《Suddenly There Are Three (Bailey and Artemis)》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 So hot... Her body felt as if it was on fire. It was so unbearable that Bailey was starting to lose her senses. A whileter, the prating pain began to spread until she started to tremble. ¡°Ah!¡± she screamed and instinctively wanted to resist. Yet, she was unable to move even an inch of her body. The piercing pain felt like ice on fire. The room was so dark that she could not see a single thing. All she could feel was the presence of the man. Everything else felt surreal. It was only after a long time that the temperature of the room finally cooled down. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. The exhausted Bailey Jefferson stumbled onto the floor in the dark to look for her clothes before putting them on in a hurry. As she rushed out of the room and put on a calm front, she could hear the charming voice of a woman, and it gave her a shock. ¡°Bailey, you''re done? Tsk, tsk, tsk! Three whole hours. It looks like Mr. David Larson is still going on strong despite being over fifty years old.¡± The woman was none other than her younger half-sister, Rhonda Jefferson. Outwardly, Rhonda looked like a simple and harmless girl. In truth, she was a vicious person who threatened Bailey with her granny''s life and forced her to sleep with the elderly man. Two weeks ago, her granny had been diagnosed with stomach cancer. There was no way a student like her could afford the hefty medical fees. She went to her father for help, but he refused because Bailey''s mom had already passed away more than a decade ago. Therefore, her father did not give a d*mn about Bailey''s granny. At the same time, David from Harway Group was interested in Rhonda and offered to sleep with her for five million. However, Rhonda refused to sleep with the older man. Instead, she forced Bailey to do it by threatening her with her granny''s life. In order for Bailey to save her granny, she had no other options. In one night, her innocence and dignity had been tarnished. She would have ended her own life if it was not because of her granny. After all, someone needed to look after her granny. ¡°I did what you wanted. When will you transfer the five hundred thousand into my ount?¡± Rhonda smiled and pretended to be surprised. ¡°Five hundred thousand? I thought we agreed on fifty thousand? How did it be five hundred thousand?¡± ¡°You!¡± Bailey was trembling with anger. ¡°Rhonda, how dare you go back on your word!¡± Rhonda smiled sheepishly. She loved to see Bailey in such a wretched state. ¡°My dear Bailey, I was only joking with you. Since Mr. Larson offered five million, you will get five hundred thousand. As for me, I will just have to take the bnce of four and a half million. After all, you were the one who had to sell your body.¡± With that, she opened the door and went into the bedroom. Bailey pursed her lips and staggered to the elevator. Back in the room, Rhonda turned on the light on the bedside table. Just as she was about to lie down next to David, her gaze swept across the man who was deep in his sleep. When she saw who the man was, she was in shock. W-What''s going on? It''s... him! She could not believe that Bailey had slept with the most powerful man in town. In that instant, she was filled with anger and jealousy. It should have been me. How the heck did that wh*re get to do this? D*mn you, Bailey! D*mn you! Seven and a half monthster, the cries of an infant could be hearding from the delivery room. ¡°The first one is a boy. Don''t stop whatever you are doing. There are still another two babies in her tummy.¡± The female doctor brought the baby boy to Rhonda, who was waiting outside the delivery room. She uttered in a hushed tone, ¡°Ms. Rhonda, it is as you wish. She has given birth to a boy.¡± Rhonda rubbed the tiny bump on her tummy and smiled. ¡°Repeat what you said. Who''s the mother of this baby boy?¡± The female doctor quivered in fear. At the thought of the multi-million condominium that she would be receiving, she quickly changed her words. ¡°Congrattions, Ms. Rhonda. You have given birth to a baby boy.¡± Rhondaughed out loud with a smug expression. The doctor asked again, ¡°What do you want us to do with the other two babies in her stomach?¡± ¡°Get rid of them.¡± Rhonda reached out to pinch the cheek of the baby in her arms, and a merciless look shed across her eyes. ¡°Leave one for her. Since this baby boy is going to allow me to climb up the socialdder, I will let her have one child. That''s already very benevolent of me. There''s no way I will let her have all three children.¡± With that, she turned around and walked out. ¡°If you handle this well, I''ll pay you twice as much.¡± Seven yearster, at Hallsbay International Airport, it was very crowded. There were a few bodyguards dressed in ck and wearing earpieces in the middle of the crowd. ¡°Mr. Luther, there is no sign of the suspect at exit A1.¡± ¡°Mr. Luther, we have not seen the suspect at exit A2.¡± ¡°Mr. Luther, no sign of the suspect at exit B1.¡± ¡°Mr. Luther, we do not see the suspect at exit B2.¡± In the VIP lounge on the second floor of the departure hall, a tall and slender figure was seated on the ck leather couch. The man had on a pair of customized sunsses with lenses so wide that they covered half of his face. Only his straight nose and thin lips could be seen. He had defined features and a tough-looking profile. A frosty aura that resembled an icyke exuded from that dangerous man. It would be unwise for strangers to go near him! Shortly after the reports came in, the temperature of the room plunged. The whole room fell into a dead silence. After a long time, the man''s personal bodyguard, Ken Anderson, spoke. ¡°Mr. Luther, is there a mistake with your intel? The top hacker, ''Spook,'' did not board the flight to Hallsbay.¡± They had spent half a year tracking down the whereabouts of ¡°Spook.¡± Now that they had received some leads, they did not expect the lead to turn cold. ¡°Impossible,¡± the man on the couch said coldly. His eyes then fell on theptop in front of him. There was a mess of red lines all over the screen. The lines represented signalsing from the GPS system. Nevertheless, the signals were all over the screen and in a cluster. He had originally locked onto a single target, and now, it was all over the screen. In other words... He had been fooled! The very next second, theptop screen began to flicker violently. All of a sudden, the screen turned ck! Ken rubbed his nose and reminded the man gingerly, ¡°Mr. Luther, yourptop has been hacked.¡± Artemis was rendered speechless. Does he think that I''m blind? Do I need him to tell me that? The door of the lounge flew open, and one of the bodyguards rushed in. With a quavering voice, he told Artemis, ¡°M-Mr. Luther, Mr. Maxton followed you to the airport. B-But, he managed to evade his bodyguards. Now, we have no idea where he is.¡± Icy stares flew in the direction of the door. Artemis only uttered five words, ¡°Go. And. Find. Him. Now.¡± At the dim passageway on the east side of the airport, Bailey was walking quickly with a backpack. ¡°How did it go? Did you manage to get rid of the guys who were following me?¡± ¡°Don''t worry, Bailey. One move from me is enough to wipe out the fellow''sputer.¡± Just as Bailey was about to open her mouth, she sensed something was amiss and stopped in her tracks. Her sharp eyes turned to the side before she asked, ¡°Who''s there? Show yourself.¡± Chapter 2 Chapter 2 That person looks small, so they must be a child. They are not moving, though. ¡°I''ll hang up first. We''ll talk at home,¡± Bailey said briefly. After ending the call, she hurried over to the corner not far from where she was. As she drew closer, she could see that the figure she saw from earlier was indeed a child about six to seven years of age. After a brief moment of hesitation, she touched the boy rolled up in a ball with her foot, and she asked lowly, ¡°Hey, are you still breathing?¡± The kid still did not move an inch, so Bailey was about to leave. I should just mind my own business next time. Why did I even get involved with this child? People might actually think I kidnapped him or something. ¡°Mommy...¡± A weak voice sounded from behind just as Bailey walked away. She froze at that voice. It reminded her of her child, who died prematurely. Because of what she went through, Bailey found it hard to ignore any child around that age range. ¡°Get up. I''ll bring you with me,¡± she said again. When she saw that the boy did not respond again, she sighed and went over to get him, but she was shocked the moment she felt how warm his body was. He''s running a high fever! What are his parents thinking? It''s irresponsible of them to just leave a kid in a dark corner all on his own! ¡°You''re lucky to have met me. Otherwise, you''d get brain damage at this rate.¡± After speaking, Bailey carried the boy and ran toward the exit. On that same afternoon, news about Maxton, the child of the Luther family, going missing came under the media''s spotlight, taking the whole upper-ss society by storm. Everyone was aghast, for no one in Hallsbay would have the guts to touch the boy. Maxton was the apple of the eye of the family. He was way more important than all the children in the elite circlebined, so his missing wreaked havoc in the entire circle. Meanwhile, Bailey was on the fifth floor of a hospital when she saw the missing notice about the child on the TV. She nced over at the boy on the hospital bed and rubbed her forehead in annoyance. Look at the mess you''ve just gotten yourself into, Bailey Jefferson. You should really stop being a busybody. Earlier, Artemis had hunted her down across the airport, but just as she thought that was the end of the episode, the child she saved turned out to be that man''s son. So, this boy is indeed someone important. His dad''s wealth can rival a nation''s, and this child will inherit everything from the Luther Group. In essence, he''s born with a silver spoon. How I wish my own son could be that lucky. Bailey felt frustrated thinking about how unfair life was. ¡°Mommy...¡± the boy beside her suddenly muttered. Bailey looked over and smiled at him in resignation. ¡°You''d better not call me ''mommy.'' I can''t imagine the consequences if anyone hears that. At most, I can be your aunt.¡± The boy blinked his eyes and shed her an innocent smile. ¡°Mommy...¡± he called again. Suddenly, the ward door was flung open, and a tall man rushed in under the escort of a few bodyguards in ck. Him again? Half a year ago, Bailey had hacked an ount of a bank in Spaunia and looted three billion worth of money. Since then, that man had traveled around the world just to get her. What a tiring life! ¡°Are you the one who saved my son?¡± the man standing in front asked with an enchantingly maic and deep voice. From his voice, one might think he was loving and gentle, yet the truth was that he was easily one of the most dangerous men globally. With a vast business empire and significant influence, he topped the pyramid of sess in the world, so it went without saying that he had everything within his control in Hallsbay. ¡°Yes, it''s me. You don''t have to thank me, though. His condition is stable now, so I''ll get going.¡± With that said, Bailey took up her sling bag from the bed and turned to leave. When the boy saw this, he grabbed her arm and looked at her with puppy eyes. ¡°Stay with me, please.¡± Artemis was taken aback by what Maxton did. The whole world knew that his child was diagnosed with severe autism and did not speak a word. In fact, that boy had never once acted that desperately, even when he was with Artemis. Bailey smiled and patted the boy on his head. ¡°Your parents are here. They will take care of you,¡± she coaxed. ¡°I don''t have a mommy!¡± the boy suddenly cried out in agitation, his grip tightening around her arm. What? I thought Rhonda was his mother. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Although Bailey had spent most of her time abroad, she still kept abreast of current affairs, including news about international multimillionaires. Hence, it went without saying that she knew a thing or two about Artemis'' family. She even knew that Rhonda tricked Artemis into bed just to get pregnant so she could earn a ticket into the Luther family. Bailey''s heart pained as she thought about that shameless woman. She''s partially at fault for Granny''s death. I wouldn''t have gone intobor prematurely if it were not for her. My eldest son would still be alive then! When Bailey recalled Maxton''s rtionship with Rhonda, her heart chilled, and she pushed the boy''s hand away. ¡°Whether you have a mother or not has nothing to do with me,¡± she replied coldly. The boy panicked upon hearing that. He rolled off the bed and clung to Bailey''s leg on the ground, sobbing. Bailey nced over at Artemis, who had been watching in silence all the while. ¡°Mr. Luther, are you having fun watching your son calling someone else his mother? Aren''t you afraid that your wife might get angry?¡± Before Artemis could answer, the door was swung open again, and a slender woman came running in. ¡°Max, my child! Are you okay? Why are you on the floor? Get up! You''re sick!¡± The woman darted over, pushing Bailey aside. Bailey did not even have to look at the woman to know who she was. What a small world. I should''ve expected to meet her. After all, that boy is her son. But what happened next shocked Bailey. The boy she believed to be Rhonda''s son shot up from the floor and headbutted Rhonda in the belly, pushing her away for a good two to three meters. ¡°Go away. I don''t want to see you,¡± the boy snapped. ¡°Max! I''m your mother! What has gotten into¡ªargh!¡± Rhonda''s sentence broke into a shriek when the boy bit her on her arm. Maxton bit her so hard that her arm started bleeding, and Rhonda scowled at him with hatred in her eyes. Imbecile! I will make you pay for what you did and for being so ungrateful! Chapter 3 Chapter 3 ¡°Artemis! Max''s crazy!¡± Rhonda screamed. Herint irked Artemis, and his face gloomed. The truth was, Artemis understood why his child found that woman repulsive. Maxton was a sensitive child, so he must know how Rhonda felt about him just from her casual remarks. The fact that Rhonda used him of being crazy was enough to prove that she did not love that boy at all. Six years was enough for Artemis to see Rhonda''s true colors. If it were not for Maxton, Artemis would have chased that woman out of the house. ¡°Maxton, stop it. Go back to bed,¡± Artemis finally interrupted, but the child red at him when he heard that. ¡°Only if she stays,¡± he retorted, but when both Maxton and Artemis turned around, Bailey was already nowhere to be seen. Did she run away? Maxton glowered at his father and continued, ¡°You''re useless. You can''t even keep an eye on her.¡± Artemis was rendered speechless. When Rhonda saw that Maxton had finally calmed down, she pulled him back into her arms and held him despite how the boy struggled to break free. ¡°Max, that person''s my older sister, your aunt. She got pregnant out of wedlock, so Granddad chased her out of the family. It would be best if you stay away from her. She''s a bad influence on you.¡± ¡°You don''t have to tell him that,¡± Artemis reprimanded. Maxton scoffed as well. You''re a bad woman. You''ve finally shown your true colors. I knew from the start that you''re not my mommy. Other mothers look at their children lovingly, but I can only see greed in your eyes when you look at me. I will find my real mommy one day and reveal your true identity. Over in a fifth-floor suite in Shelbert Condominium, Bailey shouted in anger when she beheld the mess Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. in the house. ¡°Zayron! Come here right this instant!¡± Bark! A sharp bark came from the room on the right, and a dog with underwear on its head ran over to Bailey in excitement, but the woman booted it, and a mellow thud followed. Zayron was appalled when he came out and saw the dog whining. Is she crazy? Or has she reached menopause early? ¡°I told you that you shouldn''t mess up Bailey''s house, Hado! It''s worth a few million! You got what you deserved for dirtying the ce. Come, let me see how you''re doing. Aw, did she kick you? All your fur has fallen because of that!¡± Zayronmented. Hadoy on the ground crying as if it was using Zayron of being hypocritical. Bailey saw through her son''s act and said, ¡°I''ll give you an hour. If things are still the same after Ie out of the study, I''ll throw you out of the window.¡± Zayron was piqued when he heard that. ¡°Hey! Is this how you should treat me after I saved you? That guy from the Luther family would''ve gotten you if it were not for me. How could youe home and threaten me like this?¡± ¡°Have you forgotten that the three billion I stole is all in your pocket now? If anything, you''ll be the first to get it from them!¡± Bailey scoffed, pinching his cheek. Meanwhile, things were in chaos over at the Luther family. Artemis sat on the couch silently in the living area with his brows stitched in anger. Opposite him, Rhonda sat down stiffly as she surveyed his face for any changes in his expression. Ever since they returned from the hospital, Maxton had been throwing a tantrum, and Rhonda was caught in a tight spot because of him. Sometimes, she felt like choking the boy whenever she thought of how his appearance bore a resemnce to Bailey. I would''ve killed that brat if I had not needed him to marry Artemis. She had felt deeply insulted over the past years whenever someonemented that she was living the best life for having given the Luther family a son and married Artemis. To them, it seemed as if she was the woman who enjoyed all the wealth and luxury in Hallsbay, but to her, Maxton was nothing but a humiliation because he was not her son. It was precisely because of the boy that Artemis had not touched her throughout all those years. Every time she tried making a move on Artemis, he would brush her aside without sparing her a nce. He even told her that having an heir was already enough for him and that he felt disgusted by women. All these years, only Rhonda herself knew how much she endured, and she hated her life. Not only did she have to bring up Bailey''s son, but she also had to raise him as the only heir of the Luther family. When Rhonda found out that Bailey had returned, she was confronted with the fear that Bailey might reveal the truth and cause her to be thrown out of the Luther family. No! I can''t let that happen to me. I have to get her out of Hallsbay! Crash! Sounds of tes shattering came again from the second floor. Artemis, who had tolerated Maxton''s behavior all that while, sprang up from the couch and shot up the staircase. Rhonda smirked. Good. Keep that up, boy. You might lose your father''s favor in the end. By that time, I will have another son to rece you. Upstairs, Artemis had just opened the door when an object came flying in his face. He blocked it with his hand in time, only to end up with a handful of oatmeal. His face darkened, and the ambiance of the whole room chilled. He charged forward in big steps and grabbed Maxton. ¡°Maxton Luther! I think that''s enough.