upstairs. If he still cared for her, he would not want her to stand under the rain, especially since she had not recovered. He woulde out if he still cared...and she would gamble on that. A luxury car pulled over before the mansion, and out came William, gazing at the soaked Charmine with a frown and hurt in his eyes. He took out an umbre and rushed toward her quickly. Despite growing dizzier and vision turning bleary, Charmine could hear the unmistakable sound of footstepsing her way. She thought it was Anthony, and her eyes almost lit up. He still cared, after all? She stared at the gate intently when, all of a sudden, an umbre hovered above her. Charmine turned to see it was instead William before her, and her hope vanished at that instant. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . "You haven''t recovered, Ms. Jordan. You can''t be in the rain," reminded William. "This will worsen your fever!" Charmine slowly shifted her gaze toward Anthony''s window. "I refuse to believe that he doesn''t care about me anymore. He¡¯lle out!" William merely sighed. He continued to hold the umbre over her head, waiting for her as he said nothing else to convince her. Charmine stood before the gate under the rain for half an hour, yet the mansion was still quiet. Nobody came out to see her. Her heart sank deeply. This entire experience agonized her. Was this it forthem? She did not want to go. She still cared for him, and she knew he still loved her! He must have been hiding something from her, and she had to ask him in person! Despite the pep talk Charmine gave to herself, her fever had worsened as she had been out in the rain for far too long. Her face turned pale, and she grew limp. She took a deep breath and called out for Anthony again when, out of the blue, she felt a loud buzz. A wave of odd relief washed over her as she fell backward, i William quickly caught onto her. "Ms. Jordan...!" chapter 1441 chapter 1441 Charmine had fainted. William''s heart sank when he felt her hand burning, and he instantly took her into his arms. It was then he looked up at the mansion and saw a concerned Anthony standing at the balcony. Wordlessly, William carried Charmine into his car and left. Anthony watched on from the balcony. It agonized him when he saw Charmine waiting in the rain. There were so many instances when he wanted to rush down to hug her in his arms, but recalling how it would only hurt her if they got back together, he had to clench his fists instead. Anthony looked up at the gloomy sky and lowered his eyelids. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. All that mattered was everything would turn out fine for her. 1 She might be heartbroken at the moment, but she would eventually forget him. This short-term pain was better than him disappointing her every day... 1 Anthony went back to his room and, opening a bottle of liquor with high concentration, chugged it all down, i Charmine was sent back to the hospital and straight to the emergency room once again. Somehow, news about her breakup with Anthony was spread. Her four mogul-uncles as well as Guy learned about it. They all rushed to the hospital quickly. Knowing that Charmine was injured because of this and with her in the emergency room, they were all furious. Uncle Larry growled, "Curse that Anthony! I knew he wasn''t a good man- he let Charmine work on the wedding all by herself. That''s a dealbreaker for me!" Uncle Maxined, "What a douche! He hurt Charmine, and now he''s hiding at home?" Uncle Pop rolled up his sleeves. "No, I can¡¯t stand this anymore. I want to cut this man into pieces!" Uncle Zul agreed, saying, "We don''t even dare to berate Charmine like that. How dare he hurt her like this? Let''s go!" The four of them left furiously. Guy, seeing how all four of them were leaving and fearing idents might happen, quickly followed them. Furthermore, he had things to say to Anthony, too. Charmine had given up so much for him. He should not have treated her like that. When the five of them arrived at the Bailey mansion, they rang the bell furiously. "Show yourself, Anthony Bailey!" Anthony had seen them from upstairs. He knew he could not avoid them any longer, so he put down the bottle, washed away the smell of alcohol, and changed into a clean set of clothes. As he got downstairs, he then sat on the sofa and removed himself from all emotions he should not be seen with. He casually picked up the financial newspapers and read them nonchntly. The butler opened the door. The four Uncles rushed inside furiously, and the sight of Anthony casually reading the newspapers angered them even more. "Charmine is in the emergency room at the hospital, and you''re still in the mood to read the news now?" snapped Uncle Zul. "You¡¯re such a douche!¡± yelled Uncle Larry. "Charmine had given up so much for you, and she even arranged for the wedding all by herself! Argh!" Seeing how indifferent Anthony was, Uncle Pop growled, "Hey, you! Our Charmine isn¡¯t someone you can y with! Go back now and kneel to apologize to Charmine!" i Uncle Max felt like wanting to detonate the Bailey mansion. "We won''t take any money for compensation. You hurt Charmine, and we won''t let you go so easily!" They scowled and rolled up their sleeves, about to rush forward. Anthony saw how furious they were, but he still acted indifferently. It was as if he was not part of this as he said nonchntly, "None of you have the right to step into matters between Charmine and me. Furthermore..." He remained a calm face as he said coldly, "There¡¯s no point in forcing love. I no longer love her, so isn¡¯t it normal to break it off with her if so? If she can''t let go and punish herself for that, what does that have anything to do with me? Did I cause the ident? Did I make her stand under the rain when she had a fever? I made it clear, I don''t love her anymore-" Thomp! Guy could not bear listening to what Anthony wanted to continue as he walked forward and punched him. chapter 1442 chapter 1442 Guy red at Anthony angrily. "How could you say something so harsh?" Back then, Anthony would get all worked up whenever Charmine spoke to him, but all of a sudden, he did not even care about her livelihood. He made it sound as if he was right in doing that! The force of Guy''s punch swung Anthony''s face to the side. Anthony¡¯s expression turned so dark that he stood up to swing at Guy, causing him to fall onto the floor. He stared down at Guy as he coldly remarked, "Get out. If you truly love her, go and take care of her. Don''t waste your time here!" Anthony had read what was on Guy¡¯s mind, and his face turned pale. The four men did not expect Anthony to be such a real douche. As they went forward to speak, Anthony red at them and said coldly," This is between Charmine and me, and we''ll sort it out. You''re not in the ce to question it." With that said, he coldly turned back upstairs to tell the butler, "Kick them out." The five of them refused to leave...until Uncle Zul''s phone rang. It was William calling. "Hurry,e back. Ms. Jordan woke up!" With that, all five of them shot Anthony a murderous re. "Watch your back! We''ll return once Charmine is in a stable state!" "How dare you hurt Charmine! Your Bailey Corporation will be over soon!" With that said, the five of them rushed out. Charmine was already conscious when all five of them got back to the hospital. She looked as if she was half dead as sheid in bed listlessly. The scars were still visible on her face- they were more apparent in contrast to her fair skin. The four Uncles gazed at her in pain. Uncle Max clenched his fists and stormily remarked, "Don''t worry, Charmine. We''ll help you cut that man in pieces. We''ll make sure Bailey Corporation meets its end!" The other three men nodded in agreement. "Yeah, he won''t have it easy! He''ll regret doing this to you!" What a jerk. Charmine, however, looked at them calmly and merely shook her head. "No need... I know everyone wants the best for me, but this is between us both. We''ll sort it out ourselves." The four of them exchanged looks. They still would not let that man go unscathed. "You don''t have to worry about this, Charmine!" insisted Uncle Pop. "We''ll make sure he gets on his knees and apologizes to you!" "Yeah!¡± said Uncle Larry. "I''ll put a stop to all the orders hispany has. He won''t have any business since he''s so busy now!" "I''ll blow up his mansion!" seethed Uncle Max. Uncle Zul barked, "I''ll make sure he has no children and grandchildren!" The other three quietly looked over at him with admiration. Uncle Zul was the most powerful of all! All four of them began to leave, actually making do of what they had dered, much to Charmine''s worry. Knowing them well, they would do what they had said! ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . If they truly did what they had said, her already tormented rtionship with Anthony would only worsen. Even Grandma Bailey who supported them would hate her for this! There would be no more hope for her rtionship with Anthony to be mended at that point. Before she could stop them, she felt a buzz in her head, followed by an explosive pain overwhelming her head. "Argh..." she moaned out of pain as she held onto her head. The four Uncles saw how much in pain she was, and they all panicked. They all went back to the bed and asked worriedly, "Charmine, what''s the matter?" Guy took out the originally prepared needle and stabbed it in his own arm. He exined, "She¡¯s not recovered yet. She still has a ten minute-migraine every day and needs to be treated." He then waited for the right amount of time and retrieved the needle, about to prick into Charmine¡¯s arm with it. However, the pale-faced Charmine pulled back her arm, frowning as she looked at the four men. "Don''t step in. Otherwise, I refuse to get treated." "Ms. Jordan..." Guy looked at her worriedly. Charmine insisted, allowing herself to be overwhelmed by the pain in her head. The four of them exchanged looks hopelessly. They knew Charmine well enough to know that whatever she set her mind to, nobody could change it. Furthermore, feelings were even more unpredictable... chapter 1443 chapter 1443 Seeing how Charmine''s pain only worsened, the men could onlypromise. "Okay, okay, we won''t step in! Hurry and get treated!" Only then did Charmine stretch out her arm and allowed Guy to prick the needle into her arm. Her migraine slowly eased off afterward. Her already pale face was even paler at that moment. There was no life in her cheeks. "Let her get some rest," reminded William sorrowfully. Bringing everything up to her would only make her feel worse. All of them knew this as well, so they gradually left. Charmine nked out for the rest of the day after they left her. She did not eat anything and instead recalled the times she had with Anthony. She could not believe how a man who once loved her so much would leave her out of the blue... William saw how she had lost so much weight, and it hurt him. However, no matter what he said, the food he came in with would be taken out by the nurse in the end. The next morning, William came in with breakfast, saying, "Ms. Jordan, please get some food. You shouldn¡¯t be torturing your body this way." Charmine looked at him nkly and merely shook her head. "I¡¯m not hungry. Thanks." William wanted to say something else, but Charmine insisted, "Mr. Peterson, I want to be alone." The helpless William sighed and walked out with the food. When he shut the door, he took out the phone to call Anthony. "Ms. Jordan is still not eating," he began. He had been taking care of Charmine for the past two days. He would do as Anthony said and reported back to him on how Charmine was doing. Anthony held on to the phone tightly as hurt welled in his eyes. Inhaling deeply, he said, "Okay." William asked, "Mr. Bailey, why don''t youe over to the hospital to visit her?" Anthony inhaled the cigarette and narrowed his eyes. Of course, he wanted to...but everything he did would go to waste if he showed up. 1 Anthony extinguished the me and said, "No need. Justfort her some more." The hopeless William sighed. "She won¡¯t listen to what I say!" "Then, let her be," responded Anthony. Even though he wanted to go over, he had to hold himself back. It was not easy to havee to this point. He must not ruin things at this stage. Inside the ward. Charmine spent a few minutes on her own when, all of a sudden, the phone rang. There was a faint glint of hope in her dull eyes as she hastily got up and walked toward the phone. Was it Anthony calling her? Was he going to exin to her? That he had some reasons he was hiding when breaking up with her, or perhaps he was forced to do so? s... N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Charmine picked up the phone to realize it was an unknown number. Her eyes dulled in disappointment, but she epted it nheless. "May I speak to Ms. Jordan?" A polite woman''s voice was heard. ¡®This is TY Hotel calling. Would you like to look at the venue you have booked? We''ve finished decorating it for your wedding tomorrow. May I confirm the total number of guests? Are there any changes? We can amodate some changes." Charmine''s heart skipped a beat. Hotel...wedding... She narrowed her eyes and said, "Give me some time. I''ll reply to you tonight." "Okay." Charmine hung up and held onto the phone tightly, the hurt storming within her. She was supposed to have her wedding with Anthony tomorrow, but... She thought of how decisive Anthony was and felt a sharp pang at her chest. 1 They have had so many near-death experiences, and they went through so much. How could he stop loving so abruptly? No. She should try again-onest time. She would forever regret it if she did not try once more. chapter 1444 chapter 1444 Charmine calmed down for a while and unlocked her phone to call Anthony. His phone, s, was obviously turned off. Gripping the phone tightly, Charmine decided to run out of the hospital behind William''s back. She packed her things and went straight to the Bailey mansion. However, no matter how much she rang the bell, nobody came out. Even the butler could not stand it, so he walked out to tell her, "Please stop, Ms. Jordan. President Bailey truly isn''t home. He went to thepany early in the morning." Charmine frowned at that but drove to hispany nheless. It was as if the security team had been instructed that they barred her from entering the building. Charmine demanded, ''Tell Anthony that I want to see him. Is he even a man? How can he hide from this?" The security guard was put in a difficult situation. "I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Jordan. We don''t have the right to speak to the president." Utterly irked, Charmine asked, "Is he working upstairs now?" "Yes, Madam." Charmine pursed her lips, and her expression turned steely. If he did not permit her to enter the building, she would wait for him where he would pass by, then. She would wait until she spotted him. She knew he would not be able to spend his entire life hiding in thepany! Charmine waited for him in her car and pulled over at the special driveway for thepany''s president. During the peak hour in the afternoon, cars drove out from the parking lot, but no car drove out of the special driveway. Charmine waited in her car with her sunsses on. She had been keeping a close watch on everything. Why was Anthony not out yet? Did he know she was waiting for him here? For goodness'' sake! Well, she was to me for driving a car that he recognized. If he had already seen her car, there was no point for her to wait for him here. Charmine was fighting her frustration when she finally spotted a Junebach car driving out. It was Anthony''s car! Her eyes lit up, and she immediately gave chase. Unfortunately, as it was already peak hour, there were already seven to eight cars between them. What served as a bigger frustration was the traffic light. Anthony''s car already went through while she still had to wait 60 seconds... Charmine was exasperated as she watched Anthony¡¯s car fading from her view, and a minuteter, she could not even spot him! She stepped on the gaspletely, and her car shot out like an arrow. The engines of her car revved loudly as her car vanished from sight. In the junction ahead, Charmine made a rapid turn and finally saw the Junebach not far from her. Her red lips curled up. She pressed down the pedal all the way once again and zipped past every other car. When she passed Anthony''s car, she noticed Anthony nkly looking ahead as he drove. He was cold and elegant as usual, as if nothing could get his attention. Charmine lordly flew past him and turned her steering wheel. With a loud screech, her car interceded his horizontally. When Anthony saw the car abruptly pulled over in front of him, he could tell it was Charmine''s car right away. He panicked and stopped the car right away. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. The two cars were just a few centimeters from crashing onto one another! His heart dropped, but he quickly wiped off the concern from his face and red at the car in front of him coldly instead. Charmine sighed in relief as she managed to barricade his car. When she turned to see Anthony inside the car, she saw how furious he seemed. He seemed to be pissed that she blocked his path...or he was angry at her for worrying him instead? It did not matter. Charmine took out the thing she had prepared and went out of her car. Anthony, however, remained in his car. He shot her a cold re and spoke harshly, "If you don''t want to live, don''t drag me or other innocent lives down with you!" Charmine was caught off short. Was he still so heartless? Since she already came, she would give it onest shot. chapter 1445 chapter 1445 Charmine shrugged off Anthony''s mean-spirited words and opened the delicate box she had at hand. Inside the box was a very unique and beautiful diamond ring. Under the sunlight, the jade let out an eye-catching glow. Since the cars were all blocked, the car owners got out to watch what was happening. When they saw the diamond ring, everyone held their breaths in shock. Was this not the internationally known Alexandria Diamond Ring? They were the couple who won the bid for this ring back then? Those who bought this ring would not expose their identities just to stay alive. If they broke up, the contract made it clear that they had to repay it with their own lives. The car owners surrounded them to watch. Anthony narrowed his eyes on her. What... What was she doing? Outside his car, Charmine looked at Anthony and said, "Anthony, we¡¯vee this far and been through so much. I know you have reasons for doing what you''re doing to me now, and it''s okay. I don''t care how mean you can be-l won''t let go of our rtionship so easily. You proposed to me in the past, so this time, I''ll propose to you!" As she spoke, Charmine lifted the ring and got on one knee. "Anthony, let''s not waste any more time. Let''s stay together, okay?" she earnestly spoke. Everyone gasped. How unbelievable! "Wow! Is she proposing?" "Wait. Isn''t that the Bailey family''s heir, President Anthony Bailey? Isn''t that Charmine Jordan, too?" "The two of them knew each other?" "Charmine is proposing to Anthony? Oh my god! What is this?" "Charmine is so sincere? Have they been through a lot?" Everyone was instantly interested. More cars stopped by at this point, and everyone watched both her and Anthony. Charmine did not take her eyes off of Anthony. She believed that with so many people watching them, he would not make it hard for her. Furthermore, she believed he knew the significance of this ring more than she did. He would not turn her down at this rate. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Still... Anthony frowned at her, and his heart hurt badly. She actually did such a thing... He was the one who did all the chasing and courting in the past. She had been the arrogant one back then, but all of a sudden, she went on one knee in front of him at that very moment... His emotions were stirred, and all he wanted to do was to rush out of the car to hug her. However... Anthony thought of his illness and devoid himself of the emotions in his eyes, ring at her darkly instead. "Ms. Jordan, how many times do I have to tell you that I don''t have anything to keep from you?" he clipped. "I stopped loving you, and that¡¯s that! There is no love left! It''s not asplicated as you think! Please, stop bothering me!" His tone was cold and clear. Charmine''s originally anticipating face instantly went pale. She even brought out this ring to propose to him, yet it did not even tug at his heartstrings? Despite feeling like her heart was stabbed, Charmine continued, "What about the ne?" She took out the ne around her neck. "Didn''t you say this ne represents our love? Once it''s on, there¡¯s no way of us breaking up. Along with the ring, we signed the Devils'' Contract. Aren''t you afraid of your heart being taken away?" Anthony looked at the moon-shaped pendant hanging around her neck. His eyes went darker. Instantly, he donned a cold smirk. "You took it so seriously? Did I not tell you that I¡¯m the President of ELVNX as well as the Director of the Monster¡¯s Museum? All the words were said solely for marketing purposes. There¡¯s nothing significant about them-they¡¯re used to getting into the heads of women like you!¡± i Charmine jolted. What did he say?! chapter 1446 chapter 1446 "Also..." Anthony looked at the ring in Charmine''s hand and smiled apathetically. " Even if I''m not the president, I''d rather them take my heart and kill me than stay with you.¡± Vroom! Charmine¡¯s head felt like it exploded. Her expression faltered into sheer disbelief and became sorely pale. Anthony actually said that the significance of the ring and ne was nonsense? He even said he would rather die than stay with her? Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. These pieces she thought were precious ended up being small tools for him to y her for a fool! Anthony saw how shattered Charmine was, but it did not startle him. He, instead, nced at her coldly with disgust in his eyes. "I merely liked your beauty and felt like taming your arrogance. Now that you''re so ugly with scars everywhere, and so eager to boot, who¡¯d like you? You disgust me now. This is why I don''t want you anymore." His every word sounded harrowingly heartless. Thinking of something, he looked at her ring and added, "Oh, right. This ring is jade green during the day and turns into red ruby at night. Back when I bought it, I was already hinting at you that love is like this ring-it won''tst! Isn¡¯t it funny how foolish you are, hmm?¡± i The way he hummed in the end even ached his own heart. "Anthony Bailey!" Charmine looked at him incredulously, unable to believe that he could say such heartless things to her. Anthony did not seem to care as he raised his chin to point in the direction of the car ahead. "Don''t waste my time. Move the car." i The onlookers then began to poke fun at the situation. "So, it was Charmine, not wanting to end things?" "Makes sense. Why would Anthony Bailey like her at all? His fiancee is Waverly D''Cruz! Who is she topete with?" "He''s just fooling around, yet she took it seriously?¡± "Julian had dumped this woman in the past, and now she''s living as a homewrecker? How shameless!" 1 Charmine looked at the ring in her hand and, hearing thements around her, felt like a joke herself. Gazing at Anthony''s aloof side profile only squeezed her heart. Since everything hade to this stage, it should alle to an end. She should move on. She stood back upright and, right in front of him, removed the ring from her finger, her burning gaze directed his way. "If this ring is no longer significant, there''s no need for it to exist." With that said, she tossed it into the area under the bridge. That did not stir any other reaction from Anthony, apart from him honking impatiently. Charmine went back into her car, and as ifshing out her anger, she stepped the gas pedal all the way down. Anthony seemed disheartened as he watched her drive away. When she was finally out of sight, he went out of the car and red at the spectators coldly. He then phoned Luke and ordered, "Take down any news regarding Charmine proposing to me." After hanging up, Anthony stood by the side of the bridge and sharply swept his nce across the area where Charmine had thrown the ring into. He spotted nothing after looking around. Not thinking twice, he went down to search for it...only toe up empty- handed. Finally, he stood by the river and looked at the calm water. He had to phone Luke again. "Bring over a search team and a set of diving equipment." Luke found that order strange but did not debate on the matter-he did as he was told. Within ten minutes, Luke and the search team arrived. Luke looked at Anthony confusingly. "Boss, why do you need this?" Anthony put on the diving set and said to the team coldly... chapter 1447 chapter 1447 "Search for a ring box. Whoever finds it gets five million bucks." N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. With that said, Anthony took the lead and went into the deep end of the river. "Boss...!" Luke was shocked as Anthony vanished into the water. His heart leaped to his throat. Unable to stop Anthony, he could only order the search team, "Hurry! Get in!" More than ten of them jumped into the river right away. Luke stood by the shore. Noticing that they had garnered a few onlookers, he instantly made a phone call to sort it out. "Hide all news happening in River South this afternoon." Anthony went to the deep end of the river to carefully look for the ring. He had been on his search from that afternoon till six that evening, but he was not tired. It was only as the sky turned dark that he noticed, atst, the familiar box under a stone at the bottom. His darkened eyes lit up as he swam over to pick it up quickly. As if having found a treasure, Anthony held the box tightly as he went back to the surface, unable to wait in opening it. The ring was safely kept inside. With this, relief washed over Anthony as he swam to the shore and told the team to stop searching. The puzzled Luke looked at him. "Boss, you spent the entire afternoon searching for this?" Anthony merely red at Luke coldly. Clenching his fists, he then left. This thing represented his love with Charmine; it was more important than his life. 3 Charmine raced back to Violet Vi and gazed at the empty space: from the sofa, kitchen, dining room, and to the bedroom... Memories of the times she had with Anthony flooded her every time she walked past them. Charmine felt horrible. She leaned on the side of the bed, and the tension that built up within her all afternoon shattered like a broken pipe. The pain spread throughout her entire body, and it even hurt just breathing. She never would have thought the man she loved so dearly was merely after her looks... Unimaginable. s, this was the truth. Anthony no longer felt anything for her. Why else would he not move when she threw the ring-the very one that represented their love-into the river? Charmine hid in the room and spent the afternoon holed inside. Even as night fell, her heart still ached. She looked out the window and took her car key to leave again. The smell of alcohol and perfume intermingled in the pub as light beams of different colors flitted the space. The pole dancers were on stage, enjoying the men below the stage cheering for them. Charmine sat by the bar as she gulped one shot after another. William sat beside her and looked at her worriedly. "Ms. Jordan, you''ve yet to fully recover. You shouldn¡¯t be drinking." Charmine¡¯s eyes grew bleary at that point. After taking another shot, she turned to look at William. "Mr. Peterson, if you''re going to drink with me, go ahead. If you''re here to talk me out, you may leave now." William was helpless. Since he could not talk her out, he could only sit by her side to watch her quietly. Charmine took a few shots herself before turning to William. She then asked the staff to bring her a ss. She poured him a shot. "Come, drink with me." William eyed the ss of wine in front of him before reaching out to take it. "Okay." He had to drink with her so she would be willing to leave. 1 William thus started drinking with Charmine, ss after ss. A few shotster, however, William''s head started to spin. He looked at Charmine and said, dazed, "Ms. Jordan, please drink less..." With that said, he zoned out and slumped onto the table. Charmine did not care about William, however, as she continued to drink. She heard that alcohol could fix a person¡¯s troubles, but she felt only pain the more she drank. She smiled mockingly at the bottle in her hand before drinking straight from it. A few men had been watching her for a long time. When they noticed that the man beside her had zoned out, they all approached her all at once. chapter 1448 chapter 1448 The men then sat next to Charmine. One of them, with a scar on his face, sized up William and said, "Hey, gorgeous! This man isn¡¯t good enough. Why don¡¯t you have a drink with me?" Charmine shot them a fierce stare as she snapped, "Go away!" "Wow." The man with a scar rubbed his chin. "How fiery... I like it!" He then took Charmine¡¯s bottle from her and poured himself a shot, saying, "Come, gorgeous, drink with me. Tell me if you''re unhappy, and I''ll make you happy!" Smack! Charmine pped him in the face and red at him coldly. "Don''t you understand humannguage? Go away!" The yellow-haired young man behind him warned, "Hey, you better behave right now before it''s too late. You should be thankful we noticed you!" Charmine sneered as she scrutinized the men. ''You''re out of luck that I''m moody right now. You''re out here wanting to meet your maker so quickly." The man with the scar''s face changed, but before he could say anything... Crash! Charmine lifted the bottle and smashed it against his head, swiftly yet brutally. The man with a scar staggered a few steps backward. He stumbled across a stool and fell to the floor. "D*mn it!" The man with the scar felt the blood on his head. "Beat her up! I''ll be responsible for any injury!" i The other three men rushed toward Charmine, who merely smirked. Charminended a kick on the man before her, causing him to cup his crotch as he moaned in pain. Taking advantage of the opening, Charmine swung her fist at him, causing him to tumble to the floor. Charmine then picked up another bottle to smash it against another man who was about to grab her hair. The shattered pieces dug into the man''s face. Her movement was so fast that the three of them did not manage to react. "Argh!" squawked another in pain as he reached out to his eyes, what with a few shards of ss entering them, blindly bumping into things around him in the process. Thest man saw how powerful she was, so he fearfully stood back and did not daree forward. Charmine red at him. Lips curling to a cold smirk, she swiftly picked up a stool and smashed it at him. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. With a loud sound, the man¡¯s bones cracked instantly. He fell on the floor and was in so much pain that he could not even make a sound. Charmine looked like any weak woman, but within a few minutes, she had already beaten up the four burly,rge men! 2 Everyone in the pub who watched them was astounded. She was toobative! Charmine red at all four men on the floor and lifted her leg to kick the one closest to her. "I was just warming up, and you''re all out?" she sneered. "Stand back up! Let¡¯s continue!" The four men were half-dead on the floor; none of them made a sound. Continue? What was there to continue? They were about to die! 1 "Argh! Useless!" growled Charmine as she went back to her seat. As all four of them slowly climbed back up, she threatened, "Stay away from me. Don''t let me see rubbish like you, or I''ll beat you up all over again!" With that said, she continued to drink. The four men shakily staggered and helped each other up. None of them would have thought they would get beaten up that night. They then noticed the wounds they had and looked at the woman, who none of them managed to fight... How would their pride be sustained if word of this incident spread like wildfire? The four of them exchanged nces and nodded. The man that was not as hurt as the rest took out a sharp dagger without hesitation, turning to swing right at Charmine... The crowd gasped in shock. Oh, dear! That man had a dagger? This woman was done for! chapter 1449 chapter 1449 A kind bystander tried to warn Charmine, but before he could say anything, a shadowy figure zipped toward her like the wind and shielded Charmine. The sharp dagger stabbed into his arm. Hearing themotion behind her, Charmine saw...Anthony, shielding her? He even intercepted the knife for her? i "Anthony..." Charmine looked at his wound, worried and surprisedbined. He must have cared for her, right? Why else would he be here, saving her from getting stabbed to boot? Anthony lifted his leg to kick the man a few meters away. He red at the other three darkly and ordered his bodyguards, "Capture them all." ''Yes, Sir!" His bodyguards went ahead to apprehend all four men. Anthony sighed in relief when he noticed Charmine was unharmed. He had been watching from the upper floor the whole while, seeing how she got drunk, drinking with William, and beating the men up. He had been worried from the very start since he came in, and it was only moments ago that he could no longer remain as an onlooker... Charmine looked at his injured hand and offered, "I''ll treat your wound, Anthony!" "No need." Anthony distanced himself from her with a step back. He quickly detached himself from emotions he should not be seen with and red at Charmine. "Don¡¯t misunderstand me, Ms. Jordan. This is my pub, and I don''t want to see anyone dead." That threw Charmine off her guard, and her eyes that gleamed with hope wereyered with disappointment. She looked at him, intoxicated as she mumbled, ''You¡¯re lying to me, aren''t you, Anthony? You still care for me, don¡¯t you?" ''You''re drunk. Time to sober up." Anthony cast her a heartless nce, apparently impatient with her. No longer caring, he called the police as if it was a work-rted matter. "There was a group fight in DKN Pub. In total..." He paused and scanned Charmine before frigidly dering, "In total, four men and one woman." Charmine was petrified where she stood, and her hope-filled expression plummeted. Anthony actually called the police? He even included her! She was the one suffering from this incident, ill and drinking in the pub, and got harassed by the men, yet that did not even worry him? He even called for the police to bring her away! Charmineughed mockingly. As expected, she should have seen thising. He would rather be dead than be with her. What else could she expect? Charmine went back to her seat to resume her drinks. Watching how helpless her figure seemed, Anthony felt a pang in his heart. 2 She had not even recovered. How could she drink so much? His burning throat bobbed, but he said nothing in the end. He asked for a doctor to clean his wound. 1 The police came quickly, apprehended all four men, and took Charmine with them as well. Charmine looked as if her soul was lost when she followed the police officers. She spotted Anthony, smoking as he leaned on the sofa aloofly, when she walked past him. He was so calm and did not even bother to look at her. At this moment, her heart had died. She knew Anthony Bailey no longer loved her... ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Charmine gave her statement to the police at the police station while the four men still joked around, helping each other out. She was all alone. The weather was like her heart, a few degrees colder, by the time she finished giving her statement. She stood outside the station and realized she did not bring her car. She wanted to call a friend for help but did not know who else cared for her. Charmine crossed both arms to keep herself warm. She gloomily looked at the darkened sky and walked ahead aimlessly. She did not know where to go or what to do... chapter 1450 chapter 1450 Charmine slowly sobered up as the cold breeze blew. She should not be so weak-minded! Since when had she be so feeble? If Anthony had fallen out of love, there was no point for her to cling to it. It was just a breakup-a divorce. No one would die without another in this world. This man would no longer haunt her by tomorrow, Charmine promised herself that. As she walked under the night sky alone, she realized how hurt her heart was... It hurt her that they broke up just like that. She finally managed to walk out of the trauma from herst rtionship, yet she plunged into it once more. It was horrible. It was so horrible that she wanted to look for Anthony and cling to this rtionship no matter what... She bit her pale lip. Suddenly, two headlights lit up the road as a car pulled over by her side. Charmine turned to look, wishing it was Anthony who came to pick her up, but when she saw the man through the window, sheughed mockingly. Why would it be Anthony? It was Eric, sitting in the car as he calmly looked at her. "Come on up." Charmine opened the door to get inside. Instantly, the strong scent of alcohol filled the interior. Eric frowned. Still, he said nothing and drove away. When they got back to Violet Vi, Eric took a set of pajamas and threw them at Charmine. "You smell. Wash up!" Charmine took the clothes and walked into the bathroom senselessly. Eric frowned at the sight of her in such a state. Worried she might drown herself while bathing, he pulled her to the showerhead and turned on the cold water, instantly drenching Charmine. That seemed to have sobered Charmine, though she red at Eric, visibly irked. "What are you doing?" Eric shrugged her off and instead snapped, "Look at you now. Where did Charmine go?" He then cranked up the water all the more. "Sober up!" Charmine stood under the showerhead. Despite shaking like a leaf, she did not turn on the heater and allowed the cold water to overwhelm her. 1 He was right. She gave up herself for a man, and now she was troubled by love? That was not her at all! Anthony was ruthlessly heartless. Why would she have to be half-dead for him? She could not even recognize herself at this stage. Charmine stood under the showerhead for a long while as she allowed the water to drench her. Her mind became clearer. The shower had sobered her up. Dressed in a white bathrobe, her wet hairid on her shoulders. She was willful, charming. Good as new. Charmine was drying her hair when she spotted Eric sitting on the sofa. " Open me up for all shootings. ept all gigs." Love was no longer part of her world at that point-only work. Eric looked at her calmly. "That''s more like it." He then signed her up for some gigs and said, ''You''ll be shooting a superbike advertisement tomorrow." Good. She could rx while she raced, too. "Okay," epted Charmine. It was then Eric''s calmposure cracked a little, revealing worry. "This job is good and all, but there''s a model signed by Bailey Corporation. He''ll be there, too." Charmine stopped drying her hair. In the next instance, she said calmly, " Doesn''t matter." She merely wanted to make money. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. She would not be able to avoid him forever, anyway. chapter 1451 chapter 1451 Charmine had to get used to it. The next morning... Charmine put on some makeup to cover the scar on her face, painted her lips with bright red lipstick, and curled her hair. She was haughty, on fire with her willfulness. Eric was pleased to see her in such a state, and he then drove her to the gig venue. The moment his car pulled over, the Junebach by the side pulled over, too. Charmine did not notice that, however, as she walked out of the car, stunning all the staff as they turned to look at her. "So beautiful! So cold, but she knows how to carry herself!" ''They picked the right ambassador for the brand this time. Charmine''s temperament is one of a kind. It''s unmatchable!" Charmine was used to hearingpliments around her. Perhaps she could only recollect herself in environments like these. With Eric leading her, she walked in her ck Martans toward the shooting venue, which was on a highway. The organizers had closed off the entire road, and not far away was a temporary tent built for the shooting. As Charmine made her way to the closed-off road, she spotted a tall figure walking over as well. It was Anthony, dressed in his customized ck suit. With his handsome yet frigid face, he had a powerful temperament with authority. His appearance garnered all eyes as everyone looked upto him. When Anthony walked over, he spotted Charmine right away. However, his gaze remained unweing as if he did not know her. He was elegant as always as he walked into the tent. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. He did not even stop as he walked past her, and he did so apathetically. His demeanor the entire time was as if he saw aplete stranger. Charmine''s hands clenched at that, but it was only a momentter that sheposed herself. She steeled herself from having her emotions shown in her eyes. Keeping a calmposure, she let Eric lead her inside. There were already a few ambassadors by the time she entered, all dressed up morously and evidently haughty. Each of them had their individual temperament and beauty, but when Charmine walked in, the rest of them lost their glow. They enviously stared at Charmine, 1 A woman like her should be working in research or taking care of herpanies. What was she doing in the modeling industry? What an insult! Charmine shrugged off their jealous res and went to her seat uncaringly. The person in charge saw how stunning the ambassadors were. He continued to brief them about all kinds of possible poses and looks when racing. After the briefing, each of them was allocated a superbike. Charmine was allocated with a red superbike. It matched her cold and arrogant temperament. ¡®You¡¯re the lead," remarked Eric. "Finesse this thing." Charmine smirked. "Don''t worry, I was born to lead." Meanwhile, Sabrina clenched her hands on her ck superbike. What right did Charmine have? Everyone was waiting for her, and they even gave her the best model! Did the person in charge not know she was the artist signed by Bailey Corporation? She was the top artist they have and was the reason why President Bailey came today-to see her! What was Charmine¡¯s worth? 1 Sabrina looked at how arrogant Charmine was, and she hated her. Sabrina angrily kicked at the ck superbike allocated to her before making her way to the person in charge. "I don''t want this ck superbike. I want the red one." The person in charge felt uneasy with this. "Ms. Sabrina, it''s all been allocated." Sabrina crossed her arms and red at him. "Don''t you know I''m signed by Bailey Corporation? President Bailey came because of me. If you don¡¯t switch it for me, I won¡¯t do this shoot. Let¡¯s see what you¡¯ll say to President Bailey." The person in charge felt stuck as he nced at Charmine, then at the faraway Anthony, before nodding helplessly at Sabrina. "Fine, I''ll try and do something." Sabrina was not satisfied with that, however. "What do you mean, try? You have to get it done!" The person in charge felt unsure of himself. He had to please President Bailey, but Charmine was not to be offended, too... chapter 1452 chapter 1452 Furthermore, the person in charge knew Charmine would do the best. She had the best temperament and audience for this, which was why they chose for her a red superbike. Sabrina would not deliver the same impact had she gotten the red superbike. The person in charge reluctantly approached Charmine and gently spoke," Apologies, Ms. Jordan. Could you please have the ck superbike instead? Someone insisted on having this one." Eric¡¯s expression turned frigid. "Didn''t we already allocate the bikes?" The person in charge carefully apologized, Tm so sorry." ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Eric had more to say, but Charmine interjected, "It''s okay. I¡¯ll have the ck one." The person in charge let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Ms. Jordan." After the person in charge left, Charmine looked at the gloomy Eric and reassured him, smilingly saying, "Don''t worry. Only those with no skills care about the tools." 1 She, on the other hand, would be able to work with anything at all! Her response was uttered willfully and confidently. Eric said nothing but made his way toward the ck superbike nheless. Sabrina, meanwhile, gritted her teeth upon hearing what Charmine had said. What did Charmine mean by that? Did she just call her useless? She was a top artist! Sabrina arched her chin and sashayed toward Charmine in her heels, knocking against Charmine''s shoulder intentionally as she did. Charmine failed to notice her in time, however, and she staggered a few steps to the side. Her fair leg was scraped against the superbike¡¯s surface, breaking her skin and causing blood to ooze out of the wound. Eric hurriedly helped her up while shooting Sabrina a fiery re. "Don''t you have eyes!?" "Oh, sorry,¡± uttered Sabrina, but there was no trace of remorse on her face. In fact, she seemed rather pleased. "I didn''t do it on purpose." Charmine¡¯s face was cold as she red at Sabrina with her steely eyes." Bow and apologize to me." "Ha!" scoffed Sabrina and looked at her nonchntly. "Are you deaf? Didn''t I say I didn''t do it on purpose? What else can I do? "Aren''t you just a nobody that one guy dumped? If Tiffany wasn''t stupid enough to let you take over the company, what else would you have? Do you know who I am? I''m an artist signed by Bailey Corporation-the top artist! Everyone respects me wherever I go! How dare you ask me to bow and apologize to you?" Sabrina scowled and raised her chin, scorning Charmine, "You''re just a pushover. What do you have? Get out of my sight; I won¡¯t apologize to you!" Charmine narrowed her eyes, and suddenly... She lifted her hand and pped Sabrina on the face. "If nobody taught you manners, I will." 3 A resounding smack rang in the space as Sabrina received a heavy p to the face. The sound attracted everyone''s attention, causing everyone to turn toward them. They looked at Charmine in shock. Sabrina was Bailey Corporation''s top artist, and this woman pped her? Did she have a death wish or something? Sabrina caressed her swollen face and stared at Charmine, wide-eyed. "Argh! How dare you hit me?! I want you dead!" 3 She then went forward to push Charmine, only to be stopped by Eric, who red at her coldly. "Do you want to catch some hands again?" 1 Sabrina smirked. Was this middle-aged man actually stopping her? i She looked at the staff and said loudly, "I just wanted to drive the superbike that belongs to me. If you don¡¯t want to switch, find the person in charge! Why do you hit me? Just because there are the two of you against me alone?" 1 Everyone instantly understood what had happened. Sabrina wanted to switch the superbike, and had Charmine hit her! The crowd ridiculed Charmine at that point. ¡®Who does she think she is? Who''s her backer? She''s daring enough to offend Sabrina?" "How evil! She merely wanted to switch, and Charmine pped her?" "Just because she has apany herself? How rude!" Everyone scowled at her. Charmine, on the other hand, remained apathetic and haughty. chapter 1453 chapter 1453 Sabrina was painfully fake. If she imed to have been bullied, then she might as well be bullied! Charmine walked forward, wanting to give her a piece of her mind when... Click, ck, click! Elegant footsteps were heard as an assistant ordered, "Stop!" It would be bad if they offended the bosses present. Everyone turned to see a group of smartly dressed men walking their way, and Anthony was the lead. He was still in his suit, still as cold and elegant. Seeing the sight that unfolded before them, he sternly demanded, "What happened?" Sabrina palmed her swollen face and looked as if she was the victim, innocently replying, "I told the person in charge that I wanted to drive this red superbike. He asked me to switch with Charmine. I didn''t expect that she''d agree to the person in charge, only for her to p me when I approached her!" Sabrina whimpered as she looked at Anthony innocently. "President Bailey, please speak up for me. We artists rely on our looks to have worth. My career is ruined if my face is swollen..." Anthony was hearing Sabrina speak, but the corner of his eyes spotted the wound on Charmine''s ankle. His face sank. Sabrina thought Anthony would be angry at Charmine, thus she threw a mocking nce at Charmine and mouthed, "You''re done for." All of a sudden... Anthony merely told the person in charge, "Ask a doctor toe and treat her face." "Yes, Sir!¡± The person in charge nodded politely. Sabrina was shocked as she looked at Anthony in disbelief. "President Bailey...?" Was this matter resolved, just like that? Anthony ignored her and looked at the person in charge instead. "Why are you still here?" The person in charge quickly helped Sabrina to leave, but thetter shot Charmine onest grudge- filled gaze. Curse that woman! She had the audacity to smack her! She would one day make her suffer twice the pain! 1 After Sabrina had left, Anthony looked at Charmine and focused on the wound on her ankle. With a straight face, he remarked, "Contact mywyer to sort any other matter that may arise after this." With that said, the callous Anthony left. Charmine felt her heart turning cold as she gazed at his indifferent figure. He obviously saw her wound but did not seem to care at all! He even asked her to contact hiswyer, to make this matter official? Heh. ''It''s time to wake up, Charmine!'' After Anthony had left and walked a considerable distance away from everyone, he made a phone call. "Hide Sabrina from the public from now on. Don''t make it suspicious." "Yes, Sir." The person in charge agreed politely. After hanging up, he brought Sabrina to the medical room. The self-centered Sabrina sat by the side. While she suffered nothing serious, she kept on moaning as if she was in pain. The person in charge wrote a slip and showed it to the doctor. The doctor then nodded and took out another ointment to put on Sabrina''s face. After putting the ointment on her face, Sabrina proudly walked back out to continue the shooting. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. On the way back, however, her face began to itch. She thought the ointment was working on the face, so she scratched it. Unexpectedly, she found her face littered with red spots that went all the way down to her neck the moment she sat back down in the makeup room. She looked ugly, i "Argh!" Sabrina cried out in terror, causing the person in charge toe rushing, i When he saw her skin, he cried out, "What happened to you?!" Sabrina was irked. "How do I know?!" Recalling that the shooting was about to start, she looked at the red spots in the mirror and cried out like a madwoman, "Hurry, call for the doctor! Hurry!" chapter 1454 chapter 1454 The doctor rushed over, and after examining Sabrina, he said, "It''s a penicillin infection. The cream contains penicillin, so you need to take a few days off to recover." Sabrina''s head buzzed when she heard the doctor''s words. She needed to take a few days off? How was she going to continue the shooting? 1 The person in charge frowned at her. "You can''t go out like this. Go home and get some rest." Both the doctor and person in charge left, leaving the stiff Sabrina behind. When she finally came to, she freaked out like a lunatic. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. "Argh!" It was not easy for her to secure this job, and she had to miss it? "Charmine Jordan!¡± she hissed out Charmine''s name ruthlessly as she glowered. It was all her fault. Her face would not have turned out this way if she did not p her. She would write this down! At the shooting venue. William knew Charmine would have a race this day, so he set his rm early in the morning. However, he was still caught up in the traffic, so he was half an hourte. When he saw Charmine at the venue, he instantly spotted the wound on her ankle, causing him to worry. ''You''re hurt, Ms. Jordan. Hurry and get it treated." Charmine lowered her head to look at it. "It doesn''t matter." It was just a minor cut-it did not even faze her. It was nothingpared to her heartache. With that said, the director cleared the scene and reminded loudly," Everyone, to your positions. Get ready!" Charmine walked over to her superbike, her ankle still wounded at that. William helplessly watched on from the sidelines, worried that her wound would get infected or that she could get tetanus. Sabrina could no longer join the shoot, thus Charmine was on her own. She drove the red superbike and made sharp turns at corners. When the strong gust blew, her long hair danced in the air, showcasing her willful, stunning self. Along with her fair ankle and the patch of red on it, the wound made her look even more roguish. 1 The photographers quickly moved with her to capture the shots. Charmine squinted with a stunning curl on her lips. She looked at the s-turn up ahead and confidently made an aggressive, sharp, aggressive turn. The superbike almost went t on the ground as she did the s-turn, but the superbike went back up and continued racing down the road! i Even though she belonged with luxurious cars, she managed to make the superbike look wild and expensive. She rode on the superbike with so much confidence, making one want to own the same model like hers to look just as cool. The photographers did not stop clicking their cameras. All of the photos were taken in one go. The director was utterly satisfied. All of them, including the person in charge and sponsors, hailed her immensely. ¡®We''re right to have Charmine represent the brand. This superbike is made just for her!" ¡®Yeah! I think we just need her alone to represent this brand. The artist called Sabrina tried to put on an attitude in front of us. Ask her to leave!" Eric remained indifferent as he heard them praising Charmine. He was already used to the praises Charmine got all the time. After the shooting, William brought a bottle of water and pastry for Charmine. "Have some bites, Ms. Jordan. The shooting did take a long while, after all. I''ll bring you to the hospitalter on to get your wound treated." Charmine took the items from William. "Thank you." Eric eyed the wound on her ankle and sternly persisted, "Hurry and treat the wound! My artist mustn''t have any scar!¡± Charmine did not put up a fight; she had to go back to the hospital with William. William cleaned her wound and brought a few medicines from theboratory that morning. "Ms. Jordan, there''s still a scar on your face, so don''t put on too much makeup," said William gently. "Put this cream on after you remove your makeup. The scar will go away within twenty-four hours." Charmine could not help feeling her face. Indeed, she had put on thick makeup that morning to hide her scar. Nobody noticed, but William had been worried about her. "Okay," obeyed Charmine as she took the medicines. chapter 1455 chapter 1455 Once Charmine''s wound was cleaned, Eric sent her home. Charmine leaned on the sofa and aimlessly scrolled through her phone for something to kill time with when she noticed a heatedly discussed topic. flAnthony-Sabrina She could not help but click onto it and was met with a headline. #Sabrina-BaileyCorporation¡¯s-Top-Artist Plenty was written about it, all revealed as Charmine clicked the headline. In order to see Sabrina shooting, Anthony went in person! He took care of her when she was hurt. He seemed visibly worried about her, too. A photo was attached to the article, showing how Anthony-with his phone at hand-soured as Sabrina was taken to safety by the person in charge. Remarks flooded thement section. [Anthony Bailey must be looking for a doctor!] (Oh god! Is this the president-and--artist kind of romance?] [I can''t help imagining a romantic love story!] Charmine leaned on the sofa and looked at the photo coldly. It did puzzle her that morning, too. It was just a small shooting for a small brand, so why would Anthony go there in person? Was it for Sabrina after all? i Charmine took a good look at the photo. Well, Sabrina did have a nice face ... 2 This was his ''new hunt'', huh? Ha! Charmineughed mockingly to herself. She looked up at the emotionless Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Eric by the side. "Sign me up for more shooting gigs, and keep theming. I can take up to twenty hours a day-don''t let me have too much free time." She would never have the time to overthink things so long as she was upied, and she would not feel as bad. Eric frowned, however, still looking like a passive robot. "There¡¯s a chocte advertisement shot for tomorrow, but you''ll need to kiss the male artist. This advertisement is under one of thepanies of Bailey Corporation, so you need to sign the contract at the Bailey Corporation," he exined. Charmine paused. She did not like this advertisement. When she thought of Anthony, however, her eyes red with determination. "Alright then," she agreed. Eric noticed the fire in her eyes, and his thin lips parted for him to say, "The Charmine has returned." Charmine smiled proudly as she took her phone. The screen still disyed the topic of Anthony and Sabrina, yet she merely exited the page to call William. "Mr. Peterson, I''d like to hire you as my private doctor to apany me in signing a contract at Bailey Corporation tomorrow." William pursed his lips. He recalled what happened between her and Anthony, and he did not have a choice. He knew Charmine did all this to frustrate Anthony, but he did not want their rtionship to deteriorate any further, too. With that, William muttered, "I''m sorry, Ms. Jordan, but I have matters to attend to tomorrow." "Are you sure?" asked Charmine proudly. "If you don''te, I''ll ask another man toe." That threw William off his guard. He sighed as he finally epted her offer. "Okay, I''ll postpone my matters tomorrow." i Charmine smiled. "Okay." Hanging up the phone, Charmine then felt that having William alone was far from enough... A handsome face then emerged in her train of thoughts. Her eyes sparkled, and she made another phone call. The man on the other end answered the call quickly, and a maic, charming voice was heard, ''You finally decided to call me, my dear?" Charmine could imagine how seductive his face was upon hearing his flirtatious voice. "Are you busy?" questioned Charmine indifferently. ¡®Yeah," replied Alexander Walker, "busy thinking of you." i Charmine was speechless. She ignored his flirtatious words and said," Come and find me tomorrow. I¡¯d like to hire you as my assistant.¡± "Personal?" repeated Alexander. "How personal do you want to get?" chapter 1456 chapter 1456 Charmine frowned. "Goodbye." "No, no, no!" Alexander hastily called out. ''THe, okay?" "Okay." Charmine hung up. Although she did not like Alexander, she liked to distract herself this way. She did not think Anthony would remain indifferent if he saw Alexander. 1 The next day... Hair tied in a ponytail, Charmine wore a crisp white shirt, ck pants, slender heels, sunsses, and a jacket that hung loosely on her shoulder. She exuded a powerful temperament. She strutted her way, with three men behind her. One was seductive, another was gentle, and thest was cold like snow. All four of them caught the attention of everyone around them as they walked. Charmine led them to Bailey Corporation. The staff were all shocked. They had never seen such a powerful woman. Her temperament wasparable to Anthony''s! Charmine ignored them all. In her slender heels, she walked right into Anthony''s office as her heels clicked against the floor. Anthony''s face sank the moment he spotted all. D*mn it! Alexander? Why was this man with Charmine? Within seconds, he snapped out of it and withdrew the jealous re in his eyes, looking at Charmine inly. "Anything?" Charmine sat in front of him arrogantly and crossed her long, beautiful legs, ncing at Eric. Eric then began, "President Bailey, I¡¯m Charmine''s agent. We''ve taken the chocte advertisement job. Please sign the paper here." Anthony looked at Eric before coldly shifting his gaze to Charmine. "You took the job?¡± This was unlike her. Why would she take a job from hispany after breaking up? "Yes,¡± Eric spoke on her behalf, "Charmine is focused on her career now." It was just like what he said: Why not let it all go since they had broken up? Meanwhile, seeing that a few strands of Charmine''s hair hung loosely, Alexander gently reached out to tuck them back. "Darling, why did you leave home in a hurry?" he asked lovingly. "Were you exhausted fromst night?" 1 Everyone knew what he meant by that. 1 Charmine found it disgusting, but knowing that Anthony was right before them, she smiled. "Exhausted? I don''t even have a man...¡± Alexander flirted, "Why not I be your man tonight? Is something dancing on your mind? I''ll satisfy them all." Charmine looked at him arrogantly. "Alright, then, but I want to top." William was speechless, and Eric was just as befuddled. Alexander felt lucky that he was not beaten to death, yet! Anthony heard herst sentence, and his head buzzed loudly. His hands below the table clenched up tightly, so much so that his greenish veins protruded. Outwardly, he remained unfazed as he took a pen and signed the paper. After the deal, Eric kept the contract and helped Charmine to leave. The three men surrounded her and coddled her, especially Alexander. The words he said were ear- stabling. Not long after the door was shut, Anthony could no longer hold himself back and swung his arms at his table, sweeping everything off swiftly. 2 Everything fell to the floor. Anthony''s eyes were darkened, his fists tight. Even though he was angry, what else could he do? This was his decision.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . chapter 1457 chapter 1457 Charmine brought Alexander, William, and Eric to the shooting venue. Strangely enough, Anthony was there. She sat on her seat and looked at the script, though the suspicion still gued her. Why was he present? Sure, this ad was rted to one of hispanies, but he did not have to linger around. If he had to care about small matters like this, he would not be able to finish his work even with 48 hours in a day, what with all thepanies he had. Nheless, it was good that he came. She wanted him to see that she could live just as fine without him, or even better! Charmine put down the script and waved at Alexander. Alexander walked toward her and blustered, "What is it, my darling?" Nobody knew if he was intentional or not with that, but he spoke so loudly that even Anthony, who was sitting by the side, heard him. Charmine looked at him, displeased. "Can you speak softer? Do you want the entire world to hear you?" "Oh," Alexander lowered his head to get closer to her, asking in a seductively low voice, "What is my darling craving right now?¡± "Get me coffee," deadpanned Charmine. "Me?" Alexander¡¯s charming face had a hint of displeasure. 1 Charmine looked at him. "Why? You''re my assistant, no?¡± Alexander raised his eyebrows. "Fine, boss. I¡¯ll get you one right away." He stood upright and said louder, "Your coffee is the same as usual, isn¡¯t it, my dear? Less sugar and ice, right?¡± Charmine looked at him, mystified. "Shut up and go!" "Okay..." said Alexander flirtatiously. "I surely won''t mind buying my darling a coffee. Don''t worry about me." 1 Charmine was speechless. Nial stood next to Anthony all this while. He then frowned and daringly asked, "Bro, do you think Charmine has gotten back with Alexander?" Anthony was already glowering at that point, but Nial''s question merely added the intensity to his anger as he red at him darkly, eyes ring fiercely, hauntingly. Nial felt shivers all over him with that intense re, and he instantly shut up. 1 After a moment of silence, he abruptly recalled the script he wrote and said, "Bro, the male and female actors in this advertisement will have to kiss. Are you okay with that? Not only that, but this ad will be used globally! You didn''t even allow Charmine to look at another man, and now you''re okay with her kissing another man?" Anthony''s gaze wavered with emotions swirling in his eyes, but he coldly remarked, "Isn''t it normal for actors to kiss?¡± ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . That jolted Nial as he looked at Anthony with surprise. "Bro, what happened to you? Are you sure you can take it? It¡¯s kissing-mouth-to- mouth! Right next to one another, and they even-" 1 Anthony red at him coldly. ''Til give you three seconds. Disappear, now." i With that said, Nial zipped away like the wind, instantly vanishing. He dared not offend Anthony. Anthony narrowed his eyes at Charmine, and he looked upset. Meanwhile, Charmine was ready, having changed her clothes, and came to the shooting spot with the male actor. Standing at the sidelines, William¡¯s brows furrowed. He did not want Charmine to take on an advertisement like this. Although this was normal, the thought of her kissing the male actor upset him. 2 Regardless, he could not stop her. He could only stand by the side anxiously. The advertisement would start with the male actor biting the chocte with his arm around Charmine''s waist. He would gaze at her romantically while she bit onto the other end. When they ate the chocte, they would end up kissing one another as the man would say, "The chocte is soft like your lips. Tender and delicious-a novel experience." When the two of them were ready, the director gave them the signal to roll, sitting on his designated seat and ordering through the talkie, "Action!" Silence. The camera pointed at them. All of a sudden... The moment the male actor took the chocte and Charmine was about to bite the other end, the manager of the advertisement ran over urgently and whispered to the director¡¯s ear. chapter 1458 chapter 1458 At the shooting set, Charmine and the actor had bit into respective ends of the chocte and were just a centimeter away from kissing. Hearing what the manager had told him, the director¡¯s expression changed as he called out, "Cut!" Charmine and the man frowned. Still separated by the chocte, they both bit the ends off, and the chocte''s midsection fell. The staff quickly went forward to sort it out. Both of them looked at the director. "Please wait for a while. We''re changing the act," announced the director. He was asked to change the choreography so abruptly. What was he supposed to do at that point? "Ten-minutes break, everyone!" added the director, though furious. Charmine went off the set, and Eric asked, "What''s the situation?" She took the coffee Alexander had bought her, elegantly sipping at it as she spoke, "I don''t know." To change the choreography... So long as they did not turn it into a full-on make-out session. It should stay as a gentle peck as written on the contract. Otherwise, she would break the use and repay them aspensation. She could ept a gentle peck, but not a full-on make-out. She had her boundaries. Ten minutester, they started shooting again, but the director said, "We received a call from headquarters, saying that to make it family-friendly, we can''t have a kissing scene. Have the couple side next to each other instead, and when the male actor finishes eating, he smiles at the woman and hugs her emotionally, saying the same line afterward." William sighed in relief at the change. Thankfully, the director was smart! Charmine squinted as she instinctively turned to look at Anthony, but all she saw was him sitting unperturbed as if nothing happened. He was cold and elegant as usual. Charmine looked away, and she continued the shooting. The act and moves were very simple for this advertisement. With Charmine''s professional skill, the male actor did as he was told, and the shooting ended quickly. Charmine came out of the set. Thinking of that apathetic man, she went straight to the bathroom. Anthony came out of the bathroom when a delicate figure stood in his way. Charmine red at him coldly, her lips twisting into a smirk. "President Bailey, since we''ve broken up, don''t you dare pull strings behind my back." Anthony remained disinterested as he looked at her emotionlessly. ¡®What do you mean?" Charmine scoffed coldly. "You''d dare do it but won¡¯t admit it? Are you even a man?" Anthony''s expression remained impassive. "Ms. Jordan, I don''t understand what you¡¯re talking about." He then tried to walk past her, but Charmine stopped him again and said, " The advertisement''s acting! Wasn''t it you who changed it? You even came up with ame excuse! What a joke." Anthony paused for a moment before a nonchnt smile made its way to his face. "You got it all wrong, Ms. Jordan. The director and the manager are the only ones in charge of this ad-I didn''t step in. I also knew there''d be a kissing scene, but if I wanted to stop it, I wouldn''t have let you sign it,"mented Anthony as he then turned to leave, i He remained emotionally vacant, his figure sophisticated yet ruthless. Charmine was rooted on the spot as she turned pale. Was that it? N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. On the contract, they did state the act clearly. As the main owner, he would have known about it! Nheless, if he knew about it and still agreed for her to sign, it showed that he genuinely did not care at all. Charmine looked away and smiled mockingly. Heh. She was too into her head. She clenched her fists and masked the loss of glimmer in her eyes, strutting away in her heels. She was quicker than Anthony. She walked past Anthony and continued onward, her heels clicking as she sashayed away, boldly and aloofly. chapter 1459 chapter 1459 As she returned to her seat, Charmine heard the footsteps behind her getting close. She turned to her three malepanions and announced," Let¡¯s have a drink! It''s on me today, and we¡¯re not going home without getting drunk! The first one down is a coward!¡± She then ced her hand on Alexander''s shoulder and walked out. "As promised, I''ll be on top tonight." The seductive Alexander cast her a gentle gaze. "I''ll do anything you want, my darling. As long as you''re not exhausted, cause I''ll feel hurt if you do.¡± Anthony glowered at the sight of Charmine and Alexander touching one another. His knuckles even clicked audibly as his veins surfaced to the skin, i Charmine and Alexander walked together as Eric followed right behind them, his expression dull. William, on the other hand, helped Charmine to carry her stuff, his brows gently furrowed. He thought Charmine brought them to the venue to agitate Anthony, but at this point, he no longer knew what she was up to... 1 When was she serious, and when was it fake? When the car door closed, Alexander''s suggestive expression vanished as he got out of Charmine''s arms. "Alright, Anthony isn''t here anymore. We don¡¯t have to act anymore." Charmine leaned against her seat indifferently, casting him an aloof gaze as she said, "What acting? Who''s acting with you? Moping over that fool isn''t worth it. I want to be myself-the real Boss Jordan." 1 She then nced at all three men, haughtily dering, "You''ll all drink with me. None of you are leaving!" That left Alexander, William, and Eric baffled. The lights were dim and trance-like as they got to the pub. Charmine insisted that they drink. With the music working with the alcohol, she smiled seductively, insisting that apathetic Eric to drink with her and clinked her ss with his. She then turned around to flirt with Alexander, her words running out of her mouth so seamlessly. She even poured all of them more drinks and raised her ss with a suggestive smile. "Come. Let''s drink from one another''s ss!" Alexander looked at her suggestively. "You said it yourself, my dear. If we drink from one another¡¯s ss, you''ll be my wife." Charmine ignored Alexander''sment as she impatiently barked, "Are you drinking or not?" "Drink, of course!" Alexander took the ss, looped his arm around Charmine¡¯s beautiful arm, and drank its content. A loving smile graced his seductive face as he put down the ss. ''TH do anything for you, whatever it is you need," he spoke, voice maic as he did. Charmine''s red lips curved upward as she poured him another ss, saying. ''Yes. You''re my best friend from now on!" Alexander was speechless. Bestfriend? Oh, she seemed a little out of it, too. William, sitting by the side, gazed at Charmine attentively and wanted to talk her out of drinking. However, thinking of how she had just broken up, it must have agonized Charmine to the point she let loose. It made sense, too. 1 Charmine asked William to drink, and he did, warily this time around as he did not want a repeat of what happened in the pubst time. Still, he could not stop Charmine from pouring him one ss after another! Eventually, after seeing how Eric still seemed level-headed and rational, he finally zoned out and fell onto the table, just like thest time. 1 Charmine and Alexander continued to drink. They yed games: truth-or-dare, dice, and everything in between. They had a good time. Eric passively sat by the side, eyeing them stoically. As the pub closed, Charmine put her hand on Alexander''s shoulder and giddily spoke, "Let¡¯s go back to mine and we continue! Who crashes first is a coward!" Alexander was speechless. Fine. To Charmine, he was her female best friend. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. All four of them got into the car. None of them realized, however, that a man with a hat kept an eye on them from the pub. Seeing that they were driving away, he instantly followed them...all the way to Violet Vi. chapter 1460 chapter 1460 The man with a hat grew excited when he saw Charmine sent into Violet Vi by her three male companions. He quickly took out the camera to take a few photos. After the door was shut, he examined the photos-more than ten of them, at that-and was very satisfied. This would be a good topic. He would be handsomely rewarded this time! An hourter, Tweeter was upied with gossip regarding Charmine. #Charmine-with-three-men There were photos of her with Alexander, William, and Eric in an article. There were also shots of her inside the pub, smiling flirtatiously and getting cozy with Alexander. She even drank with him with their arms hooked. Another shot showed how she turned to drink with William and Eric. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. They drank until the pub closed, and she then brought all three men to her home and stayed in that night. One could only imagine what happened next. People on the inte were astounded at this while fans looked down on her and ridiculed her. [God! Didn''t expect Charmine to be so wild! One vs. three men? Hmm...] [I heard Charmine had a fling with Anthony and got dumped. She deserves it! She should know her ce!] [Exactly! His fiancee is Waverly D¡¯Cruz. How dare she get in between, being a homewrecker? How shameless!] [She''s with three other men now, so why should she feel shame? She can''t have Anthony, and now she has other men!] Anthony''s fans also joined in thement section. [Thank you, Ms. Jordan, for staying away from Anthony.] [Luckily, Boss Bailey has dumped her. He would''ve been cheated on had he stayed with her!] [Sure, Waverly isn''t good enough for Anthony, but she''s at least ten to a hundred times better than Charmine! At least she''s chaste!] [I agree! I didn''t like Waverly, but I somehow like her morepared to Charmine!] At home, Anthony leaned back on his luxury sofa and scrolled through the news on his phone. Charmine truly had forgotten about him. She was herself again-arrogant and heartless. She would not be sad because of their breakup, and he should be happy with that. He should be... His heart still ached. It hurt so badly that he was running out of breath. The most painful thing in the world was two people in love who could not be together. He even had to say harsh things to her. Anthony¡¯s eyes reddened as pain engulfed him entirely, physically and mentally. He nked out for a few minutes before smashing his phone against the floor. He then picked up the half-finished liquor and gulped down the rest of its content, lifting the bottle high up as he did. Nial saw the news on Charmine, and he apuded her for her defiance. He tried to phone Anthony to comfort him, but... His phone was turned off. Oh, no. Would his brother vomit blood out of anger? Such a thought urred to Nial. He quickly put down everything at hand and rushed back home. The mansion was pitch-dark as if nobody was home. Frowning, Nial walked in before, under the dim light, spotting a man drinking on the sofa. He let out a sigh of relief. All that mattered was that he was fine. Nial turned on the light and was mortified to see empty bottles across the floor. So many bottles! His stomach would bear the hefty aftermath! Nial walked over and saw that Anthony was still drinking. He reached out to grab his bottle away. "Stop drinking!" Anthony shoved him away and snarled, though groggily, "Leave me alone!" Nial noticed his expression and sighed, saying, "Why do this to yourself? If you still love her, go and tell her that! This will only torture both of you. Why not just face this as a team instead?" Anthony took another mouthful, he could not help thinking of what Nial said. ''This would only torture both of you.'' He felt tortured! He loved her as much as he loved himself. When another man looked at her or when she looked at another man, he wanted nothing more than to dig that man''s eyes out! Now, he had to be okay with seeing her being with other men! D*mn it! Recalling what he had read on his phone, the news regarding Charmine, Anthony smashed the bottle onto the floor and stormed out. chapter 1461 chapter 1461 Nial watched as Anthony left and was instantly overjoyed. Wonderful! His brother was finally getting back with Charmine! However... Anthony, walking to the garage, suddenly felt like his head had exploded. His vision grew murky as he looked at the luxury cars lined up in front of him. He was confused. What was he doing in the garage? Did he drink too much? Anthony massaged his temples and felt baffled. He stood there, confused for a moment and unable to recall why he was there in the first ce. He did not know what it was that he had forgotten. Whatever. He had broken up with Charmine, and nothing else mattered. Anthony went back inside and went straight to his room. Charmine woke up from a migraine the next morning. She squeezed her head and saw the news on Tweeter. As expected, news on her drinking with her male friends went up to the trending page. It had stayed up all night until this very hour. Of course, she had spotted someone following her into the pub, but it was in her intention that she wanted to piss Anthony off. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . She intentionally flirted with Alexander and brought all three of them home. She knew this would give Anthony the final kick he needed, and he would actually do something this time. However... She looked at her empty notification, and her heart sank. He must have read the news-she knew it. The only exnation would be that he saw it long ago but did not care. No matter who she flirted with, how unruly she got, he did not care... Charmine clenched her phone tightly, feeling sick to the stomach. She always thought Anthony was hiding something from her, which was why she had tried to stir a reaction from him that he would spill. s, he was still unperturbed even with everything that had happened. It seemed that he truly meant it when he said their rtionship was over. There was nothing hard about this; he merely fell out of love with her. Charmine took a deep breath and threw her phone away, walking into the bathroom instead. After washing up, she went downstairs, where Eric was reading the news dispassionately. Spotting her, Ericmented, "You¡¯re trending again." Charmine curled up her red lips arrogantly. "Isn¡¯t it good that it¡¯s getting me more fame?" Eric was used to seeing bad news about her, since she had always been known as the dark, ominous celebrity figure. No matter how bad the news was, it only made her more popr. Charmine sat before him and, crossing her long legs and putting her hair back, proudly ordered, "Sign me up for some drama roles. Form a live- filming crew." She had to move away for a period to detach herself from the outside worldpletely. She needed an opportunity and environment like this. Eric looked at her. "Okay.¡± Charmine always had a lot of resources to work with and invitations but had turned them all down because of Anthony. Now, as long as she wanted to, there were countless invitations for her to agree to! Within ten minutes, Eric already chose to sign her up for a show called, [ Recovery.] This show was about a beautiful woman, a dark mogul who detested the world. A kind-hearted man then took care of her and warmed her heart. They would eventually fall for one another and recover, together, i Eric noticed that the male lead was a well-known, sensual actor, Maurice Lukas. "This is more of a slice-of-life kind of show, and the female lead suits your temperament and experience," said Eric. "With Maurice Lukas as your fellow actor, this show will go viral." Charmine did not even know who Maurice was, but she did not care. All she asked was, "Is there a kissing scene?" chapter 1462 chapter 1462 Eric looked at Charmine calmly and replied, "Yes." "Okay," decided Charmine, "I''ll take it." Eric thus verified with her and secured the job. It was not long until the production team contacted them, saying Charmine could start right away, no audition needed. [Recovery] would be filmed in Velgrave. The male lead, Maurice, had a clean reputation with not a single gossip to besmirch his name. He was 37 years old with no prior rtionship; he had always been single. On the other hand, Charmine still had her bad rumors stuck online fromst night. Everyone was all too curious as to how the unruly Charmine would get along with this inexperienced middle-aged guy. Furthermore, this show''s director was an established individual. The story plot was so creative that the trailer had gone viral already. With both the male and female leads being popr, the show garnered everyone''s attention! Fans had gathered at the filming site, pushing one another as they did, early in the morning, even when the show crew was not there yet. Inside the venue was a banner with the words printed, [Best wishes for the sess of Recovery!] When the crew had all arrived, everyone instantly got to work. Not long after, actors and actresses arrived with their agents. Charmine entered a few minutes before they started, sporting casualwear and sunsses. Still, her innate chill and arrogance were not diminished. The reporters outside could not help taking photos of her, and their shutters never ceased. She was the most talked-about actress, and her name was everywhere! Since there was no time for an interview, the reporters could only get back to their seats after taking the photos. Charmine went to her seat as her fellow actors went up to greet her cordially, calling her Boss Jordan as they did. On the other hand, the second lead actress acted as if she could not see her. She proudly sat at the side and watched them coldly. Charmine somehow caught that gaze of hers but returned a cold stare of her own, seemingly unfazed. All of a sudden, the sound of a car''s engine rumbling was heard outside. The car door opened, and a long leg, fitted with a shiny leather shoe, stepped down. A tall man then got out of the car. Everyone outside fell into a frenzy as they screamed the man''s name," Maurice! Maurice!" Maurice was dressed in his ck suit that showed off his perfect body proportions. His face was handsome and gentle-looking, his eyes dark and alluring. The reporters surrounded him entirely and took photos of him. Maurice, on the other hand, turned to all angles so everyone could get a shot of him. Once done, Maurice walked inside with his long legs. He greeted every crew member and staff politely. Even though he was one of the biggest names in the industry, he did not have an attitude. He was polite and easy-going. Maurice came up to Charmine and stretched out his hand. "Hello, Ms. Jordan, my name is Maurice. We''ll be working together for the next three months, and I look forward to working with you." Charmine looked at him, and her first impression she had of him was that he was of this man was that he was very chivalrous, i He was handsome, had a good body, and a pair of dark eyes that could lure in souls. No wonder he had so many female fans. However, he was already 37 and unmarried, which was a shock. Of course, the entertainment industry was harsh, and some celebrities would not tell anyone even if they got married. They would pretend to be single to attract more fans. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Was this what he was up to? A man like him must not be single at all. Did he...suffer from an illness? What a pity. Charmine looked at him with a hint of pity in her eyes. She stretched out her hand politely to shake his. The two of them did not talk after greeting one another. Once the clock disyed nine minutes past nine, they set off fireworks and all, popping morously. The director led the crew to pray for the sess of the show. chapter 1463 chapter 1463 The male lead and female lead were up next. Charmine and Maurice walked up, but Maurice was quicker than her and received the item the assistant had handed to them. Charmine was about to reach out to take it, but Maurice gave her his and took another for himself. That took Charmine by surprise; it felt like she was taken care of. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. She instinctively turned to look at Maurice and felt that he was indeed a fine gentleman. Maurice looked at her and said, "After you, Ms. Jordan." "Okay." The two of them said a prayer and went back to their seats. Next up was the interview session, which was the reporters'' favorite segment of the day. They surrounded the male and female leads, every one of them throwing out their questions excitedly. Charmine frowned. More than ten of them asked at the same time, so she could not hear anything. Maurice lifted his hand to stop them before saying, "One at a time, please. Ask Ms. Jordan first." Every reporter pointed their microphone at Charmine, and their camera shes never once stopped. "Ms. Jordan, is the news on Tweeter about you real? Did you bring three men homest night?" "Who are they to you?" "Did you try to get over President Bailey after being dumped?" "Did you do that to promote ''Recovery,'' or is that your actual personality?" Charmine did not seem to care at all as she said, "Apologies, but that''s my personal life, and I have no comment on this. Please pay attention to my work instead. You may ask questions regarding my character, but as for my personal life, please don''t pay too much attention." Still, the reporters did not want to let go of such an opportunity, pushing their microphones her way as they continued, "Ms. Jordan, what¡¯s the matter between you and Anthony Bailey? Are you his secret lover?" "Anthony Bailey''s fiancee is Waverly D''Cruz. Do you think you can steer her away to take her ce?" Each question was more pointed than the other. Charmine pursed her lips and did not know what to answer. With her usual temper, she would have shoved the microphones up their faces, but it was the first day of the show, and she did not want to trouble the crew. Still, she did not know what to say! As she felt troubled, Maurice spoke up gently by the side, "Everyone, please don''t make it hard for this lady. Please ask me some questions instead, and I''ll tell you all about my personal life." Maurice had always kept a low-profile and was mysterious. He had never told the public anything regarding his personal life. When the reporters heard that they could ask about his private life, they were thrilled and went up to him instead. 2 The shocked Charmine looked at Maurice, who was surrounded by reporters. Was he trying to gain his poprity or kindly helping her out of trouble? "Mr. Lukas, why are you still single?" "Are you secretly married?" "Why are you not married? Or you are, in secret?" "We heard a few actresses are chasing after you, but you turned them all down. Why?" When Maurice heard thest question, he smiled gently. "They chased after me, but if I don''t like them, wouldn''t it hurt them if I say yes?" Maurice continued to answer, "As for why I''m still single and unmarried, well... I know some of you have been trying to find out if I''m genuinely still single and whether it''s a part of my act. I also haven''t given an exnation before, but I''ll go over that today..." 1 With that said, all reporters had their cameras ready and started clicking. chapter 1464 chapter 1464 Maurice would tell them the reason why he was still single. This was hot news! Maurice began, ''To be honest, I support bachelorism. I''ve never had a girlfriend nor do I have thoughts on getting married. This is my first time exining it and also myst. Alright, next question please." Charmine looked at Maurice in disbelief, suddenly realizing he was a precious guy. He was a gentleman, elegant, gentle, and had a brilliant attitude. Maurice answered questions regarding his personal life in order and then said, ''Those answers were for my private life. Now, please only ask questions regarding the show." Since they had gotten news of Maurice¡¯s personal life, the reporters let Charmine go and began asking film-rted questions. 1 "Ms. Jordan, why did you decide to be in this show? What do you think of Maurice?" Charmine answered, "Because the main lead''s experience is simr to mine. Furthermore, this show is about recovery, and I look forward to it. As for Mr. Lukas, I find him very kind and professional." The reporters then asked Maurice, "Mr. Lukas, this is your first coboration with Charmine. What''s your first impression of her? Does she fulfill the requirements for your female partner in the show?" "Yes, she does," responded Maurice. ''The moment I saw her, I felt that this show was made for her. I¡¯m very much looking forward to our coboration." With that said, he turned to look at Charmine, as did Charmine to him. Both of them exchanged nces. Maurice smiled at her gently, and Charmine gave him a smile out of politeness. It looked as if they were passionately looking at one another. The reporters had captured this moment. 2 One of the reporters noticed the strange atmosphere and asked, ''The two of you are such a perfect match, just like the characters in the show-so perfect for one another! Mr. Lukas, have you thought of dating Ms. Jordan?" Maurice answered lovingly, ''This will depend on how we get alongter on." Charmine did not deny it, either, as she nodded in agreement. This drove the reporters in a flurry. After the interview session, Maurice took a bottle of water from the assistant, opening it and handing it to Charmine. "Have some water." Charmine epted it and looked at this gentle, mature man. Her eyes sparkled and thought of what just happened. ''Thank you," she uttered. He never indulged the public with his private matters, yet he did just that moments ago to help her. "You¡¯re wee." Maurice stood upright by the side and said gently, ''The reporters need to earn money. They should get something." Charmine looked at him, shocked by his way of looking at things. The reporters asked such pointed questions, yet he spoke up for them instead of criticizing them? Any other artist would have put on a kind front to the reporters but would cuss them out right after they were interviewed. Charmine suddenly realized why Maurice was able to maintain such a good reputation in the entertainment industry. Although he was not young, he did not look old either. In fact, he exuded a sexy, masculine vibe entirely. He was handsome and clean-looking, gentle and elegant. 1 Most importantly, he had a very positive attitude and personality. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. This kind of man was as clean as a paper, with no negativity attached to him. Coupled with his skilled acting and good work ethic, no one could hate him. Charmine felt awkward. She wanted to apologize to him. She even looked down on him before, thinking that he stayed single because of an illness. She even thought he asked the reporters over to increase his fame-that he wanted to be popr! 2 Nheless, he was indeed a true gentleman. Furthermore, his handsome face was very kind-looking. Charmine pursed her lips and looked at Maurice. "I¡¯m sorry," she muttered abruptly. "Hmm?" Maurice looked at her suspiciously. "Why do you apologize to me?" chapter 1465 chapter 1465 "Nothing." Charmine drank the water from the bottle, saying nothing else. Maurice recalled the look on her face when they first met, and it clicked for him. "Don''t worry." He smiled gently. "Don''t trouble yourself over it." It was then the director called out excitedly, "We''ll go to the Red Cafe for lunch. I''ve already made the reservation, and everyone''s invited. None of you can go missing!" Charmine looked at Maurice and bade, "See youter." Maurice''s lips parted as he wanted to speak more, but Charmine had already left. He gazed at her gently before retreating to his hotel room. Charmine went to her car and said to Eric, "I''m not going to the lunch gathering; I can''t be bothered to socialize. I''m getting some rest at the hotel." "Okay." Eric thus sent her to the hotel. As Charmine had been busy throughout the afternoon, she was already tired and fell asleep a few minutes after getting in bed. Eric left her room and went to the room next door for an afternoon nap. After half an hour of napping, Charmine was startled awake by a nightmare. It was of Anthony in a bed, his face pale as he...moaned in pain? The pale Charmine looked around before sighing in relief. Thankfully, it was just a dream. She seemed more relieved. It was good enough for her if he lived on well, even if she was no longer part of his life. It was then Charmine seemed to have sensed what she was feeling. She snapped out of it and smiled ironically. Anthony no longer wanted her, yet she stooped so low for him? She went into the bathroom to wash her face and realized she was hungry. Charmine looked at the time and noticed that it was an hour before she had to work. She would get a simple bite outside, then. Little did she know... The lift stopped on the floor below hers and opened, revealing Maurice standing outside. The two of them looked at one another in surprise. Maurice walked in and asked gently, "Didn¡¯t you attend the gathering, Ms. Jordan?" "No,¡± replied Charmine, "I don¡¯t like crowded ces.¡± "We''re quite alike, you and I," remarked Maurice. Charmine looked at him and thought of how he took care of her. "Have you eaten? Why don''t I treat you to a meal?" she offered. Maurice took her up on her offer. "Okay." Thus, both of them headed down and picked a restaurant next to the hotel. Meanwhile, everyone in the gathering was shocked. Both the male and female leads did not show up! This was the first time that such a thing had happened. The director even asked his men to invite them over! Not long after, the men made a shocking revtion that the two enjoyed their lunch in a nice restaurant. He thus returned to tell the director about this. The director narrowed his eyes and asked, "Since when have they gotten so close?" Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. ording to what he knew, the two of them had never worked together before. Instantly, the director smacked his thigh and excitedly eximed, "Have the reporters take photos of them, and post them online!" The audience loved rumors outside shows. If they saw how close the two were, this would attract more attention! He did not even have to buy poprity. With Charmine''s fame, these photos would surely trend! He could even save on marketing and promotion costs! chapter 1466 chapter 1466 Just as the director expected, the #Charmine-Maurice hashtag shot up to the trending page, and in half an hour at that. A photo of them exchanging affectionate nces was leaked, as well as photos of them ditching the crew and fellow actors to dine on their own in a restaurant. They seemed to have had a good time, too. Such were thements about the matter: [It can''t be... The two of them had love at first sight?] [Maurice was made for Recovery, isn''t he? His eyes are so gentle. He¡¯s one of a kind!] [I''m so excited for the show! I can''t wait to see what''ll happen when the untamed, beautiful Charmine meets this middle-aged, gentle Maurice.] [A true love story! I suddenly feel like they look good together. What is this?] [OMG! They just started shooting, and I¡¯m already a fan! When is the show streaming? OMG! Please publish as they shoot, I can''t wait any longer!] The director chuckled heartily as he read thements. He had to give it to himself-he was good at getting attention! Charmine initially thought of just sparing 20 minutes to eat with Maurice before heading back to rest and prepare for the afternoon filming. She never expected that it would take over an hour instead. They first talked about the way they handled certain situations. He was like a senior, teaching her how to deal with the reporters'' pointed questions. They then talked about the drama they were shooting. When the agent came up to tell them that filming was about to start, they reluctantly ended their conversation and rejoined their cast. The entire afternoon session went by amicably for the entire filming crew. 1 Charmine and Maurice¡¯s shot together went well as both of them were made for the show. Furthermore, Maurice was a professional actor, thus his acting skills were impable. Charmine, on the other hand, was just as professional. She would go to the director or even Maurice for help when facing something she was unsure of. Although this was the first time they worked together, they had great chemistry together. They barely took breaks in the afternoon. As night came, the director pleasantly announced, "That¡¯s a wrap for today!" Charmine headed back to shower in her hotel room. She thenid in bed and scrolled through Tweeter out of boredom. She wanted to read the news when she noticed that she and Maurice were...at the top of the trending list. Clicking the hashtag, she then saw photos of her and Maurice seemingly warming up to one another. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Anthony¡¯s handsome face instantly greeted her at that moment, as she saw the photos. Did he not care at all? Rumors of her, Alexander, Eric, and William were still up online fromst night. It made sense that he was unfazed, seeing that he knew Charmine and the other three too well. He knew for a fact that nothing would happen between her and the three men...but he did not know Maurice. Did it not bother him this time? Charmine''s eyes grew cloudy with contempt, no longer in a good mood. She ced the phone on the table and picked up the script. After looking at it for a few minutes, her eyes twinkled. As if thinking of something, she jumped up from the bed and got changed, heading out of her room with the script. She took the lift to the floor below and headed to Maurice¡¯s room, ringing the bell. "Mr. Lukas." Maurice opened the door quickly. Looking at Charmine, he gently greeted, "Ah, Ms. Jordan. What is it?" Charmine waved the script in her hand. "I''d like to discuss the script with you." "Alright, pleasee in." The two of them sat in Maurice''s living room and discussed the script. Maurice would change some lines for her to let her be herself more. Both of them went through their scripts tillte that night, and it was then Charmine''s hunger struck, having not eaten dinner yet. She looked at Maurice and wanted to leave. However, they were in the middle of the conversation and she did not want to leave right away. She looked around the room and spotted a few packs of instant noodles in the kitchen. "Terribly sorry, Mr. Lukas, but I''m a little famished," she muttered. Noticing that Charmine was looking at his kitchen, Maurice said, "I have instant noodles. Would you like to eat?" Charmine nodded. "I¡¯ll go and make it." "Go ahead." She thus entered the kitchen and started boiling water. "I have tomatoes and eggs in the fridge," added Maurice," you can use them." i "Okay." chapter 1467 chapter 1467 Charmine swiftly took out a tomato and an egg. Maurice saw how nice of a woman she was and thought that the rumors online were not to be trusted. 1 Everyone said Charmine was cold, arrogant, and had a bad personality, but the Charmine he met was kind and easygoing. She had a pleasant personality, too. She cooked, at least, and his mother did not. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Thinking that Maurice must be just as hungry and how awkward it would be to eat alone, Charmine cooked two packets of instant noodles and brought them out. "Mr. Lukas,e and have some, too," she offered. Maurice turned her offer down with a gentle wave. "I''m not hungry. Dig in." "Mmh?" Charmine was surprised. "It''s sote, and you''re not hungry?" Was he not human? That afternoon when they went to eat, he merely had a few bites and talked to her for the majority of their time. He had not eaten after they headed back home for the night. "It''s okay," insisted Maurice, "go ahead and eat." He gently pushed his bowl back to Charmine. Charmine did not insist on the matter and dug into her meal, while Maurice merely sat before her, watching her eat with a gentle gaze. It was obvious how she enjoyed the meal, sucking the noodles in one go as she did. Such earnestness could persuade a person to buy the same instant noodle pack to try it. Maurice was somehow moved and instinctively looked at the bowl in front of him. He did not have an appetite most of the time; he would eat every day just to stay healthy. Still, a thought urred to him right then and there... He wanted to eat the noodles already... Charmine was too influential! Catching him staring at the bowl of noodles, Charmine pushed it back at him and said, "Please, Mr. Lukas, try it. Don¡¯t look down on my skills-we don''t know how long we¡¯ll be staying up. Don''t starve yourself." This time, Maurice took on her offer. Eyeing the delicious- looking noodles, he took up his fork and tried it. Surprisingly, it tasted far better than the takeaways or any five-star restaurants he had tried! He did not refuse to eat it anymore. Seeing that he began eating the noodles, Charmine asked, " How does it taste?" "Very tasty!" Maurice took a few more bites andplimented, "This is nicer than any food I''ve ever eaten!" Hisment startled Charmine as she eyed him in disbelief. "Now you¡¯re just overreacting." It was a simple instant noodle dish. How was it better than anything he had eaten? Maurice did not go into detail and instead stared at her earnestly. "I''m serious." Charmine met his serious eyes and began to doubt. He seemed honest. Was it that delicious? Maurice even finished the soup! While it did not strike Charmine as anything major, Maurice was astounded. He actually finished a bowl of noodles! Charmine did not notice the look of surprise in his eyes as she began to clear the table. Maurice stopped her gently. "You''ve already cooked, so let me wash everything. Have a look at the script, and if you don''t like a certain, circle it. I''ll change it for you." "Okay.¡± Charmine did not insist on the matter. However... She used his kitchen, ate in his living room, and even allowed him to clean up for her? Charmine fell silent as she watched Maurice washing the dishes. He, at that moment, looked much like Anthony... chapter 1468 chapter 1468 Anthony used to take care of her the same way, cooking for her and washing the dishes for her. Sadly... Her eyes dulled as she massaged her temples. Why was she thinking of that fool again?! Charmine turned away to look at her script instead. After he finished washing the tes, Maurice sat before Charmine hushedly. His dark eyes studied her. He liked this youngdy a lot. She was like his next-door neighbor, the pure and innocent kind, and he had this desire to protect her. It baffled him as to why people online would hate her so much. She was nowhere close to what they portrayed her to be! N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. She was, in fact, a soft-hearted, kind, and almost adorable woman. Charmine could feel his burning gaze on her, so she looked at him and fell into his dark eyes. "Mr. Lukas..." hesitated Charmine. "What''s wrong?" Maurice looked away and gently replied, "I think you''re adorable." "Mmh?" Charmine blinked. Adorable? Was he deluded or something? Not once was she called ''adorable'' ever since she was born. i "Why are you so shocked?" questioned Maurice. Charmine said, "This is the first time anyone has called me that," confessed Charmine, inducing Maurice¡¯s pity. He somehow understood her more. Thinking he might have grazed an old wound of hers, he dropped the matter and instead said, "How¡¯s the script going?" "This part." Charmine circled it and showed it to him. "I think I can change it this way." Maurice looked at it and nodded. "Yeah, you can." With that, he added another sentence for her and said, "This will bring out your charisma, and they¡¯ll like your personality even more.¡± Charmine blinked. "Mr. Lukas, this will make everyone scowl at the male lead." "It¡¯s okay." He truly felt Charmine was a perfect match to the female lead, just as how he felt the same way during the interview. Even though it was just a show, the audience would be deeply immersed in it, and they would second- guess themselves about Charmine''s true self. He, from the start, had always known she was a good person. He wanted more people to like her and not scold her for anything she did. This was why he had been trying to change her script-so that people would like her more, i She did not deserve the public scrutiny! i Charmine looked at him and wanted to refute, but Maurice merely said, "Ms. Jordan, just call me Mo in the future. It makes us sound closer." Charmine frowned. Mo? That sounded too personal. They had just met for a day, after all. She wanted to turn him down gently, but Anthony¡¯s face kept haunting her. Since he had that female artist of his, would it not be weak for her to not call Maurice, ''Mo''? Charmine looked at Maurice. "Okay, Mo. You don¡¯t have to call me Ms. Jordan¡ª" "What about Gem?" Charmine wanted to have him call her Charmine, but he called out her name from the show. Her name on the show was Gem rke. The male lead would eventually call her Gem after they began dating in the show. Charmine blinked and said, "Okay." It did not matter what he called her. ''Gem'' sounded nice, and it would rile up the fans all the more, too, increasing their poprity as well as the show''s! Maurice nodded, and they both continued discussing the scripts. They went through most bits up until three that morning. By then, Charmine was exhausted, so she stood up to leave. Maurice walked her out of his room and said gently, "Thank you for working so hard tonight. Go and get some rest. Goodnight." Startled for a moment, Charmine then smiled and said," Goodnight." "Goodnight." chapter 1469 chapter 1469 Both Maurice and Charmine walked out of Maurice''s hotel room, and he walked her to the lift. He only went back to his room when he saw the lift ascending to the floor above. The next day... #Charmine-Maurice-Late-Night-Date The hashtag had photos of Charmine going to look for Maurice at 9 p.m., only leaving when it was three in the morning. Maurice even walked her out of his room, and both of them looked visibly reluctant to part. Everyone online exploded into a flurry. |OMG! A man and a woman, parting at midnight?] [It¡¯s not what I think it is, is it?] [We were still guessing their status, and now they verified it at night?] [It''s definitely what we''re thinking, alright! If they''re merely colleagues, why would she go to his room? Maurice isn''t this kind of man!] [From nine till three! Is Maurice''s stamina that good? (don''t shoot me)] [Although I can''t believe that Charmine has taken Maurice, he has to be head over heels for her, seeing how gentle he looked. I hope he''s happy...] During their break, Charmine went back to her seat when Eric approached her, coldly questioning, "Is what they''re saying online true?¡± Charmine looked at him. "What''s true?" "You and Maurice! What were you doing in his roomst night?" Charmine reached out to take Eric¡¯s phone. She then read the news of her looking for Maurice, that was the most trending news. Theizens had a lot to say. Most of them said that she slept with Maurice. Charmine returned the phone to Eric, and her red lips curved into a small smirk. "What? You didn''t seem to care about these. Why bother?¡± "I''m asking you if it''s true," deadpanned Eric. "If you think it''s true, it is," came Charmine''s response. "If you think it''s not, it isn''t." All of a sudden, Maurice walked in. "Gem, there¡¯s this online news-" "It¡¯s okay," Charmine cut him off. "I don¡¯t mind, but if you''re bothered by it, you can rify the situation." Maurice pursed his lips. "I don¡¯t mind either." i ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Furthermore, the director told him to not exin it. This would inevitably increase the show''s poprity. It did not bother Maurice, but he was worried that Charmine might get problems from this gossip. That was why he came to ask in person. Since she had said it did not trouble her, they had no reason to fret, then. When Maurice was about to leave, Charmine called out," Mo." He turned back to her, gazing at her kindly. "Yes?¡± "Let''s run through the part." "Okay." Maurice sat beside Charmine and started going through their scripts. The two of them seemed happy, and they almost looked as if they were in love. Not far away from them was Natasha Vallois, looking at Charmine and Maurice being all chummy. It grated on her nerves. i The audacity! She was supposed to be the female lead, but the night before the show was scheduled to start, she received the abrupt news that she became the lead supporting actress instead! She could not ept this. She wanted to turn down this job, but she then thought of Maurice... From the start of her career, she only had eyes for that demure man. She spent so much effort to get a role in this show, just to partner up with him and probably spark romance between them. This was why she persevered in the end, choosing to stay and remain as the lead supporting actress. 2 She never thought Charmine would be a fake. Not only did she steal the lead actress role from her, but she seduced Maurice, too. She had never seen anyone so shameless! 2 Anthony had dumped her, and she was already on the search for her next man! Charmine could find anyone, and she could steal the lead- actress role from her, but she must not touch Maurice whom she had fancied for many years! Natasha clenched her script tightly, her eyes dark and malicious... chapter 1470 chapter 1470 Filming began that afternoon, and the family of Gem rke- Charmine''s character-was killed by the man she loved. The man who harbored feelings for her was shot 28 times, then eaten by a wolf-dog, and died without aplete body, i Unable to ept the tragedy that befell her, she lost all will to live and chose to end herself. Charmine had on a bright red ankle-length dress and stood by the edge of a cliff. Her dress fluttered with the breeze. She looked beautiful as ever. "Action!" the director called out. Charmine fell into her role, and her eyes glistened in despair. She looked in the direction of the camera and said herst words, "If I can just wish for one thing, Rory, I''d give up my future reincarnations in exchange for your next lives to be peaceful, carefree." Having said herst words, she jumped off the cliff into theke without hesitating. The bright red dress made her stunning as usual... The director watched in awe as she leaped; it was as if he had won the jackpot. After a few seconds of silence, he exploded into praises," How wonderful! This vibe, this acting skill, and the words are perfect!" Gem was an apathetic character to begin with, and with Charmine''s acting skill, she put her soul into Gem and conjured her to life! The rest of the crew nodded in agreement. One of them said, "Luckily, Charmine epted the invitation two days ago, and I support this. I thought it''d be tooplicated to switch actresses, but it seemed that the troubles were worth it!" Natasha, all this while, sat not too far from them, and she heard it all with a look of disgust. Instantly, she thought of something and smiled coldly. She looked at theke by the side and looked away nonchntly, continuing to study her script. Charmine jumped off the cliff with no safety harnesses and fell straight to theke. It was at this moment that her character, Gem, sank to the bottom of theke before realization hit her. She should not die. Her enemies would be gloating if she did! She had to bring justice, exact vengeance on those who killed her family. There were waterweeds at the bottom of theke. Charmine obeyed the script and stayed at the bottom for a few seconds before swimming away from theke bed, going upward when the ''realization'' hit her. However... She then realized her right ankle was caught in the waterweeds as she tried to swim up. Charmine was shocked. This was not part of the script. Was this an ident? She tried to swim upward, needing to breathe, but she got deeply caught instead! Running out of patience, Charmine had to swim back down to remove her ankle from the waterweeds'' tangle. Since she could not use force inside the water, it was useless... Charmine''s eyes burned with the desire to get back up to the surface, to live. She used every bit of her strength, trying to get out. The director looked at the screen and was astounded. None of them expected her to be so into it. The director was shocked for a moment before he pped his thigh, praising, "Our lead actress truly portrayed that desire to live so wlessly. It''s as if she''s actually struggling!" Everyone apuded. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Only Maurice stood by the side, watching Charmine and sensing that something was not right... Suddenly, he spotted how Charmine''s hands that tried to untie the waterweeds seemed to be weakening, and her eyes seemed visibly rmed. Maurice sprung into action as he ran toward the cliff and jumped into theke. chapter 1471 chapter 1471 Everyone watched as Maurice jumped straight into theke. "What¡¯s going on?" questioned the director. Everyone shook their heads. They had no idea. Sabrina, on the other hand, stared at theke with a look of disbelief. How did Maurice find out? Why would this man, he who was afraid of water, would fearlessly jump into theke for Charmine? 1 The director looked at the screen in confusion. It was only when he noticed Charmine already unconscious and had sunk to the bottom of theke did he realize it was not in the script. Something was wrong. His face jolted. "Hurry!" the director''s hand shook as he said to the crowd, "Hurry and save her! We have a situation here!" After a few seconds of silence, everyone panicked and rushed toward theke urgently. Charmine, unable to untangle herself from the waterweeds, grew listless, her head getting heavier and her vision blurrier. Right before she lost consciousness, she could hear someone anxiously calling out her character''s name, "Gem! Gem...!" She wanted to respond, but her eyelids grew heavier like mountains, unable to keep her eyes open. Maurice dove right to the bottom, and though overwhelmed by his ustrophobia, shrugged it off as his gentle eyes fixed on the red figure not far away from him. He swam over quickly and spotted the already unconscious Charmine. Maurice gazed at her, pained. He took out his pocket knife and shed the waterweeds wrapped around her ankle. He bent down to grab her waist and then swim back upward. When they got out of theke, the crew was already waiting for them anxiously by the edge. i Maurice''s face was pale, terrified by the water, but used every bit of his strength to bring Charmine to the shore. When he saw William taking Charmine into his arms, the built-up tension within him instantly released, and he fell listlessly beside Charmine... The crew initially wanted to help Charmine, but they saw a man who passed them to help Charmine. Thus, they instantly attended to Maurice. William knelt beside Charmine to give her a cardiopulmonary resuscitation, but even after doing that for a while, there was still no improvement. He frowned anxiously. Seeing that she was not even breathing, William felt as if his world was copsing... He only had one thought in mind. ''Ms. Jordan, please be okay. Please be okay...'' Noticing that the cardiopulmonary resuscitation was not working, William did not hesitate to part her lips with his hands to give her mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. His heart sank the moment he found out Charmine was caught in an ident. He was so worried that he wanted to jump into theke right away, but Maurice beat him to it. Even though he was very worried, he knew he did not have to jump into theke. William med himself. He watched Charmine closely all along, but how did he not notice when she was struggling underwater for so long? He was breathing her air through his mouth and performed the resuscitation repetitively. A few minutester, Charmine made a sound... She spat out water. Everyone around them sighed in relief, thinking they were in the clear. However, even after she spat out water and she could breathe weakly, she was still unconscious... The ambnce happened to have rushed over at this time, quickly wheeling both Maurice and Charmine into the ambnce. At the hospital... Thankfully, Maurice merely passed out from overworking, waking up half an hourter after having intravenous therapy. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. He was worried about Charmine, so he walked toward where she was to check on her, all while dragging along his pump. Charmine was still lying unconsciously inside the ICU... chapter 1472 chapter 1472 When Maurice got to Charmine''s ward, he saw her lying in bed, her face pale like snow and breathing visibly weak. She made a pitiable sight. William, Alexander, and Eric were standing by the side and gazed at her worriedly. Eric was away to handle work-rted matters and only knew of what happened when he returned to the filming site. He worriedly looked at the unconscious Charmine and med himself. If he was there, he would have noticed the difference right away. This ident would not have happened. The four men surrounded her, all visibly anxious. Meanwhile, this incident had exploded online. The ident involving the main actor and actress for [Recovery] instantly became the most talked- about topic. It caused a big scene, and the news had spread offline as well. Everyone was thunderstruck when they saw the footage of the ident online. The discussions were so heated that Tweetergged seven to eight times! 1 [OMG! She almost drowned to death? What even happened? Is this real or part of the script?] [Is she okay now? Why is she risking her life for this show?!] [Oh, poor Charmine! Anthony just dumped her, and when she had just found an older man who treats her well, this happened. Hope she¡¯s okay.] [Maurice! Maurice! OMG! He''s afraid of water, yet just to save Charmine, he jumped right into theke! I''m so jealous!] [I won''t believe it if anyone tells me they don''t have something going on!] [Latest news: Maurice woke up, and the first thing he did was to check up on Charmine! He stayed by her side and didn''t want to leave!] [Maurice is so adorable! If Charmine wakes up okay, she better treat him well! They''re such a good match!] [Must be true love!] Guy and Yvonne were on their way to Yvonne¡¯s family home when they heard of what happened to Charmine. Guy''s eyes were full of worry, and he did not even tell Yvonne of his intention before turning back to rush toward the hospital. Sitting on the passenger''s seat, Yvonne turned and glowered at him. "Guy, is this the right way home?" Guy was speeding at this moment, his eyes fixed on the road ahead of them. He did not even look at her when he replied, "Ms. Jordan is in danger. I need to check up on her." Yvonne was stumped. She looked at him coldly. "If she''s in trouble, my cousin will check on her, and you don''t have to. Didn¡¯t you see the news? Her new and old boyfriends are all checking on her. Won''t you feel embarrassed going there?" Guy¡¯s eyes became a shade duller. He still focused on the road and said," I¡¯m checking on her as a friend. Don''t overthink things." "Ha!" Yvonne scoffed. "Aren¡¯t you guilty when you say this?" Guy pursed his lips and turned to look at her, saying, "Ms. Yvonne, our marriage-" "Okay, shut up!¡± Yvonne looked impatient. "You don¡¯t have to remind me every day that our marriage is nothing but an act! I know this better than you! I agreed to marry you just for the sake of my cousin; don''t think I¡¯m being jealous. I''m just speaking my mind-l don¡¯t want to be embarrassed as your wife!" With that said, Yvonne looked at his lips and guessed what he was going to say, so she continued, "Take me to the hospital, then. You will see your Ms. Jordan, and I¡¯ll find my friend!¡± Guy said nothing else, merely nodding and speeding up. When they arrived at the hospital. Guy and Yvonne took the lift together. Recalling that she came here to visit a friend, Guy asked, "Which floor is your friend on?" "Eleven," bluffed Yvonne. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Guy pressed the floor for her, much to her bewilderment. He was being cooperative when he did not have to! Guy looked at her cold eyes. chapter 1473 chapter 1473 Guy thought for a second and said, "I''m sorry, Ms. Yvonne. We might have to postpone our visit to your family home." Yvonne smiled coldly. "Oh, so you do remember after all?" "We''ll go in the afternoon," assured Guy. At least, he would be assured that Charmine was fine by then. Yvonne took her bag and emotionlessly replied, "You''re already here. What else can I say?"a To be honest, she did not mind Guy visiting Charmine. Charmine was in such a vulnerable state, and it made sense to visit her. What pissed her off was that whenever something had to do with Charmine, he would get all frantic, and all he cared about would be Charmine. He would neglect everyone else! 1 She would not be as pissed if he told her everything properly. Guy looked at her, looking like he wanted to say something when the lift already arrived at the designated floor. He said, "We''re at your friend''s floor now.¡± Yvonne looked at him calmly and asked, "Are you sure we''re still going in the afternoon?" "Yes," answered Guy. Yvonne nodded and walked out of the lift in her heels. When she heard the door closing behind her, she stopped abruptly and turned back to look at the lift. Ugh! He left her here just like this! If she had not made up an excuse, this man would have dropped her at a random spot on the way to the hospital. Hmph! She might as well go shopping, seeing as he said he would meet her in the afternoon. Guy arrived at Charmine''s ward and saw four depressed-looking men sitting inside. When William saw him, he asked in surprise, "Mr. Granger, you came?" "I heard about what happened, so I came to check up on her," answered Guy as he swept a nce at Charmine, who was lying in bed. She was still unconscious, and her pale face looked concerning. Guy¡¯s eyes wereyered with visible anxiety as he questioned, "How¡¯s she doing?¡± William said, "Not so well. She was immersed in theke for too long and had a lung infection. She needs an operationter." Guy frowned. So severe? Guy thus waited in the ward with all four men, and all five of them watched over Charmine, panic- stricken, i The five of them waited anxiously for ten or so minutes before Charmine was sent to the operating room. All five of them-tall, lean men-stood outside the operation room, their handsome faces visibly concerned. Yvonne window-shopped for a few hours, and when she noticed that it was 1 p.m., she went back to look for Guy. What she saw was five men standing in front of the operating room. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Each of them had different personalities but were all incredibly handsome. At that very moment, they all looked worried. Yvonne¡¯s heart sank. She envied Charmine. So many people cared about her. Still, among the five men, there was no rtive nor the man who loved her the most, Anthony, i If Yvonne was the one in danger, other than Grandma Bailey, probably no one else would wait in front of the operating room. Yvonne felt usually lonely. She walked over and looked at Guy coldly. "Let''s go." Guy met her eyes and was caught off-guard. Charmine''s operation was not yet finished. He could not leave. Even though there were many people here, they did not represent him. He had to see Charmine walking out of the operating room safely so he would be convinced. Guy pursed his lips and said, "Ms. Jordan isn''t out yet. Can we-" "Guy Granger!" Before he could finish his sentence, Yvonne shot him a look of disbelief. " You promised me just now that we''ll be going back to my family home this afternoon!" chapter 1474 chapter 1474 "I''m sorry..." Guy looked at her and said gently, "Ms. Jordan is in a critical condition." Yvonne''s head exploded. "So? Are you going to just stay here?" "Yes!" Guy was a straightforward person. He would not lie to please Yvonne, and he could not read her face either. Yvonne was fuming. She was so shell-shocked that she wanted to divorce this man instantly. Annoyingly, this man might even want to wait for Charmine toe out of the operating room before doing that! Yvonne clenched her bag¡¯s strap tightly. Her face was pale. She acknowledged that the rest of the men were looking at her, and she did not want tosh out at Guy in front of them. Lashing out in front of so many people would bring down her reputation. Yvonne took a deep breath and, rposing herself, coldly said, "Fine, I''ll wait here as well. I''m quite worried about Charmine." "Okay." Guy looked at her and said, "I can only go to your family home with you next time." Yvonne was speechless. She crossed her legs and sat on the stool by the side, not wanting to talk to this fool of a man no longer. 1 Guy knew he had pissed her off, thus he said nothing more. He would check up on her from time to time, asking if she was tired or hungry. Yvonne acted as if he did not exist. Alexander, on the other hand, was speechless. This woman was interesting. All six of them waited more than an hour in front of the operating room. Charmine finally came out not long after. Lying on the surgical bed, her breathing was weak and her face had lost its pallor. The doctor removed his mask and dered, "The patient is stable for now. We only have to wait for her to wake up." Everyone let out a sigh of relief. They all went around Charmine to help push her bed to her ward. Yvonne watched on with jealousy. She pulled on Guy, who was helping them push the bed. He turned back to look at her. "What is it?" "She''s out," stated Yvonne. That meant they could leave already. Guy pursed his lips and said, "It''ste now, and it doesn''t make sense to go home now. We''ll go tomorrow, okay?" Yvonne was gobsmacked. "Can you even keep your word?!" Guy, however, persisted, "I can''t leave her like this. Why don''t-" "Stop!" Yvonne was running out of patience. "You stay and watch over her, then!¡± She would not let him enter the house tonight! Guy knew she was angry, but he did not try to calm her down. He merely nodded instead. "Okay. Are you going back now?" i "Yes," hissed Yvonne coldly, "so that I won''t bother you!" "Okay, get home safe," bade Guy before turning into the ward. 1 Yvonne was utterly speechless. Rooted where she stood, she could not help looking inside the ward from the window. She saw William helping to fill up the intravenous while Alexander was setting the room temperature. The usually emotionless Eric had a hint of concern on his face as he draped Charmine with a nket. Maurice stood by the side, reading her report worriedly. Guy, too, was just as worried that Charmine was ufortable, so he carefully adjusted the height of her bed. It fanned the mes of Yvonne''s anger. Why? Why did so many people care for Charmine? Especially that middle-aged man. He was quite ill himself, yet he waited with them outside the operating room the entire afternoon. Guy, too! Even though he knew she was angry, he still broke his promise, and twice at that! He did not care how she felt and chose to stay with Charmine! 2 Still...what could she say? If she kept fighting with him, he would merely file for a divorce. Since Charmine had broken up with Anthony, Guy had a chance! 1 Therefore, she could onlysh out at him a short while to let him know that she was unhappy but not overdoing it altogether.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. chapter 1475 chapter 1475 Yvonne had yet to conquer the clueless Guy. She would not end her marriage so soon. Anthony had been undergoing treatment at Ml Laboratory in the past two days. The doctors found out that his amnesia was worsening, so he needed a neuroser. After this procedure, he would be unconscious for two to three days. Anthony did not want to forget Charminepletely, so he chose to undergo this treatment. Still, he could not fight off the urge to check his phone before entering theboratory, knowing he would not be able to check on her in the next two to three days. He wanted to check on her so he could be rest assured. However, when he logged onto Tweeter and before he even searched for Charmine, he already saw all the news about her: her attempt in ending herself, drowning, romance with Maurice... Anthony saw the photos, and his heart sank at the sight of Charmine on a surgical bed. He instantly stood up and rushed out of theboratory. When he got into his car, he received a call from the doctor of Ml Laboratory, "President Bailey, where are you going? We''re ready for the procedure!" Anthony literally sped along the road as he hissed, "Postpone it." "What?" The old doctor fretted, "You''ve been injected with solutions that work along the procedure. If you don''t receive the treatment now, you¡¯ll have a migraine!" "Postpone it!" growled Anthony onest time before hanging up. He was worried that he would forget to look for Charmine halfway driving, so he keyed that into his watch. Furthermore, he cleared his mind and only remembered one sentence:'' Find Charmine.'' The one-hour drive to the hospital Charmine was in only took him 20 minutes, and Anthony marched right into the hospital and toward Charmine''s ward. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. There, he saw seven to eight men watching over her, and all of them looked at him in shock. Did he not break up with Charmine? Why was he here? Anthony fixed his eyes on the unconscious Charmine. Seeing how peacefully she slept, though almost breathlessly at that, he felt a pang in his chest. Concern shrouded his expression as he turned to William. "How is she?" "She''s fine now," answered William. ''We¡¯re waiting for her to wake up." Anthony red at the men around him and said coldly, "All of you, out." 1 Everyone knew his rtionship with Charmine. They exchanged nces before every one of them left. William was thest to leave. Knowing that Anthony had amnesia, he could not help reminding, "Mr. Bailey, when the medicine runs out, remember to rece Ms. Jordan''s IV. Constantly monitor her body temperature. Once it raises, call for a doctor. Keep an eye on any coughing or congestion. If anything happens, press the bell right away." Anthony sat by her bed side and looked at Charmine. He did not even look up and merely nodded. William took one look at Charmine. Although he was worried, he still left some alone time for the two of them. He then closed the door softly. Anthony looked at Charmine with pain in his eyes. It was all his fault that she went through hell. He held onto her cold, small hands and put them onto his cheeks. When he thought of how she jumped into theke and recalled the word ''suicide'' that he read, it hurt every fiber in him. What a foolish girl. Why was she so silly? Did she not say that she was over him two days ago? Why was she suffocating herself, still? She once said that love was not worth all of her. She should be focusing more on herself and stand at the peak of her world! She should find a man good enough for her, in love with her, and who would take care of her for the rest of her life. Still, for him, she punished herself. She should not have... chapter 1476 chapter 1476 Anthony wanted oh-so badly to let Charmine know he still loved her, ardently. 1 However, thinking of his illness... Anthony never wanted Charmine to suffer his ailment''s aftermath for the rest of her life. 1 The agonized Anthony held Charmine''s hands tightly, his eyes reddening as he did, but the force stirred a reaction from the slumbering Charmine¡ª she frowned and moaned in pain. Thinking she was awakened, Anthony instantly let go of her and removed the love and hurt in his eyes. When he waited and looked at her, however, he noticed that her eyes were still closed shut. She had not woken up; she merely looked in pain. Anthony instantly pressed the bell, and William rushed in hurriedly not long after, asking, "Mr. Bailey, what''s wrong?" "She''s in pain," stated Anthony. William frowned. He came forward to check on Charmine and noticed there were no signs of her waking up. There were no changes in her either. "She''s probably having a dream, then,¡¯¡¯ theorized William. "Okay." Anthony felt relieved with his response and sat right back at Charmine¡¯s bedside. "I''ll leave you here," said William, "call me if you need anything." Anthony nodded. After William had left, Anthony reached out to grab Charmine''s hands again. He looked at her without blinking, treasuring this alone-time with her. He was worried that he would forget about her IV, thus he would keep an eye on the intravenous from time to time, and then at his electronic watch. This time, he did not forget to rece the IV for Charmine on time, i Charmine, meanwhile, was half-awake. She felt lightheaded as if her world was dark. She could not tell reality from dreams. She seemed to have heard Anthony''s voice, too... She could even feel the familiarity of his palms that held onto her hands tightly. Still...why would Anthony show up beside her? Why so gently? She had to be dreaming. Only in the past or in her dreams would Anthony treat her like this. In reality, Anthony no longer cared about her. Charmine, in her drowsy state, suddenly dreamt about the scenario at the bottom of theke, and when Maurice jumped in. She remembered Maurice telling her he was afraid of water... "Mo...don¡¯t..." whimpered Charmine groggily, and her words instantly drifted into Anthony''s ears. Her words threw him off his guard, and he looked at Charmine in disbelief. Did he just hear what he had just heard? Who was Mo? Instantly, he thought of the news he read earlier. Other than Charmine being severely hurt, the next shocking news was her new rtionship with Maurice. Anthony frowned. She dreamt of this man, even in her dream? He always knew that Charmine made a scene with Alexander and William to piss him off. He knew Charmine well enough to know she would not fall for these three men. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Maurice, on the other hand... He was more caring than Guy, more reliable than Alexander, and even more gentle and elegant than William and Eric. In her heartbroken state, a mature, caring, and gentle man came into her life and couldfort and reassure her. No woman could resist the care from a mature gentleman. Anthony looked at Charmine and frowned. Had she actually fallen for Maurice? As if answering Anthony''s question, Charmine frowned in her sleep and called out, "Mo..." That startled Anthony. He felt a strong sense of danger. 2 He looked at her parted red lips and gulped. Following that, as if punishing her, he kissed the lips that he had missed for so long... Charmine was not fully conscious; she thought it was a dream. Anthony''s kiss was ravening at the start, but it mellowed in the end as he gently pecked her lips. Charmine fell deeper into the kiss and unconsciously tried to respond to his lips. Anthony paused, and then deepened the kiss. As he kissed her passionately, a loud buzz overwhelmed his head as if a bomb had detonated. He felt his nerves explode into pieces. chapter 1477 chapter 1477 Anthony instinctively let go of Charmine and massaged his temples. Charmine seemed unwilling to let go of him, however, as she cried out, " Anthony..." Anthony''s heart clenched at her cry. He instantly forgot about the sharp pain that gued his head. Biting back the pain and with clenched fists, he caved in and lowered his head once more to kiss her gently, one peck after another. He looked at her emotionally, gently caressing her face, and his thumbs gently rubbed her red lips. He did not want to leave her. He stayed by her bedside for half an hour more. When he saw the machine beside her indicating she was in a normal state once more, he was finally relieved. He pressed the bell and had William return to Charmine¡¯s ward. William examined Charmine''s body and said, "She''s showing signs of waking up." 1 Anthony said, "Don''t tell her that I came." Otherwise, Charmine would surely catch something. William nodded and looked at him. "How''s your bodytely?" "I''m getting treated." Anthony took onest emotional nce at Charmine reluctantly, but he had no choice. "I need to go now," he muttered. "Okay," replied William and sighed. Around ten minutes after Anthony had left, Charmine woke up. She looked around the empty room and vaguely recalled what happened. She looked around disconcertedly. She looked at William who was examining her and asked, "Did Anthonye?" William shook his head. "No. Only the few of us stayed with you." 1 She frowned and vaguely recalled the gentle things Anthony said to her by her ear. He even kissed her. She could still feel his lips on hers. It seemed that his heat still lingered on them. The burning kiss felt so real... "Really?¡± repeated Charmine, not giving up on the idea. Alexander said, "He never came, sweetheart. Don''t get mad, though-the douche isn''t worth your anger." Charmine had a hint of disappointment in her eyes. She was involved in an ident and had rumors of her seeing Maurice. Did these not faze him at all? He even stopped caring for her! No matter what happened to her, even if he knew about it, he would not do anything. Charmine was visibly disappointed, her ridiculeced smile adorning her face. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. The gentle words he said and the emotional kiss were all part of her dream. Meanwhile, Maurice saw the look of hurt in her eyes and was baffled. Mr. Bailey seemed to love this girl a lot. She loved him, too. Why, then, did this happen? Charmine could feel a pair of intense eyes on her. She looked up to meet Maurice''s eyes. She noticed that he was quite ill himself. She thought of something and asked, "Mo, did you save me?" She thought that the voice calling out to her-"Gem!"-before she cked out was a dream. It appeared to be otherwise. He really did jump into theke to save her, and without hesitation at that. "It''s only right," replied Maurice gently. It was then the director approached by the side and muttered, "My apologies, Ms. Jordan. It¡¯s our fault. I would like to apologize to you on behalf of the entire crew. We¡¯re willing to be responsible for everything." "Weren¡¯t you supposed to have safety precautions before filming?" deadpanned Eric. "Why did nobody realize when the incident urred? If Mr. Lukas didn''t notice in time, none of you could afford her life!" 1 The director and the producer both bowed at Charmine sincerely. "We¡¯re really sorry." Nobody saw thising. Charmine narrowed her eyes and recounted what happened at the bottom of theke... chapter 1478 chapter 1478 The waterweeds had always been smooth and separated. If nobody tied knots with them, they would not be able to hold a person down. However, when Charmine was trapped, she clearly saw strands of waterweeds tied up in a lump. That trapped her at the bottom. Who was trying to hurt her? Charmine suddenly had the image of Sabrina, the second lead actress who always stood behind her eerily, i Could it be her? Hmph! There was a glint of ferocity in Charmine''s eyes. Eric red at the director and snapped, "Go home. We''ll speak about the contractter." The director''s heart sank. He understood that Eric was thinking of breaking the contract. He wanted to talk him out of it, but thinking of how Charmine was put in such danger, he was too ashamed to say anything. He apologized once more and left. "Leave this show," asserted Eric to Charmine. Charmine was about to nod when her gazended on Maurice, who was standing by the side. She pursed her lips. "Who said I''d do that?" Eric looked at her in shock. She was not angry and even wanted to keep working on the show? Did the waterweeds get to her head or something? Usually, he would not be able to speak before Charmine would tell off the entire crew badly. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Was it...? Eric looked at Maurice. Had she really fallen for this man, and was she staying for him? Charmine said, "I like this show. Nobody wanted this ident to happen, either. It''s not their fault." Eric had a straight face and said nothing on the matter. Maurice said, "Gem, I''d like to apologize to you on behalf of the entire crew. Sorry to have hurt you. They weren¡¯t thorough with every detail, but they didn¡¯t intend this to happen, either. Out of everyone else, they were thest people to want their female lead to get hurt." Charmine nodded. "I know." She had not found out who was responsible for this. Why would she leave so soon? Guy silently sat on the side. When everyone finished speaking to Charmine, he realized he had nothing else to ask. He felt that ever since his marriage with Yvonne, he had been distanced from her. 1 When he noticed that Charmine was alright, Guy stood up and said, "I''ll be heading home now, Ms. Jordan. If you need the needle, contact me anytime." "Okay." Alexander, Eric, William, and Maurice were all still in Charmine¡¯s ward to take care of her. The morning sun rose that next day. The fully recovered Maurice approached Charmine and asked, "Gem, would you like to go out for some sunlight?" Charmine thought about it and nodded. "Okay." Alexander and Eric followed them both, but Charmine turned to look at them. "No need toe with us. I have things to say to Mo." Eric looked at the two of them, and his cold eyes turned darker. He thought the rumors between Charmine and Maurice were not true, or perhaps she did it to trigger Anthony or even to promote the show. At this point, however, he was starting to believe there was something more. Maurice took Charmine''s intravenous stand with one hand and held her hand with the other. They both walked to the garden at the back of the hospital. He looked at her gently and asked, "Do you have things to tell me?" Charmine blinked, revealing her clear eyes. "Not really. I just didn¡¯t want them to follow us." It was then she noticed a reporter taking photos of them. She held onto Maurice''s arm and leaned in. "Mo, thank you for yesterday." This part, she meant it sincerely. If he did not notice her in time and did not jump in so fearlessly, she could have died. "It''s fine," replied Maurice gently, "don¡¯t take it to heart." He helped her to sit on the stool, and a cold breeze blew. Not having her hair tied, Charmine¡¯s hair fluttered with the wind. Maurice did not hesitate to remove his suit to put it on her. Seeing her hair messed up, he removed his tie off of his white shirt and handed it to her. Charmine looked at him, confused. "What''s this for?" chapter 1479 chapter 1479 "To tie your hair with," came Maurice¡¯s gentle reply. Charmine¡¯s hair was all over her face, and it did difort her. She reached out to take it, but since the IV was still embedded into her skin, she felt ufortable. Maurice reached out to take his tie back. ''Til do it." N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Her blood might flow backward if she lifted her hand. Charmine stiffened at the warmth that radiated from his palms. Instinctively, she wanted to turn him down, but spotting the reporter from the corner of her eyes trying to take photos of them, she withdrew her hand and relented, "Okay." Although Maurice was quite clumsy, he tied her hair for her as gently as he could. The ends of the tie cascaded with her ponytail, and it made her appear peaceful,plimenting her aloof temperament. Maurice then supported her to admire the flowers and fed the fishes. The two of them only returned that noon. 1 Charmine sat on the sofa and picked up her phone to scroll through Tweeter. As expected, the private photos of her with Maurice at the garden made it to the most-searched list again. #Charmine-Maurice-rainbow-after-storm. #Tie-around-her-hair. The people online went ballistic at the news. [OMG! Charmine is so lucky! I felt so jealous of her when he tied his tie around her hair!] [Using a tie to tie the hair? I learned something new!] [I want a boyfriend who ties my hair with his tie, too!] [Why is Maurice so thoughtful? His eyes are so sincere as well!] [I ship this couple! I can''t wait for Recovery to start streaming!] [This is too sweet! Do they want us to go to heaven that fast? Ugh, I''m jealous!] [Charmine has to treat Maurice well! Don''t hurt a man who treats you right!] Charmine read thements and did not bother to rify the situation. She went back to her feed and, thinking things through, posted one line. [Mo is so kind to me.] Anthony was having a meeting at hispany. The seats in the room were upied by men in suits, all looking at their documents. Suddenly... Ding! A ring broke the silence in the room, and it startled everyone, causing them to check their phones. Only Anthony nonchntly picked up his phone. He saw a notification from Tweeter that read, [Your special follow, Charmine Jordan just posted a status after 43 days! Hurry and check it out!] That took him by surprise. What did she post? Anthony instantly clicked on it. All he saw was that simple sentence. The sentence felt like a thousand sharp knives had stabbed right into his heart. He clenched his phone tightly, trying to ease off his anger. He clicked into her articles. He saw the #tie-on-hair headlines and photos. His eyes narrowed. Crash! He smashed his phone on the floor. Everyone shivered in terror; they dared not even breathe. They lowered their heads quietly. Anthony red at them. "Cancel all ns today!" Everyone''s face changed. They exchanged perplexed looks but dared not question him. Anthony nced at them coldly and snapped, "Get out!" The crowd dared not speak. They quickly packed up their belongings as though chased by a ghost, rushing out hastily once they finished. 2 Anthony leaned on the chair and pressed his head. He seemed to be holding back his anger. However, he could not help seeing the image of Charmine with her arms around Maurice. He could no longer hold back. His eyes glinted darkly. As if unleashing his anger atst, he threw the documents, as well as the laptop and coffee, over the table. Everything fell to the floor. chapter 1480 chapter 1480 Anthony felt utterly confused. He knew he should be happy seeing Charmine like this. Charmine had moved on from him and had found a man worthy of her love. He should be happy for her! Was this not what he hoped for? He was the one who pushed her away. He deserved all the hurt he felt. With a self-deprecating smile, Anthony took his car key and rushed out of hispany. As though releasing all his pent-up anger, he drove the fastest he could, light-speeding back to the Baileys¡¯ mansion. He locked himself in his bedroom and started downing bottles of alcohol, one after another. The next morning, when Nial was about to go to work, he walked past Anthony''s room and caught a whiff of the unmistakable smell of alcohol. He frowned. What happened? Nial knocked on Anthony''s door and asked, "Bro, what are you doing in there?" Nobody replied. He merely heard the sound of ss smashing against the floor. Nial''s heart sank as he barged inside, and he was instantly hit with the strong smell of alcohol. The curtains were closed, and it was dark inside, but he could see Anthony sitting in front of the sofa, his being visibly...lonely. He looked as though something precious had been robbed off of him. He seemed deste, helpless. Nial looked at the countless empty bottles around him. He slowly approached him and sighed, "Bro, why are you so drunk?" Anthony had been drinking all night, and his eyes were red as a result. He seemed to have grown a stubble, and he looked like a hot mess. He nced at Nial and growled, "It''s none of your business. Get out!" Nial frowned at him, incredibly concerned. He mustered up his courage and said, "Your stomach hasn''t been well, and you have been drinking all night. Are you trying to end yourself?" Anthony grabbed another bottle, tipping his well-chiseled chin upward to gulp down half of the bottle before snapping, "Get out!" Nial was angry. "If you care about Charmine so much, go and speak to her! Why punish yourself instead!?" Anthony smiled mockingly. What else could he say? Should he have told her he was still in love with her? Not happening. She had let go of himpletely and found someone who could take care of her. That man was more mature than him, more caring than him, and much better than him in every way. Anthony, on the other hand, would only hurt her and not even provide her with the most basic happiness. What right did he have to love her? 1 Anthony tossed the empty bottle away and opened another bottle to continue drinking. Nial walked over and tried to take the bottle away from him, but Anthony merely pushed him away. "I said leave me alone!" Nial looked at him. He was worried and angry. He pursed his lips and said, ''TH tell Charmine, then!" With that said, he turned away and walked out. Only Charmine would be able to help Anthony. "Stop!" Anthony narrowed his eyes and looked at him. "Do you want to be sent to Afreeqa and nevere back?" "I might as well be!" He did not want to see Anthony punishing himself this way, after all. Noticing how serious Nial was, Anthony tossed the bottle at hand away and stood up to block him, but... Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. His world turned pitch-ck the moment he stood up, unable to see anything. He closed his eyes to massage his temples as he walked in Nial''s direction. However... He felt his stomach contracting just after taking two steps, and soon after, he felt blood rushing up to his throat. He could smell the iron as he audibly spat out a mouthful of blood. He had no control over it, however, as he threw up all over. "Bro!" rmed, Nial rushed over to hold on to him, anxiously saying, "You¡¯re spewing out blood everywhere! I¡¯m sending you to the ER!" Oh, dear! chapter 1481 chapter 1481 Nial knew it. Staying up all night was bad enough for the stomach, and Anthony had drunk so much! It was no surprise his stomach was upset. Anthony, on the other hand, merely wiped off the blood and growled, Leave me. I need to go to work!" Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. He had postponed too many things from yesterday, and he had to sort them out. He had to work, all so he could bury his mind to not have time to think and suffer. However, Nial ignored him. He insisted on pulling him downstairs. Anthony was staggering at this point with no strength to resist Nial, and he was forced into the car. He leaned back on the seat and groggily spoke, "Drive me to thepany!" Nial frowned. He was going to tell him off, but knowing his brother well, he conceded, "Okay." He drove away and said, "Take a rest. I''ll wake you up when we arrive at thepany." Everything was blurry for Anthony. He felt so tired that he could not open his eyes. Hearing that Nial was sending him to thepany, he decided to nap for a few minutes. With that, Nial drove him to the hospital. On the way there, Anthony seemed to be suffering. He was half-conscious with blood oozing out of his mouth. Nial watched him through the rear mirror. He sighed heavily and sped up. The moment they got to the hospital, Nial turned around. He could not tell if Anthony was sleeping or if he had fainted. He was not responding. Nial asked for the carrier to wheel him into the hospital. Charmine had recovered at that point, and William examined her one more time. After making sure she was okay, he said, "You may be discharged." "Okay." "You need to rest for a few days, Gem," said Maurice. ''TH let the crew know on your behalf." "No need," dismissed Charmine coldly, "I can continue shooting in the afternoon." She still wanted to find out who caused this ident. Maurice nodded. "Alright, then. As long as you''re okay with it." Alexander walked over to put his arm on Charmine¡¯s shoulder. "My darling, you¡¯ve just survived this! How shall we celebrate this night?" "What''s there to celebrate?" Eric interrupted coldly before Charmine could reply, and he red at Alexander coldly. "Do you want her to be sent back to the hospital right away?" Alexander had almost forgotten about this, and he said, "I saw how great you look, and I almost forgot you''re just about to be discharged from the hospital." Charmine was speechless. He was always flirting with her! Charmine smiled coldly. "Wait for me, then." "Okay!" beamed Alexander. "Keep your word, then." "Okay." William helped Charmine to sort out her discharging procedure and said," Let''s go." Charmine then dressed herself and walked out with a white shirt and donned a pair of heels. Her high- waist pencil skirt wrapped around her long legs. She exuded a powerful temperament, especially when she had four handsome men following behind her. She was like a proud top-dog-haughty and ruthless. Countless people turned to look at her as they moved. When the lift door opened, the five of them walked in together, and Eric pressed the button. When the door halfway closed, the opposite lift made a sound, and its door gradually opened. Charmine instinctively looked over to see a group of doctors heading out through the door gap. Before she could see clearly, the lift door closed up and cut her view. 1 As the opposite lift door opened... Nial rushed out with a group of doctors and headed toward the operating theater to save Anthony''s life. When Charmine saw her lift door shut off, she somehow felt a stab in her chest. It pained her...but she could not exin the reason for it. Perhaps there was not enough oxygen inside the lift, that she did not have enough air to breathe. Perhaps... She had been through so much and even when she had been discharged, Anthony still did not show up. It shifted from anticipation to disappointment, and then to rity. Therefore, she felt hurt. chapter 1482 chapter 1482 Charmine thought that if she headed back for filming right after her discharge, everyone would assume she was reluctant to part with Maurice. s, she realized that even if she slept with Maurice, Anthony would not care. She felt tired... She did not want to speak nor did she want to be with anyone. She wanted to be left alone. Maurice noticed her tense face and asked, "What¡¯s wrong, Gem? Do you feel unwell?" Charmine snapped out of her thoughts. "No." Thinking things over, she added, "I won¡¯t rejoin the crew for now, Mo. I want to rest at home." "Okay," said Maurice, "I''ll go and tell the director on your behalf. Rest well, ande back only when you feel better." "Okay." Maurice left first after they walked out of the hospital. Alexander, Eric, and William were going to send her home, but Charmine said, "I want to be alone." With that said, she took the car key from Eric and left the three of them there, driving home right after. She sped all the way home, and when she arrived, she went and leaned on the sofa, curled up into a ball, and hugged her knees. The worn-out Charmine looked ahead nkly. All this time, she put up a bravado for the whole world to see. She would appear strong, even if the skies were falling. However, when she was alone, she wanted to let down her guard. She did not want to feel so tired. The image of Anthony haunted her as she entered the house, i They used to have so many moments here around the sofa, but... Thinking of how he was unperturbed even when she was in trouble, her heart tightened. She still could not ept the fact that he no longer loved her, that they had ended so abruptly. She always thought Anthony was keeping something from her...but reality showed her otherwise. Charmine smiled mockingly. She pulled out the drawer to take out her cigar. Her fair fingers ced it on her alluring, red lips. With a click of the match, she lit up the cigar. She squinted as she took in a deep breath. The cigar was between her fingers, and her sexy burgundy lips blew out smoke. She was bewitching, cold, and lonely. Charmine smoked and looked out the window. Ten minutes. She would permit herself to be sad for ten minutes. After that, she would no longer wee love in her world. That afternoon, as if nothing had happened, she was aloof and confident- as she usually was-when she rejoined the crew. The director sent her a bouquet of flowers to apologize to her. "We''re terribly sorry for what happened, Ms. Jordan. Thank you for not holding it against us and still willing to continue trusting us." She received the flowers and said, "No need to apologize. It''s not your fault." She then swept her gaze at her surroundings. Suddenly... She was met with a pair of hateful eyes. Sabrina did not expect Charmine to be watching her. She did not have time to mask her jealousy. She panicked for a moment. With another thought, she crossed her arms and continued staring at Charmine with a half-smile on her face. So what if Charmine stared at her? Did she have any evidence? Hmph! Charmine caught the split second of panic in Sabrina''s eyes, and she was more certain of her spection. It seemed that what happened was not an ident at all. Charmine curled up her lips coldly. She looked away as if nothing just happened and went to her designated seat. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Instantly, a group of people came over and surrounded Charmine, sending their regards. "Boss Jordan, you''re just discharged not long ago. You should be resting at home." chapter 1483 chapter 1483 "Are you fine now? It¡¯s windy here. We''ll ask the director to build a resting tent for you to rest in there when you''re tired." "Yeah, your body is important. Get back to work after getting some rest. It''s okay-we can wait.¡± Even Maurice''s assistant, Sofia, brought Charmine a warm drink. "Ms. Jordan, Maurice asked me to bring you this. If you need anything else, you may call me." Charmine took it and said, "Thank you.¡± Sabrina looked at the group of people surrounding Charmine, and her fists clenched tightly with jealousy. She was a cheap woman. Why was everyone treating her so well? Her eyes darkened. With something in mind, she raised her chin and sashayed toward them in her high heels. She came beside Charmine and looked at her with arms crossed. "You came here right after being discharged. Why is that?" she mocked. "Can''t wait to glue yourself to the man? Too lonely without a man?" 1 "So what?¡± Charmine looked at her coldly. "It''s better than pulling a trick behind my back like what you did." That caught Sabrina off-guard, and she met Charmine''s re with a sense of guilt in her. Instantly, however, she put on a confused expression. "What trick? What are you talking about?¡± Sabrina ridiculed. "You can''t make up stories to use me for your miseries." Charmine narrowed her cold eyes. Seeing that Charmine''s eyes changed, Sabrina went on, "Don¡¯t look at me like this. Am I wrong? You were dumped by Anthony, and nobody wants you, so you''re looking for a man. If youck-" p! Before Sabrina finished talking, Charmine¡¯s eyes went darker as she pped her a few times more, i p! p! p! 2 The crowd turned over to look. When they saw what happened, everyone was shocked. Why was Charmine pping Sabrina? Sabrina could not believe what just happened. She was bbergasted. When she felt the stinging pain on her face, she finally reacted and screamed, "Charmine Jordan, why did you hit me!?" Not once had anyoneid a finger on her since she was a child, yet Charmine so daringly pped her! Charmine red at her, and her red lips parted as she warned, "Remember this: Tell me right off the bat if you hate me, not pull tricks behind my back!" Sabrina''s face turned purplish-green. Did Charmine find out something? What she said... However, Sabrina made sure what she did was confidential. Even if they found out the waterweeds were intentionally tied up, they would not find out she was the perpetrator. With that in mind, Sabrina raised her chin and red at Charmine. "Fine! You asked me to hit you! Fine, I''ll hit you today!" With that said, she threw a punch at Charmine''s face. However... Halfway through, a gentle, warm palm caught her wrist. Maurice had Charmine behind him as he caught Sabrina''s hand. He looked at her gently. "Ms. Sabrina, please behave." When Sabrina met his gentle eyes, she became calmer. To give Maurice a good impression, she had to hold back and speak with a gentle tone, "Mr. Lukas, did you not see her hitting me first?" Charmine looked at her coldly. "There are so many people in the team. Why did I only p you?¡± "You...!" seethed Sabrina. "What makes you think I was the one who harmed you? Show me the evidence!" "Oh?" Charmine''s red lips curled up. "Did I say you were the one who hurt me?" 2 Sabrina''s head exploded. Like thunder on a sunny day, she remained transfixed on the spot, and her face went pale. Maurice heard their conversation and seemed to have understood something. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. He looked at Sabrina, and his gentle eyes went a shade darker as he dered, "I believe Gem wouldn¡¯t hit someone without reason." chapter 1484 chapter 1484 Sabrina was so triggered that she was about to burst. Maurice did not know anything, yet he sided with Charmine! Was he insane? She bit her pale lip. She was afraid that if she messed with Charmine even more and evidence against her came out, her career would be done for. Furthermore, she had to maintain her image in front of Maurice. She could only put up the victim facade. "You don''t have any evidence, Charmine, so don''t make things up here! Wait for mywyer''s letter!" Charmine scoffed. ''Til wait!" Sabrina red at Charmine before leaving angrily. Charmine watched her retreating form, and her lips curled up coldly. Was that all she had, and she even tried to hurt her? Maurice looked at Charmine and asked, "Gem, are you okay?" "Yeah,¡± said Charmine, "she can¡¯t hurt me." Even if Maurice did not step in, she would not let Sabrina''s hand go anywhere near her face. Charmine looked at Maurice and said, "You can tell she did it too, don''t you, Mo?" "Hmm?" Maurice was puzzled. "What did she do?" Charmine blinked. ''Then why did you..." Why did he side with her? Maurice pursed his lips and said, "As long as you''re certain, I¡¯ll believe you." Furthermore, what Charmine said should be the truth. Although he did not know what happened, Sabrina panicked and spilled the truth herself. Listening to Maurice''s belief in her, her cold heart somehow warmed up. This man saved her, stood up for her, and believed in her unconditionally. The feeling of being trusted felt so good. Charmine looked at him and smiled. ''Thank you, Mo.¡± Maurice looked at her truthful smile, as if he was healed by her as well. His heart felt warm. He had the urge to reach out and ruffle her head. When he lifted his hand, he thought of something and pulled back his hand. "Of course,¡± he said gently. "I''m older than you, and I need to take care of my little girl." 1 Charmine was speechless. In what ways did he find her adorable? "Okay, I¡¯ll stop messing with you." Maurice smiled gently. "Let¡¯s have a quick read-through." "Okay." The two of them sat face to face, and the atmosphere was peaceful. After the read-through, they went ahead to film their scene. Since they coborated very well and with skilled acting from both sides, everyone apuded. When Sabrina saw everyone praising Charmine, she red at her evilly. Curse that woman! Charmine took everything from her, and she even embarrassed her in front of Maurice! Charmine did it first, and she would pay for it dearly! Sabrina clenched her fists with a deadly look in her eyes... On the other side, at a hospital. Waverly walked in her high heels, was well-dressed, and had a fruit basket in hand. Since Anthony was admitted to the hospital, he must have needed someone to take care of him. If she visited him, she would contrast Charmine who hurt him. She would not only gain Susan''s approval, but she could even have alone-time with Anthony. She had to seize this opportunity, seeing that Anthony and Charmine had broken up. Waverly¡¯s lips curled into a small smile as she entered Anthony''s ward. Anthony, at that moment, had gone through his operation and was lying in bed, recovering. Even though he was not feeling well, it did not stop him from exuding his usual elegance and chill. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. His face was handsome as always. His jaw was unshaved, making him more masculine. chapter 1485 chapter 1485 Waverly met Anthony¡¯s eyes and felt stirred. Who would not want to have this sexy, powerful, and handsome man? This was her chance! When Anthony heard the door opening, his mind instantly brought him back to Charmine''s face. Was it Charmine,ing to visit him? The hope-filled Anthony turned toward the door, but upon seeing Waverly instead, he looked disappointed and turned aloof instantly. "Why did youe?" Anthony scoffed. Waverly said gently, "I''m here to visit you. I''m still your fiancee, even if you don¡¯t treat me like one. I should visit you." Anthony''s face went cold, and he did not even spare her a nce. "No need." Waverly acted as if she did not hear him, however. She walked over to sit before the table and started peeling the fruit. Anthony stared at her and snapped, "Do you not understand my words?" "I do,¡± replied Waverly as she continued to peel the fruit, "but I want to stay here and take care of you." Anthony was so furious that he began to pant. He was about to press the bell for security to kick her out, but just as he lifted his hand, he could not help picturing Charmine with Maurice... A momentter, he withdrew his hand and red at her coldly, said nothing, and let her stay. Waverly noticed that he did not kick her out, and she grew giddy. She knew it. Anthony needed someone at this point, and he did not feel good after Charmine hurt him. She could take care of him to fill out his void. He would eventually fall for her. There was a vague twinkle in Waverly''s eyes. After peeling the fruit, she handed it to him. "Try some." Anthony looked at the fruit, but before he replied, a nurse entered through the ward''s door and brought in an intravenous rod. He pursed his lips. Second-guessing himself, he responded softly, "I''m not hungry." That tone did not go unnoticed by Waverly, and she was delighted. "I peeled it for you," she responded in a gentler tone, "just take a bite." To an outsider, it sounded like a girl was talking to her boyfriend. Anthony did not say anything this time. He took it in front of the nurse, but he merely held onto it. Waverly said, "Just try it, okay?" Anthony remained calm. "After the nurse changes the solution." When the nurse heard this, she did not want to disturb them further. She hurried and went back out. The moment the door closed, Anthony gave the apple a good toss. It made an arch in the air and went right into the bin. Startled, Waverly looked at him, confused. "You don''t like it?" Anthony parted his lips to say, "I think it''s dirty." "How could you!" Waverly''s face went pale, and she tried to hold back her anger. "What does that mean?!" Was there something wrong with his head? His attitude changed so quickly! Anthony snapped, "I said what I said-l don''t like it. Leave!" Waverly bit her lip. Oh, how she wanted to leave that instant. However, she recalled how rare this opportunity was, and how he seemed... touched earlier, which was why his tone was so gentle. If this went on, she was certain that it would not take long before Anthony found out how nice she was, and he would be with her. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. "I know you''re trying to make me leave," remarked Waverly, "but I won¡¯t." Anthony''s eyes turned cold. He did not want to speak to her anymore as heid in bed and shut his eyes. With that, Waverly stayed with him to take care of him and would pour him water. There were times he could tolerate it, but there were times he would smash the ss angrily. There were times he would answer her when she spoke to him. Most of the time, he just ignored her with a cold expression. Waverly could not help frowning. Was he so triggered by Charmine that something was wrong with his head? He not only had amnesia, but he had also gone crazy? 1 In that case... chapter 1486 chapter 1486 No matter what, Waverly would never let Charmine marry Anthony. So long as Anthony was alive, she would not give up! Waverly forced herself to keep it together. Whenever someone else woulde into Anthony''s ward, his attitude toward her would be gentler. No matter what she said or did, he would respond to them. To outsiders, they were like a couple. For this, she willingly stayed on to take care of him. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. She believed that in a few days, Anthony would eventually treat her nicer. On that same day, Waverly phoned her maid to bring in soup for him. She then sat by his bed like his girlfriend and scooped a spoonful of soup, bringing it to his lips. "Careful, it¡¯s hot." Anthony looked at her coldly. Just as he was about to turn her down, he noticed a shadowy figure outside the ward. He squinted and, rethinking his choice, opened his mouth for Waverly to feed him...all while his hands beneath the nket clenched so tightly that his veins protruded.novelxo Waverly watched as he epted the spooned soup she gave him and was very pleased. She continued to scoop him more of the soup. However, after a few scoops, Anthony''s gentle look instantly vanished and turned cold. Noticing that the shadowy figure had left, he red at Waverly coldly. "Go away now." Waverly was baffled. Did he have schizophrenia? He was doing fine a second ago, and all of a sudden, he was crazy again. Waverly bottled up her anger as she said, ''You don''t like the soup?¡± Anthony said, "I want to rest.¡± Waverly remained calm. "I can stay here with you." His eyes darkened, but they vanished a momentter. He got out of bed and walked out to the balcony. He locked the door from the outside. On the next day, the news on Anthony and Waverly received a lot of attention. #Anthony-reunited-with-Waverly. This topic shot up in the [Trending] section, and everyone on the intemented on it. [Anthony was ill, and Waverly stayed with him to take care of him.] [Anthony changed his mind. After dumping Charmine, he chose family and his fiancee.] [As usual. When a man is done messing around, he''ll realize that his wife is the best.] Waverly had won the hearts of many. They said that she must have truly loved Anthony. Her fiance went out to mess around, but she did not hold it against him. She stayed by his side, and she was a good woman. Waverly was ted to read all that. If Susan read this, she would like her more! Furthermore, Charmine would be utterly enraged if she was to see this news! Waverly smirked. Not wanting Charmine to miss out on any of this, she instructed Britney, " Pay extra for this topic to stay on the trending section for three days." After shooting a scene, Charmine went back to her seat to rest and took out her phone to scroll down Tweeter. She was not paying attention, but when she saw the names, her pupils dted. She had been telling herself that anything to do with Anthony was none of her business. However, her fingers were not obeying her wishes, and they clicked on the tags. She saw the photos of Anthony and Waverly.nv?lx.o Waverly, in the photo, seemed to be peeling the fruit for Anthony, taking care of him, feeding him soup. The two of them sat side by side, looking in love and much like a happy couple. Charmine stared at the photos, and she even zoomed in. She wanted to find any traces of Anthony faking it or forcing his behavior... but she found none of that. He looked gentle, did not look ufortable, and even epted Waverly''s care. Waverly even spent the night inside his ward. Charmine clenched her phone and felt as though her heart was stabbed. She felt the coldness spreading out, overwhelming her. chapter 1487 chapter 1487 Anthony knew how much Charmine hated Waverly, yet he let her stay! He put her through hell... Anthony truly was cold and cruel. Hmph. Charmine put down her phone, her expression frigid cold, and it took her a while before she could calm down. She then picked up the script by her side to read it. Even though her eyes ran through the words, her head was filled with the romantic images of Anthony and Waverly. Even though she read through the script, she did not remember anything. When it was time to film, she put down the script and took a deep breath. She forced her mind to be vacant so she could be prepared. The scene involved Gem rke plotting her revenge after being saved. However, whenever she tried to n something cruel to the man who hurt her, Maurice¡¯s character, John would somehow stop her from doing so. John was a kind-hearted character. He knew her past, gave her a ce to stay, and fed her. He even took care of her and tried to persuade her to let go of her past. He had ruined Gem¡¯s perfect n, and it infuriated her. She wanted to kill this man who ruined her n.novelxo "Action!" shouted the director. Silence. About ten or so cameras started filming the scene from all angles. The scene was set in winter. Gem was hurt by the jerk and was left with nothing. Having only a thin windbreaker with clothed shoes, she looked freezing. Her face, though stunning as it might have been, looked as if the world owed her something. Her entire being oozed with hatred. She got to John''s house and kicked open the door. John was cooking noodles at that moment and was startled to see her. He frowned and checked up on her, asking, "Why are you wearing so little? Aren''t you cold?" He quickly shut the door and turned on the heater. Gem was supposed to say her lines after that. However, when Charmine looked at Maurice, all she could think of were the photos of Anthony with Waverly. Her head went nk. Maurice could tell from her eyes that she had zoned out, thus he softly reminded her, "Question me." Charmine snapped out of her thoughts and looked at him aloofly. Her lips slightly parted, and she could not speak. "Cut!" The director looked at the screen and, not knowing Charmine had forgotten her lines, reminded, "Charmine, your expression and looks are wrong. You¡¯re not to nk out-you¡¯re supposed to question him!" Charmine came out of her train of thoughts. "Okay."nv?lx.o They restarted the scene. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Maurice looked at Charmine and asked, "Gem, what¡¯s the matter?" She was not forgetting her line nor was she giving the wrong look. She was just not in the mood. "Nothing," dismissed Charmine, "let¡¯s keep going." "Okay." Maurice turned away to gesture at the director with an ¡®okay¡¯ signal. They restarted the scene. Charmine took in a deep breath and kept on reminding herself, ''Do not think of that douche!'' The director gave the cue, and Charmine kicked the door open. Maurice acted just like he did before. After saying his line, the cameras focused on Charmine. However, Charmine looked at him and said coldly, "Why are you so cruel? Why did you do this to me?" "Cut!" The director was getting annoyed. He spoke to the talkie, "Charmine, is that your line?" Charmine pursed her lips. She realized she spoke the wrong line. Maurice said, "Gem, is something on your mind?¡± "Nothing," muttered Charmine. "I don¡¯t feel good. Sorry, again." Maurice looked at her worriedly and insisted, "Why don''t we take a break?" "No need. Let''s get it done." One time after another, Charmine had either forgotten her lines or acted the wrong expressions. The director had to keep shouting, "Cut!" Some people started mocking Charmine quietly. "What kind of acting is that? Wrong expression and wrong lines." "How is she the female lead? The director even built her a resting tent! I thought she''s so skilled, but she''s just meh!" "I know! She had an ident on her first day, and now she caused so many problems! Do they even want this show to go on? I don''t know how she gained so much fame." "She''s wasting all of our time!" Sabrina sat in her seat. Hearing everyone berating Charmine, a cold smirk spread across her lower face. chapter 1488 chapter 1488 Sabrina hoped Charmine would keep up with that terrible state of hers. Everyone would know that she was nothing but a vase if so, that she had nothing but looks! She had been flirting with countless men with that face of hers. What a shameless woman! The director was getting annoyed at that point. "Charmine, what''s the matter?" Charmine pursed her lips. "Sorry." Maurice looked at her and asked, sounding concerned, "Gem, you''re still not feeling well, are you? Why don''t we look for a doctor?" He knew she was very capable of acting. She must have felt unwell to perform like this. Despite looking pale, Charmine gazed at Maurice and shook her head. "No need." Even she did not know what was wrong. She had been forcing herself not to think of Anthony and Waverly, to focus on the set. Try as she did, she kept nking out. Whenever she regained focus and tried to rx, she would think of Anthony. 2 It was as if she had lost her soul; she was unable to control her mind. Maurice saw how pale Charmine seemed, thus he said gently, "Wait for me." With that said, he went ahead to speak to the director, "Gem isn¡¯t feeling well. Let her go back and rest."novelxo The director was still annoyed by Charmine''s performance, but thinking of her health, he had no choice. "Okay, let her rest, then. We''ll shoot the parts without her." "Okay." Maurice went back and told Charmine, "Go home and rest, Gem. You''ll only get more tired like this." Charmine pursed her lips. Thinking of how they had wasted the entire afternoon on her, she did not insist on the matter. "Okay." Maurice went back to her resting room. "Get some rest. Call me if anything." Charmine nodded and shut the door. Her tension was like a broken string. She leaned on the sofa and felt horrible. So, love could destroy a person after all. i She had tried 10,000 ways of forgetting Anthony, but she kept on thinking of him 10,001 times! She never expected herself to struggle with rtionships. She hated herself in this state. She leaned on the sofa and took out a cigarette aggressively. Click! She lit up the cigarette and inhaled coldly. She sensually blew out the smoke with her luscious lips parted. As the smoke shrouded her, Charmine squinted and, against her better judgment, took her phone to log onto her Tweeter. She stared at the photos of Anthony with Waverly, chuckling loudly before turning off her phone afterward. Maurice had been worried about Charmine all afternoon, but he was filming the scene with the second female lead and was unable to leave. It was only at the end did he finally manage to get away.nv?lx.o The crew was starting to leave the scene, so he went straight to Charmine''s resting room. Everyone noticed that, and they exchanged looks with one another. Oh, how in-love those two looked. They could not live without one another. How admirable! Maurice came before Charmine¡¯s door and knocked gently. "Gem, are you sleeping?" "No," she called out from the inside, e on in, Mo." Maurice pushed open the door and was overwhelmed by the strong scent of smoke and alcohol. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . He looked over to see Charmine on the sofa. Her red lips blew out smoke alluringly as her fair fingers held onto a bottle. Maurice frowned. He walked over to take the cigarette away from her hand and extinguished the me on the sink. Charmine looked at him, perplexed. "What are you doing?¡± She then reached out to light up another one. Maurice also took the cigarette and lighter away from her, his expression contorting strictly-one she had never seen before-as he said, "Don''t smoke!" Charmine gulped a mouthful of beer, her face flirty and tipsy as she mumbled, "Leave me be. I only want to sleep." chapter 1489 chapter 1489 Charmine had been trying to sleep since the afternoon. s, she merely tossed and turned with all the news rted to Anthony on her mind. She was unable to fall asleep. Helpless, she drank more to numb herself. The entire afternoon was gone and she had finished countless bottles, but she found herself missing Anthony whenever she closed her eyes. Maurice looked at the innumerable empty bottles and the cigarette heads. He fixed his eyes on Charmine concernedly as he said gently, "Gem, is there something on your mind? You may tell me." She had been acting weird all afternoon: hiding in her room, drinking alone, and even smoking. It was concerning. Charmine gazed at him groggily, pursing her lips for a moment before she mumbled, "Mo, have you been broken-hearted before?" That instantly made Maurice recall the sight of Anthony back at the hospital, and he found out more about him and Charmine in the past two days. He sat opposite her on the sofa and said, "There are many things in life worth living for, other than love. You shouldn''t ruin your life for a man who doesn''t love you back." Charmine opened another bottle and handed it to him. "I don''t want to miss him, but I can¡¯t help it... I feel horrible."novelxo It hurt when she saw the photos of him with Waverly. It triggered her all the more. He could have dated anyone, even the artist signed by hispany, yet he chose Waverly, whom Charmine hated. Waverly tried to kill her so many times! ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . He knew it more than anyone else, yet he still chose her! What was that for? i "Don''t feel too sad." Maurice had no idea what else he could have said as he had not been in love before. "Try to let go, Gem. You have a lot of things ahead of you, and you shouldn''t punish yourself for this. Since you''ve loved before, letting go is the best for both. Love isn''t as beautiful as it seems, but being single isn''t as lonely as it looks." With an unnoticeable dullness in his eyes, Maurice continued, "Consider my parents. Their romance was apuded by many, and my parents would reach for the stars for the other. However, after marriage, family issues, children, and the small things in life wore them out, they started to fade along with that." Charmine looked at him bright-eyed as she asked, "Would love fade out after marriage?" This reminded her of Julian...and Anthony. She remembered how Anthony started changing after she agreed to marry him. i Was marriage the tomb of love? Reluctant to continue their talk of the matter, Maurice lifted the bottle to clink it with hers. "I hope you find joy every day of your life, Gem. If you want to be in love again, the man must make you happy every day. If he makes you sad, he¡¯s not the right man." Charmine nodded. She agreed with what he said.nv?lx.o Loving someone should be a good thing. If the person only gave her unending suffocation, such love should not have existed. She lifted her bottle to clink it with Maurice¡¯s. "I think I know what to do, Mo." Maurice drank with her and said, "You need time to figure things out, Gem. If something is bothering you, don''t go hiding, and don¡¯t smoke either. If you feel horrible, I can drink with you, and we can get wasted together. After that, though, you need to stand back up and don''t be sad, you hear me?" 2 Otherwise, he would be worried about her. chapter 1490 chapter 1490 Charmine raised the bottle and muttered, "Okay." With that, Maurice smiled gently and clinked his bottle with hers. They thus fell into a long conversation and they drank, much like old friends would. They had a good time. A long whileter, Maurice finally felt himself losing grip of reality. His gaze conveyed how intoxicated he was, and he mumbled, "Gem, don''t stay up toote-you should be happy. You look adorable when you smile..." Unable to keep himself up any longer, he was knocked out and slumped on the table. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Charmine''s red lips curved into a smirk. ''You broke your promise, Mo. You said you''d talk with me till morning!" 1 Nheless, she continued to drink on her own. As if she wasforting herself, she dered, "Love hurts. I''m better off without it!" After finishing the few remaining bottles. Charmine stood up from her seat. She was going to move Maurice to the sofa, but since she had been drinking since the afternoon, she was awfully drunk. It was so terrible that every step she took felt as if she was walking on cotton; it felt like she was floating. Still, she staggered toward Maurice and tried her best to lift him up. s, he fell back down when she did. Charmine lost her bnce, and with Maurice, they both fell backward andnded on the floor. Charmine fell into Maurice''s chest. "Urgh..." Maurice frowned and groaned in pain. Since they were both drunk, Maurice was unconscious and did not know what happened. He was still sleeping. Knocked down-having lost her bnce-and with her head buzzing, Charmine cked out. She did not have the energy to even open her eyes, i novelxo All she wanted to do was to fall asleep...and she did. She tried to lift herself off of Maurice''s chest. Feeling that she was far enough from him, she initially caved in and fell asleep. Somehow... Later that night, a shadowy figure with a hat on her head appeared at the shooting set. Knowing the set all too well, she stealthily and quietly walked, avoiding all cameras as she did, and headed to Charmine''s resting room. Her eyes widened when she spotted both of them through the window. She looked excited. The two of them had fallen asleep inside. Coincidentally, when Charmine tried to keep her distance from Maurice, she merely went a few centimeters away from him, but she was still at his arm''s length. If one were to see from the window, however, it looked like Charmine was sleeping in his arms. The person clothed in ck took out her phone excitedly, took a few photos, and giddily left with a satisfied smile. The next day, Charmine was still sleeping when Eric phoned her. She woke up with a migraine. She was momentarily confused when she realized Maurice had slept behind her, but after recalling what happenedst night, she then felt relieved. She massaged her temples and picked up the phone on the sofa. "What is it?" she answered hoarsely.nv?lx.o "I should be the one asking that," Eric sounded pissed. "Is it true? The thing between you and Maurice?" "What do you mean?" Charmine was lost. "What is true?¡± "See it for yourself on Tweeter!" Eric did not know why himself, but he was pissed off. He hung up right after. Charmine frowned as she leaned on the sofa, feeling tired. She felt as if her head would break open at any time. She logged onto Tweeter, and... She and Maurice made it to the trending page! #Charmine-sleeping-with-Maurice. She did not have to click it to know what it was about when she read the headline. Charmine was exhausted. Who was it that was all up in her business? Meanwhile, Maurice, who was on the floor, gradually woke up. He looked at Charmine and thought of what happenedst night. "I''m sorry, Gem," he hastily apologized. "I was knocked outst night. I hope I didn''t say any nonsense after...?" chapter 1491 chapter 1491 "No." Charmine looked at him and hopelessly muttered, "We''re trending again, Mo." Maurice, at that point, was already suffering from a migraine. It felt as if his nerves were entangled, ready to explode anytime. Massaging his head and stretching his back, he asked, "What caused it?¡± "We slept togetherst night," came Charmine¡¯s reply. "Mmh?" Maurice looked at her with disbelief, "We slept together?" Was he not sleeping on the floor? "Yeah." Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Charmine had clicked the hashtag and saw photos of her....in Maurice''s arms! Feeling ufortable, she handed the phone to him. "After you passed out, I was going to move you to the sofa, but I ended up falling over..." Maurice took a look and apologized, "I''m sorry to cause you trouble again, Gem. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll hold a press conference to exin.¡± Charmine pursed her lips, and after a moment of silence, she said, "I don¡¯t mind it. I''m kind of used to these rumors." At the same time, she wanted to see what Anthony would do when he saw this. Even though there were already rumors about them, those were based on their interaction in public. Since they were spotted ''sleeping'' together, she did not believe Anthony could tolerate it anymore. "I''m so sorry, Gem," muttered Maurice, "I-" "Don''t worry,¡± Charmine interjected. She then zoomed in on a photo and noticed that there was indeed a gap in between them. "We were not that close together," she remarked, "but someone took it from a certain angle." Furthermore, she was the one who intended for the previous rumors to circte. It was not Maurice''s fault. "Okay," epted Maurice. ''Til exin this to themter." Charmine shook her head. "Mo, could you wait for a while?" That puzzled Maurice. "Why? I don''t mind it, but I don''t want to cause you unnecessary trouble." Charmine said, "Don''t worry, it doesn''t bother me." She would gamble it onest time. If Anthony was still unperturbed by this news, she would let go of himpletely. 1 Maurice thought of what she told himst night, and he understood it right away. "Okay, then," said Maurice. ''Til only exin this to the public when you¡¯re ready." In other words, even though he knew she was using him to circte the rumors, he would support her no matter what. Reassured, Charmine nodded. "Thank you." "It''s okay. I''ll be heading back now," bade Maurice. "Rest well." "Okay." Anthony was keeping up with Charmine''s status. When he saw this news, his eyes red with fury, matching the ferocity his entire being emitted, as he red at the photos. She had the audacity to sleep with another man! Anthony''s hands clenched so tightly that the green veins on his hands bulged. It was as if he was about to squeeze and break his phone! The previous rumors were caused by Maurice''s gesture toward Charmine. Even when she reacted, Anthony could tell that she did it for the press to see it. This time, these photos looked all too real, taken when Charmine was not aware of it! Had she truly let go of him? Had she truly fallen for this man? She was his! Even though he was no longer with her, she was still his! He would not permit anyone else to own her! 4 The thought of Charmine hugging, kissing, cozying up to another man... The mere thought of it ignited mes of anger within him. Unable to y-pretend no longer, he plucked out the needles injected in him and walked out fiercely... chapter 1492 chapter 1492 Anthony rushed to the door of the ward when Waverly, who was sitting on the sofa, reacted. She came over to pull him by his wrist. "Anthony, where are you going?" He red at her hand on his wrist and swung her hand away. "None of your business!" Waverly recalled the gossip floating around recently, and she instantly caught onto what he was thinking. "She''s such a flirtatious woman," scoffed Waverly. "Why are you still looking for her? She even-" "Shut up!" Anthony cut her off and red at her murderously. "What right do you have to say such things about her? Anything she does is at least ten thousand times better than you!" i Waverly¡¯s expression faltered, but her grip on him never wavered. It was an uphill battle to just get Anthony to treat her better. How could she let him go and find Charmine? All her effort would go to waste if they reunited! Waverly bit her lip and said, "She even slept with another man, Anthony! What''s the point of going over to find her?" Anthony ignored her, swung her hand away from him, and walked past her coldly. However... When the door opened, he was met with Susan, who came to visit him. Susan instantly spotted his bleeding arm. rmed, she stopped and yelled, "Anthony, what are you doing?" Before Anthony could speak, Waverly eximed, "He''s going to find Charmine!" Susan quickly pulled at him and ranted, "Why are you still looking for her? She''s already slept with another man behind your back! Are you not embarrassed by her? Why can''t you forget her? Even if you go back to her, do you think she''lle back to you? With your injuries, do you think you both can reconcile at all?" Anthony felt as if he was stabbed. His face turned ice-like frigid, and his entire demeanor was like the iciest continent. He would have forgotten about thatst bit had Susan not brought it up. True, he was the one who pushed her away. As everything had led up to this point, how could he try to get back with her? ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Even if they could, would he then have to watch her getting hurt by his illness every day? Upsetting her, all the time? It was not easy for her to finally let go of him, to find a better man. He should be happy for her... Anthony stopped walking at that, and his eyes narrowed. When Susan noticed him stopping, she thought he was convinced, so she continued, "Anthony, you just broke up with her, and she had already found another man. If she really cares for you, she wouldn''t have done that. The Bailey family won''t allow this kind of woman to be part of us!" With that said, she nced at Waverly arrogantly. In the past two days, Waverly had been taking care of Anthony at the hospital. She was being responsible. Susan liked Waverly a little more already, so she turned to Anthony and said, "Your wedding with Waverly can''t be postponed any further. Hurry and get it over with!" When Waverly heard that, her pale face instantly pinked in delight. Susan added, "Waverly is in no way worse than Charmine, and she''s been treating you so well. You two should get married!" Waverly looked up at Anthony anticipatingly. Instinctively, Anthony wanted to reject, but his head was filled with the images of Charmine with Maurice. He could see how happy she seemed... He pursed his lips, with a thought, he clenched his fists and said, "Fine. Do it." i With that said, he did not even bother looking at Waverly before entering the room. Waverly remained transfixed on the spot. She could not believe what she just heard. Anthony agreed to marry her? Her heart raced wildly as she turned to Susan, ecstatic. "Auntie, did Anthony just agree?" "Yes!" Even Susan found it unbelievable. Did Anthony just agree to it so easily? chapter 1493 chapter 1493 It seemed that Anthony had seen the true colors of Charmine. He was letting go! Waverly could not help smirking. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. All her hard work and her putting up with his antics finally paid off! Susan looked at her and said, ''Thank you for taking care of Anthony for the past two days." "It''s no problem," replied Waverly gently. "As his fiancee, this is my duty." Susan had a knowing smile in her eyes, and she turned and left. Waverly turned and intended to walk into the ward, wanting to build up on their rtionship, but when she tried to open the door, she realized that the door was locked from the inside, i She knocked on the door. "Anthony, why did you lock the door?" Thomp! As if replying to her, something mmed against the door harshly. Waverly was so startled that she jumped. Still, it did not anger her as she instead said, "Get some rest, then. I''ll make you soup." She knew Anthony was angry...but so what? As long as he agreed to marry her, she could be Mrs. Bailey, and she would win! 2 Meanwhile, in Anthony''s ward... Anthony clenched his fists so tightly, and his entire body was tense. Although he knew this was the only way, the thought of marrying a woman he did not like, and that would never get back with Charmine, agonized him greatly. It was then he heard Waverly''s voice from outside the door. With ruthless eyes, he took up a random object and threw it at the door. Lashing out even more, he swung and threw everything before him onto the floor, scattering everything, everywhere. They were all broken, just like his heart... With mixed feelings, Anthony lit up a cigarette and looked in a direction. Even when he had finished a few cigarettes, he still could not endure it. He died off the me and walked out. 1 Charmine took what Maurice said to her by heart. ''If love only hurts you, forget about it.'' That was it, then, was it not? Love should be both-sided; it should be felt when the two were being together. She kept on repeating this to herself, and she had a realization. She would no longer let herself down by this dolt. It was not worth the pain. The rumors of her sleeping with Maurice had gone out for so long, yet Anthony had not done anything about it. What else was she waiting for? Shrugging this all off, Charmine picked herself up and concentrated on the shooting. She was on a roll that day, acting incredibly professional. Her lines, expressions, and movements were all spot on. Seeing that she was no longer upset, Maurice was pleased. Most of the scenes only took one take. They finished the shooting ahead of schedule. Pleased, the director said happily, "Cut! Let¡¯s take a half- hour break!" During the break, Charmine and Maurice-unafraid of invoking more gossip -sat together to read through the lines. The atmosphere was peaceful. They talked andughed, as if they were a couple. The people around them watched on with admiration. Charmine drank a lotst night, thus she still felt physically unwell. "I''m heading to the bathroom," she spoke to Maurice. "Alright, be careful." Charmine stood up and walked toward the bathroom. When she came out, she smelt a very familiar scent of chill. With a thought in her mind, her heart sank. Her clear eyes looked at the person in front of her... Anthony stood in front of her elegantly, his entire being emitting a cold, apathetic aura as he gazed at her. Charmine met his darkened eyes and was somewhat excited. Had he reached his breaking point? 1 However... chapter 1494 chapter 1494 Anthony said nothing, but his dark gaze was still fixated on Charmine. Charmine maintained eye contact. Her initially fluttering heart calmed down. She recollected herself and coldly called out, "Excuse me, Mr. Bailey?" Anthony''s expression turned rigid as his thin lips curled up mockingly. ''"Mr. Bailey,'' huh?" "What else?" said Charmine. "Please keep in mind that we''ve now broken up. We''re strangers." Anthony scoffed, "So you caused the rumors to trigger me?" Charmine''s red lips curled up coldly. "You must be kidding. I''m just living my life, and it''s just that the reporters exposed my private life." Anthony looked at her and scoffed, "Or, did you do that for the reporters to see it?" Charmine shrugged and remarked, "Well, if that''s what you want to think, I can''t do anything about it." She walked past him. However, Anthony did not give her a chance to leave. He reached out to block her path. He took out a delicately made invitation card for her and said emotionlessly, "I¡¯m getting married next month. I hope you cane." Charmine looked at the names on the invitation card. [Anthony Bailey and Waverly D''Cruz.] Her head buzzed and exploded. Her face went pale and felt a chill run down her spine. With a stiff hand, she reached out to ept it. This thin piece of paper felt as heavy as metal for her. Heat reached out from her palm to her heart, and even her heart could feel the burn. She found it hard to breathe. She was initially ted, over the moon to have seen him, thinking he wasing to get her... Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. All she got was an invitation. Heh. The onest hope she was left with was finally extinguished. Anthony said, "I came here to remind you that the news does nothing for me. Stop ruining your life." Charmine smiled. "So what if I''m ruining my life? Does it have anything to do with you? Anthony Bailey, I hope you remember that we¡¯ve broken up. It''s my freedom to be with anyone and do anything. They have nothing to do with you, and you don''t have the right to tell me what to do!" Anthony looked at her coldly. "You were once my woman! Even if I don''t want you anymore, you can''t ruin your reputation! Either get married, or stop f*cking around!" 1 His frigid, wintry tone wasced with fury. This was the first time he cursed in front of Charmine, and it shocked her. Anthony red at her. "Also, Momo always treats you as his mother. If you do this, how would he feel?" Charmine¡¯s body stiffened. Her rumors had been bad. Chris would be so sad when he saw them... To him, she was always the elegant and perfect mother. s... Charmine pursed her lips as she felt a pang in her chest. She then looked at the eye-stabbing invitation in her hand. Her just-softened heart instantly hardened again, and she scoffed coldly," Who are you kidding, Mr. Bailey? Chris was never my child, and now that we have broken up, he has nothing to do with me. His happiness isn''t my responsibility. You get a wife, and I get my boyfriend. We live our separate lives now, Mr. Bailey, so I hope you stop interfering with my life! Your concern is to find him a stepmother who won''t bully him!" Her tone was arrogant and straightforward. With that said, a small figure appeared. Charmine looked over to see... i Chris? chapter 1495 chapter 1495 Charmine¡¯s back instantly stiffened as the words she had spoken haunted her. It unsettled her. Gazing at her, Chris'' small face was washed with disbelief, and his once bright eyes turned dull. His expression wavered pitiably as he spoke, aggrieved, "So that¡¯s how you¡¯ve been viewing me, Mommy. You no longer love me..." Charmine was petrified on the spot, unable to react for a long time. 1 She never would have expected Chris to overhear what she said to piss Anthony off. "Momo...¡± Meeting his hurtful eyes, her heart clenched pain. She wanted to exin everything to him, that she did not mean what she had said, but Anthony was still there. She could not go back on what she had spat. Anthony would be marrying Waverly, too. If she admitted that she was not over him yet, she would seem weak. Furthermore, if she got into a new rtionship after he got married, she would seem like the loser. Charmine pursed her lips, but just as she was thinking of what to say, Chris started sobbing, "Mommy, why did you do this to me? What have I done wrong? I treated you like my genuine mother. Is that what I''ve done wrong?" i His tears streamed down his cheeks incessantly, and he was visibly distraught. However, he put on a strong front as he wiped off his tears with his small hands. With his nose clogged by his snot, he hoarsely muttered, "If Momo is nothing to you, Mommy, I¡¯ll leave..." He then turned to leave, staggering as he did. His small figure looked lonely and sad, as if he was a neglected child who had no home... Charmine felt bad, but she could not say anything. She gnawed on her lips. He was already leaving, so she should let it all be. That was what she had in mind. She would exin everything to him should she have such a chance in the future...unless someone else would rece her in his life afterward. Charmine thought about this, and she felt at ease. Children would not linger around for too long. When something new came into their lives, they would forget everything old. Charmine looked away, but just as she was about to leave... Chris, who was walking just fine, suddenly jolted. He had a seizure. "Momo!" Anthony was the first one to notice, and he rushed over. Chris had fallen to the ground, his small, bun-like face pale as he grimaced in pain. Still, he turned to look at Charmine and stuttered, ''''Mommy... Mommy... I want my Mommy... I''ve lost Mommy once, and I don''t want to lose another Mommy..." He then began to sob and whimper. When Charmine heard this, her hardened heart finally softened. She ignored everything else and jogged toward him. It pained her to see a small child enduring such pain. "It¡¯s okay, Momo. Mommy is here." Chris snuggled in her arms. As if afraid of her leaving him, he used up all of his strength to hold onto her. His pale face looked at Charmine as he sobbed, "Mommy...can you...not be with that old man? Don''t mess around with him, okay...? Even though you no longer care about Momo, it¡¯ll still hurt if I see that... Mommy, can you stay away from that Grandpa...?¡± Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Charmine was baffled. ''Grandpa''? Did he mean Maurice? Since Anthony was still with them, Charmine said nothing to agree with Chris. Furthermore, she was working with Maurice, and she could not avoid him. She held onto Chris and muttered, "Momo, we''re-" Before she could finish her sentence, Chris'' eyes rolled to the back of his head, and his seizure worsened. As if he was triggered, foam started to spew through his lips. Charmine''s heart tightened. She knew if she did not agree with him, Chris would be suffering for two hours! He was just a young kid. How could he endure a pain that even adults could not endure? chapter 1496 chapter 1496 Charmine could not help looking at Anthony, but he looked merely unfazed. Her heart grew cold. Looking at how Chris suffered, she finally caved in and nodded. "Okay." Gradually, Chris'' seizure ebbed away, and he used his small hand to wipe off the foam at his lips. He hugged Charmine tightly, though his body would jolt from time to time. Charmine patted his shoulder and said, "Mommy will promise you that I won''t have these rumors again, my dear." Chris nodded his head vehemently, and he stretched out his pinky finger to hers, wanting to swear on her promise. "You promised, Mommy...!" he said feebly and hoarsely as he gazed at her expectantly. Having no other choice, Charmine pinky-promised him. "Okay." Noticing that his seizure was easing off, she put Chris down and said, " Okay, go home with your Daddy now. I need to go back to work." Chris did not get off of her when she said that. He hugged her even tighter instead. "Mommy, can you send me home?" Charmine wanted to reject him, not wanting to have so many interactions with Anthony. Also, she only had half an hour break. However, as she was met with Chris'' hopeful self, she feared he might suffer from another seizure if she turned him down. Charmine pursed her lips and nodded. "Okay." Chris¡¯ grimace slowly eased off. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Charmine hoisted her into his arms and turned to look at Anthony, saying in a matter-of-factly tone, "I''ll send him home.¡± "Whatever," responded Anthony. Chris was speechless. His father was helpless! Chris clung onto Charmine''s back, his watery and big eyes no longer brimming with pain, i Instead, they gleamed with delight. Anthony looked at him and narrowed his eyes... His acting skill was so good, he almost got him to believe in his act! Charmine carried Chris and went into Anthony''s car. Anthony maintained a nk face. He would check up on the two of them at the back from time to time but would say nothing else. Charmine did not mind at all. She had grown used to his cold-blooded treatment, and it was in her mind that if it were not for Chris, he would not even speak to her at all. Hmph! In contrast to how calm the two adults were, Chris was panicking. He established this opportunity with so much effort, and he would not waste it so easily! When they got home, Charmine went into the Bailey mansion with Chris in her arms when... She saw a familiar figure. It was Waverly. She was dressed in an elegant beige loose knitted dress and wore heeled boots, standing at the front yard, instructing the staff to move things around. She looked like the mistress of this mansion. Charmine was surprised. So, Waverly had already moved in? Meanwhile, Anthony squinted at Waverly. Who gave her permission to move in? Waverly saw them entering, and she looked at Charmine gloatingly. She then fixed her eyes on Anthony, as if answering to the suspicion he had. "I came here to decorate our new room. I moved in to prepare for our wedding." Anthony''s eyes dulled as his entire being emanated apathy. He wanted to turn her down, to ask her to leave, but he was the one who agreed to this wedding. Since Charmine was around, he had to prove to her that he married Waverly out of love. With that, he said nothing. To Charmine, his silence meant that he agreed to it. Charmine''s hands around Chris tightened. The entire situation seemed ironic to her. She thus put Chris down and said, "Mommy will leave now. Get some rest." chapter 1497 chapter 1497 Of course, Chris did not want Charmine to go. He held onto her tightly and pitiably begged, "Mommy, can you put me to sleep? Daddy doesn''t even care about me, and I''m scared of being by myself..." Charmine bit her lips, but just as she was about to speak, Waverly said from behind them, "Don¡¯t be scared, Momo, I''ll put you to sleepter." Startled, Chris red at Waverly and growled, "I don''t want you. Go away!" 1 Waverly had an innocent look on her face. "I''ll be your stepmother in the future. I should be putting you to sleep." Charmine could not help looking at Anthony, but all she saw was that he merely pursed his lips. He was not keeping here, and he did not even correct Waverly. What Charmine did not see was his arm that faced away from her went stiff as he clenched tightly, so much so that his veins protruded. Disheartened, Charmine put down Chris and said, "Mommy needs to work." Chris ran after her, but Anthony pulled him back and said, ''Til put you to sleep." Waverly added, "Right. Your Daddy and I will put you to sleep." "Shut up!" Anthony, unable to hold back his anger, yelled and red at her. 2 Charmine had her back facing them, and she had a mocking smile on her face. She left without turning back. Anthony felt his heart wrenched as he watched her coldly leaving...but she would have to endure Waverly¡¯s treatment if he kept her here. He narrowed his eyes and watched her leave. It was only when Charmine walked out of the Bailey mansion did she remember she did not take her car. She walked out and took out her phone, wanting to call Eric when a luxury car pulled over before her. The car window rolled down, showing Maurice''s gentle face. "Gem,e on up." "Mo?" Charmine was surprised. "Why''d youe here?" Maurice looked at her gently. "I saw you leaving earlier, and I was worried that you don¡¯t have a car to drive back with, so I came." Charmine did not expect him to be so considerate. Her hardened heart softened instantly. Giving him a gentle smile, she entered Maurice''s car. Anthony brought Chris back to his room. After a moment of consideration, he crumbled to his desire. So what if he drove Charmine back? Thanking her for caring about Chris? That would make sense, and she would not overthink it, either. Anthony seemed to have found enough excuses to send her back, thus he ran out right away. It was then he spotted Charmine getting into a luxury car in front of the mansion. The driver seemed to be Maurice. Anthony''s eyes darkened, and he clenched onto the car key tightly. After Charmine went inside, she saw Maurice leaning over to fasten the seatbelt for her...and she did not stop him from doing that! The two of them exchanged smiles, looking like a couple happily in love... Anthony remained transfixed on the ground. He could not believe what he saw. This time, there was no paparazzi around, and she did not expect Maurice toe to the Bailey mansion. Did this mean the two of them usually interacted this way? Anthony looked at the car key in his hand, and he felt like a fool. Following that, his thin lips curled up into a mocking smile. He was about to marry Waverly. Why would he expect her to keep waiting for him? Was it not his intention to make her forget about him-to live on happily? N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Anthony remained transfixed on the spot and watched as the car drove further away. It was only when the car faded from view did he finally look away and turned back. Waverly was still bossing the staff around at the front yard. "ce this pot here, and move this away. I want to nt roses here. Get them ready for me tomorrow." Anthony looked at her coldly. "Get lost, now!" If he did not have to put on the show for Charmine, he would have kicked her out long ago. 1 Waverly''s expression changed. "Mother asked me to move in to prepare for our wedding!" chapter 1498 chapter 1498 Anthony looked at Waverly coldly. "Marrying you will only give you a title. This doesn''t mean you''re the mistress of the Bailey mansion." 1 In other words, his marriage with her was merely on paper. She had no right to move things around in the mansion. Waverly''s face turned pale while the maids looked at her with disgust. She had no authority in this mansion, so why was she bossing them around? 2 Anthony red at the maids. "Put the things back to how they were." With that said, he shot Waverly a cold stare. "Even if we''re getting married, we won''t live together. You only need to decorate your own room." 1 Waverly bit her lip and muttered, "But, Mother said-" "Whatever she promised you has nothing to do with me!" Anthony cut her off coldly and marched back inside. Waverly stood on the spot, transfixed. She clenched her fists tightly with a darkened look. That ursed Charmine Jordan! Anthony had treated her much better, but the moment Charmine appeared, he turned cold again! She bit her lip and left furiously. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Even though Anthony was cold to her, she knew he would soften up over time. Once she married him, he would realize she was much better than Charmine and would then fall in love with her! 1 The filming ended that evening. Charmine looked for Maurice and said, ¡®TH buy you dinner, Mo." "Oh?" Maurice looked at her gently. "What''s the asion?" "Nothing," said Charmine. ''You came to pick me up, and I want to thank you." Although Maurice did not have an appetite, he epted her offer nheless. "Okay." Charmine heard about a famous barbeque restaurant, and she wanted to go with Maurice, i When they made their order, Maurice merely ordered one or two dishes. Charmine frowned. "Order anything you like, Mo. Do I look like I need to save money?" Maurice smiled. "I''m not hungry." 1 Charmine could not insist on it. "Okay." Worried that Maurice was being too modest, she went on to order enough dishes for two. Maurice had yet to eat as he put on disposable gloves to pick out the bones from the fish for Charmine, putting it on her te once he finished, i He then also started grilling the ms, meat, and all kinds of dishes for her. Charmine, meanwhile, was enjoying the food. Maurice gazed at her caringly, and Charmine eventually caught onto him, meeting his gentle eyes. She stopped short with food still in her mouth, asking, "Mo, why are you not eating yet?" Maurice found her very adorable. He liked her very much. "I''m full." Charmine was speechless. She noticed that he ate very little every time they ate together. Was it because he had to maintain his image and body shape? That made sense! Only a self-disciplined man like Maurice could remain so gentle but alluring and mature at this age. He did not seem old at all! Maurice finished grilling the food and put them into her te, saying, "Have some more." Charmine no longer troubled herself with the thought and resumed eating. Instantly, she noticed a figure sneaking around under a tree. Squinting and cing her fork down, she walked over sneakily and stopped in front of him, snapping, "Are you done taking photos of me in the past few days?" The reporter stilled under her domineering gaze and stuttered, "I-I¡¯m so sorry, Boss Jordan. I''ll delete them now!" ''You don¡¯t have to delete them." chapter 1499 chapter 1499 Charmine red at the reporter and haughtily said, "Spread the word that whoever posts photos of Maurice and I in the future will be cut off from the industry. I''ll make sure thepany he works for can no longer survive in Burlington." Her clear voice was threatening. The reporter was so scared that he nodded. "Okay, okay!" Charmine red at him coldly. "When you take any photos in the future, just send them straight to Anthony''s email. Don¡¯t post them online." This puzzled the reporter, but knowing her rtionship with Anthony, he seemed to have understood. He said nothing else and nodded instead. Okay, Boss Jordan! I''ll pass this on to the other reporters." Charmine then went back to her table and continued eating the barbeque as if nothing had happened. Maurice, on the other hand, gazed at her kindly as he continued to help her grill food. He was satisfied just by looking at her enjoying herself. Both of them went back to the hotel after supper, and Charmine noticed that the reporter was lingering around. After showering, she went downstairs to run through the lines with Maurice. When she was inside the lift, she took out her phone to write a text. [You carry on with your wedding while I carry on with my rtionship. We both should do our own things now. I won''t let Momo see gossip about me again, but since you''re my ex, you need to know how nice he treats me and how happy I am right now.] 1 Anthony was at thepany, buried in work to stop himself from overthinking. He had to get so busy that he had no time to think, that had no time to feel the pain. He went home tiredly at 11 p.m. It was when he finished his shower that the phone by the side lit up. Anthony¡¯s long legs carried himself to the phone. He unlocked it elegantly and noticed an email. Anthony clicked it open, and after seeing the photos attached to the email, his entire being reeked with fury. He squinted as he stared at the photos. The photos showed Charmine and Maurice having a barbecue. Maurice looked at her caringly and peeled prawns for her, picked out the bones, and grilled for her. Charmine, on the other hand, happily enjoyed what he did for her. She looked very happy. Anthony clenched his phone tightly, and even his breathing grew sobored that he started panting. He knew he should not read on, but he could not help scrolling down. This feeling was as if he knew it was going to stink but he still chose to rip his wound open to ssh a handful of salt on... 2 The photos below were of the two of them going back to the hotel. She even went looking for him downstairs after showering. They looked like a couple so much in love that they were unwilling to part. Anthony panted heavily, and his eyes were very dark. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Even though he wanted her to let go of him, even though he wanted her to be with another man, it still hurt him so badly that it felt like he could die whenever he saw her with another man. He was in so much pain. Meanwhile... There was a beep, and he received a text. When he saw [Charmine], his ice-cold heart dropped as he became... somewhat excited. She had not been in touch with him for a while. Was she sending this text to exin the photos to him? Anthony clicked the text quickly, but upon reading what was texted, his just- softened heart was filled with anger. [We do our own things.] Heh. He sarcastically thanked her for rubbing it in his face how happy she was. Mentally, of course. Anthony¡¯s grip on his phone was so vice-like that his veins surfaced to his skin. Unable to reign in his anger, he smashed his phone onto the floor. 2 Images of Charmine smiling at Maurice floated in his head. It felt like every cell in him was made of sharp knives that stabbed at him. Even breathing hurt him. Anthony looked as if he had lost his soul. He staggered to the front and sat on the floor, opened a bottle, and started downing its contents. He woke up in a blur the next day, and his entire body ached. He withstood the pain, however, as he forced himself to walk to Chris'' room. "I need to go away for work in the next few days," he spoke once he got there. "Nobody will take care of you, so go find your Mommy." chapter 1500 chapter 1500 Chris'' eyes sparkled. He looked around with his watery eyes and nodded." Alright!" Hehe! That was what he thought of! He was nning to find his Mommy anyway! He did not want Charmine to be with that old man. Hmph! Anthony thought about it and said, "Ask Mommy to spend more time with you." He gave Chris a knowing look. Chris naturally understood what he meant. His eyes curved into crescent moons as he nodded. "Yes, sir!" Anthony nodded and said, "Pack your bag and go. Don''te back for the next few days." 1 Chris was speechless... Was he his birth father at all? Still, he packed his clothes in a backpack, thinking of Charmine all the while. He then saddled the backpack that was as big as him and went out to look for Charmine. 1 At the [Recovery] set. The scene they were shooting was of Gem kissing John to prove to the '' douche'' of the show that she had a boyfriend. Maurice was worried that Charmine might be ufortable, thus he said," Gem, if you''re ufortable with this, I can propose to the directorthat we can just act it out." Charmine shook her head. "It''s okay-this is the basic requirement of being an actress. Since I''m single now, I don¡¯t have an excuse." "Okay...¡± Maurice then added, "If you feel ufortable, just tell me." "Okay." After the two finished preparing, the cameras pointed at them. Then, silence. "Action!" shouted the director, and Charmine instantly fell into character. She looked at the second male lead and naturally saw him as Julian. "Don¡¯t think that all women in the world circle around you!" she scoffed. "From the day you cheated on me, we were already over!" With an expression of sheer regret, the second male lead begged, "I''m sorry, Gem! I was seduced by that woman! You''re still the one I love the most, so please...give me a chance for us to start all over." When Charmine heard that, she looked disgusted. It was then John happened to appear. "I''m sorry," she sneered, "but I have a boyfriend now." With that said, she pulled John closer. The second male lead called out with disbelief, "He looks like he can be your father! No way! You''re lying to me, Gem. He''s not your type!" Charmine''s lips curled into an arrogant smile. "Really? Does it matter if I like him or not? The main point is, he loves me, and he won''t cheat on me!" John, meanwhile, swept a kind nce over both of them. When he understood what was happening, he wanted to exin everything to the second male lead. To shut him up, Charmine was to kiss him on the lips arrogantly. All of a sudden... The moment she approached John, all the lights were cut out, shrouding the entire set in darkness. 1 Charmine was the first to react as she got out of Maurice''s arms. The rest of them reacted a few secondster. Everyone panicked. The director called out, "What''s going on?" The person in charge said politely, "Short-circuited, it seems. I''ll check right away!" 1 "Hurry!" The person in charge went to check and found out it was indeed a short circuit. He put it back on and told the director, "Short-circuited." The director red at him coldly. "I don''t want this to happen again!" The person in charge bowed. "Understood." They got into positions again. With the director''smand, the three of them re-did the scene. Out of the blue, yet again... The moment Charmine was about to kiss Maurice, a drone suddenly appeared all over the ce, disrupting the set.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. "Cut!" the director called out angrily. "Who on earth is ying with a drone? Can¡¯t you see we''re shooting here?" chapter 1501 chapter 1501 Everyone exchanged nces, but nobody came forward to admit it. The drone, meanwhile, left silently. Charmine stared at the drone and squinted. She had seen this drone in Chris'' room. Recalling the fact that something would always interrupt her kiss scene with Maurice, Charmine sensed something and walked toward the direction of the drone. Chris was hiding in a corner here. Seeing how he managed to stop them from kissing twice, he grinned and brought the drone back. What else should he do to stop them? Should he cut off the circuit again? Haha! 1 Well, so long as he did not have to watch his Mommy kissing this old man! i His Mommy Charmine could only kiss his Daddy Anthony! Just as Chris gleefully schemed to himself, a figure appeared before him, and it felt to him that the temperature went down a few degrees Celsius. He turned around cautiously and saw someone standing in front of him. He jolted and feebly greeted, "Mommy..." Charmine looked at him and asked, "Momo, why are you disturbing us?" Chris blinked and, with the expression of innocence stered on his face, muttered, "Mommy, Daddy is going away for work, and he''s neglecting me. Daddy doesn¡¯t want me, and you don¡¯t want me. I don''t dare to find you, so I can only gain your attention like this." Charmine''s anger dissipated a notch, and she frowned. "Is your new Mommy not home?" When Chris heard this, he began to whimper in fear, "New Mommy is only nice to me in front of Daddy. When he¡¯s not here, she scolds me and doesn¡¯t care about me. You don¡¯t care about me, either... Does nobody love me anymore, Mommy...? Waa..." i When Charmine heard what he said, she felt pain in her eyes. She knew Waverly would do this. To Waverly, Chris was merely a tool to be used. Charmine ruffled his head and said, "You cane and find me. I didn''t say I don''t love you." With that, a smile made it to Chris¡¯ face. "Okay!" Charmine looked at the thing in his hand and thought of how he had disrupted the entire crew''s progression. "Do you know it''s very immature of you to disturb Mommy from work, though?" she spoke sternly. "There are at least a hundred crew members preparing for the morning¡¯s session. Due to what you did, we haven¡¯t been able to shoot the scene!" 1 Chris blinked and muttered, aggrieved, "Mommy, have you been lying to Momo? You promised me yesterday that you won¡¯t get close with this grandpa, and now you¡¯re doing this with him!" 1 Charmine frowned. "What I promised you yesterday was of our actual daily interactions, but this is a job! You can¡¯t disturb us, or I''ll send you home!" ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Chris pouted but made no replies to that. Charmine did not indulge him at all as she continued, "Be a good boy. I''ll work now, and I''ll y with you after.¡± Chris was still pouting, visibly reluctant. He wanted to argue about it, but he was worried that Charmine might send him home. At that moment, Maurice walked over. Spotting both Charmine and Chris, he gently piped in, "Gem, this-" "I¡¯m her flesh and blood!¡± Chris interjected without waiting for Charmine to reply. 2 He red at this peaceful-looking old man with full alert. Charmine did not refute that and, instead, said, "Mo, call him Momo." With that said, she turned to say to Chris, "Call him Uncle." Maurice reached out his hand gently. "Momo, nice to meet you." "Hmph!" Chris snorted and pouted. He bit his lip and ignored Maurice. chapter 1502 chapter 1502 "Momo," Charmine frowned and warned, "You''re too naughty today. You ruined things back there, and you''re being rude now." When Maurice heard this, he instantly understood that this boy was the perpetrator who ruined their filming. He looked at Chris and said, "Gem, what he did was understandable. No child would want to see their mother kissing another man." Chris red at him. Although Maurice sided with him, he seemed fake. Chris had seen too many of these types of people! Chris snorted, "Don''t be pretentious; go and film the scene. I''m not going to ruin anything anymore." 2 With that said, he put on this reluctant-yet-supportive-of-Charmine expression. Maurice said to Charmine, "Don''t get angry Gem. Childrenck security, so don¡¯t scold him, or you might hurt his mentality. This will cause him to lock himself away from others." This was what happened to him when he was younger. Nobody knew how many years he took to walk out from it. Charmine pursed her lips. She thought about it and realized that this exined Chris'' behaviors in the past. He did this because he cared for her. Charmine instinctively reached out to hold Chris'' hand. ''Til bring you with me. You have to be good and not ruin things, okay?" Chris pouted his lips and nodded. Sigh... He had no choice. He had to do as he was told. If he triggered Charmine again, she would send him home. Charmine held Chris¡¯ hand and took him to her seat. Since Eric was not around, Maurice asked his assistant, Sofia to look after Chris. This reassured Charmine as well. She went to position with Maurice, and they were about to shoot the same scene again. It was then Maurice looked at Chris and had a thought, calling the director to him. "Let''s skip this scene and film another scene." The director was puzzled. "Why?" Charmine looked at him doubtfully as well. Maurice said gently, "The kid is here, and this might affect him negatively. I don¡¯t want him to be traumatized." Having no qualms with that, the director agreed, "Okay." Charmine once again felt how mature Maurice was. She felt a warmth in her. "Mo...¡± she muttered as she gazed at him. Maurice had been so considerate that he moved her. Furthermore, his kindness was sincere and not faked. He genuinely wanted the best for her. Maurice looked at her gently. "It''s okay. My Gem is so adorable. I wouldn¡¯t want you to feel ufortable." Charmine was speechless. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Again! Was Maurice¡¯s definition of''adorable'' messed up? She was ruthless and willful, so which part in her made her look ''adorable''? Noticing Charmine''s doubt on him, Maurice found her even more adorable. He smiled gently and said, "Get ready for our next scene." "Okay." Chris stared at the set nkly with his eyes widened. When the director shouted, "Action!" he covered his eyes, thinking of how Charmine was about to kiss another man but could not stop it. Still, he curiously moved his pinky away, showing his big eyes, and what he saw... Charmine and the Grandpa were no longer filming the kissing scene? Chris put down his hand, and his eyes sparkled like stars. "Mmh...? Did they change it?" Did Charmine cancel it for him? Haha! Hearing Chris'' mumble, Sofia exined, "Mr. Lukas suggested it. He was worried about impacting you in a negative way." 1 That took Chris aback. chapter 1503 chapter 1503 Chris stared at Maurice in disbelief. This old man... He did not seem so bad after all! "No, no, no..." Chris shook his head. "I can''t give in so easily. He''s old, and he might be bad!" When Sofia heard him mumbling to himself, she raised her eyebrows. This boy seemed funny. Not long after, Sofia, having things she had to attend to, reminded Chris, " Stay put right here, kid. I have other things to attend to, and I can''t stay here with you." "Okay!" replied Chris. He did not need anyone to look after him, anyway. After Sofia left, Chris watched as Charmine and Maurice filmed another, more mundane scene. Bored, he started walking around the set to find things he could ruin the next time. However, he slipped and fell, scraping his knee against a hard stone. It stung so badly for Chris. To not worry Charmine, he pretended that nothing happened and went back to his seat, but beads of sweat were all over his small face as he endured the sting. He reached out his dirty, small hands to wipe off the sweat, but it sullied his face in the process. "Cut!" yelled the director. Maurice was done for his part while Charmine still had a scene with the second male lead. Before leaving, Maurice said to Charmine, "I''ll help you look after the kid. Don''t worry about it, and enjoy the filming." Charmine nodded. Returning to the resting lounge, Maurice saw the dirtied Chris, still seated on the seat and had fallen asleep with a grimace. He removed his suit to put it over Chris, but he identally grazed the wound on Chris'' knee. "Ah...!" Chris jolted awake in pain. When he finally registered the sight of the man before him, Chris snorted, " What are you doing?" Maurice looked at him and thought of how the only ce he touched was Chris¡¯ knee. Instinctively, he grabbed his thigh and rolled up the leg pant. He saw a dried patch of blood on his purplish-green knee. Maurice frowned and instantly called over the crew''s medical team. Chris pushed him away. "You don''t have to pretend." Noticing Maurice''s jacket on him, Chris removed it from him and handed it back to Maurice. This did not infuriate Maurice as he, instead, said gently, "It''s getting cold; don''t catch a cold. Your Mommy will be worried." He put the jacket back on Chris again. Chris did not want to worry Charmine, thus he did not turn it down this time, though he haughtily turned away from Maurice. The doctor brought the medicine quickly. Maurice was about to clean the wound for him, but Chris reeled back his leg and red at Maurice, wide- eyed. "I don''t need your help. Go away!" Maurice said gently, "Your wound will only worsen if it¡¯s not treated. You don¡¯t want your Mommy to get worried, do you? If she gets angry, you won''t be able to stay here." This sounded reasonable enough for Chris. Noticing that Chris was convinced, Maurice smiled. "Don''t worry, I won''t tell your Mommy." With that said, he cleaned the wound for him. His action was incredibly gentle and careful. His pressure was just right as he wiped the dried blood clean without hurting the wound. Chris could not help turning to look at him with his big, watery eyes. He felt his gentleness and sincerity...and his apprehensiveness toward Maurice somehow lessened. Maurice cleaned his wound and put anti-inmmation ointment on him. Following that, he took over a wet tissue to wipe the sweat on his face and the dirt on his hands. After cleaning him, he said gently, "If it still hurtster, I''ll put on the ointment again." Although Chris was touched, he still pouted. "Hmph! Don''t think I''ll agree on letting you have my Mommy for what you¡¯ve done!"Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. chapter 1504 chapter 1504 Maurice could not help smiling with his eyes as he kindly said, "You''re just overthinking things, kid." Not believing him, Chris growled, "If you''re a real man, just be honest about your intention. Don¡¯t do it behind my back!" He wanted to see what Maurice was up to. He could not let him win! Maurice ruffled his head. "I said no means no. I treat your Mommy as a sibling, a sister. If you don''t believe me, there''s nothing I can do." Chris flinched from his touch and scoffed, "Lies!" That did not faze Maurice as he changed the topic and asked, "Are you hungry?" Chris pulled a face and ignored him. He realized that this man seemed quite kind on the surface. He was nice even when Charmine was not around. So, he did not want to entertain him anymore. He did not want to fall for him! The two of them did not talk until Charmine''s session finished. She did not notice anything different in Chris as she asked, "Are you hungry, dear? Mommy will take you out to eat." "Okay." Chris withstood the pain as he got off of the chair and took Charmine''s hand.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Charmine looked at Maurice and said, "Come with us, Mo." O "Okay." Although he did not want to eat, he was worried about Chris¡¯ wound, so he followed. Chris instantly red at him with full alert. He said he had no intentions, yet there he was: agreeing toe along! Chris was unhappy, but he said nothing in front of Charmine, choosing to bite back on his anger. As long as he was around, this old man would not be able to do anything to his Mommy! The three of them went to a quite famous cafe. Maurice did not eat much during the meal. He took care of Charmine and Chris, serving them food and peeling the prawns for them. Chris secretly removed the food that Maurice took for him. He did not want to eat those. Maurice peeled the lobsters forthem and ced the fresh meat on their tes. Charmine looked at him suspiciously. "Mo, why do you eat so little all the time? Do you not like them?" "No," Maurice said gently, "I¡¯m not hungry." Charmine was speechless. Did he not have to eat? She had spent quite a few days with him, and she had not seen him eating that much. Did all celebrities behave this way? Charmine looked at him curiously. Maurice did not exin. He continued to peel the prawns forthem, one at a time, cautiously. Chris looked down on him. This old man would give up eating to gain Charmine''s attention. How intentional! The waiting staff saw this loving sight and started talking among themselves. "This boy is so adorable. He''s got big eyes and a cool personality. How adorable!" "How can I have an adorable child like this?" "The woman is beautiful, the man is handsome, and this kid is so adorable! What a lovely family." Chris harrumphed at theirments, but thatst sentence made his expression fall. He turned to say to them, "We''re not a family. He''s my grandpa." "He''s your grandpa?" The two waiting staff felt awkward as they apologized, "We''re sorry." Still, they looked at Maurice in shock. How could there be such a handsome and young grandfather in the world!? Charmine was speechless. chapter 1505 chapter 1505 Charmine wanted to exin, but Maurice merely said, "She''s my daughter. I treat her like my daughter." He then put the peeled lobster meat on her te, expression filled with adoration that it drove the two waitresses crazy! They were a couple after all! This man was too gentle! The best kind of rtionship in the world was when a couple exchanged jokes with one another! Even though his wife called him ''Grandpa'', he still loved her for it. Chris was speechless. Looking at how Maurice resolved this awkward situation, how gentle and nice he treated Charmine, his small heart inexplicably weakened for him. This old man was captivating... Argh! He had to keep it together before he fell for his act, too! Chris smacked his head and reminded himself to stay alert. He must not give in so easily! He must not let him treat his Mommy so nicely! After dinner, they went back to the hotel. Charmine was going to go back to her room with Chris when Chris'' eyes widened, saying, "Mommy, can I sleep with old-no, Grandpa tonight?" Charmine frowned. "Why? You''ll disturb him." She was right here. How could she let Chris sleep with Maurice? Chris'' watery eyes looked around, thinking of an excuse when Maurice thought of something and said, "It¡¯s okay, Gem. I want to know this kid more anyway, so it¡¯s okay." He thought Chris was worried about Charmine finding out about his knee, so he spoke up for him. Charmine pursed her lips. She knew that Chris did not like Maurice. Since Chris would stay for a few days, it would be awkward if he remained unfriendly. They might as well spend a night together to take things from there. Charmine ruffled Chris'' head. "Momo, be good, okay?" "Okay." Chris nodded happily. "I¡¯ll be good." Charmine turned to Maurice. "Sorry for the trouble, Mo." "It''s nothing," replied Maurice kindly. "Don''t worry, and rest well." "Okay." As Maurice took his hand, Chris turned to look back. "Goodnight, Mommy." In truth, he wanted to sleep with Charmine, but he did not believe that this old man was such a friendly person. He wanted to find out how mean he could get. Once he gained evidence, Charmine would not stay with him. Yes! The confident Chris returned to Maurice''s room with him. When the door shut, Chris looked at him vigntly. "Mommy''s not here, so don¡¯t bully me. Don''t try to beat me, either." When Maurice heard him speaking so adorably, he smiled. "You¡¯re as adorable as your Mommy." What was this kid thinking? Why would he beat him? Did he seem like such a mean person? "Don''t fake it!" Chris scoffed. "Every fake woman has said the same thing to me to get close to my Daddy." Maurice, upon hearing this, felt sympathetic. What had Chris experienced to have be so cautious? He took Chris into his arms and lifted him to the sofa, putting him down as he asked gently, "Does your wound still hurt?" R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Chris blinked his big, sparkling eyes. He was stunned. Ah! Why was this man so gentle? Why was he so kind? Oh, no! He could not help wanting Maurice to hug him! Noticing that he did not react, Maurice rolled up his pant leg to check up on his wound. Chris did not even flinch as thoughts whirled in his mind. chapter 1506 chapter 1506 Noticing there were still bruises on his knees, Maurice looked at him sympathetically and quickly turned to get the medical box to clean his wound. Afraid that Chris might get hurt, he moved cautiously and gently. Chris initially thought Maurice was still ying pretend, and he pouted. However, when he felt how gentle he moved, he could not help looking at him wide-eyed. He asked, "Mommy isn''t even with us. Why are you still so nice to me?¡± Maurice looked at him gently and replied, "Why would I only be nice to you in front of your Mommy?¡± Chris snorted, "You know why!" Maurice raised an eyebrow. "Don''t take things to a stretch, kiddo." Chris pouted and snorted. This old man had always been so gentle. When could he garner evidence against him about his mean side? Chris looked around and looked at Maurice who was packing up the medical box. He coldly ranted, "You''re a grandpa, and you''re too old to be with my Mommy. My Mommy won''t like you, and I hate you." Chris then pressed a button on his electronic watch, wanting to record how Maurice wouldsh out at him. However, Maurice was not angry at all. He merely looked at him, still gentle as usual. "You got it all wrong, kiddo. You''re even calling me ''Grandpa'', so why would I want to be with your Mommy?" Chris looked at him suspiciously. Argh! This man would not give in easily. He was a step ahead! Chris jumped out of the sofa angrily. "I¡¯m going to shower." "Okay, hold on." Maurice walked into the bathroom and prepared a bath with the right temperature for him. Chris was speechless. What could he do? He started to find this old man incredibly kind and caring; he had the urge to run into his arms and kiss his cheek. Uneasy, Chris hated Maurice while trying not to be charmed by him. He helplessly picked up a pajama set to walk in. Maurice asked caringly," Do you need my help to shower?" "No!" Chris red at him keenly. "Don¡¯te in!" "Okay." Maurice remained gentle. "Be careful of your wound. Don¡¯t let it get hurt or infected." "I don¡¯t need you to teach me!" yelled Chris as he then rushed into the bathroom. After Chris¡¯ shower... Maurice prepared a bed for him. Seeing that he hade out, Maurice asked, "Why don''t youe and see if the pillow is right for you, kiddo? If not, I''ll ask my assistant to get you another." Chris looked at it coldly and turned away. He jumped into the bed and found it veryfortable. Still, he wanted to push this man''s buttons, so he snipped, "Notfy-it''s too soft." "Okay, I''ll get you another one." With that said, he phoned Sofia to bring a more-stuffed pillow. However, Chris was still not satisfied. "It''s too hard." He sat on the bed angrily. "It''s so hard that I''ll choke. Do you want me to suffer or something?" Maurice looked at the pillow and frowned. Chris was satisfied. Haha! He had to be angry at this point. Oh, how he expected Maurice to hit him then and there! Chris pressed a button on his electronic watch to record again. He was waiting for Maurice to get angry. However... Maurice merely took away the pillow. He measured it with his hand and contacted Sofia again. "Tell the shop that this is for a four-year-old boy. Be more precise. Get a pillow two centimeters shorter than the previous one." Chris was speechless. Gosh! This was his first time meeting a ''grandfather'' as peaceful as Maurice. He had no w in him! R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Chris was obviously trying to piss him off, but he remained tranquil, still. Whatever. If this went on, he would have to give in again. Chris fell back onto the bed and draped the nket over his form. chapter 1507 chapter 1507 Maurice pulled Chris'' nket slightly lower, exposing his cold face. "You won''t be able to breathe if the nket''s that high," said Maurice. Chris blinked his watery eyes and felt that Maurice''s charm was slowly getting to him. He turned away from him ufortably. He chose to remain silent. Maurice did not disturb him anymore. He turned the lights dimmer and walked to the living room to read the script. At that moment, Sofia sent another pillow. When Maurice entered the room with the new pillow at hand, he saw that Chris had fallen asleep. Afraid that he was still ufortable, Maurice decided to swap the pillow for Chris. After carefully carrying him to swap the pillows, Maurice put him back and draped the nket over him once more before leaving the room. When he shut the door, Chris, who was lying in bed, opened his eyes widely. His watery sparkled in the dim room. He felt sofortable. Other than Anthony and Charmine, no one else had ever treated him so well. This Grandpa was so loving, so peaceful... He nearly sobbed at how touched he was. Caught up in his feelings, Chrisid in the big bed and fell asleep. The room was already empty when Chris woke up the next day. After washing up and when he was going out to look for Charmine, he noticed a note in front of the door. [Kiddo, there''s breakfast in the microwave. Eat it before you go looking for your Mommy.] N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Ah! Maurice hadpletely disarmed him! This old man won him over that he could not help but fall for his charm! Meanwhile, Charmine carried her stuff to look for Chris downstairs. When she walked out from the lift, she saw Mauriceing out of his room. Spotting Charmine, Maurice greeted, "Good morning, Gem." "Morning." Charmine then asked, ''Was Momo easy to deal with? Did he annoy you?" "No, he was well behaved," replied Maurice kindly. "He got into the room, showered, and slept." Charmine''s red lips curled into a small smile-she looked proud. "That¡¯s good." Maurice said, "He''s still sleeping. I bought him breakfast, and it''s heating up." Charmine then handed breakfast to him. "Mo, I made you breakfast." "Hmm?" Maurice was surprised. "What for?" "To thank you for taking care of Momost night." Maurice took the food from Charmine and smiled serenely. "He calls me his grandpa. I should be taking care of him. I like this kid." Charmineughed. She looked at Maurice and thought about what he said about treating her like his daughter the day before... After spending a few days with him, she really felt how he spoiled her, different from how Anthony loved her. This was familial love, so she never felt ufortable. Both of them returned to the filming set. Maurice opened the breakfast box and smelt the fragrance. Just like the previous time, he felt hungry and could not wait to eat it. 1 With that in mind, he dug in. Following that, he looked at Charmine with surprise and disbelief. "Gem, you made this yourself?" "Yeah." He had always been a picky eater, but he could not help taking a mouthful of Charmine''s food. "It''s so yummy! I''ve never eaten such delicious noodles." Charmine was speechless. Was this not some normal noodle dish? Why the exaggeration? "Well, have some more, Mo," she spoke. "Okay, I won''t stay polite, then." Maurice seldom had an appetite. It did not take long for him to finish the noodles. Charmine saw that the food she prepared for him was almost finished. The sight made her feel proud as she smiled. Natasha, who was sitting not far away, saw how happy they were with one another, and she had a cold, dark look in her eyes... 4 This woman snatched her role and Maurice from her! She even embarrassed her in front of Maurice! She would not let Charmine go so easily! chapter 1508 chapter 1508 The scene they were filming today was of Gem improving herself to take revenge by learning more skills, including horse-riding. The director had chosen a horse for Charmine long ago. Charmine donned on the intended costume and boots. With a whip at hand, she was gold like a queen: ruthless and haughty. Even her look was already stunning. Charmine pulled the horse proudly into the racecourse. Swinging one long leg over the saddle and seated herself, she steered the horse professionally. "Action!" yelled the director, and she gently swung the whip. The horse started racing. Charmine steered the horse wlessly, proudly trotting the horse around the course. Everyone looked at her with admiration, unable to help the praises that tumble out of their lips. "How amazing. How could Charmine be so amazing? She even knows how to ride a horse! Even Natasha can only ride a prop horse." "I really admire her, and she''s so pretty, too. Her acting skills are good, and she knows a lot!" "I know, it''s like Maurice has finally found his perfect girlfriend!" When Natasha heard them, she clenched her fists and red at Charmine who was racing. Hmph! Charmine managed to escape the other time, but this time, she would not be as lucky! Charmine was racing for a while before the horse seemed to have stood on something, neighing in pain as it did. Then... It lost control and sped around frantically in all directions! Charmine, still saddled on the horse, frowned and held onto the rope tightly. She shouted an order, but the horse was not under control. She could only cling to the rope tightly and tried to stay atop the horse. The crowd panicked as they shot worried nces at Charmine. Things would take a turn for the very worse if Charmine did not hold on tight and fell from the horse! N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. The director broke out in a cold sweat. Why was Charmine always having an ident?! He cried out quickly, "Where''s the staff at the racecourse? Hurry and press down the horse!" However, other than his voice, no other voice was heard. The co-director frowned and said, ''You¡¯re the one who bought this horse for Charmine. The seller came to sign the contract and left." "D*mn it!" the director growled as he gazed at what was happening in the course anxiously. The horse had lost control, and nobody dared to enter lest they get trampled to their death. Although everyone was worried, nobody dared to go in. Maurice just came out of the washroom and saw how panicked everyone was. He walked over to see the horse losing control. His heart tightened. He did not hesitate to rush in, but... His assistant spotted how he was stepping forward, and just after two, she went forward quickly to stop him, "Mr. Lukas, don¡¯t go in! The horse is irrational, and it might hurt you." "Do you want me to see her getting in trouble?!" This was the first time that Maurice had ever lost his temper. He even swung Sofia''s arm away. Still, Sofia shrugged off his anger and persistently stopped him. "I can''t let you get in trouble!" Maurice looked at Charmine worriedly before ring at Sofia for the first time due to impatience and anger. "Let go!" Everyone looked over in shock due to his angry voice. This was the first time they had seen Maurice getting angry, and they were all shocked. However, thinking of his rtionship with Charmine, they understood. He was worried about his beloved. She was his girlfriend, and it was natural he got anxious. However, Sofia was still trying her best to stop him from entering. As the two of them were fighting, Charmine''s crazed horse rushed toward their direction... chapter 1509 chapter 1509 The crowd was so scared that they scattered to make way. Charmine was riding the horse with the rope in one hand, her other hand soothing the horse''s mane. What was most shocking of all was that although the horse was galloping quickly, it was no longer completely out of control like earlier. It seemed as if it was obeying its owner to run toward a direction...and they were heading toward Natasha¡¯s seat! Everyone yelped at Natasha to make way. Natasha, still gloating at the sight, did not expect the horse to be running toward her! She was so shocked that it took her a while to react. By the time she reacted, she instantly ran away from the horse. The horse, however, was still hot on her heels. Wherever she ran to, the horse followed! Natasha was so terrified that she tried to hide in every corner possible, crying in terror, "Argh! Charmine! Steer the horse somewhere else!" Charmine was riding the horse with the whip in her hand. She still had that queen-like posture in her as she red at the terrified Natasha. She had a curl on her red lips as she said, "Oh, I''m sorry, but the animal is losing control. I can''t control it!" With that said, she narrowed her eyes, and her red lips parted, "Go!" N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. The agitated horse was suddenly taking her order, and it ran right into Natasha. Natasha¡¯s face turned pale. With nowhere else to go, she... "Argh!" Natasha slipped and fell into the pond by the side. Natasha, who was dressed up nicely a moment ago, was covered with dirt and mud, looking disoriented. Charmine made a sound, and the horse obediently pulled over by the pond. Still saddled atop the horse and with her whip at hand, Charmine looked very handsome. 1 She shot Natasha, who was still in the pond, a sharp re as she spoke with arrogance, "As I''ve told you, even if you hate me, do it in front of me! If you want to do it behind my back, I¡¯ll cut off your hand next time!" 1 Reeling the horse''s reins, the horse''s two front legs raised high before stomping on a nearby low tree branch. The branch broke with a loud crack as the horse stood on it! The movement was awe-striking, astounding. Charmine red at Natasha fiercely. She got off the horse and walked over, pulling the horse with her. Maurice was the first to rush over. When Natasha saw him running over, she thought of how severely wounded she was. He had to be coming to reassure her, right? She pulled a pitiable expression and looked at Maurice with her doe eyes, all the while thinking of how to me Charmine. However... Maurice went past her and went up to Charmine. His gentle eyes were full of concern as he examined her head to toe, and due to being overly worried, his voice was shaky as he blurted, "Gem, are you okay?¡± God knew how worried he was when he saw the horse losing control. Charmine remained calm. "I¡¯m fine." In the beginning, when the horse was out of control, she was quite worried that an ident might happen. However, she had been trained before, and she quickly conquered the horse. When she steered the horse away, she saw how everyone looked at her worriedly, save Natasha who red at her coldly. She instantly understood it, and she wanted to teach this woman a lesson. Maurice was finally reassured. "As long as you¡¯re okay." The rest of the crew reacted, and everyone surrounded her caringly, seemingly missing Natasha completely as they did. 1 Natasha watched with hatred in her eyes. She refused to lose. chapter 1510 chapter 1510 Why was everyone all around Charmine when she was the one hurt? Why did Maurice not look at her at all? Charmine was such an evil woman. What was so good about her!? 2 Argh! She was going crazy, she could not keep it together! What could she do? How could she kill Charmine!? At the Bailey mansion. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Susan was sitting elegantly in the living room, calcting the total guests of the wedding. Looking at Waverly who had nothing else to do, she said," You don¡¯t have anything to do here. Go and discuss with Anthony where you want your wedding gowns and suits customized. It''s a month from now, and it takes time to just design, make, fit in, and alter." Waverly nodded, and her eyes sparkled. She finally had an excuse to spend time with Anthony after moving in! She came before his door and knocked. "Anthony." No response. Waverly frowned. He was inside his room. She went in and was instantly hit with the strong scent of alcohol. "Get out!" Along with a cold scoff, an empty bottle was thrown at her. Waverly cried out and quickly moved away from it. She looked over with terror. She saw Anthony sitting on the sofa with a bottle in hand, his handsome face showing how drunk and wasted he was. Anthony took a mouthful of the alcohol and looked at Waverly coldly, his voice cold like ice as he snapped, "Who asked you toe in?" When Waverly heard his hoarse and maic voice, she looked at his drunken eyes and found him incredibly alluring. Thinking of how she was about to marry this perfect man, her anger instantly vanished as she instead spoke elegantly, "I came in to discuss the wedding gowns and suits with you. Do you have any preference?" Wedding gown... Anthony suddenly recalled that Charmine customized him a wedding suit as a surprise half a month ago. s, he would never be able to wear that in this life. Anthony narrowed his eyes and red at Waverly. "As I said yesterday: I''ve got nothing to do with the wedding!" Although he had agreed to get married, he merely wanted Charmine to see it so that she was completely over him. Waverly¡¯s expression changed as she insisted, "I know you don''t want to get involved with the other things, but perhaps give some ideas on the wedding gowns and suits. I''ll pick for you." Anthony looked at Waverly and was growing impatient. "You don¡¯t understand humannguage? Get out!" Waverly bit her pale lip. She was afraid that if she stayed, he might hate her. 2 It was not easy to havee to where she was at, and she must not permit any ident. She put on a smile with difficulty, gently saying, "Don''t drink too much. Take care." Anthony narrowed his eyes with a chill, and Waverly knowingly turned to leave the room. She gently closed the door, and all her anger built up in her clenched fists. D*mn it! Anthony was so cold to her because of that cheap Charmine. He was very gentle toward her when they were at the hospital. He was touched by her and agreed to marry her! However, after meeting Charmine, he turned into this aggressive person! The more Waverly thought about it, the angrier she was. How could Charmine screw up their rtionship so easily? 1 Waverly was pissed. At the thought of how she was about to marry Anthony, a glint of pride glimmered in her eyes. Since Charmine made her unhappy, she would make Charmine unhappy, too! Waverly drove to the filming set, wanting to show off to Charmine. When she got out of the car, she heard someone scowling, "Who do you think you are! How dare you do that to me?! "Come on, cut off my hand if you can! Let''s see if you can afford to do so!" chapter 1511 chapter 1511 Chapter 1511 "Trash! B*tch! Why''re you so arrogant!?" Waverly looked over and saw Natasha stomping on the grass furiously, scowling to herself, "Curse that Charmine Jordan! One day, I¡¯ll crush you with my feet!" Waverly''s brows raised the moment she heard Charmine¡¯s name uttered. She did not expect Charmine to be hated by everyone. 2 She smiled coldly, as she was about to go in, an idea chimed in her mind as she strutted toward Natasha in her heels. "You''re being bullied, and all you do is hide here tosh out at the nts?" she spoke haughtily. When Natasha heard a voice, she red toward the owner instinctively." That''s none of your business!" It was then she saw the woman in her entirety: She was dressed in a beige dress, looking elegant and expensive, and the bag in her hand was Charnel''stest limited edition. She was obviously a well-known uppersswoman. Natasha wanted to say something else, but she could only swallow them back down. She had no status and money; she could not offend this woman. Noticing how intimidated the woman was, Waverly became even more arrogant. "You''re okay with her bullying you?" Natasha looked at Waverly, confused. "What are you talking about?" Of course she did not want Charmine to trample all over her, but what else could she do? Her status was not as high as hers. How could she fight her? Waverly said, "If you want to win this round, I have an idea for you." Natasha looked at her in shock. This woman in front of her looked very wealthy. If she would support her, what was there that could not be done? She asked, "What idea?" Waverly''s lips curled up coldly as she spoke, "We join forces to crush her and put her below our feet so that she can''t even look up." Natasha could not register that train of thought. "What do you mean?" Waverly had a look of disgust in her eyes. "People online like to side with victims. Think about how arrogant and wild she is! A lot of people hate her online. If you have a conflict with Charmine and show yourself as the victim, everyone will side with you and rebuke Charmine. She won''t even dare toe out of her house! By then, who else would like her?" Still not grasping the entire idea, Natasha asked, "For example...?" Waverly looked even more disgusted at that. This woman was a slowpoke. Of course she was bullied! Waverly leaned toward her ear and told her the n. When Natasha heard the n, she finally understood and nodded. "Are you sure it''s going to work?" "Yes," responded Waverly. "I''m not sure about the others, but if you talk about that annoying kid, she¡¯ll surely get angry!" 1 "Okay!" responded Natasha. "I will listen to you." That afternoon, there was a scene between Charmine and Natasha. The scene described Natasha''s second female lead challenging Gem but ended up getting pped by Gem out of anger, and several times at that. Since there were many ps and Natasha was terrified in the morning, the director asked them to pretend instead of act out. However... Charmine finished her line, and as she was about to fake-p Natasha, Natasha red at her evilly and said to her in a volume that only both of them could hear, "B*tch! I want you and the disgusting kid to be dead! I wish he gets run over by a car and dies without aplete body!" 1 Chills ran down her entire being as she exuded cold, frigid malice. Charmine lifted her hand in anger and pped Natasha harshly. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. p! A crisp and loud sound resonated in the set, and Natasha was thrown a few meters away from the p. 1 She flew into a hard rockery face-down into the sharp part of the stone and instantly bled. chapter 1512 chapter 1512 Natasha looked as if half of her soul was gone. She fell to the floor and spat out a mouthful of blood. It felt as though a knife drew a gash across her face, and she was in so much pain that she lost her senses... The crowd watched in terror as their jaw dropped, gazing at the blood- smeared Natasha. What just happened? Was this part of the scene, or was it real? Even the director remained transfixed on the spot. Did he not ask for them to fake it? Why did it seem so real? Why did Charmine seem as if she hated Natasha a lot, that she smacked her so hard? Meanwhile, Charmine was still livid. She walked forward and grabbed Natasha by her cor, warning her dangerously grim, "You can do anything behind my back, but if you speak anything bad about my son, you might as well be dead!" Charmine was furious as she lifted her hand to p Natasha left and right. Natasha''s lips began to bleed, i Already so weak at that point, Natasha passed out. Everyone finally understood this was not a show. "Cut!" the director shouted and pulled Charmine away, ring at her in displeasure. "What''s the matter? I said, fake it!" Natasha''s assistant ran over as well. Looking at how pale Natasha was, passed out and wet with blood, the assistant scowled at Charmine," Charmine, are you even a human? You scared Natasha with the horse in the morning, and now you even attacked her! She was the female lead, and you took that away from her. "She didn''t mind that and relented in being the second female lead, but you''re still not satisfied with that? You¡¯ve been attacking her since the first day, and you beat her one time after another! She doesn''t have money or status like you, so you think you get to bully her? Just because I don''t have power and can''t fight against you, you think you can do anything you want?" Everyone was shocked. Although Charmine seemed nice, she always appeared cold and arrogant. Since everyone came from a lower ss, they felt for Natasha and instantly pointed at Charmine in anger. "How can she be so evil? She beat her up?!" "She always seems so proud. I didn''t expect her to be so wild and arrogant!" "She snatched Natasha¡¯s role from her, and she even beat her up!¡± "How could anyone be so cruel?!" "Natasha is so pitiable. All she wanted to do was to work, and now she''s bullied!" ''This woman is so arrogant. We must call the police to get her locked up!" When the director heard that, he frowned. When Charmine first came, she did p Natasha once. He had already felt quite sorry that he had to give Charmine Natasha''s original role, but seeing that Natasha was bullied by Charmine, he could not help saying, "Charmine, apologize to Natasha now!" Seeing that everyone was scowling at her, she did not appear apologetic at all. In fact, she red at Natasha coldly and scoffed, "She asked for it. She didn''t filter her words!" With that said, she ignored everyone''s gazes and left arrogantly. Everyone was furious. How could anyone be so rude in this world? Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Somehow, the clip of this was uploaded online. As if it was manipted by people, within a few minutes, the clip of how Charmine bullied Natasha was seen all over the inte. Everyone saw it, and the clip went viral. Instantly, theizens started criticizing Charmine. [Gosh! She just has some money. Why so arrogant?] [She snatched someone¡¯s female lead role and still bullied her? She even sent her to the hospital by hurting her so severely!] [How could Charmine be so evil? She wanted Natasha dead!] [How pitiful... Charmine is so evil! So disgusting!] Eachment was crueler than the other, and Charmine became the most discussed topic. chapter 1513 chapter 1513 Some people online even felt so bad for Natasha that they came to the filming set, insisting that Charmine kneeled and apologized. The show had to stop filming. None of them spoke up for Charmine. Charmine, however, could not be bothered to exin and stayed in the resting lounge. Chris wasing out of the hotel to the filming set when he heard the noises outside. Seeing that everyone was protesting with boards held up, he was baffled. Nheless, he would never permit anyone to scold his Mommy! He wanted to walk up to those people and snap at them, but Sofia quickly pulled him back. "Kiddo, now isn''t the time for you to speak out. Just stay low and your Mommy will fix this." Chris pursed his lips, and his face contorted grimly. He could only turn to the resting lounge. He believed in his Mommy. Even if Charmine pped that woman intentionally, she was not wrong. Still, it must have hurt Charmine that these people came at her like that. He had tofort her on his father¡¯s behalf. Before Chris got to the resting lounge, he saw Maurice halting in front of the door for a while before entering. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Charmine was sitting on the sofa, nonchntly eating some cake slices. Nothing fazed her. She was always so nonchnt, cold, and proud. Maurice walked in and sat in front of her. He looked at her worriedly and said, "Gem, could you tell me why you pped her?" He saw Natasha sent to the ambnce earlier. She was severely hurt! Charmine looked up at Maurice coldly and said, "I did her a favor by not killing her.¡± She cursed at Chris! Did she want to die? If Anthony heard what Natasha said, he would shoot her! Hearing Charmine''s response, Maurice understood that she did not want to say anymore, thus said, "I trust you for having your reasons for doing so. You won¡¯t beat her up for no reason, and you''re not what they assumed you to be." Charmine looked at Maurice, and her lonely heart grew warm inexplicably. Chris, who was outside the door, overheard everything. He could not help being charmed by this old man and liking him more. This grandpa was too caring. He could not help feeling touched, let alone Charmine! Since Grandpa wasforting Charmine, Chris felt reassured... Chris thus walked into the hotel. He wanted to find out what happened. Maurice looked at Charmine and spoke like a senior with a gentle tone," Gem, although I trust you, even though you''re furious at her, you shouldn''t have been so impulsive. Now that this matter is so severe, do you regret it?'' Charmine''s lips curled up into a cold smile. "I regret pping her so lightly. If I get another chance, I would''ve done the same!" Maurice smiled helplessly. "Oh, look at you..." Although he was hopeless, he took out his phone to upload a status on Tweeter. [I believe Charmine wouldn''t intentionally hurt anyone. Before you learn theplete truth, I hope you can stop specting and ming an innocentdy. She''s a kind person.] With that said, Maurice was pushed up the trending list for siding with Charmine. A very small portion of fans stood with Maurice''s belief. [Yes, Maurice! We believe in you and Charmine! We¡¯ll wait for the truth to be out.] [Yes. We¡¯ve followed you for so many years, we know you, and we won''t make any judgement before the truth is out.] [I believe Charmine wouldn''t hit someone for no reason. Who knows what plot twist will be shown. Let''s sit and wait!] However, most of theizens scrutinized Maurice, who had never been scrutinized before... chapter 1514 chapter 1514 [Kind? Maurice, are you blind? Didn''t you see how she bullied Natasha? She was fine, but now her face is injured. She''s innocent!] [Maurice, are you seduced by this mean woman?] [The clip is the truth! Everyone saw how your girlfriend bullied a small actress with no status, and you''re siding with Charmine?] [I''m blocking you! I can''t imagine you can¡¯t tell right from wrong.] [Maurice, I''m so disappointed in you and how you''re siding with Charmine. I worshipped you for ten years! Goodbye!] With that, Maurice''s initial ten million fan-count dwindled to a few million within an hour. Maurice was unfazed. Despite seeing manye after him for siding with Charmine, he did not regret his choice nor was he infuriated. He sat in front of Charmine, afraid that she might not feel well after seeing thements. He did not leave her side. Standing at the balcony, Waverly''s red lips curled up in satisfaction as she read the online news. Everything was within her control. She masked the aloofness in her gaze and walked downstairs, where Anthony was watering the nts in the front yard. She looked at the flowers with jealousy evident in her eyes. She moved the nts and he got angry the other day, all because these were Charmine''s favorite flowers. He nted these flowers so that when Charmine moved in, she could see these flowers when she woke up and walked out on the balcony. Waverly smiled coldly when she saw this. Charmine would never see this in her life! She walked to Anthony, as if she did not know anything, and said innocently, "Anthony, don''t worry about how Charmine is doing. Look at what she''s done! Even so, Maurice sided with her. I¡¯m even jealous of her." With that said, she remained unperturbed as she showed him the news. Anthony nced at it and read Maurice''s post. His pupils went darker instantly. That man was serious about it? Anthony could barely fight back the anger that red within him. His worry, however, exceeded his fury. Everyonembasted Charmine, wronging her, but who was supporting her? Anthony clenched on the pipe tightly while he maintained a distant disposition, coldly remarking, "It doesn''t concern me what he does to her. Also, how does this have anything to do with you? Instead of minding others'' businesses, why don''t you improve yourself?" With that said, he tossed the pipe aside and walked past her to go upstairs. Waverly¡¯s face turned ck. Was Anthony calling her uneducated!? Charmine was with another man, yet he was not over her! She did not believe Anthony would be so generous. She had to make him hate Charmine, one step at a time. Inside the room... Anthony repressed his anger and brought out his phone to read the news. After watching the clip, his face darkened. Charmine would not hurt an innocent person; he believed that. That woman must have triggered her. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. He also saw the clip of Charmine¡¯s horse losing control, and the ferocity in his gaze grew colder. Luckily, she was okay. Otherwise, he would take the entire crew down with her. Anthony held on to his phone tightly, unable to repress his anger at how Charmine was treated. He walked to Nial''s room and kicked open the room. Nial was sitting in front of theputer, going through some documents when this happened. He jumped in shock, patting his chest as he turned toward the door. Nial felt somewhat intimidated as he watched walking toward him angrily, wondering if he had offended him in the past two days. He did not. He could not help stretching his back upright and said, "Bro, what are you doing? This door is worth a hundred thousand bucks!" Anthony red at him coldly. chapter 1515 chapter 1515 Chapter 1515 "Clear up the news online. Find out what happened between Charmine and Natasha." Nial was speechless. He rushed in to ask him to fix Charmine¡¯s scandal? Nial could not help blurting, "Bro, if you''re worried about Charmine, go and fix it for her yourself! If you do it secretly, how would she ever know?" Anthony looked at him coldly. "Have you been too bored? You talk so much. Theyck a trantor in Yindia, and you seem to suit-" "Fine!" Nial cut him off quickly. "I''ll get to the bottom of this." Countless reporters stood outside Natasha''s ward in a hospital. When she woke up, everyone rushed in, and countless microphones pointed at her. "Ms. Natasha, what¡¯s going on between you and Charmine?'''' "Out of so many people, why is she targeting you?¡± "Why did she hurt you so many times? Did you call the police? Did you hurt her before?" Natasha would have usually evaded such pointed questions. However, even though this was not positive news, she wanted others to remember her name. How would she let such an opportunity to get famous go by? She could pile all the me on Charmine! Natasha''s face was pale; she remembered what the woman told her. She put on a pitiable expression as she said listlessly, "We didn''t have any interaction before filming ¡¯Recovery¡¯! I don''t know why she¡¯s against me, but she''s hit me once before for no reason, and I dared not tell anyone. She''s powerful, while I don''t have any resources nor status. If I go against her, she''ll make sure I get kicked out of the entertainment industry." 2 The reporters gasped. They sympathized with thisdy. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Still with her innocent expression, she continued, "I worked hard to get the female lead role in this show, but one day before the show, she took it from me. Just like how she scared me with the horse, I dared not say anything. I''m merely a powerless and small actress who has to keep my job to feed my family, thus I have to endure the hurt. The director had asked her to fake-p me, but she pped me with all of her strength. I don''t know why..." With that said, she sniffed and started sobbing. Her assistant quickly said," Perhaps Natasha had once praised Mr. Maurice in public. However, she did it out of respect and admiration! Perhaps Charmine mistook that as Natasha''s crush on him, and that''s why she''s against her." The reporters were shocked again. All Natasha did was admire Maurice, but that resulted in her getting attacked and nearly losing her life? Charmine was such an evil woman! Jotting down Natasha''s statement, the reporters then left. When the door closed, the assistant¡¯s pained expression instantly vanished She sat by the bed and looked at Natasha''s scar-riddled face. "How are you feeling, Natasha?" she asked worriedly. "Does it still hurt?" Natasha shook her head. "I''m fine." The assistant was then relieved. She said, "This is worth it. Since you''re now trending, I''ve received more than ten calls offering sponsorships and shows." Natasha''s lips curled up into a satisfying smile, but because her face was wounded, her pale face grew stiff. Still, it did not trouble her. Her eyes were filled with delight. It seemed that this was her chance. Both of them were chatting when they heard footsteps getting closer. Following that, a knock ensued... Maurice was standing outside her ward, his gentle voice heard, "Ms. Natasha, are you resting?" Natasha and her assistant exchanged nces, the two of them frowning in unison. Maurice actually came...to visit her? Had he figured out how evil Charmine was, and that he was willing to spend time with her instead? chapter 1516 chapter 1516 Natasha quickly removed the look in her eyes and instead made herself visibly, severely hurt. "No," she replied lethargically, "pleasee in." Maurice came in and saw the person in the hospital bed. There was a bright scar on Natasha¡¯s face, and she was bandaged all over, including her hands and legs. Maurice walked toward her and asked caringly, "Ms. Natasha, how are you feeling?" Natasha was touched at how caringly he asked about her. Was her loveing to her, right after she scored a hit on Charmine? Her hands clenched tightly under the nket as she tried to contain her excitement. She retrieved the lovestruck look in her eyes and said, "It doesn''t matter that my body is hurt, but my face..." She put on a painful look and reached out to feel her scar, sobbing, "I''m scared that no director will ever ask me to shoot..." Still at her bedside, Maurice looked at her face gently and said, "Ms. Natasha, don¡¯t worry about this. The scar on your face is a small issue; the scar won''t stay there. Since your acting skill is good, the directors won''t give up on you just because of a mild scar." Natasha let go of her hand and looked at him with her watery eyes, feeling her emotions stirring. Gosh! Was she dreaming? Why was Maurice praising her so gently? She sniffed and asked in disbelief, "Maurice, do you actually mean this? Or are you saying so to merely comfort me?¡± "I meant it." Maurice added, "If the directors no longer sign with you, I''ll introduce you to the directors that I know. I¡¯ll help you get the roles that suit you." Natasha looked at the gentle man in front of her, feeling perplexed. She thought she was hallucinating. Was it because her assistant told the reporters that she admired her, and it moved him? Had it sunk into him that Charmine was an evil person, that he no longer liked her? Delighted, Natasha turned to exchange a look with the assistant. The assistant understood her and went out of the ward knowingly to give them some space. After the door was shut, she looked at Maurice with her watery eyes and said, "Thank you, Maurice." "It''s okay," replied Maurice kindly, "I''m doing what I should be doing." Natasha pursed her lips and seemed visibly shy. Just as she was about to say something, however, Maurice spoke again, "Ms. Natasha, since you¡¯re feeling okay, and it won¡¯t affect your career, could you please stop attacking Charmine? Dere to the press that she didn''t harm you intentionally." Natasha was still lingering in Maurice''s kindness, but when she heard what he said, her entire expression changed. She looked at Maurice incredulously. "Maurice, what are you talking about? What do you mean, ''stop attacking her''? She''s the one attacking me all along, can''t you see it? She hit me the other time, and you were there to have seen it, too! How could you say such things?" Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Maurice pursed his lips and said, "Ms. Natasha, the reason Charmine hit you was because you invoked her anger first. She tried to be kind to you." The truth was that Maurice did not know anything. He only remembered what Charmine told him and vaguely guessed it: that Natasha was the one plotting the waterweed incident under theke. Although they had no evidence, as long as Charmine said it, he would believe her even without proof. Natasha¡¯s expression changed, and she had a look of guilt in her eyes. Maurice knew she was the perpetrator? How?! That person would not expose her at all! How would they find out? With that in mind, Natasha put on a perplexed look and pretended as if she knew nothing. "Maurice, what are you talking about? What do you mean that I angered her first?" chapter 1517 chapter 1517 "Before entering the crew, Charmine and I never had any interaction. How could I trigger her? She was the one bullying me!" Maurice pursed his lips. True, he had no evidence for the time being. He spotted the gleam of guilt in Natasha¡¯s eyes, however, and he was more certain. He did not budge as he said gently, "Ms. Natasha, you know what you''ve done. I didn''te here to hold them against you. I only hope that you can exin to the press on Charmine''s behalf. Stop repeating your mistake." Natasha smiled coldly. "Maurice, it''s not that I don''t want to agree to you- it''s just that Charmine is a big bully! I did nothing, and she attacked me. Everyone saw that! Even if I speak up on her behalf, nobody would believe her!" Maurice thought for a few seconds and said, "If you''re willing to let off Charmine, I''ll say yes to one thing you ask for." Natasha looked at him and felt very bitter. He was willing to beg her for Charmine?! Regardless, his maturity and gentleness had won her over. "I can try to speak up for her," she relented, "on one condition." Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Maurice looked at her. "What is it?" "Be my boyfriend." Natasha raised her chin and said, "If you''re my boyfriend, I''ll hold a press conference to exin to everyone that I tripped by ident. And the times when she hurt me, I can exin that those were just rehearsals." Natasha was already famous at that point, with an onught of gigs waiting for her. Even if everyone berated her, as long as she had Maurice, she won the world! She would even quit her job to be Maurice''s wife willingly! There was a whirl of emotions evident in the way Maurice looked at Natasha as he then asked, "Do you have any other request?" Natasha said, "I only want this!" She was quite confident about herself. Since Maurice knew how evil Charmine could get, it was natural that he would stop liking her. Furthermore, he was so gentle to her when he came in. He cared for her. Also, she was not too shabbypared with Charmine in terms of her looks. Natasha lovingly waited for Maurice to nod, but... Maurice merely said, "In that case, Ms. Natasha, rest well. I''ll leave you for now." 1 Natasha looked at him, bewildered. Her face was incredibly pale as she looked at him with disbelief. Did he just turn her down? She did not know if she should be happy or sad. She was happy that he did not do it for Charmine and felt good about it. However, she was already so upfront about her feelings, which was utterly embarrassing for ady like her, and he turned her down! Natasha red at the tightly shut door with hatred in her eyes. ''Maurice, are you even a man!?'' He turned down such a beautifuldy like herself?! Maurice walked out of the hospital. His usually calm eyes had a first hint of chill in them. He took out his phone to contact his assistant, "Find out what happened between Charmine and Natasha. Tell me afterward." He believed that Charmine would not hurt someone innocent for no reason. Just like the incident under theke, it almost cost her life, yet she did not attack Natasha forthat. She was livid this time. Natasha must have done something even more severe. He would not let Charmine to endure the me. He had to find out the truth to clear her reputation. chapter 1518 chapter 1518 Nial had wiped out every condemnation regarding Charmine, but a few minutester, reporters published the interview with Natasha. The video showed Natasha, littered with scars and looked subjugated, pitiable. She acted as if Charmine was very intimidating, and she won everyone¡¯s sympathy. The video was shared and reposted vehemently. Charmine became the center of hatred once again. Enraged were the people on the inte as they went to Charmine¡¯s feed and left scathing remarks on her. [How could you be so cruel? Just because she said she admired your boyfriend, you harmed her so gravely?] [You''re so evil!] [So disgusting! I used to like your cold and wild temperament, but now you¡¯re just pure evil! I want to throw up just listening to your name!] [You''re pure cancer-so arrogant! get out of the entertainment industry, and stop harming others. Get out of Burlington!] [Don''t trigger her! Clean your eyes, Maurice; this woman will only bring you harm!] Eachment was more violent than the other. Everyone was furious; they wanted to kill Charmine for the sake of the people. Following that, someone posted the following: [What did Natasha do to deserve this? It''s so sad. Her acting is good. I want to be her fan!] With that, everyone went on to Natasha''s feed to praise her. [Everyone, check out the shows Natasha was in. Her acting skill is good, and she justcked an opportunity.] [How pitiable. She worked hard to get the female lead role, but Charmine snatched it from her and even harmed her!] [Don¡¯t be scared, Natasha. We''ll all support you and stay by your side. We''ll make you stronger!] Natasha only had a few hundred thousand fans before this, and due to this scandal, her follower count shot up to a few million and counting! Out of the blue... Just as everyone sided with Natasha and decided to be her true fans, a clip made it to the trending list, 1 There were three parts to this clip. The first part consisted of Natasha talking to another actor. When they talked, the glint in Natasha¡¯s eyes waspletely different from the innocent look she had been putting on. What was so rming about this clip was that this actor dived into theke at midnight to tie up the waterweeds. This resulted in Charmine caught up by the waterweeds the next day during the shooting, nearly drowning because of it. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. The second clip was of Charmine riding the horse handsomely. Behind the course was a person under an unnoticeable tree, who tossed out a sharp stone at the horse. This causes the horse to lose its calm and control. The perpetrator was the same actor in the first clip! The third clip was during the filming when Charmine was supposed to fakep Natasha. However, the curse Natasha said to Charmine was amplified. Everyone could hear Natasha cursing at Charmine and the innocent child. Netizens were amused. There lied the truth. What a plot twist! Charmine had smacked Natasha because she was plotting against her. Secondly, Charmine scared Natasha with the horse because she made the horse disoriented in the first ce. Thirdly, since Natasha said such cruel things to Charmine, she triggered her and thus pped her in public! The plot twist went viral on Tweeter, and everyone online reeled back in shock, never expecting Natasha to be that sort of woman. How cruel! Natasha pulled all that stunt while pretending to be the feeble victim, twisting lies into supposed truths. What an evil and cruel woman! 1 Natasha''s supporters were ashamed as they watched the clips, and all of them apologized to Charmine. [I''m sorry, Boss Jordan. You were kind and innocent after all.] [Yes, I''m sorry! Natasha was trying to kill you, and you forgave her out of kindness!] [If I were you, I would''ve killed her right away!] chapter 1519 chapter 1519 [D*mn it. I have a child myself, and I can''t bear this! How could Natasha say such mean things to an innocent child?] [Just like what Charmine said: Nothing fazed her, but when ites to the innocent child, she merely regretted not doing more than just pping her.] [Natasha is way worse than Charmine to have done such things. How could she act as if nothing had happened, even pretending to be the victim? Ew!] [As expected, Natasha''s acting skill is good, but she used it in the wrong ce!] All of Maurice''s fans all re-followed him and apologized. [We''re sorry, Maurice. We should¡¯ve trusted you!] [We''re so sorry to have wronged you and Charmine.] [I hope you and Charmine are happy. A gentle man is such a good match with this cool-looking but kind and strong woman!] The bombshell happened so quickly that Tweeter crashed a few times due to it. When everyone online saw Natasha''s true colors, even her original fans unfollowed her. They regretted ever bing her fan. In about ten-or-so minutes, her growing number of fans went from a few million to ten-or-so thousand users who were inactive. Everyone felt cheated andmbasted Natasha. [I can''t believe you¡¯re this kind of person! All these years of supporting you, I feel blind!] [You''re so good at acting! You say such mean things with that innocent face of yours!] [You even use your fans as your weapon. You''re so evil!] [We would''ve beenpletely duped had we not seen proof. You evil woman!] [You should quit the entertainment industry! You''re so mean; you can¡¯t be a public figure!] Inside the ward. Natasha was happily picking her new show, excitedly anticipating to shoot up as an international artist. By her side, her assistant was scrolling the phone, and her face turned pale. She looked at the news with disbelief. Her hand shook and her voice trembled as she muttered, "We have a problem, Natasha." Still enjoying herself, Natasha looked at her nonchntly. "What is it?" The assistant said, "You''re exposed for framing Charmine!" "What!?" Natasha jumped up instantly, taking the phone as her face lost its color. She read the news with her unbelievably big eyes! "How could it be? Why? Who sold me out!?" D*mn it! Before the two of them could react, her phone started ringing nonstop. The renowned directors and sponsors who had politely negotiated deals with her instantly terminated their contracts. Natasha was deathly pale, her head spinning as she could not register what was happening. She was about to get famous. How could this have happened?! Meanwhile, the door of the ward opened. A few police officers walked in and said, "Natasha Vallois, you''re under arrest for attempted murder!" They put the cold handcuffs around Natasha''s wrists, and that was when she finally reacted. She looked as if she had lost her soul, looking at her assistant for help. "Please...please get me out! I''m innocent...!" The assistant looked at Natasha, perplexed as she muttered, "Okay, wait for me." However, when Natasha disappeared out of sight, her lips curled up in a cold smirk. ''Sorry, Natasha, but I¡¯ve got more artists waiting for me.¡¯ 2 Nheless, this was the agent''s only opportunity to rake in loads of cash! R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Malice gleamed in her eyes as she made a phone call. "Mr. Bailey, I''ve done what you told me to." A cold and deep voice was heard, "Okay." chapter 1520 chapter 1520 Charmine was watching drama on her device inside the resting lounge, but the noises outside were driving her up the wall. She frowned, but as she was about to sleep under the nket, the noises became clearer outside. "Charmine Jordan! Our beautiful goddess!" "You¡¯re so kind! You warm our hearts!" "Please forgive us, dear goddess. We were wrong!" "We won''t leave until youe out, Charmine! We''ll stay until you forgive us!" Charmine paused. What happened? Were they not witch-hunting on her? Just as she started to specte, the director came and knocked on her door, histone gentle as he spoke, "Charmine, pleasee out. Your fans are filling up the entire filming set." Charmine, still not knowing what happened, walked over to open the door, only to see how her fans filled up the entire set, overcrowding the scene! When they saw Charmineing out, they began praising excitedly," Goddess! There''s our goddess!" Charmine was speechless. What happened? Seeing how confused she looked, the director began, "I¡¯m sorry, Charmine. We''ve wronged you for the matter between you and Natasha. Sorry to have misunderstood you. Now that the truth is out, the police have apprehended Natasha." With that said, the director bowed at her. "We''re sorry, Charmine. You''ve been harmed and wronged ever since you joined our crew. Please allow me to apologize to you sincerely. Thank you for being so kind and generous." Charmine raised her eyebrows disinterestedly. "Who investigated the truth?" The director said, "I don''t know-someone published it online. The fans outside are Natasha¡¯s ex-fans, and they came here to apologize to you. If you don''t meet them, we won''t be able to continue shooting.¡± Charmine frowned. She did not care about the fans. All she was thinking of was who found out the truth? Her n was to leave things be for a few days. When Natasha had shown all of her colors, she could then bring out the evidence to shove it in her face. Who was capable of finding out the truth so quickly? Could it be Anthony? Other than him, nobody else could do such things. Charmine could not help feeling emotional. Her calm face turned a few shades brighter. As she was about to go back to her room to find out from Anthony, the director stopped her. "Charmine, go and see the fans outside first." Charmine nced at them and walked out. The fans screamed even louder, "Our goddess! Our goddess!" Charmine strutted toward them like a director and gestured for them to be quiet. Someone walked toward with a bouquet of flowers and a delicate gift to Charmine, and she said, "Ms. Jordan, we¡¯re so sorry for the trouble. We didn''t expect Natasha to be this kind of woman! As her ex- fans, we med and wronged you before knowing the full story, and we caused you unnecessary harm, too. For this, we''re sorry, and we came here to apologize and seek your forgiveness." Charmine stood in front of them, coldly and arrogantly. "I don''t ept your apologies," she remarked. They came after her before learning the truth and only came forward to apologize afterward? Was it not ironic? The crowd instantly looked bad. 1 Charmine said, "I hope everyone here will remember that not every apology will be epted. In the future, before you learn the full story, don¡¯t you make guesses or spections!" Her clear voice was heard clearly. Not every apology would be epted... R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Everyone was touched, and they looked at her admirably. This was the idol to be worshipped! Although she did not forgive them, she wanted the best for them and taught them a lesson. Everyone was moved by Charmine. Thinking of how they chastised her in front of their screens, they felt guiltier. chapter 1521 chapter 1521 The representative said, "We''ve learned our lesson, Boss Jordan, and we''ll remember what you said." Charmine red at them. "If you''ve learned your lesson, leave and stop disturbing our work." The representative led them to bow, and they then left in order. ''You''re awesome, Charmine," praised the director. Charmine looked at him nkly. "May I leave now?" ''Yes, do get some rest in the hotel. Come back when you''re in a better state." Charmine said sarcastically, "I''ve always been in a good state. You better find a second female lead!" She turned back to her resting room. She picked up her phone and wanted to phone Anthony to ask if he was the one who unraveled the truth. If he did this, it made sense for her to phone him. If he did not... She thought of this and put down the phone. Could it be that it was not him? N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. He was getting married to Waverly, and he did not even care about her Iife- and-death matters. Why would he care about her getting condemned? Charmine¡¯s eyes turned a shade darker. As she was about to pack up her things to go back to the hotel, the door to the resting lounge opened. In walked Maurice, and when he saw Charmine, he gently muttered, "I''m sorry to have wronged you, Gem, watching you get hurt and rebuked like that." Hurt was evident in his gaze. He investigated the matter between Charmine and Natasha,ter finding out that it was Natasha who triggered Charmine first. Charmine was too kind...yet people online still came after her. How could he not feel hurt? Luckily, he found the truth and proved her innocence. Otherwise, this would have gued Charmine even longer. Charmine looked at him, her eyes gleaming as she did. "Mo, how did you know?" It seemed to have dawned on her what had happened, and she, in disbelief, asked, ''Was it you who investigated the scandal?" Maurice said, "I thought my adorable Gem wouldn¡¯t do such things, so I went on to find out." However, what he found strange was that the moment he handed in the information to the press, it took less than a minute for it to have gone viral. It puzzled him initially, but thinking of how theizens followed this incident closely, it did make sense. Charmine''s eyes glinted vaguely with disdain. It was not Anthony after all. 1 Her red lips curled up and she reeled in disappointment from showing in her gaze. She looked at Maurice gratefully. ''You''re the best, Mo." Noticing her lonesome smile, Maurice sympathized with her and finally built up enough courage to do something he had always wanted to do. He reached out to ruffle her hair. ''You''re worth it." Charmine jolted. Only Anthony would do this to her. It was then Maurice noticed how tense Charmine had gotten, thus he quickly pulled back his hand. 2 Charmine did not mind it, however, as she said, "Help me pack up, Mo. I want to go back to the hotel to get some rest." "Okay." Half an hour ago. Anthony was monitoring the movements online. When he saw everyone condemning Charmine, he phoned Nial to pester, "Is it not done yet?¡± Nial was just sorting it out. "I just sent in the information. Natasha deserves this-she¡¯s not so likable. Her assistant sold her out for some money and to stay alive." 2 Anthony finally felt a sense of relief. "Don''t let any of them go free easily!" He narrowed his eyes coldly. chapter 1522 chapter 1522 "Huh?" Nial was shocked. "But it was her assistant who gave me the evidence." ''You don''t understand what I''m saying?" snapped Anthony. "I want the two of them to get what they deserve!" How dare they wrong Charmine and curse at Chris? Nial, meanwhile, had not seen his brother so angry for a long while. He nodded hastily. "Okay...!" Anthony thus hung up. After a moment of hesitation, he finally caved in, picked up his keys, and headed out. He wanted to see Charmine. It had been so many days. He might die if he still could not see her. Moreover, Anthony had a reason to see her without causing misunderstandings. She punished that woman Natasha because of Chris, so he should thank her. Anthony walked out of the Bailey mansion quickly, so fast that Waverly could not even see his face clearly. Looking at how he left so quickly, a thought urred to Waverly as she then chased after him. Anthony was faster, s, as he drove out of the mansion. Rooted on the spot, Waverly¡¯s eyes were filled with rage. Natasha was painfully useless. She ruined more things than she aplished! Not only did Natasha get herself locked up, but her doings made Anthony feel touched by what Charmine did for Chris, too! If this went on, he might get back with Charmine! She would not permit such things! Waverly drove and chased after him. At the filming set... It was getting dark, and only Charmine''s resting lounge had lights on. When Anthony arrived, the thought of finally being able to see Charmine made his gaze soften against his will. He looked at the lit-up room and walked over quickly. However, before Anthony even got to the door, he heard the sound of something falling on the floor. His heart clenched, thinking something had happened to her, and he took two more steps to the door. When his hand was ced on the doorknob... He heard a gentle and mature man''s voice, "Look at you..." came Maurice''s helpless voice. "Let me do it." "No need," came Charmine''s response. "You''ve helped me a lot today, so let me do it myself." Maurice spoke with a loving tone, "I''ll me myself if you get hurt again. Also, don''t you call me Mo?" N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Charmine did not insist. "Fine, then." When Anthony heard the conversation from inside the room, his eyes went darker and he took a few steps back. He stared at the closed door and felt a stab in his chest. How could he forget that Charmine was with Maurice? When she was sad and hurt, it was her boyfriend who stayed with her... Even though Anthony had resolved the incident, she no longer loved him and no longer cared about what he did for her... Anthony felt like a fool for rushing over like this. He turned to leave, but the door behind him gradually opened... Maurice was first to walk out and with a suitcase at hand, followed by Charmine, who walked out regally after him. When she walked out, she saw Anthony¡¯s tall figure right away. "Anthony..." She missed him too much, so much so that she blurted his name right away. Why was he here at this hour? Did hee because of the news? Was he.Jnvolved in getting the truth out this time? "What are you doing here?" came her question before she could stop herself. There was an unnoticeable hint of anticipation in her voice. Anthony turned back and looked at them both, his expression disinterested as he gulped, asking, "Is Chris not here?" Charmine''s heart sank. He came for Chris? Maurice said gently, "The kid is in the hotel. My assistant is looking after him." chapter 1523 chapter 1523 "Mr. Bailey, if you''re worried, you maye with us." Anthony''s eyes turned cold, and anger red in his chest. Charmine neglected Chris all alone in the hotel, just so she could linger around this guy? He red at Charmine. "Charmine, how could you neglect Chris!?" Charmine smiled and raised an eyebrow at him. "As his father, did you not neglect him when nning for your wedding? Also, who are you to say such things? You neglected me, and now you said I neglected your child?" A frosty exterior made its way to Charmine''s eyes, much like ice in winter- hard and harsh. Anthony''s hands clenched tightly. Just because he neglected her, she would neglect the child? Even though he had broken up with her, he did not want their rtionship to worsen to this stage that she neglected Chris! His thin lips parted, but just as he was going to say something... Waverly''s car pulled over the filming set. When she saw the few of them standing there, she walked over to put her arms on Anthony. Anthony''s arm stiffened right away. He looked at her coldly, instinctively wanting to push her away, but noticing both Charmine Maurice right before them, he clenched his fists and kept himself in check, albeit his body tensing as he did. He asked coldly, "What are you doing here?" Waverly felt lucky that he did not swing her arms away. She looked at Charmine proudly and said gently, "I came here to discuss some details of our wedding with you. The venue is booked, and it''ll be held at St. James. Are you okay with that?" "Okay,¡± said Anthony, "as long as you like it." Hearing their exchange, Charmine''s heart turned frigid cold. When she first saw him, she thought he came tofort her, or even cared about her and wanted to helpfort her. As it turned out, he came to pick up Chris. Furthermore, he was so gentle to Waverly! They even booked their wedding venue! She, on the other hand, waited and anticipated him, hoping that he was the one who investigated the scandal online. All he did was prepare for his wedding. Why would he care about her? Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. This matter was sorted out by Maurice. She looked at Anthony and spoke with a cold tone, "Since you''vee, bring Chris home. I''ll be busy in the next two days." Anthony narrowed his eyes and asked, "Busy on what?" "This, Mr. Bailey, you have no right to ask,¡± snapped Charmine and turned to Maurice. "Mo, I need to spend two days at Rose Garden. Would you like toe with me?" "Hmm?¡± Maurice looked at her confused. Rose Garden was a couple-themed holiday resort. Why would she ask him to go with her? Thinking it over, perhaps she just wanted to get a breather from everything that happened in the past two days. Maurice nodded and agreed, "Okay, I''ll go with you if you''d like to go." Charmine smiled at Maurice, a smile that wrenched Anthony. He clenched his fists and acted as if he did not care. He said, "I''m busy preparing for my wedding, and I don''t have time. Chriscks security and likes you. If you''re having a vacation, might as well bring him along." i Charmine looked at him ironically. "Apologies, Mr. Bailey, but I only want to spend time with Maurice. Furthermore, you''re his blood rtive, his father." Anthony''s face was dark, and just as he wanted to retort, Maurice gently interjected, "Gem, it¡¯s okay. We can bring the kid along. We''re going for a vacation, and Mr. Bailey is busy, after all." "Fine." Charmine had this sort of reluctant expression on her, the kind that showed she would still go with Maurice''s wishes, even if she did not want to. Anthony''s hands clenched into fists, so much so that his veins surfaced. chapter 1524 chapter 1524 Charmine and Maurice did not notice that, however. Maurice looked at Charmine gently. "Of course, I don''t mind." He was just going to apany her, so of course he did not mind who else she wanted to bring. After all, Chris was quite adorable. Looking at how fondly they stared at one another, the furious Anthony clenched his fists and tried to hold back his anger. He quietly swung away Waverly''s hands and left. Waverly, pleased with the tension, followed after Anthony in her heels. Charmine watched as Anthony and Waverly left together. Her lips quirked into a self-deprecating smile as her heart ached. Every expectation led to greater disappointments. ''Charmine, you should be over him by now!'' Waverly chased after him. When she saw Anthony going into his own car, she did not care about her own care and went to Anthony''s passenger''s seat. Anthony red at her coldly and barked, "Get out!" Startled, Waverly looked at him in confusion. Was there something wrong with his head? He was so gentle a moment ago. Since Charmine was treating him so badly, why was he being so rude to her instead? She bit back her anger as she gently replied, "Anthony, I have many things to discuss with you regarding our wedding." "I said, get out!" Anthony growled. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Waverly was shocked. She met his darkening eyes and reluctantly exited his car, gnawing on her lip as she did. Once she got out, the car zipped away thunderously, quick and heartless. Waverly was livid, rooted on the spot as she was. However, thinking of how Charmine was about toe back out, she could not let her see how Anthony left her behind! She did not even have time to be angry as she went back to her car and left. It was only when Waverly drove away did Charmine and Maurice happen to walk out. Maurice put the luggage into the back of Charmine''s car. He walked over and saw Charmine standing on the same spot, looking around as if her soul was lost. He felt her pain. She was looking proud a moment ago, as if she had no emotions, but she suddenly looked as if her soul was lost. Maurice said worriedly, "I''ll drive you back then, Gem." Charmine finally came to, and she looked at him dully. "Why?" Maurice was helpless. "Look at you. I''m worried about letting you drive alone." "Hmm?" Charmine frowned. "Look at me, what?" She was not hurt. Why could she not drive? Maurice said, ''You''re zoning out." Charmine halted. ''Zoning out''? When she reacted, she smiled ironically. Anthony was about to get married. Why was she still zoning out for him? Charmine reacted and said, "I''m fine. I was a little preupied, yes, but I won''t be like this when I drive." Maurice rarely frowned, and he did not argue with Charmine, instead saying, "Okay. Be careful, and stay focused." "Mo, you''re more annoying than my grandpa!" Charmineughed as she went into her car proudly. Maurice''s worry still remained. idents could happen when someone was not in the zone. He stood in front of the car and was borderline anxious. "Be very careful!" Charmine fastened her seatbelt, the dullness in her no longer seen. She put on an arrogant and cool posture and said, "Don¡¯t worry." As he watched Charmine steering and driving the car, he went inside his own and followed behind her. Anthony was speeding down the highway. In the darkness, his luxury car surpassed one car after another. The car was going so fast that it was almost invisible to see. He stared ahead as his entire being emitted a fierce, ruthless aura. All he could think about was Charmine''s conversation with Maurice, 1 Rose Garden, huh? chapter 1525 chapter 1525 That was the resort made for couples! Why was Charmine going with that man? Heh. Was it to frustrate him, or was Charmine...genuinely in love with Maurice? Anthony squinted. With a thought, he took out his phone with one hand and called Chris. ''You''re going to Rose Garden with your Mommy tomorrow," he instructed. "Don''t let her get too close to Maurice." "Huh?" Chris looked around with his watery eyes. "Mommy and Grandpa are going to such a ce?" ''Yes/ replied Anthony coldly. ¡®You know what to do." ''Yes, sir,¡± said Chris. "I''d still go, even if you don''t tell me to.¡± Although he was starting to like that old man more, this did not mean that he would permit them to get together. Anthony hung up, and the thought of Charmine going to the couple''s resort hurt him badly, even though he knew he should not be... Still, he could not ept her going with another man. 1 They loved each other so deeply. Anthony thought she would be sad for quite a while... Apparently, that was a no. 1 She went right into another man''s arms after the breakup, while he was left alone to endure the feeling of loving someone who did not belong to him. The more he thought about it, the more hurt he felt. He stepped on the gas harshly, and the car shot out like an arrow in the darkness, disappearing into the dark right away. When Chris hung up, the hotel door opened, and Charmine walked in. "Mommy!" Chris jumped out from the sofa and ran over into Charmine''s arms. "Mommy, I missed you!" "I missed you, too!" Charmine ruffled his head and asked, "Did you eat your meals on time today?" ''Yes.¡± Chris nodded diligently. Charmine nodded and said, "Pack your bag tonight. Mommy is bringing you to a nice ce for a vacation." Chris pretended as if he did not know about this, his watery eyes widening at Charmine''s words as he asked, "Mommy! Where are we going?" "Rose Garden," said Charmine, "with Uncle Mo!" "Oh?" Chris acted surprised. ''You¡¯re going to Rose Garden with Grandpa? Mommy, you and Grandpa are actually together now?¡± He looked as if he was hurt as he stared at Charmine, i Charmine met his hurt look. She wanted to exin that Maurice and she were merely friends, but if she told him and he went on to tell Anthony, she would seem like a loser. Charmine pursed her lips and said, ''Yes." Chris'' expression faltered. He pouted and had a look as if he was going to cry. Charmine knelt down andforted him, "Dear, I want you to know that there''s no rule in the world saying who can''t be with who. Your Daddy already found you a stepmother, and I need to be happy, too. Is that wrong?" Chris bit his lip. He thought what she said made sense. His Daddy was getting married. Did he want to see his Mommy suffering every day? No. He wanted his Mommy to be happy. He told himself that, but he still did not want his Mommy to be with someone so old! He would not permit this Grandpa to do anything intimate to his Mommy! For the time being, he could only nod. "Okay... As long as Mommy is happy." "Good boy." The next day... Chris carried his small bag while Charmine pushed out their luggage. As they went downstairs, she was about to call Maurice when she spotted him waiting by the hotel entrance. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only When he saw theming out, he walked over gently and took their bags like a gentleman, asking "Are we going with my car, or would you like to drive?" "Mommy will drive!" snapped Chris without waiting for Charmine to reply. chapter 1526 chapter 1526 Maurice looked at Chris. "Alright, then." He put their bags inside the car and stood before the car door like a father. "Drive safely." "Okay." Charmine had a proud look on her face. "Don''t worry about my driving skills." She was the top racer! Maurice opened the door for her before he walked toward his own, getting into his car and following after Charmine. 40 minutester, the two cars pulled over outside Rose Garden, and the romantic scent of roses greeted them as Charmine, Chris, and Maurice got down. Roses bloomed everywhere, and it was a picturesque atmosphere. The signs by the door were of some romantic verses, and the guests were all couples... Maurice somehow felt ufortable. Although he knew this was a couple''s resort, actually being here in person felt somewhat awkward. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. He turned over to look at Charmine to see that she did not mind at all. She walked inside with Chris. Looking at how carefree she was, Maurice pursed his lips. Charmine merely treated him like a senior. Why was he ufortable? Maurice did not overthink it as he followed after them, pulling the luggage with him. When they were at the counter asking for two rooms, they were told that only one room was left. Startled, Maurice turned to look at Charmine. "Gem, only one room is left. Why don¡¯t we go somewhere else? There''s another resort nearby, and we could-" "No need," Charmine cut him off, "one room is fine." She wanted Anthony to know how far Maurice and her had gotten. That stunned Maurice into silence, but thinking of how she might really like this ce, he said nothing and booked thest room avable, 1 Chris¡¯ guard skyrocketed as he red at Maurice. However, when they moved into thest room, Maurice made himself a bed in the living room. Charmine looked at him and frowned. "Mo, you may sleep on the sofa; it''s morefortable. The floor is hard, and you''ll have backaches the next day." "It''s okay." Maurice''s expression remained serene as he continued unpacking. "You might need the sofa to sit on from time to time. It doesn¡¯t matter if I sleep on the floor." When Chris heard this, he liked him more. He did not want to sleep on the sofa, afraid that he and his Mommy might want to sit on it... This old man was being so considerate... Chris was inexplicably won over once more. It was hard not to! Charmine did not insist and brought in her luggage. When she pushed open the door, she saw how the room was specially decorated for a couple. She felt a pang in her chest. How nice would it be if she came with Anthony? Hriously, he would be having his honeymoon with Waverly not long from now. The thought of it made her heart ache, so much so that she found it hard to breathe. It unsettled her so badly that she felt like killing someone. With another thought, she picked up her phone to vent out her anger. It was not long until she grew bored of the game a few minutester, however. She felt disconcerted, still. Chris happened to walk in at that moment, and Charmine looked at him, saying, "Dear, help Mommy finish this." "Okay!" Chris nodded quickly and took her phone, asking suspiciously," Mommy, why did you stop ying?" Charmine simply found an excuse, "Mommy is going out. Help Mommy win this game, alright?" "Alright!" Chris shifted all his focus into the game as he yed it. Charmine left the room and went to the back of the resort to walk around. As she walked, all she saw were couples left and right, being much in love. She felt even worse. Finding a pavilion and sitting in it, Charmine nked out and felt extremely lonely in this romantic setting. She saw some colorful flowers blooming not far away, and it wrenched her even more. Not long ago, she ignorantly waited for the season of flowers to marry Anthony. chapter 1527 chapter 1527 Anthony was about to get married...and Charmine was not the bride. How ironic. Charmine smiled disdainfully as she watched couples passing by. Maurice made his bed and saw Chris alone in the living room. He asked, " Kid, are you hungry? What would you like to eat?" Chris, still ying Charmine''s game, did not even look up. ¡°Anything." Maurice came to the bedroom and knocked on the door. "Gem, what would you like to eat for lunch? I''ll ask the staff to prepare them for us." No sound came from inside the room, and Maurice could not help but frown. Thinking of her state after meeting Anthonyst night, he feared she might still be upset. His heart tightened as he then pushed the door open...only to be greeted with an empty room. There was no trace of her. Panicking, Maurice asked Chris, "Where''s your Mommy?¡± Chris finally looked up and said, "Mommy has gone out." With that said, he saw Maurice running out of the room. Chris frowned. Why was he in a hurry? Was he afraid Charmine might do something foolish? Charmine was not that type of person... Uneasy, Chris wanted to go out and have a look, but he then looked back at the game, and his little face sank. This was his Mommy''s ount. She asked him to not lose the game. To him, his Mommy was the best, and he must not make her lose! Whatever. Since the old man was around, his Mommy would be fine. Somehow, he had trusted Maurice more... Chris focused on the game until he had won the final round. He then rushed out to look after her. Maurice looked for Charmine in the front garden urgently, but after walking around, all he saw were couples but no sight of Charmine. He grew anxious. How did she disappear out of the blue? Was she not thinking straight? Maurice walked to the backyard and made up his mind that if he still could not find her, he would call the police. However, when he walked past the romantic flower arc, he looked up and saw a distant figure at the pavilion. When Maurice saw Charmine seated there, safe and sound, he had a strange feeling in him. He took a deep breath and felt relieved. He walked over slowly. "Gem, why did you go out without telling me?" 1 Charmine snapped out of her train of thoughts. When she saw the man in front of her, she was surprised to see Maurice covered in sweat. She narrowed her eyes and said, "I came out for a breather." Maurice sat in front of her, seeing the glint of sorrow in her gaze despite looking arrogant and standoffish. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. In the past, her eyes were always willful and confident. Ever since what happenedst night, she fell into such a state. Maurice did not know what was happening between her and Anthony. All he knew was that she had to be heartbroken of sorts. Maurice pursed his lips and said, "Gem, I heard the view is quite nice there. Would you like to go there for a look?" "Okay." Charmine exuded an air of arrogance as she made her way proudly. Maurice followed behind her gently. They looked like an ice-cold queen and her gentle soldier. The two of them unknowingly walked past a haunted house, the door seemingly giving off a dreadful vibe as blood was smeared on it. Maurice thought of his n. He had a look in his eyes as he fixated his gaze on Charmine. chapter 1528 chapter 1528 Maurice asked, "Would you like to give it a try?" Charmine nced at the haunted house dully and said, "It''s too childish." Although she had never been inside a haunted house, she knew it was just a trick to scare people. Only weak women would cry out in fear. She, on the other hand, had nothing to be afraid of, so she was not interested in such childish things. Charmine was going to walk past it, but Maurice was rooted before the door, not once budging and seemed like he wanted to try it. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only She frowned and asked, "Do you want to have a go, Mo?¡± Maurice said gently, "I''ve never yed it. I want to see how it works." With that said, he had a thought and looked at Charmine gently. "Gem, you seem upset in the past two days. Why don''t you go in and have a scream?" Charmine was speechless. Well, so long as the ghosts were not intimidated by her. However, seeing that Maurice was so keen on ying, she nodded. "Let''s go in and have a look." "Okay." Maurice smiled gently and went ahead to get two tickets. 1 Following that, he took a deep breath and went inside the haunted house with Charmine. This was different from the usual haunted house-it had a haunted hospital theme. It was an empty alley inside. It was dark, and there were some ghost-like mes all around. Since it was located in this romantic resort, it was a test to find out the significant other''s loyalty. The two people had to hide something important somewhere, and the other had to find it. The person who found it first could choose to wait or leave. Maurice handed in his phone, and Charmine handed in her watch. Once they entered, they smelled a sharp scent of disinfectant. Maurice looked at her and said, "Gem, if you''re scared, hold onto me tightly." Charmine had her red lips curled up, she raised her eyebrows coldly. She was not scared at all. However, looking at how genuine Maurice seemed, she did not want to hurt his ego. She said nothing and nodded. "Okay." The cries of a baby could be heard from time to time in the dark alley, and sounds of metal shing reverberated, too. Maurice''s face turned paler, and his heart clenched. Since he was left in a dark room by his mother when he was young, he was afraid of dark and cold ces like this. However, he still wanted to try and help Charmine. Maurice stered a brave facade and shielded Charmine, saying, "It''s okay, I¡¯m here." Despite that, Charmine could make out how shaky his voice was. She looked around to find out where the ghost would jump out first; this was so Maurice would not be scared. They walked down the dark alley safely, and they were about to enter the next alley. They had to walk through a room to get to it, and in it was a green-colored glow along with the sound of a baby wailing. Maurice said, "It''s okay. Walk behind me." Charmine was not scared at all. "Let''s go." She walked past him and went inside first. However, there was one inside. Only the sound of metals shing yed on a loop. Suddenly, the wailing sound of a baby was heard from under the nket on the operating desk. Charmine narrowed her eyes and walked over. Maurice''s body stiffened. He wanted to drag her behind him, but Charmine had flipped open the nket. His heart leaped to his throat! He noticed on the operating desk was a doll covered in blood. There was a speaker in its mouth. Maurice¡¯s phone was ced on the doll¡¯s body, i Charmine''s red lips twisted into a smirk as she picked up his phone and handed it to Maurice. "Your phone." chapter 1529 chapter 1529 Maurice felt relieved and felt his legs going soft. Behaving as though it was her room, Charmine draped the nket over the doll and started searching for her watch. She still failed to locate it after searching everywhere, and she grew helpless. "We¡¯ll have to go into the next alley." Maurice nodded. "Okay." Charmine stared at his pale face and said, "Mo, you''ve found your item. Why don''t you go out first? I¡¯ll be fine alone here." "No need," Maurice insisted, ''Til look with you." "Alright.¡± Charmine walked in front and pushed open the door to enter the next alley. The alley was narrow, and only one person could walk through at a time. The path glowed red as a ghost''s cries could be heard, the scent of supposed blood lingering around as well. She knew for a fact that this alley was used to scare people. Maurice said, "Gem, you walk behind me." Charmine looked at him. "Don''t worry, the ghosts are unlucky that they met me today." With that said, she walked forward arrogantly. Just like what she had expected, she took two steps and a head fell, dripping in blood. Maurice was petrified, visibly turning pale as he pursed his lips. Charmine, however, shrugged it off and punched off the makeshift head, which let out a genuine wail before floating away. A few pairs of feet were shown on the floor, and Charmine hit them. Seeing tongues sticking out from the walls, she pinched at them. Suddenly, a ghost face appeared in front of her, and she swung her fist at it fearlessly. Throughout their journey, genuine cries were heard. When Maurice noticed Charmine was not scared at all, he felt a sense of helplessness. He came in, hoping she would scream andsh out, but he ended up being the only one scared. 1 She was walking around as if this was her home, moving freely as she did. Maurice pursed his lips and followed after her, unbothered by the hands that reached out from both sides to scare him. Charmine looked for a while and found her watch. She turned back to look at Maurice and asked, "Mo, are you scared?" Maurice said, "No, I''m not.¡± "Okay. We''ll finish walking around, then." "Okay." Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. With that, Charmine hit the ghosts one after another for the rest of their journey, haughtily as she did. She did not hear Maurice screaming. Moreover, since she had sent the ghosts packing, she assumed Maurice was right behind her, safe and sound. When they got out of the exit, Charmine quickly covered her eyes from the sharp sunlight. When she turned back, she saw... Maurice¡¯s suit was left open, and some buttons had fallen. His white shirt and even his face was littered with red lips marks all over! Charmine frowned and looked at him suspiciously, but just as she was going to speak, she thought of something... "Hahaha...!" Charmine''s eyes twinkled as augh escaped her. Seeing herughing so heartily, Maurice was perplexed. "Gem, what are youughing at?" "Hahaha...!" Charmineughed and pointed at the marks all over him. "Mo...are you still terrified? You didn¡¯t even know when the ghosts took advantage of you? Look at the marks on you...! Hahaha!" As he watched Charmine giggling andughing, Maurice grew happier as well. However, he put on a troubled look as he lowered his head to look at his body. chapter 1530 chapter 1530 Maurice acted as if he just realized what happened. "I felt a ghost leaning on me, but my eyes were shut, so I didn''t notice what happened." 1 Charmine saw how lost he seemed, and she was amused. The thought of a handsome man being taken advantage of by ghosts made herugh. Seeing that she wasughing wholeheartedly, Maurice had a loving smile on his face. It seemed that his effort did not go to waste. Inside the pavilion, Chris narrowed his watery eyes as he looked at the hearty, wholeheartedlyughing Charmine. His Mommy had notughed so happily for a very long time. It seemed that his Daddy only made her feel painful and sad. This old man, on the other hand, made his Mommy happy... It was just like what she said the other day: If being with this Grandpa made her happy and loved, why should he want to stop her? All that mattered was that she was happy. Chris looked at Maurice, and there was admiration and adoration in his gaze. Maurice was indeed a good man. He was nice and had a good personality. He even treated Charmine like a daughter, always supporting her and staying with her no matter what she did. Chris started to like this man more. Furthermore, he should have trusted his Mommy''s eyes. There were so many good men around and Charmine never gave them a chance, yet she chose this old man. This showed that he had a unique charm in him! Chris knew that he was slowly won over by this old man, but he no longer wanted to resist it. All of a sudden, his phone rang, and it disrupted his train of thoughts. Chris reacted soon after and noticed the caller ID: [Daddy.] He answered, "Hello?¡± Anthony''s icy voice was heard, "Is Charmine staying with Maurice?" "Yeah!" Chris answered pleasantly. Anthony was speechless. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. "Why didn''t you tell me such an important thing? You can''t let them stay together!¡± Chris frowned. In the past, even if Anthony did not say this, he would think the same, but... He widened his eyes and looked at Charmine, who was smiling from far away. He pursed his lips. "No." Anthony''s expression contorted as he repressed his anger, growling, "Chris Bailey, what are you talking about?" Chris straightened his back and said with determination, "Yes, I know about it, but if you can''t make Mommy happy, you should let go!" Even he was charmed by Maurice! Furthermore, his one wish was for his Mommy to be happy. She could be with anyone. "What are you talking about?" Anthony¡¯s gaze sharpened angrily. "Say that again!" That did not faze Chris, however, as he continued, "Mommy is happy with this Grandpa. This is my first time seeing Mommy so happy, and this Grandpa genuinely wants the best for Mommy. Daddy, you¡¯re getting me a stepmother, so why are you stopping Mommy from finding her happiness? Daddy, as your son, I need to tell you that what you¡¯re doing is too selfish!" 3 Chris continued in a lecture-like tone, "When you found your new wife, did Mommy say anything? Did she stop you? Now, who''s the one making Mommy happy? Isn¡¯t it clear? I don''t want to talk to you anymore. Goodbye!" Spotting Charmine and Maurice walking toward him, Chris quickly hung up. Anthony could not believe that Chris just hung up on him! What did Chris just say? Did he just lecture him and even side with Maurice? Anthony clenched his phone tightly, his veins protruding. Argh! How charming was Maurice that even Chris sided with him?! Anthony''s expression grew dangerously cold as he quickly grabbed his car key and left the mansion. He could no longer keep it together. Charmine and Maurice were actually sharing a room! chapter 1531 chapter 1531 Anthony could not stand the fact that Charmine had gotten over him entirely, jumping into another man''s arms so quickly! After driving for a few minutes, however, he looked ahead and frowned, suddenly forgetting where he was headed to. His amnesia was a total pain in the neck. Anthony leaned back on the seat tiredly as he instinctively took out his phone to check his memo, but there was nothing. Anthony then checked his call history and noticed that thest phone call he had was with Chris. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Due to his worsening amnesia, he set the function of automatic recording whenever he had a call with Chris or Charmine. These were the two most important people in his life; he did not want to forget anything important. Anthony reyed the recording, and after listening to a few sentences, he suddenly remembered that Charmine was about to sleep with Maurice tonight. 2 Was he going to stop them? With that in mind, Anthony drove toward Rose Garden without a single second of hesitation. His car stopped before the traffic light, and the cars around him stopped, too. It was quiet. Meanwhile, the recording of Chris red through the speakers, childlike yet stern as it went, "If you can''t make Mommy happy, you should let go!" "Mommy is happy with this Grandpa. This is my first time seeing Mommy so happy, and this Grandpa genuinely wants the best for Mommy." "Daddy, you¡¯re getting me a stepmother, so why are you stopping Mommy from finding her happiness?" Anthony was no longer as furious. At this point, he was even contemting the situation. His sudden loss of memory earlier signaled him that his body was failing. Did it even matter if he was to go to Rose Garden? He could not give Charmine happiness, yet he had the guts to stop her from finding happiness? Was it not his genuine wish for Charmine to be happy, to find a man who treated her right? 1 That was his reasoning, of course, but the thought of Charmine being in another man''s arms... His heart felt waves of sharp pain. He remained on the stop for a very long while, only snapping out of it when the cars behind him honked. He quickly turned around to go home. He locked himself inside his room and started downing bottles after bottles of alcohol. 2 He drank so much that his stomach started to ache, but he did not seem to care. He lit up a cigarette stick. The smoke shrouded his face as he inhaled again and again. His eyes narrowed as he gazed at the photo of Charmine on the table, his head ringing with what Chris said to him. This was his first time seeing Charmine smiling so happily... Was he too self-centered? Was it time for him to let go? He should only wish for her to be happy; her happiness was all that mattered. 1 Still... The thought of the woman he loved so dearly in another man''s arms made the cells in his body repulse entirely. They burned with rage and anger. He would rather die than ept this! Anthony drank alcohol throughout the entire afternoon as he contemted whether or not to let Charmine go atst or hold onto her. Finally, he still could not get over his conscience. Crash! He broke the ss bottle, and shards of ss scattered all over the floor. He stood up abruptly to walk out. Anyone could say it was arrogance or selfishness, but he still could not ept watching his woman bing another man''s. 1 Not for the time being, at least. At Rose Garden. Charmine felt more rxed after Maurice managed to cheer her up. The three of them had lunch, and Charmine then put Chris to sleep before going for a stroll with Maurice. They admired the beautiful scenery of the resort. As she spotted couples in their walk, her mind instinctively wandered. What was Anthony doing? Did he know she was here with Maurice? Could he stomach it? Would hee to find her? If Anthony did not, would it not be a waste for her toe to such a ce with Maurice? i If he came, what would he do...or say? chapter 1532 chapter 1532 Maurice had been apanying Charmine silently. When he sensed that she was zoning out again, he started to exin the nts around them and their origins to her. Charmine was pulled back to reality and looked at him, stunned. In the beginning, she found him gentle and caring. All of a sudden, she found out that he was incredibly knowledgeable! There were trees she had never seen before, and he could easily name them and their origins. A man like him... Charmine thought of what happened in the haunted house, and she regretted not taking photos of him earlier. The two of them walked around until the sunset before they made their way back to the field. Many couples had made their tents on the field. The sun was setting, and half of the sky had reddened. The red light shone on the tents so romantically... Charmine had a thought, and her eyes darkened. She looked at Maurice and said, "Why don''t we build a tent?¡± "Sure." Of course, Maurice would not overthink it. He thought she just wanted to y around, or perhaps to enjoy the night view with Chris. With that, he went ahead to get the equipment needed. They picked an ideal spot and started building the tent. Charmine wanted to help out, but Maurice gently took the items from her. " With me around, I¡¯m not going to let you work too much.¡± Charmine''s lips twisted into a smile-she truly did see him as a father figure. "Fine. I''ll get the ingredients to start the fire, then." "Okay, stay safe," reminded Maurice, still busy working on the tent. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Charmine walked out before, on a second thought, she went to look for Chris. Chris was sitting on the sofa with his legs tucked in. His adorable face looked serious as if he was contemting something serious. Charmine asked, "What are you thinking of, my dear?" "Nothing...!" Chris snapped out from his thoughts and put on his signature smile. "Of course I¡¯m thinking of Mommy!" "Look at you!" Mommy ruffled his hair lovingly as she then asked, "We¡¯re having a barbequeter. What would you like to eat? Pick them yourself!" Chris'' eyes sparkled. "Oh, sweet!" Charmine brought him outside and walked past the field, spotting Maurice still setting up the tent. When Chris saw couples everywhere while Maurice was all by himself, he felt pity for him. Maurice had been treating others selflessly while forgetting about himself. Charmine''s eyes followed to where Chris looked at, and she saw Maurice sweating. She felt guilty. She lowered her head and said to Chris, "You must treat Mo nicely, my dear. Don''t bully him; he''s a rather gentle soul.¡± He genuinely treated her well and spoiled her like his daughter, while she had been using him all along to trigger Anthony. Even though Maurice knew about this, he still treated her so well... Other than Anthony, this was the first time someone treated her so well. She thought they could be good friends. Chris nodded. "Don''t worry, Mommy. I know. I like Grandpa, too. I¡¯ll stop bullying him." Charmine looked away and lowered her head to smile at him. "We''ll be buying some ingredients after this. Let''s not wear Mo out." "Okay!" replied Chris with a straight face. "Yeah. Grandpa is so old, and he shouldn''t be worn out." Charmine was speechless. After Charmine and Chris left, a luxury car pulled over before the resort. Anthony got out of the car, his body reeked of alcohol despite looking asposed as he usually did. He shot a cold nce at the resort, and when he noticed just how romantic the atmosphere was, his thin lips curled up mockingly. Charmine sure had a good eye in choosing the venue, alright! He walked in. When the staff saw him, he instantly lowered his head politely. "May I help you. President Bailey?" "Bring me to my room," said Anthony. Every hotel he owned would keep him a permanent room. No matter when or whether he came here at all, nobody could stay in it. "Yes, sir!" The staff led him to the room politely. chapter 1533 chapter 1533 Anthony walked for a while before he arrived at an outdoor field. At the field, Maurice was diligently building a tent...and the field was full of couples. Anthony stopped walking, his figure leaking with ruthlessness as he red at Maurice darkly. Was he building a tent to spend the night with Charmine? Ha! He turned to the staff. "Get me a tent. Just disinfect the room for now." "Yes, sir! I''ll get them arranged right away." The staff left quickly. Anthony remained where he stood as he squinted at Maurice. Maurice seemed to be very careful. He made sure that each iron wire was properly ced. He looked so gentle that Anthony found it annoying. 2 After he had built the tent, when Maurice went inside the tent, Anthony walked past him and walked far away. Far away and hidden from Maurice, Anthony quickly built his tent. Since this was Maurice¡¯s first time building a tent, he took more time, while Anthony finished building his in about ten minutes. Heid inside his tent as his eyes darkened, his emotions already convoluted at that point. Maurice seemed nice and seemed to be a good man, but... Anthony would not let the two of them sleep together tonight! What was the point of him rushing over if he did not? With his conditions, what could he do? 1 Far away from Anthony, Charmine and Chris came back not long after. Maurice happened to finish building the tent as they returned. He ruffled Chris'' hair and said gently, "Go in and y, kiddo." "Alrighty!" Chris ran in and saw how spacious it was with a transparent roof to admire the stars at night. He gleefully pped. "Grandpa is amazing!" Charmine was speechless. Did she not ask him to stop calling Maurice ''Grandpa''? Others might think the three generations hade to a romantic resort. How weird would that be? Chris met Charmine''s eyes and suddenly recalled what Charmine told him earlier, quickly correcting himself, "Err, I mean, Uncle Mo." Stunned, Maurice gazed at him and smiled gently. "Why did you change that, kiddo? Didn''t you like calling me your Grandpa?" N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. With Chris calling him ''Grandpa'', he could constantly be reminded to keep his distance from Charmine. Chris'' watery eyes darted around as he then said, "Okay, if you like that, I¡¯ll call you Grandpa from now on!" At least until his Mommy married this Grandpa. Hmph! Although he did not wish so, all that mattered to Chris was that Charmine was happy. "Alright, then." Maurice looked at him lovingly as he reached out to get the food from Charmine. "I haven¡¯t washed them,¡± remarked Charmine. "I will. Get some rest with the kid and wait for me." Chris heard what he said, and he was swept off of his feet once more. What could he do? This man was too charming, he could not take it anymore. Chris wanted Maurice to spoil him forever! Charmine was not tired. After Maurice had left, she prepared the barbeque rack and started making fire. Maurice then handed the tools to her by the side. After making the fire, Maurice came back with the washed ingredients. He sat by Charmine and checked the fire. He asked Chris, "What would you like to eat, kiddo? Grandpa will cook it for you." Charmine looked at him. Did Maurice truly not mind being called a Grandpa and embrace it? Chris said, "Grandpa, grill a big chicken thigh, but it''s not for me-it¡¯s for my Grandpa!" Maurice felt a surge of warmth, and a serene smile made its way to his face. "Okay, I ept your request. Thank you." Charmine was speechless. Maurice was having so much fun ying with Chris. By the corner, Anthony observed their tent through his own, his eyes unusually dark as he did... chapter 1534 chapter 1534 Charmine and Maurice got along so well together. They looked like a couple deeply in love! Anthony clenched his fists so tightly, his veins protruded at the back of his arms. D*mn it! Even Chris got along with Maurice so well! Anthony''s breathing stopped. How he wanted to pull Charmine into his arms to punish her harshly. The faint smile on her face and the way she looked at Maurice were like sharp daggers that plunged deep into his chest. She had found such a good man, and he should be happy for her...but the ache in his heart refused to leave, adamant on tormenting him... Anthony narrowed his eyes as he gazed at their way reluctantly, willing himself to find any sort of pretense in the way they got along. s, all he saw was a warm, loving family of three... Chris sat by the side happily while Charmine helped to grill corn and vegetables. Not wanting their hands to be greasy, Maurice wore gloves as he grilled meat, drumsticks, and wings. Once they got their ingredients ready, the fire was just right and the food started to cook. It did not take long for the food to get ready. Charmine looked at Maurice, shocked. "You even know how to grill food, Mo?" The fragrance of the food showed how skilled he was. Maurice said gently, "I used to go to the grilling shops often. When the staff were busy, I¡¯d help out." Chris looked at Maurice, his eyes twinkling as he did. He really liked this Grandpa. Usually, when the staff was busy, customers would get busy or impatient, but Maurice was not angry and even helped them out! Ahh! How could there be such a gentle and caring Grandpa in the world? His Mommy would be so happy to be with him! Chris knew he was on the wrong side, but he no longer resisted. He wanted to have a good time with this Grandpa! Charmine was preparing corn when she felt a burning gaze on her. She looked up and turned over nonchntly to see a well-dressed man looking at them inside a tent by the corner. Charmine narrowed her eyes. Although this man wore sunsses and a hat, she could tell right away that it was Anthony. The elegance and coldness in him were so unique and significant wherever he went. Was he not busy preparing for his wedding? Why was he here? Was he...jealous after seeing her being with Maurice, so he came after all? Feeling her emotions rising within her, Charmine wanted to go up to him and ask him why he came... However, after she put down the things in her hands, she suddenly recalled his attitude fromst night. He had stopped caring about her. Why would he get jealous? Why, then, would she care about what he was thinking? She did not want to seem like the weak one again in front of him! Charmine smiled mockingly and, pretending as if she had seen nothing, looked away. Meeting her gaze despite the shades he wore, Anthony was rooted on the spot, his heart palpitating at an abnormal rate. Did she find out? Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. When he saw her looking away, he let out a breath of relief. She did not recognize him, then? Heh... It had only been a few days, and she no longer recognized him. i He had a bitter, cold smile on his face as he continued ring their way. After Charmine realized Anthony¡¯s presence, she started zoning out. Even though she knew he stopped loving her, the thought of him being at the same field as they were made her somewhat excited. Perhaps he still cared about her and came here out of jealousy. Maurice finished grilling a batch of food and put them in two tes for them. Charmine took a drumstick and gave it to Chris, "Taste it, my dear." Chris'' watery eyes widened as he took a bite. It was so juicy and delicious! Nodding, he chirped with his mouth stuffed, "Yummy!" chapter 1535 chapter 1535 With that said, Chris turned to Maurice and said, "Grandpa, I love you so much!" Maurice¡¯s expression softened as he smiled lovingly. "d you like it." He continued grilling and noticed Charmine oddly silent. "Gem, why are you not eating? Do you not like them?" he asked. "What would you like to eat? I''ll grill them for you." Charmine pursed her lips. She was hungry, but after seeing Anthony, she felt confused and lost her appetite. She did not want Maurice''s effort to go to waste, though. She simply picked up an ear of corn and said, "Nothing. I''ll have this. No need to fuss around too much, Mo-help yourself and eat." "Okay." Maurice simply picked up some. Charmine had a few bites and could not help looking in Anthony''s direction. Finally unable to take it, she looked at Chris with her bright eyes. " Dear, why don''t you go and ask if your Daddy is hungry." "What?" Startled, Chris looked around and then back at her. "Mommy, are you hallucinating? Daddy isn''t here." Maurice looked at her suspiciously. However, Charmine merely looked in one direction and said, "Your Daddy is right there." "Haha..." Chrisughed heartlessly. His Daddy actually came secretly? That was hrious. It seemed that what he said had struck a nerve in him! Haha! Chris put down the things in hand and said, "Mommy, I will aplish my mission." 1 "Go on." Chris walked toward Anthony in his cool gait. Charmine continued to eat and acted as if she did not care when, in truth, she was very excited about what Anthony would say should he return with Chris. Maurice looked at her and finally understood why she zoned out in the past few minutes. She was perplexed. Only Mr. Bailey could affect her mood so much. He did not understand why when Charmine was admitted to the hospital, Mr. Bailey was so worried with his eyes full of love. Charmine could even tell that he still cared about her. Why did the two lovers harm one another? Anthony thought Charmine did not notice him, thus he continued staring in their direction. Suddenly, he saw Chris walking toward him with a grin. Had she found out after all? He had a hint of panic in him, his head turning rapidly as he tried to make an exnation on why he was suddenly there. A momentter, he had a calm face. He darkened his eyes and walked out of his tent. "Daddy!" Chris walked over and looked at him wide-eyed. "It is really you!" Anthony looked at him coldly. "It''s me." "Haha!" Chris said, "Mommy asked me to invite you over to have some barbeque." "I''m busy." Anthony seemed distant. "I have other things to attend to." 1 "Oh." Chris¡¯ face dropped. "I''ll go back, then." Anthony looked at him speechlessly. "Hold on." N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Chris looked back. "What is it?" "Fine, I''ll go over to say hi." If he chose to cave in, he would seem suspicious. Charmine was clever, and she would have guessed something. Maurice, meanwhile, was grilling fish, picking out the bones before handing it over. "They''re boneless, Gem." "Okay," Charmine did not turn him down. When she heard footsteps, she looked over to see Anthony walking over with Chris. Anthony was cold as a block of thousand-year frozen ice. As he got to their tent, the surrounding atmosphere dropped a few degrees lower. chapter 1536 chapter 1536 Chris returned to Charmine¡¯s side and had the self-gratified expression stered on his face. "Mommy, I asked Daddy toe over!" he chirped. "Good." Charmine gave him the grilled food but acted as if she did not see Anthony. ''Try Uncle Mo''s grilled fish." "Okay!" Chris started eating. Anthony stood coldly in front of the trio, his eyes swirling with a storm of emotions as he curtly greeted, "Seems like Ms. Jordan is enjoying herself very much." He was sarcastic. He remembered vividly how she bravely interjected his car and even proposed to him when he broke up with her, yet within a few days, she fell in love with another man. She loved with such extremes! 1 Charmine''s red lips curled up as she replied, "I''m just here with my boyfriend to have a walk, not so much as enjoying myself. Mr. Bailey..." She looked at him, bright-eyed. "Aren''t you busy preparing for your wedding? Why did youe here alone?" Charmine looked at him with a hint of anticipation in her eyes. However... Anthony remained unperturbed. "Thisnd is part of mypany¡¯s investment project. I came here as a protocol to experience it." Charmine''s originally sparkling eyes instantly went dull. She smiled arrogantly. "Oh. I see." As expected, she over-expected things. Every single time, her anticipation ended up hurting her all over. This would be thest time. Her dignity had been rushed by him entirely; the pieces would note back together anymore. Seeing how tense both Charmine and Anthony were, Maurice said, "Mr. Bailey, we''ve grilled some food. Why don''t you join us and have some?" "No need." Anthony red at the two of them and noticed how he picked out the bones for Charmine. His eyes went dull. "Enjoy." With that said, he turned away coldly. Charmine did not look up, her face calm as if he was someone insignificant, yet she clenched on the fork so tightly, and her pale face betrayed her pretense. Maurice looked at her and failed to hold back the gnawing question, "Gem, is there a misunderstanding between you two? You know you could-" "No," Charmine cut him off, "no misunderstandings here." He was about to get married. How was it a misunderstanding? How big would the misunderstanding have to be? Hrious, it was. The only thing left between them was his cold, changed heart. Charmine was in a mess, but she did not want to turn and look at Anthony. She took a deep breath and said, "Mo, I want to drink." Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Maurice looked at her and pitied her. He did not try to stop her. "Okay, wait for me. I''ll get you some drinks." He flipped the food over on the grill before going away to buy her drinks. Anthony was fuming by the time he returned to his tent. Charmine actually epted Maurice''s gestures. He knew her well enough to know that even when it came to her close male friends, she could not let a man pick out bones for her. There she was: epting every kind gesture Maurice did for her. She seemed to like them, too! What a joke. They had gone so far, and so fast? It felt as though he wasshing out on soft cotton. There was so much anger pent up within him, but he had nowhere to vent it. What else could he say? Was he not the one who pushed Charmine away? Maurice brought back some drinks while Charmine remained on the same spot. She did not seem as energetic as the afternoon; she exuded an air of loneliness that would make one pity. Maurice felt a sharp pain in his chest as he gazed at her. He walked over and handed her a can of beer. "Here." chapter 1537 chapter 1537 Perhaps Charmine would feel better after drinking some alcohol. Charmine said, "Drink with me, Mo." "Okay." Maurice opened himself a bottle and clinked it against hers, noticing how Charmine took one big gulp instantly. Worried that she might get drunk, he reached out to stop her. "Don¡¯t drink so much, Gem. You might get drunk easily." Charmine continued drinking. "It''s okay. I won''t get drunk." She wanted to get drunk. She would not feel as bad if she did. Maurice was helpless yet worried about her altogether. Not wanting to see her suffer, he relented to her drinking. After downing a few bottles, Charmine could not help looking at Anthony. She noticed his tent shut tightly, and her heart sank. So...he truly dide to experience the resort as part of a protocol? Heh... Charmine felt horrible as she picked up the bottle again and started drinking. Just as she did, she suddenly noticed everyone looking at the entrance. With bleary eyes, Charmine turned to look in the same direction. The elegant figure walking over was... Waverly? She had on her ten-centimeter heels and donned a demure-looking long dress. She lookedvish with a bag at hand, and there was an arrogant look to her. Charmine found the sight of her hrious. This woman would show up wherever she was. Waverly noticed Charmine looking at her from not too far away. She had a prideful look on her as she arched her chin and walked over, asking," Momo, have you seen your Daddy?" Chris shot Waverly a cold stare as he snapped, "Nope." Waverly''s face changed, but she pretended to put on a frown and said impatiently, "Your Daddy is really something. He knows I''m busy preparing for the wedding, yet he asked me toe to Rose Garden, saying he wants to make it up to me. Still, he came here on his own!¡± Chris scoffed, "You don''t have to tell me what¡¯s happening between you and my Daddy. Do whatever you want!" 2 Charmine had been drinking with her head lowered to conceal her pain. So, Anthony did note here out of jealousy. He brought over his fiancee here. Ha! What a joke! Charmine even assumed that he simply pulled an excuse about being here. She finally knew that he did lie to her, but it was a lie to cover up his honeymoon vacation with his fiancee. He was about to tell the world about marrying Waverly. What was there to hide about this small vacation? Furthermore, even if he knew she would get mad, he did not seem to care anyway. Charmine had a sarcastic smile on her face. She acted as if she did not see Waverly and continued drinking with Maurice. Glee filled Waverly as she saw Charmine all close to Maurice. Her red lips twisted into a smirk as she gazed at the two, intentionally saying to Chris," I''ll go find your Daddy. Will youe with me?" "No way!" Chris saw the look on Charmine, and he red at Waverly angrily. "Go away. I don''t want to see you." "Alright." Waverly spoke pitiably, "I can only enjoy the vacay with your Daddy, then." "Go away, now!" Chris gripped an ear of corn tightly, looking like he would hit her with it if she did not leave quickly. Waverly smiled and walked past the three of them. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Although she said she did not know where Anthony was, she walked right toward Anthony''s tent. chapter 1538 chapter 1538 Anthony seethed with rage in his tent as he red at the tent''s ceiling when, all of a sudden, he felt his head buzzing. He lost all recollection of why he was even here. He looked around bewilderedly. A tent? Why was he here? Anthony sat up and looked at the couples all over the ce before his eyesnded on Charmine, who was not too far away. Looking at how close she was with Maurice, he then pieced everything together. Charmine and Maurice were having a vacation in this resort, and they were about to share a room. Anthony stared at the two of them being so intimate, and his heart plunged. The thought of the two of them sharing the room at night was a stab to his heart. Just as the thought loomed over him, a shadow appeared before him. He looked up to see that it was Waverly. His eyes seemingly froze over as he curtly spoke, "What are you doing here?" Waverly said, "Mother asked me to apany you here." Anthony¡¯s entire being reeked with disdain. "Get lost!" Waverly was unfazed, however, as she said unhurriedly, ''The reporters are outside waiting for us. Do you want everyone to see how you treat me?" Anthony narrowed his darkened eyes. He did not care what others thought, but he had to keep this show on for Charmine¡¯s sake. Noticing his hesitation, Waverly smirked as she sat beside him. "Are you hungry? I''ll ask the cafe to send some food over." Anthony intentionally kept his distance from her, his face cold as he did. " Whatever." With that said, heid inside the tent and supported his head with both hands, still staring at Charmine''s tent. Outside another tent... Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Charmine saw Waverly dangerously close to Anthony, and her hands clenched tightly. Was Anthony not repulsed by Waverly? In other words, did he ask Waverly toe here for a vacation after all? How funny that would be. He was so busy that he did not evene home when Charmine was about to marry him. He did not care about their wedding and told her off for being too proactive and clingy. At this moment, Waverly was preparing their wedding, and he asked for help and even neglected his child! 1 He even made time to spend with his fiancee in this resort. Hrious! As expected, when a person stopped loving someone, no matter what their significant other did, it would still seem wrong. Charmine felt sick to her stomach. She held onto her alcohol and gulped down mouthfuls after another. She was even more peeved when she saw Anthony and Waverly sitting next to one another, enjoying their dinner. She drank more. All Charmine wanted to do was to get drunk and clear her thoughts. It might have been because she drank loads with an empty stomach that even though she never got drunk, she actually got drunk half an hourter and fell into Maurice''s arms. Maurice saw her in his arms, and his body tensed. He quickly put down everything in his hand and lowered his head to look at her. Chris exined, "Mommy is drunk." There was a look of concern on Maurice''s face as he supported her gently. "Grandpa, Mommy is drunk," reminded Chris. "Take her home to rest in the room. There are so many insects here." "Okay.¡± Maurice agreed but did not know how to carry her. Chris pestered, "Grandpa, what are you doing, standing still? Carry her!¡± Maurice clenched his fists and lifted her into his arms, quickly walking toward their room. Meanwhile... Anthony spotted Maurice carrying Charmine, and his eyes exuded chills. He tossed the fork away and marched over. Waverly was still eating at the time. When he tossed the fork away, the soup dirtied her expensive dress. chapter 1539 chapter 1539 Waverly bit her lip, but just as she was about to get angry, she noticed how vexed Anthony was. She had to bite back her anger. When Anthony walked to the tent, Chris was still munching his drumstick. Anthony had a straight face as he asked, "Chris Bailey, have you forgotten about the mission I assigned you?¡± Chris retorted matter-of-factly, "Mommy is drunk, so Grandpa carried her inside to rest." The ruthlessness Anthony emitted grew even more vicious as he then followed after Maurice, who had Charmine in his arms. D*mn it! Charmine was drunk, and Maurice was taking her into the room? If Maurice did anything physical to Charmine when she was drunk, Anthony would not forgive him! The more he thought about it, the more frantic Anthony became as he picked up his pace. As he arrived outside the living room, he noticed that the door was not closedpletely. The living room was dark, and only the room was lit up. Why the hurry? Maurice did not even close the door! Boiling with anger, Anthony barged in with clenched fists. When he was outside the room, he saw... Maurice gently ced Charmine on the bed and covered the nket for her. He did not touch her at all. Maurice looked concerned as he gazed at Charmine. He sighed, went to the bathroom, and came back out with a bucket of water. He gently cleaned Charmine''s face and rubbed her hands. He looked so careful and did not intend to touch her when she was drunk nor do anything inappropriate to her. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Anthony stood in the darkened living room, his furious expression subsiding overtime. So...he took things to a stretch after all? Right. Why would Charmine fall for an indecent man? Looking at how gentle Maurice cared for Charmine, he thought of how he could only hurt and bring pain to Charmine. He felt helpless. Finally, she had found a perfect man who was good enough for her. He should be happy for her. Since he could not give her what she deserved, why would he stop her from finding happiness? Anthony clenched his fists so tightly that his veins became visible. His eyes had reddened as he looked at Charmine who wasying in bed. He turned to leave the door. He had been struggling internally all this while. He was worried that she might feel hurt after the breakup, worried that the man she found would only go for her status and looks. Now...she truly had moved on from him. She had found herself a man whom she loved and loved her back. Anthony should feel reassured. Despite all that...why did his heart still ache? Anthony walked into another room and locked himself in. He held onto a bottle of strong alcohol. As though releasing his pent-up anger, he arched his head, showcasing how defined his jawline was, and gulped down one mouthful after another. When Waverly saw that Anthony had left, she looked around to see couples cozying up to their significant other. No longer in the mood to stick around, Waverly stood up and started looking for Anthony inside the resort. When she pushed open a door, she saw Anthony drinking on his own. He drank the alcohol as if they were water, gulping mouthfuls and mouthfuls. Worse still, the alcohol had a high concentration. With a frown on her face, Waverly walked up to Anthony and said," Anthony, you''ll hurt yourself drinking like this! Nial said your stomach isn¡¯t well, so stop drinking. If anything happens to you, what would I say to your mother!?¡¯¡¯ By that point, Waverly was already at Anthony¡¯s side as she then tried to take the bottle away from him. Anthony, however, remained stone-cold as he pushed her away coldly. "Get lost!" He gulped another mouthful, his eyes visibly bleary and his face cold as ever. "If you want to get married as nned, vanish from my sight, now!" 1 Waverly''s heart sank. If Charmine was genuinely with Maurice, he would not have to keep up with this pretense, and he might end up canceling the wedding! chapter 1540 chapter 1540 Waverly bit her lip-she had to obey Anthony. "Alright, I¡¯ll leave," she conceded, "but drink less. Don''t hurt your stomach again." "Get lost!¡± he growled and smashed the ss bottle. Anthony seemed to be furious without relief, so much so that he smashed yet another bottle against the floor. Waverly cried out a little, visibly terrified as she did. Her hands flung to her chest in fear, yet her supposed gentle disposition remained stered on her face. "Call me if anything," she bleated. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Afraid that he might get crazy again, she quickly escaped from the room, but Anthony''s words continued to ring in her ears even after she left. Waverly could hear from his impatient tone that he was no longer interested in marrying her. 1 In case Charmine and Maurice were genuinely together, he no longer had to act. Knowing his temper, he would do anything to cancel the wedding, even on the wedding day itself. This must not happen! If she could not make him forget about Charmine, she must make Charmine forget him. Waverly''s expression grew malicious. She had a change of direction, walking to the back of the resort and standing in the shadows under a tree. From this spot, she could see Anthony''s room without blinds. She waited and watched as Anthony gulped down his alcohol. An hourter, she noticed that he was t on his back on the floor. Waverly cautiously waited for another ten minutes to make sure he was fully drunk-sleeping before entering his room. The room was filled with the strong scent of alcohol and empty bottles all over the floor. Anthony, lying on the floor, was unconscious. Waverly towered over him as she stared down at him. She had a smirk on her face as she then tried her best to carry his heavy body onto the bed. Instantly, she removed his clothes and then hers, lying next to him once done. This was the first she got so close to him. Even though he was unconscious, her heart still skipped a beat looking at his strongly built body and his handsome face. 2 Waverly looked at him with thirst and excitement. In less than a month, she was about to own this wless, perfect man. She would remove all hurdle that stopped her from bing Mrs. Bailey! Waverly smiled and leaned on his chest. She fell asleep with satisfaction, i The next morning, Charmine woke up with a migraine. She massaged her temples and thought of the incident yesterday. Her heart started aching again. She wanted to know if Anthony truly hade to Rose Garden for a vacation with Waverly. However, if she went out so abruptly, she might bump into him and would have no exnation for that. Charmine thought about it and put on her sportswear for a morning run. When she ran past the front yard, she saw Anthony''s original tent left open. It was empty inside. She frowned and let out a sigh of relief. He must have gone back, then? He probably did not stay the night with Waverly. Charmine somehow felt relieved and continued jogging. However, when she jogged past the backyard, she heard some couples talking among themselves. "The concentration of the alcohol is so high! I wonder if anything happened." "I heard the seller was afraid of causing harm and didn''t dare to sell them, but he was afraid of getting fired, too!" "It¡¯s Anthony Bailey! He owns this ce. Who dares to disobey him?" "Oh gosh! I wonder how he is now. The staff kept sending alcohol over, and there were at least ten bottles¡¯" "Those alcohols were way more concentrated than the usual ones. How strong!" Charmine could not help slowing her ce. Were they talking about Anthony? He did not leave and stayed in his room, ordering bottles and bottles of alcohol? 1 Why did he drink so much? Was he trying to make himself feel better by getting drunk? Was she not the only one who felt this way? chapter 1541 chapter 1541 Charmine found the entire situation hrious before, suddenly, her heart sank. Anthony''s stomach was in a bad state already, and he finished a lot of bottles. What if... Charmine felt her heart leap to her throat, not hesitating to run back to the front yard. She asked for Anthony''s room number at the reception. Anxiety haunted Charmine, knowing that he had been drinking a lot. She took the room card and ran over. The moment she pushed open the door, the strong scent of alcohol overwhelmed her senses. She saw more than ten empty bottles on the floor, and her heart froze over. Foolish man! Was he crazy? Why did he drink so much on his own? Seeing that the living room was empty, she marched into the room. The moment she pushed open the bedroom door, what came to sight first was the pile of clothes on the floor. Other than Anthony''s, there were women''s clothes. Charmine froze outside the door. Her cold eyes looked at the red dress incredulously. She suddenly recalled seeing Waverly dressed in this same dress when she made her way to her.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Charmine''s breathing stopped. Her face was pale. Although she was certain of it, she still did not want to believe it. She did not believe that Anthony and Waverly hade this far. Charmine gradually willed her legs to move toward them. Before getting too close, she could already see two people lying in bed. Anthony was half-naked, sleeping soundly while Waverly was entirely naked, lying in his arms. They were even cuddling... Charmine''s eyes widened at the sight and felt her head exploding, followed by a sharp pain that expanded from within. Her face lost all color and turned snow-like white. Her entire frame trembled. A moment ago, she still happily assumed that Anthony and Waverly did not sleep here. This sight pped her right across the face. Charmine''s heart twinged as though ants bit on it, and she, overridden with despair, left. The moment she closed the door, Waverly, who was in bed, opened her eyes darkly. She eyed the tightly shut door and smirked to herself, pleased. 2 This way, Charmine would never return Anthony. Waverly quickly put on her clothes and left quietly...and everything happened without Anthony having an inkling of it. Charmine had the migraine again, and her head felt as if pricked by thousands of needles. She was in so much pain that she could not breathe. Still, she steeled herself and clenched her fists tightly, body trembling as she endured the pain, running out of the resort swiftly. Anthony Bailey. He could anger her, stop loving her, or even harm her, but getting physically intimate with another woman was herst straw. 1 He knew she hated this the most, yet he did it anyway, so carefreely. They would never get back, ever. However much she loved him, even if their breakup was a misunderstanding, she would never forgive him. Within half a month, he sessfully showed her how a man could stop loving a woman, how a man could turn from being all over his woman to having no love left for her. She did not realize it herself, but she had driven herself back to Violet Vi. Looking at the empty vi, she had shbacks of all the memories with Anthony. She walked up the stairs and held onto the handrail, gazing around with dulled eyes. This used to be their loving home...but it only disgusted her at this point. There was no need for this ce to exist anymore. Charmine''s eyes went cold. She walked into the garage and came back out with a tank full of gasoline, 1 As if she had lost her soul, her eyes were nk as she mechanically poured the liquid all over the vi. chapter 1542 chapter 1542 Charmine threw the first ssh, then another... Including the garage, any ce that had associations with Anthony was sshed with gasoline. Nobody knew what she was feeling, and nobody knew how much it hurt to destroy a ce once thought to be her ''forever-loving-home''. However, she could not ept any deceiver. Once Charmine finished pouring gasoline all over the ce, she arrogantly stood by the vi''s gate, her eyes dull as she stared nkly at this luxury vi. Narrowing her eyes, she took out a cigarette and ignited it. Her fair fingers held onto the cigarette, and her sexy red lips blew out smoke. With a sh of disdain in her eyes, Charmine rolled up the lighter, not once hesitating as she flung it toward the vi. Boot! A huge spark lit up half of the sky as a mushroom-like shaped smoke rose. The fire was so vigorous that it did not take long before the entire vi was engulfed in mes. The sky above her head turned into an eye-stabbing bright red. Charmine stood before the vi gate arrogantly as if she was not burning her own properly. Her eyes had no hint of regret nor emotions. She took another inhale of the cigarette and exhaled. Her empty palm caught the ashes that floated mid-air. She eyed her palm for a moment before a mocking smile made its way to her face. She flicked her wrist and threw it away. The ashes symbolized thest hint of feelings she had for Anthony. They flew in the air and eventually vanished. Someone had called the fire department at the sight of a horrifyingly vigorous me, and a fire truck rushed over quickly. A group of people tried to put out the me while Charmine calmly stopped them. ''This is my property, and I no longer want it,¡± she harrumphed proudly. "I don''t need you people to mind my business." The firemen looked at her in shock, taken aback by her arrogance and calmness. The most shocking of all was the fact that this vi was valued at several billions, yet she had it swallowed in mes! Charmine looked at the giant me that lit up everything in front of her, up until therge vi turned into ashes. Charmine''s eyes reddened, yet her red lips twisted into a proud smirk. She smiled. From this moment onward, she had nothing to do with Anthony Bailey at all. 2 The firemen stayed until the fire was outpletely, leaving when only the smoke of the aftermath remained. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Charmine went back to the hotel provided by the filming crew and started packing. Maurice woke up early in the morning and was shocked when he did not see Charmine in the room. Only Chris was left in there. Recalling what happened between her and Anthonyst night, he grew worried and urgently phoned her. The moment she picked up, he let out a sigh of relief. "Gem, where did you go so early in the morning?" "I left," replied Charmine emotionlessly. "Send Chris back to Anthony. Thank you." She did not wait for his reply before hanging up. Maurice listened to the beep and was bewildered. Charmine''s whole tone sounded off. She was leaving the kid behind? Was she busy? Maurice washed up before gently waking up Chris and brought him to find Anthony. Anthony woke up with a migraine. When he saw what scattered before him, he abruptly recalled what happenedst night. He looked at Maurice and Chris coldly, saying, "What are you doing here?" "Charmine asked me to bring Chris back to you," replied Maurice. "She''s busy." Anthony''s expression grew ice-cold furious. Was she that impatient to spend alone-time with Maurice? Thinking of how well Maurice took care of Charmine, however, Anthony could not get angry. Anthony had no right to say anything, even if Charmine wanted to marry Maurice. He had nothing to offer her. chapter 1543 chapter 1543 Anthony insisted upon himself that all that mattered was Charmine¡¯s happiness. He would rather be the only one left hurting. 1 Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. After Maurice drove away, he could not help thinking of Charmine''s strange tone during the call. He was very worried. Charmine said she had left. Had she returned to the hotel, then? Maurice sped up and rushed back to the hotel provided by the filming crew. He ran up to her door and rang the bell. When she finally revealed herself to be in one piece, he finally let out a sigh of relief and asked, "Gem, why did youe back so early?" Did she not say that she wanted a vacation yesterday? Charmine looked at him with her clear eyes and said calmly, "I no longer want the vacation, so I came back.¡± Maurice was taken aback as he gazed at her. He had this feeling that Charmine had somehow changed, but he just could not point his finger at which part of her had changed. 1 He entered her room and asked, "Gem, have you eaten? What would you like to eat? I''ll go out and get it for you." "No need." Charmine sat on the sofa emotionlessly. "You don''t have to treat me so well, Mo-I got closer to you just to trigger Anthony. I no longer see the point in continuing to do that." 2 Charmine felt stupid for what she had done. She put on a show for that dolt and ended up hurting herself. He was not worth it. Recalling Maurice''s acts of kindness, Charmine''s expression softened. " Thank you, Mo." Charmine''s confession did note as a shock nor hurt to Maurice. Instead, he kindly replied, "I''ve always known, Gem. You don''t have to feel bad. When we first met, I already told the press that I won''t get married. I acted along with you because I treat you like my niece, my friend, my younger sister. I don¡¯t have other intentions." Charmine blinked and was shocked by how mature he was. ''Thank you, Mo...for putting up with me, even when you knew I was using you," she muttered. "It¡¯s okay. Don¡¯t be so polite." He smiled at her. "You''re my family now." Charmine''s lips parted. She wanted to smile at him but realized the muscles on her lips could no longer bring her lips to smile. 2 She had forgotten howto smile. She pursed her lips and said, "I don¡¯t want to stay in this hotel anymore, Mo." All she wanted at that moment was to live alone. She no longer wanted to be bothered by the outside world. She wanted to heal herself. "Hmm?" Maurice looked at her confused. "Why? Is it because of me? Did I cause you any trouble? If so, it''s okay, I''ll move out." "No." Charmine shook her head. "I''ve always liked being alone." She moved into the provided hotel to put up a facade against Anthony. All this was meaningless already. She wanted to be herself again. Maurice did not insist on the matter as he relented. "Alright, then." Charmine nodded and continued packing. Half an hourter, Eric learned about her decision, and he came over with William and Alexander. Alexander''s teasing expression faltered when he saw her. "What''s the matter, babe? Where are you moving to?" Eric remained cool-headed as always, though his tone had a hint of concern as he chimed in, "You''re not going to continue with this show?" William refrained from showing his concern visibly as he tried to look at Charmine gently. "Ms. Jordan, is there anything I can do for you?" Charmine looked at them and continued packing calmly, nonchntly saying, "I''mpletely fine; I just want to live somewhere else. I found a ce. I don''t need any help." chapter 1544 chapter 1544 Alexander looked at the luggage that was double Charmine''s size and said, "My darling, you may keep us away from everything else, but let us help you with this luggage." William nodded. "That''s right, Ms. Jordan. The luggage is so heavy, and it''ll be troublesome if it gets knocked over." Maurice gently added, "Gem, we all have lots of time. We can help you out with the luggage. It¡¯s no problem." Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Charmine looked at all the men around her, and her hardened heart somehow grew warm. She thought that she had lost her whole world and was the only one alone after losing Anthony. She realized just how many people cared for her. 1 Charmine squeezed out a small smile. "It''s really okay. How weak am I if I can¡¯t even handle this luggage?" The guys had more to say, but Charmine pushed them out. "Okay, I''ll be fine on my own. Don''t worry. If anything happens, I''ll go look for you all and won¡¯t feel embarrassed about it." All four men were pushed out by a woman. The door mmed shut in their faces and gave them no room to speak. The few of them exchanged looks. Finally, Maurice blurted, "Gem, if you ever need any help, call us!" "Okay. Just go!" It was only then did all four men had the will to leave. Charmine finished packing and went downstairs with luggage bigger than her. She then put the luggage inside her car. Passers-by looked at her and pitied her. What a smalldy who had to carry such big, heavy luggage! A few people wanted to help, but they noticed just how stern she was with her expression. None of them darede forward. Charmine made a few trips before moving all of her stuff out from the hotel and drove them to her new vi. Anthony went home with Chris and saw the news. #Charmine¡¯s-Vi-On-Fire The news showed the sight of Violet Vi in mes. Anthony''s body practically emitted ruthlessness as his fists on the table clenched tightly, so much so that his veins grew obvious through the skin. She actually burnt Violet Vi and everything that reminded her of him? What did that mean? Others might see it as her having too much money to burn for fun. To him, he knew better than anyone else that he no longer existed in her world. There were so many beautiful memories in that vi. They said they would grow old in that vi...yet she destroyed it. Charmine turned all their past and future into ashes. It felt like a knife was plunged right into his heart, and he tensed in pain. Even his stomach was in pain. His eyes darkened as they focused still on the vi swallowed in mes. Suddenly, he felt something rushing up his throat and- "Mrbf!" His hand flung to his chest as he spat out a mouthful of blood. That still did not faze him. He continued ring at the image, his heart still aching. However much pain he felt, he knew he deserved them. So what if he could not let go? He was the one who heartlessly pushed her away. He was the one who ripped the love out of her. Anthony tried to withstand the pain, and the veins on his neck protruded as a result. His face was pale with blood on the corner of his lips, and all his veins grew visible at that point. He looked terrifying. His stomach was contracting, but it was nothing close to the stab he felt in his chest that made him breathless. He looked as if his soul was sucked out of him. He walked to the sofa and slumped into it,pletely wasted. He picked up a bottle of alcohol and started gulping. However, the more he drank, the clearer his head became. No. Even if Charmine had stopped loving him, he still loved her deeply. He could not remove her from his world. He had to see how happy she was so he could be assured, so he knew that everything he had done was worth it. Anthony tossed the ss onto the floor heavily. He staggered up and went into the bathroom to compose himself. chapter 1545 chapter 1545 Anthony walked out through the door as he phoned Luke. "Find out where she is." Luke knew who Anthony meant and started investigating Charmine''s whereabouts. Quickly, Luke replied, "She''s at XX Vi." Anthony clenched the steering wheel tightly as his entire being emanated cold fury. A new vi? She moved into a new vi with Maurice? Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. He stomped on the gas pedal and raced toward the location, wind-like. Before he even arrived, he spotted a luxury car parked in front of the vi... but only Charmine got out of the car. She opened up the car boot and struggled to take out her heavy luggage. Anthony narrowed his eyes. What on earth was this? What kind of man was Maurice?! Was he going to treat her this way after having Charmine to himself? How could he be reassured this way? Anthony got out of his car and walked over, but after taking a few steps, he retreated and stood under a tree. He was no longer in her world. Knowing Charmine so well, he knew that once she cut someone out from her life, she would never need their help. Anthony looked at her solemnly. It hurt him as he watched her carrying the big, heavy luggage. An older man happened to walk past, and an idea urred to Anthony. He went forward and said, "Sir, could you help that woman to carry her luggage? I''ll pay you.¡± The man looked over and saw Charmine carrying a heavy luggage. Unable to ept such a sight, he agreed, "Of course." "Thank you." Assured with this, Anthony took out a stack of cash from his wallet. "Thank you." The man was an honest man as he declined, saying, "No need. I''m just trying to help." Anthony insisted that he kept the cash. "Keep them, and don¡¯t tell her about anyone asking you to help her." "Alright." The man kept the money and walked toward Charmine while Anthony went back inside his car and put on his sunsses. He continued looking in her direction. The man finally approached Charmine and began helping her move things out of her car boot without asking her. Charmine was justing back out when she saw a stranger helping her to move her luggage. She said, "Thank you, Sir, but I can manage myself." The man remembered what Anthony told him and said, "Youngdy, I don''t have bad intentions. I can¡¯t stand the sight of you moving these alone. Don''t worry, I¡¯ll leave after helping you move them inside." With that said, he continued his mission. Charmine looked at his figure and felt a surge of warmth. This man had an honest and kind look. He somehow reminded her of Maurice. Since the man insisted on helping, she would not turn him down. Charmine allowed him to keep helping her to move in her belongings. Maurice¡¯s worry still haunted him, even after he exited the hotel. He sat still for ten or so minutes and could no longer take it. He wanted to drive and find Charmine. Even if she did not need his help, watching over her would reassure him even more. He quickly drove over, and his car drove past Anthony''s, pulling over right in front of her gate. Anthony''s eyes darkened. He red at the luxury car that just appeared. It was Maurice. Heh. He only came after their belongings were moved in? Was this how he was treating Charmine? Anthony clenched his steering wheel tightly as he struggled to repress his anger. Meanwhile, Maurice got out of his car and saw the man walking out of Charmine''s vi. That took him aback as he instantly called out gently, "Cousin? Why are you here?" chapter 1546 chapter 1546 Even the man looked at Maurice in shock. "Maurice? What are you doing here?" "My friend lives here," replied Maurice, "and I came over to have a look." "The youngdy is your friend?" "Yeah." Maurice nodded and looked at the vi with a gentle gaze, though he did not spot Charmineing out. The man remarked, "You''re a littlete. I happened to walk past and saw her moving things on her own. She looked so pitiable, so I came forward to help out." Maurice found it suspicious. Charmine told them not to help her, but she allowed a stranger to help her? "Yeah," he sighed. "I came toote." The man patted his shoulder. "Alright, go in and have a look. Let¡¯s meet up when we have time." "Alright, take care." Maurice nodded politely. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only After moving in her belongings, Charmine looked at the strange rooms and felt unusually dispirited. She walked out to the balcony to take a breather. When she looked up, she saw Maurice standing outside her gate. When did hee? Also, why was he talking to the man who helped her out? She narrowed her eyes and watched as the two of them chatted. The man knew Maurice? Had Maurice asked his friend to help her out after she said she did not want help? Was Maurice worried? She stared at both men meaningfully. Maurice was so caring and thoughtful. She had mixed feelings. Even though she was grateful, she did not want to owe him a favor. Charmine pursed her lips and walked down. Maurice was standing before the gate, about to press the doorbell when she pushed open the door. "Gem!" He looked at her and asked, "Where are you going?" Charmine said, ''TH buy you a meal, Mo." Maurice was suspicious. Why so sudden? Charmine did not borate as she went toward his car and got in. "It''s lunchtime, so let¡¯s go." She would also give him a gift as a thank-you token for all the care he showed for her. He treated her so well, so much so that it unsettled her. Maurice did not question Charmine¡¯s decision as he entered the car and drove away...all while Anthony watched them both. Was she unaware that he was the one who asked for the man to help her carry in her belongings? She instead treated Maurice so well and offered to buy him a meal? His entire being emitted fury as he clenched the steering wheel tightly, so much so that his veins bulged. He immediately drove after them. Charmine and Maurice arrived at a fine dining restaurant. Maurice ordered a small bowl of sd as he usually would when they got to order their food. Charmine was used to it but was still worried that he did not have enough, so she ordered an extra te of pasta. When the dishes were presented, he ate very little sd and had not much of an appetite. Charmine took the pasta and poured in all sorts of powder and condiments, stirring it afterward. The originally boring, in pasta looked very appetizing after she put in the mixtures. Charmine''s act intrigued Maurice as he looked at her stirring the pasta. Suddenly, he had an appetite, and it showed in his eyes. 1 Perhaps he started developing his appetite whenever Charmine made him food. This pasta was prepared by the restaurant, but after she added things into it, it spiked his appetite. Charmine met his eyes and was caught off-guard momentarily. She then handed the stirred pasta to him. "Try it, Mo." Maurice turned her down. "No. You ordered this, so you eat it." "I can''t eat so much," insisted Charmine. ''Try it." Maurice then relented, epted the pasta, and had a bite. It was surprisingly delicious. Charmine''s lips curled up. "Delicious?" "Yeah!" The two exchanged grins, just like a couple deeply in love would. Outside the restaurant, Anthony sat in his car, his sunsses still nestled at the bride of his nose as he red at the two angrily. chapter 1547 chapter 1547 Charmine even stirred the pasta for Maurice? So, Charmine genuinely liked him, did she? She was never that nice to Anthony when they were together, and it hurt Anthony, feeling as though he was stabbed multiple times in the chest. After the meal, Maurice and Charmine went to the mall. Still not knowing what to give Maurice as a gift, she then spotted a handcrafted tie shop not far away. She turned to Maurice and said, "Mo, let''s go in and have a look, alright?" "Okay.¡± Maurice was completely unaware of her intention of buying something for him, thus he went in to apany her. As they entered the shop, Charmine asked Maurice, "Mo, what colors do you like? What kind, and what material?" Maurice thought she was using him as an example, thus he told her his insight on which materials were better with which type of suits. Charmine took out her ck card and said to the staff, "Pack each color and design of the materials he mentioned earlier." The staff was shocked. She had never seen such a wealthy customer. Each tie was at least a few hundred thousand! She bought a dozen without even raising her eyebrows! Maurice, startled as Charmine paid everything, then asked, "You bought so much, Gem. Who''s it for?" Charmine held on to the gift box and handed it to him. "For you." Maurice reeled back in shock as he frowned. "No, it¡¯s too expensive." Charmine¡¯s red lips curved into a smile. "It¡¯s not. Take it. Thank you for taking care of me." Maurice felt an inexplicable weight on his heart when he heard Charmine''s words. She behaved rather strangely. Even during the meal, he felt as if she was trying to return all the kindness he had shown her before. 1 It felt as if something was slipping away from his hand, and he had no power to grasp it. Noticing Maurice spacing out, Charmine forced the box into his hand. "Mo, if you don¡¯t ept this, I''ll feel bad.¡± Maurice really did not want to keep them. He treated her like his sister and had no other intention. She must have made a mistake. However, if he did not keep it, she might feel bad and ufortable in their future interactions, and he did not want that. Maurice could only reach out and epted the gift. "Thank you." "You¡¯re wee." The two of them walked out of the mall. Since Charmine did not drive her car, she wanted to hail a taxi home. However, the corner of her eyes saw a luxury car parked not far away from her. Her eyes gleamed coldly as she instantly entered Maurice¡¯s car instead. 1 Anthony''s car followed after them. What could he do after following them to her new vi, though? Could he go and stop them? When the door shut, Maurice could hug Charmine, kiss her face... Anthony''s heart sank. His knuckles surfaced to the skin as he clenched the steering wheel. After a moment of silence, he took out his phone to call Chris. "Go to Mommy¡¯s vi and keep an eye on her. Don''t let Maurice get too close to her." i "Huh?" Chris, at this point, already supported the two of them to be together. "Daddy, just let go," he muttered. "Mommy and Grandpa are happy.¡± Anthony''s eyes darkened as he growled, "Go to her vi and keep an eye on her!" That startled Chris. Still, since apanying his Mommy was not a bad idea, he packed up his things and went over regardless. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Anthony was so angry that his green veins grew visible. He tossed his phone away inside the car and turned away. He did not want to see any sight of Charmine being so intimate with Maurice. chapter 1548 chapter 1548 Maurice sent Charmine home. Since she did not invite him toe inside, he did not ask to go in. All he asked of her was to contact him should she need anything before he drove away. Entering her vi, she went and stood on the second-floor balcony, looking down coldly. It was empty downstairs, and that luxury car was nowhere in sight. Why did Anthony follow her, then? Did he want to seek pleasure in her suffering? Heh. How ironic. Most ironic of all, even though she no longer wanted to care for him and she had decided to remove this person from her life, her heart was jumbled up once more after seeing his car. Charmine hated it, so she turned and went to the gym. As though releasing her anger, she ran quickly on the treadmill, beads of sweat dotting her face. Ten or so minutester, the doorbell rang. She frowned. Who could it be? She told Alexander and the rest to note, so they would note. The only possibility was...Anthony? The moment his name shed in her mind, Charmine lost focus and tripped, unable to catch up with the treadmill''s speed, causing her to reel off of the machine horribly. Her ankles twisted as she fell on her knees heavily. "Argh!" Her face was pale as she cried out in pain. Her knees began to bleed, and the doorbell still rang. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Charmine simply picked up a towel to wipe off the blood. She endured the pain as she staggered toward the door and looked at the CCTV, only to find out that it was Chris! She opened the door and blurted in shock, "Why did youe, my dear?¡± Chris'' doe eyes twinkled at her, but just as he was about to reply, he noticed how Charmine''s face seemed somewhat pale. He gazed at her closer and noticed that her knees were bloodied. rmed, Chris cried out, "Mommy, what happened to you?!" "It''s nothing." Charmine tried to fend off to pain at her ankles as she pulled Chris inside. "Don''t worry, I''ll sort it out myself." She then walked off to find the medical aid box. However, Chris saw her gait and found out that her knees were not the only body parts injured. Did she twist her ankles? He was so worried that his face crumpled like a bun. He instantly took out his phone to call Anthony, "Daddy, Mommy had a bad fall!" "What?" Anthony''s heart sank, and he quickly got out of his car and ran to the vi. " Open the door!" "Huh?" Chris was shocked. "Open the door?" "Come out and open the door!" His Daddy was already here? So soon? Instantly, he went out to open the door. When Charmine came back with the medical box, she found an extra figure inside her vi. She looked up to see the tall Anthony standing before her. He was in his ck suit, looking expensive and handsome. His handsome face seemed tense with an unnoticeable hint of worry. He looked right at her. Charmine''s heart fluttered. It felt as if they had never broken up...until her mind brought her back to the image of him sleeping with Waverly yesterday. Her clear eyes were covered with ayer of frost. "You¡¯re not wee here," she snarled. "Get out!" Anthony''s eyes turned a few shades darker. Why was her attitude so cold? Was she waiting for Maurice to treat her wound instead? Was she worried that if he helped her, Maurice might see it and get jealous? Anthony clenched his fists and felt his ego crushed by her feet. He pursed his lips and felt his heart punctured, but the sight of her bloody, bruised legs that were once fair invoked worry in him. He walked over, wanting to take over the medical box to treat her, but... Before he got close, Charmine took a step back and scoffed, "I told you to leave! Did you not understand?" Chris was bewildered at what happened before his eyes. Why was Charmine suddenly so cold to Anthony? Anthony did not seem to care as he came toward her and lifted her anyway. Every cell in Charmine repulsed this as she swung her fists at him. "Do not touch me! Get out! Get out of here!" chapter 1549 chapter 1549 Anthony''s expression was cold as he forcefully lifted Charmine to the sofa. He took up the medical box and was about to clean her wound. Charmine''s head was filled with images of him with Waverly. Seeing how close they were, she was like an agitated kitten, with every strand of its fur standing on the edge as she growled, "Go away! I don¡¯t want you to touch me!" She kicked the medical box in front of her. Thunk! The medical box fell onto the floor heavily, just like her anger. The box¡¯s contents spilled all over the floor. Anthony pursed his lips. He gazed at her, though nowhere did it look hostile, as he picked up the medical box and said, "You''re someone that my son genuinely cares about. He''s worried if you''re hurt, and I don''t want him to be." Charmine jolted, and her eyes grew dull. He came over just because Chris cared about her? If Chris did not care about her, would he even be here at all? Charmine''s face turned pale. Biting back the pain that gnawed on her ankles, she kicked Anthony. "Get lost! I don''t want to see you! I''m not in a good mood, and I won''t let you stay just because you''re Memo¡¯s father! Go away!" She lifted her leg and started kicking him. Anthony''s figure tensed and allowed Charmine to kick him. However, looking at the wound in her leg, he carried her back to the sofa. Charmine hit his back angrily. "Go away! Don''t touch me! Let go of me!" However, no matter how hard she hit him, Anthony endured it all as he gently bandaged her knees. He even put ayer of ointment on them. Charmine could clearly feel the warmth in his hands. Between each move, she could feel that he still cared for her. She halted and felt confused. This felt as if... They had not broken up. It felt as if they were still happily in love. However, Anthony was worried that Charmine did not like this, so he got it done quickly and finished dressing her wound in no time. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. After bandaging, he stood up. "I''ll leave now. Take care, Ms. Jordan." Charmine snapped out of her thoughts. Heh. Why the rush? Was he in a hurry to continue nning for his wedding? Good lord! What was she even thinking? He had already slept with Waverly. There was no hope left between them! 1 Withstanding the pain around her ankles, she stood up and pushed him out forcefully. "Get out of my sight! Don''t show yourself in front of me ever again, you disgusting douchebag!" Disgusting douchebag? He never expected her to call him with that name. Anthony saw the chill in her eyes, and his heart ached. Did she...truly have no more feelings for him, so much so that she did not allow him to clean her wound properly? Did she only want Maurice? His entire being felt burdened, lethargic. He was worried and did not want to leave, but he did not want to trigger her any further. He could only let her push him out. When he was outside the door, he frowned tightly and looked at her, saying with concern, "Keep your wound away from water-" "Get lost! Don''t act in front of me!" Standing at her doorway, Charmine ruthlessly removed the bandage he put on her and tossed it away. "I find this dirty that you touched it!" m! She shut the door with a resounding m. Anthony stood before the door and looked at the bandage she tossed out, his eyes crestfallen, dulled, cold. She was disgusted by him bandaging her knees? It felt as if it was his heart that was tossed onto the floor. Even though she was with Maurice, did she have to treat him this way? Just because Maurice might get jealous? Had she forgotten what she had said when he got jealous, back when they were still together? She said that she did not like narrow-hearted men! She must have loved Maurice that badly, did she? 2 They had so many hurdles along the way, yet their stable rtionship waspletely destroyed within half a month. Anthony clenched his fists and felt pain even when he breathed. He was in so much pain that he had no energy to walk. He pressed his forehead, and the vision below his palm turned red... chapter 1550 chapter 1550 This was the first time Chris had seen his Mommy and Daddy arguing so seriously. It took him a while before he reacted. Noticing the wound on Charmine''s knees had gotten worse, he did not have time to ask her about it before he contacted Maurice. Afraid that Charmine might turn him down, he texted Maurice secretly. [Grandpa, Mommy had a bad, bad fall. Hurry ande over!) Within ten minutes, Maurice rushed into Charmine''s vi with a doctor. Meanwhile, Anthony was still in his car outside the vi. He narrowed his eyes in disbelief when he saw Maurice rushing in with a doctor. She chased him out so cold-heartedly for Maurice toe? Maurice entered through the door with a doctor, and it baffled Charmine. How did he find out? Chris exined, "Mommy, I asked Grandpa toe over because I¡¯m worried about you..." Charmine realized and thought of how irate she behaved. She eased herself and ruffled his hair. "Don''t be worried." Maurice saw her wound and was concerned. He was about to ask the doctor to do what he had to do when she stopped and declined him. "Don''t bother, Mo. I can sort it out myself." She did not want to owe him anything anymore. Maurice frowned for the first time as he said, "I hired the doctor. Your injury is serious, and you need to be hospitalized. Since the doctor hase, let him have a look. Just pay himter." Charmine felt it again, that sharp pain on her ankles, but still coldly declined, "Really, I can sort it out myself." Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. She was like a hedgehog with all its spikes standing upright, turning away everyone who cared about her. Maurice was exasperated and hurt at Charmine''s stubbornness. After a moment of thought, he said gently, "Gem, are you really letting that past rtionship suffocate you? If you don''t fix your injury now, a scar will remain. Do you want one?" Charmine''s heart dropped. Suffocating herself for that past rtionship? How could that be? She would not suffocate herself for Anthony. Since a permanent scar was made in her heart, she did not need another one on her body. Finally, she nodded. "Fine, then." Maurice then let out a sigh of relief and quickly asked the doctor toe forward. Chris was just as relieved. Thinking of how worried Anthony might have been, he texted him out of ''kindness''. [Daddy, don''t be worried. Grandpa hase over to fix Mommy''s injury. It''s fine now.] Anthony read the text with an ironic look. As expected, Charmine only needed Maurice. It felt as though his heart was stabbed, and it was otherworldly painful. He looked away and drove off, stepping on the gas pedal fiercely as he zipped along the road. When he arrived home, Susan came and stopped him. "Just in time, Anthony. Your wedding suit is ready. Go with Waverly to have a fitting. Let them know what to fix." Anthony looked at her coldly. He wanted to turn her down instinctively but before he spoke, he thought of Maurice with Charmine and pursed his lips. "Fine.¡± Waverly looked at him and had an unnoticeable pride in her eyes. Hehe! Her n was working! She thus walked up to Anthony demurely. "Let''s go." With that said, she reached out and tried to hold him, but Anthony had walked out with a cold face. Her hand hung mid-air. Susan saw it all and reassured her, "Don''t take it personally. Anthony''s always been this way; it takes some time.¡± Waverly put on an understanding look. "It¡¯s okay, Mother. I know.¡± "Go on." Waverly walked out and sat in the backseat. As she gazed at the man in the driver''s seat, she thought of how they shared the bedst night. She was pleased. Furthermore, she was about to get married to him. She would not let anything stand in her way! Her lips twisted into a vague smirk. With a thought in mind, she picked up her phone to text Britney. [I''m going to try on wedding gowns and suits with Anthony. Have it shoot up until we''re trending online.] The two of them arrived at the DA workshop not long after. Anthony''s expression was still distant and cold as he tried the suit robotically. chapter 1551 chapter 1551 Waverly was visibly gleeful as she enjoyed everyone admiring her. After trying on the gown, she thought of how rare it was for Anthony toe out with her. She said, "Anthony, Mother asked me to pick my wedding ring, and I want to buy Ohly''s. It is a meaningful brand, after all." The Ohly brand permitted only one ring purchase per person. Anthony red at her coldly, his thin lips curving into a weak smirk. Did Waverly think they were seriously getting married? Suddenly, he recalled that Ohly was owned by Charmine. Thinking of how happily in love she was with Maurice, his entire being emanated gloom as he emotionlessly replied, "Okay." 1 After they left the workshop, Anthony phoned Ohly''s headquarters and insisted on getting in touch with their president to customize a luxury ring. A hint of pride welled within Waverly as she heard this. She wondered how Charmine would feel when she saw Anthony taking her to buy a ring from her shop? How exciting! At the [Recovery] set. The director had found a new second female lead. Since the progress had been slow, he had everyone return right after they had found the new recement. Maurice looked at Charmine''s injury and said worriedly, "Gem, you should rest for a few days more." Charmine, however, did not quell her stubbornness. "No need." She sat on her seat and toyed with her phone before seeing a trending video clip of Anthony and Waverly trying on their wedding gowns and suits. She found it ironic, looking at this good-looking couple. Anthony dared act all concerned with Charmine in her new vi earlier on, yet he went straight into fitting! What a pretentious man. Since she was no longer in his heart, why did he bother acting? She tossed her phone onto the desk angrily. Since the set was ready, Charmine walked over and got ready. The plot they were filming was that the cheating douchebag found out that his new lover was not what he had anticipated, and he came back begging to get back with Gem. Inside the cafe, Charmine sat coldly with her long legs crossed. She looked elegant and proud. The douchebag sat in front of her and began rambling remorsefully, "It''s my fault, Gem. I¡¯m sorry, and I truly love you. I realized just how great you are after spending time with her. She was the one who seduced me. I wouldn''t have cheated if it wasn''t for her!" Charmine looked at him as if she had seen Anthony. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. What a shameless douchebag. Her eyes were cold and arrogant with a hint of disdain. "You once showed me a passionate love, and then you cheated on me. Is this what love is to you?" The man pleaded, "Gem, it''s my fault. Can you give me another chance, please? I''ll make it up to you! Have you forgotten that we promised to be together, forever?" Charmine''s red lips twisted into a sardonic smile as she haughtily replied, " Forever? That so-called promise was nothing but a joke!" Her eyes were filled with disdain. "Stay away from me! Once you betray me, you won''t be forgiven!" Charmine''s acting and lines were so emotion-evoking that everyone looked at her and held their breath. Gem stood up from her seat as she spoke, gazing at him with her beautiful eyes, red lips parting to say, "Don¡¯t you ever show up in my world again. I don¡¯t want to dirty my eyes! I hope you stay with that woman forever! Only someone like her is good enough for a douche like you. I wish you well." 1 Her cold tone was filled with anger and disdain while her eyes seemed tormented and painful. "How dare you!" Charmine''s co-actor was startled by her acting. Even though he knew they were just acting, it genuinely felt like she was rebuking him. "Cut!" the director called out, and everyone apuded, praising Charmine as they did. Her acting skill was too good! She was not only good at the action scenes, but her punchlines were wless, too! Meanwhile, Charmine felt embittered as she heard their praises. What they saw was her acting, but who could feel her pain? chapter 1552 chapter 1552 Charmine returned to her seat coldly. Maurice, on the other hand, worried about her injury, came to her with a ss of warm water and some painkillers. "Does it hurt? Do you need more rest?" "It''s fine." Charmine''s tone sounded distant, but at the thought of how they had to continue shooting afterward, she took the ss and painkillers from Maurice and thanked him, "Thanks." Maurice was disconcerted as he gazed at her. It felt as if she treated him colder than before. It was as if she was intentionally keeping her distance from him. Did he do something that made her misunderstand? Did she perhaps think that he had ill-intentions? Maurice frowned. Just as he was about to say something, her phone that she tossed onto the table rang. Charmine looked at the caller and noted the caller ID was of herpany, her Ohly. She picked up the phone and answered with a professional tone," What is it?" "President Jordan, a customer wants to spend about 1.3 to 1.4 billion in customizing two matching rings. He wanted you to design them." Charmine remained calm. Even though this was arge sum, she was not interested. "Not taking it. I''m not short on money." "Alright," answered the staff regrettably, ''Til have to turn Mr. Bailey down." Mr. Bailey? That threw Charmine off her bnce. She could not help asking, "Who''s the customer who requested the design?" The staff said, "It''s Mr. Anthony Bailey. He wanted to customize it for his fiancee." Charmine felt a stab in her heart, but her red lips still curled up abruptly. " Anthony Bailey?" Did he do this on purpose? He looked for herpany to get his customized wedding rings and requested her to design them? Why did he bother acting like he cared, then? How pretentious and disgusting! Charmine did not want to care, but with a change of thought, she sneered," I¡¯ll take it." "Okay." After hanging up, Charmine''s slender fingers wrapped around the phone tightly. Whoever he was marrying no longer concerned her. If she rejected Anthony''s request, it would seem as if she had not moved on from him. She no longer wanted to show that she still cared about him. At the Ohlypany. After the staff hung up, he genially said to Anthony, "Mr. Bailey, our President Jordan has epted your request. You may tell us your request. If you don''t have any further requests, please pay the deposit." Anthony''s face tensed and his eyes darkened. He heard it himself that the staff told Charmine his name, yet she so easily epted it? So, she really did not care about him anymore? Even if he was about to marry her rival, even if he treated Waverly so well, she could take it all so easily? Had shepletely let go of the love that he thought was unforgettable? Heh. He did not expect a simple word from her would hurt him so badly. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Anthony''s entire body emitted chills that even affected everything around him. Noticing his glowering face, the staff carefully took out the card payment machine. "Mr. Bailey, you need to pay two hundred million as the deposit." Waverly looked at him nkly. When she saw the deadly re he had on him, her heart shook. The staff around them, meanwhile, looked at Waverly starry-eyed. If Anthony broke his promise at this point, she would be the joke of the town! She wanted to ask him to hurry, but Anthony had a mocking look on his face. He then handed out his card. "Full payment." chapter 1553 chapter 1553 The staff nodded. "Okay." Hearing Anthony''s response, Waverly''s once worried expression was overtaken by smugness. She could feel everyone''s look of admiration. With a victorious smile spreading across her lower face, she could not help reaching out to put her arms around Anthony. "I feel so spoiled, sweetheart.¡± Who would have thought that he would not even blink when spending 1.34 billion! He would spend so much on her! 1 Before she could touch Anthony''s hand, however, he coldly evaded her. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Waverly''s hands hung mid-air. Her face was pale, but she instantly put on a gentle smile and said, "I''m happy." It did not matter what Anthony was thinking. All that mattered was that others thought he treated her well and that she was marrying into the Bailey family. The title was worth it! As for whether he cared about her, she knew and was not lying to herself. He did not care about her. However, they would have more time to spend together once she married him. She believed that he would eventually fall for her! After making the payment, the chill exuded by Anthony intensified. After he took back his card, he marched out with his long legs. Waverly followed after him in her heels, going into his car before Anthony turned toward her, eyes dark as he snapped, "Get out!" This was the first time Waverly had seen such a look on him. It was sharp like a knife, as if she might get skewered if she did not vanish from his line of sight. This man was crazy! He was the one who agreed to get this customized ring, and he was furious? Waverly was furious as she got out of his car, but she forced out a gentle smile, still. "Drive safely and-" Before she could finish her sentence, the car shot away like an arrow. The car zipped past her fiercely, thunderously. 1 Waverly remained transfixed on the spot. She red at the car with her fists clenched. Curse that Anthony Bailey! How could he treat her this way? It was all Charmine''s fault! 2 Whenever there was anything to do with Charmine, Anthony would act like a crazy man! She had to make sure Charmine waspletely out of Anthony''s world! 1 Anthony bolted through the road as though letting out steam. His knuckles turned white as he clenched the steering wheel. He sped along the way, driving toward the [Recovery] set. Charmine was shooting the ''betrayal'' scenes. She was engrossed in her acting and performed well. She finished her part early and thus went into her resting lounge to study her script. As she was focused on her reading, her door abruptly opened... She turned to see Anthony''s tall figure standing in front of her door. He was in his suit, looking elegant with that handsome face of his, cold as ever. She was traumatized by the sight of him. Whenever she saw him, she could not help recalling the sight of him sleeping with Waverly. Her gaze was standoffish as she emotionlessly began, "Mr. Bailey, don¡¯t you know how to knock?" Anthony acted as if he did not hear her. He walked toward her and questioned her coldly, "You can design a wedding ring for your ex-fiance that he''ll be giving his new fiancee?" Charmine smiled. She curled up her red lips and said proudly, "Why not? A customer is spending arge sum of money to customize a ring. I''m no dimwit. Why would I turn that down? As for who is customizing and who is receiving it, what does that have anything to do with me?" Anthony¡¯s thin lips curled up mockingly. "I thought too highly of you, Charmine." Charmine¡¯s smile broadened. "Mr. Bailey, don''t act as if you know me well. From the moment we broke up, you''ve ceased to exist in my world. As for the ring, you''re my customer, and I''m the supplier. Why would I turn this down?" The ferocity Anthony gave off was so palpable as he red at Charmine angrily. He tried to look for a hint of pretense in her eyes, but her face was sincere and businesslike. There was not an inkling of emotion in her expression. chapter 1554 chapter 1554 Anthony clenched his fists. When he saw how indifferent Charmine was, it hurt him to even breathe. Charmine nonchntly closed her script and looked at him, calmly adding, "Is there anything else, Mr. Bailey?" Anthony bit back his anger, and he wanted to ask why she had be so heartless. However, the words went against his heart when he instead said, "I hope Ms. Jordan designs something unique. My fiancee likes unique things." Charmine''s grip on her script tightened, but her delicate face remained incredibly serene. "Sure. We¡¯ve received the payment, after all. I''ll try my best to meet my client¡¯s request." She looked at Anthony coldly as if she was an outsider. "The ring will be made within a week or so. I hope you and your fiancee will have a long, happy rtionship." 1 Truth be told, it hurt Charmine to even utter those words. It felt like her heart was punctured. Anthony''s face turned green. He red at her for a while before his lips curled up into a mocking smile. "Thank you for your blessing." 1 No longer wanting to be hurt, Anthony turned and left angrily. When Charmine confirmed the door was shut, she broke down like a tense string, listlessly falling onto the sofa, eyes dull. Anthony had already hurt her thoroughly. Why did he have toe and add salt to her wound so cruelly? She hugged her knees and curled up on the sofa, allowing her mind to roam free. She would never have expected Anthony and her to havee to this stage. She hated herself, too. Was she not strong and undefeatable? Why was she so weak in this matter? If she could pick it up, she could put it down. That was her way of doing things, not like what she was doing-moping around for that dirtbag. Charmine knew she could not continue like this. She took a deep breath and looked away, tidying her desk before she made her way back to her vi. After sorting everything out, she went into her study and started designing the ring. Try as she did, her mind was still whirling even as she gazed at her drawing pad. She had to design a wedding ring for Anthony and Waverly? Did Anthony hate her that much? He had to marry Waverly in half a month''s time, too... It all felt like a dream. Anthony, who once would give up his life for her, ended up scarring her horrifyingly. It felt as though a bee had stung her heart, and it ached. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Charmine sat before herputer. From 7 p.m. to 12 a.m. that very day, the drawing pad remained clean. She massaged her sore brows and smiled mockingly. She was so strong in front of Anthony, yet she had fallen into such a state now? Heh... How useless. She tried emptying her mind and began to draw. However... When the pen finallynded and moved across the pad, it was not a ring that she ended up drawing. Instead, she ended up writing a word: ''Bailey.'' Charmine snapped out of her thoughts and, realizing what she had done, deleted the draft. Sheposed herself, forcing her mind to focus solely on the rind. Her fair, slender fingers wrapped tightly around the pen before finally, an idea was tranted onto the pad. It was just a circle. She had no clue what came after that. With that, Charmine stared at the drawing pad with mixed feelings from that midnight till three in the morning. Anthony''s frustration never left him, even after he left the filming set. He sped nkly across the highway and, not realizing it, pulled over at Charmine''s vi. The second floor was still bright. She was home. Anthony rolled down his window and lit up a cigarette. Though his vision was shrouded with smoke, he fixed his eyes on the second floor. All the while, he kept reminding himself that it was time to leave, that there was no point on him keeping watch. The more he watched, he might end up seeing Mauriceing back to her. His body failed to register themand, however. He did not want to waste even one second as he continued to watch her from his car. Nobody knew how many hours had passed, but the light finally went off. chapter 1555 chapter 1555 Anthony frowned. Was Charmine asleep? He finally looked away and was ready to drive away...when the other room in the vi lit up. He stopped and turned off his engines. Lighting up another cigarette and holding it between his fingers, he leaned against his window and looked at the lit-up room. Even though he no longer existed in her world, the light in that room was like the only source of light in his ever-darkening world. He watched her wordlessly. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Not a sound came from his surroundings, and countless cigarette headsid outside his car. He snapped out of his thoughts and looked at the time. It was already four in the morning. Anthony looked at the brightly lit room on the second floor. Had she not fallen asleep? Could she not sleep? Was it because of him? Thatst thought brought out a self-deprecating smile out of him. How could it be him? She no longer loved him. Still, why did she have trouble sleeping? Suddenly, he thought of something, and his eyes darkened. She was only as focused when designing, and it just so happened that she epted the ring deal today... Silly. He just wanted to see how she reacted. He did not care about the design at all! Anthony frowned and sighed at the sight of the bright room. Although he was angry at her for being so heartless, he still felt hurt... With a thought, he finally drove away, but instead of heading home, he drove to an outskirt. In the darkness was a massivend full ofvender. Nial had bred these to make a high-end sleeping pill. Plucking one high-endvender, he walked into aboratory and extracted its contents to make essential oil. Once done, Anthony drove back to Charmine''s vi. The sky was slowly turning white, and the lights had already gone out. She must have fallen asleep. Anthony put on his sunsses and walked out of his car with a bouquet ofvender as well as their essence in a vial. Leaving them at her front door, he went inside his car and left. 1 Charmine, in fact, did not fall asleep. Once the sky brightened, she wanted to go to the filming set to film some scenes. She dragged her worn-out body, sshed cold water on her face, and put on concealer to cover up her dark circles, i After fixing herself, she opened the door and saw the bouquet ofvender. She frowned. Just as she began listing down who could have done this, the door to the next door vi opened... Out came Maurice and Sofia. Shocked, Charmine gasped, "Mo?" Why was he here? "Gem.¡± Maurice and Sofia walked up to her, and the former gently greeted, " You woke up so early? Why don''t you get some rest?" Sofia greeted her, "Good morning, Ms. Jordan.¡± "Good morning." Charmine greeted them and then made sense of what Maurice said. "Why don¡¯t you get some rest?" was what he had said. So, he sent these flowers over? Lavender could improve sleep, after all. Maurice knew she could not fall asleepst night...so he bought her thesevenders? She suddenly found him so caring. He was ten times better than Anthony. chapter 1556 chapter 1556 Charmine blurted, "Mo, why are you here?" "I moved here," responded Maurice. He then quickly exined as he did not want her to misunderstand, "Don''t get me wrong, Gem. I''ve actually paid the down-payment here a long time ago." Charmineughed. "Don''t worry." There were so many vis here. She could not deny anyone from moving in around her. Maurice said gently, "I''m just worried you¡¯d misunderstand me. Don''t worry, I don''t have any ill- intention." "Don''t worry." Charmine held the bouquet close to her as she then offered, " Would you like toe in?" Maurice, however, declined, "No need. I¡¯ll have to get back to the set after moving in." "Alright, then." Charmine then noticed both Maurice and Sofia moving in his belongings, thus she went in to ce the bouquet before heading out to help the duo. Maurice treated her so well, and she could not keep being indebted to him. She moved to pick up his box before Maurice took it from her. "No need to worry, Gem, we can manage. You''re still injured, so don''t lift things around." R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Charmine said, "Do I look so weak to you? You''ve helped me too many times, and I need to return the favor." 1 Maurice was helpless and looked at Sofia. Sofia handed the nt to Charmine. "Help with this, then, Ms. Jordan." It just so happened to bevender. Charmine was more certain that it was Maurice who ced the bouquet ofvender in front of her vi. 1 However, what Sofia was thinking was that she did not want Maurice to get tired. They did have to return to the set and film before he could rest, after all. Somehow, he just could not sleepst night. He was not eating or drinking much. If he did not rest and this prolonged, his body would be at risk! Charmine did not insist. "Okay." Maurice was more reassured and allowed her to move smaller items while he moved therger boxes. Sofia frowned. "Maurice, let me have that." Maurice looked at her and said, "Don''t worry, I got it. You and Gem will move the smaller items." Sofia was worried but helpless. Then... Maurice, lifting a box that weighed at least ten kilograms, had just entered the vi when... Crash! He felt listless, and his head was dizzy. The things in his hands fell all over the floor. He felt as if his entire world was spinning. He shook his head, trying to clear his vision, but as he then bent to pick up everything that had fallen, his head buzzed. He lost control and fell onto the floor. The rmed Sofia rushed toward him. "Maurice!" Worry was etched onto her face as she gazed at him, and it looked like she wanted to cry. "Maurice? Maurice?! Wake up!" However, Maurice did not react. Charmine frowned and lifted his arm, trying to listen to his pulse. After a while, she reassured Sofia, "Don''t worry, he''s just weak and passed out. Don''t worry." "Okay." Still, Sofia was worried. She saw how he stayed up the night, and she had seen thising. The two of them carried Maurice to the sofa when Charmine asked, "Why would Mo faint out of the blue?" Sofia looked at the man on the sofa worriedly and said, "Maurice had anorexia from a young age. He never had any appetite, and he only ever ate more when he was with you. This had worsened over the years, and he even stayed upst night, all night." 1 Sofia was so anxious that she wanted to cry. She looked for the glucose and injected it into him. Charmine frowned and thought of how little he ate. The thought of it still startled her. So...he did have anorexia. Suddenly, she recalled the noodles she made including the pasta she mixed for him. He ate them all. After Sofia injected the glucose solution into him, she looked at Charmine sincerely. "I''m sorry to ask you this, Ms. Jordan, but may I ask for a favor? Can you make some food for Maurice to eat?" chapter 1557 chapter 1557 Maurice¡¯s body might falter without food... Charmine looked at Maurice. Recalling how kind he had been treating her, she did not hesitate to nod. "Okay." Sofia let out a sigh of relief, ''Thank you, Ms. Jordan." "You''re wee. Don''t mention it." Charmine turned back to look at Maurice. His face was pale as he sat quietly on the sofa, visibly weak. Charmine¡¯s expression was washed with pity. He was a good-hearted man; he should not be punished by his illness. She had to cure him. i This could be her returning the favor to him. At night, Charmine came home from work and washed up before going over to Maurice''s. He was not awake yet. Charmine frowned and asked Sofia, "Does he usually lose consciousness this long?" "Yes," replied Sofia, "and he''ll wake up tomorrow morning." Charmine sympathized with him. She then thought it through and said, "I¡¯ll make soup. He can heat it up when he wakes up tomorrow." If not, she had to rush for the design tonight and probably stay up all night. She would not be waking up as early. "Alright. Thank you, Ms. Jordan." "It¡¯s okay," replied Charmine and went into the kitchen. Sofia had been taking care of Maurice for the day. s, she had other things to attend to. When she walked out, a luxury car passed by. Sofia noted that the car seemed familiar, as if she had seen it somewhere, but she just could not point her finger at it. Since she had things to attend to, she did not dwell on it and drove away. Anthony sat inside his car with a cold expression. He narrowed his eyes as he watched the car drive away. He emanated sheer-cold fury. He was a fool to havee...but it did not diminish his worry that Charmine might stay up all night again. He came here early, and all he saw was that after Charmine finished work, she went home for a shower before heading over to Maurice''s vi. They even asked his assistant to leave! Could they not wait to spend time alone? Anthony''s thin lips spread into a smirk, his eyes darkening as he red at Maurice''s vi. He waited from nine till twelve in the morning, yet Charmine still did note out! The air around him dropped into a dangerously cold temperature. Was Charmine staying with him? Did the two of them sleep together? D*mn it! He could not help picturing her hugging Maurice or even sleeping with him. Anthony''s heart sank. 1 Unable to reason with himself, he took out his phone and made a phone call. Within 20 minutes, a police car rushed over. A few police officers got down and rang the doorbell. Charmine went to open the door and was confused to see the police." Someone reported that there¡¯s illegal substances in here. Please allow us to investigate." Charmine was speechless. Illegal substance? Who were they kidding? A momentter, she thought of something and looked around. It was empty with nothing around. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Charmine looked away and invited the police officers toe inside. When the officers got in, they saw a man sleeping on the sofa in this empty, big vi. One of them turned back to ask Charmine, "What''s your rtionship with him?" Charmine thought of the situation and answered, "We''re a couple. I stayed here to look after my boyfriend." She had to say this to minimize their suspicion. Outside the vi, Anthony heard this, and hisrge hands clenched into fists. His veins were showing on his arms. chapter 1558 chapter 1558 Charmine even admitted her rtionship with Maurice!? Heh. There he was, ironically worried about her losing her sleep. Anthony even tossed his work aside just to keep herpany. 2 Still outside the vi, he looked around as a self-deprecating smile made its way to his face. Since when had he been at this low point in his life? Only Charmine could do this to him. Meanwhile, when the police found out that there was no illegal substance, they became embarrassed. They still had to finish what was protocol before rushing out to leave. When the door opened, Anthony stayed out of sight but glimpsed through the door gap. He found out that Maurice was lying on the sofa, seemingly...ill? It was just one quick look, and the door closed. Anthony stared at the shut door, his anger abruptly dissipating. Was Maurice ill? Did that mean Charmine did not do anything intimate with him? Charmine went to sit on the sofa and frowned. Illegal substances? Only Anthony would do something this childish. 1 He was already so intimate with Waverly but could not ept her being with Maurice? Her old self would have been excited with this, but at this point, she could not bother to care anymore. Charmine walked into the kitchen to make soup. Even after she finished, Charmine did not leave. She stayed in the living room, looking after Maurice while she designed the ring. Anthony''s darkened eyes were fixed on this lit-up vi. He thought of how much she cared about Maurice. His heart sank as he then phoned someone to send him alcohol. Following that, he sat on the porch in his suit. His eyes were dull, and he looked wasted and lonely as he started drinking. He drank fromte night till the sky turned brighter. His eyes were bloodshot as he red at the door that did not open. Charmine did note out the entire night. N?velDrama.Org content. Had she been taking care of Maurice all night? Anthony''s eyes were zed with thin ice. He smiled a lonely smile and arched his head to drink the alcohol, gulp after gulp. Inside the room... Charmine forced herself not to think of anything. No matter who did it, she had to clear her mind to come up with a design. However, just likest night, her emotions were convoluted and her head, empty. She sat there for a night and drew nothing. As the sky turned bright, she guessed that Maurice would wake up soon, so she went into the kitchen to heat the soup. After heating it up, she noticed that the man on the sofa began to move and parted his eyelids. Charmine walked up to him and asked, "Are you awake, Mo?" Maurice looked at Charmine standing before him, still in a blur. It took him a while to recall what had happened. He looked at her and asked gently, "Did you take care of me, Gem?" "Yeah.¡± Charmine helped him to sit up and said, "Mo, are you hungry? I heated some soup. Would you like to eat?" Maurice could smell the fragrance, and his gentle eyes had a look of surprise. "Did you make it?" "Yes." Noticing that he did seem hungry, Charmine went in to scoop him a bowl and ced it on the table. "Have some." Maurice looked at the soup and was touched at the thought that Charmine had made it for him, even though he hated soup. He found them nd and worse than water. However, he somehow felt that this soup would taste delicious. His appetite suddenly surfaced as he then took the bowl and started slurping. Charmine saw that he was eating, and she let out a sigh of relief. Within minutes, he had cleared up the bowl entirely. chapter 1559 chapter 1559 Charmine went in to scoop Maurice another bowl. "Thank you." Maurice epted it as if this was the best soup in the world. He ate it appreciatively. A warm bowl of soup not only warmed his stomach; it even warmed his heart. Maurice found it surprising that whenever Charmine cooked something, he did not hate them and found them delicious instead. He never felt this way in the past, no matter who made the food or how delicious the food was. When Charmine noticed just how much he enjoyed the soup, she felt a sense of achievement. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Seeing that he had finished his second bowl, she went in to get him a third one. She sat by him, watching him eat. She had a thought and asked, "Mo, why do you have anorexia?" The question threw Maurice off his bnce as he turned toward Charmine. "How did you find out?" Charmine said, "Sofia told me." Maurice frowned and looked away. He continued drinking the soup and did not seem willing to mention his past. "It¡¯s nothing much," came his simple reply. Noticing he did not want to talk about it, Charmine did not insist on the matter. Since he was fine and had food in his system, and with Sofia happened to being back, Charmine left. A stinging stench of alcohol hit her in the face as she walked out. Frowning, she could not help fixing her eyes on the porch. Thinking of the incidentst night, she could not help walking over. Before she got any closer, she heard movement. She then pushed open the doorand saw... There were ten or so empty sses all over. The management team of the area was clearing them up. The look of anticipation on Charmine¡¯s eyes turned dull. She could not help looking around but did not see him. She looked away and thought that she was overthinking. How could it be Anthony? He was busy nning his wedding with his fiancee. Why would he care about her at all? Charmine walked away and left. Meanwhile, a tall figure appeared. His figure seemed distant and ruthless, standing on the spot as he red at Charmine''s back. He felt a stab in his chest. She truly had spent a night with Maurice. The woman who was once all over him was staying up all night for another man, neglecting her own health. He suddenly felt that the essential oil he got her was a joke. Anthony had ayer of frost in his eyes, and he left angrily. Charmine was returning to the filming set to shoot. When she walked out, she saw a luxury car parked in front of her vi. Out came Waverly, donning her heels, a beige dress, and her limited edition bag. She looked expensive. She had delicate makeup on her face with her sunsses. She walked toward Charmine. Charmine acted as if she did not see her and walked past her. Waverly''s face sank. She walked quicker to block her, eyeing Charmine proudly. "How''s the design of my ringing along?" Charmine was annoyed that Waverly had stopped her and red at her coldly. "As I¡¯ve said, the draft will be ready in a week." Waverly looked at her happily. "Hurry." "Can''t do." "How dare you!" Waverly¡¯s face turned pale. "Is this how you''re treating your esteemed client?" Compared to Waverly''s aggression, Charmine seemed calm. "If you can''t ept it, cancel the order." Waverly grew livid before a thought urred to her, and she grinned." Why? You can''t stand how nice Anthony treats me, huh? Was he even as nice when he was with you? Forget about the superficial things, he didn''t even keep his basic promises! How much do you think he loved you?" 2 That remark made Charmine feel a pang in her chest. chapter 1560 chapter 1560 Although Anthony did buy Charmine things that cost more than 1.4 billion, he... He did not even keep his basic promise! When she agreed to marry him, he instantly broke up with her and went to Waverly right away! What a pretentious and disgusting douchebag. Seeing that Charmine''s face changed, Waverly turned smug. "I came here to tell you that my ring has to be perfect. Anthony specially asked for a line to be engraved on it: ''I will be your rock forever.''" Charmine''s hands clenched the documents tightly. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only ''I will be your rock forever''? This was the promise he made for Waverly? She felt like throwing up. Charmine scoffed coldly, "Ohly doesn''t ept any special request. You either get a ring from us or get lost." Waverly was fuming at this point. She clenched her fists and mocked coldly, "What are you so arrogant for? You¡¯re just a woman who got dumped!¡± Charmine curled up her red lips and looked at her nonchntly. "He loved me so much but still left me. What are you, then? Someone else will surely rece you one day, so why are you even barking at me?" 1 Disinterested in even spending a second with Waverly, Charmine got into her car and drove away, all while Waverly was rooted on the spot and watched her car leaving. What a b*tch! One day, she would cry! Not far away, under a tree... Anthony narrowed his eyes as he watched this scene unfold. Who was Waverly? How dare she showed off in front of Charmine? He had a deadly look in his eyes as he made a phone call, eyes glinting fiercely. "Beat some sense into Waverly." Meanwhile, Waverly walked out of the area and was heading toward her car when a superbike zipped toward her quickly. The roar of the engine made her look, and she then saw the superbike pulling over in front of her. She saw two fierce-looking men rushing down. She could feel like something was about to happen, and fear shed before her eyes as she scrambled toward her car. Before she could open her car door, the bag in her hand was snatched. Waverly''s face turned pale, though she still mustered a re at him. "How dare you? Do you know who I am?¡± p! The man with a scar pped her. "We''re looking for you!" Waverly covered her burning cheek with a deadly look in her eyes. Argh! How dare he pped her!? Before she could say anything... "Son of a b*tch!" Another man came forward and lifted his hand to p her other cheek. p! A loud and crisp sound was heard. "B*tch, listen up. You can¡¯t offend anyone!" They then took away all of her stuff and threw back the empty bag at her before driving away. Waverly remained transfixed on the spot. Unbelievable! She was bullied! She was a renowned, respected psychologist in Kansas! The wealthy princess! i In Burlington, everyone knew her as Anthony''s fiancee, yet someone had the audacity to do this to her?! She wanted these trash bags to die without their full corpses! She watched as they left before realizing that their superbike had no number te attached to it. Worse still, there was no CCTV in the vicinity! D*mn it! Waverly clenched her hands tightly. She was triggered by Charmine in the morning, and now this happened. She was furious and was driven up the wall. This was obviously intentional! Who dared do this to her in Burlington? chapter 1561 chapter 1561 It was then a thought urred to Waverly as she darkly turned to look at Charmine''s vi. Was it Charmine''s doing? Was it that b*tch? She was the only one who knew she was here. N?velDrama.Org content. Did Charmine decide to get petty just because she triggered her? Waverly was furious as she clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging deep into her flesh. That Charmine Jordan would not walk out unscathed! Just as she was overtaken by fury, Waverly spotted Anthony walking toward her from across the street. She instantly masked her anger and put on an innocently wronged look. She picked up her bag from the ground and went toward Anthony." Anthony, I was bullied! Charmine is jealous of you buying such an expensive ring for me, and she had people rob me! They even pped me!" Waverly made out to be a sympathetic sight as she caressed her throbbing cheeks, looking at Anthony meekly. Anthony, however, sneered. "Good for you!¡± i Waverly was caught off-guard. What... What did he say? Good for her? Anthony red at her. "Remember: Even though Charmine and I are no longer together, she''s not someone you can mess with. If this happens again, you''ll suffer a worse fate." With that said, Anthony ignored her and walked past her coldly, leaving Waverly rooted on the spot. She looked at his back incredulously. What did he mean, suffer a fate worse than this? Was he...the one who ordered those men to rob her? Was it not Charmine after all? Argh! How could he be so cruel?! He hurt her just because she hurt Charmine? Waverly''s eyes were filled with hatred. She had to take revenge. She had to make Charmine pay a thousand-fold. 3 She had to make sure Charmine not only disappeared from Anthony''s world, but from this world entirely! i Charmine returned to the filming set and had the scene where she taught the mean woman a lesson. Her acting was impable, earning praises from the people around her. She, however, seemed numb about these praises and admiration. She did not feel anything and contemptuously went back to her seat. She was going through her script when her phone rang. Charmine took her phone and unlocked it to see a notification from Tweeter that read, [SN Diamond Mine discovered a pair of 18th century'' Blue Charm'' diamonds. An uproar ensued.] Charmine frowned. A Blue Charm? This pair of 29-carat blue diamonds was very popr in the 18th century. Legend had it that a prince was in love with a woman but was forced to marry another princess. The princess who was betrothed to him, too, had a lover. Despite having no romance between them, these two were forced into a marriage. The king fooled the lovers of both the princess and the prince to find the Blue Charm diamonds, lying to them that if they could bring them to him, he would cancel the pre-arranged marriage. s, when the two of them returned with the diamonds, the king murdered them in cold blood...all while both the prince and princess knew nothing about it. The king gifted the Blue Charm diamonds to the prince and princess, blessing them with this pair of diamonds to stay happy together for the rest of their lives. However, this diamond was cursed by the two who were brutally murdered. It was imbued with negative power. Although the prince and princess lived a peaceful life, they were tied up in this love-less marriage and hated the sight of one another. After their death, these Blue Charm diamonds were passed on. Although everyone was intimidated by its curse, it did not diminish everyone''s curiosity over these unique and beautiful diamonds. Those who possessed it ended up in loveless marriages. Even though they were in love before marriages, after marriages, they either treated one another like strangers or hated the sight of one another. Charmine stared at the notification on her screen. Did Waverly not want a unique ring? This suited her. chapter 1562 chapter 1562 Charmine wanted both Anthony and Waverly to hate each other''s guts once they got married. She wanted them miserable. Charmine excused herself from the filming set and phoned the SN Diamond Mine, which just so happened to be one of Charmine''s diamond mines. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. When the staff answered the phone, he exined, "Boss Jordan, we haven''t extracted it yet. We have a few problems with mining them. It¡¯s hollow below the diamond, which will likely result in andslide, so we can''t take any chances for the time being." Charmine frowned. She had to go over in person to find out what the situation was. She had to walk a few kilometers of rugged mountain road to get to the site. Bringing her tools with her and ignoring everyone who stopped her from entering, Charmine walked into the mountain alone. Since she had agreed to hand a diamond ring to Anthony in a week, she had to get it done! i Furthermore, the Blue Charm began trending online, and many woulde over to see it. She had to be quick. Little did Charmine know... When she arrived at the foot of the mountain, she heard a loud explosion as if something was falling. The entire mountain started shaking. Swiftly after, stones after stones rained from above, hurtling down at her! Charmine quickly moved away and frowned. There was andslide even before she started mining? More rocks mighte her away and end up killing her if she was to drop her guard for a second. Charmine could only hide below arge boulder, scanning her surroundings before deducing there was nowhere else she could go to. It was then she spotted a figure rushing toward her from not too far away. Maurice? Charmine thought she was hallucinating when she saw him. Why would Maurice be here at this time? Just as she grew dubious, a gentle but anxious sounding voice was heard, " Gem, watch out!" With that said, arge stone came falling from above and nearly crushed Charmine''s head had she not nimbly moved away. Countless stones started falling at the spot she was at. The experience shook Charmine as she then turned to look at Maurice, who struggled to rush to her side. "Why on earth are you here, Mo?!" Charmine looked at him in shock. Maurice looked at her helplessly, his tone caring, "I went back to the set and heard from Sofia that you came here mining. I was worried about your safety, so I came over to check up on you...!" "But now we''re both in danger! You shouldn''t havee!" fretted Charmine. Maurice gazed at her gently before he shifted his gaze toward the iing rocks above them. "Gem, you can''t stay here," he warned, rmed. "More stones might fall anytime!" Before Charmine could say a word, Maurice had pulled at her hand to move out. Just as they did, however, another gigantic stone fell from above. Maurice looked at the rugged road in front with asional falling stones and hugged Charmine. Hisrge figure seemingly shielded Charmine¡¯s front as he said, "Keep walking, Gem. Don''t worry about me." Charmine saw what he was doing and knew. He was shielding her. Charmine pursed her lips and hesitated. She owed him too much, and if anything happened to him because of her, she would not be able to repay him! However, Maurice did not give her a chance to hesitate. He put her in his arms and walked ahead. Stones were falling andnded on his broad shoulder, but Maurice made not a sound as he escorted her out, through grimacing as he did. Suddenly... After a few steps, the mountain road started to slide, catching both Maurice and Charmine byplete surprise as they, losing their bnce, fell down. chapter 1563 chapter 1563 Thomp! Thomp! Both Charmine and Maurice fell into a copsed yet huge cave. Maurice had instinctively held Charmine tighter to him, and when they fell, his entire being ached. Even with that, he shook it all off, not bothering to inspect himself as he made his way toward Charmine, checking up on her. "Gem, are you hurt?" he asked, sounding concerned. "No." Charmine looked at him worriedly. After making sure that he was not hurt, she looked around her surroundings. Maurice straightened up, wanting to get back to the surface. However, the mud was too soft; it would not withstand the weight of a person. A person would sink with just a leg in. Maurice took a few steps back to find his bnce. Charmine attempted to stand up but ended up in the same state. The mud was too soft¡ªit kept sinking. She grew helpless. The tall mountain not far away from them might copse anytime and bury both of them in. She did not want to get Maurice in danger because of her. Charmine bit her lip and looked around to find a way out before a few shadows emerged above the cave''s opening. The shadowy figures had shovels in their hands. They made not a sound as they started filling up the hole with more mud! 1 Realizing something, Maurice pulled Charmine over to hide by the corner. Charmine instantly looked up at the people above them. Were they attempting to bury both of them in? Who wanted to kill her? She narrowed her eyes and had a deadly look in her eyes. She swung her skinny arms upward. A needle flew up as if possessed and stabbed right into the vein of one of them! The figure moaned before they fell into the opening and down to the ground, all while the remaining two figures exchanged nces, not knowing what happened. Charmine quickly threw up two more needles that stabbed right into their veins. The two figures jolted and exchanged looks before falling on the ground. Waverly was inside a car not far away, anticipating the news that Charmine was buried alive. She had to see Charmine dead with her own eyes! However, within a few minutes, she saw a few men plummeting into the opening. Her expression faltered. She suddenly recalled that Charmine had needles with her wherever she went. "Trash!" She growled angrily and pursed her red lips. This was such a good opportunity, and she must not let this go to waste! She looked at her assistant darkly by her side. "Go, bring the rosemary balm and induce them in the cave. Increase the dosage! I want a video of her with Maurice!" This way, Charmine would be downright humiliated even if she survived in that cave, and Anthony would not miss her at all! "Yes, Madam." The assistant nodded politely and brought what was tasked of her to the side of the cave, silently setting the balm. Charmine and Maurice werepletely unaware of these as they staked out in case of another attack. However, a momentter... The two of them felt uneasy and restless. Maurice even started to feel dizzy. As though realizing something, he backed away from Charmine. "Gem, knock me out if I do anything to you. Don''t hold back!" Charmine was speechless. It was then she, too, realized something was wrong, and that she might not have had the energy to knock him out... She did not expect Waverly to be so evil. Her head spun as she frantically tried toe up with something before spotting a few strings not far away from her. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Charmine''s eyes lit up. chapter 1564 chapter 1564 Since she was still conscious, Charmine turned around to take one string for Maurice. "Mo, you tie up my hands, and I''ll tie up yours." This was the only way to prevent anything unsavory from happening. "Okay." Maurice took the string from Charmine quickly, trying her wrists together, and Charmine did her best for Maurice, too. Following that, the two of them sat at two ends of the cave. A short whileter, their body temperature rose. Not wanting this to escte, Charmine piped up, "Mo, why don''t we talk to distract ourselves." "Okay." Maurice''s voice was gentle as always. "What would you like to talk about? I¡¯m listening." Charmine fell silent for a while before asking, "Mo, how did you suffer from anorexia?" Maurice''s expression changed. He did not want to talk about this as this reminded him of his hurtful past. However, this was not a bad time to talk about it. He took a deep breath and cleared up his mind before saying, "Growing up as a child, my family was poor. My mother thought my father was useless, so she left us behind. Ever since then, my father became addicted to gambling, not caring about my livelihood. Since I was seven or eight, I''ve learned to take care of myself and did everything on my own. Nobody taught me how to cook, so the meals I cooked were terrible. Eventually, I stopped eating and hated eating. This turned into anorexia.¡± His body grew tense as he spoke, memories of his past haunting him again, could not help recalling his past. About how his parents argued and fought. None of them cared about him. They often locked him inside a dark room. He spent his childhood with these traumatic events. In the end, when Maurice''s mother left, even though he cried and begged her not to leave, she heartlessly pushed him away without even turning back... These memories still made him tremble in fear even after all these years. Charmine heard him and sympathized with him. So this was how Maurice grew up...yet he still grew up to be a gentle man. Despite being neglected at a young age, Maurice managed to move others with his gentleness. Maurice always had a gentle look in his eyes, but his gaze darkened as he retold his story. "Looking at my parents'' rtionship that crumbled, I feared marriages and families. This is why I¡¯d never get married in my life.¡± i Listening to Maurice''s story, Charmine sensed that she must have grazed an old wound of his sad past. Sheforted him, "Don''t be too sad, Mo. Many people still love you in this world. They''re caring about you in ces that you can''t see. You grew up in a broken ce, but it made you who you are today." "Yeah," Maurice agreed, "I know." Despite that, his eyes glinted with an unnoticeable thirst. Even though he felt hopeless, he still wished that one day, he could feel what it was like to have a family.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Charmine noticed the look in his eyes. She fell silent for a moment before saying, "Actually, I was framed by a douchebag and my sister a few years back. My family sent me away to a foreign country all by myself. I had depression and tried to kill myself in many instances. When I finally picked myself up, I met Anthony. We fell in love, and we''ve been through a lot. Now Charmine had a mocking look in her eyes. "I spent so long trying to open myself up for love again, and I ended up getting hurt terribly. He¡¯s just like Julian: someone who''s after my assets and my looks. Nobody truly loves me for who I am, who loves my soul." Maurice gazed at her sympathetically. He had heard about her past but did not know how true it was. With her saying this herself, it was true after all. He could not believe how these cruel things could happen to her and how she lived through them. chapter 1565 chapter 1565 Charmine learned that her fiance was in cahoots with her sister in framing her. When she was on the verge of breaking down, she met Anthony. He gave her reasons to live on. He treated her well, loved her, cared for her, and showed her that there was love in the world. When she was finally opening herself upto him and started believing in this man, he cheated on her. Maurice thought of how strong she stood tall these days. He felt his heart shrinking. How did she get weather through all that storm on her own? Maurice gazed at Charmine with his clement eyes. He was worried about this youngdy. His throat was burning, and his voice was hoarse as he spoke, "Gem, don¡¯t think too much. As you said, your environment made you who you are today. We don¡¯t need romantic love in this world: We''ve got friendship, family, and our career. You''ll have a better future!" "Yeah." Charmine thought of the disgusting things Anthony did, and determination shed across her eyes as she dered, "I only want to focus on my career for now." "Good." Maurice looked at her with a new sense of admiration. "If there''s anything in the future, Gem, you can speak to me about it. Don''t hold it all to yourself." Charmine nodded. Both of them then chatted away to distract themselves. That night. Anthony drove home after he was done with work, but he somehow ended up driving in the other direction. When he finally snapped out of his trance, the car had pulled over in front of Charmine''s vi. He looked up to see that both vis were dark. Charmine and Maurice were not home yet? Did they not finish filming early? Did they go on a date? N?velDrama.Org content. His thin lips curled into a mocking smile. He red at the two vis next to one another. They even bought houses together, and they were even going on dates? The thought of Charmine spending time with Maurice made Anthony''s heart sink. Even though Anthony knew he should wish her the best and be happy that she had found a good man that even he trusted, seeing that they were so happy together still made his heart ache. Although this was inevitable, could this not have happened slower, a littleter? Anthony rolled down his window, thoughts running rampant as he lit up his cigarette and narrowed his eyes at the two vis. He wanted to see howte they woulde home. He was worried about Charmine not being able to fall asleep again tonight... Thus began Anthony¡¯s wait, and somehow, it was already three in the morning. Both of them had yet to return, too. Unless, Charmine and Maurice went to a hotel to... Anthony could not help to overthink. Finally snapping, he phoned Luke and ordered, "Find out where Charmine is and tell me within three minutes." "Yes, Sir!" answered Luke. Within three minutes, he called Anthony once more. "Boss, Mrs. Baileypardon. Ms. Jordan is at the SN Diamond Mine, but..." "What?" Anthony barked. "Speak!" "At about seven in the evening, there seemed to be andslide-" Beep. Anthony hung before Luke even finished his report. Anthony''s heart sank, and he quickly drove toward SN after hanging up. D*mn it! How could he be so stupid! Why did he not realize earlier that Charmine was in trouble since she did note home earlier!? Please be safe, Charmine Jordan. Otherwise, Anthony would never forgive himself for the rest of his life! chapter 1566 chapter 1566 Anthony went crazy. He stomped on the gas pedal, and the car zipped away so quickly that it almost vanished. What was supposed to be a two-hour car journey finished in an hour! Anthony arrived before the mine. It was pitch dark and hard to see inside. Heart tightening, he used his phone to light up his way so he could walk forward. Not long after, the sky slowly grew brighter, but he still had not made it to the top. Anthony had not slept for a few days; he even drank bottles and bottles of alcohol. As he walked, his head suddenly buzzed. It was followed by sharp pain, and it felt as if thousands of needles pricked at his nerves. It was so painful that it felt numbing... His face was very pale. His entire body hurt so badly that he could not even continue his walk, only able to prop himself against a tree to massage his head. 1 Afraid of forgetting something, Anthony mustered whatever remaining strength he had to fish out his phone shakily, trying to jot it all down as a memo. However, just as his phone lit up...heavy footsteps were hearding from behind. He turned back, only to be met by bright light that burned his eyes, and he went numb. Anthony narrowed his eyes and squinted painfully. It was then he realized that the person approaching him was... Guy Granger? Guy had a torch at hand and was dressed in his green navy costume. His built body could be akin to a tree. When he saw it was Anthony, Guy reacted in shock. "Mr. Bailey, why are you here?" It was only after he blurted that did he realize that it was nonsense. If even he found out that Charmine was stuck in the mine, why would Anthony, who cared about Charmine so dearly, not know? Anthony looked at him and, deciding on something, said, "Go on and save Charmine. They''re stuck at the neck of the mountain, ny degrees!" Guy heard how feeble Anthony sounded, and he then noticed how pale Anthony was and how weakly his body quivered. He frowned. "Mr. Bailey, what¡¯s wrong? How are you feeling?" "Forget me, just go and save Charmine," insisted Anthony. "Also..." He looked away and continued, albeit audibly pained, "Don¡¯t tell her that I came." Guy pursed his lips. Just as he was about to say something, Anthony walked past him and made his way down, staggering. Guy assumed he wanted to treat himself, and since he was in a hurry to save Charmine, Guy said nothing else as he picked up the pace. Anthony withstood the torturous agony he was gued with as he returned to his car. Even though his head was hurting, he did not leave. He leaned on the seat tiredly, his eyes darkening as he red at the mountain. He could only be rest assured after seeing Charmine leave in one piece. Without him realizing it, the sun had risen and brightened the sky entirely. Anthony was still staring in that direction, waiting for Charmine toe down. However, as he waited, the headache disappeared, and he looked around in confusion. Why was he here? What was he doing here? Anthony instinctively took out his phone, wanting to find out what he had forgotten. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only However, when he pulled out his memo, he noted that it was empty and nothing was in it. He frowned suspiciously. He happened to be here at this time, so something must have happened. What was it? Being clueless, a sports car drove toward him, and Waverly got down in her heels. She was dressed in her purplece dress and wearing her sunsses. Her hair was let down as she walked toward his car. "Anthony, aren''t we meeting at the wedding venue? Why are you here? Everyone''s waiting for us. Hurry!" 1 Anthony frowned and looked around. Not a single recollection urred to him. With that, he left with Waverly. Inside the cave, Charmine and Maurice continued to talk to distract themselves. As they chatted away, they lost track of time and where they were. Without them noticing it, the sky slowly brightened. chapter 1567 chapter 1567 Looking at the brightening sky, Charmine reassured Maurice, "The sun''sing out, so let¡¯s just hold on a little longer. Someone wille for us!" Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Maurice pursed his lips. He knew for a fact that andslide might happen anytime. Nobody would risk their livesing up here. However, he did not show his concern in front of Charmine, gently answering, "Good." Just as Maurice was about to say something else, a worried yet familiar sound was heard from outside of the cave, "Ms. Jordan, are you here? Ms. Jordan?" Charmine was shocked. Was that...Guy? 1 ¡°I''m here!" she instantly shouted back. When Guy heard her response, he recalled the location Anthony had told him and rushed toward it. 1 When he got closer, he realized that this was a copsed pit. He called out to the inside, "Ms. Jordan, are you in there?" "Yes!" Charmine looked up at him and said in surprise, "Mr. Granger, how did you end up here?" Guy sent in adder and, not wanting to upset her and tell her that Anthony had came, exined, "It was Ms. Eck...Yvonne saw the news on the Blue Charm. She likes this diamond, too, so we¡¯ve kept an eye on the SN Mine. We then found out about thendslide. They said you''re at the top and I was worried about you, so I came." Charmine nodded and watched as thedder was sent in. Sighing in relief, she turned around to reassure Maurice, "Mo, we¡¯re saved!¡± She had been anxious the whole time, fearing he would be in danger because of her. "Yeah." Maurice was very surprised. He thought he would die here with Charmine. Charmine efficiently untied the strings around her. She stood up and felt her hands and feet going numb. She did not care about herself. She quickly walked to Maurice and helped unbound him. Thedder reached the bottom. Charmine wanted Maurice to go first, but he stood behind her to support thedder for her. "You go first, Gem." Charmine felt warmth spreading within her as she gazed at him. She did not insist and went up the ladder first. After seeing her scaling thedder, Maurice was relieved and followed behind her. However, with the mud being soft, the spot where Maurice stood had arge dent on it, what with Maurice''s heavy figure. The entiredder trembled. Moreover, Maurice was mentally unsteady and physically feeble after inhaling too much of the rosemary scent. He lost his bnce and fell back onto the mud. "Argh!" he yelped in pain, face contorting into a grimace. His back was hurt by a crushed stone, and it jolted him awake. 1 "Mo!" Charmine heard his yelp and looked back, seeing Maurice falling down. Frowning, she asked worriedly, "Are you hurt? Do you want me toe down for you?" "No, I''m fine..." Maurice struggled to get back up. He shook his head, fought back the sharp pain, and held onto the ladder shakily before he finally climbed up thedder, getting out. His face was pale, and he could not even stand up straight. Charmine looked at how hurt he was, and she then noticed the patch of blood on his back. Her heart sank. She remembered right then and there that when they slid down here yesterday, Maurice shielded her with his own body. chapter 1568 chapter 1568 "Hurry!" Charmine supported Maurice and said to Guy, "Send him to the hospital." "Okay." Guy helped Maurice get inside the car and drove quickly. Within a few minutes, Maurice had fainted. Charmine looked at Maurice''s pale face and his bloody back. Growing frantic, she phoned William, asking him to be ready. Before they even got to the hospital, William had prepared the gurney to wheel Maurice in. William waited at the entrance. When he saw theming, he quickly took Maurice in and wheeled him into the emergency room. Only then did Charmine sigh in relief. Since she had sniffed the rosemary scent, she still felt restless even though she tried to restrain herself, thus she went ahead and got a reliever from a doctor. Maurice was severely wounded; his back was full of bruises and wounds. It was a shocking sight. Luckily, the wounds were only skin-deep, nowhere damaging his internal organs. William cleaned his wounds quickly and wheeled him out of the room. Charmine stood at Maurice''s bedside as she studied him, how pale he was lying in bed, all pale. Her heart tightened, and there was noticeable worry in her eyes. Maurice made no sound when he tried to help her get out of the mountain, and all that while, she thought he was fine. Looking at how bruised he was, however, Charmine realized just how severely hurt he was. All that, and he made no sound. In the cave, he pretended as if nothing had happened just so she would not be worried. He evenforted her. Charmine''s feelings gnawed at her. A good man like Maurice should not have suffered like this, 1 William set him up with the intravenous machine and said, "Ms. Jordan, don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s nothing fatal." How could she not worry? He was in this shape all because of her! Charmine looked at the two of them and said, "It''s fine for now. You all may leave us here." Guy and William exchanged nces. Both of them wanted to stay on to apany her, but seeing the look on Charmine''s face, the one that palpably seemed that she was serious, they did not argue and turned around to leave. 1 Charmine brought a stool to sit by the bed, and she continued to watch over Maurice with her clear eyes. A thought urred to her as she gazed at him. She called for the nurse and left the ward. Maurice would be hungry should he wake up. She wanted to cook him something at home. When she returned home, she took a shower and got changed before she made her way into her kitchen. Charmine considered that since he was wounded, he had to have less salty food. She thus thought of searching online for suitable recipes. However, when she turned on her phone, her feed was filled with news of Anthony and Waverly visiting their wedding venue. Her hand stiffened as she stared at her phone screen. She did not want to click on it. She did not want to know anything more about him. However, her fingers betrayed her as they clicked on the news. On her screen, Anthony seemed visibly gentle as he apanied Waverly to visit their ssy, extravagant venue. Charmine''s eyes went dull. She felt a chilling from within her, and it spread throughout her body. She was in danger and almost lost her life to thendslide while he... He happily took his fiancee to visit their wedding venue! Charmine''s heart sank, and she began to struggle just breathing. A momentter, she suddenly felt that Anthony''s matters did not concern her. He was cruelly cold-blooded. Was she not aware of this already? What else was she expecting? Ha! N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Whatever. Anthony could do whatever he wanted. Whatever he chose to do had nothing to do with her. Charmine put down her phone and began to cook. It took her the entire evening, and she returned to the hospital afterward. Maurice woke up as she sat down. Charmine put down the container at hand and looked at him. "Have you woken up? Are you hurt?" "No, don''t worry." Maurice''s voice was hoarse. He looked at her gently and guiltily muttered, "Gem, I¡¯m sorry to have troubled you again." chapter 1569 chapter 1569 "No need to be so polite, Mo," replied Charmine. "I went home to cook you something. Here, have some." "Okay." Maurice¡¯s lips curved into a demure smile as he gazed at Charmine. He still had that loving look on his face, like a father looking at his daughter. Charmine set him up in afortable position before handing him the food she made. Maurice could smell the fragrance right away. Even though he was not hungry, he wanted to eat. She frowned. Was any food she made appetizing to him? If this was true, he no longer needed glucose to sustain his worn-out body. Charmine did not spot the small table on the ward. She considered how he could not sit up straight, so she ced the dishes on the side. "Mo, I''ll feed you." "It''s okay," Maurice refused, "I''m fine." With that said, he propped himself to sit up and started eating. Charmine wanted to insist before Kay called. 1 She thought of the mission she assigned to him earlier. Her gaze grew cold as she answered, "Have you done the investigation?" "Yes, Boss Jordan." Kay said politely, "Thendslide was intentionally caused. Someone nned for this to happen." "I see." Charmine''s eyes were colder than before. It was intentional, huh? The mountain exploded when she got to the mine. Someone even tried to bury her alive! It was quite apparent that this person wanted her dead. Who else would wish this upon her...other than Waverly? That woman sure had the audacity. She challenged her, time and time again. N?velDrama.Org content. Charmine¡¯s red lips curled up coldly, and she instructed Kay, "Publish the clip." "Copy that!" Within ten minutes, a clip made it to the trending page. [To get her wedding ring, Waverly D''Cruz killed many miners, detonated a diamond mine, and caused 35 deaths!] 1 This shocking video was a stark contrast to the video of her happy wedding video with Anthony taken in the afternoon. Theizens watched with shock, and everyone admonished Waverly. [She caused so much harm for a ring? She didn''t even care about others¡¯ lives!?] [This is such a big disaster, and she caused everything!] [So many miners died innocently because of this selfish and evil woman! They died so unfairly!] [She''s building her happiness upon stacks of dead bodies.] [I knew she¡¯s not a good person. As expected...sigh...] [So many families were ruined, all because of your wedding ring!] [She killed so many people, yet she could go to her wedding venue as if nothing had happened. How cruel is this woman?!] [President Bailey, please wipe your eyes clean! The woman you''re marrying is a cruel woman!] With that, everyone¡¯s fiery words were spat on Anthony''s Tweeter feed. They even asked him to cancel his wedding andpensate for the loss of those workers... Both Waverly and Anthony became the two most discussed figures. 2 Inside Anthony''s study room. Anthony received hundreds of thousands of direct messages. He did not seem to care. In fact, he leaned on his chair coldly with his eyes darkened as he red at the anonymous email. The email consisted of photos of Charmine and Maurice inside the ward. In the photos. Charmine looked at Maurice worriedly. She made his bed, went home to cook for him, went back to his ward, and even fed him! Livid, Anthony clenched his phone tightly, his hands tense, and he was that close to crushing his phone into pieces. chapter 1570 chapter 1570 Did Charmine care about Maurice so much, so much so that she could not bear to see him hurt? He was only a little hurt, and she spent arge sum to attack Waverly just to exact revenge for Maurice? Heh. He underestimated her. Charmine would do all that for Maurice. He, on the other hand, nearly lost his life for her, and that did not even faze her! 3 It seemed that Charmine truly loved Maurice after all. Anthony clenched his fists tightly, but he just could not reason with the rage within him. Snapping, he pushed everything on his table-from hisptop, to his documents, mug, and cigarette-to the floor, scattering things everywhere, causing a mess. Anthony ignored it all, however, as he merely took up his alcohol and drank it down. At that moment, Waverly angrily pushed the door open with a resounding m and barged in. Anthony smashed the bottle on his table. He red at the figureing in and frostily growled, "Don¡¯t you know how to knock?" Waverly was triggered by theizens, and she was about to lose her mind. She did not bother to put on that gentle look and said, "Anthony, didn''t you see how they witch-hunt me online? It''s all Charmine¡¯s fault!" With that said, she could feel the cold,ser-sharp gaze from Anthony fixed on her. Her heart quivered as she continued, albeit toned down and pitifully, "I only wanted to collect that diamond ring. That¡¯s why I asked people to detonate the mountain. I didn''t know anyone was inside! Charmine knew Maurice was in there, and she still went over, risking her life to save him! Maurice was mildly wounded, and she''s already so angry! She wants me dead!" i Anthony''s eyes were chilly as they fixed on her. "Are you done?" Waverly grew taut. She knew Anthony*s memory was bad, and she already twisted the whole thing around. How was he not angry? Ugh! Did he still miss Charmine? Seeing that she did not speak, Anthony picked up the bottle and continued to drink. He scoffed, "If you''re done, then get lost!" Waverly was furious. However, thinking of how her wedding wasing up, Waverly did not want to take a single risk. Biting her lip, she defeatedly left the room. Anthony leaned on the chair and tookrger gulps of his alcohol. He could not help repeating what Waverly said to him in his head. "Charmine knew Maurice was in there, and she still went over, risking her life to save him!" 2 Charmine knew how dangerous it was, yet she still went over to save him? She cared about this man so much. A self-deprecating smile made its way to Anthony''s face. He could not help picking up his phone to log on his Tweeter. He posted a status. [I was the one arranging this, and Waverly has nothing to do with it. If you have a problem,e to me. Do note for her.] i Within five minutes after posting, Tweeter crashed! Theizens finally understood. So, it was not Waverly looking for the ring, but it was Anthony who wanted to give it to her? Anthony went through such lengths, just to give his fiancee a unique ring? Even though everyone was still angry, they were touched. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. [What a husband. He''s unreal!] [Oh my god! How nice of him! He''s spoiling his wife!] [When will I get a husband like him?] [Since President Bailey is making a statement, we believe this was nothing but an ident. We all know his reputation; he''ll give everyone an eptable exnation.] [Let''s just call it a day.] Inside the hospital. Charmine constantly followed up with the matter after she instructed Kay to post the video. When she saw everyone scolding Waverly angrily, her lips curled up coldly. However... Within a few minutes, Anthony''s status rushed up the trending list as well. chapter 1571 chapter 1571 Charmine coincidentally came across Anthony''s post, and it scorched her eyes. She clenched the phone tightly as she stared at her phone incredulously. Anthony arranged this, and he admitted to this, just to protect Waverly? Could Anthony Bailey get any more disgusting than that? Charmine threw her phone angrily, but a momentter, a bitter chuckle escaped her. Charmine knew he was this kind of man. Why on earth was she getting worked up again? Was she expecting that he would beat Waverly up for her? She never had to ask Anthony back then to do this. He would do it on his own ord. It seemed that... Heh. All she could say was that the Anthony she knew was dead. Charmine did not even know this man nor did she want to. Charmine gradually calmed down. Sofia happened toe in to take care of Maurice, thus Charmine stood up and bid them farewell, driving back home alone. The moment she closed the door, every tension in her body was released, and she leaned on the sofa listlessly. She remained still as she looked at the chandelier above her with a straight face, seemingly contemtive. There were things she should have done earlier. This was the time. Her heart was dead at this moment. Sofia was taking care of Maurice in the hospital. That night, she heated up the meals she cooked for him, but he behaved just like he always did. He had no appetite whatsoever, even when the meal looked delicious. Sofia hopelessly closed the lid and gazed at Maurice kindly, albeit hurt." You''re injured, Maurice," she pleaded. "Please, take a bite." "No, thank you," replied Maurice softly, "I''m not hungry." Sofia sighed and put down the bowl. She could not bear to watch him continue down this road. She went out to phone Charmine in secret, wanting to ask her to cook Maurice a meal and bring it to his ward. When Sofia stood up, the door of the ward opened abruptly, and both she and Maurice looked over in unison. They were greeted with the sight of Charmine pushing a wheelchair, and on it was a woman, seemingly in her fifties. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Maurice turned rigid the moment he saw the woman on the wheelchair. Since he had not seen her for so long, he had to double-take, just to make sure. After he was sure of his thoughts, his expression changed. His eyes fixed on her baggy pants with disbelief. What happened to her? How did this happen? Maurice looked at her with disbelief. The sight before him was so surreal, so much so that he forgot to even make a sound for a second. Sofia looked at Maurice confusingly. What happened? Did Maurice know this woman? Sofia could not help looking at the woman. Instantly, she noticed her facial features to be shockingly simr to Maurice''s. A thought sunk into her mind as she stared at both Maurice and the woman, stumped. Charmine pushed the woman into the room and said to Maurice, "Mo, thisdy isn¡¯t a stranger to you, is she now?" Maurice looked at her and almost called out to her-''mother''-before memories of how apathetic and cruel she was resurfaced in his mind. His hands clenched tightly below the nket. He struggled to just even hold back his emotions. Seeing that Maurice did not react, the woman in the wheelchair looked at him with tears in her eyes, her tone gentle as she began, "Mo, I''m your mother." Maurice¡¯s head buzzed when he heard that word. ''Mother.'' His pale lips moved, and he had a thousand things to say. He wanted to ask her: Why did she leave him and his father? Why was she so cruel? 1 He wanted to ask how she had been all these years, and what happened to her. All these things whirled in his mind, but it just would not spill through his lips. chapter 1572 chapter 1572 Even though Maurice still hated his mother for how cruel she was, he saw how worn out she looked, and it wrenched him. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. If she suffered such a difficult life, why did she note looking for him? Charmine could tell what Maurice was thinking, so she wheeled the woman closer to the bed. "You were wrong about Auntie, Mo,¡± said Charmine. Maurice looked at her and then at his mother again. Mistaken? The woman in the wheelchair met his eyes and exined gently, "Mo, I didn''t leave you behind back then. I loved you." Maurice smiled bitterly. "Love? Does that include locking me inside a dark room from day to night? Does that include leaving my father and I for thirty years, nevering back?" His voice grew unsteady as he spoke. The woman''s eyes reddened at Maurice''s words, and she began to sob." I''m sorry, Mo. I''m really sorry...but I didn''t have a choice... "You know the situation back then. We were poor, and your father had gambling problems. Whenever he ran out of money, he¡¯d beat me up. I had to look for a job to support the family. You were young back then, and the factory didn''t allow me to bring my child to work. I was worried about you running around, but I couldn''t afford a helper. Out of desperation, I had to lock you inside a room... "Every morning when I left home, I had to wipe off the tears in my eyes, and it just crushed me. Every evening after work, I rushed home as fast as possible in hopes of getting back to you sooner. I know I didn''t treat you well, but I really didn''t have a choice..." The woman''s tears streamed down her face as she poured out her heart. Maurice suddenly became emotional. Thinking back, what she said was true... Sometimes when she came home from work, he would see injuries on her skin. He did not understand back then. Furthermore, when he was even younger, before his father had the gambling problem, the three of them lived in a small, run-down house, and she still treated him very well. Even when his father beat him, she would shield him from harm with her own body. The woman continued, "In the end, your father owed a huge sum. If I don''t go out to work, those people will take you away to sell you for money! I didn¡¯t have a choice, so I had to leave you behind to find a higher-paying job. Back then, all I thought of was to find some cash, that once I earned a hundred thousand, I''de back to you... Little did I know..." Recalling how gut-wrenching it was, the woman fixed her eyes on her thighs. Her tears cascaded as she sobbed, "Since I was eager to make money, I worked in the ck coal industry. There was an ident, however, and my legs were cut off. I couldn''t leave... All these years, I have missed you. I wrote you both many letters, but you''ve both moved away and never received them. I never heard back..." Maurice grew mystified the more he heard his mother''s confession. His mother did not choose to leave him, after all. She had to look for a job and earn money to repay their debts. 2 His mother did not choose to note home, after all. Her legs were busted, and she could not leave... She was not heartless, after all. She had written them letters, but they did not receive them... i The weight he had bottled in his heart gradually left him. Maurice''s eyes reddened, and he felt bad. After calming down, he looked at the woman and called out hoarsely, "Mother..." "Mo..." 1 The woman nodded heavily, incredibly touched as she covered her face. Tears ceaselessly streamed down her face. Maurice reached out to hold on her aged hands with calluses. chapter 1573 chapter 1573 Maurice said, "Hey, don¡¯t cry. All these years, I didn''t look for you. I should''ve gotten you home sooner." "I don''t me you, don''t think of it that way. You calling me your mother is already enough for me.¡± The woman held his hand tightly and wiped off the tears on his face. "I''ll stop crying, too. Today is a happy asion. Are you hungry? I''ll cook for you. We have to celebrate." Maurice nodded, and he began to rpose himself. Sofia then wheeled the woman into the kitchen of the hospital to make dinner, leaving Charmine in the ward with Maurice. "Thank you so much, Gem," thanked Maurice as he looked at her. "How did you find my mother?" Charmine said, "I had my men to find out." When she heard his childhood storiesst night, she already felt that there were some misunderstandings. She did not believe any mother would be able to leave their child behind for so many years. In her quest to cure Maurice''s struggle with anorexia, she made an investigation. With that, she found out the misunderstanding. "I hope that you and Auntie will be happy, Mo," wished Charmine as she met Maurice¡¯s gaze. Maurice''s mother¡¯s words touched her soul. "She initially didn''t want toe with me when I first met her. She was kicked out of the ck coal mine a long time ago. Nobody was willing to keep her, so she sold some handcrafts. Since you''re a public figure, she dared not look for you. She did not want to taint your reputation." Maurice felt a stab in his heart. How foolish was he? Why had he never thought of the possibility of his mother leaving him out of her will? Maurice looked at Charmine and smiled weakly. "You''ve done me such a huge favor, Gem. How can I repay you?" "Mo, please don''t. You said I''m your family, so helping you to find your mother is just a small matter," insisted Charmine. Furthermore, Maurice had done way more for her. Maurice smiled, and a gentle and caring smile spread across his face. As much as he wanted Charmine to be happy, she also wished the same. Maurice did not insist. Charmine saw the genuine smile on his face, and it affected her. How could there be such a warm smile in the world? Maurice neverined and always seemed so grateful. She should also learn to let go of everything and cherish what she already had. She had to be true to herself. Sofia wheeled the woman back not long after. The woman had a big te of sweet and sour pork ribs in her hands. She handed it to Maurice. "This was your favorite when you were a child, Mo. Try and see if my cooking tastes the same." Maurice looked at the pork ribs and recalled how much he loved this dish back then. His taste buds red, and he instantly had an appetite. He took the dish and had a bite. "Much better than back then!" he chirped softly. With that said, he picked up the fork and looked at it like the most precious thing in the world. He carefully started eating again. 1 The woman''s dull, aged face was brightened with a reassured, heartfelt smile. Sofia saw that Maurice no longer hated food, and she felt a sense of relief. Maurice¡¯s struggle with anorexia was finally dissolving. Watching as Maurice and his mother rekindled their rtionship and him no longer steering away from food, Charmine had an unnoticeable smile on her lips. With that, she could go on to do the thing she wanted to do...Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. chapter 1574 chapter 1574 After Maurice had eaten, his mother cleaned up the dishes. Charmine walked forward and said to Maurice, "Mo, seeing that you and Auntie are rekindling your rtionship, I can leave you at peace." "Leave?" Maurice frowned. "Gem, where are you going?" Charmine looked up. "To somewhere quiet for a while.¡± Maurice asked suspiciously, "Alone?" "Yeah," Charmine answered. The look of worry intensified in Maurice''s eyes. "Where to? Would you like me toe with you? I could arrange for someone to-" "No need, Mo." Charmine cut him off and insisted, "I want to be alone to calm down. Don''t be sorry, I¡¯ll take good care of myself." Maurice pursed his lips. As he recalled the struggles Charmine was facing, he could understand. She wanted to find a ce to rx. This was better than bottling her feelings up. He could only agree. "Alright, Gem. No matter when, I¡¯m only one call away if you need someone to talk to. I¡¯ll be waiting for you here.¡± "Yeah." Charmine¡¯s red lips curved into a smile before she stood up and left. Coincidentally, due to Maurice''s injuries, the entire filming crew took time off. She arranged for her private helicopter and started packing at home. Meanwhile... Chris, shouldering his backpack, was looking for Charmine. Before he even arrived at her vi, he heard a loud whirring sound above him. He looked up to see a helicopter going in the direction of Charmine''s vi. Chris narrowed his eyes. This was Charmine¡¯s helicopter! He saw her driving it before! R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Why would she need a helicopter? Was she about to leave? His dirtbag of a father had been so mean, too. He must have hurt his Mommy! Chris'' heart sank, and he phoned Anthony right away. "We got a problem, Daddy!" Anthony scoffed. "What is it?" Chris said urgently, "I saw Mommy''s helicopter moving. Is she leaving?" Anthony''s heart tightened. His tall figure stood up and grabbed his car key before heading out. "Where are you now?" "Some distance away from Mommy''s home." "Go and stop her!" Anthony went inside his car and started the engine, starting his journey. "I''ming." "Okay, douche-dad-oh, sorry, Daddy. Hurry!" 2 Chris hung up and he ran toward Charmine''s vi with his short legs and the backpack behind his back. He was trying to catch up to the helicopter. Anthony, meanwhile, raced toward Charmine''s vi in his luxury car. He would not permit Charmine to leave. He would rather see her with Maurice happily together instead of her disappearing from his world. 2 Anthony went past countless red lights and pressed down the pedal... However, when his car arrived at a junction, he looked at the red light confusingly, and he had to pull over. He looked around feeling confused. Where was he going? Was he not working at home earlier? Anthony picked up his phone to see his memo, but Luke called him at that moment. "Boss, are you here yet? Everyone is waiting." He frowned and then recalled that hispany was having a shareholders meeting. "On my way." Anthony hung up and looked at the light turning green. He swerved his car and drove toward his company. Chris arrived at Charmine''s vi and saw the helicopter parked at the golf course in front. His tiny heart sank. chapter 1575 chapter 1575 Chris looked at the road anxiously and saw that it was empty. Why was his Daddy noting yet? At this rate, Charmine would leave! With that in mind, a beautiful figure walked out of the vi. With a suitcase in tow, Charmine was in her long red dress, sporting a hat and sunsses. She looked expensive and elegant. Chris was amazed by her beauty, and he almost forgot to look away. After a while, he turned to see the empty road again. His Daddy was not here yet. He could not wait any longer. He had to speak to her first! When Charmine was not paying attention, Chris secretly went inside the helicopter. After Charmine sorted out some matters, she pushed her suitcase into it. When she went in, she saw... Chris, sitting inside?! "Hi!" Chris met her suspicious eyes and waved at her as if nothing was happening. "How do you do, Mommy?" 1 Charmine was speechless as she looked at him. "My dear, what are you doing here?¡± Why did he even have a backpack with him? It was only an hour ago when she had decided to leave! Chris blinked as he then mustered a feeble tone, muttering, "Mommy, my douche-dad doesn''t care about me anymore. Nobody cares about me, and no one¡¯s keeping mepany. I packed up to be with you, but I didn''t know even you don''t want me anymore. You''re leaving... Waa..." Charmine saw his crumpled small face, and her heart sank. Anthony neglected his own son for his wedding. Heh. What a douche! "Mommy..." Chris looked at Charmine, who seemed convinced. He reached out his small hands to hold onto hers, saying, "Mommy, don''t kick me out, please? Momo doesn''t want to go home. Grandpa berates me, and stepmom also rebukes me. Daddy doesn''t care, and I don''t want to go back ..." i Charmine looked at him in pain, she did not want him to be hurt. She bent down and caressed his cheeks, "Mommy is going to a rural area. It''s not like the city, it doesn''t have much going on. Are you sure you''reing with me?" "Yes!" Chris did not hesitate to nod his tiny head. "As long as Mommy is there, I want to go! Also, I like rural and quiet ces!" "Okay." Charmine ruffled his head. "Tell your father about this. Don''t make him worry." Chris nodded and took out his phone to call Anthony. He thought that if his father was on the way, he would have to detain Charmine for the time being. However, when he called Anthony, his phone was turned off since he was in an emergency meeting. Chris was speechless. He already warned Anthony, but what was returned was a turned-off phone. What else could Chris say? Charmine frowned. Seeing this was how Anthony treated Chris, she did not feel good. She ruffled his head. "Just leave with Mommy then, my dear. You may stay for as long as you want!" He could stay until Anthony remembered he had a son. Although Chris felt bad about making up the untrue stories, the thought of being able to live with Charmine cheered him up. He nodded happily." Alrighty!" Charmine nodded and ced the suitcase by the side. She put on gloves, sat on the pilot seat, and started the helicopter. Chris sat beside her and watched her wide-eyed with admiration. "Mommy, you¡¯re so cool!" His Mommy was more handsome and cool than his douche of a father! 1 Charmine looked at him and smiled. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. In a few hours, the helicopternded safely, and Charmine went out with Chris. Chris saw the view before him, and his eyes widened in shock. chapter 1576 chapter 1576 It was in the evening, and half of the sky had reddened with the sunset. The air was refreshing as the faint scent of flowers and grass wafted. There were vegetables on the ntation that formed a beautiful view, and all sorts of nts were in bloom. The houses at the heel of the mountain had smokeing out of their chimneys, and farmers made their way home. It felt homely. Charmine was already more at peace as she felt the breeze. Chris looked around. This was his first time seeing this sight, and his big eyes were full of curiosity. Charmine held onto his hand and said, "We''ll be staying here, my dear." "Okay!" Chris nodded and said, "Mommy, I like it here!" "I like this ce, too. Let¡¯s go." Charmine brought Chris into the house Kay had arranged for her, and everyone looked at her curiously. It was a bamboo house by a small stream. Although it was built of bamboo, the house wasrge and very spacious. When they walked past the bamboo bridge above the stream and arrived at their yard, they saw flowers and grass filling up the space, and a tall tree towered over it all. It was a tranquil sight. Under the tree was a swing made with vines. "Mommy, I want to y!" The swing caught Chris'' attention, and he liked it. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. "Okay." Charmine took his backpack and said, "Go on and y." "Yay!¡± Chris walked over and sat on the swing. He started ying with himself gleefully. Seeing how happy Chris was, Charmine felt more at peace. She pushed in her suitcase and started unpacking. When Chris was ying, he heard quick footstepsing from the bridge. He stopped abruptly and went fully alert as he stared at the gate cautiously. Suddenly... An adorable young girl came into sight, and it caught Chris off-guard as he stared at her. The young girl hadrge, doe eyes that resembled the twinkling stars in the sky. 1 She wore a small dress with flower patterns on them and had fresh vegetables in her hands. She walked in his direction shyly. Her small, fair cheeks flushed red as Chris watched her. She forgot how to react. Chris came off the swing and looked at this adorable little girl. He had a big -brother disposition as he asked, "Hey, are you looking for someone?" The little girl blinked and handed the vegetables in her hands. A childlike voice passed through her small, pinkish lips, "My Grandma asked me to give this to you both." Not waiting for Chris to reply, she pushed the vegetables into his arms and ran away. Chris looked at her shy figure and found this younger girl very adorable, i How he wanted to pinch her small cheeks. Unfortunately, she had left. Chris could only bring the vegetables to go inside the living room, where Charmine was making the bed. When she heard the footsteps, she looked over to see Chris. She asked," Did you finish ying, dear?" Chris handed her the vegetables. "Mommy, a little girl handed this to me. She said her grandma asked her to bring us." Charmine was surprised. She looked at the fresh vegetables, and her heart grew warm. The residents here were so friendly. She looked out the window and saw that there was a two-story house. It was probably them. Charmine put down the vegetables. Not liking to be indebted to someone, and seeing how kind her neighbors were, she had to return the gesture. chapter 1577 chapter 1577 Charmine then said to Chris, "Didn''t we bring gifts as well? Pick something suitable for the girl and bring it to them." "Alrighty!" Chris opened the suitcase and took out a big lollipop. "I''ll give this to her, Mommy." "Okay." Charmine brought Chris out and walked toward the two-story house. When they arrived before the gate, Chris saw the girl bending over at the front yard, petting a dog. The sight was so warm and beautiful. Charmine knocked. The little girl looked up, and her doe eyes seemed abashed. Still, she greeted loudly and politely, "Hello, Auntie, Brother." Her tone was childlike and soft, pleasant to the ears. Charmine liked polite girls like her. She was adorable like a doll, small and delicate, especially her big eyes- so clear and innocent. Charmine walked over and bent down before her. "Dear, are you home alone?" "No, my Grandma is home." With that said, an elderly grandmother walked out of the kitchen. Her aged face was riddled with wrinkles, yet she had a peaceful and friendly smile on her face. Charmine greeted, ''Thank you for your vegetables, Grandma."N?velDrama.Org content. Chris was polite as well. "Hello, Grandma." "You''re wee." Grandma had a very friendly smile on her face as she said, "Please,e on in." Charmine and Chris sat down and struck a conversation with her. It turned out that when Kay asked people to fix up her house, they knew someone wasing over. Seeing both Charmine and Chris arriving, the olddy and the little fretted they would not have any food. That was why the olddy had her granddaughter bring them the vegetables. Chris looked at the girl and gave her the lollipop. "Here, for you." The girl did not refuse. She epted it and said, ''Thank you, Brother." Chris was shocked. This girl looked about the same age as him, but she let out a unique confidence. She was not intimidated by strangers. Even though she was shy, she was still polite. When she noticed Chris looking at her, she became even more embarrassed as she smilingly covered her lips. Chris could not help being drawn to her. "Hello, my name is Chris, and I am four. What''s your name?" he asked. 3 "I am Chloe," her voice was crisp and soothing, "and I''m also four." The dog was by her side, licking her small leg. Chloe reached over to pat its head. The dog and her looked sofortable together. Chris watched her with a smile on his lips. He liked this ce, unlike the city, where he had no friends to y with. He said, "Sister, can we be friends?" "Yeah." Chloe smiled. "Okay." "Yay!" Chris smiled happily. He got along with Chloe instantly, and they both yed with the dog. On the side, the olddy chatted with Charmine, and she had a friendly smile on her face. "Youngdy, have you eaten? You must''ve had a long journey. If you don''t mind, please stay and eat with us." With that said, she did not wait for Charmine to reply as she turned into the kitchen. Charmine rushed over to refuse, "Grandma, there''s no need. I-" Before she could finish, the olddy had already caught a chicken and said, "Don''t be so polite. I''ll cook the chicken and then catch a fish. It''ll all be done soon." Charmine did not feelfortable. "Really, I do not wish to impose." However, the olddy did not seem to hear her as she continued to prepare for their meals. chapter 1578 chapter 1578 Charmine was helpless. She turned around to see Chloe ying with Chris. This was her first time seeing him gleefully having fun. The olddy had started ughtering the fish. She found it hard to refuse, and after a moment of thought, she walked into the kitchen and said, Til help you out." The olddy smiled at her serenely. "Alright, then." Meanwhile, Chris noticed that only Chloe and her grandmother were home. "Chloe, where are your parents?" he asked. Chloe stopped what she was doing. "I don''t have parents,¡± she confessed. " I grew up with my Grandma." She heard from her grandmother that before she turned one, her parents left her in the vige. Grandma saw and carried her home, raising her on her own. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Actually, she knew who her parents were... Since they did not like her, she would not go looking for them. Chris looked at her bright-eyed. He did not expect her childhood to be simr to his. Although he had a father and also found himself a nice Mommy like Charmine, Chloe only had her Grandma and her dog. Not knowing what to say nor how tofort her, Chris resolutely dered, "It¡¯s okay, I''m a big brother to you. If anyone bullies you from now on, let me know, and I''ll beat them up for you!" 1 "Hehe!" Chloe did not seem too bothered by her past. Chris'' deration, however, did make her giggle, and she smiled with her eyes. "Okay! I''ll definitely tell if anyone ever bullies me in the future!¡± When Chris heard that, he felt stronger and said, "That''s right. With me around, I won''t let anyone bully you." Chloe blushed. After a while, she asked, "Chris, are you here with just your mother? Where is your father?¡± Recalling his douche of a father, Chris helplessly said with a hand on his face, "My parents had a divorce, and he doesn¡¯t want my Mommy anymore. My Mommy is sad and brought me here to rx." Chloe reached out to ruffle his head. "It''s alright, Chis. I''ll keep youpany.¡± "Yeah!" Chris was upset but was instantly cheered up again. He continued to y with Chloe. All this while, Charmine assisted the olddy, and they made dinner quickly. The night had fallen, and the buzzing of insects was heard. The four of them sat under the pavilion in the front yard and had dinner with a loving atmosphere. Charmine found this slower pace of living very rxing. She enjoyed the night breeze while eating the meals made by wood and fire. This was a pleasant experience. Meanwhile, she made an astounding revtion that from the moment shended, her heart seemed to have slowly settled into ease. The troubles from the city did not once cross her mind. After the meal, Charmine and Chris parted with them, and they walked along the clear stream. Small critters sang their songs from wherever they were. The breeze was refreshing, carrying the scent of flowers with it. Chris blinked his big and bright eyes. He looked up at the sparkling sky filled with countless twinkling stars. It was like the gxy; utterly beautiful and romantic. Chris said, "Mommy, this is my first time seeing a sky like this." Charmine looked up at the sky with her clear eyes. She was surprised. ''This is how the sky looks like." "Huh?" Chris was curious. "Why have I never seen it?" Charmine exined, ''That''s because the sky in the city is polluted. It''s dull. The rural area is pure and unpolluted. Therefore, the sky keeps its most beautiful side to those who are honest and kind..." Chris nodded half-understood. He then asked, his expression earnest," Mommy, can I live here from now on?" chapter 1579 chapter 1579 Charmine halted and ruffled his head. "That won''t happen." Although she preferred the slower living pace here, Anthony would never permit his son to stay in this ce forever. Chris also knew this was unlikely, and just the thought of leaving this ce sooner orter filled him with dread throughout the night. On the next day, after breakfast, Charmine brought him to look for Chloe. When they left the house, they were once again stunned by the sight. The houses at the heel of the mountain had smoke that intermingled with the mist. The azure sky had clouds that looked like cotton candy drifting with the winds. The stream up ahead was clear, and the sound of water flowing was akin to a beautiful tune from an instrument. Everything in front of them looked as if painted. The beauty was beyond words. This ce was astoundingly beautiful. It settled Charmine''s nerves and made her not want to think of anything. All she wanted was to enjoy her time in this ce. Chloe, sporting a dress with flower patterns and two cute braids, was ying with the dog in the front yard. Hearing footsteps, she walked out with her dog. It made an endearing sight for Charmine, and she could not help liking her. If only she had a daughter. How great would that have been? Unfortunately... "Doggy!" Chris saw the adorable dog and went over to pet it. "You''re a good doggy. Chloe and I will take you out to y today." It was as if the dog understood her as it licked his small hand adorably. "Let¡¯s go, Chloe," said the giddy Chris to Chloe. Chloe parted with her grandmother and left with them. Chris and Cloe walked in front of Charmine. Chris had a cool facade on him, acting like Chloe''s big brother, while Chloe was very adorable and confident. The two children were so happy. They walked along and arrived at a stream at the heel of a mountain. The stream was so clear that one could see fishes and lobsters swimming in it. "Mommy!" The sight shocked and excited Chris. "Let''s get down to catch the lobsters!" "Okay!" Charmine did not refuse Chris, seeing how over the moon he was. Since they were now away from the city, it would be nice to experience the self-sufficient life here. She helped Chris and Chloe remove their shoes and rolled up their pant legs up to their knees. "We must be very careful, darlings." "Alrighty." Chris could not wait to walk into the stream. Chloe petted the dog and said, "Doggy, stay right here, alright? I''ll get in with Chris to get some lobsters. You''ll have nice food!" "Woof!" the dog blinked and licked Chloe''s leg. It was as if it was reminding her to be careful. Chloe smiled and said, "Don''t worry." N?velDrama.Org content. She then got into the stream. "Chris, wait for me!" Chris looked back and stayed in the same spot. He reached out his hand to her. Chloe was shy but epted his hand. Chris held her hand as they both held up their pant legs, walking along the stream in search of lobsters. Charmine had a big-boss-currently-on-a-vacation look on her. She haughtily rolled up her sleeves and got inside to catch the lobsters. Chris held onto Chloe and saw a lobster but missed it. This did not deter them, however, as they were determined to catch that strong-willed lobster. They chased after it. Suddenly... chapter 1580 chapter 1580 Chris and Chloe walked across the stream and turned, getting at the lower end of the stream. As they walked, two boys appeared-one being fat and the other, skinny. They saw Chloe inside the stream. "Hmph! The dirty kid is out ying again." "Oh, she even brought another dirty kid? He''s so young. Where did she steal him from?" "If I''m parentless like you, I''d rather die in the stream. How are you still out every day?" "You''re such a shameless dirty kid!" "Hahaha!" Both boys ran their mouths, continuing one another. Chloe red at both boys, and her originally adorable eyes glinted coldly. She retrieved her hand from Chris and blinked. Her hand reached inside her pocket and took out a needle. She would be teaching them a lesson. However... Chris pulled her behind him with coldness in his eyes. He seemed much like Anthony at that moment as he red at them. "Shut up!" He was like an agitated kitten, one that was furious. "Stay away! If I hear that ever again, I''ll make sure you won''t be able to leave!" The two boys were not intimidated, however, and theyughed even louder: "Wow! Where did this dirty kide from? I haven''t seen him around!" "How dare you threaten me? Hahaha! What can you do?" "A dirty kid with a dirty kid! Chloe, you found your kind! Two dirty kids! How pitiable!" The two egged on, "Chloe is ugly and dirty! She has no father and no mother!" The two started chanting this and emphasized on the word ''dirty''. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Chloe squinted and clenched the needle tightly. They could call her all the names they wanted, but they could not do that to her friend! The needle in her hand was about to fly out, but Chris was quicker than her. Hearing their words infuriated Chris. He could not stand how these two lowly children bullied his friend! Seeing a lobster swimming by, even though he was scared of its ws hurting his hand, at this moment, he easily picked it up and tossed it at the fat boy. "Argh! Argh!" The red lobster hung on the fat boy''s shoulder, and another one hung on the smaller kid''s head. Both boys grew pale in fright. They started panicking, unable to get rid of the lobsters on them, i Chloe looked at Chris adorably; he was so cool to her. This was the first time she felt protected, and it felt so reassuring. "It''s okay, Chloe," Chrisforted Chloe and bent once more to take another lobster. He walked forward. The fat boy was still screaming as he looked at the lobster on his neck with fear. He was scared witless as he yelped to his friend, "Help me get it off!" The smaller boy slowly reached out his trembling hand but dared not to touch it. Chris scoffed and went up to them with an even bigger lobster. He ced it right on the face of the boy who scolded Chloe... 1 "Argh! Help me!" The boy was so terrified that he was running away, but Chris would not let him go so easily. He flicked his wrist, sending the lobster into the air andnding right on the boy''s head. He instantly dared not to move, though he trembled like a leaf. The two kids were so naughty a moment ago, but at this moment, they were terrified with their faces pale. They dare not move. Both boys were downright terrified of the lobsters'' ws that could hurt them, and they red daggers at Chris. chapter 1581 chapter 1581 "Take it away! I¡¯ll punch you!" Chris smiled coldly and said, "Come on, then. I''m standing right here, waiting for you to punch me!" "You!" Seeing that Chris was not intimidated, the fat kid was so terrified that he was about to pee in his pants. The lobster on his neck opened its ws and climbed up his neck. The other boy, the skinny kid, felt the lobster climbing down from his head and to his ears. He could hear the sound the lobster was making. It was as if the lobster would pinch his ear. Not daring to risk it, both boys pleaded, "Please, take the lobsters away!" Chris looked at them nonchntly. "I can take them off of you, but if I see you bullying Chloe ever again, it won''t be just this!" "Okay! Okay!" The fat kid nodded. "I won''t bully her anymore, okay?" Chris said coldly, "Apologize to Chloe, now!" The both of them instantly apologized in unison, "We''re sorry, Chloe. We won''t make fun of you ever again. Please forgive us!" "Oh," came Chloe''s simple, indifferent response. Chris could sense what she felt, and he looked at both boys coldly. "Go on! Apologize until she¡¯s happy with it." They apologized again, "We''ve been mean to you, Chloe. We won''t do that again!¡± Chloe said, "Chris, take the lobsters away, if Auntie Charmine sees us missing, she might be worried." "Okay!" Chris said with a gentler tone. He then reached over to take back the two lobsters before warning fiercely, "Get lost! If I ever see youing after Chloe again, I''ll make the dog bite your mouth!" i When the lobsters were taken away, the kids were like deted balloons, falling to the ground as they peed their pants. They shook like leaves, and noticing that they had wet their pants, their faces turned red as they scampered off. Chris scoffed and brought the lobsters back to the stream. He put them into the basket and looked at Chloe. "Chloe, have they always ridiculed you like that?" Chloe nodded. They even said meaner things, but she did not bother. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. However, they included Chris this time, and that was why she wanted to fight back! She never expected Chris to be so cool! She was touched. The irate Chris dered, "No one will bully you anymore with me around." Chloe had a smile on her face. "Okay! No one will get to me with you here!" "That¡¯s right!" Chris held her hand and, knowing that they were too far away from Charmine, brought her back. Charmine was catching the lobsters. She was aware that the two kids were somewhere, but she did not know they were that far away. By the time they came back, she had a basket full of lobsters. Chris acted as if nothing happened. "Yay! We get to eat lobsters for lunch!" He pped. He turned to Chloe. "Chloe, my Mommy makes yummy lobsters!" "Yay!" beamed Chloe. "I can''t wait to try them!" "Okay." Charmine looked at her and could not help liking her more. "Do you darlings eat spicy food?" "Yes, and my Grandma does, too! Auntie Charmine, we can eat anything. We''re not picky." "Okay." Charmine saw that it was about time, so she brought them home. On the way back, she could sense people pointing at the three of them as they muttered something. By the looks on their faces, it was nothing pleasant. chapter 1582 chapter 1582 Charmine looked at the people suspiciously. Were they looking down on them because she went out catching lobsters? Amid her doubt, a woman pointed at her and scolded, "You dress so well, but your kid is so rude and wild! The people from the city are so arrogant and disgusting!¡± Charmine halted. Her eyes were cold as she red at the woman. Was she talking to her? When the woman met her deadly re, she shivered and dared not to speak anymore. She went home and closed the door. Charmine frowned and turned to look at Chris. He was so polite and did not speak to anyone. The woman probably was not referring to Chris. Had she over-thought this? Whatever. She led Chris and Chloe back home and started preparing the lobsters. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Chris and Chloe helped out, and with that, the meal was prepared quickly. It did not take long before a big pot of lobsters was done. The lobsters were red and shiny as they were bathed in red chili sauce. The fragrance and presentation were on point; they looked very tempting. The air was filled with an appetizing fragrance. Chloe and Chris sat down while Charmine helped to get the olddy. The four of them sat in front of the bamboo house, eating the lobsters happily. They sucked the juice out of the lobsters and then peeled their tails off. The flesh was bouncy, and their mouths were filled with the spices. 1 The flowing stream by the side made a crisp sound, a beautiful melody. The leaves swayed with the breezing wind. The afternoon sun shone through the leaves, and it was beautiful like a painting. Charmine looked up at the view and was once again in awe. This ce was so beautiful. It was as if the impurities in her were washed away by this. The environment calmed her soul. She no longer had the desire to earn fame or care about gossip. She only wanted to feel the refreshing breeze, listen to the stream, eat the lobsters that she caught with her own hands, and the vegetables nted by Grandma. Charmine looked away and peeled the lobsters for the three of them, but her emotions intermingled with one another. If Anthony was here, he would be the one peeling the lobsters, but... Wait, why was she thinking about Anthony? This was the first time she thought about Anthony after being here for a day! This ce was so beautiful. How could they not havee here when they were in love? s, they would no longer have the chance. Whatever. Why was she even thinking about that douchebag? Charmine continued eating the lobsters. The thought of being able to stay for a few more days made her happy, i Lobster shells were everywhere by the time they finished lunch, and not a single lobster was left in the pot. Charmine was cleaning the table with Grandma while Chris and Chloe, unable to help, went along to y with a kite. The two adorable children pulled the strings and ran across the field. The kite flew high above the sky, and theirughter was heard from time to time. Charmine was pleased to see how joyful Chris was. She initially thought he would be bored if he was away from the city, but she did not expect him to be happier than usual. This was well. Day turned to night, and the sky was spangled with stars. Noticing the good breeze and pleasant weather, Charmine put on a grey tracksuit and brought Chris out for a walk. The moon was clear and shining at this quiet vige. She brought Chris to walk around. When they walked back, the breeze carried a different smell apart from flowers; there was the scent of oranges. chapter 1583 chapter 1583 Chris was tempted by the sweet yet sour scent. He looked up and said, Mommy, there are some oranges. Can we buy some?" "Yes." Charmine walked ahead. "Let¡¯s keep an eye out. We¡¯ll buy some later." "Alrighty!" Both of them continued walking forward, and the scent grew stronger. After walking for a few minutes, they saw an orchard full of oranges. With the dim light, they saw the stall by the side with only a few oranges left. Were they still selling? Charmine noticed that the lights in the house were still on, and she wanted to go and ask the residents about it. However, the door made a sound and was pushed open. A couple walked out with a torch. They shone the light right at the two of them. Charmine narrowed her eyes and frowned. Worried that the light might get into Chris'' eyes, she shielded him. The intense bright light still blew up in her face. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Charmine was not pleased, but before she could speak, the couple sneered, "Oh yeah! Here they come again! I caught you!" "A youngdy who''d resort to such a thing. How shameless!" As they spoke, they came before Charmine and sized her up, noticing that she was wearing a in outfit with a pile of orange peels by the side. The woman scoffed and spoke with a harsh, sharp tone, "You''re so poor that you can¡¯t even afford an orange? You came to steal at midnight? Admit it! I can either call the police now, or you pay me ten times the original price!¡± Charmine deadpanned. Was she...used of stealing the oranges? Her red lips curled into a small smirk. ''Which eyes of yours saw me stealing them?" The woman looked at Charmine and realized that she was the woman who moved in yesterday. Her eyes were full of disgust as she disdainfully snapped, "Hey, you got caught and you''re still not admitting to it? You¡¯re poor, yeah, but at least have some dignity. You stole cheap oranges and won''t even admit to it?" "I nted these trees for over ten years, and they had never been stolen," the husband chimed in. "Since you moved in yesterday, my fruits were stolen. Who else would steal other than you!?" Charmine smiled and maintained a calm disposition. "You need evidence to make usations. Show me your evidence before using me." The couple was triggered. ''What evidence are you talking about? You stole our oranges because you know there''s no CCTV in here!" "However poor you are, can¡¯t you do some work to feed yourself? Why do you have to steal?" Charmine''s eyes went cold. She red at the barbaric people in front of her, and as she was about to speak... Chris, who was behind her, walked out and stood in front of Charmine. "My Mommy did not steal!" he chided. "She looks down on your oranges!" The woman looked at Chris and scoffed. "What do you know? You stole things and still make excuses. Didn''t your parents teach you manners?" Charmine¡¯s entire body emanated fury as her eyes turned cold. "Apologize! Apologize to Chris, now!" she demanded. The woman, however, merely cocked her head to the side. "You stole my oranges and expect me to apologize? You might as well dream about it! So what if I snap at him? If he doesn''t learn it from a young age and is protected by a thief like you, he¡¯s going to be rude! What a dirty kid, soiled by his parents!" p! Charmine swung her palm across the woman''s face harshly. The sound was crisp and super clear on this quiet night. She red at the woman coldly. "I exined to you out of politeness, but you have no right to rebuke my son!" chapter 1584 chapter 1584 The woman staggered a few steps back from the brunt of Charmine''s p. She stood transfixed on the spot for a while. She only reacted when she felt the burn and numbness on her cheek. She got pped by a woman younger than her! A young woman actually pped her! "Argh! What a shameless woman! I''m going to beat you up!" The woman opened her huge arms and jumped at Charmine. She even tried to pull her hair. Charmine merely remained on the same spot and looked very calm. When the woman got closer, Charmine calmly reached out her hand and caught the woman''s wrist. She threw her over the shoulder. Thomp! The woman fell to the ground. She was in so much pain that it took her a while to react. She pointed at Charmine with her shaky hand, ''You''re so dead!" Charmine towered over as she coldly bit back, ''You want to get beaten again?" The woman was so triggered that her face turned pale and her body trembled. She turned to look at her husband with a frustrated look. ''You, smack some sense into this beggar of a woman!" However, her husband took a step back and said, ''Til go and call the police. Don''t let her get away!" 1 This younger woman had beaten up his wife, who was way fatter than him. He would get beaten up as well if he tried toe to Charmine. Furthermore, he would call the police since it was the poor woman who hit his wife first! They must not fight back! The woman was furious. Not wanting Charmine to get away, she made a scene on the ground and yelled with her eyes closed, "Help me! Help me! Someone came here to steal things and beat me up! Someone, help me!" Charmine curled up her red lips and smiled. This woman was good at making a scene. Instantly, the neighbors heard her cry and gathered around. They saw the woman beaten up on the ground. Her hair was messy with mud all over her face. Her cheek was red, too. Everyone was shocked. What happened? When the woman saw that everyone came over, she fell to the ground and sobbed loudly, "This neer came yesterday! She stole our orangesst night and came again tonight! Now that I caught her, she denies it and beats me up! How unjust is this? Seek justice for me!" Everyone heard what she said and looked at Charmine in shock. This neer was so daring? She was so poor that she had to steal the oranges, and she even resorted to beating the woman up after she got caught? Other women started pointing at Charmine and reprimanded her. "How could you do such things? You stole their food and even hurt her!" "Look at your poor outfit! You must''ve been stealing in the city that you had to move to our vige!" "You''re poor and have no dignity. You have hands and feet, so why can''t you do something instead of stealing? Disgusting!¡± "The father of this kid is so unlucky. His mother is so shameless. If I were him, I¡¯d rather be dead! It¡¯s an embarrassment to be alive!¡± "A thief! Disgusting!" The words andments were directed at Charmine and Chris. Charmine shielded Chris as her entire being emanated ferocity, sheer fury. Herser-like gaze swept across the crowd. "Did any of you see me stealing? Are your mouths made of sh*t?" Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. The crowd became even more agitated. "You got caught, and you still deny it!" "Only you two are out sote at night. Who else could it be!?" "We don''t have thieves here! It must be you two!" "It''s my first time seeing someone steal things so loudly!" "What a thief! Shameless! Poor yet has no dignity!" chapter 1585 chapter 1585 "Don''t stay in our vige anymore! Leave!" "Ask the vige head toe! We must toss this thief out!" Everyone berated Chris and Charmine as they scooped up mud and stones to toss at them. Charmine''s eyes burned furiously as she shielded Chris, flinching away from the stones. She raised her arms and long legs to get away from the stonesing at her. Zip! The stones and mud were sent flying back at the crowd as Charmine moved. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. The women did not expect this as the stones scratched their faces. They were the ones sttered with the smelly mud instead. Angered, they rolled up their sleeves, ready to fight Charmine. Among the crowd, someone called out, "Our vige head is here!" Everyone stopped to look over. Charmine turned around to see Chloe walking toward them with her Grandma. Grandma still had a friendly and peaceful smile on her face, but her tone was more serious. "What''s the matter?" The women started all speaking at once, "This neer came stealing oranges. She got caught and denied it, even going so far as to hurt them!" "Vige head, our vige has always been safe. We can''t have this thief stay here!" "Yeah! Even if she''s poor, we can give her some food if she''s got a better attitude. However, she¡¯s stealing, rebuking, and d hitting people! Her attitude is bad! She must leave!" 2 "We can¡¯t keep a thief like her!" The crowd referred to Charmine as the ''thief'' and looked at her with hatred and disgust. The woman on the floor quickly grabbed Grandma''s leg and sobbed," Vige head, you must speak up for me! As you know, we''ve always been relying on oranges. Now that our oranges are stolen, how can I live on? Waa ... She stole the oranges and even beat me up! She¡¯s a bully! Please defend me...!" Grandma looked at this usually loud and rude woman and frowned. She took another look at Charmine and did not question her at all, instantly dering to everyone, "Please calm down-it''s a misunderstanding. Charmine is not this kind of person!" "What!?" The woman on the floor was so shocked, and she cried out," Vige head, what are you talking about!? Are you so old that you lost your mind!? As I said, I caught her in action, and she beat me up! How is this a misunderstanding?" The woman by the side added on, "Vige head, are you insane? This neer has hands and feet to make money on her own, yet she came here stealing! How are you on her side!?" "She stole these today, and if you let her go now, she''ll steal something else tomorrow!" "She''s so poor at such a young age. She''ll stay like this forever! She won''t change! Do you want her living in our vige like a parasite?" "Vige head, you better think it through. Don''t be silly!" Each word was sharp and harsh. They were about to drown out the olddy. Charmine did not want her matter to affect her. She pursed her lips and took out a thick stack of money. She tossed it at the woman on the ground. The people running their mouths spotted the thick stack of money, and they were all stupified in disbelief. Was this real, or was it fake money? A poor thief had that much money!? This stack of money was worth at least ten thousand bucks! Charmine walked out and red at the woman from above, coldly chiding, This amount is more than enough to buy your entire orchard, including your medical expenses! I give you money not because I stole your oranges, but because I pity you! You''re barbaric and stingy with a narrow heart. You¡¯re unreasonable!" Charmine was willful and haughty in the way she spoke. chapter 1586 chapter 1586 With that said, Charmine held onto the olddy. "Grandma, let''s go," she urged. The aggrieved woman, upon seeing the cash in front of her, instantly forgot about her pain as her eyes lit up. She quickly picked them all up and looked at them with trembling hands. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. She licked her rough hands and started counting. Everyone looked at Charmine''s back, and then at the stack of cash that the woman could not handle with both hands. Their jaws dropped. Gosh! This was real money! Was she that wealthy? They would not be able to earn this much money, even if they worked hard for a few years, yet she took out this much cash so easily? Where did this mogule from? She had to havee here on a vacation. Everyone turned to look at the woman who was grinning from ear to ear on the ground. Feeling their eyes on her, the woman held the banknotes close to her and stood up. "Thank you, everyone. I''ll treat you all to a nice meal next time." She thus quickly went home and shut the door tightly, much to everyone¡¯s fury. This woman had used them! When the crowd left, they could not help looking in Charmine''s direction. She was truly a mogul, yet they mistook her as a poor woman. Charmine helped the elderlydy to get home. Grandma knew Charmine was not that kind of woman, thus she reassured her, "I''m sorry to have embarrassed you, Charmine. The people here are usually very kind, but they''d act like this when they''re defensive. Since there''s no inte here, they don''t know aboutws and don''t know much." Charmine pursed her lips and said, "I know." She did not me them. They did not see any evidence, so it made sense for them to trust their neighbors. The woman who yed the victim did not represent the entire vige. For example, Grandma and Chloe were very kind and friendly. In the afternoon, the old man who helped her pluck some leaves was also very kind. She would not judge the entire vige based on that barbaric woman. Grandma nodded. "Yea. Sorry for the trouble." She then said to Chloe, " Chloe, let''s go home. Give Auntie Charmine the things we''ve prepared." "Hmm?" Charmine frowned. "You don¡¯t have to, Grandma, I don''tck anything." Grandma insisted, "No way. We don¡¯t have a lot to offer here, and you didn''t take a lot of items with you, too. You must need some daily necessities." With that, the olddy held Chloe''s hand and headed home. Charmine was helpless. "Grandma, really, I don''t." She could ask Kay to bring anything she needed. However, Grandma did not seem to have heard it. She kept on walking, and there was no way for Charmine to turn down her offer. Charmine and Chris stood by the door as they waited for both of them. Following that, she said to Chris, "Dear, go and help them out." Since there was no way to turn it down, she did not want to feel bad. She would return the favor in the future. "Alrighty!" Chris chirped happily and went inside. Grandma prepared a bag full of daily necessities, including detergents, salt, pepper, and everything else. After moving them into Charmine¡¯s house, the olddy and Chloe parted with Charmine and Chris. "Charmine, please don''t take what happened today seriously. Rest well, and let me know if you need anything." "Alright, then. Thank you!" said Charmine. Grandma smiled peacefully and left with Chloe. Chris chased after them. chapter 1587 chapter 1587 "Grandma, Chloe, I''ll walk you home," dered Chris. "I''m a man, and I should protect you!" "Alright, then!" Chloe smiled adorably, and her eyes twinkled like the stars in the sky. Grandma smiled as well. "Okay." Chris supported Grandma to walk and sent them home. Across the stream, a few women sat below a tree as they muttered to one another. "Why is that woman so close to the vige head?" "She''s probably getting old and silly. She can''t tell right from wrong." ''The vige head even gave that woman a lot of things! That woman probably tricked her!" "They seem quite rich, though." "How rich can they be? Why would they be here if they''re rich? The amount she tossed out was only ten thousand bucks." Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. The women began gossiping, and some even ridiculed Charmine. "Only ten thousand? They can earn as much after working a few months in the city." "Who knows, maybe she came to a small vige like ours to take our money!" "Right! The vige head has a lot of land. I heard she has some antiques as well." "Who knows, maybe they came here to steal her money!" ''True! Let''s wait for it, then. The vige head will get it bad!" The vige head overheard their conversation, but she was not infuriated nor did she bother exining the situation. That genial smile was still stered on her face. When they got home, she put Chloe to sleep. When she was about to sleep, the phone in the house rang urgently. She went and answered the phone, greeting, "Hello, who''s calling?" A rough and impatient man¡¯s voice was heard, "Are you the vige head of Mount Vige?" "Oh, I am." The olddy nodded and asked, "Who are you? Is there anything?" The man said, "I''m a developer, you see. I saw your vige, and I want to turn it into a resort! Give me a price, and sell your vige to me. Everyone will move out in a group. Give me a number-each of you will be able to afford a house in the city!" 2 Grandma still had a friendly look on her face a moment ago, but her expression turned stern. "I''m not selling. This is our root. We won''t sell it!" The other end halted. "I''ll pay you!" Grandma insisted, "We won''t sell either way. Many generations lived here, and I-" "Alright, don¡¯t use that on me!" The man said, "You must sell it, even if you don¡¯t want to! I''ll use force!" 3 With that, the man growled and ended the call abruptly. Beep! Grandma helplessly put down the phone and sat on the sofa. She sighed. All these years, many people had called her in hopes of buying this vige to develop it. However nice the offer was, they all had to ask all the vigers to move out. This was their root. How could someone forget his or her root? Therefore, she turned them down every time. The difference was that every other developer was polite and asked her to call back after consideration. This man, however, threatened her! If the man came over with his people, the vigers might sell this ce for money! This was, no doubt, a troublesome matter... The olddyid in bed anxiously. Worried over this matter, she had a restless sleep. The next morning, a ck minivan drove into the vige. A few rough-looking men got out of the minivan, each sporting a golden ne and gold rings on all fingers. They also held a few documents and a speaker. Someone carried a heavylooking box. They walked in arrogantly. The man in lead looked around the vige with an arrogant look. From this moment on, this vige was his! chapter 1588 chapter 1588 One of the men shouted at the speaker, ''We''re giving money! We''re giving money!" "You no longer have to work for a house!" "Come over! Once you sign this contract, everyone will get arge sum of money!" When a few women heard ''money'', they could not help going forward to ask, ''What do you mean by signing this to get arge sum of money?" The young man said, "We''re developers. We want to turn this vige into amercial tourist area! Once you sign this, you¡¯ll get arge sum of money to buy a house in the city!" "Is there such a good thing?" questioned one of the women. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. "Yes!" insisted the young man. "Once you sign here, you get it right away!" The other young man with the box opened it, revealing loads of cash inside. The woman''s eyes widened. She picked up the pen and was about to sign before the person by the side nudged her. "Don¡¯t hurry. Ask for details first." The woman was confused. "Ask for what?" The other woman said, "I heard that the other vige was sold to some developers. Once we sell it, we won¡¯t have our houses anymore! We won''t be able toe back here forever!" The woman panicked and looked at the young man. "If I sign here, will my current house have nothing to do with me?" The young man had a mocking smile as ifughing at how foolish she was. "Of course! This is an agreement to sell your house! However, with the money we give you, you can buy a bigger house in the city!" The woman bit her lip. She thought of how she wanted to send her son to study in the city, but she would never be able to afford a house in the city. Although she would no longer have her house here, she would have one in the city. Not wanting to trouble herself thinking about it anymore, she said, "I agree!" The woman picked up the pen, but just as she was about to sign it, an urgent voice was heard, "Don''t sign it!" A few of them looked over to see the vige head rushing over. Her usually peaceful face had turned grim. She quickly stopped the woman from signing. "Do not sign it! This is our root! We can''t give it up for the benefits we see." The woman stopped and said with a disgusted look, "Vige head, I''m selling my house. What does this have anything to do with you? Does it matter to you where my root is? Don''t be a busybody!" The woman then tried to sign once more. The vige head frowned and grabbed the pen from the woman before throwing it to the ground vehemently. "I said, do not sign it. Why won¡¯t you listen? The houses in the city won''t belong to you after a few decades. You¡¯re not only selling your house here; you¡¯re selling yournd! You won''t be able to nt anything nor go home. Even the graveyards will be dug out! You won''t have anything by then, and you can only cry to yourself when it happens!" Being stopped and berated, the woman was furious as she snapped, "Mind your own business! Even if I end up as a beggar in the city, it has nothing to do with you! Go away!" She red at the vige head and picked up the pen angrily. She was about to sign again when the vige head snatched the contract from her and tore it. Triggered, the woman growled, "You old hag! Can you stay away from me? This is my business, and you have nothing to do with this!" The vige head insisted, "You may yell at me all you want, but I still won¡¯t let you sign it!" The woman scoffed, "You¡¯re so annoying, you old thing! I''m still going to sign it!" The rest of the vige overheard this woman yelling at their peaceful vige head, so they came over to talk her out of it. chapter 1589 chapter 1589 "Why don''t you sign itter? This is our root, and our generations were, and are, raised here. We can¡¯t give up our roots for instant benefits." "Right! I heard the living expenses are high in the city, that even a drop of water costs money. You won''t have your ownnd if you go out to the city. Even vegetables cost money. How are you going to earn money?" "They say there are all kinds of other costs. If your son is going to school, the fees are way higher out there! Without an ie, how would you support your family?" Hearing these, everyone else chimed in, agreeing. "That''s right. Don''t sign it! The vige is the best!" "Don''t be tempted by instant benefits! They''ll dig out your ancestors'' graveyards! You¡¯ll end up crying!" "Yes, don''t sign it!" The young men who were initially confident saw the tides changing and looked at the vige head angrily. "Just let her sell it if she wants to, you old hag! It¡¯s not like she''s selling yournd! It''s none of your business!" With that said, a few vigers who wanted to sell their homes jumped in, sneering. "I know, right? We spent our own money buying this house, and it¡¯s none of your business who we want to sell it to!" "You¡¯re getting older and sillier! You not wanting to move out doesn¡¯t mean that we don''t want to move out!" "What a busybody! Just mind your own business!" The vige head felt wronged hearing those words, but she did not argue with them as she instead turned to say to the young men, "Leave us alone, and don''t show up in our vige again! We don''t wee you people here! I won¡¯t let anyone sign anything!" The young men looked at her mockingly. "Don''t be so selfish, you old thing. You not wanting to sell doesn''t mean others don''t want to sell, too!" The vige head scoffed and said, "Yes, call me selfish if you want! As long as I''m around, nobody signs anything! Want a yes? Over my dead body!" 1 Although she was aged, her back was straight. She stood before the table and did not let anyone get close. The rest of the vigers did not want to sell either. They did not want to lose thend they grew up in. They supported the vige head. "Yes! We¡¯re not signing! We¡¯re not selling!" "If you want ournd, well, over our dead bodies!" The few of them stood in onend with determination. This was the first time they had seen the vige head so infuriated and determined. They dared not go on to sign it. The young men saw their stance, and they were enraged. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Curse that old hag! How stubborn! They might break into a fight at this rate, and it would get worse! Not daring to escte the situation, the men could only pack up and leave. They had to report to their head. Before they left, they angrily warned, "Don''t be too happy. We''ll be back!" The vige head looked aged, but there was fire in her tone. "Come again, and I still won''t let anyone sign with you!" The leading man scoffed. "We¡¯ll see about that!" He had not received the direct order from the head. Once he had it, even if this old woman did not agree, they would use force to get it! The young men chewed gum as they haughtily cocked their heads and left arrogantly. The vige head only let out a sigh when she saw their minivan leaving. No matter how the others judged her, she still had that peaceful look on her face. Charmine came back with Chris after the morning run. Seeing so many people criticizing her, she walked over. When she saw how worried the vige head, the olddy, looked, she asked, "Grandma, have you eaten?" The vige head squinted and softly sighed. "I almost forgot! I haven''t made breakfast for Chloe." chapter 1590 chapter 1590 Chris said politely, "Grandma,e to our house and eat. Mommy made tomato and egg noodles. It''s yummy! The tomatoes are fresh, and the eggs, well..." He felt rather embarrassed. "Chloe and I got it from the chicken nest at your ce." Seeing how adorable Chris was, the smile on the vige head''s face widened. She ruffled his head. "Okay, feel free to take as many eggs as you like." "Yay!" Chris supported the vige head by the side. "Grandma, let¡¯s go home and eat!" "Alright, let''s go.¡± Charmine went to her side and helped to support her, too. When the three of them turned around, they heard the women¡¯s sneers behind their backs. "She can¡¯t even manage her own things and went on to boss about others "Sigh! She thinks she''s a kind person! When you''re kind to the wrong people, they won¡¯t thank you!" "I know. The older she gets, the sillier she bes! This neer is so fake, but she still treats her so well!¡± "The neer and her son came here to eat and take advantage of her! She must¡¯ve been boycotted by the city people and came hiding in our vige!" The vige head reached out to hold Charmine''s arm. She gently patted her and gave her a reassuring smile. Charmine returned the smile and did not seem to mind the jeers. Helping the vige head back home and recalling how everyone hurled usations at her, Charmine could not fight the question in her mind, asking, "Grandma, what happened earlier?¡± Mentioning this, the vige head had a worried look on her peaceful face. " Someone came here, wanting to develop thisnd into a tourist area. I didn''t agree. We''ve lived here all our lives, and all ofCopyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. our generations were here. How can we forget our roots? They wanted to sell it, but I stopped them." She had a peaceful smile. "I don''t mind what they say about me, just as long as I keep this ce. However, the young men said they¡¯ll being back. I''m worried that even though we kept it this time, we might not be able to do so in the next few times. After all, they came with cash. The vigers hadn''t seen so much money in their lives, and they might be persuaded." 1 Charmine pursed her lips. A thought urred to her as she said to the vige head, "Grandma, I have an idea. Don''t worry too much-just rx." The vige head looked at Charmine gently and held her hand. She nodded. "Okay." 1 She knew Charmine was just saying that to make her feel better, but it was better than those who criticized her. Charmine went back to her house and went inside her room. She took out a high-tech router from her suitcase and ced it by the window, trying to connect to the inte. Her eyes lit up, and she started using her phone to make a n. As she got to work, she heard knocking on her door. Thinking it was Chris, Charmine put down her things and went to open the door...only to be greeted with an empty doorway. There was only an orange bouquet of roses along with arge paper box. There were all kinds of expensive things inside. Charmine frowned. She walked out to look around but saw no one. She looked at the roses and the box with all the necessities. Most obvious of all was a brand new laptop. Who sent her such expensive things? She instinctively thought of Anthony. Was it...him? Had he found out Chris was staying, and that was why he sent these? Moved, Charmine instinctively looked around with anticipation. If he came, he could stay with her in this rxing vige for a short while with Chris. How beautiful would that be? Still, why did he not show himself? Was he worried about Waverly getting jealous? chapter 1591 chapter 1591 Ha! Charmine was moved for a second before she regained herposure. Why would Anthony bother sending her gifts in that case? Nheless, Charmine took the items left at her door and brought them to her room, sitting on the sofa as she went through everything. Had Anthony sent her aptop knowing she needed it? Her jumbled-up emotions whirled in her pupils as she held her phone. She went back and forth with herself, considering whether or not to phone Anthony. If it was him, she had to send them back. If not, well, her dignity could be crushed. Charmine pursed her lips and went on Tweeter. She had not been online in the past two to three days. She wanted to view his feed before calling. However, when she logged in, all she saw was news on Anthony and Waverly. Anthony had brought Waverly to the family banquet, took her to an art exhibition along with many business dinners, and introduced her to his partners! Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Charmine felt like her heart was impaled the moment she saw the photos. Her red lips curled up bitterly. She knew he no longer cared for her. Why was she still waiting on him? He was busy introducing his fiancee to the world. Why would he care where she was and what she needed? Furthermore, he never once introduced Charmine to anyone when she was with him! Charmine''s chest heaved, and it took her a while to calm down and put down the phone. She looked at the orange bouquet and noticed then that there was a card attached. Charmine walked over to see a simple line written on it. [Take care of yourself.] It was not signed, but this seemed to be Maurice''s handwriting. Only he knew she was in this vige. Charmine did not bother analyzing the matter, not wanting to care who sent these things. She was only pleased that theptop came the moment she needed it. She opened it and connected to the inte. She continued to n. With thisptop, it was more convenient than using the phone. It was more efficient. She quickly finished making a proposal and sent it to Jordan Group''s email, even sending Adam a message that read, [You¡¯ll be fully in charge of this project.] This was the first request she had made to Adam, one that made Adam feel moved. This showed that Charmine trusted him. That afternoon, Adam drove a luxury car toward Mount Vige. He came out of the car and stood before his vehicle, dressed in a ck suit with sunsses on. With a proposal at hand, he looked like a sessful professional, i Feet donned with shiny leather shoes, Adam set off with the given direction, walked past the bamboo bridge over the stream, and arrived before the vige chief''s gate. Chloe was having an afternoon nap while the vige chief was harvesting vegetables. When she heard knocks on the door, she put down everything at hand before turning to see a stranger...in a suit. When Adam saw the vige chief, he began with a respectful tone, "Hello, Grandma. Are you the vige chief of Mount Vige?" The vige chief looked at him. "Oh, yes, I am. May I help you?" Adam then continued, "I came here to discuss a development project of Mount Vige with you. This is- " When the vige chief heard this, her genial expression faltered as she cut him off sternly, "I won¡¯t agree! Don¡¯t bother! I sent someone back in the morning. We won''t move!¡± She then got ready to close the door before Adam quickly stopped her. "I didn''t ask you to move away," he appealed. The vige chief paused at that as she gazed at him, thinking she must have misheard him. "What?" chapter 1592 chapter 1592 Adam said, "I won''t ask anyone to move out, and we won''t touch your houses. We''ll even fix houses that are in disrepair. We''ll develop the entire vige into a harmonious vacation vige. There¡¯s a ntation here, and we can build some orchards for the tourists to pick themselves. They can experience the slower pace of living in this green, rxing vige." 1 The vige chief failed to react for a moment. He was not asking them to move away and would not demolish the houses? Not only that, but they would fix the houses in the vige, too? Why would they be so kind? What would he gain from this? She had lived a long life, and she knew how life worked. If this man did not gain anything from this, he would not havee all the way to this ce to show them kindness for no reason! The vige chief stared at him and asked suspiciously, "What do you gain from this? Rather, what do you expect from us?" Adam smiled and exined, "We¡¯ll attract tourists here, so I gain from them. Grandma, as you know, this location is ideal with a nice view. It¡¯s a pity that not many people know about this ce. Once I turn this into a tourist area, we¡¯ll build hotels in your vige. When the touristse to stay, you¡¯ll earn hundreds of bucks every night. You can even have some shops and supermarkets to sell water and all kinds of daily necessities. The economy of the entire vige will improve. The vegetables you nted will never go to waste again. We¡¯ll buy the vegetables from your farms." The vige chief knew that once this vige was developed, their economy would be improved. However, those who came before insisted they move out. Those hotels and supermarkets would be owned by those people, and they did not want the vigers to be involved. This man, however, had a better offer. He did not ask them to move out and even gave them a way to make money. The vige chief hesitated. "Are you sure? You won''t ask us to move out?" "Yeah," Adam assured her. "Don''t worry, it''ll be clearly stated in the contract. If I break this promise, you can sue me anytime." The vige chief was then reassured. "Well, then. Come on in." As long as they did not have to move out, anything was negotiable. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Just as he said, the location and view here were ideal. It was a pity that not many people knew about this ce. If he was willing to let the vigers stay and then build the economy here, of course she was willing to! The vige chief led Adam inside and poured him tea. Adam showed her the contract and the proposal. "Have a look here, Grandma. If you have any problem, we can change them. We''ll do as you please." "Okay." The vige chief epted it and said, "Have some tea, and get some rest." Adam received the tea and took a sip. He looked away. Charmine said she lived across the stream. Was she not here? Meanwhile, the vige chief took her reading sses and went through the contract carefully. She realized that the written uses were all beneficial for her vige. They purely wanted more people to know about this vige and help the vigers make money. Moreover, the nning draft looked nothing like the original vige. It was filled with resorts built in traditional architectural design, perfectly blending the farms with the buildings. Along with man-made smoke from the chimneys, the intended oue looked so unreal. The vige chief was moved as she envisioned the finished look, nodding at the thought. "Perfect, it¡¯s completely fine!¡± Adam said, "Alright, then. Please sign here." The vige chief instantly signed her name. Following that, they had a lively conversation. chapter 1593 chapter 1593 Adam had thought out everything the vige chief was concerned about. Pleased, she kept him around with a friendly smile. "You''re helping our vige a great deal, Sir. Please stay for dinner!" Adam did not intend to leave as well; he wanted to meet Charmine. Hence, he agreed. The vige chief quickly spoke through the loudspeaker to tell everyone the news. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. The crowd instantly gathered around to hear the news. When they came over, they saw this mature- looking gentleman sitting inside her house and had guessed what happened. Well-dressed and seemingly well-off, he even seemed more trustworthy than those young men from that morning. The vige chief passed on the proposal and design diagrams. When the rest of the vigers went through them, they were all in awe and shock. Goodness! He actually designed such lovely architecture? Everyone was exhrated. "This design is so good! Is our vige going to look like this?" "Wow! Look! There''s manmade smoke from chimneys as well! Ancient raft boats and peach blossom forests-just like in the movies!" Everyone discussed the matter, and someone started questioning. "Is this real? Why is there such a good thing? Is this your way of conning us after we said we didn''t want to move out before?" "Right. Who''d be this kind to us for no reason? Do you have too much money?" "Vige chief, don''t be silly! Be careful about this man!" Their doubt did not infuriate Adam. Just as he was about to speak, however, the vige chief exined on his behalf, "Everything is clearly written on the paper: They won''t touch our houses, and they''ll even fix them for us. You may start some small businesses and sell the vegetables we nt. If you don¡¯t believe him, you can opt out. Just don¡¯t regret it when we all start to earn money. Those who believe me, sign here when you''ve made your decision!" The crowd exchanged looks and, following that, someone said, ''There''s no harm in signing. Since they¡¯re not touching my house and don''t want us to do anything, let¡¯s see how it goes. This sounds like a good thing." "Right. There''s no harm in signing. If we don¡¯t profit from this, then it''s okay. We¡¯re not losing either way. However, as the vige chief said, when we start to profit from this, don''t regret not signing now." The person who spoke took the lead to sign it. The rest of them considered for some time before everyone signed in the end. Following that, Adam kept the contracts and addressed everyone, "Since everyone is on it, this project will start tomorrow.¡± "Okay." The women were won over by this handsome man, charmed by him as they praised him. ''This big boss is so powerful; he can do anything. He''s not only helping our economy to grow, but he''s also going to build these beautiful architectures in our vige. How powerful!" "I can''t wait to see what our vige will look like. This ce will be a vacation vige!" The vigers were excited as they chattered away. One of them called out to Adam enthusiastically, "Boss, you¡¯re helping us so much. Please stay for dinner. We''ll treat you well!" "Yes, Sir! Do rest well. I¡¯ll go ahead and prepare for it," said the vige chief enthusiastically. Adan said to her, "Grandma, no need to be so polite-call me Adam Jordan. If you insist, I''ll stay for dinner." "''Jordan''?" The vige chief perked up at that but said nothing as she smiled serenely. "Alright." i She turned to say to the vigers, "We''ll make dinner tonight to treat Adam!" chapter 1594 chapter 1594 "Alright!" Many of the vigers went ahead to prepare for their feast. When the vigers saw how approachable this man was, they giddily surrounded him and asked him many things. Adam replied to all of them. The entire vige liked him a lot. After staying for a while, a few women offered to show him around the vige. They, together with Adam, strolled around. Charmine and Chris had just returned from the ntation when she spotted the vige chief walking out of the house. "Charmine, you''re back." The vige chief smiled peacefully and had smoked bacon in her hands. "Tell you something good! A mogul came over today to develop our vige into a tourist vige," she spoke. "We don''t have to move away, and he''ll even boost our economy. We''re treating him to dinner tonight. Get a shower ande over." Seeing how happy the vige chief was, Charmine''s red lips curled up." Okay." The vige chief noticed that she did not appear too shocked, and she could not help recalling what Charmine saidst night when she said, ''TH help you." 1 She looked at Charmine, unable to fight back the question, "Charmine, did you ask this man toe and help us?" Charmine shook her head. "No." The vige chief continued suspiciously. "The man is also a Jordan." Charmineughed. "Grandma, many people have this surname. I don''t know him; it''s by chance." The vige chief thought about it and made no furtherments. "Alright,e over after you shower. Remember toe!" she bade. Charmine nodded. "Alright, see youter." The vige chief looked at her and liked her even more. She then left with the smoked bacon. When she walked away, Chris looked at Charmine and asked, "Mommy, why didn''t you tell Grandma that that''s Grandpa?" N?velDrama.Org content. Charmine pursed her lips and said, "We came here as ordinary people. If we¡¯re exposed, how are we going to experience the vige-life? When you see himter, pretend as if you don¡¯t know him. Speak to him only when nobody is around.¡± Chris still did not understand that train of thought. "Okay." Charmine brought Chris to shower before they headed toward the night feast. Before they got close, they could hear their voices. "Mr. Jordan, how did you hear about our beautiful vige?" "Mr. Jordan, you''re too kind. You look so handsome and so clever! When we earn more money, I¡¯ll invite you over to have a meal at my house." "Mr. Jordan, may I ask, are you married?" "Hahaha!" The group of womenughed. "You¡¯re so fat. Why do you bother asking? Does it matter to you if he''s married or not? Why? Do you fancy him? Why would he like you?" The woman was just as brazen as she continued, "Mr. Jordan, answer me." Adam looked at her, and as he was about to exin to her, a beautiful woman appeared by the door. Charmine walked in with Chris. Dressed simply, she looked like one of them. However, this did not hide her innate expensive temperament. Her clear face was delicate as always, dipped with arrogance and confidence. Adam had not seen her for a long while. He felt his emotions welling within him the moment he saw her walking in with his grandson. 1 While everyone was waiting for his answer, they saw him looking outside. The women could not help looking out as well. Noticing the neer in the vige walking in, the grinning women instantly looked disgusted. They red at Charmine angrily. "What is this poor thing doing here?¡± chapter 1595 chapter 1595 "Do you know what day today is? It''s a special asion. You can¡¯te here!" "She must be here for free food!" "Take your son away with you!" "How shameless she is! She goes wherever with free food! What a parasite!" Charmine, however, remained calm-headed. Since they made no scathing remarks about Chris, she did not bother to care. On the other hand, Adam, hearing how they sneered at his daughter, was infuriated. He was not pleased. Who were these women? How could they drag his precious daughter like that?! Adam was straight-faced, but just as he was about to speak, Charmine looked up at him. It was as if he knew what she was thinking with her eyes, signaling to let them be. His face darkened and he clenched his fists, trying his best to repress the anger in him. Meanwhile, the vige chief walked over and stood before Charmine. She gazed at the women calmly. "I asked Charmine toe over. Stop saying such things about her. She''s not who you think she is. Also, Mr. Jordan is here, so don''t embarrass yourself!" Grandma looked at Charmine and said, "Charmine,e and help me start the fire." "Okay." Charmine held onto Chris and looked at Adam once more before helping Grandma get into the kitchen. The seven to eight women were exasperated at how ridiculous the vige chief was. This day was such a good day, and she invited this poor woman! How disgusting! Since Adam was around, they could only stare at her disdainfully as she entered the kitchen. They then turned to exin to Adam, "Mr. Jordan, please don''t mind us. She''s a neer here, and she''s poor. She''s always eating free food." "Yeah! Our vige chief was too kind and offered her food. If not, she would''ve starved to death!" Adam clenched his fists and tried hard to hold back his anger. Seeing how rude these women were, he felt like wanting to tear their mouths. Poor? Were they blind? N?velDrama.Org content. Even though she was dressed simply, it was impossible to hide her temperament! Who gave them such courage to assume that Charmine was poor? Adam red at them coldly, and if it was not for Charmine not wanting to expose her identity, he would have punished them all! Also, Charmine would actually spend money to help out these rude vigers? As the rude remarks toward Charmine amplified, Adam finally snapped," Shut up!" With that said, he stood up and left. The vigers were shocked. They exchanged looks as he left. The bigger woman did not understand. "Why is Mr. Jordan angry? We were doing fine, no?" She still had not found out if he was married or single! Other women muttered among themselves. "He got all worked up after that poor woman came in!" "Right! The fact that the poor thing came to such a special asion made Mr. Jordan feel that we¡¯re not respecting him!" "The vige chief is silly! She needs to know what to do on every asion! If Mr. Jordan retracts the offer, I''ll make the vige chief pay for it!" Everyone hated the vige chief and hated this neer even more. The vigers went to the kitchen. They wanted the vige chief to kick out this neer. After the women had left, a younger woman in a red dress and high heels remained on the same spot. She had overdone eye makeup and red lipstick on. She red at the kitchen angrily... chapter 1596 chapter 1596 Curse that cheap beggar of a woman! The woman put on her most expensive dress and even did her makeup, all to present herself well to ask Mr. Jordan for some job offers in the city. Although the vige was about to be developed, she was at a blooming age and was the most beautiful woman in the vige. She was like a flower! N?velDrama.Org content. A beautiful woman like her did not belong in this vige! She wanted to go to the big city. She wanted to marry rich and be a rich housewife. She must not spend the rest of her life in this vige. However, before she got to ask, Mr. Jordan already left angrily. Zoe Willie clenched her fists tightly. If she could not get a job, she would make that poor woman pay! Face caked up with makeup, Zoe looked around before noticing that Mr. Jordan was right outside. Zoe walked over and blinked her overdone eyes, flirtily greeting, "Mr. Jordan..." Adam took out his cigarette and exhaled. Turning to look at the woman, he asked, "What is it?" Zoe flipped her hair, thinking she was a beauty to behold. "I want to ask: Do you need a secretary in yourpany?" she began. "I''m the most qualified person in this vige. As you can see, my looks and body are great. If it''s alright with you, can you let me be your secretary? I''ll work hard and won''t let you down.¡± 1 Adam was speechless. He took a deep breath and exhaled again. Among the smoke, he looked at her with his eyes narrowed. Her makeup was overdone, while her dress and heels were poorly chosen! Where did she get her confidence from to think she could be his secretary? Even though her face was not too bad, she threw jabs at Charmine earlier, and that showed that she was not cultured. Adam looked at her and tried to mask the ironic look in his eyes. Just as he was about to speak, a commotion erupted from the kitchen. He frowned and tossed the cigarette head away, ignoring the woman as he made his way back inside. Zoe remained transfixed on the spot before she looked at Adam incredulously. How could he ignore her just like this!? She had always been cherished like a star in this vige. Never once was she neglected before! Inside the kitchen... Charmine and Chris were helping to start the fire. Recalling what happened just moments ago, the vige chief coaxed Charmine, "Don''t take them to heart, Charmine." Charmine curled up her red lips, "Yeah, I don''t mind." The vige chief liked her even more with that. She had a peaceful smile as she said, "Let¡¯s cook anything you¡¯d like to eat." "Okay." As both of them talked, four to five women came in angrily and barked, " You¡¯ve made a huge mistake, vige chief!" "This is such a special asion, yet you invited this neer over. Mr. Jordan feels that you''ve disrespected him, and now, he¡¯s angry!" "What will you do if he cancels the offer!?" "Yeah, you need to know when to do what! Even if you pity this poor woman, you have to wait for us to finish eating before sending the leftovers. They''ll be enough for this parasite to eat for a few days. Why do you let her hang around?¡± Charmine clenched her hands around the wood tightly. She saw that Chris was upset like an angered kitten, and she was amused. She reached out to caress his furrowed brows, saying, "It''s okay." Chris scoffed, red at the women, and stood up angrily. In contrast to their anger, the vige chief was very calm. "We''ve already signed the contracts. Mr. Jordan won''t cancel the deal because of this." This did not fly with the women. "Even if he doesn''t cancel it, we''re giving him a bad impression!" "Anyhow, this poor thing can''t be seen on the table! She disgusts Mr. Jordan!" "Yeah. Ask her to leave! Otherwise, Mr. Jordan will be upset!¡± chapter 1597 chapter 1597 The vige chief corrected them, "Mr. Jordan is a nice man. He won''t be like youdies." "What!?" One of the women felt insulted and yelled, "What are you saying, you silly old woman? If it wasn''t because of this poor thing, why would Mr. Jordan get angry?" "No. We must kick this poor woman out!¡± Just as a few of them were about to push Charmine away, a tall figure appeared before the door, yelling, "Shut your mouth!¡± The woman ceased and stopped the moment they heard the voice, turning to see that it was Adam. Those who were frowning instantly stered a smile on their face. The bigger woman wanted to look good in front of him, thus she said, "Oh, don¡¯t get angry, Mr. Jordan! We''ll kick out this poor thing now!" With that said, Adam''s face turned even darker. It was as if a storm was approaching; he was ominously furious. He red at all of them. "Do not speak lowly of her anymore, or I won''t forgive you!" Since Charmine did not want her identity to be exposed, he must not make it too explicit. Everyone was shocked and remained transfixed on the spot. What? Was Mr. Jordan speaking up for this poor thing? What was wrong with him? He yelled at them for her and did not find her disgusting at all? Zoe, on the other hand, followed him back, and when she saw him speaking up for that poor woman, she found it unbelievable.N?velDrama.Org content. What was the matter? Did he...have his eye on this beggar of a woman? D*mn it! She was the prettiest woman in this vige! She would not allow anyone to snatch her spotlight from her! The vige chief looked at them and said, "As I said, Mr. Jordan isn¡¯t this kind of person! He''s angry at how all of you came after Charmine!" The crowd thought of how polite he was, and it all made sense. He was a nice man. Why would he get angry just because she was poor? If he was this kind of man, he would not havee to boost their economy. The women instantly stopped harassing Charmine, and they turned around to exin themselves to Adam. "Sorry for the misunderstanding, Mr. Jordan. We''ll stop berating her. Let''s go-she''s not worthy of our time." Not wanting to spill more of the truth, Adam looked at Charmine and Chris before going out. Zoe stood outside the window of the kitchen and red at Charmine. Curse this freeloader of a woman! Even though Charmine was prettier than her, she was poorer! Mr. Jordan stood up for her out of pity! The vige chief saw the way Adam looked at Charmine, and she could tell something was going on but did not ask. "Let''s continue cooking," she piped up. "Okay." Charmine had a calm face and continued watching the fire with Chris. Everyone stopped harassing Charmine for the sake of Adam. However, nobody treated her well, and they all ignored her. Only the vige chief took care of her and Chris. The table was ten meters long. Adam sat at the front seat, while Charmine was at the end of the table. Adam always kept an eye on her, while Zoe had her eyes on Adam all the while, sitting across him. She saw how he kept an eye on Charmine. Ugh! Was he interested in that neer? What if he asked this woman to be his secretary and turned her down? What would she do? chapter 1598 chapter 1598 Zoe''s heart sank as she thought of that possibility. She quickly raised her wine ss and made a toast to Adam. "Mr. Jordan, let me make a toast to you." Adam looked at her and, recalling her proposal, said, ''TH think about what you said earlier." Those in the business field knew that this meant ''no''. Zoe, however, had not been outside of this vige, and she did not understand what he meant. Thinking he would consider it after all, she was very pleased and said, "Do remember to do so, Mr. Jordan!" With that said, Adam ignored her again and looked at Charmine, who was by the end of the table. Charmine would meet his eyes from time to time, too! Zoe¡¯s hands clenched tightly. Cheap woman! How could he seduce Mr. Jordan?! He merely pitied her and stood up for her because of it, yet she thought he liked her!? Ha! He did not even have his eyes on the most beautiful woman in the vige, so how would he even like this poor woman? Zoe bit her lip and raised her ss again. She kept on annoying him. She wanted to marry rich. This was her only chance, and she must not miss it! However... Up until the end of the dinner, Adam did not stop looking at Charmine andpletely nked Zoe. rm bells rang in her head, and she clenched her fists. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. How could this go on like this? She had toe up with something! After the dinner, everyone left while Zoe still had her eyes on Adam. Noticing that he was leaving, Zoe wanted him to agree to her proposal while he was still tipsy. However, a woman caught Zoe¡¯s hand and said," Zoe, you stay and do the dishes." Zoe was speechless and anxious. She wanted to decline, but the woman had pushed her inside the kitchen. Another woman put her to sit in front of a basin. ''Wash it. You can''t just eat and leave." Zoe bit her lip and started washing the dishes, but within one minute, she became even more anxious. This was a great opportunity since Mr. Jordan was drunk, and she must not miss it. She would regret it for the rest of her life if she did! Zoe tossed away the cloth and stood up to leave. The woman noticed that and scowled, "What are you doing? Do the dishes!" Zoe smiled arrogantly. "I''m meant to marry rich. Why would I need to wash the dishes?" "Stop dreaming!" The woman sneered. "You''re just a vige girl, but you want to marry rich? You might as well dream about it!" Zoe scoffed. As long as she seized this opportunity, she would be rich! They would soon see it! Zoe ran out nheless. Under the dim light, she saw Adam walking to the stream. Zoe parted her lips to call his name when she realized that a lot of women were sitting not far away. If they found out about her n and all of them went up to him, she might lose her shot! Biting her lip, she decided against calling out to him and ran up to him instead. She wanted to speak to him somewhere without people around... Zoe kept reminding herself of her n, but after she crossed the bridge, she found out that Mr. Jordan was out of sight. She looked around suspiciously. It was pitch dark with no one around. Where did he go? Noticing no one was around, she could only walk away...but that was until she noticed a lit-up house as she walked to the pavement. She instinctively looked toward the house, and all she saw was... Mr. Jordan was sitting inside the house, and opposite him was that beggar of a woman. The two faced one another. They looked as if they were flirting! chapter 1599 chapter 1599 Zoe covered her mouth and looked appalled. Oh, no... No way! Had that woman seduced Mr. Jordan so quickly? He even came to her room!? She knew this cheap woman had ill intentions! She kept ncing at Mr. Jordan during the dinner! N?velDrama.Org content. It seemed like she no longer wanted to be poor. Since she had eyes on this rich man, she went all out to seize the opportunity. Zoe would not permit this. Even if Mr. Jordan wanted a lover, she had to be the one, not this newbie! Zoe eyed the two of them inside the house. Her eyeballs nearly popped out of their sockets as she watched the moocher eyed Mr. Jordan. Her eyes went a shade darker. As a thought urred to her, she ran over the stream and called out to the group of women, "Hey,e here! The newbie is so shameless-she¡¯s seducing Mr. Jordan! She brought him to her room!" "What?!" The group of women under the tree looked taken aback. "What are you saying?" Those who had not left heard about this, and they rushed out. Zoe added, "The newbie seduced Mr. Jordan! The two of them are inside her room!" The women stopped cleaning up. "Curse that moocher of a parasite! Who does she think she is? How could she seduce our Mr. Jordan? How ill- intended!" "I knew she wasn''t a nice person. She''s trying to marry rich! How shameless! Let''s go and kick her out!" The angered mob rushed to Charmine¡¯s house as if they were about to ruin her ce. They pushed open her gate and barged in. Inside the house... Adam and Charmine were discussing the construction n when they heard the ruckus outside. Before the two of them could react, the door burst open loudly. When the group of them saw the two of them inside, they were shocked. Was it true after all? This neer, who was so poor, had tried to sleep with Mr. Jordan!? Zoe scoffed, "See, I was right! We¡¯re the witnesses!" When the women saw how close they sat, they were angry, and thus began their scathing remarks toward her. "Look at you: you''re so poor and shameless! How could you seduce Mr. Jordan?!" "Have you not seen money before? You decided to seduce him when you saw how rich he was? What now? You can¡¯t wait to find your son a stepfather?" "Sigh! Your parents must be so ashamed of you! You¡¯re so dirty and got pregnant before marriage, and now you''re trying to sleep with him!?¡± 2 "I''ve never seen someone as shameless as you!" They spoke one after another, using Charmine. Zoe crossed her arms and stood by the side, ring at Charmine. Heh. A neer tried topete with her? How weak. She was about to get kicked out. She could say goodbye to Mr. Jordan! Hearing these women¡¯s vulgar remarks, Adam grew furious. Who gave them the permission to scold his daughter? D*mn it! They called her poor, but Charmine told him not to speak up, so he stayed quiet. What did they call her? Shameless and dirty? How could they use such words? Seeing how their lips were still moving, Adam finally could not hold it back anymore and growled, "Shut up! What do you all know? Who gave you permission to treat her this way?!" Those who were rebuking saw the gentle-natured Mr. Jordan all worked up. They were shocked and dared not say anything else. Was Mr. Jordan standing up for this neer? Had that poor woman seduced him already? chapter 1600 chapter 1600 Adam frowned and red at the mob. "Do you all even know who she is? Don''t you all read the news?" Zoe scoffed, "Of course I know who she is: a poor woman! She came here hiding in our vige with her son!" "Shut your mouth!" Adam could no longer hold it and growled, "Even if there''s no inte in the vige, can''t you tell from her looks and action that she''s not a poor thief!?" The crowd exchanged looks and did not understand what he meant. Adam red at them and found it terrifying to be ignorant. He then spilled, "Charmine is my daughter and my boss! She''s the president of thepany! I came here because she asked me to! The designs and proposals are all her ideas! She came to this small vige to get some peace!" 2 Charmine was speechless. She wanted to stay anonymous and live quietly. She endured the mockery all these days in hopes of getting some peace. She did not expect him to... After Adam spoke, everyone went quiet for a few seconds. They all had shocks on their faces as they looked at Charmine with disbelief. What!? This woman was Mr. Jordan''s daughter, and she was his boss? The president? She came up with such beneficial proposals for the vige? She was the one who designed such beautiful designs? This woman looked so ordinary. How could she be so powerful? None of them could register these things as they ranted. "No way! Mr. Jordan, were you seduced by her beauty?" "Yeah, you''re drunk! How could she be so powerful?" "If she''s so powerful, she wouldn''t havee here!" "Yeah, even if you''re seduced by this poor thing and don''t want us to keeping after her, you can''t make up such lies!" Adam was fuming, and his expression went darker. He scoffed and took out her birth certificate from his bag, tossing it onto the table. The certificate showed, [Father: Adam Jordan.] [Daughter: Charmine Jordan.] Everyone¡¯s eyes widened as they read the certificate. Before they could react, Adam tossed a pile of newspapers onto the table The headlines were full of news hailing Charmine. [Charmine Jordan Saving Jordan Group!] [Charmine''s Divine Bird Design!] [Charmine Jordan, The World-ss Supermodel!] [Charmine and Her Diamond Mine!] Each headline clearly showed how important Charmine was, and photos of her were stered all over the newspapers! i The mob read the news and then looked at Charmine. Their jaws dropped so low that an egg could be fed to them. What Mr. Jordan had said was true after all. They had mistaken her to be poor and used her of being a thief while she was the mega-mogul, Charmine Jordan. She had stayed undercover all this while. What a bombshell. She came here not because she was boycotted by the city. She merely got tired of being worshipped and wanted to stay hidden. Goodness... Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Argh! She was the legendary Charmine Jordan, while they treated her as a thief and someone poor? How blind were they? They should have guessed it when she tossed a stack of money at that woman the other day. How would an ordinary woman toss away so much money without even flinching? The women¡¯s expressions contorted and shifted. They could only feel Charmine''s image magnifying in their minds. chapter 1601 chapter 1601 The women were so ignorant to have judged Charmine by her looks! The awkwardnesssted for a few seconds before a woman finally went forward to apologize, "I''m so sorry, Ms. Jordan. We might as well be blind to have not recognized you. You¡¯re the daughter of Mr. Jordan, and you¡¯re so knowledgeable. We were wrong!" The woman was very apologetic. Her attitude waspletely different from the haughty, disdain-filled attitude she had before. The other women bowed and apologized humbly. "Ms. Jordan, it¡¯s our fault. I''m so sorry to have judged you by your looks.¡± "Please forgive us for being blind and ignorant!" ''You''re a mogul. Please don''t hold it against ignorant people like us. We''ll listen to you from now on; we''ll do as we''re told." ''Yeah! We''re very ignorant! Please don''t hold it against us! We had mistaken you to be one of those people, and that¡¯s why we treated you this way. We''re actually very friendly people!" The group apologized. Charmine listened to them with an indifferent look, seemingly unbothered as she then turned to look at Zoe coldly. Her red lips quirked into a smirk." It¡¯s now your turn." Zoe''s face was dark, she did not seem well! D*mn it! Who would have thought that this poor-looking neer was such a powerful person? Zoe got unlucky. Still, she did not want to back down. Biting her lip, she crossed her arms and conceitedly fought back, "How would I have known if you don''t tell us? I saw you and Mr. Jordan together, so it made sense for me to think like that. Furthermore, I wasn¡¯t the only one thinking so: everyone thought so, too!" Adam was furious. Was this woman still so arrogant? All that, and she had the nerve to want to be his secretary? How ignorant! Before he could speak, Charmine smirked as she sneered. "Wasn''t it you who misled everyone else?" She was chatting with Adam earlier and noticed a shadow outside the window. She thought a viger was walking past, but it seemed that it must have been Zoe spotting them, misleading everyone else to barge into her space. Zoe was the perpetrator. Zoe flinched with guilt, but being spoiled by her parents, she had never apologized before. She had an arrogant look on as she arched her head proudly. "I didn''t mislead them. Everyone would''ve mistaken it in such a situation!" "Shut up!" Before Zoe could finish, the bigger woman beside her snarled, "Do you think everyone is as selfish as you?" "Yeah, we''re not as disgusting as you!" "If you didn''t mislead us, we wouldn''t have made any assumption on Mr. Jordan and Ms. Jordan!" "Stop looking for an excuse! It¡¯s all your fault! You''ve been waiting for this all night long!" "Our Ms. Jordan is so impressive with high status, yet you''re all up here, mistaking her to be Mr. Jordan¡¯s lover! Apologize, now!¡± ''Yeah, and make it quick! If not, you''re the one who''ll be kicked out from Mount Vige!" The group of women red at Zoe and med everything on her. They judged her with disgust.Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Zoe paled as she swept her gaze across the group. What was wrong with these people? They were the ones hating Charmine, yet they med everything on her!? How unlucky of her! She bit her lip and panicked, angry and downright unwilling. Zoe was hoping to kick this poor beggar out of the vige, yet the tides have turned, and she was the one at risk instead. What to do? Did she really have to apologize to this annoying woman? chapter 1602 chapter 1602 Charmine crossed her arms nonchntly and red at Zoe. "If you''re not apologizing, get out of Mount Vige! A beautiful ce like this can''t house someone like you," demanded Charmine. In other words, she was kicking Zoe out of this vige. 1 No longer able to tolerate this, the woman by the side pulled Zoe to Charmine and barked, "Apologize!" If they offended Charmine and she canceled the offer, the vigers were done for! Zoe clenched her hands tightly. Given this situation, if she insisted not to apologize, there would be a price to pay... She had to swallow her pride. With utter reluctance and eyes filled with fury, she muttered, "Sorry, it''s my fault. I shouldn¡¯t have wronged you." Zoe''s voice was small like a fly; it was inaudible. Charmine looked at her and narrowed her eyes. "What did you say?" The woman by the side knew what Charmine meant and kicked Zoe''s leg." You apologized half-heartedly. Repeat yourself!" 2 Zoe¡¯s hands clenched by her sides. She took a deep breath and repeated, I''m sorry, Ms. Jordan." Charmine looked at her coldly. "Leave. Be mindful of what you say. If you do that again, I won''t go easy on you." Her tone was cold and harsh. Zoe looked aggrieved as she clenched her fists and left while holding back her anger. Curse this cheap woman! 1 She scolded her in front of so many people and even forced her to apologize. She had lost her dignity, yet Charmine said she had gone ''easy* on her! What an evil woman! She had been wronged. One day, she would make Charmine pay dearly. 3 As the women watched Zoe leave, they said, "Ms. Jordan, please calm down. Don''t mind her. She''s the prettiest in the vige, and she''s been spoiled, you see." ''Yeah. She''s not a bad person-just harsh with her words." Charmine¡¯s red lips curled up as she replied, "I won''t hold it against her." "Ms. Jordan is so generous!" said one of the women. "I know! You''re so beautiful, kind, and generous!" "Of course she is! If not, how did she be so sessful? She''s the boss of a bigpany!" Charmine fixed her hair and remained unperturbed. She had grown numb to these praises. She felt nothing. Seemingly knowing what she was thinking, Adam then said to the women, Alright, please leave her alone. It¡¯s not your fault, and Charmine won''t hold it against you." Not wanting to keep Charmine any longer, everyone bade her farewell. It did not take long before Charmine and Adam were left alone in the house. Adam then turned to Charmine and asked, "Charmine, why didn''t you exin everything when they began judging you?" "I only want some time alone," came Charmine''s short reply. Once everyone found out who she was or that everyone knew she was here, she would not be able to have any peace. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Adam frowned, but just when he was about to ask her why she came here to stay hidden, he suddenly recalled... The news all over the inte on Anthony and Waverly''s wedding. Had Charminee to this vige to heal herself? He sighed and said, "Charmine, I have a good friend, he has a son who is nice and handsome..." "No need." Before Adam could finish speaking, Charmine knew where he was headed to in his speech and instantly cut him off. She said with a calm face, "I just want to focus on my career for now." Adam stopped, not expecting this response. chapter 1603 chapter 1603 Adam did not expect that Charmine also had no interest in starting a new rtionship. He pursed his lips and said, "Charmine, you''re a good woman, and you need a good man with you. Although my friend¡¯s son is older, he¡¯s very mature. He''s a gentleman, and he¡¯ll take good care of you." Charmine still resisted Adam, saying, "I''m trying to develop this vige, I don''t have time for other things. In the future, do not mention anything regarding romantic rtionships to me." Adam had more to say, but Charmine had picked up the design diagram and changed the topic, "This land can only develop after the harvest. We''ll start by rebuilding the houses tomorrow." Seeing how resolute Charmine was, Adam did not want to trigger her and insist on the matter. He had no choice but to discuss business matters with her. Chris was returning from Chloe''s house when he overheard their conversation. He frowned sadly. Oh, no. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Was his Mommy not into any romantic rtionship? Was she not with Grandpa? That old man treated her so well, and Chris thought it was settled. Had that grandpa broken up with his Mommy? Hmph! Men are pigs! They never appreciated what they had! Chris was feeling anxious. First, it was his douche of a father, then it was Maurice. She must have lost faith in love. She must have been hurt. No way. He must not let his Mommy go down this route. If Charmine stayed in this ce forever, he would not be able to see her as frequently! At night, Chrisid beside Charmine and was unable to fall asleep. He blinked his big eyes and hesitated for the whole night before finally, he gave into temptation and asked, "Mommy, are you going to live here forever?" "Yeah," Charmine ced her hands behind her head and looked up at the ceiling peacefully, replying serenely, "Once this ce is developed and it suits me, I¡¯ll settle in this ce." After all, she had always wanted a slower living pace and lived closer to nature. Since she was single, she had no burden andmitments. So, why not? Furthermore, after spending a few days here, she only thought of Anthony once or twice. In Burlington, Anthony''s news was all over the ce, where she would see his shadow even if she did not want to. Images of Anthony and his name kept appearing before her. He even appeared in her dreams. She did not want this to prolong. Chris did not seem pleased, and he seemed aggrieved, even. "Mommy, if you move here, what about me? You don''t want me anymore?" Charmine frowned as she turned to look at Chris. "No, I¡¯m not leaving you. This ce isn''t far from Burlington, so if you miss me, you cane over anytime." Chris seemed sad. "But you''re going to live here forever. Even though this is a nice ce, there''s no man good enough for you here. If you live here alone with nobody taking care of you, I won''t feel assured!" Charmine curled up her red lips into a smile. "Why do I need a man to take care of me?" Chris said, "Because someone must take care of Mommy! Mommy must find a good man who loves you, so that someone''s there to share your happiness and sadness, so that when you''re ill, someone can look after you. Also, Mommy should be glowing in the city, famous and powerful, not here where there¡¯s nobody..." 1 Charmine ruffled his hair. "Mommy needs no man." She recalled something, and her eyes had a sh of dullness. "Men only wear me out and drag me down," she spoke. "I¡¯m happy with what I have now. I can focus on my work and still shine. I don''t need a man to keep mepany." Chris noticed the dullness in her eyes, and thinking of how his fool of a father hurt her, he was furious. However, Maurice treated her well... He could not help asking, "Mommy, don''t you want to be with that old man?" chapter 1604 chapter 1604 Charmine halted for a moment and exined, "It''s impossible for me to date Maurice. He has his own things, and we''re not from the same world. We can only be friends." Chris was confused. His Mommy treated that Grandpa well, and he did the same for her. Why did she seem as if she had nothing to hold onto anymore? Chris hated that douche of a father so badly. Anthony had reduced his willful, proud Mommy into such a state. All Charmine wanted to do was to shut herself down and forget her identity. Distressed, Chris bit his lip as tears pooled in his eyes. "Mommy, I don¡¯t want you to stay here alone! Waa...!" Chris wailed as if someone was dying. Charmine merely ruffled his hair. "It¡¯s okay. This is the life that Mommy wants." Chris felt affronted. Charmine used to cave in whenever he cried before, but now... Even though he sobbed vehemently, Charmine did not back down on her decision. She really wanted to be alone and live in this vige silently. No! He must not give in; he had to think of something else! Charmine patted Chris'' back. "Good boy. Don''t be sad. Try to sleep." Chris sobbed quietly. Even though he wanted to convince her again, he thought of something and found afortable position to close his eyes. Thevender essential oil sent over by a person, one Charmine had yet to identify, wafted in the room. Smelling it, Charmine fell asleep in no time. However, a few minutester, the deeply asleep Chris suddenly opened his eyes wide. They gleamed like two diamonds. He stared at Charmine, and after making sure that she was fast asleep, he flipped over and carefully got out of bed. He walked over to the router by the window and picked up his phone to message Anthony. [Bad man! You hurt Mommy! Now, she doesn''t believe in love and wants to stay here forever!] [You destroyed Mommy! I don''t care what you''re doing. You muste here now and make it up for her!] [I want that powerful, strong-willed Mommy back, not this meek Mommy!] Of you don''t make it happen, I won''te home!] After pressing the send button, Chris turned off his phone angrily, i Hopefully, his douche-dad could think of a way, or he would have to find that Grandpa. If Grandpa was not helpful, he would have to find Uncle Guy! Anyhow, he must not let his Mommy stay in this vige forever. After he had seen Charmine taking care of Maurice and being so in love with him, Anthony had been numbing himself with work. In the past few days, he did not stalk Charmine and worked all day and night. Other than work, he locked himself in the room to drink, his amnesia worsening as he did. That night, Anthony stood on the balcony and looked outside the window with his eyes dull. When he saw the sacred moon, he thought of Charmine. How was she with Maurice? This thought appeared in his mind, but a self-deprecating smile made its way to his face. They were fine, of course. She would give up her own life to save him. She must have truly loved him. Maurice was a gentleman. What could go wrong? Anthony thought of how Charmine and Maurice were spending time together. At the thought, his heart sank as he struggled to breathe properly. He turned into the room and took up a bottle, drinking away his woes. The alcohol was meant to numb him, but the more he drank, the sharper his mind became. He forced himself not to think of Charmine. He knew that she was doing well, and he had to let go of her. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Despite that, images of Charmine haunted him. chapter 1605 chapter 1605 Charmine''s smile, her gesture, and her warmth in his arms... Every moment they spent together reyed like a movie in his head, over and over again. Anthony brought his head up and drank another mouthful of alcohol, with a few droplets dribbling down his jawline and to his heart. 1 The chilling alcohol felt likeva that burned his heart. Anthony punched himself and smiled bitterly. Since when had he been so lonely? How he wished this was nothing but a dream, that, when it was all over, his Charmine would still be in his arms. Anthony fantasized wistfully. Suddenly, the phone that he had not touched for a long while suddenly lit up on the desk. ncing at it, he noticed how it rang incessantly. When he nced at the caller''s ID and saw [Waverly], he did not bother and silenced it, continuing his drink. The vibration only stopped after a minute. However, the screen lit up again, and there were some unread messages from Chris. That stopped Anthony. That kid was staying with Charmine for the past two days. Why would he look for him? Had...something happened to Charmine? He instantly sobered up and tossed his alcohol away, taking his phone, but when he read Chris¡¯ messages, he frowned. Charmine was hurt? Why was she going to spend the rest of her life in a vige? Was Chris making things up? Was she not with Maurice? Anthony narrowed his eyes and replied, [What do you mean? Where is your Mommy now?] Even after a while, Anthony received no replies. Anthony looked at the messages, and his heart sank. He quickly called Chris, but no one answered. D*mn it! When were those texts sent to him? Anthony looked at the time and realized Chris had texted him these an hour ago! He held on the phone tightly and phoned Luke, saying, "Find out where Charmine and Chris are, now. I want the location in five minutes!" In less than five minutes, Luke called back and reported, "Madam and Young Master are at Mount Vige!" Mount Vige? Anthony frowned suspiciously. Since when did she go to Mount Vige? Why was she alone, too? Why did Maurice not go with her? Had Maurice used Charmine and dumped her? Did this, in turn, hurt Charmine that she fled to the vige for a retreat? 1 When did this happen? Anthony med his illness for keeping him from remembering things while he was very concerned about Charmine. After a moment of thought, he stood up from the sofa and left with his car key and phone. 1 When he went downstairs, Waverly was justing home. She gasped when she saw Anthony. N?velDrama.Org content. "Anthony, I thought you were at thepany." If he was holding his phone, why did he not answer her call? Anthony red at her coldly and ignored her. He marched out and walked past her. He had to hurry and find Charmine! chapter 1606 chapter 1606 Waverly was petrified on the spot as a chill ran through her body. By then, Anthony had already vanished. Furiously, she turned around and watched as he drove away, her fists clenching tightly as she did. Why did he nk her again? In the past few days, he did the bare minimum of what a fiance should be doing despite being aloof, and now? Ugh! Waverly had a thought, and her eyes darkened. Every time something had to do with Charmine, he would act this way. She narrowed her eyes and instantly picked up her phone to call Britney, ordering, "Follow Anthony. Also, find out what the b*tch''s been up totely." 1 Charmine liked her life in the vige. She slept and woke up early. She woke up at sunrise. She listened to the flow of streams outside her window, the chirping of birds on the trees. She would gaze at the green mountains far away and then at the leaves below her feet. These made her happy. Charmine thought of how Chris would be returning to Burlington soon, and she wanted him to have a full experience of living in this vige. She brought him and Chloe to catch some fish. A few vigers greeted the trio genially as they walked past. "Charmine, have you eaten? We made breakfast! Come in and have some." "Ms. Jordan, where are you going with your adorable little boy?" i "Do you need anything? Don''t feel bad-just ask!" "We¡¯re going to catch some fishes," replied Charmine calmly. "Oh, well, the river there has lots of bigger fishes. We took care of them ourselves. They have nice meat, so if you fancy some, I''ll catch some for you." Charmine refused. "No need, I can catch them myself.¡± "Alright! Do you need any help?¡± "No, thanks.¡± Although Charmine knew they were being friendly, she did not want them to do her favors due to her status. Furthermore, she came here to experience life. If everyone helped her, she might as well stay in the city. Finally, Charmine took a fis from them and, together with the kids, walked to the river bank. The water was one meter deep but was clear and transparent. One could clearly see fishes swimming in the river. Excited, Chris pped like a penguin. "Mommy, I want to go swimming!" "No," said Charmine. "It''s not warm enough yet, and you might catch a cold." "Fine.¡± Chris pouted. Chloeforted him, "Chris, we can swim here when summeres." Chris'' eyes sparkled at the idea, but just as he was about to reply, he then recalled he might be leaving soon. N?velDrama.Org content. He did not know if he coulde back in summer. The twinkle wasst from his eyes as he looked at Chloe...before he spotted a luxurious ck car driving into the vige, and he was very familiar with this vehicle. It was his father''s car! Chris'' eyes sparkled again. His douche-dad was here! He raised his hands to wave, but just as he almost did, he recalled how... His douche-dad was mean and had hurt his Mommy. Chris quickly brought his hands back down. Douche-dad had to find them on his own! Hmph! Chris pretended as if he did not see him. He turned back and continued to y with Chloe. Charmine had spotted the same sight, too, from the corner of her eyes. Her heart skipped a beat. Was he not nning his wedding with Waverly? What was he doing here? However, a momentter, her heart was calm like water. She carried on as if she had not seen anything. She loosened the rope by the bamboo boat and said to the two children, ¡± Get in, dearies." "Yay!" This was the first time Chris had been on a bamboo boat, and he was over the moon. He held Chloe''s hands and went on the boat. chapter 1607 chapter 1607 Chloe watched as Chris beamed, causing her to blush and smile. The two children sat on one side and Charmine sat opposite to them. As she began rowing, the bamboo boat started to move. Charmine tossed the fis into the river as she rowed while Chris reached out to touch the waters beneath them. Perhaps it was because he saw Anthonying that he was visibly happy, all smiles. Chloe was infected by his happiness, and she smiled adorably. After Charmine tossed in the, she stood on the boat aloofly. She was in her long red dress, and she looked elegant. With a hat sitting on her head and her hair let loose, she looked like a character out of a book, proud as ever. Charmine looked at the stunning view while listening to theughter of the kids. She liked this ce even more. Being alone was a good decision. She no longer needed any douche in her life. Charmine rowed the boat and made a turn on the river as she started reeling back the. There were all sorts of fishes caught with the thin. Chris'' eyes widened at the sight, unable to register what he was seeing. This thin managed to catch so many fishes, and there wererge and small fishes. They looked ...delicious! He really liked life in this vige. Could he stay in this ce for a long time with his Mommy, Daddy, and Chloe? Charmine pulled up the, filling the boat with a variety of fishes. Chris and Chloe happily took out the fishes and put them into a bucket. Meanwhile, Anthony, having driven all night, finally arrived at Mount Vige. He parked the car at the vige''s entrance and did not see the river that was by the end. He followed the directions sent to him by Luke and walked past the bamboo bridge, arriving before a delicately made bamboo house. Was Charmine inside? Anthony pursed his lips and took a deep breath. Since Chris was here as well, he would use this as an excuse to see her. Charmine would not overthink it with this excuse. With that in mind, Anthony raised his hand and knocked. "Chris Bailey!" However, he received no response. Anthony frowned and pushed open the door, looking around before realizing that while the items he saw were indeed Charmine¡¯s and Chris, they were not home. Where did they go? Anthony walked out and just as he was about to ask around, an elderlydy walked past and gazed at him peacefully. "Young man, are you here for Charmine?" Charmine? Did this elderlydy know Charmine? Anthony was shocked. Charmine had always been an aloof character, yet she made friends in the past few days? "Yes," he replied, "where is she?" "Charmine went fishing with Chris and Chloe. They''re right there." The elderlydy pointed in a direction. "Just walk down the road." "Okay." Anthony nodded. "Thank you.'' "You''re wee," replied the old woman serenely. Anthony turned around and walked toward the direction she had pointed. Along the way, vigers looked at him with curiosity and astonishment. "Gosh! Where did this mane from? He''s so handsome!" "He looks like an established boss. I wonder what he''s doing here?" "Perhaps for the development of the vige? Ms. Jordan is very powerful, and I¡¯m no longer shocked by the sight of a mogul anymore." ''Yeah. We¡¯ve seen Charmine, so this big boss is nothing to us. Don''t mind him." 1 Anthony heard them and frowned. The vigers adored Charmine, it seemed. He somehow felt proud of her. She was indeed his woman, always at the peak wherever she went, worshipped by everyone. s...he could no longer have such an amazing woman... Anthony felt his heart ache as if stung by a bee, painful and prickly. As he looked up ahead, he spotted a beautiful figure by the river...Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. chapter 1608 chapter 1608 Standing by the river, Charmine, with her hair cascading down her shoulders, wore a long red dress that billowed with the wind. Moreover...that face of hers that he deeply missed. She had no makeup on, but her facial features were so delicate, her skin was fair, and she exuded an air of regality and elegance. Anthony stood still as he watched her for a very long time. He wanted to remember her like this forever. Charmine led the children to take out the fishes off the and put them into arge bucket, where the fishes iled among one another. Chris and Chloe were exhrated, and they both began thinking of the possible ways they could make the fishes taste delicious. Charmine heaved the bucket up to the river bank, albeit struggling, before she sensed a burning gaze fixed on her. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. She looked up and instinctively looked over, locking eyes with him. Fitted with his Armanee suit, Anthony stood by the road as he exuded an air of elegance, forming a stark contrast with the houses behind him. Charmine halted, and her heart skipped a beat. A momentter, she looked away calmly as if nothing had happened. She led Chris to walk away from the river. This douche of a man had nothing to do with her. Anthony, seeing how distant she looked at him, walked toward her. The colder he got to her, the more he could sense the hostility she exuded. He came before the three of them and looked at Charmine darkly. He had so many words stuck in his throat before finally, he blurted, "Ms. Jordan, why did you bring my son to this faraway vige?" Chris was speechless. His douche-dad was hopeless! "You can take him back," deadpanned Charmine. Anthony pursed his lips, but before he could say anything, Charmine had walked past him. Cold. Haughty. Chris was angry. "I don¡¯t want to go back. Hmph!" Scoffing and pouting, he took Chloe''s hand and left the scene. Anthony remained on the same spot and looked at Charmine''s back. She had changed. Even though she said she no longer loved him in the past, her tone used to be ironic and her eyes, fury-filled. That showed that she did not let him go yet. However, on this very day, her eyes were calm. It was as if he was a mere stranger to her. Anthony frowned. What happened to her in the past few days? Was she not in love with Maurice? Was Maurice not with her? He broke up with her so she could find another man who loved her as much, so that she could live on happily... All of a sudden, she locked herself up from the world and lived in a vige nobody had heard of, living an ordinary, lonely rest of her life. Anthony looked at her lonely shadow and chased after her. However, Charmine went home and locked the door. Anthony was speechless. He stood before the door and thought for a while before saying, "Chris Bailey, open the door!" Chris turned to Charmine. Seeing that she made no moves, he dared not open the door as he continued ying with Chloe. Chloe was confused. "Chris, is that your Daddy?" The man outside seemed to be an older version of Chris. ''Yeah," Chris muttered, "he''s my Daddy." He knew Charmine was behind her, thus he intentionally added, "I quite miss him, but he hurt my Mommy. I don¡¯t want him anymore. Hmph!" 1 Charmine overheard him and paused. Although she no longer had anything to do with Anthony, she must not sever their father-and-son rtionship. She pursed her lips and picked up the basket of vegetables into the kitchen. Chris was ted. Putting down the fish, Charmine turned to open the door. His Mommy still cared about his Daddy after all. Otherwise, she would not have changed her mind after hearing what he said. She went to open the door, too. Hmph. With his douche of a dad here, he had to put them both together back up no matter the cost. Chris went to the door, where Anthony glowered at him. "Chris Bailey, are you rebelling now?" chapter 1609 chapter 1609 Anthony was still acting this way with Charmine. He should be locked outside! "Hmph! That''s what you get for hurting Mommy." Chris arched his tiny head proudly. Anthony frowned. He hurt Charmine? All he wanted was to speak with Charmine. Dissatisfied, he walked past Chris coldly. Noticing the tall, aloof man entering, Chloe was intimidated. She could not help standing up and greeting politely, "Hello, Uncle." Anthony heard the voice and looked over to see an adorable little girl. He cared about Charmine too much that he did not notice her and Chris. Anthony''s eyes softened as he gazed at her, and he could not help imagining having a baby daughter with Charmine. She would be just as adorable. 1 Try as he might, it was all just a dream. "Auntie Charmine is inside the kitchen," added Chloe kindly, much to Chris¡¯ glee. She had said what he wanted to say. If he had told Anthony that himself, Charmine might not like it, but she would not mind if Chloe said it. Hehe! "Okay." Anthony walked to the kitchen, where Charmine was picking some vegetables. Hearing footsteps behind her, she acted as though he was just invisible and continued with her work. Anthony walked over and stood by her side, saying, "Are you going to live here forever?" Charmine curled up her sexy lips and smiled. "Does it concern you where I want to live?" Anthony pursed his lips; he was speechless. Yes, he had hurt her and, truthfully, he did not have any right to question her...but why was she so cold to him? Noticing that he was blocking the sink, Charmine frowned and walked out with the vegetables. Anthony watched her cold gait and felt hurt. It felt as if he was punching cotton-he had no way of venting. Charmine walked out and, in contrast to her cold tone from earlier, said gently, "Chloe, Momo, pick the vegetables." "Alrighty!" Chris nodded. Chloe smiled. Charmine took out a big knife from the kitchen to prepare the fish. When Anthony saw her small hand gripping the handle of arge knife, he walked in and said, "Let me do it." He reached out to take the knife, but Charmine red at him coldly. "No need." Anthony frowned. He was worried. ''The knife is big. You might hurt yourself." Bam! Charmine mmed the knife against the head of the fish and looked at him nkly. "Get away from me. Does it concern you if I hurt myself or not?" Anthony was stunned. He wanted to say something else when Charmine continued, "Mr. Bailey, please remember that we have broken up, and you don''t have a say in what I do! If you want to visit Chris, go and find him! Don''t lurk in front of me; you disgust me!" 2 Owned by N?velDrama.Org. No longer wanting to share an extra second with him, Charmine lifted her basket and walked away. Anthony remained on the same spot, his fists clenched. All he wanted was to chat with her, to ask her how she was doing, yet she said he disgusted her? Charmine was already a few meters away from him. She held onto the sharp knife and cut open a fish to clear out the intestines. Her movement was swift and decisive, her being reeking with hostility and aloofness. chapter 1610 chapter 1610 Anthony felt cold just watching Charmine in this state. Charmine ignored him and acted as if he was not around. She turned to ask Chris and Chloe, "Do you prefer steamed, saucy, or fish broth?" Chloe said adorably, "I don''t mind either!¡± Chris thought about it and said, "Mommy, I want it saucy!" Anthony heard their response and was just about to prepare the dish. The ingredients were by the door of the kitchen. Just as he turned to walk, Charmine walked past him and pushed him away, swiftly turning to lock the door. Anthony reeled back in shock as he gazed at the locked door, hands clenched into fists. What made her so cold-hearted? 1 Did something happen between her and Maurice? 2 Why did Charmine decide to stay hidden in this vige, intending to live here forever? He was terrified by her attitude and mindset. Was she depressed by love? How did the once cold, arrogant Charmine turn into this... N?velDrama.Org content. If it was truly because of him who made her depressed, he would never forgive himself. Anthony looked at the tightly shut door and felt that she had grown thorns around herself, shutting out everyone else with them in self-defense. She no longer opened up herself. Anthony felt a sharp stab in his chest. He walked to Chris and asked, "What happened to your Mommy?" Chris shook his head. "I don''t know." "Had she broken up with Maurice?¡± Anthony asked. Chris shook his head. "I don''t know." Anthony added, "How did you end up here with her?¡± Chris shook his head mechanically. "I don''t know." Anthony¡¯s eyes darkened. "Chris Bailey, if you want to go back to Burlington right away-" "Oh, no!" Chris realized and said, "I really don''t know! I happened to see Mommy leaving, so I followed her. I did tell you about this, but you didn¡¯te and stop her!" Anthony frowned. "You told me?" Why did he not remember at all? Chris pouted. "I called you and told you to stop her. You agreed but didn¡¯t show up until now. It¡¯s too late now! Mommy changed because you''re being mean!" Chris thought of what happened the other day, and he became irate. If it was not because of his douche-dad, his Mommy might not have lost all faith in love. Charmine once thought of marrying his father happily. She once wanted the entire world to know of her wedding, but all she wanted at this point was to stay hidden in this vige. When Anthony heard that, he instantly understood. He must have forgotten about it on the way here and messed it up. So...was Charmine testing him by leaving? Would she have been less heartbroken if he showed up? Curse it all. He had forgotten...and that disappointed her. She no longer had faith in love. When Anthony was ming himself, the kitchen door gradually opened. He walked over. "Are you hiding in here because of me?" Charmine did not respond, but she had a mocking smile on her red lips. It was as if he was telling a joke. She turned to Chris and Chloe. "Time to eat." "Alrighty!" Chris and Chloe put down the fish and washed their hands before sitting at the table. When Anthony saw how cold she was, his heart tightened. He would rather have her beating him or rebuking him instead of being so cold. It was as if...she no longer had him in her world. Even if he stood right before her, he was nothing but a stranger to her. Anthony looked at how she prepared the bowls for the children and then at the dishes on the table. There were three bowls. Had she really shrugged off his existence? chapter 1611 chapter 1611 He was Chris'' father! N?velDrama.Org content. Even if he was a stranger to Charmine already, he should be able to dine with them, yet she... Anthony looked at Charmine, about to say something when footsteps were heard, and an elderly voice called out, "Chloe,e home for dinner." With that said, the vige chief walked over. When she saw Anthony, she smiled sweetly. "It seems that you¡¯ve found Charmine, young man?¡± Anthony nodded. "Good." When the vige chief walked in, Chloe said, "Grandma, I''m having dinner here with Auntie Charmine." Charmine stood up and added, "Grandma, why don''t you join us?" The vige chief shook her head. "It''s okay, I''ve made dinner already." As she spoke, she noticed that there were only three bowls on the table. Moreover, the young man was standing awkwardly. Something did not seem right. Still, the vige chief did not want to meddle with their privacy, thus she said, "Chloe, stay here and be a good girl." "Okay.¡± Chloe was munching happily as she nodded. "Chloe¡¯s been good, Grandma," assured Charmine gently. "Don¡¯t worry." The vige chief waved it off. "Alright, enjoy your meal. I''ll leave you to it." "Okay.¡± things to do with Charmine. Furthermore, Chris looked quite like him. They must have been rted. Had there been a conflict between Charmine and this man? Even if that was the case, he must not be starved. The vige chief returned to her house before making her way back toward Charmine''s. As he watched them eat, Anthony grew exasperated and went out for a smoke. The vige chief walked over and offered, "Young man, are you hungry? If you don¡¯t mind,e over to my ce for dinner." Anthony wanted to turn her down, but with another thought, he nodded. " Okay." Charmine was close to this elderlydy. Perhaps she knew a thing or two about what happened to Charmine. He followed the vige chief to her house, where she gave him a bowl and asked, "Why did youe here, young man?" Anthony greeted, "I''m Anthony Bailey, Grandma. Call me Anthony." He thought of a while and said, "I heard that the view here is amazing, so I came here for a vacation." The vige chief was confused to hear Anthony''s reply. Was he not here for Charmine? Even if he was not rted to Charmine, he must be rted to Chris. However, it was apparent that this man did not want to speak further, thus she did not insist. The vige chief said, "That¡¯s good! We''re about to develop our vige, and this ce will be a tourist attraction in the future. If you like it here, you may bring more people toe here with you." When Anthony heard this, he had a thought and he said, "That¡¯s nice. Is there a tour guide around here? The vige is so big, and I don¡¯t know the ces too well." The vige chief replied, "We don¡¯t have a tour guide, but if you need a tour, I can ask Zoe to show you around." 1 Anthony did not bother asking who she was, and he turned her down, saying, "I need someone with better knowledge." The vige chief was put in a difficult position. "Most of us here aren''t well- educated. Only Zoe is the most qualified one amongst us." Anthony pursed his lips and could not help recalling Charmine''s beautiful face. He said, "Someone who looks clean and good." The vige chief frowned. "Zoe does look good, and she¡¯s not too bad, too. However, she had been staying in this vige, and she¡¯s not as well- educated as women from the city." As she spoke, she suddenly realized. Knowledgeable, good, and clean-looking... Was he not referring to Charmine? Sigh! How silly was she? Anthony must be using this as an excuse to get back with Charmine! chapter 1612 chapter 1612 All this time, she offered to introduce other women to Anthony instead! The vige chief had a peaceful smile on her face as she asked gently, " Would Charmine be alright?" Anthony''s face looked as if an iceberg had melted-he became warmer instantly. "Alright, sure." The vige chief smiled and nodded. "I''ll tell Charmine about this after dinner." "Alright, thank you.¡± Anthony only took a few bites and went out to a small stall in the vige. He bought a handful of expensive supplements and gave them to the vige chief. "Here. Thank you for your help." What he implied was that she was doing him a favor. The vige chief understood what he meant by ''help''; he wanted her to help him get Charmine to show him around the vige. It seemed that this man truly cared about her. Otherwise, he would not havee all the way here to try to get back with her. She would do him this favor, then. The vige chief nodded. "Alright, get some rest here. I''ll go and speak with Charmine." Anthony instantly looked better, and he nodded. "Good." Inside the bamboo house. Charmine had just finished eating and was about to clean up when the vige chief walked into the kitchen, all smiles. "Charmine, are you free in the next two days?" Charmine said. "Yes, Do you need any help?" The vige chief said, "I don''t, but the man, well... He came here for a vacation. He doesn''t know the ce well and needs a tour guide. He asked me for help, and I..." Charmine frowned. The vige chief did not say it explicitly, but she knew where this was going. What was wrong with Anthony? Instead of spending time with his fiancee, he came here and wanted her to be his tour guide? Charmine shut it all down instantly. "Grandma, I just got here not too long ago, and I don''t know the vige that well. Find someone else to do that." As an idea urred to her, Charmine added, "Zoe should be good for being a tour guide." Grandma became visibly worried. "That won''t work. I think she might scare Anthony off. Since you¡¯re exploring the vige anyway, why don¡¯t you let him tag along?" Charmine remained calm. "No. I''m cold, and he might not like it.¡± The vige chief knew she was turning it down, thus she added, "Don''t worry, this isn¡¯t a date. It doesn¡¯t matter if you''re cold or friendly; just show him around. Furthermore, he won¡¯t let you down, he might agree to anything you ask for. He''s not a bad person and treated me well. Why don''t you do this favor for me?" 1 Charmine was surprised. The vige chief seemed rather stubborn. s, she was just as headstrong. "Grandma, I really can¡¯t," insisted Charmine. "The project is starting soon, and I need to supervise it." The vige chief sighed. Since Charmine insisted not to, she could not insist. "Alright, then," she said helplessly. "I''ll find someone else." Charmine remained unperturbed. "Okay." The vige chief went out. Chloe was about to sleep, so she followed her. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. On the way home, Chloe piped up, "Grandma, that man is Chris¡¯ father." The vige chief had already guessed as much. "Yes, I can see that." Chloe smiled and said adorably, "I think Uncle still cares about Auntie Charmine, but she doesn¡¯t care about him. She doesn¡¯t let him eat." "I see," the vige chief said. "Perhaps they have some conflicts." Chloe smiled. "Grandma, I don¡¯t have parents, and I don''t want Chris to feel the same. Can we help them get together?" chapter 1613 chapter 1613 The vige chief felt hurt hearing this. She lowered her head and looked at Chloe lovingly. "Okay, I''ll see what I can do." As though receiving something beautiful, Chloe happily nodded. "Alright! Thank you, Grandma!" The vige chief held Chloe as they made their way back home, where Anthony stood up from the front yard and looked at them anticipatingly. " How did it go? Did she agree?" The vige chief met his eyes and was certain he was in love with Charmine. Charmine, on the other hand...was willing to take care of his son, so she must have feelings for him still. The two of them looked so good as a pair. It was a pity that they had to separate. The vige chief decided to match up the two of them. "Charmine didn¡¯t say yes," she admitted. "She''s busy, but I think there''s still a chance." Anthony*s eyes darkened; he had expected this to be the oue. Charmine was still cold, even when the vige chief went to talk her out... Noticing his darkening eyes, the vige chief generously spoke, "Anthony, why don¡¯t you go to our community house to stay for the night, or perhaps the house beside us? It''s not asfortable as the community house." Anthony was not affected at all. "Just the house by the side will do." "Okay," said the vige chief. "I''ll take you there now. The house is right beside Charmine''s." Charmine should be fine with this. They must not let this man sleep under the bridge, after all. When he moved in, the two of them would be closer and would bemunicating. The more theymunicated, the misunderstanding would be dispersed eventually. That would be good. 1 Anthony said, "Okay." Once they got closer, everything else could be fixed slowly. Meanwhile... Charmine was not affected by Anthony''s appearance at all. Even though she could feel that he still cared for her, she did not move at all. After putting Chris to sleep, she washed the clothes and dried them in the front yard. As she was drying, she saw the door of the small house by the side open and Anthony walking in with a suitcase. He was moving in, much to her shock. A momentter, the vige chief went inside, too. Seeing that Charmine was watching, she exined, "Anthony came to stay here for a few days. He had nowhere to stay, so I offered him this ce." Charmine remained calm. "Grandma, this is your house. You can do whatever." Seeing that Charmine was fine with it, she smiled. "Okay, well, carry on with what you''re doing." N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Charmine nodded and acted as if this did not concern her at all. She continued drying the clothes. Anthony saw how she did not care at all, and he felt a sharp pain in his heart. He was not even a stranger to this woman before him? i She might even smile at a stranger, while she treated him as though he was transparent! 1 How could he be reassured with her in this state? Anthony looked up at her and moved in with his suitcase. "This ce is quite simple," pointed the vige chief, "and you might not be used to it." "It''s okay.¡± Anthony looked around. Although it was simply built, it was not too bad. It was better than sleeping outside. "Alright. I''m afraid that you might not like this ce since you''re used to big mansions." The vige chief said, "If you need anything, you may borrow them from Charmine." There was his chance to get closer to her! Anthony looked pleased. "Alright." The vige chief helped him settle in and reminded him of other matters before leaving. Anthony walked her to the door and looked at the front yard across his house. Charmine was no longer outside. His eyes darkened and looked away, going ahead to unpack. chapter 1614 chapter 1614 On the other hand... Charmine finished drying the clothes and picked up her phone to text Adam. She found out that he was about to refurbish the houses by the end of the vige and thus went over to monitor it. Anthony''s presence did not even faze her. She was very calm, and when she arrived at the site, she was fully focused. She had the safety hat on and looked at the machines working on the houses. Adam had documents in hand and started reporting the progress to her. Charmine aloofly studied, her demeanor entirely professional. She looked like a cold, arrogant CEO of thepany. After working for a few hours, it was about time and she picked some fresh vegetables home to make dinner. All the while, Chris was sleeping and did not realize that Charmine was not home. He walked out, and as he was about to look for Chloe, he heard noisesing from the house next door. Was the house not empty? Chris looked alert and became cautious. Was there a thief? He narrowed his eyes and took up a stone, aiming at the house. "Who''s in there? Come out right away, or I¡¯ll beat you up!" i Who would actually steal from the house during the day? He was about to throw the stone when the door gradually opened. Out came Anthony with a straight face, and he looked at Chris. "You''re going to beat me up?" This startled Chris. He reacted and looked around with his big, rounded eyes. "Daddy? Why are you staying here?¡± he asked suspiciously. Anthony scoffed, "Why not?" Chris thought about it and guessed that this was his chance at getting back with Charmine. This was also what Chris wanted. He was about to go over but the door opened. Charmine came home with a bunch of vegetables. N?velDrama.Org content. Chris looked away and said, "Mommy, you¡¯re home!" "Yeah." Charmine asked, "How was your afternoon nap?" "Good!¡± replied Chris. "The breeze is mild, and the house isfortable. It¡¯s also quiet. I like it!" With that said, he pulled a face. "I¡¯m just sad that I can''t stay here with you. Whenever I think of leaving this ce, I feel sad." Charmine ruffled his hair. "It''s okay. You can stay for a few more days." Chris pouted and said hopelessly, "Alright." "Okay, go on and y with Chloe. I''ll make dinner." Charmine sat before the table and started picking the vegetables. Chris nodded and walked out. He secretly went over to Anthony''s. Looking at how worn out the house was, he frowned. "Why would you stay here?" "A kid doesn''t interfere with adult matters." Anthony looked at him coldly and said, "You came at the right time. I can''t cook." Chris narrowed his eyes and said with a proud look, "I know how to! Chloe taught me! I can make fire for you." Anthony was speechless. He frowned and looked at him darkly. "I don¡¯t have ingredients." Chris offered a reassuring expression instead. "What do you want to eat? I''ll grab them from Grandma''s. She even has yummy smoked bacon, and also the vegetables she nted. They''re very refreshing!" With that, Chris was about to leave. Anthony''s face dropped. He picked him up. "Chris Bailey, is your IQ getting lower, or have you be a fool after living here for a few days?" Did Chris not understand him? "Oh..." Chris was lifted off the floor, feet dangling and all. "Fine," he muttered. Of course he knew what Anthony meant. However, he thought of how mean he was to Charmine, and Chris wanted to agitate him. Hmph! Anthony ced him back down. "You understand?" Chris nodded adorably. "Yes." Although he was angry at his father, he also did not want to see his Mommy so sad and lonely. He wanted her to have faith in love again, to be with his Daddy. It did not even have to be Anthony. Any good man should do. As long as Charmine was not stuck this way. chapter 1615 chapter 1615 Chris walked out and saw clouds overriding the skies, so thick that he might be able to touch it. A stormy rain wasing. He quickly ran back to the bamboo house, sat before Charmine, and put his chin on his hand, bearing a troubled expression. "Mommy, I went to see Daddy." Charmine knew that, and she nodded. It was normal for a son to see his father. She did not stop him nor did she care. "Sigh..." Chris sighed like an old man as he worriedly added, "Daddy has nothing to eat. He doesn''t cook and has no ingredients." Charmine paused at that, recalling his stomach problems. He had not eaten breakfast and lunch. If he skipped dinner, he might get a stomachache again. Despite these thoughts, her expression straightened afterward. Whatever happened to him was none of her concerns. She used to treat him wholeheartedly, and he crushed her so cruelly. Regardless of whatever that would happen, she would not care about him anymore. No more. He made her understand how low the value of sincerity was. Now that she had realized being alone could be soforting, if she could live well alone, why would she need a man to increase her troubles? Charmine''s lips twisted into a sneer as she replied, "If he''s hungry, he¡¯ll make something." Chris sighed and agreed, "Yeah, that mean Daddy. He''s a big man, and he can starve for a few days." Hearing his words amused Charmine. Her red lips were still in a smirk as she pointed out, "Dear, if you miss your Daddy, you may go and stay with him." Chris shook his head. "No, I only want to be with Mommy!" Charmine ruffled his head. "Help me to pick some vegetables, then." "Alrighty!" Chris helped out diligently. They made delicious meals, and the two of them ate in the front yard. Chris might have seemed peaceful at that point, but he was, in fact, very anxious. His Daddy was suffering, yet his Mommy did not seem to care? Did she no longer feel anything for Anthony? N?velDrama.Org content. No way! Chris did not want this! Chris ate quietly as his eyes darted around, his head spinning fast. Meanwhile... Luke received a call from Anthony and brought his work for him. He followed the address to this run-down house. He was so shocked that he was unable to react. He thought he was at the wrong ce. After verifying the location once more, he heard Anthony''s cold voice dering, "Come in." Luke was shocked as he headed inside with the bag. He looked around in shock. "Boss, you''re living here!?" "Yes." Anthony received the documents and put them by the side. Such a ce unsettled Luke. "Boss, you can¡¯t live here. I¡¯ll get you a room in the town." "No need." Anthony red at him. "I have my arrangements." If he rented a room in the town, there was no point for him to be here. Luke thought of how he came here for Charmine. He looked around and saw a beautiful bamboo house by the side. It was very different from this run-down house. He understood something and did not question further. He asked caringly," Boss, have you eaten? I''ll buy you food." Anthony looked up at the house beside him and said with a cold face, "No need." Chris had gone over to tell Charmine. He believed Charmine would not be so cold-hearted. 2 Helpless, Luke could only apany Anthony here and run over the reports with him. A whileter, Anthony frowned and his face turned pale. He put down the documents and rubbed his stomach. Oh, no... The pain had returned. chapter 1616 chapter 1616 Luke noticed his expression and recalled his stomach problem. "Boss, is your stomach acheing back?" Anthony looked up at him. "Speak louder." "Huh?" Luke was confused. "What?" "Make sure they can hear it!" Anthony snapped, i Charmine could ignore him, but she always cared about his stomach problem. She would at least care! Luke understood what Anthony meant, and he repeated himself loudly and frustratedly, "Boss, are you having a stomach ache again? Why is it so severe? Don''t scare me! Does it hurt? I''ll look for a doctor!" He spoke so loudly that Charmine could hear it clearly. Chris frowned and looked at Charmine. However, she acted as if she heard nothing. Her expression was serene as she picked the vegetables for Chris. "Eat more." "Okay." Chris dared not to say anything. He held onto his bowl and ate silently. Charmine paused for a moment before she turned to look at Chris. "Dear, if you''re worried, you may go and have a look." After all, he had the right to care about his father. Whatever Anthony was up to no longer had anything to do with Charmine, but Chris was his son, and it made sense for him to worry. Chris shook his head. "No need. Uncle Luke is there, and Daddy is an adult. He can take care of himself." Charmine looked calm and formed a stark contrast with the anxious voiceing over from next door. "Alright, it''s up to you." "Yeah,¡± said Chris, ''TH stay with Mommy." After dinner, Charmine went inside to wash the dishes. Chris, who had sat upright, could not hold it anymore. He walked over to find Anthony. Although his Daddy was mean, Uncle Luke''s voice sounded anxious. He was worried. Inside the house... Anthony leaned on the chair with his face pale. He frowned and had his hand pressed on his brows. His stomach ache was nothingpared to his heartache. Luke sounded so anxious, and Charmine must have heard it. Still, she did not seem to care at all. Since when had she stopped caring? It seemed that other than her career, she was no longer interested in anything. At that moment, there were footstepsing toward the house. Anthony opened his eyes and looked over with anticipation...only to see Chris, and just Chris, walking in. His eyes went full, and he shut his eyes. Chris saw his pale face and realized that his stomach ache was not an act. He pouted and said, "Daddy, didn''t you bring your medicines?" Anthony made a sound. Luke said worriedly, "Young master, is there a doctor in here? Or in the town?¡± "No need." Before Luke could finish, Anthony opened his eyes and cut him off," Doesn¡¯t matter." He looked at the house next door and then looked away, It had been so long. What else was he waiting for? He looked at Luke. "Carry on." Luke was worried. "But Boss, your body-" Anthony barked, "Continue!" N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Luke was helpless and dared not to insist. He could only continue his job. Chris grimaced and looked at Anthony with his face pale and sweating all over. He was very worried. He bit his lip. He was about to ask the vige chief if there was a pharmacy nearby, wanting to get medicine for him. However, the moment he walked out, heavy rain started falling unexpectedly. chapter 1617 chapter 1617 It rained heavily. Chris had a thought and ran back to Anthony''s house. He looked around and went to the fence. Picking up a stick, he smacked the tiles that made up the house. Instantly, the tiles broke. pping with an impish grin on his face, he covered his head and ran back to Charmine. Anthony and Luke were still working when they felt rain droplets on their heads. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Anthony frowned. He looked up to see that the roof was broken. The rain fell inside through that hole, effectively drenching him. Luke quickly packed up the documents, and by the time everything was packed, both of them were drenched. The house started to flood. Anthony looked at the flooded house and had a thought. He had a smile as he walked out. He opened the door, walked into the front yard of the bamboo house, and knocked. Charmine came out and saw the man in front of her. He was pale and entirely soaked. The water flowed down his exquisite face. His white shirt was stuck to his well-built body. Her heart sank. How could Anthony Bailey look like this? However, she quickly suppressed her emotions. She had a calm look on her face as she looked at him coldly. As he was about to speak, she cruelly shut the door with a loud m. Anthony was speechless. Did she not see how drenched he was? Anthony knocked again. "Chris, open the door! My house is flooded, and I have nowhere to stay!" Chris looked at Charmine. Seeing how calm she was, he sighed and shouted in reply, "I can''t help you." Anthony''s face darkened. A wave of stomach ache inflicted him, and he began struggling to breathe. All that, and the door before him was still shut! Inside the house, Chris was speaking to Charmine, "Mommy, why don''t we let Daddye in and stay with us? His house is flooding, and he can''t sleep in there." Charmine was extremely calm. "That''s his problem." Chris continued, "Daddy has a stomach ache, and his house is flooding. He has nothing with him. If he catches a cold, what can we do? Why don¡¯t we let him in and take a warm bath?" Charmine remain unconcerned, however, as she spoke nonchntly, "If he can¡¯t stay in there, the vige chief will make arrangements for him. It''s none of my business." Anthony heard their conversation outside, and he felt a sharp stab in his chest. Even if his stomach was hurting, even if his house was broken, she did not seem to pity him at all! She would at least care about a stranger, but him? She did not even have a care in the world! He was not even a stranger to her! He clenched his fists and went back to his house, letting the rain crash against him. Luke was worried. "Boss, what are you doing?" Anthony was standing in the rain, and he looked at him. "Ignore it. Bring the documents andptop to themunity house." "Boss..." "Hurry!" snapped Anthony. Luke was speechless and thought of how important these documents were. They would lose a few hundred millions if the papers were ruined! He had to do as he was told. He fixed the documents and left. Anthony remained standing in the yard, ignoring the rain that pelted him. His eyes darkened as he looked at the lit room. This was his final bet. He believed that she would not leave him unattended if he were to faint. chapter 1618 chapter 1618 This was the only way Anthony had to talk to Charmine. How else could he speak to her with the cold shoulder she gave him? Anthony felt a sharp pain in his stomach. Standing at the yard, his face was tense and pale. He clenched his fists and remained on the ground. He did not make a sound as he let the rain wash over him. He did not know how long it had been, but he started to feel listless. His legs grew limp, his head and eyes blurry. Anthony''s lips went pale and curled up into a smile. A secondter... His vision turned dark and he lost his bnce, falling heavily with a thud on the ground. Before he lost his consciousness, all he could think of was, ''Charmine, you¡¯ll finallye for me, won¡¯t you?¡¯ After Luke had arrived at themunity house, he put everything down. He saw how the downpour was incessant and frowned. Anthony was standing in the rain. If it went on, he might get ill. He had stayed up all nightst night, and his body would not be able to take it! Growing worried, Luke took an umbre and ran back to the dpidated house. When he rushed back to the bamboo house, he looked over worriedly and saw that Anthony was no longer standing there. He instantly felt relieved. Anthony finally went inside. However... When he arrived at the door, an unmoving figure on the ground came into sight. "Boss!" Luke¡¯s heart sank, and he ran to Anthony. N?velDrama.Org content. Anthony had fallen on the ground, his face was pale and his breathing was weak. It was as if he was dying. "Boss! What¡¯s happening? Don¡¯t scare me...! Help!" Not caring how loud he was, Luke cried out for help anxiously. He tossed the umbre away and carried Anthony in his arms, making his way to Charmine''s house. "Something''s happened, Ms. Jordan! Boss Bailey has fainted!" Inside the room. Charmine was working on the development project. When she heard the anxious voice, she frowned. She did not seem to care. She guessed that this might have been one of Anthony''s tricks. However, she thought of how he had not eaten for the entire day, his house flooded, and he was drenched... She looked at the rain outside her window. As if being pulled out, she walked and opened the door. Luke looked visibly anxious, and beside him was the fainted Anthony on the ground. Charmine saw how pale his face was, lips purple and all, and her heart sank. However, her face remained calm as she asked, "Are you not calling a doctor?" "He didn''t want to go," replied Luke helplessly. "I don''t know where the doctor is." Charmine had not spoken when Luke begged, "Ms. Jordan, please let him in. I''ll look for a doctor." Charmine pursed his lips. She looked at Anthony and thought for a while before saying, "Bring him in." Luke let out a sigh of relief and instantly carried Anthony inside. Charmine frowned. She looked at Anthony apathetically, unfazed and unruffled. All she felt was that his presence had tainted the air in her home. Luke was going to ask her where the doctor was, but he saw her holding up her umbre and walking out. Her figure was cold like snow in the night rain. She left them cruelly. Luke was speechless. How could she be so cruel? Was she...looking for a doctor for Anthony? Luke thought so. He helped Anthony get out of his drenched clothes and sat with him by the side. A whileter, Anthony''s cold body suddenly turned hot. chapter 1619 chapter 1619 Luke looked out of the window worriedly. Why was Charmine not home yet? Unless... Did she not care at all, even with how severely hurt Anthony was? Luke could only get the water himself and tried to lower Anthony¡¯s fever. Charmine held the umbre and walked in the rain. She could not help thinking of how drenched Anthony was, how he was pale and that he had fainted. Although she was worried about his health, she did not want to care about him anymore. He brought this upon himself. No one made hime to this vige. Charmine shook her head and forced herself not to think of the jerk. The light was dim, and she somehow arrived at the heel of the mountain, finding a run-down small house as she did. It was pitch dark inside. She opened the door and, taking advantage of the light from outside, took out her dagger to cut some wood to start a fire. The pitch dark room was lit up, and the room became warmer. She saw clearly how empty the room was with no other belongings around. The only good thing was that it could act as a shelter. This was not too difficult. Charmine''s red lips curled into a smile as she walked outside and started a fire. She moved a few stones from the outside. She then walked to the bamboo forest not too far away, brandishing the dagger at hand to cut a few bamboos. Instantly, the entire bamboo fell. Her gait was domineering and cool, much like a female warrior. She chopped off a few more bamboos and went back to the house. She sat before the fire and peeled the bamboo, one after another. She managed to use the fire to dry out the drenched bamboo. After they were cleanly peeled, she took out a string to tie them all up and ced them on the stone. With this, a clean,fortable bed appeared. Charmine tossed the remaining wood into the fire pit. Sheid on the bamboo bed with her hands behind her head. She fell asleep. 1 The rain had stopped that morning. The sky was turning brighter, and Anthony was woken up by pain. N?velDrama.Org content. He looked at the bamboo in front of him. With a thought, his blood boiled. Had Charmine finally given in and brought him home after he passed out? He got out of bed and saw...only Luke was there. He had fallen asleep on the table. Luke was woken up by Anthony. Realizing that he had woken up, he finally let out a sigh of relief. "Boss, you''re finally awake! How do you feel?" Anthony did not seem to have heard him. He looked around and asked, " Where¡¯s Charmine?" Luke was just as confused as he exined, "After you came inst night, Ms. Jordan went out with an umbre. I don¡¯t know if she went ahead to find you a doctor or not." "D*mn it!" Anthony instinctively thought of how, if Charmine allowed him toe inside, she must have gone out to look for a doctor or get him medicines. It was raining so heavilyst night, and she did not know this ce. What if anything happened to her? His heart sank and looked at Luke. "If anything happens to her, you might as well die!" With that said, he dragged his tired body to walk out. Luke watched his weak figure and said worriedly, "Boss, your body-" "Get out!" snapped Anthony before he vanished through the door. He walked out quickly and searched from the front of the vige to the end. Eventually, he caught a whiff of something burning at the heel of the mountain. chapter 1620 chapter 1620 Anthony looked at the run-down house, and his eyes darkened as an assumption urred to him. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. No, Charmine would not do that. However cruel she was, she would not... With a mere glint of anticipation, Anthony walked toward the house. All he saw was Charmine sleeping on the bamboo bed. She seemed rxed and well-rested. His anticipation shattered instantly. She actually found herself this run-down house instead of staying with him? Was he that disgusting to her? He was worried about her finding him a doctor and that something had happened to her, but the fact was that she did not care about him at all. She did not care! ''Anthony Bailey, you''re such a fool.¡¯ At that moment, Charmine was not in deep sleep, thus the sound of something moving aroused her from her sleep. When she saw the man in the house, she frowned. "Why are you here?" She did not sound pleased at all. Anthony clenched his fists and red at her, no longer able to contain himself. "Do you hate me that much? You''d rather stay here than be with me!?" Charmine was already frustrated when she was awakened, and with Anthony interrogating her like this, she became even more furious. She exuded chills all over and said, "Yes! I''d rather stay here than be in the same space with you! You disgust me!" Disgust? This was not the first time she said he disgusted him. Why would he be disgusting to her? Was it because he hurt her, and that was why she had a different view of him? i Anthony looked at her and scoffed, "Was it because of me that you want to spend the rest of your life here? Really? Charmine, you¡¯re so rigid-minded and wasted!" When Charmine heard how confident he sounded, sheughed abruptly and ironically. Anthony actually asked that? He hurt her thoroughly and had the gall to interrogate her, calling her ''rigid- minded'' and ''wasted'' to boot? Haha! She red at Anthony. "Mr. Bailey, you think of yourself too highly. I can tell that you men are all douches! Instead of letting men hurt me, why not live by myself!?" Charmine looked up at him from the bed. "Furthermore, whether I hide away or not, it''s none of your business! Get this through your head, Mr. Bailey: We¡¯ve broken up!" Her alluring red lips emphasized the words ''broken up''. Her words were knife-like sharp that plunged deeply into Anthony''s chest. His face that had lost its colors, turned paler. Charmine stood up from the bed and still treated him like he was transparent. She kicked the ashes away below her and walked past him. Anthony looked at her arrogant back, hisrge hands clenched tightly as he quaked. Inside the bamboo house. Luke noticed that Charmine returned without Anthony, thus he so confusedly asked, "Ms. Jordan, President Bailey went out to look for you. Didn''t you see him?" Charmine looked at him coldly, nking him and fixing her eyes on Anthony''s clothes on the ground. There was also a towel he used and a basket, too. Frowning, Charmine tossed the clothes into a basket and took them, tossing the clothes outside. Thomp! The porcin basket and clothesnded on the dirty mud. Luke was speechless. This woman had lost her marbles! Why was she so cruel? Unable to formte words, Luke went outside to pick up Anthony''s clothes. "Ms. Jordan, I know you''re angry, but you don''t have to toss out the clothes chapter 1621 chapter 1621 Charmine ignored Anthony''s existence as she walked into her house and saw the bed Anthony slept on. She instantly tossed out the nket and pillow outside before mming the door shut. Anthony eventually returned, only to be greeted with the sight of the things he used thrown on the floor. It felt like his heart had been stabbed. Gazing at Anthony helplessly, Luke asked, "Boss, what should we do now?" Anthony looked at Luke. "Bring these back, and wash them." "Oh...alright, then." Luke could only retrieve the items. Anthony stood before the door and looked at the shut door, his heart still aching at that moment. She was that cold-hearted that she could not even tolerate the sight of the items he had used? Eventually, he looked away and headed back to his temporary home. Luke was sorting things out when he saw how deste Anthony seemed, and he could not help asking, "Boss, why don¡¯t we go back? Ms. Jordan is doing quite well here." She no longer liked Anthony, anyway. If she enjoyed living alone here, why would he want to trouble her and upset her? Anthony red at Luke. "Head back if you want to." He must not leave Charmine on her own. Even though they had broken up, even though she was viciously cold- hearted, everything happened because of him. i He did not want to see her so stubborn, especially when she was meant for an extraordinary life. She must not stay in this vige forever! Meanwhile, Chloe watched everything unfold from her door. She saw how Auntie Charmine threw out a pile of things and also how Uncle Anthony looked devastated. There was no mistaking that longing look in Anthony¡¯s eyes. If Uncle Anthony loved Auntie Charmine that much, why did he leave her and marry another woman? Was he hiding something? Furthermore, Auntie Charmine probably still had feelings for him. Why else would she treat Chris like her own son? i Chloe narrowed her eyes and with a thought, she turned back to her room and locked the door. She secretly took out a box from under her bed, opened it, and took out a router to turn it on. She then took out herptop and turned it on professionally. 1 N?velDrama.Org content. Her tiny figure supported aptop that wasrger than her frame, and while she still looked adorable, gone was the cutesy expression and was reced with seriousness. Her tiny hands fluttered across the keyboard as she typed in a series of codes. The screen instantly turned ck. Following that, lots of codes appeared on the screen. It did not take long before the screen showed a different page. Chloe narrowed her eyes and typed in Anthony¡¯s name. Following this, everything that happened to Anthony over the years appeared on the screen. Chloe read them all and found out that Anthony and Charmine had quite an extensive, long history together. They almost died and almost got married, so why did they end up this way? Chloe sharply noticed thest article which included Dr. Jennie. Dr. Jennie Peterson? Chloe red at the name. She knew that woman. Dr. Jennie Peterson was an internationally renowned brain specialist. Not long ago, she was looking for geniuses all over the world for her experiment, but all of a sudden, she ceased her search. 1 Why would Anthony be in touch with her? As Chloe read the end of the article, she realized that it was only after Anthony made contact with Jennie that he started hurting Charmine, i Chloe leaned back, and suddenly... She recalled that when Anthony came over yesterday, Chris had said he had called Anthony before, but Anthony acted as if he had no recollection of it. This looked like a symptom of amnesia! chapter 1622 chapter 1622 Chloe could not help frowning. Had Jennie experimented on Anthony, which inflicted amnesia on him? 2 It had to be that due to this, he broke off with Charmine, fearing failing her, even though they loved one another dearly. 1 Chloe was quite certain of this. Anthony was not cold-hearted, after all. He just loved her too much. Reading the things that he had done for Charmine, Chloe was touched and her eyes reddened. The two should not have broken up. Chloe logged out and leaned on her chair to think. Amnesia, amnesia... True, amnesia was generally incurable, but this was only what the general public knew. No one had tested her way just yet! Chloe looked adorably serious. Turning on herptop once more to search a few case studies, she also took a pen and jotted down a few things on a piece of paper. N?velDrama.Org content. [BL, PL, AQ, PHKL.] Chloe''s brain rapidly spun as she wrote out different proportions below the names of the medicines before putting them together. 1 The result would be the medicine for amnesia. Of course, this was just her hypothesis, and she had not done any clinical trials. Nheless, this was better than prolonging Anthony''s condition. 1 Even if this could only ease his pain, it would be good. Chloe looked at the four medicines on the paper. She would get the first three from the mountains. PHKL, on the other hand, was a branded medicine. It was expensive, and she had no way of buying it. Chloe pursed her lips and thought of Uncle Harry from the city. "Uncle Harry, I need a PHKL. Can you bring me one?¡± Burlington. Dior had been trapped at home after attending Guy''s wedding. She missed Harry Cogen too much. This morning, Tim and Sherlyn Granger finally went back to work, and she finally managed to break free. Dior wasted no time as she sprung into action, searching for Harry. When she arrived at the rural area, she got out of the car and heard the clicking sound of leather shoes. Dior halted at the familiar sound. Her eyes sparkled as she turned around and saw... Harry sported a high-end suit in ck. His leather shoes seemingly glistened, his hair was styled, and he emitted an exorbitant aura. He looked like a president from movies. Dior fangirled him; her heart almost skipped a beat. She took a while to react before she walked toward him in her heels, unable to hide her crush on him. "Harry Cogen! You look so handsome... Wait, you look so dressed up. Where are you going?" Harry looked at her and frowned. Why did she appear again? He was going to work, but since she was in front of him, he could not say that. He pursed his alluring lips and pulled an excuse, "To a date." This excuse should work. She would stop bothering him with this. "What!?" Dior was like a triggered kitten, and she almost exploded. "You¡¯re going on a date!?¡± "Why not?¡± replied Harry. "Didn''t you ask me to forget about that woman to start over?" Dior was speechless. "Yeah, I did, but..." What she meant was for him to consider her. She did not ask him to go on a date with another woman! If he went on a date, what would she do? No. She had to stop him from finding another woman! Dior looked at him and asked, "What if your injury reopens?" "It''s fully recovered," answered Harry. "Also, what does it have to do with dating?" Dior was speechless. His reply was straightforward. How else could she stop Harry? She pursed her lips and scrambled for a n quickly. chapter 1623 chapter 1623 As he noticed how silent Dior had been, Harry coldly dered, "If you''re done, go back and stop following me." With that, he walked past her. Dior looked at his back and, in a panic, bit her lip and clutched her stomach, starting to cry. She stered a pained expression as she grunted, "Harry Cogen, my stomach hurts. I''m dying... Can you send me to the hospital?" Harry looked at her sloppy act. "Stomach-ache?" Dior nodded and looked at him, hope-filled. Harry met her eyes and paused. Had she fallen for him? Heh. His ex treated him this way in the beginning, too, but what happened afterward? She gave in to money and reality. Women¡¯s love could be summed up by one word: cheap. Harry had a mocking look in his eyes as he scoffed, "Didn¡¯t you drive here? Drive yourself there." "But it hurts..." Dior seemed visibly pathetic. "My hands are numb. How am I supposed to drive? Take me there. Didn¡¯t I stay in the hospital to take care of you before?" Harry eyed Dior. It seemed that if he did not send her personally, she would continue to pester him. He pursed his lips and frigidly said, "Hop into the car.¡± Dior halted, and her frowning face instantly brightened up. She sat on the front passenger''s seat. Despite seeing the change in her expression, Harry did not expose her as he drove the car and left for the hospital. Dior looked at him, her gaze never wavering from him. How could there be such a handsome man in the world? Goodness, gracious. How many women had lost their cool when looking at him? She only had one thought in her mind: Sleep with him. She wanted to sleep with this cold, handsome man! Sensing Dior''s burning gaze, Harry turned and nced at her. When he met her adoring eyes, he was not surprised. "Does your stomach not hurt anymore?" he pointed out. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. "Huh?" Dior snapped out of her thoughts. She was about to pull another pained expression but did not in the end. "I looked at you, and it just stopped hurting." Harry was speechless. He acted as if he did not hear her response and continued driving silently. Dior was used to his hostility. The colder he was, the happier she would be when she won his heart. She leaned on the chair and thought of ways to keep him after they arrived at the hospital. What if he went on to the date? Dior bit her lip, and her thoughts were all over the ce. After a moment of thought, she asked, "Why do you have to go on a date?¡± Harry halted. That was just an excuse he had to pull out, yet she still had that stuck on her brain? He said coldly, "Why not?" "But..." She bit her lip. "Don¡¯t you have to work? How would you have time to find a girlfriend?" Hearing that made Harry''s sexy lips quirked into a small smirk. "Didn''t you give me money? Do I still have to work?" "What?¡± Dior¡¯s head buzzed. He used her money to spend it on other women?! Dior was speechless. "I only want you to treat yourself better, not for you to find another woman." "Oh," came his simple, frigid reply like he was some emotionless robot. He only responded emotionlessly to anything she asked, much to Dior''s chagrin. When they arrived at the hospital, Harry asked, "Do you want me to go in with you?" "No, no need." She gave him everything she was holding. "Wait for me here, and don''t go anywhere." "But I''m going on a date!" snapped Harry. "I don¡¯t care." She had a bossy look as she threatened him, "If you leave, I''ll Harry looked at her. "What?" chapter 1624 chapter 1624 Dior smirked. "I''ll go and ask your dates to back away-every one of them!" Not waiting for Harry to react, she went straight into the hospital, leaving a speechless Harry behind. That was it? Did she not have any other ammunition against him than that? Furthermore, he was alreadyte for his meeting! Dior went inside and, fearing Harry might leave, said to the doctor quickly," Hurry, just say my stomach ache is severe, that I have to be admitted to the hospital.¡± The doctor was baffled. "Madam, what are you talking about?" "My stomach hurts," repeated Dior, "and I want to be admitted. Get me the IV." She brought out a stack of money. "Prepare a room for me." The doctor was helpless. "Okay..." He admitted her and gave her a paper. Dior rushed out with the paper, and when she saw that Harry was still outside, she smiled. "The doctor said that it¡¯s very severe, and I need to be admitted. Can you stay with me?" Harry looked at her face that showed no trace of pain. "Why?" Why? Dior bit her lip as she then reasoned, "Aren''t we friends? Can''t you take care of me? I took care of you all day and night when you got admitted."Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Harry was going to turn her down when he spotted a familiar figure in the corner of his eyes. He could not help looking over and saw... Sonia was alone. She had a paper in hand as she walked out from the gynecologist. Dior looked over as well and spotted her. Her eyes gleamed heatedly as she grabbed Harry''s hands, saying, "Let''s go, dear. Bring my stuff." Harry was mystified. Dior should have be an actress. However, he did not expose her, especially when he noticed Sonia looking their way. He held onto Dior''s bag and put his other hand around her waist as they went into the VIP ward. When Sonia heard a woman''s voice, she instinctively thought of Dior, so she looked over. All she saw was how gentle Harry was to that woman. Sonia looked at the two with disbelief, transfixed on the spot. Had he truly fallen for that woman? She thought he was just putting on an act in front of her. He used to love her so much and would give her the world. How could he have fallen for another woman so easily? He probably did not know that she was in the hospital! Did this mean Harry treated that woman so gently even when she was not around them? Sonia was furious as she clenched and crumpled her paper. She walked out and wanted to interrogate him. After taking a few steps, however, her phone rang. Sonia stopped as she took out her phone to look at the screen, biting her lip as she did. "What is it, dear?" A gentle male voice was heard from the other end, saying, "How was the examination, Sonia?" Sonia nced at the paper and said calmly, "I''m six weeks pregnant." Despite the announcement, she did not seem too over the moon about it. "Wonderful!" The man on the other end, however, was very excited. "Find a ce to rest, and I''lle to fetch you." Sonia wanted to turn him down, but he had already hung up. She clenched her phone tightly and looked at the ward door that was shut. So what if she walked up to Harry and questioned him? Would she be able to start over with Harry? Impossible. She was already pregnant. In no time, she would marry rich and live her dream life. Even though she still loved him, she no longer wanted to live that ordinary and mediocre life. chapter 1625 chapter 1625 Sonia clenched the paper at hand, and her heart ached. Between love and reality, she chose thetter. Harry walked into the ward with his hand on Dior''s waist. When the door closed, his hand fled from her form. Dior knew he was acting, but it still upset her. She pouted and sat on the bed while her eyes were fixed on him. He was gentle-looking, but after he saw that woman Sonia, he began to act strangely. Even though he said that he had let go of her, he probably still cared about her. Was this why he was in a hurry to go on dates-so he could forget about Sonia? Dior bit her lip and mumbled, "Harry, can you not go on the date?" Harry looked at her. "Why?" ''You''re using my money," replied Dior. ''You can''t find another woman." Harry''s gaze darted away, wanting to say something when his phone rang with a text message notification. Harry took it out and narrowed his eyes. PHKL? Why would Chloe need this medicine? Was Grandma ill? Harry frowned as he looked at Dior coldly. "I have other things to attend to." Not waiting for her response, Harry turned to leave. "Huh?" Dior was shocked and asked, "Where are you going?" Harry had already vanished from sight. Dior was allowing the nurse to get the intravenous tube into her. When she watched the door closing, her heart sank. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Was he going on a date? Did that woman text him, and he went to see her?! Dior was upset. "Get that off me!" Harry had already left. Who was she acting for then? Dior shot out of bed and rushed out. When she got out of the ward, she saw Harry''s tall figure getting into the lift. "Harry Cogen!" Dior ran over, but the lift door was shut. She bit her lip and grew frantic. If she lost him again this time, the next time she would see him would be with another woman! No way! The lift stopped on the first floor while the other lift took ages. It was as if she had lost the most precious thing in the world. She ran to the staircase and rushed down in her high heels, enduring the pain. In her panic, Dior lost her bnce, and the heel twisted... "Argh!" Dior cried out in pain and grabbed the handle before she could topple. Her cold face turned pale as a sharp pain shot up from her ankle. However, the thought of Harry meeting another woman made her bite her lip. She withstood the sharp pain and continued making her way down. By the time she got to the first floor, her face was pale as her forehead was coated with sweat. Dior looked around anxiously and searched every corner. Among the crowd, she could see the tall, cool figure in front of the prescription counter. She let out a sigh of relief and instantly loosened up. Suddenly, she felt the sharp pain in her ankle, and it was nerve-wracking. Dior bit her pale lip and staggered toward Harry slowly. Meanwhile... Harry arrived at the counter and said, "Can I have a PHKL, please?" The nurse looked at him and said coldly, "No, we''re not selling this. This is a special rescue medicine." Dior overheard the exchange as she made her way toward Harry. chapter 1626 chapter 1626 Dior¡¯s gaze turned steely as she looked at Harry, asking, "What medicine do you want?" Harry turned to look at her, only noticing then how pale she had gotten. He wondered if her stomach was indeed hurting. "Why did youe down?" he asked. "Silly question." Dior scoffed. "You left all of a sudden, so of course I had to chase after you." Harry''s eyes darkened as he looked at her. Noticing how silent he was, Dior repeated, "What medicine do you want?" "PHKL." Dior frowned. This medicine was expensive, and only special people could get their hands on it. Even his father might not get his hands on it. Still, how could she disappoint her crush? Dior wound her arms around Harry''s and said, "No hurry. I''ll make a phone call to ask about it." Harry was going to ask his staff to get it, wanting to turn Dior¡¯s offer down, but she had walked him to a stool. After taking a few steps, he realized that she was limping. He frowned and asked, "What happened to your legs?'' Dior looked at him sadly. "I was worried about you going on a date and I couldn''t wait for a lift, so I ran down the stairs, twisting my ankle in the process. It really does hurt." She looked at him innocently. Surely he would pity her after telling her story, no? Furthermore, she was hurt because of him. He would want to stay back and take care of her. That meant he would not be able to go on a date, would he? At that moment, Dior, despite being in agony, felt blessed that she was hurt. Harry looked at her swollen ankle and paused, feeling his emotions surging in his chest. Did she care about him that much? Instantly, his eyes dulled coldly. "Be careful next time." Dior blinked and looked at Harry with disbelief. Was his heart made of steel? How heartless! Her lips parted as words danced at her lips, but knowing Harry, Dior could only let it pass. It was already an improvement for him to say this. How could she expect him to care for her, or evenfort her? "Heh," snorted Dior as she pictured this. Puzzled, Harry frowned and looked at her. "Did the pain make you crazy?" "No," said Dior. "Deal with my painter. Let''s get your issue settled first." One day, she would win his heart. One day, this cold-hearted man would be all over her! With this thought, Dior was barely fazed by the pain that gnawed on her ankle. Dior then took out her phone and called her father. "Father, I need PHKL. Can you get me one?'' Tim Granger, on the other end, frowned. "PHKL? Why do you need this? I can get hold of this easily." Dior pursed her lips and said weakly, "I¡¯m hurt, and I need this. If you don''t get it for me now, you won¡¯t be able to see me anymore." This instantly worried Tim. "Dior, what happened?'' he fretted anxiously. " Do you want your mother and I toe back right away?" "No need," said Dior. "Father, just get me the medicine. I''m going to Central Hospital. Give them a call." This did not convince Tim, but his worry nheless remained. "Okay, I''ll try." Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. That made Dior antsy. "Father, I''m your daughter. Don''t just try-you must get it!" Although she was exaggerating, she was telling the truth. Harry''s concern was her concern, too! If she could not get it for him, she might as well lose her life! "Alright, I''ll do my best to get it for you." Tim was worried. "What happened to you? Tell me." "It''s a long story, but just get me the medicine first. I''ll tell you when I recover." "Okay..." chapter 1627 chapter 1627 Tim quickly used his resources to look for this medicine. Hanging up the phone, Dior looked at Harry proudly. "Wait for a while." With that said, she looked at him expectantly, under the impression Harry would pity her that she twisted her ankle yet still went and tried to get him that PHKL he wanted. All she saw as she looked up at him, however, were his dull eyes. N?velDrama.Org content. That took Dior aback as she anxiously blurted, "What?" "Nothing." There was an irony-filled expression stered on Harry''s face. She sessfully demonstrated to him to never believe anything one said. She would lie to her father, and that meant she would lie to anyone else. He even felt bad for her twisting her ankle, but it all seemed rather ironic at this point. He would not believe a word she said again. Dior looked at his cold eyes, and she had no idea why Harry looked like... that. What happened? Why was he so apathetic? This baffled Dior, but just as she was about to ask Harry about it, her phone rang. Noticing that it was her father, she quickly answered, "Father, what is it?" "It''s ready. You may collect it from the counter; just mention my name." Tim, still worried, continued, "Dior, what''s the matter with you? Are you hurt?'' "No. I¡¯m busy now, so I¡¯ll call you when I have time." Dior did not wait for Tim to reply before hanging up. ¡®Wait for me," said Dior as she turned to Harry, "I''ll get it for you right away." Harry nodded. Dior looked at his distant expression and was bewildered. Still, she recounted his personality. Harry had always been cold, so she should get used to it. Dior did not press on the matter as she, bracing herself for the pain, limped her way to the counter. With a mention of Tim¡¯s name, she finally got the PHKL medicine. She proudly brought it to Harry. "Here." With an aloof expression, he epted the medicine. "Thanks." Dior had grown used to hisck of words, however. She bit her lip and muttered, "I got hurt because of you, so it makes sense for you to take care of me, right?" "Okay," replied Harry as if merely returning the favor. Emotionlessly, he continued, "You''ll have to wait till I ship this out." "Fine." Dior had no choice, anyway. She needed to treat her ankle so it would not worsen. As Harry stood up, Dior said, "Are you going to ship it now?" He was going to, but seeing how pale she looked, he frowned. "I''ll walk you up before going." Dior smiled. "Good! Come back right after you shipped it." Harry nced at her coldly. "You even know where I live. How do I even get away with it?" "I know, right?" harrumphed Dior. "If you don''t show yourselfter, I''lle to your house with the IV stick!" "Don''t worry," said Harry. "You did such a big favor for me, and I should return it." Dior looked at him. "That''s it?" He met her eyes. ¡®What else?" Dior bit her lip. This clueless man! Did he not feel like marrying her? Whatever. Harry was utterly clueless. She should train him slowly. Harry thus helped her get into a ward and left. When he arrived at the post office and watched the staff pack the medicine, Harry texted Chloe, [Chloe, it''s been shipped out. Keep an eye out for it.] chapter 1628 chapter 1628 Mount Vige. Receiving the text, Chloe was ted. Once she got hold of this medicine, she could ease Uncle Anthony''s pain. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. It could at least prevent his illness from worsening. She would then figure out how to make the rest of the medicine. Helping others made her feel good. Chloe carried the basket on her back and went up the mountain with Chris to gather the herbs. Chris saw how well she knew the way and how swift she acted. His eyes widened with curiosity. "Chloe, why do you need these herbs?" ''I need these to save your Daddy, of course!'' However, Chloe would not tell anyone about it. She smiled and, instead, said, "I''m getting them for my Grandma." "Ah." Chris looked at her and could not help reaching out to caress her pinkish cheeks, praising her as he did, "You¡¯re very kind, Chloe!" "Yeah!" Chloe blushed and smiled, causing her two adorable dimples to surface at her cheeks. "You, too!" i By the time they gathered all the herbs, it was already dusk. The two children sat on the mountain and admired the view of the vige below them. "I want to stay in this beautiful vige with my Mommy and Daddy," confessed Chris. He also wanted to grow up with Chloe. Chloe looked at the basket of herbs and said, ''That should be okay." Once Uncle Anthony''s amnesia was cured, everything was possible. Chris had a dull look in his eyes. If only it was possible. However, his Mommy was so mean to his Daddy. Everything was uncertain. Chris turned to look at Chloe and said, "Chloe, when I go home,e and find me with Grandma whenever you can." "Okay," answered Chloe. ''The city must be very beautiful, huh, Chris?" Chris paused. Chloe was so pitiable. Not only did she not have her parents with her, but she had not even been to the city, too. Once he could go home, he would bring her to have fun. He would take her to Dixy Land and have ice cream! Chris looked at Chloe and said, "No, the city isn''t as beautiful as this ce." Chloe nodded. Then...why did her parents not return? Not wanting to upset Chloe, Chris held her hand, saying, "Let¡¯s head home and feed the fish we caught yesterday." "Alrighty!" The two children got home when Chloe then noticed the phone had lit up. It was information that the parcel had arrived, and upon reading that, Chloe instantly went to collect it. After checking it, she processed the herbs she picked and mixed them with PHKL. She turned them into powder. After distributing them into a week''s worth of dosage, she leaned on her chair and started thinking... How should she send this to Uncle Anthony? How could she do it so as to not rm him? Hopeless as she was, she could only log onto her main ount. This way, he would believe her for sure. Chloe went to the settings and made some changes to hide her IP address. Following that, she sent an email to Anthony with her main ount. [There''s medicine by your door, and they''ll offset your amnesia from worsening. If you wonder why I help you, it''s because I''m Jennie''s nemesis.] After sending the email, Chloe secretly went to the door and looked around to make sure nobody was around. She took the medicine to Anthony''s door and hung it on the handle before heading home. Inside the run-down house... chapter 1629 chapter 1629 Anthony continued to work after he had Luke fix the house. As he was working, his phone by the side lit up. He frowned and looked at it-it was an email. When Anthony read the sender''s name, he narrowed his eyes in scrutiny. ''Cabbage''? This name sounded silly, but it attracted immense international recognitionst year. Legend had it that she was a genius. She once instructed a doctor online to save a patient who had 38 bullets in them. She earned her fame from then on. 2 Since then, there were other rumors of how she saved some severely ill patients with her medicines, and they all recovered. [Cabbage] was very mysterious; she stayed entirely virtual to provide only guidance. She had never shown her face, and even when highly acimed hackers tried to find her, she blocked them all. After she blocked them out, she would make sure their devices break down within a day''s time. 1 The entirepany''s desktops would have the image of a cabbage head before self-destructing. This meant that [Cabbage] was not only a medical genius, but she was also a professional hacker, too. Anthony, the moment he read the name, instantly thought someone was impersonating [Cabbage]. Thus, he turned to Luke. "Locate the IP address for this." Luke received the IP, and by the end of his search, he was shocked." Cabbage? The genius doctor, Cabbage?" Anthony nodded. After making sure it was legitimate, Anthony said to Luke, "Go and check out the door." "Okay." Luke walked out and saw medicine hung at the door handle. He brought them to Anthony. "Boss, Cabbage brought you medicine? You know her?" "Never met her.¡± Anthony looked at the medicines, just as confused. Why would Cabbage help him? Was it just because she was Jennie''s rival? Worried someone was plotting against him, Anthony gave a pack of the medicine to Luke. "Bring this to ab." "Yes, Sir!" Luke left with the packet while Anthony leaned on the chair, turning on his phone to once more look through the email he received. After thinking for a moment, he replied, [Why did you help me? What do you get?] Meanwhile... Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Receiving his response, Chloe happily replied, [As I said, Jennie is my nemesis. Furthermore, I heard that you''re Charmine''s lover. I know her, and it''s the least I can do. If you don''t trust me, just forget about this.] Anthony saw her reply and was utterly shocked. Charmine knew Cabbage? Just how resourceful was Charmine? Since Anthony had validated her identity, he would definitely trust her. With another thought, his eyes sparkled as he asked, [Does your medicine only ease the pain? Does it cure entirely?] If he could be cured, he no longer had to hurt Charmine. He would spend the rest of his life cherishing her and loving her. Chloe was not confident at all. Even if she was, she would not tell him. She did not want to give him hope and not treat him in the end. This would only disappoint Anthony. Chloe could only reply, [Yes, it can only ease the symptoms for now, stopping it from worsening. I can''t promise about treating itpletely. After all, your illness technically can''t be treated.] Anthony¡¯s eyes instantly lost their glimmer of hope, dulling instantly at Cabbage''s response. If he could not fully recover, what was the point of easing the symptoms? He would still forget important things at crucial moments. He still could not give Charmine happiness. chapter 1630 chapter 1630 Clenching his phone tightly, Anthony leaned on the chair and emanated loneliness, desteness. On the other hand, Chloe grew worried as she received not one reply from Anthony. Was he sad? Thinking it through, Chloe wrote another email, [Since I know Charmine, I''ll continue to develop the medicine, but I can¡¯t guarantee a full recovery.] When Anthony read the email, he pursed his lips and replied, [Thank you. Please, do not tell Charmine about this.] Chloe replied quickly, [Ok.] Anthony ended the conversation, and Luke came back, expression positive and delighted. "Sir, this medicine is harmless, and it¡¯s beneficial for the brain." Anthony nodded and said, "Prepare me a dose." "Okay." Luke went ahead to prepare it. Within an hour, the medicine was ready, and Anthony drank it all without hesitation. He looked at the emptied bowl and clenched his fist. This medicine, as well as Cabbage¡¯s words, were the only dim light in his darkened world. 1 At least, he was no longer so depressed. There was a slight hope. Late at night, he was unable to sleep. Perhaps it was due to the medicine, but he suddenly recalled the things he had forgotten in the past, such as Chris calling him to tell him that Charmine was leaving. He agreed and forgot about it halfway. Anthony suddenly realized how hopeless he was. He frowned and wanted to remember more, but he was unable to. With eyes wide open, his emotions whirled within him. He only managed to fall asleep when the sky turned brighter the next day. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. At the newfound hope of recovery, Anthony did not want Charmine to continue loathing him. When she went out to her construction site, Anthony instructed Luke, "Fill up the water in her bucket and chop wood for her." Luke was speechless. He was an assistant! Since when did he be his manpower? However, seeing the look in Anthony¡¯s eyes, he could only agree to it. 2 Luke thus drew clear water from the well and filled up Charmine''s entire bucket, even changing the water for the flowers. Following that, he used an ax to chop up thick logs into smaller pieces. Anthony looked at the bucket of water and the readily cut wood, and his lips curled up with satisfaction. "You get ten times the pay." 1 Luke wiped off his sweat and said, ''Thank you, Sir." Anthony turned to say to Chris, "Go and tell your Mommy that I''ve filled up the water in her bucket and cut the wood. We''re waiting for her to make lunch for us." 1 "Huh?" Chris rubbed his eyes, thinking his eyes yed tricks on him. It was then he saw the beads of sweat on Uncle Luke''s face and said matter-of-factly, "It was Uncle Luke who did it!" Anthony was speechless. He scoffed, "Do you want me to get back with your Mommy?" Chris frowned. Of course not. This douche-dad bullied his Mommy! It was only because he did not want Charmine to go on like this. Otherwise, he would have ratted Anthony out! Hmph! Anthony, on the other hand, did not care what Chris was thinking. chapter 1631 chapter 1631 Anthony said, "Go and call your Mommy. Tell her you¡¯re hungry." Chris pouted and left. He ran to the bottom of the mountain and saw Charmine and Grandpa Adam chatting. Sporting her ck suit that showed off her nice figure and also a safety hat, she seemed to be going through something formally with Adam. N?velDrama.Org content. Chris went over and greeted politely, "Mommy, Grandpa!" "Hey." Adam nodded. Charmine looked at Chris. "Why did youe here, my dear?" "Mommy, I''m hungry," muttered Chris. "When are youing back to cook?" Charmine looked at her watch and figured that it was lunchtime. "Right now." "Alright!" Chris pped with his tiny hands. Charmine had a few more words with Adam and also invited him over to have lunch before leaving with Chris. On the way home, Chris held Charmine''s hand and said, "Mommy, Daddy was working in our house earlier." "Hmm?" When Charmine heard about him, the gentle look on her face instantly vanished, reced with one of hostility. "Who let him in?" "Oh..." Chris said weakly. "Daddy came over to visit me, and I can''t keep him outside..." Charmine pursed her lips and did not speak. When Chris saw the change in her expression, he repressed the guilt and said, "Mommy, Daddy didn''t want you to get tired, so he filled up the water bucket and also cut wood for us. Mommy, when you¡¯re home, you won''t have to be so tired." Charmine did not look thankful at all. "Busybody!" she scoffed. Although she said so, she could not deny the tiny tingle of warmth within her. She did not understand what Anthony was trying to do. He was the one who pushed her away first! Charmine let go of her dignity and proposed to him on one knee in the middle of the road, yet he turned her down, married Waverly, made her the joke of the town! She had already let go of Anthony at this point, but he came here to mess up with her feelings again? i Worried about her getting tired, huh? This was not the only thing that wore her out. Charmine thought of how cruel he was and had an ironic look in her eyes. The mixed feelings she had instantly froze. Charmine held Chris'' hand as they returned to the bamboo house. When she saw the bucket full of water and the nicely cut sticks, the diffidentness in her chest swelled once more. He fainted yesterday... Today, he neglected his health and did this for her since he did not want her to get tired. Noticing how her expression slowly grew softer, Chris smiled and said," Mommy, Daddy actually cares about you." Charmine halted and felt even more unsure of herself. What was Anthony trying to do? Was there something wrong with this man¡¯s head!? 2 He had a wedding to prepare, yet he came here trying to woo her? Was it because he spent too much time with Waverly and finally realized how good she was? Did he want her back? Heh! What a douche of a man. Was she someone he could turn away and get back anytime he wanted? What a joke! Charmine scoffed and sat in the pavilion. Although she had negative thoughts about him, she could not neglect the small hint of itch somewhere in her heart. She could not help looking at the dpidated house opposite her. The elegant Anthony came to live in that broken house for her. However... Just as she felt that tingle of warmth once more, she spotted Luke walking out of the house tensely. Charmine did not notice at first, but she could not help noticing a painrelief patch on his neck. chapter 1632 chapter 1632 Charmine narrowed her eyes and looked at Luke¡¯s neck. It was right then and there a thought urred to Charmine, and her entire being oozed with spite. Anthony was a fool. Who did he think she was? Was this all he got, and he actually thought she would be touched?! Charmine smiled ironically and stood up from the pavilion, walking into the kitchen. When she saw the pile of readily cut sticks, her gaze turned steely as she piled them all up, throwing them outside, i Thronk! All the sticks fell to the ground. Charmine did not care as she turned back to bring out the remaining ones. In the house next door, where Anthony and Luke continued to work... Anthony expected Charmine to be touched after seeing all the hard work done for her. She would at least cook for him! Just as he grew hopeful of this thought, however, he heard a loud noise. He frowned and walked out to find out what it was. All he saw was Charmine coldly throwing the pile of sticks outside her house. He narrowed his eyes and looked at her. Was she not touched? Why would she throw them out!? Charmine noticed his eyes on her, but she did not care; it only made her swing the sticks to the ground harsher. It was as if these sticks disgusted her. Anthony stood before the door and clenched his fists. His eyes grew darker as he watched her rejecting his kindness. Was she that disgusted by him trying to help her? How bad was her impression of him? i Chris, hearing themotion outside, reeled back in shock. He ran out and saw the sticks all over the ce. "Mommy, why did you throw them out?" he asked. Charmine tossed out thest few sticks and looked at Chris coldly. ''Tell me in all honesty: Who did these?¡± "Oh...¡± As he met Charmine''s gaze, his tiny heart shivered. His Mommy was so clever. She must have been able to tell! If he did note clean and sided with his father, she might even kick him out. He did not want to stay with his douche of a dad! Chris looked at the house next door, and after meeting Anthony''s eyes for a few seconds, he felt conflicted. Following that, he pursed his lips and instantly ratted out his father to stay safe. i "Actually, it was Uncle Luke who did the work. Daddy was still weak, but he didn''t want you to get tired. That''s why he asked Uncle Luke to do it, so he''s technically doing it, too.¡± Anthony was speechless. Well done, Chris! Chris was probably the biggest barrier from him getting back with Charmine! 1 N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Charmine smirked and snorted. Heh. She knew it. Did he expect her to thank him for the thought of it? It was tiring to ask someone else to do it for him! The more Charmine thought about it, the angrier she was. She even poured out all the water in the bucket. When she saw that there was nothing rted to him inside her bamboo house, she calmed down and went in to sit. Instantly, she saw the fresh flowers on the table. They were not where they were once before, and their water had been changed, too. She narrowed her eyes and picked up the vases, throwing them outside. Crash! The expensive porcin vases broke into pieces. The flowers fell all over the ce, and their petals were ruined, just like how her tingling heart froze had gotten hurt all over again. chapter 1633 chapter 1633 Since she knew Anthony was cruel, why bother expecting anything to be different? It happened twice, but there would not be a third. Charmine locked the door angrily, cutting Anthony off of her sight. Anthony still stood by the door, watching as she threw out the water and broke the expensive porcin vase. She did not even blink! Was it all just because he touched the vase? Did she hate him that badly? 1 Was the hurt he inflicted traumatized her to such an extent? Anthony was meant to be angry, but at this moment, he could only feel pain and guilt. She was neglected many years ago, having lost all hope in life and suffered from depression. Meeting him made her slowly recover. He, as it turned out, became the reason why... Owned by N?velDrama.Org. It hurt. Anthony felt like his heart had been stabbed, and it hurt all too much. He would not let her get hurt again. Narrowing his eyes, Anthony tried toe up with a n when... Strange sounds came from the well opposite the stream, breaking his concentration. Anthony narrowed his eyes and looked over, only to see a woman filling up countless buckets of water, putting them by the side once done. Luke turned to look in the same direction, realizing that it was the viger that he had talked with yesterday. He said, "She''s a widow. Her house was engulfed in mes before, burning her husband alive while he tried to rescue her. She survived, thankfully. Since then, she''d fill up many buckets of water to store them inside her house. They gave her a sense of hope." Anthony frowned. His eyes darkened. After a moment of thought, he had an idea and walked out of his house. It did not take long before he arrived by the well. Hearing footstepsing her way, the woman by the well turned to see the man from the city. "Would you like some water, young man?" she greeted softly. "Wait for a while; I''ll be done soon." Anthony looked at her and said, "Can you do me a favor?" The woman halted and asked, "What is it?" Anthony pursed his lips and said, "I hope you can tell your story to my girlfriend." "Huh?" The woman was puzzled by this. "Why?" Her story was a wound hidden in her for many years. Every time she thought about it, her heart ached once again. She did not want to graze the wound, ever. Anthony stood under the tree and lit up a cigarette. He narrowed his eyes, and the moonlight made his shadow longer than usual. He held the cigarette with one hand and the other hand in his pocket, telling the woman the story of his and Charmine''s rtionship. Upon finishing, Anthony looked at the woman and said, "I hope you can help me talk her out of it. Don''t let her live this way. I''ll reward you handsomely if you could." When the woman heard his story, she sympathized with him and looked sorrowful. Her life would always be iplete, and she did not want to see this young couple live with regrets sparked by misunderstandings. The woman thought of how Charmine and this man seemed nice, that they were willing to help the vige. So, why not help them out? The woman thought for a while and finally nodded. "You don''t have to thank me. When shees over later, I''ll have a few words with her." Anthony looked at her gratefully, nodding as he did. ¡®Thank you." The woman smiled. "You''re wee. It''s nothing.¡± Anthony nodded and being worried that Charmine might show up anytime, he quickly went home, 1 He leaned on his chair and concentrated on listening to the sounds from the stream. Not long after, he heard a door opening. Anthony stood by the window and looked over to see Charmine and Chris crossing the bridge to the stream with a bucket in Charmine¡¯s hand. When she finished crossing the bridge, he walked out of his house and hid in a dark corner. He smoked as he looked at her darkly... chapter 1634 chapter 1634 When the woman in front of the well saw Charmine walking her way, she continued to scoop more water. Charmine walked over and stood by the side. Seeing the woman scooping up buckets of water, she eyed her curiously. The woman met her eyes and said, "Charmine, you''re in such good shape. Why do you want to live here with your child?¡± "I''d like to live in peace," replied Charmine. The woman nodded before she spoke, voice tinged with regret, "You''re still young. You should be finding a suitable man at this age to take care of you. You don''t have to do all the work by yourself." Charmine pursed her lips, puzzled by the woman. Why would she say this to her out of the blue? Whether she was single or in need of a man had nothing to do with this woman. Seeing that Charmine did not react, the woman took a breath and forced herself to recall the past. Her expression fell into one with solemnity, heart sinking as she began with a sigh. "Don¡¯t be like me. Back then, I lost faith in love and didn''t want to be in love. I was afraid that the man wouldn''t treat me right, so I tested him for a few years. Little did I know that he had been watching out for me. During the fire, he saved me without hesitation, ultimately, however, causing his demise, swallowed in the fire..." The woman recalled the scene and felt as if she was reliving it again. Her being grew tense as she began to sob ruefully, ''Thinking back now, I was so silly... If I epted him much earlier, I wouldn¡¯t have regretted like I am now. If I get to choose again, I¡¯d start to be with him in my twenties. What a shame it is that there are no ifs..." i The woman whimpered and continued, ''There are still many good andmitted men in the world. We can''t be so rigid-minded lest we''ll end up hurting, suffering, and giving up on ourselves..." 