¡± The boy looked up at him with his eyes filled with tears, stuttering, ¡°I-I want her...¡± Despite not knowing her name, Maxton still wanted Bailey to be by his side. She wouldn''t have run off if it weren''t for that pretentious woman! Artemis knew who his son was referring to, but there was no way he would do as Maxton wished. To Artemis, a son should learn to respect his mother even if he disliked her. ¡°Rhonda is your mother. You have to respect her even if you don''t like her. As for other women, you should stop thinking about them.¡± ¡°Hmph! I won''t eat anything if you don''t bring her to me!¡± the boy shouted, looking at Artemis with his nose high. The man threw the child back on the bed and stormed out. ¡°Fine. Then you stay here and don''t eat a thing.¡± ¡°I''ll do that and just starve!¡± Maxton screamed back. Since when does that troublemaker talk this eloquently? That night, Zayron was editing some pictures on theptop in the study when he came to a realization. ¡°You don''t say. I actually look a lot like that viin from the Luther family.¡± Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Zayron closelypared his picture and Artemis''. We do look alike, but too bad. My dad is a bald man over sixty. He''s far from being a handsome and wealthy man. I''d smile even in my sleep if I had a dad like Mr. Luther. Creak. The door opened, and Bailey came in with a te of fruits. The boy quickly closed hisptop. I still have a lot to do. I can''t let her find out. ¡°Ha! Do you really think I don''t know what you''re doing? I bet you''re checking girls out again. I can''t believe you''re so nasty at such a young age,¡± she teased. ¡°Why would I need to do that? I have a cute sister,¡± he replied, rolling his eyes. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Bailey put the te on the table, asking, ¡°Where is she now, by the way? She is still on tour, right? When is sheing back?¡± ¡°Why should she be back?¡± the boy asked, looking at his mother. ¡°Your granny''s death anniversary is in two weeks. I''ve not brought you guys to see her before, so I just thought that you guys should visit her since we''re back.¡± ¡°I see. I''ll text her tomorrow. By the way, Mommy, are you not bringing us to the Larson family? I know it''s weird to have a sixty-year-old dad, but I can at least get some money from him.¡± ¡°He''s not your biological father. I hacked the blood bank''s system three years ago andpared his DNA with yours, so you should just give up on the thought of extorting money from him.¡± The kid pouted and muttered, ¡°Well, my dad must still be somewhere out there. There''s no way I don''t have a father. I''ll look for him once I''m done dealing with that Luther viin. Finding my father won''t be a problem for me. I''m so smart, anyway.¡± Two days had passed when Artemis went into Maxton''s room with a somber face. An exasperated smirk broke out on his face when he saw the weak and hungry boy lying in bed. ¡°Are you still alive? I''m bringing you to that woman if you are,¡± Artemis offered. He had run a background check done on Bailey, and as he expected, she was the eldest daughter of the Jefferson family, Bailey Jefferson, also Rhonda''s half-sister from another mother. Eight years ago, she sold herself to a man over his fifties for five million. After that, news about her having a stillbirth was made public, and she went abroad since she could no longer stay in Hallsbay. Artemis tried to ignore Maxton in the past two days, for he did not want his son to have anything to do with a woman like that, but that kid proved to be more obstinate than he had imagined. If Artemis let him be, Maxton would starve himself to death. Since the Luther family still needed an heir, and Artemis was not interested in any women, the father figured he shouldpromise and let Maxton have his way in the end. When Maxton heard that Artemis had relented, he struggled to get up from his bed despite his dizziness. ¡°Let''s go,¡± he whispered. Artemis went closer to hold the frail boy, scolding, ¡°I can''t believe you''re giving your mother the cold shoulder and asking for your aunt instead. You''re so dumb.¡± Downstairs, Rhonda was rmed when she saw Artemis carrying Maxton toward the door across the living room. She darted over and blocked right in front of them. ¡°Where are you bringing Max, Artemis?¡± she questioned. ¡°I''m bringing him to Bailey,¡± he replied coldly without looking at her. ¡°No.¡± Rhonda reached out, wanting to snatch the boy away. I can''t believe what I heard. Did Artemis say he wanted to bring the boy to Bailey? What does he want? She''s his sister-inw! ¡°Move,¡± Artemis demanded curtly. Rhonda gritted her teeth and faked a shaky voice. ¡°I''m Max''s mother. How could you bring him to another woman? Artemis, do you want your son to take her as his mother?¡± Artemis drilled his sharp gaze into Rhonda. ¡°Do you not see how weak Max is? No mother would want to see her child in this state. You''ve done nothing for him over the past two days. I bet you can''t wait to see him die of hunger.¡± Rhonda stumbled backward when she met Artemis'' gaze. It was true that she secretly hoped that Maxton would starve himself to death, but the oue was disappointing because not only did he not die, but he also managed to have things his way in the end. D*mn it! I can''t believe this vermin is still alive. ¡°No. That''s not what I meant. I''m also worried about Max. I was just making him some oatmeal in the kitchen just now. Give me half a day, and I''ll make sure he eats something,¡± Rhonda insisted. Artemis looked at her apathetically without answering. Rhonda thought he bought her persuasion when Artemis did not move an inch, so she continued, ¡°My sister sold herself to an old man for five million and even got pregnant. Her reputation is tarnished. I don''t want Max anywhere close to her.¡± A glint of disgust shone in Artemis'' eyes. Although he did not approve of Bailey''s behavior, he was more appalled by how a sister could nder her sibling. It''s time I consider finding someone else to raise Max. I don''t want my son to grow up with a mother like this. ¡°Daddy, you won''t see me again if you leave me to her. She can''t wait to starve me to death,¡± Maxton said. ¡°Get lost,¡± Artemis instructed Rhonda. Rhonda had no choice but to step aside. She did not have the guts to fight Artemis, so she could only watch them leave right under her nose. Her fists clenched tightly beside her body. Bailey Jefferson, we still have a long way to go. I''ll see to it that I kill you. Meanwhile, Bailey was in the kitchen when the doorbell rang. ¡°Go get the door, Zayron!¡± ¡°Go get the door, Hado!¡± Zayron shouted from the study the next instant. The dog rubbed its nose and walked to the living room to open the door unwillingly. Artemis was dumbstruck when the door opened to a dog hanging on the handle, panting. His face slowly fell when he registered what was happening. I can''t with this woman. Did she just ask a dog to open the door? When he snapped back to his senses, he turned and walked away without a second thought, but the boy in his arms spoke. ¡°I swear I won''t eat anything if you bring me home now.¡± The veins on Artemis'' forehead bulged in agitation, but in the end, he still turned around and threw the kid on the couch before leaving the house. ¡°I dare you to stay in this tiny ce for the rest of your life. Don''t ever return to the Luther family!¡± he raged and mmed the door behind him. Maxton did not even bother looking at Artemis. Instead, he looked over to the kitchen in anticipation. Bailey jumped when she saw a boy in her house. ¡°What in the world? Where did youe from?¡± she eximed, holding some dishes. Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Maxton''s mouth watered, staring at the delicious spicy meat Bailey prepared. It looks good. I''m famished. He gazed at the food longingly and informed timidly, ¡°Daddy has starved me for two days...¡± Words eluded Bailey. I thought he was from the Luther family. There''s no way Artemis would let him go hungry. I didn''t know they were broke. ¡°Mommy, I''m hungry...¡± Maxton continued pleading. Bailey rolled her eyes at that boy. Why does he keep calling me ¡°Mommy¡±? Don''t tell me he''s thinking about staying for long and asking to be my son. Please don''t do that to me, boy. These two rascals at home are already enough to drive me crazy. I can''t take another spoiled brat. ¡°Wow, Bailey, did you get together with another old man? Since when did you have another son of my age?¡± Zayron chimed in. Bailey took off her indoor slipper and threw it at Zayron when she heard that. ¡°Get out of my sight.¡± Zayron shed a cheeky smile and walked toward Maxton before eyeing him from head to toe. ¡°Aren''t you Maxton Luther? You''re worth hundreds of billions. What are you doing here? Who in the right mind would trade the Luther residence for a tiny house?¡± ¡°Enough, Zayron Jefferson,¡± Bailey interrupted harshly. ¡°Can''t you see he''s dehydrated? Get him some water. He must be parched. I can''t let him die in our house. We''ll be held ountable for that.¡± Zayron wanted to talk back, but his mischievous gaze darted around, and he stated, ¡°Great timing. I need you to y an act with me.¡± After getting some soup from the kitchen, Bailey sat down beside Maxton to check if the boy was fine. Hm. He really looks a lot like Artemis. He doesn''t take after Rhonda, though. To be honest, I feel like I''ve seen him somewhere before. ¡°Come on. Drink it yourself,¡± Bailey urged, but Maxton puffed his mouth and shook his head. ¡°I''m so tired. I haven''t eaten for days, so I can''t move.¡± This boy is spoiled. At first, Bailey thought the Luther family only intended to leave the boy under her care for a while. Yet after two days, no one came to pick him up, which puzzled her. Mr. Luther, do you really want me to raise a prince as a pauper to be your heir? But Bailey seemed to be the only person troubled by the situation, for Zayron and Maxton had been getting along exceptionally well. Zayron took Maxton for a clueless boy and even urged him to get money out of Artemis'' ount. But of course, it was still too early to say who would turn out to be the clueless boy at the end of the day. At night, Bailey left the two boys and the dog in the study andy on the couch, catching up with the Breaking news: Artemis Luther''s seven-year-old illegitimate child. Photos of Artemis Luther''s illegitimate child leaked. Artemis'' illegitimate child looks better than Maxton Luther. Artemis Luther''s seven-year-old son with his first love. Artemis Luther admitted that the boy was his son. These five trending topics dominated the whole social media tform. All these topics garnered theizens'' attention, and everyone was discussing them. Within half an hour, those posts had already umted billions of likes. Out of curiosity, Bailey pressed on the post that imed to have photos of the illegitimate child. How can I miss out on any gossip about Artemis? That man hunted me down for half a year, so I must ¡°thank¡± him for that by hitting the ¡°like¡± button. Bailey froze when she saw the photo of the child in that post. ¡°Zayron Jefferson!¡± Bailey leaped from the couch, sprinted to the study, and dragged the kid out. ¡°Tell me, what''s with the photos on Twitter? Illegitimate child? Are you crazy, Zayron Jefferson? What do you think you''re doing? Are you trying to invite death to your door?¡± Bailey stared at the photo on her phone for a few more seconds and continued, ¡°Well, you do look like him, but you know what? You''re a nobody! Don''t even dream about having someone like him as a father!¡± Zayron rolled his eyes at her. ¡°Well, I edited the photos, so we look alike in them.¡± Bailey red at the mischievous kid and seethed, ¡°I''ve had enough of your nonsense. Why are you doing this? Tell me!¡± The boy shrugged in nonchnce. ¡°Well, I just wanted to get back at him for chasing after you for half a year. I wanted him to know he shouldn''t mess with my mommy.¡± Bailey''s heart warmed at the boy''s words. Just as she was about to nt a kiss on his cheek, Zayron continued, ¡°He will have to do a DNA test with me if he wants to dispel the rumors, but I''ll onlyply on one condition¡ªhe needs to give me one billion.¡± Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°Scram.¡± Over at the Luther residence, Rhonda was so shaken up that her phone slipped from her fingers and fell to the ground when she saw the news. This cannot be! How can Artemis have another son? From what I know, he has been abstaining from women over the past years. Yes, he did sleep with Bailey eight years ago, but that is because his brother set him up. That means Bailey is the only woman whom he has slept with. How can it be that a boy out there looks so much like him? What on earth is going on? Different scenarios yed in Rhonda''s mind, but only one appeared to be probable. Don''t tell me the doctor screwed up and delivered both her babies. No way. I need to get to the bottom of this! Ring! Rhonda looked down at her phone on the floor and saw that it was her mother. ¡°Yes, Mom? Is something the matter?¡± ¡°Ronni, have you seen what''s on Twitter? Does Artemis really have an illegitimate child? That boy looks so much like him!¡± Rhonda gritted her teeth in spite. ¡°I suspect that he''s Bailey''s other child out of the two. Mom, could you look into this? I can''t let her have the slightest chance of making aeback, or else I will be kicked out of the Luther family.¡± ¡°D*mn it! I thought she went abroad. Why did shee back? I''ll investigate further. I need to know if that child is really Artemis''. If he is...¡± ¡°Kill him,¡± Rhonda pronounced sinisterly. ¡°Sure. You should contact Mrs. Luther too. She loves Maxton a lot, so you should use that to your advantage. Make sure she knows how filthy Bailey is. Then there''s no chance of her ever marrying into the Luther family.¡± Over in the study, Artemis was perplexed looking at the photos of the boy in the posts. He could not believe it had attracted three billion views within an hour. This was even more sensational than when the public found out about Maxton, and Artemis guessed it was because the child in the photos looked more like him than Maxton. Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Despite how much that child resembled him, Artemis still refused to believe that he was rted to him. The only time I slept with a woman was eight years ago when Simon tricked me into doing it. Seven and a half monthster, Rhonda came to me with a child, and the DNA report showed that that boy was indeed mine. But that is a standalone case. Given Rhonda''s greed, she would''ve brought the other child with her if she had had two babies back then. There''s no way she will let the other kid go. Based on that conclusion, Artemis was confident that the news on Twitter was no more than a prank. He scrutinized the photo, and a mocking grin curved on his lips after some time. It might look like there''s nothing wrong with this photo, but nothing escapes my eyes. Artemis could tell that that picture was edited by merging his and the boy''s photo with great precision until both images integrated seamlessly. This kind of technology is only avable to some of the top-notch international hackers. There''s no way a regr person can do this. Artemis was suddenly reminded of Spook. I''ve hunted Spook down for half a year. Don''t tell me this is revenge, but this is childish. Since this picture is merged, I bet I can split them up again. If I can do that, this lie will fall apart on its own. I''m not sure if this is the best way for revenge, Spook. You can''t take me down with such an underhanded stunt. Artemis picked up his phone from the table and called his assistant. ¡°Contact all the major press about my ''illegitimate child'' in person.¡± ¡°Mr. Luther, don''t you think it''ll be too controversial to address the public yourself?¡± the assistant asked. ¡°Just do as I said,¡± Artemis insisted. I can''t wait to see what the other side is ying at. Let''s see if you can really push me to the eye of the storm. Within the next half an hour, news about Artemis holding a press conference to exin the rumor became a trending discussion, recing all the former hot topics. Over in the study at Shelbert Condominium, the two children sprawled on the table, nning their next move. ¡°Hey, Dummy. Have you tried doing live streaming before?¡± Zayron called out. Maxton frowned at the name. Dummy? Why does it feel like it''s a name suitable for Hado? ¡°Nope, Idiot. Why don''t you teach me?¡± Maxton replied. Zayron''s face twitched at the rejoin. It turns out he''s not as dumb as I thought. Why did the reporters say he''s mentally challenged? Besides, he doesn''t look like he''s autistic to me. He''s clever with his words and even swears sometimes. When Maxton saw that his question was greeted with silence, he thought Zayron was angry. He did not want to be chased out of the house, so he continued, ¡°I''ll do anything you ask me to do if you teach me how to do live streaming.¡± Zayron scoffed, ¡°You''re quite sensible, aren''t you? This is my house, so if you want to stay here with my mommy, you''d better listen to everything I say.¡± Maxton darted his gaze around before asking, ¡°Then can you give your mommy to my daddy too?¡± ¡°What?¡± Zayron babbled in shock. ¡°Did you just ask me to give my mommy to your daddy? No way. You''re my aunt''s son, so that makes your daddy my uncle.¡± ¡°She''s not my mother,¡± Maxton replied. Zayron''s eyes turned wide as saucers. ¡°Wow. Okay. I might be naughty sometimes, but at least I still acknowledge my mother. Don''t you think you''re a little too much? I can''t believe you''re so cruel,¡± Zayron remarked. Maxton red at him with his cheeks flushed red in anger. I knew he wouldn''t believe me! Not even Daddy believes what I said. They always think I''m just being ridiculous. ¡°Whatever. Forget it then.¡± Zayron puckered his lips before he continued, ¡°Well, to be honest, I came back to Hallsbay this time to settle an old score with your mommy. She put my mommy through a hard time some time ago. In fact, your mommy is the reason why we lost our... Never mind. I just won''t let her off the hook that easily.¡± Maxton nodded firmly after hearing that. ¡°I''ll help you. Nobody bullies Mommy like that.¡± Zayron was at a loss for words. Is he really dumb? ¡°All right. That''s enough talk. Let''s discuss tomorrow''s live stream. Since your daddy is having a press conference, we should give him a big surprise.