1 Charmine, however, grew dark as she heard the woman''s words. "Don¡¯t overthink it, Charmine. You looked despondent, and I thought I''d share some thoughts with you. Looking at how you''re at your prime with such good conditions, you should be with a man who can take care of you. Don''t age with regret." Hearing that one word-''man''-made Charmine finally react. Although she sympathized with the woman¡¯s past, she did not agree with her. "Why do I need a man?" refuted Charmine. "Get a man who couldn¡¯t save himself from the fire and ended up letting his wife live with regret for the rest of her life? Will this be a good life? I¡¯m sorry, but if that''s it, I''d rather be alone. I don''t need another problem to deal with!" When Anthony heard her reply, his heart plummeted. She would rather live on her own for the rest of her life instead of epting a man she loved getting into an ident, all so she would not be neglected and live with regret? If they rekindled their rtionship while his amnesia worsened, would it be a source of pain and burden to her? She would not be willing to live with someone like him. She wanted a hassle-free life. Even so, could she at least find a good man that loved her? One that she could spend the rest of her life with? Why was she so stubborn? Thinking of how he was the one who made her feel this way, he felt very guilty for her loss of interest in love. Meanwhile... The woman by the well was startled to hear Charmine''s conviction. N?velDrama.Org content. How much had Charmine been through to feel so stubborn and certain? She had nothing else to say and could only look at the run-down house opposite the stream. She looked defeated, seemingly saying, ''I tried my best.'' Charmine caught the look on the woman''s face, and her alluring lips curled into an ironic smile. As expected, it was Anthony who told this woman to say such things. chapter 1635 chapter 1635 What did the woman¡¯s story have anything to do with Anthony? This woman''s husband left her due to an ident, but Anthony? He lost interest and gave up on her. He was the one who broke her heart! Howughable. The woman saw how hostile Charmine became, nowhere at all convinced, and sighed. "Oh, don''t mind me... I''m just saying." With that said, she picked up her bucket of water and left. Chris noticed the look in the woman''s eyes, and he could not help looking at the house by the side. He could tell that his Daddy was trying his best to win back his Mommy, but knowing Charmine... Chris looked at Charmine with her indifference. His tiny fists clenched. He had to think of something. He must not see Charmine continue this path. Otherwise, he and his Daddy would be tormented. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Charmine went before the well and swiftly lowered her bucket, reeled the rope, and scooped up a bucket of clear water. Her slim arm had no trouble hoisting the bucket full of water. She held Chris 1 hand with her other hand as if nothing just happened. "Let''s head home and start cooking, dear," she remarked. "Alright!" Chris also acted as if nothing had happened. They crossed the bridge and got home. All the while, his thoughts were running miles, trying toe up with a way to bring new hope to his Mommy so that she could start to ept his Daddy again. Upon arriving home, Charmine swiftly and elegantly started the fire. She did not look like any of the vigers here, standing in the kitchen elegantly as if she was an angel from above. Chris, meanwhile, sat by the table in the pavilion. He leaned his face on one arm and pouted, looking like an old man exhausted by his thoughts. Try as he did, he could not think of any way to help Anthony win over Charmine. Feeling his arm growing tired, he switched arms. He repeated this for over ten minutes when suddenly, finally, his eyes lit up. Oh, yes! Excited, Chris went into the kitchen and said, "Mommy, I''m going to y with Chloe." "Okay." Charmine looked at him and said, "If Grandma hasn¡¯t started cooking, invite them toe over for dinner." "Alrighty!" Chris turned to leave, but after taking two steps, he saw the dpidated house opposite them and said, "Mommy, do we also ask Daddy and Uncle Luke to join?" Charmine''s face faltered into one of silent fury. "No," she scoffed. "They''ll cook if they get hungry." "Alright." Although Chris was worried about his father, he did not want to piss off his mother as well. The pain his douche-dad was suffering was nothingpared to the pain he caused Charmine! 1 Hmph! With that in mind, he walked past the small house with no guilt and went to Chloe''s house straight away, where Chloe was ying with her dog in the front yard. Spotting Chris, she smiled adorably. "Chris!" "Hey!" Chris walked over and bent beside her to pat the dog. "I have a n, Chloe, and I need you to work with me. I want my Daddy and Mommy to get back together." Chloe had always wanted to help the two get back together. She nodded and said, "Okay, tell me about it." chapter 1636 chapter 1636 Chris whispered to Chloe''s ear and told her his n. Hearing it all, Chloe nodded. "Alright, that''ll do!" "Yeah!" Chris thought of how once his n worked, his Mommy and Daddy would reunite. The mere thought of it brightened his mood. He looked at the adorable Chloe and reached out to touch her pinkish cheeks. "I''ll be counting on you tomorrow, Chloe." "Yeah." Chloe smiled, and two dimples showed on her cheeks. "I''m good at this." On the next day, when Charmine went to the construction site, Chris brought Chloe along with tools to go up the mountain... Arriving at the top, where the grass was green and the refreshing breeze blew, Chloe smiled and looked around. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. The goats were not out so early. Chloe turned to Chris and said, "Let''s get some herbs now, Chris. We¡¯ll catch some goats when they show up." "Okay." Chris and Chloe started picking the herbs. Chloe knew her way around as she gathered the usual herbs: Blue Leaves, Lotus Palm, and Purple Leaves. She put them inside her basket delicately. Noticing that she was gathering the same herbs asst time, Chris asked," Chloe, is your Grandma ill?" "Oh..." Chloe''s gaze darted around. "No. We happened to be here, and I picked more of these for backup so that we won''t run out so soon." The truth was that she had observed Anthony for a day. He was her clinical trial. Anthony¡¯s amnesia was no longer as severe, and that meant her medicine was working! Chloe only made him a week¡¯s worth of dosage, and she had to make more. Chris could not help praising her, "You''re so clever, Chloe! You take care of yourself as well as your Grandma." Dimples surfacing, Chloe blushed as she said, "You¡¯re clever, too.¡± With that, Chloe continued to gather herbs with her tiny hands while Chris watched, growing upset. This was his first time meeting someone as adorable. She was shy but very kind and was also very polite. However, he did not know how long he could hang with her. No matter what Charmine''s final decision would be, he had to leave soon... The thought of it upset him. Chris looked at Chloe. "Chloe, will you miss me when I''m gone?" Chloe stopped and nodded. "Yeah, I''ll miss you." Chris let out a sigh of relief when, all of a sudden, Chloe bent quickly before he could say something. Chris looked over to see... A fat, white mountain goat came out to search for food. Chris was shocked. This was his first time seeing a living goat. Ah! How he wanted to ride it, running freely on the mountain! Chloe, on the other hand, was used to this. Her adorable face shifted into one of seriousness and focus. Her small hands reached behind and took out a bow and an arrow. Her big eyes did not blink as she stared at the mountain goat that nibbled on the grass. Chloe hooked the arrow on the bow and pulled it proudly. Chris'' eyes widened as he looked at her in shock. Suddenly, Chloe went from an adorable kitten to a small lion! Her image became bigger in his mind! When Chris was still caught up by her charm, Chloe''sshes fluttered lightly as she released the arrow. 2 Whoosh! The arrow was released and stabbed right into the white goat like a long sword. It was a precise shot! The white goat froze and gradually fell onto the grass. chapter 1637 chapter 1637 Eyeing the shot goat, Chris looked at Chloe with admiration in his eyes. "You''re brilliant, Chloe!" "Hehe!" Chloe¡¯s expression reverted to her usual cutesy self as she chirped, "I''ve been hunting with my Grandma since young. I know a thing or two." 2 Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Watching as the goat fell, Chloe put her bow back in her basket and held Chris¡¯ hand. "Let''s go, Chris. The goat is now dead." "Okay!" Both children walked toward the goat. The arrow was still embedded in the goat, but it was already dead at this point. Looking at the goat that was bigger than both of them, they exchanged unsure nces. This goat was huge. How were they supposed to bring it down the mountain? Right on cue, a viger was passing by and asked, "Chloe, are you out hunting with your Grandma?" "No, I''m just with Chris." Chloe said, "Uncle, do you mind helping us to bring down the goat? We won¡¯t be able to, you see." The viger looked at the goat that was bigger than the two of them and found it adorable. "Well, you''re in luck, Chloe. You found quite a big goat!" "Hehe!" Chloe smiled shyly and did not exin further. Perhaps it was by fate that Charmine and Anthony had to get back together, so everything turned out great. If the goat was any smaller, it might not be enough. The viger helped the two of them bring down the goat before heading off to do his work. The vige chief was shocked at howrge the mountain goat was. "Chloe, why did you go hunting?" Chloe said, "Grandma, it''s your sixtieth birthday tomorrow." This paused the vige chief halted as she then recalled the fact. A friendly smile made its way to her face. "Seems like that''s slipped out of my mind." With that said, she ruffled Chloe''s head. "Chloe, you''re the best. I can now Rest in peace. "Grandma, don''t say such things. You''ll live a long life," Chloe cut her short. "Grandma, let''s celebrate your birthday, alright? We can roast the goat and have a feast. It''ll be fun!" Chris nodded. "I want to celebrate it with you, Grandma." She shook her head. "No need. I''m alone with no child, and I don''t need a celebration. Thank you for your thoughts, though." 1 Chloe looked at Chris hopelessly. Knowing what Chris was thinking, he held the vige chief''s hand and said, "That''s not true, Grandma. My Mommy and I are your family now. We don¡¯t even know when we¡¯re leaving. The sixtieth birthday is important, so let''s celebrate it. Chloe even hunted a goat for you. I''ve never been to a goat feast, and I want to see how it is!" The vige chief paused. She had not celebrated her birthday for decades. Sometimes, she would even forget her birthday. Even when she remembered it, she would just have a few extra dishes. It seemed that... The vige chief was touched by Chloe, more so what Chris said about Charmine and him being her family. Since the vige was so lively and the two children were so kind, it would be nice to create some memories... She looked at the two children and then at the goat. Finally, she nodded. "Alright, then. Let''s make it happen." "Yay!" Chris and Chloe pped happily. They were not only happy about the celebration, but they were ted that their n had seeded halfway. chapter 1638 chapter 1638 Seeing how happy both Chris and Chloe were, the vige chief smiled peacefully. She turned around and walked to the end of the vige to look for Charmine. "Charmine, it''s my sixtieth birthday tomorrow. Chloe hunted a goat, and I''m thinking of celebrating it. Since you''re all here, why don''t youe with Anthony? It''ll be quite lively." Charmine wanted to celebrate this day with her, and she was close to uttering her attendance, but she froze after hearing that name-''Anthony''. She looked at the construction in front of her that would work throughout the night and said, "Sorry, Grandma. I¡¯ve been quite busy recently, so I can''t attend the dinner." The vige chief was shocked. She did not expect Charmine to show such indifference toward Anthony. She must not let this prolong. The vige chief¡¯s genial expression remained. "Oh, don¡¯t overthink it, Charmine. Everyone from the vige will being. You haven¡¯t seen our celebration here, and there will be dances. It¡¯s quite an asion. You don''t even know how long you''ll stay here, and it¡¯d be nice to experience our traditions here. Do me a favor and don''t turn a lonely olddy like me down, will you?" Charmine pursed her lips. The vige chief was right. She was old, and all she wanted was to celebrate her birthday. She even came to invite her so gleefully. Why would she turn her down for that douchebag? Furthermore...Chris would like the dances! Gazing at the vige chief, Charmine''s expression softened. "Alright, Grandma. I''lle." "Great!" The vige chief smiled instantly. "Bring Chris along tomorrow night." "Okay, I will," replied Charmine. "I''ll leave you to your work and stop disturbing you for now." Since this was the edge of the vige, the vige chief could invite the rest of the vige on her way home. They were all invited to attend her sixtieth birthday. She managed to invite most of them on her way home. She sat on the sofa and thought of Harry. She thought for a moment and phoned him in the end. Burlington. Harry was staying in the hospital to take care of Dior the entire day. Her ankle had recovered, and she was finally discharged. Walking out of the hospital with him, Dior narrowed her eyes and demanded, "I''m going shopping. Come with me." Since he still felt bad for her, she would not let him leave. Everything woulde crashing down if he went on a date! Harry looked at her coldly. "Haven''t you recovered already? I have things to do." Dior looked at him. "Are you going on another date, or to look for your ex?" Harry was speechless. "I''m going to work." "Huh?¡± Dior frowned as she eyed him in confusion. "Where do you work now?¡± Dior did not even bother to wait for Harry''s response as she haughtily dered, "How much do you earn per day? I''ll pay you ten times the amount to buy your time for the day. Keep mepany!" Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Harry looked at her darkly. He could not help asking, "Don''t you have other men around you?" "Of course," said Dior proudly, "but I want only you to be with me." Harry pursed his lips, but just as he was about to argue, his phone rang. He nced at Dior and took out his phone. When he saw the caller, he frowned. Grandma usually would not call him, but Chloe asked for medication yesterday, and now, she called again. Did something happen? Harry instantly epted the call. "Grandma, what happened?" "Harry." Surprisingly, his Grandma sounded very energetic and happy. "Are you free tomorrow? It''s my sixtieth birthday, and I''m having a celebration inside the vige. If you have time,e along." chapter 1639 chapter 1639 "Oh, and about Sonia... If she''s free, bring her along as well." Harry sighed in relief upon hearing she was alright. "Sorry, Grandma, but I don¡¯t have time tomorrow. I¡¯ll surelye and visit you when I do, though," he answered. The vige chief sighed. "Alright, well, focus on your work, then." She did not expect much, anyway. Harry had so much work to do-how would he have time? She could only hang up sadly. Dior, meanwhile, overheard their entire conversation as she stood next to Harry. Was that Harry¡¯s grandmother? Did she not know that Sonia had cheated on him? Dior gazed at Harry, her eyes twinkling when she did. If she could go to the vige with Harry, they would get to spend more time together. Also, that was Harry''s grandmother, and it seemed he respected her well. If Dior could follow Harry back to celebrate his grandmother''s birthday and pleased her well, if she liked her, she might even make Harry marry her! 1 The thought of it satisfied Dior, and she turned to look at Harry, asking," Was that your grandmother calling?" Harry nced at her. "Didn''t you hear everything?" She did. "Hehe!¡± Diorughed it off and said, ''Your Grandma is alone in the vige, and she must be lonely. You¡¯re her only hope, and she only has one birthday each year. She''s only sixty once! How could you disappoint her?" Harry looked at her. "Why do you seem to care about her more than I do?" Dior nodded seriously. "Of course. I can''t stand the thought of elders living all alone in a vige; it''s so sad to even think about it. Harry, she''s your Grandma. Go back and check on her, why don''t you?" Harry was not persuaded, however. "As I said, I¡¯m busy." He heard the vige chief; she sounded lively and healthy. Dior was annoyed. How could this man be so cold? How much could he earn anyway? She bit her lip and persisted, "Go on. I can feel how much she wants to see you, so don''t let her down, alright? If you need to work and earn money, I can pay you, even ten times your normal pay! Head to the vige and check on her!" Harry looked at her coldly, growing impatient. "No, and it¡¯s my family matters, so don''t step in." Dior gritted her teeth. How could this man be so stubborn? If he did not want to go, how could she spend more time with him? She looked at him, and her alluring lips parted. She had something to say but Harry spoke before her, "Can you head back alone?" N?velDrama.Org content. Dior was mystified. He had ended the previous conversation! No, she had to continue convincing him! 1 Dior could only take a step back. She bit her lip and tried to move her ankle. "It''s still hurting a little," she muttered. "Juste with me to get some clothes..." She pulled a pitiable expression. "I got hurt because of you." He looked up and nced at her, not moving. ''You need to walk when you''re buying clothes." Dior looked at him. "With you in sight, it¡¯ll be less painful." chapter 1640 chapter 1640 Harry was speechless, and he hesitated for a long while. Since Dior did help him a great deal yesterday, he could send her home. "I can only send you home,¡± concluded Harry. "I''m busy." Dior pouted. "What are you busy with? Didn¡¯t I say that I¡¯ll pay you ten times your pay to spend a day with me?" "No need," came Harry''s short reply as he got into his car, leaving a baffled Dior behind. What a ruthless man. When would he treat her nicer? Harry fastened his seatbelt and looked at Dior, still outside the car. "Are youing?" he remarked. "Yes." Dior got into his car angrily, leaning into the seat as she tried to think of a way to visit the vige. This would be a very good opportunity! If she coulde with him, she could win his grandmother¡¯s heart and also spend more alone time with him. She could drag him up the mountain to see the sunrise and sunset in the evening. She could stand with him on the top of the mountain, enjoying the refreshing breeze. She would kiss him fearlessly. All that, but Harry just would not agree! Dior turned to look at Harry, unwilling to give up. "Harry, just go, please!" Harry did not even flinch; he fixed his eyes straight ahead. His heartless lips moved, "No." Dior felt heartbroken. She just missed the best opportunity. What a bummer. It was quiet inside the car when Harry¡¯s phone suddenly rang with a text message notification, his screen lighting up as it did. The message was sent by Sonia. Dior looked over and Harry snatched the phone, turning the phone away from her. She raised her eyebrows. Why did he treat her like a thief? Harry clicked on the text coldly. [Harry, I''m going to Mount Vige in the afternoon. I remember you brought me there once. Your Grandma is there. Would you like me to bring anything for her?] Harry narrowed his eyes. Sonia was going to Mount Vige? Was she going with her boyfriend? Harry''s gaze turned steely as he instinctively turned to look at Dior, his eyes darkening. After a moment of thought, he asked, "Are you free tomorrow?" Dior was taken aback by the abruptness. "Why?" "I''m going to Mount Vige tomorrow. You maye along if you want." Dior halted. When she reacted, she instantly nodded. "I want to!¡± What a chance! How could she miss this!? Harry nodded. He put his phone away and continued to drive. Dior looked at his handsome face and was filled with excitement and disbelief. She could not help asking, "Didn¡¯t you say you don¡¯t want to go?" Harry looked ahead and did not flinch. "Didn¡¯t you say I can¡¯t disappoint my Grandma?" Dior was speechless. He gave in to what she said? No way! It must have been the text he just received that changed his mind. Dior did not mind, though. As long as she could go there with him. Perfect! The car pulled over by a high-end mall. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Dior went down and a cold voice was heard from behind her, "Don''t dress too expensive attending my Grandma¡¯s birthday celebration. Dress simple." Dior frowned. She had a thought and looked at him. chapter 1641 chapter 1641 "I don''t know which style is more suitable. Why don¡¯t youe with me? You know better." Harry hesitated as he got out of the car. Since Dior wasing with him to the vige, it made sense for him to apany her to get the clothes. He could make up for the guilt he felt, too. Dior, on the other hand, was on cloud nine. What happened to him, anyway? He actually invited her to attend his grandmother¡¯s celebration and would go shopping with her? Were his eyes opened to just how good she was on the way to the mall? i Heh! Whatever. All that mattered was all his time would belong to her in the next two days! 2 With that, Harry went shopping with Dior, walking around as Dior bought clothes from luxury brands. The average price per piece was a few hundred thousand. After trying out some clothes, Dior walked out from the fitting room and looked around...only to realize Harry was gone. Dior''s heart sank. Did Harry run away? Argh! How could he?! 1 Dior instantly took out her phone and was about to call Harry when a staff member emerged from the side, exining, "Madam, the gentleman wanted me to tell you that he''s going to the bathroom. Please wait for a while." i Dior halted and looked over. "Really?" "Yeah." She let out a sigh of relief. "Get me the bill." N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. After paying, Dior sat on the sofa for a while until Harry appeared by the door. She heard his footsteps first and turned to see him, handsome as ever, walking in with a bag at hand. Dior blinked, and her heart skipped a beat. Sure, she knew Harry was hot, but she fell for his charms all over again as he made his way toward her. She could not help getting drawn to him. i Walking toward Dior, Harry asked, "You done?" "Yeah." She nodded. He handed the bag he was holding to her. "I got this for you." "What?" Dior''s eyes widened at him in shock and disbelief. "You got this for me?" A cold man like him could buy her things? She could not contain her excitement as she opened the bag, noticing a few sets of clothes inside. Although they were cheap, she was very touched. This was his first gift for her, after all. Dior looked at him emotionally. ''Thank you. I really like them!" Harry was surprised. She.Jiked them? She spent hundreds of thousands on her clothes, yet she would like these regr-looking clothes? She was that innocent and easily pleased? Harry''s gaze grew murky with tangled emotions, though they were unnoticed. "Wear these to the vige,¡± he said. "Don¡¯t dress too expensively." "Okay." Dior had a smile on her face as she held onto the clothes he got for her tightly. Forget the vige, as long as they were from him, she would wear them forever even though she had never worn anything cheap before... On that very evening, in Mount Vige... Themp post lit up one after another automatically. The spacious field was very lively as everyone in the vige gathered to celebrate the vige chief''s birthday. There was a campfire in the middle of the field, and above it was the goat''s meat, roasted to a bright, mouth-watering color. A table over ten meters long was ced away from the me with an array of fruits ced on it. By the table, a group of women started working to prepare the feast. Charmine brought Chris into the festivity. Coincidentally, Anthony and Luke had just arrived, too. Spotting them, the vige chief walked up to them gleefully. "Ah, you''re all here! Have a seat; it¡¯ll all be ready soon!" "Okay." Charmine acted as if she did not see Anthony at all, asking, "Do you need any help?" "Not at all. You had a long day, so get some rest!" The vige chief looked at both of them who acted like strangers. ''There are seats over there. Go and get some rest." Charmine looked over to see two seats with hers and Anthony''s names written on them. chapter 1642 chapter 1642 Charmine was at a loss for words at the sight. She acted as if she did not see Anthony and, instead, walked away with Chris, all while Anthony helplessly watched. Did she hate him that much? His expression grew dark as he instructed Luke, "Go and help out over there." "Huh?" Luke spotted a group of women and repeated, ''There?" Anthony looked up to meet his eyes, snapping, "Where else? You have a problem?" Luke broke out into cold sweats. He recalled what happened yesterday, how Charmine found out he did the chores, and Luke dared not offend Anthony again. Left with no choice, he could only walk over to the group of women, causing him to be the center of attention as they-charmed by this handsome young man-bombarded him with lots of questions, i Luke was speechless. The straight-faced Anthony, meanwhile, sat on the seat allocated to him by the vige chief. Looking at the empty seat next to him, his heart sank. He had lost her... When would he get her back? Anthony leaned on the chair and lit up a cigarette. Through the smoke, a pair of eyes pierced through the crowd and were fixed on Charmine''s back. Meanwhile... Zoe, who was among the crowd, followed Anthony¡¯s gaze that pointed to Charmine. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. D*mn that woman. Just because she had money, she stole the spotlight from her! She was the goddess around here before Charmine came, but once she did, Zoe became a nobody. What made it worse was after Charmine humiliated her in front of so many people the other day. Everyone''s gossip was about Zoe. Most frustrating of all was that there was finally a handsome boss in her vige. It had always been her dream to marry rich...but he had his eyes on Charmine?! What was so good about this arrogant woman? Why? Why did Charmine steal everything from her!? Zoe clenched her fists angrily, her veins protruding and her knuckles clicking in the process. She stared at how the vige chief and the crowd surrounded Charmine, asking her a question or two. Zoe''s gaze grew dark with menace. Then... An idea greeted Zoe, and her lips curled up darkly at the idea. She had a proud face as she walked to the side to bring out the gift she had prepared for the vige chief. The gift was nicely wrapped. Nobody knew what was inside, and she nned to give it to the vige chief when everyone was here. This way, everyone could see her unique craft, and everyone would look up to her! Zoe could no longer wait. Furthermore, Charmine was getting too much attention. Almost everyone was looking at Charmine. When she showed her gift, everyone would see it and Charmine would be embarrassed. 1 Charmine would have nothing topete with her! Hmph! Holding her gift, Zoe walked up proudly to the vige chief, nose seemingly pointed to the sky. "Happy birthday, vige chief," she greeted and handed the gift. The vige chief smiled and epted it. "Thank you, Zoe. How sweet of you." The vige chief was in the middle of convincing Charmine to do some joint activity with Anthony, not intending to open the gift right away. Zoe grew anxious. She had an awkward smile on her face as she added, "Vige chief, why don¡¯t you open it? If you don''t like it, I can make some alterations." When everyone heard it, they could not help turning to look at the wellwrapped gift. What could it be that Zoe could even alter it? Everyone instantly turned to look at it. chapter 1643 chapter 1643 Zoe¡¯s eyes gleamed haughtily. The vige chief took her cue and politely unwrapped the gift. In the next second... A delicately woven handmade basket was revealed. The basket was made of distinct red and blue-colored bamboo. It was not a traditional basket, however; Zoe crafted the basket from a smaller bottom to a bigger top. I looked like a dainty vase with an exquisite shape. On the surface of the basket were some flowers sculpted using bamboo. They looked very much alive like actual flowers. Most astonishing of all was the two words carved onto the basket¡¯s outeryer that read, [Happy Birthday.] Everyone was amazed at the sight, and praises began to chorus among the crowd. "Gosh! You made this beautiful flower basket, and by hand?¡± "So pretty! You''re very talented, Zoe. You truly are the goddess of our Mount Vige!" "How delicate! This basket can even make it to the museum." "This handcraft is perfect, Zoe. Your craft can apply to be a national heritage art!" "You''re the pride of our vige!" There were only ten or so of them originally, but the basket attracted a bigger crowd. They all gasped at the sight of this beautiful flower basket, and the prideful Zoe crossed her arms at her chest, enjoying everyone¡¯s praise-filled words for her. She regained her status, just like that. 1 This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. The vige chief adored her gift, happily thanking, "Thank you, Zoe. You¡¯re too kind." "You¡¯re wee,¡± said Zoe humbly. "It''s nothing. It''s something simple." In other words, if she made it seriously, it would even be better. Everyone gasped and looked at Zoe with admiration. Feeling their eyes on her, Zoe arched her chin proudly and looked at Charmine opposite her. Hmph! ''All you have is some money. What else have you got? You''ll never be able to master my craft, i ''Get out of my vige!¡¯ Charmine met Zoe''s provoking gaze, and her alluring lips curled into a halfsmile. Following that, she casually helped the vige chief to pack up the gifts that everyone sent her. Zoe smiled and turned to look at the girls around her. The girls were all below 20 years old. They regarded Zoe as their leader, followed her around, and did everything she asked them to. Noticing Zoe''s cue, they began. "Zoe, you''re so clever, You made such a beautiful basket!" "Yeah, not like those who came from the city. All they have is money, yet they act like they''re above us all!" "Yeah, and I don¡¯t know what¡¯s so good about them. She came here to give us benefits, but it''s not for free. The money she''ll earn from this is way more than what all of us will get!" "She hasn''t even spoken much until now. How arrogant. She''s probably mentally ridiculing us vigers, thinking she''s better!" After the girls spoke, Zoe looked at Charmine mockingly and said, "Ms. Jordan, our vige chief is so kind to you. I assume you prepared a gift for her sixtieth birthday, right?" Everyone turned to look at Charmine. Due to her status, none of them said anything, but their thoughts were apparent. ''Yeah, right! Our vige chief helps her so much. How could she not have prepared anything for her?¡¯ Charmine pursed her lips and looked at Zoe. "How do you know if I prepared anything for her?¡± Zoe crossed her hands and scoffed, "If you have it, bring it out, then! Why? Is it just a stack of money? Does our vige chiefck money? How thoughtless and disrespectful!" 2 When the vige chief saw the change of atmosphere, her smile froze as she looked at Zoe, annoyed. She asked Charmine toe in hopes of giving her and Anthony some time together, not for her to be ridiculed. The vige chief held Charmine''s hand and gave her a reassuring look. She then turned to look at Zoe, about to argue when... chapter 1644 chapter 1644 Everyone saw Adaming their way with a box at hand. He walked toward Charmine and handed the box to her, saying, "Charmine, I brought you the thing you want to give the vige chief." Charmine epted it and looked at the vige chief. "Grandma, I was going to give this to youter at home. Since my father is here, I might as well give it to you now." The vige chief smiled. "Okay, Charmine, thank you. Gifts are a bonus, but I''m already very happy that you attended my celebration." Charmine smiled. Zoe stood transfixed on her spot. The box looked very high-end. What if Charmine bought something very expensive? If so, even if her handcraft was delicate, the vigers, who had not seen so much money before, would like it more! Zoe narrowed her eyes and looked at Charmine cautiously. Charmine opened the delicate box and poured out the contents... Were those a pile of wood in all shapes? "Ha...!" Zoeughed mockingly. "Ms. Jordan, do you know what asion this is? It''s our vige chief''s birthday! Even if you didn''t prepare any gift, don¡¯t just bring out some random...wood blocks? Hahaha! Oh, how funny you are. Do you think our vige chief is three years old that she''d y with this?" The vigers dared not say anything to Charmine due to her status. They did not say anything, even when she did not have a gift. This, however, was the breaking point. She actually brought some random woods as a gift? She showed no respect! One of themittee members could not help saying, "Ms. Jordan, you... If you don''t have a gift, we won''t say anything, but don¡¯t embarrass our vige chief in front of everyone." With that said, the women who had been trying to hold back finally spoke up, ''That¡¯s right. Our vige chief treats you so well, and she¡¯s always helped you unconditionally!" "She insisted on your innocence and fully supported you when you were that close to being kicked out of the vige!" "City folks are so proud of themselves! They think they''re rich, and that they can humiliate anyone." "Why would she bring out a pile of wood? What an insult!" "She''s crossed the line now. How rude!" N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Hearing their rude remarks of Charmine, Adam''s expression darkened. What did these people know? They had not even seen the gift in its entirety, yet their usations were long and winded already! 1 Adam, unable to stomach all of this, was about to speak when the vige chief waved it off. "Everyone, stop talking! Charmine knows I get bored during the day and lets me y with these to get my brain going. It''s nice!" The women were speechless, while Zoe was livid. "Vige chief, she did this to you, yet you¡¯re still protecting her?" The vige chief was so biased! The gift she gave her was so delicate and unique, but not a praise came from her apart from a simple thank-you. Charmine gave the vige chief a reassuring look and smiled at the scorns. She looked up and fixed her eyes on those who started this. "I haven''t given my gift. What''s the hurry? It hasn''t started yet, so don''t speak too soon." That obviously caught Zoe by surprise. "What?" she blurted. Charmine ignored her and looked at the stacks of wood in front of her, piecing them together. When everyone heard her words, they gathered and watched her. They saw... It was as if her hands had magical power that the randomly shaped wood pieces somehow merged under her hands. chapter 1645 chapter 1645 The people who judged Charmine became curious instantly, captivated with the way her hands moved. They grew astonished as they watched the wood pieces merge seamlessly, forming a shape. Anthony sat on the opposite seat with a cigarette at hand. His eyes never wavered from Charmine, even with the cigarette¡¯s smoke wafting at his face. He knew his woman would not be as simple. When Charmine¡¯s eyes narrowed, he already knew that she was about to turn the tables. 1 Within ten minutes, the random wood pieces and blocks turned into a perfect shape of arge peach. It did not look like someone had created it with blocks and pieces of wood. There was a gap, and it looked like a delicately carved artwork. On the surface of the peach were written, [May All Your Wishes Come True.] This contradicted Zoe''s simple [Happy Birthday.] Everyone stared at Charmine wide-eyed, never once expecting she could turn mere wood into this big peach! Zoe scoffed, "Isn''t it just putting wood together? Who can¡¯t do it?" Just a momentter, however, someone who had been to the city cried out, "It''s a special technique! It''s a national heritage art!" "No nails are needed to fix their positions. The wood pieces can be made and stay in any shape very firmly!" "This technique looks simple, but not everyone can do it!" "They usually can only form a simple shape, yet Charmine made such aplex peach seemingly effortlessly. She''s very skilled!" "And this is a national heritage art!" Those who thought she was simply putting them together widened their eyes. If regr wood was used, the pieces and blocks would move around, but these were special and firm. Everyone finally reacted, bursting into ps and praises. "Charmine is Charmine, alright. Ever as ster!" "It looks easy, but it turns out to be so difficult!" "You''re my goddess! This wasn''t easy at all, but you executed it so quickly, so wlessly!" "We''re sorry for our ignorance, Charmine. We''ve never seen this before. We''re sorry for embarrassing you." Zoe was rooted on the spot. Aargh! How could it be? What was even happening? Why did this woman know everything?! She simply brought something out, and it outshined the handmade basket she spent a few days making! Zoe clenched her fists angrily. "It''s okay," shrugged Charmine coldly. She nced at Zoe ruthlessly before giving the artwork to the vige chief, "This is my gift for you, Grandma. I hope your wishes doe true." The vige chief received it happily, all smiles as she did. "Oh my, Charmine... I like it very much. As I age, I like these heritage arts more and more. This is so rare, so thank you!" Charmine''s red lips curved into a smile. "I¡¯m d you like it." The usually peaceful-looking vige chief turned to send a warning look at Zoe, signaling her to stop causing trouble. She was worried about Zoe picking on Charmine, and she did not want Charmine¡¯s stay to get unpleasant. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. The vige chief waved and said, "Alright, go to your seats. Get the feast ready!" Everyone went away to continue their task. Among the noises, quite a few of them were still praising Charmine''s art, but none mentioned Zoe''s basket at all. chapter 1646 chapter 1646 Begrudgingly, Zoe left with the crowd. She stood behind a dark tree and red at Charmine with that proud smirk on her face, and Zoe''s fists clenched tightly as she watched. D*mn this horrible woman. Drop the act already! Charmine would pay dearly one day. Zoe wanted Charmine to suffer for the humiliation she inflicted on her, a hundred-fold worse! Zoe''s envious eyes were filled with malice. Meanwhile... Charmine helped the vige chief pack up everything and sat on a wooden chair. She crossed her long legs and admired the night sky. Chris and Chloe wereing back from catching prawns in the river. Noticing Charmine and Anthony not talking at all, he panicked. Chris thus made his way to Charmine and said, "Mommy, there are mosquitos here, and your seat is there." He pointed his tiny finger at the seat next to Anthony. Charmine did not even bother looking over, continuing to admire the starry night. "It''s okay. Mommy will stay here for a bit." Chris pursed his lips and felt helpless. Charmine''s cold shoulder to Anthony was too much. She would hate it if he continued convincing her. Since n A was not working, he could only work on n B. Chris went to look for Chloe. "Chloe, let''s use our n B. Make sure nothing goes wrong." Chloe nodded. "Alright, Chris." The sky grew dark, and the vigers started dancing by the fire. Everyone else cheered, making it a lively atmosphere. Just as they were about to eat, a ck luxury car pulled over. The door opened, and Harry''s tall figure exited the car, his shiny shoesnding on the ground as he did. Dior got out the other side. Although she was dressed in cheap clothes, it did not hide her regal temperament. To her, the clothes Harry bought her was unique and one of a kind. She wore them, and that made her the most beautiful princess. Dior walked next to Harry as they walked toward the gathering, where the vige chief spotted them. Initially, the vige chief wondered if she was mistaken. Harry, after all, did say he was busy. Upon a closer look, however, she knew it was indeed Harry, which startled her for a good moment. "Harry? Is that you? You came?" "Yeah, it''s me," greeted Harry with a tone warmer than usual. The vige chief was pleased. "I¡¯m so d that you came." With that said, she looked at his side. Meeting her gaze, Dior greeted, "Hello, Grandma. My name is Dior, and I''m a ....friend of Harry''s." Owned by N?velDrama.Org. She wanted to say ''girlfriend'' but he stared at her so pointedly that she opted out in the end. It was not easy to make it into the vige with him, and she must not trigger him. She had not executed her n, too! Although the vige chief was surprised by seeing a different woman, she did not question further and returned the greeting, "Hello, Dior. Grab a seat, we''ll be having dinner soon." "Okay." Dior handed the gift to the vige chief. "Grandma, this is my gift to you. I hope you live a long life." "Thank you," beamed the vige chief as she received it, instinctively taking another look at Dior. It was not because of her gift: It was her kindness, tone, and look. This woman wasparable to Charmine, and ady good enough for Harry would have to be a wealthy heiress. Despite that, she did not look down on the vige and did not look snobby. She was cordial and polite, too. chapter 1647 chapter 1647 It was different from when Sonia came with Harry thest time. She constantly looked annoyed while Harry had to repetitively cheer her up. Sonia did not even smile! Although she did not make it explicit, it was apparent from Sonia''s attitude that she belittled the vige. Dior, maintaining eye contact with the vige chief, felt an affinity for the elderlydy. "Grandma, is there something on my face?" she asked. Why did she look at her like this? "Nothing." The vige chief snapped out of her thoughts. "I''m looking at the flower on your face. You''re very beautiful." Dior smiled proudly and caressed her own face, saying, "Thank you, Grandma." She then turned to look at Harry, seemingly saying, ''Look at me. I''m beautiful, so you better cherish me!'' However, Harry merely looked at her coldly and acted as if nothing had happened, much to Dior''s chagrin. ''What a heartless man! Well, thanks to you, you just made me want to sleep with you more!'' "Harry, Dior, go and have a seat," said the vige chief. "The dinner will be ready soon." "Okay." Dior nodded. Harry nodded and went inside. With one look, Harry already noticed Anthony, sitting alone, seemingly aloof. Anthony, feeling his presence, looked his way as well. They exchanged nces, and it was as if a spark of electricity darted between them, but it onlysted for a second before Harry looked away. He had aplex look on him as he sat by the side. Dior, meanwhile, was captivated by the dancing vigers, not seeing what had happened between Harry and Anthony. She looked away happily and said, "Harry,e and dance with me!" Harry looked at her. "No." Dior was dumbstruck at that. "Boring," she muttered, pouting. "I''ll go on my own, then!" As Dior made her way to the vigers, she spotted Charmine, much to her surprise. She even thought she was hallucinating. Blinking, she looked once more, only to be certain that it was, no doubt, Charmine. Dior walked toward her, still shocked. "Charmine? Is it you?¡± Charmine was just as surprised to have seen Dior. "Ms. Granger?" Dior, acting as though she had just met a rtive, sat by her side and smiled. "It¡¯s so nice to see you here." Charmine asked, "Why did youe here?" "I''m..." Dior looked at the proud man not far from her. "Hoping to satisfy my heart and sight." Charmine followed Dior''s gaze and noticed the handsome man at the end. Knowing Dior well, she instantly knew what was going on. "All the best, then." "Hehe!" Dior smiled. "What brings you here, though?" Charmine said, "My father and I came to develop this beautiful vige." Dior looked at her with admiration. ''You''re incredibly powerful, Charmine. You even have so much business sense. I don¡¯t, and here I am, with only a handsome man in sight." Charmine''s red lips curved into a smile as she eyed the guy Dior was looking at. ''Your man is surrounded by women." "Wait, what!?" Dior turned around to see a young woman walking up to her Harry, incessantly talking about whatever she was talking about. Argh! How could she speak to her man?! This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Dior looked at Charmine. "Excuse me.¡± She sashayed toward Harry and the woman, her heels clicking as she did, all while Charmine watched with a small smirk, i Only Dior could deal with those annoying women. chapter 1648 chapter 1648 Zoe walked out of the dark corner before spotting a rather striking man instantly. As she looked at him a little more, she became certain it was Harry. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Goodness! Back when he stayed in the vige, he had nothing going on for him but his face, but he looked rather silly at the same time, too. All of a sudden, there he was-dressed so expensively like a CEO from those dramas. Also, was that luxury car his? Harry had gone to the city for a few years, so he must have made a lot of money. Although her ultimate aim was to marry rich, Harry was already so prepossessing. With money, he must have a house in the city. If she could marry Harry, she could still get out of this vige and live as a rich housewife in the city. Again, Harry was a hunk. Everyone would admire her for being with him. Zoe put on an innocent, harmless smile as she walked up to Harry. "Oh, you¡¯re back, Harry." Noticing Zoe, Harry remembered who she was; she used to take care of Chloe. He narrowed his eyes and nodded at her, much to Zoe¡¯s delight. Harry was always nice to her...unlike that Anthony, always so cold as if everyone owed him money! Zoe flipped her hair, thinking to herself that she seemed seductive, blinking as she looked at Harry. "You must''ve earned a lot of money all these years, haven''t you, Harry? You bought such a nice car." Harry looked at her darkly. Here was another superficial woman. His gentle face instantly turned steely and seemed visibly impatient. Just as he was about to ask her to leave, Dior walked up to them in her heels, standing before Zoe, ring at her. "Who''re you? Where did youe from?" That startled Zoe, stunning her for a moment before she stuttered, "Y-You ¡ª! Where did youe from?¡± Dior scoffed, "Go away. Don¡¯t block my view!" Zoe was triggered by that remark. "Who are you, and why do you ask me to leave?¡± Dior''s red lips curved into a smirk as she ced her arm on Harry''s shoulder, leaning against him as she shot Zoe a prideful nce. "What do you think? Miss, don¡¯t try to sleep with any man you see." Harry''s body tensed at the contact, and three words broadcasted in his brain: ''Push her away!¡¯ On a second thought...he could use Dior as a shield. There would be another Zoe, after all, especially when his Grandma figured that he had broken up with Sonia. She would keep introducing women to him. He was in no mood for this. With that in mind, Harry allowed Dior to put her hand on him, while Dior, noticing he did not flinch, was very pleased. She leaned in even closer. Zoe¡¯s face turned pale. Even Harry brought over a girlfriend with him? Was she truly Harry''s girlfriend? Zoe did not dare cross this woman. She seemed rather aggressive. Better to stay away. Furthermore, Harry was nothing like Anthony! "Oh, you¡¯re his girlfriend?¡± pretended Zoe. "I came here to say hi." "Shut up!" Dior frowned. "From now on, stop talking to him. It''s disgusting!" Zoe¡¯s face went pale as she stared at this aggressive woman with disbelief. How could she be so brutal? Charmine was easier to bully! 2 Although Charmine had some skills, she could easily insult Charmine with no problem. On the other end, Dior red at her bitterly. chapter 1649 chapter 1649 Dior scoffed. "What are you looking at? Scram!" Zoe bit her lip and walked away angrily. D*mn it! What an unsessful night. She was bullied consecutively. She had to have a n soon. She had to snag one of these men so she could live the luxurious lifestyle in the city that she always wanted. By then, she could drive cars as expensive as a few million. Upon visiting the vige after that, everyone would look up to her! Zoe noticed how Anthony was still smoking with nopany, sitting alone. She wanted to go up to him and strike up a conversation, but seeing how angry he looked, she was intimidated. Finally, she could only join the group to dance in front of him. She kept on twisting her hip in hopes of getting his attention. However, the cold man''s eyes were fixed on Charmine only. His eyes did not once leave her! Zoe bit her lip. With another thought, she had a sparkle in her eyes as she danced toward Anthony. Hands lifted above her head, Zoe was under the impression she was charming Anthony with her alluring body as she oh-so-identally tripped, almostnding into Anthony. Almost. The moment she was falling onto him, Anthony stood up right away, and it made Zoe lose her bnce and fall forward like a bull. 1 Thomp! She knocked onto the chair and then fell toward the grass along with the chair, face-down first. 1 "Hahaha!¡± Everyone broke intoughter at the sight. Zoe, wincing in pain, looked up at Anthony furiously. "Pr-President Bailey, why did you move away? Couldn¡¯t you have caught me?" Anthony met her eyes and scoffed, his tone cruel and mean, "No, I don''t like dirt." i It was apparent that he wanted nothing to do with her. The crowdughed even louder. "She really thinks every man wants to touch her?" "How ignorant!" "Forget President Bailey, even I find her embarrassing." Hearing their jeers, Zoe looked at herself and wished she had a hole to dig into. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. D*mn Anthony! Was he even a man?! A beautiful woman like her was falling into his arms, yet he shot her down! Hmph! One day, he would beg her to be in his bed! Zoe crawled up from the ground and scolded those whoughed at her," What are youughing at? Shut up!" She clenched her fists and left angrily. Meanwhile... Upon seeing Zoe''s fall, Chris grinned and spoke to Charmine about his father, "Mommy, Daddy is helping you to teach that woman a lesson! Haha!" Charmine, however, was unfazed and seemed level-headed. "Your father''s always been this way. He''d do the same, even if that woman didn''t try to annoy me." He never liked these kinds of women, anyway. "Haha!" Chris was pleased. "Mommy, you know Daddy the best! I don''t even know him as well as you do." Charmine halted, her feelings intermingled with each other. Why did she even care? No matter what was the reason for him to teach Zoe a lesson, it had nothing to do with her. She would not be touched. Meanwhile, with Anthony''s chair broken, he had a perfect excuse to walk to Charmine. Noticing he wasing her away, Charmine was about to leave when- chapter 1650 chapter 1650 "Ouch!¡± Chris pulled Charmine back by the hand and whined, "Mommy, I was bitten when I was catching the prawns. It''s starting to hurt." "Hmm?" The river might be contaminated. It would be troublesome if Chris was infected. All thoughts of leaving left Charmine as she bent, asking, "Where were you bitten? Why didn''t you tell me earlier?" "Right here..." Chris pointed to a scar scratched by the grass in the mountain. He blinked innocently. "It didn''t hurt earlier, so I didn''t want to worry you." Charmine looked at the scar on his calf and frowned. "Mommy will bring you to sort it out." It was then Anthony came up to them and stopped them when he saw Charmine making a move. "What''s wrong?¡± he asked. Charmine acted as if she did not hear him, shrugging off his existence altogether. Anthony could only look at Chris, frowning as he asked, "How''s your calf?" "I was bitten when I went in the river." Chris looked at him and said," Daddy, the road back is dark. Can you walk us?" Anthony met his sparkling eyes and said, "Okay." His son had some sense after all. He was creating an opportunity for him and Charmine! However, Charmine remained apathetic to it all. "In that case, your Daddy will bring you back." Anthony frowned. Could he not even walk with her? Chris pouted. His eyes darted around as he bbered, "But Daddy doesn''t know how to clean my wound. Only you do." "Yeah, I don''t," deadpanned Anthony. Charmine was bbergasted. Were these two setting her up? Right then and there, Charmine''s eyesnded on the vige doctor not too far away, and she made her way to the doctor. 1 Anthony and Chris exchanged confused nces. Anthony asked, "Where''s your Mommy going?¡± Chris shook his head. "I don''t know." Anthony looked at him and said, "Later, keep bugging your Mommy to bring you home." Chris nodded. "Alright!" If only they knew. While the father-and-son pair tried toe up with a n, Charmine walked toward the vige doctor and chatted with her for a bit, taking over what the doctor was doing. She had no intentions of returning to the pair. Meanwhile, the doctor walked toward Anthony and Chris, genially saying," Chris, were you bitten? Come, I''ll take you to the clinic." Anthony was speechless. He looked over at Charmine who was, all of a sudden, arranging the tes. She would rather do that than to take care of Chris, all because she did not want to be near him? Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. His eyes turned dull, and he felt an ache in his heart. What could he do to make her notice him again? Chris bit his lip and thought of how his n seemed to be failing. He did not bother going over. He was not hurt, anyway. Chris blinked his eyes and said adorably, "Doctor, it¡¯s not hurting anymore. I think it was just a small cut from the grass. It''s not a bite." Why would a four-year-old boy lie? The doctor knelt down to check his wound. When she noticed that it was just a minor scratch, she was reassured/''lt''s just a minor cut, don¡¯t worry." "Yeah." Chris nodded. The doctor left and went back to her position, telling Charmine what had happened. Charmine seemed to have expected it as she calmly thanked the doctor." Thank you." chapter 1651 chapter 1651 "Don''t worry about it. It is my duty, after all," said the doctor as she then continued to arrange the tes. Even then, Charmine did not return to Chris and Anthony, which Chris noticed. "Now, Mommy''s mad!" he scoffed at Anthony. Anthony nced at him. "Go and make her happy, then." Chris, baffled by his response, red at Anthony heatedly. "You''re a big meanie! If it wasn''t for you, Mommy wouldn¡¯t be so mad at me! I don¡¯t want to help you anymore." 2 Shooting Chris a cold re, Anthony then proposed a tempting offer, "Do you want your Mommy to get back with me? Do you want your Mommy to bring you a sister? Someone as cute as Chloe?" Chris paused for a moment and nodded. "Yes!" With a pout, Chris walked away and looked for Chloe to verify their n B. At eight minutes past eight, the vigers beat their drums as the men held sticks that propped up a large golden lion, dancing around the field as they did. The women, on the other hand, danced even more energetically along with them. The celebration was grand and majestic. Charmine held on to Chris and stood by the side, watching the dance. Riddled with curiosity, Chris''s watery eyes twinkled as he piped up to Charmine, "What a sight, Mommy. It''s the first time I¡¯ve seen this!" "It¡¯s my first time watching it, too!" responded Charmine. Seeing how giddy and ted Chris was made her feel like this visit was worth it after all. Taking Chris out to see the glitz and mor of the city so repetitively was unnecessary. The traditional lion dance and vige dance to the exciting drum beats were more sensational. This, after all, could barely be spotted in the city! Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Meanwhile... Anthony stood in a dark corner. With a wine ss in one hand and a cigarette with another, he gazed at Charmine conflictingly. It was as if the lively atmosphere around him did not faze him at all; his entire world was quiet. He could only see Charmine in his eyes. Any sight was iparable to her beauty, i Too seized by the sight of Charmine, he was unaware that Harry got to his side, who sat next to Anthony and lit his cigarette. Harry nced at Anthony, who had his eyes fixed on the crowd. "Seems like President Bailey is enjoying himself." Anthony looked at him coldly. "Not as much as you, President Cogen." Harry scoffed. "Someone intentionally trapped me in the mountain in hopes of getting Seaview Land. It almost cost me my life. Some debts are due to be paid." Harry''s tone sounded ominous, as if seeking revenge. In other words, with Anthony in his territory, Harry could do anything to him. Anthony scoffed nonchntly. "That''s because you had no game. If you want to y, I¡¯m happy to y with you." Harry smirked at that, but his handsome face was as calm as ever. He even raised his ss to click with Anthony''s. "You haven''t changed a bit-arrogant as ever. Clinking his ss with Harry''s, Anthony took a sip, his entire being emanating coldness. "Just get used to it." At that moment, Charmine walked to the table to cut some meat for Chris, overhearing their conversation in the process. Was Anthony at odds with that man? Well, this did not surprise her that much. Anthony always had a lot of enemies after him. Charmine shrugged it off and brought the meat to Chris before continuing to watch the festivity with him. Dior, meanwhile, was dancing with the vigers. Spotting Charmine, she walked up to her and tugged at her hand. "Charmine,e and join me!" Charmine, however, shook her head. "No, I''m good. I¡¯ll just watch." Dior pouted at that and looked around before she saw Harry sitting on his own. No longer wanting to dance, she proceeded to cut a few slices of meat and walked toward him. chapter 1652 chapter 1652 "Harry, why don''t you go and dance?" Dior sat next to Harry, ced the te with slices of meat on the table, and looked at him intensely. Harry took another sip of his wine. "I''m not interested," he responded. Dior then gazed at his striking side-profile, watching as his Adam¡¯s apple bobbed when he swallowed. Blinking, there was only one thought in Dior''s mind at that very moment-kiss him. With this thought in her mind, her head instinctively leaned closer to him. This was a good opportunity to kiss him. She was not Dior if she missed this! Seemingly noticing what she was up to, Harry pressed a finger against Dior¡¯s forehead, effectively stopping her ruby lips from grazing his thin ones. 1 Their lips were only a few centimeters away from one another. "Don''t mess around!" snapped Harry as he then pushed her away. Of course, this did not sit well with Dior. "Didn''t you admit to being my boyfriend earlier?" she spoke. "So what if I kiss you?" N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Harry red at her coldly, but he did not deny Dior''s statement. Keeping her around for the time being was to his advantage, after all. He pursed his lips and said, "You''re ady. Can you behave like one?" Dior smiled proudly. "Why would I have to behave in front of you?" This mystified Harry as he looked at her silently. With his emotions in a mini storm, he then lit a cigarette. Dior watched him smoke and was charmed by him. "You look so good even when you¡¯re smoking." Harry was speechless. Harry tossed the cigarette away and extinguished it. "Can you leave me alone?" Dior pouted. No, she did not want to leave him, but thest thing she wanted was to pressure him. "Remember to finish the meat I got you, then," she muttered, "or I won¡¯t leave you alone." Harry looked at her dully, not agreeing verbally but not saying otherwise either. He said nothing, and that was as good as a yes. Dior finally left Harry, feeling reassured. Turning around, she then walked off to rejoin the dancing vigers, gyrating her hips as she did. Chris, meanwhile, wanted to shift the tides of what was happening. Taking Chloe''s hand into his, they joined the dance and looked as though they danced to a waltz. Charmine, standing on her own, watched as Chris danced to his heart''s content, her beautiful red lips curling into a small. Suddenly, the man supporting the mid-section of the giant lion circling the me slipped. The lion''s body twisted and fell into the fire. As it was made of paper, the lion caught fire all too quickly, causing the me to spread quickly. The man leading the head-section pulled while the man at the back pushed, but they failed to stop instantly. The lion, set aze, charged right toward Charmine! Everyone stepped back in horror as the fire from the lion began to spread. The vigers, only having themselves in mind, failed to warn Charmine in time. When Chris finally snapped out of it on the other side, he cried out loudly, " Mommy!" He red at the moving lion. ''Please, please, be safe!'' Charmine was too fixated on Chris that she failed to notice the lioning her way. Even as she sensed the people around her scurrying away, she did not react in time when she heard Chris crying out to her. Charmine looked over to see the ming lion rushing at her...and she was rooted on the spot. Before she could react, a tall figure came before her, and Charmine instantly caught a whiff of the familiar cologne. This was Anthony''s signature scent. Seeing the man before her, Charmine was just about to push him away... when the rampaging lion came crashing toward them. The me that rose to great heights, one that enveloped the heavy lion, came crashing down onto Anthony''s arm that shielded her head. It even hit his head! The crash was so severe that the lion even broke down upon impact! chapter 1653 chapter 1653 Despite the danger, Anthony shielded Charmine with one of his arms. Charmine''s heart sank as she watched Anthony getting hurt in front of her. Why did he shield her? She gazed at him calmly, though her anger spurred still. "Do I need your help? Stop being a busybody!" Charmine''s hostility did not faze Anthony, however, and neither did his wound. He gazed at her, all while he grew pale. "Are you hurt?" Charmine''s spite did not waver at all. "I¡¯m fine. I don''t need your concern!" Despite her attitude, Anthony sighed in relief as he noticed that she was still energetic. Out of the blue, he could clearly feel a sharp pain gnawing at his arm. His head buzzed as if there was a time bomb, ready to explode. Pausing, it felt like his vein had been pulled. His head exploded as he lost his bnce, vision turning dark as he lost all bearings of himself. Thomp! He fell onto the grass. Charmine stood still, hands by her sides when Anthony first wobbled. Her hands twitched as she instinctively tried to help him, but her rationality stopped her from doing so. She merely watched as Anthony fainted. Vigers of Mount Vige gasped in shock as Anthony copsed with a thud, rushing toward him as he fainted. The men helped him up and ced him onto a chair. The vige chief was the first to react as she instructed, "Hurry, May, take Anthony to your clinic." The doctor examined his arm and found no major fracture, but it was at least aminuted fracture. "I can only treat the normal fevers and cold, vige chief,¡± she spoke, hopeless. "This is serious. We need a doctor from the city." "Alright, hurry and call for one, then," replied the vige chief anxiously. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Chris rushed over from the other side, looking at Anthony before he turned to look at Charmine. "Mommy, are you hurt?" "Mommy is fine, dear.¡± Charmine ruffled his hair. "Don¡¯t worry about me. Your Daddy is hurt, though." Chris let out a sigh of relief as he quickly went to check on Anthony. A group was surrounding him. Although Chloe was worried, she knew this was part of their n. She turned around to hold on to the vige chief''s arms and said, "Grandma, it''s about time. ording to our tradition, we must go to the top of the mountain for our prayer ceremony." The vige chief looked at Anthony who had fainted. Worried, she even debated on canceling the ceremony. One of the vigers noticed the vige chief deep in thought and insisted, " Vige chief, we have to proceed with the prayer. It''s only once a year." Furthermore, as they were developing the vige, they needed prayer to protect themselves. The vige chief then second-guessed it all. She knew that the vige was undergoing development and they relied on the oue. They had to have the prayer. She nodded. "Alright, let''s continue, then." "Understood." Themittee then went ahead and got prepared to continue the ceremony. The vige chief then made her way to Charmine and said, "Charmine, we''re going to the mountaintop to uphold our prayer. You could stay here to look after Anthony." This bbergasted Charmine. Yes, she did not want to tag along with their ceremony, but she did not want to babysit Anthony either! She looked at the group of women and said, "There are so many people around. I''m sure someone is willing to do this." One of the women shook her head. "No, we don¡¯t. We want to pray!" Furthermore, who would be responsible for the medical expenses if they stayed with Anthony? Charmine nced at Anthony and said, "He''s not that badly injured. He doesn''t need anyone to look after him." Charmine''s words only served to fuel Chris'' worry. chapter 1654 chapter 1654 Charmine frowned as she looked at Chris. "What do you mean?" Anthony was not that severely wounded. Why would it be dangerous? Chris leaned closer toward Charmine and whispered, "The man who came with Auntie Dior is a bad guy. He tried hiring a hitman to assassinate Daddy once. If Daddy is left alone here, and unconscious at that, the man might attack him again!" 1 Charmine paused at this, instinctively recalling Anthony''s conversation with the man he talked with during the festivity. The man made it apparent that he would not let go of Anthony easily. She looked at the unconscious Anthony. Anyone could attack him at this stage. Although she did not care about Anthony, she cared about Chris. He would be devastated if anything were to happen to Anthony. Chris tugged at her arm and swung it feebly. "Mommy, please take care of Daddy for a while, I beg you. I really don''t want Daddy to get hurt..." Charmine gazed at Chris'' chubby face and reached out to ruffle his hair. "Alright, I''ll stay and look after him. You go and stay safe; look after Chloe." "Okay." Chris nodded and took another nce at Anthony before leaving with Chloe. As everyone left, the initially festive ground was empty, save Charmine and Anthony. Charmine remained where she was as she coldly eyed Anthony, who was beside her. Unconscious and pale, he seemed very weak. Despite his condition, Charmine seemed unconcerned, unbothered as she, as if he did not exist, took out her phone to work on the vige''s development. Chris and Chloe initially walked with the vigers before they slowed down, went to the back of the ground, and hid. "Wait for me here, Chloe," said Chris, "I want to see how my Mommy and Daddy are getting along." "Alright!" Chloe thus went to stand at a safe distance diligently. Chris, meanwhile, sneaked toward a tree, his eyes gleaming as he peered into Charmine and Anthony''s direction. All he saw was Charmine sitting on the chair with her legs crossed. She seemed distant and apathetic as she video-called her staff, discussing work. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. She did not care about Anthony at all, letting himy there on his own. Chris frowned. How could this be? His n B would be wasted if nothing changed and the doctor arrived. Anthony would have suffered for no reason! No. He had to think of another way. Chris pursed his lips, and with a thought, he returned to Chloe¡¯s side and told her his n. Blinking, Chloe warned, "But this sounds dangerous, Chris." "It''s okay, Chloe, just don''t get close. I''ll do it." Chloe halted. While this was Chris'' mission, she still felt that surge of warmth when she heard about how he cared for her. i Throughout her life, other than her Grandma and Uncle, only Chris and Auntie Charmine cared about her. "Okay then, Chris. I''ll take you there, but do be very careful," reminded Chloe. "Alright," answered Chris as he ruffled her hair. "Don¡¯t worry, I''ll take care of myself." Chloe then brought him to a cave under the mountain. As they spotted the cave, they also noticed the metal cage inside, one that housed a few snakes. 1 Poisonous, at that. Chris could feel his head numbing at the sight. Turning around, he was about to shield Chloe when... Calmly, Chloe put some sulfur powder on her hands. She did not look scared at all. At this moment, Chloe managed to impress Chris. Despite her adorable and loveable disposition, nothing seemed to faze her. She was not proud, but neither was she a weakling. chapter 1655 chapter 1655 Chris gazed at Chloe nkly as she put the sulfur powder on her hands. She grabbed Chris'' hand and said, "Put some of this on, Chris. With this, the snakes won''te close to you and bite you." Chris gaped at her. "Alright, then..." Chloe ced some sulfur powder on Chris'' hand and bravely went up to the snakes¡¯ cage, asking Chris, "Which one are you getting?" Unsure where to go off of, Chris answered, "Pick one that looks scary but isn¡¯t as dangerous." Although they wanted the snake to attack, they should be careful and prevent the snake from hurting Anthony and Charmine. "Okay." Chloe nodded and adorably turned to look at the snakes, stretching out her small hand into the cage. The snakes opened their bloody jaws, a sight that triggered Chris'' anxiety. He feared that she would get bitten, the fear so great that his heart leaped to his throat. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. "Let me do it, Chloe!" he stopped her anxiously. Chloe, however, remained level-headed as she smiled at him, her adorable dimples surfacing on her cheeks. "Don''t worry, Chris. They won''t bite me." She thus put her hand inside the cage. What shocked Chris was that the snakes flinched from Chloe''s hand as she put her hand into their cage. They slithered to the side and, much like well-groomed pets, closed their jaws as they waited for Chloe to pick them. Chloe smiled and easily picked a two-centimeter-wide, two-meter-long snake. Meanwhile, the snake remainedpliant as it allowed Chloe to hold it as she pleased. Chris went wide-eyed at the sight, shocked for a good while before he finally reacted. "Are you not scared at all, Chloe?" "No." Chloe thought about it and said, "My Grandma raised them, you see. Sometimes when the vigers get tired, they''d have some snake soup. We''re all unafraid of snakes here." Chloe blinked her big eyes. The truth was...she lied. Everyone was afraid of the snakes here. Sure, the vige chief raised these snakes, but even she feared them. That was why she had some sulfur powder here. However, when Chloe was younger, she identally stumbled upon the area and countless snakes slithered toward her. At that point, she feared for her life. All of a sudden, Chloe realized the snakes stopped right before her, unmoving, not once lunging toward her. It was as if they had been domesticated, blinking at her before they slithered away. Since then, Chloe woulde to the cave from time to time. She even tried to touch them without sulfur powder, and they never attacked her. Nobody knew about this. The reason why she had Chris smear some sulfur powder on his hands was that she feared Chris would be weirded out. Chris did not overanalyze the situation. "Alright, let''s bring this fe, then," he spoke. "Yeah, let''s go." Chloe closed the cage and held the snake with one hand while the other reached out to hold Chris''. Chris gazed at his hand and felt useless. He ended up not catching the snake. He felt like a failure. The two of them returned to the tree. Chris looked over and saw Anthony lying down alone. Charmine, on the other hand...was still on her phone, working as if nobody was beside her. The sight mystified Chris. Charminepletely neglected Anthony! Chloe looked over and said, "Chris, do you want to release the snake now?" chapter 1656 chapter 1656 Chris frowned. "Let me think of a way to release the snake." If he released it here, the snake might slither in a different direction. If they came any closer to release the snake, Charmine might notice it. This was a challenge, no doubt. All he wanted was for his parents to stay together. Why was it so difficult? Chloe reached out to pat the snake before she bent and released the snake. "Don''t worry, Chris," she assured Chris as she stood back up. "It won''t go away; it''ll slither in the right direction." Her statement baffled Chris, but just as he was about to argue on it, he noticed, in shock, how the snake truly slithered where they wanted it to go- toward Anthony. Chris watched on in shock, rooted on the spot, and he only reacted a whileter. How was this snake so tame? What was this?! Meanwhile... Charmine, still on the grass, was video-calling her staff regarding work- rted matters when she heard it: the sound of something hissing. It sounded like it was getting closer, and closer. This was a snake, alright. Charmine narrowed her clear eyes and looked around. She then spotted a snakeing toward them quickly from a few meters away. Itsrge jaws parted widely, its small body was positioned as if it was ready to swallow the entire world. Its dark, beady eyes red at Anthony. It looked like it would eat him alive! Charmine¡¯s breathing stopped. She internally debated with herself whether or not she should grab the snake by its tail. However, this snake was fierce-looking. Its eyes seemed deadly, and its movement was swift. Before she could touch it, it had climbed Anthony''s body, stopping right next to Anthony''s arm. It opened its mouth and hissed, looking as though it was about to bite him! Charmine''s eyes darkened as she looked around. There was nothing around her that she could use to attack the snake. She tried to catch the snake again, but the snake quickly crawled away. She frowned and nced at Anthony, who was still unconscious. Charmine did not want to watch over him that frequently, but the snake might attack him at any given moment. Chris would be upset if that happened. Furthermore, she did not want to owe him anything. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. With nothing else she could do, Charmine used her knee to push his arm, yet he showed no signs of waking up. Pressing her lips into a thin line...she bent and lifted Anthony to his feet. All the while, Anthony had still not regained his senses. His body was fully rxed, allowing Charmine to carry him anywhere. cing his arm around her shoulder, Charmine instantly felt like a mountain weighed her down. Shooting Anthony a bitter stare, Charmine wound her arm around his waist as she brought him into the small house by the side. Upon entering, she apathetically tossed him onto a nearby sofa before closing the door. Anthony should be safe for the time being, no? With that, she sat by the side and continued working on her phone. When Chris saw Charmine and Anthony inside the same space, he knew his n was halfway done, i With another thought, he turned to Chloe. "Chloe, let''s go and find Auntie Dior." "Alright!" beamed Chloe. "Wait for me, Chris!" She bent down and patted the grass. Just like that, the snake she had released instantly slithered back to her. Chris was stunned on the spot, his expression morphing into utter disbelief as he stood. "Chloe, did the snake just listen to you?" It was just like before. When she released the snake, the snake went right toward Anthony but did not attack him! "Perhaps the snake likes me." Chloe did not exin it as she patted the snake and ced it back on the grass where it crawled back to its cage. Chloe then stood up and said to Chris, "Chris, let''s wash our hands and go." "Okay." Meanwhile, by a stream... After Anthony humiliated her, Zoe ran to toss stones into the stream. D*mn it! What was so good about Charmine? Did Anthony have to be so dense? chapter 1657 chapter 1657 Someone as beautiful as Zoe went right into his arms, yet Anthony was disgusted?! How clueless could this man be!? Heh. He should brace himself. One day, she would make him fall head over heels for her, and he would then see just how intelligent and nice she was. i She was way better than that arrogant Charmine! Zoe was swept away by her daydreams when she noticed the vigers lighting the torch. They were going up the mountain. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. She then remembered that they were supposed to head to the mountaintop to conduct their prayer ceremony. She narrowed her eyes and looked toward the procession. She was about to rejoin the crowd, wanting to pray for Anthony to open himself to her. If that could not happen, well, she wanted to marry a rich man soon and be a rich wife in the city! After taking two steps, however, she stopped. Anthony was not with them. Was he alone in the small house, then? If she went to tidy his house and take care of him, he might just fall for her. 1 She would then topple Charmine! Zoe¡¯s eyes twinkled at the thought, and she spun in her heels. Walking past the field, she saw...Charmine, propping Anthony into a small house. No one else was with them. Anthony seemed listless and helpless. Was he drunk? The glow in Zoe''s eyes turned impish. This was her chance! She red at Charmine''s back. Heh. That cheap woman. She acted as if she did not care, but she secretly wanted to hook him. What a fake woman! Zoe would not let Charmine have this chance. Zoe went to hide in a house not far away, keeping a close eye on both Charmine and Anthony. She soon realized that even after Charmine took Anthony inside, she did not step out at all. Zoe frowned. Oh, no... What would they do inside the small house? Impossible! Zoe quietly walked over. When she was about to open the door to ruin whatever they were doing, she saw Charmine sitting by the side and ying with her phone, unperturbed. The seemingly drunk Anthony, meanwhile,id by the side. Zoe let out a sigh of relief. Luckily, Charmine was not as shameless. Still, with Anthony drunk, Zoe should not miss such a good opportunity. Zoe hid in the dark corner and stared at them. How could she make Charmine leave? Meanwhile, at the vige chief¡¯s house. Harry had drunk quite an amount. When Dior saw him heading back on his own, she abandoned the gathering entirely and quickly followed after the tipsy Harry. Frowning, Dior prepared a bowl of water to wipe his face. Harry leaned on the sofa and narrowed his eyes on her. His thin lips parted as he muttered, "Ignore me. Go and knock yourself out." Dior looked at him and haughtily sassed, "No way, I only want to stay with you. I don''t want to go anywhere else." She dried the towel and picked up his hand to clean his palm. Upon touching him, she could feel his entire body turning taut. Harry somehow recalled something amid his drowsiness, snapping out of his somewhat intoxicated state. He looked at the woman before him darkly and took the towel away from her. "I can do it myself." Dior halted and said, "Nobody is watching now. Why so polite?" She reached out her beautiful, fair hand, wanting to grab the towel back from Harry. chapter 1658 chapter 1658 Harry dodged her hand, and his tone dropped to a colder tone. "I can do it myself." He sounded impatient by the looks of it, and the baffled Dior pursed her lips. All she wanted was to help him clean up when he was drunk. She was not even taking his clothes off, so why was he so worked up? Dior sat by the side, helplessness looming over her. She propped up her chin with one hand as she looked at Harry. Amid their silence, the door opened. Dior looked over to see Chrising in. Chris met her eyes and waved. "Hi, Auntie Dior. Can I talk to you about something?" Dior nced at Harry before she stood up and went out. "What is it, dear?" "Can you try to distract Mommy?" asked Chris. "I need to be alone with Daddy." "Hmm?" Dior was puzzled at his request. "What do you mean?¡± Worried that he was running out of time, Chris hastily insisted, "Juste with me for now, Auntie Dior. I''ll tell you about it on the way." "Alright, then." Dior turned to Harry and said, "I have something to do. Wait for me toe home." This, in turn, only earned her a silent stare, to which Dior pouted as she left with Chris. On the way, Chris exined the situation to Dior. Dior thought for a while and intended to help. When she arrived at the house, she knocked and greeted, "Charmine?" Charmine paused at the voice, standing up and opening the door afterward. Spotting Dior, she became puzzled. "You didn''t go up the mountain with them?" "No." Dior walked in and added, "I tried to lure Harry to see the stars with me on the mountain, but there were too many mosquitos. Do you have mosquito repellent with you? I want to bring some." Charmine frowned and looked at Anthony. This ce was safe. He should be fine being alone here. Furthermore, Dior was trying so hard to get that man, and she should help her. "Okay," agreed Charmine, ''Til bring it to you." Dior smiled and grabbed Charmine''s arm. "You¡¯re the best, Charmine!" Charmine¡¯s alluring lips curled into a smile. "I owe your brother too much of a favor. As long as you''re happy." "Don¡¯t worry," said Dior confidently, ''TH be able to sleep with him tonight. I''ll fight for my happiness!" 1 "Well, good luck, then," replied Charmine. "Thanks!" With that, both women left. Not long after, Zoe came out from the corner with a cold smile. Even God was helping her! This had to mean she was fated to be with Anthony, right? She was just thinking of a way to lure Charmine away, and someone helped her to do that! It seemed that she was determined to live afortable life as a rich housewife. Zoe searched in her pocket and took something out. She had a smirk on her face as she walked toward the house. Before she even got to the porch, she spotted Chris and Chloe running inside before her. She quickly kept the item back and went to the corner. Argh! What were the kids doing in there, ruining her n?! Zoe grew vexed. She would not hesitate to beat some sense into them if they ruined her n! Standing still, Zoe tried toe up with a n to have those kids leave the house. All of a sudden... Amid her tumultuous train of thoughts, the door opened and out came the two kids, sneakily leaving. Zoe looked at them for a while and did not react. What were these kids doing? It did not matter, though. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. After all, Anthony was finally hers! chapter 1659 chapter 1659 Zoe had a smile on her face as she walked into the house. Her tant thirst for Anthony was visible in her eyes as she spotted Anthonyying alone on the sofa. She did not mind being ridiculed if she could have this perfect man. She would regret nothing. Furthermore, if anything happened between them, she refused to believe he would just dip and leave. As long as she could be with him, her best life was about toe. Fantasizing the luxurious life she would live after marrying Anthony, Zoe went to his side and took out a vial of essential oil to rub before his nose. This oil had been passed on to her by her ancestors. It could improve the sexual desires between a man and a woman. Within ten minutes of smelling it, all he would think of was ''that¡¯-screwing her. She knew he would lose hisposure if she stayed next to him! Zoe sat on Charmine''s spot and propped herself with an alluring pose, waiting for Anthony to wake up. Chris had entered the house with Chloe the moment he saw Dior bringing Charmine out of the house, secretly having Anthony drink a ss of water before they left. He brought Chloe to rush home. Charmine, meanwhile, handed over the mosquito repellent to Dior and was about to head home to check up on Anthony. All of a sudden, Chris and Chloe ran toward her anxiously, seemingly out of breath at that. "Mommy!" "Auntie Charmine!" "It¡¯s bad, it''s bad!" Charmine looked at the two children and asked, "What is it?" Chris'' expression was unwaveringly urgent as he blurted, "Someone has poisoned Daddy. Daddy is dying!" "What!?¡± Charmine¡¯s heart sank. Recalling Anthony''s conflict with Harry, she quickly made her way back to the house. Although she hated Anthony, she did not want him to get killed when he was unconscious. Since he was hurt because of her, she did not want to owe him anything. Watching as Charmine rushed away, Chris and Chloe exchanged nces. Yay! Their n was working! He held Chloe''s hand as they happily ran after Charmine, walking past the bamboo bridge gleefully. Inside the house... Anthony could feel his body heating up, and his breathing grewbored as well. His entire head was filled with images of him hugging Charmine, kissing Charmine, cuddling... Zoe, meanwhile, watched as Anthony frowned with beads of sweat forming on his skin, arousing her excitement. The oil was working! She was turned on at how agonized Anthony seemed as she got up to him. This was her only chance. Zoe went on to sit on the bed and reached out to unbutton his shirt. Her fingers lingered on his burning body, and she could even feel her fingers heating up as well. Zoe''s cheeks were red. She unbuttoned his white shirt, revealing his muscr chest in the process, and the sight made her gulp. She proceeded to pop off more of Anthony¡¯s buttons, effectively revealing more of his skin. His muscr chest, his charming six-packs, his lines... The lower Zoe went, the drier her throat became. Her burning hands reached his belt when- Bang! N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. The door mmed open the moment Zoe unfastened his belt, and Charmine saw it all as she stood before the door. Zoe was sitting by the bed and unfastening Anthony''s leather belt! While Anthony''s upper half was exposed, Anthony looked disgruntled. Charmine narrowed her eyes. Zoe actually pulled such a dirty trick to sleep with Anthony!? Charmine marched up to her, and before Zoe could react, she swung her palm and harshly brought it down squarely across Zoe''s face. chapter 1660 chapter 1660 p! A powerful pnded on Zoe''s face, sending her stumbling backward. Zoe fell onto the sofa by the side and brought a palm to caress her stinging cheek. "What are you doing?" roared Zoe as she stared at Charmine murderously. "Why did you hit me!?¡± "That''s right, I pped you!" Charmine emanated sheer ferocity. "Can''t you have some respect for yourself?" Zoe scoffed. "Does it concern you what I do with President Bailey? Who are you to him? Do you have the right to care about us?" Chris stood up and sneered at Zoe. "He¡¯s my Daddy. Do you think I have no say in that?" Chris stood before Charmine and red at the woman contemptuously. "What?" The reveal startled Zoe as she red at Chris. "He''s your Daddy!?" "Are you blind?" Chris red at her. "Can¡¯t you see the resemnce?" It was evident how angry and disgusted Chris was by his tone. This was his n to make Charmine save Anthony! Where did this womane from? How could she speak to Charmine with this tone? Moreover, she dared to touch Anthony? This woman almost ruined his n! How shameless was she?! It was after a moment did Zoe react as she quickly stammered, "You''re President Bailey''s son, my dear-?" "Shut up!" Chris scoffed at her, exuding the same authoritative aura Anthony had. "Don¡¯t call me that; it disgusts me. Also, stay away from me!" Zoe¡¯s face turned pale in fury. Did he just ask her to leave? This kid so openly berated her and ruined her n, fueling her anger even more at this point. She clenched her fists and took another look at Anthony. The essential oil was working; this was the final step. This was a golden opportunity, and she would not miss it! This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Wanting her n to work, Zoe took a deep breath and she said to them shamelessly, "President Bailey and I are doing things between two adults. We feel the same! He didn¡¯t turn me down, too. Even if you''re his son, you don''t have the right to rebuke me like that. You better leave now and stop ruining things!" i "Hah! What an act!" Charmine nced at Anthony, who was still knocked unconscious. She then fixed her eyes on Zoe and began ominously," ording to the three-hundred-and-sixty-fifthw, illegally drugging a man and performing sexual acts on him could end a person up in jail for up to twenty years. You''ve broken thisw. Do you want me to report you?" Zoe remained transfixed on the ground. Her face was pale. Jailed for twenty years? If this woman reported her, she would be spending her best years in jail! Argh! She quickly masked the angry look on her face and was no longer as arrogant. "You''ve mistaken. I did nothing to President Bailey. I saw him looking so deste, and I came in to take care of him out of kindness. Since you''re all here now, I¡¯ll leave him to you. I''ll go now." With that said, she ran away as though a ghost was chasing after her. Charmine watched as she ran away anxiously, smirking elegantly. Was Zoe trying to run away aftermitting such a shameless thing? Heh. Charmine flicked her finger, and a small stone flung toward Zoe. Thuck! The stone precisely shot Zoe''s wrist. "Argh...!¡± Zoe felt as if her entire arm was breaking as she cried out in pain. She could not lift her arm at all as she felt a numbing sensation. She could not even move it! chapter 1661 chapter 1661 Rooted where she stood, Zoe turned ghost-like pale as she looked at her hand in horror, before turning to look at Charmine wrathfully. "D*mn it! What did you do to my hand? Why is my hand like this?!" Charmine scoffed. "Your hand''s been naughty; it had to be punished" "You-!" Zoe''s form shook in anger as she marched toward Charmine. "I''m going to beat you up!" Charmine stood her ground proudly, however. She lifted a finger, revealing a few needles that glinted under the light. This effectively stopped Zoe in her tracks. Charmine shot Zoe a ruthless stare. "What? You want your other hand to be ruined, too?" Zoe''s face grew paler at that, and she bit her lip at Charmine''s taunt. D*mn this woman! She was ying dirty! Charmine was too skilled. She would be the one hurt if she fought her. "Just you wait," sneered Zoe as she swept a fierce stare at them. "You won''t get away with this so easily!" Standing firm, Charmine parted her red lips, saying, "I''ll be waiting.¡± With that, Zoe-gaze heated with fumes rising from her skin-stomped away, shutting the door behind her with a loud m. At that moment, Anthony, who was on the bed, moaned. "Mmh..." Charmine turned to look at him and noticed just how...tormented he seemed. His handsome face was beaded with sweat, and his brows tightly knitted together. She could feel the heat he emanated even from the bedside. Charmine did not know how much poison Zoe administered to him. He seemed so tortured. Overridden with worry, Chris reached out to feel Anthony''s body but quickly retrieved his hand the moment he did. What happened to Anthony? The dose he fed him was very safe. Had that woman drugged him, too? Oh, no. Given the situation, only Charmine could cure him! Chris looked at Charmine and asked, "Mommy, Daddy is severely sick. What can we do? Can you help him?" Charmine looked at Anthony and narrowed her eyes. Help him, huh? She was the one who left, and Zoe had a chance to drug him...but that did not mean she had to help him! Charmine looked at Chris and answered, "I can''t help him, dear.¡± Chris turned to look at Anthony, and his tiny face scrunched with worry as he began to sob anxiously. "Mommy, please help Daddy, okay? His suffering will only prolong at this rate! Momo doesn''t want to lose a Daddy..." Chris'' sobs turned into soft wails. "Mommy, please help Daddy." He cried sadly as if Anthony was terminally ill. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Charmine, on the other hand, remained apathetic. He had cut her off long ago. Would she, all of a sudden, help him? Nope. Charmine turned to Chris, wanting tofort him by telling him Anthony would be well enough after a shower. Before she could say anything, the crying Chris began to tremble as his seizure kicked in, his adorable face scrunching into a pained expression as he did. "Momo!" The sight terrified Charmine as she bent to hug him. "Don''t panic, it''s not that severe. Your Daddy will be fine!" Chris'' tiny body fell into her arms, yet his form convulsed even more deliriously as he sobbed breathlessly, "Mommy...help...help Daddy... Help... Help...Daddy..." Sheer worry was etched onto Charmine''s face. She was about to console Chris when things escted. Chris fell onto the ground as white foam began to spill through his lips, his eyes rolling to the back of his head as he did. chapter 1662 chapter 1662 Charmine''s expression faltered. Chris was supposed to be free from his seizures. Why was it back again? He was not acting, though-he was genuinely foaming at the mouth! Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Was he having a seizure again? Charmine then recalled how ill Chris once was and how he was once bedridden in the ICU, almost not making it out safely. Charmine pursed her lips. She, ultimately, did not want him to suffer. ncing at Anthony, she then hoisted Chris into his arms and rubbed his back, muttering, "Okay, I promise you." This instantly made Chris inwardly perk up. Alright! Mission seeded! Of course, his tiny form continued to shiver, and he eventually ceased to as Charmine patted him. His tiny body would spasm sporadically, and he even reached out his tiny hand to wipe off the foam from his lips. With his head facing away from Charmine, however, he winked at the worried Chloe who stood by the door. Standing outside, Chloe sighed in relief as she noticed Chris was alright, shooting him a smile. Noticing Chris''s convulsions had ceased, Charmine pulled him up and said, "Don''t worry. When you face troubles in the future, you must stay calm. Don''t scare Mommy every time, okay?" He would always have a seizure every time he panicked, but his tiny body should not be subjected to such torture. Sniffling, he hoarsely insisted, "Mommy, hurry and save Daddy!¡± Charmine was speechless. "Bring Chloe home, then. I''ll stay here for now." Chris looked around and muttered, "But what if you don''t-" "Don''t worry," Charmine reassured him. "I''ve promised you, and I¡¯ll see it through. You can''t stay here." "Alright, then..." Chris looked at Anthony worriedly and said, "Daddy, don''t die. Mommy is about to save you!" The sight, of course, baffled Charmine. It was as if Chris was behaving like an adult as he gently patted Anthony''s hand, then said to Charmine, "Chloe and I will head back home now, Mommy. I''ll leave Daddy to you. You must save him!" "Okay." Charmine then bade them farewell, advising, "Go on, and stay safe." Walking out, Chris held Chloe''s hand and left. Charmine leaned on the sofa and watched as both children faded from view before shutting the door and texted Kay, "Prepare a doll, and give it to me from the back window. Don''t let Chris see it." After sending the text, she took another look at Anthony. He seemed to be more agonized than before. His face contorted into a grimace, and he kept fidgeting in the bed. Charmine did not have to touch him to know that his body was burning like fire. Kay would not make it here as quick. If this went on, Anthony''s head might be damaged from the heat! After a moment of hesitation, she prepared a bowl of cold water and a towel, bringing it to the bedside. Squeezing the excess water off of the towel, she wiped his head, neck, and palms that were beaded with sweat. Anthony, whose temperature was ring, looked restless, but when he felt a cold touch, it felt like the cooling breeze on a summer''s day. It brought himfort, and he gently opened his eyes. Despite his blurry vision, he saw a familiar figure before him. She had a towel in hand and she was wiping his palms. Her movement was gentle, but her demeanor was far from kind. She looked hostile, even. He tried to focus on her face. Charmine...? Anthony paused. Why was she here? It was only a momentter did he feel it; a strange sensation tingling his entire body. He could sense, at that moment, that he had been drugged. Charmine was taking care of him? Warmth surged within him. She cared about him after all, did she not? So much so that she, knowing what happened to him, was willing to stay by his side? chapter 1663 chapter 1663 Anthony had that thought in his mind as he gradually opened his eyes. His emotions visibly got the best of him as he hoarsely blurted, unable to hold himself back, "Charmine..." Charmine paused the moment she heard his voice. His voice sounded so loving just like the past, back when he was so in love with her. Did he not dump her long ago? Was his head damaged or something? 1 All of a sudden, Charmine was mentally pulled back to the moment he spat out those harsh words to her, and chills ran through her body. Heh. He called out to her so affectionately, only because he needed her body, was it not? He did not need her; he just needed a woman. Charmine''s aloofness never once wavered as she acted like she did not hear Anthony. Out of the blue, gentle knocks were heard at the window. Charmine nced at Anthony and walked to open the window, revealing Kay with a nicely wrapped box in his hands. He handed it to Charmine dutifully. "Boss Jordan, what''s this for, anyway?" Charmine looked at him coldly. "Don¡¯t ask too much." Bam! Charmine mmed the window shut roughly, startling Anthony so much that he sobered up a little. He looked over to see Charmine unwrapping the box, revealing a... Human-sized doll? Charmine inspected the doll, looking to be of her size and with good curves, and she nodded with satisfaction. This doll should meet his needs, no? 1 She took up the sex doll and tossed it at Anthony. "Use it." N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Anthony sobered uppletely as he stared at the item thrown at him. His handsome face darkened as he red at Charmine angrily. "What''s the meaning of this?" Was she trying to humiliate him with this? Just moments ago, he thought she still had affection for him and was willing to help him with it, yet Charmine seemed so standoffish. "It¡¯s obvious," said Charmine. "Don''t you get it?" Anthony glowered, evident from his dark gaze and frown. Did she just use this doll to humiliate him?! He was severely poisoned, yet not only did she not want to help him, but she even belittled him like this? How deep was her hatred for him, exactly? "Even if you don¡¯t want to help me, you don¡¯t have to do this to me." What did she take him for? Charmine remained unperturbed. "What else do you want? Should I call Waverly for you?" "Charmine Jordan." Anthony red at her. His handsome face darkened like the clouds before a storm. "Use it if you want, and throw it away if you don''t," responded Charmine curtly. "If it wasn''t for Momo, I wouldn''t have looked after you like this." Anthony''s gaze turned darker. She...stayed to take care of him just because of Chris? Did this mean that whoever it wasying in her, even if he was a stranger, she would stay if Chris asked her to? Did she not stay...because it was him, Anthony? Anthony''s lips contorted into a self-deprecating smirk as he red at the doll in hisp before tossing it away. He made his way to the bathroom and cranked up the temperature setting to the coldest before twisting the knob, allowing freezing cold droplets to wash over his scalding-hot body. Charmine pursed her lips as she listened to the sound of the shower turned on. That meant he was fine, right? Charmine intended to leave that instant, and she made her way to the door before she stopped. She instantly recalled that if she left, Chris would suffer from his seizures again. Exasperated yet helpless, she went back to sit on the sofa. No matter, she would have Anthony stay in bed after his shower. This might as well be her returning the favor of him shielding her from the zing prop that fell onto them from the recent festivity. chapter 1664 chapter 1664 Charmine ced her arms behind her head. Since she was used to sleeping early and waking up early, tiredness gnawed at her. Not wanting to trouble herself anymore, she shut her eyes and gently fell asleep. A long whileter,te at night... It was quiet when the bathroom door slowly opened. Anthony had bathed in ice-cold water for a few hours before he managed to repress his carnal urges, and only then did he exit the bathroom. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. He spotted Charmine, who had fallen asleep on the sofa, and frowned. She actually fell asleep? He endured the harsh, bone-shaking ice-cold water of a shower, while sheid here as if nothing was happening? She looked sofortable, just dozing off like that! Did she not care for him...at all? Anthony felt his anger rising in his chest, but as he watched how unbothered Charmine was, his heart sank, 1 What right did he have to me her? He was the one who pushed her away, and it was he who broke her heart so cold-bloodedly, i He was the reason why she was so ruthless. At least she did not leave him alone in the house. Looking at it this way, it was not bad. She must have harbored fondness for him still, regardless of how faint they were, did she not? Why else would she stay? Touched at the thought, his gaze turned murky with his emotions whirling together. His body, despite being racked with coldness, grew warmer, and he unconsciously made his way toward Charmine. Reaching her side at the sofa, he gulped as he studied her delicate, perfect face. Even though he had deep desires for her, he knew Charmine. With lips pursed into a tight line, Anthony stretched out his arms, enduring the pain that tormented one of his arms, and carefully took her into his arms. He brought her into the room and ced her in bed, draping the nket over her form. Luckily, Charmine was asleep the whole time, unaware of what had happened. Anthony stood by the bed and gazed at Charmine fondly and affectionately. Perhaps this was the only time when he could show his true feelings for her. After watching her for a very long time, he could not help bending down to ce a gentle peck on her cheek. Following that, he looked at her deeply and then gently walked out of the room to rest on the sofa. Chris and Chloe woke up early the following morning and made chicken soup. They then went back to the small house and knocked on the door. Anthony, who was on the sofa, jolted awake at the knocks before standing up, albeit listlessly so. It felt like he was walking on clouds. Following that, he felt a severe headache, and his breathing wasbored. Frowning, he felt his forehead...and realized it was burning hot. He bathed in ice-cold water for a few hoursst night and slept on the sofa, not keeping warm the whole night. Did he catch a cold? Anthony did not bother, however. He withstood the pain and walked to open the door, revealing a starry-eyed Chris. "Daddy, how wasst night?¡± Anthony looked at him coldly and answered hoarsely, "You''re a kid. Why ask so much?" Chris squinted at Anthony''s voice. Why did he sound like this? Meeting the boy''s gaze, a thought urred to Anthony. "Speak softer; your Mommy is resting in the bedroom. She must be tired fromst night." Chris was stunned. Did his father just imply.Jhat he and Charmine got back together? Hehehe! Chris finally let out a sigh of relief and walked in with Chloe. Meanwhile... Charmine, inside the bedroom, could hear murmurs and footsteps outside and woke up before frowning in confusion at her surroundings. Was she not sleeping on the sofa? Since when did shee into the bedroom? Did Anthony carry her here? Goodness. His wounded arm would hurt even more if he slept on the sofast night! chapter 1665 chapter 1665 Charmine felt a wave of uncertainty at how her emotions battled one another inside of her. Frowning, she decided to ignore said feelings and walked out of the bedroom. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. "Good morning, Mommy!" When Chris saw Charmine walking out of the bedroom, his eyes sparkled. " Mommy, did you rest well? Chloe and I made chicken soup for you.¡± Charmine was speechless. Why would a five-year-old boy know so much? Furthermore, nothing happened between her and Anthonyst night! 1 Anthony, who was by the side, said, "Okay. Let your Mommy nourish her body." Charmine widened her eyes and looked at Anthony with disbelief. "What are you saying?" Anthony pretended as if he did not understand her and continued, "You took care of mest night. What''s wrong with my son making chicken soup for you?" Charmine was speechless. This was not true at all! It was as if Anthony was deliberately misleading Chris to tell him that something happened between them! Charmine looked at Chris, wanting to exin the truth before she saw it- those expectant eyes. She stopped herself. He seemed so excited and happy. If she told him otherwise, if he panicked and had another seizure, it would be troublesome. Furthermore, all that truly mattered was that she knew nothing of that sort happened. As for Chris, if he wanted to think so, let him be. Charmine pursed her lips and said nothing. Chris, noticing how Charmine remained silent, took it as her nod to what had happened. The thought made him even giddier. Hehe! His n went well! Chris instantly brought the chicken soup and ced it on the table. "Mommy, hurry and have some food. Chloe and I made this ourselves." "Okay." Charmine did not have the heart to turn him down and thus walked to sit at the table, much to Chris'' joy. When he turned to Anthony, however, he noticed just how hurt he seemed. Why did he look as if he was in pain? Was it the water he made Anthony drinkst night? Was the side-effect that severe? Chris could not help asking, "Daddy, what''s wrong?" If the effects were not over yet, he would leave with Chloe right away to give them more alone time! Anthony nced at him and said, "Nothing much; just a cold." Charmine instinctively turned to look at Anthony upon hearing his response. A cold? Was it from the cold bathst night, or was it from sleeping on the sofa throughout the night? Instantly, her gaze turned steely. Whether he had a cold or not, it did not matter to her. He asked for it! She even brought him a sex doll, and he refused it. Who, then, was to me? Chris narrowed his eyes. "Daddy, why did you catch a cold?" Anthony shot him a fierce stare. "You''re a kid. Stop asking so much." Anthony made it sound as if they were having such an intense sessionst night that he caught a cold by ident. When Chris caught on to that, he looked at Anthony meaningfully, looking as if he understood. The four of them walked out of the room, with Anthony walking ahead of them. Since his cold had hit him hard, he felt listless as if he was walking on clouds. He looked unstable from the way he carried himself. Chris watched his back and pursed his lips. Anthony and Charmine were warming up to one another. He had to make them get along faster! 1 He turned to Chloe and whispered into her ear. Chloe nodded. "Okay, Chris, let''s do it." Chris smiled and walked toward Anthony, grabbing his hand before pulling his hand back in shock. "Daddy..." Chris looked horrified at Anthony. "Why is your hand so hot?" chapter 1666 chapter 1666 Anthony''s cold only worsened, and he even looked unsteady in the way he walked. "Didn''t you say that I caught a cold?¡± said Anthony to Chris hoarsely, gazing down at the boy. Chris said worriedly, "Touch your forehead, Daddy. You¡¯re not only having a cold-you have a fever! You burnt my hand!¡± Anthony felt his head. "It is rather hot.¡± "You¡¯re ill, Uncle Anthony," stated Chloe, "and you should get some medicine!" "Yeah." Chris nodded. "Daddy, you¡¯ll suffer from brain damage if your temperature keeps rising.¡± Chloe thoughtfully added, "Uncle Anthony, there''s a type of fennel on top of the mountain, and it''s good for treating colds. You and Auntie Charmine can go upto pick it." Charmine was baffled. Why did she have to tag along? Charmine looked at the three of them and dered, "He can go on his own; I have other things to do." Anthony paused. She really did not want to spend time with him? Chris grew antsy at her stubbornness and walked up to her. "Mommy, go with Daddy, please!" He solemnly continued, "Daddy is having a bad cold, and he can''t even walk straight. If he goes up on his own and falls, nobody will save him. Isn''t that tragic?" Chris began to whimper at this stage. "Momo doesn''t want Daddy to die! Mommy, could you please go with Daddy?" Anthony looked at Chris exasperatedly. Yes, he knew Chris was trying to help, but could he not put his words more...nicely? He thought he would die if he fell? Charmine looked at all three of them: Chris, Chloe, and Anthony. She knew Chris and Chloe were trying to put her and Anthony together, but given this situation... Anthony was indeed severely hurt, and Chris was ill. It was better to prevent any trouble. Furthermore, she was the reason why Anthony caught a cold anyway. "Fine,¡± she begrudgingly agreed. "Haha!" Chris smiled and pulled Anthony to Charmine, saying, "Daddy, go with Mommy!" Anthony felt lightheaded. He nced at Charmine and nodded. "I''ll leave Daddy to you then, Mommy!" With that, Chris grabbed Chloe''s hand, and the children both left. Charmine stood still as she shot Anthony a cold nce. Wordlessly, she turned to walk up the mountain. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Anthony massaged his temples to sober himself up before he followed after Charmine. He walked up to her side, but she ignored him as if he was transparent. She continued to walk off on her own. Anthony pursed his lips as he gazed at her, trying to find a topic that could get a conversation going. "How''s the development of the vige getting on?" Charmine''s expression remained stone-cold, not once faltering, and neither did she bother to reply. Anthony was helpless, but he still followed behind her closely. Both of them traversed through the tall grasses. Worried that the thorns would wound Charmine, Anthony proceeded to walk in front of her and began clearing the path. Like a tall, well-built bodyguard dressed in ck, he cleared the thorns and grass for Charmine to walk forward. This, however, did not even stir the icy, frigid Charmine as she continued to walk aloofly. Although Anthony felt weak, listless, and lightheaded, he was not emotionally drained. He continued to walk before her and cleared up the path for her. Meanwhile... Dior and Harry were at the peak of the mountain, where they spent a wonderful evening. Although each of them had their own tent and Harry seemed visibly disgruntled...being able to stay by his side and watch the clear moon crowned by the beautiful stars satisfied Dior. Him agreeing toe up here was, to Dior, a first big step in their rtionship! chapter 1667 chapter 1667 Slowly, she would win Harry''s heart. Early the next day, while Harry was asleep, Dior was so excited that she could not sleep. She prepared the cutleries and started making breakfast outside the tent. However, within half an hour, Harry''s phone by his side rang urgently, jolting him awake from his slumber as he then nced at his phone. His assistant was calling. Harry looked around and spotted Dior outside. Dior, upon hearing the phone ringing, was worried it would wake Harry, thus she quickly put down everything at hand and entered his tent, only to realize he was already awake. She halted and saw him holding his phone. "Why don''t you answer it?" she asked. Harry declined the call. "Just a scam call." "Oh." Dior shrugged it off and stared at Harry, her alluring lips curving into a smile. "We did spend the night together," she shyly muttered, "so you better be responsible to me." Her words made Harry bbergasted, and he shot her a warning look. "You think too much into it." Dior did not give up, however; she liked to y with him. "Wait for a while," she added, "breakfast will be ready soon. This is my first time making breakfast for a man. Don''t we look like a married couple?" Harry''s steely expression remained stered on his face, and just as he was about to refute her statement, Dior proudly continued, "Just stay here. I''ll let you know when it''s ready." Dior did not give Harry a chance to say a word before she got out of his tent. Harry''s phone rang again afterward, and without a choice, he answered, " What is it?" "President Cogen, the annual shareholder meeting will start at two in the afternoon, sharp. We''re signing the deal with S&M''s President at seven." Harry pursed his lips and looked at the time. "Okay,¡± he responded. "We''ll wait for you toe back." Harry nodded and hung up the call. After tidying up, he walked out from the tent and said to Dior, "I''ve got things to do. I need to go back to Burlington." "What!?" Dior was dumbfounded. "You¡¯re leaving now?" "Yes." Harry then noticed she was preparing breakfast. "Take your time. Go back when you''re done." With that said, he turned away to leave. Dior quickly walked up to him and grabbed at his shirt. She blinked her alluring eyes and put on an innocent face. "How could you be so cruel, Harry!? I came here because of you, and now you''re leaving me alone. Furthermore, this ce is so secluded, and there are wild animals. I¡¯m just a weak, helpless girl! What am I supposed to do if anything happens to me?" N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Harry looked at her and pursed his lips. He knew she said all that on purpose, but there might truly be wild animals that would show up. It was quite dangerous to leave her alone up here. Even though she was a stranger, he must not treat her this way. Noticing his expression faltering, Dior removed her hold from his wrist and grabbed his arm instead as she pleaded, "If you want to go back, take me with you. I even made breakfast! Eat some before you go, alright?" Harry looked at the cooked noodles and then into her eyes. The sight stirred his emotions. He agreed to watch the stars with herst night, but it was not because of her. He saw Sonia posting on her feed that she was watching stars, which was why he got up here with Dior. 1 He did use her, after all. Harry felt guilty. She did nothing wrong, yet he was about to leave her alone up here after using her... chapter 1668 chapter 1668 There was a vague gleam of guilt in Harry¡¯s eyes as he pursed his lips and agreed to Dior. "Let¡¯s go down after breakfast." Dior paused, not once expecting Harry to agree to her so quickly, yet she smiled nheless. "Okay!" In the past two days, he had been treating her better. He bought her clothes, brought her to his grandmother¡¯s house, and even went up the mountain to see the stars with her. All she needed was to act innocent, and he would give in! Eventually, Dior''s charms slowly got to Harry. He had started to care about her and somehow had a ce for her in his heart. The ted Dior held onto Harry''s arms as she brought him to eat their breakfast, and they ate together as they sat down. It was early in the morning, and the sun was rising. The mountain was quiet, save for the chirping of different birds. Dior could feel the breeze in the mountain. She watched as the warm sun rose with the person she loved beside her. She was very grateful. How nice would it be if this moment wouldst longer? She would willingly stay up here if she had to! s... When she thought of how they were going back soon and she would not be able to see him anymore, her heart sank. She had the n ready but had not executed it. Watching stars with her was far from enough! Dior looked at Harry and bit her lip. She searched her brain for an idea, anything, that could stop him from returning to the city. She looked at the noodles in the bowl and instantly lost her appetite. She refused to let go of such a good opportunity! Dior ate her noodles slowly, so slowly that she spent almost half an hour to finish. Harry only took a few mouthfuls before putting down the fork. Sitting by the side, he was talking to someone on the phone. When he kept his phone and turned to look at Dior, asking, "You''re not done yet?" The reluctant Dior could only put down the bowl and muttered, "Let¡¯s go." Harry nodded and stood up to leave while Dior followed behind him, her eyes wandering around. What if she twisted her ankle? What if she fell really hard? i He would not leave her behind, would he? All these thoughts whirled in her mind as she gazed at the path ahead, formting a n. Although she knew it would hurt, anything was worth it to keep this handsome, apathetic man. Thinking of how they spent the night togetherst night, she felt good again. Things would be perfect for sure if she, despite being hurt, would be taken care of by Harry. While she would suffer at present, it was for the sake of her future happiness. Dior trotted toward Harry''s side in heels. "Do you have an important matter to deal with?" she asked. Harry nced at her coldly. "Work stuff." Dior was speechless. He was joking, right? With his job, how much money could he earn per day? Also, he was leaving so urgently. So what if he quit his job? 2 Dior thought it through. It did not matter since it was work-rted. They started to make their way down the hill. Biting her ruby lips, Dior, still in her heels, intentionally twisted her ankle. "Argh!" Her face instantly went pale as she cried out in pain. However, her intention of twisting her ankle did not go as nned. She lost her bnce and failed to react in time after the initial pang of pain. Still on the path, her entire body wobbled as she was about to fall on her side...and right next to her was arge slope. When Dior was about to fall, she instinctively reached out to hold Harry''s hand. Harry, still caught up with his work mentally, did not realize what had happened. Dior''s tug sent him wobbling after her, and they both lost their bnce. Instantly, the two of them fell to the side of the path. Thomp! Dior and Harry fell on their sides on the path, sending them rolling down the slope.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. chapter 1669 chapter 1669 Both Harry and Dior rolled down a few meters down the slope before they were hit with another surprise. There was a big, deep pit below! Harry quickly reached out in an attempt to grab something, but he could not see anything. Only a scratch mark was left in his attempt. With that, the two of them fell into the deep pit, with Harry mmed on the ground before Dior fell on top of him heavily, and this evoked a groan from Harry. Other than her twisted ankle, Dior was fine. Harry, on the other hand, was t on his back with fists clenched. His prepossessing face was beaded with cold sweat. Dior scrambled off of him and shook his hand. "Harry, are you alive?" Harry was speechless. He parted his eyelids to shoot Dior a pointed stare. "I might just die if you keep shaking me like that." Dior instantly let go and frowned at him. "Which part of you are hurt?" She recalled how she had fallen on his legs when she fell. Harry sat up with difficulty. He tried to move his legs, but he was in too much pain to move them. Dior looked at him and panicked. "Is your leg broken?1'' she whimpered. "Probably fractured." Harry looked at her darkly and said with an angered tone, "Do you want my leg to be broken?" Dior was not in the mood to joke around. "I was joking. Don''t get angry, okay? I didn¡¯t do it on purpose." Harry silently stared at her before he averted his gaze to inspect their surroundings. The pit was about three to four meters tall. There was nothing for them to climb back up with. Furthermore, his legs were hurting so much that he could no longer feel them. He had an important matter to sort out today, but it looked like Dior was about to ruin it. 1 Dior instantly took out her phone to call Charmine. However, there was no signal on the mountain, let alone inside a pit. Harry seemed to have guessed this, thus he did not even bother to take out his phone. Dior looked at his darkened face and realized that she had made a huge mistake. She did not expect herself to lose bnce. She did not want this to happen anyway! Dior pulled a pitiable expression, ignoring the sharp pain that tormented her ankle as she reached out to help Harry up, sitting by the side once done. Looking at his bruised ankle with blood showing, she did not know how he got hurt, but it looked rather severe. She reached out to grab his belt, but- "What are you doing?" Harry shot her a warning re just as Dior''s hand grazed his belt, and he pushed her hand away. "You¡¯re hurt," said Dior earnestly, and it was even evident in her expression, "I''m trying to help." "No need.¡± Harry pushed her hand away. "Just sit there." He seemed to be in genuine pain as he leaned on the wall and shut his eyes wordlessly. Dior saw the cold sweat on his face. She tried to wipe the sweat off his face with her sleeve, but when she touched him, he opened his eyes to re at her coldly. "Please behave." Dior bit her lip and thought he was angry at his leg for suffering from sequ. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. An idea came to her at that moment, and her eyes twinkled. She turned to look at Harry and said, "Don¡¯t worry. If anything happens to you, I''ll be responsible for it. If your legs are broken, I¡¯ll take care of you forever." Harry looked at her, utterly baffled. Thinking she did not sound sincere enough, Dior added, "If you''re worried about not finding an ideal wife in the future, I¡¯ll marry you. You¡¯re handicapped because of me, but I''ll treat you very well." Harry scoffed at her coldly. "I''m not handicapped yet!" Dior remained serious. "You¡¯re so severely wounded now, but I''ll make it up to you. Why don''t l...make you a baby? We have such good genes; our baby will be adorable." chapter 1670 chapter 1670 "Shut up!" Harry could no longer hold in his anger at that point and shot her a vicious re. "The best way you can make it up to me now is to shut up!" Dior saw the impatience in his eyes, and she finally stopped joking around." Alright, get some rest...but I can''t stay quiet.¡± Noticing his frown, Dior quickly exined, "We can¡¯t stay here forever, although I''d quite like that. You¡¯re hurt now, and there are probably some vigers around at this hour. I need to call for help!" Harry leaned on the wall and had no more energy to deal with her. He looked so done with the situation as he closed his eyes. Dior¡¯s heart sank at the sight of an injured Harry, and she prayed nothing would happen to him. Otherwise, she would not forgive herself. Biting back the pain that stabbed at her ankle, she staggered toward the middle of the pit, cing her hands around her mouth as she yelled, "Help! Is anyone there? Someone''s inside the pit! Help!" Meanwhile... Anthony was helping Charmine clear the path, and they were halfway up the mountain. Charmine ignored him entirely as she walked ahead of him. It looked like they were very much strangers. When he saw that there was no grass ahead, he endured his headache to look back at her. Suddenly... Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. He spotted a few-meter-long ck snake hanging on a tree branch, and he knew what it was: a poisonous cobra. It was aiming at Charmine¡¯s fair neck, jaws parted widely and fangs revealed, looking as though it was about to strike at Charmine. Anthony''s heart clenched, and his expression contorted. "Be careful!" He moved swiftly like the wind, reached Charmine''s side, engulfing her in his arms with his back to the cobra. The cobra''s line of sight shifted with another human in sight. Startled at Anthony''s abrupt presence, it struck him instead. It was aiming at Charmine''s neck, but with Anthony protecting her, it bit his shoulder. Anthony''s body stiffened as he felt a stinging pain akin to two sharp needles embedded in his shoulders with no prior warning, 1 Charmine saw the ck cobra on his shoulder and finally reacted. She instinctively reached out to grab its nail. Before the cobra reacted, she quickly smacked it against the ground harshly. Thomp! Thomp! Thomp! Before the cobra could react, its entire head was broken, and blood pooled at the ground in the aftermath. Charmine tossed the cobra away and looked at Anthony. His already pale face grew even paler. He did not seem well at all, and it looked like he could pass out at any given moment. Meeting Charmine¡¯s eyes, Anthony squeezed out a smile. "I''m fine, don¡¯t worry." Of course, Charmine was not foolish enough to believe that he was fine. It was a cobra, and it was poisonous. If the person''s immunity was not strong enough, the person could die within an hour! Charmine looked at him and felt tormented. Yes, she hated him, but if he died saving her... This man could disappear from her world. She might not see him for the rest of her life! Her heart felt inexplicably hurt at the thought. She felt her throat tighten, and her breathing grew labored. She pursed her lips and urged, "Let''s go back and get you treated." Luckily, they were only halfway up, and it would not take too long to get down. They should still have time. Knowing very well that it was a poisonous cobra that struck at him, Anthony listlessly agreed, "Okay.¡± His amnesia was finally getting better, and he did not want to lose his life because of this. He still wanted to heal Charmine. He did not want her to live in this way. 1 Anthony clenched his fists and forced himself to endure the multitude of pain that gued his body. He continued to walk ahead, albeit with a heavy head. Charmine stood behind him, watching as his tall figure staggered and wobbled as though he would copse. She pursed her lips, and her hands by her sides twitched. He got hurt after trying to save her. It should be fine for her to support him, no? chapter 1671 chapter 1671 After all, Charmine did not want to owe Anthony too much. Then... Just as her hand stretched out to grab Anthony, she heard a muffled yelling from the top that went, "Help...! Help...!" Charmine halted. That voice... "Help! Can someone help us...?! We fell into the pit!" The cry for help was repetitive. Anthony also heard this. He stopped and turned back. This voice sounded familiar. Charmine, meanwhile, had recognized the voice already. It was Dior''s, and Charmine knew this for a fact because Dior had told her she was going uphill to see the starsst night. Charmine looked over to search where the voice wasing from...and realized it wasing from the top. Judging how urgent the voice sounded, the two of them must have fallen into a pit and got hurt. Charmine looked at Anthony and said, "You head down now." Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Dior was her only close friend, and she had to save her. Anthony pursed his lips and did not want her to go up alone. "I''lle with you," he replied. Charmine frowned at his response. Scrutinizing the state he was in, she refuted, "No, you must get down and treat your wound." Anthony insisted, ''They fell into a pit. Can you save them on your own?" Charmine paused at that. Thinking of how Maurice and her fell into the pit the other day, just one person could not save them both. It would be futile if she went to save Dior on her own, yes. Having Anthony around would give her a helping hand, but he had to get his wound treated soon. No matter what, even if she hated him so much that she wanted him dead, she would not want him to die because of her. Charmine still refused Anthony''s insistence. "I''ll know what to do. You don¡¯t have to worry." She did not even wait for Anthony''s reply before she marched up the mountain quickly. However, after taking a few steps, she heard a voice behind her, stopping her in her tracks as she looked back. She saw Anthony following behind her, with no intention of leaving. Looking at his pale face, Charmine got angry. "Can you head down? Stop following me!" Hearing her snapping at him, Anthony could not tell if it was just his imagination, but it sounded like she still cared for him despite the roughness in her tone. Was she worried about his wound and not wanting to be hurt? Was that why she wanted him to descend the mountain? Anthony looked at her and said, "I''m fine. If you''re worried about me, you can use the needle to stop the poison from spreading. I''ll be fine." "What makes you think I''m worried about you?" replied Charmine instinctively. "I just don¡¯t want you to die. Momo will get upset if you do." Anthony decided not to expose Charmine for it and nodded gently instead. "It''s okay, just use a needle on me." He instantly removed his jacket. Charmine hesitated for a moment before she took out a needle and walked upto Anthony. If he insisted on going with her, she was not bothered to argue her point and waste her time. Dior must be panicking on the other end, too. The needle could stop the poison from spreading throughout Anthony''s body, stopping its flow effectively. Anthony removed his white shirt, revealing his muscr back and two fang marks on his shoulders, blood oozing from them. They were stained with blood and were swollen, too. The poison had spread a few centimeters, evident by how the skin around the wound looked bruise-like ck. Charmine felt a pang in her chest. She felt her heart at her throat as she gazed at Anthony¡¯s back. She narrowed her eyes and pricked Anthony''s skin with the needle. chapter 1672 chapter 1672 Anthony''s body jolted as Charmine''s needle pricked into his skin, and he felt a numbing pain on his shoulder. He bit his lip and clenched his fists. A momentter, the poison that was advancing from the fang marks stopped and gathered to the mid- section. What was once a big patch of bruise seemingly reverted to the fang marks. Anthony felt his head that felt lightheaded the whole time sobered up afterward, and his vision was no longer as blurry. He looked at Charmine with a newfound sense of proudness and admiration. His woman was always so impressive. She could do anything with her needle! Due to this, he must not leave her alone here, living on her own in secrecy. Once she finished, Charmine shot him a dull stare as she wordlessly got back up on her feet and walked forward. Anthony followed behind her andforted her as he looked at her aloof figure. "Don¡¯t worry, I''m fine now." Charmine scoffed. Who was worried about him? She did not bother to speak to him and continued walking uphill. Anthony, in a better state, caught up to her quickly. The two of them walked up the mountain and noticed that Dior''s voice grew louder, closer. Charmine followed the sound and arrived at the side path. She could see right away that there were some marks down the slope, and it seemed that they had fallen here. Charmine walked down carefully. Anthony realized just how steep the slope was, and he followed after Charmine, reaching out to support her. Just as he did, however, Charmine instinctively pushed him away and red at him coldly. "Just watch yourself!" Anthony''s gaze faltered at that. Although he was no longer supporting her, he followed closely behind her to protect her. Charmine continued to walk down and finally saw the deep pit, where Dior''s resounding yells could be heard. "Help! Is anyone there? Help us!" Charmine cried out, "Stop shouting, we''re here!" Dior paused when she heard that familiar voice. Instantly, her eyes sparkled as she cried out gratefully, "Charmine, you came to save us! Oh, thank goodness!"Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. She had been yelling for so long, only to be met with silence. She genuinely thought she would die in this pit with Harry. He was already severely wounded, and things could take a turn for the worse if nothing changed. Lucky for them, Charmine hade to their aid! Harry heard the response from above, too, and gradually opened his darkened eyes. "Don''t worry, Harry." Dior looked at him excitedly. "My friend is about to save us. You¡¯ll be fine." Harry nodded. Charmine and Anthony got to the pit''s entrance and looked down-it was pitch-ck inside. Dior was standing right below the entrance. When she saw the figures above, she excitedly called out, "Charmine, we both can''t walk. You¡¯ll have to bring us up with a stretcher." Charmine frowned. There was no such thing here. In the next moment, Harry''s voice was heard, saying, "If you walk a few more meters, you''ll find a tent and a stretcher in it." "Okay." Charmine was about to take it when Anthony stopped her. "Let me do it." "No need, I¡¯ll go." Charmine merely shot him a nce before walking past him, treading across the uneven path easily and quickly. Standing still, Anthony gazed at Charmine''s apathetic figure and felt a pang in his heart. chapter 1673 chapter 1673 However strong Charmine was, she was still a youngdy in her early twenties. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. How horrible was he to have ruined someone like her? Anthony''s eyes were filled with pain, and his breaths grew uneven as the guilt and hurt racked his body. Charmine quickly returned with the stretcher. She tied a rope around one end before tossing it into the pit. Despite the pain she felt around her ankle, she endured it and staggered toward Harry, wanting to help him up on his feet before he shot her a cold stare. "You go first." Dior frowned. "You can''t move your legs now. Why are you getting up alone? If you fall again, I won''t be able to live with myself!¡± It was apparent how much she adored Harry by the look she had on her face. Harry then thought of how it would be difficult for him to go up on his own. Noticing that he was convinced, Dior reached out to help him. "You go first. Don¡¯t worry about me; I''ll be right behind you." Harry could only concede at this point. After taking a few steps, however, Harry felt his fractured legs caving in and lost bnce, falling to his side. Dior''s heart throbbed at the sight she reached out to hold him tightly but- "Argh!" Dior felt as if her arms were torn when she stretched out her arms. Instantly, the smell of blood wafted in the pit. She paled at the scent, and after she managed to pull Harry back up, she looked down at her arm. There was a deep gash on her arm, one that she never noticed was present, and it only widened when she pulled Harry up with all her strength. It felt like pure torture, one that felt like a sharp knife cutting her flesh open. It was then Dior recalled that there was a pile of sharp bamboos that scratched her arm when they tumbled down the slope. 1 She did not have the time to care about this, however. Yes, she did feel pain and could make out the scent of iron in the air after their fall. Too busy worrying over Harry, Dior had assumed it was just a small cut, that the scent of blood was from Harry. She had no inkling just how severely wounded she was, but upon noticing the wound...she realized she was just as hurt, too. D*mn it. Harry, at that moment, turned to look at Dior. With the faint light that shone from outside the pit, he noticed just how bloodied her arm was with a deep gash. It was mortifying. Harry frowned. "Are you hurt?" "I''m fine," replied Dior listlessly, her face losing its color, "you go up first." Harry looked at her darkly and countered, "No, you go first." "But you can¡¯t move your legs! Who''s going to get you onto the stretcher?" Harry pursed his lips. Her arm was wounded. How could he leave her here alone? This was not something a man should do! Despite the searing pain she endured, an idea urred to Dior when she looked at the stretcher. She bit her lower lip and offered, "Why don''t you hug me, and we both go up at the same time?" Harry was speechless. How could she even think of this at such an urgent moment? Dior saw how speechless he was and felt rather proud of herself. Since this had already happened, she must make the most out of this opportunity! Dior''s eyes narrowed as she stressed, her agony evident on her face, "Let''s go up together, Harry. Even if you go first, I''ll be anxious on my own here. But, if I go first, you won¡¯t manage on your own. If your leg injuries worsen, I''ll have to take care of you for the rest of your life." Harry narrowed his eyes. True, he could not stand on his own for the time being, and if his leg injuries worsened, he would not be able to look up in front of Sonia. As for this woman... There was no denying that her tug sent them tumbling down the slope and into this pit, but she would not even be here and endure so much pain if he did not use her for his gain. chapter 1674 chapter 1674 Harry debated with himself over the decision before he looked at Dior." Fine." The ted Dior ignored her wounds and went to support Harry onto the stretcher. "You can¡¯t move, so you''ll need toy down." Harry did not insist; the result would be the same anyway. With Dior''s support, heid on the stretcher while Dior fastened the buckles on him. Seeing how heid on the stretcher so attractively and how she would be in his arms on the same stretcher, Dior felt like everything was worth it. Turning to look up, Dior called out, ''Thank you, Charmine! I got a deep gash on my arm and Harry¡¯s legs are fractured. We can¡¯t move freely, so we¡¯ll have toe up together." Charmine, who was outside the pit, was bbergasted. Dior was allowed to chase after her man, but she did not have to drag her into her mess! Seeing that this was the only option, Charmine could only agree, "Alright." Dior made sure everything was secured before turning her gaze to look at the man on the stretcher, her heart skipping a beat when she did. She mentally beat herself up afterward, though. She just had toy next to him! Why was she all giddy? She slowlyid beside Harry and caught a whiff of his masculine scent. Just like that, everything else no longer mattered to Dior, and the entire world was gone with just her and Harry left. How she wished for this moment tost forever. The stretcher was big enough to be a small bed. Harry remained apathetic the whole time, eyes closed as heid down quietly. Dior, all googly eyes at Harry, yelled, "Charmine, we''re ready!" "Ready!" Just as Charmine was about to pull at the rope, however, another pair of hands grabbed the rope. Charmine turned to see Anthony''s tall figure standing right behind her, dangerously close as his strong arms wound around her frame to grab at the rope. It was as if her tiny body was in his arms, so much so that his masculine scent enveloped her entirely. Charmine stopped instantly and shot him a cold re, to which Anthony responded before she could shut him down, "Even if you''re powerful enough, you can¡¯t lift both of them with your small hands. You might get hurt! If you''re hurt, will you still be able to use your needles?" Charmine pursed her lips. She did try to tug at the rope, and it did feel rather heavy. Furthermore, Dior and Harry were severely injured. She could even smell a tinge of iron from outside the pit, and she could not afford to waste a single second. This was not the time to decline Anthony''s help. Charmine turned away to look ahead, not saying anything as she allowed Anthony''s hands to remain on the rope. Anthony practically beamed ardently at her. His maic voice resonated in her ear as he advised, "Don''t use too much strength. Don¡¯t hurt your hands." Charmine remained distant as ever. "Cut the nonsense. Start pulling now." Anthony said nothing else after that as his big, powerful hands grabbed the rope right next to Charmine''s two fair hands. With that, they both pulled. Inside the pit... When the stretcher started to get lifted, Dior yelped and buried herself into Harry¡¯s form, cing her hands on his waist. Harry looked at her and said, "Let go." "I''m not letting go." Dior, visibly terrified, held him tighter. "I''m scared that this rope might break. What do we do if we fall from here and die? If I''m going to die, I''d rather die with you!" This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Harry felt conflicted upon hearing this. He looked at her arms on his chest and said with a low voice, "Still, you don¡¯t have to get so close." She clung to his upper body much like an octopus. Dior insisted on hugging him. "I don¡¯t care, I¡¯m hugging you." Helpless, Harry just could not bother arguing about it anymore. It was then he was struck with an ominous feeling, and he turned to look darkly at the pit''s entrance. What a surprise! It was Anthony. chapter 1675 chapter 1675 Harry would not forgive Anthony, even if he saved him this time. Outside the pit... Anthony was focused on keeping bnce, so much so that he identally held Charmine''s hands. Charmine jolted at the contact, but none of them let go as they were pulling up the stretcher. His powerful hands held onto her fair hands tightly, and she felt like...a feather. She felt so gentle and light, and she did not know how to fall. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Feeling the softness in his hands, Anthony''s heartstrings were tugged as his entire heart skipped a beat. The two of them spontaneously exchanged nces, but the moment she met Anthony¡¯s gaze, Charmine looked away as if nothing happened. They continued to pull the rope up. Anthony said nothing, too. He mustered every bit of his strength and made sure Charmine did not overexert herself It did not take long before the stretcher was lifted from the pit. Dior was like a weak little girl, cuddled in Harry¡¯s arms, much to Charmine''s bewilderment. Since when was Dior so weak? When Dior came back up and saw Charmine, she felt as if she was home. "I was so close to dying, Charmine...!" she whimpered, almost crying. "Waa...!" Charmine nced at her coldly and had to y along. "Don¡¯t worry," she assured her, "you''re fine now." She reached out to help Dior get up from the stretcher. Before Dior could hug Charmine, Dior turned around to help Harry get up. Following that, she hooked her hands around his neck and excitedly chirped, "We survived... We''re safe!" Harry''s response, however, came in a silent, cold stare as he pulled her hands off of him, which earned a pout from Dior. Harry then looked up at Anthony darkly, to which Anthony kept his stare. There was a strong exchange of hatred between their eyes. Charmine noticed the hatred but seemed unconcerned about it. Instead, she looked at Dior''s bloodied shoulder and eximed, ''This looks so bad!" Dior took a nce and said, "This is nothing. He¡¯s in even more pain." Charmine was speechless but nheless walked to support Dior. Dior turned to look at Harry, who was unable to move on the spot. She turned to Anthony and said, "President Bailey, do you mind helping Harry? Thank you." Anthony nced at Harry coldly and walked toward him, saying, "You''re Charmine¡¯s friends, so that makes you my friends in return. I should be helping." That baffled Charmine. Since when was she associated with him? She wordlessly looked at Anthony before she continued to assist Dior. Anthony then walked up to Harry, his lips twisting into an ironic smirk when he did. "I don¡¯t know what to say, Mr. Cogen. You went up the mountain to see the stars and ended up breaking your leg." Harry''s expression seemed dark, but he nheless allowed Anthony to prop him up, though not without sneering at him. "If you want to pull something, now''s your time to shine." "Don''t worry, I''m not petty. I won''t do anything when you''re in such a feeble state." Harry''s condition rendered him pale, suffering so much that he broke out into cold sweat, unable to muster proper sentences. With that, all four of them descended the mountain, pair by pair, one at the back and the other walking ahead. With much difficulty, they finally made it down and arrived home. At that point, Anthony already had a fever, and his condition only worsened due to the cobra''s poisonous bite. Of course, Luke had called for a doctor from the city to treat him. Charmine wanted to watch over Dior, but Chris was worried about Anthony, and he wanted to check on him. He even pulled her and pestered, "Mommy, Mommy! Go and check up on Daddy! Daddy is severely injured! He''s dying!" 1 Charmine, left without a choice, went with Chris. chapter 1676 chapter 1676 Entering the room, Charmine and Chris spotted Anthonyying in bed. The usually powerful, enigmatic Anthony was left in a weak state, face lost of its color. The doctor, meanwhile, was treating his snake-bite wound left by the cobra. Anthony''s right arm was affected as well. His arm hung loosely by the side with tubes inserted to extract the poisoned blood out of his system. His dark-red blood that oozed out into the tubes looked like they were dripping from a small tap. The extracted blood was contained in a bow. Charmine felt her heart aching at the sight. Chris was horrified at the sight, and his tiny heart sank. He walked to Anthony''s side and sobbed worriedly, "Daddy, are you going to die?" Anthony looked up at him darkly and listlessly muttered, "I''m not." When the bowl was filled up, the doctor pressed on the wound and reported, his relief palpable, "Luckily, the poisoned blood was contained just in time after he was bitten. He''s alright now. I''ll prescribe some medicines for the blood. Just take care, and you''ll recover with time." Charmine felt more reassured, somewhat. Luke felt thankful. ''Thank you, doctor." "You''re wee." The doctor gave them the medication Anthony needed, and Luke then walked him out. That left only Charmine, Chris, and Anthony inside this small house. Anthony looked up at Charmine and fixed his eyes on Chris. Chirs instantly understood and said to Charmine, "Mommy, Daddy lost so much blood. I''ll go and ask Chloe if there''s any herb to help him replenish his blood." Charmine ruffled his hair. "Go on," she relented, "but be careful." "Okay." After Chris left, Anthony looked at Charmine and said reassuringly, "Don¡¯t worry, I''m fine." Charmine said nothing at that, merely standing by the side as she studied his listless body. ''Thank you," she uttered. Anthony frowned. Why was she so polite? It was his duty to protect her! No matter when and where, he would never want her hurt as long as he was around, 1 Anthony was going to brush it off, but his eyes slightly darkened. He had a thought and said, "I don''t like verbal thank you''s." This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Charmine pursed her lips and asked, "How do you want me to repay you?" She did not want to owe him anything. She would do him a favor or two to make them even. Anthony said, "If you wish to thank me, you¡¯ll have to let me eat in your house for three days." Charmine instantly frowned, and Anthony did not miss this reaction. His heart sank at her frown. His request was something so simple, yet she was that hesitant? If she turned him down, he would be out of ideas. At this point, he could only agree to whatever she asked. Anthony pursed his lips and exined, "Don''t get me wrong; this is purely because Luke doesn''t cook well. You know I have a stomach problem, and I only want to have full meals. I''ll go back to Burlington after three days." That seemed enough to persuade Charmine. Although she did not want to spend time with him, she did not want to owe him so much either. Furthermore, they would only be in the same space during meals. It was not like they had to spend the days together. After three days, he would leave this vige. That would be good. "Alright, then," Charmine agreed to his request, to which Anthony''s dull eyes glimmered faintly. "I''m hungry," he said right after. Charmine looked at him with disbelief. Did he just ask her to cook right away? s, she did give her consent to it, and she could not go down on her word. Wordlessly, Charmine got up and left. Anthony watched as she angrily left, and his lips curled up into an unnoticeable loving smile. She would get mad at him, but this showed that she still cared about him. chapter 1677 chapter 1677 Charmine¡¯s behavior toward Anthony would slowly change. Meanwhile... Dior and Harry were getting treated in one room. The two of them wereying in beds opposite one another, and they both had a cast on their leg. Dior tilted her head to look at Harry''s handsome face. She thought of how secure she felt when he hugged her, and her eyes gleamed nostalgically. With their bond growing better, he would be hers entirely in no time! When that day woulde, she would be able to sleep by his side officially, able to ce her arms around his muscr, sexy torso. She no longer had to sneakily touch his chest to feel good about it. Excited at the thought, Diorpletely forgot about her wound and continued to look at Harry, seemingly starstruck as she looked right into him. "Harry, does your leg still hurt?" she asked. "Can you keep quiet?" he snapped. Dior halted, she pouted, "Can''t you be kinder? Yes, I dragged you down that slope, but as I said, I¡¯ll be responsible for it, don''t worry. I''ll pay for your medical expenses, your work, and your effort. I''ll pay them all!" Harry acted as if he did not hear her, shutting his eyes as heid still in bed. Dior looked at how worn-out Harry seemed and decided to leave him be. After about ten minutes of silence, Harry''s breaths grew stable. Thinking he had to be asleep, Charmine could not helping down from her bed. 4 With one of her legs covered with a cast and a thick bandage that wrapped around one of her arms, she wobbled toward Harry¡¯s bedside and pulled the intravenous stick with her. She stood by his side and gazed at his pale face and was overwhelmed with guilt. She felt bad for him-truly awful. He was a prepossessing man and was loyal too, yet a superficial woman dumped him. Because of that, he was crushed. Why did he have to go through so much pain in his life? She wanted to protect him, never once allowing him to be hurt. She did not want him to lose his dignity for money. All that, and he did not ept her kindness. He was too stubborn. Dior looked at him and sighed helplessly. She then took a nket from the side and draped it over him gently. When she was supposed to leave, she remained standing at his bedside instead and watched over him for a long while. Unable to hold herself back, she lowered her head and left a gentle peck on his cheek. It was as if she had gained the most precious thing in the world, and it satisfied her greatly. She happily grazed her lips and acted as if nothing had happened, returning to her bed afterward. What she did not know was that Harry was awake the whole time! He clenched his fists tightly when she draped the nket over, and when her soft lipsnded on his cheek, his entire being grew taut. Despite that, he did not move and kept his eyes closed. Truthfully, he knew she was an innocentdy. Perhaps she came from a well-off background, but she was not superficial. Every time he felt her caring for him, he felt guiltier. He had been reminding himself to stop using this innocentdy, to stop treating her this way...but he just could not turn her away. He just kept her around to trigger Sonia. Moreover, he did not want his grandmother to keep introducing women to him, which was why he brought her to the vige. However, that was it. He did not feel anything else. With the acting to a close, it was time to ask her to leave. He feared things would get out of hand if this continued. He would not let his n go sidetracked again. With that in mind, Harry parted his eyelids, revealing his dark eyes, and looked over.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. chapter 1678 chapter 1678 Harry turned to look at Dior as she got to her bed, but at that very moment, she was staring at him, too. Her eyes were clear like stars in the sky, twinkling with admiration and adoration. His eyes darkened. He should ask ady like her to leave. Dior jolted as she noticed him looking at her. It was pure coincidence, see, as she had been gazing at him so lovingly when he turned. She took a while to react before she asked, "You''re awake?" Gazing at her, Harry opened his mouth to speak when his phone next to him rang. With just a nce, he noticed the caller ID stated that it was Sonia. Harry squinted his phone but could not help hovering his finger above the'' answer¡¯ option. Instantly, however, he recalled how she got into the luxury call of another man. His eyes clouded with silent fury, Harry moved his finger and pressed the reject button instead before tossing his phone away. Dior looked at him and asked, "Why didn¡¯t you answer?" Harry looked at her darkly and said, "It''s a promotional call." "Oh." Dior believed him and said caringly, "You can just block them." He halted and nodded. A secondter, his phone rang with a text. Harry remained silent for a moment. Unable to contain himself, he took back his phone and opened the text. Sonia wrote, [Harry, I passed by the vige and saw Grandma''s house. I¡¯m buying some stuff for her at the vige store. I''ll pay her a visitter. Do you have anything for me to pass on to Grandma? Don''t worry, I''ll give her some living expenses.] Harry''s eyes grew dull. She acted as if she was above him. What was that for? Who would want her money? Face contorting darkly, Harry replied, [No need.] However, she did not reply. Harry knew her well enough to tell that she woulde if she did not reply. After a moment of thought, he looked at Dior who was opposite him. He would use her...onest time. Harry pursed his thin lips and said, "Can youe here?" "Huh?" Dior jolted upon hearing his hoarse, maic voice. She did not even question him as she instantly agreed, "Alright, hold on." She supported her stered leg and bandaged arm. Her other hand pulled the intravenous stick with her as she slowly made her way to him. Harry narrowed his eyes as he watched her. She...seemed to genuinely care about him.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Somehow, he did not want to treat her this way anymore. She should be finding a man who treated her well. Harry narrowed his eyes, but the words were stuck in his throat. Right then, he could clearly make out the sound of high heels from the window. He swallowed in his words somehow. Dior came to his bedside and asked, "What is it?" He looked at her and said, "My head hurts. Can you massage it for me?" Dior paused. He actually asked her to perform such an intimate act? Did he finally care about her? Hehe! Dior would not turn him down. She sat by his bed and unfurled her fair fingers to massage his temple, though she could feel Harry tensing upon contact. She pressed on his temples gently and asked yfully, "Do you have to be so nervous? I didn¡¯t do anything. I¡¯m only massaging you." "I just have a headache," came Harry''s apathetic response. chapter 1679 chapter 1679 "Alright, alright, I''ll massage your temples." Dior was fully focused. "Hold on." Meanwhile... Sonia, finally able to leave her boyfriend''s side for a while, had been around the area for a few days and had time to visit Harry''s grandmother. With two bags of expensive things at hand, she knocked on the door." Grandma, are you home?" The vige chief inside the house walked toward the door and opened it, pausing as she was met with Sonia. "Sonia? You came, too?" That stunned Sonia. ''"Too?" "Yeah, Harry is home." "What!?" Sonia''s expression changed. "Harry is inside?" What was he doing in Mount Vige? Was it because he knew she wasing, and he was chasing after her? Was he still so stubborn and in love with her? This somehow pleased Sonia. Heh. She knew he was just acting with that arrogant woman in front of her. "Yeah. Are you not here looking for him?" asked the vige chief, stunned. If Harry had not broken up with Sonia, why would hee with Dior? If Dior and Harry were just friends, why did they spend a night up the mountain and did note home? "I''m going in to find him, Grandma." Sonia pushed the bags into the vige chief''s hands and walked past her. 1 Although she knew she could not be with him, she still had tofort him. She did not want him to be too upset. Sonia walked past the front yard and straight into the living room. She looked into his room and saw... Harry was indeed inside, but that arrogant woman was right beside him! He was even that close and all cozied up with that woman! Did he just allow her to massage him? In her fury, Sonia did not notice the injuries on Harry and Dior. All she could see was him being so intimate with another woman! Inside the room... Dior, not hearing what was happening outside, continued to massage Harry while heid still, listening to the outsidemotion. He could clearly hear her footsteps stopping outside his room. His gaze depicted just how conflicted he was, but he retrieved the coldness in his eyes, softening his gaze as he reached out his hand to hold Dior''s hand. "I feel much better." "Is it that good?" asked Dior. She had only massaged him for two minutes. Of course, she did not question him beyond that, fully focused on the warmthing from his palm.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. She could feel his callous-riddled palms, with veins going to the back of his arm and going all the way to his heart... Dior''s delicate face instantly flushed red. "Harry..." she muttered. He had a gentle look on his face as he tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, saying, ''Thank you. Go and get some rest." Dior looked at him in shock. She could not believe that Harry would treat her this well! Had he fallen for her? A wide smile spread across her face, but just as she was about to speak- "Harry Cogen!" Sonia, unable to contain herself, burst into the room and barked, "What are you doing here?!" Dior jolted and looked around to see Sonia walking in angrily. Harry pretended as if he did not know she was here. "Why are you here?" he countered. "You ignored my calls and texts because you''re with this woman?" Sonia pointed her finger at Dior, her eyes saucer-like wide as she red at Harry angrily. chapter 1680 chapter 1680 Dior was instantly irritated. She red at Sonia and sassily retorted, "Who are you to question him? What right do you have to question who Harry is with? Ma''am, don¡¯t forget that you broke up with Harry long ago! What now? Did your rich boyfriend dump you, and you now want to get back with him? I''m sorry, but my man doesn¡¯t like old shoes!" Harry¡¯s eyes darkened at Dior''s words. "You-!" Sonia red at Dior angrily. "Who are you? Since when do you have a say in the matter between Harry and I?¡± "Funny! I should be the one asking you the same question!" Dior scoffed at her. "Please look at yourself. I''m his girlfriend now! Who are you, pointing your finger at me?!" Sonia was so triggered that her face turned pale. She thought Harry was with this mean woman just to trigger her, yet even after Dior had dragged her to filth, he did not even speak for her stead? In the past, he would have fought anyone who talked to her like this, but it seemed that... Sonia looked at Harry incredulously. "Harry, is what she''s saying...true?" she questioned. "Are you not just making me jealous? Are you really seeing her now?" Harry looked at her coldly. "I¡¯ve answered this very question a long time ago. You just haven¡¯t epted the fact." Sonia had tears in her eyes as she stumbled back weakly. Was Harry in love with another woman? Had he...no feelings for her anymore? 2This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Dior looked at her face and she cackled. "How shameless are you? You dumped him, and now you''re all emotional? How hrious. If you can find another man, why can''t he move on? Is there anyw saying that he has to stay and wait for you for the rest of his life?" Sonia''s expression contorted coldly, sobbing and yelling at Dior as she did, "You¡¯re just an outsider who has no right to speak in my matters with him-" "Shut up!" Before Sonia could finish, Harry snapped at her, shutting her down. "And who are you? What gave you the right to scold my woman with that tone? You''re the outsider here!" Dior halted and looked at him with disbelief. What did he say? Did she mishear him? Did he call her his woman!? He did seem to treat her better for the past few days. Had he fallen for her but kept it to himself all along? Dior''s heart quivered. Ahh! The moment had finallye! He finally admitted his feelings for her! Her, Dior Granger, was Hany¡¯s woman! 1 Dior gazed at Harry, wonderstruck and in bliss, i Sonia, meanwhile, was rooted on the spot as she looked on in disbelief. Finally, herposure crumbled altogether as tears fell down her cheeks. The pair looked so gentle to one another, akin to water, while Dior looked at him emotionally. He once said he would only love her, but at this moment, he yelled at her for another woman. Sonia bit her red lip and felt so much pain that she could not breathe. StilLwas she not the one who caused it all? She left him for a luxurious life. She was the one who turned away this loyal man to another woman. Even if he still felt something for her, what could she give him? She had almost forgotten that she was pregnant, too. Sonia''s eyes turned dull. She looked at Dior, and then at Harry, before she hoarsely, nasally spoke, "I hope you''re happy now, Harry, and not just finding another recement to trigger me. I¡¯ll feel less guilty this way." Dior was speechless. Did Sonia not understand what they said? Harry scoffed. "You don''t have to feel guilty." What he said next was enunciated, word by word, "You no longer existed in my heart!" chapter 1681 chapter 1681 The color drained from Sonia¡¯s face as she felt her head buzzing. Biting her lip, she willed her tears from spilling before she turned to leave, covering her mouth as she did. Another second spent in this house would only suffocate her. "How weird...and arrogant!" Dior limped over slowly to shut the door behind Sonia. Of course, her giddiness from Harry¡¯s words never vanished as she wobbled to his bedside, eyeing him in wonderstruck. "Harry, was what you said true?" Harry looked up coldly and nced at her emotionlessly. "Go and get some rest. Stop annoying me." Dior pouted. Why was he giving her the cold shoulder again? Was he not remarkably kind to her just moments ago? He even admitted that she was his girlfriend, so why the aloofness? Was he pissed off by that cheap woman? Dior was baffled. It was not easy for her to havee to this stage with Harry, and she would not let that woman stop them from getting together. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. One day, she would make that woman so angry that she would crash! Despite her fury, Harry''s words still were the source of her joy. With that, she turned back to bed and laid by her side, unable to peel her gaze off of him. Outside the bamboo house. Charmine wasing back from Anthony¡¯s house, having harvested some vegetables, and started preparing the meal. Inside the kitchen, she was dressed in a simple red silk blouse paired with a high-waist tight dress that clung to her slim waist. She looked sophisticated. Sitting in the kitchen, she exuded a sense akin to describing a surreal angelic creature that descended from heaven to experience the mundane life of a human. She smoothly cut the vegetables, but her mind was gued with the images of Anthony shielding her while neglecting his own safety. She could not shake off how warm his hands were when he hugged her and pulled the rope with her. What was he trying to do? Was he not the one who pushed her away? Why did she feel like he still cared and loved her? Furthermore, he was about to marry Waverly, and he treated Waverly so gently and caringly! Charmine''s heart sank as she recalled the image of Anthony with Waverly... but it made her sober. Anthony had been utterly heartless and merciless to her, and she would not forgive him so easily over the small things he did. Also, Anthony had said that he did these things for Chris¡¯ sake, but so did she. With that, Charmine no longer overanalyzed these things and continued to make Charmine the meal. 4 However, carried away by her thoughts, she-having liked spicy dishes- had forgotten that Anthony was coming over to join in, only recalling the fact that he did not eat spicy things after she realized how the fish dish was covered with chilis. His stomach could get upset, and with him being ill, he should be having milder food. Still, she had already prepared their meal... At that moment, Chris was returning from ying outside when he spotted the dish of spicy fish. He gulped and said, "Wow, Mommy! It''s fish! Smells so good!" Instantly, he thought of something and added, "Mommy, isn''t Daddying over for a meal? He can''t eat spicy food." The fish was bathed in chilis. Charmine pursed her lips, thinking of this as well. Chris blinked his eyes and said, "Mommy, why don''t you make a lighter dish for Daddy? We can have this ourselves. Daddy has stomach problems, and now that he''s ill, he can''t have so much spice." Charmine turned to look at Chris, but just before she nodded, a masculine, maic voice was heard from outside the door. "No need." With that, Anthony''s tall figure emerged and entered the house. chapter 1682 chapter 1682 Anthony''s footsteps sounded stable as ever. Apart from his pale face, he did not look like he was almost dying a moment ago. Chris went over to support him caringly, saying, "Daddy, Mommy didn''t do it on purpose. We¡¯ve been eating spicy food here the whole while, you see." Anthony nodded and looked at Charmine, thoughtfullymenting, "You don¡¯t have to redo it; I can eat it." Charmine had been worn out throughout the day, and Anthony did not want to cause her more trouble. The fact also remained that...she made this meal. Even if it was poisonous, he would finish them all without frowning. These were just chilis, anyway. As long as he could eat with her, so what if his stomach bled? Before Chris and Charmine could react, Anthony walked over to bring the dishes outside. He sat by the side to get the cutleries. He looked at Chris and said, "What are you standing there for? Bring your Mommy out to eat." "Oh, okay!" Chris instantly took Charmine''s hand into his. "Seems like Daddy is fine with it, Mommy, so let''s just carry on. Let''s go and eat!" Chris, too, did not want to cause Charmine any more trouble. Anthony could also have the fish so that he would not hurt his stomach. The breeze was refreshing outside, and the golden sunshine''s rays peeked through the branches, giving the surroundings a golden touch. Anthony, Charmine, and Chris sat in the front yard under the tree and had the long-overdue meal. Anthony caringly scooped some rice for Charmine and ced them on her te. Chris squinted giddily as he watched Anthony and Charmine seemingly losing the distance between them, offering his bowl to Anthony as he did. " Just give me some till it''s half-full, Daddy!" Anthony looked at him coldly. "Scoop some yourself." Chris was baffled. How was this his father?! Hmph! Pouting, Chris scooped half a bowl for himself. During the meal, Charmine sat opposite Anthony, but though there were many instances that she could have looked at him, she did not once look at him. She was only taking care of Chris all along. Anthony, meanwhile, gazed at her meaningfully all the whole. His gaze was gentle as he looked straight at her. The truth was that his stomach started to cramp after a few bites due to the spices...but Charmine made this dish. He must not waste it! Anthony acted as if nothing was happening. He continued to eat mouthfuls of the dish, unperturbed by the chilis as he ate. 2 After the meal, Charmine was startled to find the tepletely cleared except for some inedible dried chilis. She and Chris had only eaten the fish. Had Anthony just...eaten the rest of the fish, including the chilis? Finally, she could not help looking at him, only then realizing that beads of cold sweat were all across his striking face. He seemed to be pained with his veins protruding on his temples. He seemed visibly tense. He knew he was severely ill and could not eat such spicy food. Why would he eat, still? "Have you not been eating in the past three days?" asked Charmine, stunned. Perhaps he was just hungry and not what she was thinking. However... Anthony looked up at her and said, "No. You made the dish with so much effort, so why would I waste it?" Charmine was stupefied, unable to deny the gust of emotions that whirled within her. Her hardened heart somewhat softened at him. Anthony sounded and looked earnest, and she could clearly feel his sincerity. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Still, why would he do that? Did he regret it after dumping her? Did he want to get back with her? Who did he think she was? Was she someone he could dump and get back with whenever he liked!? Charmine was so angry that she wanted to swear at him, but noticing how sweaty he was and the wound that remained on his shoulder, she could not force them out. She even felt...bad for him. When she sensed this, Charmine''s hands tightened. D*mn it! What was she thinking? Did she just feel bad for him?! chapter 1683 chapter 1683 Was she, Charmine, actually feeling bad for this douchebag? Anthony had been utterly cold-blooded to her. The pain he suffered was nothing inparison to that. He cheated on her, and for that, must not be forgiven! Recalling how he had slept with Waverly, Charmine''s softened expression turned dark and tense once more. Noticing her gaze, Anthony''s heart sank. Did she have a shback? She seemed rather epting a moment ago, so why was she so taut all of a sudden? Anthony pursed his lips and cleared up the table. ''Til do the dishes." Charmine looked at him coldly but was unable to shake off how... conflicted she felt. What was wrong with her? She even said yes to letting him eat with her for three days, all because he protected her? This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. He had protected others, too. She had gone too easy on him, and this must not continue! It had only been a few days, yet she had been opening up to him. What would happen down the line? If she softened even more after this... No. A douche like him was not worth her attention at all! Charmine turned to look at the man doing the dishes and walked toward him. Anthony was doing the dishes when he heard footstepsing his way, and he turned toward her, asking, "Is there something else? Just tell me, and I''ll do them. You just get some rest." Charmine rposed herself and shot him a cold stare, scoffing at him. " Just pack up and return to Burlington, Anthony." Anthony stiffened at that, and his expectant gaze grew murky in confusion. "Why?" "We don''t have specialists here, and you have to treat your snake-bite wound. Also, you have flu-like symptoms, and it''s time to get treated. If you stay here, they''ll only worsen," stated Charmine coldy. Anthony frowned. Was Charmine chasing him back? She had just softened toward him today, too, so why the sudden shift to a cold shoulder? He remained persistent. "My illness is nothing, and the doctor said that the poison has been cleared up. Also, Chloe also said there are some herbs on the mountain that could treat my cold." He did not even give her a chance to retort as he looked at her darkly. "Ms. Jordan, are you worried about me?" Charmine halted. What a douche! She already made it clear, yet he still acted dumb? She scoffed. "Not at all¡ªI just don''t want you to die here. Chris will be worried. If you insist you¡¯re fine, then whatever. Just don''t show your face in front of me, or I¡¯ll stab you." Charmine was ruthless in the way she spoke, and her eyes were harsh and emotionless. Anthony frowned. Why did she change so abruptly? "That might not happen," hemented. "Have you not forgotten that you''ve promised to let me eat here for three days?" Chris suddenly appeared in front of the kitchen and grinned. "Mommy, I heard that, too. You can''t break your promise, and you must be honest!" 1 D*mn it! Why did she say yes to that deal? It was a huge mistake! Despite regretting it, Charmine must not break her promise in front of the child. At this rate, she could only leave quietly. Chris looked at how adorably angry Charmine was and grinned at Anthony. "Daddy, how did I do?" "Very well. Keep it up." With that said, Anthony''s tension finally broke. He reached out to hold onto the table by the side as his other hand was ced on his cramping stomach. chapter 1684 chapter 1684 Chris noticed his father''s behavior, and his tiny face scrunched in worry as he walked toward Anthony to support him. "Daddy, are you having a stomach cramp again?" He knew that consuming so much spicy food would upset Anthony''s stomach. "It''s not a big deal," answered Anthony calmly, "just go and take care of your Mommy. Don''t let her get too tired, and call for me if anything happens." Thinking of how tired Charmine must have been, Chris nodded and left. Anthony grabbed at his cramping belly though finished washing the dishes. He cleaned up the house, wanting to provide for Charmine a rxing atmosphere, before he headed back to his small house. Charmine walked out of her house, and she was furious. How could she start to care about that douchebag? This was ridiculous! This man could destroy her at this rate! No way! Charmine headed toward the construction site and forced her mind to go nk. She put on her safety helmet and dived into work. She involved herself in the construction and even helped to cut the trees. Her entire being emanated cold prominence. Her aloof figure was a sight for sore eyes at the sight, so much so that all the men admired her. Immersed in their work, the day progressed until the evening. The sun was setting, and half of the sky was red. The workers at the farms finished work as well. The houses were lit from the inside as smoke from people cooking wafted out of these homes. The breeze revitalized Charmine as she let the workers off early and was about to harvest some vegetables...before she recalled something. Anthony wasing over to have dinner tonight! Images of Anthony¡¯s handsome face haunted her once more, causing her judgment to be shrouded. If this went on, she would- No. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. She must make Anthony leave this ce sooner and have him far away from her sight, forever. Charmine squinted, not even gathering a few vegetables as she made her way to buy some ice cubes at the shop before heading home. When she pushed the door open, she was shocked to find Anthony and Chris trimming the flowers and nts in her yard. Both of them looked so harmonious together, petrifying Charmine on the spot. It was as if ...they were a family of three, living a good life in this vige. "Mommy!" Chris walked toward her happily before eyeing the stic filled with ice cubes in her hand. "Mommy, why are you holding onto a stic of ice cubes?" he asked. Charmine snapped out from her thoughts and nced at Anthony. "It¡¯s getting warm, so Mommy will make ceviche tonight. What do you think?" "Alright!" Chris pped happily. "Mommy, I haven''t tried that before, and I can''t wait!" Charmine nodded and ignored Anthony as she walked into the kitchen to start prepping. Anthony watched her back and followed her inside. "Do you need me to do anything?" he asked. "No need." Charmine red at him. ''The one thing you should do is to stay away from me." Anthony frowned, nced at her once more, and went out. A momentter, he walked back in again with a handful of ingredients, saying, "Do you use this to make the dish?" Charmine red at him impatiently. "Can''t you understand what I say? Stay away from me!" Anthony acted as if he did not hear anything, answering his own question, " Let''s use this, then." With that said, he started to cut off a few sticks and made fire, much to Charmine''s befuddlement. She could not be bothered to argue with him, though. She walked out with the ice cubes and made cold drinks in the front yard. After crushing the ice cubes, she added strawberry syrup,pleting a smoothie. Inside the kitchen, Anthony had finished cooking the ingredients. He walked out and asked, "Do you add anything to the ceviche?" Charmine, knowing what she wanted to do, finally answered to him, "I''ll do the rest." When he heard how gentle her response was to him, Anthony thought he had touched her once more and looked at her warmly. "Okay. Just let me know if there¡¯s anything I can help with." chapter 1685 chapter 1685 Anthony walked out of the kitchen while Charmine walked back inside, stirring the sliced fish cubes that she took out from the fridge and chopping chives and parsleys. Once done, she added a few squeezes of lime into the te, stirring it once more, and brought it out in bowls. Chris gulped as he ogled the smoothie and the bowls of ceviche. "Mommy, they look delicious!" "Have more, then," offered Charmine. "Alright, then!" Chris instantly took up his fork and started eating. Charmine remained calm as she, too, started eating, and elegantly so. Anthony, meanwhile, sat just opposite her, his gaze growing conflicted as he became emotional. Did she hate him that much? He still had his fever, and having cold food like these would upset his stomach further! Charmine was a clever woman; she definitely knew about this! Did she...do this on purpose? Was it to kick him out of here? Still, how could he leave her like this? Anthony stared at the ice-cold ceviche and dug in regardless. Even if this was arsenic, he would still eat them all. He narrowed his eyes and acted oblivious, his handsome face calm as he picked up the fork and started eating. Charmine, noticing just how Anthony enjoyed himself, could not help looking at him. Was he genuinely not aware of what happened? No, he would not be that much of a fool. Did this mean...that he knew what was happening yet chose to eat these dishes, still? Charmine pursed her lips and grew conflicted with this, thus she looked away and continued eating. Anthony finished his bowl of ceviche silently, and he did not even leave out the ice cubes, too. Once done, he picked up the smoothie by the side and drank it all up...much to Charmine''s surprise. She noticed how his face grew pale and visibly tense. He looked in pain but tried so hard to cover it up. Meeting her gaze, Anthony yed it cool as he gently said, "Thank you for the delicious meal. See you tomorrow." As if in a hurry, he did not even wait for Chris and Charmine to react before he left the house quickly. Charmine felt disconcerted as she watched Anthony¡¯s retreating form. Why did he finish the food, even though he suffered from eating them? What was Anthony trying to do? 3 Upon reaching the side of the road, Anthony¡¯s stomach was so upset that he could not hold back from throwing up. This went on for a good while, and he threw up so much that he grew lightheaded. Zoe, meanwhile, was on her way to see if, by chance, Charmine was suddenly dead. After crossing the bridge, however, she spotted Anthony standing on his own. Was he throwing up? Heh. Perfect timing! She had to use this time to take care of him and win his heart! With her eyes shining calctingly, Zoe hurried to Anthony''s side, reaching to grab his arm as she fretted, "President Bailey..." Upon contact, however, Anthony instinctively flung her hand away. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. He snapped out of his thoughts and saw the person in front of him. Visibly irked, he snapped, "Go away!" Zoe acted as if he did not hear him. She stood by his side and asked caringly, "President Bailey, what happened? Why are you throwing up so badly?" Zoe¡¯s voice, not too loud or soft, was heard by Charmine, who was inside the house. Anthony threw up? Charmine squinted as she walked out of the house. When she opened the door, she saw Anthony, face lost of its lively color. He threw up so much that he struggled to stand upright. Zoe, meanwhile, stood by his side, seemingly caring as she gently rubbed his back. Spotting them both, Charmine''s red lips curled into a smirk. She nced at Anthony proudly and remarked, "You asked for this. Do you think I''d be touched that you finished the meal? Funny-you only look like a fool to me!" chapter 1686 chapter 1686 Anthony jolted at Charmine''s words, and he looked at her warily. Why would she have such extreme thoughts? Did she hate him to death? Anthony pursed his pale lips and asked, "Did you make those cold dishes to drive me out?" "Yes!" Charmine was upfront with her thoughts as she scoffed, "I don''t want to see you anymore. Every second I look at you, I feel disgusted!" C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Anthony''s already listless body jolted. It was as if he just took a blow that he staggered. Zoe grabbed onto him just in time, but he moved away harshly, leaving her standing awkwardly on the spot before recalling what Charmine had said. Charmine knew he could not eat cold food...yet she still made the food to stress his body? With a thought, she red at Charmine and barked, "Are you insane? Are you trying to harm him? He treated you so well, yet you''d do this to him?" "Shut up!" Anthony cut Zoe off ruthlessly before she could continue rambling. He red at Zoe darkly and scoffed, "What right do you have to scold her? This is between just me and Charmine; who are you to step in?" Zoe was frozen on the spot. "President Bailey... I was worried about you..." "It''s none of your business! I¡¯ll finish whatever drinks she makes for me, even if it''s poisonous. Now, get lost!" Anthony''s tone was frigid and heartless, but his words made Charmine pause. He would drink whatever she made for him, even if it was poisonous? Suddenly, Charmine had a shback. Long ago, no matter what she did, even if she was against the world, Anthony would support her and do anything for her. At present, however... When Charmine thought of what he had done to her, the soft tingle of warmth instantly vanished. Her eyes gleamed with contempt as she coldlyughed. "Is that so? I''ll poison the dish tomorrow, then. I hope Mr. Bailey keeps his word." Charmine did not even wait for his reply before heading back home and shutting the door, which Anthony gazed at dully. What else could he do to make her return to her old self? Zoe scoffed. "Why so arrogant? She¡¯s even talking about poisoning the dish! If she dares to do so, I''ll call the police to apprehend her if anything happens to President Bailey!" With that said, she looked at Anthony pleasingly. "President Bailey, don''t worry. I won¡¯t let her hurt you!" Anthony however, red at Zoe coldly, his eyes seeminglyyered thinly with frost. "Get lost! If you speak another word about her, I''ll make sure you don''t see the sun tomorrow!" "What?" Zoe''s heart plummeted at the way he regarded her, seeing just how evilly he looked at her. She just made a few remarks on Charmine, yet he would kill her for that? Did he care about that cheap woman that much? She was so terrified that her face lost all of its colors, and it took her a while to react. Anthony did not want to care about her anymore. He turned back to his house coldly. The cramp that eased up slightly came back again. He walked into the bathroom and started throwing up again. The two houses were only one wall away... Thus, Charmine could hear Anthony''s groans of pain. She frowned and felt confused. Chris also heard Anthony as he urged, "Mommy, why don''t we go and check on Daddy? He''s badly hurt right now, and he must be feeling bad." Charmine, however, remained unperturbed. "No need." He knew this would happen, yet he chose to eat. That was solely his decision! The best oue would be him not being in agony throughout the night, causing him to retreat to Burlington instantly. chapter 1687 chapter 1687 Chris¡¯ face scrunched as his worry overtook him. Pursing her lips at the sight of a worried Chris, Charmine added, "If you¡¯re worried about your father, you can go and check on him." "What about you, Mommy?" Chris gazed at her expectantly, eyes wide with hope. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. "I''m not going," came Charmine''s simple answer. "Alright, then..." Chris reluctantly walked out of the house, his figure seemingly deste as he did. Charmine willed herself to remain aloof as she sat in the living room, with one hand supporting her face. Despite that, her thoughts ran rampant. Within a few minutes, Chris'' rmed, urgent voice was heard from the other side, "Daddy, don''t scare me...! Why are you throwing up blood?" Throwing up blood? Was it that bad? Charmine''s heart clenched at the thought as her hand on the table twitched. Anthony was that sickly because of her. It made sense for her to go and check up on him, no? Charmine could not stop herself from standing up, wanting to go to Anthony''s house. Just as she got to the door, however, a thought urred to Charmine, ''So what if it¡¯s severe?'' She made the dish for this to happen. He had to be severely ill so he would leave the vige and get professional help in Burlington. In this case, this matter should not have troubled her, yes. From the moment Anthony came into the vige, however, Charmine was thrown off bnce. Frowning, Charmine turned the doorknob and walked out of the house, but instead of heading toward Anthony''s house, she walked toward the field instead. In the past two days, Anthony had disoriented her mind, and she had to get a breather to clear up her mind. She must not fall for his act. Arriving in the field, Charmine relished the breeze that blew by. She gazed at the lighting from the houses and felt the warmth families in these houses radiated. Charmine''s anxiousness receded with this. As Charmine continued to walk, she spotted a beautiful figure not too far from her...who was also walking toward her. Both women maintained eye contact before the other woman eximed, "Charmine?" "Dior?" The surprised Dior came toward Charmine and said, "Why are you out here alone thiste?" Dior''s cast on her leg had been removed, but her arm was still bandaged. This did not seem to bother her, however, as she happily chirped, "My leg has pretty much recovered. The doctor said I can go out for a walk, so I came out to enjoy the night skies in this vige. What about you? Why are you here on your own?" Noticing Charmine frowning, Dior probed, "Something''s on your mind?" Charmine shook her head. "It''s nothing. I just came out for some air." Dior frowned and looked at her. ''Your face tells me that something''s on your mind." Slinging an arm around Charmine''s shoulder, Dior replied," I¡¯m your best friend. Tell me anything-it''s bad to bottle things up. Let me be your listener." Charmine turned to look at her. Recalling just how frustrated she was after everything that had happened with Anthony, she thought for a moment and said, "I do have something on my mind. Regarding Anthony." Dior''s interest was piqued right off the bat, and she looked at Charmine readily for gossip. Charmine said, "He broke up with me out of the blue not long ago. He left and went ahead to n his wedding with Waverly. I took a long while to walk out of it, but when I finally let go of him, he showed up right at my face and wouldn''t leave me alone..." Charmine looked visibly distressed as she spoke, her frustration evident in her eyes. Dior frowned. "Isn''t it a good thing? He wouldn¡¯t let you go, so you two can go back to what it was." "Heh." Charmine scoffed. "To me, once he leaves, there''s no going back!" Her voice was clear and crisp. However, Dior could clearly see the confused look in her eyes. It was not as simple as she made it sound. chapter 1688 chapter 1688 Dior could not help asking again, "So, you hate him, but you can¡¯t help having feelings for him in the past few days? Your heart just opens to him against your will?" "You can say that." Charmine sighed and looked up at the sky full of stars, unable to mask how troubled she sounded. Dior could not helpughing. "Ahaha! And here I thought it was something serious! Is this it? Why are you overthinking it? Maybe he had a reason for being heartless back then. After all, everyone could tell how much he loved you before that; he''d give up his life for yours! How could he fall for another woman so easily? Who knows, maybe there''s something he can''t tell you, which exins why he acted that way, and now that it''s over, he came back for you. Don''t you think so?" This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Charmine halted. He had a reason? What reason could it be? There was nobody in the world who would threaten him! StilL.what Dior said did make some sense as well. 2 In the past, Anthony would do anything for her. How would he fall in love with another woman so easily? Did he really have his reasons, then? If he did, he could have told her about them. Why did he take such a different route instead? Seeing Charmine still conflicted, Dior said, "Whatever he''s going through, even if he''s with Waverly now, you''re the one he cares about. You''re adored by someone else''s husband, while Waverly is still so proud of getting with him! If she finds out how well Anthony is treating you, that he came all the way here to protect you and would give up his life for you, oh, she''d be pissed!" 2 Charmine was speechless. What logic was this? Dior continued advising, sounding as though experienced, ''Think about it, too: What had Anthony done for Waverly? He merely gave her a title. His true heart has always been with you. Who knows, perhaps her family is threatening him with something, and he had to marry her. That¡¯s why he did this to you. He¡¯s always loved you sincerely." Charmine pursed her lips. Thinking back, Anthony had only given Waverly a title and a few other superficial things, but nothing else. For Charmine, however...he offered her his heart sincerely, evident especially in the past few days. She had seen everything he did for her. It seemed that Anthony had been treating her like how he did when they were together. Dior held Charmine''s shoulder and concluded, "Charmine, since when have you be so uncertain? Just let it be; let it take its course. Don''t overthink it. If Anthony is treating you well now, enjoy it. Even if he''s going to marry Waverly one day, he''s now with you! Just treat it as taking a go at Waverly, and just think of it as taking it easy on yourself, too. After all... you''re the one suffering if you go against him!" Charmine halted and was unable to stop Dior''s words from ringing in her ears. Since when had she be so uncertain? Yes, she should let it all be. She should take a go at Waverly and rest easy. 1 She was the one who suffered when she tried to antagonize Anthony, too. The confusion in Charmine''s gaze dispersed as her eyes became clearer. " Thank you for tonight, Dior. I think I know what to do." Grinning happily, Dior pulled Charmine closer as she gazed up at the starry sky. ''That''s my girl! Life isn''t that serious, so why overthink it? As long as you¡¯re happy now; that''s all that matters!" Just like her and Harry. He had been utterly heartless toward her from the get-go. If she did not take a chance, how could she havee so far? Harry gradually opened up to her, too. Charmine nodded and suddenly felt what Dior said at the end made a lot of sense. chapter 1689 chapter 1689 As long as Charmine was happy, that was all that mattered. Dior and Charmine conversed for a long while at the field. By the time she returned home, Charmine felt less confused than before. Seeing her empty house, Charmine debated for a while before she headed out to find medicine for stomach ache relief from the clinic. Once done, she made her way to the small house nearby hers. Inside the house... Anthony, suffering from a bad stomach cramp, leaned on the sofa. When he heard the door opening, he opened his eyes gradually. His eyes lit up instantly upon noticing it was Charmine. The way she looked-gentle,ced in worry-made him feel as if it was the same Charmine who used to care about him a lot. His heart tingled with warmth as he blurted out her name, "Charmine..." Charmine looked at him and was more assured of her thought. No matter what happened in the past or what would happen in the future, at least at this moment, she could feel his love. She should care less and live in the present. "Mommy!" Chris walked over and waved at her happily. "Mommy, you came because you¡¯re worried about Daddy, aren¡¯t you?" Surprisingly, Charmine did not disagree. Instead, she gazed at the pale-faced Anthony and asked, "Are you feeling better?" Sure, her tone was not that endearing, but it was not as harsh as the past few days. Anthony instantly felt his blood growing warm. Was Charmine...actually speaking to him calmly? "Daddy, Mommy is speaking to you!" Chris stood by the side and nudged Anthony happily. Anthony snapped out of his thoughts and gently replied, "Much better, don¡¯t worry." "Oh." Charmine ced the medicines that she had picked up onto the table and said, ''This is to relieve the cramps. Three times per day, after a meal." Anthony was once more befuddled as he stared at Charmine in disbelief. She brought him medicine? What...happened? Whatever it was, so long as she was treating him better, anything would get better! "Alright!" he answered. Charmine nodded and looked at Chris. "Momo, let''s go home." "Okay!" Chris, seeing Anthony and Charmine on better terms, was over the moon. Grabbing Charmine¡¯s hand, Chris turned to look at Anthony and winked, seemingly telepathically telling him, ''Keep up the good work.¡¯ Anthony had never felt so at peace before. His eyes felt hot with tears, and he smiled weakly, i He leaned on the sofa and watched as the two most important people in his life exited his house as a euphoric feeling washed over him. His effort at the vige finally paid off. Charmine was, atst, not as harsh anymore! 2 As long as she could be more epting, any sacrifice he had to make was worth it. With that, he could go on to treat his body. Charmine woke up early the next day and cooked porridge. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Once she was finished, she woke Chris up and said, "Dear, go and ask your Daddy to have breakfast." "Haha!" Chris thought of what happenedst night and could not fight back the grin that spread across his face. "Mommy, have you forgiven Daddy?" he chirped. "Will you two be together, forever and ever?" Charmine halted. Forever? That seemed rather distant. She once pictured and anticipated her future with Anthony, holding hands and growing old with him, but... She dared not dream of it anymore. She looked at Chris and softly replied, "I don''t know what the future holds, but for now, I won''t kick your Daddy out." To this, Chris was instantly exhrated. chapter 1690 chapter 1690 "Yay! This is amazing!" Chris excitedly hugged Charmine as he cheered. It was not easy for Charmine to have said that. Slowly, she would open her heart more. Chris jumped out of bed with a sense of purpose. He made his bed before he went out to call for Anthony, "Daddy, Mommy is asking you toe over for breakfast! Hehe!" Anthony, at that moment, was sitting on the sofa, doing his work. "Alright," he responded, peering up at him. Putting aside his work, he stood up and grabbed Chris'' hand as they made their way to Charmine''s bamboo house. He saw Charmine bringing out a few bowls to the front yard. He walked toward her and asked, "Is there something I can help with?" Strangely, Charmine did not turn him down as she, instead, replied, "Bring out the breakfast." "Okay." Anthony walked into the kitchen and saw a big bowl of porridge. Did she make this with him in mind? Could she have made this porridge with the thought of his upset stomach, wanting to soothe it? He felt a surge of warmth, touched by the gesture...yet was suspicious as well. What happened to Charmine?This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Did she not want to kill him? Everything shifted to a 180-degree yesterday, and even though her attitude was still cold, Charmine was not as harsh. It all changed so quickly. Not knowing the answer, Anthony eventually gave up thinking about it. Furthermore... He thought of hisplication, and his eyes dulled in contemtion. Anthon had no idea how long these days wouldst. Since Charmine was less harsh on him, he should cherish the moment and try to talk her out of her stubbornness. 2 Anthony brought out therge bowl of porridge and sat opposite Charmine. He nced at her emotionally and scooped a bowl of porridge for her. He found a simple topic to start off with and began, "How''s the development of the vige getting on?" Charmine looked at him dully and said, "Not bad." She no longer ignored him like she did yesterday, though there was no rise and fall in the way she spoke. It was as if he was a stranger and not her enemy. Of course, Anthony found this to be a good start. He said, "Let me know if there''s anything I can do to help." Charmine nodded. The two would exchange words from time to time. Even though Charmine answered him dully, she was starting to acknowledge his presence. After breakfast, Anthony offered to clean the dishes in the kitchen, to which Charmine allowed him to. Meanwhile, she rested with Chris in the front yard when Chris piped up," Mommy, Daddy and I have yet to finish trimming the nts yesterday. Let''s finish it now so that our home looks pretty!" ''Our home''... This was the first time those words sounded so beautiful to her. "Alright, then,¡± answered Charmine as she looked at Chris. With that, Charmine and Chris started cutting off the dried leaves in the front yard. When Anthony came out of the kitchen, he saw how harmonious Charmine and Chris were, and he smiled at them. He sat in the pavilion and lit up a cigarette. Smoke rose and clouded his vision as he gazed at them both. How he wished time could stop at this moment. He would give up anything for them to stay next to him. This was all he wanted. s... Chris looked back at Anthony, and his doe eyes meaningfully rolled." Daddy,e and help out!" "Okay!" Anthony extinguished the cigarette before he stood up and walked toward them. Chris handed him the scissors and cleverly went into the kitchen. With the scissors at hand, Anthony walked up to Charmine''s side, gazing at her deeply. His gaze averted to the thorns on the roses and reminded gently, "Be careful; don''t get hurt." chapter 1691 chapter 1691 Charmine paused for a moment before nodding at Anthony. With that, Anthony cut off the thorns and left Charmine with only smaller nts to deal with. Meanwhile, Chris entered the kitchen and grinned at the thought of his n. Connecting a hose to the water source and turning it on, he then took it outside happily and started watering the nts. "I''m watering the nts." Charmine and Anthony had no idea of what Chris was up to. As his gaze flickered to and fro, Chris swiftly shifted the hose in their direction, shooting them with water as he seriously eximed, "I need to water them, too!¡± The water assailed Anthony and Charmine like a heavy downpour. "Agh!" Charmine cried out in shock. Just like that, Charmine and Anthony''s backs were drenched in water. Anthony reacted and instinctively shielded Charmine from the water. He then turned to look at the water that only grew stronger, then at Chris darkly. "What are you doing?" "Watering the nts!" Chris answered as he cleverly moved the water and pointed it directly at Charmine, all while winking at Anthony as signals. ''Daddy, it''s time for you to be a hero!¡¯ The water pelted against both of them, and Charmine was thoroughly wet. Flipping her hair to the side, she helplessly yelled, all while moving away, " Chris, turn down the water!" However, Chris'' eyes were fixed on them. "Mommy and Daddy can¡¯t run away!" Charmine and Anthony were speechless. Was this boy doing this on purpose? However, seeing the innocent grin on Chris¡¯ face, they had no heart to chastise. The only option left for them was to flee from the spouting water. Chris¡¯ tiny figure gave chase as he intentionally directed the hose pipe at Charmine. Floosh! The water shot toward Charmine. Just as Charmine attempted to dodge the water, Anthony''s tall figure suddenly emerged, shielding her from the water entirely though drenching him in the process. Charmine gazed at Anthony, all soaked, then at his wide shoulders, conflicted. Despite water droplets raining down on them, Charmine was spared whenever Anthony protected her like this. Charmine had always been self-reliant, notcking any sense of security. At this very moment, however, she felt it nketing her warmly. It truly felt for her that even if the sky fell, Anthony would safeguard her, still. For that, Charmine was impassioned. She watched as Anthony walked toward the water to get to Chris, yet even then, Anthony, at this moment, was surreal to her. Charmine would have been the happiest woman on earth had nothing broken her heart. s...something did. Just like broken ss, no matter how one tried to glue the pieces back, they would not be the same. Although Charmine chose to ease herself and let everything take its course, it did not mean that she had forgiven Anthony. Anthony walked toward Chris, but Chris was still pointing the pipe at them both. Knowing he could not stop Chris, Anthony walked back to Charmine. Noticing how unkempt her hair was, Anthony instinctively reached out and tucked her hair behind her ears. Charmine was rooted on the spot and forgot how to react as she stared at Anthony wide-eyed, allowing him to tuck her hair as he pleased. This did not go unseen by Chris, too, and he stopped aiming the hose at them. His gaze shifted around as he eyed them both. Anthony should be kissing Charmine, right? 1 That was what Chris expected. However... Noticing that the water assault had stopped, Charmine reacted and flipped her hair back. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Anthony''s hand hung mid-air before he put it down. Looking at her drenched clothes, he said, "Go back and get changed. Don¡¯t catch a cold." Charmine nodded coldly at that and swept a nce at his own clothes with water dripping down them. Pursing her lips, she said nothing and turned to walk into the house. Anthony remained still and watched Charmine leave, his expression gentle as he turned to walk away. chapter 1692 chapter 1692 Chris was speechless. Was that it? What happened? He was waiting for Anthony and Charmine to kiss! Were they not getting all chummy already? It seemed that they had not returned to the state they once were in. In that case, he just had to keep working on it! Inside the room... Having changed into a different outfit, Charmine sat by the bedside and looked out of the window, her eyes gleaming as she did. It felt as though the best days from before never ended, that it continued still. Anthony disregarded his fever as he kept her safe. Chris, meanwhile, had not smiled so genuinely for a long time. Truthfully, all of this was good. However... Charmine looked visibly discorded and willed herself to not trouble herself. Inhaling deeply, she then headed out. She went to the vegetable field and brought a handful of vegetables. By the time she went home, it was noon. Anthony had already changed into a different outfit and was conversing with Chris inside the pavilion. Charmine squinted at the sight. She went over, and as she was about to choose the vegetables, Anthony''s tall figure walked toward her. "Let me do it." Charmine did not refuse his help and walked into the kitchen to start the fire. After Anthony had chosen the vegetables, he went inside as well. Spotting Charmine rinsing the chicken, he walked toward her and offered," Let me cut that. You wash the vegetables." Charmine, once more, put up no resistance and washed the vegetables instead. She then started to cut and prepare the ingredients as Anthony started the fire. Anthony did all the heavy-lifting while Charmine wrapped up the lighter tasks. The two of them worked together to prepare the meal while Chris yed in the front yard. The atmosphere felt blissful as if they truly were a family of three. That evening, at the vige chief''s house. Dior''s twisted ankle hadpletely recovered. Her arm was still bandaged, however, so she still could not move as freely. Despite that, she did not seem to care about herself. In the past two days, she had stayed by Harry''s side and taken good care of him, much to the vige chief''s pleasure. She had heard of their conversation with Sonia, too. Apparently, Sonia and Harry had broken up and found herself a rich boyfriend. What Sonia did not know was Harry''s actual asset... Sigh. She was just an olddy, and she should not meddle with the affairs of the young ones. Seeing how sincere Dior was, the vige chief was at ease. Dior had a genial disposition while Harry had a distant personality, courtesy of what had happened in his childhood. The two of themplimented one another, so much so that everything would be amazing if they could stay together. The vige chief made dinner and got to their room. "Dior, Harry, dinner¡¯s ready." "Coming!" replied Dior before she got to Harry''s bedside and supported him with her free arm. 1 Harry looked visibly irked as he looked at Dior coldly, though conflicted in his right. He wanted to let Dior leave, but when he thought of how Sonia was still around, he knew she would make a scene if she came over and saw him alone. The so-called ''making-a-scene'' was her forting'' him, asking him not to feel too bad. He knew exactly what she was thinking. She wanted him to mourn for his loss, to miss her so badly that he missed his meals. This way, she would feel satisfied. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Well, he would never show that to Sonia! With that, Harry allowed Dior to help bring him to the table, and they sat opposite one another. The vige chief spooned some vegetables for Dior and said, "Have some more, Dior. Tell me what you want to eat tomorrow, and I''ll make them for you." Dior smiled. "I like anything you make, Grandma, especially this dish. I won''t be able to find it in town- it''s so yummy!" The vige chief smiled a blissful smile. "If you like it, bring some with you when you go back." chapter 1693 chapter 1693 "Okay." It was as though Dior was the vige chief¡¯s granddaughter-inw. She did not seem to mind that, however, and got along very well with the elderlydy and Chloe. Harry looked at the three of them and continued eating. Dior took up the fork with her bandaged hand, but as she turned to look at Harry, a light bulb was lit in her mind as she rxed her fingers. ng! The fork fell onto the table, causing all heads to turn toward her. Dior had a frown on her face as she feebly muttered, "My hand is hurting again." Putting on the pretense of suffering, Dior bit her lip and lifted the fork again. She then looked at Harry and asked, "Harry, can you feed me?" Harry turned and looked at Dior. Was she not holding the fork before? Was she acting? He pursed his lips. As he was about to refuse, Harry''s gaze that inadvertently shifted to the window spotted a fairdy outside from the corner of his eyes. Although it was a blurry silhouette, he could instantly tell that it was Sonia. Harry refocused on Dior and softened his gaze toward her, worryingly asking, "Is your hand still hurting?" "Yeah." Dior blinked her doe eyes innocently. Harry put on a helpless yet loving look. He put down his fork and took her knife to cut the food for her. He then forked a nice bacon and lifted it to her lips. "Open your mouth." Dior gazed at him, stupefied, yet her eyes gleamed. He was actually feeding her? She was just trying her luck. Did Harry not know she was acting? He looked serious and lovingly concerned. Was he starting to care for her? No, no, no-it was more than just him caring for her. Was he...in love with her already? Dior practically beamed as she parted her lips and ate happily. "So yummy!" she spoke, still chewing. ''This is the best bacon I''ve eaten in this world." Harry looked at her gently. "Eat more if you like it. You''re not going to find this in the city." Dior said, "Grandma said I can bring some home. Are you okay with that?" "Of course," replied Harry. "I''ll get you anything you want, so why won''t I be okay with this?" Harry sounded endearing in the way he spoke. It was as if he would spoil her with anything and would do anything for her. Dior could hardly believe his response; it felt as though this was all just a dream. 2 Harry was changing so quickly that she was unable to react. Had she won over this man''s heart? Given his cold temperament, Harry must have been so in love with her.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Harry''s cold shoulder was all he gave her before he let her into his heart, but once he did, he would spoil her with anything. His gentleness would only be hers. Dior looked at Harry and smiled lovingly. "I want the beans." Harry instantly scooped some beans and brought them to Dior''s lips." Careful, they¡¯re hot." Dior opened her mouth and weed the somewhat spicy beans into her mouth. They tasted sweet. She relished in this feeling of bliss. Sonia, who was outside the door, saw everything transpired. She clenched her fists as her eyes burned with jealousy. D*mn it! Since when did Harry be so gentle? Even when he was head over heels for her, he never treated her that sweetly before. All he would do was put food on her te! chapter 1694 chapter 1694 Was Harry actually feeding that arrogant woman? Was he that enamored with her?! ''I, Harry Cogen, will only love Sonia for the rest of my life. I will love her ''till myst breath. My wife will only be Sonia.'' Were those not his words from before? Ha...! Haha! Oh, Harry Cogen! Although she was the one who severed their rtionship, it was solely because of financial reasons. She had to break things off with Harry because of that, yet he was still the man she loved. What did Harry do? Within a month after breaking up, he had fallen in love with another woman. That meant the promise he made was nothingpared to money, and Sonia would not give in! Sonia looked away and left angrily. If Harry was so in love with that woman, she would show him how much better her new lover was. That new woman of his, in turn, would be inferior to her. What was love? In no time, the woman would find out that even though love was everything, reality would dampen everything...and Sonia did not believe that love could withstand it all. Sonia scoffed and went home. If Harry stopped caring for her, she would just marry George, then, i They would have a big wedding and make sure everyone in Burlington would hear about it. She wanted Harry to know that he would never be hers again. If he could forget about her so easily, she would not make it easy for him, either! Sonia clenched her fists and returned home, only to find the residence empty. Where did George go? Sonia frowned and took out her phone, trying to make a phone call, when she heard a gentle voice coming from the bedroom. "I miss you, too..." 1 Sonia paused at that. This was George''s voice! This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Who was he calling? Why did he sound so gentle? Did he have a lover behind her back? The audacity! Sonia''s gaze grew icily hostile as she marched toward the door. Just as she was about to push the door open and question him of what she had heard, his voice once more resonated from the room, "Don''t be upset, my darling wife..." 3 Sonia was petrified on the spot, and for a moment, she even thought she was hallucinating. ''My darling wife''? She was his darling! Who was he calling, darling wife? Sonia''s body became tense as she could not help herself from listening on. "Don''t be mad, my darling wife. I''m only here to apany her for a few days. I''lle home soon." "She''s now pregnant, so I need to do it her way. If she gets angry, her baby might get affected. It¡¯s our family''s heir!" 1 "No, no, why would I? Why would I fall for her? If it wasn''t for her ideal genes, I wouldn''t take another nce at this superficial woman! "I don''t me you, my darling wife. You need to know that you''re the one I love. That''s why I didn''t tell my family about your infertility. Otherwise, if my parents find out, they¡¯ll force us to get a divorce. "I¡¯m staying with her for the sake of the baby in her stomach. Please, just bear for a while longer, alright? I''ve only touched her once. Once the baby is out, I''ll make her leave!" 1 Sonia stood outside the door, her face pale like snow. She covered her lips in disbelief as her eyes became red-rimmed. 1 Was she dreaming? The man, who spoiled her and would give her anything, had a wife? He was only that kind to her for the sake of the baby, all because his wife was infertile? That was why he wanted her to bear the child? Moreover...he would make her leave after birthing the baby? Was he just using her all this while?! Sonia felt like an utter fool. 2 She felt like all her dreams were crushed at this instance. chapter 1695 chapter 1695 Sonia''s dream of bing a rich wife, marrying into George''s rich family, having a taste of his rich family business, had all vanished. She still innocently believed that she could marry a rich man, despite herselfing from a humble background, and that life would change for her. She dumped Harry for this goaL.but she was the fool in the end. Quite the irony, this was. 2 Sonia clenched her fists. No. She refused to go down this route. She was never one to be trampled on. She would not let George get his way! Sonia was so angry that she wanted to beat him up, but just as her hand reached for the doorknob, she became still. Could she fight George? Even if she interrogated him or beat him up, what could she get? Only a warning, most likely. George''s family owned a bigpany in Burlington. If this incident went up the news, he could easily use her of seducing him. By then, Sonia would have lost her reputation and had to hide from street to street. She would not be able to stay in Burlington. Without a choice, Sonia forced her anger down her throat, her dark, cold eyes burning in regret as she did. If George was merely using her to have his baby, then he better not use her of being heartless. She could get over the dream of having a wedding with this overweight man...but she still had to get his money! Once she took his money from him, she would then abort the baby. This man would never take the child from her! George expected her baby to be his and his wife''s? Ha! He might as well dream about it! Sonia scoffed and reached out to caress her t belly. Acting as though nothing happened, she smirked darkly and walked out of the house. As she swept a nce across the quiet surroundings, her eyesnded on the house opposite the stream, and she could not look away. Harry... A good man he was, and she devastated him. Could she rekindle their rtionship...? Sonia could not help walking toward the house. Just as she got under the tree, however, she suddenly remembered that he already had another woman. She would only getughed at if she went inside at this point. Sonia bit her lip, rooted where she stood as she gazed at the light that illuminated the house. She recalled the times she and Harry had spent together, realizing then and there that only Harry treated her the best. He had loved her and spoiled her... Although he could not give her the world, he gave her his entire world. All that, and she turned a sincere man like him away for the sake of money. She must not lose an earnest man like Harry. Sonia went through everything mentally. If she exined to Harry and told him that she was a victim herself, that George had taken advantage of her and set her up from the start, Harry would forgive her. By then, she could abort the baby and then knock out a chunk of cash from George to fund Harry. With Harry''s intelligence, he would make something of his own. They would then live happily ever after, no longer suffering from theck of money! Furthermore, Harry was dating a rich woman, and he probably got tired of living a frugal life as well. Even if it was for the few millions Sonia would get from the baby, Harry would get back with her. That woman, Dior, might as well get out of the way. Harry probably was in this rtionship for the money! This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Harry would only love her, Sonia, and no one else! Dior''s mood had elevated to a new level after having experienced Harry''s soft side. The sky was bright even after dinner. She asked Charmine out on a walk to the bamboo bridge. They enjoyed the night breeze and gazed at the night sky. i Noticing just how bright Dior seemed, Charmine could not help asking, " Ms. Granger, any news to share?*'' "Hehe!" Dior looked at Charmine and eximed, all smiles and prideful, " Charmine, get ready-l''m getting married soon. You muste to my wedding!" "Huh?" Charmine raised an eyebrow at her. "You''re getting married? With Harry?" chapter 1696 chapter 1696 "Yeah." Dior could not mask the happiness in her eyes as she dered," I''ve gotten him now-hook, line, and sinker. He treated me so sweetly for the past two days. I just found out that a good-looking guy doesn''t necessarily have to be a yer. He can also be gentle andmitted to a woman...and I''m this woman!" Dior, hopelessly in love, added, "His ex came to look for him yesterday, but when she ran her mouth at me in front of him, he spoke up for me and asked her to leave. Furthermore, during the dinner, I pretended as if my hand was hurting and couldn''t use the fork. He knew I was faking it but still hand-fed me. How could I not fall in love with a gentleman like him?" Charmine looked at how happy Dior seemed, and she was happy for her. Her alluring lips curled into a smile as shemented, "Well, you managed to melt a frigid man''s heart." "Haha!" Dior was proud of this. "He''s so reserved. I think he also liked me in the beginning but kept it to himself. Now that he''s so much in love with me, he can¡¯t hide it anymore." "Yeah," said Charmine, "well, congrattions in advance." At the thought that she would be marrying Harry soon and having him for good, the smile broadened on Dior''s face. With one hand supporting her chin, Dior began fantasizing about marriage life. She then looked at Charmine and asked excitedly, "Charmine, what do you think I should name our children?" Charmine was speechless. Their...children? Was it not too soon to think about this? Charmine pursed her lips, and although she had some ideas, she did not want to impose her view on love on Dior. "What name would you like?" she asked. "I can¡¯t think of one yet," she answered. "I want to have a name with meanings." Charmine thought about it and said, "You don''t even know if it¡¯s a boy or girl." "Mmh!" Dior smiled giddily. "So might as welle up with both! I hope they''re twins!" Charmine could not help smiling. "It''s still early; take your time." Dior nodded and started thinking. "If her surname is Cogen, a baby girl will be named Flora Cogen. Flora could represent the flowers that bloom so independently. This name is meaningful! As for a baby boy..." Dior continued, "A baby boy''s name can be anything. Joe sounds good to me. Charmine was speechless. Was Dior serious? Still, Flora did sound like a good name. "The baby girl''s name sounds good," Charmine pointed out, "and as for the baby boy..." They should just sort that outter. Dior smiled proudly. "Haha! That''s it, then! Our baby girl will be Flora, and our baby boy¡¯s name is yet to come!" i This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. With that said, she turned to look at Charmine. "I want my baby Flora and Chris to marry when they grow up!" Charmine''s red lips curled into a smile as she reminded, "You may have to discuss this with Anthony. I can''t make the final decision." i Although Chris had treated her like his actual mother, Anthony was still his actual father, and they would be a family with Waverly. She had no say in this at all. "Hmm?" Dior looked at her. "Why would you say that, Charmine? Didn''t you rekindle your rtionship with Anthony? I saw the three of you ying in the yard this afternoon. You guys look so happy.¡± 1 Seeing them in the yard made Dior fantasize about herself and Harry ying with their future kids. They would be just as loving! Charmine pursed her lips and looked at the stream below her feet. "We were just messing with Chris," she replied. "I and Anthony won¡¯t return to what we once were." Even if she no longer held a grudge against him, she was only letting go for her own sake and did not want herself to be affected by the past. chapter 1697 chapter 1697 It was not to forgive Anthonypletely. Dior frowned and looked at Charmine hopelessly. "Charmine, Anthony is treating you so well. Have you genuinely not thought of getting back with him?" "No," replied Charmine, no hesitance detected. "We''ll never get back together.¡± No matter what he did to stir her emotions nor how much he had given up for her, he had crossed her line. Anthony had slept with Waverly, and Charmine would never forgive him for that. Dior gently touched Charmine''s shoulder as a form of silentfort. Love was not for outsiders toment on. Only the ones in it would understand it. "Let''s not talk about this," muttered Charmine. "It''s not so bad now." Charmine looked level-headed, seemingly as if she was not heartbroken before. Gazing at the tranquil vige distantly, she spoke, "It''s still early, so let¡¯s go out for a walk and get a breather." "Good idea." Dior left with her. Dior then recalled how Harry was close to recoveringpletely and that they would have to return to Burlington soon. She had no idea when they would return to this scenic vige again. She adored this vige. Apart from its romantic atmosphere, this was the ce where her love story with Harry blossomed. Meanwhile... Sonia was on her way to look for Harry, but as she walked and got to a well, she saw Dior and another woman standing on the bridge, chatting casually. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Sonia quickly hid behind a tree with her arms crossed and waited for them to leave. It did not take long before the voices of the two women were heard. Sonia did not want to hear them, but Dior''s giddy voice was too loud. Most frustrating of all, Dior was evening up with names for her baby with Harry. How absurd. Harry had just scooped up some vegetables for her, and she was that far into nning their future? What a daydreamed Harry would never marry Dior nor would he have babies with her. He could only belong to her, Sonia! Soia clenched her fists and red at Dior, who was standing on the bamboo bridge. Looking at how happy she looked and listening to the disgusting things she rambled on about, Sonia wished she could just walk up to her and tear off her mouth. Despite her burning rage, Sonia had to contain herself. Once she exined to Harry her situation, she would not have to do this herself. Harry would kick Dior out for her! Oh, how she longed to see who would be smiling in the end. Sonia waited for a long and painful while before the two women finally left. She walked out from her corner and smiled at the sight of Dior''s back. Yes, she still had that grin on her face, but that would be wiped clean with tears the moment she returned from her little walk. Sonia arrived at the vige chief¡¯s house and pushed the door open. She noticed that the entire house was pitch-ck, save Harry''s room with the lights on. Sonia did not hesitate to walk in. When she pushed open the room''s door, she saw... Harry, supported by a walker, attempted to walk inside the spacious room. Sonia frowned. It was only then did she notice his heavily bandaged leg. Since when was he hurt? "Harry..." The visibly worried Sonia rushed up to Harry quickly. She reached out and tried to support him, but before she could touch him, he flinched away from her. Harry shot her a hostile re, his expression ice-like cold. "Shouldn¡¯t you knock before youe in?¡± Sonia''s face stiffened. A momentter, she gently replied, "I''m sorry, but I just saw your bandaged leg. I was too worried and I panicked. I forgot." Harry scoffed. "Worried? Did you see the wrong person? Did you think I''m that boyfriend of yours?" chapter 1698 chapter 1698 Sonia pursed her lips before gently confessing, "Harry, you don''t have to be so cold to me. I know I''ve hurt you, but I still love you deep down." Harry''s disdainful look darkened as he made his way to sit by the bedside with his walker. "Sorry, I¡¯m unworthy of your superior love." "Harry, please don¡¯t say that...¡± Sonia bit her lip as she walked toward his side, acting as though she had something to get off her chest. "What I said was true; I went with George for his money. You''re still the one I care about." Harry smiled ironically, not believing Sonia''s words. "I don''t want to listen to this. Anything else you want to say? Otherwise, leave. My girlfriend will misunderstand when shees back, and she''d be pained to know this." Sonia¡¯s face turned pale. Even though it made sense for him to treat her this way for her hurting him, her heart still ached at Harry''s words. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Sonia knelt by his side and looked at his leg, shifting the topic as she worriedly asked, "Harry, how did you hurt your leg? This looks so bad... Why didn¡¯t you get treated in town?¡± "Does it concern you?" Harry red at her coldly. When he saw how she was about to cry, he tried his hardest to act as if he did not care. His heart sank, nheless. He wanted to spew out harsher words, but he just...could not bring himself to say them. He gulped. A momentter, he sneered. "What? Had an argument with your boyfriend? Are you here to look forfort from me?" The truth was, Harry wanted to know how she had been with that man, if it was truly the life she had always wanted. Sonia felt as though her heart had been stabbed upon hearing Harry''s words. She acted as if she was wronged, and tears pooled in her eyes. She looked downright pitiable as she bit her lip...and it pained Harry to just look at her like that. Sonia sniffed and sobbed, "Harry.J''m sorry. I''m really sorry. I shouldn''t have treated you this way, but I¡¯m also a victim myself... George is a douchebag! I was forced to be with him." "Forced?" Harry''s expression remained steely as he mocked, "You were forced to get into his luxury car? I couldn''t tell!¡± "It''s true..." Sonia''s voice grew croaky as she exined, "I ended up with him against my will. As you know, I worked at the bar. When George came with his friends, he requested that I drink with him. I''m just a waitress, and I didn''t dare turn him down. I had to drink with them afterward, but..." Sadness and hatred filled her eyes as Sonia convincingly continued, "That douchebag drugged my drink and brought me to a hotel. I don''t know what happened that night...!" Harry narrowed his eyes, looking at her. She was visibly remorseful and enraged, sobbing so vehemently that she struggled to catch her breath. Harry was about to have her leave, but upon hearing her tearful exnation, he thought of how helpless and lost she was. He clenched his fists and pursed his thin lips, saying nothing all the while. 1 Sonia noticed his behavior, and her eyes glimmered faintly with pride. She knew Harry still cared for her! She said in an even more helpless tone, "When I woke up the next morning, I then found out what happened... I wanted to kill that man, but he has things to threaten me with. He was so disgusted that he recorded what happened. He threatened me to be his girlfriend and said that if I refuse, he''d publish this clip! He also said he¡¯d go against you and make sure you won''t stand a chance in Burlington! "Harry...!" Sonia was grief-stricken at this point, gazing at Harry pathetically as she sobbed her heart out. chapter 1699 chapter 1699 "You and I have no money nor status. How could we have fought against George Hadington? I don''t mind about my reputation, I don''t care, but I never wanted him to hurt you! That''s why L.said yes to him." Harry clenched his fists so tightly that his veins protruded, his bones and joints cracking upon the force. Seeing the tears that stained Sonia''s face, he somewhat started to believe that this was...true. George Hadington? Heh. Did he truly think the Hadington family was the most powerful in Burlington!? Harry would make the entire Hadington family pay for this! Sonia wiped away her tears and continued, vexed and helpless, "Harry...l know you. If you had known about this, you would¡¯ve fought against George. We''re just regr people; we won¡¯t be able to stand a chance against him...! This is why I hid it from you, I didn''t want you to risk it. What I didn¡¯t expect was that I got pregnant...!" Sonia lowered her head to caress her tummy. "I hate George...but the baby is innocent. Furthermore, I''ve done it with him, and I¡¯m no longer good enough for you. For the sake of the baby, I chose to break up with you to be with George." Harry shut his eyes painfully before reopening his eyes, shooting her a dark stare before he ruthlessly said, "Then, you might as well be your merry Mrs. Hadington. I''ve heard your exnation. Is there anything else?" Sonia''s face went pale. She made it sound so pitiable, yet he did not seem to care? Sonia gnawed at her lip as she gazed up at him in tears. "What Mrs. Hadington?" she feebly whimpered. "The douche already had a wife! His wife is infertile, so he went with me for the sake of getting the baby! He wants me to give birth to the baby before he''ll have me leave!¡± Her sobs grew loud. "What do I do, Harry...?" Tears leaked out of her searing eyes and dripped onto Harry''s leg. Harry, meanwhile, pursed his lips and felt just how heated her tears were. Falling onto his leg, it seemed to have stirred his heart, so much so that even he felt his heart ache. Harry wanted so badly to detect a giveaway on her face that she was lying to him, but nothing else was shown on her eyes and expression, save for her anger and regret. Was it true, then...that Sonia did not stop loving him and simply fell victim to George¡¯s schemes instead? Did she truly leave him so he would not be hurt? Harry pursed his lips and felt his emotions, every one of them, surging and raging within him. Why did this happen? Why did Sonia not tell him? Why did she choose to do it this way? This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. None of this mess would have happened had she told him everything from the start. At this stage, everything was already toote. Noticing the hesitance in Harry¡¯s gaze, Sonia continued sorrowfully, "I''m so sorry, Harry... I was helpless at the time and chose to do it this way. I had no choice. Can you forgive me, please? As long as you forgive me, I¡¯ll go and break up with George. I¡¯ll abort this baby. We can be like how we used to and stay in love-" "Do you really think so!?¡± Harry cut Sonia off before she could finish. He red at her angrily and snapped, "I won''t be able to give you the life you want. Furthermore, I already have a girlfriend." Sonia stiffened. Why was he so cold-blooded? Had he really fallen for that woman, probably just because she gave him money?! chapter 1700 chapter 1700 With this thought, Sonia grabbed Harry''s hand tightly and whimpered," Harry, I don''t believe that you''d fall in love with another woman so quickly. You won''t fall for someone like her. You went with her because of money, right? Harry...could you break up with her, please? I know you¡¯re sick of being poor, and it''s okay¡ªI''ll give you money. I have George''s baby in me, and although I know he framed me, I won''t expose him. I want revenge! "I''ll knock a huge sum out of him, and once I get hold of the money, I''ll abort the baby. You can then have this money to start a business or two. You¡¯re a bright individual, Harry, and you shouldn''t bury your potential. You''ll be sessful one day!" Harry squinted. Although Sonia sounded as though she wanted the best for him, that she was forced to be with George to protect him from harm, and that she would break up with George, getting arge sum out of him... This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Harry would never forget the happy look on her face when she first got together with George. He would never forget when Sonia said that he would never be able to give her the life she wanted. He could never forget, too, that she had another man''s baby in her womb! Even if Sonia told the truth, they would never rekindle their old rtionship, and topping that off was the fact he had not verified everything Sonia had imed. Harry clenched his fists and seemed to be restraining himself from something. His eyes turned cold as he scoffed, "My apologies, but I don''t need that. As for the matter between you and your boyfriend, it¡¯s none of my concern. You don''t have to exin these things to me!" "What!?¡± Sonia looked at him incredulously. "Harry, what are you talking about? Can you not be so harsh? I''ve learned my mistake; I was forced! Why can''t you forgive me? Didn¡¯t you say that I''m the only woman you''d marry in your life? How could you have changed into a different person within half a month? I won''t believe that you fell out of love for me. You''re with that woman for the sake of money, Harry... Tell me you still love me, please?" Sonia looked at Harry with tears brimming in her eyes. "I''m still deeply in love with you. Harry, as long as you nod your head, I''ll abort the baby. We''ll have a beautiful future." Harry listened until Sonia finished, remaining unperturbed all the while. " That''s your fantasy. I¡¯m living a happy life now, so please stop disturbing me so incessantly!" Sonia felt a loud buzz in her head upon hearing Harry''s response. She had just told such a perfect exnation, yet Harry was not moved? Why was this so different from what she expected? Was Harry not supposed to be touched by all this and forgive her in the end? Had he truly fallen for another woman within such a short period? This was absurd to Sonia. The man who was once head over heels for her became a ruthless individual. She bit her lip as she stared at Harry. She wanted to continue her conviction, but the sound of heels clicking against the ground could be heard from outside. Harry looked up and red at Sonia. "Ms. Sonia, my girlfriend is back. I don''t want to upset her for this, so please leave!" Dior was just outside the door when she overheard Harry. Squinting, she quickly reacted as she walked into the room. It was just as she expected. Dior scoffed. "What? Don''t you understand humannguage? Leave, or I''ll toss you out!¡± What was this woman thinking? Harry already made it so clear to her that he was no longer in love with him! 1 Why was she so shameless? How many times did she have to show up every day? Sonia''s face turned pale. Ignoring Dior''sment, she feebly turned to Harry and asked once more... chapter 1701 chapter 1701 "Harry, do you really have to be so cruel to me? My reasons were for your sake. I had no choice but to do this, but now it''s my fault?" Dior was bewildered as she stared at Sonia. How could this woman be so shameless? This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Sonia was the one who dumped Harry, yet she could pull off this expression as though he owed her something! There was a glint of conflict in Harry¡¯s eyes, yet his handsome face was unwaveringly aloof. "Yes. We won''t stand a chance in this lifetime." Dior¡¯s face that began to sink lightened up upon hearing Harry''s response, and she gazed at him endearingly. Sonia, meanwhile, staggered backward as she took the blow. 1 In the back of Harry¡¯s mind, he wanted so badly to go up to her and help her stand. His heart clenched at the sight of a pitiful Sonia, and he gripped his fists tightly. Nheless, he remained seated on his bed. Seeing just how stoic and unforgiving he was, Sonia bit her lip, seemingly defeated as she muttered, "Alright...l understand, Harry. If this is what you want, I won''t disturb you anymore." Turning her gaze to Dior and then to Harry, she forced a bitter smile on her face. "I wish you happiness." 1 With that, she turned and ran away while wiping tears from her face, all while Dior stared at her, utterly baffled. Well, was she supposed to thank Sonia for being so ''generous''? Why did she make it seem as if they were the ones hurting her? Had she forgotten how she hurt Harry? A person could never be defeated if they decided to be that shameless! 1 Dior walked into the room and realized something, however. Harry''s eyes were fixed outside the window. Dior waved in front of Harry and asked intentionally, "What now? Do you still miss her?" What she expected was for Harry to say decisively, "No, I¡¯ve long forgotten about her. You¡¯re the only one that I care about.¡± rmingly... He merely looked away and nced at her. "It''s none of your business.¡± Dior jolted, and for a moment, she thought she was hallucinating. What just happened? Why was he so...snappy toward her? Did he not ask Sonia to leave and said that he did not want her to misunderstand, that he did not want to upset her? Why were his tone and attitude so cold, just like how when they first met? Did he not admit that she was his girlfriend? This all looked so absurd to Dior. She stood by the bed and red at Harry, saying, "You should think things carefully!" Her tone was obviously conveying her distaste, making it clear to Harry that she was angry and that he had to coax her. One word of concern from him would instantly cheer her up. Unfortunately... Harry acted as if he heard nothing. He went back to bed and put his hands behind his head. He looked up at the ceiling as his emotions duked it out. In his head, he kept recalling what Sonia said. ''I had no choice but to be with him. I broke up with you to protect you... You''re still the one that I love...'' Although Sonia was pregnant with another man''s baby, if everything she said was true, then she... Harry then thought of how he had been using Dior to infuriate Sonia intentionally in the past two days. She must have felt wronged-crushed, even. chapter 1702 chapter 1702 Harry felt as though his heart had been pierced. He dared not imagine how much of a douche he would have be if everything Sonia said was true. He put her through so much. Dior, meanwhile,id in bed with her eyes fixed on Harry. When she saw how regretful he looked, she was dumbfounded. Was he possibly regretting breaking up with Sonia? Was he-dare Dior say- regretting dating her? D*mn it! What did the b*tch say to him when she was out with Charmine? Did Harry still have feelings for her? Why else would he be so apathetic whenever Sonia made her appearance? Always an impatient character, Dior could not help asking, "Harry, what are you trying to do? You¡¯re always so cold to me whenever your ex shows up. Do you think this is fair to me?" Harry snapped out of his thoughts and nced at Dior dully. Since Sonia had exined everything to him, there was no need for Harry to keep using Dior to trigger Sonia. He wanted to tell Dior the truth, to tell her that he had merely been using her. Try as he might, however, he just could not do it as he gazed into her hope- filled eyes. His thin lips moved but ended up saying nothing. Before he figured out the truth, Harry must not make any rushed conclusion. Harry looked at Dior and passively replied, "It¡¯s nothing. I''m thinking about something else." "Oh." Dior bit her lip. Although she knew he was lying to her, what else could she say? Could she even get mad at him? Could she ask him to stop finding his ex? No. That would only start an argument and benefit that b*tch. The b*tch would want them to argue, and Harry would then go running after her. What a despicable thing, this was. Nheless, Dior recalled that Harry would typically behave in this way, moody and all, after Sonia got into his head. It would not take long before he would recover, though. Perhaps when he wakes up tomorrow...he would treat her gently and care for her? In the end, Dior did not hold it against him. Gazing at him, she said, "Rest early, then. Don''t trouble yourself." Harry nodded, though his eyes were still trained to the ceiling, much to Dior''s annoyance. She thus turned her back to him, not wanting to see him in such a state. A whileter, Harry still could not sleep. His brows were furrowed as he tossed and turned in bed. Although he had been telling himself not to believe and care about Sonia, he still could not act as if he knew nothing. He could not let Sonia face this on her own. After a while, he finally got out of bed. He took his phone to the front yard and made a phone call. "Find out what''s going on between Sonia and George Hadington. Give me an answer within two hours." "Yes, President Cogen," came a polite response. Harry felt a sense of relief after making the phone call and hanging up. He was no longer so worried. This was thest chance he would be taking, otherwise, he would regret it for the rest of his life Meanwhile... Even after she had left the vige chief''s house, Sonia could not get over how emotional Harry looked. Yes, he made her leave, but she knew him all too well: He was the type to act like nothing was happening but would investigate it silently. Sonia squinted. How could she get away with this? If Harry found out that everything she said was fake, they would never get back together! C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Sonia clenched her fists as her eyes burned with determination. This was herst shot-she had to give it all. Of course, Sonia had no power nor status with her. No one would cover up for her! chapter 1703 chapter 1703 All of a sudden, an overweight man¡¯s face popped up in Sonia''s mind. George was the only one she had. Only he had the power to turn things around in a short time. Sonia pursed her lips. With a thought, she quickly went home, where she noticed George packing up. Upon noticing Sonia walking in, he said, "Ah, right on time, Sonia! I have some urgent things to deal with at mypany, so I need to go back. Enjoy your stay here; I¡¯lle back when I''m free." Sonia stared at George. This would be herst gamble. She took a deep breath and smiled coldly. "George, you can stop lying to me. You''re heading back to your wife, aren''t you?" George''s eyes blew wide open as he gaped at her incredulously. D*mn it! How did she find out? What about his baby?! C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. George''s heart sank as a glint of panic emerged in his eyes. Just as he scrambled to exin himself, Sonia sneered. "I know your wife is infertile, and that you''re using me to make yourself an heir. You lied to me about making me your Mrs. Hadington, bluffing that you¡¯ll give me yourpany shares and all! Lies!" When George saw how agitated Sonia was, he panicked. He could care less about how vexed she was, but he did not want the baby to get hurt. Noticing the worry in his gaze, Sonia knew she was in control. She thus demanded, "I can give birth to your baby, but you¡¯ll need to tell Harry Cogen that you forced me, threatened me, used me, an unwilling participant.¡± George frowned in bewilderment. "Why?" Sonia shot him a heated re. "How dare you ask me ''why¡¯? You''d dump me after giving birth to your baby! Do you want me to die alone!?¡± George halted. "I.J''II pay you-" "Ha! Who needs your money! I want love and someone to spend the rest of my life with!" Sonia then growled at George, seemingly deranged and dead-set, "I want to get back with Harry! I want love, not to be part of someone¡¯s plot!" With that said, she red at him. "If you don''t agree with me now, I''ll abort the baby. I''ll also tell everyone about you and your wife!" George was so terrified that he instantly jumped into coaxing her, "No, don''t! We can negotiate-" "There''s no room for negotiation, George Haddington!" snapped Sonia. "I hope I made it clear to you that your baby''s life is in my hands. If you act along with me, I¡¯ll give birth to your baby and let this go. Once the baby is out, I can marry Harry and won¡¯t be bothering you. This is a win-win solution, so why not?" George was worried. He did not care who she wanted to be with, but he wanted his baby. He would not allow anyone to hurt his wife! If he said yes to her, it would indeed be a win-win solution, but... George looked at Sonia and asked, "If Harry finds out your baby is mine, would he let you give birth to it? Any man won¡¯t be able to ept his woman having another man''s baby!" When Sonia heard this, she knew George had given in. She scoffed. "I''ll have my way around this. I won¡¯t hurt your baby, and I¡¯ll make sure you get your plump, healthy heir to take over the family business, keeping your wife safe. However, if you refuse to cooperate with me, I can abort this baby anytime I want to!" She red at him mischievously. "A win-win solution or a sinking ship. Your pick!" Hearing this, there was no way George would pick thetter. So long as he could keep the baby and his wife, he would do anything! He could only nod. "Okay, I¡¯ll give you my word!¡± chapter 1704 chapter 1704 Sonia smirked in satisfaction. Wonderful. She could finally get back with Harry. Harry would be hers once more! George, on the other hand, was terrified by the look in Sonia¡¯s eyes. Her eyes gleamed with deceit and malice. She was a far cry from the innocent woman he thought she was. He would not have chosen such a malignant woman had he known this side of her sooner. At this point, it was Sonia who had the upper hand! No matter what he had to give up, George had to make sure that his n went on smoothly. It waste in the night, yet Harry was still troubled by his thoughts. Even when he turned and closed his eyes, he would have shbacks of how happy he and Sonia were. To him, she had always been innocent and kind. Before she exined her situation to him, Harry had no idea how someone as innocent as her would do such a horrible thing. He finally understood, however-she had been threatened and used by the other man! Although this was not verified yet and he did not know if this was true, his heart was beginning to believe it. Harry¡¯s thoughts were all over the ce. A momentter, he resigned to his instinct. He got out of bed, tossed the walker aside, and endured the pain as he walked out of the room. He exited the house to clear his head and to settle his thoughts. The moment that the door closed, Dior, who was on the opposite bed, jolted awake and stared at Harry leaving. What was the matter? Why did things look so much more serious after he met Sonia this time? He usually would get over it after brooding for a while, but on this night, Dior had lost count on how many times he turned around, how many times he sighed... D*mn it! What did Sonia say to him? Why did he act this way? It was sote in the night! Why did he go out? Dior frowned and felt unsettled. Was Harry...going out to look for Sonia? No way! It was not easy for her to make Harry open up to her and fall in love with her! How could she let him go back to Sonia? Biting her lip, she got out of bed and donned a coat before she tailed after Harry in secret. Harry continued to walk around after he got out of the house. Just as he walked past the bamboo bridge, however, he heard a male voice. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. His attention steered his dark gaze toward a direction. All he saw was George standing under the tree, opposite the bridge. Harry frowned. Just as he began to walk, wanting to go up to him, the male voice was heard again, "Oh, don''t be upset, my dear wife. I¡¯lle home tomorrow. "Why would I like her? I did this for our baby! "Don''t worry. Once the baby is born, I''ll ask her to leave. I won''t have to see her ever again.¡± Hearing all this, Harry¡¯s heart plummeted as he frowned. Was Sonia telling the truth, after all? Was this poor excuse of a man truly using Sonia for his baby? D*mn it! Unable to contain himself any longer, Harry made his way toward George with clenched fists, to which George, upon seeing Harry, shivered. Be that as it was, he thought of his baby and of what Sonia asked him to do. With that, he acted as if he was clueless and continued talking to his phone. chapter 1705 chapter 1705 "Yes, my darling. You''re the one I truly love! Who''d like that kind of woman Thomp! Harry swung his fist that mmed right into George''s face, causing a loud thud. "Argh!" George moaned in pain as he staggered back in fear. Losing bnce, however, he fell to the ground. Harry was not done. He walked up to the floored George and grabbed his cor, snarling, "Are you even a man? How could you do this to an innocent woman like her!?" George''s body was no match to Harry''s. In this situation, he dared not fight back. He scrambled to hang up the call as he blurted, "What can I do? I don¡¯t have a choice! I love my wife, but she¡¯s forced to leave me if she''s infertile! I won''t be able to live with myself-" "Ha!" Harryughed darkly, his handsome face ruthless as were his eyes." How romantic of you!" George would not be able to carry on with his life, but Sonia could? He had hurt her and used her, but had he considered her feelings? Recalling how he treated Sonia after the breakup, he felt as though his heart had been stabbed. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. He red at the man before him and was overtaken with sheer fury. He exerted every bit of his anger as hended punches on George''s face, his other hand still on his cor. "Argh! Stop punching me, stop punching! I''m sorry!" The beaten-down George began begging for forgiveness. "Since you¡¯ve found out the truth, I¡¯ll give her back to you, so please stop hitting me!" whimpered George. When Harry heard this, his punches only increased. George whimpered as he attempted to plead for his case, groveling, " Please don''t let her go because of me-you''ve always been the one she truly loves. She did this because I forced her to! She broke up with you not because she didn''t love you nor was it for money. It was for your sake! She feared that I''d come for you, which was why she stayed with me. "She begged me not to hurt you. For you, she had done all she could!" Harry thought of how helpless and painful it must have been for Sonia, and it tormented her. He looked as if he had lost his soul, losing all energy to punch George. Still, he tossed him to the ground. He looked up at the house that Sonia was in. Knowing just how much suffering she had gone through, he determinedly walked toward the house. George struggled to get back up on his feet due to the acute pain he suffered from. Caressing his swollen face, he quickly texted Sonia. [He''sing over for you now!] Following that, he quickly followed after him. Behaving as though Harry wouldsh out on Sonia, George quickly rambled, "Please don''t get angry at her. She only pretends to be well off with me when we''re in front of you. She said mean things to hurt you intentionally for you to not worry about her. When you''re not around, she''s all tears, moaning how she had wronged you. "Because of how she hurt you, she felt so guilty every day and wanted to end her life forthat-" "Shut up!" Harry clenched his fists. The thought of Sonia sobbing made him want to kill this man instantly. Harry could not take it anymore. Every word and sentence George uttered was like a shapeless knife, stabbing right into him. The feeling suffocated him. 1 Despite that, George continued, "Please forgive Sonia. My wife and I only want a baby; I didn¡¯t mean to ruin your rtionship. Once the baby is out, I''ll give her back to you. At least her heart is still yours-" 1 George had no idea what part of his exnation triggered Harry, but thetter turned sharply toward him, shooting him a murderous re. Grabbing George by his cor, he clenched his fists so tightly that his veins protruded. He was so furious that he wanted to kill him right away, but... "Aahh! Help! Help! Why are you doing this, youngdy?!" A woman''s sharp scream was hearding from the river. chapter 1706 chapter 1706 Harry stopped for a moment before a thought intruded his brain, and he felt his heart sink. Tossing George aside, he ran as fast as he could-as much as his legs could take him, despite the sharp pain- and ran to the other side. He ran so quickly that he could barely be spotted. A momentter, Harry got to the river. A woman nearby noticed that he was here and urgently pleaded, "Help! The youngdy was standing by the river for a very long time before jumping in. I got scared. I can''t swim, and I don''t dare get in there!" Harry looked over and saw- Sonia, floating in the middle of the river, looking as though she had lost all hope in her. D*mn it! What was she thinking?! Harry¡¯s heart sank. Just as he was about to jump in, a small hand grabbed onto his wrist and pulled him back by force. "Harry Cogen! I won''t allow you to save her!" Dior stared at Harry sternly, resolutely, having disposed of her happy-go- lucky disposition. She instead looked dull and incredulous. Dior had been following Harry and saw with her eyes how he punched George for Sonia...and she then understood why he had gotten so ruthless. Sonia must havee to Harry, exining her love for him never wavered, but she was forced into this rtionship. Was Harry convinced with that? What did he think Sonia was? Was he so silly that he would fall for this!? Dior red at him, reminding him, "Harry, don''t be silly. She made that up to lie to you! Whatever happens to her, her boyfriend will save her. She doesn¡¯t need your help!¡± "Shut up!" Casting Sonia a worried nce, he then pushed Dior away harshly and red at her. "From now on, I don''t need you sticking your nose into my issues. Since you''re here, let me tell you now: From the beginning, I was never in love with you! I treated you well for show! I¡¯ve only been using you!" Dior''s head buzzed loudly, and her face went pale. She staggered a few steps backward, stuttering in disbelief, "What...what did you say?" Harry looked at the figure in the river and, no longer caring about Dior, pushed her away. Ssh! He jumped into the river without hesitation and swam toward Sonia. Dior staggered a few more steps backward. She almost tripped and fell. She remained on the spot with disbelief as she looked at the man in the river. Was she hallucinating? What did Harry just say to her? He treated her so well just ''for show¡¯, only stringing her along all this while? The way he treated her, the gentle words he said to her... Were they all fake? What...? She ignorantly thought that she had won the heart of a cold man. She even foolishly anticipated their future together as a married couple. She even tried so hard toe up with a name for their baby. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Ironic. How ironic. Dior''s heart hurt so much that she felt like she was suffocating. Her eyes lost the shine it always had as she stared at the river. Harry neglected his own wound for Sonia. He did not care about himself nor the rapid current of the river. Dior''s heart plunged at that. chapter 1707 chapter 1707 Dior seldom cried. Even when she was wronged, she never cried. At this moment, however, tears brimmed her eyes. She stood as she watched Harry save Sonia. It was as if Harry could not see her, that all he cared about was Sonia. Rescuing her atst, he checked if she had wounds. Once he was sure there were none, he snapped at her, ''What were you doing!?" His tone was not full of hatred. In fact, it was full of concern. Soniaid on the ground listlessly. Her face was pale as she looked at Harry softly with a look of despair. "Harry...why did you save me?" she started to sob. "Just let me die. You no longer want to be with me... What''s the point of me living?" ''You''d give up on yourself for love? Since when has the Sonia I knew be so weak?" Harry looked at her with concern. Sonia sobbed, "Because you¡¯re my everything. I thought you loved me a lot and would wait for me. Once I give birth to the baby, I¡¯ll exin to you, and we can start over, yet you... You fell for another woman... ''You''re my world, and without you, I have no purpose to live. Let me die..." Agitated, Sonia struggled to get up and tried to jump into the river again. Harry frowned. Forcefully reeling her back and carrying her bridal-style, he snapped, "With me around, don''t you dare die!" It was as if everything else had vanished as Harry carried Sonia and left quickly. 2 Even as he walked past Dior, it was as if she did not exist. Since he left in a rush, he identally brushed against her shoulder. He did not see her. All he cared about was Sonia. Lifting Sonia in his arms, he quickly walked. Dior staggered back at the sudden push from colliding against Harry. She tripped over a stone, and- Crack! She twisted her ankle. Dior was in so much pain that she had to grab onto a tree to break her fall. Once again, a sharp pain festered in her ankle. The newly recovered wound was torn again... Dior was in so much pain that she had no energy to moan. She could feel every cell in her body turning into thousands of needles that stabbed and pricked at her. The pain was unimaginable. She remained transfixed on the spot and watched as Harry left, his back slowly fading from view. Suddenly, she felt as if she would lose him forever once he left this time. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Dior clenched her fists. She wanted to chase after Harry to speak some sense into him, but just as she moved, she felt just how incapacitated her ankle was. She could not even move it. Defeat loomed her entire being. Why did he tell her this? Why could he not lie to her forever? ''Harry Cogen... Can''t you...stay?'' However, his cold figure had already vanished into the darkness. Dior looked down as hot tears streamed down her face. When the woman-who bore witness to everything that had happened- saw how defeated Dior looked, she grew worried that Dior might do anything foolish. Hence, she went up to her and coaxed her, saying, ''Youngdy, don''t cry. There are lots of good men around." Dior could not take it anymore. She could no longer hold back her tears rolling down like tap water, incessantly dripping. There were many good men in the world, but she only loved Harry. 1 What a shame that she was never good enough for him. The woman''s heart sank as she heard Dior sobbing. She reached out to hold onto her and said, "Don¡¯t cry. Do home and get some rest. You''ll feel better tomorrow." Dior bit her lip. Enduring the pain, she allowed the woman to bring her back to the vige chief¡¯s house. She dragged her heavy body and walked one step at a time, moving forward. chapter 1708 chapter 1708 Dior returned to the room alone and sat on the bed, staring at the empty bed opposite hers. She had shbacks of the past two days spent with Harry, and her tears unceasingly dripped. The more Dior thought about it, the harder it was for her to breathe. It was too short. She had only spent two days with Harry, yet their romance ended just as it started. From the beginning, Harry had only wanted to use her. She refused to believe it. She did not want to believe it. Despite her denial, Harry had actually pushed her away. Every action of his, the way he carried Sonia and all, reyed in Dior''s mind. Based on everything he had done, she had to believe that this was reality. Her romance with Harry had truly ended. His love came and went, just like the wind. Was that it between her and Harry? However much Dior tried to think of it, she was unwilling to admit it. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. The b*tch was obviously lying to Harry. Why did he not run a background check before forgiving her? He had always been rational. Why was he unable to tell real from fake? Had he forgotten how the b*tch hurt him? Sonia was all smiles and superficial when she was with that boyfriend of hers! How did she manage to spin this tale into her being so-called ''forced''? Dior, on the other hand, treated Harry with nothing but sincerity. She had given him so much...only for him to manipte her. Dior clenched her fists and looked at the empty room. She felt as if her heart had been ripped out of her, and the pain just could not be put to words. She pursed her lips. After a moment, she had decided to find Harry. Even though he did not care about her, she must not allow him to be yed by that woman so foolishly. He could be with anyone but that woman. Dior got out of bed, although struggling to do so. She tried tiptoeing before a sharp pain shot through her ankle and throughout her entire body. Biting her lip, she steeled herself from the pain as she walked to get Harry¡¯s walker and used all of her strength to slowly walk out of the house. By the time she got to the end of the vige, she was numbed by pain. Her delicate and fair face was riddled with sweat. Still, she had to find Harry. She must! Resolute, she got into the car in pain and moved her foot on the pedal. She drove to leave. Meanwhile... Harry was in a car as he rushed toward the hospital in town. Stomping on the gas pedal, the car shot out swiftly like the wind. Sonia waspletely drenched. She sat at the backseat, her face snow- like pale. Her breathing was weak and short. It was as if she would stop breathing any second. "Don''t sleep, Sonia. We''re almost there!" Harry frowned and looked at her, reassuring her. Sonia, in a feebly weak state, said listlessly, her volume akin to a mosquito buzzing, "Harry, if I die, you must live on...don¡¯t feel guilty. I only want you to remember. I, Sonia, will only love you until myst breath..." "You¡¯re not dying! You¡¯re not dying without my permission!" barked Harry, his tone forceful and arrogant. Despite that, it was filled with concern and yearn. He arrived at the hospital speedily. He parked the car and quickly lifted Sonia into his arms. Ignoring his wounded leg that haunted him, he solely focused on Sonia as he ran into the hospital, crying out furiously, urgently, "Doctor! Doctor!" The doctors on duty were startled by such an urgent-sounding voice. They quickly went to check, only to be met with two adults-a man and a woman-drenched from head to toe, with the man shouting, "Hurry! Bring her to the E.R!" chapter 1709 chapter 1709 When the nurses heard the urgent bell, they pushed out a stretcher to get Sonia onto it and wheeled her into the emergency room. Harry, meanwhile, stood outside the emergency room as his steadfast gaze fixed on the shut door. ''Sonia, please be okay. Please stay safe!¡¯ Harry would never be able to forgive himself if anything happened to her. D*mn it! How could he be so foolish? He knew Sonia was an innocentdy, and she had lived a hard life with him for a few years withoutining. From the sudden change in attitude, her wanting to break up, and the harsh words she said...how could he not have thought about her reasons behind it all? He even treated another woman well, in his own volition, and said mean things to hurt her! Harry¡¯s tightly balled fists caused his veins to protrude, and his steely gaze was zed with guilt. As long as Sonia was fine, he would ept everything about her. Even if he had not received a definite answer, he had already chosen to believe her. With that in mind, the phone in his pocket rang abruptly. Fishing out his phone to notice it was his assistant calling, he answered right away, "How did it go?" With the documents he had gathered, the assistant reported, "President Cogen, Ms. Sonia seems to have been threatened by George Hadington after all. Everything she did was forced! I also found out that George has a wife who¡¯s infertile, so he found Ms. Sonia for her looks and because she looks simr to his wife, all so things won''t raise suspicion along the line." Harry''s eyes darkened murderously. He clutched his phone so tightly, his green veins surfacing to the skin and all, as though the phone would crumble under his might. It was true, after all. The innocent Sonia was framed by that douche! "Keep everything a secret," he darkly ordered, "and keep an eye on the Hadington family." They had harmed Sonia, and Harry wanted the entire Hadington family to pay dearly for their transgression! "Yes, President Cogen!" Harry hung up coldly and lifted his eyes to look at the shut door. ''Sonia, I¡¯m sorry...'' He had misunderstood her. She wanted the best for him, yet he only broke her. As long as she could walk out safely, he would give her the life she wanted. Harry looked at the pitch-ck sky. Amid his prayer, the emergency room''s door finally opened. A doctor walked out and said gently, "The patient is safe now. She had taken in polluted water, but we washed it out in time. Nheless, her body is in a poor state, and she hasn''t rested for a few days. She must stop staying upte and overthinking." 1 Harry let out a sigh of relief. When he heard the doctor''sst phrase, however, he could not help frowning. Sonia had not rested well in the past few days? Staying upte? Overthinking? Harry felt as though thousands of needles were jammed into his heart, and it felt like hell on earth. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. How did Sonia manage to live on her own? Harry''s eyes were filled with hurt. He watched as Sonia was pushed out of the emergency room. Laying in bed, her pale face depicted as though she had a close brush with death, and she looked like she was hanging on a thin rope. "Sonia..." He stood by her bedside and held on to her ice-cold small hand. His handsome face was full of worry and pain. His throat was burning and his voice hoarse as he muttered, "I''m sorry to have wronged you..." Sonia met his guilty look and said innocently, "Don¡¯t feel bad, Harry.... I did this to myself; it''s the price to pay for hurting you." "Don''t say that!" Harry reached out to caress her pale face, fretting, "As long as you¡¯re fine, we still have time." chapter 1710 chapter 1710 Sonia froze. Her eyes widened as she looked pleasantly surprised. "Harry, what did you say? You''ve forgiven me? But I''m pregnant..." "It''s okay," Harry said gently, "I know you didn''t want to." As long as she was with him, the baby was nothing. His love toward her was never as superficial. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Furthermore, she did not want this to happen either. She was forced. Why would she have to go through this on her own? He should go through it all with her,e rain or shine. Sonia merely wanted the best for him. If he hurt her again on this matter, he would no longer be a man. Tears of relief welled in Sonia''s eyes as she sobbed, "You''re too kind, Harry. I''m not worthy to be with you." "Alright, stop talking." Harry no longer wanted to talk about this. He gently helped her wipe off her tears and said to the nurse, "Push her into the ward." "What about you?" Thinking he was leaving, Sonia quickly grabbed onto his handsrger than hers and feebly looked at him, tears and all, with everyst bit of her strength. "Harry, are you leaving? Do you no longer want me?" "No," he answered sweetly as though he was talking to a child endearingly. "I''m going to pay the bill, but I''lle back right away." Sonia only then let go of his hand, listlessly saying, "Please hurry. I''m scared when you''re not around." "Okay." Harry looked at the nurse who then pushed Sonia into the VIP ward. After watching her going inside, Harry went downstairs to pay the bill. Inside the ward... Upon noticing the door closed shut, Sonia''s innocent expression shifted coldly. She red at the doctor and said, "Have you received the order?¡± "Yes, Ms. Sonia,¡± the doctor answered politely. Sonia then ordered, "Go back now. Bring out the report in half an hour''s time. Do as you''re told and read it out to Harry.¡± "Okay.¡± The doctor did not question her; he was working for money after all. With that, he turned and left. After the nurse had sorted and settled everything needed, she headed out as well, leaving Sonia in the ward on her own. Her eyes were cold and dark. She had to keep the baby to get the cash, all while keeping Harry at her side. She must not give up on either of them! When she heard the familiar footstepsing from outside, she quickly wiped off the look in her eyes and reced it with that feeble, helpless look. She turned over gradually. When she saw Harry, her dull eyes sparkled. "Harry, you came back!" Harry walked over to sit by the bed. When he saw her pale face, he could not help but worry about her. He felt sharp pain in his heart. After gazing at her for a very long while, Harry''s Adam''s apple bobbed as he hoarsely answered, "Silly girl... Why did you go through so much on your own? Why didn''t you tell me from the start?" Sonia looked at him emotionally. "Why would I want to watch you going against the Hadington family with power and money on your own?" It was as if she recalled a sad experience, and her eyes reddened with tears on it. "Harry, I''m sorry..." she cried. "Thank you for still having me in your heart, and for treating me so well. Since this has happened, there''s no need to hide from it anymore: I''ll abort the baby. "If you''ll have me, I¡¯ll love you and cherish you for the rest of my life. If you think this will be a thorn to your side, that you can''t ept it, then well break up entirely. I won¡¯t keep disturbing you. You may live on with Dior and forget about me." Harry''s heart sank. "I don¡¯t have anything to do with Dior. I don¡¯t love her." "Really?" Sonia''s eyes had tears as she looked at him. ''Your feelings didn''t change? You didn¡¯t fall in love with another woman?" chapter 1711 chapter 1711 ''That''s right. Don''t trouble yourself with these thoughts; just recuperate," coaxed Harry. To this, there was a glint of pride in Sonia''s pupils. She knew Harry still loved her deep down. Luckily, he was hers for the time being. Although her life with Harry was not as luxurious as George¡¯s, George did not love her at all, and he would not give her any promise. A superficial love was only temporary. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. It did not help that George was too much for her, while Harry was far more handsome than him. Harry loved her sincerely and wholeheartedly. As long as she could give birth to the baby, Sonia would reap the money for Harry to invest with. He would then invent something impressive, and they would live a better life! Sonia reached out to hold onto Harry''s hand, to which Harry instinctively grabbed tightly, encasing her cold palms with his warm hand. "I''m sorry, Sonia..." he apologized earnestly. "I was useless and made you suffer so much on your own." A faint smile graced Sonia¡¯s pale face as she muttered, "I don¡¯t me you, but..." She weakly looked down at her abdomen. "I''m not going to keep this, Harry. I''ve told my decision to the doctor, and he''ll have the operation prepared for me." Harry pursed his lips and went silent for a good while before he then said," Let¡¯s talk about this when you feel better.¡± Sonia''s heart felt like it had frozen at that moment. As expected, Harry did care about the baby in her being another man''s. Sonia bit her lip and said with a ''sincere'' tone, "I don¡¯t want it now... He turned us this way." All of a sudden, she mmed her fists against her abdomen, covered by a nket. "I''m disgusted by this thing! I want it out of me now!" she hissed vehemently. Harry quickly reached out and grabbed Sonia¡¯s hand, stopping her as he said, "You''re still weak right now, so don''t think about this. I don''t mind." Sonia then gazed at Harry, her eyes brimming with tears. "But I do... I let this happen, and I can¡¯t let this baby keep you away. I don''t want to lose you again, and I don''t want this thing to keep us apart!" Harry pursed his lips. Just as he was about to say something, knocks were heard on the door. He ced her hand inside the nket and instructed her gently, "Don''t move." Looking at how well-behaved she was, he then turned to the door and said, "Come in.¡± In came a doctor with a document at hand. Frowning, he swept a nce at both Sonia and Harry before his gaze shifted back to Sonia. "Ms. Sonia, your report is out." "How is it?" asked Sonia. "Can I have the operation yet?" Harry looked at her with a look of guilt and hurt. She had always wanted a baby; she liked having a baby. Would she really abort this baby to keep him with her? This woman would do anything for him. How could he want her to do such a thing for him? Everything she did was for him, to protect him! Harry''s eyes were once again covered in guilt and gentleness. If Sonia would undergo the abortion procedure, he vowed to take care of her. If not... As long as it was what she wanted, he would support her unconditionally. The doctor handed the report to Sonia and said with a frown, "Ms. Sonia, your body isn¡¯t capable of going through an abortion." chapter 1712 chapter 1712 Sonia''s head buzzed. After a few seconds, she finally reacted as she looked at the doctor incredulously. "Why...? Why not? So what if I do it? I must get rid of this thing! I can''t stand having another man¡¯s baby! I want to be with Harry. Harry''s going to be upset if the baby lives, and I... I won''t be able to live with myself!" The doctor remarked, "Ms. Sonia, you have a thin endometrium, and it¡¯s difficult for you to get pregnant. The chances of you getting pregnant are very slim! If you insist on getting rid of this baby, you won¡¯t be able to get pregnant again. Furthermore, the risk of the operation is fatal, and you stand a chance of major blood loss." ''What?" Sonia clenched the nket tightly as she stared at the doctor in horror. "If I get rid of the baby, I ...won''t ever get pregnant again?" She turned to look at Harry. "Harry...what do I do? I want to have our own baby." "Grimly, this isn¡¯t the main issue," continued the doctor, visibly sympathetic. "The main issue is that if you insist to undergo the abortion surgery, you''re very likely to lose too much blood. We do not rmend that you undergo this surgery." "W-What?" Sonia caressed her face helplessly as she whimpered. "I don''t want this baby, but I don¡¯t want to die...!" i Grabbing Harry''s arm, Sonia''s tears streamed down her face as she sobbed, "I don''t want to die, Harry. C-Can you stay with me, please? Can you hold it for a little longer? Once I give birth to this baby, I''ll be able to have our own baby! You''re the man that I love, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you! Please, don''t leave me... I¡¯m really scared. Other than you, I won''t have anyone else!" This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Sonia looked so feeble, so miserable with tears staining her cheeks. Gazing at her, Harry contemted everything she had been through. He ced a reassuring hand on her shoulder and said, "Just deliver the baby, then. Don¡¯t worry; I won¡¯t mind." Sonia had been considerate of him all the while. How would he have the heart to subject her through the surgery with so much uncertainty? Furthermore, even if she survived the surgery, Sonia would not be able to get pregnant again. Why would he want to render her into such a state? Pausing, Sonia gazed into Harry''s eyes with her own, red-rimmed. "Do you really not mind, Harry? Can you ept this?" "Yes," answered Harry as he reached out to wipe off Sonia''s tears, "I don''t mind. To me, your health is above anything." "Thank you, Harry...!" Sonia did not refuse him this time, sobbing even louder as she was touched. She hugged Harry, her body trembling amid her tears. "I''ll treat you so well for the rest of my life," she sobbed. "I won''t hurt you again, and I won¡¯tin about you. I''ll do anything for you withoutining!" Feeling his heartstrings tugged, Harry reached out to tuck her messy hair behind her ear, gently teasing, "Silly." With what she had said, he did not want her to go through any pain again. 1 "Don¡¯t think too much." He caressed her back. "Rest well.'' The doctor, standing at the side, piped in, ''That''s right, Ms. Sonia. Don''t let your thoughts gue you. Your body is weak now, and if you''re too emotional, you may suffer a miscarriage." Sonia halted and said angrily, "I can''t even do anything around here. If I die now, Harry won''t have to trouble himself with any of this!" She mmed her hands against her belly. "If this is going to make it difficult for Harry, I don''t want to live! This baby might as well die!" Harry''s heart sank at her reaction. He quickly held onto her hand and frowned. "Don''t hurt yourself, Sonia. I said I don''t mind it, and I won''t mind it. Rest well, and just give birth to a healthy baby." With eyes filled with adoration, she feebly muttered, "Are you sure, Harry? If it bothers you, then I... I''ll get rid of this baby, even when it hurts." chapter 1713 chapter 1713 "Don''t do anything reckless." Harry shot Sonia a sincere gaze. "Give birth to the baby, I don''t mind. This is your baby after all." Hearing his response, Sonia felt as though everything was said and done, set in stone atst. Stirred by his affection, she held him in an embrace." Thank you for being willing to treat me so well, Harry. I''ll spend the rest of my life making it up to you!" "You did nothing wrong." Harry caressed her face. "You''re not wrong, and the baby is innocent." George was the only guilty party here. Sonia tearfully smiled. "Alright, I understand. I''ll listen to you." Harry nodded gently and tucked her in bed, saying, "Get some rest. I''ll go out and sort out a few things." "What?" Sonia looked visibly shaken. "Where are you going? Do you want to leave me secretly now?" "No," answered Harry softly. "Just stay here, I''ll be back soon." "Alright. Come back soon!" "Alright." Harry waited until Sonia cooled down before he headed out of the ward. His lonely tall figure stood at the balcony, and his striking face was riddled with aloofness, eyes staring into the night sky. 1 He was conflicted. Sonia had given up so much for him, and he should treasure her. Still, Harry felt as if something was missing. Somehow, at the bottom of his heart, he felt empty... Did he mind about the baby inside Sonia? However, he clearly knew that he did not mind. If so, then... Harry lit up a cigarette and blew out smoke. His eyes looked far ahead as he fell into deep contemtion. After Harry had left, George came out of the lift and walked into Sonia''s ward. No one noticed, however, that Dior walked out of the opposite lift with her walker the moment George got into the ward, and Dior slowly made her way to the ward''s door. She came to warn Harry that Sonia was more than what she portrayed herself to be, that everything she had cried about was not all truths. Just as Dior was about to knock, however, she heard Sonia''s voiceing from the inside, "What? Scared about your baby?" Dior froze immediately, petrified before the door. This tone sounded eerie. Sonia never spoke with this tone in front of Harry! Was Harry not inside, then? Amid her confusion, George''s voice was heard from inside the ward, saying, "Of course! Even though I¡¯ve followed your n, who knows if Harry, so in love with you, wants you to abort the baby!" This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Dior halted. Sonia''s...n? Just as she expected. She knew it! She knew Sonia was not telling the truth! Everything that happened tonight was part of Sonia''s n! How despicable. She was evil incarnate, yet the fool, Harry, believed her! Dior scoffed. With a thought, she quietly took out her phone to record everything with her phone facing the gap between the door. chapter 1714 chapter 1714 "What?" George panicked. "You want to get rid of the baby?" Sonia had a hint of impatience in her eyes. ''What? That''s just part of my n! I''ll back away as a tactic to move forward. Didn''t I tell you already? If I don¡¯t show him my sincerity, how could I soften him up? So soft, he won¡¯t mind about his woman being pregnant with another man¡¯s baby!" George let out a sigh of relief. "You¡¯re a genius. This n is seamless! My baby is safe, and you can reunite with him!" Sonia¡¯s lips twisted into a smirk. "This is all because Harry loves me and cares about me. Otherwise, there''s no point in me acting anyway." George smiled with satisfaction. Instantly, he had another thought and asked worriedly, "You just lied to him though, Sonia. Aren''t you scared of him finding out?" Sonia shot him a confident stare. "Harry is powerless; he won¡¯t be able to find out. If you spend more money on shutting those people up, he won''t find out for the rest of his life!" Right outside the door, Dior heard it all, and she was so furious that she trembled. Just as she expected, this evil woman nned everything. Sonia was so cruel that she would lie to a man who sincerely loved her? Dior thought of that fool of a Harry, and she felt angry and hurt. She quickly saved the recording. She had to expose this woman to Harry. She wanted him to see Sonia''s true colors! Dior kept her phone, but- Forgetting that she came with the walker, Dior''s hand identally released the walker that nged onto the floor loudly. A loud sound abruptly resonated in the empty hallway. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Dior jolted. The voicesing from the ward instantly went silent. Knowing she was in danger, Dior braced herself for the pain in her ankle, picked up the walker, and attempted to leave...before the ward door was abruptly opened. George stood before the door and looked at her cautiously. Inside the ward, Sonia was ring at her as well. As they finally realized it was Dior, their expressions changed as they began to panic. Dior? When did shee? Why was she outside the door?! Their conversation... Dior met their eyes, and she instantly tried to leave. ring at Dior heatedly, Sonia instructed George, "Hurry, stop her and search her!" The moment their conversation ended, the walker fell onto the ground. Dior must have heard everything, and she might want to rat them out to Harry! Having a simr train of thought, George ran after Dior. Dior was seized with pain that shot up from her ankle, and it felt like she was walking on needles. Despite that, she endured it. She bit her lip and forced herself to walk forward...and escape, she tried. Dior''s injured ankle hindered her movement greatly, so much so that just as she got to the lift, George caught up to her and pulled her by the wrist. Dior was forced to stay on the spot. Emanating ferocity, she swung George''s hand away and scoffed at him. "Go away! How dare you touch me? Do you know who I am? I''ll report you for harassing me!" George smirked. "Ha! Go on! Let''s see if the police will believe you or me!" At that point, Sonia had caught up to them. ''Why bother talking to her? Search her!" she snapped. "Find if she''s got a phone or recorder!" George realized what Sonia meant. He held Dior''s hand and was about to search her form. Dior instinctively pressed on her pocket where her phone was. It was the only thing that could snap Harry out of this mess. Sonia¡¯s eyes darkened. She noticed Dior''s movement and went forward to snatch whatever she was hiding from her. Dior¡¯s expression changed. "Go away! I''ll report you all for robbing me!" chapter 1715 chapter 1715 Dior scoffed at both Sonia and George, though pressing her pocket tightly as she did. Noticing just how rmed she was, Sonia was more certain that Dior had recorded their conversation. Sonia tried grabbing at her pocket to reach for her phone, yet she was considerably weaker than Dior was. Despite struggling against her, she still could not move Dior''s hand away from her pocket, much to her fury. Running out of patience, Sonia lifted her hand and- Smack! A pnded on Dior''s body. "B*tch! Who do you think you are?" growled Sonia. "How dare you stick your nose into my ns? Move your hand away now!" A stinging pain was left in the aftermath of Sonia''s p, and a red handprint was left on Dior''s fair skin. Oh, how Dior''s eyes burned with mes of ferocity. Not one soul hadid a hand on her from a young age. She was Dior Granger, princess of the Granger family! Dior wanted to lift her hand and p Sonia, but she knew that the moment she would lift her hand, George would try and fish out her phone. Dior could only re at Sonia. "Don''t you dare! As long as I''m here, you won¡¯t be able to lie to Harry!¡± This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Sonia''s smirk deepened into one of animosity as she sneered. "Aww, how sweet-l¡¯m almost touched! Ah, but what''s the point in doing all of this? You''ve done so much for Harry, but not only does he not care about you, he¡¯d give up his life for me! All I have to do is be all soft and pretty. He even epted the baby I had with another man! Isn''t that something?" Sonia''s words stabbed Dior¡¯s heart like a sharp dagger. Dior''s face changed. She felt pain in her heart. So what if this was true? Even though Harry did not like her, she would not allow him to be lied to by a woman like this! Unbeknownst to her, however, Sonia had given George her signal, to which George sprang into action, reaching out and pulling Dior¡¯s hand away from her pocket. Dior''s expression morphed as she began to put up a fight. "Let go of me! Let go of me!" She steeled herself from the pain in her ankle as she resisted. s, apart from the constant pain in her ankle, nothing changed in her favor. Furthermore, George, being the more powerful individual physically, had managed to lock Dior''s hands behind her back and stood on her ankle with one foot. Overwhelmed with excruciating pain, Dior''s body went limp, and Sonia seized the opportunity to reach into Dior''s pocket and fished out her phone. Seeing what she had grabbed, Dior vehemently iled as she snapped," Give it back!" Sonia happily tapped the phone awake and hovered in at Dior''s face to unlock it. She cleverly opened the recorder app and, just as expected, noticed a newly saved recording. She haughtily clicked on the recording, having it rey the audio, and was instantly greeted with the recording of her conversation with George. Sonia red at Dior coldly. ''You really are trying to win Harry back!" i "Give back the phone to me!" roared Dior as she tried worming her way out of George''s hold. "Alright.¡± Sonia smirked and slowly brought the phone toward Dior "Sonia!" squeaked George. "What are you doing?" Dior red at Sonia. Despite Sonia¡¯s supposedpliance with her demand, she knew she had to be on her guard. If Sonia would return her phone, she would not havee all the way out to snatch it from her in the first ce. As expected... Sonia held on the phone and reached out to her, but before Dior could touch it, Sonia tossed it away. chapter 1716 chapter 1716 The phone drew a line in front of Dior. It flew past her and went out the window behind her. Within a second, the sharp sound of something smashed onto something was heard as the phone plummeted from a height often meters above the ground. Sonia crossed her arms and harrumphed proudly. "Why didn¡¯t you catch it? I gave it back to you." "You-!" Dior was so furious that her face turned pale. How could this woman be so evil? Upon realizing that the evidence was crushed, George released Dior from his hold and turned to look at Sonia with admiration. "What a clever woman you are, Sonia." Sonia scoffed and red at Dior, who was transfixed on the spot. "I''d advise you to stop doing useless things. However much you try for Harry, as long as I frown, you''ll lose!" George scoffed. "Don¡¯t be a busybody!" Dior staggered toward the window after having been released from George''s hold. She could see the phone by the side of the road...but only the screen was cracked. There was hope, she cheered. As long as she brought the phone to a repair shop, she could still recover the recording! Just as she thought of that, however, a car drove by and ran over the phone, obliterating the phone to pieces. Dior felt a loud buzz in her head. Agitated, she turned to re at Sonia and, ignoring the agony she felt from her injured ankle, marched toward Sonia and grabbed her by the cor. "Let me tell you something: Even if you''ve crushed my phone, I heard your conversation clear as day. I''ll tell Harry about everything you''ve nned. "Also, my phone is a limited edition phone. You have to pay me back!" Unexpectedly... Sonia was no longer fierce like she was. In fact, she looked at her scared as if she was the victim. "I¡ª I''m sorry, Ms. Granger. Please, don''t be angry! You¡¯re the one who tossed it out; don''t me me...!¡± Dior noticed the sudden change in Sonia''s expression and found it incredulous. "What are you doing now?" With that said, Sonia grabbed her hand, and- Sonia instantly staggered back weakly and knocked against the wall, a bump forming on her forehead. She then slumped onto the floor in pain, all while Dior stood still, baffled. "Dior Granger!" A familiar, yet enraged male voice was heard behind her. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. She looked over to see Harry walking toward them, emanating cold fury with eyes zed with hostility. Dior, however, did not notice his anger, and she stared at him starry-eyed. " Harry..." However, Harry did not seem to have seen her. He walked past her and came before Sonia. His face etched with rage instantly became gentle. He looked at her swollen forehead and asked, "Are you hurt?" "I-I¡¯m fine, Harry." Sonia looked at him, and then turned to look at Dior." Don''t me Ms. Granger; she didn''t intend to do it." "What do you mean? I saw her pushing you away!" George piped in. "She was intentional! Soni-Ms. Sonia, you must call the police!" Harry''s eyes darkened as he red at Dior. "Why would you do this to her? I used you, so you can take it out on me! If you ever touch her again, though, don''t me me for being harsh on you!" "What?!" Dior remained transfixed on the ground. Her face was pale. Since when did she hurt Sonia? Sonia was the one bullying him and hurting her! "Don''t be mad, Harry," said Sonia feebly as though she was the victim. "I was just careless. It has nothing to do with her." chapter 1717 chapter 1717 Harry frowned. He looked at Sonia worriedly. Sonia was still so considerate despite what happened. He saw it with his eyes that Dior was the one pushing her away, yet Sonia still vouched for Dior! "I didn''t hurt her, Harry!" Dior met his cold, disappointed eyes and exined, "Sonia lied to you! She intentionally jumped into the river to put on an act! Everything was part of her n to fool you!" George, who was standing by the side, jolted and stiffened. "Ms. Granger, what are you talking about? Why would you bully me and then use me of such a thing? Do you have to...harass me this way, just because Harry chose to be with me?" Dior scoffed at her, "I truly do admire your acting skill!" Sonia, however, remained innocent. "I don''t know what you''re talking about ... but I won''t allow you to hurt my Harry''s heart!" Dior scoffed. She was the one hurting and cheating on Harry! This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Dior was not bothered to argue with this woman. She could only look at Harry again. She had to gamble on this situation, onest time. Harry should also know her at this point after having been with her for a while. Dior then carefully exined earnestly, "I didn''t lie to you, Harry-honest. These two were talking about how her n was to lie to you. I used my phone to record it, but they found out. They chased me out and tossed out my phone. If you don''t believe me, you may check the CCTV!" With that said, Sonia and George looked visibly rmed. However, Sonia calmed down after a moment and said in disbelief, "Ms. Granger, please stop twisting things around. What did George and I say? He thought I had a miscarriage and was sad about the baby, so he came to check on me and asked about the baby. I¡¯ve been keeping my distance from him. "You, on the other hand, came to the hospital looking for Harry but dropped your phone in your hurry. I bought it out for you, and you didn''t take it from me. It fell, but now you''re ming me forthat! You used me of dropping your phone and called me poor for not being able to pay you back. The phone was fine on the floor, but you picked it up and tossed it out the window. You were shaming me for being poor!" George, meanwhile, was using his phone to tell the hospital to delete the video footage while the three of them were talking. With that, he chimed in to Sonia''s defense, "What Sonia said is true, and I¡¯ll get hit with lightning if I¡¯m lying. Sonia''s wrongly used right now; she''s shamed and hurt! Now, this woman is even trying to break the two of you up!" With that said, George looked at Harry. "Harry, if you don¡¯t believe me, you may go and check the CCTV!" "You''re bluffing!" Dior red at Sonia and George. "Nothing they''re saying is true! Swear to God if you dare! I can swear to God if anything I say isn''t true, I-" "Enough!" Harry cut her off. He remembered clearly that when he arrived by the staircase, he heard Dior asking Sonia to pay for her phone. Dior then pushed Sonia, who even kindly defended her. How could she have done something malicious? Furthermore, he knew what Dior was like. She was a spoiled heiress who, whenever upset, would act out just like this. chapter 1718 chapter 1718 Harry shot Dior a fierce, ruthless stare and snapped, "I''ll pay for your phone on Sonia''s behalf. Do not show up in front of me from now on!" With that, he gently lifted Sonia into his arms and walked past her coldly. Sonia nestled herself in Harry''s arms, seemingly weak and gentle, yet her face that was turned away from Harry showed a different story. Pale as she was, her expression morphed into one of triumph, topped off with a prideful grin. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Dior remained rooted on the ground and watched as they both left. Harry chose to believe Sonia instead of her? How could he be so blind? Why was he such a fool? D*mn it. She refused to believe she could not take down that phony woman! Dior scanned her surroundings when she then noticed cameras at the front and back. That would work. As long as she showed Harry the video footage, she could prove that Sonia and George snatched her phone. Harry would believe her this way! Dior took up the walker once more and made her way downstairs to the counter, where she then requested, "Find me the video footage of the sixth floor ward-side half an hour ago." "Alright." The nurse looked at her and started going through the surveince footage. However, when the nurse managed to rewind the video footage of the sixth floor, everything went ck and was unavable. The nurse frowned and said, "I''m sorry, madam. The cameras on the sixth floor aren¡¯t working." "What?" Dior was shocked. "All of them? The ones at the front and back?" "Yes, madam." The nurse even moved theputer screen for Dior to see. "Look, it''s not showing. I''m terribly sorry, but I just recalled that the cameras were broken a few days ago. Someone¡¯sing over to repair them soon." Staring at the ck screen, Dior then thought of something and smiled bitterly. She had wondered why Sonia and George would want Harry to see the cameras in their confrontation- they had it all covered! Dior felt as if chills wereing up her feet. Sonia was too evil, too meticulous. She not only twisted the truth, but she even managed to clean up the evidence in such short notice! How could she fight against a woman like her? With Harry not believing her one bit and without evidence, what could she do? Dior looked out of the hospital window and noticed that the sky was turning bright. Tiredness and hopelessness overwhelmed her entire being. Still, she refused to give in. She did not want to ept that all of her dreams were shattered within one night, that Harry left her just like that. Furthermore, he dumped her for a vile woman! Dior bit her lip. After a moment of thought, she went back to the lift to go upstairs. She had to tell Harry about Sonia¡¯s n. Whether he believed her or not, she had to tell him! Dior arrived before Sonia¡¯s ward and looked in through the window. George was no longer there; only Harry was left with Sonia. Sitting at the bedside, his handsome face was graced with gentleness as he carefully cleaned the bump on Sonia''s forehead. The mere sight of this felt like a stab to Dior''s heart. Harry had never been that gentle to her. Even when he was acting, never once did he look at her this way. Did he love Sonia that much? Even if she was bearing another man''s baby, even if she hurt him so much, he still treated her so well. The loving sight felt like a stab to Dior''s eyes. Her eyes instantly turned red. A long whileter, Harry walked out from the ward, only to meet Dior, face stained with tears and more pooling in her eyes. chapter 1719 chapter 1719 Dior''s usually optimistic eyes brimmed with tears, and Harry could feel his heart sinking at the sight. "Harry..." Dior stared straight at him, her voice hoarse as she urgently reasoned," Sonia really lied to you. This was her n with George! Her body is fine, but she made this upto keep the baby. Also, her jumping into the river was all part of her grand scheme. She waited for you to look over before she jumped in... Her rtionship with George isn¡¯t what she told you to be. She "Shut up!" Harry snapped, unable to continue listening to Dior. Why would Dior do this? Back in the ward, the amicable Sonia even coaxed him, telling him not to take it out on Dior. She even exined that it was not Dior''s fault, that it was just a misunderstanding. As for the baby, Sonia was so close to aborting it silently. She even hit her belly in front of him. Why would that be a lie? Harry red at Dior, not liking her behavior at all. She was full of lies, one to twist stories to her liking. The small speck of guilt he had for her instantly vanished. Harry''s expression froze over as he red at her frigidly. "Enough! I don''t need you interfering in my matters with her!" "Harry..." The helpless Dior stared at Harry vulnerably. "What I say is true-" "Even if it''s true, does it matter?" Harry scoffed impatiently. "Even if she lied to me, I¡¯m willing to let her do that. It has nothing to do with you!" A thought urred to him as he stared at her furiously. Fishing out a card, he tossed it at Dior. "Seeing as I have used you for my gain, I owe you a favor, and this sum of money is enough to make up for it. From now on, I don¡¯t owe you anything. Now, get lost!" The card pped Dior''s face. Dior¡¯s face lost all of its zest and color as her round eyes stared at him incredulously. Did Harry just use money to humiliate her love for him? Was all the kindness she had shown to him, how she heralded him, ced him on a pedestal...equivalent to this card? This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. He humiliated her for this evil woman. Harry noticed Dior''s reddened eyes and could not help feeling rather conflicted. Thinking of the lies she had spewed, however, he remained silent and shot her a steely gaze. Worried that he might hurt Sonia again, he instructed the nurse by the side in front of Dior, "Arrange for a few securities over here to guard the ward. Without my permission, nobody can enter, especially her." "Understood." The nurse looked at Dior sympathetically and did as she was told. Harry red at Dior before he headed back into Sonia''s ward, shutting the door behind him heartlessly. Dior could only watch as the door mmed shut right in front of her, her being still frozen where she stood. Her heart was searing in pain as though it had been skewered. ''Not allowed to enter''? Harry was that certain she had hurt Sonia? Was she such a person to him? 1 Nothing hurt more than this. She wanted the best for Harry, yet he used money to humiliate her sincerity. He did this to her! 1 Dior¡¯s eyes reddened as tears fell from her eyes. Her heart was never this hurt before; it felt like it was chainsawed. She just could not breathe. Love truly could hurt this much, huh? Staring at both Harry and Sonia inside the ward, Dior''s lips curled up a painful smile in despair. Reaching out to wipe off her tears, she then turned to leave. chapter 1720 chapter 1720 Meanwhile... The development project continued to progress rapidly in Mount Vige, and it had gotten to a crucial stage;ying the foundation. Charmine went to the site early in the morning to personally monitor the work. Anthony thought of how tired she must have been, so he went to the bamboo house to prepare a pot of Charmine''s favorite vegetables. Even though she had promised to cook him meals for three days, he did not want her to be as tired. Anthony remembered that the first time he dined with Charmine was over pot-food. This was their beginning. For the time being, Charmine was no longer as harsh and no longer turned him away. Anthony hoped she could continue for the better. 1 Moreover, with hisplications slowly receding, and though he still had aches from time to time, it was not as frequent. If his illness could be more stable... With images of his future with Charmine running through his mind, Anthony''s eyes softened sincerely and gently. All of a sudden, the images shattered as a loud buzz overwhelmed Anthony''s mind. His nerves jolted and he was in so much pain that his sight went ck. He loosened his grip on the knife in his hand, cing it on the table, but his abrupt ckout caused the knife to fall to the floor audibly. 1 Chris and Chloe heard it, even from outside the door. Exchanging nces, they instantly made their way into the kitchen and saw Anthony, his handsome face pale and tense as cold sweat riddled his forehead. rmed, Chris went to Anthony and helped prop him up, his eyes widening in worry as he did. "Daddy, what happened?" Chloe, on the other hand, helped massage Anthony''s temples as she squinted. Was Anthony''splication having an outburst? How could that have happened? She had been feeding medicine to him, albeit secretly, and he was taking them on time. He should be getting better, so why did it seem to have worsened instead? Anthony shook his head, and his blurry vision cleared. "It''s nothing," he replied hoarsely, "just feeling dizzy." Chris had no idea about Anthony''s illness, merely thinking he just suffered from a cold, which was why he was not as worried. Both he and Chloe helped Anthony out of the house and sat him in the front yard. Anthony felt a wave of sharp pain in his head; it felt as though needles were jammed into his skull incessantly. His entire body grew taut from the tension. He looked at the two children with a worried look. "I''m fine. I''ll go in and get some rest." Standing up, Anthony then recalled something as he turned to look at Chris seriously. "Do not tell your Mommy about this." Chris, not wanting to worry Charmine, nodded at Anthony. "Okay." He quickly helped Anthony get up before turning to Chloe and said, "I''ll go and take care of my father now, Chloe. I¡¯ll y with you another day." "Okay!" Chloe stood up and watched as both father and son headed inside the house, frowning with pursed lips. She went home and instantly went online to log into her ount. The moment she did, she noticed an email sent to her from Anthony. (Anthony: Cabbage, my illness was getting better a few days ago, but the pain has rpsed today, and it''s more severe than before. What could this be?] [Cabbage: What kind of pain is it? Do you have any other symptoms?] [Anthony: No.] Chloe frowned and instantly got to work, researching information online. A few minutester, she saw the words on her screen, and her eyes darkened. PHL contained HOR substance...and it was this substance that worsened Anthony''s illness? This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. The medicine would not work if she could not use PHL. The four herbs must work together! Chloe quickly went into her room and took out all the other herbs. No matter how she mixed them, they did not have the effect of this medicine. In other words, although the medicine could relieve the illness, the illness mighte back with more severe side effects. Chloe pursed her lips, and for a long while, she felt clueless and helpless. Momentster, she returned to herputer and replied to Anthony¡¯s email. [Cabbage: I''m sorry, the medicine has side effects which cause this. Stop ingesting the medicine for now.] chapter 1721 chapter 1721 Anthony''s eyes dulled upon receiving Cabbage''s email, and he could practically feel his heart sinking. ''Side effects''? ''More severe''? Why did this happen? He had just grown hopeful, anticipating how he would rekindle his rtionship with Charmine once he recovered. s, it seemed that there was no chance to be with her. Charmine had just started walking out of the negative impact he had inflicted. What harm would he cause her if he left her again? Anthony''s gaze darkened with bitterness as he recalled how Charmine had once cut him off before. Amid his thoughts, Anthony''s phone rang. Lowering his gaze, he noticed that it was Nial calling. "What is it?¡± he spoke upon answering the call. "Bro, my research with the international professors finally has results!¡± came Nial''s excited response on the other end. "We have a daring proposal, I don''t know if you''re willing to try it." i "Is that so?" replied Anthony, his interest piqued. ''Tell me!" He would not give up on any chance of recovery. Nial said, "Amnesia is caused by damage inflicted upon the hippocampus. If we have a craniotomy and insert a high- tech man-made hippocampus, yourplication may be treated. Nheless, this is a very risky surgery, and the chances of failure are as high as eighty percent. If we seed, the effect willst forever. If we fail, you may end up paralyzed...or even dead." Anthony clenched his phone tightly and narrowed his eyes. A failure rate as high as 80-percent, was it? There was a 20-percent chance of sess, regardless. Anthony looked out the window and at the beautiful bamboo house. He seemed to have made a decision as he answered, "Have it prepared, then. I¡¯ll go tomorrow." Forget 20-percent; he would still undergo the operation even if the sess rate was just one-percent! Nial nodded. ''Til wait for you then, Bro!" Anthony hung up and leaned on the sofa with his eyes shut. His face was solemn. He had no idea if he could return upon leaving this time. If he could not... Anthony''s heart sank. He opened his darkened eyes and looked ahead. If he could not make it back, how would Charmine face the rest of her long life? However, given the situation, he had to leave. This was his only chance, and he would gamble his life for Charmine. Anthony''s head began throbbing in pain once more, and he pressed on his temples, attempting to relieve the pain. It worked after a long while, and the pain subsided. Seeing that Charmine would be returning soon, he endured the pain and quickly went into the kitchen to make dinner. The sun began to set that evening, nketing the entire vige with its remaining glow. Cooking smoke rose from the houses below the mountain. At this time, Charmine made her way home from the site. When she walked past the bamboo bridge, she could smell the fragrance of food cooked in a pot. Pot food? Her eyes lit up as she instinctively recalled her first meal with Anthony. They had pot food. Charmine felt somehow pleasant. When she got home and opened the door, the fragrance intensified. "Mommy!" Chris was on the swing in the front yard. When Charmine came home, he chirped, "Daddy made dinner tonight! It''s pot food!" Charmine was shocked. "Why is he cooking?" Was he implying that she came home toote, or that the food she cooked was not up to his standards? This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Chris shook his head. "I don''t know. You should go in and ask Daddy." "Oh." Charmine thus went inside and saw Anthony''s tall figure standing before the kitchen counter, cutting and chopping away with unwavering focus. She frowned in confusion. Anthony was preparing dinner? chapter 1722 chapter 1722 Anthony turned around when he heard footsteps behind him. Upon seeing it was Charmine, his gaze softened. "Ah, you''re back. Are you tired?" "No." Charmine walked over and saw the nicely ted dish. The sight tingled her with warmth. Beef, duck, mushroom, and noodles¡ªall her favorites. "Get some rest,¡± said Anthony, "it¡¯ll be ready soon." Gazing at his handsome side-profile, Charmine asked, "Why did you cook?" Did she not promise him she would cook for him for three days? Anthony turned to look at her, and his expression softened." You had a long day. Why would I want you to cook aftering home?" Meeting his sweet-tempered gaze, Charmine paused. The feeling she had at that moment felt warm and cozy. She repressed her emotions, however, and asked, her expression distant, "Is there something I can help with?" "No," said Anthony, "you may go out and get some rest." Charmine did not insist on the matter as she turned and walked out. She apanied Chris and rested in the front yard for a moment before Anthony came out with the pot and dishes. " Dinner''s ready." Chris grabbed Charmine''s hand. "Mommy, the food is ready!" "Okay." The night breeze was calming, and the clear moon hung on the clear night skies. Outside the bamboo house, the flow of the stream chorused with the asional sound of crickets. At the yard of the bamboo house, the family of three sat under the tree. Warmth and affection filled the atmosphere. Anthony ced raw ingredients into the pot they had brought out. Once the water began to boil, he took them out and ced them into Charmine''s bowl. "Have more." Charmine frowned. Why did she feel that Anthony was behaving like apletely different person? Ever since she came back home, he acted oddly as though hiding something. It was almost as if he had many things to say to her but was holding back, including when she entered the kitchen when she got home, i She clearly noticed the longingness in his eyes. Charmine looked at him suspiciously, unable to fend off the gnawing question from spilling through her lips, "Is there something you''d like to say? You can tell me; I won''t bite." This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Anthony felt exposed from that sole question. His pupils dted in shock. Instantly, he mentally quelled the shock in his eyes and masked it with a gentle gaze instead, replying, "No, I just don''t want you to overwork." Charmine frowned. Was that it? This was just a casual remark. Why would he act as if he was holding back so much? Charmine looked at him suspiciously, but just as she was about to speak, she quickly realized that she was caring too much about his feelings. That was how a couple would act, which they were definitely not. Charmine pursed her lips and said nothing else, resuming her meal, all while Anthony continued to put more vegetables on her te. Chris watched as Anthony put food into Charmine''s bowl. Thinking of how Anthony ignored him when he asked him to scoop him some food, Chris did not bother asking this time and reached out to get some meat. All of a sudden, Anthony caringly ced some meat on Chris '' te for him as he caringly advised, "Don''t just eat meat; have some vegetables." Chris looked at him innocently. He just got himself a smaller slice of meat, but Anthony gave him a large chunk of meat. It was a rare asion for Anthony to get him food! The giddy Chris happily ate away. After Anthony had picked some meat for Chris, he then put some vegetables and mushrooms into Chris'' bowl. Charmine watched him as her suspicion grew. What changed him? He was never this gentle toward Chris... Anthony turned to put more vegetables into her bowl. "Is it yummy?" he asked. Charmine snapped out of her thoughts. "Not bad." Anthony looked at her intensely. Unable to hold back, he allowed himself to ramble, "Don''t wear yourself out; rest when you need to. Sleep early at night, and don''t stay up toote. Don''t overthink, too. Remember to have three meals every day. You must take good care of yourself." chapter 1723 chapter 1723 Charmine stared at Anthony dubiously. "Are you taking me as a three-year-old?" Was she not taking good care of herself? "I''m just worried you¡¯ll end up neglecting your wellbeing in your busy schedule, is all," replied Anthony. Charmine nced at him coldly. "You''re thinking too much. As you can see now, I''ll take good care of myself." Anthony nodded. ''That¡¯s good." He looked all the more strange as Charmine stared at him. Apart from his behavior, she could see he had a lot of things in mind. What happened to him? Instantly, Charmine was reminded of their status. She asked him nothing else and continued eating in silence. After dinner, Anthony took the initiative to clean and wash the dishes. Charmine brought Chris to enjoy the night breeze and moon at the pavilion. After a moment, she asked, unable to refrain herself, "Dear, did anything happen to your father this afternoon?¡± Chris'' eyes narrowed at the question and instantly recalled how pained Anthony looked when he was inside the room. A twinge of sadness shed across Chris¡¯ eyes, but as he recalled that Anthony had told him not to tell Charmine, he replied, "Nothing happened. Daddy was working all afternoon while I yed with Chloe." "Oh." Charmine turned around. Seeing Anthony''s tall figure standing in the kitchen, he looked just fine. Charmine pursed her lips. Was she over-analyzing things? Probably. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Charmine did not dwell on this matter as she entertained Chris for a while before returning to the room. After shower, she chatted with Adam about the progress before she felt tiredness looming over her. Knowing she had to wake up early the next morning to help out at the site, sheid in bed and fell asleep not long after. The night darkened. Themp remained lit inside Anthony¡¯s room. Under the soft moonlight, his tall figure stood before the wooden door as his imcable gaze fixed itself at the bamboo house where Charmine resided. Deep longingness whirled in his pupils. 1 Anthony had no idea when he would see her again. He prayed she would...take care of herself. Anthony stood still with his hands behind him for a very long while. Finally, he left a letter on the table before leaving. Inside the bamboo house, Charmine was deeply asleep. She had a dream, one where she was on a luxurious cruise. Anthony wore the suit that she had designed for him, a sprightly bouquet of flowers at hand as he approached her. "Charmine, will you marry me?" Charmine, dressed in a white gown and lips painted in red, answered, "I do." Even the air was filled with love. The scene then changed, and the setting was in a vi. Charmine, with a swollen belly, was admiring the flowers with Anthony, who watched over her constantly, caringly. Chris, meanwhile, stood next to them. They were a happy family of three. The birds were chirping outside the window. Charmine jolted awake in shock. As her eyelids parted, it then dawned on her that it was all a dream. She looked up at the ceiling and could not help recalling the scenes from her dream: She got married to Anthony, and they then had a baby. The sunset in her dream was so beautiful. An idea lit up Charmine''s mind as she sprang to action. She gazed out of the window and at the misty sky outside before turning to Chris who was beside her. "Momo," she gently spoke. Chris instantly woke up and rubbed his eyes as he did. ¡° Good morning, Mommy." Charmine gazed at him fondly, much like a mother would to her son, and said, "Dear, why don''t you wake your Daddy so we can watch the sunrise together?" "Watch the sunrise?¡± Chris'' eyes widened with delight as he happily answered, "Okay, Mommy! Can I bring Chloe along?" Charmine smiled. "Yes, you may.¡± Chris instantly sprinted out of the house, raced toward Anthony''s house, and went inside. chapter 1724 chapter 1724 Hehe! He would call for his Daddy first and let Chloe sleep for a little longer. "Daddy!" Chris sangsonged as he pushed the door open. However, all that he saw was an empty room...and Anthony was nowhere to be seen. Chris paused at the sight. Thinking Anthony was still somewhere in the house, he called out louder, "Daddy? Daddy?" The only response he got was the rooster''s crow that came from the vige chief''s house. Chris frowned. Had Anthony gone out so early in the morning for a run? Sighing, the boy turned to head home, intending to call Anthony. Just as he was about to leave, however, he saw a letter left on the table. Pausing, he walked toward the letter and noticed words written on the surface. [To: Charmine Jordan.] Chris'' eyes widened as a thought intruded him, and his gaze darted around the house worriedly. His tiny hands clenched on the letter as he turned to run home. "Mommy!¡± Charmine just got changed at that point, replying to Chris gently, "Have you called Chloe as well, dear?" Chris shook his head. "I didn''t." "Hmm?" Charmine looked at him. Just as she was about to speak, Chris handed the letter to her. "I went to look for Daddy in his house and only saw this left on the table." Reading the words written on the envelope, Charmine''s heart sank as she took the letter from Chris and opened it. The letter, upon being unfolded, revealed a messily written content. [Charmine, I have an urgent matter to deal with back in Burlington. Do take care of yourself. Once I sort it out, I''lle back for you when I can. [Don''t let your thoughts trouble you. Take care, and don''t miss me. [Anthony.] Charmine could feel how her heart hollowed at the words she had read. Anthony left, and without telling her in person? This...did not surprise her as much. This exined his strange behaviorst night, then. Anthony had a longing look in his eyes and looked almost restrained. He was so caring toward her and said strange things. Were these tell-tale signs of his eventual departure, after all? What made him leave so abruptly? ording to what she knew, there was nothing urgenting up from Bailey Corporationtely. Who did he think she was, that he coulde and go as he pleased? He left after seeing she was opening herself to him once more, knowing he had won her heart again? This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. What a twist, this was. Charmine felt inexplicably crestfallen, frustrated. In the next instance, however, she tore the letter into pieces and binned them, all while Chris stood next to her, unease. His father was utterly unreliable. Just when Charmine was slowly starting to ept him again, just when she was starting to have faith in love again, he left her behind. What was he thinking? Worried that Charmine would revert to her old, unforgiving self again, Chris grabbed her hand with his own, pudgy hand, persuading her, "Mommy, Daddy probably has some urgent matters that he had to leave in the middle of the night. He didn''t tell us in person because we were sleeping." "No," replied Charmine resolutely, sure of herself, "he didn''t leave abruptly." If he had to leave abruptly, he would not have behaved that wayst night. It was apparent that he was prepared to leave. Howughable. If he would leave as he pleased, why did he bother to act as if he did not want to leave? chapter 1725 chapter 1725 "It¡¯s fine; he can leave whenever he wants to," answered Charmine to Chris, her response audibly aloof. "It has nothing to do with me. I¡¯ll make breakfast." With that, Charmine walked into the room and changed out of the dress she put on for watching the sunrise. She slipped on a simpler dress and went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. Chris stood still, silently, seemingly lonely as he stared at the torn letter. The n of watching the sunrise with his parents and Chloe was canceled. What a heartbreak, this was. Plopping himself to sit on the sofa angrily, he mumbled furiously, "What a douche-dad. He always leaves when it¡¯s important! If Mommy goes back to her extreme mindset like before, I won''t call him Daddy anymore! "He left as he wanted to without even telling us. He didn''t even ask if Mommy wants to go back with him! What a douche-dad!" Inside the kitchen. Charmine remained calm as she tried giving herself the pep- talk, that Anthony had his free will to leave and that it would not affect her. Still, she could not help herself from spacing out. She forgot to add salt to the porridge, and she even forgot to add condiments to the dishes. The entire kitchen was in a mess. It took her over an hour to finallyplete making the breakfast. Bringing out the food to the front yard, she only brought out Chris'' bowl, saying, "Momo,e out for breakfast." "Coming!" Not wanting to sully Charmine''s mood, Chris tried his best to act normal. Taking up his bowl, he then noticed that only one bowl was left. "Mommy, you forgot to get yourself a bowl," Chris pointed out. "It¡¯s alright." Charmine looked at him calmly. "Mommy isn¡¯t hungry. Carry on with breakfast." Pausing for a moment, Chris blurted, "Mommy, are you upset because Daddy left?" This made Charmine pause before replying, "No, it has nothing to do with him. I''m used to drinking warm water in the morning." "Alright, then." Anthony did leave all of a sudden, after all. Charmine must have been affected, but he did not know how tofort her. What Anthony did was too mean. Chris wanted to help him out but did not know where to start. Chris was simrly affected and did not have an appetite as well. He only had a few bites before he ced his spoon down. "Mommy, I''m full," he said. "Alright, then." Charmine stood up and cleaned up before saying, "Mommy will go and help out at the siteter. Go y with Chloe." i Charmine sounded calm and unperturbed, as though Anthony''s departure had nothing to do with her. "Alright, then." Chris nodded. Charmine tidied the house and sent Chris to the vige chief''s house before she headed to the construction site. Sporting a white shirt and a ck zer on top, she paired her outfit with high-waist suit pants, showing her lean, long legs. At the site, Charmine was a sight to behold: haughty yet professional. She donned the safety helmet and focused on work. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. She professionally instructed the workers on what tasks to focus on and what needed to be worked on. When she noticed that they did not have enough staff, she went and helped out in carrying and lifting things. As Charmine bent to ce down what she was carrying, she unconsciously noticed a tall figure standing not too far away and halted. Her mind instantly brought up one person-Anthony. She even thought that he hade back. When she turned to focus on the individual, she realized that he was just a worker at the site. Charmine looked away and smiled self-deprecatingly before she ced down everything at hand. Noticing that there were bricks needed to be moved, she went over to help out, too. She tried to rid Anthony off of her brain, but ever since his name crossed her mind, it was like an unrelenting tidal wave, one that swept her off her feet and overtook her. Thunk! As Charmine was stacking up the bricks, she did not retrieve her ring finger in time, causing her finger to be stuck under a heavy brick. "Argh!" Charmine cried out in pain and quickly retrieved her finger. Her pale finger instantly turned purple, and blood oozed out of her nail folds. Charmine furrowed her brows in pain as she felt that sharp, stinging paining from the tip of her finger. The pain stretched out to her heart, so much so that even her heart was in agony. chapter 1726 chapter 1726 Workers at the site quickly rushed toward Charmine upon noticing what had happened. Seeing her bloodied finger, one of them said worriedly," President Jordan, is it severe? Can I send you to the hospital?" "It''s nothing." Charmine narrowed her eyes, conflicted. She simply shook her finger, shaking the blood off. She did not seem to care and continued to move. Seeing how stubborn she was, the workers, though worried, gazed at her admiringly, still. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Compared to those who had to rest a few days after being mildly injured, President Jordan was a great leader. One of the workers was still uneasy. After a moment of thought, he went to get sters for her at a shop, rushing back afterward to find Charmine. She was nowhere to be seen. He halted and looked around suspiciously. Finally, he saw Charmine sitting on arge excavator, taking the vehicle by the wheel. Handsome and dashing, pride graced her delicate face. Charmine professionally handled the excavator and scooped stones of a few hundred kilograms before piling them up. The workers watched on, and their admiration for her only grew. Even the men had difficulties working the excavator, while Charmine handled it so effortlessly. Was there anything else she could do that none of them knew? After Charmine sorted out the section, she got off the excavator coolly and modishly. It was as if she did not want herself to rest as she headed toward a group of workers seemingly short- handed. When the head of staff saw this, he quickly rushed over to give Charmine the ster. "President Jordan, please clean your wound first." Charmine looked down to nce at her ring finger. It seemed bruised, but it no longer bled. She looked at the staff and said, "It''s nothing. I don''t need this." With that said, she continued to lift the bricks. It was early evening when Charmine told the workers to go home while she stayed to pack up before going home. She noticed the house opposite hers as she walked past the bamboo bridge, and her heart sank. Although she had been telling herself that Anthony was nothing, that she could pretend that he never came, she could not help recalling the beautiful times they had in this house, sadly vacant at this moment, when she went home. Charmine sat inside the pavilion. She fell silent for a moment as she took a deep breath, shrugged everything off as though nothing happened, and headed into the kitchen to prepare dinner. Recalling how she spaced out this very morning, she willed herself not to fall victim to the same trance again. She prepared the ingredients and only had to cook them ordingly. Try as she did, her head was just not in the present. The fire was set, and something smelled like it was burnt. By the time she snapped out of her thoughts, she recalled that she was frying a dish. Charmine quickly scooped it up, only to find that the green leaves had turned ck. She bit her lip and felt stupefied. This was a simple task. How could she have messed it up? She could not believe she could make a nice meal! Charmine walked to the side and started all over again in selecting the vegetables, but a momentter, smoke rose from the pot. By the time Charmine walked over, the pot was burnt red. It turned out that the fire was roaring, so much so that after she took out the vegetables, she forgot to add water. Charmine quickly added water into the pot and watched as it sizzled, boiling the water instantly. Charmine was infuriated at what happened. She did not like herself acting this way. i Anthony left as he pleased. Why would she lose her mind because of him? 1 Even when he was not around, she did not care! "Mommy!" Amid Charmine¡¯s frustration, Chris appeared by the kitchen¡¯s door, asking," What do we have for lunch?" Charmine was brought out of her thoughts and acted as though nothing happened. "It¡¯s your favorite dish!" she replied. "Wow!" Chris was visibly ted. "I''m excited!" Charmine nodded. "It¡¯ll be ready soon." "Alrighty!" Chris walked over before spotting the burnt dish instantly. He recalled the tasteless porridge and overly salty dish in the morning, and he sighed hopelessly when a thought came to him. Sitting next to the logs, he said, "Mommy, I don''t have anything to do. I''ll help you make some fire." chapter 1727 chapter 1727 "Okay." With Chris'' help, Charmine no longer blundered in preparing their meal, and everything was finished in no time. Charmine and Chris sat in the front yard, but while this was how they would usually go about in their meals, it felt as if something was missing this time. Charmine tried to ignore this feeling; she treated Chris as if Anthony had nevere. "Do you enjoy my cooking, dear?¡± "Yes, it''s very yummy!" said Chris as he ate. "Mommy''s cooking is the best in the world." Charmine smiled and scooped more vegetables for him. "Eat more-you''re still growing." "Okay." Perhaps he was hungry, or perhaps he did not want to tell Charmine just how upset he was, but Chris ate happily nheless. Charmine, meanwhile, did not have an appetite and merely took a few bites of the food before cing down the bowl, much to Chris¡¯ disappointment. He knew Charmine was upset, but he did not want to mention that douchebag. All he could do was act like nothing was wrong and continued to eat. Charmine put Chris to sleep after dinner. When she thought of work, she went back to the site. She could only busy herself with work, to numb her nerves. Burlington. Bailey Mansion. Waverly was inside the wedding preparation room. When she received a text from her assistant about Anthony''s return, her lips curved into a satisfied smirk. Oh, Charmine! So what if Anthony had spent a few days with her? He still had toe home and marry her. He was hers, forever. All Charmine could do was take the backseat and be a sore loser. Waverly arrogantly took up the phone and made a phone call. "Bribe the TV channels. Live stream the news that Anthony and I are about to get married!" Within ten minutes, every channel was live streaming that the heir of the Bailey family, Anthony Bailey was about to marry Waverly D''Cruz. News of this spread like rapid wildfire, inciting mayhem as everyone heard about it. With Anthony''s poprity, this made it to the hot search list within a few minutes, andments instantly emerged regarding the situation. [The man is a talented individual, and the woman is beautiful. God bless.] [After all that, they got back together.] [Waverly waited for him for so long with a sincere heart, and it finally touched President Bailey. What an admirable love.] [Is this true love?] 2 With Anthony''s and Waverly''s poprity, news of their wedding skyrocketed to international news, making the entire world aware of their rtionship. The Bailey mansion''s door almost fell over as numerous people came to congratte the couple, including various top-notch reporters,ing to interview them. Suddenly, television channels, the inte, and headlines were all about Anthony and Waverly getting married. Evente-night channels tried to increase their views by sharing this news. Within a day, the entire world knew about it. Back at Mount Vige... Charmine brought Chris to the living room after their dinner. All of a sudden, as she turned on the television, she saw the rey of this shocking newsing from Burlington. The host, sitting before the screen, reported, ''The heir of the Bailey family and the heiress of the D¡¯Cruz family are finally getting married at the end of the month! The MCT TV Channel sincerely wishes them a happy marriage." The screen then disyed various photos of Waverly and Anthony that pushed the notion of their love.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. chapter 1728 chapter 1728 Charmine''s cold eyes stared at the screen, not once blinking, and her hand that held the remote clenched tightly. Was the urgent matter Anthony referring to was him marrying Waverly? Howughable! When Chris noticed Charmine''s expression, he blurted, "I don''t want to watch this, Mommy. I want to watch cartoon shows." Charmine snapped out of her thoughts. Not wanting to subject Chris to watching this horrible news, she switched to a different channel...only to find that it was streaming the same news. They were all reporting about Waverly and Anthony. Charmine watched on with a cold smile on her lips. Who did he think she was? He hurt her, caressed her, and then left her! All that, and he had the audacity to share this news throughout the entire globe? Chris, seeing what Charmine saw, was rendered speechless. "Mommy, I don''t want to watch anymore," muttered Chris. ''TH go to sleep." With that said, he angrily grabbed the controller and shut the television before casting his nce at Charmine sullenly, lips pursed. He wanted to coax her, but what his douche-dad did was too much. Even he was angry at him, let alone Charmine. Charmine snapped out of her thoughts and turned to look at Chris, acting as though she was unbothered. "Alright. Rest well." After Chris went to the bedroom, Charmine leaned on the sofa. Her gentle look gradually stiffened. She looked cold. She unconsciously picked up the remote once more, wanting to watch the news. However, she did not want to wake Chris up. Moreover, what good would it do to her if she watched? Could she stop them? It would only hurt her even more. Charmine got up from the sofa. She opened the fridge, brought out a dozen beers to the front yard, and started drinking alone. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Inside the bedroom... Chris'' tiny figure leaned toward the window and watched Charmine, who was in the front yard. Charmine must be so upset. Her figure seemed so deste, so defeated. Aggrieved, Chris'' tiny fists clenched tightly. He went back to bed and picked up his phone to text Anthony. [You big meanie! I don''t want a Daddy like you!] [From now on, I only have Mommy and no Daddy!] [Just be with your new wife, then. Don''t you ever show yourself in front of me and Mommy again! Otherwise, I¡¯ll let my dogs bite you!] At the front yard. Charmine was drinking alone when the door abruptly opened. She could not help the gleam of hope that crossed her eyes, could not help but wish that Anthony had returned. Did hee back to exin everything to her, that the news was fake? Charmine thus turned toward the door, only to be met with Dior. Her bright eyes dulled. Dior acted as if she just saw a family member when she saw Charmine. Her nose became itchy, and she broke. She sobbed as she walked toward Charmine. Upon noticing the bottles of beer, she picked one up and started drinking away. Charmine narrowed her eyes. When she saw just how swollen Dior''s eyes were, she asked, "What happened? Did the handsome man wrong you?" "Don''t mention that douche!" Dior put down the bottle heavily and wiped off her tears. "He dumped me!" she eximed nasally, her sobs hindering her sentences in between her words. "Most frustrating of all, he never loved me. He treated me well, only to use me!" Charmine frowned and said nothing for a moment. She picked up the bottle and clinked it with hers. "He''s just a man, but there are plenty on earth. Don''t get too upset." Dior clinked her bottle with Charmine''s, whining, "But I can''t ept it! The evil woman joined forces with the other man to lie to this douchebag, yet he tantly believed her instead!" chapter 1729 chapter 1729 Dior only grew irate the more she thought of what went down with Harry and Sonia. She gripped the beer bottle and drank mouthfuls of the content. Dior, with a face stained with tears, made a pitiable sight, and Charmine apanied her in silence. Charmine admired Dior. Dior, at least, could cry out her heartbreak and vent everything out. Her heartbreak, on the other hand, was silent. Dior cried, drank, and cursed the ''douche'' the entire night. A few bottles in, Dior clenched her fists andid her head on the table, facedown. Her eyes were shut, but her mouth remained open as she mumbled," Jerk. I''ll be waiting for the day you cry!" Charmine was half-drunk, but she was rtively sober regardless. Hearing Dior''s small rants, her red lips curled into a chilling smile. She leaned on the chair as she cast her intoxicated gaze toward the moon, squinting as she did. She lifted her bottle and raised a toast to the moon before she continued to drink. A long whileter, she was almost drunk. She bit open thest bottle and emptied it. She squinted her eyes at Dior. With herst sense of sobriety, she helped her inside beforeying on the sofa, falling asleep atst. As the sky brightened the next morning, Charmine woke up with a migraine. Upon noticing Dior before her, she recalled what happenedst night. Face stered with an impassive expression, she massaged her temples and stretched her arms as if nothing happened. She walked out of the house and washed her face to sober up. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. After that, she went to the kitchen and made breakfast, which aroused Dior from her slumber with the scent. When she sat up, however, her head buzzed loudly and felt as if it would explode. D*mn it...and her pillow even fell off! Dior sat up from the sofa with a stiff neck and walked out of the house to the yard, noticing Charmine making breakfast in the kitchen. She reeled back. Charmine recovered that quickly? She, on the other hand, felt no interest in anything whatsoever; all she wanted to do was vent out her frustration. Dior walked into the kitchen dubiously. Hearing footsteps behind her, she turned to ask, "Ah, you''re awake?" Dior walked up to her and said, "Charmine, Anthony is marrying another woman. Don''t you feel upset?¡± It was as if Charmine did not mind at all as she said calmly, "Falling out of love is nothing-don''t need to take it so seriously. Isn''t being on your own giving you more freedom?" Dior fell silent for a few seconds before she instantly nodded. "Yeah, men are nothing. I''ll have a better life without him!" Charmine nodded. "Freshen up, then. Get ready for breakfast." "Alright." After Dior had gone out, Charmine squinted and got back to work on breakfast. All she wanted was to busy herself; she did not want to stop. Only through this method would she have no time to think of upsetting things, and she would feel less bad. After breakfast, Charmine thought of something and said to Dior, "Ms. Granger, would you like to cut trees for some logs up the mountain?" Dior thought for a while and agreed, saying, "Okay, let''s go." Dior, already feeling hollow and at a loss, would follow Charmine around. Charmine was thest straw of sanity she could cling on to. Both of them went up the mountain. Charmine had a de that she used professionally. She managed to cut off a tree branch as thick as a leg with one swing. She enjoyed this. It was as if she couldsh out the sadness in her. She did not have to think of anything if she was busy. She would feel less worse, too. After Charmine cut off the tree branches, Dior also picked up a knife to cut them into halves. chapter 1730 chapter 1730 Dior turned to Charmine andmented, ''This feels nice, Charmine. I find myself not thinking about that jerk when I¡¯m busy.¡± Charmine smiled. "Good. Carry on, then." This was only half of her n. "Alright." Dior nodded. Every stick and branch was treated like they were Harry, to which Diorshed out on as she halved them. Jerk! Idiot! Dummy! That malignant woman got to Harry''s brain, just like that. What a fool! Dior no longer wanted to love him-she refused to love a nitwit. She cut the sticks and branches mercilessly. One sh, two shes... Charmine and Dior cut out wood for the entire day. The feeling of letting go and focusing on something made Dior feel less horrible. After dinner... Chris was fast asleep while Charmine and Dior were in the front yard. The moon looked rather hazy that night, and the surroundings were tranquil, save for the gentle night breeze that blew. Dior brought out a few beers as they both sat opposite one another, resuming their drinking session. Dior took one bottle for herself and clinked it with Charmine''s-it felt like they were a team. "I''ll follow you around from now on, Charmine," she dered. "If you want to start any business, count me in. I''ll have your back, and you, mine. We won¡¯t get married, and we''ll live just fine this way!" She no longer loved Harry, that tool. She did not fall out of love, and no, she was not upset! Charmine clinked her bottle with Dior''s and softly responded, "Okay." Dior tried to put a smile on her face. "Deal. We won¡¯t get married, and we''ll focus on making money!" She wanted to make so much money that she would drown out herself, forgetting Harry in the process. ''That''s right," harrumphed Charmine. "No marriage; just purely making money!" Dior picked up the bottle and took a mouthful. She put it down and put on gloves to start eating chicken ws. "Men are useless," scoffed Dior as she ate. "Steer clear from us, boys!" "You got that right," Charmine chimed in. "We need no man in our world!" The both of them drank, unknowingly prolonging their session to the middle of the night. When Charmine walked inside to get more beer, the phone on the table rang abruptly. Frowning, she walked up to the phone and picked it up, only to find out William was calling. Charmine epted the call nheless. "Mr. Peterson, is something the matter?" William had not seen Charmine for a long while. Hearing her voice once more stirred his feelings within him. He said gently, "Ms. Jordan, Roskow has a major project looking for partners. They do construction work, and I think it suits you. However, this project is quiteplex, and it¡¯ll take two to three years to Charmine held onto the phone tightly. She narrowed her eyes. Complex? That sounded like a challenge. Furthermore, two to three years? She could take this as a retreat! Charmine took a moment to think about it before answering, "I can do it. Count me in." With that said, she then noticed Dior in the yard and added, "Mr. Peterson, I¡¯d like to bring another person with me." "Alright, then," answered William, "I¡¯ll pick you up now." "Hmm? You''ll pick me up?" Charmine frowned. "Yes," said William. "I happened to be on a work trip near Mount Vige, and I''m only about ten kilometers away." The truth was, since Charmine had gone to Mount Vige on her own, he followed her. He was the one who sent her the flowers and necessities, and he kept a close eye on her, worried about her. It was only when Anthony showed up did he go to a nearby town. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. "Alright, then," replied Charmine, "you maye now." chapter 1731 chapter 1731 "Okay," replied William gently. Charmine hung up the call and ced back the beer that she had just taken out. She turned to the front yard and said, "Ms. Granger, want to get away?¡± "Get away, you say?" Dior''s eyes lit up. "Where to?" "To Roskow,¡± replied Charmine. ''They''ve got beautiful flowers there. It''ll be therapeutic." Dior did not think twice as she nodded instantly. "Yeah, count me in!" It would be nice to get away from this ce; she would not have to get so emotional every day. She might just meet someone more charming than Harry once she would arrive at Roskow. She could start a new life! No matter what, it would be better than this emotional ce, being all on her own. "Alright, go and pack up," said Charmine. "Mr. Peterson ising over to pick us up now." 1 "Huh? So soon?" Dior reeled back in shock. She did not even have time to say goodbye to the vige chief and Chloe. "Yes. Mr. Peterson isn''t far away, and he''s driving over as we speak," Charmine replied. "Alright, then." Dior pursed her lips. Even if she was unwilling to leave, she nodded decisively. Charmine went inside to pack up while Dior went to the vige chief''s house. She wanted to keep quiet, seeing as it waste at night. However, when she pushed the door open, she noticed that the vige chief had not fallen asleep. Her aged figure was lit up by the dimmp light. She was weaving a bamboo basket, her figure pitiable and lonely. She gave off a feeling of age and helplessness, and Dior felt as though her heart had been punctured at the recollection of how well she had treated her. Unfortunately, they were not fated. She could not stay and keep herpany. When the vige chief saw Dior returning, she looked behind her to see that she was alone. "Dior, why are you alone?" she asked. "Where''s Harry?" The vige chief heard from the others that Dior had twisted her ankle, and that Harry sent her to the hospital. It was only at this moment did she see Dior again. Hearing Harry''s name, tears glossed over Dior''s eyes, but she quelled them and answered hoarsely, "Grandma, I''ve broken up with Harry, and I came back to pack up. I''m leaving." "What?" The vige chief''s expression changed. She quickly put down the item and went beside Dior. When she saw her reddened eyes, she asked, "Everything was going so well, Dior. Why the sudden change? Did Harry bully you? Just tell me, and I''ll give him an earful for you!" Dior bit her lip and did not want to say too much "It''s a matter only between us, Grandma," she answered. "He doesn¡¯t love me, so we broke up. I''ll go and start packing now, Grandma." The vige chief watched and felt bad for her. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Harry treated Dior so well in the past two days. How did they break up all of a sudden? She walked in and asked, "Dior, are you leaving now? Why don''t you wait for Harry toe back and talk it out?" Dior looked at the empty bed opposite hers. She felt empty. The feelings that she repressed came back all at once. She looked away and bit her lip, muttering, "Grandma, I don''t want Harry anymore. I found a better man." "What...?" The vige chief looked at her with disbelief. "Dior, are you being serious?" She could tell that Dior treated Harry sincerely. How could she have fallen for another man so quickly? Dior did not want to exin anything. At this point, she was feeling worse. She quickly packed up and said, "Grandma, it''s true. I''m an heiress in Burlington, and Harry isn''t good enough for me.¡± "Huh?" The vige chief was shocked. Did she have a misunderstanding? Harry was the heir of the Cogen family and had tens of listedpanies under his name. How was he not good enough for her? chapter 1732 chapter 1732 Dior, however, gave no room for the vige chief to say a word in the matter as she took her bag and concluded, "I''lle and visit when I have the time, Grandma. Take care." With that said, Dior walked past her, to which the vige chief reacted and followed behind her. "Dior? Dior?" Dior acted as if she did not hear her and continued walking away coldly. The vige chief ran after Dior until she got to the door when she finally stopped upon noticing Dior resolutely walking away. The vige chief could only leave everything in the hands of these youngsters to settle themselves. There was no use in her talking Dior out of this. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. If Dior had decided to leave, nothing could hold her back. The vige chief stood by the door and sighed. Dior took her bag and walked toward Charmine''s bamboo house, not once looking back as she did. It was only when she was out of the vige chief''s sight did she stop, tears running down her face as she bit her lip. She thought she no longer cared about Harry, but after hearing what the vige chief said, she could not help thinking about him. She wondered how he was, if he was with that evil woman...and if he missed her at all. Dior clenched her fists, and her entire being shivered for a while. A momentter, she rposed herself, cleared her burning throat, and pushed the bamboo door open. Acting as though she was not internally suffocating, she walked in and dered, "I''ve finished packing, Charmine." Charmine, at that moment, had just finished collecting her belongings as she replied, "Alright, then. Let¡¯s wait for Mr. Peterson toe and we can leave." "Okay." Dior sat on the sofa, grabbing the unfinished beer bottle and drinking it down. 1 Charmine swept her gaze across the bamboo eyes aloofly, though she could not deny how perturbed she was. This ce had given her too many beautiful memories. She woulde and visit in the future should she be able to, to see how developed the vige would look, and how beautiful it would be. Charmine looked away and retrieved the longingness in her eyes. She asked, "Ms. Granger, did you talk to Grandma?" She wanted to say goodbye to the vige chief. After all, the vige chief had helped her and showed her undivided kindness. Dior drank the beer and looked over, saying, "I''ve told her. You don¡¯t have to go there." It was not easy for her to harden her heart. She had no more courage to face the vige chief. She was more unwilling than anyone else, but she had to leave. Charmine could only sit down and write a farewell letter. Following that, she went into the room and woke up Chris. "Wake up, Chris.¡± Chris woke up in a blur. He rubbed his eyes and looked at Charmine. "W- What is it, Mommy?" She cast him a gentle gaze as she softly spoke, "Mommy is now leaving Mount Vige. I''ll be sending you back to the Bailey mansion." "What?" The utterly shocked Chris instantly reached out his tiny hands and grabbed onto Charmine¡¯s tightly. "Mommy, what about you? Where are you going?" Charmine pursed her lips and said, "Mommy is going to Roskow, and I mighte back in two to three years. I can''t take you with me." Two to three years? Chris was stunned in shock for a good few seconds before he finally reacted, bursting into tears as he hugged Charmine tightly. "Mommy doesn¡¯t want Momo anymore!" whimpered Chris, sobbing mid- sentence." Momo only wants to stay with Mommy. I don''t want to go home! I don''t want to live with that douche-dad! I don¡¯t want my new Mommy!" Charmine reached out to wipe away his tears, guilt-ridden and reluctant." But I won¡¯t have the time to look after you when I get there. Furthermore, you need to study. Your daddy won''t let me take you with me." "I don¡¯t care, I don¡¯t care! I want to be with Mommy, I don¡¯t want anyone else!" Chris held onto Charmine tightly, his tears streaming down his face rapidly as he sobbed in agony. Charmine frowned. She wanted to say something when Chris wiped away his tears, crying as he pleaded, "Mommy, please bring me along, won''t you? If you don''t want me anymore, I''ll be on my own...!" chapter 1733 chapter 1733 "I only want to be with Mommy. I don''t want to go back to that cold house! I Before Chris could finish, his eyes rolled to the back of his head and his body stiffened. His tiny body jolted as if he was electrocuted. He had a seizure. A momentter, foam spewed from the corners of his lips. Charmine''s heart plummeted. She did not expect herself to have triggered Chris once again. Worried, she thought of something and urgently said," Alright, Mommy will bring you." This was her only way of calming him. Once they arrived at Roskow, she would ask Anthony to bring him home. Chris¡¯ seizure receded over the minute, and he recovered a whileter. He quickly clung onto Charmine, his tiny body jolting from time to time, as though she would leave him. However, at the deep ends of his eyes was an impish shine. Charmine hugged him and patted his bag, saying, "Alright, pack your bag. Uncle William is picking us upter." Chris wiped off the sliver of foam at his lips and recovered a momentter. He nodded. "Okay." With that said, he quickly got out of bed and rambled, "Momo will be on his best behavior, and I won''t let Mommy worry. I''ll take care of myself and Mommy!" Hearing and seeing Chris, visibly lonely and helpless, tugged at Charmine''s heartstrings. It felt bitter, yet it was heartwarming as well. She could bring Chris along, but at the end of the day, he was a Bailey. She had no right to treat him as her own. Thus, she could only go along with her current n and make up another as she would go. Charmine went out and started to tidy up the bamboo house. Inside the room... Chris was packing his belongings. He sat by the bedside and looked out the window with his watery eyes fixed on the vige chiefs house. He was leaving...but he had promised Chloe he woulde and fly the kite with her that very day. Chirs looked away reluctantly. He picked up his phone and texted Chloe. [Chloe, I¡¯m going to Roskow with mommy. I''ll be there for a few years. I¡¯lle and visit you when I can.] Chris held onto the phone tightly upon submitting the text. He looked back at the vige chief''s house with a strong sense of longingness. He had no idea when he would meet Chloe again. He hoped that the vige chief and Chloe would always be at their best. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. After Anthony left Mount Vige in the dead of the night, he continued his journey as he took a cruise to Burton Ind. A meeting with Nial was then followed up with a physical examination conducted by Nial and a few other doctors. The data showed that he could have the artificial hippocampus inserted in him. "Your data matches, Bro!" dered Nial. "You may undergo the surgery. If nothing else is keeping you, we can start the craniotomy. Need I remind you, however, that the chance of sess is very small. If we fail, you may not be able to wake up. Even if we seed, you may very well end up paralyzed. Think this through." Anthony, though his expression was calm, had a look of determination ring in his eyes. "Alright, we may proceed," he replied. He had already thought it through on the way here. No matter what the result was, he had to try it. This was his only chance...and he would gamble his life for Charmine. Nial sighed and said, "Okay, we''ll get ready." Anthony nodded. As the team of doctors were preparing everything necessary, Anthony walked to the window and looked out at the boundless sea. If the surgery failed, he had instructed William to look after Charmine. All of his assets would go on to Charmine. Even without him around, he wanted her to live a trouble-free, happy life for the rest of her days. Hands sped behind him, Anthony''s tall figure stood before the window, visibly despondent. chapter 1734 chapter 1734 At Mount Vige. Chloe was sleeping when the phone beside her rang. It was silent that night, and the ringing of her phone pierced the silence, arousing Chloe awake from her sleep. Taking her phone, she realized that it was a text from Chris. Why would he send a text thiste? She quickly unlocked her phone, and upon reading Chris¡¯ text, she was dazed for a few seconds. Chris was going to Roskow with Charmine, and for two to three years at that? Why so sudden? Was it because of Anthony''s abrupt departure, and it hurt Charmine again? Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Anthony was receiving treatment at an ind! Thinking of that, Chloe thought of the email she received yesterday when an international doctor, Doctor Schnarch, sought her advice. She instantly logged onto her ount and sent out an email. [Doctor Schnarch, how''s the artificial hippocampus getting along?] If the surgery seeded, Anthony would be able toe back right away. Why would Charmine leave, then? Chloe received a reply very quickly. [Only twenty percent chance of sess. Even so, there''s a big chance of paralysis.] Chloe narrowed her eyes. Only 20-percent chance of sess? How could that be? She was still looking forward to Anthonying back after surgery to reunite with Charmine. She quickly replied, [The patient didn¡¯t agree to it, did he?] [He agreed. The operation is happening now.] Chloe''s head buzzed at the email response. Anthony agreed to this dangerous surgery? He would gamble his life for Charmine? If the surgery failed, Anthony would never wake up again, and Charmine would live with regret for the rest of her life. No. She must not let this happen! Chloe jumped out of bed and ran out of the house. William''s car pulled over outside the vige. His tall figure exited the car as he then made his way into the vige, knowing the ce quite well. Charmine had just cleaned up the bamboo house when she heard knocks on the door. She walked out to open the door and saw William dressed in a suit, standing by the door elegantly. "Ms. Jordan, are you ready?" he spoke. "Yes." Charmine then turned and said to Dior, "Let''s be off, Ms. Granger.¡± "Okay." Dior picked up her luggage. William, however, walked up to her considerately. "Let me have that." He took Dior¡¯s luggage, along with Charmine''s and Chris'', saying, ''The car is outside the vige." Charmine nodded and held Chris¡¯ hand. She turned off the lights, and the four of them left together. When they got to the car, Chris took another look at the vige chief''s house. He bit his lip before he finally entered the car. Charmine, meanwhile, sorted out every luggage and came before the car before pausing for a moment to take a nce at the serene vige. She felt conflicted. This ce made her sad, but as she was leaving, she felt longingness for this ce. Charmine looked away, but just as she was about to go inside the car, she heard a child¡¯s voice urgently calling out to her. "Auntie Charmine, hold on!" Dior, Charmine, Chris, and William stopped in their tracks as they instinctively turned toward the voice. They saw the tiny figure of Chloe running toward them in her pajamas and slippers, running across the bamboo bridge quickly. Charmine and Dior exchanged nces, startled at the sight. A momentter, Chloe ran to the car and said, panting, "Auntie Charmine, where are you going?" Charmine reached out to tuck Chloe''s hair behind her ear. chapter 1735 chapter 1735 "We¡¯re off to Roskow, Chloe," replied Charmine gently. "Take good care of Grandma at home. We''ll come and visit you when we have time." Chloe pursed her lips and fixed her eyes on Charmine. She asked, "You¡¯re leaving all of a sudden, Auntie Charmine. Are you hiding from Uncle Anthony? Have you decided to hide away for a few years to feel better? You don''t have to go so far; you can keep a low profile in Mount Vige!" Charmine stiffened. It was as if she was exposed, her pupils dted and quivered. Lips pressed into a thin line, she then parted them and said, "You''re still a young girl, Chloe, you don''t understand. I¡¯m not doing this for anyone. I have my own n." With that said, she ruffled her hair. "Go back to sleep." Charmine opened the car door. Just as she was about to go inside- Knowing she had yet to convince Charmine, Chloe blurted, "Uncle Anthony isn¡¯t getting married; he went to get treated on an ind. This surgery only has a twenty-percent chance of sess, and he''s likely to die during the surgery. Even if the operation turns out to be a sess, he might be paralyzed." 1 When William heard about this, his eyes were filled with disbelief. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. How did this young girl know about that? Charmine gazed at Chloe, utterly baffled. "Chloe, what are you talking about? Anthony is fine, why would he undergo surgery?" Chloe said, "Uncle Anthony had allowed Dr. Jennie to experiment on his brain, inflicting amnesia and frequent migraines in the aftermath, causing him to forget things frequently, especially important matters. Furthermore, his muscles would shrink in time. Uncle Anthony was worried about not being able to provide you with a happy life, which was why he treated you the way he did." "What!?" Charmine¡¯s eyes widened as she stared at Chloe incredulously. Anthony had amnesia? Impossible! How could that be? If Anthony treated her due to an illness, why would he go ahead and marry Waverly, even going so far as sleeping with her?! He merely fell out of love, and it was not due to the illness. William, unable to pretend like he knew nothing, confessed, "Ms. Jordan, the girl is telling the truth. Mr. Bailey was diagnosed with amnesia. That¡¯s why he chose to leave you to not hurt you." Charmine''s head buzzed. Even William imed the same thing. Was this...true? He left her because of amnesia? D*mn it! Charmine then recalled the days before she was supposed to marry Anthony. Those days, he would often forget events that truly mattered. It was not that he did not care. Was it just due to his illness, then? Did his love for her, even after all this time, remain? Had he loved her so much that he, in an honest attempt to not torture her, chose to do what he did to her? Fool. What a fool he was. Chloe said, "Auntie Charmine, Uncle Anthony is now receiving treatment at Burton Ind. The operation is about to start. Hurry and stop him." "Alright." Charmine came to a realization at that moment and said, ''Thank you, Chloe." Chloe smiled. "You''re wee." ''TH take you there, Ms. Jordan," offered William. "Okay." Charmine nodded and turned to look at Dior. Feeling the guilt creeping up on her, she apologized, "Ms. Granger, I''m sorry, but I can''t go to Roskow. I have to find Anthony." Dior smiled understandingly. She got out of the car and hugged her. "It''s okay. Go and get him. Seeing you happy is better than going to Roskow.¡± Charmine nodded. "See you when I see you." "Okay.¡± Dior looked carefree, evidently happy for Charmine. "Go on, I¡¯ll wait to hear from you." Charmine nodded and looked at Chris. "Dear, why don''t you stay here? I¡¯m going to find your Daddy, and I will be back soon.¡± Although Chris wanted to see Anthony, he knew it was an urgent matter, and he must not stop her. He obediently got out of the car and replied, ''Take good care of yourself, Mommy. You must bring back Daddy!" "Okay." Charmine ruffled his hair. "Go on. Mommy will be leaving now." Dior took out hers and Chris'' luggage from the car. The three of them stood on the same spot as they watched the car leave. The car was getting smaller before finally, it faded from view. chapter 1736 chapter 1736 Dior took a deep breath before she turned to look at the two children next to her. "Let''s head back and sleep," she spoke. The two children held hands as they walked back to their homes with Dior. Chloe returned to her house while Dior brought Chris back to the bamboo house. After tucking him in bed, Dior went to the living room alone. Seeing how vacant the ce was, it upset her. Even Charmine had left, leaving her in this ce on her own. She was the only one brokenhearted. Charmine could reunite with Anthony, while she and Harry would never be together. Dior took out a bottle of beer from the fridge and plopped herself on the sofa, drinking away her woes. A bitterugh escaped her lips. She acted as though nothing happened as she continued drinking the beer in mouthfuls. The alcohol burned at her throat, causing her to choke and cough. Dior bent forward, and her figure looked crushed, defeated. Meanwhile... The sky grew bright as a car drove away from Mount Vige. Upon a few searches, Charmine realized that there were no roads that led to Burton Ind. They could not take a car, but they could take a cruise. 1 This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. William sent her to the harbor. s... Arriving at the ticket counter, Charmine requested, "A ticket to Burton Ind." "Burton Ind? The ticket seller said, ''The ind has closed off its borders now. There''s no cruise going toward Burton Ind in the next two days." "What?¡± blurted Charmine in shock. The ind had closed off its borders? William frowned and offered, "Why don''t I borrow a cruise from a friend? "No need." Charmine took out her phone to call Kay. "Arrange a helicopter to pick me up from the Golden Harbor." "Yes, Boss!" answered Kay diligently. Within ten minutes, the loud sound of a chopper hovering above rippled through the quiet sky before a limited-edition helicopternded on the emptynd. Kay got off the helicopter and waved at Charmine. "Boss Jordan!" Charmine then walked up to William and said, ''Thank you, Mr. Peterson. As for the Roskow matter, I''ll contact you once I finish working." "Okay." William stood on the same spot. "Be careful in the air." Charmine nodded, and her beautiful figure walked off into the helicopter haughtily. She sat inside the helicopter and waved at Kay and William, who were still onnd. Instantly, she put on gloves and sunsses as she piloted the helicopter professionally. The helicopter whirred as the des rotated speedily, lifting the chopper off the ground. Sitting on the pilot seat and maneuvering the vehicle masterfully, Charmine looked ahead determinedly. ''Hold on, Anthony!'' He would not do anything foolish with her around! William stood still as he watched the helicopter flying away longingly, an emptiness looming over him as he did. He had thought that he would stand a chance if she followed him to Roskow. s... It all ended before it started. When the helicopter flew out of sight, William looked away sadly with a curl on his lips. All that mattered was that Charmine was happy. Loving a person did not imply having that person. As long as she was happy, it was the best reassurance to him. Half an hourter, the helicopter arrived at Burton Ind. Charmine peered down and noticed a luxurious research center on the ind. She then skillfully maneuvered the helicopter toward the building, slowly and efficientlynding the vehicle. Charmine got out of the helicopter and walked forward professionally, rushing toward the research center. Her cold figure marched quickly, disying her regality and willfulness all the more. Inside the operation room... Everyone was preparing the operation for Anthony, gathering around him as they did. Anthonyid on the operating desk. The operating light shone on his head, and it was so bright that his eyes hurt. chapter 1737 chapter 1737 Anthony helplessly closed his eyes, and images of Charmine¡¯s face danced in his mind. ''Wait for me, Charmine. You have to wait for me.¡¯ Nial then wore surgical gloves and said, "Take a breather, Bro. I¡¯ll be administering anesthesia to you." Anthony gave a sign of acknowledgment at that. Just as Nial was about to inject a needle connected to an IV of anesthesia Thomp! The door to the operation room was kicked open. All heads snapped toward the door and saw a tall figure walking toward them, her face overshadowed by the light behind her, her figure emanating prominence. "Stop!" she demanded as she red at the operation table. Anthony jolted. That was...Charmine''s voice! He looked over to see Charmine walking toward them lordly. "Charmine..." He looked at her in shock. "Why did youe?" Nial was in so much shock that only then did he react. "Charmine? You..." It was as though no one else was around as Charmine continued to stare at Anthony, who wasying on the operating table. When she walked to his side, she saw how pale his face was, and hurt shed past her pupils. ''Why did you keep something so serious from me?" Anthony pursed his lips. "Charmine, you know everything?" "Yes!" Charmine looked at him angrily. "I won¡¯t allow you to undergo this surgery. I''m not letting anything befall you!" "But-" Anthony looked at her and wanted to speak, but Charmine coldly cut him off. "No buts! You''re leaving with me! We''ll think of another way to treat you. Don''t risk your life! Momo and...l can''t leave without you!" 1 Anthony''s heart throbbed at Charmine¡¯s words, touched. She had never shown her feelings toward him. This was his first time knowing how much she actually cared for him! Anthony cast her a gaze, one filled with fiery determination. "Because of this, I have to undergo this surgery! Even if there''s a one in ten thousandth chance, I want to try it. You¡¯ll be putting up your whole lifetime for me, so it''s my duty and responsibility to not disappoint you." Charmine''s heart sank as she gazed at him heatedly. "If you gamble with your life, you''re being irresponsible! I, Charmine Jordan, chose you. Forget your amnesia: Even if you have dementia, I can ept that! I¡¯m your woman, and you''re my man! I have a say in your life, and you can''t decide on your own! i "Anthony, listen to me; we still have time, I¡¯m willing to stay with you, and we can figure this all out eventually!" Anthony met her eyes and his eyes darkened. Charmine was willing to stay...? She had a say in his life? After a moment, he finally nodded. "Alright, I''ll listen to my wife." The endearing title went straight to Charmine¡¯s heart, evoking a smile ying on her red lips. Anthony calling her his ''wife'' was worth her stay, no matter what would happen. She reached out and helped Anthony sit up before removing the patient gown off of him. Nial let out a sigh of relief and agreed to Charmine''s sentiment, saying, Let¡¯s just drop this operation, Bro. Since you¡¯re getting married anyway, might as well rece Waverly and marry Charmine instead." Anthony looked at Charmine with a sh of anticipation. Just as he was about to say something, Charmine said, "No, I''m not marrying you yet." Anthony''s eyes instantly dulled. Did Charmine not want him anymore, thinking of hisplications? Charmine met his eyes and said, "Don''t think too far, Anthony. I''m not belittling you or anything like that. It''s just that I don''t want you to forget the most beautiful memory we¡¯ll make." Anthony''s heart softened. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. The most beautiful memory? Charmine was right. Their marriage should be the day to be remembered for the rest of his life. He might just forget about it down the line if they got married at this point. Hisrge hand grabbed onto Charmine¡¯s small hand. "Alright, I''ll listen to you." chapter 1738 chapter 1738 Charmine held Anthony''s hand and smiled. "Let''s head home." Anthony nodded. ''Head home.'' Oh, the long-forgotten words. His heart was filled atst. Burlington, Bailey Mansion. Anthony and Waverly''s wedding was to happen in two days. The entire Burlington was looking forward to their wedding and to how extravagant it would be. The number of visitors was increasing...but Waverly was like an ant trapped in a heated pot. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. She was getting married in two days, but her fiance was out of touch! She was under the assumption Anthony would return and marry her after he had left Charmine, and that was why she daringly aired the news and wanted everyone to know about their wedding. Little did she expect Anthony to not havee home. None of the Baileys managed to get hold of him, either. The number of visitors was increasing, and everyone asked where Anthony was before the wedding. Susan could only exin awkwardly, "Anthony is out making arrangements for the wedding. He should be back soon." Susan then turned around to pull Waverly into the kitchen, scowling at her furiously. "Look at you!" she hissed. "You exposed the news and made it such a big deal! Now, you can¡¯t even get hold of your husband!" Waverly¡¯s expression changed. Though initially overtaken with anger, she stered a gentle smile on her face. "Anthony is just out to work on other things. He should be back before the wedding." Susan smiled coldly. "He better be. We''ll see how you''ll deal with the aftermath if he won¡¯t!" To this, Waverly harbored doubt. No one, at this point, could contact Anthony. At this rate and if he did not show up, everything would end up as theughingstock in Burlington! However, in front of Susan, she had to put it through. "That''s not going to happen. He promised me that he''lle back. Perhaps he''s dealing with some matters. We still have two days." Susan scorned, "Don¡¯t say that I didn''t warn you. If you embarrass the Bailey family because of this, I''ll me everything on you!" Susan then stormed off. Waverly red at her back and bit her pale lip. Just as she was about to chase after her, an uproar urred outside the door. Among the crowd, someone called out, "He''s back! Mr. Bailey is back!" Waverly halted. Anthony came home? Haha! Just as she said, he would return! Touched by her loyalty, he was. Even though he went to look for Charmine, it did not change anything. Finally, he chose to stay with her! Waverly had a proud look in her eyes, and she turned to go out. With a group surrounding the door, everyone gazed expectantly at the luxurious car and the handsome man who just got out of the car. Anthony was in his fitting suit, looking handsome and elegant. Everyone watched as he walked around to the passenger''s car door. Waverly, upon exiting the door, was stirred as she gazed at the tall, lean Anthony. He was finally home! Such a handsome, wless man who had all eyes on him would be hers in two days. Hers, Waverly D''Cruz''s! 2 She would gain the attention of the entire nation. She would be the most admired Mrs. Bailey! Waverly could not hide the pride in her eyes as she continued to stare at Anthony. chapter 1739 chapter 1739 Waverly beamed, "An-" Before Waverly could call out Anthony''s name fully, she spotted something. Anthony''s hand held onto the car door. With a click, the backdoor was opened, and he put his hand over the top of the door in a chivalrous manner. A secondter, Charmine, dressed in a red top and high-waist ck dress that showed off her long and beautiful legs, stepped out with her ten- centimeter heels. Anthony looked at her lovingly as he took hold of her smaller hand. Visitors of the Bailey mansion suddenly fell mum, unable to make a sound. They could only stare at the two of them in shock. Waverly, still riled up with anticipation a moment ago, felt herself faltering. Charmine? Why would she show up here?! What was Anthony doing, bringing her with him? What did he mean? Before she could react, well-established reporters rushed over with countless shes and microphones pointed at the two of them. "President Bailey, why did you bring another woman home before your wedding?" "I heard that you used to date Charmine. Did you two get back together?" "Is the news about you and Waverly getting married fake?" When Waverly heard those pointed questions, her face went pale. D*mn it! Out of so many times, Anthony decided to bring Charmine home today? What was he trying to do? She clenched her fists and red at them. Facing the questions, Anthony protected Charmine by standing in front of her, coldly rebuking, "My life is none of your business!" The reporters instantly appeared awkward. Anthony ced his arms around Charmine as they walked past the reporters and went into the Bailey mansion. Waverly was standing before the door in the front yard. However, Anthony did not seem to have seen her. He did not even look at her as he walked past her. This attracted the spections of many. "Although President Bailey didn''t make it explicit, it¡¯s apparent how he protects Charmine and didn''t want anyone to touch her. He didn''t even look at Waverly." 1 "He is so protective of Charmine while ignoring Waverly. Oh, the good bits are about to unravel!" Hearing that, the group of reporters followed Anthony inside. The once bustling front door area fell silent, leaving Waverly to dust on her own. She clenched her fists as she turned pale. She red at the backs of Anthony and Charmine coldly. Curse that Anthony! He made her look bad in front of so many people! He had promised to marry her, so how could he bring Charmine home? Waverly was furious. Instantly, she thought of something and took a deep breath, wore a stiff smile, and walked inside. The luxurious living room was full of famous businessmen and some rtives. They all came to congratte Anthony and Waverly. Susan was happy to have heard Anthony''s return, but the moment she saw the woman by his side, the smile on her face stiffened, and her hands that held the wine bottle froze as well. She cast a livid stare at them both. "Anthony, what are you doing? Your wedding with Waverly will be happening in two days. Why would you bring her home?" Anthony red at her coldly and looked past her. He fixed his eyes on Grandma Bailey as he gently greeted, "Grandma." "Grandma Bailey," Charmine greeted politely. "Hi hi." Grandma Bailey smiled peacefully and nodded. Numerous guests have filled the Bailey mansion for the past two days, just to congratte Anthony and Waverly. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Grandma Bailey, on the other hand, was unhappy. She stayed inside her room and did not bother to meet them. That was, of course, until she heard that Anthony hade home, and she finally got out to see him. Anthony said, "Grandma, I¡¯m canceling the wedding." "What?" Susan''s expression faltered. She could not hide the angry look on her face as she hissed, "Anthony, what nonsense are you talking about?" chapter 1740 chapter 1740 Anthony merely nced at Susan coldly, not bothering to address her as he instead spoke to Grandma Bailey, "I won''t marry Waverly. The only person I''ll marry is the one and only Charmine Jordan." Everyone else in the mansion was so shocked at the deration that their jaws dropped in shock. President Bailey was canceling his wedding for this woman? How riveting! The selling point was more catchy than having an extravagant wedding! The exhrated reporters pointed their cameras and continued to take photos of Anthony. Waverly had just walked in when she heard Anthony''s bold words. She lost bnce and staggered a few steps back, her already pale face had lost most of its color at this point. She could not believe a single bit of this. She held on the wine ss tightly as if she would crush it anytime. Grandma Bailey did not care about Susan''s reaction. She looked at Anthony and Charmine peacefully, satisfied as she answered, "Alright, Anthony. If this is what you''ve decided, I support you. Just like you, I like Charmine a lot as well." Anthony nodded. Charmine smiled. "Thank you, Grandma Bailey." Waverly finally could not hold it anymore. She walked over and red at Anthony with a cold smile on her face. "Anthony, are you crazy? You were the one who wanted to marry me, and right before our wedding, you want to cancel it? Who do you think I am?" "Anthony, the wedding ising up, and so many people havee to congratte you!" Susan chimed in, just as bbergasted. "And now you''d cancel the wedding for this woman? Do you want to turn us into a joke?" The rtives around them aired their dissatisfaction, too. "That''s right. How can you cancel it so abruptly, and for this woman, no less?" "Charmine knew you''d be marrying Waverly and still wanted to be with you! She''s a homewrecker with twisted morals!" "A woman like her mustn''t be a member of the Bailey family!" "Anthony, think carefully. Don''t make a mistake by making a rushed decision!" "Shut up!" Anthony red at the group. "Whatever I do is none of your business! Is anyone interested in taking charge of the Bailey family?¡± 1 His tone resonated with power. One could not help but feel intimidated. When the crowd thought of how Anthony threatened to leave Bailey Corporation, they dared not make another sound. Anthony held onto Charmine''s hand and dered powerfully, "Listen carefully. I, Anthony Bailey, love only Charmine Jordan. The only woman I will ever marry will be her! Whoever says otherwise should be ready for the consequences!" 1 C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. His demanding voice resonated with power. The reporters were terrified, yet they started thinking of words for their headlines regardless. Charmine felt a surge of warmth upon hearing Anthony''s heartfelt, powerful deration. She did not choose the wrong man after all. Waverly, on the other hand, was so furious that she trembled in anger. Anthony was not considering her image at all! She wanted to go ham on him, spitting curses his way. However, seeing how big of a crowd there was, she thought otherwise and bit her pale lip. " What do you take me for, Anthony?¡± she sobbed, "When you agreed to get married, I happily did all of the arrangements, waiting for you toe home. Now that the wedding is happening, you want to cancel as you please? How should I feel about this? If you didn''t like me from the beginning, don''t promise to marry me...!" Tears rolled down Waverly''s cheeks, making her seem very much a pitiable victim. Many who watched her, felt empathy for her. Why should it not be? She got dumped before her wedding! Anthony was a cruel man, and Charmine was despicable! ring at Waverly, Anthony parted his lips and said his words emotionlessly. chapter 1741 chapter 1741 "I''ve never announced to the public that I''m marrying you; you were the one working on everything. You wanted the whole world to know, and this is the oue of it all! i "You... You..." Waverly was so overwhelmed by her emotions that she red at Anthony furiously with reddened eyes. "You agreed to marry me! You even took the wedding photos with me and even allowed me to decorate our wedding room! Are you backing down on your word? "You knew the reason why I agreed to get married to you better than anyone!" Anthony red at her with an owl-like gaze. "Didn''t you use it as an opportunity to steal Charmine''s man? Now that I¡¯ve got my own n, I don''t need you anymore. Know your ce!" Waverly¡¯s face turned pale. She knew it from the start. StilL.did Anthony not suffer from amnesia? Was he not supposed to be unable to reconnect with Charmine? Why did he change his mind all of a sudden? Waverly did not mind about his amnesia, yet he would still go against her? Waverly red at Anthony. "You¡¯d do well to rethink this, Anthony. Don''t rush your decision-" "I''ve never thought of actually marrying you. There''s nothing to be thought through!" Anthony held Charmine''s hand tightly and turned to Grandma Bailey. "Grandma, I came home to tell you about this. The wedding is canceled, and Charmine and I are going somewhere else. You don''t have to worry about us." Forget about what people might say about him or ridicule him; Anthony just did not care at this stage. 1 All that mattered was Charmine was not wronged and stayed by his side. He only cared about her. Fully supporting Anthony and Charmine''s rtionship, Grandma Bailey nodded and said, "Alright, leave this to me. Don''t worry. Charmine, Anthony, take good care of yourselves." Anthony and Charmine nodded and bowed in respect at Grandma Bailey. Anthony held Charmine''s hand and they exchanged nces. With one look at one another, they knew what the other was thinking. They did not care how the crowd would scorn them nor did they care what damage it could cause. 1 Anthony held onto Charmine''s hand and walked past the crowd, much to Waverly''s sheer fury and distaste at their linked hands, fists clenched tightly as she did. D*mn it! How could they do this to her? How could they treat her this way?! All the while, reporters took photos of her. Since Anthony was so protective of Charmine, nobody dared say anything about Charmine. Within a short while, the entire Tweeter was overridden with the #Waverly- turned-down-at-her-wedding tag, and the people of the inte had lots to say about it. [Waverly was still showing off a few days ago. She wanted everyone to know how massive the wedding was going to be. Even TV channels repeated it over and over again. It was such a big hit!] [Now that the wedding has been canceled, she deserves this! She was too much of a show-off!] [Waverly never had a good attitude. She has lied in the past, too! Seeing how she was the one arranging everything this time around, it must''ve been one of her ns!] [I saw thising. From the beginning of the wedding, we saw Waverly working on her own, but we didn''t see Anthony at all.] [Yeah! I feel that Anthony doesn''t love Waverly at all; there was no love in his gaze.] [Waverly probably had those people wishing them well, too. They thought the two of them were so loving.] Everyone on the inte ranted about Waverly, ridiculing her and minimizing her. Just like that, Waverly was the joke of the town. At the Bailey mansion, inside the luxurious room prepared for the wedding... This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Waverly leaned on the sofa and had a cigarette in her hand. She held her phone and read the comments disyed on her screen. Crash! chapter 1742 chapter 1742 Waverly¡¯s entire form emanated bitterness as she angrily smashed a delicate vase onto the ground. What did these idiots know about what happened? How could they say such things about her? Enraged, she dialed her assistant''s number. "Instantly delete everyment about me online. I don''t want to see anything negative about me!" "Understood!" responded Britney diligently. Hanging up the call, Waverly took a sharp inhale of the smoke from the cigarette on her lips. As smoke shrouded her face, a deadly gaze shone through. To hell with that cheap person! How could she ruin her wedding? She became the joke of the town already! Charmine Jordan...and Anthony Bailey! She would have these two suffer for their transgression against her, ten to a hundred times fold! i Anthony left with Charmine and went into a car. This was the first time that they both sat together so peacefully for a very long while. Guilt haunted Anthony as he drove the car, grabbing the steering wheel as he muttered remorsefully, "I¡¯m sorry, Charmine. I used Waverly to avoid you. It¡¯s my-" "You don''t have to say this." Charmine cut him off and looked at him with her head tilted. "If you know your mistake, don''t do it again. Take care of your body, and I''ll wait for you to recover so we''ll get married. I¡¯m waiting for you to make it up to me." Anthony¡¯s lips curved into a smile as he heard those words-''make it up to her''. "Alright, then. How would you like me to make it up to you? Physically or intimately? I''m fine with both." Anthony''s response caught Charmine off-guard, and she could not fight off the blush that seared her cheeks nor the smile that crept on her face. The Anthony she knew was back; their rtionship was back to what it was before. Anthony drove for a long distance before he turned to ask her, "Charmine, do you regret being with me and going through so much pressure?" Charmine looked at him in the eyes, and her red lips curled into a smile." Do I look like someone who''d have regrets?" Even if she did regret her decision, she regretted not knowing the truth earlier and not stopping him from being silly. Anthony saw the look of determination in her eyes, and his gaze softened emotionally. "Shall we go to Violet Vi or Mount Vige?" he asked. Charmine thought about it. "Let''s go to Mount Vige. Momo is still there." Furthermore, she had burnt down Violet Vi. "Okay." Anthony looked at her solemnly and drove toward their destination quickly. Charmine leaned into the passenger''s seat as she gazed at Anthony''s handsome face, feeling as though graced by the best feelings she ever had after a long while. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. She finally realized that the man she fell for was not a douche who fell out of love easily. The reason behind his every action was because he loved her, not once to hurt her. Anthony drove quietly and silently treasured this peaceful, tranquil moment. Even though both he and Charmine were not talking, the atmosphere in their car was full of warmth and love. The car finally arrived at Mount Vige after a long drive, and Charmine got out of the car. As she gazed at this familiar and beautiful vige, she felt rather rejuvenated. Finally, the view she wanted and the people she cared for were right with her. She then walked toward Anthony''s door and opened it for him, cing her hand at the door''s frame to shield his head from knocking against it. Anthony looked at her. "You''re-" "You''re the patient. I''ll be taking care of you from now on," dered Charmine, sounding resolute. She exuded an air of chill that was not to be found in younger women. Anthony smiled and went out of the car to hug her. They then walked into the vige, crossed the bamboo bridge, and arrived at the bamboo house. They knocked, but there was no movement nor answer. Charmine¡¯s heart sank. Just as she took out her phone to call Dior, she saw Chris running out of the vige chief''s house. The boy stopped in his tracks when he first spotted Charmine and Anthony, but he finally reacted, zipping toward them happily. "Mommy! Daddy!" Anthony bent down and wanted to hug the little boy. However, Chris ran right into Charmine''s arms instead. "Mommy, you''re finally back! I missed you so much!" chapter 1743 chapter 1743 Anthony was speechless. Nheless, he did do something terrible. Charmine hugged Chris and rubbed his back gently, asking, "Were you a good boy when Mommy wasn''t around?" "Yes, Momo was good." Chris nodded and looked at Anthony smilingly." Oh, Daddy''s back, too!" Although he knew Anthony had his reasons for doing what he did, why did he not choose to speak to Charmine and instead had to hurt her? Chris was still angry at Anthony. "I thought you have selective blindness," remarked Anthony. Only then did Chris run into Anthony''s arms. "I saw you already, but Mommy is more important." Anthony rubbed his head and did not hold this against him. He lifted him into his arms, and the three of them went inside the bamboo house together. When Charmine saw that the house was empty, she frowned and asked," Dear, where is Auntie Dior?" "Oh...¡± Chris then replied, "Auntie Dior left early in the morning." Charmine paused for a moment and grew worried. "Did she say where she was going?" asked Charmine again. Chris shook his head. "She didn''t. Before she left, she told me to tell you to not be worried about her. She has thought it through, and she wants to find a ce to start her life again." Charmine pursed her lips. Dior had been feeling better in the past two days. She would probably be less stubborn and sad at this point. She hoped that Dior could start her new life somewhere. The three of them went inside the bamboo house. Charmine then poured Anthony a cup of tea and began instructing him rather sternly, "Take care of your body here. Don''t overthink things or do anything silly. Remember: avoidance is cowardice, and I don¡¯t like men who avoid things. Don¡¯t you ever think that leaving me is for my own good. This will end up hurting me, and I don''t need that!" 1 Her earnestness was palpable. Anthony looked at her gently. "I heard you, my darling wife." Charmine¡¯s pupils dted, stirred at Anthony''s reaction. "Oh?" Chris looked at the two of them and purposefully made a huge reaction. He happily imitated their conversation. He first put on an arrogant and cold attitude. "Don''t do anything silly!" He then shifted his tone, sounding soft and gentle. "I heard you, my darling wife." i Both Anthony and Charmine were flustered. Visibly embarrassed, Charmine said, "I''m going to tidy up the room." Anthony hugged Chris and said, "You¡¯re a good actor. Why don¡¯t you be an actor?" Chris blinked his watery eyes, "Because I want to keep Mommypany and take care of her.¡± Anthony had a pleased look in his eyes as he ced Chris down. Although to Chris, Charmine was more important than himself, this was what he wanted. The father and son would take care of Charmine together. A momentter, Anthony thought of something and asked, "Who told your Mommy about everything?" Other than William and Nial, nobody else knew about it, and both of them would never tell on him. Chris was just suspicious and replied, "Chloe ran out to stop her just before Mommy was about to leavest night." "Chloe?" Anthony instantly had the images of that delicately adorable little girl. "That''s right!" chirped Chris. "The cute little Chloe!" Anthony squinted. How did she find out? How did she know so precisely that he was about to undergo a surgery at Burton Ind? Only Nial knew about this operation. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Anthony frowned in confusion. "Who are her parents?" he questioned. chapter 1744 chapter 1744 "Chloe doesn''t have parents," replied Chris, "she lives with her grandma." Anthony grew even more suspicious after hearing Chris'' response. Out of the blue, Anthony recalled that he had just gotten into contact with'' Cabbage'' as ofte...and only they knew about his illness so clearly. However, he tossed this spection away almost instantly. Cabbage was internationally well-known one year ago. How old was Chloe? She was only four to five years old. She could not be the one. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. A whileter, Anthony had an idea. He looked at the lit-up room and walked inside. Charmine was tidying the room when she heard footsteps. She knew it was Anthony as she asked, "What is it?" Anthony said, "Do you have aptop here? I need to use it." "Yes," Charmine turned on the router and gave him theptop before she rolled a mat open on the floor. Anthony frowned. "What''s the mat for?" "For myself,¡± replied Charmine. "You and Momo sleep on the bed." The bed was small, and it could not amodate three people. As she was in charge of taking care of them both, she must not make them feel ufortable. Squinting, Anthony ced theptop down, stood up, and grabbed Chris'' pillow and nket. "He can sleep in his own room," hemented. Without waiting for Charmine''s reply, he took out Chris¡¯ items for him and told Chris, "Go and make a bed for yourself in the room next door." Chris was stunned. His father neglected him for Mommy! He scoffed and pouted, his little body hugging the big nket and pillow. He then diligently went to make his own bed next door. Anthony went back to the room and added maturely, "You can''t spoil the child. He''s big enough to learn to be on his own now." Charmine was speechless. Well, Anthony had a point, and she had noe back forthat. Staring at Anthony''s alluring back, he gulped and felt his eyes heating up. Just as he was about to walk up to her and kiss those lips he had missed dearly, theptop in his hands suddenly dinged and turned on. He had to look away. He still had a long while to spend with Charmine; they were not in a hurry. Anthony crossed his long legs and ced theptop on hisp. He narrowed his eyes as he fixed his eyes on the screen, logging into his email. Luckily, he had not deleted the email that Cabbage sent him. He instantly started locating her IP address. His clear fingers worked on the keyboard quickly, and the ordinary-looking turned ck instantly. Instantly, a red search bar was shown. Anthony keyed in the IP address and started searching. With a click, the screen had messy codes spinning all over the ce. A whileter, a correct IP address paired up with this IP. Anthony instantly clicked onto it and started locating it...and the final result showed that it was located near him! Anthony looked at the narrowed red dots and his eyes narrowed. Was Chloe...Cabbage? He was baffled when the herbs first appeared in front of his door in the past few days. If this ''Cabbage'' was overseas, how would she be able to send these herbs to his door so quickly? The only possibility was that Cabbage was nearby. Shock shed past Anthony''s eyes. Was Chloe so highly skilled? She was only five. That implied that before she turned four, she already became worldly famous through her medical skills? Anthony had shbacks of this adorable young girl and could barelyprehend his findings, i He logged out to verify again. The final result showed...the same thing. Anthony turned off theptop and looked at Charmine with his darkened eyes. As he was about to tell her, a reminder rang in his head. Before he could further prove it, he did not want to give her false hope. chapter 1745 chapter 1745 If Chloe could note up with anything to cure hisplications, this would further disappoint Charmine. 1 Anthony ced theptop aside as if nothing happened. He walked to the side of the bed and snaked his arms around her waist from her back. Charmine halted and asked, "Are you done?¡± "Yeah." Anthony leaned on her shoulder and sniffed her scent unique to only her. "My darling," he said, lowly, hoarsely, "when would you like to have a baby?" His warm breath fanned Charmine''s ears, and his flirtatious voice, electrified. Charmine¡¯s cheeks turned hot. She suddenly recalled the beautiful dream she had when she was pregnant with their baby. She turned to look at him and said, "At least when you''ve recovered. I don''t want any beautiful memories to get erased from your memories." Anthony''s heart practically softened at Charmine''s response. She actually agreed? She used to change this topic when he mentioned this to her before. However, even though she did not answer him directly, she did give him an answer. His mellow gaze was fixed on her fair face, and he could not refrain from kissing her. When he touched her, she stiffened. Anthony let go of his hands and turned her around. His eyes darkened with desire as he stared at her intensely. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Charmine met his eyes and had a shy look on her face, muttering, "Momo is outside-" "He knows his ce." With that said, Anthony did not give her any chance to talk back. He pulled her in his arms and gently kissed her... The next day. The first hint of sunshine shone through the tree branches outside, and the rays came in rows. Charmine opened her eyes and was met with the handsome face of Anthony''s. She then found herself in his arms, cuddled into his chest as she slept. Charmine was perplexed. A few days ago, she thought this would never happen again...but he was back. They were not drawn apart due to this misunderstanding. In fact, they treasured one another even more. Gazing at Anthony, Charmine''s red lips curved into a smile. She then carefully unwrapped his arms around her waist to make breakfast. Just as she was about to leave him, another arm went around her waist again to pull her back. Anthony hugged her and said, "It''s still early. Sleep for a little longer." "I''m making breakfast," reasoned Charmine. Anthony opened his eyes and said, "Leave this to me." "As I said, you only have to take care of your body. You don''t have to care about anything else," argued the willful Charmine. Noticing that Anthony was going to say more, she added, "You can''t argue with me here!¡± Anthony had a weak smile on his lips. "Okay, I''ll listen to my darling wife. If she asks me toe into bed, I won¡¯t get out of bed!" he spoke, emphasizing thest half of his sentence-e into bed.¡¯ Entertained, Charmine''s red lips spread into a smile. She got out of the bed and said, "Don''t say silly things. Sleep for a little longer, and I''ll wake you up when breakfast is ready." "Alright, then,¡± said Anthony, "thank you.¡± Charmine had never felt so satisfied before. She nodded and left the room. Anthony, meanwhile,id in bed, no longer sleepy. He had his arms behind his head as he looked up at the ceiling. With that, even if his illness could never be cured, he had no more regret. After breakfast... "I''m going up the mountain to get some herbs," said Charmine to Anthony." You stay home with Momo. You don''t have to do anything." Although Anthony wanted to go with her, he did not want her to worry about his physical state. "Alright," he conceded, "stay safe." After Charmine had left, Anthony apanied Chris to water the nts. However... chapter 1746 chapter 1746 Charmine did not return, even as noon came. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Thinking of how tired Charmine could be, and not wanting her to trouble herself to cook upon her return, Anthony turned to the kitchen and started preparing lunch. He made a pork rib soup with the cooker. Following that, he turned to the farm and picked a handful of fresh radish sprouts. Chris was not home when he returned. Anthony did not hesitate, however. Seeing that it was still early, he ced the vegetables aside and recalled the chores that needed to be done on that day. He looked around and saw nothing to do. He went into the room and tidied it, wanting to provide Charmine afortable environment. Within ten minutes, however, he caught a whiff of something burning. Frowning, Anthony walked out to the yard and spotted smokeing from the kitchen. He quickly walked over to see the pot over the me, only then recalling that he had been brewing soup! Anthony frowned and quickly turned off the fire and gas. As a result... The moment he turned off the fire, the burnt pot made a loud sound. It exploded! The few hundred degree Celsius pot debris flew toward his arms. Like a big chunk of burning iron, it burnt his white shirt and left a burn mark on his arm. Anthony quickly tossed it away, but the huge red mark still remained on his arm. The entire patch of his skin was burnt. The patch blistered and turned red, and the pain seared throughout his body. Anthony''s face contorted tightly as he walked to the water tap to wash off the wound. "Daddy!" When Chris and Chloe heard the loud explosion from the vige chief¡¯s house, they ran over. When they arrived at the kitchen, they saw the terrible burn on Anthony''s arm. Both children walked toward Anthony, and Chris asked, "Daddy, how did this happen?" "I forgot to turn off the gas," replied Anthony coldly. Hearing this, Chloe squinted and ran home. She took out the first aid box under her bed and ran back toward Charmine¡¯s home. However, when she first ran out of the house, she saw Charmineing from not far away. She bit her lip and did not care. She ran over with the first aid box. When Charmine saw her running, she frowned. "What''s going on, Chloe?" "Auntie Charmine, Uncle Anthony is hurt," replied Chloe. "What!?" Charmine''s heart sank. She quickened her pace toward the bamboo house. The two of them walked in together, and Charmine instantly acknowledged the smell of gasoline and something burning. She frowned and went into the kitchen. Right away, she saw the fresh red mark on Anthony''s arms. With the blister popped, his bloody raw flesh was a shocking sight. Charmine quickly walked over and carefully held him by his arm. "Let''s get you patched up." Anthony nodded and went out to the pavilion with her. Chloe had prepared the first aid items. Her small hands were holding onto a patch of cold ointment, saying nothing as she stuck it onto his skin. Suddenly, the three of them fixed their eyes on her. "Oh..." Chloe met their questioning gazes and grinned. "Uncle Anthony, this painkiller is very effective." Thinking it was just any regr traditional painkiller, Charmine did not overthink it. She took out the needles and stuck them into Anthony¡¯s skin to stop the pain. Anthony instantly felt that his burning arm was no longer in pain. In fact, it felt cool,forted. He looked up at Chloe who was rummaging through her first aid box." Chloe, tell me the truth," he spoke gently. "Are you Cabbage?" Charmine, who was pricking his skin with needles, halted. She looked at Anthony in confusion. "What are you talking about?" chapter 1747 chapter 1747 Chris looked at Anthony suspiciously as well. "Daddy, is the pain messing with your head?" This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Chloe was so innocent and adorable. How could she be the genius doctor with an international reputation? Unexpectedly- "I am, Uncle Anthony," said Chloe, lips pursed into a line. Last night, she had a notification reminding her that Anthony was investigating her. Therefore, there was no point in hiding it. "What?" Charmine looked at Chloe in shock. "Chloe, you''re the genius doctor, Cabbage?" Chris'' eyes widened as he looked at Chloe with disbelief. "You don''t have to be so shocked." Chloe exined, "I''m just naturally more sensitive when ites to medicine." Anthony looked at her gently. He was right. Charmine was still stunned. "H-How did you do that, my dear?" She remembered that someone had 28 bullets shot at him, yet with Cabbage''s analysis and advice, this person was saved! Chloe blushed shyly and said, "It just so happened that a friend was asking for my help, so I gave my solution. It¡¯s nothing.¡± "You¡¯re amazing," praised Charmine as she patted her head. "Hehe!" Chloe smiled sweetly with two huge dimples showing adorably. Chris looked at her from shock to admiration. Chloe was that clever? Chloe looked at Anthony and said, "Uncle Anthony, you don''t have to be too worried. I''m researching some effective medicine, so you should be able to recover fully." "Alright." Anthony gazed at her with a fatherly gaze. "Uncle Anthony will wait for you." Chris was speechless. Was this still his father? Why was he so gentle and loving to Chloe? It was as if she was his child instead! Hmph! After Charmine had finished using the needles, she continued listening to their conversation and was confused. She looked at Anthony with her eyes sparkling. "What do you mean?" Anthony exined gently, "Chloe contacted me before, and she gave me some pain relievers." Charmine frowned, but Anthony reached out to hold her small hands and reassured her, "I didn¡¯t tell you because it was just some pain relievers, not a cure." Charmine looked at him. "Don''t hide anything from me in the future." "Yes, my darling wife." Anthony stared at Charmine fondly and lovingly, which did not go unnoticed by Chris and Chloe. Both children exchanged nces and grinned at how affectionate Charmine and Anthony seemed. After Chloe had cleaned Anthony¡¯s wound, she left some ointments with him and said, "Uncle Anthony, remember to put them on after you shower at night." "Okay." Anthony epted them, but Charmine took them from him. "Leave it to me." Anthony smiled and said nothing else. The air was filled with warmth, and it touched Chloe, her emotions bubbling inside her. It would be amazing if Anthony could make a full recovery. All of them could live safely and happily for the rest of their lives. After being emotional, Chloe left with the big box of first aid in her arms. When she reached home, she saw the food she had prepared for the snakes. She picked them up and went to the cave at the back of the mountain. Since no one was around, she did not have to put sulfur powder on her hands. She went before the cave and looked at the pile of snakes locked away in the metal cage. She then opened the cage, although struggling as she did. Although all of the snakes stretched up their heads with their mouths opened, their eyes were extremely gentle with no intention to hurt her. Chloe knelt by the side and picked up the food. She fed them one after another. "Do, this is yours. Re, here¡¯s yours. Mi, don''t hurry, look how obedient Fa is. So, now¡¯s your turn." She had named each of them. After feeding them, they climbed up and went on to lick her fair hands as though showing their gratitude. chapter 1748 chapter 1748 Chloe patted the snakes'' head. She sat by the cave and looked down at the snake closest to her. She felt troubled as she mumbled, "How will I get a breakthrough on Uncle Anthony''s illness? "If I need to treat him, I''ll need the Lotus Palm. However, the Lotus Palm contains HOR. This might trigger him and cause more severe side effects. "Mi, what other medications can rece Lotus Palm?" The snake named Mi merely licked her arm and stared at her intently. Chloe looked at the snakes and sighed helplessly. "I don¡¯t get it. How shall I treat Uncle Anthony¡¯s illness? I''m not making any progress now, and I don¡¯t know what to do. "I want to treat Uncle Anthony and ensure that he and Auntie Charmine can live happily ever after." Chloe sat by the cave and talked to herself for a while. She poured her heart out before saying goodbye to the snakes. She closed the cage and turned to leave. That night. Anthony¡¯s wound was relieved, and the burn was slowly recovering. However, his wound worsened as he might havee into contact with something that night. The pain felt like it burned his heart, and he just could not sleep. When Anthony saw that Charmine was deeply asleep by his side, he carefully retrieved his arm and gently got out of bed. Thinking it was the temperature that worsened his wound, he turned down the temperature by a notch. After the temperature hade down, he felt morefortable. He went back to bed and continued sleeping, pulling up the nket over Charmine. However, a momentter, when he was half asleep, he felt his entire body burning. His head hurt, and everything felt like a blur to him, causing him to be unable to tell dream from reality. Anthony wanted to open his eyes, but he did not have the strength to. He kept his eyes shut and brows pressed into a tight line, with his brows furrowed. His handsome face was covered in cold sweat, and his entire body was taut. Out of the blue, he felt something snaking past his arms- something slimy. Instantly... "Argh!" As if two sharp needles had gone into his arm, Anthony jolted in immense pain, yelping out of reflex. His cry of pain jolted Charmine awake, and she then noticed Anthony''s high temperature. It felt like a volcano; she felt the heat before even touching him. "Anthony, what happened?" Charmine instantly went out of the bed to turn on the lights. She suddenly saw a green cobra slip past her feet quickly. rmed, she instinctively reached out with her skinny arm and grabbed onto the snake''s head. Thump! She smacked it hard against the floor until the cobra stopped moving. She then tossed it out of the window. When Anthony heard what was happening, he gradually opened his eyes. His head still spun as he managed to see the wound on his arm right away. Charmine returned to their bed and noticed two bloodied puncture holes on his tanned arm, inflicted by the cobra''s fangs. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. "You were bitten by a cobra?" asked Charmine, frowning. "Probably," replied Anthony. Charmine instantly took out her needles to stop the poison from spreading. However, when she looked at the wound on his arm, she suddenly noticed that his painfully-about-to- explode head seemed to be in a better state. Even the burning pain on his arm was somehow fading away. Furthermore, his burning high body temperature slowly receded. Anthony stared at his wound in disbelief. The sudden change in his body made him suspicious that this all happened after he was bitten by the cobra. He looked up at Charmine to stop her from pricking his skin with the needles. "Charmine, touch me," he said. Charmine was speechless. This was an emergency, yet he asked her to touch him? In her bewilderment, Anthony grabbed her hand and brought it to his body. Before Charmine could react, she noted in shock that his temperature had stabilized. His temperature was still burning to touch a second ago! Meeting her suspicious eyes, Anthony then gave his theory. chapter 1749 chapter 1749 "My head was still hurting, but it stopped after that cobra bit me." Charmine red at the wound on his arm in shock. "Did the cobra''s poison have some effects on your body, that it somehow neutralized the poison in you?" "I think so, yes," replied Anthony. Charmine thought of something and ran toward her bag and flipped it open. Taking out a pair of gloves and some medical equipment, she walked back to him and said, ''TH extract the poison to study it." "Okay." Anthony nodded. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Charmine extracted a bit of Anthony''s blood and put them into a sealed bag. She then phoned Kay. "Come here right now." After calling, she walked out to find the cobra from earlier. She then packed it into another sealed bag. Kay arrived quickly after the call. Charmine handed him the extracted blood and the body of the snake, instructing, "Find out all of the substances in this cobra. Tell me right away once you have the findings." "Yes, Boss!" Charmine went back to the room and looked at Anthony''s wound. She asked, "Do you still need me to stop the poison from spreading?" Anthony shook his head. "No need. This poison is probably not harmless to me." He could clearly feel that his body was in a better state than earlier. Charmine frowned. "I¡¯m worried that-" "It''s fine." Anthony pulled her into a hug and said, "I know my body. If you''re alive, I wouldn''t dare die." His low voice was full of love. Seeing that he was still in the mood to joke around, Charmine did not insist. The two of themid back in bed. However, Charmine was still worried about the poison spreading and potentially causing him harm. She could not fall asleep and constantly felt his hand, asking if he was okay. She even reached out her finger to feel under his nose to check if he was breathing. When she felt his breath, she was reassured. It was as the sky brightened and assured he was alright did Charmine fall asleep. However, within a moment, the phone by her pillow suddenly vibrated. She was instantly woken up. When she saw that it was Kay, she muted the call before walking to the living room to pick it up, just so Anthony would not wake up. "What¡¯s up?" "We''ve got something, Boss Jordan!" eximed Kay. "The cobra contains ME substance in it. Although it was poisonous, it merged well with President Bailey''s blood type. The ME substance managed to cancel out the TD substance from his blood. TD substance is what caused his amnesia. With that, his amnesia can be cured." "Really?" Charmine was filled with hope. "Cut the cobra open and extract more ME substance right away!" "Roger that!" Charmine hung up and was exhrated by the news. She then went into the room to wake Anthony up. "Anthony!" Anthony woke up and when he saw Charmine before him, he could not help pulling her into his hug. Hugging her, he said in his low and hoarse voice, " What is it?" Charmine excitedly exined, ''The cobra fromst night contained ME substance. Kay said that this substance could cancel out TD substance, and your amnesia is caused by TD substance! If we could get hold of more ME, your amnesia can be cured!" Anthony felt his blood rushing at the news. How wonderful! If his illness could be cured, he would no longer have to drag her into misery. He could finally live out his life with her in a healthy body! Chris was just as happy at the news, and he instantly texted Chloe. When Chloe saw the message, she jumped on the spot happily. She instantly went to her room to investigate ME substance. With a search, she found out that this substance could cancel out the TD substance! However... chapter 1750 chapter 1750 This also implied that the little snake was to be dissected. Chloe felt upset at the thought, but curing Uncle Anthony was the more important matter at hand! Chloe turned off herputer and came to the bamboo house, telling Anthony what she had discovered. "Uncle Anthony, the ME substance from the snake can cancel out TD. If we can have more of the ME substance injected into your body, the TD can be canceled out entirely. With that, your amnesia can be cured." When Charmine heard this news, her eyes sparkled with hope. The boulder in her heart was finally removed. Atst, there was hope for a cure! "Well done, sweetie," praised Charmine as she patted Chloe''s head. Anthony cast Chloe a gentle gaze as he thanked her, "Thank you, Chloe." Chloe smiled, her eyes curving into crescent moons as she sheepishly replied, "You''re wee. This is what I should be doing." "You''re amazing, Chloe!" beamed Chris, eyes wide as he looked at her and filled with admiration. "You have to teach me a few things when you have the time to!" Chloe smiled, and dimples emerged on her pinkish cheeks. "Okay!" 1 Anthony hugged Charmine and looked at the two children like a blissful father. 1 He lowered his head to whisper into Charmine''s ear, "Darling, don¡¯t forget your promise once I recover." Hearing his husky, maic voice in her ear, his breath fanning her earlobe, Charmine blushed. She pretended as if she did not understand it and turned to look at him." What did I promise you?" Anthony raised his pointed eyebrows to look at her, his hoarse voice affectionate as he spoke, "Our next baby. You and I are going to make a daughter as cute as Chloe." Charmine halted. He actually said this in front of the kids!? Also, he could think of this before even fully recovering? "Take good care of your body," blurted Charmine, "and we¡¯ll talk about thister!¡± "We can talk about thister," said Anthony with a smile, emphasizing hisst word as he did. Charmine was speechless. What an imp, this man! Anthony looked at her blushing face and felt emotions bubbling in his chest. He hugged her tighter and, ignoring the fact that both Chris and Chloe were right before them, lowered his head to seize Charmine¡¯s alluring lips. He was going to give her a peck on the lips, but when he grazed her soft, sweet lips, he could not stop himself. He pulled her closer and deepened the kiss. Chris and Chloe covered their eyes. A momentter, they parted their fingers a little, showing two pairs of sparkling eyes staring at the two adults making out. The two of them exchanged nces and grinned giddily. Hearing the children''s noises, Charmine quickly reacted and pushed Anthony away. When she saw the smiles on all three of them, her delicate face reddened as she said, "I¡¯m going to make lunch." 1 Anthony looked at Charmine''s shying-away figure, and his eyes gleamed with adoration. He gave the two kids a warning look before going into the kitchen. Chris was ted to see how in love his parents were. He held Chloe''s hands and said, "Chloe, you''re free now. Can you introduce me to the herbs?" He wanted to be of aid to ailing people, too. "Alrighty!" Chloe agreed. "Come to my house, and I''ll show you a few things." The two adorable kids held hands and left. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Meanwhile, Charmine was chopping wood inside the kitchen. Her skinny hands held onto the heavy ax. She looked ferocious as she cut the log into halves. Anthony walked in and saw how rough she looked. The love showing in his eyes deepened. "Leave these to me, sweetheart," he offered. Charmine looked at Anthony and refused, saying, "No need. You¡¯re not fully recovered yet, so go out and get some rest." Her tone was decisive, tinged with love. Anthony looked at her and did not want her to work so hard. At the same time, he also did not want her to worry about him constantly. He frowned for a moment and said... chapter 1751 chapter 1751 "May I have your permission to start the fire, pick the vegetables, and prepare the condiments?" Charmine wanted to refute when Anthony added, "My darling, just like how you''re worried about me, I''m worried about you overworking, too. With your eyes on me, even if I forget something, you''re still around to remind me, won''t you?" 3 His trust in Charmine was evident in the way he spoke. Charmine pursed her lips and felt touched. True, their love worked both ways. If she was worried about him, he would get worried about her, too. Charmine thus did not refuse Anthony of his request and said, "Fine, you¡¯ll go and do the lighter chores. Don¡¯t take up anything more than that!" "Yes, ma¡¯am!" said Anthony and went to her side to start picking the vegetables. Once done, he chopped up some garlic and onions for her. Following that, Anthony started the fire while Charmine stir-fried the dish. The small kitchen radiated warmth and love. After lunch... Kay returned with the cobra and the ME substance. He even brought a well- established medical doctor with him. ''This is what we''ve extracted," said the doctor. "Should all be ording to n, this should be able to treat amnesia."Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Everyone stared at the small packet of precious substance with excitement and anticipation. The doctor took out the syringe from the medical box and inserted the ME substance into it. Following that, he injected that into Anthony¡¯s arm. Instantly, all of them looked at Anthony closely. Charmine watched as the fluid was injected into Anthony, feeling her emotions rising in her chest. She felt lucky and regretful altogether. She regretted how he had faced this on his own for a long while. She was saddened that he had tried out so many ways to treat himself, and that he even hurt his body, all to no avail. What did she do? She was not even there for him when he felt helpless and in pain. 5 At the same time, she felt blessed that no matter how much trouble they had in line for them, they were together atst, and the cure was avable. For the rest of her life, she could stay by his side and go through thick and thin with him. Anthony watched as the substance was injected into him, his face solemn as he constantly evaluated himself if he had any adverse reaction. He clearly remembered how when he was bittenst night. His headache instantly stopped, and the burning wound instantly stopped hurting. At this moment, however... He did not feel any difference as the substance was injected into him, and it was not long until his injection was finished. Charmine looked at him. "Anthony, do you feel any change in you?¡± Anthony gazed at Charmine''s expectant expression, and his heart sank. He wanted to tell her that everything was getting better, but... All he could offer was assurance, saying, "Not yet, but it probably just needs time. Don''t worry; let''s wait and see." Charmine nodded and held onto his big palm in silent reassurance. They then waited half an hour, and the doctor then said, "It''s been a while now. The ME substance should have spread out all over his body now. President Bailey, do you feel any reaction in you?" Anthony said in a low voice, "No." The doctor frowned and said, "Allow me to examine you." He came to Anthony''s side and extracted some of his blood samples. He then took out his equipment to start testing. Strangely, the result showed that the newly injected ME substances were nowhere to be found in Anthony. Furthermore, the TD substance in his body was not undergoing any change! When Charmine saw the doctor frowning, she asked, "How is it, doctor?" The doctor sounded very shocked. "This time, the ME substance doesn¡¯t cause any effect!" chapter 1752 chapter 1752 "What!?" Kay cried out in shock. "How could it be? What happenedst night was that the MEpletely canceled the TD!" The doctor frowned and looked at the data, unable toprehend what happened. ''The test from yesterday did show that, but the current data shows that it''s not working." Kay said, "Doctor, had one of the steps failed? This shouldn''t be happening!" The doctor sighed helplessly. "Alright, I¡¯ll conduct another test." He extracted Anthony¡¯s blood once again to analyze it. Anthony, meanwhile, remained solemn, not having much hope in him. He knew this was not working; he could feel it clearly. He did not mind it, but he was worried that Charmine might be disappointed. Anthony looked at Charmine and saw how hopeful she was, staring at him. Her voice was soft and calm as she coaxed him, "Don¡¯t worry. If it doesn¡¯t work, we''ll think of another way." "Yeah." Anthony nodded and held her hands tightly. The doctor tested again, and the final result was the same. The ME substance did not cause any effect. He said with confusion, "How could that be? What''s the problem?" It was effectivest night! Everyone looked just as puzzled, unable to understand what happened. What went wrong? Even Chloe looked at the red and green data on the machine and did not understand it. In the morning, she analyzed and found that the ME substance did cancel out the TD substance. All of a sudden, it no longer worked! "Don¡¯t worry, Boss Jordan. I¡¯ll catch a few more cobras from the vige to extract their venom," said Kay. He refused to believe that none of them worked! Charmine nodded. "Alright, then. Stay vignt." "Understood!" Kay brought the doctor and left. They walked to get their car before driving to catch other snakes. Choe watched Kay with a look of worry in her eyes. She had seen most of the snakes in the vige. Each of them was mild, and all of them were her friends. In a twist of events, however... She looked at Anthony and Charmine, and her small fists clenched. If Anthony could recover, she believed that the snakes would be happy. Anthony looked at Charmine and said, "Don''t fret, my dear. Even if-" Before he could finish, Charmine stopped his lips with her fair fingers. " Don''t be silly; there will be a way." Anthony looked at her emotionally, hisrge hands grabbing onto hers. He lifted her hand and kissed them. "I''ll listen to you." Seeing both Anthony and Charmine adoring one another, Chloe excused herself, saying, "Uncle Anthony, Auntie Charmine, I''ll go home and analyze the data. I''ll let you know if I find anything." Charmine nodded. "Okay." Anthony also said gently, ''Thank you, Chloe dear." Chris was speechless. ''Chloe dear''? Did his father ever call him ''Momo dear? 1 Hmph! He was not his birth father! Chloe smiled. "It''s okay." She went back home and turned on theputer. She keyed in the data she saw on the doctor¡¯s machine earlier, verbatim. She then went through the results and analyzed it. s, the conclusion was just like the doctor¡¯s-it was not effective. Chloe sighed and ced her hand on one hand as she stared at theputer screen. It was not easy to finally make an advancement...yet things took a turn to this. How could they cure Anthony''s illness? Inside a luxurious vi in Burlington, the marble floor was filled with broken shards and pieces of vases. It looked like a mess. Waverly leaned into the sofa with her face worried and hair tousled. Her fingers, nails painted with red, held on a cigarette, one that she inhaled apathetically. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. After Anthony had canceled the wedding, she was ''asked'' to leave the Bailey mansion. After being kicked out, everyone made her theirughingstock! chapter 1753 chapter 1753 A group of people even dug out the mistakes Waverly made in the past and posted them on Tweeter. She was ridiculed so badly that she dared not leave her house. Recalling how Anthony made her life a living hell, an eerie glint shone in her eyes. How could he use her and leave with Charmine after that? Hmph. He might as well dream about it. If she could not be happy, nobody else could! As Waverly began plotting her next step, the phone on the table rang abruptly. With the cigarette still tucked between her lips, she picked up the phone. When she noticed that it was Britney, she answered it and began, "How did the investigation go?" Britney reported, "Ms. Waverly, Anthony and Charmine had gone back to Mount Vige. They even found out in the morning that the ME substance in the cobra could cure Anthony''s amnesia-" "What!?" Waverly shrieked in disbelief, cutting off Britney before she could finish. "Has he recovered?" Britney''s heart quaked in fear at Waverly''s eerie tone, and she fearfully replied, "Not for now. The ME substance from the cobra was used up. It didn''t cause any effect at all, so he''s yet to recover completely. Nheless, they''re now capturing more cobras to extract the ME substance." "Curse it all!" Waverly¡¯s gaze darkened maliciously as she clenched her phone tightly. How could things be so unfair? The entire world made fun of her, no thanks to Anthony, yet he managed to find an antidote? To live happily ever after with Charmine? Hmph. Not on her watch! Waverly had a determined mindset as she coldly ordered, "Catch all of the snakes from the vige. Don¡¯t let them have any chance of extracting the snakes'' venom!" "Roger that!" After Waverly had hung up, she made another call. "Buy all of the cobras in the world. Now!" 2 She had to be a step ahead of Anthony. She would not spare him any chance of recovery! Mount Vige. Kay finally managed to catch a few cobras in the evening. He returned to the vige and drove away with the doctor to extract the substance in a nearby hospital. However, the result was just like the morning; it was not effective. Although the cobras had ME substance, it was unable to cancel out the TD substance in Anthony''s body. Hopeless, Kay called Charmine to report his findings. "Boss Jordan, the few cobras we''ve extracted showed ineffective results." Charmine pursed her lips and said, "Alright, just let this cool off for now. We''ll wait for another breakthrough." 1 She hung up. Anthony, right next to her, overheard the entire exchange. He held onto Charmine''s hand to reassure her, "Don''t trouble yourself too much about this. There will be a way." "Don''t worry." Charmine looked at him. "I won''t overthink things. It¡¯s you who shouldn¡¯t over- analyze things. Even if you remain this way for the rest of your life, I''ll stay by your side. If you lose your memories, I¡¯ll be your memories. I¡¯ll help you remember all the good things. Even if you forget to Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. have three meals per day, I''ll feed you with my hands!" Her clear voice showed just how spirited and loving she was. Anthony''s eyes gleamed with love, and he reached out to caress Charmine¡¯s face. "Do I deserve you?" "You¡¯re worth it if I decide so!" Charmine answered arrogantly as she stared straight at him. "Remember: I don''t mind about your illness. If you try to run away or give up, then you''re not worth it. I, Charmine Jordan, don¡¯t like a man like that!" chapter 1754 chapter 1754 Anthony''s heart sank. When he saw the look of determination in Charmine¡¯s eyes, he was very moved. He hugged her and said, "Rest assured, my darling. I¡¯ll be the apple of your eye, the man you can¡¯t have enough of." With that, he lowered his head andnded a gentle peck on her face. It was windy that night. A car pulled over not far away from Mount Vige. A few men dressed in ck got off and filed out with intent, heading straight for the cave of snakes. They opened the cage and saw a lot of snakes inside. Each snake perked up, their head angled upward and jaws wide open, ready to attack. The men in ck coldly took out a spray and pressed at the nozzle at the snakes, spritzing its contents. Just like that, the snakes stood no chance to attack. They instantly fell limp into a pile. The men quickly shoved the snakes into a bag and hurriedly brought the bag to the car parked at the vige''s entrance. They left in silence. Little did they know... Inside the bag, the two snakes that Chloe had named Do and Re rose, their eyes glowing. They were the first to wake up. As though agitated and rmed, they opened their jaws and revealed their pointy fangs. Hiss! They bit through the bag and slipped out. They slithered out of the car and fell into unfamiliar surroundings. The two snakes made their way back to the vige. At the vige chief¡¯s house... Chloe was up thinking all night long. If snakes in the wild were not effective, what about the cobras she fed? Would that be effective? Should she go to the cage and get some cobras to test it out? Would it work? Although she would feel bad for the snakes, she was also worried about Anthony''s illness. She could not pretend as if she did not know anything. With this in mind, she made her way toward the snakes'' cage at the cave, wanting to have the snakes'' opinions if they were willing to take part in her n. i However, when she got to the cave, she saw that the metal cage had been forced open. Chloe''s heart sank as she hastily ran toward the cage, only to see that all the snakes had disappeared! Chloe''s heart sank and was petrified on the spot. She frowned with confusion. Did Uncle Kay catch them all? That could not be it. Uncle Kay did not know about the snakes down here. Auntie Charmine also said that he went hunting up the mountains. Chloe grew anxious and sprinted out of the cave, wanting to tell the vige chief of what had happened. Not long after, she spotted that under the street lights, snakes as big as both her legs and one arm combined slithered toward her. Chloe looked at them for a while and cried out in shock, "Do, Re!" This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Chloe quickly ran toward them. "Where did you all go? Where are the rest of the snakes?" However, the once tame snakes red at her coldly. They widened their mouths and showed their fangs, seemingly about to attack her. Startled, Chloe withdrew her hands and stepped back, staring at the suspiciously. "Do, Re, I¡¯m Chloe. What happened? Were you hurt?¡± Chloe went back to the cave, but the two snakes still chased after her. They slithered toward her, their jaws unhinged, seemingly about to attack her in any given second. Chloe had no choice but to put on some sulfur powder on her arms, and it effectively made the snakes close their jaws. Nheless, the intensity in their gaze remained, their hostility ever present. Chloe could not help reaching out her small hand, trying to touch their head. chapter 1755 chapter 1755 Before Chloe could touch them, the snakes brought up their heads and opened their jaws. Terrified, Chloe quickly retrieved her hands and looked at the snakes before her with suspicion. The snakes used to be so tame. What happened to them? "Do, Re, I¡¯m your best friend, Chloe," fretted Chloe, pained at how the snakes behaved. "I won''t hurt you all." She then pointed at the side. "Look, this is where you used to live. Grandma and I used to feed you every day." The snakes fidgeted as though they had violent shbacks upon seeing the cage. They straightened themselves, and their gazes grew sharp, unforgiving. Chloe saw the looks in their eyes and frowned. What harm befell them that they did not want to even go to the cage where they had lived all year long? Chloe looked at them helplessly. After a moment, she tried to hand over some food she took from the side. "Do, Re, are you hungry? This is your favorite food; have some!" Both snakes did not move even as they spotted the food in Chloe''s hand. They seemed to be staring at her cautiously instead. Chloe was naturally sensitive to their behavior. Seeing how scared they were, she put the food into her mouth and started eating. "It¡¯s not poison, Do, Re! Look, I¡¯m eating it, too!" With that said, she picked up food with both hands and fed them. "Chloe won''t harm you. Have some." The two snakes stared at the food in her hands for a long while. Finally, they stretched out their bodies and opened their mouths, too overtaken with hunger. They quickly took a bite of their food before retreating to a safe distance to chew, however, as though scared Chloe would hurt them. Nheless, Chloe was pleased to see the ophidians eating. It was only then, however, that she noticed patches of broken scales and skin on the snakes, exposing their bloody flesh. Chloe cried out, "Do! Re! Why are you hurt?" Chloe reached out toward them, wanting to hold them, but before she could, the two snakes snapped toward her, eyes sharpening as they stared at her intently. Chloe instantly waved it off and exined gently, "I''m not trying to harm you." She took out an ointment from her bag, put it on her own arm in front of the snakes, and said, "I¡¯m trying to clean your wound." The snakes seemed to have understood Chloe''s intention, and their intent gazes seemingly softened. Chloe reached out and tried to carry Re. Surprisingly, although it struggled for a moment, it did not open its mouth and tried to attack. Chloe instantly squeezed out the ointment and thered it on its body. Seeing the wounds on its body, Chloe muttered, guilt-ridden and upset," Do, Re, I''m sorry...l know you guys are hurt because of Uncle Anthony. I won''t hurt you guys, but only you can save Uncle Anthony." Thinking of Anthony and how meless these snakes were, Chloe''s nose turned sour. Her warm, crystal-like tears fell down her cheeks and onto the snakes. Chloe sobbed, "Do, Re, Uncle Anthony is a nice man. He treats me and Auntie Charmine so kindly. He treats Chris nicely as well. He''s a good guy, not a bad one at all! I don¡¯t want to see him suffering; I want to see him and Auntie Charmine happy ever after. 1-1 have no choice but to..." The snake''s pain seemed to have lessened. It started to trust her more and nestled itself further into her arms, unwilling to slither off. Chloe watched as Re leaned into her embrace, her nose red as she smiled gently. She then lifted Do and smeared the ointment on its skin, i ''Til let you both go if you don''t wish to treat him. I won''t force you." As for Anthony''s illness...This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. chapter 1756 chapter 1756 It was as though both snakes were touched by Chloe''s kindness that after she spread the ointment on their wounds, they felt morefortable snuggling into Chloe''s arms, not wanting to leave. They were tame, just like how they used to be. Chloe caressed their heads. As if returning the gesture, they licked Chloe''s arm, their gazes no longer bloodthirsty. They became mild and domesticated. Gazing at them, Chloe was pleased that they had returned to how they used to be. As she continued to stare at them, however, she then noticed and realized something in them. Her eyes lit up. The snakes looked fierce when they were hurt, but at this moment, they acted gently and softly like they used to be. That meant... This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Yes, that had to be it! The cobra that bit Anthony slithered away on its own ord, not causing more damage. However, when Kay and the doctor dissected the rest, the snakes became cruel. Were the snakes¡¯ emotional changes causing the difference? Were there possibly changes in the snakes, internally, as they resisted the harshness of humans? Chloe vaguely had a realization. She calmed the two snakes in her arms and said, "Do, Re, Chloe will bring you both home. Don''t worry, though, I won''t hurt you. Even if I do anything, I won''t harm you!" The two snakes were incredibly obedient as they stared intently at her, as though listening to what she asked them to. Chloe brought them back to their cage. She instantly contacted the professors working for her to arrange some experiments... In the next two days, Anthony''s burn hadpletely recovered with Chloe''s treatment. Bored and with nothing to do, he went up the mountains to pick some herbs with Charmine. During the sunset, the two of them went up the mountain holding hands. Thest rays of sunshine for the daynded on them, making it a warm and romantic moment. A few vigers enjoying the breeze saw how loving both Charmine and Anthony seemed, and they could not help the praises that spilled from their lips. "The man is apetent man, and the woman is beautiful. What a match!" ''Yeah. He only has Charmine in his eyes. Oh, how romantic!" "Charmine is so beautiful. When will my son marry a woman as nice as her?" "She''s a bigshot! Why would she ever see your cowherd son? Only a president of a bigpany like President Bailey is up to her standards." "That''s right. Only Charmine is powerful enough to be with President Bailey!" Hearing the vigers'' gossip, Charmine turned to look at Anthony smilingly. These vigers had good eyesight! Anthony turned to look at her with a curl on his lips, as well. He took out his phone to text Luke, [Send gifts to the vigers.] Those who said that they were a good match had quite a fine taste! The two of them continued to go up the mountain. The unruly Charmine walked ahead of Anthony, swinging her dagger as she cut off thorns at their sides, clearing their path. Seeing how fierce she was, Anthony spoke, "My darling, do you want to pamper me so much that I can''t live on my own?" Charmine turned back to look at him. ''You used to protect me. It''s my turn now." Her tone was rough, but it came from a ce of love nheless. This moved Anthony. He then thought of something and said, "I''ll take you to walk by the sea tomorrow." "Hmm? Why?" Charmine frowned. Why would they go to the beach all of a sudden? Anthony said, "Now that I can¡¯t do anything for you, I can only take you out sightseeing. Furthermore, you''ve been here for so long, but you probably haven¡¯t looked around." Charmine frowned. No, she had not. She had always wanted to walk around but did not have the time to. However... Charmine nced at his arms and asked, "Can you drive?" "Chloe''s ointment was very effective, and I''ve recovered," answered Anthony. "Also, if you''re by my side, what''s there to worry about?" chapter 1757 chapter 1757 Thinking it through, and not wanting to kill the mood, Charmine nodded. " Alright, then." At night, in the bamboo house. The tree branches swayed in the night breeze, and the clear sky held the clear, rounded moon up high. The family of three sat in the front yard and had their dinner in a loving atmosphere. Charmine scooped up more food for Chris. Recalling her getaway with Anthony tomorrow, she said, "Have an early rest tonight, Momo. Daddy will take us to the beach tomorrow." Chirs¡¯ eyes twinkled at the news. Just as he was about to cheer happily, however...he recalled that Chloe was going to bring him up the mountains to learn about herbs. He was studying herbs under Chloe''s tutge in hopes that one day, he could be an adept like Chloe. Furthermore, it was not easy for Anthony and Charmine to reunite. He wanted them to have some alone time, and not have him as a third- wheeler. Chris pursed his lips and said, "You can go with Daddy then, Mommy. I''m not going." "Hmm?" Charmine looked at him. "Didn''t you want to walk around?" Even Anthony looked at him suspiciously. Anthony had not instructed him to say no, and he already did? ''Til be ying with Chloe," reasoned Chris. "I''ve already promised her." When Charmine saw how close the two children were, she did not want to ruin their friendship. "Alright, then, you stay here and look after Chloe," relented Charmine. "Stay safe." Chris nodded. "Okay!" After dinner, Anthony went to the vige''s entrance to check if his car had enough petrol. He had no idea someone had been watching him the whole time. After Anthony had left, the person quickly reported, "Ms. Waverly, I''m made aware that Anthony is bringing Charmine out for a walk tomorrow." "Out for a walk?" Waverly''s eyes gleamed maliciously. She was here, rebuked and ridiculed, yet he could think of taking that b*tch out on a happy stroll? Anthony inflicted so much pain while he built his happiness out there, all smiles and merry? Heh! A deadly gleam shed in Waverly¡¯s eyes as she ordered, "Cut off their oil pump." If Anthony was this heartless, he better not me her for being cruel. It was he who trampled her dignity, and it was he who ruined her life. It was time for him to pay the price! The next day... After breakfast, Chris went ahead to y with Chloe while Charmine made preparations in the room. Anthony, on the other hand, went to the vige entrance to re-park his car. However, when he stopped the car, the car...continued moving on its own. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Anthony frowned. Was the break not working? He quickly pulled up the handbrake and pressed the pedal all the way down. Only then did the car stop. Anthony got out of the car and bent to see that the oil pump was cut off. Puzzled, he stood before the car and frowned. There was only one car here, and he did not want to let Charmine down. He had to fix this. He turned back and walked into the vige, all while thinking he had to gather the stuff to fix the car before going out. Just as he got to the door, however, a loud buzz overwhelmed his head. It was as if a string was broken, and his entire head was in pain. Anthony reached up to massage his temples. Charmine had just finished packing up and pushed the suitcases out of the living room. She sported a straw hat, her dark and glowing hair seemingly fluttering in the breeze. Her alluring body was fitted in a fitting ankle-length, red dress. She had a knot around her waist, showing her attractive waist. She was alluring, elegant, and beautiful. chapter 1758 chapter 1758 Anthony stared at Charmine and instantly forgot why he returned home. He even forgot the headache that tormented him. His gaze softened as he cooed, ''You''re a sight to behold, my dear." Charmine met his eyes, ones filled with adoration for her, and her red lips curved into a smile. "I''ve finished packing up. Do you have anything you want to bring?" Anthony looked at her. "Having you is all I need." Charmine was touched. She was very much looking forward to this trip. "Let¡¯s go, then," she spoke, pulling at the suitcases. Anthony nodded before he reached out to get her suitcases. He said, "Let me have these, my dear." Instead of handing the suitcases to him, Charmine ced her small hand in his hand instead. She grasped at his hand and intertwined their fingers, saying, "Leave them to me. Didn''t you say I''m all you need?" Anthony looked at their intertwined fingers and felt all warm and fuzzy inside. ''Yes, my darling." He held onto her hand tightly as they walked toward the vige¡¯s entrance, toward their car. The car had a smooth drive from Mount Vige to the nearby beach. This was a hot spring vacation vige, and Anthony had booked a room herest night. Spotting a parking slot at the empty harbor by the sea, Anthony steered the car toward it, intending to park the car, but- However hard he pressed on the pedal, the car shot forward like an arrow before he could even park. He could not stop the car at all. Furthermore, the car began to pick up speed, getting faster and faster! Charmine sensed that the brake was not working, but before she could do anything... Fwoosh! The car rushed off the harbor and plunged head-first into the sea. Half of the car was submerged in seawater. People at the beach grew frantic at the mishap, running toward the sea as they shrieked and gasped. Photos were taken while some began looking for help. "Something happened! Something happened!" "The car fell in!" "Hurry and call for help!" "Does anyone swim here? Help!" Everyone cried for help, but in their frenzy, no one had any idea on what to do next. Far away from the chaos... Waverly was in her long sundress, sporting sunsses as she leaned on the singing chair. A wine ss filled with red wine was in her grasp, one that she held nonchntly and would sip. She peered through her sunsses as the car dove into the sea...and the sight pleased her so. This was the price Anthony paid for manipting and harming her. He made her life so miserable, yet he tried to carry on with his life happily? 2 Not happening. They might as well die! Meanwhile, inside the car that shot into the sea... Fortunately, the car had only dived into the lesser deep part of the sea, one that was nheless a few meters deep. The car was, however, embedded into the soft seabed of silts and mud. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Charmine and Anthony, having sat at the front seats, were pushed down by water pressure and lurched forward. Luckily, their safety belts pulled them back before their heads rammed against the ss. The back of Anthony¡¯s head mmed against the car seat, and blurred-out memories rippled within him. He tried to turn the steering wheel, but it did nothing. He tried to recall whatever he could, but all he could feel was pain all over him. Not having the energy to think, Anthony turned to look at Charmine and reassured her, "Don''t worry, my darling. I¡¯m here." Charmine nodded, not wanting to worry him. Anthony ignored his own wellbeing and unfastened Charmine''s safety belt for her. Charmine, meanwhile, kept calm as she studied their surroundings. They were submerged in seawater. They had to get out, fast! She picked up the safety hammer by the side. With a loud crash, she smashed open the window, but it caused water to rush into their vehicle. Charmine looked at Anthony. ''You go first!" chapter 1759 chapter 1759 ''You go first." The two of them were only thinking for one another. ''You go first, darling," urged Anthony. "Don''t worry about me." Charmine was closer to the shattered window, anyway. To this, Charmine did not refuse again as she quickly climbed out. When she got out, however, a stinging pain jolted her, seeminglying from her feet. She pressed her lips into a tight line and acted normally, keeping herself afloat as she looked at Anthony. Anthony was halfway out through the window, about to slither out when Charmine spotted a sharp piece of broken ss stuck on the window. Seeing that he was about to cross over, she quickly plucked it out and tossed it away. His leg crossed the window right after she removed the shard. Charmine mentally sighed in relief. Anthony got out of the car. Upon noticing Charmine was safe and sound, he was just as relieved, too. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. As they both floated in seawater, they exchanged nces and understood what they were thinking of. Anthony held her hand and led her upward, toward the surface, and Charmine felt nothing short of safe with him. Anthony used one hand to drag the weight of two adults up to the surface, and it proved to be a difficult feat. However, he did not let go of her hand even if he used up his entire strength. He continued to swim upward. After a while, the two of them finally made it toward the more shallow part of the sea. As water sloshed about, they floated to the sea surface. The crowd at the shore cheered and apuded upon noticing both Charmine and Anthony making their way up safely. Far away, Waverly saw Anthony and Charmineing back up to the surface. She jolted upright on her chair, unable to register the sight into her mind. D*mn it! How could they have made it out, and so quickly at that? How could they escape so easily from underwater?! She clenched her wine ss angrily, so furious that¡ª Thuck! The heel of the wine ss snapped. The ss fell to the floor and broke into pieces, and wine spilled all over. Waverly clenched her fists, her eyes burning with rage and bitterness. Anthony! Charmine! Escaping once did not imply they could escape twice, and they would never live in peace so long as she remained! i Anthony and Charmine stood at the shore, utterly drenched as their clothes glued themselves to their body. Water dripped from their hair, just as wet as their clothes. They looked at one another and took in mouthfuls of fresh air. Anthony felt like he was reborn from this. He breathed gently and looked at Charmine, who stood right before him. He hugged her so tightly that he wanted her close to him, always. The embrace, however, made Charmine struggle to breathe. She patted his back and said, "Let''s go up." Anthony let go of her and caressed her face. Hugging her once more, they then walked toward the beach. As they walked, however, Anthony spotted Charmine''s bleeding calf, and the sight made his heart sink. He instantly knelt and examined Charmine''s leg and was greeted with the sight of a wound on her fair calf, and a long one at that. Anthony¡¯s face morphed in worry as he looked at her. "Does it hurt?" Charmine remained calm. "No. Let''s go home and sort it out." Anthony frowned. He got up and lifted her into his arms, to which Charmine instinctively hooked her arms around his neck. "I can still walk," she reasoned with Anthony, gazing at his tense face. "I can still walk." Anthony looked at her and asserted, "I¡¯ll carry you, don''t worry!" Charmine pursed her lips and did not refuse, only nestling herself further into his hold. Anthony withstood the migraine that gnawed on him and carried her, taking one step at a time on the beach. Though he struggled, Anthony used up every bit of his strength to minimize her pain. They finally made it back to the room they booked, and Anthony requested the staff to bring in a first aid box. Charmine sat on the bed. Anthony knelt before her, intending to clean her wound. However, Charmine instantly spotted the bruise on his arms below his shirt. She took the box from him and said, "I can clean it myself." chapter 1760 chapter 1760 Anthony wanted to reason with Charmine when she gazed into his eyes. " This is nothing. I can manage it myself, don''t worry.¡± Anthony thought of how Charmine''s mood was already affected, and he did not want her to get angry. He stood by the side and watched her clean her wound, feeling worried. Charmine, meanwhile, used an antiseptic to clean the ten-centimeter wound on her calf. Luckily, it was not too deep. Lucky, indeed, yet Anthony was still racked with grief, even though it was a minor injury. Anthony stared at Charmine worriedly. Suddenly, vague shbacks crossed his mind. He vaguely remembered finding out that the brake to the car did not work when he examined the vehicle before the trip. He remembered wanting to go home and pick up a few tools to fix it, but he somehow forgot about it. As a result, Charmine got hurt. Anthony felt as though his heart had been stabbed. He knelt and gently caressed the sides of her wound, muttering, "Charmine, I''m sorry...to have hurt you." Charmine looked at him. "It''s not your fault; it''s the car¡¯s. Don''t me yourself." Anthony pursed his lips in a frown, wanting to say something else when Charmine piped in, "I''m hungry. Go and get me some food." Anthony had to agree, "Okay.¡± He looked at her deeply and fixed his eyes on her wound, feeling reproach for himself. He said nothing and went out. He went to get some takeaways from a restaurant. As he waited, he noticed couples visibly in bliss on the beach. The sight made him feel conflicted. He and Charmine should have been having the time of their lives at this hour. Anthony cursed himself. How could he forget such an important thing at such an important time? Luckily, the car rushed into the sea, and it was not too dangerous. If it happened at the freeway or when he had to stop the car... Anthony''s heart sank. If he put Charmine in any danger, he would never forgive himself for the rest of his life. Thinking of his illness, Anthony was frustrated. He clenched his fists tightly, so much so that his greenish veins surfaced underneath his skin. Seeing that his order was not ready, he stood up and went for a walk by the beach. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. After taking some steps, he saw a familiar figure in front of him. He focused on the individual, only to see that it was...Waverly. Anthony''s gaze hardened as he scoffed at her. "Beat it," he snapped at her. Waverly remained still, however, and was devoid of the soft, gentle facade she used to have. Instead, her expression was malicious and evil. ''Wake up, Anthony. You''ll never be able to make Charmine happy!" Anthony felt as if the deepest end of his heart was punched. His handsome face changed. "My dealings are none of your concern!" he hissed and briskly walked past her. Needless to say, Waverly was not done yet. She chased after him, marching in her heels, and growled, "Do you think you''ll both have your fairytale ending even if Charmine epts you like this? You might as well dream about it! Your illness can¡¯t be cured!" Anthony stopped abruptly, fists clenched so tightly that his bones popped audibly. He slowly turned toward Waverly, eyes burning with silent fury as he red at her. "Shut up. Don¡¯t show up in front of me! Don¡¯t me me for being mean if you do!" Waverly was not intimidated at all. She crossed her hands at her chest and scoffed, "What? I¡¯m just telling the truth, and you¡¯re all pissy?" Anthony red at her coldly. "I said, shut up!" "Oh, don¡¯t pretend like you''re holding on," jeered Waverly. "You''ll never be able to make Charmine happy if you stay with her-you¡¯ll only hurt her more! Once or twice is eptable, but repeating after that will put Charmine''s life at risk!" 1 Anthony''s eyes dulled. He was somewhat moved and convinced... Waverly was saying the things he had kept in the deep end of his heart, ones that he did not have the courage to face. chapter 1761 chapter 1761 This was what Anthony most feared. He knew this would happen regardless, even as he pretended as if it did not affect him. It was true; he would only hurt Charmine. Something like that happening once or twice would be their blessing. However, if his illness ended up hurting her someday... Anthony felt tortured just thinking of this possibility. Waverly saw the shift in his eyes and felt gratified. "You should leave Charmine if you truly want the best for her, Anthony Bailey!" scoffed Waverly. "Loving someone is to provide her with happiness, not harm!" When Anthony heard this, his expression grew solemn. However, just as his anxiety loomed over him, two childlike voices were heard. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. "Daddy!" "Uncle Anthony!" Anthony snapped out of his thoughts and looked over to see Chris holding Chloe''s hands, running toward him. He frowned. Why were they here? Both children ran up to him amid his confusion. Chris stood before Anthony, seemingly defending him as his expression contorted fiercely. He red at Waverly like a young cat, irritated. "Bad woman! Go away! Don¡¯t put on your act here!" Scolded by a child, Waverly''s face turned pale. She clenched her fists and scoffed, "I''m helping your father!" "Haha!" Chloeughed. "Thank you for your kindness, but we don''t need your help!" Chloe then ignored Waverly''s presence and turned to Anthony, dering," Uncle Anthony, don¡¯t worry about your amnesia. I brought you new medication." Anthony''s eyes glimmered with hope. "New medication, you say? Have you gotten a breakthrough, Chloe?" ''Yes!" chirped Chloe. "Uncle Anthony, drink this for seven days. With Auntie Charmine''s needles, you''ll bepletely cured!" Anthony frowned. "Is that so?" The poison extracted from the cobra did not work. How would this work? "Go ahead and drink it, Uncle Anthony," urged Chloe. "I''ve figured out what the problem wasst night, and this one''s for real!" The fresh-faced Chloe looked confident yet serious altogether. Gazing at her and thinking of what Chloe was capable of, Anthony nodded and drank up. A spiteful grin spread across Waverly¡¯s face. "Anthony, since when have you be so silly? You actually listen to a kid now?" Anthony nced at her coldly and nked her. "You''re the ignorant one here!¡± scoffed Chris. "Chloe is the internationally renowned genius doctor, Cabbage!" Cabbage? Waverly*s face turned pale, so pale that she seemed whiter than snow. Cabbage''s skills were more profound than Dr. Jennie¡¯s! Did... Did Chloe truly have a breakthrough, then? Waverly red at Chloe incredulously. "How could it be? How can Cabbage be so young?!" Chloe looked at her coldly and sported a polite yet sarcastic smirk. "Oh, you don''t have to believe me, Auntie!" With that said, she turned to look at Anthony. "Uncle Anthony, let''s go back and look for Auntie Charmine." "Okay." Anthony bent down to pick her up and left, much to Chris'' bewilderment. ''Daddy, you''re leaving me behind just like this?¡¯ He chased after them quickly and grabbed onto Anthony''s big hand. With that, the three left blissfully. Waverly, meanwhile, remained transfixed on the spot. She could only watch as they left, unable to believe what just happened. Anthony''s illness had a cure? Would he fully recover, then? chapter 1762 chapter 1762 Waverly wanted tough at this, wanting to think of this as a joke, but the things she saw stated otherwise. This was legit! She knew someone was secretly treating Anthony, but she did not expect her to be a young child! Her, Waverly, was defeated by a child? Heh. Anthony and Charmine had ruined her life, and she could not ept them being happy. Even if she had to die, she would still make sure that they were not happy! Waverly had a deadly look in her eyes as she clenched her fists. Seemingly plotting something, she began to walk. After just a few steps, however- A few police officers emerged and obstructed her path. "Waverly D¡¯Cruz? Bring her away!" The two police officers instantly brought out a pair of handcuffs before Waverly. Waverly frowned at them. "What are you all doing? Are you trying to detain me? What''s your proof, and what for?" The leading officer showed his identity card and said coldly, "Someone reported you for damaging other''s car, and you''re suspected of intentional murder! Speak when you''re at the police station! Bring her away!" 2 Waverly panicked. Damaging someone''s car? Did Anthony realize something? She tried to keep calm, however. "This is a misunderstanding! I¡¯m the heiress of the D''Cruz family of Kansas! Why would I do such a thing? Who reported me? Do they have valid proof? If you''re capturing me without proof, you''re abusing your power, and I can sue you for that!" she spoke, sounding high and mighty. The officers hesitated for a moment due to her prominence. Suddenly, a clear voice was hearding from the side, "Who said there''s no proof?" With the voice''s reveal, Charmine showed up from not far away. Behind her was another woman, head lowered and visibly intimidated. Upon first seeing Charmine, Waverly''s gaze grew conflicted, but upon noticing the woman behind Charmine, her pupils dted in panic and shock. Drats! Why was this woman here?! Charmine red at Waverly and said to the officers, "This woman is our witness. She has proof that Waverly is, in fact, suspected of murder!" With that said, she turned to look at the woman. The woman walked forward and said to the officers, "Waverly wanted me to cut off the oil pump of Mr. Bailey''s car. This caused his brake to malfunction, resulting in the car plunging into the sea." "You''re lying!¡± Waverly wanted to tear out her mouth, but she forced out her calm facade, still. "Your words don''t mean anything! You both...joined forces to falsely use me!" The woman seemed to be prepared, however. She took out her phone and yed a recording... Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. A recording of them both talking, of course. "Cut his oil pump for me!'' This was obviously Waverly¡¯s voice. Waverly''s face was pale, and her pupils dted. She deleted every recording of her phone call! How did this happen? No! She forgot that Charmine owned a cell-servicepany! Still, this recording meant nothing without the witness! Waverly red at the woman. "What did Charmine offer you? How could you betray me like this?" The woman thought of Charmine and lowered her head, terrified. She dared not answer. Charmine, meanwhile, looked Waverly right in the eyes, her red, stunning lips curving into a smirk. "Has Ms. Waverly forgotten about my needles?" Waverly instantly recalled what happened before, back when Charmine forced the needles into her and made her suffer so badly in the past. A nightmare, that needle was. One would do anything to avoid it! Waverly bit her lip and looked unwillingly defeated! D*mn this woman! She yed dirty again! When the officers saw the look in Waverly''s eyes, they knew the truth. chapter 1763 chapter 1763 The officers professionally locked her hands behind her back. With a loud click, the cold handcuffs were secured at her wrists. Waverly could feel a chill stretching from her wrists to her heart. She looked up coldly and red at Charmine. "Just you wait, Charmine! I won''t let you off!" Charmine''s smirk never left her face. "You can continue running your mouth after you leave prison.¡± With that said, she turned away arrogantly as the officers locked the two suspects-Waverly and the woman-into their car. Waverly red at Charmine''s figure as the car drove away. To hell with that b*tch Charmine Jordan. Once she came back out from the prison, she would kill her! 2 She would do anything to ensure that Charmine and Anthony pay for the painthey caused her! 1 Charmine went back to the room Anthony had booked for them. When she opened the door, she saw Anthony''s tall figure standing with his hands behind his back in the front yard. It was as if he was waiting for her. His handsome face looked very gentle as he gazed at her, and he then began, "I have good news for you, sweetheart." Charmine frowned. "What good news?" "Take a guess," said Anthony mysteriously. Charmine grew more suspicious. What good news could there be? She thought for a moment and could not think of one, relenting, "I can''t guess. Tell me." Anthony fixed his eyes on Charmine''s sexy lips, his own curving into a yful smirk. "Kiss me for ten seconds." Charmine pursed her lips, wanting to decline when Anthony added, "It''s big news. What? You''re too scared to kiss your husband?" Charmine was speechless. Even though she knew he said this to trigger her, she would not put up with his arrogance. "I will kiss you!" She marched forward and stood on her toes to seize his lips. Upon contact, Anthony¡¯s arms went around her waist and pulled her closer to deepen the kiss. Charmine struggled to breathe after their kiss, and her face was flushed red. She gasped for air before she asked, "Can you tell me now?" Anthony''splexion remained as usual, not once flushing red as he remained elegant. He looked at her with his lips gradually curled up. "My amnesia can be fully cured, darling." Charmine halted and gaped at him in disbelief. "What? Fully cured?" "That''s right," said Anthony. "Chloe and Chris brought me the new medication. I¡¯ve tried it, and the result isn¡¯t bad at all." Charmine was excited. There was finally good news after two days! Seeing that she was happy, Anthony was very pleased. He held onto Charmine''s hands and said, "Come, let¡¯s go inside. Chloe has more to say." "Okay." Charmine''s beautiful lips curved into a smile as she interlocked her fingers with his. When they entered the room, Chris instantly turned and ran toward Charmine. "Mommy!" He hugged Charmine tightly to share the news. "Mommy, Daddy''s illness can be cured!" "Yeah." Charmine ruffled his head. "I know." Chloe stood by the side with a smile, adorable dimples emerging on her pinkish face as she said adorably, "Auntie Charmine, this medication is effective. It can override the amnesia cells in Uncle Anthony''s head. However, since the medication is too strong and Uncle Anthony''s head has been wounded for too long, we need to incorporate your Ultimate Seventy Two Needles treatment." "Okay. Thank you, Chloe. I''ll try it now," replied Charmine as she helped Anthony walk toward the sofa. Anthony then sat down. Chloe followed behind them and made some preparations. Only Chris was left in the corner, left on his own. Hmph! He had to learn medicine from Chloe to make them like him more!Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. chapter 1764 chapter 1764 Anthonyid on the sofa. Charmine then took out her pack of needles and carefully pricked them into Anthony''s head professionally. She put in one needle after another, and as she pricked thest needle into Anthony, every needle quivered. Anthony''s eyes shut, and he fell asleep. The vibration implied that the needles were working their wonder to Anthony''s head. Charmine kept a close eye on Anthony at the side. After ensuring that everything was alright, she turned to Chloe and asked, "Dear, how did you find the new breakthrough? Wasn''t the ME substance ineffective?" Chloe widened her eyes and said adorably, "ME substance is always effective, but it didn''t work before because the snakes were cruelly treated after they were caught. They grew agitated at this, so the ME substance in them somehow morphed its structure. This time, I made sure the snakes allowed me to extract their blood with needles. I didn''t harm them, so they weren¡¯t angry. Therefore, the ME substance works!" Only then did everything click for Charmine. That was it! People would often say that humans and nature should live in harmony, and in this scenario, this held true. She looked at Chloe thankfully. ''Thank you for your help, my dear.1'' The intelligent Chloe had saved her future with Anthony! Chloe blushed and said, "You''re wee, Auntie Charmine. I''m good friends with Chris, and you and Uncle Anthony are his parents. I should be doing this." Charmine did not push on the matter after that; she was never one to tter people. She ruffled Chloe''s head and said, "Okay, I''ll buy some snacks for your snakes. You''ll help me bring it to them." "Alright!" Chloe nodded adorably. Half an hourter, Anthony finally woke up. When he opened his eyes, he instantly felt that his head had stopped hurting. Before this, his head would always hurt whenever he woke up, and the difort would linger. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Realizing that Anthony had woken up, she softly asked, "How are you feeling? Do you feel better?" "Yeah." Anthony got up from the sofa and massaged his temples. He could feel that his head felt more at ease already. "Don''t worry, my dear. I''m not in any pain anymore," he affirmed. Charmine was reassured. She was still worried that their efforts were for naught. "Hehe! This is great!" Chloe was ted. "Uncle Anthony is recovering! He''ll bepletely cured in no time!" Anthony looked at Chloe gently. ''Thank you." "It''s nothing," beamed Chloe. "I¡¯m happy that Uncle Anthony and Auntie Charmine are happy!" Meanwhile, Chris watched as Charmine, Anthony, and Chloe exchanged warm nces while he sat by the side, leaning on one hand. Although he was upset, all that mattered was that his Daddy could recover and be with his Mommy happily. Nial was just as excited upon hearing the new revtion. He brought reputable, powerful doctors with him to Mount Vige. They examined Anthony at the clinic in the vige and found out that his TD cells were reducing. He was almost fully recovered! Nial was astounded at the data they had gathered, and he turned to look at Anthony. "Bro, who''s so intelligent to have cured this illness?" Anthony nced at him and said, "Cabbage." "Argh!" Nial cried out as though electrocuted, though it was one of sheer joy. chapter 1765 chapter 1765 ''You mean...my goddess, the genius doctor, Cabbage?" He had always been a huge fan of Dr. Cabbage. He was in awe of her unique healing technique. He even went abroad to look for her, but she was so elusive of a figure that he failed to find her. All that, and his brother got to talk to her?! "Bro,¡± he spoke, tone pleasant and buttery, "are you close with Cabbage?" Anthony''s thin lips curled up. "Very." This exhrated Nial even more. "Bro, can you bring me to meet my goddess?" Thinking of something, Anthony answered, straight-faced, "Sure." ''You''re the best, Bro!" Nial was over the moon as he gleefully chirped, " You¡¯re my best bro!" "I have one condition, though," added Anthony straightforwardly. Nial''s excitement visibly froze, and his lips twitched. "I knew it!" He stared at Anthony and said, "What is it, then?" Anthony said, "Go to the southern side and soften the soil for about ten kilometers." "What?" blurted Nial. "Bro, what''s it for?" Anthony nced at him. "Don¡¯t ask too many questions. I won''t insist if you don''t want to." "Of course I want to! However, if it''s a ten-kilometer radius, you can hire some workers to do that. You don''t need me to do it, right?" Anthony looked into his eyes. "I don''t trust others." Nial was speechless. He knew he had been yed. Seeing that Nial did not speak, Anthony turned to leave, but Nial quickly grabbed his arm and hastily said, "Alright, alright, I''ll do it." A ten-kilometer radius was nothing at the thought of meeting his goddess! Anthony had a half-smile on his face as he said, "Since you''re so sincere, I''ll take you to her once you¡¯vepleted your end of the bargain." "Okay!" Nial smiled like a fool. ''Thank you, Bro!" ''You''re wee. Come find me at the bamboo house when you''re done." With that, Anthony left. As for Nial... Thinking of how he could finally meet the goddess he had long admired, he felt his adrenaline kicking in. i He was instantly full of energy and went ahead to the southern side. As he got out of his car, he saw the endless patch ofnd and felt tired before even starting. However, thinking of how he could finally meet his goddess Cabbage, he felt rejuvenated instantly. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. He drove the ripper machine to loosen the soil under the sun. His face was filled with dust as he worked on it. He worked from afternoon to evening, not once taking breaks in between. The number of mosquitoes increased in the evening, causing Nial to get bitten all over. Nial wanted to stop working, but thinking of how only a tenth of the entirend waspleted, he hesitated against it. At this rate, it would take years before he could see his goddess! He gritted his teeth and reignited the ripper machine to resume his work. Not once did he stop, even as it got pitch-dark. Nial came off the machine, his skin burnt by the sun. His fair skin was covered in dust and turned a few shades darker. This was his first time working in harshbor. He felt half dead and did not have the energy to walk. The mere thought of his goddess, however, injected him with strength. He had worked out ''so much'' today and put in lots of effort. If he begged his brother, he might be able to meet Cabbage, would he not? Thinking of this, Nial was excited. He quickly went inside his car and drove to the hotel outside the vige. He took a bath and put on an elegant suit. He styled his hair and regained his ''wealthy-heir'' outlook. Nial looked at himself before the mirror with satisfaction. He put on sunsses and drove to the bamboo house. On the way there, he called Anthony, unable to refrain himself. "Bro, I¡¯ve worked so hard today, and I put in so much effort. Even though I haven''t finished, I¡¯ve done quite a lot! Please, let me meet my goddess! I''ll be motivated to finish the rest of my tasks if I do. Don''t worry; I promise you I''ll finish it on my own!" chapter 1766 chapter 1766 To his dismay, all he heard was Anthony''s cold reply, "I don''t break my rules here." "But I¡¯ve overworked myself!" whined Nial, pleading. "My skin is burnt, and I''m all tucked out! If you don''t say yes, I''lL.I''ll quit! I''ll try and contact Cabbage on my own!" Anthony squinted. "Are you rebelling against me?" Nial cried, "I¡¯ve worked all afternoon, with all I am! What if Cabbage leaves when I finally finish working?" Since Anthony was fooling with Nial anyway, he relented, "If you want to meet her that badly,e over." "Oh, you¡¯re the best, Bro! This is amazing! I''lle right away!" This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Nial''s heart raced at the thought of finally meeting his goddess. He rushed toward the bamboo house and pushed open the door, spotting Charmine arranging the flowers in the front yard. She was dressed in her long sundress as she elegantly stood before the nts. Her hair cascaded down her shoulders; she looked alluring and beautiful. Two children surrounded her, merrily ying with one another. The ambiance was filled with fondness. Hearing footsteps, Charmine turned around and saw Nial. She frowned. " Nial? What brings you here?'' "I¡¯m here for Anthony, Charmine," answered Nial. "Where is he?" "He''s in his study," replied Charmine. All of a sudden, Anthony walked out from the front yard. Anthony raised his brows at the sight of Nial''s outfit. He walked toward Charmine, hugging her as he stated, albeit with a straight face. "Nial wants to meet his goddess, Cabbage, my dear.¡± "That''s right!" chirped Nial excitedly. "Where is my goddess, Charmine? Is she resting inside?" Charmine was bbergasted. It seemed that Anthony felt like raring to go already. He was in the mood to prank Nial! 1 Chris and Chloe exchanged nces as they grinned at Nial¡¯s statement. Charmine looked at Chloe and said, "Your goddess is here." "Where?¡± Nial looked around, not spotting the long-awaited sexy, bold, and beautiful goddess like Charmine. He looked at Charmine suspiciously. Finally, he realized that everyone''s eyes were fixed on the adorable little girl. Nial was stunned as he gazed at the girl. Meeting his gaze, Chloe grinned as she greeted him sweetly, "Hello, nice to meet you. I''m Cabbage." Staring at the adorable girl before him, Nial was rooted where he stood. It was as if he was hit by lightning. 2 He stared at Chloe in disbelief, and he took a while to find his voice. "Hello, dear. A-Are you truly Cabbage?'' "That''s right," answered Chloe adorably, "and as good as the real one!" Nial looked at her and found it hard to ept. The genius doctor well-known all over the world, the genius doctor Cabbage who saved countless people from death''s door...was this young little girl right in front of him?! He looked at Anthony incredulously. "You gotta be kidding me, Bro! Is it because I haven''t finished my task, and that''s why you¡¯re not showing me Cabbage?" Anthony said, "Do I look like I¡¯m in a gaming mood?" Nial was speechless. No, Anthony did not sound like he was joking. Still, how could this little girl be the world-renowned Cabbage? Chris said with a grin, "Uncle Nial, Chloe is Cabbage. Daddy isn''t lying. Chloe is naturally sensitive to medicine, and that''s why she''s so clever. Don''t doubt her. I saw her taming the snakes and extracting the ME substance from their bodies." "Uncle, I truly am Cabbage," Chloe chimed in sincerely. "Do you need anything?'' When Nial saw the sincere look in Chloe''s eyes, he finally believed this absurd truth. Instantly he felt his heart plunging from heaven to hell. The sexy, intelligent goddess he held dear...wasthis little girl?! chapter 1767 chapter 1767 Nial''s dream had vanished, and his goddess was gone. Nial''s head whipped toward Anthony. "Bro, you tricked me on purpose, didn¡¯t you?!" If he knew that Cabbage was a little girl, why did he not tell him earlier? Why did he give him false hope and anticipation?! "I did introduce you to Cabbage,¡± deadpanned Anthony. "Uncle Anthony didn¡¯t lie to you," added Chloe adorably. "What''s wrong, Uncle? How else would you like me to prove it?" Nial was speechless. He was crying without tears. Looking at the adorable little girl before him, Nial quickly shook his head. No need. You don''t need to prove it." If she had to prove it, he might as well be dead. He felt the whole world crashing down on him as he recalled he still had to loosen the soil. He stood up and said to Anthony, "In this case, you better hire others to loosen up the soil for you tomorrow, Bro. I don¡¯t have any energy left." Anthony''s gaze grew steely. "You need to keep your word. If you change your mind, I''ll make you go on dates." He had a thought and said with a half-smile, "We can have our weddings on the same day. It¡¯ll be great!" "Argh! I don''t want to get married!" Nial was so terrified that his body went limp. He panted, "It''s great for you and Charmine, but not for me! Fine, I''ll go! I''ll go and loosen up the soil!" Much to Anthony''s pleasure, it was. Charmine, on the other hand, grew suspicious upon hearing Anthony''s words. "What¡¯s going on?" Anthony looked at her gently and said, "My darling wife, my condition has stabilized now. We can resume our wedding." Charmine was caught off-guard at this. "Wedding?" "Yes." Anthony hugged her and continued, dignified, "I¡¯ll dere to the world that I want to marry you and have you as my wife. I want to give you the biggest wedding." Charmine was moved. Finally, the long-overdue wedding she had anticipated was finally happening! However... His illness was just getting better. Would it be too much of a rush to hold a wedding? Seeing that she did not answer, Anthony held her hands tightly and said, " We didn''t go public due to many reasons. I¡¯ve wronged you, too. Now is the time. I want to marry you officially, and I want to introduce you to everyone. I want you to take care of Momo officially, to be seen in all public ces. I hope, my dear, that you¡¯ll say yes." Anthony''s words were filled with formality and sincerity. Charmine met his eyes and thought for a while before nodding. "Okay." Anthony drove Charmine out of the vige the next day. There was a plot ofnd below the mountain. Looking ahead, other than a small patch ofnd that had been loosened, it seemed endlessly empty. There were no nts, but the view was stunning. There was a mountain and stream by the side, and the clear water seemed to join with the sky. The mists that nketed the surrounding looked conjoined to the clouds, too. Anthony turned to instruct Nial emotionlessly, "Continue to loosen the earth here." Nial was speechless. Was he even his brother?! Was he trying to wear him out and inherit his high intelligence? Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Nial''s lips parted, wanting to argue with Anthony before meeting that familiar, icy-cold stare. Nial''s heart sank. If he said anything to him, knowing Anthony, he would not only make him loosen all the earth here, he would even force him to have blind dates! He dared not offend him. chapter 1768 chapter 1768 Charmine swept her gaze across thend before she turned to ask Anthony warily, "Anthony, why did you ask Nial to loosen the soil here?" Anthony hugged her and looked at the spaciousnd, a romantic scenery already forming in his mind. He hugged Charmine, smiling as he did. "It¡¯s a secret for now." Charmine was speechless. "We''re getting married, and you want to keep a secret from me?" "It''s because we''re getting married that I need to give you a surprise," responded Anthony dearly. Charmine thought about it for a while before smiling stunningly. "Alright, then. I''ll wait for the surprise." Anthony proudly lifted Charmine''s face by her chin and pecked her lips, promising, "I won''t disappoint you, my darling." No matter if it was the surprise or their future. He would not allow Charmine to be disappointed. Nial, on the other hand, remained silent and felt humiliated. He enviously turned his head away from Charmine and Anthony, clenching his fists as he did. Hmph. He would find a girlfriend one day and spoil her! He would be better than Anthony! Within half an hour, a worker drove a ripper machine toward the field, and Anthony nced at Nial. Nial had no other choice but to put on a safety helmet and got on the machine, albeit reluctantly so. He continued where he left off yesterday and worked under the sun. Anthony, meanwhile, bent and grabbed a handful of soil and scrutinized it. A gleam of satisfaction shed past his expression. The soil was well-fertilized, capable of having many nts. Anthony then turned toward the stream and washed his hands. He did not even bother telling Nial he was leaving before he left with Charmine. Nial was speechless. When the car vanished from sight, Nial turned off the vehicle and got down the machine angrily. He felt so hot that he took the water from the machine and poured it on his head. Instantly, he felt morefortable. Looking at the emptynd before his eyes, he felt tired. He had to loosen the soil on his own? It would take a few days toplete, even if he did not stop to rest! Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Yesterday, he was motivated by the thought of meeting Cabbage. Nheless, he would lose his life at this rate! An idea lit up his mind as he instantly made a phone call. "Hire ten workers to drive ten ripper machines to this ce!" Everything should go ording to n since he was supervising them, anyway. It only took a while before ten ripper machines came into the field, to which Nial instructed authoritatively, "Loosen the soil before dark!¡± Instantly, the clear and quietnd vibrated. That night, the entirend was perfectly loosened, transformed from its once dried, hardened state into softened, loosenednd. That same night, Anthony had people air-delivery millions of precious rose nts over, and he personally led the workers to nt them. Over 100 of them nted the rose nts in orderly rows. Anthony did the work with the workers, too, bending over to nt the roses in the middle of the night. A third of the ground that was once gray took less than half an hour to be fully nted with rose nts. The rose nts were 70 to 80-percent fully grown. They had flowers ready to bloom with some care. It took merely a day for the spaciousnd to be filled with green sprouts. The next day... An article rushed upto the hot-search list. #A-romantic-rose-garden-was-spotted Below the article were photos of the roses, proving to be an ethereal- looking site. chapter 1769 chapter 1769 The photos showed a massivend at the foot of a mountain, filled with blooming roses. Clouds floated in the sky in the same photos. With the sun''s rays, the white clouds and red roses made the scenery so surreal to the eyes. Someone even pointed out that they had gone past thend two days ago, and it was barren then. In other words, someone used two days to turn this wastednd into a rose garden! Countless photographers went to the field to witness this firsthand. They were greeted with the strong scent of roses after arriving at the southern side, even before they got to their destination. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. They came face-to-face with a vast plot ofnd that spanned more than ten kilometers. Looking down, one could see a gigantic patch of well- bloomed beautiful roses! Upon seeing how utterly magnificent the ce was, everyone was arrested in surprise as their jaws dropped. A group of people instantly took up their cameras and started taking photos. Some reporters even live-streamed the area, reporting on it. "Many people are aware that the southern side has been barren for a long time, but someone managed to turn it into and of roses within two days! Who has such powers to do this? Stay tuned to my MV Channel-Annie will discover it with you." The camera zoomed into the beautiful roses. Instantly, the channel that barely had any views attracted tens of millions of viewers. This literal bed of roses instantly became famous across Burlington! At that moment... As everyone was talking and rambling about the garden of roses, a luxury car pulled over. The door to the car opened, revealing a shiny leather shoe as someone stepped out. Anthony got out of the car, his well-built body dressed in a fitted suit. He looked elegant and high- above. He smiled faintly as he gazed at the blooming flowers. Anthony went around the car and opened the door from the other side. He then reached out his hand. Charmine was dressed in a beige white dress, and her fair skin looked even more delicate with it. She held Anthony''s hand from inside the car and outstretched one lean leg to get down from the car. As she did, Anthony ced his hand on the door frame to keep her head from ramming against it. As Charmine got off, she swept her gaze across the entirend that seemed endlessly romantic. She looked at Anthony in shock. "How did you do it?¡± Thisnd was empty two days ago, but all of a sudden, rows and rows of beautiful romantic red roses were nted. She did not see himing homest night, and in just a day, he showcased the rose garden she had always wanted in front of her eyes. It was like magic. Anthony cast her a loving gaze. "I''ve said it before, my dear; I''d give you a surprise." Charmine was very touched. This was the surprise Anthony was referring to, after all. She gazed at Anthony, her eyes twinkling as a smile yed on her lips. "I like it a lot." He did not disappoint her. Everything she had seen, apart from thend, showed just how much he loved and adored her. Anthony held her hand and walked forward. Among the crowd, a reporter spotted Anthony and instantly went up to him with a microphone. He asked, "President Bailey, did you hear about this sudden discovery of roses, and that''s why you brought your girlfriend to admire it?" Anthony looked at the reporter coldly, answering, "Of course not." Amid everyone''s confusion, Anthony parted his thin lips, saying, "I didn''t just bring Charmine to admire the roses. I nted these for her." He was elegant and powerful, yet his voice was injected with love. Realization dawned on everyone in the vicinity, and they were all shocked yet excited simultaneously. Anthony himself had prepared thisnd of roses for Charmine! "Within two days, you managed to create such a romantic garden of roses!" "President Bailey, you''re too thoughtful!" "Can I please ask: Is there a special meaning for you to have nted this garden of roses for Ms. Jordan?" When Anthony heard the final question, he turned to look at Charmine. chapter 1770 chapter 1770 With Charmine''s approving look, Anthony put his arm around her and picked up the microphone given to him. He then dered formally, "We''ll hold our wedding here at Rose Garden in half a month.¡± An uproar ensued after Anthony''s announcement. They were about to hold their wedding! Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. So soon, and so sudden! 1 Anthony was about to hold a wedding with Waverly but canceled it. All of a sudden, he would be marrying Charmine in half a month''s time? Unperturbed by the crowd, Anthony sternly warned, authoritatively so, " Remember: this garden is private property. Nobody is allowed to step inside." Once done, he returned the microphone and stretched out an arm toward Charmine, his gaze fond and soft as he stared at her. Like a princess from a fairytale would, Charmine hooked her arm around his. The crowd made way for them. Everyone watched as they both walked into the sea of flowers as though no one else was around. Guards were stationed at the entrance, too. Anthony and Charmine truly were like king and queen from fairytales. Everyone watched on with admiration and envy. How beautiful! It was clear how Anthony loved Charmine ardently! The reporters finally reacted and continued to take photos. The live-streaming MV channel gained the most viewers of all time, and their viewing rate went up to 10.0! The channel became the go-to source for information, garnering billions of viewers with an insane amount ofments. The owner of the mysterious sea of roses was revealed atst! This news made it to Tweeter and had ridiculous coverage of responses. Variousments were left in threads regarding the matter, too. [God! Kill me now! He''s such a good man!] [Boss Bailey is so in love! Charmine is so lucky!] [If only a man treats me as nice, I''ll die with no regret!] [I¡¯m sobbing just reading this touching love story! What Boss Bailey has shown is true love!] [Right! He treated Charmine badly because of his illness! He didn''t want Charmine to suffer with him!] 1 [God! How is there such pure love in the world?] [I can''t wait for their wedding. The way Boss Bailey looks at Charmine is so loving, and the way Charmine gazes at him is so sincere. They''re so in love!] [I''m so envious! I''m so envious! Why can''t I have this kind of romantic love? ] The inte was filled with blessings and wishes for Anthony and Charmine''s wedding. Television channels reyed the news while magazines were printed rapidly about the topic. This news became international and instantly became the most-discussed topic in all countries. Within half a day, every country was aware of their wedding! A luxury car pulled over outside a police station. Max rushed out of the car and into the police station. Within ten minutes, Waverly was bailed out. She seemed visibly worn out with her hair tousled, too. Her eyes looked tired, and she looked wrecked. Max brought her into the car. Seeing her in such a state made his heart ache. "Don''t worry, Waverly. I¡¯ll take revenge on your behalf!" Waverly looked up with a ferocious gaze, but as she was about to speak, she saw newspapers from the corner of her eyes. The headline printed on it read, [Boss Bailey Burned A Large Sum To Create A Romantic Rose Garden For His Girlfriend, Charmine Jordan. The Two Are Getting Married!] Below the headline were photos of Anthony and Charmine, strutting like the king and queen at the rose garden. They looked visibly enamored with one another. Waverly picked up the newspapers and red at the news in disbelief. "Is this true?" Max hesitated for a moment before he relented and confessed, "Yes, Anthony found a cure for his illness. He has dered to the world that he''s getting married to Charmine. Don''t trouble yourself, Waverly! We¡¯ll think of another way-" Max''s words fell on deaf ears, however. Waverly balled her fair hands tightly into fists, her eyes burning and seething in jealousy as she did. chapter 1771 chapter 1771 Anthony and Charmine had ruined her entirely...yet they wanted to host such an borate wedding? Who did they think they were? She would not allow this wedding to be conducted sessfully! Noticing the fury in Waverly''s gaze, Max asked, "Do you have a n, Waverly? Let me know, and I¡¯ll help you." "No need." Waverly¡¯s eyes gleamed viciously. "I''ll sort this out on my own.¡± Charmine humiliated her so badly, and she wanted her dead. She wanted nothing more than to crush her into absolute ruins. Max did not insist on the matter. He looked at her with sympathy. "I''ll send you home. Call me if you need anything," he offered as he drove the car. Waverly made Max leave once she got home, and she then took a bath. After reorganizing her thoughts, she took out her phone and called Britney, saying, "Contact Shadow Kill to arrange for a special assassin. I want to ruin that Charmine''s face and mouth!" Shadow Kill was a world-ss special group of assassins, and there was no mission that they could not aplish. Waverly wanted Charmine to suffer horribly. She wanted to see how Charmine could be as arrogant after her mouth and face were ruined. How would she have her wedding after that? "Copied that, madam!" answered Britney dutifully and went ahead to execute her task. Waverly hung up and carelessly tossed her phone aside, leaning into her bathtub afterward. Closing her eyes, she could picture Charmine''s bloodied, torn out face and mouth. The mere image evoked a cruel, sadistic smile on Waverly''s expectant-filled face. Britney finally called back that night, to which Waverly excitedly answered." Is her face ruined?" s...she could hear Britney, audibly intimidated, answering, "Madam, the Gragoul group is secretly protecting Charmine. Shadow Kill isn''t good enough. They still can''t get a chance to attack-" "Trash!" Waverly growled, "You can''t even fix a small matter! What do I need you for, then? Get lost!" Crash! She angrily smashed her phone onto the ground, smashing the phone into halves instantly. Waverly¡¯s eyes were eerie, and she clenched her fists tightly. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. What a cautious b*tch, Charmine was. Did she really think her wedding was safe, though? Not a chance. Waverly would not give in so easily. She would not allow Charmine and Anthony¡¯s wedding to go on smoothly! Waverly clenched her fists even tighter. Recalcting her ns, she picked up another phone and made a phone call. "Bring that woman over!" Anthony''s illness was stabilized. His head was no longer hurting, and he had not been forgetting anything new. He was basically cured. This ced him in a good mood as he prepared for his wedding. It was one week away from the wedding... Anthony brought Charmine along with the two children to the rose garden. He was personally directing the setup. The originally wastednd had not only be a rose garden, but it had pavilions and bridges built. The gardens and decorations were incredibly romantic. It made a surreal sight, like an ind surrounded by mountains and water, flowers, and birds, clouds floating above the nket of mist. Anthony looked at the garden that he designed. He hugged Charmine and said with his maic voice, "Do you like it, my dear?" Charmine swept her gaze across the scenery, her red, stunning lips curling into a smile. "Not bad at all. You¡¯re indeed the man that I adore.¡± Anthony''s eyes softened. He let Chris and Chloe entertain themselves while the two adults helped out to decorate the venue. Charmine took arge, foldable table and ced it on the grass. When she turned around, she was shocked to see Anthony... chapter 1772 chapter 1772 Anthony was moving a table, too, one that was rectangr andrge in size. Charmine quickly walked toward him and pressed down the table. "Let me handle this. Why don¡¯t you show Chris and Chloe around?" "Hmm?" Anthony frowned. ¡±How could I let my wife do such heavy- lifting? You should be the one showing them around the garden." Charmine red at Anthony sternly. "You just recovered, and you shouldn''t be working so hard. Go and get some rest!" she asserted, and despite her caringness for him in her tone, it rendered Anthony speechless, still. Did their roles switch? Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Nheless, he felt her love, and he reveled in this feeling. Anthony looked at Charmine fondly and said, "Then, may I please have my wife''s permission to move some small items?" "How big are they?" asked Charmine. Anthony was baffled. How worried was she about him? How much did she have to spoil him? Anthony looked at her sincerely and emotionally. "Some decorations are allowed, I hope?¡± Charmine was reassured. "Fine." With that said, she efficiently lifted the big table in front of her, moved it, and ced it to a spot she preferred. Anthony watched her stunning back, and his lips curled into a warm smile. He turned around to move some smaller items, from the vase on the table to some bells along the path. Slowly, he moved up from smaller items to bigger ones like some chairs. When Charmine finished her tasks, she instinctively searched for Anthony among the crowd. Her gaze pierced through the people, and it did not take long before she spotted a tall man moving a red wooden chair. She marched up to him and robbed him of the chair. When she felt its weight, she looked at him, visibly displeased. "You¡¯re not listening to my advice, Anthony!" Anthony innocently reasoned, "My darling, I just picked it up-" Was it not just a chair? Charmine forcefully ced the chair before lifting his chin lovingly as if reprimanding him. "I don¡¯t allow you to do heavy-lifting!¡± Anthony was forced to look into her eyes innocently before he moved her hand from his chin to his lips, kissing it gently. "Alright, anything for my darling wife." The staff watched them nkly. "What kind of unreal love is this?¡± "They switched roles!¡± "Ms. Jordan spoils President Bailey!" "I have to worship them!¡± "President Bailey is so powerful, yet when he''s with Ms. Jordan, he''s so obedient. This is true love!" "I want this kind of love and girlfriend, too!" When Charmine heard theirments, she looked up at Anthony while he looked at her. They both stood still before one another: a tall, elegant man with a fiery yet beautiful woman. Their eyes were filled with love for one another. All of a sudden,motions were heard from outside the garden. "Why would President Bailey be this kind of man? Go away! Outsiders aren''t allowed in here!" The security scoffed at the woman before him. The woman was around 1.6 meters. She looked small and weak as if the wind might blow her over. Wearing a simple dress and with her belly slightly swollen, her face was palm-sized small. She did not have makeup on, and her face looked pale. She looked at the man before her that was asking her to leave, feebly insisting, "I¡¯m here for President Bailey. Please, help me look for him!" When the two of them heard this voice, they stiffened. They could not help looking at her. 1 All they saw was that under the sun, the woman that dressed humbly but looked anxious was... chapter 1773 chapter 1773 Annabel Smith! Anthony''s gaze faltered, losing its glimmer of joy. How did Annabel disappear into thin air...and suddenly reappear, right at a very crucial point in his life? Charmine, on the other hand, seemed divided. After months of searching for Annabel, she was finally back! Charmine held Anthony''s hand, and they both walked toward Annabel. Meanwhile, in front of the garden, the security was trying to ask Annabel to leave. "Go away! You''re not allowed toe to such an extravagant ce like this!" Annabel looked at the security weakly, biting her lip. Just as she was about to say something, however, she spotted two people walking toward her. Anthony was dressed in his tightly fitted Amari suit, looking sophisticated. It was as if Annabel had found her savior. Her eyes sparkled as she lowly uttered, "President Bailey..." Anthony frowned, his hand still on Charmine''s as they walked to the entrance. He looked at her solemnly, and his lips parted to say, "Where have you been in the past three months?" Annabel bit her lip. Tears pooled in her eyes as she recalled her sunless days. "Three months ago, after I fell asleep in the hospital, I woke up and found myself in an underground basement. I don''t know anything, and all I know is that someone sent me food every day. Yesterday, after I ate, I lost my senses. When I woke up, I was out of the city and didn¡¯t see anyone..." Annabel began to tremble as she spoke as though terrified by something that happened from that period. Anthony and Charmine frowned. In other words, even Annabel did not know who kidnapped her. It seemed that there was no clue on this matter. Annabel said, "I happened to hear that you''re both here, so I came..." With that said, she looked at Anthony carefully and quickly exined," President Bailey, I know I shouldn''t be here, and I didn''t mean to find you at this moment, but..." Annabel caressed her slightly swollen tummy and muttered, "My tummy aches from time to time. I don''t have anywhere to turn to, and I have to seek help from you both." Anthony pursed his lips and looked at Charmine, worried. Charmine looked at her with her clear eyes, expression thoroughly calm as her beautiful red lips curved into a smile. "Does it still hurt now?" ''Yes." Annabel looked at her, and guilt shed past in her eyes. "Ms. Jordan, I didn''t mean toe back to Burlington to ruin your wedding. I''m just worried about the baby in my belly..." "Don''t worry, I don''t me you." Charmine''s face was calm. It was apparent that she was not angry or jealous of this woman who had Anthony''s baby. She turned to look at Anthony. "Send her to be examined in a hospital." "Okay.¡± Anthony held Charmine''s hand and looked at her darkly. As if he was worried about her overthinking, he added, "Come with me, dear." Charmine nodded. Chris and Chloe saw Anthony and Charmine walking out, and both children ran toward both adults with hands still interlinked. "Mommy, Daddy, where are you going?" When Annabel saw the adorable Chris, she had a motherly look. Her son... How she longed to hug him, but she did not even have the right to talk to him. Annabel bit her lip and acted as if she did not see him. "Your Mommy''s belly is hurting," answered Charmine, "so we''re bringing her to the hospital." "Oh." Chris acted as if he did not see Annabel. He held Chloe''s hand and said to Charmine, "Mommy, Chloe and I will tag along. It''s too boring here." With that, the five of them went to the hospital. When they arrived at the hospital, Chris and Chloe stayed with Annabel when Anthony and Charmine went to get her registered. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Chris looked at Annabel''s slightly swollen belly darkly, and he clenched his tiny fists. Although he wanted a sister, he did not want one that was not from his Daddy and Mommy. Furthermore... chapter 1774 chapter 1774 His Daddy and Mommy were about to get married. Chris did not want this to upset Charmine or put Anthony in a difficult situation! Chris pursed her lips and looked at Annabel, eyes widely round as he spoke, "Auntie Annabel, I''ve already recovered, so I don''t need the blood anymore. You...don''t need to carry the baby anymore. Can you terminate it Annabel paused at that. Her face, small as a palm, turned toward Chris weakly. "H-Have you truly recovered, my dear?" ''Yes." Anthony and Charmine happened to being back. Annabel then cast her feeble gaze to Charmine and Anthony, saying, President Bailey, Ms. Jordan, since Mo-er, the young master has recovered, I can terminate my pregnancy. I won''t insist and ruin your wedding!" Charmine looked at Chris, perplexed. ''You still showed signs of your illness not long ago, my dear boy." "Oh..." Chris¡¯ head shrank to his shoulders as he confessed, gently pulling at Charmine''s hand as he swayed it. "I''ve actually recovered, Mommy, but I lied to you the other day. I''m sorry, Mommy. I cared about you and was forced to do so. Please don''t be mad at me." Charmine let out a sigh of relief and reached out to ruffle Chris¡¯ hair. " Mommy isn''t angry. Just don¡¯t mess around in the future!" ''Thank you, Mommy!" Chris smiled happily. Charmine turned to look at Anthony, but just as she was about to ask for his opinion, she saw him looking at Annabel coldly. "Go and have it done, then. I¡¯ll pay you enough." He did not want this matter to upset Charmine. Annabel did not insist nor did she show any unwillingness. She nodded. " Alright." Charmine gave her the gynecology waiting number. Annabel did not have any opinion as she epted it and walked into the room. Charmine stood on the same spot as she gazed at Annabel¡¯s skinny back conflicted. Although this was a cruel act, she got pregnant for Chris. Annabel would never be with Anthony, and even if she gave birth to her child, she would be a single mother. There was no benefit to this. However... Just as Charmine and Anthony sighed in relief, Annabel came back out with her report card from the examination center. She went to the waiting room, visibly disappointed as she said to Anthony helplessly, "President Bailey...the doctor said that my body is sensitive to anesthesia. I can¡¯t undergo an abortion, or I''ll die." 2 Anthony''s eyes darkened as he scrutinized the report in disbelief. It was indeed printed, [Sensitive to anesthesia, not suitable for abortion.] He held onto the report card tightly and looked at Annabel. "Bring me to the doctor." "Okay." Annabel, simrly unable to digest this fact, brought all four of them to the doctor''s office. The doctor looked at the report card and said, ''Yes. Due to the patient''s body, it takes six months to undergo desensitization treatment. By then, the baby would''ve formed, and she won¡¯t be able to undergo abortion." In other words, the baby had to be born regardless. Anthony¡¯s face became grim, his gaze growing dark and burdened. He wanted a baby with Charmine, not with another woman. Also, he did not want to upset Charmine because of this. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. When Charmine heard the doctor, she frowned. If the baby could not be aborted, she would have to ept her husband having a baby with another woman, i This was not just about the baby; there were many problems thate along with this. When Annabel saw the two of them hesitating, she said, "President Bailey, Ms. Jordan, don''t worry about this. Once I''ve stabilized, I''ll go to a ce where nobody knows me to give birth to the baby. I''ll take care of the baby and not bother you. I won''t destroy your family. Don¡¯t worry, as long as you provide me with a job or some money to buy the baby powder, I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Annabel was audibly understanding and humble. Charmine frowned. "Are you sure?" chapter 1775 chapter 1775 Annabel pursed her lips. "I... Of course, I don¡¯t want to have President Bailey''s baby, but I don¡¯t have a choice now. Furthermore..." Her eyes were fixed on her swollen belly, and she lovingly caressed the bump. "I¡¯ve be attached to my child after all this time. If she won¡¯t be able to leave, I''ll take care of her and nurture her. Don''t worry: she''ll be my baby, and I won''t get involved in your lives." Charmine looked at Annabel¡¯s kind face and thought for a while before agreeing, "Alright, take care of the baby safely, then. Anthony and I won''t mistreat you." With that said, Charmine gave her a check of five million bucks. "If you need anything else, tell me." Anthony frowned at Charmine, his gaze toward her involuted with emotions. Annabel was just as shocked. How was Charmine still so generous? s, other than this, there was no other way. She had to ept the check and nod. ''Thank you." Charmine arranged a VIP ward for Annabel and requested special nurses. After making the arrangement, Anthony and Charmine walked out of the ward. He held her hand and asked, "My darling, why did you agree?" This was not something Charmine would usually do. He remembered how Charmine used to propose to break up with him to let him be with Annabel. This time, the baby was to be born, yet she could...ept it? Charmine halted and turned to look at him. "We''ve been through so much, and it¡¯s not easy for us to havee to this. This time, I won¡¯t let anything ruin our wedding!¡± she vowed, filled with pride and determination. Anthony was touched. Charmine''s point of view on this situation was for the best. ''Thank you, my darling wife." He held her hand and left the hospital. Two days had passed, and Annabel was still safe in the hospital. Anthony and Charmine were busy with their wedding. They were going back and forth from the bamboo house to the rose garden. They were too immersed in their wedding dealings that they had forgotten about Annabel''s matter. The wedding was in a few days, and Anthony and Charmine looked forward to it. They even had fun decorating the wedding venue. Unexpectedly, a call disrupted the peace between them both. As Anthony was instructing the staff at the rose garden, Luke phoned him, audibly hesitating as he did, "Boss..." Luke did not want to disturb Anthony, but he was worried about something happening at the hospital, thus he said weakly, "Annabel is at the hospital, and she doesn''t drink or eat every day. She talks to herself and doesn''t sleep, too. ording to the nurse, it seems that she has a mild depression ... The doctor asks if you, the father of the baby, would like to go over to check on her." 1Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Anthony frowned. The words, ''father of the baby'' went right into his heart. "Do not mention this in front of Charmine!" he warned Luke under his breath. "Yes, Sir!" Luke instantly nodded and said, "Boss, it seems to be the best if you... Well, if anything happens to Annabel before your wedding and someone reports it, this would be harmful to you." Anthony¡¯s face darkened. After all, he was the one causing Annabel to suffer. It made sense for him to visit her. Most importantly, he did not want any ident to happen at such a crucial point. chapter 1776 chapter 1776 Anthony nodded. "Alright, then." Anthony ended the call, a frown stered on his face as he looked around. His gaze then met Charmine''s as she stood in the rose garden. Anthony hesitated for a moment before he walked toward her, his gaze ever so soft as he reached her side. "Annabel seems to have been diagnosed with depression, my dearest. I''ll go and visit her." Worried that Charmine might have misunderstood him, he added, "I¡¯m worried that something might happen to her, things that may spark unnecessaryments from the public." Charmine said, "I understand." She frowned and hesitated for a moment. ''Til call her and ask." "Good idea." Anthony agreed. Charmine instantly phoned Annabel. It took a while before the call was answered, and Annabel''s weak voice came from the other end, saying, "Hello, Ms. Jordan." Charmine asked, "Has anything been bothering you, Ms. Annabel?" Charmine frowned. "I heard from the nurse that you''re not eating and have been talking to yourself. Do you have mild depression? Would you like me to find a doctor to check on you?" "No, no need," Annabel quickly turned Charmine down. ''The nurse made that up. I just don''t have an appetite sometimes, so I didn''t eat." "Oh... Well, you still have to eat something for your child,¡± Charmine reminded. "Alright, Ms. Jordan," Annabel mumbled. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. "Call me if you need anything," added Charmine, tone considerate and gentle. "If anything is bothering you, you may talk to me. Don''t overthink yourself." "I know, Ms. Jordan." Charmine asked, "Is there anything else?" "No..." said Annabel weakly. Charmine pursed her lips. "I should let Anthonye and visit you, but he''s busy preparing things for the wedding, and he doesn''t have time. I¡¯ll arrange for a doctor to take care of you. Just tell the doctor if you need anything." Annabel bit her lip and said nothing else apart from a soft, obedient, "Okay. Thank you, Ms. Jordan." "You''re wee." Ending the call, Charmine then said to Anthony, "Have Anthony watch over Annabel, then." 2 After all, they would not see Annabel in the future, and Anthony was not a doctor, so there was no help for him to go to her. It would be best for him and Annabel to keep a safe distance from one another. "Okay.¡± Anthony instantly called Nial and asked him to take care of Annabel. Nial cried out for pity, but he had no choice: he had to go to the hospital. Upon finally seeing Annabel first-hand, he called Anthony and reported, " Bro, Annabel is in a good state. She can sleep and eat well. Why does she need special care?" Anthony''s eyes narrowed. "Just take care of her." "Fine." Following that, Nial reported Annabel''s state back to Anthony from time to time. When he learned that Annabel was taking care of the baby and did not need anything, Anthony felt more at ease, continuing to prepare for the wedding with Charmine. Even when the following day rolled in, everything was fine. Annabel was in a good state and rested well. This matter seemed to have been solved. However... Two days before the wedding, something red on the inte...and the topic rushed up to the top three! #Anthony-messing-around-dumping-his-ex-Annabel. #Annabel-is-pregnant-with Anthony''s-baby! #Anthony-and-Charmine-shameless! 1 Official ounts of various parties even made their post regarding the matter. chapter 1777 chapter 1777 [Annabel is pregnant with Anthony¡¯s child. All that, yet both Anthony and Charmine forced Annabel to terminate her pregnancy!] [Annabel is just a weak, harmless woman, yet she was bullied and forced to keep quiet.] [Luckily, Annabel is sensitive to anesthesia and managed to keep her baby.] 1 [Charmine had threatened Annabel to stay in the hospital and not to expose anything!] i Each post had photos of Anthony and Charmine bringing Annabel to get tested. Those photos were evidence of this breaking news. Below these posts were everyone else,ing for Charmine''s and Anthony''s necks. [This ''god-like'' couple is threatening an innocent woman!] (How could they still get married in this situation?] [Anthony is such a heartless yer! How could he treat an innocent woman this way? Karma will get to him!] [Do you two still have the heart to continue with the wedding?] [You can''t marry Charmine! You must be responsible for Annabel!] [I agree! They can¡¯t get married! He must be responsible for Annabel!] [If not, thew will not let you off!] [Burlington won''t have space for these people to stay!] [That''s right. I''m going to report this man for his irresponsibility!] There were over a millionments simr to these, all eager to speak up and sign up to report Anthony. [Count me in!] At Mount Vige. Anthony had been busy in the past two days. He was cut off from the world and was constantly preparing the wedding. He was so busy that he had no time to look at his phone. It was as if he was completely out of this world. Anthony and Charmine came home from the rose garden and jumped right into preparing the invitations. Anthony wrote it all by hand, such as his name and the date of the wedding. His words were artistic and incredibly aesthetic-looking. Once done, he handed them to Charmine, who wrote her name next to his. [ Charmine Jordan.] They used golden ink to write high-quality wedding invitation cards, and they came out beautifully and romantic-looking. They repeated the same steps for all other cards. The breeze was soothing in the front yard, and the afternoon sun feltforting and warm. Amid writing on their invitation cards, knocks were heard on the door, followed by a woman''s voice. "Is President Bailey home?¡± The two of them halted and exchanged nces. Anthony said, "I¡¯ll go and have a look.¡± Charmine nodded and continued to write her name on the invitation cards. Anthony strode toward the door, his long legs taking steps in strides. He then opened the door to see a few women outside. When they saw Anthony, they went speechless for a moment. This man was so handsome! How could he be so hical? Anthony looked at them coldly and asked, "What is it?" One of them women, seemingly the leader of the pack, humbly spoke," President Bailey, we''remittee members of the women''s union. We came here to speak to you regarding Annabel Smith." "Annabel?" Anthony frowned. "What happened to her?" The person in charge said, "You see, Ms. Annabel is pregnant and is on her own. She can¡¯t abort the baby, and since you¡¯re the baby¡¯s father..." She was implying that Anthony must be responsible to Annabel. However, looking at how dark and cold his eyes were, the person in charge dared not say such things. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Anthony was visibly grim. How did they find out about this? The person in charge seemed to have realized the suspicion in Anthony''s eyes, and she exined, "The incident regarding Annabel''s pregnancy is everywhere on Tweeter. The news went viral, and our superiors found out, so we... We have to investigate this." Charmine, hearing their entire exchange, continued to write her name, her slim fingers gripping onto the pen as she did. Her red lips parted as she spoke, "Anthony, invite them toe in." Her voice was cold and nonchnt. Anthony''s steely expression remained, yet he invited the women into their home regardless. chapter 1778 chapter 1778 Charmine and the women from the women''s unionmittee sat around the table. "I''m busy and don''t have time to amodate you," said Charmine, "so you''ll have to excuse me." The leader of themittee met Charmine''s cold, arrogant eyes and was instantly stunned by her aura. She could only nod and say politely, "It''s alright, we won''t bother you." Anthony walked into the room, but before he said no to them, the person in charge looked at him and advised him in a friendly tone, "President Bailey, look, the child is innocent! Annabel is just a woman with no support, and you can''t let her go through this alone, letting her birth the child alone. How helpless would she be? Furthermore, this isn''t fair-" Anthony''s expression was relentless, unforgiving. "I won''t marry Annabel. This is none of your concern." i The women visibly stiffened at Anthony''s statement. They also knew that asking him to marry another woman right before his wedding would not be easy! 1 The person in charge said again, "President Bailey, if you insist, we can stop forcing you to marry Annabel. However, could you dy your wedding with Ms. Jordan? Why not host your wedding after everything is resolved, or at least until Annabel gives birth. After all, it''ll be cruel for her to watch her child¡¯s father gets married. She''d be depressed." With that said, Charmine-who was focusing on writing the invitation-put down the pen in her hand and stared at the woman coldly. "Annabel volunteered, and we didn''t force her. The news online is just a scandal, so you don''t have to investigate it." The person in charge looked visibly conflicted. She thought Anthony was difficult to deal with but did not expect Charmine to be even colder! She met Charmine''s harsh gaze and said, "Ms. Jordan, regardless of whether Ms. Annabel volunteered or not, the baby in her belly is still President Bailey''s! As a woman yourself, you should be able to sympathize with this. Why don¡¯t you think on her behalf? She¡¯d take a step back for you -don''t you feel guilty?" Charmine''s red lips curled up, "This was her choice, and she volunteered. Why would I feel bad? I might feel a certain way if she asked for Anthony to marry her, but otherwise, it¡¯s none of my concern. You''re all here, going against her will and sticking your noses into this. Please leave!" 1 Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Her clear voice was practically asserting them to take their leave, much to the women''s surprise. How was Charmine so fierce? Anthony also looked at Charmine. In the past, Charmine would feel ufortable, but at this moment, she was not even guilty? This was not her style... Seeing that they had not left, Charmine frowned. "What? You want to stay for dinner?" 1 The crowd snapped out of their thoughts and exchanged looks. Truth be told, they had gone to Annabel regarding this matter upon first hearing this, and she had made it clear she volunteered. However, an unknown number had been pestering them to sort this out, which was why they came. It seemed that Charmine and Annabel did have a deal. Helpless, they beseeched, "We can understand if she volunteered, but please reconsider if you could. We must minimize the harm we inflict on women." Without much to do, the women stood up and left. Charmine acted as if nothing had happened, she picked up the invitations and continued to sign her name. Chris ran in from the living room and jumped into Charmine''s arms. He gazed at her, his ck pupils seemingly glistening as he did. "Mommy, are you asking them to leave just like this? Won''t it be quite bad if this gets to Auntie Annabel?" chapter 1779 chapter 1779 After all, Annabel was a victim of circumstances, and Charmine was unusually cold these days. So cold that even Chris did not recognize her... Charmine ruffled his hair and said, "Mommy has had one too many regrets, and I don¡¯t want anything else to happen. Furthermore, cutting off the contact between Auntie Annabel and your Daddy is the best for everyone." Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Furthermore... Charmine looked out the window at the swaying tree branch. Her eyes darkened. Chris seemed to have understood the situation, too. He narrowed his darkened eyes and frowned. After the women''s unionmittee had left Charmine''s home, they noticed that people on the inte were still on a witch hunt against the couple. Themittee could do nothing but publish a statement ording to what they had learned. [We''ve visited President Bailey and Ms. Jordan in person. The situation is different from what the inte ims. They did not force Annabel to do anything against her will, and Annabel volunteered. Ms. Jordan also said that if Annabel wishes, Anthony could marry her... Please read the news with caution.] After posting this, they even tagged [@AnnabelSmith,] Annabel''s handle name. Everything would be resolved after Annabel gave her statement. 1 A horde of reporters, meanwhile, had been waiting outside the hospital, waiting for this to happen. When they saw the news on their phones, people rushed into Annabel''s ward, intending to interview her. 1 Annabel was inside her ward when she, out of the blue, was surrounded by more than ten reporters. Sheid at bed feebly as reporters pointed their microphones at her, camera lights shing right before her. "Ms. Annabel, did President Bailey threaten you to abort the baby? Did they ban you from telling the truth?" "Ms. Annabel, did President Bailey say to you that he''d marry you as long as you''re willing to say yes?" "Did Charmine Jordan give you a sum of money asking you to keep quiet?" "Ms. Annabel, it''s okay! Tell us if you have been wronged. We''ll join forces with the Women¡¯s Union to speak up for you!" Annabelid still at bed, her palm-sized face having lost the tinge of color in it. 1 She looked at everyone, perplexed, as if she was shocked. Her watery eyes looked unsettled and cautious. After a while, she feebly exined, "Please don''t misunderstand President Bailey and Ms. Jordan-they didn''t force me at all. The child is going to be mine, and President Bailey didn''t wrong me. Back then, I was paid to get pregnant because President Bailey needed cord blood from a new baby to treat...a child. President Bailey has always liked Charmine, and they still treated me very well. They provided me with a good environment with a huge sum of money to be taken care of." She looked at the crowd and said, "As for whether I want to marry President Bailey or not, please stop specting. I know my status is nothing close to his, and I never thought of being with him. I don''t wish for a life like this, so I won¡¯t want him to marry me." 1 Annabel appeared understanding and virtuous. After exining to them, she said politely at the end, "President Bailey and Ms. Charmine are getting married, and I hope everyone will give them well wishes. Please don¡¯t cause them any trouble because of my concerns. I¡¯ll feel guilty if you do." The reporters were all touched by her kindness and gentleness. After wishing her well, they thought of this shocking news and quickly left her ward, phones at hand as they called their respectivepanies. They had to be the first to publish this, to attract everyone''s attention! Within ten minutes, videos of the interview with Annabel rushed to the hot- search list. Everyone finally understood when they saw the video. It turned out that Anthony did not mess around. It was merely because Annabel did not like to be part of the upper ss, and she chose to nurture the baby on her own. i Many changed their view regarding this matter. [Seems like we''ve taken things a stretch.] [So the three of them have resolved this peacefully!) chapter 1780 chapter 1780 [Annabel will receive financial support. She can live a good life for the rest of her life and also keep the baby in her womb. Why do we still need to speak up for her?] (Boss Bailey and Charmine let Annabel choose the life she wanted. Was that wrong?] [Who did Anthony and Charmine offend this time? Everyone came after them! They were preparing for their wedding, and this scandal happened.] [Boss Bailey and Charmine are generous to be able to let Annabel give birth before leaving and taking good care of her. Other upperssmen would¡¯ve made her give birth to the baby and kick her away. They wouldn''t be kind to her.] [Exactly! They already resolved this privately! Why do we even care?] [There''s no problem in the first ce.] [If that¡¯s all, the couple is getting married, and I wish them the best.] With that, those who were rebuking Anthony and Charmine ten minutes ago instantly changed their stance on the matter, and they began wishing them well instead. Meanwhile, inside a luxury room somece else... Waverly crossed her long legs and leaned on the sofa. She was there to watch how Anthony and Charmine were mmed virtually on the inte. All of a sudden, a video clip showed up, and everyone changed sides! She looked at thements, baffled. Why ...were they wishing Anthony and Charmine well and blessing them for their future children together? Waverly clenched her fists angrily and tightly. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Did she not already make the Women''s Union go and ask them to postpone their wedding? To hell with this! How did this happen? How could Annabel ruin her n?! Reading the people''s blessing for Anthony and Charmine, chills ran throughout Waverly''s entire being. No, she must not permit this to happen! She instantly called Britney. "Hire people to keep this scandal going!" The screen was filled with blessings for Anthony and Charmine. All of a sudden, a fewments appeared that stood out from the rest. [You''re all wishing them well and thinking that they¡¯re both innocent, but how sure are you that what Annabel said was true? Who knows; maybe she was forced to say what she said!] [Who knows how they threatened Annabel behind this. Anthony is powerful, and Annabel is powerless. It''s likely that she said what Anthony wanted her to say!] [Look closely at the video clip of Annabel: she was pale and shivering. She seemed so scared of misspeaking. I wondered what she had been through? ] Everyone who was initially convinced quickly rewatched the video of Annabel. Sure enough, Annabel did look intimidated. With that, more people started to rebuke Anthony and Charmine again, and another uproar was ignited. Waverly watched with a beautiful curl on her lips. This was far from enough, however. She had to find a better chance! Due to the newly-hiredmenters, thements were messed up. However, Anthony and Charmine did not care. The day before the wedding, both Anthony and Charmine made a final check all over the rose garden. After making sure everything was in ce, Anthony held Charmine''s hand, interlocked their fingers, and walked into the rose garden romantically. As he imagined their wedding tomorrow, Anthony''s usually emotionless heart tingled with warmth. His eyes were filled with emotions as his thin lips parted to say, "I can finally marry you in public tomorrow, dearest." Charmine looked at him bright-eyed, her red lips curling into a smile. "I look forward to it." The two of them exchanged nces, ones filled with silent words. When they got back to the bamboo house, it was alreadyte at night. Charmine was going through tomorrow''s schedule under themp. Anthony came out from the shower, dressed in his silk night robe and hair dripping with water. He grabbed a towel to wipe off the water as he went behind Charmine, cing both hands on her shoulder to massage her. chapter 1781 chapter 1781 "Get a shower and rest well, dearest. The wedding tomorrow will be tiring." Charmine turned to look at Anthony. ''Til rest after going through this." Anthony looked at the stack of papers and frowned. He then grabbed Charmine and hoisted her into his arms, eliciting a yelp from Charmine who instinctively wrapped her slim arm around his neck. She nestled herself further into his arms but argued, "I haven''t finished-!" Anthony looked down at her and walked into the bathroom. "Get afortable bath; I''ll check the schedule." He then lowered his head near her ear, his warm breath fanning her earlobe as his husky voice wafted into her ear, "Tonight, I can''t wait to hug you to sleep." After midnight, she would be his bride-to-be. Charmine was speechless, yet her face was searing pink as Anthony''s silky voice rang in her ears. With this, she did not argue with Anthony. "Check it thoroughly, though, and don¡¯t leave out anything." "Yes, ma''am!" Anthony carried her to the bathtub and tested the water before preparing Charmine''s bath. Following that, he brought out her pajamas. "Enjoy your bath, dearest. Call for your husband if you need anything." "Okay." Charmine looked at the ready bath and met his burning eyes. She pushed him out, somewhat flustered as she did. "Hurry and get out." With that said, she shut the door. Anthony''s tall figure loomed before the bathroom door as the image of a flustered Charmine danced around his mind. His gaze was filled with warmth and gentleness. The usually unruly and arrogant Charmine was acting like a young girl in front of him from time to time...and only he was allowed to see this side of her! This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Anthony''s eyes gleamed softly yet proudly as he walked back into the living room. Just as he sat before the table, however, the phone on the table rang abruptly. Anthony frowned and noticed that it was Nial calling. He narrowed his eyes and answered the call, saying, "What is it?" "We got a situation, Bro!" Nial¡¯s urgent voice came from the phone. "I went back to sort out some urgent matters at my hospital. When I returned, Annabel went missing! I heard from the nurse that an international assassin came to kill her! She''s missing now, and the entire hospital is frantic!" Anthony''s heart sank. Annabel was murdered? Why did such a thing happen during such an important week?! Anthony looked visibly disturbed as he instructed, "Lock down the hospital now. See if there''s any clues on her whereabouts!" "Roger that." 1 Anthony ended the call. Frowning, he instantly called Luke and ordered, Find out where Annabel is!" Meanwhile, inside a luxury vi... Waverly was dressed in her red nightgown. She had a wine ss at hand as she sat on her balcony nonchntly, i Her cold eyes were fixed on thements in her phone, and a proud, ominous smirk yed on her red lips. Good. Before she even did anything, someone went to murder Annabel. Even God was on her side! Furthermore, her people were at the hospital, but they saw Senior Bailey. She then allowed Senior Bailey to bring Annabel away. Ha! How could Anthony and Charmine get married with this new challenge? They might as well dream about it! She picked up her phone and called a reporter, saying, "I have big news to sell you. Make it show up on the most-searched list." With that, she phoned Senior Bailey and spiced things up. "I watched as Annabel nurtured the child in her womb-Anthony''s test-tube baby, that is. ording to my investigation, it''s a baby boy." chapter 1782 chapter 1782 An eerie smile spread across Waverly''s face as she finished her ss of wine with pleasure. Oh, Anthony Bailey, and Charmine Jordan! How would they marry at this rate? Such a grand wedding they nned on hosting, and so many guests were invited, too! What a joke, this was. Those two would never get married with her around! Waverly calmly whirled the red wine ss in her hand. As she did, however, her eyes dulled in confusion. Who else would want to kill Annabel in this world? Within ten minutes, the news of #Annabel-murdered went up the hot- search list, and many paid commenters led the pace. [Sigh! Look how evil they are! It''s their wedding tomorrow, and Anthony didn''t want anything to happen, so he killed her beforehand!] [They made it sound so nice, as if he''d marry Annabel as long as she said yes! Did he even give her a chance to say yes?] [Anthony is inhuman! He was worried about Annabel changing her mind and asked him to marry her?] [They''re heartless. They harmed an innocent woman for their own happiness!] [Anthony Bailey! You owe us a life!] [If we can''t find her, nobody will bless you for your wedding. Everyone hates people like you!] [I think the grand wedding that you prepared will be an asion of scorn and usations!] [Anthony and Charmine are so evil. It''s best if they can be put in jail tonight!] Inside the bamboo house. When Charmine came out from her shower and noticed that the living room was still lit, she walked into the room. She had meant to ask Anthony to rest early but saw him standing before the yard instead, his expression taut and seemingly grim. He seemed to be on the phone, talking. Frowning, she walked toward him and asked, "What''s wrong?" Why did Anthony look so serious and restless? Anthony hung up, a frown adorning his usually wellposed face. He looked grim as he confessed, "Annabel may have been murdered. Her whereabouts are still unknown as of now." "What?" Charmine''s head buzzed, and her expression faltered. Why did this happen at this time?! She looked at Anthony and said, "Did you manage to find out anything? Or is your search showing up nk as of now?" "Yeah," said Anthony. ''The assassin is highly skilled, and he didn''t leave any evidence behind. All of the cameras in the hospital were destroyed." Charmine frowned and said, "I''ll ask Kay to investigate this, then." "Okay." However, just as Charmine went to get her phone in the living room, Anthony''s phone rang again. When he saw that it was Nial calling, he picked up right away. "Any news?" Nial sounded audibly dumbfounded on the other end. "Bro, don''t panic! Annabel is now with Senior Bailey. She¡¯s fine!" Anthony was finally relieved upon hearing this new update. Still, he frowned warily. Why was Annabel with Senior Bailey? Nial said, "He wants you and Charmine toe to him, Bro," added Nial. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. "Okay." He had to make a trip home, then. Anthony ended the call and turned, his long legs carrying him into the living room as he said to Charmine, "We don¡¯t have to look anymore, dearest. We found her." Charmine halted and looked at Anthony with a questioning gaze. "Where was she? Is she okay?" "Yeah," said Anthony helplessly, "my grandpa took her away." Charmine frowned. Why would Senior Bailey take Annabel away suddenly? Nheless, she was pleased that Annabel was fine. "I''m sorry to have worried you, dearest," apologized Anthony. chapter 1783 chapter 1783 Anthony held Charmine''s hand tightly. "Grandpa wants us to pay him a visit." Charmine nodded. "Alright, then.1 The scandal was all over the ce, and it did make sense for Senior Bailey to ask them to find him. Charmine flipped her still-wet hair and said, "Let me dry my hair before we go." Anthony wrapped his arms around her. "I''ll help you." Charmine looked at him, and her red-painted lips curved into a smile." Okay." They went back home, and she sat before the makeup table, much like a proud princess would. The lean-built Anthony stood behind her with a hairdryer at hand, and he gently used it to help dry Charmine¡¯s hair. The mirror reflected the image of a cold yet regal man behind a beautiful woman. They looked, no doubt, like they were meant to be. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. As Charmine''s hair grew drier and softer, Anthony turned off the hairdryer. His bony fingers felt her silky hair as he dered, "Done." Charmine gave a beautiful smile at Anthony''s statement, and she simply tied up her hair. "Let''s go. Don''t let Senior Bailey wait for too long." Anthony pulled her into his arms. "Are you not rewarding your husband, dearest?" This caught Charmine off-guard. She looked up at him and asked, "What reward would you like?" He brought his face closer to her, showing his side-profile as he did. "Kiss me." Charmine did not refuse, and her red lips left a gentle peck on his cheek, i Her gentle, cushion-like lips on Anthony¡¯s cheek made his heart tingle with emotions. He looked at her lips longingly, and his Adam''s apple bobbed. Anthony gazed at Charmine with a burning gaze, but at the thought of meeting Senior Bailey soon, he repressed his deepest desire. "Let''s be off," he said "Yeah." At the Bailey mansion... A luxury car pulled over before the vi. Anthony got out of the car and walked over to Charmine''s side to open the door for her. He put his hand over the top and reached in with another hand to hold onto her hand. Charmine was dressed in a ginger yellow dress, and she looked well- presented. Anthony closed the door and walked into the mansion while holding her hand. When they went in, they saw Annabel sitting uneasily in the living room. An elderly man was sitting opposite her. Senior Bailey sat on the sofa, his expression steely. He was properly dressed and exuded the vibe of a ster, capable man powerfully. Spotting Anthony and Charmineing in, he looked over wearily and instructed, "Come and have a seat." Anthony held on Charmine''s hand tightly and gave her a soundless reassurance. The two of them went over and sat on the sofa. Senior Bailey looked at the three of them and finally fixed his eyes on Anthony. He said with a formal voice, "Did you know that Annabel might have truly died if I didn''t happen to stop by the hospital today?" Senior Bailey had indeed spotted a person dressed in all ck darting into Annabel''s ward, and he snapped at him, scaring the individual away effectively. He then fetched Annabel with his own men. Charmine looked at Annabel and asked, "Did you see who it was?" "I... I¡¯m sorry... I was too nervous and woke up to a ck shadow rushing out..." Annabel looked pale and weak, tantly still terrified. Charmine frowned. Annabel could not see who wasing after her again? Senior Bailey red at Anthony and sternly dered, "I don''t oppose your wedding with Charmine, but we can''t leave the matter like this with Annabel! Otherwise, I can''t convince the rest. The baby in her is my grandson anyway, and I won¡¯t allow him to be left outside!" Charmine had aplex look on her face. Did Senior Bailey want Anthony to be responsible for Annabel? Anthony held her hand and looked up at Senior Bailey. "What would you like me to do?" Although this was a question, his tone was hostile. Senior Bailey said, "Keep Annabel at home and take care of her forever! You can choose not to give her a title, but her son is a Bailey. This means Annabel is also your wife. Not only that, I¡¯ll protect her with a whole group of guards.¡± Despite his voice reflecting his age, his sturdiness and assertion did not waver at all. chapter 1784 chapter 1784 Charmine paused at this. Instantly, a bitter smile spread across her face. Did this imply that even after she married Anthony, there would be another woman in their family? This would involve too many things. Anthony smiled coldly. "Not happening." He and Charmine would not allow such an absurd thing to happen. "Senior Bailey, there''s no need for this," offered Annabel. "If you want the baby, I can give it to you after I give birth to the baby. I trust that President Bailey and Ms. Charmine will treat the baby as their own. I don''t want to ruin their rtionship." Annabel¡¯s tone was filled with kindness and understanding. Senior Bailey¡¯s face riddled with wrinkles scrunched even more with sternness. "Ms. Annabel, you don¡¯t have to worry about this. Since your baby is a member of my family, I won''t mistreat you and wrong you." With that said, he looked at Anthony coldly and said, "You can choose not topromise, but the wedding is tomorrow, and I won¡¯t let your wedding go on smoothly if so! Your wedding with Charmine won¡¯t resume until this matter is resolved!" "No, don¡¯t!" Right after Senior Bailey said so, Annabel said urgently, "Senior Bailey, I don''t need President Bailey to be responsible to me. I¡¯ll sort this out myself! If I was the one causing them problems, I¡¯ll feel bad and live in guilt for the rest of my life.¡± This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Senior Bailey looked at Annabel, his eyes serious as he scoffed at Anthony, "She is wronged but still so considerate. Why are you still not satisfied? I only asked you to take care of her, not to marry her!" Anthony grew hostile. He clenched his fists, and his green veins protruded in the process. He looked at Senior Bailey darkly. As he was about to speak, Charmine caressed his back gently with her fair hands. Anthony turned to look at her, and Charmine gave him a reassuring look. She held his hands tightly as looked up at Senior Bailey with her clear eyes and said, "Senior Bailey, Anthony and I will agree to this.¡± She was decisive and calm. Anthony''s gaze grew wary at this promation, and he looked at, visibly confused. This was a lifetime promise. With a nod from her, Annabel would be with them forever! She agreed to it, just like that? Senior Bailey was just as baffled as he stared at Charmine. He did not expect her to say yes to it so easily. 1 He looked at Charmine and asked, "Are you sure? After you have married Anthony, there will be another woman at home. We¡¯ll treat her like our daughter. Annabel is pregnant with Anthony''s baby. You''ll both take good care of the baby." Charmine earnestly answered, "If I¡¯ve said yes to it, I¡¯ll keep my word." Senior Bailey''s eyes softened as he dered, "You truly do live up to the Charmine Jordan-image that I''ve been hearing of. You know what is important and think of the bigger picture. I am pleased." Charmine remained level-headed. "Thank you, Grandpa." Annabel''s face was very pale. She looked at Charmine with disbelief as she feebly resisted, "Ms. Jordan, please, don''t. I can''t do this, I won''t be able to rest assured with this!" It was as if she was incredibly anxious about ruining Anthony and Charmine''s future that tears pooled her eyes in her panic. "Senior Bailey, please don¡¯t make me do this, alright? I¡¯ll feel guiltier if so. If my existence is a burden to them, I''d rather be dead!" she feebly spoke before ramming herself against a pir. 1 Charmine quickly caught her hand and frowned. "What are you doing?" Annabel struggled in her arms. She cried with tears of guilt. chapter 1785 chapter 1785 "Ms. Jordan, I don¡¯t want to put you and President Bailey in a difficult situation. This matter can only be resolved if I''m dead." Charmine looked at Annabel coldly, her tone t as she spoke, ''You want to end your life when my wedding with Anthony''s will be held tomorrow. Do you want us to be traumatized by this wedding for the rest of our lives?" Annabel bit her lip, and her pale face was tearful. She looked pitiable. "Sorry," she sobbed, "I will...l will wait after your wedding to end my life in a ce with nobody around. I won''t cause you any trouble." Charmine was baffled by Annabel''s train of thought. ''You didn¡¯t understand Senior Bailey''s words. If we don¡¯t resolve this now, we won''t be having a wedding." Annabel looked helpless. "I don''t mean to ruin your wedding, but I don''t want to make matters worse for everyone." Charmine pursed her lips and said, "I''ve already agreed to the situation, so what''s so hard about this? If you do this now, things will be harder on me." Senior Bailey frowned. He looked at Annabel and said, "You don''t have to think for others. If they said yes to this now, this will be resolved! Detach yourself from this way of thinking!" Annabel''s determined thinking seemed to have shifted at that moment. She looked up, her gaze wet with tears as she weakly bleated, "Are... Are you sure, Ms. Jordan?" Charmine remained calm. ''Yes. I don''t have an opinion. Anthony won''t have one, too."Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. The two women fixed their eyes on Anthony. Anthony was visibly grim and looked at Charmine darkly, not wanting to agree to this whole thing. Although he did not mind having a third person at home, Charmine would feel upset, and he did not want her to be wronged because of him. However, seeing how emotional Annabel was, if anything happened on the night before their wedding... Anthony looked at Charmine meaningfully and resigned to his fate, relenting, "Okay." Annabel seemed to have let out a sigh of relief. She was trying to be strong as she wiped off her tears. "President Bailey, Ms. Charmine, don''t worry. I won''t let the baby get in your way. I''ll stay at the Bailey mansion like a maid. I''ll be obedient and know my ce." ''You don''t need to," corrected Charmine. ''You, bearing Anthony¡¯s child, are the rightful mother to the fetus. You deserve to live afortable life." Hearing this, Senior Bailey gazed at Charmine approvingly. ''You are indeed my granddaughter-inw. Right, this matter is now resolved, and nobody has to say anything else. Your wedding with Anthony will go on as nned, and I''ll be there to congratte you." Charmine gave him a small nod. ''Thank you." "Alright, off you go, then. Annabel, you can stay here safely." When they walked out of the door, Anthony held Charmine''s hand tightly. He sounded remorseful as he muttered, "I''m sorry to have hurt you, my dearest." He knew why she did so, so he did not have to ask further. He knew her feelings better than anyone. Charmine interlinked her fingers with his tightly, she said, ''You don''t have to feel bad. I know you don''t feel anything for her, it doesn¡¯t matter if there¡¯s another person at home. I don''t mind. Furthermore..." Charmine pursed her red lips and looked at him. She had something to say but suddenly stopped, opting instead to say, "If she¡¯s at one extreme end and Grandpa insists, we''ll have to do this for now. It''s our wedding day tomorrow, and I don¡¯t want anything to go wrong again." chapter 1786 chapter 1786 Anthony held Charmine''s hands sincerely. "I understand, dearest." Charmine''s red lips curled into a smile. "Alright, don''t over-analyze things. I don¡¯t mind, unless you might fall in love with her because of her child-¡¯¡¯ "No!" Anthony snapped vehemently. "I, Anthony Bailey, will only love you for the rest of my life. I''ll love you forever till my death." Charmine looked into his resolute-filled eyes and was moved. "You said this yourself, so you can''t go down on your word. Otherwise-" ''You¡¯ll gain fifty kilograms,'' was what Charmine wanted to say. Anthony, however, adamantly dered, "If my feelings for you ever change, I''ll be struck by lightning and never feel peace in the afterlife!¡± Charmine was speechless. She looked at him calmly and said, "Alright, if you made such a harsh oath, I can tell that you¡¯re serious about me.¡± Anthony pulled her into an embrace and gently spoke, "I am serious about you, dearest. You don''t have to tell; you''ll know it once we''re married." Charmine smiled vaguely. "I¡¯ll wait, then." "I won''t disappoint,¡± replied Anthony. Meanwhile... Waverly received Britney''s call. Britney sounded cautious and intimidated as she reported, "Madam, Senior Bailey used the scandal to threaten Charmine, but Charmine agreed. She actually allowed Annabel to stay in the Bailey mansion with the baby-" "What!?" Waverly''s smile stiffened as she clenched the phone tightly. "That shoddy woman can stomach this?" she blurted incredulously. "Yes! Now, Annabel is staying at the Bailey mansion,¡± Britney replied. Waverly''s gaze red with bitterness and fury. Annabel was aplete tool! Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Also, how could Charmine endure such a thing?! No... She had to think of another way! She must not let them off so easily! Anthony and Charmine were to host their wedding tomorrow, no? Heh. ''Just you wait, Charmine!¡¯ On the next day, Charmine and Anthony''s wedding finally started at the rose garden on the southern side. The emptynd below the mountain a few days ago had be beautiful and romantic, and a long red carpetid t in the middle of the vast rose garden. In front of the rose bed was a pce-like building with a long alley. There were red bells all over, ones that would ring soothingly as the breeze blew by. In front of the pavilion, there was a LED screen reying the photos of the loving couple. The two alleys had a big pavilion in the middle. The mountain behind had a clear stream gently flowing downward. The long table by the side had an array of high-end snacks and wines. Everything was there. Well-reputed guests sat on both sides, and no seats were left empty at all. Other than Charmine and Anthony''s family members, there were moguls of all sectors. There were international medical doctors, researchers, hackers, wealthy families, and business moguls. Everyone was at the top of the upper ss. Even the reporters present at the venue were the best of the best. They set up their cameras and waited for the hosts to show up. More than ten drones were hovering above the air, filming this beautiful moment. The hot air balloons on the field pulled out a huge red g that slowly rose up the azure sky. Wishes were written on the g. [You''re my one and only.] [Together, now and forever.] [You''re the only light in my dark world.] chapter 1787 chapter 1787 Countless verses of blessings swirled in the air. When the time was right, the famous pianist sat elegantly by the side and started performing the romantic, ''Wedding''s Tale.¡¯ By the side of the flower bed, Charmine had a bridal bouquet made of fresh flowers at hand. She donned a tiara and a wedding gown. She was like a queen: utterly exquisite, willful, powerful, and beautiful. Charmine looked at the scene full of people and this extravagant wedding scene. She felt her emotions knotting altogether. She had been through so much with Anthony, that they even broke up and reunited. Finally, they could get married in public on this very day. Anthony, meanwhile, donned his wedding suit. The silk used felt smooth to the touch and had intricate stitches on it. He was like a heralded king, reserved yet regal. He was like an enigma, and a powerful one at that. As the couple appeared, thunderous apuse resonated throughout the venue. Anthony bent his arm like a gentleman, to which Charmine looped her arm around his. They walked over from one side of the carpet to the other end, slowly. The adorable Chloe followed right behind Charmine, dressed in a princesslike dress and had a basket at hand. She had a faint smile on her face, showcasing her two adorable pinkish dimples. Despite her shyness, Chloe did not have stage fright. She grabbed the flower petals and started tossing them around. Chris, on the other hand, was dressed in his little suit. Withdrawn and haughty he was, like a young prince. He walked behind Anthony with the same flower basket, tossing flower petals from his basket as he looked at Chloe smilingly. The four of them walked on the red carpet, making a romantic scene. 1 Senior Jordan and Charmine¡¯s four mogul-uncles, her parents, Grandma, Guy, Maurice, Frank and those close to Charmine were seated on their designated seats. They apuded joyfully as Charmine walked past them. 2 All these years, Charmine had endured every hardship on her own. The harsh times had passed, at last, and she found a good husband in the end. Everyone could tell how much Anthony loved her. They also trusted that he would take good care of her and would not let her be harmed. The crowd blessed the couple with smiles. Meanwhile... Waverly-with her sunsses sitting at the bridge of her nose, covering her ruthless gaze-stared at the couple that walked down the red carpet. Seeing that Charmine was in her wedding gown, she clenched her fists, so much so that her joints popped. That was her spot! Her spot, snatched by that b*tch! Waverly¡¯s eyes shielded by her sunsses burned with sheer envy as she red daggers at Charmine¡¯s obviously beaming expression. 1 ''Heh! Don''t get too cocky just yet, Charmine!'' The wedding would not go as smoothly! Fishing out her phone from her luxury-branded bag, she texted, [Action.] Charmine and Anthony were halfway down the red carpet when, all of a sudden, a group of people showed up and hurled rotten vegetables and rotten eggs their way! Not only that, but they cursed at Charmine, too, as they yelled, "Shoddy Charmine! You stole Waverly''s husband and still hosted such a grand wedding! How shameless are you?!" "What an evil woman! You even murdered Annabel cold-bloodedly!" "How does a cheap woman like you deserve any happiness!?¡± "Grotty! Homewrecker! Shameless!" Every one of them threw derogatory words vehemently. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. One of them even took out a bottle of sulphuric acid and threw it toward Charmine! The transparent liquid got so close to Charmine''s face when, all of a sudden- A group of well-trained agents quickly rushed up toward the couple with shields, protecting Charmine and Anthony from the assants'' objects. Instantly, thumps were heard as the objects hurled their way mmed against the shields. Charmine remained standing on the stage, unruffled and undaunted like a domineering queen. Heh. She knew someone would not give up so soon! She tried to hurt her in a poorly executed manner? Impossible! chapter 1788 chapter 1788 Meanwhile, another group of agents quickly captured the intruders. The group became even more agitated at this and ramped up their verbal assaults. "Homewrecker! Ugh! You better die! You''re crueler than Waverly; you don¡¯t deserve to be happy!" Anthony''s expression grew harsher as he snapped, scoffed, "Shut their mouths!" The agents did as they were told, but the attackers resisted and iled still, while reporters recorded and took photos of everything. Those who did not know the truth below the stage started talking among themselves. They looked at Charmine suspiciously with a hint of disgust. Indeed, there was news on Anthony and Waverly before Charmine... Anthony had a serious face as he held Charmine''s hand tightly. He continued to walk forward. Charmine continued walking as if she was not affected at all. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. They finished walking down the red carpet and arrived at the center of the stage. Anthony swept his gaze across the audience, and his eyes darkened. He then reached out his hand, and someone handed him the microphone. Taking the microphone, Anthony then began, "I happened to be sharing something today-Charmine never stole anyone''s happiness. She was the only one that I loved from the start." Anthony''s arrogant voice resonated across the venue, much to the crowd''s bewilderment and doubt. Charmine was the only one that he loved from the start? What about Annabel and Waverly? Anthony looked at Charmine, and with her approving look, he continued, "I fell in love with her at first sight the moment she made her return to Burlington, and I chased after her relentlessly, pursuing her. I went to Chavel¡¯s Fashion Show because of her, I hosted the Mercebes Car Show all for her, and I went to her wedding with Julian for her." Therge screen behind showed rted clips for every single fact he had spoken. No matter if it was at the Chavel¡¯s, the car exhibition show, or any other asion, Anthony''s eyes were obviously glued to Charmine! i The crowd did not realize this before, but with everything they had seen, Anthony was always sitting in the corner on his own, in silence, but his eyes were always filled with admiration. The screen then reyed a series of information. HollyOak Entertainment going bankrupt, the Cabel Corporation shutting down and going bankrupt...everything was because of Charmine. They all made sense! Furthermore, Anthony, who never used Tweeter, even posted his first post to mock that Julian was a dog and that he had a girlfriend! It seemed that the girlfriend he mentioned back then was Charmine all along! Theizens watching the livestreammented excitedly. [Ah! I can¡¯t help imagining their secret love!] [So Anthony had been after Boss Jordan so long ago!] [I felt something was off. It was true, then!] [Am I just too curious? If his heart was for Charmine, why was he with Waverly?] [Same question...] [Same question +10086] Back on the stage... Anthony held Charmine''s hand as he continued, "After meeting Charmine, I believed for the first time in love at first sight. After our first encounter, a voice at the bottom of my heart told me that she''s the woman I''ve been waiting for all my life. Even though she was hurt before and disappointed by love, even though she kept on turning me down and refusing my gestures, I never gave up...and I never thought of any other woman!" He held Charmine''s hand tightly as he spoke, sweeping a cold gaze across the attendees. "As for Waverly D¡¯Cruz.Jt''s all because my family was stubborn. They didn''t ept Charmine and even tried to cause harm to her! To protect her, I had no choice but to pretend to have an engagement with Waverly to distract everyone." chapter 1789 chapter 1789 Anthony''s eyes were trained on Waverly as he coldly dered, "From the start, Waverly was a decoy for Charmine. Waverly and I had always been business partners. We were known as engaged partners in public, but privately, we weren''t even friends." Anthony''s voice was so ruthless, unforgiving, as though it came straight from the depths of hell. He was even expressionless as he spoke. Anthony even took out his phone and pointed his phone at the microphone. Instantly, an old conversation between the two was heard. "President Bailey, if this goes on, you won¡¯t be able to save Charmine''s life, and your family will hate her more. However, if you find someone to pretend to be your girlfriend but secretly live a private life with Charmine, you won''t be met with troubles!" i "President Bailey, I can help you, and I don''t need anything in return." The doubting, murmuring audience instantly paused at this and exchanged looks. No doubt, it was Waverly''s voice after all. Was this the truth all along, that Waverly was merely a decoy? Everyone instantly fixed their eyes on Waverly in utter shock. Waverly''s eyes stiffened. Her eyes below the sunsses were eerily dark. She hired so many people to destroy the wedding today in hopes of boycotting Charmine and ruining her face. She wanted to ruin the wedding! Little did she expect Charmine to have prepared so many well-trained top agents! Anthony even exposed her in front of everyone, and he might find her worthless! 1 Even though Anthony had said the same thing to her countless times in private, her chest still boiled with rage. However, Anthony did not seem to care. He looked at her and scoffed," Ms. Waverly, please tell them the truth." His tone was demanding; it was as if there was no point for one to go against him. Waverly clenched her fists. Was it not enough that he belittled her so publicly, that he even wanted her to speak of the truth? Goodness, how badly she did not want to...but she had no other choice. The truth had been revealed! Waverly could only repress her anger as she maintained her elegant formality, "Yes, Mr. Bailey and I are merely business partners. We don''t have any feelings for one another." Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. An uproar ensued after Waverly''s confession. [It''s all true, then!] [Anthony was merely using Waverly to protect Charmine?] [Waverly was just a decoy?] [That means Charmine is so innocently wronged! She was even used of being a homewrecker!] [Argh! Charmine is the victim here! Even though Anthony was her man all along, they could not go public for various reasons!] [Now that they¡¯re finally getting married, people are still reaching for her neck at her own wedding! Poordy...] [President Bailey did the right thing! He protected Charmine with this method. At least Charmine remained safe for a long time.] [I can''t help picturing how loving they are in private!] [Kiss her already!] Suddenly, those rebuking Charmine changed their stands. Countless people blessed her and Anthony, and wished for their wedding ceremony to resume. Faye, who happened to be in the audience seat, was waiting for Charmine to embarrass herself. She did not expect the sudden shift at all! She could not help saying loudly, "I can believe that Waverly and Mr. Bailey are merely business partners, but what about Annabel? Is she also a business partner of his with his baby?" That sent everyone into a frenzied discussion once more. "That''s true! Annabel said they merely needed the baby¡¯s cord blood. Why did he let her get pregnant and not Charmine?¡± "Annabel gave birth to Chris five years ago, and now, she¡¯s pregnant again. This is strange, no?" "Annabel was even murderedst night!" "Did they murder her just so their wedding ceremony could be conducted?" i The audience started gossiping again. chapter 1790 chapter 1790 Senior Bailey, who was sitting on the seat, frowned with visible displeasure. He stood up stoically before he swept his gaze across those who spoke. "Annabel is fine, she''s staying at my Bailey mansion! Who said she was murdered? Please speak with evidence!" With that said, Grandma Bailey helped Annabel out into the open. She looked not at all hurt, all too well as she even had light makeup on. Nheless, her belly was slightly swollen, and it was quite obvious... Upon seeing Annabel, he then spoke into the microphone, his voice assertive, "We had Annabel carry a child so we could get the cord blood from the baby to save Chris. The child we were saving was Chris! "Five years ago, I was drugged and, against my will and conscience, bedded Annabel. However, I''ve taken care of Chris ever since he was born until we found Annabel, and I''ve done my best to care for her ever since. "Furthermore, Annabel returned to Burlington after Charmine and I were together. Back then, to cure Chris, Charmine epted Annabel and allowed her to get pregnant through in-vitro fertilization. She¡¯s pregnant with my baby to save Chris!" Anthony spoke for a long while with guilt. He held Charmine''s hand and said to the crowd, "Today, Charmine also agreed to let Annabel stay in the Bailey mansion, and Charmine treated Chris as her own son. She won''t mistreat them both even after marrying me. The one who had to put up with difficulties and give up the most was Charmine, the one every one of you had been rebuking and ridiculing. From now onward, if anyone wrongly uses her about this matter, be ready for the consequences!"Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. His voice was cold, powerful, yet vehemently defending Charmine altogether. Chris, dressed in his little suit, chimed in, ''That''s right! Mommy treats me the best! She¡¯s the best in the world. Charmine is my Mommy, and nobody is allowed to hurt her!" i Annabel, standing outside, spoke meekly, "Yes, something unsavory happened between President Bailey and I, but he''s always treated me well. He never forced nor hurt me. He made me feel the warmth of a family, so please don''t misunderstand him or wrongly use Ms. Jordan." Everyone was shocked. They were all speaking up for Charmine! Annabel might have been bribed or threatened, but a small child like Chris must be telling the truth! Charmine must have been kind for a young child to like her so much! Some women could not help tearing up at the sight. "Charmine didn''t have it easy. She was betrayed by Julian, and just when Boss Bailey started to fall in love with her, Annabel came back..." "For Chris, she even epted Annabel and allowed her to get pregnant again." "She even has to take care of Annabel now and be a stepmother." "She''s the true victim! I look up to her!" Anthony was guilty of this. He held Charmine''s hand as he concluded, tone deep with underlying threat, "Five years ago, although I was framed, this didn''t imply that I no longer have the right to deserve my true love. Today, if any intruder tries anything foolish, they''ll be wiped out!¡± "Well said, Bro. I support you!" yelled Nial, pping as he did. Joining Nial was everyone else, pping thunderously at Anthony''s deration. Waverly clenched her fists tightly. It was Charmine who was the cruelest, yet Anthony twisted the story! D*mn it! Still, a vague smirk spread across her face. So what if the crowd was convinced? 1 This was just the start! chapter 1791 chapter 1791 Every intruder was dragged away, clearing the venue off of disturbances. With that, the wedding ceremony resumed. Charmine, dressed in her wedding gown, stood opposite Anthony regally, while Anthony cast her a gentle, sincere gaze. Their eyes were filled with adoration and love for one another. "Mr. Anthony Bailey," began the pastor, "will you take Charmine Jordan as your rightful wife? In good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love and to honor her all days of your life, until death do you apart?" Anthony looked at Charmine lovingly, his voice not faltering as he dered, "I do." The pastor then looked at Charmine. "Ms. Charmine Jordan, will you take Anthony Bailey as your rightful husband? In good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love and honor him all days of your life, until death do you apart?" Charmine looked at Anthony, who stood in front of her. She had not spoken once today, and all the while, Anthony had fiercely defended her and spoke on her behalf. Anthony deserved the rest of her life. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Her beautiful lips spread into a smile. "I do." The pastor then formally announced, "Now, I pronounce Anthony Bailey and Charmine Jordan, husband and wife. Please proceed to exchange your rings.¡± 1 The assistant instantly walked toward them with the rings. All of a sudden- Before the assistant arrived, the huge LED screen that disyed romantic photos of the bride and groom flickered. The image on the screen instantly changed into Charmine, seeminglyying in the hospital bed, experiencing a miscarriage and giving birth to a dead fetus. The quiet audience instantly fell into utter chaos. The person in charge quickly turned the LED off, but what was disyed on the screen lingered in everyone''s head. Although nobody stood up, arge group of people, especially rtives who did not like Charmine, started exchanging words. "It seems that Charmine lost her chastity! She had another man''s baby and even had a miscarriage!" "She looked young in that thing, too!" "It seems that Julian left her because she cheated on him!" "No wonder she could ept Anthony, and even Chris and Annabel!" "This is her true nature, after all!" "How could she be so shameless? I wonder how many men she had slept with!" "Why did the baby die? Perhaps she ended the child''s life herself? How irresponsible!" "All that, and President Bailey likes her so much and spoke up for her! Who would''ve thought that she''s this kind of woman?" "The Bailey family has always been good and clean for generations. It''s terrible to have an inw like her!" This specific group ridiculed and mocked Charmine, obviously so. Charmine stood still, petrified in shock. Her face was pale, and her hands clenched. This had happened five years ago. She had almost forgotten, yet someone put it up there. Her son, her child, was kicked while he was still in her womb. Julian had cruelly ended his life. The scar she had buried for five years had been ripped open. She could not even breathe smoothly. Anthony saw the clip and his pupils dted, too deep in shock. Even he did not know about this. How could Charmine have gone through so much on her own? Furthermore... The dead baby on the screen was stuck in his brain, and he just could not shake it off. That small face was almost identical to Chris when he picked him up. When he first met Chris, he looked just like this, and he was so feeble, too. Could it be...? 3 Anthony had aplex look in his eyes, and he seemed to have realized something. chapter 1792 chapter 1792 Anthony looked at Charmine and asked, "Dearest, you''ve said to me before that you had been trapped in the past, having lost your chastity in the process. You...got pregnant after that?¡± Charmine''s delicate face looked pale. Her usually arrogant eyes seemingly weakened, her resolve wavering. Anthony looked so perturbed. Would he leave her for this? Even if he would leave her, she might as well... Charmine clenched her fists and met Anthony¡¯s gaze as she truthfully confessed, "Yes." She had always wanted to tell him, but every time she tried to say it, she got cut off. Later down the line, she eventually dropped the idea altogether, thinking it was not as important anymore. That was why she never mentioned... Anthony''s eyes darkened. He could not help putting the incidents in a logical order. Five years ago, he slept with Annabel, while Alexander slept with Charmine. Later on, Charmine gave birth to a dead baby, and he just so happened to bring Chris home with him. These incidents did not seem to add up. Meanwhile, the crowd was still overtaken with shock. "Charmine admitted to it. She truly got pregnant and gave birth to a dead baby!¡± "She''s not wrongly used this time! The goddess of Burlington is just another shameless woman!" "No wonder Julian dumped her!" They scorned Charmine with disgust. Suddenly, the loud revving of an engine was heard outside the venue, and all heads turned toward the source. They spotted a luxury car pulled over in front of the garden. The car door opened, and a long leg stepped out, adorned by a shiny leather shoe. A tall, well-built man got out of the car. He was in his burgundy suit, looking charming and seductive. He had a bouquet of roses in his hands, which made him seem even more alluring andnguid. It was Alexander! Charmine saw him and frowned. Why did he show up at this time? Everyone was suspicious. This man was dressed so formally. He had a bouquet in his hands, and his eyes were fixed on the bride! How could this wedding be so...riveting?! Everyone warily watched as Alexander walked on the red carpet and arrived before the stage. When he heard the mocking words directed at Charmine, he frowned. His usuallynguid face turned serious as he said, "It was me. I, in an intoxicated state, had taken advantage of Charmine, thus nonePlease check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. of this was her fault. Charmine has always been a victim!" As he spoke, he walked up and knelt on one knee, offering Charmine the bouquet as he asked, "It¡¯s my fault, Charmine, and the best solution now is for me to marry you. Will you marry me?" With that said, gasps, gossip, and murmurs reverberated across the venue. "My stars! He was the one who impregnated her?!¡± "What is this? How dare he steal the bride?" 1 "He''s daring enough to steal Anthony''s woman? Who is he?" Charmine frowned and red at Alexander. His appearance did not help exin her past! Why would he mess things up?! At that moment, rtives of the Bailey family were unable to keep their silence anymore, and they all stood up. They voiced their demands. "I agree!" "Since Charmine lost her chastity to him and even gave birth to a baby, marrying this man madeplete sense!" "Anthony, I advise you to reconsider this wedding." "The Bailey family is a well- reputed family, and your wife will have to represent the family. How can she be someone like Charmine?" "That''s right! Given the situation, it¡¯s best to marry Annabel while Charmine can be with this man! This is a win-win situation." "Perhaps it''s meant to be. Change the bride!" chapter 1793 chapter 1793 A few others also said the same thing. Senior Bailey''s expression turned grim. Regardless of what had happened, he was rather fond of Charmine. His wife also liked her, and Charmine was good enough to be their granddaughter-inw. They must not judge her for one mistake. As Senior Bailey was considering, Anthony swept a sharp gaze across the people like an owl and sneered. "Who said the victim must marry the assant? Who said two people must stay together after sleeping together?" he scoffed arrogantly. Anthony took the ring from the assistant, lifted Charmine¡¯s hand, and put the ring on her ring finger. Not once did he pause or hesitate, too. Charmine felt the cold sensation from the ring, and she stared at Anthony, baffled. "Don''t you...care about what happened, Anthony?" Anthony looked into her eyes and dered, "Forget this. Even if you''ve done anything worse, I won''t mind!" He held her hand tightly and looked at her, pained. "I hate myself for not showing up earlier to protect you." Charmine felt her emotions whirling within her, and a maelstrom of emotions danced in her eyes. He did not mind about her and even said it himself. When he noticed Charmine had zoned out, Anthony gently probed her, saying, "Silly, why are you stunned? Put a ring on me." Charmine halted, and after a moment of hesitation, she picked up the other ring and put it on Anthony¡¯s ring finger. "The wedding ceremony is finished," dered the pastor. "I pronounce you husband and wife." Anthony held her hand and looked at Alexander coldly. "She''s already my wife now, so you can''t propose to her. Furthermore, Charmine and I have been legally married for two months now, and our marriage is protected by thew. If anyone wrongly uses Charmine, I¡¯ll wipe them all out!" 1 Anthony''s arrogant voice was derative and demanding. He even whipped out their proof of marriage and showed it to everyone. The date was signed two months ago, which meant that they were legally married a long time ago! Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Watching, Alexander had expected for this to happen. He merely came just to try his luck... Alexander did not persist. He stood up and had anguid smile on his face. "I wish you the best, Charmine." Charmine looked at him coldly and said, "Thanks." Noticing Charmine''s expression and how the atmosphere seemed tense, Nial stood up and apuded. "Have a blissful marriage, Bro!" With him, Charmine¡¯s rtives also stood up and apuded, followed by everyone else in the venue. The ovation was loud like the rolling of thunder, and the perfect wedding ceremony ended with that. Waverly red at the couple on the stage, her eyes filled with envy. D*mn it! How could it be? How could this be? Why was everyone so understanding of Charmine? Why was it okay for her to snatch someone''s husband away, to give birth before marriage, to have a miscarriage at such a young age, while nobody held it against her? 2 All she did was one small mistake back then, and she was kicked out of the country, forever banned from re-entering? 1 Unfair! ''God, why was this so unfair?!'' Waverly clenched her fists. Her eyes shielded by her sunsses emanated bitterness. On the stage, Charmine suddenly looked across the crowd and fixed her sharp eyes on Waverly. Her red lips curled into a smile as she called out, "Tiffany Jordan, are you done messing around?" i The ceremony had ended and guests were leaving at that point. Upon hearing that name, everyone stopped. Tiffany Jordan? Was she not dead? Who was Charmine calling out to? chapter 1794 chapter 1794 Everyone trailed after Charmine''s line of sight. Instantly, everyone''s eyes trained on Waverly. Waverly''s pupils dted at this, but she remained calm as she removed her sunsses to look at Charmine coldly. "Ms. Jordan, what''s the matter with you? I''m Waverly D''Cruz, not Tiffany Jordan!" Everyone looked at both women suspiciously. Charmine scoffed, "Tiffany is the only one who hates me to this extent. Furthermore, it was she, along with Julian, who made me drunk and trapped me. Only Julian and Tiffany know about this! Julian couldn''t have done all this, so it¡¯s just you..." Charmine red at Waverly as her red lips parted. ''Tiffany Jordan!" Her words were clear and crisp. Waverly''s face turned pale, and a twinge of guilt shed past her expression. Nheless, her cold smirk maintained. "What evidence do you have to prove that I yed the clip on the screen? Even if I did, someone else must''ve sent it to me. Charmine, if you want to frame me, you''ll need more than this!" "Ha!" Charmine red at her coldly. ''Tiffany has a mole on her back. If you insist that you''re not her, can you remove your clothes and show us your back?" Charmine''s challenge terrified Waverly, but this was not the time to look scared. She tried her best to keep calm as she red at Charmine. " Charmine, what right do you have to ask me to remove my clothes in public? If it turns out that I''m not, my reputation will be ruined. Can you afford that?" "Regardless of the oue, yes, I can afford it!" Her tone was fierce and powerful. With that said, Charmine gave a look at the agents by the sides, and three special agents walked toward Waverly. When she noticed them approaching her, Waverly¡¯s gaze darkened in panic. She grabbed at her own cor and red at Charmine angrily." Charmine Jordan! How dare you shame me in front of everyone!?" A few of the well-trained agents had reached her sides at that point and pinned herdown. "D*mn it! Let go of me!" In her panic, Waverly disregarded her need to maintain the elegant facade as she growled angrily, "Get the heck off of me! I''ll cut your fingers!" However, the two special agents did not flinch and continued to hold her down. The crowd started discussing and rebuked Charmine in the process. "How could she be so ruthless? Waverly said she wasn''t Tiffany, yet Charmine wanted to take off her clothes in public!" ''This woman is shameless!" "Let¡¯s wait and see, then! If Waverly is right, we''ll see how Charmine will face it!" Charmine did not seem to care, however. She strode toward Waverly, and her heels clicked beneath her as she did. She exuded a powerful temperament. The hems of her wedding gown fluttered as she walked, and her dominance made it hard for the people around her to breathe. She walked up to the struggling, iling Waverly, raised her arm, and tugged at her clothes sharply. Scratch! Waverly¡¯s gown was pulled from the top of the back to her waist, exposing her fair waist. Everyone turned to look...only to be met with a startling discovery. Everyone¡¯s eyes widened as they noticed an obvious ck mole on Waverly''s back. ''This means..." "She is Tiffany Jordan!" ''The infamous Princess of Kansas is Tiffany Jordan in disguise?!" Everyone was so shocked that words of utter disbelief rippled across the crowd. "And here I was, feeling bad for her. Who would''ve thought that she¡¯s the infamous Tiffany Jordan!" "A former top-ten supermodel, evil as she was! She''s cruel!" "She was pregnant with someone else''s baby and lied to Julian about it? She''s astoundingly malicious!" "Curse this Tiffany Jordan! She''s hurt a lot of people and is a wanted criminal all over the country, yet she changed her face and came back to continue conning people?" 2 "How utterly shameless!"? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. chapter 1795 chapter 1795 The crowd admonished Waverly at that moment, so furious that they wanted to throw eggs at her. Charmine red at Waverly and snapped, "What else do you have to say, Tiffany Jordan?" Everyone scrutinized Waverly in the process, and upon hearing what they had said about her, she turned pale and was rooted on the spot. D*mn that b*tch. She just had to make things difficult for her! No... She was not Tiffany Jordan! She must not admit that she was Tiffany Jordan! ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. She wanted to exin herself but found herself unable to utter a word in her defense as she noticed just how disgusted everyone seemed, uttering reproachful words about her as they did. She became everyone''s target at that moment. Meanwhile, Max and Fredrick rushed in quickly. Max removed his suit and draped it over Waverly''s body, hugging her sympathetically as he did. Fredrick, on the other hand, shielded Waverly from everyone else and scowled at those who ridiculed her. "The things that Waverly did in the past have been sorted out, and she''s now a D''Cruz! I¡¯m her father, and none of you have the right to speak to her in such a manner!" Everyone instantly mmed up upon recalling Fredrick¡¯s status. Even if they wanted to continue their gossip, they talked softly or kept it to themselves. Fredrick looked at Waverly and said, "Waverly, let''s go!" Max, with his arms still around her, helped her up and through the crowd. Waverly wanted nothing more than to kill Charmine then and there, but she had been exposed, ced on the spot. She had no choice and had to let the two men help her leave. She clenched her fists tightly. Charmine Jordan would not have an easy life; not in her watch! The atmosphere becameplicated-unnatural, even-after the D¡¯Cruz family had left the venue. Charmine stood on the stage and looked at the crowd. Suddenly, she took the microphone and said to the guests, "From a young age, I was treated as the adopted daughter, and I faced belittling growing up. Many people chastised me and looked down on me, thinking I''m just an extra. Only Tiffany sided with me. She even told me to do what I liked, that she¡¯d support me no matter what. With that, I started skipping sses and stopped studying. I was uninterested in our family business. Somehow, I was bing the person that everyone in my family hated the most. However, I still treated her as my actual sister, my closest family member... Unfortunately..." Charmine''s hands tightened around the microphone as she continued, " Back then, I was in my first year at the university. The sister I trusted the most joined forces with Julian Cabel. They framed me and lured me to a bar. They even drugged me and stole my chastity. "I always thought that I had Julian''s baby, and I even dreamed of getting married to him back then. It was during my supposed wedding ceremony five years ago that I caught the two of them in the middle of the act and learned the dark truth." Charmine spoke with a solemn voice while her face remained calm and nonchnt. She showed no hint of pain as if she had grown used to this. Anthony, who stood by her side, held her hand tightly. He cursed himself as guilt and remorse loomed in his mind. How he wished he could show up in her life earlier! The Jordans below the stage seemed visibly guilt-ridden and regretful as well. They owed it to Charmine too much, so much that they would never be able to make it up to her. Charmine''s red lips curled into a small smile as she said to the crowd, " Yes, I had been trapped back then: I was impregnated and gave birth to a dead baby. However, I was the victim, and I was innocent from the start! The assailed victim is innocent, so why can''t I deserve happiness? I didn''t do anything wrong, so why did I have to endure the consequences? Every woman should deserve the right to be happy!" Her voice was clear and proud. chapter 1796 chapter 1796 Charmine turned to Anthony and held onto hisrge palm, then dering fiercely, "I don''t think that I don''t deserve Anthony. I also don''t believe that I shouldn''t deserve a good ending just because people had ruined him. From now onward, I am Mrs. Bailey. Neither Anthony nor myself had been taken or taken someone else-we got married officially. Anyone else, from this moment on, spreading lies and misinformation about us will be dealt with. I''ll use everything I have to make you pay, tenfold!" 1 Charmine''s voice resonated in the venue. Everyone was stunned by her temperament. They had never seen a woman as powerful. Thebined forces of Charmine and Anthony were undefeatable in the entire Burlington! Intimidated, the attendees could only wish them well. Meanwhile, Kay, Rio, Charmine''s four mogul-uncles, Nial, and Chris apuded loudly. "Well said!" "Everyone deserves the right to be happy!" "Charmine and Anthony, forever and ever. I hope you two have children soon!" Words of blessing rang through the air. Someone had live-streamed the entire ceremony, and innumerablements were left in thement section. This wedding received so much attention that various social media crashed andgged. The grand wedding finally came to an end, and Anthony escorted Charmine down the stage, holding her hand as he did. Anthony watched as the attendees slowly trickled out of the venue before spotting the familiar figure d in burgundy. "I have something to attend to for a while," said Anthony. "Go and see your family for now." Charmine nodded. "Okay." Alexander was about to leave when Anthony chased after him. "Mr. Walker." When Alexander heard that familiar voice, he paused and turned back to see Anthony. "Yes?" "I''d like to speak with you regarding the matter from five years ago." "Okay." Both men thus headed into a vacant room and sat face-to-face, i Anthony went right to the topic. "How did the ident between you and Charmine happen?" Alexander''s alluring lips pursed into a thin line before he exined, "Five years ago, I was at Royal Banquet Bar. When I walked past a room, I heard someone banging the door. I was going to send her to a hospital, but she was drugged. She kept throwing herself at me, and I am a straight man, so Anthony''s glower deepened. Hisrge hands balled tightly as the desire to punch Alexander''s face burned strongly in him. Nheless, he did his best to rpose himself as he asked, "What about Phoenix Hotel?" "Phoenix Hotel?" Alexander frowned. He thought of something and replied, "Tiffany and Julian picked her up and sent her to Phoenix Hotel." 1 Anthony clenched his fists, and his eyes darkened. Charmine always thought that she lost her chastity at the Phoenix Hotel, but the truth was that she lost it at Royal Banquet Bar? Anthony looked at Alexander and asked, "Are you sure that you slept with Charmine?" Alexander paused at this question. His gaze faltered for a brief moment. However, his alluring face remained determined. "Yes, Charmine''s face is hard to forget. How can I forget this? Furthermore, Charmine knows it was me!" With that said, Alexander asked, ''What else could it be? What do you think?" Anthony''s elegant face remained calm, unperturbed-he looked as if he believed him. "Okay," he said, "you may leave now." Alexander nodded. "It''s in the past now. If you want to marry her, treat her well." With that said, Alexander left.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. chapter 1797 chapter 1797 Anthony¡¯s gaze sharpened as he gazed at Alexander¡¯s retreating figure. Earlier on, he managed to capture the panic in Alexander''s eyes. Anthony would have taken all his answers as the truth had he not panicked, but he sensed that Alexander was hiding something, that the incidents were too much of a coincidence. Anthony picked up his phone and called Nial, saying, "Come to the room and find me." Nial came into the room Anthony was in quickly and asked, visibly confused, "Bro, it''s your wedding. Why would you want to talk to me here instead of apanying Charmine?" Nial did not want to get killed by Charmine! Anthony looked up at him and instructed, "Get a strand of Annabel¡¯s hair secretly, along with Chris''s and Charmine''s. Run another DNA test." 1 Nial frowned suspiciously. "Howe, Bro? Why would you want to do the test?" Anthony stared at him coldly. "Brains are amazing, you see. I hope you have one." 2 Nial was speechless. All he did was ask a question, yet he got scolded for it! Also, things were going well. Why would he want to do a test out of the blue? After Anthony had left, Charmine wanted to speak to her family. After just taking two steps. Senior Jordan came toward her with a group of people. Senior Jordan gazed at the beautifully dressed Charmine, and a blissful smile spread across his aged face. "Charmine, now that you''re part of the Bailey family, be good and don''t be too rowdy, alright?" 1 Charmine''s red lips curled into a smile. "Grandma, have I ever been rowdy?" 3 Furthermore, even if she wanted to be rowdy, she knew Anthony would support her no matter what. 2 Senior Jordan nodded. "I know my Charmine is the best. Still, Grandpa has to warn you: The Baileys won''t spoil you like we do, even after you''re married." This was indeed true. Charmine nodded. "I know, Grandma." 1 Adam thought of the incident earlier and said, "I asked my assistant to do a quick investigation. It seems that the D''Cruz family helped Waverly pay arge bail. Since they''re based in Kansas, their government doesn''t have as many restrictions. She''s now fully bailed." Adam looked at Charmine and warned, "Be careful, Charmine. Tiffany is evil. She has changed her identity yet still hasn''t changed one bit!" 1 "I can''t believe someone as evil as her is still alive!¡± Joey was rmed by the events that had happened and gazed at Charmine remorsefully." Charmine, we''ve wronged you in the past. You were mistreated for twenty- three years. Luckily, you''re happy now. When you have time in the future, doe home often. Tell us if they''re mistreating you. Although we''re not as wealthy as the Baileys, we''ll stand up for you no matter what!" 1 Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Charmine had always been cold to them. It might have been because she had just gotten married into the Bailey family that emotions welled up in her chest. Still, she nodded at them. "Alright. Do take care at home, too." This was the first time Joey had Charmine''s response, and tears glossed her eyes as she gazed at her. "Charmine, do be careful at the Baileys. I see that his parents are serious people, so you must stay safe." i Charmine was about to say something when the tall, lean Anthony walked toward them. He looked at Charmine gently and then pulled her to his arm. He said to the Jordans, "Grandpa, Dad, Mom, don''t worry; I¡¯ll do my best to protect Charmine. I¡¯ll take good care of her and won''t allow anyone to mistreat her. If you''re concerned about her not getting used to the Bailey mansion, rest assured. Charmine and I will be staying at Charmine¡¯s vi, not at the Bailey mansion." Anthony''s love and resolve was evident in his words. Senior Jordan was pleased. He did not expect Anthony, who came from such a wealthy family, would live with Charmine on their own and not with the rest of his family. "Alright. I''m convinced, now that Anthony has given his word." i The group talked to Charmine for a while longer before leaving. Anthony hugged Charmine as they stood at the venue. He looked at the majestic rose bed, holding firmly onto her hand as he did. He reflected on the hardships they had gone through all along. Thinking of how grand the wedding was, he became emotional. chapter 1798 chapter 1798 Anthony turned to look at Charmine. "Charmine, being able to marry you is the greatest pleasure in my life," he remarked. Charmine met his gentle gaze, and her red lips twisted into a smile." Coincidentally, me too!" Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Anthony''s eyes trained on her face, then to her inviting lips. Just as he leaned and was about to kiss her, however- Senior Bailey and Grandma Bailey walked toward them. Anthony looked at them and frowned. ''Yes?" Charmine quietly nudged his arm. They were his grandparents! Did he have to sound so impatient? "Grandpa, Grandma," greeted Charmine. "Hey." The two elders nodded serenely. Grandma Bailey had a peaceful smile on her face as she enthusiastically spoke, ''You''re the best, Charmine. The day I''ve longed for has finally arrived! Charmine, since you''re now married, you¡¯re my granddaughter-in-w. You should move into the Bailey mansion. When you get pregnant, I can take care of you. Furthermore, I''ve already prepared a room for you both." Anthony frowned at this and voiced his disapproval, "No." He only wanted to live with Charmine on their own. Senior Bailey said, "What are you worried about? We all like Charmine. With us protecting her, nobody will bully her. Furthermore, if you move out right after your wedding, what will others think of us? They might assume that we¡¯ve got problems between us." 1 ''You both are fine, but my parents might not be as wise as you both." Anthony''s voice was colder than usual. It was not easy for him and Charmine to get married. He would not let anythinge in between! "Don''t worry," assured Grandma Bailey, "they''re not around in the next two days. I asked them to go to your mother''s family mansion. They cane back after Charmine gets used to the new environment." Anthony wanted to say something else, but Charmine''s grip on his hand tightened as she answered, "Grandpa, Grandma, don''t worry. Anthony and I will move in." She was never one to be intimidated. "Good! Charmine, you''re the best!" Grandma Bailey held Charmine''s hand as she happily dered, ''You''re my best inw." 1 Senior Bailey''s serious face softened with admiration, and he nodded with approval. He looked at Anthony and pointed out, "Look at you! You''re not as good as your wife!" 1 Anthony was speechless at this, his worried gaze trained on Charmine. Charmine, however, merely gave him a reassuring look. Grandma Bailey was very pleased. She held onto her hands and said, "Let''s go home with Grandma. We finally have you as our inw!" Charmine did not refuse and left with her. Anthony fell silent as he gazed at his lonely hands, i They just got married, and he did not even get to hold her hands so fondly. This was the first time he was unhappy with Grandma Bailey... He could only follow behind on his own. The group then left the rose garden and went outside. A long limousine was parked by the side. When the bodyguards saw them, they opened the door politely. Senior Bailey looked around and said to the bodyguards, "Bring Annabel home as well." Hearing this, Anthony frowned once more and turned to look at Charmine instinctively. Although he had no feelings for Annabel, he did not want to upset Charmine on their wedding day. i However, she remained calm as if the name was of a stranger. chapter 1799 chapter 1799 Grandma Bailey and Charmine got into the car, and the elder reassured Charmine, "Don''t be troubled, Charmine. To me, I only have one granddaughter-inw." Charmine smiled and said, "Don''t worry, I don''t mind. I wouldn''t have said yesst night had I did." Charmine was very generous, and the two elders liked her for that. Only a generous, sensible, and powerful woman was good enough to be the inw of the Bailey family. Anthony was not wrong in his choice, after all! All four of them got into the car while the assistant rushed over with Annabel. When Annabel saw everyone waiting for her, her face went pale as she apologized, "Grandma Bailey, President Bailey, Mrs. Bailey, I''m sorry to bete." Grandma Bailey saw how weak she was and frowned. "Don''t worry. You don''t have to apologize for such a small matter." In fact, Grandma Bailey feared that her baby might be as weak as her! Annabel nodded, though her palm-sized face still looked uneasy. She sat in the corner by herself, further from everyone else, much to Grandma Bailey''s bewilderment Charmine looked over and said, "Don''t sit so far away. It¡¯s like we''d hurt you.¡± Annabel nodded, but she only moved a few centimeters forward. Charmine did not bother anymore. Anthony hugged Charmine and whispered into her ear, "Pay her no mind, dearest." Charmine smiled at him and said in a low voice, "I''m worried you might think I''m bullying your...secret lover.¡± Anthony looked at her and could not hide the gentleness in his eyes. "My lover is you, and it¡¯ll forever be you." i Charmine''s beautiful lips curved into a smile as she nestled herself in his arms. Grandma Bailey smiled pleasantly at the loving sight, and even Annabel- who sat at the corner on her own-gave a small yet sincere smile at the couple. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. When they arrived at the Bailey mansion, Senior Bailey and Grandma Bailey went inside. Charmine and Anthony walked behind them, while Annabel walked alone behind the newlyweds. 1 This did not go unnoticed by the maids, however. After greeting the four, they instantly went over to help Annabel, saying, "Be careful, Ms. Annabel." Annabel looked at them gently. ''Thank you, but I''m fine, don''t worry." However, the maids still looked after her carefully. After helping her get inside, they even massaged her feet. "Ms. Annabel, you''ve been out for the entire day, and you must be tired. Let us help you rx." The other maid also came out from the kitchen with a bowl of warm and nutritious porridge. "Ms. Annabel, you must be hungry. We''ve made you porridge for the baby." Annabel was so touched that looking at them, tears nearly fell down her cheeks. ¡®Thank you." "You''re wee," said the maids. ''This is our duty, after all. With that said, they nonchntly looked at Charmine. They did not look as friendly. Hmph! They did not like this cold, arrogant missus. They preferred someone gentle and polite. Someone like Annabel! When they poured her tea, she actually thanked them. Charmine, on the other hand, was always arrogant and haughty. They wondered if she had drugged Anthony, that he would rather choose someone like Charmine instead of Annabel who bore his child! However, the maids could never interfere with his decisions. They could only imagine how much easier their lives would get if he chose Annabel. In the end, he married Charmine. By the looks of her, they could imagine how hard it would get, which was why they were rather aloof toward her. This did not go unnoticed by Grandma Bailey, however, and she frowned at them. "Fanny, can¡¯t you see Mrs. Bailey is thirsty? Go and get her a ss of water!" chapter 1800 chapter 1800 "Okay." The maid named Fanny did not seem willing, but she still poured Charmine a ss of water. She thought Charmine would not like her, but Charmine epted it as if nothing had happened. Her cold face was so calm, it was as if she did not mind how well they treated Annabel. Nheless, this did not sit well with Anthony. "From now on, Charmine is your madam," he warned. "Fix your attitudes!" Grandma Bailey also instructed, "Charmine is the one you should be serving. She''s your madam!¡± Charmine merely remained calm. "I don''t need anyone serving me. I can take good care of myself. Annabel is pregnant, so she should be taken care of instead. Furthermore..." She turned to look at Anthony. "I have Anthony." Her aloof-sounding voice felt warm with adoration when she spoke. "Thank you for trusting me, dearest," replied Anthony fondly. "I won''t let you down." Charmine''s red lips curled into a smile as she said to Grandma Bailey, "I''ll be heading up for a rest, Grandma." "Okay." Grandma Bailey said, "You must be tired after the wedding. Go and get some rest, and I¡¯ll let you know when dinner''s ready." Charmine nodded and went up with Anthony. The maids looked at her back, and they hated her even more. Who did she think she was? Even Grandma Bailey had to let her know when dinner was ready!? Was she a goddess? The maids, initially intimidated by Charmine, went from finding her difficult to get along with to hating her altogether. Sigh! What a haughty woman! Their lives would be more difficult. They might as well get on good terms with Annabel. Although she was not Anthony''s main wife, she was their boss, too! Somewhat, of course. Inside the room. When Charmine saw how detailed and luxurious the room had been decorated, she was touched. Up until their marriage, she had not been to the Bailey mansion for a while, and she also did not request a room. However, Grandma Bailey went through so much effort to decorate their room. The high-end red silk bedsheet was decorated with flower petals forming the words, [Happy Wedding.] Luckily, she had agreed to stay. Otherwise, Grandma Bailey would be so upset. The tall Anthony walked in behind Charmine, and his hands wound around her from behind. He leaned in on her shoulder, and his warm breath fanned her ear gently. Charmine was sensitive, and with just a breath, her body grew taut already. Anthony loved her adorable reaction. His sexy voice was heard by her ear," Grandma made so much effort, so we mustn''t let her down, dearest. Furthermore..." Hisrge palm caressed her small belly. "It''s time to keep your words." Charmine could not help blushing. Her cold, small hand reached out and held hisrge palm. "It''s daytime now, and I''m tired, darling. I don''t have the energy to think about this." Anthony''s heart fluttered the moment he heard her calling him ''darling.'' He gulped, and his voice dropped a few octaves, evidently a result of repressing his desire. "Then make it up to me at night," he responded hoarsely. Anthony''s fingers brushed against her alluring red lips, and it effectively made Charmine flustered. Her fair skin turned hot as she said, "Let''s see at night." Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Although she looked calm when she was in public, the incident from five years ago went up in her head. She was somewhat...scared and avoidant when it came to that. At this moment, she could only drag it for as long as possible. Anthony did not insist. "Okay. Allow me to hug you, and we can get some rest." He quickly cleared up the bed, save the flower petals; those remained. After turning the air-conditioner to the right temperature, he hugged Charmine andid in bed. Perhaps Charmine was too tired that she fell asleep in no time after she was nestled in his arms. chapter 1801 chapter 1801 One of Anthony¡¯s hands pillowed Charmine''s head while the other rested behind his head. His gaze was filled with adoration as he looked at the woman on his chest. He felt emotional. They had gone through hell and back, and he almost thought he would lose her forever. With them finally reunited, it was as if he had her again for the first time. Furthermore, they would finally be able to be seen in public. If the incident was what he spected, it would be even more apparent that the two of them were meant to be. However... Looking at the bright sky outside, he frowned. Why was the sky not turning any darker? He was waiting for their first night sleeping together. With that, Anthony fell asleep with anticipation. In the evening, Grandma Bailey came over to knock on their door and said gently, "Charmine, Anthony, wake up. Let''s have dinner." This aroused Charmine from her slumber as she replied, all while she started getting out of bed and freshening up, "Alright!" As she answered, she was already out of bed and started freshening up.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Gazing at Charmine''s back, this was the first time Anthony hated dinner so much. What was the point of dinner when he could watch her all day? This was the first time Charmine had dinner at the Bailey Mansion. Various kinds of dishes wereid on the high-end long dining table. Grandma Bailey put a lot of food on Charmine''s te as a friendly gesture. She said, "Charmine, this is your home from now on. Don''t be so polite; think of this ce as your home. Rx." ''That''s right," added Senior Bailey gently, "we''re a family now.¡± Charmine nodded. ''Thank you, Grandpa, Grandma." Susan and Darryl happened to join the dinner, too, instead of going to Susan''s house. Grandma Bailey red at Susan meaningfully. Despite her distaste toward Charmine, Grandma Bailey''s pressuring gaze made her put food into Charmine''s te politely. "Eat more," she spoke monotonously. Charmine answered coldly, ''Thank you." Eyeing the fish on Charmine¡¯s te, Anthony took it onto his own te and carefully picked out the bones before giving it back to her. This earned a smile from Charmine. Everyone seemed to like Charmine, and this formed a contrast to Annabel, who sat by the furthest end. Annabel did not say anything. She even moved the dishes in front of her closer to Charmine, then saying understandingly, though tinged with fear," Ms. Jordan, you''ve lost weight in the past two days. Have some more." Charmine looked at her and said, ''You should be the one eating more. You look very frail now." "Okay." Annabel nodded and smiled weakly. "Thank you for caring. I know I should eat more for the sake of the baby. Charmine felt somewhat ufortable with that. She always sensed that Annabel was using the baby to exclude her. However, looking at how innocent and harmless she looked, Charmine felt that she was overthinking. It was as if everyone was only reminded of Annabel''s existence after hearing Charmine talking to Annabel. Grandma Bailey also scooped some food for her. "Annabel, Charmine is right. You should eat more, and don¡¯t starve my great-grandson." "Okay, thank you, Grandma." Annabel instantly started eating diligently. After dinner, Charmine and Anthony apanied Grandma Bailey to eat fruits in the living room. However, a few minutester, Grandma Bailey asked the two of them to get some rest in the room. ''You two must be worn out. Go and get some rest; I''ll let my old man apany me." Anthony remained unperturbed as he stood up. With a hand around Charmine, he remarked, "My darling, let''s not disturb Grandma." Charmine was speechless. "Then we''ll head off to rest now, Grandma," responded Charmine. "You, too, must rest early." "Alright, go on." Anthony and Charmine went back to their room. The moment the door was shut, he pushed her against the door and started peppering kisses onto Charmine like raindrops. chapter 1802 chapter 1802 Charmine could feel the urgency in Anthony''s kisses. At the thought of what would ensue from this, she found herself unable to tune into the zone. Her every cell and fiber resisted this intimacy. However, Anthony did not notice her strange behavior. He lifted Charmine and walked toward the bed, gently and softly as he ced her on it. His hand slipped past her skinny waist, and he was about to continue... when Charmine¡¯s small, cold hand reached out and held onto hisrge, burning-hot hand. "Anthony," she soberly stopped him, "wait." "Hmm?" Anthony looked at her. "What is it?" His voice was low and hoarse; he was restraining himself, i Charmine looked at him and said, "We haven''t showered yet." Hearing this extinguished half of Anthony''s desire. However, thinking of how this was their first night and he did not want to give her a bad impression, Anthony got off of her and lifted her into his arms, saying, "We¡¯ll shower together, then!" Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Charmine looked visibly abashed as she leaned into his arms and looped her skinny arms around his neck. Although she genuinely resisted this, she was still married to him. Tonight was their wedding night, and it would be their first night. She did not want to upset Anthony. Charmine gave herself a mental pep-talk. After the shower, she would have to ept what was to happen. Perhaps after she had done it with Anthony, she would no longer have fear of this. Thinking back, she recalled all the beautiful moments she had shared with Anthony. After going into the bathroom, Anthony ced Charmine on the sink and he bent down to kiss her red lips. He said, "I''ll prepare our bath." Charmine gazed at the tall figure before her and inhaled deeply. She kept on reassuring herself to try to ept it. As she was reassuring herself, Anthony walked toward her once more and lifted her to the bathtub, gently cing her inside before he followed suit. The water was up to their neck. Anthony closed their distance, his gaze darkening when he did, and he hoarsely said, "Let¡¯s continue where we left off, dearest." Charmine, still racked with nervousness, simply pulled an excuse, "I don''t like it here. Why don''t we wait till we get out?" Even though she was ready, Charmine always had cold feet when it was time. Anthony halted. He did not think too much of the matter, however, and he did not press on with the intimacy. With that, he started to bathe her genuinely, washing her pliantly as he cleared off the hunger within his headspace. Not long after, however, they finally went back to bed. Charmineid in bed tensely, and that did not go unnoticed by Anthony. He could feel her fear and uneasiness. He leaned above her as he soothed her gently. It was only when she was rxed did he ask, though huskily so, "May I, dearest?" Charmine looked up at him and took a deep breath. She nodded. Anthony felt moved upon seeing this. Just as he was about to lower his head to continue, however- His phone red right on cue. Charmine reacted quickly, reminding him, "Your phone." Anthony, however, did not stop, and chose only to say, "Just ignore it." Charmine frowned. She pushed him away and said, "What if it''s something urgent? Go and answer it." Anthony had to stop. "Okay, I¡¯ll listen to my darling. Wait for me." He kissed her deeply before getting out of bed. He walked to the living room to take his phone. Upon noticing that it was Nial calling him, his face sank as he coldly answered the call, "You better have something important to tell me!" Nial was bbergasted at this greeting. When he heard Anthony''s unpleasant voice, he feebly reported his finding. chapter 1803 chapter 1803 "Bro! I know I shouldn''t be disturbing you at this hour, but I do have something important.¡± "Speak!¡± Nial continued, "You asked me to test Annabel, Momo, and Charmine''s hair. I did the test again and found out..." Anthony''s heart grew heavy when he heard this. When Anthony heard it, his heart sank. His breathing became heavy. "Momo''s DNA is a close match to Charmine¡¯s. In fact, it;''s not rted to Annabel''s! Momo is Charmine¡¯s child!" eximed Nial, audibly excited. 2 Anthony''s head buzzed loudly. It was just as he spected. Chris was his and Charmine''s son! That meant... It was him who slept with Charmine five years ago, not Alexander. They had already met five years ago and were intimate! 1 Anthony finally had an answer to that sense of familiarity he had when he was with Charmine. He felt more exhrated than ever. His hand that held his phone even trembled. This matter was more valuable than deals worth tens of billions! 1 No, not just that. Nothing in the world would fulfill him more than this matter. Nothing could make him any more happier or satisfied. "Bro? Are you too excited that you can''t speak? I did contribute a lot to this. I gave you this wonderful news on your wedding night! Bro...? Hello? Hello-" The line suddenly beeped just as Nial spoke. He removed the phone from his ear and watched the cut- off call speechlessly. As expected, he was just a robot to his brother. Meanwhile... The excited Anthony, who had hung up the call, went back straight into the room. He could not wait to ry the good news they had received. However, just as he entered the room, he saw Charmine and thought of something. His once giddily racing heart slowed down and felt weighed. He thought of how Charmine treated Alexander. 2 ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. His heart rose to his throat. He looked at Charmine darkly and walked over. Charmine looked up at him. "Who called?" "Nial." "What happened?" Charmine looked at him. 2 Why did Anthony seem more solemn after the phone call? Anthony shook his head. "Nothing, don¡¯t mind Nial." 1 He reached out and pulled Charmine into his arms. He thought for a moment before he asked her, unable to refrain himself from the question, " My darling, did the incident back then traumatize you?" Charmine recalled that...unpleasant memory, and her eyes darkened. "What''s this sudden questioning for?" "Nothing, I just simply...find something to talk about," lied Anthony. Charmine thought he had noticed how she was resistant tonight. She then confessed, a tinge of anger laced in her words, "To be honest with you, that incident had shattered me. I lost everything and was thrown out of Burlington. I abhor what happened, and the man involved in it." Anthony¡¯s heart sank. He looked at her and asked, "My darling, what if it wasn''t Alexander that night?" Charmine''s eyes gleamed coldly. "No matter who it was, it doesn''t change how much I hated that man!" With that said, she looked at him and said, "I don''t want to talk about this anymore." It was not easy for her to have self-hypnotized herself to let go of this and start off fresh with Anthony. If the conversation continued down this route, she might not be able to... tonight... Anthony saw how steely her gaze had be. He wanted to ask further but did not have the guts to. D*mn it! Why did he not investigate this earlier? Why did he note to her earlier, keep herpany, and look after her, mending her broken soul? Charmine met Anthony''s burden-filled gaze and thought it through. She reached out to hook her hands around his neck and said, "Let''s not talk about this. We can continue where we left off." chapter 1804 chapter 1804 Charmine, who was usually a proud character, took the initiative for the first time. Anthony nearly could not hold himself back from Charmine''s initiative, but he then recalled her hatred, and he felt his heart sink. Gulping, his gaze slowly grew stern with resolution as he then reached out and pried her hands off of his. "I''m sorry, dearest. Nial phoned earlier. He mentioned how heartbroken he was and thought of ending his life," he said. "I thought about it and am still worried. I want to go over and try to talk him out of it." Charmine frowned. She was suspicious. Nial''s heart was broken? Since when was he in love? Why did she have not even an inkling of it? Furthermore, since when did Anthony start caring about Nial? Regardless, she recalled that they were brothers, and as such, it made sense for Anthony to care. Since Charmine was not in the mood, she was not ready for it. "Alright, then, go on," agreed Charmine. "Come home soon." "I will, dearest." Anthony looked at her, and his eyes were fixed on her red lips. However, he had no courage to even kiss her lips. He could only gently hug her and said, ¡¯Til go now." Charmine nodded. Sheid in bed and watched as Anthony got changed and left. Upon hearing the sound of the engine revving outside, she snapped out of her thoughts of looking at their wedding room. She felt inexplicably lonely. Even though she was the one who did not want it, he was the one who left on their wedding night. This felt strangely...ufortable. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Charmine sighed. Without much of a choice, she took out her phone and checked on Mount Vige project''s development while waiting for Anthony toe home. Anthony went inside his car and phoned Nial, "Come to D''Night." "What?" Nial thought he was hallucinating. "Bro, this is your wedding night with Charmine, and you¡¯re asking me out to a bar? Do you even want to live?" Anthony scoffed. "Just do as you''re told; cut the nonsense." "I dare not to," said Nial. "Charmine might hate me!" Anthony''s eyes narrowed, and his lips curled up coldly. "I''ll exin to her on my own ord... Unless you want to get married, too?" "No! Don¡¯t!¡± blurted Nial. "I¡¯lle, alright? Bro, remember to exin to Charmine-hello? Hello?" Nial brought the phone away from his ear and looked at the terminated call. He sighed a long, helpless sigh. Why would his brother keep torturing him? Nial sadly got changed and drove to D¡¯Night, where Anthony was already there, waiting for him. He was dressed in his ck suit and looked otherworldly. This was the noisy dance floor, and the music was deafeningly loud. Despite that, he stood alone, exuding a powerful, regal vibe. A few people tried to approach him, but his aloofness scared them away. Nial walked over and asked, "Bro, what''s the matter? Why did you leave Charmine?" Did he not just tell Anthony good news? Why did he seem so lonely and worried? Anthony red at Nial coldly and said, "I had asked Charmine what she thought about the man who slept with her. She said she hated him deeply." Nial jolted. "So...that¡¯s why you came out." Anthony''s gaze dulled. "I don''t want her to hate me, so I dare not touch her. At least, I''ll wait until she learns the truth, forgives me, and after she epts me." Nial looked at him speechlessly. "You could''ve told her! It''s such a simple thing!¡± Every misunderstanding would be resolved had Anthony just told Charmine the truth! 2 "I can¡¯t bring myself to," confessed Anthony. He picked up the wine and downed it solemnly. It was not easy for him and Charmine to havee to this stage. Would he tell her the truth, knowing how much she hated that man? i Would he want to make her hate him? chapter 1805 chapter 1805 Anthony dared not to take this risk. Anthony put down the wine ss and looked at Nial darkly. "Any word about this gets leaked, and I''ll end you." Nial was so scared that cold sweat perspired on his back. "I won¡¯t expose it, I promise! Come, let''s drink...!" Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. He sat by Anthony''s side and drank with him. Anthony, on the other hand, said nothing else and started downing his drinks. Nial was terrified to see how cautious Anthony looked. This issue was nowhere detrimental, yet the usually powerful and decisive Anthony treated it with so much caution? Nial''s choice of staying single had preserved himself, for sure. He did not want to be buried by marriage! Little did Nial know, however, that he would be begging a woman to marry him in the future. At the Bailey mansion. Charmine finished her work and could not help looking out the window. Anthony''s car was nowhere in view, still. Did he have to take so long to get Nial together? Instinctively, Charmine wanted to phone him, but she then stopped herself. Why would she, as ady, be so impatient? Anthony would not lie to her. If he said he went to meet Nial, it must be true! He did note home because it had not been sorted out. With that, Charmine put down the phone and walked out to the balcony. She admired the moon outside the window as she waited for Anthony toe home. She waited for Anthony from ten at night until twelve...and it extended until one in the morning. Anthony was still not back yet. Charmine frowned. Unable to withhold her anger, she went back into the room, decisively took up her phone, and called him. His phone was turned off! Charmine''s hand clenched around the phone, and a wave of anger rippled within her. 1 It was their wedding night, yet not only did he leave his wife in the middle of the night, but even his phone was turned off? The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She put down the phone andid in bed. She turned off the lights and slept. The next morning... Charmine turned around and habitually reached out to hug Anthony...only to find the spot still empty. She thought of something half-asleep, and her eyelids pped open before she turned to scan the spacious, luxurious room. She was the only one here! Anthony did note home on their wedding night? Even though he went to talk Nial out of his heartbreak, he should have known the boundaries! Depressed, Charmine got out of bed and went into the washroom. After washing up, she walked out of the bedroom. Not far away, a group of maids was discussing loudly as if they were meant for her to hear. "How ironic! Master went out in the middle of the night and hasn''te home until now. Charmine was alone in the bedroom!" "Sigh! She looks so haughty, yet she can''t even keep her man!" "Hah! Look at her attitude! Why would Master like her!? I suspect that she forced him to marry her!" 1 "I know, the gentle Ms. Annabel suits the Master." "Master probably doesn¡¯t like her at all!" When Charmine heard this, her red lips curled into a smirk as she stood behind them with her hands on her waist. "Youdies done?" she chimed in softly. The maids jumped in shock. They quickly formed a line. However, one of them still mumbled, "We''re telling the truth. Master didn''te home on the wedding night. You can¡¯t even keep your man; he doesn''t like you for sure..." 1 Charmine scoffed and red at them. "I¡¯d like to remind you that it¡¯s nowhere near Anthony not liking me. I¡¯m not happy with him-l kicked him out to sleep on the street!" she spoke proudly and regally. With that said, she walked past the maids arrogantly. However, the group behind her still continued to gossip. "She kicked Master out? Who¡¯d believe that!?¡± "Don''t listen to her. Master probably did leave and she doesn''t want anyone to make fun of her, and that''s why she''s lying." i As they spoke, a maid¡¯s voice was hearding from downstairs. "Master, wee back." chapter 1806 chapter 1806 Charmine and the maids turned to see the tall, lean Anthony walking toward them from downstairs. He was still in the same suit he worest night. His exquisite, elegant face looked rather tired. He took a glimpse at Charmine first before turning to the maids. "Who said I left Charmine? I smoked before bed, and she had me leavest night!" i When the maids heard this, their eyes widened with shock. Was that true? Did Anthony get kicked out to sleep on the streets after all? President Bailey, Boss Bailey, actually did as he was told? Anthony walked up to Charmine and looked at her gently." I''m back, my dear," he cautiously greeted. Charmine red at him and acted as if he did not exist. This, however, did not anger Anthony. He put his hand on her shoulder and continued, "I¡¯m sorry, my dear. I''ll never upset you by smoking before bed again. "If this happens again, you may punish me by doing five hundred push ups with you on my back! "My darling, don''t be angry. Talk to me..." Charmine had an annoyed look in her eyes, and she pried off his hand from her before walking off to the bedroom coldly. "Dearest..." Anthony chased after her, but- Thump! Charmine shut the door heartlessly, leaving Anthony outside the door. The maids¡¯ eyes widened. They looked at Anthony who was outside the door in disbelief. Charmine actually locked him outside the room while Anthony kept apologizing to her from the start? He did not even seem pissed as he stood outside the room. Did he truly love Charmine, after all? If any other woman did this to him, he would have kicked her out! Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. The maids thought it through and decided to treat Charmine better in the future. She was the one they should please to get the most benefits. > However... Just as the maids were about to leave, Anthony red at them coldly. "Since when do you have the right to talk about me and Madam? Pack up and leave, now!" > The maids instantly paled at this, dreading that they were about to lose their high-paying,fortable job. They were so scared that they knelt and begged, ''We won''t repeat this, Master! Please give us another chance!" Anthony smirked. "A chance is given to a human, not some dog who speaks nonsense! Butler, kick them out!" he ordered ruthlessly. Grandma Bailey walked out of the room after hearing themotion. The maids instantly begged her, pleading, "We¡¯re sorry, Old Madam Bailey! Please, don''t chase us out!" ¡¯ Grandma Bailey had heard some of the conversation beforehand. She scoffed at the maids. "No chances can be given! Charmine is the most important person in our Bailey mansion. Even we won''t abuse her, so how can you!? Butler, clear their pay and kick them all out!" 1 The butler came and did as he was told. The group of maids regretted what they did, but they could only let the butler push them out. After everything was sorted. Grandma Bailey frowned and looked at Anthony, scolding him, "Anthony, why would you smoke at night? Go in and apologize to Charmine!" Anthony nodded and went into the room. Charmine sat before the makeup table aloofly. She coldly dabbed her face with makeup, and her already exquisite face became even more charming after the makeup. Anthony walked over and went behind her. When he saw her cold face, the usually fearless Anthony felt for the first time. Was he intimidated by his wife? i He cleared his thoughts and sincerely apologized, "I''m sorry, dearest. I shouldn''t have gone out with Nial, and I shouldn''t have forgotten toe home. I shouldn''t have left you alone at home, alone in this room." Hearing thest part of Anthony''s sentence, Charmine''s cold gaze shifted, and the chilling air around her grew colder. chapter 1807 chapter 1807 Charmine, however, ignored Anthony. Once she finished putting on her makeup, she walked into the dressing room, leaving Anthony outside with a loud m of the door. Anthony persisted in his apologies as he begged outside the door, "Dearest... Please forgive me, please? I won''t do it again, ever. ''The next time I see Nial, I''ll kill him!" Just then, the door to the dressing room opened with a loud click. Charmine was dressed in ck leather pants, which showcased her alluring figure. She looked dominant and prominent. Anthony''s gaze flickered at the sight and felt worry pooling within him. "Where are you going, dearest?" Charmine continued to ignore him and walked past him coldly, to which Anthony frowned. He tried to reel her back to him, but just as his hand grazed hers, she swung his hand away ruthlessly. She red daggers at him as her red lips parted to say," You¡¯d do well to remember, Anthony, that if you go out to drink for one night, I can and will do the same! I''m not someone who''d wait for her man to come home all night!" Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Charmine did not even wait for Anthony to react before she She stood before the counter and said to the bartender, "Get me the strongest hit." The staff nodded and left. Charmine looked around. It was a rtively silent ce, the music was soothing, and it was not too loud. She felt somewhat more rxed. After a moment, she heard footstepsing toward her. She expected it to be her drinks, so she looked over. What she saw was... Anthony and Nial, with her drinks? The sight surprised Charmine, so much so that she was stunned. "Here are your drinks, my dear," said Anthony as he came up toward her. Charmine, however, merely gave him a cold glower. Anthony continued, "Drink as much as you wish, dearest. I''m your servant today." Nial put on a charming smile. "It is my fault, Charmine. I shouldn''t have asked him to drink with me." With that said, he took the mixer and said, "Charmine, let me mix you some drinks." Nial poured in the drinks and gave all he got to shake clumsily. His body was out of sync. Charmine was speechless. Was he entertaining her? When Anthony noticed that Charmine was slightly more at ease, hisrge palm reached out and held onto her small hand. "My darling, it''s all Nial''s fault. During our wedding yesterday, he fell in love with a woman. He then searched for her, only to find out that she had a child who''s a few years old already. So heartbroken he was that he asked me out to drink with him." chapter 1808 chapter 1808 Nial was speechless. All he did was bring good news to him! It was bad enough Anthony did not even let him sleep all night, but all of a sudden, he was making things up and piled up the me on him! Nial was far from happy about this. However, for the sake of the limited supercar Anthony promised him, he would go all in! Nial clumsily mixed the drinks and admitted sincerely, Tm really sorry, Charmine. You know how rtionships intimidated me. When I finally let go of the fear and decided to love someone, I mustered up my courage, but only to find out that she was already married. My heart was shattered in pieces. I don''t think I''ll ever be in love anymore! That''s why I dragged my brother out to drink with me all night..." Charmine¡¯s fierce aura finally ebbed away a little. She looked up at Nial and asked, "Do you feel better now?" "Yeah." Nial nodded. "I''m lucky that Bro apanied mest night, Charmine, or I might''ve wrecked my life even more." When he noticed that Charmine was finally responding to them, Anthony instantly walked out of the counter and went to Charmine''s side. Hisrge hand held hers as he coquettishly spoke, "I didn''t mean to do it, dearest. Can you forgive me?" The usually high-above Anthony became a people-pleaser at that moment. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Meanwhile, Nial finished mixing the drink. However, when he twisted open the shaper, the air pressure increased as he had used too much force. With that, the water sprayed out through the gap and sshed right into his face, wetting his handsome, charming face entirely. He was a mess. Nial fell mum on that moment, and both Charmine and Anthony fell silent as well. Charmine frowned at Nial, no longer sure whether Nial did it on purpose...or if he was truly that clumsy. Nial instantly wiped the liquid off of his face and looked at Charmine awkwardly. Tm...not really good at this, Charmine. If you don''t mind, I''ll mix another one for you." Charmine looked at him, and her red lips curled into a very faint smile as she swirled her ss. ''This is fine." Charmine was no longer as irritated, judging by the tone of her voice, and Nial was finally not as nervous. He smiled and carefully opened the shaker, pouring the drink into the ss. In the next second, Anthony picked up the ss and pushed it toward Charmine. "My darling, please forgive us, won''t you? There won''t be a next time." Charmine looked at him, and she was finally not as angry. " Better be sure this doesn¡¯t repeat, then." "Alright.¡± Anthony was relieved, and he gently pushed the drink closer toward her. "My darling, your drink.¡± Charmine finally epted the drink. Following that, Nial worked like a ve as he diligently mixed many more drinks in the bar. Anthony, on the other hand, held the drinks with both hands as he gave them to Charmine. Bold and dominant Charmine was, much like a queen. As Anthony fed her, he turned to look at Nial, gaze cold. " Can''t you move any quicker? Can''t you see Charmine''s almost finishing her drink?" i Nial was speechless. His poor face was still stained with the concoction he had made! However, for the sake of his supercar, he had to do as he was told. He mixed the drinks quicker, and he soon became an emotionless robot as he repeatedly mixed and poured drinks. Even his arms were sore! Most frustrating of all...Anthony and Charmine treated him as transparent! Upon forgiving him, Charmine asked Anthony to drink with her, and Anthony lovingly obeyed. He even tucked out-of-ce strands of her hair behind her ears. Charmine boldly hooked her hands around his neck." Remember: Wherever you go, you must take me with you. Otherwise, I''ll let you choose your punishment!" i Anthony agreed right away. chapter 1809 chapter 1809 "Rest assured, my darling. If this happens again, I''ll apologize to you in front of the entire world." Charmine''s lips spread into a stunning smile as she sipped her drink. Nial, meanwhile, felt overwhelmed. Oh, how pitiable he was. He had to serve both of them while watching them publicly disying their affection! Nial looked at both Anthony and Charmine before he feebly begged, "Bro, Charmine, can you stop disying your affection right at my face? I don''t need to see this!" Charmine had not spoken, but Anthony red at him coldly." Well, consider it your blessing that Charmine''s disying our affection to you." "Yes, yes, yes." Nial was so close to tears, but he braved himself and forced out a smile worse-looking than a cry. "T¡ª Thank you, Charmine...!" Charmine smiled. "You''re wee." Nial felt that his life was yed. He could not take it anymore. He wanted to go home! Meanwhile... Everyone else in the bar noticed just how gently the two handsome men treated Charmine, and they envied her. Someone even recognized, in shock, that they were Anthony and Charmine! The cold and heartless Anthony was, in truth, a docile husband at home? Charmine was indeed powerful, so much so that she domesticated Anthony! One of the bar-frequenters even tried to clout-chase as she took photos of them and made a Tweeter post. [What a pleasure to be sharing the bar with President Bailey and Mrs. Bailey. [P.S. President Bailey treats her so well: he keepsforting her and making her happy. You won¡¯t believe how he used both hands to give Charmine the drink. What an admirable couple. When will I find a man of this character?] The woman merely wanted to gain a few followers. Little did she expect a more well-known ount to repost it. Suddenly, Charmine and Anthony trended on Tweeter, and people of the inte fawned over them. [Goodness, this romance is too good to be true!] [Charmine must''ve saved the gxy in her previous life. How could she have married such a gentle, handsome, and rich man?!] [Charmine must be such a good woman to be treated so well by Boss Bailey!] Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. [Wait, the man mixing the cocktail behind is Anthony''s brother, Dr. Nial Bailey?] [Oh my lord! He even used his brother to make his wife happy! Boss Bailey is the best man in the world!] From morning until that evening, Charmine drank at the bar, joined by Anthony. Nial, of course, had mixed their drinks all day. His arms were so sore that he felt utterly numb. Finally, Charmine got drunk and leaned against Anthony groggily. Anthony, still sober, lifted Charmine into his arms before ordering, albeit tipsily so, voice hoarse, "Get to the car and drive." Nial was finally released from his duty. He stretched out his arms as if he had been physically exhausted all day. He still had to drive them home afterward, and the thought made him feel as if his world was crumbling. However, thinking of his new supercaring tomorrow, he was instantly exhrated. He quickly chased after them and opened the door for the couple. He then walked around the car to get into the driver''s seat before he drove them back home. At the back, Anthony looked at Charmine, who was in his arms. This was his first time seeing her so drunk. It was his faultst night...but there was no other way. Anthony looked at her, his eyes narrowed. Looking at the drunk Charmine still in his arms, he could not help asking," My darling, if it was me five years ago, would you-" Before he could finish, Charmine''s eyelids fluttered open sharply as she snapped, "I''ll kill you." Anthony was so scared that his heart sank. Just as he was about to bluff, saying that he was just a random question, Charmine shut her eyes and fell asleep again. Looking at how asleep she seemed, it seemed as if he was hallucinating earlier. Anthony looked at her darkly, his emotions whirling deep within him as they battled one another. He wondered how he should tell the truth to not upset her... chapter 1810 chapter 1810 Inside a luxurious room... Waverly sat before the makeup desk and looked at the photo on her phone darkly, one that disyed how Anthony lovingly brought drinks to Charmine''s lips. Her cold, red lips curled into a bitter smirk as she scoffed. Charmine went to a bar on their second day of marriage? Would a wife act this way? How irresponsible. She was too wild to receive Anthony¡¯s love! Why was Anthony so protective of Charmine?! Waverly red at Charmine in the photos, her eyes filled with rage as she cursed her. That cheap woman! She could have been the one Anthony loved and adored, the woman admired by everyone. 2 Her, Waverly D''Cruz! > Charmine snatched everything away from her! Waverly was so triggered that her head started to hurt. She massaged her temples, and after a moment, she pressed her phone and logged out of Tweeter. She then sent a text. [Don''t be too stupid!] Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. At the Bailey mansion. Annabel had been an approachable character even as she had moved in. She never asked the maids to work for her, either. In fact, when she had time, she would even help the maids to do some chores. When she saw that the maids were busy, she would buy fruits and drinks for them. With that, all the maids adored her and became her friends. Susan had just woken up from an afternoon nap. Upon noticing that her face was rather puff-looking, she then decided to walk around her garden to depuff her face. As she walked, she came before the machines. Just as she was about to stretch, she suddenly saw... A ck worm as big as a finger, crawling up her pant leg disgustingly. "Aargh!" Utterly terrified was the pale Susan that she screamed her lungs out, and she vehemently shook her leg to try and shake the worm off. No matter how hard she shook, however, the worm seemed stuck and did not get off. It even continued crawling up her pant leg. "Aaahh!" Mortified, Susan picked up a stick and tried to swat it off. However, before she could do so, she was too intimidated by the disgusting look of the worm and dropped the stick. She shut her eyes and dared not look. She did continue shaking her leg, though, having lost all thoughts of keeping herposure. Not far away, Annabel was trimming the nts. She instantly scrambled and followed the source of the scream. When she saw how pale Susan seemed, she asked worriedly, "Madam, what happened?" "W¡ªWorm!" Susan finally opened her eyes and shakily pointed her finger at her pant leg. Seeing the worm revoltingly crawling up her leg still, she shut her eyes and shrieked, "Quick, get it off me!" "I''ll do that right now, Madam," coaxed Annabel, "don''t be scared." Annabel instantly reached out to take the worm away. She tossed it on the ground and crushed it with her foot. Annabel looked at Susan and said, "Madam, it''s done." Susan opened her eyes and looked at her pant leg. Annabel even took out wet tissues to clean the area of her pants that the worm crawled up. "The worm''s crushed now, Madam. It probably fell off the tree, given that it''s springtime now." Upon seeing the worm indeed crushed, Susan patted her chest and slowly exhaled before looking at Annabel, her usually cold eyes seemingly gentle as she did. Annabel looked weak, yet she was so brave? Susan then noticed that Annabel had an apron on. She frowned and asked, "Why are you working as a maid?" Annabel exined politely, "I was bored, so I came here to move around." A maid, who happened to pass nearby, overheard this and could not help chiming in, "Madam, Ms. Annabel is so kind. She¡¯d help us do some chores from time to time. She¡¯d even get us fruits." Annabel looked at the maid and said gently, "Oh, you, always so talkative." chapter 1811 chapter 1811 "I grew up in the countryside," said Annabel. "I''m used to being busy, and I can¡¯t sit still." i Susan felt an affinity for Annabel when she noticed just how kind Annabel was. Annabel did seem quite kind and generous. She was pregnant with Anthony''s baby, yet she still blessed him and Charmine at their wedding. "You''re considered a missus here, so leave these tasks to the maids," remarked Susan. "Just get some rest, or it¡¯ll be troublesome if the baby is hurt." Although Susan spoke with an arrogant voice, her tone was caring. Annabel understood her advice, and a genuine smile spread across her palm-sized face. ''Thank you, Madam." Susan saw how happy she looked and could not help liking Annabel more. Even a kind word would make Annabel that happy? What a meless woman...unlike that Charmine! That Charmine merely mumbled a ''thank you'' when she scooped her foodst night, and it was not even that sincere. If only Annabel was her daughter-inw, her days would be even better! Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Susan could not help taking another look at her before saying, "Go and get some rest." Annabel nodded. "Alright." Susan nodded and left. When she went inside, she saw Anthonying home with Charmine in his arms. Before she even got that close to them, however, she could already smell the strong scent of alcohol! She could not help frowning. She looked at Charmine, who was in Anthony''s arms, and asked, "Anthony, what''s the matter?" Anthony looked at Susan coldly. He wanted to ignore her, but he recalled that Susan was not too mean to Charminest night. If he ignored her, she mightsh out at Charmine. Anthony said coldly, "She drank too much." Not waiting for Susan''s reply, he walked past her with Charmine still in his arms. Susan remained on the same spot and looked at Charmine. She could not hide the displeasure in her eyes. They just got married, and instead of waking up early to greet her today, Charmine went out to get drunk? How dare she?! What a shame to the family! Her mind drifted to the approachable, kind Annabel. As expected. If there was nopetition, there would be no harm! Annabel was ten to a hundred times better than Charmine! She was not only easy to manipte, but she was even pregnant with the Baileys'' heir! Susan could not help liking Annabel even more. She instantly made a call. "Bring me a few boxes of those expensive bird nests." Everyone sat together on the long table during dinner. Susan carried a bag full of the exquisite boxes and handed them to Annabel. "Annabel, you''re pregnant, and I won''t allow you to do the house chores anymore. I asked them to get me these luxurious bird nests. Treat your body well." Taken aback by the sudden kindness, Annabel looked at Susan, feeling perplexed. She reacted a momentter and quickly waved it off. "T-Thank you, Madam, but I can''t take such an expensive gift..." "Just keep it," insisted Susan. "You''re bearing a Bailey inside you. I think of you as my daughter-inw. Don''t be too polite." As she spoke, Susan nonchntly gave Charmine the look. She said this for Charmine to hear to exclude her. Annabel bit her lip and looked at Charmine uneasily. She put on a look as if she had to ept the kindness and yet did not want Charmine to get jealous. Charmine noticed her look, and her delicate face remained calm. She did not mind at all. Instead, she said, "Ms. Annabel, bird nests are good for the skin. Since this is a nice gesture from my mother-inw, do keep it. Moreover, your physical state isn''t all too well, and your face is pale as well. You should eat more of these nutrients. I also bought you some a few days ago.¡± With that said, she handed Annabel a bag. chapter 1812 chapter 1812 Charmine then stated, "I¡¯ve had these special seacucumbers imported from Amerites. They''re priceless." Everyone at the dinner table was baffled to have heard this, and they gazed at Charmine, confused. She was that kind to Annabel? She was not only not angry at her for bearing Anthony''s baby nor at Susan, but she even bought Annabel priceless seacucumbers? Was she genuine, or was she pretending? Anthony looked at her, and his eyes darkened. Grandma Bailey and Senior Bailey, on the other hand, could not hide their admiration for Charmine. She was indeed the woman that Anthony loved. She was so understanding and caring. Annabel''s eyes widened in shock, and she looked at Charmine with disbelief. "Ms. Jordan, you''re...giving them to me?" i "Yes," said Charmine, "so keep them. When you have enough nutrients, the baby will grow up healthily." The gesture touched Annabel, who received Charmine''s gift with both hands and gratefully said, "Thank you, Ms. Jordan." Charmine smiled. ''You¡¯re wee." Annabel thanked her once again. Susan, meanwhile, was utterly frustrated. What was Charmine trying to do? She gave Annabel a gift, yet Charmine did the same but with a more expensive gift? She was shamed by her daughter-inw! Susan red at Charmine coldly; she hated her even more. The next day. Charmine had a hangover yesterday and slept early. This resulted in her waking up at six in the morning. She decided to go out for a run as she carefully got out from Anthony''s arms. Just as she sat up, however, a powerful hand pulled her back. Charmine reacted and fell back into Anthony''s arms. Anthony hugged her from behind and leaned onto her shoulder. He sniffed her scent and hoarsely said, "Where are you off to so early, dearest?¡± "I''m going for a morning run." Anthony rubbed her small waist gently. "Morning run? How boring," he droned seductively, his warm breath fanning her ear in the process. She jolted at that. Anthony sensed her reaction and smiled meaningfully. "We haven''t finished our wedding night routine. Shall we continue?" "What?" Before Charmine could react, Anthony turned, and his well- built body topped hers. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. He put both his hands by her sides and looked down on her. He had a deep sense of desire in his eyes. "Hmm?" Anthony studied Charmine''s expression and reaction closely. Truth be told, he did not want to touch her. He merely liked messing with her, liking to see how the usually arrogant Charmine acted shy. 2 Before she couldpletely let go of that incident and forgive him, he would not touch her. Charmine, still underneath Anthony, looked him straight in the eyes. She could clearly feel the heat from his body and the lust in his eyes. On their wedding night, she finally walked out of the trauma and wanted to create a good memory with him. Annoyingly, he did note home all night! The courage that she finally built up had vanished. Charmine frowned and said, "It''s early now, and I¡¯m not in the zone in the morning. Try at night." She jolted at that. Anthony sensed her reaction and smiled meaningfully. "We haven''t finished our wedding night routine. Shall we continue?" "What?" Before Charmine could react, Anthony turned, and his well- built body topped hers. He put both his hands by her sides and looked down on her. He had a deep sense of desire in his eyes. "Hmm?" Anthony studied Charmine''s expression and reaction closely. Truth be told, he did not want to touch her. He merely liked messing with her, liking to see how the usually arrogant Charmine acted shy. 2 Before she couldpletely let go of that incident and forgive him, he would not touch her. Charmine, still underneath Anthony, looked him straight in the eyes. She could clearly feel the heat from his body and the lust in his eyes. On their wedding night, she finally walked out of the trauma and wanted to create a good memory with him. Annoyingly, he did note home all night! The courage that she finally built up had vanished. Charmine frowned and said, "It''s early now, and I¡¯m not in the zone in the morning. Try at night." Anthony lowered his head and kissed her lips. "But I want it now," he said hoarsely. He did not even give her a chance to fight back as he sucked her lips forcefully. Charmine could feel his heavy-driven kiss. The resistance in her eyes slowly faded at that. Following that, she hooked her arms around his neck and tried to respond. Anthony jolted. chapter 1813 chapter 1813 Anthony opened his eyelids and gazed at Charmine, who was below him. Oh, how he wished to continue this to have their first time. However, he recalled how much hurt and hatred she showed when she thought about that incident. He dared not to, and he must not. The lust in his eyes slowly vanished. Just as he was thinking of a way to end this, urgent knocks were heard on the door. Following that, a maid¡¯s urgent voice was heard, bleating," Master, Mistress, we¡¯ve got a problem! Ms. Annabel is in trouble!" Charmine snapped out of it, and the lust in her eyes instantly vanished. Annabel, in trouble? Anthony frowned in displeasure. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. He could only leave onest kiss on Charmine''s lips and hoarsely said, voice soaked with repressed desires, "I''ll take you tonight, dearest." Charmine, meanwhile, felt conflicted. Why was it always cut off when she gave in? Anthony got out of bed and said, "I''ll go and have a look. You get some rest here." Charmine got off the bed and said, "I''lle with you.¡± She took her clothes and put them on. She quickly freshened up and went out with Anthony. When they arrived on the first floor, they saw Grandma Bailey and Senior Bailey there. Susan was there, too. The maids by the side formed a line, and every one of them looked terrified and uneasy. Annabel''s weak figure leaned on the opposite sofa. Her palm -sized face was pale like snow. She seemed even weaker than yesterday, looking utterly frail. Not a peep was heard in the living room, and the entire atmosphere felt heavy and serious. 1 Anthony and Charmine exchanged nces when they arrived in the living room. "What happened?" said Anthony, his deep voice breaking the silence. Grandma Bailey said, "Annabel had diarrhea and said that her stomach is hurting. Why don¡¯t you and Charmine bring her to the hospital?" Charmine frowned. Diarrhea and a stomachache? Senior Bailey''s serious face grew even more serious as he questioned, "What else did you eatst night? How did this happen?" Annabel leaned on the sofa weakly. She cautiously looked at Charmine and said, "No...nothing..." Her fear-filled gaze seemingly told that she coincidentally felt ill after eating what Charmine got her, but she dared not say it out loud. Out of the group of maids, Fanny finally could not hold her silence and spoke up, "Madam, Sir, check no further. Actually, I brewed Ms. Annabel a bowl of sea cucumber soupst night. After having it, she started having diarrhea in the middle of the night." "Fanny, stop talking," Annabel scolded Fanny. "It doesn''t have anything to do with Ms. Charmine. Don''t make things up.¡± Fanny did not stop, however. "Madam, Sir, I suspected the sea cucumbers given by Ms. Charmine to Ms. Annabel. However, Ms. Annabel kept insisting that it has nothing to do with Ms. Charmine. She was in pain the entire night." The usually gentle Annabel broke out into a panic as she insisted, "Fanny, I asked you to stop talking! My body is weak; it has nothing to do with Ms. Charmine!" "Haha!" Susan crossed her arms andughed coldly. "And here I wonder who''d be so kind as to give gifts to her nemesis. She¡¯s got a n!" Charmine¡¯s red lips curled up coldly. "So, you thought I had a n to harm Annabel?" Susan looked at her while retaining her elegance, but her tone was cold and disgusted. "Fanny said that she gave Annabel your sea cucumbers before she was ill!" Anthony frowned as he looked at Susan coldly. "If you insisted that Charmine did it, do you have evidence? I know Charmine, and she''d never do this!" "That¡¯s right,¡± Grandma Bailey chimed in, "Charmine would never do such things!" chapter 1814 chapter 1814 Annabel nodded weakly. "Yes, it has nothing to do with Ms. Charmine. She treats me very well, so why would she harm me?" Senior Bailey made it apparent that he did not believe that Charmine did it. He looked at Annabel and asked, "Think properly: What else did you eatst night?" Annabel pursed her pale lips and said, "I...I had a craving, so I had some ice cream." "No way!" snapped Fanny angrily. "Ms. Annabel, how can you be so kind? Ms. Charmine is obviously going against you, yet you spoke up for her? I served you all night. After dinner, you only drank the sea-cucumber soup given to you by Ms. Charmine. You didn''t have ice cream!" ¡¯ Fanny then swore, "If I lied, I''ll be struck by lightning!" With that oath, Annabel pursed her lips helplessly as if she had to agree. Everyone then fixed their eyes on Charmine. Senior Bailey''s eyes went from feeling determined to slightly suspicious. Charmine met their suspecting gazes and said coldly, "What reasons are there for me to hurt Annabel? If I wished to hurt her, I wouldn''t have let her have the baby in the first ce!" Susan red at her and articted her words, "Chris needed a cure, and you had no choice. Now, you no longer need it, and the baby¡¯s father is still Anthony. You''re not pregnant, so you''re jealous and hate her! You agreed for Annabel to stay here because you were in a hurry to get married to Anthony!" "Shut up!" Anthony''s face turned cold as he red at Susan darkly. He said arrogantly, "It was I who begged her to marry me from the start. She was never in a hurry to marry me! If you insult her again, you better be ready to pay the price!" Susan''s face stiffened as her own son rebuked her. She red at Charmine coldly and hated her even more. If only her daughter-inw was Annabel, her rtionship with Anthony would not be as bad. It was all this woman¡¯s fault! "Alright, alright, don¡¯t fight,¡± Grandma Bailey interjected." Have Niale home to examine whether the seacucumber is fine and we''ll have an answer, won''t we?" "Good," said Charmine. "I''m clean, you may check all you like!" "Alright, ask Nial toe home.¡± Grandma Bailey looked at Charmine with the same determination. "Charmine, I''m not suspecting you. I only want to prove that it wasn''t your fault." "I know." Charmine looked at Grandma Bailey. "Thank you, Grandma.¡± Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Susan looked at her coldly, ready to watch the grand joke reveal unfolding. She took out her phone and called Nial, who came home shortly after. He also sided with Charmine, saying, "Why would Charmine do such things? The sea cucumbers must be fine!" Senior Bailey said, "Since you''re back, check it and give Annabel justice. If the problem isn''t with the sea-cucumber, we can prove that Charmine is innocent." Anthony looked at him and said, "Examine them.¡± Fanny brought down the big box of luxury sea cucumbers and handed it to Nial. The moment he saw the sea cucumbers, he frowned. His usually rxed face became serious. He looked at Charmine quietly before taking a few gadgets out of his medical box. He cut open the sea-cucumber for the examination, i However... A few minutester, when he saw the data on the machines, his frown deepened. Senior Bailey asked seriously, "Did you find anything?" Nial said helplessly, "Although there''s no harmful substance in the sea cucumbers, there''s AQ added in them. The concentration is too high, so pregnant women can''t consume them." In other words, Annabel¡¯s stomach ache was caused by the sea cucumbers given by Charmine. Susan looked at Charmine mockingly. "You never really know someone. She looks so understanding on the surface, yet she is so evil behind our backs!" Senior Bailey looked at Charmine disappointingly. The group of maids, meanwhile, continued to gossip below their breaths. chapter 1815 chapter 1815 "How despicable! And here I thought that she was genuinely generousst night. She has nned on harming Annabel already!" "What did Ms. Annabel do to her, anyway? She had Master¡¯s baby and even made way for Charmine, yet she still harmed Annabel!" "Looking at how arrogant she looked, if she wasn¡¯t evil, how could she be Mrs. Bailey?¡± Anthony brought Charmine toward him and ced his arms around her before ring at the maids darkly. He sneered at them. "Shut up! If my woman wants to kill, I¡¯ll hand her the knife! Even if she kills someone, you''re not allowed to run your mouth about it!" he dered powerfully, though his devotion for Charmine was palpable as well. Everyone in the room was startled by this and dared not speak. A few maids even lowered their heads unwillingly, though all the while debating Charmine must have drugged Anthony that he so heralded her highly. "When a man is manipted by love, he''ll harm the innocent," Fanny mumbled to herself. Charmine instantly red past those maids and fixed her eyes on Fanny. She haughtily stepped forward, one step at the time. Raising her hand, she then- p! p! Fanny''s left and right cheeks were pped, and the force even caused her to stumble backward with burning cheeks. Once she regained her footing once more, she lightly palmed her cheek and red at Charmine incredulously." You...pped me..." She pped her in front of so many people, especially the seniors! Charmine actually pped her! Charmine boldly, fiercely retorted, "Remember this: if I don''t like anyone, I''ll show it right at their face. I never do things behind one''s back!" i Charmine red at her coldly and took out her phone to make a call. "Chief Wayne,e to Bailey mansion." Everyone frowned at this. Chief Wayne? Charmine reported the case? As expected, a team of police officers showed up at the Bailey mansion within ten minutes. When everyone saw that the leading officer was Calvin Wayne, their eyes widened in shock. Calvin Wayne, the internationally renowned investigator, who had closed countless mystery cases. No crook nor criminal could evade his sharp senses! How...did Charmine know this man? She even had hime in just one single call! ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Senior Bailey instantly went out to wee him, "This is just a small matter, Chief Wayne. Thank you foring!" "You¡¯re wee, Senior Bailey," replied Calvin Wayne before he made his way toward Charmine. He and his men bowed to her before he spoke, clearly and formally, "What''s the situation, Boss Jordan?" Charmine looked at him coldly and instructed, "Examine the fingerprints on these sea cucumbers." Since the other sea cucumbers were not eaten, it implied that they were not touched by others. They seemed brand- new. If someone was to do something to the sea cucumbers, they would have touched the remaining sea cucumbers! ''Yes, Madam!" Chief Wayne quickly filed the case and led his team to examine the fingerprints efficiently. Everyone gasped in shock. The internationally renowned team was so polite toward Charmine and even went as far as calling her ''Boss Jordan''? Did Charmine even have the authority to give him an order? Was she...also a mogul in this particr industry? chapter 1816 chapter 1816 Chief Wayne worked efficiently. Within a minute, he had umted the fingerprints from the sea cucumbers. He said to Charmine politely, "Boss Jordan, we only need everyone''s fingerprints now." Charmine nodded. Meanwhile, fear shed past Fanny''s eyes. She bit her lip and clenched her fists. She tried her best to rub away her fingerprints. The officers in uniform started to collect each of their fingerprints before they brought them to relevant gadgets and machines for the investigation. After a few seconds, the results were out, and Chief Wayne reported to Charmine, ''The fingerprints on the sea cucumbers are aplete match to this woman¡¯s fingerprint!" ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. His finger pointed directly at Fanny, and everyone''s gazes were fixed on the maid. Fanny paled at the usation and she, still terrified, panickingly reasoned, " No.Jt has nothing to do with me! 1-1 don¡¯t know what happened!" Chief Wayne said seriously, "Are you trying to defend yourself? Are you doubting my ability?" "No... No!" Fanny cried out in shock. With no way out of the situation, her legs went soft as she fell to her knees, onto the floor. "I¡¯m...sorry...it¡¯s my fault...l made a mistake. I don''t like Mrs. Bailey, so I wanted to use this to kick her out.¡± With that said, she went toward Charmine and apologized, "I''m sorry, Mrs. Bailey, it''s my fault... Please forgive me, and give me another chance. I won''t do it again! I¡¯m sorry to have used you, Mrs. Bailey!" Fanny cried her lungs out as she bowed, ramming her head against the hard surface of the floor. Annabel looked visibly appalled, her gaze filled with disappointment as she stared at Fanny. "Why would you do this, Fanny? I''m on good terms with Ms. Jordan. You shouldn''t have done this... You''re wrong!" Grandma Bailey also scolded, "You''re just a maid; how could you do such a thing? You even tried to have Mrs. Bailey kicked out of this mansion?" "I''m sorry! I''m really sorry, Mrs. Bailey, Grandma Bailey, Ms. Annabel!" Fanny profusely bowed and rammed her head against the floor, staining the once-pristine floor with bloodstains. Still, she did not cease her action." I know my error-1 was stupid. Mrs. Bailey, please forgive me!" Charmine looked down at Fanny and said arrogantly, "You hurt others and expect to be forgiven by apologizing? What''s the police for, then?" With that said, she looked at Chief Wayne coldly and instructed, ''Take her out!" "Yes, Madam!" Chief Wayne''s team instantly walked up to Fanny, intending to lock her away. Fanny''s tears streamed endlessly, and her forehead, stained with her blood. Even as the officers dragged her away, her cries rang still in the mansion as she pleaded to Grandma Bailey, "Grandma Bailey, please help me! I don''t want to go to jail! Please, don¡¯t let them take me away!¡± Grandma Bailey scoffed, "As I''ve told you before, Charmine is the most important person in our mansion. You''ve made a mistake that can''t be pardoned! Chief Wayne, take her away!" "Senior Bailey...! Grandma Bailey...!" Fanny cried and pleaded, but nobody helped her. The still-livid Grandma Bailey red at the group of maids and warned, From now on, if anyone uses Charmine or does anything to hurt her, you''ll share Fanny''s end. I won¡¯t show mercy!" Charmine had just moved in and was already framed. If she did not make the statement today, Charmine''s days would be difficult living here. The maids instantly nodded; none of them dared to speak. Senior Bailey looked visibly solemn. He felt guilty for not believing Charmine, the woman he always believed to be an admirable woman. He was furious at the rude maids and gave them a warning of his own, too. chapter 1817 chapter 1817 "Charmine is Mrs. Bailey, and she''s the Madam of the house! If any of you have a problem with that, you cane forward and resign now!" The group of maids shook their heads and mumbled, "We don''t have a problem." Only then did Senior Bailey''s dissipate a little. Recalling how he had suspected Charmine earlier on, he turned toward her and gently apologized, "I¡¯m sorry to have wronged you, Charmine." Charmine said nonchntly, "Still, it was I who gave Ms. Annabel the sea cucumbers, Grandpa. It''s not wrong to suspect anyone before finding out the truth." Grandma Bailey walked toward her and held her hand. "Charmine, Grandma will not let this happen to you again." Charmine nodded. "Thank you, Grandma." Anthony held Charmine closer to him before his elegant face turned toward Susan coldly, "Mrs. Bailey, you¡¯ve wrongly used Charmine earlier. Now that the truth is out, shouldn''t you apologize?" Susan''s face stiffened. Oh, how she hated Charmine so much! This d*mn woman even made her son speak to her with this attitude?! It was just a misunderstanding and she did not do anything to Charmine, yet she was asked to apologize? Noticing that Susan did not say a word, Grandma said, "You should behave ordingly! You suspected her before finding out the truth, and now you''re not saying anything?" "I panicked, Mother. After all, Annabel is bearing our Bailey¡¯s heir!" exined Susan poshly, acting as though all she did was for the betterment of the family. 2 Grandma Bailey frowned. "Then apologize to Charmine and let this matter go!" Susan pursed her lips and looked at Charmine. She had zero intention to even apologize, but she had been forced. "I panicked earlier on, Charmine. I''m sorry to have wronged you," she spoke and, of course, without sincerity in her tone. Senior Bailey frowned. He wanted to say something when Charmine proudly replied, "It''s okay, I''ll never hold it against senior citizens." 2 Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Susan''s face stiffened. Senior citizen!? Was Charmine mocking her age? Was she old? She took so much care of her appearance! Anthony admired Charmine''s attitude and held her hand lovingly. "I''m sorry that this happened, dearest. Let''s go back to the room and I''ll give you a massage." "Okay." Charmine epted his offer. Susan coldly watched as they both left. Who did Charmine think she was? This issue was not even that serious, yet the entire family had to apologize to her?! Her well-cultured son even had to give her a massage? Ugh! She had to think of a way to let McKenziee over, or even Annabel! 1 Meanwhile, the maids had figured out Charmine''s importance in the Bailey mansion through this incident. She was even more important than Susan! It seemed that they had to pick the right side. They could not continue going against Charmine just because Annabel was friendly. Otherwise, they would end up even worse than Fanny! i Anthony brought Charmine back to the room. He pressed her onto the sofa and massaged her shoulder. "Is thisfortable, dearest?" he spoke lovingly, seductively. Charmine reached out her cold hands to pry off his hands. "You don''t have to please me; this wasn''t your fault." Anthony held onto her small hands and said, "It doesn''t matter if it wasn''t my fault. If my wife has been wronged, it''s my fault." Charmine''s red lips curled into a smile. "How''re you going to make it up to me?" chapter 1818 chapter 1818 Anthony put on a serious expression. He considered for a while and said, What about this: I''ll kiss you for ten minutes to make it up to you." Charmine was speechless. He thought about it for so long, just toe up with this? Was this ''making it up'' to her? "Alright, I ept,¡± said Charmine. Anthony''s thin lips curled into a smile as he held her face by her chin, kissing her gently. A long whileter, Anthony spoke, voice hoarse with repressed desire," May I, dearest?" Charmine knew what Anthony was asking about. She looked at him seductively and nodded gently. "Be gentle." "Yes, Madam.¡± Anthony lifted her and ced her on the bed. "I''ll satisfy you." Flustered was Charmine at this, so much so that her fair face pinked. However, she had let go of the resistance in her and was ready to ept it. Anthony made Charminefortable on the bed, and just as he was about to sumb to his desires... Knocks were heard on the door, i Both of them halted and exchanged nces, but Anthony kissed her and said, "Don''t mind it." He must not let it end this time! Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Charmine looked at him, but just as she was about to say something, Annabel''s voice was heard, "President Bailey, Ms. Jordan..." This gentle voice dissipated Charmine¡¯s desire that burned in her eyes. She pushed Anthony away and said, "Go and see what she has to say.¡± Visibly irked was Anthony as he got out of bed. He fixed his clothes and walked over to open the door, revealing the frail-looking Annabel outside. Her watery eyes looked at Anthony as she said, "President Bailey, I''m here for Ms. Jordan." Charmine walked up to the door and stood beside Anthony. She looked at her coldly. "What is it?¡± Annabel''s face was snow-like pale as ever. She looked at Charmine helplessly and apologized, tone filled with guilt and uneasiness, "Ms. Jordan, I''m sorry. You treat me so well, yet you were troubled because of me. Charmine remained unperturbed. She said, "It was the maid''s fault, so you don''t have to feel sorry." Annabel¡¯s fearful face at that moment brightened with a smile. "Are you truly not angry, Ms. Jordan?" 1 "Yes.¡± "Wonderful! Thank you." Annabel looked at her gratefully. "It''s fine," said Charmine monotonously, "you take care of yourself." "Okay." Annabel nodded gratefully. "Then, I won''t keep you and President Bailey any longer." Annabel left humbly. 1 Anthony did not look at Annabel throughout the entire exchange. He shut the door and wrapped his arms around Charmine, guiding her back in, when Luke called suddenly. "Boss, it''s bad! The new deal with ILM has some issues." The ILM deal was a very important deal to the Bailey Corporation. They were ready to sign the deal, and he could not permit any problem. Anthony frowned. ''Tile now." "Yes, Sir." Anthony hung up, and his gaze looked serious. "My darling, there are some issues at work. I need to go to thepany and sort it out." This was the first time Charmine saw him so serious for work. "Alright, go on." Anthony hugged her and kissed her forehead before he whispered in her ear, ''Wait for me toe home at night so we can continue this." 2 Charmine was speechless. chapter 1819 chapter 1819 Why would Anthony think about ''that'' all day? T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. After Anthony left, Charmine stayed in the study and started catching up with Mount Vige¡¯s development. Meanwhile, inside a luxuriously big vi... Waverly received news that the sea cucumbers issue did not make the Baileys hate Charmine. In fact, everyone had to apologize to her. Most frustrating of all, those two elders even told off the maids for Charmine, not permitting anyone to bully Charmine! Waverly had a tight grip on her phone, and her eyes burned with envy and rage, i Why was she the subject of public ridicule that she had to go into hiding while Charmine, that cheap woman, could live happily at the Bailey mansion? No! This could not be! Waverly''s gaze zoned into the distance. An idea came to her not long then, and malice gleamed fiercely in her pupils. After a moment, as she was about to make a phone call, knocks were hearding from the door, followed by Max''s gentle voice, "Waverly." Waverly buried the look in her eyes and crossed her legs, leaning into the sofa. "Come in," she softly answered. The door opened, and in came Max. Looking at how drained Waverly looked, Max sat with her worriedly. He put his hands on her shoulder. "Waverly, did you not sleep well in the past two days? Why do you seem so tired?¡± Waverly glimpsed at him. "How could I rest with what just happened?" Max sighed and helplessly reasoned, "Waverly, since the truth is now exposed, let''s go back to Kansas. I''ll marry you now, and we can live happily ever after. We can think of something about this matterter down the line." Hisrge hand reached out to caress her visibly tired face. "Look at you, I''m worried.¡± Waverly could feel his gentle touch, and disgust shed past her eyes. She looked at him and could not help recalling what happened a few months ago. A few months ago, Fredrick had found and saved her at the beach. At that moment, she was so frail that she was at death''s door. She vaguely heard Fredrick saying to Max, "Max, if everything is for certain, she''s the daughter that I''ve been looking for years. Verify her tonight to make sure." "Alright," replied the man, his voice deep and soothing. Tiffany wasying in bed at that time, and her fingers stiffened slightly. This was a nice ce; they had to be wealthy. Even the buttons on this man''s clothes came from a luxurious brand. Since she had nowhere else to go, it would be ideal if she could stick with this family. However, she remembered that Sonia told her her parents were ordinary people...and that her mother and father were dead. A momentter, Max brought a blood collection device to the bedside. Tiffany studied him from head to toe, and her gaze faintly gleamed with calctiveness. Her hands under the nket clenched. Instantly, she looked at him with a pitiable look. Max met her eyes and halted. He held onto the device and said, "What''s on your mind? You''re still so young; why did you try to kill yourself?" Upon hearing those words, Tiffany''s face softened sadly with a frown on her face as though unwanted memories had resurfaced. Tears instantly brimmed in her eyes as she hoarsely whimpered, hitting herself repeatedly as she did, "Let me die... There¡¯s no point for me to live." Max quickly put down the device and grabbed both of her hands. "Don''t do this," he coaxed her, "you''re still weak." Max effectively held Tiffany down, but her tears never ceased. A pitiable sight, she was. Seeing that she did not speak, Max reassured her, "Now, this is your home. You may tell me anything." Tiffany cried for a while and told him her sad past: how she was dumped by her boyfriend, insulted, got hurt, and kicked out of Burlington, i Her entire story sounded utterly convincing of a sob story. Although Max had heard some of it from Fredrick, he did not expect it to be so devastating. He looked at her sympathetically and could not help patting her shoulder." Don''t overthink, everything will pass." With that said, he picked up the device. "1''11 have to extract a bit of your blood now." chapter 1820 chapter 1820 Tiffany looked nk as though she did not know what blood extraction was. She slowly reached out her fair hands to unbutton her clothes, exposing her corbone in the process. Below her corbone were those fair... Max instantly looked away, averting his gaze, yet the alluring image haunted his mind so vividly. He gulped. Tiffany''s small hands held his stiff hands as she asked, "How do we extract blood? Do I need to extract a lot of it?" "No...no need." Max was used to beautiful women, but this was his first time seeing such pure, perfect beauty. He wanted to ask her to button up, but the words were stuck in his throat. With that, he allowed this sexy image to linger before his eyes. He carefully took out the needle, but before he even injected it- "Ah!" Tiffany cried out and brought herself into his arms. She looked at him. "It hurts..." Feeling just how...soft she was, Max stiffened and said, "I haven''t even used the device on you." Tiffany, still in his arms, hugged his waist and leaned on his shoulder. Her warm breath fanned his ear. "Then, let''s not do this. Needles are painful; it''s not fun. Let''s do something else instead..." As she spoke, she took the needle and device away from him. Her lips grazed his chin. Max jolted and said seriously, "S-Stop fooling around. You might be the daughter my father''s been looking for..." "Doesn''t it make it even more interesting?" Tiffany bit his lip and then pressed him down. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Max had no idea she would act like this; he had assumed she was a pitiable and weak woman. "You''re naughty, Tiffany...but I like it." With that said, he went from being passive to initiative. Just like that, Tiffany managed to steer Max from drawing out her blood and managed to dance around Fredrick''s intention of verifying her identity. She thought she could use Max to take revenge, but this uncultured man had never been helpful. All he wanted was to sleep with her! Disgusting. Waverly looked at him, and she had an unnoticeable chill in her eyes. She wanted to marry Anthony and be Mrs. Bailey! Max, the trash that he was, wanted her to marry him? Not happening! However... If she wanted to ruin Charmine and Anthony, she could use Max. Waverly lifelessly looked at Max, and what a heart-tugging sight it was. " Max, I can''t go back yet. You know everything that happened to me; Charmine had insulted me. If I run away now, will I ever be able to stand for myself again?" With that said, she leaned over and repressed the disgust in her as she kissed his lips. She said, "We''ll discuss going backter on, alright?" The touch of her lips dazed Max, and he instantly listened to her. "Alright, then," he conceded and hugged her. "I''ll listen to you." Waverly smiled gently. "Carry on with your day. I want to be alone." 2 Max looked at her longingly. With that, he left a peck on her forehead. Don''t trouble yourself unnecessarily. Call me if there''s anything. I''ll go and see if I can do anything to that Charmine for you!" "Okay." Max then had to take his leave, all while Waverly watched him exit the room. The moment the door was shut, her smile stiffened and her expression turned evil. What useless trash! Waverly leaned on the sofa furiously and elegantly lit up a cigarette. She took in a deep breath and exhaled through her red lips. After a moment, she took up her phone to contact Fredrick. "Father, I have a project that I''d like to discuss with you." 1 "Oh?" Fredrick said gently, "What project?" "You¡¯re the master of stic surgery in Kansas. If you''re willing to open up a branch in Burlington to pass on the techniques and products, I think you¡¯ll make a handsome sum." chapter 1821 chapter 1821 "Furthermore, you''ll be able to stay in Burlington much longer to see me, Father." Fredrick thought for a moment before he affectionately agreed, saying, Alright. As long as you''re certain of this, I agree." Waverly smiled at this. "Alright. You could arrange a cross-nation business conference between Kansas and Burlington. This project has to be detailed, and the conference can be as long as ten days or half a month." Fredrick agreed. "Alright, I¡¯ll make a proposal. I¡¯ll contact you once there¡¯s progress." "Alright, Father. Thank you." "Always a pleasure to make my daughter happy." Waverly nodded and hung up. She then leaned on the sofa and picked up the half-burnt cigarette, resuming her smoking session apathetically. She looked out the window evilly. Charmine Jordan- Even though she was married to Anthony, Charmine must not be happy. Waverly wanted her to feel what it was like to be a lonely wife! At the Bailey Mansion. By the time Anthony finished with his work, it was the wee hours of the following when he got home. He hugged Charmine and slept for hours. Without realizing it, it was already morning. A maid''s voice was heard from outside the room. "Master, Madam." Anthony woke up and said, "Come in." The maid brought in a well-brewed bird nest soup and said, "Master, this bird nest is for Madam." Charmine walked over and saw the snow-white soup. "I don''t eat this,¡± she said. "But, Madam, both Grandma Bailey and Mdm. Susan would consume this. Mdm. Susan asked me to bring this to you.¡± Anthony looked at the maid, displeased. "Madam said she doesn''t like it, so take it away!" He then turned to hug Charmine and said with a gentle tone, tone far from harsh like his initial tone. "My darling has me for breakfast." Charmine was baffled at this, however, and pushed him away. Was he not embarrassed in front of others? The maid, on the other hand, merely smiled upon seeing how sweet they were together. "Just take it away," said Anthony. "Understood." The maid instantly left. Anthony shut the door and hoisted Charmine into his arms. "Ah!" Charmine cried out and looked at him, bright-eyed. "Anthony, put me down!" "I won''t." His eyes darkened, and his usually stoic face morphed with his cheeky expression. "My darling''s been hungry for a few days, and I gotta feed her." Charmine was speechless. Was he so unsatisfied that all he could think of was that thing? Anthony leaned in, his sexy jaw disyed, as he caught her lips in an amorous kiss. He was a normal man, and it would kill him to be around such a beautiful, alluring woman every day. Charmine''s fair face turned pink upon hearing Anthony''s words, and she found herself no longer against the act. She was Anthony''s wife, after all, and this was normal. She must not let him suffer for her. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. "Go on, then." Charmine threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. Anthony halted. Meeting her shy gaze, he could feel his blood rushing to one particr direction. Heid her in bed and lowered his head to kiss her. As his lips tangoed with hers, he had a shback of the words she had said to him. Til kill you.'' His body stiffened at the memory, and his pursuit paused. chapter 1822 chapter 1822 Charmine would no doubt hate him to the core if she found out it was him that night from five years ago, what more with him knowing of this fact! Anthony snapped out of it, and half the lust in his eyes dissipated. He got off of her and fixed her messy hair as he affectionately spoke," Alright, I¡¯ll stop messing around. You don¡¯t like it during the day, so I won¡¯t force you." Charmine''s eyes narrowed at thisment; it just felt off. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Anthony...stopped it just like that? This was not like him. As Charmine was still bewildered, Anthony pulled her up to the side of the bed and hugged her. "My darling, have you thought of where you want to go for our honeymoon?" Charmine frowned, still thinking about what just happened. She asked, Anthony, you just-" "What?" Anthony''s thin lips curled into a small smirk. "Did you want to continue, dearest?" "Of course not!" Charmine reacted instinctively. She was just curious. Anthony looked at her gently. "It''s still too rushed now." With that said, he leaned in. "I want you to remember how romantic our first time together will be." Charmine was speechless. She gazed at Anthony intently, but just as she was about to say something... The silence in the room broke with the sound of a phone ringing. Anthony''s body jolted, and just likest time, his ''business'' was cut off. He was not pleased with this, and his elegant face turned dark. Charmine snapped out of her trance and reached out to help Anthony button up his half-opened shirt. "Just go. Something urgent probably came up." Anthony frowned. He thought of the deal with ILM, so he got out of bed and walked to get his phone. It was a stranger¡¯s number. Anthony picked up. "Who''s speaking?" A gentle male voice was heard from the other end as he said, "President Bailey, I¡¯m the Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Economics in Burlington. I have a proposal to discuss with you." Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Economics? Anthony frowned, and his face became stoic. "Speak." "ording to the data, the number of Burlington¡¯s stic surgery outpatients is zero point three percent. The amount spent is as high as thirteen point seven billion, while the consumers buying skin products from other countries is ny percent. The total amount spent is as high as fifty- six billion. Fredrick D''Cruz from Kansas nned on opening a branch of his hospital in Burlington. He¡¯d license us his skincare line. If we can keep him, it¡¯ll bring Burlington''s smooth development, and we can boost our economics. "President Bailey, you¡¯re the most sessful businessman in Burlington, and we hope that you can be in charge of meeting Fredrick D''Cruz''s team to show them all the medical facilities in all cities, including the malls selling skincare products. I hope you can take on this project!" Anthony''s eyes darkened. The numbers mentioned could make any business person''s eyes sparkle. Furthermore, all these years, Kansas had overwhelmed Burlington''s medical beauty scene. This interested Anthony, but... If he agreed to this, he would have to leave home for a few days, or even half a month. He just got married to Charmine, too! Anthony''s gaze dulled as he answered, "I¡¯ll need to ask my wife." The man on the other end halted before he warned, "President Bailey, if we can learn from Fredrick D''Cruz''s technology, we''ll be able to keep arge sum of consumers spending locally. I hope you can think through this. Once you made up your mind, give me a call anytime." "Okay." Anthony hung up and went back to bed. Charmine saw how serious he looked and asked, "What is it?" Anthony said, "Fredrick is interested in opening up a branch hospital in Burlington. He wants to share his technology. If we can work with him, it''ll be a good development for Burlington." Of course, Charmine knew the data of the money spent outside Burlington on skincare per year. If this n could work, they would be able to keep an impressive amount of money locally. chapter 1823 chapter 1823 Charmine held Anthony¡¯s hand and assured him, "Go and take charge of this task." Anthony''s eyes darkened. "If I do, I¡¯ll have to bring Fredrick''s team to collect data in different cities. I won''t be able to stay home with you." Charmine, however, calmly answered, "It''s okay, it¡¯s only a few days or weeks. It''s not like we haven''t been apart before. Furthermore, now that we''re married, I¡¯m staying at your house, waiting for you to come home. What are you worried about?" Anthony gently rubbed her head and knew Charmine was concerned about the politics of Burlington. He nodded and agreed. He lowered his head to kiss Charmine''s glistening forehead. "Wait for me toe home, dearest." "Okay." With that, Charmine helped Anthony pack up. Seeing Charmine''s maic figure made his heart sink. He got up from the sofa and walked over to hug her from the bag. He leaned on her shoulder and muttered, "I''ll miss you, dearest." Charmine put down the clothes at hand, and her cold hands stroked his back. She said, "We can video call in your spare time," she suggested. "Ten or so days will pass quickly." Anthony sighed. "I''m sorry." Charmine smiled. "It''s alright. Go get it done, don''t worry." Anthony turned her small figure around to face him, lifted her face by her chin, and caught her kiss with his passionately. His action might have been domineering, but he was gentle as he did. Anthony slowly released Charmine, and rather reluctantly at that. He picked up his suitcase and said, "Call me if anything, dearest." "I will," said Charmine. "You''re my husband; who else should I call if I don''t call you?" 1 It was rare for her to say this, and he felt emotional just hearing those words. He looked at her deeply before leaving without turning back. He then went downstairs and got into the car. When he saw Charmine standing on the balcony from his rear mirror, his eyes darkened emotionally. How he wanted to hug her tight and kiss her harshly...but he dared not stop. He would never be able to leave her if he turned. Charmine stood on the balcony as she watched the car bing smaller and smaller, until it eventually vanished. Only then did she look away. She looked far away, and her clear eyes grew murky with her thoughts. Why would Fredrick open up a hospital in Burlington? Moreover, why would he even share his technology with them? Waverly must have been involved. Charmine¡¯s eyes narrowed at this. With a thought, she got changed and drove away. As she was on the road, however, her phone from inside the bag rang. Charmine''s free hand reached in to fish out the phone. It was Senior Jordan. She picked up right away. "Grandpa, what is it?" From the other end of the phone, Senior Jordan''s aged voice was heard, " Charmine, are you free today?" "Yes," answered Charmine, "is everything alright?" Senior Jordan then replied, albeit seemingly formal, "Come home. I have things to tell you." "Okay." Charmine hung up and drove toward the Jordan mansion instead. When she arrived at the Jordan mansion, she met up with Senior Jordan, who then brought her straight to the prayer room solemnly. Inside the nicely furnished prayer room were more than ten name tes, and Senior Jordan led Charmine to pay respects to one of them. Charmine grew suspicious of his actions and asked, "Grandpa, what happened?" Why did he suddenly bring her to the prayer room? Senior Jordan looked at Charmine and said, "Charmine, I think the whole issue with Tiffany is quite strange. Aren''t you curious why you¡¯re the adopted daughter, but I''ve always treated you well?" 1 Charmine nodded. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. She had always been curious about this, too. chapter 1824 chapter 1824 Senior Jordan looked at the te in front of him and recalled the incident that urred about 20 years ago. His gaze seemed to have drifted. "Back then, when your mother brought you home, I went to that area and did my investigation. I met a security guard who, coincidentally, was also looking for a lost child. He told me that he was a rich man and loved a woman, who had his baby. However, his business failed and he went bankrupt. The woman''s feelings for him changed in the aftermath, and she left him cold-bloodedly. She even took all his money away. He had been looking for that woman and his daughter. I thought of you, and all the numbers and the birth dates matched up. I even secretly took your blood for a DNA test. The result showed that you''re the daughter of that security." Charmine frowned. However, she did a DNA test with Joey and Adam, and she was the heiress of the Jordan mansion! How could it be? Senior Jordan had aplex look in his eyes. "All these years, I thought that you¡¯re the security guard''s daughter. The other day when I met up with him, a tornado happened to hit, and the man had been crushed to death by a tree to save me. All these years, even though everyone said you''re just adopted, I still treat you well." The mystery was finally unlocked. This was it. Senior Bailey then added, "However, thinking back, Tiffany was the adopted one. Someone must have switched your blood samples during the examination. This is the only possibility!¡± Charmine narrowed her eyes. She was the actual heiress, while Tiffany was adopted. This could be the only possibility! However, Tiffany had already be the D''Cruz family''s heiress. Charmine frowned as her eyes gleamed fiercely. So, Tiffany had lied to the well-reputed D''Cruz family of Kansas and yed them for fools? Hmm... How interesting. Senior Jordan looked at Charmine and said, "Charmine, you¡¯re our heiress, blood-born. All these years, we''ve wronged you." T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Charmine shook her head. "Grandpa, you¡¯ve always treated me well. I was never wronged." When Senior Jordan heard this, he was even more upset. However, Charmine remained calm as she held his hands. "Grandpa, I really don¡¯t mind. You didn''t know either." Senior Jordan sighed. "Charmine, how are you going to deal with the whole thing about Tiffany?" Charmine''s eyes darkened. "I''ll sort this out, Grandpa, don¡¯t worry." After Charmine left the Jordan mansion, she drove to a researchboratory named Jules. Jules was a skincare brand owned by Charmine. This brand could cure many skin-rted problems, and they had ranges of products like replenishing water, whitening, anti-aging, and many more. Within three years, the brand became famous and became a cult favorite of many wealthy women all over the world. Charmine, however, was just taking her sweet time with this brand. She did not intend to make money, too. No matter how tough the women fought for the products, she would only sell a thousand packages per year. Rochelle was the person in charge of Jules. Rochelle was dressed in a white shirt and a tight pencil skirt, and sported a pair of ten-centimeter-heels that clicked against the floor as she walked. She was gentle and alluring with a hint of impishness. She walked into the office when she spotted Charmine on the seat, much to her surprise. "Boss Jordan, what brings you here?" Charmine looked up at her and ordered, "Apply patents and permits for ourpany. Mass-produce it and set up advertisements. Also, change the name from Jules to Poulenc. Rochelle''s eyes widened at Charmine in shock. chapter 1825 chapter 1825 "Boss Jordan, why the sudden change?" Charmine formally spoke, "Jules was a name I simply came up with. Now that I want to develop it properly, I need to give it a better name. I want this skincare brand to be internationally known, to let it have a name for itself!" "Wonderful, Boss Jordan!" chirped Rochelle giddily. "Producing a thousand packages per year is so boring; I can finally get busy. Furthermore, producing more also means that we can profit more!" Thinking of how the skincare brand she took charge of could finally be of mass production, Rochelle was utterly exhrated. Moreover, the thought of money made her eyes sparkle. Charmine looked at her and remarked, "When you''re so busy that you don¡¯t have time to rest, don''t come to me crying." Rochelle smirked proudly. "Of course I won''t. Seeing more people using our products and earning more money will make me happier!" 1 Charmine nodded. After sorting out everything else necessary, she took up her phone to call Rio and instructed, "Gather the top-hundred superstars to be our skincare brand ambassador." Rio, shocked at the sudden announcement, spoke, "Boss Jordan, you¡¯ve finally thought it through? You''re no longer a stay-at-home wife and now want to reim your mogul throne?" Charmine''s red lips curled into a smirk. "I want to be a stay-at-home wife and a boss, too." Within a few days, the Poulenc brand was actively mentioned in the most- searched list, and it received a lot of attention. Poulenc established many shops online, and the brand came out strong. The advertisements were seen everywhere, too, as countless famous superstars started advertising for it, holding the product. They said to the camera, "Poulenc, the skincare that brings out the charm in you." Within a night, television advertisements, subway stations, subways, buses, LED billboards repeatedly yed Pounlec¡¯s advertisements. It made waves of uproar, and countless wealthy women were enthralled by it. Charmine and Rochelle stood before the LED screen in theboratory and smiled in satisfaction at the advertisement being yed. "You¡¯re amazing, Charmine," said Rochelle. "You made a name for Poulenc within a few days!" Charmine looked away and then at her. "You worked hard, too. Your bonus this year will be ten times." Rochelle''s eyes widened at the news. "You¡¯re not pulling my leg, are you, Boss Jordan? Ten times?" Charmine saw how happy Rochelle looked and said helplessly, "You¡¯re not exactlycking money, Rochelle-you''re just getting ten times your pay. Why are you so excited?" Rochelle smiled. "I don''tck any money, but I love money. There''s no conflict." Charmine felt helpless. "Work hard, and themissions you earn will also be arge sum." Rochelle rubbed her hands happily. "Boss Jordan, you¡¯re the best!¡± Charmine looked at her and thought of something. She asked, ''You''re already twenty-one. Do you have a boyfriend?" "Boyfriend?" Rochelle was imagining countless money falling from above and drowning her. Hearing the word ''boyfriend''jolted her instead, and she shook her head vigorously. "No, no, no! I don''t do rtionships! Can a boyfriend feed me? It¡¯s not as fun as making money!¡± Charmine looked at how much she loved money and did not know what to say. She was such an adorable woman and kind-hearted at that, yet she treated money as her everything and love as evil. However, everyone had a different take on life. It was fine to not be in love. She put her arm around Rochelle''s shoulder. "Let''s go, money-lover. Let''s check out the production line." "Okay" Rochelle smiled and entered an anti-bacteriaboratory with Charmine. Within a week, Anthony and Fredrick''s team finally finished examining all of the cosmetic scenes in the country. Meanwhile, the team stopped at St. Martons. Anthony asked Fredrick out to meet in a coffee shop where they eventually met and sat opposite one another.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. chapter 1826 chapter 1826 Both men, d in their suit, reeked of elegance and sess that could not be hidden. Anthony crossed his long legs and held onto his coffee cup elegantly. He took a small sip and looked across at Fredrick before saying, the bass of his voice evident, "Mr. D''Cruz, as you''ve seen, the cosmetic market in Burlington is bigger than that in Kansas. You may open up a branch in Burlington, and the sales won¡¯t do any worse than Kansas." Fredrick looked at Anthony calmly. "President Bailey, I''m not against the idea of opening a branch here. However, I have a condition." Anthony put down his cup and said, "Enlighten me." Fredrick then answered, his tone authoritative, "The only condition is for you to divorce Charmine and marry my daughter, Waverly." Anthony paused at this and looked at him incredulously. "Mr. D¡¯Cruz, this is a personal matter. How does this have anything to do with the business deal?¡± "Call me selfish," said Fredrick, "but I love my daughter, and I¡¯ll do anything so long as she''s happy." i Anthony scoffed. "It''s apparent that there¡¯s no point for us to discuss any further." He buttoned up his suit and stood up to leave. Fredrick said confidently, "President Bailey, are you truly not considering it? ording to what I know, Burlington doesn''t have any luxury skincare products. Furthermore, there''s no reliable cosmetic products produced locally. Every consumer relied on imported goods, too, hence all the profits are going out of the country! Kansas will always be in charge of the economics of cosmetics, and I¡¯ll always be in charge." Noticing Anthony''s stoic expression, Frederick had assumed he was slowly getting his point and getting convinced. "President Bailey, if you do as I say, I''ll privately let you own up to fifty percent shares of all the cosmetic markets in Burlington." Anthony, however, did not even hesitate as he coldly declined, "Apologies, but I¡¯m notcking money." Even if he was offered a 100-percent share, he would not leave Charmine for Waverly! Fredrick''s expression, the expression he wore during their negotiation, faltered into silent fury. "You''re too young-blooded and unruly, Anthony!" Frederick scoffed. "You''d leave your country to sink for the sake of your own happiness?" Anthony smiled coldly. "You''re the selfish party here. I never coborate with a selfish partner!" With that said, he stood up and left. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Fredrick''s eyes darkened. Anthony''s attitude... If it was not for Waverly, he would admire hismitment and personality. Unfortunately... He red at Anthony''s back and said, "Anthony, be ready for all the imported cosmetics to double the price!" Burlington had no resources to produce expensive skincare products, and Anthony¡¯s arrogance, should it fester, would bring Burlington''s downfall! All of a sudden... "Is that so?" came a haughty response that rang from the stairs. Anthony was all-too-familiar with that voice, and he turned around to see... Charmine, d in a white shirt and high-waist pants, showcasing her long, slim legs. Her hair was tied back as she also sported sunsses. Coupled with her heels, she looked visibly professional and smart. She exuded an air of a sessful businesswoman. She walked up to Anthony''s side and removed her sunsses, and it revealed her fair, stunning face. Seeing her up close, Anthony curiously asked, "Charmine, why did youe?" "Oh, I''m here to teach Mr. D''Cruz a lesson!" replied Charmine as she coldly nced at Fredrick. She then took out a few stacks of newspapers from her luxury-branded bag and tossed them onto the table, slightly scattering them in the process. [Burlington''s cosmetic scene is now stronger!] [Poulenc shot up the fame in one night! It caused an uproar, and countless wealthy women are fighting for it!] chapter 1827 chapter 1827 (Poulenc had opened online stores within a few days. It has be the best-selling skincare range in Burlington!] [The Poulenc official page also deres, ''If our products are not as effective as the international brands, Poulenc staff members will eat every skincare released under the brand and livestream it.¡¯] [The owner of Poulenc also dered that the first one hundred thousand products sold will only be half of its initial price! The skincare takes up to twenty-eight days to be fully effective. If the effects are not as promoted, they will repay ten times the price!] The incredibly powerful advertisements instantly skyrocketed the brand''s poprity. The sales were even better than other more established brands! Anthony''s eyes darkened at the news as he then turned to look at Charmine. What an uncanny yet bold way of advertising things. It seemed very familiar. Meanwhile, Fredrick took up the newspapers, unable to believe his eyes as he read them, frowning. He scoffed. "How could this be? It''s only been a few days, so how could Burlington suddenly produce so many luxury skincare products?!" Charmine sneered at him. "You may choose to not believe it, and you may also increase your price however you like, too. After all, we no longer need to import your products!" With that said, she held onto Anthony''s hand and said, "Let''s head home, darling." "Okay." Anthony held her by the waist and brought her to walk, i After taking two steps, however, Charmine thought of something. She stopped and turned back. "Mr. D''Cruz, I hope you can ry to Waverly that she should stop trying. Stop trying to threaten anyone! Don''t be so bold as to even attempt to steal things that''s not hers!" Fredrick smiled coldly and said, "It¡¯s too early for you to be arrogant. With Burlington''s resources, how will you produce any effective skincare? Producing skincare is not like making an idol; you need actual technology here. The advertisement isn''t sustainable! You¡¯lle back to me in no time!" Charmine smiled confidently. "I hope the day wille before you turn a hundred years old." With that said, she held onto Anthony. "Let''s go, darling." Fredrick''s face sank. How could Charmine be so confident?! Was...Poulenc that capable? He took up his phone and was about to ask his staff to find out more about Poulenc, but before he even called, his assistant beat him to it, reporting," Bad news, President. The new sales deal we have has been canceled. "Also... Also, many coborators we''ve had for years also phoned us earlier, and they don¡¯t want to resume the contracts! "They said... They said they want to coborate with Poulenc!" "What!?" Fredrick¡¯s expression faltered. 1 Poulenc was that powerful? How?! Amid his fury, his tumultuous rage, he recalled... He, Frederick, was the master of stic surgery, whose skincare products had always made the top sales all over the country. Poulenc was merely good at marketing themselves! When the time was up and it was not as effective, all consumers would go back to buy imported products from Kansas! He had experienced one too many events all these years. Many up-and-ing brands made themselves popr for only a period before they, too, ended up closing their stores. Ha! Fredrick smirked coldly. "Get me a package of Poulenc!" 1 He wanted to see if they could truly contend against him, toe-to-toe! Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Meanwhile... Anthony held onto Charmine''s hand as they went into the lift. He looked at her gently. "Did you start Poulenc?" Charmine looked at him, bright-eyed. ''That¡¯s a secret! It¡¯s our private time now, so no business talk!" chapter 1828 chapter 1828 Anthony nodded and did not question Charmine any further. He brought her closer into his arms and huskily teased, "You came all the way to St. Martons for me, dearest?" "It''s not just that, really. There is one other thing." "Oh?" He gazed down at her. "What is it?¡± Charmine met his burning gaze and had a sincere look in her eyes. "I missed you." Anthony''s heart sank and hugged her tightly. "What a coincidence; I missed you too.¡± Charmine wound her arms around Anthony as she cuddled into him fondly. Silence enveloped the couple as they enjoyed the silent moment of bliss. They soon got out of the cafe where a sports car was parked by the side. Anthony recognized that it was Charmine''s car. He walked her toward the car and opened the door for her. "Mydy, after you.¡± Charmine stepped in, her slim legs carrying her into the car, while Anthony ced his hand at the car door''s frame to shield her head. Once Charmine was properly seated, Anthony then leaned over to fasten her seatbelt. He spoiled and loved her deeply. He then walked around the car and got to the driver¡¯s seat. Charmine gazed at him affectionately as he got inside and fastened the seatbelt for him, too. Both of them were so close to one another in the car. Gazing at Charmine''s delicate face, he could not help leaning in and kissing her gently. Charmine halted, and she looked at him. "Drive, Mr. Bailey." Anthony smiled. "Yes, Mrs. Bailey." Both of them exchanged nces, their eyes filled with one another, and smiled. 1 When Fredrick went back to Burlington and passed by the city center, he saw a few shops of Poulenc on the same street. Most shocking of all, each shop had a long queue. The luxury shops were filled with people, and the sales seemed to be grand, too! Fredrick frowned-somehow growing anxious and uncertain-and went back to the hotel where his assistant was waiting for him. The assistant reported, "President, I''ve queued all morning to buy a package of Poulenc. I''ve left it at yourboratory." Fredrick nodded and said, "Thanks." He went to hisboratory and saw the delicately packaged skincare box on his desk. He frowned. The package consisted of gold and white colors; it looked high-end and luxurious. It did look quite presentable. However... The most important element of a skincare product was its effect.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. With that, he went toward the table and opened the Poulenc package to run some tests with his devices. Half an hourter... Fredrick saw the data on the device and felt as if he had just taken a blow. His face turned pale and his legs went soft. He staggered a few steps backward. His trembling hands grasped at the wall, and his eyes were filled with disbelief. How could it be!? Why would Poulenc be more effective than his skincare products? Poulenc was two times better! Using his nourishing products could only replenish up to 68% of water, while using Poulenc could instantly replenish upto 99% of water! This was a first in history! They even had anti-pore skincare products. Using other Kansas-made products would take at least one cycle to remove the pores, but only half a bottle of Poulenc would be effective! The cosmetics of Burlington had indeed improved tremendously. Burlington was actually able to produce such skincare products! Worse still, he just could not study the genuine ingredients! Within one, short week¡¯s time, Poulenc had beaten many well-known brands that had existed for many years from Kansas! Fredrick looked at the skincare products before his eyes in disbelief. He was unperturbed at first, but that morphed into depression. chapter 1829 chapter 1829 Fredrick could not believe everything that had happened. Reluctantly, he ran a few more tests, but every result showed just how Poulenc was far ahead of his products! Fredrick finally admitted defeat. He sighed and went to find Waverly. The moment she saw him, Waverly excitedly asked, "How did it go, Father? Did Anthony agree?" A momentter, she saw how defeated Fredrick looked. She arched her brows elegantly. "Father, what happened?" Fredrick looked at her dully and sighed, saying, "Waverly, I tried my best. Poulenc is way more effective than our Kansas'' products. Furthermore, I can see that Anthony and Charmine are truly in love. They¡¯re married, so don''t ruin their marriage. Waverly, listen to me: return with me to Kansas and stay with Max. I''ll be more at ease this way.¡± Waverly was furious, so much so that she was close to cursing, but thinking of something, she shut her eyes and took a deep breath. When she reopened her eyes, she looked frail and helpless. She walked toward Fredrick and held his hand, softly saying, "Father, how can I give up so easily? Charmine ruined me so badly! She shredded my innocence and framed me to have slept with an assistant! She even ruined my reputation and made Julian dump me! She stole everything from me! Am I supposed to just be content with this? You said you reconciled with me to make me happy, and now you''re on her side?" "Of course not." Fredrick thought of how much he owed her and how hard it was to have found his daughter; he did not want to harm her. He instantly exined, "Waverly, why would I side with Charmine? I only want you to be good. You¡¯ll feel bad stealing a married man." Waverly bit her lip, her eyes brimmed with tears, making her a pitiable sight. "Father, I really like Anthony," she whimpered hoarsely, "and only Anthony is good enough for me. If I can¡¯t be with him. I''ll never be happy. I''ll suffer my whole life if you want me to go back to Kansas!" Fredrick gazed at his daughter, his girl with eyes reddened with tears, and became anxious. He quickly reached out to wipe off her tears and said, "Waverly, don''t cry. Whatever you do, I¡¯ll support you!" Despite her reddening nose, Waverly''s eyes faintly, oh-so faintly, gleamed with viciousness, but she then sniffed and feebly reasoned, "Father, I don¡¯t want to go back. Can you stay here with me?" Fredrick saw the tears that streamed down her face. How could he turn her down? He instantly nodded, "Alright, I won''t ask you to go back, and I won¡¯t go back. I''ll stay here with you." Waverly''s upset face brightened a little with a faint smile. She held onto Fredrick''s arm and said, "Father, if you stay, I won''t make you bored. Now that Poulenc is so famous and stole your sales, I won¡¯t let my father get bullied by another country!" Hearing this moved Fredrick. Regardless, he helplessly conceded, "This brand is indeed good, and I had been defeated. I admit it." He could only try to establish a better product topete with them. Waverly had a disappointed look. "I don''t wish for my father to be a coward. If you''re defeated, don''t stay defeated." Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Fredrick met her disappointed gaze and said, "Waverly, I won''t get defeated so easily. For your sake, I won''t let Charmine win this so easily!" Waverly''s disappointment only then faded. She smiled. "Father, let¡¯s open our first branch in Burlington. You stay here and pass me your technology." Her eyes red with determination. ''TH win this war for you!" chapter 1830 chapter 1830 Fredrick saw how confident Waverly looked and frowned, asking, "Waverly, now that Poulenc is so famous, how''re you going to win?" Waverly had a smirk on her face as she said, "Father, we''ll use our best products to sell at a lower price, in addition to a reduction of fifty percent off the price! I know this incredibly affordable price will defeat Poulenc!" Although Fredrick was not confident in this, he knew Waverly was trying to help. This would obviously be a loss, no doubt, but as long as it was what Waverly wanted, he would be happy to offer. 2 Fredrick looked at her dotingly. "Okay, Waverly. I''ll do as you please." On that same night, an article rushed up to the heat list number one! [Wave] In the article, an ID named #Wave dered, [Our official store will be online at 00:00 tonight. The promotion price will be lower than the original price, and in addition to that, every item will be 50 % off! The first 1,000 consumers will be gifted a branded ne. We sell high-end products imported from Kansas. We have official stores, too. Any purchased item online, including masks, skincare, or voucher can be exchanged and redeemed at our stores.] This instantly made flurries of impression, and many peoplemented on the matter. [Wow! These are all imported skincare from Kansas! They''re all fifty percent off and are even cheaper than buying overseas!] [The stic surgery coupon worth fifty million bucks is only twenty-five million when bought online! And the surgeon will be the famous Master Fredrick D''Cruz!] 1 [What a deal! I want a nicer nose! I''ll buy ten vouchers now!] [No way! The skincare worth of one million bucks only takes five hundred thousand? And we can even get free massages and facials from their shops?] [What a deal! Not only that, but they''re also gifting expensive nes!] [The boss of Wave is so generous! They''re more generous than Poulenc!] [I will stay upte to buy it; I want to be one of the first 1,000 customers!] As the clock hit 12 at night, the online store Wave went online. Suddenly, those who saw the advertisement made their orders persistently. There were innumerable orders that customers just could not check out their items! Within half an hour, their skyrocketing sales brought Wave to the top two in the country! T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Although the sales were only a few billion behind Poulenc, the sales of Wave were still increasing. Inside a luxurious room. Waverly leaned on the elegant sofa, her phone at hand as she studied Wave''s sales from a designated application. Looking at the rising sales, she had a smile on her lips. Ha! Poulenc was too weak to fight against her! Waverly''s expression morphed into a victorious look and poured herself red wine arrogantly, tasting it afterward. At four in the morning, the sales of Wave had surpassed Poulenc. It became the number one skincare online shop in the world! Within one night, Wave became popr and became a cult favorite of many. 1 The next day, the actual store of Wave was filled with people. The luxuriously furnished shop of a few thousand squares with a few hundred staff was entirely busy. Countless wealthy heiresses and wives came to make purchases and receive treatments. The ce was jam-packed with people. Fredrick was just as busy as arge group of people waited for him to perform surgery on them. 1 Max personally attended Wave''s publicity, too. Being the handsome and mature man he was with arge, well-built figure, he garnered the attention from manydies and wealthy women. Due to this, many people followed #Wave and came to Burlington for this. Within a few days, Wave became even more popr. It was at its peak! Meanwhile... In the past few days, Charmine was monitoring the production of Poulenc. She was very busy. As she was working, the phone in her pocket rang. chapter 1831 chapter 1831 Charmine removed her gloves and took out her phone. Noticing that it was Kay calling her, she answered the call, "What is it?" Kay said in a low voice, "Boss Jordan, I''ve noticed that Waverly and Max had been acting strangely for the past few days." "In what ways?" Charmine frowned. Kay said, "I noticed that they''re asking the people to go away while they stay inside the room for a long while. I also noticed that the way Max looks at Waverly is rather peculiar." Charmine frowned and smiled knowingly. "I know." It seemed that Tiffany yed dirty once again. At the Bailey mansion. Susan woke up from her afternoon nap and leaned on the sofa in the living room, reading the newspapers. A maid named Yuri walked in with an expensive, exquisite-looking bag and handed it to Susan. "Madam, I queued for the entire day and finally managed to get you a set of Poulenc." Susan put down her papers and unwrapped the elegant box. Seeing the expensive, delicate-looking bottles in the set, Susan smiled with satisfaction. She could hardly wait as she opened the package andthered it at the back of her hand. She could feel how delicate, soft, and gentle the products'' texture was. She could not help but admire them. 1 She had always been a big fan of Jules. All these years, she had been maintaining her fine skin with that product. Even as Jules had been reinvented as Poulenc, she had to buy it still. However, this version looked even better than Jules. Receiving the set-and her favorite item, at that-Susan pleasantly took out a stack of cash and handed it to the maid. "Thanks." "You¡¯re wee, Madam." Yuri epted it politely, bowed, and left. After a few steps, she saw a stunning figure by the door. Yuri looked over and stood still humbly. "Madam." Charmine nodded and walked past her. She was in a rush to go to the study, wanting to verify the rtionship between Waverly and Max. Even after that, she still had to rush back to the factory. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. With her mind upied with various thoughts, Charmine did not notice Susan sitting in the living room. When she arrived by the stairs, she heard an emotionless voiceing behind her, bitterly saying, "What? You won''t even greet your mother-inw now?" Charmine halted. She turned and only then noticed Susan who was leaning on the sofa. All the while, Susan was nonchntly rubbing the product on her neck elegantly. Charmine frowned; she did not notice her earlier. She could only apologize, "I apologize, but I didn''t see you earlier." Susan scoffed. "Did you not see me, or did you think your mother-inw did not exist?!" Charmine was helpless. "I honestly didn''t see you." Susan put down the skincare elegantly and turned to look at her. Before she could rebuke Charmine, Susan gave her a once-over and frowned. "Don¡¯t forget your identity, Charmine!" Charmine was speechless. Was Susan looking for trouble? What did she mean, ¡¯don''t forget your identity''? i Susan looked as if she was the most elegant woman after using Poulenc. She strutted toward Charmine in her heels as she scrutinized her from head to toe. "You''re now the mistress of the Bailey mansion, and that means you''ll be representing the family when you head out!" Susan scoffed at Charmine, her tone degrading and haughty as she continued, "How can you dress this way? Your hair is messy, and your skin looks bad. Don''t you wear makeup? If anyone sees you, how will they view us, the Bailey family? Do you think just anyone can be Mrs. Bailey?" chapter 1832 chapter 1832 Charmine replied calmly, "I''m very busy, and I don''t have time for these." Even if Charmine did not put on any makeup, she was still stunning. Due to Poulenc¡¯s booming sales for the past few days, they were so busy that she had to join in and help out. She stayed up for a few nights, which resulted in her looking worn-out. All that, and her skin was not blemished nor ruined! She would never bring shame to the Bailey family. Susan red at her and mocked, "As Mrs. Bailey, however busy you are, you must have basic care for your appearance! Although you have a fine background, you''re upper-ss now that you¡¯re Mrs. Bailey. Even if you don''t need some items, you still have to buy it to show your identity. You must look well-pampered when you go out and not bring shame to yourself! Now that you''re married, you must get used to living like an uppersswoman!" Susan crossed her hands and scoffed. She sounded as though being able to use Poulenc was a totally upper-ss thing to do. Charmine wanted to p back at her but held herself back, reminding herself that she was Anthony''s mother. 3 She did not want to make it difficult for Anthony. She could only say, "Okay." Susan was irked to have heard this response from Charmine, and she red heatedly at Charmine as well. As she was about to say something, however, Charmine quickly interjected, "I''ll be sorting out some things now." Charmine did not even wait for Susan''s response as she slightly jogged up the stairs, leaving a flummoxed Susan behind. Charmine tantly ignored her, even when she had just moved in! Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Heh! She would let Charmine have her days for the time being, but her days would not be as kind and easy in the future! Susan scoffed, and as she turned around, a gentle voice was heard," Madam." Susan looked over and saw Annabel holding something in her hands, walking toward her pliantly. "Ah, you''re back from shopping, Annabel." "Yes." Annabel helped Susan sit on the sofa and handed her something. She said gently, "Madam, I bought something for you. I hope you like it." Susan epted it elegantly and said, "Oh, you! There''s nothing Ick. Why would you buy me anything?" Annabel smiled. "Madam, I know you don¡¯tck anything, but I noticed you wore a dark green gown the other day without an essory. I bought a set of jewelry that I think will go well with the gown." 1 "Is that so?" Susan was surprised that Annabel paid so much attention to her. She opened the delicate box and saw five pieces of dark green jewelry inside: a pair of drop earrings, a ne, a bracelet, and a ring. The jade material was half-transparent, and the pieces of jewelry seemingly gleamed under the light. With just one nce, Susan knew this set was a perfect match to her dark green gown. Susan was very pleased. "Annabel, you¡¯re too thoughtful." Annabel shook her head gently and took out the earrings to put them on for Susan. "Madam, this is just a little something from me. I''ve always remembered the bird nests you bought me." Susan smiled. "Annabel, you¡¯re the best." Annabel was grateful and polite...uni ike Charmine, who did not notice her and did not even greet her! She would not even notice what she wore nor what shecked and buy them for her. Annabel picked up a mirror and ced it in front of Susan to show her her earrings. Oval-shaped green jades swung slightly. No matter what angle one looked from, Susan looked elegant and exquisite. 2 "These earrings suit you, Madam," said Annabel. "Your skin looks fairer and more delicate after you wear them. You don''t look like President Anthony''s mother; you look like his sister." chapter 1833 chapter 1833 Susan smiled happily. She looked at Annabel and grew more fond of her. How nice it would have been if Annabel was her daughter-inw! Annabel was kind and understanding. Furthermore, they got along well, and she respected her. She was easy to bend to her will. They would get along well at the Bailey mansion, yet what poor luck it was that Anthony married Charmine. Forget disrespecting her; Charmine even caused so much conflict after just moving a few days ago! The frustrated Susan ced everything at hand down. She then said, "I''ve got time to spare, Annabel. Why don''t you have a walk with me at the back?" "Sure!" Annabel nodded gently. She instantly packed Susan''s things up for her and supported her. The two of them looked like mother and daughter-inw. They even looked like a mother-and-daughter pair. Nheless, they went to the back peacefully. A thought urred to Susan as she then instructed a maid, "Go and buy another set of Poulenc suitable for Annabel''s skin type." "Yes, Madam." The maid left. Charmine went back to her room. After showering, she was about to enter the study room when she received a phone call from the shop manager, Sandy. ''We got a problem, Boss Jordan." Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Charmine frowned. "What is it?" Sandy said, "The newly opened Wave stole our limelight. Wave has more shops than us, and they took our customers away, too! Now, there are a small handful of heiresses who couldn¡¯t get in their queue inside our shops. Also,e and have a look at this shop. Someone is making a scene!" Wave? Charmine frowned at how...strange things were. She thought for a moment and said, "No hurry, I''ming now." Sandy let out a sigh of relief. "Okay." Charmine hung up the call. With the fear that Sandy might not be able to handle the situation, she quickly took out a T-shirt and pants from the drawer, got dressed, and rushed out with her car key. Charmine could already see a crowd outside the shop before she even came close. The people were unable to get inside, and they were noisy. Charmine parked her car and walked over. As she approached the crowd, a voice called out to her, though mockingly so, "Ms. Jordan?" Charmine stopped and looked over, only to see Susan''s maid, Suzie. 2 Charmine frowned. "Yes?" Suzie scrutinized her from head to toe and scoffed. "Impossible! You, as Mrs. Bailey, had to queue for the products yourself, Ms. Jordan? Even if no maid is working for you, you should at least dress up beforeing outside, no?" 1 Hearing Suzie''sment, everyone turned and saw Charmine dressed in a casual T-shirt and pants. She looked very ordinary and normal. An elegantly dressed woman could not help judging, "This is Anthony''s wife? The new Mrs. Bailey?" "Mrs. Bailey dresses up like this?" "A tee and slippers? Are you kidding me?" "Why would he marry someone like her? What a shame." "She even came on her own to queue for the products. Shouldn¡¯t she have sent a maid of hers to do that?" Charmine frowned and looked at them coldly. As she was about to exin A limited-edition hypersport car pulled over, and it instantly diverted everyone¡¯s attention from Charmine to the car. Charmine did not bother. She wanted to walk past the crowd to get into the store when an elegant, proud voice was heard, "Charmine?" She stopped once again to look over. She saw thevishly dressed McKenzie, who strutted toward her in her heels, her demeanor as expensive as her clothings. Two maids were by her sides: one held up an umbre for her while the other one fanned her. It was obvious to see just how pampered Waverly was. chapter 1834 chapter 1834 The other heiresses queuing outside the store greeted, "Ms. McKenzie.1 Mackenzie looked at the women coldly and then fixed her elegant eyes on Charmine. It was apparent that she did not like Charmine. "Anthony has such a bad taste, huh?" Those who were judging Charmine continued their gossip. "I know! The Baileys are one of the top wealthy families, yet her wife actually dresses like this to buy skincare?" "I feel embarrassed for the Baileys." "Ms. Jordan, please take care of your appearance. You not only represent yourself now; you represent the Baileys as well!¡± "If my son married someone like you, I''d rather die." The judgmentalments were heard. Suzie, meanwhile, walked toward McKenzie and said, her tone evidently buttery, "Oh, how nice would it have been if Anthony married you instead, Ms. Mckenzie. You''re well-educated and are from a wealthy family. You two are a way better match. You even built a phonepany and did a lot of research. You''re the best of the bests!¡± With that said, Suzie looked at Charmine and said with a disgusted tone," As they say: noparison, no harm." McKenzie looked ahead with her wless face. She was so cold that she did not even look at Suzie. Shenguidly crossed her arms and said, "Unfortunately, your President Bailey doesn''t have as good a taste. He likes an outcast." As she spoke, her clear eyes scanned Charmine from head to toe, evidently displeased. It was as if she was a white swan from the skies while Charmine was just a frog down the well. Her proud temperament was admired by countless heiresses at the scene. McKenzie was right. Charmine was nowhere near a technology mogul like McKenzie! Suddenly... "Boss!" The gossip and murmurs stopped abruptly. The crowd exchanged looks. Instantly, they fixed their eyes on Sandy. ''Boss''? Was she calling for Poulenc¡¯s boss? Was the owner of Poulenc here? Was it Ms. McKenzie? Everyone¡¯s eyes widened at this. They looked at Sandy, waiting for her to disclose the identity of the person they admired so much. All they saw... Sandy walked to Charmine. She hooked her arms around her as if she just saw her lifesaver. "Boss, you''re finally here! I don¡¯t know what to do!" she whined. This sole interaction floored everyone else into silent shock. All eyes widened as they looked at Charmine with disbelief, 1 Charmine was the owner of Poulenc? Within a few days, she turned this brand into the number one shop on the inte? She crushed every other skincare brand from Kansas and turned Poulenc into an international brand. It was Charmine all along? How could it be?! The crowd looked at her suspiciously. "Charmine is that clever? She actually discovered such effective skincare products?" "We seemed to have forgotten one thing...Charmine has always been a mogul!" ''That''s true! The owner of a diamond mine, owner of Ohly, president of Jordan Group..." "Not long ago, she even wonpetitions for Burlington!" "Right! I heard that she even turned a small, poor vige into a vacation vige!" "She''s so powerful; it does make sense for her to establish this brand." Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Everyonemented and started looking at Charmine with admiration instead. 1 "It seems that she¡¯s not an embarrassment to the Baileys after all. The Baileys are lucky to have her!" "She invented such an effective line of products. Burlington no longer had to import any skincare. A powerful woman could marry anyone, including Anthony Bailey!" "We shouldn''t judge one by her outfit; she merely wanted to dress morefortably. We shouldn''t have looked down on her forthat. I think someone is just jealous of her." In the blink of an eye, everyone no longer mocked and hailed her instead. Among the crowd, Suzie''s expression changed. chapter 1835 chapter 1835 D*mn it! Charmine was the owner of Poulenc? She owned thepany producing the skincare products she queued up for?! Suzie was utterly flustered. Charmine was the owner of Poulenc, while she had mocked her for underdressing before entering the shop, calling her an embarrassment to the Bailey family. The tides have turned, and it was she who became the fool. Suzie glowered sharply at Charmine, eyes filled with envy, before she turned to leave. McKenzie, on the other hand, looked visibly suspicious. Poulenc belonged to Charmine, who was involved in every step of its invention and production processes? How could it be? Charmine was just a fool! How could she be so capable? i McKenzie red at Sandy and asked arrogantly, "Is she the owner of Poulenc?" Sandy nodded innocently. "That''s right. My boss has been busy with the production line at the laboratory, so she let me take charge of the shop." As she spoke, Sandy made a weing gesture at Charmine to get inside. "Boss, please go in." Charmine no longer bothered to engage with the crowd and headed into the store. Though dressed in a loose T-shirt, she still exuded coldness andnguidness. The cold look in her eyes tantly showed just how much she did not want to linger a second longer. The crowd looked at her and somehow felt that even though they all looked wealthy, she had crushed them all. McKenzie stood on the spot, her eyes as though they had been frozen over. Charmine was the founder of Poulenc; she underestimated Charmine! However, was it not just a line of skincare products? She was still out of her league! Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. With that, McKenzie left elegantly, her assistant still holding onto the umbre for her all the way. Meanwhile, Charmine and Sandy went into the store and saw Max and a woman standing in the middle of the spacious shop. When he saw Charmineing inside, he did not look shocked to find out that Charmine was the founder. He said coldly, "Charmine, my assistant bought your products a week ago. After using it, she began to suffer from skin allergies and broke out with rashes and pimples!" With that said, he took off his assistant''s mask, revealing her fair face riddled with pimples and rashes with blood. Charmine frowned and turned to Sandy. "Go out and tell the crowd that we''re close today. Give them some samples and ask them toe back tomorrow." Max smiled coldly. "What? Are you feeling guilty of what you''ve done? Charmine, if you don''t give me a perfect solution, even if you asked them to leave, I¡¯ll still let the whole world know that your products are problematic!" Charmine looked at the assistant¡¯s face. Instantly, her eyes were fixed on Max as she asked, "Is there a point in doing this?" Maxughed out loud. "As long as it makes you ufortable, I''m happy! Furthermore, you''ve known me for a while now; I''d do anything to reach my goal!" Charmine scoffed. "Is it worth it to do so much for Tiffany?" Max halted for a split moment before he proudly dered, "What I do for her is none of your business. I''m talking about skin care right now; do not change the subject!" i However, Charmine persisted, saying, "You look quite smart, yet you do such a stupid thing. I feel sad for you father." "What are you saying?!" Max glowered and walked up close toward Charmine, silent fury reeking off of his body. chapter 1836 chapter 1836 However, this did not intimidate Charmine. "Tiffany wants to marry Anthony and treats you as her second option. Is doing all this for her worth it?" Max frowned at Charmine''s words. What did Charmine imply? Had she...figured out about Waverly? Impossible, Only he and Waverly knew the truth! He red at Charmine coldly and said, "Charmine, what nonsense are you talking about! Waverly is my sister!" Charmine scoffed coldly. "Oh, just drop the act, Max! You''ve always been seeing your sister and doing things for her! Do you think you can hide anything from me in the world?" 1 Max clenched her hands. Curse this Charmine. She even found this out!? He wanted to deny it, but it seemed impossible to do so. He could only re at Charmine coldly. "So what? Waverly and I are fond of one another, you''re not in the ce to question it! She loves me, while her wanting to marry Anthony is just her wanting to exact vengeance against you. She doesn''t love him!" i Charmine acted as if she just heard the biggest joke. Her lips curled into a smirk as she sneered at Max. "How naive! What about this, Max: I''ll strike you a gamble. You do what I say. If you win, my Jordan Group and diamond mine, as well as Poulenc and all my assets, will be yours." 1 Max was not interested in these assets, truth be told, but... Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Everything she had mentioned was her everything. If he won, Charmine would have nothing and no reputation. 1 If Charmine failed, Waverly would be happy! He could then bring her back to Kansas and marry her atst, and they would then have a happy future. Max asked curiously, "Tell me, what are you betting?" "Don¡¯t rush it!" snapped Charmine. "I only told you the conditions if you win. I haven''t told you what you should do." Max frowned. "What do you want me to do?" Charmine said, "Very simply, really, if you lose, you expose Waverly*s truth, and you go back to Kansas with your father!" 1 Max thought for a moment and nodded. "Alright, then!" He would not lose. No matter what it was, he had to win against Charmine! 1 Max red at Charmine and asked impatiently, "Tell me: what¡¯s the deal?" Charmine looked at him, and her red lips curled into a smirk. "Let''s bet on whether Waverly loves you or not." Max had initially assumed it was arge, hefty gamble, but heughed upon hearing Charmine¡¯s words. "Hahaha! Are you sure you want to bet on this, Charmine?" "Yes," said Charmine coldly. Max¡¯s thin lips curled up. "You''ve asked for trouble, Charmine!" He might not be as confident if they bet on anything else. However, he was very confident about this! 3 He had been sleeping with Waverly for so long. He knew better than anyone whether or not Waverly loved him! 2 He instantly found a paper and pen to write down the conditions and bet. He could hardly contain his excitement in signing his name on the paper. Following that, he slid the paper toward Charmine. "Sign your name before you chicken out!" Charmine took it and scanned it coldly. She took a pen and signed her name. With that, Max snatched it back with a proud smile on his face. ''The evidence is in my hands, Charmine. If you lose, you can''t run away from it. I''ll put this all over the inte!" Charmine''s smirk widened. "I always keep my word. However, you''re the one who should be keeping your word!" chapter 1837 chapter 1837 "Ah, by the way, you''ll have to do everything I tell you to during our entire wager." "No matter what you do, I will not lose!" Max dered. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Charmine smirked at him, however. "We''ll see." Max merely smiled coldly at that. After folding up the paper, he left with his assistant. When he walked out through the door, he saw a familiar car parked by the side, one which Waverly exited out of. "Waverly!" Max''s expression softened with adoration upon seeing her. He made his way toward her and asked, "Why did youe?" Waverly looked at him gently. "I have nothing to do, so I came to pick you up. Did you manage to do what I told you to?" Seeing that nobody was queuing in front of the shop that had already closed, Max must have seeded in making a scene. A secondter, however, the door to the shop opened, and Charmine walked out from the inside. She was dressed simply but exuded an air ofnguidness. She seemed unfazed, still prestigious, and showed no signs of being defeated. Waverly''s face turned cold. She turned to look at Max. "What¡¯s going on?" "She''s not even fazed by the entiremotion," said Max. "She said many people used it with no issue and she threatened to sue us for defaming her brand. Let''s leave it at that." Waverly''s eyes glinted icily. She was close to swearing, oh-so close, but managed to hold back the curse that hung on her lips. This made sense; Charmine had always been ruthless, and she could resolve a simple trick such as this. She could only re at Charmine and mocked her, "You''ve been married to Anthony for long enough now, but I bet you haven''t slept together, have you now? How useless and ironic!" Charmine met her eyes calmly and scoffed. "So what? At least everyone knows I''m Mrs. Bailey, while you¡¯re just a nobody," she spoke, her tone feisty and powerful, her words dripping with sarcasm. "Heh! Anthony even canceled your wedding the day before!" 2 Charmine did not even spare them a single nce as she turned to leave coldly. Her words were like a sharp dagger that plunged deep into Waverly''s heart, ripping open the wound that she was hiding. Waverly was rooted on the spot, her face pale and her form trembling. Curse that woman! Forget stealing her man, but she even dared mock her, too?! Waverly clenched her fists and red at Charmine¡¯s back evilly as she roared, "Don''t be too happy yet, Charmine! Anthony had dumped me for you one day before our wedding, and he''ll do the same to you with another woman someday! I¡¯ll wait for the day you cry!" Waverly was so livid, so enraged, that she was pale and panting, but Charmine was so far ahead and did not even hear her threats. Max ced his arm around her waist andforted, "Let her be, Waverly. You don''t love Anthony anyway-don''t let her get to you.¡± Waverly turned and looked at him. She thought of something and bit her lip, saying, "You¡¯re right, Max. I just don''t like seeing her being so arrogant!" "Now that Wave has suppressed Poulenc, she won''t be able to stay arrogant for long," assured Max. Hearing these made Waverly visibly more rxed. "Let''s go, then." She got out of Max''s arms and walked toward the car. Max looked at her back, and his eyes darkened... Why did Tiffany seem to care about Anthony? She was angry at Charmine for reasons more than just business-rted. When they got inside the car, Max thought of his deal with Charmine. He looked at Waverly and said, "Waverly, I''m not doing so well at my end. Father wants me back in Kansas. He confiscated my credit cards as punishment, so he might ignore me for a while." chapter 1838 chapter 1838 Waverly frowned upon hearing Max¡¯s words. How could this have happened? Was Max not the heir of the D¡¯Cruz family? T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Why would he be controlled by his father? Useless trash! She clenched her fists and forced herself to hide the disgusted look on her face, recing it with an unfazed, understanding expression as she touched his hand that was on the steering wheel. "Don''t be sad, Max. You''re awesome, and you''ll do great. This is just temporary, don''t worry. Even if you have nothing, I''ll stay by your side and grow a kingdom with you." 2 Max was moved to have heard this and gazed into her eyes. ''Truly, Waverly? Even if I have nothing, will you be with me?" "Of course." Waverly looked at him emotionally and said, "I like you as a person, and not for what you have.¡± Max felt his heart lightened upon hearing this. He held her hands and brought them to his lips. He kissed them sweetly and said, "I''m happy to hear this from you." Even if he had nothing, Waverly would not leave him and would stay with him. If this was not love, what else could it be? Charmine was about to lose. He could barely wait for the day he would defeat her and surprise Waverly grandly with it. He could hardly wait for the day Charmine lost everything she had! i Waverly leaned into the seat and said, "Don''t trouble yourself, Max. I have thought it through, and I don''t care about anything else. I''m happy as long as you''re with me. I didn¡¯t look happy because I saw many people queueing for Poulenc. Although our sales are going up, we''re losing money on every transaction-" "It''s okay," Max cut her off gently. "It''s okay to lose money as long as you¡¯re happy. Father wouldn''t mind. Furthermore..." He thought for a moment and said, "With me around, Wave will not lose to Poulenc." "Hmm?" Waverly acted innocent and asked, "How so?" "I will help you contact my friends in Kansas. They''re all idols and international artists. With them promoting us, we can¡¯t possibly lose." Waverly frownedpassionately. "Will this be too much to ask?" "Of course not." Max looked at her. "For you, I''m willing to do anything." Waverly smiled gently and leaned on his shoulder. However, her face that was turned away from him had an evil smile forming gradually. 1 Heh! He was just her pawn! Hundreds of international artists promoted Wave that afternoon. Some well -known painters even customized paintings for Wave, all unique and beautiful. Suddenly, Wave became popr all around the world, and sales in the shop rose as well. Within half a day after thepany was founded, they made a record of breaking 50 billion sales! Due to this news, Wave grew more popr. It had everyone''s attention and remarks. The top ten discussions on the heat list were all about Wave, and such were thements from people on social media. [Wave is so powerful. They made over fifty billion sales within half a day!] [Wave gathered all the top ten skincare brands in the world! They have all luxury brands avable, too! With so many brands, it''s only natural that they''ll make lots of sales!] [Furthermore, I¡¯m using one of their brands, and the price is half of Poulenc''s! Of course their sales are going up!] [The owner of Wave is more generous. Poulenc is quite expensive, and they don''t even give out free gifts.] i [I know, right? For the sake of what the owner of Wave has done, I¡¯ll buy their products even when the items go back to their original pricings. I''m going to be a die-hard fan of Wave!) chapter 1839 chapter 1839 [Die-hard fan +1] Waverly leaned on the sofa in a luxurious room. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Her fingers, ones with nails painted, pressed on her phone screen as she scanned thements, smirking as she did. 50 billion sales within half a day. Charmine had nothing topete with her! She could not hide the pride on her face. She took a sip of her red wine elegantly and had a thought. Eyes narrowed, she logged onto Wave¡¯s official ount and wrote the following post, one that forwarded a challenge. [Within ten days, Wave¡¯s sales will be 20 times more than Poulenc''s! Should I fail, I will pay Poulenc two billion! If Charmine, owner of Poulenc, loses, she will apologize to me and for what she did in the past! Do you dare to ept the challenge, @Charmine?] The post went viral across social media, and people online had things to say about it, too. [Waverly is challenging Charmine?] [Waverly is Tiffany after stic surgery. Her rage with Charmine goes all the way back. She came back for revenge, huh?] [Hahaha! What a hefty bet, this is! Two billion; I like it!] [I like their promotions! I support Wave!] [I will support whoever with the best offers!] [Wave will win!] Many wealthy heiresses did not like Poulenc. They instead went to Wave''s stores and spent millions on their products, much to Waverly''s glee. The smile on her face broadened. She was not a match to Charmine in the past, but that did not mean she would stay that way forever. Charmine merely produced the products for a few years. How could shepete with international brands that had been established over a few decades? Furthermore, the products in Wave were the top ten luxury brands in the world, while Charmine''s Poulenc was just a small brand she started. Charmine would lose to her, and it already tasted like victory for her. Waverly smiled proudly and put down her phone. She continued to drink the red wine elegantly. Early in the morning, Charmine''s phone kept buzzing nonstop. Countless people messaged her on Whatzupp with over 99 unread messages. Her Tweeter ount was bombarded with over 999 direct messages, and shegged for a few times before being able to sign in. After signing in, she received countless messages. What happened? Why were there so many private messages? Frowning, she clicked on the inbox-button and noticed all the messages were about Waverly¡¯s challenge and asking her to ept her challenge. Charmine clicked on the link and was instantly redirected to Waverly''s post. Waverly wanted to make 20 times more sales than Poulenc''s, did she? Hah! Sales were not the problem. However, she wondered if Waverly could even stay alive in the next ten days... Charmine¡¯s red lips curled into a smirk as she logged onto Poulenc¡¯s official page and posted the following. [Instead of two billion bucks, I want to watch you eat your sh*t livestream!] 1 All too quickly, this post became the most-searched post, and people online were exhrated to have seen it. [Livestream eating sh*t? This reminds me of the whole eat-your-crap-Julian back then!] [Oh, yeah! Julian made an online bet saying that Charmine wouldn''t stun the show, and he ended up embarrassing himself!] [Haha! Charmine forced him to livestream it for a few days. In the end, he ate civet¡¯s coffee beans!] [After so long, Boss Jordan is still Boss Jordan!] [Thinking back, I think Boss Jordan did it on purpose! Julian once stood up for Tiffany, the third-wheeler. Now that Julian''s gone bankrupt, is Tiffanying back for trouble?] chapter 1840 chapter 1840 [Tiffany and Julian are the same kind of people; they are evil! She had priced the items lowly to intentionally crush Boss Jordan!] [She had to ask for so many favors to hit the sales while Charmine is selling her products with integrity!] [A third-wheeler who had her face done can still be pompous?] [Where did she get her courage from? I¡¯m curious.] Comments of the matter wereced with ridicule and jokes. Everyone went from discussing skincare to recapping the outdated gossip between Julian and Tiffany: of how she wrecked a rtionship, cheated, acted innocent, harmed people, and everything in between. While Waverly reveled her victory, she was suddenly notified that Charmine had epted her challenge. She instantly went online to see people online supporting Charmine. They even brought up her past with Julian. D*mn it! She was so furious that her face turned pale. Unable to refrain herself from her anger, she smashed her phone against the marble floor, and her phone shattered upon impact. 1 Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Waverly clenched her fists and began to pant. She had a deadly look in her eyes as she was furious. Curse that woman! She had to have bribed thosementers. 1 How frustrating! She had to ruin Charmine¡¯s reputation! Just as Waverly wanted to call Max, wanting to have him boost the promotion to a new length, a thought urred to her right then and there. Charmine''s advertisements and marketing would escte if she did the same. She would never win. Waverly would never win at that rate! However, if Charmine was distracted by other things and felt frustrated, she ...would not have the time to promote. With this in mind, Waverly''s angry face turned evil. She phoned Britney instead. "Buy a few sets of jewelry, some limitededition gowns, and expensive wines to be sent to Susan!" i At the Bailey mansion. Susan was conversing and drinking tea with Annabel when all of a sudden, Suzie brought in a pile of expensive goods. Susan frowned. As she was about to tell Suzie off for buying heaps of things for herself, she noticed Suzie bringing the countless bags of stuff toward her instead. "Madam, these are all from Ms. D''Cruz." Suzie ced them on the table. Every wrapping bag on the table had logos of international luxury brands. "Waverly D''Cruz?" Susan''s face seemed to have eased as she simply unwrapped one bag, which revealed a purple silk gown, grand and expensive. Annabel had a praising smile. "Madam, this gown looks good, and it¡¯s from an international brand as well. I heard this brand is difficult to get your hands on. Ms. Waverly is so considerate. Also, this gown suits you, and you¡¯ll surely look great in it.¡± Susan had a proud smile on her face. "Look at you, always ttering me." Annabel then replied with a cautious and sincere tone, "Why would I lie to you? What I''m saying is true. If you don''t believe me, you may ask Suzie." Of course, Suzie would not let any opportunity of boot-licking slip away and nodded. "Madam, this gown suits you." Such praises ttered Susan immensely that a smile spread across her face. Still, she did not want to look too ttered. "I don''t even know what jewelry I should pair up with this." She looked at Annabel and said, "Annabel, the set of jewelry you gave me the other day matched so well with my dark green gown. I wore it for a gathering, and the missus all praised me." Annabel smiled. "It¡¯s your temperament that¡¯s elegant. You look beautiful, and your skin is so refined. You made the gown look good, not the other way round." "Right, right, right." Suzie nodded and agreed. Susan was so ttered and continued to unwrap the other bags. Other than branded clothes, there were branded shoes and high-quality nutrients as well as diamonds jewelry. Annabel said with surprise and admiration, "Madam, you and Ms. D¡¯Cruz get along so well. These gifts are so expensive; I''m so jealous of you." chapter 1846 chapter 1846 The cardrove around and finally arrived at a serene-looking small house. The house was located by the river stream with a small bridge beside it. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. The building looked rather out of ce, as though cut off from the world. Dr. Kaiser ced Waverly in bed, his handsome face beaded with sweat. Using his sleeve to wipe off his sweat, his fair fingers lifted Waverly''s arm to feel her pulse. It seemed that Waverly had not rested well and had been overworked. Dr. Kaiser took the needles from the side and used them on her. Once he finished his treatment, he kept thest needle...and Waverly''s hand slightly jolted. Her eyes gradually opened, and what first greeted her was the sight of a pleasing room: quiet and simple. She then turned, and a handsome face appeared in sight. Dr. Kaiser? Waverly paused at the sight; she even thought she was dreaming. Why else would Dr. Kaiser be right by her side and gaze at her so kindly? She would only see him in her dreams. A momentter... "Ah, you''re awake, Ms. Waverly?" came his voice, clear and gentle, and it jolted Waverly awake. The person sitting by the side of the bed was Dr. Kaiser, after all! Her dull eyes instantly sparkled. Her heart fluttered. Dr. Kaiser was her idol. She had always wanted to be someone as wless as him. Unfortunately... She had steeled herself due to the constant ridicule she had faced. No matter what she did, she would not let anyone bully her. Even if her hands were tainted with blood, she did not care! Waverly looked at him, shocked. "Dr. Kaiser, why are you here?" Dr. Kaiser put away the needles as he said calmly, "I saw you unconscious on the street, so I brought you back." Waverly vaguely recalled what happened before she cked out. She was out to buy the pills. She was livid after the physical, unwanted intimacy with Max which left her physically unstable, and that caused her to faint. Waverly looked at him and said, "I''m sorry, I''ve been busy working recently. I didn''t take care of my body, hence why I fainted." Dr. Kaiser looked at her with a new sense of admiration. "Even if you''re busy, you should take care of your body." Although hecked nothing, he quite admired Waverly for her strength. She needed no man and worked hard to get what she wanted. Waverly met his gentle, clear eyes, and her heart inexplicably skipped a beat. He was worried about her andforted her? Waverly pursed her lips and asked suspiciously, "Dr. Kaiser, don''t you...hate me?'' "Hate?" Dr. Kaiser frowned and asked, bewildered, "We don''t owe each other anything, so why would I hate you?" His clear, cold voice was other-worldly. Waverly said, "Everyone hates me, Tiffany Jordan. They hate me for what I¡¯ve done. To them, I''m just a rat running from street to street..." She thought Dr. Kaiser would surely hate her, that he would even neglect her. Unexpectedly, Dr. Kaiser seemed unaffected and coldly said, "Everyone makes mistakes. You have your reasons, and that¡¯s why you took the wrong path. Now, why would you focus on your mistakes? At least I see you as a strong, independent, and capable woman." Waverly was like a small girl whose watery eyes widened in surprise. "Dr. Kaiser, you... You really think of me this way?" "I do." Dr. Kaiser remained calm, his voice was deep and far away, "Since you''ve betted against Charmine, you must win the case.¡± Charmine stole his family needle set, and she should be punished. chapter 1847 chapter 1847 Furthermore, Dr. Kaiser thought Charmine was not so much better off than Tiffany, i Waverly was delighted to have heard Dr. Kaiser''s words. It seemed that Dr. Kaiser cared about her and wanted her to win. She had to win the bet, then, and make him look at her in a different light. Determination was stered on Waverly¡¯s soft face as she gently promised, ''Thank you for your encouragement, Dr. Kaiser. I will win!" Dr. Kaiser stood up. "Alright, then. Your body is still too weak, so I''ll get you some medicine." "Okay." Waverly looked at him thankfully. "Thank you, Dr. Kaiser." Dr. Kaiser went away to cook the medicines while Waverlyid in bed for a while and looked around the house. Finally, she could not help getting off the bed and walked toward the front yard. There was a stone path in the middle, while greens and herbs grew on both sides. One could smell their scent even from ten meters away. Outside the door sat a row of sycamore The evening sun shone through the leaves in waves while the wind blew from far away, soothing and rxing. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Waverly was enthralled by the sight, so much so that she walked forward. She had lived in the city for too long. It was difficult to find somewhere quiet and rxing, and it was rare for her to be at ease like this. She walked over to admire the nts. Dr. Kaiser, meanwhile, started a fire and walked out of the kitchen. Waverly gazed at the view when a plump of geese flew over from the other side of the mountain. Hearing his footsteps, Waverly turned to look at him and asked gently, "Dr. Kaiser, why is there sycamore here?¡± Dr. Kaiser''s gaze became meaningful. "My mother liked sycamore, so my father asked them to nt sycamores before the door. This was so that whenever she left the house, she could see them." Waverly sighed. "Uncle is a considerate man," she said as she turned to look at him. His father was so loving, which meant he must be a loving individual, too. An elegant and other-worldly, far and cold man like him was indeed her idol. Compared to Anthony''s harsh cruelty, Max''s arrogance, she liked someone like Dr. Kaiser... 1 Dr. Kaiser focused his eyes on the sycamores, and his gaze held an internal battle of emotions. "My father was very considerate. Unfortunately ...they¡¯re no longer around." Waverly pursed her lips andforted, "They must be living happily in heaven." Dr. Kaiser halted and smiled. "Hopefully." Waverly pursed her lips and did not want to see him in pain. She said, "Dr. Kaiser, do you mind showing me around? This ce is beautiful." Dr. Kaiser was going to turn it down, but he thought of something and said calmly, "Yes, you should let go of your stress so you could win this bet." When Waverly heard this, she was moved. She could clearly feel that Dr. Kaiser truly wanted her to win. His look was different from that of Max''s selfish look. Dr. Kaiser genuinely wanted her to win. Waverly smiled weakly and followed his steps. They strolled around and walked by the stream. Dr. Kaiser was dressed in a long-sleeved shirt and had one hand behind his back. One could not help comparing him to those ancient upperssmen. Waverly''s lonely heart seemed to have been filled up in this instance. She shared the breeze with her idol, and they watched the geese flying away and the stream flowing. The lotus leaves in the stream wrapped up in a green patch; the lotuses were ready to bloom. Waverly looked at the lotuses and suddenly found them very simr to Dr. Kaiser: clear and untainted. How beautiful the lotuses would look when they bloomed. She could not help looking at Dr. Kaiser. "Can Ie to look at them when they bloom?¡± chapter 1848 chapter 1848 Dr. Kaiser stopped and frowned. "I never liked guests, so I hope you can understand. However, if you win the bet, you maye here for your celebration." He hoped Tiffany could win. After all, he never liked haughty, evil individuals...especially someone like Charmine. 3 Waverly looked at him and could not hide her admiration for him. She had to beat Charmine and win this bet so she could admire the lotuses with Dr. Kaiser once more. 1 The thought of the two of them sitting in a small boat, rowing down the stream, made her happy. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. She had to make thise true! Amid Waverly¡¯s daydreaming, Dr. Kaiser checked the time beside her and calmly pointed out, ''The medicine is ready." This pulled Waverly back to reality as she turned to look at Dr. Kaiser, who was walking away with hands behind his back. Waverly had no choice but to follow after him. When they got back into the house, Dr. Kaiser looked courtly as if he was treating any regr patient. When he brought out the medicine, he gave it to Waverly with both hands. "Drink this and you can go." Waverly''s face stiffened at his words. She epted the medicines and frowned. 1 She did not want to leave this ce, no...but she had no reason to stay. She narrowed her eyes and sat before the table. Blowing at the medicine he had brewed, Waverly could smell just how bitter it was. She looked up at Dr. Kaiser with her watery eyes. "It''s quite bitter, Dr. Kaiser," she spoke, her tone much like a little girl''s. However, Dr. Kaiser merely looked at her as if he did not see the look of anticipation in her eyes. "This is how medicine tastes. Drink while it''s hot." Waverly frowned and bit her lip, saying innocently, "Dr. Kaiser, do you have sugar? I don''t like bitter things, but I don''t want to trouble you either." Dr. Kaiser thought about it. "I don¡¯t have sugar, but I have orange skin." "That¡¯ll work!" Waverly smiled. "Hold on, then." Dr. Kaiser went into the herbs room and took out a few orange skins with sugar on them. Waverly reached out to take it. He ced them on her palm with his clear fingers. As if unintentionally, his fingers grazed her palm. Waverly instantly felt electrocuted. The current went from her palm to her heart, and her heart fluttered at the touch. She looked at him gently but saw that he had turned to leave coldly. She thus gazed at his back and felt conflicted, evident in her gaze. She looked away and, bracing herself for the medicine''s bitter taste, drank up- Following that, the sky darkened along with her heart. She was about to leave...yet she did not want to. She wanted so badly to stay here with Dr. Kaiser and admire the flowers, trees, the night breeze, and the banter. 1 Waverly rposed herself and stood up to greet Dr. Kaiser inside the herbs room. "Dr. Kaiser, it''s getting dark, and I should get going. Thank you for taking care of me. I think...we''ll meet not long from now." Dr. Kaiser thought about it and said emotionlessly, "Alright, Ms. Waverly. You must win against Charmine. I will wait for your news from here." Seeing how much confidence he showed in her, she became even more determined to win against Charmine, no matter how many sacrifices she had to make. After that, she could spend some time alone with Dr. Kaiser. He would be so proud of her victory! chapter 1849 chapter 1849 Waverly looked at Dr. Kaiser and wanted him to send her home. However, she feared Max would find out about their meeting, so she had to bid him farewell. Even as she drove away, she could not help recalling her time spent with Dr. Kaiser, i She looked forward to their next meeting. When she went back to the shop, the manager ran to her quickly when she stood inside. She whispered, "Ms. Waverly, where have you been all afternoon? Mr. Max was looking for you all day!" Waverly frowned. How was this lunatic so hard to get rid of? She slept with him in the afternoon, and he still looked for her! Waverly lost the joy she harbored within her and pressed her temples, coldly asking, "Where is he?" "Waiting for you in your office." "Okay." Waverly had a hint of impatience in her eyes and instructed, "Go and continue your work." "Understood." After the manager left, Waverly took a deep breath and took out her phone to have a look. There were over 100 missed calls from Max, all unanswered as she had fainted after buying and consuming the pills. Furthermore, her phone was left inside the car. Waverly had chills in her eyes. She walked toward her office in her heels arrogantly. When she pushed open the door. Max, who was leaning on the leather chair, looked over. When he saw the woman he had been missing, he stood up instantly and walked over. "Waverly, where were you all afternoon?" Waverly said calmly, "I told the manager that I was going to the countryside for a treatment." ''You should still answer my phone." Max walked over and hugged her. "I''ll get worried if you don¡¯t." A split momentter, he caught a peculiar whiff of something-it smelt oddly masculine. 1 Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. It even came from Waverly. He stiffened, and his gentle gaze turned cold. "Where did you actually go in the afternoon?" Waverly halted and met his darkening gaze. Her heart inexplicably quivered. Nheless, she tried her best to keep her calm. "Didn''t I tell you I went to give a treatment to the customer?¡± Max red at her and smirked coldly. "Where? Which customer? What''s her name?" The series of questions put Waverly off. There was no such person. How was she supposed to answer? Waverly bit her lip, and just as she was about to make up an identity, Max noticed her tant panicking and was more certain of his spection. His gaze gleamed fiercely as he growled, "Oh, I''ll tell you: You didn''t give treatment to a customer! You went to find a man!" "What?" Waverly looked at him incredulously. "Max, what are you talking about? Why would I go and find a man?¡± Max wanted to lie to himself that she had indeed given a treatment to a customer...but the unmistakable musky scent of a man and her panicking, not telling the truth, only solidified the fact she had lied to him. i Max felt betrayed. He grabbed her wrist and said to her in a chilling voice, " I¡¯m no fool, Tiffany. I''m not as dumb as Julian! 1 "Remember, because of you, I lied to my father. You can only be my woman for the rest of your life!" He then pushed her onto the sofa. "Max-!" Waverly fell onto the sofa and looked at him pitiably. This was the first time she saw him this enraged. She exined fearfully, "I really didn''t-" Before she could finish, however... Rip! Max was extremely angry, and he did not see the fear and exnation in her eyes as though he was possessed. He went on top of her and tore open her clothes. 3 His eyes were filled with lust, and he forced himself into her... chapter 1850 chapter 1850 Max exerted every bit of his anger onto Waverly as he red at her below him. ''You better keep your distance from Anthony, and don''t you think of marrying him! If you trigger me again, I''ll expose you, and your reputation will be ruined! Also..." Max grabbed her chin. ''"Ms. Waverly''? Ha! Without this identity, you won''t even survive in Burlington nor Kansas!" 1 Waverly, still beneath Max, paled at Max¡¯s threats. She felt utterly disgusted and loathed everything. She wanted to push him away, but his words had effectively intimidated her. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. This was not the time to fall out with him... Without a choice, Waverly squeezed out a smile. "Max, you genuinely got me all wrong..." She kissed him on the neck and looked at him seductively. "I only love you, so why would I look at another man? As I''ve exined to you many times, I want Anthony for the sake of revenge. Charmine stole my things, and I want to steal hers. As for today, I truly did treat a customer, but her husband happened to be present. I gave him treatment as well. I don''t have any feelings for Anthony or any other man..." Max scoffed. "It better be," he snarled hoarsely, toneced with doubt as he abused her even more roughly. Waverly saw the look on him and abhorred him. 1 This cheap man was too paranoid. She seduced him for her own goal and never thought of marrying him...yet this cheap man would not be betrayed! However, he was the only one who knew about her false identity. If he exposed her... 2 She would be ruined, and it would be worse than what she as Tiffany had experienced! Dr. Kaiser wanted her to win against Charmine and admire flowers with her She was worried that the only thing she looked forward to would be canceled. She was scared that everyone would ridicule and rebuke her again. Waverly could only act along with Max, but her face that was turned away from him was filled with a deadly look. She would not be controlled and humiliated by this man. The only way was to shut him up forever! 1 Poulenc''s sales were beaten by Wave a few times over. Rochelle looked at Charmine and said, "Boss Jordan, why don''t we promote it internationally?" Rochelle did not want the business to lose money. It felt as if it was herself losing blood! Charmine frowned and thought of something. "No hurry; we still have time. Let her be happy for a while." Seeing how confident Charmine was, Rochelle¡¯s eyes sparkled. "Boss Jordan, do you have a n?" Charmine turned to look at her and instructed, "From now on, ramp up the production ten-fold. If we can''t manage it, recruit more staff with experience. Remember: even if we slow down, we must not make any faulty product." 1 ''Yes, Madam!" Rochelle replied with a clear voice. Mass production had direct corrtion to her annual bonus. How she wished to work twenty-four- seven. Her annual bonus was just like the products-increasing as it went! Charmine left theboratory and drove to Bailey Corporation. When she took the lift up, Charmine was thinking how she neglected Anthony these few days because of Poulenc. Now that she needed his help, she wondered if he would help her. It seemed that she should flirt with him a bit. Amid her thoughts, the door to the lift opened. Charmine walked out, went straight to the President''s office, and knocked. "Anthony?" "Come in," a wellposed voice was heard. chapter 1851 chapter 1851 Charmine pushed the door and walked into Anthony''s office, noticing then that he was walking toward her, too. His stern expression eased off upon seeing it was Charmine. "So you''re free now, dearest?" Charmine looked at him with gleaming eyes as she cooed, "My darling." Anthony halted and looked at her, disbelief written all over his gaze. It was rare for her to speak to him in such a tone. Anthony hugged her and gazed down at her. "What favor do you need from me?" Charmine smiled. "How are you this keen, darling?" How did he guess that she needed a favor? Anthony raised his brows. "I know you best." Charmine pursed her lips and said, "As you know, now that Wave¡¯s sales have beaten Poulenc''s, I can''t lose my bet against Waverly." Anthony frowned and looked at her. "You want to sell them half the price?" "No, I don''t do stupid things like that." 2 Also, even if she wanted to do so, she did not have to discuss it with him. She could afford it easily. Charmine hugged his waist and said, "Do you know live streaming is a big thing now?" "Hmm?" Anthony looked at her. "You want to go live?" "Yes." Charmine smiled at him. "And I need you to help me." 1 Anthony thought for a while and seemed to have figured out what she wanted to do. He nodded and said, his tone affectionate, "You may do anything to me during the live stream." However, a momentter... His eyes fixed on her red lips. "I want a reward, though." Charmine could feel his burning gaze. Her clear eyes turned shy, but she tiptoed to kiss his lips. When they touched, Anthony hugged her tighter and kissed her back to deepen the kiss. 1 Ten minutester, Poulenc made a post. [Tonight at eight, the boss of Poulenc and her ''beloved pet'' will go live. If you want to see the couple live, remember toe on time.] Thements were heated. [Beloved-pet? Hahaha! How naughty of you! Are you sure Anthony will not fire you?] As they werementing, Anthony¡¯s ount reposted the post and added, [Your ''beloved pet'' is ready.] Instantly, this post went viral as people online became subjects to their public affection. [How loving!] [The president of Bailey Corporation called himself Charmine''s pet! Oh gosh, why do I feel their love?] 1 [He must love her so much to go on with that joke!] [I¡¯m so envious of this rtionship! I will watch tonight and see what she does to him.] Eight at night, Poulenc went live, and it instantly became the hottest live stream. Rochelle held the sharp camera. She looked at Anthony and Charmine with her clear eyes. Charmineid on the facial chair, bare-faced, though her skin was fair and silky. Anthony, meanwhile, sat behind her head. He was in a suit, looking elegant and powerful. Despite his ster outlook, he still looked at Charmine gently. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. His clear fingers gently worked on her face as he washed her face and massaged her skin... 1 Everyone keeping up with the news was dumbfounded. Anthony was so gently giving Charmine a facial? Thement section in the live stream was so overrun with people thatments loaded one after another rapidly. chapter 1852 chapter 1852 When Rochelle saw thements, she blinked her eyes and asked cleverly, "President Bailey, how do you feel giving Boss Jordan a facial?" ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Anthony looked at the camera and said with a gentle expression, "Any woman who uses Poulenc is a queen. I treat my wife like a queen." i Anthony''s handsome face and his gentleness toward Charmine instantly attracted millions of fans. The livestream, Anthony''s word, and Poulenc itself shot up and upied the top-three spots in the trending list. People had lots to say about the event, and they were evidently envious. [Anthony is so loving, my gosh!] [He''s indeed Charmine''s ¡®beloved pet''.] [Charmine must''ve saved the gxy in her past life to deserve such a good man.] [No, you''re wrong. Have you forgotten that Charmine is the founder of Poulenc? She''s also a mogul in many industries.] [That''s right. Charmine is awesome, and that¡¯s why Anthony admires her.] [Poulenc is very effective. It''s the best skincare I''ve used in over ten years!] [I concur. I¡¯ve been using Poulenc recently, and my wrinkles have improved and my dark circles vanished. My husband evenes home earlier.] [Although Poulenc''s price didn''t lower, the products are worth their price. Unlike the Wave with such discounts! Beware of what you buy.] 1 People online then continued theirments. [Now that Poulenc is so popr, I must order a few thousand sets for my friends. I''m going to cry if they''re out of stock.] [Oh yeah I need to buy more for myself. I also need to rmend all my rich friends to buy it.] With that, countless people went to Poulenc''s online shop and rapidly bought the products. Moreover, with what Anthony had said, Poulenc had be the symbol of a man treating a woman well. Numerous wealthy wives and businessmen went to the retail shop of Poulenc to buy in bulk. They would buy for their wives, lovers, secret-lovers... The sales of Poulenc went up and were just about to surpass Wave! When Rochelle saw the sales of their online shop growing in millions every second, she smiled and her hands shook, causing the camera to lose its focus. Charmine looked at her hopelessly and said, "Rochelle, can you read thements? They say the screen is blurry." "Oh!" Rochelle snapped out of her thoughts and fixed the camera. Sandy ran over and said, "Boss Jordan, we''re very busy now!" Charmine looked at Rochelle. "Go and monitor the production line, and ensure nothing goes wrong!" "Yes, Boss!" Rochelle fixed the camera at Charmine and Anthony before leaving quickly. Even though the shop was busy and was cramped, the numerous wealthy customers diligently queued in hopes of getting the products. Anthony elegantly finished off the facial. He then put on Poulenc skincare on her face. Her face instantly turned fairer. Her skin became more stic, wless like bouncy like the most perfect art. Everyone could see theparison before and after using the Poulenc. When they saw how good Charmine''s skin was, they gained more trust in Poulenc. They aborted the half-priced Wave, and all came back buying the more expensive Poulenc. The online shop sales went up crazily. The crowd in the retail shops was massive. Anthony finished the facial and did not leave. He stayed in the shop to help out Charmine. His tall, perfect body, along with his clear facial features, made him so elegant and cold. Him just standing there garnered the attention of countlessdies and wealthy wives. A group of people rushed at him. However, he was not impatient. Seeing how busy Charmine was, he turned into a promoter and promoted the products for the customers. 1 Suddenly, the news of Anthony working at Poulenc spread all over Burlington. The highly revered Anthony, the one everyone thought to be high above, was promoting Charmine''s products! chapter 1853 chapter 1853 The Boss Bailey was working as a promoter for his woman! Everyone admired his love for her, and they also wanted to see how handsome he was. This was why many came to Poulenc. Suddenly, almost everyone in Burlington was rushing toward Poulenc... Charmine was overwhelmed that instant, and she had to pester Rochelle consistently to release more of the products. Despite being upied, there was a good moment where she had time to herself...and a thought urred to her. She picked up her phone to massage Max the following. [This is thest; do as I say. You will have results in three days.] ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Meanwhile, at the office of Wave''s retail shop... Waverly leaned on the leather chair arrogantly, watching Charmine and Anthony''s live stream furiously. D*mn it! How could Charminee up with this shameless idea? 1 They publicly disyed their affection! It could have been herying on that facial chair, being affectionate with Anthony! Charmine not only stole her husband away, but she even stomped her business! If this went one, she might lose the bet and end up bing a joke! Waverly pursed her lips and thought of something. She took her phone from the desk and was about to call Max to n something. Right after she dialed, however... The office door was opened, and in came Max, looking visibly worn-out. He rushed in urgently and looked at her wearily. "Help me, Waverly..." Waverly¡¯s hands on herp clenched tightly upon seeing his disgusting face. She erased the gleam of malice in her eyes and looked at him gently. "You look terrible, Max. What happened?" "It''s over..." Max stood before the table and held onto her hand, blurting," The investment I''ve made in Kansas is losing three billion due to market reasons. My partners are now asking me to return the money to them. They say that if I don''t repay them now, they''ll find my family. If my father finds out, and my family knows how useless I am, they''ll kick me out!" Waverly had chills in her eyes. She had assumed he was a character with fortitude when she first slept with him, and she did not expect him to be so useless. What aplete trash, Max was! She loathed him but still stered a fretting expression on her face. "Max, how did this happen? What can we do? All my money is with Wave..." Max looked at her and held her hand. "Waverly, why don''t you sell Wave for now? Get me the cash to help me through this for the time being. Once it cools off and I be more financially stable, I''ll pay you back a hundredfold. Anyway, we mustn''t let my father and family know about this." Waverly halted. Sell Wave? How could that be? Wave was no longer just a brand; it was her image! Selling it was equal to her selling her life away! i Waverly repressed the anger in her and reassured him gently, "Max, don''t panic. I¡¯ll ask my friends and see if I can borrow three billion. If I can¡¯t, then I will sell Wave to pay your debts." Max¡¯s dull eyes were instantly filled with surprise. He asked with excitement, "Waverly, you''d sell Wave for me?" chapter 1854 chapter 1854 "Of course.¡± Waverly looked at him/ "You¡¯re my man, and if I don''t help you, who else would? Silly." The urgency on Max''s face ebbed away and was reced with an affectionate expression. He walked over to hug her and said gently, "Waverly, once I get through this, I''ll treat you well. Even if you want my life, I''ll give it to you." Waverly nodded and said gently, "Alright, I trust you." However, her face that leaned on his shoulder turned cold. He actually wanted her to sell Wave and save him? He wanted her to give up on Wave and lose the bet? Hah. Hrious! How absurd! She must have been so blind to date this trash in the first ce. Not only did Max not help her, but he even humiliated her, threatened her, and raped her... He pushed her to her breaking point yesterday, and all of a sudden, he wanted all her money? Waverly''s eyes burned with hatred, and it gradually turned deadly. At this rate, this trash must not be...kept! All this while, Max did not see the expression on her face, still so moved by Waverly''s thoughtfulness. He held her face gently and kissed her many times. Waverly hated it, but looking at the face in front of her, she thought of something and held his waist. She responded to his kiss. That was another round, and Waverly felt half-alive as sheid in bed listlessly. Her cold eyes had darkened at this point. She looked up at the ceiling, and her hands clenched under the nket. D*mn this man! He humiliated her time and time again... How utterly disgusting! Forget being useless, but he even wanted her to help him? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Hah! Max was too naive. She would soon make him learn that she was not someone to be dismissed! Max failed to detect the oddity within Waverly, s. He was too satisfied that he blissfully propped himself in bed with a cigarette at one hand and a phone in another. He looked down at Waverly among the smoke. Looking at how tired she was, he looked away and sent a text to Charmine. [You lost!] Tiffany was willing to give up and help him. This must be true love! At Poulenc''s retail shop. Charmine was busy all night, and she was just finishing up with Anthony inside the shop. Sandy saw the highest sales record broken and excitedly squealed, "Boss Jordan, both the sales in our retail and online shops have beaten Wave''s!¡± Charmine nodded. "Keep working hard." They had two more days, and she knew Waverly would not give up so soon. All of a sudden, her phone in her bag rang. It was a message notification. Charmine thought of something and took it out instantly. When she saw the two words on the screen, she frowned in suspicion. Waverly would sell Wave for Max? That was hard to believe. Meanwhile, Anthony noticed Charmine''s frown and reached out to touch her shoulder. "What''s wrong, dearest?" "Nothing." Charmine smiled and put the phone back inside the bag. She looked up at the staff inside the shop and proudly dered, "Let¡¯s go, supper is on me!" The quiet shop instantly burst into cheers. "Yay! Boss Jordan is the best!¡± Charmine turned to hold Anthony¡¯s hand. "We can only have street food at this hour. Boss Bailey, would you lower your status and join us?" 1 Anthony raised his brows at Charmine''s words. "Why not? As long as my wife is with me, well, forget street food-I''d even go to hell." Charmine flushed at hisment. "Since when did you learn how to flirt, Anthony?" chapter 1855 chapter 1855 "Do I even have to learn it?¡± Anthony put his hands on Charmine¡¯s waist and gazed down at her softly. "If you want to hear more, I can say to you every night like a bedtime story." Charmine was bbergasted at thisment. Her face became redder with many eyes around them. "You''re so inappropriate!" "Only to you alone..." Charmine was speechless. The staff watched them flirting and felt envious. What was the point of supper? They were all full from watching their affection! Later that night... On the spacious double bed, Max had fallen asleep. Waverly had waited for this moment as she then opened her darkened eyes. She then red at the man before her coldly, unable to hide the disgust in her eyes. She did not want this man to threaten her any longer, and she refused to sell Wave to amend his mistakes! She had to win and meet Dr. Kaiser! Still, Max knew her secret... Waverly red at Max with a deadly look. She must not let anyone know about her being a fake D''Cruz, and she must not lose her bet against Charmine...for the sake of Dr. Kaiser and herself! Waverly carefully lifted his hand from her waist, walked toward the living room, and looked for her bag from which she pulled out a syringe. She held onto the syringe tightly like a witch and walked back to the bed coldly. Following that... She quickly injected the poison into Max''s body, the sharp pain jolting Max awake. His pointed re aimed at her before it shifted to what she was holding onto. His gaze darkened. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. "Tiffany, what are you doing?!¡¯¡¯ Max cried out and was about to pluck the syringe out. At that moment, however, his arm felt heavy like a stone...and he just could not lift it. "You¡¯ve forced my hand, Max!" Waverly sat by the bed, and her delicate face was filled with cruelty as she pressed down the syringe. Max struggled, but his body felt as if frozen; he could not even move a muscle. He could only watch as the liquid was injected into his body. Growing afraid, he growled, "Waverly, what are you injecting into me? Hurry! Call the ambnce-" "Shut up!" Waverly cut him off impatiently and coldly destroyed the evidence and syringe. Since Max was a threat to her, he must not live. Anyone who threatened her had to die! Noticing that Waverly was nowhere daunted, Max hissed, "How dare you do this to me, Tiffany! I''ll expose your crimes! I''ll ruin your reputation!" i "Hah!" Waverly scoffed. She looked at him with a pair of extremely cold yet sympathetic eyes. "I''d advise you to save your energy so you''ll be able to exin yourself to the anti-drug police." "What?" Max''s head buzzed, and his face turned pale. "What are you saying? Tiffany! What are you doing?!" Waverly was like the lord of hell as she stood by the bed and looked down at him. "What I injected in you is a famous drug from the ck market. Overdosing will result in madness and hallucinations. You''ll be ssified as a mad person!" She bought this drug the day after he raped her. She did not use it on him instantly, thinking that he would still prove to be useful to her cause. Sadly, he acted out. He used her as a toy time and time again, and he even threatened her! She could not stand it anymore! "Drug? Madness?" Max was genuinely terrified at this point and gazed at her. "Tiffany! I lied to my father for you, and I helped you immensely! I treated you so well, and you did this to me... Are you even a human?!" chapter 1856 chapter 1856 "Shut up!" growled Waverly. "You, treat me well? All you want is to have sex with me! Don¡¯t make it sound so nice!" "Tiffany-mmph!" Waverly had cut off Max, frowning impatiently as she grabbed his face by the chin and shoved his underwear into his mouth. Max widened his eyes at her darkly, but the only thing he could say-or could not, in this matter-were muffled words. Meanwhile, his body began to stiffen, and he felt like he had lost control over his muscles. Waverly cleaned her fingerprints in front of him and destroyed all evidence, shooting him a merciless gaze when done. "You''re just garbage, Max, and I''ve had enough of you! Go to hell!" 1 Max¡¯s eyes widened in fear. He looked at her anxiously, all while he tried to reach out to her with muffled words. Nobody knew if he was cursing or begging. Waverly merely sat on the sofa cruelly, lighting a cigarette and smoking coldly. Smoke shrouded her face as she red at Max, who was suffering in bed. In the end, his entire being stiffened to the point that he fainted... Waverly looked at him as if looking at an animal. She extinguished the smoke coldly and walked toward the bed and sat down. With her lips twisted into a frown, she grabbed Max''s legs and pulled the disgusting man he was to the ground, dragging him along as she walked. Thump! His head smashed against the corner, but Waverly showed no sympathy. It was as if she was dragging a dead dog; she did not even bother to look at him. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. When she went downstairs, a ck car was already parked by the side, waiting. Seeing that she wasing over, the person in the car went down to help her lift Max and forced him into the trunk, all while Waverly watched and stood still. Her gaze held no remorse or sympathy. It was only when the person shut the trunk that Waverly took out a five- million check arrogantly. "Sort this out cleanly! I want him to never get out forever!" The person received the check and grinned. "Don''t worry, Ms. D''Cruz, I''ll be sure to satisfy your demand." "Remember: we''ve never met. I don''t know you, and you haven''t met me." Waverly red at him. "Go!" "Yes, yes." The person took the check happily and nodded like a dog before getting into the car and driving away. Waverly remained and crossed her arms proudly. Looking at the car moving further away, her red lips curled into a smirk. The stone in her stomach was finally released. No one could threaten her anymore. She would be Waverly, forever! The ck car arrived at an underground casino. The man got out of the car and avoided all the cameras as he pulled Max out of the car. He hoisted him, struggling as he did, as though Max was utterly wasted. He then brought Max into the casino and said, "Hey man, I told you not to drink so much. Is it worth it for a woman?" Passersby who happened to see this assumed he was merely drunk and shrugged off the exchange. The man then put him inside a room when, all of a sudden, ten minutester... A team of anti-drug police came and locked up the casino. Everyone had to get tested and they would bring away anyone suspicious! Within half an hour, over a hundred people were captured! In the corner, a man attempted to evade notice as he tried to sneakily bring Max outside. chapter 1857 chapter 1857 Noticing the man who tried to sneak out of their view, an officer blew the whistle and instantly... They found out that Max had inhaled arge amount of drugs. He had gone mad and was ssified as mentally ill. They pinned him into a car and sent him to a mental hospital! The next day, news of the D''Cruz family heir being sent to mental hospital due to overdosing on drugs rushed up to the trending list. Photos of Max going in and out of the underground casino frequently were released. Everyone knew how dark the ce was. These photos were everywhere online, and everyone''s reaction led to the same thing-shock. [It can¡¯t be! He''s such a handsome man, the heir of the D''Cruz, yet he gambled and took drugs?] [You never truly know someone!] [This is the brother who supported Tiffany! Anyone who''s rted to Tiffany won''t be good!] [I know! The rich families are dark; this is normal. Max probably overdosedst night. Otherwise, he''d be fine like always.] [No matter who he was, he''s crossed the line, and he can''t be forgiven!] [That¡¯s right. Boycott Wave! We must never buy skin productsing from bad people!] With that, the boycott-Wave campaign was started online. This caused customers to empty their physical and virtual stores. Wave¡¯s sales plummeted as a result. When Fredrick heard the news, he instantly aged a few years older. He seemed very dull. He would never have thought that his only son, the son he was proud of, would do such a thing and land himself a terrible fate. Waverly sat by his side andforted him sympathetically, "Father, I''m sorry, I should apologize to you. I knew Max was going to the underground casino, but I thought he was only gambling. I didn''t know he had gone that far. He told me he''s just ying, so I didn''t take it by heart. Father, I''m sorry Waverly was visibly distraught, tears welling up in her eyes as she sobbed. Fredrick turned to look at her and sighed heavily. "Waverly, this is not your fault. It was his fault, and it''s only right he faces retribution!" Despite his words, Fredrick¡¯s tone was filled with guilt and pain. It was his fault for trusting Max so much; he never really kept an eye on him. Fredrick frowned, and his eyes turned red. Waverly patted his back gently andforted, "Father, I believe that Max will get better in there and learn his lesson. I''ll always be at your side until my brotheres back out!" Fredrick looked at her weakly. He softly held her hand and nodded with strength. "I thank my stars that you''re here, Waverly. You''re my only daughter, my only child at my side now..." "Father, I''ll take good care of you and stay by your side." ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. When Fredrick heard this, the pain in his eyes vanished. The two of themforted one another when the shop manager ran toward them, reporting, "Ms. Waverly, it''s bad. Due to Mr. D''Cruz''s incident, Wave is being boycotted. There''s no sale in the shop all day, not even in our online shop!" Waverly frowned. She thought of something and sighed. "Let it be, just drop it. I only want to apany my father now." Fredrick was in awe to have heard Waverly¡¯s response, no doubt...yet he would not allow her to take such a move! Fredrick looked at the shop manager dully and said, "Put all items on retail and online shops ny percent off." chapter 1858 chapter 1858 The store manager could hardly believe Fredrick¡¯s words and gaped at him. Waverly was just as startled as she blurted, also halted, "Father, we''re already incurring losses, but we can cut the loss and get some money back. I''ll go back to Kansas with you." "No!" Fredrick looked at Waverly and said, "I only have you left. Max has changed, and I won''t let you lose thepetition! Even if I lose all my money, I want my daughter to win with honor!" Fredrick then signaled to the store manager. "Do as I say!¡± The store manager looked at Waverly warily. Waverly could only nod. "Listen to my father." "Yes, Madam!" With that, the store manager went ahead to do as he was told. Waverly hugged Fredrick andforted him, "Father, rest assured. We''ll win thispetition." "Okay." Fredrick looked at her listlessly. "Go and do what you wish, Waverly. I''m tired, so I¡¯ll go and get some rest." "Rest well, Father." Waverly helped him to get in. "Leave the shop to me.¡± Fredrick nodded. Like a tense string snapping, his big figure crumbled. He walked to the side of the bed and fixed his dull eyes on a framed photo. It was a family photo of all three of them: himself, Max, and Waverly. Fredrick took the photo and fixed his eyes on Max, his shaking fingers reaching out to graze the image of his son and lingering. He then hugged the frame tightly. Fredrick''s handsome face was etched with pain, and his eyes were bloodshot. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. "Why were you so foolish, my son?¡± hemented hoarsely. "Why did you take this path and ruined your life?" After Wave had been boycotted, Poulenc''s sales were better than ever. Their online shops had broken the record of 60 billion sales within half an hour, while their retail shops were crammed with people! Some wealthy people did not even mind queueing for the entire day just to get their hands on Poulenc''s products. They were happy with no negativity. The luxury store was filled with people. Charmine had hired a few hundred models to help up with the sales, yet they were still heavily upied. Countless reporters came over to interview them all. All of a sudden... Just as people filled the store, Wave suddenly announced that all their skincare products were going 90 percent off! Despite many boycotting Wave online and a handful of wealthy individuals scorned Wave, this price was too attractive to pass out on! Poulenc, the local brand, was selling at their original price while imported luxury brands were discounted! The contrast was big! There were not many rich people in Burlington, and most of them were busy and ordinary people. They could not afford those expensive products that cost thousands and millions. After the discount, Wave was selling at less than 1,000 bucks! The crowd no longer cared about the whole D''Cruz family scandal; it would be silly to not get the deals. 1 Instantly, countless people rushed into Wave''s physical store and dropped thousands to spend. Wave¡¯s retail stores were filled with people in just about ten minutes, and people lined up at every corner. Within half a day, their sales almost caught up to Poulenc''s. After Poulenc had shut down for the day, Wave remained open for 24 hours, which allowed those from other cities or countries to buy their skincare products as soon as possible. This shocking news went all over the world. A lot of people even spent thousands of bucks to take the ne to Burlington, just to buy a set of Wave''s skincare products. chapter 1859 chapter 1859 Shoppers of Wave from outside Burlington still spent less than the original price, even after adding the price of their travel expenses. Within two days and night of the fight, Wave and Poulenc had simr numbers of sales. They were not far off. When one of them was winning, the other one caught up in no time. They were equally powerful! One hour before the end of thepetition... Poulenc was still ahead of Wave by tens of millions, much to Waverly''s anxiousness. D*mn it. Poulenc did not even have a promotion and did not open 24 hours a day, yet they were still ahead! At this rate, she would lose! Amid her panic, Fredrick went to her side and patted her shoulder. "Don''t worry." Waverly turned to look at him. "Father, do you...have a n? I already feel bad for making you lose so much money. If I lose thepetition, I''ll be too ashamed." "You won''t," assured Fredrick gently. "With me around, how would I let my daughter lose?" When she heard how certain he sounded, Waverly looked at him strangely. Fredrick said, "I''ve asked them to monitor both of our sales. I''ll put in two hundred million ten minutes before thepetition ends." Waverly frowned and hugged Fredrick tightly. "Father, you¡¯ll make me feel so guilty..." "It''s okay." Fredrick stroked her back caringly. "I only have you as my daughter now, and my money is yours. Don¡¯t feel bad-l only want you to win." Waverly nodded. "Don''t worry, Father, I''ll win." Fredrick nodded. At thest five minutes of thepetition, Poulenc was 80 million ahead of Wave. With that, Fredrick waved and instructed, "Buy!" Instantly, Wave''s sales shot to No.1! One minute before thepetition, Wave was leading and Poulenc was second. Wave won the competition! When everyone in their retail shop saw Wave shooting up to No.1, everyone was shocked for a few seconds before cheering, "We won! We won!" Waverly took a while to react. She had a pleasant look on her face as she hugged Fredrick tightly. "Father, we won!" "Yes, we have," Fredrick responded and was pleased. Despite the joy he felt, his mind brought him to the memory of his son, mentally unstable, and he felt bitter again. ''Are you seeing this, Max? Waverly had won. We won. The D''Cruz had beaten Charmine!'' Waverly was so pleased that she almost cried. Her, Waverly, finally beat Charmine! From this moment onward, Charmine would be under her feet. She would bring this glory and visit her Dr. Kaiser! Meanwhile, at Poulenc''s retail shop... Anthony did see thising. He knew Fredrick''s n ten minutes before thepetition ended. Anthony was about to put in one billion for his wife when- "No need," said Charmine as she walked toward Anthony, just as he was about to order Luke to have it done. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Anthony paused and looked at her in shock. "This is unusual of you, dearest." Charmine remained calm as she looked at him, bright-eyed. Her red lips twisted into a smirk. "I''m losing on purpose." chapter 1860 chapter 1860 "Hmm?" Anthony frowned suspiciously. "Why so?¡± Charmine remained calm. "Although Poulenc''s sales were lower than Wave''s, somehow, I won." Her eyes darkened. Anthony still did not understand. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Charmine reached out to hold his arm. ''Til put on a nice show for youter." "Look at you." Anthony reached out to tickle her nose and cooed, "You like to be mysterious, too." Charmine smiled. "Well, how else can I surprise you?'' As the two of them talked, a luxury car parked outside. Bodyguards in suits walked around and opened the car door. Out came Waverly, dressed in an expensive long gown and high heels, and had an expensive bag at hand. Lips painted a red color, she exuded a euphoric vibe all around. It was as if she had won the world that even her delicate face had a high- above smile. After getting out of the car, Fredrick got out next after Waverly. He, too, was dressedvishly, fitted into an expensive suit, his expression seemingly gentle. Waverly put her arm around her father''s as they both walked into Poulenc happily. Outside the door were numerous reporters and people. They were paying a lot of attention at this competition. When they saw the D''Cruz family, the ten or so reporters instantly took photos vigorously. Waverly strutted in her high heels and had a proud look in front of Charmine. "Seems like I''ve won after all, Charmine," she remarked." ording to our terms, you must apologize to me in front of everyone!" Outside the door, customers who got the deals from Wave chimed into the notion. "That''s right! Charmine, you''ve lost! Hurry up and apologize!" "Yeah, your prices are so high, so of course you¡¯ve lost!" "Waverly is so kind and gave us such good deals. She thought for us, the people!" "I don¡¯t care what bad things she has done. On this matter, Waverly is better than Charmine, and she''s more sessful than Charmine!" "Yeah. Dr. D''Cruz is a highly skilled doctor. He is nice and didn''t simply do the surgery just because we paid less!" "Wave won thepetition and made a good impression!" "Charmine lost horribly! Hurry up and apologize! You must do as you agreed!" "Apologize! Apologize! Apologize!" 2 The jeers were deafening, much to Waverly''s pleasure as the smile on her face broadened. She looked at Charmine, who was quiet, and her red lips curled upward." What? The founder of Poulenc, Mrs. Bailey, isn''t going to keep her word?" Fredrick frowned and looked at Charmine. "Ms. Jordan, you must keep your word. Since you''ve lost, you must apologize to my Waverly." Rochelle was not happy at all about this as she butted in, "Do you think you lot deserve the victory? Where did the final two hundred millione from? You know that better than anyone!" Waverly red at her. "Of course our customers bought it. Didn''t it show on the record?" "How dare you!" Rochelle was so angry that her face went pale and her entire being trembled. Charmine pulled her back and stood before Waverly proudly. "Did you really think you''ve won, Waverly?" Waverly frowned and mocked, her tone dripping with sarcasm and triumph, "What nonsense are you on about? Everyone in the universe knows that I won! Charmine, are you going to deny it? This would be such a joke...and you¡¯ll even embarrass the Baileys!" 1 Charmine curled up her lips coldly. Following that, she pped. chapter 1861 chapter 1861 All of a sudden, the door to the office opened abruptly. A tall, well-built figure stood inside of Poulenc''s office, his being emanating sheer ruthlessness. He was... Max D''Cruz! He walked out through the door coldly and fixed his stern gaze at Waverly. Waverly was stupefied at the sight of Max-who walked toward her, at that -and thought that she was hallucinating, i Was he not in the mental hospital? Why was he...here?! 1 Fredrick, on the other hand, was over the moon to see his son standing healthily in front of himself. "Max, how are you here?" he gushed excitedly." Didn¡¯t you-" "It was my fault. I¡¯m sorry to have worried you," said Max before he fixed his chilling eyes on Waverly. Waverly was still stunned, her delicate face paled like a ghost as she just could not register the sight before her. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Max smiled coldly. "What? Surprised? Why does it seem like you''re not weing me at all, dear sister?" Waverly was so anxious that she stuttered. She did not know what else to say. He was supposed to be in the asylum! How was he here?! What could she do? What next? Max stared at Waverly and smirked coldly. "Are you shocked, Tiffany? To be honest with you, I had a bet with Charmine a few days ago. Everything that happened was just a test for you!" Waverly''s face turned a few more shades paler, her eyes widening at Max in shock as she did. 1 A test...? It was just a test? Charmine nned everything?! Curse that b*tch! She actually joined forces with Max to y her like a fiddle, digging a hole for her to jump into! Outrageous! Disgusting! She must not go down like this! She reached out her hand and tried to grab onto Max''s hand. "L-Let''s go home and talk it out, alright, Max? I''ll do anything you ask! I''ll try my best-" Before she could finish, Max swung her hand away. "What''s there left between us to say? Are you in a hurry to leave now because you¡¯re scared? Are you scared that I''ll expose your crimes and tell everyone how evil you are?" 2 The people outside the door were stunned to have heard this. Waverly''s crimes? This woman had other evil crimes that they were unaware of? Waverly came here and demanded Charmine to apologize, yet the situation ...had just gotten more interesting to watch! Everyone stretched their necks and watched quietly, i Waverly panicked, all too startled that Max had gotten out. If Max ratted her out, she waspletely done for! She tried, nheless, and stered a pitiable expression, looking at Max pathetically. "Max, no matter what happened...we''re siblings! I''ll forever be your sister...! Let''s talk at home, okay? Let¡¯s not let this woman win, alright?" Fredrick, meanwhile, was perplexed and asked with a confused look, "Max, did you hallucinate from taking too much drugs? Why would you say that about Waverly? What happened between you two?" Max red at Waverly and said coldly, "Heh! What happened, you say? Last night when I was sleeping, this woman injected drugs into my body and sent me to the casino! She made it seem like I''ve overdosed to send me away! She wanted to ruin my life!" "Max D''cruz!" Waverly tried her best to look as if she was wronged and pointed a shaky finger at him, sobbing as tears fell down her face. "Why would I hurt you? Did you hallucinate? Did Charmine threaten you? Why would you use me like that?!" chapter 1862 chapter 1862 "Heh! I knew you''d say that! Do you think I don''t have evidence?" Max slowly took out his phone from his pocket and yed an audio recording, one that revealed Waverly''s malicious voice. "This syringe contains an infamous drug!" "Max D''Cruz, time to die!" 1 Waverly staggered a few steps back as if she had taken a blow. Her legs went soft beneath her, too. Oh, no... Oh, no... Max had evidence! i How could this be?! Fredrick, on the other hand, was inplete, sheer disbelief to have heard that recording, and he gaped at Waverly in disbelief. The Waverly who was so gentle to him...was this kind of woman?! Spine-chillingly sinister! Why... Why would she hurt his one and only son? The crowd was just as taken aback by this reveal. "How can Waverly be so evil? She¡¯d kill her own brother?!" "She never changed!" "Tiffany has always been like this, even now that she¡¯s wealthier! I''d never expect a D''Cruz to be like this!" "A woman like her will cause harm everywhere she goes! She also ruined the Jordan family, and that nasty trait of hers never changed even as she''s in the D''Cruz family, too! She tried to kill her own brother!" Fredrick''s head buzzed loudly at this. His blood pressure went up, and his well-built body staggered. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Max caught his father just in time, fortunately. Following that, he said to the people, "You¡¯re wrong; Tiffany isn''t Waverly at all! She''s not a D''Cruz, whatsoever! She has nothing to do with us, at all!" What?! Everyone was bbergasted at this new piece of information, and Waverly staggered forward, turning pale as she did. ¡¯Stop speaking! I beg you to stop talking!" She must not be ruined. She must not be! Max merely pushed her away and red at her heartlessly, however. "Back then, this evil woman seduced me to cheat on her DNA test. She wanted me to lie to my father for her, wanted me to make my father think that she''s his long-lost daughter! I thought she was a kind woman and that she loved me, so I helped her. 2 "However, a few days ago, I tested her out and told her that my father neglected me. She became disgusted, but afraid that her identity might get exposed, she had to please me. "I said I wanted a baby and she agreed to me verbally, but she went behind my back and bought contraceptive pills! She even asked me to use my resources for her to promote Wave! "I told her my investment failed and needed three billion right away. I asked her to sell Wave for me, yet this evil woman agreed to me verbally and tried to kill me!" An uproar ensued from Max''s deration. "How scary! This is aplete nightmare!" "She even harmed the man who tried to help her! How evil can one get?!" "So, she''s not Waverly at all? She''s not the heiress of the D''Cruz family? It was all but a lie?" "This nasty woman had tricked the D''Cruz family! They even lost money for her business?" "Horrendous!" Amid the crowd¡¯s gossip and murmurs, the pale-faced Fredrick looked at Max and asked, "Is what you''ve said true?" "Yes, father." Max looked at him and lowered his head. "Father, I was seduced and lied to you with this evil woman. Please forgive me!" Fredrick instantly looked a few years older. 2 He turned to look at Waverly with ache in his heart. He would never imagine that the daughter he most trusted, the daughter he loved and treasured the most, was such an evil person. He helped bail her from her crimes, performed stic surgeries on her entire body, changed her looks, and gave her unlimited money to spend! chapter 1863 chapter 1863 Even after everything he had done, this woman attempted to kill his own son! N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Tiffany was never his birth daughter; she had always been an evil woman! Noticing the pain in Fredrick¡¯s eyes, Waverly grabbed his arm and cried in panic, "Father, don''t listen to Max-Charmine has manipted him! He-" p! Fredrick pped her forcefully before she could finish. Waverly, caught off-guard by the smack, staggered a few steps back and fell onto the floor. Fredrick stepped forward, his shiny leather shoe getting right before her face as he peered down at her, towering over her. "From now onward. Tiffany Jordan, I''ll no longer believe any word from you. From now onward, you''re kicked out of the family! You¡¯re no longer my daughter, and you''l I no longer have anything to do with the D''Cruz family!" 1 Tiffany trembled at his words, and her face turned pale. She would have nothing once he kicked her out of the D''Cruz empire! She sobbed and climbed to Fredrick''s side. She grabbed his ankle and whimpered, "Father, I beg you to give me another chance...l beg you! Even though I''m not your daughter. I''ve always considered you like my own!¡± Fredrick shut his eyes in pain. He pulled his leg away from her grasp and did not even bother looking at her. "Have her leave," he said to Max, "I don''t want to see her anymore!" Thinking through just how much of a savage Tiffany was when she tried to kill him, he kicked at her and snapped, "Get lost!" Tiffany was a total mess as she rolled on the floor, being kicked. She knew if she stayed, she would only beughed at. Without a choice, she bit her lip and got back up on her feet. She slowly walked out. After a few steps, however... "Wait!" Max called out. Tiffany turned back and looked at him hopefully. "Max..." He loved her so much, after all. He must still have feelings for her. He wanted to reunite with her; it had to be! However... "The jade watch, your diamond earrings, and ne belong to our family. Remove them and give them back, now!" demanded Max. 1 Tiffany''s expression fell at this. Max actually said this to her! He was so mean! Why? Why would he do this to her!? Meanwhile, the people around them cheered. "Perfect! This is called for!" "A bad action deserves a bad oue! Now is the time; you have to get back at her!" "Hurry up, Tiffany! Why are you so stunned like that?" "Someone as vile as you only hurts my eyes!" "The D¡¯Cruz family is incredibly kind. They were lied to and yet didn''t seek revenge!" "If it was me, I would''ve shot a person like her dead!" Tiffany clenched her fists. She must not stay any longer in this ce! She trembled in anger, but she had to reach up to remove her expensive jewelry and put them on the floor. Max looked at her coldly. "As I said, you won''t have anything left if you betray me. Your reputation is ruined, so get lost!" Tiffany bit her lip and red at them all. Charmine, Anthony, Max, and Fredrick... She would remember how they humiliated her today. Soon, she would make them pay a thousand times worse! chapter 1864 chapter 1864 Waverly clenched her fists and walked away. However, just as she got to the door, the crowd saw her. Enraged, they threw eggs, rotten vegetables, and all kinds of things her way. "Despicable woman! Get out of Burlington!¡± "Yeah, get out of Burlington! You''re hurting everyone and yourself. A woman like you will not have a good ending!" "It¡¯s Burlington¡¯s shame that we got a malignant cancer like you!" 1 "You''re such an evil woman. Get out!" "The D''Cruz family may have forgiven you, but we won''t!" "Call the police and have this woman apprehended. We won''t let her cause any more harm to anyone!" Thump! Thump! Things were thrown at her, littering her body with smashed eggs and rotten vegetables...yet she was resilient, still. She maintained her pride as she arched her chin and walked out. However, when she walked to the side of the road, police sirens were heard...and a police car was driving toward her. Tiffany''s heart plummeted at the sight. Not once hesitating, she ran backward. As she ran, the heels she wore twisted, and so did her ankle. She fell into the smelly ditch by the side, 1 However, hearing the sirens, she was so scared that she did not care anymore. She did not even put her heels back. Enduring the sharp pain that came from her legs, she ran forward like a madwoman. After Tiffany had left, Max held onto Fredrick and thanked Charmine. "Ms. Jordan, I was manipted and trusted by the wrong person. I apologize that I''ve wronged you in the past. Thank you for not holding it against me and saving my life." Even he thought it was over for him when it happened. He did not expect Charmine to save him from the mental hospital so quickly. Charmine had predicted that Tiffany would not be so kind! This was the first time Max had seen such a clever woman, and he admired Charmine from the bottom of his heart. "I didn''t intend to save you," remarked Charmine coolly, "I just don¡¯t like Tiffany." Fredrick looked at Charmine tiredly and said, "I thank you for saving my son, Ms. Jordan. If you ever need anything in the future, you may rely on me. Just give me a call." ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Charmine replied as calmly as usual, "You''re too polite, Mr. D''Cruz." Fredrick then rposed his thoughts before he addressed the crowd of people and reporters, "Poulenc is the winner of thispetition; I just threw in two hundred million in the end for Wave. Poulenc is the genuine winner of thispetition!" Tiffany ran for a few hours and finally left the sirens behind her. She hid inside an alley. Blisters littered her pale ankle, her hairpletely tousled like she was a ghost. She was covered in mud and reeked of a disgusting smell. Tiffany leaned against an old, broken house. She clenched her fists and exuded deep hatred and bitterness in her eyes. Charmine Jordan! If it was not for her, Max would not go against her! She would not have ended this way! D*mn this cheap woman! i She not only took everything away from her, but she even ruined her reputation. She no longer had a home to go back to, and everyone ridiculed her! She would not let Charmine go unscathed! As Tiffany''s mind raced with thoughts, she heard steady footstepsing her way, causing her to panic and hide inside a smelly bin. She clutched onto a stick as she looked over cautiously. As the footsteps got closer, her grip around the stick tightened. In the next instance... A gentle, wless figure showed up at the end of the alley. Dr. Kaiser? He did not seem to have seen anyone. Dressed in his gray-white long sleeve, he continued on his path. "Dr. Kaiser..." chapter 1865 chapter 1865 Tiffany, as though having met her savior, tossed the stick away and stood up from the bin, rushing toward Dr. Kaiser as she did. Dr. Kaiser frowned and eyed the woman before him before realizing who she was. This woman, who looked messier than a homeless person, was Tiffany? He looked at Tiffany coldly with eyes glinting with distaste. He took a few steps back instinctively. Tiffany arrived before him and gushed excitedly, "Dr. Kaiser, didn''t you say that you''d admire the lotuses with me once I win the bet?" Dr. Kaiser, having caught a whiff of the disgusting scenting from her, felt like puking. He clenched his fists and frowned at Tiffany. Following that, he acted as if he did not see her and walked past her, much to Tiffany¡¯s shock, i She ran after him and pulled at his hand, but Dr. Kaiser swung her hand away in aversion, sending her stumbling back a considerable distance. After stabilizing herself, she looked at his cold figure incredulously. "Dr. Kaiser, even you treat me this way? Didn¡¯t you promise me that I can look for you and admire the lotuses with you upon winning against Charmine? Sure, I look different now, but you can''t deny the fact that I still won the competition!" Dr. Kaiser took out a silk handkerchief and cleaned the part of his hand that Tiffany touched. It was as if she was a virus. He then tossed the handkerchief into the bin. Tiffany widened her eyes and looked at him with a cold smirk. "Heh! I can''t believe that you''re like this, too. I thought you''d understand me, that everything I did had reasons behind them. I did what I did because Charmine forced me to! If it wasn¡¯t for her, I¡¯d still be a Jordan and also Mrs. Bailey!" When Dr. Kaiser heard this, he looked up at her with a pair of eyes as in as water. "Although Charmine is mean, I didn''t expect you to stoop lower than her! I¡¯ll never talk or befriend someone like you!" With that said, he put his hand behind his back and left coldly, as if this ce was filthy. Tiffany remained on the same spot and looked at Dr. Kaiser''s cold, emotionless back in disbelief. He even said how the mistakes she made were understandable, so why would he say such things to her at this stage, even going as far as implying she was lower than Charmine!? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Heh! She would not have done any of this if Charmine did not force her into it. She would not have done what she did! 3 Everything was caused by Charmine, that evil woman! i Tiffany clenched her fists, her eyes glinting sharply with a feral aura. Since she hadnded in this spot, she must drag Charmine down with her, even if that meant she would die in the process. She wanted Charmine Jordan dead! Seven to eight internationally renowned cars were racing down a carracing circuit in Burlington. The audience held onto a big poster as they screamed the slogan, "Rose, Rose, you''re the best! Rose, Rose, we love you!" On the circuit, each luxury car had a title. The car known as Rose had sped forward the other six cars in the circuit briskly. In the middle of the trail, it even proudly propped itself on its side, supported by only one tire! Even so, Rose drove forward steadily! As it went through a narrow passage, the car realigned itself and drove on all four tires. With an eleration, the car went through the finishing line. The audience jumped up with excitement. "Rose! Rose!" After the car had gone through the line, the car pulled over steadily on its parking slot. The car door opened, and a long, slim leg was revealed. chapter 1866 chapter 1866 Following that, an alluring figure got out of the car, fitted in a racing suit that clung to her shapely figure. When the woman proudly removed her safety helmet, her soft hair cascaded down her shoulders. When everyone saw her face, they were stunned. It was... ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. The heiress of the Houston family, McKenzie Houston! The audience was taken by surprise at the sight. They came to ce bets, yet they had the privilege to witness McKenzie''s racing skill. McKenzie was the heiress of the Houstons, heavily involved in the technology field. Wealthy she was, yet she was also a racer! Her skill was otherworldly! The audience cheered, "Ms. McKenzie! Ms. McKenzie!" McKenzie elegantly flipped her hair. She looked at the audience coldly and instructed her assistant, "Give each of them ten thousand bucks as a reward for supporting me." "Yes, Madam." After the assistant had left, McKenzie tucked her helmet in her arm and went to the resting lounge haughtily. She leaned on the sofa as her assistants helped massage her, handed her water, and fanned her... McKenzie frowned and opened her eyes abruptly. Earlier today, her family had arranged for her to have a blind date with one of the top tycoons in Amerites. Although he was rich and handsome, all he talked about was for her to stay home and take care of their future children. She, McKenzie Houston, needed her freedom even after marriage. She would not lose herself for a man and be a stay-at-home wife! It was because of her anger that McKenzie decided toe racing to let out her anger. Even though she won the race, the annoyance remained. Even though she turned this man down, her family would no doubt arrange another man for her. No matter who it was, those with good tempers did not look good, and those who looked good were not rich enough. This was why she never found the one. Thinking it through, it still seemed...that Anthony was the best. McKenzie narrowed her cold eyes and took a sip of the coffee brought to her by her assistant. Why would she let Charmine have such a good man? She thought of something and put down her coffee. She instructed, "Bring my car here." "Yes, Madam." The assistant went forward to drive over her car. One of the two remaining assistants carried her bag while the other one held up an umbre for her. They left the racing course with her. McKenzie put on her sunsses and left in her car. With a determined look, she drove toward the direction of the Bailey mansion. However... As the car drove down the luxury street, she spotted a group of people chasing after a homeless person, throwing things at her and yelling profanities as they did. McKenzie, however, did not seem to care and looked away. She honked at the people. In the next instance... When she looked up again, she saw the homeless running for her life looking weak and pitiable. It was...Tiffany Jordan? The homeless person covered in filth was Tiffany? As if they were answering her question, the crowd threw the rotten eggs at Tiffany as they scolded, "Tiffany Jordan, you evil woman! Get out of Burlington!" "You''re despicable with questionable morals. You''re a murderer!" "Tell the police that this evil woman is here. Bring her back for the death penalty!" When she heard someone calling the police, Tiffany panicked and endured the pain that gnawed on her ankles so she could scurry away. McKenzie drove slowly. She stared at the mad, filthy figure in front of her and narrowed her eyes. Instantly, she arched her eyebrows with a thought. She looked at the crowd coldly and honked at them arrogantly. chapter 1867 chapter 1867 Beep, beep! The honking sounded impatient. The group of people spun their heads and saw an international limitededition luxury car, and they instinctively gave way. McKenzie red at the people on both sides. She pressed down the elerator all the way. The car shot out like an arrow and disappeared down the streets quickly. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. The crowd then wanted to continue chasing down Tiffany, but they realized that the dishonorable woman was nowhere to be seen. After driving down the street, McKenzie turned the car around and went toward the left side of the run- down houses. Her car slowed down as she fixed her eyes on the crowd of people on both sides of the road. s, she could not locate the figure even as she drove all the way along the street. McKenzie frowned. She was certain that she saw Tiffany running in this direction! Just as she picked up her phone and wanted to call her assistant, she suddenly glimpsed a small hand that peeked out from beside the bin. She had a look of disgust, but she still pulled over. She got out and walked out, her ten-centimeter high heels clicking against the pavement as she walked. Tiffany clutched onto the beer bottle she picked up tightly, afraid of what was to happen. As she heard the footsteps getting closer, her heart thumped quicker. Since she was to be killed anyway, it did not matter for her to kill another person! The footsteps were right in front of her, and Tiffany did not hesitate to lift the beer bottle. She then brought herself up and was so close to swinging- "Tiffany?" McKenzie called out her name, standing arrogantly. Tiffany stiffened on the spot. Her entire body was covered with filth with only her eyes considerably clean. When she saw McKenzie in front of her and then at herself, she wanted tough. The day before today, she was still the admirable Ms. D¡¯Cruz, the Princess of Kansas. She had the same ranking as McKenzie. Today, however, she became the homeless woman everyone wanted to beat up, while McKenzie was still shining and high-above. Tiffany red at her. Even with her current situation, she was still pompous as she snapped, "You can forget trying to bring me to the police station, Ms. McKenzie." McKenzie could smell the disgusting smelling from Tiffany, and the disgust in her eyes intensified. She took a few steps back instinctively. She took out her silk handkerchief to cover her nose with her eyes looking right at Tiffany. "If I want to send you to the police, do I even have to do it myself? Of course I have other ns for you." Tiffany halted at this and looked at McKenzie suspiciously. "What do you mean?" "I can help you." Hearing this, the shocked Tiffany went to McKenzie''s side eagerly. "Can you really help me, Ms. McKenzie?" Even though this woman was once her nemesis, whoever could save her today was her savior! "Yes." McKenzie took a few more steps back with disgust, keeping a safe distance from her, but she then elegantly took out a card from her bag and handed it to Tiffany. "I''ll cover you up from the police. Go and wash up, rent an apartment, and wait for me to call you.¡± Tiffany looked at her card confused. Still, she did not hesitate to reach out her dirty, smelly hand to take the card from her. "Thank you, Ms. McKenzie." She did not need to ask why she was helping her. She only knew that this was her final chance. Even if she had to be McKenzie''s dog, she was willing to. She had to seize this final chance to kill Charmine! McKenzie looked at her coldly and warned, her voice prideful yet filled with malice, "Don''t do anything with my money without my permission. Otherwise, your oue will be way worse than now!" chapter 1868 chapter 1868 "Yes, I know." Tiffany held onto the card tightly. She understood that this was herst straw, and she would kneel on her knees to thank McKenzie for this. "Fret not, Ms. McKenzie. I''ll listen to you and help you kill Charmine!" she spoke, lowering her head in front of McKenzie humbly... However, her eyes gleamed heatedly as she did. Another b*tch who wanted to use her. Nheless, she needed resources and support. She had no choice but to be her ve. McKenzie''s lips curved into a vague smile and said, "Remember: we''ve never met. Go." "Of course, I''ve never met Ms. McKenzie." Tiffany held onto the card and left quickly. McKenzie saw her back and did not even hide the look of disgust in her eyes. She tossed the silk handkerchief into the bin and went into her car to leave. Even when she shut the door, however, she still felt the tingles of repugnance. McKenzie frowned and looked at the drawer in her car. She pulled it out and took out her disinfectant wipes. She wiped her neck and her arms. Even when she rubbed at her skin, she still felt the disgusting smell lingering around her. She tossed the wipes away and phoned her assistant. "Book an appointment at McSpa for me right now. Also, bring my car for a thorough clean." "Yes, Madam," the assistant replied. The aversion seemed to only linger and intensify even after she hung up, thus McKenzie sped up and left. Within a few days, Tiffany Jordan''s was heard all over Burlington. When everyone mentioned her name, they would have a disgusted look as they counted on all her crimes all over again. Everyone hated her just as much. Even television channels repeatedly showed therge cash reward anyone could have if they were to find this evil woman. Someone said she jumped into ake and killed herself, while someone said she starved to death in the street and was eaten by a dog. None of these, however, was proven, and the police still searched for her. Meanwhile, Fredrick had closed down the copsed Wave. After Poulenc won thepetition, they received positive reviews from loyal fans. The shops were filled with people every day, and sales were doing well. Most surprising of all, the D¡¯Cruz family had befriended Charmine after everything that had happened. Charmine even coborated with Fredrick and ced the top-ten luxury skincare products from Kansas in her shop. With this, consumers had a lot more options. One day... After Anthony finished working, he went to Poulenc. Inside the shop, Charmine was standing in front of the counter. She was interacting with her customers as her slim hand held a few products, introducing them as she did. She was in a burgundy long dress and high heels, and her hair was simply tied-up. She looked professional and elegant. After marriage, she seemed to have retrieved the thorns in her, and she became considerably gentler as well. Anthony decided againsting up to her and interrupting her. Instead, he waited in the guest room and crossed his legs as he drank tea. His eyes went past the crowd and were fixed on Charmine. Sandy had been noticing Anthony for a long while. When she had time, she went to Charmine and said, "Boss Jordan, your beloved has been waiting for you for a while now. Go to him, or his eyes will fall to the floor!" Charmine could not help turning to see Anthony waiting in the guest room. She knew he was here a long time ago, but there were too many customers. She could not let the customers wait for her just so she could talk to him. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. When Anthony saw the two of them looking at him, he quickly looked away. He acted as if nothing was happening and continued to drink tea. He covered up for himself perfectly. Charmine, however, found it merely adorable with the way Anthony acted and smiled. "I¡¯ll leave this to you then, Sandy. I''ll go and see if my beloved needs anything." Sandy smiled. "He''s here because he misses you, of course!" When Charmine heard this, she was moved. Her eyes twinkled as she looked up, and she walked toward Anthony quickly in her heels. When she opened the door, Anthony looked up. "Do you need anything?" greeted Charmine. Anthony stood up and walked over to hug her. "I can''te here if I don''t need anything?" he teased, his tone sincere and loving. chapter 1869 chapter 1869 Anthony gazed at the beautiful woman in his arms. He gulped and could not help kissing her gently on her lips. Charmine noticed the hundreds of eyes looking at them from the outside and said shyly, "Many people are watching. Behave yourself." "Who doesn''t know that you''re my wife?" teased Anthony coquettishly. "So what if I hug and kiss you?" Charmine was speechless. Nheless, she allowed him to hug her and sat on the seat. Anthony gazed into her eyes and spoke, "My darling, I''ve forgotten to tell you something scary." Charmine frowned. "What? Don''t scare me." In the next moment... Seeing how endearing she looked, Anthony lowered his head and smiled." My darling, have you forgotten something?" Charmine''s brows furrowed tighter. Forgotten something? She could not recall anything that she had forgotten. Anthony parted her lips and reminded her, "We have to go back to the Jordan mansion." Charmine frowned again. To the Jordan mansion? Oh, goodness. She forgot about that! However... She looked at him bewilderedly. "This is the scary thing you talked about?" Anthony raised an eyebrow. "Well, what else do you think it was?" Charmine was speechless. This was enough. "Why didn''t you remind me of this earlier?" she could not help but ask. Anthony''s expression morphed into visible guilt. Tve...forgotten about it, too." Charmine was at a loss for words. So many things had happened after their wedding. Anthony went away while she was busy working with Poulenc, and they had indeed forgotten about this important thing. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Charmine looked at Anthony and said, "Shall we visit them tomorrow?" "Alright, I''ll go with whatever you n." With that, Anthony helped out in the shop until eight or so, and the two of them then went to have dinner. 1 They also bought some gifts at the mall before going home. 1 The next day... Anthony drove a luxury car to the Jordan mansion, and Charmine sat in the passenger seat. When the Jordans knew that they wereing home, they all took a day off to stay at home. Everyone got out to greet them upon spotting them entering. When they went into the living room, they poured them tea, greeted them, and were incredibly genial toward them. This was a stark contrast to the way they used to treat Charmine. "We¡¯re sorry, Grandpa," said Charmine to Senior Jordan. "Anthony and I were busy after our wedding. We''re sorry that we haven''t visited you earlier. "It doesn''t matter." Senior Jordan looked at her affectionately. "I know you''re busy, and you maye home anytime you like. The door to the Jordan mansion will forever stay open for you." Charmine smiled. "Thank you, Grandpa." Joey looked at Charmine gently as usual, and she thought of how Burlington was full of Tiffany¡¯s crimes these days. She was reminded of the things she did to Charmine, and this filled her with remorse and guilt. "I''m sorry, Charmine," she muttered. Charmine knew what she was referring to and remained calm. "It''s okay." Lily said, "Joey, Charmine is your daughter, so you don''t have to be so polite. We''re notpletely at the wrong end here; we were bluffed by Tiffany the evil woman." "Yeah," Amelia chimed in, "nobody expected Tiffany to be so evil." Felix said, "Even the wise and clever D''cruz family fell victim to her, what more a harmless family like ourselves." When Charmine heard them, her delicate face remained calm. Senior Jordan said in his deep voice, "Alright, this is in the past. Now that Charmine has punished Tiffany, she has done a good deed for our people. Since we''ve mistreated Charmine in the past, we''ll treat her nicer in the future." chapter 1870 chapter 1870 To Senior Jordan¡¯s words, everyone agreed. "Yeah, the past is in the past. Charmine is generous; she won¡¯t hold it against us." "Furthermore, we were lied to! We didn''t do it on purpose." 1 "It¡¯s in the past, so let''s not mention it. Charmine will forever be a Jordan." Charmine listened to their pretentious responses, yet she remained calm. She did not expose them nor did she ept them. Anthony''srge hands reached out and held onto Charmine¡¯s cold, small hands in silent reassurance. Although he was not there to witness her past, hearing how these people spoke, he could imagine how they had treated her at this ce back then.... He looked at her with a pain in his eyes. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. With him around, he would not allow anyone else to hurt Charmine again. Following that, everyone was very friendly toward Charmine. They even asked her how she was doing. Charmine did not grow impatient. She answered all of their questions. Senior Jordan saw how Charmine was getting along quite well with them, and he had a pleased look on his face. He knew the hurt they had inflicted on Charmine was nowhere to be repaid. From this moment onward, he just wanted redemption. The only wish he had was for her to be happy. He did not expect her to forgive the Jordans. Speaking of which, he looked at Anthony and said, "Anthony, I want to talk to you." "Alright." Anthony got up from the sofa. He let go of Charmine''s hand and looked at her deeply, his gaze having spoken louder than words. Charmine nodded gently. Anthony then went upstairs with Senior Jordan. Joey, meanwhile, went into the kitchen and cooked the dishes Charmine liked. Charmine leaned on the sofa with her skinny legs crossed. Although she was chatting with her family, there was still a line separating her from them. She took some food and ate silently. Lily sat opposite her. After she finished talking to Amelia, she looked at Charmine and thought for a while but still could not resist asking," Charmine, is your Poulenc earning a lot of money?" Charmine looked up, but before she could answer, Felix replied, "Look at you! How can you not read the news? The news reported clearly that they made tens of billions of sales within half an hour. How is it possible to not earn a lot?¡± Lily smiled awkwardly. "I wasn''t paying attention before." With that said, she looked at Charmine. "Charmine, you''re now incredibly wealthy with a good husband, and even your career is exponentially bettering. We''re a family after all, so why don''t you give us some shares? Even ten percent is fine! Otherwise, you¡¯ll be the only one improving and being in the wealthiest rank while we, your family, are working at the bottom rank. How embarrassing would that be?" 3 Felix added, "Charmine, we''re your family after all. I¡¯m your uncle. I don''t want to work as a security guard anymore. You have no idea how difficult it is for me to go to work every day... They even asked why my niece is so well -off and I still have to work as a security guard. Goodness, those words do stab at me like knives to my heart, you know..." 1 The two of them looked pathetic as if they were the most pitiable people on earth. They were near tears, too. Charmine ate her food quietly. When she heard that they had finished, she cleared her dish and answered, her tone cold yet professional, "My apologies, but as I''ve said, if you want to work at the Jordan Group, you have to work for what you want. If you want the shares, you work for them!" 1 Lily and Felix''s faces stiffened. This was how Charmine behaved before marriage, yet this trait of her remained even after? chapter 1871 chapter 1871 Charmine made them work at herpany for so long and still would not give them a breather at all? Seeing how devastated her parents looked, Amelia mmed her palms onto the table angrily and barked, ¡¯ What are you so haughty for, Charmine? You merely made a sessful skincare brand! If Tiffany didn''t do what she did, you might not have won!" With that said, she turned to reassure her parents, "Daddy, Mommy, don''t beg this heartless woman. Her heart is made of steel, and all she cares about is herself! Although Tiffany is evil, at least she was kind toward us." Charmine looked at the family of three and sneered, unleashing an onught of words, "Feeding a bunch of parasites is being kind? Felix, why don''t you think of why you''re still a security guard after so long. You still have a few decades left to live. Are you sure you guys want to live like this; like empty husks with no dreams or goals?" Not caring how interesting the looks on their faces were, Charmine stood up and left. When she arrived by the staircase, Joey walked out of the kitchen and called out to her, "Charmine..." Charmine stopped and looked at her. "Yes?" "I''m quite busy in the kitchen. Can youe in and help me out?" T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Charmine halted. She had thought Joey would talk her out into helping their parasitic rtives...but it was apparent that Joey merely wanted to spend more time with her. Recalling that Anthony was still chatting with Senior Jordan upstairs, she did not want to disturb them. Before anything else, she red at Amelia, Lily, and Felix. "Remember: one must live a life worth living!" With that said, she went into the kitchen and joined Joey in preparing the dishes. Lily, meanwhile, looked at the mother-and-daughter pair and was horribly envious, i How could the two be so happy while the rest of them suffered? The three of them exchanged nces, stood up in unison, and made their way to the backyard. When they arrived, Felix looked at Lily and said, "Why did you say it out loud? Do you know how much ten percent of her shares are? Every one billion she earns, she has to give you a hundred million! If she earns ten billion, she has to pay you one billion! Of course she won''t say yes to it!" "I had to ask for a bigger number, only for her to press me down!" reasoned Lily. "Who would''ve thought that this woman could be so heartless? She''s not giving us anything!" Amelia, displeased, looked at her parents angrily. "Dad, why are you ming Mom at all? It''s not about how much she asks for; Charmine is not giving us anything! You said how bad it is for you to work as a security guard. If she has a heart at all, she would''ve given you a management position, yet all she gave you two were harsh words!" Amelia''s anger red the more she spoke. "Who does Charmine think she is? How stingy!" Lily saw how angry her daughter was and turned around tofort her." Amelia, don''t get angry. I will think of another way. If it doesn''t work now, I''ll go and bug her at her shop every day. She''ll cave in someday when she loses her patience." Amelia looked at her and arched her eyebrows. '' Mom, do you have any better ideas other than these embarrassing ones?" When Felix heard her saying this, he asked with his eyes widened, "Amelia, what better ideas do you have?" As Amelia was about to speak, the backyard door suddenly opened. The three of them looked over in unison and saw... The person standing in front of them was Tiffany! They were so close to screaming when they recalled the huge bounty on Tiffany, but- "Shut up!" hissed Tiffany as she took out and handed out a five-million worth of check. Lily instantly epted the check and scrutinized it closely. It was genuine! The three of them looked at this elegantly dressed woman before them in shock. "Why are you here?" they blurted. chapter 1872 chapter 1872 Had this despicable Tiffany scored another wealthy guy? Two days ago, she was still running down the streets in filth. How could she show up so well- pampered? Not only was she not apprehended, but she even offered them this much money? Tiffany looked at them arrogantly as if she did not hear them speak. She instructed, "If you do as I say and transfer all the money out of the Jordan group, I''ll give you one billion. I''ll then bring you overseas and leave this country. Nobody will find you." One billion? That was a very attractive figure, no doubt. They could live afortable life with that much money upon leaving the country! i However... The three of them exchanged nces and fixed their eyes on Tiffany in unison. "You''ve done every evil crime there is," they verbally pointed. "How can we trust you?" "Now that you can''t even protect yourself, you still have such an evil n to make your family go bankrupt?" "You''re evil as usual. How cruel!" Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Amelia put her hands on her waist and mocked Tiffany, "Go away! We won''t trust you. As for this five million..." Amelia smirked. "This will be the price for us to not expose you." Lily admired her daughter for being so smart. She gazed at her, proud, before turning her then- disdainful gaze toward Tiffany, jeering, "Go away! If they find out you¡¯re here, you won''t even be able to leave!" 1 Tiffany grew livid upon hearing their words. A family of fools! If they were not valuable in her n, she would have killed them all! She gripped onto her bag tighter, took a deep breath, and retrieved the malicious glint in her gaze. Noticing that the trio was leaving, Tiffany quickly said, "Is this how you''re going to spend the rest of your lives, living under Charmine''s control? Have you forgotten how Charmine treated you all? She''s utterly arrogant and bossy! Don¡¯t you want to see her having nothing left?" Their faces stiffened, and these words felt like they had stabbed right into their hearts. Tiffany had a point. They did not want to live under this woman, to be treated with disrespect! They were supposed to be a family. How could Charmine be exalted and earning billions every few hours while they werembasted, having been forced to put on smiles just to get scolded? Lily looked at Felix and felt bitter. They had had enough! She pushed Felix''s hand away and turned over to look at Tiffany. "Is what you say true? Once this is done, will you truly give us one billion and send us out of the country? Can you ensure our safety?" Felix frowned and said, "What¡¯s this nonsense about, Lily? The Jordan Group is my father¡¯s effort of decades-it¡¯s not just Charmine''s! You''d believe this woman and hurt our father?" Amelia scoffed, "Dad, what''s the point of reconciling ties right now? Has Grandpa cared about you? If he does, he wouldn''t have made Uncle Adam the President while you''re a security guard! This money wouldn''t be ours, even if they don¡¯t go to Tiffany!" "She''s right." Lily thought of how her husband was powerless at home and snapped, "Felix, what are you hesitating for? This is a good opportunity! Do you want to continue living like this after all? It''s one billion! When we get the money, you can easily establish apany outside and be a boss! We''ll live happily, and we won¡¯t have to live under anyone anymore! Do you want to be a security guard forever?" 1 Felix frowned and thought for a moment before he cast his gaze at his wife and daughter. Thinking of how powerless he was at home, he finally nodded. "Alright. If that''s what you have decided, I''ll listen to you." chapter 1873 chapter 1873 His only family as of this moment was Lily and Amelia, after all. 2 Tiffany remained standing austerely like a wealthy woman. She looked at them elegantly as they struggled and negotiated. Heh. These tools. She could forever spot their weak spots precisely! When the three of them had decided, Amelia looked at Tiffany and said," Why are you helping us?" Tiffany smiled elegantly, and her red lips parted for her to say, "The enemy of my enemy is a friend. You hate Charmine, and I hate her more. I want to see her destroyed and left with nothing!" This reason convinced Amelia, Lily, and Felix. 2 It was all on Charmine that Tiffany had ended up like this...and it was also she who forced them to change their allegiance from her! 2 Amelia pursed her lips and asked, "Why should we believe you, and just based on this five million, no less? If you run away once you get the money, won''t we be fools? Knowing you, I feel that this is something you''d do!" Tiffany''s eyes glinted impatiently, yet she remained stoic. "Alright, then." She took out another check in her bag and wrote ten million onto it. "This is your deposit. Once everything is done, I''ll pay you the rest. You''ve done nothing now, and I''ve already paid you fifteen million. Is this not sincere enough?" The family of three exchanged nces and decided she was sincere enough. Tiffany took out a USB from her bag. She looked around coldly and said cautiously, "Connect this USB to theputer of the finance department. I¡¯ll be able to hack into the system and transfer the money out." All of a sudden, they heard footstepsing from inside the mansion. Her expression changed as she reminded, "Wait for me to get in touch." With that, she put on her sunsses and sunhat before leaving coldly. 1 ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. After they shut the door, the three of them looked at the small USB at hand and could barely register what just happened. "This small thing will be able to transfer the money out from thepany?" questioned Lily. Amelia smiled coldly. "Once we connect this to the financeputer, we''ll have aplished our task. No matter if she seeds or not, we must get the money." Lily smiled. "Amelia, you¡¯re the best." The both of them exchanged grins as Lily said, "Felix, you¡¯re the security guard, and they won¡¯t be suspicious of you. We''ll leave you to this." Felix held onto the USB tightly and looked at the two most important people in his life. Hisst hint of hesitation vanished as he spoke resolutely. "Okay." He did not mind living the way he already did, but he would not let his wife and daughter suffer like this! That night. Tiffany, still wearing her sunsses and hat, covered herself and sessfully went into the hospital. She arrived at Robert''s ward where Robertid in bed, still unconscious and showed no signs of waking up. Tiffany made sure nobody was around before she took out a syringe from her bag and injected a substance into his body. Following that, she packed up efficiently and stood by the bed. She looked at Robert, who was still unconscious. "How are you going to thank me, Robert? You couldn''t wake up because there''s a sleeping pill in your body; only I knew this. Your birth sister knows medicines and has so much money, yet she never cured you! Heh! Only I treated you as my brother!" Tiffany smiled proudly and patted his face. "When you wake up, go and reunite with your so-called family!" Tiffany thought of something, and there was an evil look in her eyes. She pushed down her hat and turned to leave. chapter 1874 chapter 1874 The next day, at the Bailey mansion... Charmine slept alone on the spacious double bed. The birds outside the window chirped to a melodious song, while the warm sunlight shone past the tree branches and the window. Charmineid in bed with her nket below her shoulder, exposing her beautiful and sexy corbone. She turned in bedfortably, naturally turning to her right ...but it was empty. Charmine opened her eyes abruptly and noticed that Anthony was not next to her at all. She then vaguely remembered that Anthony seemed to have woken up very early and went to his company. Charmine felt rather...disappointed. After their wedding, they only managed to go back to the Jordan mansion yesterday. They had not even had time to have their honeymoon. Either one of them was always busy. Nheless, Charmine took a deep breath and woke up to wash up. She then got changed and was ready to go downstairs when the bedroom door opened abruptly. Charmine turned and saw Anthony. She halted for a second before asking, "Didn''t you go to work?" "Hmm? Who said that?" With a te of watermelon slices at hand, Anthony shut the door and went inside, and Charmine''s initially disappointed heart tingled. She had guessed wrong, after all. Anthony ced the te of watermelons on the table and said, "Come and try these fresh watermelons, dearest." "Okay." Charmine walked over. Anthony brought out a fruit knife and cut off the upper-half of one watermelon slice before bringing it to her lips, urging, "Try it." Charmine took a bite. "It''s very sweet," she remarked. Noticing how much Charmine enjoyed the taste, Anthony smiled gently and took some to start eating. What Charmine did not notice was that before she even finished her bite, Anthony had cut out another quarter of the watermelon slice for her. She smiled and epted them. Anthony then ate the remaining slice with the sweetest tip cut out. Charmine sat before the table, and only then did she notice that Anthony, right in front of her, merely ate the remaining part of the slice. She felt.Jncred ibly appreciated. Although this was only a watermelon, she could strongly feel how much he loved and cared for her. He always gave her the best, regardless of how grand or small the matter was. Charmine looked at his elegant face and thought of something. She put down the watermelon at hand and rounded the table, walking toward Anthony. Thinking she had finished her part of the watermelon, Anthony picked up the knife, ready to cut her another bite when... A pair of fair hands reached out and took the knife away from him. Anthony looked up at Charmine, who sat on hisp, her red lips curling into a smile. "I don''t want to eat watermelon now, darling," she spoke coquettishly. Anthony reached out to hug her waist. His eyes darkened as he fixed his eyes on her. "What would you like to eat, then?" he asked hoarsely. "You..." teased Charmine as she lifted his face by the chin and lowered her head to kiss his inviting lips, i Anthony''s body stiffened at this, not once expecting for Charmine to take the initiative and surprise him. He felt her lips and held her tighter in his arms, regaining the reins. Embracing her tightly, he lifted her and walked toward the bed. "My darling, you promised me a second child..." Charmine winked at him flirtatiously. She did not resist and nodded shyly. Anthony hastened upon seeing her reaction. Having carried her to the bed, he gently ced her down. Meanwhile... The bedroom door suddenly opened, yet the two of them were too into their passion they did not notice it. "Mom...my..." Chris stood outside the door, petrified before he could even finish his sentence.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. chapter 1875 chapter 1875 The expression on Chris'' cool, small face shifted from glee into disappointment upon hearing his Mommy asking his Daddy for a second child. Did they not want him anymore? Why did they leave him in the vige for a few days, then? Why did Charmine and Anthony not even call him and ask about him? i They seemed to have forgotten about his existence while he was gone! That douche of a father had corrupted his Mommy! Still... Despite this heartache of his, Chris was nheless content. His Daddy and Mommy were finally together and blissful at that. He no longer had to worry about them. Thinking everything through, Chris grabbed onto the door handle with his small hand and closed the door before he turned to leave. He would find Chloe, then, and these two coulde find him when they finally remembered him! 1 Hmph! The door was opened and shut, but Anthony and Charmine, still inside the room, did not notice this at all. Charmine sat on top of Anthony, her fair hands unbuttoning the crystal buttons on his shirt. Anthony looked at the woman on top of him. He would be lying if he said he did not want to continue this; he had been holding himself back after all. Still, he... He recalled how Charmine was still troubled by the harrowing incident from five years ago. The words she had hissed to him before-"I''ll kill you"¡ª struck him like a wake-up call, and struck his heart fiercely. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. With that in mind, the lust in his eyes vanished, and he looked at Charmine coldly. "Dearest..." he uttered, voice hoarse and evidently repressing his lust. Charmine''s heart fluttered upon hearing Anthony''s sensual voice, and she lowered her head, whispering to his lips, "Yes?¡± Her voice was just as equally lust-filled and hoarse. Anthony clenched his fists and gulped. He tried his best to keep calm as he blurted, "I didn''t prepare that thing..." "Don¡¯t you want a second child? We don''t need it." Charmine continued to kiss him, her hand not once stopping to unbutton his shirt. Anthony noticed the passion in her expression and knew they would consummate their marriage if he did not stop her. 3 Lips pressed into a tight line, he grabbed her small hand and stopped her, much to her surprise. 2 Charmine frowned and turned her gaze to meet his. Her flirtatious expression watered down as she asked, Anthony, what are you doing?" This was not the first time this had happened. Why did he have to stop every time things escted to this stage? She could clearly feel his desires! Charmine remained on hisp yet seemingly towered over him, demanding coldly, "Exin." 3 The expression on Charmine''s face showed just how much she would insist if he did not give her a reasonable excuse. Anthony scrambled to find a usible exnation. How could he exin? Would he have to tell her that he was the man she slept with five years ago? She would kill him, right then and there! Anthony thought of the look on her face, and his heart skipped a beat. He pursed his lips and said, ¡¯¡¯My darling, if we want a second child, we¡¯ll have to ask Chris. If he doesn¡¯t like the idea, I''m worried that he might overthink when we tell her that we¡¯re expecting. He might think that we don¡¯t like him anymore when we want to have another child..." 2 Charmine frowned. "Is your excuse even usible, Anthony? Momo has been asking us for a sister. Why would he be troubled?" Anthony said with a straight face, "When I told him about this, he seemed quite disappointed. Perhaps he didn''t want you to feel bad, and so he said he wanted a sister." Charmine frowned. Was that...the truth? It did make sense, however. If they told Chris out of the blue that she was expecting, he might overthink and get upset. He might think that they no longer cared for him. They would make a decision only after asking for Chris'' opinion, then. However... chapter 1876 chapter 1876 Charmine looked at Anthony, clear-eyed. "In that case, look for the condom! Anthony reached out to caress her face and helplessly exined, his tone emotional and regretful, "We don''t have this at home yet." As he gazed into Charmine¡¯s doubt-filled eyes, he assured her resolutely," My darling, as you know, I''ve never messed around. It''s normal that I don¡¯t have them at home." 1 Charmine¡¯s expression eased at that. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Anthony had a point. If she found a box of condoms in his drawer, she would lose her mind! She arched her eyebrows and got off of him. "So we''ll continue at night?" she asked. "Of course..." Anthony got up and hugged her from behind. He leaned on her shoulder and said gently, "I''m a normal and healthy man. Why would I not want it?" Charmine believed him then, but just as she was about to say something else, knocks were heard on their door...as Grandma Bailey''s voice was heard from outside. "Charmine, are you awake yet?" "I am," replied Charmine. "Please wait for a while, Grandma." Charmine got off the bed quickly and fixed her messy hair, while Anthony began to button up his shirt. When Anthony saw Charmine getting up to open the door, he let out a sigh of relief. 1 He managed to evade it this time around. 2 "Good morning, Grandma," greeted Charmine when she opened the door. "Good morning." Grandma Bailey saw the blush lingering on Charmine''s face and was delighted. The two of them were- No, she came at the wrong time. Wrong time! She would not have disturbed them if she knew! Anthony got out of the room and went to Charmine¡¯s side. He pulled her into a hug naturally and said, "What do you need, Grandma?" Grandma Bailey was still furious at herself for disturbing them. Nheless, she exined, albeit helplessly so, "The Houstons are hosting a small dinner party tonight, and they invited us over for a meal. The Bailey and Houston families have been friends for centuries, and now that you''ve just gotten married, you should go and have a meal with them. This is to introduce Charmine to the Houstons." Charmine frowned at this, instantly recalling the arrogant McKenzie upon hearing the Houston family''s name. Anthony noticed Charmine''s expression and seemed to have thought of something. "Grandma, can we not go?" reasoned Anthony. "No." Grandma Bailey then said, "The Houstons have invited all of us. They even said that you and Charmine must be there. If you don''t show up, they''ll get offended." Anthony had more to say, but Charmine spoke before he could. "Alright, Grandma. We''ll go." "Alright, then." Grandma Bailey looked at Charmine and smiled. "You''re indeed my understanding granddaughter-inw." Charmine smiled weakly. "You don''t have to praise me all the time, Grandma. This is the right thing to do." "Well, you are very kind," said Grandma Bailey, "so you should be praised." With that said, she looked at Anthony. "Anthony, do you listen to Charmine all the time? You mustn''t hurt her." 1 Anthony looked at Charmine and replied affectionately, "Don''t worry about that. Do I need you to remind me?" Grandma Bailey had a pleased look as she said, "Alright. Get ready, then." "Okay." Grandma Bailey nodded and pushed the two of them inside. "Go back and continue what you were doing." With that said, she left with a grin. 1 Anthony and Charmine exchanged nces, and it took a while for them to react. Charmine had a blush on her fair face. She shot Anthony a look before going inside. Anthony shut the door and chased after her, grabbing her by the waist as he spoke, "My darling, Grandma asked us to continue what we were doing... Charmine remained calm as she looked at him. "At night." She was no longer in the mood. Anthony''s lips curved into a gentle smile as he patted her head. "I''ll listen to my wife." chapter 1877 chapter 1877 Anthony then leaned closer to Charmine¡¯s ear and said, "I¡¯ll obey whatever position you want, dearest." To this, Charmine became tongue-tied. After lunch that afternoon, a few luxury cars were ready outside the Bailey mansion, and the Baileys were ready to visit the Houstons. Charmine had changed into a dark-red ankle-length dress. With her hair put up, she looked stunning and sexy. She took up her bag and hooked her arm around Anthony''s. She was ready to leave when the phone in her bag rang abruptly. Charmine fished out her phone and noticed that the caller was Senior Jordan. She epted the call and greeted, "Grandpa." "Charmine," Senior Jordan¡¯s weary voice was heard from the other end of the call, "Robert woke up." "What!?" Charmine felt electrified. "Where''s he now?" It was Tiffany who had drugged Robert a few months ago. The doctors said that he should have woken up earlier, but he remained in aa while they could not even identify the cause. Today, however, he had woken up. "We''ve brought him home. Come home and have a look at yourself," said Senior Jordan. Charmine looked up at Anthony, a frown adorning her face, but she nodded a little whileter. "Okay, I¡¯ll come now." When she hung up, Anthony asked, "Why do you seem so excited, dearest?" Charmine held onto his arm and said happily, "Grandpa said that Robert has woken up. He''s home now!" Anthony, seeing how happy Charmine was, was just as happy. "I¡¯m d that he''s awake now.¡± Charmine pursed her lips and said, "I want to go home and visit him. I can¡¯te to the Houston mansion. Help me tell Grandma about this." Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Anthony nodded and raised an eyebrow at her. "My darling, are you not worried about McKenzie clinging onto me?" Charmine looked at him, and her red lips curled into a smile. "I trust my choice of husband and his personality." i Charmine¡¯s words made Anthony''s heart flutter. He thought for a moment before he offered, "Why don''t I go with you?" "No need," said Charmine, "they insisted you go. Furthermore, if you go back with me, they might think that I''m controlling my husband." Anthony grinned. "I don''t mind being controlled. It''ll be my honor." "But I do. I don''t want others to call me a jealous wife!" insisted Charmine and fixed his tie. "Go on, and I''ll go and visit my brother. We''ll reunite. Don''t let Grandma wait for too long." Anthony was helpless, and he could only reach out to smooth her hair. "Do take care. Call me if anythinges up." "Alright." Charmine smiled. "Go on." Anthony lowered his head to kiss her seemingly glistening forehead. He then turned and headed down. Charmine, meanwhile, went back to the room and got changed before she left for the Jordan mansion. Upon arriving at the Jordan mansion, she walked into a seemingly lively room. She pushed the door open and saw a group of people surrounding Robert, all of them conveying their best wishes. Senior Jordan had tears in his eyes, evidently relieved and ddened." Robert, you have no idea how long I''ve waited for this day. I used to be strict on you and didn¡¯t allow you to y online games. I''ve thought it all through, however, and you can do and pursue whatever your heart desires!" Robert, surrounded by the people, seemed to be more mature as contrast to his youthful expression. "Thank you, Grandpa," said Robert. "Sorry to have worried you." Meanwhile, footsteps were heard, and the Jordans turned to see Charmine walking in. Seeing her atst, Robert recalled what happened before hisa, and he seemed visibly conflicted. He stood up and pursed his lips, calling out to Charmine, "Sister." Everyone was taken aback by this. What was that...? Robert never liked Charmine, and all of a sudden, he called her ''sister*? Had he finally matured after surviving hisa? chapter 1878 chapter 1878 Robert noticed how everyone looked bewildered, but he ignored them and poured tea for Charmine. His clear eyes were filled with gratitude and respect. He used to dislike Charmine and thought of her as useless and emotionless. He even thought that Tiffany genuinely cared for him with how she treated him and spoiled him. However, after what happened and how Charmine saved him from Uji Quin, he understood which sister was worthy of his admiration, 1 His mind could clearly recall how Charmine protected him and helped him out of the ordeal. Charmine walked toward and sat down, asking, "Are you hurting anywhere?" "No." Robert sat with her on the sofa and turned to look at her. After a moment, he said with a serious tone, "Thank you for saving me, sis; I''m indebted to you. If you ever need anything in the future, I¡¯ll be there." Charmine met his gaze and noted the shine in his pupils, smiling in satisfaction at the sight. Robert had changed. He used to be unruly and arrogant, but at this moment, his eyes were clear and grateful. It seemed that he had matured, after all. She smiled pleasantly. "Alright, then, strive to recover. I hope that you will hold that promise of yours true someday.¡± Robert beamed like sunshine and had a determined smile on his face." Okay!" Based on what she said, he would work hard to be the brother she wanted him to be! When the family saw how Charmine and Robert had reconciled and their improved rtionship, they exchanged looks and were all perplexed. Senior Jordan, meanwhile, practically beamed at the sight. When Joey saw how both her children were sessful and mature, she was filled with gratitude. Unfortunately, Adam was still busy working in the vige. He would have been so happy at the sight of this that he might not sleep all night. During the meal, Charmine sat beside Senior Jordan. She looked over the people on the seats and noticed... Felix, missing? Senior Jordan noticed the suspicion in her eyes and exined, "Your Uncle is working a shift tonight. He''s noting back for dinner." Charmine nodded at this response, yet her gaze then shifted toward Lily and Amelia, and they seemed to behave rather peculiarly. She had put them on st the other day, yet they seemed oddly calm today. Not only did they have not a single word of spite for her, yet they even seemed to be...hiding something? How strange... Of course, she did not give this much thought. Perhaps Senior Jordan had overheard their entire exchange and sternly warned them, hammering the lesson into their heads. Meanwhile, Lily felt uneasy under Charmine''s doubtful gaze toward herself. Charmine was incredibly sharp, after all, so could she have figured something out? She quickly took out her phone and sent Felix a text. [Felix, send me a text once you''ve done it. Amelia and I will rush over.] Even after sending the text, however, she received not a single response from Felix, much to her restlessness. Lily bit her lip. Please be safe. Otherwise, the three of them were done for, and Charmine would hound after them for sure! Lily thought for a moment and texted Tiffany. [Felix is bringing the USB to thepany. When can we get paid and fly? Charmine is now suspicious, and we¡¯re getting more anxious just sitting here!] After sending the text, she turned her phone to silent mode. A momentter... The screen that cked out lit up with Tiffany''s response. [Already booked the fight for you. 10pm flight.] Tiffany brushed Lily off and smirked maliciously. She then made a phone call. "They''re eating now. Take action, and remember not to make any mistakes."Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. chapter 1879 chapter 1879 Tiffany smirked cruelly after she left the message. Those fools were like sitting ducks, waiting for their demise! Back in the Jordan mansion, Lily sighed in relief upon reading Tiffany''s reply. She nonchntly put down her phone and looked at Charmine coldly. Heh. This was all Charmine¡¯s fault, all because of her arrogance! Felix was also Senior Jordan¡¯s son, so how did Charmine deserve all the shares? Lily had been thinking of a way to reap all thepany''s money, and this was their chance! Charmine was the one at fault, and she asked for this! Lily had a sneaky look in her eyes, she picked some vegetables for Amelia and exchanged a look with her. Amelia instantly understood what she meant. Her lips curled up unnoticeably as she continued to enjoy the meal. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. At the Jordan Group... Felix sessfully made his way into the finance department and managed to plug in the USB given by Tiffany onto theputer. He looked around the empty room and let out a sigh of relief. He had finished his task. After this, his family of three would live a happy, blissful life! Felix thought about it happily and sent a text to Tiffany, [Mission aplished.] Upon walking out of thepany, he texted Lily, [It''s done. Bring Amelia out.] Meanwhile, Tiffany, upon receiving Felix''s text, smirked and began working on herptop. At the Jordan mansion... Lily''s heart leaped upon receiving Felix¡¯s text atst, and she could barely hide the evident glow in her eyes! She began fantasizing about going overseas with a whole million bucks before- Charmine¡¯s phone on the table began ring loudly like warning sirens, breaking the silence at the quiet dining table. 1 Everyone fixed their eyes on her phone. She frowned and instantly picked it up when an automated voice began to repeatedly say... "Funds being stolen. Funds being stolen!" When Lily and Amelia heard this, they froze and dared not speak. D*mn it! How could this be? 1 Could they still leave if Charmine got to the bottom of this?! After Charmine had unlocked her phone, she checked thepany¡¯s ount and saw that all the cash, investments, and funds had been transferred out, leaving their ount with a t zero bnce! She frowned. Who had stolen Jordan Group''s funds!? Senior Jordan asked, "What''s wrong, Charmine? What does it mean, funds being stolen?" Charmine replied, "Someone has transferred the funds of thepany out." "What!?" Lily reacted loudly, "How could this be? Who stole it?" Everyone else widened their eyes, and they looked at Charmine with disbelief. Senior Jordan''s head buzzed at the news, yet he managed to order, "Hurry, call the police." However, Charmine knew that the hackers were clever enough to break through her protection, and there was no use for the police. She instantly called Kay instead. Right after that, however, her phone beeped and disconnected the call. Frowning, she realized that her phone had lost its signal. She turned to look at Robert. "Robert, give me your phone." Robert handed her his phone. However, his phone had no signal as well! How oddly strange. The loss of signal had never happened in the Jordan mansion. The only possibility left was that the signal had been intentionally cut off! Nobody could contact them, and they could not reach out to anyone, too! chapter 1880 chapter 1880 Charmine narrowed her eyes and looked at the people in front of them. Recalling how Robert suddenly and miraculously awakened from hisa, she then realized something. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Someone had trapped them here. Nheless, what was the point? Charmine''s head spun. If they wanted thepany funds, they would have released them all by now, having gained every penny left in thepany''s bank. She could not figure it out yet, but she had a vague inkling that they were all in danger. They had to leave, and fast. Charmine looked up at Senior Jordan. "Grandpa, the Jordan mansion is dangerous right now. Everyone, get out! Do not stay in here!" Everyone looked at her in shock. Why was the Jordan mansion dangerous? Robert stood up and stood the lead. He supported Senior Jordan and said," Just trust her, Grandpa." "Okay." Senior Jordan still could not grasp what was happening, yet he trusted Charmine. He stood up and said, "Listen to Charmine. Go out, now!¡± The Jordans ced down their cutleries and began to walk. Lily pulled Amelia secretly and whispered, "This is probably a part of Tiffany''s n to divert their attention. When they''re not noticingter, let''s go and find your father!" Amelia nodded. Everyone rushed to the front yard with Charmine leading them, the first to reach out to the gates as well. Just as she reached out to the gates, however... She felt electric currents rushing from her fingertips and throughout her body. Her head buzzed as though electricity ran across her veins and skin. Charmine quickly retrieved her hand, and looking at how numb her arm was, she knew something terrible had been set. "What¡¯s wrong, Charmine?" asked Senior Jordan. "There''s active electricity running throughout the gates, and we can¡¯t get out," dered Charmine seriously. Although the electric current would not kill them, it might incapacitate their mental stability. Senior Jordan¡¯s aged face was riddled with worry, still. "Who hated us so much that they''d plot this against us?" he asked in utter disbelief. When Lily and Amelia heard this, they panicked. Now that they could not get hold of Felix, if they could not get out, how would they get the money and get out of the country? She red at the metal gate and said with disbelief, "Do you have conductors on your clothes?" Charmine looked at her coldly, and her red lips twisted into a smirk. "You can try." "So what if I try!¡± Lily walked toward the door. Joey held her back. ''Lily, don¡¯t be irrational. Charmine won¡¯t harm us.¡± All Lily wanted was to get out and get her money to leave the country. She did not care about these rtives she considered repulsive. Unbothered, she swung Joey''s hand away and barked, "Who knows what you and your daughter are up to! The money was fine all these years, and all of a sudden, they''re stolen. Nobody knows if you two plotted this. If you don¡¯t let us leave now, that means you''re not allowing us to call the police!" Joey staggered backward due to the force of Lily''s swing, but Robert caught her just in time. "Leave her be, Mom." Senior Jordan''s face was heavy as he knocked his walker against the ground heavily. "Lily, do you have to be so rude?" Lily scoffed. ''Dad, I¡¯m not being rude! I did this for your own sake; I don¡¯t want your money to get stolen! I will go out now and call the police!" With that said, she held Amelia''s hand and walked toward the door. She refused to believe she could not get out. It was just an electrical surge, and she could take it. She would not die! As long as she got out, she could leave this disgusting ce forever! Charmine, meanwhile, no longer bothered with Lily attempting to leave. At this rate, the entire family would die here with them! Charmine looked around as she tried to look for a way out when the breeze blew... She could make out the smell of natural gas. chapter 1886 chapter 1886 As he recalled just how vile Tiffany was, Senior Jordan did not stop Charmine. "Just be careful, Charmine," reminded the elder. "Tiffany truly is despicable, Charmine. Be really careful,¡± added Joey. Charmine nodded. "I know." Robert asked, "Sis, is there anything I can help with?" "No," said Charmine, "just take good care of Grandpa and Mom." Robert wanted to be of more assistance, but hearing how she rejected him, he could only say, "Alright, then. I''ll obey this promise." Charmine smiled vaguely and prepared to turn over. After two steps, she then recalled something... She stopped and turned to look at Lily and Amelia. "The two of you want to get thepany shares in this shape? If thepany ended up with you two, they might as well be destroyed!" Charmine did not bother in waiting fortheir response as she continued to walk. Lily and Amelia merely gazed at Charmine¡¯s form; this was the first time they did not talk back to her. Looking at the sparks, they were still intimidated. They would have died if it were not for Charmine...yet they even thought they could get away and leave the country with a whole billion! Aplete daydream, that was. They thought they were smart, that they only had to put in a USB to earn one billion, yet Tiffany yed them all for fools! There was nothing they both could do to salvage the situation. As Charmine said, with their capability, what else did they expect? When they had any trouble, they knew nothing and only slowed everyone down... Senior Jordan was kind enough to keep them around! Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Charmine drove out of the Jordan family''s mansion while contacting Kay. "Prepare for me a helicopter." "Roger that, Boss Jordan!" After hanging up, she skillfully searched for Tiffany''s location. In just a few minutes, she precisely located her at a private airport. Her red lips curled into a smirk as she sped up. Meanwhile... Tiffany read the notification that informed the Jordan family''s mansion had exploded, and she smirked in satisfaction. Charmine, that cheap woman, was finally dead! Hahahaha! She, wanted to fight her? Charmine was too weak! So what if Charmine ruined her reputation? At least she was still alive! With all the money from the Jordan family''spany, she could start over outside the country! Charmine? Heh. How could she even contend against her? She did not even survive the explosion. A woman like her belonged in hell. Even better, her whole family was in hell with her! Hahaha! Tiffany grinned maliciously at the image when the pilot came to her side and reminded her, "Ms. Jordan, the ne is ready to depart." Tiffany took the things she had prepared and went into the private ne. The door shut, and the ne flew up. Through the window, Tiffany arrogantly watched as she flew further away from the ground, and a cold- blooded smirk spread across her face. It had all ended. The Jordans who had hurt her were all dead...and she had exacted her vengeance. As soon as the nended, she, Tiffany, would have a new future! Tiffany looked away and put on her cold sunsses coldly. She was getting ready to take a rest. Suddenly... "We have a situation," the pilot warned. Tiffany''s eyelids fluttered open. "What''s wrong?" "A helicopter ising our way!" "What!?" Tiffany removed her sunsses in shock, her cold eyes fixed on the helicopter a few hundred meters away. "D*mn it!" Tiffany thought for a moment and said, "Get around it. Just fly this thing forward!" 3 "Yes, Madam!" The pilot had to bite the bullet and keep moving forward. chapter 1887 chapter 1887 However... The helicopter would make a turn to the left when the pilot maneuvered the ne to the left. When the pilot turned right, the helicopter made a turn to the right, too. It felt as if the helicopter was ready to ram straight into them! Tiffany growled, hDo you even know how to drive this thing? You can¡¯t even hide from a puny helicopter?" The pilot said, intimidated, "The pilot is too skilled!" The helicopter''s pilot was so skilled that the pilot controlling the ne could not press forward. The helicopter''s pilot, however, continued to move straight at them! "Useless!" Tiffany went before him and demanded elegantly, "Move. Let me pilot the ne!" She refused to let anythinge between her and her happy -ever-after future, now that she was on the ne that could take her there! Tiffany sat on the pilot seat and steered the ne based on the basic skills she learned earlier. She red at the helicopter blocking her way and decided to drive right into the helicopter! Since the helicopter was the first to prove, well... The pilot could not me her if anything terrible happened! Meanwhile... Charmine sat inside the helicopter and operated the aircraft dexterously. When she saw Tiffany taking over as the ne''s pilot, her red lips curved into a smirk. She reached out to press on the button professionally, sending the helicopter rushing forward. Tiffany showed no signs of fear or weakness. Even though the helicopter was getting closer, she fearlessly steered the ne forward. In the next instance... Thoom! The two vehicles thrusted into one another mid-air! The wings of Tiffany''s ne were smashed off, sending shockwaves across the ne and causing it to lose bnce. She cursed under her breath and quickly moved her hand to stabilize the ne. Charmine¡¯s helicopter, meanwhile, was a special aircraft that suffered no damages whatsoever. She red at the shaking ne and rushed forward all the way! Thoom! Thooom! The two vehicles mmed against one another in the air once more. Tiffany''s ne, unable to take any more blows, was piloted to move backward. She bitterly cursed as she attempted to dodge the iing blows, "D*mn it! What *sshole is attacking me?" Her only enemy was Charmine, but she had perished in the mansion explosion! Was this McKenzie, then? Could it be Anthony, who had found out everything and came after her? Tiffany''s heart no longer fluttered at the thought of Anthony. She narrowed her eyes and sped up to crash right into the helicopter in front of her. It did not matter if it was Anthony or McKenzie; anyone obstructing her path had to die! In the end... No matter how Tiffany rammed the ne against the helicopter, thetter remained undamaged and continued to propel itself steadily. Her ne, on the other hand, was broken and became unsteady. Charmine maneuvered her helicopter fiercely and forced Tiffany''s ne to back away. She continued to push forward, all the way until they edged closer toward the peak of a mountain. The whole ne quivered in the air and, with a loud crash, fell onto the peak! The ne instantly crashed into halves and fell onto the mountaintop, and a thick smoke wafted out of the ne. Tiffany, as they plummeted, was tossed and turned a whole 360-degree inside the ne, causing her head to ram against the walls repeatedly. Following that, she got stuck between the seats. The pilot, having fastened the seatbelt on himself a long while ago, was safe even as the ne turned over. It was when the ne had stopped turning did the pilot unfastened his seatbelt and quickly went over to look for Tiffany. "Ms. Jordan, are you okay?" Tiffany stretched out her hand with difficulty. She pressed her temples in pain and remained calm. "Help me get out." The pilot quickly helped her up and crawled outside. The two of them got out of the broken ne. Tiffany stood her ground and eyed the descending helicopter, her eyes filled with deadly malice. She wanted to see if it was Anthony or McKenzie. No matter who it was, now that she survived, they had to die! All too surprisingly... The door to the helicopter opened when the vehicle finally descended, and a tall figure walked out. The person was dressed in tight ck pants and a matching off-shoulder top. She was exuding a powerful temperament. Tiffany''s pupils widened. 1 She was...N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. chapter 1888 chapter 1888 Charmine? How? Was she not supposed to be dead? Why was she here?! She saw the Jordan mansion exploding with her eyes. None of them made it out of the gate! Every one of them perished in the explosion! Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Thinking that her eyes were ying tricks on her, Tiffany vehemently blinked, but when her eyelids parted once more, Charmine¡¯s figure was still there and approaching her. It was as though Tiffany had seen a ghost that fair face was filled with terror, and she bit her pale lip, trembling. She began to back away slowly. "C-Charmine... How... How are you here?" Charmine did not reply to that, however, as she paced toward Tiffany. "So...you want to leave?" sneered Charmine. "And without asking me, at that?" All of a sudden, one of Charmine''s long legs rose and mmed a roundhouse kick right at Tiffany''s pale face. Tiffany, having failed to react, swung backward due to the impact. Staggering back, she- Thomp! Tiffany''s body mmed against the sharp edges of arge stone. The collision sent waves of sharp pain throughout her entire being, and her breathing became stagnant. She wanted to struggle and get up, but she was in so much pain that she could not move. Even the ne behind her was broken into pieces. Tiffany felt her burning face and red at Charmine with all the hate she could ever muster. "Charmine Jordan! How can you do this to me?! Why won''t you let me go?! Why would you attack me?!" Bitterness and jealousy were practically oozing out of her tone, and she sounded like she was on the verge of breaking. She was so close to living happily ever after! Why would this d*mn woman not let her be?! Why... Why was it that every time they fought, whether for reputation, love, power, or status, she always lost to Charmine? 1 It was not easy for her to havee so far. When she thought she had bested Charmine, she managed to survive! Why? Why was God so unfair to her?! Charmine towered over Tiffany and stared down at her with a ruthless smirk on her face. "I ''attack'' you? You asked for all this!" Tiffany growled. "So what if I take the money from thepany? They were mine to begin with! Who gives you the right to be born as the heiress of the Jordan family while I¡¯m just an adopted daughter? You always talked about how hard it was for you growing up, but do you know how hard it was for me!? "I lived in fear of my fake identity being exposed-1 lived in fear! Since I was young, I worked hard, practiced musical instruments, and worked hard to be ster. I had to look like a true heiress! When you were having fun, I was practicing and studying. I had no childhood! I worked ten thousand times harder than you, Charmine, but why do you get everything in the end and I don¡¯t?! "All my reputation is ruined... "Why... Why?!" Tiffany screamed her lungs out at Charmine, eyes blown wide open and brimmed with tears. Regardless of her meltdown, however, Tiffany still tried to rein her emotions back. She kept her elegance and growled," Charmine, I don¡¯t want topete with you anymore. I don''t want Anthony, family, or even Wave. I only want the money and leave, so why would you push me to the edge? Are you going to be happy if I die?" Tiffany red at Charmine, eyes bloodshot and filled with anger. She was prepared to bring Charmine down with her! Charmine, however, stood her ground apathetically and stared down at Tiffany without a tinge of mercy. ¡±1 have no hand in your impending doom. It was your vanity, your desire to win and own things! Tiffany, you''ve made too many mistakes, and you asked for it. You can no longer live!" She asked for it? She had to die? Hahahaha! If Charmine had not forced her and snatched everything from her, would she have done any of this? i No. Not at all! chapter 1889 chapter 1889 She would still be that high-above Tiffany Jordan, the heiress of the wealthy Jordan family! Now, she had nothing! A menacing expression overtook Tiffany''s pale face, and an eerie grin spread across her face. "You can''t me me for anything, Charmine, now that you''ve cornered me to the edge. If you want me to die, I''ll drag you down with me! None of us will let go of anyone!" She crawled up and tore away her clothes. Charmine looked up and frowned. Tiffany had tied a timed bomb around her waist. She had been prepared for this! Tiffany smiled at Charmine hauntingly, her hair already tousled as though she had gone mad. "Come down to hell with me, Charmine! If I can''t be happy, neither can you! Ahahahahahah!" She smiled evilly and unblinkingly pressed the countdown button. Beeps were heard soon after, and red-colored numbers were disyed on the screen attached to the device. [10, 9, 8,7...] Charmine frowned. This woman had gone crazy! She turned around and was ready to leave when Tiffany, having be the madwoman she was, grabbed Charmine¡¯s arm in a vice-like grip. Her deathly grin spread across her face. "You can''t get away, Charmine! Don''t you run away!" Charmine tried to get rid of her and even used her arm to attack Tiffany''s face. However, Tiffany was ready to bring her down with her. She grabbed Charmine tightly and would not let go. As the countdown reached thest three seconds, the beeps seemingly quickened. Just as the bomb was about to detonate, however... Two big shadows rushed over. Before Charmine could react, she was pulled into an enveloping embrace and was pulled a few meters away. She, along with whoever it was that embraced her, fell to the ground and rolled. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Then¡ª Thooom! "Aaaargh!" A deafening explosion was heard, yet Tiffany''s howl could still be heard amid the explosion. Charmine and the person embracing her were propelled backward due to the force of the explosion. With a thud, they fell to the ground. Billows of smoke rose from the mountaintop. Charmine reacted and looked up at the man hugging her. It was... Anthony? i "Anthony! W-Why are you here?" Charmine looked at him in shock. There was a faint grimace on Anthony''s face, yet he seemingly was unaffected by the pain that gnawed his body. He looked at her intensely and asked, "My darling, are you hurt?" "No." Charmine examined his body and asked, "You?" "I''m good." Anthony then helped Charmine up on her feet, and it was then Charmine recalled that there was another figure that rushed in before the explosion. Who was that? Amid her suspicion, she straightened herself before spotting a bloody figure not far away. The man seemed to be a youth, but he was covered with blood. Charmine¡¯s pupils dted. The person jumping over Tiffany was Robert! "Robert!" Charmine ran toward Robert, who wasying on the ground. "How are you feeling? How can you be so foolish?!" Robert¡¯s radiant face was covered with dust and blood. The corner of his lips was stained with blood, yet he could look at Charmine and feebly uttered with his remaining strength," Sis... I -I get to save you this time... Your b¡ªbrother did try to help you..." With that, he fainted in Charmine''s arms. chapter 1890 chapter 1890 Charmine then noticed Robert''s unsteady breathing. "Hold on, Robert! I''ll take you to the hospital." At that moment, Luke rushed into the scene with a medical team following him. "Bring Robert to get treated right away!" ordered Anthony in a low voice. ¡¯Understood!" Luke then arranged a doctor to help Robert out of Charmine¡¯s arms. Anthony hugged Charmine and turned to look at Tiffany, who wasying on the ground. One of her legs had been severed in the explosion and was nowhere to be found. Blood painted her beautiful body; the bodycerated with wounds. ¡¯ Her once-elegant face was no longerplete. Luke asked, "Boss Bailey, how should we deal with this woman?" Anthony narrowed his eyes and said emotionlessly, "Just let her die here." With his arms still around Charmine, he turned and walked. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Charmine, however, stopped right after a few steps. A thought urred to her as she then turned to look at Anthony. "Bring her to the hospital, too." She attempted to murder the entire Jordan family and hurt Robert. She was a heartless woman. How could she so easily escape through death? She wanted Tiffany to live. She wanted Tiffany to live with a missing leg and a now-destroyed face. She wanted her to suffer and live in hell every day. i This would be the biggest punishment for her! Anthony stared down at Charmine and instantly understood what she meant. He instructed Luke, ¡¯ Bring her along!¡± "Yes, Sir!" Luke instantly arranged for the doctor to have Tiffany brought to the hospital, while Anthony hugged Charmine as they got down the mountain. Charmine''s head was filled with worries regarding Robert, and it was evident on her face. It was not easy for him to finally wake up. Now that he had matured, she prayed he would survive without anyplications. Anthony knew what Charmine was thinking of, thus heforted her, ''Robert will be fine, dearest. Don''t be worried. r? Charmine turned to look at him and muttered, "Let¡¯s hope so. Both of them arrived at the hospital along with the ambnce. After the doctor examined Robert, he said, "The patient''s life isn''t at risk; he''s suffering from only minor injuries and a minor bone fracture. He will recover in a few months." When Charmine heard this, she finally let out a sigh of relief. At that moment, Tiffany''s doctor, too, got out of the ward." The patient is severely injured, and she¡¯s lucky to be alive. She has many bone fractures, and parts of her face and body have been so badly damaged that she won¡¯t make a total recovery." i In other words, when she woke up, her face would remain damaged.Jncluding the many wounds and scars on her body. 1 Charmine said coldly, "Alright, that¡¯s all we need to know. Thanks." With that, Robert was wheeled out of the operating room. Charmine saw his pale face as heid unconsciously on the operating bed. She felt a vague pain in her heart. Thankfully, he was fine and was not disfigured. His face was still as handsome. Charmine turned around to instruct the doctor, "Transfer him to the VIP ward." "Yes, Madam." The doctor instantly wheeled Robert to a more premium ward, as requested. Charmine and Anthony went into the ward. A momentter, Senior Jordan and the rest of the family came over to visit him. Senior Jordan¡¯s aging eyes were filled with guilt and pain as he, along with the rest of the Jordans, gazed at him. Joey¡¯s eyes were red-rimmed that instant. She flung herself into Robert''s bed and sobbed, "Please be safe, my boy...!" "The doctor said he''s fine," assured Charmine. "Grandpa, Mom, don¡¯t worry. He¡¯ll wake up soon." Senior Jordan was then reassured. He looked at Charmine and asked, "How''s Tiffany?" "She''s in a way more severe state. We''re just keeping her alive, not treating her." Although Senior Jordan was suspicious of why Charmine did not bring her to justice, he knew Charmine knew what she was doing. Therefore, he did not ask. Tiffany was dead to him. An hourter, Robert finally woke up. His family surrounded him and cared for him. chapter 1891 chapter 1891 In contrast, not one person had visited Tiffany, apart from the assigned nurse, even after she was admitted to the ward. Though spacious, her ward was deste. It was so quiet that dripping liquid could be heard. The next day... Tiffany¡¯s bleary eyes parted as the sky brightened. She looked at the blurry image in front of her and felt confused. Was she dead? What about that vulgar woman, Charmine? Was she dead as well? Her eyelids jolted open at the thought. Coincidentally, the door to her ward opened, and a nurse came in to change the IV liquid for her. When she woke up, the nurse asked, albeit rather hostilely, "Do you feel unwell?" The nurse knew this woman was evil, that she had done every evil deed that existed in the world...yet an evil woman like her managed to survive. God must have been blind! Tiffany met her disgusted look and asked coldly, "What about that b*tch Charmine? Is she dead?" "You mean Ms. Jordan?" The nurse then spoke, intentionally choosing her words, "She¡¯s absolutely fine." i "What do you mean?" Tiffany stared at her incredulously. "Charmine is fine!? How could that be? She had detonated the bomb in hopes of ending her life with her! Tiffany clenched her fists, and just thinking of this made the bitterness in her surge. In her anger, she had unconsciously moved her lower half and leg, and she felt immense pain shooting throughout her body. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Wait... Tiffany sensed something at that moment. Her bitter gaze slowly shifted to look downward at her lower half...and her eyes widened in utter disbelief. Her right legit was gone! All that was left was only a wrapped-up thigh in ce of her missing leg! Her face turned pale as she became disoriented. She shakily reached out and touched her thigh. 2 She lost a leg... She lost a leg! She was left with one leg! She was disabled! "Aaah! How can this be? How?! Argh!" howled Tiffany, utterly devastated at the fate that befell her. Amid her impending meltdown, she felt pain searing her face as her facial muscles scrunched in her distress. She caressed her face and felt the bandage that wrapped around her head. Tiffany red at the nurse, her gaze filled with unadulterated fury. "What happened to my face? You, tell me! What happened to my face!?" The nurse mocked coldly, "You''re disfigured." Tiffany heard a loud buzz in her head. She...was disfigured apart from losing one leg? "No way... No way..." Tiffany began chanting this like a deranged woman as she unplugged the IV off of her arms. She did not even put on her shoes as she scrambled out of the bed...only for her to fall onto the floor with a thud, due to having lost her bnce. 1 This instigated her wound, and the white bandage that wrapped her thigh instantly reddened. All that, and Tiffany seemed to feel nothing. She supported herself with her hands as she went into the washroom with her bleeding thigh, but blood stained the white floor in the process. "You¡¯re crazy!" The nurse looked at her before she walked over, wanting to help her up. "Do you even want to live?!" "Take your hands off of me!" growled Tiffany as she continued to crawl toward the washroom, i "She''s gone mad!" The nurse, no longer able to put up with Tiffany, walked out of the ward to find her supervisor. Tiffany, meanwhile, determinedly made her way into the washroom, brought herself up as she grabbed at the walls and sink, and stared before the mirror. Looking at her heavily bandaged face, she reached out and pulled at the bandage quickly. When she saw her bloodied face covered with wounds andpletely smudged, her pupils dted. "Aaaah! Aaargh!" Groans and howls of pain were hearding from the washroom. chapter 1892 chapter 1892 Tiffany caressed her bloody face and shivered vigorously. No way... This was not her! She was an exalted heiress, known for her delicate face that every man would go crazy for! 1 This horrible, ugly face in the mirror was not hers! Crash! Tiffany furiously smashed the mirror with the washing liquid, causing the perfect mirror to shatter. However, the broken mirror still reflected her bloodied, imperfect face. Tiffany went ballistic upon seeing her reflection. She shut her eyes and growled out loud, ''This isn''t me! This isn''t me!" At that moment, a group of nurses rushed into Tiffany''s ward, and the supervisor rushed into the washroom. "Ms. Jordan, please calm down!" Tiffany turned over, scaring the nurses with her horrendous face that they stepped backward instinctively. Tiffany''s dark eyes stood out from her face full of blood. 1 She looked at the crowd and could not hear a word they were saying. She could, however, see their mouths moving. Their expressions were filled with abhorrence. Tiffanyughed coldly, and her twitching bloody face became an even more appalling sight. She fixed her eyes on a woman and saw the bag in her hand. She did not hesitate to crawl over. The nurses backed away in horror as Tiffany crawled toward them, and the woman with the bag was so scared that she was petrified on the spot. She dared not move. 1 Tiffany snatched the bag away from her like a snake. She was in so much pain that she felt entirely numb, and she managed to rush toward the balcony in this state. 2 The nurses then sprang into action and attempted to rein her back, but Tiffany had already locked the door from the inside. No matter how harshly they banged on the door, Tiffany ignored them and sat on the balcony. Her hair fluttered with the breeze that blew by. She looked horrible and lonely. Tiffany opened the bag and noticed a big stack of cash along with all kinds of jewelry. None of these things mattered to her anymore. Tiffany merely took out the makeup products from the bag and used them on her face, albeit with wounded hands. 2 She eventhered some foundation onto her bloody face. 1 The people outside the door saw this shocking sight through the ss window, and their eyes widened in horror. This woman had gonepletely mad! That would only irritate her wounds! However, Tiffany seemed to feel no pain as she continued toyer her face with more foundation. 1 She only stopped when she no longer saw any blood or disfiguration on her face. She then took out the lipstick to paint her lips with. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. After finishing her makeup, she fished out the mirror proudly. When she saw her face as delicate and sexy as it used to be, her red lips curled up a smile. This was her-Tiffany. She had always been beautiful! She tossed the makeup products aside and sat on the balcony. Her cold eyes looked out faraway... The world wasrge, but there was not one ce she belonged to. It was then and there that shbacks of past memories ran through her mind. The heiress of the Jordan family; the spoiled and well-loved ssydy. The Princess D''Cruz of Kansas: the well-looked-up, glorious, and stunning. At this hour... Her reputation was ruined, she was frowned upon, and everyone wanted her dead. She worked hard all her life to fight for what she wanted, whether it was family, love, or career. None of these seeded. She lostpletely every time... Worse still, her face was disfigured and her leg, gone... No! No way! She was already in bad shape, and she must not allow anyone to see how horrible she looked! She, Tiffany Jordan, was born elegant. She was not born to be looked down upon, and she would not allow anyone to point their fingers at her! 1 She would rather die with honor than to survive in disgrace! 2 With that, Tiffany¡¯s lips twisted into a bitter, yet beauteous smile. chapter 1893 chapter 1893 Instantly, Tiffany tilted ...and fell off the hospital''s balcony, plummeting to the ground. "Aaaahh!" Passersby fell into utter chaos as they shrieked in horror. Doctors, meanwhile, rushed down and saw the gruelly bloodied Tiffany, lying among the grass. Her blood had seeped into the ground, painting the grass and flowers around her in red. Tiffany had met her demise atst, all with her eyes widely opened... Instantly, news about Tiffany taking her own life spread like wildfire across the hospital. Inside another ward, at that moment... Senior Jordan was racked with a wave of intermingled feelings. Although Tiffany was not his granddaughter and that he despised Tiffany, she did grow up under his roof and was treated like family for quite a long while. It was a pity that she died at such a young age... "An evil woman like her deserves to be dead!" Lily suddenly dered. Amelia pulled her back. "Mom, stop talking!" Charmine, meanwhile, felt just as conflicted. She had one less despicable enemy already? Tiffany was dead, just like that? i What a shame. Senior Jordan remained quiet for a long while before looking up at Charmine. "Charmine, I''ll ask my men to retrieve her body." No one would retrieve her body otherwise. Charmine pursed her lips and said, "Okay." Following that, the Jordans had a simple ceremony to bury her body. Nobody came to visit her. Her tomb was ced in the corner of the cemetery, and no flowers were brought to her even then. 2 At the Houston family''s mansion, inside a luxurious room... McKenzie, like the high-above princess she was, leaned on the sofa. Her fair, slim hand held onto her phone as she read the news. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Tiffany was actually dead? She raised a brow at this, and her eyes seemed to dull slightly in disappointment. One of her pawns was gone, just like that! It seemed that she had to do the rest personally. Her lips curled into a smile as she leaned on the sofa with her eyes shut. Her mind reeled back the memory of what had happened yesterday... Anthony, even as he arrived at her family''s mansion yesterday, seemed absent-minded. He repeatedly checked his phone, and he did not even respond to their questions a few times. When he received a call from Robert, he rushed out like a madman. McKenzie knew he was going to look for Charmine. She could also tell from his look that he had genuine feelings for this woman, that he was a man in love, i Charmine did not deserve a perfect man like him! Only she, McKenzie Houston, deserved him! 1 Therefore, she had to make Anthony stop loving Charmine! 1 McKenzie''s eyelids parted, revealing a pair of ruthless eyes as she, with an idea in mind, picked up her phone to make a phone call. "Prepare me a special gift." At the Jordans'' mansion. After the original mansion had been damaged by the explosion, Charmine quickly had Kay set up another mansion for Senior Jordan and the rest to move in. Robert was eventually discharged, and he recuperated healthily. All the important moguls of the business industries came over to send their regards. To return the gesture, the Jordans hosted a simple dinner party. There were hundreds of people in their spacious backyard. The sounds of conversation and clinking sses filled the air. Grandma Bailey came as well, along with Susan and Annabel. During the conversation, someone brought up the topic as they saw the slight bump on Annabel¡¯s tummy. chapter 1894 chapter 1894 "Sigh! Although Ms. Annabel doesn''te from a wealthy family, she''s still bearing Anthony''s child. She should get more recognition." "Although she¡¯s moved into the Bailey mansion, she doesn''t have any title. Without anyone''s support, will her time there be difficult?" "Ms. Annabel, you have to be cautious. You¡¯re having Anthony''s child, so be very wary of possible acts of sabotage..." Everyone could not help looking at Charmine as they spoke. 1 In other words, they wanted Annabel to be careful of Charmine, that she might attack her or inflict harm on her. When Susan heard this, she put her arm over Annabel''s shoulder and said," Don''t worry; Annabel is treated as Mrs. Bailey at home. I treat her as my daughter-inw. I won''t go easy on anyone who bullies her." Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. With that said, she nonchntly threw a warning look at Charmine. Charmine remained unperturbed as if she heard nothing, carrying on with her conversation with Robert. She had been backing away from Susan because she did not want to make it hard for Anthony. Annabel looked at Charmine cautiously and then kindly exined to everyone else, "Oh, please don''t misunderstand Ms. Jordan-she treats me very well. She always cares about me and sends me gifts. We''re on good terms." With that said, as though worried that nobody would believe her, she looked at Charmine with an admirable look. "Ms. Jordan is the friendliest and toughest person I''ve ever met in my life. Without her support, I wouldn''t be here today." The moguls were all surprised and shocked. Charmine was genuinely getting along with Annabel? She was so generous toward the woman who had a child with her husband? They had to get on her good side! The crowd looked at Charmine with a newfound sense of admiration. A few of them could not help walking toward her and handed her their name cards. "Ms. Jordan, I''m the President of Crowne Group. Let''s have a meal when you have time." "Ms. Jordan, I''m the President of Ocean Group, and this is my card. Feel free to contact me if you ever need anything." Charmine reached out her fair hand to ept them, all while she kept herposure. "Okay." The presidents were all very happy. It would be their honor to be able to work for Charmine! When Susan saw this, her face stiffened. She wanted to introduce everyone to Annabel, yet Charmine managed to steal the show again. Worse still, Annabel had no desire to win at all! i How ridiculous! Robert, meanwhile, ignored everyone else. He looked up to Charmine and said to her, "Sis, I want to work at yourpany. I¡¯ll just start from the bottom." "Alright, then." Charmine looked at him with admiration. "I¡¯ll let my staff know. You may ask me if you have any questions." Robert nodded gently. Meanwhile, the bell rang from the front of the mansion, and the butler made his way to open the gate. Ms. McKenzie? Dressed in a fancy white dress, a high-priced bag adorned her hand as her hair was tied up. No doubt, she looked elegant and expensive. Her assistant, Miranda, was by her side, holding a nicely wrapped gift as long as herself. The butler took quite a while to react as he gazed at this elegantdy. "Ms. McKenzie." McKenzie looked at the butler and said, "I came to visit Senior Jordan." "But of course! Please,e in." McKenzie walked in her heels and her extremely sexy but wless skin. She walked past the front yard to the back garden of the mansion. When everyone saw this elegant Ms. McKenzie, they were shocked for a few seconds. "Ms. McKenzie." Senior Jordan was the first to react. McKenzie curled up a calm smile, "Senior Jordan, I came here on behalf of my father." chapter 1895 chapter 1895 "Thank you. Please,e on in!¡¯ McKenzie was in no hurry to be seated as her beautiful eyes looked at Charmine. "Ms. Jordan, congrattions for winning thepetition. Now that Poulenc is well-known all over the world, you¡¯re incredibly established." Charmine looked up to meet her eyes. "Thanks," came her aloof, simple response. "You''re very wee. I prepared you a very special gift.¡± McKenzie then made a gesture. Miranda unwrapped the high-end leather-made wrapper, revealing... A harp! The wood of the instrument seemed high-end and had been exquisitely carved. There was a beautiful flower carved on it, giving the harp a beautiful and exquisite look to it. The strings, on the other hand, looked strong and vibrant. The harp looked very expensive with just a look! Everyone present was baffled. This harp was thest batch of harps made in thest century. It was already so valuable in the present date, and it was hard toe by. Was McKenzie that close to Charmine? Charmine looked at the expensive harp in front of her and had a vague smile on her lips. She knew what McKenzie was up to. "Thank you, Ms. McKenzie," uttered Charmine coldly. Susan, at that very moment, thought of something and said, "Charmine, since McKenzie had been so kind, why don''t you y us something?" Annabel looked at Charmine warily; she had never seen Charmine ying the harp. Could she y it? Charmine looked at Susan coldly. She knew what Susan was thinking of. When the crowd saw theplicated look on Charmine¡¯s face, they knew she could not y such an insightful instrument. Thus, began the attendees'' crows of mockery. "That''s right! Ms. McKenzie is so kind, so why don¡¯t you y us a song?" "I¡¯ve never seen this. Enlighten us!" "There are so many of us here present, Ms. Charmine. y us something." They spoke with admiration and anticipation, but the truth was that they looked forward to seeing how Charmine would react. Charmine was so high-above and seeded in anything. She had taken business opportunities from them, too! 2 She had shown them no respect at all! This was why they wanted her to embarrass herself. Charmine could not even say the name of this instrument, and she probably did not know how to y it! Charmine squinted at the harp. Ha! A gift? More like a challenge. Noticing Charmine not making a move, Susan could not help saying, "Can it be, Charmine, that you can''t y the harp?" With that said, those who did not like Charmine chimed in. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. "Gosh! That''s impossible!" "Charmine grew up with the Jordans. She¡¯s considered a wealthy heiress." "You¡¯re all mistaken. The Jordans are rich now, but they were hardly in the top twentyst time. They¡¯re rich, but not wealthy." "Indeed; she¡¯s not a wealthy heiress at all. No wonder she doesn''t know this insightful instrument." "Sigh! She''s not well-cultured at all. How did she get into the Bailey family?" A group of them mocked Charmine as though she was way out of her league, getting into the Bailey family. 1 Charmine had no intention of speaking, but hearing such words, her red lips curled up suddenly. "What century are we in? Do women need to be well-cultured? Who made thew that all women must be well-cultured? Can modern men write poems and go to wars now? What double standards these are!" spoke Charmine, articting every word she had said and meaning every single one of them. chapter 1896 chapter 1896 Nial and Rochelle, throughout the entire exchange, sat in their respective corners. They were never ones to like crowded asions, anyway. When they heard what Charmine said, they looked up and apuded her. "Boss Jordan is right! Women now are independent and into corporate work!" "I support you, Charmine! Those times are over!" The moment their words ovepped, they exchanged nces. Rochelle frowned. "Why did this man p, too? What an eerie coincidence!" Nial raised an eyebrow at her, thinking to himself, ''Who''s that woman? Why¡¯s she looking at me like that?'' McKenzie''s delicate face stiffened. D*mn it! Charmine came up with such a weak excuse instead of admitting she could not y the harp! Even in the 21st century, learning music had nothing to do with these cultures. She wanted to embarrass Charmine, yet that woman managed to steer the conversation into something else! McKenzie looked at Charmine with an unnoticeable disgust, and those who mocked her before had the same look on their faces. Charmine could have admitted her ignorance, yet she pulled an excuse! What a pity that they could not see her getting embarrassed! Charmine turned to McKenzie and mocked, "Ms. McKenzie, instead of ying the harp, why don''t we discuss technology? I''ve been working on the thirteenth generation processor. With the ER chip, it can work smoothly even when runningrge-sized games and software. It''s forecasted to work three hundred percent faster than currently existingputers. It has built- in location tracking, too. Even if theputer is stolen, it can be found anytime!" This astounded everyone. All eyes stared at Charmine in shock. They took a while to react. "Any processor on the market now is only in the tenth generation!" "Ms. Jordan is working on the thirteenth generation?" "The tenth generation is already very powerful, yet she could make it three hundred percent faster?" "This technology is unreal!" "Ms. Charmine is indeed a tech mogul!" Everyone could not help looking at Charmine with admiration. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. McKenzie stared at Charmine. Not only did she not y the harp, but she even changed the topic and directed the challenge back at her? McKenzie would not let Charmine get away so easily! She smiled and said elegantly, "I don''t have the interest to work on this for now. Even if I do, I won''t discuss it any further on this asion. After all, this is a casual party tonight, isn''t it?" What McKenzie implied was that Charmine was careless in choosing topics at given asions. They both had smiles on their faces. However, their gaze toward one another was filled with hostility. McKenzie''s assistant thought of something and said, "Madam, since Ms. Charmine doesn''t y the harp and the guests would like to hear it, we shouldn¡¯t waste this expensive instrument. Why don¡¯t you y us something for everyone to enjoy?" The assistant made it seem as if everyone wanted to hear the sound of the harp. However, anyone could tell that she was mocking Charmine for not being able to y. Everyone had their eyes fixed on McKenzie. Some were anticipating, and some were waiting for the drama to unfold. Charmine did not know how to y, but McKenzie did. The crowd thus began to say excitedly... "Ms. McKenzie, y us something. Enlighten us!" "Yeah. I''ve lived for fifty years, and I haven¡¯t heard someone ying the harp before." "Enlighten us. I can¡¯t wait!" "A beautiful woman, and an elegant instrument. I''m about to see it and hear it-it''s the pleasure of my life! Ms. McKenzie, fulfill our dreams!" chapter 1897 chapter 1897 McKenzie frowned and stered a wary facade on her face before saying elegantly, "If everyone insists, I¡¯ll y something for you. Even if Charmine can''t y it, we can¡¯t let this beautiful instrument go to waste." Her tone was cold and forced. She made it seem as if she was forced to y them something. "Great!" someone called out. Instantly, apuse filled the air. McKenzie, adorned with her elegant long dress, sat herself on the sofa elegantly. Like a dearly adored princess of bygone times, her fair arms positioned themselves on the harp. She was so otherworldly that she was like a well- cared-for white lily. McKenzie raised her eyes to throw a look of challenge at Charmine. Charmine was speechless at this, and in the back of her mind, she so badly wanted to sing a song named "Actor¡¯ for her. McKenzie¡¯s fingers, with nails painted a faintvender color, then stretched out and gently plucked at the strings. Instantly, a gentle sound was heard across the living room. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. The sounds of the harp were as crisp as its strings, and so strong were the instrument''s strings that it sounded soothing and clean from noises. Everyone looked at McKenzie in astoundment. Even a simple pluck from her made such a nice melody! She had to be good...unlike Charmine. She probably did not even know what this was called! What an exciting drama! When McKenzie saw how everyone stared at her with praise and amazement, her red lips curved into a smile as her fingers seemingly danced across the strings. They brought up the pace around the strings. The crisp sound of the strings seemed to be able to wash away one¡¯s impurities, and it made everyone feel more rxed. The pleasant melody would shift in its tempo: sometimes picking up the pace, and sometimes slowing and winding down. They came in waves, so gently and rxing. The crowd did not know what piece this was, but it was indeed music to their ears. This felt like a refreshing breeze on a hot summer''s day, and it made one feel rxed and refreshed. They suddenly understood why the wealthiest people liked going to the operas; so there was a pleasure in itself. The moment McKenzie ended the piece, everyone took a while to react as if they were still lingering in the music. Following that, a loud apuse rang across the room. "Bravo! Well yed!" "This piece is so emotional. It pulled me in, and I feel unusually mncholic." "Ms. McKenzie is indeed well-cultured. You''re good at everything, and you''re the role model to the next generations." 2 "You''re indeed the Goddess of Burlington! You deserve the title!" McKenzie smiled gracefully at their praises. "Thank you." No matter what she did, even when all she did was go out of her mansion, countless people would praise and admire her. She had grown bored of these praises. She felt nothing. She yed this piece merely to embarrass Charmine! She wanted Charmine to feel that she was not good enough for Anthony! 1 Among the praises, someone asked, "Did Ms. McKenzie y the Mermaid¡¯s Wish?" McKenzie looked at him with surprise. "Oh, you could recognize it? I just learned it, and it''s nowhere perfect." Her tone was so humble, but she exuded excellency all over. She wanted everyone to praise her for sounding so nice, even when she said no. As expected... Everyone exalted her even more. "Ms. McKenzie, you''re too humble! This piece is very difficult, especially on a harp, but each note you yed was so urate with the right amount of touch. You wouldn''t sound so great if you haven''t mastered the skills." "Yeah! You yed so well yet are still so humble. You look so good as well! I''d be so proud if I had a daughter like you!¡± "This Mermaid''s Wish hasn''t been yed since thest century, yet Ms. McKenzie was able to perform it so skilfully. How ster!" "I don¡¯t think there are more than three people in the country who could y this!" "It''s my pleasure to be able to hear Ms. McKenzie y. I don¡¯t have any regrets now!" As everyone was praising McKenzie, Charmine smiled calmly. She looked at McKenzie and said, "The last few chord progressions were incorrect; you missed the notes." chapter 1898 chapter 1898 The praises for McKenzie paused at that moment, and all eyesnded on Charmine. Their gazes were filled with detest and speechlessness. What did Charmine know, anyway? She did not even know what this instrument was called, let alone know how to y it, yet she could boldly criticize such a beautifully yed piece? The entire piece sounded so heart-tugging and smooth. Where did McKenzie miss the notes? "Charmine is obviously jealous!" "We''ve always known that she''s arrogant, but we see it with our own eyes today. Not only is she arrogant, but she¡¯s also fake and self-conceited!" McKenzie saw how everyone looked at Charmine with disgust and smirked at this, but she nheless kept herposure. "Are you perhaps joking? If you can¡¯t y it, how do you know I missed thest few notes?" "Charmine, you don¡¯t know this at all,¡± Susan suddenly chimed in. "If you can¡¯t y the harp, just don¡¯t y it, and nobody would say anything. McKenzie yed so well, so just don¡¯t cause a scene, will you?" Susan sounded as if she wanted the best for Charmine, but it was apparent that she was embarrassed by what Charmine did. Charmine, however, merely smirked with her ruby lips as she then got up from the sofa nonchntly. Hundreds of people watched as Charmine walked toward the harp. She nonchntly ced her slim fingers on the strings and gently stroked them. A pleasing melody was heard, and it sounded crisp and emotional. In the final phrase, the tip of Charmine''s fingers pulled the strings harder. The sound resonated so much that the flowers on the table flew in the air. The pink petals swirled in the air before falling downward. Charmine''s final notes drew a perfect cadence on the imperfectly ended piece yed by McKenzie earlier. Everyone looked at Charmine in shock, genuinely bbergasted. Did she not know how to y? Why did they feel that even the few carefree notes she yed were way beyond McKenzie''s ten-or-so minutes worth of music? McKenzie could have gotten away with it without theparison, but after Charmine yed her version, they could tell. Charmine yed the right notes. Each note sounded as if she was telling the story of the mermaid''s tail, and it was more indulging and emotional. Furthermore, the flower petals even swirled in the air! She was so skilled that the resonance was so powerful, so much so that things around her were affected! Everyone looked at Charmine in shock and could not help the praises that escaped their lips. "So Charmine can y after all! And, she ys better than McKenzie!¡± "Goodness! So she really does know!" "And she managed to precisely tell which notes Ms. McKenzie missed! She corrected them!" "Ms. Charmine is truly humble! She ys so well and is so ethereal. It''s such an enjoyment!" "Ms. Jordan, can you y more for us? We want more!" The crowd looked at Charmine with surprise and admiration, just like Senior Jordan did. Charmine had never once disappointed him even from a young age. Joey, meanwhile, looked at her daughter with delight and bitterness. Charmine was such a good child. Why did she have to treat her so cruelly before? Rochelle nced at McKenzie coldly and stood up to say, "My Boss Jordan knows this instrument well, but she''s just not interested in soft- sounding instruments like this. This instrument is meant to be admired, not a weapon to show off!" Of course, Rochelle had a double meaning to her words. Everyone looked at McKenzie cautiously. McKenzie''s face stiffened at this. Nheless, her delicate, fair face remained elegant and high-above. She looked up at Charmine and scoffed at her, saying, "Charmine Jordan, there will be something that you''re not as good as I am. Just wait for it." When everyone heard this, they were ready to see the exchanges between the two. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Was Ms. McKenzie humiliated and angered? Had she just openly challenged Charmine? Charmine was not intimidated at all as she met McKenzie''s gaze. "Why wait? If you have doubts, do it now!" chapter 1899 chapter 1899 Charmine smirked. "Ms. McKenzie, I know you like Anthony, and everyone thinks that you both would make the perfect couple even when you were both young-verypatible. They all said that I''m not good enough for Anthony, that he''s out of my league! Well then, I''ll allow you to challenge me, and you have the honor of choosing said challenge. We have three rounds. If you win any of the rounds, I lose. If I lose, I''ll divorce Anthony!" She looked at McKenzie with a challenging look as she spoke clearly, "If you lose, you''ll leave the country to study for three years!¡± McKenzie''s eyes darkened as she looked at Charmine in confusion. Charmine was this chaotic to have challenged her? Ridiculously rude~ i Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Everyone else was just as shocked. Charmine was so daring to have challenged McKenzie, and McKenzie only had to win one round out of three? How confident! McKenzie was the No.1 wealthy heiress in Burlington. How could she take this? The theatrics had just gotten more interesting, and everyone present watched on with excitement and curiosity! Anthony, who sat beside Charmine, had heard Charmine''s deration, and his cold face could not hide the hint of unpleasantness. Her words felt like a sharp dagger that embedded itself into him. Did she just use him as a bargaining chip? Would she truly divorce him if she lost this bet? Anthony''s expression grew bitter as he turned to look at her. Before he could speak, Charmine''s small hand reached out to grab onto hisrge palm. "Don''t worry, my dear; I never bet on things I''m not confident about. I won''t lose." The endearing pet name Charmine called him had soothed Anthony''s raging worries. Thus, he looked at her and said gently, "Okay." McKenzie saw how loving the two of them were and loathed the sight. D*mn it! Charmine embarrassed her in front of so many people and even posed a challenge? She even said how she knew McKenzie liked Anthony a moment ago, yet she would even publicly flirt with Anthony? Was she doing this on purpose?! 1 McKenzie''s lips curled into an alluring smirk, and her eyes gleamed with confidence. "I ept your challenge, Charmine! Let''s meet at the top of Light za tomorrow at ten. If anyone shows up a minute late, she will lose!" Charmine actually challenged her. She was too ignorant and daring! McKenzie had to use this opportunity to defeat Charmine and ruin her reputation! Charmine took up the challenge boldly. "Alright, then! Everyone can be a witness here. If anyone breaks the rule, she''ll lose!" Both women shared a stare-down, their eyes seemingly burning with hostility as they did. 1 "Alright!" Everyone apuded and cheered, all too excited for what would go down. Charmine actually challenged the No.1 Heiress in Burlington? The all-rounded tech mogul, versus the high-above all-rounded heiress... Who would win? Thepetition was already so thrilling! It would be a good show! Nial was the first to stand and support Charmine, saying "Charmine is incredibly capable that she''s allowing Ms. McKenzie to select the options! How impressive!" "Sis, we believe in you!" cheered Robert. "We''ll be there to support you tomorrow!" Rochelle, meanwhile, seemed visibly sympathetic. "What a pity that you can¡¯tpete ying the harp. Ms. Jordan would¡¯ve won a round already!" While Rochelle sounded helpless, she was also rubbing salt to the wound, and this evoked a reaction from McKenzie, her face turning pale upon hearing Rochelle''s words. McKenzie clenched her fists and then acted as if she did not care. Her exquisite face put on an elegant smile as she parted with Senior Jordan elegantly, "Senior Jordan, I shall leave now. I will visit you another time." Senior Jordan nodded. "Goodbye, Ms. McKenzie." A momentter, he said in a low voice, "Butler, send her out." chapter 1900 chapter 1900 With that, McKenzie haughtily strutted away to leave, with her heels clicking beneath her. Miranda followed after her in a hurry, all while she continued to fan her master. When they got to the car, Miranda opened the car door for McKenzie as they reached the car. McKenzie then got in and sat down, her delicate expression slowly souring once she did. D*mn that Charmine! She embarrassed her and even challenged her for three rounds?! Heh! How ignorant. She wanted Charmine to regret that she had challenged her tomorrow! McKenzie looked up coldly at Miranda, who was driving, and instructed," No matter what happens tomorrow, do not let Charmine arrive at the venue! "Yes, Madam!¡± answered her assistant dutifully. McKenzie leaned on the sofa, her elegant face frosty as she observed her fair fingers nonchntly. Charmine Jordan... If she could not even arrive at the venue, how could she win? Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Charmine would lose tomorrow! 1 At the Baileys'' mansion. Charmine came out of the shower and saw Anthony smoking on the balcony. His tall figure seemed rather deste under the dim light. Charmine walked out to his side and saw his usually elegant face looking unpleasant. She then smiled. "You genuinely don''t mind about my bet, right?" Anthony turned over and looked at her. "Have you thought about what to do if you lose?" Yes, he trusted her, but what if something wrong happened in between? It was not easy for him to finally marry her. What if she had to divorce him after all this? Charmine met his worrying eyes, and her delicate face remained calm. She reached out to hold his hand and said, her tone reflecting just how confident and bold she was, "Anthony, why don''t you trust your wife? It''s just McKenzie; I¡¯m not even intimidated!" She looked at him coldly and said, "I only want to win peace for the rest of our married life!" Anthony''s heart fluttered at this, and his cold expression slowly eased off. Charmine was right. If Charmine won, McKenzie would never show up in their world and try to break them up again! 2 Still...how could she be so certain that she would win? Charmine met his concern-filled gaze and smiled nonchntly. She reached out to hold his chin, saying with queen-like pride, "Are you afraid of me losing? Why don''t you show me some support?" 