¡± ¡°I''m down. It''d be better if we can throw Rhonda a curveball, too,¡± Maxton replied readily. Zayron looked at him, tongue-tied again. He is dumb. Meanwhile, Bailey was humming a tune in the living room as shey on the couch in her pajamas. She had decided to pamper herself with a mask that evening. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Ha! What a wonderful life. It''d be nice if a man could keep me warm, though. But too bad. Nothing of this sort is happening with the two kids around. No one out there would want a woman with two children. I bet they''d feel drained in the long run if they tried to be a dad. Ring! Someone was at the door. Bailey nced at the clock subconsciously. It''s eleven already. Who could it be? Don''t tell me it''s her. ¡°Zayron, answer the door.¡± No one replied to Bailey from inside the study. Ring! Bailey finally could not stand the persistent ringing at the door, so she got up and went to open the door in her baggy pajamas, still wearing her facial mask. She was so shocked her legs gave way when she saw who was at the door. A-Artemis! A strong arm caught her in time, and the same deep, rich voice sounded from above her head. ¡°It seems like you''re afraid of me, Ms. Bailey. Did you do something that made you feel guilty?¡± Bailey swallowed hard. I did. I did wrong you big time. I was cash-strapped back then, so I hacked three billion out of your bank ount, and you pursued me for half a year worldwide. That''s why you made me jump out of my skin. Artemis'' gaze fell on the woman in his arms, and a fleeting hint of disgust gleamed in his eyes. I can''t believe she came to get the door wearing this. Her personal life must be a mess. ¡°Two minutes. You''ve been holding on to me for two minutes now. Don''t you think it''s time you let me go?¡± he questioned. ¡°Oh! I''m sorry. My mind was somewhere else,¡± Bailey quickly answered, standing back up and smiling. ¡°Are you here to get your son, my dear brother-inw?¡± Brother-inw? Artemis frowned subtly. He had never acknowledged Rhonda as his wife. When Rhonda went to him with the child, Artemis had only epted Maxton. He did not once mention that Rhonda was part of the family, so he was displeased when he heard Bailey addressing him that way, but since Artemis was used to concealing his emotion, Bailey could not tell he was upset from his expression. ¡°Is Max in there? He''s been away for days. It''s time for him toe home,¡± Artemis said. Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Bailey wanted nothing more than to stay away from Artemis, but since he had taken the initiative to pick his son up, how could she stop him? ¡°Of course! I''ll get him out now,¡± she hastily replied. ¡°After all, it''s better for kids to stay with their parents. My humble abode is hardly conducive to raising a boy of Maxton''s status.¡± Artemis narrowed his eyes as a steely glint shed across them. Was that my imagination? Why does there seem to be a trace of disdain in her voice? It''s as though she''s chasing us away! With that in mind, his handsome face visibly darkened, and even his tone became terse. ¡°Sorry to trouble you.¡± ¡°Oh, don''t mention it. You''re my brother-inw, which makes you family, so there''s no need to stand on ceremony,¡± Bailey said smilingly before turning around to walk away. D*mn it, I feel so guilty! If he found out I hacked three billion from his ount, I''d be left to rot in prison for the rest of my life! Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. As it turned out, it was difficult for one to walk straight when weighed down by guilt because it wasn''t long before Bailey''s shrill cry echoed through the house. ¡°Argh!¡± Her left leg seemed to have a mind of its own as it tripped over the right, causing her to lose bnce and fall backward. Sh*t, what if the back of my head hits the ground first? That''d be terrible! To Bailey''s surprise, however, the pain she had braced herself for never came. Instead, she felt herself falling into someone''s arms. She was hit by a cold aura almost immediately as a masculine scent, mixed with hints of mint, seeped into her pores. It was such a fresh and intoxicating smell that a single whiff was enough to make one feel tipsy. Artemis remained stoic as he stared at the woman in his embrace, his gaze intense and contemptuous. I knew it! Women are all the same. They always y hard to get and would pull any tricks to catch a man''s attention. When Bailey saw Artemis'' ugly scowl, she quickly exined, ¡°I''m so sorry, Mr. Luther. I tripped over my own feet.¡± Unfortunately, thetter wasn''t buying that story. Convinced that Bailey was taking the opportunity to seduce him, he couldn''t help but scoff, ¡°Well, well, well. I never thought Ms. Bailey from the Jefferson family would be so wanton. Rumor has it that you slept with a man eight years ago for five million. What are you up to this time?¡± Needless to say, Bailey was furious. What an idiotic sc*mbag! I''m not up to anything! Why the f*ck would he believe Rhonda''s words, anyway? He''s one of the wealthiest men in the world, yet he''s such a horrible judge of character. ¡°Oh, you must be joking, Mr. Luther. I hear the trend these days is of men eloping with their younger sisters-inw instead of hooking up with the older ones. You think too highly of yourself,¡± she quipped before attempting to wriggle out of his embrace. The next second, however, a hand shot out and grabbed her waist. ¡°Are you not admitting it? What''s your exnation for falling into my arms, then?¡± Bailey struggled to escape his clutches but to no avail. What the h*ll? I''d rather fall on the ground than onto him! ¡°You''re a prominent figure, Mr. Luther, so what are you ying at now?¡± she asked coldly. ¡°Do you think there isn''t enough news about you on Twitter? Is that why you''vee to flirt with me so you can be a trending topic again?¡± It was clear that Bailey was trying to goad Artemis, but s, that had little to no effect on a calm and ¡°I''ve always wondered why my son loves clinging to you, Ms. Bailey. It can''t just be because you''re his aunt, can it? That would be too far-fetched. Therefore, I''ve decided to get to know you better and find out what it is that attracts him to you.¡± For a moment, Bailey was rendered speechless. It''s fine if he wants to be acquainted with me, but does he have to hold onto me so tightly? ¡°Let go of me first, and we can slowly talk this through.¡± To Bailey''s horror, Artemis raised his eyebrows and tightened his grip around her. ¡°But I think the closer we are, the better I''ll get to know you. Tell me, are you using the kid to get close to me?¡± Bailey''s eyes instantly widened with incredulity. F*ck! Why does this man have such a weird and illogical line of reasoning? He''s utterly shameless! Unable to put up with Artemis'' behavior any longer, Bailey suddenly whipped around in his arms, and the next thing they knew, they were shuddering as a tingling sensation coursed through their bodies. As it turned out, Bailey''s soft, red lips had brushed against Artemis'', sending waves of emotions crashing over them. A gasp swiftly rang out as two little heads poked out of the study. ¡°Oh, my. Have they just kissed? Isn''t that how stories of sisters-inw eloping with their younger brothers-inw always start?¡± The one who had just spoken up was none other than Zayron, and Maxton, too, quickly chimed in, ¡°They''re a match made in heaven! Cue the apuse!¡± Having snapped out of her daze, Bailey mustered up all her strength and shoved the man away. A loud thud soon followed as she mmed the door in his face. With the sound still reverberating through Bailey''s head, her heart began pounding even faster. It also didn''t help that Artemis'' scent and cool touch made such an intoxicatingbination. No, I have to resist! I can''t let him seduce me like this, not when I''ve stolen three billion from him! More importantly, Rhonda has slept with him before! ¡°What are you boys looking at?¡± Bailey scolded. ¡°Have you never seen a pervert flirting with an innocent woman? Get back into your room this instant! Also, forget everything you''ve just seen. Do you hear me?¡± The two boys exchanged looks as they scratched their noses awkwardly. ¡°That was your father, wasn''t it?¡± Zayron asked. Maxton, on the other hand, was bubbling with excitement. He couldn''t believe that his father was finally finding him a stepmother, and it was Bailey whom he truly liked. ¡°Yes, that''s right,¡± he replied. ¡°Isn''t it amazing that my father hugged your mother? It''s sheer blind luck!¡± Zayron, however, rolled his eyes. ¡°Don''t forget you have your biological mother, though. I never understood why you''d fight with me over mine when you can spend time with yours. Are all rich kids as willful as you?¡± ¡°She''s not as nice as your mother!¡± Maxton retorted as he puffed his cheeks out in exasperation. ¡°I like Bailey. I wouldn''t mind having her as my stepmother.¡± Meanwhile, outside the condominium, Artemis stood at the entrance while ring at the closed door in front of him. D*mn it! Did I just get thrown out of the house? Not only is she an uncultured woman, but she also goes around seducing men. What a good-for-nothing! I thought leaving Maxton with her would be a safe option, but who knew we had walked into a lion''s den? It''s even more frustrating that he likes her so much, to the point where he''s forgotten that he''s my son. F*ck! If it weren''t for my upbringing and the fact that I have to watch my behavior, I''d have punished that little ingrate! Ding! Just then, an elevator opposite him opened, and two fashionably dressed youngdies walked out. They chatted happily away and showed no signs of stopping even after exiting the elevator. ¡°Carol, I''m so upset. Thetest rumor about Artemis is that he has an illegitimate child. He has slept with so many women, so why hasn''t he picked me yet? If we had a night together, I''m sure I''d be able to give him a child. Who knows? That might even give me a boost on the socialdder!¡± ¡°Why would Artemis Luther want to be with a nobody like you? Do you know his worth? He''s worth more than three hundred and fifty billion and is the fifth richest man in the world. Even the most eligible women would have to bow in his presence and be at his beck and call. As for us, I think we ought to back down and stop having such unrealistic expectations. Besides, it''s nighttime. It''s toote to be daydreaming.¡± Chapter 8 Chapter 8 ¡°Ha! How would you know if I hadn''t had the chance? If I ever got the opportunity to sleep with him, I''d have his baby and be the next Mrs. Luther.¡± ¡°Fine, fine. I''ll call you Mrs. Luther, then. Happy?¡± Meanwhile, the subject of their scandalous conversation had an angry grimace on the man''s face. My goodness, is this how women talk about me in public? Argh! Can they be any more disgusting? Perhaps it was his piercing gaze, but it didn''t take long before the twodies instinctively turned toward him. Unsurprisingly, one nce was all it took for them to be captivated by Artemis'' darkly handsome face. ¡°Wow, Carol, that man''s so handsome. Since when did we have such a good-looker move into the condominium?¡± The youngdy named Carol hastily tugged at her friend''s sleeve and whispered, ¡°Hey, Lily, don''t you find him familiar?¡± Upon hearing that, Lily stole a few coy nces at Artemis. ¡°Now that you''ve mentioned it, I must say he does look familiar. It feels like I''ve seen him somewhere before...¡± ¡°I-I think he''s Artemis Luther,¡± Carol mumbled after clearing her throat. ¡°Didn''t you just say you want to have his child and be Mrs. Luther?¡± Lily froze in her tracks as her eyes widened. ¡°A-Artemis... W-What''s he doing here?¡± ¡°Have you forgotten about the single mother living in unit 501? She has a son who''s about seven years old...¡± Soon, the realization hit Lily. Oh, my goodness. The truth is out! ¡°Does that mean the rumored illegitimate child is¡ª¡± ¡°Shush! Watch your words. You don''t want to get into trouble, do you?¡± With that, the two women quickly fled the scene, leaving Artemis frowning away with an indiscernible expression. Single mother? Seven-year-old son? That reminds me. I''m sure I heard two boys in the house earlier. One of them was my son, but unfortunately, that wretched woman chased me out before I could take a closer look at the other one. From what I know, she gave birth to a dead baby seven years ago. Could there be more to this than meets the eye? With that thought in mind, Artemis pulled out his phone and promptly dialed his assistant''s number. ¡°Hey, I want you to find out which hospital Bailey Jefferson delivered her baby seven years ago and why there were rumors that the baby was dead.¡± Later that night, another scandal broke on Twitter. Breaking news: Artemis Luther shows up at a residential buildingte at night, seemingly to visit his seven-year-old illegitimate child. In a short span of twelve hours, Artemis once again became a trending topic. He, who used to be low-key and aloof, was swiftly thrust into the eye of the storm as the news gained more and more traction. Manyizens spected that Artemis had tried to cover up the incident by paying off mother and child, only to be rejected and shown the door. To make matters worse, the photo uploaded onto Twitter was of him standing gloomily at the condominium unit, staring at the closed door in front of him. That, to theizens, was irrefutable evidence that he had gotten chased out of the house! The next day, at ten in the morning, Luther Group''s press conference went on as scheduled at the convention center. Top media outlets from all over the country had flocked to the venue, making it one of the grandest events of the year. After all, Artemis Luther was one of the wealthiest men in the world. As the head of the most prestigious Luther family, he had hundreds of billions of assets at his disposal, and a mere appearance from him was enough to generate the most explosive news that shocked the world. Now that rumors were spreading about his illegitimate child, the first news outlet to uncover the truth would undoubtedly be rolling in dough. Even if they couldn''t get first-hand information, they''d still be able to work with inside stories and embellish them for their readers. In short, any articles published about Artemis would still rake in a tidy Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. sum of money. Back at the venue, the head of Luther Group''s public rtions department had just finished giving his speech on stage when the staff switched the camera view to the lounge. In an instant, Artemis'' handsome face came into everyone''s view. Dressed in a dark gray suit with no tie, the top two buttons on his shirt were undone, revealing his beautifully bronzed skin. The manliness and irresistible charm radiating off him only entuated his chiseled features. With his sleeves casually rolled up, everyone could see his powerful right arm moving a mouse around while an eye-catching watch worth millions rested on his left wrist. There was no denying that Artemis Luther was a man who had everything¡ªfame, riches, status, and looks. Despite only being twenty-eight years old, he had already be one of the most famous and aplished entrepreneurs. Not only did he have businesses in more than a hundred sectors all over the world, but he also had assets worth hundreds of billions. Anyone who had heard of him would agree that he was a true winner in life. Since the press conference was a live broadcast, bursts of exmations and shouts immediately rang out in the public square when Artemis'' face appeared on the screen. ¡°Artemis...¡± ¡°Artemis, oh Artemis, how I wish I could profess my love to you...¡± ¡°My goodness, he''s so handsome! I-I think I''m going to faint!¡± ¡°Oh, when will I get the chance to sleep with Mr. Luther and have his child? That way, I can be the center of attraction when he holds another press conference!¡± After fiddling with hisptop for a while, Artemis slowly looked up and said in a low voice, ¡°Hello, everyone. I''m the head of Luther Group, Artemis Luther. Thank you to our friends from the media and all the viewers currently watching this broadcast for taking the time to join me for this press conference. I''m aware of the online rumors that I have a seven-year-old illegitimate child, and that''s what I''d like to address and rify today. Regarding the photo posted on Twitter yesterday, I''ve verified it and can conclude that someone had intentionally photoshopped it. Now, please take a look at the image projected behind me. I''ll demonstrate how it had been manipted and subsequently reveal the original photo.¡± As someone who had graduated from a prestigious university with two PhDs, usingputer software to analyze a photo was a piece of cake for Artemis. His slender fingers continued to fly across the keyboard, and the image behind him began to shed its Once again, viewers''ments started pouring in. ¡°Look, it really was a photoshopped picture.¡± ¡°That''s right! Artemis is so clever that he has even mastered suchplexputer skills. No wonder he''s seen as the most desirable man in the country!¡± ¡°Ah, I love him so much! He''s so d*mn cool!¡± ¡°Was I the only one staring at Mr. Luther''s fingers? They are so long and well-defined! I''m sure his fingers alone will send any woman into ecstasy. Ah, what should I do now? I can''t stop obsessing over him! How I wish I could touch him through the screen!¡± The next second, Artemis spoke up again in his deep, maic voice. ¡°I believe everyone can discern the truth for yourselves after watching my photo analysis. More importantly, I hope that''d be the end to the rumors about me having an illegitimate child. If any media outlets continue to publish these fake news and affect my personal life, I''ll have no choice but to get my legal team to take action. If push With that, pin drop silence befell the entire venue as everyone exchanged looks. What? Is that the end of this scandal? Is there nothing else for us? Chapter 9 Chapter 9 Wait, this is different from what we initially expected. We thought Mr. Luther wanted to use the media to admit that he has an illegitimate son so he can bring his illegitimate son back to the Luther family officially before marrying the child''s mother. What the h*ll is going on? On the stage, the person in charge of the public rtions department coughed and exined, ¡°Mr. Luther has rified the rumors personally. I believe you''re smart enough to know how to write the news without needing my reminder.¡± Silence ensued. He added, ¡°All right. If that''s it, the conference shall end¡ª¡± Before he could finish his words, an ear-splitting crackling sound reverberated in the venue. In the next second, two little figures appeared on the screen on the stage. One was familiar to everyone, for he was the little boy Artemis had just unmerged out of the photo using his skills. The other one was... ¡°Oh, isn''t that Maxton? I can''t believe he''s with the other boy!¡± ¡°Is there something that we don''t know?¡± ¡°Yeah, you might be right.¡± The person in charge of the public rtions department cursed under his breath. Mr. Luther will never get to clear his name. He hinted at one staff to switch off the projector. The staff immediately typed on the keyboard furiously. s, nothing worked even after he hit the ESC key, restart key, pause key, enter key, and toggled everything he could. Cold sweat started beading on his forehead. D*mn it. Kids nowadays are really good at causing trouble, huh? They didn''t even bother sparing my feelings! ¡°Let me introduce myself. My name is Maxton Luther.¡± After hearing Maxton''s words, everyone''s jaw dropped in disbelief. The Luther family''s darling grandson can talk? Isn''t he a mute, suffering from intellectual disability and autism? Why is he suddenly talking? Does his daddy know he can speak? Artemis was obviously in the know. Right now, he was sitting on the couch, his expression as dark as thunder. Staring at his son, he wanted nothing more than to stuff the little boy back into his mommy''s stomach to get a change of personality! This brat! In the video, Maxton finished introducing himself and turned to Zayron, who was standing beside him. Without warning, he then added, ¡°This is my big brother. I just got to know him a while ago, and I''d like everyone to get to know him.¡± Boom! Maxton''s voice hit everyone at the conference like a bolt of lightning. Astounded, they looked at each other in bafflement. Mr. Luther, your son, introduced his brother to us right after you''ve just quelled the rumors! What a p in the face! Does it hurt? ¡°D*mn, so he''s really Mr. Luther''s son!¡± ¡°Isn''t it obvious? They imed to be brothers. That''s enough to prove there''s something fishy going on.¡± ¡°You''re right. I have observed them carefully and realized they look like brothers. They definitely share the same father.¡± ¡°Oh, Mr. Luther made a mistake. iming that the photo was edited by photoshop doesn''t sound that convincing anymore. If he wants to clear his name, he will have to show a paternity test.¡± All microphones were pointed at the stage. ¡°Mr. Longman, Maxton has admitted that the little boy is his brother. Is there something that we don''t know?¡± ¡°Mr. Longman, someone spotted Mr. Luther at a residential areast night. It seemed that he went there to meet the child''s birth mother. He nned to give her money and kick them out of Hallsbay. Is this true?¡± ¡°Mr. Longman, why did Mr. Luther deny that the little boy is his son? Is he afraid that the illegitimate son will try to get the legitimate son''s inheritance if he were to return to the family?¡± ¡°Mr. Longman, is Mr. Luther trying to nip this in the bud so the brothers won''t be involved in an internal strife and be rivals in the future?¡± The questions hurled at him were harsh. Quentin Longman, the person in charge of the public rtions department, couldn''t stop ayer of cold sweat from forming on his head. His experience told him that trying to exin would only make the matter worse. Silence would be the best way to refute rumors. ¡°Mr. Longman, as you can''t provide us with a valid reason, please call Mr. Luther so we can interview him personally.¡± Before Quentin could say anything, the revolving door swung open to reveal a tall figure, who strode in nked by a few bodyguards. ¡°That''s Mr. Luther! Mr. Luther is here!¡± The reporters swarmed over to the revolving door. A frown marred Artemis'' brows as he stared at the microphones before him, his face devoid of Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. expression. Before the reporters could ask anything, he said, ¡°Children love speaking nonsense. I didn''t teach my son well, so he spoke recklessly. The boys are childhood friends, and it''s normal for them to address each other as brothers. That alone isn''t proof that he''s my son.¡± After a pause, he added, ¡°To dispel your doubts, I shall ask an expert from the hospital to show you the results of our paternity test. You''ll find out the truth then. I have an urgent meeting to host, so I''m going to take my leave now. The press conference shall end now. Please excuse me.¡± Having said that, he spun on his heels and strode toward the revolving door. Cameras began clicking away. The reporters wanted to go after him, but dozens of bodyguards dressed in ck blocked their paths. ¡°Mr. Luther, will you alter the paternity test report?¡± ¡°Mr. Luther, why did you refuse to acknowledge that he''s your son?¡± ¡°Mr. Luther...¡± Artemis marched out of the convention center wearing an icy expression. Outside, he growled, ¡°Head to Shelbert Condominium now!¡± His assistant, Dwayne Derning, immediately advised him, ¡°Mr. Luther, you''re the talk of the town now. Reporters are tailing you everywhere. Why don''t you stay put for now?¡± Artemis stopped in his tracks and pinned Dwayne with a withering look. ¡°Did you find out what I asked you to investigate earlier?¡± he demanded. Dwayne took two steps back and nodded. ¡°Seven years ago, Ms. Bailey gave birth at a private hospital. The hospital has already gone bankrupt. From what I gathered, she gave birth to a stillborn baby.¡± Something urred to him as he raised his voice. ¡°By the way, Ms. Rhonda''s date of delivery was the same day as Ms. Bailey''s. Yet, Ms. Rhonda was pregnant with your child and didn''t get kicked out of the Jefferson family. She gave birth to her child in the Jefferson residence.¡± Artemis narrowed his eyes. Both sisters had the exact date of delivery? One gave birth to a dead baby, and the other gave birth to Maxton. As a little boy around Maxton''s age was with Bailey seven yearster, it was evident that her child didn''t die back then. He couldn''t help but wonder why the investigation results showed otherwise. ¡°Did you find out who she sold her body to eight years ago?¡± Chapter 10 Chapter 10 Dwayne blinked twice. His eyes lit up as though he had discovered a new side of his employer. Mr. Luther seems overly concerned about Ms. Bailey, huh? Why is he asking about her? There''s something fishy going on. I must be right! ¡°It''s Mr. David Larson from Harway Group. He took a liking to Ms. Bailey and paid five million for her virginity,¡± Dwayne revealed. Artemis'' gaze darkened. What Dwayne said must''ve incurred his wrath, for his aura turned imposing. ¡°Do a paternity test for them. I need to know the answer in three days.¡± Dwayne remained silent. ¡°What''s wrong? Didn''t you hear me? Do I have to repeat myself?¡± ¡°No, of course not.¡± Dwayne touched his nose. What a tyrant. His fury sprang to life without warning. I can''t handle him right now. ¡°Why don''t you use your own DNA to run a paternity test with the boy? Is there a need to use Mr. Larson''s DNA?¡± Artemis shot him a wintry look. ¡°I know he isn''t my son but insists on doing a paternity test with him. If you were in my shoes, would you do something this foolish?¡± Uh... Dwayne initially wanted to ask why Artemis was so sure that the little boy wasn''t his son but changed his mind as that question seemed even more stupid. Those who knew Artemis well knew he was forced to sleep with Rhonda eight years ago. After that, he never touched other women, so he didn''t have other illegitimate children. ¡°All right. I know what to do. If the report shows that the little boy is Mr. Larson''s son, what should we do?¡± Dwayne asked. ¡°Announce the truth to the public,¡± came Artemis'' cold voice as he made his way to the parking lot. ¡°What if he isn''t Mr. Larson''s son?¡± ¡°Then change the names of the paternity test to mine and the boy''s name before announcing the results to the public. Get it?¡± Dwayne was speechless. He''s a sly fox. Look at how he managed to remove himself from the matter effortlessly. All these years, the top hacker, Spook, who hacked his system six months ago and transferred three billion away from his ount, was the only one who managed to deliver a setback to him. He went after the hacker all around the world but didn''t even manage to find him. That''s pretty sad. It turns out there is someone in the world who can teach the tyrant a lesson. Twodies were seated by the window of a caf¨¦ at Century Square. One of them was Bailey, who was stirring her espresso idly. Sitting across from her was a fashionably dresseddy with a brte bob. d in her work outfit, she looked like a professional workingdy. Thisdy was Victoria Saunders, Bailey''s best friend. They had been ssmates for over ten years, and no one coulde between their rtionship. ¡°I''ve been overseas for a few years, and the change is huge. Hallsbay is more developedpared to eight years ago,¡± Baileymented. Victoria was typing on her phone and looked up. Arching a brow, she replied, ¡°Of course. Don''t you know who calls the shots here?¡± Bailey shed a smile. The Luther family calls the shot here, huh? Right. He''s worth hundreds of billions, so the businesses under hispany can quickly drive the area''s economy, regardless of any country or city. Hallsbay became a special economic zone and a cosmopolitan city as they had Artemis as their money tree. With him around, the city''s GDP increased three hundred percent yearly. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°What the heck! Did you bring Maxton from the Luther family to your condominium?¡± Victoria''s sudden yell broke Bailey''s train of thoughts. She nced at the phone that Victoria had ced on the table instinctively. One nce was enough for her heart to sink. Zayron... Victoria went to Twitter and scrolled for a while before eximing, ¡°D*mn it! I got drunkst night and slept until morning. I can''t believe I missed out on this exciting piece of gossip! This illegitimate child is Zayron, right? The photo had been photoshopped, but his features are still recognizable. What is his n? Does he want to get himself a stepfather? He has good taste for picking Artemis, huh?¡± Bailey twitched her lips helplessly. Good for him. He''s causing trouble for me. ¡°Mr. Luther is worth hundreds of billions. Zayron is greedy, so it''s perfectly normal for him to suck up to Mr. Luther.¡± Victoria winked and shed a knowing smile. ¡°Be honest with me. Did you take a liking to him and want to use your son to get close to him?¡± Bailey red at her and exined, ¡°I ran into a child at the airport on the day of my return. He was running a high temperature, so I sent him to the hospital. I didn''t realize until muchter that he''s Maxton.¡± She trailed off as something urred to her. Her expression turned icy, and she added, ¡°I want nothing more than to stay away from Rhonda''s son. Why would I bring him to my condominium? He was the one who clung to me and refused to eat for two days just to be with me. Artemis had to give in and send him to my ce. I didn''t harbor any thoughts about him, I swear! They are Rhonda''s husband and son. The mere thought gives me goosebumps. Why would I take a liking to them?¡± Hearing that, Victoria heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°Jokes aside, Bay, I don''t want you to get too close to Artemis. This is my advice as your friend. He''s too influential and dangerous to be a suitable partner for life.¡± Bailey chuckled. Exhaling sharply, she said, ¡°You''re thinking too much. That sounds ridiculous. I''m a woman with a child, so why would Artemis like me? You''re overestimating my abilities. Of course, the most important part is that Rhonda had sex with him previously. That is disgusting.¡± Victoria giggled and joked, ¡°Why do your luck in love differ so much? She slept with an eligible bachelor, while you don''t even know who you slept with.¡± As Bailey''s expression turned dark, she immediately changed the topic. ¡°Fine, let''s stop talking about scums. They are boring. We should talk about something else. You seemed upset when you mentioned Rhonda earlier. She was responsible for your granny''s death and your child, who died prematurely. Won''t you avenge them?¡± A mocking grin flitted across Bailey''s lips. ¡°I won''t have to take action myself, for Zayron will teach her a lesson. Just wait and see. She wouldn''t get to be smug for long. I might spare her life if she doesn''t dig her own grave. However, if shees up with any scheme, I''ll make sure to destroy her reputation so she''ll never be able to clear her name.¡± Just then, her phone rang. She fished it out hastily. The caller ID showed it was a call from Zayron. Instinctively, she answered the call. However, it wasn''t her son''s voice that greeted her through the phone. Instead, it was... ¡°The boys are suffering from food poisoning. They are in the Luther residence''s infirmary. I''ll give you half an hour to reach here.¡± It seemed that something had exploded in her brain. Chapter 11 Chapter 11 The boys have food poisoning? How is that possible? ¡°Hey, what happened¡ª¡± Before she could finish, the call was ended. Bailey calmed herself down and rose from her seat. She scooped her bag from the table and headed to the door. ¡°Vicky, I have something urgent to attend to. We shall talk another time. Oh, please help me to call Luther Group and tell them I''ll be reporting to work tomorrow. I guarantee toplete the gown''s design in time.¡± Victoria got to her feet and frowned. ¡°Why are you in such a hurry? Did something happen?¡± ¡°It''s nothing serious, but I have to handle it personally. Don''t worry.¡± Coming to a stop, she turned at her shoulder and advised, ¡°Vicky, don''t drink too much alcohol. It only makes you wallow in your despair and brings harm to your body. Some people are meant to be passers-by in your life. You might be wallowing in despair because of him, but he could be with another woman and doesn''t even remember who you are.¡± A sh of sadness and anguish flitted across Victoria''s eyes. That man... I betrayed him, and his reputation was destroyed. He was forced to give up. Back in the Luther residence, many people were anxiously waiting outside the infirmary. The boys suddenly frothed at the mouth and were critically ill. They would''ve been dead if they weren''t sent here to get treated in time. ¡°Tell me. What happened? I left Hallsbay barely half a month ago, but my darling grandson is in this state!¡± Felicity Chivers demanded. Fury crossed her face as she red at Rhonda, who was standing not far away. Clearly, she adored Maxton. The boy''s mother came from an ordinary family, but that didn''t stop her from showering her love on her grandson. Rhonda stood in her spot helplessly. Everyone knew that Felicity was no pushover. She was known for being sharp, harsh, and arrogant. If Rhonda hadn''t ¡°given birth¡± to Artemis'' son, she wouldn''t have been epted by Felicity. Over the years, she made a lot of effort to tter her mother-inw. ¡°Speak! Are you mute? Have you forgotten how to speak?¡± Felicity demanded. Rhonda nced at her fearfully. Her lips trembled as she pretended to be stumped. ¡°M-Mom...¡± Once she said that out loud, Artemis shot her a wintry look. Shocked, she immediately changed her form of address. ¡°M-Mrs. Luther, it was my sister, Bailey, who drugged Max. She was jealous that I gave birth to a son for the Luther family.¡± Felicity''s face was dark as she demanded, ¡°Sister? Who is that? What is going on?¡± Rhonda shot a look at Artemis carefully. As he seemed calm and showed no signs of stopping her, she mustered her courage and revealed what had happened over the past few days. Felicity leaped up from her chair furiously. ¡°Bailey Jefferson? Was she the one who sold her virginity for five million, got pregnant before she got married, and gave birth to a dead child? The scandalous eldest daughter of the Jefferson family?¡± Rhonda hung her head low as a calctive glint appeared in her eyes. ¡°Yes, that''s her. She was jealous that I gave birth to Maxton and drugged him to take his life¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Artemis barked. He warned, ¡°The matter hasn''t been investigated yet. You aren''t to make conclusions this early.¡± Rhonda swallowed her remaining words and staggered backward anxiously. Fine, I shall shut up. I''ve said what I wanted to say, anyway. Bailey won''t be able to turn the tables. Felicity red at her son. ¡°You''re usually smart, but why are you tricked by a greedy woman who sold herself for five million? You even sent your son to her house!¡± Artemis looked down, seemingly deep in thought. A whileter, he parted his lips and said gently, ¡°We should focus on the kids. Let''s talk about the rest when they are no longer in danger.¡± Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Felicity snorted and clenched her jaw. ¡°That b*tch is trying to get Max''s attention and use him to get close to you. She wants to marry you to rise through the ranks! Max saw through her, and the woman got afraid. She then decided to poison him to death. D*mn it! How dare she poison the heir of the Luther family? I''ll make sure she gets sent to jail!¡± Turning to the butler, she ordered, ¡°Call Mr. Chestway and ask him toe over now.¡± ¡°Got it, Mrs. Luther.¡± Artemis narrowed his eyes as something unfathomable appeared in his gaze. However, he didn''t stop his mother''s decision and did nothing to stop the butler from leaving to carry out her order. Rhonda suddenly lowered her head as a corner of her lips curled into a malicious grin. What a simple and quick way to kill two birds with one stone. I can get rid of the two bastards and send Bailey to jail! The poison was strong, so I believe the bastards won''t survive. If the Luther family''s darling dies, they will tear Bailey apart! Ha! I can''t wait to see Bailey in jail! Sounds of hurried footsteps sounded at the end of the corridor. It was Bailey, who had arrived in a hurry. She had just arrived at the room''s door when Felicity strode ahead and lifted her arm to p her left cheek. Shocked, Bailey retreated hastily and barely managed to avoid the p. s, she couldn''t stop herself from falling on her back. Instead of the pain she had expected, she fell into a warm embrace. A familiar minty scent wafted into her nostrils. No wonder women flocked to Artemis and did their best to attract his attention. He''s indeed a hunk. Putting his family background and wealth aside, Artemis was blessed with looks that could make women go crazy over him. A pity that the b*tch Rhonda slept with him. What a waste. At the sight of Bailey falling into Artemis'' embrace, Rhonda couldn''t stop her expression from contorting up. I moved into the Luther residence seven years ago but never managed to be that intimate with Artemis. What right does this b*tch Bailey has to be in his arms? ¡°B-Bailey, why did you poison Max? He''s your nephew! How could you do this to him?