1 She then stood on her toes to kiss Anthony''s inviting lips, causing Anthony to stiffen at the sudden softness he felt. He knew what ''support'' meant to her; it was the act they had not performed since their wedding. However... He must not touch her until she could forgive what happened five years ago. 1 He knew he should turn her away, that he should pull any excuse to push her away, but... He felt her kisses, and it took every fiber of his being to resist his urges. Anthony hesitated for a moment before he reached out to pull her into his arms. He deepened the kiss... As the kiss grew fervent and passionate, however, Anthony stopped. He let go of Charmine and looked at the flushed woman before him. His husky voice rang out lowly, "My darling, why don''t you rest early tonight to prepare for tomorrow''spetition?" His voice oozed so much pent-up frustration that it sounded incredibly seductive. Charmine, on the other hand, was baffled at the sudden stop and eyed Anthony warily. She could feel that he wanted it, but why did he stop it? chapter 1901 chapter 1901 Charmine looked into Anthony''s for a moment before she blurted," Anthony, do you have...an illness?" Why else would he stop things when they reached such an important moment? Anthony''s face turned dark at the meaning behind Charmine''s words. Where would Chris havee from if he was ''ill''?! N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. A look of bewilderment was stered onto Anthony''s face, and he pinched her nose as if he was punishing her. "You''re overthinking. I just thought of some unresolved things from work, and I need to work them out so I''ll be able to see how my darling wins tomorrow," he spoke, his tone warm to the heart and endearing altogether. "Furthermore, you also need to rest, don¡¯t you?" Charmine, feeling helpless, had no choice but to drop the subject. "Oh." Of course, the look of dissatisfaction on Charmine''s face did not go unnoticed by Anthony, who lowered his head and smiled. All too suddenly, he swept her off of her feet and lifted her into his arms. "Ah!" Charmine gasped and wound her slim arms around Anthony''s neck." What''re you doing!?" "I''m taking you to rest!" With Charmine still in his arms, he walked into the bedroom and ced her onto the soft bed. He then lowered his head to leave a gentle peck on her forehead that seemed to glisten. "Rest well." Charmine blinked her eyes and nodded. "Come home early when you finish your work." "Okay." Anthony pulled up the nket over Charmine''s form. He then adjusted the temperature in the room and turned off the lights before walking out of the room. He then made his way to the study in the mansion and went straight to hit the showers. He allowed the cold water to rain over him. After a long while, the mes of desire that overtook his heart finally dissipated. Once he was done, he put on his ck sleeping robe, looking alluring and seductive even with just a simple sleepwear. He narrowed his eyes as he lit up a cigarette. He walked out toward the balcony and exhaled the smoke, his gaze drifting into the night sky as he did. It seemed that he had toe clean to Charmine about the incident from five years ago. Otherwise, he might just fall ill from this ordeal! She was so close...yet he must not touch her, even when he could capture the glimpse of disappointment whenever he pulled away. He had pulled out all sorts of excuses... 1 Anthony took in a deep breath and started to n on how he coulde clean to Charmine. Charmine woke up at the precise time naturally the next morning. After washing up, she went downstairs for breakfast. Annabel, seeing how level-headed Charmine looked, asked with worry," Ms. Charmine, you''ll be competing with Ms. McKenzie afterward. Are you nervous?" Charmine looked up at Annabel. "Why should I be?" she answered, her tone cold yet confident. It was as if this importantpetition that could affect her marriage was something so small and insignificant. Annabel gazed at Charmine with high respect. "You''re amazing, Ms. Charmine, and you''ll surely win! Good luck!" Charmine nodded nonchntly and continued to eat her breakfast. Anthony, meanwhile, had changed into his branded suit, and he looked sophisticated and affluent. He walked down from upstairs and went to Charmine''s side, gazing at her." Are you really ready?" Charmine''s red lips curved into a smirk as she impassively responded," Don¡¯t worry! Your wife never fights an unsure battle! Since she has started it, it can only end with her victory!" Anthony looked at her emotionally. He reached out to tuck strands of her hair behind her ear. "I¡¯ll send you over after breakfast." "Okay." The couple had finished breakfast and had changed their shoes, ready to head out when- Thump! Charmine and Anthony turned back to see... Annabel had fallen onto the floor, and she was unmoving. The butler, upon hearing the loud thump, rushed over toward them. "Ms. Annabel? Ms. Annabel?" No matter how he called her, she was not responding. chapter 1902 chapter 1902 The butler looked at Charmine urgently. "Madam, Ms. Annabel has fainted." Annabel had the heir of the Bailey family, and he was done for if anything happened to the child. 2 All of a sudden... Annabel began having a seizure as foams emerged from her mouth. Every maid rushed toward Annabel and surrounded her. They watched as she spasmed and spat with bubbles onto the floor. 1 Charmine, seeing how grave the situation seemed, ced down her heels and rushed over toward Annabel, along with Anthony. Annabel''s seizure worsened. It was as if she had a motor in her, she jolted vigorously. The butler thought of something and said to Charmine, "Adult convulsions usually finish within two to three minutes. If it goes on, it might cause permanent damage in the head." Annabel''s condition, however, suggested she was only worsening after minutes had passed! Charmine frowned and instructed the butler, ''Call the ambnce!" "Yes, Madam!" The butler put down Annabel and went over to make the call. However, the butler frowned after hanging up and gazed at Charmine helplessly. "Madam, the ambnce will only get here in half an hour. Ms. Annabel cannot continue to suffer like. Right, Ms. Charmine, don''t you know a handful of medical treatments? Why don''t you see if you could help..." Charmine raised her watch to check the time. After a moment, she instructed the butler, "Lay her down t. Everyone, make way to circte the air!" The crowd around her made way instantly, leaving only Charmine and Anthony left in there. Charmine knelt beside Annabel and took out her needles. Slowly, she embedded needle after needle into her head. After the treatment, Annabel stopped spitting bubbles and convulsing. However... She showed no signs of waking up. Charmine frowned and held up her hand to check her pulse. Annabel''s medical condition had been relieved after the treatment, and her pulse became steady as well. She should have woken up, but her eyes were still shut! Anthony did not care about Annabel at all; all he cared about was Charmine''spetition. 1 The rule was that if anyone showed up one secondter, she would lose, and he refused to permit Charmine to fail this simple task! Anthony noticed that the time was nearing, yet Charmine was still treating Annabel. "You''re on a tight schedule, dearest. You might bete if you don¡¯t leave now!" Charmine nced at the time. Just as she was about to leave, however, Susan mocked from the side, "Annabel¡¯s life is at risk now. Is it not more important than apetition!?" 1 Anthony scoffed at his mother, saying, "Does this matter concern you, Mrs. Bailey?" Susan paled at Anthony''s rude remark, one that he spoke so openly in front of so many people! She scoffed. "Anthony, don''t forget that Annabel has your child in her stomach. He is our only heir!" she spoke, emphasizing the word ¡¯only''. 5 Anthony''s face sank, and he red at Susan. "If you think that''s not enough, try and bear another child, then!" "You..." Susan was rendered flustered at this exchange. She looked at her son with a bitter expression, yet she just could not fight back! Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. She said these for Charmine to hear, to embarrass her, yet her son embarrassed her! 1 Susan, having been infuriated, red at Charmine, not bothering to hide the disdain in her gaze. If it was not for this woman, her rtionship with Anthony would not have worsened! When Tiffany, then Waverly, was marrying into the Bailey family, she would always help Susan when it came to dealing with Anthony. Annabel, on the other hand, always attempted to keep her calm and to not be angry at Anthony. chapter 1903 chapter 1903 What did Charmine do? Charmine was always the root of every conflict with Susan. She was the reason for their arguments, and this strained her rtionship with Anthony! 1 Susan became more furious as she thought about it. She red at Charmine and growled, "I have to wonder where you got the courage to gamble on your marriage! You even have to win three rounds to win thepetition! Pfeh! You truly are ignorant! "No matter, though-l hope you lose! I won''t have to face such a cruel daughter-inw every day-" "Shut up!" Anthony snapped at Susan, his face contorting darkly in his anger as he did. His tall figure loomed before Susan, seemingly imposing as he stood. His fury-filled eyes were fixed on Susan as he said, "If you insult Charmine again, I''ll cut all ties with you!" Susan was intimidated by her son''s burning, sharp stare. She merely wanted to embarrass Charmine, but it would not be worth it if this resulted in Anthony cutting all ties with her. With that, Susan attempted a smile and stered a gentle expression on her face. "If you care about thepetition so much, go on! Annabel will wait for the doctor to get here. But if anything happens and anyone says anything about this, don¡¯t hold me responsible for it." Her simple words gave Charmine a lot of pressure. Charmine was the only person who could help Annabel. If she neglected her now and anything happened to Annabel, nobody would know what might happen! 2 If anything happened, people on the inte would hound her down for not saving Annabel! However, it was almost ten, too... At the top floor of Light za. It was only eight in the morning when people filled up the venue, causing the ce to be rather congested. Everyone was curious how the all-rounded mogul Charmine wouldpete with the tech-mogul McKenzie, and who would emerge victorious in the end. Since Charmine dered that she could only win if she won three rounds, everyone wanted to see how she could defeat McKenzie in all three challenges. Some even ced their bets on thepetition. "Come on, time to ce the bet!" I''m betting on Charmine to win. The odds are one to ten; what a bargain! One to ten!" "I''m betting on McKenzie to win! The odds are one-to-one! One-to-one!" However... Even though the odds for Charmine to win were one-to-ten, not many people betted on her. Even though she had always been so powerful, McKenzie was the No.1 Heiress in Burlington after all. She was ster in everything she did and well -cultured. She was far from a terrible contender! No one believed Charmine could win in all three rounds. If she lost any one of the rounds, she would lose thepetition! Under the assumption that McKenzie would win everything, many people ced their faith and money on McKenzie. It was ten minutes to ten. The door to the lift opened... McKenzie gracefully walked out with a few assistants in tow. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Dressed in a beige dress and with her hair curled into beautiful, voluminous rolls, she strutted forward in her ten-centimeter heels. McKenzie looked untouchable. A few maids surrounded her. One held up the umbre for her, another held her bag, and another fanned her. There was no mistaking that unreachable wealthy heiress outlook McKenzie had on her. Everyone gathered around her upon her arrival. "You seem calm, Ms. McKenzie. You must be confident about thispetition, huh?" "Can you disclose what thepetitions are going to be?" McKenzie stopped and looked at the reporters coldly. She then spoke elegantly and proudly... chapter 1904 chapter 1904 "I can''t disclose any information about these yet, and I''ll wait for Charmine to get here before saying anything. As for what you''ve said, however..." McKenzie looked down at the other reporter and said confidently, "No matter what I do, I''ve always been confident." Her proud temperament charmed all the men at the venue, while countless women looked at her with admiration. She was an idol to them, and they wanted to live just like her. 1 McKenzie went inside the venue elegantly while her assistants took out her special sofa for her to sit on. McKenzie then sat down, and her line of sight traveled past the crowd as itnded on the tightly shut door to the lift. Everyone''s gazes followed McKenzie''s to the door, and there started another round of gossip. "Ms. McKenzie is here, but why is Charmine not here yet?" "She actually made Ms. McKenzie wait for her. Who gave her such privilege?" "Perhaps she doesn''t want toe?" "No matter if shees or not, McKenzie is so all-rounded. Charmine is sure to lose!" "I have to bet, and I''m betting on Ms. McKenzie! Charmine is definitely going to lose!" "Right, let¡¯s bet on Ms. McKenzie!" Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. The crowd hyped one another up and went to ce their bet. McKenzie had grown used to these praises, so much so that she seemed visibly unaffected. Sitting on her sofa modishly, she looked at the crowd betting on her. She then looked at her assistant and said with utter confidence and boldness," ce five million as a bet on me." "Yes, Madam!" Miranda did as she was told. Meanwhile, McKenzie''srge bet on herself stunned everyone. Even Ms. McKenzie ced a bet on herself; she must be very confident! Seeing this, more people ced their money on her as well. Loads of cash had stacked up on McKenzie''s side, while Charmine''s side had only a few. Rochelle, furious at this sight, took out a check of one million bucks. "I want to ce a bet on my Boss Jordan!" Although her heart bled at this amount, she had to support her Boss Jordan. Furthermore, the odds were one-to-ten. If Boss Jordan won, she would have ten million! Hahaha! That being said... Rochelle only had one million with her. She would have betted more had she had more cash with her person! As she was pitying herself, Nial walked over and ced a three-million-bet on Charmine, saying, "I bet on Charmine!¡¯ He had to show support for his sister-inw. Rochelle turned to nce at Nial before her eyes caught the unmistakable sight of a few more checks in his hand, 1 Her gaze darted away. She knew Charmine would win, and there was no doubt about that. If she could put in another one million, she would reap 20 million if her Boss Jordan won! With that in mind, Rochelle looked at Nial with her watery eyes. "Doctor Nial ...could I borrow one million from you?" Nial halted and looked at this woman before him gently. She seemed so small, so pitiable like a kitten...but she had one too many faces. He remembered how arrogant she was yesterday! Rochelle''s eyes seemingly widened as she gazed at Nial expectantly. She rubbed her palms and said adorably, Please, help me. I''ll pay you back once I win, I will! Please, help me." Nial met her eyes. A momentter, he had to look away. He wrote one million on the check and said, "Take it." "Thank you!" Taking the check from Nial, Rochelle''s adorable expression vanished as a haughty expression took ce instead. She mmed the check onto the table like a boss herself as she dered," A bet on my Boss Jordan!" Nial was speechless. Looking at how quickly she changed her look, his lips twitched. As expected, a woman could change quicker than anything! Time had passed, and everyone had ced their bet. Even then, however, they noticed that McKenzie was still sitting on her own! It was five minutes to ten, and only five minutes left, yet Charmine still had not shown up? chapter 1905 chapter 1905 McKenzie, still seated on the sofa made of genuine leather, fixed her eyes on the tightly shut door life. Five more minutes. Charmine would certainly lose at this rate. McKenzie gently lifted a teacup filled with branded tea to sip at it, and an unnoticeable glint of pride twinkled in her eyes. Even as it was just two minutes away until ten, Charmine still had not shown up. Such was the situation that elicited gossip and remarks. "Why is Charmine not here yet? Is she unable to take the risk and run away at thest minute?" "Haha! For sure! She must''ve known that she¡¯s unable to win, so she doesn¡¯t dare to show up!" "And yet she sounded so boldst night! She''s like a turtle that shrinks back into its shell. This is a waste of my time!" "She shouldn''t have made such a big deal out of herself. Now, she has embarrassed herself!" "She spoke before her brain could make sense of things, and now, she doesn¡¯t even have the courage to show up? She''s just a fake mogul, it seems!" "Hahaha!" Everyone present started tough and jeer at Charmine''s name. Senior Jordan and the family sat by the side. They looked serious and were very worried. Charmine was not this kind of person, no doubt...but why, then, was she not showing up even as it was almost time? If she was even one secondte, she would be automatically forfeited! Everyone grew antsy at this. Robert tried calling Charmine, but no one picked up even when the call went through. His heart sank, and his expression became visibly solemn. What if something had happened to her? She was not one to be so careless, after all. In thest 30 seconds, the jeers and taunts toward Charmine grew intense. "It¡¯s almost time! Charmine''s noting, for sure!" "Sigh! All bark, but no bite. When she said that yesterday, I even thought she was so all-rounded!" "She shouldn''t have dered the challenge in public if she can¡¯t keep it. Really, what a waste of my time!" "Charmine had automatically forfeited. Now, give us back the money we betted on!" "Yeah, pay us now!" The people putting up the bets were sweating. They looked at the time and said weakly, "We still have ten or so seconds left, don¡¯t we?" They were losing so much money! They thought Charmine was going to win, which was why they had set up this betting system, but she did not even show up! Worse still, everyone betted on McKenzie. They were incurring a loss! T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. How frustrating! Those who had ced their bets were waiting for their refund, excitedly counting down as they did. "Ten! Nine! Eight! Seven! Six! Five! Four! Three-" The door to the lift abruptly lit up with a ding, and the door to the lift suddenly opened. The one standing inside the lift was... Charmine! She was fitted in a ck suit-dress and a belt that clung to her waist. Her long, slim legs were clearly showcased with her outfit. With her hair tied up and a pair of sunsses adorning her face, Charmine looked striking and stunning altogether. Anthony, meanwhile, stood beside her elegantly. Both of them walked out of the lift, with Charmine looking like a regal queen and Anthony, her loyal guard. They instantly became the center of attention. Everyone looked at them so astounded that they forgot the countdown. Charmine actually appeared! Was she not the run-away turtle? Why would she show up so boldly like this? McKenzie¡¯s elegant face had a look of shock. How did she show up on time!? Was she not supposed to... She narrowed her eyes and looked at Charmine in disbelief. Charmine went up to her and removed her sunsses, revealing her delicate yet proud face. She lifted her wrist to check the time, and she then looked at McKenzie. "Ms. McKenzie, it''s ten now. I''m notte." chapter 1906 chapter 1906 McKenzie decided to keep herself in check for the time being and offered an elegant smile instead. "Of course not. But, I heard that Ms. Annabel is ill. Had Ms. Charmine neglected her and came here anyway?" "It''s true that something urgent happened to Annabel." Charmine stared at her and smirked. "But, I¡¯ve treated her with the needles and relieved the symptoms." Half an hour ago, at the Bailey mansion... Annabel had regained consciousness, but her condition did not seem too optimistic. She might faint anytime, and her brain might suffer from damages. When she opened her eyes and saw Charmine, she panicked and said, "Ms. Charmine, why are you still here? Hurry and go to thepetition! Don¡¯t bete!" "She''s awake now, my dear," Anthony added. "Let''s go.¡± Susan, meanwhile, had other things to say. "You¡¯re too kind, Annabel. You''re still in danger, yet you''re asking the only person who could help you to leave?" The pale-faced Annabel thus feebly responded, "I''m fine; I know my body well. This isn''t something life- threatening at all, but Ms. Charmine''spetition affects her marriage with President Bailey. She can''t bete! Also, the doctor will be here soon, so I''m fine...really!" Annabel said urgently as she held onto Charmine''s hand, "Ms. Charmine, please go! If you''rete because of me, I''ll feel guilty for the rest of my life." Susan crossed her arms and stood by the side coldly. She was downright livid. Annabel was too kind! She could have used this opportunity to break up Charmine and Anthony. This was her chance! Annabel¡¯s reaction, however, did win the favor of Grandma Bailey. If this was anyone else, she would have used this opportunity to break up Charmine and Anthony...yet Annabel did not. In fact, she was genuinely worried about Charmine¡¯spetition. She did not care about her possibly dangerous condition and wanted Charmine topete! 2 Susan thought Annabel was too kind. She did not believe her in the beginning, but she eventually began to believe her when Annabel said she was fine. After Charmine had felt her pulse and knew that Annabel was not in danger, she quickly rushed toward Light za. Charmine red at McKenzie and smiled. "Ms. McKenzie, how do you know so much about what''s going on in my family?" McKenzie froze for a moment, yet herposure never wavered as she quickly responded, "I heard it from my assistant." Charmine smiled coldly and did not continue this topic. Instead, she asked, "What do you want to compete on?" McKenzie looked at Miranda coldly. Miranda thus announced with a serious tone, "Firstly,nguages. Each of you will say a sentence in a differentnguage. If the next person can''t continue the sentence, the person will lose. "Secondly, assembling phones. The person who assembles the highest- performing phone will win. "Thirdly, motorcycle races at Death Trail. Whoever pulls the break out of fear will lose first!" Death Trail was a trail around the mountain which led to a cliff. Countless people had lost their lives racing in the area. Charmine did not even blink at any of these challenges as she agreed." Okay," she answered with perfect calmness. It was as if it was a simple game. With that, the eventmenced. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. The crowd broke into two groups. Of course, 70 percent of the crowd supported McKenzie. Everyone raised gs as everyone respectively supported both women. "Ms. McKenzie, you''ll win! Good luck! Good luck!" "Charmine, my boss! Beat her!" The atmosphere was intense, and countless reporters started broadcasting the events. The live stream instantly trended online, instantly ranking at the top of the trending page. Everyone cheered for both McKenzie and Charmine on the streaming tform. With that, the firstpetition started. McKenzie and Charmine stood opposite one another. One of them was elegant, and the other was bold. They were aspetitive as one another. McKenzie looked at Charmine coldly, and pride gleamed in her pupils. She exuded confidence all over. chapter 1907 chapter 1907 McKenzie could speak allnguages of the world, while Charmine was expelled from school from a young age. How manynguages could she speak? Ha! McKenzie would win this round! McKenzie first spoke in English, "Do you think you can win?" Charmine shot her an aloof stare before her red lips parted, and she spoke in fluent German, "Of course. If I ept the challenge, I have to win." McKenzie scoffed and replied in fluent Japanese, "Self-conceited." Charmine smiled and spoke in Russian, "Ms. McKenzie, you better save some energy to worry about yourself." McKenzie replied in Polish, "Go on, then!" Both of them nearly exhausted the list of allnguages that existed in the world, and everyone watched on with confusion and shock. This was indeed thepetition between two moguls. The crowd did not understand a word. They did not study enough! McKenzie, meanwhile, stared at Charmine in surprise. She did not expect Charmine to be able to speak so manynguages. She was just as good as herself! Unfortunately... She said in Hindi, "Your turn, Ms. Charmine." She then looked at Charmine elegantly, her delicate face bearing a vague smile as if she knew she was the winner. This was because she had used up thestnguage avable! So what if Charmine could speak all thenguages? There was no othernguage she could use! Charmine was sure to lose! As expected, after McKenzie said this, Charmine frowned and did not reply fora long while. The surrounding crowd got all riled up at this. "Charmine can''t keep up!" "Charmine is going to lose! Thepetition is about to end!" "Hahaha, how absurd! Charmine thought she could win all three rounds? She asked for this!" "Start the countdown! If she can''t keep up in ten seconds, she loses!" "Ten! Nine-!" "Don''t bother counting; they''ve used up all thenguages. Charmine is going to lose!" All of a sudden, Charmine said, "%A(A%$#." The venue turned silent. Everyone looked at Charmine in shock. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. She...managed to say something? What did that even mean? Amid their confusion and not knowing what her words meant, everyone began to suspect that Charmine had made it all up. McKenzie, on the other hand, looked at Charmine incredulously. Whatnguage was that? Why had she not heard about this? D*mn it! She would lose if she could not keep up! Even if she made out whatnguage it was, her head went nk. She was unable toe up with anything else. McKenzie remained calm and looked at her assistant. The assistant instantly said, "ording to my knowledge, they had used up all thenguages in the world! Whatnguage did Charmine speak? Has anyone heard of it?" The crowd were perplexed and shook their heads. "Not at all!" "What did Charmine say? She made it up, right? Has anyone heard it?" "Not at all! That language doesn¡¯t exist!" "Charmine thinks we¡¯re fools! She cheated in front of everyone!" "How shameless! She could¡¯ve admitted her defeat, yet she yed dirty!" "Disqualify her! Charmine lost!" "Yeah, Charmine lost!" "Disqualify! Disqualify!" Everyone called out, wanting to disqualify Charmine from thepetition. chapter 1908 chapter 1908 McKenzie looked at Charmine coldly; pride and arrogance radiated from her face. It was evident just how victorious she felt with just a nce at her expression. Among the voices, Charmine''s red lips curved into a smirk as she nced at the crowd. "Just because you haven¡¯t heard of it, doesn''t mean it doesn''t exist! What I said was thenguage of a small tribe in the southwest forest. It was thenguage of Japatoda! Thisnguage is being recorded in the national language museum! "Oh, right, what I said was..." Charmine paused and looked at McKenzie, her smirk never once wavering, means, ''you''ve lost.¡± Her clear voice resonated in the hall. McKenzie felt like a knife had been stabbed into her heart, and her face stiffened. Was there such a thing as Japatoda in the world? Impossible! She refused to admit defeat! She had not heard of thisnguage at all! Anthony had researched thisnguage prior, and therge screen revealed the information regarding Japatoda. [The Japatoda tribe resides in the southwest forest. There are only a hundred of them remaining. The year of establishment is unknown, but they have their ownnguage...] Everyone was shocked. Thenguage truly did exist, and Charmine could speak this minoritynguage! McKenzie''s face stiffened in disbelief. Even she had not heard of this minoritynguage. How did Charmine know!? When she decided topete innguage exchange for the first round, she had revised all the languages in the world. She even went to the museum to do some research and did not find out about thisnguage at all. Charmine, on the other hand, did not know about thepetition, yet she... The crowd was perplexed. McKenzie actually lost to Charmine!? The all-rounder genius schr lost to someone who was expelled from school? 1 Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Nobody would believe this if they did not see it with their own eyes! How unbelievable! Rochelle stood up and said, "Ms. McKenzie, we''ll count down from ten now. If you can''t continue, you lose." "No need for the countdown," McKenzie finally spoke up. Her face was cold as she sophisticatedly added, "She won." "Amazing!" "Charmine won against McKenzie!" "Go, Charmine! You''re the best, Charmine!" The small crowd that supported Charmine cheered for her. The cheering made McKenzie''s face paler in embarrassment. This was her forte, yet she lost to Charmine! However, she tried her best to keep herposure and said, "She got lucky. This is only the first round, so let''s start the second round." Charmine smirked before she responded confidently and calmly, "Okay." McKenzie red at Charmine, and her lips painted with red lipstick curved into a smile. 1 The second round was her forte. She wanted to show Charmine what a loser she was! Miranda led the staff to set up the stage. The staff brought over two tables, and each table had the same pile of phone-rted bits and bobs. Both Charmine and McKenzie had to pick out the items to assemble a phone in 30 minutes, and the performance of the phone would be tested. Charmine looked at the chips and hardware in front of her and frowned slightly. McKenzie nced at Charmine coldly and said arrogantly, "Ms. Charmine, you were lucky enough to win earlier. Luck won''t help you through this, though." Charmine''s bonny face remained calm even as McKenzie taunted her. "Oh." McKenzie was speechless. "Thepetition," dered Miranda, "starts now!" Anthony ruffled Charmine''s head and went to the side. He sat on the chair elegantly and watched quietly. McKenzie poured out the items prepared for her. Calmly and confidently, she began to assemble the pieces. Most of the crowd did not even know what items these were. They could not even name the item, but McKenzie merely took a look to be able to put them together! Charmine, on the other hand... She sat before the table but did not move. She leaned on one hand as she watched the items before her eyes as if she was thinking. Everyone was baffled at her behavior. chapter 1909 chapter 1909 "Why isn''t Charmine doing anything?" "What else can it be? She obviously doesn''t know howto assemble them!" "Charmine is definitely losing! Even if she knows something, her device won''t perform better than Ms. McKenzie''s!" "Right, and Ms. McKenzie is a tech-mogul, after all: the founder of the bestselling phones in Burlington!" "Her phonepany has a market share of sixty percent! She can beat Charmine any second!" "Knowingnguages is nothing; technology is the real deal." "Charmine doesn''t know anything about technology. How dare she challenge Ms. McKenzie? She even said that she was going to win? How ignorant!" Jeers and mockingughter were heard across the venue. All the while, Charmine merely changed a hand to lean on. She remained calm as she stared at the items before her. Her behavior elicited stronger rebukes and ridicules aimed at her. "Look at Charmine''s confused look! Sigh! Listen to me, Charmine: If you''re sleepy, go home and sleep. Don''t embarrass yourself here!" "If I were her, I would¡¯ve drilled a hole for myself to get into!" "I feel embarrassed for her family!¡± Senior Jordan and the rest stood by the side. They started to look nervous when they noticed Charmine still had not started assembling anything. What was Charmine doing? ording to what they knew, she knew how to assemble a phone, but why was she not moving? Nial was starting to look uneasy. What was Charmine nning? She would run out of time if she did nothing. 20 minutes had passed, and there were ten minutes left! Argh! He betted money on her! Anthony remained the calmest out of everyone. He looked at Charmine quietly with adoration lighting his eyes. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. His tiny wife was up to no good, yet again. 1 The attendees began to get rowdy in their speech once more. "Hey, Charmine! If you don¡¯t know how to assemble a phone, just get off the stage!" "Yeah, just admit your defeat if you don''t know how! Why pretend? You even asked for apetition! Now, it¡¯s nothing and a waste of our time!" McKenzie smirked at these pointed remarks that were aimed at Charmine. She almost finished assembling her phone, too! Her elegant face looked at Charmine as she scoffed, "If you don''t know how to do this, you can admit defeat!¡¯ Finally... When Charmine heard this, she looked up to meet McKenzie''s gaze." Time''s up." McKenzie paused at this. "What do you mean?¡± Did they not have ten minutes left? The crowd began jeering at Charmine for her sudden remark. "Charmine, are you being silly right now? Are you so under pressure that you''re starting to talk nonsense?" "I know, right? They have ten minutes more, so what does she mean,'' time''s up''? I think it¡¯s time for her to admit her defeat!" "Hahahaha!" The crowd burst into jeers andughter. Charmine red at McKenzie, her lips painted with red lipstick smirking as she did. "The extra time I gave you is now up!" she remarked boldly and arrogantly. She then lifted her hand and started to pour out the items. Her movement was swift and professional. An uproar ensued after Charmine''s wittyment, and the attendees could hardly register her words. "What? Did I hear her correctly? What did she say?" "She gave Ms. McKenzie twenty minutes of extra time?" "She didn''t move earlier because she was giving her extra time!?" "What? How could she be so capable?" "McKenzie needed half an hour to assemble it, but she can do it in ten minutes?" "Hahaha! What a joke! She¡¯s lying without even thinking of the repercussions!" "Aagh! My stomach hurts from laughing too much!" McKenzie¡¯s lips twitched. She never liked Charmine, but hearing how haughty she was, she could not hide the anger in her eyes. Charmine was merely a woman who spoke and acted arrogantly. Why would Anthony like her? However... chapter 1910 chapter 1910 Charmine¡¯s hands gradually picked up the pace. She did not even have to look at the items as she took upponent afterponent to assemble a phone. In merely a few minutes, the device in her hand already looked like the device McKenzie took 20 minutes to assemble! The mockery and sneers stopped instantly, and everyone gaped at the sight unfolding before them. Charmine knew how to assemble a phone after all, so much so that she was so capable and swift? She genuinely gave the tech-mogul McKenzie 20 minutes of extra time? How...audacious. How cool! How impressive-so skilled and madcap! McKenzie saw how Charmine took a few minutes to assemble something she needed 20 minutes to assemble, and that the device looked simr to her device. Her elegant face stiffened and went pale. Her slim fingers held onto the device as she red at Charmine with a look of embarrassment. D*mn it! McKenzie was the founder of the best-selling phones in Burlington. Her new hardware had bested all phones in Burlington! She was the most powerful in Burlington, so how could Charmine get better than her? Impossible! The device Charmine assembled would surely not be as powerful as the one she assembled! N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. McKenzieforted herself and remained confident. Her face eased into tranquility as she remained elegant. "Anyone can assemble a phone," shemented, "but only the highest-performing device can win!" "Of course!" said Charmine, her mind and gaze in calmness, but a small spark of pride lingered in her eyes. When the two looked at each other, it was as though two des of lightning struck in the middle with a loud bang. The air was filled with extreme hostility, and the crowd felt their blood rushing in excitement. Thispetition was so exciting! Would Charmine win two rounds? This was the first time they saw the high- above McKenzie looking embarrassed! Charmine and McKenize connected their devices to theputer to download the necessary software for benchmarking tests. Following so, in thest few seconds of thepetition, both of them unplugged the phone and handed it to Miranda. Miranda connected the two devices to herputer and projected the performance test onto the wall. The data of both phones started to go up. Initially, they had the same score. After all, the items used by both women were the same. Slowly, however, Charmine''s phone score went past McKenzie''s. In every section, her score was slightly higher than McKenzie''s. As the benchmarking tests came to an end, McKenzie''s phone''s overall score was 79988, which was impressively high. None of the phones in Burlington could get a score as high as this one. However... When everyone looked at Charmine¡¯s score, it was... 99999! Her score was 20,000 points higher than McKenzie''s, and her score broke a world record! There was no such score made in the world before! This showed that her phone¡¯s performance, response, operation, and cache operated at an optimum level! Everyone was shocked, surprised, and could hardly believe what emerged from this second round. Charmine had beaten the founder of the best-selling phonepany in Burlington, the tech-mogul! Furthermore, she even gave McKenzie 20 minutes of extra time! "How could this be?¡± "Charmine won against Ms. McKenzie!?" "Charmine won both rounds! How unbelievable!¡± chapter 1911 chapter 1911 "Is Charmine just as what everyone imed-an all-rounded mogul? Is she genuinely like that, but she¡¯s just not showing it?" "Looking at it now, it''s likely!" The crowd no longer looked at Charmine with disgust. Instead, they gazed at her with admiration and respect. 1 McKenzie, meanwhile, red at the scores incredulously before aiming her stare at Charmine. How could she be so good at this? She merely took ten minutes to trample the phone she spent 30 minutes assembling! N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. She thought her assistant identally switched the phones, but... Under the score, the disyed phone was indeed hers! She, a tech-mogul, a genius schr, was defeated by Charmine! i This was her forte, yet she lost to Charmine who knew nothing!? McKenzie''s gaze dulled with bitterness as she clenched her fists. She thought too lowly of Charmine. McKenzie thought Charmine was just a tricky, good-looking woman, that she stole Anthony''s heart with her nice-looking face. Oh, how wrong she was. Charmine was very capable in a few things, after all. 1 McKenzie''s stare toward Charmine lost its disdain and haughtiness, reced with newfound seriousness instead. Miranda had no choice but to dere, "Second round, Charmine won." Everyone apuded. Rochelle stood up and cheered, ''''Boss Jordan! Our Boss Jordan! Oh, how dashing! You defeated her so easily!¡± Nial looked at Rochelle and could not help standing up. "Charmine, you¡¯re so powerful! You actually assembled this in ten minutes!" Senior Jordan and the rest of the family looked at Charmine with pride and admiration. Miranda said, "Following this, we''ll get to the third round." The third round was to race in motorbikes at Death Trail, i Charmine looked at McKenzie and scoffed. "If you''re scared now, you may end thepetition." McKenzie smiled proudly. "Same to you, then. I let you win in the previous two rounds, but you''ll have to be careful in this round. I won¡¯t let my guard down. Don¡¯t...disappoint me." With that said, McKenzie stood up and strutted off in her high heels. Charmine looked at her proud back and smiled. Following that, she, too, turned and left. At Death Trail. At the bottom of the mountain was a long but not-too-spacious trail. There was a turn not far away from another, and there was no end in sight. Every year, many lost their lives when racing here. At the start of the trail, two top-graded superbikes were prepared. There was a yellow line behind the superbikes. Other than the staff and the family members of thepetitors, the rest were kept outside. 1 Charmine had changed into her racing suit, the tight ck leather suit outlined her alluring figure. She looked spunky and haughty. McKenzie had also changed into her ck racing suit. In contrast to Charmine''s cool look, she looked more noble and arrogant. They exuded temperaments at two extreme ends. They swung their legs over their superbikes and seated themselves in their respective vehicles. Senior Jordan and the rest saw how narrow the trail was and became worried. "This is dangerous, Charmine," fretted Joey, her gentle eyes evidently housing her distress. "Can you skip this?" Senior Jordan frowned as well. "Charmine, one might lose her life from being slightly careless. Why don¡¯t you negotiate and change to another game?" Annabel''s heart leaped to her throat, and her palm-sized face was filled with worry and fear. "Ms. Jordan, can you not do this? This is too dangerous, and if anything happens... The trail is on a cliff! If one falls down, it''ll be over! Please, don¡¯tpete in this round! For President Bailey, you can¡¯t gamble on your life!" Annabel was so worried that she almost cried. How she wished she couldpete for Charmine. chapter 1912 chapter 1912 When Charmine saw how worried they seemed, she carefreely spoke, though with confidence despite her calm-sounding tone, "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m confident in this. All this while, have I done anything that I¡¯m not confident in?" The Jordans and Annabel wanted to continue persuading her, but Charmine stopped them as she said, "Don¡¯t worry. Just go and watch thepetition. We¡¯re starting." 2 They were worried, but they knew they could not stop her. They could only move away. McKenzie nced at her coldly before she loftily remarked, "This round is life-risking. You''d do well to be careful." The way McKenzie spoke sounded like it was a challenge, but why did it sound...like McKenzie was slightly worried? She turned to look at the high-above McKenzie and assumed she had heard it wrongly after all. Charmine did not mind, however. She took out a ck cloth and blindfolded her eyes, much to everyone''s bewilderment. "Is Charmine insane? She''ll be racing blindfolded?" "She¡¯s not afraid of dying! One is scared of even walking on this trail, let alone on superbikes, yet she''s doing this blindfolded!?" "My gosh! Charmine is too reckless! She''d actually gamble on her life!" "Sigh, she¡¯s too arrogant. Let¡¯s see how she diester!" "Leave her alone! I hope she loses! This way, we can win our bet!" The audience of thepetition highly anticipated whatever would happen next. Someone even said with excitement, "I have a feeling that Charmine is going to win this time! She¡¯s going to surprise all of us!" When the Jordans saw what Charmine did, they gasped and felt their hearts up their throats. Robert, meanwhile, frowned and felt unsettled. He turned his gaze toward Anthony then, only to find the man being calm. "Brother-inw, are you not concerned at all?" scolded Robert. "Why don¡¯t you talk her out? This is too dangerous!" Anthony looked at Charmine deeply and said, his tone showing just how deep his trust was, "I believe in her." Everyone looked down on Charmine and thought she had gone crazy. Only Anthony knew that she was doing the right thing. Robert was speechless. Even his brother-inw was crazy! When Charmine heard this, she turned around to look in Anthony''s direction through the ck cloth. She curled up a smile. Anthony smiled back warmly. Their expressions for one another were filled with trust and love. When McKenzie saw how the couple interacted, she felt rather conflicted. Nheless, she turned to look at Miranda elegantly. "Start." Miranda pointed up the gun and yelled the cue. "Ready yourselves! Get set..." Charmine and McKenzie held onto the handles professionally and lowered their bodies... Bang! The moment Miranda shot the gun, the two superbikesshed out at the same time, speeding forward as they did. Meanwhile, the drones above them recorded everything so the crowd could keep tabs on what was happening. The screen showed how both superbikes were not making way for one another. They drove up the bending trail, side by side, where every ten or so meters was a turn. Charmine coldly lowered herself at the turn. Her bike was almost touching the ground at the turn, but the superbike continued to speed forward. After the turn, her bike straightened up to continue racing. Her stance was so utterly dashing and mesmerizing that the audience apuded and cheered. "I didn''t expect Charmine to be so skilled!" "She looked so cool even when racing at Death Trail!" "If I do this on a normal road, I would''ve been flung away!" "Most amazing of all, she''s blindfolded!" The crowd gasped with admiration. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Meanwhile... The two superbikes raced side by side down the trail. They had raced through most of the trail, and they began speeding closer toward Death Cliff! chapter 1913 chapter 1913 Charmine and McKenzie were giving their final push, and none of them would admit their defeat. They had to win! McKenzie raced quickly and steadily. She turned to re at Charmine as she modishly dered, "We¡¯re almost at the cliff. I won''t give in to you this time!" McKenzie meant that she would never pull the brakes before Charmine would. She had lost for two rounds, and she had to win this round! Charmine continued to steer the superbike forward speedily as she said," Is it worth it? For a married man? Is it worth gambling with your life?" Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. McKenzie smirked. "My life has nothing to do with you!" Charmine drove forward fiercely and said, "To me, you¡¯re amazing and weplished. You deserve a better man. Even if you get with Anthony, you''ll always be known as a third-wheeler!" Although it did not sound pleasant, Charmine sounded very sincere. McKenzie halted and said coldly, "This is not for you to worry! You better focus on staying alive!" Having said that, she sped up to rush forward. Charmine, too, wasted no time and caught up to her in two seconds. The two superbikes went forward; none of them would be left behind! At the final push, they got dangerously close to the edge of the cliff. They were just 50 meters away. 30 meters. 20 meters...! Charmine was unruffled, undaunted, as though there was no cliff before her. She remained level- headed as she drove. Noticing how Charmine was not pulling her brake, McKenzie frowned. "Charmine, are you insane? Do you not want your life!?¡¯ It was an endless pit! If she pulled the break any slower, she might die! Charmine remained calm as she answered, "I''ve died once five years ago. I don¡¯t fear death!" McKenzie was speechless. Seeing how she was so close to the cliff and how Charmine disregarded death so simply, her lips twitched. Whatever. She would not risk her life with her. She did not want to die! Seeing how she was five meters away from the cliff, McKenzie no longer wanted to pretend and pulled her brake. However... No matter how she pulled, the superbike was not stopping. It continued to shoot forward at the same speed. There was a brake failure! McKenzie''s elegant face was overtaken with panic as she repeatedly tried to pull her brake. No matter how she pulled, however, the superbike did not slow down! "D*mn it!" cussed McKenzie under her breath. Charmine heard it and turned to look at her. She saw how her superbike did not slow down, even though she had been pulling her brake. Charmine frowned and started to pull her brake as well, but- The superbike was not slowing down at all! She had a brake failure as well! The audience watching thepetition panicked. "What''s the matter? Are they not pulling their brakes? They''d gamble their lives for a man!?" "Of course! This would affect Charmine''s marriage and McKenzie''s reputation! None of them want to lose this!" "Wait! Is there a problem? I saw them trying to pull the brake, but the superbikes weren''t stopping!" When everyone heard this, they gasped and looked at the screen with worry. "It seems like it!" "Oh, no! Will they..." "Gosh! How did the brake fail? They''ll lose their lives for the competition!" "What a pity! The two geniuses of Burlington! They''ll lose their lives for a man!" The crowd gathered around the screen as though Charmine and McKenzie would truly perish in the race. They held their breaths and looked at the twopetitors worriedly. What a pity... What a disappointment. Since they were too far away, none of them could get over there in time to save both women! All they could do was wait anxiously where they watched! chapter 1914 chapter 1914 Senior Jordan felt his blood pressure going up, and his breathing grew urgent. He turned to look for Anthony, but he was nowhere to be seen! Joey was so worried that tears streamed down her face. It was not easy for her to reconcile with her daughter, and it was definitely not easy for Charmine to finally ept her. She begged and prayed in her mind that her daughter would survive this. The brake on both superbikes failed to function. Charmine and McKenzie were so close to the cliff, and with the gust blowing by, pebbles and stones were falling down as well, making it a terrifying sight to behold. The vehicles were one meter away from the cliff. They should have pulled the brake at this point, but... McKenzie looked at the cliff before her, and her heart became icy-cold. She had always been exalted. If she was to die, she had to die in aboratory, sacrificing her body for technological advancements. She never expected this to be her way to die! 1 Feeling a surge of strong emotions raging within her, McKenzie thus shut her eyes and waited for her impending doom- It was then she felt a big force jumping at her, causing her to fly out of her superbike. McKenzie''s eyelids jolted open and saw the person in front of her. Charmine? Charmine hugged her tightly as the two of them rolled down the rocky trail at the side of the road before they fell to the ground with an audible thud. Charmine hugged her tightly as they rolled a few rounds before stopping. Meanwhile, the two vehicles did not slow down as they careened down the cliff... McKenzie reacted. She crawled up and looked at the superbikes falling down the cliff. She held onto her breath as she was still in shock. If Charmine did not save her in time, she would have fallen down along with her superbike! She would have died! Also, did Charmine...just save her? She halted for a moment before turning to look at Charmine. She was going to speak but before she could, she heard urgent yet powerful footsteps rushing their way. Anthony led a rescue team that ran toward them both hastily. "Charmine!" his worried, yet familiarly alluring voice was heard. It was as though only Charmine existed in Anthony''s eyes that he ran up to her instantly to examine her. Meanwhile, Charmine had sat up and dusted her clothes. When Anthony saw that there were only some minor scratches on her skin, he finally let out a sigh of relief. He reached out to pull her into his arms. "Never risk your life ever again!" he snapped, histone demanding and arrogant. Only God knew how worried he was when he noticed her brake failing. How he wished it was him who was in the vehicle; he did not want to see her hurt at all! "Ungh... Ack...!" Charmine was unable to breathe since he hugged her too tightly. "I can¡¯t breathe!" Only then did Anthony release Charmine from his embrace. He then suddenly lifted her into his arms and gazed at her, gently and emotionally. Charmine instinctively flung her arms around his neck, cuddling into his strong chest and feeling safe. 1 McKenzie remained on the spot. She had been watching Anthony since he arrived. She saw just how much love there was from the way Anthony looked at Charmine. She also saw how this omnipotent, cold Charmine looked so gentle beside Anthony. They only had one another in their eyes. They would not let anyone else into their rtionship. McKenzie had a self-deprecating smile ying on her lips. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. It was as if she had lost something, yet she felt arge wave of relief at the same time. Noticing that the couple was leaving, McKenzie thought of something and said, "Hold on." Anthony and Charmine halted. They turned to look at her. Anthony frowned and sighed, "What else do you want?" He should not have agreed to Charminepeting with her from the start. McKenzie seemed to have let go of her modish, smug attitude. Her delicate and fair face had, instead, a calm smile as she kindly spoke... chapter 1915 chapter 1915 "You have my blessing," said McKenzie, her tone graced with sincerity. Anthony frowned and looked at her in confusion. Charmine, however, understood what she meant. She smiled at her and said, "Thank you." McKenzie somehow responded with an elegant smile. Charmine looked away and hugged Anthony¡¯s neck tightly. She cuddled in his arms and said, "Let''s go." Anthony did not even look at McKenzie as he brought Charmine away. McKenzie, meanwhile, was brought away by the rescue team. Meanwhile... The crowd that surrounded the screen was in shock, was stunned, and in admiration. At the pivotal moment where everyone thought both women would die, they bore witness to how Charmine coldly let go of the handles and jumped up on the spot. The moment when the superbike was about to fall over, sheunched at McKenzie, causing both of them to tumble away from the careening superbikes. When they saw how the two of them survived, everyone let out a sigh of relief. Following that, praises were uttered. "Charmine is too stunning!" "Even at a deadly second, she didn''t panic and even saved Ms. McKenzie!" "I see that Charmine won all three rounds! She is calm, intelligent, and her racing skill is even better than Ms. McKenzie!" "That''s right. Now, I finally know why she¡¯s so unruly! She has the right to be! "She¡¯s so bold and beautiful. I love this woman!" "She¡¯s our goddess from now on!" The crowd praised Charmine fondly, and it was also then they spotted Anthony carrying Charmine. They instantly apuded excitedly. McKenzie came out a few minutester and announced elegantly," Charmine won thepetition. She has won three rounds out of three. ording to the agreement, I''ll leave the country for three years." She lost, but it was her honor to. They apuded once again, possibly for Charmine''s victory or McKenzie''s courage. Everyone celebrated the closure of the challenge, and everything ended perfectly. However... Among the smiling faces, Susan''s proud face darkened with worry. 1 Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. She thought this could be her opportunity to kick Charmine out of the Bailey family, yet not only did McKenzie lose, but she had to leave the country for three years, too? 1 Did that mean she had to face that evil woman every day!? 2 Susan pursed her lips and went to McKenzie bitterly, saying, "McKenzie, you''ve given up so much for Anthony, and you almost lost your life. You can''t give up so easily! Are you able to leave behind what you had with Anthony since you were young?" 1 McKenzie was bandaging her arm, she did not even look at Susan. Her elegant face remained calm as she said, "Charmine is right; it''s not worth it for a man who has a wife and a five-year-old son! I should wait for someone who is good enough for me. Furthermore, everyone was the witness to our challenge. I lost, so I should leave the country." Miranda had finished cleaning McKenzie''s wound the moment McKenzie made her reply. She stood up and, still prestigious as ever, exuded pride as she left in her heels. The cool racing suit made her seem elegant and wild. Everyone''s heart skipped a beat. McKenzie, who disliked Charmine, had changed her mind? How...rare. How very rare! chapter 1916 chapter 1916 Annabel stood by Charmine''s side. She watched as McKenzie left before she sighed in relief, saying, "Wonderful. Ms. McKenzie has finally given up. Nobody will separate Ms. Charmine and President Bailey now!" Annabel was pleased as though this was her happy ending and she was happier than anyone. Susan red at her angrily. This woman always made way for them! She had no intention of winning at all! At the Bailey mansion. Anthony carried Charmine back into the room and quickly fixed her wound. It still bothered him that she was injured, albeit with only a minor scratch. Anthony looked at Charmine meaningfully and emotionally, as his action toward her was gentle and loving. Charmine nonchntly looked up at him and was drawn in by the endearing expression he had for her. Her gaze then gravitated toward his inviting lips, and she could not help raising her head to kiss them. Anthony stiffened at her beguiling kiss. He hesitated at the intimacy, fighting with himself whether or not he should let this continue at its pace. 1 If he deepened the kiss, things might really take a turn toward a certain direction! No...he must not touch her yet. At the same time, however, he did not want to disappoint her at such an important moment, every time... Anthony took a deep breath to clear the emotions in his head. He wanted to stay calm. As his hand was about to push her away, knocks were heard on their door as a maid''s voice was heard from outside, "Sir, Madam, dinner is ready." This simple line was his savior! Anthony thus pulled Charmine away and touched her nose lovingly. "Time to eat, my darling." Charmine, however, reeled him back fiercely. "I don''t want to eat. I want to eat...you!" she spoke, her tone bewitching his senses. Facing Charmine''s cloudy gaze and flirtatious voice, Anthony nearly gave in Any man would not be able to let his wife off the bed for three days if being spoken to in this tone. 1 However, he must not do so yet. Anthony could only sigh and repress himself, evident through his husky voice, "Everyone is waiting for us downstairs, dearest..." He actually meant that he did not want the rest of the family waiting on them. "Fine." Charmine looked at him and said, "No matter what excuse you pull tonight, you can only belong to me!" Anthony looked at her lovingly. "Once you''ve recovered, you don¡¯t even have to say it," he answered, already making her walk out with him. Charmine frowned. Why did he not verbally agree to her words? She would try again after the meal... When they arrived downstairs, everyone was seated around the table and waiting forthem. When they saw theming down, Grandma Bailey smiled peacefully. She went forward to hold Charmine''s hand and pulled her to sit with her. "Charmine, you brought us pride today. You didn''t see it yourself, but when you saved her from the cliff, everyone spoke only words of high regard for you. Even I became your fangirl!" 2 The serious Senior Bailey could not help chiming in, "This olddy has been praising you all day!" "What? Can''t I praise my granddaughter-inw?" sassed Grandma Bailey in a childlike manner. "Alright, alright," cooed Senior Bailey. Charmine''s red lips curved into a smile. "Thank you, Grandma." During the meal, Grandma Bailey scooped food for Charmine. She could not hide the admiration-filled gaze she had as she did. 1 "Charmine risked her life to save her marriage," she spoke to everyone at the table, "and she won so brightly and beautifully! Nobody is allowed to dislike Charmine or ask her to leave Anthony. If I see anyone doing it, I''ll make sure that person gets a piece of my mind!" 2 Grandma Bailey did not look at Susan, but everyone knew Grandma Bailey directed it at her. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Susan''s face stiffened at this remark. She acted as if she did not hear it and said nothing. It seemed that she had to behave herself. chapter 1917 chapter 1917 The Bailey family dined peacefully. All of a sudden, Luke rushed toward them. "Boss Bailey, the result is out. Madam''s and Ms. McKenzie''s superbikes had special high-tech gasoline. We can¡¯t find out how, but when the superbikes traveled at a high speed, this gasoline would be activated, causing too much lubricant that resulted in the brake failure!" Charmine narrowed her eyes suspiciously. The superbikes had been examined, and they were fine when they were sent over, i Only her family and Annabel were close to the superbikes, but...they all seemed unlikely to do such a thing, i Anthony understood her meaning. Hence, he instructed, "Keep investigating this." "Yes, Sir!" Luke nodded and left politely. That night... Charmineid in bed after showering. She picked up a book while waiting for Anthony to shower. A momentter, the shower door opened. She instinctively turned to look at Anthony standing before the shower room in his silk robe. He made a stark contrast to the mist behind him. The silk robe clung to his body, outlining his sexy, well-built body, and even the shape of his six-abs was seen. Charmine could not help looking at him with desire. "Baby..." She put down her book andid in bed alluringly, beckoning him over with a finger. "Come here." Anthony walked toward her, his hair still dripping wet, yet his seductiveness remained. "What is it?" asked Anthony as he tried to dry his hair. Charmine reached out her finger and drew along his chest. "Now that everything is resolved, can we..." Anthony smiled. "As I said, let''s wait for you to recover." "This minor scratch is nothing." Charmine did not mind her wound as she began to untie the sash to his robe. Anthony grew visibly panicked at this. He grabbed her hands and said, "I''m afraid that I''d be too rough on you that I end up worsening your wound. I''ll feel bad if I do.¡¯ 1 Charmine was speechless. Too rough, he said? Well, she could not wait to bear witness to that, then! i As she was zoning out, Anthony turned around and went on top of her. He did not do anything else, however, and he merely nted a gentle kiss cautiously on her forehead. "Listen to me, alright?" he reasoned in a low voice. "If I end up pulling your wound, I''ll feel bad and me myself for hurting you." Anthony spoke with a serious tone, so much so that Charmine was convinced. As she was making sense of things, Anthonyid her down and put a pillow below her neck. He adjusted the temperature of the room so it was just right and draped a nket over her. Afraid the room would be too dry, he thus turned on the humidifier. Once he made sure everything was done, he stood by the bed and watched over Charmine. Thinking of the harm he caused her five years ago, remorse crept to his face. He could only use his love to make up for the hurt he had inflicted upon her. Anthony reached out to smoothen Charmine''s hair. "I have to deal with a few things for now. Don''t wait for me, and rest early." With that said, he lowered his head to leave a gentle peck on her forehead, turned off the lights, and left silently. Charmine was speechless as sheid in bed, looking at the tightly shut door. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. She could not help recalling the guilty look on Anthony''s face when he stood beside the bed. i Why was he guilty? chapter 1918 chapter 1918 Charmine could not shake off the memory of how Anthony always evaded moments of true intimacy. Did he...have an ''illness'' or something? If he was healthy, he would not be able to hold back his desire for so long. He stopped her halfway through every time they were so close to consummating their marriage. Was the guilt in his eyes reflecting the guilt he felt toward her, that he could not please her? Charmine was more certain of her guess. She frowned. Since when did he have such an illness? Why did he not tell her earlier? Charmine resolutely removed the nket off of her frame. She wanted to speak to Anthony, wanting to tell him that he should go to the doctor instead of feeling guilty. However, just as she got out of the room, she thought of something else. Anthony was a proud adult man. If she said this to him in front of his face, would it not fluster him? After all, this was a sensitive topic. Moreover, she knew he did not like stopping their intimacy either. As his wife, if she exposed the wound he had been trying to hide and ssh a handful of salt onto it... Charmine thought about it and scratched off the thought from her mind. Eyeing the lit-up study, she went back to the room andid in bed. It seemed that she should stop seducing him in the future and made him feel bad. She turned around for a long while and waited until midnight, when the door gently opened. Following that, Charmine felt a presence beside her and was pulled into a muscr chest. She shut her eyes and acted as if she was sleeping. She hugged him instinctively and found a comfortable position in his arms. Anthony looked at the small woman in his arms, and a smile slowly spread across his face. He reached out to tuck strands of her hair behind her ear. Following that, he lowered his head to nt a gentle kiss on her cheek. He turned off the lights and fell asleep happily with his wife in his arms. In the morning on the next day, Annabel was already awake when the maids had woken up to clean the mansion. She looked anxious and went downstairs. As she was about to go out, the butler called out to her, "Ms. Annabel, it''s so early! Where are you off to?" Annabel¡¯s palm-sized face was pale as she meekly answered, "I think I saw someone doing something to Ms. Charmine''s superbike. I¡¯m not sure yet, so I want to find out." "Ms. Annabel, you should tell this to President Bailey or Ms. Charmine," advised the butler. "It''s dangerous for you to go alone!" "No...not yet," declined Annabel. "I''m not certain of it yet. Now that Ms. Charmine finally has time to rest, I can''t tell her yet and make her go through an unnecessary investigation. Furthermore, I won''t use anyone before I find the evidence. I don¡¯t want to wrongly use anyone." With that said, she looked at the butler. "Until I find this individual, they remain as a threat to Ms. Charmine. This is why I have to go. Mr. Butler, please don''t tell anyone about me going out to find evidence. I don''t want to disappoint everyone if I don¡¯t find anything." She reminded him carefully. The butler sympathized with her and nodded. "Alright, then, I won''t tell. Please be careful with the baby in your womb. Be careful!" Annabel smiled gently as if she was warmed by this. She said gently," Thank you, Mr. Butler. I will go on now." The butler stared at her back and thought of something. He rushed out after her and called out, "Ms. Annabel, it''s your birthday tomorrow. Madam wants to host a big celebration party for you, soe home early to get ready!" Annabel, who was in front of the mansion, nodded gratefully. "Alright." She went out and stopped a taxi. The taxi drove ahead to the Jordan Group before stopping. Annabel paid the driver and confidently went to the side of thepany.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. chapter 1919 chapter 1919 Annabel then saw... Felix, in a secluded corner, was digging a hole beside the tree in secrecy. He ced a small ck bottle into the hole as well. Felix was hasty in his work, and his oily face looked anxious. Since yesterday afternoon, Charmine and Anthony had been looking for the ck gasoline inside this bottle. If they found this, he would be done for! He moved even quicker at the thought of this. He had to get this done before everyone came to work so that he could get out of it! Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. What a pity that Charmine did not die yesterday. Annabel saw the half-buried bottle. With a serious expression, she made her way toward Felix and caught his hand, 1 "It''s you, just as I expected! I noticed you acting strangely yesterday, but I can¡¯t believe this is true... How could you do such a thing to your niece?" Felix''s face stiffened. He did not expect anyone to see him here so early in the morning. His gaze darted around as he then swung Annabel¡¯s hand off of him. He resumed his nk and silly look. "What nonsense are you talking about? What do you even mean?" Felix continued to bury the bottle. This woman was weak like an ant, and anyone could do anything to her. As long as he acted dumb and did not admit to it, she could not do anything! Annabel was no longer weak like usual. She kicked away the dirt that covered what Felix had buried, revealing the bottle he nted into the hole. She took out her phone to record it. "You hurt Ms. Charmine, and I won''t let you get away with that. Ms. Charmine almost fell off the cliff because of you! How can you do this? Are you even a human?" Felix did not expect this frail, soft woman to toughen up so suddenly. He tried snatching the phone from her, but Annabel managed to dodge. Despite her pale face, her tone was powerful as she spoke, "If I send this clip to Ms. Charmine, don¡¯t you think she¡¯ll look into the matter? Ill see how you¡¯ll defend yourself by then!" Felix pursed his lips and said angrily, "So what if it''s me? What does it have anything to do with you?" He did not know what that woman did to Lily and Amelia. All of a sudden, his wife and daughter told him to drop the entire n, not be silly, and continue working with the familypany as a security guard?! He refused! Why would Charmine¡¯s father be the board director while he was just a lowly ranked security? His face twisted into fury as he red at Annabel. "If you go and tell Charmine, 111 kill you!" Seeing his cruel face, Annabel was intimidated, and her phone dropped onto the ground. Felix noticed the opening and bent down to quickly scoop up the phone, smirking when he did. "Go on! You don¡¯t even have evidence! Let¡¯s see who''ll believe you!" Annabel bit her pale lip and red at the phone in Felix¡¯s hand. If she went ahead to tell Ms. Charmine without any evidence, Ms. Charmine would side with her family and not believe her. i No. She had to catch this man-he who attempted murder-for Ms. Charmine. Otherwise, he might do cruel things in the future to harm Ms. Charmine! Annabel hugged her slightly swollen tummy and went ahead to fight for the phone. "Give it back to me! Give it back!" Looking at this weak woman before him, Felix smirked. He reached out and gave a push. Thump! Annabel''s small figure staggered backward before she fell to the ground heavily. Instantly, she felt a sharp paining from her womb, 1 Sheid on the ground, her palm-sized face pale like snow. Even though her stomach was hurting, she still tried to stand up. "Give back the phone!" Felix looked down at her and said evilly, "I can kill my niece, what more a woman before me, stopping me from getting rich! I tell you what: If you mention this to anyone, 111 kill both of you!" chapter 1920 chapter 1920 With that said, Felix''s face sank. He lifted his hand and crushed her phone before her eyes. Annabel, having suffered from her fall, felt even worse when her phone was ruined. Tears brimmed her eyes as she looked at Felix, not wanting to give up just like this. "I¡¯ll tell Ms. Charmine!" she remarked. Felixughed and pulled her by her hair and dragged her along the way." You¡¯re not afraid of death, are you? You want to lose your life for someone unrted to you!?" Annabel had no idea what Felix wanted to do with her, but she felt something warm rushing out from her lower half. She lowered her head to see her pants painted with blood. Her blood. Annabel was so scared that she could only beg, "Okay, I won¡¯t tell! Let me go...!" If this went on and she died, Ms. Charmine would never find out the truth! Felix scoffed and tossed her away. "If you say anything about this, I won''t let you go the next time!" With that said, Felix smirked and left, leaving Annabel on the ground with her face snowy pale. Her breaths grewbored and urgent. Still, she cradled her womb and struggled to get back up on her feet. "Hold on, my child," she spoke to herself, "you''ll be alright..." She used up all her strength to stand up. Like a leaf in the wind, she staggered on the road, swaying in her steps, and tried to stop cars that passed by. However, when the cars saw that she was bleeding, nobody dared to stop for her. After waiting for a long while, just as she was about to faint, a car finally pulled up before her. It felt like finding an oasis after traversing throughout the desert for so long; that was what it felt to Annabel. She sighed in relief and instantly lost consciousness. At the Bailey mansion. The butler received a call from the hospital. He looked anxious as he hung up and said to the family who was eating, "Madams, Sirs, we have a problem. Ms. Annabel is in danger!" Susan was the most riled up among everyone else. "What happened!?" Annabel was her pawn to attack Charmine, and she must not be in danger! Grandma Bailey, on the other hand, was worried. "What happened to her?¡± The butler said cautiously, "Ms. Annabel almost had a miscarriage. She''s being rushed to the hospital!" "What!?" Susan put down her fork and went ahead to get dressed. Grandma Bailey and the rest also abandoned their meals. Grandma Bailey then instructed the butler, "Hurry, get the car ready!" "Yes!" Charmine stood up and wanted to go along. "Finish your meal first, dearest," said Anthony. It was evident he was in no rush for Annabel, even after what he had heard. He only cared about Charmine, after all. "No," said Charmine. "Everyone is going, so we should go, too!" This was also so that Susan would not turn this against her. She did not want to make it any harder for Anthony. Anthony looked at her affectionately and went with her. At the hospital... The originally quiet ward was filled with the Bailey family. Annabel was still in bed, her face pale and her frame visibly weak. She felt perplexed at the sight of everyone in her ward. "Madam, Sir, Mrs. Bailey..." N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Annabel looked at them cautiously and asked, "Why did you alle?" She did not want to worry them, so she decided not to tell them. Grandma Bailey frowned. '' Annabel, what happened? Why would you have a miscarriage out of the blue?" Annabel could not help looking at Charmine. She was hiding something as she stuttered, "Nothing, I was just careless." Everyone saw her reaction, however. It was as if this was rted to Charmine, but she was too weak to speak up. Susan said, "Annabel, tell us anything. With me around, nobody can bully you!" chapter 1921 chapter 1921 Charmine felt off when she noticed Annabel''s stare toward her. "Don''t be afraid to speak up," she insisted. Susan, however, scoffed. "You made it sound easy. Didn''t you see the way Annabel looked at you? She''s so afraid that she doesn''t even dare to speak up! What I think is that you did something to her!" "Shut up!" Grandma Bailey had an evident glower on her face as she snapped, "Listen to Annabel! Annabel, just say whatever that happened." Annabel, despite her initial hesitance, slowly regained herself, knowing that things had reached a certain point. Thus, she carefully chose her words and exined, "Please don''t misunderstand Ms. Charmine. She¡¯s very kind to me and will never hurt me. I looked at her because..." She turned toward Charmine before she continued, "Ms. Charmine, I heard from you that the superbikes malfunctioned due to added gasoline. I then remembered how your uncle had been suspiciously close to the bikes yesterday, raising my doubts. I went to question him in the morning and saw him burying a bottle with gasoline inside! I took a photo of him, but he snatched my phone from me and pushed me over. This is why..." Hearing Annabel¡¯s exnation, Susan sneered. "I knew the Jordans were terrible. He¡¯d harm his own niece, too! How embarrassing!" "Shut up!¡± Senior Bailey red at Susan. "No one will think you¡¯re dumb if you just keep your mouth shut!" Susan, true enough, zipped her mouth out of fear when she saw just how irked Senior Bailey was. Charmine looked at Annabel, wanting to verify her exnation. "Is it true, what you''ve said?" Annabel said innocently, "I won''t lie to you, Ms. Charmine. It is true." The butler then chimed in, supporting Annabel''s confession, "I saw Ms. Annabel leaving early in the morning. I did ask her about it and she said she might''ve found out who harmed Ms. Charmine. She''s worried that the person might cause you more danger, so she went over to have a look. She didn''t want to use the wrong person, so she took the risk herself." This new reveal stunned everyone. Annabel would risk her safety, almost losing her baby in the process, to protect Charmine from harm? Everyone looked at her with a newfound sense of admiration and inclination. Hearing how kind Annabel was, Grandma Bailey sat by her bed and held her hand. "Don¡¯t think too much. As long as the baby is fine, you should rest more. Well sort this out." "Do take care," added Senior Bailey. "Let the nurse know what you want to eat." Annabel nodded weakly. "Thank you, Grandma Bailey, Senior Bailey." Charmine looked at Annabel and frowned. She did not expect Annabel to be so kind and considerate. Her tone softened, "I''ll sort this out for you." She then turned to Grandma Bailey and Senior Bailey. "I''m sorry for what had happened. I''ll sort this out." Grandma Bailey nodded. "Alright, Charmine, do what you want. We won¡¯t step in." N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. They trusted Charmine that she knew what needed to be done, thus trusting her enough to not insist on the matter. Anthony instructed Luke, "Lock up Felix Jordan for me." When everyone heard this, theyforted Annabel. "Don''t worry, Charmine will help you." "That''s right. Don¡¯t worry, and get better soon." Tears brimmed at Annabel''s eyes when she saw just how considerate the Baileys were toward her. She said emotionally, "Thank you, everyone...so much. Other than my family, nobody had ever treated me so kindly..." i Sympathies toward Annabel only grew as they heard this. 3 Susan, on the other hand, red at Charmine heatedly. D*mn it! Those two old hags forgave Charmine so easily? How could they? They would ignore her, Susan, for days if she were to make a mistake. On the other hand, Charmine¡¯s rtive nearly cost Annabel her child, yet they just let Charmine off the hook? Ha! Susan looked visibly embroiled in bitterness. She then thought of something and said, "It¡¯s Annabel''s birthday tomorrow. Let¡¯s prepare a nice celebration for her." chapter 1922 chapter 1922 It was simple, to Susan. She would host a grand celebration for Annabel and make sure everyone knew that Annabel was staying at the Bailey mansion, treated as Mrs. Bailey. She wanted to use Annabel to trigger Charmine. 2 Grandma Bailey, on the other hand, did not think too much into Susan''s suggestion. After all that happened recently, she did quite like Annabel as well. She nodded. "We''ll invite special guests, then. Make it grand." Annabel was so terrified that her face went pale. She quickly waved dismissively, politely. "Grandma, Madam, let''s just keep it simple. Doesn¡¯t have to be grand," she spoke in a cautious tone as she was afraid of causing too much trouble. i Grandma Bailey sat at Annabel''s bedside and held her hand. "You have a baby, who''s also a Bailey, in your womb, and you''re a person of kind nature as well. You almost got in trouble because of Charmine, so of course we must treat you better." "That''s right," Charmine chimed in. "Anthony and I have time tomorrow. We''ll arrange it for you." Hearing this from Charmine, Annabel was visibly in gratitude. Eyes wet with tears, she muttered, "Are you sure, Ms. Charmine?" "Of course! Didn''t you hear what she said?" Susan butted in. "She''ll arrange it for you." Anthony held Charmine''s hand and said in his low voice, "In that case, let''s just go with this since my beloved said it." He would support Charmine as long as it was her decision. Annabel finally nodded and said, "Thank you President Bailey, Ms. Charmine." Following that, Anthony and Charmine left the hospital, with Charmine leaning on the seat and contemting as they left. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. She then turned to look at Anthony and said, "It¡¯s Annabel¡¯s birthday tomorrow. We need to have everything ready." Anthony frowned. "Are you genuinely alright with this?" Charmine smiled. "She was in danger because of me, and she almost lost the baby as well. It''s only right that I treat her nicer." With that said, she looked at him bright-eyed. "You must treat her nicer, too; don''t just act so cold toward her. Annabel had done nothing wrong." Anthony''s handsome face remained passive and stoic as he nodded nonchntly. It was as if Annabel meant nothing to him, that she was not worth mentioning. For the rest of the day, Charmine and Anthony worked all day to prepare for Annabel''s celebration. They hired a highly acimed chef to design the menu, and they had the maids decorate the entire mansion, making it look even more luxurious. They air-shipped hundreds of fresh roses and ced them into an arched door to be ced in the front yard. It looked beautiful and romantic, 1 The branches of the trees in the yard had been tied with ribbons and bells. There were boards below the bells with wishes printed on them, i [Happy birthday.] There was also a huge banner between two trees with the words, [ Annabel''s Birthday Party] printed. Thepound looked festive and grand. Following that, Charmine sent out dozens of invitations to invite all the Baileys'' rtives over. That night... When Grandma Bailey got back to the mansion, she saw how luxurious and beautiful the decoration was and how generous Charmine was. She was, in turn, very pleased. Charmine was utterly kind-hearted. As they both sat on the sofa, she held Charmine''s hand and affectionately thanked her, saying, "Thank you, Charmine. I¡¯m very pleased that you did this. Thank you. Before the babyes out, you all must get along well. Once the baby is out, it should get much better." She would pay Annabel enough and would not wrong Charmine for being so generous. Charmine remained calm as usual. "This is what I should be doing." Grandma Bailey was even more at ease upon seeing Charmine''s reaction. She reached out to caress Charmine''s t tummy and said... chapter 1923 chapter 1923 "Actually, what I really hope is that you could bring me a great-grandchild soon. I''d prefer a baby from you." Charmine was at a loss for words at Grandma Bailey''s words. She wanted to as well, but it was all down to Anthony. Charminemented nothing on the matter as she nodded. "Alright then, wait for my good news." On the next day... The family brought Annabel home. When Annabel entered through the gate and saw thevish-looking roses in the front yard along with the bells ringing on every tree, her eyes became misty. Her shaky hands made their way to her face as she sped her mouth. "Grandma, Madam, Ms. Charmine, thank you for treating me so well. I¡¯m so touched!" Grandma Bailey said gently, "Charmine designed these herself." Annabel instantly turned to look at Charmine. "Ms. Charmine, thank you. Really...l never expected you to treat me so well. Nobody had ever treated me so well before...and this might as well be the biggest birthday celebration I¡¯ve ever had. Really, thank you so much!" Everyone felt for Annabel upon hearing her words. Grandma Bailey felt emotional. Annabel was so easily pleased; what a softdy she was. Charmine remained calm as usual. "You¡¯re wee. You helped me find the criminal while I merely helped to prepare your birthday celebration. This is nothing." "Mydy never liked being indebted to anyone." Anthony stood next to Charmine, his fingers interlocking with hers as he did. Although they did nothing more than that, their affection was incredibly palpable. Annabel watched on, her self free from jealousy. She was not angry at N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Anthony for loving Charmine. She looked at both of them with her dewy eyes and said sincerely, "Don¡¯t mind me; you''ve done way more for me. I''ll be very happy to see you two living happily ever after." Charmine was rather astounded by Annabel''s kindness. "Thanks," she spoke through her parted red lips. "Alright, alright. We¡¯re a family, so don¡¯t be too polite," said Grandma Bailey. "Go and get some rest. The guests are arriving soon." With that said, she held Charmine''s hand and went inside with her. Susan walked past Annabel, eyeing the woman haughtily as she did. She had hated Annabel for being useless. She wanted to use her to kick Charmine out, but she was always so kind toward Charmine and was notpetitive at all. She never expected that fool of a Charmine to be so lucky. Due to her kindness, she gained the attention from Grandma Bailey that she cared enough about Annabel to host a birthday party for her. Even Charmine treated Annabel nicely. If this went on, Annabel¡¯s position at home would slowly surpass Charmine. By then, it would be easy for Susan to kick Charmine out! The Bailey family only needed one Mrs. Bailey, and that person would be Annabel! 1 After they went inside, the maids instantly surrounded them. Some went to attend to Grandma Bailey, but most of them went over to check on Annabel. "Ms. Annabel, what would you like to eat? I''ll cook for you." "Ms. Annabel, please be careful in the future. You must protect yourself and the baby in you." "What you did really impressed all of us! You scared us!¡± Annabel sat on the sofa, a soft smile adorning her palm-sized face as she did. "Don¡¯t be so kind to me, just treat me as a friend like you''re all familiar with," she spoke, her tone approachable and kind. When Susan heard this, she had a look of disgust in her eyes. She was trying so hard to help Annabel, yet she was okay with leaving after giving birth to the baby! What a waste of opportunity! As they talked, a gentle and elegant male voice was heard from outside the door. "Grandma." The voice was... chapter 1924 chapter 1924 Everyone looked over to see a family of three standing outside the door: Derek, Yvette, and Coco. Derek was in his fitting grey suit. He was gentle and handsome-looking, exuding an air of gentleness and elegance. Yvette, on the other hand, donned a luxurious gown and had a luxury- branded bag at hand, looking like a wealthy wife. Lastly, Coco, like a proud member of royalty, was dressed in a gown styled like a princess''s, her hair braided into two high ponytails. She even had a pink backpack to boot. The three of them walked into the venue like a happy family of three, and Derek handed the expensive gifts they had brought to Grandma Bailey." Haven''t seen you in a while, Grandma. How have you been?" "Not bad." Grandma Bailey looked at the three of them and said, "Aren¡¯t you all busy? Why did youe?" "It''s an important asion," said Derek, "and we had toe, however busy we may be!¡± With that said, he turned toward Anthony and gave him a gentle smile." Bro, what century are we in? How did you manage to have two wives yet they get along so well?" His tone was polite, and he seemed as if he was genuinely intrigued by Anthony¡¯s achievement. Grandma Bailey''s expression changed and she scorned, ¡¯ Derek, cut the nonsense! You''ve got it all wrong. Annabel is staying at our mansion temporarily due to special circumstances. After she gives birth to the baby, she''ll be free to live the life she wants." Anthony red at Derek and his cold lips curved into a mocking smile." Your eyes don¡¯t seem to work properly, it seems. I only have one wife, and it has always been Charmine," he spoke, tone arrogant and proud. Annabel, hearing Derek''sment, chimed in meekly, "Mr. Derek, I have nothing to do with Mr. Anthony. Ms. Charmine will always be his wife, and it can only be her. Please do not say something like this in the future.¡± It was apparent that Annabel was not at all jealous. Derek smiled. "Is that so? My bad, then. Let me drink this up." As he spoke, Derek raised his champagne ss. He took a sip politely with a darkened glint in his eyes. Annabel did seem innocent. Things would get interesting, for sure. Annabel, as her gaze shifted, spotted Coco and was astounded. "What''s your name, my dear? You look adorable." Coco smirked, and she was not polite at all. She said proudly, "Why should I tell you?" Grandma Bailey frowned. "Where are your manners?" Yvette scolded Coco in front of everyone." Hurry and tell Aunt what your name is." "My name is Coco-Coco Bailey." N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Her doewatery eyes were fixed onto Annabel with disgust. Coco made it seem as if this ordinarily dressed woman had no right to ask for her name. Amid their exchange, Luke brought Chris back. After all, Annabel was Chris'' mother. He should still be present for her birthday. When Chris came inside, he looked past the crowd and fixed his eyes on Charmine. "Mommy!" He ran over adorably and hugged Charmine tightly. "Mommy, I''ve missed you." Charmine hugged him and ruffled his head. "How have you beentely, living alone in the vige?" "I''m alright!" said Chris. "Grandma is nice to me. Chloe and I had lots of fun. We caught some fish, yed with the kites, and went to search for herbs up the mountain. Chloe introduced me to many herbs..." His dewy eyes absent-mindedly danced around as he continued, "Allspice, Angelica, Anise..." Comment by Be C: Is this okay? chapter 1925 chapter 1925 Chris recited a series of names, to which everyone praised him. Chris smiled proudly and said, "Don''t worry about me, Mommy, I can take good care of myself. What you should do now is to make a little sister for me to take care of.¡¯ Grandma Bailey, upon hearing Chris'' remark, visibly eased off of the anger Coco had caused. The elderly''s expression shifted into one of affection. Chris was indeed a mature boy. Charmine''s fair face softened shyly. She turned to look at Anthony and sharply caught the unnoticeable hint of awkwardness evident on Anthony¡¯s face. She smoothened Chris'' hair. "Okay, 111 try." When Anthony heard this, his eyes darkened. It seemed that he had to quickly find the right time to exin the truth to her. "Yay!" Chris, pleased by this response, cuddled into Charmine''s arms, cing his heart and trust onto her. Yvette was dumbfounded at this, however. She looked at Chris and asked, "Dear, your birth mother is here, but why didn¡¯t you greet her at all? What you did might hurt her feelings." "No, not at all." Annabel looked at Chris and Charmine with a kind expression and said, "I won¡¯t get hurt. In fact, I''m grateful that Ms. Charmine is treating him like her birth son. This reassures me. Why would I get angry at Momo for being happy with Miss Charmine?" Yvette''s lips twitched. What was wrong with Annabel? Her son was treating her enemy as his actual mother, yet she was still so generous? This was so messed up! Not long after, rtives of the family trickled into the venue. Everyone greeted one another, and the ce became lively. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Everyone came to celebrate Annabel''s birthday, and they all praised her for what she did yesterday. Chris, meanwhile, went to the backyard and called Chloe. "Chloe, I''ve reached home safely. I''lle back to find you in two days. What would you like? A car of lollipops? Alrighty, I''ll bring them to you," he spoke, sounding prideful and lofty like a young boss. Comment by Be C: for real real ''a car''? After exchanging some words, he hung up. Just as he turned around and wanted to look for Charmine, he met a pair of proud eyes. Coco crossed her arms as she stood before Chris, gazing at him sharply. Her cold eyes did not look like the eyes of a kid. 2 Coco said proudly, "Chris Bailey, how are you still in the mood to talk here? Your birth mother is a farmer, weak and easily trampled on. Your stepmommy no longer loves you. She left you in the vige for a few days, and now, she¡¯s going to have another baby with your Daddy? No matter how close she is to you now, she¡¯s still not your birth mother! Once she has another baby, she''ll toss you away!" Chris visibly tensed at her snide remark. He clenched his fists and red at Coco angrily. "What nonsense are you talking about? Mommy won''t leave me!" Cocoughed mockingly. "Don''t be too confident. Do you think she¡¯ll still remember you once she has her own baby? She''ll save the best things for her child, and you? Hmph! You''ll only be watching by the sidelines-¡¯ "Shut up!" Chris growled at her, his eyes reddening in anger as he did. He was enraged, so terribly enraged, but he was well-taught to never hit a girl. All he could do was clench his fists as he quelled his anger. Just as Chris was about to leave... chapter 1926 chapter 1926 Coco did not stop at just this. Seeing that Chris was going to leave, she reached out to push him back. "I''m talking right now; this is the truth! Why do you want me to shut up?" Chris staggered backward due to Coco''s push. After regaining his bnce, he red at Coco angrily. "Don¡¯t make me hittouch you!" Coco was not intimidated by Chris'' sharp re. In fact, she was not affected at all and continued to push him multiple times. "What now? I¡¯m just saying facts. You''re worried that your step-mommy is going to leave you? I''m just telling the truth. I want to tell you that she¡¯ll leave you one day! She''ll punish you and beat you! Hahaha!" She even stuck out her tongue to trigger him further. p! Chris reached out and pped Coco¡¯s hands away from pushing him. He red at her. "I said, shut up! My Mommy isn''t this kind of person!" Coco may insult him, but not his Mommy! Coco, after having been pped, felt a stinging pain that seared across her arm, rendering her speechless and stunned as she stared at Chris incredulously. Did he just hit her!? She was practically born like royalty, and her parents had never beaten her since young! How dare he beat her?! Coco red at him with a venomous stare. "Chris Bailey, how dare you hit me! You''re just an illegitimate wild child that nobody likes!" With that, Coco mustered every bit of her strength and shoved Chris forward, causing the boy to stumble backward aimlessly. Failing to react in time, Chris staggered and fell right into the pond by the side! The water sshed onto Coco. Despite being a brat, Coco paled at the sight of Chris falling into the pond, and she had no idea what to do. The maids had heard themotion and spotted two hands reaching out from underwater. Gasping, they instantly ran toward the pond, and they became terrified upon knowing that it was Chris. The water was a few meters deep, and nobody dared to dive in. Some of them phoned for help, while some cried for help, i "Help! The young master is inside the pond!" "Pleasee and help the young master!" On the balcony of the second floor, Derek smoked as he watched over the backyard. He acted as if he saw nothing. As the smoke shrouded his face, his gentle face sported a heartless smirk, i As long as Anthony had no children, the entire Bailey family would belong to him, Derek Bailey! Charmine was greeting the guests in the living room and was the first to hear the cry for help. Among the noises, she sharply heard the word, ''young master.'' Her heart clenched and she instantly put down everything at hand before rushing toward the scene, leaving behind confused guests, bewildered at how she sped like an arrow shot. After Charmine ran out of the backyard, she saw the maids crying for help. She then saw the two hands reaching out from the pond. Her heart leaped to her throat. She ran even quicker like a gust of wind. Ssh! She instantly jumped into the pond that was a few meters deep, no hesitance detected in the way she dove to help Chris. However... After pulling Chris for a while, she felt something locking her foot that made her unable to move. Disregarding her wellbeing, she willed herself to raise Chris out of the water. She tried her best to get closer to the side of the pond. Luckily, the maids were there to reach over to get Chris out of the pond, and it was only then that Charmine felt relieved. Charmine then backed away to inspect her foot that seemed to be held down by something. She was shocked when she noticed a metal chain holding her back. Coincidentally, the chain locked her ankle, and the chain was pressed down by a giant stone! N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Charmine frowned. She felt the chain on her ankle and realized...that the chain was locked. There was nothing to loosen it! Without much of an option, she tried to shove off the giant stone. However, it was the rockery on the pond, and it must have weighed a few hundred kilograms. Charmine just could not move it however hard she tried to. chapter 1927 chapter 1927 In the venue... Anthony was standing near the front yard when everything happened. The hall was noisy as he conversed with rtives, but it was due to this that he failed to hear the tumulting from the back. As he was drinking, he instinctively turned to look for Charmine, only to see her rushing away hastily. Frowning, he ced down his wine ss and excused himself to run after her to the backyard. When he arrived at the backyard, he saw the maids carrying Chris to the ground, pressing his chest, while the boyid on the ground weakly, seemingly unconscious. Anthony''s heart clenched as he sprinted toward them. "Let me do it!" He pushed forward and performed a professional cardiopulmonary resuscitation on Chris. The maids, no longer resuscitating Chris as Anthony took the role, looked around. They then realized in horror that Charmine had not resurfaced from the pond. They were all too caught up about Chris that they did not realize that Charmine had note back out after bringing Chris out! One of the maids said in panic, "Sir, Madam still hasn''te out from the pond!" Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Anthony paused at this before turning to look at the still pond. Instantly, he jumped right into the water. Comment by Be C: it was river, but its consistently mentioned as pond instead, this is okay, right? D*mn it! How could he forget to look for Charmine at such a critical moment!? Anthony jumped in and searched for her anxiously...only to find her lying on the bottom of the pond. She had lost consciousness, her eyes closed and her hair floating around her in the water. Anthony swam toward Charmine, thoroughly unsettled and anxious. As he dove toward her, he was startled to find that her ankle was held back by a chain. His darkened eyes were filled with concentrated guilt. Charmine must have felt so helpless, being trapped in this water prison... and he? He came toote. This was his fault. He deserved to be punished! With a pained heart, he quickly went over to loosen up the chain on her ankle. However, the chain was tied into a dead knot, and there was no way to unlock it without a key. 3 Anthony looked for the source of the chain and noticed that it was pressed down by a heavy stone. He frowned and used up all his strength to push the stone away. Nheless, it was difficult to exert force underwater, yet he used up all of his strength to push it. Finally... When he was so close to passing out too, Anthony managed to push away the stone. Noticing this, Anthony reeled back the chain from under the rock and quickly swam toward the surface with Charmine. Above the pond... A crowd had gathered around the pond, and they watched as Nial pressed both hands against Chris'' chest. A long whileter, water spouted out of Chris'' mouth. Atst-the water had been expelled from him! With his eyes still closed, he sobbed, "Mommy... Mommy...!" Everyone around them sighed at the sight. Nial lifted Chris into his arms and was about to rush over to the hospital when a ssh was heard. Anthony came back out with Charmine, much to everyone''s shock. "How did Chris and Charmine both fall into the pond?" "This pond looks shallow. How could she not have made it up on her own?" The maid exined, "Perhaps Madam was trying to save the Young Master and passed out when doing so?" Everyone was astounded to have heard this. Just like the rumors had it, Charmine treated Chris as if he was her own! She would risk her life to save someone unrted to her? It came to no surprise, then, why Anthony and Chris adored her entirely. Anthony had used up all of his energy and ced Charmine on the ground. He even struggled to breathe as he tried to call for help for Charmine''s sake. However... No matter how hard they tried to resuscitate Charmine, she did not react at all. chapter 1928 chapter 1928 When Nial saw Anthony and Charmine, he quickly went over to feel for Charmine''s pulse. His expression turned grim. "Charmine''s breathing is weak, Bro. We must send her to the hospital as soon as possible!" To this, Anthony lifted Charmine and marched out quickly, followed by a rushing Nial who carried Chris in his arms. Grandma Bailey, Senior Bailey, and the rest were very concerned. The guests no longer concerned them as they all drove toward the hospital as well. Upon their arrival, Nial went into the emergency room to save Charmine. The light outside the operating room lit up, and everyone waited outside worriedly. Anthony stood before the doorwindow with tightly clenched fists, the veins on his arms protruding due to the sheer force. D*mn it! How could he be so careless? He failed to protect the two most important people in his life! Anthony red at the ring light, his eyes filled with worry and guilt. Annabel looked at the operating room, and her palm-sized face was equally filled with fear. She could never forgive herself should anything terrible happen to Charmine, i She could not even save her birth son, and Charmine had to save him, whichnded her in this current predicament. Susan, spotting just how embroiled in guilt Annabel was through her eyes, nced around and thought of something. Susan said, "Don''t worry too much, Annabel. Nobody wanted this to happen." "I wish I was the oneying inside..." muttered Annabel helplessly. "Ms. Charmine treated me like a sister, and she treat Momo like her own son. She''s too kind, and her finally being with President Bailey had been a long, arduous journey. God shouldn¡¯t have done this to her..." Annabel sounded genuine and helpless, and her watery eyes were filled with guilt. When Grandma Bailey saw Annabel¡¯s downcast expression, she sighed andforted her, saying, "Don''t be devastated; none of us saw it. It''s not your fault..." Annabel sniffed and nodded. Following that, she looked at the emergency room worriedly. Around ten minutester... The light turned off, and the door gradually opened. Out came Nial as he removed his mask. His expressions seemed solemn as he looked at Anthony worriedly. "Charmine suffered fromck of oxygen in her head for too long, and she''s now in aa. If she doesn''t wake up in five days, then she might..." "What?" asked Anthony, his expression turning dark. Grandma Bailey was worried as she pestered, "Hurry and finish your sentence." Nial took a deep breath and said, "If she doesn¡¯t wake up in five days, she might...not wake up again." 1 "What...?" Grandma Bailey''s face turned pale as she staggered backward. Annabel quickly went over to stabilize the elderly. She was so worried that her eyes were filled with tears. "How can this be?" she sobbed. "How did this happen..." Everyone gathered outside the emergency room was evidently upset. It was then that the nurses wheeled out a bed. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Charmineid on it, her breathing so weak that it was unnoticeable. In such a weak state, her originally stunning face became pale like snow. When Anthony saw this, his breathing halted and he was unable to breathe. Hisrge hand slowly reached out to hold onto her cold palm, his gaze solemn, his eyes bloodshot. "Charmine..." His throat felt like it burned. He could not believe that the powerful Charmine was rendered to such a state. Nial said, "Let''s speak when we get back to the ward." He then turned to the nurse. Prepare an ICU." "Yes, Doctor!" The nurses then pushed Charmine forward, and everyone followed suit. chapter 1929 chapter 1929 After having Charmine settle in the ward, the nurse ced an oxygen mask on her and set up the electrocardiograms, blood pressure monitors, and medical drips. Charmineid in bed, unmoving. Her breaths were shallow, and it was a painful sight to watch. Anthony sat by the bedside, and his big hands held onto her cold hands. He looked at her worriedly. Grandma Bailey gazed at Charmine, just as worried and with reddened eyes. She dabbed away the tears pooling in her eyes as she feeblymented, "It''s not easy for Charmine to finally live with us. Now that this happened, how could her life get so difficult? If she doesn''t wake up...how shall I pass this on to the Jordans?" It only agonized her the more she thought of Charmine''s fate, and her tears finally fell. "Ms. Charmine will be fine," said Annabel, standing at the side, sounding determined as she spoke. "She''ll wake up. She will!" Hearing everyone talking, Anthony frowned and looked at them. "Everyone can go home for now. I''ll stay and look after Charmine." Senior Bailey said, "We have a house full of guests back there. We should get back to let them know." Grandma Bailey was still so distraught with what had happened and did not want to leave, yet it was not ideal to stay in the ward, regardless. Without much of a choice, she relented, saying, "Let us know when she wakes up." Anthony nodded vaguely. His eyes did not leave Charmine. Annabel looked at Charmine sympathetically. She was so worried that she was unable to leave. She said weakly, "Madam, I''d like to stay here and look after Ms. Charmine. I''m a woman myself, and it''ll be more convenient to have me stay." i Annabel had always been weak, but this time, she sounded very positive of herself. She had to see Charmine wake up. Seeing how determined she was, Grandma Bailey nodded. "Okay, but do take care of yourself too." "Okay, I will," said Annabel. Susan was ready to leave with Grandma Bailey, but as she walked past Annabel, she looked at her and thought of something. "Annabel," she said,"''e out with me." Grandma Bailey frowned. "What are you going to say to her?" Annabel had been nothing but kind, but Susan always liked to worsen her rtionship with Charmine. "Nothing of importance," replied Susan elegantly, "I just want to tell her how to take good care of Charmine." Grandma Bailey was not in the mood, and she did not seem to ce much importance into Susan''s request. She quickly left with Senior Bailey. Annabel walked to the alley with Susan. Comment by Be C: alley? hallway? they are in a hospital, or have they moved outsidepletely? 1 Annabel, at that point, felt despondent and could not rid her concern toward Charmine. She did not even have the zest to speak, too. "Madam, what would you like to speak to me about?" Susan looked at her and said, "I don''t get why you¡¯re so upset. If Charmine doesn''t wake up, won¡¯t you be Mrs. Bailey?" "No, no. I won¡¯t." Annabel shook her head vigorously, head-strong." Ms.Charmine will live a long life. She''ll wake up safely." Susan was bbergasted at her response. How useless! In that case, she had to use the second way. Susan looked at her and said, "Do you really want Charmine to wake up?" "Yes!" Annabel did not hesitate to nod. Susan then said, "There¡¯s a church on the outskirts of the city. Once you make a wish there and kneel every three steps you walk, any dream in your mind wille true. If you want Charmine to wake up, go and give it a go there." 1 Annabel''s dull eyes lit up as she hopefully gasped, Madam, is it true what you said? Really?" Susan had a mocking look on her face, yet she could still answer earnestly, "Of course. I favor you a good deal, so why would I lie to you?" This way, Annabel would gain the old woman''s heart, and even Anthony would be touched by her kindness. As long as Charmine did not wake up, she would be able to take her ce!N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. chapter 1930 chapter 1930 Annabel failed to catch Susan''s intention and believed in her advice instead. "Alright then, I''ll go over there to pray for Ms. Charmine first thing in the morning tomorrow." Susan gave her an approving look. " Remember: Starting from the gate of the church, kneel every three steps that you take. Otherwise, you¡¯re not sincere enough." Annabel nodded. "As long as Ms. Charmine will wake up, I¡¯m willing to kneel from here to the outskirts of the city if I have to!" She would do more than just kneel from the gate of the church. After Susan had left, Annabel went back into Charmine''s ward, where Anthony sat by the bed to look after Charmine. His eyes never once left her. Charmine was still breathing weakly, pipes attached to her body. She showed no trace of waking up. Annabel stood by the end of the bed and watched over Charmine, feeling distressed. She could only put her hopes on the church. That afternoon, Annabel stayed in the hospital to look after Charmine and Anthony. 2 She filled up the water, called for the nurses to change the IV, tidied the room, and ced the flowers inside the room. Anthony, on the other hand, seemed as though he did not even notice her there. All he could see was Charmine, and he never once left her. His gaze was tumultuous with worry. At night, Grandma Bailey and Senior Bailey came to visit Charmine, distressed with seeing her in such a state. Grandma Bailey looked at Anthony and said, "Anthony, now that Charmine is unwell, there''s no point for you to stay here. Go home and get some rest. Come back tomorrow." Annabel said, "President Bailey, go home and get some rest. I''ll be fine staying here with Ms. Charmine." "No need." Anthony refused to budge. "I can stay here by myself. You all may go home." Charmine was hurt because of his carelessness. How could he go home to get some rest? He would not leave here until Charmine was to wake up. Grandma Bailey was helpless. She knew how stubborn his grandson was. 1 The womanying in bed was the woman that he cared the most. He must have felt worse than anyone else. Grandma Bailey did not argue on the matter. She sighed heavily and stopped talking him out. She turned to Annabel and said, "Annabel, youe home with us. You''re pregnant, so you need to rest." Annabel shook her head weakly with a look of determination. "Thank you for your concern, Grandma Bailey, but I won¡¯t being home with you. I want to stay here with Ms. Charmine." 1 It was evident how crestfallen Annabel was just by listening to her, and even her dewy eyes were filled with guilt. Grandpa Bailey wanted to say something else when Susan suddenly spoke up. "Mother, let her stay. Look at her: Even if she goes home, she won''t be able to sleep anyway. She might feel better staying here watching over Charmine." Grandma Bailey thought about it and did not insist. She looked at Annabel gently and said, "You stay, then. Do rest at night." "Okay." Annabel nodded. The Baileys then left. Following that, Annabel went to buy dinner, and once she did, she brought them to Anthony. "President Bailey, you haven''t eaten all day. Please, eat something." Anthony did not even look at her as he coldly replied, "No thanks." N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Annabel sighed helplessly. She could only ce the food on the table. She had no appetite as well, but for the sake of the baby, she had to force herself to eat. Later that night, Annabel slept on the hard sofa while Anthony slept by the bed. He kept his eyes on the monitors and did not shut his eyes. The next day, Annabel woke up at around four in the morning. Her gaze turned toward Anthony and Charmine, and the sight tugged at her heart so sharply. chapter 1931 chapter 1931 Charmine had yet to wake up, and Anthony''s eyes were still wide open. The two of them had been through so much to be together. Why was God so harsh on them? Annabel could not watch this anymore. She bit her pale lip before carefully choosing her words, saying, "President Bailey, I''m going out to get breakfast." Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Anthony did not seem to hear her. He sat by the bed and held Charmine''s hand, his bloodshot gaze never leaving Charmine. Annabel looked away and turned to leave. The sky was dark, and the streets were being cleaned. The smell of all sorts of breakfast dishes being prepared in shops wafted from afar. Annabel stopped a taxi and went straight to the church. Upon arriving, she noted that the ancient church was quiet, and the door up ahead was still shut. She looked around and let out a sigh of relief. She had feared she was not the first to arrive, that she would not be the first to offer her prayers. She went to the gate of the church and thought of what Susan said to her. She did not hesitate to kneel and knocked her head against the hard ground. Following that, she stood up and walked for three steps before going to her knees, knocking her head against the ground. She was alone as she walked on the stony pathstones, knocking her head every three steps. Through it all, she was very sincere, 1 It was a distance of a few hundred meters from the gate to the church. Annabel did not frown nor did she rest; she continued to move forward with an earnest heart. Her forehead was scratched and her knees were swollen, though she did not seem to feel the pain. She persisted through. She finally reached the doors to the church. Enduring the pain that burned at her knees, she struggled to get back up on her feet. Meanwhile, the heavy wooden door gradually opened. Annabel was the first person to get inside. She gave a sincere 90-degree bow and prayed, "I pray for Ms. Charmine to wake up soon and be with President Bailey, for their happily ever after..." It was then after she made her prayer that Annabel felt a sense of relief washing over her. When Annabel left the church, she slowly came to realize, in shock, that her knees and forehead were hurting so much. All she was concerned about was praying for Charmine to wake up that she hadpletely neglected herself. At that point, her entire body ached terribly. Annabel held onto the pain and called for a taxi to go back to the city. She managed to get to the pharmacy to buy some ointments and even got some breakfast, too. Charmine, meanwhile, had not once regained consciousness. Her face was just as pale, but her face looked delicate and stunning. Anthony''s handsome face looked more dog-tired than yesterday. His eyes had reddened, and even his stubbled emerged. Still, his new appearance did not diminish his elegance and allure. Annabel walked in with the breakfast and said, "President Bailey, have some food so that you''ll have the energy to stay with Ms. Charmine. Otherwise, you might fall ill when she wakes up." When Anthony heard this, he could not help looking over to see her swollen forehead. He frowned and asked coldly, "What happened to you?" She went out for two hours to get breakfast, yet all of a sudden, she was hurt? Annabel reached out and felt her forehead before she sheepishly replied," Nothing serious, really. It was dark when I went out, and I slipped up." Anthony nced at her and did not question further. He did not care about her. He just had to ask her because Grandma Bailey might scold him when she saw her in such a state. Annabel handed the breakfast over and said, "President Bailey, have some." "No," Anthony rejected coldly. He continued to nk her and only had his eyes on Charmine. Annabel was helpless; she could only eat by the side. Meanwhile... News of what Annabel did made it to the trending list and garnered a lot of attention. chapter 1932 chapter 1932 [Annabel] There was an article on Annabel going to pray at the church, and there was also a video about it. In that video, Annabel was shown to have arrived at the church''s gates when the sky was still dark. She knelt every three steps over the course of a few hundred meters of the pavement. She knocked her head along the way. Even though her knees and head were swollen, she did not care about herself. She remained determined and managed to be the first to get into the church. When she prayed, she prayed sincerely for Charmine. Everyone was shocked. [Annabel is so sincere and prayed for Charmine, her supposed enemy?] [She knelt for an hour! Her knees are even bleeding!] [Annabel is too kind! She seems to be weak, but at such an important moment, she could do such a thing!] [No wonder Anthony and Charmine are willing to let her in. She is so kind] [I feel that she¡¯d be a better Mrs. Bailey. She is kind and will bring luck to her husband.] 1 Susan woke up early and sat on the balcony, drinking her tea elegantly. Reading thements on the news, her lips curled. She finished the tea and went downstairs. Grandma and Senior Bailey were about to head to the hospital. Susan walked over and said, "Mother, we¡¯re so lucky to have found such a gooddy." Grandma Bailey frowned. "What do you mean?" Susan showed her the clip of Annabel. "This silly girl tried to pray for Charmine, and she rushed to the church at four in the morning. She knelt from the gate to the church, and her head even bled." Grandma Bailey and Senior Bailey were shocked at this. Together, they watched the clip of Annabel. In the dark, Annabel¡¯s small face was still visibly sincere, despite knocking her head against the ground. When they saw her head and knees bleeding, both elders were utterly bewildered. AnnabeL.would do so much for Charmine! They had mistaken her in the beginning. Now that they knew her better, they liked her more. Annabel was indeed a kind and generousdy. Grandma Bailey looked at her differently. She thought Annabel was weak, but at this point, she seemed so considerate. The Baileys then rushed to the hospital. Anthony had not shut his eyes throughout the night. He refused to eat or leave Charmine. His attractive face looked even more worn out than yesterday. His stubble grew out as if he had aged throughout the night. He sat by the bed, his entire being visibly emanating his helplessness. s, Charmine did not seem to have felt his concern. She showed no sign of waking up. Grandma Bailey walked over and looked at the pale Charmine who wasying in bed. She felt utterly dispirited. "Oh, Charmine...you have to wake up soon. Your life with Anthony only just started... "Didn''t you say you''ll bear me a great-grandson? You have to keep your word. I¡¯m waiting for you..." No matter what she said, Charmine did not once twitch or move. Grandma Bailey sighed and looked around to see that Annabel was not around. She turned to ask Anthony, "Where¡¯s Annabel?" "I don¡¯t know," muttered Anthony hoarsely. He did not seem to care about her or anything else. Grandma Bailey frowned, recalling just how wounded Annabel was. Just as she was about to phone her, however, the door opened. Annabel had returned from putting the trash out. She had not cleaned the wound on her head, and her forehead was still swollen. Her injury truly did stand out from her pale face. "Senior Bailey, Grandma Bailey, Madam..." Annabel walked over. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. When Grandma Bailey saw the wound on her head, she pitied her. She pulled her close toward and asked caringly, "Does it still hurt?" chapter 1933 chapter 1933 "It doesn¡¯t hurt," replied Annabel kindly. "This is nothing serious." Grandma Bailey felt aggrieved as she looked at Annabel. "Silly girl, you actually knelt all the way from the gate to the church... If it works, there wouldn''t be any illness in the world." Annabel had a determined look in her eyes. "As long as there''s hope even in the slightest, even if it''s one in a thousandth, I''ll try it for Ms. Charmine. This is all that I can do for her. This is nothing compared to what she had done for me..." Annabel looked troubled with guilt; it should have been herying in that bed. Anthony, on the other hand, paused upon hearing Annabel''s words. She...went to pray for Charmine? She knelt all the way from the gate to the church? Anthony thought of how she had left at four in the morning, and his bloodshot eyes mellowed at this. He nced at her, and after a moment, he continued to look at Charmine. When Grandma Bailey heard this, she was moved and touched. She looked at Annabel lovingly and said, "Do take good care of yourself, at least for the baby''s sake." Annabel reached out to caress her belly and nodded. "I will." The days had passed, and Charmine still had yet to regain consciousness. This was the fourth day that Anthony had not left Charmine¡¯s side. He had not slept and had not eaten anything as well. No matter how they all tried to talk him out, it was no use. Annabel continued to stay in the hospital. She was guarding Charmine as well and helped to do the chores. Time had passed, and it was the morning of the fifth day. The Baileys came to visit once more. 1 s, Charmine was in the same state as she was on the first day. Sheid in bed, pipes still attached to her. The data on the monitors were the same, but she... i She still had not woken up. Everyone felt terrible at this predicament. Nial stood by the bed and said in a low voice, "If she doesn''t wake up after today...she won''t wake up for the rest of her life." Anthony stood up and grabbed Nial¡¯s cor. Since he had not rested for five days, his eyes were thoroughly red and daunting. "Then cure her, for goodness'' sake! No matter what, I want her to wake up!" Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. She was fine! How could she be rendered to such a state? Nobody could ept this! Nial''s face was devoid of his usual cheery disposition and, instead, looked solemn and grim. He allowed Anthony to grab him by his cor as he feebly pleaded, "Bro, don¡¯t do this..." If there was another way, he would have done it. He would not have to wait till today. 1 Anthony tossed him away and turned on the electric presser machine by the side. He went crazy as he pressed at Charmine''s chest. The moment that the presser was lifted off Charmine, her weak body was electrocuted. However, she fell straight back onto the bed. "You''ll be alright, dearest...!" Anthony''s eyes were watery as he kept pressing at Charmine''s chest. Nial quickly went forward to stop him. "Bro, it''s no use. It''s useless." "Go away!" Anthony pushed him away and continued to press with the presser. Comment by Be C: presser? When Grandma Bailey saw this and thought of how Charmine might never wake up, she finally could not hold back her emotions anymore. Tears brimmed her weary gaze, and they eventually streamed down her face. Charmine had a tough life, and it was not easy for her life to get better. All that, and this happened to her instead. Annabel felt even guiltier as she cried silently. Her palm-sized face was wet with tears, making her a pitiable sight. She watched as Charmine was electrocuted. She felt so bad that her weak body wavered, and she almost fell backward. Grandma Bailey quickly caught onto her and said in a hoarse voice... chapter 1934 chapter 1934 "Annabel, you must take good care of your body. You have our blood in your belly, our only hope if Charmine doesn''t wake up..." Grandma Bailey wiped off the tears and fell silent for a very long while. After sobbing for a while, she said, "If this is true, only you can take care of Anthony and Momo in the future..." Annabel''s pale face was filled with tears. Her watery eyes were filled with tears, she said with determination, "No, Miss Charmine will wake up, she will... I prayed for her at the church sincerely, she is a blesseddy, God will not want her suffering. She must wake up..." Grandma Bailey saw how genuine her look was, she was very touched. Hopefully... She held on to her hand tightly, the both of them stood before the bed and looked at Charmine who had not woken up in bed... The time had passed. Up until the night time, Charmine still had not woken up. Grandma Bailey was feeling sad and unsettled. She almost fainted and the crowd had to send her home. When Doctor Weir heard about this, he rushed to the hospital. Looking at Charmine in bed, he frowned worriedly, "How can this be! Why didn''t you all let me know earlier?" 2 Nial sighed, "Charmine went without oxygen for too long. Even if we told you, there will be one more person worrying...¡± "Shut up!" Anthony cut him off and stood up to look at Doctor Weir, "Doctor Weir, you rushed her in person, there must be a way, right? No matter what, you must help Charmime!" "I can only try, if it goes as nned, I should be able to...¡± Doctor Weir spoke and sat by the bed. He took out a pile of needles and started treating Charmine. One needle after another from her head to toes, there were ny-nine hundred and eighty one needles in total. After putting them in, his forehead was filled with sweat. Luckily the needles were well put, they were working as expected! He said to Anthony seriously, "No matter what, you must watch after her diligently. Make sure none of the needles are moved before twelve in the morning. You must keep the oxygen circting here! If not, she may never wake up again!" Anthony''s dull eyes lit up, he had a glow in his eyes, "What you meant is that, Charmine will wake up by twelve?" "Charmine''s always been blessed. If nothing happens, she will wake up!¡± Doctor Weir sounded certain, he wasforting himself. The few of them guarded the ward. At night, Doctor Weir and Nial had to sort other things out, they had to leave. Only Anthony and Annabel were left inside the ward. Anthony held on the monitor with his brows furrowed. His reddened eyes never once left Charmine. He was waiting. Charmine will wake up! She will! N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. While Annabel was cleaning the ward. Looking at the worn out Anthony, her gaze then moved to Charmine. Although she had been treated, Charmine was still looking as pale as she was when she was first sent to the ICU. Her face was pale and she was in aa. She showed no sign of waking up. Annabel watched with tears blurring her vision. She reached over to wipe off the tears, she then turned to Anthony and sobbed, "President Bailey, go and get some rest. If Charmine wakes upter and sees you in this state, how sad would she be..." Anthony did not move. He did not seem to care about himself anymore. Annabel was really worried. Anthony had lost a lot of weight in the past few days, he seemed to be able to faint any time soon. She could not help saying, "President Bailey, even if you''re not concerned about yourself, you must think on behalf of Miss Charmine. Instead of sitting here, why don''t you go and punish those who deserve to be punished! So Charmine will be happy when she wakes up." chapter 1935 chapter 1935 Anthony halted. Right, he almost forgot that if it was not for Coco, that if Derek taught his daughter correctly, Charmine would not have ended up like this! Derek must have done this on purpose! He would never forgive those who hurt Charmine! His reddened eyes turned cold. He looked at a demon from hell. Annabel said, "President Bailey, go on. And wash up. I will stay here to look after Miss Charmine. When youe back, she will be awake." Anthony nced at Annabel. Thinking of how considerate she had been over the past five days, he did not suspect her and stood up to leave. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. When he went out of the ward, Anthony phoned Luke, "Within three days, get hold of all of Derek''s shares. I want him with nothing left and reputation ruined!" 1 Late at night, inside the ward. Annabel was sitting by the bed, looking at Charmine who was not waking up, her pale face was filled with guilt. She looked at the clock inside the ward, the time was getting closer to twelve. Tonight was Charmine''sst chance to wake up... Annabel pursed her lips and took a look outside. It was empty and the entire VIP floor was terrifyingly quiet, i She looked away and then... She gradually reached out to plug out Charmine''s oxygen pipe! 2 However, when she pulled it, a skinny but powerful hand caught her wrist abruptly! Annabel jumped and widened her eyes. She looked at the person who caught her wrist with disbelief. It was Charmine! Charmine, who had been in aa, finally woke up! Charmine red at her coldly! Annabel''s face turned pale! How did she wake up? Why did she wake up coincidentally... Meanwhile, the door was suddenly opened! Anthony was standing in front with the rest of the Baileys walking in. Each of them looked at Annabel with displease and anger! 1 Annabel were transfixed on the ground. She was unable to react all of a sudden. Why was the entire Bailey family here...how did this happen... Charmine gradually sat up and plugged out all the needles. She red at Annabel coldly, ''Why, you''re shocked? I knew you¡¯re acting strange some time ago! When you disappeared, there must have been someone assisting you. And Felix is a coward, how would he have the courage to harm me? I also found out that five hundred thousand bucks were wired to his ount! Furthermore, however naughty Coco may be, she would not do this to Chris if nobody told her to! She was determined to push him into the pond!¡¯¡¯ Charmine''s tone was wild, she did not sound like someone who had not woken up for five days. She red at Annabel and pronounced each word clearly and orderly. 1 "As of now, my one and only enemy is you, Annabel." She emphasized on thest word. Since she found out about this, she decided to y along with Anthony five days ago! Annabel was so shocked that she felt chillsing from within. This was unbelievable! So Charmine knew about this...and she yed along... No wonder, no wonder... If Charmine was in aa, why would Anthony leave her to an outsider at this crucial time! Though if she was exposed, it would be over for her..pletely... chapter 1936 chapter 1936 Anthony could only try her best to stay calm. She shook her pale face and said in a wronged tone, "Miss Charmine, I don''t know what you¡¯re talking about...l didn¡¯t want to hurt you, really. I saw the pipe tilted and so I wanted to help you fix it..." 1 "Ha! You''re still denying it at this moment? It seems that you won¡¯t admit it!" Charmine pped her hands. Instantly, the door was opened again and Kay came in with Felix. When Felix saw the crowd, he pointed his finger at Annabel and said, "This woman asked me to ruin the motorcycle and then act along with her. She then paid me handsomely. She is the mastermind!: Annabel red at him and growled, "No! It wasn''t me! Someone must have bribed you!" "Ha! I knew you would deny it, so I recorded you!" Felix smiled and took out his phone from the pocket. He yed out the recording of his conversation with Annabel. Instantly, everyone heard the deal between Felix and Annabel. Anyone could tell that the gentle voice belonged to Annabel! Annabel felt as if she had just taken a blow! Her face went pale as she staggered backward. Susan saw her look and felt chills in her heart. It was not easy to finally make everyone like this woman, she was about to rece Charmine. Why would she do something so stupid!? Why did she have to do this at this moment? Grandma Bailey was so disappointed at Annabel. She instantly lost all her respect for Annabel! She even thought of Annabel as kind and generous! She treated her like a family! And yet, this was all but her acts! She actually tried to kill Charmine! Grandma Bailey shut her eyes in pain and said, "Kick Annabel out of the mansion! From now on, she has nothing to do with us!" Annabel''s heart sank. Following that, she knelt on her knees in front of Grandma Bailey and begged, "Grandma, please don''t kick me out...l still have a Bailey baby in my belly, he''s your great-grandson!" Grandma Bailey frowned and after a moment, she said, "Butler, lock her into the room!" She red at Annabel and said, "Once the baby is out, you get out!" "Yes, Madam." The butler came forward to drag Annabel out, no matter how hard she pleaded. Grandma Bailey walked to the bedside and said worriedly, "Charmine, if this is your n, you could have told me earlier. You have no idea how worried I have been all these days!" Charmine said apologetically, "Apologies, I only wanted to expose Annabel''s true colors, to make the act more convincing." "Look at you! Sigh, as long as you''re fine." Grandma Bailey let out a sigh of relief. She held Charmine''s hand tightly and said, "Please don''t do this again in the future!" "Okay," Charmine nodded gently. Susan was feeling confused, she said nothing. The family helped Charmine to get discharged. On the way home, Anthony drove as he interlocked his fingers with Charmine''s. The movement was so precious, as if she almost lost her life. After getting home. He opened the car door for her and protected her from knocking her head against the top of the car. He treated her like a princess. Charmine held his hand and walked into the mansion in her heels. Anthony went upstairs to prepare a bath for her. He even took the pyjamas for her. After sorting these out, he said to her gently, "My darling, get in and take a nice bath." She must have been worn out by the act in the past five days. Charmine went inside and the bath was prepared. The bath bomb was ced inside, the towel and pyjamas were ced on the shelf. Everything was nicely prepared for her.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. chapter 1937 chapter 1937 Anthony walked in and asked her from behind, "Would you like me to help you?" Charmine was speechless. "I¡¯m not actually ill, so no?" Since he was being overly nice today, she found it hard to get used to it. Anthony looked at her and curled up his lips, "You¡¯re my wife, of course I should take good care of you!" Histone was very loving. Although it was only a show in the past five days, when he saw herying there, he felt as if he had actually lost her. It felt horrible and therefore, he treasured her even more now. 1 N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Charmine saw the look on his face and could not helpughing, "If you really want to help, go to the backyard to get me some flower petals for the bath." The flowers in the backyard were all nted by Anthony for her. He did so for her to see the flowers without having to go out. So that she could be happy. "Okay." Anthony ruffled her hair and lowered his head to kiss her forehead before turning to leave. The backyard was dark, there was only the source of lighting from a room in the corner. It was where Annabel was being kept. Anthony did not care, he turned on the lights and started to pick the flowers. Inside the small room. Annabel was standing before the window nking out. When she saw the lights in the backyard, she quickly looked over. In the dark, Anthony¡¯s tall figure came into sight. Annabel called out with delight, "President Bailey..." When Anthony heard her voice, he nced over coldly. He saw that before the small window was Annabel''s palm sized face. While her eyes were so soft as she looked at him with anticipation. Anthony had a chill in his eyes, he nked her and continued to plug the flowers. Annabel saw that he did not react, she could only say, "President Bailey, my belly is hurting. It''s your baby in me, even if you don''t care about me, you should at least care about your son." Anthony still did not bother. Annabel said in a wronged tone, "President Bailey, could you please forgive me? It''s my fault and I won''t do it again...l was messed up..." Anthony scoffed and red at her coldly, "I''m never someone who haspassion. Keeping you alive is the most generous I can get!" She wanted to kill Charmine! If Charmine did not react quick enough, Charmine would have died! And yet Annabel wanted him to forgive her? She was lucky that he did not kill her with his own hands! When Annabel heard this, she felt hurt. After being with him for so long, he still had no feelings for her. If she was kept in here, she wouldn''t stand a chance... Annabel had a pitiable look on her face, she said with her eyes reddened, President Bailey, I''m sorry. Please forgive me, I really had no choice! It was McKenzie who forced me from the beginning! She forced me to find you and instructed me to get close to you and then stay by your side. I was manipted by her all along. Right, there''s one more secret I have to tell you..." Annabel spoke with tears in her eyes, "It wasn''t me who you slept with five years ago. McKenzie arranged for me to fake it. All this while, I really didn''t want to lie to you all but she threatened me that if I exposed her, she would kill me! This is why I''ve been keeping this until now...President Bailey, now that I''ve told you the secret, please forgive me..." chapter 1938 chapter 1938 Annabel looked at him with her watery eyes, she looked so harmless and innocent. While Anthony remained cold and unmoved. He was not shocked by this so -called "secret". Annabel looked at him perplexed, "President Bailey, are you not shocked that it wasn''t me whom you slept with five years ago?" Anthony scoffed, "I feel lucky!" His tone was cold with a hint of disgust. It was as if he wanted nothing to do with this woman! Since he had figured this out some time ago. When Annabel heard this, her pale face turned even paler. She bit her pale lips and said, "Have you forgotten about when we were still students? You..." "Shut up!" Anthony red at her, "I merely pitied you, I felt nothing for you! No matter in the past or present, I will never like a fake woman like you!" He said coldly and turned to leave. "Anthony Bailey!" Annabel growled at him. Anthony did not stop and continued to walk forward. Annabel panicked, she said, "You slept with Charmine five years ago! What do you think she would feel when she finds out that you have ruined her life?" Anthony halted abruptly! Annabel saw this and she curled up a satisfied smile. She knew that he cared about this! Anthony turned over gradually and his face was very dark. He red at her. So, Annabel knew that it was Charmine... Perhaps even McKenzie knew it... Annabel did not notice his darkened eyes, she thought she had things to threaten Anthony. She had a victory look as she said, "If you forgive me and be with me, I won¡¯t tell this to Charmine. I will keep this to myself. If not ...I will tell her that it was you who ruined her life! Do you want to live the rest of your life in this misery? Or would you rather have me in your marriage?" Anthony''s face was chilly. He red at her with chills. Annabel saw that he was thinking, she was confident. As long as he forgave her, he could still be with Charmine. However, if she told this to Charmine, Charmine would leave him and hate him for the rest of her life! While he would live in misery for the rest of his life! A momentter... Anthony merely said, "I would rather Charmine find out than to be with a woman like you!" With that said, he left coldly. Annabel was still waiting with anticipation. When she heard what he said, her face turned pale and watched him leave with disbelief. He would rather live in misery than to be with her? Annabel clenched her fists and her gentle eyes were filled with chills. When Anthony went back to the room, he was about to tell this to Charmine but she had fallen asleep. He walked in silently and stood by the bed. He had a guilty look in his eyes. He had to tell this to her eventually. However, it had to be him who said it to her, and not someone else! Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Anthony gently covered her in the nket. He ced the flowers in the vase. The next day. When Charmine woke up, Anthony was no longer in the room. She frowned and thought that he had gone off to work. When she got out of bed, she saw the beautifully arranged flowers in the vase. She could not help feeling better and then went to wash up in the bathroom. chapter 1939 chapter 1939 When she got dressed, the door was opened... Charmine was sitting before the mirror. She saw it was Anthony walking toward her! Charmine asked, "You didn''t go off to work?" "It''s still early." Anthony walked over to her and looked at her stunning face through the mirror. He had aplex look in his eyes. He was worried and felt unsettled. He did not know how Charmine would react after she learned the truth. Thinking of how she might leave him and that she might disappear in his life, his heart clenched and his breathing halted. Charmine saw his darkened face and frowned, "Something''s on your mind?" "Nothing.¡± Anthony said, "I made porridge and your favourite dishes. Come down to have a try." "Okay." Charmine stood up and Anthony held her hand in his palm. After having breakfast, Anthony thought about it and felt that he should say it to her at a special asion. Anthony sat before Charmine and said, "My darling, are you free at night?" "Why?¡± Anthony looked up at him. "I want to bring you to a romantic dinner to celebrate and..." Anthony looked at her gently, "And I''ve something important to tell you." 1 Charmine was suspicious, what was so important that he had to tell it to her in a restaurant? She agreed anyway, "Okay." Throughout the day, Anthony was absent minded, he was feeling nervous. Time passed by and it was night time. He took a deep breath and finally left hispany. He went to the restaurant that he had reserved and sent the address to Charmine. After sending out the address, he leaned on the chair and felt as if he was sitting on needles. He felt so unusually nervous. He started smoking and waiting anxiously... Charmine hated the man from five years ago so much, would she hate him ... 1 At the Bailey mansion. After she had received the text from Anthony, thinking of the romantic dinner, Charmine dressed up. She put on a red and stunning gown, her hair was curled up and she looked sexy. Her already stunning face became even more stunning after she put on some makeup. She looked unique and perfect. Finally, she picked up her burgundy lipstick and this made her so wild and beautiful like a queen. After finishing her makeup, she picked up a bag. She was looking forward to the dinner and the important thing that Anthony wanted to tell her. And yet... When she walked out of the front yard, a weak female voice was hearding from the side, "Charmine!" N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Charmine frowned and turned over. Annabel? How did she run out? Annabel ran before her, "I need to tell you something.¡± Charmine red at her coldly, she was not interested in what she had to say. Charmine said coldly, "I don''t think there''s anything else left for us to say." She walked past her coldly and turned to leave. However... An urgent voice was heard from behind her, "It wasn''t Alexander who slept with you five years ago. It was Anthony!" Charmine halted abruptly. She turned over and red at her with disbelief, "What are you saying?" Annabel said, "It was Annabel who impregnated you, made you give a still birth and ruined your life! Have you not suspected how Anthony slept with me while you got raped five years ago? Both of you had the same incident five years ago, what are the chances?" 2 Charmine jolted and her pupils dted. chapter 1940 chapter 1940 It was not that she never suspected. She even tried to find out but every time this matter got neglected halfway. Since her blood type waspletely different from Chris¡¯, she grew less suspicious... Annabel continued, "Five years ago, you were framed by Tiffany. However, the man who was supposed to rape you werete. While Anthony saw you and slept with you. If you don''t believe me, you may go and ask Anthony yourself!" Charmine was shocked and perplexed! Though Annabel spoke with such certainty, this was not fake... Thinking how Anthony had been acting weirdtely, so he... The man who ruined her life five years ago, the one who made her a victim, and caused her to be sent away was Anthony!? It was Anthony!? Annabel saw the look on her face, Annabel looked satisfied, "Furthermore, he knew this all long! But he didn''t tell you! He wants to keep this from you and lie to you!" Charmine clenched her fists and exuded chills all over. Suddenly, she walked over and her heels knocked against the ground so loudly as if she was exuding a lot of anger. She took a car to the restaurant. Instead of meeting Anthony at the dining room, she took the lift to go straight to the balcony. She looked at the spacious skies and she walked to the side one step after another. The wind blew at her and her hair swayed in the air. She was looking stunning and lonely. Her clear eyes stared ahead, they were filled with mixed feelings. It was Anthony who raped her five years ago... It was Anthony who ruined her life? She clenched her fists and went closer to the edge of the balcony. While Annabel followed behind Charmine when she left. She wanted to see how Anthony would end up, choosing to let Charmine learn the truth instead of epting herself! Charmine would hate him! They would surely fight! As expected... When Annabel saw that Charmine had gone up to the balcony, she used the phone from the front desk to call Anthony, "President Bailey, Charmine already learnt the truth from five years ago. She can''t ept that it was you, so she''s about to jump off the building!" Anthony''s eyes widened. Charmine found out?Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. She would kill herself? His heart sank and he rushed up to the balcony. D*mn it! He was so close to telling her himself! Why did she have to find out without him being by her side! While this incident had always been the thorn in her heart! Now that she found out that it was her beloved husband who raped her, how could she ept this! Anthony felt so bad. He rushed to the lift and saw that the lift was still downstairs. He could not wait any longer. He ran to the staircase and took three steps at a time to the balcony.... Annabel saw him running upstairs, she curled up a smile and followed him upto the balcony. Charmine was about to leave Anthony. How could Annabel miss out on such an exciting scene!? She was looking forward to Charmine jumping off the balcony! To Anthony turning insane! Since she could not get him, they must never be happy! Anthony rushed up and his speed was so fast! When he arrived at the balcony, he opened the door to see... Charmine standing by the edge. In the dark, her long hair swayed in the air. She was in her red gown, looking so lonely. Her stunning face was in despair. The night was as dark as ink. While her red dress was sharp like blood. She sat by the edge, as if she would fall at any moment. "Charmine..." Anthony''s heart was up his throat. He ran over and exined, "Please, don¡¯t do anything silly. Listen to my exnation!" When Charmine heard his voice, she looked at him coldly and her eyes were so calm. She was left with despair. She did not speak, she was merely looking at Anthony. chapter 1941 chapter 1941 Anthony felt bad with her looking at him. He gulped, "Five years ago, I hurt you. I know there''s no use for me to say anything to you. You may hit me, scold me or put me to jail. Please, don¡¯t do anything silly?" His voice was anxious and urgent, though his tone was gentle. Charmine looked at him coldly, "You knew this all long, why did you lie to me?" Anthony met her disappointed eyes and he could not breathe. He took a few steps forward, "I didn''t do it on purpose but..." He was afraid that once she learned about the truth, she might be in pain as of now. He was also afraid that she might do anything silly. Afraid that their difficult marriage would be over... He had always wanted toe clean to her but hecked the courage to... Anthony''s eyes darkened with guilt, he said with a serious voice, "It¡¯s all myself but do remember, you¡¯re Charmine Jordan. You should punish me and not yourself. Listen to me,e down, alright?¡± As he spoke, he reached his hand out at her. Charmine looked at him and her red lips curled into a smile. Suddenly... Her stunning figure stood up at the edge. She faced Anthony as she stood by the edge. Behind her was an abyss of over a hundred meters... The wind blew by and her red gown was flying in the air. Her thin figure looked as if she would fall off at any given moment. Anthony was so worried that his eyes reddened. His heart was up his throat. "Charmine!" He was about to jump over. If she was to do anything silly, even if she was to die, he had to protect her and be with her! And yet... As he was on the verge of breaking, he saw... That Charmine did not jump. In fact, she reached out her hand to make a sign. A momentter... The building opposite to them suddenly had cracking sounds. Following that, shots of fireworks were sent up the skies. The darkened skies were filled with big and blooming fireworks. The colorful fireworks filled the skies. It looked so beautiful and romantic. Charmine faced away from the fireworks. Her red gown flew in the air, she was looking so stunning. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. While she stood below the fireworks as she gazed at Anthony, her eyes were filled with softness. Anthony frowned as he stood transfixed on the spot. He looked at Charmine and said in shock, "Charmine, you..." What was she doing? Charmine curled up her lips, "Surprise?" Anthony was speechless. Surprise? Was she not jumping off the building? What surprise was she on about? Charmine looked at him and her red lips parted, "Actually, I''m d that it was you." Anthony frowned. He ruined her and yet she said that she was d? Did he hear her correctly? Charmine said clearly, "I know you were drugged. You were a victim yourself. Even if it wasn''t you, it would have been another man. I''m d that it was you, so that I haven''t been with another man." Her voice sounded d, she was genuinely d. She thought she was ruined by Rex Walker and then Alexander. No matter who it was, she did not love them... However, she was shocked to find out that it was Anthony! How lucky was she to have met Anthony at that time? 1 This was the first time that Charmine felt so genuinely grateful, she looked at Anthony and asked, "Don¡¯t you feel that we''re destined to be together?" They had been with one another since five years ago. And they met again five yearster, they even fell in love... chapter 1942 chapter 1942 Anthony looked at her darkly, he found it hard to believe. Charmine did not hate him and she genuinely thought so? How lucky was he to have married such a nice woman? Charmine smiled at him and reached out her arm. Under the fireworks, her smile was wide and gentle. Anthony walked toward her and hugged her tightly. He lifted her off the edge. He felt her body in his arms. His tightened chest finally loosened up. He looked at her and said with a serious tone, "Charmine, thank you for looking at it this way. Please, can you not make such a joke in the future!?" God knows how worried he was. And this ce was so dangerous, if anything happened... Charmine saw how worried he was, she hooked her arms around his neck. "It won''t happen again. We will be so loving in the future..." With that said, she leaned in to kiss his lips. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Anthony hugged her waist and deepened the kiss. The both of them stood on the balcony, making out passionately. The fireworks bloomed above their heads. Their shadows were stretched out behind them... The sight was so romantic! Annabel stood before the balcony. When she saw them kissing, she found it unbelievable. How could this be? Charmine did not hate him and yet she found herself to be lucky? What Annabel anticipated did not happen! Not only that, the two of them were so passionately in love, they even ignited the air around them! Annabel looked at the two of them, her small figure could not help from trembling. This was herst chance, the only thing she had to break them up and it was now over... Her, Annabel, was over... Charmine and Anthony went back to the hotel. They went into a room. When the door was shut, Charmine pressed him against the door and kissed him hard. As she leaned in on him, her eyes sparkled, "So this is why you''ve been stopping midway all the time?" Anthony''s eyes darkened and he nodded. Before he could speak, Charmine tilted her head and kissed his lips hard. Anthony halted and then took back the charge. He tightened his hands around Charmine and deepened the kiss. When the time was right, the both of them went into the bedroom from the living room. Anthony gently ced her on the bed, his big figure leaned against her. He looked at her darkly and said with his hoarse voice, "My darling, may I?¡± His voice was filled with the long-repressed desire, his tone was low and hoarse. Charmine looked into his eyes and her fair face blushed. She nodded. Anthony saw that she had nodded, he felt his blood rushing to the same direction. He lowered his head to kiss her lips again... This time, there was nothing else stopping him... 5 Afterwards. Charmine felt as if she was run over by a car, her body was so sore as she leaned in his arms. Her fair face blushed red, she threw a flirtatious look at Anthony. She should not have doubted his capability! And yet, she thought a powerful man like him had malfunctioned. Anthony caught her alluring look and said in his hoarse voice, "Why look at me this way? You want more?" 2 Charmine was speechless. She looked away and cuddled in his arms listlessly. After holding him for a very long while, she suddenly thought of something. She asked, "If it was you five years ago, Momo should be my son but his blood type ispletely different from mine. How could that be..." chapter 1943 chapter 1943 Anthony looked at her gently and exined, ''Your blood type was mutatedter on. I have done the DNA test, Momo is indeed our son." With that said, he pulled out the drawer and handed her a stack of papers. Charmine received them and read on. The papers showed that Chris'' DNA did match up to hers! So, Chris was indeed her actual son! Charmine¡¯s eyes were filled with shock and disbelief. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Among the shock, she could not cover up her happiness. It was Anthony whom she slept with five years ago! And the baby that she had lost was still alive! i Charmine was so touched. At this moment, she felt that her life wasplete! Suddenly, she thought of something and asked, "How could this be? I had a stillbirth. They told me that the baby was thrown away, how did you end up picking him up?" Everyone was too much of a coincidence... Anthony said, "I still haven''t figured it out.¡± Charmine''s eyes darkened, she felt unsettled, "We will find out slowly, there will surely be clues." ''Yeah," Anthony hugged her andforted her, "No matter what, this is the best oue of all." Charmine smiled, "Indeed." She was with the man that she loved and cared for the most. Nothing could get better than this. She hugged him tightly, "My darling, you did give me a big surprise..." In the past, she thought she was very unlucky. Now that she realized how the unlucky incidents were destined for her to have met Anthony! Anthony hugged her and his eyes were soft, "Then prove it to me." Charmine was speechless. She tilted her head and left a soft peck on his cheek. Anthony held her chin and deepened the kiss. After the kiss, she cuddled in his arms with her cheeks red. She was panting for air. Anthony looked at her and said, "You need more practice." "What for?" "Kissing.¡± Charmine was speechless. Anthony saw how shy Charmine was, his eyes were filled with affection. How lucky was he to have met her. It was as if she was his missing body part all along. She fitted in his life so perfectly. Charmine fell silent for a moment. She was thinking of how happy Chris would be when he found out. She looked at Anthony and said, "Let¡¯s go home and tell this to Momo." Anthony narrowed his eyes on her. They rented a hotel room for this asion and left right after it seemed rather... However, since Charmine was pleased, he would say yes to anything she requested. Charmine went out of the nket when a powerful hand held her back from behind. "Anthony?¡± Charmine was shocked. He wanted it again?! Anthony carried her up arrogantly and said, "Let''s shower together." Charmine put her skinny arms around his neck and she blushed. She nodded in his chest, "Hurry." "Yes, my love." Anthony walked to the bathroom quickly. Though, it was expected of them. A normal functioning man like Anthony who had been restraining himself for so many years, it was hard for him to hold back any longer. Inside the bathtub, Charmine had to go through it all once again. Charmine was speechless. Men were all liars! An hourter, the two of them finally left the hotel. When they went inside the hotel, Anthony looked at the butler and instructed, "Send Annabel to the hospital to have an abortion! From now on, she has nothing to do with the Baileys!" chapter 1944 chapter 1944 The butler was confused. Seeing the chills in Anthony¡¯s eyes, the butler dared not to question further. She went to the backyard to get Anabel. Annabel was caught back long ago. She was forcefully pinned away when she struggled to get out, "Let go of me! What do you all want to do to me...l have a Bailey baby in me, you all can¡¯t do this to me.Jf anything happens to me, you all will be held against this!" The butler did not care, the maids pinned her away quietly! Annabel thought of the matter between Charmine and Anthony, her heart sank. Following that, she cried her lungs out, "Help! Murder... someone is trying to kill me and my baby! Someone, help..." Finally... With her crying, the people in the living room heard her and walked over. Grandma Bailey saw her being taken away, she frowned, "Gina, what are you doing?" She did not care about Annabel but she did have a Bailey baby in her belly. She must be kept safe! The butler said weakly, "Master instructed me to do so, he wanted Miss Annabel to have an abortion." "What!?" Grandma Bailey turned to look at Anthony in shock, "Anthony, what are you doing? She has your child in her belly!¡± Anthony said coldly, "The baby in her belly is not mind. Including Momo, he''s not her child as well!" 3 Grandma Bailey was confused, she was unable to react. What did that mean? What did he mean by the baby in Annabel not belonging to the Bailey? That Chris was not her child? Then who was Chris'' mother? As Grandma Bailey was feeling confused, Charmine handed a stack of papers to her and said, "The truth is, I was the one that gave birth to Momo, not Annabel.Therefore, Momo is my actual son, Annabel is not his mother!" "What?" Granda Bailey was shocked and surprised. Chris was actually her great-grandson? That Annabel was not his mother? How could that be? 1 She quickly took over the papers and read them carefully. Following that, her hands holding on the papers trembled with excitement. She looked at Charmine and Anthony with excitement, "Is this true? Momo is really my great- grandson? He¡¯s a Bailey?" 1 "Yes," Charmine said. "How wonderful, how wonderful..." She did not expect to have a great-grandson so soon! Grandma Bailey was so touched that she was tearing up. She held Charmine''s hand tightly and she was so emotional and guilty. She never liked Chris and treated him badly. 1 Thinking back now, she was being silly! If Chris was angry at her, she might as well... Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. She sighed and then looked at the butler, "Listen to Anthony. Bring this woman to have an abortion! From now on, she has nothing to do with Bailey!" When Annabel heard this, her face turned pale like snow. Even Grandma Bailey was no longer on her side.Jt was over for her... Her tiny body kept on struggling, she begged Grandma Bailey weakly," Please, don''t...Grandma, even though Chris is not my son, the baby in my belly is President Bailey''s. The baby is a Bailey! It was a test tube baby! Please, do not kill him!" Charmine scoffed "McKenzie has already told me. The baby in you is not Anthony''s!¡± 1 Annabel was shocked, she red at Charmine, "What nonsense are you talking about?" It was her baby with Anthony, how could it not be his!? Charmine said coldly, "Back then, McKenzie switched the test tube!¡± 2 This was the one thing that McKenzie had done correctly! "What are you talking about..." Annabel''s palm sized face was very pale. Her eyes were filled with disbelief. chapter 1945 chapter 1945 "How could this be...how..." The baby in her was not Anthony''s... McKenzie framed her!? No! No way! How would it be!? She thought she had Anthony¡¯s baby all along... Grandma Bailey no longer wanted to hear from her, she scoffed, "Bring her to the hospital, now!¡± "Yes!¡± The butler dragged the soul-sucked Annabel out. Annabel was being dragged listlessly. Her eyes were dull, she looked at the luxurious mansion before her with so much pain in her eyes. She had been plotting this for so long, she thought she could use McKenzie to get closer to Anthony, to marry rich! She was so close to sess! She was about to be a Mrs. Bailey and now she ended up like this! She was unwilling to give up...she was furious... However, she was forced into the car roughly, she had no way to resist. The car sped away toward the hospital... After Annabel had left, Anthony saw that the time was still early, he held on Charmine''s hand and said to Grandma Bailey, "Grandma, Charmine and I will goto find Momo." Grandma Bailey knew why they had to find Chris, after a moment, she said, "I want toe as well. I want to meet my great-grandson!" This implied that she had already treated Chris as her great-grandson! i Charmine curled up her lips and smiled, "Okay.¡± The three of them left together to find Chris. Susan stood by the door, she crossed her arms coldly. She watched them leave with a hint of disgust in her eyes. Sigh, so what if Charmine was Chris'' mother? She still hated Charmine! Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. Ever since this woman moved in, the mansion had always been chaotic! Charmine was the source of all troubles, affecting everyone! Wait for it! Although Annabel was no longer useful to her, she would eventually find a suitable pawn to kick Charmine away! Susan remained cold and she walked over in her heels. On the other side. 1 Chris was hosting his solo robots exhibition! The robots hadbat and protection abilities! A human sized robot was ced in the middle of the exhibition hall. It was for everyone to look at. The robot seemed as if it was ready to fight. When someone got closer to it, it would throw out a punch. After thebating mode was turned off, it could be switched to a conversational robot. The robot couldmunicate like a human. It did not speak like a robot. This high-tech design attracted a loud round of apuse. The countless attendees were impressed by this young inventor. "This invention is too clever! He is so young and he''s invented this high- tech robot! He''s a genius!" "This robot can protect a child while alsomunicating with the child. I want to buy one for my child!" "I also want to buy one for my girlfriend, so that she won''t get bullied!" Countless reporters focused their cameras and microphones at Chris: "What inspired your invention?" "What''s the aim of your design?" "Why are you so clever? Would you like to work in aboratory?" Chris was dressed in his tiny suit, his tiny face was looking cool and adorable He had no idea that his parents were about to give him a surprise... chapter 1946 chapter 1946 Chris looked at the countless cameras and he was not frightened at all. He answered calmly, "I designed this because I saw my Mommy getting bullied when she was alone, that she was lonely. I hope that this robot can protect my Mommy. To chat with her when she''s feeling lonely..." Everyone was so impressed. This kid designed this so that his Mommy would not get bullied and feel lonely... Chris was not only a genius, he was also a kind-hearted son. Everyone could not help wondering how Anthony managed to teach such a clever and polite son who showed so much respect toward his parents. As they were all talking, Charmine and Anthony showed up. "Mommy When Chris saw Charmine and Anthony, his eyes lit up. When the reporters heard this, they looked over, following his eyes. They saw Anthony in his fitting suit, his big figure was exuding elegance all over. While Charmine stood beside him in her long dress. Her hair was tight up, she was looking stunning and wild. The man was handsome and the woman was beautiful, they were a perfect couple. The reporters took photos of them. The event was so sessful, with Anthony and Charmine''s appearance, this would go viral! Chris got off the stage and ran toward Charmine. He hugged her and looked up at her, "Mommy, Daddy, why did you twoe?" Charmine looked at him and for the first time, the word "Mommy" made her feel so emotional. Although she had always treated him like her actual son, now that she knew that he was actually her actual son, she was very touched. This felt so different from before. She ruffled her hair and said, "We¡¯re here to celebrate your sess and to bring you good news.¡± "Eh?" Chris widened his eyes, "What news?" Anthony looked at the two of them before him, he handed the papers over. Chris took it over and looked at Charmine in shock, "Mommy, does that mean you''re my actual mother? That we''re actually rted?" Charmine looked at him and nodded, "Yes!" "How wonderful! How wonderful!" Chris jumped up and down with excitement. He jumped into her arms and hugged her tightly. He kissed her on her cheek. 1 He had always loved her, and now that she turned out to be his actual mother! How wonderful! Charmine looked at him lovingly. This was such positive news. She had never once thought of the baby she gave birth to surviving up till this day. And now that he was right in front of her! Chris was happy. He then thought of something and asked Charmine, "But why didn''t we find out earlier..." Charmine hugged him and exined, "I also suspected that you¡¯re my son but our blood types are different. Since the difference is huge, I didn''t continue the investigation. However, your Daddy just told me that my blood had a mutation and this was the reason why." Chris instantly understood and hugged Charmine again. He was very happy Countless reporters were taking photos of them both. When they heard their conversation, they were very surprised and curious. What did that mean? It seemed that Chris was an actual child of Charmine''s? Was he not a son of Annabel''s? Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. As the reporters were about to ask, Anthony walked up the stage in his long legs. He picked up a microphone and said to the audience, "Today, I have an announcement! Regarding the incident from five years ago, on her giving birth before her marriage! The truth is that I was drugged and slept with her! The stillbirth that she gave birth to is Chris Bailey. Someone framed us and caused this! In other words, Charmine had never slept with another man. It was just me alone, Anthony Bailey." His bossy voice resonated all over. After a while of silence, a loud apuse was heard. chapter 1947 chapter 1947 "God! How dramatic! Who''d have thought!1 "After all, they ended up together!" "This is just like a movie!" Grandma Bailey stood by the side, she looked at the family of three and she had a friendly smile on her face. So, she had always had a great-grandson. It was just that she did not realize. Her great-grandson was so clever, he was the pride of the Bailey! Chris was hugging Charmine, he felt that his great-grandmother was staring at him. He met her eyes and said politely, "Great-grandmother..." Although she was mean to him and never liked him, and she used to scold him a lot, Charmine taught him to be polite to her. "Hey..." Grandma Bailey looked at him with affection, she could not help reaching out to caress his adorable cheeks. Thinking of what she had done to him, she said apologetically, "My dear, I didn''t like you and scolded you in many instances. However, since a long while ago, even before I found out that you''re my great- grandson, I grew fond of you. Now that I found out you''re my great-grandson, I feel so guilty. Please, could you give me a chance to treat you the way you deserve to be treated?" Chris looked at her wide eyed. Instantly, his cool face broke into an adorable smile, "Great- grandmother, I was never angry at you..." Hearing this, Grandma Bailey became even guiltier. From now on, she had to treat this adorable and clever guy better! Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. After the exhibition had ended, the four of them went home together. Meanwhile, the reporters also posted the articles online. Instantly, #Charmine-Anthony went up the heat list No.1! Under the topic, there were clips of Anthony speaking up for Charmine. When everyone heard what he said, everyone was shocked. Their marriage caused a scene due to the incident from five years ago. Everyone said that a woman like Charmine was not good enough for Anthony, that she was messed up! However, the truth turned out to be that Charmine made herself powerful enough to appear equally as powerful standing beside Anthony! Not only that, the man who slept with her turned out to be Anthony! That Anthony was drugged! Therefore, Charmine had only slept with Anthony! Gosh! Everyonemented" [This is so dramatic!] [This made me believe in destiny! How I wish that the President slept with me instead!] [Charmine had been with another man in the past five years. Anthony also had not been with another woman! This is such a powerful love, how admirable!" [I''m imagining a romantic novel!" At the Bailey mansion. After everyone learned about the truth, they treated Charmine differently. While Chris had be the official Young Master of the Bailey family! At night, the group of them sat along the long table, and they had dinner together. This was considered as the official reunion dinner. Grandma Bailey was in a good mood, she kept on getting food for Charmine and Chris, Senior Bailey and Darryl also treated Charmine as a part of them. The usually serious-looking men were very friendly toward Charmine. "Charmine, please eat more." Senior Bailey said. "Yeah, you''re so skinny, you should eat more." Darryl also took some food for Charmine. Charmine nodded, ''Thanks." Instantly, her bowl was filled with a pile of food. When Chris saw this, he was very happy, he grinned. His Mommy was no longer being mistreated... They could live on happily ever after! i However... chapter 1948 chapter 1948 Among the peaceful atmosphere, an unfriendly voice was heard. "Charmine should be the one getting food for us! Where''s her table manners? How dare she eat when her mother inw hasn''t eaten!" When Anthony heard this, he frowned right away. He red at her, "What are you trying to say? If you want Charmine to respect you, why don''t you try showing her some?" Grandma Bailey also did not seem pleased, "Stop looking for trouble!" Darryl saw how mean his wife was, he looked at her coldly, ''Today is a good day, why¡¯re you making a scene again?" Susan scoffed and looked at Grandma Bailey coldly, "Am I wrong? When I first came to the Bailey mansion, I dared not to even sit before you picked up the fork. I would bring you tea every morning and even make breakfast when I''m not working. And Charmine? She''s moved in for so long, but has she ever woken up early? Has she ever cooked me a meal or even brought me tea?! We both married a Bailey and why was she being treated differently!?" Grandma Bailey frowned and she had aplex look. Susan did more than Charmine, including herself. She did more than Susan! And now... Grandma Bailey looked at Susan and said, "Now the time is different. Is this why you''re trying to give Charmine a hard time?" Susan scoffed, "At least it has to be fair!" Grandma Bailey felt tired, "When I first moved in, I did more than you. I had to make three meals after working everyday. I even had to wash the clothes! However, when you moved in, all you had to do was to make breakfasts. I never asked you to do more than that, did I try to give you a hard time? Times are different now. Women are bing more independent, we''re no longer just the stay-at-home wives. The maids can clean the mansion. Why even I understand these and you have such a rigid thinking?" This made Susan embarrassed. Everyone looked at her speechlessly and almost disgustingly. This was a nice meal, why did she have to make a scene!? Bam! Susan threw the fork away and stood up, "Since you¡¯re all boycotting me, you all remain as a family and eat your meal!" Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. With that said, she walked out angrily in her heels. The loving atmosphere instantly turned stiff and awkward. Senior Bailey reassured Charmine, "Charmine, don''t mind her." Darryl also said, ''Yeah, don''t mind her, we eat our dinner. She is just looking fortrouble." Charmine smiled and said, "Don''t worry, I don''t mind." Grandma Bailey''s face only then eased up. She looked at Charmine and said, "Charmine, sorry to have wronged you. Don''t mind her, she can say what she wants to." Charmine looked at Grandma Bailey and said, "Yeah, I know." Grandma Bailey took more food for her, "Eat more..." The family resumed the dinner as if nothing had happened. Though the atmosphere was slightly different due to Susan... The next day. As everyone was having breakfast. A maid saw the news and quickly came over to tell them, "Madam...I saw the news from the "Wealthy Wives" and they had a discussion about Mrs. Bailey." With that said, she carefully looked at Charmine. Grandma Bailey frowned, "What do they say about Charmine?" The maid said weakly, "They said that Mrs. Bailey has been rude at home, that she bullied and boycotted her mother inw." ''These people are too bored!" Grandma Bailey said angrily, "Who wrongly used Charmine? How they turned the truth around! I will speak up for Charmine, this is not true at all!" Charmine already knew who started this discussion. chapter 1949 chapter 1949 Charmine continued to finish her breakfast nonchntly, "Grandma, don¡¯t worry. You don''t have to speak up for me, I can sort it out myself." Grandma Bailey stopped short and nodded, "Okay, I trust your capability. I''m not worried if you think you can sort it out." Charmine nodded. After breakfast, she went to the study room and logged into the Wealthy Wives. This was the tform for all wealthy wives and heiresses to gossip. There were hundreds of posts insulting Charmine. [Charmine is always looking so cold. It''s not hard to tell that she''s not easy to get along with!] [Yeah, and there''s rumors about her and her mother inw. What a woman! It hasn''t been long since she moved into the Bailey mansion. I wonder how she¡¯s keeping up after these rumors!] [She looks so arrogant as if the world owes her money! I wonder how the Baileys let her move in!] [If I had an inw like her, my days would be so tough!] Charmine sat before theputer and read the posts against her. Her delicate face was looking calm. She then typed on the keyboard quickly: [Don''t worry, I wouldn''t want to be your inw and you''re not good enough anyway. Instead of worrying about me, why don''t you care about the wrinkles growing on your face!] Her tone was wild and rude! After scolding them, Charmine was not bothered to reply further. She turned off herputer and put her arm around Anthony, "My darling, why don¡¯t we go to Poulenc?" "Okay." Anthony tucked her hair behind her ear gently, he said softly, "Don¡¯t mind these people." Charmine never minded thesements, and they were even harsher to her in the past! Why did she bother to reply to them? Charmine said arrogantly, "They talked about me, and you won''t even let me scold them?" The truth was... She did not even care about these. She cared about the Bailey and Anthony. Those people were saying that Anthony must have been blinded to marry a woman like her. Nobody should criticize her husband other than herself!" Anthony said lovingly, "Of course you may. You may scold them however you like, as long as you''re happy.¡± Charmine curled up her lips and interlocked her fingers with Anthony. They went out together. When they just got out, they bumped into Susan who just came home. Anthony nked herpletely, so did Charmine. The both of them treated her as transparent as they walked past her. Susan was furious. She turned at Charmine and said with an unfriendly tone, "How rude! You¡¯re married now and yet you dressed so suggestively. You don¡¯t even greet your mother inw!" Anthony stood in front of Charmine protectively, his tall figure exuded arrogance in front of Susan as he scoffed, "I will say this again. If you want our respect, you should learn to show some first. If you keep behaving like this, I won''t treat you as my mother!" With that said, he left with Charmine. Susan stood on the same spot, she was trembling with anger. 1 D*mn this woman! Charmine boycotted herst night and now she even made Anthony speak to her in this tone! Did she drug the entire Bailey family!? She made them hate her! 3 N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. When Charmine and Anthony arrived by the gate, a maid ran over with a big pile of things, "Madam, Sir, someone sent a lot of parcels for you both." Charmine looked at the pile of parcels and frowned. Who sent them so many parcels? chapter 1950 chapter 1950 Anthony frowned and simply picked one up. She saw that these parcels were all sent by someone named "Charmine¡¯s biggest crush". He looked at Charmine and curled up his lips, "The fans are so imaginative. They romanticized us and even sent us gifts." Charmine raised an eyebrow and unwrapped one of them. There were some gifts, essories and handwritten words... Looking at the beautiful gifts, she had aplex feeling. From the beginning, their rtionship was controversial. Everyone who saw the news would say the same thing: She''s not good enough for him! All these years, she worked hard to improve herself. The incident from five years ago had now been resolved... Finally, their love was now official and blessed. Charmine''s red lips curled up as she continued to unwrap the parcels. Anthony sat by the side and saw her expressions. He knew what she was thinking. He looked at her emotionally. It was his fault that this day did note sooner. He simply picked up a parcel to unwrap with her. However... When he pulled it open, he smelt a strong scent of blood. He looked down and saw that the box was filled with blood. There was a sharp knife inside! Anthony frowned and tossed the box away. The bloody knife fell on the white carpet. The sharp red contrasted the white... Susan who was sitting on the sofa heard the sound. When she saw the blood on the floor, she jumped up and cried out, "What happened? Why''s there blood?" Charmine already saw it. She frowned. As she was about to find out who sent it, the door was opened and the butler walked in unsettled. She said, "Sir, it''s bad. Your car is sshed in blood!" "What are you saying!?" Susan''s face changed. The butler repeated, "The car is sshed with blood. The ck car is now red, it¡¯s a shocking sight!" Susan''s reaction was the biggest, she frowned, "Seriously? How did these happen one after another!?" Anthony and Charmine exchanged a look. Charmine said, "Perhaps some haters sent them.¡± Susan heard and scoffed, "And here I wonder what''s happening. So it¡¯s the" gifts" from your haters!" Her tone was very unfriendly, "It must have been you offending people with that arrogant look of yours. You''re such an unlucky person! Since you''re here, we''re never at peace!" Everyone thought Anthony had married a mogul. The truth was that she was nothing but trouble! "Shut up!¡± Anthony¡¯s face darkened as he red at Susan, "Nobody will think you¡¯re dumb if you don''t speak." Grandma Bailey was at the stairs, she also heard what Susan said. She said, "Susan, do you think we don''t have enough trouble? Can you speak less?" She scoffed at Susan, she did not seem pleased, i She did not understand why Susan hated Charmine so much! Even Senior Bailey frowned and said, "Stop adding troubles at this time!" Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. Susan¡¯s face turned pale, she red at them and curled up a cold smile. It seemed that everyone was fooled by this evil woman! Ha! Susan said mockingly, ''You''re all a family, I''m an outcast. It doesn''t matter what I say! You better investigate this, if not we will all live in fear!" With that said, she walked upstairs in her heels arrogantly. Nobody was bothered to mind her. chapter 1951 chapter 1951 Charmine picked up the bloody parcel and eyed sharply the bloody knife inside. Who was trying to threaten her? Anthony instantly took out his phone to call Luke to investigate. Ten minutester, Luke called him back. "This is an borate scheme, Boss; we can''t trace who sent this at all! Every piece of evidence had been destroyed. I tried to retrieve any piece of evidence we could get, but what I got in the end was blurry footage." Anthony hung up and turned to Charmine. "Can¡¯t find anything." Charmine looked at the time. "Let''s just head to work for the time being. I¡¯ll ask Kay to look into this." "Okay." This event unsettled Grandma Bailey deeply. She watched as Anthony and Charmine walked out before chasing after them, pleading, "Charmine, Anthony, be careful when you¡¯re out. Call the police instantly if anything seems out of the ordinary!" Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Charmine turned back to look at the elder before calmly replying, "We will, Grandma." She had been through countless trials. This measly trick barely threatened her! Nheless, the person behind this.Jncident had intrigued her. Don¡¯t worry yourself too much, dearest," assured Anthony as he held onto her small hand. "It¡¯s probably just some pervert, too." Charmine nodded. Although she was curious, she was not intimidated by this small act. True enough, the incident did not bother her for the rest of the day. She went to Poulenc¡¯s outlet so she could settle a few business affairs, to boot, and Anthony came to pick her up at eight o''clock at night after work. Both of them seemed to have forgotten about what had happened that morning as they talked about work-rted matters on the way home. However... When they reached home, the doorbell rang. Another maid, who waspletely unknowing of what had happened earlier that day, went ahead to bring back a pile of parcels. "Sir, Madam, the delivery man said that these are sent by ¡¯fans of Antharmine.¡¯" "Fans of Antharmine, you say?" Charmine frowned, baffled. "What does that mean?" "Look at you." Anthony ruffled her hair. "It¡¯s Anthony and Charmine; me and you!" Only then did it click for Charmine. "We have fans now?" They even came up with such a cute nickname for them. Anthony and Charmine chatted as they took the parcels, but the thought of the bloody package they received that morning still lingered in their minds. Charmine frowned and hesitated to open, but Anthony was level-headed of the situation. "Stay away, I¡¯ll open them." Charmine nodded. Although she was not scared, she would not turn down Anthony''s thoughtful action for her sake. Anthony absent-mindedly chose one of the parcels and opened it... revealing a bloodied dead cat inside. The strong metallic smell of blood wafted into the air before Anthony quickly shut it close. With a dead-set, cold expression, Anthony¡¯s mind began to work on wanting to find out the perpetrator. He opened another parcel, revealing yet another dead animal-a dead mouse, in fact. The entire parcel was full of its disgusting organs. ¡±D*mn it!" Anthony tossed the box aside and said to the butler, "Get to the bottom of this" "Yes, Sir!" The housekeeper had to hold back her fear and clean up the mess. Charmine''s expression turned grim. It was at that moment that she began taking the situation seriously, that it was more than just a prank. She took out her phone and called Kay, "Use everything you have and track down the sender of the parcels sent to the Bailey Mansion." She wanted to find out who pulled these disgusting, outrageous stunts. chapter 1952 chapter 1952 Susan noticed Anthony''s and Charmine''s behavior and caught a whiff of the putrid smell that hung in the air. She took a tissue to close her nose as disgust was etched onto her expression. "What poor luck we have. How did we end up with this unlucky woman? She brings fear to the house every day; it''s repulsive!" Anthony and Charmine, however, ignored Susan entirely. The maids held their breath and started to clean up, yet the revolting smell and animal carcasses nearly made the women throw up. They said nothing as they cleaned the mess, but upon finishing with their duties,ints were aired. "These things are too disgusting!¡± "We haven''t had this kind of incident in decades. It¡¯s like all these things happened after Charmine moved into the mansion!" "The Baileys had been fine all this time, but now, they''re gued with these things a little too often." "Sigh! Ms. Annabel was so nice, yet she was forced out of the mansion!" "We''re so unlucky to be serving a woman like Charmine..." "I''ll always be seeing this bloody sight whenever I close my eyes from now on!" "Sigh! She is such an unlucky person to be around; anything could happen!" Susan smirked upon hearing the maids''ments. Those two old folks should be hearing these, too. They should know how the maids thought of this all-rounded mogul, ''godlike'' figure! As though right on cue, Grandma Bailey and Senior Bailey came down from upstairs, and both elders instantly detected the pungent smell that lingered in the air, causing both of them to frown. Senior Bailey red at the maids and said, "What happened? Have you not disinfected the mansion? What is this smell?" The maids went pale, suddenly at a loss for words at the same time. ¡°What else could it be?" Susan scoffed. "It¡¯s all because of how Charmine offended people. Wanting to exact their vengeance, they sent these dead animals over. Let''s not talk about it. I want to throw up just thinking of it!" As if the hall was filled with viruses, Susan used a tissue to cover her nose and walked upstairs arrogantly. Grandma Bailey frowned. "You haven''t figured out who sent these?" No." Charmine then exined, "All this is done with intent, and no traces were left as well. The clips had been destroyed, and even if we tried to retrieve videos, they turned up blurry." Do you need me to hire someone for you?" offered Senior Bailey formally. No need," declined Anthony. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Luke had been investigating this incident with the best technology out there, and anyone else might not be as advanced as him. Grandma Bailey held Charmine''s hand andforted her, saying, "Don''t take this seriously; this has nothing to do with you. Whoever''s doing this is probably just jealous of you." Charmine nodded. "I don¡¯t mind. I feel sorry that I caused you trouble." "Oh, you... It''s not a problem." With that said, Grandma Bailey turned to the maids. "Any other parcel thates in this time with unknown origins, just turn them away!" "Yes, Madam!" the maids replied. Charmineid in Anthony''s arms as they went to bed that night. He cushioned her with his pillow and softly assured her, saying, "Don''t let these things trouble you so badly, dearest, and don''t take it to heart." Charmine was never an unlucky person, and she never brought any bad luck. She was his lucky star! Charmine cuddled in his arms and smiled. "Why would I take it seriously? I''ve been through worse; forget these parcels." Anthony hugged her and lowered his head to leave a gentle peck on her cheek. "Good." He then turned off the lights. "Get some sleep." "Alright." Charmine nestled herself into afortable position, and it could have been that she was too tired, but it did not take long for her to fall asleep. Anthony, on the other hand, was still awake as he leaned on one arm. His mind whirled for a long while, yet he just could think of anyone that could have done this. Were they truly just hostile fans who were jealous of them? That just... seemed unlikely. The following day rolled in. chapter 1953 chapter 1953 After they were done with their breakfast, Charmine said to Anthony, "I''m going to my entertainment company to sort out something. I probably won''t be back for lunch." Anthony frowned and gazed at Charmine earnestly. "Are you busy?" "Yeah. I haven''t been there for a long while, and I have lots of things to take care of." Anthony nodded. "I''ll send you there." No need." Charmine ced down her cutleries. "Carry on with your meal; Rio is already waiting outside." Anthony recalled who he was and was not bothered. "Just be careful," he reminded her. "Okay." She walked past the living hall, and the maids in the area eyed her warily. It was as if she was disgusting and terrifying, just like the parcels they had to clean up. Charmine ignored them and remained unperturbed, her prominence oozing from her being as she walked, much to the maids'' chagrin. Charmine offended the wrong person and caused these terrifying incidents, yet she was nowhere apologetic and acted as though none of this mess had happened. Charmine put on her shoes and walked out of the mansion, where a ck sports car was waiting for her outside. As she got closer, she noticed that it was someone else in the car instead of Rio... Eric? "Why is it you?" asked Charmine coldly. Eric was as unperturbed, calm as ever. "I heard that you''re going back to thepany, so I came to pick you up." Charmine did not think too much of this; she did not care who came to pick her up. She sat in the backseat and took out her phone from her bag to text Anthony. [I¡¯m in the car now, dear. Don''t worry.] Charmine then kept her phone as she recounted the things she had to settle upon reaching the company. A short whileter, listlessness overtook her as she began to feel sleepy. Did she not have enough restst night? Charmine leaned into the seat and looked at Eric. "I''m taking a nap. Wake me up when we¡¯ve arrived." "Okay." Eric focused on driving. Charmine eventually fell asleep without her realizing it. Back at the Bailey family''s mansion, everyone was still eating at the dining hall when Anthony''s phone on the table beeped. He received a text. He absent-mindedly unlocked it and read the text. [Come to the pier if you want to save Charmine; it has to be you and your family. If I find out that you reported to the police, you''ll never see Charmine ever again!] Recalling what had happened yesterday, Anthony''s heart plummeted. Was Charmine abducted? Unable to register such a thought, Anthony instantly called Charmine, but the call went straight to voicemail. He grew unsettled, finally believing this-and the text-was real. He would not gamble with Charmine''s life. Anthony instantly put down his food and looked at the people around the table sharply. "Charmine has been kidnapped. Everyone from the Bailey family has to go to the pier." "What!?" Everyone looked at Anthony in confusion. "What happened?" pestered Grandma Bailey. "Who kidnapped Charmine?" "I don¡¯t know," muttered Anthony. "Don''t ask so many questions," interjected Senior Bailey sternly. "Hurry up and go save her!" Everyone began to stand up and rush out while Susan was taking her time. How she wanted for the perpetrator to kill Charmine. What was going on? She had not even finished her breakfast, and she had to travel so far for that woman! She refused to! Chris walked to the living hall and looked at Susan who was taking her time. "Grandma, hurry up!" badgered Chris. Grandma Bailey frowned at this. "Forget about what happened in the passsaving Charmine is more important!" she spoke, her tone serious and powerful. "I¡¯ming! It¡¯s not like I said no..." Susan could only do as she was told. Chris wanted to tag along when Anthony stopped him, saying, "Wait at home. If anything happens, we need to contact you." Chris''s tiny, cool face looked solemn as he nodded. "Okay." With that, Anthony, Grandma Bailey, Senior Bailey, and Susan instantly headed toward the pier.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. chapter 1954 chapter 1954 The Baileys arrived at the pier where they spotted arge cruise docked nearby, and a lonely yet arrogant figure waited by the pier. There was a ss with red wine in it in his hand, and a suave air permeated from him. He smirked as he watched the Baileys rush toward him, his face not yet revealed to them. When Anthony spotted the man, he frowned. This man was Charmine''s kidnapper? Just as suspicion crept into Anthony''s mind, the man gradually turned over to show his face. It was... Charmine''s agent, Eric!? Anthony''s elegant face contorted in fury as he growled, "It''s you, huh?" Eric sipped his wine aloofly and smirked at the Baileys. "How did it feel like in the past few days living in fear?" Everyone was shocked to see this ruthless man. Was he the one that sent them that series of threats? Was he not Charmine''s agent? Susan pursed her lips and thought of something. She crossed her arms elegantly. "So it was you who sent out the threats in the past few days?" Eric red at her and did not answer, his eyes clouded withplexity. Susan acted as if she got hold of the evidence and stretched her back. "I know you-you''re Charmine¡¯s agent! Are you taking it out on her because she¡¯s offended you? I knew Charmine had hurt people! You''ve all seen it now, yet everyone told me off for saying so! This whole mess was caused by Charmine, after all!¡± Susan looked at the rest of the Bailey haughtily, proud of herself. "Stop talking nonsense at such a critical moment!" snapped Grandma Bailey. "I want to say it now: She deserves to be kidnapped, and she even caused all of us to live in fear. I don''t even know what you all like about her!" Susanined, evidently displeased. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Eric red at Susan who was at the pier, and his expression turned colder. He picked up his wine ss and took a sip, his gaze trained onto the woman. He asked, "Mrs. Bailey thinks it''s all because of Charmine, does she? Have you not considered that you might have been the cause all along?" 3 Everyone frowned. Did he just imply that Susan had offended him before? The man''s remark sounded ironic to Susan, who sneered. "What nonsense are you talking about? What does it have anything to do with me? I''ve never done anything wrong! I don''t offend people, not like Charmine did. Also, have we met before? Do I know you?" i How dare he! This must have been a plot set up by Charmine to frame her, but no, Susan was not easily fooled! Eric smiled coldly and said, "It seems that you''ve forgotten about the child you gave birth to in Muriona!" i Susan''s smirk instantly stiffened. Muriona? Child? Her eyes widened as the words sank in, and she gazed at Eric with disbelief. She became shocked and perplexed. 1 D*mn it. How did he know? Was he... Was he... When the Baileys heard what the man had said, they all looked at Susan, equally as shocked. "What is he saying?" "What does he mean, your child in Muriona?" "You have another child other than Anthony?" These interrogative questions filled her ears. Susan''s face turned pale and embarrassed. She looked at Eric, stupefied and conflicted, and was unable to react for a very long while. Was this man standing before her... Eric looked into Susan''s eyes with a hateful look. His lips curled up coldly as he said, "Let me tell you a story." chapter 1955 chapter 1955 Many years ago, Susan had a fling with a man in Muriona, and she ended up pregnant in the affair. The man would end up sumbing to his cancer, while Susan wouldter on birth the child and dump him in an orphanage." i Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. Everyone was downright dibobted to hear this never-before-heard story. Susan cheated, gave birth to another child, and sent him to an orphanage?! Darryl''s face contorted uglily in embarrassment and bitterness. He was the heir of the Bailey family, yet his wife cheated on him for so many years without him knowing it. He cursed to himself. Darryl, unable to quell his anger, lifted his hand and- p! His heavy hand swung right across Susan''s cheek. How dare you!" "Well deserved." Senior Bailey red at Susan and scoffed, "What a disloyal wife. Charmine was punished for your sin! How could you?!" Grandma Bailey also red at Susan. "We didn''t abuse you, Susan, so how could you do this? How could you?" Susan¡¯s cheek seared with pain as a loud buzz hummed in her ears. She felt embarrassed and clueless altogether, not knowing how to salvage the situation. However, when she saw everyone scolding her, fury welled up from within her. She red at Darryl and growled. "Yes, I cheated on you, but so what? When we first got married, you worked every day while I tried my best to maintain a ''happy home''! You''d always me me for everything, no matter who it was that''s wrong! You were never a good husband! The man I met treated me well; he cared for me and took care of me!" "How dare you!" Darryl trembled in anger as he raised his hand again. Susan gazed right into Darryl¡¯s eyes as she hissed, "Go on and p me. You better beat me to death! This isn''t the first time you''re violent with me throughout our marriage, anyway. I can take it!" 1 When Darryl heard it and thought of what happened back then, his hand stiffened in mid-air and did not p her. Eric red at Susan and said coldly, "You truly were cold-hearted back then, then." Susan turned to look at Eric, and her arrogant eyes mellowed with pity. "I didn''t have a choice... I didn''t do it on purpose. Back then, Darryl wasing to Muriona, and I couldn''t tell him this. You''ve seen just how ill- tempered he is, and he would''ve beaten me if he knew! I had to do what I did, after all¡ªI had to survive!" Susan gazed at Eric, and her eyes gleamed vaguely with maternal love." I''ve looked for you for over twenty years ever since, yet somehow, you seemed to have vanished. Every night, I lived in fear..." She sounded genuine with a strong sense of guilt in her tone. Eric, however, was not moved at all, and his cold face was devoid of emotions as he sneered. "Don¡¯t pretend like you care! If you really wanted to find a child, you would''ve found him! Do you know what condition the child lived in?" Hatred burned in Eric''s eyes as he ranted, "The child suffered as others took advantage of him, even though he was taken into the orphanage. He starved every day and fought for food. He was exposed to extreme weather, no less, and, all the while, was your son. Why was Anthony born into wealth while he suffered in poverty? Why?!" Eric''s usually cold, emotionless face morphed, showing just how pained he was, his eyes reddening as he did. It was he who took up Chris years ago. He wanted Chris to live so that Anthony and Charmine could meet. This way, Anthony would fall in love with Charmine, and Eric could manipte him by using Charmine! This n, no doubt, had seeded. Eric red at the crowd and said heartlessly, "You only have two choices now: either you and Anthony eat these pills and jump into the sea, or Charmine dies!" With a snap of his fingers, someone dragged out the passed-out from the cruise. The person had a sharp dagger held against her neck. chapter 1956 chapter 1956 Anthony''s breath hitched when he saw Charmine. He clenched his fists and, without doubting himself, relented "I can agree to your terms, so let her go right away. This has nothing to do with her; you only hate me after all. As long as you let her go, I''ll take the pill. Everything will end right away." Susan shook her head. "Well die after eating the pill. I¡¯m not taking that!" She had just reunited with Eric, and she did not want to die yet. She looked at Eric and begged, "Please let Anthony be, why don''t you? He''s your brother, after all, and he doesn¡¯t even know about your existence. If you¡¯re really angry, just kill Charmine, and I''ll make it up to you-" N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Anthony''s expression contorted in sheer fury upon hearing Susan''s plea, and he red at her with murderous intent. "This was all your fault, so what right do you have to make Charmine take your me?!" "What on earth are you going on about?" snapped Grandma Bailey. "Charmine has been kidnapped because of you, yet you want her dead! How cold-hearted can you get?!" "I just don''t want Anthony to be killed..." Susan failed to see the error in her ways. Anthony red at her very coldly, his eyes filled with disappointment. In the next instance, he looked up at Eric and resolutely responded, "Whatever my mother owed you, I''ll pay in full. I can die, but please let go of Charmine!" Eric looked at Anthony and said, "Alright, then. As long as you die!" He then tossed out a small bottle in the air that made a perfect curve,nding right into Anthony''s hands. Anthony held onto the small bottle of pills and then at Charmine, who was still unconscious, with darkened eyes. He was, to say the very least, conflicted. It was not easy for him to resolve all problems with Charmine. They had been through much, and it had not been long. However, he did not regret his decision; he only had regrets. He would not be able to be with her for the rest of her life. Anthony took a deep breath and looked away. He did not hesitate to open the bottle and put it by his lips. He raised his head, and just as he was about to eat the pills¡ª "Don¡¯t!" Susan hastily grabbed his arm to stop him, not wanting him to eat the pills. She tried to talk Anthony out of his decision urgently, "Just let her die! There are so many women in the world, so why would you do this for her?" i "Shut up!" Anthony red at her, not hesitating to push her away. "She¡¯s my woman, and I should save her! You have no right to talk me out of my decision!" Susan, having been shoved away, staggered backward uncontrobly. Since she was also sporting heels at that point, she tripped and- Thomp! She fell against an iron pir nearby, which happened to have a sharp nail half a thumb long sticking out of it. "Aaagh!" Susan cried out and froze in pain. Her face went pale, and her eyes widened in fear. The crowd looked over. Why did she cry out so sharply, when her head just rammed against a pir? A momentter, they saw reding out behind her head. "Help me...help me!" Susan''splexion turned paper-white as she became physically feeble. She felt her consciousness fading. The blood that oozed from the back of her head suddenly intensified like her head was a leaking faucet. The bleeding did not seem to cease at all, causing blood to pool near Susan. 1 Only then did the Baileys realize the severity of this matter. Darryl went toward Susan and made the shocking discovery that the nail had been stabbed by the sharp nail. i "Darryl, help...help me..." Susan''s eyes were zoning out. She feebly pleaded for help when she saw the person in front of her before eventually losing consciousness. Darryl caught her right in time and hoisted her into his arms before rushing her away from the scene. Eric stood by the pier and saw the patch of blood on the ground. His eyes slowly moved back to Susan, who was carried away by Darryl. Conflict pooled in his eyes as he gazed at Susan''s pale face. A momentter, he thought of something and smiled ironically. He looked away and said to Anthony... chapter 1957 chapter 1957 "No one''s stopping you now. Eat!'' Anthony clenched his hands tightly and took another nce at Charmine. He was more determined than before, and he was close to eating the pills in the bottle. Charmine, who was held hostage, gradually opened her eyes at that moment. Her gaze drifted toward Eric before she asked, her tone challenging, "Will you really feel good after you''ve killed them? You saw Susan suffering from a serious wound; would you still kill the one sibling you have left in the world?" ¡¯ Eric halted, and his eyes darkened. Charmine had just woken up, yet what she said... He cast a cold nce at Charmine. "It''s my business, and it has nothing to do with you!" They were his family, and he did not want a family like this! Charmine looked squarely at him. "Eric, I don¡¯t care if you used me or plotted against me all these years; I''ve treated you like a true friend, nothing more nor less. You were the only person who stayed by my side in the past five years, so I hope that you can forgive them and yourself. Don¡¯t do this out of an urge and regret for the rest of your life! "Look at Susan! Are you happy with this ending? Will the death of two people truly make you happy?" questioned Charmine, reaching into his soul calmly. Eric¡¯s eyes were cold and hard to read, but in his mind echoed Susan''s words, ''I''ve looked for you for over twenty years ever since.'' ''Would you still kill the one sibling you have left in the world?'' ''Don¡¯t do this out of an urge and regret for the rest of your life!'' Would he...genuinely be happy if they died? Charmine, noticing Eric''s hesitance, continued, "Eric, if Anthony dies, I might just die, too. Even if I don¡¯t die, we''ll be enemies forever. Is this what you want our five-year friendship to be? For your mother''s mistake, you''d want your world to change forever, from friendships to your career. Is it worth it?" Eric''s burden-filled eyes became even more clouded. Was it worth it? For Susan to ruin his life... Momentster, Eric shut his eyes in pain. He turned around and said to the Baileys, "Go! Leave!" When the man holding Charmine hostage heard this, he released her from his hold. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Charmine stashed away the needles in her hands and let out a sigh of relief. Luckily, Eric chose this route...or she would not have gone easy on him either. He did not disappoint her, in the end. She stood up to leave. When she got out of the cruise, Anthony''s tall figure rushed toward her and met her halfway, stretching out his arms and embracing her when he got close. When he let her go, he scanned her worriedly. "Are you hurt?" "No," said Charmine. "He just wanted to threaten you, not to hurt me." Anthony hugged her tightly. Only God knew how worried he was. Even though he knew she was capable, her life was literally at stake. He would feel hurt if she lost even one strand of her hair! The Baileys surrounded both of them and aired their concerns. "Charmine, are you okay?" "They didn''t hurt you, did they?" Charmine held Anthony''s hand and smiled weakly. "I''m fine." "Good." Grandma Bailey let out a sigh of relief. "I''m sorry that you''ve been wronged again, Charmine." Charmine remained calm as always. "It¡¯s okay." All that mattered was everything was resolved, that no more trouble would follow after this. Grandma Bailey looked at her and liked her genuinely. She admired Charmine''s kind-hearted self. She not only treated her as her inw, but she even treated her like her actual granddaughter! Following that, they thought of Susan''s injury and then rushed toward the hospital. chapter 1958 chapter 1958 The colossal cruise started to drift away from the pier. Eric stood on the cruise and let the wind blow at him, loneliness and hatred still oozing from his being. He stared at the blue ocean ahead of him as Charmine''s words rang in his mind unceasingly. Will you really feel good after you''ve killed them?'' ''You saw Susan suffering from a serious wound; would you still kill the one sibling you have left in the world?'' "Forgive them and yourself.'' Deliberating everything carefully, his lips curled into a bitter smile. It was true, after all, that Charmine understood him the most. Eric poured himself another drink and downed it with loneliness as he allowed the cruise to bring him wherever it would take him. Susan was still inside the operating room when Charmine and the rest of the Baileys rushed into the hospital. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Darryl stood before the room, his expression nk, his figure lonely and helpless. So many things had happened in half a day. He found out about his wife''s infidelity and that she had given birth to another child over 20 years ago, yet at this very hour, her life was in danger. Even though he hated her, it was undeniable that she had kept himpany for a few decades, and she bore him a son that he was very proud of, too. The family waited around half an hour outside the room before the door finally opened slowly. Nial, still wearing his blue medical scrubs, walked out from the inside and pulled down his mask. His usually carefree face was gone, reced with a solemn expression. He looked at the crowd and said in a serious tone, "Susan¡¯s head was stabbed by a nail. Due to extreme blood loss, she¡¯s now paralyzed and will never wake up again...¡± 7 A heavy feeling loomed over him. Although Susan had done many wrong things, she was still his aunt. He would no longer see her in her luxurious clothes, and she would no longer pester him to meet a girlfriend. 4 Everyone felt conflicted at this news, too. She was doing just fine before this... The nurses wheeled Susan out of the room, her usually elegant face pale and her head heavily bandaged. Sheid in bed, unmoving, but her breaths, though unstable, were proof that she was still alive. Seeing her in this state, Darryl bitterly remarked, "Good. She''s done many wrong things, after all. This is what she gets!" s His expression, however, contradicted his words. His gaze was filled with sadness, and gone was the steely gaze he usually had, now red-rimmed. The nurses sent her to a more well-equipped, special ward, and the Baileys and Charmine followed suit. Grandma Bailey stood by the bed looking at Susan, and she sighed. Although she did not like Susan, this oue was not what she wanted. Was it a punishment from above to make hery in here quietly? Sigh. Thinking of what Susan said back at the pier, Grandma Bailey turned to face everyone. "Everyone can head home now. All these years after Susan moved into the Bailey mansion, she¡¯s part of us now and has earned her credits. In the past, I may not have sorted things out perfectly and wronged her, yet she bottled everything inside herself. She had taken care of me and my husband, so from now on, I''ll take care of her in return to make up for it." Grandma Bailey sighed and exuded an air of helplessness. Charmine stood by the side and agreed gently, "Grandma, don¡¯t take it too seriously. It¡¯s not your fault entirely." chapter 1959 chapter 1959 "Although Susan was unhappy, she should''ve voiced out her displeasure instead of bottling things. Cheating is wrong, regardless. Furthermore, if she wanted a career, she didn''t have to stay home and depend on her husband." i Grandma Bailey halted. Was that what Charmine truly thought of? Grandma Bailey thought Charmine would find Susan too aggressive unto herself. Charmine nced at Susan again and apatheticallymented, "She doesn''t want to make money on her own, but she wants to be rich whileining about her man not making time for her and taking care of her? If a woman has no ability of her own and also mes others for her miseries, all she''s worth is to sit quietly at home and wait for her husband toe home. She also has no right to cheat! This is how the world works." i Charmine patted Grandma Bailey''s shoulder and held Anthony''s hand, her words met with everyone''s evidently surprised gazes and their silence. Grandma Bailey was shocked. Sure, Charmine sounded rather ruthless in her choice of words, yet she had her points. Anthony truly had found the right woman. Anthony walked out of the ward with Charmine, and he lowered his head to interlock his fingers with hers. He thought of something and paused for a moment, his gaze trained on her before he cooed affectionately, "My darling, even if you don''t want to work, I can take care of you, protect you, and spoil you." What he genuinely thought was that he had to love her so much that he did not want her to cheat on him. i He did not want to be cheated on. He would go insane if Charmine had another child behind his back like Susan did. Charmine met his eyes and knew what he was thinking. She curled up her lips and smiled, saying nothing in response. Anthony felt unsettled at her silence, and he became antsy with herck of response. At that moment, Chris rushed to the hospital and overheard their conversation. His tiny figure rushed toward them as he then grabbed Charmine''s hand. He looked up at her, hisrge doe eyes gleaming with anticipation. "Mommy, hurry and make me a little sister! I want a sister!" As long as Charmine was pregnant, other men would not disturb her, and she would not cheat! His Mommy had to get pregnant soon! Charmine looked at him and could not help ruffling his hair. She had a motherly look in her eyes as she said affectionately, "My dear, Mommy don''t n to have another baby anytime soon. Daddy and I only want to spoil only you for now." 1 It was a long, arduous journey that she finally found out he was her son, and she had yet to reconcile with him genuinely and make up for the lost days. However... "Argh!" Chris cried out and let go of her hand. His tiny body fell on the floor as he started to jolt. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. His big eyes rolled back, and his lips twitched as he mumbled, "Mommy, I want a sister. I want a sister..." Anthony hugged Charmine as the two of them stared down at Chris being ¡¯in so much pain'', yet they did nothing. Chris hadpletely recovered; his illness was gone and would not affect him at all. Thus, they watched him act. Chris twitched for a long while before he blinked his watery eyes. Why did this trick not work? Did... Did they no longer love him? Anthony and Charmine watched him and smiled lovingly. The family of three, finally reunited, made a wholesome sight to behold. chapter 1960 chapter 1960 At Mount Vige... Inside the elegant bamboo house was Dior, dressed in a beige dress. She sat in the front yard as she took sips of her wine. The sunlight shone past the leaves and illuminated her, yet she exuded an air of loneliness. She swirled the ss and could not help recalling the moments she spent with Harry. In the beginning, she was attracted by his looks; he looked so gentle and elegant. She gave him money, kept himpany, and continuously showed up around him in hopes of conquering him. s, she ended up in this state. The time she spent with him in Mount Vige was the happiest time she had ever had. They had lived inside the bamboo house together, where he took care of her and imed her to be his woman. They evenid inside the same room. Everything was so beautiful. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Cursed was her luck, however, that it was just an illusion. He had been using her from the start, while he chose to stay with the woman who lied to him and even hurt him! No matter how much Dior had done for him, she lost as long as he did not care for her. "Heh." Dior smiled ironically, her mind embroiled in heartache. She lifted the wine bottle and gulped down. Lost in her thoughts, she suddenly heard knocks at the door, and she instantly perked up. Did Harrye back? She got up right away to walk over. When she opened the door, she saw... Guy? Dior''s hope-filled eyes mellowed down into disappointment. Harry did note in the end. On the other hand, Guy''s heart sank as he watched her usually optimistic sister so despondent and crushed. 1 He looked at her and asked, Dior, how much longer do you want to wait for him here?" "I don''t know." Dior walked back and said nonchntly," Until hees back." Guy sighed and walked into the house with her, persisting," You don¡¯t look like yourself now. My sister will never be so humble! She won''t be as slumped!" Dior sat on her seat and picked up the wine bottle, smiling ironically. "What was I like, again?" She had almost forgotten how her life used to be prior to this. Guy frowned. "Dior, stand back up; don''t go on like this. I can help you!" When she heard this, Dior smiled bitterly. "What can you help me with?" She knew that there was no chance left for her to be with Harry. Guy, noticing that Dior still did not believe him, called the highest-ranked military officer, saying, "I''ve sent you the time and location. Fix the CCTV footage." "Yes, Sir!" a dutiful response was heard from the phone. Dior finally reacted. She looked at Guy and asked, "Is there really a way to fix it?" Guy looked at her. "Have I ever lied to you? Trust me." He was not in love, and he did not want his sister to feel the heartache like he did. Dior clenched her fists and took another sip. She could only hope that they could fix it. Luckily, within an hour, an email was sent to Guy¡¯s email... chapter 1961 chapter 1961 Dior examined the footage the moment she received it. True enough, it showed Sonia and George talking about their little deal. It also showed how Dior was telling the truth while they both ganged up on her. Dior''s frail heart felt as though it was rejuvenated once more, feeling as though blood was once more pumped into her heart. Her dull eyes devoid of hope regained their lost luster once more. Not thinking twice, she dialed Harry''s number with this evidence, though he had to be busy, seeing as he did not pick up even after the phone rang for a long while. Just as she was about to hang up, Harry picked up the phone. "What do you want?" On the other end of the call was the voice that she had missed for so long. His low, hoarse voice sounded so cold and emotionless. Hearing his voice brought Dior back to the image of his handsome face, and her heart skipped a beat. She tried her best to restrain her fluttering emotions as she tried to speak calmly, "Do you have time? I¡¯d like to meet up with you-" "No," interjected Harry coldly before Dior could even finish. Dior froze like a deer caught in the headlights. She held her phone tightly and pursed her lips, blurting, "I have an important thing to say to you." Worried that he would deny her again, she quickly added, "I won''t bother you after this, and I''ll never appear in your way ever again." 1 Guy sat opposite his sister, who treated this man so humbly and cautiously. Guy¡¯s heart sank, evidently worried about his naive sister. Harry hesitated for a moment, as if he was convinced by her promise that she would not bother her again, and curtly relented, "Time and ce." Dior felt relieved upon hearing Harry¡¯s response. "Eight o¡¯clock tonight, at Scent Restaurant," she replied. Harry thus hung up without responding. Dior put down her phone and went into the room to start looking for a dress while Guy stood at the pavilion, gazing at a giddy Dior. He sighed gently. Love truly could a personpletely. 2 He would never have thought that his proud, willful sister would be so humble for a man, that she would be instantly energized by a word from his mouth. Around seven in the evening, a luxury car pulled over outside Scent Restaurant. The car door opened, and a long fair leg stepped out, sported with a ten-centimeter heel. The beautiful Dior got out of the car, the breeze blowing at her well-curled hair. She donned a chic dress, her face delicately decorated with makeup and her lips painted alluringly with red lipstick. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. With a limited-edition bag at her side, she looked elegant and expensive. She was a far cry from the Dior who looked dull and wasted back in Mount Vige. She had be a high-above, wealthy heiress. Dior made her way to a reserved table on the second floor. She leaned on one hand elegantly as she looked at the entrance of the restaurant. After waiting for ten minutes, finally, the figure she missed dearly had arrived. Harry got out of the car, his muscr figure draped in a fitted suit. He looked cool and sexy. He took off his sunsses, showing his handsome face. His feet, fitted into shiny leather shoes, carried him toward the restaurant. Dior instantly straightened herself and pretended to cooly pick up her ss to drink, but her heart was undeniably pounding like crazy. True, she promised Harry that this would be thest time she would bother him, but... There would be another story to this once he found out about Sonia''s plot. By then, would he finally turn back to have a look at her, the woman who had been waiting for him? chapter 1962 chapter 1962 Dior looked forward to that new shift. She watched as Harry made his way into the restaurant silently, unable to deter her mind from the daydreams she had of him, of the new chapter of their story they would have. 1 He would apologize to her, trying to redeem himself, and kiss her dearly as he embraced her. Later down the line, they would have a child of their own, too. i Harry''s long legs walked in strides, his dark gaze trained on Dior. The bright light shone on Dior''s delicately stunning face, and she also wore a red dress. He remembered her wearing this back in Mount Vige. He could remember how alluring she looked back then, how they stayed in the same room, how she put down her ego to treat him with so much gentleness. Harry''s cold face mellowed down, but recalling a certain memory, the vague wistfulness in him vanished and he sat in front of her. Dior looked at him fondly, like she always would. "Long time no see.¡± Her eyes burned brightly as if she wanted to drink in his existence entirely. Harry, however, remained level-headed, impassive like water. He met her eyes and said coldly, "What do you want?" He sounded as if he was in a rush to leave. He frowned slightly and looked at the watch on his wrist from time to time. Dior''s eyes went a shade duller. However, she retained her elegant smile as she picked up her bag. Since he was impatient, she would go straight to the point. She wanted to see the change in his expression when he found out how his ''kind-girlfriend '' plotted against him. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Dior¡¯s alluring red lips curled up as she opened up her bag. However... Just as her fingers grazed the USB in her bag, the loud ringing of a phone was heard. Harry took out his phone. When he saw that it was the hospital calling, his cold face instantly turned taut as he answered right away, "What''s the matter? How is Sonia?" There was a frown on his face, and all that he could care about was his phone. Dior''s hand that held the USB froze as she registered the worried look in his eyes. She was right in front of him, but he seemed to have nked her! Dior''s heart sank, but she continued to look at him. She had to talk to him after this phone call of his- she had to. All of a sudden, an urgent voice came from the phone. "Mr. Cogen, right after you left, someone attempted to murder Ms. Sonia. Her wrist is cut, and she''s severely hurt. Pleasee back now!" "What!?" Harry''s heart plunged as he shot Dior a ruthless re, filled with disgust and disappointment. The sight made Dior freeze. Harry stood up from his seat coldly and turned to leave. What happened? Seeing that Harry was ready to leave, Dior acted instantaneously and chased after him, not having enough time to formte her thoughts as she grabbed his wrist. "Harry, listen to me, won''t you?" She felt nauseous. She had a feeling that after he left her, she would never see him again! Harry looked at her murderously as he sneered at her. "So you asked me out so you could try and kill Sonia, huh? I thought of you too kindly. This is indeed something Ms. Granger would do!" "What are you talking about?" Dior¡¯s brows were raised at Harry''s remarks, and she gazed at him in confusion. What did he mean by her trying to murder Sonia? p! Harry, in his wrath, smacked Dior right across her face when he saw her seemingly acting confused. "I wish we never met!" Harry thus turned and left furiously. Before, he even felt guilty for using her, but this was no reason for her to hurt Sonia! Dior staggered a few steps back due to the p, and a red handprint was left in its wake. Her cheek felt like it was burning, and her head was buzzing. She caressed her numbing cheek and looked at Harry in disbelief. At that moment, her eyes turned glossy with tears. Did Sonia call him and said something to him? Dior was sitting right in front of him, yet he could think that she had time to hurt Sonia? chapter 1963 chapter 1963 Dior was still lost in her storm of thoughts when a shadowy figure zipped past her and ran toward Harry. When she spotted this familiar figure, she reacted quickly and held onto him. "Let go of me!" growled Guy. "How dare he p you and misunderstood you? I have to beat some sense into him!" Harry broke free and chased after Harry. 1 Dior, despite having lost all hope and life in her, mustered thest strand of her will to chase after Guy and reeled him back. "Brother, don''t," she muttered, "spare your energy..." i Her sorrow clouded her eyes as she mumbled, "He¡¯s the man I love. Even though he hates me, I won¡¯t allow you to hurt him. As for the exnation..." Dior smiled ironically. "Whatever. That p decimated every beautiful daydream I have about him, anyway." She no longer expected anything from him. He had no trust in her, so what would it matter if she finally got him? He did not even love her, and he did not trust her either. Dior smiled elegantly, but her eyes were filled with sorrow, much to Guy''s heartache. This cruel, heartless man shattered his arrogant sister into this depressed, downcast person! Guy clenched his fists. He wanted nothing more than to beat this man senseless, but since Dior did not want him to, he did not and would not leave Dior''s side. He sighed and draped his jacket over her shoulders. He hugged her and said, ''Come, let¡¯s go home." Dior stood on the ground and looked at him calmly, asking, "Is the Dragoul still recruiting?" Guy paused at this. ''Do you want-" "Yes," replied Dior, "I want to get in." From that moment onward, she had no more room for romance and love in her life. All she would ever want was to seed in her career. She wanted to forget her past and be an outstanding special agent. Guy pursed his lips. Although he did not want her to suffer, he also did not want to see her being mistreated by a man that she would suffer for a long period. She had to enrich herself and let time wash away her painful past. "Alright, then." Guy gazed at Dior. "I''ll arrange everything for you." Dior nodded and rposed herself before leaving with Guy in the end. Harry rushed into the emergency room upon reaching the hospital. He saw Sonia leaning on the bedside weakly, her face extremely pale and her neck thickly bandaged. He felt his heart aching at the sight as he made his way toward her. "Harry..." Sonia''s fair face was turned toward him, her voice unsettling and terrified as she said weakly, "I thought I was going to die, that I won''t see you again..." Harry hugged her andforted her, saying, "Don''t worry, I¡¯m here. Don''t worry." The doctor by the side finished cleaning her wound and said, "Luckily, the cuts aren''t deep. There was a lot of blood, but the bleeding has stopped." Harry looked at her heavily bandaged neck and felt very guilty. This would not have happened if he did not leave, and he thanked his lucky stars that Sonia''s injury was mild, i If anything was to happen to her, he would never be able to forgive himself forever. Sonia cuddled into his arms. In contrast to her weak breaths, however, a sinister smile spread across her face. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Luckily, she had overheard his phone call with Dior. Otherwise, he probably would not have made it back here. Since he came back, this meant that Dior did not convince him...and she would never let Diorwin! Sonia, still in his arms, peered up at him with water eyes as she whimpered, "Harry, I¡¯m so scared... Even though I''m saved this time, I¡¯m scared that this might happen again. I might not get so lucky every time... Why don¡¯t we leave this ce? Let¡¯s go to another country, alright?" This way, Dior would never get the chance to spill the truth! Harry pursed his lips and looked at Sonia''s frail yet beautiful, but somehow, the image of Dior''s face lingered in his mind. He snapped out of his thoughts and instantly reached out to tuck Sonia''s hair behind her ear, saying, "Alright, I''ll listen to you." It would be good to leave this ce. He would not want to bring any further harm to Sonia. The guilt he felt for Dior had vanished after everything that had happened. chapter 1964 chapter 1964 There was an unnoticeable glint in Sonia''s eyes. She nestled herself further into Harry''s arms as she added, "Let¡¯s go to Pares. We''lle back after I give birth to the baby." "Alright." Harry stayed by Sonia''s side as he watched over her, cared for her, and talked to her until she finally slept in his care. He stood up tiredly and walked out of the room to sit in the living room. Thuck! Something fell out of his pocket. He narrowed his eyes to the source of sound and spotted a USB. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. Since when did he have a USB in his pocket? With a small frown on his face, Harry curiously picked it up and noticed the front side of the USB glowing. Something was carved onto its surface, too. [Granger]. Was it Dior''s USB? Why was her USB inside his pocket? Harry¡¯s clear fingers held on the USB tightly. He thought for a moment before he took out aptop, turned it on, and plugged in the USB. A momentter, the screen showed what seemed to be peculiar surveince footage with a description to it. [When Dior tried to leave, George and Sonia walked up to her and snatched her phone. They even pped Dior, who, in that footage, seemed like she had no strength to fight back.] Harry jolted at the sight. His eyes darkened as he looked at Sonia in the video footage. Why did she look so...different? She looked evil, rude, and proud of it, too! Since when did his kind-hearted Sonia have such a face to her? Following that, the video transitioned to a recording seemingly between Sonia and George. The following conversation could be heard. "What? You want to abort my baby?!" blurted George. "Why would I want to? This is just a part of my n to y the victim! Didn¡¯t I tell you before? If I don¡¯t show Harry that I¡¯m genuine, why would he be so touched that he won''t mind about his woman being pregnant with another man¡¯s child?" replied Sonia. 1 "Smart, you are. This n is seamless! My baby can be kept, and you can get back with him!" cheered the gleeful George. "This is all because Harry loves and cares for me. Otherwise, I wouldn''t go through all this trouble to act like this," gloated Sonia. "You''re keeping lies and lies from him, though," muttered George. "Are you not scared about him finding out?" "Harry has no power and money," remarked Sonia, "and he has no ability to investigate this. As long as you spend more money to cover things up, those people will keep their mouths shut. He won¡¯t find out for the rest of his life!" Harry sat on the sofa, sheer disbelief stered onto his face as he listened to the recordinging from hisptop. He clenched his fists so tightly that the green veins on his arms protruded. So, Sonia wanted to keep the baby and get back with him at the same time, did she? Everything she did was just an act, was it not? Heh. Dior, after all this time, was right all along: Sonia and George had lied to him. Sonia still kept in touch with George and nned to keep his baby!? Hrious. How utterly hrious. He had been yed like a fiddle all along! Harry''s thin lips curved into a bitter smile. Just like that, images of what Dior did to him and for him reyed like a record in his mind. 1 She changed from her arrogant, cold self with a glow in her eyes to someone who had to be so careful when she spoke to him. Her eyes had lost the glow, and she looked...depressed. He even pped her just hours before this. D*mn it! He cherished the person who lied to him and hurt the person who treated him with sincerity. Guilt and remorse overtook Harry so greatly. He closed hisptop and rushed out. 8 He owed Dior an apology, and he had to make it up to her, for every wrong he had done to her for the rest of his life. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!