¡± Felicity was brimming in anger as she failed to p Bailey a while ago. Her fury promptly heightened when she heard Rhonda mention Maxton''s name. Chapter 12 Chapter 12 She stormed forward and grabbed Bailey by the arm before forcefully yanking thetter out of Artemis'' embrace. Upon feeling the extra weight and warmth on his chest being lifted off all of a sudden, Artemis felt a sense of mild difort. Subconsciously, he drew his brows together. The swift change in his expression was noticed by Rhonda. Artemis really is starting to catch feelings for her. No. I can''t let this continue. Otherwise, I''ll really lose everything. With her grip still firmly on Bailey''s arm, Felicity pulled Bailey aside and red at her. ¡°So you''re the eldest daughter of the Jefferson family? The one that got kicked out? Ugh, look at you. You look just like a vixen. Why don''t you look at yourself in the mirror? What makes you think you''re good enough to get close to my son and grandson?¡± Feeling the dull ache on her arm, Bailey was getting increasingly impatient. A glint of annoyance shed across her eyes. ¡°You''re absolutely right, Mrs. Luther. Every person in the Luther family is a precious, expensive purebred poodle. Thus, you should really take good care of your two dogs,¡± Bailey mocked. Every word she spoke wasced with sarcasm and disdain. At her words, Artemis fell silent, in awe that she could tear someone down without a single swear word. ¡°You¡ª¡± Enraged, Felicity flung Bailey''s arm away from herself forcefully as she heaved violently. From the way she was huffing, it was evident that Felicity was livid. ¡°Stubborn, as expected. Well, let''s see if you can still act so arrogantly in jail!¡± Jail? Bailey narrowed her eyes. The truth of the matter has yet to be revealed, but they''re already using me of being the culprit. Did they n to throw me into jail for eternity? Bailey shifted her gaze to Artemis before raising an eyebrow. ¡°Do you also think I was the one who poisoned them, Mr. Luther?¡± In response, Artemis peered at her calmly. ¡°The police will unmask the culprit behind the poisoning the moment they start investigating,¡± he stated casually. Bailey''s mouth snapped shut. Hah! Guess I won''t be able to clear my name anymore. After all, the children had gotten poisoned in her condominium. It was no surprise that she would be the prime suspect. Seeing that Bailey had gone silent with no intention of exining herself, Artemis frowned subconsciously. This woman sure is calm. She can remainposed even when something so huge is happening. Both she and Rhonda are daughters of the Jefferson family, so how are they so different? If Rhonda was a tenth of the woman Bailey is, perhaps Rhonda wouldn''t struggle to subdue her own son. Ding! Just then, the doors of the emergency room opened. A young man in a white coat exited through the doors. At the sight of the doctor, Felicity quickly rushed forward. Meanwhile, Rhonda clenched her fists subconsciously, silently praying that the two kids did not make it. She wanted nothing more than the both of them dead. ¡°Mr. Xuereb, how''s my grandson?¡± Justin reached up to rub his forehead before answering in a tired tone, ¡°That was some strong poison. If they were sent in here ten minutester, both of the kids would have been gone. I have performed gastricvage on both children and given them antidotes. Their condition is stable now.¡± His words sent a wave of relief to everyone in the room, except Rhonda. Felicity patted her chest tofort herself as she sighed in relief. ¡°It''s just a false rm. False rm,¡± she mumbled. ¡°One is bound for good fortune after surviving a great disaster. My good grandson will be safe and healthy in the future.¡± With that, she strode into the emergency room. Bailey was concerned for her son as well. After standing unmoving for three seconds, she quickly followed Felicity inside. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Tossing a nce at the doctor, Artemis spoke. ¡°Justin, follow me to the study. I have something to ask you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Instantly, Rhonda was left alone in the wide corridor. Raising her head, she stared at the ¡°Emergency Room¡± spelled out in big red bold letters as her fists tightened. Her sharp nails pierced through her flesh, inviting a slow flow of fresh blood. Truly sons of a b*tch. Can''t even get killed. Heh! Don''t think that you''re off the hook just because the children are fine! Rhonda smirked, well aware that she was Maxton''s legal guardian. The mere fact that Maxton was poisoned was enough to send Bailey to jail. Meanwhile, in the emergency room, Bailey''s eyes reddened as she looked at her son, who was lying as still as a rock on the bed. The child''s paleplexion was proof of the scary episode that had happened a moment ago. If it weren''t for Justin''s impressive medical skills, the children would have been... At that thought, Bailey balled her hands into fists. She made a mental note to avenge her son one day, certain that she would make the culprit pay. For a while, Bailey stood silently by the bedside before eventually bending down to pick Zayron up, preparing to leave. However, just as she started to make her way to the door, Rhonda entered the room, blocking her in her tracks. ¡°Where are you going, Bailey? The matter of the poisoning has yet to be settled. Are you nning to leave just like that?¡± ¡°Move.¡± Bailey''s voice turned icy as she snarled. ¡°Shouldn''t you know who the true culprit is? Do you have no self-awareness?¡± Rhonda pursed her lips. Her vision blurred as crocodile tears began to form in her eyes. ¡°What do you mean by that, Bailey? Max has been living in your condominium for a few days. I didn''t even see him during that period. Now that something has happened to him, how could you me me instead?¡± As she spoke, her tears began to spill from the corner of her eyes, rolling down her cheeks like a waterfall. She looked as though she had heard the usation of the century. Impatience flickered across Bailey''s gaze as the tension in her body rose. She had no interest to stay and watch Rhonda put on a pitiful act. In fact, she was downright disgusted by it. ¡°Unit 501, third block, Shelbert Condominium, Lightspring Street, Summerbank. Ms. Rhonda, if you''re so sure that I poisoned your son, feel free to send the police to the address that I''ve just given you so I can be arrested. Don''t worry, I won''t run away. Not like I can, anyway.¡± With that being said, Bailey kicked Rhonda in her shin without hesitation, causing thetter to lose her bnce. Rhonda''s knees hit the ground with a thud. ¡°Ah!¡± Rhonda held onto her knees tightly. The tears in her eyes continued to stream down her face dramatically. ¡°Bailey, y-you''re too much! How could you act so arrogant and unreasonable?¡± Without even tossing Rhonda a nce, Bailey went around Rhonda to head for the door while carrying her son. ¡°Hold it right there!¡± Felicity''s voice rang out from behind her. ¡°Who gave you the courage for you to behave in such an uncivilized manner in the Luther residence?¡± When she saw that Bailey had no intention of stopping, her anger instantly skyrocketed. ¡°Get her! Tie up this woman! I want to see how hardheaded she can get, challenging the power of Luther Group!¡± Felicity thundered. Steady footsteps began to echo through the room. Within seconds, a couple of trained bodyguards, all dressed fully in ck, stormed in and surrounded Bailey. Just then, Rhonda scrambled up to her feet. With tears in her eyes, she turned to look at Bailey with an aggrieved look. Her almond eyes widened as she sniffled. ¡°You''re bing more and more despicable, Bailey. Max is still so young. How could you find it in your heart to harm him? You didn''t even spare your own son just so you can poison mine. With such a venomous heart, aren''t you afraid that you''ll get struck by lightning?¡± A small smile formed on Bailey''s lips, but her gaze was as cold as ice. She already had her suspicions then, but Rhonda''s words just confirmed it for her. Thetter had something to do with the poisoning of the children. However, Bailey could not wrap her head around it. Why would Rhonda poison her own son as well? Is it just so I''ll spend a few years in jail? Chapter 13 Chapter 13 Is that necessary? Rhonda had already moved into the Luther residence. If things went smoothly, she would be the next jail. Moreover, she was not threatening Rhonda''s position in any way, so why would thetter n such a troublesome scheme to get her into trouble? Felicity walked over and stretched out her hand to support Rhonda, who looked as though she was about to fall at any moment. ¡°Don''t cry, Ronni. She''ll pay for everything once she goes to jail. I know you''re heartbroken for Max. Don''t worry, he''s the darling of the Luther family. Whoever harms him will have to face my wrath. I will make sure they spend the rest of their lives locked away,¡± Felicity Sniffling, Rhonda forced another tear out of her eye. Her voice cracked as she spoke. ¡°If Bailey apologizes, I might feel better and let things go. B-But, not only did she poison my son, but she also Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. med it on me, as if I would harm my own child. I carried Max in my womb for eight months. What mother would harm their child? Why would I hurt him?¡± Felicity fished out a handkerchief for Rhonda so thetter could dry her tears. Naturally, Felicity believed in Rhonda. After all, it should be her pride and joy to be able to bear the Luther family a son. Why would she flush everything down the drain? Everyone in the world would harm Maxton, except for Rhonda. Felicity was sure of it. ¡°You''re too kind. There, there, dry those tears. You still have me. I got your back. This woman won''t be able to cause any more trouble. The police will arrive soon. I''ll see to it myself that Mr. Chestway deals with her ordingly.¡± ¡°T-Thanks, Mrs. Luther.¡± Rhonda sniffed. At that moment, Bailey felt a movement in her arms. Instinctively, she looked down, only to see the boy in her arms staring mindlessly at the ceiling with his eyes wide open, as if he was deep in thought. ¡°Zayron, you''re awake,¡± she uttered. The boy blinked a few times before shing a smile at her. ¡°Don''t worry, Bailey. I''m all right.¡± Bailey felt the corner of her eyes going damp as a lump formed in her throat. She felt as though she was about to cry. That was the scene that weed Artemis as he walked into the emergency room¡ªa young woman, who was clearly on the brink of breaking, feigning calmness in front of the child, while the tiny child leaned against his mother, making her his safe ce and giving her his absolute trust and dependency. The interaction between the mother and son looked so natural. He had never seen such an interaction between Rhonda and Maxton. Yet, he managed to feel the power of a mother''s love from a woman he had only met a few times. If Maxton would rely on Rhonda as much as Zayron relied on Bailey, he might not treat Rhonda as coldly as he did over the years. However, he knew that Rhonda was a vain woman. Maxton was just her ticket to enter the family and have a share of the family''s power, status, and wealth. There was no sign of love and care between her and Maxton. ¡°Mr. Luther, your son is awake. Can we leave now?¡± A cold voice brought Artemis back to his senses. Instinctively, he retracted his gaze. In a calm manner, he offered, ¡°I''ll send a driver to send you guys back¡ª¡± Before he could finish his sentence, Felicity''s shrill voice stopped him. ¡°Before the case is closed, she is to be kept under supervision.¡± She then turned to bark orders at the bodyguards around her. ¡°The few of you, tie her up and bring her to the police station right this instant.¡± ¡°Yes, Mrs. Luther.¡± With her arms around Zayron, Bailey could not retaliate. Because of that, she could only watch on as the bodyguards grabbed her shoulders on both sides. Just as they were about to drag her out of the room, Bailey chuckled unexpectedly. ¡°I seriously wonder how you manage to be one of the richest men in the world, Mr. Luther. You can''t even distinguish between right and wrong. Tsk tsk, you''ve sure let down everyone who looked up to you and respected you.¡± Artemis'' expression darkened. Just as he was about to order the bodyguards to stop, somebody reported from outside the room, ¡°Mrs. and Mr. Luther, Mr. and Mrs. Chivers have purposefullye to visit upon hearing that Mr. Maxton had been poisoned.¡± ¡°Invite them in,¡± ordered Felicity as she signaled the bodyguards to bring Bailey and Zayron aside. After a moment, a man and a woman appeared in the doorway. ¡°Felicity, how''s Max? Is he out of danger yet?¡± The one who spoke was a middle-aged man about the age of fifty. His voice was low and rich. At first nce, he looked like a friendly and amicable person. There was nothing about him that would give off a businessman''s shrewdness. Instead, he smelled of old books. His name was Yoel Chivers, Felicity''s younger brother. His family business had an impressive influence in the corporate world. In fact, the Chivers family was the only family that was on par with the Luther family within the country. Letting go of Rhonda, Felicity made her way to Yoel. ¡°The culprit was evil and heartless, intending to kill off the only heir of the Luther family,¡± she choked. ¡°However, praise God that my precious grandson is all right.¡± Yoel frowned. In a sh, the friendliness he had a moment ago vanished. There was a sense of authority when he spoke. ¡°I can''t believe someone so daring exists in this world. How dare they try to harm the heir of Luther Group? Felicity, have you caught the culprit yet? If you have, you must teach them a lesson and show no mercy.¡± Felicity tossed a venomous re at Bailey, who had been pulled into a corner by the bodyguards. Clenching her teeth, Felicity seethed, ¡°It''s that woman! Can you believe that she''s Max''s aunt? She was jealous that Ronni bore the Luther family a son. As revenge, she was ruthless enough to poison a seven-year-old.¡± Yoel turned in the direction Felicity was ring at. Upon seeing the child in Bailey''s arms, he was taken aback. ¡°Who''s the child in her arms?¡± At the mention of Zayron, Felicity got even more furious. ¡°This woman has such a heinous mind that she wouldn''t mind dragging her own son into the fire if it meant harming Max. It would be a sin not to send such a malicious woman to jail for eternity!¡± Yoel nodded. ¡°Since you''ve found the culprit, then let''s send her to the police station.¡± Standing beside her husband, Gwendolyn tossed a look at Bailey. A glint shed across her eyes. Such a cold young woman. There''s not a trace of fear on her face, even when she''s caught in this situation. ¡°This young woman looks calm and seems to be stubborn. Perhaps there is something difficult that she wanted to talk about. Felicity, are you sure that she was the one who poisoned the children? Not sparing her own son just to harm another does not seem like something a normal mother will do. From the way she''s holding her son so protectively, I don''t think she looks like someone who has the heart to harm him,¡± Gwendolyn voiced. Instantly, Felicity''s expression darkened. With a displeased look on her face, she questioned coldly, ¡°What do you mean, Gwendolyn? Are you saying that I''m framing her?¡± Hearing that, Gwendolyn was startled. ¡°You''ve misunderstood me, Felicity,¡± she quickly exined. ¡°I''m just stating my observations ording to her appearance. She just doesn''t look like someone who would do something so wicked. But if you''re sure that she''s the one who poisoned the kids, then we can send her to the police station for investigations.¡± Felicity huffed in response. ¡°Well, what are you waiting for?¡± she barked at the bodyguards. ¡°Take her to the police station!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Holding Bailey captive in between them, two bodyguards began to drag her out of the room. As a reflex, Artemis stepped out his right foot. Just as he was about to order them to stop, a smooth male voice sounded from the door, which halted the words on his lips. ¡°Aunt Felicity, the truth has yet to be revealed. How can you send someone to the police station so carelessly? From what I see, I think it''s better if we have someone to look into the case, just in case we misunderstood her and ruined the reputation of Luther Group.¡± Chapter 14 Chapter 14 As the man spoke, he entered the room. The man was extremely handsome. He looked about twenty-six to twenty-seven years old. His voice was like a rushing river, soothing and calming to the ears. All of his features were beautifully outlined, which gave him an attractive face. He looked like the finest painting by a skilled artist. His name was Edmund Chivers, Yoel''s eldest son, and Artemis'' younger cousin. Bailey narrowed her eyes at the man. There was a dark and unfathomable look in her eyes. I didn''t know he''s... rted to Artemis. Then again, he''s a Chivers. Artemis'' maternal side of the family also shares the same surname. It shouldn''t be a surprise that he''s part of their family. However, Bailey had known the man for seven years. The fact that she only found out that he was the heir to the Chiverses was like a mocking p to her face. The Chiverses... The family that''s no less than the Luthers! No wonder he has always seemed so unstoppable. He has such powerful families supporting his back. ¡°Daddy Eddy...¡± Zayron slid out of Bailey''s embrace. Just as his feet hit the floor, his weakened body went limp. He was about to crash to the floor when an arm caught his tiny body. In the next second, he was swooped up into the arms of the handsome man. ¡°Careful. If you ruin your pretty face in a fall, you won''t be able to find a wife in the future.¡± Upon hearing the soothing voice from the top of his head, Zayron burst into tears. ¡°Daddy Eddy!¡± he cried out. Everyone except Bailey was dumbstruck. Zayron''s innocent cry was like a bomb that exploded within the small space, sending out waves after waves of destruction. ¡°Daddy Eddy¡± was a title that implied too many things. Could it be... Widening her eyes, Rhonda gaped at Bailey in disbelief. What is going on? What on earth is going on? Bailey didn''t just sleep with Artemis, but with Edmund too? Edmund, who''s known to be reserved? Not only did she birth Artemis a son, but she gave birth to Edmund''s heir as well? How is that possible? How the hell is that possible? Most women would not be able to get close to either one of the two outstanding young men in their entire lifetimes, yet Bailey had gotten both of them. How could Rhonda not be envious and filled with hatred for Bailey? Retracting his stretched-out leg, Artemis stared at Edmund cradling the child in his arms lovingly. A pang of jealousy rose to his chest. Edmund''s luck seems to be better than mine. Not only does he have a son, but he also has a wonderful woman... ¡°Oh, you''re a family!¡± Gwendolyn was the first to break the silence in the room. At the mere thought of the child in Edmund''s arms being her grandson, Gwendolyn was overfilled with joy. Just a moment ago, she was defending the young woman. It was to her greatest pleasure to find out that the young woman was the mother of her grandson. Edmund had always been polite and would always set clear boundaries between males and females. If it was in the past, Gwendolyn would never have believed that Edmund had an illegitimate child behind their backs, no matter what. However, as the scene in front of her continued to y, she was in awe of the heartwarming interaction between Edmund and the child. What other possibility could there be except Edmund being the father of the boy? With a smile on his face, Edmund stroked Zayron on the back and cooed, ¡°I''vee here the moment Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. I found out that you guys are in trouble. Shh, don''t cry. It''s okay. I''m here. I won''t let you get into trouble.¡± Zayron pursed his lips together into a pout. He noticed that he was getting increasingly attached to Edmund. Perhaps I should stop looking for my biological father and start finding ways for Bailey and Daddy Eddy to end up together. ¡°What''s your name, little boy?¡± Gwendolyn asked with a smile, quickly making her way to Zayron. Zayron turned to look at Gwendolyn. ¡°My name is Zayron Jefferson, Ma''am. Mommy''s name is Bailey Jefferson. I have herst name,¡± he answered in an innocent voice. Gwendolyn grinned widely at his words. Upon hearing that he had Bailey''sst name, Gwendolyn took it as a clue to confirm her suspicions. The boy had to be Edmund''s illegitimate child. Edmund had roughly figured out what was going on in Gwendolyn''s head. However, he did not correct her, nor did he n to rify himself. He decided to allow the misunderstanding to go on. After all, he had ns to marry the mother of the child. By then, Zayron would really be his son, despite not biologically. Just then, Felicity finally snapped out of her daze. Withrge strides, she marched toward her nephew. In a trembling voice, she asked, ¡°E-Ed, i-is he... is he really your son?¡± Edmund raised an eyebrow in response as a slight smile appeared on his face. ¡°Shouldn''t the way he addressed me just now answer your question? Aren''t you happy for me, Aunt Felicity?¡± Felicity''s expression was twisted in confusion. If Bailey truly is Eddy''s woman, and she gave birth to Eddy''s son, then why would she be jealous of Rhonda? It''s as much of a privilege to marry into the Chivers family. There was no reason for her to harm my family out of jealousy. Knowing that Felicity was questioning everything internally, Edmund smiled and added, ¡°Aunt Felicity, you''ve been alive for so long. You''ve gone through more than I ever have and are far wiser than I ever will be. With your wisdom, surely you can tell that something is amiss. We''re all family. I truly cannot see the reason Bay would poison the children. What do you think?¡± Embarrassment was written all over Felicity''s face. Edmund''s words might sound ttering, but she knew that he was implying that she had jumped to a conclusion without a solid reason or proof. ¡°Yes, yes. You''re right, Ed. She really doesn''t have a motive to harm the two children, but, but this case...¡± ¡°Don''t you worry about this case, Aunt Felicity. I will have people investigate the matter. Once we find out the true culprit behind the scenes, we won''t let him or her off easily.¡± Aware that Edmund was giving her an opportunity to get off the hook, Felicity dly took it. ¡°Okay. In that case, we''ll leave the matters in your hands. I have faith in your capability. I believe that you can uncover the truth in the shortest time possible.¡± Meanwhile, Rhonda could only hear the buzzing inside her ears. A wave of dizziness washed over her. H-How could this be? Bailey had already hit a dead end. All that was left was her eternal suffering. There wouldn''t be a way for her to recover from it. Yet now, all of a sudden, she became adorned by the Chivers family. In other words, not only did Rhonda''s n fail her miserably, but Rhonda had unknowingly given Bailey the ticket to the Chivers family. Hah! How ironic! Bailey''s son turned out to be Edmund''s child. Isn''t that the greatest irony of the century? Rhonda had thought that stealing Bailey''s son and taking thetter''s ce in the Luther family would Never would she have imagined Bailey to be Edmund''s woman instead and even gave birth to a son for the Chivers family. The Chiverses were a family that was on par with the Luther family. That b*tch! How is she so lucky? All of her children are heirs to the wealthiest family in the country! I hate her! I hate her so much! She despised Bailey so much she wished she could skin thetter alive. Still cradling Zayron in his arms, Edmund went over to take Bailey by her hand and nodded at Felicity. ¡°Aunt Felicity, if there''s nothing else, I''ll be taking Bay and the kid away now.¡± Before Felicity could answer, Artemis cut in, ¡°Hold up.¡± Raising an eyebrow, Edmund turned to look at Artemis. As their gazes met, the tension in the room rose. The two young men stared each other down in a silent battle. Two full minutes passed before Edmund broke the tension with a smile. ¡°Yes, Artemis? Do you have something to say?¡± Chapter 15 Chapter 15 Artemis shifted his focus from Edmund to Zayron. Suspicions rose to his chest as he scrutinized the boy. ¡°Were you the one who edited the trending photo of the illegitimate child yesterday?¡± Zayron blinked innocently. With a childish pout, he argued, ¡°What do you mean, Mr. Luther? I''ve just started second grade. My school doesn''t even haveputer lessons. Do you really think I have the skills to edit such aplicated photo?¡± There was a glint in Artemis'' eyes. In a deep voice, he continued, ¡°Then why did you make Maxton call you his brother in front of the reporters on the video call when I was making a rification regarding the rumor?¡± Hearing that, Zayron broke into a smile. ¡°May I know what your rtionship with Daddy Eddy is, Mr. Luther?¡± he asked. Artemis was slightly taken aback as he stared at Zayron. After a while, he hissed through gritted teeth, ¡°Cousins.¡± Zayron shrugged nonchntly. ¡°There you go,¡± he replied in a rxed manner. ¡°Maxton and I are your and Daddy Eddy''s sons. What''s wrong with him calling me his brother on the media?¡± Artemis was rendered speechless. ¡°You actually don''t have to exin yourself to the public, Mr. Luther. Why does it matter as long as we know the truth? Why should we care about what the world thinks of us? Of course, if you insist on doing a DNA test to prove your innocence, I will dly oblige. However, my blood is priceless. One drop of my blood is worth one billion. Only if you transfer the money will I agree to draw my blood.¡± At his words, Artemis fell silent, while Edmund let out a low chuckle. His greed''s showing again. I give him one hundred million as pocket money every month. Is that not enough? Can''t believe he''s brave enough to rip Artemis off. He sure is daring. ¡°If there''s nothing else, Artemis, we''ll be leaving.¡± Artemis'' gaze was fixed upon Bailey. When he saw she was not repulsed by Edmund''s touch, his expression darkened. That woman was so annoyed by my touch, yet when another man touches her, she doesn''t avoid him. ¡°Are you nning on marrying her?¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Raising an eyebrow, Edmund shrugged nonchntly. ¡°The child is already addressing me as daddy. Of course, I''m going to take responsibility for them. Didn''t you ept Ms. Rhonda into the Luther family when you had Max as well? Isn''t it astonishing that the two of them are sisters? If word got out that we married a pair of sisters, we''d make a name.¡± Once again, Artemis was at a loss for words. As they stepped foot out of the Luther residence, Bailey instinctively pulled out her finger that Edmund was holding in his hand. With a soft sigh, she apologized, ¡°I''m sorry for troubling you again and for causing your folks to have such a huge misunderstanding. If I can, I''d like to invite Mr. and Mrs. Chivers over for a meal and exin everything to them in private. I wouldn''t want to bother your personal life.¡± Edmund smiled slightly. His gorgeous smile could lift up anyone''s mood. What he said next would make anyone melt. ¡°Bay, so many years have passed. I''m sure you''re aware of my feelings for you. Since the cat''s out of the bag, let''s talk about it openly today. I like you¡ªno¡ªperhaps I don''t just like you anymore. After all those years together, I believe my feelings have blossomed into a deep love for you.¡± ¡°Ed¡ª¡± ¡°Don''t reject me so quickly, Bay. Neither of us is married. It''s only natural for me to catch feelings for you. I want to marry you. That has always been part of my n. We''re both adults. Surely we can discuss a topic meant for adults. My heart belongs to youpletely, and I would like to ask for your hand in marriage. As long as you''re not married to anyone else, I will be willing to wait for you for as long as it takes.¡± Bailey lowered her head slightly. Even though she had gone through turmoil after turmoil, she was still as na?ve as an eighteen-year-old when it came to feelings and rtionships¡ªshe did not have the skills for decision-making. She was not against Edmund. Contrarily, she felt safe when she was around him. However, she had two children, and the Chiverses might not ept her. ¡°Edmund, you told me you''re a Chanaean from Ustrana.¡± ¡°Mm-hmm.¡± ¡°And you said that your father is a globally renowned artist.¡± ¡°Mm-hmm.¡± ¡°You also said that your mother is a princess of the royal family of Danontand.¡± ¡°Mm-hmm.¡± Bailey could not help butugh at herself. ¡°But you''re the heir to the Chiverses. The Chiverses are as prestigious as the Luthers. Before today, I didn''t even know you have such an identity. This identity of yours truly is too noble, and it''s increasing the distance between us,¡± she stated. Out of respect for Edmund as a friend, Bailey had never investigated his background. She had always been taking whatever he said as it was. Throughout all those years, she had believed that he was just a foreign Chanaean. Combined with the fact that the Chiverses had always kept a low profile and had never shown themselves on media, she had always been kept in the dark. Seeing that Bailey''s expression had darkened, and detecting the sense of defeat in her eyes, Edmund panicked as he quickly exined himself, ¡°Bay, I didn''t lie to you. I really am a Chanaean from Ustrana. I have dual nationality. As for my father, he really is a world-renowned artist. Have you heard of Sage Aperol?¡± Bailey narrowed her eyes slightly as a thought flickered across her mind. ¡°The world''s renowned but mysterious artist, Sage Aperol, is your father?¡± she asked. ¡°Yup. That''s the pseudonym he used when he was younger. As you know, the Chiverses would never allow the males of the family to pursue art, especially the heirs. The day you''re chosen as the heir is the day you start taking on the family business,¡± exined Edmund. ¡°However, Father was obsessed with drawing. When he was studying overseas, he used that pseudonym to enter the industry and became famous. Afterward, he came back home and slowly collected himself, but he would still make artwork under that name. As for my mother...¡± Edmund faltered and fell silent. A pained expression was written on his face at a certain thought. The change in his expression did not go unnoticed by Bailey. With slightly narrowed eyes, she apologized, ¡°Sorry. I must have triggered an unhappy memory. If you don''t feel like telling me, you don''t have to. I trust you.¡± Edmund shook his head with a bitter smile on his face. After a moment of silence, he stated casually, ¡°My mother really is a princess of the royal family of Danontand, but she''s an illegitimate child. She and my father had a painful history. She¡ª¡± ¡°Enough.¡± Bailey grabbed Edmund''s arm and shook her head gently. ¡°Your mother has to be a kind woman. If she weren''t, the heavens would not bless her with such a great son.¡± As Bailey remembered the kind words of Gwendolyn when thetter defended her in the emergency room earlier, her heart swelled with gratitude. She believed Gwendolyn was a remarkable and intelligent woman. Unfortunately, Bailey had lied to Gwendolyn. If Gwendolyn found out that Zayron was not her biological grandson, she probably would not be as warm as she was toward them. ¡°Mm-hmm, my mother is a very reasonable person. You two will get along well in the future. I guarantee there won''t be any miseries between you inws.¡± Bailey did not reply. Carrying Zayron out of his arms, Bailey shed Edmund a smile. ¡°Go start the car and drive us back to Shelbert Condominium. Then you''re staying for a meal. I''ll cook.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Edmund agreed immediately. After a pause, his tone shifted. ¡°Who was the one who poisoned the kids?¡± Chapter 16 Chapter 16 Furrowing her brows, Bailey thought about Rhonda, and her expression darkened progressively. ¡°I know who did it, but don''t you worry. I can handle this just fine.¡± ¡°Okay. If this were seven years ago, perhaps I would have been worried. Today, however, you''ve grown a body full of thorns. I''m more relieved that you can take care of yourself.¡± His words rendered the woman tongue-tied. Is this supposed to be apliment or an insult? Meanwhile, in the Luther residence, Maxton immediately looked for his mother the moment he woke up. However, he was not looking for Rhonda but Bailey. When Felicity heard Maxton speak, she was shocked. Even though she knew that Maxton was not mute, he rarely spoke. In thest seven years, the times he called Felicity ¡°Grandma¡± could be counted on one hand. Therefore, Felicity was beyond shocked to see Maxton crying out loud for a stranger. Yoel and Gwendolyn had not left either. When they heard Maxton asking for Bailey, they were dumbfounded as well. ¡°My dear boy, don''t cry. If you keep crying, you''re going to break my heart.¡± Felicity was surprisingly patient with her precious grandson. Cradling Maxton in her arm, she kept coaxing the child. ¡°Send me to the condominium! I want to go there!¡± Upon hearing that, Felicity froze. How many words did he just say? I think... I think that was ten words. Under normal circumstances, that would be a month''s worth of words Maxton would say. What powers does that woman Bailey have? How does she cure Max of his autism? ¡°Ronni,e here andfort Max.¡± An icy glint shed across Rhonda''s eyes. She leaned over slightly by the bedside and stretched out her hand in an attempt to carry Maxton. However, Maxton huffed and turned away from her. ¡°Hmph! Evil woman! You and your fake that your n has failed?¡± he snarled. Rhonda turned to look at Felicity awkwardly. ¡°M-Mrs. Luther, could Max have mistaken me for Bailey?¡± she asked, her voice trembling. Before Felicity could answer, Gwendolyn, who was standing by the bed, interrupted, ¡°What do you mean by that, Ms. Rhonda? Do you still think that Bay was the one who poisoned them? There''s no proof of your usation. May I know why you keep insisting on that?¡± Upon hearing Gwendolyn addressing Bailey as ¡°Bay,¡± Rhonda felt her heart sink. They had already started to defend Bailey despite not being sure whether or not the child belonged to the Chivers family. If the child really was proven to be a Chivers, Bailey would be spoilt by the Chivers family and would be untouchable. By then, Rhonda would have no more ce in Hallsbay. No. I can''t let that happen. I have to continueing up with a n to deal with that woman. I need to get her out of Hallsbay! ¡°G-Gwendolyn, that''s not what I¡ª¡± ¡°I think it''s best if you address me as Mrs. Chivers, Ms. Rhonda. As long as Artemis has not married you, we are not family.¡± Rhonda clenched her fists. With teary eyes, she turned to look at Felicity. ¡°Mrs. Luther, I really didn''t mean to nder Bailey. It''s just that Max is my child. I care too much for him, which is why I acted so rashly.¡± To her dismay, Felicity ignored her and continued to coax the child in her arms. ¡°Be good. Your body is not strong enough right now. Once you''ve recovered, I''ll bring you to see your aunt, okay?¡± ¡°Mommy. She''s Mommy,¡± corrected Maxton. Felicity finally calmed Maxton down after great difficulties. Naturally, she would not want to upset him again and quickly sided with him. ¡°Okay... Mommy. I''ll bring you to see Mommy when you''ve recovered.¡± Just as Rhonda was about to object, she received a warning re from Felicity causing her to swallow her words. Rhonda clenched her teeth. This son of a b*tch is such a jinx! I regret not killing him when he was a baby. At the sight of Rhonda''s furious face, Maxton was immensely satisfied. He was fully aware of what had happened when he got poisoned. Maxton vowed to himself to kick Rhonda out the moment he got his hands on any evidence. When that happened, he would wee Bailey into the family with open arms. In his mind, only Bailey was fit for his incredible father. Just then, Gwendolyn went over to the bed with a smile. As she rubbed Maxton''s head, she asked, ¡°Max, can I ask you why you like Bailey so much?¡± Maxton pursed his lips together into a pout. His mood was immediately lifted at the mention of Bailey. ¡°Because she''s extremely good to me. She''s like a mother to me.¡± Gwendolyn''s smile grew wider. Children''s emotions would always be straightforward. If they liked someone, then they liked someone; if they disliked someone, then they disliked someone. There would be no mixed emotions or grey areas. Just like that, Gwendolyn knew that Bailey was an incredible woman. She was over the moon that Edmund had found such a gem. Looks like it''s time for me to start preparing for my son''s wedding! On the other hand, Felicity looked at her grandson suspiciously, not quite understanding the situation. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Is that woman really that good? Meanwhile, in Shelbert Condominium, Bailey was busy cooking in the kitchen. The aroma of the dishes filled the entire ce, which would make one drool. Based on merely the smell, it was enough to increase one''s appetite. In the living room, Edmund sat on the couch while Zayron cozied up on hisp. ¡°I haven''t seen Susan in a while. Where is she now? Did she say when she''sing back?¡± Pointing at theptop on top of the coffee table, the kid replied, ¡°You can give her a video call. Why don''t you ask her yourself?¡± Edmund chuckled lowly as he pinched Zayron''s cheek. With a swift movement, Edmund picked up the After a while, the video call connected. A beautiful girl, about seven years of age, showed up on the The girl resembled Bailey a lot. They both had oval-shaped faces and a pair of huge, pure eyes. The girl was wearing a head essory and a gown, looking like a princess. ¡°Wah! Daddy Eddy''s here too!¡± Her sweet voice, capable of warming the hearts of all those who heard her, sounded. Edmund''s gaze instantly softened. With a smile, he asked the girl on the screen, ¡°I''vee to see you, but looks like I''ve missed you. So, are you going to end your tour early and abandon everything to rush back to see me?¡± ¡°Sure!¡± The girl grinned adorably before winking at him. ¡°Daddy Eddy, when I go back, you should ask Mommy to marry you. I will help you for sure! You will always be my daddy! No one else will suffice.¡± Hearing that, Zayron suddenly burst intoughter. ¡°You''re toote. He already asked her.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Susan widened her eyes in disbelief. When she came back to her senses, she quickly asked, ¡°Really? What did she say? Did Mommy say yes?¡± ¡°She didn''t say no.¡± ¡°Ahh! I wanna go home now!¡± Zayron raised an eyebrow at her and chuckled. ¡°Cutting the tour short would mean paying a fine for breach of contract. Don''te asking me for money. The fine set by Luther Group is twenty percent higher than most entertainmentpanies. Breaking the contract once is enough to make you broke for eternity.¡± Chapter 17 Chapter 17 ¡°They''re evil capitalists!¡± the girl spat. Zayron curled his lips into a half smile and said, ¡°It''s fine. I believe in your charm. Weren''t you nominated for the Best Child Actor Award? ording to the traditions, your boss wille to meet you himself, so take the opportunity to win his heart over, okay? I''m confident of you.¡± The girl pouted, knowing that she was not going to be able to win over that old sly fox Artemis. ¡°Daddy Eddy, my brother''s losing his mind again!¡± Edmund gave her a small smile. ¡°Deal with him when you''re back. I''ll back you up.¡± ¡°Hehe! You''re the best.¡± Just then, the kitchen door opened, and Bailey came out with two tes of dishes. When she saw the ¡°father-and-son¡± duo on a video call, she smiled and asked, ¡°Is that girl done enjoying herself outside? Tell her toe home earlier so that she won''t miss the day to visit her granny''s grave.¡± ¡°Right. I can go home with the excuse of visiting Granny''s grave. Thanks, Mommy. I''ll go and fill in the application for leave now.¡± The corner of Bailey''s lips twitched as she fell speechless. She told herself continuously that she should not be fooled by the girl''s angelic smile, for the girl was more like the devil. ¡°The dishes are ready. Are you guys noting to the table?¡± Closing theptop, Edmund lifted Zayron into his arms. ¡°I''ve been waiting for you to say that. Smelling that aroma had been nothing but torment. I wished I could pick up the tes and shove everything down my throat.¡± Again, Bailey was at a loss for words. Meanwhile, sounds of sobbing were reverberating in the huge living room of the Jefferson residence. ¡°All right, all right. Don''t cry anymore. It''s just a momentary loss. I refuse to believe that b*tch Bailey would be lucky enough to escape all the time. We still have a long way to go, so we''ll eventually find a chance to get her without her getting a chance to recover from it.¡± The one who spoke was Rhonda''s mother, Beatrice Wenlock. She was in a traditional gown with a sleeveless jacket, looking like the stereotypical wealthy wife. The woman was already in her fifties, but as she had maintained her looks well, she only seemed to be in her forties. Sobbing in her arms, Rhonda stammered, ¡°I-I can''t wait any longer. Mom, I don''t have much time anymore. That b*stard child Maxton is so clingy to Bailey. I have a feeling that the truth will soon reveal itself. If that b*tch Bailey ends up marrying into the Chivers family, it''ll be easier to be the queen than to get rid of her. If the people find out about what happened seven years ago, what awaits me will be a tragic end!¡± As Beatrice patted her daughter''s back, she consoled, ¡°I know it''s a dire situation right now, but we don''t have a clear view of what''s going on. For now, we''ll have to find out who the father of her child is. Acting rashly will only make things worse.¡± ¡°I don''t care. Mom, you have to find a way to get rid of her from Hallsbay!¡± At that, Beatrice furrowed her brows and mulled over her words. Something must have popped into her head, for a glint shed past her eyes. ¡°I have an idea. It''ll be your father''s fifty-fifth birthday in a week. On that day, all the prominent figures in Hallsbay will be attending the celebration. We''ll invite Bailey to the event as well, and we''ll¡ª¡± A vicious glint appeared in Rhonda''s eyes as well as she interrupted, ¡°We''ll find a way to ruin her reputation and make everyone disgusted with her. I refuse to believe that she''ll remain in Hallsbay after getting shunned by everyone!¡± ¡°It''ll be even better if we get nude photos of her. We''ll publish it. I doubt the Chiverses would be able to tolerate that and allow their son to marry her after that.¡± Letting out a cackle, Rhonda continued with a menacing look, ¡°Nude photos aren''t good enough. We''ll broadcast it live¡ªwe''ll let all the guests see how she is in bed. I want to shove her into hell this time, and I want to make sure she''ll never crawl out of it. Still, will she actually agree toe to the Jefferson residence?¡± A sneer appeared on Beatrice''s face. ¡°Don''t worry. I have a way to make sure she''lle.¡± In the meantime, Artemis waszily leaning against the tall window in Luther Group''s highest floor office. He had a ss of iced wine in his hand, and the dark red liquid was gently rippling in the ss. Glittering sunlight filtered in through the window and cast a faint glow on the man. Luther Group''s headquarters was a tall building that seemed to reach the clouds. It was also a It was lonely at the top. Artemis had taken over Luther Group at the age of twenty, and after eight years of training and stumbling his way through the corporate world, he had be a well-known business owner. The countless assets were nothing but lifeless numbers. Even he himself had no idea how much he truly owned. Sometimes, he would find himself lost as he stood by the window and stared at the outside world. He could not find a reason to live, and he always felt that there was a hole in his heart that could never beContent property of N?velDra/ma.Org. filled by riches and power. Right then, someone knocked on the office door, and he slowly returned to reality. Tilting his head back to down the wine, he uttered, ¡°Come in.¡± The door opened, and his assistant, Dwayne, entered with a stack of files. ¡°Mr. Luther, I have a few urgent documents that I need your signature for.¡± Artemis slowly turned around. Then, his gazended on the files as he remarked tly, ¡°Put them on the table. Have you found out the details about the kids'' food poisoning incident?¡± Dwayne inclined his head. ¡°Mr. Zayron ordered a set of fried chicken on Nimble Noms, and they had gotten food poisoning after eating that store''s chicken. I''ve already asked the staff of relevant departments to do a test on the remnant chicken meat, and they''ve informed me that the food was spoiled. Moreover, they also told me that they''ve found traces of a potent drug that speeds up heart deterioration in the meat.¡± ¡°Get to the point.¡± Hearing that, Dwayne pursed his lips. Okay, I am a little too wordy. ¡°After receiving the report for the test, I immediately sent my men to take over the fried chicken store. Then, I looked in-depth into the background of the business owner, but I couldn''t find any motives for them to do it. Therefore, I assume that the owner of the fried chicken store wasn''t the one who did it. After interrogating him, I found out that he usually purchases the ingredients for his fried chicken from the ck market. However, he doesn''t know who the supplier is.¡± Artemis narrowed his eyes as a dangerous glint shed in them. ¡°So that means you didn''t find out where the toxin was from.¡± Rubbing his nose, Dwayne shed him an awkward smile. ¡°It''s too much of a rush. Why don''t you give me a few more days, and I promise I''ll find out who poisoned him?¡± ¡°A week.¡± Artemis walked around the curved desk and sat down on the office chair. ¡°You have a week. If you still can''t find out who poisoned him, be ready to forfeit your position to someone else. There are plenty of capable, intelligent people waiting to rece you in the CEO''s assistant''s office.¡± At his words, Dwayne turned silent. He then chuckled bitterly as he walked over to the office desk before pulling out the uppermost papers from the stack of files. Just as he was about to hand it to the other man, a leave application form fell out from between the two files. Chapter 18 Chapter 18 Out of curiosity, Artemis drew out the leave application and took a nce at it. It was unusual for employees to submit their leave applications to the CEO''s office. Even department directors would only need to submit their leave applications to Dwayne instead of obtaining the CEO''s approval. The applicant was Susan Jefferson, seven years old, and her stage name was Barbara. Artemis thought the stage name sounded familiar. Barbara? I feel like I''ve heard this name somewhere before. The reason stated in the leave application: Mommy wants me to clean up Granny''s graveyard. The corners of Artemis'' lips twitched when he came across the reason. Dwayne could tell something was amiss with his expression and was about to snatch the form back. Oh, Barbara. You could have just called me instead of submitting a leave application. I don''t know how the tyrant would react now that he has seen this application. Artemis arched his brows and quipped, ¡°Why are you so nervous? Is she your illegitimate child?¡± ¡°Don''t utter nonsense, please.¡± Dwayne mustered up his courage and stared at the man. Gritting his teeth, he continued, ¡°I''ve yet to touch a woman, so don''t make stories to tarnish my reputation.¡± Artemis did not believe a word he said. Scrutinizing Dwayne''s lower torso, he teased, ¡°You''ve been pursuing Victoria for a couple of years now, haven''t you? So how''s your progress? You should sleep with her, get her pregnant, and seal the deal.¡± His remark rendered Dwayne speechless. Artemis then turned his attention to the leave application and muttered, ¡°Barbara. If I''m not mistaken, Tempest Entertainment under Luther Group spent three hundred million to brand and market Barbara as the international child star, right? She was even a nominee for Oscars'' Best Child Actor Award this year.¡± Somehow, Artemis still thought the name rang a bell. Susan Jefferson. Susan Jefferson? I''m sure I must have heard this name before. ¡°Wow. I''m surprised Mr. Busy Man still remembers my goddaughter. What an honor! We''ll definitely need your support to help her win the Oscars'' Best Child Actor Award.¡± ¡°Goddaughter?¡± Artemis arched his brows. ¡°I never knew you have a goddaughter. Whose daughter? The men we know are either still single or have only sons. None of them has a daughter.¡± Dwayne massaged his temples and sighed. ¡°She''s Victoria''s goddaughter, and the girl is her best friend''s daughter. Since I''ll be marrying Victoria soon, I consider the girl my daughter now.¡± Artemis responded with a faint smile. I see. However, in just seconds, his smile vanished when he nced at the reason for taking leave. She must be a mischievous little girl. Artemis preferred to have a daughter over a son. He thought daughters, generally, were more well- mannered, and he had a soft spot for them. Too bad. I don''t think I''ll ever have a daughter. ¡°Bring her to Luther Group''s headquarters. I want to meet her when she returns to Hallsbay. As for the Oscars'' Best Child Actor Award, don''t worry about it. All I need to do is make a call. I''m doing this for you and Victoria.¡± Upon recalling something his mother mentioned earlier, Artemis said to Dwayne, ¡°Caridee''sing-of- age ceremony is around the corner. Have you contacted that designer? You must get the designer to my one and only sister. I want to give her the best.¡± ¡°Don''t worry. The designer Xavier rmended is the lead designer in Archulea, and I heard she''s quite an influential figure. I''m sure Ms. Caridee will be impressed with the gown.¡± Artemis kept mum for a moment before replying, ¡°Cancel all my schedules from three to four in the afternoon. Call her toe and meet me here. I want to talk to her personally.¡± Since Dwayne knew Artemis cared about Caridee, he was not surprised that Artemis took charge of Caridee''sing-of-age ceremony. Dwayne then nodded in response to his request. ¡°All right. I''ll call her. She was supposed to report duty at the headquarters yesterday, but something caught up. She should be able to make it today.¡± Meanwhile, at Shelbert Condominium, Bailey''s voice emerged from the bathroom when she heard a doorbell ringing. ¡°Open the door, Zayron.¡± Zayron, who was watching a television program, rolled his eyes. Hopping down from the couch, he walked to the foyer and looked through the peephole. He was stunned by the person standing outside the door. What is she doing here? After darting his eyes from side to side, he smirked, turned around, and waved at Hado. ¡°Hey,e here!¡± Hado wagged its tail and went up to Zayron. The kid put a finger to his lips to order the dog to keep quiet. ¡°I want you to prance on the woman when I open the door, but don''t bite her because I don''t want to pay for her jab. You can lick her all over and make her feel as disgusting as possible. I''ll reward you with a nice mealter.¡± Hado responded by barking twice in a suppressed voice. When the doorbell rang, Zayron snapped his finger and opened the door. Rhonda had envisioned how she would act when Bailey opened the door. If need be, I''ll even apologize to that b*tch. Yet, something unexpected happened. Woof! Woof! ¡°Ah!¡± Her shriek resonated through the narrow walkway alongside Hado''s barking noise. When the dog leaped forward, Rhonda fell to the ground. The color drained from her face when she thought the canine would bite her. ¡°Get off of me, you stupid dog! Go away!¡± Hado was an adult dog with rare pedigrees and looked like a Tibetan Mastiff. The canine had exceptional physical strength and would be at least half a human''s height when it stood on its hind legs. Even a mature man would have a tough time wrestling with the dog, let alone someone as vulnerable as Rhonda. Rhonda could only lie helplessly on the ground while the hyper-salivating dog licked all over her body. Not only did her entire body be sticky because of its saliva, but a foul smell also came with it. Zayron thought Rhonda would at least put up a fight, but to his surprise, the woman started throwing up after Hado licked her neck for the third time. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. A corner of his lips quirked up as he watched the prank unfold while leaning against the door frame and crossing his arms. This is just the beginning of my revenge. This woman has to pay the price for indirectly causing the deaths of my Great-granny and brother. I have to live up to my reputation by letting her get a taste of her own medicine. Themotion by the door instantly caught Bailey''s attention. Leaving the bathroom, she walked to the living room with a frown. Her eyes twitched when she saw Hado pinning a woman to the ground. What the hell is going on? She was stunned, as she never knew Hado could be so ferocious. It''s acting like a perverted hooligan! Bailey knew his son would not have done this to any stranger, even though he was quite a rogue, so it only took her a while to figure out who the woman was. In Hallsbay, only one woman could trigger Zayron to take such extreme action¡ªRhonda. Chapter 19 Chapter 19 ¡°Get Hado to calm down. Make sure it doesn''t bite her, or we''d have to pay for her to get vinated.¡± Pfft! As expected, the mother and son shared the same thoughts. ¡°B-Bailey, haven''t you always wanted to find out the truth behind your mother''s death? Get this dog away from me, and I''ll tell you!¡± Bailey''s gaze turned cold instantly. When she was three, her mother was burned until no remains could be found. The case was then dropped as there was no substantial evidence that it was a homicide. However, Bailey knew the fire was no ident. Someone had to be behind it, but to date, her years of investigation still led to nothing. ¡°Hado, go back to the living room.¡± Fine! Huffing, the dog left another mouthful of drool on Rhonda''s face once more before leaving. With a stagger, Rhonda got back up on her feet and red at the mother-and-son duo, unable to conceal the hatred and murderous intent she felt toward them. I''m going to kill this b*tch. I swear I will! Bailey took a step forward and grabbed the other woman''s wrist. ¡°Tell me everything you know, or don''t even think about leaving this ce,¡± she demanded frostily. ¡°You want to know the truth? Sure. Dad''s birthday is in seven days. Come to the Jefferson residence, and my mom will tell you everything personally,¡± Rhonda replied with her fists clenched, suppressing the rage within her. Hang in there for just a few more days, dear self. You can finally destroy her life to no point of return at Dad''s birthday party. Narrowing her eyes, Bailey stared at the other woman in a way that looked as if she could see through her intentions. Rhonda began to feel intimidated that she wanted to step back, but with her ego on the line, she could only force herself to return the gaze. ¡°Fine,¡± Bailey ultimately responded. ¡°As the eldest daughter, it''s only natural that I show up for my father''s birthday. I hope you and your mother can give me a proper exnation. If you don''t, we''ll settle our old scores there and then.¡± Having achieved her goal of dropping by, Rhonda shot both the mother and son a vicious nce before fleeing. After watching the disheveled-looking woman leave, Zayron turned to his mother. ¡°It''s obvious what she''s up to. Are you going to walk right into her trap? Aren''t you worried about making a fool out of yourself?¡± Bailey shrugged. ¡°It doesn''t matter what she does. She could drug me or nder me, and I''d have no choice but to go along with it. I first thought of letting her off, but now that she''s messing with me, I can''t be med for what''s about to happen. She''ll find out what it means to bring something upon herself.¡± The woman''s phone rang as soon as her words fell, and she reached for it, only to realize the call came from an unknown number. It took her a moment of hesitation to answer it. ¡°Hello, is this Ms. Jefferson speaking?¡± ¡°Yeah, Bailey Jefferson here. And you are?¡± ¡°I''m Dwayne Derning, the assistant of Luther Group''s CEO.¡± ¡°Can I help you?¡± ¡°Mr. Artemis Luther would like to see you. Do you happen to be avable at two this afternoon?¡± Bailey fell silent briefly. He wants to see me? We hardly even know each other. ¡°I''m avable, but I won''t meet Mr. Luther. I''m not well-acquainted with him, so we have nothing to talk about. I''ll be hanging up if that is all you''d like to tell me.¡± Dwayne was clearly bewildered. It''s already rare for Mr. Luther to ask to see someone, but this is his first time getting turned down. This woman really is something. ¡°Are you expressing your intentions to stop designing Luther Group''s clothes, Ms. Jefferson?¡± The woman stilled momentarily just as she was about to end the call. ¡°Is Mr. Luther asking to see me so we can discuss the clothing designs?¡± she asked with a frown. ¡°That''s right. Sorry for not being clear with my words and causing a misunderstanding. Yes, Mr. Luther wants to see you over the clothing designs. Are you free to drop by at two?¡± Bailey''s eyes narrowed as they dimmed slightly. ¡°I can speak directly to the design department. There''s no need for me to see Mr. Luther himself.¡± Did she just... reject him? It''s his first time approaching a girl, and he''s been turned down already? Wow, Mr. Luther, you''ve failed as a guy. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°Uh...¡± ¡°It''s decided, then. I''ll have Victoria Saunders contact yourpany''s design department. I''m sure Mr. Luther has lots of work to do, so I''d rather not bother him. Bye.¡± With that, the woman hung up immediately. Zayron raised an eyebrow as he stood next to her. ¡°You only stole three billion from him. Are you that scared of him that you don''t want to meet him?¡± A bleak look shed in Bailey''s eyes for a split second. She had not forgotten how that man had just stood there watching things unfold at the Luther residence yesterday. I have to avoid him. I can''t afford to cross such an influential guy like him. Besides, he''s also Rhonda''s man, so all the more reason for me to be extra careful. If I don''t watch out, people might use me of stealing my own sister''s partner. ¡°Don''t try to pick a fight with a dangerous guy like him, Zayron. He''s a lot moreplicated than we think he is. It took him only eight years to be the top five wealthiest people in the world and gain hundreds of billions in assets. We know nothing about what he does behind the scenes.¡± The boy pursed his lips. ¡°Okay. I won''t start a fight with him as long as he doesn''t find out about the three billion you took from him. If you like Daddy Eddy, I''ll support you and treat him as my own father.¡± Bailey''s expression softened at the mention of Edmund. If it were not for his help seven years ago, she and her two children would have died along with the stillborn child. The woman did not know what to think of him; she did not like him in a romantic way, but she was not repulsed by him either. Perhaps even if they were to get married, life would be akin to still waters ¡ª peaceful but with zero emotion. Meanwhile, Dwayne brushed his nose while walking into the CEO''s office of Luther Group. ¡°Uh... Mr. Luther, I just gave the designer from Archulea a call, but she doesn''t wish to see you. She said she can just discuss matters with the director of the design department.¡± Artemis'' hand quivered slightly as he held onto a pen. ¡°Get another designer, then. There are so many other options out there. Surely there''s someone else who''s just as capable for the job, no?¡± Ugh... Dwayne scratched his head in frustration. ¡°But she''s Victoria''s best friend,¡± he began meekly. ¡°It''d be a p in Victoria''s face if we work with another designer. I''ve gone through so much trying to win her heart, so think about my situation, please.¡± Artemis paused for a moment before leaning back into his chair and gazing at the other man icily. ¡°I don''t see how that''s my problem.¡± So that''s how it is, huh? Fine! You''re the boss! ¡°I heard Hector''s gotten his hands on some state-of-the-art toys with real solid levers in Zaewora. How about I give him a call and have him send you a couple to y with?¡± Chapter 20 Chapter 20 Artemis smirked. ¡°I didn''t force you.¡± ¡°Oh, no, no. I''m the one who''s willing to work for you. Who dares to say that you''re forcing me?¡± Dwayne quickly uttered. Despite saying that, he had already cursed the Luther family several times inwardly. He even wants to get me, his friend, into trouble. Can he be any more shameless? ¡°Forget it. Get the director of the design department to discuss it with her. It''s not as if I have to see her. Call Stephen Chandlerter and tell him toe to the CEO''s office.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°By the way, have the paternity test results of that kid and Mr. Larsone out yet?¡± Artemis inquired. ¡°Not yet. It''ll probably be out tomorrow morning.¡± ¡°All right, then. Let me know when the results are out.¡± If that brat isn''t Mr. Larson''s child, then... In the living room of the Luther residence, Felicity was sitting on the couch chatting with Beatrice. After exchanging some pleasantries, Beatrice began to talk about her purpose for dropping by. ¡°Mrs. Luther, Max is already at this age. Shouldn''t we bring forward Artemis and Ronni''s marriage? I believe the two of them will be able to give you a grandchild or two after they get married, and when the time Hearing that, Felicity knitted her brows and replied with a troubled look, ¡°My son has always made his own decisions. If he doesn''t give his approval, I''m afraid we can''t proceed with the marriage. I''m sure you know Artemis has a cold personality and has never been close to women. Ever since that one time with Ronni seven years ago, he never had sex with her again. Till now, I still haven''t figured out his thoughts, and I can''t force him to marry Ronni.¡± After saying that, she gave it a thought before suggesting, ¡°Why don''t you try your best again, Ronni? See if you can have sex with him for one night. It''ll be easier for me to pressure him when he has already touched you.¡± With a blush, Rhonda was just about to respond that Artemis would not let her go near him when her mother shot her a nce, which scared her so much that she quickly changed her words. ¡°All right. I won''t let you down and will do my best to please Artemis.¡± ¡°That''s more like it.¡± Felicity reached out and took her wrist, patting her on the back of her hand several times. ¡°Men are all the same. As long as the woman makes an effort, they will be at your mercy.¡± ¡°Having you by my daughter''s side guiding her is truly a great blessing,¡± Beatrice voiced tteringly. ¡°And she should cherish it. In the future, she''ll certainly be filial to you as she is to her own mother.¡± Rhonda held Felicity''s arm, resting her head on thetter''s shoulder before saying, ¡°Mom is right. I''ll be filial to you in the future, and you''ll have another daughter from now on.¡± Upon hearing that, Felicity was delighted by her response, and her smile widened into a broad grin. ¡°All right, all right. I know you''re filial, Ronni. You''ve given birth to an heir to the Luther family and must take the biggest credit, so the futuredy of this family can only be you.¡± As Beatrice and Rhonda exchanged nces, a thought came into thetter''s mind. As long as Mrs. Luther is on our side, I''ll be able to turn things around. One day, I will get rid of that little b*stard Maxton and give Artemis another son. ¡°By the way, Mrs. Luther, my husband''s fifty-fifth birthday is in a week, so I came here today to invite you to the Jefferson residence for a meal. Would you be free that day?¡± Beatrice inquired. ¡°Yeah.¡± The corner of Felicity''s eyes crinkled as she added with a smile, ¡°I naturally want to attend my inws'' birthday banquet, but Old Mr. Luther is still abroad on business, so he may not be able to make it back in time. Please don''t take offense to that when the timees, Mrs. Jefferson.¡± ¡°Oh. of course not. Don''t be so serious, Mrs. Luther. Your husband is usually very busy, so let''s not disturb his work.¡± After saying that, Beatrice continued with a pretense of embarrassment, ¡°There''s a saying that uncles of a family must be well-respected. Once Ronni marries into the Luther family, she must respect Artemis'' uncle as her elder. Hence, I was thinking of inviting Mr. Chivers and his wife over to the Jefferson residence, but I''m worried that it would be too abrupt to call them, so I was wondering if I could trouble you to...¡± Nodding in understanding, Felicity replied with a smile, ¡°That''s easy. I''ll just give Yoel a call. They should pay a visit to the maiden home of their nephew''s future wife. You''re very thoughtful. If you don''t invite them, it may be a subject of gossip in the future.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± The two of them chatted for a few more moments before Beatrice got up to say goodbye. ¡°It''s almost time for dinner. Why don''t you stay and have a quick meal before leaving, Mrs. Jefferson?¡± Felicity offered. With a smile, Beatrice declined politely, ¡°There are still many things I need to take care of at home, so I won''t bother you any further. I''ll be sure not to refuse your hospitality the next time Ie to here, though.¡± ¡°All right. I know you''re very busy these days, so I won''t keep you any longer. See your mom out for me, Ronni. I have to go upstairs to see if Max is awake.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± With that, Rhonda walked out of the living room holding Beatrice''s arm and dismissed the housekeeper, who was following behind. Only after confirming that there was no one around did she chuckle sinisterly. ¡°That old woman has agreed to attend the birthday banquet at our house, and the Chiverses will also be attending. I must destroy that b*tch Bailey''s reputation in front of all the prominent figures in Hallsbay.¡± Beatrice snorted lightly with a smug expression on her charming face. ¡°Even her mother couldn''t win me back then, and I took over her role. It''s still too early for a child like her to go against me now.¡± Rhonda could not contain her curiosity as she asked, ¡°Do you have anything to do with that woman''s death, Mom?¡± ¡°Don''t talk nonsense,¡± Beatrice reprimanded softly. ¡°Her mother''s death has nothing to do with me, but I know that someone did it deliberately. As for who was behind it, I have no clue. She had kept a huge secret, and it was probably the reason for her tragic death.¡± ¡°So¡ª¡± ¡°That''s enough. You shouldn''t worry about the past. Right now, you should be thinking about how to get into Artemis'' bed. Mrs. Luther has already dered her position that as long as you have sex with Artemis, she will pressure him into marrying you. Since that old woman has agreed to help you, you must grasp this opportunity, understand?¡± ¡°But he forbids me to go near him...¡± Shooting her a re, Beatrice chided, ¡°Don''t you know how to use tricks? Be it drugging, bewitching, or seducing. As long as you achieve the desired effect, why should you care about the process?¡± ¡°O-Okay. I''ll go back and think about it.¡± ¡°Don''t bother doing that. Just go to the kitchen, make some soup, and send it to Luther Group. We create opportunities through our means, understand?¡± ¡°Okay, got it.¡± Meanwhile, at Shelbert Condominium, Bailey came out of the bedroom with a sling bag over her shoulder. ¡°I''m heading to Luther Group. Will you be all right being home alone?¡± Zayron pursed his lips when he heard that. As if I''ve never stayed home alone. ¡°Go ahead. Lock the door behind you. I''m afraid I can''t control my legs to run out and get into trouble.¡± Giving him a side-eye, Bailey grabbed the key from the top of the shoe cab and left. Beep! Hearing the notification sound from the phone on the coffee table, Zayron reached out and grabbed it. A text message popped up on the screen: The evil woman is making soup in the kitchen to send it to Daddy. How should I mess with her, Idiot? Chapter 21 Chapter 21 Zayron blinked and stered a cunning smile before calling the number. ¡°Dummy, are you sure she''s making the soup for your dad?¡± ¡°Yup. I overheard it when she was talking to my grandma. Anyway, the soup is almost ready. Please think of a way for me to mess with her.¡± Zayron snickered as an evil glint shed across his eyes. ¡°Go to the Luther residence''s infirmary to get some drugs that could arouse a man. Then, add some into the soup.¡± On the other end of the line, Maxton frowned upon hearing it. After a while, he grew cautious. ¡°Are you setting up a trap? If I do that, my daddy will end up sleeping with her. Once that happens, they will have to get married soon. I''m trying to mess with her here, and you''re doing the opposite. My goodness. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Your idea sucks.¡± Oops... Zayron touched his nose. I initially wanted to teach that sly fox a lesson, but the dummy is sharp- minded enough not to fall for it. ¡°I didn''t mean to set a trap. Think about it, won''t your daddy feel disgusted by her once he knows she drugs him? Not only will the tyrant not marry her, but he will even drive her out of the house. Just listen to me, and everything will go as nned.¡± I''m not that stupid to listen to you! ¡°My daddy has no immunity to drugs. He will turn into a beast even if he consumes a little of them. I mean, I wouldn''t have been born seven years ago if he could control himself. Hence, I''m worried he will lose his rationality and can''t hold his desire back. Everything will be toote if that happens.¡± ¡°How stupid! Can''t you reduce the dosage until it''s just enough for him to notice he''s drugged? Why must you turn him into a beast?¡± Um... Nheless, Maxton still thought it was hical to drug his father, lest it backfired and would end in thetter not getting married. ¡°Um, do you have another way that is not as wicked?¡± Zayron replied without hesitation, ¡°Nope. I''ve already proposed my idea. It''s now up to you to decide. This is the most normal way of framing someone, and she has no way to deny it, which makes things easier.¡± After moments of silence, Maxton gnashed his teeth and said, ¡°All right. I''ll heed your advice.¡± Hearing that, Zayron could not help but smile to himself. That''s right. Just listen to me. Meanwhile, Bailey stood in front of the imposing building of Luther Group''s headquarters. Looking up, Bailey could not help but gasp in astonishment. Luther Group''s headquarters showcased its status as the top nationalpany and one of the world''s top ten brands. The gigantic business empire was a remarkable feat that numerous young talents hoped for but could not achieve. Yet, the ruthless and decisive Artemis made it in merely eight years. Bailey had to admit that Rhonda was fortunate. Not only had she slept with Artemis, but she also bore him a son and became the most honorable woman among all prominent figures in Hallsbay. ¡°Hello, may I know if you''re Ms. Jefferson?¡± Upon hearing a polite female voice, Bailey came to her senses. Turning around, she saw a woman in a formal outfit and smiled at thetter. ¡°I am. And you are?¡± The female staff shed her a faint smile and replied courteously, ¡°I''m the assistant to Mr. Stephen Chandler, the director of the Luther Group''s design department. Mr. Chandler looks forward to meeting with you, and he sent me here to wee you.¡± Bailey nodded andughed lightly. ¡°Sorry for troubling you. You didn''t need to do that. I could''ve headed to the design department on my own to meet Mr. Chandler.¡± ¡°You''re the top designer of our branch in Archulea, Ms. Jefferson. Hence, you''re our distinguished guest, and it''s my job to wee you.¡± ¡°I''m ttered. Anyway, please take me to Mr. Chandler''s office.¡± ¡°This way, please.¡± The female staff led Bailey to the office of the design department''s director and opened the door. The next moment, Bailey saw a young man sitting on the leather couch. As far as Bailey knew, all directors of Luther Group''s departments were recent graduates supported and promoted by Artemis. Deep down, she admitted Artemis was an excellent leader with acute judgment and exceptional ability to develop talents. Because Luther Group had an endless supply of energetic new blood, its sales increased several times, which made it the toppany in the sector. ¡°Ms. Jefferson, your reputation precedes you.¡± Getting to his feet, the man walked toward the door and stretched out a hand to greet Bailey. My reputation precedes me? I don''t think I''m famous! At the very least, Bailey knew she was not well known in the design industry. ¡°Thanks for weing me, Mr. Chandler. I''m truly ttered.¡± With that, Bailey shook hands with him. After that, Stephen pulled his hand back and gestured for her toe in. When Bailey took a seat, Stephen gave her a cup of coffee and uttered, ¡°I''ve just finished brewing this, but I''m not sure if it''s to your liking. Please give it a try. If you think it''s not to your taste, I''ll change it to another brand.¡± ¡°I''m not picky.¡± Receiving the cup, Bailey took a sip and praised Stephen, ¡°It''s indeed good coffee. Seems like you know much about coffee, Mr. Chandler. I must say you''re an all-around elite. It''s no surprise that you have be the design department''s director of Luther Group at such a young age.¡± Raising his eyebrows, Stephen smiled at Bailey and responded jokingly, ¡°Despite being a director in Luther Group, I''m only a high-ss wage earner at best. I''ve learned to cater to my boss'' liking after working for him for all these years.¡± Artemis was probably the boss he was referring to. Stephen and other higher-ups could achieve their sesses today because Artemis recognized and optimized their talents. As such, they were willing to be loyal to Artemis to repay his kindness. ¡°Is Mr. Luther good at making coffee too?¡± Once Bailey brought up Artemis, Stephen put on a gentle smile, uttering courteously, ¡°Yes, Mr. Luther is an expert in it. He will make some coffee whenever I''m in his office to discuss business with him. Hence, I''ve picked up a thing or two about the art of making coffee from him.¡± shing him a polite smile, the woman changed the subject of the conversation. ¡°May I know what kind of gown design you would like me toe up with?¡± ¡°Well, Mr. Luther''s sister, Ms. Caridee, is about to reach eighteen in a month. To celebrate that, the Luther family is going to organize a granding-of-age ceremony and wishes to get a top designer to to hold apetition for the top designers of Luther Group. Whoever wins thepetition will design a gown for Ms. Caridee.¡± A gown for aing-of-age ceremony? Bailey narrowed her eyes as she was deep in thought. I''m more used to designing wedding gowns that demonstrate passion and sexiness. However, those are inappropriate for an eighteen-year-old girl. ¡°Well... I''m afraid it''s rather challenging. I think I can quit thepetition and give my slot to the